#preschool in Forest Hills
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Top Daycare Centers and Preschool Options in Queens: Join Chinese Classes at Bright Kids America in Forest Hills
Finding the right daycare or preschool for your child is a crucial decision, and Queens offers several excellent options for parents. If you’re in Forest Hills, you’re in luck—Bright Kids America stands out not only for its exceptional daycare services but also for its unique educational offerings, including Chinese language classes. In this guide, we'll explore the best daycare centers in Queens, highlight the benefits of preschool in Forest Hills, and discuss why you should consider enrolling your child in Chinese classes in New York.
Best Daycare Centers in Queens
Queens is home to numerous high-quality daycare centers that cater to a variety of needs. These centers are renowned for their engaging programs, skilled staff, and nurturing environments. When searching for the best daycare centers in Queens, consider the following factors:
Accreditation and Licensing: Ensure the center is properly accredited and meets all state licensing requirements.
Curriculum and Activities: Look for a center that offers a well-rounded curriculum with activities that promote cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Staff Qualifications: Qualified and caring staff can make a significant difference in your child’s experience.
Safety and Cleanliness: A safe and clean environment is essential for your child’s well-being.
Preschool in Forest Hills
For parents specifically interested in preschool in Forest Hills, there are several noteworthy options. Forest Hills is known for its family-friendly atmosphere and high-quality educational facilities. When selecting a preschool in this area, you should consider:
Curriculum: A preschool that emphasizes early learning and development will provide a strong foundation for your child’s future education.
Class Size: Smaller class sizes often mean more individualized attention for each child.
Facilities: Modern, well-maintained facilities contribute to a positive learning environment.
Day Care Centre in Forest Hills
If you are looking for a day care centre in Forest Hills, Bright Kids America is a standout choice. This center offers a comprehensive range of services tailored to meet the needs of young children. Highlights of Bright Kids America include:
Engaging Programs: The day care centre provides a range of activities designed to foster development in various areas, including motor skills, language, and social interactions.
Qualified Staff: Experienced and dedicated professionals ensure that each child receives personalized care and attention.
Flexible Hours: The center offers flexible scheduling options to accommodate the diverse needs of working parents.
Join Chinese Classes in New York at Bright Kids America
One of the unique offerings at Bright Kids America is their Chinese classes in New York. Enrolling your child in these classes provides several benefits:
Early Language Acquisition: Learning Chinese at a young age can enhance cognitive abilities and language skills.
Cultural Exposure: Chinese classes introduce children to a new culture and broaden their global perspective.
Academic Advantage: Bilingualism can provide a significant advantage in future academic and professional settings.
Conclusion
Choosing the right daycare or preschool for your child in Queens is an important decision, and Bright Kids America in Forest Hills offers a top-notch option with its comprehensive programs and unique educational opportunities. Whether you're interested in the best daycare centers in Queens, a preschool in Forest Hills, or want to join Chinese classes in New York, Bright Kids America provides a nurturing and enriching environment for your child's growth and development.
Explore your options today and find the perfect fit for your child’s early education and care needs!
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Single Dad!Eddie x Fem!ReaderSeries
Summary: Eddie gets a not-so-sweet surprise when Hendrix takes some song lyrics a bit too literally.
TW: the briefest allusion to smut (referencing chapter 1), minor spousal conflict
WC: 1.5k
A/N: Based on an idea given to me by none other than @corroded-hellfire 💚 y'all wanted more of Hendrix, so here he is!
April 2003
The sedan rattles along the winding road to Forest Hills Trailer Park, pebbles crunching beneath the tires. Sunday nights meant dinner at Wayne’s, a tradition that you and Eddie both vowed to keep as long as possible.
A familiar intro trills over the car’s radio. Eddie’s eyes leave the road for a brief second to meet yours.
Step inside Walk this way You and me babe Hey hey!
“Our song, Sweetheart.” Your husband grins, right hand slipping from the steering wheel to crank the volume louder. He sings along, just as animated as he was that first night at The Hideout.
Love is like a bomb, baby, c'mon get it on Livin' like a lover with a radar phone Lookin' like a tramp, like a video vamp Demolition woman, can I be your man?
“Dad, what the heck?” Harris grumbles from the backseat. At eleven years old, he flips between adoration and annoyance with astounding speed.
“Yeah, what the heck?” Hendrix echoes his brother, though his smile is a far cry from Harris’s exasperated eye roll.
Eddie relents, twisting the knob just enough to be heard over Joe Elliott’s vocals.
“This is the song I sang that had Mom falling in love with me.” There’s a teasing glimmer in his eyes, daring you to disagree with him.
You eagerly take the bait.
“Love is a strong word,” you counter. The night you and Eddie met was steeped in memories of longing and lust, of giving into your desires in what was supposed to be a fling.
A fling that’s been happening for nearly seven years and counting.
Eddie sits forward suddenly, snapping the volume knob so Def Leppard once again reverberates through the car. “Wait…this is the best part!” He yells back to his sons, taking an extended pause at a stop sign to headbang.
Pour some sugar on me Ooh, in the name of love Pour some sugar on me C'mon, fire me up Pour your sugar on me I can't get enough
He leans in, smushing his lips against your cheek, as he sings along.
I’m hot, sticky sweet From my head to my feet, yeah!
You playfully shove him away, giggles betraying the irritated exterior you’re trying to uphold.
From the backseat, Hendrix pipes up. “What does that mean?”
Without missing a beat, Harris instigates further. “Yeah, Dad. What does this song mean?”
Damn pre-teens. If there’s no trouble to be found, they’ll make some.
Eddie swears under his breath, cheeks flushing red as he tries to find a response suitable for his three-year-old. “Well, um, he’s just…” he falters, any and all explanations fleeing his head. He improvises song lyrics on the fly when he forgets the real ones on stage, but now his brain short-circuits? Convenient.
Luckily, you’re used to fielding questions from little kids; one of the benefits of teaching preschool. “He wants to be extra sweet so a girl loves him.”
“So he pours sugar on himself?” Hendrix’s nose wrinkles in adorable confusion.
“Yup.” Easier to confirm your son’s own ideas than to come up with an alternative. Leaning back against the headrest, you force out a giggle. “Pretty silly, huh?”
The subject is swiftly dropped as Eddie pulls the car in front of his uncle’s trailer, Wayne already standing at the door and announcing that the pizza was on the table and ready to be eaten. “Delivered hot to the door, just like they promised,” he said, repeating the Surfer Boy slogan.
It isn’t until dinner has been eaten, the conversation naturally dwindling, that trouble begins to arise.
“Har, I wanna look over your homework when we get back,” you say, crumpling up your sauce-stained napkin and placing it on your empty plate. Your eyes narrow when you clock the uneasy glance that your oldest son shares with his father. “You did finish your homework, right?”
Harris tries and fails to hide behind his messy mop of curls. “Not exactly,” he mutters. His uneaten crust is suddenly of incredible interest. “I was gonna do it today, but, um…”
“But what?” Your impatience is directed both at him and Eddie, the other alleged adult in the house, who was home with Harris while you took Hendrix to a playdate.
“Well, okay, the plan was for him to do his homework,” Eddie begins, choosing his words carefully. Too carefully, like he’s trying to hide something. “But then Jeff called and told me about this tournament at the arcade; like, all of the old-school stuff we played as kids. I told Harris he could go if he promised to finish his work after, but then time got away from me—”
You grit your teeth, all-too aware of your audience present. The last thing you need is for your temper to unravel in front of Wayne and the boys. “So Harris’s homework isn’t done because…” You take a deep breath before continuing. “…because you wanted to go to the arcade?”
Wayne mumbles a barely audible “hoo, boy” as he clears the snack table.
“I’m sorry, all right?” Eddie shakes his head. “I lost track of time, but he’s gonna get it done. It’s just, what, some math and science stuff?”
“And social studies,” Harris admits.
Eddie’s face blanches. “Okay, so…just three things.”
Except it’s not that simple. Harris needs to take breaks to keep himself motivated and prevent frustration. He needs to reread and revise because he has trouble attending to all of the details at once. And now that he’s older, his know-it-all approach only makes homework time more challenging—for him and for you and Eddie.
“Looks like he’ll be up until God-knows what time, then,” you shoot back. “And you can be the one up with him.”
“I said I’m s—what the hell?” Eddie leaps up, nearly falling over his feet in the process. A mountain of grainy white substance falls from his lap, into the futon’s crevices and onto the floor.
Hendrix stands beside him, an upside-down—and now empty—bag of granulated sugar in his pudgy hands. His big eyes dart between you and Eddie, anticipating your reactions.
“Hendrix,” Eddie says through a deep breath, channeling every ounce of remaining patience. Harris cackling doesn’t help, either. “Why did you do that?”
Your youngest son shakes the bag a few extra times for good measure. “Putting sugar on you so Mommy likes you. Like in the song.”
Shocked into stillness, Wayne speaks up. “What song made you dump all of my sugar on your dad?”
Hendrix beams as he belts out, “POUR SOME SUGAR ON MEEEEEE! STICKY SWEET!” He turns to you triumphantly. “Do you like Daddy now?”
You tuck your lips into your mouth to keep from bursting into laughter. Logically, you know that you can’t reinforce this behavior, even if it was done with good intentions.
But it’s also really funny.
“I like Daddy even when he’s not covered in sugar,” you say. “I love him a lot, and us having a little argument doesn’t change that.”
“But the song…” Hendrix furrows his brows.
You breathe out a sigh. “Sometimes, people say things in songs that we don’t do in real life. Like when people beat each other up on TV or in movies. It’s fun to watch, but we aren’t actually going to do it.”
The boy pouts. “So do I gotta say sorry?”
“Yes,” you tell him, “to Daddy for pouring the sugar on him, and to Grampa Wayne for wasting his sugar.”
“Sorry, Daddy. Sorry, Grampa Wayne,” he says softly. “I didn’t know the song wasn’t for real.”
Wayne grins. “S’okay, kiddo. I’ll just drink my coffee black for a while.”
Eddie’s positioned over the kitchen sink as he brushes the rest of the granules off of his shirt. “I think we need a hard-and-fast rule that we don’t copy any of the things we hear in songs.”
“Agreed.” You start towards the tiny closet where Wayne keeps the vacuum, adjusting the hose so it can suck up the sugar embedded into the futon’s mattress. When that’s done, you grab the broom. “Now, Hen, you’re gonna hold the dustpan while I sweep the floor.”
“But—” he starts to argue, but a raise of your eyebrows silences him. “Okay…”
Eddie takes the broom from you, a tight smile on his face. “Guess I kinda deserved that, huh?” He murmured.
“Didn’t wanna say it out loud, but…yeah.”
“I really am sorry.” He sweeps the sugar into Hendrix’s waiting pan. “It was a real dumb move on my part.”
You kiss his cheek. “I know you’re sorry. And I forgive you, you stupid, stupid man.”
“Good.” He grins wickedly. “I’d hate to have to pour more sugar on myself to win back your affections.”
You roll your eyes. “Just keep sweeping, and then we can talk about my affections.”
“Yes, dear.”
--
#eddie munson#eddie stranger things#eddie x reader#eddie x you#eddie munson x female reader#eddie munson x f!reader#eddie munson x you#eddie munson smut#eddie munson angst#eddie munson x reader#eddie munson fanfic#stranger things fanfic#fanfic#eddie munson stranger things#stranger things#tui
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Ok since some people are taking an interest of beautiful world of celestial heavens I thought I would show you all a list of the many many places of celestial heavens, some realistic (makeup store, yoga studio) and others more magical! (Cloud city, fairy village etc) I'll probably edit this later because it's late rn and I'm tired, still enjoy my loces! (つ✧ω✧)つ*.✧*.✧
*.✧RV PARK
*.✧MAKEUP STORE
*.✧CASTLE
*.✧WEDDING CHAPEL
*.✧GRADUATION CEREMONY
*.✧THERPAY HOUSE
*.✧BRIDGES
*.✧BREAKFAST BUFFET
*.✧ATLANTIS (UNDERWATER CITY THE MERFOLK LIVE IN)
*.✧ARCHERY RANGE
*.✧SLEDDING HILL
*.✧YOGA STUDIO
*.✧CRYSTAL COVE
*.✧STATUE
*.✧MOUNTAINS
*.✧MINING OPERATION
*.✧TOY STORE
*.✧POST OFFICE
*.✧BEACH HOUSES
*.✧BANK
*.✧RODEO
*.✧DANCE STUDIO
*.✧MARATHON
*.✧BASKETBALL COURT
*.✧CAR DEALERSHIP
*.✧PUMPKIN PATCH
*.✧LUNARY ACADEMY
*.✧SELF STORAGE BUILDING
*.✧FARM
*.✧CROP FIELDS
*.✧SKATE RINK
*.✧FISHING SPOT
*.✧DRIVE IN MOVIE THEATER
*.✧BEACH
*.✧CLOTHING STORE
*.✧ENCHANTED FOREST
*.✧CLOUD TOWN (WHERE THE FLYING CREATURES REST)
*.✧MYTHICAL WATERFALLS
*.✧MYTHICAL CREATURE MUSEUM
*.✧BOOKSTORE
*.✧CAFE
*.✧VARIOUS RESTAURANTS
*.✧BAKERY
*.✧FAST FOOD
*.✧BARBER
*.✧PET STORE
*.✧PLANT STORE
*.✧MALL
*.✧GROCERY STORE
*.✧FARMERS MARKET
*.✧ICE CREAM VAN
*.✧ARCADE
*.✧ARMOR SHOP
*.✧MOVIE THEATER
*.✧PIZZA PLACE
*.✧SPIRITUALLY SHOP
*.✧LIBRARY
*.✧FOOD TRUCKS
*.✧PICNIC AREAS
*.✧TRAIN STATION
*.✧MUSEUM OF REALITY SHIFTING AND SPIRITUALITY
*.✧RELIGIOUS BUILDING (ETSI CENTER OF WORSHIP)
*.✧DINER
*.✧GYM
*.✧FAIRY VILLAGE
*.✧AMUSEMENT PARK
*.✧AQUARIUM
*.✧COFFEE SHOP
*.✧PARK
*.✧CIRCUS
*.✧DRAGON MOUNTAINS
*.✧WISHING WELL
*.✧FLOWER FIELDS
*.✧FOUNTAIN
*.✧ZOO
*.✧OBSERVATORY
*.✧SPORTS FIELD
*.✧BIKING TRAIL
*.✧CAMPGROUND
*.✧CLOCK TOWER
*.✧PUBLIC RESTROOM
*.✧SCHOOL
*.✧CONSTRUCTION SITES
*.✧SHOE STORE
*.✧GAZEBO
*.✧HIKING TRAILS
*.✧HOCKEY RINK
*.✧TENNIS COURTS
*.✧GOLF COURSE
*.✧SKATE PARK
*.✧CANDY SHOP
*.✧BOWLING ALLEY
*.✧GO KART TRACK
*.✧CAT CAFE
*.✧PARK (NATURE)
*.✧TAXI STAND
*.✧BUSES
*.✧AIRPORT
*.✧ROCKET LAUNCH
*.✧GAS STATIONS
*.✧HOTEL
*.✧MOTEL
*.✧CASTLE
*.✧JUNK YARD
*.✧PRESCHOOL
*.✧WR CRYSTAL BALLS
*.✧PORT
*.✧HORSE RANCH
*.✧MYTHICAL LAKE
*.✧WATERFALL
*.✧CAPITOL BUILDING (MY OFFICE/BUILDING FOR SUGGESTIONS)
*.✧TREE HOUSE CITY
*.✧HOT AIR BALLOONS
*.✧CHERRIE CHERUB SPA AND SALON
*.✧WINDMILL
*.✧SPACE STATION
*.✧INTERACTIVE MAPS
*.✧APARTMENTS
*.✧WATER PARK
*.✧LIGHTHOUSE
*.✧PIE SHOP
*.✧SUB SHOP
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Junior swim school in Toronto midtown | British swim school of Allenby public school Toronto Midtown
Looking for a junior swim school in Toronto Midtown? British Swim School gives most fulfilling swimming training for youngsters, catering to all ages and talent ranges. With a focus on safety and a laugh, their applications consist of toddler aquatics, determine-child training, preschool programs, and adolescents lessons. Enjoy modern centers and customized instructions tailor-made to individual needs. Contact British Swim School at +1 (647) 349-5452 to enroll nowadays and begin your infant's swimming adventure.
British Swim School is placed interior Allenby Junior Public School at 391 St Clements Ave in Toronto Midtown. The pool facilities are open to their valued individuals, with out a drop-in training or swimming memberships available. Their instructions are specifically designed for members, who've the privilege of enjoying get entry to to the facilities as part of their membership.
The pool is close to many neighborhoods, such as Eglinton Park, Yonge-Eglinton Subway Station, Forest Hill North, and Davisville Village. Plenty of on-site unfastened Allenby TDSB faculty parking is to be had. British Swim School gives a whole lot of small organization training to match novices through advanced swimmers, adults, and personal classes. Their unique application is taught 12 months-round via the region's best teachers, making it the proper vacation spot for you and your own family to learn how to swim.
#swim school near me#swimming lessons in toronto midtown#swimming lessons near me#kids swimming lessons near toronto midtown#learn swimming in toronto midtown#swim lessons in toronto midtown#junior swim school in toronto midtown#swim school near toronto midtown#swimming pools near me#swimming classes near toronto midtown
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Bright Kids Chinese: Top Chinese and Bilingual Education in Middle Village and Forest Hill
At Bright Kids Chinese, we pride ourselves on offering exceptional Chinese and bilingual education for children in Middle Village and Forest Hill. Our commitment to quality education ensures that your child receives the best possible start in their academic journey.
Top Chinese Schools and Classes for Kids
Bright Kids Chinese is recognized as the top Chinese school for kids in Middle Village and the top Chinese school for kids in Forest Hill. Our comprehensive programs are designed to immerse students in the Chinese language and culture, fostering fluency and a deep understanding of their studies. We offer top Chinese classes for kids in Middle Village and top Chinese classes in Forest Hill, tailored to meet the needs of every learner.
Join Chinese Classes and Experience Excellence
For families seeking to join Chinese classes in Middle Village or looking for the best Chinese classes for kids in Forest Hill, Bright Kids Chinese provides a welcoming environment where students can thrive. Our teachers are dedicated to making learning engaging and effective, ensuring that every child reaches their full potential.
Bilingual Education for a Global Future
We are also proud to be the top bilingual Chinese school in Middle Village and the top bilingual Chinese school in Forest Hill. Our bilingual programs integrate Chinese and English instruction, preparing students for success in a globalized world. At Bright Kids Chinese, your child can join a bilingual Chinese school in Middle Village or join bilingual Chinese classes in Middle Village to gain proficiency in both languages.
Specialized Tutoring and Daycare Services
Bright Kids Chinese offers specialized tutoring services to provide personalized attention and support. Our private tutoring Chinese class in Middle Village and private tutoring Chinese class in Forest Hill are tailored to meet the unique needs of each student. We also offer the best private tutoring Chinese class in middle village, ensuring that your child gets the help they need to excel.
In addition to our educational programs, we provide top-notch daycare services. Our facilities are among the best daycare centers in Middle Village, offering a safe and nurturing environment for your children. We also have bilingual preschool and daycare programs to support early language development.
Summer Programs and Enrichment Activities
During the summer, we offer engaging programs to keep your children learning and having fun. Our summer schools in Forest Hill and summer schools in Middle Village are designed to provide a balanced mix of education and recreational activities. Our programs are perfect for children looking to continue their Chinese language studies during the summer break.
Join the Best Chinese and Bilingual Schools
If you're looking to join the top bilingual Chinese school in Forest Hill or the best Chinese classes in Forest Hill, Bright Kids Chinese is the ideal choice. We also welcome students to join Chinese classes for kids in New York and experience our outstanding programs firsthand.
At Bright Kids Chinese, we are committed to providing the highest quality education. Our schools in Middle Village and Forest Hill are the perfect places for your children to grow academically and culturally. Enroll your child today and discover why we are the leading choice for Chinese and bilingual education in the area.
#Top Chinese school for kids in Middle Village#Top Chinese school for kids in forest hill#Top Chinese classes for kids in Middle Village#Join Chinese classes in Middle Village
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Rami Sadhus Timeline
Age 0; 1984
August 20th- Rami Sadhus is born to Iravati and Zain Sadhus at the Government Maternity Home Sanat Nagar Srinagar in Srinagar, Kashmir, India.
Age 4; 1988
January- The Sadhus adults use all of their connections and money to immigrate from the Kashmir region to America. The rising problems in Kashmir and anger towards Hindus in their town causes them to need to find a new home. The immigrate to Camden, New Jersey, United States due to them having relatives in the area. His father quickly gets a job working for the Camden Count Water Works, and his mother gets a job as a retail worker. Rami starts going to preschool.
Age 5; 1989
August- Rami starts Forest Hill Elementary School.
Age 11; 1995
May- After more than half a year of saving, Iravati and Zain scrape together enough money to take Rami to a concert at a local community center. During the concert something behind the stage starts to set on fire. Due to crowd crush, Iravati and two of Rami’s cousins don’t make it out, and Rami ends up with a broken arm.
June- Rami’s father buries himself so much in his work that things start to fall apart. Rami steps up to the plate and focuses on keeping what is left of his family together.
August- Rami starts Morgan Village Middle School. He also joins the football team and student council. He also volunteers at the Hindu Camden Community Temple.
September 8th- Pratibha Das asks Rami out and he agrees.
November- Pratibha Das informs Rami that her friends don’t approve of him, and she dumps him. Rami had forgotten they were dating.
Age 13; 1997
June- Rami and Maya Chaudhri (a girl he met at his Hindu temple) start dating. There is a lot of middle school drama with this relationship.
Age 14; 1998
July- Rami breaks up with Maya after realizing he’ll be able to go to another high school than her.
August- Rami is one of 60 students that are allowed to start at Brimm Medical Arts High School due to his high grades and initiative out of school. Later the month, he starts to date Wei Sung who he met at the student council.
Age 17; 2000
January- Rami and Wei Sung break up mutually realizing their both too busy with their academics.
May- Rami finishes all of his credits at his high school, and he is allowed to dual enroll at the local community college. He enrolls in the biology degree.
Age 18; 2002
May- Rami graduates from high school with honors, and he joins John Hopkins enrolling in the biology program.
October- After hooking up with a couple of women, Rami decides to try to date a rich architect major Lydia Gardner.
December- Something about the way Lydia Gardner says her ‘r’s makes Rami so angry that he dumps her.
Age 20; 2004
May; Rami graduates with his Bachelors in Biology. He takes the MCAT and makes a 515. He enrolls in the John Hopkins School of Medicine.
Age 24; 2008
May; Rami graduates with his Medical Degree. He immediately starts his neurology residency.
Age 25; 2009
May- Rami finishes his residency, and he starts his fellowship in pain medicine.
Age 26; 2010
May- Rami finally finishes all of his education, and he begins to practice in Pain Management at his own practice in Baltimore.
Age 30; 2013
November- Rami starts dating radiologist Annmarie Polley.
Age 31; 2014
June- Rami splits up with Annmarie after he finds out that she’s been flirting with his friend. He then ends his friendship with his friend, and then has sex with his ex’s best friend.
Age 33; 2016
April- Rami starts dating [redacted dead name] who ends up being Jacob Morgan.
Age 34; 2017
October- [Redacted dead name] comes out to Rami that he knows that he is not a woman but a man. Rami continues to live with him and be friends with him, but as Rami has a genital preference they stop dating.
Age 37; 2021
February- After months of talking, Rami starts dating Ottoline Mathews.
Age 39; 2023
March- On the way back from a cousin’s wedding, Ottoline starts fighting with Rami about the fact that he hasn’t proposed to her. In the midst of the fight, a car strikes the passenger side of the car where Ottoline was sitting. She ends up being fine, but something about this causes Rami do break off the relationship.
April- Rami moves to Laurel, Maine to get away from the drama of his and Ottoline’s ex-relationship.
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Orange, NJ, Has Excellent Schools
Orange, NJ, has excellent schools. South Orange is like many towns in northern New Jersey; it has excellent schools. It's a wonderful place to raise children. A school for children from kindergarten through first grade to higher grade levels is available. Some schools are Marshall Elementary School for children in kindergarten through second grade, South Mountain Elementary for kindergarten through fifth grade, an Early Childhood Center for preschoolers, and South Orange Middle School, the primary school in South Orange. Niche.com ranked Columbia High School, which accepts students from Maplewood and South Orange, is ranked among the best school district in Essex County. Additionally, Seton Hall University, a private Catholic institution, ranked among the 2020 Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report, which is located in South Orange, a college town.
Housekeeping For Hotels Or Disinfection In Orange, NJ
K&J Pronto Cleaning LLC is the No.1 service provider for housekeeping for hotels or disinfection in Orange, NJ. Their commercial disinfectant cleaning has been tested and is approved for use against COVID-19 and other viruses and bacteria. Also, their disinfection services use sterilization techniques to kill 99.99% of infections, microscopic organisms, parasites, and different microbes. The prepared specialists wear full Private Defensive Gear (PPE) during the disinfection. Your commercial space will be so clean for its occupants. You can instantly view personalized pricing on their website using their live pricing and real-time booking pages to tailor your commercial disinfectant cleaning to your specific requirements. You will also receive an instant text or email confirmation if you book online or by calling them. You can also save money by scheduling regular cleaning. For inquiry, call (551) 2149-555.
Branch Brook Park in Orange, NJ
The nation's first county park, Branch Brook Park, is in the North Ward of Newark, between the Forest Hill and Roseville neighborhoods. I love that this recreation area is situated inside the Municipality of Belleville. The park is famous for having the most cherry blossom trees anywhere in the United States. Multiple points of entry into the park from Downtown Newark are provided by the Newark Light Rail, which runs along the park's west side. The New Jersey National Registers of Historic Places include Branch Brook Park in 198 - 1981; that's why until now, Branch Brook Park is still one of the most visited parks in the country. It stands out because it was the first county park in the United States to open to the public. The park has an average width of 1/4 mile and a length of nearly 4 miles. It is the County's largest developed park, covering 360 acres. It combines open meadowland and small woodland patches on gently rolling terrain.
Orange, NJ, Leap Into Spring
The East Orange City Council, the Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs, and Mayor Ted R. Green celebrate spring's arrival with many family-friendly events. A complete list of city-sponsored events can be found here. On Sunday, April 2, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Columbian Park Easter Basket Giveaway, where you can win gift baskets that you can grab and go with lots of treats! Patch provides free, real-time updates about what's happening in West Orange, on Thursday, April 6, from 4:00 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Rowley Park Easter Party with Mr. Bunny photos, an egg hunt, face painting, snacks, and Easter crafts, among other things. Saturday, April 8, at Elmwood Park's "Leap into Spring" Celebration from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will be a huge egg hunt, train rides, bouncy houses, rock climbing, music, food, games, giveaways of bicycles and gift cards, raffle prizes, and more! Saturday, April 8, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Soverel Park, there will be an Easter Egg Hunt with prizes, face painting, music, photos with Mrs. Bunny, and snacks. Read more.
Link to maps
Branch Brook Park & Park Avenue, Lake St, Newark, NJ 07104, United States Get on I-280 W from Park Ave, 1st St and 2nd St 4 min (1.2 mi) Follow I-280 W to Northfield Ave in West Orange. Take exit 10 from I-280 W 4 min (3.2 mi) Take Valley Rd, S Jefferson St and Scotland Rd to Beach St in City of Orange 6 min (1.5 mi)
K&J Pronto Cleaning LLC 545 Beach St, City of Orange, NJ 07050, USA
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Merit School of Southpoint in Fredericksburg, VA
We know that preschool is an essential part of a child’s education. No wonder parents try to find the best preschool for their children. These days, it isn’t hard to look for a remarkable Fredericksburg preschools. If you want an awesome option, you can learn more about The Merit School of Southpoint. The programs offered in the school are Baby Steps Program, Toddler Explorers Program, Preschool Explorers, Preschool Readiness Enrichment for Three- and Four-Year Olds, Junior Kindergarten, and Before/After School Care. Aside from that, the schools served are Cedar Forest Elementary, Courthouse Road Elementary, Courtland Elementary, Lee Hill Elementary, and more and subject to conditions prescribed by the educational institution.
Merit School of Southpoint
We know that daycare is important for children. It is a stage wherein they can be prepared for school and kindergarten. At present, many people are searching for the best daycare in Fredericksburg VA these days. Luckily, The Merit School of Southpoint is present as one of the best educational institutions there. First and foremost, The Merit School is committed to supporting families and children in the communities they serve. They provide engaging educational experiences for infants through school age children that meet their emotional, physical, social and intellectual needs. Aside from that, they aim to give your child a variety of positive experiences that will develop him or her socially, emotionally, and educationally in the process.
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Fredericksburg, VA
Nowadays, Fredericksburg, VA is one of the popular travel destinations. For those who are curious about the city, you can study its demographics. The usual topics to learn are population trend, racial makeup, and household data. In case of the said location, the total population in 2020 is 29,000 inhabitants. Besides, the racial makeup of the city was 54% White, 21% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 4.74 Asian, 0.067 Pacific Islander, 2.56% from other races, and 1.95% from two or more races.12% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Lastly, the median age was 30 years.
Kenmore
Are you familiar with Kenmore in the Fredericksburg, VA area? Well, it is a famous tourist attraction these days. Kenmore, also known as Kenmore Plantation, is a plantation house at 1201 Washington Avenue in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It was built in the 1770s. Besides, it was the home of Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis and is the only surviving structure from the 1,300-acre Kenmore plantation. In addition, the house is architecturally notable for the remarkable decorative plaster work on the ceilings of many rooms on the first floor. Apart from that, the property was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970.
Woman Killed After Suspect Speeds, Runs Red Light During Police Pursuit in Petersburg
We need to be updated with the shocking news reports in Fredericksburg, VA location. It includes news articles about a highway accident. As reported, a woman is dead after police said that a car, she was riding in was hit by a man driving a stolen truck during a police pursuit in Petersburg. According to the Chesterfield County Police Department, at around 10:15 in the evening on March 15, 2023, the police tried to stop a stolen 2013 Chevrolet Silverado near the intersection of Iron Bridge Road and Lewis Road. Lastly, police had been made aware that the truck was stolen and that there were guns inside, which they later found out had also been stolen.
Link to maps
Kenmore 1201 Washington Ave, Fredericksburg, VA 22401, United States Follow Washington Ave and William St to US-1 S. Take the US 1 S exit from William St 5 min (1.5 mi) Sharp right onto US-1 S Pass by Taco Bell (on the left in 3.4 mi) 9 min (4.5 mi) Continue on Southpoint Pkwy to your destination 2 min (0.3 mi) Merit School of Southpoint 4713 Southpoint Pkwy, Fredericksburg, VA 22407, United States
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STEREK FAITH AU.. please elaborate.. (said while trying not to go insane)
ok ok ok huge incoming rant
so it's an au based on a horror video game called faith and if you haven't heard of this before, it probably looks really crappy because it’s like classic atari graphics, but i swear to god it’s amazing, it’s so unsettling-creepy good and just like. it’s almost comforting, somehow because it’s that “heavy” horror feeling (like all pervasive and weighty, if that makes sense)
faith takes place in the late 80s and it’s inspired by the actual 1980s satanic panic in america where it's like. everyone and their mother was afraid that there were these satanic cults hidden in preschools and around the community who were kidnapping people and doing creepy rituals on them (long story short though it was basically all debunked, there’s some interesting psychology stuff about Your Memory Isn’t Very Accurate especially if you’re being asked leading questions (also be careful if you research this cause there’s a lot of s*xual ab*se mention in the allegations / conspiracy theories))
in faith the main character is a priest named john ward (who may or may not be insane) and kinda lost his faith after he participated in a failed exorcism, and the first game is set several years after that where john returns to the now-abandoned house in the middle of the forest where the exorcism took place and tries to finish the exorcism and save amy. later at the end of the first game and then throughout games 2 and 3 john finds out that there's a much greater force of evil / actual satanic cult and actual demonic force.
and my faith au sterek idea is like. stiles is a priest being sent out to beacon hills because of reports of a wolf demon in the preserve. and he’s originally from beacon hills but he hasn’t returned since he was like 11 and was possessed by an evil spirit (nogitsune) and after recovering from that he found the church and became a priest. so he’s also experiencing a lot of ptsd being sent back to beacon hills.
he goes into the preserve, encounters the wolf demon (derek trapped in feral alpha shift) and he has to figure out how to save him when he realizes that derek can be saved and it’s actually the nogitsune that’s causing all of this. maybe some layers to “is this real demon-biblical-catholic stuff or is this just Funny Werewolf + Kitsune Shenanigans”.
also derek is repelled by the cross not because of religiousness but because it’s made of mountain ash which takes stiles a long ass time to figure out.
(anyways AFTER WRITING ALL OF THIS I’M LIKE. actually inspired to MAYBE possibly write this now so thank you)
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Percy Jackson Died
Percy Jackson died.
He was old enough, he supposed, older than so many of his friends he’d watched die, but not really old. Old enough he was tired, and suddenly finding himself in the lobby he recognized from when he was twelve years old was disconcerting but not particularly surprising.
After all, he was a half-blood, and being a half-blood often got you killed in very nasty ways.
But still.
Percy Jackson died.
Charon remembered him.
“Drown in any bathtubs recently?” he asked dryly, but he waved Percy’s apologies for not having a coin to offer him. “You paid me for passage once and it clearly didn’t stick.”
So Percy Jackson died, and he crossed the River Styx on the ferry, and this time, when he arrived in the Underworld, Cerberus was completely visible.
Last time he came to the Underworld to see Hades, he’d entered the fast-moving line and stepped into the fields of Asphodel. This time, he waited in line to see the judges.
He’d saved the world more than once, they’d better give him something better than eternal stasis.
“Percy Jackson.” Daedalus greeted him warmly, arms full of blueprints and a full toolbelt wrapped around his waist. “It’s nice to see you again.”
Before Percy could respond, he was pushed to the front of the line and was standing in front of three men he had a feeling he should recognize but he didn’t. He didn’t have to speak at all, the three judges talked to each other while flipping through papers Percy couldn’t read, and without actually acknowledging him at all, the one in the middle hit a green button and Percy found himself on the inside of the gated community he’d only seen from the outside.
Percy Jackson died and was sent to Elysium. For a little while, it held his attention. Pretty much anything he wanted, he could have. Blue Coke, straight out of the bottle, better than the blue Coke at Camp Half-Blood. Pizza just like the pizza from his favorite place to go with his mom. Infinite activities, everything he’d ever wanted to do but hadn’t been able to when he was alive. Skydiving, cliff jumping, he got to pilot a plane.
He got to see old friends. Beckendorf and Selena Beauregard, who’d found each other and were happy again. Demigods who’d died in the second Titan war who wanted to hear from him how it had ended, to know what really happened. Heroes who died in the second giant war who wanted to know everything about Camp Jupiter and all of their friends who’d outlived them. Hunters who’d died in battles he hadn’t even known about while he was still alive.
But Percy Jackson was the son of Poseidon, lord of the sea. He didn’t like being contained in one place, and even if Elysium was a paradise for heroes, it wasn’t the same as being alive.
So Percy Jackson died, and Percy Jackson was sent to Elysium, and Percy Jackson chose to be reborn.
Zak Mason was born to a single mom.
He was an ordinary baby, almost. He was born with blue eyes, but they turned brown. He laughed and cried and pooped and spat up. He started preschool with a choppy haircut he gave to himself, and loved sitting on his mom’s lap to listen to Dr. Seuss books and watching anything fast-moving and colorful on TV.
When he was six, Zak’s basketball team won against all of the other first grade teams in their town, and a big picture of his gap-toothed smile holding the trophy he’d helped win with his first three-point shot held the place of honor on the fridge for almost a year.
Sometimes, Zak Mason had nightmares he didn’t understand. Of burning pain covering his entire body, of monsters and shifting Earth and bottomless pits, of faces he didn’t recognize twisted in pain or looking down at him as he fell, of flashing swords and screams and bursts of arrows whistling towards an enemy he couldn’t quite make out. He woke up and forgot the nightmares quickly, but they always left him almost wistful for something he couldn’t quite remember, even with how terrifying they were.
As Zak grew up, he noticed things nobody else seemed to. People who were just...different in ways nobody else seemed to understand. He saw a horse with wings, flying high above the clouds while he was on an airplane. A man he swore only had one eye that winked at him when he passed him on the bus. A woman with a forked tongue poking out of her mouth on a corner who’s smile made him shiver and walk faster.
And when he was eleven, almost twelve, a man with goat legs showed up and took him away from his mom. Just for the summer, but it was still the longest he’d been away from home.
“You’re a half-blood,” the man who called himself a satyr said. “You need to learn how to defend yourself and survive.”
His mom hugged him tearfully, but helped him pack his bags and sent him away, all the way to New York from their quiet little town in Wisconsin.
He expected it to be awkward. He didn’t know anything about what this satyr, whose name was Ash, was talking about. Gods and nymphs and a camp where he would learn to swordfight and find out who his dad was? None of it made any sense at all, and so Zak spent the trip to New York dreading whatever this camp was going to be.
He and Ash walked until he saw a tree, and Zak knew, just like that, that he was home. There were plenty of trees around, but this one was tall and proud and straight, and seeing it sent a jolt of some kind of unidentifiable pride down Zak’s spine.
And Zak and Ash passed the tree on top of its hill, and Zak felt like he was home. They looked over a valley full of cabins, a lake, strawberry fields, a big blue house with a wrap-around porch, a climbing wall that seemed to be on fire, and a thick forest.
Everything that didn’t make sense on the trip here clicked in Zak’s head. This was right, this was where he was supposed to be, that was the Big House, and the climbing wall was beatable if you knew the trick, and that was the armory even though it just looked like a shed.
“How do you know all that?” Ash asked, looking confused.
Zak paused.
“I don’t know,” he said.
But this was home.
He met Chiron, the centaur, and it felt like waking up from one of his nightmares. Especially when Chiron looked at him like he already knew everything about Zak and led him around the camp he already felt like he knew backward and forwards.
He was given a space to sleep in Cabin Eleven but told he’d likely be moving soon, as his dad would claim him.
Somehow, it was instinct to head for the lake during free time and climb into a canoe. He was terrible at it, but somehow it just felt right to be out on the lake with the naiads laughing at him.
What he was good at though, was still basketball. Basketball, and archery, and he picked up how to play guitar pretty quickly, too. He loved it at Camp Half-Blood, he told his mom in every letter. He missed her, sure, but they promised he’d be able to come home for the school year.
On his twelfth birthday, a flaming lyre burned above his head.
“Hail Zak Mason, son of Apollo,” Chiron announced in a booming voice, and Zak was welcomed into Cabin Seven with open arms.
So Percy Jackson died, and Percy Jackson made it to Elysium, and Percy Jackson chose to be reborn.
And Zak Mason was born, and Zak Mason was claimed.
Zak Mason still woke up with nightmares that faded from his mind before he blinked all the way awake. Of the same burning pain, but with a face that made him smiled floating through it. Of monsters he knew by name, and names he heard in stories of heroes in the second Titan war and the second giant war.
Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena and designer of Olympus. Grover Underwood, the satyr who finally found the great god Pan. Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, and Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, and Frank Zhang, son of Mars, and Hazel Levesque, daughter of Pluto, and Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite.
Names that whispered “home” to him the same way Thalia’s tree did and the lake did and the entire camp did, and he wasn’t sure why.
Chiron watched Zak Mason carefully, always with an expression of almost-but-not-quite recognition. When he insulted another camper or twisted his face in a particular scowl, Chiron shook his head and turned away.
There was one name that didn’t just whisper home, it screamed it.
Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, savior of humankind, one of the most powerful demigods of the modern age.
Zak didn’t know him, how could he? He’d died protecting a group of young demigods almost two years before Zak was born.
But somehow, Zak did.
He looked in the window of Cabin Three and saw the always empty bunk bed with a minotaur’s horn hanging above it and a ballpoint pen on the pillow and he knew the stories behind them without having to ask.
He’d dreamed them, he knew it, even if he’d forgotten the dreams. Rain and lightning and a woman who disappeared in a flash of golden light, and a sword that had killed a thousand threats to people Percy Jackson loved.
Zak stared at the pen sitting on the pillow and knew it belonged in his pocket. It didn’t surprise him when he woke up with it on his own pillow the next morning, and it didn’t surprise Chiron when it continued to do so every time Zak tried to return it to the little shrine to the fallen hero called Percy Jackson.
When he practiced with Riptide in the arena, it was like every sword fighting tactic he hadn’t been able to master with any other sword came naturally.
People whispered when they saw him fighting with Riptide. Whispered of Percy Jackson, who had fought the god of war and won when he was twelve years old. Who had defeated monsters Hercules himself couldn’t. Who’d wandered Tartarus with only Annabeth Chase beside him and come out alive. Who’d stopped Kronos and Gaea and was the reason camp was so busy and full of life. Who’d given his life to save people he cared for and who’d been willing to go to the ends of the Earth or further for his friends.
And those stories felt like home in the same way camp did, in the same way all those names did and in the same way his nightmares did.
Because Percy Jackson died, and Percy Jackson made it to Elysium, and Percy Jackson was reborn as Zak Mason, son of Apollo, who would surely prove to be as much of a hero as the first body his spirit had inhabited.
Because a spirit like that of Percy Jackson couldn’t be contained to Elysium, and couldn’t be contained to one life of heroism. Not when there was the choice to be another hero whose name would feel like home in his next life when the River Lethe tried again to wipe away memories that couldn’t be erased completely.
And a spirit like that of Percy Jackson could never be anything less than a Hero of Olympus, even if it started over in a new body with a new name.
#Asper Yells#txting#percy jackson#percy jackson and the olympians#heroes of olympus#chiron#Greek Mythology#i wrote this#pjo#hoo#pjo fic#pjo fanfic
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Into the Wild (2/8)
Bede/Gloria (dressedinpinkshipping)
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The train clattered to a stop at the Meet-up Spot, idling at the southern boundary of the Wild Area for trainers to depart. Gloria stumbled out of the station and into the sun, stretching her arms high above her head with a satisfied sigh. Bede followed after her with a beguiled smile that she couldn't see. He forced his expression back to neutral before she turned to face him with a spirited smile, a spring in her step.
"Here we are!" she chimed, motioning to the small wooden fence ahead of them and the land beyond. "The Southern Wild Area!"
"I've been here before, Gloria."
Bede strode past her, ignoring the tingling in his chest, the hum of his blood that ignited around her in a strange song. A damp fog had settled over the land, cutting visibility down to metres in a layer of grey. The air was thick and cool, a chorus of Pokemon cries sounding from beyond.
"Oh, wow!" Gloria gasped as she came up beside Bede at the entrance gate. "I've never seen the fog this thick before."
"It shouldn't pose a problem for us at all, and should disperse when the wind picks up before noon." He glanced at her. "Unless a little bit of fog is enough to put you off?"
"As if!" she scoffed and stalked through the gate.
Bede held down the bark of laughter that filled his chest and followed with the twitch of a smile tugging at his lips.
Gloria studied her hovering Rotom phone for a moment, a map of the Wild Area on the screen. A small marker blinked rhythmically, denoting their GPS position by the gate.
"Lost already?" Bede quipped.
She rolled her eyes, pocketing her phone. "I was thinking we should head west, then loop around to Motostoke. That should take us a few days. That way, we can rest in Motostoke before planning where to go next."
"Sounds fine to me."
She nodded and snatched a Pokeball from her bag, tossing it out in front of her. Cinderace cheered happily, greeting Gloria with a trill, before studying their foggy surroundings inquisitively.
"Fyrian loves the Wild Area," she said, smiling affectionately at Cinderace as he sniffed the air eagerly.
Bede raised an eyebrow as Cinderace dashed from flower to flower, jogging around the dirt track at every new sound, new scent he found, scattering a flock of Rookidee from the grass.
"I can see that," Bede said. "I don't mind you having him out, as long as he doesn't set the whole place on fire."
Gloria snorted. "He wouldn't do that - he just wants to run around and stretch his legs. It's good exercise!" She shook her head at Bede and started down the track, taking a winding path that deviated to the west. Cinderace stayed close, always in sight in the low visibility of the fog, never wandering far from Gloria.
Bede entertained the idea of sending his Hatterene out as well before deciding against it. Hatterene wasn't one for hiking. And, if anything happened up ahead, they'd need a fully rested Pokemon to help.
As they walked through the fog, scores of wild Pokemon studied them from the long grass. Skwovet squeaked and scurried across the path and up trees when Cinderace approached. Gloria giggled as Cinderace cooed sadly to the skittish Pokemon as they fled out of sight.
"It's pretty calm around here," Gloria noted. "It's more of the outskirts, the places people usually don't go, that I need to check. Any problems around here would be obvious and dealt with immediately, so we can move on-" she gasped. "Is that a Ralts?!"
Gloria pointed to a shuffling figure in the grass, barely standing taller than the greenery. A sliver of pink poking up from a green head that timidly shrunk into the grass…
Gloria sucked in an excited breath, ushering Cinderace over with frantic gestures.
"You're not seriously going to send your Cinderace against it, are you?" Bede asked incredulously. "That is, if you want there to be a Ralts left for you to catch."
Gloria pouted. "I know that!" she hissed. "I'm just going to scare it closer. I don't want it to faint on me!"
Bede wasn't so sure but didn't say anything more. He stepped back to give her and Cinderace more room, interested to see how this would unfold. It took a moment, a few seconds of scanning the grass, for him to spot Ralts again. The thick grass rustled and shifted as the small Pokemon walked, blissfully unaware of the trainer whispering to her Cinderace and pointing straight at it.
Cinderace bolted at the grass. He leapt over Ralts, streaking through the air with a powerful jump, landing on the opposite side of the Psychic Pokemon. Ralts startled and bolted. The tiny figure burst from the thick grass and right into the waiting arms of Gloria. She tossed a Love Ball quickly, before Ralts could panic and flee again, and the ball absorbed Ralts in a flash of light. It fell to the ground and began to roll. Once, twice, the Love Ball wobbled on the ground, the clasp flashing red with every movement. It rolled a third time, then stilled. Finally, it clicked.
"Yes!" Gloria cheered. She rushed over and swept the Love Ball off the ground, holding it to her chest as she twirled giddily on her feet. "I caught it!"
Bede gave her a slow, superfluous clap. "Amazing. The Champion of Galar caught a Ralts. Who would have thought that was possible?"
"Oh, hush, Bede." She pouted at him, breathing out a sharp puff of air in his direction. "Just because you've got a Gardevoir already doesn't mean I can't be happy with my first Ralts."
Gloria brought out her Rotom phone, scanning the Love Ball and bringing up the details of her new Pokemon.
"Ooh, it's a male!" She looked at Bede with an elated gasp. "That means I can get a Gallade! We'll be like a pair then! Your Gardevoir and my Gallade will be a perfect match!"
Bede looked away from her dazzling smile, his heart fluttering up into his throat, and tried to act disinterested. Her innocent declaration meant nothing. Definitely not the way his heart, his mind, had interpreted it; wishful and lovesick thinking on his part clouded his judgement.
"That hardly makes us a pair," Bede said, brushing her off. As if his tongue didn't feel too large in his mouth. As if he didn't long to have her realise the effect her simple words had on him.
"We'd be an amazing battle duo!" she continued, completely unphased, and started down the track again. "We'll both have Rapidash soon, I'll have a Gallade - we can be a Psychic-Fairy team! The battle tower will be no match for us!"
"You seem to forget that would leave us open to massive type disadvantages."
"Pfft, who cares."
Bede rolled his eyes at her, still studying her new Pokemon's details on her Rotom Dex. A fresh sparkle lit up her eyes, a sparkle of wonder and delight. It drew Bede in, drew him closer, his head turning to capture that sight and etch it into his memories. He forgot to breathe for a moment as his heart squeezed.
"Oh, it knows Teleport! Glad it didn't use that earlier!" she laughed sheepishly. Her smile fell to the Love Ball cradled gently in her hands. "Guess I need to find you a Dawn Stone soon, huh?"
"Aren't you planning a bit ahead, there?" Bede noted. "Shouldn't you focus on the plan at hand?"
"I can do two things at once," she scoffed. "And, speaking of planning, I need to come up with a nickname for him! Something cool but also fitting… hmm…"
"Nicknaming again?"
"Yeah! That way, it feels like we're family, like they're a part of my team."
She tucked the Love Ball safely away as the path began to slope down a gentle hill. Cinderace leapt into the air and skidded down the hill like a hyperactive child on a skateboard, feet kicking up a cloud of dirt. Cinderace flew forward, curled into a roll and nailed the landing at the bottom, barely visible in the fog.
"Don't go too far!" Gloria called. Cinderace echoed a reply, bouncing on his toes as he waited eagerly for them to catch up.
Bede let himself smile faintly, to relax, as he got used to the quirks and oddities of hiking with Gloria. She was as excitable as her Cinderace, gasping and cooing at the different Pokemon that emerged from the fog, pointing out anything and everything that was remotely interesting. Her Cinderace ran around like a preschooler on sugar, which didn't seem to bother her in the slightest.
They kept to the beaten track as the sun began to rise further in the sky, and worked their way around to the south-western edge of the Wild Area. As the mid-morning breeze finally picked up, the mellow fog lifted and the air began to warm. They shied away from the sun, driving deeper into the thickening trees. The dirt path faded the further they went, weeds and shrubs sprouting and obscuring the track until no sign of it remained. The scattered undergrowth and leaf litter made it impossible to tell whether there had been a path beneath their feet in the first place.
"I do hope you're not planning on getting us lost in here," Bede said pointedly. The tall trees and fallen logs scattered around them all looked the same. He sent a quick glance behind them to the narrowing sliver of sky fading in the distance. The dense forest seemed to encroach around them.
"Of course not. I've got my Rotom phone, remember? The map and GPS are still working."
Bede shoved his hands in his pockets and kept his gaze fixed forward. The towering trees and dense brush was nothing like the cool shade of the Glimwood Tangle. The light pouring through the canopy made Bede feel exposed. Too warm, despite the shade. It was too different to the cool embrace of darkness and earth he was used to.
Gloria scouted a few steps ahead, scanning the forest around them as if it were familiar to her and not an endless circle of repetitive trees. She stopped, pausing to crane her ear to the canopy for a moment. An array of different Pokemon calls, chirps and cries, filled the air. Gloria nodded, satisfied with whatever she heard.
"What, exactly, are we looking for here?" Bede asked as Gloria headed off again. Her Cinderace bounded by her side.
"Anything amiss, really." She shrugged. "It could be anything from overly aggressive Pokemon, to a partially collapsed cliff, a broken bridge or a new nesting site that needs to be protected."
"Which means, we are not looking for anything specific - we are merely wandering about until we stumbled across something wrong. Am I right?"
"Well… Leon didn't exactly word it like that, but…"
Bede sighed. "I cannot believe they force the Champion to do something so tedious. Surely there are other insipid fools they could trick into such a dismal task."
"Aw, come on. It's not so bad!" She gave him an encouraging smile. "It's so quiet and free of people here, it's like we've got the place to ourselves!" She motioned to the forest around them, devoid of people and alive with Pokemon. "It's like we've run away in secret or something, right? Like no one knows we're here?"
The glee in her voice, the cunning twinkle in her eyes, made the protest forming in Bede's throat disperse immediately with a silent, sharp intake of air. The idea that this was a secret between the two of them made his blood buzz in his veins. She had a way of setting his blood on fire, and he almost choked at the sneaky wink she gave him. It knocked the breath from his lungs as if her Cinderace had kicked him square in the chest.
Before Gloria could notice the look on Bede's face, a burst of noise rippled through the forest. Furious hollars and guttural cries sounded to their right. Gloria glanced at him in a look of momentary panic, before the fear in her eyes steeled itself and she nodded at him. Bede pushed away any doubts, anything holding him back, and returned her nod.
They rushed towards the noise, leaping over fallen logs and shrubs, ducking around trees and skeletal branches. Bede snatched Hatterene's Pokeball out and held it at the ready as the torrent of cries, the waves of noise, got louder and closer. Large figures leapt through the trees in the distance. A volley of rocks launched through the air, scattering the Pokemon as they shrieked.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Gloria cried as a group of trainer's came into view. A Gengar hovered in front of them, shooting rocks into the air at the panicked Passimian.
Bede did a quick head count of the four trainers as he came up beside Gloria. The group of young men turned.
"None of your business!" one of them cried. The others jeered.
"Can't you see I'm trying to catch a Passimian?" the trainer directing his Gengar scoffed. "Stupid things won't get out of the trees!"
Gengar lifted a circle of floating stones around it, each pulsing with psychic energy, and sent them flying into the trees again.
"I said, stop it!" Gloria snapped. "They don't want to be caught!"
"Piss off!" one of the trainers spat. "This doesn't concern you."
"Fyrian, Pryo ball!" Gloria cried, and a fireball streaked through the air and slammed straight into Gengar. The Passimian in the trees hollered and whooped.
Gengar spun in the air like a helium balloon in the wind before coming to a stop and grinning.
"Oh, that's it!" Gengar's trainer snarled. His mates sent out their Pokemon; Excadrill, Hakamo-o and Weavile.
Bede sent out Hatterene, his Pokemon settling beside Cinderace. He glanced at Gloria, saw the blazing steel in her eyes, and a smug rush of confidence coursed through him.
"No mercy." Her sharp whisper sent a tingle down his spine.
His lips curled into a smile.
"No mercy."
Cinderace was the first to move. Flames licked off his feet as he launched a burning kick at Weavile. Gengar spat a dark, swirling ball at Hatterene as Excadrill sliced at the soft dirt with it's solid steel claws, burrowing deep and out of sight. Hatterene slapped the Shadow Ball to the side with her tentacle, launching a blinding sphere of light at Hakamo-o. The dragon sliced at Cinderace as he drove Weavile back with precise, swift kicks. Cinderace launched into the air as Excadrill burst from the ground where the fire rabbit had been seconds ago. Hakamo-o and Weavile struck Excadrill instead before Hatterene's Moonblast landed and threw the three Pokemon back into the dirt.
Cinderace landed swiftly on Gengar's head, driving the Ghost Pokemon into the ground. With Hakamo-o fainted and returned, three opposing Pokemon remained. Bede swept his eyes between them. Cinderace cleanly dodged Excadrill's swiping claws, hopping backwards on quick feet. Weavile struggled to stand, Gengar lifting off the ground with barely a scratch.
At Bede's command, Hatterene conjured a wave of fire around Excadrill. Cinderace shot forward with a flurry of powerful kicks as Excadrill flailed in a panic. The steel mole fell back with a thud as the flames died.
Another one down. Two to go.
Hatterene dealt with Gengar in no time with Psychic, Cinderace knocking Weavile down with another Blaze Kick. The trainers returned their Pokemon, snatching more Pokeballs from their belts.
Passimian rained from the trees. They dropped down in front of Bede and Gloria, forming a barrier of fuming, hollering Pokemon. They growled and cried at the four trainers, thumping the ground with their feet and shaking the earth.
One of the trainers screamed and tried to run before a Passimian dropped right in front of him. The trainer stumbled back with a shriek and fell on his ass.
Bede's blood ran cold. The crowd of Passimian bared their teeth with deep growls.
"What the fuck!" one of the trainers cried. "Do something!"
Bede snapped his attention to Gloria as she drew her fingers to her lips and sounded an ear piercing whistle. The sharp sound cut through the forest, through the roaring Passimian, and they stilled. The group of Pokemon shuffled, a ripple washing over them as they chattered and faced Gloria.
"Enough," Gloria said. Her hand, teld tight behind her back, trembled. "Let them go. They won't bother you anymore. I think they've learnt their lesson. Am I right?"
"Y-Yes!" one of the trainers cried, the other's quickly echoing. "Please, let us go!"
The Passimian chattered to one another for a moment, a wave of sound and commotion flowing over the group before they shifted and formed an opening.
"You four, get out of here. You won't be so lucky next time," Gloria said, and the trainers didn't wait another second. They scrambled out of the circle of Passimian and fled through the trees.
The group of Passimian barely gave Gloria and Bede another glance before scattering and disappearing into the canopy again. Cinderace drew up to Gloria's side, sounding a concerned trill, as her shoulders slumped.
"Gloria?"
She jumped, turning to face him with wide eyes. The blood had drained from her face, leaving her skin pale and ghostly white. Her mouth opened with silent, unspoken words, lingering panic alive in her eyes. It pulled on his heart, and Bede took her hand, her skin cold as ice. She stared, agape, at their hands as he cupped her frosty fingers in both of his. Her shoulders trembled.
"I knew you weren't dressed for this weather," Bede chided, keeping his voice gentle.
A deep ache settled in his chest, tight and constricting. He pushed through it, dropped her hand and slipped his jacket off. He drew his large, magenta jacket over Gloria's shoulders, pulling it closed around her. She looked so small and fragile, almost completely enveloped in it. She peered up at him, a sliver of her fingers visible at the edges of his coat as she hugged it closer. Bede let his hands rest on her shoulders for a moment longer than he felt necessary, longer than he knew was proper. A brief moment that felt too long, his thumbs brushing over the fabric of his coat in a soft, barely-there caress he hoped she couldn't feel. He felt her eyes on him. On his face, his eyes, and he deliberately turned away to return his Hatterene.
His face burned at the knowing, cheeky smile Hatterene gave him before he returned her. He heard Gloria sigh faintly. Looked over his shoulder to see her eyes had fallen shut, her nose buried into the collar of his jacket. An arrow of heat shot down his spine, bursting into flames in his chest. Setting his blood on fire. He stiffened involuntarily, frozen and burning at the same time. A shiver washed over him, sending a trail of goosebumps down his arms. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't move an inch, a single muscle, as Gloria stood there with her eyes closed, wrapped warmly in his jacket.
The deep breath Gloria took shattered Bede's petrification and he managed to compose himself before she opened her eyes. A faint hint of colour had returned to her cheeks.
"Thanks, Bede," she said softly. A miniscule smile grew on her face, her eyes drifting over to meet his.
"Well, I wasn't about to stand back and let the Champion go into shock in front of me." He brushed her off as his cheeks warmed. He hated - and loved - the way she said his name. The way she drew out the syllables, making it sound tender and delicate on her tongue. Like a whisper of a song that calmed the tumultuous, raging seas of his heart.
Her soft laugh was a serene twinkle of noise, sweet like a wind chime in a gentle breeze. Her eyes crinkled at his comment, somehow finding amusement in his words.
"That was… terrifying," she said apologetically. "In many different ways. I'm so glad you're here with me, Bede. I don't think I could have sorted that out by myself."
"I suppose I don't mind taking a part of the credit for that. However, if it was up to me, we wouldn't have found ourselves in that mess to begin with."
"Oh? And what would the oh-so-mighty Bede have done instead?" She cocked an eyebrow at him in a challenge, thought it was hard to see her as anything but adorable in his oversized coat.
"I wouldn't have agreed to this in the first place if I were the Champion. Surely there are enough overly eager league staff to do this sort of thing."
"You agreed to come with me, though."
"That's because you asked, or rather, you pleaded with me to join you, if I recall correctly."
Gloria hummed absently. "I did. And I'm glad you agreed to help me."
"You said that already." A steady warmth coiled tightly on his cheeks.
Her giggle was like a spark of lightning in his chest. "I know, I know."
Bede swallowed before he combusted internally. "If we're done here, we should move on." He could hardly wait to escape the confines of the forest so he could breathe easily again.
"Alright," Gloria said, checking their position on her Rotom phone. "If we head north, we should reach the edge of the forest in no time." She pointed slightly to their right and led the way.
The rest of their trek through the forest was mostly uneventful, save for Gloria pointing out the different species of Pokemon she saw. Cinderace strode happily by her side, matching her boundless energy.
Soon enough, they exited the forest and stepped out into the warm embrace of the sun. A patchwork of grassy fields, crystal clear lakes, flowing rivers and sheer cliffs rolled out before them. Gloria hummed in delight as the sunlight kissed her face. She'd slipped her arms into the long sleeves of Bede's jacket a while ago, and raised her arms up with a sigh.
Bede bit back an amused smile at her antics. With the loss of his thick jacket, he was thankful for the heat of the midday sun. Gloria stepped over to the edge of the cliff dropping down before them, a rugged path winding to the ground. A cluster of trees nestled against the base of the cliff beside a flat, glassy lake.
"Ooh, that looks like a perfect spot to have lunch!" Gloria gasped, pointing at the lake. "We can get down there through here." She motioned to the narrow, rocky trail, and returned Cinderace into his Pokeball.
Bede took one look at the trail and recoiled. "No. I adamantly refuse. That does not look safe at all."
"Come on, live a little!" Gloria scoffed and shuffled down the path.
"Gloria…!" Bede protested but she was already stepping down the sharply angled track, kicking up a handful of stones. They clattered off the side of the path, disappearing into the trees below. She looked over her shoulder at him with a grin which did nothing to settle the nerves swarming in his lungs. His feet felt like lead. The cliff seemed to drop away endlessly into nothing, the height churning his stomach as his vision swam.
Gloria peered up at him for a moment before shrugging. She turned back around to continue when a loose stone shifted beneath her foot. Her leg slipped out from beneath her and she lost her balance with a sharp yelp.
"Gloria!"
She stuck her other foot out to catch her but the edge of the cliff crumbled beneath her weight. She slipped over the edge and screamed.
"Gloria-!"
She was gone. Her scream echoed into deafening silence. Fading into nothing. No thud, no cry. Nothing, no sound at all met Bede's ears as he scrambled to the edge of the cliff, seeing only trees and dirt below.
"Gloria!" His cry burned his throat. He sent out Hatterene as his blood ran cold, and froze his heart in icy panic. "Teleport me down there!" He barked, Hatterene flinching as she felt each and every one of his emotions crash through her. Light flashed around them. A blink and they were at the base of the cliff.
Bede whirled frantically, pushing conjured images of her broken body from his mind. Images of blood and matted hair, limbs twisted and-
Bright magenta caught his eyes. Gloria lay slumped on her back on top of a crushed bush, tangled in branches and leaves. Trails of blood ran down her legs from a mess of scrapes and cuts to her bare skin.
Bede rushed over as she shifted, wincing sharply and rubbing the back of her head. Her cap was nowhere to be seen.
"H-Hey, Bede…" Gloria puffed and sat up as best she could on the broken bush. "That's one way to get down here quickly, huh?"
"What is wrong with you?!"
Gloria flinched.
Bede's throat burned, raw and tight, a surge of heat rising up inside him that he couldn't fight, couldn't swallow. It erupted with venom, with pain and fear and fury.
"What on earth were you thinking?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?! What kind of complete idiot are you?!"
A firm touch on Bede's shoulder silenced him. Hatterene nudged him with the tip of her tentacle, the disapproval in her eyes dousing the fire in his veins. He looked back at Gloria slowly. She drew smaller under his gaze, a glimmer of tears in her eyes when she blinked.
Bede's heart plummeted into his stomach. He dropped to his knees at Gloria's feet, a shameful chill cooling his blood.
"Sorry…" Bede said. "That… was not becoming of me. I should not have yelled at you." He sighed, raking a hand down his face in shame. "I thought you were…"
He couldn't finish that thought. He took a breath, closed his eyes and settled the rapid thundering of his heart. When he met her gaze again, fragments of clarity came together in his mind.
"Can you stand?" He held out a hand to her, and she took it after a moment, after she studied his expression and nodded. Bede pulled her to her feet slowly, catching her elbow to steady her. "Let's get you seated somewhere."
He directed her over to a fallen log a safe distance away from the cliff and she plonked herself down on it with a hiss of pain.
"How do you always manage to injure yourself like this?" Bede chided, though his voice was as soft as a sigh. "You must be the most accident prone Champion in history."
"I'm just unlucky." Gloria pouted, hefting her bag off her back with a grunt.
"I would consider yourself lucky to have fallen down a cliff and be able to walk away afterwards."
Bede ignored Gloria's huff and retrieved his first-aid kit from his bag.
"I'm getting a strange sense of deja vu here," Gloria noted with a slight smile.
"You're the reason I packed this in the first place. If it was anyone else, a simple kit could do. For you, I made sure to stock up."
Bede unzipped the kit, revealing an array of different bandages and gauzes, disposable gloves and wipes, along with a variety of creams and salves with a neat package of scissors, tweezers and painkillers.
"Wow, that's a lot of stuff." Gloria studied it intently as he looked through the contents.
"How do you feel? Anything possibly broken or sprained?" He looked up at her and froze. She was leaning over to study the contents of the first-aid kit, bringing her face dangerously close to his. She didn't notice their proximity, too focused on the kit.
"I don't think so," she said, leaning back and giving her shoulders an experimental roll. "I'm just… really sore. Kinda bumped every part of me on the way down." She rubbed the back of her head again before gasping, "My hat!"
"Priorities, Gloria. We'll deal with that later."
She grumbled and slumped with a pout. "But I liked that hat…"
If she was complaining about her hat, rather than the pain, then Bede took that as a positive sign. "Come on, take off my jacket. I need to see if you're hurt anywhere else."
Gloria sounded a noise of protest but relinquished Bede's jacket back to him. She unzipped her own jacket as well, shrugging it off her shoulders. Her arms were relatively unscathed, protected by two thick jackets. A few patches of red bloomed on her arms but that was it. Bede's jacket, on the other hand, was covered in dirt, as was Gloria's legs.
"Did you hit your head on the way down?" Bede asked.
He pulled a bottle of distilled water out of the kit and stood, walking around Gloria so he could study the back of her head. Her hair was a tangle of knots, twigs and leaves. He couldn't see anything through the disheveled mess, lightly gracing her hair with his fingers before sighing.
"Do you have a hair brush? I'll have to untangle your hair before I can see anything through all this."
"Yeah, it's in my bag." Gloria leant over and dug through her backpack, retrieving her brush and handing it to him. "Thanks," she said, not meeting his eyes as she turned away quickly.
A bubble of heat formed in his chest. Bede swallowed the strange, airy feeling in his throat and lungs and tried to focus on the task at hand. Gloria's hair. A mess of brown tangles, littered with detritus. Usually so soft and silky; the memory of how it felt to touch her hair sent a slow trickle of heat to the tips of his fingers and toes.
"Tell me if it hurts," Bede said quickly. He tightened his grip around the brush, deciding to remove leaves and twigs with his fingers before anything else.
"Okay."
She sounded so quiet, her voice so soft and faint, yet it seemed to echo in his ears. Bede steeled his attention on her hair and not the hum of heat filling his body.
An amused trill sounded in front of them. Bede looked up from the tangle of Gloria's hair to see Hatterene grinning at him, the tip of her tentacle held in front of her mouth cheekily. He fumbled for Hatterene's Pokeball, returning her quickly as he flushed.
Damn Hatterene reading his emotions. He scowled to try and fight the blush burning his cheeks as he continued to work on Gloria's hair. With the majority of detritus removed, he began to carefully run the brush through the top layer of her hair. Gloria hummed, making Bede pause.
"What is it?" he asked and swept a few strands of her hair aside.
"You're surprisingly gentle," she noted.
Bede raised an eyebrow that she couldn't see. "You expected something else?"
"No, it's just… guys aren't usually so careful with a brush. I've had Hop try to detangle my hair once and it was a nightmare."
"If you haven't noticed, I have experience with curly hair," he pointed out. "I know how to be gentle with tangles."
"Ah."
Bede breathed a faint laugh. "My hair does not sit like this naturally. If I left it to its own devices, it would look like a Rookidee nest in no time."
Gloria laughed. "I would pay to see that."
"Hopefully, you never will."
Bede worked bit by bit on her hair, finding her snapped hair tie buried deep in a thick knot. He held it out to her, placing it in her hand when she reached for it.
"Great," she huffed. "The one thing I forgot to pack a spare of."
Bede brushed out the remainder of tangles and knots, smoothing his fingers over the back of her scalp. She sucked in a sharp breath and Bede stole his fingers away.
"Sorry," he apologized quickly. "You have a small bump on the back of your head."
Gloria reached back and touched the spot tenderly. "Yeah, that sounds about right." She ran her fingers through her hair satisfactorily and gave him a smile. "Thanks. That would've taken me ages to do."
Her warm gratitude stuttered his heart for a moment. "How are your legs?"
He walked around her, kneeling in front of her legs and pulling out a clean cloth from the first-aid kit before retrieving the distilled water again.
"Covered in dirt," she said. "It might be easier for me to rinse off in the lake."
Bede blinked at her. "Sure. That would also work."
"Why don't you have lunch while I'm gone?" She undid the laces on her boots, kicking them off and removing her socks. "The sandwiches are in my bag."
Gloria stood and wiggled her toes, stretching out her aching legs. The trails of blood running down her bare legs had dried into the dirt caking her skin. Bede stole his eyes away from her long, bare legs mere inches from his face and nodded.
He retrieved a lunch box from her bag as she wandered over to the lake, sitting so that he wasn't staring straight at her but could still keep her in his peripheral vision. He wasn't completely ready to let her out of his sight just yet. He munched away at his sandwich, trying not to focus too much on Gloria as he ate.
Her gasp at the frigid water sent a jolt through Bede. He almost choked on bread when she bent over, her pert ass in the air, to wash her lower legs. He swallowed too quickly, a too large bit of bread sliding painfully down his throat. He stole his drink bottle from his bag and took a few deep gulps of water. His body was alight with searing heat. His chest burned like a furnace, spilling molten blood through his veins. He scowled, trying to force that image from his mind and took a few quick bites of his sandwich.
Arceus, he wanted to take another look.
"It's not that bad, is it?" Gloria said, suddenly beside him. Her legs, arms and neck dripped with water. Glistening beads slid beneath her collar as she peered at him, blissful unaware of how she looked.
Bede suddenly forgot how to breathe. A bit of sandwich went down the wrong way and he erupted into coughs.
"Bede! Are you okay?" Gloria was at his side, patting the square of his back firmly. Bede coughed into his hand, tears stinging in his eyes as his body protested. He frantically waved her off and drank greedily from his bottle.
She settled on the log again, tilting her head in concern as he recovered from his coughing fit. She had no idea how she looked right now, those gloriously long legs stretched out before her, beads of water sliding across her smooth skin. Bede tasted the water on his tongue and a blinding image of him tracing his tongue across her bare legs flashed in his mind.
Fuck.
Bede cleared his throat and stared at the half eaten sandwich in his hands and not the distracting legs in the corner of his eyes.
This was bad. He hadn't even spent a full day with her and his mind was already running wildly. How was he still to last a whole week like this?
"You okay now?" Gloria asked innocently.
Bede nodded, taking another bite of the sandwich so he didn't have to answer her. He didn't trust himself to form a coherent sentence right now. Gloria accepted his nonverbal reply and retrieved the rest of the lunch boxes from her bag. She placed one on her lap, opening the rest, before sending out her Pokemon.
Bede found himself relaxing as the Pokemon surrounding them took his mind off thoughts he didn't want to entertain. His Hatterene, along with her Cinderace, Ponyta and newly acquired Ralts ate happily in the shade. It took a bit of coaxing from Gloria for Ralts to calm down enough to accept the sandwich, but soon settled at Gloria's feet, nibbling quietly. Ponyta came and nestled down beside Ralts, greeting the new Pokemon with a soft whinny.
Gloria smiled in adoration at her Pokemon, the love in her eyes flustering Bede's heart. He felt Hatterene's knowing stare on him once again and focused on eating.
The afternoon passed slowly. After the events of this morning, they'd decided to take it easy for the rest of the day. Bede patched up the raw skin on the back of Gloria's thighs, wincing at the large scrapes as he bandaged them. The rest of the cuts and scrapes to her legs were minor in comparison, and, other than bruises to the rest of her, she was lucky to come away with only those injuries.
Despite Bede's protests, Gloria took his jacket to the lake and washed it off, her Ponyta running laps of the shore and kicking up a spray of water. She hung his jacket to dry on a branch before settling in the shade on the grass beside him.
"Sorry about earlier," she said quietly. She watched their Pokemon run around on the grass, Ponyta galloping after Cinderace, Hatterene tracing something in the dirt with her tentacle as Ralts watched, captivated.
Bede glanced at her. "For what?"
Gloria went to curl her legs beneath her and winced, quickly deciding to stretch them out in front of her instead.
"For not listening to you and going down the cliff. I really thought it looked safe…" She tapped at her phone, marking the spot on her GPS map for later. "That was exactly why they needed someone to scout this place. The next person to tumble down there might not be so lucky."
"Every trainer who comes here knows the Wild Area isn't something they can take lightly. It's supposed to be the first major challenge they face," Bede reminded her. "If they're not prepared, that is their own fault."
"I know, but there are some dangers they shouldn't have to face. Falling down a cliff is certainly one of them." She sighed, putting away her phone. "Anyway, I should have listened to you. It was stupid of me not to."
"You're right, it was stupid." He looked out over the grass as she pouted sourly at him. "But… it did look safe. Even I couldn't have predicted that it would collapse like that."
"Then why'd you protest so much?"
Bede worried his brow slightly. "I… do not deal with heights very well."
She blinked at him for a few seconds. "You're scared of heights?"
"I-I'm not scared of heights, I merely do not like the risk of falling from them, that's all!" he barked in protest.
"Sounds like you're scared of heights to me," she teased. A cunning smile grew on her face in amusement.
Bede huffed. "If I were afraid of heights I would not have gone on the Ferris wheel with you."
She thought about that for a moment. "That's true. You seemed fine up there."
He raked a hand through his fringe with a sigh. "That's because there was no risk of me falling. Ferris wheels, sky taxis, they're fine. Climbing down a cliff like that with no railing is a completely different story."
"That… actually makes sense." Gloria nodded slowly.
"Of course it does."
"Guess I really scared you, huh?" She smiled at the grass between her feet sheepishly. "I've never seen you so upset before…"
Bede's heart fell into his gut, weighed heavily with regret. Nausea rose up his throat as his stomach churned. The biting words he'd spat at her crashed through his mind, his throat clamping like a vice as he winced at the memory.
"I regret that," he admitted quietly. "You didn't deserve any of it. I should have checked to see if you were fine and not…" He sighed, ashamed of the vile words he'd snapped at her without thinking. Ashamed that he'd let her witness that part of him, that he'd aimed that vitriol at her.
A gentle touch on his arms brought him out of his regret. Her hand rested just below his shoulder, and she smiled sweetly at him when he met her eyes.
"It's fine, Bede," she said, settling the abashed throbbing of his heart, the distressing ache in his chest. A wave of calm washed over him. "Really, it doesn't bother me. It actually made me realise that you care about me. A lot."
Oh, shit.
She slid her eyes away from him, her hand dropping from his shoulder, and Bede froze on the spot.
"I…" he couldn't speak. Nothing would form on his tongue, the words lost in the tightening of his throat. His mind swam in panic. He gaped as the walls of his heart closed in on him, shutting down any means of escape or denial. He was trapped.
Gloria curled a lock of her hair around a finger, a bashful smile playing on her lips. "I never really thought about it, but I guess it makes sense. After all this time… now that we're friends, of course you'd care about me."
Something shattered deep inside him. "What?"
"I mean, you wouldn't have agreed to come out here with me if you didn't care, duh." She breathed a short laugh.
Bede stared incredulously at her. "That's the conclusion you came to?"
She tilted her head at him. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing. Forget it." Bede sighed heavily and decided to count his blessings. With her as oblivious as this, now was definitely not the time to tell her how he felt.
Gloria blinked at him but didn't press further. The rest of the afternoon was spent lazing around with their Pokemon and setting up their tents by the lake. Gloria busied herself with their dinner after insisting that she cook by herself for the first night because she wanted to prove to Bede that she could make a decent curry. Soon enough, Gloria dished out her aromatic curry, handing out the plastic plates to her Pokemon and Bede before settling down with her own on the rug he'd laid out.
Their Pokemon tucked in eagerly, which meant that it had to be fairly edible, and so Bede took a tentative bite. He hummed as the rich spices and flavours mixed on his tongue. There was a faint kick to it, just enough to feel but not overwhelming. He nodded appreciatively as he didn't particularly enjoy spicy food, though he wasn't sure if Gloria knew that or not.
Gloria made a happy noise in her throat. "See? Told you I can cook!"
"It's decent, I'll give you that." He gave her a sliver of a smile. "But if you let the pecha berries cook a bit longer until they're soft, it'll taste better."
His comment didn't perturb her in the slightest, maintaining her grin she ate.
-
Night fell swiftly, the sun disappearing over the horizon as they finished washing the dishes in the lake. They kept a small fire going for a while, chatting to pass the time, before the exhaustive day caught up with them and neither could keep themselves from yawning.
With their Pokemon safely returned into their Pokeballs, Bede and Gloria crawled into their respective tents for the night.
Bede slid into his sleeping bag, a heavy weariness weighing on his eyes. He sighed in the darkness, struggling to believe that it had only been one day and he was already this exhausted. Not just physically, but mentally too. Dealing with Gloria's endless energy, her reckless impulsivity and blissful naivety was utterly exhausting. He didn't know whether or not to be glad she was oblivious to his feelings, but decided he could deal with that for now.
Anything was better than her finding out how much he longed for her when she only saw him as a friend.
He'd just have to keep his heart in check for the next six days, that's all.
Bede stifled a groan.
That was easier said than done.
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Top Preschool in Forest Hills: Bright Kids of America
Bright Kids of America is the best preschool in Forest Hills. Our school is known for providing excellent early education. At Bright Kids of America, we focus on creating a nurturing and stimulating environment for young learners. Our dedicated teachers use creative teaching methods to help children develop important skills and a love for learning. Located in Forest Hills, our preschool is the perfect place for your child to start their educational journey. Bright Kids of America believes in the potential of every child and works hard to ensure they have a bright future. Enroll your child in the best preschool in Forest Hills today!
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Puppy Love
[Part 2 to the Monsters/Humans Au! >:3 Gotta get that sweet, sweet childhood friends to lovers trope train going, full steam ahead! It’ll still be a few parts before we hit legit shipping zone but for now, take this bonding and fluff with lil Bakupup!
Werewolf!Bakugo Katsuki x Reader
Ao3
4k and some change
Childhood Friends to Lovers, Monster/Human, Relationship building, Cute Bonding and Fluff!]
You didn’t love the new house.
It wasn’t even really new, just new to you. But it was going to be home, for now. At least until your parent’s work carried you and them elsewhere again.
It was hard moving around so often.
You didn’t get to go to preschool because of it. And you never stayed quite long enough to warm up to any friends. You got used to playing by yourself a lot.
At least this house had a big yard!
Plenty of space, and plenty of leaves to make piles for jumping into. More and more sprinkled in from the forest edge just a dozen or so feet from your front door.
You were pushing another armful of leaves into your growing stock when you heard it.
A cry? A whine?
You stopped and listened.
Someone was definitely crying!
You left your hoard and followed the sound into the woods. Just about when you thought you could find the source, it suddenly stopped.
You looked all over before spotting a dip in the ground; a small hill leading sharply down off a ledge. There was a muddy stripe dug out of the slope, the earth weak where rain and gravity pulled it soft.
Climbing down that way was definitely a bad idea. But you did find that walking around worked just fine. The slope settled out to meet the ground some feet away, so that's where you carefully stepped down. You circled back around to the underside of the ledge, seeing dirt and torn grass cling to the edge.
You stepped closer, leaning into the bushes growing greedily against the rock, reaching up to see if you could curiously brush your fingers over the edge- when your foot found hold on something decidedly not earthy.
You leapt back, ears ringing from the yowl that came out at your feet.
Heart thumping, you knelt and peered under the thick leaves of the bush, catching ruby eyes, and a mess of blonde hair, damp clinging to the matching lashes.
It was a boy!
Was he...growling at you?
The pale fluff of his pretty tail sported a fresh muddy footprint amongst the dirtied stains already present, it curled tightly to him.
“You...You have a tail.”
He bore his fangs at you, scuffed and muddied cheeks stretching wide to snarl as you stared on. You could just barely catch the view of ears, laid flat against his hair.
He looked like a doggy! Or, at least some parts did.
Dark and dirty claws dug into the grass under his tucked body. The whole of him looked unkempt. A ragged and stained tee, and shorts to match. He didn’t even have any shoes on! And his ankle...
It was tucked in quickly when he caught you staring at it, wincing even as he growled low.
It looked so big, too big. And red.
“...Did you fall? From up there?”
His eyes stayed glued to you, but he made no move to respond.
He looked hurt, and very dirty. And scared. How did you get doggies to stop being scared?
“...I’m...I’m gonna be right back okay? Don’t leave, okay?”
His eyes followed you silently from his coiled spot as you walked back around and up the slope, back towards home.
With you gone, Katsuki relaxed, but not too much. He couldn’t leave even if he tried, unable to stand on his swollen ankle and much too tired, cold, and hungry, to try crawling away with a bum leg.
For now, he huddled in on himself more, letting a shiver run him over that he’d refused to show a stranger.
He’d dozed lightly, unsure of how long it’d been exactly, but too much time couldn’t have passed with the afternoon sun still rather high in the sky.
His ear twitched with the growing sound of plastic scratching against grass.
Back you came, tugging a shiny plastic sled with you, a porcelain bowl wobbling atop it, filled to the edge with honeyed ham lunch-meat.
This is how you make doggies happy, right? With food? You hoped this was the case for him too, as you pushed the sled closer to the bush, enough for his hand to reach out and take the bowl if he wanted.
He eyed you just as warily as before, even as his nose twitched with interest at the offering.
...Meat? ...Meat!
Eyes wide and stomach growling, he slowly inches forward. His leaf-pressed ears flick free when his head escapes its hide, sniffing the tantalizing bowl all the more.
His eyes flick to yours once more, narrowing. His body is tense, ready to flee back into perceived safety- so you step back, just a bit more, and sit down.
The earth is damp under you, but you don't mind.
"It's not warm...I'm not allowed to use the microwave- but you can have it!"
He swallows, leaning out a bit more to place his hands on the sled and lean into the bowl.
It only takes one testing nibble before he decides to tear into it properly.
He even eats like a doggy!
It takes a surprisingly short amount of time for him to reach the bottom of the bowl, lapping up the last dregs of flavor left from it.
In his haste to feed his gnawing tummy, he'd almost forgotten you were there. Catching your eyes again, he inched back into his hide a bit.
"W-wait! I uhm...I have more at home! Of that," you point to the bowl.
The promise of more food...did feel rather tempting.
"And... You’re foots hurt, right? Let's go to my house, and we can try to fix it!"
You stand, taking a step toward the sled to pat its oh-so comfy surface, "We can use this to move you, ‘cause you can't walk, right?"
As much as he'd have liked to deny the claim, he'd have no ability to back it up, knowing well he couldn't stand on that leg. So he opted for a huff and a glare set aside from you.
You didn't budge, and for a moment neither did he. But the lure of food was too strong, not to mention how the sound of sleeping outside in the dirt again made the offer all the more appealing.
Finally, he inched further out, nudging the bowl aside to climb into the sled before setting it atop his belly like a clear promise for more treats. His narrow-eyed pout did nothing to fend off the excited grin on your face.
It worked!
The process of pulling his weight back up the slope, and then all the way home, was a bit more of a task than you'd expected. He was heavy!
He'd also growl at you if you dragged him over anything that jostled the sled. The encouragement was not great!
But you'd come too far to leave him, and it'd be mean anyway!
So on you went.
The steps up to your front door were a different beast to tackle all-together.
You looked between him and the steps, knowing you couldn't just drag him up them, it'd tip him out of the sled! And you weren't even sure you could move him. It was rather literally, an uphill battle!
He snorted at your hesitation, shifting onto his side in the sled and taking the bowl's edge into his mouth as he got to his knees. Knee.
He could at least crawl this far, with relief so close.
"Oh! So... you could move?"
The haughty tilt of his head as he climbed the steps made you want to fuss- you hadn't needed the sled at all! It hadn't been that far from the house! Your arms were tired, and they didn't need to be!
You supposed it'd still been easier with the sled, for him at least.
You swallowed your annoyance and marched past him up the steps, not sparing him a look and missing how he hurried after you, to open the door.
"This is my house!"
For now, at least.
He looked around at it briefly, unimpressed and with impatience. He growled at you when you didn't move.
"Oh...I guess we should do something about your foot." You giggled at him, "I didn't really think about that yet! Just how to get you to come with."
He gave you such a look, wanting to bark out how dumb it was to offer help and not even have a full plan!
"Mmm, Daddy hurt his foot before, and he wrapped it up and stuff. Maybe we should do that?" Not waiting for a response, not that he'd been planning to give one, you nodded affirmatively.
"My rooms upstairs," You looked him over, seeing how truly awkward he looked carrying a leg up like that.
"Maybe we can walk together?" You stepped closer, "We can leave the bowl for now- we'll get food after we fix your foot!"
You went to take the dish from his mouth, but he turned his head away, a warning bubbling up from his throat. No way was he forfeiting the food reminder!
You sighed, letting him keep it, "Fine fine."
It was awkward getting him to his feet. Foot. Trying to hike him up under his armpits only worked so far, he really was heavy!
He hoped he'd never have to let anyone see him like this, he thought, as he took an arm around your shoulder and helped steady his weight on you and balance on a single paw.
Like this, it was far more obvious that he was bigger than you. A good head taller.
His steps and yours left muddy prints as you hiked up to your room. It wasn't just his feet leaving dirt behind, every brush of his shirt and hands on yourself and the banister showing his mark.
He was definitely going to need a bath!
With a nudge of your foot to your door left ajar, the finishing line was crossed. More or less!
Katsuki sniffed at the air as you brought him to sit at the heavy chest at the end of your bed, the whole place smelling of you.
"It shtinksh."
You looked up at him from where you crouched to look at his foot, startled at the sound of him.
"So, you can talk?"
He took the bowl from his mouth finally, "Of course I can talk! Stupid girl."
You stood and huffed at him, "That's mean! I'm not stupid. What do you mean it stinks?"
He leaned out to you, sniffing you with an exaggerated look of disgust, "I mean this place stinks of human. Girl human."
You looked at him blankly, "Human?"
It hadn't really occurred to you that he wasn't actually human. Sure, he had doggy ears and a tail but…
The corner of his mouth twitched up into a sneer, "You really are stupid! You didn't notice I'm not a human?!"
You frowned at him, "Your mouth is dumb! Now shut up, I'm gonna fix your foot."
His ears flicked in contempt for your sass, looking away to the wall as you started to dig into your dresser, pulling out a pair of white panty-hose, and a ribbon.
You didn't really know how exactly Daddy had wrapped his foot up, but it couldn't be too hard, right?
Katsuki winced and fussed as you tied up his swollen joint. It did absolutely look like a mess by the time you were done, but he had to admit, it did feel better to have it secured in place.
"I think...you're supposed to put ice on it? Like when you bump your head and you have to put a bag of frozen peas on it."
The look on his face was of pure confusion, but he shook it off as just something weird humans did.
"But first! You need a bath."
To that he tensed, ears pulled flat to his head as he growled.
"No, you're all gross and muddy! And you're supposed to put your foot up and stuff, but I'm not letting you on my bed like that!"
He could only fight so much without bumping his freshly tied foot as you grabbed him up under his armpits to pull him to your bathroom.
You kept a hold on his dirty shirt to keep him from fleeing as you turned the knobs of the tub. You didn't remember exactly how much too turn them, Mommy usually did it for you.
After a bit more of a fight, he sat sulkily in the tub, filthy clothes soaked and dying the water a murky brown.
"Just take them off, they're wet now so you can't wear them after anyway!"
Reluctantly he pulled the torn pieces off, flinging them at you with spite. "Pushy human." He snickered at the shriek he pulled from you.
After throwing his sopping clothes at the hamper, you slapped him with the fluffy loofah. "Bad doggy!"
He puffed his lower lip out with a glare, wiping the wet from his face as you began to dump smelly goop into his hair.
You fussed at his fidgeting, "Calm down! This isn't grown-up shampoo, it's for kids. It won’t hurt your eyes, so stop wiggling."
The water grew darker still as you washed clumps of dirt from his hair, finding the blonde fluff far brighter once it was clean. His ears would twitch when you'd run your fingers over them curiously. You did want the dirt off there too, but it'd be a lie to say you weren't curious about them. They were soft, leathery like a real dog’s.
He'd never admit how nice it felt, warm with soft hands cleaning the night's stress from his fur. He'd relaxed a little in your touch, leaning slightly as your nails scratched around his ears. He felt a childish whine tease at his throat when your hands left.
Getting the shower head down was a bit of an ordeal, but you managed it with only some sloshed water on the floor as it fell from its hook into the tub.
"Close your eyes, okay? I'm gonna rinse."
He frowned, catching himself doing as you said without hesitation, but he didn't get the chance to go back on it as fresh water carried the suds and muck from his hair into the thoroughly soiled bathwater.
"Ugh, you're really yucky," you voiced with a wrinkled nose. Once the soap was out, you pulled the bath plug, releasing the used water into the drain.
He turned his head to you, eyes still shut against the rivulets of water falling from his bangs, ears flicking to you as he felt the loofah pressed into his hand.
"You can wash the rest of you yourself! I'm gonna go get some towels."
He squeezed the soft spongey thing as he listened to you leave, the rush of cooler air from the opened door making him shiver.
Towels were easy to find; the hall closet full of them and clean white linens. Clothes, another thing he'd need, would be a different story.
He was bigger than you. Would any of your things fit?
After some deliberation, you settled on your longest pair of pants, stretchy and cotton, and to steal a shirt from your dad's room. It'd only be gone for a little while, so surely he wouldn't mind!
By the time you returned, Katsuki was all washed off, sitting cold in the tub where the last dregs of dirt ran brown streaks into the drain.
Baths weren't so bad, though different than what he was used to at home. He didn't much care for the after, though. Cold and damp was not comfortable.
You dump the clean clothes on the bed before coming over with the towels, holding one open wide to wrap around him, and another to drape over his frowny face.
"There!" You help him out of the tub and over to sit on your bed, willing to let a little damp get on it as long as mud didn't come with.
Katsuki's vision was interrupted as you vigorously dried his hair, only going at it for a moment before you backed off, leaving him to swallow the annoyed rumble in his throat.
"I said we'd get food after the bath, so-!" His eyes ran between you and the bowl, the dip in the corners of his mouth deepening as he reluctantly handed it over. As long as food was being put in.
Off you went.
He shook his hair a bit, freeing the last droplets of water after he took a look around the room. He couldn't investigate like he'd prefer, but it didn't seem that there was much to see anyway. A bed, which he was on; the fuzzy carpeting, mysteriously lacking a scent from any identifiable animal; a mess of pillows and blankets (Did you always leave your nest this messy?); the wooden furniture he'd seen you take his wrappings out of...
Speaking of, they were soaking wet.
"Stupid..." You’d never gone to get the supposed ‘frozen peas’ either.
It shouldn't pose a problem, they'd dry soon enough. The injury wasn't an open wound, so it's not as though rot could set in. And besides, the cooling air on the cloth felt rather nice on his throbbing ankle.
He spent a moment sniffing at your pillows, the scent weak. The room wasn't as permeated as he'd insisted. But how was it so weak when you lived here?
He couldn't ask that now, having already claimed it stunk well of you, so he looked elsewhere, spying the waiting clothes.
Back you came, bowl in hand with a fresh mound of lunchmeat, turkey this time, and a cup of water that had obviously been sloshed about on your way up.
"Oh!" You were surprised to see him already dressed. Your suspicion that your pants would be a bit small on him was proven true, the end legs supposed to end just above the ankle, yet they sat tightly around his calves. There was also the problem of how his tail sat, the waistband at his back having to sit low to allow his tail free reign.
"Will that be okay? The shirt is Daddy's, so it shouldn't be small."
He offered a grunt, leaning out to sniff at the bowl. Different color, different smell, same shape?
You sat the bowl and cup on the chest, letting him take it over with gusto while you sat further up by your pillows.
He ate with just as much vigor as he had earlier. Was he just really hungry? Or is that just how he always did?
"So, do you live outside?" You asked, feet swinging off the edge of the bed as he licked his claws clean of wandering flavor.
"Mm?"
"Well, you were outside...You seemed like you'd been there for a little while...Do you live there?"
He looked at you warily, with distrust and disdain, giving his attention instead to the fresh water presented, only to frown deeply at how he couldn't well fit his mouth into it's opening.
"You need to hold it and tip it," You didn't wait for him to do so before rolling into your next question. "Where's your mommy and daddy? Do they live outside too?"
His eager gulping stalled briefly, letting water dribble down his chin before he finished the rest of the cup.
"...Yeah."
You shifted on the bed, turning to face him with interest now that he answered one part of your curiosity, "Do you know where they are? Did you get lost? Is that why you were all alone?"
He scowled openly at your flurry of questions, "No, maybe, and none of your business!"
You frowned, "It kind of is! If you don't know where they are, we can try to go find them...But your foots hurt, so maybe not right now?"
You looked pensively at his decorated ankle, having no clue how long it'd take for something like that to feel better. And you couldn't just carry him all the way or pull him in the sled. Especially when you didn't know how far they were!
He'd never admit his mistake, having begged his parents to let him go on a night-hunt with them instead of staying cooped up in their hide, nestled in and keeping quiet so no predators came looking for a small, tasty snack.
"I...I can find them. I can smell them."
"Just like a real doggy!"
He huffed, "They could track me too, at least they could before." Now, of course, most of his scent washed off down the drain of the tub; a new smell rubbing off on his skin from the borrowed clothes, soap, and closeness with...a human.
Would they even come this close to human territory for him? Surely, they would, right? They wouldn't just...leave him?
He fought the burning in his eyes and set the empty cup down on the chest with little grace.
Much to his fury, you noticed how his pretty red eyes glittered just that inch more.
"Hey- It'll be okay. It will! We'll just...You can stay here! And once your foot's better we can go out and find them, okay? I'll help!"
His head whipped to face you, resentment at the offer of help hanging off his bared fangs, snapping shut when he felt your warm hand in his hair.
When his breathing relaxed, brows still furrowed but no longer looking about to take your hand off, you grinned.
"Good boy!"
At that he really did snap his teeth at your hand, pulling from you a playful squeal as you yanked your hand back from him and scooted quickly over toward the headboard in a mock flee.
He threw you an irritated glare, snorting at your ridiculous display even as his tail dusted your sheets back and forth.
And stay he did.
Time managed to go by easily, hours bringing in the evening and the intricate dodging of revealing the impromptu sleepover that you'd arranged.
Mom would never have approved of you having a friend over so suddenly, let alone a boy.
Still, you questioned her a bit once she returned from work.
Did some dogs turn into people? Were there people who turned into dogs? Or just had the ears and stuff?
Most of your pressing was granted an emphatic 'no'. The rest was waved off as she tried to settle in from the working day, too tired to muse your strange questions.
A cup of water was easily snuck up to your room, part of your dinner less so.
At least it was dryer food, more easily tucked up in a napkin and whisked away behind your back before it was dumped into the garbage by your father when you'd said you were already full.
Katsuki was grateful for the food, warmer than the packaged meat. When you laughed about being glad it hadn't gotten thrown away, he'd given you a questioning look. You offered a light fussing that you didn't like it when your parents threw things away, at least not food. Sometimes you'd wanna eat it later, just not now! Though this time it was going to someone else, instead of your inconsistent appetite.
It was then he'd realized, this was yours. Not just something already available, but specifically yours. You'd taken less to be sure he was fed.
He was glad you didn't catch the conflicted expression on his face. Grateful, in debt, and slightly bothered by your kindness.
Amongst beasts, sharing food was bonding. Sharing in a way that meant you had less, more so. Wolves were greedy with meals, a gesture like that was...
But you weren't a wolf. He wouldn't disrespect your unknown action. So he ate.
Evening grew to night with little disturbance, and he was surprised to see your family never came to you, having been well ready to hide from them at the first hint of invasion. Did humans not engage with pack mates the same way?
No fussing over you with grooming? No ancient tales to tell? No check-in to be sure you were safe in the nest at all? Not even a nightly goodbye scenting?
Though his eyes wouldn't betray it, he looked at you with pity. While he'd refuse the claim he was ever lonely, he did know what it looked like.
He hadn't really been listening as you babbled on about what to do about sleeping arrangements, new determination set in his jaw.
"My bed's big enough for us, I think. I don't really want you sleeping on the floor; and we don't have a sleeping bag or anything even so-"
You looked completely bewildered when he shifted towards you, curling his claws toward his palm as his knuckles rubbed away at the smears of dirt you never cleaned up from earlier. Were your parents so daft, they didn't even notice how messy you were? And who let their pup wander away so far without anyone watching? You didn't even have any claws or fangs to protect yourself. No, you might not even have a sense for danger, considering how easily you were lured into the forest by a strange noise. What if he'd been an adult? Or something else?
"Go clean up!" He barked, "And get ready for sleep."
You wanted to fuss, and opened your mouth to object his order before he issued a warning clearly.
With a huff you went to your dresser and dug out some PJs, taking them with you to the bathroom to change and wash up.
He snorted as you slammed the door shut behind you. You might not care for his nagging, but it didn't matter. And he refused wholly to examine his actions any deeper. At least for now.
A night spent in human territory, in an unfamiliar nest...It was far from ideal. But it could have certainly been worse, had you not been so stupid as to investigate an unknown noise all alone.
When you came back, dressed warmly in oddly colored fluffy clothes, he wiggled over in the bed to let you in. He had already chosen his spot; the outside, and closest to any theoretical danger.
He tugged you closer once you were in, your hair only lit by the moonlight in the window, yet he could see how tangled it was just fine. He was used to the dark.
His claws were sharp but careful as he used them to pick and pry your hair until he was satisfied, or at least until your complaints became too much to listen to.
At that, he let you out of his grasp to wiggle into the blankets properly, pulling them up over him as you went.
"Oh...I never asked your name," You noted sleepily.
He stared, your words left hanging as he considered you.
"Katsuki."
Your yawn tipped into a smile as he gave his name, " 'M [Name]."
You, this pathetic, defenseless creature. A fool who let a predator, pup or not, into your nest. Who gave to a stranger. Who risked life and limb, unknowingly or not, as you searched for a responsibility that was not yours to bear. This human pup that was looked after so carelessly...
"Night-Night, Katsuki."
You would be his to protect.
This he decided as he tucked in close, pressing his moon-kissed cheek to yours, doing well to rub even his washed-dull scent off on you.
#bakugo katsuki#bakugo katsuki x reader#Werewolf!Bakugo Katsuki#fluff#mha#bnha#my hero academia#boku no hero academia#mha x reader#bnha x reader#ages are like??#4-6 here?
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Imaginary Friends
Imaginary Friends
School was out for Geistville Elementary. As students hurried to the bus or for their parents’ cars, one student was left to wait in the playground as he always did.
Ken, honestly didn’t mind waiting to be picked up from school. It was extra play time as far as he was concerned, getting the full run of the playground and not have to share the area with anyone…
Except for one person.
He had met her back when he still went to the preschool that was attached to the building. She was around his age and was always there waiting to play with someone. The other kids couldn't see her of course but Ken didn’t mind.
“Weeee! C’mon, Ayami, catch me!” Ken giggled, ducking under the jungle gym as his friend chased him, floating just off the ground.
Her laugh echoed around them, the glow around her body illuminating the area.
Ayami, didn’t dress like the other ghost kids Ken had seen over the years. She wore a set of black and white armor,with flower like designs and crystals embedded into it. Her hair was pure white and one of her eyes was a bright green color, contrasting to her other eye, which was a pale blue color.
“I’m gonna catch ya!” She phased through the jungle gym, floating upwards as Ken bounded across the top.
“Nya!”
She giggled before tackling him as the two children rolled across it, laughing up a storm, one having to catch his breath.
“That was fun! We haven’t rough housed in a while! It’s been too long!”
Ken sat up, grinning.
“Way too long.” He giggled, leaning back. “We gotta play more often.”
Ayami fiddled with her hands, unsure.
“I dunno… I’m not normal.”
“But you're my friend!” He insisted. “We never play except during school days and then during summer I never see you!”
“But…” She looked down. “Would your parents be okay with a ghost friend?”
That was the problem she was worried about. For a while, she looked and acted very much like a human child. Ayami had been deceased for a long time. Ken never asked her about what happened and she didn’t bring it up either.
It was an unspoken kind of rule. Don’t ask about the things that would make either of them upset.
Ken poked her forehead, getting her attention.
“My daddy was like me when he was little. I’m sure he’d be okay with it… and you’re a nice ghost. Pleeeaaase?” He gave her the puppy eyes.
Ayami squeaked, covering her own eyes.
“Kennny!!! That’s not fair!”
“Please? Please? Please?”
“Ooohhh bother…” She giggled, lowering her hands. He was still making the face. “Okay, okay!”
“Yippee!” Ken threw his arms around her. “You know where my house is? I can tell you where it is or you can sneak in and hide with me and my brothers!”
“I can find you easily.” She winked. “That’s the cool part of being a Ghost Guardian.”
“Right! Maybe I can meet more of your ghost friends too?” He tilted his head. “If you're okay with it.”
“Maybe. Oh! If you ever come to where I stay, you can meet Dree Dree! And Jackie and Aggie too!”
“Oooo… Yeah! Yeah!” Ken giggled, holding out his pinky finger. “It’s a promise!”
Ayami giggled, looping her finger with his.
“A secret promise!”
“A secret play date!”
oooooo
Around early evening, when the sun was still high in the sky, Ken had a knock at his window.
He looked up from his game system, grinning at who he saw. Ayami was floating just outside of his window, her white hair blowing in the wind.
“Is it a bad time?”
He pushed the window open, leaning out a little.
“You’re good! Wanna come in?”
“Hm…” She furrowed her brow, looking down to where she could see through the window to the rest of the Miyamoto family. “Not yet. Wanna come outside and play?”
“I can! Hikaru helped me with my homework!”
“Cool! I got done training early too.”
The two children laughed before Ken hurried to grab his coat, grabbing one of his toys too.
“Daddy?”
Eiji looked up, adjusting his reading glasses.
“Yeah, Kiddo?”
Ken smiled, giving him a bit of a puppy eyed look.
“It’s still daytime, can I go outside for awhile?”
Eiji hummed in thought, glancing outside. It would still be about two hours before night fell.
“Only an hour and a half. I want you back just before sunset, okay?”
“Okay, thanks!”
Ken hurried outside, meeting Ayami at the backdoor… This time, however, Okami was wary as she stared at the ghostly child.
“Um… Is she okay?”
“She’s a nice doggy, don’t worry. Okami, c’mon! You can sleep while we play.”
Okami huffed but followed after anyways, not wanting to let Ken out of her sight.
The children didn’t pay her much mind, since she kept up with their pace easily.
“I brought my bouncy ball. We can kick it around or something! See?” Ken pointed to the pale green designs around the black ball. “It glows in the dark!”
“Ooo, like me!” Ayami giggled.
“Yeah!” Ken moved back several paces, once he was sure they were a bit out of sight. “Ready?”
“Ahuh, ahuh!” Ayami got into position, bouncing in place.
Ken grinned before kicking the ball her way, the girl jumping into the air a bit to kick it back.
“Nice!”
He ran a bit further in before kicking it as hard as he could.
Ayami squeaked as it barreled right towards her, turning her body intangible as it flew right through where her stomach would’ve been.
“Eeek! Sorry!”
Ken ran up to her.
“You okay?”
“Yup!”
Both children looked to where the ball had gone. They couldn’t see it anymore, having lost sight of it in the brush.
“... Uh oh.” They murmured in unison.
“... I’ll go get it-”
“I’ll go with you!”
Okami whined, watching them leave. Her ears folded before walking after them.
Ayami phased in and out of the brush, looking for the ball, the leaves lighting up as her essence phased through them.
“Hm… Not here…”
Ken looked around, humming in thought. He peered down the hill, seeing a faint glow from the paint.
“Found it-”
His foot slipped, as he started to tumble down the hill. Ken yelped, bracing himself for a hard impact… only for Ayami to grab his jacket’s hood, pulling hard to keep him from doing just that.
“Oof!”
He sighed in relief as she set him down. Okami whined from the top of the hill, pacing back and forth.
“I’m okay, Okami, promise!” He turned to Ayami, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry.”
Ayami shook her head.
“Don’t. You okay?”
“Ahuh!”
Ayami smiled before floating off retrieving the ball.
“I got it!”
Ken smiled, bouncing in place a little. “Wanna play here?”
“Hm… I don’t think so. It’ll take a bit to get you home.” Ayami offered her hand to him. “Hold on tight.”
Ken blinked, doing so… squealing as she floated upwards for a moment, going higher than the boy thought possible, rising over the treetops.
The entire forest was revealed to them as Ken looked around in wonder.
“Wow…” He breathed. “This… Wow.”
“Not too much?” Ayami asked, smiling sheepishly. “Not scary?”
“No way!” Ken laughed. “We’re FLYING, Ayami! Really flying!”
She looked to the ball and back to Ken. “Wanna forget catch for a bit?”
“Yup!”
She dropped it before getting a better hold on Ken, keeping him close.
“Ready?”
Ken gave her a thumbs up.
Ayami grinned, her green eye glowing brighter before she flew off at a rapid speed, the children laughing up a storm the whole way.
Dipping up and down back through the tree branches as Ayami made them both intangible, even through the earth itself as they popped back up.
Ken squealed as they flew through a particularly large tree, spotting a family of owlets before they phased out of it and onto the next branch.
“THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER!”
“And this is what I get to do all the time!”
After a while of flying like this, Ayami came to a stop in a particularly large oak tree that looked over the property. The two sat next to one another on one of the thicker branches, gazing out at the view before them. Ayami was a little tired, leaning against the trunk of the tree, while Ken was still bouncing a bit excitedly.
“That was… Seriously, you can do all kinds of amazing things and…” Ken rubbed the back of his neck, going a little red. “And I’m just the kid who can see ghosts…”
“Aww Kenny…” Ayami pouted a little. “But you can do a lot of really neat things too. You can see what others don’t… and you aren’t afraid of those things either.”
“Not true… I have lots of bad dreams about bad things that happen to people…” Ken rubbed his arm. “I see people too that wanna get my attention because they can’t get anyone else’s. Like my big brothers’ first mommy and daddy. They haunted me all the time until Daddy was able to save Hika.”
“And I kept ‘em away from you at school, remember?” Ayami squeezed his shoulder, prompting a small smile from Ken. “Kenny, you just gotta practice. You’re still little.”
“Yeah… I wanna be just like my daddy when I grow up. I just… get scared sometimes… but Daddy says that this stuff happened to him too when he was little… same for my Auntie Naomi.” Ken fidgeted with his hands a little. “And I don’t have as many bad dreams anymore. Sammy helps me sleep better with Dreamster’s help. We play a lot when things get scary so I can sleep again.” He smiled a little.
“What kind of dream stuff do you do?”
“Well…” Ken perked up. “Last night, I conjured up my oba-san’s house! It’s really, really huge!” Ken held out his arms as wide as they could go without causing him to lose balance. “And we played around the garden with her koi fish! The garden’s super, super big! It’s like a mini forest too!”
“Wow…” Ayami smiled. “And you did that.”
“Ahuh… and Okami helps me in my dreams too.”
“That’s cool!”
Ken smiled, looking down, seeing Okami at the base of the tree… giving him a disapproving look.
“Yup. She loves me a lot. And I love her.”
Ayami smiled, closing her eyes as she leaned her head back. “So, you’re not just the kid who sees ghosts. Your daddy wouldn’t have known what to look out for with your brothers if you hadn’t seen their parents first.”
“Yeah… I guess so, huh?” Ken fumbled with his hands, frowning a little. “I just… hope no one’s in really big trouble, because of my new nightmares.”
Ayami squeezed his hand, taking it into her own.
“If they are, then we’ll get them out of it.” She gave him a grin. “That’s the job of a Ghost Guardian, to help people!”
“And… Memoria Coven members, can create Remembereds… or get spirit companions of our own when we’re old enough.” Ken smiled, a hopeful look coming to his eyes. “I wanna be that cool too.”
“And I have no doubts.”
“Ayami…”
Ken hugged her tightly, startling her for a second before she returned the embrace, her glow brightening.
“Kenny... I wanna help every step of the way. I promise.”
“And I know you will. It’s a promise… Okay?”
Ayami smiled, hugging him tighter.
“A secret promise.”
“A ghost promise!”
They giggled a little before Ayami helped him up, floating down to the ground.
Sunset was coming and they both knew Eiji and Carmen would NOT be pleased if Ken wasn’t home soon.
“Can we do this again tomorrow?” He asked as they hurried off for the house.
Ayami grabbed onto a tree branch, swinging down as she sprinted alongside him.
“We sure can! More playtime, lots more play time!”
“Yay!”
#Spirits In the Shadows#Hideki Miyamoto#Ken Miyamoto#Eiji Miyamoto#Carmen Miyamoto#paranormal writing#paranormal investigation#original work#original writing#literature#writing#Ayami#Ghost Guardians#Ghost Guardian Ayami#Spirits#SiTS
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Beacon Hills VS Mystic Falls
KCAUweek2019 for @klaroline-events
Day Two: Crossover
Summary: "I am so done with this town, Lydia," Caroline groans loudly, making Lydia roll her eyes. They were watching their lacrosse team warm up before the competition arrived. It was also far too early for spectators to arrive but Lydia and Caroline were supposed to be on the lookout for a great anomaly that is yet to invade Beacon Hills. Lydia had a vision two weeks ago and their group has been on high alert since then. That's why, much to Caroline's distaste, she had to be in the presence of not one but two of her exes who despised her for her recent change. "Just once, I want to hook up with a guy who's not supernatural and will like me for me."
Lydia raises her eyebrows and cocks her head to the side, her signature response to the tedious musings of her friends. "Maybe you should hook up with the enemy team today. Mystic Falls doesn't sound like they're harboring any freaks of nature."
Caroline smirks and rests her head on her arms that laid on her bent knees, "It'll definitely hit a sore spot for Tyler and Stefan."
Mystic Falls has always been Beacon Hills' greatest rival. Sadly, Mystic Falls had always won against them and has held the winning title for 10 consecutive years. This year, after half of the team being turned into werewolves, they're just about ready to give their sworn enemy a run for their money.
Lydia smirks as well, "Two birds, one stone."
To say that Lydia is Caroline's best friend is an understatement. Ever since preschool, they've been joined at the hip and continued to complement each other's personality until now. Lydia was the popular girl with the exceptional brain while Caroline was pretty much the student body of the whole school and the greatest sweetheart of Beacon Hills, to most people anyway.
Even when the supernatural had started to infiltrate their lives, they continued to help each other get through tough times. Lydia never once flinched at the sight of Caroline when she was turned into a vampire as an act of vengeance against Elena and Scott. And Caroline did everything in her power to break out Lydia from the godforsaken Eichen House even with so many bounty hunters gunning for her head.
"Lydia," Caroline's voice breaks the banshee away from her thoughts, "people are starting to come in. I'm gonna go to the bathroom and grab some snacks before all hell breaks loose."
Before Caroline could take a step, Lydia grabs her wrist, "Keep your cell on," she whispers and the low frantic tone in her voice is enough for Caroline to understand that the enemy was also close. She nods and leaves the stadium.
She doesn't get very far before she starts smelling the strong metallic scent of blood in the air. Her head snaps to the field to find Stiles with a gash along his shin and Scott, Tyler, and Stefan staring at her, almost baring their fangs beneath their pressed lips.
She wills herself to turn around, ignoring Lydia's voice, and speeds away into a blur among the incoming crowd. She stops just a few feet away from the buzzing parking lot, hiding her fangs and red eyes in the forest.
She flinches suddenly when a hand caresses the veins under her eyes and she wonders why she didn't notice him. Then she wonders about the icy blue eyes sincerely assessing her face, the cold hand on her cheek, the light blond curls framing his face, and the most irresistible dimples slowly gracing his face as he smiles at her.
A loud squeal from the parking lot breaks her attention and the fast beating hearts have her baring her fangs. The mysterious boy in front of her grabs both of her cheeks and forcibly turns them so that she's staring straight through the dark forest.
Caroline only has a second to wonder about his strength before he speaks in an undoubtedly British accent and her world stops, "It's okay, love. I'm here. Just focus on me."
Caroline finds it easy to do so because his brushing thumb kept sending electricity down her spine. She closes her eyes and surrenders to his hold, focusing on nothing but him. That's when she notices.
"You have a heart but I know, I just know you're like me," she whispers, "a vampire."
He smiles, bringing back the dimples she didn't know she misses. "First time someone's told me I have a heart," he chuckles lowly, the statement making Caroline just a little bit tense, "but no, sweetheart, though we're almost alike, we are not the same."
Caroline holds his hands that are still on her face and leans closer, unafraid, making the stranger grin. "Then what are you?"
The stranger keeps his grin and raises his brows in jest, "I've been called many things but tonight I seem to be your enemy," he looks down and it's only now that Caroline notices his Mystic Falls jersey.
"Ohmygod--"
"But to you, love," he presses, urging her attention back to his face, "tonight I'm just Klaus." He gently distances himself and takes her hand to press her knuckles against his lips, "A boy who fancies you."
Caroline has no control over the blush rapidly spreading throughout her face, making her heat up, and suddenly retrieving her composure. She snatches her hand back and crosses her arms.
"Sorry, but I don't sleep with the enemy," she quickly responds to which Klaus grins. Despite her and Lydia's musings, they were loyal to their so-called friends.
"I do like where your head is at but I was only hoping for a small date after the game," Caroline groans indignantly and Klaus only chuckles. She starts to storm off and he follows close by, "Small enough to at least get a second one."
Caroline hides her smile and coughs, "Bold of you to assume that would take a small date."
"I'm also bold enough to assume that we will win the game," he grins.
That hits a particularly sore spot for her because despite her exes being on the team, despite half of the members hating her for being a vampire, and despite all of the shit she had had to go through because of who she is now, she loves them and would die protecting them even if they don't do the same, and this game has been something their whole school-- no, the whole town has been banking on to finally beat Mystic Falls. She knows they're going to win and so she shakes his hand and dons on her most student body president smile. "You're on."
He grins and takes a step closer, "Pleasure. But for now, I'd like to at least be an acquaintance who knows your name."
She lets go of his hand and starts walking back to the field. Before he starts to follow her, she yells out, "If you win!"
She speeds away from him until she reaches a dark secluded area near the crowd. She urges her nerves and hormones to settle before walking back into the crowd. She finds Lydia still sitting close to the field and she flops beside her.
Lydia looks at her and raises an eyebrow, choosing instead to pretend nothing happened when she left and Caroline is eternally grateful, "Thought you said you were gonna grab snacks?"
"I was but I kind of ran into someone."
"Someone you know?"
"Not until today."
Lydia goes quiet for a second before asking, "Are they...?"
Carolines purses her lips and stares ahead, not sure how to tell Lydia what he is, because she doesn't even know what Klaus is exactly. Before she could utter any kind of answer, the announcer's voice blares through the small field and their team starts entering the field. Lydia and Caroline stand up along with the crowd and clap in encouragement.
When the announcer mentions Mystic Falls, Lydia notices how Caroline tenses and seems to hold her breath. They both watch as the enemy team makes their way out and Caroline kept staring at the curly blonds bouncing on top of a dimpled boy. He seemed to be looking at the crowd and she can't help but anticipate.
Suddenly she finds herself disappointed when he heads straight to the other side of the field and runs to a group of people, they seemed to be his family. Caroline internally smacks herself.
She watches him talk to them and his mother seems confused as his younger sister grabs his spare jersey from his bag. The next thing she knows is that he's running across the field, away from his family, his supporters, way past his teammates, and straight towards her and Lydia.
She instinctively clutches Lydia's hand making her cry out in pain. However, they both stiffen once Klaus was in front of them because the entire field had set their attention on them.
Catching his breath, he grins at her and motions for her to raise her arms. She gives him a quick shake of her head to which he stubbornly stares. She knows he's willing to hold the game no matter how long it takes.
Finally, she steps down onto the grass and raises her arms. Klaus slips on his jersey and watches her. He grins and whispers, "A little something to make those wolves go wild. Maybe then you'll have a chance of getting out of our date."
Klaus leaves her immediately and the crowd on both sides of the field cheer and coo but Caroline is too busy staring at their team because the boys are glaring at Klaus.
Lydia had to pull her back down, "What the hell was that?"
Caroline shakes her head and takes a moment to make sense of the entire thing. Suddenly she notices Stefan and Tyler looking at each other with their eyes glowing yellow.
Lydia turns to where she's looking and it comes to her faster than it does to Caroline. "For a bunch of guys that say they don't want anything to do with you, they're pretty jealous of someone claiming you."
Caroline first asks in disgust, "He did not claim me," to which Lydia rolls her eyes and turns her attention back to the game. She takes this moment to smile to herself and subtly hug the jersey around herself.
They still care about her. Deep down, even if they're enemies, she's still her friend.
She looks for Klaus and finds that he's concentrating. He whispers his name and he perks his ears. "Thank you." Klaus turns then and raises an eyebrow.
It might not be his intention but it meant the world to Caroline that Beacon Hills is still her home.
#kcauweek2019#klaroline fanfiction#klaroline#klaus mikaelson#caroline forbes#vampire diaries#the originals#crossover#teen wolf
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Near Los Gatos CA
Things to Do
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Getting a list of what to do when in Los Gatos can help you plan your vacation in this amazing city. One of the most visited places in the New Museum of Los Gatos. The place has the largest collection of artifacts and memorabilia about the past of Los Gatos. For the nature lovers, the Castle Rock State Park is a must-visit. It is the best place for rock climbing, bouldering, scrambling, and hiking. You will also find other guests who do horseback riding and biking around the lush forest and gorgeous mountain vistas. You may also want to visit the Byington Vineyard and Winery to get a stunning view of their vineyard and a taste of their signature wines.
Los Gatos Christian School
Working moms have surely a lot of things on their hand. They need to balance work related stuffs with parenting. This makes it very important to find the right partner in raising your kids. You should not just pick any school. Otherwise, your wrong decision can affect all aspects of your family life. Most working parents enroll their kids in a private Christian school in Los Gatos to ensure that apart from academic preparations, the kids are also taught on how to be good Christians. Los Gatos Christian School is a well-known school that prepares children not just to be academically successful but also become good loving individuals. They have programs for pre-school, elementary, and middle school. Inquire now and see the difference that they can give to your child.
South Bay Salons Protest For Reopening Plan: Report
Two dozen protesters shouted "End the wait! Give us a date!" according to the report. Salons have been closed in Santa Clara County since shelter-in-place orders went into effect March 17 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Read more here
The corona virus has definitely affected so many lives and businesses. While the end of the pandemic is still not in the foreseeable future, business owners are demanding that they be allowed to re-open. Many companies have already declared bankruptcy and there are many more that are expected to come. Salon owners are protesting to the government to give them, at least, a date on when they can start operating. If they will follow the strict health guidelines, we do not see any more reason why they need to remain closed. Afterall, many residents need a good haircut and nail care after long months of being quarantined.
Testarossa Winery in Los Gatos, CA
If you want to experience the best wines in Los Gatos, you need to visit the Testarossa Winery. The company has been consistently producing the most outstanding wines since 1993. This is evident by the numerous awards they receive like the 2020 Silicon Valley’s choice for Best Winery and the Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine’s 2019 Winery of the Year. Testarossa is one of the top 10 rated wineries in San Jose area and one of the oldest that is still in operation. Apart from their signature Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines, they also have the winery and tasting room and wine bar to host any of your events.
Link to map
Driving Direction
17 min (6.7 miles)
via Blossom Hill Rd
Best route
This route has restricted usage or private roads.
Testarossa Winery
300 College Ave, Los Gatos, CA 95030, United States
Take College Ave to E Main St in Los Gatos
4 min (0.9 mi)
Take Los Gatos Blvd and Blossom Hill Rd to Burke Rd in San Jose
14 min (5.7 mi)
Drive to your destination in Los Gatos
1 min (0.1 mi)
Los Gatos Christian School
16845 Hicks Rd Los Gatos, CA 95032
Topics: Christian Private Schools, Ios Gatos Private Elementary Schools, California Christian Schools, Private School, Private Schools, Christian Schools California, Christian Schools In California, Christian Preschool, Christian School San Jose Ca, Christian Schools In San Jose,
#christian private schools#los gatos private elementary schools#california christian schools#private school#private schools#christian schools california#christian schools in california#christian preschool
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