#the main character s name is a hidden ��Aladdin”

[readenheim]

Watching Bucchigiri?! and seeing all the genuinely well implemented references to Arabic art folklore: 🥰🥰😍😘💙❤️🩷

Watching American YouTubers react to it all calling it "Indian" and not even doing that respectfully: 💀💀💀💀💀

[valkyrieelysia18]

RWBY Rewrite: The Relics

Hello there everyone! I’m back with another post on my Rewrite series that hopefully will delight you.

Admittedly, this might be an odd topic after my last post. Well, that one was pretty big and I wanted something a bit smaller to tackle. I had thought about getting into the White Fang next, but that post is going to be a dozy and then I thought of the Relics. And I thought “Sure, that’ll work.”

The Relics, in my opinion, were handled poorly in the show. Items that can grant great power and when collected something amazing/terrible have been done before and done well (which is honestly true a lot of stuff in RWBY). In RWBY, we didn’t know the Relics existed until over halfway through Volume 4, reduced the Maidens to essentially gate keys in Volume 5, and even at the end of Volume 6 we only know what the lamp can do on its own. I mean come on, Dragon Ball took one episode to explain its titular item (granted they were a lot more simple, but still)! So we’re going to tackle these things.

Now before we get into the individual items, let’s address some things that about the Items as a whole.

The first thing to note about the Relics in this Rewrite is that gathering the four together won’t summon the Gods back to Remnant. The Brothers in this Rewrite are much more distant figures, preferring to observe their creations rather than directly interfering. 

So then, why does Salem want to collect them? The full reason will be in her and Ozpin’s backstory post, but to put it simply Salem has a more personal history with the Relics here and wishes to get them back. She views that leaving them in the hands of mortals will just lead to them abusing the items, causing more pain and suffering for the world. Not an entirely baseless viewpoint as we’ll get into soon enough.

The next thing to note is that before the Relics were under the care of the Academies and Ozpin’s group, each was possessed by a former Royal Family. Vale had Choice, Mistral had Knowledge, Vacuo had Destruction, and Mantle had Creation. Granted as time passed and certain things were failed to be passed on, by the time of the Great War only the Crown of Choice’s abilities were known and even then only to a select few.

Each Relic will have a have a spirit that will be involved with the item’s power. I’m not sure whether it was said in RWBY after I left that each Relic had a spirit or whether Jinn was an exception, but I’m going to roll with the first one. Also, each Spirit technically doesn’t have a biological sex, they choose how they want to look.

Also, only the Lamp will have the blue glow. The other Relics will associated with the color of their kingdom: the Staff having a White crystal, the Sword having an Orange gleaming blade, and a Green jewel in the center of the Crown. They can still have the gold, but this will make them more distinct from each other.

Finally, they are NOT the major Grimm magnets as presented in the original show. While they do give off a sort of a signature that Grimm can recognize, it’s a faint one. It would attract Grimm attention if it stayed out for too long in the wild or Grimm would be looking for it in an area if Salem directed them personally to it.

All right, now let’s get down to business!

Knowledge: Jinn

The Lamp of Knowledge is the only Relic we’ve gotten to know it’s full abilities as well as meet its spirit. Even then, I think that three questions every a hundred years is maybe a little too limited for something that is a power of the gods. So, I’m changing it.

Instead of granting three questions within a certain time frame, I like the idea of giving anyone who uses the lamp the ability to ask Jinn one question of the past and present. Everyone is entitled to knowledge after all and they should determine how they want to use it. I know, I kind of stole the idea from the scepter from the direct to video Aladdin King of Thieves, but I think it’s a good setup. It’s powerful, but it still has limitations. This will contrast with its opposite the Crown, which will be more exclusive and deal with the future.

Then there’s Jinn and am I the only who thought her design was lazy? I mean we get it, she’s a genie, but there’s nothing interesting or unique in her design. Pretty sure comparisons to Aladdin’s Genie and Magi’s Paimon have been made. I’d leave her redesign to someone who is fully capable of putting a new spin on it, but I would like the idea of her not having a consistent wardrobe. Maybe have her wear a top that was similar to something found in Central Mistral while wearing a hairpiece you would identify being at home in Eastern Mistral. Not only would this symbolize how multicultural Mistral is, but also how history is made of many different parts.

Now Jinn herself wouldn’t be that different of a character from canon. She would still be a rather pleasant, teasing spirit who is quite thrilled to finally be out of the Vault again. Amongst the Relic spirits, she’s probably the one who has the least regard for mortals, but that’s partly because of what people usually use her for. Most people would ask about power, riches, dark secrets; it got kind of boring and predictable for Jinn and it was less pleasant when they would get mad at her for telling them truths they didn’t want to hear. Let’s just say a few rulers of Mistral that used her Relic didn’t use it very wisely.

Jinn’s favorite type of petitioner would be someone like Oobleck: someone who would ask her about some part of history that doesn’t have much known about it and she doesn’t get to talk about nearly as much as she’d like to so she actually goes into more detail than necessary. She’d also respect someone who probably knows the answer she’s going to give them is not one they want to hear, but is resolved to face the truth whatever it is.

Creation: Eve/Ev

The Staff of Creation is a bit interesting in that works better for some than others. It uses what a person pictures in their mind to bring what they want to reality, within reason. So it really works best with someone very creative and has a clear vision of what they want to do. It can’t create something that’s alive (like a dog) or that had been living (like someone who has passed on). Also, the more detailed and involved an item is, the longer it will take for the Staff to recharge. For example, the little crystals (which are basically a crystallized form of the staff’s power) Ironwood has been creating as an alternative energy source would take a couple of hours to a day depending on how many were created at a time. Whereas a huge detailed palace would take decades to over a century, longer than it would have taken them to build in real time.

Eve is the Spirit of Creation and would have a rather androgynous appearance. I was also thinking that the Spirit could be called Eve or Ev depending on who’s addressing them. Their main color would be white, but their appearance would resemble that of artist. Perhaps having smudges of charcoal on their face or a splattering of color on an apron. I think it would be really ironic that the kingdom that banned the arts at one point would have a Spirit that is quintessentially an artist, heck Eve might have locked up during that time and forgotten about until after the war was over. Again, I’d leave the design to someone who is much better suited for it.

Now in this Rewrite, the Staff is no longer in the Vault because Ironwood took it out. He reasoned that having a powerful tool that could be used to in the fight against of Salem would be wasted simply being left in the Vault. Needless to say, Eve doesn’t like the way Ironwood is using them. It’s clear the power is just a means to an end to him, something he can use to make Atlas more secure. There is no love or passion for what he’s creating and he treats them with no courtesy or respect, not listening at all when they try to talk to him. When Watts eventually comes to retrieve the Staff, Eve is basically “Oh thank the Brothers! I could care less about your plans, just get me out of here!” It’s sort of a summary of what partly causes Ironwood’s fall: the inability to get that people aren’t purely logical beings that will do what they are told for the greater good, but emotional irrational people who will snap when pushed too far.

The best person Eve could work with is someone who specializes in the visual arts: painting, sculpture, architecture, etc. Someone who has a very clear vision and obviously very passionate about the things they want to create. Eve would also enjoy someone who is perfectly okay if they don’t get their creation exactly right on the first try  and is more than willing to take Eve’s advice/criticism. 

Destruction: Adamou

The Sword of Destruction is perhaps the easiest Relic to understand and use. Using the sword will increase your physical abilities and the sword can send out waves of power that can devastate a group of foes or alter the environment. However, using it takes quite a bit of energy. Best case scenario will involve a week of recovery. Worst case scenario you expend years of your life. Even the King of Vale with all his power, lost two or three years he should have had to live on that Final Battle of the Great War. This cost was so great to the old Vacuo Monarchs (and given that most of their past was peaceful) that it was hidden away and forgotten about until the Great War happened and the last King of Vale rediscovered it.

I’m still little unsure of how I would like Adamou, the Spirit of Destruction, to look like. The closest example that comes to mind is something like Nemesis from Fire Emblem Three Houses: a large older battle scarred man with light armor. Once again, I’m a writer and not a character designer so if anyone has ideas I’d be willing to see them. That being said, his name is actually a West Africa variation of the name Adam, putting him in contrast to Eve. Anyone who has a passing understanding of the Old Testament should probably understand what I’m doing here.

Adamou, despite his outward and intimidating appearance, is actually a pretty easy going spirit. He’s also somewhat disappointed in how he doesn’t get used as much compared to his brethren, but he does understand why and has great respect for the old rulers of Vacuo for doing what they did. He enjoys a good fight, but he also enjoys competitions of all kinds whether physical or mental. You could talk him into a little kiddie board game and he’d go at with as much glee as slaying a hoard of Grimm. As the Spirit of Destruction, he knows better than anyone that life is finite and it’s best to live and fight to the fullest until your time comes.

Adamou would gravitate to people like Yang or Pyrrha: those who enjoy combat and wish to live their life to the fullest. Those who’s spirits burn bright even if it means they burn out quicker. That said, he also respects those who fight to protect those they love and things they believe in (to an extent, he’s not fond of fanatics who would give their lives away without a second thought for something obviously sketchy).

Choice: Caesar

Whereas the Lamp reveals the past and present, the Crown of Choice is focused on the future. Those who wear it have the ability to see the possible outcomes of any choice they face. As such you can see what the cost and consequences of your options. That being said, it’s not a hundred percent as the future is always in motion and there’s no telling how other people’s actions and choices may affect what you decide. Still, the predictions do tend to be very accurate. There’s also the possibility that wielder may obsess over said choices or may become dependent on the Crown, but that has happened very rarely since Caesar usually stops their wielders before they go too far in this.  

The thing about the Crown is that unlike the Lamp, it can only be used by one person. When its user dies, the Crown is free to be taken up by another and once it has bonded to someone they are bound for life. Now the Crown can be lent to another person, but every wielder can only do so once in their lifetime and those who borrow it can only use it for three days. On the fourth day, the crown will tighten around the person’s head, giving great pain and hallucinations, and will only stop if that person takes it off at which they can no longer use it. 

Seeing the obvious issues of such a powerful item potentially falling into the wrong hands, the first King of Vale came to an agreement with the Spirit Caesar to set up a trap/test to anyone who would try to claim the Crown. The Crown would be placed in a special chamber when not in use with a multitude of different crowns and circlets in the room. It’s up to the person to choose the right crown with no outside input. Get it wrong and the crown will turn to ash and that person is forever barred from taking the Crown. The twist? The true crown’s appearance in the trial is in fact not a crown, but a wreath of laurels (which can be seen on Beacon’s symbol). And if you’re thinking this sounds quite a bit like the scenario from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, that’s cause it is as its kind of the sort of trial you’d find in a fable or fairy tale. It would take either a very thoughtful and self aware person to pass the trial as well as one not greedy. It’s also made a little more complicated as the Crown looks slightly different for each of it’s wielders, which will be noticed in an earlier scene with our group of heroes in a hall of portraits of the past monarchs of the Vale. Because that is what determined who would succeed to the throne of Vale.

And yes, we will learn a lot more on this when I do the King of Vale Rewrite Post.

As a result of the nature of Crown, Caesar is the spirit that is the most close to mortals as they build a strong personal relationship with their users. As part of this, when a new wielder is chosen, Caesar will take upon the appearance of their predecessor to guide the new one. I’m still a little torn over whether Caesar should appear as the old wielder when they first took up the Crown, in the peak of that person’s life, or how they looked when they died. 

Caesar, for the most part, acts as a sort of advisor to their wielder. That can come off as them acting very parental which given how often the Crown would pass from parent to child is quite fitting. They will give advice when asked for, but in general will advise against using the Crown’s power if its a situation their user can more than handle on their own. They are very much the type of person who would advocate that “It’s the journey, not the destination” and is more than willing to let their wielder fail if it meant they could learn something from it. That said, they do get very attached and is probably the only Spirit that would openly speak positively about Salem due to her history with them and also has issues with Ozpin. They and Jinn will be the ones to eventually give the more specific details to group about Ozpin and Salem’s history after they got the general outline elsewhere.

Caesar has worked with many different types of people, but the main thing they each had in common is that they were the type of people who were always concerned with the consequences of their actions for those around them and the kingdom of Vale as a whole. They generally work best with someone who is humble and empathetic. However, they generally don’t like someone if they put a singular goal above everything else without consideration of all the consequences (again, issues with Ozpin).

Well, that turned out longer than I was expecting it too. I guess I just got into the creative juices. Anyway, I think I’ll do a different post before coming back to do Cinder. And just as a reminder people, I dropped this show at the end of Volume 6 so don’t bring up anything after that to me in a comment.

See you soon!

[writeyourownlifestory]

Sometimes . . . Dead Is Better

Chapters: 1/4 Fandom: IT Rating: E Warnings: Character Death, Zombie(?), Literally Pet Sematary. Gay bashing. Homophobia. Murder. Animal death. Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Beverly Marsh/Ben Hanscom Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, lots of death.

Tag list: @richietoaster, @beproudtozier, @that-weird-girls-blog, @s-onora, @s-s-georgie, @bellarosewrites, @iamcupcakefrosting, @reddieonwheels, @ghostnebula, @madidraw @madi-main, @gazebobullshit, @thoughtfullyyoungduck​, @airbenderking, @ambitiousskychild, @tozierking​,

You know what they say about Derry, no one who dies here ever really dies.

IT + Pet Semetary = fun times for no one involved

It all started when their dog passed away.

They had decided to spend their summer vacation in Maine, a terrible decision on their parents as the city had far more to offer than their sleepy little town. Eddie had just started a new job and was only given a week to take off during the months of June to August. They chose July because that’s when it would be the least offensively hot in Maine.

Richie had landed a pretty sweet job interviewing celebrities for Podcasts. It wasn’t exactly what he wanted to do with his life, but he’d take it over being unemployed. Rather than sit around in their apartment for a week like Richie had hoped they would, they packed up their travel-sized belongings and headed back to the town they grew up in.

Despite his mother begging him to stay in his old childhood bedroom, Eddie put his foot down and settled to rent a room in the local townhouse. Sonia Kaspbrak wasn’t happy about it, but so long as Eddie was back, she’d deal.

Richie was content with this choice. For one, his own family no longer lived in Derry, so it wasn’t like he had anywhere to offer. Second, Eddie’s bedroom, which was basically a shrine to the poor guy, was too small for them to both fits. Not that Sonia would even allow Richie to stay there. She had never lived Richie, neither as Eddie’s friend or boyfriend, so Richie was sure if they were going to stay at the Kaspbrak house, he’d be sleeping on that uncomfortable couch.

Luckily, Eddie cared about his well being enough to not force him to do that and they got themselves a room with a mattress big enough for them both.

It started off pretty good. Eddie’s mother was beginning him to come over and spend time with her, wanting him to use up all seven days with just her. He compromised and gave as much time as he could while also meeting up with some old friends. Mike Hanlon still lived in Derry, running the library as the local historian.

Most of the group had moved on out of Derry, choosing to have lives of their own. The only ones they saw often enough were Bill Denbrough and Stanley Uris, who went back and forth from Long Island to California depending on whether or not Bill’s latest novel was to be turned into a script. The last time Richie and Eddie saw Ben Hanscom and Beverly (formerly Marsh) Hanscom was when they announced the birth of their first child.

It was tough growing up and growing apart from the people you always left closest to. Eddie and Richie were lucky as they always had each other. Through all the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations, Eddie had Richie and Richie had Eddie. It wasn’t easy because hello, being gay in Maine was never easy, but they made it work back in high school and they’d make it work here.

The first day had been them getting comfortable and meeting up with Mike for dinner. It was nice seeing a friendly face to talk about all the things that changed. The Aladdin was still standing, still looking as beaten up as ever. The standpipe was still the obnoxious eyesore that made the town look ever so picturesque. Keene’s drug store was still around and Richie made sure to tease Eddie about picking up his inhaler replacement.

They hung out and enjoyed themselves in the townhouse. Eddie was still iffy about certain things and made sure to change the sheets on the bed with the ones they had brought from home. It was for the best and Richie wasn’t going to argue with him, especially since Eddie was more than kind enough to allow Richie to messy them up in their own way when they got home from dinner.

It was the following day that everything turned to shit. Eddie had promised to spend the entire day with his mother, leaving Richie to fend for himself in the penthouse. Along with their luggage, they also brought along with dog Penny. She was a preciously little Pomeranian who was sweeter than candy and the apple of their eye. They had been thinking of getting a pet for a while and after finally buying a place of their own, they went down to the shelter to pick one out.

Pure breed dogs like Penny weren’t usually brought to places like that, rather sold by a breeder, but they were in luck. Her mother had been put up for adoption while pregnant and the puppies were scattered across the shelter. They took the smallest one because it reminded Richie so much of Eddie and welcomed her into their home.

They weren’t too sure where the name came from. Richie joked that they called her Penny because she was dirt cheap compared to so many other dogs that literally cost you an arm and a leg just to have. Eddie liked to think they got it from “Penny Lane” the Beatle song, but neither was right or wrong.

Now, the thing about the townhouse was that the whole thing hadn’t been updated since they were kids. No nice TVs or anything from the modern era. There were fans offered, but no AC unit in place. Richie was suffering from the heat and opened the far window in hopes of casting a bit of fresh air into the place.

He sat on the couch with his computer, trying to come up with some new material for the standup special he had been working on. He was funny and knew he could be funny outside of the podcast world. All he needed was the material to show it off.

Well, Penny was a precocious little pup and always liked to inspect things. She hopped up onto the window sill and began yapping at the birds on the outside. She had done the same thing yesterday, except the difference was there were several inches of glass keeping her at bay. Now there was no barrier between them, so nothing stopped the poor thing from leaping out the window, charging at the birds.

Unlike the birds however, she didn’t have wings to keep her from falling the several stories down onto the pavement below. It was only the sound of her whimpering that caught Richie’s ear. It didn’t take much for the man to realize what happened and by the time he got down to the street belong, Penny was suffering more than any animal should.

Richie was distraught. Despite never having been known to be an animal person, Penny was as close to as a child that Eddie and he were going to have for a while. She was literally their baby. They had taken her at the moment she was able to get off drinking from her mother. They bought her toys and little outfits. Eddie talked about buying a carriage so he could push her around while jogging because her little legs were just too short for the three-mile trip he’d take around the city.

She even had her own corner in their bedroom and a dog house in the living room of their place, but at the end of the day, she always ended up sleeping on their bed.

Eddie even put a little staircase at the foot of the bed so she could hop on up without issue.

And now she was dead on the ground, having fallen from their fucking room because Richie couldn’t just put up with the heat.

He felt awful. Disgusting and terrible. Eddie would hate him for this, that much was obvious. He’d call him every bad name in the book because he just had to open up the window. Even if it was a mistake, an innocent one, that didn’t stop Richie from feeling like garbage.

He called Mike because he had no other idea of what to do. He didn’t know if there were any local vets or anything like that. There was no way they’d be burying her here. The last thing Richie wanted was to leave their precious little Penny behind.

Richie thought about cremating her and bringing her back up to New York. They could scatter her ashes along the water or keep her in an urn in their apartment. Eddie would probably want to leave a little memorial at her favorite park. They didn’t have a backyard or anything like that, so they took her to the dog park two to three times a week.

When Mike came, they sat together, with Penny tucked away inside one of the meatpacking boxes.

He wanted to wait for Eddie. He had to wait for Eddie because if they guy came home and Richie told him that he was gone and Eddie didn’t even get to say goodbye, then that would just make it so much worse.

They sat together in the alleyway behind the townhouse, smoking as Richie thought about his fate and how angry Eddie would be.

“She used to curl up on Eddie’s lap whenever he was trying to work.” He mentioned to Mike with a loving smile. “All she ever wanted to do was cuddle us and we let her because we were mushes. Now she’s gone.”

Richie rubbed his eyes behind his glasses, ignoring the fear of tears coming on. He felt sick to his stomach and looked over to the box just a few feet away from him.

“My dog died when I was a kid,” Mike admitted quietly. “It was before we met. Henry Bowers gave him meat that was laced with insect poison. Guess he thought the old mutt was an eyesore.”

Richie shivered at the thought of Bowers and all the old memories came flooding back to him. He had been a thorn in Richie’s side even before he realized he was gay though the latter didn’t help matters much. He was a racist, homophobic shit who probably went nowhere in life. Or worse, actually made something of himself.

Either way, the less they spoke about Bowers the better.

“My grandfather told me about a place high up on the hills near the old Native American tribute. Apparently, the place still has some magic hidden up there or something. Anyway, he  carried the old boy there and the next day, he was back.”

“Back? Like . . . back from the dead?”

“I can’t explain it, but he was back. Different, but back.”

“Different how?”

“Mean,” Mike confessed, putting out the butt of his cigarette on the nearby wall. “He was pretty vicious. Broke into the barn and killed a couple of sheep. My grandfather ended up putting him down because he was becoming such a problem.”

“Penny couldn’t kill a thing. Barely weights five pounds.” Richie mentioned, looking from Mike to the box. He didn’t believe in magic or anything of the sorts, but he was a desperate man. “Where was this place?”

Turned out to be twenty minutes away by car, out towards where Mike lived and even further than that. The sky was turning dark by the time they got there and passing through the woods didn’t make it any easier.

“I want you to know the only reason I brought you here is that you’re my friend,” Mike told him calmly as they made their way down the path. There was a small area with handmade gravestones and a sign reading “Pet Sematary” hanging above. The incorrect spelling would drive Eddie crazy and Richie found himself smiling just thinking of it.

“So what, I just . . . pick a place?”

“Not here,” Mike said and carried down past the bushels of woods and up the hill town until they came upon a bleak circle with Native American carvings all along the ground.

“Have you been here before?” Richie asked carefully.

“Once. My grandfather and I were looting the area for anything we thought we could sell.” Mike admitted.

“You stole from Native Americans? Don’t they have enough to deal with?” Richie inquired.

With a slight glare, he continued. “He showed me this place and told me a few things about it. He didn’t want me to be curious and find it on my own. Mike paused, turning to hand Richie the shovel as he took the box that contained Penny. “You bury your own.” He told him. “That’s the rule.”

With one last sigh, Richie got to digging. He didn’t think any of this would work, but he was desperate to find out. If it all turned out to be some sick joke on Mike’s end, then at least they could call the trip short. Richie would dig up Penny and they’d go to the next town over to cremate her. They’d handle her ashes properly and Richie would take whatever punishment Eddie had planned for him.

When he was finished, he found himself more tired than expected. Like the place took away whatever energy he had to offer it. He got back to the townhouse and fell into the bed, falling asleep before even realizing it.

When he woke the following morning, it was to the sound of Eddie yelling at him. He jolted up, not knowing what day it was or why he was being hassled. He pushed himself up and out of bed, realizing only now he still had his muddy shoes on.

He stepped out of the bedroom and found Eddie on the floor, kneeling down beside a very dirty Penny. Her normally golden fur was matted with dirt and she was yipping around and around, much like the bubble ball of energy she was before.

“Seriously? What the hell did you do, take her running through the woods?” Eddie demanded, looking up to Richie. “And you! What, did you sleep in dirty clothes?”

“You didn’t come home last night,” Richie mumbled, rubbing his hand against his face.

“Mom had me watch one of those Turner Classic Movie Marathons. I fell asleep on the couch. I texted you but I never got a reply.” Eddie stood them, carrying Penny in his arms. “Come on, pretty girl. You need a bath. And Papa is gonna be the one to do it.”

Penny was shoved in his arms before he could even properly respond. Shuffling off to the bathroom, he listened to Eddie go on and on about his day with his mother while he got the tub set up for Penny.

He watched the dog curiously, trying to piece together what the hell happened. For a split second, Richie thought that the entire events of last night had been a horrible dream. Maybe he had just taken Penny out somewhere and they both got dirty. This town always gave him headaches, a little memory loss was no surprise to him.

“Rich, why is the window open?” Eddie asked as he popped his head into the bathroom. “In the living room. It’s wide open, you didn’t leave it open all night, did you? What if a bird got in? I swear I leave you alone for a fucking day.”

Richie stared with wide eyes at the dog that was digging into the bathroom rug. If last night wasn’t a dream, then that would mean Penny came back from the dead. How the fuck did she get back to the apartment? How did she get into the apartment? Nothing made sense to Richie, but he tried to ignore it all as he lifted her up and put her into the tub.

Normally, Penny was a lover of bath time. At their own apartment, they had plenty of room in their double-sized tub so it wouldn’t be a surprise for her to whine and whimper until Eddie lifted her up and they all bathed together on nights when they just needed some relaxation.

She would sit and allow Eddie to wash her and blow bubbled with her nose. Richie had countless pictures of her on his phone where she had colorful shower caps on to keep her ears or rubber duckies to keep her entertained.

Now, the former majestic and comforting dog was growling and yipping at Richie, going so far as to bite his arm when he tried to wash her. Richie couldn’t remember a single time that Penny had a bit at him, had snapped at all, but he chose not to question it.

She was back and they’d live with the attitude adjustment for now. He made a mental note to message Mike and give him a heads up about the place, but for now, he had a zombie dog to wash.

After the bath, Richie let Penny go and she moved around the apartment, going into the corner sit alone. Richie also took a shower, washing away all the dirt under his hair and somehow in his hair. He changed into clean clothes and found the dirty sheets had already been stripped and changed by Eddie, who was back in the kitchen, typing away on his computer as he drank his coffee.

“I thought we agreed on no work?” He asked casually, going to plop down onto the couch.

“Not work. Social stuff. Updating statues and all that.” Eddie moved forward, going to sit beside him on the couch. He held up his laptop, showing a picture from facebook. It was from Beverly and Ben with their baby on the beach. An adorable scene with Beverly completely slathered in sunscreen because of her pale complexion and Ben wearing the ugliest fucking hat he has ever seen. “Aren’t they adorable?”

Richie had to smile. He wasn’t wrong. They were very, very cute because how could they not be? They had been together since the end of high school. Lots of back and forth before Beverly finally grew a brain and realized the one she wanted and needed was Ben. They were a gorgeous family and Richie was envious of her happiness.

“That could be us someday,” Eddie ventured with a smile.

“Babe, you wear like . . . three times more sunblock than Beverly and if you think I’m wearing a hat that horrendous, you’re mistaken.”

“Not that, dumbass. The baby!” Right. The child.

Eddie had talked about it before. The whole adoption thing. Richie wasn’t opposed to it. Eddie had originally suggested fostering but Richie shut that down hardcore because he knew better. He knew Eddie would never be able to let the kid go so at least if they adopted right off the bat, they wouldn’t have to deal with anybody coming and trying to take the kid away from them.

“Eds, we’ve tried to remember? We just can’t seem to get you pregnant,” Richie teased, the tip of his nose nuzzling Eddie’s cheek.

Eddie sighed, closing the computer and placing it onto the coffee table beside Richie’s. They had talked about a lot of things. Adoption. Marriage. Growing old together. His own parents lived happily together raising two kids before retiring to Flordia. They weren’t perfect, but they didn’t have to be. Richie just hoped to be half the kind of partner his father had been, even if he wanted to be a better father.

“Your mom's not gonna cry and beg you to spend the night again, will she?” Richie asked curiously.

“Probably, but I won’t go. I told her I’d see her later this week but I want to use this time wisely and actually enjoy my vacation. Not just run around and do errands for her.”

“What a good son you are, Eddie Bear,” Richie said, kissing his cheeks wetly. Eddie groaned and pushed him away, causing Richie to laugh out. “Seriously, though. Do you have any plans? Did you sign us up for anything? No one to have dinner with?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Well, then what do you say to a good old fashioned date, huh? I was thinking: movies, dinner, and a walk along rickety Kissing Bridge?”

It was what they did when they were teenagers. Hang back at the top of the theater, grabbed pizza at the local parlor, and spit loogies off the bridge to the river below. Of course, as they got older and became an item, things became more romantic. They held hands during the movies and separated from the others for dinner. The only spit they shared at the bridge were kisses shared in secret. It wasn’t ideal, but it was good enough for them.

“I think you got yourself a date, Tozier.” Eddie decided, turning his head to kiss Richie.

It almost deepened then and while Richie would have been more than happy to let Eddie have his way with him right on the couch, they both turned away to see Penny pissing on the TV stand.

“Penny! What the hell?” Normally when the pup had to go she would let out a whimper and circle at the door. She was well trained; they had her certificate at doggy school and everything, but none of that seemed to matter anymore. Eddie pushed up off the couch to clean up and Richie watched as the dog walked on, obviously not giving a single fuck.

They changed and left the apartment. Richie worried about what Penny would do when they were gone, what trouble she would get into. She wasn’t a messy dog; she had been a wonderful puppy and didn’t even chew on a single shoe, but now that she was . . . different, he worried about what would come of it.

Richie couldn’t think about that right now. He wanted to focus on something better and that was going out on a date with his boyfriend. They chose whatever the theater was playing when they arrived. Didn’t bother to check online, mostly cause Eddie wasn’t even sure the Aladdin even had a website. They chose The Monkey’s Paw, some old black and white film that was playing; bought their large popcorn and sodas and went up to the top ledge as they did as kids.

Richie kicked his feet up, waiting for Eddie to do the same so they could intertwine their ankles. They shared the popcorn and a few kisses as the film played on. It wasn’t a horrible movie; definitely worth the time to see it through Richie found he much preferred to watch Eddie than to watch whatever was happening on screen.

When it was over, they tossed out their containers and left the theatre. Eddie was talking a mile a minute about the movie they just watched, all the while Richie just smiled and nodded along. They went to the nearby diner for dinner and Richie watched as Eddie searched and searched before finally deciding to go with a plain burger. He asked what kind of grease they used, but gave up trying afterward because it was fucking Derry Maine, they couldn’t expect anything to be healthy around here, even with the growing vegan trend.

They shared fries and onion rings, talking about all the fun they used to have when they were kids, trying to split the bill with their allowances; counting nickels and dimes just to make it. Now they were both making money and paying for the bill was with a quick swipe of the credit card.

It was a calm night, sitting and chatting with each other as Richie continued to flood the table jukebox, playing all the songs they grew up with. He ended on “Together Forever” by Rick Astley because it was loud and dramatic, the exact opposite of Eddie. Richie sang it to him lovingly, not caring if anybody watched. The look he got from Eddie was more than enough. A glance that says: you’re a total idiot but you’re my total idiot.

What more could he ever want?

When they finished, Richie persuaded Eddie to take a walk with him. It was late, but not too late. The moon was high in the sky, just after sundown. The heat settled and the breeze was beginning to pick up around them.

They walked down the lane together, right up to Kissing Bridge. Eddie read the names aloud, trying to think if he knew any of the people. They stopped when they came upon the all too familiar carving. Richie had done it back when they were just kids. Barely fourteen at the time and completely in love with his best friend. The carving was faded by now, but the sentiment meant the same.

R + E

Richie plus Eddie.

“Forever and ever, babe,” Richie mentioned, going to lean against the bridge. He watched Eddie, catching the moonlight in his eyes and in his hair. He was gorgeous and always would be. “You know . . . I had been thinking about this for a while.”

“You: thinking? Oh, that can’t be good.” Eddie laughed softly.

“It’s kind of obvious that you’re it for me, Eduardo. And unless you can find another ugly mother fucking with a gangly body, I think I might be it for you too.”

“Depends on if the circus is coming to town,” Eddie mentioned, a loving smile coming across his face.

“Eds. I’m sure there are thousands of ways I could do this and maybe waiting until we get back to New York is the better choice, but call me a sentimental fuck, but I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather ask you this.”

He had both the ring a month ago, knowing eventually they’d have the time together and he’d be able to ask. Richie couldn’t think of a better place than their hometown. Not because of the idealistic ways around it, but rather because what would be a better fuck you to this horrible town than being extremely gay smack dab in the middle of it?

Richie got down onto one knee, holding out the ring box he had fished from his jacket pocket. It was white gold with an overlay of diamonds. Simple and elegant, just like Eddie himself.

“Eddie Spaghetti,”

Eddie laughed, his cheeks turning scarlet in the moonlight. “Christ Rich,”

“Would you do the honor of marrying me?”

“Do you really think I’d say no, asshole? Yes! One hundred times yes,”

Richie’s smile was as bright as the fucking moon. He slipped the ring on, which was the perfect size because he knew exactly what size finger Eddie had. He knew more about Eddie than he knew about himself sometimes.

When all was said and done he stood, towering over the other male, though he bent forward to kiss him, not caring at his glasses were pushed up against his nose. They’d deal with it later.

Lost in their kiss, neither noticed the car stopping in the middle of the bridge or the driver getting out of it. When they broke away, Richie turned to see an all too familiar blue thunderbird idling on the bridge and coming over to them was the same mullet-wearing asshole that made his life a living hell all those years ago.

“Well, ain't this a pretty sight.” Henry Bowers muttered, looking over to his companions.

“Hello to you too, Bowers,” Eddie said, looking the group up and down slowly.

“Tozier and Kaspbrak. Haven’t seen your ugly faces around here in a while.” Henry mentioned. “Thought I got rid of your losers.”

“No, that was college. We went there while you stayed and jerked off into a bucket.” Richie replied back easily.

“Always knew you two were fucking each other. What? Marsh’s puss wasn’t good enough so you two turned into a couple of faggots?”

“There is so much wrong in everything you just said.” Eddie groaned, rubbing at his temple. The ring caught the moonlight and Henry’s attention.

“Well, I guess congratulations are in order,” Henry mentioned, approaching slowly. He placed a hand on Richie’s shoulder, that sadistic smile that always sent a shiver down Richie’s spine shined darkly. “Welcome home,” He said cheerfully before driving his fist into Richie’s stomach.

It wasn’t their first beating. They had taken blows by Bowers and his gang before and back in New York they were used to someone shouting something at them despite it being new age. They went back and forth, each putting up a fight because they weren’t going to let Bowers win this round.

It came to a close when he tried to take Eddie’s ring. The shorter male bought back, going so far as to land a punch right in Henry’s eye. That pissed him off enough to brandish the knife he always kept in the back pocket. He held onto Eddie’s hand tightly, threatening to cut off his finger and wear the ring around his neck as a souvenir.

At this point, it wasn’t worth it and Richie was shouting for Eddie to just give it up. The other assholes were holding him down, refusing to let him up to help Eddie.

Bowers licked the knife slowly, bringing the tip of it to Eddie’s face to teach him. In a swift move, Eddie jerked forward, kneeing Henry in the dick. The pain was enough to send a surge of angry through him and Bower buried the knife in Eddie’s face, cutting deeply into his cheek.

Eddie cried out, both in shock and pain, while Bowers decided to let the knife stay there as he punched the rest of Eddie’s face until his knuckles were bloody.

Richie thought it would end there. He thought they would be left beaten and bloody, but alive in the middle the street.

They couldn’t get that lucky.

Using the last bit of strength he had, Eddie muttered one final thought. “You should cut that fucking mullet. It’s been like twenty years, man.”

With that, Bowers offered one more blow before standing to his feet. He shouted for the others to come over and help him. They left Richie on the other side of the road to watch as they dragged Eddie over, to the wall of the bridge. And in one smooth move, they lifted him up and tossed him over into the river below.

Richie was left screaming, spitting out blood onto the road as Bowers and his gang drove away. Using whatever strength he had left, Richie pushed himself up, scooping his glasses from the ground, and hurried around to where the opening of the bridge led to the river. He tripped twice and fell first into the edge of the water, pushing himself up onto wobbly legs as he went deeper into the water and over to where Eddie was floating.

“Eddie. Eddie! Wake up, babe. Baby, wake up.” Richie muttered, rolling Eddie over so his face was out of the water.

His eyes were open and his neck was slack. Richie could think of countless times he had gazed into those eyes as a child, as a teen, as a man. No matter the situation, Eddie always seemed to have a wonderful glimmer there.

That glimmer was gone now and replacing it was nothing more than a vacant stare that went nowhere.

His face was mutilated and despite lying in the water for over three minutes, there was no washing the blood away. It stained his skin in the worst way, leaving him wet and icky.

He was completely unresponsive and while it was plain to see that he wasn’t dealing with shock or just fell contentious, Richie continued to hold onto him and mutter his name, rocking him slowly until someone above spotted and alerted the authorities.

Richie was treated for his wounds at the hospital while Eddie was taken away by the coroner. It still hadn’t hit Richie yet that this happened. That Eddie was dead. When he spoke to the hospital officials, they said a full autopsy hasn’t been done but their best guess was a broken neck and drowning.

They cleaned him up and stitched up any wounds he had, leaving him looking more like Frankenstein than anything. He called Mike, not knowing what else to do in this situation. And Mike called Stanley and Bill because this wasn’t something Richie should have to deal with alone.

When Richie tried to report the crime, however, he found himself being rebuffed.

“Henry Bowers couldn’t have done this,” The officer on call explained to him. “He’s on the force. He might be a hothead like his old man, but he wouldn’t break the law. He is the law.”

“Do you think I am fucking lying about this?” Richie practically screamed.

“You already said his dad was a hothead. What makes you think Bowers wouldn’t do this?” Mike challenged the officer.

“Because he is an officer. Now, unless you want to give me a real report, I suggest you deal with your own trouble.”

The officer walked away and the only reason why he didn’t straight up maul the officer was because of Mike holding him back.

“I haven’t even seen him!” Richie shouted to Mike, beginning to pace the hospital, having not seen Eddie since they arrived at the hospital. “I don’t even fucking know where he is.”

He was breaking down. He knew he was breaking down and there was no way to stop it. Richie wanted to fall to the ground and cry, not caring who saw him. He had just proposed. They were going to get married. They were going to look into adoption, they would have a family. Everything was going so fucking well for them and now it felt like the world was falling apart around them.

Mike ended up sweet talking one of the nurses into letting Richie see Eddie. He was given a five-minute window, which seemed cruel for a man who watched his lover died.

He laid on the slab completely still, eyes still wide open as he looked out over nothing. They washed away the blood, though the bruises still remained. There was no point in stitching him up, leaving the wound open on his cheese.

There was no denying it anymore. He wasn’t just frozen in the moment or in a vegetative state. Eddie Kaspbrak was dead and there was no going back.

Richie could only apologize so many times but he’d go on and on for as long as it took. He was so fucking sorry. Sorry that he let Penny fall from the window. Sorry that he fought with his mother to the point where she didn’t want him at her house. Sorry that he bothered to propose in public in such a fucked uptown.

Richie was just so fucking sorry.

All their plans were gone. All their hopes were gone. Eddie was gone.

But he didn’t have to be.

In the darkest part of Richie’s mind, he knew there had to be a way it would work. It worked on a dog, so why not a man? Anything was possible, right? And if it didn’t work, then at least then he would know and he could have closure. If it didn’t work then he’d confess to everything and they’d bury Eddie for real. They’d give him a proper burial and his mom would have Richie even more but that was fine.

It was worth a shot.

Stealing a body from a hospital wasn’t easy and he didn’t really know what to do once he slipped through the back door. He carried Eddie, wrapped up in the sheet from the hospital, all the way to the area that Mike had first taken him too. Richie had never been very strong, but he found the strength to take Eddie all the way up there.

He walked down the path and up the hill. He went passed the dead animals and into the circle. He found a place right in the middle and started digging. He dug, and dug, and dug until there was nothing left but a gaping hole.

He pulled Eddie into it, holding him for just a moment longer.

“Come back to me,” He muttered, laying him down in the dirt. “You fucking come back to me, you understand?”

Pulling himself out of the hole, Richie pushed all the dirt back on until Eddie was completely covered. Lightening light up the sky and rain began to fall down, though he carried on until the hole was complete. He walked back down the trail in a trance, stopping only when he found Mike at the bottom.

“I couldn’t find you,” Mike said, his voice low and shaking. He looked over Richie, seeing the dirt on his clothes and on his hands. “I couldn’t find you and I knew. Richie . . . whatever you did-”

“It’s done,” Richie told him simply, pushing passed him to continue ongoing down the lane.

“Whatever you think you did, it won’t work. Whatever returns to you, it won’t be Eddie!” Mike warned. He reached back, grabbing Richie’s arm to stop him from walking. “My grandfather had a friend, Rich. His son died overseas and he was so desperate to have him back-”

“It’s done, Mike!” Richie shouted to him, pushing him off. “The law won’t do anything, what other choice did I have?!”

Nobody would listen to Richie, nobody cared about what he had to say. He was just another gay man. Useless and pathetic. Wanting all the attention. There was no way they would believe him if he tried to bring this to outside police or even to court. An off duty police officer vs a homosexual.

There would have been proof. They found the knife that was plunged into Eddie’s cheek; it had the initials of Bower's father along the body of it. And it wasn’t like Richie could kick the shit out of himself and Eddie and still have the strength to push him over the bridge.

All the proof was there, but they still wouldn’t listen. Richie, in his desperation and depression, saw no real solution to this problem.

“Using a fucking Native American burial ground should have never been a choice!” Mike insisted.

“You showed it to be in the first place.”

“For your dog! Not your boyfriend!”

Richie’s eyes glazed over, his head shaking as his glasses became fogged up from the rain. “Eddie will come back. Just like Penny did.”

“It won’t end well, Richie,” Mike warned, but the other man wasn’t listening.

He just kept walking down the lane, all the way back to the townhouse.

[jerkbitchidjitassbutt]

Moments (Part 8)

Characters: Jensen x Reader; Jared Padalecki; SPN Cast members

Anon Request: Hello, I was wondering if i could request a Jensen x Fan Reader fic were they meet at a con. There they keep running into each other. Thank You.

Summary: Attending a convention has always been a dream - and that dream is now a reality. Little did you know a clumsy run-in would lead to meeting one of your favorite actors. Who knows what the weekend will hold.

A/n: Fluffy feels. So many.

I consider this an AU, as Jensen is single in this fic. This is completely a work of fiction, and I wouldn’t want his reality to be any different, this is purely for entertainment.

Catch up here: Moments Masterlist

“I know that the whole point—the only point—is to find the things that matter, and hold on to them, and fight for them, and refuse to let them go.”    ―    Lauren Oliver, Delirium   

“So… you ready for that drink?” Jensen asked.

“Absolutely.” You replied, fully ready and willing to exit from behind the curtain of the ballroom and sneak from the hotel.

Before you could move, Y/f/n’s voice boomed from behind you, “Hold up there, sir. I need a conference with my bestie before you sweep her away.”

“Dude…” you said through gritted teeth. “What are you doing?”

“Ah uh… don’t even. I get a minute.” She shushed you, pulling you aside.

Jensen nodded his head at Y/f/n, “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dare intrude.” He laughed as Jared came to his side.

“Good boy.” Y/f/n responded, to which you rolled your eyes and mouthed an apology. Jensen gave you a lopsided grin and nudged you towards her.

As if she hadn’t tugged you by your elbow enough this weekend, she did so once again. When she felt comfortable you were out of earshot of the boys, she simply stared at you.

“What?” You asked, after what felt like an eternity.

“What do you mean, ‘What?’” She asked matter-of-factly.

You looked at her, dumbfounded. “You pulled me over here, insanity Barbie!”

“Well? Where are you two going?”

You shook your head fanatically. “Nope. Uh uh… I am NOT telling you so you and Jared can follow us. No way.”

“Come on, Y/n! I gots to know!”

“No ma’am.” you said, bopping her nose. “I don’t even know yet, but there is no way you’re tagging along.”

She simply glared at you mischievously and modestly replied “Alright.” Which, of course, you trusted about as much as you’d eat her cooking. She burnt a hard-boiled egg once. How you do that? No clue, but she did it. So, you raised an eyebrow at her, and came to the conclusion that you’d have to dip into your own bag of tricks to ditch her.

When you turned back towards Jensen, it looked as though Jared was relentlessly bugging him, so when he met your eyes, he nodded and diverted his eyes to the side, as though to signal for the two of you to leave. Cliff lead the four of you out the side exit as to avert the crowd that was still in the concert hall, as Louden Swain was still performing, screams and cheers still sounding throughout.

“We’re going to take you out the service entrance, so that you aren’t met with any cameras, okay?” Cliff mouthed over his shoulder.

“Sounds good.” Jensen said nonchalantly.

That, however, was a realization for you. You could be photographed with Jensen. Nerves began to boil under your skin and you started to fidget, a bad habit of yours and one that must’ve been blatantly obvious.

“Hey, are you okay?” Jensen asked, placing a hand on your shoulder, worried that you were having second thoughts about going out with him.

“Huh? Oh, yeah! I’m fine!” You said, not-so-convincingly.

He paused in his tracks, and moved both of his hands to rest calmly on your shoulders, “What is it, sweetheart?”

You took a breath before realization donned on you and hit you like a ton of bricks. Not only were you at a convention, not only were you standing in front of Jensen Ackles, you were going on a date with him… one he asked you on. You looked into his emerald eyes and suddenly felt increasingly calm. He just called you sweetheart, and he was looking at you at this moment like the only thing he cared about was your comfort. It was only the first date, but you’d deal with whatever came your way. You felt safe with him. This was real.

“It’s nothing.” You said with a genuine smile. “Really, I’m good. Excited, but good.”

His features lit up with a dazzling smile, “Yeah?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

His hand enveloped yours and squeezed as Cliff ushered you towards the service elevator to take you down to the ground floor. Once he checked the surroundings, he signaled for you to emerge, Jared and Y/f/n following you off the elevator.

Jensen nudged your shoulder before spinning towards them and exhaling, “Well, guys. I think this is where we leave you.”

“Yeah, thanks for walking us down.” You smiled at Y/f/n, sending a telepathic message with your eyes for her to get lost.

Jared cleared his throat and donned a grin, “Yeah… Sure, y’all have fun. We’ll catch you later.”

You gave Y/f/n a quick peck on the cheek when she whispered, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, and if you do, do it twice.”

You flicked her arm and Jensen bumped fists with Jared before tucking you beneath his arm with his hand locked tightly on your waist. The two of you climbed the stairs from the exit door, with Cliff standing at the base of the concrete steps, leaning against the railing. He gave you both a salute, to which Jensen responded. You had a feeling he was going to hang out there for a few minutes to keep an eye on you. The night air was cool, the wind flowing through the back alleyway that you were walking down towards the crowded city streets.

When you had put some distance between you and Cliff, Jensen dipped his head to whisper, lips slightly ghosting over your ear, which caused a furious shiver to run the length of your spine, so much so that you had to mentally comprehend that he had said, “Do you think we need to make a run for it?”

“Hold on, let me check.”

You slyly glanced over your shoulder to see two unmistakable silhouettes peering out of the service door.

“Yep. The double mint twins are spying.”

“Ugh. Alright…” he sighed. “Do you trust me?”

You pulled back a bit, looking up at him in the pale light of the alley. “What?”

“Do you trust me?” He said, his face mere inches from yours and shining in the dim light of the alley.

Don’t think about Aladdin, don’t think about Aladdin.

“Yes. I do.”

He gave a crooked smile, and chuckled, “Okay… Up here, make the left turn into this little side street, then bolt, okay?”

“Got it. Let’s James Bond this shit.”

“Damn, you’re awesome.”

Thankfully, it was dark, so he couldn’t see the furious blush that tinted your cheeks.

“Okay. Ready?” He said, shifting to grip your hand tightly. “1… 2… 3, GO!”

A giggle escaped your lips as he pulled you down the street, hearing a loud “NOT COOL!” from Jared behind you. It took a long stride from you to even try to keep up with Jensen’s speed, even though you know he was purposefully going slowly so you could stay with him. Suddenly, you were in the crowded sidewalk of downtown, not too far from the hotel.

“Come on, this way. I’ve got an idea.” Jensen said, pointing toward one of the main intersections.

“Come on, this way. They went down this alley.” Y/f/n shouted. “Jared! Hurry up!”

“I’m coming, spider monkey! Gah, you’re fast!”

“Where’s Cliff?”

“He said, and I quote, ‘Y’all are on your own.’” Jared responded in a low, gruff voice; his best imitation of his bodyguard. “You know, maybe we should give them some privacy.”

“And we will, I just want to make sure no one is following them.”

“Um… We're following them!”

She scoffed. “Nah. Protecting them. Looking out for them. That’s all.”

“Come on, you’ve got to admit, this is some Mission Impossible level stuff, here. Perfect for a code name.” Jared proposed.

“Jared…”

“Seriously. Operation slice and dice.”

“Where do these even come from? They don’t really make sense. We want to ‘slice and dice’ our best friends?”

“No! Slice and dice other people.”

Y/f/n paused about halfway down the alley and looked up at the man towering beside her, “So, we’re psychopaths?”

“No… it… just…” he said with puffed cheeks, exasperated. “Whatever, okay? No code names.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

She snuck quietly, but hurriedly, against the brick wall of the adjacent building. She jumped slightly when the familiar dun dun dun da dun of the Mission Impossible theme rang through her ears. Next to her, Jared stood with the screen of his phone lighting up his bright smile, thoroughly proud of himself for his genius.

Y/f/n couldn’t help but laugh. Even she couldn’t believe that she had grown so close to members of the cast over the last day and a half.

When they emerged onto the busy street, they looked from one direction to the other, skimming the crowd for your figures.

Down the block, you and Jensen exhaled a side of relief when they went in the opposite direction from you, which you could see from your vantage point of a small, tucked away doorframe of a bookstore that was closed for the day.

“You know, they could both use a lecture in boundaries.”

“Definitely.”

You let out a breath you had been holding from scurrying down the street, and became very aware of Jensen’s proximity. His chest was pressed to your back and the scruff of his chin was close to your temple. Tucked within the shadows of the, the two of you were hidden in the darkness from the populated main street. You looked up to find Jensen’s eyes already trained on yours in the small glimmer of light streaming from the street lamp on the opposite side of the street. You turned slowly in the small space while he maintained his stance, one arm coming to rest beside your head to brace himself, while the other snaked around your waist. His tongue swept across his bottom lip quickly as his eyes shift from yours to your lips, and back again.

“Y/n… I…”

“Yeah?” you asked, breathlessly.

He paused before nervously asking, “Can I kiss you?” he whispered.

Although your mouth was parted slightly, you couldn’t manage to utter a sound, so you simply nodded.

With your affirmation, he pressed his body firmly against yours, sandwiching you between himself and the brick building, removing his weight from his arm so he could run his fingers through your y/h/c hair. You closed your eyes at the sensation as his hand came to rest along your neck and jawline.

His full lips ghosted every so lightly across yours, almost tentatively, but sensually.

A small whine managed to escape your lips, which Jensen correctly took as a positive sign. He closed the gap even further, if it was possible, capturing you in a passionate kiss as your hands moved beneath his jacket. The warmth of his skin caused a tremor to quake through your body. His tongue grazed your bottom lip, silently asking permission, which you granted happily. He explored your mouth tenderly before slightly biting your bottom lip. In response, you lightly raked your nails under his shirt along his lower back, eliciting a low groan from deep within him while his hands traveled further down your hips.

It was quickly becoming heated, before a loud shout from a large truck driving by caused you both to pull away quickly, chests heaving as you panted. A group of young twenty-something men were hanging out the windows of the lifted, muddy Ford, throwing their fists in the air and yelling about the bachelor party they were attending.

You bit your lip to stifle a laugh, but it didn’t help when Jensen began to chuckle, the vibrations of which could be felt through every limb of yours.

He tucked his finger below your chin and pressed a short, but tender kiss to your swollen lips, before taking your hand in his. It seemed to fit perfectly around yours, like a puzzle piece. The two of you stepped out of your hiding spot into the light, continuing down further to the busier shops and bars.

Wrapping his arm comfortably around your waist, he spoke, “Hey, I know we had agreed on a drink, but would you be open to something else?”

“Changing the plan, huh Ackles? What do you have in mind?” You smirked.

“Well, that depends on you, actually. How do you feel about… arcades?”

You practically gaped at him, “Do you like getting your ass kicked at air hockey?”

He scoffed loudly, “Oh, I don’t think so, babe. I’m the king of air hockey.”

“Well, then you’re on… babe.” You teased with a wink. “Let’s go.”

He smiled vibrantly and ran to the crosswalk, leading you to large arcade. It had the traditional markings of the arcades you used to go to as a kid: the neon lights and carpeting, basketball nets, and skee-ball. This one, however, had a full bar and pizza shop, so Jensen stopped and got you a couple of beers before finding an open air hockey table.

Setting his beer on the edge, he raised an eyebrow at you, “Alright little lady, you ready for this?”

“Put your game face on, honey. Its about to go down.”

Unfortunately for Jensen, you weren’t being modest when you said you’d kick his ass. What he didn’t know was that you and your Dad used to play in your basement growing up… all the time. You knew all the tricks and maneuvers of the table, and since this one slanted slightly to the right, you were able to beat him easily and repeatedly until he finally conceded.

You threw the striker onto the table and held your fists above your head, “BOOM! Suck it!”

He held his hands up in mock surrender, “Okay, okay. You win!”

Taking a sip of your beer, you eyed him over your glass. “Hmm, okay.” You said, slowly licking the remaining foam from your lips. “What might my prize be, sir?”

Jensen coughed slightly, tugging on the collar of his shirt. You smiled to yourself as a flush rose to his cheeks. You put a bit of extra sway in your hips as you rounded the side of the table.

He shuffled slightly and put on a cooled down façade and met you in the middle. He donned a questioning look and proposed, “How does pizza and ice cream sound, for a start? It has been a few hours since dinner, so…”

You couldn’t help but giggle at the look of excitement on his face at the prospect of food. You adjusted his jacket collar and nodded, “Sounds great.”

Jared and Y/f/n had long given up on finding the two of you, resolving to give you some privacy and enjoy your date. It seemed that you got away from the hotel safely and avoided the prying cameras that were stationed at the front entrance. Jared took Y/f/n to meet up with some of the other cast members at a bar, all of whom were delighted to hear that Jensen had taken you out.

“Wait a minute…” Kim said, “You tried to follow them? Jared, I know he’s your brother and all, but dude, no cock blocking, okay?”

“We didn’t follow, per se…” Y/f/n justified, stirring her drink. “We just wanted to make sure they didn’t get into any trouble.”

“Oh, girl. I know how that is.” Briana said. “Y/n’s new to this. I understand why you’d be worried. But J’s got her; he’ll take care of her. I promise. Give them some space.”

Jared nudged her shoulder, “We got them together, and that was the goal of Operation Texan Heart, wasn’t it?”

“I know. I’m just protective sometimes.”

“Don’t worry. I understand. I’ve been that way with Jensen for a while now, but they both seem good for each other. And they’ve got us to help, when needed.”

“You’re right. But know this, if your bro hurts my sis, there will be hell to pay.” Y/f/n pointed at him as she sipped her drink. “By the way, Operation Texan Heart…. I like it.”

Jared threw his fists in the air, beaming like a kid who just won the giant stuffed teddy bear at a carnival.

After you finished your multitude of games, pizza and beer, you and Jensen strolled down the block back towards the hotel, a vanilla ice cream cone in his hand, a strawberry in yours, the other two intertwined with each other. It was late in the evening at this point, but you were practically buzzing with energy. You had never had such a fun date in your life. It was into the a.m. hours and the streets were quite a bit less crowded than previously, but the two of you still ducked into the alleyway and Jensen phoned Cliff to let you in the back entrance. You sat on the steps as you waited for him and finished your dessert, chatting like you had known each other for years.

“Can I say something, Y/n?”

You smiled sincerely, “Of course. What is it?”

He paused, as if trying to find the right words, “I want you to know that this isn’t something I normally do.”

Your face fell a bit, not entirely sure where he was going with this. This could be the, this is a one-time thing or I’ll only be here this weekend type of deal. Ever observant, though, Jensen saw the worry etched into your features.

“No! No… sweetheart, I don’t mean that as a bad thing. I just want you to know that even though I go to conventions everywhere, I don’t make a habit of having beautiful women run into me at every one and then trying to woo them with my snazzy wit, arcade skills, and ice cream.”

You blushed furiously and laughed, “Because so many women would kill to be with a man who has your ticket-winning abilities.”

“As a matter of fact… exactly 5. 5 women would kill for a man with my game-winning talents. I don’t know how they found me, or why they all share such an affinity for murder, but they’re there.”

Jensen radiated at the sound of your laughter when it echoed amongst the walls of the building and scooted you closer to him, vowing to make you laugh as much as he possibly could.

He placed a kiss to your forehead and lifted your face to stare into his eyes, “Y/n… you’re special to me. I know we’ve only known each other for a very short time, but I haven’t felt this way about anyone before… and… If you’re interested, I’d really love to see you again. I know I’m not ‘normal’ because of what I do for a living, and that asking you to be involved with me would be asking a huge favor on my part… and call me crazy, but I feel like everything makes sense when I’m with you. You’ve awoken something within me that I’m not sure ever existed before. So, whether you choose to see me again or not, I want to say thank you for that.”

You weren’t in the habit of being an incredibly emotional person, but no one had ever said anything so meaningful and heartfelt in all your years. A single, stray tear fell from your eye, glistening in the light that hung from above the exit door. He lifted his hand gently to lift it from your cheek, before tracing the outline of your face with his fingers.

“Jensen… I’d love nothing more than to see you again.” You sniffed.

He connected his lips to yours, caressing the apple of your cheek tenderly.

When he pulled away, he met your eyes and asked; “I know we’ve got the panel in the morning, but how about breakfast?”

“I’d love that, really.”

Cliff showed and let the two of you in, giving you both a sincere smile as you strolled through hand in hand. While you were waiting for the elevator, Cliff excused himself to take the stairs. Jensen gave you a knowing smile and shrugged his shoulders, silently thanking Cliff for giving you both some more time together, alone. He shuffled on his feet a bit and glanced your way once more as you nervously bit your lip. He wasn’t ready to say goodnight, so he took a leap.

“I know it’s late, but how would you feel about watching a movie with me?”

Your heart pounded in your chest as he took your hand, assuring you that you could say no, but you weren’t ready for the night to be over either.

“Can I pick?” you asked coyly as the elevator arrived.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, sweetheart.”

To Be Continued…

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[travelonlinetips-blog]

New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/10-reasons-why-adults-need-to-go-on-a-disney-cruise-with-no-kids/

10 reasons why adults need to go on a Disney cruise with no kids

Does this enchanting Atrium look like it’s meant solely for children? — Photo courtesy of Matt Stroshane

Let’s face it. Peter Pan might have been more willing to grow up if he realized he would still be able to enjoy a Disney Cruise as an adult. 

Despite its childlike Disney theme – or maybe because of it – almost a quarter of Disney Cruise passengers actually travel without kids, and that number continues to grow. 

Why?

Here are 10 reasons to channel your inner child and be their guest.

Characters

Mickey and Minnie are great traveling companions — Photo courtesy of Matt Stroshane

Above all, Disney is about those beloved characters, and it’s impossible to resist them no matter how old you are – as evidenced by all the adults waiting on line to get their picture taken with Mickey, Minnie and the gang during meet-and-greets. Getting a hug from them will make you feel that same sense of joy you experienced as a little kid.

The characters make lots of appearances aboard the ship, and you can check the daily schedule to see who’ll be where and when. Whether you re-enact childhood photos, or don a pair of ears or princess gown, you’ll create great new memories – and an enviable Instagram feed. 

Quiet Cove pool

The Quiet Cove pool area is a sanctuary for adults — Photo courtesy of Todd Anderson

Like its name suggests, this adults-only area is located in a calm corner of the ship, and has its own pool and hot tub so you can soak your weary muscles or simply stretch out on a lounge chair. 

When you’ve had enough sun, head inside to Cove Cafe, an adults-only lounge serving drinks and snacks.  

Adult beverages

Drink a toast to Dumbo, who inspired the bubbly decorations in Pink, an elegant adults-only lounge on Disney Dream — Photo courtesy of Matt Stroshane

Raise a glass to your magical vacation at one of the many bars and lounges that serve specialty cocktails, fine wines and spirits, champagne and an eclectic array of domestic and imported beers. 

You can even take a mixology class or experience From Stem to Stern, a tasting led by one of the ship’s sommeliers, where you get to sample wines from around the world. 

Rainforest Room

The Rainforest Room is an oasis on the ship — Photo courtesy of Diana Zalucky

This oasis in the Senses Spa & Salon is a hidden gem, and you should do yourself a favor and buy a length-of-cruise pass as soon as you board the ship because there are only a limited number available and they sell out quickly. 

The Rainforest Room features heated ceramic loungers overlooking the sea, and they’re so comfortable, you could happily pass the day in one. But be sure to get up and test the saunas, steam rooms and delightful hot and cold open shower experiences that mimic everything from tropical storms to waterfalls.  

Speaking of showers: those in the spa are much bigger than the ones in the staterooms, and a Rainforest Room pass gives you access to them, as well as more space to dry your hair. 

Castaway Cay

Castaway Cay is a private 1000-acre island exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests — Photo courtesy of David Roark

Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s private island in the Bahamas, is a huge selling point for their Caribbean cruises, and at the end of the island, there’s another private space called Serenity Bay. Exclusively for adults, this pristine stretch of beach is located almost a mile from the main family beach, and is dotted with lounge chairs and two-person hammocks for ultimate relaxation.  

You can even enjoy your own adults-only buffet lunch here (it’s included with the cruise), and Bahamian specialty drinks, beer and cocktails are available at the nearby Castaway Air Bar. 

Opt for the 3-in-1 Castaway Cay rental package that includes all-day snorkeling equipment and a float or tube for those gorgeous turquoise waters, as well as a one-hour bike rental to explore the island’s two trails and observation tower. 

If you want to work off some of those cruise calories, enter the one-of-a-kind runDisney Castaway Cay 5K. Participation is free, and you’re rewarded at the finish line with a collectible medal that changes each year. 

Nightclubs

The windows of Skyline are constantly changing to showcase some of the world’s most iconic skylines — Photo courtesy of Preston Mack

Although adults seem to enjoy the regular entertainment as much as the kids, there are also plenty of nightclubs meant just for them.  

Depending on the ship, look for Europa, The District or After Hours, all of which offer a variety of sophisticated bars and lounges, casual pubs and trendy clubs. These are the spots for cabaret shows, dancing, competitive (but friendly!) games, live satellite sports broadcasts and live nighttime entertainment. 

Goofy’s Sports Deck

Test your skill on one of the simulators on Goofy’s Sports Deck — Photo courtesy of Chloe Rice

Deck 13 on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy is all about fun and games, and is home to a nine-hole miniature golf course as well as ping pong tables and a basketball court.

Tucked inside a nice shady room are two sports simulators. One is devoted solely to golf, offering you the opportunity to virtually play one of 60 different courses. The other lets you choose from half a dozen sports, including baseball, football and hockey. These are both very popular and require reservations, which you should make as soon as possible since they do book up quickly.

Palo

Disney’s signature specialty restaurant, Palo, serves delicious Italian food — Photo courtesy of Disney

Named after the signature poles used by gondoliers in Venice, Palo is Disney Cruise Line’s adults-only signature specialty restaurant.  

Serving delicious Italian food in an intimate and upscale setting, Palo features seaside views and beautiful decor that will make you feel like you’re in Italy, wherever you’re sailing. Don’t miss the stunning, pasta-inspired glass chandelier – and, of course, the actual pasta dishes like penne arrabbiata and pillowy potato gnocchi piennolo in tomato sauce with kale. Delizioso! 

Broadway-style shows

Disney’s onboard production of Beauty and the Beast rivals Broadway — Photo courtesy of Steven Diaz

You can spend hundreds of dollars to see a Disney show like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin or Frozen on Broadway or, depending on which ship you’re sailing, you can enjoy one of them on a Disney cruise.

These productions are not your standard cruise ship fare. They are true theater, with all the creativity you expect from Disney. They will give you all the feels and make you nostalgic about the first time you saw them. 

Port Adventures

Embark on your choice of Port Adventures — Photo courtesy of Matt Stroshane

Although it’s tempting to stay on the ship, you should get off to discover the new places you’ve traveled so far to see.  

Disney offers dozens of port adventures, including adults-only excursions where you can go whale watching in Alaska, enjoy a rum tasting in Puerto Rico or Jamaica, or explore the Hermitage Museum in Russia. As you immerse yourself in other cultures and experience the local traditions, you’ll come to understand that we’re all more alike than we are different and that it really is a small world after all. 

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[unpopularly-opinionated]

Extensive Ramble/Rant Regarding How to Fix The Mummy (2017)

Forward:The movie wasn’t terrible, it just could have been (and should have been) a LOT better. These are in no particular order and wouldn’t all work together in the same movie, but are changes that I feel would’ve made the movie significantly better.

1: They never should have gone to London. Believe me when I say this, I am a HUGE England fan, like beyond fan-status to creepy-stalker-status. I'm an American born-and-raised but my room is entirely decorated in Union Jacks and other misc. English stuff. I'd pay a million dollars to have been born English. So believe me when I say they never should have gone to London.

It added nothing to the overall story save that it was where Prodigium (the fancy monster hunters club that Jenny and Dr. Jekyll are a part of) was located. This movie is called the Mummy, it should have remained in Iraq where the sarcophagus was initially found OR been taken to an off-site, maybe temporary, base for Prodigium in Egypt perhaps. It should have remained in a Middle-Eastern desert area to keep the setting.

The only real reason I can find for them going to London (beyond the plot point about the Crusaders that I'll mention next) is that every movie goes to London these days. Why? I don't know. It's an amazing place surely, but so is a million other places on the planet. Why they always choose London, I don't know.

2: The Crusaders shouldn't have been involved. Unless I've seriously forgotten, I don't believe it was ever actually explained WHY some random crusaders had Ahmanet's ruby OR her dagger. It just seemed so random and clearly was meant as only an excuse to take them to London.

I suppose it could be argued that they stole it during the Crusades however it makes very little sense why they would intentionally separate the ruby from the dagger and bury them in two different places, or if they somehow knew it was an artifact of evil then HOW do they know? It's never explained, and it should have been, or avoided altogether by just keeping crusaders out of the story completely. There's too much missing context and/or history that overall makes their addition fall flat.

3: The movie should have opened with sex. As is with pretty much all supernatural action movies, it's the power of love that drives the main character to win the fight. This is totally fine, completely expected, and sometimes strangely a welcome addition to a movie. Except, there actually needs to be a love connection for this to work.

Honestly, at no point in the movie do I actually feel that the love between Jenny (Annabelle Wallis) and Nick (Tom Cruise) is real. Frankly, I'm STILL convinced that before that scene in the beginning where she accuses him of stealing her map, they had never met and she was just making up the whole damn thing about the hotel room sex.

The movie should have opened up with them in the alleged hotel room having sex and then when morning comes he slips away with the map and him and Chris (Jake Johnson) go out into the desert in search of treasure. Even if it was just a brief scene chopped up into a 10-second clip, that still would have added some potentially significant character development to both Jenny and Nick, as well as some much needed relationship development.

Because there was little to no development for their romance, it made the scene at the end where she dies and he stabs himself with the dagger to become Set fall completely flat. She comes across as nothing more than an acquaintance throughout the movie, one not worth becoming the Egyptian God of Death to bring back to life for.

4: Jenny should have stayed dead. As I said, some of these may be conflicting and this one might conflict a bit with the last one but actually doesn't have to completely if you want to develop the relationship and then kill her off.

I should preface, it's not that I don't like Annabelle Wallis, she's a good actress, attractive, and someone I could in theory see a typical Tom Cruise character hooking up with.

However, Jenny is not a good character. In one scene she's telling Nick that she thinks they pissed off the old gods, something that if anyone said in the real life you'd think they were completely mental, but in the very next scene she's in, when Nick is telling her he's seeing Ahmanet and that he's cursed she think's he is the mental one.

Now if she's lying then of course the obvious question is WHY is she lying when she literally just mentioned something about pissing off actual gods just a minute ago, but if she's not lying and genuinely thinks Nick is crazy then again WHY when she works for an actual monster-hunting secret society that deals with crazy monsters and curses all the time?

This is a trope I see in Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Supernatural movies, shows, books, games, etc. ALL THE TIME and it's a really obnoxious one. You live in a world where you are completely aware that monsters, or magic, or other unbelievable things exist and yet when someone you know says they have seen something equally unbelievable YOU DON'T BELIEVE THEM. It's infuriating. You know monsters exist, so why would you be so surprised that your friend has seen one? You wouldn't!

5: Nick shouldn't have gotten away at the end. Given their casting choice (which I'll mention in the next one) this idea is definitely an unlikely scenario but just hear me out.

Assuming Jenny stays dead in this improved version, after Nick stabs himself with the dagger, becomes Set, and kills Ahmanet, he should have gone over to Jenny's lifeless body and been upset over her death, and then immediately have been caught by Dr. Jekyll and Prodigium with the movie ending with Nick being locked in one of their cells as Nick, possessed by Set, yells at the camera.

It was unlikely because obviously Tom Cruise is supposed to be the face of this upcoming cinematic monsterverse, but I think it would have been significantly better had he been caught by Prodigium. Hell, the next movie could open with Dr. Jekyll interrogating Set/Nick about Jenny's death. Who better to understand a man with evil inside of him than Dr. Jekyll himself? The next movie could be about finding a way for Nick to bring Jenny back but having to do so while helping Prodigium locate another monster, all while dealing with the literal God of Death inside of him occasionally possessing him for a time.

6: Nick's character shouldn't have changed dramatically by the end. This one might take some explaining, as I'm not saying he shouldn't have grown by the end of the movie because obviously he should. All character should, especially when they've just been introduced to the existence of monsters, dark magic, and real Egyptian gods.

What I am saying is that the character we are introduced to from the very beginning is not the same character we see at the end. From the beginning, we have a sleazy guy who slept with a woman to get a map that leads to ancient artifacts he can steal to sell online for profit. In other words, he's basically an overall bad guy.

He's also not implied to be very intelligent throughout most of the movie, not to say he's dumb as a rock but he isn't very clever or wise. He isn't the Indiana Jones or Nathan Drake type of ancient treasure hunter who deciphers ancient texts and follow history to find hidden artifacts to put in museums later, he's the Aladdin type of treasure hunter who stumbles across treasure or needs a direct map to it and when he finds it he immediately thinks to use it for selfish gain.

In the end however, this seems to change because suddenly he can put two-and-two together that stabbing himself with the dagger will turn him into a god so he can fight off Ahmanet, and that he can use this god's power to bring Jenny back to life, and that he has to run away before Prodigium sees him because he knows they'll capture and/or kill him immediately for being Set.

This could be argued as me being nit picky and if so then so be it. I don't think Nick's character as shown to us throughout a majority of the film is nearly smart enough or capable of the self-awareness required to be able to do all of those things. This is another reason why he shouldn't have gotten away in the end of the film, because he shouldn't have known that he should have run in the first place.

Yes, yes I understand that the signs were all sprinkled throughout the film that Prodigium would kill him to stop Set, that the dagger would turn him into a god, and that this particular god was the god of death. I still don't think his character should have picked up on those signs, or at least his character should have been described as more of an Indiana Jones/Nathan Drake type character instead of a petty for-profit thief that he's portrayed as.

7: It shouldn't have been called the Mummy. I don't actually have an idea or suggestion for what it should have been called instead, but it just shouldn't have been called the Mummy. Contextually it makes sense given the movie is about a mummy, however the obvious comparison to be made is to the older Mummy movies with the same name despite them not really being all that comparable.

The older films were significantly more comedic in nature and played off as more of an Indiana Jones film if Indiana Jones brought his whole family for his adventures (and no I'm not comparing Crystal Skulls to The Mummy movies). Calling this movie the Mummy, while it recruits hype from any fans of the older films, would ultimately harm this movie given that it's nothing like those movies and would likely garner spiteful ratings by those who saw it believing it to be like the older movies.

It'd be like if I made a movie about a sci-fi treasure hunter and named it Indiana Jones. The only direct links are that his name is Indiana Jones and that they're both treasure hunters, but obviously my movie is nothing like the old Indiana Jones movies because mine is set in space with a sci-fi setting. Ultimately I would just be shooting myself in the foot naming it Indiana Jones.