#the newport project

[torajira]

the sillies :)

[singtonetechnologies]

Project Management Company Newport News

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[thepastisalreadywritten]

Newport Ship: Medieval vessel is 'world's largest 3D puzzle'

19 January 2023

By Peter Shuttleworth

BBC News

With almost 2,500 pieces, measuring 30 metres and weighing 25 tonnes, it has been called the world's largest 3D puzzle.

Archaeologists can now, after 20 years of painstaking restoration, start to reassemble the wreck of a 15th Century ship found in a south Wales riverbank.

Experts believe the medieval vessel is as significant a find as the Mary Rose - and it is a century older.

"The ship is of global significance and interest," said TV historian Dan Snow.

Specialists have been working on the Newport Ship conservation project since the discovery of almost a third of the former wine- trading vessel and 1,000 medieval artefacts in the banks of the River Usk in 2002.

They have reached an important milestone on Thursday as all of its timbers, which had been preserved for more than 550 years, have now dried out and restored ready to go on display.

The team working on the multi-million pound project are now planning the world's largest attempt to put an archaeological ship back together.

"We have a massive, flat-pack ship that we need to reassemble and there are no instructions," said the project's curator Toby Jones.

"There is going to be a lot of fitting, checking and disassembling and fitting again and again."

"There are archaeological ships on display around the world but nothing from the period of the 15th Century so this is what makes this so significant and special. We have an actual medieval ship that's totally unique."

Tudor king Henry VIII's flagship naval vessel the Mary Rose is perhaps the most famous 16th-century ship on display while the Vasa in Sweden is the 17th-century equivalent.

Historians now say the Newport Ship will be the only 15th-century maritime exhibit on show anywhere in the world.

"The Mary Rose has been top billing since it was found and raised in 1982 as so many people remember it, now the Newport Ship is up on that scale," said Mary Rose's head of conservation David Pearson.

"It can give us so much information as to what life was like in the mid-1400s and we can learn from the late medieval shipbuilding and from items found on board."

About £8m has already been spent preserving and restoring the timbers, which has included freeze-drying the wood at the Mary Rose museum in Portsmouth.

The team made their final visit to England's south coast on Thursday to pick up the last batch of about 100 timbers and return them to Newport, ensuring they are all under one roof again for the first time in years.

Then, historians hope to put the wreckage back together and have it on display within the next five years.

"The Newport Ship tells us a bunch of things that the Mary Rose can't," said TV historian Dan Snow.

"The Mary Rose was a Tudor vessel, it feels like an early modern vessel, while the Newport Ship is a trading ship operating at the beginning of a revolution in European shipbuilding.

"It was at a time when those living along the Atlantic seaboard; the Welsh, people from Brittany, northern Spain, Portugal, Devon and Cornwall were starting to go to sea in bigger and stronger ships that would allow them to eventually cross the Atlantic and into the Indian Ocean.

"So the Newport Ship symbolises the birth of this era of European exploration and comes at a very important time in maritime history - just a generation before Christopher Columbus set out across the Atlantic.

"It's the birth of an era that changed the world in every way imaginable. People talk about globalisation and international trade as if it's something recent, this ship shows that way back in our medieval past we had strong links with Europe and we were trading and drinking French wine.

"The Newport ship is one of the most interesting and important shipwrecks found in British waters in a generation.

"It's a truly international find; the wood came from northern Spain and wine from France. It's like a time capsule, a piece of the 15th Century delivered to us here in the 21st Century.

"This is something that's going to be of global significance and interest. Tourists will be coming from all over the world as it's very well preserved."

Why was it in Newport?

It is thought the 30 metre (98ft), 400 tonne, medium-sized boat was having a refit following a voyage from the Iberian Peninsula to Bristol.

This was taking place in a River Usk inlet in 1468 or 1469 when its moorings broke.

Much of the oak planks and iron were stripped before the tide hid the stricken remains, with a third of the vessel succumbing to its muddy grave - lying untouched for more than five centuries.

Economic impact assessments predict the preserved boat could attract up to 150,000 visitors a year - making it one of Wales' most popular tourist attractions - and boost the south Wales economy by £7m a year.

Archaeologists plan to allow the public in to watch them reassemble the remains when a venue big enough is secured to take the boat.

"You cannot build this thing then move it," added Mr Jones.

"You can only build it in its final position, but when it is done, it will be stable and has the potential for being on display in perpetuity."

Newport council, who have led conservation work, will soon start a feasibility study to look at where best to house the ship - with an empty department store a possibility.

"We're keen to find a home which maximises accessibility for everybody as we want to share this great treasure," said Newport council leader Jane Mudd.

"The potential economic benefits are important too - and as more than 1,000 people attend talks on the Newport Ship, it indicates there is huge interest."

[inacllc]

[itscolossal]

100 Life-Sized Elephants Lumber Along a Newport Cliff in a Global Conservation Project

[allaboutthemoonlight]

How to Maximize Your Productivity Living with Limited Time

Hello, friends! Today's post is a little longer, but it's something I felt I needed to share.

We all have different commitments—school, work, hobbies, etc.—and in today's fast-paced world, our schedules are overflowing, leaving little room for us to breathe. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and struggle with the constant juggle of work and obligations, leaving many of us feeling perpetually busy and struggling to find balance in our lives.

So, this week, I wanted to talk about time management and productivity, specifically task management systems that will help you efficiently plan out your life and find time for absolutely everything.

Over the last two months, I've experimented with a plethora of different productivity and task management systems and want to share five strategies that will help you maximize your productivity and have time for all the things you love.

Embrace slow productivity

This is probably my favorite tip I’ve ever encountered and felt compelled to share.

After listing to a podcast hosted by Jordan Harbinger and Cal Newport where they talked about shifting mindsets concerning the work we’re doing, my outlook on productivity has changed.

Slow productivity is founded on the idea of “resourcing your work so it garners a sense of fulfillment rather than leaving you feeling overwhelmed”. To really embrace slow productivity is means not over-loading your plate

That can be difficult because we’ve been conditioned to believe that beibusy and doing more is a sign of progress; however, it’s important to understand that doing less things =/ accomplishing less goals. In fact doing fewer things often makes our work more sustainable, allowing us to work at a natural pace and pay more attention to quality instead of quantity.

This is probably my favorite tip I've ever encountered and felt compelled to share. After listening to a podcast hosted by Jordan Harbinger and Cal Newport where they talked about shifting mindsets concerning the work we're doing, my outlook on productivity has changed.

Slow productivity is founded on the idea of "resourcing your work so it garners a sense of fulfillment rather than leaving you feeling overwhelmed." To really embrace slow productivity means not overloading your plate.

That can be difficult because we've been conditioned to believe that being busy and doing more is a sign of progress. However, it's important to understand that doing fewer things does not equal accomplishing fewer goals. In fact, doing fewer things often makes our work more sustainable, allowing us to work at a natural pace and pay more attention to quality instead of quantity.

Here are some steps to help you embrace slow productivity:

Prioritization: Identify the most important tasks or goals and focus on them first. Emphasize quality over quantity and aim to produce meaningful results rather than simply checking items off a list.

Break Tasks into Smaller Steps: Break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. Personally, this has helped make tasks feel less overwhelming and helped me maintain focus and momentum.

Set Realistic Expectations: Setting realistic expectations is crucial. Understand the time you have and what you can accomplish within it to avoid overcommitting, particularly to tasks that don't align with your priorities.

Finding a planning system that work for you

Effectively managing your time requires a solid organizational framework. The planning system you choose plays a crucial role in maximizing your productivity. This means finding the right digital or tactile analog tool that works for you.

Digital Tools: There is a crazy amount of digital planning tools available that comprise different features such as to-do lists, task and project managers, and progress trackers. I’m slightly biased here, but apps like Notion, TickTick, obsidian, Trello, or Asana are good for organizing tasks, setting deadlines, and tracking progress on a project. Additionally, using a calendar app such as Google Calendar, outlook or, Fantastical can you schedule your time effectively and avoid overcommitting.

Pen and Paper: If you’re someone who prefers the simplicity and tactile experience of traditional pen and paper planners, processes such as bullet journaling or simply using a journal to keep note of all your commitments offers a flexible system for organizing tasks, events, and notes in a customizable format. One perk about using pen and paper is that it offers a level of permanence that can’t be found in digital tools. Once you write something down (depending on the tool you write with) it’s permanent.

Hybrid Approach: You can also combine both of these methods to create an experience that works for you. For example, you can use a digital calendar while also keeping a bullet journal as a task manger or place to reflect.

Personally, I find that the hybrid approach works best for me.

Time blocking

Time blocking works because it provides a structured approach to managing your time effectively.

Time blocking is the process of dividing your day into blocks of time dedicated to specific tasks or activities—allowing you to minimize distractions and maintain focus on the task at hand.

Here’s what I’ve found to be the best way to implement time blocking:

Identify Priorities: Start by identifying your most important tasks and goals for the day or week. These are the activities that align with your overall objectives, values, and contribute to meaningful progress.

Choose Time Slots: Next, choose specific time slots in your schedule for each task or activity. It’s crucial to be realistic about the amount of time needed for each task, and consider factors such as your peak productivity hours and natural energy levels.

Time blocking may seem antithetical to flexibility. However, regular review and adjustment is a good way to make modifications in response to changing priorities or interruptions.

<3 Luna

[semioticapocalypse]

David Gahr. Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Newport Folk Festival. 1963

Follow my new AI-related project «Collective memories»

[baesimss]

lido marina village, brindleton bay, simmisota ✨

welcome to lido! brindleton bay's premiere shopping outlets. filled with stylish boutiques, fine eateries and even a gym. locals and tourists love coming here for the chic and relaxed ambience.

guys, this is my most ambitious build project thus far. i've never referred to myself as a builder, but i am proud of the work i've put into this! it's, of course, based on the very real lido marina village in newport beach, california. definitely one of my favorite places in cali so it was a joy to bring it to life in my game!

more pictures + directory under the cut.

shops, eateries & more:

nobu | michelin star rated japanese restaurant. inspired by the real nobu at lido marina village.

curl fitness | a private members-only gym. inspired by the real curl fitness at lido marina village.

loveshackfancy | a women's clothing boutique that specializes in romantic and floral designs. inspired by the real loveshackfancy at lido marina village.

therealreal | a luxury consignment boutique. inspired by the real therealreal at lido marina village.

floral selfie wall | a place for sims to pose for pics! inspired by the real floral wall at lido marina village.

skating rink | a fun activity for kids (or any age sims) to partake in while their parents shop. there is no skating rink at the real lido marina village.

public restrooms with vending machines & water fountains.

kimber | luxury furniture store. inspired by serena + lily at lido marina village.

roller rabbit | a whimsical children's boutique. inspired by the real roller rabbit at lido marina village, except the real store doesn't cater specifically to children.

tress salon | a hair & nail salon for the bougie sims. inspired by the real tress salon at lido marina village.

lido bookstore & coffee shop | coffee shop with a bookstore upstairs and outdoor areas to eat and read. there is a real bookstore at lido marina village, but mine isn't really based on that one.

twitter | tiktok | instagram| patreon

[myhouseidea]

[invisibleicewands]

Michael Sheen's The Way echoes Tata steelworks reality

When Michael Sheen was filming clashes between steelworkers and riot police in his home town Port Talbot, little did he know 2,000 jobs at its steelworks would be at risk by the time it premiered.

"We had no idea when we were developing the story what would be happening at the steelworks when this came out," he said.

"It's incredibly unfortunate that the story we've written has come bizarrely very close to the truth."

Speaking ahead of The Way's premiere at Port Talbot's Reel Cinema, he insisted the three-part BBC drama - originally conceived in 2016 - was a fictional story and not about the Tata steelworks.

"But obviously, knowing the town, knowing the relationship the town has with the steelworks, knowing the insecurities and the anxieties that have always been there in my lifetime around employment and work there - that was part of what drew us to setting the story in this town," said Sheen, 55, who both directed and starred in the drama.

He said Port Talbot's steelworks was the "spiritual centre of the town" and "part of our DNA" and the news of job losses had been "devastating".

The Way is written by James Graham, created by Sheen, Graham and documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis and stars a number of Welsh actors.

The cast includes Steffan Rhodri (Steeltown Murders and Gavin & Stacey), Mali Harries (Hinterland), Sophie Melville (The Pact), Callum Scott Howells (It's a Sin) and Mark Lewis Jones (Men Up and Keeping Faith).

Episode one sees growing concern over the future of the steelworks, leading to protests, which later turn to riots.

Some take to the streets to join the fight, others frantically try to escape or hide in their homes as helicopters fly overhead.

The streets become a warzone and the town is locked down by armed police.

With Port Talbot facing an uncertain future, could life imitate art?

"It's not like we're saying 'this is what you should do as a result of what's going on' by any means, but obviously I have huge sympathy for the steelworkers," said Sheen.

"In no way is this a blueprint to how people should react, but you don't know do you? I have no idea how people are going to react.

"People will try and be as resourceful and as positive about it as they possibly can I'd imagine because that is the spirit of the people in this place - but at the same time you don't know and people are very angry as well."

For Sheen, "everything" is political.

A long-term champion of the NHS, in 2015 he was applauded for delivering a passionate speech to a pro-NHS march in Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, and he is currently in rehearsal for a National Theatre production about NHS founder Aneurin Bevan.

In 2019, he sold property to bankroll the Homeless World Cup in Cardiff when funding for the £2m project fell through at the last moment.

In 2020, the actor, who was born in Newport and raised in Port Talbot, said he had handed back his OBE so he could air his views about the monarchy without being a "hypocrite".

In 2021, he said he had turned himself into a "not-for-profit" actor, using the money he earned from acting to fund projects.

He has been vocal on a range of issues from children in care to Welsh independence.

Was he trying to make a political statement in The Way?

"Everything is connected, everything happens for a reason, things are the way they are in this town and any town not just by chance, it's because of choices and various things... I think inevitably this was going to be a political story," he said.

"Part of the reason why we wanted to set it here... we needed to feel there was a great sense of discontent amongst a lot of people in the place, a lot of anxiety, a lot of feeling of not having their voices heard."

He said when people were made to feel that they were not being listened to and did not matter "that sense of frustration and anger can boil over".

Sheen made his name as an actor initially in the theatre before winning acclaim as a screen actor playing real people from Tony Blair, David Frost, Kenneth Williams and Chris Tarrant to lead roles in series including Good Omens, Masters of Sex and Staged.

In 2011, he directed and starred in a 72-hour epic theatrical production of The Passion, which moved around different locations across Port Talbot drawing huge crowds and critical acclaim.

It is perhaps unsurprising that he would choose to make his TV directorial debut in the town too.

"[The Way] was definitely very personal," he said.

"I feel like I knew what I was filming and I felt anchored and connected to what was going on."

Sheen now lives near Port Talbot with his partner Anna Lundberg and their two children Lyra and Mabli.

"It's somewhere I inevitably keep coming back to and it's an endless source of inspiration," he said of the town.

"It's the source of all my imaginative explorations really because it's my home.

"It's where I grew up, it's where all the most important things happened to me, it's where my family still lives, it's where I now live again and as I've got older I've realised more and more how important the beginning of my life was and all the opportunities people gave to me."

One of those people who gave him opportunities was Godfrey Evans, a drama teacher who helped shaped generations of actors through the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre and died in November, aged 82.

At the premiere across the road from the town's Aberavon Beach, Sheen dedicated the screening to both his former teacher and Port Talbot's steelworkers.

What are his hopes for those in his home town currently fearing for their jobs?

"Particularly at a time like this when there's so much anxiety and so much concern about the future it is so important to feel like you're supported and you can talk about what's going on and to find connection with other people who are maybe going through the same things," he said.

"We wish everyone the best and hope there's plenty of support for people in the future."

[torajira]

i need a new name for tnp soooo bad it's driving me insane. fellow creators how do you pick names for story projects

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt LeBaron convertible

1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt LeBaron convertible

1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt LeBaron convertible

1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt LeBaron convertible at the Pebble Beach Concours show a few years ago.

"At the end of 1939 Walter Chrysler hired the legendary designers Alex Tremulis and Ralph Roberts of the LeBaron studio to design and construct two different show cars: The Golden Arrow, which was a futuristic dual cowl phaeton, later renamed the Newport, and the Thunderbolt Convertible. These would be two of LeBaron's final projects. America's involvement in World War II forced the company to halt production after just five examples of each car were built. Of the five Thunderbolts built in 1941, four are known to have survived, each was finished in a different color and they were all displayed at the auto shows across the country to promote the Chrysler brand. The groundbreaking design challenged traditional automobile design eliminating the traditional radiator grille in favor of air intakes and adding a fully retractable powered hardtop and a streamlined body with concealed headlights, push button power door switches, and a curved one-piece wraparound windshield. This car was later sold to the vice president of Mexico." -PB catalog.

[faithforgottens]

𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒚𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆.

from the writer’s desk: i’d tell you i started this a year ago after deciding i needed closure on post - crying on newport beach about how i’m incapable of being loved but that would mean me unloading all over the dash, and nobody needs that. i’m just a girl, out here projecting like tomorrow’s not coming, and thought i’d share. please know that i love carol, i just had to pick a character that i didn’t have strong emotional attachment to in order to play my villain. motivation to continue this would be much appreciated, thnx.  summary: you’ve been stuck in carol’s web for nearly four months now, and you need a distraction before you go postal and commit a capital crime or worse, tell her you love her. fortunately for you, natasha’s willing to offer her services. contains: college!natasha x female reader —— warnings include toxic relationship dynamics that involve infidelity, gaslighting and cheating, marijuana use, alcohol consumption, nsfw content [ fingering, dirty talk ]. →  inbox status: OPEN                                        don’t repost my works anywhere.

INCOMING MESSAGE FROM — SATAN    💬     am i gonna see you tonight?

INCOMING MESSAGE FROM — SATAN    💬     :(

INCOMING MESSAGE FROM — SATAN    💬     hellllllooooooooooo??

INCOMING MESSAGE FROM — SATAN    💬     I WANNA SEE U I MISS UR PRETTY FACE

INCOMING MESSAGE FROM — SATAN    💬     pls come tonight. it would mean everything to me

You’ve never claimed to be smart.

In fact, you’re pretty sure you have to fall on the opposite end of that spectrum in order to bother showing your face tonight at the behest of Carol fuckin’ Danvers. Satan. It’s the work of the goddamn devil pulling you from the clutches of your apartment’s comfortable silence where you’d be much better off riding through the nuanced gut-punching waves of disappointing Carol guilt instead of the hell storm that is being played once again by Carol guilt. You even put on eyeliner for such an occasion, because if you’re going to get fucked over (either physically, emotionally, or both), you might as well look good doing it.

Her name’s still lighting up your phone as the Uber drops you off at the curb, boasting a flood of pictures on Snapchat that illuminate the awaiting scene inside of the frat house through blurry streaks of glass bottles and marijuana smoke and the pale expanse of her neck where a glint of her gold necklace flashes is promised to you to do as you wish, leaving behind bruises or lip prints. It’s an enticing picture painted for you. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think maybe tonight will be the night she tells you she’s free from the clutches of Maria, her perfectly sane girlfriend that you’ve only ever known through Carol’s jilted lens, and that she’ll even let you climb her like a tree in front of her friends.

Lucky you.

Except you do know better. In the pit of your stomach, you know the reality is that you are in closer proximity than Maria, which therefore makes you the most convenient piece of ass at Carol’s disposal, that Carol believes — and is likely right about how — you’re still wound tight enough around her finger to make you drop to your knees like a good little girl, blinded by her golden halo of hair and the whiskey-soaked taste of her lips and ready to excuse her shit treatment of you. That even feeling like you have her for the beat of a butterfly’s wings is worth your sanity. And despite it all, it isn’t enough to keep you away. It’s not enough to exile the parts of a masochistic heart beating in your chest that somehow loves her, even if the only part of you she loves is your willingness to show up for her.

Carol’s fraternity is co-ed, which means that between all of the brothers, their social circle extends to the farthest corners of the university — they consume a fair bit of your own, considering you have at least two classes a semester with Bucky, sit with them at Wanda’s softball games (mostly so you can talk shit about your high school ex that made the team), and rent study rooms at least once a month with Thor, Bruce, and Val to spiral into late night insanity while you all contemplate the meaning of life and attempt to memorize vocabulary words. You slip in through the door, bass thudding into your molars and the heavy blanket of smoke and sweat covers your bare shoulders as you weave your way through the house.

“Look who finally showed up!” Behind the counter in the kitchen is Sam Wilson, running position as makeshift bartender. You detour long enough for a vodka and Diet Coke, stopping next to the barstool that Bucky’s perched on. He tucks you underneath his arm for a side hug, other hand tipping his own solo cup back as he tries to drain the last bit of liquor down his throat.

They’re good friends to you. It’s why you hate doing this dance with Satan — because at some point, you feel that there’s going to be a tectonic shift between the two of you that dredges up a rift in the concrete and you don’t know who will be left on your side. You don’t know who you’ll be able to look in the eye and lie to about Carol, who would pick you over her. You don’t even know if any of them would believe you or would write you off as crazy as you’ve been writing yourself off as of late.

You tell yourself that you’re trying, goddammit, to shove that piece of yourself back into a locked drawer and enjoy the company of your friends.

“Anybody seen Danvers?” you pitch as nonchalantly as you know how, planting your elbows down onto the granite of the counter while you watch Sam mix your drink. He goes heavy on the vodka, which you quietly appreciate.

Bucky snorts. “Yeah, we’ve seen her alright.”

“She’s in the dining room trying to rally everyone into a round of strip beer pong,” Sam explains. “Last we saw, she got her shirt stuck in the chandelier.”

“The face of class, this fraternity,” you tease as Sam hands you your drink. He can’t help but laugh, a jovial, guttural noise that makes you smile, even though your stomach is currently in your throat.

You bid them farewell and snake through the living room, trying to avoid the furniture or the bodies of other people and almost always fail in avoiding both at the same time as you carve out a path to the dining room. It’s densely packed, which forebodes the game of beer pong that the boys mentioned. You try not to cut your elbows into the bones and flesh of others to make your way through, but your adrenaline is humming at the thought of seeing Carol, the thought of her body glowing in the house lights and the cut of her physique out on display for anyone, including you, to openly ogle without abandon.

“Goddamn, Danvers!” someone yells mirthfully. “Keep it in your pants!”

Whistling down to one thought, one track, your mind lasers in and you’re positive that the sharp point of your elbow nails T’Challa directly in the ribs as you finally make it to the inner lip of the circle around the dining room table. It’s desperate. You know it’s desperate. You'll care about it later, you’re sure, but for now, all that’s on your mind is her.

“For the love of fuck, I—” Someone stumbles back into you, dark hair in frizzy waves and the bill of their baseball cap nearly jabbing straight into your nose. Wanda Maximoff spins around, her eyes lightening up at the sight of you as she grabs onto your wrist to stable herself. “Oh! Hey, babe,” she says with a smile. “Didn’t know you were coming.”

“Me either,” you tell her, trying not to be blatant as you scan for Carol. “Carol didn’t tell me until last minute.”

“Boo,” Wanda pouts, before turning to yell over her shoulder, “Danvers! Fuck you!”

“Get in line!” Carol calls back, and your head locks in on where her voice comes from. Your stomach plunges into free fall when you see her: as promised, she’s standing around in her sports bra and jeans, white teeth glinting and blonde hair curling around onto her tanned shoulders, biceps on display and her arms snaked around — her.

Maria Hill, in the flesh, pressed against Carol’s side and her chin balanced on Carol’s shoulder as Carol makes a shot one-handed that successfully lands in a cup on the opposite end of the table. Carol cheers victoriously, and Maria kisses her cheek, and you notice that Carol’s hand on Maria’s side drifts down towards her ass.

All of Carol’s messages swim inside your mind, the ones where she assures you that it’s all real, that she and Hill are done, that Hill’s holding her back, that she’s felt things for you since the moment she laid eyes on you and just knew; the ones where she paints a beautiful picture of a future with you, the same picture she’s just doused in cheap spirits and ruined for the dozenth time. Your drink suddenly tastes like arsenic, heavy and uneven in your stomach, the room shrinking and heat crawling up your neck in an uncomfortable panic. You are going to be sick.

Wanda’s voice comes through in the midst of the ringing in your ears. Fuck you, Danvers.

It takes you a moment to realize that Wanda’s voice isn’t just a reverberation inside your mind, but is right in your ear. “Hey!” She calls your name again, and you finally snap your attention back to her. She scans over your face for a moment, eyebrows folding in the center of her brow. “You alright? Where’d you just go?”

The shock is fresh on your face, salt water from the crashing wave that’s irritating your eyes — you refuse to let yourself cry, here in front of everyone, because all that’s going to do is open the door to a conversation you don’t want to have, incite a fight with Carol that you’ll surely lose, leave you feeling even lower than you do at the moment. You shake your head, trying to shake whatever emotions that aren’t nonchalant off of your face. “Noth—nowhere,” you stammer, voice an octave higher than usual. Wanda’s perplexity only deepens. “More crowded than I thought. Got beer-splashed.”

Wanda breaks into a smile, seemingly buying your excuse. “C’mon, what’d you expect?” she ribs. It’s a loaded question, and if Wanda wasn’t Wanda, you’re sure it’d be enough to light your rapidly shorting fuse. The thin strain in your falsified smile must give something away, because she softens the slightest bit and wraps her arm around yours. “Let’s go downstairs. I’ll kick your ass sideways in pool.”

You appreciatively take Wanda’s out, allowing her to guide you away from the Carol show and the crowd of people you have steeled yourself in order to not cry in front of and head with her towards the basement, which the frat has renovated into a lounge space with a giant television, sectional that is infamous for its hosting of The Threesome, and the pool table. It hasn’t garnered quite the same audience that the beer pong game has, but less people means you feel slightly less suffocated. Carol’s still got her foot on your throat, but down here, it’s easier to maneuver and act as though you haven’t just had yourself made a fool in front of everyone without them knowing.

Relieved for the little things, like elbow room, you sit down on the arm of the sectional and take a long drink from your cup — if you’re going to survive the rest of the night without your tail tucking between your legs (and you’re determined to further your self-sabotage by going the extra mile to ensure Carol knows she fucked up, even though it’s likely she doesn’t care) you’ll have to be drunker than this. Wanda adjusts her hat on her head and picks up a pool cue, glancing back over her shoulder at you. “Want someone to show you how it’s done?” she teases.

You lift your cup in acknowledgment, smile shedding off of your lips. “Go for it.”

As Wanda weasels her way into the current game of pool, you do a quick intake of who all’s downstairs. There’s a few of the brothers, a few of the brother’s dates, people that are otherwise background characters designed to make campus seem at capacity but not so many people that no one would notice if you threw up in the corner or worse, started crying. You purse your lips around the rim of your solo cup, scanning the company around the pool table. Wanda sidles up next to another one of her brothers, poking her with the pool cue. “Nat!” Wanda whines. “Give me room.”

Natasha Romanoff shuffles out of the way with the roll of her eyes. “Poke me with the stick again and it’s gonna go somewhere less than ideal.”

Wanda flicks her middle finger upright before hunching around the shape of the pool cue. “You don’t scare me, Natty.”

“Your funeral.”

Your eyes follow Natasha out of the way, and she feels their weight because the next thing you know, you’re off the cliffs and deep somewhere inside the greenery of her eyes. They’re pretty eyes, you idly note, and you find yourself mulling over Natasha Romanoff, as a person, as a concept, as Natasha. She’s the oldest of the girls in the fraternity, a senior to your junior, and she’s been around for so long that it’s hard to remember a time when she wasn’t there. It’s hard to imagine a room without her in it, a constant fixture on the mantel that you don’t even bother acknowledging it anymore.  

She cocks an eyebrow at you after what’s sure to be a long moment of staring, and Wanda, who is unfortunately more observant than you’d like to believe, begins laughing. “Am I interrupting this little staring contest?”

Natasha smirks. “I could win a staring contest and kick your ass at the same time, Maximoff.”

“Show off,” Wanda grumbles as she passes the pool cue over to Natasha. She then looks at you, and whatever grumpiness dissipates, her shit-eating grin returning. “Now, you on the other hand,” she preludes with a gesture towards you. “There’s no way.”

You drain the rest of your drink and discard the cup off to the side. "You talk a lot, Wan,” you inform her as you walk up to the side of the pool table. Wanda just grins as you turn to Natasha, gesturing for the pool cue. “Let me have a go.”

Natasha acquiesces and passes you the pool cue, giving you the space you need coupled with a low nod of encouragement. There are a few clusters of balls around the table and you’re trying to eye up a shot that’ll give you not only a handful of points, but will get Wanda off your back — even if you are grateful for the timing of her diversions.

Unfortunately, it’s not enough; you can still hear the laughter and music through the walls from upstairs, a raucous noise that scatters your train of thought. Is it Carol? What’s she doing? What’s she whispering into Hill’s ear? Does she know you’re even here? Does she care? 

Probably not.

You take the shot without thinking, balls ricocheting off the sides of the pool table. Wanda barks out a laugh. “Really? That’s the best you’ve got?”

“Just getting warmed up,” you say stiffly, handing the pool cue off.

Wanda’s face is alight with amusement, nodding slowly as she moves around the pool table for her next shot. “Okay.”

You’re too far in your head, and you know it. You’re content to linger on the outskirts of the game while everyone else that Wanda goes about recruiting takes their turn. It’s a few minutes or an hour before the cue ends up back in your hand, like a rickety sort of clockwork that is unexpected but also entirely predictable. You assess the situation and find a decent enough angle now that the game has progressed, significantly so.

You bend over slightly, eyes fixed on a blue ten that’s not too far from the cue. Before you can make the shot, you hear someone behind you muttering. “Do it like this.”

When you glance over your shoulder, it’s Natasha, only a few inches from where you stand, hands hesitating before she reaches out. “Back up,” she guides, her hands stationing on your hips and forcing you to take a half-shuffle of a step backwards. “And lift your elbow like this.” You’re clay and she shapes you how she wishes, her touch feather light. “Okay. Now try.”

You do exactly as she says, pool cue shooting from your hand and colliding with the cue ball. The ten you’ve had your eyes on sails into the pocket without any interference. 

“Nice shot, sweetheart,” Natasha says, her voice ghosting along the back of your spine. As you straighten up, you glance behind you, noticing the faint grin along the curve of her lips.

“Well that wasn’t sexual at all,” Wanda comments with a low whistle as the pool cue returns to her grip. “Do losers get laid still? I wouldn’t know.” With a toothy flash of a grin, she draws the cue back and makes another shot — you’re not entirely focused on her efforts, thanks to the gravity of Natasha’s sights still pressing deep into your skin.  

Wanda talks a big enough game that she recruits nearly everyone standing around the pool shot to give it a go, which provides a window of opportunity for Natasha to brush a hand along your shoulder and steal you away. “Up for a smoke?” she asks, and you nod. You allow her to lead the way out through the basement’s French doors, slipping outside into the backyard where the sky is dotted with stars, the air smells only the slightest bit cleaner, and the music is nothing but a dull pulse from inside the house.

Natasha steers you away from the patio where other fraternity brothers and their guests are sitting around, enjoying their drinks and laughing amongst their idle, stoned conversations around the fire pit. You follow her into the grass, trailing around the side of the house until the two of you don’t have any other company aside from each other and Thor’s knockout rose bushes that he takes great pride in.

She leans up against the wall, hands fishing in the pocket of her jacket for her lighter. For someone who’s devoted the rest of their evening to shooting metaphorical (or even literal) middle fingers in Carol’s direction, you’re still too far on edge to be nonchalant about any of it. The quiet is all consuming, maddening inside of your buzzing mind. Natasha produces a joint, embers burning on the end as she lights it and brings it up to her lips. You’re left to watch as she takes a long, casual drag, a cloud of smoke billowing from her lips on the exhale. Her wrist then extends, offering the joint up; if there is such a thing as too eager, you’d be the poster child for it, the way you pluck it from her fingers and take a hit.

“Something on your mind?” she asks, her voice a low drag of gravel against the muted bass thud inside of the house. You open an eye and glance over at her, her green eyes burning holes through you as she watches. 

“Eh,” you mutter half-heartedly with a shrug. “Not worth it.”

You pass the joint back to her after you take one more drag, your eyes fixed on the steady stream of smoke that you forcibly control the exit from your mouth. It’s nice to have control over something, you think, even if it is, to some degree, just seeing how long you can hold your breath. 

“Seems like you could use a distraction,” Natasha comments, fingers idly rolling the joint between her fingers as smoke still curls from the tip. 

You laugh, a low and guttural noise that’s passive at best. “Yeah, probably.”

Natasha turns so her entire body is facing you, and it doesn’t register, the way that she’s looking at you, until you feel her brush your hair off of your face. Your eyes fully open, somewhat surprised by the action, watching her carefully. Natasha’s a lot of things, but gentle isn’t one you’d readily associate with her. It’s almost like she’s handling you like glass, waiting for the right moment to shatter you. It’s a hiccup in your chest, a strange feeling washing over your body.

“Let me distract you, then.” She says it simply, like it’s the most logical conclusion to arrive at.

“Nat, what...”

“C’mere.” One of her hands encircles your wrist, guiding you closer. You follow wordlessly in her guidance, unsure of what she’s doing or what’s to come. She takes another hit of the joint, her eyes glowing the same way the end of the joint does, a low burning fire that seems to grow hotter the longer your eyes are connected. 

The hand holding your wrist slides up your body until she’s cupping your jaw, her thumb darting across the expanse of your face to swipe across your lips in a prompt to open them. She lowers the joint, bringing her face inches away from your own as her mouth forms a perfect circle and releases smoke. You’ve shotgunned weed before, but never at such a close proximity. Natasha breathes out and you breathe in, eyes fluttering shut at the intimacy of the moment. 

“Gonna let me distract you some more?” she whispers, and you barely register yourself nodding before her lips capture your own. Her mouth is plush and soft but nothing about her is gentle anymore — this is where she forces a spiderwebbing crack across your surface, the deft way in which she manipulates your lips to do exactly as she’d like, her tongue skating across the skin and opening your mouth to allow her access. You can’t help but to sigh into the kiss. She is exactly what she claims she is: a distraction, a welcome reprieve, and the golden halo around Carol’s head seems fuzzy and jilted now.

Natasha kisses you like she’s trying to set you on fire; at some point she has absconded the joint and ground out its remnants into the mulch, both her hands cupping your face as she boxes you in with her legs and adjusts the two of you so your back is now flush against the wall. “How’s this?” she murmurs against your ear, lips starting a descent down your neck that is feather light and the gentle scrape of her teeth.

“Very... very distracting,” you stammer out, fingers curling into fiery red hair. 

“Good,” Natasha hums, her mouth vibrating over a particularly sensitive spot on your collarbone that causes your grip in her hair to tighten. “Pretty girl like you shouldn’t be so far in your head.” 

You nod, thankful for the reward of her body pressing against yours. 

“What d’you say?” Her voice ghosts over your skin, and for a moment, you’re not sure what it is she’s asking. It takes a moment, the weed and the liquor clouding your mind, but the dig of Natasha’s blunt fingernails into your hips and the graze of her teeth along your skin serves as motivation. “Huh? What d’you say, princess?” 

“Thank you,” you gasp, the feeling of her mouth tightening around your skin wet and hot sending a glimmer of electricity down your spinal cord. Natasha chuckles, a dark and melodic noise that buzzes through your body. 

“You’re welcome,” she croons. “’S that all you needed? Or do you need more?”

More. It’s the knee jerk response you have, the way your world has narrowed down to just her and the scent of her heady perfume and each individual curve of muscle is now flush against you. Your eyes open only to see Natasha grinning like she’s the fuckin’ devil. 

Maybe you were misplaced somehow.

Natasha’s hands drag over your sides, up and down roughly as she kisses you and forces your legs farther apart so she’s able to snake one of her thighs in between them. She rucks your top up on the edges, fingers brushing over your skin in a delightful contrast to the cool evening air. Natasha is hot, her touch burning and singeing the skin wherever it moves. She’s painting you out of ashes and making you into something beautiful, something uniquely her own. Her hands slip underneath your shirt and you feel one hand trail upwards, fingers wrapping around your breast before squeezing. It elicits another tiny moan from you, which Natasha swallows down with a kiss. “Shh,” she hisses against your lips. “Be quiet.”

You arch into her touch as her fingers slip beneath the cup of your bra and pinch your nipple tight, another squeak of pleasure groaned into her mouth. It only encourages her further, the other hand of hers moving in the opposite direction. “Want me to touch you?” she whispers in your ear while you press your mouth into her shoulder, breath warm against your ear and her teeth just barely missing your earlobe. “Bet you’re not distracted now; only thing you and that pussy are thinking about is me, huh?”

“Fuck, Nat,” you mumble into her skin.

“Yeah you are,” she replies with a shit eating grin, your head tilting back until it roughly meets the back of the wall as her hand goes up your skirt. 

You’d been meticulous prior to coming over, thinking on whatever lone star trailing in the sky that you’d be seducing Carol tonight; you’d purposefully worn your skimpiest pair of underwear just to show her what she could have if she was with you. It’s only when you see the look on Natasha’s face, the way her pupils dilate and her jaw slackens the slightest bit as her fingers skim in between the folds of your thigh and vulva and feels lace that you feel something resembling satisfaction. “You came ready for a distraction, princess,” she grumbles, moving your underwear to the side and swiping her fingers through what is now sheer want dripping from you. “Fuck, you’re wet.”

“N... Nat,” you whine, squirming around in the pursuit of pressure. “Touch me.”

She places the tip of her finger at your entrance, just barely teasing it in. “Ask nicely, honey.”

The words spill from your lips without thought. “Please, Nat, please touch me, fuck m—” She cuts you off as she slips her finger inside of you and you all but rocket up the side of the wall at the feeling. Her free hand, still underneath your shirt, wrestles out from beneath the fabric and is slapped over your mouth to muffle whatever noise you make.

“Thought I told you to be quiet,” she says between her gritted teeth. “Here.” She presses her index and middle fingers against your lips and you acquiesce, opening them wide enough to allow them to slip in. “Suck.”

You do as you’re told, happy to oblige as she begins to finger you. There’s nothing soft or sweet about the way she fucks you; she adds another finger and finds a steady rhythm, curling each time she’s knuckle deep inside of you just so she can be rewarded with you humming around the fingers in your mouth. It amuses her to some extent, the way her eyes have darkened and her mouth is slightly agape. She knows exactly what she’s doing, and considering how tight you are wound, you’re not going to last long.

"Clench around me, pretty girl,” she hisses amongst the other litany of dirty things she’s whispering in your ear. “Such a sweet pussy, does whatever I ask it to; what if I want this pussy all to myself? You gonna let me have it?”

You nod, Natasha withdrawing her fingers from your mouth before she hauls you in for the filthiest kiss of your life. “Fuck,” you whimper against her lips. “Yours, Nat, your pussy.”

“Yeah, I know. This is my pussy now, all tight and hot and wet and desperate just for me. This was what you needed, wasn’t it? Needed me to fuck you silly until you forget how to put one foot in front of the other.”

“Please, Nat, gonna...” 

“What?” she teases, her thumb flicking across your clit and you know that she’s doomed you, mind and body barreling down a track that there is no return from. “What, baby? Use your words.”

“Gonna come,” you manage to get out, and she fucking laughs.

“‘S right,” she agrees. “Gonna make this little pussy come all over my fingers, since I’m the only one who can. That right?” You nod; her fingers tighten in your hair and pull your head back so your neck is exposed for her. “C’mon, baby, wanna see you make a mess on my hand. Come for me like a good little slut. You know you want to.” You do, you do, and everything is bordering on the edge of too much the way Natasha is sucking your neck and rubbing tight circles on your clit. “Show me who’s pussy this is. Come.”

Another few thrusts and flicks of your clit and you are gone, Natasha bringing her mouth back to yours to swallow the keens and cries of you hitting your climax. The brick wall underneath you scratches at your shirt but it is a heavenly feeling, losing control underneath Natasha. She just smiles when she pulls away and you slump into her, perfectly sated. 

“That was hot,” she says with a wicked grin, pulling her fingers out of you. She doesn’t break eye contact as she brings them up to her lips, sucking your taste off of them. Her eyes alight with pleasure, a contented hum reverberating from her vocal cords. “Thanks, pretty girl.”

Beat that, Danvers.

[cocofr0sche]

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕔 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕥

James x fem!reader

(Sum- You’re friend drug you out the house since you’d been stuck home for an art project. She brings you to a concert of her favorite band, until there’s a smoke break leads you to something else.)

The 6’2 curly haired brunette stood outside waiting on his band's concert to start. His eyes closed as he felt the cold breeze on his sweaty skin. James opened his eyes after a while as he recognised a sound, the sound of shoes squeaking as someone walked. He looked at the provenance of the noise and was met by you, who freshly got out of building where they’re holding their concert.

You pull out your cigarette that you’d been craving since the beginning the last band. You flick your lighter repeatedly.

“Damnit c’mon.”

James' eyes widened as he spotted the red and yellow lighter in your hand. While he watched you carefully, he noticed you trying to light a cigarette. To take a break from all this attention, James grabbed you by the hand to pull you on the side away from the flow of people.

As you look at him you finally find the words of appreciation that apparently didn’t want to leave your mouth.

“Oh, thanks.” You chuckle out.

"You're welcome. And uh.." His eyes wandered to the lighter. "Could I borrow that thing? Just for a few seconds?"

Handing the lighter without a second thought you take in his features. Tall, curly brown hair, gold rimmed glasses and hazelnut eyes. He was a looker for sure, but you couldn’t put your finger on *why* he looked so familiar.

James' long fingers cradled the lighter in his hand before he lit-up his own cigarette. "Thanks again." He said, then looked at you, this time more intently "And I still don't know your name..."

Zoning back in after your fingers made contact with his you looked back up at him.

“Oh, It’s y/n.”

James gets this look in his eyes before saying, "Y/n." James repeated the name as if it sounded like music to his ears. The tall boy stared at her for a good bit, his eyes were deep and sharp as he scanned her whole face and body.

"It suits you."

For some reason that sends a shiver down your spine. James finally breaks the stare, as if he had just woken from a trance. With a smirk, he looked at the sky and then back at her. "Anyways" He said, "What's a pretty girl, such as yourself, doing outside in the cold? You have got to be freezing."

Holding up a pack of Newport 100s you say, “Needed a smoke break while I wait for the ‘Mauraders’ to come out. My friend wanted me to hear their music, so.” The cigarette hangs lazily from your lips, which doesn’t go unnoticed by James.

"Your friend must be pretty damn important to make you stand outside in this cold night. Or maybe its me?" James' grin was teasing. James flicked the ashes off his cigarette.

You let out what James can only describe as a heavenly laugh.

“Why would I be out here for you?”

James' face shifted to a smug smile, raising his eyebrows he looked at her. “I dunno" He said, his expression now turned flirty “Maybe it's to catch a pretty girl's attention. To get her warm for the night."

*that makes me smile but before I can respond my friend, Andrea, comes outside*

“Girl come on they’re about-…oh. My. God.” Andrea looks at me, her green blue eyes bigger than the earth as she looks between me and James. “Y/n, do you know who you’re talking to right now?!” I look at her confused then look at him.

James had his eyes locked on Y/n’s. He was enjoying the moment but his attention was quickly grabbed back by the woman coming out of the concert building. His eyes widen as he noticed your friend. You look between James and your ecstatic friend.

“Should I?”

James smirks. "It seems she doesn’t." James said trying to sound as flirty as he could with his voice and his body language.

In a quick movement Andrea runs up to me and whisper shouts, “That’s James potter! The lead singer of the ‘Mauraders’!” You look at her with a raised brow then at James. A simple “Oh.” Escapes your lips which earns you a soft hit to the arm by Andrea.

Meanwhile James' chest puffed up when he heard that he is the lead singer of the 'Mauraders'. The tall boy smirked before taking another smoke. He lets out a deep chuckle. "Yeah, that's me. But please, let’s forget about that for now. You can learn me a lot more about me later." He said, putting his hand on your lower back just above your hip line, his voice laced with sensualism.

In return of his gesture you give him a little head tilt, reminding him of an intrigued puppy. *gives him a little head tilt* such a charmer. *in the background Andrea can be heard freaking out in the background, but once again we’re interrupted. This time by the main guitarist, and his best friend, Sirius Black.

“Dude we starts in five.”

Andrea, on the verge of passing out, manages to squeal out “Oh my god it’s Sirius.” Which earns her a charming wink from the tatted ravenette.

The main guitarist being Sirius was a bit unexpected since James thought he had more time. *”She made me lose track of time”* he thought. A mischievous grin appeared on James' lips. He took one long drag and blew the smoke to the sky. His eyes met your eyes and he smirked again, this time a bit more flirtatious than before. "Looks like I won't have time to steal you for the night." James said in a deep voice, while he looked at you lustily.

Noticing the look on his face makes you smirk. “There’s always after.” You reply with a seductive, yet calm, voice.

James chuckled before he took another drag from his cigarette. At your words, a grin spread across his face. James' eyes roamed all your body, from your feet to your head. “There sure is after." He said with a tone that made him sound more like a predator than a musician.

At that Sirius clears his throat drawing everyone’s attention to him. Hearing his friends voice, James turns his body and stares at him. “What is it?" He asked, while turning off the lighter and putting it back in his pocket.

Sirius with a slightly annoyed tone says, “We’ve got to get on stage. Have your fling after the fact.”

James rolled his eyes before turning back to you. His body language still remained full of charm and sensuality. “I guess I'll have to wait after all." He said as he took one final drag from his cigarette.

As you flick the bud of my cigarette away you look up at him with an alluring expression.

“I guess so.” You say, as give him a beautiful smile that could light up a room. “See you on stage.”

James watched the bud of the lit cigarette as it hit the floor. His eyes met your eyes again with an intense stare. His eyes had the same effect he had on his fans. "I guess so" He repeated before he took one step forward to get as close to you as possible without touching. "I'll be sure to watch you closely while I play." He said, his breath was hot and his voice was still laced with sensuality.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Another mischievous grin spread across James' face as he saw your body language and heard your reply. His eyes roamed all over your body one last time, drinking in your curves. "I'll make sure to give you a good one." He said, making sure to let you know that the last sentence had more than one meaning.

In response you bite your lip and back up to the empty spot beside Andrea, not knowing what else to say or do.

As you backed away from him, his eyes remained locked on yours. James did not want to let you go just yet. Instead of letting his eyes linger, he reached behind you with one hand and put it on your waist. The other hand took his jacket by the collar and pulled you closer to him. He then whispered, the sensual tone of his voice sending shivers down your spine. "I'll make sure you won't forget about it."

This causes Sirius to groan at the sound of his guitarist's groan, James pulls his hand back off from your waist. You could feel a slight shiver running across your back when James released his grip. He chuckled slightly and turned around to look at his band mate. “What now?” He said.

Sirius taps the nonexistent watch on his wrist, his way of telling James to hurry up.

James smirked and rolled his eyes. The charismatic boy put out his cigarette butt before putting his jacket back on his shoulders. “Alright, alright." Before James can start walking, Sirius takes James by his arm and drags him inside to get ready for their concert.

As they disappear back inside you turn to see Andrea staring at you with wide eyes of disbelief.

“What?”

As you look back at your friend her eyes were wide open. The wide eyed look on her face confirmed the shock from her hearing the whole exchange between you and the lead singer of the band. With a shocked look, the girl started screaming a bunch of words. “What the hell was that?!"

You look at her confused. “It was a conversation. Something that happens when two or more people exchange words.” Not appreciating the sarcasm she smacks your shoulder.

“He was flirting with you!”

This cause you to laugh. “Dre, calm down we were obviously flirting with eachother.”

A loud gasp came from your friend who was now holding her mouth. Her hands trembled with excitement as she looked back and forth between you and the closed door where James and his band mates disappeared. Her whole body was in shock. “What’re you gonna do, you two were flirting with each other! He's famous as hell. He must get with tons of chicks."

At the thought of that nothing came to mind for a response. “Mm.” Now over the conversation you put your cigarette cart in your pocket officially over the freezing weather.

“Let’s go back inside. We’ve got a band to watch.”

Your friend's eyes widened, she still seemed to be in disbelief as to what had happened and what you just said. "Are you out of your mind?" She said, pointing a finger at you. "If he asked you out somewhere... Would you really go out with him?"

“I don’t know probably.” You shrug off the answer genuinely not knowing if you would or not. *”It wouldn’t hurt to play his little game.”* you thought as the two of you made your way inside the large building.

Your friend's jaw was wide open as she followed behind you and remained speechless. She was still in disbelief about your answer. With a stunned look, she stayed behind you and did not ask any other questions. When you both got back inside, James was nowhere in sight. Your friend looked around to try and find him. She could not believe that she had just lost sight of the famous James Potter.

“Dre, let’s go before someone takes our *front row* seats.”

Your friend remained stunned for a few seconds before finally snapping out of it. Hearing you call her by her name she snapped back to reality. Her body language went from stunned to normal. Her eyes stopped looking for the celebrity and she focused her attention at you. "Right...Let's go!" She hurried behind you, trying to quickly follow you to your seats.

As you settled in your seat you got a sudden surge of excitement. *”Maybe leaving the house wasn’t such a bad idea after all”*.

The crowd cheered and clapped when the band got on stage bringing you back to reality. Sirius started their first note and the sound echoed throughout the room. The drums, Remus and the bass, Peter, quickly added itself to the melody. James went to the front of the stage and began singing the first song. His charisma and his sensual voice were on full display. The tall musicians eyes scanned the crowd for you.

James' eyes locked onto you in the front row. You could feel that his flirty glances are directed at you only. His voice and his eyes were the definition of sensuality. The tall brunette stared at you, trying to make sure you did not take your eyes off him, trying to be sure that you would understand the meaning behind each word he sang.

The look in his eyes would’ve made any other girl hop right on that stage and make out with him then and there, but surprisingly you were calm. Which intrigued him greatly.

That's exactly what James wanted. He enjoyed the teasing and the subtle flirting that the two of you were doing right now. His eyes looked more hungry and the sensuality in his voice was a notch up now. He wanted to see you jump on stage, just to have you for himself. He wanted to see you get lost in his charms and surrender fully to him.

Although, that wasn’t happening anytime soon. Your eyes peered into his with a challenging look, as if asking ‘who’s gonna break first?’

A smirk crossed his lips when he noticed the sassy challenging look in your eyes. The sensuality and hunger increased in his voice. Each look you gave him made him want you more and more. He wanted to see you break first and he had in mind what he would do once you did break.

James finished the song and the whole crowd erupted in cheers and applause. The boy's deep voice was filled with sensuality and charisma. He then gave you a cheeky grin as you clapped. His eyes continued to scan the crowd to make sure he had everyone's attention, but they seemed to be glued to you.

The longer he stared the more daring you became. You gave him a seductive look with an innocent smile. *”I’m gonna make him beg.”* you thought as you maintained eye contact.

James noticed your smile and was surprised by how innocent and alluring it was. All this time he believed he was manipulating you with his charm and sensuality, in fact you were doing the same thing to him.

His whole body's response was a shiver, as you sent him an innocent smile. He could not believe how beautiful you were and to this point, he could not believe how you did not break first. The lead singer decided to end the little staring game for now and continued singing the second song.

Finally the band was on their last song. Sirius, and Remus have caught on to the little game James has been playing with me, and Andrea’s caught on to the game I’m playing with James. The three friends have no idea what’s going to happen after the concert. Little did they know they’re in for something extravagant.

Once the band finished their last song the crowd erupted into loud applause and cheers. Everyone was whistling, screaming and shouting to the bands name, "the Mauraders".

James’ voice was still as sensuous as ever, and the way he spoke into the microphone made him sound like a smooth flirt. However, instead of looking at the crowd he was fully focused on you. Once the song ended, the lead singer raised up a mic to his lips and waited.

Once again James' eyes locked onto yours. His gaze was filled with confidence and sensuality. His voice was just as sensuous and his grin was charming. Everything about him was a flirt. James then spoke in his sexy voice that was filled with sensuality. "A pretty girl caught my eye tonight. I saw her the second I got on stage. She has been looking at me and following my every move ever since. She is now in the front row so I figured she wants me to speak just to her."

Andrea’s eyes widen like before as she looked at you, jumping and giggling in excitement. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh. My. God!”

You were shocked, not expecting him to call you out. However that shock quickly became amusement, which led to you blowing him a kiss. A strike of courage you didn’t think you’d get infront of so many people.

Blowing him a kiss sent the tall boy's senses to overdrive. The lead singer could not believe what just happened. His eyes widened and his breath was taken away. He did not know what made you do that. All this time he thought you were in a staring contest with him. The whole time he was flirting with you and sending you suggestive glances.

It was clear that he was teasing you, but it was nothing compared to the bold move you just made. With the sound of the applause slowly dying down, his lips curled into another smirk.

Your friend was stunned and surprised at your bold move. She could not believe that you had the guts to do that, specially since the lead singer was so famous and had so much attention on him. Andrea shook her head and made a hand motion that made her eyebrows raise and her eyes widen. She did not want to believe what you just did.

James was still in shock too. The lead singer's eyes were still locked with yours. You could tell from his stares and his smirk that he was impressed by you.

*Andrea was still looking at you like she has no idea what got into you. All this time she used to tease you about how you had no guts to go talk to guys, so y he last thing she expected was you, to blow him a kiss. She was looking at her friend with a shocked look, almost as if she saw a ghost.

James watched the whole scene with amusement now. You could feel his eyes studying you from head to toe. The lead singers smirk was now a sexy grin.

She could not believe that you'd be bold with someone like the lead singer of the band. Still she shook her head and responded to you with a voice filled with excitement.* "I cannot believe you just did that. You don't know how crazy that was."

You shrug as you fiddle with your cigarette box in your pocket. “You heard him, we’ve been flirting since I went out for that smoke break.”

Your friend stayed silent for a few seconds before she finally replied.

"That's besides the point. He is one of the biggest rock star in the industry. He's got thousands of fans screaming his name every single night, thousands of women thirsting after him. What made you think that you two are even on the same level. You made a bold move to someone that is way out of your league."

You look at her with a proud expression. “He may be out of my league, but I’ve hit a home run.”

*Andrea could not believe what her friend was telling her right now. How can this girl be so bold with a man as famous as the lead singer of the Mauraders. She was still taken aback by the fact that you two were flirting and by the way you flirted with him too. She replied once more to you, and her tone was still filled with disbelief.* "Are you really going to try and get with him? Seriously?"

All you did was smile as you looked at her, then him, then back to her with a mischievous grin.

“We can’t leave yet.”

Andrea sighed slightly and looked back at the crowd. Everyone was leaving the hall. The staff was cleaning up all the trash and taking the used equipment out. She could now only see the lead singer waiting alone on stage, as all the members of the Mauraders had disappeared.

Her look at you was filled with disbelief as she spoke again. "You know he'll probably use you for an easy hook up. Do you really plan to stay here and try to get with him?"

You start walking then turn to look at her as you’re now walking backwards. “Even if I’m not, he still has my lighter.” After stating that your lips curl into a smirk.

*That made your friend burst in laughter. She had just realized that you went and blew him a kiss only because you're trying to get his lighter back. There was no other way to put it. You were playing a bold and dangerous game. "Are you really going to stay only for a lighter?" She asked you, her voice still filled with disbelief and amusement.

“What can I say, it’s my favorite lighter.”

As you ascend up the stairs of the stage you blow her a kiss. A friendly ‘fuck you’ in any case.

Your friend is speechless. She could not believe she was seeing this right now. You walked over to the stairs that led inside the stage and even blew her a kiss. Andrea had lost all her words. Her mouth was wide open, but in a way her eyes were shining like stars. She could clearly see that you were starting to feel the heat between you and the famous lead singer of the band. Her eyes followed you as you walked up stairs. She looked away when you looked back.

As you make on stage you see James in all his, tall, sweaty, tattooed glory. “Mr. Lead singer. Calling me out infront of thousands of people was bold.” You state with a hint of amusement. There’s a slight bounce in your walk as you get closer to him.

James looked at you with his most charming smirk. The tall boy could not even believe how you still did not break first. He was fully aware that he was playing a bold flirtation game with you. However, he was surprised by how daring you are.

The way he saw it was : you were flirting with him like there was no tomorrow. You were looking at him like he was the only person in the world. James laughed slightly before responding. "It was bold. But your move was even more bolder."

That brings a smile to your face as look down then back up at him with what James would describe as the “cutest smile known to human kind”.

“Well, I couldn’t let you show me up could I?”

He let out a surprised laugh. Your respond surprised him in a way that he did not expect. It made James realize how competitive you are. You were a woman after his heart. James replied to you with a smirk of his own. His charming smirk never faltered. "I see you are a tough competitor." James said to you.

“It tends to happen when you grow up with boys.”

A sudden thought popped into his mind. He had to try and find a way to get the upper hand on you. You were playing a bold game with him and he was slowly falling into it. James was enjoying it, that's for sure. The boy raised an eyebrow at you as he smiled. With a flirtatious tone he spoke. "So you grew up with boys, huh. Then, I bet, when you were a kid, you must have played a lot of sports."

You took a daring step closer. “Enough to get me by.”

You were walking closer to him and the lead singer's eyes followed you. The tall brunette was enjoying every single second of this. He had no idea that you were such a bold woman, yet he was loving it. He started thinking about some way to make you break first. James smirked as he replied to you. "And what kind of sport? Soccer maybe?"

“Volleyball.”

It was exactly the answer James wanted to hear. He could not believe that he was so close to winning this flirtatious game against you. The lead singer looked at your body and he noticed how the curves on your body were very feminine. With a smirk and a flirtatious tone he said this. "Volleyball? I bet you were one hell of a hitter! You know, with a body like that, I am sure you made a lot of guys jealous."

You let out a soft laugh. “D’you play any sports.”

James smirked again as he heard you talk. At this point, the two of you were very close, and the tension could be felt in the air. Your body was only inches away from him. The boy's eyes looked you from head to toe as he answered you. "I only play one sport now a days. Guitar." He said, his tone becoming more and more flirty as you two got close.

Another soft laugh. “That’s not a sport love.”

James laughed as you called him love. His gaze lowered from your face to your body. His eyes wandered onto the curves in your hips and down to your legs as his voice said with a flirtatious tone

"You're right. It's an art, a form of self expression. However, I cannot deny that playing the guitar can be very tough. There are many techniques and chords that I must learn, and I must learn to play my guitar with my fingers. That's where you come in, I am sure your fingers could come in handy."

You look up at him with doe eyes. “I’m an artists so my fingers are in fact *very* skilled.”

*James smirked at you as you spoke. The boy took this opportunity to get even closer to you. Your faces were only a few inches apart now, and he could not help but stare directly into your eyes. Your voice was filled with confidence and that made him more interested in you. The tall wizard spoke with a sensuous voice and with a flirtatious smile.* "An artist? You know, I find that very compelling. You're a very unique and interesting woman, my dear."

“My dear” played on repeat in your head as you look up at the lead singer of ‘The Marauders’. “Oh, how so?”

*James raised his eyebrows* "Well for one, you already are able and confident to play a bold game with me, a celebrity..." *He said giving you a playful look. The tall dark haired boy kept talking, a smirk now appearing on his face as he teased you. "I am sure men are drooling over you everytime they see you. You don’t even flinch when I flirt with you." The famous singer added.

A small dry laugh escapes you. “Would you believe me if I said guys don’t spare me a second glance?”

James laughed, not believing a single word of what you just told him. You were so pretty and elegant, and you had a very feminine curve to you that was not something a boy could miss. The tall singer raised an eyebrow at you once more as he kept talking. "You can't be serious. I do not believe a single word of what you just said."

It’s true. I’m a nerd that reads and does art in her free time and for work. I have *one* friend that drags me places like here otherwise I don’t leave the house. Your lips curl into a smirk. “Most guys don’t even know I exist.”

Your story was very interesting to James. The way you described yourself as a nerd that stays in the house most of the time, a girl who does art, a girl whose hobbies are different. James' eyes were now roaming all over you. His smirk never faltered, even as he looked at you in a flirtatious way. His eyes would occasionally glance at your lips and your body. “You know, I find that very interesting. I love a woman who I could call unique, different, and a nerd."

“Yea?” You ask giving him the slightest held tilt.

Once again your head tilt caught James off guard. It only made him more intrigued and interested. The boy's eyes started going back to roaming over your body once again. That made him start speaking with more of a flirtatious tone this time.

"I don’t know what it is about you, but I’m sure you are a very mysterious girl. I just can't take my eyes off of you and just the way you carry yourself says a million words. I bet you're just as mysterious as you're lovely."

James did not waste any more time. His eyes stayed locked on you as a big grin spread on his face. His flirtatious voice started making a comeback. He could not believe how close to your face he was at the moment. The lead singer looked you in the eye with his very seductive tone and smirk. "Now that I have finally met you up close, I can see it in your eyes. This beautiful and mysterious aura makes you more interesting and attractive. You're just one big mystery to a man like me. And you know, I think I'd like to uncover that mystery."

Taking a step forward you gently, you place your hand on his abdomen. You can feel his tone body against your fingers through his damp shirt. “What kind of mystery am I, Mr. Lead singer?”

James smirked again as he heard you speaking. Your body was now close to his, and he could feel your breath against his skin. The lead singer took a few seconds to answer this time. The boy took a step closer to you as well, his eyes now going back to roam over your body again. Your curves were definitely something not to pass up, and this made him very interested. His charm was at its peak and he spoke like the typical flirtatious boy he was. "You're the kind of mystery that's hiding something special under the surface. I would love to unravel you and learn more about you..."

“Hm, unravel me?”

James was not letting you take charge of the flirtatious conversation. He wanted to be the one who took the lead and not let you have the upper hand. The boy looked at you with his confident and charming eyes as he spoke. "That's right. I would love to unravel every single thing about you. Your mysterious aura makes me wonder what's hidden beneath that pretty face of yours. Maybe you're hiding some dirty little secret under that elegant nature of yours."

Once again a smirk plays its way onto your face. “Speaking of secrets, there’s a secret surprise on the lighter you borrowed from me.”

The bold and flirty lead singer was starting to feel intrigued. Your bold replies took him by surprise and made him more interested. He raised an eyebrow at you once more as his eyes stayed on your body. The way he was watching you was like a hawk eyeing its prey. Finally James replied to your last statement. "And what is this... surprise on your lighter?"

“My number.”

The lead singer froze when he heard that. You were serious? You were actually making a bold move? James' smirk disappeared for a split second and he was replaced by a very shocked boy with his heart beating like mad. "Is that so? Are you sure you want to give me your number? Because once I have it, I will probably won't be so easy to get rid of. And I might even end up calling you whenever I feel like it."

“I’m always free.” You start walking backwards. “Oh and consider me hooked Mr. Lead singer.” While walking backwards you give him a lazy two finger salute before walking off the stage and back to Andrea who is beyond shocked and excited.

James is still staring at you as you make your way back to your friend, Andrea. The lead singer was left speechless and without words. You were bold, confident, competitive and so mysterious. All those qualities had made James want you even more. He could not deny that he was starting to feel very interested in you. The boy then took a deep breath and turned around and headed back to his bandmates whispering to himself.

“She’s going to be the death of me.”

[ottpopfic]

It's not the first time Nico has had to turn their ass back around the way they came because they fucked some underworld something in what di Angelo has dubbed their ‘Gay Chicken On Steroids Quest’. He's equally pissed at both Leo and Jason every time, so Leo tries to take some solace in that

Like, hooray Leo we‘re glad you're back, go back from whence you came we gotta go close the hole you crawled out of or whatever

---

The last death

-

Leo is alive, again, for like the sixth time 

Something something Jason went off to gather parts of all the plants people have been turned into to make a sacrifice? Dr. Frankenbonsi a Leo? He's not sure, all he knows is he got spat out of Thalia’s tree and it was both gross and hella painful. Not the worst resurrection so far, but definitely the one with the most tree sap

Also, Nico’s pissed again that they fucked around too much. Whatever Jason did with his spooky tree thing has apparently made a weak spot for underworld magic and now they have to go close it 

It's not the first time Nico has had to turn their ass back around the way they came because they fucked some underworld something in what di Angelo has dubbed their ‘Gay Chicken On Steroids Quest’. He's equally pissed at both Leo and Jason every time, so Leo tries to take some solace in that

Like, hooray Leo we‘re glad you're back, go back from whence you came we gotta go close the hole you crawled out of or whatever

The issue this time isn't how Leo came back, but the fucking cultist that have taken over the spot Jason did his Zuse wood magic thing

They end up in Newport State Park near the tippy-top point of Wisconsin’s peninsula, in a clearing in a grove of Oak and Linden trees. The place has to be hidden by the mist, Leo has checked the satellite imaging on Google Maps multiple times as they trek through the trees and underbrush to see nothing out of the ordinary, or even a landmark. There's some kind of temple off up a hill with way too many Canadian Geese guarding it, but that's not what they're after 

What they are after is the lowlands under the temple where the earth was carved away by an ancient flood. The trees never grew back there, leaving room for the milkweed, cardinal flowers, and forget-me-nots to flourish under the sun. It would be a lovely sight, if the flowers hadn't been trampled by the cultists

Fucking cultists, they're digging a hole

“What's with the hole?” Piper asks. The three of them are up in the brush at the top of the hill across from the temple, watching the robed dudes down below and desperately avoiding the geese. 

“Fuck if I know” Nico monotones

“Dude, you're the whole reason we're here,” Leo gapes “How do you not know what's up with the hole?”

“Just because I know that cultists are fucking around doesn't mean I know the method to their madness” Nico grouches 

“Oh no wait I think they're planting that guy,” Piper identifies “Or burying him alive? Whatever there's a dude going in the hole”

“Yeah, looks like it's time to step in,” Nico tosses the binoculars back at Leo to stash in his tool belt and draws his spooky-ass sword “Whatever you do don't bother the geese, I think they are only here for the temple”

“There is no way in hell I'm fucking with a goose,” Leo relents, tucking everything away “Have you ever been one on one with a goose, because I have”

“Oh yeah same,” Nico shudders “I got chased by like four of them when I was homeless in Central Park”

“Fucking vicious right!?” 

“Yeah, if I didn't know better I'd say they were hell spawn”

“Is there a plan?” Piper cuts in before they start down what she calls ‘sad homeless orphan lamentations’

“Keep the cult from burying anyone, don't die,” Nico tells them “I can close the weak point once we clear them out”

“Fantastic,” Piper says 

They end up splitting up slightly, being outnumbered puts a damper on charging in even if it looks mostly like mortals below. Nico poofs off one way whereas Leo and Piper sneak off the other, it works for about eight seconds before they are spotted in the wildflowers 

“You there!” cries one of the cultists pointing “Show yourself!“

“What is he a fucking Monty Python character” Piper grumps

“Hello!” Leo improvises, standing abruptly “Hello fellow cult members, I have come to uh, help you with the cult stuff” Leo can see Nico facepalm in a patch of swamp lupine on the other side of the hill

“Yep sure do love digging holes and putting people in them, uh” Leo is apparently now the distraction because Piper is lining up her blow dart as his hip and Nico is creeping in from the back “Sure am excited using a whole ass man as a seed, that's definitely gonna appease our god!”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” cuts in one of the cult guys in the back, Piper blow darts him two seconds later

Things go fast from there. There are six above-ground cult members and one fancy one in the hole, Nico quickly takes out the one next to Mr. Blow Dart In The Neck. Leo pulls a handsaw and a ball peen hammer out of his belt, whipping the hammer at the closest robed figure and following a knife-wielding Piper into the fray 

It's the classic chaos of a close combat fight; dodge, duck, swipe at a weak spot, and don't hit your friends. They're holding their own pretty well for being outnumbered in a goose poop-filled muddy clearing. But it's when Leo turns to throw another hammer at the man starting to overpower Piper that he hears a new voice enter the equation

“Leo!”

And there he is, it's Jason. 

He's alive, walking talking breathing moving of his own accord. Or he would be, if the knife that was meant for Leo wasn't sticking out of his back

Leo hasn't seen him in three years . 

“Jason?”

They lock eyes for a second, blue to brown, and then Jason gives one hard bloody cough. Leo can see the tip of the knife just piercing through his shirt, the smallest hit of silver surrounded by spreading red

“ Jason !”

The Hole Cultist pulls his blade up first, making a sick crunching and ripping noise accompanied by Jason’s cut-off scream, before wrenching it back out and kicking the blond away. Jason falls hard, and he stays down, the robed man turning back to his original target of Leo with a sneer. There is a lot of blood, like the knife went through a major artery or organs or something, pooling around where Jason lays barely moving, it makes Leo see red

He tends not to be the one fighting in the front lines, especially not with his fire. Like Leo can defend himself and others if he needs to, but he much prefers to launch wrenches at people like Ratchet from Transformers or act as a support. Fire is too hard to control in close or crowded combat, and there is too high a risk of hurting someone friendly or catching the landscape ablaze

Leo doesn't really care about that right now, his body moves on its own

Charbroiled he thinks the term is, or at least extra crispy, because for once Leo is not holding back. That tight panicked control he's had to keep on his fire his whole life whips away from him in a flash of light and heat at the cultist, a Saturn's rings of flame surrounding him and then projected at the man. Either way, there's not much left of them when he's done, half the flesh seared off the bone and all

“Jason!” Leo screams as he turns back, scrambling away from the horror show he's made of the robed figure and sliding on his hands and knees next to the blond. He gathers Jason into his arms and onto his lap, not caring for the blood and viscera that are coating them both, Jason grabs him back with shaking hands the best he can “ Jason !”

“O-oh hey,” Jason says like he's not actively bleeding out “It's good to see you”

“Jason, what the fuck” Leo cries, vision blurring with the water in his eyes “Don't do this to me!”

“It’s okay,” Jason tries to soothe him through the blood in his mouth, gore-slick hands losing their grip on Leo’s jacket and looking straight into Leo’s eyes like a promise “I'll get you on-on the n-next round, just-just wait, for me” and then he's gone, the light leaving him In one last desperate rasping breath

“No no no nonono no! ” Leo begs through his tears, shaking him in his arms like it will make Jason’s spirit come back to his body “Jason come on please! ”

It's not fair, he's right here and it's not fair . They were so close, Leo can feel how close they were to making it

He's on fire, he knows he is but he doesn't have it in him to care. It's whipping around like a storm, like a tornado, pouring off of him harder and hotter than it's ever been, the heat making Jason's body slowly cremate in his arms. All Leo can do is burn and sob, hunched over what's left of the man he's so desperate for even as other things around them catch with him

It's not fair, they were so close and it's not fair

Leo is done. He's played by the rules and bent over backwards to appease the gods and this is what they get? They were never going to let Leo have him, it's always been just a show, just another stupid myth to add to the collection. Here's a parable on what wanting what you can't have will do to you, it is storm or fire after all

Leo is over it, he's going to write his own story

He can hear Piper’s panicked voice somewhere off somewhere, but he can't find it in him to care for once. If he's going to die this time for this at least she won't be there like all the other deaths. Maybe she can be spared for once

It's hot, his fire, so hot for once it's blue. Jason’s body might be dust slipping through his hands but Leo knows without needing to look it's the same color as his eyes

So he hulls himself up. He's still burning, the ash that is Jason combining with the ash and stone that is the landscape and changing. Magma, lava, stone and glass. 

Obsidian 

Leo walks 

And the ground melts away

He walks the whole way down like that, all the way to the underworld. Nothing stops him, not the earth or spirits or monsters, nothing even tries. He creates his own tunnel like that, burning his entrance to the upside down, an Obsidian Field

He may not be falling into the planet, but it sure is close

Leo doesn't waste time when he gets to the upside down, beelining it to the queue of souls waiting to be judged, honed in on the blond like he's being reeled in by the heartstrings. He's terrified, he's breaking so many rules, but he can't care about that right now. He won't care about it. If they want to strike him down for this Leo can just step in behind Jason, he's not above cutting in line.

It doesn't take Leo long to find him, in the long procession of semi-transparent dead people Jason is surprisingly opaque. He has a hand in his grody ripped jeans pockets and staring at an outcropping of stalagmites like a crappy waiting room TV. The microsecond Leo is close enough he grabs him out of line by the hand, Jason looks surprised to see him so soon

“We are leaving ” Leo demands through his teeth

“Okay,” Jason says, and then Leo drags him back the way he came

He doesn't let go of Jason's hand the whole way up, but he doesn't look at him either, just in case.

When they get upstairs the land around them is one big sheet of black glass with the hole to the new underworld entrance smack dab in the middle. there's a spot in front of them, where the new stone is discolored and rippled like water. Where Jason died, where Leo caught fire. It’s kinda pretty in a way, glittering and reflective, but nothing looks better than turning around and Jason still being there

“Hi,” Jason says, a huge grin on his face

“Hey,” Leo breathes back, still terrified their both about to be whisked away back under

“I missed you,” Jason tells him, squeezing his hand

“ Dude ” Leo is trembling, is this really happening?

“Just, come here ”

Jason pulls him into an embrace by their joined hands, and Leo melts into it holding him back like a lifeline. 

It's probably the best hug in existence Leo thinks, even though it's one-armed and they are both hella gross. But it's Jason , and he's here. He's here and he's sticking his stupid handsome face in Leo’s hair and pulling him in so tight it makes his ribs hurt. Leo thought he had run out of tears somewhere between the Metamorphic Rocks and the Mantle, but apparently not. He's sobbing into Jason’s nasty ass shirt, and Jason lets go of his hand just to hold him tighter

“Holy shit!” Leo hears Piper shreek in the distance “Holy shit he did it! ”

There's more screaming, the sound of friends and family inbound across the still-steaming ground, but right now it's just Leo and Jason standing in the cooling obsidian 

Leo looks up at him, just to make sure it's true and Jason is here for realzies this time. He's met with blue eyes, blue like the sky above them clear of clouds, blue like the heart of the hottest flames, blue like home

“Let's go home,” Leo tells him

“Okay,” Jason replies, seconds before Piper body slams them both to the ground “Let's go home”

---

@queenjunothegreat

[velarisdusk]

i regret my birthday actions over these last 4 days (drinking until i'm juuuust on the verge of blacking out). my head is pounding, i feel sick to my stomach, i've got 2 assignments, a quiz, and a project due at midnight, and all i've had for breakfast is a newport