#watch it drop down to 399 after this

[trollol360]

396, 397, 398

399

Sorry, I meant to make this way earlier, I just got distracted and busy with other projects.

This was originally written 9/1/23:

MHA 399 dropped and it literally made me cry. I have much to say because oh my god.

"These should boost my speed and mobility for tighter turns! He must be getting bored of the one-sided struggle." The way Toshi has to rely on the support gear because it's all he has left. He has no quirk.

"Tentacole, plus... Froppy Suction Pads!" Eleventh and Twelfth; Shoji and Tsuyu

"Tail-Man. Shoto" Thirteenth and Fourteenth; Ojiro and Shoto

"And then... I'll set the trap." Originally, I was using a fan translation when I wrote this, and it said: "Now... I'm on the hunt." And I said: "Well, well, well, how the turn tables." Not much to say that I haven't already said, lol

"Assuming repeated, massive damage to that body shortens his life span... I know just the quirk to get the job done all at once..." The way he thinks and he's quick on his feet. Toshinori has always been smart (much to Endeavor's "All flash and no brains" comment about him)

"The problem is the power source! Playing this by the book won't be all too effective. Lend me a hand, Anima?" Fifteenth; Kouda. Toshinori specifically states that doing it the regular way won't be enough. All Might knows that All for One can tank hits, so (my assumption at least), he needs to wear him down first to be effective. [Which, now knowing what happens, is incorrect. He needs to give it enough time to power up before he uses it]

"Cackling like a mad fool one minute and scampering and hiding the next?" He's back to being an asshole, but he's still chasing after All Might. Seems like he forgot what he's doing.

"Here he comes!" Uh oh, smile's gone. Didn't expect himself to be found so easily/followed quickly

"Your goal here is no mystery to me. And I don't need to waste excess strength... To twist that grin into an agonized grimace. Power-saver mode is plenty enough for killing you." Jesus fucking Christ, All for One is scary. The people who've said they'd kill All Might during Kamino, but he didn't kill Toshi (nor did he kill his drive). Despite it seeming like All for One captured All Might for one panel, he breaks free. He can just kill him, but either he won't (and wants to drag it out), or he can't (All Might's just too good).

"Rise!! Liar!! Descend!!" (Despite this being a serious battle, Toshi looks really silly, but that might just be me, lol) He's not smiling anymore, something closer to a grimace. Both in the way that All for One said he'd do, but also in the way during the USJ incident (and others). (I.e: "All Might's here... And he's not smiling."

"Hmm? No, I really am conserving my power." All for One says he's going to kill Toshinori with low effort, but it seems like he's trying his all (or something close to it) [He's trying to act like he can kill All Might really easily? Or just bluffing about it]

"Now where'd that lovely smile go? You're nothing but a bag of bones missing half his guts! An old fool providing hospice care for himself... With shoddy simulacrums of the children's powers!" All for one notices that All Might's smile is gone. We're shown that Class 1-A's quirks do and have protected Toshinori. During USJ, the first movie, etc. Deku, Todoroki, and Balugou are the students who are closest to All Might's power (Deku being a given). But All for One hasn't seen how well they are [or at least refuses to believe that they've improved]

"Smile, you're still on camera!! The whole world's watching, remember?! They'll see the Symbol of Peace falling to his doom... As the Symbol of Impotence!" 'Impotence -- Inability to take effective action; helplessness'. All Might has already fallen from grace by society's standards because he's not really there anymore (I.e: Stain saying that he's a failure). Toshinori couldn't use his Mech Suit trying to help society anyway, because he knew he'd have to fight All for One eventually. It's not that he's abandoned them. Far from it. Toshinori is a man who wants to help people when he can, that's why he's so god damn depressed in S6. He's seeing Deku abandon him to go out on his own and he couldn't do anything to help. Society fell back to how it was when he was a child. In all his 40 years, society fell back to how it was with just one attack that he couldn't do anything against. When he lost his quirk, it was basically him being quirkless all over again. Being ignored, attempted to be killed, and unhelpful. That's why he's so fulfilled helping again. Because while it's his fight (One for All) with All for One, he's still saving hundreds of thousands of lives again.

"Their guiding light is about to be snuffed out." The way All for One no longer looks human. He fucking slams Toshinori to the ground on his left side.

The ashes of the snuffed-out flame. He doesn't have an ounce of One for All left in him.

"You still don't get it... Good buddy!!" All Might is not done (even when All for One hits him straight on). He puts the Shoto canon in All for One's mouth and fires. He plans on killing him. He wants to kill him.

"Lights tend to flicker on and off! So while my light might be snuffed out... Someone's sure to pick up my torch and shine on!" This isn't a death flag. He's not talking about his life, he's talking about his legacy. Deku, Bakugou, and Todoroki will carry All Might's legacy, while Class 1-A as a whole will carry Toshinori's legacy (at least that's the way I see it).

I don't have much to say about Aoyama's part in this chapter, sorry (but I do love his character). The heroes are downed and Aoyama's one of the only heroes left to fight. Roses coming out of him feels like symbolism. "Hence why I said "merci"... Reminding myself of how shamefully I've lived... Is what spurred me on to follow in the wake of the light they bring! It's given me the desire to shine... From deep down within my core!!" These lines of dialog show Aoyama's character growth from being found out as the traitor.

"Let there be light in the darkness!" The way Aoyama smiles/grits his teeth just like All Might is so... *Chefs kiss*

"So that I might twinkle as well!!" Toshinori doesn't need One for All to keep going, but the lights of his students and people who believe in him. The flame doesn't have to return.

"So no, I'm not here to lose, All for One!!" All Might restates it yet again, cementing it in. He'll kill All for One if he has to.

"Know this name... As you burn away!!" HIS SMILE IS FUCKING BACK!! He looks so tired, beaten, and bruised, but he's still smiling. (The way his face is drawn makes me want him carnally... But that's my simp for him speaking)

"CAN'T STOP TWINKLING! ★" Sixteenth; Aoyama. The parallels of them both attacking with the laser, GOD. This chapter made me so fucking ill. I literally cried and felt like screaming.

[talesfrom-theupsidedown]

I posted 2,794 times in 2022

That's 2,794 more posts than 2021!

128 posts created (5%)

2,666 posts reblogged (95%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@every-dayiwakeup

@nogitsunbae

@ickypuppi3

@ouizzyharringrove

@ariesbilly

I tagged 1,864 of my posts in 2022

Only 33% of my posts had no tags

#billy hargrove - 1,081 posts

#stranger things - 636 posts

#dacre montgomery - 509 posts

#harringrove - 354 posts

#steve harrington - 310 posts

#😂😂😂😂 - 125 posts

#max mayfield - 70 posts

#joe keery - 55 posts

#😭😭😭😭😭 - 54 posts

#nikki’s october horror movie catch up - 53 posts

Longest Tag: 131 characters

#he was in there!!!!!!!!! sittin on his bed in his shitty house in his shitty room watching himself fucking drag ppl he saw everyday

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

*Billy pokes his head into the room*

Billy: Sweetie…darling…love of my life…

Steve: *suspicious* What do you need, Billy?

Billy: Why can’t I just shower you with love and affection for no reas—

Steve: Billy.

Billy: There’s a spider in the kitchen, will you—

Steve: *sigh* Yeah, yeah, I got it.

154 notes - Posted August 29, 2022

#4

Billy fic where reader is in a creative writing class with him and she finds out he is a beautiful writer cause she over hears the teacher urging him to share it with the class. He said no, the deal was that he would do the homework only if no one else ever sees it.

Reader was hanging back cause she dropped her bag or something and then runs out to the parking lot to catch him.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop…”

“Then why did you?” he snarled.

She stands her ground

“I know you don’t want anyone to know and you can keep it that way. But. I’m the editor of the literary magazine and I could publish your work anonymously. No one else would have to know. I wouldn’t tell a soul, I promise. Just…think about it.”

Billy climbs in his car and takes off but the next week he covertly hands her a stack of handwritten papers after class. “You swear no one will know?”

“Yes.”

And Billy’s heartbreaking world is opened up to her through his short stories and poems that should really be published somewhere other than a dinky little high school literary mag but people start to pay attention and follow the stories of this new mysterious writer.

She’s hounded by people begging for the true identity but she’ll never say a word.

Over time, she couldn’t help but start to fall for Billy, though, and as his writing becomes a little softer, more wishful, and mentions the kindness of a girl…

Well, she couldn’t help but hope.

————

(Idk if there will be more to this but I liked the thought that popped in my head before bed last night and had to write it down 😌)

154 notes - Posted August 8, 2022

#3

Yes, Billy, calling another man a “pretty boy” while both naked in the communal showers is a completely normal thing and straight thing to do. 😆

156 notes - Posted July 4, 2022

#2

Steve while high: He’s just so cute with the lips and the hair and the butt ya know?

Steve: Do you think he likes me?

Steve: He’s mean but I kinda like it.

Steve: Should I ask him out? What if he says no?!?

Steve: oh god. Don’t tell Billy I said that. Shhhhhh.

Billy, currently dating Steve: Okay.

192 notes - Posted September 22, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

This is the most Harringrove thing ever. 😂

399 notes - Posted August 16, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[nekomasnympho]

Lmao 400 clowns let’s gooo. You’re all my little pog champs🥰

[itsjustmyfantasyroom]

Battle Scars.

Just a dribble.

Warning: Soft fluffy Nick, implied smut starting and talks of scars.

WC: 399

Enjoy x

You stopped Nick’s hands as he went to pull your tank top off, he standing in front of you bare chested and you took a deep breath,

“What’s wrong? Do you want me to stop?” Nick took his hands away from you and he saw the tears pool in your eyes, you shaking your head back.

“No, It’s just” you chocked out.

You looked at Nick’s bedroom roof trying to hide the tears, you had wanted this for so long and it was finally happening, but you couldn’t shake the negative words that ran through your head thinking about past lovers and partners that made comments about the big scar that you had around your side from where you were attacked your first year on the beat. Not many people knew about it and even less had seen it. Yet the select few that had, made jokes and said horrible hurtful things.

“Y/N” Nick cupped your cheeks and made you look at him “Talk to me”

You took a deep breath and your hands started to shake slightly, you reached down to the hem of your tank top, you looked into his warm soft eyes and soft face, his hands dropping from your face. Slowly you pulled your tank top up taking deep breaths. You kept your eyes on Nick’s face, watching as his eyes drop down to your mid-section. You threw your tank top on the floor after you took it off and looked back up at him. His face had no reaction on it. Nick titled his head to the side and his hand came up to brush his fingertips over your long scar,

“I was attacked, my first year out”

Nick’s eyes locked with yours for a moment before he knelt down, his big warm hands rested on your hips and his lips landed on the end of your scar, his lips kissed along the length of it, his hands pushing you into his lips more and your hands went into his hair. His lips kissed up your body, to the tops of your breasts, up your neck and up to your lips kissing you deeply, both your arms wrapping around each other, before his forehead rested on yours,

“You never have to hide from me, Y/N. I want all of you, now and always.”  

“Scars and all?”

“Scars and all”

Tags: @beccabarba​ @alwaysachorusgirl​ @ben-c-group-therapy​ @lovebishoplosamiguelgalindo​

[stealanity]

[ lee hyunjae ] ꕤ this special look

word count : 399 genre : fluff a/n : if you want to know, this drabble refers to this look 😶

comfortably seated on your sofa, your phone in your hands, you were watching — for the tenth time at least — a video in which your boyfriend appeared. you probably spent your whole afternoon watching this video, but it was stronger than you, your eyes couldn’t get off him. way too obsessed with your phone, you didn't hear the front door open, just before hyunjae appears in the living room in front of you. the boy settled down next to you, placing his delicate fingers on your hip, finally making you drop your cell phone. taking a serious look, you stand up crossing your arms against your chest, looking directly at his ebony black pupils : « so you never think about my sanity?! ». hyunjae tilted his head to the side, giving you a questioning look, not understanding a single word of what you wanted to say. « what do you mean baby? », his soft voice took over your mind, the flashbacks of the video coming back to you, caused you to hide your face distorted with love behind your hands.

grabbing the phone previously placed on the living room table, you launched the youtube application to find THE video that you had watched so much. turning the screen to your boyfriend, you frowned, pouting threateningly while pointing at him. « it is NOT allowed to be breathtaking and hot like this, mr. lee jaehyun. it's not good for my sanity at all, i was on the verge of kissing my phone ! ». after carefully looking at the screen, realizing that you had spent hours admiring his face, a smirk took hold of your boyfriend's lips. the latter bringing his face closer to yours so that your noses are almost glued to each other, before taking on a honeyed voice : « why don't you kiss me now that i'm in front of you? i can wear the exact same outfit in less than 10 minutes, if i know that it affects you this much... ». now blushing like crazy, you hurriedly slipped your hands against hyunjae's cheeks to start a passionate kiss, desperately drawing his body to yours, eager of contact with the person you loved the most in the world. he suddenly pulled away from you, looking you deep in the eyes : « god, i love when you kiss me like that. »

[diamonddragon03]

Chenry Oneshot

I think no one will read this, but I try my best. Um, hope you like it!

Fanfiction.net- Posted by DiamondDragon2003

Wattpad- Posted by DiamondDragon2003

Happy Reading!

Summary: Piper begged Char to catch up with her friends, she thought it gonna be like a normal conversation. Unfortunately not due the jealously of her big sister, she dare Charlotte to kiss Kid Danger in public.

...

"I dare you to kiss Kid Danger in right front of everyone."

She not going to that right in front of everyone. Let go back a bit.

~♡~

"Piper, you don't have to take me there," Charlotte said while Piper pulling her out of the door.

"Yes, you have to because I wanted to." She smiled, getting in her car when Charlotte just stands there. "Come on Char, please."

"Fine, "she sighed, getting in and buckle up. They're going to Nachoball for her friends to catch up with each other. What's worried Charlotte is that the 2 cocky, famous superheroes will be there too. Yet, she doesn't seem why she's worry or nervous.

"We're here!" Piper yelled happily, snapping Char out from her thoughts.

"Already?" Char asked to herself, Piper heard it.

"Yes, come on." Piper dragged Char from her car and went inside the Nachoball and many people here because of those famous superheroes.

Piper found her friends, she grabs her and dragging through the crowd. Charlotte never likes tight, crowded people with no space whatsoever, she's not a public person.

They sat down, then Piper introduced, "Hey besties, you know Charlotte?"

The girl with brown hair, blue eyes- looks like the same age as Piper gasped, "Is she Henry's girlfriend?"

"Uh- well, no" Piper answered quickly, she does ship Chenry but she won't tell.

"We're just friends," Charlotte spoke before they ask more questions.

"Ahem," Another girl coughed.

"Oh I'm Olivia and this is my big sister, Gina." She introduced her as Charlotte shook their hands.

"I'm Charlotte, shall we order now?"

"Why don't Piper and Olivia go and order for us?" Gina said sweetly as she gives Charlotte a stare. Okay, some jealous girl she always has to deal with.

"Sure, come on Piper." Olivia smiled and Piper gets up, leaving two older teens on the table.

"So...what about Henry?" Gina asked nicely, but Charlotte always knew that she was jealous for some stupid reason.

"Are you jealous? I and Henry are just friends." Charlotte told her, trying to convince Gina.

"Well, I wanted to know that Henry asked me out on a date!" She squeals causing Char to feel pain in her chest. Is she jealous or it's just pain?

"Ah, that's so great of you." Charlotte praised Her falsely, God, Henry was a player.

"And I want him to-" she was interrupted by Kid Danger who came up to her, only Charlotte. He's nosy cause he swore that he heard his name.

"Can I help you?" Gina smiled seductively, twisting her hair with her finger.

Char mentally rolled her eyes, she is not that type of girl that gets attention or some jealous stuff. But whatever, Henry look at her and smiled, "Can I signed for you?"

Gina squealed, "Yes! On my shirt please."

Char put her menu upon her face, which she knew it's not so innocent. Afterward, Henry or Kid Danger tapped on her shoulder causing her to drop the menu.

"Do you want me to sign for you?" Henry asked, smiling at Charlotte. He should be smiling at Gina for love, not her.

"Um, no thanks." She politely declined.

"Come on, I know everyone here for us to sign them. Why don't you do it? Or aren't you scared?" He smiled cockily, which made her twist her head at him.

"No, it just my opinion, I can ask for it, not now." Char snapped, making some people watch the scene.

"Sheesh, I'm just telling you." He winked, making Charlotte blush, gladly they couldn't see it.

He walks away, Charlotte turns back and reads the menu. The menu was slammed down by Gina, she looks jealous again.

"What's wrong?" Char pitting asked, Gina just scoffed.

"About Kid Danger."

"What about it?" She smiled innocently.

"He winked at you, but not me."

"Well, okay?"

Before Gina could say another word, Piper and Olivia came back with the script with their order number. Gina just scoffed and crossed her arms as Charlotte looking through the menu, not reading.

"So did you guys talk?" Olivia spoke up as she sits beside Gina.

"We did." Gina quickly answered, making Charlotte roll her eyes again. Even though, Piper can feel the tension quickly.

"Order 399 and 400!" One of the servants yelled, making Piper stand and screamed.

After a while, eating, chatting, and hearing music, they got a bit bored. Olivia has an idea popped up, "We should play truth or dare!"

"Yes!" Gina cheered as Piper does the same, making Charlotte cover her head. She never likes truth or dare or should say as truth or flare, get it?

"Let go with Piper," Gina said thinking of what things up to her head, "I dare you to text your recent boy and said I love you."

Piper gasped then grab her phone and text it, then she shows it. He accepts and replies I love you too, that's sweet but Char knows it's Billy from the Bilksy family. After many truths and dares, it was finally Charlotte's turn which turns her into an unexpected day.

"Next is you Charlotte! I dare you to kiss Kid Danger right in front of everyone." Gina told her, making Olivia and Piper gasped.

"You know I can't do that!" Char squeaked.

"Yes you can, now go on or I'll video this to everyone." She threatens her nicely so Olivia won't suspect it.

Before Char could answer, Piper drag her to the corner of the restaurant.

"You're going to kiss my brother aren't you?" She joked.

"Piper, it's not like that and I have no feeling for him."

"Sure, let say that I didn't hear you say it. Chenry is true guys." Piper walked and whispered to herself on the last sentence, back to the table as Charlotte follows her in frustration

Gina smirked evilly, making Charlotte terrified. She sighed and quickly walked over where the 2 superheroes who are signing up their paper and things. Kid Danger notices her appearance and stood up quickly the whispered.

"Something happens Char?"

Her heart was beating so hard that it will come right out of the chest, she started laughing nervously as she getting closer to her. Henry watches her confusingly by her action.

"Are you okay Charlotte?" He asked.

"Yeah I'm fine and I'm sorry."

"Sorry for wh-" Henry was cut off by her lips on his, they're kissing. A lot of crowd gasp then starts recording as Ray cheering cause his ship is true. Gina scoffed as Henry pulls her for more as Piper watched her in awe, she heard Gina scoff, she gonna have to deal with that later.

Charlotte finally break the kiss and looked at Henry who was about to smirk and bit his lip. She wanted to slap him, however, a lot of people are watching them. She took a step back as Henry does the same, she saw many girls who are giving her a deathly look and like they wanna kill her.

"Um, sorry everyone, it was a dare." She nervously spoke as girls looked at her in disgust. Henry saw it, he never likes them hurting her so he agreed.

"As she said, it's a dare, I don't have a girlfriend." After he said that, everyone went back to where they were doing. Chair thanked him as Henry went back to his desk when Ray starts teasing him.

"So what was that kiss Charlotte?" Gina asked nicely. 

"Um-" Char started and thankfully Piper finished, "Well let say that they got no feelings."

"Really?" Gina was shocked as Olivia suspect her as if she was jealous. 

Charlotte wished that she shouldn't do that to Henry, but this kiss seems so interesting and made a spark that flew in her body. She hates to deny this, she liked that kiss, hopefully, or not if Henry is the same as her. Ever since she dreams of him kissing him, she avoided him of all cost, terrified to lose their sake of friendship. 

Even though Henry felt the same way and he swore that they broke their friendship. Hopefully not, he can't stop thinking about her soft lips on his. Ever since in his dream about Charlotte being seductively for a bet to kiss her. 

After hours of eating and drinking, also Henry and Charlotte staring each other like they're in awkward tension when alone. The place is almost 50/50 empty and Olivia spoke, "Can we take a picture from them?" She pointed at Henry and Ray in the suit.

"Sure, everyone can take many pictures of us." Henry smiled cockily, scaring Charlotte as she looked at him, wanting to kill him.

"Yay!" Olivia cheered, handling her phone to Piper as Charlotte moves to the other side, she is not to be involved in pictures with them. Gina smirked as she walked up to him and do the sexy pose which he wasn't interested in.

"There you go!" Piper said as she hands her phone back to Olivia and sits down, however, Gina still trying to seduce him. Charlotte never likes any girl to seduce him to made him womanizers, she hated it.  

"What are you doing?" Kid Danger asked, making Gina giggle in response.

"I don't know, you're pretty handsome aren't you?"

"Yeah, thank you very much." He thanked her then walked away to the back with Ray to go on a 'mission'. 

Gina groaned, "Ugh, he ignored me, how dare he!"

"Well, he doesn't want you since you're being just beautiful and be jealous of Char." Piper barked which made Gina scoffed in ignorance and walked out of the door.

"Sorry about my sister, she wanted some boyfriend to be cool and I know that she will be using him." Olivia explained the continued, "Thank you Piper and Charlotte for coming to us to have a chat with me, talk to you later Piper." She left, leaving them two here.

"Well, you need to talk to my brother about that." She smiled.

"I'm not going to talk about that!" She squeaked, she always stubborn from doing this. 

Piper took her outside and drag her to where Henry and Ray, in normal casual clothes. Charlotte was now nervous again, so is Henry.

"This is gotta be awesome!" Ray cheered, taking out of his phone to record.

"Can w-we, can we talk....alone." Char shuddered, she wanted to wreak the nervousness she's having.

"Ugh, fine. You're no fun." He muttered, getting in the van and play his favorite game. Piper does the same but she taking pictures of herself innocently. Yes, she does want to sneak and take a pic, she knew that Char would kill her than Henry does.

"Um- I'm sorry that I kissed you, it was a dare!" She squeaked again, she doesn't like doing this in a public place.

Henry laugh which made Charlotte looked at him in confusion. He stops and spoke, "Charlotte, are you hiding your feelings from me."

"What feeling?" She asked him nonchalantly as Henry shook his head.

"That feeling in your dream and the feeling when we kiss. Don't deny Char, I do have a feeling for you." 

"What do you mean?"

"Stop playing Char, that kiss we did was a true feeling for me. Don't worry about the friendship, it stays together when we're in a relationship."

"Wait are we-"

"Yes, we are a thing, Char, I love you." He hugs her as she hugged him back. After that, she remembers something.

"Wait, Gina told me that you're in a relationship with her." 

"What? No, I'm not, she covered it up to make you jealous."

"I wasn't jealous!" She snapped, making Henry laugh.

"Sure you were, I got an eagle eye." He teased, making Charlotte slapped him on the arms.

"I wasn't jealous." She told him sternly, yet he doesn't care and he still loves her.

"Stop denying Char." He shooked his head, laughing at how stubborn she is.

"Look, I wasn't-" Henry cuts her off with his lips on hers again. For a few moments, it was stopped by Piper who took a picture of them with a flash, accidentally.

"I gonna kill you, Piper." She screamed playfully as she got in the van. Henry shakes his head and followed her. Gladly, he's finally with her, also he will always have a Char.

~♡~

That's was the longest one to start! Whoop! Stay tuned for more, I tried! <3

♡ Please Comment and Vote ♡

[solartranslations]

Dante: Chance Meeting (Random)

Dante will probably be here…

0-199 Amore

~*Scene: Bar*~

Dante: This isn’t a place that young girls like you should come during the day, you know?

Dante: But at night, it becomes a place you really shouldn’t go

Dante: If you need to talk to me about something, we can do so outside. Come on, Ojou-san

~*Scene: Chalices Waiting Room*~

Dante: Oh Ojou-san, did you have business in the Chalices’ room?

Dante: Their leader seems to be absent. And he wasn’t at the training grounds either

Dante: If I see Nova, I’ll tell him that you were looking for him. See you then

~*Scene: Chief Executive’s Office*~

Dante: It’s you, Ojou-san. That document…is from Mondo, right. I know about it

Dante: Yes, just leave it there. …But, I didn’t think he’d use his beloved daughter as an errand girl

Dante: It must be hard on you. Next time, just tell him to bring them over himself

~*Scene: Church*~

Dante: This is also a place where you can gather various kinds of information

Dante: Such as the wishes, worries, and dissatisfactions of the people. We take that into consideration and use it to help with trade

Dante: Oh, my subordinates just came out. Excuse me then

~*Scene: Courtyard*~

Dante: Mondo really does care for you, Ojou-san

Dante: Do you like this courtyard? Haha, that’s good

Dante: I’m going now, but you can take your time

~*Scene: Dining Room*~

Dante: What is it, Ojou-san? It appears that meal time is already finished

Dante: Me? I guess relaxing in the dining room…isn’t like me

Dante: I’m actually just passing through. Well, I’ll get back to work. See you, Ojou-san

~*Scene: Fiore Street*~

Dante: Meeting you here is quite a coincidence

Dante: Are you on an errand? If you’re going to Federica Dress, it’s a little busy

(*smile) Dante: No? Haha, I’ll get going then

~*Scene: Harbor*~

Dante: Oh, Ojou-san. You’re working security for the island? Yes, good work

Dante: I’m about to return to the ship. My subordinates said there was a report for me

Dante: Keep up the hard work, Ojou-san. Well I’m in a hurry, so excuse me

~*Scene: Kitchen*~

Dante: Ojou-san, what is it? Are you hungry?

Dante: Unfortunately, you won’t be able to make anything with the kitchen ingredi…hm, you’re not hungry?

Dante: Then, don’t stay in the kitchen too long. They’ll think you’re a thief. Hahaha

~*Scene: Marketplace*~

Dante: Those goods look a little unsatisfactory. Sorry, but please wait a little longer

Dante: Oh, Ojou-san. I’m looking to see if the goods for trade are satisfactory. Hm, this is a bit of a problem

Dante: Sorry, but we’ll return them to the ship. See you later then

~*Scene: Ristorante*~

Dante: I can’t believe you would come here by yourself…did nobody invite you?

Dante: Nobody? I’m the same, but I still feel bad about it

Dante: I have an appointment now…I’ll be sure to make it up to you some day. Excuse me, then

~*Scene: SS Arcana*~

Dante: It’s unusual for you to come all the way to the ship. Did something happen?

Dante: It seemed like Mondo was looking for me…? I see, thank you

Dante: You can look around the boat if you like. Well, excuse me

~*Scene: Study*~

Dante: Hmm? Here…I see. …Oh, Ojou-san. What is it?

Dante: Me? Oh, I’m looking up some things. *laugh*, there is a lot that even I don’t know

(*smirk) Dante: I’ve tidied up so I’ll get going. See you later, Ojou-san

~*Scene: Training Grounds *~

Dante: You’re working hard, Ojou-san? Doing some training?

Dante: Making sure to train every day is the true path to improvement

Dante: I can’t accompany you today but…I’ll make sure to spar with you another time, Ojou-san

200-399 Amore

~*Scene: Bar*~

Dante: Hm? What is it, Ojou-san? Why did you drop by the bar?

Dante: Someone dropped something outside…? Oh, I see. We’ll give it to the owner then

Dante: Wait here. I’ll call him right away

~*Scene: Chalices Waiting Room*~

Dante: You’ve brought a lot of books again. Really…did Nova say something to you?

Dante: Well, put those books down on the desk for now. I’ll help you

(*smirk) Dante: Now, why don’t you tell me exactly why you’re carrying so many books to this room?

~*Scene: Chief Executive’s Office*~

Dante: Welcome, Ojou-san. It’s a bigger room than necessary, but sit where you like

Dante: Now, what do you need from me? You want to train…? Hm…

Dante: You’ll have to wait a little bit but, is that alright?

~*Scene: Church*~

Dante: It’s awful of you to laugh as soon as you see me. Is there something on my face?

Dante: …I fully understand that the church doesn’t suit me

Dante: I told you not to laugh. You’re so hopeless

~*Scene: Courtyard*~

Dante: On a walk, Ojou-san? I’m taking a little break

Dante: I just can’t stand being shut in the office all day. It’s too cramped

Dante: It’s because I’m tall? Hahaha, maybe so

~*Scene: Dining Room*~

(*phew) Dante: It gets quiet here after mealtime

Dante: Well, it’s because the kids devour everything. It’s fun, so I don’t mind at all though

(*smirk) Dante: Ojou-san, never eat like they do, okay?

~*Scene: Fiore Street*~

Dante: Whoa, sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was…oh, Ojou-san

Dante: Are you hurt? I’m really sorry. I guess I was a little lost in my thoughts

Dante: It’s nothing you need to worry about, Ojou-san. But I appreciate the concern. Thank you

~*Scene: Harbor*~

Dante: Hey, Ojou-san. Did you have business at the harbor?

Dante: The wind feels great today. And the Regalo sunshine is nice too

Dante: Standing at the harbor on a day like this is really refreshing

~*Scene: Kitchen*~

Dante: What a coincidence to see you in the kitchen again

Dante: Are you looking for some gelato? You’re having tea with Sumire? And Mondo’s there too

(*smirk) Dante: Then bring this with you too. Sumire said that she liked them before

~*Scene: Marketplace*~

Dante: Sorry! Did I bump into you again? Hahaha!

Dante: When it’s crowded like this, I bump into people a lot. I try to be careful though

Dante: This too? Thank you, Ojou-san

~*Scene: Ristorante*~

Dante: Ojou-san! What are you doing at the ristorante by yourself?

Dante: It’s true that the food here is delicious but…it’s worrisome for a young girl to be here alone

(*smirk) Dante: What did you come here to eat? I’ll stay with you until you’re finished

~*Scene: SS Arcana*~

Dante: Hm? It’s you, Ojou-san. Wait there, I’ll come down

(*lands)

Dante: Yes, I was seeing if there were any problems with the sails. That was the last check

Dante: It’s serious if the sails break during a voyage. You can’t be too careful

~*Scene: Study*~

Dante: It’s unusual to see you in the study. Are you looking for something?

Dante: Oh, those documents…should be in the lower shelf at the back

Dante: If there’s anything else you’re looking for, I’ll go get them. Just tell me

~*Scene: Training Grounds *~

Dante: Okay, that’s enough! Hm. Your skills have improved again

Dante: But your footwork still needs some work. With your agility, getting better at that will make it harder for opponents to dodge your attacks

(*glare) Dante: Want another round? Okay, come at me!

400+ Amore

~*Scene: Bar*~

Dante: That’s should pretty much settle it…. Oh, Ojou-san. What are you doing here?

Dante: You came here just to look for me…? Thank you, Ojou-san

(*smile) Dante: I’ll treat you to some gelato as thanks. No need to be shy, okay?

~*Scene: Chalices Waiting Room*~

Dante: Oh, Ojou-san. Nova’s not here. I’m waiting for him too

Dante: No? You need something from me? So you asked Liberta and came all the way here

Dante: Hm, Nova won’t be back even if I wait, so it’s fine. I’ll listen to your business first then, Ojou-san

~*Scene: Chief Executive’s Office*~

Dante: Ojou-san. What is it, do you need something from me?

Dante: That face means you were about to say “sort of”? Hahaha, I don’t mind. I was just thinking of taking a break

(*smile) Dante: I don’t know if you’ll enjoy it but, can I ask you to listen to some of my gossip, Ojou-san?

~*Scene: Church*~

Dante: This is a great place to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere…or so I’d like to say

Dante: But when the children are here it becomes the noisiest place on the island. Do I dislike it, you ask?

Dante: Hahaha! I just get tired of seeing the kids always trying to climb on me

~*Scene: Courtyard*~

Dante: What a coincidence. Did you come out because the weather was nice?

Dante: Yes, I did too. The outside wind really is nice

(*smirk) Dante: Well Ojou-san. How about we take a little walk?

~*Scene: Dining Room*~

Dante: It’s unusual to see you here. What is it?

Dante: If you don’t have anything to do, how about we have tea together, Ojou-san?

Dante: Hahaha, it’s not like I only drink alcohol! I’ll make us some cappuccino

~*Scene: Fiore Street*~

Dante: Ojou-san! Over here! Perfect timing…I was just about to go look for you

Dante: Do you have any plans for today? If not, would you like to have a meal at the ristorante with me?

(*smile) Dante: I was just thinking how I wanted talk with you over a meal. How about it?

~*Scene: Harbor*~

(*whoosh) Dante: Watch out, Ojou-san!

Dante: There can be strong winds at the harbor occasionally. It can blow you away if you’re not careful

(*phew) Dante: Are you alright? It doesn’t look like you’re hurt…That’s a relief

~*Scene: Kitchen*~

Dante: Oh, it’s you Ojou-san. I was wondering who it was. Are you looking for some snacks?

Dante: Me? I thought I should take a break and borrow the kitchen for a bit

Dante: Would you like to join me, Ojou-san? There should be some good dolce around here

~*Scene: Marketplace*~

Dante: How is it, Ojou-san? This market is always bustling with people

Dante: You always react to things calmly but, doesn’t this make you feel like smiling?

Dante: Yes. You should show that smile to the people of the island more often. I’m sure they’d be happy

~*Scene: Ristorante*~

Dante: Did you come here when you heard they had new dishes, Ojou-san?

Dante: Hahaha! No need to be embarrassed, I’m the same. Don’t worry about it

(*smile) Dante: I haven’t ordered yet, want to join me?

~*Scene: SS Arcana*~

Dante: What is it, Ojou-san? Do you need something from me?

Dante: I have some free time now, so I can show you around the ship if you like

Dante: Hahaha, I see! Then, follow me. I’ll show you a special room

~*Scene: Study*~

Dante: Hey, Ojou-san! Don’t overreach yourself trying to get that

Dante: Seriously, you remind me of a certain someone…you should ask me when this happens

Dante: This one? Hahaha, you’re welcome. Hm? This one too?

~*Scene: Training Grounds *~

Dante: Hah! …Okay, I’ll take a break around here then…

Dante: Ojou-san? Are you here to train? I’m sorry I didn’t notice you

Dante: Would you like to spar for a round? I’m sure you won’t disappoint as my opponent

(Back to Directory)

[tracing-letters]

Crafts

Jungwoo

Warnings: Slightly suggestive

Word count: 399

Summary: you’ve been teaching Jungwoo to knit but after a few rows today, he gets bored

☁💋

You sat on the sofa, needles clicking together as you knitted away, shaping up a burnt orange colored beanie. Jungwoo was sat next to you, mirroring your movements with his own pair of needles but worked at a much slower pace. Still, he was working much more efficiently than when you first started teaching him. You watched at how closely he analysed the magic he worked with the needles.

Jungwoo looked over toward your hands. You thought you heard him say “wow”. He understood you only needed confidence in your work in order to work the way you did but he was still amazed at how quickly and nicely you could do it. A real professional. He loved it.

“Ah! Dammit” he said and you looked over to see he had dropped a stitch.

“Do you want help with this one?” You asked.

“Please!”

You put your hat in progress on the floor and sat closer to him, picking up a hook and holding his left hand in yours. You worked the stitch back up onto the hook and he watched you intently.

“Amazing…” he said, quietly. You gave him quick kiss on the cheek before putting the hook down

“You’ll know everything there is to know about this in a month” you say and he smiles. Your enthusiasm and encouragement made it easier and on more frustrating days, more tolerable for him. You turned to crawl back to your corner of the sofa but Jungwoo grabbed your hand.

“Hold on, baby” he said and put his stuff to the side before pulling you on top of him.

“Oh..” you were quiet. He was always so gentle and now was no exception but you often forgot how strong he was. You stared into each other’s eyes until it became too much for you. You kissed him passionately and he adjusted his position to lay you down on the sofa.

“Oh no” Jungwoo said, looking down at his abandoned needles on the floor. Half of the stitches were now hanging off of them.

“What is it?” You asked and leaned up, looking over at his mess.

“How did you manage that?!” You asked, putting a palm to your face.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll fix it next time” he replied, leaning close to you.

Mouth to your ear, “There’s something else I wanna do with my hands right now.”

[ultradollarsstuff]

This has been a serious wake up call

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This app only covers waste services provided by the City. Wallet? Clutch? Crossbody? Get all three out of the String Classic Wallet from A New Day. A man who stole a $400 esky, and was later caught with meth in his undies, has been jailed for less than half the amount of days he spent in custody. It's disappointing. Known for its massive selection of imported goods and wallet friendly pricing, Super King sees. He told me how much the coffee at the cafeteria cost, while I was staring at the cash register in front of my face, and then paid for it himself.

[blankdblank]

Bairn

Anon asked for a story about a young Elleth not considered an adult yet being fiercly protected by the Dwarves. Got the basics of it, and added a bit of a joking twist on it to lighten it up a bit from what I first imagined for it. Sorry it took so long to gt it out, hope you like it! :D

Tags –

@himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @aspiringtranslator, @sweeticedtea, @ggbbhehe4455, @thegreyberet, @patanghill17, @jesgisborne, @curvestrology, @abiwim, @jotink78, @evyiione, @menewyn

…

A sharp gasp rang through the Company behind Thorin and the Elf Prince, both cinched in a tight battle of words before their heads turned to the stunned Dwarves knowing full well what word was coming next in Thorin’s sentence. In a hushed whisper Balin motioned his hand at you, the web coated Elleth fuming as your hand folded over your eyes rubbing her temple to ease the migraine growing within, “Bairn.”

Thorin nodded his head and turned to you as the Elves all spotted your muscles twitching while you lowered and straightened your arms through an attempt at a calming exhale between hushed muttered curses in Quenya triggering a hint of a smirk on the Prince’s face when he recognized the scowling Elleth he’d long since missed the annual visits from her. A firm glare fired from the other blonde Prince when he noticed the hint of a rival for his hopefully soon to be intended he inched closer to through Thorin replying, “I am no thief!”

Legolas’ eyes met yours as he asked, in clear fluid Quenya, “Is what he says the truth?”

You nodded, replying, “Ya, nearly had to tie it to him for him to even touch it, but the wargs after eased his concerns about its craftsmanship.”

A smile eased onto his face as he nodded his head at you saying, “Ada will wish to speak with you. Ecthellion has been quite unsettled in your silence since leaving.”

Sighing again you replied as he passed back the sword to the slightly confused Dwarf King triggering the return of all the other weapons from the group right after and led the way, “If he cares to remember it was his Son’s shouting curses at me that urged me to leave in the first place.”

Fili stepped firmly between you once again forming a barrier between you both gliding his fingers once again over the small chord with tassles at the end of your quiver strapped to your back over your twin blades in his usual habit from his inability to yet claim your hand. Each Dwarf filed behind you both with Thorin in the lead, clinging protectively to his burglar, who seemed to be in a mood close to yours at his insistence that holding hands would in fact be just as adequate an action and far easier for him to walk. Only stirring the King to turn and grip his thighs as Dwalin raised him onto his back deepening his scowl soon buried in the fur collar of the King to muffle his muttered one sided argument the Elves struggled to hold back their chuckles from.

The castle grew before you as your arms crossed at the hushed whisper from Balin urging your eyes to roll at his belief that you should be in the middle of the group to be better protected. A sideways glance came from the Prince until he chuckled at your low utterance of “Not a word.”

The crossed leg of the King lowered to the ground leading to his shifting straighter as he called out your name in a more than pleased tone stirring a firmer grip from Fili on the tassle drawing your eye to dart between the pair quickly then bowed your head to the King greeting him in return motioning your hand from your chest to your side as he did the same and smiled. 

His expression stirring a curious wave through the Dwarves at the rare sight of him anything past stoic before Thorin stepped forward silently ushering you back again after leaving the still scowling Hobbit beside Dwalin who was struggling to draw him closer to his side only gaining a firm swat on his bare forearm  as he stormed over to your side sliding between you and Fili breaking his contact with the small tassle. After a curious glance over the motions of the small creature he glanced back to the scowling King instead.

Once again the quickly building tension between the leaders quickly fizzled at the throat clearing coming from Balin earning another mumble from you, “ I swear if you say-.”

Balin, “Thorin.”

Thorin glanced at you noticing your sharp exhale and expression growing into a scowl matching Bilbo’s then turned back to Thranduil stating, “King Thranduil, perhaps we could gain a bit of food for our youngest member.”

Under your breath you muttered, “Two more hours…”

Thranduil glanced at you with a smirk at Thorin’s stating your name triggering a twitch in your brow before the Elf King to state, “You have escorted my dear friend safely to my borders just in time for her birthday celebration. I would never allow her to suffer the pain of hunger so close to her confirmed adulthood.”

His eyes scanned over you as Balin chuckled saying, “Of course she’ll always be our little Pebble!”

Your brows dropped as you inhaled and repeated for what you felt was the thousandth time, “I am older than you, all of you.”

Bofur swatted his hand at the air before him through a large grin, “Oh it’s just a number, we’ve lived farther into our lives than you have.”

Exhaling again you started walking towards a door along the wall as Bilbo joined you with Fili right after trailed by Legolas in his losing battle to control his bubbling laughter, muttering in Elvish, “I’ll be in the dungeons.”

The guard before you opened the door with a respectful bow of his head as Bofur called out, “Be sure to remember your veggies, and milk, you need them for your growth.”

“Two more hours…”

Thorin glanced at the closing door gaining another glare from Bilbo when he said, “Eat your fill! At least three courses!” Losing the rest of his order before hearing Bilbo’s clear shout muffling against the door leaving Thorin clueless to his actual response but took Thranduil’s smirk and trembling shoulders as a sign for no lessening of his fowl mood just yet.

Thranduil between his chuckles stated in Elvish clearly to you in your mind, “Your room is prepared, dinner is nearly finished, bathe and change. I will not bar your group from the celebration.” His eyes scanning over Tauriel trailing after Kili who’d tried and failed to sneak to the door to join his Brother, watching his pitiful slinking path she son corrected under Thranduil’s order to guide him to meet you three. As the door was open once more Balin shouted out, “Kili, ensure our Pebble is properly fed!”

As the brunette’s lips parted your clear shout sounded once again, “I am 399 years old!! I am well aware of the task of caring for myself!”

Bofur, “Bit cranky with our sudden waking. Needs the full eight hours.”

Only gaining another chuckle from the group as Dwalin said, “They grow up so fast!”

His response being a slammed door after a sharp “Ugh!!” in a shrill shout just barely slipping through before the guard shut the door behind Kili and Tauriel.

Glancing down at the ground as he softly chuckled, remembering well the tantrums and comments he himself gained on his pathway to the fourth century marker, clearly naming an Elf as an adult and the troubles that came from the time before and small window of a decade after settling as an adult in the minds of those around the young Elf. 

Looking up again he said, “As I said, the Feast of Starlight is tonight, where we combine our annual celebration of the stars as well as the birth of the Elleth born within these walls at its occurrence. You will be led to bathe and change before the meal. The rest we shall discuss tomorrow afternoon once I’ve called our guest of honor down enough to reclaim her place among you.” 

Without a word he rose and made his way down the stairs to exit through that same door, only stopping before he passed through it completely to glance back at Thorin saying, “Another thing, I’ve never seen such a cross Hobbit. I would be vary wary at where I sleep tonight had I made that mistake.” Gaining a timid nod in return before they followed after the King at the wave of his hand towards their rooms.

[eunbyeolbe]

solo | 쓸모없는 사람 | wc: 399

tldr; eunbyeol makes sure that trash is being picked up around the park

there were many things that ryu eunbyeol hated. knockoff designer bags. people who don’t dry their hair. when her guitar is out of tune. but one of the things at the top of her long list of hatred was lazy people. which seems to be the exact thing that she finds herself face to face with as she sips her overpriced coffee from the comfort of the picnic table that she managed to secure all to herself. lazy, inconsiderate, maybe just straight up assholes? either way, she could already feel her blood boiling as she watched the group of teenagers standing mere feet from her.

she gave them a few moments before jumping into action. maybe they simply hadn't noticed their entire group had dropped their empty cups on the ground rather than walking the mere ten feet to the nearest garbage. it wasn't even like they had far to go. it was only a couple steps out of their way. but, eunbyeol found her brow furrowing even more as they started to walk away from their newly created mess, laughter echoing above the noise of the crowd of festival goers.

groaning under her breath, she polished off the last few sips of her own drink before getting up to walk over to the newly created mess. she crouched down to pick up one of the cups that was still half full of discarded liquid before straightening up and clearing her throat. "ya. you." she grumbled at the lack of response before throwing the cup square at the back of the nearest teenager. "ya, you." she crossed her arms as she stared them down as they slowly turned to face her.

"are you going to pick up after yourself?" she nodded in the direction of the remainder of the cups that laid discarded on the ground. "you aren't babies and i am not you mother. the garbage is there." she pointed at the nearby bin, scowl still plastered upon her face. "let's go. move it. don't make me come over there or you're going to be sorry."

uncrossing her arms, she followed as the group brought their discarded beverages over to the trash while mumbling a few choice words about her under their breath. "wonderful." eunbyeol plastered the biggest false smile upon her face, looking the group over one last time. "i appreciate your help. now, enough the festival."

[fashioneditswebsite]

”How to wear spring’s floaty florals trend"

"From playful prints to stunning bouquets, love is in the air this spring./sumer season." Sure to be a huge hit this summer, florals floated down the runway at S/S24 shows, with flower power and plush posies being some of the most talked-about pieces—a fling with femininity was the thing. From ethereal sheaths to romantic ruffles and sweeping maxi dresses, beautiful blooms were the center of attention… and we can't wait to crash this garden party with all its glory. After all, there's always room for an update on this dreamy favorite… View this post on Instagram A post shared by ZIMMERMANN (@zimmermann) "Floral dresses are a timeless staple that will never go out of style," says Esme Stone, head of brand at J D Williams. "A floaty, floral, yet comfortable dress offers the perfect combination of style and femininity. "Spring is all about pausing, refreshing, and enjoying special moments, so whether you're looking for something for a summer wedding, or simply to wear to the office, floaty florals are a classic." Here's how to work this romantic look… 1. Floral top "Floral Textured Blouse Mango - $59.99" One of the prettiest updates is a floral top, from smock to cropped – the key is to make it playful with a plunging neckline or bared midriff. Especially if you're unsure about head-to-toe florals, Jo Collins, head of design for womenswear, kidswear, and non-clothing at FatFace, says to choose a neutral base, such as jeans, and add a cool-cut floral top. Pair with ballet flats, such as satin or crystal-embellished ones, for a casual, feminine vibe. They're bang up to date – yes, the ballet is back. White Floral Cotton Short Sleeve Top Ulla Johnson- $270 2. Floral slip View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hush (@hushofficial) The strappy, floral slip signals summertime, and this core essential knows precisely how to do casual… Moreover, this versatile piece can be worn in different ways. Whether you prefer to wear it with a white T-shirt underneath or a sweater over the top as we wait for the weather to warm up, it's a winner with trainers or metallic flats. As Collins puts it: "Floral dresses are super versatile and can be dressed up or down. For a more casual look, team your floaty florals with high tops and a denim jacket – or add your favorite lightweight jumper over the top to create the illusion of a skirt and knit combo. "Hitting another key trend for spring, the maxi skirt." MAXI DRESS Sandro -$499 Maxi Dress Sandro Double Layer Slip Dress Ted Baker $295 Maxi Skirt, Ted Baker 3. Floral jumpsuit View this post on Instagram A post shared by X T A B A Y (@xtabayvintage) This time, the jumpsuit is another favorite, especially since iconic Seventies fashion trends are still a mainstay. It's comfortable and classy. Dressed with heels or wedges, long, floaty, wide-leg trousers add length. They're an ideal special-occasion staple to accessorize with a floppy sun hat and clutch. Cited as a modern woman's wardrobe staple without the faff of having to spend time styling separates, this all-in-one does all the hard work for you. floral jumpsuit Zara $69.90 Floral Jumpsuit Target $36 4. Sheath Dress View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shop till You Drop 🛍🛍🛍 (@shop_till_you_drop_az) Dainty, with chiffon ruffles, semi-sheer accents, and delicate sprigs, the floral sheath dress suggests a tea party with all the trimmings. Furthermore, this style can be incorporated into everyday wear. Collins says to layer gently with a light cable knit or casual jacket. "The perfect pairing for picnics, summer drinks and everything in between… devoted to style, embrace the beauty of nature with this key trend." Floral Sheath Dress Dress Whistles $399 Sheath Dress Madewell $94.50 5. Floral maxi/midaxi dress View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nobody's Child (@nobodyschild) One to watch: will the 'IT dress' steal the spotlight this summer? "The floral and romantic trend is perfect for occasion season, which we're quickly gearing up for," says Rebecca Rhoades, founder of Rebecca Rhoades. "It's a look that can be modernised by combining bold prints with pretty soft fabrics and traditional florals – the trend creates a very feminine look when worn in flattering silhouettes." Rhoades suggests opting for block-color accessories when wearing prints. "But what I also love about prints is their uniqueness to each person—they tell a story. "So if you want to go for print-on-print, do it. If you're attending race days or summer weddings, it's a great opportunity to stand out from the crowd. However, you might want to consider going for something a little different from your usual style. Just be careful not to outdo the bride! Dolci Floral Dress Vernocia Beard $548 Ezria Floral Dress, Reformation $398 Read the full article

[mikegranich87]

Pixel 5a review: The 4a 5G wasn't broken, so Google didn't fix it

The Pixel 6 is just around the corner. But before Google brings it and its Tensor mobile chip to market, the company is updating its entry level offering with the $449 Pixel 5a. The whole point of the “a” family is to offer the basics at a reasonable price without sacrificing too much of the Pixel experience in the process. That means a relatively clean version of Android with a bunch of AI tricks and a heavy focus on photography.

But apparently Google feels like it more or less nailed that formula with the Pixel 4a 5G because the 5a is basically the same phone. (Note: The Pixel 5a is not a direct successor to the 4a, which was a much smaller device.) There are some differences — notably the addition of IP67 waterproofing — but most of the tweaks are extremely minor. Even the processor and RAM haven’t changed. So, if we said you could do better way back in October of 2020, what does that mean for the 5a in the fall of 2021?

Well, it makes the Pixel 5a about as unexciting as a phone can be, for one. But look, boring isn’t necessarily bad. Especially when you’re talking about the mid and lower tiers of the smartphone market. For one, keeping things staid allows Google to focus its efforts on battery life and performance optimization. And just like the last generation of Pixels, the 5a feels pretty responsive despite the aging Snapdragon 765G inside. That said, the 765G wasn’t exactly top of the line last year, and it’s starting to show its limits. While scrolling through the UI and doing simple things like reading email and sending text messages, the 5a is indistinguishable from any flagship device. It even handles most mobile games without a hiccup. I spent some time playing The Elder Scrolls: Blades and Wild Castle and the phone barely broke a sweat.

But, I did notice it stutter a few times while navigating YouTube, editing photos and jotting down my thoughts for this review in Evernote. The latter I could easily chalk up to Evernote’s questionable development over the last few years, but the pauses while switching to fullscreen in YouTube and swapping filters in Google Photos are a bit more concerning.

Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

The plus side of going with something a bit older and lower-powered (not to mention with an integrated 5G modem) is power efficiency. The 4a 5G was already something of a beast, lasting over 17 hours in our battery drain test before our reviews editor Cherlynn Low simply gave up and moved on with her life. That device had a 3,885mAh battery. The 5a has a 4,680mAh cell. It took 22 hours and 56 of playing a video on loop at 50-brightness before it finally powered down.

After 24 hour of heavy usage — playing games, repeatedly running 5G speed tests, installing apps, watching videos on YouTube and even letting it play sleep sounds overnight — the battery was still at 40 percent. It didn’t finally crap out until almost 2AM on day two. And if you turn on Extreme Battery Saver, things could get even more absurd. I’m fairly confident that under normal use you could get a full 48 hours out of the Pixel 5a before needing to find an outlet.

Battery life isn’t the only difference between the 5a and 4a 5G: The new phone is also IP67 rated for water and dust resistance. At a time when many smartphones have at least some form of water resistance the Pixel 4a 5G was sort of a disappointment. In fact, the lack of waterproofing was one of the big cons called out in our review. But the Pixel 5a should easily survive getting caught in the rain or if you drop it in a toilet. It can withstand being submerged in water up to one meter deep for 30 minutes, but I wouldn’t push this to its limits. Definitely don’t go swimming with it in your pocket.

Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

The last difference between the Pixel 5a and the 4a 5G is in the size and construction, but it’s subtle. The 5a has a metal unibody as opposed to a polycarbonate one. The texture is still matte and similar to the softtouch of the previous models, though, and the upgrade to Gorilla Glass 6 from Gorilla Glass 3 is notable, but you’ll never notice the difference in daily use. The 5a comes in one finish: Mostly Black. Some might find the look a little dull, and it’s certainly on the utilitarian side, but I quite liked the feel of the phone. The finish is a nice contrast to the seemingly endless sea of smooth glassy surfaces and the heft is just right, too.

The 5a is ever so slightly larger and heavier, but you’re talking about a few millimeters and grams. Even if you had a Pixel 4a 5G in one hand and a Pixel 5a in the other you’d be hard pressed to figure out which is which.

The change in size mostly comes down to the slightly larger screen. The OLED panel on the 5a is 6.34 inches, versus 6.2 inches on the 4a 5G. Otherwise, though, the screens are basically the same. The increased resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 makes up for the size difference so they both have a density of 413 ppi. Both also sport a contrast ratio of 100,000:1 and support HDR and are stuck at now outdated 60Hz. And both are just bright enough to use in direct sunlight, though high brightness mode is definitely a necessity if you’re watching a video outdoors.

Even the holepunch for the front-facing camera is in the same place. That said, I appreciated Google’s “for fun” wallpapers that camouflage the hole by incorporating it into the design. My favorite is the record player where the camera becomes the hole at the center of an LP.

That 8-megapixel front-facing camera, by the way, is one of the weak points of the 5a. It does the job in perfect lighting and for video calls. But details can be a bit soft, in low light it gets noisy and portrait mode is hit or miss. Overall, I found Google’s portrait feature to be a bit too aggressive even on the main camera. You can easily adjust the blur and depth after the fact, but the default settings could stand to be more subtle.

The selfie cam, though, is the same one found on the Pixel 4a 5G, so none of this is a surprise. In fact, all of the cameras are the same. The two sensors around the rear, however, are much better than the one on the front. There’s a 12.2-megapixel main shooter with optical image stabilization and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens. They have a somewhat “moody” vibe when compared to shots from an iPhone or a Galaxy device, but they’re not obviously inferior. And even though images taken with the wide-angle lens can get a little fuzzy if you start zooming in on details, Google’s processing does an admirable job of minimizing barrel distortion. Google isn’t at the top of the smartphone camera heap anymore, but it’s not far off and photography is still an undeniable strong suit of the Pixel family.

Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

There’s nothing new to report, though. It’s the same set of excellent photography features that you got last year: Portrait lighting can help clean up and add some contrast to photos of people (but sadly not pets — the option only appears if a human face is detected). Night Sight turns on automatically in dim lighting and at times produces mind-blowing results. And the video stabilization modes are excellent. Cinematic Pan, which combines slow motion with super smooth movement, is especially fun.

Also, just like every other “a” model Pixel, this one has a headphone jack. All I can say is: That’s great, now please bring the headphone jack back to flagship phones. I know I’m not the only person clamoring for it. And it drives me nuts that the only way to get an old-school 3.5mm jack on my phone is to go down market.

Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

One last thing to mention: The actual full name of the phone is the Pixel 5a with 5G. So, guess what, it supports 5G connectivity. That’s not really surprising since the Snapdragon 765G has an integrated 5G modem. Unlike the Pixel 4a 5G, however, there is no mmWave variant of the 5a. And, although technically it’s capable of C-Band support, it’s currently not enabled and Google wouldn’t commit to adding support in the future. That’s not a huge deal at the moment since there are no active C-Band networks in the US yet. But it might irk some when AT&T and Verizon start flipping the switch, likely sometime later this year. That said, full C-Band rollout isn’t expected to happen until at least late 2023.

Those caveats out of the way, 5G still seems stuck in a state of arrested development. I tested the Pixel 5a using Google Fi, which essentially means I was on T-Mobile’s network and speeds were all over the place. In my home, it was often slower than Verizon’s LTE network, averaging around 35mbps down. (Note: Verizon is Engadget’s parent company… for now.) But two and half miles up the road at a local Subaru dealership I was routinely getting over 300mbps down, topping out at 370mbps.

Terrence O'Brien / Engadget

Of course, 5G and excellent cameras aren’t a rarity at this price any more. Mid-tier phones have come a long way over the last few years. The problem for Google is, it no longer clearly “owns the midrange.” Part of that is down to price. While the 5a is $50 cheaper than the 4a 5G, it’s not the obvious bargain that the 4a was at $350. If it was even just $50 cheaper still, the 5a would be a much easier sell at $399.

The Samsung A52 5G is slightly more expensive at $500 (though regularly on sale for less) and has a slower Snapdragon 750G SoC. But, its Super AMOLED screen clearly outclasses the Pixel’s and has a 120Hz refresh rate. Plus, its camera system is much sharper and feature-packed (but that doesn’t necessarily mean “better”). In addition to a primary camera and ultra-wide shooter, there’s a macro lens and a depth sensor that helps with portrait mode. While both the A52 and 5a ship with 128GB of storage, the Samsung has an advantage in that it has a microSD card slot.

Then there’s the OnePlus Nord N2 5G. It has a trio of cameras around the back, including a 50-megapixel primary sensor, an AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, and up to 12GB of RAM. Then again, it has a MediaTek processor, which you rarely see in phones in the US and with good reason: They’re not exactly known for their high-end performance. But perhaps more importantly, you’re highly unlikely to be making a choice between the Nord N2 and the Pixel 5a since the former isn’t available in the US, and the later is only available in the US and Japan.

Of course, if you’re more of an iOS fan, the obvious comparison would seem to be the iPhone SE. It’s the same price as the Pixel 5a for a 128GB model, but it does feel quite a bit dated. It still uses the old iPhone 8 form factor with a Touch ID home button instead of Face ID, it's positively miniscule at 4.7 inches and doesn’t support 5G. Frankly, if you’re dead set on iOS, I might suggest saving your pennies and springing for the $699 iPhone 12 mini.

So, no, Google doesn’t “own the midrange” any more. The Pixel 5a is almost aggressively boring, but it’s not bad. If you want the Pixel experience and don’t want to break the bank, this is the way to go. But if you’re just looking for the best bang for your buck, the choice is far less clear.

from Mike Granich https://www.engadget.com/google-pixel-5-a-review-android-midrange-5g-smartphone-160051630.html?src=rss

[your-dietician]

Best Prime Day, Day 2 tech deals 2021 at Amazon

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Best Prime Day, Day 2 tech deals 2021 at Amazon

We may receive commission from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change.

TVs and headphones and laptops, oh my! These Prime Day deals are off the charts. (Photo: Yahoo Life)

Spent the first day of Prime Day not sure what to pick up? You’re in luck! Prime Day — Day 2 is now in full swing and the discounts are even deeper. So take advantage of these Prime Day tech deals. 

Take out your wish list and check it twice. What have you been waiting on? Now’s the moment to grab it, whether it’s that big-screen TV, that cushy pair of headphones or that new smart home device. These price drops are epic.

We’ve gathered the very best Prime Day tech deals on everything from Apple AirPods to Nintendo games to Lenovo laptops and beyond. More good news: Amazon will give you free shipping on everything here. And if you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get even more — access to new movies and TV shows, discounts at Whole Foods, exclusive deals and two-day shipping on many, many items. Not yet a member? Why not? You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here.

Read on for the Prime Day — Day 2 tech deals calling your name.

Best TV deals

Not a typo: Just $100 gets you a top-rated HDTV! (Photo: Amazon)

This deal seems too good to be true…but it ain’t! Amazon has one of its top-selling TVs, the Insignia 24-inch Smart HD TV — Fire TV Edition, on sale for just $100 for Prime members only!

Instant access to Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, YouTube, Disney+, Prime Video and so much more will soon be yours. Alexa is included in the remote, so browsing will be a snap. Shoppers are just as shocked by the quality of this TV as we are by this incredible price!

“I am honestly very pleasantly surprised with how much I like this TV,” wrote a delighted shopper. “As far as clarity goes, I believe 720p is plenty for this screen size…. I have been very pleased with the Wi-Fi reception of the built-in Fire TV. It actually works a lot better than the USB-plug-in external fire sticks, for whatever reason.”

Shop more TV deals below:

Insignia 24-inch Smart HD TV — Fire TV Edition, $100 (was $170), amazon.com

Insignia 39-inch Smart HD TV — Fire TV Edition, $180 (was $250), amazon.com

Insignia NS-43DF710NA21 43-inch Smart 4K Ultra HD — Fire TV Edition, $220 (was $320), amazon.com

Toshiba 43-inch 43C350KU C350 Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Fire TV, $260 (was $370), amazon.com

Insignia 55-inch NS-55F301NA22 F30 Series LED 4K Ultra HD Smart Fire TV, $350 (was $500), amazon.com

Sony X80J 55-inch 4K Ultra HD LED Smart Google TV, $748 (was $800), amazon.com

Sony X80J 65-inch 4K Ultra HD LED Smart Google TV, $898 (was $1,000), amazon.com

Best headphone and earbud deals

Story continues

Good thing you don’t already own these — you’d never hear us shouting about what a great deal this is. (Photo: Amazon)

Sometimes, we get really lucky, and a big name drops the price on luxe headphones for Prime Day. Well, this is one of those times! These wireless Sony WH-CH710N Noise-Canceling Headphones are on sale for just $78 — that’s a whopping $122 off! Don’t you feel whopped? Shop now and save 61 percent — this is the lowest price we’ve ever seen on these top-rated cans!

The wireless headphones feature the crisp, clear audio you expect from Sony. Their Dual Noise Sensor Technology blocks out nearly all background and ambient distractions. No humming from your air conditioner or thrum from the washing machine — it’s just you and your music! Any birthdays coming up? These make an impressive gift (they’ll think you spent a fortune).

“The Sony headphones are perfect. They sync easily and the sound is clear,” raved a solace-seeking husband and dad. “The noise-canceling feature is great and often annoys my wife and kids when I can’t hear them. These are very comfortable….The charging is quick and the battery life is very good.”

Shop more headphone and earbud deals below:

Echo Buds, $80 (was $120), amazon.com

Apple AirPods Max, $522 (was $549), amazon.com

Apple AirPods Pro, $190 (was $249), amazon.com

Beats Solo Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling On-Ear Headphones, $170 (was $300), amazon.com

Bose Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones 700, $229 (was $399), amazon.com

Sony WF-1000XM3 Noise Canceling Wireless Earbuds, $148 (was $230), amazon.com

Sony WF-SP800N True Wireless Sports In-Ear Noise-Canceling Headphones, $88 (was $199), amazon.com

Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones, $120 (was $200), amazon.com

Apple AirPods with Wireless Charging Case, $160 (was $199), amazon.com

Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones, $145 with on-page coupon (was $200), amazon.com

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, $149 (was $300), amazon.com

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, $85 (was $150), amazon.com

Jabra Elite Active 65t Earbuds, $60 (was $100), amazon.com

Best gaming deals

FYI: This RPG features lots of DLC, and at just 15 bucks for three games, it’s a pretty BFD. (Photo: Amazon)

It’s time to join a mayhem-fueled thrill ride — at 70 percent off! In Borderlands Legendary Collection for Nintendo Switch, you’re whisked away to the planet Pandora, where you’ll be tasked with stopping the Calypso twins from getting all the bandit clans together and claiming ultimate power in the galaxy. Shoot, loot and role-play your way through the high-stakes action and collect a whole boatload of gadgets along the way.

This is the Legacy Edition, which includes all three games and DLC (downloadable content), is packed with new missions and stories, and more pillaging and power-ups.

“It’s so awesome to be able to play Borderlands on a handheld system,” raved a delighted gamer. “After about 100 hours in each game so far, All three run silky smooth with no hiccups. The gameplay is just how I remember it on the xbox 360 and I love it. I highly recommend this collection…”

Shop more gaming deals below:

Luna Gaming Controller, $49 (was $70), amazon.com

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (PS4), $16 (was $40), amazon.com

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI (PC), $35 (was $60), amazon.com

Mafia: Definitive Edition (PS4), $20 (was $40), amazon.com

BioShock: The Collection, $15 (was $50), amazon.com

NBA 2K21 (Xbox Series X), $20 (was $70), amazon.com

Godfall (PS5), $40 (was $70), amazon.com

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch), $48 (was $60), amazon.com

Runmus Gaming Headset, $20 (was $43), amazon.com

Madden NFL 21: Next Level Edition (Xbox Series X), $21 (was $70), amazon.com

The Falconeer: Day One Edition (Xbox Series X), $22 (was $40), amazon.com

Outriders Day One Edition (PS5), $40 for Prime members only (was $60), amazon.com

Immortals Fenyx Rising (PS5), $30 (was $60), amazon.com

Best smartphone and tablet deals

Normally we’d never yell “Fire!” in a crowded website, but….”YOU’VE GOT TO GRAB THIS FIRE HD 8 FOR JUST $45!” (Photo: Amazon)

How ’bout another half-price sale? Coming right up! On sale for $45 (was $90), the Fire HD 8 has a brilliant eight-inch HD display and works with Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music as well as hundreds of social media apps, games, and more. With its 10-hour battery life, this baby supports binge-watching.

“This HD 8 boots up extremely fast. The screen movement is very smooth,” wrote a delighted tablet user. “I own an HD 10 but I like this better because the size makes it easier to hold and maneuver…. I had a concern about the sound quality, but the sound quality is very good. The charge time is fast and the battery holds a charge for a long time.” And the price? Ridiculous.

Shop more smartphone and tablet deals below:

Fire HD 8 Plus, $65 (was $110), amazon.com

Fire HD 10, $80 (was $150), amazon.com

Fire HD 10 Plus, $110 (was $180), amazon.com

Kindle, $55 (was $90), amazon.com

Kindle Paperwhite, $80 (was $130), amazon.com

Kindle Oasis, $185 (was $250), amazon.com

Apple iPad (10.2-inch, Wi-Fi, 32GB), $299 (was $329), amazon.com

Moto G7 Plus, $140 (was $250), amazon.com

TCL 10 Pro Unlocked Android Smartphone, $295 for Prime members only (was $400), amazon.com

Ulefone Note 9P smartphone, $145 with on-page coupon (was $200), amazon.com

Best smart-home deals

Want to turn your dumb home into a smart home? Look to the orb! (Photo: Amazon)

With an all-new sphere design, the fourth generation Echo Dot, marked down from $50 to just $25 (we’ve done the math — that’s half off!) for Prime members only, is a small but powerful smart speaker with a glow-light base that can not only channel Alexa but can also stream tunes from Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Sirius XM and more. It offers clearer, more robust audio quality than earlier iterations. With this dynamo at 50 percent off, there’s never been a smarter time to pair it with another Echo Dot to create amazing stereo sound.

Shoppers love the compact dimensions — just 3.5-inches high — which make it great for smaller rooms. “This is exactly what I was looking for,” said a happy Amazon shopper. “The sound is loud and clear. Now I am able to hear all online stations with no interference. The design is space-saving, with rubber underneath to prevent sliding.”

The Echo Dot 4 comes in Charcoal, Glacier White and Twilight Blue.

Shop more smart-home deals below:

Echo Show 5, $45 (was $80), amazon.com

Echo Auto, $15 (was $50), amazon.com

Echo Show 10 (third generation), $190 (was $250), amazon.com

Echo Frames (second generation), $175 (was $250), amazon.com

Echo Show 8 (second generation), $95 (was $130), amazon.com

Fire TV Cube, $80 (was $120), amazon.com

Fire TV Stick 4K, $25 (was $50), amazon.com

eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi router, $83 (was $129), amazon.com

Ring Video Doorbell Wired, $45 (was $60), amazon.com

Ring Spotlight Cam, $150 (was $200), amazon.com

Ring Stick Up Cam, $75 (was $100), amazon.com

Rexing V1 4K Ultra HD Car Dash Cam, $72 (was $100), amazon.com

Govee Immersion WiFi TV LED Backlights, $49 (was $80), amazon.com

Best work-from-home deals

Whether you’re working from home or just playing around, this Lenovo laptop/tablet’s got you covered. (Photo: Walmart)

Here in Prime time, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is on sale for just $399 (down from $520) — over 20 percent off! If productivity is your game, then this machine came to play (by which we mean work). Its brilliant HD 14-inch LED display makes everything look stellar, from spreadsheets to YouTube videos. And thanks to a speedy and powerful AMD Ryzen 3 4300U Octa-Core Processor paired with 4GB of memory and 128GB of on-board storage, the Flex 5 can handle just about any task you throw at it. The laptop even doubles as a Windows 10 tablet — that’s the “Flex” part.

“Amazing laptop, perfect for my everyday needs,” wrote a delighted Walmart reviewer. “Runs fast, touchscreen is awesome and it’s lightweight and small, making travel easy. Extremely durable. Love the ability to use the Lenovo pen, and the tablet mode is such a great feature. Definitely would recommend, especially for the epic price range. Can’t compare.”

Shop more work-from-home deals below:

AcePC AK1 Mini PC, $140 with on-page coupon (was $190), amazon.com

HP Chromebook 11, $180 (was $260), amazon.com

LifeLong Ergonomic Laptop stand for desk, $60 (was $90), amazon.com

AndaSeat gaming and office chair, $240 for Prime members only (was $300), amazon.com

DamKee Massage Gun, $69 with on-page coupon for Prime members only (was $110), amazon.com

Saiji Laptop Bed Tray Desk, $36 with on-page coupon for Prime members only (was $100), amazon.com

SoQool Laptop Stand, $16 for Prime members only (was $90), amazon.com

Canon Office and Business MB5120 All-in-One Printer, $250 (was $300), amazon.com

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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[wantisamlindyla]

Your Ghost - Chapter 3

Fandom/Pairing: Mike/Eleven Rating: Will be M in later chapters. Summary:

New York, 1999.

He wanted her to live again, even if she could only come back to him through the pages of a book.

Read previous chapters on AO3 here:

15 December 1984 - Day 399

 Mike was playing with his Super Comm in the fort when Nancy found him.

 He was flipping from channel to channel aimlessly when Nancy knelt down and ducked her head under the blanket. “Hey,” she said gently.

“Hey.” Mike looked up at his sister. Her hair was still curly and pinned back in an updo, but she’d scrubbed her face clean of makeup and switched her dress for pyjamas.

 “I think your friends missed you tonight at the dance.”

 Mike just shrugged. “I didn’t really see the point in going. We didn’t go any of the previous years.”

 Nancy refrained from reciting a list of reasons why he should have gone to the Snow Ball as his parents had during dinner last night. She just watched her brother closely.

 “Are you ok?”

 Mike frowns in confusion. “Me? I’m fine, what about you? Barb’s funeral was yesterday.”

 Nancy shook her head. “I’m fine. It’s really her parents that are grieving. It happened a year ago for me you know? But for them...I guess when she disappeared they still had hope, but now...it’s like they’ve lost her all over again.”

 Mike listened to her intently, taken aback by the fact that Nancy was telling him all this.

 “You know,” Nancy continued, “I was just…sad for so long after it happened. Then all I felt was angry, angry at myself, angry at Steve, angry at Mom and Dad. I felt like I needed someone to blame. But yesterday at her funeral…all I felt was…peace. Like wherever she is…she’s ok, you know what I mean?”

 Mike nodded. He could definitely relate to the feelings of anger and the powerlessness Nancy had just described.

 “Yeah, I mean, sure. What you and Jonathan did, getting the lab shut down.” He smiled at his sister, “It was ballsy, and brave. What you guys did for Barb…and Will, it was good.”

 Nancy looked at him seriously, “We did it for El too,” she said.

 Mike stared at her.

 “I’m really sorry I haven’t been around much for you this year Mike. I know it’s been hard on you, I should have made more of an effort to be here for you. It didn’t really hit me until tonight. I was watching Dustin, Lucas, and, Will, dancing and goofing off and I realised that it wasn’t just me who lost Barb, you lost someone last year too.”

 Mike didn’t say anything, he couldn’t. He looked down at the Super Comm in his hands, desperately trying to stop the dam that was building in his chest.

 Nancy didn’t say anything. She sat there on the basement floor next to him and waited patiently.

 Finally, Mike raised his head and said tearfully, “I used to get this feeling…she was with me. All year, at random moments, I’d get this prickling feeling on my neck or this funny feeling in my stomach, like she was right there in front of me. Sometimes I thought I could see her. I thought I was going crazy. But now I can’t feel her anymore. Ever since that night the thing came out of Will and Hopper said that somehow forced the Gate shut. I’ve…I’ve lost her. She’s really gone.”

 As soon as the words came out of his mouth he burst into tears. Huge, gulping, painful sobs tore out of his chest. Mike realised he hadn’t cried at all since that night when his mom had arrived at the school in a panic and pulled him into her arms.

 All this time, he’d been holding onto hope that El wasn’t truly gone, that she would find her way back to him somehow.

 A long time later, he realised that he’d crawled into Nancy arms. She clung onto him tightly, tears slipping silently down her cheeks.

 “She’s really gone isn’t she?” Mike asked Nancy fearfully. “I don’t know if she’s at peace or not, how do I know?”

 Nancy sniffled and brushed her brother’s messy hair away from his forehead like she had done when he was much younger.

 “Maybe...El really was with you, this whole time. Maybe she was too scared to move on….but… now the Gate’s closed, and she knows we’ll all be safe from the monsters. And she doesn’t want you to feel sad for her anymore so she decided to move on.”

 Mike rested his head on her shoulder, listening to his sister’s steady heartbeat and her words. He wanted it to be true but at the same time he was also frightened she was right, that El had left and walked by herself into the dark, some place he couldn’t follow.

 He asked Nancy something he’d been turning around in his mind for over a month, but too afraid to voice in case it sounded insane.

 “Nancy…do…do you think it was her that stopped those demodogs outside Will’s house that night?”

 Nancy didn’t say anything for a while. She considered it. “You mean…like her ghost?”

 Mike sniffed and wiped at his face, “Yeah.”

 “Maybe. It could have been. I mean…with all the crazy shit we’ve seen…who knows right?”

 Mike laughed, “Yeah, right.” He felt a bit better, cleansed somewhat by his tears. “Thanks Nance.”

 Nancy smiled at him, “You’re welcome. I just want you to know I’m here for you ok?”

 “Ok.” She squeezed him in a tight hug and then she left.

 Mike stayed in the fort by himself a while longer. Then, he stood up slowly, and he started taking apart the blanket fort bit-by-bit.

 He folded up the bed sheets carefully and laid them on the chair. He, rolled up his sleeping bag, placed the cushions back on the couch and took the heavy books he had used as weights and stacked them neatly back on the desk.

 “Goodbye El.”

 ***

 Mike was just stepping out of the shower when he heard his phone ringing. He dashed out of the bathroom clad only in a towel to grab his phone. “Hello?”

 It was Lola.

 “Hey, did I wake you?”

 Mike checked his watch. It was 3 am in the morning in San Francisco.

 “No, not at all.”

 “How’s the tour? Where’d they put you up?”

 Mike looked out the window of his hotel room onto 58th street which was already teaming with people at six in the morning. “The Plaza.”

 Lola gave a low whistle. “Jesus. What I wouldn’t give for four walls and a private bathroom.”

 Mike had started dating Lola about a year ago. She was the lead singer of a rock band that was on tour 8 months of every year so she spent most of her time on the road in a tour bus with five of her bandmates.

 They’d met at a mutual friend’s party where Mike had been intrigued by her tattoos and she had made fun of the way Mike wore his shirts; buttoned up and tucked neatly into his jeans.

 “Did you just finish up? How was tonight’s show?” Mike inquired.

 They spent a minute catching up.

 His dinner with Will had been postponed until tonight, they were going to a sushi bar in the West Village.

 Lola was frustrated with the gigs their manager was booking for them.

 Mike was probably going to head to Indiana for a few days after New York.

 There was a lull in their conversation and Mike stared out his window at the city feeling strangely unmoored.

 He could have blamed it on exhaustion and the long tour, he hadn’t slept a wink last night. But it wasn’t that, ever since his candid interview on the radio, he’d felt like he was slowly unravelling.

 “Mike, are you ok? You sound...distracted.”

 Mike tore his eyes from the window. “No, no, I’m fine. Sorry, just got distracted.”

 Lola paused for a moment. “Is...is there someone there with you?”

 Her strange tone didn’t register with Mike immediately. “What?”

 “Am I...calling at a bad time?”

 “What?” Mike was startled. “No, no, of course not, I’m just...I’m tired that’s all.” Then the full meaning of Lola’s question hit home. His confusion morphed to anger.

 “Why would you think that I was with someone?”

 “Are you mad? It’d be cool with me you know. It’s not like I own you.  We’re both adults. We haven’t even been in the same state as the other these last three months.”

 “What? I...have you slept with someone else in the last three months?”

 “Jesus, no. I’d tell you if I had, why are you so angry?”

 “Because you just accused me of cheating on you-”

 “You can’t cheat on me Mike, we’re in an open relationship.”

 Mike blinked. He plopped down on the edge of his bed trying to process the bombshell his girlfriend had just dropped on him.

 “What? We’re what?” He was getting tired of saying that. “We’re in an open relationship?”

 “Of course we are honey.”

 “But I didn’t know...we never talked about it.” Mike was bewildered. “Is this a new dating rule I haven’t been told about? You’re presumed to be non-exclusive until proven otherwise?”

 Lola laughed, “No, no it’s just the way it is. If I tried to slap a label on our relationship then we probably wouldn’t have made it past two months.”

 Mike was stunned. “I...I always thought of myself as a conventional guy Lola. Too old fashioned for something like an open relationship. I barely even understand how that works. What are the rules?”

 “There are no rules Mike. We see each other when we’re both in town. We have a good time together, then you’re off working and I’m back on the road.”

 “Have most of your relationships been...open?”

 Lola paused. “No, you’re the first one.”

 Mike processed this for a minute. “So the problem is me. Am I….do I come off as a commitment-phobe, or am I too much of a nerd to be full time boyfriend material?”

 Lola sighed, “No sweetie. You know exactly what the whole intense broody author thing does to us ladies. You being really good in the sack helps too.

 You’re just obsessed with your work. You don’t leave much room for anything else. And you like your space. Be honest, what is the longest relationship you’ve had with a woman?”

 Mike didn’t want to admit to her that theirs was the longest running relationship he’d had at that moment.

 “It’s not that easy to build a relationship when we’re separated all the time. Maybe when we’re back home we could try making more of an effort? Maybe I’ll even go on tour with you in July. I’ll help JJ out at the merch stand.”

 Lola laughed lightly, “Well that I gotta see.”

  ***

Mike had a book signing and an appearance at a small event at the Brooklyn Art Museum that day before he caught a taxi to the West Village around seven that evening to meet Will for dinner.

 Will kept apologising profusely for having to postpone dinner so many times.

 Mike had to assure him it was fine. Usually he would have stayed at Jonathan and Nancy’s apartment, but his sister and Jonathan were currently away on assignment and Mike would have felt strange sharing the small space with Mrs Byers.

 “She’s invited Hopper to spend Christmas day with us this year. How weird is that gonna be? Not weird-bad but weird blast from the past you know? Anyways I’m flying the next day to Hawkins the next day but it’s kinda a big deal. Next thing you know they’ll be moving in together...”

 Mike couldn’t really reconcile the fact that Will’s mom was dating Hawkin’s former police chief. He had mixed feelings about the man.

 Hopper had moved away so suddenly in ‘85, after everything that had happened, Mike couldn’t help but feel a bit abandoned by the guy. But Mike couldn’t ever blame him, he had saved his and his friends’ lives countless times.

 And really, who could blame the man for not wanting to live in a town where kids got possessed by shadow monsters and there were creatures going around eating the townspeople?

 Will must have noticed Mike was unusually silent during dinner. He nudged his elbow against Mike’s. “Hey. What’s up with you?”

 Mike looked over at his best friend. Nobody in Hawkins would have recognised the handsome man sitting beside him as the Zombie Boy who had been picked on by bullies his entire adolescent life. He was tall and broad shouldered, the California sunshine had left him with a healthy golden tan. His light brown hair was well-cut and styled so that it didn’t hide his startling blue eyes or his sharp cheekbones.

 Mike felt like a lanky, pasty vampire sitting next to him.

“Nothing.” He picked at his seaweed salad listlessly. “Apparently I’m in an open relationship with Lola because I’m afraid of relationships.”

“Huh?”

Mike explained the morning’s telephone call with Lola to Will. When he finished, Will didn’t respond immediately, he just took a long drink of his beer. Mike felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

“You agree with her don’t you.”

Will sighed and gave Mike a wary look.

“I just don’t think you’ve met the right person yet that’s all.”

“You think I have problems with being in a committed relationship?”

“You have control issues.” Will stated plainly. “But so does Nancy, it’s fine.”

Mike didn’t feel like arguing the point with Will. Maybe he realised, deep down, that they were right.

He’d always known something was a bit broken inside him, a little bit skewed, but he’d always thought he was in good company amongst the party.

But he hadn’t realised how everyone had really moved on and how desperately he was still clinging on to the past.

***

Mike decided to take the subway instead of sharing a cab with Will after dinner.

He wanted to walk.

He wandered aimlessly through the city for a while. He got a drink at a tiny hole in the wall jazz bar and listened to the band playing for a while. Then he bought an overpriced coffee from a tiny diner across the road.

It was almost midnight when he decided to catch the last train back to his hotel.

There were only a few people waiting for a train on the platform. There were a few tired looking shift workers on their way home and a group of noisy teenagers and a young woman sitting on a nearby bench.

The woman’s glossy brown hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and she had a large pair of thick black glasses slipping down a cute button nose which was buried inside a worn and well-loved book.

Mike realised with a start that she was reading his first novel. It was a rare first edition. His publisher had only printed a conservative 500 copies. There had been a printing issue and fthe raincoat on the small figure on the cover had turned out green instead of yellow.

The sounds of a train approaching caused the woman to look up from her book.

Mike’s breath caught in his throat.

He couldn’t take his eyes of her as she closed the book and placed it carefully away in the handbag she was carrying, her movements precise and careful.

She stood up, she slipped the straps of her handbag onto her shoulder and caught Mike’s gaze and froze.

They both stood there on the platform unable to move or do anything else but stare at one another.

Mike wondered if he was dreaming.

He had been thinking about El so much these past few days that perhaps his mind had somehow conjured her to appear before him.

But...she was El, but she wasn’t.

The frightened little girl with a shaved head was gone. In her place was a beautiful woman with long brown hair, but those eyes, those eyes that were staring at him behind those black wire frames.

El’s eyes.

Mike felt his mouth stretch into a smile, and then he was beaming at her.

She’s alive.

She’s ok.

She’s back.

He needed to touch her. He needed to hold her.

He took a step towards her.

The spell broke. El started like a frightened doe and bolted towards the train.

“El! El!”

Mike started after her, but the train door slammed shut in his face with more force than was usual.

“Shit!! Shit!” Mike slammed his fists against the train doors, barely noticing when the other passengers turned their heads to stare at the madman pounding on the side of the train and screaming.

He tried to make a break for the next train carriage, but all the automatic doors were closing.

Mike pressed his frantically hands to the glass window where El was staring at him. “El! El! It’s Mike! Mike!”

The train started to move. He moved with it, staring at her, desperately trying to take in every detail and commit it to memory, her sweet face, her wide eyes, the tears slipping silently down her pale cheeks, her pink sweater and the name-tag clipped to the front which read, ‘Jane.’

“I’ll find you El! El! I’ll find you!”

She shook her head, he watched her mouth form the words, Mike. No.

Then there were two pairs of hands on his arms, pulling his hands away from the glass and heaving him off the side of the train.

The train sped past him and disappeared into darkness.

And she was gone.