#so i changed the jewelry on Thursday and long story short i had to have it removed

[marsmalade]

i did NOT know rook piercings were little bitches

[writingsforanyone]

Forgotten Fling 4/7

pairing: Y/N x Brett Talbot

warnings: alcohol, a few swear words, blood

A/N: here's part 4!! just to clarify: in this story, Brett and Y/N are both a year older than Liam, and a year younger than Scott and the others. also, italics is a memory. part 5 will be up in the few days, enjoy!

++++++++++++

You were fixing your makeup in the mirror that was hanging in your locker, waiting for the bell to ring for your 6th period, when your light source was suddenly blocked. You looked over to see Brett leaning against the locker next to yours, blocking the window you were using for light.

“Excuse me, you’re blocking my light.”

“You look fine, you don’t need the light,” Brett said with his signature smirk.

“Funny,” you said sarcastically, moving to get your necessary books out of your locker.

“So. Winter Formal is coming up,” Brett said, changing the topic.

“That it is,” you said, checking your makeup one more time with the little light you had left.

“We going together?” Brett asked, as if the answer would be obvious. You finally shut the locker door before saying,

“You want me to go to Winter Formal with you?” Again, Brett nodded as if it was obvious, but his face changed to one of confusion as you started to walk away backwards.

“Then you’re going to have to ask me the right way,” you said with a smirk and wink before turning around and heading to your 6th period History class. You and Brett had your morning classes together, but your afternoon classes were different, so you settled with sneaking an occasional text. 

A few minutes before your class ended, you felt your phone vibrate in your pocket, and when the teacher wasn’t looking, you pulled it out. You noticed it was a text from Brett which read,

Are you going to be here after I get out of practice?

        I can be

You should

You smiled down at your phone before putting it away. You knew that Brett knew you had to pick Liam up from lacrosse practice, but you didn’t say anything for his sake.

______________

You had been at home for the last 2 hours, doing your homework while you waited for Liam to be out of practice. You had long since changed out of your Devenford Prep uniform, which consisted of a khaki skirt, white long sleeve shirt and tie, with a purple sweater vest over top. You had changed into white sweatpants and and a matching white crewneck, wanting to be warm since it was getting colder outside. You checked your phone and saw that it was already 5:15, and that you needed to leave soon. Lacrosse practice typically ended around 5:30, but most of the team liked to shower in the locker rooms before leaving, including Brett and Liam. You went ahead and got up, pulling on a pair of shoes and grabbing your purse and keys, and headed out the door.

When you pulled into the Devenford Prep parking lot, you saw the lacrosse team heading into the locker rooms, which meant you had about 15 minutes until Liam and Brett came out. You weren’t sure why Brett had specifically wanted you to be here today, but you were impatiently waiting to find out. You scrolled through your phone and listened to music, and exactly 15 minutes later, you saw a freshly showered Brett Talbot walk out of the locker room. He started heading for his car and you watched him throw his bags into the trunk, before he moved to grab something out of the backseat. He hid something behind his back, but you weren’t sure what it was. By that point you had gotten out of your car and were leaning against it, waiting for Brett to walk over to you. He eventually made his way over to where you were standing, and when he was right in front of you, he said,

“Look who decided to show up.”

“Well, I wanted to see what was so important,” you said

“It has nothing to do with picking your brother up?” he said with a laugh.

“Only a little bit,” You said cheekily. Brett chuckled again before reaching out with the hand that wasn’t behind his back, and grabbing yours. 

“So, Winter Formal is coming up,” he started to say, just the way he had earlier in the day.

“And I was wondering if you would do me the honor of coming with me,” he finished as he pulled out a bouquet of roses from behind his back. You gasped at the sight of them, and you looked back up at him before saying,

“I would love too”

Brett smiled as you took the roses from him and smelled them. He remembered you saying roses were your favorite flowers a while back, which prompted him to use the 20 minutes he had in between the end of school and the start of practice to go get them. You turned to place the flowers on the top of your car momentarily, when you felt two hands on your waist. Brett turned you around and lightly pushed you up against the car, leaning down to catch your lips in a soft kiss. You wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him back, relishing in the moment. When Brett pulled away, he leaned his forehead against yours and asked in a low voice,

“Did I do okay?”

“You did perfect,” you responded, leaning up to kiss him again. The two of you continued kissing for a few minutes before Brett’s phone rang. When he pulled away and pulled out his phone, you saw your brother’s name on the screen and said,

“What a surprise, Liam ruining the moment.” Brett chuckled and answered the phone, but before he could get a word in, you heard Liam say,

“Can I come out now?” You and Brett both laughed before Brett said,

“Yeah you can come now,” before hanging up.

“You made him wait in there??” you asked him, trying to seem angry but failing as the giggles fell from your lips.

“Well yeah, how awkward would it have been if I asked you to the dance and your little brother is standing right next to us?” He answered.

“Good point,” you said, before grabbing his waist and pulling him down for another kiss. After a few more minutes, you heard a voice from behind Brett say, 

“Get a room.” You and Brett pulled away and you peered over Brett’s shoulder and saw Liam walking up to the two of you.

“Did you do it?” Liam asked Brett as he put his bags in the trunk of your car. You took this opportunity to take the roses off the top of your car and lay them down in your backseat.

“Would I be making out with your sister right now if I hadn’t?” Brett said.

“Gross,” Liam said, getting into the passenger seat. You rolled your eyes and looked back over at Brett, who was already looking down at you.

“Promise me I’ll see you tomorrow?” Brett asked. Tomorrow was Thursday, so you would obviously see him at school, but once again for his sake, you didn’t say anything. You nodded, and he leaned down to give you one final kiss before he leaned up and kissed your forehead. You said your goodbyes and he headed to his car and you got in yours, starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

“Why don’t you two finally just get together?” Liam asked out of the blue.

“What?” you asked.

“You and Brett. Why don’t you guys just date already?”

“It’s not like that Liam.”

“Sure looks like it to me, And everyone else for that matter.” Liam said, rolling his eyes. You rolled your eyes as well, not knowing where Liam pulled this from. You hadn’t said a word to anyone about how you truly felt about Brett, and you definitely hadn’t said anything to Liam about it. Besides, you knew the feelings weren’t mutual, and that Brett didn’t want a label, so why ruin what you and Brett had going?

_______________

You were putting the finishing touches on your look for the night: lipstick, jewelry, and shoes, when you heard a knock at your door. You heard your mom open the door and greet Brett, before striking up a conversation. Your family knew Brett not only because of you, but because of Liam and the lacrosse team also. You looked in the mirror one last time: you were wearing a short, navy blue, sequined bodycon dress, and black heels and clutch to go with it. You had curled your hair and done a full face of makeup, and you admitted it: you looked good. You were in the process of putting your phone and the rest of your belongings into your clutch, when you heard your mom yell up the stairs,

“Y/N! Brett’s here!”

“Coming!” you yelled back. You grabbed the rest of your things and closed your door, walking down the hallway to the staircase. You slowly made your way down, and when you saw Brett, you took in a breath. He looked ravishing. In his navy blue dress pants and buttoned blazer, and white button down underneath, he looked amazing. He wasn’t wearing a tie, and he had the first two buttons of his shirt undone. He didn’t realize you were coming down the stairs because he was talking to your parents, and when he finally heard your heels on the stairs, he turned to you. You watched his jaw drop, and then he said,

“Wow. You look incredible.” You smiled at him and said, 

“Well you don’t look too bad yourself.”

You made your way down the rest of the stairs, and your mom looked at the both of you and said,

“Oh don’t you two just look so cute!” This caused your step-dad to come out of the living room and say,

“Hey Brett how are you?” He reached out and Brett shook his hand before saying,

“I’m good sir how are you?”

“I’m doing pretty good. Do you plan on taking care of my step-daughter tonight?”

“That’s good to hear, and yes sir, I do.” That’s when your mom cut in and said,

“Okay okay let me get a picture of you two!” You rolled your eyes but smiled at the same time, moving over to the front of the staircase, and Brett came and stood next to you, putting his arm around your waist and pulling you closer to him. Your mom took multiple pictures, calling the two of you ‘cute’ or ‘adorable’ with every picture.

“The both of you should put ‘Embarrassing my child: 16 years of experience,’ on your resumé’s. It would fit perfectly,” you said after your mom was through. Brett laughed, and your step-dad chimed in a said,

“Well that is our job.”

“Very funny,” you said. 

“Okay, on another note, your mother and I are leaving for night shifts at the hospital in an hour, and we’re dropping Liam off at Mason’s on the way. When you get home, make sure you lock the door and set the alarm,” your mom said.

“I will. I’ll text you when I get home,” you responded. With that, you said goodbye to your parents and yelled up the stairs,

“Bye Liam!” to which you got no response.

“Okay, cranky.” you mumbled under your breath. Brett chuckled and led you our of the front door, his hand resting on your lower back. When you were out of hearing and viewing range from your family, he said,

“You look beautiful.” You smiled and pulled him in by his blazer and said,

“You look incredibly dashing as well,” before leaning up and kissing him. He kissed you back, and when he pulled away, he opened the passenger door for you, and you got in. He went around the car and got in, before turning on the car and pulling off. He plugged his phone in and played some music, your favorite songs to be exact. He grabbed your hand with the one that wasn’t steering and laced your fingers through his, before pulling your hand up and kissing the back of it. The two of your talked about anything and everything on the way to the school, and when you got to the dance, the two of you danced the night away, having the time of your life

____________

You pulled Brett inside your house and locked the door, setting the alarm before you both made your way upstairs.

“Won’t the alarm go off whenever I leave?”

“Not if you go out the window,” you responded with a wink, pulling him into your room and closing the door. He let go of your hand and grabbed your waist, pulling you flush against him. He leaned down and kissed you, hard, and you kissed him back. His blazer had made his way to your body as the night got colder, and you slipped it off and threw it on the bed. The two of you blindly made your way to the bathroom, not once stopping the kiss. Brett pulled you into the bathroom and finally broke the kiss, spinning you around so you were looking at him in the mirror. He started kissing your neck, slowly making his way down to your shoulder. His hands snaked up your back and slowly unzipped your dress, letting it drop to the floor. He looked to you in the mirror and said, 

“I’ve been wanting to get you out of this dress all night.” 

He spun you back around and you leaned up to kiss him, moving your hands to unbutton his shirt and slipping it off of his shoulder in the process. Brett moved his hands from your waist to under your butt and tapped your leg, signally for you to jump. You jumped and wrapped your legs around his waist, not once breaking the kiss. Brett led you to your room and laid you on the bed, and the two of you spent your time blurring the line between friends with benefits, and two people in love, all night.

You opened your eyes and rolled over, having been woken up by your dreams yet again. Your dreams had started occurring every night, always a memory that you shared with Brett. 6 months. It had been 6 months since the deadpool ended, 6 months since you last saw Brett, and 6 months of you having these dreams. Liam and Mason had started sophomore year, you started junior year, and the rest of your friends had all started their senior year. You hadn’t told anyone about the dreams, not even Liam. You didn’t want your friends to think you were crazy, or that you were holding onto something that wasn’t there anymore. 

It was Saturday, and you had nothing to get up for expect for your plans tonight. You were going to Sinema, a new club that had opened in Beacon Hills a few weeks ago. You hadn’t had a chance to go yet, but you were excited to check it out tonight. Since you didn’t have plans for the rest of the day, you simply got out of bed to brush your teeth and wash your face, before getting back in bed and putting on your favorite show to watch until tonight came.

______________

You pulled your dress down as your walked towards the front door of Sinema with 2 of your friends from school. You got in the line and eventually showed the bouncer your fake ID, and he let you in. Your first impression of the club was loud and bright. You made your way around the club, pushing your way around people until you made it to the bar. You talked with your friends for a little bit, before the three of you went your separate ways. You weren’t driving tonight, so you ordered a drink from the bar, praying your ID passed with the bartender. It did, and by the time you were on your second drink, you were tipsy enough to be enjoying yourself. That is, until you saw your little brother and his best friend walking up to you.

“What the hell are you two doing here?” you asked them, not particularly wanting to know, but figuring it was best to ask.

“How the hell did you get that?” Liam said, pointing to your drink.

“I asked you first,” you responded.

“Hayden let us in,” Mason said.

“Hayden? As in the Hayden that Liam punched in 6th grade?”

“That’s the one,” Mason said, before Liam cut him off and said,

“Now how did you get the drink?”

“It’s called a fake ID. And don’t be so loud, if the bartender hears you I’m screwed,” you responded, rolling your eyes.

“Did you come here with Brett?” Liam asked hesitantly.

“What? No, I came with Y/F/N and Y/F/N. Why do you ask?”

“Well…he’s right over there so I had too,” Liam said, gesturing behind him. You looked over his shoulder and saw Brett dancing with a girl and another boy. You stared for a second too long, before Mason nudged you and said,

“You good?” You rolled your eyes and turned back around, saying,

“I need another drink.” You sat back down at the bar and ordered one from the bartender as Liam and Mason walked away, assuming that you wouldn’t want to be bothered anymore. You had no idea how you didn’t see that he was here whenever you were walking around, and you really hoped that he hadn’t seen you. You downed your third drink and decided to get up and dance, hoping that the crowd would hide you from Brett. You started moving to the beat and dancing around, letting loose to the music. You had been dancing for about 10 minutes when you felt someones hands on your waist pulling you in. You turned around and saw a boy behind you that you didn’t recognize. You tried to walk away when he grabbed your arm and pulled you back into him.

“Dude, let go of me,” you said.

“Come dance with me sweetheart,” he drawled out, obviously very drunk.

“I don’t want to dance with you, let me go,” you said again, trying to yank your arm out of his grip. He didn’t say anything else, he just kept pulling you into to him, and by this point you had had enough. Right when you were about send your knee into his groin, you saw a livid Brett Talbot appear right in front of you. Brett grabbed the boy by the collar and lifted him up, saying,

“I believe she told you to let go.”

“What’s it to you?”

“You’re not gonna touch her again, you hear me?”

“What are you, her boyfriend or something?” That was a bad idea. Brett dropped the boy’s collar and he dropped to his feet. Brett swung first and hit the guy in the nose, knocking him out with one hit. The boy fell to the floor unconscious, and no one moved to help him. You hadn’t realized Brett had come up to you until he was right in front of you.

“I guess it’s my turn to say thank you,” you said looking up at him. He chuckled before saying, 

“You don’t have to thank me for that. Are you okay?”

“Yeah I’m good.”

“Good.” The two of you proceeded to stand there in silence, not saying a word and avoiding eye contact for the next few minutes, until you said,

���How did you know that I needed help?” Brett looked down at you and he seemed to be contemplating how to answer the question. After a few moments he said,

“I heard your heartbeat.”

“Over all of these people?” you asked. Brett once again hesitated before answering,

“Your heartbeat is always the loudest one in the room.” You averted your gaze to the ground and tried to contain your smile, but failed, and you looked back up at him and said,

“Thank you again.”

“I told you, you don’t have to thank me for that. How have you been?” he said.

“Well, I haven’t gotten shot recently so I’d say I’ve been pretty good. How about you?” you responded.

“Well, I haven’t had any professional assassins try to kill me lately so I’d say I’ve been pretty good,” he said, mimicking your previous answer. You both laughed lightly, not sure how to feel or react that the fact that you two were actually having a normal conversation for the first time in over a year. That is, conversations that don’t involve one of you yelling at the other, or one of you almost dying. Right as you were about to say something else, Brett’s head whipped around so fast you thought he would get whiplash.

“What is it?” you asked him, slightly concerned.

“Mason,” he said, before running towards the back of the club. You ran after him, weaving in between people and trying not to hit anyone. When you caught up to Brett, you saw him pull the boy that Mason was kissing away from him, and throw him across the room. You ran up next to Mason, and Brett turned around to the both of you and said,

“Run.” 

“No! I’m not leaving you here with him!” you yelled out, but it was no use. Brett, who was now in werewolf form, and the boy, whose eyes were solid black and who had scorpion stingers protruding all over his body, had started fighting. You watched as the two boys fought, and eventually the scorpion boy, whose name was Lucas, had Brett pinned against a metal bar. He swung his arm across Brett’s torso and slashed his scorpion stingers into Brett’s body. Right as he was going to hit him again, you saw Liam fly across the room and tackle him. You took the chance and ran over to Brett.

“Oh my god,” you said. Brett was bleeding a significant amount of blood from his stomach, and you moved your hands to his stomach to try to stop what you could.

“What is that thing?” Brett said through gritted teeth. 

“I have no idea, but whatever he is, he cut you really deep,” you said frantically.

“I’ll heal,” he said. You both turned and watched the rest of the encounter. You hadn’t noticed Scott or Kira arriving, but you saw Liam throw Lucas on the ground on last time, and the fight seemed to stop. Out of nowhere, you saw Kira, who was now engulfed in a fox-like silhouette, pull her sword out. She yelled something in Japanese and swung her sword down towards Lucas. Scott grabbed her wrist and stopped her moments before she would have cut Lucas in half. The whole room went silent as the fox went away and Kira was back to normal. Scott looked over at you and Brett and asked,

“Is everyone okay?” You didn’t respond, only looking at Brett and waited for his response. He nodded at Scott before looking at you and saying,

“I’m okay.”

“We need to get him out of here. Liam, give me a hand,” you heard Scott say. Just as the boys were about to pick Lucas up, an arrow shot through his stomach, seemingly coming from the ceiling. Everyone looked up, and your eyes widened at the sight of the Dread Doctors.

“Why did you do that?” Scott yelled.

“His condition was terminal,” The first Dread Doctor said.

“What does that mean?” Scott yelled again.

“Failure.” With that, the Doctors turned around and disappeared. You diverted your attention back to Brett. Apparently, you were visibly freaking out, and Brett could tell. He grabbed your hands and pulled them away from his stomach, showing you that he was already starting to heal.

“Hey, I’m already healing. See?” You nodded, before looking back to his shirt. You brought your hand to the hem of his shirt slowly before saying,

“Can I?” 

Brett nodded, and you lifted his shirt up to get a better view of his stomach. You saw that the scratches were already starting to heal, and looked better than they had moments before. 

“I’m going to be okay, I promise,” Brett said, reassuring you. You nodded again, pulling his shirt down and standing up. You stuck you hands out, motioning for Brett to get up. He smiled up at you and put his hands in yours. You pulled him up and he stumbled a bit, but you caught him and managed to steady him. 

“Hey. Look at me,” Brett said. You looked up at him and he smiled before saying,

“Thank you.”

“For what? I didn’t do anything,” you responded.

“For being here.” You looked down, trying to contain your smile for the second time that night, before you nodded.

“I can’t have you dying on my watch. Now come on, let’s get out of here.” you said to him. You led him out of the back door, where you saw his car parked in the lot. You led him over to it, Brett leaning some of his weight on you. He felt fine now, but he relished in the feeling of you holding onto him, and he didn’t want it to disappear so soon. Once you got over to the car, you asked him,

“How are you feeling?”

“Better. I think it’s pretty much healed,” he responded.

“Are you going to be able to drive home?” you asked.

“Yeah I’ll be fine.” You nodded and let go of his waist, taking a step back.

“Promise me you’re going to be okay?” you asked one more time. You didn’t even realize what you said when it came out of your mouth, but you couldn’t take it back. You and Brett used to have a habit of saying ‘promise me…’ for even the smallest things, and it slipped out like a force of habit. Brett realized it too, and you swear you could see a hint of pink come up on his cheeks, but maybe you were just seeing things. 

“I promise. Hey,” he said, gesturing behind you. Liam and Mason were standing by Mason’s car and they seemed to be waiting on you. You nodded at them, before turning back around to Brett. 

“I’ll see you around?” Brett asked.

“Yeah,” you said with a soft smile, before turning around and walking towards the car. Liam had left the front seat open for you, and before you got in, something in you head told you to turn around. You turned back to look at Brett, and saw that he was already staring at you. He smiled at you, and you smiled back, both of you finally feeling like you were starting to patch up the brokenness that was your complicated relationship.

[x0401x]

Jeweler Richard Fanbook Short Story #12

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Suit Story

If you went through Ginza’s Main Street from 7-chome to 1-chome, the change in the city’s atmosphere would shock you. Bulgari, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Chanel. Felt like you could play shiritori with these high-class brand names. It was a fun neighborhood to stroll around during Christmas season, as all the stores would come up with elaborate plans for the decorative lights, but it was currently autumn. The store most closely related to me in these vicinities was the long-established stationery store where I went to buy stationery. It was, however...

“Please raise your arms a little more.”

“All right.”

“Pull your chin back a bit. Yeah, that’s great.”

“Haah. Is this really right?”

“Of course. Might be hard, but please do relax.”

For whatever reason, I was across the street from the stationery store, practically in front of it, on the second floor of a branded men’s fashion store originally from England. On the walls of this mysterious-gentleman-themed space, which housed a bar counter and even a huge aquarium, there were clusters of business suits, pants and waistcoats with basting threads attached to them in conspicuous spots.

It was a place for taking measurements for custom-made stuff.

I couldn’t get over the feeling that this was some kind of mistake. Wasn’t this the stationery store? The place where you could buy vanilla-colored envelopes for 30 yen each? Or illustrated writing paper with seasonal vibes, or pens.

“Seigi, you are too nervous.”

“Nakata-san is such an imp, but so are you.”

Leaning against the bar counter, Richard shrugged his shoulders, indicating possibility.

Today was Thursday. Having been called by Richard, who said he wanted to ask me to do some odd job, I went over to the front of Etranger, and then we came to this store in the green jaguar. Just when I thought he was gonna make me hang with him for shopping, the man on the driver seat hastily took out his phone, showing me a video letter from my dad, Nakata-san.

“Seigi, congrats on your graduation. I wanted to go suit shopping with you, but I’m in Jakarta, so I’ll be borrowing Richard-san’s assistance for that. Seems like people are getting them custom-made lately. Make sure to buy a good one. Well, see ya.”

Richard had watched over me in the passenger seat as my eyes got wet, but the tears drew back in when we stepped into the store.

While talking lightheartedly about the difference between English and Italian suits, the young clerk, who wasn’t all too apart from me in age, smoothly took my body measurements with a measuring tape and showed me countless textures.

“You can also choose the lining. What should we do about the pockets?”

When I started getting dizzy, said man, who was like a page of suits, began giving me suggestions from behind. I had nowhere to run. I was really going to have my suit made here. As I picked a charcoal-gray suit with blue lining, Richard quickly told me that tanzanite cuffs would look very nice in it. Of course, I was thinking the exact same thing.

By the moment that the Onii-san finished the measuring and disappeared into the back of the store to take notes, I heaved a deep sigh. “This kinda stuff’s been happening a lot lately. All I ever do is receive.”

When I said that, Richard laughed, giggles ringing up his throat.

Richard had two types of smiles, and whenever he raised his voice while laughing, if I refused to back down, he’d often give me a word of advice of some sort. When it was a silent smile, I’d feel like he was telling me in some way to “reflect about myself”, which would make me a bit anxious, but I liked both.

Walking up next to me as I stood in front of the mirror, Richard grinned. “It is no longer guaranteed that your body will grow out of your clothes. Isn’t it fun to sometimes purchase slightly larger clothes and try to wait for your body’s growth?”

“Feeling like this talk doesn’t have the ‘sleep well and drink milk’ kinda nuance to it.”

The reply was a smile. How strange. Richard’s face was right at my left side, but the smile in the mirror was looking directly at me. Clad in a double-button slender silhouette suit, his figure was perfect no matter from what angle I looked at it, like an extraordinarily fine jewel, so my own figure as I tensed up beside him appeared even weirder.

“Hey, Richard, I kinda have the feeling that suits are like the base metals of jewelry.”

“Are you referring to the foundation parts of rings, earrings and such?”

I nodded. The base metal was the metal part that formed the foundation for attaching gemstones to jewelry. In stores, people would often memorize the materials and call them by their names, such as gold base metal or platinum base metal.

It was a part that never played the leading role in Etranger, which handled accessories with gemstones on them. But it’d be hard to wear jewelry on the body without it, and it was also a part that allowed people to express their particularities regarding the materials, durability and design. Whether they would be prominent or not depended on the basis. Erm, this was probably what a jeweler from Kyoto that I was acquainted with would say. The contrary was also possible.

“Gotta psyche myself up. If I don’t become someone that won’t lose to this suit, I’d feel bad.”

“This is my personal opinion, but there is nothing more tiring to look at than a jewelry in which the gem and base metal are at rivalry with one another. What you should emphasize is the harmony. Just because you use the finest high-grade eggs and milk as ingredients, it does not mean you will create the best pudding – is that not the same thing?”

“Ah...”

When I replied that, indeed, high-end ingredients were often strongly in demand, the beautiful man nodded with an “exactly as you say”. By the looks of it, those were the sweets that he was into lately. I hadn’t been able to take time some for it at all due to being busy, but I decided to make pudding again one of these days and offer to him. Despite having a wallet that enabled him to eat as many high-grade desserts as he wanted, Richard would always be delighted anew no matter how many of them I made, which made me believe that, as one would expect, he had a talent for pleasing people. I was grateful for his existence.

“Both suits and jewelry are goods that exist for the sake of their owners. The initiative is clear from the start. You must handling it skillful and comfortably, not fight against it. That is why it is custom-made.”

“So you’re also ‘skillfully handling’ the clothes you’re wearing right now?”

“Evidently. Enough that I do not know anymore at what point it ends and I begin.” With that said, Richard sleekly patted his suit. I wanted to try saying that too someday.

We exchanged glances not through the mirror but directly.

When the clerk Onii-san came back, the measuring recommenced. I got kind of embarrassed as he praised me, saying I was well-relaxed.

   “Seigi-kun, good work! Wow, that suit looks really great on you.”

“Thanks, Tanimoto-san. Uh, this print on your furisode, could it be—”

“I was told it’s a modern type of print, but yep, it’s kinda like...”

“It looks like a bismuth crystal!”

With a face that said, “I know, right”, a dandy crease formed under her eyes, which were just a bit more on-the-mark than usual. Her bob-cut hair was the same as always, her cream-colored hakama paired with a yellow-green and dark blue furisode, which bore a mysterious geometric pattern print. On top of being cute, it was unique. She said it was rented, but I got emotional upon finding out there was a furisode that was so much like her.

As for me, I was wearing a double-button English suit that fit my body extremely well. It was a little embarrassing, but the creatures called college boys were more or less the same kind of individuals as myself, so they weren’t too mindful of their male friends’ clothes. Only one of them, who had found employment in the apparel industry, said that “the suit Nakata’s wearing is so nice”.

It was the graduation ceremony of Kasaba University. We gathered in the excessively large auditorium for all but an instant, and once we had our diplomas in hand, it was the beginning of a rapid shooting party, where we took pictures with our preferred friends in spaces near the auditorium. Tanimoto-san came running over to the spot near the central library, where we had decided to meet up.

“Seigi-kun, really, congrats. Things might get hard from now on, but if it’s you, everything will definitely be okay.”

“Thank you. I’ll do my best. I don’t think I’m that big of a deal, though...”

“That’s not true. I know very well how awesome you are.”

I played around a little and bowed my head, also congratulating Tanimoto-san for her graduation, she laughed with a “huhuhu”, looking happy.

She had passed in teaching and she would officially be a middle school science teacher starting this April. She fulfilled the dream that she had told me about when we were in our second year of undergrad. So cool. She had laughed when I said I wanted to take her classes if it were ever possible, but now I knew her video communication address, so it might be that I could actually get to attend her lectures at least once. Even if I were no longer living in Japan.

“Tanimoto-san, the school you’re assigned to is...”

“In Okayama Prefecture. It’s famous for the Katsuta Group of vicarya fossils. Compared to you, it’s next-door.”

In a few days, my address would change from Japan to Sri Lanka. I was going to be a jeweler apprentice. I had been told that I would often have to move around in rough dress, so sure enough, I was going to dedicate myself to wearing formal stuff for the time being. It was a bit of a waste, but Nakata-san and Richard had probably given me a chance to wear this kind of thing because they knew about that.

I could hear a voice in the distance calling, “Shouko~”. It was apparently a friend of Tanimoto-san’s. She waved at them in response.

“Seigi-kun, y’know... I think I was very lucky to meet you in this university. Literally thank you. Thanks to you, university was always fun.”

“Those are all my lines. But Tanimoto-san, I only ever gave you trouble.”

“If you’re gonna say that, same goes for me. I feel like you’ve granted me many opportunities. Seriously, thank you.”

When she smiled, saying she was going to do her best, she looked really cute. Neither of us had any familiarity with Okayama, but surely, she would actively pave the way with her own strength no matter where she was. And on her days off, she would go out to the Katsuta Group to dig up fossils.

“From now on too, if there’s anything I can help you with, I want you to tell me. I’ll do anything. If you run into any weirdo, I’ll get on a plane and come give them a beating.”

“Me too; if anyone ever messes up with you, Seigi-kun, I’ll take my crack hammer and go finish them off. Look forward to it. Ah, Aki told me that a sniper rifle suits me better, apparently?”

“I-I wonder.”

After that, we talked for a while, seated on an inconspicuous bench, and when it was finally time, she told me to at least take care of my body, offering me her hand. I nodded and squeezed it back. Her hand was small but very strong.

“Take care of your body, at the very least. May the blessings of the stones fall upon you.”

“Thank you. You too.”

We bowed deeply, taking pictures with each other while we were at it, and once we were done with the commemorative photoshoot, in which the two of us kept a moderate distance from one another, we parted ways. Students here and there were hugging intensely and wailing, but neither she nor I were that type, and I didn’t think this would be farewell for a lifetime. We would definitely get to see each other from now on too.

However, this was our last time seeing each other while we were students. After the handshake, my angel waved her hand with a “see you”, even more brightly than an actual angel.

Later on, having finished looking around for the friends that I could call friends and going on a tour to tell them “thank you for everything until now”, lastly, I sent a brief text. Not to Richard. To Nakata-san and Hiromi.

“I was able to graduate from university without problems. Thank you very much, truly. I will be in your care from now on too.”

Rather than a greeting, it turned into a notice to announce my renewed determination. The stylish suit indeed gave off an extraordinary feeling of fittingness, but I couldn’t think I was fully used to it. Obviously. It finished being made just a while ago. It would start from here. If it would take on my shape the more I wore it, then I would make sure to wear it steadily to my own liking.

What mattered was the harmony, he had said.

While smoothly stroking the suit, which I still couldn’t deem as anything other than formal wear, as if I were stroking my favorite gemstone, I seared the contrast of cherry blossom petals against the blue sky into my eyes.

[atlafan]

Take it Slow - Part Sixty-Three

a/n: okay this is my first shot at a harry:y/n fic, and it will be multiple parts. y/n had a bad experience with an ex over a year ago, and finally accepts her coworker and good friend Niall’s invitation to go on a blind date with his friend Harry.

Warnings: TW. - THE R-WORD IS USED IN THIS PART! Fluff and Smut.

Masterpost (all previous parts can be found in the masterpost)

Sunday morning Harry got up to start editing the photos. He dug up an old album he never used so he could place them in there for you once they were printed. He wanted you to sleep so he could get everything done. The photos were incredible. He thought you looked stunning. He edited them so they were all black and white and touched up some other things. He started printing them when he heard you walking around downstairs.

“Harry?” You call for him sleepily.

“Up here babe, be down in a minute!”

Once the pictures are dry enough he fills up the album. He sees you curl up on the couch with a cup of coffee. He comes down and plops right next to you.

“They’re all done. Wanna see?”

“How early did you get up to do this?”

“Early…I was too excited.” He chuckles.

“Okay, lemme see.”

You lean into him and he opens the album. You mouth falls open when you look at the pictures. He did an amazing job.

“You’re so talented Harry, I actually like the way I look!”

“That’s all you, babe, you’re gorgeous.” You kiss him on the cheek.

“Oh my god!” You gasp at the ones of you touching yourself. “I’m not awake enough for this.” You laugh. “I’m gonna go put this away in my closet, okay? It’ll be easy for you to find while I’m away. Thank you so much for doing this for me.”

“Anytime.”

//

Your week with Mark was easier. He kept his distance as much as he could.

“So, you have a half day today?” He asks you Friday morning. He couldn’t help but look at your butt in your jeans.

“Yup, I have to pack and then my mom is spending the night with us so we can get to the airport easier tomorrow.” You pull some sheets of paper from a file folder. “Here’s what I’ll need you to work on next week while I’m gone. Niall has a copy too and he will be checking in.”

“I don’t need to be babysat. What do I do if I finish all this?”

“Go see Niall, he’ll have work for you.”

“Do you ever have fun here, like ever?”

“I have fun all the time, with Niall, because he’s my friend. You, Mark, are not my friend.”

“Yeah, you’ve made that plenty clear.” He huffs.

“Good, that was my intention.” You give him a fake smile.

“You could try to warm up to me, I’m not a bad guy. We’re going to be working together for a while longer.” You scoff at him.

“You burned your bridge with me a long time ago.”

“Are you sure that’s it? Or are you afraid your boyfriend will get jealous?”

“Harry? Jealous of you?” You start laughing. “What’s there to be jealous of?”

“A stable job, an actual future…”

“His job is very stable, he gets paid well, and-“

“Doesn’t he have to freelance?”

“He freelances because he loves what he does and he likes making people happy. He’s insanely talented.”

“Why not open his own studio then?”

“He will, it’s just not the right time, and…you know what? I don’t have to explain a thing to you.” You shake your head at him. “I’m leaving now, see you when I get back.” He follows you out of your office and you lock it. “You are not to go in here while I’m gone, understand?”

“Mhm.”

You say goodbye to Niall with a big hug and head out the door to your place. You had a lot of packing to do. Harry came home from work early so he could spend some time with you before your mom got there.

“Ah! Son of a bitch!” He hears you yelp and he runs into the bedroom.

“Y/N?!” He stops short when he sees you clutching at your stomach.

“Hi, sorry, I just can’t get my piercing out for some reason. It’s a little tender from the last time I changed it.” You groan. “Fuck it, I’m leaving it in. They won’t see it anyways.”

He comes over to the bed and picks up a couple of your swim suits.

“These are cute.” He holds them up to his body and makes a modeling pose.

“Give me that!” You giggle and snatch it from him.

“Do yeh need help with anythin’?”

“No these were the last few things.” You close the lid on your suitcase. “Actually, could you bring that down to your car for me?”

“You got it.” He kisses the top of your head and grabs the bag.

When he comes back up you both eat a quick dinner and he takes you into the bedroom.

“She’ll be here soon…”

“Let me just love on you for a little while.” He nuzzles into your neck. You can’t resist him when he’s like this.

He makes love to you…twice. You force yourselves out of bed when your mom texts you that she’s downstairs. You both go down to greet her and Harry takes her larger bag down to the car.

“It looks amazing in here! You both have done such an incredible job decorating.”

“Thanks mumma. The guest room is all made up for you.”

“Perfect, well, I think I’ll head to bed now since we have to be up so early, night kids.”

“Night!” You give her a hug and kiss and off she goes. You look at Harry. “We should go to bed too. We have to get up at like four.”

“Sounds good.”

He cuddles you all night, and you wouldn’t have had it either way. The three of you were quiet it in the car the next morning. It was far too early to speak. Harry takes the bags out of the car for the both of you. Your mom goes into the airport to give you both some privacy to say goodbye.

You wrap your arms around each other and you feel wetness from his tears on your neck.

“It’s only a week, seven sleeps. I’m back next Saturday night.” You say into his ear.

“I know, I’m just gonna miss my sweet baby girl so much.” He pulls back to look at you. You wipe his tears with your thumbs.

“And I’ll miss my doll. Just look at the pictures when you miss me. I’m not going to have a lot of access to the internet. Only at the timeshare really.”

“So I don’t need to be a good boy?” He smirks. You smile at him and shake your head.

“No, I won’t torture you.” You sigh. “Kiss me, I need to head inside.”

He kisses you, boy does he kiss you. Your head is spinning when he lets go of you.

“I love you so much, as soon as I have WiFi I’ll text you, okay?”

“I love you too, have a safe flight.”

He watches you walk in, and then he gets back into the car. This was going to be the longest week of his life.

//

You texted Harry as you could like you said, and you told him you were planning to unplug for a bit, other than posting a few pictures to your Instagram story. He took a nap when he got home, and woke up a few hours later. Him and Niall decided to grab a bite to eat together at their favorite diner.

“Sarah and I are goin’ out for our six month tonight, otherwise I’d invite you out for drinks tonight.”

“No worries, mate. What are the two of yeh plannin’ on doin’?”

“Takin’ her out for a nice dinner. She said she had a big surprise for me tonight and that she didn’t wanna be out too late.” He shrugs.

“Did you get anythin’ f’her?”

“Yeah, I bought her a new anklet, she loves wearin’ ‘em.”

“Oh, I bet she’ll love that. She stays at your place a lot, yeah?”

“Yeah, almost every night now.”

“Think you’ll ask her to move in soon?”

“I don’t know if she wants to leave Rachel just yet. Although, word on the street is that Mariah’s been stayin’ over quite a bit at their place.”

“They’re a match made. I might hang out with them durin’ the week. I’ve been thinkin’ more about my freelance work lately. I think if I were to ever go for it full time I’d ask Mariah to come with me. She could work with clients I didn’t have time more, plus, I genuinely trust her. Then, once we made a lot of money, I’d steal Isaac too. He’s the best receptionist.”

“You’ve clearly thought this through.”

“Here and there. I just enjoy working with people a lot more. It doesn’t even feel like work. And it would be nice to have my own schedule. Guess I could just get state insurance…”

“Or you could marry Y/N and just go on her insurance.” Niall jokes.

“Plannin’ on it, mate.” Niall nearly chokes on his food.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not sayin’ it’ll be tomorrow, but I think once she and I have been together for a year I’m gonna propose. We’re at eight months now.”

“Do yeh have a ring yet?”

“I have one in mind, yeah. There’s a jewelry store in London that I like. Saw what style of ring she likes. I’ve called the jeweler a couple of times. They have a site so I can essentially design it myself. I could pick it up this summer when I go home.”

“Harry…I…I’m so happy for you. I’ve never seen you like this with someone before. She’s really the one, huh?”

“She really is. I can’t explain it...I think I knew before I took her to meet my family that I wanted her forever, but that trip solidified how I felt. And I know she feels the same way. We’ve talked about it.”

“That’s great. I can’t picture her endin’ up with anyone else.” He smiles. “Not to change the subject, but I was thinkin’ you and I could go out for a boys night on Thursday.”

“Yeah! I’d like that. Been a while since just the two of us went for a drink.”

//

By Sunday night, Harry was already missing you too much and he decided to get the photo album out of your closet. A few glances couldn’t hurt. You had posted a few things to your story. He couldn’t wait to see your sun kissed skin when you got back.

As he was rummaging through the top shelf of your closet, he lost his balance and pulled down a box, and the contents spilled out.

“Shit.” He recognized the box…it was your special box that you used to keep under the bed. There were some new items still in a bag. He pick it up and his eyes widen. “What the…” He takes the cockring out and is genuinely shocked. “Was she plannin’ t’use this on me?” Then he grabs the box the butt plug was in. “Holy shit!” He smirks. “Does she wanna use this on me too? No fuckin’ way she wants this up her ass…”

Normally Harry would tease you about these things, but he figured you hid them for a reason. So he puts everything back and finds the photo album. He gets on the bed and does his pants while he looks at the pictures of you. Just as he was about to play with himself, his phone rang, and it was you.

“Hey baby!” Your voice was music to his ears.

“Hey! How’s vacation?”

“So good, I just came inside to grab some water so I thought I’d call quick.”

“Well, thanks for thinkin’ of me. How’s your Nan?”

“She’s great! She’s really happy my mom and I are here. We’re gonna go to a casino tomorrow, I’m excited. And Tuesday night is the night we’re gonna go dancing. I’ll have to send you some pictures.”

“Please do! I was lookin’ at some right now actually.” You blush.

“Harry!”

“What? You told me I could.”

“I guess that’s true…were you, um, you know?”

“Was about to...wanna help me along?”

“Hold on, let me go into the bathroom in case anyone comes in.”

He half expected you to say no. He hears you flip the bathroom fan on.

“Where is everyone else?”

“There’s a bonfire tonight.”

“Ah.”

“So…where were you?”

“Hadn’t event taken my pants off yet.” He chuckles.

“Okay, take them off then.” You were hushing your voice which was only turning him on more.

Harry adjusts his cock out of his pants and grips it.

“Rub the tip with your thumb like how I do, baby.”

He closes his eyes and just does as you say as you’re saying it. His top rubs over his thumb and he spreads the precome up his shaft.

“Now, I want you to-“ You go silent for a moment.

“Babe?”

“I’ll just be a minute, Nannie!”

And just like that his dick went limp at the thought of your grandmother.

“I’m so sorry, she knocked on the door, um, I-“

“It’s fine, I, uh, lost it.” You both giggle.

“I’ll try to call tomorrow, I gotta go. Apparently someone’s grilling and making drinks, so I need to get back out there.”

“Okay, have fun. Love you.”

“Love you too!!”

//

You did your best to send Harry pictures of your different tropical outfits. You did well to hide your naval piercing from your mom and grandmother. Thank god for high waisted shorts and pants. Your skin was getting more tan as each day passed. One more you all decide to take a trip downtown before going to the pool for the day. You only went to the beach at night due to how strong the sun was.

There was a jewelry store your Nannie loved going to. Your Papa would take her to it all the time, and you remember going when you were a senior in high school. He bought you the most beautiful bracelet for being the best baby in the world.

The three of you looked around. Not being someone who loved to wear jewelry, you were mostly looking for something to buy for Harry.

“Honey, can I ask, why don’t you just that ring resized?” Nannie asks.

“Harry bought me this chain so I could wear it like this. It looks more like a slide than a ring anyways. We both like it like this.”

“Alright.”

You had already gotten him the pearls, and lord knows he doesn’t need anymore necklaces or rings. What the fuck could you get him that he didn’t already have? As you continue to walk by everything, a particular ring catches your eye. It’s white gold and has a sunflower on it. If you were going to wear his rose, maybe he could wear your sunflower? Although, he already wore one on his skin every day for you. But something about the detail in the ring just made sense.

“Excuse me, I’d like to look at this one.” You say to the jeweler. He takes it out for you and you know you have to get for Harry. You give the jeweler his ring size and he tells you to come back the next day and it’ll be ready.

Your mom buys you a pair of studs for years and you put them in right away. The ones Harry had gotten for you months ago sat in your first holes, and the ones your mom just got you would sit in your doubles. They complemented each other perfectly.

//

Thursday night Harry went with Niall to a bar they hadn’t been to in a while. They were both excited to have a guy’s night.

“So, I never asked, how was the anniversary evening?” Niall’s face went red immediately. “What was her big surprise? Did she like the anklet?”

“She loved the anklet, yeah.” He takes a sip of his drink. “She bought me…some things.”

“What kinds of things?”

“Um…”

“Niall, I have fucked two separate women with you, I think you can tell me what Sarah bought you.”

“Okay, okay. She bought a cockring from some sex shop.” Harry nearly spat out his drink.

“They both them together?!”

“What?!”

“I found one in Y/N’s closet the other day. Still the packaging and everything, but still. So Sarah used it on you?”

“Well, yeah.” Harry smirks at his friend.

“How’d you like it?”

“It was…interesting. I use her vibrator on her all the time so she said she wanted to do the same to me or somethin’ like that. It was sorta nice for the both of us, but it was a lot to leave on for a while.”

“She actually lets you use it on her? Y/N said she’d feel weird, that’s why I was shocked when I found the other things she bought.”

“Things? What else was there?” Harry’s face heats up.

“There was, um, a butt plug.” He says quietly. Niall starts laughing.

“Think she wants to fuck your shit up a bit.”

“How do you know she doesn’t want me to use it on her?”

“Because Sarah got one too and she wants to use it on me before she lets me get in her like that.”

“Did she use it on you?!”

“Not yet…I told her I’d have to think about it. I don’t know how worth it is.”

“You should humor her, mate, trust me, it’s worth it. So tight.”

“Alright, alright.” They both laugh. They hear a ton of commotion from behind them. “Think there’s a bachelor party happenin’.” Niall says.

“Looks like it, yeah.” Harry squints. “Lad looks familiar, doesn’t he?”

Niall turns fully around to look at where Harry’s looking. His eyes grow wide.

“Where have seen him before?” Harry says.

“Harry, we should pay our tab and go somewhere else.”

“Why?”

“Because…that’s Jake.” Harry’s mouth falls open and then his jaw tenses. “We can’t cause a scene. I can’t believe that girl he was skating with is still going to marry him. Probably lied right to her face.”

Harry would never forget watching you self implode at the ice rink. He wanted to bash Jake’s head in.

“We can’t start a fight with him, we need to go.”

Harry nods and gets up. The two go up to the bar to pay their tabs. A few of the guys from the bachelor party bump into them, one being Jake.

“Sorry about that, our boy’s getting married this weekend, he’s a little out of it.”

Harry and Niall look in their direction, but don’t say anything. They look the three up and down and put their attention back on the bar.

…

Everything else was a blur. Harry wasn’t sure when his fist connect with Jake’s jaw, or when Niall pulled him off of him after nearly choking him out. He wasn’t sure when Jake got a swing in, but he knew his nose was bruised. Not broke, but definitely bruised. They were all thrown out of the bar.

“I should press charges! You threw the first punch! How am I supposed to explain this to my fiancé?!” Jake’s friends were trying to pull him away from Harry and Niall, but it was no use.

“You should press charges?!” Harry started laughing. “You’ve done far worse things. If anyone deserves to be locked up it’s you!”

“I have no idea who you are or what you’re talking about….wait a second…you both were at the ice rink that night. My fiancé almost broke up with me!”

“Good.” Niall says.

“Who are the two of you? She kept asking me what I did, but I had no idea what to tell her.” Jake’s friends let go of him as he’s calmed a bit. Niall and Harry look at each other.

“You raped my girlfriend a year and half ago.” Harry says bluntly.

“Raped?! I’ve never done something like that. Your girlfriend’s crazy if she told you something like that.”

“I could easily snap your neck in half, I wouldn’t talk about her like that if I were you.”

“Do you recognize this girl?” Niall pulls a picture up of you on his phone. Jake squints at it. Everyone was still really drunk. He felt hazy, but he nodded.

“Went out with her a few times, yeah. But I didn’t rape her.”

“Yes you did.” Niall says. “You fucked her until she bled out on her sheets.”

“Didn’t you see it on you when you pulled out?”

“I just thought maybe it was her first time or something.”

“You’d fuck someone that hard when you thought it was their first time?” Harry asks exasperated.

“It’s not like she told me to stop, thought she was enjoying it.” He shrugs.

“She was too fuckin’ scared to tell you to stop! You didn’t even ask her if she wanted to.”

“That’s her word against mine.” He crosses his arms.

“She threw up after she saw you at the ice rink, I don’t think she was exaggerating.” Niall says. “She’s got the bag with the sheets you know. Probably has plenty of your DNA still on it. All she has to do is press charges and your ass is done. So you should be very scared. Any day at any time your entire world could come crumbling down.” Niall looks at Harry. “C’mon, let’s go.”

The two walk away, leaving Jake and his friends stunned. Niall gets Harry inside your apartment, and get some ice into a rag.

“Did he break it?” He asks, pressing it gently to his nose.

“No, but it’s gonna leave a bruise. Feel sorry for him, probably gonna have an indent of my rings in his jaw for a week.” Harry takes the ice from Niall, and winces when he presses it a little hard to himself. “Y/N is gonna be so mad. I can’t lie to her about this.”

“Look, at least you weren’t arrested. It could’ve been worse.”

“I can’t believe you threatened him like that.”

“He ruined her life! I want him to know she could just as easily ruin his. He should be grateful she hasn’t.”

“And for him to say he didn’t rape her? What a fuckin’ lunatic.”

“Think you’re gonna have some dark circles under your eyes, mate.”

“Shit.” He sighs. “I don’t even remember hittin’ him.”

“I think he bumped into you again and you lunched at him.” He starts laughing. “I don’t think I’ve seen you reach your boilin’ point like that in a very long time.”

“I should call her.”

“It’s late.”

“She might be up, I need to call her.”

“Put it on speaker, maybe she’ll take it easier on you if she knows I’m here.”

“Good idea.”

//

You were eating some ice cream on the couch watching a move with your mom and Nannie after spending some time at the Casino. You couldn’t wait to show Harry his ring. Your phone goes off, and you’re sort of shocked to see him calling so late. You get up and go into your grandmother’s bedroom to have some privacy.

“Harry? It’s late babe, are you alright? I’m in the middle of a movie, I can’t help you along tonight.” You hear Niall burst out laughing. “Am I on speaker?! Is this a drunk call?!”

“Sorry, sorry, yeah you’re on speaker.” He swats at Niall. “I’m okay, but somethin’ not so chill happened tonight…”

“Like what?”

“We were at a bar…” Niall starts. “And there was this bachelor party happenin’, and, um…”

“Jake was there.” You freeze and walk further into the bedroom and into the ensuite.

“So what happened?”

“Well, we got up to leave.” Niall says.

“But him and his friends kept bumpin’ into us at the bar, and I lost my cool.”

“What does that mean Harry?” Your eyes were starting to water.

“I don’t know how it all happened because it happened so fast, but I hit him, and then I choked him. Niall got me off him, but he got a swing at my face, punched me in the nose. The bouncer threw us all out. No one called the police…”

“Oh my god! Are, are you alright? Did he break your nose?”

“No, it’s just bruised, love.” He tries to say softly to calm you down.

“Harry, you can’t just go around hitting people! You could’ve been arrested!”

“I know, I know, I’m so sorry. It just happened.”

“What happened after you left the bar?”

“We…had some words.” Niall says.

“What kinds of words?”

“I threatened him…”

“He wouldn’t admit what he did to you was rape either.” You wince at the word and nearly vomit.

“You brought me up?! You both, you both are FUCKING IDIOTS! I, I don’t even know what to say right now.”

“We were comin’ from a good place-“

“Niall, I swear to god, just shut the fuck up.” You take a deep breath. “You both are so stupid! Were you all drunk too?”

“Yes.” They say in unison.

“Well that’s just great. Thanks so much for defending my honor. I’m so glad you called to tell me all of this at nearly one in the morning!”

“Would you rather I pick you and your mum up at the airport with a bruised nose with zero explanation?”

“What am I supposed to tell her?! You got into a bar fight? Yeah, that’ll go over really well. You better put some makeup or something over it.” There’s silence for a moment or two. “You both are alright?”

“Yes.” They say together again.

“Okay.” You sigh. “I’m going to get back to what I was doing, and try to calm down. I love you both, goodnight.”

Before they can say anything, you’ve hung up, and made your way back to the living area. Your mom and Nannie were looking at you with concern.

“Harry and Niall got into a fight with someone at a bar. They’re both fine, I can’t really get into it right now, so please don’t ask me about it.” You plop down next your mom, tears starting to burn your cheeks. She throws an arm around you and lets you cry into her. Your Nannie rubs your back to try to soothe you.

//

You soak up as much sun as you can the next couple of days. You were trying to keep your head clear. Mariah helped Harry buy and apply some makeup to make his bruises more subtle. He looked terrible, honestly.

“There.” She says, dabbing the last bit under his eyes. “Now you just look like you haven’t slept.” She smirks.

“Thanks.” He throws everything into a bag. “I hope I can remember how to do all this on my own tomorrow.”

“You said she told her mom right?”

“Yeah, but it looks so much worse than it is, I don’t want them to worry even more.”

“You’re lucky it didn’t break.”

“I know. I wish he would just move across the country or somethin’.”

“Yeah, but he’s not. You can’t just throw down every time you happen to bump into him.”

“Obviously.”

“Jesus, H, you look like shit.” Myk says walking into his office. “Are you wearing makeup?”

“This is why I usually work from home on Fridays.” He groans. “And yes I am, nothin’ wrong with a man wanting to cover some blemishes.”

“A blemish, or a bruise?” She squints at him. “What happened?” She actually looks concerned.

“I got into a little��scrap last night, okay?”

“Are you alright?”

“As if you care, Myk.”

“I do!” Her eyes soften. Mariah stands there awkwardly looking back and forth to the two of them.

“Well…I’m fine. Looks worse than it feels.”

“You should just go home for the rest of the day, I’m sure Chris won’t care.”

“I don’t need to go home, I’m fine.” He looks at the two of them. “Really, it’s all good. Shoulda seen the other guy.”

“Did you have your rings on when you hit him?” Mariah asks.

“Course I did.”

“And he’s not pressing charges?” Mykenzie asks.

“I don’t think he will be, no.” He sighs. “It’s fine.”

“Does your girlfriend know?” Myk asks.

“I called her the night it happened. She wasn’t thrilled. She’s really worried about me, but she’s less angry now.”

“Why did you-“

“Enough with the questions please! The two of yeh are givin’ me a headache. Maybe I will go home.”

He grabs his things and heads out, leaving them both there. He just wants you home with him. He wants to apologize in person for starting something that didn’t need to be started. It was the longest week of his life, and he missed you so much he could cry. In fact, he did a couple times.

//

Harry spent the day Saturday doing all the chores you usually did together. He wanted the place to be spotless for your return. He was to pick you up the airport around six. Your sister would be picking your mom up. He dabbed some of the makeup on under eyes and around his nose just in case your mom was still with you when he picked you up.

You hugged your mom goodbye after you both got your luggage. You were exhausted. You couldn’t fall asleep on the plane, and there was a lot of turbulence so your stomach felt like shit. You were just happy you had a good time and a good tan. You waited out on the curb and looked for Harry’s car. He spots you and waves excitedly, almost forgetting he’s in trouble.

He throws the car in park and gets out. He picks you up and spins you around and you throw your arms around him. Tears prick at the both of your eyes for different reasons. He sets you down, cups your cheeks in his hands and kisses you. Suddenly you forget any ill feelings you had. His lips on yours was like pure heaven after being deprived for a week. A few cars beep at you, so Harry puts your bag in the trunk and off you go.

“Doesn’t look so bad…” You finally say.

“I, uh, put some make up on over it. It looks a lot worse than it feels.” He sighs. “Do you really wanna talk about this now? I’d much rather hear about your trip. Your face is so tan! You look great, babe.”

“I don’t wanna talk about it all actually…and thank you.” You put your hand on his thigh. “What’s done is done.” He nods.

“Are yeh hungry? Want me to stop somewhere quick on the way home?”

“No, I had a sandwich on the plane. I’m desperate for a shower. We went to the pool this morning and I didn’t have time to rinse off before we packed up.”

“Alright.”

Harry gets you home, and helps with your bag.

“So they didn’t notice your piercing?”

“No they did.” You laugh.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He laughs with you.

“I don’t know.” You shrug. “My mom noticed it right away and it was whatever. My Nannie was like at least it’s not a tattoo. So I was able to wear more of my two pieces, I’m glad I packed some.”

You start taking your clothes off and he follows you into the bathroom.

“Holy shit.” He looks you up and down. “You really got some sun.”

“Mhm, I’m crispier than a chicken nugget, and I love it. I didn’t wear makeup all week either, my skin is so happy right now.” You step into the hot water and Harry sits up on the sink counter. He didn’t feel like showering, but did feel like continuing to chat.

“Did yeh win any at the casino?”

“Mostly just broke even. It was a lot of fun though. I’ll have to show you some of the pictures I took.”

Harry gets up and grabs an envelope from his dresser that he’s been waiting to give you. You get out of the shower and wrap a towel around you.

“God I feel so much better.” He has a huge smile on his face. “What?”

“Here, got his a while ago, thought you should know.”

“Is this a bribe so I don’t stay mad about you getting into a bar fight?” You smirk.

“Nope. You can be mad as long as you want, I know it was stupid.”

“I almost wish I could see what you did to him.” You shake your head and take the envelope. You open it up and gasp, clapping a hand over your mouth. “Harry!” You beam at him. “When did you…”

“Bought ‘em the second they went on sale. Fifth row, dead center.”

“Oh my god! We’re going to see the Weeknd?!”

“Happy very early birthday, babe.”

You throw your arms around his neck and hold him tight.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m so excited!” You  kiss him on the cheek. “Will you hold onto these?”

“Yup, I’ll stick ‘em back in my dresser.”

You go into your carry on and rummage in it, pulling out a black box.

“I got you a little something while I was away.” You hand him the box.

“You didn’t have to do tha’…”

“Just open it.”

He opens the box and sees the sunflower ring. His jaw drops and he looks at you.

“Way too expensive.”

“Oh well, can’t return it now. Try it on. I got it for the size of your middle finger.”

Harry takes one of his rings off and puts it on. His nails were recently painted pastel purple for the Easter holiday. He loved the way the white gold contrasted with it.

“So…you were at the store, saw this, and thought of me?” He asks without looking at you, fixated on the ring.

“Mhm. I thought since I wear your favorite flower, you could wear mine. Not everyone can see your tattoo. Do you…do you like it?”

“Like it?” His eyes were glossy. “I love it!”

He comes over to you and cups your cheeks his hands and kisses you. Your hands go on his hips.

“M’never takin’ it off.” He says against your lips. His tongue swipes across your bottom lip and you open up for him. His tongue molds with yours and moan into him right away. “Miss me a little?” He whispers.

“Missed you a lot.” You look up at him. “I barely slept most nights.” You pout.

“You’ll sleep good tonight, I’ll make sure of it.” He undoes your towel and lets it pool at your feet. “I can’t get over these tan lines.” He says, cupping your breasts.

You tug at the hem of his shirt and he takes it off. He undoes his pants as you sit back on the bed.

“I can’t, um, go down on yeh unfortunately, as much I really want to. Nose it too sore.”

“It’s okay. Your fingers aren’t sore, right?” You smirk and he bites his bottom lip.

“Nope.”

He crawls on the bed and you part your legs for him. He sucks two fingers into his mouth and grazes them against your folds.

“Did you look at the pictures while I was gone?”

“Yes.” He blushes as he rubs circles on your clit. “More than I’d like to admit.” You giggle.

His fingers push inside you, and curl up. Your head rolls back and your mouth falls open. He really wants to lick you, but he knows he would end up nose deep and that was just not good for his health at the moment. He pumps in and out of you and hit that sweet spot inside.

“Fuck, Harry.” You breathe as your eyes roll into the back of your head. “That’s it right there.”

He pumps faster. Your nails dig into his shoulders. He can feel you clenching around him, wanting to clamp your legs together, but he keeps them spread apart. Your back arches and you moan his name again as you release onto his fingers. He sucks them back into his mouth to at least get a little taste of you.

Harry wondered when you’d wanna break out the new toys. He desperately wanted to ask, but he knew you must have hid them for a reason and he didn’t want you to feel embarrassed.

“Lay back doll, I wanna ride you.”

Harry smiles and does what you say. He sits up against the head board and you crawl onto his lap. You wrap your hand around his dick and play with his top with your thumb. You kiss him, slipping your tongue into his mouth. He groans against you as you stroke his dick. You raise your hips slightly and slowly lower yourself onto him. You both groan with satisfaction.

“You feel so good.” You say into his ear. “So snug.” You raise and lower on him until you find a good rhythm. You nibble on his earlobe and his hands slide to your ass to help you move faster on him.

“Missed you so much, fuck.” He practically whimpers when you tighten and loosen around him a few times. He grits his teeth as he thrusts up into you, the both of you moving in sync together.

“Tell me how good it feels, Harry.” You say into his ear with a whisper.

“Feels so fuckin’ good.” His fingers press harder into your ass. “You’re so fuckin’ wet.” One his hands moves to rub your clit and you sink your teeth into his neck.

“God, fuck me up Harry.” Both of his eyebrows raise. You clench around him and your second release comes.

He doesn’t give you time to recover before your face down on the bed, and he’s entering you from behind. He pulls your hips back. You move your ass back against him in sync with his thrusts so you can feel him as deep as you possibly can. You’re propped up on your elbows with your back arched.

“Alright?” He grunts.

“Yes! Don’t stop, you’re hitting it.” You grip at the blankets, making your knuckles go white. He was hitting your g-spot with such ferocity you knew you’d be coming again soon.

He has one hand on your hip and the other on the back of your neck. He was absolutely railing you, and it felt amazing. You had sex like this all the time when you were in college, before the anything bad happened to you.

The room was filled with the sound of skin slapping against skin. To put it bluntly, your cheeks were getting clapped. You could feel his balls slapping against you and it was making you go cross eyed.

“Harry!” You moan.

“Gonna come again?”

“Yes! Fuck, yes.”

“Go on, Y/N, come for me.”

Your back arches more and he grips the back of your neck so hard he’s yanking your back to him. One arm snaking between your breasts to hold you steady, and the other moving to rub your clit. Your head rolls back on his shoulder. You’re panting and gasping as you come. It was so intense your vision went blurry.

“Can I bend you over the bed?” He says, sinking his teeth into your shoulder. You gasp at the feeling.

“Yes.”

You both get off the bed, and he bends you over it. He slips back inside you with ease.

“Fuck.” He moans. He rocks in and out of you, his hands clinging to your hips.

“Harry, please come, fill me up.”

He thrusts quicken and grow sloppy. Your back arches when you feel his warm come sput inside you. He collapses on top of you when he finishes. You feel him pull out and his release drips down your thighs. His weight on you felt amazing, and you didn’t want him to leave. You whimper when he gets off of you.

“M’gonna get a rag to clean yeh up.” He says softly. He returns quickly and crouches behind you to clean you up. “They yeh go.” He throws the rag in the hamper. You stand to face him and your legs feel like jello. “You were amazing, you know that?” He kisses your forehead.

“M’so tired.” You rub your eyes like a child.

“Time for bed then, yeah?” It was only a little after eight.

“You don’t mind going to bed so early?”

“You’re finally home, of course I don’t mind.” He chuckles. “Go do your thing, I’m gonna get settled in.”

You walk into the bathroom and do your routine. You get into the bed and snuggle up to Harry. You take turns all night spooning each other. You both wanted to be held by the other. Eventually you passed out with his head on your chest. It was perfect.

[drunk-onsunlight]

Day #1: Beautiful, what's your hurry? 

Chapters: 1/12 Fandom: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Michelle Jones & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones & Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Happy Hogan/May Parker (Spider-Man), Pepper Potts & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), spideychelle - Relationship, Betty Brant & Ned Leeds Characters: Michelle Jones, Peter Parker, Ned Leeds, Betty Brant, May Parker (Spider-Man), Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan, Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) Additional Tags: Spideychelle Promptmas 2020, MJ is Black Cat, Peter Parker is Spider-Man, Iron Dad, Canon? Don't Know Her, Comic Elements, Rhino is causing problems, Prowler is causing problems, Dr. Octopus is causing problems, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Morgan is a smartass, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Other Additional Tags to Be Added

Summary:

12 days of promptmas where Peter is having fun being Spider-Man until too many bad guys are around and a certain Cat tries to kiddnap Ned in the middle of a fight (or something like that) and all he can think about is "how is he going to pretend to have a relationship with MJ on that Stark party on Christmas break?"

Notes:

I'm terribly excited and proud of this fic so I hope you have as much fun reading as I had writing it. You will find short chapters and others... not so short, they are hell long (sorry, not sorry). Done with the blablabla and have fun in this 12 Days of Promptmas Remember that every chapter's concept will influence a big plot ;)

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Concept 43. Roommates 2. Shopping

Dialogue 56. "Do you wanna built a snowman?" 46. "You do know that Santa's not real, right?"

December 18th - One week before Christmas Peter and MJ have been living together for two years now. They decided it was the best way to not be totally broke because of their attempt to live in NYC while college and being close to their families in Queens. And the best way for Peter to be Spider-Man and be close to the Avengers facilities without anyone knowing, including MJ. Peter didn't knew how he have managed to keep his identity hidden while living with MJ but it was good, she wasn't in danger if she didn't know about his superhero thing. Peter and MJ had strict rules about their privacy and that made everything easier. They never went to the others bedrooms for anything, at least one of them was sick and that wasn't happening frequently. So basically Peter charged his IronSpider suit without worrying about MJ finding it and probably friking out and his three different suits were on the closet or under his bed totally save. MJ had her own secrets and he wasn't the right person to sneak a peek inside her room to find out, so he respected her room, privacy and secrets as much as she respected his. Morgan has called on a Thursday claiming that she needed to spend time with his big brother on Christmas break or she will take him out of work from The Bugle on some fake news that Spider-Man was around a shopping mall she wanted to visit. The ten year old was very persistent, just like her parents. Of course he said yes, he wanted to take some pictures of Manhattan while you can still walk around Central Park, also, some early shopping for Christmas was too perfect to reject. Morgan arrived to MJ and Peter's apartment early in the morning and took a second quick breakfast with her brother and MJ. ---------

"So, Morgan! How's school going?" MJ was familiar now with the little girl and wasn't surprised of Peter's contacts with the Stark. What she never understood was how Peter ended up working for J. Jonah Jameson and not in Stark Industries, maybe his passion for photography was bigger than his love for chemistry and labs. "Pretty good, actually! I'm looking forward to High school, looks exciting" oh poor innocent soul. But she wasn't going to break her little bubble of happiness, definitely not on the holidays! "You're getting old Morgan! High school? That's big!" Peter was always cheering Morgan, no matter what. He was such a good old brother "Then you are even more old because you are in college and you have a job, too" Morgan said with her mouth full of pancakes, that MJ was pretty sure Pepper will not approve. "MJ! You are gonna let her treat us like grannies because we have a job?" Peter always tried to get MJ involved in his conversations but she still had that little observant in her from High school "Well, if we are that old then we can't go shopping today. What if we get a cold? That would be terrible for this two old people" that was the plan, shopping with Morgan but MJ had another plan for her visit to Manhattan, but they didn't need that information "noooo!!!! We have to go shopping! My dad gave me lots of money to spend on everyone’s present! I want to buy something nice for Uncle Happy and Aunt May, for mom and dad and of course for you both! Even for Ned and Betty!" yes, that was their little group now. How on earth Peter was able to keep such a strong relationship with the Starks and his security head, after two years working for their labs, was still a mystery. Well, it wasn't hard to get attached to the Parkers and with Peter always came Ned and now Betty. "Ok Morgan! Then let's go. If we are in Manhattan as soon as the shops are open we will get good presents for everyone" the little girl took her plate when the pancakes were to the kitchen and run to get her coat, scarf and gloves for the cold. "How much money do you think she actually has, Parker?" "She is ten, so maybe not much. But she is a Stark so maybe a couple hundred? Who knows? I'm gonna text Pepper just to check, if I text Tony he will probably encourage her to buy the whole shopping mall" Peter walked to his room while Morgan returned from the living room and started jumping in front on MJ to show her that she was ready to go "Ok, we will go in a few. Can you go to your brother's room for a bit while I look for my things?" "Yeap! Don't take long, MJ!" "Don't worry. I will be fast. Promise!" MJ walked to her room and locked the door. She needed to change something from her outfit without Peter and Morgan knowing. That will bring lots of questions that she wasn't ready to answer, especially to Peter. She took her bag with all the things she needed for the day and checked twice that the leather suit under her clothes wasn't visible. "MJ is back!! We can go! Let's go Pete" Morgan was bubbling with happiness so they finally went out of the little apartment. They went down the five floors and started walking through the cold streets of New York with Morgan in between them. Each holding one of her tiny hands. The girl was talking about her school friends, her new favorite topic in class and her love for science, just like his dad. Peter and Morgan were having a lovely chat about the new tech Stark was designing while MJ was waiting for her moment to leave them for a while. "How do you know all of this, Morgan? Pepper hasn't forbid you from the labs?" "Yeah, but she stopped telling me to not go there after my tenth time sneaking into the labs." "As reasonable as your dad, I see" "And you Pete. That's why you are my brother" Peter had an easy smile on his face when he talked to Morgan. It was nice to see him so relaxed, he was extremely stressed and had been for the last year. College could be a nightmare even being a genius like Peter. "Ammm, I have to go Morgan. Would you forgive me if I go for a few minutes? I promise I will be back" "Nooo!!! Why? I can talk to you more if you want. It’s just that Peter never shuts up" "Its fine Morgan. I love hearing you both talk about nerdy things, but can I tell you a secret?" the girl’s eyes light up and she moved away a little from Peter "I'm very good at keeping secrets, MJ. You can trust me" MJ got to Morgan’s level which means she was almost on her knees. "I'm going to buy Peter's present and he can't see it because it's a surprise. Can you keep that secret?" Morgan's face showed all her excitement and started nodding furiously "Then I will text Peter when I'm done, ok?" she said the last looking at Peter to let him know she was going back with them "Ok! See you MJ!!" Morgan waved at MJ while she crossed the street to a few jewelry stores. She entered one of the stores and checked that Peter and Morgan were gone before leaving to a close ally to change into her leather suit, mask and silver wig. ------ "MJ is really nice. And pretty!" if Peter never closed his mouth, Morgan was just like him, but Peter loved it "Yeah. She is really nice" "And pretty. My dad said he is a little bit afraid of her for all your stories about her in high school but I think that makes her even greater" "Well yes, she is pretty and why I never knew your dad was afraid of MJ? Now I'm gonna mock him for that" "you didn't hear it from me, Pete" "so, what where you and MJ talking about?" "No, no, it's a secret and I don't share secrets even if there are small. Like your secret, does MJ knows, by the way?" "No, she doesn't and you know that's the best thing for her so it's going to be a secret until something terrible happens like she gets in my room and I'm arriving from patrol or something like that" he didn't want to think about the possibility of MJ finding out about him being Spider-Man because patrol ended bad "How's Ned doing? Is he still your Guy in the Chair?" "Nop, he is retired. Now he has proclaimed himself as a FOS" "what's that?" "FOS as Friend of Spider-Man" "so, I'm a FOS too, right?"

"Yes, you are Morgan. That's why you have to be really careful on not speaking about Spidey outside of the labs or the facilities. Ok?" "Yeap. Got it. Don't worry about that. Mom thought me well. She talked about a few bad experiences she had because she is close to my dad and I don't want to go through any of that" Morgan was very young but very intelligent, any other kid would be screaming at the top of their lungs that their adoptive brother was a superhero just like their dad. But she knew better than that. "Hey! Look at all the snow in the park. Do you wanna built a snowman, Morgan?!" he was very excited about the possibility but Morgan not so much "I would love it but can we wait for MJ? I think she will enjoy it as much as we will" "Ok. Let me check my phone for any messages. Maybe she wrote me and we didn't notice" no new messages from MJ, but apparently Black Cat had stolen a few things from a store on the opposite side of Manhattan. The police was taking care of the case but the evidence wasn't much. They never had enough evidence when Black Cat was involved, she was becoming a problem in New York and Peter was going to pay more attention to the new dressed up villain, but first he needed to stop Rhino. He was the big problem, has been for the last year, appearing and disappearing every few months but each time he came back, he was stronger. "Did she say something?" "No yet. What if we go to that shopping mall, do some actual shopping and then back to that snowman?" "Yes! I want to buy some summer clothes to my dad and some beautiful heels to my mom! Maybe some kitchen utensils to Uncle Happy and more nice shoes for Aunt May! What do you think, Pete?" "I think we have lots of things to do then! Let's go before MJ is back. We need to buy her a present too" they walked to the shopping mall and got a few things for everyone. Morgan bought some shorts for Tony, with Iron Man's face on them, some really expensive heels for Pepper and May and different bakery supplies for Happy "I have Ned's present in Stark Industries. It's a new program my dad worked on that I think he will love. But don't tell him! It's a secret" "don't worry peanut, your secret it's save with me" "thanks Pete. Ok, what are we buying to MJ?" "I have an idea... But we have to go find somewhere affordable and that can sell me a very specific object. Santa can't bring that present from the North Pole for her" "You do know that Santa's not real, right?" "What? MORGAN! You can't say that!!" "I'm sorry Pete. Did I ruin your fantasy?" "No... But now that's a big secret you will have to keep. No one can know that Santa is not real" after Peter and Morgan went out of the store they choose for MJ's present, Peter's phone started to sound along to Jingle Bells. "Hey MJ. We done shopping here. Where are you? Do you wanna built a snowman?" "A snowman?" "Yes. Morgan wanted to wait for you to build it in the park a few block away from where we were" "Oh. Yeah. I know where, see you there in ten?" "Perfect. See you in a few" "She's coming to build the snowman?" "Yes she is" "I really like MJ, Peter" "Yeah. Me too" -----

After a small walk and some time to find the best place to build the snowman, MJ, Peter and Morgan reunited and started looking for things to complete the medium sized snowballs that they managed to make. Morgan found a few stones for the eyes, MJ took a few branches for the arms and Peter was trying to find something for the nose of the snowman. After a few minutes he found a branch that wasn't to tin as the snowman's arms but it was too long. He broke the branch in the thicker part and placed it in the snowman face. "Oh Peter! The gym is actually paying! You broke that like it was a pencil!" Morgan’s face screamed at him that that action wasn’t completely normal for a regular person "Yeeaaahhh... The, the gym! Of course!" MJ was looking at him a little bit suspicious. She still managed to hide most her emotions but after living with her, Peter learned to read her more than she thought. "Well, I need to start going to the gym too then, you have been going since high school and it's finally working apparently" Peter knew MJ wasn't stupid, or blind for the matter. She has seen him without a shirt and knew about how his body has changed through the years because of his superhero thing, but for her, and everyone else... He was just going to the gym. That was the logic explanation behind his ripped body and his very useful strength. Peter tried to move away from MJ’s suspicious face while lifting Morgan from the ground.

“I think it’s quite decent. What do you think, Em?” Peter asked MJ

“I don’t look that bad, actually! Morgan, can you rate the snowman?” They were looking at the weird snowballs with the stones for eyes and several branches around his “body��

“I give it a 7 out of 10, something is missing… A SCARF!!! He’s getting cold without a scarf” Ok, Santa wasn’t real but the snowman was getting cold. Peter and MJ shared a look and started laughing, they found funny that the snowballs were cold. Peter took his scarf off from around his neck and placed it on between the top snowball and the middle one.

“There you have it! Now he is fine and won’t get a cold” Morgan looked pleased at the snowman and took MJ’s hand in her right hand and she offered her left had to Peter.

“Ok, now it’s a ten. I think we can go and wrap all this presents on the apartment. Can we Peter?” Morgan looked a little tired

“We definitely should, maybe we can have some hot drink too” MJ wrapped her bag on her shoulder without letting go of Morgan’s hand while Peter took the six different bags from around the snowman and the three of them stared to head home.

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Thanks to @spiderman-homecomeme for organising this amazing event!

[language-of-love]

forward momentum...

I needed to write a short something to get back into the groove of it after the holidays and it's always fun to write first kisses, so here's an alternate meeting from Patrick's POV. Happy New Year!

xxx

He knows he should look away, but he worries, again, that if he does, he won’t have the courage to look back. So he doesn’t, look away. He doesn’t fight it when he feels his breathing go ragged and discreetly flexes his hands behind his back to try to stop the tingling in his fingers. And he’s sure his face is blotched with crimson, the curse of the pale, unable to hide his blush, or in this case, a heatwave. Maybe he should lean back a little and let the cool metal of his car press into his wrists, but he doesn’t, not when all he wants is to move forward...if only a fraction. So he does. And everything changes.

The first time he saw David was three weeks ago. David had walked into his classroom and everything suddenly felt too small, like every move Patrick made and words he spoke were too important, magnified and exaggerated. This class he’d agreed to take over was supposed to be a distraction, a first step away, but it had suddenly shifted into something unknown, uncomfortable and yet, inevitable.

He’d tried too hard during that first class to be charming, groaning inwardly after his third sports metaphor had David’s eyes finding his with obvious confusion. He’d gone back to the textbook after that, outlining the basics on tax breaks for small businesses they’d be going over in more detail on Thursday. He’d almost lost his train of thought near the end though, thanks to the delicate strokes of David’s pen moving across the pages of his notebook with long, ring-laden fingers. Patrick hadn’t remembered seeing a man wear that much jewelry before and he’d wondered about them, why David wore them and later...in his car on his drive home, if they would feel cool against his skin if David were to touch him. He’d rolled the window down and tried to think of other things until he’d made it home, but failed.

Things had only gotten worse once group work had started. David was particular and opinionated and somehow managed to rub everyone in his group the wrong way. Patrick, however, found himself amused. And aroused. He’d been thankful for the desk he could lean forward into to hide just how much as David had gesticulated and eviscerated his classmates at the end of the night. Patrick had nodded and smiled and tried not to stare too long at David’s mouth until he could get a word in, reminding David that he needed to find a way to work together while at the same time letting him know just how much he loved his ideas and encouraged him to stand his ground. Physical attraction aside, David was intelligent and creative and made him think about things in different ways. Sometimes it felt as though they were in a tennis match, once in a while going for a bit of top spin to keep each other on their toes, but neither of them interested in going for the drop shot. Not yet at least.

Last week had felt like the turning point. With his fingers pressed into the soft black leather of the portfolio, Patrick had devoured the business plan meticulously laid out inside. He’d made tiny notes in the margins, none of them corrections, but more ideas and encouragement where David had suggested something brilliant. He’d had to take a long walk afterwards, hoping the early summer heat would sweat out some of the fanciful thoughts that had begun to creep in. Each step only added more clarity and by the time he’d gotten home, he’d been sweaty and giddy and excited for something for the first time in maybe forever. As he’d stood under the shower spray, he’d felt the weight of all the things he’d realized he wants and wondered if there was even the remote possibility of having it all?

Getting David to agree to let him help with his business had been easy. Initial skepticism gone, David had smiled in that crooked way that made Patrick want to crowd him against the nearest wall, and agreed, seemingly just as excited about the prospect as Patrick. About the business, not the crowding. Well, maybe both, but Patrick had needed to get through dinner and he was a one step at a time kind of guy.

Until now.

The parking lot is practically empty save for an old pickup by the back door and a badly parked minivan a few spots away. There’s a light flickering over the dumpster and the sound of the highway on the other side of the trees is creating a pleasant white noise he can focus on as David’s dark eyes flicker down briefly to Patrick’s mouth. He’s sure his own eyes have gone a bit wide, but as they’d talked by Patrick’s car their bodies had drifted closer, leaving Patrick in a state best described as anxious desperation. If he doesn’t do something, that tiny knot he’d been picking at for the past few weeks, it’s either going to tangle further or if he has the courage, pull himself free. So he pulls. Or more accurately, he leans.

It’s overwhelming at first, feeling David’s lips brushing against his, all the thoughts of what this would feel like being overrun with the reality of it. And then he has to remember to breathe and kiss him back and oh god, he can probably touch him now if he wants to. And oh how he wants to. David is pulling back too soon and Patrick can’t have that happen, not yet.

“Wait...”

Freeing his hands from behind his back, he tries to ignore the trembling of his fingers as he wraps one hand around the back of David’s head to pull him back in. The angle is all wrong, but he feels David’s lips curl into a small smile and that gives him the encouragement he needs to set things right. And yes, the feeling of David’s mouth moving against his, his long fingers digging into the back of Patrick’s scalp, nothing has ever felt more right. Is it possible to somehow be both drowning and breathing for the first time? And then there’s a tsunami when David’s body moves closer to press him into the side of his car and all he can do is let himself be dragged under.

He lets himself be kissed thoroughly until he has to pull back and take a few ragged breaths, but keeps David’s sweatshirt crumpled into his fists so he doesn’t move too far away. There’s a lot he needs to say here, about this being a first for him and how he’s maybe a little overwhelmed, but his tongue feels heavy in his mouth and forming words will take a moment or two. David’s kisses and hands and all of him, everywhere, it’s so good, so...so good, and Patrick wants to keep kissing and touching and god, why is that thought making his head spin.

David’s hand softens behind Patrick’s head and there’s a brush of something cool as David’s long fingers splay out against his neck and it’s like a tape being rewound suddenly, flashes of Patrick staring at those rings and wondering what they’d feel like touching his skin. But then David’s leaning in again and Patrick’s breath catches in his chest, just to have it rush out on a sigh when David’s lips brush lightly against his cheek. He can’t keep his eyes open as a flood of want and feelings he’s not accustomed to come rushing in from everywhere as the scruff of David’s cheek rubs against his.

It’s never been like this. He didn’t know it ever could be.

He does eventually get some words out. And David listens. And Patrick feels steady enough to thread his fingers through David’s and kiss him again as they say goodnight. He tastes the seam of David’s lips with his tongue, but pulls back instead of going any further, the sound of David’s frustrated groan somehow making Patrick feel a little less alone at sea.

The next time they kiss, it’s in a tiny town in the middle of an empty store, with Patrick crowding David up against the wall and David smiling that crooked smile. He’s not sure how he knows it, but he feels like this place will hold many stories, and the feeling of David’s mouth opening beneath his, it’s a welcome first chapter.

[writer-in-theory]

the threantener (is that a word? i dont care) has arrived. 😃 have funnnnn.

posting this here as PROOF I'VE BEEN THREATENED.

chipotle order? burrito bowl - white rice, chicken (or just guac), pico de gallo, as much cheese as they're willing to give me

thoughts on veganism? i respect it but i cannot personally do it based on all the dietary restrictions i already have lmao

a specific color that gives you the ick? dark yellow, the kind that kinda looks brown/green?

mythical creature you think/believe is real? okay but i have to believe that there was a dragon-like creature that existed at one point in time.

favorite form of potato? BAKED BAKED BAKED

do you use a watch? in theory. i have a fitbit but i've also forgotten to charge it in a month. but yeah.

what animal do you look forward to seeing when you visit an aquarium? PENGUINS. but also i really love the rays

do you change into specific clothes for the house when you get home? umm if it's been a long day or like i'm in business-y business clothes then yeah i'm changing into sweatpants or shorts or smthing, but otherwise nah.

do you have a skincare routine (and how many steps is it)? yes i have a very strict routine for my mornings and nights so yeah. my skincare is...yes i just went to count...5 steps!

on a plane, do you ask for apple or orange juice? ORANGE EVERY SINGLE TIME. apple juice tastes like piss im sorry

anything from your childhood you’ve held on to? i have a penguin stuffie from when i was a baby. but also i have old stories i wrote as a kid that i keep to remind myself of my love of writing.

brand of haircare/bodycare/skincare that you trust 100%? not 100%. almost everything i have is its own brand after so much experimenting to find what works best for me.

first thing you’re doing in the purge? realistically, locking myself in my house with a baseball bat bc i'm not dealing with that shit

do you think you’re dehydrated? oh 10000% yes i am. i hate water and i don't drink it until i'm constantly on the verge of passing out. i haven't had water since last thursday.

rank the methods of death: freezing, burning, drowning drowning, burning, freezing. i've actually almost drowned before and that sucked ass. so, yeah, i'd rather not have a sequel event lmao.

thoughts on mint chocolate chip? it's heaven and i will consume anything mint chocolate chip basically.

an anxious compulsion you do everyday? i bite my fingers, pull my hair, pick at my scalp, that fun stuff.

your boba/tea order? ...i don't know. i've legit never tried because it's like walking into starbucks for the first time. i have no idea WHAT to try.

the veggie you dislike the most? brussel sprouts. WHY DO THEY SMELL LIKE THAT?? also beets. they give me the heebie jeebies.

favorite disney princess movie? tangled my beloved <3

a number that weirds you out? why does 27 exist i don't trust it.

do you have an emotional support water bottle? YES I DO. it's a big 32oz that i got at a student org fair my freshman year of university. it's covered in stickers and i love it.

do you wear jewelry? YEE. on the daily, i wear a heart necklace, a fidget ring, and black ball/stud earrings. sometimes i'll wear other rings, bracelets, or earrings but it depends on the outfit and the day.

which do you find yourself using, american or british english? mostly american but that's because work requires it so i've gotten into the habit.

would you say you have good taste in music? ehhh i have interesting taste in music, but i don't think most would like it.

how’s your spice tolerance? nonexistent. i'm a baby.

what’s your favorite or go-to outfit? my go-to outfit is usually this pair of slightly ripped high waisted jeans, a t-shirt, a black belt, and my gay high top converse. if it's colder out, paired with a flannel.

last meal on earth? THATS SO HARD. fettucine alfredo, probably.

preferred pasta noodle? i love penne or the shells the shells are so fun.

[losvers-clubb]

20’s Lovers

Reddie

Summary: in the 20’s Eddie Kaspbrak searches the streets for lovers and booze, he finds himself someone with a dashing voice, but he’s got a thing for ruining conversations.

Casually putting out content no one really asked for. I’m thinking of making this a 2 part story??? It’s been on my mind and I just wanted to throw it out there so hi, have fun with this, let me know if you want another.

Thanks for encouraging me to write this @rememberingtozier I honestly wouldn’t of without you. Xx

Here’s Part Dos (2) https://losvers-clubb.tumblr.com/post/167752703585/20s-lovers-summary-in-the-20s-eddie-kaspbrak

—

Eddie arrived at his worn down apartment, flicking on the lights after a long day of work. He put down his brief case and shrugged the coat from his shoulders, draping it over a chair while he walked over to his window, peering out the window. Overlooking the city, he couldn’t help but admire the bright lights from billboards, windows, buildings, vehicles. It was supposed to be a Thursday night, but due to the cities constant need of alcohol and parties, it never really slept.

“The city that never really sleeps” he mumbled to himself, suddenly finding the need to have a drink on his hand. He cracked the window open, letting jazz music pour through as he loosened his tie.

“Eddie!” He suddenly heard knocking on his door. “Eddie darling, are you home?” The knocking continued until he pulled open the door, revealing a very fixed up Beverly. Her short curls where tucked under a headband with pearls and a feather, and her hands and neck were adorned with jewelry. She wore a beautiful short black and wine colored dress and had on her worn down dancing shoes.

“Marsh, What brings you here so late?” He questioned, eyebrows furrowed but smile evident on his face.

“I found a brand new bar yesterday! Oh it was absolutely marvelous, the dancers where gorgeous and it was so clean. Eddie please I must bring you!”

“Bev” he sighed, slumping down on his couch. She grinned as him as she sat next to him. “It’s a work night, maybe tomorrow-“

“Come on Eddie bear, dont be a bluenose” she pressed on, taking ahold of his hands in hers. “Please I don’t want to go aloneee” he contemplated for a moment, knowing he’d be exhausted in the morning, but not wanting to go to bed just yet

“Fine, only because I need some giggle water right about now” he finally sighed, getting up from his spot. She squealed and danced a bit, pulling him to his bathroom.

“Let me fix you up-“

“Bev, I don’t think it’s a good idea to go out like that”

“Eddie, Eddie Eddie Eddie my love I must!” She begged, already pulling his worn hat from his head and his dull vest from his body.

“You said you wished you could, now is your chance to do so. It’s new, you won’t know anyone, plus, everyone will probably be too drunk to even notice, you’ll look great!” She exclaimed, digging into her purse and pulling out her cake mascara, then proceeded to cover his lids and lashes in the dark make up. He thought to himself for a second, what if I want to be noticed he thought. “You look hotsy-totsy, maybe you’ll be noticed by a cute guy tonight” she encouraged while adorning him with a necklace from her own neck. She comed his hair back and gelled it to perfection.

“Bevvy” he looked in the mirror, almost an entirely different person compared to earlier. She laughed loudly and grabbed ahold of his forearm. He was out the door within a second, and completely convinced she either had some kind of alcohol before this or drugs.

———

The taxi driver complimented Eddie on the entire way there, making many comments about his eye make up and glanced up constantly at him, making him a blushing mess, stuttering over his words. When they found their final destination, he left his name with eddie and tipped his hat before zooming off into traffic.

“I think he liked you, Vic was it?” She teased, bumping her shoulder against his.

“Stop, he’s not my type” he mumbled, fumbling slightly with his pearls. She hooked arms with him and lead him to an alley, she quickly knocked a few times before a latch was opened.

“Hey honey” she said to the masked man. The latch closed and locks where heard before a full door seemed to open out of nowhere. They were quickly ushered in to find a bright smile.

“Beverly marsh, am I flattered to see you” The man who Eddie didn’t recognize pulled her close, he was attractive. Tall, young, muscular.

“Eddie my love, this is Ben Hanscom, a sight to see” she flirted. Eddie did a quick wave, feeling slightly intimidated by Ben.

“Come, we must watch the performers tonight, there’s a good line-up” he pulled Bev closer to him and led them to the main room. Flappers filled the dance floor, most with gentlemen to dance with, others just there to shake. The small stage showed a beautiful chocolate man, belting out words so smooth it made Eddies heard melt, and his smile was so bright he felt that the room didn’t need all the flashy lights with him there. Jazz filled the air and Eddie was mesmerized. Ben had handed Eddie a drink and dragged Bev to join the rest on the dance floor.

He quickly downed a few drinks and his mind began to blur and his feet dragged him to the floor. Even though self conscious, he felt somewhat free of himself. He joined Bev and Ben happily. At some point he fell in sync with her and they danced as if choreographed.

“Thank you so much guys, my name is Michael Hanlon if you didn’t already know.” The singer began to speak which caught Eddies full attention, his face pink and breath heavy from dancing. “I’m going to change things up a bit if you don’t mind and have a friend of mine come join me on this stage. Richard Tozier” all eyes turned as a tall man walked up, a suit similar Mike’s. His hair was gelled back and he had big round glasses that gave him a very handsome smart look. Eddie, intoxicated and full of adrenaline, didn’t give a damn about anything at that moment, all he cared about was how insanely gorgeous the man up on stage was. When the music picked up and he sang in the microphone, Richie glanced down to Eddie and Eddie didn’t know if it was because he found him attractive or if his odd look of make up and pearls brought him out, but they never really broke eye contact the entire song. Eddie found the need to ditch Bev and decided to be right up against the stage, dancing and showing himself off to the man up on stage.

Once the entire set had ended, it was probably 2 am and Eddie found himself sitting at the bar, enjoying some sweet mixed drink and conversing with Bev, well, more like hearing her gush about her new man.

“I thought you were with Jack?” His fizzy mind suddenly remembered her fiancé.

“Eddie bear, I can’t be with him anymore. I have to break it off, that Jack, he hit me. He socked me right in the eye for smoking in the apartment, I said everyone smokes! But he didn’t give a damn, I feel like he wants to hurt me” she said, pulling out a butt for herself, downing the rest of her drink in hand. “Ben doesn’t care, he lets me, be bought me this necklace” she pointed to one of her chest “I swear Eddie, I’m in love with him, I don’t have to be hurting anymore” she finalized, realizing he cigarette was not lit. “Benny darling” she turned, and almost like a magnet he was by her side, lighting a match for her.

“Give me something strong” Eddie heard from behind, the voice catching his attention almost instantly. He turned to find the Richard Tozier sitting beside him, cigarette between his pink lips. “Well, if it isn’t the most ravishing dancer in this room, I like your moves” He smiled at Eddie, making him blush.

“I loved your set, you and Michael, your voices are incredible” He breathed, turning his full body towards Richie.

“Ah, Mike” he said, relaxing himself into the stool as he was handed his whiskey. “That Mike, so attractive it makes you want to bed him” he said catching Eddie completely off guard, a blush rising.

“I-“ he started, not aware of what he should say next.

“What I’m trying to figure out though” Richie began, having a hard time keeping his face serious “is if when you were dancing, were you trying to bed Mike, or where you trying to bed me?” A gasp escaped Eddie and he instantly stood up, not knowing what to do other than grab his drink and toss the remaining liquid at the foul mouthed man in front of him. It caught the attention of a Beverly and she was instantly by Eddies side, following him out the door ad glaring at Richie. “Asshole” she slurred, pulling Ben up behind her.

“I’ll be right out” he called behind her, stopping in front of Richie. “What’d you do Richie?” He asked, helping him out of his wet coat.

“That’s one feisty man” he chuckled to himself, Mike running over from another side, laughing.

“You must of really pissed him off” he wrapped an arm around him.

“I was being honest” Richie shrugged, setting down his 10’th drink of the night.

“Next time, don’t drink so much when trying to sleep with someone” Mike said, laughing.

“He’s a nice guy, Beverly loves him-“

“Better watch out before he takes her from you” Mike retorted back to Ben, earning an eye roll.

“No no, not possible. I’m so sure he’s a homo” Richie said, a grin wide on his face. He pulled a cigar from his pocket and lit it, puffing out clouds of smoke and satisfyingly resting his elbows up on the bar behind him.

“Idiot” Ben laughed, exiting the bar leaving Rich and Mike behind to pursue his lover and her damsel in distress.

[southeasternbound]

Visit our main website at SoutheasternBound.net. We post history/travel every Monday, then photos/photo tips each Thursday.  Please click the Follow button (below right) for updates on Southeastern Bound.

By JD Byous

My father never stopped at the Grand Canyon.  My father would — not — stop.  Never.  Ever.  Never-ever… unless of course, he had to use the bathroom and then it was a Whiting Brothers gas station to fill up and find relief.  Cruising down Route 66 twice each year I would drool, yearn and whine that we might turn on Route 64 from Williams, Arizona to see the hole in the ground that I’d been told about in school, read about, and wished to visit.  Didn’t happen.  Not once.  The 120-mile round trip would add almost ten percent to our drive to Eastern Oklahoma and the visit with family.  His last trip through was to move there, the destination of all of our trips.  He died a few years later.

As the sun rolls past the colors change, just like they are advertised to do.  Fabulous.

Well…, not really never-ever.  I do remember one side trip.  We did stop at Meteor Crater after I had hounded for several hours.  I wore them down, I guess.  That’s another story, however… That was when my mom made a statement that would place a bookmark on my eighth year of life… “It’s nothing but a big hole in the ground.”  She actually used an expletive somewhere in the sentence.  However, you think about it, she’s right.  But, oh, what a hole in the ground.  I was hooked on large, naturally excavated terrain with that viewing.

But I digress.

Meteor Crater, just a big… hole that I find fascinating.  More to come in another blog.

Fast forward fifty-plus years… Okay, make that almost sixty-plus years.  But, I am finally here.  As always, time is short, and to make it worse the Beckster and I have some kind of bug.  I do not feel like touring, I’d prefer to lay in the motel and whine.  But, the road calls.  Time dictates and demands, “See it now ‘cause you may not be back for a while… or ever.”  So we go.

An odd, pockmarked rock on the south rim.

We leave Sedona in the morning heading out on route 89a and up its famous switchbacks that I dubbed, The Hairpins.  The road reminds me of a shoestring.  It twists and turns and loops, so crooked that, as my father used to say, “You can see your tail lights as you round the bend.”  This road is definitely bendy and loopy, not for the faint of stomach.  The Hairpins climb from the junction of Pumphouse Creek and Sterling Canyon then past 6,639-foot, Mexican Pocket Mountain then dumps you onto the long plateau that leads to Interstate 17 and Flagstaff.  At Flagstaff, we follow US 180 to Arizona 64 and we are here – two and one-half hours later.

Mather Point Overlook.  Nice folks, but one must look beyond the spilled drinks and crowds because the beauty is there.  It’s worth it.  One look and you forget your immediate surroundings.

We are here.  Yes, we are.  Along with what appears to be half the population of the Western Hemisphere.  At Mather Point, we park at the Visitors Center lot.  A short walk and we on the overlook.  People are scrambling everywhere… I mean, everywhere.  Hanging off of the rails to pose for pictures, on outcrops of rocks to our left… posing for pictures, off of the overlook a few hundred yards to the west… posing for pictures.

Selfie sticks flash in the sunlight looking like a rerun of the battle scene on Braveheart.  And, children running everywhere, climbing on rocks, climbing on rails.  My inner-parental-self stands, stunned and silent.  Coffee or some other brown runny substance rolls from a coffee cup on the concrete path ahead.  The aroma of coffee wafts up, affirming the contents.  I hope that the Beckster doesn’t get a whiff.  We’ll be searching for a McDonalds, because, as you know, they make the best coffee.  It’s a Beckster thing.

Looking north from Mather Point Overlook.  A man in a red shirt hangs near the edge for a prank photo.  It HAD to be a guy in red.

Then it hits me.  Blamm!  The view.  It’s 10 a.m. and past the “sweet” light of the morning and it’s beautiful.  No, bad example, exquisite.  No, not enough, still.  Wow!  That works, just, wow!  Clouds cover the Northern Rim.  Rain falls from the patches of blue and white fluff.  The red-orange banding along the mass of mesas, cliffs, and side canyons are like a light show in rock.  Grab a camera.  I alternate between DSLR and smartphone.  It’s hard to get a bad shot.  I am impressed.  I am really impressed.  I wish my parents were here.  They should see this.  They would have liked this big hole.

Looking northwest from the South Rim.

Rain over the Grand Canyon.

Duck Rock is a well-known overlook on the South Rim.

A raven squawked at me for taking his picture. I think he wanted money.

Rain falls over the North Rim. We stay dry.

The afternoon sun changes the mesas and ridges into a paper cut out collage.

The clouds move and the colors change again.

Mary Colter’s Desert View Watchtower marks the end of the view sites on the South Rim Drive.

We no longer feel ill.  Somehow the bad has been erased so we point our pickup east along the rim drive.  As the sun climbs and the clouds move the scene changes.  I had read how the colors change with the day.  Oh, my God, what have you done here?  This is beyond words.  Each turnout and overlook has its own phenomenal view.  At one stop, a raven poses for me, then squawks a rebuke when I’ve overstayed my welcome.  We move on.   If I were shooting film we would have burned through several hundred dollars in emulsion and processing fees.  Man, I love digital.

Navajo Jewelry shop Navajo Reservation

Before we know, we arrive at the Desert View Visitor Center, the end of the line.  The views and the images are still great.  Just one more picture and we need to head back.  We’ve burned through the entire day.   Down the road we make one more stop, a Navajo jewelry stand.  Here a Viet Nam veteran and his wife offer beaded jewelry, dream catchers and pottery.  As the sun drops low it is cold so we keep moving, but after buying gifts for the kids and grandkids and earrings for the Beckster.  Oh, and something for me, a stone circle pendant.  I like it.  It’s made by nice people, or at least sold by them.  I wish we had time to stay and talk but the road calls.

Mary Colter’s Desert View Watchtower marks the end of the view sites on the South Rim Drive.

It is a great day.  I am ready for a nap but we still have to drive the Hairpins after dark.  The Grand Canyon?  I will be back.

Too bad Dad couldn’t be here.

© J Byous Company 2018, All rights reserved

My father never stopped. The Grand Canyon. Never.  Ever.  Never-ever... unless of course he had to use the bathroom.  Cruising down Route 66 twice each year I would drool, yearn and whine that we might turn on Route 64.. Visit our main website at SoutheasternBound.net. We post history/travel every Monday, then photos/photo tips each Thursday. 

[wandering-chronicler-blog]

The Wolf of Farore - Chapter 14

An Ongoing Zelda/Witcher Fusion Fic - Updates Wednesdays/Thursdays

[First] [Previous] [Next] [Archive]

Summary:

War has come to The Kingdom of Hyrule.  The people cry for a savior as monsters and spirits stalk the once green fields of the provinces.  Famine grips the populace as the Gerudo Tribes and their blin allies strike along the borders.  Hope for peace begins to drown in the blood spilled in No Man’s Land.  But Hyrule doesn’t need another hero.  It needs a professional.

The Story So Far:

A brief respite on Death Mountain has Link and Midna discussing what will happen next as he prepares to head to Snowpeak to try and convince the zoras to not join the war.  Nothing is ever simple though and in the journey, he finds himself adrift and swarmed by skullfish before blacking out...

CHAPTER 14:  A DEAL WITH RALIS

When he was fully conscious, he found he was standing stripped to his shorts and bound in manacles in a wet cell.  A pair of zora guards wearing scale armor and large, mask-like helmets stood outside it, talking quietly.  He still had the wolf around his neck at least.  Link glanced about and listened.

 “Why would Labrynna send a spy anyways?” one of the guards whispered.  It echoed against the stone walls of the dungeon enough that he could hear. Their coral spear clicked against the floor as they moved slightly.

 “I don’t know,” the other said.  “Maybe they’ve heard the rumors.”

 “I hope they’re just that.” They shook their head.  “Do you see all those scars?”

 “I recognized a couple skullfish bites and he was bleeding when they found him washed up.  Recognized a couple more too.  Deku babas on the arms and stomach, couple on his chest. And the scratches on the back…”

 “Those looked like dodongo claws.  And the burns.  What was that one on his collar?”

 “I don’t know, it still looks recently healed.”  They must’ve been referring to the one from the dead hand he reasoned.  Link glanced around as carefully as he could without drawing their attention.  This was definitely one of their cells.  “If he’s not a spy though, he could be one of those berserkers from Holodrum with the sort of equipment he was carrying…  Or a monster slayer.  Maybe specializing in the preternatural?  Why else would he have that strange wolf and the silver crossbow bolts?”

“I don’t think so.  He could be an assassin.”  Link saw one of them lean in a little more to their companion’s ear.  “He had those bottles.  And the one the witch called venomblood.  Said it was a horrible way to go.”  There was a creak of a door opening.  The two guards immediately quieted and stood at attention.  They spoke quieter than before.  He got a glimpse of who they were talking with.  The zora was shorter than the other two, and his coloration was different, more a shade of grey than the blues of the guards.  He was dressed similarly, but lacked the helmet.  Link did spy jewelry around their neck and the two fins that hung to the sides of his face had more as well, including a pair of coral earrings at the end.  He had never met them, but knew instantly it was the young prince Ralis for he had seen him once during a visit with Zelda when he served as an agent of The Crown. It had been years ago though by now. If Link had to take a guess, Ralis was now around the same age he had been when he’d earned the blue and white tunic.                                

 The smaller zora pushed the cell door open.  The guards entered first and kept their spears trained on Link.  He looked the hylian over slowly.  Link didn’t react.  He watched carefully though, looking for an out in the event he needed one.

 “We’ll keep this simple,” Ralis said.  “You tell me your name and what you were doing clinging to the bottom of the Prince of Hyrule’s riverboat.”

 Was he too late?  Had an alliance already been signed?  Honesty though he thought in some areas would work better at least.  He took a deep breath.  “I heard the zoras were going to join the war against Ganondorf,” he said.  “If it was true, it could cause the Storm Sea Zora to get involved as well.  That could drag The Empress and Labrynna into the conflict.  Did not want to be detected by the Hyrulean forces.”

 “Surprisingly well-versed in current events, whatever you are.  And you are not a Labrynnan in spite of the armor you wore.”  He watched Link closely.  “You still didn’t tell me your name.”

 “Link.”

 “Well, Link.  You carry some very interesting equipment as well.”

 “Pays to be prepared.”

 “And what does a man like you need things like venomblood or skulltula venom for?  Or a variety of different bolts for a small crossbow?  Or a subrosian-forged arming sword all the way from Holodrum?”

 He wasn’t going to tell them what he had once done, but the two guards earlier had given him ideas. “I’m a problem-solver.  I solve people’s problems, they pay me.”

 “So you’re an assassin.”

 “No.”

 “You carry plenty of tools to be considered one.”

 “I try not to kill people.” He rolled his head a little. “Only monsters.  Draconids like dodongos and forktails.  Hybrids such as griffins, lynels...   As well as the undead and necrophages like drowners and ghouls. That’s what the venomblood is for.” He looked at one of the guards. “You wanted to know the one on my collar?  Dead hand. The bites on my right calve?  A redead that had been blown in half by a bomb. And you were right.  Those three on my back were from a king dodongo.”                

 Ralis nodded slowly. He looked to one of the guards for a moment and then back to Link.  “Perhaps then we can strike a deal.  Your life for a demonstration of your skills.”

 “Can you remove the manacles then?”

 “Not yet.”  He raised a hand.  “There is a monster at one of our holy sites.  And we would like to see it taken care of.  Can you kill it?”

 He sighed.  “I would need information.  Reports, scouts, past encounters…  Might even need to contact an information broker on what it is.  In which case I’d need funding to pay them for their services.”

 “I thought you said you went after monsters.”

 “I might do that, but I’m not stupid about it.  I’m not like a knight going off at a dragon because his lord asks him to.  I need to know what I’m going after.  Need to know its habits.  Its weaknesses, track it…”

 “I see.”

 “You want it done right, I need information and resources.”  He looked them right in the eye.  “And my equipment back.  All of it.”

 There was a pause as the zora noble looked to the guards.  “Release him.”

 “Your highness, are you sure?” the guard asked.

 “I’m sure.”  He looked back to Link.  “You’ll be unarmed until we leave here though.”

 “Understandable,” Link said. He watched as a zora undid the manacles. He rubbed his wrists for a moment once free.  The feeling had come back quickly.  “Now, what can you tell me about this monster?”

  “It’s unlike anything we’re familiar with,” Ralis said.  He headed for the cell door.  Link followed with the remaining guard behind him.  “When we first encountered it, it was like a chu, drifting in the water. But it had something inside it.”

 “That’s not uncommon. Chus usually engulf prey.  And they can get pretty big.”

 “That something though seemed to move and direct the creature,” the guard said.  “We chased it into the Lakebed Temple, but lost it in there. Eventually it found us though.”

 “How so?”

 “There were six of us. We entered one of the larger chambers and it attacked us.  It had turned the water in the room into a part of itself.  We did manage to wound it.  The core, the object inside it bled.  But it broke a grate and escaped deeper into the temple.”

 Link began to think how it could have done such a thing.  “How long between the initial encounter and this attack?”

 “Took us about a day to find it again?”

 “And how long has it been since then?”

 “A week.”

 “So this thing could be even bigger now.”  He looked to the guard.  “How many survived the attack?”

 “Just me,” he said. He bowed his head a little and then looked at the hylian.  “When it was down to three of us, we drew straws.  One of us would go back and report what we’d found.  I don’t think they’re still alive.”

 “If they are, I’ll find them.”  They came to a guard’s room then.  The other of the two guards had already set out Link’s armor and clothes.  They were still a little damp, but not soaked through like when he’d been in the river.  He picked it up and started to get it back on.  “Can it leave the temple?”

 “No,” Ralis said. “It’s trapped there.  It’s a concern though that it’ll find a way.”

 “Makes things simpler.” He pulled his pants on and then quickly did the boots.  “I will need at least four frost bombs.  Clockwork timers instead of fuses.”

 “Frost bombs?  You realize how dangerous those are.”

 “Yes I do.  I’ve used them before.”  Admittedly though, he had never used them on another living being. However, the circumstances dictated he’d have to.  He just hoped it wasn’t as terrifying to watch as when he’d watched Lana freeze a pack of drowners and proceed to shatter them into scything and bloody chunks with a burst of wind magic.

 “I’ll have a guard get them to you when you enter the temple.  And not a moment before.”

 It was a small relief to him he wouldn’t be carrying the devices until he truly needed them. “Fine by me.”  He pulled a shirt on and tucked it in before slipping a belt on. “I’d assume then we’re close to Lake Hylia.”

 “You are.”

 “Good.”  He pulled the tunic on then over his head.  “I’m going to need to visit the Cardinal Inn before I go to the temple.  Maybe a local has seen the creature or heard something you haven’t.”

The last time Link had been to Lake Hylia had been during The Conjunction with Ravio and Midna. During his time there, they’d slain an archgriffin that had been terrorizing the populace and closed the last portal between Hyrule and Lorule.  On the outside as he walked through the paths between simple huts, it didn’t look like it had changed at all, apart from the fact the inn they’d stayed at had been burned to the ground.  Another one had taken its place not far from its location though.  It had a bright red cardinal weathervane on its grass roof. A similar sign hung over the door. It was a recent addition and the paint was still fresh on the walls.  Link pulled the facemask up over his face to help conceal his identity as he pushed the door to it open.  He could smell something cooking as he entered.  The downstairs was fairly empty apart from a couple locals who were congregated around a table.  One of them glanced over when they saw the new arrival but they were soon back to their tankard.  Link approached the bar.  Behind it was a young man cleaning it.  He looked barely old enough to have facial hair.  There was also a very large fluffy cat lapping up a saucer of cream.

“Do you have any milk?” he asked.

“For thirty.”

Link dug into his wallet while the young man got his drink.  He slipped them a purple rupee and took a long drink.  “Keep the change.”

He grinned at seeing his payment.  “Anything else?”

“I wish to speak with the proprietress as well.”  He glanced at the cat then.  “I’m sure Louise can vouch for me.”

The cat glanced up when he spoke.  Her eyes followed his every move then.  The young man quickly rushed into the back of the tavern.  Link had caught a look of worry on his face at mentioning the cat. He took a drink of his milk and looked at the cat then.  She had started to become alert.  He saw her moving and her hair starting to stand on end, making her look even larger than she already was.  He watched even as the cat’s pupils dilated and her tail swished.

He looked the cat right in the eyes for a moment, but broke contact and went back to his milk.  She followed suit though and returned to lapping at her saucer.  Link however, heard footsteps from behind.  He slowly moved his hand, ready to pull the hidden knife from his bracer if he had to.  “Can I help you?” he asked.

“Can help the lot of us,” one of the locals said.  To his right, Link saw a poster placed on the bar.  A quick glance was all he needed to see his face on it and a bounty of a thousand rupees.  “Just come quietly.”

Link took another drink and turned to face them.  They were dressed simply and it was clear they had no rank.  One did hold a club in their hands, but the other two were unarmed. A quick glance was all he needed to determine the way to take them.  “You are aware of how devalued the Hyrulean Rupee has become because of the war, yes?”

“That can still feed our families!” the one with the club said.  “And no one likes deserters!”

“Do you three really think they’d put out such a high bounty on a single deserter?” a woman said. They looked to their lefts.  Link glanced that way as well.  Telma stood with her arms folded under her chest. Her dark red hair was back in her usual ponytail and the apron she wore was bloodied.  Link also spotted a meat cleaver hanging from the apron.  “If you three think going after someone with that sort of price on his head is smart, you’re cut off for today.”  She looked at Link then.  “I hear you want to speak with me.”

“Somewhere private, please,” Link said.  He looked back at the three men.  “She’s right though too.  The price might be that high because of the danger.”  He grabbed his milk and walked over to her.  She turned then and they headed into the kitchen.  Telma pushed the door open and waited for him to enter. It swung behind them.

 “By Din, Link,” she said, giving him the look of a scolding mother.  “Are you insane?!  There’s posters of you all over from here to the South Seas!  And all I’ve been able to get from the usual suspects is that you’re a traitor!”

“Do you believe them?” he asked.

“You’re not working for Zelda anymore, I know that much.”  She removed the apron and meat cleaver to hang on the wall.  Link spied a slaughtered boar on a table.  Two other people were at work preparing it for a meal. “And if that’s the case, I don’t think I can help you.  You had the Royal Treasury to draw on.”

“Then why even talk to me if you’re so sure?”

“Call it a professional courtesy, hun.”  She folded her arms.  “You made sure you paid in full whenever you came by.  Never ran up a tab either.  And you got a couple of your Chosen buddies to help make sure the rioting didn’t burn down my old bar with me still in it.”

He leaned against the wall then and took another drink of his milk.  “Well, for the moment I have access to a royal treasury, just not Hyrule’s. Which is why I’m here.  Prince Ralis of the Snowpeak Zoras has contracted me to handle the monster in the Lakebed Temple.  Told him I needed a broker to get some extra information.”

“Monster?  In the temple?”  She narrowed her eyes.  “You’d better step into my office then…”  Telma turned and Link followed her into a back room.  It had the curtains drawn and a simple desk in the middle of the room. She sat down behind it.  The cat, Louise, had followed her in and jumped on the table.  “We’d heard rumors from some of the zora guards of something in there, but nothing you could call reliable.”

“And why is that?”

“Because none of my agents have gotten down there to get a look at it.”  She gave Louise a pat.  The fluffy white cat purred.

“As expected…”  Link pulled a chair up and sat down.  He rested his arms on his legs, leaning in. “Now, I’ve also heard rumor that they might be joining the war.  How much of that is true?”

“It’s not a rumor. It’ll be true in a couple weeks I’d expect.  Even Zelda herself has been up there talking with the king and queen.”  She scratched Louise behind the ear.  The cat lay on the desk then, looking quite content.  “A lot of the senate up there though have voiced concerns that the king and queen are thinking with their hearts rather than their minds in regards to this.”

“How so?”

“The king’s daughter from his first marriage, Ruto, has gone missing.  Hyrule is offering to use their information network and a couple Chosen to find and return her.  In exchange, the zoras let them use the large rivers and lakes for their armies.  This includes plans for new irrigation to help prepare more food as it’s looking like this war will continue another year.”

“Terrific…”  He finished his milk and put the glass on the table.  “What about Labrynna?”

“There has been… Vocal protest by the sea zora ambassadors in the court.  Conflicts like this have happened in the past and it always ends in tears for both sides. Worrying that this will affect their trade even more than it already has.  They’re not having any of it.  And…  I could have an agent find out what Empress Ambi’s thoughts are on the entire matter.  It wouldn’t come cheaply though.  And I doubt Ralis would like you spending his money that way.”

She was right about that. Even though the prince was probably only in his teens, the way he’d handled the interrogation was impressive. “Do you know if they tried finding her themselves?”

“I do.  But no word on if it was successful.”  She removed her hand from Louise, who let out a mew in protest. “I’d expect it failed though.  And that there’s more going on than they’ve told you.”

Link thought on what he’d been told.  If this was all true, he could be looking at more work to rescue the princess.  He’d be willing to do it if it prevented the risk of Labrynna entering the war.  “Do you have any leads on where she could be?  Just yes or no.  Not if you actually know.”

“I can find out.”

“We may have this conversation again then.”  He stood up.

“That all you need, hun?”

“For the zoras, yeah. But I do have something that may require me to start a tab…  Personal interest.”

Her eyebrows rose. Louise even looked up at him. “Never thought I’d see the day. What kind of personal interest?”

He looked back at her. “I need information on polymorphic curses and Majora’s Mask.  Preferably how they’re related and methods of breaking them.”

Telma inspected him carefully then.  He was aware of how insane the request sounded.  “I’m not sure if you’re serious or you hit your head on something. That’s just an old story.”

“But every story has a grain of truth to it.  Even if it’s archeological information, I need it.”  He took a deep breath.  “And I have a friend who is afflicted by such a curse.  I promised to help.  The Mask is the only lead we have.”

She was quiet for a minute, writing down a note on a sheet.  “Must be some friend if you’re willing to chase fairy tales.”  Telma finished and put her pen down. “Alright.  I should have something then soon.  I have an agent or two who could get that for you.”

[neverisalongtime-ja-blog]

Chapter 17: A ghost from the past

Hello everyone! Is finally Thursday again and that means another chapter of Joshan. I hope you all enjoy this one and I would love to read the feedback!

Remember that I’ll be posting short stories that complement in a way the fic on Anastasia’s Instagram profile as soon as I think in one!

Anastasia_Truman

Much love to you all! ❤️️

——————————————————

Read chapter 16

Eric’s dinner was actually at a very fancy restaurant, something that wasn’t usually his style. But it gave Anastasia a chance to dress amazingly and she did not let opportunities like that go by. She wore high waisted black tube pants, a pair on red velvet pumps and a black blouse with a deep neck line that went below her breast, pairing it up with a long necklace as to not feel so “naked.” Her midnight blue hair had a few waves at the tips, black eyeliner and purple red lips were the final touches- Josh almost lost his jaw when he saw her.

-          Why do you look so hot tonight? – He asked opening the door of his car for her.

-          I look hot every day! – She said fasting her seat belt – Stop looking and my boobs! – She laughed.

-          I can’t. It’s your fault.

-          I have so much duck tape underneath this top. Star secrets to avoid accidents. – She caught Josh staring at her, at her big turquoise eyes.

-          What? – She smiled.

-          You are so beautiful – Josh said starting the engine – Sometimes it is hard for me to believe you are actually my girlfriend.

-          How come?

-          I guess I’ll never be fully free from my insecurities.

-          You don’t need to be insecure. You are amazing, you are talented, humble – She said while enumerating the qualities with her fingers – funny, intelligent, gifted, beautiful, super hot – Josh smiled – and amazing in bed. Which man with those qualities could ever be insecure?

-          I am – Josh said without taking his eyes from the windshield.

The restaurant was indeed fancy. She hugged Eric when she saw him and gave him a box with a vintage watch he wanted a long time ago. He was shocked and hugged her again.

-          This must have costed you a fortune! – Eric said.

-          It doesn’t matter! You wanted it.

-          That’s how she is, on my 18 birthday she gave me a car – Mandy said from the table.

-          That’s me. Always giving stuff to my friends.

-          I’m lucky to be your friend – Nick said sitting next to Mandy – So can’t wait for my birthday.

Anastasia took a seat next to Mandy as well, and Josh accompanied her. The rest of the guests were the Dot Hacker guys and a couple of musicians Eric was good friends with. This was certainly another kind of Josh’s friends, most of them musicians, so they had a million conversation themes to discuss. Hannah was there too and she felt confident. Mandy couldn’t stop flattering Anastasia’s cleavage while she was wearing a similar one, but that is what best friends do, they compliment each other nonstop.

-          Where is Peyton? – Anastasia asked Mandy about her boyfriend.

-          I left him home tonight. We kind of argued for a silly thing and we needed a break from each other.

-          You are so immature in a million things, but so mature when it comes to your relationship.

-          What about you and Josh?

-          He met dad last night and then we had wild sex in his car.

-          Talk about a good night – Mandy laughed but then her face expression changed drastically – Uh oh – Was all she managed to say.

-          What happened?

-          Valentine’s here – Mandy said after a few seconds – At your left.

-          What? That’s impossibl… - Anastasia saw him.

He was a couple of tables away, very close to be honest. He wasn’t alone, he was with a girl, a girl who wasn’t his wife and with whom he was acting very friendly and flirting blatantly. But there he was, his hair was long and so was his beard, which made him look more masculine. He was wearing a plaid red shirt that showed the shape of his muscles, and he was laughing, gifting the world with his denture. After all this time, Anastasia’s brain automatically erased all the bad memories about him and filled her mind with the good ones. That was the effect he had in her, it was like a spell, she couldn’t look into his eyes otherwise she would be his again. As if he was Medusa, she would be petrified with just one look and just like that, Valentine looked her way. Anastasia’s heart stopped as he smiled to her. She did nothing until she heard a voice next to her.

-          That guy is staring at you – Josh said while she planted her eyes on the table.

-          What? – She said pretending she didn’t hear him.

-          That guy is staring at you – he repeated himself.

-          Uhm… maybe he recognized me – She lied and Josh just smiled at her and kept talking to Eric.

Mandy took her arm and excuse themselves to go to the bathroom.

-          Please tell me this isn’t happening – Anastasia told her friend breathing heavily.

-          That’s not his wife and I know he’s still married – Mandy said.

-          He’s not there. Please tell me he is not there – Anastasia started to walk all over the bathroom.

-          Stop! – Mandy grabbed her by her arms – Don’t freak out. It’s always the same: you see him and you fall again. Remember that guy almost destroyed you and even hit you!

-          Josh saw him! He said Valentine was staring at me.

-          And you told him who he was?

-          I told him that maybe he recognized me… I didn’t lie, right? I just hid the truth – Mandy hugged her friend.

-          Remember that you have an amazing man next to you.

-          I had amazing men next to me in the past too and Valentine managed to destroy all those relationships.

Anastasia spent the entire night praying that Valentine didn’t approach them and at the end, nothing happened, he and his date left an hour later and as Valentine walked to the door he gave Anastasia a big smile.

-          You’re acting strange – Josh said during the ride back home.

-          How? – Anastasia answered, trying to keep the lie.

-          I don’t know. You were happy at the start of dinner and now you’re like… pensive – Josh said – Is it because Valentine was in front of us? – Anastasia froze.

-          What? – She said but then she understood – I’m gonna kill Eric and Nick.

-          Why you didn’t tell me it was him when I mentioned he was looking at you?

-          I don’t know. I freaked out. I haven’t seen him in so long. I was afraid to cause a scene.

-          Did you think I would make a scene?

-          I don’t know.

-          Wow, it seems like you don’t know me at all. – Josh said parking the car in Anastasia’s garage – I must admit that my first thought was to go and break that guy’s face. But then I thought that in the end you are with me now and your present seems a lot happier than your past – Anastasia looked into Josh eyes and smiled.

-          It is – She grabbed his hand – It really is – She kissed him in the car.

 “I know that if I call you, you won’t pick up but I needed to tell you how gorgeous you looked last night”. Anastasia read the message that morning and even when the number wasn’t saved on her phone, she knew it was from Valentine. While being in that toxic relationship with him she tried to get away from him innumerable times and he always found a way to have her back. But this time it wasn’t just any guy next to her, it was Josh and she loved that man. She was not willing to leave him for Valentine, at least she was going to fight that weird spell Valentine had on her. She didn’t answer the text, and she deleted it immediately. “You can’t fuck this up”, she kept repeating to herself that day.

Dead Curse was back on the road in Europe and Anastasia just hoped everything would be better than Italy. So far it hasn’t, she just couldn’t erase from her mind the image of Valentine sitting in that table at the restaurant where they celebrated Eric’s birthday. She tried, she tried hard, she visited museums with Josh, she went to eat weird local foods with the tour crew, she went to spas with Mandy… and Valentine was there, in her brain, like a disease.

 -          Had I known before that guitarists could do such things with their hands, I would have dated one a long time ago- Anastasia told Josh one night in Germany after making love.

-          The gift the Universe gave me – Josh answered moving his fingers with an evil smile - You've never been with a guitarist before?

-          I've never been involved with a musician before – Anastasia answered and Josh just smiled but didn’t respond – I thought you were going to ask me how many men I'd been with – Anastasia said after minutes of silence.

-          I don’t want to know. Your past is in the past and I don’t think about it - Josh said – You on the other hand seem pretty thoughtful lately.

-          How come? – Anastasia asked knowing the answer.

-          Your eyes… they have a nostalgic look. You've been absent. Not fully here – Josh said looking into her eyes.

-          I’m sorry. The tour is getting into my nerves – She lied.

-          We are just starting and, as far as I know, the executives want Dead Curse to open the North American shows too.

-          Really? – Anastasia asked forgetting about Valentine for a second.

-          Yes! People are requesting it in social media.

-          You’re gonna get tired of seeing me!

-          There’s no way that can happen! But if you are going to be absent… – Josh looked down.

-          Well I'm here right now – She sat on top of Josh – And I’m ready for round two.

 Over the next days, by the end of the European tour leg Anastasia’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing. It was an unsaved number but she knew it belonged to Valentine. She didn’t answer, not a single time, but he kept calling over and over, even ten times in a day. The situation was driving her mad.

Thank God Mandy came to the rescue the last free day in Vienna and took her to a shopping spree. The girls went to a luxurious mall in the center of the city and Anastasia suddenly stopped in front of the window of a jewelry store.

-          Look at that ring! – Anastasia said to Mandy while looking at a big 18K black gold ring with seven-carat black diamonds. A large one stood out in the center.

-          It’s a damn gorgeous ring – Mandy said staring at it too.

-          I want it! – Anastasia said.

-          Ok, think this trough. We said we wouldn’t go crazy with shopping because we spent more money than we wanted to in Paris. We promised to stick to a budget at the beginning of the tour and we have already spent a lot of money in alcohol.

-          But Mandy! Look at it – Anastasia said separating syllables with the pronunciation.

-          I know; it’s gorgeous but… no! – Mandy said and her friend gave her a sad face back – Ok let’s enter and see how much it costs.

-          All right, if it is over one thousand dollars I won’t buy it, but if it cost less I will.

-          Promise it!

-          Pinky promise – And the friends narrowed little fingers.

The ring was actually more than eight thousand dollars, so Anastasia left the place empty handed.

 -          I’m so heartbroken – Anastasia told Josh that night while having dinner in a restaurant near their hotel.

-          How come?

-          I saw the most perfect ring today and I didn’t buy it because I made this stupid promise at the beginning of the tour to stick to a budget… and now I miss the ring – She said before taking a sip of her cocktail.

-          Was it a gorgeous ring?

-          The most gorgeous I’d ever seen. I was black gold, which I didn’t even know existed, with black diamonds all over. It was dark like my soul and beautiful like my face – Josh let out a big laugh.

-          You are crazy – Josh said – And I love your dark soul.

-          And my beautiful face?

-          And those huge turquoise eyes that I adore looking into every night before sleep and every morning when I wake up.

-          Man, I love you so much it’s stupid – Anastasia said with a huge smile that contrasted with her red cheeks – Talking about waking up next to me; I don’t think I can be around a lot this break in LA.

-          Why? – Josh said taking a bite of the steak on his plate.

-          My brother is working with a friend in some stuff and he wants me to join them.

-          Sounds cool!

-          Yikes! They are going to be working at our studio in Malibu, so I’ll be focus on that – Anastasia hoped Josh won’t get mad because of it.

-          Guess I’m going to have to drive to Malibu – both laughed – I’m fine with that. I’ll probably do some work with Dot Hacker, the new album is ready but Eric and I want to fix a couple of things.

-          Great! Can I hear it?

-          No, when it’s done I’ll give you a copy.

-          Come on! I’m your girlfriend and Nick and I are the presidents of the Dot Hacker official fan club! – Josh laughed hard.

-          When it’s done I’ll give you a copy.

-           

Los Angeles was sunny when the band came back from Europe, it wasn’t cold yet but the air was cool and Anastasia loved that kind of weather. She dropped all her luggage at her house, took a shower, grabbed some clothes and drove to Malibu.

-          How’s the tour going? – Her brother Mark asked that afternoon after she arrived to the Malibu mansion.

-          Better than I thought – He said – You know Kevin, right?

-          Not personally – Anastasia said hugging him – I’ve see you around in festivals – Kevin was part of a highly famous band.

-          Me and Kev are working in some stuff together but I need your sharp ear to play synths, piano and guitar in some tunes.

-          Well I have two weeks off, so let’s do it!

She loved Malibu and she loved working in the Malibu studio even more. It had clear walls from where you could see the shore and it had a terrace from where you could hear the ocean. She also loved to work with her brother, she learned so much from him and the two of them had an unbelievable musical chemistry that no one could explain, it was like they could read each other’s minds.

Kevin was an amazing guy to work with too. He played every instrument in the book and had a lot of knowledge in musical construction. The three of them spent the week making song after song after song. Anastasia was in heaven. Mark was having so much fun uploading videos and pictures to his Instagram feed, videos of Kevin and Anastasia singing together or writing while sitting at the beach, and pictures of them playing instruments.

 Jak: Are you having fun? – Josh sent a message to her one night.

Jak: I miss you.

Anastasia: I miss you too and I’m having so much fun!

Jak: I could see that on Instagram thanks to Mark’s feed.

Anastasia: You? On Instagram? Is the world ending?

Jak: I was using Dot Hacker’s account. When can I see you?

Anastasia: I’ll be in LA tomorrow. I can go to your place.

Jak: I’ll appreciate it! Guess I see you tomorrow, keep having fun with the hippie guy – Anastasia sensed a strange feeling attached to that message.

Anastasia: His name is Kevin.

Jak: Ok, Kevin the hippie guy.

Anastasia: Are you alright?

Jak: I don’t know, from what I could see on Instagram it doesn’t seem like you are working that much.

Anastasia: Are we really having this conversation?

Jak: You haven’t had a conversation with me in days.

Anastasia: I’ve been busy, Josh. When I have a creative strike I don’t break it.

Jak: Not even to reply to my messages? Don’t worry, keep having fun and “working” with that hippie guy. Bye.

Anastasia didn’t reply. “Why is Josh jealous?”, she thought. She saw Mark’s feed on social media but she didn’t see anything strange. She grew up around guys: her brother, her brother’s friends, Nick, Eric. Mandy was her only girlfriend in High School, the rest were boys, she felt more comfortable around them so it was normal that she joked with them and worked with them. It was stupid for Josh to be jealous. She let him know when she saw him next day at his house.

-          I can’t believe you are that jealous – She said.

-          An, you were hugging him while he played piano.

-          But that’s stupid, I do that all the time. You and I haven’t played together so that’s why I haven’t done that with you yet – She was angry – Don’t you trust me?

-          I do but…

-          “I do but”… Doesn’t seem like you actually do – Anastasia said – Look, I’m sorry. I should have returned your calls and replied to your texts, but I was in such a creativity rush that I forgot the rest of the world for a few days – She hugged him while he was standing on the kitchen – I love you – She said searching for his look.

-          I love you too – He said looking at her and kissing her.

-          What happened with Dot Hacker? Can I have my copy now?

-          Not yet – Josh said without breaking the hug – We have to finish some things.

-          So you’re going to be busy – She said resting her head on his chest.

-          No, they’ll be fixed in the mixing.

-          Great, so what do you say if we don’t leave the house for the next two days before London and we just have sex and cook for each other? – She searched for his eyes again.

-          You really know how to make me happy – He smiled and kissed her with passion, both being unable to open their eyes for a few moments afterwards.

Read chapter 18

[x0401x]

Jeweler Richard Fanbook Short Story #11

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Delicious Recipe

I would soon be at an age where I could envision my 50’s. My only daughter was a college student. I didn’t think of myself as too much of a passionate clerk, but I was fond of my current job at a mass retailer. Said shop was on the line of so-called “luxury supermarkets” in a way, so it had many products that weren’t available at supermarkets in my neighborhood, which meant stocking shelves was a hassle, but it was fun to look around. It had things such as assortments of high-quality cheeses or pouches of cold soup called vichyssoise. Since the shop was within walking distance of one of the largest stations in Tokyo, its clientele was diverse and there were many first-time customers, but on the other hand, that was exactly why it was so easy to remember the face of repeating customers.

“Hmmm...”

The young man glaring at the syrup shelf for a while now, who seemed old enough to be a university student, was actually a regular customer as well. Said regular – who stood out like a sore thumb in this shop, which had an overwhelming elderly customer base – always asked for simplified receipts. The name on them was “Jewelry Etranger”. Must be from a jewelry store. I believed him to be about as old as my daughter.

He was pacing back and forth in front of the shelf. Even though he usually came to buy snacks such as youkan and cookies, he was groaning in front of the cocktail syrup shelf today. Was it for private use instead of an errand? While I was staring at him, our eyes met, and with an apologetic face, he came over to my counter. There were no other customers.

“Hum, excuse me.”

As I welcomed him with a “yes, what might it be?”, he asked for a strange piece of advice.

“I want to make melon soda.”

“Haa.”

“The kind that you can quickly make into cream soda, with vanilla ice cream floating on top...”

“Haa.”

Then wouldn’t it be all right if he just bought the melon-flavored shaved ice syrup and carbonated water over there and mixed them in the appropriate proportions?

Before I could say this, he cut off, a crease rippling between his brows as he furrowed them, “I want it to be tasty. Very tasty.”

“Haa.”

A tasty melon soda. A very tasty one, no less. What kind of melon soda would that be?

I fumbled around my memory for the latest experience I had with a melon soda. The last time I had gone to a fast food was when my daughter was about ten years old. It had already been quite a long time. But I didn’t think there were any revolutionary changes in taste since then. It was carbonated, green and simply sweet. It didn’t have the same variety as tea or coffee. As if pressed with a stamp, melon soda was just melon soda. It was different from those confusing flavored-tea leaves.

He had actually already bought the melon syrup, he told me. But no matter how he changed the proportion of carbonated water, it didn’t have enough of a punch to it.

“I did some research at bars about how different the taste was from the melon sodas that we drink out there, but I kind of couldn’t tell... I think it might be best if I mix it with something. That’s why I’m looking for syrup, hmmm...”

With the exception of standard syrups for shaved ice, all syrups we handled were meant for cocktails. Bottles of vivid colors, in flavors such as apricot and mint, were lined up there. But I didn’t know whether any of them could be the secret ingredient for melon soda. The prospects were dim.

For starters, why had he decided to make something so troublesome by hand? To the point he was thinking of purchasing a bottle of syrup that was by no means cheap.

Of course, I didn’t say such things in front of the customer, but as if seeing through my hesitation, he smiled, as though a bit embarrassed. “No, hum, I have a friend who likes cream soda. She will be coming to the shop I work at one of these days... so I wanted to surprise her. Ehehe,” he laughed, looking happy.

I would guess that I did nothing but blink silently for a moment. It was an astonishingly good motive. I didn’t know what kind of friend she was or what kind of shop she would be visiting, but if nothing else, she seemed to be someone important to him.

If it were me, that would probably become a memory to last a lifetime.

A secret ingredient for a sweet juice. What suddenly crossed my mind was a time when my daughter was still little. A time when she caught a cold. I once made her a sweet juice when she didn’t want to take her medicine. I had a memory of being troubled as she was reluctant to drink water, saying it was painful. This had happened either in September or October, so there was still some leftover shaved ice syrup from the summer in our fridge. Making sugared water using it as colorant apparently gave it a special vibe, so she cheered up and drank it. Was it just sugared water? Hmm, if I wasn’t mistaken, in order for it to feel refreshing in the mouth, I had added—

“Ah, lemon juice.”

“Eh?”

“Mr. Customer, I’m not a bartender or anything, so I might be giving a wrong guess, but...”

Lemon went surprisingly well with sugared water.

As many cocktail recipes had lemon juice in them, I believed it strained the flavor that tended to unilaterally turn into “sweetness”. I didn’t think there was freshly squeezed lemon in the melon sodas of fast food shops, but if he was in pursuit of tastiness, wasn’t it a possibility?

When I told him this, he looked at me with a happy face, bowing his head with a “thank you very much”. And so, when he was about to leave the store without buying anything, he came back as if remembering something, lining up in front of the register and buying a package of specialty cookies from a certain place. When I was about to make the receipt, he told me he didn’t need it today, so I could tell it was his own pocket money.

“Really, thank you so much,” he said with an uplifting face, and this time, he exited the shop for good.

I didn’t think the suggestion I gave him warranted such consideration, and yet, what a proper child he was. His mother certainly must be happy to have a son like that, I thought, but afterward, I changed my mind, as he might surprisingly not be like that at home. My daughter, too, was an unfettered general at home, but the boyfriend that she discreetly brought over at the end of the previous year said some dreadful things about her, such as that she was a “refined young lady”. I thought they wouldn’t last for long, but it seemed they were still dating. It might be that people possessed many sides, just like those stylistic syrup bottles. Like the gemstones sold in jewelry shop. And he had showed me a wonderful, brightly shining side of his.

As a clerk, I wished from the bottom of my heart that his peculiar act of hospitality would go well.

   On Thursday morning, while I was extremely busy with stocking items, someone called to me with an “excuse me”. Even though I wished people wouldn’t talk to me at times like these, I couldn’t let it show on my face. When I turned around with a “yes, what might it be?”, my facial expression froze up. A blond, blue-eyed man was standing there. He was such a beautiful man that you’d end up asking yourself if it was okay to be breathing the same air as him. My face stiffened. He was speaking in fluent Japanese.

“Do you have canned cherries?”

“Eh, hah—aah, cherries?”

“Cherries. I need them urgently,” he said with a sour face.

Whatever might be the situation that required such a pretty young man, who looked like he had fallen from Heaven, to purchase canned cherries, it was beyond me. Anyway, with a manner of walking that looked like a frantic penguin, I guided him to the canned fruits corner and bowed with an “it’s this way”. He smiled as if relieved, leaving me floored.

“Much obliged.”

You’d think of it as an ordinary expression, but it was difficult to describe this with any word other than “bombshell”. His smile was like the glowing summer wind. As a result, you’d find yourself wondering about even unnecessary things, such as if this person had lived a life full of hardships. Was he an actor? Could be a model. His beauty was so removed from this transient realm, so I couldn’t think he was someone from the same world as myself. If a person like him were playing the hero in a tragic drama, I had the feeling that the audience would be a bit turned-off. As in, wouldn’t the role of charismatic villain suit him better? After a brief moment of escapism from reality, I came back to my senses and returned to stocking the items.

Once the checkout of the canned cherries was finished at the register, the elegant man left the shop while cursing someone’s carelessness with an “honestly, that heedless guy,” using a word that even a Japanese person seldom would.

At that moment, for some reason, the figure of that regular customer boy suddenly surfaced in my brain. The one who had told me he wanted to make melon soda. The kind that could quickly be made into cream soda, with vanilla ice cream floating on top. Melon-flavored soda aside, if you wanted to make a cream soda, the cherry was the last thing you should forget - that was what I had always been thinking, but unfortunately, he hadn’t showed up in the shop yet ever since then. Well, someone who had been so obsessed with the melon flavor probably wouldn’t do something like forget about the cherry, but there were instances such as the blond Onii-san of today. If he ever showed up again, I would make sure to mention the cherries.

On that day’s afternoon, I finally gave it a thought, and just as I was going home, I went into a family restaurant for the first time in ten years, and while tasting an awkward embarrassment, I ordered a cream soda. I had actually been wanting to drink it all this time ever since I saw him. My first cream soda in a while had the painfully sweet flavor of childhood.

[hankeverythingwillbefine]

Thrashed, Lost, and Found

Day 7 hurt as much as every day has. It still started out with a forceful morning workout, my cousin has asked me a couple of times if I’d go with her to her gym in the afternoon but working out is something I have to do alone. I know she can do her routine and I can do mine but even the commute needs to be a separate thing. I was dragged to church, even though it’s Catholic I went and listened to what the priest had to say. I kept getting lost in thought and spent time admiring the architectural brilliance of the church. I wanted to go out by myself, I thought it’s time to shave the beard and needed razors (maybe it was just the only excuse I had). I took the bus and we were robbed, even though I was scared I was still aware of how dangerous the state has become thanks to increasing foreign migration. I don’t mean to sound xenophobic and I’m not even blaming the South American migrants, I’m blaming the people that come from other states to those that had stable security in their endless turf wars or those from the capital that have become so wanted by their local enforcement agencies to flee and do what they’re doing here. Anyhow, this short guy in his mid 20′s comes into the bus and asks to hold on a moment before paying. The bus starts moving at this point because the buses are in a hurry. It’s not too packed which is great for my anxiety and I’m looking out the window because I’m a melancholic fuck that needs serotonin and sunlight helps with that. I see some people in front of me shuffle suddenly and it made me startle and grasp the situation... hey we’re getting robbed. I didn’t notice the guy in the back with the backpack collecting money, phones and jewelry until it was my turn. As confident I am of my self-defense abilities, I’m no match for a guy with a gun. My anxiety manifested in a form of angry annoyance instead of fear. I gave them my broken iphone (which thankfully I only took the spare one that I use as an ipod but also has whatsapp installed and all of my contacts... it’s too long a story to explain now), my wallet with an estimated equivalent of $10 dollars and my wired headphones. I could tell that backpack guy was somewhat disappointed in everything they gathered but what do you expect on a Sunday afternoon in a half empty bus that’s going AWAY from the capital. I applaud your efforts, you sad elementary school dropout but thieving doesn’t give participation trophies or a pat on the back (unless you’re a prison bitch, then I guess it’s more than pats on the back). They quickly pointed the gun at the driver and made him pull over by an empty lot, my mind went to “we’re getting executed” which made me angrier. The one that gets to kill me is ME, that much has always been decided and I don’t even mean that in a suicidal way. If I die because of a mistake I made or an action I knowingly took that sent me to my demise, I’d be okay with that. My point is, they ran away and I wanted to go after them but getting shot is not in my to do list. The bus driver had radioed someone to call the police, they came in what felt like 10 minutes-ish and a forever for their police reports. I told them everything I saw, I gave them all my necessary information and details of the items that were stolen. I didn’t see much point in cooperating since the police are famous for being useless in this country and the four that arrived reeked of incompetence and Sunday laziness. I walked back home after that, it was a 30 minute walk... always has been. I realized I took 2 and a half hours between all of that when I got home. I told my mother I went for a walk and got distracted, went to my room and that’s when everything started sinking in. I grew up in a dangerous neighborhood no matter where I lived, having a gun pointed at was something that’s never going to stop being terrifying but the impact lessens over time. After some time of empty staring, I got the phone my father sent a year ago and activated that one, it has less memory and all I really need is music but it’s the thought that counts. I saw a couple of messages from you asking if I’m there and looks like you wanted to talk. I told you I got robbed, you didn’t believe me but this isn’t one of those things to lie about. There’s nothing impressive about getting robbed at gunpoint. My anxiety didn’t go off the rails despite the lack of Xanax in my system, it was a strange feeling and did not know how to rationalize it. I tried to pass it off as being okay, talking to you makes everything easier. You told me you’re redoing the house and talking about your self-worth. Telling me to tell my therapist how strong you are and how beautiful you are and how you’ve shouldered everything for the past year. How fucking dare you, of course I have but I’ve also talked about how controlling you’ve been and the thing I don’t want to do is go from patient to psychologist trying to compare results based on notes and observations about you. Therapy is where I make me about me, it’s step one on a healthy dose of selfishness. So we talked about how you’re Marie Kondoing and suggested I do the same, I told you that I’m not in a head space where assessing joy is a good idea. We talked about how we both need the man I used to be, how tired you are and the things you deserve. I mentioned that my stepdad finally got himself together and I was very surprised, these past 10 years haven’t been very kind to us and he got lazy and complacent and irresponsible. After having been dumped by my mom was when he went back to being hardworking and providing for her and my brother. He’s been incredibly supportive of whatever this thing I’m going through is. We spoke in a way that can only be described like we needed to cheer each other on, and then another “I don’t believe you got robbed” stab. As much as I would like your support yet not seeking it because I’m respecting your space, I really don’t need your doubt. I told you I was looking forward to our monthly in-person meet, which you forgot and it hurt. That was probably the most crushing moment of our whole conversation but powered through it. Sometimes I think I should just divorce you because you’re too much of a coward to ask for it because that is what you really want and I want to work on this but won’t get the chance to get there. We had a nice conversation and cut it short, sleep was calling to me. I woke up late at night and saw that you texted again, I don’t know if you were battling with loneliness again and wanted to talk to me. A part of me wants to tell you to fuck off and seek solace in the Facebook friends you arduously ignored me for but I think you’re doing that and it’s not working as well as you’d hoped. I think we’re both fighting that codependency we have for each other, leading to struggles with our own loneliness. I can’t really speak for you and can only assume. I just told you I went for my late night drink of water. We texted a little on Day 8, sent you a funny ad I got on a website while working. I’m still worried that you’re not eating well and haven’t found someone to pay to cook for you or deliver a healthy meal to you. I spent all of Day 8 hating myself out loud because I had the house to myself and trying not to text you. I also spent it playing GTA 5 and watching how Michael lost his family and is slowly getting them back in their own organically dysfunctional way while having Chicago’s “if you leave me now” playing on the radio station of the car he got in. Rockstar, you’re not fair to me right now. After so many years and changing availability, I still haven’t finished the game but it’s hitting so many sore spots for me right now. Great job, me, you’ve replaced your dependency from Xanax to video games and enjoy neither. I’ve helped my stepdad clean his car during the weekend, Hank sees me near the car and he behaves like we’re going back home. He scratches my leg, getting permission to get in but doesn’t see that it’s just to clean it and not to make a 2 hour trip back to a place we thought everyone was happy in. You sent me a philosophical quote about healing, I looked it up and thanked you for it. I went on to spend my night playing mindlessly, reading on and off about endogenous depression because I stumbled upon a paper I was reading about it in my closet here. Grad school B paper, no easy feat. I spent my night torturing myself internally. Weening off Xanax to help me sleep has not been kind, I’m down to a quarter a day again.

Day 9. I’m proud of myself for not reactivating my Facebook to stalk you since Friday-ish or Thursday. I needed one of the links I had saved and checked your posts since I was already there. Still, I need to stop. I’m getting everything out in a public way while maintaining myself anonymous and you’re getting everything out in a more “everybody, this marriage has been so shitty despite having my husband change jobs and work outside the house in order to pay for everything”. Yes you did the housewife thing and you did it great, I just needed you great and not a clean house or a highly elaborate meal but that’s what I came home to and a wife that had just enough energy to kinda eat. Your mother and my father did come to our rescue one too many times before we got married and while I started my new job. When you said you were told about Stratus, I encouraged you and said I wanted you happy but whatever floats your boat. Day 9 is just starting with sarcastic clients and a very annoyed me. If parting is such sweet sorrow, I don’t have many assets but I’m still meeting an attorney this Friday to set up a will. Just in case.

[bountyofbeads]

Giuliani Says His Moscow Trump Tower Comments Were ‘Hypothetical’ https://nyti.ms/2S0KEhL

If only Donald Trump himself was merely a "hypothetical" President.

I used to wonder why the Sunday shows would allow the faltering Rudy to appear. But it makes sense to me now. He’s not just comic gold, with his jewelry and eyes agog, hurling one fantastically dopey excuse after another. He can’t keep Donald’s “story” line straight and so he is actually a treasure trove of truthful nuggets if you can stand to listen long enough.

Giuliani Says His Moscow Trump Tower Comments Were ‘Hypothetical’

By Maggie Haberman | Published Jan. 21, 2019 |

New York Times | Posted January 22, 2019 |

President Trump’s personal lawyer on Monday walked back the timeline he had offered a day earlier on when negotiations ended with Russian officials about a proposed Trump Tower project in Moscow, calling his comments “hypothetical” and not intended to convey facts.

The latest statement from the lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, was described as a clarification of remarks he made to The New York Times in an interview on Sunday, as well as other remarks he made in interviews on Sunday television news shows.

Mr. Giuliani originally quoted Mr. Trump as telling him the negotiations over a Moscow skyscraper continued through “the day I won.” He also said that the president recalled “fleeting conversations” about the deal after the Trump Organization signed a letter of intent to pursue it.

The confusion centers on how long Mr. Trump may have known of — or was apprised of — discussions about the Moscow tower proposal, which were led by his former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael D. Cohen.

The timeline of negotiations for the skyscraper is important because it shows that Mr. Trump’s company was involved in talks with an American adversary for a business deal through the general election, as he was demanding that President Barack Obama lift sanctions against Russia and urging its government to reveal emails from Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee.

Even before the uproar over his comments, Mr. Giuliani told The Times that there were no call logs or annotations about conversations on the Moscow project that would provide accurate dates, and he described the president’s legal team as at Mr. Cohen’s “mercy.” As a result, he said, there could have been discussions to emerge later that Mr. Trump did not immediately recall.

On Sunday, Mr. Giuliani told The Times that Mr. Trump had said the discussions around the proposed tower were “going on from the day I announced to the day I won.” In television interviews the same day, he said that discussions about the tower might have continued up until November 2016 — the month Mr. Trump was elected president.

But on Monday, Mr. Giuliani, in a widely issued statement, said that he was making hypothetical remarks.

“My recent statements about discussions during the 2016 campaign between Michael Cohen and then-candidate Donald Trump about a potential Trump Moscow ‘project’ were hypothetical and not based on conversations I had with the president,” Mr. Giuliani said.

“My comments did not represent the actual timing or circumstances of any such discussions,” he added. “The point is that the proposal was in the earliest stage and did not advance beyond a free nonbinding letter of intent.”

Mr. Cohen pleaded guilty late last year to lying to Congress about the duration of the Moscow proposal; he had indicated initially that it stopped in January 2016.

It was not the first time Mr. Giuliani has reversed himself in his comments about issues related to the investigation of Russian election interference that is being led by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III.

Last week, Mr. Giuliani backtracked from another surprising assertion that left open the possibility that Trump campaign aides might have coordinated with Russia in its election interference in 2016.

“There was no collusion by President Trump in any way, shape or form,” Mr. Giuliani said in a statement on Thursday, reiterating the president’s longstanding defense against accusations that his campaign secretly coordinated with Moscow to help swing the election. “Likewise, I have no knowledge of any collusion by any of the thousands of people who worked on the campaign.”

He added, referring to discredited conspiracy theories that the president and his allies have long cited, “The only knowledge I have in this regard is the collusion of the Clinton campaign with Russia, which has so far been ignored.”

A day earlier, Mr. Giuliani stopped short of defending Trump campaign aides, drawing speculation that he might have inside knowledge of possible coordination with Russia.

“I never said there was no collusion between the campaign or between people in the campaign,” he told CNN. He added: “I said the president of the United States. There is not a single bit of evidence the president of the United States committed the only crime you could commit here, conspired with the Russians to hack” the Democratic National Committee.

When Mr. Giuliani was hired last April as the public face of Mr. Trump’s legal team, it was part of a strategy to be more aggressive in fighting back against Mr. Mueller. Some of the president’s closest allies believe that Mr. Giuliani was effective in helping change public opinion about the special counsel investigation — at least to some extent.

Since then, however, Mr. Giuliani’s statements have included criticisms of the federal prosecutor’s office in Manhattan that he once led. That office, in the Justice Department’s Southern District of New York, last year secured guilty pleas by Mr. Cohen to a series of crimes, including a campaign finance-related charge that implicated Mr. Trump.

Several people close to Mr. Trump have grown exasperated with Mr. Giuliani’s public appearances. They also expressed concern that he is increasing prosecutors’ anger with the president and potentially creating a misimpression about the Trump Tower project in Moscow.

Mr. Giuliani’s appearances on the Sunday news shows followed an article on the website Buzzfeed last Friday, which reported that Mr. Mueller had amassed evidence that Mr. Trump “personally directed” Mr. Cohen to lie to Congress about the amount of time that the Moscow proposal was active.

The special counsel’s office made the rare move of issuing a public statement about the article after it was published, calling it “inaccurate.”

A person familiar with the discussions said that Mr. Trump’s lawyers sent a letter to the special counsel earlier in the day on Friday asking for a clarification. By then, several Democrats had discussed the prospect of moving ahead with impeachment proceedings if the article was true, creating a heightened degree of pressure on Mr. Mueller’s team.

Democrats in Congress are preparing for the possibility of an impeachment case against Mr. Trump once Mr. Mueller completes his work. In the meantime, Mr. Cohen is scheduled to testify before Congress in an open hearing on Feb. 7.

Since that date was announced, Mr. Trump has repeatedly urged prosecutors and the media to investigate Mr. Cohen’s family. Lanny Davis, a spokesman for Mr. Cohen, has said his client fears for his safety and the safety of his family amid those threats.

A few of the best readers' comments from readers of this story:

"Donald J. Trump has picked the perfect character to be an extension of his scrambled eggs for brains chaos technique and the legitimate media has fallen for it.........again. It is no secret that Giuliani was a brilliant prosecutor but less than brilliant mayor, overall. It is no secret that, since leaving office 17 yrs ago, Giuliani has descended into a mental abyss which is where he and Trump are at home. Trump's antics of keeping them scratching their heads and chasing their tails may have been fun and games in the private sector but it is dangerous to the well being of the country when played out in the geopolitical spectrum."

"Isn't this a old school KGB tactic, throw so much noise into the communication channel to obscure the signal. If I recall correctly Putin routinely would take both sides of an issue to keep opponents guessing. Seems the Don has the best consul."

"If only Rudy Giuliani himself was just a hypothetical character."

"All of Rudy's comments are 'hypothetical' - he is the volunteer TV Attorney for Trump, and his only role is to defend, deflect, mis-direct. He does not actually sit down with his 'client' and discuss any details, so therefore he knows none. Why does anyone in the media bother interviewing him? He is guaranteed to not clarify any meaningful matter."

" Trump's choice of 'personal lawyers' such as Cohen or Giuliani, does indicate something about Trump's ability to evaluate assistants who can carry out his policies, or not. We see the same ineptitude in Trump's choices of Cabinet chiefs or campaign chiefs, etc. etc. Any other CEO with such a bad track record of appointments would have already been fired by his company's board of directors. The Congress is the Board of Directors for our Government. But our current "Board" has been derelict in its oversight function and allowed the current CEO (aka POTUS) to exert powers and make decisions that are bad for our government and for the People who are the "stockholders" of this government."

[d1tman-blog]

Here is my life...(I sent this to my medical provider, Piedmont Healthcare)

I am sending this here because I can't get it to my medical team any other way. I can't afford ink for my printer, so I can't print the excerpt to hand it them, and it is too long to send in MyChart. My Care Team consists of Dr Sanjay Sarin, Dr Ashish Bhimani, Dr Garry McCulloch, Barbara Conlon, NP, and Hannah Folds, NP. Because I for some reason usually don't feel as terrible during my visits to the medical team, it seems like the day to day feeling shitty all the time isn't taken into account. Dr Sarin asks if I have gone to work every time I visit him, but I do well to walk across my living room many days, much less hold down a job. To give you all an idea what being Tommy Johns is like, I am including excerpts from my diary. It is a bit long, but shows pretty well what it is like being me. I don't have a death wish, so please don't try to do the psychiatric exam on me. I don't need one, and I will just quit Piedmont and go to another healthcare facility. .......................       ..Diary Excerpts 3 Before you get started on the diary, put something that mildly buzzes next to your ear. Keep it there a few minutes. That is one of the things I have going on 24/7/365, and have had it for 3 years (tinnitus). Now get a belt and tighten it as tight as you can by hand around your head. that is what I feel 24/7/365:                                                             My life changed drastically and unalterably in early October, 2015. I had gotten that terrible flu that went round Atlanta and did not understand or recognize it's severity until I felt as if I would not draw another breath. I woke up one Sunday morning unable to breathe. I could only breathe sitting straight up. Monday morning I made a doctor appointment with my general practitioner. To make a long story short, I ended up in the hospital in late October  for the 1st of 14 times, sometimes only 5 days per stay, sometimes as long as 9 days (as of 5/23/2018).  I remained in the hospital a week. The flu had developed into pneumonia, and bacteria from the pneumonia damaged my heart even more than the childhood illness did), causing congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and an enlarged heart. Complications from these and from the medicines to combat it have also caused renal insufficiency and elevated liver enzymes. I am now on 9 medications to combat the diseases. I have also had two TIAs (mini strokes) and precancerous polyps were removed from my colon. To those who will be conducting and/or involved in my funeral:                                                     Don't spend any more money than necessary to bury me. If I am near death and someone finds me, don't use heroic measures to save me. Just keep me from as much pain as possible. It is in many respects difficult to contemplate death, but the facts and my present condition preclude a long life, so I will end this journey shortly.  I am comforted by the words attributed to Julius Caesar in Shakespeare's novel: " Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear death, Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come." To be honest, I will be glad when this life of misery and pain is over. I wish it would have been different.  I wish that all I had dreamed and aspired to had become reality. The circumstances have dealt a different path though. I have taken a very different road in life than I ever would have imagined. There is so much to say: The loss of broken and unrealized dreams, expectations unfilled, life cut short. I hope my ramblings on Facebook, Twitter and tumblr, and my encounters on this journey called life have had a positive impact on someone, and that I have made a positive difference in someone's life. I will keep a diary starting on page two of this document. I hope to live a long life, but It doesn't seem like that is to be. I have made some tremendous mistakes in my life, but hope the good I have done outweighs the bad. There isn't a day that goes by when I am not saddened unbearably by losing the love of family.  To everyone, I love you. Diary: 10/18/2016. I felt pretty fair throughout most of the day, although I haven't slept a lot. I haven't really kept track but I believe I slept about 4 hours from 4:30am until 8:30am, then from about 2:30pm until 4:30pm. I feel like sh*t now. Weak, heart beating hard... I think nearly every day about not living through this any more...Congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and an enlarged heart - it is a bitch to live with - no energy, no stamina, hurting or in some type of discomfort constantly. 10/19/2016 Another day feeling like total sh*t. What else is there to say? 10/20/2016 I feel a little bit better today - still no energy to speak of. I hurt my back, so am dealing with that in addition to everything else.  I stay tired and sleepy nearly all the time... 10/21/2016 Can't sleep. Heart racing, lungs feel tight. 10/22/2016 went back on Proventil inhaler. I think last dose was about 10:45pm 10/21/2016. Have to wait another hour for another dose. can't breathe. Weak stomach tight/bloated. have dry cough. able to sleep 5 hours after 2nd dose of Proventil. Still no energy, no stamina. Throat and mouth dry. slept another 3 hours. Ear infection is back. Ear infection is bothering the hell out of me. Constant ringing. a little sick - don't know if it is from ear infection or other malady - had runny stool several times yesterday. Lost my appetite. Got prescriptions and started back taking them. I hope it gets me feeling better. Kevin's arraignment was Wednesday - charged with felony marijuana possession, misdemeanor marijuana possession, and drug paraphernalia. Finally getting a little hungry. Ate 1/2 Big Mac large meal earlier; Will finish it. Lasix is working me over. 10/23/2016 hard to breathe - can't sleep well. yet am almost overpoweringly sleepy. I finally got a little sleep - about 5 hours. Stomach is cramping, still no energy, no stamina. 10/24/2016 Woke up early - hard to breathe. don't have stamina or energy for sh*t. Get extremely tired when sitting in a chair and need to lie down and rest, but it takes a long time to sleep - if I am able to - because it is hard to breathe lying down.  made a doctor's appointment for Thursday at 3:30pm. 10/25/2016 same as yesterday. may be getting a little worse. 10/26/2016 my worst day yet. same as the days above, but can't get relief even for a moment. Constant pain and discomfort, tightening band around my head - helluva headache 11/8/2016 Still feel nauseous about 3/4 of the day each day. Doctors think it is the medicine that makes me sick: Indications for some of the meds say will make you sick. Kevin still has shitty attitude. He doesn't get it that he will need to impress the hell out of the jailers to get conditional release program. 11/11/2016 Sick as sh*t. I hope that is what is causing me to be so confrontational with people rather than me turning into an a**hole. I went off on Jecca. Got jealous because she contacted an old boyfriend of hers. Turns out he called her because he has some type of injury to  his hand and foot and wanted some sympathy. I told her if she continues contact with him I would start hanging with sluts and send her pictures. I told him I would stomp his ass if he kept contacting her. I got pretty nasty with her before we finally made up and resolved it. 11/12/2016 I have been off the diary except sporadically for a while. I thought I was getting better: No such luck. Started driving to class today and threw up all over myself and my car. I am extremely nauseous, and have a tremendous headache.  I get hungry as hell, but then get full after only two or three bites of food. Death would be a blessing. No energy, listless, no ambition, no drive. Headaches are the norm for me, and the ear infection is chronic with constant tinnitus. 11/13/2016 pretty much the same as yesterday. a general feeling of malaise, nauseated. 12/4/2016 I was invited to Christmas dinner. I hope I can have the energy to go. It is getting to the point I don’t even want to be around anyone. I just want to be in the comfort of my own home. Becoming even more of a recluse than normal. New medication regimen seems to be working a little better. Still feel weak and sleepy most of the time. I guess tinnitus will be permanent. 12/12/2016 Was invited to a show free of charge to sell my jewelry. I don’t have the stamina to set up my display, much less be there several hours. Headaches are normal, and tinnitus is constant. 4 days now with no sleep. Period. Zilch. Nada. Bupkis. 12/24/2016 I can’t make it to the Christmas dinner I was invited to. I don’t have the energy to go. Staying home and cooking chicken with vegetables. 11/14/2017 It has been a long time since the last entry, but what's the point? At least by reading it I discover again the pain and shitty feeling all the time are not new. I don't know what the merit is in that, but it makes me feel like maybe I am not getting worse: I just get the unparalleled joy of feeling like total ** all the time: Nausea - constant; headache - constant; tinnitus - constant. It is all 24/7/ 365 until I manage to sleep for a little while - 3 or if I'm lucky, 4 hours at a time.  YIPPEE!!! On a different note, Jecca and I are no longer together. When I incurred tremendous financial burdens because of the CHF, she no longer wanted to stick around. It has really done a number on me emotionally, but on the other hand, it wouldn't be fair to want her to stick around and watch me die, becoming a widow in the prime of her life.   I would like at my funeral, Crossing the Bar read during the service: Crossing the Bar   BY ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON Sunset and evening star,    And one clear call for me!   And may there be no moaning of the bar,    When I put out to sea,     But such a tide as moving seems asleep,    Too full for sound and foam,   When that which drew from out the boundless deep    Turns again home.   Twilight and evening bell,    And after that the dark!     And may there be no sadness of farewell,    When I embark;     For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place    The flood may bear me far,   I hope to see my Pilot face to face    When I have cross’d the bar.                                                                                                                                         9/12/2018                                                                                                                It has been quite a while since my last entry, but each day is  rehash of every other day.  To add to the fun of my life, My right shoulder has started hurting and I am in excruciating pain. It is from an old exercise injury from doing back arm pushups, when I tore my rotator cuff. I can't afford another doctor bill, and have to live with it. 10/22/2018                                                                                                                                                                                                                         My shoulder still hurts. I can barely lift it shoulder high, and it wakes me up hurting like hell. I only sleep 2 or 3 hours at a time because of it, and have to move it with my left hand until I am awake a little while and it limbers up again. The Tylenol the doctors told me I can take for pain aint sh*t...I might as well be taking Gummy Bears for pain... I started an online ministry - not much participation - only 24 members after a few months, but I post sermons and positive thoughts for the day, most of the time twice a day on the positive thoughts.. Well, I will stop blubbering. Nothing can change, unless I somehow have the good fortune of being hit by a Mack truck or a meteor falling from the sky to put me out of my misery, or something like that. Yippee ki yay. Anecdote: I may seem at times to not have much patience with people when they have their little foibles. I am not cold hearted, and have tremendous empathy when people are truly in pain or have grief. It is the little mundane bs that people grouse about that annoys me.

[fashiontrendin-blog]

My First Fashion Week Has Been Imperfect and Strangely Life-Affirming

http://fashion-trendin.com/my-first-fashion-week-has-been-imperfect-and-strangely-life-affirming/

My First Fashion Week Has Been Imperfect and Strangely Life-Affirming

This is my very first fashion week! I’m very excited and also nervous and oh my god what will I wear I hope I don’t fall over at some point. I love fashion as something to think about and observe in others, but I feel I’m very firmly not a “fashion person,” if that makes sense? I sort of feel like a band nerd at a jock party, but I have no doubt this week will be fun (if I don’t fall). This is also my first fashion week as a managing editor, so while we’ve had meetings and google docs and emails galore, 90% of my anxiety comes from a deep need to not mess this up. Below, a recording of my first few days — let me know whether you think I succeeded.

Thursday

10 a.m.

I’m working from home today and have knocked out the work-from-home essentials: brush your teeth, wash your face, put on a bra and make a huge pot of coffee. I spend most of the morning doing normal non-fashion week things.

2 p.m

I make one of those weird work-from-home lunches that’s just a bowl of stuff from your fridge.

6:30 p.m.

I sign off to get ready for the DapperQ show at the Brooklyn Museum.

7 p.m.

I decide to walk because it’s finally not a million degrees out and immediately get rained on. I regret nothing as it is important to see the outside world for at least 20 minute on a work-from-home day.

7:30 p.m.

I meet up with my friend Naima and head in. It’s a full-on scene. Technically this is my very first fashion show, but it’s on what feels like my home turf. The general public can and is encouraged to buy tickets so it’s more of an event than anything else. There are pop-up boutiques, a gif booth, the world’s longest bar line and a station to get all of your measurements taken.

8:10 p.m.

The show starts and it’s actually 10 different labels showing: A/C Space, Audio Helkuik, Jag & Co, Kris Harring Apparel Group, Nicole Wilson, SALT, Stuzo clothing, The Phluid Project, TomboyX + Squirrel Vs. Coyote, and THÚY Custom Clothier. It’s a mix of incredibly tailored suits for all types of bodies and all types of gender expressions, flowy linen tunics and pants that feel like tropical menocore, ’90s inspired rave wear and a truly great bike short look. The models that are sent down the runway are all races, ages, sizes and orientations.

9:15 p.m.

That was a very long show, I fell in love at least three times and now I need to buy a suit. First fashion show down!

Friday

10:30 a.m.

I get into the office late because the Q was majorly delayed this morning and it was physically impossible to get on the first one that came. Haley, Simedar and I spend five minutes talking about how dumb New York is as an idea. Someone points out there’s a nutella cookie on the counter and I decide to treat my emotional wounds with too much sugar.

11 a.m.

The office is a ghost town, between people dashing in and out for shows, working remotely and squeezing in end-of-summer vacations. I get a lot of the task-based stuff done (pay freelancers, update our project management software, send some strongly worded emails). I think/hope we prepared well for fashion week this year. We had two meetings to try to get ahead of everything but also decided that this year everyone will be flexible within reason. There’s no need to stay up till midnight working on a post.

1 p.m.

Amelia turns around her Tory Burch post with lightning speed, Edith finds the photos and we turn it live! Nothing like the rush of timely content!!!

5 p.m.

Maybe it’s the sugar, maybe it’s the fashion week adrenaline, but it is 5 o’clock and we have lost our minds. We get on the topic of tattooing celebrities on our thighs, Haley has busted out her weird animal toys and I keep changing my hair. I’m going to Chromat in a few and feel like this is the day to just go for a fulllllll look. I’m wearing a purple jump suit and more makeup and jewelry than I ever do, but changing from a high bun to a messy low ponytail feels like a true leap into a fashion-forward existence. Haley loans me her incredible white coat and while every part of my always-underdressed soul is screaming for me to take it off, a small voice says, it’s fashion week.

5:50 p.m.

Eliz and I arrive at the Chromat show after a quick walk (that girl can walk). There’s a lot of street style hullabaloo and when a nice guy asks to take my photo I say YES. Fashion week has turned me into a whole new woman!! It was a weird process but whatever, I’m an old pro by the time we meet up with Simon and he snaps my photo for this here diary. We’re in line for about 30 minutes but it goes quickly because there is just so much to see, so many people to watch.

6:20 p.m.

After a somewhat confusing line situation and an elevator ride that set off my anxiety (made an iPhone note: “Play about fashion people stuck in an elevator???” I don’t think it’s a hit), we get into the space. In the rush to find our seats I see one Whoopi Goldberg and feel beyond blessed.

6:50 p.m.

The show is over and it was so fun! Once again we were blessed with a gorgeous mix of models including Ericka Hart, whose hair I’m copying immediately. Their swimsuits and sunglasses and beads almost made me sad that summer is over, but I now have some full looks to dream about for the next 10 months or so.

7:15 p.m.

Back in the office to send the final end-of-day editorial email and check in on some things before running off to surprise my friend who just got engaged!! Feeling very happy and grateful for this day.

Saturday

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Very chill morning, made some breakfast, did some reading, wrote for myself, went to the gym, ate a second breakfast, took a shower and put my “look” together.

1-2 p.m.

Getting ready for the Christian Siriano show and am VERY excited. I got to talk to him ever-so-briefly earlier this year and love not only the stuff that he makes but the people he casts. Also hoping to see my tall sister Leslie Jones.

Feeling a bit of an emotional hangover from pushing myself outside of my comfort zone (amazing what the right coat can do), so I just threw on the Levi’s from this story, a black turtleneck and some dad sneakers. Feeling very much in my comfort zone, I left, giving myself 20 more minutes than Google maps told me I needed because of the raggedy-ass MTA.

2:15 p.m.

The Q isn’t coming for 17 minutes. The B isn’t running at all. I remember how much fun I had in Baltimore earlier this year and briefly imagine what Baltimore Nora is doing right at this very moment.

2:32 p.m.

The train is beyond crowded but I push myself on because I can’t be late. I hope that all of my I’ll-wait-for-the-next-one karma has been stored up for this very moment. Texting with Haley and Em to let them know I’ll be late-late. Because, oh, guess what? This late-ass Q is now running local instead of express. A 3-year-old-girl is pummeling her older brother while their dad plays a phone game. Her brother pushes her and she falls on my shoes, the dad finally looks up. I double check that I’ve registered to vote.

4:17 p.m.

I finally meet Emily outside in line. We have standing tickets and Haley has a seat so she already went in. We chat, see Tiffany Hadish walk in (she ready, I mumble enthusiastically to myself) and I think Carmen Electra? It is raining and the line is outside.

4:23 p.m.

No room at the inn! Someone tells one person at the front of the line that we all have to go home and it quickly becomes the world’s saddest/grouchiest game of telephone. Em and I are both a little bummed and decide to just head home rather than wait to see people exit. I get back on the Q train, it is running as it should.

I’m a little annoyed and frustrated and the high of last night’s New York magic has worn off. The afternoon was stressful, challenging, disappointing and no one likes to feel like they’re being left out. It felt like what I was nervous would happen (“mmm you’re not cool!”) happened and I know it’s not personal and I know it’s not an actual big deal but I’m just…over it.

5:20 p.m.

Grab some groceries on the walk home, come back to send a few emails, update a few headlines and check in on everyone else. My ticket for Pyer Moss is standing also and I’m feeling a little Eeyore-ish and think about skipping it. My friend Morgan’s birthday is tonight and so is my friend Michelle’s goodbye and I could use the extra energy/hours. But I ultimately decide against ditching. So I eat too much cheese, sigh and put on my shoes, and head out the door. Feel free to bookmark that as an inspirational quote.

6:30 p.m.

The show is in Brooklyn at the Weeksville Heritage Center so I splurge on a Lyft since it’s kind of close. I get there and just like that, I’m back in it. Roughly 98% of the people outside are black and there are some fantastic outfits. I bump into my new pal Simon who was smart enough to wear a rain poncho. We wait in line for a bit which gives me ample time to covet the Pyer Moss sweatshirts the staff and crew are wearing. There are also staff members with shirts that say “If You’re Just Hearing About Pyer Moss We Forgive You.” I’ll take two. I don’t know anyone but it’s fine, because I’m just happy to be there.

7 p.m.

I walk into the space and it’s amazing. It is full on raining so it’s a bit of a bummer that it’s outside but very much worth it. I wander over to the back where the historic houses are. Which, I feel like I should explain something here: I LOVE historic homes and historic house tours. Like 80% of my personality is loving historic homes. These particular historic homes are the Hunterfly Road Houses , built at the height of Weeksville’s time as a thriving free black community in the 19th and early 20th century. Okay. Back to fashion. Shaun Ross is here! I think MJ Rodriguez is here too! Karruche is for sure here!

7:15 p.m.

A jazz quartet walks out. They’re all dressed in white and posted up to the side of the houses: I’m about to witness some black excellence, I think to myself. I’m standing by the stage manager and hear her say “the choir is coming out now” into a headset. Which, okay, sorry to keep doing this — I LOVE choirs, and while we’re here on this historic black site about to watch a black designer send black models down the runway while a jazz quartet plays, I watch this choir come out and think about how much being in choir helped shaped my identity and community and realize that, at this moment, it feels a bit like a community, and I get in my feelings, just a little bit. What would it have been like to see this future for myself? What is it like to grow up now with all these infinite ways to be black and successful?

8ish p.m.

The show is over and it was incredible. Yellow pleather overalls, a yellow mesh dress that I would not be surprised to see on MR sometime in the future, gorgeous pleated pants, amazing graphic prints and a gospel choir that swag surf-ed. I would see a look and think of a black actor it would be perfect for, or a friend (I’m matchmaking Crystal and those pleather overalls for sure). It just felt special.

It’s been a rough couple of news days, so standing in that space in awe of all that we do and all that we create was the first time I truly felt what it means for fashion to transcend clothing or magazines or trends. To be at the heart of how fashion can be the start of a conversation or even a feeling.

There was a cookout, with Hennesy, duh, but I decided to leave on a high note. I turned around to look at the Hunterfly Houses all lit up as an amazing 90s R&B mix floated out from the party and I remember why I love New York. That all parts of myself are given a place to thrive, to be seen. That in three days you can see different pieces of what matter to you reflected back in all of the crazy glory of the city at its most insane. I’m signing off to celebrate a friend and say goodbye to another, to give thanks for this city and the people that fill it.

Feature photo by Simon Chetrit.