#there was a village or small town next to us but we lived closer to the fields

[reallyromealone]

Title: fate

Fandom: jjk

Characters: Gojo, original character for plot purposes

Fic type: story

Pairings: Gojo x reader

Warnings: male reader, reader insert, omegaverse, angst, soulmate, Gojo is a jerk, slow burn

Notes:

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There was no space for weakness amongst sorcerer's, no space for mistakes and no space to be anything less than perfect.

He had always heard of his fiance, Gojo Satoru... The god amongst sorcerer's...

Though he never met the Alpha, the high and mighty sorcerer never bothered meeting the diamond of the (lastname) clan and did everything he wanted and everyone he wanted while (name) was expected to wait.

The only reason they were fiance's is because of stupid blood work, the two having extreme compatibility and thus an engagement... The Alpha apparently became a teacher.

(Name) Always stood out with people, clothes traditional and expensive as students gawked at the Royal looking omega with two S rank sorcerer's beside him as security and a calm yet serious expression on his face, he was rarely called here... Hell he wasn't even allowed to attend due to being the fiance of Gojo, the Alpha barring it.

That always made (name) laugh, couldn't meet his omega even once and downright ignored him but controlled every aspect.

"You will be expected to marry within the next month, you're both 19 and twenty and after the wedding we expect pups within the first year" Gojo sat beside him, legs spread out and sitting casual as if he didn't make them wait an hour for him to arrive. (Name) Didn't know what to do with the Alpha beside him, (name) expected to wear scent patches at all times and a collar but Gojo had his scent out and proud, it was almost suffocating.

The concept of marrying such an asshole... (Name) Didn't want that.

He didn't want to live a life being this fuckers baby machine.

So, a week after... He left.

Took the jewelry gifted to him by people wanting his hand or favor, once people learned who he was it was like floodgates opened and (name) just kept the expensive jewelry in a box... Now they served a purpose.

That was one year ago, now 20 and across the country away from Tokyo and away from... Him.

(Name) Lived in a farm house on a coastal village, trading his traditional clothes for t-shirts and cardigans, simple trousers and sneakers, all things he never wore before living on his own. The two was nice, the Omega had more money than god with the jewels he sold and worked part time at the small hobby shop in town, the elderly alpha woman introducing him to many hobbies.

For the first time, (name) felt calm.

His shoulders never tensed anymore.

But he knew to never eat his guard down.

(Name) Didn't keep much tech, he didn't really use it back in Tokyo so it didn't appeal to him but he did keep a radio and a small tv in the corner, his boss giving him her old dvd player and (name) would borrow movies from the library, catching up on things he missed.

Currently he was watching a drama as he crocheted another blanket for his nest, humming softly to himself as rain patterned outside against his roof and the smell of his food cooking in the oven.

Knock knock knock.

(Name) Was confused as he stood up, walking to the door and carefully he cracked the door open just a sliver when he smelt it... Pine and peppermint. The smell of Gojo Satoru.

"You are a very hard person to find, surprisingly" Gojo said as he pushed the door open, the smell of distress and anxiety filling the small space as the sorcerer walked in "cute place, not what I would have expected from the (last name)s clans little gem" his voice condescending as he looked around at the little decorations and such.

"I'm not going back" (name) hissed as he stepped away whenever Gojo got closer "im not being some daycare for your pups while you go sleep around japan!" Gojo wore his eye mask though even with that he could feel the glare, the man was done with this.

"So you're going to play farm boy here? We both know you're not even remotely cut out for that" Gojo taunted and (name) glared at him "you know nothing about me! I know you never opened that stupid packet about me! I was expected to give everything to you but you couldn't even muster up talking to me! You treated me like I didn't exist!" (Name) Yelled angrily, all the years of anger and resentment boiling over "you don't get to want me now, I don't care if we are fated or whatever! You are a jackass!" (Name) Felt the air knocked out of him as he was pushed against a wall, the infinity making him feel like the other was pressing against him as he realized that gojos mask was no longer present, piercing blue eyes staring down at him.

"Do you think I was happy with the elders deciding that I was going to marry some prissy Omega? That suddenly I was expected to play house with someone I didn't know!" He growled and (name) wasn't backing down despite the pharamones and pressure "you didn't even try and get to know me! You didn't want me!"

"Well I'm here now, aren't I !"

" A little late, don't you think!"

"God you're annoying!"

"Back at you"

This was not the Omega Gojo remembered, the poised and refined Omega who poured tea and wore pretty clothes was replaced by an angry man in comfy clothes and a heated glare and an attitude "we are literally bound by fate and we can't even hold a conversation without arguing" Gojo found the situation weirdly funny as (name) looked at him with a mix of annoyance and disgust as the sound of his timer went off and (name) managed to get away to go take his food out the oven.

Gojo followed the other and looked at the food, it looked really good "you know how to cook?"

"I was literally trained to be the perfect house wife" (name) said bluntly as the sound of a stomach growling caught both of their attention and Gojo looked at the other and (name) sighed "I literally can't make you leave" he hissed as he grabbed another plate.

Dinner was tense as (name) ate, reading his book as he did so as Gojo took the time to inspect his surroundings "it's like an old persons house, do you even have a computer?"

"Don't know how to use one, don't need it" (name) said as he took a bite of his food and Gojo looked surprised at his words "you grew up with cast wealth, how do you not?" He didn't believe it at all as (name) set his book down "an Omega and an alpha live different lives, you were given more freedoms then myself... You got to attend school and make friends and I was raised to be the perfect mate and technology wasn't deemed important to know compared to the art of tea pouring" he said simply as he looked into the others eyes "I have spent this year learning everything i was deprived of, I lived in Tokyo yet I had never seen it outside my escape"

If it was tense before then it was suffocating now, Gojo never considered these things.

He never once considered the life his fiance was living, having always been told he was living the perfect life of luxury and frankly assumed he was some spoiled Omega.

"I would have shown you..." Gojo started, guilt bubbling in him, "oh? You would have spared me time? Between your whores?" (Name) Tilted his head curiously and Gojo felt a headache form "I hear everything you know? From my maids... They always told me I should be lucky that I'm fated to you" (name) looked away and continued eating, book abandoned beside him as the smell of fury radiated from the Omega, Gojo sighing as he took a bite of his food. The food was phenomenal, seasoned perfectly and not one thing not amazing about it but he didn't comment "we can sort these things out when we go home" Gojo said finally, they would get everything in order when they returned home.

"I am home, I have no intentions of going anywhere with you" (name) said stiffly as he stood with an empty plate.

"Well, tough" Gojo said tired as he followed the Omega around the small farm house, cozy and warm "you're my Omega and I'm tired of this"

"Was I your omega when you screwed across the land?" (Name) Glared at him, he didn't care who he was or what strength he possessed... He was tired of everyone making choices for him! "You can go back to whatever life you had before, say I died or something... I know that there's countless omegas dying for a chance to be your fiance"

"Well if you're not going with me, in not going anywhere" Gojo said simply as he walked to the small couch and plopped down "you're like a child" (name) glared, wasn't even like he could go out, the rain so heavy.

"I'm going to bed" (name) grumbled as he went to his bedroom, Gojo getting up to follow but (name) slammed the door in his face.

This was going to be annoying, Gojo could feel it.

Come morning, (name) wore a loose shirt and sweatpants as he made himself his morning drink and stared at his mug sleepily as Gojo watched from the livingroom curiously, the other rubbed his eyes sleepily as calm and sweet pharamones filled the space. Gojo realized that this was the first time he could smell the others pharamones and not smell distress.

He never smelt anything so wonderful.

(Name) Set a mug of tea, brewed perfectly "how did..." "We were both given packets about one another, you pretended I didn't exist remember?"

Gojo had a feeling (name) wasn't going to let go of that anytime soon.

Gojo followed (name) around all day, when the Omega walked down the path towards the village "you really live out in the middle of nowhere" Gojo commented as they walked along the tree lined path, (name) holding a few bags "you know in Tokyo, I could have food delivered to us right?" Gojo remarked and (name) just ignored him, at least the Alpha had the sense to wear sunglasses instead of his mask so he didn't look insane "there's barely a connection out here" the Alpha remarked, (name) knew what he was doing and it wasn't working.

The villagers looked confused as (name) had a towering alpha follow him, the omega shopping as if he wasn't even there "(name)!" A couple kids ran up to the Omega who looked down curiously "what is it little ones?" (Name) Asked softly as the youngest clung to his leg, a little pup with wide eyes and a sweet smile "play with us!" One of the kids said excitedly and (name) smiled "maybe later little ones, I have errands I have to do" (name) ushered the children towards the small park area, Gojo watching the scene curiously.

"So why did you come looking for me? I thought you would have been elated at my sudden leaving" (name) asked as they walked home, Gojo forcing the other to let him hold the bags "my alpha... It practically destroyed half the estate when it found out you left... Geto ripped me a new one"

"So you had an epiphany and came here acting like everything would be fine" (name) said with a sigh and Gojo shrugged "I mean yeah" "and what? Expect me to be like 'oh thank you alpha! You're so kind and didn't make me feel worthless and your actions didn't cause me verbal and emotional abuse from my family!' been going to therapy and the therapist says you suck" (name) was way snarkier than Gojo thought he would be, he liked that his omega wasn't weak "I spent a year being on my own and doing what makes me happy, I don't want you messing that up"

"What do you even do out here?" Gojo asked and (name) shrugged "I have a part time job and I'm an active member of the community, no stress of either of our families... Everything is good"

"What would it take for you to come back?" Gojo asked "money? I can make sure you have everything you need"

"I don't want money, I don't want that stuff... I'm not marrying someone who doesn't love me and I don't love in turn"

Gojo spent the night thinking about it, while his omega slept peacefully in the other room and pulled out his phone to text Geto... He wasn't sure what to do.

[gaysindistress]

Allies or Enemies - three

disclaimer: credits to original creator/poster of image/gif. found on google/Pinterest

pairings: Dragonborn!bucky x f!reader

Summary: The reality of her cruel world is more evident than ever before when her stepfather sends her to her death under the guise of diplomacy. Y/n, the expendable daughter of a scared king, must find a way to secure her own protection among the Dragonborn and she will do that by whatever means necessary.

Warnings: nothing

Word count: 3.8k

Author’s note: there are two povs here and I didn’t add who’s they were on purpose *cue evil laughter*

Ari-Hengot means ‘my leader’ in Draconic (based on the very unhelpful google search I did so if it’s wrong it’s not my fault)

series masterlist | two

taglist: @blackbirdwitch22 @alyeskathewave @learisa @screechingfangirlaf @oh-gods-its-a-dragon @globetrotter28 @mostlymarvelgirl l @salvatoreitmeanssaviour

The words spoken by the sick and ignorant spread like wildfires; drawing close to any unattended wilting blade of grass and engulfing the field in a raging blaze within minutes. What happens now is a question on the lips of every poor farmer as they watch their life’s work burn to nothing but ash and broken spirits. No amount of water and tender hope can rebuild the life that’s been destroyed in seconds. 

Much is the same with the towns where the cowardly king’s words are as revered as their holy books. 

 “Where is she?”

A woman stared off into the distance, looking through the thick trees and towards the small village where the girl lived. The man who had spoken off to her side huffs at her silence, growing impatient with her and the cold wind that sends another shiver down their spines. 

“In a small cabin towards the back of the village, the furthest side from us,” she finally answers his question as she looks back at him, her violently red eyes blinking rapidly in adjustment. 

He tries not to flinch at the unnatural glow of her eyes but fails miserably as he speaks, “Is there anyone with her?”

It’s her turn to huff, “You couldn’t have asked me that when I was looking?” “Well I never said to look away. You did that on your own accord.”

Rolling her eyes, she looks back towards the village. 

“It looks like there are two men next to the door but that’s all I can see. We need to get closer if you want me to see more.”

“Of course, I need you to see more than that.” 

The woman narrows her eyes at him and he looks between her and the cabin. 

“You have a horse or legs if you feel inclined to actually do any work,” he gestures to both items and then points towards the village, “Get to it.”

“Haha very funny,” she sarcastically laughs, yanking her horse’s reins to the side and leading it away from her male companion. 

“Wanda,” he calls after her, his horse not trailing far behind hers. 

“No, you absolute ass. You dragged me to this cold barren, disgusting, foul…”

He cuts her off, “Wanda.” “No, do not interrupt me,” her head whips toward him, her headscarf slipping down to reveal a wave of red hair as she rips into him with her words, “You dragged me here, teased me like I’m a commoner, and then demanded things from me while still expecting me to cooperate. You’re dumber than a donkey if you think that I’m going to walk or force my horse to do so in the snow just to see a few more feet than I did before. I'm not doing it. Work with what I gave you or go scout it yourself!”

When she is done and can see past her rage, all she sees is his stupid smirk and she kicks her horse, demanding to be taken far away from his smug attitude. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he mumbles under his breath and takes off after her. 

Wanda, the red eyed and haired woman, dismounts her horse the moment she reaches their base camp and passes off the reins to a lowly soldier who grumbles at the leather that falls into his lap. Marching straight through the small camp of seven tents, she pushes aside the heavy red fabric that make up the center tent and storms in without a care in the world. 

“If you ever put me with Samuel again, I will send a wind storm into your tent and rip you from your bed the moment before you finish with a woman,” Wanda sneers at me. 

I glance up at her with a ghost of a smirk before looking back at the papers and writing something on a map that is nestled on top. 

“Excuse me,” she demands as she marches to the table, “Did you hear what I said?” “I did,” I answered without looking at her and looking at his maps. 

“Are you going to say anything?”

I don’t respond as I continue to write and draw on the map, charting out our journey home. 

“Wanda, I was joking,” her riding companion and my second in command, Samuel, calls after her as he pushes into the tent, taking note of her irritated state and my unbothered one. 

“Get out,” she nearly barks at him, pointing at the entrance as her red eyes flare and a breeze sweeps in, “now.”

Samuel shakes his head at her, ignoring her as he walks over to the table and brushing past her as he does so. She physically recoils, causing her headscarf to fully fall and scoffs at the brazen touch. She looks wild with her dirty hair spilling out around her and her sanguine eyes narrowing at him.

“Ari-Hengot,” Samuel starts, “I asked her to tell me if anyone was in the house with the girl and all she gave me was two men but wasn’t able to see anyone else. Is it really so wrong of me to suggest she gets closer if that’s what she needs to be able to see more? I feel like that’s pretty reasonable.”

“You told me that I had legs and that I could walk. In the snow.” 

The two start to argue like children in front of me, causing me to drop my quail back into the inkwell and straighten myself to my full height while I clear my throat to get their attention. 

“Wanda, Samuel,” I warn, his voice low and commanding before looking at Wanda, “Can we move tonight or do we need to wait?”

“Yes, it looks like there’s only one person with her at all times. We should move tonight before they start to notice someone’s been watching them. It’s only a matter of time before they see a group of brightly colored tents close by,” Wanda snipes as she stuffs her hair back into her headscarf and pulls her thick red coat around her tighter.

I nod  in approval of her answer regardless of her sass. I’ve never cared if she lashed out on me, disrespected me the way a soldier should never do to their captain however she wasn’t really mine to wield nor could she control me. Regardless of our dynamic lieutenant and captain, We have a long standing agreement to never use their status or titles against each other. Being the daughter of a well respected human ally to the Dragonborn and a newly appointed lieutenant, Wanda was known to have a tongue that could cut like the cold winter wind and soothe the wounds when she wanted. I had learned very quickly to stay in her good graces to protect myself from her wrath and she, in turn, protected me from the crushing weight our leaders gave me. 

“That’s not what you said earlier,” Samuel argues, growing angry that I would so casually accept her appraisal of the situation without a second thought. Him and I may have known each other for several years longer, it is still Wanda that has made any headway in our mission. 

“You didn’t ask what I thought. You assumed that because I could only see to the girl that I would say no but,” she turns back to me, “we should make our move now. We only have the snow storm for a few more days and after that, we won’t have cover anymore.”

“Samuel, you may leave now.”

He makes a noise of annoyance about how Wanda’s word always outweighs his but leaves nonetheless. Both of us will soon hear how wounded his ego is but for now it’s not our concern. 

“And your visions?” I ask once I’m sure that Samuel is gone and no longer in earshot. 

Wanda flinches but shakes it off as she occupies her hands and mind with a thread on her coat, “It has to be tonight and soon or we lose hope of getting her altogether.” Getting the confirmation that I need, I round the table and come to stand before her. Placing my large hands on my arms and pulling at them, I silently ask her to look at me. 

“You’ve done well,” I mummer to her, a smile wide on my normally frozen face. 

She wrinkles her nose at my praise but accepts it nonetheless. Peeking under my arm she spots the map that I’d been working on. Fear and anger rise up in her as she looks over what lies behind us. 

The map is of our lands, stretching as far south as the Unsea and as far north as York. The tiny village that we are encamped by sits in the northernmost mountains of York, placing us deep within enemy territory. 

A dotted line marks a route back to Devora and she gasps at where the route has to cross through. 

“Are you trying to get us killed?” she almost shrieks as she pushes under my arms and points at my handiwork which does mark a path through certain death. 

“He’s been found in their capital, ” I state as I join her at the table’s edge. 

“Well then congrats to the Coward King,” she scoffs, “but what business do we have going through there?”

I look at her like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, “We’re going to get him on our way back.” “No we are not.”

“And why not?” “It’s…” she pauses, searching for a valid reason to avoid the capital city of York, Brookshire, “your personal vendetta against him is not a reason to risk all of our lives. We will be killed as soon as we are within sight of their walls. 

“I’m sure we can devise a way to get in,” I tell her while I start to cover the map, “and it is not a matter of my personal issue with their king. It is a matter of political correction.” 

“Political correction? Have you been taking lessons with Stephanos?” 

I offer her a small smirk instead of words as I rub at the spikes on my jawline, my scales reflecting the fire’s blaze at Wanda. 

“I shall ask again; are you trying to get us all killed?” 

I don’t drop my smirk but add to it with a shrug,“Isn’t that how all great military leaders die? In search of a great treasure for their people? ” 

Wanda scoffs at her captain’s undesirable need to prove that I am the best, “We are not treasures. We are people no matter what they say.”

“Ah but you Wanda are the greatest treasure that this world has to offer,” I tell her while I grip her shoulders. 

“Flattery will get you nowhere with me, you know that,” she sighs. A shiver passes through her and it’s then that I am reminded of how…fragile humans are. York is not a warm place; both in manners and climate but here in their mountain range it is far colder than anything that Wanda would’ve experienced before. Her entire body shakes when the wind brushes through the tents and pushes her way to the front when there is a fire. Some of the others have taken to giving her warm clothing or fabric they find when we pass a village. A few times she’s come to my room at night and wordlessly crawled in, hoping that she would find a pocket of warmth in the thick blankets I collect. 

Outside of the tent, I hear Sameul shouting at the others, demanding they be ready within the hour. Footsteps crunch in the snow and horses protest against the cold beneath their feet. This new country is nothing like any of our homelands and it proves to be a worthy adversary as many of us fail to conquer or even assimilate to its conditions. During our nearly year-long expedition, we’ve lost nearly half of our party and things do not look to be any better if we can’t get to her. Soon. 

“Praised be the Sfant!”

An elderly woman cries as she shuffles her dying husband out of the small cabin. A hovel really is a better term for the bare shelter that I’m being housed in held captive in. With only two rooms, one being a tiny bedroom and the other the main living quarters, I have little room to practice my ‘gifts’. Although my guards, my captors truly, have clasped thick cuffs wrists to prevent me from leaving. The first time I attempted to run, a thin red string had connected me to my guards and led them directly to me. 

I learned to ignore my desperation for freedom rather quickly afterwards. 

I try to smile at the woman and allow my body to slump when she is gone. The ache in my bones has not gone away since I woke up in that freezing tower room. Pepper, all too gleeful, explained to me that immediately following my fainting spell, the guards on Anthony’s command attacked the Dragonborn and ‘rescued’ me from the ‘bastardly demons’.  My mother had been lost in the battle but Anthony miraculously survived and managed to use her death as yet another example of Dragonborn violence towards York. It became clear with the more I was told that it wasn’t a Dragonborn sword that killed her, it had been a human one. 

I’ve grown to believe that it was Anthony’s however I have nothing but hatred and vengeance to support my claim. 

Two men, tall, pale, and unnerving, are slumped in the two chairs that were left in the cabin. The taller one, a man with cropped golden blonde hair and a beard to match, is watching her intently with light eyes that unnerve me when I meet them. The other is a dark haired man with similarly cropped hair and facial hair is picking at his fingernails with a knife. 

Jonathan, the blonde, stands and places a table in front of the door as an alarm if anyone were to attempt to break in. He tosses a piece of bread to Brock, the dark haired one who gestures towards one of the rooms with the bread as he speaks to me, “Time for bed.”

I can’t help when my eyes roll on their own at his request and instead I decide to clean the altar around me instead. Candles, herbs, and jewelry as well as a book lay around my kneeling body, artifacts from the ineffective ritual I’d just performed. The woman had begged Jonathan and Brock for days to let her husband be seen by me but the two men merely waved her off in hopes that a person with a bigger purse would come by. Finally after sitting at the doorstep day after day, I took pity on her and allowed her in before the assholes could say a thing. 

Her husband had been poisoned, the woman claimed as she wiped at his sweaty brow and held him. One look at the black veins that crawled up his neck and were threatening to overtake his face let me know enough; the man had been poisoned but there would be no way for her to heal him. I could only offer remedies to ease his pain and end his life swiftly in his sleep. Dabbing oil on his temples, lips, and behind the ears would ensure that his death would come before the woman even made it to her own hovel. 

“Y/N, now,” Brock snaps sternly, his dark eyes beginning to rage at my brazen actions. 

I quickly turn my head, the chains and strings of gems that hang from my diadem swinging as I do so, “I’ll go when I’m finished cleaning.”

His eyes flash for a moment before he stalks over to me and rips me up by my arm. He knocks over countless expensive remedies and breaks what he didn’t spill in the process but he shows no concern for it all, not that he ever did. His grip on my arm is bruising and steel- like so I can’t tear myself free. Again my jewelry and other adornments clang together in a painful symphony as I’m dragged across the room; a stark reminder that I am nothing but a living doll to these people and to Anthony. 

“You do as I say and quickly,” he grinds out through clenched teeth before slamming the door on me, leaving me in the dark and alone. 

I let out a frustrated cry as I tear the undoubtedly priceless jewelry from my body and hair. Letting it clatter to the ground, I resist the urge to break it any further by stomping it or picking it back up to throw again. I’m left in my cuffs and thick layers of robes and dresses I’m forced to wear to look the part of their saint, the Sfant of the Great Rebirth. The heavy fabric becomes suffocating and I tear them off next, shedding the black robes that were embroidered in white and gold before nearly breaking off the buttons to the outer black gown. Similar to the robe, it too is embroidered with white and gold threads but within lays the signature blue of York. A part of me is tempted to burst out of the room in my chemise and throw the foul articles of clothing into the fire but I know I would not be fast enough. The foul men outside would hear my movements before I even made them and would stop me. 

Instead, surrounded by the fineries of my captors, I crumple to the floor and cry into my hands. I cry for the people that I cannot save, the people that have died to protect me, for the people that I will inevitably fail, and for the girl that died that night. I cry for the life that I once had where I was insignificant, for the life that was stolen from me when I was bound to the Dragonborn, and for the life that I am forced to live now. I cry harder as the pendant against my sternum weeps and pulses wildly, screaming out to its other half to no avail. The pain and sadness that lives instead of its milky heart has never faded in the year since it was given to me. For an entire year I have felt my very soul being torn in a thousand directions and yearn for the one they all lead to. 

 I hear the scuffling boots of the men outside my door, no doubt muttering to themselves about how pathetic I am and I wipe at my nose with the back of my sleeve. I get to my feet and gather the reminders of my imprisonment before Jonathan opens the door. Ever the quiet and observing man, he narrows his eyes at me and then scans the room before shouldering in with Brock not far behind. It turns my stomach rotten at the idea of having to sleep in the same room as them but there is no alternative. The first week I had been with them, I tried to escape only to be met with a heaving Jonathan clad in only his pants on the other side of the window. Ever since then, he’s slept under the window and Brock slept in front of the door, leaving me with no way out. 

Brock smirks at my state, puffy eyed and barely dressed, and goes to make a filthy comment but Jonathan shoots him a stern glare and the comments stay in his mouth. I should have thanked him for his “protection” but is it really protection when he helped take my captive? 

Regardless of his part in my capture, I find myself drawn to him. He is the better looking of the two, tall and corded with muscles from years of training. When he enters a room, he has to duck to avoid hitting his head on the door frame. Since that night I had tried to escape, the sight of his broad muscular chest has not left my mind but I will it away. Instead I try to focus on the stubble of his short beard. Only a mask of stoic duty and harsh words live on his face but sometimes a small smile will take their place. I might have found myself peering at his full pink lips and then up to the pale blue eyes that hide beneath his lashes and thick brows. 

But this is not another life and now only malice lives in my heart for him. 

Jonathan jerks his head towards the small bed against the wall, silently telling me to climb into bed before Brock forces me to. Not wanting to suffer another bruising grip, I drop the items in my arms at the foot and climb in. I can feel him roll his eyes at my child-like behavior but he doesn’t say a word as he settles onto the cold floor beside me. Brock wishes us both a goodnight laced with something that makes my skin crawl as he too settles in. I quickly turn to face the wall and curl into a ball while my blood pounds in my ears. 

Sleep doesn’t find me nor does rest in any form no matter how long I lay there. It feels like hours have passed when I hear something. Beyond the fire crackling and the men’s breathing, I can barely make out the soft crunch of hoofs on snow. My breath catches in my chest as the sound gets louder and the pendant begins to grow warm, nearly vibrating in nervous excitement. I clasp my hand around it as I force my lungs to slow down and try to regain my nerves. The buzzing in my hand has to mean one thing and if I am correct, Brock and Jonathan stand no chance. 

A powerful stream of wind whips through the cabin and pins them to the ground, awakening them within seconds from the force. Instinctively I shoot up in bed and am met with the sight of a person covered head to toe in deep red cloth, leaving only their thin pale hands and unnatural red eyes to be seen. I’m so swept up in the stranger’s eyes that I fail to notice men pouring in around them. One thin pale hand removes the cloth covering her face to reveal a woman who’s beauty far outweighs any person that I've ever come across. 

A human woman stands before her. 

A human woman who commands Dragonborn Knights as if she’s one of them. 

The woman cocks her head as she looks over me on the bed and says something in Draconic to a familiar hulking Dragonborn knight beside her. Jonathan growls at their words and struggles against the red wind that keeps him pinned in place. 

With a smirk fitting for a snake, she says, “Hello Sfânt Y/N, we’ve come to take you home.”

[redwinetalks]

I Won't Let You Sink

Chapter 3

(Previous Chapter)

Word Count: 5.2k

Pairing: Finnick X Fem!OC

Warnings: slight self harm, angst, fluff , protective Finnick, Finnick is a sap, panic attack, violence/gore, death, hurt/comfort, pre-canon, young Finnick and Silk, Silk AND Finnick pov

Summary: It's the next year of the Hunger Games. Silk is a mentor now and Finnick will not let her go through this alone!!

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~ Silk ~

The old apartment mom and I lived in didn’t have many windows, but that hardly matters when you barely see the sun in the sky. If you live closer to factories, the smog is so thick that you never see the blue in the sky. Victor’s Village is at the edge of town so the air quality is better. There’s still smog, but I can see the sky. The sun doesn’t have to try as hard to come out. It shines in my face and wakes me almost instantly. I’m still getting used to the brightness and the warmth that it brings me, but it feels inviting. It feels familiar. My mouth twitches into a small smile whenever the sun wakes me up. Like a good friend has come to visit and take the darkness away. 

I feel the sun’s comfort even on the days I have to leave for the Capitol. It tells me that I’ll be back soon and I won’t lose that warmth. I will find it in Finnick O’dair. Maybe it’s because he himself is always so warm. His hands are warm when he places one on my cheek to ease my anxiety. His chest and his arms are warm when he pulls me into calming hug. His legs are warm when one brushes up again mine as we sit together. Every time I feel Finnick’s warmth I’m reminded of the sun. 

We’ve grown closer with each visit to the Capitol. We regularly find each other when one of us is needing a moment to breathe. I think we’ve developed a sense for when it happens. I think Finnick likes it when I look to him for a way out of a dull conversation. He always dramatically whisks me away, playing hero. 

Finnick is so much different than the persona he turns on for everyone else. He isn’t arrogant or self centered at all. The real Finnick always wants to focus on how I’m feeling instead of himself. He can get so worked up and always wants to help anyone in need. It took me a bit to grow fully comfortable with his care, to let him in. I’ve never had someone worry over me the way he does. 

However, Finnick never wants me to worry over him. He has this idea in his head that he’s supposed to be the caretaker. That his own troubles are irrelevant. It’s like pulling teeth, getting him to be truly vulnerable. I never push too hard as I don’t want to overstep, but I can tell he wants the comfort. It’s almost as if he feels like he doesn’t deserve it. I can only imagine all of the feelings he has shut inside. With each visit I try to open that door a bit more. 

I don’t dread my train ride to the Capitol in the same way I used to. I would panic and I could never sleep leading up to my visits. I still feel that gut wrenching anxiety, and I always will, but now I don’t have to go through it alone. I now can give myself assurance that there will be a shoulder I can lean on. There’s someone who can look at me and understand the pain that I feel. I don’t have to see myself in the mirror falling apart when someone will come help me pick up the pieces. 

This doesn’t mean that what happens at the Capitol is no longer traumatic. It is still very much so. I will never get used to the pain. The way these people look at me and don’t see a real person. They don’t see a human being that deserves life. They see someone who won their favorite show. A prize that they can play with. They can customize me in almost every way. They pick what I wear, what makeup is put on me, how my hair is done. They give me instructions on how to behave and how to give them their fantasy. They don’t see anything wrong with it and they never will. 

“Don’t get lost in there, sweetheart.” Finnick sits next to me on the couch in his room, twirling a piece of my hair. 

“How was your shower?” I turn to give him my attention. His blonde hair is still damp and a few wavy strands rest on his forehead. 

“Not scalding enough.” he jokes. “Did ya miss me? I’m sure those twenty minutes were quite boring.” 

“Nope.” I say, popping the “p”. “Barely even noticed.” 

“I’m hurt, sweetheart.” He puts his hand on his chest and gives me a sad, pouty expression. 

“So dramatic. One girl turns you down and suddenly your ego is shattered.” 

“Only when it’s you, beautiful.” He smirks at me and I can feel the warmth creeping up my face. Finnick is the only person who has ever given me this kind of warmth. It still surprises me every time, this feeling I’ve never felt before. 

“You’ll get over it.” I shrug him, and the feeling, off and then turn to look back at the night sky.  He laughs to himself and sighs. 

“Did you know I’d never seen the stars before coming to the Capitol?” I suddenly say. Finnick faces me with a look of shock. 

“What? How is that?” I smile, his surprised expression making me laugh softly. 

“I’ve seen them in pictures but, you know how I told you the water at the shore in 8 is polluted?” He nods, now giving me a more focused expression. “Well, the sky is too. The factories cause the air to be polluted as well. There’s this smog that makes the sky look all hazy. During the day I can barely tell that the sky is blue. And at night, I can’t see any stars at all. I didn’t know that they were this beautiful.” I’m still gazing at them. They’re so much brighter than I thought they’d be. Finnick turns to look at them as well.

“They are, but you’re far more beautiful.” He says this so genuinely. I look at him surprised, yet confused. I’m taken aback. It’s not like Finnick hasn’t given me a compliment before. He’s kind and charming. He knows how to make someone feel seen. But this feels different. His tone doesn’t sound flirtatious, like it usually does when he gives a compliment. It’s much sweeter, much softer. He doesn’t give me enough time to dwell on it before he continues speaking. “When I’m home in 4, I sit on the beach and watch the stars almost every night. It’s so peaceful, watching the sun go down and then seeing the moon glow so bright. The sky goes from light blue to a vibrant orange or a soothing purple. And then it turns this dark blue, almost black. The contrast of the night sky and the sparkling stars can be breathtaking. One day, when you visit me, we can stargaze together.” 

A pang of jealousy hits me. As much as I love my home, it hasn’t been able to give me these wondrous experiences. The labor that is forced upon us all in Panem affects how we get to experience life. And unfortunately, I didn’t get to grow up in district 4. I didn’t grow up in a district with clear skies. I grew up in a district where being outside for too long can make it difficult to breathe. Sometimes I feel like 8 gets punished the most because of our rebellious nature, but I know that every district struggles with their own hardships caused by the Capitol. It isn’t fair of me to compare us all. I know that I’m just feeling bitter, now more than ever. 

“I don’t think I can be too hopeful of that.” He frowns at me. I know that he’s trying to give me something positive to think about, but my mind won’t allow me to dream. “How could I dream of something so wonderful when I know it’ll never happen?” He takes my hand and squeezes tight. 

“Come with me.” He gets off the couch and leads me out of the bedroom and onto the balcony. I don’t question what he’s doing. As I get to know Finnick, I learn how he goes to any dramatic lengths to help me feel better. His heart is so big. The fact that he hasn’t lost who he is to the Capitol’s torture makes him one of the strongest people I know. 

He ushers me to sit on the ground next to him. When I do, he then lays on his back and I copy him. I look at his eyes. Even at night I swear that they sparkle. 

“Look up, pretty girl.” I smile softly at him and then do as he says. “If I can’t yet take you to gaze at the stars in 4, then I’ll take this for now.” He holds my hand and then the few tears that I have been holding in finally let go. The night sky is vast and breathtaking, just like he said. I’ve never just taken a second to look at it like this. 

“Thank you” I say in almost a whisper. 

“I will always do whatever I can to bring a smile to your face.” He says and twirls a strand of my hair again. I turn back to face him and I’m looking into those sea green eyes. I watch them as they study my face. We both stay like this for a while, still holding hands. I feel a tightness in my chest. It’s like a pull towards Finnick, but I choose to ignore it. I let the moment continue to be just this. Just us looking at each other and feeling like we are the only people in the world. I’ve never felt the way I do now, but I would like this feeling to stay forever. It feels so comforting. I feel safe here. In this little world that is just me and Finnick. 

In the middle of the mattress, Finnick’s hand still holds onto mine. This is the first time we’ve fallen asleep right next to each other. He usually sleeps on the floor, going against my protests. But tonight, we lay in the bed. The bed that I used to be so afraid of. It doesn’t feel as scary with Finnick here. He seems to make all of my troubles fade into the back of my mind. I could never thank him enough for keeping me from sinking into that dark abyss. The next time I see him I’ll be a mentor. We won’t be back at the Capitol for parties, we’ll be back for the 69th annual Hunger Games. It is utterly terrifying that I will be the one guiding tributes, but he’s told me how he won’t let me go through it alone. He will be beside me every second he can, and I hope that I can make the year less daunting for him as well. 

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The day of the reaping is finally here. The leading up to it felt somehow fast and slow at the same time. Today I get to relive the trauma of being selected by seeing two kids walk to the stage with the same gut wrenching fear that I had. I am terrified for them and terrified that I will let them down. Even if I do my job to the best of my ability, only one will come home. I will still lose one of my own. I don’t know how I’ll be able to get off the train and face everyone when I return home. 

District 8 is the sixth largest district. I know mainly just the people who’ve worked in the factories near me or live close to my home. My old home. I’m familiar with some who I see frequently in the heart of the district. Where people sell food or an assortment of clothes and items at their separate stalls. That doesn’t matter so much, though. It’s not better for someone I know or don’t know to be picked. Either way a child is going to die and a family is going to suffer. I don’t know how Cecilia pushes through. Woof, the other victor in 8, isn’t all there. She’s basically on her own. His dementia has caused him to be less and less involved. A part of me is happy for him that he is losing his memories. Maybe he’s losing the worst ones and is actually living peacefully. That’s what I would like to believe. 

I wonder how Cecilia feels today. How did she feel when she was mentoring me? How did she feel when Pinn, my district partner, died? How does it feel doing this year after year, especially now that she has children of her own. One day her children will be old enough to be reaped. I can’t even imagine the fear of having to mentor your own child. The thoughts swirling around in my head make me dizzy. 

I wince when I realize I’ve been digging my nails into my palm. I haven’t done that in a while. Finnick stops me whenever he notices and the habit has slowly started to break. However, it seems like I’m picking it back up with the additional stress. 

“Honey, are you ready?” My mom peaks through my door and looks at me with a sad smile. She holds my sweater over her arm. It’s one that she knit for me during a sleepless night. When I was away for one of my trips to the Capitol. She still doesn’t know the whole reason that I have to go. She tries to get the answer out of me every few weeks, but I never let myself reveal the truth. It’s just meaningless parties that I have to attend as a victor. I know she doesn’t believe me, but for now that’s all I can give her. 

“Just about.” I sigh, looking at myself in the mirror. I use a scarf to keep the hair out of my face for today. The green details complement the dark purple color of my dress. I wanted to wear some of my favorite colors, thinking they’d somehow make me feel more positive. But nothing about today will be positive. 

“You’re going to get through this. You are stronger than they know. You’ll have Cecilia with you. And Finnick when you get to the Capitol.” I nod and mom pulls me in for a hug. She squeezes me tight and kisses my head. “I’ll be in the crowd, but I won’t get to say goodbye before you leave. You’ll be back home in a few weeks. No matter how bad it gets just remember that this time you’re coming home.” She holds my cheek in her hand and rubs her thumb back and forth. I look at her and keep nodding. I’m coming home this time. 

Standing beside Cecilia, I watch all the kids fall in line. It’s such a weird feeling, not being part of that line. Not being part of the rows and rows of young girls. I should feel some kind of relief. I no longer have to worry about my name being called, but I still feel that worry. It’s just different. It’s now about who will be called on for me to mentor. 

Cecilia must sense the anxiety radiating off of me because she starts to rub my back. I look to her and she gives me a kind smile. She doesn’t have to say anything to me. I know that she’s telling me I’ll be okay. I’ll get through it. After all these years, Cecilia is still standing. She has a loving husband and two beautiful children. Watching her gives me a sense of hope that I could have a happy future. It’s hard to see right now, but maybe one day I’ll eventually be okay. 

I shake myself from my thoughts and see they’ve chosen a female tribute. I don’t know her, but she looks to be about 12 years old. Her first year in the reaping and she’s been picked. She’s already crying and the escort, Veridie, is smiling as wide and brightly as possible. I clench my fists. The anger I feel growing inside of me is indescribable. 

She glides over to the other bowl to pick the male tribute name. I’m trying not to start hyperventilating. I need to look as calm as possible. I’ve done this before. I didn’t allow myself to react at my own reaping. Why is it so much harder now? Because these kids are going to be looking up to me to survive. The pressure is so heavy. It feels like I’m being pushed into the ground. 

My eyes focus on Veridie as she shouts the male tribute’s name and I realize I know this tribute. We went to school together and worked in the same factory. He’s the same age as me, 18. He was so close making it. So close to being free. 

The panic is rising in my chest. I can feel tears brimming in my eyes, but I quickly blink them away. I feel horrible. I can’t do this. How the fuck am I supposed to do this?

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~ Finnick ~

The train ride to the Capitol was the same as it is every year. The air is tense as I explain the hell my tributes are about to go through. I teach them about getting sponsors and making allies while Mags tries to do some consoling. 

I wonder how Silk is doing right now. I wish I was with her right now. I wish I could try to ease her distress. I’m afraid she’ll be more closed off when I finally see her. She doesn’t want to look weak. She doesn’t want for people to be able to read her, but I know how strong she is. How she’s feeling right now doesn’t make her weak. She’s always able to hold herself together when she knows she’s being watched. That takes an enormous amount of strength. I don’t want her to feel like she has to be that strong around me. I don’t want her to close herself back up after I’ve finally helped her relax. 

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the last night I saw her. She looked so beautiful in the glow of the night sky. With her hand in mine, I felt an electricity shooting up my body. I never wanted to let her go. And when she looked at me. I could have kissed her right there. I wish I had swept her up in my arms, but I don’t know how she feels. I don’t want her to feel comfortable with me now and then ruin it all. Her hand in mine is enough. I never want to let her go. 

I still haven’t seen Silk after arriving at the Capitol. The opening ceremony will be happening soon and I’m hoping to catch her. I just need to see how she’s holding up. 

Mags keeps teasing me about how I’ve been so distracted. She continues to do so while I’m looking around the carriages. I spot Cecilia, but I’m struggling to find Silk. I stifle a laugh, thinking about how her short stature is probably the reason I don’t see her. 

I make my way to Cecilia. If I can’t find Silk I can at least ask about her. As I’m almost to the older mentor, I finally spot her. She looks even more beautiful than the last time I saw her. She’s talking to her female tribute. I see the kindness in her eyes as she tells the girl what to expect. Even though this child is a spectacle to the Capitol, Silk tries to make it sound more magical. She tells the girl how lovely she looks and that being on the carriage feels like gliding through the air. 

“Go show everyone out there how strong you are. I’ll be right here when you get back.” She rubs the girls arm and then guides her onto the carriage. When she turns back around she locks eyes with me. 

“Finnick” she says with a sweet smile. My heartbeat speeds up a little, her focus now being on me. 

“Hello, sweetheart. Want a sugar cube?” Her brow furrows and I let out a breath of a laugh. “They’re for the horses, but I think you deserve a treat just as sweet as you.” She rolls her eyes, as she usually does when I flirt with her, but then takes it. She pops it into her mouth and I can’t help but look at her lips. I bet they taste just as sweet as that sugar. I take a deep breath to try and keep my focus. A task that proves to be difficult whenever I’m around her. 

“Thank you.” She doesn’t say more than that. She has on a brave face, but I think that’s all she can give right now. 

“How are you holding up? It’s been a long day.”

“It’s been…okay” She says distantly. She’s looking just next to me, eyes lost in space. Her mind must be racing. 

“Anything going on in that beautiful head of yours that you’d want to talk about?” 

“Finnick…how do I do this?” Her eyes now stare directly into mine and I feel heavy. How do you prepare kids to go and fight to the death? There’s no real answer to that question, but she knows that. If there was an answer I would’ve told her immediately. So would Cecilia. What she’s really asking is how do you cope? How do you keep from breaking down every second? 

“You just…you have to push through this first year. It’ll still be hard next year and so on, but you learn the routine. You know what to expect and it makes it easier to process.” I rub her arm and she hums a response. I want to give her more comfort, but I don’t want to overwhelm her. We’re in too public of a space for me to fully embrace her. “You’ll be okay, though. I’m here if you need anything at all, sweet girl. I mean that.” Her lips twitch up into the softest smile. Her hand cups my cheek and I could almost melt into her touch. 

“I know, sweet Finnick.” 

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~ Silk ~

After the long days of training and interviews end, the watch party starts and I sit next to Cecilia. Her demeanor has gotten more tense throughout these past few days. I know she’s feeling drained and I wish I could be more help. She’s told me not to worry about it. She just wants me to try and get through this first year the best that I can. 

We’re in a room full of mentors from the other districts. Finnick is sitting with Mags. He’s tying and untying knots into some rope and I assume it’s to help with stress. I see Haymitch in the corner drowning himself in liquor and I wonder if I’ll have to drink like that to get through these trips in the future. I hope it doesn’t come to that, but I don’t think I’d be surprised if it does. It’ll just mean I have something in common with my father. 

The countdown is starting and I’m gripping the couch cushions. I don’t know what to expect. If I’m being honest with myself, my tributes don’t stand a good chance at winning. Both of their training scores were low. Not impressive enough to get any sponsors. It’s horrible, but I know that they’ll die. I just hope it’s quick and painless. That’s all you can really wish for. 

The games start and everything is moving so quickly. I can barely even keep track of where my tributes are. I hear the canon going off over and over. Cecilia gasps quietly and holds onto my hand. When I look to see what has happened, I feel like the air has been punched out of me. That little girl, my tribute, is dead on the ground with an axe in her head. Just a few feet away my other tribute is falling to the ground after being stabbed by a career. 

“Cecilia” I don’t know what to do. I feel like the room is spinning. “Um…I think I need to take a minute.” 

“There’s a bathroom just outside the door. Take however much time you need. I’ll go grab some water.” She rubs my arm and then helps me stand. I try to walk as calmly as I can out of the room. As soon as the doors close behind me I rush into the bathroom and start hyperventilating. There are no tears flowing, there’s only panic. Panic from me not doing enough to help them. Panic from having to watch their gruesome murders. Panic from failing them. Everything around me is spinning and I feel my stomach churning. 

“Silk? Can I come in?” That’s not Cecilia. I’m too upset to be able to focus. I don’t even answer. I just keep failing at trying to breathe. 

I whip my head at the door as it slightly opens. Finnick peaks in calmly and then shifts into extreme worry once he sees me. 

“Hey, hey it’s okay. You’re okay. Look at me.” He holds onto my arms and locks eyes with me. I shake my head at him. 

“They’re dead. They’re dead, Finnick. And I couldn’t help them.” He pulls me into a tight embrace. He has one hand on my head and the other rubbing my back. Even at the Capitol he still smells of salty air. 

“It’s not your fault, Silk. None of this is your fault.” I’m still shaking and my breathing is still rapid. I hear what he’s telling me but I can’t process it. The panic in my stomach is rising. 

“I’m gonna be sick.” I mumble and push him away. I rush over to the toilet and then I feel Finnick’s hands grab my hair out of my face. He sits next to me and continues to rub my back. “You don’t have to stay in here.” I say, breathily. 

“I’m not going anywhere, sweet girl.” I sigh deeply and then flush away the sickness. I still feel awful, but at least the anxiety attack has ceased. 

He hands me a glass of water and I gladly take it. I clean myself up at the sink and then slowly sip on the water. Finnick stays close by, hand still on my back. I feel calmer now that he is here. I feel the warmth that he brings with him. I lean my head against his chest and he kisses the top of my head. Somehow, even during this horrendous night, he still makes my heart swell. 

“Why don’t we go and look at the stars, huh?” He runs his hand through my hair and I nod, still leaning on him. He guides me out of the bathroom and upstairs to his room. 

Once inside, he grabs a blanket and wraps it around me. We walk out to the balcony and the warm air hits my face. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Finnick pulls me close to him and I feel myself letting go of some tension.

I wonder how I’d be doing right now if I never met Finnick. I wonder if my nights alone at the Capitol would start to drive me to insanity. There’s a part of me that is afraid of much he means to me. How it feels like I need him. I want to be strong enough to hold myself up, but that isn’t how people work. Pushing others away only makes things worse. I’ve always been afraid of letting people in. I usually keep to myself. The only person who truly knows me is my mother, but I think Finnick is starting to know me. Really know me. That fills me up with so much anxiety. But it’s not really the bad kind. It’s more of a feeling of want. I want Finnick to stay in my life for a long time. 

“I wish I lived amongst the stars.” I say while we both stare at the sky. “I want to be the moon and feel the sun shining on me, making the me glow.” He looks down at me while listening intently. I feel like Finnick is always shining. And his sunshine makes me glow. He casts away the darkness. “You’re the sun, Finnick. You are so bright and so beautiful.” I run my hand through his hair and then rest it on his cheek. He’s smiling and I rub my thumb over the dimple that appears. My eyes rest on his lips and I feel that pull that I felt last time we looked at the stars. This time though, I don’t want to keep the moment still. I don’t want to resist the pull. 

I raise myself up on my tiptoes and pull his face towards mine. I close my eyes and kiss him. I breathe in his sea salty lips that have a hint of sweetness from a sugar cube. One of his arms holds onto my back while the other tightly wraps around my torso, and there is nothing else in the world. It is just me and Finnick and the stars. 

Our kiss eventually breaks, but he doesn’t move his face away. His forehead stays resting on mine. 

“Silk…” he says breathlessly. His cheeks are flushed and his sea green eyes are locked onto mine. I wait for him to continue speaking, but he doesn’t. He pulls me in for another kiss. This time feels even more passionate. He holds me even tighter and my feet are just barely touching the ground. 

“For the past two years, I thought I’d never feel true happiness again. I was completely defeated.” He starts and I’m now back to standing fully on the ground. “Meeting you has felt like a dream. You bring me serenity amidst all the despair I have endured. Your glow, your incandescent light has guided me out of that pit I fell into. I can’t express how grateful I am to have you in my life.” He still has one hand around my torso, keeping me close, but now his other hand brushes through my hair and then rests just between my jaw and neck. He glides his thumb over my lips and then traces my cheek. I smile and then breathe out a light laugh. 

“Such a sweet talker.” He gives me the eye roll that I’m always giving him, but then he laughs and kisses my head. 

“I have to keep up the dramatics for you, pretty girl.” I hum happily in response. We stay like this for a minute, just holding each other. I think back to the reason we’re up here in the first place. My face falls and I squeeze Finnick a bit tighter. 

“Thank you for helping me get through all of this. Especially tonight.”

“I wasn’t going to break my promise to you. I am here for you and I always will be.” 

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Thank you so much for reading! I had some rough writer's block for this one sooo hope its okayyyy. I hope you enjoyed :) As always I am open to kind feedback. Also let me know if you’d like to be tagged for the next chapter!! <3

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[authorautumnbanks]

Stuck In Another World With A Demon Fox (Ch 6)

“Are we going to talk about it?” I ask, crossing my arms as Roharu walks ahead. The vegetation is overgrown and full of life. And the best part is there are no grabby roots trying to seal me away.

Yay for small wins.

Boo for Roharu’s refusal to discuss last night. All I did was mention he had tattoos on his cocks and he shut down. Seriously, I don’t get it. The man…er, fox demon must have known they were there before he took his pants off. Pants I did NOT ask him to take off, but he did so anyway.

Basically, this is his fault, and he’s being all pissy, as though it is my fault.

“There is nothing to discuss.”

I shake a fist at the back of his head. “You’re being poor company right now.”

“And you never shut up,” he sighs. “Does anything stand out to you?” He stops and motions to the large, thick trees with green, pink, and orange leaves. Vines run up the trucks with small blue flowers.

“It’s pretty. A lot nicer than the first forest I saw.”

Roharu rounds on me. I back up, hitting the tree. He pins me between the tree and him. His long black hair creates a curtain effect. I jut my chin up. I will not be intimidated by him. He might have me on height, strength, and other supernatural abilities, but I have heart and the stubbornness of a mule.

“What do you hear?”

“Your heartbeat?”

He closes his eyes and sighs. “No, you don’t.” His eyes open and today they are a lighter shade of purple, and yet somehow more vibrant than the flowers around us.

Roharu is too beautiful. He’s so beautiful, I just want to smack him. I hate it. No one should be that pretty.

“I hear a heartbeat,” I repeat. Maybe it’s not his heartbeat, but I hear a heartbeat and I know what one sounds like. Some things are universal.

“And where is this sound coming from?”

Is this a trick question? I already said it was his that I’m hearing. I cross my arms and raise a brow, giving him the ‘are you serious right now’ face.

He tilts his head and brushes his lips against my ear. “It’s the forest. It has a heartbeat.”

Huh?

He’s messing with me. Trees are living creatures, but they don’t have heartbeats. Even I know that. I push against his chest, but this demon is made of stone. He doesn’t budge. Doesn’t even acknowledge my poor attempt to push him away.

“This is no mere beast.” He pulls away, crosses his arms, and taps his claws on his biceps. The frustration rolls off him in waves. Roharu looks at me and then looks away. “I’m not even getting paid for this.”

“You don’t have to get paid for every good deed.” That sort of defeats the entire purpose of doing good if you have to be paid every time you help someone out. It would be nice, sure, but that village is on the struggle bus for sure. Roharu knows this, and he’s still grumping.

Roharu exhales. “You fail to realize we’ve been set up as sacrifices.”

“How? It’s not like they forced us…. are you saying this is my fault?”

“Both. The blame lies on my shoulders as well for giving in to your whims.” He runs a hand through his hair. His ears twitch, picking up sounds I cannot hear. His tail hangs low, stiff. The ends are raised slightly, like the fur on an aggressive dog. “Come here.”

Getting real tired of him bossing me around. I trudge over to him. “I still fail to see how this is a trap. She said the beast couldn’t be killed or whatever.” A trap would be if that employee told us nothing other than to take the forest to get to the next town or something. She wouldn’t mention an unslayable beast if it was a trap. “I think you’re just a hard ass and think everyone is out to get one over on the other.”

“This is no mere beast, and she manipulated your emotions.” He grumbles something under his breath. I strain to hear over the thunder overhead…wait. The sky is clear. That’s not thunder.

“So, you can make fake heads. Can those claws do anything?” I inch closer to him. Whatever is coming our way sounds angry. Its yell sounds like thunder booming.

Loud.

Vicious.

I rather take my chances with that klara-whatever thing. Roharu steps in front of me. My shoulder sag as I let out a breath of relief. As much as he complains, it doesn’t look like he wants me hurt. The beast busts into the clearing, knocking down trees and trampling the flowers.

It has the body of a spider. Long, hairy legs, with talons at the end. But its torso is that of a woman. I blink. Make that a naked woman, though the long red loose curls, hide its nipples from view. What it can’t hide is the long scar running from its stomach to its neck.

Ouch. Whatever attacked it went for the kill and obviously failed. My hand presses against my front pocket. This tiny dagger isn’t gonna do crap against that thing. Roharu has claws, but he gave me his weapon to hold on to.

We’re screwed.

“So, you’re the beast,” Roharu says nonchalantly, as though he’s going to ask the spider lady out for a meal. I need him to take this a little more seriously. “Prettier than I was expecting.”

“You do not think that thing is pretty,” I hiss.

“Jealous?” Roharu’s lip curls up. He turns his attention back to the beast. “Ignore her. She doesn’t know what true beauty looks like.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. We came out to slay the beast, not for him to flirt with it.

“Flattery will get you nowhere fox,” it remarks. “I know of your kind and your…extracurricular activities. Leave the human and I shall allow you to pass unscathed.”

Oh, that’s just lovely. Does everything want humans around here? This dagger may not do a lot of damage, but I’m not going down without a fight. There’s no way that spider thing has good intentions for me.

“You prefer humans to foxes? I’m hurt,” Roharu sighs. “Unfortunately, this human is mine, so I can’t let you have her. But you can tell me why the villagers are starving themselves for you.”

The spider tilts its head to the side and crosses its four arms. “Starving themselves? I allow them to hunt every so often. Their lack of allocating resources is on them. I have been more than generous with them.” Its tongue snakes out, curling up and scenting the air like a snake. “Clearly, I have been too lenient of them and their lack of respect.” It lunges forward, and I throw my arms out in front of me to block the attack.

I open one eye and then the other. Are those shadows? I rub at my eyes and then squint. Yep, those definitely look like shadows grabbing a hold of the spider monster. It screeches and thrashes about, trying to rip the shadows off of it. Roharu yawns with his hands in his pockets.

“You said you’ve been lenient with them, though they give you the majority share of their crops, leaving them with little food.”

The spider jerks and continues to thrash about. “And yet they still live. You, however, will be tortured for your insolence!” it roars, snapping free of the bindings. It crouches, and a web shoots out from its back.

Aw crap. It is a spider. Of course, it has webs. The ground shakes and the flowers lean to the side as if to avoid being trampled. This forest must be more alive than I thought. Something wraps around my waist, and I scream.

This is it.

This is how I die. Death by a giant spider monster. I should have shown more respect to the ones back at home. How was I supposed to know they’d get their lick back?

“Stop screeching,” Roharu says, dodging an attack. He flips his hair back and pulls out what look to be more daggers.

Wait. Why does he look so far away? I glance down. Shadows? I look over to the right. Somehow, I’m at the same height as the trees. Did Roharu do this? These shadows? I could ask him, but the spider monster is throwing more webs at him, and the one that landed on a tree is eating away at it.

Great. Acid webs. Even better. No wonder no one from the village has been able to slay this thing. How do you escape getting burned alive from freaking webs? Though Roharu seems to be dodging just fine. Not sure why he isn’t trying to attack it, though. Isn’t that like rule one in how to fight? Attack before your enemy can or something like that.

“You should fight back!” I yell, cupping my hands around my mouth like a speakerphone. “Don’t just dodge or we’ll be here all—Mph!” I claw at the shadow covering my mouth. That damn fox! When I get down from here, I’m gonna show him a piece of my mind. Roharu looks up at me and then turns his head, as if to dismiss me.

I am so sick of him.

Roharu sidesteps the spider monster and slashes its back with his claws. I squint. There are daggers sticking out of its back with lime green blood or puss running down. Something hisses. I swallow down the scream and claw at the shadow covering my mouth with more vigor.

Oh no.

This is not happening. I can’t run. I can’t ask for help because someone just had to cover my mouth and leave me hanging in the air.

The giant snake opens its mouth and springs itself forward. My stomach plummets. The ground is rapidly getting closer, and the snake, about the size of a car, hits a tree head on. There’s a sick crunch. I wince. That must have hurt, but thank fuck, it didn’t eat me.

“How do you always attract trouble?” Roharu sighs. He frowns. The spider rises and strikes him in the abdomen with a kick. He grunts but lands on his feet. “And you are annoying,” he says to the spider, who flicks its hair back and sends tiny needles my way.

Why is everything targeting me? The shadow jerks me upward and to the side. I gag. All this whiplash is getting to me, but at least the shadow that was covering my mouth has vanished.

“You should have left the human. I would have let you pass, fox.” The spider rears up and stomps its legs. “How far you have fallen to protect a human, of all things.”

Roharu rubs the back of his head and then flicks his wrist. The spider jerks back as if struck. Green blood splatters on the trees and the grass. Steam rises from where the specks of blood land.

This monster is creepy. Aggressive. And it’s also venomous. I press my lips together. If only there was something I could do to help. The longer this drags on, the worse we’ll end up. Roharu’s movements aren’t as fluid as they were before. The fumes must be getting to him. Hell, the little that is coming to me makes my head dizzy.

“Watch out!” I scream, fear grabbing a hold of my vocal cords and shaking them into action. That giant snake isn’t dead and somehow it has four legs now. Is it working with the spider monster?

This is bad.

A two-on-one and Roharu is feeling the effects of all that poison in the air. All I got is this little dagger that may work on someone my size, but not on something as gigantic as that spider monster. Seriously, that thing is as big as a truck. But I can’t just hang out here and do nothing.

There must be something I can do. I reach into my back pocket and pull the dagger out, and throw it at the spider’s head. The snake doesn’t seem to be nearly as much of an issue as that spider. I bite my lip. Will it hit? Even if it hits, was that even enough force?

Please work.

A bright purple light envelops the spider, and for a moment, purple is the only thing I see. The first thing I see after the light fades is Roharu.

Oh…. that’s not joy on his face.

[sylvia-forest]

[CN] Shaw's 6th Anniversary event - Day 3

⚡ Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for an Event which hasn't been released in EN yet!⚡

[Day 3]

MC: Shaw, where did you hide that mysterious "thing" of yours? MC: I've searched through the RV, and I've been observant everywhere, in the snow mountain and the ski town. MC: How come there's nothing? Is there really such a thing? Shaw: That means you haven't observed carefully enough. Shaw: Just keep reading.

—

MC: Phew, this route to the next stop is "reasonable" enough; we arrived in less than a day. MC: But... this mountain city lives up to its name; there are all slopes everywhere. MC: Fortunately, I've climbed a snow mountain before, so these are no longer intimidating! Shaw: Some people really do "forget the pain once the wound heals." Shaw: Who got weak in the legs? Who was panting like crazily? MC: Oh, there's a crossroads up ahead. Quickly, tell me where we're going! Shaw: There's a noodle shop on the left that seems to have local specialties. Want to try it? MC: Yes! We're going to try all the local cuisines; that's our mission!

—

The wind outside the window was chilly, but the warmth inside the room surrounds us as Shaw and I sit in a local restaurant, enjoying a hearty meal.

With a sip of good wine and a bite of delicious meat, I happily wave my hand.

MC [blushing]: This combination is incredible; I really know how to eat~

Shaw [helplessly]: ...You're truly a drunkard, getting disoriented after just a few drinks. MC: I'm not happy just because of the drinks—

I paused, the heat in my chest from the alcohol steaming upward, making me laugh as I leaned back against him.

MC: It's just that as long as I'm out having fun with you, I'm happy.

Shaw: It seems we've entered the phase of speaking the truth after drinking. Remember not to say anything cheesy; I'm still sober.

He slightly straightens his spine, allowing me to lean even more comfortably.

MC: Don't interrupt; I haven't finished talking yet. MC: Actually, for this stop... I secretly arranged a surprise. MC: After all, it can't always be you giving me surprises. I want to give you a unique experience.

I beckon to him and he gives me a glance, his ear coming closer.

MC: Tomorrow night at eight, we're going to a place called Xiaohe Ancient Village.

He seems to guess something, his eyes shining for a moment.

Shaw [testing her]: Why are we going there? MC: To do something fun~

Shaw: ...?

My head was getting more and more dizzy, and i layed down softly on his legs.

The lights on the ceiling become blurry in my eyes, like dazzling starlight. I laugh and extend my hands toward them.

MC: Just like this... having fun~

In a daze, it feels like something was holding my hand, soft and warm.

Shaw [in a soft whisper]: I know you're talking nonsense. Wait here until you sober up.

—

The next night, I rented a small electric scooter, taking him on a swift ride through the bumpy terrain.

As the electronic sound signals our arrival, I do a small drift and stop, looking towards the open space in front of the village.

In the night, the crowd was bustling, and all I can see was the continuous exhalation of white mist under the streetlights.

I looked towards the makeshift stalls on the side, confirming that the information was correct, and quickly exchanged tickets, pulling Shaw inside.

Around the crowd, there was a circle of bonfires, and in the center stood a tall wooden structure made of branches and wood.

I raised my eyebrows at him.

MC: So, does this scene look familiar to you? Have you guessed what my surprise is?

Shaw: Fireworks show. We watched it together on last Lantern Festival.

The dazzling scene from last year faintly appeared in my mind. I couldn't contain my excitement and continued speaking.

MC: Exactly! So, when I found out there was a performance here, I decided to seek good luck with you again. MC: Although the scale of this performance is not as grand as last time, the leader is still one of the inheritors of intangible cultural heritage.

I looked at the performance team that was burning iron.

Shaw [in a daze]: Oh, I see... MC: Hm?

Before I could react, he tapped my shoulder, directing my attention to another place—

There seemed to be another booth where many people were queuing to receive colorful items, creating a lively atmosphere.

I couldn't help but tiptoe, discovering that above the booth were many wooden signs with words like "peach blossom," "career," and "fortune."

MC: Oh, right! In addition to the iron fireworks performance, they also give out lucky charms! Shaw: Wait for me here; I'll go get them. MC [dumbfounded]: Oh... huh?

Shaw's sudden idea made me instinctively grab his hand.

MC: The performance is about to start; let's go together after it ends?

Shaw: There are still ten minutes; we have time. Shaw: Besides, those signs have limited quantities. If we wait until it's over, we might miss out, and we'll be left with nothing.

He pinched my palm and disappeared into the crowd.

Initially, I could still see him at the end of the line, but as more people gathered, my line of sight was completely blocked.

MC: Why isn't he back yet?

Seeing that it was almost eight o'clock, I anxiously dialed his phone.

MC [on the phone]: Don't wait in line! It's starting in a minute! Shaw [on the phone]: I know. Wait for me where you are; I'll be there soon...

His voice was intermittent, and before I could say anything, the call was automatically disconnected due to a signal loss.

At the same time, a loud shout pierced through the night.

?.?: Get ready—!

I quickly turned my head to look at the center, and a mix of anticipation and anxiety filled my heart.

Although it wasn't the first time I watched the "fireworks," I still hoped that at the moment they were lit—

I would be with him, blessed by this tradition that has been passed down for nearly a thousand years.

The central furnace burned fiercely in the darkness, and the performers strode forward, shouting loudly.

One person in a long robe vigorously struck the iron, and the molten iron was instantly ignited—

A dazzling display of iron flowers bloomed in the night.

It resembled burning snowflakes and shimmering drizzle, colliding with a crisp sound in my eyes.

I instinctively took out my phone to record, even though Shaw wasn't by my side. I didn't want him to miss this moment.

But when I zoomed in, I found that the person in the long robe seemed to be...

While others were shirtless, he was wrapped in layers, making him particularly conspicuous in the crowd.

He moved gracefully, allowing the sparkling sparks to fall freely on him.

MC: …….!

I continued to zoom in on the screen, trying to see clearly in the hazy night.

However, those "iron flowers" were brilliant but fleeting, illuminating only a moment of that person's eyebrows and smile.

But it was enough to make me feel warm alongside the fireworks.

It turned out he didn't miss anything; he had always been in my eyes, in the radiant light of blessings.

The performance quickly ended, and I rushed through the crowd towards the center.

When I saw the person in the thick long robe, he also sensed something and turned to look at me.

He took two steps forward, took out a small and delicate lucky charm, and placed it in my palm.

Shaw [panting + his cheerful voice]: With the double blessings tonight, I guarantee that the coming year will be as smooth as if you activated a cheat code.

Looking at the lucky charm in my hand, I couldn't help but smile.

MC: You really were "unexpected" tonight. But maybe you should explain first?

Shaw: Explain what? Shaw: Explain why I performed the iron flowers or why I decided to perform this iron flower show for you? MC: Of course, both.

He smiled and casually lifted the heavy long robe off his body.

Shaw: Several years ago, my master took me to meet a few "inheritors" of iron flower art, and the leader tonight happened to be one of his disciples. Shaw: Back when the old man was promoting intangible cultural heritage, I learned from him for a while.

I was stunned, and I exclaimed.

MC: How come you never mentioned this when we watched the iron flowers before? Shaw [teasingly]: Didn't I? Well, fortunately I didn't, or else I wouldn't have seen your silly look in the crowd.

He chuckled and took off one heavy layer of his long robe, holding it in his arms.

Shaw: Alright, I've explained. As for the second question, I don't think I need to say much, right? MC: Of course, you have to say it. That's the crucial point!

I already knew the "answer" to the second question, but I still wanted to hear it from his lips.

Shaw: ......

He gave me a speechless glance, and was about to speak, when an elderly man hurried over to him.

Uncle: Hey, you handsome young man! I was impressed by your performance just now. In a few days, it's my daughter's 20th birthday. Can you come and perform for us again?

MC: ...pff.

The uncle's eyes were full of thoughts of a "good son-in-law," and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

However, Shaw discreetly squeezed my hand, then hugged my shoulder tightly, smiling at the old man.

Shaw: Uncle, this was a special performance, a gift to enhance the joy for my girlfriend. Shaw: So, for this performance, you better ask someone else.

—

🚐 Day 4

[bluegalaxygirl]

Full Moon (Zosan X reader) P3

Plot: While out taking photo's Sanji and reader get attacked by a strange creature. While the crew decide to hunt it down to save the village Sanji starts acting strange.

Warning: Violence, blood, bad language, Spooky stuff.

Sanji X Zoro X Reader, poly relationship, established relationship, Reader is GN. Reader is the photographer of the crew always carrying around a camera they made (Polaroid) that doesn't include a snail.

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 4 - Part 5

Gathered in the kitchen Robin relayed what she had found out. There's a cabin on the other side of the island that belonged to an old man. He keeps to himself and performs strange rituals, at first the villagers thought he was a witch but on full moons a strange creature would show up and kill live stock or even people. The one person who survived an attack started to act strange and on a full moon turned and killed their family before the villagers managed to kill it using fire and sliver bullets. Since then the Villagers have been trying to kill the man, but he either can't be found or he'll kill you before you kill him. Years ago they gave up and stayed away form the man making sure that on a full moon no one goes outside and traps are set out. "So it's a werewolf?" Nami asks once Robin has finished "Yes, that's why Sanji was acting so strange. a werewolf bite can turn someone into one. Its said a werewolf can hear blood pumping thru someones veins and smell blood from miles away." you ponder for a minute before looking up at Robin "How do we turn Sanji back?" your determined and focused face showed you weren't messing around, you wanted your cook back. Robin signs looking down at her lap "There are so many conflicting stories i don't know what the right answer is. some say there is a cure using wolfsbane, other say you have to kill the werewolf that originally bit the person and then there are some that say..." she stops herself not wanting to continue, the thought of losing Sanji hurt her.

Standing catching everyone attention Luffy looks at Chopper with a smile "If anyone can fix Sanji its you, right Chopper?" he asks as the reindeer stands on his chair and nods "yes, we found wolfsbane in the forest so i can use that, Robin i'm going to need your help" with a small giggle Robin nods "Me, Zoro and Franky can deal with that werewolf" Luffy tilts his hat looking to his swords man and cyborg who both stand and nod "What about us?" you ask not wanting to be left out. With a laugh your Captain looks down at you "Protect the villagers." It seemed like a simple job but you were up to the task, plus if Sanji shows up maybe you can trap him and keep him safe. With everyone agreed you set off leaving the ship in Robin's and Choppers hands. Zoro turns to you before everyone splits up and places his forehead against yours "Don't get lost" you giggle trying to lighten the mood, he can't help but let out a huff at your words but his small smile gives away that he's not mad "Don't get distracted" he comments leaning down and placing his lips on yours. With a short kiss and a loving glance you both head off in your own directions.

You, Nami, Usopp and Brook head into the town center Usopp runs up next to you and holds out your camera bag "Here, i fixed it for you" looking down you see the dent in the camera gone and the chipped lens fixed "Oh my god, thank you" you smile hugging the sniper, pulling away to put the bag around you. Usopp rubs the back of his head and walks with you "It's no problem" he laughs but yelling catches the group's attention, people shouting and the voices get more clear the closer you get to the town center. A mob of Men are gathered around lanterns in their hands and armed with shot guns and pitch forks that seem to be tipped with silver. "What are you doing?" Nami yelled out catching their attention "You should all be inside, theirs a dangerous creature around" Nami continues but men only glare at the four of you before pointing their weapons at you "It's all your fault, you let another creature lose. We can't deal with the original, but we can at least kill the new one" The leader yelled as the four of you got closer "No one is killing it. Go back inside" Your voice full of anger yelling at the men. "I'd listen to them if i were you" Brook tilted his head trying to be scary but it didn't seem to affect them "We already have men out there hunting it down. We're here to protect the village now get lost" The leader stepped foreword almost getting in your face. The guns they have are custom and you assume they must be loaded with silver bullets, Your heart raced fearing the worst, these men could kill Sanji and you weren't going to let them.

"Out of my way" you glared at the man who laughed a little before your fist tightened and connected with his face, catching the man off guard he fell to the floor while the others got ready for a fight. "Y/N" Usopp groaned annoyed that you got them into a fight with the villagers you were supposed to protect. Nami hit some of their guns away with her staff while the others tried restraining the men but you ran off to the woods grabbing the leaders lantern before you do "Wait, were are you going?" Nami yells wanting to run after you but gets blocked by some of the mob "To find Sanji before they do" you yell back sprinting as fast as you could until you make it to the woods. It was dark but with the help of the lantern you made your way around keeping your eye out for traps. Now and again you would hear voices but it sounded like the men in the woods haven't seen anything so you tried to keep your distance focused on finding Sanji not starting another fight. You spotted a few traps on your way around, half hidden bear traps and snares that would wrap around a leg and drag you up into a tree, they weren't covered well, so they were easy to spot.

A few minutes of walking later you started hearing yelling and growling. Still trying to watch where you were going you ran holding the lantern in front of you as the sounds grew louder. Men yelling that they found it, some even laughing as you rounded the corner to see three men, two with pitch forks and one with a gun, their backs to you as they look down at the werewolf on the floor growling and snapping at them, its leg in a bear trap and the chain attached to a thick tree. "Should we call this in or just take care of it?" one guy asks moving his lantern up unknowingly giving you a better look at the wolf, its snout was longer than before and more hair seemed to be growing out of it making it look a little more wolf like than human but the hair was blonde, it was Sanji. Before the other man could answer you ran, rounding a kick into the side of the man's face, you went for the man with the gun first, picking it up as another guy ran at you with his pitch fork. You didn't have time to pull the trigger so you used the gun to block and deflect the pitch fork into the ground before using the butt of the gun to hit the man in the face. Jumping back the third man ran at you missing you and barely missing his mate, rounding another kick your foot connects with the mans side sending him into his mate who tried to get up form your gun punch.

With all the men passed out you throw the gun to the side and walk up to the still snarling and snapping wolf. "Sanji... is that anyway to thank me" you smile down at him with kind eyes while he attempts to stand and get to you but he falls back down the trap around his leg not letting go. Sitting on your knees you watch as he pants glaring at you but starts to quirt down "It's ok. i'm not going to hurt you" you keep your voice soft slowly reaching your hand out to him. Sanji growls but doesn't try to bite you as your hand gets closer soon running over his short almost snout your eyes locking on each other as you let your thumb rub over his cheek, the hair feeling more like fur. His eyes soften seeming to recognized you "It's me.. Y/n.. i'm here now" you sooth scooting a little closer as he tried to sniff you, your other hand moves up to run over the other side of his face, he tried to get closer but whimpers at the pain the trap is causing. "I'm gonna take this off, ok?" you say gaining his attention as you slowly move around him bending down to the trap. He watches your every move as you grab a large branch and pry the trap open. Pulling his leg out he looks you over, both waiting for the other one to do something. You weren't sure if he was going to run off or not. Sanji makes the first move on all fours walking over to you and sniffing your bandaged arm before licking it.

Reaching a hand up to his head about to run a hand thru his fur he pulls away still unsure of you but you know he's just scared and probably has no idea what's going on. Standing up, Sanji follows towering over you lifting his injured leg up slightly. You have to stretch your head far back to look at his face as he looks down at you and then his head snap to look into the woods. Male voices come form the forest causing Sanji to growl but you take his over sized hand making him look down at you "We need to go" you whisper watching him get down on all fours and start walking with a slight limp, the opposite way of the voices. Letting go of his hand you grab the lantern and follow Sanji starting to jog just to keep up with the wolves long strides. Trying to avoid people you both make your way through the forest going in the general direction of the town watching out for traps on the way but you weren't sure if you two should go there with the villagers wanting your boyfriend dead. Looking down at your werewolf, you notice the fur on his back is patchy, it seems where the hot water hit caused the hair to burn away leaving only tough skin and the bite on his shoulder was gone. He started to limp less and less as you walked with him, noticing the wound on his leg healing up. Looking over him you notice quite a few details about him that the other wolf didn't have, the villagers did try and kill the old wolf so maybe the damage they did made him look less wolf. You stop when Sanji starts growling looking into the darkness, walking backwards he pushes you back until your pressed up against a tree, arching his back his eyes never leaving the forest. You look around trying to see what he sees but can't, there's nothing out there and no voices but you can't shake the feeling your being watched. Sanji's growls get deeper and the fur on his arms and legs stands up making you realize your both in danger.

Zoro, Luffy and Franky have been walking for a while through the forest, they had a general idea of where the old man's cabin was so headed in that direction, Franky having to keep a close eye on Zoro, so he didn't wonder off or go the wrong way. "Hay there it is" Luffy yells running up the cabin with Zoro and Franky following, The cabin wasn't too big but looked well maintained, A one floor cabin with stone steps leading to the front door. The wooden cabin had a few windows that showed no light but the door to the cabin was left wide open. The tree's around the cabin were cut in a perfect circle and the grass was greener than the grass inside the forest. Zoro could sense something was off, it felt heavy in this area. Since the door to the cabin is open Luffy walked right in seeing a open kitchen, living room and two doors. There were lots of tables and shelves filled with books, knives, jars and herbs. It looked like a witch's lair but more messy. Some of the couch was clawed apart and one of the rugs was rolled up slightly to ravel a hidden door. "Oh man, what is that smell?" Franky covers his nose looking around the cabin. Zoro sniffed the air knowing that smell well "Its blood, old blood" he sates stepping further in watching his captain look around going thru the messy shelves "I don't think it's here." Franky sighs hoping to leave this nasty place as soon as possible. Before the captain or swords man can answer a thump comes form under the floor boards "You were saying?" Zoro raises an eyebrow at the Cyborg.

Luffy walks over to the rug and throws it to the side before unlocking the door "Lets see inside" he smiles as Zoro gets two of his swords out and Franky gets his arm gun ready. Opening the door there's nothing but a long stone stair case and pitch blackness. "Hay, how about some light?" Zoro asks turning to Franky who nods and opens his shirt to revealing his nipple lights, as the light pores into the basement all three look down to find a stone basement, different to the wooden cabin it was very clean and tidy although there were spots of old dried blood on the wall and floor. Luffy bounces up and heads down the stairs followed closely by Franky and Zoro. Getting further down their greeted by hooks hanging form the ceiling stained with dried blood and a strange symbol on the floor. a large circle with a square and Triangle attached in the middle painted white on the floor. "Maybe the villagers were right, this guy was a witch" Zoro sighs before wondering around finding a book on the floor. Picking it up the title reads evolution of mankind. "I think you were right Franky" Luffy groans turning to leave "It's not hear" heading back up the stairs Zoro follows handing the book to Franky knowing he won't remember to give it to Robin when they get back. The Cyborg gladly takes it and follows the two turning his lights off.

A loud howl and male screams fills the air as they exit the cabin, Luffy smiles wide before heading towards the noise closely followed by Zoro and Franky getting their weapons ready for a good fight. They have all been wanting this all night, a good fight and to get their friend back. Zoro couldn't wait to teach this thing a lesson for messing with his two lovers, he was thinking about all the ways he was going to make the werewolf pay "Guys remember if it has Blonde hair don't hurt it" Their captain yells not wanting to hurt his cook if it turned out it was Sanji. The other two nod in confirmation running over roots and brushes looking out for traps as they get closer to the sound of the scream. The forest became silent quickly and by the time the three got there only three man lay on the floor, clearly dead form a wolf attack "What are they doing out here?" Zoro asks looking over the men, two had guns and one had a pitch fork, picking up the farm equipment Zoro noticed the ends were coated in silver showing it to franky who glared at it "Their going after Sanji" Franky's eyes widen as Zoro scowls gaining the captain attention who looked at the two with slight shock before anger took him over. Tilting his hat down covering his angry eyes Luffy breathed before turning away form them "We're going to kill that werewolf and get our friend back".

[harrygoeswest]

Florence, a single mum in a small village in the heart of the Cotswolds lives a very happy and very unassuming life. Still trying to balance the irritation of yearning for her first love with casual flings on the occasional Friday night, she doesn't expect the shift in direction she suddenly wants to take after the arrival of a new dentist in her quiet little town.

There's just one problem; she's terrified of dentists.

Trigger warnings: None

Word Count: 8,645

one

I noticed as soon as I stepped out of the car that there was a strange buzzing in the atmosphere between the other parents today. I was late - which wasn’t uncommon, but I was never the first parent on site. I could never leave work on time for that luxury. As I pulled into the school gate, another parent was already leaving in their frankly flash black Range Rover. I didn’t even know anyone in the village had a Range Rover. I looked ridiculous in my bright orange 57 plate Ford Focus next to it. I looked ridiculous all the time in it, actually.

I folded my arms as I wandered closer to the gate where the other parents were waiting, and stood next to Geri who was the only other mum I could really tolerate. We had been friends since we were 5, to be fair. I had no choice but to tolerate her.

“You’ve just missed the new dad.” Geri muttered to me, and waved at her daughter promptly afterwards when she appeared in the playground.

“Have I?” I pouted. “That the twat in the Range Rover?”

“That’d be the one.”

“Shame. I didn’t know there was someone new in the village.”

Sharon - an older mother with a knack for knowing everyone else’s business - leaned over to us then, clearly having been listening. She hummed pointedly, “It was all very sudden, from what I gather. Bad break up maybe, but it’s just him and his son. Moved into that house next to the post office.”

I turned to face Sharon with raised brows. “What, that one that’s been empty for ages?”

“Yeah.” Sharon nodded, a strange bugging to her eyes.

“Must have some money, then. That place is massive.”

“I heard he’s the new dentist.” Debbie, another local gossip, added from just in front of us.

I grimaced. I hated going to the dentist.

“If he is, I’m having my check up five months early.” Geri snickered.

Having not seen the elusive new parent-come-dentist, I wasn’t much interested in the prospect of new faces or getting to know them. I took from Geri’s comment that he was probably attractive in some kind of general sense, but I had absolutely no desire to ever find out. I really, really hated going to the dentist.

“I just can’t believe someone would move their child in the middle of the second term of school.” Debbie said, bored.

“Must’ve been important.” Sharon shrugged.

“Maybe his old house flooded.” Debbie suggested, now having completely turned around. She really plucked that idea out of thin air.

“Or his wife was having an affair.” Geri sounded hopeful.

“I heard it was a lifestyle change,” said Sharon.

This conversation was getting stupid. What could I input to make it more stupid? I was good at that. “Maybe he lived on the moon and it got blown up by aliens.”

The three women looked at me with disgust. I ignored them. Clearly they didn’t realise I was being serious.

“Mummy!”

I watched with a wide grin as my small child ploughed her way towards me from the school gate, and crouched down with open arms. “Hey, muffin!”

Ruby crashed into me and wrapped herself around me as tightly as she could. I pecked the top of her head and squeezed her back.

“Did you have a good day at school?”

“Yeah, there’s a new boy!” She beamed up at me, plaited brunette hair now fuzzy and starting to come loose after a full day of running around.

“So I’ve heard.” I replied as I stood straighter again, and immediately took her hand. “Did you speak to him, is he nice?”

“No, I didn’t speak to him.” Ruby sighed. “I wanted to, but he was always talking to someone else.”

“Well, that’s okay,” I tried to keep my tone light as we began to walk away, “there’s no rush. Maybe you can try again tomorrow.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Bye, Floss!”

I turned over my shoulder at Geri and waved back at her with my free hand. “Bye, Geri!”

“Bye, Auntie Geri!” Ruby shouted as well, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Bye, Ruby!”

We drove home in my stupid car, talking about what Ruby had learned today and what types of cars I’d been fixing at the garage like we always did, with the radio playing really quietly in the background.

I was the only car mechanic in a ten mile radius. My garage was on the outskirts of our little village of Bibury in the heart of the Cotswolds, and I ran a more reliable breakdown service than the AA. Even though it was my business, my retired dad often helped out when he could since he felt like he didn’t have anything better to do. It pleased my mum since it kept him from messing with their house when he got bored.

The garage wasn’t in the village centre, and neither was our house. A modest, three-bed, one-bath, rented end-of-terrace place just outside of the village on Aldsworth Road was all Ruby and I needed, and it was an easy walk into the village to my parents’ house.

I opened the front door and Ruby shot in ahead of me, school shoes stomping on the beech linoleum like an elephant in an IKEA warehouse.

“Change out of your uniform before you make a mess of my living room please!” I called after her, but my gaze was focussed on the pile of post sitting in a mess on my doormat.

I sifted through the pile, opening the relevant letters and binning the rest. Ironically enough, there was a letter from the dentist reminding me of Ruby’s check-up, and with a rather scornful note that I hadn’t been for mine for quite some time.

I should clarify, I didn’t hate dentists in the way that everyone else hates dentists. I had a very bad experience with our local dentist when I was 16 and I’ve refused to go back ever since. That, and it’s not free to have a check-up once you turn 18, and it’s especially expensive in the private practice. There were two dentists in our local practice - Dr Oldfield and his protégé, Dr Wade. Dr Oldfield had sadly passed away recently, hence why it didn’t surprise me that our alleged new dentist had had to move himself and his child mid-school term. However, too scarred from my incident with Dr Oldfield, I’ve always taken Ruby to see Dr Wade.

Before I did anything else, I called the dental practice and made an appointment with Dr Wade for Ruby’s check up. The receptionist rather efficiently mentioned that I needed mine.

“Can I come back to you on that one? I’m a bit booked up at the moment.” I lied.

“I can make you an appointment straight after Ruby’s, if that suits you? With our new dentist?”

“Er…” Fuck, what was I supposed to say to that?! “Yeah, okay.”

“Perfect! You’re all booked in, Floss.”

Bollocks. I’d have to remember to cancel that in the next few days. “Thank you, Susie.” I muttered, full of resentment.

The one thing I hated about living in a small village was that everyone knew everyone, and everyone also knew everyone’s fucking business. My mum cut Susie’s hair.

I set about my evening ritual feeling irritated about being tricked into a dentist appointment. I was huffing as I moved about the house and I could feel Ruby’s eyes on me whenever I passed her by. Sometimes I got the impression she thought I wasn’t entirely sane. To be fair to the girl, I didn’t think I was entirely sane.

I made sure she was changed out of her uniform, and then sat her at the kitchen table with her homework while I made dinner. As it was a Monday and no one liked Mondays, I decided to treat her to her favourite - sausages and mashed potatoes with baked beans. As soon as her homework was finished she ate that up like a real trooper. As most mums probably do, I loved watching her eat. She was by no means a messy child, nor one that didn’t know when to stop eating, but she definitely had an appetite on her.

We watched TV together for an hour or two, and then I took her upstairs to have a bath and put her to bed. I loved bath time. I loved how innocent it was and how much fun she always seemed to have. Not once had the girl ever argued about  getting in the bath, perhaps because she knew I’d never leave her alone while she was playing. How could I not watch her when she had the most incredible stories to tell me every night?

“This is the princess,” Ruby held up a rubber duck with red hair and shells on her chest, “and this is her troll who’s also her best friend and her boyfriend,” she held up another rubber duck with a moustache on its beak, “and they love each other lots and lots but the king - that’s this one -,” she held up the one with a crown, “won’t let them, so they’re running away.”

“Oh no!” I gasped. “Why won’t the king let them get married - that’s not really very fair?”

“Because he… because he loves the princess too, and he wants to marry her instead.” She said animatedly, the water splashing around her.

“So the king is jealous, then?”

Ruby pondered the word. “Yes. He’s jealous. So the princess and the troll duck are running away to live happily ever after. But the king finds them and takes her back to his castle.”

“Oh dear… what’s the king going to do?”

“He’s threatening to lock the troll duck up forever and ever and ever -,” she threw the one with facial hair across to the other end of the bath so that it hit the wall, “and he’s forced the princess to marry him. But he’s not very nice to her because she ran away from him, and now she’s really really sad.”

“Can the troll not help her? He’s a big strapping thing, surely? He’ll be very strong, won’t he?”

“No!”

I sat back a little, surprised by her outburst. “I just want them to have a happy ending.”

“Well… there isn’t one!”

That told me.

After she was done telling stories with unhappy endings, I dried her hair and re-plaited it so that it’d be all curly in the morning, and then I helped her into bed. She must’ve been tired, because it didn’t take her very long to fall asleep once she was tucked in.

I sat with her for ten minutes or so to make sure she was definitely unconscious for the night, and then I snuck out of the room, leaving the door only slightly ajar so I could hear her if anything happened in the middle of the night.

I then readied myself for bed with a quick shower and brushed my teeth. I left my hair to dry overnight. I never did anything with it because I always ended up uncomfortable. Plus, my job was too messy for me to really care what my hair looked like.

I tucked myself into bed and scrolled mindlessly through my phone for a bit. I will say to you now, most of the scrolling actually involved swiping. Yes, of the Tinder kind.

Now, I did not use Tinder to look for a serious relationship - it’s almost impossible to use it for that purpose. I used it for the opposite. You’re probably thinking ‘what the fuck is the mother of a five-nearly-six-year-old doing on an app like Tinder?’

Well, get your head out your ass. I’m a woman and a woman has needs.

I would never let Ruby anywhere near that shit, obviously. I barely let her on my phone full stop. But, every so often I allowed myself the luxury of having the first man to pay me some attention put himself between my legs on a Friday night.

Ruby’s father wasn’t on the scene to comment, nor had he been since he went back home to Italy nearly seven years ago, so he wouldn’t ever be in a position to comment on how I decided to live my sex life. Federico, as far as I could tell, was living his best life in Viterbo and not at all concerned with whose company I did or didn’t keep.

My relationship with Federico had been my first and last. Not because it had left a sour taste in my mouth, or anything of that sort, but because I couldn’t bear the idea of being with anyone else the way I was with him.

He’d been in the area on a study abroad scheme and we’d met in The Swan - the local pub where anyone tends to meet anyone around here. We were introduced through mutual friends, and that was it. He spent every spare minute he had over the following four months with me, if not in me. He was gorgeous, and kind, and funny, and smart, and everything a man should be. I was so taken with him it was a little bit embarrassing for a while. I often dreamt about him knocking on my door after he went back home, and telling me he was going to stay with me forever.

I didn’t want to be so pathetic for the sake of a handsome boy, but I couldn’t help myself. I had never met another like him, and I didn’t want to. Which was why I allowed myself to be with men I’d only see once, just to get that kick I needed, and then I’d wave them out the door before the sun rose.

After I found out I was pregnant I reached out to Rico in Italy, but I already knew he probably wouldn’t want any kind of responsibility for Ruby. I couldn’t blame him for that, either, because I didn’t know many twenty-something-year-old men who would want to raise a child. I knew I wanted to keep her, though. So I told him in a letter that she was his and I was having her, and that she was available to him if he wanted to, but I’d understand if he didn’t. I couldn’t force a man to see a child he might not want just because I wanted her.

I never did receive a response from him, but I did start receiving monthly deposits into my bank account to cover the costs of bringing her up. I’d never been so astounded. And what was more, the amount would double on her birthday. I started saving a portion of it into a bank account in her name for when she’s older.

I tried not to think about Ruby or Federico while I was swiping left and right on potential men.

I never messaged first, mostly because I wasn’t witty enough to ever know what to say. I also usually ended up matching with men who always opened with a crude one-liner.

Tonight, his name was George.

George   19:23 Hey gorgeous what you wearing x

I rolled my eyes. I wondered in moments like that what it would be like to be even a little bit creative, or imaginative. But I wasn’t in the slightest. I was very to-the-point and unassuming, so I answered with what I was actually wearing.

Floss  19:24 Hi George… pyjamas. Why?

George     19:24 Can I take them off for you?

Floss  19:24 Maybe one day

George     19:25 How’s tomorrow work for you? ;)

Well, I couldn’t blame a bloke for being keen. Idiotic me was flattered.

Floss  19:25 Weekdays don’t work for me, sorry

George      19:26 When does work for you then, babe? Would love to see what’s underneath them

Of course he would, he’s a man. Men also have needs.

Floss  19:26 I’m always free Friday evenings

George     19:27 Works for me. Dinner?

Ew, God no.

Floss  19:27 Won’t be necessary. The Swan in Bibury @ 9:30 for drinks

George     19:27 Alright… ngl Friday feels really far away

Floss  19:28 It’ll come around in no time. Just think about all the fun we’re going to have

George     19:28 Oh I am… I’m thinking about it right now

It was at that point I went back onto George’s profile and looked through his pictures again. He was undeniably good-looking, and I knew exactly what he was trying to do. I looked towards the doorway and listened to the house for a moment, making sure nothing could be heard. It was still silent, and I was sure Ruby was still fast asleep.

For the next hour, I entertained George with explicit texts, masturbated, and then went to sleep.

On Tuesdays, I would finish work, collect Ruby from school, and take her to my parents’ house for dinner. I saw that Range Rover again that allegedly belonged to the new dentist as I pulled into the school gates, but he was already on his way out. Perhaps I’d never meet him, not that I really wanted to. Maybe if I was lucky (although it was unlikely in a village like this) I’d never see the man at all.

My parents lived just on the outskirts of the village in a terraced cottage on what was known as ‘The Square’, even though it wasn’t a square at all.

My dad was an easygoing man in his early sixties, tall with dark but greying hair, and the most perfect vision and hearing for a man his age. My mother was a stern but wonderful woman from Colombia in her late fifties, and she and my dad were utterly in love. They met when they were children in Mexico where my father was living with his English parents, but wanted to come back after his mother - my grandma - grew homesick. My mother’s parents had taken my mother to Mexico on holiday, and had always wanted to move out of South America. My father’s family had been the ones to help them do so. They spent their teen years in London, completely inseparable, and eventually married once my mum turned 19 and moved out to the Cotswolds in their mid-twenties. They didn’t have me until they were both into their thirties.

“¿Floss, qué diablos hay en tu camiseta?” My mother asked as soon as we entered the house, stopping me with a vice-like grip on the top of my arm while Ruby shot into the living room to see her grandad.

I looked down at myself with a frown, and pulled at the bottom of my t-shirt - the subject of my mother’s question. It was covered in grease and oil from the cars, as was my face and hands. It was black with a white collar, and had ‘PAY MY RENT’ written across the chest in big white letters.

I gave her a blank look. “I was hoping if I wore it long enough someone would take up the offer.”

My mother blinked. “Is that a joke or are you being serious?”

“Why would it be a joke?”

Her expression paled. “Querida, if you’re struggling with money you can just ask-,”

“No, mamá. I’m not broke.”

“¿Me estas mintiendo?” She asked if I was lying to her.

“No!”

“Daniela!” My dad called from the next room, cutting our conversation short.

My mother began muttering under her breath in Spanish, and stalked into the living room. “Yes?”

“Ruby says she met the new dentist’s lad today.”

“Oh, did you?!” She beamed, standing by my dad where he sat at their dining table in the corner of the room. “What’s his name, what’s he like?”

While Mum entertained Ruby over the dentist’s son, I greeted my father with a peck to his cheek. He had today’s newspaper on the table with the puzzle page open, a sudoku half-finished next to a mystery sandwich on an old ceramic plate. Before he could take a bite out of it, I snatched it off him and ate the corner myself.

My nose wrinkled and I fought the urge to spit it back out like a disgruntled child; egg mayonnaise.

“Serves yourself right for stealing.” My father muttered, taking the sandwich back from me.

I scoffed.

My parents’ house was full of stuff. It often made me want to sneeze, there was just that much crap in it. Considering I’d lived in this house up until the age of 21 I thought I’d have some kind of nostalgic love for it, but I didn’t. If anything, it gave me a headache.

Every wall was covered in photographs and holiday memorabilia and gaudy decorations. They hadn’t renovated a single room since they bought the house in the 80s, so it was just like a shrine to the decade, and also to our family. There were some pictures I did love to look at, but apart from that I hated it all. It made the house feel dark and hideous.

My mother put her hands on my shoulders and squeezed them. I winced and tried to shrug out of her iron grip.

“Flossy,” She started, her voice oddly quiet, “I’ve made you an appointment with the new dentist.”

“What - why?!”

“Because I want you to meet him!”

“This village has about a hundred people in it. I’m bound to run into him eventually; I’ve seen his car twice!”

“Yes, but you need to go to the dentist anyway, you haven’t had a check up since that incident with Dr-,”

“I don’t want to talk about what happened with Dr Oldfield. And anyway, you’re too late because I’ve already booked an appointment with him.” I said in a nonchalant tone, as if I wasn’t bullied into it.

“Well, cancel it. This one is on Friday - I got you in sooner.” She huffed.

“I’d rather go to the one I made.”

“He made a special exception for you, so you’re going on Friday, Florence.”

“Why did he make a special exception for me? I don’t know him. You don’t even know him.” I retorted.

“I do, actually.”

“How, he’s only been here two days?”

“Saw him in the corner shop this afternoon. He’s very handsome.”

“So everyone keeps telling m-,”

“-Mummy, can we go to Florida?” Ruby looked up at me with big doughy eyes.

I looked at Ruby, grimacing at the thought. On the TV, a Disney World advert was teasing the little girl. “I don’t know, muffin… I don’t really like France.”

Behind me, my dad burst into howling laughter. I turned around with a confused frown to see my mum nudge him with a scowl. He pressed his lips shut immediately.

“Besides,” I said, turning to my daughter again, “I don’t speak very good French.”

“Honey, they speak Italian in Florida.” Dad corrected me.

“Cállate, Dave.” My mother hissed for him to shut up, and harshly smacked his shoulder.

“Well I can’t speak that, either.”

“Sure you can! Dondé esta la fiesta and all that.”

“Eso es Español, idiota.” Mum quipped, clearly not impressed. Dad was back to howling again. “Ignore him, Floss.”

In the mornings I would take Ruby to a kid’s club at the school for 8 o’clock so that I could have the garage open soon after, and every morning she would protest how much she didn’t like it. Something to do with another child made her hate it, but every time I tried to speak to a staff member about it, they claimed to be none the wiser. Unfortunately I couldn’t rely on my parents to take her to school every day because it didn’t seem very fair on them. She was my baby after all. I hated leaving her in such a state, but I didn’t have a choice.

I’d always be the first one on site at the garage to open it and set everything up. My other helping hand was Zara - also a close friend from primary school who I hadn’t managed to shake. She was completely the opposite to Geri and I. She was still living like an 18-year-old, although her boyfriend didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he tended to join her. Zara was the only one out of the three of us not tied down by a child. She also seemed to think it made her superior to the rest of us.

“Okay, so Mickey has this friend-,”

“-No.” I stopped her before she could even bother starting.

Every week Zara came to me with a new ‘friend’ of Mickey’s that she wanted to set me up with, and every week I wasn’t interested.

“I haven’t finished my sentence.” She huffed.

“You don’t need to.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to say!”

“I know exactly what you were going to say. I know I’m stupid, but when you try so many times, even I can learn when you’re trying to set me up with someone.”

“But this one is lovely.” She whined, childishly reaching over the open bonnet I had my head stuck in.

“You say that every week!”

“Because it’s true! There are so many nice men around here. This is The Cotswolds, Floss! Carpe diem; seize the day; the world is your oyster!”

“I don’t want to seize an oyster.” I said. “Now make yourself useful and find me a better screwdriver than this piece of shit.” I glared at the instrument and then tossed it in the nearest bin.

“What do I look like, your servant?”

“Well, you’re not exactly doing anything.”

“That was our last Phillips.”

I stared at her for a while. “Will you drive out to Sam’s?”

Her shoulders slunk and she hissed towards the ceiling. “Please don’t make me go to Sam’s.”

“You’ve just said we need more Phillips screwdrivers.”

“But I hate going out to Sam’s.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s a nightmare! He keeps me there for hours talking about his next fixation. Last time I went he was talking to me about different types of twine for forty minutes.”

“Oh, come on, he’s lovely.”

“I didn’t say he isn’t. But he talks for England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales combined and it’s so boring.”

“If we don’t get another Phillips I won’t be able to finish this by the end of the day. And I really don’t want to tell that miserable prick that dropped it in that he’s got to wait another day before he can have his car back.”

“If you’re so keen to get a screwdriver, you go and get it.”

“No, I’m sending you because I don’t trust you to find a way to make yourself useful while I’m gone.”

Zara scowled at me. “How. Rude.”

“It’s true though, innit?”

She blew air between her lips. “No.”

I shook my head and turned away from her, wiping my hands on a towel.

“Wait! I have a proposition.”

I stopped again, waiting for her to continue.

“I will drive out to Sam’s if you agree to go on a date with Mickey’s friend.”

I inhaled sharply and looked back at her over my shoulder. “No. Now get on it before it’s too late.”

Even though I had regular flings on Friday evenings while Ruby stayed with my parents, I simply wasn’t interested in dating, no matter how nice Zara always insisted they were. I didn’t have a real problem with Mickey but he seemed to hang around with a lot of idiots, and the idea of actually dating one didn’t sit right with me. The idea of having any random stranger in Ruby’s life didn’t sit right with me, so I would remain stubborn and keep declining until she finally got the picture.

two

I’d never had a panic attack before, but I’m pretty sure the situation I was putting myself in was about to induce one.

I’d left Dad at the garage for an hour so I could go to this stupid appointment that Mum had set up for me, but I felt so queasy and nervous, and I hadn’t even been sent into the actual dentist room thingy yet. I think that’s why I was anxious. This overcompensating waiting room was light and airy and cool and every bit as welcoming as it always was. And I’d never felt this nervous sitting in it before one of Ruby’s appointments. Yet I still felt like I was meeting impending doom.

What if the same disaster happened again? What if I went into that room and made a fool of myself like I did the last time and I’ll continue to have that reputation that already preceded me? The whole village would be laughing at me. I’d pick Ruby up and all the other mums would be whispering about me - how a single mother in her late-twenties can’t even go to the dentist right. I’d go to the corner shop and the shopkeeper would make a snide comment about my bizarre inability to let a man look at my teeth. Oh my God, I’ll be in the fucking Gazette, headline reading ‘Local Mum Useless At Dentist’.

I needed to leave.

“Floss,” Susie suddenly called, conveniently, just as I was about to grab my bag and run.

I looked up at her from my naughty chair, startled.

“Dr Styles will see you now.” She smiled, straight teeth like a haunting reminder of why I didn’t like coming at all.

Dr Styles? Surely that’s a made up name.

“O-okay.” I mumbled, and slowly rose from my chair, bag in hand.

Someone with a surname that stupid couldn’t be real. I mean, obviously he was a living, breathing person, otherwise people wouldn’t be nattering on about him the way they were. But it definitely sounded fake. Maybe it was fake. What if this man had come from the outside to ruin our little village from the inside? Implode us like the aliens did when he left the moon.

I stopped myself in the middle of the empty corridor.

I sounded like a fucking lunatic.

I straightened up and physically shook myself, horrified by my own inner thoughts. This man was fine - a perfectly ordinary dentist with a child the same age as my own, probably just looking for a fresh start in a boring little village like Bibury. I was not going to let my stupid, ridiculous and irrational fears of the specific profession ward me off. I did not want the man to think I was the local fruitcake. Even though I probably (definitely) was.

With my chin up and a determined attitude, I charged into that practice room as if I was there to save the world.

Inside, however, I was immediately put back in my metaphorical naughty chair. I forgot there were always two people in this room - the dentist and his… nurse person. Assistant? Anyway, I could feel the anxiety physically returning to my body. I imagined myself to look like a fraught potato, probably with black car oil on her face.

The two ordinary humans looked up at me - the scared potato -, with calm expressions and easy smiles.

The assistant was familiar, obviously. I didn’t go to school with her but she was around my age and my mum cut her hair. (What was I saying? Mum cut everyone’s hair). She was pretty, in a kind of unassuming sense. I saw her around the high street sometimes and she always smiled at me. Could I remember her name, though? Fuck no.

The other person in the room besides la papa (me), however, looked like he’d been plucked from another planet - maybe even the moon before the aliens blew it up -, and placed him here in this dentist practice to taunt me. He was beautiful. Thick and shiny brown hair kept relatively short but somehow curly blossomed from the top of his head. His green eyes were welcoming yet utterly terrifying. The longer I looked at him the more I realised the tip of his nose moved with every slight adjustment to his expression. His lips were pink and pertinent around what I imagined would be a mouth that was bigger than it appeared. I also imagined it would earn him points in other departments. I don’t need to tell you which ones.

“Florence?” He asked with an expectant smile. His voice dripped like velvet.

I felt my cheeks warm with embarrassment. Christ, how long had I been staring at him?! I cleared my throat, “Er, yes. Floss.”

“Floss?” He tipped his head, and I couldn’t understand the humoured look on his face.

“Yes, Floss.” I said dumbly.

The dentist blinked. “There’s a few other things I want to go through before we talk about flossing-,”

“Oh, shit no!” I squeaked. I was on fire in every possible sense except actually. “People call me Floss.”

“Oh!” He laughed heartily from his stool, and it was louder than I, and apparently his assistant, expected. “How apt.”

“What?” I frowned, failing to see any funny side.

He suddenly stopped laughing, going pink himself. Why was he embarrassed? I was the idiot who didn’t understand the joke. “Nothing. Um, do you want to sit down?” He asked, pointing at the chair.

I looked at the fancy mechanical chair and its unwelcomingly glossy mint surface, and felt uneasy all over again. “That chair?” I said mousily, pointing to exactly the same chair the handsome dentist was.

He looked thrown back by my question. “Yes, this chair.”

I grimaced, both internally and externally, and looked further about the room. “What about that chair instead?” I asked, pointing at the sofa this time. It would be better for me to do it in comfort.

“Er, it really has to be on this chair, Florence.” He patted the scary chair lightly, and then corrected himself, “Floss.”

“Does it, though?” I argued, though it was more quizzical than aggressive. I just didn’t want to sit down.

“Well, yeah… otherwise I can’t reach all the tools I need.”

Tools. I was then immediately thrown into a vision in which that sexy dentist man would be less than an inch close to my face and poking around the inside of my mouth with pointy and sharp objects. The colour drained from my face.

“I, er…” I lazily pointed to the door, “I just realised I actually… Need to go.”

The last thing I saw before I vanished from the room was the dentist’s immensely perturbed expression. I was out of that building like a bullet fired through the air, and I only had one destination - my car.

I called my mother as soon as I was on the road.

“How was your appointment, sweetheart?” She asked the second she answered the call.

“Nosotras necesitamos salir del pais.” I was so stressed I started immediately speaking in Spanish. I demanded to leave the country. “Inmediatamente.”

I could already picture her rolling her eyes. She told me not to be dramatic. “No seas dramática - it can’t have been that bad.”

“I asked him if I could have my check up on the sofa! And I completely forgot what a chair is for! He’s going to think I’m a lunatic! Plus, no one is that outrageously attractive and I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that before I went in. I was in my work clothes! I’ve got grease on my face, my hair is a mess, I’m wearing a T-shirt that says ‘all boobs are good boobs’ on it across the tits! I can never see that man again, mamá!”

There was a moment of silence, and I was forced to concentrate on the road ahead of me. Fortunately I didn’t have to drive for much longer.

“I think you’re overreacting, he’ll have probably forgotten about it already.”

“He was bewildered. I left before the appointment even started, I don’t want that beautiful man anywhere near my face.”

“Well, that isn’t the attitude, Floss. You’re beautiful, too.”

“I’m not interested in this man as a potential partner! Especially not now!”

“Don’t be too hasty. Apparently he’s rather broody.”

“Says who?! The chairperson of your hair curlers society from your Thursday coffee and cake club?!”

“Well now you’re being ridiculous.”

“Do not book me another appointment with him again, I beg you! I must avoid that man like the plague for as long as possible!”

Later on that evening I met George at The Swan as we’d arranged.

I liked The Swan a lot. Not just because it was convenient and local, but because it was actually just a generally decent place to go on any day, whether it be for food or drink, or both.

It sat right on the river, only separated by the narrow road that ran through the main part of the village. It looked like a classic well-to-do English building set against a gorgeous backdrop of greenery and growing a lot of its own on the exterior.

Inside I had a preferred spot, kept out of sight of anyone else; right in the corner next to an old grandfather clock. From there I could see everything and people-watch when conversations were quiet. I also liked listening to the clock ticking away, keeping me grounded in case my mind wandered.

Geri and Zara wouldn’t really come here unless I asked to go, so I was safe on that front. I’d always thought they’d judge me if they learned I tended to sleep around. Both were in very committed relationships and it seemed unlikely to me that they’d understand why I didn’t want what one would call a ‘stable’ relationship. I was happy with just Ruby and I.

The inside had a very elegant cottage-like feel to it, with a dark blue plaid theme throughout. It smelled like burning wood and roses which reminded me of my mother.

George had originally met me outside the front of the pub and walked me inside, and we ordered a round of drinks and claimed my favourite table for a while. We were now cooped up together on a sunken couch in front of the open fireplace. From experience I knew the fire would probably be out of use in the next few weeks in preparation for the summer season, so I was milking it while I had it.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t still feeling antsy after the dentist debacle. On my dates I was usually very chatty, but even I could tell poor George was struggling for ways to get me to talk. He was currently trying to figure out what my job was since I didn’t have it on my Tinder profile, but my answers to his questions were especially unhelpful.

“Is it customer-facing?”

I took another sip out of my Peroni. “Sort of.”

He squinted, gaze thoughtful. “Sort of… like a customer support specialist?”

“No.”

“Oh… are you office based at all?”

“Only on Wednesdays.”

Now he really looked perplexed. I felt his gaze on me for a while, as if he could bleed the answer out of my brain with his eyes alone. I wasn’t even looking at him, too busy staring blankly at the fire ahead of us while I rubbed the lip of the bottle over my bottom lip.

I was thinking about the dentist and the ridiculous interaction we had. Sometimes I was so unbelievably stupid I was embarrassed for me. Why did I behave like that? Why did I think he would agree to do my check up on the sofa at the complete opposite end of the room to where all his tools were? And why, above all that, did he have to be aggravatingly good-looking? It was disgusting.

Moreover, someone had actually procreated with him. And now my child seemed to be making friends with that child, which meant eventually, I was going to have to have another interaction with ‘Dr Styles’ that might pose more embarrassment. The thought of play dates with them made me feel physically sick.

“I can walk you home if you like.” George said quietly.

My gaze snapped in his direction, and he was looking at me with some kind of weird pity. “Why?”

“I don’t know… I feel like you might be, like, elsewhere’,” he tapped his temple, “tonight.”

Yikes, I was helpless. “Sorry. It’s not your fault, I swear.” I began grovelling, as if it might make matters any better. “Had a weird moment at the dentist this afternoon and it’s kind of knocked me back.”

“Why, you kiss him while sedated or summat?”

My stomach dropped. “No. I never even made it into the chair.” I was shaking my head like a disgruntled parrot. “I embarrass myself a lot. Especially at the dentist.”

“What’s that, like an irrational fear?”

I didn’t know what irrational meant. “I guess so. I haven’t been since I was 16.”

“That’s crazy. My mum would kill me if I stopped going to the dentist. Says it’s important to look after your teeth, blah blah.”

“I look after my teeth, I just hate other people staring at them and poking them.”

“Well, they do look fine to me, but I’m not a dentist. You’re more likely to bite them than they are you.”

I studied his expression for a moment and I could’ve sworn he was trying not to laugh. “You think I’m a lunatic.”

“I never said that.” He shook his head firmly.

“You didn’t need to say it, I can see it in your eyes.”

“Maybe I do think you’re a bit yampy, but I like it. Better than being dull.”

“There is never a dull day with me. That’s what my dad always says, anyway.”

“It’s a good thing. Plus, being afraid of the dentist is not as uncommon as you might think.”

“My mum always says that to make me feel better.”

“She’s right though. Went to school with loads of kids who hated the dentist. But I think that actually mostly stemmed from a visit to the theatre to watch Little Shop of Horrors.”

“I’ve never seen it.”

“I wouldn’t if I were you. It would only cement your fears.”

“Thanks for the tip.”

George did end up walking me home, but I didn’t let him leave empty handed, obviously. I ushered him out on Saturday morning before I met my mother at her salon to collect Ruby.

“What are we doing after this, Mummy?” Ruby asked as I sunk into a chair by the washing basins.

My eyes were already closed in preparation for Daniela’s exceptional head massage. “I thought we could pop into Cirencester for some food shopping. And while we’re there we can get some naughty snacks for a movie night later. How’s that sound?”

“Yeah!” Ruby shouted.

“Wicked. What do you fancy watching?”

“Um…” she pondered, and I could feel her brushing around my legs like an excitable cat, “Beauty and the Beast.”

“Good choice! That’s my favourite.”

My mum laughed quietly as she listened to us, and I felt content for a moment.

I loved getting my hair done, especially by my mother. Perhaps it was because it was nostalgic, but I was always happy when I was in the salon with her, and I was always happy whenever she played with my hair. It was probably why I was so obsessed with Ruby’s hair. I used to sit on the floor in the living room and get Mum to brush my hair for hours in the evenings while we watched the telly, and it’s exactly what I intended to do tonight with Ruby.

Once my hair was washed we found an empty chair in front of one of the mirrors and my mother got to work with my fresh trim.

Locals came in for appointments or just to say hello. Personally I could never be a hairdresser simply because I didn’t have enough to say. My Latina mother on the other hand could talk forever. If she ever went to visit Sam the two of them would natter away for hours. On one occasion I even left her there and had dad pick her up because I couldn’t wait any longer listening to them talk about taps. Yes, like sink taps.

“Hola, Daniela,”

I looked up from Ruby squished between my legs under the dressing table at the sound of the bell. In the mirror I could see who it was entering the shop.

“Hello, Barb.” My mother grinned at the local. “Take a seat, I’m just finishing off Floss here.”

I grinned at Barbara (Barb for short) through the mirror, and she sent me a warm smile.

“That time again is it?” She chuckled.

It was well-known to the locals (thanks to my chatty mother) that I had a lot of hair. A lot of hair. And it was for that reason I had it trimmed once a month, otherwise it had a tendency to get a little unruly and hard to manage. I had locks for miles, almost like Rapunzel. It was dark brown, down to my hips, and thick. So thick it got really heavy really quickly. I hated having it down, though, which was often a problem because I got hair ache from having it up too much. I couldn’t win.

“Certainly is.” I huffed.

“You’ve got gorgeous hair. Don’t change it.”

“I can’t, my mother won’t let me.”

“You’re damn right I won’t. I’ve spent years getting it this healthy, I’m not letting you chop it all off.”

I rolled my eyes, looking back at Ruby. She was playing with her Nintendo, oblivious to the world.

“Did you say your relatives are here this week, Barb?” My mother asked, making conversation through the mirror.

“Lottie’s in-laws, yes.” She smiled, but the effort was lacking. “Her husband and the little one have been here a few weeks already.”

“Ah, that’s nice.” My mother sighed happily. “Does he like it?”

“He does, actually. And his mum is obsessed with the village, I think she’d move here if she wasn’t so happy in the north.”

Lottie, Barb’s daughter, passed away a couple of years ago after a nasty road accident. She had lived in the village as a child but after college she went to university somewhere up north and ended up staying there, marrying and having a baby. She was a friend, but not a necessarily close one. It was still devastating when we all found out what had happened.

“Well, I’m glad they’re making the effort to come and visit you. I think it’s important after a tragedy like that.”

My mother was right, about the last part at least. I couldn’t help but feel like Barb had seemed to make very little effort to leave the village and visit Lottie’s in-laws after the accident. Especially her husband and her baby. But what did I know?

I’d been thinking a lot about Ruby’s birthday. It wasn’t for a couple of months yet, but all she seemed to want whenever I tried to drop it into conversation was a puppy. All I could think to reply with in those instances was that puppies don’t stay little forever. She always told me it didn’t matter to her, and that a dog is for life, not just for birthdays. I didn’t know who she’d been speaking to for her to come out with such profound nonsense as that, but I needed to put a stop to it.

As I drove her to the kid's club on Monday morning I tried again to get something out of her.

“Do you want a birthday party this year, Rubes?”

She was staring out of the window in the back of the car behind the passenger seat, and she didn’t even look at me when she answered. “No.”

“No?” I asked, frankly astounded. “Why not?”

“Because birthday parties are expensive.”

Who the fuck was ruining my child with big and inappropriate words? “Who told you that?”

“No one. I heard Scarlett talking about her mum the other day, and Mrs Scarlett says she’s not allowed a birthday party because they cost a lot of money.”

“Not necessarily. I’ve been keeping some money saved for you to have a party if you want one.” I lied. I just knew I had enough money to cover one without having to save, and I didn’t want her making Scarlett feel bad if her mum couldn’t afford to do the same.

Ruby finally looked at me then, and I caught her eye through the rear-view mirror. “Can’t we use the money you’ve saved for a party and buy a puppy instead?”

Bollocks.

“I’ll have to think about it, poppet.”

“You say that every time.” She muttered, a stroppy tone about her.

“Well, a puppy is a big responsibility, Ruby. Like you said a minute ago - they’re for life, not just for birthdays. They need walking regularly, feeding and lots of attention. It’s a full-time job being a dog owner.”

“I would do all those things! I promise, I promise!”

I could tell she was starting to get stressed, but it was a typical ritual for the morning school run. It was like a pre-paddy for the paddy inevitably coming when I dropped her off at the kid's club.

“Look, I’m not going to say yes until I’ve been able to look into it. And even then, it’s not a guarantee that we’ll be able to get one, alright? If I don’t think we can do it, we won’t be getting one.”

“Fine. But if we do get one, can I get a Great Dane?”

“I don’t know what that is. But maybe.”

I stopped outside the little hut that hosted the school’s kid’s club, and walked Ruby inside in the hopes that it would stop her regular tantrum.

It did not.

She stood screaming in the doorway for ten minutes while I fussed over her hot and flushed face. I genuinely could not fathom why she hated going so much but it was starting to concern me. As usual, the staff on site seemed less than interested in shedding any light on her distraught behaviour, and I once again asked them to try and work out what was going on. I didn’t hold much faith in them.

On my way out I noticed a familiar Range Rover pulling into the car park, and I tried to keep my face hidden in the hopes that the dentist wouldn’t recognise me.

At the garage, once I’d opened everything up and waited with a coffee for the first customer to bring their car in, I logged onto the computer in the office and Googled what a Great Dane was.

“Is she having a fucking laugh?!” I squealed, eyes wide at the huge dog breed the results had displayed.

“What you squealing about?” Zara asked as she ambled inside, leaning against the edge of the desk.

“Ruby wants a puppy for her birthday, and she’s picked this breed!” I yelled, pointing at the screen.

Zara howled with laughter towards the ceiling. “Good ol’ Rubes. That’s a real dog.”

“It’s fucking ginormous!”

“And? They’re amazing. All dogs are amazing, but look how handsome they are. You’d have a whale of a time with one of them.”

“Why couldn’t she pick something more normal? Like a Labrador or a Beagle?”

“Everyone’s got a Labrador in this village, and Beagles are evil. Get the baby a Great Dane if that’s what she wants.”

I whined and pouted like a child. I began to imagine the huge thing knocking around the house, breaking things with its big backside and irritating the neighbours with its booming bark. I hadn’t even bought one yet and I was already dreading it.

I’m all ears...

three & four

[nevesmose]

When I was a kid, there was a hill overlooking our little town with a mysterious concrete structure at the top. To get there you had to go over the old canal, through the abandoned quarry filled with unidentifiable rusted-out equipment scattered around, and then past the creepy broken-down barn where some comedy genius had written "INSERT DICK HERE" next to a suspiciously-positioned hole in the wall.

The whole place was forested over thickly enough to muffle most sounds, and every so often you'd tread hollowly on discarded shotgun cartridges from farmers and/or farmers' mums sneaking out to shoot rabbits at night.

It was also haunted by the ghost of a drunk horseman, but being drunk we decided his actual ability to inflict harm on us would be fairly limited.

In any case, having avoided tetanus, gunshot wounds and catastrophic dick chafing, you'd reach a small sunlit clearing right at the top of the hill. The views were truly spectacular - to the north, fields. To the east, fields. To the south, fields. To the west, fields. The benefits of a rural childhood.

Right in the middle of the clearing was a kind of rectangular metal hatchway set low into the ground. Looking at it you could tell it had been opened up and filled in with concrete at some stage, and needless to say our little minds ran rampant trying to guess what was down there. For about fifteen minutes anyway, and then we'd wander off and smack the shit out of each other with tree branches - we were only kids after all.

The main theory, settled on with all the gravitas and judiciousness we could muster, was that it was some kind of Cold War era nuclear bunker. Not that we really knew much of what that meant, all being members of the first post-Soviet generation who didn't have to grow up with ideas like the four-minute warning or Protect & Survive knocking about inside our heads.

Somebody remembered seeing War Games on Channel 4 one weekend afternoon so we based our mental image on that and conjured up a miniature Scottish version of NORAD sitting empty under our feet, all big maps and flashing lights drowned forever in grey concrete.

And then we grew up a bit and thought, nahh, there's no way it was a bunker. It was a radio tower platform or a power substation or something, right?

But it was a bunker though. I looked it up years later and it was a two-person Royal Observer Corps fallout monitoring station to be used for keeping track of the devastation of our closest city, about 20 miles away. The entirety of the UK is hoaching with these things and I can guarantee you if you grew up anywhere in Britain you were much, much closer to them than you might expect.

Not just close to the bunkers but to the people who would have crewed them in the event of armageddon. That's the thing about the ROC, as I've found out since - it was a voluntary service operated by people living nearby.

So who, I wonder, were the unsung unknown uncalled-upon heroes who'd be there when the end came? Who in my sleepy little village with one school, one church and one main street would have had to leave their families to their fate and spend their next, and probably last, two weeks of life in that tiny concrete cell eating strictly rationed food, breathing strictly filtered air, and working out just how many kilotons had been expended on our little corner of the world?

I have my suspicions, but it's not the kind of thing you can just ask your old neighbour out of nowhere. Would they even have gone if they had to? I wouldn't blame them for a second if they chose to stay home instead. I imagine it was something they all had to decide for themselves and no one, least of all the happy beneficiaries of a better world than the one they lived in, has any right to judge.

I feel as though I'm dragging myself to a Meaningful Conclusion here. Oh boy. The past is always closer than you might think, I suppose. Just around the corner, just out of reach, but always there wherever we happen to be.

This post was mainly motivated by reading the excellent Attack Warning Red: How Britain Prepared for Nuclear War by Julie McDowall, who also does the Atomic Hobo podcast which is well worth a listen if you have any interest in this kind of thing. Don't have nightmares.

[arcticdementor]

The Iditarod arch has greeted Iditarod Trail race finishers for the past quarter-century. It collapsed the week before my arrival in Nome, Alaska. Wood rot, according to the local paper. Surveying the town center, it is tempting to see the collapse as a metaphor for an isolated northwestern Alaska town facing the cumulative impacts of outmigration, declining birth rates, and climate change. Dilapidated, single-story wooden homes with cluttered lawns scatter the snow-covered landscape (it was 20 degrees Fahrenheit when I visited in early May). Some wooden facades still resemble Old West saloons, suggesting Nome’s origins as a 19th century Gold Rush town, as if Tombstone had been transposed just 100 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Its face set toward the frozen Bering Sea, Nome felt unwelcoming when I arrived, out of season from the hustle and bustle of the famous Iditarod race. Appearances can be deceiving, though. If Nome seemed forbidding to me as an outsider from the Lower 48, its denizens and regular visitors were extremely welcoming. The next day, I met with Amanda Van Vliet-Snyder outside of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, where she is the pastor. Originally from California, she moved there six years ago with her husband, an Alaska Native from a small village 200 miles away, north of the Arctic Circle. Exchanging texts with Van Vliet-Snyder before my flight from Anchorage, I learned that her husband, Jordan Snyder, was also on my small commuter plane. When I found him in the waiting area, he told me he was headed home from a family member’s graduation. As we were speaking, the graduate in question passed behind us on a moving walkway, and the cousins exchanged friendly, casual greetings. He told me this kind of encounter is common, since in Alaska flying is a fact of life. Nome is only reachable from other parts of Alaska via plane, which cultivates a friendly atmosphere between staff and regulars at Nome’s tiny airport, and makes you realize the TV show Northern Exposure was probably closer to life than many viewers may have appreciated. Jordan drove me to my hotel, giving me an informal tour of Nome’s landscape and local characters on the short drive. Despite its unique history and atmospheric surroundings, in many ways, Nome is any other small town. But the remoteness is still an issue for many. “A lot of congregations are just feeling, I think, kind of frustrated that there’s no pastors that want to stick around,” said Van Vliet-Snyder, “because it’s not really an easy place to live.” She pastors a small congregation, and a big part of her job consists of traveling to the remote places, like the fishing island of Shishmaref, that lack pastors of their own. It’s challenging work, complicated by a larger dwindling of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) nationwide. The situation is a far cry from the denomination’s heyday in Nome, although a Lutheran legacy remains in two visible Nome institutions: the Lutheran Church and Christian radio station KICY.

…

The Lutherans were one of several Christian denominations tapped by Jackson to bring Christianity and traditional American values to Alaska Natives. “Carved up” is an often-used phrase to describe Jackson’s attempted cultural overhaul of the territory, but it’s hard to think of anything more apt. A map from Jackson’s tenure, included in a congressional report from Alaska on his reindeer scheme (of which, more to come), illustrated how different denominations had different areas of responsibility. The Swedish Lutherans had Nome, with Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Methodists, and Swedish Evangelicals operating in the territory right next door. The Episcopalians were even farther north, and the Moravians a few hundred miles to the south in the Yukon Delta. Since the relationship between religious indoctrination and public education was more porous back then than it is today, it is perhaps unsurprising that a general agent for education would concern himself with this sort of thing. What may be less intelligible is why this information was included in a congressional reindeer report, or what a congressional reindeer report was supposed to be.

…

When he arrived in Unalakleet, Karlsson had already done a stint in Central Moscow Prison after a failed attempt to convert Russia. His presence in the Native Alaskan village on the Bering Sea was the consequence, a second foray into bringing Pietism to Russia, this time working westward beginning with Indigenous Siberians. But Karlsson soon switched his focus to Indigenous Alaskans after hearing there was a need for missionaries there. He had a rocky start, but Karlsson soon managed to establish a school for Native children (“the children all got new names and clean clothes and promised to wash their faces each morning,” Karlsson wrote in his journal on the first day of class). He was joined by more missionaries two years later, who helped establish a children’s home, and Karlsson started to garner financial support from Mission Covenant Church leaders in the United States. Karlsson’s missionary still faced challenges: financial challenges in the form of a depression in the Lower 48, theological challenges from the long-present Russian Orthodox Church, and moral challenges from the Gold Rush boom in Nome. Since the discovery of gold in the late 1890s, the population of 200 had ballooned by a factor of 100 by 1901. No less a personage than Wyatt Earp soon established a saloon in Nome to accompany the various other bars and brothels that had sprung up there to serve the new clientele. All the same, Karlsson’s efforts bore fruit. “In 1890, there probably was not a single Christian Inupiaq Eskimo,” according to a 1994 essay by anthropologist Ernest S. Burch Jr. “Twenty years later, there was scarcely an Inupiaq who was not a Christian.”

…

While KICY reached the original Covenant missions that Karlsson and his successors had established, their signal also reached hundred miles away. Indeed, the U.S. government received a letter from the Soviet government complaining about KICY, which indicated to the ECC missionaries that they had finally attained Karlsson’s dream of evangelizing Russia. But devotional programming was only one part of KICY’s mission. At the time it was founded, many villages still lacked private home phones; it was not uncommon for a village to have one public phone for everyone. A nightly program called the Ptarmigan Telegraph became a vital communication link. According to the book on KICY’s history of the same name, “The Ptarmigan Telegraph (pronounced ‘tarmigan’) invited listeners to call or write in messages for family members, work colleagues, or distant relatives. These brief comments would then be read on the air so that the intended recipient would hear and respond in an appropriate manner.” The news and weather updates meant that, according to author Greg Asimakoupoulos, “[f]or the first time, listeners had up-to-the-minute forecasts and warnings of approaching storms, severe temperature drops, and low-pressure fronts moving in from the Bering Sea.” In a place scattered with remote villages where transportation was a challenge, such information could mean the difference between life and death.

…

But the ELCA still has clergy, and a tech evolution in rural Alaska 2023 has complicated their mission. That’s when Starlink first appeared in the state and in 2021, Alaska’s largest telecommunications company brought fiber internet to Nome. Until recently, provider caps on data usage were common in rural Alaska. As broadband access has increased and data limits have decreased, Van Vliet-Snyder told me how technology has created challenges as she works to bring up the next generation in the faith. She said that she had had to cancel the church’s summer camp this year, which she estimated has been running for about 60 years, when the church recognized Nome’s young people were underoccupied in the summer. The church purchased some land near Salmon Lake, Alaska, to start a youth camp. “Gorgeous place,” Van Vliet-Snyder said, where she had led a junior high camp and a high school church camp the previous summer. She brought the weeklong junior high and high school church camps back in 2023, after COVID suspended them in 2020. But something was different. At one time, the church had attracted kids and pastors from around the Seward Peninsula. But Van Vliet-Snyder said that she partnered with only one other pastor for the revived camp, and he in turn could wrangle just two adult chaperones. She ended up calling her own husband in a panic to take time off work and come lend a hand with the logistics of feeding and entertaining the campers. “The thing was, the kids didn’t want to be there,” she said. “The kids that were from villages that have technology were so bored. Because our camp has no electricity, no running water, no cell, you know, no data, no Wi-Fi.” A proposed Alaskan baseball game deteriorated into a fight for the limited outlets to plug in their devices. “They all refused to get out of the car,” Van Vliet-Snyder said. “They all had their devices loaded up, and they all downloaded stuff that they can do online.” A trip to some nearby hot springs didn’t yield much more interest. By contrast, she said, the kids without electronics “were having a grand old time.”

…

KICY General Manager Patty Burchell sees it differently. “Radio is still king here,” she said. “For six weeks of the summer, people are out at their fishing camps. So the culture here is still very much subsistence.” Shipping costs drive up prices in rural Alaska, and according to the state’s labor statistics, unemployment in the Nome census area in July 2023 was 6.8%, almost twice the national average. Because locals in the region still augment their groceries with seasonal fishing, moose hunting, and even berry picking, they still rely on radio when they go out. Internet is “spotty” (a truth I can personally verify), and a 2023 Federal Communications Commission report stated that Alaska ranked 55th out of 56 states and territories in broadband availability coverage for fixed and mobile service, even after a 2016 FCC program to expand broadband access over 10 years. And while more people in and around Nome are adopting Starlink, it can be expensive to get started. According to a 2023 Nielsen study, Alaska remains one of the top AM-listening states in the nation, ranking seventh for its percentage of AM radio listening. Although Burchell said there is a radio “on the table in every home,” KICY also broadcasts online, as well as over AM and FM channels. It is one of two radio stations in Nome (the other, KNOM, is affiliated with Catholic missionary work), and it operates out of a small, unassuming building, not far from the World’s Largest Gold Pan at the center of town. KICY is no longer staffed by career missionaries as it was at its founding. Today, the station is operated by part-time staff and by volunteer missionaries who raise their own support to come work there, usually for one year. Covering the Iditarod race is a big part of their job, but so is Native-language programming featuring locally produced Native singing, and a Russian-language program that reaches Siberia.

…

But Joseph is not that different from other young adults from the Lower 48. A conference on outmigration from the state at University of Alaska Anchorage concluded that the state’s demographic problem isn’t young people leaving the state, but that the ones who leave aren’t adequately replaced by new arrivals in their 20s and 30s. Research chief at the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development Dan Robinson said that for the past 12 years, more people have left Alaska than moved in, something he said was unprecedented. Some of the demographic change is due to college-age Alaskans opting to attend college in the Lower 48. But Robinson thinks there are other factors keeping young people from moving to Alaska—a reduced military population at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, for one thing. The other factor is less quantifiable—“Alaska is an adventurous kind of place,” Robinson said. It would appear that the call of the wild that has long beckoned young people north no longer holds the same allure.

…

The Seward Peninsula Indigenous culture “just loves music, loves singing,” said Burchell, “And from the early days translated hymns into their language, as well as created their own music, sacred music.” Even today, she said musical get-togethers still happen in the spring, “when a village will invite the three or four surrounding villages and anybody else who wants to come, to come in for a weekend of teaching, Bible teaching, and testimony, and song.” These gatherings occur in late winter and early spring, when longer days and a hard snowpack makes snowmobile travel over the hundreds of miles between villages doable. In the summer, there are no roads, and around the Norton Sound, there are no rivers to facilitate travel. Burchell said KICY sends representatives to record the testimonies and music for later broadcast, and a remote unit to broadcast the evening services live. The hymns, many of which are translated into Native languages, have a unique sound all their own. Burchell describes it as reminiscent of Southern gospel with a “distinct flavor.” Southern gospel is popular and in heavy rotation at KICY, she said. But Van Vliet-Snyder said there is little in the way of syncretic pre-Christian practice mixed with Christian worship at her church. It is a legacy of Sheldon Jackson’s twin senses of cultural supremacy and agrarian paternalism. Unlike the Russian Orthodox Church’s earlier presence in Alaska, which was a more-or-less organic process that embraced cultural syncretism, the Lutheranization of the Seward Peninsula had a more compulsory edge. Van Vliet-Snyder’s husband told me that his own last name, Snyder, was given to his Native Alaskan forbears by missionaries.

…

Her challenge, however, is not to present herself as a new kind of progressive white savior, a 21st-century Sheldon Jackson trying to reform the Indigenous people according to her own view of what right looks like. “Who am I to come in and say, ‘Let’s look at your Native values, and then look at what the missionaries were teaching you back then, and then look at how they came in and completely changed the way you think’”? said Van Vliet-Snyder. “How can I be a learner? How can I not be seen as, ‘There’s just another white person who’s going to come and tell us about her white Jesus.’” She says her congregation post-COVID is only about 40 people, and “the next generation of kids, they’re like, ‘eh, whatever.’” But she said it’s still the place Native Alaskans turn for funerals or in an emergency, and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church is a popular place of worship for local Native Alaskans on Christmas Eve. “They still see that as their church,” said Van Vliet-Snyder, “even if we don’t see them every week.”

[kittyplushy]

Apartment infodump!🌤

Went around my neighborhood this afternoon! It's a Lazy Sunday so I just wanna infodump a bit about how I imagine Julianne's apartment would look like.

I've always imagined that it would be at the other edge of town close to another forest. There are still some stores and essential businesses for renters in that area but it's mostly a clump of apartment buildings or commercial buildings for small offices and such (like printing shops, probably the publishing house for Woodbrook Wanderer, and niche shops).

It's the part of town people don't typically end up in unless they're out of options for places to be in. This is probably the area where newcomers come to rent or buy spaces.

Meanwhile on the other side of the town is the residential area where the families who've stayed in Woodbrook are ever since. They have fairly nicer houses and maybe a few houses are rental or some are small-scale apartments (like an example I'll show in a second). I'll bet that land or even the cost to build a house there is steep since it is a very nice/safe community. Perhaps this is gonna be explored a lot more through a commercial angle in Rite Of Spring

Keep in mind I live in the Philippines so I have No Clue if what I'm saying will contextually make sense. I live in a village that's close to the city but it's still rural enough to not be fully commercialized. Sure, we have a few restaurants and small coffee shops in the village but there are still patches of land with trees, greenery, and probably some feral colonies lol

It's mostly residential space with a basketball gym and a chapel at the entrance.

I've always thought that Julianne's apartment would look somewhere between this apartment in the village and this commercial building in Quezon City I used to frequent.

Looking at the kind of buildings built in Woodbrook, it would be more realistic if it would be closer to the building on the right. However, I like the idea that it would maybe look smaller and a bit more intimate like the one on the right.

I think having the apartment Julianne lives in be 4 floors of livable space be a good compromise. After all, that's what Julianne was after, a cheap space she can buy and live in as long as it's in Woodbrook. It would be smaller, and some areas would be closed off but I imagine that the first floor and lobby look similar to this. It kind of looks like a budget beach resort's lodges but that's part of the charm. It reminds Julianne of her home.

The 2nd floor is a common living space with a television set, a shelf of rotating books for people who want to borrow or leave books, couches, a phonograph/radio for music, and a big kitchen for people who need to cook and for those who don't have a kitchen in their apartments. Julianne has a mini stove and a fridge and a sink but not an oven so if she wants to bake, she has to compute to make enough for her neighbors or at least the landlady plus herself and sam.

3rd-4th is where the other apartments are so renters/people who bought a space stay there. Julianne lives at the 4th floor. Also all of you live next door in the 4th hehe :) Wren pointed out its like Tomodachi Life Apartments!

5th floor is the rooftop so its just an open space. People can hang out there if they want and Julianne goes up there to think sometimes or draw on the concrete with chalk.

Being that its near the forest, the apartment is cool and there's good air circulation around that some days you don't even need an electric fan or air conditioning. The entrance has some plants and some 1st floor renters have small gardens on their windows or by their doors. Grass and wild flowers grow on the sidewalk.

It really is the perfect place to live in. Friendly neighbors. A bustling sweet town with great small businesses. Romance around the corner!

Also on my walk today I saw Julianne hehehe

[bunnyscar]

The Siliven's Request: Part 4

Alaine had never been in a forest before, most of her life having been spent in her parents’ village or in the town with her uncle. But now, she and Manas were following a path that went through a small wood. She gazed about eagerly, drinking in the sights of pine trees close together, light peeking in through leaves and creating mottled patterns on the mossy ground, and pink and blue flowers growing randomly along the path. Birds sang overhead, squirrels chattered and scurried over tree branches, and branches cracked underneath her horses’ hooves. She breathed in deep, the scent of pine filling her nostrils. It was enchanting and wonderful, a new world she had only dreamed about.

She glanced at Manas, who walked ahead of her. Silivens lived in a forest, but from what she had heard, it was dark and grey, full of fog and monstrous creatures besides the Siliven. It was said to be a harsh place, unlivable for any other species besides the Siliven. Was that why his people were so cruel? 

A yell brought Alaine out of her thoughts. She and Manas turned in the direction of the cry, which came from deeper in the forest. The yelling continued, and Alaine finally made out the word, “Help!”

“Manas, we’ve got to go help!” she cried. Manas grabbed her horse’s bridle, stopping her from lunging off the path into the forest.

“Is it really our business?” he asked indifferently. 

Alaine turned angrily on him. “Someone’s asking for aid! If you don’t go, I will,” she cried. Manas shrugged and let go of the bridle. But he went ahead of Alaine, leading the way towards the cries.

As they grew closer, they heard growls and snarling. Rounding a tree, they found a man in another tree, clinging to one of its branch for dear life as wolves growled and snapped below him. “H-help!” the man cried desperately. The wolves suddenly turned, noticing Alaine and Manas. One of the wolves snarled, taking a step toward them. But Manas rushed forward, his arm turning into a scythe, and sliced the wolf in half. The other wolves whined at the sight of their companion suddenly dead, and as Manas approached them, they turned tail and fled. 

For a moment, Alaine stared in horror at the mutilated wolf, bile rising up in her throat. She had become comfortable traveling with Manas, since he treated her fairly well, and she had almost forgotten how dangerous Silivens could be. Glancing somewhat uneasily at Manas, who was returning his arm to its usual form, she shivered.

Manas looked up at the man, who remained clinging to the tree limb. “You can come down now,” Manas said mildly. Shakily, the man descended the tree.

“T-thank you,” the man said, though he kept glancing uncertainly between the dead wolf and the Siliven.

“Thank the girl,” Manas responded, waving a hand at Alaine. “She was the one who wanted to save you.”

“Yes, are you alright?” Alaine asked, recovering herself and dismounting Belle.

“Ah, yes, I think so. Please, is there any way I can repay you?” the man said.

“Well, we could use some money,” Manas replied slowly.

Alaine turned to him in horror. “We can’t ask him to give us money!” she exclaimed.

But Manas ignored her. “We only need 50 coins,” he said, extending a hand to the man.

The man eagerly pulled out his money pouch and handed the coins to Manas. “Oh yes, please take it! But are you sure you don’t want more?” he said.

Manas pocketed the coins and turned to leave. “It’s enough for us to get room and board for the next night,” he responded off-handedly. He motioned for Alaine to come. Mounting her horse again quickly, she waved goodbye to the man and hurried after Manas.

“Did you really have to take his money? What if he’s poor or something?” Alaine complained.

Manas gave her an annoyed look. “Well, did you want to starve? We haven’t found a good job for you yet, and who knows if the inn will let us work or not. The last one didn’t, remember? Might as well take his money if he’s offering it,” he said. He turned away decisively, cutting off Alaine’s protests and making it clear the discussion was over.

Alaine scowled to herself. Manas had a point, they did need money, but it still felt rotten to her. Even if they had only taken the amount they needed for the next day, weren’t they acting as if all they cared about was getting money instead of saving the man’s life? She sighed. With Manas, she always felt so conflicted. Half the time she was convinced that he was an uncaring and selfish jerk; and half the time she felt that he really did care about people or at least had some sense of decency and kindness. She could not understand him, and that fact irritated her.

 As long as he didn’t do something really awful, though, like murdering humans or stealing a large amount of money from someone, she could tolerate him. And even if he treated others callously, he did treat Alaine with more care. He had bought her that necklace, and he made sure now that they took breaks when traveling. Perhaps he only cared about her because of her magic ability. Time would tell.

Link to Part 3:

[livelaughlovetoread]

🤔 Are there any new characters you want to write about? 🐾 Do you plan on writing for any fests or competitions? 💥Is there a chapter, scene, or WIP you're most excited to write? Share a snippet or tell us about it!

Thank you East!

Send me and ask based on these Questions!

🤔 Are there any new characters you want to write about?

I have this idea for a Remadora Jily mash-up fic from Sirius's POV that I want to write as I think it would be so much fun. It would also have Jily and Remadora POV - idk it's been in my head and I have been thinking of drafting it out.

🐾 Do you plan on writing for any fests or competitions?

I am! Which I am very excited about! I am doing the @greenhouse-seven Valentine's Day Exchange and the @jilymicrofics gift exchange! These are my first two 'gift exchanges' and I am nervous that someone might not like my gift, but everyone is so lovely so I know it's just nerves.

💥Is there a chapter, scene, or WIP you're most excited to write? Share a snippet or tell us about it!

One thing I enjoy about Jily is that it's set in the 70s. There was no internet or cellphones - but kids still found a way to party. James lives in the town of Godric Hollow - which I read as a small village town. That means these kids were stealing out at night and having parties in the fields. There were dances and they were having parties in their parent's basements when they were out of town - there was just so much fun to be had.

This is a scene that will be in A Light In The Shadows between James' fourth and fifth years when his Muggle friend Boby takes him to a party outside the town:

"Fuck the cops are coming," said Bobby as people scrambled around them.

"How are we getting out of here, your brother skived off with his girl an hour ago," asked James.

"We have a meet-up spot in case this happens," said Boby looking around. "Lottie, you know where to meet your sister? "

"No, she and Alan didn't make a plan," said Lottie.

"Wanker," said Bobby causing Lottie to giggle, he then added, "It's all right Lottie, I'll get you home."

Those two were smiling at each other like fools and had all the time in the world.

"All right love birds break it up, where are we heading?" asked James as he stepped closer to them. Bobby grabbed Lottie's hand and they dashed to where his brother Dan had parked the car.

Dan had the window down and the car lights on so they could see him at the edge of the forest.

"Took you fuckers long enough," said Dan as he stubbed out a fag. They all stood there looking at him, until he added, "Get in the fucking car. We have to go!"

They all piled in the back of the car.

"Alright I'm turning the lights off, Beth-Anne you're on the lookout," said Dan as he killed the car headlights.

They drove on the edge of the field. Everyone was quiet as they did not want to draw attention and have any of the cops notice them.

It was hard to see but Beth-Anne had her head out the window keeping an eye on things as Dan drove the edge of the forest like he had done it a hundred times. James realized that Dan probably had done this a bunch, being three years older than them.

They kept the lights off until they got on the road, then Dan turned the headlight back on and blasted the radio. A sigh of relief could be heard from all of them - nobody wanted to call their parents about being picked up at a party.

"What a fucking rush," said Dan. They all started laughing and agreeing with him. It was just like sneaking out onto the grounds with his friends at school. He can't wait to owl Sirius about this excursion, maybe he can come to the next one.

"Looks like we picked up a straggler. Lottie where do your parents think you are tonight?"

"I just snuck out the house, Bobby can walk me back from yours."

"There will be a cop station out on the main drive, so I'll drop Beth-Anne off first. Then we can stick you and Jim in the boot to get by them. They won't say shite if it's just me and Boby driven."

****

The boot of the car was hot, and not a place James wanted to be, but it was better than being taken to Muggle jail and having to call his parents who would have been pissed.

"So..." said James, "You and Boby?"

Lottie giggled and said, "We're not going steady or anything, but he walks me home from school most days."

"I'm sure he'll ask you soon," replied James.

"I think he's scared of my Dad," said Lottie. "Boby started doing dishes in the pub, and any time my Dad saw us chatting he puffs out his chest and - "

"Quite you two, we are approaching," Dan said loudly.

James couldn't hear everything that was going on until Dan and the Cop started yapping at each other.

"Oh for fuck's sake Billy, we were literally doing this a year ago,"

"Yeah, Dan, and now I'm a cop," said who James assumed was Billy. "Tell me you haven't been drinking and I can let you go."

"I didn't have time to drink Billy, I had Beth-Anne with me. You can have Freddy call Beth-Anne tomorrow I wasn't drinking at all tonight."

"I don't see Beth-Anne with you."

"You sure you're smart enough to be a cop Billy?" asked Dan, "She lived on the outside of town, I dropped her off first."

"You have any stowaways?"

"No," said Dan. "The boot only has finishing geer."

"Alright," said Billy.

There was a moment of quiet.

"We're meeting up Friday at the Pub, you'll be there?"

"Yeah," said Billy.

"Your drinks are on me," said Dan. "Inspector Jones was a dumbarse for putting you on."

"They do it on purpose, but the young constables on and only want us going after those drinking and driving."

"And you let me... You're a shithead Billy,"

The car started moving, and James could hear Billy call out, "I still expect those drinks, Dan!"

[nerdystudent101]

Journey through the warring states of China and Qin Dynasty

My travels started west of Zhao and north of Qin territory, where I grew up as what would define myself as a barbarian, but my family traveled china to live a life for themselves once we reached a certain age.

My first destination was to travel to Qin. Along the way, the villages seemed friendly, yet prideful to their country and there were always many notice boards looking to recruit into the army. I could hear passerby's in Zhao talking of their hatred toward the Qin for the their army that put weapons down, yet was ruthlessly executed. It seemed news of Han and Qin fighting was the current situation, with Qin nearly dominating them and people wishing for the war with Qin to expand in the next few years. I started this journey hoping I would go through Zhao and cross the yellow river into Qin, but it seems that the war may start expanding further in time. My decision was to continue my travels but go south to Chu, which seemed to be a safer state to live in for the next few years. Every place I went through you could see towns in ruins, especially closer to the border to a state you got. Obviously I knew the language of the people in these places, otherwise there would've been no way blend in with society, other than crossing borders in places of less surveillance. To make by I would mainly forage of the land while traveling and any surplus, would trade in towns for basic necessities that I couldn't get otherwise. Once I reached Chu, I became a farmer for some time, since that was a skill I grew up learning. I made enough to survive and although I never married, I remained in peace, waiting for the wars to end. A few years passed this way and although in the past few generations the Chu didn't have the best rulers, it wasn't until recently that the government lost it's head and legs, so we surrendered to the Qin.

I has been about 15 years since I left home, I currently own a decently sized farm and a small trading district in the town close by. I have made a small fortune during this time, while staying away from politics, I still made sure to capitalize off the changes. Qin ended up taking the rest of the warring states over, but instead of only conquering, they have been establishing a new system, such as like making a centralized currency. This helped me, who was already good with money, be able to start a trading center in the town I had been in for the past few years. I had money and the war finally ended, so I felt it was time to visit Qin like I originally wanted. I started by going to Xianyang, which was the capital of the Qin dynasty, which was located on the east side of what the Qin used to be. Once I reached the capital, I made it my first goal to visit a scalar friend of mine that I made business with over the years.. I found it interesting that when Qin first conquered Chu, I had to register as an adult and it was much easier to pay taxes. As someone that has always loved learning different cultures, I found their new systems to be fascinating. Sadly their was a powerful hierarchy, including with scholars, that made it so I wouldn't be able to see a court itself. When visiting my friend, we spoke about some recent changes in the government that we both found interest in, such as how taxes were used in the recent year. Apparently a recent project was the start of building a wall north to help against invasions from nomadic people. Another topic of discussion how many systems had been centralized, both complaining about it and happy of the changes, all writing he had to make, must have a certain height and length to them. It drove him mad some days, but we both knew it was for the better. I wished him well and to come by my shops whenever he was near.

Visiting the capital was a busy beauty. In some sections of the city you could see walled walkways, hear gongs in the court in the richer side of town and in the brothels could. Construction was constantly going on and scholars are always in a hurry around here. Although it is quite immoral of me, I may have been entertained in a brothel or two. One, in which although it's mainly only high class people that knew to play instruments, she could play the pipa beautifully. The 4 strings made a loud yet relaxing mood while having drinks. Music has always been an important part of the culture for many of the rich I have met through my life, but it made me wish I had been born to a noble person and learned to play. My nights visiting the capital usually included meeting locals and having some fun, as I was on completing a lifelong dream. The inn's I would stay at all seemed cheap in comparison to the beautiful style of other buildings in the city though. Enough to put one in awe and although there were similar buildings in my travels, you could sense the level authority this city exclaimed to all. In this moment, I could realize how the Qin defeated all the other warring states after hundreds of years of constant death that my family originally ran away from.

After a couple weeks, it was my final day visiting Xianyang before my departure back to my responsibilities and wishing to finally settle into my life in Chu again. Throughout the time that the new emperor had taken over the other kingdoms, he made trips to many of his territories. There he would visit scholars and commit to rituals. It was never something I agreed with completely, but many of the people believe in a spirit realm in which one must make an animal sacrifice in order to communicate with this other world. With powerfully smelling incense and royal music, these ceremonies connected the culture of these territories. This was the 5th time that the emperor had left on one of these trips and finally made his return. The people were excited to see him return in peace, as he was a person highly respected even among those scared of his wrath. There were rumors of him returning last week but no one saw him greet the people and was expected that he was tired after the year long adventure. Other small talks included him passing away on the journey, which would be unbelievable. The emperor was a sense of security, especially for me who had only come through this country after my adult years and witnessing some of the atrocities of the warring states.

On my way of leaving the city, I could see the panic many faced while trying to find if these rumors were true or not. As I passed by the main halls I looked up to see what looked to be a high authoritative man announcing to the crowd information. His death was for certain now and his son would become the next emperor. The mourning and panic shook the whole city by storm, I stayed until the ceremony of his death would occur. A man cherished by many kingdoms must have the best death as he was someone always looking for immortality. To honor his death and to protect him in the spirit world, the next emperor who admired his father began a new construction of his fathers tomb and the statues of those who would protect him beyond death. My journey now came to an end, I have seen the best and worst of a country so I decided to sell my riches and join my village of my family and to have children. The future may not be bright but at least my life has been with the many cultures I have witnessed before me.

Firstly I know it's a bit unrealistic for someone to even leave one's village but this was a man of adventure, especially for his time. Also the following sources were contributed to gaining knowledge for the little journey I made but to make the flow a little better it was more paraphrased in my own story. I wish I could've added more but it was hard to find some sources of that time on certain aspects of culture they had. I couldn't just make up things they did back then, but the Qin emperor did kill off many scholars of that time and books that could've been a better grounding for knowledge. Like even most primary resources used had to be artifacts that had presumptions made of them anyway.

Brindley, Erica Fox. Music, Cosmology, and the Politics of Harmony in Early China, State University of New York Press, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.eznvcc.vccs.edu/lib/nvcc/detail.action?docID=3408628.

Burman, Edward. The Terracotta Warriors. Pegasus Books, 2018. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=89125300-b8d3-3fc4-b42a-6932f0de2e61.

Caldwell, E. (2018). Writing Chinese Laws: The Form and Function of Legal Statutes Found in the Qin Shuihudi Corpus (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi-org.eznvcc.vccs.edu/10.4324/9781351180689

Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. “Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.” UNESCO World Heritage Centre, whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=441. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.

Chinese Academy “Traditional Chinese Instruments - Pipa 琵琶.” Chinese Academy, 16 Mar. 2021, www.philadelphiachineseacademy.com/post/traditional-chinese-instruments-pipa-%E7%90%B5%E7%90%B6.

“History of Qin Dynasty.” Xian Private Tours, www.xianprivatetour.com/xian/history_of_qin_dynasty.htm. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.

Major, John. “The Rise and Fall of the Qin Dynasty: 9 : Ancient China: John S. Maj.” Taylor & Francis, Taylor & Francis, 22 Sept. 2016, www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-mono/10.4324/9781315715322-9/rise-fall-qin-dynasty-john-major-constance-cook?context=ubx&refId=4fc280c6-d672-46c3-a737-d25a2848c614.

McKinnell, Anne. “China’s Terracotta Warriors.” Anne McKinnell Photography, 20 Apr. 2017, annemckinnell.com/2017/04/20/chinas-terracotta-warriors/.

Sanft, Charles. Communication and Cooperation in Early Imperial China : Publicizing the Qin Dynasty, State University of New York Press, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.eznvcc.vccs.edu/lib/nvcc/detail.action?docID=3408817.

“Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE).” Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, 3 Sept. 2020, asia-archive.si.edu/learn/for-educators/teaching-china-with-the-smithsonian/explore-by-dynasty/qin-dynasty/#:~:text=Following%20the%20death%20of%20Qin,206%20BCE–220%20CE).

[dsandrvk]

Tuesday, September 17 - Honiara, Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal Island)

We had a half-day here in Honiara, and this time we had a tour highlighting the WWII history here. Guadalcanal was of course the site of intense fighting during that war, and the history has filled many books, so I won't go into much here other than our experiences. We left shortly before noon, and immediately got into the mid-day traffic which slowed up everything considerably. There were six mini-vans in our group, and it was impossible for them to caravan, so by the time we got to our first stop, the earlier buses were almost ready to leave. As a result we had less time than we would have liked at Red Beach, which was the site of furious fighting but is now a lovely stretch of sand. Russ and I were able to walk along the beach for a little while and met these two young boys playing in a boat, dutifully watched by their father, who we talked with briefly.

Our next stop was by the airport where there is a memorial garden planted with trees. It's not a cemetery, and has only plaques where trees have been sponsored, but closer to the terminal is a spot where some unidentified remains are buried that serve to represent all the Marines who were killed in action or presumed dead here at Guadalcanal. There is just a small bronze plaque on the ground marking the burial - in a vegetated corner of the airport parking lot.

A word about the name - Guadalcanal is actually named for a village near Seville in Spain. It was given that name by a member of Alvaro de Mendana's expedition, which originally charted these waters in 1568. It is a very rugged island with lots of hills, ridges, and valleys in between and has dense vegetation in many areas, even today. Driving around we were able to get a good sense for how hard it would be to invade and get anywhere.

We headed back towards the main part of town, but once again the traffic was fairly heavy so our driver turned off the main paved road and we headed up onto a ridge. We had thought we were going to "Bloody Ridge", which was the site where the Marines held off the Japanese to maintain control of the airfield, but we were headed in the wrong direction. We had lost sight of the van in front of us who it turns out did not take our route. At one point our guide got out to "buy something" from a stand, but it was obvious from the pointed fingers and arms that he was asking for directions. We then headed along this narrow ridge on a single lane dirt track, occasionally bumping things on the bottom of the van, making horrible noises, and Russ and I were able to follow on our map app, but we still weren't sure where we were going. It turns out our driver didn't want to sit in traffic and took this "shortcut" instead, and indeed when we finally got back on a paved road and headed up to the Japanese memorial, we were the only bus there. We didn't know if the others had been there and left, had gone someplace else, or were suddenly behind us, but it was nice to have the place to ourselves.

This memorial is for all the soldiers, sailors and Marines of all nations who lost their lives here, and is a beautifully designed white structure with plantings and plaques in both English and Japanese. The statue is a sculpture by a Japanese soldier who died here in battle and was donated by his home village. For some reason it was this that got to me - how many artists, writers, etc. had their lives cut short by war (of course there were lots of others too who never came back, and that is also tragic). It does give one pause. This location is on one of the highest ridges above Honiara, and the views were outstanding and the site was extremely peaceful. As we were getting ready to leave, the other vans all showed up - we're still not entirely sure where they had been.

Some folks on our van had really wanted to visit Bloody Ridge, which was all the way back by the airport, but our guide was willing (our driver less so - he wanted to go back by the "shortcut", but was outvoted, so we went back into the heavy traffic). He had obviously never been there, so Russ worked with the guide and our map, and that helped, but it was also obvious that our guide and the driver spoke different dialects, as when the guide said, "turn left", the driver invariably went the other direction.

We actually did get to Bloody Ridge, also called Edson's Ridge, where over two days the Marines held this high ground overlooking the airfield, thereby allowing the Americans to continue to fly from this very strategic location. Unlike the other memorial sites, there is only a fairly simple marker here on a grassy hill, but I think that's why it somehow seems more poignant than the fancier memorials.

We thought we were now through with our tour, but we made one more stop to the American Memorial, where there were panels detailing the various battles in this area, and the ships lost in the waters just offshore. Once again, it was on a ridge top with views, but not as nice as the previous two. There was also a small plaque by the entrance that listed the war journalists that covered the battles here - a testament to those who put truth above personal safety.

We got back to the ship about fifteen minutes before all aboard time - this despite the fact that we were on the earlier of two scheduled tour departures. What had been billed as a 3-1/2 tour had taken us almost 6 hours, but I have a feeling we saw things none of the other vans experienced.

Notes on the photos - the little building has the typical roofline of many buildings here, with the high center ridge. The grandstand is part of the new stadium complex here, where they hosted the 2023 Pacific Games. The stadium complex was built with help from the Chinese, who are funding a lot of projects here, giving the Australians, who have traditionally provided aid, a run for their money. I liked the Pokies Club, which appears to be a gambling den, although the "b" is missing from "ingo". The woman and her children appeared after we got to Bloody Ridge, and set out a display of ordinance and old Coke bottles for sale. It seems that the bottles and ammo are constantly being dug up, even 80 plus years after the fighting here.

All in all, it was an interesting day. The Solomon Islands seem to be a bit more prosperous than some places in PNG and Micronesia, but there is still a lot of poverty and unemployment, and they are dependent on the Chinese and Australians for funding of projects.

Tomorrow we have a sea day, so there might not be an update. I have to admit that after this much time, the sea days do seem to blend into one another, although occasionally we win at Trivia or we see some dolphins. We were lucky to see two pods this morning, neither close enough for good pictures, but fun to watch through the binoculars. We are always on the lookout for wildlife during the downtimes.

[papa-j]

Ontario and back

Week 5

We left Harriston under heavy rain on our way up to Tobermory to take the ferry across to South Baymouth on Manitoulin Islands, a two hour ferry ride. On our way north on Hwy 3 we drove through large farms and flat land. The landscape turned more hilly as we got closer to Georgian Bay.  There was more bush and the farms were replaced by cattle ranches, cleared bushland being prepared for farming.

We got into Tobermory to cloudy skies and setup camp at the Tobermory Village Campground. It’s getting colder now and that takes some of the fun out of camping…

We got to the ferry a little late but in time to get on it. The crossing was in blustery conditions and driving rain. We passed by many islands on the first part of the crossing, but no houses on them, probably because these islands are very rocky and no beaches to be seen. The ferry ride was a bit rocky but I have experienced worse on the crossings to Vancouver Island.

We drove straight north on Hwy 6 in the rain to Sheguandah then west on 540 to Gore Bay where we drove out to the lighthouse to take some pictures. The weather got lighter as we drove west with blue skies to the west. 

We then continued our drive around the island. Along the way we saw some big flocks of Sandhill Cranes and geese feasting on leftover grains in the fields.  The landscape on the island is mostly flat and scrubby, grazing land good for cattle and sheep and a few farms.

We made our way to Batman’s Cottages and Campground on the east side of Bass Lake to setup for the night. Due to the blue skies on the western horizon we enjoyed an amazing sunset here.  It was windy and stormy all night, so we hunkered down in the van and played cards, she won :/  The sound of the wind gusts in the trees was similar to the sound of waves crashing onto the rocks at the Oregon coast.  Still managed a good nights sleep.

In the morning we drove to Sudbury in the driving rain and snow. After turning off the main highway, we turned onto the road that took us to the Science Center, a great place to escape from the miserable weather. I love science and here is a place that offers a big variety of sciences with an interactive element. This can be a playground for as long as you want.

The architecture of the building is grand and the integration of the rocks of the Laurentian shield is clever and informative. One exhibit is about the geological formation of the area. We ended the visit with an IMAX presentation by Jane Goodall about Hope, inspiring …

We visited my friend Jaylene in the afternoon and evening to share stories about life and our kids. We went for a neighbourhood walk in the misty fall weather. All the sidewalks are shaded by maple trees and they were in full colours, beautiful.  

We left Sudbury the next morning in the rain and drove north on Hwy 144 to Geneva Lake where we were met met by Kate, Lindas’ school buddy. Kate and Oscar live on the lake, water access only in the summer and over the ice in winter. This brings along some challenges but I can see the rewards. They live on a bluff overlooking the lake and have all the amenities, great place to be retired with a lot of family nearby. Life is good!

We arrived in the rain, so much of the activity was indoors playing cards and reminiscing, we learned several new Rummy games, a long walk on the mainland & enjoyed a wood fired sauna at 100c and a dip in the lake at 14c :)) 

We left Geneva Lake under grey skies and drove south on 144 to 17 west to ‘The Sault’. We stopped at Onaping Falls to take some pictures.  A.Y. Jackson, the famous Canadian painter, one of the Group of Seven was inspired by this location, beautiful fall colours and the whitewater rushing over the rocks and the falls.   

The weather improved as we drove west on 17 and the fall colours still looked awesome in the sunshine. We drove past countless small lakes and small towns along the shores of Lake Huron North Channel. Through Sault Ste Marie and then north along the shores of Lake Superior to Wawa where we camped overnight.

The next morning we left for Thunder Bay. From Wawa to Nipigon there is a whole lot of nothing but bush and rocks, some of it a bit unusual, but it looks all the same after a while. West of Nipigon we came upon the major roadwork projects we saw two weeks ago.

A ways past Thunder Bay we turned onto Hwy 11 west to Fort Frances. There are mostly native communities, with long distances between them along the way on this stretch of the trip. Some of these towns are neat and tidy and some have a lot of ‘yard art’ ;)  It was a long day driving, we got into Fort Frances as it was getting dark.  We entered the address for the campground into the GPS and it took us to the industrial section of town next to a truckers terminal, not what we were looking for :/ we found an empty lot and parked for the night. In the morning we drove north on Hwy 71 to Kenora.

There are many rest areas and lookouts to take a break.  One of the nicest was Sioux Narrows on the Lake of the Woods, absolutely a stunning setting in the middle of nowhere…  From Kenora west to Winnipeg we saw the landscape from the other direction. The fall colours are fading fast now, but it’s still very pretty through here.

We arrived in Winnipeg at noon and went to the Museum of Human Rights.  This is another amazing and beautiful structure inside and out.  The exhibits although disturbing, are very profound and very well done.  Walking through these exhibits, it occurred to me how the human race does not learn from history.  We seem to allow the politicians and leaders to perpetuate human created tragedies and misery over and over again. Currently it’s in Russia/Ukraine and the middle east. Tomorrow it could be north America. 

The exhibits describe how fascists and dictators manage the narrative and the media to take control of a country.  

It makes me realize that the Swiss had it right in 1291 when they decided that they would no longer be ruled by anybody and took control with Direct Democracy. This has not changed to this day, even in Switzerland the politicians don’t like it but they can’t change it because the people would have to agree to the change. No Fascist can rise in that system of governing. 

On Sunday we had a nice family gathering with Lindas’ oldest brother and his kids and grand kids.  They are all living busy lives and the grand kids are all involved in sports and activities, such as hockey, gymnastics and dance. There were no cell phones in sight, nice to see.

We left Winnipeg in the afternoon and drove to Barndon to get a head start the next day.  The 100km radius area around Winnipeg is super flat, farm land as far as the eye can see with the occasional cluster of grain silos and the odd clump of trees and bush.

We stayed in the Meadowlark Campground, went for a walk, had dinner and played cards until bedtime.  It was a cold night and made us realize that fall is here and winter is coming, the camping days are coming to an end… and we’re looking forward to coming home!

The road west to to Regina is in good shape (and flat). Between Whitewood and Broadview it showed a ski hill on the map just to the north of us and I’m thinking it can only be for x-country skiing, but apparently not ;)

We arrived in Regina in time for lunch and walk in the waterfront park at Wascana Lake in the centre of the city. We took some pictures of the parliament building across the river and had lunch.  Then we went for a visit at the Regina Floral Conservatory. This is an indoor tropical garden setting and the display of plants is changed 4 times, this theme was Halloween, well done. I was told that the favourite is Christmas with a focus on the poinsettias, I can imagine :)  The place is run by volunteers, is beautifully maintained, and there was nothing ‘out of place’, with a nice water works and orchids, well done!

After this we moved on to Moose Jaw only an hour away.  We arrived in the late afternoon just in time to take in the Chicago Connection walking tour of the underground tunnels used during prohibition 100 years ago and the Al Capone connection of that era. This was a fun interactive tour :)

We took in the mineral pools at the Temple Garden Spa. Nice very large indoor/outdoor pool and Jacuzzis with a nice steam room for a couple of hours. We set up camp at The Prairie Oasis campground, nice and clean and it was a milder afternoon and evening. Nice evening but grey skies morning. 

[chaosgremlinmunson]

Update: I've realized that I forgot to add a chunk to this au from before!! @spectrum-spectre this will probably help with some context. I'm also going to start posting the chapters to my ao3 account.

The part I forgot to add:

“I, uh, I was fishing off the shore of the islands and my boat capsized. I swam to this one because it was closest, and now I'm stuck here? I was planning to catch and release, I just wanted to get out of town.” Eddie looked at the man, well, creature in front of him, “I don't mean anyone any harm.” 

The merman regarded him for a moment before turning to a woman who'd appeared in the pool next to him, her hair was long thick ropes of purple, silver shining through the curls falling around her shoulders. He reached a hand out to her and she moved closer gazing at him for a moment before nodding. “The human speaks the truth. I can see the journey, the fear and trepidation of the village, he was seeking an escape. Mayhaps we allow him to live here, he can protect our land while we protect the waters. It's been decades since we've had a watcher, and here no one will hunt him.”

Eddie sat with his hands wrapped around his knees, as she'd spoken he'd thought back on the village he was born to, for years he'd been safe, just barely so, and when his uncle had been lost from the consumption he'd found the patience of the village running out. Turns out, people in town had only tolerated him due to his uncle, once he was gone they began treating him as the outcast they all saw him as. The Reverend Robert Carver and his son had seen to him receiving next to no help, his supplies cut off, and he had been left with his idea to run in the boat, fish, and pray for the waves to take him. Though once they started he realized his will to survive, and swam here. 

The brunette he'd seen swam closer to the edge, her hand reaching to his ankle and looking up to him, eyes shining brightly. 

“I knew you were special,” her voice was much like chimes heard through the wind, “Please stay with us here.”

“What is your name, human?” The blue merman spoke, he seemed on guard still, but softer somehow.

“Eddie, um, I'm Eddie Munson.” He answered.

“Eddie Munson, welcome. I am Judas, this is my mate Ezra, and our daughter Stefania. We are trusting you here on our land, this is your home until you choose to leave or until you die. No one will find you here, and you will be safe, always.”

Eddie tried a small smile, his heart still jack rabbiting in his chest, but he did feel safe here with them. He felt Stefania's small hand still gripping his ankle, and he looked over to her. Bright hazel eyes watched him so intensely he felt as though his very soul was flayed open for her, he felt his heart skip a beat taking in her ethereal beauty and a flush spread up his cheeks.

“Father, I'd like to spend time.with the human, I believe he may be of the prophecy.” Stefania turned to her parents, her mother ducked her head and her father stared for a moment at him.

“I will allow it, but if come the blood moon comes, it is not so he must be left alone, daughter.”

“Understood.” She looked back to Eddie, her other hand reaching up to cup his cheek.

Little something I started with the bestie in mind; @steddiejudas

As the wind and the rain whipped against the rocks, Eddie found himself drenched to the bone stuck on the island with no shelter and no way to leave until a wave crashed against the shore knocking him from his feet. He tumbled into the water and as he tried desperately to reach the surface something grabbed him pulling him into the depths below. A silent scream left him as his vision went black and when he woke he was in a cavern, he looked around noting the ethereal glow of the rock formation surrounding him and heard a giggle. When he sat up he saw a beautiful chestnut haired woman floating in the water some few feet away, she smiled and he gulped, noticing rows of sharp teeth, but she didn't seem to radiate danger. 

A few other heads popped up through the water, he noticed a man with rich blue hair and large dark eyes eyeing him warily, before coming closer to the edge and lifting up to reveal a long dark blue tail covered in spikes.

“Why were you on our island?” The man spoke, he clearly was the leader of these… fish… people? Eddie had no idea what was happening, but he felt like he'd stumbled onto something far stranger than he'd ever anticipated the one time he chose to go fishing.