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imperial-martian · 5 years ago

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Standing Tall {Atticus Finch x Reader}

A/N: so, I hadn’t realized Atticus didn’t go to high school when I was writing this. After I wrote this I passed the part in the book. Mind you, I had watched the movie first. Also, keep in mind, this is my first time ever writing for Atticus. If you want me to write more, than I can turn this account into a multi-fandom blog.

Teen! Atticus x Teen! Reader

Angst/Fluff

(High School AU, Bullying, Third Person Point of View)

•—•

The young h/c haired, e/c eyed girl knew from the moment she woke up that morning that it was going to be an awful day. Mondays were always awful, as well as Tuesday and the rest of the week until finally, the weekend came around.

Golden hues of the sunlights rays shined in through her white curtains, lighting up her bed and allowing for the covers to become warmer than the temperature they had been throughout the night. Knowing that it was time to get up and head off to school, Y/N pushed her covers aside and swung around to sit on the edge of her bed.

She rubbed at her eyelids, blinking a few once she removed her knuckles before she pushed herself up from the bed and made her way towards her wardrobe. Pulling open the uncared wooden drawer, hearing the awful scraping sounds that over time would begin to wear out the wood, she pushed aside some clothes before finding her uniform.

The jumper was a grey, blue, and stripes of gold patterned to look like some sort of checkers board, underneath was a sky blue button-up and black tie, and over the top of both of those was a black sweater vest. Her shoes were an unpolished leather black loafers that slipped over the top of knee-high navy stockings.

Y/N hated the uniform, but she's dealt with it for twelve years, and with two more years left to go for high school it was bearable. She wasn't ready for the morning yet, still managing to brush her teeth, brush her hair and wrap it into a neat ponytail before making her way to the kitchen where she was greeted with her parents.

Her father was reading the newspaper, already dressed in his formal suit. Her mother was in a yellow sundress by the stove, cooking them all breakfast while Zala, the maid, set the table.

"Good morning mother," she greeted with a kiss on her cheek. Then she moved over to her father, kissing him on the cheek as well. "Hello father, a new case today?" she asked, nodding to the briefcase on the floor beside him.

Her father looked up from over the newspaper, his f/e/c eyes gazing over to his daughter before he snapped the newspaper shut and nodded, a small smile resting on his face.

"Indeed, Y/N, unfortunately, I can't bring you to school because of said case. I have to head to the court early," he explained, giving her a sympathetic smile before glancing at his pocket watch. "Which reminds me, I should be heading out now," he said, standing and fixing his blazer before grabbing his case and leaving the papers discarded on the table.

"You do well at school, won't you? Be careful on your walk there," Y/N's father chided before standing after he received a nod

Her father walked towards Y/N before kissing the top of her head and patting her shoulder, then moved towards her mother whom to which he gave a small kiss to before waving goodbye to Zala and taking his leave.

Y/N watched her father leave before turning to Zala to finally say good morning.

"I'm sorry to ask mother, but since father can't bring me to school is it all right if I head out early today?" she asked, already readying her backpack as she spoke.

Her mother turned to look at her from over her shoulder. "That's fine by me dear, but here," she said, grabbing some toast and an apple, "take this with you and eat it on your way there."

Y/N nodded her head, giving her mom a wide, thankful smile before grabbing the apple and toast. "Thank you mother, goodbye, and have a nice day. You too Zala, I'll see you after school."

Zala smiled towards her and nodded, "you behave Miss L/N," she teased before walking her towards the door. "Guess I'll only be setting the table for two this morning," she said, holding the door open for Y/N.

Y/N laughed softly before heading out and waving back to Zala before beginning her dreadful walk to school. It was interesting to see how quickly her mood had changed as soon as the thought of school had entered her head. It was unfortunate, especially since Y/N loved going to school. She loved to learn. However, there were people there that she simply could not push aside. She couldn't stand up for herself. There were too many.

The girl had been unaware of the young, yet still older, boy walking behind her. Atticus Finch, a young, bright man on his third year of high school, was trailing behind Y/N in a sky blue button-up, navy tie, and black dress pants. He wore a black belt that matched his leather shoes which were polished till they were spotless. His dark brown, almost black, hair was parted perfectly and the matching colored eyes were hidden behind circular glasses that rested against the bridge of his nose.

Usually, a book would be resting in his hands that allowed his brown eyes to travel every word, picking apart each sentence with little care as to what or who was around him. However, today was different. Atticus was without a book, his hands even shoved into his pockets, and his brown eyes were scanning his surroundings rather than words on paper.

Atticus has been walking at a decent pace when Y/N had begun to walk in front of him. He had decided to pick it up a little till he caught up to her so that they walked side by side.

"Morning Y/N," Atticus greeted, startling her slightly, not because she didn't know somebody was standing beside her, but because she didn't know it was Atticus standing beside her.

She swallowed, eventually attempting to speak. "Atticus!" she exclaimed. "Good morning," she continued in a much more silent, shallow tone.

Atticus had only turned his head to look at the girl, giving her a soft smile as they walked side by side. Y/N's hands couldn't stop themselves from going up to the straps of her backpack and gripping onto them until her knuckles were white. She was terribly nervous, looking around as if she was looking for somebody.

"Hey Atticus?" she questioned, gaining his attention. "Where is your sister?"

"She has left early to walk with Maudie. She had said something about wanting to study for a test, however, it was clear as day that she was lying," Atticus chuckled, shaking his head a little.

Y/N frowned. "Ah, I see," she mumbled before turning her head to look off towards the houses that aligned the street.

Atticus, although noticing the sudden frown on the girl's face, said nothing, only continuing to silently walk beside her. He did, however, reach out a hand towards her, lightly placing his fingers against her arm in order to console her for whatever negative thought made her so sad.

Y/N's head snapped to the side, glancing down at the soft brush of fingers on her arms before she looked back up to Atticus' chocolate brown eyes. Her h/c eyes were filled with fear, not because she was afraid of Atticus himself, but God forbid Alexandra caught sight of this, her hell of a day at school would be as if she was burning in fire- like a slow and painful death.

Atticus has since removed his hand from her arm, placing it back into his pocket. "I didn't mean any harm by the action. I only wanted to offer some reassurance," the boy explained when he recognized that the girl was still in some deep thought.

Y/N blinked. "Oh no, Atticus, I-" she broke off, frustrated with herself for causing Atticus to think that he had made her uncomfortable. She stopped speaking after that, only because their school had come into view and the fright that she had felt just moments ago covered up the frustration she felt.

The bell went off the minute that they had stepped into the schoolyard, and quickly students began to disperse and head off to different classes.

"Hopefully I'll see you again before the day ends, Y/N. I wish you luck in all your classes," Atticus stated, offering Y/N one last smile before he headed in the direction of his class, just barely hearing the murmured 'you too,' that was returned.

The young girl knew it was best for her to head to class, and yet she was far too hesitant to take a step towards the direction she had to go. It didn't help when she caught the eyes of Maudie and Alexandra from the class windows.

Quickly, she averted her gaze, making her way into the school and walking the halls until she arrived at her class, only to be blocked off by the two girls she had caught the eyes of moments ago.

For a moment, she thought that the girls would shove her back in order for them to intimidate her, but when a hand reached out and grabbed at her collar the poor girl began to shake like a leaf.

"Why don't you tell us what you were doing with Atticus this morning, Y/N?" Alexandra, the one who grabbed at her, questioned while Maudie stood beside her to keep an eye out for the teacher.

Y/N didn't say a word. She never did when she was shoved around and questioned by these two, but this was different. Today she was trapped in Alexandra's grip. When her hand tightened a little, her knuckles digging into the skin of Y/N's neck, she gritted her teeth.

"What were you doing with my brother? I won't ask again you good for nothing twat," Alexandra demanded, her eyes searing with rage.

Y/N closed her eyes. "I wasn't doing anything with him. We walked to school near each other. That's all!" she exclaimed defensively, trying to assure Alexandra that she wasn't trying to do any harm.

"What did he say to you before he walked off to class then?"

"He wished me a good day," Y/N explained.

Just as Alexandra was about to speak again Maudie tapped at her urgently. "Mrs. Wooder is coming!" she warned.

Alexandra let go, taking a step back into the classroom where all the other students were huddled in their own cliques. She smiled, a sinister smile, towards Y/N before moving to take her seat.

Maudie brushed past Y/N, purposefully knocking at the girl in the doorway before taking her own seat. Y/N did the same.

Mrs. Wooder entered the classroom, slamming a heavy book against her desk like always to gain the attention of all the students. "Everybody take your seat," she said in a low, threatening tone. Everyone listened.

The class started soon after.

When lunch and recess finally came, Y/N had already endured her berating of words from Maudie, Alexandra, and their little followers. Each day seemed to be worst than the last, and today was no exception. Actually, it seemed far worse than she had thought it was originally going to be.

Their words were no longer solely aimed towards her, but family and others she cared deeply for, such as Zala. It was disgusting what she was told. It was times like these where the young girl hated herself. It was only ever times like these that she felt that way.

During lunch, Y/N did her best to sit as far away from the little group that constantly berated her. Of course, it wasn't far enough. Somebody realized and urged everybody else to join in and bother her.

Y/N said nothing. She sat there silently, enjoying the packed lunch that her mother had made while insults, threats, and other disgusting words were thrown at her.

It wasn't until she felt a hard kick to her side, one so hard that it must have left her rib bruised, that she finally acknowledged them. After a short coughing fit due to the impact, she stood, instantly getting pushed back into the wall she was leaning against.

For a moment, Y/N did nothing at all. She simply looked up at the girl who had pushed her. Maudie stood there, a grin on her face.

Y/N clenched her teeth and jaw, her hands clenching into first and crinkling the paper bag that was in her hand. She couldn't stop herself when she lurched forward and pushed back at Maudie. She did it with so much force that Maudie fell to the ground.

Y/N didn't pay attention to the damage she had done, just taking advantage of the shock of the group before sprinting inside after tossing the lunch out. She quickly made her way to class, waiting there with a few other students until the bell went off again.

She had no idea what damage she had done to Maudie, nor did she want to. She was already shaking so much in fear, she didn't want to know what would happen when Alexandra came back in. It was clear that she would be taught a lesson and not one by the teacher.

Thankfully, her next class was with none of the girls she feared at the moment, and for once she hoped that this class would end up lasting hours if it meant she could avoid them. Unfortunately, the class did not last long, actually feeling as though time went by faster than usual.

The final bell went off, and as students began to file out, Y/N took her time in packing up. When she could no longer stall anymore, she hesitantly made her way out of the class, looking around. To no one's surprise, Alexandra and the others stood before her.

Without even allowing Y/N to blink, the palm of somebody's hand met her cheek. The sound echoed down the halls.

"You twat," Alexandra spit out at her. "Your little stunt sent Maudie to the nurse. She's got a bruised back 'cause of you."

Alexandra has prepared to slap her again, winding her hand back. Y/N closed her eyes, tensing as she waited for the impact.

"That's enough Alexandra!" a deep voice called out from, what seemed to be like, the end of the hall. "You lay a hand on Y/N and I will have to report you to the head office, as well as mother and father. Blood or not I will not allow you to lay a hand on somebody, especially one that does not deserve it."

Y/N opened her eyes, tilting her head a bit to see that the one who had stopped Alexandra was Atticus. She felt the grip on her drop. Taking a deep breath, Y/N stepped back.

Alexandra didn't say a word, shocked that her own brother had caught what she had done.

Atticus stepped forward again, standing in front of Y/N to shield her from the crowd. "I shall see you at home, for now, I'll be walking Y/N back to her house. I expect not a word from anybody. If anyone dares to touch her again, I may not let you all off with a simple warning next time," Atticus explained to everyone before looking at his sister once more. "You and I shall have a word when I get home."

Without another word, or waiting for a response from anybody else, Atticus took hold of Y/N's hand and began to walk out of the school. Y/N could tell that although Atticus was angry, he didn't dare show to what extent. He never let his anger show or take over his actions. He was always true to himself and acted accordingly to the situation presented to him. He was never out of line.

"Thank you," Y/N whispered to him meekly, walking beside him with her head down.

Atticus looked over towards her, taking a moment to access her. He gently grabbed her by the shoulders, turning her so that she faced him. He examined the bright red handprint across her cheek, the small purple bruises on her neck from Alexandra's knuckles, and the hand that Y/N placed over her side.

"I'll have to check you over when we get to your house. Your rib may be damaged worse than we think. I only want to make sure you don't need to visit any doctors," Atticus explained. "I'll explain to your mother what had happened, it's only right that I take the blame for my sister's actions. God knows how long she has been doing this to you," Atticus continued, shaking his head in disappointment.

Y/N felt tears in her eyes due to how grateful she felt. Not once did Atticus ask her why she never told him what was happening, or why she continued to let it happen. He just understood. He could question her all the way to her house with questions, and yet he only focused on his main priorities; tending to her wounds and explaining what's happened to her parents.

The walk was dreadful for Atticus, not because of the silence that filled the air, but because of the noises that did. No matter how quiet you tried to be, he could hear her small winces whenever she took a step that was just a little bit of a stretch.

He wondered what the emotional damage that Y/N had taken on was like, but again, he never asked. He could ask his sister for questions like that.

Once they finally arrived back to Y/N's house, Atticus walked up to the door and knocked on it. He shifted his arm a little, both his backpack and Y/N's- that he took when they first began walking -adjusting so that they wouldn't slide off his shoulder.

The door was opened by Zala who instantly could tell that something wasn't right.

"Mr. Finch?" she questioned, tilting her head.

Atticus offered the best smile he could, which was barely one at all. "Hello Zala, may I ask that you assist Y/N to her room, please? If you could also direct me to the first aid?" Atticus asked gently, trying to be as kind as he could even though he wanted to rush everything.

Zala, although confused, and now worried, nodded. "Of course," she nodded, taking Y/N's hand and walking up the stairs. Atticus entered behind them, wiping off his shoes and placing the backpacks by the door.

"Mr. and Mrs. L/N?" Atticus asked, peeking his head into the kitchen where he spotted Y/N's parents sitting at the table.

Their heads turned to look at the door. Mrs. L/N was the first on her feet, walking towards the young boy. "Atticus, what brings you here?" she asked, giving him a sweet smile.

"That's what I'd like to discuss," he explained, entering farther into the room. He took a deep breath as Y/N's parents shared a glance with one another, concern being the most present feature on their faces. A moment later Atticus began to explain everything.

He had finished doing that after a few minutes, excusing himself so that he could go and tend to Y/N while her parents spoke to one another about the situation, giving the two their space before they would go to speak with their daughter.

Atticus made his way upstairs, knocking on Y/N's door once he arrived. A small, 'enter,' was murmured from the other side of the door. He gently pushed the door in, walking into the room and noticing that Zala was applying a little ointment on Y/N's cheek.

She finished within the next minute and made her way towards the door, giving Atticus a small thanks for being so thoughtful as to make sure Y/N was taken care of and to even explain to her parents what had happened. Atticus only returned the thanks with a smile and nod before walking towards Y/N.

"May I sit beside you?" Atticus asked, doing so when she nodded. He let out a little sigh, turning so that he could look at her. He didn't say another word, simply observing as Y/N looked down at the floor before finally she met his gaze.

"Thank you, again. You didn't need to do this for me," Y/N said sincerely.

Atticus chuckled gently, shaking his head a little. "Of course I did. I couldn't watch somebody be beaten by my own blood, especially not somebody I deeply care for," Atticus replied, giving her a sincere smile.

Y/N struggled to speak for a moment, not able to find the right words. After a few minutes of silence she finally built up the courage to ask, "Atticus, how deeply do you care for me?"

Atticus took a moment to think, leaning his hands against the mattress a little as he thought of an answer to those questions. He'd only been able to come to one conclusion, and it was one that he had known for a while but wouldn't admit to. Not until now.

He couldn't seem to express his care for her in words but decided to resort to actions. Atticus gently took Y/N's face in his hands, being mindful of her cheek. He tilted her head up towards him, allowing his thumb to gently stroke her skin before he closed his eyes and connected their lips in such a soft and tender kiss that would end up leading to many more for years to come.

#atticus finch #atticus #finch #atticus finch x reader #to kill a mockingbird #to kill a mockingbird book #to kill a mockingbird movie #x reader #atticus x reader #high school au

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waftyjourney · 5 years ago

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Which bring remarkable inspirations through 2019

Almost 7 days more. So, I want to summarize my fav books in this year, which have inspire and calm me inside. Honestly, I don’t know either people would give a visit here or not, but well, I hope this will be inspire others too.

To begin with, these all my fav books throughout the year among my 2019 collections. Surprisingly, these books come from self love genre. Perhaps it because this year I keep seeking for a book to manage my life from suffer, to avoid myself from any negativity. Here we go:

#dear tomorrow by Maudy Ayunda (9/10)

I found this book when I was in my first jobseeker journey: jobless, nothing to do, and being in such a life dilemma. The book was on a bookstore’s selves, and not attractive at all. However, I read the synopsis, and my eyes was caught. Eventually, I bought the book and finish the reading at the same night. And you know what? this book so lovely and I fall through it. Maudy’s view was so exceptional, especially in women’s education. Through her words, she inspired me to be bold, to warn that not being insecure through myself, and kinda gave my new perspectives in this world. Besides, I think that I have the same way of thinking as her, because I keep said “Whoa I feel this! I feel it!”. And because of her, I just realized that I really love learning. Learning is something that could not be left out behind of my life. Thanks Maudy! :)

“People like to say; don’t look back, close the book, and start over. I don’t think that’s healthy. Past mistakes are there to remind us where we’ve been, they become constant reminders that we should always strive to improve ourselves, and they pave the way for better actions in the future“

Am I There Yet? by Mari Andrew (7/10)

I bought this book when I’m so much in my confusion to continue my career in the previous company or not. To chase my dream or just sit back waiting the time passed. Overall, this book tell more about what should you do when you’re still in 20s. Andrew describes her life journey to do everything she want: get out from her f*cking job, travel the world, or even dating any men from various cultures. Well, she took her 20s worrying about, but didn’t make any fuss with it. I think this book is good to embrace our unforgotten experiences during 20s, but it’s a bit too freely. I mean, well, we have different background right? And she was as typical western people xoxo.

Amor Fati by Rando Kim (10/10)

This book is soo extremely good, guaranteed! I was meeting this book when I just resigned from my first job. Whoa, it’s really a miracle. Anyway, through his book, Kim seems to guide a reader who just graduated from college. A person who is seeking her/his place in society, just like me. From a jobseeker life to the real adult life: building a family.

Kim polished his words to be tenderly absorbed into my heart. He taught me to see the life from every side, not only by myself. In addition, he understood that many students struggle to life after college, and it’s hard indeed. Therefore, he made ‘Amor Fati’ as his book title, which means: Love your fate, regardless all stuff that screwed you up in this life. Let’s say, he is a life guru for me. He made me more prepare to enter an adult life, even opened my mind to the meaning of marriage. Also, I couldn’t agree more about his ideas about a housewife, as how they encounter their life just for a family. Meanwhile losing their identities and own interests before married.

One thing that I always remember on this book: ‘To do a qualified jump, we must be indulgent if the situation didn’t show anything yet. The actual best opportunity is when the opportunity itself is yet to come. Therefore, be prepared, such as Monjuk, the boiling water, and the sun.’ Or his thought which intrigued my view on marriage: ‘Living as being single is a freedom, but also put us in loneliness. the loneliness of not getting married is not like the elegant silence that is felt suddenly when the autumn air caresses the collar of a coat. On the contrary, the loneliness stabs deep into the bones because we are completely alone in this vast and harsh world. This loneliness is absolute and is accompanied by fear that no one visits on holiday and dies alone in bed’ -- Well these words eventually hit me up- that: I should marry someday lol.

And one last my favorite words:

‘We have to find people who can understand our complexities. Life in the household will be more fun when we can maintain the psychological ‘maginot lines’ of each and share the value of life‘

Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin

#bookreview #favbooks #2019reading

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s-artsnstuff · 5 years ago

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Di Balik Playlist Cerita #2: Rengat

Saat bikin playlist cerita Rengat, gue membayangkan playlist ini harus bikin gue kebayang Remi dan Kael lagi slow dancing. Temen dan beberapa pembaca gue ada yang saranin lagu-lagu yang menurut mereka cocok buat RemiKael. While I’m glad they found song(s) that reminds them with RemiKael, gue memiliki bayangan sendiri akan vibes apa yang harus ada dan tidak seharusnya ada di playlist Rengat.

Playlist Rengat itu bukan berisi lagu cinta yang selow dan kalem aja. Lagu-lagunya harus chill, dan berisi tentang cinta yang emang ekspresi cinta aja, bukan cinta yang penuh perjuangan, atau cinta dan air mata, atau kisah cinta yang berkonflik kayak lagu-lagu cinta yang vibes indie Indonesia, bukan (karena lagu Indonesian indie vibes itu ada nada-nada yang terkesan nelangsa gitu jadi menurut gue dari vibes lebih cocok masuk ke lagu-lagu untuk cerita Young Adult gitu).

Lagu-lagu pembuka playlist Rengat ya lagu ekspresi cinta yang terkesan happy ending aja, tapi nadanya kalem, bukan yang riang kayak HiVi atau RAN gitu. Cinta-cintaannya emang ngga boleh banyak konflik karena hubungan RemiKael itu secara internal memang tidak ada konflik berarti. Konflik yang ada di antara mereka itu mostly dari faktor eksternal (keluarga, status sosial). Secara kepribadian mah mereka cucok meyong banget. Like, it’s so easy for them to adapt with one another. Itulah kenapa empat lagu awal yang gue pilih itu emang lagu cinta-cintaan aja. Ya ekspresi cinta aja, nggak pakai kesulitan apa-apa secara internal.

1. Angel – Chancellor feat. Taeyeon

Sebenernya awal gue denger lagu ini, gue malah kebayang Emika-Hideo dari novel Warcross sedang berdua di dalam ruangan serba putih bersih dan mereka juga mengenakan baju putih-putih. The song is so smooth and calming. Trus karena Remi-Kael juga terinpirasi sedikit dari Emika-Hideo (Emika punya rambut dicat warna pelangi, tatoan, nyentrik abis, sedangkan Hideo itu CEO yang elegan, kaku dan cool gitu), akhirnya gue masukkin ini juga buat playlist Rengat.

2. Best Part – Daniel Caesar feat. H.E.R.

Ah, RemiKael slow-dancing song. Tiap lagu ini terputar pasti gue bayangin mereka lagi slow dancing. Cucok, udah sesuai bayangan gue akan playlist Rengat seharusnya.

3. Love Will Stay – GAC

Lagu cinta-cintaan yang hanya mengekspresikan cinta, with a little touch diva-ish vibes di reff, cocok buat jadi jembatan untuk lagu dengan vibes yang lebih diva-ish selanjutnya.

4. Perahu Kertas – Maudy Ayunda (cover by Tulus & Erwin Gutawa Orchestra)

Ada alasan kenapa gue memilih cover by Tulus daripada Maudy Ayunda. Because, let’s face it. Maudy Ayunda nggak jago nyanyi. Gue paham kalau ada fans-fans dia yang seneng sama suaranya, sama lagu-lagunya, dan glad to hear bahwa lo bisa menikmatinya. Cuma men, ini lagu udah dibawain penyanyi dengan teknik vokal setinggi Tulus ya … ya udah jauh sih.

(I still respect Maudy Ayunda because she is indeed inspiring, especially in case of taking opportunities ahead, she’s a great lady so plz Maudy fans don’t get mad at me).

Setelah diawali dengan lagu cinta-cintaan kalem, marilah mulai sedikit deep dengan lagu Perahu Kertas yang ditulis Dee, Mak Suri andalanque. The diva-ish vibes (because clearly, ini lagi dinyanyikan Tulus dengan orkestra Erwin Gutawa) itu buat gue nambah kesan dramatis dari playlist ini. Lebih ke buat pembuka sebelum lagu yang beneran dramatis selanjutnya gitu.

5. Slow Dancing In The Dark – JOJI

AND HERE COMES THE DRAMA. Lagu ini terputar dengan tidak sengaja dan ketika denger beat serta vibes-nya, yang seketika muncul di pikiran gue adalah “OHHH, DRAMA!” Karena emang tempo dan nadanya itu dramatis gitu. And yes, kisahnya RemiKael bakal dramatis karena faktor eksternal meski secara pribadi, mereka berdua nggak ada konflik berarti karena mereka cocok banget sama personal satu sama lain. But, you know, some people were bound with dramas whether they like it or not. Dan Remi-Kael masuk ke dalam “some people” itu.

6. Don’t – Loco and Hwasa

Tempo dan nada serta gabungan rap and sing di lagu ini bikin kesan pasif-agresif gitu. Gue nonton MV-nya, dan di situ Hwasa is soooo friggin hot. Like, dia cuma nunjukkin punggung seksi dia trus Loco kelihatan awkward like, duh, it’s just so cute. And Hwasa’s fierce tone for the lyrics “I don’t care who you are don’t make me cry” gave me Kael unapologetic vibes.

7. Untukku – Chrisye

Sebenernya gue pertama denger lagu Untukku itu pas dinyanyiin Kahitna sih. Pas bagian reff itu gue kebayang Remi lagi memejamkan mata, menunduk dan tersenyum kecil ngebayangin Kael LOL.

8. Koi Ni Ochite – Fujita Maiko

The feeling of falling in love. And better, that ‘someone you love’ reciprocrate your feelings.

9. Paris In The Rain – Lauv

“Anywhere with you feels right.” Penutup yang manis.

#rengat by crowdstroia #troiaonwriting #crowdstroia #crowdstroiaplaylist

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maevefiction · 6 years ago

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Your Light in the Mist - Chapter 8

I managed to wake up on time, despite the fact that I’d forgotten, yet again, to set my alarm. After putting on my glasses, I padded over to the dresser to grab my phone. I checked my notifications as I crawled back under the covers and saw there were four texts waiting for me, three of them from Tom sent late last night.

Meeting’s finito. They dragged us out for drinks. It’s 3:00 AM. I want to see you. – T

Mean Nanny Luke says it’s too late and he hid your room key from me. Asshole. – T

We meeting again with Skull people again at 11 morning tomorrow. 3:17. Bed. Night. – T

I figured he’d still be out cold and I was overwhelmed by the urge to ring his phone and rouse him unpleasantly, solely for my own amusement. I resisted, telling myself that he surely would have turned it off prior to retiring for the night. So tempting, but I decided to take the high road instead.

Good morning, Thomas. Hope you and Luke managed to get some rest and that the meeting goes well. Looking forward to seeing you both later. – M

The fourth was from Anne, sent fifteen minutes ago.

Hey kiddo, I’d love it if you’d give me a call. It’s been entirely too long since we last talked. – A

While it wasn’t a complete surprise to hear from her, given Luke had spoken with her yesterday, I honestly hadn’t expected it to happen so damn soon. Inhaling deeply through my nose, I closed my eyes for a few moments, exhaled and decided to postpone dealing with it and order breakfast instead.

My stomach grumbled as I reviewed the room service menu, my index finger tapping my lips. I grabbed the in-room phone and dialed, and my call was answered on the first ring by an obnoxiously pleasant-sounding woman.

“Good morning, Ms. Gallagher. What can we get for you today?”

Funny, they hadn’t a clue who I was when I’d ordered in over the weekend. I guess Tom Hiddleston answering your door when a meal for two was delivered elevated one’s social status.

“Good morning to you as well. May I please have an order of Belgian waffles with bacon, a large orange juice and a cup of tea? Earl Grey if you have it, sugar and cream on the side. Thanks!”

There was dead air for a few seconds. “Will that be all?” I rolled my eyes. Subtle, lady, really subtle. Sorry to disappoint, but he’s not here at the moment.

“Yep, that’s if for now, thank you.”

“Your meal should arrive in approximately twenty minutes. Aloha!”

I re-read Anne’s text and sighed, running a hand through my hair. If I called her now I could use the arrival of my meal as an excuse to get off the phone, though twenty minutes could seem like an eternity if the conversation turned to a topic I didn’t care to discuss, which it always seemed to do.

“Come on, Maude. Like a Band-Aid, right off. Pee first, then call. That should waste at least two minutes, more if you walk really slow.”

After the bathroom, I sank down into the oversized wing-back chair, phone in hand. My heart began to pound as I located her in my contacts, under ‘L’ for Lestat because it amused me to no end when ‘Lestat calling…’ came up on my screen. Anne had been a part of my life since I was ten years old. In 1988, only a few months after my parents had moved into the neighborhood, she’d returned to the Garden District of New Orleans. After rejoining the Catholic Church she met my father, a devout Irish Catholic himself, and they became fast friends.

She’d been a friend to me as well, offering unwavering support and becoming my lifeline during some incredibly difficult times. One of the hardest decisions I’d ever had to make was distancing myself from her emotionally in order to force myself to move on as I tried to heal. Though it had been a necessity, I still felt terrible about it, and I deeply missed having her to turn to for comfort.

My hands clenched and grew clammy as the pounding of my heart morphed into a dull, throbbing pain. I silently vowed to cut her off immediately if our chat veered into the past and hit the ‘call’ button.

“Maudie, honey! You took the job!” I wondered how the fuck she knew that already, then remembered she followed my twitter account and must have read the letter I linked to last night.

“Yes, Anne. I took the job. Though I wasn’t looking for one. And thanks for your glowing recommendation. Which established preconceived expectations that I will never be able to fulfill, by the way.”

“You will not only fulfill them, you will exceed them. Never underestimate your abilities, Maudie. You know better. So who is this Luke fellow? Is he as handsome as he sounds?”

I tipped my head back and stared at the ceiling, trying to prepare myself for the onslaught of Matchmaking for Maude that was about to ensue. “He is indeed.”

I could picture the sly grin that had surely spread across her face. “So? Is he single?”

“No, Anne. He’s actually engaged.”

“Well, you’re very attractive and, you know, anything can happen…”

“And he’s gay.” I thought that would do the trick. It didn’t.

“You have to introduce him to Christopher.” At least I wasn’t the only victim of her matchmaking…she’d been trying to find Mr. Right for her son as well as me forever.

“I haven’t met his fiancé but I hear they’re deliriously happy. So what’s new with you? How’s my next Lestat installment coming along?”

“I’m still researching some things, but the initial draft is essentially complete. You know, I Googled up Prosper PR and went to the facebook page and that amazingly talented actor, what’s his name…right, Tom Hiddleston, is one of his clients. I would love for him to take on the role of Lestat when the reboot of the Vampire Chronicles gets underway. Will you be working with him? Plant that seed for me, will you? Hmm, maybe he’s single?”

The thought of Tom as Lestat de Lioncourt rendered me mute for a solid thirty seconds, followed by lord knows how many more as I attempted to figure out how to weasel my way around her last question.

“Maudie, are you still on the line?”

“I…erm…yeah. Still here. Sorry, I was…multitasking. I have no idea if he’s single or not.” I was grateful that she couldn’t see my face because she’d know I was full of shit if she got one look at me. “But yes, I am working with him. I’m starting as his social media manager, which he desperately needs because he has issues with keeping his existing accounts updated and his overall presence is lacking, to say the least. Once I’ve gotten him back on track I transition into the role of social media director for Prosper. But please keep that between us. We haven’t announced anything yet, though we’re meeting tonight to discuss timelines and such.”

She chuckled, and I cringed, realizing that she still knew me entirely too well. “No idea if he’s single or not my ass. Don’t lie to Auntie Anne. You’ve already met him, haven’t you? And he’s a component of the ‘we’ and ‘we’re’, isn’t he?” I said nothing. “That incredibly long pause, in conjunction with your use of ‘am’ as opposed to ‘will be’ working with him gave you away. So, is he as beautiful in person as he is on film? And is his personality as lovely as it appears to be in interviews?”

There was a knock at the door, and my gratitude for the delivery person’s impeccable timing was boundless. “Sorry, my breakfast is here and I have to dash becau…”

She cut me off. “Maude, I did want you to call so I could congratulate you, but I also wanted to speak with you about something else. Your mother…”

I could feel every muscle in my body tensing. “Anne, how many times have I told you that I will NOT disc…”

“Please, hear me out. Her health is failing, Maude.”

“All those years of sucking down bottle after bottle of booze finally catching up with her?” The venom in my voice caught me completely off guard. As much as I insisted to myself that it was all behind me, the reality was that it was always with me, here, in the now… lurking just below the surface, ugly and dark and awful.

“I know, Maude, I know. And I hate to bring it up, but she’s in hospice and, well, I felt compelled to tell you in case you wanted to see her. Before it’s too late.” I counted to ten before I responded, focusing on all the positive things she’d done for me, hoping I could end the call courteously.

“Anne, I have to go. Be well.” I hung up before she could reply…and, thankfully, before I said something I’d wind up regretting.

************************************************** Breakfast was eaten in silence, but I’d showered and gotten ready with my iPod cranking out tunes from my ‘Fuck Off’ playlist. I’d even done a passable job on covering up the hickey. I frowned when I glanced at the clock. It was only 8:15, and I knew I had to keep moving or I’d start thinking again. As I stood on the balcony, gazing out at the azure water rolling in and out, I determined that a walk on the beach might be an ideal distraction.

Shoes in hand, messenger bag slung across my chest, I wandered down as far as I could go without getting soaked by the lapping waves. I breathed in, then out, in, and out, ever so slowly, trying to match the rhythm of the ocean. The sun warmed my face, my hands, my feet, my body…but it couldn’t quite reach into my heart. I closed my eyes and lowered my chin to my chest, using nothing but the sheer force of my will to shove the anger and pain back in the box I’d crafted for it so long ago.

I remained stock-still until the tide of somber memories began to ebb, carrying them further and further away from me, back into the turbulent sea of my past…where they fucking belonged. Always a part of me, but no longer controlling me.

My eyes opened slowly as I raised my head, and I bent down to pick up a handful of sand, letting it sift through my fingers, just as I had less than forty-eight hours before. Everything I’d overcome, the life I’d made for myself, and the promise of what was to be hit me all at once and I could feel the corners of my mouth curl up in a tiny smile. I stood, took one last look at the ocean, then turned around and headed for the conference room.

I checked my phone as I slowly worked my way down the hall, deleting five new texts from Anne without reading them. Nothing from Tom, which I fully expected. He was probably still sound asleep, all cozy and warm. Bastard. I put the phone away and pulled out my tablet to check my email, cursing myself for not doing so since Monday afternoon. One hundred and fifty-eight messages in my inbox. Fuck. I scrolled down as I walked, starring items that were urgent, until I collided with another body. My tablet went flying, landing on the floor behind me. I bent to grab it without looking up, apologizing.

“I am SO sorry…totally my fault. Reading and walking is not my forte, apparently.” I turned as I rose, and the device fell from my hands and back onto the floor as I realized just whose body I’d run into.

He was wearing black shorts, a white T-shirt and a black sweatshirt that he’d left unzipped, the hood up over his head. Aviator sunglasses hid his eyes, but he quickly removed them as he spoke softly. “Good morning.”

He leaned down and picked up my tablet, slipping it into my messenger bag before encircling me with his arms. I slid mine under his sweatshirt, ran my hands up his back ever so slowly, finally coming to rest on his shoulder blades.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m delighted to see you, but what in the ever-loving fuck are you doing up and about? It’s only 8:30. You’ve got another hour and a half to sleep, at least.” He bent to kiss me instead of replying, parting my lips gently with his tongue, then delving in to explore as his hands fell to my hips and pulled me against him. He was commando again, and rock hard. I groaned and broke the kiss, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Christ, do you even own a pair of underwear?” He laughed, then flinched. I slipped my right arm out from under his sweatshirt and gently grabbed his chin as I inspected his face. He was pale, with dark circles under his eyes that made him look bruised. “You appear to be significantly worse for wear since we last met, sir. Do I need to have a word with the gentlemen from Legendary?”

He began rubbing small circles on my lower back with one hand. “Honestly, I’d seriously consider having you stand in for me at today’s meeting if you didn’t have prior obligations.” He took the hand that held his chin and brought it to his lips, then sighed. “They just kept buying round after round…Luke and I could barely keep up. We got mortifyingly clobbered at pool and darts. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

I fished a bottle of water from my bag and offered it to him. “Here. Drink.” He stared at me, pouting.

“But I’ll have to let go of you in order to open it. And I don’t want to.” I shoved it back in my bag. He brought me in closer, bending to nuzzle my neck. “I hope my late night texts didn’t disturb your rest.”

“I didn’t hear a thing. Wish I had, though. I would have told you to get your ass up the stairs and into my bed.” He snickered, and I felt his teeth tug at my earlobe. I wiggled my hips against him. “Thank you for the note, by the way.”

He pulled back to look at me and smiled timidly. “Did you like it?”

“No.” His eyes widened, and I stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I loved it. So much so that I held it in my hand while I slept.” He grasped the back of my neck, fingers easing into my hair as he pressed his lips to mine, both of our mouths falling open, tongues colliding. I sucked on his lower lip, sliding my leg up to wrap around him as he bucked against me. We froze at the sound of someone clearing their throat loudly. I leaned sideways to peek around Tom and found Serena staring back at me.

I wiped my mouth off with the back of my hand, then wiped my hand on my tunic as I stepped away from Tom. He took it in his and turned around to face her with me. My brow furrowed as I wondered what the fuck one was supposed to say in this sort of situation. Should I apologize? Should I pretend it hadn’t happened? It appeared that Tom had no clue, either. Serena burst out laughing and patted me on the shoulder.

“Good morning, Maude. I should probably give you a lecture and tell you to get a room, but I won’t because my god, the two of you are just so adorable. Dante’s loading the rest of our equipment onto the dolly. He should be here in a sec.” She opened the doors of the conference room, engaging the stoppers so they’d remain that way, then entered and began rearranging a few pieces of furniture.

I turned to Tom, shaking my head. “Public indecency. Told you so. I’m a ticking time bomb.” He smirked.

“I’m afraid I must leave you to your work, Maude. It would appear that something’s come up and needs my immediate attention.” He pulled at his shorts, adjusting himself as he whispered in my ear. “Though it would most certainly prefer your attention.” I pinched his nipple, delighting at his gasp.

“No one likes a tease, Thomas.” Dante was quickly approaching. I sighed. “On with the show, I guess.”

Tom pulled me to his chest and kissed my forehead. “Last one. And then you’re all mine.”

I poked his chest. “You need to go right now or I’m going to disappoint two hundred people when I run off with you.” He grinned. “Good luck with your meeting. I’ll see you at 4:15. Be ready to hula.”

“Oh, I’ll be ready. And I’ll bet you dinner that you can’t get Luke to join in.”

“Well, in that case, you’d better make sure there’s lots of room on your credit card, sunshine.”

“Not necessary. Won’t ever happen.” He waved as he turned and walked down the hall. I called after him.

“You are so very, very wrong.” I watched him go, biting down on my thumb. Sex on legs. Absolute truth. Serena spoke from behind me.

“Maude, Dante needs you to stand on a few marks.”

“Oh, yeah. Sure. Thanks.”

“If he happens to come back before we leave, would you mind terribly if I asked him for a pic with me?” A light blush colored her cheeks. I laughed, shaking my head.

“Nope. Not one single bit.”

************************************************** It seemed as if it was over as soon as it began, and I even managed to keep my shit together when the attendees gave me a send-off standing ovation at the end of the last lecture hour. Though my emotions were mixed about being done with something that had kept me going for so long, I couldn’t help but feel…free.

Tom had stopped in during our first break, transformed from hung over frat boy to runway model after a hot shower, a huge breakfast and a gorgeous charcoal bespoke suit. He hadn’t worn a tie, and his white dress shirt was open at the neck. It took five tries on my part to get a decent shot of him and Serena, mainly because she kept looking at him instead of the camera, but my shaking hands factored in as well. I’d need to get over that shit pronto if I was going to be on photography duty for the foreseeable future. She asked if she could post it online, and I told her it was fine as long as she didn’t include location details.

It was 4:08 when I got back to my room, leaving me just enough time to change into my hiking shorts and vintage X-Files T-shirt. I did a little happy dance at the prospect of being able to spend more time in casual clothes…I’d amassed quite a collection of graphic tees over the years that I hardly ever got to wear, and now that a good portion of my work would be behind the scenes, I could.

“Well, that’s a fucking plus I hadn’t even considered. Comfy clothes, baby. Bring it on!” I ended the dance with a fist in the air as I entered the bathroom. I put my hair up in a ponytail, not even bothering to brush it first. My black Rio Birkenstocks were nowhere to be found, and, thinking about it, I hadn’t seen them since Monday. After tearing the rest of room apart, I spotted them in the little open cubby under one of the nightstands where Tom must have tucked them when he did my laundry. I strapped them on, grabbed my wallet, keys, phone, and iPod from my bag and stuffed them in my pockets, making up a little song as I danced some more.

“I love pants with pockets and I can wear them all the time and that is fucking cool because…shit. Because I’m a mime? Because I like to rhyme? Damn, I used to be GOOD at this. Ah, fuck it. POCKETS!”

One of the things I abhorred most about dress clothing was the lack of pockets. Carrying any type of bag made me feel weighed down, plus they always either fell off my shoulder or smacked me in the ass as I walked, yet I had stuff that needed to be stored somewhere. Men’s pants had the best pockets, and I often opted for those over the women’s version.

I took a last look at my reflection in the mirror. “Off you go, Maude. New chapter and all that.” I opened the room door and meandered down the steps, hand trailing along the rail. Tom and Luke were waiting for me outside their suites.

I flung my arms out to the side. “Who’s ready to HULA?!”

Luke groaned, rolling his eyes as Tom raised his hand and shouted, “I AM, I AM!”

I put a hand on Luke’s shoulder. “Come on, Luke, let your hair down a little.” He snorted.

“I tried that last night and found it to be rather disadvantageous.” He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Tom smirked at me and mouthed ‘this is a bet you cannot win’. I threw him double birds. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys to his rental car dangling them in front of me.

“Shall we?” I shook my head.

“Let’s take my Jeep. Feel the breeze. Be rugged.” Luke held up his hand.

“Please, no. The jouncing around might kill me.” I huffed.

“Fine, fine. Have it your way. But if the car has an auxiliary jack you might be sorry I acquiesced.”

He was indeed sorry, as Tom and I sang the entire 11 minutes it took to get to the Kaua’i Museum. Towards the end of Pharell’s ‘Happy’ he appeared to be contemplating opening the door and leaping into traffic.

“I’m not sure what’s making me more nauseated…the hangover or the two of you caterwauling up there.” I reached back to pat his knee.

“I promise I’m not always this obnoxiously elated, Luke. I’m just on a quit-my-old-job-today-and-have-a-super-cool-new-one high. It won’t last.”

He nodded his head. “Mmm hmm. And I’m sure it has nothing to do with our chauffer.”

I glanced over at Tom, put my hand to the side of my mouth and looked back at Luke, whispering. “He is awfully pretty, isn’t he?” He rested his head in his hands as the car made an abrupt right turn into the museum parking lot.

It was a lovely place, located on Rice Street in the Albert Spencer Wilcox and William Hyde Rice buildings. Hula classes were conducted by members of the Daughters or Hawai’i in the courtyard, as the museum itself closed at five. There were a total of eleven of us, and just as Tom predicted, Luke immediately sat on the sidelines while the rest of us gathered around the instructor. Her name was Iolana and she appeared to be in her late fifties. As she explained that hula is a dance accompanied by a chant (oli) or song (mele), the dance portraying the words in a visual format I stared at Luke and tapped my foot.

Iolana asked us all to move behind her, at least three feet apart, and I flung my hand out at Luke and then pointed to the open space next to me. He shook his head. I pouted. Then I put my hands together, silently begging, mouthing ‘please?’ while batting my eyelashes. No way in hell was I losing this bet. He sighed, put his chin on his chest and hefted himself out of the chair to join us. I turned to Tom and stuck my tongue out. He shook his head and stepped closer so he could whisper in my ear.

“He hasn’t actually danced yet, Maude.” I slapped his arm.

We were instructed to stand with feet apart, left knee bent and our hands on our hips, then step with our left foot and slide our right foot next to the left, bending that knee. The process was repeated in the opposite direction. After we mastered the steps, it was time for some hip action…raising it in time with and in the opposite direction of the step, keeping both knees bent. Iolana turned to check our progress and immediately went to Luke, putting her hands on his hips and pushing them in the correct direction. I turned to Tom and grinned. He shook his finger at me.

“He’s not using his hands.” I rolled my eyes. Iolana had moved back to the front to continue the lesson. One arm bent at the elbow in front of the body, the other extended out from it in the direction of the step, head facing that way as well, fingers together and hands moving at the wrists like a wave. Again, the process was repeated in the opposite direction when moving that way.

Iolana taught us a few more arm motions and explained what they meant, advising that they were only the chorus of a mele called Eleile, which we’d be ‘telling’ over and over for the duration of the class, then turned on the music. I glanced at Luke, then turned to Tom and started doing alternating wave motions rapidly with my hands in front of me. He tilted his head.

“That doesn’t look like a legitimate hula hand motion, Maude.” I grinned.

“It’s not. Do you want to know what it means?”

“No.”

“Sure you do. It’s my visual interpretation of ‘you lose, sucker’.” I thumbed in Luke’s direction. He was dancing, and it looked like he might even be enjoying it a little. Tom hung his head in defeat, and I tried to refrain from drooling as I watched him roll his hips. I kept missing steps and had to close my eyes in order to focus. The tempo of the music increased, and without the distraction of keeping an eye on Luke or ogling Tom I completely lost myself in the dance. It was an incredible feeling, moving faster, back and forth, the rhythm and motions of my body conveying this brief chapter of a story via a method that had been used for generations, dating back to ancient times when indigenous peoples worshiped volcano goddesses.

I heard clapping, faint at first but louder as more people joined in. I opened my eyes, discovering that I was the only one still dancing other than Iolana. And that everyone was staring at me. I stopped. A huge grin spread across her face.

“Miss, where did you study hula, if you don’t mind my asking?”

I swallowed. “I’m Maude. And, just here. I’ve never done it before.”

Her eyes widened. “Well, Miss Maude, it’s very unusual for someone to catch on so quickly, especially a first-timer. I guess you’re just a natural.” She put her hand on my shoulder. “You dance beautifully, my dear. I’m sure your boyfriend would agree.” She smirked knowingly at Tom, then began to circulate amongst the other participants, stopping to speak to Luke first.

Boyfriend. Is that what he is? I turned to face Tom, and what I saw in his eyes was overwhelming. Desire, passion, admiration, awe, joy, and something else that I didn’t think I was ready or willing to hang a name on quite yet. I waved self-consciously.

“Hi there.” I watched him take several deep breaths, and I noticed he had his phone in his hand.

“Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ, did you film that?!” He nodded. I groaned and covered my face with my hands. He pulled them away gently, and now that he was right in front of me I could see his eyes shone with tears.

“Sorry. My original intent was to video Luke so I could email it to Simon, which I did, but then you…and I had to. It was one of the most breathtaking things I’ve ever seen. Here, watch it.” I shook my head.

“Nope. Maybe later.” He reached out to touch my face, fingers feathering over my cheekbone and down to my jaw.

“Alright. Later. But I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. The rest of us, we were just moving. But you, you told a story. An ancient, timeless story.” He waved to get Iolana’s attention. She excused herself from her chat with two older ladies and came over to us.

“Hello, Iolana. I’m Tom.” She shook his proffered hand. “Do you happen to have an English translation of the chorus you taught us today?”

“Yes, I do. Right up here.” We followed her to the table that held her portable stereo and paperwork. She pulled a sheet out of a purple folder. “I’m so pleased you’re interested in learning more. An hour is such a short period of time and I have to focus intently on the dancing, so I rarely get to talk about the song itself. This is the chorus of the mele. Eleile is a dark swirling pool on Maui, also known as the water that returns the ti. It is customary to break a ti leaf stalk and throw it into the pool. As the water swirls, the leaves are unfurled, then pushed back into a long, tight bud.” She handed it to him. He read it, then passed it to me without saying a word. I read it. Then I re-read the chorus again. And again.

Dark is the water of Eleile The cold dwelling place of the mist It is made warm by love That stood close at my side

I felt his hand on my forearm. I refused to look away from the words on the paper. He spoke, voice fraught with emotion he struggled to contain.

“Looks like you were telling our story.” My hands were shaking, eyes still fixed on the mele chorus. He put his on top of them, steadying me. “When you danced…I swear I could see your soul. And oh, how it called to me, Maude.”

Silence surrounded us, and as I raised my gaze I noted that everyone was staring at me. Again. I inhaled, then let it out with a whoosh as my eyes found his. I still couldn’t quite manage to form words. He took a step closer to me, moving his hands to my shoulders.

“I know it’s only been two days since we met, and that you’ll very well likely think me certifiably insane for saying this, and perhaps I am, but every fiber of my being is screaming at me to do so and sometimes you just have to fight your fears and say fuck it, come on, so…Maude, I am totally, completely, utterly, madly in love with you.”

My mouth dropped open, then closed as I bit my lower lip. Right. Fight my fears. Sure. Fuck it, why not? I shrugged. “Well, Thomas, in that case we’d best pick out some matching straitjackets because I, too, have clambered aboard the crazy train. Wildly, wholly, entirely, absofuckingloutely in love. With you.”

He kissed me, briefly, sweetly. The tiny crowd oohed and ahhed, then began to disperse. As we said our goodbyes and thanks to Iolana Luke came over, phone raised, smiling. I rolled my eyes.

“Let me guess. You filmed all of that. What is with you people?” He laughed, and I shook my head. “Well, now we have even more details to discuss. And I want pizza. Can we get pizza? Let’s get pizza. LOTS of pizza. Tom’s even buying. Right, Tom? Or was all this a distraction so you could welsh out on our bet?”

He put his arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head as we exited the courtyard. “You can’t blame me for trying, can you?”

Luke’s eyes narrowed. “What bet?”

I looked at Tom. “You tell him.”

He shook his head. “I’m not telling him.”

Luke ran in front of us, stopped, arms crossed. “Someone had better tell me.”

We remained silent and walked around him to the car. Luke groaned as he got in. “Already conspiring against me. Fine. Don’t tell me. But I’m going to order ten fucking pizzas, just for spite.”

He took out his phone, clicked something, and the sounds of hula music filled the vehicle.

“Thomas William Hiddleston, did you send Simon a video of me doing the hula?” Tom started to chuckle.

“Me? Why on earth would you think I’d do such a thing?”

Luke snorted. “Because you fucking did, that’s why. Hmm, I think I’m starting to see how this went down. Your bet involved whether or not I’d dance. Maude suckered me into it and won. Tom, I’m going to kick your ass when we get out of this car. Maude, I’m impressed. Mildly disappointed in your behavior, but impressed just the same. And Simon says to tell you you’re a wonderful dancer.”

I turned to see Luke’s phone, hoping to catch a glimpse of Simon’s face. I got lucky…it was his lock screen background, or so I assumed. “Is that Simon?” He nodded and passed me the phone. “Damn, Luke, he’s gorgeous.” Luke grinned.

“Even more so in person. You’ll get to meet him tomorrow. He’s flying out to stay for a bit. In the beach house we’ll all be sharing.”

I turned to Tom, tilting my head quizzically. “Um, beach house? What beach house?”

He smirked, then shrugged. “What can I say? The meetings with the Legendary people went well. Really, really well.”

#your light in the mist #chapter 8

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nocompromise-noregrets · 8 months ago

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They are indeed. :D And especially at the time of the ot4, Thranduil is somewhat more languid, as he's emerging from a long period of depression, whereas Maudie is just delighted to be alive (again) and is making it everyone's problem XD

Actual perfect OT3+ drawing reference picture

#lotr #valinor ot4 #my writing

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gender-issues · 5 years ago

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"Song for a Raggy Boy" by Aisling Walsh (2003)

“Song for a Raggy Boy” by Aisling Walsh (2003)

A British week: Aisling Walsh (1/3)

Good script, personages, dialogues, images, content (8) Excellent direction (9)

A movie about fighting fascisme, whether abroad or at home. A very actual theme indeed! Aisling Walsh takes us in the world of an Irish reformatory school that keeps the self-esteem of the boys in its charge as low as possible. An excellent work that she further builds up with Maudie

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#8.0-8.4 #catholic church #corporal punishment #crime #drama #Ireland #pedophily #reformatory school #Spansh war #true story

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ask-the-chan-family · 8 years ago

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Pokémon academy: solar effect

Seaon 1 Episode 1 part 1: the journey begin inside the hallways at the Pokémon academy, Meowstic and Blaziken were both doing monitoring duty together, making sure that everything inside the school were intact and no sign of trouble. Not only were they doing regular monitoring duties, they were on a special mission to find an out of control student, that was vandalizing the school properties for the past few nights. The headmaster of the academy ask his two personal student assistant, to check out the hallways at night, to see if they find the student and take care the problem. So Meowstic and Blaziken been scouting around the academy hallways to find the student that been causing problem at the school, but so far they haven’t find anything yet. Meowstic use his physic ability, to see if he sense the student nearby, but every time he does that Blaziken screw up his concentration, by yawing whenever she get bored. When she made another tiresome yawn once more, Blaziken notice that Meowstic was walking a further distance from her. Curious of what he was doing that, Blaziken call Meowstic by his nickname and see where he was going. Nova: hey Maudie, where the heck you’re going? Modeowstic: where do you think I’m going, to get a better distance away from your annoying yawing Nova: oh come on Maudie, my yawing not that bad Modeowstic: not that bad, each time I use my physic hearing, I lose my concentration from you’re over power yawing. Also if I add one thing Nova, you might want to cut back from the cafeteria poke block fish flavor, it make your breath smell a little odd Nova was plan to say an insult to him, but when she smell her breath, she knew that he was right. Modeowstic smile to himself and continue to walk down the hallway, when he use his physic hearing once more, he started to hear something was coming. He stood still for a moment and lift his ears up, he try to pin point where the noise was coming from, but all he hear was Nova foot step, blocking his signal. Nova stood in front of him with an angry look in her eyes and start talking to his face, Modewstic knew that he going to smell her fishy breath again, so he did his best to hold his nose. Nova: now you listen hear Maudie, first off all my breath doesn’t smell, secondly you and I both know that my big brother the headmaster of this academy, want us to work together on this mission. Modewstic: *holding his nose* I already know about that Nova. Headmaster Thomas want us to work together and find more about this rouge student that been causing a lot of damage around the school property. Nova: that’s correct Maudie and not only that, he want us to learn more about this student, to figure out if this student might be carrying a particular item we been looking for Modewstic: a particular item that we both know is as a dark stone. Now if you’re done talking Nova, would you mind step back for a moment, I really can’t breathe with your fish flavor breath near my face. Nova: ……. Whatever Maudie Modewstic: *he took a few deep breath, after Nova move away from his face* thank goodness and another thing Nova, while you was busy making your speech, I was able to detect something. Nova: really, why didn’t you say so earlier before? Modewstic: I would have, but I was right in a middle of a light and serious breath odor situation. Nova: I pretend I didn’t heard that remark and deal with you later, can you be able to detect it again Modewstic: I think so, I just need to pin point where it is and Before he could finish his sentence, Modewstic felt the ground started to shake, the earthquake was so strong, which force both of them to fell on the floor. After the earthquake was done, Modewistic was able to get up from the floor, then started to help Nova to stand on her two feet. Nova: thanks for the help Maudie Modewistic: don’t mention it, we’re lucky that earthquake we felt was only temporary Nova: I’m glad, but I still like to know where that earthquake was coming from. The school was built on solid ground, which we shouldn’t have any kind of natural disaster like that Modewistic: you may be right Nova, which mean that earthquake we felt, could be someone using a special attack Nova: on school property, everyone knows that you can’t use any kind of special attack in school ground, unless you’re taken a test or special assignment. When Nova was finish talking Modewistic ear off, they felt the ground started to shake again, but this one was a lot stronger than the first. Modewistic was prepare for it this time and use his physic ability to keep him still, while Nova does her best to keep her feet on the ground, feel on her back once again. After the shaken was done Modweistic gave Nova I told you so look, the kind which he know that Nova hate. Nova: I hope you’re not smiling just because you was right Modewistic: you know that I don’t smile very often Nova, unless something funny happen to you, that would give me a good chuckle Nova: ….. Whatever Maudie, would you mind help me up again Modewistic: I kinda can’t right now Nova: and why is that? Modewistic: because I just found the student that we were looking for *he raise his ears and stood his guard* and that student isn’t happy to see us. Nova wasn’t sure what Modewistic was talking about, until she look and notice a Torus, standing at the other side of the hallways. When Nova got up from the floor and get a better look at the pokemon, she notice something that was hanging around its neck, it took her a moment to figure out what it was, until she relies it was the very thing that she and Modewistic were looking for. When Nova was about to tell Modewistic what she saw, Nova felt the ground start to shake again and this time she knew who was causing it. The Torus was stomping it hooves on the ground, which surpassingly making the whole building to shake. Modewistic knew what it up to and start using his physic ability, to make a strong shield large enough to protective himself and Nova. The Torus finish stopping it hooves and start charging towards them, once the Torus made impact to Modewistic shield, the shield was able to stop the Torus attack and push it a few feet from them. Nova: what a relief, it sure was lucky that your shield was able to stop that Torus charge attack Modewistic: I’m surprised that my shield was able to hold back from that attack in the first place Nova: what do you mean by that Maudie? Modewistic: well if you look at the shield, there is a tiny crack was made by the Torus charge attack Nova: so it a tiny crack, what the big deal about it Modewstic: the big deal is Nova, that my physic shield are strong enough against any kind of attack, including yours. Nova: so that mean Modewstic: it mean that Torus must the got a lot stronger, or gotten an object, that strengthen it attack Nova: I think I agree with your second answer Maudie Modewstic: really, why is that? Nova: because I saw something was hanging around the Torus neck, just before you stop me from telling you about it. Modewstic: I was trying to save both our lives in a serious situation here, you should be thanking me. But if you know what you saw, might as well tell me, before the Torus attack again Nova: I was going to tell you, but you going to see it in action right about now Modewstic wasn’t sure what Nova meant by that, but when he look at the Torus, he notice something different about it. The Torus raise it head for a moment, to show off what look like a dark like marble with a green eye in the middle. Modewstic and Nova were both surprised to see what it was and knew the item they been looking, was indeed the dark stone. The dark stone was starting to glow, showing off some dark aura, while the dark stone was doing that, the Torus eyes became pure darkness and it was filled with rage. Modewstic was able to sense some high level of dark energy from the Torus and need to do something quick, he look at Nova was trying to play cool, but see her leg were shaken a little. He was going to talk to Nova and calm her down, but the Torus was about to do another charge attack and Modewstic need to do something quick. Modewstic knew his shield won’t hold back that kind of attack, he use his physic ability and teleported himself and Nova out of there. The Torus made it charge attack but notice that it target wasn’t there, the Torus look around the hallway, to see it victim had went. Continue searching for its target, a mysterious figure appear in the scenes and see what the Torus was doing, the Torus didn’t bother looking at the mysterious figure since it mind was concentrating looking for its target. The mysterious stranger almost lost it patient with the Torus and start to yell at it. Mysterious stranger: what do you think you’re doing? Torus: *it heard the stranger voice and stood still* Mysterious stranger: you let two witnesses escape from your hooves, do you have idea of how much trouble we’ll be if they tell anyone of what you was doing Torus: *it tilt it head with a confuse look* Mysterious stranger: ……… sigh never mind, I keep on forgetting the side effect of the dark stone, it will make the none mega evolution Pokémon powerful, but the lesser one like you become completely mindless. Torus: *it stop caring what the stranger said and start looking for its target, but stop in the middle, when the stranger stood in front of it* Mysterious stranger: just forget about looking for those two, in a few hours it will be morning soon and most of the faculty and students will be here any moment, I best take the dark stone from your neck, so that way no one will be the wiser. When the mysterious stranger took the dark stone from the Torus neck, the dark aura that was inside of the Pokémon disappear and the Torus was back to normal. The Torus was rubbing it head a little, wondering what exactly happened to him, he remember that he heard someone was talking to him, but when look to see he doesn’t see anyone at all. The Torus couldn’t remember anything else except that he was right in the middle something important and had to go. While the Torus was running where he need to go, the mysterious stranger stood by the corner of the hallway, while holding the dark stone in it hand, it look at the list of other Pokémon that had been touch by the dark stone and cross out the Torus name. The mysterious stranger wasn’t happy that the Torus didn’t do his job right and knew it master wasn’t going to be pleased of the bad news. While talking about it master, the mysterious stranger see another dark mist appearing on the side of the wall, it wasn’t afraid of it, since it knew who it was appearing. From the dark mist, Two green eyes appear and stare at the mysterious stranger, the mysterious stranger bow to the green eyes and done it best to speak to it in a calmly matter Mysterious stranger: master Dexerus, it an honor that you made a surprised visit to see me. Dexerus: the only reason why I’m here is that I sense that another one of your pets had failed it mission again. Mysterious stranger: a minor setback master, the Torus was right in the middle of it mission, until two other Pokémon interfere it work. Dexerus: and where are the two pokemon that Torus saw Mysterious stranger: not sure, when the Torus was about to attack them, one of them use it psychic ability and teleported out of there, they could had gone anywhere in the school and would take hours for the Torus to search for them. But I assure master that I will not stop searching and take them out of the picture Dexerus: that would be nice of you to do that, but don’t bother Mysterious stranger: why not master, what if those two Pokémon tell anyone of what are we doing and figure out our … I mean your master plan Dexerus: the two pokemon had no clue about my master plan or know what the Torus was looking for. We still have the upper hand for a moment and I want you to continue to keep it that way. Mysterious stranger: of course master Dexerus, I will do my best to keep your plan in motion Dexerus: speaking of keeping my plan in motion, since you lost your Torus, you need another Pokémon to hold the dark stone powers again and this time when finding another victim, make sure it does the job right or else. Mysterious stranger: the Pokémon academy filled with students and faculty, I will easily find the perfect being to handle the power of the dark stone. Dexerus: you better, for your sake. After that the green eyes and the dark mist both disappear leaving the mysterious stranger by themselves. The mysterious stranger knew it need to find another Pokémon to do the job right, but since the dark stone is very picky on choosing it host, it will be hard to find the right one. While the stranger was figuring out what to do next, it seen a shadow on the floor and figure that someone was coming, the mysterious stranger hid the dark stone in it school bag and kept it safe. When the mysterious stranger finally hid the dark stone away, it got spook a little when someone was calling it actual name, the mysterious stranger got up and saw a Braixen wearing her cloud shape pj’s. The mysterious stranger show a sign of relief knowing who this pokemon and wasn’t any kind of threat, the Braixen yawn a little bit and place her glasses, then finally speak to the mysterious stranger. Dashie: there you are Rebeca, you any idea of how worry I got when you wasn’t in your room, I though you got yourself hurt or something. Rebeca: take it easy big sister, I only step out of my room for a moment, I needed to get something important from the library Dashie writer: and you couldn’t wait until morning like everyone else. Rebeca writer: it was really important and I need to get before everyone else. But speaking of someone not in their room, what are you doing out of yours Dashie writer: looking for my little sister, making sure that you stay out of trouble and don’t upset our father as usual Rebeca writer: sigh, dad still don’t trust me after what I did a few years ago. Dashie writer: you nearly killed a student during a battle practice. Rebeca writer: but that student lived dear sister and everyone forgot all about it, so dad should done the same, like he did with mom Dashie writer: ….. Rebeca hold on a second Rebeca writer: I’m tired right now sis, I’m going to my room and get some rest. I will see you later before the first class. Dashie writer: alright Rebeca, we talk later Dashie watch her little sister walk away from her, not saying another word. Dashie still remember that Rebeca is still upset with their dad for getting married again with someone else and forgot all about their mother ever excited. Dashie does her best to tell Rebeca that their father still love her and nothing will change that, but Rebeca always been the rebellious type that never seem to care of what their say to her, each time Rebeca done something wrong, their father either punish her with detention or never talk to her again. Dashie wish that she can help her little sister anyway, but for now she just keep her promise from her father and keep an eye on her. In the next morning at the Pokémon academy, all the students were heading inside the school, getting ready to start classes soon, while all the students went to class, inside the headmaster office, Modewstic and Nova were having a conversation with a Pidgeot name headmaster Thomas. Both of them did their best to explain to headmaster Thomas of what they saw and also mention about the item they saw, which got Thomas attention. Thomas the writer: are you sure what you saw was actually a dark stone. Modewstic: yes sir, Nova was able to spot it from the Torus neck Nova: we weren’t sure what it was at first, until it started to glow in a dark aura, which in power the Torus and made it a lot stronger. Thomas the writer: how powerful was the Torus Modewstic: very powerful sir, when I sense the Torus energy level, it was off the chart, far greater than an average Pokémon can handle. I would had easily fight it back, but I use my teleportation and got Nova and I out of there. Nova: we’re sorry big brother, I know you want us to stop it, but Thomas the writer: it’s alright Nova, I only care about your safety more than actually capturing it. But after learning that the Torus had a dark stone, it time we step up security a little and figure out where it will attack again. Modewstic: wait, you mean it will come back again Thomas the writer: I’m afraid so, if I know about the power of the dark stone, it’s after something and it won’t stop until it find what it looking for. Nova: but what exactly it looking for though, the Torus done nothing more but trash the hallway. Thomas the writer: that true, but I guess I haven’t told you the full truth to what the Torus was looking for. Modewstic: what do you mean the full truth? Prosecutie: the full truth to what the Torus and several other Pokémon that had been causing some trouble on the school property Modewstic and Nova heard a voice that was echoing around the room, they look where it is, until they saw two Pokémon appear in the headmaster office, standing right next Thomas desk. Modewstic and Nova were both surprise to see a Gogoat and an Espeon that sitting on his back. Thomas the writer: always like to make a special appearance huh Professor Prosecutie Professor Prosecutie: oh you know me headmaster, I like to make an entrance wherever I go, right Wrango Professor Wrangler: yes Prosecutie, but at least you could had warn me that you was going to teleport like that, I get sick very easily when we travel that fast. Professor Prosecutie: oh I make sure to let you know next time my dear Wrango Modewstic: um headmaster Thomas, who might these two be Thomas the writer: oh right, you and Nova never had the chance to meet them before. I would like you to meet the two new teacher for battle and tactics classes, Professor Prosecutie and his faithful assistant Professor Wrangler. Professor Prosecutie: it’s an honor to meet you both, I hope we all become good friends Professor Wrangler: good friends indeed Nova: it nice to meet you too, but I’m still curious to what you said about knowing the real truth of what the Torus was looking for Professor Prosecutie: oh yes I did said that, well you see Nova, if what you said that the Torus was busy trashing the hallway, it mean that the Pokémon was right in the middle of searching for something important. Modewstic: searching for what exactly Professor Wrangler: it searching for a mega stone Modewstic: a mega stone, you mean like the one we use to power source for our homes and buildings Nova: and also using those mega stone to help some Pokémon to mega evolve Professor Prosecutie: that right, but this mega stone the Torus was looking is very special Modewstic: what so special about this mega stone Thomas the writer: there is an old ancient legends that tell about this special kind of mega stone supposed to have an ancient spirit inside of it, which also the same spirit that defeated a powerful demon known as Dexerus. Nova: Dexerus, you mean the same evil demon that people make scary stories at night. Modewstic: the very same one that I made you wet the bed for a week Nova: in my defend Maudie, I drank too much water that night Modewstic: sure, but I will never let you not forget who was the best Thomas the writer: that enough from the both of you two, we all need to work together on this and figure out where this pokemon going to attack next Modewstic: that simple sir, since we know it was a Torus that was doing the damage, we just keep an eye on one and stop them in their track Professor Prosecutie: that would work, but you got to remember this, Torus made had look like the cause, but you have to find the main source of the problem Nova: ….. What that mean Professor Wrangler: he said that even though the Torus was the main target, but the Torus was only pawn. Nova: a pawn, you are saying that the Torus was nothing more but a puppet Thomas the writer: that right Nova, with the Dark stone you two saw, it must the feed the Torus with dark energy and took control, which give the Torus the extra strength it need to break your shield Modewstic: I knew my shield was strong, but what you said that the Torus was only a puppet, who was the puppet master. Thomas the writer: I been trying to figure that out, with the past few weeks now with the same incident, I been doing my best to figure out who been causing all this trouble, but with two very well-known professor from the west garden academy with gifted students, with their knowledge on ancient relics and item, they would be a big help to solve this problem Nova: wait, I though you say they were teaching battle and tactics classes Professor Prosecutie: we are, we just using those course as our cover Professor Wrangler: since we don’t want the enemy know what they doing, we keep ourselves in under cover, so we can free to do more research on the mega stone they are looking for. Modewstic: ok then, since you guys are doing that, what about me and Fish breath Nova: who you calling fish breath Maudie Modewstic: the one that promise to stop eating fish flavor poke block Thomas the writer: ….. Just continue what you two best and keep an eye around the hallways and the students as well, we don’t want to cause any alarm as yet Modewstic: *he raise his ears up and sense something* I think that not causing alarm had to wait sir, someone is coming in. Headmaster Thomas wasn’t sure of what Modewstic said, until he saw his office door was open and see his secretary Nichols stood there. Headmaster Thomas was curious to what brought her to come inside his office, since she knew that he was right in the middle of a meeting. Nichols took a few deep breath and speak to the Headmaster Nichols: I beg your pardon sir, but some of the teacher need you at the cafeteria right Thomas the writer: don’t tell me another fight about to happen again Nichols: I afraid so and you won’t guess who at it this time Thomas the writer: …….. Sigh, let me guess Valo drawer Nichols: yes sir, he about to fight a few students that was trying to harm one of his frineds, the teacher wanted to stop the fight, but anyone that can calm them down, is you. Thomas the writer: I’m really not in a mood for this, but I had no other choice in the matter, tell them that I be on my way. Nichols: yes sir and thank you Nichols left his office and head for the Cafeteria, Thomas sigh to himself knowing that he got to rescue Valo drawer from another mess. He look at everyone and tell him that he need to leave a little early Thomas the writer: I’m sorry everyone, it seem like our little meeting had to be over early Modewstic: Valo is at it again, I though he learn his lesson of not picking on fights all the time Nova: especially when he picking on the seniors class, they are a lot tighter and they don’t hold back. Thomas the writer: which is why I need to get there as soon as possible. Professor Proescuite: who this student you all talking about? Nova: he a Lucario pokemon that goes by the name Valo drawer Modewstic: he’s the son of a famous student that graduated from the academy many years ago, he was lucky to make it for the first year, but have a hard time staying out of trouble Professor Wrangler: why is that? Thomas the writer: Valo drawer have a reputation of getting in trouble when someone in danger, he sometimes act first and ask question later and he tend to cause so much damage at the school, that I had to save him from getting expelled. Professor Prosecutie: if he get in trouble so much, why keep on saving him Thomas the writer: Valo isn’t a bad kid, he just someone that care about everyone, also I kept an extra promise to his mother to make sure to keep him out of trouble. Now I wish I could say more, but I got get going, before it too late. Headmaster Thomas step out of his office and open his, then start flying fast to head for the cafeteria. Somewhere inside the cafeteria, all the students were looking at the center area and see a few student were about to fight each other. At the center area of the cafeteria a few meowth and a Persian were about to fight against lone Lucario name Valo drawer and two of his friends who are standing behind the tables. The Persian start to laugh a little bit, knowing that this victory was in the bag. Soven: come now Valo, you and I both know that you out number, with my little brother Spencer leading his crew, he can easily take you out and have some fun with your little friends, beside one of your friend after all own me a lot of lunch money The Primarina lower his head a little knowing that Soven was calling him out for borrowing money from him, the Pikachu stand by his side, to let him that everything was going to be ok. Pikachu look at Valo and try his best to stop him from fighting. Icarus: Valo, let forget about this and give them our lunch money, so everyone can go back to class Valo drawer: and let them know that we have to be afraid of them all the time, not a chance. Nina: but Valo, I don’t you to get hurt because of me, just forget about it and call it quit Spencer: that right Valo, listen to your girlfriend and quit, you and I both know that you can’t me or risk having the chance of entering the Pokémon battle finals exams and repeat the same grade all over again. Valo drawer: you worry about your own problem Spencer, I got better things to do, then worry about that (but he got a point though, if I get in another fight, headmaster Thomas would make sure that I won’t enter this year final exams and I doom repeat again) *he look at his friends and see that they worry about him* (I’m sorry you guys, I know I could leave this, but I sit this out, not to anyone) Spencer: so Valo, what do you say, hand over your lunch money *he summon his claws* or have your face clawed Valo drawer: I say *he summon his aura through his two paws* bring it on. To be continue? Wow finally finish working on the first two part of the Pokémon academy, look like things going to be interesting, there a lot more coming, but have to wait for the second part to see what happened next. I hope everyone enjoy reading the story and hope two of my good friends like it as well The special guest characters that mention in this story Prosecutie, Wrangler: ask-prosecutie Modewstic: Modewstic Valo drawer: ask-valo-pony-drawer

#ask uncle #fan fiction #fan fic writing #valo-the-pony-drawer #ask prosecutie

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grrlinthefireplace · 8 years ago

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30, please!

30. pick one of your favorite quotes.

Oh my god this is so hard to narrow down! I love quotes so much. Here are some of my particular favorites, the ones I used to scrawl on the front of my notebooks as a student or say over and over quietly to myself when I needed consolation or stuck over my desk on a Post-It Note to see every day. Two of these are from books I had tattooed on my arm. One of them became a plot point in the book I wrote. One of them is the thing I used to lie awake every night and repeat to myself while my mother was dying to help myself sleep.

Words are magic.

“Shipsat a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, neverlanding until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mockedto death by Time. That is the life ofmen.

Now, women forget all those thingsthey don’t want to remember, and remember everything they don’t want toforget. Then they act and do thingsaccordingly.”–Zora Neale Hurston, from Their EyesWere Watching God

“time is a tree (this life one leaf)but love is the sky and i am for youjust so long and long enough”–e.e. cummings, from “as freedom is a breakfastfood”

“Theinclination to believe in the fantastic may strike some as a failure in logic,or gullibility, but it’s really a gift. A world that might have Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster is clearlysuperior to one that definitely does not.”–Chris Van Allsburg

“Everything dies, baby, that’s a factBut maybe everything that dies someday comes back”–Bruce Springsteen, from “Atlantic City”

“Whatmakes this so much fun is that it is not truth, it is not life. It is playacting. We are the purveyors ofbeautiful lies. That is why you shouldnever take us as lovers, or try to con us, or let us get too close topoliticians. Lying is our business andwe know it when we see it.“–PatrickStewart

“My heart sings of your longing for me, and my thoughts climb down to marvel at your mercy. I do not fear as you gather up my days. Your name is the sweetness of time, and you carry me close into the night, speaking consolations, drawing down lights from the sky, saying, See how the night has no terrors for one who remembers the Name.”–Leonard Cohen, from Book of Mercy

“I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange?”–William Shakespeare, from Much Ado About Nothing

“Ilike living. I have sometimes beenwildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow; but through it allI still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.”–Agatha Christie

“Atticussaid to Jem one day, ‘I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the backyard, but Iknow you’ll go after birds. Shoot allthe bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill amockingbird.’ That was the only time Iever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudieabout it. ‘Your father’s right,’ shesaid. ‘Mockingbirds don’t do one thingexcept make music for us to enjoy. Theydon’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thingbut sing their hearts out for us. That’swhy it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’” –Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

“Weepingmay endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”–Psalm 30:5

“I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.”–Noel Coward

“The Ancient Mariner said to Neptuneduring a great storm, ‘O God, you will save me if you wish, but I am going togo on holding my tiller straight.’”–Michel de Montaigne

“We are all of us in the gutter, but some of us arelooking at the stars.”–OscarWilde

“Gatsbybelieved in the green light, the orgastic future that year by yearrecedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrowwe will run faster, stretch out our arms farther… . And thenone fine morning—

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselesslyinto the past.”–F. Scott Fitzgerald, from The Great Gatsby

“Ibelieve that an author who cannot control her characters is, like a mother whocannot control her children, not really fit to look after them.”–MargeryAllingham

“The ordinary-sized stuff which is ourlives, the things people write poetry about - clouds - daffodils - waterfalls - whathappens in a cup of coffee when the cream goes in - these things are full ofmystery, as mysterious to us as the heavens were to the Greeks.”–Tom Stoppard, from Arcadia

“How many women wrote beautiful novels and stories and poems and essays and plays and scripts and songs in spite of all the crap they endured. How many of them didn’t collapse in a heap of “I could have been better than this” and instead went right ahead and became better than anyone would have predicted or allowed them to be. The unifying theme is resilience and faith. The unifying theme is being a warrior and a motherfucker. It is not fragility. It’s strength. It’s nerve. And ‘if your Nerve, deny you –,’ as Emily Dickinson wrote, ‘go above your Nerve.’ Writing is hard for every last one of us—straight white men included. Coal mining is harder. Do you think miners stand around all day talking about how hard it is to mine for coal? They do not. They simply dig.”–Cheryl Strayed (AKA Dear Sugar), from “Write Like a Motherfucker”

“Thisindeed is man’s creative gift, to find or make a likeness where none was seenbefore - a likeness between mass and energy, a link between time and space, anecho of all our fears in the passion of Othello.”–Jacob Bronowski, physicist

“The problem with putting two and two together isthat sometimes you get four, and sometimes you get twenty-two.”–DashiellHammett, from The Thin Man

“I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant.”–Jane Austen, from Persuasion

“I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn’tresolve. But I was outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night whenI saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes, andhe never opened his eyes.

After that I liked jazz music.

Sometimes you have to watch somebody love somethingbefore you can love it yourself. It’s as if they are showing you theway.

I used to not like God because God didn’tresolve. But that was before any of this happened.”–Donald Miller, from BlueLike Jazz

“And if I could go back and start over somehowI would not change that much, knowing what I know now”–Billy Joel, from “Getting Closer”

“She was a short woman who accepted the obligation borne by so many shortwomen to make up in vivacity what they lack in number of inches from theground.”–Dorothy Parker

“To choose what is difficult all one’s days as if it were easy,That is faith.”–W.H. Auden, from For the Time Being

“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say gracebefore the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, andgrace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming,fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen inthe ink.”–G. K. Chesterton

“Ladiesdo not start fights. But they can finishthem!”–Marie from The Aristocats

“In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to payback the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it’swiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to justkeep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.”–Elizabeth Gilbert

#quotes #words #writers #writing #inspiration #text post #quotations #books #tea-and-kittehs #From the Inbox

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nocompromise-noregrets · 4 years ago

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character ask game!

The ever-lovely @lemurious asked me about Thranduil so *cracks knuckles* here goes...(movieverse here because let’s face it, that’s where he got some development)

Why I like them: I like how completely different he is to the other Elves we’ve seen so far, and especially how absolutely fucking uncanny he is - I think Lee Pace really nailed the movement stuff, especially in that first scene with Thorin. Also I am incredibly shallow and he’s so pretty I can’t bear it (it’s the hair and the cheekbones). Also BOOTS. XD

Why I don’t: I actually don’t not like him. I know fandom has a tendency to paint him as an absolute dickhead (not entirely without justification, and I have read some extremely good takes on him being an absolute dickhead/a stuck-up arsehole who needs taking down a peg or three, which I greatly enjoy :D ) but I like how uncompromising he is, and I think he’s got plenty of valid reasons for being like he is (see below).

Favorite episode (scene if movie): Three-way tie between the scene with Thorin, the scenes in Dale with Bard (I did not even have to put my slash goggles on), especially the eye-roll at Gandalf, and the battle scenes, particularly the bit with the elk and the rolling-to-his-feet-and-continuing-to-fight and the general fucking uncanniness. Yikes.

Favorite season/movie: Five Armies.

Favorite line: ‘A hundred years is a blink in the life of an Elf. I’m patient. I can wait.’ (particularly the delivery thereof. :D )

Favorite outfit: ARMOUR. Also the BOOTS. :D Also the glorious long silver robe thing that they had to pin up and then relengthen digitally in post-production because Lee Pace couldn’t get up the stairs without falling over it. XDDDD

OTP: Bard. Can’t help it, it’s the way they keep looking at each other in Dale. XD Also his wife, who in Empty Vessel is called Auriel and is a daughter of Celegorm (very very estranged pretty much from birth) who was raised by Thingol and Melian and who has all the strength of character one might expect from someone with Fëanorian blood and that upbringing. :D She puts up with exactly none of Thranduil’s ridiculousness and she is absolutely the one in charge. I love her. :D :D :D

Brotp: Tauriel, I think, once they’ve sorted out their issues. Also Legolas, once they’ve sorted out their issues. I am also having great fun writing him being summarily adopted by Bard’s (very cheeky) wife Maudie as her new BFF in the sequel to Empty Vessel.

Head Canon: He is how he is because he is hurting. He’s lost so many people - if he was in Doriath as a youngster that’s going to have to have been traumatic (I’m not sure if anything is said in canon about his extreme youth, but I think it’s implied that Oropher left Doriath for the Greenwood after the Kinslaying so presumably he took his kid with him, and I’m headcanoning that he was born in Doriath just before 500FA, therefore knew Thingol, Melian and Dior who was close in age to him), he lost his father in battle and had to step up and be King, which was presumably not something he was expecting ever to have to do, he lost his wife in traumatic circumstances, he’s most likely in constant pain from the dragonfire scars, he’s lost a great deal of his territory to the creeping evil sneaking out of Dol Guldur, etc etc. Throw in a certain amount of natural haughtiness and the fact that he’s been royalty his entire life, which is a very long time indeed, and it’s not entirely surprising that people meeting him without knowing all that (which he’s never going to just show anyone) are going to think he’s an antisocial dickhead.

Unpopular opinion: He’s not an antisocial dickhead, he’s just not very good at handling his grief/talking to the people who love him.

A wish: That he never shuts up in the back of my head because I am having so much fun writing him.

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen: If he does ever shut up I will be very sad indeed.

5 words to best describe them: I need qualifiers for these so it’s going to be about ten but... (somewhat justifiably) haughty, (understandably) misguided, (utterly) beautiful, (silently) suffering, passionate (once you get past everything bloody else about him)

My nickname for them: Legolas’ Dad. Because he is. I’m not great with names, they make me feel awkward (no room to unpick that right here XD ) so most characters I particularly like end up getting a nickname, especially if I like them, because I can’t quite say their actual name (I have spent 18 years calling Legolas ‘elf-boy’ at this point, so, y’know, I have some fairly substantial issues XDDD ).

That was fun! Any more for any more? I am likethenight on AO3 if anyone else wants to see who I write and pick a character! :D :D :D

#ask game!#ask me stuff!#seriously i love these things please feel free to ask me/tag me in these games/etc #you are not bothering me you are making me very happy indeed #:D

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howdysinners · 8 years ago

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I know you both probably don't wanna deal with depressed people... but... life is kinda tough right now. Any chance I can get a hug? I can leave you alone if not.... -Maudy

Sans: ‘course kid. We’d never turn you down.

Papyrus: THAT IS RIGHT MAUDY HUMAN! IF YOU ARE FEELING DOWN WE WILL BE THERE TO PICK YOU UP AGAIN! BECAUSE YOU ARE INDEED GREAT, AND I SHOULD KNOW GREAT, NYEH HEH HEH!

*Sans and Papyrus give you a big hug, tucking you in between the two of them*

Sans: We’re rootin’ for you kid. And don’t let life get you down. Depression is an ass, but just act like a skeleton… and 'don’t give a shit’ ;)

Papyrus: SAAANNNSSS!!!!! -_-

#saturday sleepover #puns

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thenatureofnarrative · 7 years ago

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Best Films of 2017

The basis of my annual list is simple, these are the films that were, for me, mesmerizing and memorable. These were the cinematic experiences that either provoked a depth of emotion and/or provided a whole lot to talk about. These are the films that I could not forget and I cannot wait to see again. After you read this year’s list, you can also find last year’s list here.

1. mother!

Director Darren Aronofsky is one of the greatest living filmmakers, everything he creates provokes strong reactions, begging us, his audience, to ask and to discuss, why? Why do we react the way we do? All of his films are memorable, but mother! truly is his masterpiece. This is a dark, disturbing, violent work of art that is certainly not for everyone, but for me, this rich, layered and powerful picture was the most meaningful cinematic experience of the year. Apocalyptic literature has been around for millennia, but this achievement may very well be our first official work of apocalyptic cinema. The word, apocalyptic (from the Greek), means “unveiling” - - to see the world as it really is. To that point, Aronofsky has created the perfect religious-ecological analogy; and there may be no end to what we can discuss and uncover there. On DVD.

2. Darkest Hour

This film is essentially tied for my favourite of the year. So much attention has been given to Gary Oldman for his remarkable, honest and nuanced portrayal of Winston Churchill (and he does indeed deserve Best Actor), but the truth is, this film is so much more than just a performance. This is director Joe Wright’s greatest achievement to date. The Darkest Hour provides for us, not only an incredible account of history, but possibly the most honest portrayal of our humanity from the most unexpected of places: politics. This is a true story of suffering under the weight of the world, and it reveals for us what the cost and courage of leadership truly looks like. On DVD.

3. The Lost City of Z

Director James Gray is, without a doubt, one of the most underrated and underappreciated living directors. All of his films are worth your time, but The Lost City of Z is his masterpiece. Part old school sweeping Hollywood epic, with a rare eye for historical authenticity, and part contemporary reflection on vocation, calling and destiny. The depth of relationship portrayed on screen is what really sets this story apart, from husband and wife, to brotherhood, and father and son. This is a rich and wonderful true story for all ages, and without a doubt Robert Pattinson’s and Charlie Hunnam’s greatest performances to date. On DVD.

4. Blade Runner 2049

This was the year’s most awe-inspiring cinematic experience. Director Denis Villenueve continues to establish himself as one of our greatest living directors. Many considered this film to be an impossible task, creating an acceptable sequel to a now classic sci-fi film. And yet, what Villenueve, his team, and Oscar-destined cinematographer Roger Deakins, have accomplished is actually an improvement upon Ridley Scott’s original adaptation, and a perfecting of Philip K. Dick’s philosophical potential. This is a stunning, thrilling, and rich work of art that provides for us endless points of discussion and reflection. On DVD.

5. Get Out

This film has become a cultural phenomenon for good reason. In part, when it was released last February, it was the shock and surprise that first time writer/director Jordan Peele had crafted such a strong and subversive work of cinema, but really, it’s longevity is the result of it’s own genius. Get Out provides for us the perfect example of the power of genre. Using the genre of a horror/thriller, Jordan Peele and his perfect cast, thrill us and shock us with our own greatest fears and the darkest sins we have committed against humanity. This is a work of art worth viewing and reflecting upon time and time again. On DVD.

6. Logan

Here is, not only the greatest achievement in superhero storytelling, but also the year’s greatest portrayal of sin, regret, repentance and redemption. The story of Wolverine has always been biblically infused, but this final farewell for Logan is, in part, the story of Samson, and the story of Exodus. It is a shame Hugh Jackson did not get the award recognition he deserved for this performance, but this classically told western-styled-superhero story of redemption, will forever remain the pinnacle example of superhero storytelling potential. On Netflix and DVD.

7. War for the Planet of the Apes

This new Planet of the Apes trilogy is, hands down, one of the best film series of the last twenty years. Director Matt Reeves is at his best when he combines the nostalgic-inspirations of his childhood, with the social and spiritual themes of sin and humanity’s desperate future. It is mind-blowing how subtle and nuanced the performances are from the motion-capture actors, and I had hoped that this would be the year Andy Serkis would become the first motion-capture actor to be nominated for an Oscar. But technological achievements aside, this story of creation’s evolution, and mankind’s de-evolution, is one of the most profound and poignant films of the year. On DVD.

8. Maudie

Here is another film I saw very early on in the year that just stuck with me, with its honest and heart-breaking performances and relationships. Sally Hawkins deserves praise for her Oscar-nominated performance in, The Shape of Water, but her portrayal of the arthritic Canadian-artist, married to an abusive husband (played by Ethan Hawke), is what should have garnered her all the awards. This is a sweet and simple story, but it is true, it is honest, and it is irreplaceable. On DVD.

9. Lady Macbeth

Now this is a film I recommend with caution, due to it’s content, but that cannot be denied for its beauty, its confidence, and its mastery of tone. We often picture the Victorian age with such beauty and charm, but what first-time director, William Oldroyd, portrays with his adaption of this famous Russian short story and opera, is the sheer boredom and monotony of one’s life, especially a women’s life, at this time in history. From it’s stunning static imagery, at the start, comes a shocking story of lust, betrayal and murder. This was one of the most captivating experiences of the year, and the cinematography alone should have been awarded repeatedly. On DVD.

10. I Don’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore

Small, strange and unexpected. This little film with a big title is an incredible mix of humour, melancholy, and murder. It’s hard to define or distinguish what independent film is anymore, but if such a thing can be defined by it’s style and tone, I Don’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore, would be it. This is a film that will make you smile and then shock that smile right off your face. On Netflix.

Honourable Mentions (alphabetically):

Baby Driver: A thrilling achievement from director Edgar Wright. The success is well deserved and overdue. Baby Driver was the most original entertaining experience of the year. On DVD.

Colossal: Weird and wonderful. For such a conceptual piece of strange sci-fi-dramedy, both Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis give incredibly committed performances that raise this story far above our expectations. On Netflix and DVD.

Dunkirk: This film is the perfect argument for the cinematic experience, if there ever was one. This is writer/director Christopher Nolan’s greatest risk, and it is also, without a doubt, one of his greatest achievements. On DVD.

It Comes at Night: This enigmatic story is an example of perfectly crafted creepiness. While it’s meaning comes out, in part, through symbolism, ultimately it’s greatest gift is it’s mystery. On Netflix and DVD.

Lady Bird: A pure delight, rich with emotional depth. I was already a huge fan of Saoirse Ronan, but Greta Gerwig’s playful and personable screenplay is an undeniable joy. On DVD March 6.

Molly’s Game: I will always love and admire the work of Aaron Sorkin (a modern-day Shakespeare in my opinion), and while all the performances in Molly’s Game are great, the stand out here is Michael Cera (who provides us with his take of the real life Tobey Maguire). On DVD April 10.

Mudbound: This story contains the sort of truth that will haunt you. I could not shake this viewing experience for days; Mudbound is that powerful and important of a story. On Netflix.

The Big Sick: A heart-warming and hilarious true story, but really, just see it for Holly Hunter’s incredible performance (she should have been nominated). On Netflix and on DVD.

The Shape of Water: I always admire and am inspired by the work of Guillermo del Toro, his films are consistently masterful and meaningful; and this fairy tale for adults is one of his greatest achievements. On DVD March 13.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri: The performances do indeed deserve all the awards (especially Woody Harrelson in my opinion). Writer/Director Martin McDonagh’s stage-play-soap-opera is an exhilarating experience of extreme emotion. On DVD.

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