#solar rosier | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

drvirgus · 10 months ago

Text

The life you dreamed of

(Series)

Description: Y/n a K-pop Idol of the 5-Member Group Moonlight. But what happens when she falls in Love? How exactly is her life as an Idol and why did she become one?

Idol! Yeji X Idol! Reader

Warnings: Mention of Bullying and Suicide, curse words

Chapter 6:

Masterlist

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yeji POV

Weeks had passed since our time in Japan with the rest of Itzy. During this period, Y/n and I had grown closer, forging a bond that felt stronger and more stable, at least from my perspective. What the 21-year-old Y/n didn't know, however, was that my feelings toward her were quite different. Every now and then, fleeting thoughts crossed my mind about how cute Y/n was, but I couldn't muster the courage to go beyond that.

There were simply too many other things demanding my attention. Itzy had made a comeback, and our schedule was packed with concerts, events, and commitments. I convinced myself that I didn't have the time to dwell on my feelings for Y/n. Yet, her smile remained a constant presence in my thoughts.

Things took an unexpected turn when I found myself standing before Moonbyul from Mamamoo. We were collaborating to promote the songs "Cake" and "Dang Dang." Moonbyul caught me off guard by asking for my number and extending her hand. I couldn't help but laugh nervously as I shook her hand, feeling that Y/n would kill me if she ever saw this video.

After the promotion, when the camera was off, Moonbyul and I had some time to talk. She invited me for coffee, and we sat down together.

Moonbyul had her phone in her hand, which piqued my curiosity. "Is that Solar-sunbaenim?" I asked, causing her to look up. Y/n had never stopped talking about Mamamoo, and she was convinced that Moonbyul and Solar were in a relationship. That's probably why I asked about Solar.

Moonbyul smiled and placed her phone, face down, on the table. She took a sip of her coffee, and I followed suit. I blushed when I realized Moonbyul hadn't answered my question. "Sorry. Y/n is a fan of yours, and she's convinced that you two... you know," I explained, feeling my cheeks grow even rosier.

Moonbyul observed me with a softened expression. "Y/n?" she asked, causing me to blush even more. My smile grew broader, and I nodded vigorously. "Yes, Y/n from Moonlight," I replied, my excitement evident. Moonbyul's chuckle made me blush even deeper, and she leaned in slightly, saying, "Solar and I are together."

Those words left me breathless, and I blushed even deeper. Moonbyul giggled at my reaction. "Your girlfriend has good taste," she added, making me turn an even darker shade of red. Embarrassed, I lowered my shoulders and tried to hide my reaction. My heart raced, and I bit my lip. "M-My girlfriend?" I stammered, looking at Moonbyul.

Moonbyul laughed heartily, revealing her teeth in a wide grin. "I get it, Yeji-ah," Moonbyul said, making me laugh as well. I shook my head in disbelief and raised my hands defensively. "We're not together. She likes Ryujin, my member," I explained with a sigh, feeling relieved.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated, and I apologized as I checked my messages. A smile spread across my face as I saw a message from my crush. I clicked on the message, which led me to our chat. I immediately noticed a sticker with my own face on it, and I looked rather annoyed.

Y/n (10:13): Traitor!

My eyes widened, and I cast a quick look around. They narrowed when I spotted Yuna, holding a coffee in one hand and her phone in the other. Returning my attention to my phone, another message popped up.

Y/n (10:14): 😭😠😠😤😭😭🫨🫨

Y/n (10:14): Traitor!!!

I huffed, and Moonbyul smiled faintly. "Y/n?" Moonbyul inquired, and my eyes widened once again. Moonbyul chuckled softly. "You're pretty obvious. Just don't let your fans find out," Moonbyul sighed. My brow furrowed as I glanced at Moonbyul, almost forgetting about the messages.

"After all, we're still in Korea," the older woman explained, and I nodded knowingly. I looked back down at my phone as another message arrived. Moonbyul also glanced at her phone now, her curiosity evident in her eyes. "Jealous?" Moonbyul asked, prompting me to laugh.

"Yes, but of me," I replied. "If she could, I think she'd come here just to meet you," I added with a light laugh.

Y/n (10:16): Whoa... Now she's even ghosting me😶😶🫡

Y/n (10:16): 🖕🖕🖕🖕

Y/n (10:18): Do you know the song F.F.F by Bebe Rexha?🫥

Baffled by the last message, I opened my phone's web browser and entered the song's name in the search bar. A moment later, I burst into laughter. Moonbyul, witnessing all of this, joined in the laughter. My face lit up, making Moonbyul smile gently. "She has a sense of humor," the older woman remarked, earning a nod from me.

My thoughts and words increasingly centered around Y/n, even without my conscious awareness. I couldn't stop talking about her. Moonbyul listened intently. It wasn't often that she was asked about love. However, she had been in the same position as me before and could speak from experience.

at least i hoped so....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Y/n POV

"People... I'm really bored," I sighed as I glanced at my phone. I had started a live stream a few minutes ago, at least doing something to pass the time. I sighed once more, "Yeji is cheating on me right now, and the rest of Itzy is busy. Haewon, Yuna, and Hanni are who knows where, and Yunjin is at the gym," I said, rolling my eyes.

"What should we do now?" I asked as I stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. My eyes also scanned the numerous comments that were spreading like wildfire in my live stream.

DanceMachineK: Y/n, you're our entertainment even when you're bored! 😂❤️

EXOticFanatic: Tell us a funny story, Y/n!

yejinniiii: How about a sneak peek of your day? Show us around!

KpopObsession: Don't worry, we're here to keep you company! 😊

SUNny: Can you sing a little for us?

sonny: Y/n, spill some tea! Any juicy gossip to share?

texasch: Let's play a quick game or trivia!

19)girl: Ask us questions, we'll keep you entertained!

itzuy: A little dance break, perhaps? 🕺💃

saboonse: We love your live streams, Y/n! Keep 'em coming!🥰🥰🥰

Humming, I glanced at the comments. "Sorry, there's no gossip here. How about a funny story? Alright, I'll tell you about the time I got lost during a music show," I said, chuckling. I settled into my gaming chair and propped my phone against the screen. I was wearing AirPods so that the viewers could hear me better.

No manager was around at the moment, which gave me the freedom to speak openly. Of course, I had to be careful not to say anything wrong.

"So, we were all at a music show, and honestly, I can't even remember which one it was. You all probably know how bad my sense of direction is. Well, I needed to use the restroom, so I ended up losing my members," I said, smiling. I gestured with my arms as I continued, "I got so lost within that venue that my members were searching for me like crazy. They found me in the dressing room of Ji-eun—oh, oops, I mean IU-sunbaenim," I said, laughing lightly.

"I had lain down on the couch there, and since I had been gaming all night before that, I fell asleep. IU-sunbaenim eventually woke me up and helped me find my members," I shared, smiling at the camera. "But, wow, when I tell it now, it doesn't sound as funny anymore... Sorry, folks," I added, feeling a bit embarrassed.

DanceMachineK: Haha, that's a hilarious story, Y/n! 😂 IU-sunbaenim must have been surprised to find you in her dressing room!

UniverseDreamer: Don't worry, Y/n! It's still funny hearing you tell it! 😄

Tboi: Your sense of direction might be bad, but your storytelling is on point! 👌

iloveYn: I can't believe you fell asleep in IU-sunbaenim's dressing room! 😂 What's your favorite IU song?

jiiin: You're such a gamer, Y/n! What games have you been playing lately?"

spongabub: I'm loving this live! Your stories are the best, Y/n! 🥰

berree: Do you have any embarrassing moments on stage you can share? 😳

1833: Y/n, you're so cute even when you're embarrassed! 😊

I chuckled slightly, "Thank you. I really love you all, Sunny," I said with a smile. I made some random mouth movements, "Oh, by the way, I've seen what Haewon does in her lives on YouTube. Why is she so funny? Especially how well she imitates her voice cracks?" I asked, laughing lightly. I licked my lips.

I grabbed my phone, "Let's cook something. I'm kinda craving pancakes, guys," I said as I made my way to the kitchen. "I'm basically a zero in cooking, so call the fire department if it starts to burn," I joked as I placed my phone on the kitchen counter.

I started tying my relatively short hair into a very short ponytail, reminiscent of Eren Yeager, an anime character. Shortly after, I prepared the batter and had to stir it multiple times. However, the kitchen already looked like a mess as I accidentally spilled flour and it scattered across the kitchen counter.

StarlightVibes: Pancakes sound amazing! I'm sure they'll turn out great. 😄🥞

KPOPFever21: Haha, don't worry, we won't call the fire department... probably. 😉 Can't wait to see your pancake skills!

BlackPinkInYourArea: hilarious! Haewon's voice cracks are legendary, though. 😂

"Cooking with Y/n is the content we all needed today! 🙌

MoonlightMelody: Eren Jäger hair vibes! Love it. 💇‍♂️

UniverseDreamer: This kitchen adventure is already epic. Can't wait to see the flour disaster unfold. 😂

My phone lit up, and I looked at the message that had been sent to me. There was a bit of flour on my nose since I had scratched it earlier, not realizing I had flour on my hands. I smiled and immediately shared with the camera, "Look who's watching my live, Yeji."

I chuckled and continued, "Yeji, are you done for the day already? As you can see, I'm making some pancakes. Come over," I said with a slight grin and waved at the camera. But then, I shook my head. "Actually, no. I'm still mad at you, you traitor," I added, laughing slightly as I pointed my index finger at the camera.

StarryNightSkye: Haha, the pancake queen is back! 🥞

PancakeLover92: Yeji, you better make up for being a traitor! 😆

FitnessFanatic99: Those pancakes look amazing! Can we have a virtual taste? 😋

ArtisticSoul22: Y/n, you're so cute even with flour on your nose! 😄❤️

TravelingNomad23: Yeji, join Y/n for some pancake therapy! 🥞😁

BookwormReader56: Can you share your pancake recipe with us, Y/n?

Itzy.all.in.us: I'm coming over, Y/n

I saw the comment and immediately smiled. I continued talking to my fans and cleaned up the kitchen a bit in the meantime. I didn't want Yunjin to get mad at me if she saw this mess. There was a knock on the door, so I grabbed my phone and headed over to open it.

I smiled as I looked at Yeji, who was already looking at me. I turned the camera around, and Yeji rested her cheek against mine, smiling at the camera. "Hey, Sunny," she said as she waved to the camera. I chuckled and let her inside. Together, we made our way to the kitchen.

"You still have flour on your nose," Yeji commented with a light laugh as she gently wiped the flour off my nose. "So, let's finally cook and eat," Yeji said as she tied her hair into a ponytail. I laughed as I placed my phone back on the counter. Yeji took charge of making the pancakes, while I simply stood by and watched.

@ShipperSupreme: Y/n and Yeji, whipping up love and pancakes in the kitchen! 🥞❤️ #Ynji

@CulinaryCupid: Sparks flying in the kitchen as Y/n and Yeji cook up some romance! 💘 #Ynji

@RyujinLover: Sorry, Ryujin, but Y/n and Yeji's cooking chemistry is undeniable! 😄 #Ynji

@YunjinAdmirer: While some ship Yunjin with Y/n, I'm here for the adorable #Ynji cooking moments! 😍

@PancakePassion: Y/n x Yeji forever! Their cooking partnership is goals! 🥞💕 #Ynji

@LoveIntheKitchen: Team #Ynji or Team #Ryeji? Either way, Y/n and Yeji's culinary adventures are heartwarming! ❤️👩‍❤️‍👩

@CouplesWhoCook: Y/n and Yeji, the dynamic duo that has us shipping all kinds of pairings! 😂❤️

@YunjinFanatic: Y/n and Yunjin would be cute, but #Ynji's cooking camaraderie is hard to resist! 🍳💖

@KitchenLoveStories: Cooking up both delicious food and love! Y/n and Yeji, you've won our hearts! 💑🍽️

@ShippersUnite: Let's sail the ships together, but Y/n and Yeji are giving us major couple vibes today! 😊💘 #Ynji

Smiling, we also bid farewell to my and Yeji's fans. The live stream was eventually ended, and my phone powered off.

Yeji and I, of course, indulged in the pancakes while we cozily watched a movie on the couch. Yeji lay on the couch and insisted on cuddling. At first, I resisted, but as time passed, I began to relax. Eventually, I even enjoyed feeling her arms around me.

It was... nice

#newjeans hanni #itzy x yn #itzy x reader #itzy yeji #haewon #huh yunjin #shin yuna #yeji x reader #hwang yeji

19 notes · View notes

oc-textpost-quotes · 3 years ago

Text

Solar: How did none of you hear what I just said?

Kinsley: I’ve been zoned out for the past two and a half hours.

Alex: I got distracted about halfway through.

Jaidyn: Ignoring you was a conscious decision.

#alex potter #jaidyn carrow #kinsley veyan #solar rosier

0 notes

earaercircular · 3 years ago

Text

Antwerp organises action to throw waste in the garbage can outdoors as well

Click, a new application that was launched yesterday in Antwerp, encourages residents and visitors to throw their waste in the dust bin outdoors as well. By scanning the packaging, you save digital coins that you can redeem at local merchants.

For the second time in a month, brand new alderman of City and Neighbourhood Maintenance of Antwerp Els van Doesburg posed at a dust bin to draw attention to the litter problem in the city - once again. Last month it was about the new Mr Fills,[1] super trash cans that have an original thank you for those who deposit their waste.

Yesterday, the standard garbage cans in the Antwerp streets were given a pink jacket, magenta to be precise. It characterizes the areas in the city where the new Click[2] application has been introduced: on and around the main shopping street Meir, the student neighbourhood (environment of the UAntwerp city campus), the Scheldt quays and the Statiestraat (Berchem district).

In short, if you dispose of your waste properly, you will be rewarded with Circular Ucoins[3], a digital currency that can be used in local shops.

It is an initiative of Fost Plus[4], which is responsible for the selective collection, sorting and recycling of household packaging waste in Belgium. Fost Plus launched Click last summer in the seaside municipality of De Haan. Now it is joining forces with the city of Antwerp.

How does it work?

In one of the four zones where the app is active, you scan the barcode or take a photo of every package that you throw in the trash outside the home. For each pack you obtain five Ucoins. In the app you get an overview of where you can redeem those Ucoins. At Butchery Rosier on the Paardenmarkt you can get a small jar of casseloaf for 55 UCoins or 3+1 hamburgers for 160 Ucoins. For 945 UCoins you can bowl half an hour for free at Antwerp Bowling after the first paid hour. And in this way there are dozens of offers.

“Litter is one of the biggest annoyances in our city, in shopping streets, in residential areas, on squares, in parks and on the quays. Everyone knows that," says alderman Els van Doesburg. “City services are doing everything they can to keep Antwerp clean, but a change in mentality is needed to keep litter out of our city. We sanction and enforce more, we can no longer avoid that. But we also need to focus on awareness. That is what we want to do with this new application. I am also grateful to our local shop keepers for helping us with this. It can also mean added value for them. Their business will be discovered by new customers and their shopping area will be a lot cleaner.”

Separate collection

In addition, the waste bins in the four Click zones will also be collected separately by Fost Plus. “Waste that is collected without separation will be pre-sorted, so that the packaging can be recovered as much as possible for recycling,” says Patrick Laevers of Fost Plus. “We know that the Belgians are good sorters indoors. In 2020, for example, we were able to recycle 95 percent of the packaging on the market via the blue garbage bag. But we are often less good students outdoors. We hope that people will make the mental 'click', including via the app, so that litter disappears from our streets.” The project will run for at least one year and will then be evaluated and possibly expanded.

Source

Jan Stassijns, Antwerpse actie om afval ook buitenshuis in vuilnisbak te gooien, in: De Standaard, 2-7-2021, https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20210701_97614170

[1] No litter, less CO2 and lower costs. That is Mr. Fill’s mission. It is done this with a smart solar compacting bin, a smart underground compactor and a smart sensor. All products communicate with the Smart City Manager, a platform for every smart city. https://www.mr-fill.com/ [2] www.the-click.be [3] https://www.the-click.be/en/search/content?keys=Circular%20Ucoins [4] Fost Plus is responsible for the collection and recycling of packaging materials for household products. Fost Plus finances and coordinates the following collections:The door-to-door collection of PMD by means of the blue bagThe collection of glass via the glass recycling bins or by door-to-door collectionThe door-to-door collection of paper-cardboardAdditionally, Fost Plus also finances the collection of these and other packaging materials at recycling centres, including hard plastics, plastic film, styrofoam and small hazardous waste. https://www.fostplus.be/en/about-fost-plus/organisation

#circular economy #waste management

0 notes

birdkoskincare · 5 years ago

Note

Hello!! First of all thank you for being our skincare fairy godmother. So my skin isn't particularly sensitive, but when compared to my neck it's exceptionally pink? Like no specific spots, all of it is pink. When I have acne it's around my chin (hormonal, I believe) and the rest of it is pretty oily. I'm fine with acne cus it fades and I have it only during PMS but what the heck makes my skin so pink? Do you have any advice?

it’s quite normal to have a rosier face than the rest of your body, especially on fair to very fair individuals! you’ll often see beauty guru youtubers go off on a disclaimer that they’re shade matching their foundation to their neck because their face is a lot more red-toned than the rest of their skin. even if you don’t have particular sensitivities, this could happen due to a number of reasons. let’s explore them a bit!

skin redness: the basic approach 🍅😳

skin colour is due to two main pigments: melanin (which gives it darkness and brown-ness) and hemoglobin (yes, from the blood that circulates within the skin and keeps it alive and healthy, but also causes a red tinge). carotene can also play a part, especially if your diet’s rich in it, but let’s ignore it for now.

assuming you have a really high amount of melanin in your skin, whatever redness from the hemoglobin will be at most an undertone;

however, with really fair people, there’s little to no melanin to influence whatever redness from the hemoglobin there may be, so it tends to be a lot more apparent.

(fun fact: i have measured my colour index levels of both Me and He and i have almost no melanin, i’m one step removed from albino. my hemoglobin colour levels were also pretty low, but i tend to flush terribly and there’s no hiding it when i blush)

we are all more or less familiar with how our skin cells produce melanin to shield themselves from solar radiation, but hemoglobin doesn’t quite work like that. rather, it’s a side effect of the irrigation of your skin by blood vessels and teeny tiny capillaries. what, then, influences the degree of redness?

inflammatory processes - a common sign of inflammation is redness. now ‘inflammation’ gets thrown around as a scary term for a systemic condition of your body by pseudoscientific wellness bloggers, but it can be far more local and caused by a myriad things: UV radiation, products you use on your skin (very frequently, overly harsh face washes or exfoliators), and, yes, ok, your diet too.

rosacea - this condition is caused by overactive and dilated surface capillaries, creating frequent or permanent flushing especially around the cheeks, sometimes associated with acne-like eruptions. it would be a prime suspect, but it’s more localized rather than an all-over-the-face thing and it’s more associated with sensitive skin types.

hormonal causes - as always, hormones can cause all sorts of things to go awry with the skin, including that flushed look

simply having thin, fair skin - not much to be done here, and this is a common underlying factor in all of the above cases anyway, dictated mostly by genetics (certain ethnic groups of, for instance, celtic and scandinavian heritage, are very prone to this)

it’s hard to pinpoint the exact cause without professional, in-person examination and a detailed family history as well as your full current routine, and even so there are always multiple factors at play. so what can you do to mitigate it, in any case?

even if your skin doesn’t seem sensitive, play it safe.

overwhelming your skin with complex routines is a very real possibility with any skin type; less really is more, with redness-prone skin in particular.

get the gentlest cleansers you can find.

go easy on actives that can cause redness, like acids. don’t overdo them, a few times a week is good already.

nourish your skin with creams that contain peptides, ceramides, NMFs, and other things that help it rebuild in case it has lost thickness due to damage.

wear sunscreen religiously. even faint sunburn could exacerbate the issue.

consider including azelaic acid into your routine; it has done wonders for my redness and it’s the best-supported active for that purpose.

consider visiting a dermatologist and/or a GP or dietitian, to establish any links to inflammatory causes (hormonal, allergic, dietary, etc).

best of luck!

#answered #redness #skincare #skin care #skincare routine #rosacea #inflammation #irritation

16 notes · View notes

rough-n-randy-rando · 5 years ago

Text

Edd and Flow, The First Night Of Summer

The air smelled of summer. Earth and ozone were heavy in the humid air, intermittent storms making their way to torment the mountains to the west. Dogs yipped at fireflies as they rose from the tall grass near the swollen creek and fluttered about like wild embers in the creeping dusk. In the cul-de-sac, dinners were being eaten, chores were being done, plans were being made. This was the last summer of childhood, the gateway to Senior Year, to college tours and military recruiters roaming the halls, to future success or the pit of immediate mediocrity.

Kevin Barr worried that he was at the edge of the pit rather than on any path to a different, rosier outcome. He had cruised through high school on the bare minimum, lettering in any sport that involved a ball and some measure of physical violence. But Peach Creek isn't scouted like Boston or D.C. or Rhode Island, and so while the bare minimum was enough to allow his athletic career to go uninterrupted, his prospects were slim. His father's voice was stuck in his head saying, 'There's always the Army.' He shrugged it off, shuddering at the prospect of getting yelled at for a living by legions of men who reminded him of his father, minus the warmth and intelligence to cushion their authority and judgement.

This was the year to pull out the stops, make every Hail Mary he could think of, even if it were Lemon Brook Junior College. Last resort. 'There's always the Army.' Last of last resorts. But that was for another day, another time. Tonight, here and now, there was a party to attend, and worries to drown.

The party started to take shape around 7. Nate's family was in California on business and wouldn't be back till the day before graduation, so he naturally became the host and organizer. The first to arrive and help set up the well-loved speaker system was Johnny, with Plank's help of course. Then came Nazz with Kevin, Rolf following with a wagon full of various types of meats in plastic and metal containers. The Kankers arrived together bearing peace offerings of several cases of beer obtained through dubious means. Nate sanctioned the deal and declared his house neutral ground.

As a dozen or so other kids from Peach Creek High arrived and took advantage of Nate's luxurious home, the question arose, 'Where are the Eds?'

"Well I mean, I invited them." Nate said offhandedly as he thumbed through the playlist on his phone, settling on an EDM song who's only lyrics were, 'feed me your love'.

Kevin groaned and grabbed a beer from the rapidly draining supply in the fridge. "Eddy's gonna say something to someone and it'll all go South."

Nazz pinched his arm and stole the beer from his hand, topping off her solo cup before handing it back, "You're just worried he'll say something to YOU and YOU'LL make a big scene."

"I thought you were all buddy-buddy with the short one now, ever since that whole cross-country chase y'all went on in Junior High?" Nate also snatched Kevin's beer and took a sip.

"Eddy's Eddy, he's always out for another scam, something to make him money or make him look good."

"Well good, because I can only play my Spoofy playlist for so long before people get bored." Nate handed back the nearly empty beer to Kevin and turned to walk out to the pool. "We need a little excitement and scandal every now and again."

Kevin huffed and turned to Nazz, "He just doesn't know the Eds like we do."

Nazz shook her head and sipped at her drink, "Maybe just Ed or Double-Dee will show up, Eddy's supposed to be moving to The City right after graduation so for all we know he's apartment shopping right now."

"Yeah, maybe just Double-Dork…"

The lights in the house all cut out abruptly. People yelped and cursed, phone screens and flashlights piercing the darkness. The speaker system shrieked, causing even more chaos.

"The Germans!" someone cried out, causing nervous laughter and breaking a bit of the tension.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, and of course Kevin…"

"I knew it, Shorty had to make an entrance!" Kevin saw a pulsing neon glow approaching the rear fence near the pool and tried to make his way out of the house, tripping on Plank en route.

"I, Eddy Reese, your facilitator, your entertainer, your guy in the know, present for you an entertainment extravaganza unlike any you've ever seen!"

A stage adorned with stadium-quality lights that pulsed and flashed along to a heavy, percussive beat with what can only be described as a crystalline hissing sound rose over Nate's rear fence. It was emerging from the lane, slowly and deliberately, billowing thick grey smoke that flowed into the yard and even spilled onto the surface of the pool, obscuring a couple that was involved in some heavy petting. It was about 8 feet tall, 10 feet wide, and 6 feet deep, with a drawn, pitch-black curtain swaying slightly as the entire traveled through the air on barely visible supports.

"Whatever this is, I'm sold." Nate had stripped down to just his boxer briefs and had managed to adorn himself with glow bracelets and necklaces, as well as what looked like a military-grade chemlight that was clenched in his teeth.

"I knew the dorks would pull something!" Kevin had emerged from the house, Plank in one hand, a pocket flashlight in the other, which he used to scan the crowd for the usual suspects.

"Chill out Kev, this looks fun." Nazz had taken off her shirt and was also covered in glowing jewelry, her bra patterned with various amorous emojis.

"Yes hot of the collar Kevin, join in the merriment and cease your sour face making!" Rolf was wearing tube socks, a jock strap and not much else.

Everyone barely had a moment to take in the sight before the stage finally settled with a crescendo of electronic insanity, punctuated by the stage-lights all fading out and back in as a deep, dark red.

"People of Peach Creek!" A single floodlight snapped on and aimed skyward, revealing Eddy standing at the uppermost level of the stage, the light making him seem villainous. "I give you, Edstravaganza!"

The lights on stage began to strobe as the curtain parted, revealing none other than Ed, standing alone and wearing a billowing robe as well as a vacant but pleasant look on his face. The lights flashed brilliantly, like a chain of precise lighting strikes that dazzled and awed the rapt audience. They slowly diminished, easing into a weak but steady pulse. Ed stared out into the crowd and the crowd stared back. The crowd stared at Ed and Ed stared back. Ed stood upon the stage, a mysterious figure cloaked in magnificence and showmanship, and those gathered were in the palm of his hand. And that was it, he just stood there. The lights suddenly snapped to their full brilliance; Ed still unmoving.

"Hey, Lumpy, you're on!" Eddy's shoe dropped down and bounced off Ed's head, eliciting no response. Kevin began to laugh.

Suddenly, Ed threw off the robe, revealing that he was stripped to the waist with an intricate network of what looked like EKG nodes and wires crisscrossing his torso and arms.

"You Got it Eddy!" Ed threw out his arms and the lights turned a mossy, aquatic turquois, the strobes speeding up as he fluttered his fingers. As he raised his arms above his head the percussive beat rose in tempo as well, a slight whining pitch emerging from the depths of the stage. He clapped his hands and the lights all shifted to violet and indigo, bathing everything in color.

A woman's voice cut through all the sound and implored no one in particular, 'Trap for me!'

And so the party raged, guided by the kinesics of Ed and the occasional, orgasmic words of unseen men and women begging the audience to perform various vaguely musical actions. The party had grown, kids that weren't even from Peach Creek were arriving with more alcohol and more than a little drama. Word had gotten out, and Eddy quickly capitalized, charging admission and harassing people that tried to cheat the house by clambering over the fence.

Kevin escaped the borderline riot by climbing onto the roof, discovering that other exhausted party goers had gotten the same idea. He was soaked in sweat, and was splattered with the contents of several chemlights, looking almost radioactive. Even after stripping off his shirt he felt like he was running hot, and a few splotches of the glowing fluid were visible on his skin. "Damnit Nate…"

"Mix a solution of one teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent, one-fourth cup distilled white vinegar, and one cup of cool water."

Kevin was startled and looked to the far end of the roof. Edd was sitting comfortably on a padded camping stool, with what looked like a control panel balanced on his knees. He was dressed casually, possibly owing to the humidity, wearing a tank-top with a design of the solar system across the chest, a fanny pack, and a pair of vintage men's athletic shorts that looked more at home on a beach in Florida than in a Peach Creek cul de sac.

"Oh, hey Double-Dee… uhm… what?"

"The recipe I gave was for a simple mixture that will clean the luminescent fluid from your clothing without ruining the color." He looked Kevin over and giggled.

"What's so funny?" Kevin felt his face get warm, though not in anger, more embarrassment, like he'd been caught with his, well, his shirt off on a rooftop in the dead of night.

"Oh, nothing, just having a laugh over the small amount on your skin, it's quite amusing."

"Yeah, Nate decided he wanted to write his name on his 'property' and went around trying to write 'NKG' on me and a few others." Kevin wiped at the fluid, smearing it more and transferring it to his palm.

"Well I see you escaped the branding, though not wholly unscathed." Double-Dee set down the control panel and walked over to Kevin, taking the glowing hand in his own. "Luckily this chemical is both non-toxic and simple to clean off."

Kevin watched Double-Dee consider his hand like some kind of specimen, a wave of prickly, cold needles washing over him at the coolness of the raven-haired teen's fingers played across his skin. Kevin felt warm, unusually warm, and while he could chalk some of it up to the rave going on just past the lip of the roof, he felt the odd sensation that it had something to do with the boy holding his hand. His other hand moved to his stomach and likewise smeared and stained itself, Kevin watching it with detached confusion.

"Oh my, now both your hands are glowing." Double-Dee lightly took hold of the other hand as well, making a flustered face that bordered on the maternally annoyed. "What are we going to do with you?"

Kevin didn't know why but his hands closed around the other boy's fingers, not harshly, not menacingly, but just enough to press them fully to against his own. Again, the difference in temperature between the two stirred up some bubbly, anxious humor in his belly and further south. Was that it, was it just that he was slightly colder, and his body was reacting to it? These thoughts and more came to a halt as he felt Double-Dee's hands squeeze back.

"Is something wrong, Kevin?"

The redhead instantly released the boy's hands and set about neurotically searching for something to do with his own; stuffing them in his pockets, wiping his forehead, scratching his belly, sliding under his very sweaty armpits, and finally hanging uselessly at his side. "Ah, no, just, your hands are cold, is all."

"I have poor circulation, Father ties it to my lack of physical exertion but Mother attributes it to an old Vincent family malady, we're all slaves to our genetics in the end." Double-Dee smiled pleasantly at Kevin, totally nonplussed.

Kevin nodded and nodded and grunted something akin to "uh huh, uh huh" without truly understanding a single word he'd said. It would seem impossible but a quiet settled between the two while the impromptu concert dominated the soundwaves all around.

"You two are cute."

The pair jumped, Double-Dee letting out a small squeak and Kevin throwing his cap at the now glowing Nate laying luxuriously on the roof nearby.

"Don't do that!" Kevin shouted.

"Do what, lay on MY roof watching MY friends get… friendly?" Nate flung Kevin's cap back at him.

"Nathaniel, you startled me." Double-Dee tugged at the front of his shirt, airing himself out.

"I have that effect on people." He stood and walked over to Double-Dee, putting him in a very intimate hug, soaked in sweat and chemlight fluid, still dressed in only his boxer briefs. "You really outdid yourself with the light show, makes Eddy's promoter shtick almost tolerable."

Double-Dee, clearly dismayed by the physical contact and the unsanitary state of Nate, nodded and tried his best to escape the teen's embrace. "Y-y-yes, ah, Eddy can be rather overbearing where profits are involved, I hope you won't hold it against him."

"No, but I'm fine with this situation as far as holding things against other people goes."

"While I appreciate the levity you're approaching the situation with I think I should go and try to calm Eddy down, as well as check on Ed, he must be parched."

"Yeah, Nate, I think Double-Dweeb has better things to do than get dry humped by you." Kevin knew his hands were balled into fists but for the life of him he couldn't explain why.

Nate nodded and released Double-Dee with a cartoonish, meaty, sucking sound as they came unstuck from one another. "Very well, please see to the evening's festivities."

A loud thud and a sudden burst of shrieking feedback came from the stage, the lights all snapping back onto flood-mode. Dismayed boos and surprised shouts came from the sizeable crowd below. The trio looked out and saw that Ed had collapsed to the floor in an inhuman puddle of sweat.

"All Done!" Ed wheezed from his place on stage.

Eddy fought his way to the stage, pockets and a backpack bursting with bills. He climbed on stage and began trying to revive the larger Ed, using entreaties and threats in equal measure.

"Oh dear, Ed must be absolutely exhausted, curse my curiosity!" Double-Dee started as though to leave but paused and turned to look at Kevin, biting his lip.

Kevin was frozen to the spot, his knees locking up and leaving him vulnerable to a stiff breeze. Double-Dee approached and removed a sky-blue bandanna from his fanny pack, using it to lightly scrub at Kevin's palm, lifting some of the glowing fluid.

"There, see, nothing drastic, just a little elbow grease, which I'm sure you have no shortage of." Double-Dee squeezed Kevin's bicep, pausing in appreciation, then hurried off, bidding Nate a brief farewell in passing. Kevin noticed a large letter 'K' written on his back in chemlight fluid.

"I couldn't help myself, after your Saved By The Bell moment I had to."

Kevin, unable to respond, walked towards the edge of the roof, Nate standing beside him. "Nate… not a word."

"What about a tasteful nude drawing?"

Kevin put his hand to Nate's back and gave a firm shove, sending him flying out into the crowd. As Nate surfed the rowdy sea of teens and the Eds alternatingly argued and tended to their friend, Kevin looked at the unremarkable blue bandanna and felt the unfamiliar cool needles attack him all over.

READ THE FULL STORY IN SEQUENCE HERE

#Kevedd #Fanfiction #slashfiction #ship #yaoi #ya #writing #prose

12 notes · View notes

ontarionewdemocrats-blog · 6 years ago

Text

I was playing my Switch on the streetcar, I died to a boss, in my dying moments it whispered into my ear: “Your important news for May 9th, 2019″

Health minister maintains more ‘virtual care’ coming despite layoffs https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2019/05/08/health-minister-maintains-more-virtual-care-coming-despite-layoffs.html

25 years after phase-out began, Ontario is cancelling remaining red-and-white health cards https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/red-white-health-cards-ontario-cancelling-1.5128983

Ford government sets the stage for capping public sector raises https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-union-negotiation-wage-cap-legislation-1.5126776

Ontario cuts funding to startup, innovation programs https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-ontario-cuts-funding-to-startup-innovation-programs/

Education consultations cost Ford government $1M https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2019/05/08/education-consultations-cost-ford-government-1m.html

Ford government spends nearly $1M on education consultations https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ford-government-spends-nearly-1m-on-education-consultations-1.4414295

PC government could have helped save more GM jobs: Horwath https://torontosun.com/news/provincial/pc-government-could-have-helped-save-more-gm-jobs-horwath

Unifor, GM announce $170M investment in Oshawa plant that will bring 300 jobs https://globalnews.ca/news/5253085/unifor-gm-announcement-operations-oshawa/

Plan to save 300 jobs at Oshawa’s GM plant gets mixed reviews https://www.thestar.com/business/2019/05/08/plan-to-save-300-jobs-at-oshawas-gm-plant-gets-mixed-reviews.html

Ministry probes suspected overdoses at jail after 1 dead, 1 in hospital https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/inmate-still-in-hospital-four-sent-back-maplehurst-inmate-death-overdoses-1.5127482

New retail rules for wine should help Ontario wineries https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/ontario-winery-retail-rules-1.5126083

No new streetcars, a hit on accessibility? Why a $1.1B Toronto transit funding cut has some feeling 'ill' https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ttc-toronto-transit-funding-cut-1.5128463

Minister 'standing by' PC email that uses protest with guillotine to get donations https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/minister-standing-by-pc-email-that-uses-protest-with-guillotine-to-get-donations-1.4413999

Noront CEO says company 'has the chops' to pull off Ring of Fire project https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/noront-smelter-reax-1.5127636

Opponents of solar project near Port Hope call on Ontario government to halt its construction https://globalnews.ca/news/5212256/port-hope-solar-project-opponents-pc-government/

NDP MPP Peter Tabuns reignites push to ban fracking in Ontario https://globalnews.ca/news/5254690/ndp-mpp-peter-tabuns-proposed-fracking-ban-ontario/

MPP introduces bill to end solitary confinement in Ontario https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/nathalie-des-rosiers-private-members-bill-solitary-confinement-1.5128020

'We can't get out': Flooding turns Ottawa Valley community into island https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/whitewater-region-flood-island-1.5126481

Some areas in Muskoka beginning recovery from floods https://globalnews.ca/news/5255479/muskoka-flood-recovery-begins/

OPP blocks road as protesters occupy cultural centre in Wahta Mohawk First Nation https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/wahta-road-closure-protest-1.5128579

No to amalgamation: Waterloo mayor’s message clear https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/no-to-amalgamation-waterloo-mayor-s-message-clear-1.4414223

‘We do not kill trees’: Kemptville tree nursery board chair corrects recent inaccurate headlines https://www.insideottawavalley.com/news-story/9343582--we-do-not-kill-trees-kemptville-tree-nursery-board-chair-corrects-recent-inaccurate-headlines/

Health officials warn of measles exposure in Niagara and York regions https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/measles-exposure-niagara-markham-1.5128629

Niagara MPP Sam Oosterhoff’s office called cops on seniors staging a ‘read-in’ over library funding cuts https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2019/05/08/mpp-sam-oosterhoffs-office-calls-cops-on-library-loving-seniors.html

Liberal MPP Marie France-Lalonde may jump to federal politics https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/2019/05/08/liberal-mpp-marie-france-lalonde-may-jump-to-federal-politics.html

Who wins in Ford and Tory's war of words — and why it's not just empty rhetoric https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/who-wins-in-ford-and-tory-s-war-of-words-and-why-it-s-not-just-empty-rhetoric-1.5127729

Toronto’s York Memorial high school should be salvageable after six-alarm fire https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-york-memorial-ci-should-be-salvageable-after-six-alarm-fire/

Legal Aid Ontario cuts could impact Willowdale clinic https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9341757-legal-aid-ontario-cuts-could-impact-willowdale-clinic/?utm_source=facebook&source=torontodotcom&utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_campaign=&utm_campaign_id=&utm_content

AGO to be free for people under 25 https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2019/05/09/ago-to-be-free-for-people-under-25.html

Former Neo-Nazi Leader Has Been on City of Hamilton’s Payroll for Years https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/bj9mwd/former-neo-nazi-leader-marc-lemire-has-been-on-city-of-hamiltons-payroll-for-years

Hamilton mobster Pat Musitano released from hospital after being shot https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/05/08/hamilton-mobster-pat-musitano-released-from-hospital-after-being-shot.html

Murder conviction for Ontario man tried 4 times in 1981 killing upheld by courts https://globalnews.ca/news/5255481/robert-badgerow-murder-upheld-ontario-court-appeal/

Ford’s deficit hype conceals Ontario’s dirty secret https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2019/05/08/fords-deficit-hype-conceals-ontarios-dirty-secret.html

Toronto’s mayor is Ontario’s unofficial opposition leader https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2019/05/08/torontos-mayor-is-ontarios-unofficial-opposition-leader.html

The loss of an Indigenous family in a house fire was avoidable. When will governments step up? https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2019/05/08/the-loss-of-an-indigenous-family-in-a-house-fire-was-totally-avoidable-when-will-governments-step-up.html

GM, union deal on Oshawa plants buys time for auto industry https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2019/05/08/gm-union-deal-on-oshawa-plant-without-government-bailout-buys-time-for-rapidly-changing-auto-industry.html

Not giving up on Oshawa https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/05/08/not-giving-up-on-oshawa.html

#Ontario #Ontario politics #Canadian Politics #NDP #new democratic party #Ontario news #canadian news

6 notes · View notes

wizardingbias · 6 years ago

Text

Families / Siblings List

Siblings

Aurelio

Brian Aurelio (’03) (DAY6)

Jisung Aurelio (’10) (Stray Kids)

Baxter

Hwasa Baxter (’05) (Mamamoo)

Woojin Baxter (’07) (Stray Kids)

Cartier

Minho Cartier (’01) (Shinee)

Lucas Cartier (’09) (NCT)

Duvall-Kim

Jinyoung Duvall-Kim (’04) (GOT7)

Hyunjin Duvall-Kim (’10) (Stray Kids)

Holly

Solar Holly (’01) (Mamamoo)

Changkyun Holly (’06) (Monsta X)

Gallagher

Taemin Gallagher (’03) (Shinee)

Wendy Gallagher (’04) (Red Velvet)

Jungwoo Gallagher (’08) (NCT)

Knight

Doyoung Knight (’06) (NCT)

Jeno Knight (’10) (NCT)

Marshall

Taehyung Marshall (’05) (BTS)

Wheein Marshall (’05) (Mamamoo)

Nová

Wonwoo Nová (’06) (Seventeen)

Dayun Nová (’08) (Twice)

Ollivander

Heechul Ollivander (’93) (Super Junior)

Hani Ollivander (‘02) (EXID)

Parkinson

Wonpil Parkinson (’04) (DAY6)

Seungmin Parkinson (’10) (Stray Kids)

Rivera

Seulgi Rivera (’04) (Red Velvet)

Kino Rivera (’08) (Pentagon)

Snow

Henry Lau Snow (’99)

Jackson Snow (’04) (GOT7)

Weinreder

Seokjin Weinreder (’01) (BTS)

Jisoo Weinreder (’05) (BlackPink)

West

Irene West (’01) (Red Velvet)

Yeri West (’09) (Red Velvet)

Wildflower

Tzuyu Wildflower (’09) (Twice)

Jeongin Wildflower (’11) (Stray Kids)

Williams

Rosé Williams (’07) (BlackPink)

Jaemin Williams (’10) (NCT)

Wolf

Namjoon Wolf (’04) (BTS)

Soyeon Wolf (’08) ((G)I-DLE)

Cousins

Jooheon Jones + Hoshi Isaacs (maternal)

YeoOne Greengrass + Momo Greengrass (paternal)

Jihyo Rosier + MJ Rosier (paternal)

Greengrass + Rosier (second cousins)

Shinwon Kennedy + YeoOne Greengrass (paternal-maternal)

Jeongyeon Noir + Changbin Noir (paternal cousins)

Half Siblings

Hongseok Armstrong + Edawn (Hyojung) Bluewell

Tzuyu Wildflower + Yanan Edwards

Sungjin Wintergarden + Jeongguk Masons

a/n: this is more a list for myself so i can keep track on who’s related to who. this list will be updated over time so dont worry!

#family #sibling #nct #twice #pentagon #blackpink #seventeen #mamamoo #bangtan #bts #kpop wizarding au #wizardingbias #shinee #exo #red velvet #monsta x #astro #list

10 notes · View notes

startsrose3 · 6 years ago

Text

Cake, The Sun and Other Things That Should Happen At Midnight

Callie was definitely hiding. And yes, it was her day, and there was a huge amount of people downstairs only there for her, but she couldn’t do it. That whole party wasn’t her idea to begin with, she didn’t like being surrounded by that many people for too long, she needed it some air to finally think straight again, so she escaped for a while. It wasn’t like someone would actually notice her absence, so it was all fine. And there, hiding on her roof, with a half full plate of birthday cake, she was quite happy. Totally relaxed, yeah you could say that.

Under the stars, with a delicious amount of strawberry cake in her plate, not thinking about something specific, that’s how Callie wanted to spend her birthday to begin with. But her mom had forced her to throw a party, more for her than for Callie. Her mom loved parties, and the whole interacting with people you only see once a year, chatting about your families and the things you did during this year you two spent apart from each other, she loved all that. But Callie didn’t. She really didn’t enjoy having to pretend to be interested on whatever your kid did at preschool, or whatever new word your two-year old son just learnt. She wasn’t interested, and Callie honestly thought that if you’re not into whatever someone’s saying is actually really rude to just pretend that you’re really engaged in that conversation. Because that’s lying, and she wasn’t really pro-lying, actually, she was indeed against lying about all kinds of things, Callie was one of the most honest people she knew. So, because of her values, Callie didn’t like parties. At all.

Also, the fact that she was a huge introvert could also be one of the reasons why she didn’t like big gatherings like that. It wasn’t like she hated people and didn’t want to talk with them, it was more like ‘all strange people scared the hell out her’ kind of thing. The idea of talking with someone new made her tremble and shiver and that wasn’t a way Callie liked to feel, so she just avoided new people all at once. She had good long-term friends and that was everything she needed it. The fact that she actually had friends was something that she still found it crazy sometimes. Why would someone willingly become friends with her? She was so weird and quirky that was really impressive the concept of her having friends. But she had them, and she loved them and she was immensely grateful for having them.

She was really enjoying the cake, without a doubt the best part of that whole party. Okay, the whole part where everyone gathered around in front of a cake, clapping and singing ‘Happy Birthday To You’ was also pretty cool. It was actually very sweet that all those people were there to celebrate her, they were singing and praising her existence and everything would lose sense if she wasn’t there. That. That was the only moment she was the Sun in that solar system. Everything would be meaningless if she wasn’t there, and for the first time, she actually felt like she was special to some people. Well, it was obvious that she meant something to some people, but that was the vivid proof, the proof that she mattered in that world, at least for some people.

She shook those thoughts from her head taking another bite from her delicious cake, it was filled with frosting and some strawberries in the middle, it was one of the tastiest things she had ever eaten. Her attention was stolen from her cake when he came in, climbing the tree she proudly thought she was the only one who could do it, and joining her in her nice roof. His hair was divided in a neat cute way and his beige suit fitted him perfectly. He looked very handsome, he had a little spark on his eye and his lips were rosier than ever before, almost matching the red tie he was wearing. For a second, he almost fell; Callie grabbed him from the tie and pulled him closer, she took that opportunity to observe his tie; it was red with a pattern of beige lines every five centimeters, it really matched his whole outfit, he was beautiful.

“You’re missing one hell of a party,” he said sitting next to her, she cringed slightly. It wasn’t like she thought it was an awful party, but calling it ‘One hell of a party’ just seemed too much. He just laughed at her, he had a nice laugh, it was beautiful the way his white teeth aligned together, brightening everything around him. “You’re not liking the party?

“I’m not hating it. I just can’t spend that much time surrounded by that much people, it just becomes too much, after a while.” She explained. He was watching her speak with a plain look in his face, a look that Callie didn’t really know how to read it, she didn’t know if he thought that she was a complete weirdo, or if he actually understood what she was going through. She had no idea, and the thought of his judgmental thoughts made her feel like throwing up all the delicious cake she had been eating for the past hour.

“I get it, big crowds give me a panic attack,” he said and they both laughed. Callie felt an invisible weight leave her shoulders, he didn’t think she was a weirdo, in fact, he really understood everything she was going through. She let out a sigh. “Actually, that’s why I came here in the first place, didn’t know that this place was already taken, sorry.” He knew what she was going through, he was going through the same, and he was apologizing for stealing her secret spot. Oh Lord, there was the real chance that she was already in love with him by that point. It was almost too good to be true, he had to be hiding something, some huge flaw that would make him a disgusting human being for Callie, something horrendous, everything was just too good.

And good things like that didn’t happen to her. Maybe with her friends, and she would be very happy for them, but never with her. That was probably some cosmical joke the universe had sent her as a birthday gift.

“Are you here?”

“Huh?” She was caught off guard. Damn it.

“You seemed to be far away on your thoughts, and once again, sorry to disturb your alone place, I can leave if you want me to.” And there it was, once again, his perfectness kicking in, he had to be kidding with her, that guy was everything she ever looked in a guy, and there he was, in front of her, someone her mom had invited to the party and she didn’t even know who he was. Maybe it was the universe sending him as a cosmical present. Just a little something to celebrate the many years she was completing that day, just a tiny gift.

“Oh,” she said not really certain of what she was going to say. “I was just thinking about some things.” Yeah, that was good, she explained herself, but also was a little vague so he didn’t know that he was the subject of her inner thoughts.

“Do you mind sharing it?” Damn it. That was the best moment to be a liar, oh God. Her damn honesty, her stupid values, oh Lord.

“I was thinking you’re too good to be true.” That was it, she said it, there was turning back, there was no way she could swallow the words back in. That was it. No taking back. His response was immediate, a really soft smile, like she had just made him the compliment he had ever heard in his life. Her heart skipped a beat, several actually, he could easily kill her if he kept shooting smiles like that at her. It wasn’t like she had a lot of experience in the love area. She had zero knowledge in that area to be more specific, so a handsome guy like that, flirting with her like that, could be easily the death of her.

“What?”

“You’re handsome, you’re nice, you understand how an introverted feel and you actually apologized when you realized I was using this roof as my alone space. You're the real deal.” He responded her with a kiss, a nice gentle kiss, Callie was officially dead at that point. There was no salvation for her. She enjoyed as their lips danced together. When he broke the kiss, she shot him with her earnest look and a sincere smile. Was it possible to be already in love with someone she had just met a few minutes ago? If it was possible or not, she didn’t care, it was real, what she was feeling was real.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to kiss you like that, we barely know each other, sorry.” He said with an apologetic tone and started to pull away from Callie, not like she would ever let him. She grabbed his hand and whispered ‘it’s okay’, and kissed him again, and again, and again.

When they felt like they definitely needed a break from all the kissing they just sat there, looking to the stars. The music downstairs was little bit lower, but nothing really considerable, she wondered what time it was, how long she was on that roof. “Hey, do you know what time it is?”

“Pretty late?” he said thinking he might get away with that answer, but he wasn’t, so he took his phone from one of his pockets and looked. “Almost four am,” he said. Oh wow, it was really late. Callie looked downstairs from the same window she had use it to escape in the first place, the party was still happening, so everything was fine.

“The sun’s almost coming up, right?”

“Yeah...” he said looking to the stars. “Do you want to watch the sunrise?”

“I mean... we still a few solid hours” she argued back.

“I can keep you busy,” he said right before stealing her a kiss, it was a quick kiss, just to emphasize what he was talking about.

“Okay...”

They kissed again, and again, and again and apparently the sunrise would actually come very quick for the two of them.

“Oh, and by the way, what’s your name?” Callie asked wondering how she didn’t ask that sooner.

“Evan, and you?”

“Callie.”

“Oh, happy birthday...”

2 notes · View notes

marie1-kersaint · 3 years ago

Photo

View in browser|nytimes.com February 6, 2022 I’m excited to introduce German Lopez, the host for the new Sunday editions of The Morning and your guide to the issues that affect us most. — David Leonhardt Author Headshot By German Lopez Good morning. Biden’s big climate goals depend on Congress. Build Back Better includes tax credits for residential solar power installations.Karsten Moran for The New York Times The risk of failure President Biden promised to take serious action on climate change, and he set an ambitious goal to do it: halve the United States’ greenhouse gas pollution from its peak by 2030. Meeting that target could help stave off the starkest predictions of a climate disaster — extreme weather, toxic air, uninhabitable regions and conflicts over resources like food and water. It could lead to a rosier future, with clean energy that powers vehicles, homes and businesses as well as new industries and more jobs. Which path the U.S. goes down will fall largely to Congress. The Senate is deadlocked on the Build Back Better bill, the core of Biden’s legislative agenda that includes sweeping provisions on global warming. Without those parts of the bill, experts say, Biden’s climate goal is likely impossible. But lawmakers still have time to strike a deal. Real action Biden’s Build Back Better bill aims to transform the American energy landscape. Its climate measures total $555 billion over 10 years — more than six times the previous largest https://www.instagram.com/p/CZpex3sprAP/?utm_medium=tumblr

0 notes

manlyaustralia · 3 years ago

Link

Exceptional family home and entertainer's dream

#manly manlyaustralia manlyrealty manlyproperty propertyforsale

0 notes

ao3feed-snape · 3 years ago

Text

Every 18 years

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/3DesL3Z

by Aizawa_the_dad

Every 18 years a repeating solar eclipse or a Saros, comes about, in the year 1979, a Saros happens a year before the year of tragedy. Birthed to the line of a man who used to have ties to one Tom Marvolo, a son who's soul comes from ours. He sees everything and feels that much more disconnected and discontent with the cards he's been dealt, leading him to decisions that most people would think twice about before making. Luckily for our amusement, he doesn't think much at all.

Words: 1605, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: Gen

Characters: Original Male Character(s), Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy, Avery Sr. | Tom Riddle's Schoolmate, Rabastan Lestrange, Bellatrix Black Lestrange, Druella Rosier Black, Mulciber Sr. (Harry Potter), Theodore Nott's Mother, Nott Sr. (Harry Potter), Orion Black, Walburga Black, Regulus Black, Sirius Black, Harry Potter, James Potter, Dorea Black Potter, Charlus Potter, Eileen Prince, Severus Snape, Tobias Snape, Abraxas Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, Narcissa Black Malfoy, George Weasley, Fred Weasley, Peter Pettigrew, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood, Xenophilius Lovegood, Pandora Lovegood

Additional Tags: Original Character-centric, POV Original Character, Reincarnation, Isekai, quite literal chinese naming, He's named after an eclipse what a nerd, Mentions of Hello Kitty, Pop Culture, References to Depression, Feral Behavior, Time Travel, Mistaken for Being in a Relationship, Adult in a child's body, Yeah he doesn't like it either, no beta we die like marco, very descriptive, I'm Going to Hell, there will be sex later, like much much later, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Child Abandoment, Canonical Child Abuse, Engagement, the pureblood lines are a yikes

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3DesL3Z

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #Severus Snape #Snape #Professor Snape #SS

0 notes

oc-textpost-quotes · 3 years ago

Text

Anita: Self care is actually getting into fights with randoms in dark alleys.

Jeanne: No, self care is stuff like taking a bubble bath, or putting on a lot of makeup if you like it, or taking a nice warm nap!

Elias: Self care is the burning heat when rage washes over you!! Self care is when you feel the bones crack under your powerful fists!! Self care is the fear in your enemies’ eyes!!!

Solar: Lmao self care is taking your birthday cake just so I can eat the frosting.

Anita: If you touch my birthday cake I’ll make you eat your hands.

#anita rosier #aspen rosier #libby rosier #jeanne rosier #elias rosier #solar rosier

0 notes

crimsonrevolt · 6 years ago

Photo

Congratulations Rue you’ve been accepted to Crimson Revolt as Cygnus Black

↳ please refer to our character checklist

Cygnus is a character we've all wanted to see taken for a long time, and with your application it's obvious to see what we were waiting for, Rue! The way you wrote him paints a clear picture of the man he is, and leaves so much to look forward to in how you'll develop him. You've done such a beautiful job of illustrating the patriarch of the Black family, and we cannot wait to see what you do with him here. Welcome to the group!

application beneath the cut (triggers: alcoholism, substance abuse mentions)

OUT OF CHARACTER

INTRODUCTION

Hello! I’m Rue, 27, she/her, est. Unfortunately from ‘Murica.

ACTIVITY

7/10. I will be online for a large portion of the evenings, with plenty of extra time to write three days a week. No roommates, no interruptions.

HOW DID YOU FIND US?

I found this group through a promo blog and have just been keeping it bookmarked on my computer to eventually apply, once things calmed down at work.

WHAT HARRY POTTER CHARACTER DO YOU IDENTIFY WITH MOST?

Neville Longbottom is the only character who felt personal to me throughout the entire series. I absolutely adored the books, but all the other characters felt exactly like that: characters. He is forgetful, shy, and altogether uncomfortable with his own body. I just identified with that growing up, and even sometimes now as an adult.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Nope!

IN CHARACTER

DESIRED CHARACTER

Cygnus Black III

BIRTHDAY / STAR SIGN

August 10th, 1938. Leo, otherwise known as The Lion.

Just like the lions they are named for, many Leos that you meet will have quite a regal air about them. They like to surround themselves with a large social circle that will adore and appreciate them. Like our Sun in the solar system, Leo zodiac signs love being the center of attention. They thrive on flattery compliments - which often come to them easily.

A Leo will love luxury and material things. They like to amass wealth and choose jobs that have a great salary and allow them to lead. They make for great leaders and protectors. Because of this, they are often cornerstone of social groups and will lead in planning processes and decisions. Conversely, they often don’t do well in situations where they have to take orders from other people.

OCCUPATION

Cygnus Black drinks, smokes, and gambles – but he does not work. It is beneath him, beneath his wealth and his lineage, to lift a finger like the poorer class. And why would he be asked to? His father had set him up for a life of luxury, and so had his father before, and his father before that. Yes, he had to share his riches with his god awful sister – she had to have the first son, shealways had to take everything from him – but he needn’t worry. He was and still is, in his humble opinion, untouchable. His wealth, his reputation, his own section of family – it is more than enough to ensure he would never have to work a day in his life. And his children could follow suit, as he knew they would. The pure never worry for they are royalty.

FACE CLAIM

Colin Farrell

REASON FOR CHOSEN CHARACTER

There are too many reasons for why I’ve chosen to apply for Cygnus, so I’m just going to ramble on and on about it and hope someone understands my undying love for him. It sounds awful to be obsessed with that particular family, as well as the Rosier’s and Lestrange’s. They are psychopaths, they are vengeful, and cruel. They implement more torture than I could even discuss, but there is something so enticing about those sorts of characters. They have dimension, and needs, and desires that far surpass what a normal human being would crave. And Cygnus, out of all of them, is my favorite.

This is a character we know very little about, though we’ve gotten a larger taste of his children throughout the books. We can assume he is ravenous and harsh, that he wants control but lacks his own personal structure and therefore will never grasp it. He views himself as royalty, a fact we’ve learned about from the rest of his family. And now I’m applying for the chance to explore those small facts, and make them into something grander, more realistic. I want the chance to bring him alive.

In my head, he’s all temper tantrums and curses. I think he’s easily addicted to people and substances, that he’s proud of his wealth (though he did nothing to earn it), and harbors bitterness and hatred towards the rest of his family. He’s quick to act and slow to think, he’ll bite just as hard as he barks, and he often makes poor choices that lead him into trouble. There are those he is stable around, and there are those who set him off. I’ve got a list of headcanons about his family members, his friends, the people he’s most likely met throughout the war – all of which would need to be discussed with players!

I want to take on this highly psychotic, incredibly unstable man and bring depth to his actions.

PREFERRED SHIPS // CHARACTER SEXUALITY // GENDER & PRONOUNS

Closeted bisexual, he/him.

Cygnus has been married to Druella for years – feeling closer to centuries now, he will solemnly admit – but he doesn’t love her. Not now, though maybe for a time before. Just a brief moment of normalcy before they were to have children and become leaders, raise up their house and their future. Now, however, he despises her. He harbors such anger towards her, unspoken but clearly felt, that there are times when he cannot bear to be under the same roof. And it is those times that he finds men and women alike to pay him compliments, to gently stroke his arm, or tell him that they adore him. It is more and more difficult to find those people, he is aware, but a quick charm to anyone would do the trick.

And he is not above using magic to make himself feel desired.

CREATE ONE (OR MORE!) OF THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR CHARACTER

PLOTS/CONNECTIONS.

Cygnus becomes easily obsessed with people – women, usually – and is horrifyingly creepy about them. He’ll treat them with the utmost respect and groom them to become genuinely obsessed with him, but also turns to stalking, manipulating, and eventually torturing them. I could imagine there are a lot of people he would fall into obsession with (men, too) and I would love to explore that. As terrible as that sounds.

I would love to explore his relationship with his family, too. Not only his children but his wife, his sister, and his brother-in-law. I have so many little headcanons that I would love to talk about, honestly. There are several things that must have happened to make him feel so strongly towards very specific people.

He is a Death Eater who has been sort of…pushed to the back. I can imagine that having Bellatrix so prevalent in that group would make him feel like he was a lesser man. Being sort of…usurped by a woman. Also, he feels he should take more of a leadership role. For that reason, I believe, he would like to start shoving himself into missions and situations where he may get noticed, pushed forward again, and adored. So there’s a lot there we could explore with other Death Eaters, or Order members, to put him in situations where he thinks he’s doing the right thing for himself – even if they’re actually hurting him.

Wow, I could come up with a thousand more. Friendship, or old bullies, or temper tantrums turned disaster. I would go for exploring Cygnus’ clear drinking problem, or his substance abuse, or his addiction to people. There are so many good things!!

♔ If you were able to invent one spell, potion, or charm, what would it do, what would you use it for or how would you use it? Feel free to name it:

“I don’t waste time on inventing. I don’t need to…not when the world is ready to be taken. I can drink all I want, and smoke all I want, and sleep with whomever I chose. I have everything I need here. Tell me one thing I need that I couldn’t buy, or name one person I couldn’t take – I dare you. Better yet, I’ll bet you. What’re you willing to put down?”

♔ You have to venture deep into the Forbidden Forest one night. Pick one other character and one object (muggle or magical), besides your wand, that you’d want with you:

“These questions are bullshit. I haven’t thought about the Forbidden Forest in years. Hm…I’ll humor you, though. Perhaps I’d bring Bellatrix, see what sort of woman she’s become. She takes after me, y’know. Not her mother. She’s destined to be a queen. Someday. I don’t know what we’d need other than our wands. Perhaps some whiskey, make a good night out of torture and murder.”

♔ What kinds of decisions are the most difficult for you to make?

“None. I have it easy. Everything seems to come to me with clarity. I know what to do and when to act, I know exactly what to say to get whatever I want.” He has trouble making simple decisions, though I don’t think his cocky brain even realizes it. Where to go, what to do, who to talk to, what he wants from a situation. He just acts and thinks later, and then wonders why he’s gotten himself into trouble.

♔ What is one thing you would never want said about you?

“That I’m not a king. Or that I’m not deserving. I’ll rip out the tongue of anyone daring enough to say it, then I’ll feed it to their dogs.”

REACTION TO LAST EVENT DROP

Cygnus has very, very mixed feelings on all that has happened. On the one hand, he is extremely pleased to find that the Death Eaters have seemingly gotten the upper hand. On the other, he’s annoyed that he has not been appointed leader in any scenario. He finds himself growing jealous of the Dark Lord and bitterness has been quick to follow. Although he isn’t much of a planner, he believes the Order, and Aversio, will crawl their way back up from their dark holes and fight back. In terms of war and strategy, he would have chosen to do things a lot differently than Voldemort, and he believes his way is a lot more accurate. But he’ll never voice those complaints, not when he knows their Lord is as brutal as they come. He may be open, honest, and crazy but Cygnus knows when to keep his lips sealed.

WRITING SAMPLE

Bile churned over and over in the abdomen of a man tipping over, legs sideways to catch a balance he never had, arms outstretched against the crevices of a brick wall. Behind his eyes swam the distant scenery replayed, spinning and circling, like water in a drain. He could feel himself sliding forward, then backward, and then forward again until pavement met his chin with a dull thud. It was painful in a way that he knew he would feel it for some time the next day, but that almost made him smile in the moment. There was nothing Cygnus Black enjoyed more than agony – and the quiet, annoyed words from his wife would certainly fall into that class.

This was the first time (in months, he’d bet) that he had fallen into such a stupor. If it hadn’t been for the woman at the pub he never would have forced down those last few whiskeys, although he could have sworn he hadn’t had too much to drink. There was one whiskey when he arrived, and one paid for by the man in the corner – and then food because he had called for it. And then she arrived in all her splendor, and he was left prone in an alleyway, awaiting strength and clarity, on only two more glasses of liquor.

The stranger had been a short blonde woman with the ability to suck the air out of a room, dressed head to toe in black. His eyes had fallen on her quickly and unashamed, surveying her curves and her structure, wondering how hard it would be to charm her into his bed. And his hopes had been realized when she stepped to him, glancing sideways, ordering herself the same that he had been having. Her accent was as thick and full as her lips, (French, he thought), and her laughter was honey. “Oh, well, I love to drink something hard. Takes only a little to do the trick.”

He thought maybe love could feel like that, a beautiful woman with a witty personality spending time on him, and then he had remembered that he would never feel love. Cygnus only knew royalty, he only knew worship, and he only understood obsession. He wondered how her hair would smell if he were to tug her closer, and he wondered what her screams would sound like if he were to curse her – but instead he sat, listened, and dreamt.

And then she murmured, “I love a good bet.”

His interest had piqued and, before he knew it, she was challenging him to make her laugh. And when he couldn’t, he was to take two shots. One for future luck, and one for losing.

After the second glass was slammed down, he had let out a sigh, and found the stranger was gone. Disappeared. And a part of him went with her into the night, a part that had so wanted to taste, that lost its only chance.

But reflecting presently, on the cold pavement, Cygnus realized what a trick that woman had played. A quick potion in his tumbler and everything was done, all she had to do was bet him. His anger flared up but whatever the stranger had slipped into his drink was effective – he could feel the blackness rising against the peripherals of his sight.

Click, click, click.

Heels resounded against the brick walls he had been leaning against, and with all of his remaining strength Cygnus rolled onto his side and gripped his wand.

“That won’t be necessary.” She murmured into the darkness, crouching down to rest a gentle hand on his exhausted face. Her accent, he realized with a jolt, was gone. “Oh, Mr. Black. You’re not hard to trick, are you?”

“Fuck…you.” He tried to hiss, but the sound seemed laughable.

“You would have liked that. Now, I just need to leave a message.”

“No.” He wasn’t even sure the word had come out.

“You need to be more careful.” She whispered, her body being sucked into blackness as he began fading. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”

And when he woke up, safe in his bed yet in a cold sweat, he understood nightmares often carried useful messages. But all he could think of was the thick bruise on his chin, and how he wanted to watch the world burn.

#lsrpg #cygnus black #collin farrell #hp rpg #marauders rpg

1 note · View note

phynxrizng · 7 years ago

Text

DAILY ASTROLOGY REPORTS AND HOROSCOPES FOR, 8-31-17

Astrology Cafe Daily Astrology ABOUT TODAY DAILY MONTHLY CHART You are here: Home / Daily Astrology / Astrology of Today – Thursday, August 31, 2017 Astrology of Today – Thursday, August 31, 2017 Aug 30, 2017 by Annie Leave a Comment The Moon is in Sagittarius until 4:18 AM, after which the Moon is in Capricorn. The Moon is void from 12:42 AM to 4:18 AM. The Moon is waxing and in its First Quarter phase. The First Quarter Moon occurred on the 29th, and a Full Moon will occur on September 6th. Mercury is retrograde (Mercury is retrograde from August 12-September 5). Mercury re-enters Leo. Times are EDT. Horoscopes Aries Aries Mercury is still retrograde (since August 12th), and today slips back into your sector of romance, creativity, and children, dear Aries. Mercury continues here in retrograde motion until the 5th and then continues in direct motion until the 9th. In the coming week, there can be delays or challenges related to the affairs of this sector, and you may need to redo or revisit past problems. If you’re traveling back over the same ground, be sure to do it differently this time around! Something can be left up in the air, or people from your past may re-emerge. The creative process might feel as if it’s moving backward, when in fact it’s more of a realignment process that you’re experiencing. You are thinking and expressing yourself in different ways. This is a good time to rethink recent decisions and choices. Today, you may be experiencing some reservations about a person, project, or situation – perhaps even a purchase. If you feel the urge to prove yourself, ask yourself if it’s something you truly need to do. While the Moon’s move into your reputation sector this morning serves to temporarily magnify the importance of duties and performance in your life, you’re also in a good position to get some serious work done! Taurus Taurus Mercury, still retrograde, slips back into your sector of home and family today, dear Taurus, and this can cast a veil over matters surrounding your domestic or personal life until September 5th when Mercury turns direct. Problems around the home can require your attention, or old dilemmas can resurface. After the 5th, matters unblock and clear up, the information you’ve been waiting for arrives, and thinking about personal and domestic matters clarify. Also today, Venus forms a tense aspect with Saturn, and since Venus is your ruler, you could be feeling excluded or misunderstood. While this is likely to be a rather vague feeling, it can weigh on you if you allow it to. People can be a little detached or withholding, and you may be holding back as well. Do your best to work on problem areas, or to take a step back so that you can look at a relationship or concern objectively. Chances are, the problems can be fixed with a little patience. This is a beautiful time to consider and examine what it is that you truly value. Gemini Gemini Retrograde Mercury slips back into your sector of communication today, dear Gemini, after spending the first leg of its retrograde journey in your home and family sector. Mercury will be retrograde for only a week longer, not even, but you’ll likely need to deal with some delays related to schooling, transportation, and communications that cause a few problems or confusion. Be vigilant about marking important dates and appointments on your calendar. You may be looking back at old projects and finding interesting information that helps you in the present. Today, with Venus and Saturn in a minor challenging aspect, you may be seeing a situation in a weak or negative light. Be aware that this aspect can pull up fears or inhibitions to the surface and if others are a little cool or critical with you, it’s likely about self-protectiveness. It’s a good time to take a look at your life with a bit more objectivity. Aim to get in better touch with your needs and desires. Cancer Cancer Mercury has been retrograde since August 12th and has been influencing your communications sector, dear Cancer. Today, Mercury moves back into your sector of assets, money, and resources for a short while. This is a time for a review of your finances or budget, and perhaps something lost or misplaced. You may need to rethink recent decisions and choices or wait for final word on a matter. Mercury retrograde periods often have us feeling in limbo, and at this time for you, this could be about money or possessions (material things). Mercury continues its retrograde until September 5th, and then finishes up its transit of this sector of your chart on the 9th. A new perspective on a matter can turn your attention to something you overlooked in the past. Today can be a little tricky on social levels. A disconnect with someone can lead to misunderstandings. You may see things for their flaws more than their benefits today, but this can serve a useful purpose if you use it to fix problems rather than dwell on what’s not working out in your life. With a little patience, you’ll see things more clearly and reasonably. Leo Leo Retrograde Mercury slips back into your sign today, dear Leo. Mercury turned retrograde on August 12th in the sign of Virgo and is now retreating into your sign. Until September 5th, Mercury remains retrograde in your sign and then finishes its transit of Leo by September 9th. This can be a time for moving back to an old conversation, project, look, or decision and revisiting it. Someone who has been gone or distant can reappear in your life. Communication problems could plague you in little, annoying ways in the coming week. Some personal plans may stall or encounter setbacks, delays, or require reassessment. Take extra time coming to decisions and making commitments for the time being. If it takes you a little longer to come to decisions, so be it! There could be stinginess with feelings or a withholding atmosphere later today, but it has roots in fear and the misdirected desire to feel more in control of our lives. You could feel restricted now, but problems and flaws are magnified in your mind today, and things will look better later. Creatively speaking, your confidence may be lacking. You’ll find the most satisfaction in your work and routines now. Virgo Virgo Mercury, moving in retrograde motion, leaves your sign today, dear Virgo, and slips back into the sign of Leo, where it will stay until September 9th, although it will remain retrograde only until September 5th. This turns your thought processes inward, even more so. Some of the decisions made and projects started in the last month can come up for review now. You can be even more mysterious and easily misunderstood! However, you will be out of the spotlight now, and this helps take some pressure off. Decision-making can be difficult in the coming week as you play with different possibilities. Your mind can frequently turn back to the same problem that’s hard to resolve. Also today, when it comes to relationships and social interactions, there can be some disconnects. Calmness and a little detachment will help manage this. Relationships feel slow, and creativity can feel blocked. Use this time to reflect on your needs and the needs of those closest to you, rather than trying to push things forward. Obstacles are sometimes necessary, not only because they can give us pause to think, but also because they help us to see the value of things, and even people! Libra Libra Mercury, moving in retrograde motion, slips back into your solar eleventh house today, dear Libra, where Mercury will transit until September 9th (in retrograde motion until September 5th). Some of the seeds you recently planted related to friends or long-term goals are likely to need review or revision. Friendships can be a little trickier to handle now, although they’ll pick up speed after the 5th. Watch for missing information or fuzzy thinking. Returning to past issues with a friend is very possible you’ll need to approach things differently to get different, satisfying results! Today holds some iffy energy related to family and friends. Disconnects in your relationships are possible now as someone is holding back perhaps due to fear of rejection. This is not the best time to lay your heart on the line. If you don’t feel ready to make a decision, you’re probably right to sit on the fence for a while longer. Scorpio Scorpio Retrograde Mercury moves back into your solar tenth house today, dear Scorpio. Mercury will transit here until September 9th, but will be retrograde only until the 5th. This period may bring some confusion to business plans. It’s a good time for review, but not the best period for clear-cut answers and obvious, spelled-out-for-you direction. Reconsider things, but wait it out before making final decisions, if possible. If you’re going over the same old ground, be sure to do so a little differently so that you get better results. Watch that you don’t misrepresent yourself with what you say (or don’t say). Keep in mind that today you are seeing situations and people from a place of fear or worry, which can distort your perceptions. Knowing why you’re doing this can help you keep your perspective. You may feel the need to guard against people who aim to take credit for your ideas or work. Things will look much rosier tomorrow as you let go of inhibitions a little. Sagittarius Sagittarius Mercury, still retrograde, slips back into your solar ninth house today, dear Sagittarius, and backtracking continues but now in different ways. You may need to review travel or educational plans, or there can be some mix-ups that introduce delays into your life. After Mercury ends its retrograde cycle on September 5th, these things will gradually clear up and straighten out. For now, taking a look back at recent decisions and choices may be particularly useful. New information will emerge later. Check your facts before expressing your opinions too forcefully, as information you receive may not be complete before the 5th. Today, interpersonal communication problems are likely, so be sure that you are very clear, leaving very little up to the imagination. However, it’s also wise to consider that fears or rejection are strongly at work just under the surface of things right now, so others’ emotionally distant behavior may not be a cause for serious concern. There could be pangs of separation or discontent. Try not to stress over actions (or inaction) by those close to you. Recognize that your emotional needs for support are stronger than usual, and not everyone is in sync with this energy. Capricorn Capricorn Mercury is still retrograde – a cycle that began August 12th – but today slips back into the sign of Leo and your solar eighth house, dear Capricorn. You may need to review recently made financial commitments and shared resources, or intimate relationships. Power dynamics can change quite dramatically in a partnership. Try to use a different approach and look at old problems from a new angle or perspective. If they’re re-emerging, then they need to be put to rest another way. Focus less on the details or facts and more on the bigger picture or what it all means for best results when Mercury is retrograde, which it is until September 5th. Also today, there can be delays or withholding, but try to keep your head up. After all, they’re likely to lead to greater appreciation for what you have or to what ends up materializing for you down the road. You may have to forgo a pleasurable activity to fill your duties. This orientation can be useful as you may very well need to pay particular attention to practical matters. Aquarius Aquarius Mercury, still retrograde, slips back into your partnership sector today, dear Aquarius. Mercury has been retrograde since August 12th and will continue this apparent backward motion until September 5th. During this period, you may be returning to old problems or situations surrounding partnership matters, either personal or business. It’s not the time to fence someone (or yourself) in. Give people space and hope that they return the favor. Communications can be muddled up for the time being, but delays can also help you to understand your needs and values more completely. There can be a tendency to see flaws and inadequacies under a magnifying glass today, especially our own! It may be that you need to slow down to get a better or more realistic view of your life. Reflect, be objective about your relationships, and get in better touch with what it is you truly want and value. Also be a little cautious with money until you see things more clearly. Pisces Pisces Mercury is still retrograde (since August 12th), dear Pisces, and while Mercury’s been moving through your partnership zone, it today slips back into your work and health sector. This takes some of the scrutiny away from a partnership but could stimulate misunderstandings or the need to backtrack in your job. There may be some delays or returning to old problems related to your health, work, and daily routines. It can be difficult to see all of the facts before you so that schedules can quickly get out of whack, or projects you began in the last month need revision. There may be the need to review, redo, or double check your work. Today, there can be some negative thinking, withdrawal, or emotional distance in your interactions. This is likely not a symptom of a bigger problem but rather a day when we’re more self-protective and cautious with our feelings than usual. Fortunately, you can plug away at your work or the things you need to do, and you can feel good about a job well done. * Remember to read horoscopes for your Ascendant sign and Sun sign. If you don’t know your Ascendant sign (and you know your birth time), you can look it up here. If Your Birthday is August 31st, If Today is Your Birthday full horoscope here. Astrology of Today – The Details: If you’re astrologically inclined and interested in the details of the Astrology of today, here are some of the factors considered in the forecasts (for the astrology of the week, see This Week in Astrology): Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 4:18 am Event: Moon enters Capricorn Description: The Moon in Capricorn Consolidate. Pay attention to the foundations of life. Repair and restructure. Attend to financial or business matters. Make solid plans and get organized. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 0:42 am Event: Moon goes void of course Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 0:42 am Event: Tr-Tr Mon Tri Ura Description: Transiting Moon Trine Transiting Uranus We are open to new ideas. A break in the routine is pleasing now. We could be experimenting with new ideas or feelings. There can be chance meetings, events that occur that open our minds or our awareness. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 1:55 am Event: Tr-Tr Mon Sqq Pal Description: Transiting Moon SesquiSquare Transiting Pallas We may be concerned about what others are thinking of us now, and can be sensitive to negativity and criticism, or what we perceive as such. We might not understand one another, and can be at odds with one another on a mental or intellectual level. Someone’s belief or idea can make us feel insecure or out of sorts, or otherwise rub us the wrong way. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 4:18 am Event: Tr-Tr Mon Cnj Cap Description: Transiting Moon Entering Capricorn Consolidate. Pay attention to the foundations of life. Repair and restructure. Attend to financial or business matters. Make solid plans and get organized. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 4:39 am Event: Tr-Tr Mon Tri Mer Description: Transiting Moon Trine Transiting Mercury Ideas flow freely. We express feelings with clarity and thoughts with sensitivity. An excellent time for cooperative projects. A good time for taking tests, writing, promoting, public speaking, and studying. We are alert, observant, and our memory is good. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 9:55 am Event: Tr-Tr Mon Cnj Jun Description: Transiting Moon Conjunction Transiting Juno The desire or need to connect with someone is strong now. We are sensitive to what others are thinking, needing, and feeling. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 6:06 pm Event: Tr-Tr Mon Qnx Ven Description: Transiting Moon Quincunx Transiting Venus Love relationships or feelings can be unsettled. There can be a conflict experienced between family and friends/lovers, or between comfort and the pursuit of pleasure. Try to relax and not obsess, and show restraint. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 10:06 pm Event: Tr-Tr Mon Tri Sun Description: Transiting Moon Trine Transiting Sun There is a nice feeling of harmony and a cooperative feel to this time. Better decision making. We represent ourselves well now. It’s easier to attract support, favorable responses, and positive experiences. We are less fearful and less defensive. This is a harmonious time. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 10:46 pm Event: Tr-Tr Mon Sqq Nod Description: Transiting Moon SesquiSquare Transiting North Node There may be the need to pause to adjust things before moving plans forward. We could feel at odds with others on an emotional level. Public relations are not as favorable now. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 6:40 am Event: Tr-Tr Sun Pll Mer Description: Transiting Sun Parallel Transiting Mercury Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 11:27 am Event: Tr-Tr Mer Cnj Leo Description: Transiting Mercury Entering Leo Be enthusiastic in your quest for knowledge and proud of your learning abilities. Learning is fun. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 1:14 am Event: Tr-Tr Ven SSq Ves Description: Transiting Venus SemiSquare Transiting Vesta There may be difficulties showing affection or problems with commitments in relationships now. We might experience creativity blocks or inhibitions. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 5:14 am Event: Tr-Tr Ven Sqq Sat Description: Transiting Venus SesquiSquare Transiting Saturn Interactions may not be flowing freely. There can be some concern about feelings, loyalties, money, and relationships. We are not as demonstrative and perhaps less appreciative. Small obstacles or hurdles require patience. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 10:23 pm Event: Tr-Tr Jup Pll Nep Description: Transiting Jupiter Parallel Transiting Neptune Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 11:06 am Event: Tr-Tr Sat Sqr Ves Description: Transiting Saturn Square Transiting Vesta Insecurities about our work, obligations, and commitments can arise now. We may feel overburdened and unappreciated. Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 11:26 am Event: Tr-Tr Sat Qnx Cer Description: Transiting Saturn Quincunx Transiting Ceres Date & Time: Aug 31 2017 9:54 am Event: Tr-Tr Ves Sxt Cer Description: Transiting Vesta Sextile Transiting Ceres This can be a good time to get work done with or for loved ones, as well as for motivation to grow and improve a business or project. Strong Signs, Elements, Modes BALANCE OF SIGNS LEO STRONG Self-confident, generous, warm-hearted, powerful leader, dramatic. Can be overly proud, vain, extravagant, arrogant. VIRGO STRONG Meticulous, discriminating, pure, practical, health conscious, hard working. Can be hyper-critical, petty and perfectionistic. CAPRICORN STRONG Disciplined, responsible, reliable, industrious, conscientious, practical, achieving. Can be pessimistic, overly conventional, rigid, materialistic, callous. BALANCE OF ELEMENTS FIRE STRONG Fire is enthusiastic, dynamic, and spontaneous, but lacks reflection. We are more courageous and adventurous now, with a tendency to act before thinking. There is little concern about what happened in the past. We are competitive and possibly impatient or bored easily. EARTH STRONG We are especially in touch with the physical world. We consider what we’ve learned and experienced in the past in order to make the most of the present. We can be cautious, practical, and possibly unimaginative. We are deliberate and can pace ourselves well. We need hands-on experience and are not impressed with theory as much as we are with results. Routines are tolerable and comforting. AIR WEAK We may have a difficult time being objective or detached. We may not be especially communicative. WATER WEAK There may be some insensitivity or lack of empathy now. We may be out of touch with what we’re feeling or with our emotional needs. We may be tougher than usual now, and more inclined to follow mental or practical considerations than we are to listen to our intuition. BALANCE OF MODES The modes are balanced. LUNAR PHASE: FIRST QUARTER Moon from 90 to 135 degrees ahead of the Sun. We are motivated to take action, perhaps due to a clash, conflict, or stress, as we are more aware of problems and differences now. Plans are beginning to take off or turn a corner. We should watch for pushing too hard. The following aspects (major only) and positions are at noon (EDT) on August 31st: Note that when an aspect is applying, it has not yet happened but is within orb – it’s pending. When an aspect is separating, it has already happened/perfected and is moving away from the aspect. Depending on the speed of the planet/body involved, the aspect will have perfected–or will perfect–in a matter of hours (often the case with the Moon), days, months, and possibly years in the case of the very slow-moving outer planets and bodies. Note that the Moon moves at a rate of approximately one degree every 2 hours, so that if an aspect involving the Moon is applying and has an orb of 5 degrees, the aspect will perfect (be exact) in about 10 hours. If the Moon is separating from an aspect with an orb of 2 degrees, it has already formed said aspect approximately 4 hours ago (since the following are positions at noon today, then it would have occurred at about 8 AM today). **I suggest paying close attention to applying aspects. The energy of the aspect builds as it gets closer to exact. Once an aspect involving inner planets has happened, it’s over. Separating aspects are good to know for context, but in terms of energy that is with us today, applying aspects are most important. (This is the case for daily astrology influences involving inner planets, which pass quickly, and not natal astrology aspects, which are with us for a lifetime). THE MOON THE MOON IN CAPRICORN You feel secure when life is structured, or you are working hard. You may be emotionally distant or cold. You mother’s love may be limited in some way. Your mother may have been strict or cold. 4TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORN Part of Body: Cutaneous nerves of lower leg Sabian Symbol: A party entering a large canoe. ASPECTS OF THE MOON TRINE THE SUN Orb 4°37′ Applying We are supportive, cooperative, open, genuine, and more relaxed than usual. TRINE MERCURY Orb 3°49′ Separating Our hearts or emotional needs and our minds seem to be cooperating, and we are able to communicate effectively. It’s a good time for publicity, marketing, writing, and studying. QUINCUNX VENUS Orb 2°43′ Applying You attempt to cater for everyone around you. You need to be true to yourself and gently leave others to look after themselves. TRINE MARS Orb 6°49′ Separating Feelings and desires seem to be in sync, making this a good time to take purposeful action. Healthy competition, resourcefulness, courage. TRINE URANUS Orb 5°36′ Separating We are open to new ideas, ways of expressing ourselves and our feelings. A break in the routine is pleasing now. We could be experimenting with new ideas or feelings. There can be chance meetings, events that occur that open our hearts or our emotional awareness. THE SUN THE SUN IN VIRGO You are an analytical and critical individual. You are also practical and discriminating, and may be fussy. 9TH DEGREE OF VIRGO Part of Body: Right hepatic lobe Sabian Symbol: A man making a futurist drawing. ASPECTS OF THE SUN OPPOSITION NEPTUNE Orb 4°32′ Applying This a time for dreaming rather than important decision-making. It’s a good time to pay special attention to dreams and inspiration. Clarity may not be with us, but we probably don’t need it right now. It’s difficult to know for certain what we want, as we may be wavering. Confusion about a relationship or idealizing a person could figure strongly now. MERCURY MERCURY IN LEO You are enthusiastic in your quest for knowledge. You are proud of your learning abilities, and believe in the saying that learning is fun. You may have a tendency to be a know-it-all. 30TH DEGREE OF LEO Part of Body: Back Sabian Symbol: An unsealed letter. ASPECTS OF MERCURY CONJUNCTION MARS Orb 2°59′ Applying Questions are raised, discussions can become heated, and there can be nervous excitement now. Enthusiasm is strong, particularly for ideas and topics. Impulsive speech or other communications, and possibly lacking in sensitivity. Resourcefulness. TRINE URANUS Orb 1°46′ Applying We are mentally alert and aware, and might be experimenting or opening our minds to new ideas. We could be feeling inspired, and our thinking is inventive. Varying our usual routine may be rewarding. CONJUNCTION THE NORTH NODE Orb 5°49′ Applying Important contacts can be made with people who share our intellectual interests or who introduce us to new ideas that help us to grow, improve, and expand. Projects prove successful right now, particularly those involving teamwork. Learning, teaching, communicating, and making contact figure strongly now, or we meet with situations that encourage us to improve our skills in these areas. VENUS VENUS IN LEO We take more pride in our tastes, relationships, and personal possessions. We are more affectionate, expressive, and generous, and we tend to crave admiration and appreciation. 7TH DEGREE OF LEO Part of Body: Left coronary vein Sabian Symbol: The constellations in the sky. MARS MARS IN LEO You have a strong need to express your personal creativity. You may display dramatic and confident behaviour, and like to make an impact on your surroundings. You may also be arrogant. 27TH DEGREE OF LEO Part of Body: Chordae tendinae Sabian Symbol: Daybreak. ASPECTS OF MARS TRINE SATURN Orb 5°46′ Separating We can be reserved but possess self-control now. We are better able to focus on priorities or practical affairs. This is a good time to take care of details, to get organized, and to put in hard work. TRINE URANUS Orb 1°12′ Applying It’s easy and natural to break through obstacles, to find alternative methods of going after what we want, and to take progressive action or to take the lead. There is more courage, confidence, and energy available to us. We embrace change, progress, and new methods. QUINCUNX CHIRON Orb 0°23′ Applying We might doubt the effectiveness of our efforts to go after what we want under this influence, which can lead to passive-aggressive behavior, defensiveness, or frustration. CONJUNCTION THE NORTH NODE Orb 2°49′ Separating You are being challenged to become assertive and focussed on your personal goals. Independence and self-confidence are keys to your growth in this life. You may find yourself thrust into leadership roles. JUPITER JUPITER IN LIBRA You have a strong concern for justice. You are a diplomatic teacher, and express your spiritual values in your relationships. 22ND DEGREE OF LIBRA Part of Body: Renal veins Sabian Symbol: A child giving birds a drink at a fountain. ASPECTS OF JUPITER SEXTILE SATURN Orb 0°43′ Separating You have a chance to be very successful as you are neither profligate nor mean, but have a balance. OPPOSITION URANUS Orb 6°16′ Applying You are keen to change things in this world as you see no reason to continue with the old traditions. You speak out against injustice, but may lack the patience and persistence to see through the changes. SQUARE PLUTO Orb 4°53′ Separating You will need to learn to have confidence in yourself even when life deals you a few blows. You range from over confident to completely lacking in confidence. The truth lies somewhere in between. SATURN SATURN IN SAGITTARIUS Saturn in Sagittarius asks us to take on the responsibility of living according to our personal truths and principles — and to be loyal to these. This is a time for turning a critical eye to those beliefs and principles that don’t accurately reflect our authentic selves. (December 23, 2014, to June 14, 2015, then September 17, 2015, to December 20, 2017) 22ND DEGREE OF SAGITTARIUS Part of Body: Right trochanter Sabian Symbol: A chinese laundry. ASPECTS OF SATURN TRINE URANUS Orb 6°59′ Applying You have a talent for investigation. You look at new ideas and are able then to put them into action. In business you achieve much in your own independent way. URANUS URANUS IN ARIES The urge to start fresh, to break free from restrictive attitudes or circumstances, to totally redesign an area of our lives (or even our personalities), and to gain freedom through independence is strong during this cycle. (May 27, 2010, to August 13, 2010, then March 11th, 2011, to May 15, 2018, then November 6, 2018, to March 6, 2019). 29TH DEGREE OF ARIES Part of Body: Auditory canal Sabian Symbol: A celestial choir singing. NEPTUNE NEPTUNE IN PISCES A long-term influence in which fantasy, imagination, compassion, and spirituality are in stronger focus. (April 4, 2011, to August 4, 2011, then February 3, 2012, to March 30, 2025, then October 22, 2025, to January 26, 2026) 13TH DEGREE OF PISCES Part of Body: Plantar artery of left foot Sabian Symbol: A sword in a museum. PLUTO PLUTO IN CAPRICORN Tests of our boundaries; breaking down and rebuilding structures and rules. (From January 25, 2008, to June 14, 2008, then November 26, 2008, to March 23, 2023, then June 11, 2023, to January 20, 2024, then September 1, 2024, to November 19, 2024). 18TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORN Part of Body: Ligaments of right knee Sabian Symbol: The union jack flies from a new british destroyer. Chiron, Major Asteroids, and Moon’s Nodes: in Sign and in Aspect CHIRON CHIRON IN PISCES Strong awareness of our own vulnerabilities and humanity stimulates compassion for others. (April 20 to July 20, 2010, then February 8, 2011, to April 17, 2018, then September 25, 2018, to February 18, 2019). 28TH DEGREE OF PISCES Part of Body: Phalanges of left foot Sabian Symbol: A fertile garden under the full moon. VESTA IN VIRGO You have a perfectionist streak. You work hard and expect the same from other people. You need to avoid being overly critical. Positively, you have the ability to set up efficient and productive routines at work. 22ND DEGREE OF VIRGO Part of Body: Gall-bladder Sabian Symbol: A royal coat of arms. PALLAS PALLAS IN TAURUS You have the ability to see the beauty in nature and the arts. You have much common sense and wisdom. You may become involved in either healing with your hands or healing the earth through environmental movements. 14TH DEGREE OF TAURUS Part of Body: True vocal cords Sabian Symbol: Shellfish groping and children playing. JUNO JUNO IN CAPRICORN You want a partner who you can respect, and who respects you. You seek long-term commitment and may marry later in life. 3RD DEGREE OF CAPRICORN Part of Body: Cutaneous nerves of thigh Sabian Symbol: The human soul receptive to growth and understanding. CERES CERES IN CANCER Your ability to nurture others is closely linked with your own relationship with your mother. If you had a close and loving relationship with your mother then you will enjoy the same with others in your adult life. If not, you may form dependent relationships. 22ND DEGREE OF CANCER Part of Body: Gastric mucosa Sabian Symbol: A woman awaiting a sailboat. THE NORTH NODE THE NORTH NODE IN LEO This a quest to develop your inner strength. You may find that you experience times of loneliness. These times are part of your lesson to forge your own creative life in order to give generously to the world. 25TH DEGREE OF LEO Part of Body: Pericardium Sabian Symbol: A large camel crossing the desert. THE SOUTH NODE THE SOUTH NODE IN AQUARIUS This a quest to develop your inner strength. You may find that you experience times of loneliness. These times are part of your lesson to forge your own creative life in order to give generously to the world. 25TH DEGREE OF AQUARIUS Part of Body: Left tibialis anterior muscle Sabian Symbol: A butterfly with the right wing more perfectly formed. *** CONJUNCTIONS TO SELECT FIXED STARS *** Transits 31 Aug 2017 Aspects to Sun 08°Vi26 +08°24′ Cnj 07°Vi41 THUBAN To protect or make a treasure. Aspects to Mer 29°Le59 +08°35′ Cnj 00°Vi04 REGULUS*** Majestic, success, (revenge) Aspects to Plu 17°Cp02 -21°41′ Cnj 16°Cp53 RUKBAT Steadiness and strength. Aspects to Ves 21°Vi13 +07°52′ Cnj 21°Vi51 DENEBOLA To go against society Aspects to Pal 13°Ta51 -06°56′ Cnj 14°Ta34 MENKAR — A victim of the Unconscious Aspects to Cer 21°Cn13 +23°55′ Cnj 20°Cn28 CASTOR To write or create. Aspects to BMo 22°Sg14 -18°42′ Cnj 22°Sg41 RAS ALHAGUE The desire to heal a wound. SHARE THIS: EmailFacebook2TwitterTumblrGoogleReddit Filed Under: Daily Astrology, Today « Astrology of Today – Wednesday, August 30, 2017 Leave a Reply Search this website … Search Cafe Astrology Cafe Astrology Home Cafe Astrology Free Reports Recent Astrology of Today – Thursday, August 31, 2017 Astrology of Today – Wednesday, August 30, 2017 Monthly Horoscopes – September 2017 Astrology of Today – Tuesday, August 29, 2017 Astrology of Today – Monday, August 28, 2017 In this post Full Moon‌ First Quarter Moon‌ Mercury is retrograde‌ The Moon is waxing‌ The Moon is void‌ Previous Tags Jupiter Neptune transit Mars-Pluto transit Mars Chiron transit Mars Jupiter transit Mars Neptune transit Mars Pluto transit Mars Saturn transit Mars Saturn transit Mars Uranus transit Mercury Chiron transit Mercury Jupiter transit Mercury Mars transit Mercury Neptune transit Mercury Pluto transit Mercury Saturn transit Mercury semi-square Venus Mercury square Jupiter Mercury square Mars Mercury square Neptune Mercury square Pluto Mercury square Uranus Mercury Uranus transit Mercury Venus transit Sun Chiron transit Sun conjunct Mercury Sun Jupiter transit Sun Mars transit Sun Mercury transit Sun Neptune transit Sun Pluto transit Sun Saturn transit Sun sextile Jupiter Sun trine Saturn Sun Uranus transit Venus-Mars transit Venus Chiron transit Venus Jupiter transit Venus Mars transit Venus Neptune transit Venus Pluto transit Venus Saturn transit Venus sextile Uranus Venus square Saturn Venus square Uranus Venus Uranus transit Subscribe via Email Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email. Email Address Email Address Subscribe Current Planetary Positions 8/31/2017 7:05:53 PM Sun 08° Virgo 50' 34" Moon 08° Capricorn 50' 20" Mercury 29° Leo 44' 13" R Venus 07° Leo 03' 08" Mars 27° Leo 15' 33" Jupiter 22° Libra 00' 54" Saturn 21° Sagittarius 13' 04" Uranus 28° Aries 11' 45" R Neptune 12° Pisces 57' 54" R Pluto 17° Capricorn 02' 20" R Chiron 27° Pisces 22' 15" R TrueNode 24° Leo 10' 22" Subscribe to Blog via Email Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Email Address Email Address Subscribe Categories Archives August 2017 M T W T F S S « Jul 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Copyright © 2017 · Astrology Cafe by Cafe Astrology

0 notes

jflashandclash · 8 years ago

Text

Blood of a Mayan---TOO

Twenty-Five: Kalypso

Solar Deities are Creepy and Need Restraining Orders

The most frustrating thing about Kally’s nightmare was simple: she’d already beaten Python by using her godly nova blast, but it never worked in the nightmare. She’d be choking for air, paralyzed by fear and wishing Pax could make her as angry as he had in Howe Cavern. Then she could defeat Python. Then she’d be free.

But this time, like the last two times she’d been saved in dream world and when she’d beat Python in real life, it took an external force.

“Be gone foul creature!” someone roared.

Python completely ignored the shout. A dim sparkle of light sprinkled around both of them. The shimmer looked like someone was trying to promote Python on a dating simulator.

Another voice teased, “Really? You’ve only been out of the game for what? A few thousand years? And that is all you can do?”

A different, rosier light warmed Kally’s body, loosening the coils.

Last time someone saved Kally from a dream, she’d learned her lesson on accidentally kissing strangers, since they could end up being your long lost half-brother’s completely homosexual boyfriend.

With the way these two saved her from her nightmare, Kally wouldn’t have even considered it.

Someone slapped through Python’s coils with a cheery, “Goooooood MORNING!”nailing Kally in the face.

Kally jerked awake—er—she jerked out of Python’s nightmare. Upon a frantic glance around, she could tell she was still dreaming. Or she hoped she was.

Everything blazed with a glaring light. There were celestial bronze columns around an audience chamber. The walls were completely covered with emeralds, glowing Kally’s favorite color. The ground felt cold under her fingers—marble? Mirrors reflected more light across the chamber, like the set up in Cabin Six.

But the place looked hollow and empty. There were only two figures standing in front of Kally.

The more her eyes came into focus, the more imperfections she noticed. There were cracks in the columns and emeralds that had fallen off the walls to reveal blackened holes. For some reason, something her priest used to say fluttered through her head: All material things fall. The only immortal thing is the kingdom of God.

Here was a god’s throne room starting to decay.

Then Kally felt the overwhelming pain in her cheek from being sucker slapped by a goddess.

“Oh good! You’re up! That’s so exciting! Did you have a nice sleep? You don’t look like you did. That’s my favorite time to wake people. At dawn when they haven’t slept at all.”

The woman standing before Kally spoke rapidly and with enough cheer that Kally could imagine Euna punching her through several skyscrapers. She would probably agree with Kally: morning people made the worst super villains.

The woman was young, maybe nineteen with brown auburn hair that flowed loosely down her shoulders. She wore a pink pair of yoga pants and a tight work out shirt with floral print. She hopped back and forth and giggled, like she was warming up for a race. Her fingers, hands, and forearms were stained a deep pink and Kally had to wonder how many flowers were killed in the making of those hands.

There was a Starbucks coffee cup in her hands with the words Mornings Rule! on the side.

The man beside her was terrifying. Not in the ax-murderer way though. His hair was golden, flowing in curly locks over his shoulders. His shoulders were broad and Kally could imagine he’d be handsome if he stood up straight and smiled. He wore a dirty purple sheet like a cloak and a ragged, torn shirt and shorts. Instead of looking handsome, he looked like, well, her dad—if Apollo had become a hobo and tried out for the Walking Dead. But none of that was scary. It was his eyes.

They burned like the sun setting along the horizon. Kally felt like those eyes were as ancient as the sun and as omnipresent as light during day. “It’s not dawn for her,” he chastised the woman.

She giggled. “You know what they say? It’s 5:00 AM somewhere.”[1]

“That’s not how that saying goes.”

“Hey!” She folded her arms and gave him a playful scowl. “Dionysus stole that from me with those military shenanigans. Augh, I used to be so much more popular before the Industrial Revolution! Stupid Antoine Redier!”[2] She dramatically shook her fist downwards.

Kally really didn’t want to interrupt their conversation, but she had no idea what was going on or what the Industrial Revolution had to do with this little inception. “Um, excuse me but—who are you?” she asked timidly.

The woman put a hand to her chest. “I am the beautiful, coveted, adored—”

“Don’t listen to her. She kidnaps people to get affection,” the man interrupted.

“Helios!” she cried and swatted his shoulder. “Don’t spread that rumor! They come to me. You’re as bad as Hemera.”

Helios… Hemera… Kally remembered Axel mentioning something about people Hemera knew.

“Eos!” Kally said. “You’re Eos. You’re the Titaness—er—Goddess of Dawn. The one that poured out all of Hemera’s grains so Euna, Joey, and Axel had to collect them.” After everything that happened that day, Kally couldn’t believe she remembered that little bit, but Axel had been particularly angry about why they were doing their activity.

“Eh, Titaness. Goddess. I accept eith—wait—no! I did not pour out all of her grains. Is that why Hemera was so indignant all morning? She seemed even snipper than usual. I keep telling her an hour ahead of schedule is a perfectly considerate amount of time to arrive at a house. I mean, Aphrodite was even earlier than I was!”

Kally really didn’t want to get into whatever dispute was going on between the Goddess of Dawn and the Goddess of Day, but it wasn’t like she could snap her fingers and have an Uber drive her home. “Um, if you didn’t, then who did? Not that you would,” she quickly added, hoping it wouldn’t make Eos angry. Kally figured that people who made this goddess angry just darkened the stains on those rosy fingers.

“That’s part of why we’re here,” the man said. He gave Kally a dazzling grin, literally dazzling since she had to look away or be blinded. Then the light dimmed. “I’m Helios,” he said simply. There was a sad emptiness in the explanation.

Eos groaned. “Oh, go on. Say it. ‘I used to drive the sun chariot.’ And whose fault is it that you don’t now? I keep telling you. Early bird gets the worm.”

Helios’s eyes dimmed further until the glare of his eyes looked filtered by water. “I wouldn’t expect you to know who I am,” Helios said. “Most of the gods think I’ve already faded.” He touched his forehead, like he was adjusting an invisible crown. His eyes gazed at one of the blackened holes in the wall. “What I wouldn’t do for one last ride in my chariot—to watch Pyrois, Aeos, Aethon, and Phlegon galloping westward, to see Hemera ahead of me, scattering her mother’s mist to prepare the path for the sun.” He sighed and closed his eyes.

From his description, Kally could almost envision it. Those must have been the names of his horses. There must have been a lot of glory in striding across the sky—

“And the chicks,” Helios added. He opened his eyes and cocked his head thoughtfully to the sky. “That chariot is a babe magnet and Apollo kicked me out before low cut shirts were in fashion. That scoundrel.”

Eos swatted him. “Helios! That’s gross!”

“What? You spy on people showering in the mornings.”

Were all day deities this creepy? Kally didn’t remember Axel describing Hemera as this creepy.

“Um...” Kally prompted. “About why you’re here..?”

“Oh! Yes! I have an itinerary,” Eos said. She snapped her fingers, her coffee disappeared, and a papyrus scroll appeared in her hands. She read aloud, “Scold Kally for not doing her sun salutations to greet her dad…” Eos glanced over her list, frowned, pointed one finger at Kally and said, “Shame.”

Helios rolled his eyes.

Eos kept reading. “Wake Kally up so she can save Leo Valdez. Remind her to do sun salutations to greet the morning deities. Startle hiker awake and off a cliff—okay!” She snapped her fingers and the scroll was replaced by a white mug that read Here Comes the Sun and a picture of Kally’s dad. “No one has seen Hemera in two days, since that whole cereal incident, when Aphrodite said she had some handsome heroes over to clean up the mess.” Eos giggled. “Maybe Hemera isn’t fading after all if she’s having handsome heroes over. Now, if you ask me, that old bag is being overdramatic and playing hookie—”

“She’s not. I worked with Hemera for thousands of years. She’s reliable and never takes a sick day,” Helios said.

“Except those few months on the North and South Pole—” Eos waved her cup of coffee around.

“Nyx told her to stay home and she deserves some vacation time—”

“Socialist. You know, I’m just as reliable—”

“You’re annoying,” Helios said. The fiery blaze of his eyes returned as he glanced back at Kally. “Mount Olympus has too many problems for anyone to worry over Hemera’s disappearance.”

“Aren’t they in a time of peace right now? And what was that about Leo Valdez?” Kally asked. Although she hadn’t sat through many explanations from the Athena Cabin about the gods, she hadn’t heard of any wars going on or problems in Olympus. And Leo seemed in fine shape before she… how had she fallen asleep in the middle of the morning?

Helios shook his head. “I would say the usual fights, but none of them make any sense. Not that their fights ever do—and trust me, I helped sort out all the craziness with Persephone. Man, does she have a creepy husband. But these fights make even less sense than usual. Hephaestus is mad at Aphrodite and Ares for going off on vacation—”

“Which is false because Aphrodite is scheduled for an exfoliating session with Hygieia today and she would NEVER let anything get in the way of that,” Eos said like it was common knowledge. She winked at Kally. “It was an article in this week’s edition of The Glade.”

“Athena and Poseidon are in the middle of a fight over some museum that wasn’t supposed to originally feature either of them. It was originally supposed to feature Pontus…” Helios gave an exhausted sigh. “How I miss Pontus. Regardless, Artemis and Apollo are trying to chase down the Teusmessian fox, both claiming the other challenged them to it, while Apollo is still trying to hide from Zeus. And Hera and Zeus just got into another fight over some lover or another that Zeus hasn’t seen in years—”

“I feel bad for whatever mortal Hera runs into first with her little riddle, ‘who knows how to have the secret to a happy marriage better than the goddess of marriage.’ If she’d only cheat, she’d be so much happier.” Eos giggled.

That might have explained Joey’s encounter. Kally thought about her mother with Apollo and felt sick. Every time she heard about a Greek god, it sounded like fidelity was as high on their list of priorities as protecting LGBTQ+ rights was for the Westboro Baptist Church. Maybe people fell out of love after several hundred years but…

“Wait—Did you say Hemera went missing two days ago? Euna, Axel, and Joey helped her yesterday,” Kally said.

“You’ve been asleep for a day and a half,” Helios said.

Kally gaped. A day and a half? She didn’t even get to do that on weekends.

Eos took a long sip from her mug and glared. “Someone used Morpheus Dust on you and your group. You know that crust you get in your eyes? If you can collect it off Morpheus from one of his naps, it’s like, my anti-venom. I tried waking you all morning yesterday but it was like you’d had three bottles of Nyquil.”[3]

“When you do wake up, remember to look out for Hemera. Apollo might not care to watch out for his business partners—” Bitterness seeped into Helios’s voice “—but I care. This isn’t like Hemera. No one has any qualms against her. I mean, she and Nyx fight a lot, but I don’t think Nyx would ever harm her.”

Eos gave Helios a skeptical look. “Hemera is too boring for anyone to have qualms with her. Anyway, you’re about to wake up. Things will be clearer for you about how to help Leo Valdez and find Hemera.”

There was no way Kally would be useful in any situation that one of the Seven couldn’t help themselves. “Uh, couldn’t you just tell me how things will be clearer now?” she squeaked.

Helios and Eos gave each other a bewildered look. “Do… gods just TELL heroes things now?” Helios demanded. “That’s so… distasteful.”

Sensible was the word Kally wanted to supply him with, but she felt a chill creeping along her face. Until she fell through the floor, she hadn’t realized how warm it was in the audience chamber.

When Kally woke up, things were not clearer. Her vision was—in fact—blurry, but she could see two furry creatures curled in her hair. One wore an orange Hero-In-Training shirt and the other cradled the remains of some kind of toy. A… decapitated man’s head? Bleeding stuffing. Well, it used to be a centaur. She remembered seeing those at Camp Half-Blood’s shop.

Someone nearby was crying. It was a quiet, continuous sob, one that made Kally chest hurt with sympathy pangs. She hated when you’d been crying to the point of chest pains and couldn’t stop.

“But he’ll leave me. You know he will,” Pax whined to… someone.

Kally willed herself to stand to see the other person. Her limbs wouldn’t work. Everything felt numb. It wasn’t the right time of day. Hadn’t it been morning? Early morning? Now it was dark, with nothing but her glow stick and a campfire lighting up Hunnie and Baller’s fur. When she remembered that weasels liked to store dead things in people’s clothing for snacks, she wished she could recoil. From the look of it, Hunnie was… still unmoving.

Every few seconds, Baller would perk up, yawn, and twist his body to climb all over Hunnie. When she didn’t react, he’d give her ear a halfhearted nip. After pawing at her, he’d give up and curl back up with his tail dangling over her face.

Oh, my little terror muffin, another voice spoke. The voice was feminine and warm in a noxious way, like a pillow pre-fluffed to smother someone. Kally wasn’t sure she could hear it aloud, but it echoed in her head. Although Kally’s arms didn’t feel strong enough to lift her body weight, she strained to reach for Hunnie and Baller.

I’m sorry you might lose your brother forever, Ajax. Here’s a voucher for free ice cream to cheer you up.

Kally managed to get up to her elbows. The weasels rolled out of her hair, Baller with a soft huff. Someone had tucked her into the Morpheus sleeping bag—Pax once told her it belonged to Alabaster, a friend of his from Mount Othrys. Supposedly it granted good dreams, though she was struggling to remember hers clearly. Around her, she found Merry, Joey, and Euna also tucked into various sleeping bags. Whoever had taken care of them—definitely Pax, judging from this last part—had unceremoniously plopped a blanket on the upper half of Calex and left his feet exposed. That was something Kally could see Pax finding evil.

The others in the distance blobs of color. Sometime in the night, her contacts must have dried and popped out of her eyes. Her eyes definitely felt sore and dry enough for it. She fumbled in her bag to produce her backup glasses and slipped them on.

Centaurs and nymphs lay scattered around the campfire. She could hear a rhythmic creaking sound. Upon seeing the startling shine of bronze highlighted in the flickering flames, she realized Festus was snoring on the edge of the camp.

“Forever?” Pax hiccupped. “I’d give up ice cream for the rest of my life if I could stay with Axel. He’s all I have left.”

That’s a serious ultimatum, the person warned. Ice cream is delicious. Remember how much you love Reese’s Sundaes.

“Even Reese’s Sundaes, Mom. Even. Reese’s. Sundaes. And what are you saying? Is Axel going to die if he goes to arrest Dad?”

Kally picked up the furry, serpentine bodies of Hunnie and Baller. She expected Baller to bite her. Instead, he curled up into her arms.

Oh, he’ll die if he goes alone, the woman said, like it was an assurance. But he was always going to die before you Pax… Well, unless your little nightmare-prophecy comes true.

Pax recoiled from… a weird thing sitting in front of him. His legs were crunched up, his elbows resting on his knees, and his hands tugging at his hair. His face looked puffy from crying. At his feet, there was some… weird mix of various creatures: goat parts, feline part, bat wings, and horns. Looking at it, Kally didn’t know if she was still dreaming or if a taxidermist had decided to play Mr. Potato with various animals.

“That nightmare won’t come true. Axel wouldn’t do that,” Pax snapped. His tone shook with fear and anger, but tapered almost apologetically. “I don’t think. I—I’m sorry. But—but you said alone. Will he be okay if he has his proper fan club?” He gestured vaguely towards Kally and the others without looking up. “How are we supposed to be his Sailor Scouts if he doesn’t want us there?”

The creature flicked its reptilian tail up to stroke Pax’s cheek. I’ll do what I can to keep the family together. Just keep calm and use that voucher. There should be more for you to steal in Leo’s shack.

Kally wiggled out of the sleeping bag. Despite her attempt to be quiet, the zipper whined.

The creature disappeared.

Pax jumped to his feet. “Kally! You’re awake?!” His yellow and black eyes widened in alarm. He rubbed his face on his duster jacket sleeve. “I mean, completely sincere sounding, ‘Yay! You’re awake!’”

Kally tried to talk. Her mouth felt like it was full of ferret bedding. She adjusted the weasels so she could lean down to withdraw her water bottle from her messenger bag. Once she took a swig, coughed once, and put the water bottle away, she approached Pax.

Morpheus Dust.

Eos’s words lingered from her dream. Kally couldn’t recall the full conversation, but she slowed down. “What’s going on?” She remembered the party and Hera giving Joey her quest, and something about Morpheus Dust. Why had Eos mentioned it?

“Everyone fell asleep after Leo started making Axel’s unbreakable buster sword. Except Axel, Leo, and I. I think it’s because we’re Latino and awesome,” Pax said. He perked up and sniffled. “But now that you’re awake, we can draw on everyone’s faces. Leo said he’d be done with the sword soon so we probably don’t have much time before Calex wakes up.”

Something about Leo Valdez. All the warmth from the sleeping bag sapped out of Kally. The evening November chill made her shudder, huddling into her sweatshirt. “Where’s Leo?” she asked. That’s what she was supposed to do. She was supposed to protect Leo. How? Kally wasn’t sure. She assumed it would involve her sacrificially tripping and rolling into an enemy so Leo had enough time to get away.

“He and Axel are at his forge, but we could cause way more chaos if we stayed here and—”

Kally walked up to Pax and set her weaselless hand on his arm. “I—” Her mind ground to a halt. What would Merry say? She was so much more assertive and better at this type of thing.

That didn’t matter. Merry was asleep. It was completely on Kally to screw this up and either crumble to Pax’s wishes and write I love Manchester United all over Calex OR to not be a doormat and put herself in a life or death situation to save Leo Valdez from... something. Assuming her dream with Helios and Eos had been more than just a dream…

When Kally took too long to finish her sentence, Pax supplied her for, “… love chinchillas?”

“What? No—well, yes, but no. That isn’t what I was going to say.” Kally took a deep breath. “I want to go check on Leo and Axel. Please Ajax.”

Pax’s eyes narrowed. The alarmed hopefulness of his expression melted into his standard devilish grin. He stood and took a step closer, so he could stroke under Baller’s chin, his finger brushing against Kally’s sweater as he did. Baller’s head bobbed sleepily with each pet. “You know Cyclopes, the only people allowed to call me that are my childhood friends, my family, and my lovers.”

In the tiny repertoire of retorts Kally had prepared—pretty much a single retort—Kally wasn’t ready for Pax to say that. She felt her face heat up. He’s just trying to distract you, the logical part of her brain reminded her. The rest of her brain was encouraging her to walk back to her sleeping bag, hide her face for the rest of eternity, and pretend the conversation never happened.

“Because if you’re building a time machine to become one of my childhood friends,” Pax said. He tapped her nose with the hand he’d been using to pet Baller. “I would want to know your intentions. I would love to use modern technology to scare some settlers into thinking we’re ghosts. We could create some nice mass hysteria.”

Kally did her best to glare. “Leo and Axel,” she said again. As the grogginess of sleep retreated to awareness, the weirdness of the situation hit her. What had Pax and his mother been talking about? Had that been his mother? She’d never seen a goddess show up in a form like that. Before asking about that, she needed to make sure they were on their way to Leo.

“Maybe I can talk to Axel about… about us coming with him to arrest your dad,” she offered.

As much as the Pax boys were great at putting them into life threatening situations, and as scary as Santiago sounded, she didn’t want anything bad happening to them. Their ragtag team of seven was pretty strong. If nothing else, she was sure Calex could make Santiago fall in love with a toaster and Joey and Euna could tie him up in some Clematis bindings while he was serenading it.

Pax puffed up his cheeks and popped them. He took the hand she had on his arm and laced their fingers. “You heard Mom and me talking?” he asked.

“Yea. Your mom was…”

“An awesome whatever,” he supplied like that described it perfectly. Without being a helpful term at all, it did do his mother justice. “Kally,” Pax hesitated and rolled his thumb across her knuckles. The motion had grown more comforting than panic-inducing over the last month. “He’s… he’s not a villain for young adult novels. He’s a big kid villain, for like, an R-rated movie. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

Considering how Python wanted to murder she and her half-brother Will and how the Aphrodite Devils attempted to rip she and Pax apart, she wanted to protest that Santiago would probably feel at home with their other villains. “I’m pretty sure convincing your brother will be way harder than defeating your dad. Axel’s pretty stubborn.”

Pax hugged Kally. Baller made a loud chirping sound at being crushed between the two of them. Kally squeaked when she felt Baller squirm and claw at her sweater.

Pax started to babble in some other language, then switched over to English. “—go talk to him. Maybe you can convince him to leave Leo’s memory alone too. Kally, thank you! I’m sure this’ll blow up in our faces, but at least we’ll be miserable together!” He released her, allowing Baller to scamper down her leg and disappear into the grass.

“What about Leo’s—”

Pax squished Kally’s cheeks together with both hands, gave her a kiss, then tugged her towards Leo’s shack. With his other hand, he picked up a quiver of arrows off the ground.

As they walked, Kally tried to keep focus and ignore how Pax’s lips had felt. She desperately hoped her face wasn’t as red as it felt. To distract herself, she asked, “Why do you have a quiver without a bow?” She remembered Pax saying he hated long distance weapons other than his darts. And there didn’t seem to be a lot to shoot other than stationary centaurs.

“Axel needs it to make the sword.”

Maybe she hadn’t paid attention when Nyssa or Matt explained Blacksmithing 101, but that sounded like saying you needed turpentine to make pancakes. “You need a quiver to make a sword?”

“We descend from Greek gods. Recipes get messy sometimes…” Pax glanced over his shoulder at her. “Hey, uh, if you ever want someone there when you talk to your mom, or for ice cream and cry support afterwards, I’m here. Or to punch your dad in the face. I’m always up for punching a god in the face.”

Kally’s stomach clenched at the thought. She was still terrified of talking to her mother. “You’re too much of a coward for that,” she managed.

“Yea,” he admitted without a hint of offense. “But I could put something in his drink that will make him flatulent. That’ll make him WAY more upset than a silly punch.”

They laughed. For a moment, Kally forgot that all her other friends were unconscious in the clearing and Leo Valdez was in some kind of danger. She could pretend Pax and she were going for a nighttime hike in the forest. Alarms went off in her head at the words, put something in his drink.

Morpheus Dust. They’d toasted before everyone fell asleep hadn’t they? Pax had given them Kool-Aid. Kally squinted at Pax’s utility belt in the moon and glow stick light. There was a third vial beside his Sleep and Poison (Do not mix up). It was the same one he’d pulled out for Calypso “that worked better than a dream.” The vial was mostly empty, only a thin layer of glitter at the bottom.

“You, uh, don’t have a thing for Axel, right?” Pax asked. He slipped the quiver’s strap over his shoulder so he could take Hunnie from Kally’s arm and stuffed her into his jacket like a toy.

Kally glanced away from the vial, hoping she looked calm. Why would Pax do that? He and Axel had done dumb stuff before for “noble” reasons. They’d kidnapped Rachel, so they could save her and gain the trust of the Greeks—all to get the proper equipment to take out their father. But what didn’t they want them seeing now? That was just so invasive, and creepy, and overall wrong.

“What?” Kally asked. She needed to keep it cool. But she also had to make sure Pax didn’t have a reason to dart her and tuck her right back into the sleeping bag.

They walked around where Festus creak-snored. The shack was bigger than she thought it would be. Around the back, she could see several work benches and a forge two dozen feet away. There were some kind of hybrid torches—lights surrounding the work space. Various types of tools littered the ground. Over to the right was a small greenhouse. Kally had to wonder—if Leo and Calypso hadn’t settled down in one spot for long—what kind of transformer move this place did to fit on the dragon.

The ground around the workspace, other than the greenhouse, was bare dirt in a wide radius.

Axel sat on one of the work tables with his legs crossed pretzel style. Although he might have been meditating, Kally could envision a tail irritably flicking behind him. His head twitched at their approach.

He wore what looked like a reflective jumpsuit, complete with booties and gloves. Despite the circumstances, Kally almost hoped he’d do some astronaut break dance. As they got closer, Kally could see the material was… uncomfortably tight on him.

Pax hadn’t noticed her unease. “I didn’t know if you had a thing for Axel and you were turning me down because of that and not because you’re wisely not trusting me.”

That was weird to consider. Axel was definitely one of the reasons Merry suggested their group take a trip to the pool at some point. He was an excellent fighter and charismatic leader and the muscles under that silver suit were quite obvious. But…

“Your brother is too cool for me,” she said. Plus, she wasn’t sure she could trust either brother with how this night was turning out.

“You’re… right.” Pax added a skip to his walk. “He is too cool for you.”

“You don’t have to—”

“Kally?!” Axel demanded.

She and Pax froze when he rounded on them. For a split second, his jaw was clenched in fury as he rose to his feet. Then he relaxed and he gave her a rough smile. “I’m glad you’re awake,” he said evenly. As the words came out, he shot Pax a quick glance. “Everyone fell asleep after Leo started working on the blade. I should have known something like that would happen with the curse.”

The practiced ease of the lie scared Kally more than the lie itself.

Pax’s hand tightened on hers. He set the quiver down on a workbench. “She woke up all on her own, like a big kid,” Pax said. “Nice suit. Good for preventing alien abduction and mind reading.”

“I’ve been helping Leo at the forge. He said it would be safer if I wore Calypso’s fireproof clothing.” As he spoke, Axel examined Kally’s face. That was a familiar look, the same one her parents gave her brother, John, when he’d messed up: a forcibly neutral expression that said I still care about you, but what am I going to do with you now that you’ve screwed up?

A tension spread through Kally’s chest. She wanted Pax to let go of her hand and Axel to take a step back.

“Man, I really don’t like this thing. It gives me the heebie-jeebies—”

Kally exhaled in relief when Leo walked out from the shack, something oblong in his hands. His arm and face were covered in soot and sweat. Those elfish features were slack from exhaustion and worry. When he glanced up to see Kally, his brown eyes lit up with excitement. “Someone is up? Are the others awake? Is Calypso okay?”

As he asked, he rushed over to another work table. Until then, Kally hadn’t registered the comatose person. Calypso was on top of the table, curled up on a roll-out matt with several layers of blankets, including a fancy electric one.

“Hey, Sunshine, stop being so lazy! Wake up… please,” he called to the resting girl. When she didn’t stir, he frowned and punched the edge of the table.

“I’m the only one up,” Kally said. She wanted to tell Leo that Helios and Eos were worried about him, but he didn’t need the extra stress. This kid looked like he hadn’t slept in… well, a day and a half.

“I told you they’d probably start to wake up once you finished the sword. Maybe the curse just needs to wear off,” Axel supplied. He took a step closer to Leo, examining the object in Leo’s arms. It was wrapped in a colorful beach towel. Well, Kally assumed it was normally colorful. In the dim torch lighting, the towel was just striped.

“Calypso had better be okay,” Leo muttered.

“If Kally is up, I’m sure the others will wake up soon,” Axel said. He glanced at Pax, like he was looking for affirmation.

Pax lifted his hands up, Kally’s included, as if to say not it, bro.

If Kally hadn’t been suspicious of the Pax brothers before, she took that exchange as a plea of, guilty and shameless.

Axel turned back to Leo. “But you did finish it, right?”

“This sword isn’t worth all the trouble,” Leo grumbled. He released the towel with one hand to stroke Calypso’s cheek. Judging from the smears of soot across her head, Kally assumed this had been a standard procedure each time Leo walked past.

He wrapped his hand back around the towel and turned to Axel, glaring. “I don’t know how to explain it hombre, but it didn’t want to be a sword. I had to really fight with the metal. I know we had a deal, but the deal was to make the sword. Not to have my girlfriend cursed into Sleeping Beauty. I feel like I’m carrying around thirteen black cats and a broken mirror with this thing. If she and the others don’t wake up in the next hour, we’re melting it.”

“Of course,” Axel agreed. “Kally, Pax, can you go check on the others to see if they’re waking up? We probably shouldn’t leave them vulnerable in the forest.”

Every muscle in Kally’s body encouraged that notion—that survival and snacks were back towards the others. But something about this whole scenario was giving her goose bumps. Although Pax was already tugging at her hand, she didn’t budge.

“No,” she said.

The Pax brothers stared her.

“I—”

You’re not a doormat, she scolded herself. And it’s just Axel.

“I want to see the sword first,” Kally said. That wasn’t true. She never wanted to see what had caused all of this, but she wasn’t supposed to leave Leo by himself. Her instinct had made that much clear.

There was a pause where she wouldn’t have been shocked if Axel told her to go to her room, in his best Dad impression ever, disregarding the hundreds of miles preventing that.

Axel clenched his jaw.

Then he sighed, his shoulders sagging. “Very well. Leo, let’s see if this was worth all the trouble.”

“It wasn’t, but whatever,” Leo grumbled. He shoved a set of tools off a work table to put the towel on it. Axel, Kally, and Pax all gathered around as Leo unwrapped the towel.

Kally shuddered.

The sword was a xiphos, a double-edged, one-hand Greek blade. Those were common in Camp Half-Blood. What was uncommon was the coloration of the blade. One half gleamed with celestial bronze. The other half shined with steel.

As Axel’s fingers wrapped around the grip, Kally heard an undeniable growl from the blade, Hello Lieutenant. A wave of malice billowed from the blade, like its past occupation was decapitating puppies.

“Yea, and that’s the creepiest part. That happens sometimes when you touch the metal and it sounds about as friendly as a clown in a dark parking lot,” Leo said.

Pax whispered, “Don’t discriminate against clowns. They have funny feelings too.” Although he tried to joke, Kally could hear the tremble in his voice. He pulled her gently from the table.

Axel’s arm seized. He grunted and lifted the blade. He began to shake and sweat.

“Why do you even want this sword man? It’s no bueno,” Leo said. “Uh… man?”

“Because…” Axel’s voice dropped to a gravely tone, the same he used to scare her brother John. Kally felt the pressure drop. Her ears popped. The torches around them dimmed with the next gust of wind. One sputtered out.

“Its name is Backbiter,” Axel growled. His arm stopped shaking.

“It was reforged to fight oppression and dethrone rulers that should have rotted with their archaic methods centuries ago.” Axel spun the sword in his hand. The blade flashed wickedly in the disappearing torch light and Kally thought she could hear it scream.

Pax dragged Kally backwards a step. “Bad timing for him to have an episode,” Pax whispered.

An episode? Kally wanted to demand, but she was too scared. With each movement Axel made, she felt herself tremble more. What was happening?

Two things sprouted along either side of Axel’s hair.

Leo took a quick step back, towards Calypso. “Wow—dude—”

The voice was no longer Axel’s, but a guttural mimic. “And it was supposed to be mine.”

Pax spoke rapidly, “Hey, uh, Axel, you’re doing that thing—”

Axel grunted. He crunched his eyes closed and clutched at his head with his free hand. As his fingers made contact with his hair, whatever was along his hairline disappeared.

Axel collapsed onto his knees. He hugged himself, breathing heavily. The sword was still firmly clutched in one hand.

“Okay! Sword is definitely being melted!” Leo shouted and stood defensively in front of Calypso’s table. From what Kally could see, he’d already set his hands on fire. “Possessions are not okay at Camp Leo!”

“Hold up,” Pax said. He released Kally’s hand to kneel near Axel, though strategically out of sword slashing distance. “Ola,” he said.

Axel grunted. “I’m okay.” The voice sounded like his, though strained. “I’m okay.”

He dropped the blade.

Leo immediately whisked it up.

“Wait,” Axel called.

“You’re in a no-waiting-zone,” Leo stated. “This baby’s gotta burn.”

“I helped you make it. I want to help you destroy it,” Axel gasped.

He rose to his feet. There was no golden glint to his eyes, like she’d seen in the van. There were no elongated teeth. He looked like a tired, sweaty eighteen-year-old, only standing due to determination. His limbs had stopped shaking and he straightened his posture. Kally couldn’t place it, but there was still something wrong with him.

He’d given up too easily.

To get this far, Axel lied to the Romans and the Greeks. He’d kidnapped the Oracle. He’d risked fighting the automaton monster that killed his childhood guardian for the chance at this sword. Kally might not have known what just happened to Axel or what an “episode” was, but she knew he would never submit with so little fight.

“Kally, let’s go stuff some crickets in Calex’s sleeping bag before he wakes up,” Pax suggested. He rose from where he’d been kneeling beside Axel, stepped to her side, took her hand, and pulled.

Leo raised a skeptical eyebrow at Axel. “There’s not much to destroying it. Unless you want to roast marshmallows over the fire I’m about to make.”

Pax tugged at her hand again, urgently. When she glanced at him, she saw his cheeks had puffed up. He nodded back towards the campfire. She shook her head and glanced back to Axel. No—no, she definitely wasn’t leaving after whatever Axel just did.

Axel picked up a silver mask off one of the work benches. It matched the rest of the fireproof suit. When he slipped it over his head, the material seemed to mesh into the rest of the suit, making an impermeable seal. Kally had to wonder how he—or Calypso for that matter—could breathe in it.

Leo didn’t wait for him. He got about two paces towards his forge.

Then Axel grabbed him.

The motion was too fast for Kally to shout a warning.

Axel stepped behind Leo and wrapped an arm around his neck. From the self-defense classes she’d been learning from Mr. Paine, she could tell Axel had pinched the arteries to Leo’s head, crushing his throat between Axel’s bicep and forearm.

Leo had seven seconds before he’d be unconscious.

With the same motion, Axel lifted Leo off the ground. With his other hand, he grabbed Leo’s sword arm and snapped his wrist. The sword fell to the ground.

As it did, flames burst around Leo, engulfing them both.

The fire skyrocketed into the sky. She’d never seen anything explode like that. As they vanished, she could see Axel clasp Leo’s last functional hand and Leo kick frantically backwards.

Heat nailed the exposed skin on her face and hands. The moisture wicked out of the air. There was no way someone could survive that.

Kally tried to run forward. She didn’t know what she was going to do. There wasn’t enough water around to dowse that fire, if she could dowse it. She couldn’t see Axel to drag him off Leo, and probably couldn’t wrestle Axel down if she could see him. And she didn’t have a fireproof suit.

“STOP!” she shouted, hoping someone at their campfire would hear her. Maybe Calex could force one of them to fall in love with a random tree so they’d break it up or Merry could talk them down or Joey and Euna could snap up roots from the ground to separate them or Festus could do whatever dragons do that didn’t involve killing Axel or stealing gold.

But all of them were asleep. When she felt Pax’s hand clamp down on hers, she remembered why everyone was asleep.

“Kally—wait—” he said. His yellow eye gleamed fiercely in the firelight. The flicker of the flame cast shadows into his wild dark hair. Between that and the way his duster jacket billowed, Kally felt like she’d been fraternizing with a monster.

“Let go—” Kally yanked her arm away from him.

Pax stepped forward to brace against her. “This is just a misunderstanding. We didn’t mean for things to—ha ha—flare up like this—and as long as Axel doesn’t get—tee hee—carried away with Leo—”

Despite the laughter in his voice, he looked scared. He glanced past her at the conflagration. The flames were dying. Leo must have run out of time.

In that split second, she stopped trying to pull away from Pax, reversed her movement, and slammed her elbow into his gut. As Pax doubled over to clutch his stomach, she followed through with her other hand in an open palm strike. When her palm made contact with his jaw, light flashed out of the tips of her fingers, bright enough to blind someone wearing Apollo brand sunglasses.

Pax released her and toppled backwards.

She hadn’t knocked him unconscious—just bought herself some time. He sat on the dirt, gasping for air and clutched his eyes with one hand. Pax couldn’t breathe enough to whine, “Ay!”

The heat disappeared off her back, replaced by a chilled wind.

Kally whirled towards where the flames had been.

Smoke sizzled up into the night air, half obscuring the scene. Sections of the dirt smoldered in a way that made Kally want to call for a fire alarm for any building within three miles, [4] though the dirt circle had been wide enough to avoid the trees. As the coils of grey dissipated, she could see two figures.

Leo lay in the dwindling embers, his neck bruising. Both his hands were bent at odd angles. Although Kally was terrified he might be dead, she had to note an oddity in his clothing. Nothing had even been singed. Kally didn’t know they made explosion resistant clothing.

Apparently Axel’s fireproof suit was made from the same material. Although blackened, she could see a silvery figure walk to a nearby work bench. Axel swiped something off the surface—the quiver Pax had brought out—and withdrew a cloth from therein.

He knelt beside Leo and pressed the cloth into Leo’s face.

“Axel, stop!” Kally shouted and ran towards him.

She expected him to be a pile of ash, not smothering Leo with arrow dirt. That had terrified her. What had Axel been thinking?! Why would he do that?

When she approached, Axel withdrew the cloth. He pulled the mask off.

Kally dropped beside Leo to check his pulse and injuries. He was alive, but would need a lot of ambrosia. Despite the flames and struggle, Axel had done an expert job knocking Leo out without crushing his trachea.

“It’s just water from the River Lethe, so he won’t remember reforging Backbiter,” Axel said softly. He grabbed a clasp on his neck. Once he touched it, the silvery suit expanded and peeled off, revealing his Ares hides from me at night shirt.

Kally needed to get her messenger bag from the area with the others. All her ambrosia was in there. She was rested enough to sing, but Will had taught her to start with ambrosia when—

“Axel, why…” Although her question began with a fury, she trailed off when she saw how intensely he examined her.

His eyes gleamed gold in the moonlight. He couldn’t quite close his jaw because of how his fangs slipped over his lips. “The less people who know about the sword, the better,” Axel explained. He’d detached the entire suit, except the gloves.

The way he said it made Kally think of how good a fighter he was. That and the horrifying bear trap of a mouth. She scrambled to her feet.

Axel rose beside her, except he was much taller than she remembered. Kally craned her neck to look up at him, stumbling a step back.

Axel stepped over Leo’s body towards her, readying the Lethe-soaked rag.

“Axel—s—stop. You’re scaring me,” she whispered. Stupid. You, Kally, are stupid, her brain helpfully reminded her instead of supplying an escape strategy.

Axel paused in his approach, letting her increase the distance between them. When she glanced down, she saw he’d stepped on the edge of that cursed sword. “You should be scared of me, Kalypso Kassand, Daughter of Apollo,” he whispered. His voice slipped into that gargle.

Kally shrieked when she backed into someone.

Pax stood behind her. From the way he still clutched his face with one hand, she figured he couldn’t fully see. Instead of grabbing her, Pax slid between she and Axel. He held his other hand out in Axel’s general direction. Although he was visibly trembling, Pax muttered, “You hit REALLY hard, you know that Cyclopes? Next time I’m in trouble for stealing, I’m cowering behind you.”

“Bring her to me, Silver Tongued Snake,” Axel growled.

There was a moment where Kally felt like the wind gods were holding their breath. She didn’t have a weapon. Judging by the way Axel’s calves had gained an awkward, animalistic curve, she figured she couldn’t outrun him. Even if she could, she could also envision getting to the van and Axel and Pax patiently waiting outside, eating popcorn, as she stalled the manual transmission over and over. Fighting them would result in some sort of death or memory deprivation. No one else was awake to help.

Kally felt like she was caught in Python’s coils again when all she had left to do was pray. But how much good did praying do when you know the gods didn’t always listen?

Thanks for reading guys! I hope you enjoyed—even if that means you hated me a little bit for it XD

Here are some songs that inspired this scene:

(of course) Emperor’s New Clothes—Panic! At the Disco

Don’t Mess with Me—Temposhark

And MOST prominently, this male cover of Control, originally by Halsey

[1] Random fact: Jimmy Buffett actually trademarked the phrase “It’s five o’clock somewhere” and took legal action against a shoe company for using the phrase. Imagine if Rebecca Black could sue us every time we shouted, “It’s Friday!” People would be getting wrecked at the end of every school week.

[2] He patented the alarm clock. There were others before him that definitely had clocks that could ring at certain times of day, dating incredibly far back with ancient Greece and the Tang Dynasty of China, but Redier’s patent lead to mass production. So next time you throw your alarm clock through a wall, you should make a bull’s eye with the name “Antoine Reider” at which to throw it.

[3] And Jack feels obligated to say: don’t do that at home kids. It can definitely wreck your stomach.

[4] Plus, it would disrupt classes for a bit.

#Blood of a Mayan #Traitors of Olympus #Percy Jackson and the Olympians #Heroes of Olympus #fanfiction #writing #Enjoy all the reevveeeeals! XD

3 notes · View notes