#this could be lb who wrote herself into a corner as well

[whatdoesshedotothem]

: Thursday 14 December 1837

8 ¾

12 5

fine frosty morning F30 ½° at 9 ¾ and breakfast – dawdling about till off with A- (too slippery for the pony – to be sharpened) at 11 5 – walked to Cliff Hill in an hour – 10 minutes there did not go in, and left A- at 12 ¼ - no workmen there – too hard a frost – home about 1 – in the stables and about – had Robert Mann’s wife about 10 am  to say Robert was gone to the Whiteworth Doctor at Todmordenhis feet so much hurt by the stone falling on it last night in walling up drain overdraw well Mr. Jubb came about 2 to see Cookson – very much better – (sprained her side in York) – J- had been at Cliff Hill – Mrs. AW. ‘very nicely’ – may feel weak, but has no organic disease – J- has his horses [sharpened[ by Gath of Haley hill – who prepares the shoes at this time of year  for screw crampons – put in in 10 minutes so that the horses are sharpened at any time – David Mann, Jack Green, Michael Ryle, and Benjamin all the day making drain from drawing room corner roof-spout to main drain along front of flower garden – and Robert M-s’ man William walling and leveling in kitchen court and John and Robert Sharpe there setting steps down from top level down to ashplace – Edward Waddington all the day setting laundry fire-grate, and after all did not finish it – tried all ways in vain to make it heat the dry closet – came for me, and owned he was now I was right in saying from the 1st, it would not answer – said now I thought it had best be done, and that I would send for Ramsden the iron founder to come tomorrow morning – George Thomas brought 1 load of flags from Womersleys’ this morning and 2 loads of pit-stuff from L.E.P. (Low mine stuff) to back Lodge entrance and some old slates from the Conery for drain bottoms – Thunder a little between 12 and 1 pm so told John not to get the horses sharpened – he went for A- at 2 ½ but met her ½ way home and she walked forwards (tired to death) and desired the pony to be sharpened and came in 2 or 3 minutes before 4 – put her to bed, and left her – she slept an hour and got up about before 6 – she now owns herself overdone – this going to Cliff Hill so daily, be the weather what it may, too much for her – Perhaps she will by and by see the necessity of getting from home for a few months – monsieur came to her this afternoon – the old bay, gray, and gin put into the farm stable (new stable) 1st time at noon today – the new iron racks hold 10lbs. of hay a piece – will hold 11 lbs. pressed down – the corner racks in the front stable hold easily 12 lbs. a piece – Young Mallinson spoke to me tonight for Mitham, and lastly [mursted] courage for the Stump X Inn! have nor encouragement nor the contrary – said his intended father in law (Booth butcher) would be the man to speak for him – nobody else would have any influence with me in his favour – M- would give me a blue vote with all his heart said I could give no answer now – I would consider about it, if his father in law elect spoke to me – came in at 6 10 a minute or 2 with A- in her room – dressed – read last nights’ paper – dinner at 7 10 – A- read French tea at 9 – wrote all the above of today till 11 5 – fine day – F38° at 11 ½ pm

[chaosqueery]

Title: The Great Train Escape

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,765

Characters/Ships: Louise Belcher/ Rudolph “Regular Sized Rudy” Steiblitz

Description:  When Louise hears that Rudy's father is still making him spend his Saturdays in the Juice Caboose, she decides to do something about it.

Alternative Links: (AO3)

A/N:  This idea came to me after watching both 'My Girl' and 'Bridge to Terabithia' within a relatively short time of each other. But don't worry. Both make it out alive just fine in this.

Rudy sat on the hard floor of his Saturday morning cell, the juice caboose, lonely and without any proper stimulation. Every week, he tried to put a positive spin on it. At least he got all the juice he could possibly want, right? Plus, it was a nice time to get his weekend homework done, while nearly all the other kids in his class waited until Sunday night and had to rush to finish. So, yeah. He could still manage a smile and maintain his politeness when boarding the train.

At the moment, however, he couldn’t be any more bored.

Rudy emptied the last bit of grape juice from its box and threw it at the wastebasket. When he missed, he let out a small groan, walked the few steps it took to grab the empty box, returned to his spot, and tried again. He repeated it a few more times, never making a basket until he saw something fly past the corner of his eye.

Interest peaked, he turned to investigate and found a paper airplane had landed on the floor. He was almost too excited for the break-in his monotonous trek around the lake, he hurried toward the plane, and unfolded it. A hastily written message was scrawled out on the page reading: ‘Prison break! Go to the window. -LB’

His breathing labored a bit with excitement, so after taking a puff off his inhaler he rushed over to the open window and saw his best friend, Louise, riding her bike alongside the train.

“Louise!” He called out happily. “What are you doing?”

“Ugh! Didn’t you read the note? I am busting you out of there!”

“But I don’t have anything to climb down with.”

“I got you covered, buddy.” She takes one hand off the handlebars of her bike and shrugs off her backpack. “Move your head away from the window!” Louise ordered, preparing to throw the bag.

Rudy did as he was told and a moment later the backpack flew in through the window on her first try. Damn. Her aim was most certainly better than his. He opened the bag and wound up pulling out a long rope ladder.

“You got it?” He heard Louise yell.

“Yeah!”

“Then hook it on the bottom of the window and climb down!”

Rudy was about to follow her instructions when something suddenly occurred to him. “Hold on a minute!” Rudy rushed out of the bathroom and grabbed his own backpack. He then ripped out a clean sheet of paper from one of his notebooks, wrote a quick note, then placed it on the floor where it could easily be found.

Ready to go, Rudy went back over to the window, hooked the metal part of the ladder over the bottom edge, and threw the rest of it over to dangle outside. He then gripped tightly onto the rope and climbed out of the window. He tried to take one step at a time as gracefully as he could, but the swaying of the ladder made it hard. Thankfully he managed to finally make it to the bottom and stepped off.

“So you can climb down a ladder out of a moving train, but can’t climb off a bunk bed without breaking your arm?” Louise asked when she stopped her bike next to him and planted her feet on the ground.

“Yeah, well…” He scratched the back of his head, not really having an explanation for it.

“What took you so long anyway?”

“I had to leave a note for Ethan saying I was okay and that I’d be back.”

“Oh, crap.”Louise face-palmed. “I don’t know how I forgot about him. Will he get you in trouble?”

“No, I don’t think so. He’s been super nice to me ever since the last time you were here. I think he feels a lot of remorse for what he did to Bean Bag.” Rudy frowned at the thought of his poor old friend who was torn apart. “What made you want to come to bust me out anyway?”

Louise shrugged casually. Really, she felt bad when he told her the other day that his father still dragged him on these wine train trips and had to spend a significant amount of his Saturday alone with nothing to do. She wouldn’t care if it were anyone else. But Rudy was always so nice about everything and rarely ever complained. His weekends should be better than this. Louise, however, was not about to reveal the soft spot she had for him. “Today was one of the few Saturdays I have off from working at the restaurant while Tina and Gene don’t. I got bored, thought I’d spring ya. No big deal.”

“Well, thanks for thinking of me! I don’t know how many more times I can go around Lake Waste Water without losing it.” He said gratefully.

Louise got off her bike and grabbed Rudy by the wrist to look at his watch. “Looks like we have about two and a half hours to get you back. What do you want to do?”

“Anything! I’m up for just about anything.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Hey, Louise! Look what I can do!” Rudy called for his friend’s attention from a low branch of the tree they were climbing. When she directed her attention to the boy about 15 feet closer to the ground than her, she saw him shift his weight and fall backward, dangling from the branch by his legs.

“Neat.” She commented, not really that impressed. Dangling was the easy part. “Just don’t crack your head open.”

“I wasn’t planning on it.” He sounded a little less sure of himself now that he didn’t quite know how to pull himself back up. “But everything looks pretty cool upside-down. You should try it!”

“It’s cooler up here, Rudy. You should focus on getting right-side-up again and get up here.”

“Uh, yeah. Okay.” He swung back and forth, trying to gather enough momentum to pull himself back up. Try as he might, however, he couldn’t manage it. “Uhhhh, Louise?”

She let out a groan. “You’re stuck, aren’t you?”

“Maybe a little bit.”

Louise groaned again, this time longer and more frustrated. Partly because he needed help, but mostly because she found herself willing to give it. “Fine. Just hang tight.”

“I’m hanging on as tightly as I can!”

The strain in his voice urged Louise to move faster as she descended down the tree, fearing he would  fall and seriously injure himself. That’s all that kid needed. Thankfully she had climbed enough trees to be sure-footed going down. When she eventually reached the branch he was hanging on, she extended her hand to grab one of his and hoisted him back up.

“Woah, head rush.” he breathed out as he wiggled on the branch to right himself. “Thanks, pal.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get gross on me.” She said, rejecting the idea of a moment too mushy for her liking. It wasn’t much of anything, but she had a badass reputation to protect here! With how sweet she knows Rudy can be, she had to stop it before it started. “Now come on. We gotta get to the top.”

Rudy looked up the trunk of the tree and realized there is quite a far way yet to go. “Uh-well… okay, I guess.” His voice sounded a little unsure.

“Just stick close by. I’ll even slow down for you.” She stuck true to her word, stopping at every branch to wait for him to catch up. She even held in a groan when he needed to take a break for another puff on his inhaler. Slowly and surely, they finally climbed their way to the top.

Rudy pushed back some of the smaller branches in their way. When he caught sight of all that was around them, his mouth dropped open. It wasn’t that marvelous a sight, Louise thought. She could see the expanse of treetops that surrounded them, the lake, The Warf- nothing you couldn’t see from the top of the Ferris Wheel. There weren’t any people on the ground she could get excited to be towering over and mock. Really, all she appreciated was the accomplishment. She knew that Rudy did too, which is what made her so determined to make sure he did it. Her friend deserved more experiences like this. So when she saw the look of joyous wonder on his face, Louise had to turn her head to hide a smile.

They sat there for a while, Rudy excitedly pointing to all the cool things he could see, but eventually, Louise realized it had been a while since they left the train. Quickly, she grabbed Rudy’s wrist again to check the time. “Crap! We need to go now if you are going to make it back in time.”

“Aw, really?”

“Yes, really! You took too long climbing.” She grumbled, already starting to make her way back down.

~*~*~*~*~

“That was fun, but I’m sorry for being such a slowpoke.” Rudy apologized when they made it back to the train tracks.

“Stop being such a push-over, Rudes. It’s not like I was expecting Spiderman anyway.”

He gave a chuckle and shrugged. “I suppose you wouldn’t.”

“It was still a good time,” Louise assured him, nonchalantly. Then she gave him a punch on the arm that was meant to be friendly but wound up being a little too hard. Thankfully, he knew her and where it was coming from. “Maybe next time we can build a fort or something instead.”

“Next time?” The hopefulness to his voice was unmistakable.

“Uh-yeah. Sure. If I am confronted with another boring-ass day, I could make it out again.” Louise took a few extra seconds getting situated on her bike, afraid to see a look of disappointment on his face over her lack of enthusiasm. She couldn’t let herself show that she was honestly excited about the idea of more of these adventures. Not unless she was willing to reveal the fact that she enjoyed her time with more than she did with most people (the only exceptions being her family). When she finally looked at him, however, he looked as pleased as ever.

Her heart melted -just a tiny itsy bit- and she kind of hated him for it. Her hand was twitching to slap him across the face, but she didn’t. Instead, Louise brushed it off as much as she could and turned the conversation toward the train starting to pass.

“Alright, here’s your ride. You think you can grab hold of the ladder?”

Rudy put up his hands and shifted his weight from foot to foot, readying himself. “I got this!” They waited while each compartment passed, and when the Juice Caboose neared, he started to count off. “One, for the money. Two, for the show. Three, to-”’

“RUDY JUST JUMP!” Louise yelled, cutting him off before he missed it.

He did as he was told and leaped with all his might toward the back of the train and landed with an ‘oomf!’ on the small platform. After a short breath of relief, he moved to grab the ladder and climbed it as awkwardly as he had climbed down. But he was alive-at least he was alive. ‘I’d like to see Spiderman do that’

“Yes! You did it!” He heard Louise cheer.

Once he was able to crawl back into the train, he grabbed her backpack and returned to the window so he could roll up the ladder and stuff it back into her bag. He then tossed it out to her, and she brought her bike to a halt to pick it up.

“Thanks for breaking me out! See you at school!” He called out with a wave.

“Yeah, see ya, buddy!” She waved back as watched him ride off ahead of her.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N:  I am CONSIDERING making this into a series. But, as always, I can't promise anything.

Anyway, any like, reblogs, or comments are greatly appreciated!!!

[bugaboowritings]

Cry Until You’re Ladybug Red -One-sided Reveal Fic

Marinette is an ugly crier.

I’m tired, but writing helps me so here you go. A fic that was written over and over again for the last 6 hours. ENJOY SOME Light Ice ANGSTTTTTT!!!!

Marinette Dupain Cheng didn't know if it was the tension from everything and anything making it harder to peacefully sleep at night or maybe it was just her backpack collecting too many assignments. Prompting a backache that prevented her from lying down without a chorus of 'ow's following after.

The classes she came late to or missed entirely finally caught up with her. Now she was doing twice the amount of homework when others complained about the single reading assignment they had. Marinette had to fill in the blanks for lessons she wasn't presented for. Too busy to go to tutoring so setting for the blurry videos on Youtube that came close on explaining the nonsense numbers and terms.

Her lunch wasn't the once quiet break in the art studio she had before. Where she could go and express her frustration or ease in her pen marks in the shape of models. Marinette instead would scarf down what the cafeteria offered before heading off to her class representative duties. Not tasting the soggy chicken pasta on her tongue or the bitter orange juice in the carton. After-school meetings were a thing too, but often cancel for reasons or replaced by an email thread discussing something relevant. It was better than standing in a meeting with teachers she didn't know. Adding her two bits in to give the conversation another view to considered. The students. The kids her age. The same kids that seem to grow farther away as the days pass. Too into their lives to notices their leader breaking her back for them.

But Marinette couldn't stop.

She promised so much. She had to do it all.  And she knew she could do it all. She was just a little slower than she wanted. Alya often took over for Marinette's sake but Marinette still worked as if she had all the work to herself.

If Marinette had time to breathe, she had time to catch up. That was the mindset she had.

She needed every second to work and study. To sew and write. To draw and color. At one point, needing to mute her phone from her friend's group chat for being too much of a distraction.

Jagged Stone wanted art for his new album, so far Marinette just had the line art done. Which was the second hardest part when it came to designing a life-sized poster. The color scheme was set but she just needed the supplies. Double tapping on her phone to set a reminder to pick up new markers so she could play around with the hues before setting them down permanently. Bumbling to the next commission like a busy bee.

Marinette crushed facts between her teeth, answering another one of Tikki's practice history questions. Swiftly hearing a 'correct' along with a lecture of the additional facts Marinette had to remember. Know very well that they weren't sticking to her head.

Stepping on the foot pedal of her sewing machine a little faster. Quickly finishing up the hem on a Kitty Section band shirt. Swiftly tossing it with the pile with the rest. Reaching for more raw fabric before cringing.

Her math homework!

"Noooooo," she hushed, pulling up her bag to her lap. Tikki looking over chosen one's actions with a troubled look.  Marinette frantically searching for her folder. Throwing her head back when she read her reminded in the right-hand corner of her work packet.  

Due and Test on Thursday.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

The test is on next week It had to be. Ms. Mendeleiev even wrote it on the board. There had to be a mistake.

Marinette picked up her phone. Tapping on her group chat to see if her nightmare was true. There, the same chat she muted, Nino asked questions about the practice packet. Which Max replied with an answer and link to a video. The more she scrolled up, the more she saw her classmates trade information on the incomplete packet sitting on her desk.

However, what really dropped her spirits was Kim's remark about how he should cancel swim practice for today to study for the test on Thursday.

Thursday.

A.k.a. tomorrow.

A.k.a. the same day Marinette had to make up a history test.

A.k.a. TOMORROW!

"No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. " Marinette gasped. Holding her breath before freaking out again.  

---------

That Wednesday she didn't get a blink of sleep. Stuffing herself with formulas, history dates, and snacks from last night dinner to early breakfast to the instant she entered the class. All in hopes that it would be enough to get her by. Piecing her last brain cells together the moment she saw the board with directions to get to their seats and prep before the exam started.

That is before the alarms rang. Red light flashing as the familiar message bounced off the walls.

"Akuma Alert!.... Get away from open areas!..... Akuma Alert!... Ladybug and Chat Noir will be on the scene shortly!... Akuma Alert!... Remain calm!...."  

Ms. Mendeleiev quieted the class from praising the perfectly timed alert. Pulling the first aid bag under her desk and an attendance sheet from her folder. Calling them over to make a line outside the door before they made their way with the rest of the school in one of the destinated "Akuma-Safe" locations. Done so in hopes to keep the students safe since many of the Akuma attacks, in the beginning, were reported to start at the school. It was a great way to watch over them, but it made it harder for Marinette to sneak out. Luckily, an opportunity to escape came up. Sadly, it was the thing the teachers and students were running from.

The Akuma today on the news was a giant. A silhouette made from scribbles. Like it was an unfinished sketch of a person. The lines that made up their face and hands buzzed with every motion. Their voice shaking the ground and the outline that made them 3-D.

"The world sets up those with dreams and promise to fail. Luckily, I'm here to fix what ought to be right! I'm the Correction we need!"

Right then and there, Correction (if that was their name) ripped buildings from the ground. The sounds of the broken concrete came easily as if Correction was brushing off like dirt on the structures. Masses of people were torn between jumping out of the buildings before it got too high off the ground or setting themselves in a corner. Trying not to cry.

Correction laughed as they plucked the city apart like it was a cheap lego set. Letting the buildings in their hands turn into the same scribble mess like them before setting them down.

News outlets were already streaming an eagle view of the new Paris. One that resembled sketch versions of what they once were. Correction had "corrected" 30% of Paris into their own ideal. However, it wasn't for the better. Paris became black and white. No color or grays.

It was 'yes' or 'no'. The world would be easier than way.

At least that was Correction's motivation.

Ladybug looked Correction's eyes. Hoping to see any emotion. Anything to try to reason with them before they destroyed the city and maybe even the rest of France.

"Correction. you don't have to do this. You can just stop. Things will work out."

"How would you know that!" They snapped. "You know nothing about what needs to be done!" Pulling back on Ladybug's yoyo as LB tried to keep them steady and away from the citizens evacuating the area. Pulling tighter and tighter on her yo-yo as Correction fought back.

"Ladybug, you're another bug destined to be squshed by them! I'm just trying to make the world better!"

"BY TRAPPING OF ALL PARIS UNDER YOUR REIGN? As if!" Chat Noir scoffed. "How is this better!?"

"Oppressed by those that don't care. Pushed back for the sake of being an after-thought. Voices drowned out for the nothing. That's how we are treated now by those sitting their shiny desks." Correction glared. "My world will be better than that."

LB ground her teeth in frustration as she felt her yo-yo slip from her fingers. Calling on Tikki if she could hear her to mustard up more magical strength as she tugged on the giant. "Even if people get hurt?" Ladybug huffed, her arms aching more and more with every second.

Correction hesitated for a moment. Opening their mouth to say something before shutting it as a purple outline appeared.

"Even if people get hurt." Correction answered.

-------

Ladybug had to leave before her miraculous gave out. At least that's what she said. Know very well it wasn't that.

God, she hated reporters. Lately, Akumas like Correction has been popping up. Stronger and more clever than ever. Almost matching her wits and Chat Noir's quick thinking. In the beginning, they were anxious to see the heroes fight the Akumas and almost fail. Now some of them were claiming this was on purpose.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir are in an alliance with Hawkmoth".

 The infamous title of a late article immediately sparked an uproar. The author was quickly put under fire for their remarks. The Ladyblog even debunked it for the sake of Miraculous Fan Base. However, people were convinced that a stranger had some logic behind them. So started the Anti-Miraculous group.

Ladybug even had to pull back Chat once before he could give them a piece of his mind.

However, after a long day, the last thing she wanted someone, a complete stranger from the street, tell her that she's not trying. Do they not know what she does for them! Do they know how she breaks her back for the sake of Paris! How she almost lost her friends and her family due to her mask! All for a job she was just chosen for. She never wanted to be a hero! Who wants to even be a hero when the whole world seems against you. When the very ground itself wants to trip you up when you get back up.

Who even wants that?

Marinette bites her lips, landing in an alley close by the school. Keeping her tears down as she took another deep breath. 

“Tikki- Spots off!” 

She has to go home. She needs too. She -she needs to just leave.

If she's quick enough, she could run home and tell her mom that- no that won't work.

God, Marinette just relax.

Before Hawkmoth sends an Akuma after her. Before she even dares to hurt anyone. Before she can hurt Alya. Before she can hurt her mom and her dad.  Before she can hurt Nino and Adrien. Before she can hurt Luka. Before she can hurt Kitty Section. Before she can hurt her whole class and more. Before she can hurt Paris. Before she can hurt Tikki. Before she hurts-

"Ladybug?"

Chat.

Marinette came back to her senses. Turning around to the voice that called her. Goosebumps rising as the tension shook her soul to the core.

Adrien. Adrien saw her.

Marinette could throw up right now. Sweat running cold down her shoulders. Making her sick. Oh my kwamis, Marinette could actually throw up right now.

Adrien's mouth gaped open as his brows furrowed together. His eyes searching her face. Looking so confused in what just happened.

No.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

He saw her. He saw her. He saw Ladybug and saw Marinette Dupain Cheng.

He looks so disappointed right now.

That hot thought made the gears in her head spin. The tears turn into steam. Pumping her body to do something. Anything to stop this.

"Marinett-"

Marinette shoved Adrien on to the bricked wall. Placing her forearm again his chest to keep him there. Raising her fist to his face. Not like to be a threat, but as protection. From what. Marinette didn't know. It was just a reflex.

"Adrien Agreste. You don't speak about what you saw today to no one or anything." Marinette shushed. "If you know what good for you and for Paris."

"Got it?" She asked.

"Marinette, I-"

"ADRIEN!" She yelled. Louder than she meant to.

Her voice softens as she closed her eyes. Breathing in softly before whispering.

"Please, p-please promise me."

Her shoulders and fist sinking down. Fatigue hitting her harder than ever.

"Don't tell anyone, Adrien." Marinette huffed. Unable to say his name before her lip slipped out a sob.

"Don't tell anyone."

------

[anythingstephenking]

Mr. Manager

We made it to the Bill Hodges trilogy yo! I’ve been looking forward to these, mostly because they seem to be the most popular of this century’s King. I understand why; these books seem to be Stephen King writes John Grisham novels, and who(’s grandpa) doesn’t love a Grisham?

King calls this his first “hard-boiled detective” book, and I suppose that’s true, although both his Hard Case Crime books come close, falling short by having “normies” solve those cases.

I didn’t expect anything that goes bump-in-the-night here, but for what it lacks in the supernatural it makes up for in positively disgusting incest and racism.

Rant break: We’re in 2014. I’ve cringed through a lot of overt racism in King’s earlier work, and was cautiously hopeful we’d turned the corner here. I was wrong; there’s racism AND homophobia here, and I know it exists to distinguish between the good guys (the ones that DON’T use the n-word) and the bad guys (the ones that do) but c’mon man. We know the serial killer is a bad guy. He has sex with his mom! And killed a bunch of people! We don’t need him to be racist to know he’s a douche. I just don’t like it.

Ok, now that I got that out of my system, let’s discuss. There’s really not a ton to unpack here honestly. Bill Hodges is a recently retired detective and if you’ve ever seen a single cop movie you know they’re no good at being retired. Listless and bored, he gains 30 pounds and considers killing himself. Until a letter arrives from the perpetrator of his most publicized cold case - the Mercedes Killer. Mr. Mercedes wants Bill to kill himself. And Bill’s all “nuhuh, I say when I kill myself ya fucker” and it’s off to the races.

Sidenote: I just about peed myself when Derry Public Radio said that Mr. Mercedes reminded them of the Mr. Manager gag on Arrested Development, thus the title of this entry was born.

Back when he was investigating the killing spree, Hodges was real shitty to Olivia Trelawny, the owner of car that was stolen to run over a bunch of people (including a baby). Can you imagine if you came out of your house in the morning, your car was gone, then you learn the person that stole it used it to murder a bunch of people. And then YOU got blamed for negligence? Seriously, fuck that logic.

So Bill is on the case, now motivated somehow to not kill himself but find Mr. Manager. He starts with Janelle, Olivia’s sister, who inherited her estate after she KILLED HERSELF BECAUSE SHE GOT BLAMED FOR SOMETHING SHE HAD NO PART OF. Janey is foxy (of course she is) and described as being “striking for 44″. Excuse me sir??? Fuck right off with that shit.

Janey is kind to Bill, even from the get-go, and I’m all “huh?” cause ya know the dead sister stuff. Turns out Olivia was getting letters from Mr. Manager too, and Janey hires Bill to find out who he is. Bill’s all “sure I was gunna do it anyway, but it’ll be more fun with a hot piece of ass like you”. Do you like my imagined dialogue?

Bill’s a fat retired cop and Janey is a hot tamale with a cool 7 mil in the bank, but they fall for each other anyway. He describes her body as “hard against his flab” when they finally hook up. It’s written in a believable way, but like still, yuck. Maybe because I’ll be 44 soon and I don’t want to fall in love with a retired cop in his 60s? Always all about me.

The story really gets fun as Bill picks up steam and a merry band of crimefighting misfits along the way. Jerome, his 17 year old neighbor becomes IT support; Janey’s cousin Holly becomes… somehow also IT support? They’re all so adorable and their witty banter made me giggle more than once.

Meanwhile, Mr. Manager, whose name is Brady, is running around, taunting Bill and planning his next big ka-powey. Oh and also getting handys from his mom. No more gross handys Stephen King! Enough is enough.

The clock ticks down to LITERALLY the last second as the merry misfits chase down Brady. I honestly thought they were all gunna die. Because Janey does. I skipped that part, but yeah, she gets blown up. Major bummer.

Bill, for some reason, does not inform any single person of authority about what is happening, as a deranged mommy-lover is packing four pounds of explosives into a boy band concert. WHAT. And then he has a heart attack! Like there’s 4,000 people’s lives on the line bro, call for help and maybe don’t leave it all on the line while quite literally chasing a murderer carrying 30 extra lbs. Just a thought. If Holly and Jerome hadn’t saved the day, Bill would certainly be transported to jail from the hospital. But the tension is high and I couldn’t put the book down, so all this poor decision making proves for strong storytelling.

We do get a great cliffhanger at the end, and… duh duh duh…. We haven’t seen the last of Mr. Manager. I’m glad the core gang made it through and I assume they will all be back in Finder’s Keepers. I hear Holly runs through to The Outsider, so I can breathe a sigh of relief that she’s safe for now.

By the end I didn’t hate Bill as much, but I really hope there’s no more May-December romances in the next ones.

7/10

First Line: Augie Odenkirk had a 1997 Datsun that still ran in spite of high mileage, but gas was expensive, especially for a man with no job, and City Center was on the far side of town, so he decided to take the last bus of the night.

Last Line: “He says he has a headache. And he’s asking for his mother.”

Adaptations:

Another adaptation I was excited for and let down by. Great streak on enjoying books, terrible streak on enjoying adaptations.

The series Mr. Mercedes is well reviewed and rated, so I could be in the wrong here, but in the age of prestige crime dramas, this didn’t hold it’s weight for me. I have also watched literally every crime drama (most European) available on streaming services so I have a high bar for excellence. They know how to tell a good detective story in Sweden, just saying.

Anywho, King’s said he wrote Bill Hodges with Brendan Gleeson in mind, and here he is, playing the role. That’s what’s called “putting it into the universe.” I know Brendan Gleeson has a long, illustrious career, but if you can listen to him talk without hearing “it tastes like goblin piss” in Mad-Eyed Moody’s voice, you are a better person than me.

Mary Louise-Parker is TOO HOT FOR BRENDAN GLEESON. Gah, I know I am a broken record but C’mon.

At least in the series they decided to have Bill ask the cops for help before he keels over with a heart attack, so that was good.

I’ll skip seasons 2 & 3, assuming they follow the plots of Finders Keepers and End of Watch. No more goblin piss for me. I’m watching The Killing now as a palate cleanser. I’m weird.

[awhilesince]

Monday, 16 April 1827

6 1/4

2 10/60

my bowels tolerably well – sat half asleep near half an hour on the pot – the washer woman came at 8 1/2 – settled with her in 5 minutes – 

at my desk at 8 35/60 – wrote the 2 last lines – read over Marian’s letter – from 7 55/60 to 10, wrote 2 pages and the ends, and under the seal to Marian – glad of the good account of themselves – so will not dwell upon the disagreeable intelligence of Northgate not being likely to let – trust Marian speaks generally, and has no reason to apply particularly to me what she observed about its being ‘very necessary if not absolutely necessary for a person of moderate fortune to live not very distant from their inheritance’ – If she or my father thought my presence necessary of course they would tell me so – 

‘we are now so comfortably settled, that I should have no difficulty in leaving my aunt for any length of time, that could be necessary – In fact, from harass, or anxiety, or 1 thing or other, I have been a little out of sorts lately, and mean to change the air a little by and by – what we shall do next year, it is as yet quite impossible to say – my aunt’s general health is certainly better here, than it was, or than those, who ought to know best, thought it would be, in England: – but I do not mean to say, that the complaint is, or is likely to be, driven away from her limbs – However by next spring, she will be better able to judge for herself – to me, so long as we are sufficiently within reach of our affairs, it is matter of indifference where we live – It is possible to be happy anywhere, if the mind be right – the loss of those whom we have all our lives been accustomed to see, is a greater loss than we may have imagined till it has been been tried; but even this may be got over, if there be adequate reason for it – I suspect that, as you grow older, you will let slip many of your own schemes of going here and there – Perhaps you have already 1/2 forgotten many of your dreams about St. Petersbourgh etc – ‘a rolling stone gathers no moss’ – If moss stands for money, nothing can be more true – we do pay dear for most things; and there are many things cheaper in England than here: – but we have no doctors’ bills to pay as yet; and perhaps we should not have saved much at the year’s end by going to any place in England, which has yet occurred to us – But saving is not the question – I am only anxious to do what is best for my aunt; and whatever she even fancies, be it what it may, we shall try – send our remembrances particularly to Mrs V– (Veitch) with a kind message from my aunt, and remembrances to all the principal of our connaissances – make what use you like of my remembrances at Market W– (Weighton); but do not forget Mrs Skelding – I conclude Mrs I– (Inman) is still at Lancaster – if they go to Hull to give my thanks etc to Mrs Knight for the Euripides Medea by Parson given me in remembrance of Mr K– (Knight) 

mention the reports in the French papers of yesterday (Journal des Debats) of Mr Canning’s being prime minister and to make his own cabinet – and how all the liberal French are delighted – read over my letter wrote the above (except the 1st 1 1/2 lines) folded and directed my letter to ‘Miss Marian Lister Shibden hall, H–x (Halifax), Yorkshire Angleterre, post payé’ and sent it in to my aunt to read all which took me till 10 40/60 – 

from then to 11 10/60 at breakfast – then sent back volume 10 Anquetils précis de l’histoire universelle ‘à Madame Madame Sené avec les compliments and les remerciennes de Mademoiselle Lister’ written on the paper in which the back was folded – then sent off my letter to Marian (vide 4th line above) at 11 20/60 – then finish dressing –

Talking to my aunt – considering what things should be got, etc etc went out at 1 – Took George with me – bought several things at Bertrand’s – Sardines à l’huile not in season – for they should be fresh to be put in oil (and Bertrand had not any), and would not come in of 3 months – En passant chez Lesueur (rue des Petit Champs No. Number 31.) saw some nice looking beef (ribs) asked the price 10 sols a lb. (pound) – bought 6 1/2 lbs. (pounds) they were giving me a lb. (pound) of rejouissance at 9 sols – would not have – then must pay 1 sol a lb. (pound) more for the beef – did so – asked the price of mutton – 14 sols a lb. (pound) – nice but not so small as Mignand’s – 

just before entering the place des Victoires turned to the right down to the passage Verododat – thro’ it, and came out into the rue St. Honoré opposite the oration – En passant went into No. 82 rue St. Denis près celle des Lombards – large wholesale confections shop – only asked me 3/50 a lb. (pound) for fine chinois, the same for apricots – the latter not yet egouttés – bought a lb. (pound) of the former determining to make this my shop – for marmalade d’abricots and all such things 2/. a lb. (pound) – the little pots I buy said to contain 3 oz. (ounces) less than a lb. (pound) – 2 francs a lb. (pound) = 2 1/2 sols an oz (ounce) – at this rate I am right to buy of Bertrand’s – I only give 32 sols. for 13 oz. (ounces) and have the pot – from the confection’s (B. Perrot Pezé), to No. 1. rue des Lombards – bought 3 lbs. (pounds) tea, and sent home George – 

sauntered down the rue d’Arcis, and to the Marché au Gibier – a woman asked me 18 sols for fineish skewered pigeons (Bertrand said I ought to have very good at 1/. but there from 14 sols to 30 sols!), I could have got them easily for 15 sols, but only offered 12 sols – then strolled along the Quais looking at prints and maps as I passed – the troops reviewed by the king today in the Champ de Mars – a crowd about the port royal (de Louis 16) etc – thro‘ the gardens – just got under the arcade in time (at 4) to Escape a shower – detained there perhaps 20 minutes – the channels in the streets full of water – obliged to cross (from the rue neuve de Luxembourg) over the little communion show in the rue Richepanse – beginning to rain again just before I got home –

came in at 4 1/2 – Monsieur and Madame Sené with my aunt in her bedroom about her bed on account of bugs – they must come from MacDonald’s bed – Madame S– (Sené) now recollects the nurse had this bed once (last year) in a 4rième when they were from home, and she complained much of bugs – the bois de lit is to be taken away and MacDonald to have another – all very civil – talked a while to my aunt – 

came to my room at 4 50/60 – wrote the last 20 lines – settled with George, – and went out (to Mrs B–‘s Barlow’s to dine) at 5 35/60 sent George at 5 20/60 to be then to wait till 7 and then come back to my aunt – washed my hands and changed shoes and stockings at Mrs B–‘s (Barlow’s) – Miss Gauntlet had been there some time – 

Dinner at 6 1/4 – sent George home in about an hour from then – peas soup maigre – hind 1/4 lamb, and vol au vent at 4 /. asparagées and mashed potatoes – then a Charlotte Russe (a cream enclosed in a pretty pudding-like mould of savoy biscuits) at 5/. For dessert oranges – biscuits and rout cakes almonds and raisins – tea about 9 – joking Miss G– (Gauntlet) about being a physionist – she said there was something wicked in the corner of my eye – I said there was something ditto in the left corner of her left eye – she had heard it remarked before – she said there was something wicked in the corner of Mrs B–‘s (Barlow’s) eye, but it was more hid there in mine – joked Mrs B– (Barlow) about Miss G–‘s (Gauntlet’s) having given her the name of ‘latent wicked’ – 

got to talking about Switzerland – had the map out – mentioned our 1st intention of going by Strasbourg – would do very well – Miss G– (Gauntlet) saw Chamouny 16 August – by all means cross the tête noir, but dangerous too early or late in the season – If not go, return by Lyons – very well worth seeing – Dijon a pretty little town – the Deux Cloches there one of the best Inns, and reasonable, Miss G– (Gauntlet) has been at on the continent – At Geneva the Crown very good – will get all sorts of information there but be generally be guided by the Guide book – this always the best – not interested to advise this way or that – 3 days quite enough for Venice – she bought prints of Parni at Florence – Morgan the best and dearest; but the English turned over his portfolio, and said so much inquiry without purchasing, he will not let them do so now – a Miss Trail Travelled thro’ Italy by herself – had 30 letters of recommendation, and thus went from house to house – a singular genius for painting – copies all the famous heads, Raphael’s mistress, Titians Flora. etc etc in miniature – has left her family to study painting in Italy – a gentlewoman – now at Rome – copies most beautifully – many of her things likely to make a great noise in England when she returns – sat talking Till 12 – George had been waiting since 9 1/4 – sent him for a fiacre for Miss G– (Gauntlet) 

got home at 12 1/4 – sat up looking over my French cookery books – some useful information in the confiseur moderne about bottling wine – [O two dots, marking discharge from venereal complaint] – Miss G– Gauntlet strongly recommends all persons travelling to get as many and good letters of introduction as they can –

left margin: Fahrenheit 50 at 7 1/2 44 1/2 at 12 1/4 tonight Fine morning then threatening rain – smartish shower about 4 to 4 1/2 – afterwards fair –

reference number: SH:7/ML/E/10/0081, SH:7/ML/E/10/0082

[datinglove07-blog-blog-blog]

50 Meet-Cute Couple Stories That Will Make You Believe In Love Again 

New Post has been published on https://onlinedatingloves.com/awesome/50-meet-cute-couple-stories-that-will-make-you-believe-in-love-again/

50 Meet-Cute Couple Stories That Will Make You Believe In Love Again 

1.I was waitressing, he came in all the time with his friends. Him and I became friendly, played jokes on each other, he grew to be one of my favorite regular customers.

Then, there were a few weeks when he didn’t is an indication at all, and I realized that I actually missed him. I didn’t have any of his contact details. I told myself that if he ever came back in, I needed to take the chance and ask him out.

Next night he came in, I guess we both had the same idea. He asked me before I could. I wrote my number down on a piece of receipt paper( which he still has ), we went out the next night, and we’ve been together ever since. He’s the love of my life.

2.Way back in 1980, I was working in south FL. A guy I worked with was retiring soon and had bought a vacation cabin in north GA. He showed me a picture of the cabin and posing in front was a dark haired beauty who he identified as his daughter. I remarked she was very attractive.

Forward a few weeks and he tells me the daughter had just broken up with her boyfriend, was in the dumps, and asked if I wanted to ask her out.

We went on a blind date, were married 2 years later, and now have three grown children and scheming where to go for our 37 th anniversary.

3.We were at a business networking event where the rule was that you were not allowed to buy drinks for yourself, whatever you bought you had to put it into someone else’s hand as an opener to dialogue. So this gorgeous brunette strolled up to me, put a gin-and-tonic in my hand, and introduced herself.

Hello, wife.

4.I considered him in the grocery store, and I thought he was handsome. I approached him in frozen foods as he was looking at a 5 lb. container of chicken nuggets. I asked if he was married, and when he said no, I asked if he would like to take me out some time. He set the bag of chicken nuggets on his head like he was about to pass out and we both chuckled. We are married with 4 year old twin boys now. :) 10/10 would recommend approaching a handsome stranger in the supermarket.

5.Soccer game. I was watching my good “girl friend” at the time play. Game ends and I go down to the field to congratulate her. Asked her where the other team was from, and I never heard of the place, so I said fuck it, went over to the cutest daughter on the other team, gave her my number, and here I am 4.3 years later with a girl I hope to marry. Having a pair of balls and saying fucking it can either pay off tremendously or back fire horribly.

6.I am a Match.com commercial for the wife. I had sent her a message after her account expired. She renewed her account, got my message, and 10 years later we are married with 3 kids and a dog.

7.We were both character musicians at Disney. We danced down the street together and couldn’t even ensure each other’s actual bodies at all, but the sweaty banter afterwards did it.

8.Online dating. Moved half-way across the country to be with her. I always wanted a nerdy-gamer daughter for a girlfriend and I got my wish.

Totally worth the move.

Cannot underline how fantastic online dating is to introverts, once you get over the ridiculous sum of rejection, and had recognized that patience is your friend, and lastly, learn to be honest and put endeavour into your messages/ profile.

9.OkCupid. After wafting through about 2 years of bullshit, failed dates, ghosting, etc I messaged this daughter. At that phase I was desensitized; why bother putting endeavour into your first message when 95% of daughters don’t reply?

I hit her with some genuinely corny father joke and she did answer and giggled. We got to talking, eventually agreed to meet up for a beer.

We agreed going in that we’d began with only a beer and lay everything out on the table. If either of us wanted to cancel the date we would , no hard feelings. A brew turned into two, was transformed into dinner. That turned into a second date, then a third. The first year was transformed into a second, then a third.

Now we’re engaged and simply booked a wedding venue.

10.That bitch t-boned me. She said she’d let me take her to dinner if we didn’t get the insurance involved. Having typed that out, I now ensure I get fucked that day on so many levels.

11.Worked together. I was supposed to have a party for all people at the job. My heat went out that day so I had to cancel. She didn’t get the message and presented up. Asked her if she wanted to take some shoots of of Jack Daniel’s and get “warm”. Twelve years later still taking shots and getting “warm” on a regular basis!

12.No idea where I got the nerve but she was sitting on a blanket alone watching a group of us doing medieval combat reenactments. Didn’t get a good look at her before I plopped down beside her and said hi. She turned and smiled and I immediately supposed,” Oh hell. She is way out of my league .” Turns out I get her on the rebound nearly 32 years ago. Still out of my league.

13.I was at a birthday party for a friend. He was the friend of my friend’s boyfriend. We hit it off right away.

14.We were both in a psychiatric hospital. We’ve been together almost 13 years. I was there for depression and anxiety, he was there to avoid a homeless shelter. I know it sounds crazy, but it kinda works out for us. We’ve gotten in a much better financial situation.

15.We met at a friend’s Halloween party- I have always been a huge Harry Potter fan, and of course, he was dressed as Harry Potter. The rest is history!

16.We all met up at the home of a mutual friend to go to a festival together. I arrived first and was told to open the door when she knocked. She saw me and said “You’re not mutual friend! ” We drunkenly hooked up at the party subsequently that night and are now merrily married with children.

17.I sat in the parking lot at a gas station. He parked his truck on the corner where you aren’t supposed to park. I screamed at him. We got married.

18.College! We had a few class together and he kept staring at me from afar. I went up to him one day and said hi, he fell the bagel he was feeing and I knew he had it bad for me. That was almost 9 years ago and we’ve been married for nearly 5 years. He’s the best thing to ever happen to me…

19.Reddit, actually! We were both active in a dating sub( a sub about a dating app , not a sub specifically for dating) which objective up creating a fitness challenge( members of the general notion began as, improve yourself so you can be a better partner and find someone !) We were placed in the same fitness group and genuinely hit it off. 3.5 years later, we’re planning our wedding.

20.On the train. He was on his style back from find a client, I was on my way back from working at a trade carnival. Neither of us felt especially like talking but somehow we didn’t stop talking once we started. We exchanged numbers and kept messaging/ talking backward and forward and started dating not quite a month subsequently. That fateful train ride was 4 years ago. We’ve been happy with each other( and uncharacteristically talkative around each other) ever since and got married last year.

21.First day of grad school, she was sitting behind me and I was typing on my iPad. She showed me that if I took two thumbs and slid them apart over the keyboard the keyboard would shift and I could use my thumbs easier to type. We are now happily married and typing on my iPad is much easier.

22.In the work infringe room. He was putting a Totinos party pizza in the microwave( poor college kid) and I was like, “Those don’t go in a microwave.” Married almost 12 years now, I’m still bossy but his cook abilities have improved.

23.I had a coworker who defined me up on a blind date with his sister in statute. It was a bbq at his house. When I got there, I saw this gorgeous female with an ass so fantastic it brought tears to my eyes. And speaking of eyes, hers were magical. So bright and when she smiles, her entire face illuminated up. Unfortunately this was his wife. Her sister was nice but not for me. I thought about the guys spouse almost every day. But I never acted on my feelings. A couple of years later, he got divorced and she called me. She had been thinking about me, too. We dated for 3 months and got married.

18 years later, still going strong. And dat ass … mmm mmmm mmm.

24.She was the first person to get in my taxi the first day I started driving cab. We’re still married 25 years later.

25.We both worked component hour at Macy’s while going to school. Unbeknownst to one another, we both had a rule of not dating anyone that we worked with. I casually knew her since she was a flyer and worked different departments, but I would find her every once in a while working the department that was on the way to the punch in/ out clock. One day, while entering the store for run, she was leaving and she tells me tomorrow is her last day. I asked for her number and we’ve been together ever since. That was back in 1985.

26.She worked at the cookie store in the mall, and I ran at a knife store nearby. I would close my store for hours on end to hang out with her.

27 . She was a personal shopper at Macy’s. My mom, appearing out for her son, told this really cute girl she was helping find a jacket for to” look up my son on facebook.’

Well, she did, and 6 years later( 2016) we got married, and my mommy died 6 weeks after our wedding. She was so proud of what she did. As we sit here expecting our first infant, I wish she was here every day. She would be so proud. I miss her so much.

28.Ok Cupid. First time I tried online dating, and I was the LAST person he tried fulfilling on online dating. I didn’t put a painting up, and “hes taken” a chance anyways. Married with a kid and a home 7 years later

29.We met at work and casually dated for a few weeks before I got really sick. I was hospitalized for a while and it was very traumatic. He insisted on remaining by my side throughout the whole ordeal, and we are merrily married 10 years later.

30.A few weeks after a really rough breakup my friends decided to take me out to cheer me up. I met my current SO at the bar that night and we hit it off. I aimed up taking him home that night supposing perhaps I just needed rebound sex( I had never taken a guy home from the bar prior to this ). He objective up texting me early the next morning and we’ve been inseparable ever since. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

31.I was unemployed and had a job interview in the city( NYC) and was a few mins early for my interview so I stopped by a Starbucks to get a beaker of coffee( I know Starbucks is terrible but I wanted a cold brew) while on line I noticed her but didn’t do anything because I was focused on this interview. Anyways she had an issue with her order and turned around and accidentally bumped spilled her coffee all over me, she apologized and offered to pay for my dry cleaning and we exchanged numbers and talked texting and objective up dating. Aimed up didn’t going to that interview but aimed up get a better task so is not merely did I get the girl I also got a job.

32.I’m a commercial airline pilot and she’s a flight attendant. We fulfilled working together years ago when I was first start now as a co-pilot.

I’m planning on retiring early in a few years, she quit her job about 5 years ago to stay home and take care of our kids.

We own a bed and breakfast out in northern California my spouse runs while I’m away, and I’m looking forward to retirement so I can spend more time with her and the kids and helping her operate the place.

33.I was enjoying a cigarette on the smoking deck( designated smoking area) when a girl “re coming out”, sat down and said, “God dammit, fuck this.” I told her to watch her mouth. She said, “Fuck you motherfucker, I can say whatever the fuck I want to say.” We have been married for 10 years last February.

34.My church choir( college freshmen congregation) had seven women in it. I was the only human. After our first performance in a service, a girl came up and asked me who I was, and complimented me on being brave enough to sing in front of everyone.

A few weeks later she’s leading a mid-week venerate thing, and asks if I could sing something solo. I tell her yes, but I require an accompanist. She says she plays piano. I already thought she was cute, but when she started playing at our run-through, I was so breath-taken I missed my entrance.

It took me a while to ask her out, but four years later, we’re blithely married.

35.We met on Neopets as kids and became best friends. Years afterward we realized we were both into daughters so it worked out perfectly and we’re engaged.

36.Staring at her boob to drive a pervert away.

So we were in stage crew in high school. There was a healthy divide of 40+ girls and 4-5 guys including me. There was a lot of flirting, and well … Just naughty behavior all around. Usually boundaries were well respected and everyone had a good time constructing sets and props.

My friend, the perv in this story, is annoying this daughter and I can see her inconvenience. I walk over and ask what he’s doing and she responds :P TAGEND

” He’s staring at my boob and he’s not allowed to !”

To which I answered,” Am I allowed to ?”

She said yes and I proceeded to enjoy the sight of her massive boobs for a few seconds until I watch him in peripheral walk away pissed off. Afterwards, I apologize for his behavior and go back to work. She started talking to me more and eventually we discovered ourselves in a relationship now going on 7 years this July!

37.The day I gratified my husband in a college acting class. Our first class ice breaker was to walk around, and every time the prof said stop we had to stare into the eyes of the person closest to us.

We did this for 5 rounds. Guess who I had to stare at all five times?

We somehow got partnered up for our final acting scene despite not picking each other. We practiced for a few weeks and got to know each other and started going on dates after that. By the time we finished the class we were all over each other.

38.The scene: a shitty three tale home with a sinking floor supported by a makeshift pillar in the basement. Every surface is sticky.

I’m in the back, taking a break from my friends in the midst of a small party. I love them deep but also really wanted everyone to just sort of disappear for a little while. You know, how you usually feel on a Friday night that feels exactly like the last two dozen Friday nights.

I needed someone to complain to about how much I disliked everyone else at the party at that moment. Assure a cute redhead I vaguely recollected from one class and was drunk enough to launch into a little ranting without much of an introduction. Turns out she need to rant too.

39.First class on my first day in college, I see this beautiful girl waiting outside my class for the professor to unlock the door, and realise I have to be with her.

We started dating after a few weeks, and are married now.

Love at first sight.

40.We met at work! We get hired 6 months apart to design bridges and neither of us had ever designed a bridge before, although we had all the needed qualifications to make our boss believe we were capable of learning this.( In other terms, we were both fresh out of engineering grad school and had a strong background in analysis .)

Our desks were side by side, and we liked each other immediately. Our dynamic was very much” office spouse/ office spouse “. It stayed like that for two years. He was very good at designing bridges, as it turned out, and moved up speedily. I was merely ok at designing bridges, and was not moving up, so I took a chore in a different department( thankfully, I have moved up well here ), and after I left, we realized we missed each other, and started dating.

We live together now, and couldn’t be happier.( He still designs bridges .)

41.College my sophomore year. I was on the men’s lacrosse squad and she was on the women’s lacrosse team. It was the first week of school( I only transferred from another college) and I was sitting with a few people at lunch. She strolled in and I asked my friends who she was and they let me know. I said ” I’m going to end up marrying that daughter .” She had a BF of 5 years( afterward found out that he was a dick) at the time and some guy that plainly liked her said ” good luck trying to get that …” She eventually sat down at the same table as me and we chatted. Apparently one of the other girls on her squad let her know what I said about marrying her later that day. I received a text a few hours later from a random number and it was her. That’s where it all started. We were very good friends for a while and she eventually aimed things with her bf and we started dating a few months later. We have been together for 6 years and we are getting married next year.

42.She sat down next to me on the first day of grad school. We both were into Neil Gaiman and Modern Poetry. I let her borrow the first few trades of The Sandman.

After that we started hanging out more, I demonstrated her around the city( she was from out of township ). Bought her a develop pass with $20 on it, but I was slacken to make a move. If it wasn’t for her roommate saying,” Dude, guys don’t buy develop pass for you if they don’t like you ,” we might not be together.

Been together 7 years.

43.She was my waitress when I was out with some friends. I left my number( first and only time ever) she called and 19 years later we are still together.

44.I was really into Scott Pilgrim vs The World when it came out in theaters when I was in high school. Bought all the graphic fictions, find it 4 times in theaters, bought the soundtracks, and bought the video game when it came out. I was obsessed.

After classes aimed and as I would stroll to the bus, I noticed on occasion this daughter walking down the dorms wearing a Scott Pilgrim shirt. I had to meet this girl!

Well the day came during a field trip to Gettysburg and there she was wearing the shirt. I get so nervous, had to work up the heroism, and she was also with a friend who is best friend’s with my previous girlfriend. Oh boy this was going to be tough.

Ended up not being too bad. I asked her the obvious question if she was a Scott Pilgrim fan and we hit it off from there surprisingly. Even more a coincidence, when we got to the buses, all I wanted to do was talk to her more about Scott Pilgrim and we didn’t because she sat next to her friend but she was a seat behind me, this entire field trip. It was destiny.

Anyways we’re close to 8 years strong together and will watch Scott Pilgrim once a year.

45.We fulfilled online on this is something that cringey anime-themed roleplay website and have been together for 4 years and married now. We try to forget about the site but some times we reminisce and wince together.

46.His mothers bought the house next to my grandparents home when his mommy was pregnant with him and I was two. I assume that I satisfied him when he came home from the hospital? It’s not something I recollect, he’s just always been a part of my life.

There was a period of time where we hadn’t seen each other for over eight years, and one night I was Facebook stalking a second cousin of mine and my old childhood friend’s mommy popped up! Through her I detected him, reached out, and within three months we were dating. Next month we celebrate our third marriage anniversary.

47.We were in the same class for a program for people on welfare.

Soon after the conflicts aimed, I determined a task in the city. I recommended that she apply since we were still hiring, and she got hired too! Not soon after that, I helped her out by letting her know my home had a room open to rent( 1 house 5 bedrooms, I was a tenant ), and she moved in. I wasn’t seeking any kind of relationship with her.

One day I heard her chuckling while watching Youtube and it was the most beautiful and genuine laugh. I thought to myself “fuck”. A couple weeks later we were watching Stranger Things and we started holds hands and cuddling.

We’re getting married next year

48.Technically we shared a hospital room at birth. Both our moms were stuck together. My mom is his aunt’s best friend( 20+ years ). The session we remember came subsequently. About 6 years old. I told him he was ” super duper handsome” and leaned in to kiss him because I’d seen it on a show. He kicked me in the vagina and ran away.

The boy aimed up chasing me for years. We ultimately started dating at 18 and now 10 years and 2 beautiful sons later, we are still going strong!

49.In a hot tub. I was about 14 and her best friend was dating my best friend. I set my limb around her and said ” do you come here often ?” Knowing it was an extremely cheesy pickup line. Now, about 16 years later, I still use that line on her when she’s in the bathroom, in bed, in the kitchen…

50.I was very drunk at a house party in college and was building my way to the bathroom to run throw up when I insured a girl who just lost a drinking game, and had to chug a beaker of a bunch of different alcohols. She was like she actually didn’t want to, and I figured since I was going to go throw up anyway, I might as well do it.

Read more: thoughtcatalog.com

[truconsciousramblings]

A.J. Lee/Seth Rollins fic. ‘Work Me Out’

     A.J. Lee and Seth Rollins smut.

First fic I wrote. Posting this now on Tumblr. Was originally posted by me on FF.net Hope you like! 

 "Unf..." That's the one persistent thought that trawled through her mind as she watched him. Watched him train.

She watched as he assiduously completed his phases of exercise. Cardio. Strength. Power.

She saw through (hopefully) undetected glances behind her in the gym's mirror how he tore up the indoor track, did pull-ups on the gymnast rings and completed the snatch with a 350-lb barbell. It may sound dramatic but if this were a Victorian novel, she'd be one of those the cliché swooning heroines. Gosh! He was delicious!

No! No! She was NOT a stalker, Although the thought DID sneak into her head that this WAS the sixth time she just happened to be at the same gym facility he was.

"Shut up, conscience!" she hissed.

Then glanced around furtively, hoping fellow fitness-seekers hadn't heard her self-reprimand.

Hey, it wasn't her fault that Crossfit had become a cultural phenomenon. She was just observing the trend. And where she was observing the trend lately, he just always happened to be. Yeah... That was it...

...

The Workout of the Day was winding down and he'd long since ditched the Parkway Drive t-shirt he'd been wearing (and she herself, had loooong since ditched the pretense that she was there solely for a workout). That nod to nudity, ladies, and gentlemen, had been a sight!

Sweat had been dripping, which in turn had soaked his shirt. He'd stripped the t-shirt off nonchalantly but to her, it had been her own private peepshow. Watching expanses of toned, tan skin being revealed, had made her a bit heady.

The cherry on top? Seeing his nicely developed pecs. She hadn't realized before this, that she was a chest girl, yet here we were. There was something about the contrast of his long, lean torso against his well-developed chest and arms.

A particularly naughty thought just then crossed her mind. That even as brazen she could be at times, she flushed just thinking about in public. As impressed as she was with the revelation of his chest, it's always been his nipples that drew her gaze. Brown and pert, like beacons calling out for her tongue to lave.

"Whew!" She fanned herself at her thoughts.

The last straw came at the end though, when he was doing an impromptu photo shoot for one his favored fancy dietary supplements to post on social media. Don't even ask her what the whole 'Paleo' movement was about, Was he a famous 18th-century artist or something? Okay, so she was being facetious but let's just say the whole thing was beyond her area of expertise.

He had just looked soooo good in that moment. Hair in a messy high bun, red shorts slung low on his hips. But it was his smile... That big, beautiful smile that shone even beneath his full beard.

She loved it, as he just looked like a loveable puppy. That smile was a mark of the brilliant mind that was lurking beneath the surface.

As much as his body fascinated her, it was his mind that did her in. The times she'd interacted with him had always been fun. He had a dry, deadpan, quirky sense of humor that made her laugh. Also, the way he analyzed and broke down certain situations intrigued her as she watched it play out. She didn't always agree with his viewpoints but he always maintained her respect. He always intrigued her.

Screw it! She was going in! She tossed the bag of baked potato chips she'd been munching on and made her move...

...

The sweat-drenched man was rifling through his gym bag, looking for a change of clothes in the deserted locker room. Seth Rollins swung his head at the blur of movement that appeared in his peripheral vision, his face lighting up in recognition.

He smiled. "Hey! A.J., what's up?"

Seth was only able to give a surprised grunt before the small, dark-haired woman without a word pressed herself against him. Slinging an arm around his neck to pull him in for a breath-stealing kiss, her lips covering his own. Soft lips fluidly moving, continually sipping at his top lip. Teasing, as if to draw it into her own.

Surprise at her actions had him stock-still for a few beats. But his answering fire was quickly sparked by her flicking at the corners of his mouth with her tongue. That was when he flipped the script. Seth lifted A.J. off the ground, she in turn eagerly wrapped her gray leggings-clad limbs around his waist. He then pressed her against a nearby wall, them chest-to-chest. He hungrily began to ravish her mouth, dipping his tongue repeatedly into her honeyed entrance. Seth soon growled in frustration though, he needed to taste more of her. He reluctantly tore his mouth away, A.J. moaning in protest. Seth quickly buried his mouth into her neck, sucking the tender flesh between his teeth. A.J. whimpered, sliding her eyes shut as she threw her head back, giving him even more access.

"I wondered how long it would take you to come to me," Seth muttered between kisses to A.J.'s throat.

Her eyes flew open at his statement, then slid to meet his. "You- you knew I was here?!"

Seth just gave AJ an arch look and a soft smile. He laughed. "You're tiny but even you aren't inconspicuous ducking behind exercise equipment to hide." A.J. groaned and hid her face in his shoulder. Seth stroked her hair in comfort.

"Don't be embarrassed, I wanted you to find me." Seth soothed.

A.J. reared her head back in incredulity. "What?!"

Seth raised a brow. "Who do you think got our friends to drop hints about wherever I'd be working out?"

A.J. narrowed her eyes at him, then sighed in exasperation. "So why not cut out the middleman and just tell me yourself?" She queried.

Seth drew out his response, tapping her nose as he answered. A.J. crinkled said appendage at his touch.

"Becaaaaause pretty little miss, each time we spoke, you were shy around me-" Seth's sentence was interrupted by A.J. grabbing his hand and biting the finger he used on her nose.

"Ow!", he exclaimed. Wagging his bruised digit in an effort to alleviate the sharp sting.

A.J. smirked. "That's what you get. I'm not two. You don't need to touch in order to elaborate on a point."

Seth's words about being shy then suddenly sunk in. "Wait! Me? Shy?!" she scoffed, affronted.

Seth countered. "Yes, April Jeanette. You, shy. That's why I thought if we 'accidentally' met at the gym, we'd be in a stress-free environment outside of work, we'd be comfortable to talk. Then these opportunities to meet turned into scouting missions by you and I thought, 'Who am I to judge?'"

Seth then shrugged. "Besides, I wanted to see where they led. "

A.J. smacked Seth's shoulder playfully. "You jerk! You were watching me squirm!"

He laughed. "Nah. It was fun watching how your mind worked."

A.J. laughed sardonically. "Yeah, you're REAL clever huh?" A.J. grabbed Seth's hair in a punishing grip, bringing his face to hers for a bruising kiss.

They continued to exchange fierce kisses, until Seth pulled away to rest his forehead against her own, panting against her lips.

"I need more of you." Seth ground out. He fixed a hungry gaze to hers. "Do you trust me?" He asked.

A.J. looked back at him with wide, brown eyes that never wavered. "Yes, I do."

Seth planted another quick kiss to her. He then skimmed his fingertips under the hem of her sports top, lifting it, feathering his fingers along each inch of skin that became exposed. Seth lifted A.J.'s top completely, leaving her bare to his gaze. He drank in her lithe form. Flared hips drifted up into a contoured waist. The golden skin, her beautiful breasts.

A.J. moved to cover herself but Seth caught her hands gently before she could.

"You know, you never have to hide from me."

A.J. lowered her hands, all the while her gaze never left his. Seth then gathered her into his arms, her skin soft and warm beneath his palms. He leaned down to kiss along her collarbone and over the tops of her breasts. He nuzzled between them, his beard tickling her. She sighed at the sensation. Next thing she knew, he'd drawn her nipple into his mouth. A.J. gasped at the unexpected contact. Encouraged by her sounds, Seth cupped and kneaded her rounded globe with his long fingers. He proceeded to then suck her nipple even deeper into the hot cavern of his mouth.

A.J. moaned and arched her back into his touch. Seth continued his ministrations, then switched his focus to her other breast, giving it the same level of pleasurable detail. Seth placed a final kiss on her chest, then started to pull away. A.J. objected to this action.

"No." She said languorously. Already deliciously weak from the attention he was lavishing on her body. Seth cradled her face within his palms, touching their foreheads together.

"You remember I asked if you trusted me?" Seth's words ghosting over lips.

A.J. reached up to place a quick kiss on him. "Yes."

Seth smiled at her. "Good girl."

He pressed his mouth to her ear, which began a trail of hot, open-mouthed kisses down her body. When he'd reached the waistband of her leggings, he looked up at her, asking for a silent permission. A.J. looked down at him from the curtain of her dark hair. She nodded. Seth drew them, along with her panties down and off. He groaned at the sight of A.J. fully bared before him. He reverentially ran his fingertips along her toned thighs, up to her hips where he then spanned her waist with his hands. A.J. then moaned at Seth's next move.

He leaned forward and buried his face in the apex of her thighs, inhaling her scent A.J. gasped at being wholly blindsided at the feeling of his mouth on her most intimate of parts. Seth nuzzled her mound with his nose, then started to lap at her pussy lips.

"Oh shit!" A.J. exclaimed. She involuntarily bucked her hips against his face, The hand she had threaded in Seth's hair tightened reflexively. The pain didn't faze him one iota though, he just hooked an arm under each of A.J.'s legs. He then stood up slowly, adjusting her thighs over his shoulders.

A.J. squeaked at the new positioning, trying to find her purchase but with nothing to grasp onto. Just the flat of her back against the smooth plaster wall. "Oh my God! Seth!"

He grinned up at her from his now fully standing position.

"Like the view from up there? 'Cause I sure do from down here."

A.J. just squeezed her thighs around his head in answer. Seth laughed huskily at the sassiness of her response. He kissed her again intimately, reaching around her to gently spread her lips. He suckled her clit into his mouth. A.J. Whined at this bold move. Feeling a heat bloom within her, then a pulsing. At each pull of his lips, there felt as if there were an invisible thread of throbbing pleasure running from her pussy to the tips of her breasts.

A.J. moaned long and loud. Uhnn... "Yeees! Just like that!"

Seth was bolstered by her noises of encouragement. He braced his forearms against the wall and held A.J.'s legs even firmer. He gave long licks to her smooth labia, prompting tingling sensations there. A.J. sighed and gripped his hair again, then braced her other hand against the wall in a semblance of grounding herself from the sensations flooding her. Seth set about establishing a rhythm, alternating between licks, sucks and ghost-like bites. He'd exposed the nub of her clitoris, the bundle of nerves on full display.

A.J. felt the tension build, winding her up. She whimpered and ground his face against her harder, in a nebulous effort to amplify the beats of feeling centered there. Seth took that as his cue and increased his speed, that's when she burst. A.J. shuddered as her orgasm roared through her in waves, she felt her body go lax. Seth brought her down carefully from his shoulders and then held her. She smiled up at him with a sparkle in her brown eyes.

"That was sumthin', huh?" She said on an exhaled laugh.

Seth grinned back at her. "It was 'sumthin' alright."

A.J.'s face soon then settled into an earnest expression. She reached up to touch his cheek.

"Thank you. What just happened between us, I never dreamed would've happened at all, much less here and so soon."

Seth grabbed her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist.

"I don't regret any of this. I really like you A.J. I like your feistiness, your adventurous spirit, your unexpected moments of shyness-"

She groaned and hid her face in his chest when he said that.

"Also, you have a devious mind that I totally appreciate. I mean, being stalked like prey never felt sexier." He teased.

A.J. then looked up at him with an adorable pout.

"Keep up the comedy act Rollins and this-" She cupped his hardness through his shorts. "won't be taken care of any time in the near future."

Seth groaned at the feel of her hand on his cock. "Okay! Okay! I'll behave!"

A.J. patted his cheek with a smirk. "Good boy."

She then looked around the locker room and said. "What do we do now?"

Seth linked their hands together and offered. "Well before this, I was going to my hotel room to unwind after my workout. "

A.J.'s face fell at what she perceived as Seth's move for them to part ways. He saw the array of emotions flit across her face.

"Hey, you didn't let me finish. I planned to hang out in my room and I wondered if you wanted to come with? We could play some video games. Or share our comic stash?

A.J.'s face brightened at the suggestion. "I'd love that! But first, we need to get clean from all the strenuous exercise we did in and OUT of the gym today."

She drew him by the hand towards the showers.

Seth's smile reappeared. "Yes, ma'am!"

Today was a good day...