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twojamie-o-clock · 25 days ago

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Okay so I know “The Jigsaw War” doesn’t actually take place during season 6B but IMAGINE IF IT DID it’s actually the perfect story hello

Rambling & spoilers below the cut

1. The Set Up

As a companion chronicles story, this is obviously very Jamie centric. The opening reminded me a lot of “death of the Daleks” where Jamie is being interrogated, alone, by a newcomer who presumed he knows everything about - that he’s an accomplice to - the Doctor. In both of these scenarios the Doctor represented the threat to these strangers, and Jamie the key to defeating that. Which is already very much Jamie being a tool for manipulating the Doctor, as emphasized at the end of “world game” where the doctor agreed to carry on working for the CIA if he was allowed Jamie’s company.

2. Jamie Working

The main plot of Jamie having to work things out on his own, for his own freedom and for the Doctor, feels a lot like it could be a trend in the CIA throwing him in the deep end with 2. It shows how independent and adaptive he’s grown since he started traveling with the Doctor, how he has picked up bit of his personality. This is also mentioned later when Jamie is though to have (in the future) attacked Moran and the Doctor insists that this is out of character for him because of who Jamie is and how he has changed.

The fact that the tasks Jamie has to fulfill/perform are time & puzzle based obviously adds to this, since he is jumping through time with disjointed memories and understanding. The Doctor is also for the most part off screen (?) because he is working on another aspect of the “threat” while Jamie is put to the test. So !! Hm !!

3. Jamie’s Faith

Jamie’s faith in the Doctor is of course put to the test but he still believes in him despite the risks. Obviously a big part of the recovery aspect of season 6B is jamie learning who the doctor is again and why he trusts him so much. In this audio he also risks many lives by putting this resolute faith in the Doctor. Also, because it’s told from Jamie’s perspective like, and because that’s just how the plot is moving, the whole story hinges on the Doctor’s judgment: who needs his help, who is the threat, and his way of understanding humans to a core—something the Time Lords despise but still very clearly need.

Another major part of the dialogue is the Doctor speaking through Jamie’s body because the “emotional connection” is “strong enough” where it would otherwise not have worked. So….I’ll leave that there.

4. CIA interventions & measures

His interrogators ask who the doctor is working for, automatically assuming that he is an agent. The conversation goes like:

Which of course is a very obvious nod to when the Doctor will eventually take orders - unless he is already taking them. The only disagreeing thing in the audio is that a) the tardis crash landed as per usual on the Unheld system and b) Zoe is allegedly traveling with them. However the “accidental” landing on the Unheld could very easily be another lie. And if this were to take place around helicon prime etc Jamie wouldn’t actually remember Zoe (btw I have not yet listened to beyond war games/James Robert mccrimmon so I might edit this later). But that the main idea is stitched events and memories being experience out of chronology….etc. Also Zoe doesn’t actually make an appearance in the audio - the Doctor mentions her helping him while he’s in Jamie’s mind, but because Jamie can hear him it’s very possible that could have been for his sake alone.

Anyway there’s my. False hope. (I originally started this because I was struggling where to order the jigsaw war on my spreadsheet. I did end up opting for this:

Simply because the s6b thing is more of a guess and I want this to be only slightly more accurate than that. What was stopping me from putting anything between twg/space pirates was that Jamie is wearing the same exact shirt so it seemed like they would connect but the idea of him going continuously into the final serial felt wrong so I just changed it now)

Okay thanks for reading!

#doctor who #jamie mccrimmon #second doctor #i listen to doccy #the jigsaw war #I yap a lot #season 6b #audio reviews

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valleyledger · 2 months ago

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Safety & Security for Your Business & Employees – An Interactive Luncheon Tour at TWG Security

The East Penn and Western Lehigh Chambers of Commerce are thrilled to host the upcoming Safety and Security Luncheon, in partnership with TWG Security and trusted collaborator, Motorola Solutions. Set for October 9, 2024, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, this event is designed to equip businesses and employees with essential knowledge about effective security solutions that can truly make a difference.…

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thehungrykat1 · 10 months ago

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The Writers Bar at Raffles Makati Launches Harmony in Forms Afternoon Tea Inspired by Hans Brumann & Impy Pilapil

The Writers Bar at Raffles Makati proudly unveils its latest opulent offering, the "Harmony in Forms Afternoon Tea," a fusion of exquisite culinary craftsmanship and captivating visual arts. This new afternoon tea set can be enjoyed starting January 26, 2024 and this unparalleled experience is a testament to the Raffles brand's unwavering commitment to the arts.

The Hungry Kat was invited last week to the launch of the Harmony in Forms Afternoon Tea so I made my way back to my favorite luxury hotel in the country. The afternoon tea set is available daily at the Writers Bar from 2:00pm to 3:30 pm and from 4:00pm to 5:30pm at P3,200 nett for two persons which includes a choice of premium TWG tea or coffee with optional upgrades for mocktails and cocktails.

In collaboration with two distinguished Filipino artists, the Writers Bar's Harmony in Forms Afternoon Tea transcends the ordinary, showcasing seven sublime sculptures of renowned jeweler Hans Brumann and three mesmerizing masterpieces from the Aquabella series by master artist Impy Pilapil.

The Writers Bar is open from 2:00pm to 11:00pm daily at the ground floor of Raffles Makati. A revered institution at all Raffles locations, the Writers Bar pays tribute to all the iconic writers who have found inspiration at Raffles over the years. Designed to resemble a library and bathed in natural sunlight, it is an oasis of calm and tranquility, surrounded by soothing music, exquisite art, and the written legacies of literary luminaries.

Elegance permeated the event last January 25 which was graced by luminaries from the diplomatic community, esteemed hotel patrons, media personalities and key opinion leaders. Hosted by Raffles and Fairmont Makati’s Cluster Director of Business Development, Rubi De Vera, the soirée commenced with eloquent opening remarks by Raffles and Fairmont Makati's Director of Food and Beverage, Anne-Sophie Hurtaud, who declared, "Arts and Culture are not mere embellishments; they are the very soul of the Raffles brand. Today, with the unveiling of Harmony in Forms, we celebrate the rich tapestry of creativity that defines our brand's profound passion for the arts."

Hans Brumann's body of work spans more than half a century and is characterized by a consistent and recognizable aesthetic that he has developed over that time. This style combines the sleekness of contemporary sculptural design with a dash of whimsicality and a keen eye for color. Even now, at the venerable age of 80, he continues to bring a certain sense of curiosity and wonder to sculptures, creating breathtaking pieces that range from bas-relief to free-standing works. Here he presents Bird, a painted steel with molave base sculpture that you can also find at the Galerie Hans Brumann.

The Aquabella Series by Impy Pilapil was inspired by her fascination and dreams of the aquatic world and life underwater. Impy Pilapil is a versatile multi-media artist, sculptor, muralist, and interactive art innovator who is known for her elegant and timeless compositions. Through the years, she has created remarkable works in various mediums such as paper, glass, steel, wood, and stone. She has exhibited around the world and her creations form part of choice collections of banks, multinationals, and discerning private collectors.

Afternoon tea is an elegant pre-evening tête-à-tête popularized in Europe with its own history and traditional ceremonies. Raffles has been serving afternoon tea for more than 100 years so you can always get the best high tea experience in the country here. We started our journey with a glass of the Dreamer Mocktail with its refreshing blend of citrus flavors.

Curated by the hotel's culinary virtuosos under the guidance of Executive Chef Bela Rieck, the Harmony in Forms Afternoon Tea set is a symphony of visual and gastronomic delight. It is presented in three lovely tiers which will be placed on your tables.

But before that, our afternoon tea began with their scones. Chef Bèla combines the Classic Scones together with Lemon Coated Scones. These are paired with clotted cream and strawberry jam plus honey. Slice your scones in half horizontally and place the cream or jam on top, depending on your preference.

The bottom layer of the tea set consists of Culinary Arts which features art-inspired creations such as the Wood-smoked salmon canapés, Steel-cut foie gras terrine with red apple, Paper-wrapped marinated truffle chicken, Mini stone oven pizette with Kalamata olives and chorizo, and Mini mushroom quiche.

The middle tier comes with Sweet Temptations like the Wood-charred pineapple tartlets, Pistachio éclairs, and Paper-thin flower petals on double chocolates.

Lastly, the topmost tier comes with even more sweet items such as the Limestone lemon tarts, Glass shard macarons, and Steel-blue berry cheesecake bites.

Guests will also get their choice of coffee or tea from Raffles Makati’s finest selection of flavors courtesy of TWG Tea. For a more bubbly afternoon tea experience, there’s also an option to upgrade your tea set to include two glasses of Dreamer Mocktail for only P500++. Better yet, upgrade it to two glasses of The Artist Cocktail for P800++. Elevate your afternoon to an artful crescendo with Harmony in Forms Afternoon Tea at The Writers Bar, where luxury meets artistic transcendence. Book your seats now at https://bit.ly/BookTheWritersBar.

Harmony in Forms Afternoon Tea

1 Raffles Drive, Makati Avenue, Makati City

8555-9840 (https://bit.ly/BookTheWritersBar)

www.raffles.com/makati

www.facebook.com/RafflesMakati

#RafflesMakati #WritersBarMakati #WritersBar #RafflesHotels #AfternoonTea #HarmonyinForms

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all-about-news24x7 · 2 years ago

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G20 TWG Meet In Srinagar: Delegates To Experience Local Culture

[] KO Photo by Abid Bhat Saffron, Walnuts, Qahwa Cups To Be Gifted New Delhi– G20 delegates will experience the local culture of Jammu and Kashmir and get to see handicrafts and other works of artisans during their visit to Srinagar for the third Tourism Working Group meeting of the influential bloc, officials said on Friday. About 60 foreign delegates are expected to take part in the event…

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hardynwa · 2 years ago

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NCDC confirms Nigeria at moderate risk of Marburg virus outbreak

Following the first-ever outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease in Equatorial Guinea, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has said Nigeria is at moderate risk of importing the virus into the country. According to the NCDC, the extent of the outbreak in Equatorial Guinea has not yet been ascertained, and the likelihood of spread in Nigeria following importation is high due to the gatherings and travel associated with upcoming national elections. It also said the likelihood of importation to Nigeria is high due to the direct flight between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, and the proximity of Equatorial Guinea to Nigeria. Equatorial Guinea on February 13, 2023, confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease. The viral infection has also killed nine persons in the country. According to the World Health Organisation, preliminary tests carried out following the deaths of at least nine people in the country’s western Kie Ntem Province turned out positive for viral haemorrhagic fever. Equatorial Guinean health authorities sent samples to the Institut Pasteur reference laboratory in Senegal with support from WHO to determine the cause of the disease after an alert by a district health official on February 7. Marburg virus disease is a highly virulent disease that causes haemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of up to 88 per cent. It is in the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Illness caused by the Marburg virus begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache, and severe malaise. Many patients develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days. The virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces, and materials. The NCDC, in a press statement signed by its Director-General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, on Friday, noted that the likelihood of spread in Nigeria following importation is high due to the gatherings and travel associated with upcoming national elections. He noted that the case fatality rate of MVD ranges between 24 to 88 per cent and it does not currently have an effective drug for treatment or a licensed vaccine for prevention. The statement partly read, “There are currently no cases of Marburg virus disease in Nigeria, however, the NCDC, relevant Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and partners have taken proactive measures to mitigate the risk of cross-border importation. The multi-sectoral National Emerging Viral Haemorrhagic Disease Technical Working Group, led by NCDC, is responsible for coordinating the national response to all VHFs across pillars including surveillance, laboratory, case management, and risk communication. The NEVHD TWG like it has always done in the past following news of MVD outbreaks conducted a dynamic risk assessment to inform Nigeria’s preparedness following this recent outbreak in Equatorial Guinea. “Based on available data, the overall risk of importation of the Marburg virus and the impact on the health of Nigerians has been assessed as MODERATE. “The risk assessment also shows that Nigeria has the capacity-technical, human (health workforce), and diagnostic – required to respond effectively in the event of an outbreak. Nigeria has also responded to viral haemorrhagic fever epidemics like the Ebola Outbreak in 2014 and built up her preparedness and response capabilities over the years. We have the diagnostic capacity to test for MVD presently at the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja and the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital laboratory Centre for Human and Zoonotic Virology. “However, diagnostic capacity will be scaled up to other laboratories in cities with important points of entry and others as may be required. An effective response system is in place with the availability of control capacities (trained rapid response teams, and an effective infection prevention and control programme) to limit the risk of spread in the event of a single imported case.” The NCDC advises Nigerians and residents to avoid all but essential travels to Equatorial Guinea at this time. “Persons with recent travel history to or transit through Equatorial Guinea within the past 21 days who experience symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhoea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising should not go to any health facility but call 6232 or their State Ministry of Health hotline immediately for assessment and testing,” the agency added. Read the full article

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the-weirdo-on-maple-street · 7 years ago

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Fall Free For All

About a month ago, Val @maxmayfield contacted a few Stranger Things writers, including myself, with a proposal for a series of fall-themed Stranger Things fics. Here’s mine. (Note: I apologize for the historical inaccuracy. The pilgrims were murderers, but they didn’t exactly talk about that during the 80s. Also the Byers are Jewish because I said so.)

Without further ado, here’s my fic.

El Hopper stood on her tiptoes, peering at the calendar that hung on the wall of her cabin. That month, November, had a picture of a brown and orange bird and a few pumpkins. She liked that picture. She placed her index finger on that day's date. November 14th, 1984. She slid her finger along the empty squares until she stopped at one, a week later, with a small note printed at the top of the box. Thanksgiving Day She frowned a little. She knew what 'thanks' was. A word you use when someone does something nice for you. She also knew what 'giving was.' To let someone have something that's yours. But the two words together meant nothing to her. She walked over to the bookshelf and pulled out her well-worn copy of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. She walked over to the couch and sat down with the book in her lap. She opened it up to the T's, and scanned through the various words until she found the one she wanted. thanks·giv·ing THaNGksˈɡiviNG/ noun 1. the expression of gratitude, especially to God "he offered prayers in thanksgiving for his safe arrival" 2. (in North America) an annual national holiday marked by religious observances and a traditional meal including turkey. The holiday commemorates a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621, and is held in the US on the fourth Thursday in November. A similar holiday is held in Canada, usually on the second Monday in October. She recognized some of the words, but the whole thing was too complicated for her. She felt a hot spike of frustration in her gut. She wasn't at the reading level of her friends, she knew that, accepted that, but she felt in that moment all of the years she had lost to the lab. All of the years she could've been learning and growing. She shook away those thoughts. She had a guardian who cared about her, friends who loved her. She was lucky. She resolved to ask Hopper later about 'Thanksgiving.' ×/× That night they had meatloaf for dinner and El doesn't hate it per say, because anything is better than the lab food, but it definitely isn't her favorite of all the microwave meals she and Hopper eat. He did let her have fruit punch though, which made up for it. She had all but forgotten what she was going to ask him, but then she glanced over at the calendar and she remembered her question. "What is 'Thanksgiving?'" El asked. Hopper looked at her curiously for a moment "Where did you find that word?" Hopper asked. El pointed to the calendar. "Ah. Well, Thanksgiving is a holiday in America. A long time ago, people across the world in Europe didn't know America existed. Some people came over by accident and found that people already lived here. More people came to live here but it was hard for them, so the people already living here helped them. They shared a meal together, and nowadays we celebrate that by sharing a meal with our friends and family." Hopper took a bite of his meatloaf. El understood what he was saying. But she was eating a meal with her family now. What was so different about Thanksgiving? "Why is it so different from today?" El asked. "Well, we eat turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and other good foods, and we say what we're thankful for." "'Thankful?'" "Two words of the day, you're lucky. To be thankful means to be happy with what you have, to understand how lucky you are to have these things. You can be thankful for your friends or your family or the good food or anything you want," Hopper said. "Can we have 'Thanksgiving?'" El asked, eyes pleading. "Sure, kid. Why not?" ×/× Later that night, when she was in bed, El heard Hopper walk over to the phone, punch in a number, and wait to hear a reply. "Hey Joyce, it's me," El heard him say. A pause as she replied. "No, it's nothing bad. I just have a favor to ask," he said. "El just asked me what Thanksgiving was, and now she wants to have one of her own. And I want to give her that because she deserves that, at least. But Joyce, I can't cook to save my life," Hopper said. Another pause as Joyce said something on the other end. "Oh, no Joyce, I couldn't ask you to do that!" Hopper exclaimed. Another pause. "Okay, if you're sure..." A final pause. "Thank you so much, Joyce. Okay, I'll talk to you later. Bye." Hopper placed the phone back in its cradle and walked near El's room. She quickly shut her eyes and pretended to be asleep. "Let me guess," Hopper said, standing in her doorway, "You heard the whole thing." El opened her eyes and nodded. "You're too nosy for your own good. But I guess I can tell you. Joyce invited us over to have Thanksgiving dinner with her and Jonathan and Will," he said. El frowned. "What about the 'Don't Be Stupid Rules?'" "I can sneak you out through the woods. Luckily the Byers' house is along the treeline. And even though you have to stay in for another year, it's not as dangerous as before." "Thank you," she said, smiling slightly. "You're welcome, kid," he said, "Now get some sleep." Hopper closed her door until it was only open a crack. She shut her eyes and drifted off, the feeling of excitement still turning her stomach. ×/× The week and a half passed quickly, not that she had something to look forward to. Her almost daily visits from the boys were filled with their own Thanksgiving stories and they only made El even more excited for what was to come. When they day finally came, she woke up early and pulled on her best sweater, a brown and red one she may or may not have stolen from Mike, and her pair of jeans with the least holes. Hopper told her that they wouldn't be going anywhere until that night, but she couldn't help being excited. The day passed slowly, as she tried to occupy herself with things to take her mind off her own anticipation. Finally, finally, Hopper came home and she pulled on her white Converses and frilly socks and they set off through the woods to the Byers' house. The walk wasn't long, but even if it was, El was too occupied with her own thoughts and anticipations to notice. They finally reached the back door and she knocked politely, just as Hopper had told her to do. Joyce opened the door with a smile and welcomed them in. The first thing that El noticed was the smell. She wasn't able to describe it in words, but she knew it smelled better than any meal she ever had. She was so caught up in it that she didn't even notice Will approaching her. "If you like that, you should smell our house during Hanukkah," Will said, smiling at her. She frowned a little and looked up at Hopper, who mouthed a small 'I'll tell you later.' "How are you, El?" Will asked. "I'm good. Hungry," she said. "Well, good. Jonathan is just finishing up. And then we can eat," Will said, he reached out hesitantly and took her hand. She let him lead her away as Joyce and Hopper talked about adult things. They walled past the kitchen and found Jonathan pulling a large casserole dish out of the oven. He spotted them and smiled. "Hey, El," he said. He found a place on the counter amongst all of the other dishes already there and placed the dish down. "Hi," she said, a little shyly. She didn't know Jonathan very well, but she knew he was a friend. "This is your first Thanksgiving, isn't it?" She nodded. "Ever had mac and cheese before?" Jonathan asked, gesturing to the dish. "From the microwave," she said. Jonathan shook his head. "I can't believe Hopper's been feeding you that crap. Trust me, you'll like this much better. Dinner will be ready soon." El nodded politely, and Will lead her to the couch where they sat down. "How much do you know about Thanksgiving?" Will asked. "Only what Lucas and Dustin and Mike and Hopper told me," El said. "Well, what did they say?" "Lucas says he visits all his cousins in Chicago." "Yeah, Lucas has a big family." "Dustin says he watches football with his mom." "It's mostly for his mom. Dustin doesn't really like sports," Will said. El nodded. "And Mike said his mom cooks really good food."

"His mom is a very good cook," Will said. El remembered a promise that Mike had made to her a long time ago, that she could live with him and his mom would cook her real food, not just Eggos. That hadn't happened, through no fault of Mike's, and she had a home now, so it didn't matter to her. "Guys, dinner's ready!" Jonathan called from the dining room. Will and El stood up and walked over to the table to find it covered in various dishes of all shapes and colors. Joyce and Hopper followed them in and they all sat down, El in between Hopper and Will. Everyone dug in, heaping large servings of food unto their plate using large serving spoons. El watched the flurry of activity in awe, feeling a little hesitant to fill her own plate. "Do you want me to make up a plate for you, El?" Joyce asked, noticing El's empty plate. "No, I can do it." El reached forwards towards a plate with circles of reddish jelly. She put one on her plate and moved onto the mac and cheese, which she knew she liked. Jonathan cut her a piece of turkey and she added that to her plate. She almost skipped over the green beans, but one stern look from Hopper made her put some on her plate as well. She was passed the mashed potatoes and she smothered them with gravy. Finally, she was given a roll from Will, who smiled at her encouragingly. She started to eat. She liked the jelly, which Jonathan called cranberry sauce. She also liked the mashed potatoes and gravy and she finished her turkey almost as soon as she got it. She watched Joyce who spread butter onto her roll, and she did the same, finding that it tasted so much better with it. About halfway through the meal, Joyce spoke up. "Okay, now what is everyone thankful for this year?" she asked. "I'll go first," Jonathan said. "I'm thankful that Hopper and El joined us this year." El blushed a little bit and smiled at him. Joyce and Will nodded in agreement. "I'm thankful for the food," Hopper said, giving Jonathan an approving nod. "I'm thankful to have Will back, really back," Joyce said, tears in her eyes. She reached across the table to grasp Will's hand. "I'm grateful to be me again," Will said simply, and everyone smiled in agreement. "What about you, El? What are you thankful for?" Jonathan asked. She looked a little bewildered. She wasn't used to being put on the spot, but she really did want to participate, just like everyone else. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," Will assured her. She shook her head, and thought about everything she could say. She was thankful for a bedroom without tiled walls, for her TV, for a freezer stocked up with Eggos. She was thankful for a father who truly cared for her. She was thankful for Lucas and Dustin and Will. She was thankful for Mike. She was thankful to be eating the best food she'd ever had. But mostly, she was thankful for the beginning of her life, however late it came. She didn't know how to put that in words in a way they'd understand. Instead, she said simply, "I'm thankful to be here," and she hoped it encompassed all she was thinking and feeling. Jonathan and Joyce smiled at her. Hopper placed a hand on her shoulder. Will took her right hand and squeezed. And she knew they understood.

#Stranger things #twg events #twg fall free for all #El Hopper #Will Byers #Jim hopper #joyce byers #jonathan byers

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themikewheelers · 7 years ago

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Thankful

This is my fic for The Writer’s Guild Fall Free-For-All event! We all wrote fics about the characters doing various fall-related activities, my fic is about Mike and El getting lost in a corn maze. Be sure to check out everyone else’s amazing fics!

Thanksgiving 1984

Mike wanted to kick himself. He'd spend all those countless hours studying the map, and for what? He had gotten lost in that stupid corn maze anyway. He'd been so determined to win the contest. Him and El, versus Max and Lucas, versus Will and Dustin. Whoever won, the others would chip in and pay for the winners at the arcade for a month. It had taken Mike a week just to convince Hopper to let El leave the cabin to begin with. He had to assure Hopper that they'd get there early in the morning before any other people came, and if something happened they could just run and get lost in the maze. Reluctantly, after tons of begging from all the kids, Hopper agreed. He was planning to meet with Dr. Owens in a week anyway, and he was hopeful for what he'd have to say about El staying in the cabin any longer... As soon as El received confirmation she could go, Mike went to work. He borrowed a camera from his mom, and went to visit the corn maze that morning. Outside there was a map of the interior tacked up on a bulletin board. Mike took a picture of it and spent every day since looking at it, studying it, memorizing it, determined to win the contest. Take the first right turn, then take the third left turn, then an immediate right, then the second right, and then- Mike knew what he was doing. He had the whole thing figured out. He was going to win this contest for him and El. (And yeah, he may have bragged about it to their friends a bit. Just a bit. He was only being somewhat arrogant.) Except it had only taken roughly five minutes into the maze for all that to bite him in the ass.

It started with just a quick peek at El. Who could blame him? Mike hadn't seen her in almost a year. She'd been back for a few weeks now, but he still hadn't fully adjusted to the fact that she was really home. Mike found himself stealing glances at her way more often than he'd like to admit, but he couldn't help it. She was like a magnet that unknowingly was always pulling Mike's eyes towards her, and once his gaze was fixed on her face, Mike had a hard time pulling away, and a harder time focusing on anything besides how absolutely beautiful and kind and brave and smart she was, along with all the other adjectives that coursed through Mike's brain every time he tried to wrap his mind around just how amazing she was. There wasn't a lot of focus left for him to concentrate on anything besides El, such as keeping track of where they were in that damn corn maze. They were walking down in silence. Through the hedges they could hear their friends somewhere close by, and El was kicking a pebble along while she walked. Mike, of course, was just watching her when they came to a fork in the path, either keep going straight or turn right. Instinctively, Mike went to turn, but then stopped for a moment. Was this the second right or the third? And wait, had they even taken the turn left yet like they were supposed to? He stopped in his tracks. Shit. After all he had bragged to his friends about knowing the maze like the back of his hand, all it had taken was a few minutes of getting lost in El's eyes for Mike to get lost in the world around him as well. “Mike?” El’s voice interrupted his thoughts before he could beat himself up too much, “Which way?”

Mike grimaced. How was he supposed to admit to El that he had gotten them lost because he was too distracted staring at her? They'd been hanging out at the cabin every day for the past few weeks, and Mike swore there were a couple times they absolutely would have kissed if Hopper hadn't walked in. He was even planning on asking her to the Snow Ball in a few weeks, but a few weeks felt like a million years away. He wasn't ready to confess his feelings for her yet.

Taking a gulp and looking down at his shoes, not wanting to meet her eyes, Mike flushed, “I think I kinda got a little distracted. I have no idea if we're supposed to turn here or not.”

“Okay.” El nodded her head, not understanding why Mike seemed so ashamed of this. It was just a corn maze after all, “Then let’s just go one way and if it's the wrong way eventually we’ll figure it out.”

She reached out to grab Mike’s hand, hesitating for a moment to contemplate locking their fingers together, wondering briefly if this was the right thing to do. They'd held hands dozens of times before, but for whatever reason El felt the butterflies in her stomach much more strongly today.

I'm thankful for you.

Hopper had told El how Thanksgiving was the day to tell the people in your life how thankful you are for them. And while El knew just how beyond grateful she was for the boy in front of her, something about the thought of telling him that sent bolts of fear throughout her body. It seemed silly to worry over such a small thing, but just thinking about expressing to Mike how thankful she was for everything he's done for her and every second she's spent with him, it made her cheeks flush to imagine. El wasn't sure if she just hadn't learned enough to words to describe her feelings, or if maybe the entirety of the English language didn't have the words to describe the way her heart seemed to burst with light whenever she was around him.

El pulled her hand away right as their fingers were about to touch. She blushed and looked away from Mike, unsure what to do with her hands then, so she just gestured for him to follow her, then made the turn right while stuffing her hands into her pockets.

They walked alongside each other for a while in silence. At one point Mike noticed El shivering and immediately began to take off his jacket to give it to her, but she shook her head, insisting she'd rather he stayed warm himself. Normally Mike would have argued that he could handle being cold and he wanted to make sure she was comfortable, but he knew there was no way he'd sway El’s decision.

So the two continued walking in silence. Mike let El lead the way, preferring to stand back himself instead of directing where to go. It's not like he had any clue where to go anyway, he was the one who had gotten them lost to begin with. But then again, they'd just taken two left turns in a row, and now they were approaching a fork in the road, and Mike could swear he remembered this from his map. Could it be? The gears in his head began to turn while he tried to imagine the map he'd spent so much time studying. Could they somehow have gotten back on track? Mike didn't want to believe it was possible, but the path seemed strangely familiar even though he'd never seen it before in his life.

“El, wait!” Eleven stopped in her tracks. She was about to turn right, aimlessly choosing whichever path her gut told her to, but she looked up to see Mike with a grin growing on his face.

“I think I know where we are!” Mike ran forward, and on an impulse he grabbed El’s hand to tug her along to the left. His face immediately heated up when he realized how he was grasping onto her hand so tightly, but tried to ignore it. Well I can't let go now, right? That would bring more attention to it? I just have to be casual about this.

He could feel his hands begin to sweat, but Mike did his best to remain casual and calm about it. He kept pulling El alongside him and eventually they were running hand and hand through the maze. El was laughing beside him and Mike could feel his heart beat twice as fast upon hearing the musical noise.

They made another turn and they came across a large clearing in the maze. They'd made it to the center, Mike knew exactly how to reach the exit from here.

He turned to El and began to laugh. This was all so stupid, it was just a corn maze after all. Winning wasn't important whatsoever. But in that moment relief flooded through his veins and all the frustration in his bones seemed to evaporate into the cool November air.

El seemed to understand even if he hadn't said anything. Mike knew where they were now, they'd be out of this maze in no time. Before El knew what she was doing (or what Mike was doing, since they seemed to run into each other at the exact same time) she was jumping to envelop Mike in a crushing hug. His arms snaked around her waist as he lifted her up slightly, spinning her around in joy.

El couldn't stop giggling at his glee. When he put her back on the ground, she was grinning widely staring at him. Their foreheads were pressed together, but then their laughter began to fade as the realization sunk in of just how close they were.

Mike's smile fell. He felt like he should pull away, though he really didn't want to, but El was so close to him and his heart was beating so fast and his cheeks were turning pink in a way that just illuminated all his freckles.

“El-” He started, while El simultaneously went, “Mike.”

He nodded his head to tell her to go first, and she breathed in before continuing, “Happy Thanksgiving,” she started. She had already said that to him earlier that morning, but there were so many things left unspoken during that short greeting where all their friends were present. Her voice was small as she kept going, “I'm thankful for a lot of stuff this year, but most of all I'm thankful for you.”

El gave him a shy smile, and Mike could feel his face heat up.

“I'm thankful for you too,” He blushed. It was true, but it felt like a lie to say it out loud, because just saying he was thankful for her wasn't even close to full truth. She was the best thing to happen to Mike in so long. It felt so weird, how she could just come into his life and change absolutely everything, but it all felt so natural, and Mike could barely even remember what life felt like in the time before El. It didn't feel like that time could even be real. It was like he was just going through life in a hazy, frozen state, not even knowing he was waiting for this amazing girl to come in and open his eyes and make everything around him a little more vibrant. Everything always seemed to circle back to her.

That thought terrified Mike. From the moment he met El it was like all the pieces in his life started to fall into place. Even if the world around him was in chaos, the idea of returning to normalcy seemed like the most abnormal thing possible if it meant El wasn't a part of it. She had changed his life in the most beautiful and fiery and passionate way. She had shown up and changed everything. It was like before he met her the world was in black and white, and El was the one who was able to bring colors to his life. The thought of going back to grey after experiencing all the colors El had shown him absolutely terrified Mike.

She had made his life so bold and vivid, and every moment Mike spent with her, she was making him see all the beauty that resonated around them. It always traced back to her. Mike was beyond thankful for El. Just saying something as simple as “I'm thankful for you” felt like such a lie because it didn't even begin to convey just how strongly Mike was grateful for her and loved her and needed her, but he also didn't know where to start when it came to truly expressing his feelings. Simple statements like that would have to do for now.

Maybe it was the telepathy, or maybe El was just insanely good at reading people (or maybe she was just good at reading Mike. She'd always been so observant and attentive around him, sometimes Mike felt like she could stare directly into his soul and know exactly what he was thinking) but Mike figured he didn't need to come up with a fancy description to express all those complicated feelings towards El. She knew exactly how he felt, and she couldn't put it into words any better than he could. They didn't need a lot of words to communicate their feelings between the two of them. A sappy romantic part of Mike wanted to credit that to the two of them just being two halves of the same soul, or some other cheesy cliche he'd heard on TV hundreds of times, but it didn't matter what the reason behind it was. All that mattered to them was just how perfectly in tune they were with each other, how they always knew what the other was feeling without needing fancy metaphors or declarations to share it.

Mike’s heart was beating out of his chest, and he needed something to silent it. He began to lean down, his eyes like saucers as they slowly became closer and closer to El’s. Their faces were centimeters apart, just about to touch, when the sound of stomping on leaves broke the glass of the fragile moment.

“Come on! I'm sure we're almost there!” A familiar voice came ringing through the air, and Mike and Eleven shot apart.

Max and Lucas came trudging into the clearing of the maze, stopping when they saw their two friends right there.

“What are you guys doing here?” Max walked over to them, sensing something suspicious about the way Mike’s face was turning pink.

“What do you mean? We're doing the corn maze.”

Lucas rolled his eyes, “With how much you were bragging we figured you'd be done already.”

Mike and El didn't respond to that, not knowing exactly what they were supposed to say. It was quiet for a few moments until Max broke the silence.

“Why are your faces all red?”

If their faces were red before, Mike figured his cheeks must be positively on fire now that Max had pointed it out. “I don't know what you're talking about,” he stammered in response, then realized he was still holding onto El’s hand and dropped it like it could burn him. Smooth, Wheeler.

Max and Lucas watched them for a second with raised eyebrows, then turned towards each other and exchanged a glance while holding back their laughs. “Yeah okay,” Lucas started, “Well the two of us are gonna get back to the race. We'd really like for you to be stuck paying for us at the arcade.” He said with a smirk, then Max grabbed his hand and pulled them back along to the maze.

Mike could have warned them that they were going in the entirely wrong direction, but he elected not to.

“Good luck with that!” He yelled after them, “El and I are still gonna win this!”

Max just yelled back “Sure!” before disappearing into the hedges with Lucas, and suddenly Mike and El were alone again.

Mike turned to face El, his mind racing now that they were on their own. He wanted to rewind three minutes and bring them back to that moment where her lips were so close to his. He wanted to seal that distance and kiss her just like he'd wanted to kiss her every other time they'd gotten interrupted the last few weeks.

El seemed to be having similar thoughts. She was biting down on her bottom lip trying to suppress a smile. Her hands reached out to lock with Mike’s, and lifted herself up on her toes to get closer to him. She still wasn't used to how much taller than her he was, but she wasn't complaining.

Mike's forehead was resting against hers, and he swooped down to close the remaining distance between them. The kiss was light and sweet and it was over in a second, but the rush of euphoria that came immediately after it felt like it would last forever. They'd only ever kissed once before, but somehow the feeling of their lips pressed together felt so familiar and homey, it was as if they'd kissed thousands of times.

I'm thankful for you.

For roughly the hundredth time that day, Mike and El were both hit with that overwhelming gratefulness for just how lucky they were to have each other. Neither of them were particularly lucky people in every other aspect of their lives, but somehow they were lucky enough to find each other, and with that, all the bad stuff felt a little less overwhelming. Maybe even with all the bad stuff that happened to them, they were still lucky people, because if they weren't, then how the hell could they have possibly ever found each other?

Mike tightened his grip on El’s hands, and she began to rub her thumb over the back of his palm in a reassuring motion. With their hands laced together, it felt like the spaces between their fingers were built specifically for the other’s fingers to fit right in.

They pressed their foreheads together for a few seconds in bliss before pulling away. Mike was smiling so wide he wasn't sure if he'd be able to form any words to speak, but he tried his best.

He pulled El along to head back into the maze. They could finish this moment after they declared victory over their friends.

“Come on, I know the way from here.”

#stranger things #mileven #mike wheeler #el hopper #twg #twg events #twg fall free for all

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thesundanceghost · 7 years ago

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Permanent Enough

For the Writer’s Guild Soulmate Day! Soulmate AU where your soulmate’s name appears on your wrist when both of you are eighteen.

Their smiles were blinding. There was a fond light in their eyes as they looked at each other, and Steve had never before felt more like an outsider. He felt seventeen again, staring at them through Nancy’s window and wondering where the hell he’d gone wrong.

They redirected their attention to him slowly, smiles growing a bit confused as frozen as they tried to figure out why he wasn’t blissfully happy like they were. And then, one at a time, they’d glanced down at their wrists and then at Steve’s, which was unmistakably and indisputably blank. Then the smiles faded altogether.

When they’re gazes returned to his, they were full of fear and sympathy. Steve felt like he was going to throw up.

Steve swallowed around the lump in his throat. “I…” he started, getting to his feet shakily. “I gotta go.”

He darted up the stairs to his bedroom, leaving the two of them in his living room. They may have called after him, but he couldn’t hear past the blood rushing in his head and the quick pounding of his heart. He felt like he was underwater, the pressure building around his head until it would eventually reach a breaking point and he’d just snap.

This wasn’t how this night was supposed to go. It was Jonathan’s birthday, Steve remembered suddenly. He was the youngest, the last one to turn eighteen, and they hadn’t even talked about it, how today was the day that they’d know for sure if they were right about this. Steve had actually forgotten about soulmates, which seemed ridiculous now. How could he have forgotten about this?

It wasn’t until he’d closed his door behind him, taking care to lock it, that he managed to take a breath. It was shaky and ragged and didn’t help calm him down at all. He shut his eyes, hoping it would help, but all he could see were the names etched onto their wrists, clear and taunting.

They were soulmates. Jonathan and Nancy. Nancy and Jonathan. Jonathan and Nancy and not Steve, never Steve. The thoughts raced through his mind in a flood, making his dizzy, and he sat down on the edge of his bed to steady himself.

The cruelest part was, it made sense. The universe had practically thrown Jonathan and Nancy together, leading them to fight and grow together, and at the same time trying to keep him out of the picture. The only reason he’d re-entered the picture at all was because of his reckless and dumb choice to try and fight a monster. Sure, it’d worked out, but it wasn’t meant to be, was it?

There was a knock at the door, and Steve’s head snapped up, immediately on guard.

“Steve?” Nancy. Her voice was quiet and shaky, like she was trying to be brave but didn’t know how. Steve sighed and didn’t get up from the bed, instead kicking off his shoes and curling up on top of the sheets. He just wanted to sleep. He just wanted to forget tonight.

“Go away, Nance,” he replied roughly.

“Can we please just talk about this?” She asked, and her voice sounded pleading. He didn’t want to talk about it, though, he wanted to pretend none of this ever happened. He didn’t want to hear what sweet nothings they’d say to try and spin this. There was no changing what he knew.

“Go. Away.” The words were firmer this time, leaving less room for argument. They were also dripping with hurt, and Steve didn’t know if he wanted Nancy to hear that or not.

There was a long pause, and for a moment, Steve thought she’d listened, and he wasn’t sure if that made him feel better or worse.

Whatever, he thought bitterly. She’s got Jonathan and they can leave together and go be happy for the rest of their lives and be fucking perfect like always.

He regretted the thought immediately, even in his upset state. He loved them. In some sense, he was happy for them. Soulmates were rare, and they’d found each other.

There was another knock, making Steve jump.

“Steve?” That was Jonathan this time. “Steve, come on, we’re not leaving until you get out here.”

Steve felt a wave of irritation flood through him. He pushed himself out of the bed and crossed quickly to the door, pulling it open fast. Jonathan and Nancy both startled at the movement, meeting his eyes in shock and fear. Nancy’s eyes were red, like she’d been crying, and Steve noticed the way both of them kept their left wrists out of sight.

“No?” Steve threw at Jonathan, raising his eyebrows in a harsh, mocking way. “Well then I’ll leave for you, okay? I don’t want to talk about it.”

He pushed past them both and stormed down the stairs. He didn’t know where he was going, but he didn’t care.

He heard the sound of footsteps behind him.

“Can you stop being fucking dramatic for one second and talk to us?” Jonathan yelled, making Steve stop in surprise and offense. “Steve, you know we don’t care about soulmates!”

Steve turned around, feeling angry and hot and ready to throw something. He knew logically Jonathan wasn’t lying– he’d always said he’d never thought much about the concept. Lonnie hadn’t been Joyce’s soulmate (thank God), but Hopper wasn’t either, and they were fantastically happy together, so why did it matter?

Nancy had cared about soulmates when she was younger, always fantasizing about “the one,” but then Barb had died and she had stopped listening to the universe altogether. If the universe’s big master plan involved killing off her best friend at 16, she really didn’t give a damn about the rest of it. Or at least, that’s how she explained it.

But even with that knowledge, Steve knew Jonathan wasn’t telling the exact truth either. He’d seen the way their eyes had lit up when they’d seen the name on their wrists. He’d seen how ecstatic they’d been for a long moment before realizing that something was missing, before they’d seen that Steve wasn’t grinning back. They did care, even if they didn’t want to.

He realized that he hadn’t spoken, and the three of them were just staring at each other, Nancy and Jonathan waiting with baited breath.

“I don’t want to talk about this,” Steve said again, his voice brimming with anger. He was barely holding it together, and he just wanted to be alone so he could break down privately. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

“You can’t be angry at us for this,” Nancy snapped, walking down the rest of the stairs to meet his eyes. He tried to hold her gaze, but he ended up looking away, unable to face her right then. “This isn’t our fault. You’re not the only one who–”

She stopped suddenly, and it didn’t take long for Steve to put the pieces together.

“I’m not the only one who’s disappointed?” He asked to clarify. Nancy’s eyes flicked down, and he knew he was right. He swallowed, clenching his teeth together tightly before responding, keeping his voice quiet. “Yeah. Sorry to let you down, Nance.”

Nancy didn’t respond to that, biting her lip roughly. He pushed past her, heading towards the glass sliding door, but Jonathan was already grabbing his arm to hold him back.

“This doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t have to change anything,” Jonathan attempted. He held Steve’s hand tightly. Steve didn’t know whether it was meant to be comforting or just to keep him from running away, but either way, Steve finally snapped.

“Bullshit! This changes everything!” Steve yelled back. He could feel the tears in his eyes slip through his eyelashes, but for once he didn’t bother to wipe them away. Steve twisted his hand in Jonathan’s grip so he could raise up Jonathan’s own arm, displaying his wrist prominently. “Do you know what this is, Jonathan? It’s physical fucking proof that you don’t need me.”

He spat the last part furiously, throwing Jonathan’s arm back down and leaving it it hit hard against his hip. Jonathan was staring at him with wide eyes, clearly at a loss for words, which wasn’t like him in an argument. If that’s even what this was– Steve didn’t know anymore. He didn’t know who or what he was angry at. Mostly he just felt disappointed– in the universe, in his hope, in himself.

He’d always wondered, deep down, if he was good enough for the two of them. Now he’d finally found his answer.

He couldn’t stand to see them watching him like that, so he turned and pushed the door open, walking outside to the chilly night air.

He stopped when he reached the pool, illuminated in the dark evening. He felt a rough sob tear out of his throat and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to calm down and get it together.

A tender hand touched his shoulder. He flinched, but didn’t jerk away, and after a second, it trailed down his arm to wrap around his hand. He stayed still as Nancy pressed closer against him, pressing her forehead to his shoulder and holding him closely, possessively. A couple of seconds later he felt Jonathan join them on his other side, mirroring Nancy’s position.

“Steve,” Nancy whispered, her voice breaking slightly. He could hear the tears in her voice, but she still sounded brave. “Steve, we do need you. We’re not the same without you. I don’t need the universe to tell me that I love you. We’re in this for the long run, Steve. We always have been.”

“Not like you need each other,” he whispered back roughly. He let his eyes open but still didn’t meet their gaze, staring instead at the water in the pool.

“Exactly like we need each other,” Jonathan protested without missing a beat. “It’s always been the three of us, and that’s not going to stop now.”

Steve was quiet. He didn’t want to argue with them, but he couldn’t get rid of that last bit of doubt.

“So maybe we’re not… meant to be, or whatever,” Nancy spoke carefully, her words surprisingly clear in the windy night. Steve tensed despite himself, but Jonathan pressed closer against him, and he managed to relax just a bit. “But that doesn’t mean we’re not good. That doesn’t mean this is a mistake. We’re not a mistake.”

Nancy spoke the words without a shadow of a doubt. She sounded that way when she’d made up her mind about something for good. There was no going back when she spoke like that.

He felt Jonathan move as he nodded his head in agreement. “We choose what happens to us. You chose to come back and apologize, you chose to save us. Why can’t we choose you?”

Steve let the words sink in. He felt like he should protest, argue that it wasn’t the same thing at all, but he found that he couldn’t. He shifted slightly, turning to look at them. There was nothing but genuine hope and affection in their faces.

Steve took a deep breath and stepped forward out of their grasp, their hands falling to their sides. Without a word, he walked back to the house, nothing but empty silence following him. He found his way to the kitchen and pulled open the drawer by the fridge.

He rifled through the drawer for a long moment before finding what he was looking for. When he went back outside, Jonathan and Nancy were sitting side by side on a lounge chair both looking resigned and despondent. They looked up in surprise when they spotted him, almost hopeful.

He gave a small smile (which still felt shaky and forced but it was something) and held up the black Sharpie in his hand. “Permanent enough, you think?”

They’d spent so much time proving people wrong about who they were. They could prove the universe wrong too.

Author’s Note: Sorry this was so damn angsty lmao. This is why I never write soulmate AU’s for the OT3– for some reason I just can’t grasp the concept of Steve being soulmates with them. But that doesn’t mean I can’t give them a happy ending.

#stoncy #steve harrington #nancy wheeler #jonathan byers #emma writes #the writers guild #twg events #twg soulmate day

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satisfactuality · 7 years ago

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i have spent all my years in believing you (but I just can't get no relief)

Written for the Writer’s Guild Soulmate AU day! Title from Queen’s Somebody to Love (as it’s my personal headcanon that Queen is the only band Steve and Jonathan can agree on).

They say when you meet the one, the sun shines brighter, the birds sound sweeter and you’ll finally feel complete. In this world, those words are more than just sentiment.

The one when you only access the full potential of your senses when you first touch your soulmate.

It doesn’t even cross Jonathan’s mind to hesitate before getting them both out of the way. He’s already ruled them both out as possible soulmates (he didn’t even really considered Steve a possible soulmate but the bruise sitting high on his cheek answered the question before he could even ask it).

So there’s nothing stopping him from grabbing Steve’s arm while his fingers are still trailing off the back of Nancy’s wrist.

And then the world explodes.

There’s no build up to it, just a sudden shock of clarity, in every sense of the word. Like turning on a light in a pitch black room, disorienting enough that he’s nearly overwhelmed by the whole of it. It isn’t until all three of them are back in Will’s room that he’s adjusted enough to it to even really noticed what’s changed.

He can hear the lights surging with every flicker, can feel every groove in the bat, and even in what he knows is the muted scheme of Will’s room there’s so much color he’s never been able to see before. There’s a dim sort of realization that he pushes to the back of his mind, forcing himself to keep his eyes on the door and fighting against every instinct in his body that wants to shut his eyes and cover his ears and get away from the sudden onslaught. To turn away and curl up against them and block out the world because he can’t right now.

And funnily enough, it’s the them that takes him back. Makes him almost stumble as all three of them walk back through the hall carefully.

Them.

Steve’s whole body is buzzing as he looks back at Jonathan Byers house. It’s almost like those drugs he took with Tommy, except that something hot and guilty curls through his stomach and he feels sick. Because he should be in there with them, he knows, as the lights flicker in the house and even from this distance burn his eyes. Because they’re his soulmates and he should be in there with them fighting that thing (and maybe he should be more phased about either his apparent two soulmates or the monster that fell from the ceiling but both are unpleasantly drown out by a steady stream of toomuchtoomuchtoomuch).

But he can’t move. The ridges of his keys dig into his hand with a painful awareness, and he wants to move, wants to go to them, but he’s still so deeply terrified of the unknown (monster, he thinks somewhat belatedly. It’s the unknown monster he’s scared of) and he feels frozen with it. Nancy’s gun goes off once and then again and he has a haphazard thought that she’s can’t have that many bullets left.

It spurs him into action, the thought that logical Nancy Wheeler wouldn’t think to count how many times she’s fired the gun (and something in him just seems to know that she hasn’t been, that she doesn’t know how many shots she has left).

They win, in the end, by what he thinks is pure luck. He’s too exhausted to even consider what might have happened if they didn’t.

But they won.

Her hands won’t stop shaking, Nancy thinks, and realizes a moment later that all of her is shaking. She isn’t the only one, either. Steve’s key clang against the steering wheel as he tries to fit them in, but he’s too jittery to connect. He can’t drive like this, she thinks a little helplessly. They’re going to wreck before they make it to the school at this rate. She tries to think about anything that might help, frantically trying to remember anything she’s learned about soulmates and overstimulation. Putting a name to it helps. Overstimulation. She can work with that.

It takes four tries to get her seatbelt undone, and she flinches at the sounds the metal makes when it hits the door. She gives Jonathan a long look, he’s leaned back in the backseat, eyes focused up at the ceiling of Steve car. She should help him, but she doesn’t know how and they need to get to the school. The kids. Mike. They have to get there, and they can’t until Steve can drive.

She climbs across the center console, pushing his arms out of the way until she can sit on his lap. She settles a thigh on either side of his, pushes her hands through his hair so she can pull his forehead to hers. Her throat feels too closed off to say anything, and she rubs her fingers against his scalp, feeling the product he likes to use slick against her fingertips, hopes he gets the message anyway. She not sure how long it takes, but she feels his heartbeat slow where they’re pressed together, waits until his shoulders aren’t tense and his hands on her waist are steady.

His eyes flick back to the backseat as she climbs off his lap, and she gets it. Right now, she’s the one connecting them, and she feels like even that is a fragile thread barely holding on. She works her way into the back seat, and Jonathan barely seems to notice.

Whatever they have between them is too new and shaky to feel good yet, but they’re all alive and whole and they survived. Together.

And she doesn’t have to choose.

#stoncy #soulmate AU #twg soulmate day #twg events #Nancy Wheeler #steve harrington #jonathan byers

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gffa · 5 years ago

Note

Did you know it's been speculated by Lucasfilm creators that Wolffe removed his chip AFTER Order 66 instead of before like Rex? Meaning he still carried it out, although we know from ROTS that Captain Jag shot down Plo, not Wolffe. (I wonder why we never saw Jag in the Clone Wars. Maybe we will this season.)

Yeah, I remember Dave Filoni talking about the Wolfpack in one of the Rebels Recon videos (god if I can find it now, though) where he said: “Wolffe was not the clone that tried to take out Plo Koon. And George and I talked about the clones, that not all the clones betray their Jedi.“ (I have a gifset of it here, but I can’t figure out which video it was originally from.)Though, according to this post from TWG atDragon Con 2018, Henry Gilroy said: “According to Gilroy, Wolffe probably carried out his orders during Order 66. The removal of the chip happened after the event was done, but the programming and trauma are still there. That explains his aggressive reaction to seeing Kanan for the first time.“So, it sounds like, yeah, Wolffe still carried out Order 66, just that he wasn’t the one who shot down Plo (that was Jag) and it may be as simple as that Wolffe was needed elsewhere or just that Jag was the one in the right position, but we know this season will at least somewhat overlap with ROTS. I’m not expecting a ton of time spent on it, given that the point is to wrap up the stories of characters like Rex and Ahsoka and even Maul, more than it is to focus on the Jedi, who will be focused on in the movie.BUT I BET THERE’LL BE SOMETHING AND IT’LL REALLY HURT.

#plo koon #wolffe #jag #dave filoni #henry gilroy #apollonkondric

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sunnysolstice · 4 years ago

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Rewind to 1972

By: SunnySolstice

-I don’t own the pictures that are presented, credits to the owner of this pics-

“History never repeats itself; Man, always does.” – Voltaire

The events that had happened in the year 2020 can be a flash back to a certain past where the government of the Philippines once tried to forcefully silence the media or the journalist to freely express themselves. Back then when Ferdinand Marcos was the president, he had one of the biggest media outlets or a powerhouse that shares information to the masses like Abs-Cbn to force shut down. Because of how the government thought that media outlets like them will be problematic to the point that they can twist the truth, hide, manipulate, or give it raw to let the masses see the errors of the government. The year 2020 can be the new “1972” and here’s why.

According to the Martial Law Museum “Forms of media like the newspaper, radio, and television play a vital role in ensuring that key information reaches the people. As they carry out their duty, journalists that report on the activities of government, businesses, and civil society may often expose errors and even wrongdoing by certain individuals and groups. This is also important to democracy: freedom of information also entails freedom to criticize. This allows citizens to make better choices when it comes to selecting their leaders, and it even challenges leaders to perform their duties better with competence and integrity, knowing they will be held accountable to their people for what they say and do.”

This is how essential for a democratic country is the freedom of speech or the freedom to give information to the masses, every citizen has a voice in the Philippines as it should be. But Marcos was smart and made a drastic change to their country.

“In his ascent to power, Marcos was well-aware of the role that the media played in society, and he exerted considerable effort to exercise control over it. By shutting down competing voices and setting up a media outlet that was under his control, Marcos silenced public criticism and controlled the information that the people had access to. By doing so, Marcos had the final say in whatever passed for the truth.” another statement from the Martial Law Museum

Imagine a country that you can’t speak up, the government being completely in control and they will have the final words for every news they release, despite that the media out lets can also filter out news but for the sake of the masses they would not. Because they believed that every citizen deserves to know the truth. In the year 2020, there’s a new problem for Abs-Cbn.

President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to shut down Abs-Cbn for several reasons.

· Lopez’s dual citizenship

Abs-Cbn is owned by the Lopez family, according to the TWG report, there is a cloud of doubt on Lopez's Filipino citizenship and allegiance to the Philippines. Lopez is a dual citizen, both a natural-born Filipino and an American citizen. Stated in the law that mass media companies should be owned by a 100% Filipino citizen.

· ABS-CBN TV Plus Box, KBO pay-per-view

Those black boxes that you’ve either purchased or your relatives have purchased could have been free instead.

It said there is no authorization from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on record allowing ABS-CBN to produce the TV Plus Box containing multiple channels, much less to sell it for profit. According to the NTC, ABS-CBN had no authority to encrypt or lock from the non-paying public its TV Plus Boxes, which are clearly only “free-to-air” under its legislative franchise.

· Failure to regularize its employees and Taxes

These two are the most famous reasons why the president and other people wanted Abs-Cbn down. Some of their employees despite working for how many years in the industry are still not a regular at their job, also the franchise hasn’t been paying their taxes for how many years racking up a lot of money but let’s also add fuel to the fire by going back to 2016 presidential election, Duterte at that time went to Abs-Cbn to pay for airing his ad campaign but the mass media declined, Duterte thought of them as biased and still held that grudge even today.

But bigger picture isn’t about the issues that Abs-Cbn made, it was the downfall of one of the distributors of information to the masses, some laughed at their downfall and some are saddened. Today, in this pandemic a lot of employees have lost their jobs causing the economy to slowly fall. We need as much information as we can get and everyone should have access to that, even very secluded areas with little signal. Abs-Cbn along side with GMA help spread information on equal terms across the country. If the government erased one of them, in the future would it be more? Slowly our freedom of speech will soon be contained or limit, that’s what I think, what about you?

Sources:

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1108624

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53360925

https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/12/04/duterte-threatens-shut-down-tv-network

https://martiallawmuseum.ph/magaral/breaking-the-news-silencing-the-media-under-martial-law/

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