#rip 14 that sunburn will HURT

[the-patrex]

for silly art asks, saxteen/fourteen & donna beach day !

they all enjoy it a little differently

[dorthyanndrarry]

Bitter Transmutation : Cruel Transformation -1-

tags: eighth year, drarry, angst, assault, bullying, violence, illness, discussion of illness’, discussion of gov response to illness, sickfic, enemies to lovers, harry with long hair, magic theory, veela history/world building, veela draco, book veelas, fairy tale inspirations, -no feathers-, -no mates/bonding-, Fenrir Greyback, werewolves, hurt/comfort, romantic tension, emotional and romantic intimacy, slow burn, pining, longing, happy ending, animal injury, reference to animal death, ptsd, transformation, possible body horror, parents having the best intentions whilst still being flawed human beings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence

suggested rating: 18+, for heavy themes and violence

Bitter Transmutation : Cruel Transformation on A03

Bitter Transmutation : Cruel Transformation on wattpad

Part 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30 - 31- 32 - 33 - 34 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 38 - 39 - 40 - 41 - 42 - 43 - 44 - 45 - 46 - 47 - 48 - 49 - 50 - 51 - 52 - 53 - 54 - 55 - 56 - 57 - 58 - 59 - 60 - 61 - 62 - 63 - 64 - 65 - 66 - 67 - 68 - 69 - 70 - 71 - 72 - 73 - 74 - 75 - 76 - 77 - 78 - 79 - Complete!

-

His skin was too hot. Too tight.

Draco brushed his hair back, blinking his eyes, trying to get them to focus. His heart raced, and shivers racked through his muscles, leaving him breathless. He stumbled to his feet and headed to the hospital wing.

-

“Well, Mr Malfoy, you are warm, perhaps you've caught a fever,” Madam Pomfrey said, walking over to her potions stores.

Vials clinked as she pulled open the doors and took out two potions, bringing them back and pressing them into Draco’s hand. “A pepper-up and a fever-reducer, a sip from both should have you feeling better. Take what you need, come back if you need more or it gets worse.”

Draco opened each vial and swallowed a third of each potion, offering a quiet thanks. The thrumming heat ebbed, slightly. Draco left the hospital wing and went back to his room, curled up on his bed and tried to sleep.

-

Draco woke in darkness with a grimace, kicking off the blankets tangled around his legs. Too hot. Heat crawled across his skin in prickling, unbearable waves, his muscles twitched with every stilted breath. The fine silk of his pyjamas clung to his skin, tacky with sweat.

He cast a feeble lumos, leaning off the side of his bed to grab his robes where he had dropped them, scrabbling in the folds until his fingers closed around cold glass. He unstopped the potion vials, drinking the rest of one, then the other and dropping back onto his pillow with a shudder.

Draco closed his eyes, dropping into a hazy half-sleep.

He dreamt of his skin tightening until he couldn't breathe and it ripped from his bones while he screamed.

-

Draco opened his eyes and squeezed them shut with a groan as the faint light sneaking through curtains hit them. He tried to stretch and froze with a hiss of pain as every muscle seemed to painfully protest at the movement, it even hurt to breathe. He shifted uncomfortably as his skin prickled and itched like a half-healed sunburn.

Draco eased himself out of bed, nearly falling on the discarded clothes still strewn across the floor. He gingerly made his way to his private bathroom and splashed water on his face after with a shudder. Draco drank a glass of water, and another, pressing the back of his hand over his mouth as he stumbled back to bed. He grabbed a blanket and clutched it to his chest in a crumpled ball.

He slept again.

-

Draco blinked blearily, only half aware he was awake or what had woke him. There was a knock on his door that turned into the door opening. Draco frantically felt around his sheets for his wand, finding it stuffed halfway under his pillow, and wrenched it out as he forced himself up onto his elbow.

“Ah, Mr Malfoy!” Slughorn said with forced joviality as he stepped inside, “There you are! You'd missed a day of classes, and Minerva pointed out it was quite out of character for you.”

Draco dropped his wand and shoulders back onto his pillow.

“Sick, then? That would explain it,” Slughorn said.

Draco nodded. He swallowed, his throat so dry it hurt.

Slughorn rocked back on his heels, straightening his robe like someone who had to be on their way, “Will you be needing help? Or perhaps just some more rest? Rest is the best medicine as they say.”

Draco didn't have the energy to even glare at the fool. He needed to go back to the infirmary, he knew that, but asking Slughorn for help was- he still had some pride.

“Rest,” Draco said faintly.

“Excellent! Well, get well soon, lad.” Slughorn took a quick step out the door, nearly pulling it closed before bursting back in. He sidled over to the side of Draco's bed, conjured a glass and filled it with an aguamenti. “I'll have the house elves check up on you this evening,” he said, a touch of anxiety in his words, and then finally made his exit, slamming the door behind himself in his haste.

Draco pushed himself but up on his elbow and carefully sipped the water. It tasted stale. Draco's mouth curled in disgust. He squeezed his eyes shut and drank it anyway.

No one came to check up on him.

-

Draco pulled himself up with the corner of his bedpost and leaned there for a moment to catch his breath. His robes felt like they weighed a thousand pounds, but he pulled them tight around himself to hide the pyjamas underneath, holding his wand in his other hand even though he wouldn’t be able to even the simplest spell with it.

His vision swam, and a shivery little prickle slipped down his spine with every wobbly step. He hadn’t even made it halfway when he had let go of his robes to put a steadying hand against the wall. His breathing was embarrassingly loud in his own ears, his heart thrumming in his ears to match. The cold walls were a balm against his palm, and he paused to lean against it, resting his forehead against the stones and trying to ignore the growing itch between his shoulder blades.

Fingers dug into his shoulder, wrenching him around and nearly pulling him off his feet. Draco grabbed at the person's arm in a blind panic, his wand clattering across the floor. His back met the wall with a thud that knocked the air from his lungs.

“Look who we have here.”

Draco followed the arm up to the owner of the voice, a familiar voice. It was a fifth-year boy, big for his age, his little sister had died in a deatheater raid during the war. He wasn't alone, he had a greasy little friend crowding in at his side.

The hand squeezed his shoulder, bruising the already aching muscles.

Whatever breath was left in Draco was gone in a gasp of pain that rattled in his chest and came out as a whimper.

“Aww, the little deatheater's sick. Why don't you have your daddy call a healer for you?” Greasy mocked, “Oh, that's right, you can't because he abandoned you.”

The hand on his shoulder pulled him off the wall and slammed him back against the wall. Fifth-year wasn't in the mood for mocking, he never was. “Another one was bitten,” Fifth-year said darkly, “because of that feral fucking dog you let live in your house.”

Draco slid, his legs giving out, his hands clutching Fifth-year's arm shaking uncontrollably.

“Greyback should've eaten you,” Greasy said, “you'd be more use as dog shite.”

Fifth-year grabbed Draco's other arm, wrenching it up above his head.

Draco panted through the pain, his vision dimming at the edges.

“Monster,” Fifth-year hissed. He shifted his grip to Draco's wrist and twisted it.

Pain shot through Draco's wrist and elbow and he cried out hoarsely.

“Monster,” Fifth-year hissed again.

“Hey! Hey! What do you think you're doing?!”

(continued in the next part)

-

♡ Next update will be thursday, 12-6 pm pst ♡

♡ Tags below ♡  (I don’t have a permanent tags list. All tags are of the wonderful people who left messages on the previous part.)

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sort of playing with a different sort of formatting for this story, I just hope I can keep using it and don’t get bored and drop it halfway through the story

[let-me-love-you-loki]

Waking Up in Vegas--Ch. 35

Chapter 35: I’ll Take Your Bad Days with Your Good

Mera, Early Evening, 6:58 PM

           I leaned against the padded table in my trainer’s room, pain shooting through my knees and my hips. My head throbbed as if my blood pressure was thundering through the roof. I couldn’t look up. Just a faint hint of light felt like spikes straight into my eyes. I felt hot all over, and I didn’t have to look in the mirror to know that I had a rash spreading over my nose and across my cheeks.

           Everything hurt. I just wanted to sleep. To lie down and ease the pressure on every joint in my body. Tears gathered on my lashes as I tried to keep myself together. I’d given myself my steroid shot hoping that it would stave off the flare up I knew was only going to get worse. The last thing I wanted was to take my immunosuppressant because it would knock me on my ass for days.

           The knock on the door was too loud in my ears. I winced as it squeaked open, noise from the hallway spilling into the room. Seth stood there in sweatpants and t-shirt with his hair tucked under a backwards-turned baseball cap. He walked slowly, clearly favoring his side, trying not to jar it too much. I could hear the rattle in his breath from the broken ribs.

           “Hey,” he said quietly, shuffling into the room. “Can you tape me up?”

           I swallowed down the yelp of pain and discomfort when I pushed away from the table. I forced a smile. “Sure. Hop up on the table.”

           As he hobbled past me to the table, his arm brushed into my elbow. There was no stopping the squeak of surprised pain that erupted out of me. Seth looked around, his dark eyes alighting on the rash spreading over my cheeks. His brows furrowed, turning down, his own pain seemingly forgotten in the wake of mine.

           I bit my lip as I walked briskly over to my trunk and pulled out my kinesiotape. By the time I turned around, Seth was sitting on the edge of the padded table watching me with concern.

Seth, Early Evening, 7:03 PM

           That red, blotchy rash that spread over her face like wings. I recognized it the moment I saw it. I recognized that look in her eyes, the one that came from pain that was so deep seated that there was no getting rid of it. But it was more than pain… it was a desperate anger at the fact that her body was turning against her.

           I remembered the first time she’d gotten sick. We were sixteen in the heat of a Midwest summer. My friends and I were putting on one of our shows in the front yard of my mom’s house. Mera was on the steps with the videocamera like always. One moment she was filming. The next she was crumpled up on the sidewalk after falling down the last three steps. I couldn’t even remember what I was doing or who had been in that makeshift match with me. All I remembered was the sight of Mera curled up on the sidewalk, trembling and whimpering, blood oozing out of scrapes on her shins and palms, the patch of what we’d thought was sunburn on her face glowing a bright, hot, violent red.

           My mom called her parents and then the ambulance. I remembered the terror that shut down every thought. Mera… my Mera… she was in so much pain she was sobbing on the ground. And my Mera never cried. The ache that ripped through my chest at the thought of it nearly doubled me over.

           I remembered sleeping in a chair in her hospital room. I remembered watching her face slowly relax as the medicine began to relieve her pain. I remembered how the swelling started to disappear, how that bright rash across her nose faded to almost nothing.

           And I remembered how she had to learn to give herself shots and how the bruises would show up on her thighs every time. How she had to take medicine that exhausted her, that meant she caught every cold and flu and stomach bug that swept through Davenport.

           “Have you done your shot yet?” I asked quietly, knowing that she had to be in the midst of a migraine that would put me out of commission for weeks. If I knew Mera, she had been fighting through it for hours. Maybe even days.

           Mera looked back at me, something like surprise in her eyes. “Yes,” she replied in a hoarse voice. She walked slowly, almost limping. I couldn’t imagine the kind of pain she was in, or why she would come to work when it nearly killed her to move.

           “Are you still on that pill cocktail?”

           She nodded carefully, keeping her eyes closed. I thought for a moment that she was going to either tip over or vomit.

           “Why are you here? If anyone is sick, you’re going to get it.” I heard the worry in my own voice, and it surprised me. For so long I’d convinced myself that I didn’t care about what happened to her. That she meant… means… nothing beyond being my trainer.

           “I haven’t taken it,” she whispered, bracing herself on the padded table at my side. “I’ll do it after the show tonight.”

           My hand lifted and reached out to touch her, but I thought better of it. I remembered how much the touch of a blanket made her miserable when she was in the middle of a flare up. I curled my fingers against my palm, clenching it against the desperate need in me to comfort her.

           I watched her try to pull a strip free from the roll of tape in her hand. Every grasp of her fingers brought a fresh wince in her brow. I took it, careful not to touch her.

           “Does he know?”

           Mera sighed and nodded briefly before tears rushed down her cheeks.

Dean, Early Afternoon, 7:14 PM

           Plate in hand, I wove through the backstage maze to the medical hallway. I’d tried to convince her to stay in the hotel. There were plenty of other people on the med staff who could take care of us in her absence. But she wouldn’t hear of it. She insisted on coming to work. If no one else needed her, Seth was back on the show tonight. He’d need to be taped up, and she insisted that none of the others could do it how he needed.

           The bottle in my jacket pocket rattled. It was the medicine that suppressed her immune system, made it harder for the lupus to trigger her pain and symptoms. She didn’t want to take it because of how it made her feel at work. I’d tried, desperately, over and over again, to stay at the hotel. Or at least take her medicine if she was determined to come to work.

           “What… the… fuck, Ambrose!?”

           I looked up to see Seth stalking down the hallway toward me, his face red, looking like he was spoiling for a fight. The second he was within arm’s reach he slammed his fist into my jaw. I stumbled back against a row of trunks, sloshing Mera’s double sweet lemonade everywhere. Stars popped in my vision.

           Growling, I slammed the half-empty cup and the plate down on the trunk. “Jesus fucking Christ. What was that for?”

           Seth stepped forward, crowding into my space and getting up in my face. “Why is she here?”

           I stared him down, feeling my entire body coil. My fingers itched themselves into fists. Adrenaline spiked into my limbs. One word… one word and I’d knock him so hard on his ass that he’d have another set of broken ribs.

           “Because she’s a grown motherfucking woman,” I snarled back, shoving him hard in the shoulders.

           He bucked up, shoving me back. “Have you seen her?” He jabbed his finger behind him, pointing down the medical hall. “You don’t have a fucking clue at what Mera’s going through. About how much pain she’s in!”

           “Keep her name out of your fucking mouth, Rollins.” God knew, I was desperate to punch him straight in the face. In his busted ribs. I wanted nothing more than to slam his ass into the ground. And maybe bounce his head off the concrete once or twice. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

           “Goddammit, Ambrose.” He shoved me again, knocking me straight into the wall. “I’ve slept in the hospital while she was in pain! I’ve seen the bruises from the shots… every week for almost fifteen years! Have you? Huh? Have you?!”

           Seth roared the last question at me, up in my face, eyes wild. My blood thundered in my ears. That beast in my chest was roaring murder. I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I planted my palm on the center of his chest and shoved him back.

           “You don’t get to worry,” I shouted, my knuckles landing hard in his stomach. “You don’t get to think about her.” Another blow landed hard on his kidney. “You don’t get to act concerned.”

           I raised my fist, cocking it back, fully planning on knocking him out completely. Seth coughed, wheezing as he tried to stand up. “I was there,” he spat.

           My hips pivoted, shoving every ounce of my rage into the blow. My fist slammed hard into his ribs, slamming him back against the wall. He doubled over, mouth open as he tried to suck in breath. I shook out my hand, knuckles busted open and bleeding.

           “I’m here now,” I bit out. Fighting the urge to kick him, I turned on my heel and stormed down the hallway. I snatched the first stagehand I came across. “You might want to get a medic for Rollins.”

Tag List

@mox-made-me-do-it @houndsofjxstice @lunatictoosweet @xbutterflius-effectusx @mother-forker​ @instantboquetdestinysblog @dcnmarvelgamergeek​@pinkduality

[evilsnowswan]

Summary: [Rumbelle Mermaid!AU] based on this prompt by repeatinglitanies: “In a world where people are aware of the existence of mermaids, Belle is a mermaid who lives in the world’s largest aquarium along with other sea creatures. She enjoys looking at the little humans who come to visit, especially a floofy haired boy who comes every week with his father….” An injured Belle is captured and brought to Gold and Milah’s aquarium. Gold is a marine biologist dedicated to protecting the creatures there, Milah wants to turn a profit, and their son has his own ideas about how to befriend a mermaid.

Rating: G/Teen Link to full story: [Read on AO3] Previous Chapters: [Coverart][Chapter 1][Chapter 2][Chapter 3][Chapter 4][Chapter 5][Chapter 6][Chapter 7][Chapter 8][Chapter 9][Chapter 10][Chapter 11][Chapter 12][Chapter 13][Chapter 14][Chapter 15][Chapter 16]

Current Chapter: 17/? Chapter Summary: Milah's back - and she's on a mission.

Chapter 17

The apartment was a mess; the books were a mess. Admittedly, the latter less so than she had anticipated, which was nice. Unlike her husband, Killian still tried.

Murchadh had no reason to try and impress her anymore.

Well, he’d surprised her, stunned her even, she had to give him that. Just as the messy kitchen, his obsession with the creature shouldn’t have come as a surprise exactly, but the extent of it had still rendered her speechless.

“She responded well to the aloe?” Milah looked up from her half-finished Southern Cobb salad and smiled at her husband. “I’m glad.” She watched him lower his fork, mashed potato and sauce dripping onto his plate. He closed his mouth and swallowed.

“Uh, yes. Very… well.” His eyes narrowed, but only by a fraction.

“How nice.” She dabbed at the corners of her smile with her napkin. “Who would have thought mermaids got sunburn?!” She turned to Baelfire. “That’s why we always put on sunscreen at the pool, Baelfire.”

Baelfire rolled his eyes as he took a big gulp of his soda. She didn’t normally allow soft drinks in the house, let alone at the dinner table, but, as this was their first proper night home and the last weekend of Baelfire’s summer break, she had made the exception. She wouldn’t, however, let him forget his manners.

Murchadh beat her to it.

“Bae!” He put his fork and knife down and leaned closer to look directly at their son. “Don’t be rude to your mother, my boy.”

She almost felt proud of him then – before he ruined the effect with a push-over smile. He was such a softie.

“Sorry.” Baelfire sat back in his chair, looking everything but. Tanned and freckle-faced, he fought back that cheeky grin she loved so much. For once, his goofy ears weren’t red from nerves or anxiety, but from being a regular little boy on his summer vacation. She would take all the ripped jeans, grass stains, and busted lips – and even tolerate a little backtalk every now and then – if it meant her little man finally acted like one.

“Baelfire, please sit up straight and finish your dinner,” she said.

The boy huffed before stuffing a forkful of potato in his mouth. He finished chewing his food in silence, then pushed away his plate. “I’m full.” Catching her eye, he quickly added, “May I be excused?”

She and Murchadh shared a look across the table.

“You may. But please, play in your room quietly.”

“But –, Can’t I–?”

“You heard your mother.”

What had gotten into Murchadh tonight? Whatever it was, Milah decided she liked it.

“Fine.” With a sigh, Baelfire got up and carried his plate to the sink. Stepping on the stepping stool, he washed his hands and dried them. “Can I go play Star Wars?”

Murchadh’s eyebrows shot up, his fork frozen halfway to his mouth. He looked so baffled and confused, it made her laugh. She quickly stifled her amusement to a cough and hid it behind her hand. “Alright, Baelfire, but only fifteen minutes. And please, brush your teeth and put on your pajamas first.”

“Okay.” He hopped off and dashed out of the room, hollering “Will you come and tuck me in, Papa?,” back over his shoulder.

“A gift from his grandmother.” Milah took a sip of her wine and crossed her legs under the table. “All the boys are playing it now.”

“Uh-huh.”

“He had a lot of fun, you know?” She set her glass down, ran a finger along the rim. “His butterfly is getting better. He’s got great wingspan and power for his age, Murchadh. Maybe, once school starts over in town, swim team tryouts might not be such a bad idea. It’ll be good for him. What do you think?”

He liked when she asked his opinion. She hadn’t done that in a long time. Judging by the creases on his forehead, it seemed to confuse him even more than the casual mention of Star Wars in their kitchen.

She blinked, played with an earring.

“Well, if… if that’s what Bae wants, yes. I mean, if he would like to do it… sure.” He let out a breath.

 “I agree.” She wet her lips. They tasted like wine, the fresh and fruity a clean counterpoint to her salad’s earthy, smoky flavors. “We could ask him tomorrow?”

He shoveled more potato into his mouth, taking his good time to chew. “Fine with me.”

Well, this wasn’t going as smoothly as she had hoped, but he’d always been slow that way. She would have to give him some more time– to adjust, to warm up to the changes ahead.

“So,” She poured herself another glass. When she gestured to refill his, he covered it and shook his head. He wasn’t big on booze. Not anymore. She set the bottle down and smiled, leaving her own drink untouched as she leaned forward, moving her plate and resting her arms on the table. “Has Dr. Whale set up a follow-up appointment yet?”

“Erm, no, actually. He… he’s still looking for… erm, asking around, I guess.”

“It has been weeks though, hasn’t it?” She rested her chin on her hand, eyeing him. “He’s usually more invested.” She took care to add a pinch of concern. “That’s not… like Whale, is it?” Marriage was like cooking. You just had to know what to add when, and how much salt was too much. As long as you used what the recipe called for and had good intuition about the rest, the dish would come out perfect.

“It’s complicated. She’s… her anatomy is different.” He put his knife and fork down for good, folded his napkin and left it next to his plate.

“Really? Different how?”

Hook, line, and sinker. He considered her, but she had already won. She could see it in the way his body language changed. He no longer slouched in his seat, but sat up with his back straight, his shoulders back, and head up when he met her gaze.

“You– you remember the Legend of the Treaty?”

“Yes, of course.” She did not. Something about mermaids… or sirens, sinking ships, some fish gore? That might have been another one. Or a weird movie one sleepless night too many. “I heard it often enough.” She touched his arm and laughed. “What about it?”

His eyes lit up. So much like Bae’s – when she let him have a rare Apollo Bar or brought home a new book on marine life. “You remember how the story described mermaids as having a kindred connection with... with dolphins and humans alike? How they were somehow both and neither? It’s like that.”

“Oh, how so?”

“She’s… human-looking, at least on the outside, but her spine’s... more like a dolphin’s. You know, both and neither, Ocean Ambassador to Land, that sort of thing. It’s fascinating!” Hands steepled, he braided and unbraided his fingers over his plate. “But it’s also the problem. Her spine… it leaves her vulnerable.”

“If this is about Gus Gaston again… I said I was sorry.” She didn’t raise her voice even though she wanted to. Now was not the time to fight. “It… she might have hurt the children, Murchadh. Wounded animals–”

He raised a hand to silence her and, for once, she let him. If mother had taught her one thing it was when to bite her tongue. “No, no, Milah! It’s not about that. Though the situation could have been handled better.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, shook his head like a wet dog. “What’s done is done. The infection would have spread further and… what I’m concerned about right now is that, in the healing process, she’s… changed her swimming and... it’s taken its toll on her body. If– If we don’t fix this, she might die.”

The death of the mermaid would ruin everything. It would be their undoing. It would cost their son his future. She wouldn’t let that happen.

His eyes were wide and worry-filled. He looked at her like he’d done so many times before, lost, and desperate for comfort and guidance; desperate for someone to take the lead and row the boat away from the dangerous coastline into safe waters.

She reached for Murchadh’s hands. “What do we have to do?”

=====

He couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t so much that he’d expected to spend the night in his study or on the sofa, and instead found himself in the Master bedroom, sleeping next to his wife for the first night in what felt like forever. As he lay on his back staring at the ceiling and listening to her sleep, Gold marveled at the strange turn his day had taken, wondering what had prompted Milah’s sudden change of heart.

Ever since she and Bae had returned from Montgomery Manor, Milah was nothing but understanding and supportive. She even showed an interest in his work. Something she hadn’t done in years.

He rolled over and studied her face. Her eyes were closed, her jaw relaxed, her lips their natural shade and slightly parted. She had taken her time combing out her curls at the vanity and left them down for bed, the soft waves fanning out around her like dancing corals in a warm current. She looked so much younger; so much more like the girl he’d admired from afar every day one summer; the girl who bravely braced any wave; the girl he’d fallen in love with.

With a shaky breath, he touched her cheek, brushed a curl behind her ear. She smelled soft and powdery, a whiff of coconut filling the dark space between them. “What are you thinking, Milah?”

While he didn’t get an answer in so many words, he got one over the next few days.

Milah’s positive attitude was unwavering, her newfound enthusiasm and dedication heartwarming. She had borrowed some of the books from his study, the old tomes and scrolls he’d inherited from his aunties, reading up on all the myths and legends.

More often than not, long after they had tucked in Bae for the night, he would find his wife in her office upstairs, pouring over ancient scribbles, runes, and stories; squinting at fading ink and scrutinizing every picture and drawing in the harsh light from her computer and desk lamp; her reading glasses pushed up on her head, her curls wild, and eyes pink from exhaustion, looking for a clue; looking for anything that might help them save Indigo.

Sometimes, during the day, he would walk in to find her sprawled out on the living room floor in her work clothes with her heels kicked off and set aside, in the middle of a heated debate on mermaid or marine mammal physique and behavior with Bae; open books, notepads, and pens strewn all across the once pristine carpets as they put forward opposing arguments to argue for their respective viewpoints like members of debate teams during a competition.

He still wasn’t sure what had brought the change in her about, but he felt himself warming up to it– and to her– more and more with every passing day. Perhaps their son had finally gotten through to his mother during their time away. Whatever the reason behind it, it had brought them closer as a family and Gold felt grateful for that. More than anything, he wanted his son to grow up loved and happy, and to give him the best childhood he possibly could.

Since their return, they had spent more time together, both he and Milah making sure to plan their work around important things like family dinners and weekend trips. Those had become more frequent again recently. Just like when Bae was little. They went to the beach, visited the ship museum in Piper’s Cove, took Bae and his friend Emma Nolan to the movies. Milah had met up with Mrs. Nolan a couple of times to talk about the school in town, set up meetings with the principal and the swim coach.

Overall, things were looking up. The only damper on his mood was that they still hadn’t found a solution to Indigo’s problem.

“Coming to bed?” He stood in the door, watching Milah copy down something from an open book in front of her and cross-checking whatever it was in another. Eyes fixed on the page, jaw set, and pen poised like a steak knife, she hadn’t heard a single word or noticed his presence. On her desk, the sandwiches he’d brought her for dinner sat untouched on their plate; the tea cold in the teapot beside it. “Milah?”

She looked up briefly, her mind occupied and far away. He’d always admired this about her – her grit and determination, and strong work ethic. Once Milah set her mind on getting a job done, there was no stopping her. She wouldn’t rest until she had accomplished her goal. It was the competitive swimmer in her, she said.

“Your dinner is getting cold,” he jested, stepping into her office and indicating the abandoned tray. “It’s past midnight. Come to bed?”

She frowned at her notes, possibly clinging to her train of thought by the handrail. “In a minute. I just– come look at this!”

“One look, and then you’ll let me fix you a warm milk.” He moved behind her chair, kneading her shoulders as he leaned over to see what she’d been working on. “Eviction notice for the resident workaholic. Effective immediately.”

He recognized the pages she’d worked on. All different versions of the merpeople creation story. She’d copied down some paragraphs, highlighted sections here and there, and crossed out some words. Or maybe she had meant to underline them. Milah was a steam engine when fired up, her mind outracing her body.

“We can pick this up tomorrow.”

She gave in to his touch, rolling her shoulders under his hands as though to help and sighing as he carefully worked out the knots and massaged away the tension. “Okay. Fine. …How about you spice up that milk a little? I could use a nightcap.”

“Some honey for my bee?”

“Murchadh.”

“Alright, alright. Just joking.” He gave her shoulders one last squeeze. “I’ll be right back. You close those books and shut that machine down.” He nodded at her laptop. It glared at him reproachfully; hard blue light and blinking cursor. She had looked up someone, begun writing them a message. “Who is… The Mills Foundation?”

“People who might know how to help.” She closed the laptop and rolled her neck. “Maybe.”

“That’s great.” He pressed a kiss to her curls. “Thank you.”

“I need a better chair.” She stood, bookmarked her place in four books and one scroll with yellow post-it strips, and took his hand to lead him out of the room. “This one’s killing my back.”

“We’ll get you one tomorrow.” He grinned. “Or maybe a Stability Ball.”

“Absolutely not. I hate those things.”

“I know you do, Manatee.” He smirked. “A new lamp then. You’re ruining your eyes.”

“A new lamp I can live with,” she said, sinking down on the kitchen bench, taking Bae’s usual spot at the table. Their boy was at a sleepover at the Nolan’s house. “The black one is rubbish.” She rubbed her eyes. “And ugly.”

“Your mother gave you that lamp for Christmas.” He got out a pot, milk, and honey, and set them on the counter; then took her favorite mug from the sink and rinsed it. Bae had decorated it for Mother’s Day: a large, wonky heart and schools of colorful fish dancing all around it, having the time of their lives. The heart read ‘I love you, Mummy! – From Bae’ in Bae’s best handwriting.

“I know.”

They both laughed.

[rinniekins]

All remaining questions on the cute ask! Have fun writing (о´∀`о)

:^) fuck

6. What kind of people are you attracted to?kind and friendly, with a great sense of humor! also just,,, pure?? people like I  can’t really explain it that well asfhdsfkjhsk but just overall gOOD PEOPLE with good intentions and warm hearts

7. Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now?probably not lol

8. Who from the opposite gender is on your mind?no one, except my asshole father who can just go and fuck himself for all I care

9. Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable?yyeeah kind of..

13. Do you like it when people play with your hair?if it’s a person that I trust then yes, otherwise no

14. Do you believe in luck and miracles?uhhh maybe? or more like I hope those exist lmao

16. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?:^) stillhaven’tkissedhhahaha..ha

17. Do you think there is life on other planets?yes

18. Do you still talk to your first crush?uhh like first crushcrush? no, but like the first actual real big ass crush? yes

19. Do you like bubble baths?never been in one

20. Do you like your neighbors?yes, most of them are really nice and I try to talk to them whenever I just happen to run into them

21. What are your bad habits?there’s way too many of them so I definitely won’t start listing all of them but procrastination and overthinking are definitely one of the worst ones

22. Where would you like to travel?Japan, definitely! though it won’t be happening in a looong time but maybe somewhere in the future I hope

23. Do you have trust issues?yes.

25. What part of your body are just most uncomfortable with?……. honestly pretty much almost everything lmao but face, legs and butt mostly hhaaha..ha

26. What do you do when you wake up?stay in bed for like half an hour thinking about how tired I am and most likely scrolling through Tumblr on my phone lmao

27. Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker?darker, I hate getting sunburned so easily

29. Have any of your ex’s told you they regret breaking up?it’s uhhhhhhm complicated..

30. Do you ever want to get married?maybe? now that it’s finally legal here anyway

31. Is your hair long enough for a ponytail?no

32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with?lol no one

34. Do you play any sports? What sports?no

35. Would you rather live without TV or music?TV, I don’t really watch it that much nowadays anyway and I definitely couldn’t live without music

36. Have you ever liked someone and never told them?yes, that’s what I always do rip

37. What do you say during awkward silences?uhhhh it really depends on the situtation but I’ll just try to say something that just comes to mind to break the silence omg

38. Describe your dream girl/guy?basically just a girl I can really connect with, someone kind and patient with a good sense of humor and someone who just accepts everything about me and all that stuff skhdshgh

39. What are your favorite stores to shop in?flea markets aAAAa also video game shops hkjshgk

40. What do you want to do after high school?wELL I’m just trying to find a job rn so

41. Do you believe that everyone deserves a second chance?no. unfortunate but no, definitely not everyone.

42. If you’re being extremely quiet what does it mean?it can mean a lot of things lol but I’m probably nervous or tired or angry, depends

43. Do you smile at strangers?yes absolutely!

44. Trip to outer space or bottom of the ocean?outer space! bottom of the ocean fascinates me a lot too but it also scares the shit out of me omg, PLUS I can’t even swim so

45. What makes you get out of bed in the morning?my friends, my cats, all the upcoming series and video games and everything I’m possibly looking forward to

46. What are you paranoid about?…. uhhhh a lot of things

47. Have you ever been high?no

48. Have you ever been drunk?no

49. Have you done anything recently that you hope no one finds out about?uhhhhm yes

50. What was the color of the last hoodie you wore?I really can’t remember omg it’s been a while since I’ve worn one bc it’s been so hot but most likely black or dark green

51. Ever wished you were someone else?mmmh no… that idea just freaks me out in a way

52. One thing you wish you would change about yourself?being more social and brave and ughhh idk

53. Favorite makeup brand?I don’t knooow I don’t wear makeup anymore really bc I’m lazy lmao

54. Favorite store?uhhhHH I don’t know

55. Favorite blog?pretty much all of my mutuals’!

57. Favorite food?s a l a dalso tortillas tho

58. Last thing you ate?uhhhh idk what is it called in english but good stuff made out of zucchini omg

59. First thing you ate this morning?uhhhh I think it was crispbread

60. Ever won a competition? For what?uhhh nooo…? at least I can’t remember lol

61. Been suspended/expelled? For what?nope

62. Been arrested? For what?noope

63. Ever been in love?yes

64. Tell us the story of your first kiss?-

65. Are you hungry right now?no

66. Do you like your Tumblr friends more than your real friends???????? my “Tumblr friends” are my real friends wtf what kinda question is this

67. Facebook or Twitter?I don’t really use neither but uh Twitter

68. Twitter or Tumblr?Tumblr

69. Are you watching TV right now?no

70. Names of your best friends?eeeeh I don’t think I’ll tell them bc idk if they want their real names written here lol

71. Craving something? What?human touch pls I want cuddles right now immediately fuck

72. What color are your towels?uh mostly white

72. How many pillows do you sleep with?two also turns out that there’s two 72 questions lmao

73. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?yes

74. How many stuffed animals do you think you have?a lot.

75. Favorite animal?FOX!!

76. What color is your underwear?black

77. Chocolate or vanilla?chocolate

78. Favorite ice cream flavor?chocolate again

79. What color shirt are you wearing?uhhh ivory white with a cute fox on it aAAAa it’s my pjs lmao

80. What color pants?ivory white again with even more foxes on them lmao

81. Favorite TV show?I literally have no idea, I really don’t watch TV pretty much at all nowadays

82. Favorite movie?there’s tOO MANY OF THEM but uh Princess Mononoke and pretty much all of Studio Ghibli’s movies, Pokémon The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back, Wolf Children… there’s a lot.

83. Mean Girls or Mean Girls 2?what.

84. Mean Girls or 21 Jump Street???????????

85. Favorite character from Mean Girls?wHAT

86. Favorite character from Finding Nemo?Dory!

87. First person you talked to today?my mom

88. Last person you talked to today?uhhhh like, talked talked? my mom again lol

89. Name a person you hate?am I supposed to choose just one

90. Name a person you love?all of my friends!!

91. Is there anyone you want to punch in the face right now?yes.

92. In a fight with someone?not really

93. How many sweatpants do you have?I haven’t really counted lmao but quite a few

94. How many sweaters/hoodies do you have?a LOT

95. Last movie you watched?Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

96. Favorite actress?aaaAAAH I don’t knoooow there’s so many, but Gal Gadot!

97. Favorite actor?I don’t knoooooooow

98. Do you tan a lot?no, it’s the complete opposite rip. I either get just sunburned or get even more freckles

99. Have any pets?yesss! two cats, called Minni and Jimi

101. Do you type fast?yes

102. Do you regret anything from your past?don’t we all

103. Can you spell well?yeahh at least I think so

104. Do you miss anyone from your past?yes.

105. Ever been to a bonfire party?no

106. Ever broken someone’s heart?yes.

107. Have you ever been on a horse?yes

108. What should you be doing?I don’t know, sleep probably

109. Is something irritating you right now?my father lol

110. Have you ever liked someone so much it hurt?yes

111. Do you have trust issues?uhhh yes this question came up the second time omg

112. Who was the last person you cried in front of?my mom

113. What was your childhood nickname?I didn’t really have one, my name is so short lol

114. Have you ever been out of your province/state?I don’t live in America sfsdkjhgh

115. Do you play the Wii?no

116. Are you listening to music right now?actually not, which is odd

117. Do you like chicken noodle soup?noooo I don’t eat meat

118. Do you like Chinese food?yeah

119. Favorite book?Varjak Paw

120. Are you afraid of the dark?not exactly the dark itself but what could be hiding there, especially if I’m outside and it’s dark

121. Are you mean?no, at least I hope so

122. Is cheating ever okay?no

123. Can you keep white shoes clean?depends on the season and weather really lmao, buuut most likely not rip

124. Do you believe in love at first sight?no

125. Do you believe in true love?I think so?

126. Are you currently bored?nope

127. What makes you happy?my friends, animals, video games, nature shdhgk

128. Would you change your name?nah

129. What is your Zodiac Sign?Scorpio

130. Do you like Subway?mmmh it’s fine

131. Your bestfriend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do?I’d just say that sorry but I’m gay and it’s not gonna happen

132. Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with?again a same question for the second time huh, but @kinjaru

133. Favorite lyrics right now?aaaaah I really can’t decide

134. Can you count to one million?uhhhhh I don’t know, I’d probably mess up at some point lmao

135. Dumbest lie you ever told?uh there’s probably quite a few omg

136. Do you sleep with your doors open or closed?almost closed but just enough space so that my cats can come and go as they please

137. How tall are you?158cm, as in about 5′2″

138. Curly or straight hair?bOTH, but does this mean like my hair? if so then straight

139. Brunette or blonde?both, except brunette for myself

140. Summer or winter?winter

141. Night or day?night

142. Favorite month?Novemberrr bc it’s my birthday month akshfksh

143. Are you a vegetarian?yes

144. Dark, milk, or white chocolate?aaahh I like them all

145. Tea or coffee?tea

146. Was today a good day?yeah I guess so

147. Mars or Snickers?aaahhh Mars

148. What is your favorite quote?be who you are and say what you feel because those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter

149. Do you believe in ghosts?yes

150. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page?Se imi kylmää yöilmaa keuhkoihinsa, katsoi tutkivasti valtaisaa muuria, toisiinsa kietoutuneita oksia - oli näkevinään valkoisen, viiksikarvanohuen kuun korkealla yläpuolellaan.

Cute Questions

[letmeliedown]

i’ve been hallucinating so much the past week, during which, again - I’ve slept MAYVE 14 hours, in a fucking week, because in the days leading up to the assault i knew exactly what was going to happen and was already in one of the worst ptsd spirals of my life and having flareups.

not surprising that i’m seeing and hearing shit since not only have i hardly eaten in the past 7 months, ive literally slept twice in the past week after a whole year of unending sleep deprivation, and i have VERY FUCKING SEVERE SLEEP APNEA (i stopped breathing 378 fucking times my first overnight study, i have to have pressure at 18 or higher or i’ll wake up choking, or i just won’t wake up) which means if i don’t get at least 8 hours of cpap a night my brain is literally starving for oxygen at all times WHICH FUCKING MAKES YOU HALLUCINATE AND REALLY REALLY FUCKS UP YOUR BODY 

 i’ve stopped even trying to document it. just cats everywhere, glass tables appearing randomly, people coming around the corner to fucking kill me or scream at me or steal my shit, constant moving shadows of someone who’s definitely right the fuck there about to fuck me up, my friends lying on the floor hurt or dead, someone staring at me from the chair.... and i keep thinking i’m at one of the shelters or the place i was institutionalized when i was 16 or in houses i haven’t lived at for years and i literally cannot remember what period of my life i’m even in 99% of the time at this point, like this is the most lucid i have been in days and i still keep thinking the empty room is full of people. 

how in the fuck could i ever feel safe to sleep again??? how in the fuck. especially when the only place i can be right now is this fucking hotel where everything is filthy and covered in fragrance and the room is like 25 degrees with a broken/badly designed air conditioner and literally no fan in the fucking “accessible” bathroom. and the windows don’t open so there is no ventilation at all and i’m STILL having the MCAS reaction from when the cops grabbed me, as well as the fucking awful sunburn i got sitting in the full sun all day when i have severe heat intolerance and very very sensitive skin and was ALREADY covered in welts and hives. 

i want to rip my fucking skin off i want to vomit blood into the faces of everyone who did this to me

[funnynewsheadlines]

79 Times People Underestimated The Power Of The Sun And Got Seriously Sunburned

We’ve all been there. After telling ourselves SPF is for the weak, we dove headfirst into the boiling sun bath, furiously refusing any advice to put on sunscreen. It was all about getting that sun-kissed tan you’ve seen in “The Blue Lagoon.” And all the risks were worth taking.

The next day, the painful reality hits. Please welcome your torture for the next coming days, aka the redness, the soreness, the itchiness, the swollenness, you name it. As an additional bonus, you get unsolicited comments like “I told you,” “I knew it,” and “This is what you get if…”

Bored Panda has compiled a painfully funny list full of the unfortunate ones who got too badly sunburned, so you can relive the moment yourself. But this is a vicious circle. We all know the ice-cold “I told you” is likely coming back next summer.

#1 Not "Happy". Forgot Sunscreen On My Face, And Am Waiting For An X-Ray For A Rolled Ankle. Not Happy Jan. And Not So Fun Color Run

Image credits: mitchp88

#2 Never Sleep Outside With Cereal, Guys

Image credits: elley5sos

#3 My Friend Told Me That I Look Like A Popsicle Stick

Image credits: genuinlyinterested

#4 This Is Cade's Freshly Shaved Head After A Sunscreenless Few Hours Mowing A Field

Image credits: CadeHuckabay

#5 What Could Go Wrong If I Forget The Sunscreen?

Image credits: GENERALfreckles

#6 Trying To Even Out My Tan On My Lunch Break

Image credits: philfromchico

#7 When You Are From Arizona And Think 70 Degrees On The Beach In Cali Doesn't Require Sunscreen. I. Hurt

Image credits: slviiier

#8 Baseball Mom's Yoga Pants Worked Out Just Fine

Image credits: martlet1

#9 That's Why You Shouldn't Wear Jeans With Holes On Sunny Days

Image credits: OwnLeeYu

#10 This Is What You Get For Wearing Those Awful Things

#11 A Buddy Of Mine Seemed To Think Stick Sun Screen Was A Good Idea

Image credits: iwaspresidentonce

#12 Sunburn

While at SDCC 2013, I did my Aang cosplay, and after waiting in a line out in the sun I got a little burnt. Later on when I washed of the arrow I noticed it decided to stick around. Once the avatar always the avatar I suppose.

Image credits: kidkapelski

#13 The Difference Between Tanned And Untanned From My Leg To My Foot

Image credits: airboy1999

#14 Co-Worker Shaved His Head, Then Went Golfing, And Decided To Wear A Visor

Image credits: rayfin

#15 My Friends' First Time In The Florida Sun. Apparently It Was Also Their First Time Using A Spray-On Sunscreen

Image credits: mynickname86

#16 Someone Forgot His Sunscreen

Image credits: KinaGrace96

#17 Bought Some New White Fingerless Gloves

Image credits: igwvideo

#18 What Happens When You're Super White And You Walked Around All Day In A Shirt With Cutout Squares. And This Was With Multiple Applications Of Sunscreen

In hindsight, I probably should have worn a different shirt

Image credits: girlgonegreyyy

#19 This Is What Happens When You Go On A Bike Ride When It’s 100 Degrees Outside Without The Proper Sunscreen

Image credits: a2susan

#20 Who Needs A Farmer's Tan When You Can Get A Cavs Finals Hat Burn

Image credits: MarkdFL

#21 Finish Painting Deck - Check, Give Yourself Sunburn Tramp Stamp - Check

Image credits: jayeatsnachos

#22 My Husband's First Time Wearing Sandals Since Starting His New Asphalt Job

Image credits: kitkat7890

#23 Long Kayaking Trip + Belly Rolls = Most Inconsistent Sunburn Ever

Image credits: BustersHotHamWater

#24 Stubborn Husband Said He Didn't Need My Help Putting Sunscreen On His Back

Image credits: SugarHighBakedGoods

#25 The Tan Of My Hand Compared To My Foot

Image credits: MadoneXI

#26 Currently

Image credits: randompopcorn

#27 At Least It's Symmetrical

Image credits: Otis-B-Driftwood

#28 Tried Evening Out My Tan From The Other Day, Didn't Go So Well

Image credits: pooter7

#29 Met A Guy Last Summer That Fell Asleep In The Sun With His Phone On His Chest

Image credits: alpevado

#30 My Cousin’s Legs After A Day In The Sun In Ripped Jeans

Image credits: BigOrangeScrewed98

#31 Lesson Of The Day

Image credits: traseydb

#32 When People Ask Me Why I Want To Sit In The Shade I Show Them These Photos

Image credits: lewpreme

#33 I Get This Tan Line Every Year. A Result From My Job Outside Wearing The Same Uniform Everyday. The Tan Line Lasts Through The Winter

Image credits: svanderw12

#34 I Spent A Little Too Much Time Outside While Wearing 3/4 Pants

Image credits: CuriousityChrissy

#35 My Friend Refused To Ask For Help With Putting Sunscreen On, This Is The Result

Image credits: LilJrChicken

#36 This Tomato Man Looks Nearly Fake

Image credits: totallykeen

#37 It's More Than Just A Tan, Buddy

Image credits: Vituka

#38 Guess I Have A Sunburn Tattoo To Explain At Work Tomorrow And You Know What? Totally Worth It, Had So Much Fun My First Time Doing The Cosplay Parade At The Cherry Blossom Festival Today

Image credits: zankantou00

#39 Hiker’s Tan. At Least It’s Symmetrical

Image credits: joannasmall_doesitall

#40 "Just Spray It Quickly Dude, I Don't Need You To Rub It In"

Image credits: Dfro123

#41 My Cousin Got A Sunburn

Image credits: LetsFytingLove

#42 To All Bathing Suit Shoppers - Always Keep Tan (& Burn) Lines In Mind

Image credits: clairee_elysee

#43 Peace. Love. And Sunburns

Image credits: imgur.com

#44 Boys Need To Learn How To Do Spray Sunscreen

Image credits: proflj

#45 And There It Is... 3 Days In Full Sun, Clearly Not Enough Sun Protection, And A Big Forehead

Image credits: beadaddybear

#46 Covid Tan

Image credits: i_forgot_my_ADHD_

#47 Potato vs. Sunburn

Image credits: makirihanna

#48 Eah. Nice And Sunny Day! That’s How You Look After A 4h 35 Min. Run In The Sun

Image credits: runwiththeflow

#49 Twinning With The Tomato. Stupid Sunburn

Image credits: kelkaybpoetry

#50 Don't Forget To Use Sunscreen

Image credits: Raph3345

#51 I Got Band-Aid Tan Lines

Image credits: _Lily_Bear_23

#52 I Realized I Need To Lose Some Weight When I Sat Out In The Sun And My Manboobs Gave Me A "Bra" On My Sunburned Torso

Image credits: DorianOtten

#53 Best Hat Sunburn Line

Image credits: COverholster

#54 Top Tip - Don't Roll Your Ripped Jeans Up And Then Sit In The Sun For Two Hours Like My Sister Did

Image credits: jesskhan8

#55 A Green Tea Bath Was The Only Option After Being Brutally Sunburned In Australia, Then Having To Sit For 19 Hours On An Airplane Coming Back To The States

Image credits: Splizzy29

#56 Daughter's Sunburn Looks Like Patrick From Spongebob

Image credits: burner70

#57 Apparently My Adam's Apple Provided Just Enough Shade To Prevent A Small Portion Of My Neck From Getting Sunburned

Image credits: dmoney51

#58 "What Was The Biggest Mistake You Made In The Alps, Tim?" Suncream, Sunglasses, Spare Sunglasses

Image credits: tdobsonnet

#59 My Husband Got A Little Burnt. The Sun Missed A Couple Spots

Image credits: wlynn72

#60 Forgot To Rub In My Sunscreen Today

Image credits: Rowanjackson22

#61 Dad Texted Me And Said "Getting This Tan Was Quite A Feat." Ugh

Image credits: sloanesteel

#62 Me, Looking Like A Cooked Shrimp After Sitting Cross-Legged In The Sun For About An Hour

Image credits: Kelmeno

#63 This Crazy Tan

Image credits: allysonnnlenzz

#64 I Got Drunk And Forgot To Put Sunscreen On My Feet

Image credits: lambini-houdini

#65 Perfect Sunburn Spotted In My Facebook Feed

Image credits: nelskickass

#66 My Sister's Sunburn After A Day Of Outdoor Tournaments

Image credits: snoo0

#67 Did Someone Say Bad Sunburn?

Image credits: imgur.com

#68 Played Soccer. Forgot Sunscreen

Image credits: Winner_92

#69 Wore A Bandana Outside All Day After Buzzing My Head And Forgetting That Sunscreen Existed. Got This Sweet Tan Line

Image credits: 212495

#70 Noooooo! I’ve Made A Terrible Mistake

Image credits: vanessaholly

#71 I Got A Reallllllll Bad Sunburn. The Shirt I Was Wearing Had These Designs In The Sleeves So Now I Have Cool Designs On My Arms

Image credits: michelleerowee

#72 My First Bathroom Selfie. Because I May Be A Little Sunburn

Image credits: the_sethlewis

#73 Next Couple Days Are Gonna Be Rough

Image credits: chipptooth

#74 Yea Yea Forgot Sun Screen, But I Wore A Hat

Image credits: AuX2

#75 A Reminder To Wear Sunscreen On Your Face, All Day, Every Day

#76 Went To The Beach And Put Extra Sunscreen On My Tattoos To Be Safe. Guess I Forgot To Keep The Rest Of That Area Safe As Well

Image credits: Sons-and-Moons

#77 Well The Sunscreen Worked

Image credits: itsplanty

#78 Well... It's Sunburn Season

Image credits: Mike239223

#79 That's Fixable, Right?

from Funny – Bored Panda https://ift.tt/3iWAEzT via IFTTT from Blogger https://ift.tt/34gpKB1

[saltships]

Summer Guardian (jack x merida)

At Jack’s first Summer Solstice (party) since becoming Guardian he meets a peculiar Summer Guardian. They clash and they fight and they’re seemingly opposites but Jack just finds her fascinating.  

“Whoa--who’s that?” Jack asked, strawberry halfway to his mouth and blue eyes staring at the mess of red curls that just passed him. The wild curls of fiery hair were loose and kept getting in the way of a sunburned face with a spattering of freckles everywhere, with a pair of sharp summer blue eyes that seemed to look through rather than at everything and everyone. Jack bit into the strawberry, sweet flavor bursting on his tongue as he studied the girl. She was about his age, maybe a little older, at least that’s what he thought. Jack still wasn’t sure how old he was. 13? 14? 15? No older than 16 for sure but he was definitely no younger than 13. The girl was wearing an old fashioned blue dress, ripped at the skirt and every time she moved, freckled flesh would flash. The sight made his face hot, but considering the time he grew up it wasn’t all that surprising. On her feet were a pair of sturdy looking brown hunting boots, and strapped across her back was a quiver filled with homemade arrows and a hand carved bow. It was his first Summer Solstice, and there were plenty of Guardians he had never met but he was sure he would have remembered her.  Most Guardians were either much younger than him or much older, physically at least. Jack grabbed Tooth’s sleeve and tugged, pointing unashamedly at the girl who’s face suddenly started turning red with anger. “Who’s that?”

“Don’t point Jack, it’s rude,” the fairy scolds him gently. Tooth follows his finger nonetheless and upon seeing who he’s pointing to her face lights up. Tooth does a little mini twirl in the air, forcing him to let go of her wrist. She’s almost bouncing in midair as she chats excitedly, “That’s Merida! She’s one of the Summer Guardians.”

“Summer Guardians?” Jack jerked, looking at the fairy queen in surprise. “I thought we were the Guardians.”

“We are,” Tooth looked amused. “But it’s a big world Jack filled with a lot of people. We may be powerful and immortal but there’s only so much even we can do. Our team is Spring and Winter, loosely anyway but we focus on protecting kids. Their innocence and their fun before they have to grow up.  Merida is about the summer, about passion and protecting somebody's youth. No matter how old they are.”

“I’m gonna go say hi,” Jack straightened up, her explanation going over his head a little. There was an itch in his feet, he wanted to go over and introduce himself to her. She was the first person he had met in a long time that actually looked his age. 

“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea Jack,” Tooth stopped him before he could take a step. “You’re about as much of a Winter Spirit as you can get and Merida’s as much of a Summer Spirit as the sun itself. You guys are literally opposites, traditionally opposite spirits don’t...interact.”

“And when have I ever done things traditionally?” Jack asked, giving a sunny grin that made her brain fizz and sigh dreamily. When she got her bearings back he was already across the room. Tooth sighed and rubbed her eyes, well at least this Solstice Party won’t be boring much longer. 

“---and than I told him if he wants it, he’ll need to take it from meh!!” The girl laughed, the laughter of her friends joining her quickly as she threw her head back. As Jack came closer he saw the air around her shimmer and her outfit shifted in and out of view, before it changed permanently. Now she was wearing a pair of cut off jean shorts, flip flops and a gray tank top. Her hair was still loose and wild, and she still had her weapons slung across her chest. Her entire outfit made him feel like his face was on fire. He stuffed his hands self consciously in the pocket of his beat up hoodie. Jack shifted from foot to foot just on the outside of Merida and her little group. How was he going to approach her? He took another look at her and the way she looked---face open and joyful and practically fire red from all her laughter---gave him pause. Than he grinned slyly, an idea forming in his head. He stuck out one hand and quickly formed a snowball in his head, reeling back and throwing it. 

Splat!

It hit her dead center in the side of her head. Jack started laughing, loudly and without restraint. She looked ridiculous, melting snow in her hair---he was too busy laughing to notice that the snow as melting much, much, much faster than was normal---a sudden stiffness in her limbs. He looked up to catch a look on Merida’s face and----Oh was all his mind could think.

She looked pissed.

“You little fucker!! What the shite is wrong with you, you little pissant?!?!” Merida screeched, a Scottish burr he hadn’t noticed before deep in her voice and eyes flashing. Her hues suddenly reminded him of a typhoon or a hurricane. 

“Oh come on, that was funny. Admit it,” Jack grinned, leaning causally against his staff. This, he was used to. People being angry at him. He knew how to handle angry because even that was better than someone not knowing he existed.

“I can assure you it was not, you little shite gobbler,” Merida scowled, face turning an interesting shade of red. For his part, Jack’s ears were bright red from her course language. She stomped up to him---he noticed she was shorter than him, about 5′ 6″ to his 5′ 10″---and poked his chest. He resisted the urge to rub it, that hurt. “What is your problem? Just thought it would be funny to throw things at someone you’ve never talked to, let alone met?”

The way she said it, with her pink mouth pinched and hair like snakes writhing on her head, made his hackles raise. He went to grab her wrist as his mouth opened, “I was just trying to---ahhhh!!”

He let go of her wrist as if it had burned him, which it had. There was steam coming from where their skin had met, her wrist had an angry red imprint of his hand, and his palm almost looked like it was boiling.

“What the fuck?” Merida hissed, jerking her hand to her chest, sparks in her blue eyes. She looked at him, fixing Jack with a look that made his chest tighten. She looked afraid but at the same time...thrilled. She was breathing hard, the look on her face told him she wasn’t really all here. “I need to go.”

The next time Jack sees her, he’s crouching on a statue in the middle of some park in the middle of somewhere. It was well into spring but there was still a nip in the air, allowing him to be there. He was watching a couple of ten year old chasing each other, playing freeze and their carefree laughter ringing in the air. It bought a smile to his face and made his chest feel lighter. 

“You ever envy them?” Jack’s head snapped to the side to see Merida next to him, sitting on the shoulder of the statue and bare feet swinging back and forth. She was still wearing her cut off jean shorts and tank, but at this angle the swell of her thighs made him swallow. He focused quickly on her face. 

“What?”

“The kids, you ever feel jealous of them? They’re alive and we’re...not. They get to grow up and live their lives, they get to change and we’re stuck.”

“Speak for yourself,” Jack laughed, feeling the need to bring a little lightness to the sudden levity in the air. He blinked and suddenly he was in the form of a 10 year old him, complete with messy snow white hair and big blue eyes. He winked at her and suddenly he was back in his usual form. Merida goggled him, mouth hanging open a little. Something like pride swelled in his chest at the look she gave him. 

Pink lips pealed back to reveal teeth as she laughed. He noticed her teeth weren’t exactly the pearly whites of modern times. They weren’t horribly yellowed and mangled though, it looked as if she still had all her teeth and they looked white enough. Good genes also attributed to the straightness of them. When she was alive, Merida was either royalty or rich, Jack decided. Jack’s teeth, on the other hand, were almost gleamingly white. He couldn't remember what his teeth looked like when he was alive but he was assuming they only looked this white because of his powers. When the Moon brought him back, his powers seemed to wash out all his colors in a pale white-blue light. His skin, his hair, his eyes, his teeth. His teeth weren’t straight though, not horribly crooked but clearly out of alignment. You’re staring at her teeth Jack, and wasn’t that just the creepiest thought he’s had in a long time. He’s been hanging around Tooth and Baby too much.

“Can yeh turn inta somethin’ else?” Merida asked, eyes sparkling as she looked up at him. Jack shook his head, finding his voice had abandoned him. The excitement in her eyes waned slightly, “Oh...”

“But I can make stuff!!” Jack yelled, getting to his feet and hovering in front of her. He held a hand and concentrated, in a flurry of white snow a 3 inch tall snowflake suddenly appeared in the palm of his hand. He looked at her hopefully, wanting to impress her in a way that wasn’t unlike how he wanted to impress Manny or North or Tooth. 

“Whoa...can yeh make somethin’ else? Anything besides a snowflake?” Merida asked, eyes fixed on his creation curiously. 

“Yeah, I can make anything,” his powers were fueled by his imagination, if he could imagine it he could make it happen. The Guardian of Fun grinned at her, “Name it.”

“A bird,” Merida grinned back at him, an echo of a kid in her smile. With twitch of his fingers and another swirl of snow and it changed into a hummingbird, hovering inches above his palm. 

“A cat.” Another flurry and there was an all white tabby cat stretching out across his palm.

“Dolphin,” the tiny mammal did a flip midair.

“Gecko,” it winked one lazy eye at her.

“Snake,” a slow flick of a forked snow tongue.

“Dog,” it bowed to her in his palm, tail wagging.

“A horse.” Her voice sounded sad but he was too busy focusing to notice.

“A---a---a bear,” this time he did notice how hesitant her voice was. Jack looked up to catch the sad look on her face as she stared at the dancing bear in his palm.

“Are you okay Merida?” Jack asked, closing his palm and destroying his creation.

“I’m fine,” Merida shook her head, curls bouncing everywhere.

“Try again,” Jack frowned, crossing his arms and balancing his pale feet on his staff. 

“I said I’m fine Snowflake,” Merida scowled, face slowly getting redder. It was a little more than distracting if Jack was honest. Well, it would be distracting if he didn’t suddenly feel irrationally angry and irritated at her. 

“You’re a terrible liar,” Jack glared at her. It was true, her face was too expressive, she could never lie convincingly, not to mention he had the idea that she was unnecessarily blunt and would rather hurt someone’s feelings than lie to their face. Jack couldn’t lie even if he wanted too, his pale skin would heat up and it would look like he was suffering from heat stroke.

“Are you calling me a liar Frost?” Merida got her feet, balancing on the shoulder of the statue like it was nothing. 

“If the shoe fits,” he says sarcastically. 

“Fuck you Snowflake,” she snarled and with a bright flash of light she was gone.

“My name is Jack Overland,” he says to the empty air.

The next time he sees her, Jack is the one seeking her out. It’s been nearly a month since their encounter on the top of the statue in the park and it’s made his stomach twist uncomfortably every time. He doesn’t know why but the look on her face when she asked him to make a bear--equal parts pain and sadness and guilt---makes him feel personally guilty for it. 

She’s in a field, about 20 feet away from a group of three bulls-eye targets fixed in front of her. She’s back in that old timey blue dress he saw her in the first time. He didn’t notice before but there’s a rip that looks girl-made running up the side of her leg, flashing pale skin when she takes a step. She’s got an arrow notched in her bow, face serious and stance wide but relaxed. Jack watches Merida take a breath, than release the same time she exhales. It hits dead center.

Jack applauds her, loudly and it makes her whirl around, another arrow notched and pointed at him before he could even blink. Now he’s even more impressed. “That was awesome!”

“Thanks,” Merida said primly, lowering the weapon, but he can tell she’s pleased by his compliment. She cocked her head to the side, the argument they had the last time they met seemingly forgotten in her mind. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh you know---just taking in the sights,” he says causally, leaning against his staff. He can’t stay here long, the heat is already starting to get to him and he feels deeply uncomfortable. Like there are needles poking into every inch of skin painfully and like he’s wearing four layers too much in 95 degree heat. But Jack can’t just leave things how they were the last time they met. “How old are you?”

“Don’t know you you’re never supposed to ask a lady real age,” she says sharply but with no real bite. 

“Oh come on, I’ll tell you my age,” Jack goads, never mind the fact that he didn’t actually know his real age.

“Don’t you have amnesia?” Which apparently she knew about, darn.

“My spirit age,” he covers with a little smirk.

“Fine, I’m 535 years old, give or take a few decades. Now how old are you Snowflake?” Merdia asked, quick to turn on him.

“You’re a lot older than me, I’m surprised I’ve never heard of you.”

“I’ve heard of you. The Guardian of Fun and a troublemaker from what I’ve heard,” her eyes sweep him up and down. He feels pinned by those blue eyes. She smirked, “Too bad I haven’t seen anything to prove it.”

Jack leaned forward, his own blue eyes sparking with delight. “Is that a challenge?”

“You tell me,” Merida grins suddenly and he finds himself suddenly not minding the heat as much anymore.