#went on a walk with my niece (she learned how to ride a bike and now loves it dhhdhd) and the cat immediately came to us

[zaggyzoo]

good news my fave barn cat wasn't drooling today so i guess she's okay :3

[mikhailoisbaby]

So a couple of weeks ago I wrote (this) galladrabbles and it made me want to write and expand on this theme.

This is set in my au that franny was abandoned but Debbie a week after season 11 , Debbie went to Texas and never comes back for franny.

Can Either read under the cut or on ao3 (here)

Also the art can be seen here with the process video (here)

Franny And Her Fathers

Although the adoption paper has been filed for months, Mickey and Ian truly knew they made the right decision when Debbie didn’t turn up for Franny's 6th birthday. After months of Countless texts and more than 100 missed calls to her as well as fucking emails and letters sent to her addresses they have been given, there was still no show of Debbie on her only daughter's birthday.

Ian can’t help but sympathise with how Franny must be feeling every time she would look over to the front door in hopes that her mother would finally come back and collect her and never leave her again, but it never happened for her nor to the Gallagher kids waiting for Monica to come through and say she was staying forever.

They Knew Franny was delaying blowing out her candles, and every car that could be heard in the distance of their apartment, She looked out the windows to never see her redhead mother walking up to the apartment entrance.

But the candles had to be blown and if Anyone had to guess they knew the wish would be about Debbie.

Everyone but especially Mickey tried to make the day good, with a dinosaur cake, all her friends gathered, cartoons and candy galore, any gift Franny could even think about mickey tried his best for her to have it but nothing would fulfil Franny's heart like her mother would do at that moment.

So days passed of Franny's mood being down they knew it would slowly pass with forgetfulness just like all the Gallagher kids did with Monica, but Mickey just wanted to see his sweet little redhead smile again.

So watching an episode of crappy kid cartoons on Saturday morning while Ian was at the gym with his younger brother Carl, just Like it is every Saturday, Mickey and Franny curled up in one of Ian's old blankets on the new grey fabric sofa with a big bowl of cereal each and watched whatever the little one wanted, Mickey had to admit some of the shows she watched were pretty good.

About 1 hour into of cartoon watching their bowls drained and placed in the sink and an episode of some overly colourful animated kids came on presenting an episode of them riding on bikes and like that Franny's eyes showed so much curiosity and light that Mickey hasn’t seen for the past few days that it makes him overly whelming happy to see her enjoying something even if it on a TV with the dumb character, something sparked in her little head.

“Can I learn how to ride a bike?” Franny asks with her big blue eyes looking at Mickey like he hung the stars.

“ You don’t know how to kid?” Mickey asked, he doesn’t know what age a kid learns to ride a bike, but he feels like this so something Franny should already know. He remembers riding around on stolen bikes with his older brothers and throwing rocks at people, and he was younger than Franny he thinks.

“No” Franny shook her head, letting her ginger curls flop everywhere over her face. Mickey keeps forgetting to tie her hair back in the morning. If he is honest, he is obsessed with her little ginger curls that fall over her face that she pushes back every five seconds with annoyance.

Mickey knew instantly that he needed to teach his niece (that in a few months the courts would make his daughter) how to ride a bike, and that was the mission of the day.

Mickey got himself ready as Franny did the same in her small room that was once a junk room that lasted 3 days before they had to make it a Franny bedroom, her room decorated in mostly blue and greens as well as dinosaurs stickers covering the wall that will most likely tear the paint off the walls when removed.

Mickeys dressed in his signature timberland boots and ripped black jeans with Ian's hoodie thrown over as the weather was a bit chilly outside. Franny almost dressed similarly to Mickey, fake timberland boots (they weren’t paying $40 for shoes she grew out of in a few months) black leggings with white stars over them and a Forest green hoodie that has a dinosaur over it that her uncle Lip bought a month before.

They were set and ready to get Franny a bike, Mickey knew Franny wasn’t going to get some second-hand crap with scratches, dents and most likely been stolen, she wouldn't have cared but still, they arrived at the target that has small selections kids bikes passing through the toy aisle and picking one new toy (a pack of Safari animals that Franny “really needed” to add to her collection) they arrive at the bike aisle. The pink and overly sparkly ones instantly got a pass when Franny saw them but then right in the middle a bright red bike with flames adorning the sides and Franny fell in love.

Thankfully it was the right size and the seat was adjustable as well as the pedals seemed a good fit, they made sure to get a helmet because they know the safety police (Ian) will be in full force.

When arrived back home they took it to the apartment in wait for Ian to get back from

The lunch he has every week with lip and carl after the gym but inside Mickey showed Franny what everything is on the bike like the breaks and little bell as well as attached the stabilisers on the side and let her sit in it for a while to slowly build her confidence just being on the bike.

It was like that for a few days when Ian and Mickey tried to teach Franny without the stabiliser that she got the hang of riding the bike with them pretty quick but was still not ready to remove the stabilises as well she still screams at Ian or Mickey about letting go .it wasn’t until day 3 when she was happy with them letting go with no stabilisers 

“ I think I can do it,” Franny says, clicking her helmet into place and placing her legs over her bike seat.

Ian picked out her outfit while fanny was eating breakfast, which was rare they normal let her wear whatever she wanted but Mickey was pretty sure it had to do that Franny wanted to wear the bright blue dinosaur costume that Carl Bought her only last week and it was an attempt to forget about the Dino costume and thankfully it worked. so she was dressed in her little denim short dungarees ( the weather was slightly warmer today than it’s been for the past week) and her green hoodies and shoes that match Ian's converse, but Franny is a fake version because once again they aren’t paying $40 for shoes she going to grow out of in a few months.

“Okay kiddo but if you fall it’s, you got your knee pads and gloves on, so you be fine,” Ian said checking that her helmet strap wasn’t too tight

Ian made Mickey go out to buy elbow and knees pads after the spend day a full day of bike riding when Franny almost tumble off even with the stabilizers on (like Mickey said “the safety police”)the only choice Mickey was given was bright pink ones that he knows Franny would never wear unless you’re bribed her with a copious amount for chocolate or some lime greens one that she would wear happy although it goes terribly with her red bike and little ginger curls.

They were at the small car park just behind their apartment building that mostly parked bigger trucks and the kitted-out black ambulance is parked, but its car park stays empty, so it was safe for Franny to ride in.

Ian ran holding on to Franny to get her to pick up some speed and then let go as they agreed.

Both men watched as their kid cycled even turning without a wobble. Mickey watched as ian was ready to run to catch her if she started to fall but she was okay.

They both felt oddly emotional they thought this is how learnt that is how it must feel watching their kid take a few steps But it was what she was shouting that broke the flood gates of tears for both of the men.

“ papa, daddy look in doing it”

That was the first time she ever called them her father, and it was out of pure excitement they never thought she would be calling them her fathers, but with Debbie being absent for a Year they can understand why.

Mickey ran to catch up with Franny, so she slowed down and they came to a stop when Mickey hauled Franny off the bike for a big hug soon joined by Ian wrapping his large arms around them both

“ Did you see? I did it! I did” Franny practically screamed with joy, reviving a wet cheek kiss from both men

“ We did kiddo was so proud of you baby, you were so fast,” mickey said Brushing his wet face into Franny's helmet

“ Did you see?” Franny asked Ian, and it makes they sob more just here big bright eyes full of so much love for them

“ Yeah I saw Fran, you did so well,” Ian said kissing Franny's nose and kissing Mickey's head trying to hide his tears flowing

“Why are you crying?” she asked both men with a slight frown on their pouty freckled face

“ we happy baby, we're so proud of you” ian easily replied and Franny seemed content with that answer and snuggled back in the hug until she bored and wanted to ride again.

That is how the rest of the day went Franny rode around in their shitty west side car park screaming and laughing and at some points Franny would try and chase Mickey on the bike threatening to run him over.

That day changed both men so much that they weren’t just uncles anymore they were fathers.

[bre-meister]

Training Wheels

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” 

Leon looked up at his wife from where he was sitting in the garage; baby Olivia sitting on her hip contentedly playing with her mother’s cropped hair. Their toolbox was sitting next to him, wrenches and some bolts spread around him. Isabelle’s bike stood in front of him in all its blue, glittery, tassely glory.

“Izzy says she wants to learn how to ride without training wheels - “

“Which Chris offered to do,” Claire cut in. “ He was really great at it when he taught me and he hasn’t gotten to see the girls that often lately - it would be a great way for him to spend some time with his niece.”

Leon looked at her from over the bike clearly not amused or in agreement.

 “Claire,” he started, voice flat and monotone, “ I can teach my own daughter how to ride without training wheels.”

“Really? Well don’t you need pedals to ride a bike?” she shot back in that same monotone voice, although a little mocking.

Leon sighed. He’d had this conversation with Claire before when Izzy had asked to learn in the first place. Claire had volunteered Uncle Chris for the task and Leon had jumped in immediately after to reassure everyone present that he could in fact teach someone to ride a “big girl bike” just as well as anyone else - even better in fact!

Leon had most definitely never had to teach anyone how to do anything like how to ride a bike before. So, he did the next best thing - research.

In all honesty, that research mostly comprised of him asking Hunnigan who then directed him to check the internet which really should have been his first step. So, he did as told and found a very promising article on some random blog that suggested taking the pedals off of the bike and ride down a small, controlled incline (aka, their driveway). Apparently, this was supposed to help the trainee learn how to balance without the distraction of trying to pedal. It seemed like pretty sound logic to him and he’d told Claire as much. And so, that was how they found themselves in their current predicament on a Saturday afternoon - Claire and little Olivia watching him butcher Izzy’s poor bike while waiting for said little girl to get home from spending time with Sherry to learn how to ride a “big girl bike”.

“Hey, I know what I’m doing ok? Trust me. When have I ever been wrong?”

Claire opened her mouth, a response at the ready but Leon interrupted her before she could get it out,

“Don’t answer that,” He said, returning his attention to the one pedal left on the bike.

“I already talked to Chris. He’d be more than happy to teach Izzy.”

“Claire!”

She fixed him with a look that said “don’t snap at me”  and “try that again and see what happens” all at the same time. A chill ran down his spine and his face twisted into a sorry smile.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I just… this is an important milestone in our daughter’s life and I want to be the one to guide her in this --”

Everyone in the garage went silent as the loud snap was heard. Even Oliva quieted her babbling to look at her daddy - mouth fixed in a surprised o shape.

“So…” Claire wasn’t exactly sure what to say.

Leon sighed - this time, defeated. He stood, nodding his head in the direction of the now broken bike.

“Just call Chris already,” Leon disappeared behind the door leading into the kitchen.

For a moment, Claire thought he had gone inside to sulk. Part of her felt bad for him but another part of her felt like saying the implied I told you so. She was a little confused when he returned, keys in hand.

“What are you doing now?” Claire had to struggle to hold in her laugh.

“Going to buy our daughter a new bike before she gets back and sees...this,” he gestures towards the broken pedal and mess of bolts and - was that the chain? At least that’s what she assumed it used to be.

“Leon,” she had to take a minute to control herself to hold in her laughter. She moved a little closer to the bike to get a better look before continuing, “How - how did you manage this?”

She hoped her wide smile didn’t betray her attempt to hide her laughter. Unfortunately, Olivia did not seem to have the same courtesy. The little girl on her hip began to let out a round of liting baby giggles.

Leon paused his walk towards his jeep at the sound of his youngest daughter’s laugh. Turning around he made his way back towards Olivia and Claire.

“Are you laughing at Daddy, Livy?” he asked, incredulously.

The little girl just continued her giggling. Giggles turned into squeals as Leon reached out, tickling her little tummy. At this point, Claire was also laughing. She mouthed a “sorry” towards him but didn’t make to stop laughing. 

Eventually, Leon joined in as well - laughing at his own expense. 

“That was pretty funny, Little Bug, wasn’t it.”

Leon had always said that Liv’s little noises odd discontent sounded like a buzzing little bee and so, he had given her the name “Little Bug” to go alongside his nicknames for her and Isabelle - Angel and Princess respectively. Claire didn’t always buy into it but the name was kinda cute and Olivia seemed to enjoy the special attention so she never said anything about it either way.

Leon leaned in until his nose touched Olivia’s - matching features replicated smaller on her dainty face. He made his own buzzing sound and Liv tried her best to replicate it over her now revived laughter. Olivia reached for her Daddy’s face, tiny hands patting at the stubble on his cheeks as he pulled away and placed a kiss on top of her head.

Claire thought this little tradition of theirs was the cutest thing in the world. Then again, maybe she was a little biased but she’d be lying if she said she and Leon didn’t make cute kids. A hot husband plus cute kids doing cute things? Irresistible - she felt like melting then and there.

She was next. Leon planted a kiss on her forehead along with a quick peck on her lips before strolling back towards his Jeep, laughing to himself all the way.

“So you’re really going to buy a whole new bike?” She asked, tone filled with mirth.

“Well, what else am I supposed to do? I don’t think Izzy would take kindly to the news that her “big girl bike” has been broken before she could even learn to ride it. Plus,” he opened the car door, “ she’s had that bike for a while. All the tassels are falling off - it was bound to break soon anyway. Why not just get her a new one that’s a little bigger so she’ll have room to grow into it?”

Claire saw right through that charade,

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Kennedy.”

His mumbled reply was cut off by the closing of the car door. Claire stood there in the garage a little while longer watching as Leon started the car and prepared to take off down the street.

“Leon!” She waved her free hand to get his attention.

He rolled down the window and stuck his head out to make sure he heard her.

“Make sure you get the most glittery, purplest bike with all the tassels you can find. Oh! And a little bell.”

“Purple? What happened to blue?”

Claire smiled teasingly, 

“You said it yourself, our daughter is growing up and purple is a big girl color so all of her things have to be purple ‘cause she’s a big girl now,” Claire repeated what Isabelle had told her the previous day.

“Purple it is, “ Leon said.

Liv let out another round of giggles - this time for the way her Mommy’s necklace changed colors as the light hit it. She could hear Leon’s own laugh as he rolled the window back up and set off on his mission to find Isabelle a new bike.

Looking over the jumbled mess on the floor one last time, Claire went back inside to make the call to Chris requesting his services to teach her daughter how to ride a bike. She decided she’d spare the larger details - Leon’s pride had taken enough of a hit today. Claire loved him enough to spare him from the worst of the teasing her brother would no doubly inflict on the younger man.

She smiled to herself as she pulled her necklace out of Olivia’s hands before she could put it in her mouth. These were the kinds of moments she lived for - moments filled with laughter and love. Those were the feelings that she knew they would always remember even long after the memories faded.

Although, Claire would be hard-pressed to forget this particular memory. Just because she was sparing Leon from Chris’ teasing doesn’t mean he would be spared from her own.

[sapphiics]

even numbers for the top 10 long answer asks !! <3

oooh thank you leah!! this is long i’m so sorry

2. Top five songs right now and why

Edge of Midnight by Miley Cyrus and Stevie Nicks

I’m really into Miley’s whole rock thing right now, and the song just reminds me of like Blondie and Kiss! and the lyrics hold up enough that I can not only enjoy the tune and musicality but sing along and actually enjoy it.

La Lune by Madeon and Dan Smith

i first heard this song in this instagram edit for one of my favorite ships, nathan and haley from oth, over a year ago and it is still one of my favorites. The best part is definitely the pre chorus, but the chorus itself is really good to. It just talks about how things don’t feel the same, and whenever I listen to it I get like a burst of energy I can’t even explain.

I’m just a kid by Simple Plan

That song sounds like a documentary of my life. I feel as if I’m wasting away and not doing enough (even in a pandemic where the whole point is to stay at home as much as possible) and I feel alone most of the time, like nobody cares about me. Plus it’s early 2000s grunge(?)/rock so It’s an automatic favorite.

Figure 8 by ellie goulding

Oh my not only is her voice so amazing in this song, the music just sounds good. reminds me heavily of 2014 type stuff, like when Calvin Harris and Avicii were in their prime, and it’s a song that I scream the lyrics to while dancingaround my kitchen at 2am while sweeping.

23 by Jimmy eat world

This is me and my older sister’s song. She’s a senior in high school and our relationship was very tumultuous for most of our lives, but we’re in a really good place right now and this song is one we scream together in our kitchen whenever rit comes on one of our playlists. I first heard it on one tree hill, and I showed it to her and the entire song is how you have to reach for what/who you want before you’re alone for the rest of your life, and it pushes me to reach for my dreams before life passes me by. I won’t always be young forever.

4. Least Favorite memory from school

I’m 9 years old sitting in the principals office.Fifth grade. I was such a mean kid, and I acted out a lot because of unresolved issues at home, and bullying form earlier grades. I remember picking on this new kid, and I found out his chrome book password and logged in to his computer. I got my chrome book revoked, and I just remember sitting there and having my counselor look me in the eyes and say ‘ you’re a bully. I’m sorry to say it but that’s what you are.’ i’m sad and ashamed and angry, because this was the woman who did absolutely nothing when I was getting horrifically bullied by this one boy in the third grade, who called me a mistake from god, but I was also horrified by myself for becoming the person J hate the most. Elementary School was just bad tbh.

6. Describe one of your favorite people: My Brother.

Technically my half brother (same dad) but even though he didn’t live with my dad as a kid he’s only ever known my dad’s family, and his kids call my mom grandma. He’s 18 years older than me, but we’re pretty close and I tell him almost everything about myself. He’s open-minded and really nice, and most of my best memories as a kid were with him.

When he first moved in with us, me all of 3, my sisters 6 and 8 respectively, and him a good 21, we barely conversed. He had school and multiple jobs, on top of learning to speak english. It wasn’t until my second oldest sister went to him, crying about how he never spent time with us, that he quit one of his jobs that week, and dedicated the next years to being someone who I have always counted on in every capacity.

My parents worked a lot when I was young, my dad gone to work at the airport early in the morning, and my mom finally getting the nursing job she wanted since she moved to America, so my brother took us everywhere. We lived within very short walking distance of an elementary school, so he took us to the park, pushed us in the swings, helped us ride our bikes, and spun us in this little yellow swirly thing, like a wide funnel with small railings that you sit in.

For my tenth birthday, he took me to the water park with one of my friends. My oldest sister’s fourteenth birthday, he took her to an amusement park with friends. My other older sister’s 12th bday, he took her and some friends to the movies. A girl in my sixth grade class had her parents surprise her at school by coming to lunch and eating with her, and I wanted the same thing. Not even thinking about my parents, cause I knew they were too busy, I ask my brother (and my sister-in-law) to come, and they did with my baby niece.

When Frozen came out, he took all of us to go see it. When Maleficent came out, he took us to the movies to go watch it. The very first movie we ever watched together was the Adventures of Tin-tin. I haven’t watched it since, but I recommend it to everybody I know. The night he proposed to his now wife, it was after taking all of us to go watch Mr.Peabody & Sherman, and to Johnny Rockets afterward.

Also he’s really funny, 6’2, and we have this long running joke on what year he was born. I still don’t know for myself, and I’ve seen documents, passports, and old photos. Gave me two perfect nieces, an amazing sister-in law, and hates on God as a joke. I don’t think I know a better guy.

sometimes when I sit with and talk to him and my sisters, this moment just happens where I’m looking at all of them and the epiphany of‘these are my siblings. nobody will ever be closer to me, both biologically and emotionally, than these people. I am you and you are me, just scrambled differently.’ Even though he has a different mom, he’s such an integral part of my life that he’s just automatically included.

8. Childhood Band I liked.

Fall Out Boy. I was a huge pjo fan, as were my siblings, and I watched those little mvs on youtube with viria(are they still a thing)’s art to fall out boy songs, and as a kid who was growing up and learning things at an alarming rate that has definitely messed up the way I understand my world, Fall Out Boy’s music was the perfect vessel to express my anger. I can remember the day in 2014 where a new pjo mv dropped, to the tune of The Phoenix by FOB.

this is already super long and gianna asked for ten so i’ll link the answer here

[elizabeth-234]

Chapter Twelve

https://archiveofourown.org/works/18560182/chapters/44776798

Someone to Care

Chapter Eleven

Happy weekend everyone! Hope you all enjoy the next installment :)

May Parker was a practical sort of person. She always knew what needed to be done and was eager to do whatever necessary to complete it. It was just one of the many reasons why she was such an excellent nurse. No matter what she was ready and willing to lend a hand or two to fix a problem. There was one puzzle recently that she hadn’t been able to solve. Her niece. Her daughter, Peyton, was that enigma. The girl had been acting strange lately. Well, stranger than normal. There had been so many late nights May had lost track, she hadn’t been hanging out with Ned as much recently, and then coincidently she had been accepted at the Stark Industries internship. May couldn’t quite put a finger on what it was but was wrong and her niece certainly wasn’t confessing to anything. It would be her job to figure out what was the cause.  

She had been missing a vital part of herself ever since Ben had left. Going to the funeral had been difficult, to say the least. Seeing the mahogany box sitting before the altar had ripped that cavern open wider, leaving the edges jagged and aching. But she faced every kind word and sympathetic expression. No, she and Peyton bore their politeness together and then drifted to the apartment to truly grieve. The buildings and shops they passed along the way looked dull and listless, as if a filter had been thrown over the world. Like the world was grieving with them. What she couldn’t imagine, and secretly was grateful that it hadn’t her, was being there when it happened. Her sweet Peyton had witnessed what only haunted May at night.

After it transpired Peyton woke her up with screams in the middle of the night. The first time May believed that someone had broken in their apartment; that the killer had come back to finish the job. She remembered stumbling into Peyton’s room, her legs weak from fear and expecting the worse. Finding the only assailant to be the covers wrapped tightly around her niece’s slumbering body. Her heart broke every time she ran to her room and soon May became proficient at waking her struggling niece. She learned which clothes piles to avoid for some of them, like landmines, had books and other sharp objects lying in wait. She learned not to touch Peyton at first. That talking in a muted and composed manner was the best approach and when her movements stopped being so intense it was all right to gently shake her shoulder or smooth her bangs back from her forehead. May learned to ask if she wanted to talk about it but not prod too much or Peyton would lash out at her, yelling hurtful words before turning to face the wall; curling into herself. May learned that sometimes Peyton wanted to listen to her talk, just mindless chatter, and some nights she just wanted the sound of hers and May’s breaths to fill the room, leaving no vacancies for undesirable thoughts. May learned all of this though she was always dreading the succeeding lesson.

At first it seemed fair to give the girl her space. Everyone consumed their grief differently and she wanted Peyton to process the emotions and events that had occurred in her own way. She herself needed time to grieve; not just for the past but also for the future she would no longer have. Although Ben and her weren’t biologically Peyton’s parents, she would never want to replace them, from the moment that little girl in pigtails had walked into their home, she had been family. Had been their daughter. They were there when Peyton learned to ride a bike, when she came home crying when kids at school were making fun of her, and when she had shown them a valentine from her crush at school. They were witness to her life, guiding her every way. And now it was just her and Peyton. She thought it was normal, healthy even, to give both of them some space but now May felt completely out of control and it was starting to frustrate her. She had been working a ton recently and because of that there wasn’t a lot of time for the two of them to spend together. When May was available, Peyton always seemed to have something to do, some excuse. She wouldn’t even go to the Thai restaurant that they loved so much. May had tried to bribe her there multiple times. The only way that Peyton would hang was if May caught her off guard sometimes on the weekends.

The subway voice chimed, distracting her from her thoughts. She glanced around and realized that this was her stop. May stood up, careful to keep her bag closed under her arm and shuffled through the throng of people to the doorway. Her shift had been lengthy and she was anxious to get home. The car wasn’t too busy and therefore she was surprised when some guy stood in front of her, blocking the path. He bumped into her, causing her to stumble into a lady behind her. As she was muttering an apology to her the man spoke forcefully, drawing attention. “Excuse you, Lady. You better watch were you’re fucking going.” She was taken a back; the man was dressed in a business suit and his eyes bore into her, roaming uncomfortably over her body. She pulled her bag in front of her, creating a makeshift armor, and slipped her hand into the pocket on the back of her bag to grab the pepper spray hidden there. She began to apologize in a calm manner, making sure to look just above his ear when he cut her off, verbally this time. “Hey, now. That’s okay. Why don’t you buy me a drink and we can call it even.” His voice was slippery and left a lingering slime over her skin.

“No, thank you. I have to be getting home.” This was not taken well and his face contorted in anger. The fingers in his hands curled into tight fists, as he was about to retort. Before he could get a word out the woman she bumped into came up and hugged May from the side. May hadn’t seen her coming and stood still, waiting to see what would happen. The woman, a smaller lady with small green eyes and a baseball cap on patted her shoulder and exclaimed how good it was to see her after all this time. “My goodness dear. You are positively glowing. I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you earlier. We need to catch up over the good old days. You free?” She nodded numbly and peaked at the man, noticing his upset expression but unlike before he muttered under his breath and sat back down, glaring but leaving the two women to exit the car.

She breathed out and looked toward her savior. “Thank you so much.” The woman smiled and shook May’s offered hand. “No need to thank me. We have to look out for each other, don’t we? Can you get home okay?”

“Yes we do and I should be all right. How about yourself?”

“Oh, I’ll be okay,” Her smile reminding May of the Cheshire Cat. “Have a nice night now.”

The lady was turning to walk away when May impulsively put her hand on the lady’s shoulder. Her posture went ridged as May hugged her again, only returning it at the last second. “Thank you. If there is anything you ever need. Let me know,” and slipped the woman her business card. Quickly, not wanting to chance fate again she hurried home, not taking the time to admire the apartments she passed on the way.

When she got home the apartment was dark. The only light emanated from the opened windows in the living room, leaving squares of pale moonlight on the floor. It was silent and Peyton’s door was closed. It still had the feeling of something missing, someone absent. May sighed as she sat her bag down on the floor and put her shoes in the little cubby in the walkway, her feet aching as she walked now barefoot to the kitchen. She opened the fridge door and was mortified by what she saw. A package of wrinkly grapes took up the bulk of the main shelf and there were a couple glass containers in the back with food from some undeterminable time ago. The transaction on the subway had scattered her thoughts and she had forgotten to pick some groceries up on the way home. Hopefully Peyton had gotten something to eat. An overwhelming sinking feeling rose in her stomach, was she doing right by her niece? It was just groceries but what if she forgot something important next time? Closing the doors to the fridge she made her way to the bathroom they shared. It was still warm and a mist of condensation hung over the mirror. Wiping it away revealed her face, marred by the water smudges still present on the glass. She washed her face trying not to criticize the creases at the corner of her eyes that had appeared somewhere in the last few years.  

Yes, she was sure of it. Something was bothering Peyton. She had noticed all the late nights spent out recently. Peyton had tried being sneaky but May had been a teenager once and knew when someone was trying to avoid answering questions. Her niece had thought she was being clever to use decathlon practice as an excuse when May bombarded her with questions a couple of weeks ago, but she had already known when practice times were. And they were not lined up with when Peyton was gone. Peyton hadn’t signed up to do tennis this year either. Giving her a lame, she was so busy excuse. They had been practicing all of last year together. May knew a girl who owned a gym and let them use the courts for free after hours. Her hand never seemed to want to work in coordination with her feet and she ended up on the wrong side of the court. But Peyton was good at it; always seemed two steps ahead. Still, she wanted to give Peyton opportunities she hadn’t had, opportunities she would have had if she were still with Richard and Mary. It was weird though. Peyton hadn’t even seemed that upset about it, just casually mentioned she wasn’t going to go out for the team this year when May had brought up try-outs.  

And then she got the internship. An internship May hadn’t even known she had applied for. One minute she got it and then she was spending everyday at Stark Towers, which had May worrying. Although originally she didn’t think Peyton would even be spending time with the man himself she soon found out how wrong she was and that Peyton was something like his personal assistant? Peyton had been vague with answers and Tony Stark didn’t seem like the type of person Peyton should be spending time with. She had assumed Peyton would be doing grunt work? But then Tony Stark had shown up in her doorway, carrying a sleeping Peyton in his arms, and he had debunked all her expectations in the one brief visit. She had watched from the doorway as he had laid Peyton down in her bed. He gently took off her shoes, dragged the covers over her, and May realized what was happening. Somehow, Tony Stark had come to care for her niece.

Quietly she padded to the girl’s room and opened the door. A tuft of hair sticking out from the covers was the only thing she could see. Smiling she gently shut the door, wincing as the panel stuck to the paint creating a popping noise. She held her breath for a moment and when nothing stirred in the room beyond, released it and walked to her room. Yes, there was something going on with Peyton and May was going to find out what.

The following weekend she woke feeling rested. There was a small soreness emanating from her knees and lower back but it was always like that after a particularly laborious shift. Used to it by now she practically danced off the bed ready to start the mission. There was no light coming from under Peyton’s door so she decided to go grocery shopping. The store was busy and she had just started making breakfast when Peyton slunk out of her room. “Good morning sweet P.” May smiled even wider when Peyton froze for a second, caught off guard, and then melted into movement again. The girl’s hair stuck every way imaginable and there were pillowcase marks running across her face to the bottom of her neck. May reached out and pulled the girl in for a hug, wrapping her arms around her small shoulders and smoothing her hair down in the back. Holding the girl at arms length she smiled warmly at Peyton and brushed some sleep away from her still half open eyes. “I’m making our favorite. Belgium waffles with strawberries!”

The girl’s stomach growled in an appropriate response. “Awesome! We haven’t had that in so long. Can I help with anything?”

“Grab the Bisquick out of the pantry would you?” Together they set about cooking breakfast, only making a smoke cloud of flour twice, a new record for them. Their forks scrapping the dishes were the only sound in the room as they sat around the table and enjoyed their homemade meal. May preferred hers with powered sugar dashed on top of the strawberries and Peyton had to have at least a ton of maple syrup; always the real stuff. Peyton insisted on clearing the table and raced out of the chair, trying to beat May to the sink. She clipped herself on the edge of the counter and May saw her grimace. “You alright sweetie?” Peyton’s hand rested on the sink while her other grabbed at her side. May walked around the island counter and smoothed her hand across Peyton’s back.

“P? What’s the matter?” Her niece spun around and buried her head in May’s shoulder. Wetness sunk into her blouse as Peyton’s shoulders quivered silently. May whispered endless comforts to her at a loss as to what she should do. “It’s okay my sweet P. I’m here. It will all be okay.” Her shirt became stiff and dry as her niece rested there, her hands clenched in the fabric of May’s shirt. She looked up from her shoulder and said, “I’m sorry May. I don’t know what came over me.” She shifted back and forth between her feet, ducking her head down to hid behind her bangs. Peyton hadn’t cried in front May since she was little. Not even for Ben.

“Oh, darling girl. You don’t have anything to apologize for. I am always here. No matter where you are. No matter what has happened. I love you and nothing will change that.” May could see another bout of tears coming and led them over to the couch, grabbing some tissues on the way. She asked whether Peyton wanted to talk about it but she just shook her head. Peyton ended up with her head in May’s lap after as May gentled carded her fingers through her knotted hair, admiring the way her curls caught the light showing off the hues in it. She turned the TV on in the background and could hear Peyton’s breaths become languid as she fell asleep. The two spent the rest of the afternoon together. May holding her sleeping niece like so many times in the younger’s childhood, leaving a bittersweet feeling in May.

After a subdued dinner Peyton headed off to finish some homework before school the next day. May stood, hip resting against the counter thinking of her next course of action. Putting on her mom pants, she searched through her bag trying to find the number. She knew he had given it to her before he left. A smirk came over her face as she looked at the extravagant piece of paper. The card was minimal with a gold geometric pattern that mimicked some type of technology inlaid in the background. The font, which was in a deep, glossy, red, was crisp and minimal. There was no name, only a phone number but who could ever mistake this for someone’s other than Tony Stark.

Grabbing her cell phone she called out to Peyton, telling her she had a work call and that she would be in the hallway outside. Swiftly exiting their apartment she leaned against the railing and wondered if she was doing the right thing. Peyton was almost an adult and knew that if something were bothering her May would always be open to listening. Was it too much to pry this way? It could have been any number of things that elicited that response in her but then she remembered the gut wrenching sounds her niece had made. The way she had clung to her, as if May could save her from drowning. She would be willing to do anything to help Peyton and if there was a chance that Tony Stark knew anything, May would find out. With a sigh she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number.

“This is Tony Stark,” rung through her speakers sounding weary and distant

“Hi, Tony. This is May Parker.”

“May.” A hesitation. “Is. uh, is everything okay with Peyton?”

“Look, I don’t think this really has anything to do with the internship, with you. But I was wondering if you noticed Peyton acting differently.”

“Different, how?” He was speaking deliberately like it was taking him a while to sort through his thoughts and find the correct response. “I’m sorry May. I don’t know how well I can answer that question. Last weekend was so hectic. I was being pulled every which way. In fact I’m still kind of recovering.” A bereaved laugh escaped him.

“I understand. She has just been so happy recently. The internship has really put a spark back into her life and her confidence has been up. Did I tell you she’s started to take notes again? She hasn’t done that since before but I was picking up the laundry and noticed her old science notebooks were open and filled with formulas; not that I could tell you what they are for but, uh, sorry. Sidetracked. I didn’t want to inconvenience you but this morning she was just so upset. I haven’t seen her like that in so long and was wondering if something happened at the conference. Maybe someone’s bothering her?

“Bothering her? Not that I noticed. When you say upset…?”

“She was sobbing, Tony. Crying so hard she exhausted herself and fell asleep. Look, I can tell this was a mistake. Maybe she’s just been overwhelmed at school. I’m sorry to have bothered you Mr. Stark.”

“Tony, please,” rung out before she could disconnect. Her embarrassment, which had her cheeks flushing thankfully to no witnesses, made her even more frustrated with the lack of answers. He swallowed. “I’m really sorry to hear that May. More than words can describe. I, uh, the kid is great. She shouldn’t have to worry about anything. I’ll look into it, though. And anything I can do. Please, never hesitate to call me again. You and Peyton are never a bother.”

“Thank you Tony. Thank you for taking care of my sweet P.”

“Always.”

It was dark on the landing as she peered out into the neighborhood. It had been nice when she and Ben had first moved in, spacious for the two of them, and perfect for their family of three. But as with all things, time had taken it’s toll and change had tainted the surroundings. A dog barked aggressively while a car blaring low bass rolled somewhere May couldn’t see from where she was standing. While Tony hadn’t been a hindrance the phone had not been helpful either. She still couldn’t stop from thinking that it was something to do with the internship. The sound of footsteps interrupted her inner musings. She pulled up the emergency call on her phone and made sure her keys were in hand, ready to use if necessary. The footsteps were slow and echoed down the hallway, coming between her and the apartment. The apartment building was safe, normally, but May couldn’t contain the inkling of worry that was there in the recesses of her mind.

The figure appeared climbing up the stairs; the shadows obscured them so May could only see their outline. As they came closer she could tell that they were clad in black, their body leant heavily on the metal railing. The woman, if May had to guess a gender, was small and wore baggy sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Both had dirt smeared on them and were stained from copious amounts of sweat; a baseball cap covered her hair. May stood there observing the person from under her eyelashes so as not to appear like she was spying. “I know you can see me.” The voice said, definitely a woman. It sounded familiar but she couldn’t quite place it. She turned to fully face the person who now stood at arms length from her.  It was hard to believe that she was still standing let alone walking up stairs. May didn’t reply. Her stomach clenched as she cleared her throat. Looking toward the sky she sent out a quick prayer to anyone listening, straightened her spine in attempt to intimidate, and then turned to face the woman.

Her earlier attempts at spying while gleaning some information didn’t reveal accurately about this woman’s situation. There was sweat and dirt defacing her outfit, but most of the dark stains were blood, focused heavily on her right side underneath some rips in her top. May progressed inspecting the stranger and saw some deep bruises on her clavicle where her sweatshirt was frayed. May gasped when she saw her face. Dark purple and yellow bruises covered what would otherwise be labeled as attractive. One particularly bad black eye contrasted against her green eyes and a gash on her cheek left a trickle of blood down the side of her face, congealing with some of the woman’s hair now gummed there. It was the woman from the subway. “Oh my goodness. Are you okay? Of course you’re not okay. Forgive me. My place is just right here. Come inside and I can fix you up.”

The woman’s expression had been resigned through May’s inspection but it transformed to dumbfounded, her mouth popped open creating a small circle while her eyes widened almost comically when May gently took her by the upper arm, on what looked to be the uninjured side, and led her into the apartment. “Here we are. Sit there while I get my bag.” The woman sat and tried to control a grimace of pain but May being used to spotting such things at the hospital could tell right away. “Don’t you worry. We’ll get you all fixed up.” She left the room to get her bag; making sure Peyton’s door was still closed. Her thoughts were racing and she calmly reminded herself that the patient was priority number. All her questions could be answered later.

“All right now. If you could just lay down here. There you go and I’m just going to lift up your shirt to under your ribs.” The woman said nothing and complied with May’s request. Her eyes were glued to May’s face, not even leaving when May pulled her shirt away from the injuries. May clinically filed every injury from requiring immediate attention to those that could wait. It looked like there were multiple, shallow wounds, probably from something like a knife, and grazes to her side. Mercifully the bleeding had slowed in some of the more superficial wounds. As she began cleaning them she glanced up the woman’s face once more, meeting her eyes. “I think we need to take you to the hospital.” The woman’s eyebrows furrowed. “No. No hospitals.” May continued to assess the woman and could see there was no moving her. “Oh, very well. You’re lucky that none of these are in that dangerous of a position but this is not the most conducive environment for healing.”

A short laugh erupted from the woman. “Oh, luck had nothing to do with it. You should see the other guy.” Her eyes widened, like she couldn’t believe she had just said that and May couldn’t tell if she was joking. She decided that it didn’t matter for the time being. “What happened? And what should I call you? You obviously know my name and somehow know where I live?”

A look of deliberate blankness came across her face as the two women sat there. One stretched out on the couch, the other kneeling by her side. There was a minute amount of trust between them. May would have helped the woman either way for stepping in on the subway that night but there was something about her face that screamed she was alone. Something about the way the woman carried herself that had May’s motherly instincts begging to pry. To step in and help. Carefully as not to scare her, May took her hand, smoothing her thumb over her knuckles. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me. I just want to see you safe.”

The woman swallowed before glancing around the living room, her eyes came to rest on the picture of her, Ben, and Peyton. “You have a beautiful family,” the small smile gracing her lips distorted in a moment. “I should go. I shouldn’t have come. I’m sorry.” She made a move to stand up and leave, when May’s hand tightened over hers.

“Please, It’s okay. You’re hurt and need rest. Our place is open to you however long you need assistance. Please, let me help you.” The woman looked like she was debating. Deliberating whether it was worth staying, whether May was telling the truth. Finally she spoke, “You can call me Nat.” That was a start. May could work with that.

“Okay, Nat. I’m May. Pleased to meet you.” They shared another smile as Nat’s hand warmed in her own. She continued cleansing the wounds, disinfecting it of all bacteria. One of them needed stitches and then May set about dressing them. She was looking at the gash on Nat’s cheek when Peyton came out of her room. Walking casually to the kitchen, too casually. Her steps were careful unlike her usual clomping, which had May suspicious. Peyton had heard their visitor and was trying to get a look for herself. Nat strained herself, trying to remain nonchalant but the set of her spine changed and May could tell she was stressed. “It’s only my niece,” She told her in a low voice. Louder, in order to reach across the apartment she said, “Peyton you can come out.”

Her niece sheepishly came out from the kitchen and stopped short when she saw the woman lying down on their couch. The bandages were all covered, only Nat’s bruised face could be seen. She wasn’t sure if Peyton would faint over any blood. “Peyton, this is Nat. Nat this is my niece, Peyton.” Peyton had the most particular expression over her face. It had become pale, her hand trembling over the glass of water she was holding. “Peyton? Are you all right?” Her niece said nothing but continued to look at Nat. May swiveled to stare at the other woman. Her expression returned blank but almost defiant with an impressive brow arch.

“Uh, hi, Miss Nat pleased to meet you. I, uh, forgot I had this huge essay due. So. Yeah, an essay. I’m going to go do that. Nice to meet you again. Yes, for sure an essay.” She muttered as she left the room, looking over her shoulders to stare at them before she entered her room. The door slamming reverberated through the apartment leaving the two women alone. One shocked over her strange behavior, the other weary and almost amused. “She normally isn’t so weird.” “Oh, I don’t know. Her manners were impeccable.”

Laughing May turned to finish dabbing the gash on her cheek. “I don’t think this will scar. I’m going to put some ointment on it and it should be gone when it heals.” She left the room going to her bathroom trying to find the scar gel. Normally she wasn’t so impulsive. But something in this woman, in Nat she reminded herself, brought out a protective instinct in her. May didn’t even want to begin imagining what had happened to her. Sure she had acted tough but those were some wounds that didn’t happen from falling down the stairs. Someone had hurt her. Not to mention the other yellowing bruises May had spotted littering her body. She grabbed the tube, returning to apply to the gel, and found Nat sleeping. Her face eased in a way May had never seen before. Without waking her May set down some essentials as well as a fresh pair of clothes in case she woke up in the middle of the night. She draped a blanket over the prone figure and went towards Peyton’s room.

The girl was curled up in the corner of her bed; the yellow comforter was wrapped around her shoulders like a shawl. There were books spread out in front of her but she was just staring into space. May knocked on the open door and finally Peyton’s attention shifted to her. An adorable blush raised on her cheeks as May lifted her eyebrow. “You okay sweet P?” She crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Who is she?” May knew this question was coming but wasn’t quite sure how to respond. On one hand she could answer honestly. Tell her niece about the subway incident. It really wasn’t that big of a deal. But then Peyton would worry and might be hesitant to take the subway, although caution was never a negative thing. And then there was the fact that she was basically letting a stranger into their home. On the other hand she could just gloss over the facts. It would be easier to grasp and May was tired but lying to her niece always created this hallow feeling in her chest. She decided to go for an in between solution.

“I met her about a week ago and she helped me out of a tight spot. I gave her my business card and she must have felt like there was nowhere else for her to go. Her wounds were pretty serious and I promised her she could stay as long as she wanted. I’m sorry sweetie, I should have told you but I didn’t want you to worry.” A relieved expression crossed the girl’s face.

See, she did know what she was doing she snapped to all the doubtful thoughts. She kissed the girl’s cheek goodnight telling her to get her if she needed anything and left the room. The apartment was dark again but this time as May walked around it felt a little less empty. The sounds of three different people breathing again warmed her heart and she gave another silent prayer; this time for the woman who was currently sleeping on her couch. Lying in bed she thought of the day. How much emotion could be crammed into less than twenty-four hours? She didn’t accomplish much on her mission but she smiled fondly to the ceiling at the memory of syrup drizzling down Peyton’s chin, of Nat’s hand warm beneath hers and the weight of Peyton’s head resting against May’s knees as they sat there in the afternoon.

Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think.

Chapter Thirteen

[erikismybitch]

Part 1

Welcome home .

This city was called Nightland . A small place edging near the southern boot of the country. Humidity and fog conquered the air most seasons. The perfect place for the pale. Except for summer, the heat was unbearable in that time . She remembered everything so well, her name was Shanae. Born in Nightland to a creole mother and absent father.

Shanae, her name was French meaning “god is gracious “. Thia, her mother , named her this because the female ancestors before her all died during child birth . She survived, seeming to have broken one of the many curses placed upon her family . Thia was left with just an older sister, Toni, who stayed back in Nightland when Thia fled to another state . Just she and her precious Shanae. Both sisters tall, fair and beautiful. Shanae inherited all the beauty, and her brown skin from her father .

There was no turning back now . Shanaes lease was up and the plane ticket was a one way. The storage shipment was already paid in full. The company made sure to highlight the huge “no refunds “ policy on the receipt.

Now an adult, Shanae could hardly make ends meet in Washington DC. She didn’t finish college , and luckily landed an administrative position at a school . She figured she’d move back to Nightland and finish school there. Her aunt Toni died three months ago, leaving Shanae a small inheritance and her house. The money was enough for her to cover her bills for a while until she got things in order.

Most of her youth was spent here , summers always . Just the three of them in Toni’s big white House. There was a sun room where Shanae would indulge in her mother’s beignets and bacon. Her aunt Toni had the biggest bathroom in her room. The tub was so big that Shanae would put on goggles and pretend it was a pool. Her favorite part of the house was the wrap around porch. She would ride her pink bike in circles while her mom sat on the porch swing and watched her . Her dad was never in the picture , just in physical pictures that he left behind when he went to start his new family.

The summer of Shanae’s twelfth birthday, her mother went missing . By age thirteen she knew her mother was dead. Only death could keep her mother from her and it was the only explanation. All that was left to her mothers memory was a gold charmed bracelet . It never left Shanaes wrist .

This was only day one of this new life . The house was dusty , empty and cold from the fall weather . Shanae lit the bundle of sage and let the ambiance capture each room.

“I renounce all evil spirits, I renounce all evil spirits” she chanted over and over as she did her walk through . Once she reached Toni’s room she stopped . She kept a candled shrine with photos of all the ancestors to the right of her bed. Right in the center of the shrine was a big brown journal. A piece of paper was taped on the front .

“Shanae, prepare yourself “

It was written in Toni’s hand writing . She was no stranger to the journal . Her delicate fingers ran over the rough cover after she grabbed it. The book was somewhat of a family heirloom . The pages were filled generational sick remedies, stories of the past and most of all , theories of the supernatural. Yes, Shanae was a believer of the unknown . It’s how she was raised . Her aunt used to tell her stories about people in the town. And most of all to stay away from certain places .

“Don’t roam to where the cypress trees are too tall. All kinds of things lurk in the darkness , looking for special girls like you”

She thought about the things Toni spoke about . Her mother, not so much.

“Not everything is bad here , I like to give people chances” her mother would say .

“And that kind of talk is going to get Shanae in trouble one day!” Toni would argue with her sister . Shanae would usually fade into the distance and travel where her curiosity led her . She was much like her mother in that way. If Toni caught her near the tall trees or out in the darkness, she would spank her good . But still, it never stopped her .

Shanae glanced at the antique wall clock , it was broken so she found her phone . The evening time was approaching and she needed to find a store. Cleaning products were nonexistent , the fridge was empty and she needed bedding that didn’t belong to a dead woman . Her storage shipment wouldn’t arrive for two more days . She found a Walmart through google , then the keys to her aunts old powder blue thunderbird .

The Walmart was huge , and seemingly the mecca for this small town . It was packed like a party . She went inside and gathered a basketful of things she needed .

“Hey?” A voice spoke from the isle she was in, Shanae spotted a girl she once knew . “Remember me?” She asked.

“Oh my god, Daphne Ray!” Shanae said excitedly. Partly because she loved that southern people had two first names . She wished her mother would have given her a true name like that . The two girls embraced with a hug .

“What are you doing here , it’s been so long” Daphne’s southern accent was just as thick as she was.

“I moved back, my aunt left me her house so... I’m-here” Shanae stuttered, she hoped that Daphne wouldnt ask about her aunt... she didnt, everybody in town already knew. It was that small.

“Glad you’re back , think we can catch up ?” She asked , attempting to jump straight back into the friendship they shared years ago .

“Absolutely, just let me kno-“

“Girl, I’m off in fifteen minutes I can ride along with you “

Before Shanae could deny the eager request, Daphne ran off. Company wasn’t exactly what she wanted tonight , but it wouldn’t hurt to have someone to talk to . Friends had never really been Shanaes thing , she found comfort in her loneliness. Especially after her mother disappeared.

After Daphne rang her items up slowly , just to kill time , the two of them left together . It was a short drive back to “my aunts house” as Shanae kept saying . She still hadn’t gotten used to the fact that the house belonged to her now.

“I always liked to come here. This big ass house , big ass yard” Daphne admired the view from the drive way . The two of them got out of the car as she continued. “ My moms little apartment with six brothers , a sister , and three bedrooms” Daphne’s voice was filled with animosity. Shanae couldn’t figure out if it was towards her own mother or the fact that she didn’t grow up the way Shanae did . At least she still had a family .

“How are you?” Shanae asked , even with the significant shift in her life she still cared .

“Still living there “ she snapped quickly.

Shanaes mom and aunt forbid her from going to Daphne’s house as a kid. She always assumed it was because they were poor and lived in a bad neighborhood. She had no shame in admitting that her family was a bit stuck up . Little did Shanae know, she was forbidden with strong reason.

“Well, how’s John? “ Shanae wanted to shift the mood by asking about Daphne’s brother. She had six, but John was the only one that held significance .

“That’s funny you asked, he moved out a long time ago . I’m sure he’d be happy to hear you’re back “

John was her first teenage love, and the boy who took her virginity . Daphne told her that he hadn’t started a family yet and was probably waiting on her . Shanae laughed, she knew John had to be over her by now.

Her aunt Toni hated John so much.

“I see how he looks at you, stay away from his black ass!” Toni would always poke at his dark skin, fighting her own internal issues . His skin was the first thing that drew her niece to him. John was almost as dark as night, so was everyone in his family . Shanae thought he was so beautiful with his broad shoulders and ivory white smile . Unbeknownst to Toni , Shanae used to sneak out while he waited around the corner in his old pick-up truck . Like most companions in the south, he was much older than her. And to those of ignorance, they saw nothing wrong with it . John waited until she was sixteen to pursue her , he was just shy of twenty three. John took his time with her , molding her exactly the way he wanted . Especially when it came to sex, he taught her everything . How to ride him with confidence. The anatomy of his dick and what felt good to him. And most of all , never to fret when making eye contact .

“I’m sure he has better things to look forward to, rather than his ex-girlfriend from a long time ago “

“You’ll be surprised” Daphne assured her. Then she snuck a “can I stay over tonight?” Question in so swiftly , Shanae didn’t have time to contest . There were five rooms for her to choose from , but somehow she chose to sleep with Shanae like when they were children . She leased Daphne a pair of her aunts old pijamas, without telling her they were hers of course .

“You’re taking over your aunts old room, you don’t get creeped out ?” Daphne asked . They were in complete darkness , Shanae felt comfort in a dark room . Any source of light wouldn’t alow her to sleep at night .

“No, you know nothing scares me . If anything spirits protect us from the bad things” Shanae felt her friend shift from the other side of the king bed .

“Here you go with that spirit shit . You still into that stuff , huh ?”

“Yes, I’m still in to that stuff... it’s real Daphne “

She quieted down for a little while , just when Shanae thought she had found peace Daphne spoke again.

“Remember that book?”

“We used to read it and scare ourselves when we were little “ Shanae laughed and rose from the bed . She found the light then geared towards the shrine . She grabbed the brown journal her aunt left behind . Once Daphne saw what she was doing , her attention was at full .

“Wow, you still have it huh”

“Yes I still have it . And my children’s children will have it just so they can learn about spirits and shit” she mocked Daphnis words from earlier . She sat back on the bed , but this time she rested closely to Daphne. She opened the book to a random page . The eight letter word was written across the top of the withered page .

Vampires

“Absolutely not!” Daphne yelled as she read along with Shanae . She laughed at her reaction , folded the outer corner of the page and closed it .

“Let me read one small part!” She was excited , that part of the journal was yet to be discovered by her. She opened the book slowly , back to the same page .

“Just one sentence , I’m not having nightmares about vampires”

Shanae read a little bit of the passage before she spoke out loud . Something about the words cut her curiosity.

“We are the only few Marters that exist , vampires and others of darkness crave our blood because it is with the purest form”

“A Marter?” Shanae spoke out loud , more to herself than her friend . She had heard the term Marter before , she just couldn’t remember the context at the moment.

“Are you gonna read it ?” Daphne asked , she noticed the way she stalled .

“You’re right , I don’t wanna give you nightmares...” Shanae closed the book and let it rest on her night stand . They both traveled to their sides. Daphne’s mind filled with anger towards her early work shift tomorrow . Shanae on the other hand , went to sleep with unanswered questions.

[saltyandoverdramatic]

// I got a bit carried away but I hope you like it anyway :3

Matt found Lance by accident.

He’d been walking around, trying to think of something to do. He’d tried to talk to his sister earlier, but she’d kicked him out of her room, screaming and throwing her shoes at him. Shiro had been dismissive, telling Matt he was doing ‘Voltron stuff’ which Matt wouldn’t understand anything about, which was not true. Matt had read everything he could about Voltron and Pidge had even let him look at Green while she explained how the lions worked. Matt would have understood, but Shiro didn’t give him a chance.

Everyone had either ignored Matt or told him to go bother someone else. This hadn’t been what Matt expected the paladins of the legendary Voltron to be like.

He’d found Lance laying on the living room couch in a sort of squished starfish pose. His left arm and leg were dangling over the side of the couch and his righthand fingers were tapping against the back of the couch. He was staring at the ceiling, blinking slowly now and then.

Matt walked over and leaned against the back of the couch, his eyes lingering on the brunette laying on the couch. Lance’s blue eyes focused on Matt for a few seconds before he went back to staring at the ceiling. There was an angry red handprint on his cheek. Matt was scared to ask how that had ended up there.

“Hey.” Matt whispered, as if talking any louder would disturb some kind of peace that had settled over the room. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” Lance said, just as quietly.

Matt stood there, watching as Lance blinked slowly. Matt could see the way his hands were trembling as he tapped, how his breaths sometimes turned shaky and he had to gasp for air. It was all done so quietly, like he was used to doing this.

“No you’re not.”

Lance turned to look at him again. He opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a shaky gasp.

Matt frowned and hopped over the back of the couch.

“Scoot over.”

Lance looked at him blankly, his eyes still shining from unshed tears.

Matt repeated his request, this time accompanied with the hand wave, but Lance still didn’t budge.

“You do realize there is no way we can both fit on this couch, right?” Lance deadpanned.

“I’m sure we’ll think of something. Now scoot over.”

After a few more moments Lance sighed and scooted to the side to give Matt some space to squeeze into. Matt ended up balancing half off the couch, but they were both on it. Matt could feel Lance’s body heat radiating from where their sides were pressed against each other.

They spent a few more moments in silence.

“Why are you here by yourself?” Matt asked. As far as he knew, Lance was the most loud and social out of all the paladins. It wasn’t like him to just quietly stare at the ceiling alone.

Lance bumped Matt’s shoulder with his as he shrugged. “They were busy. I thought I would give them some space.”

Matt gave Lance a questioning look.

“Hunk’s cooking. Everyone here knows how much I suck at cooking. I would literally burn down the kitchen if I tried to make anything. Shiro and Allura are discussing battle strategies. I’m pretty bad at that. I like to improvise. At least I’m not as bad as Keith.” Lance chuckled weakly. His smile was almost gone now. “Pidge didn’t want me around. Threw something at me. I didn’t really stop to look. I just ran. You do not want to cross her when she’s angry.”

“I’ve never seen her this mad. What happened?” Matt was asking a lot of questions, but at least Lance was answering them.

Lance sighed “I was trying to bring her breakfast. I wasn’t careful enough. I startled her, and she slapped me. I tripped and crushed some of her inventions. She worked so hard on those and then I just had to go and ruin everything.”

Matt frowned. That didn’t sound like Pidge. She wasn’t the type to slap someone, not even accidentally, and why did Lance act like it was his fault?

“I just needed to be alone for a while.” Matt could hear the lie in his voice.

“Wouldn’t you at least be more comfortable in your own room.”

Lance shook his head. “Too quiet.”

Suddenly it felt like there was a lump in Matt’s throat. Too quiet. Quiet like the quarantine they had shoved him in when they hadn’t been sure if he had caught a space illness with almost 90% fatality rate. Quiet like when the mines collapsed, and Matt had been trapped in a tiny space for over twelve hours before the new prisoners had found him, his fingers cracked and bloody and his throat dry from the screaming. Quiet, like the countless times he had to watch his friends die for a cause that felt so unreachable. Quiet, like all of their rooms. You couldn’t hear the quiet hum of the castle, or any of the human noises there. It felt like you were truly isolated.

A quiet ‘Oh’ was all Matt could say.

“I don’t think I belong here.” The blonde admitted. “Nobody seems to want me here.”

“They do!” Lance yelled. Matt flinched at the loud noise right by his ear. “They want you here. They do. It’s me they don’t want!”

It was like a dam broke. Like Lance finally just couldn’t hold all of it inside of him anymore.

“It’s me they keep telling to shut up. It’s me they keep telling to go away. I’m the one they only tolerate because they have to or because they feel like they owe me something. I’m the Seventh’s wheel, I don’t belong here. I shouldn’t be wasting their time. I just make everything about me, me, me!” Lance screamed in frustration, pulling his hair violently. “I make stupid jokes at stupid, inappropriate times. I screw up missions because I can’t take orders. I’m so stupid! I’m not a diplomat, I’m not a leader, I’m not even the team sharpshooter! Nobody else thinks so.” Tears were flowing freely down Lance’s cheeks. “Maybe I just make a show of myself so that I can pretend. Act like I’m worth something when in reality, I’m just hiding my own worthlessness.”

Lance was sobbing now. He gasped for breath, eyes squeezed closed, like he could shield himself against his own words.

“I deserve to be alone. They’re better off without me.”

“That is bullshit.” Matt hissed. “You don’t deserve to be alone. Nobody does.”

Lance leaned his head on Matt’s shoulder. “I miss home.” He muttered, his voice thick from crying and tears still streaming down his face. “My mom used to tell me that she would always be there for me when I needed her. I would never be alone because I had her.” A sad smile graced the brunette’s face. “But now she’s lightyears away.”

“I miss her so much.”

Silence fell over them again.

“Tell me about your mom” Matt requested.

Lance told Matt about his mom. How she was the best mom in the universe. She was nice, she was caring and accepting. She gave the best hugs and was supportive, no matter what. It was obvious how much he loved her.

Matt watched Lance the entire time. He saw the way Lance smiled when he talked about his niece who’d learned to ride a bike the summer before or his older siblings who used to carry him on their shoulders when he was little, and who still tried to pick him up when he grew taller than them

Matt loved hearing the stories. It was obvious how much Lance loved his family. He was so excited to share the experiences he’d had with his family, and Matt was more than willing to listen. He wondered if anyone else in the castle had heard any of these stories. Did they know that Lance’s younger brother played the violin or that his younger sister did Taekwondo?

He was afraid the answer was ‘no’

As Lance kept talking, Matt carefully took his hand and squeezed it gently, trying to tell Lance he was there for him.

Lance paused for a moment, then squeezed back and continued his story, their fingers still intertwined.

‘I’m here’

[akitalepu]

Some Things Stay the Same (2/2)

Note: This takes place during and right after the bonus scene in Black Panther. This is not a romantic Bucky/Shuri fic.

...

Previously:

Nothing...just, uh, the way you boss the King around. Reminds me of my little sister. Nice to know some things stay the same, is all.” Bucky murmured quietly, staring at his tea.

The princess of Wakanda shifted in her seat, facing the young soldier with very old eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Will you tell me about her?”

Now:

Bucky’s grip tightened on the delicate teacup and his eyes dropped from Princess Shuri’s steady brown gaze.

“You needn’t if it is too difficult—but it may help with the memory recovery process.” she murmured kindly.

Bucky set his teacup down and scrubbed his hand through his face, pushing strands of dark hair away.

“It’s not difficult...to remember her. But we didn’t part on great terms.” He muttered. “I’m not even sure where to start.”

Shuri took a slow sip of ajiri tea and grinned. “The beginning is usually the best place.” Despite himself, Bucky rolled his eyes and a smile slowly crept over his face. Shuri’s eyes danced with mischief as the Winter Soldier melted away and Bucky emerged, his dark blue eyes far away, recalling memories from the early 1900s.

“Well, she was a lot like you, actually. We were close as kids. She was three years younger than me, and stubborn as a mule. Her named was Rebecca. Rebecca Ida Barnes. Everyone called her Becky. Always following me around, bossing me around. Highly competitive—Beck would learn games and then when she lost she’d throw a fit and make up her own rules.” Bucky snickered.

“One time, when my dad was at work, the power went out in a storm. We built a fort out of dry laundry and lit about a dozen candles—I know, I know, but this was a different time—and played cards for hours. Whenever Becky lost she’d blow out all the candles, steal the matches and lock herself in the closet, refusing to come out until I forfeited my winnings which were usually,” Bucky grinned, remembering. “Old peanuts. Dad came home to find us completely in the dark, huddled under the laundry with peanut shells cracked all over the place. He made us sweep up all the crushed shells.”

Shuri shook her head, chuckling, “And where was your mother during all this? Did she scold you, too?”

His grin faded and he grew quiet again. “My mom, she ah, she...passed away two years before that. I was 8. Cancer came quick.”

Shuri kicked herself mentally. Why was she constantly putting her foot in her mouth around this man?! “I’m very sorry, Sergeant Barnes. I can’t imagine losing a parent that early in life.” She murmured softly.

Bucky dipped his head in acknowledgment, long hair covering hooded eyes that were suddenly blurry with hot tears. “Thanks, she was quite a lady, you know? My mom was an immigrant when she came to America.

Her named was Winifred, but everyone called her Winnie. She settled in Hell’s Kitchen with friends first, then moved to Brooklyn when she married my dad.

My ma came from a small village in Ireland. Most everybody there, in that village, was poor and farmed for their livelihood. They all spoke Gaelic first, English second. Ma had a real heavy brogue when she came over. My dad always said he didn’t understand a single thing she said in their first conversation, but he didn’t care because she was so beautiful and kind.” Bucky smiled fondly, remembering many family dinners when his dad had retold the story to he and his little sister. Becky and Bucky would make retching noises as their parents kissed at the end of the familiar story, making moon eyes at each other.

“How did your parents meet?” Shuri asked curiously. “I take it he was not Irish then?”

Bucky snorted. “No, my father was from a well-to-do English family who didn’t care much for religion. My father’s family didn’t approve of him marrying a poor Irish farmgirl with a limited education and devout Catholic beliefs. My dad converted to Catholicism before they married and cut off most ties, except with his sister Ida. My aunt Ida was great. Becky’s middle name came from her. She raised us after my dad died a few years later.”

He continued, “My mom and dad met at the dry cleaner where she worked. He came in to collect his shirts before going to an interview later that day. Mom always said this was an accident, Dad said it was on purpose. She was ringing him up at the register when she knocked over a small pile of change. They both bent down to pick it up at the same time, and knocked heads. Well, my dad’s nose started bleeding a lot from the impact and she was apologizing profusely and also happened to knock over a flower vase as she was apologizing. So, my dad’s nose is bleeding, my mom’s frantically trying to dry his shirts of flower water with a few tissues and apologizing in a mix of Gaelic and English. When my mom noticed how much blood there was, she went white as a sheet and fainted.”

At this point, Shuri was crying silently with laughter. “However did your father ask your mother on a date when he’d made the poor woman faint?!”

He laughed aloud. “Well, he called an ambulance and they ended up in the hospital next to each other. When my mother woke up, she was disoriented and was confused as to why a man in a fancy suit with a bloody nose was trying to shake her awake to apologize—so she started screaming like a banshee and cursing him in Gaelic.”

“Once she calmed down and realized what was happening, they both apologized to each other. It took him two months to work up the courage and go back to the dry cleaner’s to ask her on a date.” Bucky smiled fondly.

“Becky was a lot like her. Smart as a whip, but kind, too. One time, she caught some guys in the neighborhood kicking a homeless guy. Without even thinking, Becky ran full-throttle down the street and began beating the ever-living daylights outta guys six inches taller than her. She was all of 15, then. I think they were more startled by the tiny girl screaming Gaelic curses at them, but they never bothered that guy again.

She even helped Steve out of some scrapes even though Dad, Ida and I forbade her to. Becky never listened.

She never outgrew her competitive edge. Beck was always the first in everything. She learned how to ride her bike before me, how to drive before me—hell, how to drink before me, too. My sister was the top of her class and the first woman in our family to attend college.” Bucky smiled proudly. “Next to Steve, she was my best friend. And the only one to call me James, even if it was only when she was angry with me.” He smiled a little at the memory. Becky was a whirlwind, quick to action and judgment and unrelenting in voicing her opinions. Bucky privately thought she would’ve gotten along great with Peggy Carter.

He closed his eyes. Bucky thinks about what life would’ve been like, after the war, sometimes. Becky would marry the pediatrician she’d been sweet on in college—Dr. Proctor. Bucky would be best man at Steve and Peggy’s wedding. He’d walk Becky down the aisle at her wedding, trying not to cry and failing as she rolled her eyes and smiled fondly at her big brother, the sap.

The couples would visit each other on the weekend, have barbecues in the summer and Bucky would hold nieces and nephews in one arm, carefully, lovingly. They’d never go to war again.

He’d be the fun uncle, bring them candy and too many presents on Christmas and shoot off fireworks with them on Steve’s birthday, the fourth of July. Peggy and Becky would yell at Bucky and the kids, warning him not to lose his other arm. “SO HELP ME, JAMES!” they’d shout in tandem and Proctor and Steve would snicker behind paper cups of lemonade as Bucky rolled his eyes and the kids would scream with delight as they sprinted every which way with sparklers. Bucky would look at them all—Becky and Steve, Proctor and Peggy and all the kids, his nieces and nephews and though he’d be missing an arm, he’d have all he needed, right infront of him. Safe, from everything, watching colors dance in the sky—

“—Sergeant Barnes? Bucky?” Shuri was shaking him slightly by the shoulders. Bucky snapped out of his daydream.

“Sorry,” he apologized sheepishly. “I was thinking about what life might’ve been like, if the war had turned out...differently for me. For Steve.”

Shuri scrutinized him with concern. He had been doing this left often, but he still had these moments, often lasting up to half an hour, where he would stare vacantly, morosely at the distance. Shuri knew his mind was half a century and a world away during these times.

“I see...you mentioned that you weren’t on good terms when you left for the war. What happened?” She hesitated slightly but had to know if there was something missing. There was an unresolved pain he was holdng back, not mentioning.

Bucky tipped his head toward the mid-morning sky, soft with clouds. His eyebrows scrunched painfully, remembering her last words as though it had been yesterday. “Becky...she yelled and screamed and threw things when I told her I was leaving to go to war, with Steve. She said...she said if I left, voluntarily, she would never speak to me again. Not even if I came back in a box.”

Shuri looked at him in horror.

Bucky opened his eyes and blinked at the sun. “You have to understand—Becky was afraid. Young men—boys, a lot of them, were going overseas and not coming back. We’d already lost our mother and father. Aunt Ida was getting on in years.

There would be enough money for Becky to continue college and even get her own place if she wanted after graduation until she found a job, but she cussed at me and told me it wasn’t the money she was worried about.

Becky was terrified of losing me. I was scared, too, of all the dangers she’d face when she left for college, since it was several states away. I kept imagining her getting lost—she had the worst sense of direction—or God forbid anything worse! I couldn’t protect her at college. I begged her to relocate closer, go to a college near home. But, she insisted on her independence. Still, she didn’t have anybody keeping an eye on her. I didn’t sleep for a week after she left until Steve talked me down from my hysteria. He and Ida both sat me down and told me I had to stop worrying or I’d ruin my health. After that, Beck and me chatted every Sunday, no matter what. It helped a lot.

Things were pretty serious with her beau, Proctor, at that point when I enlisted, but they weren’t going to get married until after college, at least. He was going to propose with my mother’s ring—I gave it to him. He promised to take care of her, and by the look in his eyes, I knew he was serious. But, she wouldn’t forgive me for following Steve into war.” Bucky’s eyes slipped shut again, his hand now gently circling the teacup. The tea was cold and stale now. “I assume that after I ‘died’ they informed her. But I don’t know for sure. I’ve never checked.”

Shuri sat quietly. “She thought you abandoned her.”

“Yes.”

“And you’ve never even tried to trace—“

“No.” Bucky’s voice was quiet, but firm. “That part of my life is over now.”

Shuri’s shoulders drooped with disappointment. She could easily track down records, family history, where Becky might be now, where her children or grandchildren might be, if she had married Proctor or not, but instead of mentioning all this to Sergeant Barnes, who was likely thinking the same thing, Shuri merely rose and mentioned, “Becky sounds like a remarkable woman. Thank you for telling me about her, Sergeant Barnes.”

“Sure,” Bucky smiled a little, the corners of his mouth finally turning up again. “She would’ve liked you.”

Shuri grinned. “I’ll make some more tea. Would you like a new cup?”

“Any chance of that coffee?”

coffee?”

“...Very well. One cup. For another story.” Shuri walked away quickly to brew another pot for herself and coffee for the Winter Soldier, who snorted quietly in the background.

...

One week later:

Bucky returned to his small room, exhausted after a day of learning more about Wakanda’s history and language, his therapy sessions and a baffling session where the princess tried to explain Vine compilations to him.

On his nightstand, there was a steaming cup of tea and a simple manila folder with the words, “Rebecca Ida Barnes Proctor” typed on the front.

A short note from Shuri read,

“Sergeant Barnes-

Thank you for all the stories. I hope this can fill in some of the missing chapters.

Best,

-Shuri”

Bucky sighed deeply. The kid never really gave up. With tentative hope, Bucky opened the folder and began to read about the past. And for the first time in seventy years, he wasn’t afraid to look at those old chapters and see what he missed.

[eldritchsurveys]

o66.

Have you ever been in a love triangle? >> No. How bad are your hangovers? >> The most I’ll get the morning after drinking is some brain fog and a sour stomach (nothing a good meal and a ginger gummy or two won’t fix) What color are your nails currently painted? How about your toenails? >> Black, but it’s chipping and peeling everywhere so I gotta get my executive function together and redo them. Would you rather have a $50 gift card to Starbucks or a $50 gift card to McDonald’s? >> Starbucks, because what I like from there is more expensive than the stuff I like from McD’s. Do you think Taco Bell is nasty? >> I don’t like everything they sell, of course, but in general I’m always down for some Taco Hell.

Do you have a jacuzzi? >> No. Have you ever broken a bone? If so, what was the cause of it? >> No. Do you still talk to the person you liked four months ago? >> Yeah. Where were you last night? >> Home. Are you afraid to tell your true feelings? >> I think the childhood-development root of my emotional reservation (aside from natural disposition, of course) is that I was taught to devalue my feelings, and that no one else really cared to hear about them. At this point, I know better (a lot of people don’t care, of course, and that’s fine, but there are also people that do), but the behaviour is independent of its root by now. It’s just what it is. Can you commit to one person? >> I suppose I could, technically, but there’s no reason I’d have to right now, so. Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night? >> No, I watched The Almighty Johnsons until I fell asleep. What movie do you want to see? >> There are a lot of them. Is this the best year of your life? >> I don’t know about best and worst and all of that. I know it’s been a good year to me overall. I’m not inclined to look negatively at anything that’s happened to me this year. What was the first thing you did when you woke up? >> I don’t remember. Probably looked at the time on my phone. Is anything bothering you? >> Nothing comes to mind.  Is life good? >> Life is what it is. But yes, I have an optimistic view of my life right now. Do you remember who you liked on New Years? >> Sure. Do you still like them? >> Sure. Do you still speak to them? >> Of course. Told your parents you were going somewhere but went somewhere else? >> I’ve done that before, yes. And it landed me in the psych ward, so.

Do you like being home alone or does it freak you out? >> I don’t like being home alone when my mind’s doing its delusion thing, because having someone around is grounding. But otherwise I’m fine with it. Would you ever kiss anyone you texted today? >> I haven’t texted anyone. But I’ve left comments today which is almost like texting, and sure, I’d kiss Hallie. Do you have any bruises on you? >> No. How was 2011 for you? >> Holy shit, uh... let me think... what even was 2011? The only thing I know is that I was with Hallie for at least a couple of months in that year, because I know I was there three winters in a row and 2012/2013 was the last one, so 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 are the other two. I don’t know where I was or what I was doing for the rest of the year, though... maybe I was at 7F, or maybe not... ugh, this is why I wish old accounts of mine were still active, so I could rebuild timelines.

Do you like sprinkles on your ice cream? >> I do sometimes. Honestly, have you ever crashed a party before? >> No. Do you hide things in your underwear drawer? >> No. Have you ever gone out in public in pajamas? >> Yeah, to go to the mailbox. Or, when I lived in NY, to go to the bodega. Because, like, who cares.

If you had to recommend a movie to somebody right now, what would it be? >> Keanu. It’s by two of my favourite comedians. It’s silly and it stars a gangster kitten, what more could you want?

Can you say “Sally sells seashells by the sea shore” fast without messing up? >> Yeah. Is your hair naturally straight, wavy, or curly? Do you like it? >> Naturally kinky. Meh.

Have you ever considered your mom to be your best friend? >> No. She’s not anything to me, in fact. Is there anything plaid near you? What is it? >> No. What is your opinion on tongue rings? Trashy or cute? >> They’re just piercings, I don’t really have a subjective opinion about them. What color do you think you look best in? >> Most of them, tbh. The last time you went out to eat - what did you order? >> The last food we got from somewhere that wasn’t the house was Burger King, and I got a chicken sandwich and fries and a Sprite. Was today a bad hair day for you? >> No. I did buzz my head again, so it’s actually a good hair day. Do you have all 32 teeth? >> No. Have you ever been sent a postcard in the mail? From who? >> I don’t remember. Probably not. Do you spend more time on your hair or your makeup? >> --- Do you know how to do the moon walk? >> Technically, yes, but I’m not completely efficient at it. How old were you in the year 2000? >> I turned 13. Which subject are you better at - science or history? >> I wasn’t particularly great at either one. What is one of your favorite comedy movies? >> Coming to America. Has anybody ever told you that you have a good singing voice? >> Yes. Do you have any plans tomorrow? What are they? >> I forget what we’re doing tomorrow, actually. Maybe going down to Wayland to see the kids again? Onion rings or french fries? >> French fries all the way. On a scale of 1-10 how lazy are you? >> I don’t know. I don’t like to think of myself as lazy because it’s an unnecessarily negative connotation used for a lot of what I think is perfectly reasonable behaviour. (Maybe some people are literally lazy. But I wouldn’t know.) When was the last time you ate a doughnut? >> A couple of days ago. Sparrow’s mother brought Krispy Kreme to Sparrow’s job when she brought Katie (Sparrow’s niece) in for a manicure, and Sparrow brought a doughnut home for me. Are you the youngest person living in your house? >> No. Has anybody ever described you as a heart breaker? >> No. Are you wearing pajamas right now? >> No, but my outfit could function as such, and will when I go to bed tonight. Has anybody ever told you that you talk too fast? >> Probably. I was a New Yorker, after all. But I think I talk pretty average now. Name something that is the same color as your eyes. >> Rich, fecund earth. Who is the best cook that you know? >> Hallie, probably :3 Which meal throughout the day do you skip the most? >> Breakfast, because by the time I eat the first meal of my day it’s usually around lunchtime. Can you name 3 different dinosaurs? >> Yeah, but I’ll let someone else do it. Have you ever completed the 99 bottles of beer on the wall song? >> No. When was the last time you attended a barbeque? >> I don’t remember. :( I miss bbqs. Did you have a party for your last birthday? >> No. One day, maybe. Do you know how to dance the electric slide? >> Yes. Are Frosted Flakes REALLY more than good? >> I don’t know, I do think they’re pretty GRRRReat though. What’s the largest amount that you can juggle at one time? >> Three, maybe, if I really focus. What was your favorite thing to go on at the playground as a kid? >> I don’t remember what I liked best as a child. I was a little freaked out by a lot of playground structures, but I did like the tire swing in Warinanco Park. And those plank bridges you run across. Do you know how much you weighed at birth? How much? >> Around six pounds, I think. How old were you when you learned how to ride a bike? >> I don’t know, six or so I guess.

Where do you spend most of your time at? >> Home.

What noise does your favorite animal make? >> Otters make funny noises, snakes hiss, I don’t know what capybaras do. Do you have a garden shed in your backyard? >> I don’t have a backyard. Who is the tallest person you know and how tall are they? >> I don’t know who’s the tallest, I know several people over six feet. What was your lowest mark on your previous report card? >> ---

[suckitsurveys]

What’s the last vegetable you ate, and when did you eat it? There are veggies in this pasta I’m eating. 

What was your last Facebook notification for? I don’t feel like looking. 

What bands have you seen live? A good handful.

Tell me an interesting fact about your mother: She was a drug and alcohol abuse counselor in the 80′s before I was born.

What do you think is the most important thing to happen to you before the age of 13? I don’t know. Maybe moving to the house that is still my dad’s to this day?

What were you super against as a young child but aren’t anymore? Avocados.

What are your plans later today? After I get some sleep I’m supposed to go to my niece’s soccer game.

Are you doing anything exciting this weekend? ^

Who do you talk to the most? Mark.

What are some things you do regularly that make you feel old? Being a live.

Who is your best guy friend(s)? Mark and Randal.

Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker? I’m okay.

If you had a tiny scar on your face, would you get it removed or just keep it? Keep it.

Have you had an x-ray in the past year? No.

Do you think your first love still loves you? Hah.

What is something that is “going right” in your life? I’m fully vaccinated and feeling amazing about that. 

When did you feel ready to start dating? I don’t know if I ever did? It just sort of, happened? I was never really interested in it in high school. I did have a long distance bf when I was 16 though haha. 

When was the last time your pet bit you? If you don’t have a pet, have you ever been bitten by someone else’s? My one kitty bites when I play rough with her. Not very hard though. 

Where were you the last time you made out? In the kitchen.

When was the last time you cried tears of joy? When I got home from getting my covid shot the first time. 

How do you type your sad smileys? :(

Do you have “decorative hand-towels” that cannot be used in your house? Nope.

What was the last soda you drank? Cherry Coke! It’s very unlike me to get anything but root beer when I’m out, but their machine was down at the hot dog place my dad and I went to this afternoon so I got a cherry coke instead.

What was the last thing someone made fun of you for? Mark is always making fun of me in little playful ways, so probably something silly and petty I did. 

Have you ever had any type of surgery? Yeah.

Should kids be allowed to get tattoos/piercings without parental consent? On the one had, yes, but on the other hand, it’s their fucking body. 

Who was the last person to hit on you? My husband.

What was the last thing you decided not to do, that you were supposed to? Clean my house lol.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to tell someone? That my mom had died. I had to tell my cousin Kelly and I will never forget her reaction.

What do you put on hot dogs? Mustard, relish, onion, celery salt. 

Ever fallen in the shower? Yes.

Do you think that things will get better? They are looking up.

Have you ever legitimately saved a person’s life? Maybe?

What’s your favourite book genre? I don’t know. 

Have you ever walked out of a movie at the theatre? No. Well wait, technically. We bought tickets to one movie, went in to that movie for a little bit, and then snuck in to see Jackass lol.

Do dogs like you? Sure.

Would you say that you project an air of authority? Ha, no.

Have you ever jumped off a high dive into a pool? Yes. Not a very high one, but definitely high.

Do you use one towel when you shower or two? (one for hair, one for body) Two.

Have you ever been to one of the great lakes? Yes, I live near Lake Michigan. I’ve also seen Erie, and I think Huron as well?

Who do you know that had a baby recently? Yeah.

Do you like Usher’s songs? Sure.

When was the last time you went to a waterpark? January 2020.

Have you ever ridden a train? Yes, several times. 

What do you eat your French fries with? Depends on the fry. Some don’t need anything.

Do you have family problems? No family is perfect.

What’s the last food you ate that was stale? Hm. I don’t recall.

How do you like your grilled cheese? Cheesy and dipped in tomato soup.

What is the most challenging meal you have ever cooked? I don’t recall. What was your favorite thing to do as a little kid? Ride my bike and swing and swim.

Have you ever been close to drowning? Nah.

Have you ever had a panic attack? Many times.

Do you like doing housework? Sometimes.

Would you ever get implants? If anything I’d get a reduction. 

Do you own a robe? No.

Do you have a little sister? What’s her name? Nope.

Do you like crust on pizza or do you cut it off? Depends on the pizza. 

What was the last song you listened to? Some song in a video Mark is watching. 

Have any of your family members been to jail? Yeah.

Is there anyone that you feel you still need some closure with? Whatever.

Can you remember when you first learned how to read? Yes, I was young. I would always ask what words were when my parents would read me stories and i was reading basic books by 4. 

What event in your life has transformed your personality the most? Probably my mom’s death.

Have you ever had any teeth pulled? Yes. Fun fact: I only grew three wisdom teeth. The other one just never showed up, lol.

Do you still want to be what you wanted to be in elementary school? I think I wanted to be a vet. I don’t think I could handle that now.

What’re some TV shows that you would like to get into? SO many. I am so bad at watching new stuff. 

How would you feel if you were drafted for the military? I’d move to Canada.

What is your favorite Queen song? Basic, but Bohemian Rhapsody. I also like Don’t Stop Me Now, Under Pressure, and Killer Queen.

Do you know how to use any foreign currency? I’ve never had to.

Been kissed by someone who you knew was “bad” for you? Yeah.

Ever taken an at-home pregnancy test? Yes.

When was the last time you were at a loss of what to do? Now.

What did you do on your favorite date with a guy/girl? Anytime Mark and I get sushi lol.

What’s a movie you have seen in the theater more than once? I saw Clerks 2 twice. And I think True Grit? Maybe some others I am forgetting. 

What is the reason you’re still alive? My husband and my nieces.

Have you ever had sex in someone else’s bed/bedroom? Nope. 

Do you ever brush your hair before you go to bed? Not usually. I have though.

Have you ever had a dream about sleeping with a celebrity? (You don’t have to give details.) Oh yes. 

Has anyone ever told you that they needed you? Do you think they meant it? Yes and yes.

How did you feel when you woke up today? What was the first thing you thought about? I was mad at myself because I slept later than I wanted.

Do you still tell your parents that you love them? Of course.

Have you ever said “I love you” to someone you weren’t going out with? Well yeah, it’s not something you just say in the romantic sense. I love my family and friends and tell them so.

Would you date someone with a physical disability? Yeah.

Think of the last person you had sex with. Do you think they’ve slept with anyone else since they last slept with you? They haven’t.

The last time you dyed your hair, what color did you dye it? Blue. That was in January 2020. I’m getting it dyed soon again. 

Think of the last time you went out to eat. Who paid? My dad.

Do you save at least 15 percent of your income? I should start.

Do you ever go on Reddit? If so, what are some of your favorite subreddits? I’ve Googled things that led me to Reddit, but I don’t go on there specifically.

Were you ever a flower girl or ring bearer in anyone’s wedding when you were little? Yes, a flower girl. My aunt let me pick out my own dress and I chose a long black velvet one and she was so sweet and I could tell she wasn’t thrilled but she wanted me to wear what I wanted so she let me wear it. I think I was about 9 or 10?

Are your parents in good health? My dad is. My mom, not so much, seeing as she’s deceased. Too dark? lol.

Have you ever been a caregiver to a sick/disabled relative? I took care of my mom for a little bit when she first got out of the hospital. 

Is there any type of medicine you can’t take? For what reason? I’m allergic to something called bactrim apparently? That is what I’ve been told my whole life.

Do you have a favorite pair of pajamas? What do they look like? I just wear tshirts and undies to bed. 

Do you have any interesting pillow cases? I had a She-Re one but I gave it to my niece a few years ago. It was technically my sister’s anyway lol.

If something on your body hurts, which part is it most likely to be? My back.

Are you more afraid of spiders or bees? Neither. Bees are more annoying when they buzz in your ear, but I’m not really afraid of them.

Have you ever worn fake nails? If so, what did the last pair you wore look like? Yeah.

Is Russian or Native American history more interesting to you? Native American.

[classywastelandbread-blog]

Bonus Story from Good Directions: Hana’s Birth

So I’ve been having some trouble getting my mind together to finish up a full chapter this weekend so I dug through a bunch of other things I’ve written (in a document I’ve rather aptly called Bits and Pieces) and found this little bit of how Hanzo met Hana.

I mentioned somewhere in Good Directions that Hanzo was actually inspired to go to culinary school. Here is a bit more about that.

The slick, squirming thing in his hands wiggled and coughed. Fluid and viscera coated it, making its soft body slick in his hands; it was bright red, misshapen, and hideous.

But he expected the oddity even if he was disturbed by it. Babies had softer bones, he remembered learning in health class; when exiting the womb, they tended to be distorted by the…pressure.

Still, the squalling thing in his hands was ugly.

“What does it look like?” Genji yelled through the door. He had nearly fainted with nerves when Ha-Yun’s water had broken; when the contractions got worse and the baby was coming, he was just about useless and had been banished to the hall outside the bathroom. He had yelled very unhelpful things through the door – push! You can do it!  and most memorably Is it dead? when he hadn’t immediately heard crying – until Hanzo told him that if he didn’t actually become helpful, he’d throw him out the window because he was upsetting Ha-Yun.

Genji had gotten his phone and started looking at anything he could find on emergency childbirth while their mother went to find someone that could take Ha-Yun to the hospital.

Ugly, he wanted to yell back but was afraid of upsetting Ha-Yun who lay limp in the bathtub, exhausted from her ordeal. “It looks fine,” he replied. Checking the baby’s groin, he made a face. “She,” he amended.

Ha-Yun stirred. “Can I see her?” she asked softly in Korean.

“One moment,” Hanzo assured her in the same language. “She’s all messy.” Using the towels hanging from the rack – we’ll need to burn them, later, he thought with a shiver – he wiped away the viscera coating the baby’s red skin. She breathed easier when the clinging strings of some kind of mucous were cleared from her nose and face and taking her first full, deep breath, she screamed.

Hanzo nearly dropped her but recovered, using another clean towel to wrap her as well as he was able to and transferred her to Ha-Yun’s waiting arms. She immediately began cooing over the baby, bringing her to her chest to nurse.

Even though he had already seen more than his fair share of Ha-Yun’s naked body, he still looked away to give her privacy. The baby made cooing, grunting sounds as it – she – suckled but had mercifully stopped her unbearable screeching with her mouth occupied.

Hanzo used that time to re-center himself and consider what else needed to be done. His mother would find Ha-Yun and her baby a ride to the hospital to have them look over her. He wouldn’t tell Ha-Yun, but there was a concerning amount of blood still in the bathtub but it wasn’t quite serious enough to warrant immediate attention; he’d give Ha-Yun some time with her child before he addressed the blood.

Her water had broken in the living room so there was cleaning to be done there and in the hallways as Ha-Yun was drawn to her bedroom to change her skirts and then the bathroom as the contractions got worse. The tile needed to be scrubbed, the hardwood wiped down and checked for damage, the rugs and carpet shampooed, the bathtub and bathroom scoured clean as well.

Genji and their mother would fuss over Ha-Yun and he would stay behind to clean, he decided. He’d done his part with his niece in helping her into this world and now he’d have to make their tiny apartment better for her mother while those better suited for it soothed Ha-Yun who was crying quietly as she stared down at the red-faced thing at her chest.

“Can I come in?” Genji asked quietly through the door.

“Where’s mother?” Hanzo asked. “If you come in, you’ll just faint.”

“I won’t, promise,” his younger brother whined. “C’mon, Hanzo.”

“You nearly fainted when I was climbing in the tub,” Ha-Yun retorted with steel in her voice despite the warm smile she was casting down on her daughter. “I doubt Hanzo wants to deal with another invalid today.”

Genji sighed impatiently. “Mom’s still looking for a ride to the hospital,” he said. Then, “oh, hey mom.”

Their mother rapped on the bathroom door. “I found us a ride,” she said in English. “They’ll be outside in ten minutes. I have some clothes for you, Ha-Yun.”

With her permission, Aimi switched places with her eldest son to help her get decent. The baby was shoved into Hanzo’s arms to hold while they worked and he obediently took it out to show Genji. Predictably, his younger brother looked disgusted and Hanzo couldn’t blame him.

“What’s wrong with her?” Genji asked in a breathless whisper, looking up at Hanzo.

“That’s just the way babies are,” Hanzo replied. “Her head will squish back down soon enough.”

Genji wrinkled his nose as the baby fussed. Her eyes cracked open and she gave what could only in the very loosest of terms be called a grin, baring her pink gums. “Aww, she likes me!”

“She can’t see you yet,” Hanzo informed his brother. “Her eyes haven’t really adjusted. If she could I’m sure she’d start screaming in terror.”

The younger Shimada glared at Hanzo. He had dyed his hair electric blue, clumsily staining the skin around his neck and hairline as well as his pillowcases, bed sheets, and towels for the first handful of days. The shade wasn’t flattering, made worse with the uneven shades it faded to: varying hues of blue and green and in one unfortunate section of his hair, a sickly yellow-green. The shade did him no justice and he didn’t upkeep it as much as he should have, leading him to his predicament. Worse was that the style he wore his hair, loose and long enough to brush the tips of his shoulders, made it look even worse against his face and skin.

“It’s not a flattering shade,” Ha-Yun said disapprovingly as she always did when they talked about his hair. She was leaning heavily on their mother and Genji immediately went to her side to take more of her weight off their tinier mother.

Aimi and Hanzo traded glances with a whole conversation remaining unspoken. He followed after them as they nearly dragged Ha-Yun out of their tiny apartment, down the narrow stairway, and out to the dingy streets of Chinatown. A nice car was waiting outside and to the brothers’ and Ha-Yun’s surprise the unspoken Queen of the streets, Sobo-Hana, stood at the passenger-side door.

Sobo-Hana was, according to street lore, older than everyone there. She owned half of the block, had many successful restaurants and groceries, but refused to move out of her tiny apartment over the corner florist store. Like a hawk she sat in the window, watching the world go by and on days that her old joints weren’t bothering her, she sat with the florist in their little corner shop to mingle with the mortals below her gaze.

Everyone called her Sobo because she cared for everyone even if the sour expression on her face never wavered. No one messed with Sobo and now it seems that the Shimadas would owe her yet again.

Sobo’s granddaughter, a woman closer to Aimi’s age named Aiko, helped Ha-Yun into the backseat and Hanzo obligingly handed the baby. “We thought of bringing the car seat,” Aiko explained. “But the hospital is just around the corner and down a few blocks and we wanted to fit as many of you as possible.”

“I’ll ride my bike,” Genji offered and without waiting for a response, went to the plain bike chained in the bike rack next to the door of their apartment. Aiko pulled the car seat out of the trunk and with an ease that spoke of much practice, strapped it into the seat and Ha-Yun’s baby into it.

“It’s not good,” Sobo-Hana grumbled. “But it’ll do and it’ll be safer than just holding her on the ride.” She crooked a wrinkled finger at Hanzo and he immediately moved over to her. He tried not to wince when she gripped his arms with fingers like talons. When she moved and twisted his arm, he obeyed her motions and she pressed a blue and gold silk bag into his hands. “Congratulations, uncle,” she murmured to him in quiet Japanese.

He gave her a deferent bow. “Thank you, Sobo.”

Sobo-Hana nodded imperiously but he thought he could see the slightest hint of a smile around her wrinkled lips. She was so old that she had more wrinkles than a Shar-Pei and he wondered if the weight of her skin was what kept her from smiling more. “I’ll send a cleaning crew to clean up,” their landlord continued.

“With respect, no,” Hanzo replied with another little bow. “I will stay behind and clean up but I thank you for thinking of us.”

The old woman’s eyes twinkled. “Very well,” she replied and handed him another little silk pouch, this one with pink and purple designs and white highlights. A Korean good-luck knot hung from a corner. “Take this in congratulations – I have a few others for the rest of your family.” She patted his arm with a soft hand. In her old age her skin was pale and brittle and looked like the wrong touch would tear it like crepe paper. As a result her hands were always cool and clammy and always seemed extra soft when they touched Hanzo’s skin.

Hanzo bowed to her again when she released him. “Thank you for the service you are doing to my family.”

To his surprise, Sobo-Hana bowed back, albeit very slight due to her age. She climbed into the car with Aiko’s assistance while Ha-Yun and Aimi stared at him through the windows to the backseat. Later, he mouthed to them and they nodded. Genji was already three blocks down and Hanzo shook his head; while his brother was grateful, he hadn’t expressed it as he should have.

He waved them down the street and walked back upstairs, collecting congratulations from the neighbors that poked their heads out their doors. A few of them gave gifts – small things in red lai see envelopes with good wishes scribbled hastily in pen on the blank back or small offerings of oranges and tangerines. Dutifully he thanked each neighbor, explained that Sobo-Hana was taking the rest of his family to the hospital, and continued on his way.

Word had spread by the time he reached the open door of their apartment – typical that Genji hadn’t closed it in his excitement. A group of old women that Genji called the Go Gang stood with buckets, mops, and cleaning rags just outside the door. He knew better than to argue with them so instead he bowed to them, thanked them for their time, and the women set to cleaning.

Knowing that they wouldn’t allow him to assist, he jumped into the kitchen instead. The lai see envelopes were tucked into a chipped porcelain bowl for later, the neat silk bundles Sobo-Hana gave him placed gently on top; the oranges and tangerines went in neat stacks on the bookshelf beside the small family shrine that Aimi maintained in the corner. He would put a modest stack in front of the effigies but for now he would wait until he could know if he wanted to eat any; it was bad form, of course, to take back food from the ancestors.

First he made good, strong tea the way the Go Gang liked it and served them their cups in the living room. They tittered at him but didn’t turn it down, claiming that they hadn’t had a good cup of tea made for them by anyone save each other in a long time.

Next he made noodle stir fry, knowing that it would last much longer and be more easily shared amongst a large group. More neighbors came to visit, bearing gifts and Hanzo brewed more tea for them.

Mrs. Apple down the hall, called so because her first and last name said as one word meant “apple” in Chinese, brought a small tray of bao buns. Her neighbor, Herbalist Tang, brought a box of tea while his husband, usually referred to perhaps a little cruelly as The Faerie, brought a sizeable chunk of char siu pork which Hanzo added to the noodles. Realizing what he was using it for The Faerie ran back to their apartment and came back with a large wok full of ingredients and set himself up in the kitchen next to Hanzo.

Herbalist Tang resigned himself to being stuck there and brewed more tea though he did it with a soft smile for The Faerie. Hanzo wondered if he would ever smile at anyone like that and pushed the thought out of his head before it affected the food.

More people came by. The accountant that lived next door (who had never introduced himself, which was fine by Hanzo) poked his head in and offered a plastic bag of bok choy he tiredly explained was from his window garden – illegal by the law of their archaic lease, but Sobo-Hana would never deny anyone a spot of color in their windows so long as it wasn’t causing damage. Hanzo thanked him and offered him a mug of tea while he waited for a quick bao-char siu pork-wilted bok choy sandwich.

Mrs. Kim, an elderly Korean lady down the hall that Ha-Yun frequently visited, shuffled into the door with the air of someone sneaking away from their live-in nurse. Herbalist Tang gave up his chair in the dining room to her and pleased to learn that Hanzo could understand Korean, chattered away at him, offering congratulations and demanding details about Ha-Yun’s baby in her native tongue. She brought with her, when she finally remembered why she had snuck away, a small porcelain bunny figurine that she had explained belonged to her daughter before she died. Hanzo thanked her graciously and placed it in the porcelain bowl with the other gifts as her nurse finally caught up with her and dragged her away.

The nurse returned fifteen minutes later with a quick apology and a $5 bill, explaining that she only had a few minutes before Mrs. Lee ran off again and she didn’t have a lai see envelope on her. Hanzo thanked her and added it to the bowl.

He disappeared into the kitchen, overwhelmed by people and gracious Herbalist Tang took over. By then he had heard just about every question asked and could offer the answers Hanzo had already given.

Neighbors kept visiting, offering congratulations. The Go Gang finished cleaning and sat around the dining room table, trading stories of herbal remedies and skeptical customers with Herbalist Tang; Hanzo and The Faerie continued to hide in the kitchen, adding ingredients found in cupboards and brought as congratulatory gifts. The gift bowl Hanzo had started overflowed and Herbalist Tang found a basket for the rest.

As it grew later, The Faerie disappeared for a half hour, returning with a basket full of groceries; Herbalist Tang rolled his eyes but kissed his husband’s cheek as he ran back to their apartment to fetch spices. They made chicken and ginger soup with rice noodles to spread the joy and Hanzo showed them how to make sweet red beans and zenzai from the recipe his mother learned from her family.

Herbalist Tang kicked his husband out of the kitchen, claiming that he can’t be shown up by The Faerie, and showed Hanzo how to make cake noodles like the ones in American restaurants, drizzled with beef and broccoli and thick brown gravy. Chattering like a little flock of birds, the Go Gang jumped in as well, washing and drying dishes in a constantly-moving conveyor belt of bowls and pans and plates.

As night fell, sake and shoju and beers were pulled out from various apartments and shared. No one drank too much, but they all had imbibed some so that they had rosy cheeks by the time Genji, Aimi, and Ha-Yun (with baby in tow) came back. Hanzo had warned them ahead of time so that they were quiet so the baby wouldn’t serenade them.

They were greeted by a large spread of food and also served heaping portions to Sobo-Hana and Aiko, who came up with them, with more than enough to spare. “What happened?” Genji asked wonderingly, sidling up into a corner with his brother.

“Stone soup,” The Faerie (whose actual name, Hanzo had learned that afternoon, was Luis and The Faerie was a cruel nickname that Herbalist Tang’s family had given him) told them in English. “Everyone chipped in a little.”

Genji, who hadn’t had much to do with Herbalist Tang or The Faerie, peered at him suspiciously. “I’ve never heard that story before,” Hanzo admitted in English. “So I don’t get the reference.” To Genji, he explained, “Mrs. Apple bought bao buns, the accountant next door brought bok choy, Healer Tang and Luis initially brought char siu pork…we have a lot of tangerines from the other neighbors in the stairwell. Lots of people stopped by and brought food.”

Peering into the living room where everyone was gathered around and congratulating Ha-Yun and her little baby, Hanzo found that she was crying. They were good tears, though, as she smiled and shook everyone’s hand, accepted hugs, and kissed cheeks.

“She’s a good woman,” The Faerie said, expertly twisting Hanzo’s stir-fried noodles around his chopsticks. “I’m glad to see something go well for her.”

“Everyone just likes a good celebration,” Genji said rudely in Japanese as he helped himself to food. Hanzo had made sure to save him a bao-wilted bok choy-char siu pork sandwich which he shoved in his mouth. “Brother, who is this?”

The Faerie wiped his mouth and transferred his chopsticks into the hand that was holding his plate; he offered the newly-freed one for Genji to shake. “I’m Luis, Herbalist Tang’s husband.”

“Don’t be rude,” Hanzo said. “He helped cook the food you’re eating and he’s been nothing but kind.”

“I’ve done nothing to earn it,” Luis replied, seemingly unbothered by Genji’s obvious shock that such a pale man could so fluently understand Japanese even if he didn’t seem to actively speak it. “It’s fine, Hanzo.”

Herbalist Tang walked into their corner of the kitchen. He smiled and kissed his husband’s cheek gently. “Come on,” he told them. “Ha-Yun is about to announce the baby’s name.”

“-wouldn’t tell me the entire ride here!” Sobo-Hana was exclaiming though it was clear that she wasn’t really angry. “Impertinence!”

Clearly something had happened in the car that endeared Ha-Yun more to this fearsome woman. She didn’t have the history that the Shimadas had with Sobo and had been afraid of the tiny woman and her ivory cane. “Yes, Sobo,” she said. “I wanted it to be a surprise…but I hadn’t expected the entire building to be here when I finally told you!” Hanzo watched as Aimi handed Ha-Yun a thin folder which she then offered to Sobo-Hana. The old woman squinted down at the papers in the folder. “I named her after you.”

[blastthechaos]

Little Rita - Chapter 1

Lincoln:This is a...

Baby Rita:no...n ca...non fa...n...fic

Lincoln:Regardless of how you think it portray the characters...

Baby Rita:We ad...vice s...ee..ing canon t...o get the characters

Lincoln:Very good

Both:Enjoy!

(I don't know how to emulate baby talk, sue me)

I got the idea for Lily’s character here from an official TLH comic, I just exaggerated it for comedic purposes

Lincoln grunted as he watched the baby girl he held in his hands.

The snow haired teenager thought he be out of the weirdness after everyone in the loud house grew up and he moved out, but seems the universe(this one) is a stingy bitch.

You see, this baby wasn't actually is own offspring, not after he swore romantic relationships and sex for good, plus he was too young for that.

This baby also wasn't his niece or a new little sibling, no no no, that be far too normal for his life.

No, this baby was his mom, de-aged by Lisa...by accident, according to her anyways.

It was a normal day for him, walking around his apartment in his underwear with no one to complain since he keep the windows closed and he lived alone, reading comics, practicing his drawing, doing chores around the house, you know the usual since he started living alone.

Then suddenly he receives a call, it was Lisa, he got the feeling she did a bad, but shrugged it off and talked like they usually do.

First mistake.

Lisa seemed nervous about something, which Lincoln picked up but decided it was probably nothing.

Second mistake.

Then she asked him to come to his old house, not reason given other than 'it's a surprise'.

Third mistake and he was out.

He took the bus since he still didn't have money to buy a car and didn't get a new bike, the ride was peaceful, a moment of peace before the bomb dropped.

He got out of the bus, calmly walked up to his old house and knocked.

Someone tried to open him but the doorknob fell off, more time took into fixing it and that it stuck for the time being and he was in.

It was Lily who opened him, much to his annoyance.

You see, when she was a baby Lily became kinda of a bitch, he didn't say anything at the time because he thought it was just some weird thing that would go away quickly, mom told them she would be like that when she grows up, since her other children went through the same.

He silently laughed at that, it was ridiculous that someone was born with their fully developed personality, just without being able to talk, there were certain cases where that was like that but it was outliers for the human race.

Yet here they are, 5 years later and Lily was still a bitch, only worse now because she could talk, move on her and other stuff older kids could do.

The tried to get her to change her ways, tried to make her at least a tolerable person...but the only thing they got was anger and siblicidal thoughts, maybe in a other universes she woul be a good natured, kind, adorable little girl, but as she stood now...

"What's up loser" Said the little shithead of a little girl.

Driving away any siblicidal thoughts out of his mind, Lincoln answered the little girl as nice as possible.

"I came because Lisa called me, she said it was a surprise"

"Oh, that four eyed freak didn't the you the screw up she committed, you're in for a surprise"

Lincoln took deep breaths because he got a feeling whatever Lisa did, it was gotta be a very bad thing.

"What did she do?"

"Let miss 'I can't do science right to save my life' tell you herself"

"Good, she's probably upstairs in her room, I can go by myself bye" He said as he wanted to get far away from Lily as possible.

Before Lily could say anything Lincoln already darted to her room, it was her old room, this time all for herself.

Lily took the one Lori and Leni had all for herself.

Once he arrived, he took notice of something.

There was a baby.

Not Lisa obviously, she was 9 now, but a little baby girl with a platinum tuff of hair.

"Lisa, what did you do?"

"Hey older sibling, ever heard of de-aging?"

An attempted murder later (don't worry, it's normal between them), Lisa explained the situation.

Lisa was developing one of her experiments, meant to create ways people could age forward and backwards at will, so they could settle in the age they want.

She wanted a test subject, Lily obviously refused, Lucy, Lana and Lola too and dad was too busy with his restaurant to pay attention.

That's another thing that happened, on the following years Lynn's table got a huge following, so much that dad got extremely focused in keeping it afloat, to the expense of his family.

He surprisingly wasn't bothered, neither where some of his siblings, he guessed that since they all learned to move on with their lives...

Some people where bothered by this, including his mom who was visible sadder, now that actually made him angry.

Speaking of that wonderful woman, she offered to help Lisa like any mother would, she didn't understand it but she wanted to help all of her children, even Lily who's also mean to her...

He was kinda peeved, so much that he attempted towards Lisa's life again (this family is pro-pence to that).

After evading near death, Lisa proceeded to explain to him that she will find a way to fix it as soon as possible.

The catch, is that he needed to take care of his mom.

She told him that dad was a mess from what was currently happening and didn't seem to be capable of taking care of his mom like that.

Plus, it was awkward taking care of your wife now as a little baby.

His older sister did know, but they were trying to find a way to cover for mom, his younger sisters were gonna help her turn her to normal, which only left Lincoln to take care of her.

Plus, she felt he would be the right one to take care of her., after all they did have the closest relationship with each other.

Lincoln was annoyed, he wasn't fond of taking care or having kids, he knew how, but he wasn't the slightest bit interested in that life style.

That was until little Rita started crawling to is leg, calling Dada.

That got him sad.

A year ago, Pop Pop had died of old age, leaving a devastated family behind, especially his daughter Rita.

The tried their best to cheer her up, they even stayed for a small period of time back in the Loud House until she felt better, but even then she still was affected by the tragedy.

Lincoln picked up the little girl, she seemed to mistake him for her deceased dad, makes sense, Pop Pop always called him his look alike, guess that rang true even in his younger days.

"Hey sweetie, don't worry, daddy is here" He instinctively said, imitating Albert as much as he could.

The girl giggled happily and Lincoln smiled...until he realized what he has done and began to wonder why he did it.

"Well, it seems my assumption was correct" Said Lisa.

Lincoln glared at her.

"Don't worry older sibling, once she returns to her usual age she will have all her memories back, so you won't have to pretend to be our deceased grandfather, I advise to keep the charade during your time raising her, it's for the best"

The man with the plan sighed, she was right, Rita couldn't understand her dad is dead now and even if she could, telling her about it would be a jerk move on his part and he didn't want to do that.

"Ok Lisa, I take care of mom, you better fix this mess, else I lock you with Lily for an entire month"

Lisa gulped, that threat being more than enough to get her to work.

They decided Lincoln will raise Rita in his apartment for the time being, in case she got injured during the experiments at home, so Lisa decided to use one of her machines to transport every stuff Lincoln may need to take care of baby Rita for the time being.

So, here we are.

"So here we are mom, never guessed it would come the time for me to take care of you...well maybe when you where too old but not like taking care of you as a baby"

It was weird calling her mom while he was sixteen years older than her at the moment, it was even weirder to talk to her as if she understood but eh.

He caressed her as she giggled at his touch.

She looked a lot like baby Lily, near identical, the only difference was that Rita didn't have the aura of malice Lily had as a baby, nor did her innocent appearance seemed to be a fake to gather sympathy and make you drop your guard down.

Seriously, what went wrong with that girl? She wasn't raised differently from the other loud siblings at her age and she still ended up being an unbearable bitch at that age.

Leaving her aside, he played a game of peek-a-boo with Rita, he was gonna call her that from now on so it doesn't get weirder than it already is.

In a way, this could be seen as making up to Rita by taking care of them 11 times, this time they where taking care of them, albeit temporarily...hopefully.

The girl was giggling and saying 'Dada' over and over.

Lincoln smiled and picked her up, he put his gloved finger close to her and she started biting it, it didn't really hurt and it made Rita happy, so it was ok by him.

He still wasn't into raising children, but he felt ok with taking care of Rita.

[freethetreepeople]

Thailand & Vietnam Vacation 2018

Vietnam & Thailand Trip: A Novella

  February 28th/ March 1st: This is the day I began my journey. I was a bit scared of traveling by myself for fear that I wouldn’t be able to produce digital boarding passes in ye foreign lands. Thankfully the Captain gave Helen a cracked (unlocked) shellphone that was a good security blanket. I had never bought sim cards in foreign lands before, but apparently it was quite easy! Well I got on my plane from Denver to San Fran – Success! I then got on a plane from San Fran to Hong Kong and begins reading my novel “The Rooster Bar”. It is a book about three law students who are so encumbered by debt, they quit school and pretend to be lawyers and troll for people at jails and hospitals who need immediate legal assistance and are willing to pay cash. I got about a third of the way done and switched to movies – big mistake. I have a tendency to get screen sickness if I watch too much tv. I got a blinding headache for about 6 hours of the 14 hour plane flight. Luckily I friended two lovely British and Middle Eastern flight attendants and gained the courage to ask them for some extra food and a carbonated drink. But when I told them I had a headache they were like “Do you want Advil?”! I swear back in the day flight attendants told me they were not allowed to distribute drugs. I had never been so happy in my life. The flight attendants also had amazing recommendations for things to do in Vietnam. They told me to see the Cu Chi Mihn tunnels, the war museum, the backpackers street, and eat a Bahn Mi sandwich. I still have the napkin the guy wrote it all down on and it will go in my memory box! You shall live on forever friendly flight attendant!

 After relieving my headache I did watch some good movies from Hong Kong to Bangkok – namely one “Goodbye Christopher Robin” about how A.A. Milne writing Winnie the Pooh ruined his son’s life. It was really good – must watch, but I did end up crying and I felt rather stupid being surrounded by people. I finally got to the Bangkok airport and was SHOCKED at how run down and hot it was. It was like being in this weird skinny factory. I made it to the international terminal and messaged Limp Legged Loc  – he had left the terminal to find food! What a rebel. I tried walking the in direction that I thought would allow me to leave the terminal but a sassy gay Thai airport guy saw me and knew I was lost and pointed me in the right direction. I finally got to the food court and met Limp Legged Loc for the first time – he was a pirate from another ship you see, and we were both porting at the same island and meeting for the first time. Well he looked different than I was expecting, but seemed like a nice pirate friend overall.

  March 1st/March 2nd: Loc and I took a flight from Bangkok to Ko Samui and then a ferry ride from Ko Samui to Ko Pha Ngan. On Ko Samui I begin to notice that everyone is dressed in clothes much frattier and sexier than what I have packed… hmm. Loc and I exchanged drunken tales to pass the time and finally arrived at Ko Pha Ngan. Loc taught me how to buy a sim card – it was the easiest experience in the world! We made our way to our hostel… if you could call it that.. which was essentially a bleak room with two twin beds, some thin sheets, and not much else. The bathroom had concrete floors and a toilet that was basically in the shower area. To give you some idea of the conditions of this place, I saw two cockroaches (or perhaps they were spiders?) having intercourse on day 2. Sometimes slumming it can be fun so I took it all in with a laugh.

Loc and I spent the first part of the day walking around the town, shopping, and eating.  I was very impressed Loc was so patient with the whole shopping thing. I asked him why that was and he said he went shopping with his lady friends/love interests sometimes back home. Good lord – you can not get Tom within 50 feet a mall, so good for Loc. We then rented a motor bike and started riding uphill from the town that was frat city. Once we got back into the residential areas it got a lot nicer. We found a secret bar (whose name I can’t remember!) with a great view of the island and pool. The bar was essentially a deck on a hill so we walked below the deck on these steep stairs to explore what was below. We found a dilapidated deck, some great climbing rocks, and an especially good one of those little pagodas you see everywhere in Thailand. On the way back up one especially large hill we were having trouble getting the bike going straight – they are surprisingly top-heavy. We ended up crashing the bike into the little concrete lips on the edge of the street a few times which was no Bueno. Long story short, we took it back to the guy we rented it from and had to spend about $300 USD between us to fix it. He probably overcharged us, but as we have learned, you don’t mess with the Thai… they also had our passports. They probably copied these while we were gone and our information is being used somewhere in SE Asia.

Finally Emma arrived in a tizzy – She was quite put out with United – they messed up her flight FIVE TIMES. I think she mentioned something about they kept giving away her seat. I will have to ask her the whole story once I see her.

So I was sitting in our room, waiting for Emma to get ready, and I see these snapchats from my best friend and bridesmaid Sonia (with an IA) of her sitting on a beach somewhere in Thailand. And I just get this feeling that she is in Ko Pha Ngan. I knew she was going on a Thailand/Cambodia adventure around this time but I thought surely we wouldn’t be in any of the same places at the same time! So I snapchat her and say “girl.. I think we’re on the same island… are you going to the full moon party?” Indeed she was!! So I use the trusty Captain’s cell phone to navigate us to Sonia and her friend Gilli and honestly it was pretty hard to tell someone how to find them on a beach full of 30,000+ people. They gave us a general location and like a hound dog I began running through the crowds. It was the weirdest thing – it was like I could sense where my bestie was. I ran up from behind and gave her a big ol’ bear hug and we celebrated. Sonia, Gilli, Loc, Emma, and I all danced, bought lots of buckets, drank, made friends, and had a fantastic night. At one point, Sonia, Gilli and I went to these tall scaffoldings out in the ocean with some people and danced and hung out. It was pretty magical. Then I left Sonia and Gilli with my non-sim card phone and navigated the beach to find Loc and Emma. Honestly, it was pretty dumb. I didn’t know how to make it back to our hostel and I didn’t have data. Again, second miracle of the night, I walked 10-15minutes along the beach until I saw a sign I thought I recognized and god bless Emma and Loc were there. At some point I had ditched my shoes, so I distinctly remember running through the streets of Ko Pha Ngan with no shoes like a mad drunken loon. Finally I convinced dad to let me go get my shoes – he was convinced I couldn’t find them in my drunken state, but I SHOWWED HIM SIR. Dad was quite surprised. Dad and mom put me to bed at 3 and they went back out and continued to party until 5.

  March 3rd: We spent most of the day exploring the island and laying out on the beach. At one point I went for a run by myself and that’s where the monkey incident happened! I found an abandoned restaurant (I think) and it was inhabited by monkeys! First mate Helen tried to take pictures of these monkeys but grandpa monkey was not having it! He and two of his sons or nephews (or nieces! Let’s not be sexist) started running at me! Well I didn’t have my rabies shot so I said “I don’t think so!” and ran into the ocean for safety. Later that day we hung out at this casual little bar (whose name I don’t remember gahh!) and met a bartender named Koko, who was the most adorable little shy man ever. He made us mojitos and was pretty distant at first, but after a while he warmed up to us and even let me go behind the bar and make a drink. We visited Koko a few times that day and finally he said he would take us to a locals party after he got off of his shift at 1! Well we went back to the death bunker and I made the mistake of lying down – soon the team followed suit and next thing we knew we had all passed out. Both Emma and I randomly woke up at 1:30 AM and knew it was too late. We had broken Koko’s heart! What a**hole Americans!

  March 4th: We left Ko Pha Ngan in the afternoon and took a ferry to Ko Tao. Ko Tao was much less fratty and more spread out that Ko Pha Ngan. We booked ourselves an extremely nice (but still really cheap when you do the conversion) hotel located on the top of a huge hill. Let me describe this hotel for you. It had a romantic canopy bed (sorry Loc – dis for the girls), a bathroom with lots of stone, a private deck that had a gate and led out to the infinity pool, super powerful air conditioning, many mirrors (good for females), and a beautiful view! Like I said the hotel was on a steep hill so when you looked over our balcony, it basically dropped right into the ocean (remind me to show you a picture). Emma hung up a hammock and everything was right in the world. There was also a set of outdoors stairs that led to a public bathroom and then down further to our room. Every day I would be walking behind Loc and he would say “I need to take a shit and I don’t want to blow up our bathroom” and deviate to the public toilet. Soon this became a funny routine that would go on every day. However, I still don’t love it when guys talk about their poop…

              That night we went out on the town at 9 and started walking along the street into town. It was really dark and there wasn’t another person in sight, so we began to RUN as to not get taken. By the time wee got into the main drag of town we were all super sweaty. We went into this restaurant to good food, but they had stopped serving food, so we took tequila shots. Emma ran away to find the “toasties” from Sev Lev, which she had heard about from her cousin. We ate the toasties and then started walking through town. We were walking by this bar that had a bunch of locals dancing and eating – they looked like a family because they had children and people of all ages. So we walked up to the bar and they motioned us in and offered us some food. They told us it was some man’s birthday and we began to dance with them to traditional Thai music. It was AWESOME. We spent about an hour there and then wandered down to the beach where we went to this bar called “Lotus”. At the time it was so dark, I thought we were in some sort of secluded jungle clearing which I really liked, but when I passed by there the next day I realized that the bar wasn’t in a jungle meadow but literally on the beach next to hundreds of other bars! It kind of killed the magic a little. Let me tell you about that night though! There were guys dancing with fire ropes and fire juggling sticks at the beginning. Then there was a fire limbo. This really strong Thai guy took both Emma and I (separately) and sat us on his waist and limboed under the fire limbo stick! Emma and I also tried it together where I let Emma sit on my waist and limboed under it! So many hilarious pictures for this, so lucky you, I have attached them. I also let one of the Italians and this British chick braid my hair, because I tell strangers to do weird things when I get drunk (see picture). Other highlights of the night: At one point we made this British girl let us take body shots off of her because I was like “I am wearing a dress – can not be the body shot receptacle”; this girl started telling me about her adventurous/gross love life (will not disclose as this is via Deloitte email) and I turned to Loc and go “Loc! Have you met So-and-so? She was telling me the most interesting stories about what she’s into, and excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom” and left him in that conversation. As I am walking away all I can hear is Loc going “what the f**kkkkk?”. Basically by the end of the night we were all these tight-knit drunken foreigners – it was great! I did wander off by myself to go to the bathroom and then wandered into some abandoned apartments and Emma got pretty mad at me… but I always come back to the group! At the end of the night we had to walk up the GIANT hill to get back to our hotel – It was really hard to do this drunkenly.

  March 5th: We spent the morning sitting on the beach and drinking mojitos. This is probably where I got the majority of my tan. The beach was beautiful and full of bars and restaurants and lovely hidey-holes. That day Emma Loc and I spent several hours in the ocean just swimming and chatting. But Emma and I kept getting stung by what felt like mini jellyfish! I asked a few males and a few females and only the females reported getting stuck. SEXIST JELLYFISH! We met some cool people in the ocean – three Spaniards who we talked about culture stereotypes with, and a couple named Denver and Storm who told us the cool things to go do on the island. Note to self – name daughter Storm. Emma and I then went to a Thai massage place where I had the most amazing massage. The massage parlor was on this upstairs open desk facing the ocean with basically just shades for walls and fans everywhere. All you could hear was the sound of fans – it was weirdly peaceful. So this Thai lady rubbed me down with this warm coconut oil (ok admittedly I broke out so bad for the rest of the trip, but it was worth it) and massaged me hard for an hour straight! Not like in America where you pay an arm and a leg and they always seem to be doing other things instead of rubbing you. Also I love when they message you rough because it makes me feel like you are actually getting all of the knots and bad juju out.  Emma and I then walked all up and down the beach and saw so many dogs trying to catch fish in the ocean – it was so cute! Finally we headed back to our hotel and walked up the GIANT hill – dear god lord Jesus that hill sucked, but at least you felt like you had done your mini work out for the day once you were done. We swam around in the infinity pool and hung with people at our hotel. I don’t think we went out that night, but I can’t remember…

  March 6th: We spent more of the day tanning at the beach, drinking mojitos, and eating some random gummy vitamins that Emma had brought. We were having lots of silly conversations like whether green and yellow make blue. We also spent a lot of times at their beach property bars where you sit on the ground or sit on bean bags which was a lot of fun. We ate some really tasty curry and panang meals and I think had our first Mango sticky rice. This is decidedly in my top 5 favorite foods. In the afternoon we went to some bar and met some really cool lone wolfs – an Australian guy who was already drunk and making hilarious conversation; a super jacked British gay guy named Aaron who I decided was my new best friend; this guy from Denver/Boulder who went to CU and, albeit, was living a super cool life, was hitting on me way hard and I was not into; and the Thai bartender who we convinced to take shots with us even though his boss was sitting 20 ft. away. That night we went back to the Lotus beach bar and watched more of the dancing shirtless fit fire guys routines. After that we wondered into the city and saw some lady boys in the street beckoning people. They looked SO HOT, I was v impressed. So we went into the cabaret and bought some beers and watch their shows. If I was being super legit at this log, I would include pictures of that too, but all of my pictures were pretty bad quality. We ended the night by eating a crepe and walking up … wait for it… our BELOVED SUICIDE HILL. As the nights went on we began to build a love-hate relationship with that damn hill.

  March 7th: I woke up early, went for a run, and went to talk to the dive people at Rocktopus. They explained that they could fit our four day session into three so I was overjoyed. Running through town was so much fun. I tried to run until there stopped being shops and it was residential but this one street went on FOREVER. Finally I got to the point where it started going straight up hill and that is when I gave up. I was running back home when I saw all of these colorful umbrellas suspended in a net, so I hoped a fence and wandered into this fair that was being set up (I think it was going on a few days later).  When I got back to the hotel, Loc and Emma were still sleeping. Oh I don’t know if this made it into the other days logs, but every morning we would eat an amazing all-inclusive breakfast on this deck with breathtaking views. And they gave you FREE water so I would drink so much water during this time. I really liked the deck because it was sort of built into a rock and the edges of the deck weren’t really finished. The hotel was a great combination of super nice and fancy, but also island laid-back. That day we went on our snorkeling trip. A truck came and picked us up and took us to a restaurant where we met some of the other attendees. We met one guy named Max Geisinger who turned out to be a famous German guitarist! He has 575,000+ followers on Spotify. We then got on a boat and got our snorkels on and our instructor would let us off at different coves. Emma and I were together at first and then I lost Emma so Loc and I were together for a bit. We saw some awesome neon colored fish, and a giant sea turtle, and a shark. On the last dive, I grabbed someone else’s snorkel and jumped in, but I soon came to realize it had a hole in it. I was trying to keep up with the group but I couldn’t keep my face in the water, so I was essentially treading water for 20 minutes straight. Then the swells of the ocean started getting really big and pushy us towards the shore. At one point I turned to some German guy next to me (there are Germans EVERYWHERE when you travel) and said “I’m a little scared, I think I’m drowning” and then I started swimming back to the boat. That was the longest most frustrating 10-15 minute swim of my life.

We had made friends with some British dudes, so after the snorkel trip was over we went with them to this restaurant known for these special milkshakes – unfortunately when we got there they said their shake machine was broken and there were no special shakes, so we just ate and enjoyed the views. After that Loc Emma and got ready to go out, headed into town, and went to awesome little shack/bar that sold really cheap shots. We took shots from this hot middle aged Thai bartender lady (with especially perky… personality… hmmm) and started out night. We met up with these French guys we had met from the snorkeling trip at guess where… LOTUS. We watched the fire dancers for a bit and decided to wander to this bar called “BND” (Bar Next Door) where they had American ping pong tables! I played some beer pong and then ran away to buy my friends baby guinesses. My hair was in a tizz so I asked this British girl if she had a rubber band. She didn’t but she said she would braid my hair. After she braided my hair I was so grateful I insisted on buying her a shot. I think she thought I was lesbian coming onto her, so after I bought her shot I had to pull out the fiancé card so she’d rest easy. After that I hung out with my friends a bit. Then I ran away again to see things or get more shots and I saw a guy who was flirting with the bartender and got her to serve him right away. I bluntly asked “could you teach me how to flirt with bartenders in a way that they pay attention to you and serve you drinks?” This gentleman’s name was Logan and I think he was taken back by my audacity. He laughed and we started chatting and I learned… surprise surprise, he had gone to CU. He noticed that I had an engagement ring on and we established I was taken and for the rest of the night we had a fantastic intellectual conversation about a myriad of topics and I didn’t even have to deal with him hitting on me. He became my second favorite person after gay bestie Aaron. Loc Emma and I ended the night by getting Truck (we were moving up in the world!) ride back to our hotel.

  March 8th: Last day on Ko Tao. Loc was hungover (theme of our trip) so Emma and I petered into town, explored, ran some errands, and decided to grab lunch. We asked someone the best place to eat and they recommended this place called “Su Chili” on a different part of the island. Emma and I walk a decent way there and guess who we see... Freaking LOC! At this point we decide we have some sort of friendship radar for each other. I got a delicious yellow peanut curry dish (See picture attached) and Emma and I got fresh strawberry and watermelon smoothies. This may have been the best meal of the whole trip. Then Emma went to get one last message so Loc and I walked back to our hotel. As we were walking there we saw this meadow with booths and exhibits and figured a festival was coming up in the next few days. I saw the most AMAZING rainbow umbrellas suspended in a net (see picture) and had a grand time photographing them. It was like something you see on Pinterest. There were also a few other cool works of art, but I won’t overwhelm you with pictures. We went back to Su Chili for dinner and grabbed pizza and then went out. I don’t remember anything particularly exceptional from this night, except that we went to that little pop-up ally bar with the woman with the great fake … yeah. I remember being so full of liquid and Loc and Emma pressuring me into taking shots. I believe we ended the night by getting some sort of Nutella crepe and all was right with the world.

  March 9th: We had asked our hotel to call us a cab at 5 AM so we could catch a ride to the ferry, but unfortunately, they forgot ☹. So we grabbed our packs and started jogging down suicide hill in hopes that we could find a cab in town. As we were jogging, we saw two guys driving up on motor bikes, and Emma flagged them down. God bless Emma and her lack of inhibitions and social graces. She asked if all three of us and our giant backpacks could hitch a ride to the ferry. The two guys were south American (Brazilian?) and spoke pretty broken English, but they agreed. So Loc and I hopped onto the back of one guys motor bike, and Emma hopped onto the back of the other guy’s motor bike. We drove for a good 20-30 minutes in the pitch black on the back of these guys motor bikes while I tried to make small talk. The guy we were with would toot his horn every 2 minutes to make sure the other guy was still behind him. They were both actually driving pretty fast – if we had crashed it would have been a bad story for all of us. We made it to the ferry feeling very very grateful and the south American guys left, I wish I had at least friended them on Facebook! I told you about Loc eating some foreign candy and feeling very dizzy on the ferry ride. The candy plus the lack of sleep probably put him over the edge. We got a ferry to Ko Samui and a flight from Ko Samui to Chiang Mai and arrived midafternoon. Upon getting there, we realized that the hostel we had booked was closed, but we soon found a new one. A guy in a tuk-tuk asked if needed a ride anywhere and we said YES! We wanted to go to the elephant sanctuary that day! The guy’s name was Jimmy and he had a little son named Joe. Jimmy was so sweet – he had even built a little child-sized seat into the tuk-tuk so that Joe could ride along. Jimmy and Joe took us to the elephant Sanctuary and chatted to each other the whole time. It was very sweet to see a father spending quality time with his son, even though he was working.

Jimmy dropped us off at the elephant sanctuary a little before 2 and we started the day by changing into these awesome pink hemp shirts and baggy pants and eating lunch. Soon our guide, Phonkneng took us to this tent to learn some elly language. Really the most important ones were “Dee dee!” which means “very good!” and “Bon Soong”, which means “open your mouth”. There was a pretty old mom elephant, Nong Luck, and a teenage elephant, Lanna, in the pen near the entrance, so we petted them and fed them a lot. Then Phonkneng walked us into the woods to see this other mom elephant, Uthai, and a 6 month old BEBE elephant, Waree! Before we started, Phonkneng was like “I don’t know how to tell you this, but I can see your but”. The pants were VERY baggy and confusing and I had tied them in a way that they were snug around my waist but apparently the material sagged below my but. I was v embarrassed for about 5 seconds but then I just laughed and fixed my pants.

We hugged and petted the baby elephant (Waree) and poured water on him and his mom. Phonkneng told us to push on the Waree’s head because he would push back, which was his version of playing. I pushed on his head and he pushed back and pushed me about 15 feet! I was afraid he was going to push me straight out of the pen (see attached photo)! Then Phonkneng and his coworker took us into the river where Nong Luck and Lanna were hanging out. Lanna was playing and splashing by herself a little upstream and Nong Luck was just chilling in the water. Phonkneng and his associate gave us this organic root/bamboo looking material and instructed us to wash the elephants. We washed the elephants and at one point the other supervisor guy picked up some poop and was chasing me around trying to touch me with poop – in the end I let him because I wasn’t getting out of it lol. Then he lifted me onto Nong Luck and I got to sit on top of her and wash her! It was so much fun! Except that Nong Luck kept reaching back and trying to eat the bamboo root thing (apparently its edible and that elephants like to eat this) and she was freaky strong and hard to swat away (see picture). Then Loc Emma and I were taking some posed pictures by the elephant and the other assistant guy snuck up behind me and grabbed my ankle and I thought it was a water snake and about died. I must look like a perfect victim or something. Then Loc Emma and I each got to stand over Nong Luck’s trunk and she lifted us into the air! I feel like I looked really goofy in my photos, so I will attach photos of Loc and Emma instead! See attached. We were all very sad when it was time to go but we begged Phonkneng to take us on as American volunteers. Unfortunately they did not allow volunteers yet at this particular sanctuary.

  TBC….  

[backtothestart02]

Running in the Sun - 8/?

*Many thanks to @valeriemperez for beta’ing. :)

Chapter 8 – Wily Tactics

“Oh god. It’s gotten worse.”

Jared turned back to look at Kyle, who was staring incredulously at his best friend waving off Sunny and Melanie as they exited the apartment. Jeb had been surprisingly generous in letting Jared keep Melanie out past the previous curfew of 1am and giving Jared the day off. But apparently he was just eager to make sure had a fun summer and thrilled that his handyman/roofer had taken on “Project Melanie” with such fervor. He hadn’t had any suspicions whatsoever.

Not that he needed to have any, Jared reminded himself. Because there was nothing going on.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, determined to look as innocent as possible.

“You know what I’m talking about,” Kyle said, roughly brushing past him to shut the door the girls had just walked out of. He turned around to see Jared looked dumbfounded and confused. “Yes, you do,” he said slowly, as if to a child. “And don’t pretend like you don’t.” He pointed his finger at him accusingly. “Your innocent act doesn’t work on me; and frankly, you suck at it.”

“Are you talking about Melanie?” Jared asked.

Kyle stared at him in disbelief. “No shit.”

“What about her?” Jared asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Kyle gawked, then turned around and headed into the kitchen. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and downed half of it.

“Slow down there, cowboy,” Jared said, coming to stand across from him on the tile floor. “You probably shouldn’t go to the fair drunk.” His smirk easily turned into a grin.

“My shift’s not till 5,” Kyle said. “It’s only 11 am.”

Jared raised his eyebrows, amused. “All the more reason.”

Kyle set the glass bottle on the table and fixed Jared with a look that vacillated between attempted intimidation and the air of wisdom.

“Just answer me this. What happened?”

“Huh?” Jared’s brows furrowed in genuine confusion now.

“What happened? What changed? I know what didn’t change. You’re still into her. Still falling for her faster than a brick into water.” Jared opened his mouth to interject, but Kyle kept going. “But you’re not brooding anymore like you were the other day. You’re all googly-eyed now, and Melanie has definitely got stars in her eyes. So, something had to have happened. What was it?”

“If you’re asking…” Jared began carefully, “why I’m not,” he paused, trying to think of the right word. “Moody anymore, it’s because I apologized and she decided to give me the benefit of the doubt.”

Kyle stared at his friend, trying to decide if he was lying.

“Huh.” He thought that over. “Still doesn’t explain the googly eyes—”                  

Jared rolled his eyes. “I do not have googly—”

“Or her starry eyes.”

Jared started to form words, but suddenly hesitated. Whatever feelings he was trying to muddle through, he didn’t have the slightest idea about Melanie’s.

“Jeb wants Melanie to have a fun summer,” he explained. Even as he said it he knew what the implications might be. Kyle’s raised eyebrows and cheeky smirk said his thoughts better than any words ever could.

“Is that right?” Kyle asked, practically giddy. Jared glared at him. “And…” he cleared his throat, trying not to laugh. “He trusts you to show his niece a good time then?”

“Don’t,” Jared warned. “It’s not like that.”

“No?” Kyle laughed, lifting his beer to take another sip. “Why don’t you tell me what it’s like then,” he suggested, thoroughly enjoying himself now.

“It’s like,” Jared said slowly, as if to a child, “there was an old bike and car in the shed behind Jeb’s house, and he wants me to fix them up and show his niece how to use them.”

“Show her how to—” Kyle stopped, momentarily confused. “Didn’t you say she was seventeen?”

Jared nodded, bracing himself for the multiple revelations that were about to hit his best friend.

“But…wouldn’t that mean she already has her driver’s license? She definitely has to know how to ride a bike. You learn how to do that when you’re a kid.” He smirked. “Sounds like good old Jebediah is trying to set you up with…” His voice trailed off and his smile faded when he saw Jared seriously shaking his head. “He doesn’t want you to be set up with…?”

“No,” Jared snapped. “Melanie doesn’t know how to drive a car or ride a bike. She’s lived in a big city her whole life, even when she studied abroad. There’s no need for those skills there. You take a cab or the subway or you walk.”

Kyle just stared at him for a long time, letting that information sink in. Then, without warning, he burst out laughing. It was not a gradual thing. The laughter was immediately loud and obnoxious. None of Jared’s scolding or yelling made it stop. It was completely out of control, and Kyle made no attempt to tame it.

Finally, Jared just slapped him, effectively silencing him into shock.

“Don’t disrespect her like that,” he said. “She lives in a different part of the country, a different state, a different environment. Not every place is like Lakeland Valley, you know.”

Kyle recovered and took another swallow of his beer.

“Thank god for that,” he muttered, rubbing his cheek. He moved his beer from his lips to the side of his face. Jared said nothing about how the slap didn’t warrant a cold cure and Kyle didn’t defend himself for using one.

“Look,” he said, serious now. “Just so you know, I wasn’t poking fun at Melanie. I was laughing at you.”

“Me,” Jared repeated neutrally.

“Yeah,” Kyle laughed. “You.”

His eyebrows narrowed. “What about me?”

“Oh come on, don’t tell me you don’t see it,” Kyle said, exasperated.

Jared saw it, but he was not going to admit it.

“Okay.” Kyle put out his hand and ticked off the list on his fingers. “She’s from the city – which, really, is your biggest issue. Then there’s the age thing, which also should be giving you flashbacks. And now you’re being put in a situation where you have to interact with her one-on-one for your job.”

Jared wasn’t connecting the dots, but he was getting annoyed.

“Don’t make it sound like a chore,” he barked. “It’s not.”

“It wasn’t last time either.”

The dots were realigning.

“Kyle,” he warned.

“The only reason you like Melanie Stryder is because she reminds of Ellie Carlson and everything that happened with her. Only this time it’s reversed. This time you’re ten years older, not the young and naïve self the sixteen-year-old you were, who fell for a line.” Jared’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. “Look man, I get it,” Kyle continued, either oblivious or feeling the need to finish his argument. “The past can be messy, especially yours. Who wouldn’t want to recreate a mistake by creating an opportunity where they rewrite the ending? But guess what? You can’t. And if you insist on trying, you are going to break Melanie Stryder’s heart. It’s not fair. To either of you.”

Jared was not usually the violent type, but he had never wanted to punch something as much as he wanted to punch Kyle’s right now. He made myself count to ten slowly before he opened his mouth to speak.

“There’s just one problem with your theory, Kyle.”

“Yeah? And what is that?” he asked casually, clearly not feeling threatened in the least.

“I’m not into Melanie,” he replied for what felt like the thousandth time. This time though, he actually sounded convincing. “Not as an Ellie replacement, who, by the way, I am not secretly hung up on still. What happened with her happened ten years ago. To be honest, I haven’t thought about her in years, even if the girls since then have shared some similarities.

And I don’t like Melanie for herself either. Not in the way you’ve been implying. And it’s really insulting that you have the nerve to compare her to probably the biggest mistake of my life. Melanie and Ellie have a few things in common with the circumstances they were in and how they got involved with me, but that’s it. Melanie is nothing like Ellie.”

“I didn’t say she was,” Kyle said, looking like he’d discovered some big treasure he was cautious to reveal. “Out of curiosity though, what is she like?”

“Why should I tell you?” Jared asked, oddly defensive. “You’ll just use it to prove I’m in love with her. Which I’m not. Ask Sunny if you want to know about Mel. Or talk to Melanie yourself. Find out what she’s like.” He sighed, frustrated. Too frustrated to correct the little nickname he’d subconsciously given Melanie. “I don’t know why you feel like you have to grill me over this anyway. Even if I did have feelings for her – which I don’t – I wouldn’t act on them. She’s leaving at the end of summer. Three months from now, none of this will matter.”

Kyle stared at him for a long time, not saying anything.

“I’m pushing you,” he said, “because you’re in denial. You will not be able to save yourself or Melanie from whatever is bound to happen between the two of you if you can’t at least admit to yourself that there’s something there. You have to take action while you still have a somewhat clear head. Once you’ve fallen for her completely, logic will have no meaning.”

Jared sighed and went into the living room, collapsing onto a big chair. He put his hand to head, preparing for the pounding headache he was sure Kyle’s pestering would induce. He couldn’t believe how far south this conversation had gone. He had expected some teasing similar to earlier in the week, especially given that Kyle had finally picked up that Melanie was exactly his type. But he never dreamed he would connect that to Ellie. Probably because he himself hadn’t made the connection. He’d buried his memories of her so far back that all he had were his feelings of bitterness and a predilection for certain characteristics.

Thinking of it now, he could see how Kyle’s sudden assumption made logical sense. But he’d been completely honest when he said his past with Ellie had nothing whatsoever for what he might or might not feel for Melanie Stryder. The two women were polar opposites. If Melanie had acted in any way like Ellie, even at her deceptive finest, he wouldn’t have delivered an apology to her so quickly. He wouldn’t have been intrigued by her or even found her amusing. It would have been too hard to look past the similarities.

But he couldn’t tell Kyle any of that without him announcing once again that he had feelings for Melanie.

Which he didn’t.

“The way you talk about Melanie…” he shook his head wonderingly. “It’s like you’re convinced we’re inevitable. What makes you think that? Just from the way I look at her?”

Kyle lazily sauntered into the living room and sunk into a chair across from Jared, cradling his nearly empty bottle of beer in his lap.

“That’s part of it,” he admitted after awhile.

“And why is that significant?” Jared asked on a sigh. “How can you tell?” He hoped he sounded borderline sarcastic, not curious. He suspected he was failing.

“It’s the same way I looked at Jodi,” he said quietly.

Silence descended. Jared felt a heavy burden of guilt settling over him due to the unintended pain he’d brought onto his friend just now.

Jodi. The girl his best friend had met on the night he turned nineteen. He said he was in love with her within the week. She was still in high school then and he was attempting to maintain a C-average in the community college one town over. Two years later she was freshman at his school. He’d worked hard to raise his grade when he heard she was considering going there. They hadn’t spoken since the summer they first met, but he was convinced he was going to marry her. Two days after he graduated, he proposed and she said yes. A week before their rehearsal dinner, Jodi went messing. She was never found.

In the last three years, Kyle had gone back and forth between hoping she’d come back and going on meaningless dates that always ended badly. He either would up talking about Jodi and how much he missed her or he got drunk first and became obnoxious.

Jodi was Kyle’s “one”. Jared felt an unexpected excitement and warmth at the knowledge that his best friend was comparing his relationship to Jodi to his own feelings for Melanie. Then, the contradiction dawned on him.

“Wait.” He paused, thinking through his question before asking. “So…first you compare my impending relationship with Mel to Ellie, the woman who ruined my life, saying I could never really love Mel for herself and that I’d only be in it as an opportunity to heal myself or unknowingly take revenge on Ellie by replacing a bad memory with a good one. Then you compare how I must feel about Melanie to how you feel about Jodi, the love of your life, your soulmate, the person you shared, from what I’ve seen, the purest love you’ve ever known.” He stopped again, letting his observations sink in. “There are two opposite comparisons,” he informed him. “You can’t really think both.” His heart twisted, intensely worried what Kyle’s next answer would be, and for the time being ignoring the danger alone in the fact that he was that worried, or worried at all.

After a long moment of contemplation, Jared asked, “Which one do you really think?”

Kyle’s sullen, sad face slowly vanished to be replaced by a sneaky smirk which in no time at all became a full-fledged grin. Jared felt the dread whisper across his senses, though it was different from the feeling swallowing him whole only moments earlier. He knew before he opened his mouth what Kyle was going to say. He told himself he couldn’t have fallen into that trap. He couldn’t have.

But he had.

“I’m guessing…” Kyle began cheekily, “the one you’re desperately wishing I do. The one that made you so unexpectedly warm and fuzzy inside.”

Jared jumped out of his seat, grabbing Kyle’s beer bottle and stalking to the kitchen. He tried to ignore his friend’s second fit of laughter that had occurred since he arrived.

He failed.

Lifting the bottle to his lips, only to find all the liquor drained from it, he asked himself how he could have been so stupid. The assumptions were undeniable now. Kyle had pushed him to the point of admitting feelings he’d tried to ignore by not really making him admit to them at all. And if there was any doubt as to how he felt, it was squashed immediately when he saw Melanie and Sunny sitting, eating lunch across the street at an outdoor café. And his heart raced.

Damn, he thought, setting the glass bottle on the kitchen table, his eyes not turning away. The clink of the glass briefly blocked out the echoes of Kyle’s laughter one room away, but it did not quiet the sound of his heart beating loudly in his ears.

Damn.

*Also posted on AO3 and FFnet.

[mischiefandspirits]

We Are One

Sequel to Roar

Now that all the lions have been found, the team are faced with new challenges and changes. While the paladins and their cats learn how to work together, Allura and Coran prepare the castle to take their fight to the stars. Until then, they get to meet new friends and defend against an old enemy.

Find more. Also on: AO3 & Fanfiction

Part 4: Interlude: Mother of Cats, Part 2

Red doesn't understand organic creatures, but she still ends up adopting a baby.

“Liva, you made it!”

“Of course I made it! How could you think I’d miss your birthday, little Shiro?” Liva laughed, holding out the bag she had brought with her.

Takashi, or Shiro as Liva had taken to calling him, eagerly took the bag and stepped aside so she could come into the house. “You’ve been gone for forever!”

“Forever, huh? And here I thought you were just turning nine. I don’t think my gift is right for a forever years old. I guess I’ll just have to take it back.” She mocked reaching for it and the boy jumped away.

“Okay, so maybe it wasn’t forever, but it was still a long time.”

“It was two weeks.”

“Exactly!”

Liva chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair.

Shiro huffed then he spotted the nose peeking out of Liva’s purse. “Is that Romelle? She's even cuter than the pictures!”

Purring, the caracal kitten peaked out at of the bag, then jumped at the boy.

“Where’s your brother?”

“He’s in the back making hamburgers. Can I show Romelle to my friends?”

“Hm, I don’t know, what does she think?”

The kitten glanced between the two then let out a huff and nuzzled Shiro’s chin. Taking that as acceptance, the boy cheered and ran off.

Liva smiled and headed out into the back. When she got there, she spotted Akira by the grill with a couple of Shiro’s friends’ parents. “Akira!”

The man looked up and waved. “Liva, glad you could make it.” As she walked up, he introduced the others. Liva did her best to interact, but even after nine Earth months on the planet, she still had problems sometimes understanding human culture and behavior. Thankfully she got through it and the party went on.

An hour later everyone was seated around a couple tables. The burgers had been finished off and Akira was bringing out a cake to the cheers of the kids. Liva stood to offer to help cut it, but the moment she smelled the cake her stomach twisted.

It was odd, sugar was one of her favorite things about Earth. She’d never tasted anything so delicious as Earth food, especially desserts, yet the sweet smell was making feel like she had to…

Liva ran into the house and threw open the door to the bathroom.

“Liva?” Akira called, rushing into the bathroom with Romelle close at his heels.

“Mrrrrr?”

Liva groaned and pushed a few loose strands of her hair away from her face, glad she had put it up for the party.

“What happened?”

“I-I don’t know. My stomach just…”

Akira knelt down and rubbed her back. “You going to be okay?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. Get back to the party. I think I’ll just get cleaned up and head home.”

“You sure? Maybe I should give you a ride.”

“No, it’s fine, really. The feeling’s passed. I’m just going to go home and rest. Just tell Shiro I’m sorry.”

“Well, if you’re sure. At least let me walk you out. The kids are all focused on the cake.”

“Alright, just give me a second.”

Liva sat up once he stepped out and moved over to the sink. She washed her face and rinsed out her mouth before looking at herself in the mirror. What had happened?

Once Akira saw her out, Liva got her bike. Instead of riding home, though, she and Romelle headed towards the forest.

“Wrrrr?”

“I need to figure out what’s wrong with me, and it’s not like the human doctors will be able to help.”

Once they reached the tree line, Liva tucked the bike behind a bush and the two headed in. As soon as they were out of sight, Romelle squirmed out of Liva’s purse and dropped to the ground. She shook herself then shifted, taking on the form of a gremop, a creature similar to Earth tigers with the height of an Earth horse and six tails.

She crouched down and stared at Liva.

“You’re going to be exhausted after this, you know.”

Romelle just continued to stare.

“Alright then, if you insist.” Liva sat down on Romelle’s back and grabbed the fur on her neck.

Once she was sure Liva was ready, Romelle stood up and took off into the forest. She ran until she reached the hidden cave where they had stored the pod. When they got there, she let Liva off before collapsing off by the wall.

The woman chuckled and stroked the gremop’s side. After letting the nausea that had risen up once more fade, she headed inside the pod to the emergency kit and pulled out the biometric scanner. She scanned herself then sat down to wait.

Red’s tail flicked back and forth as Liva delivered the news to Akira, who looked shocked.

Honestly, Red didn't think she'd ever understand how organic creatures could be so ignorant about what was happening with their bodies. Sure, they couldn't just run a diagnostic scan, but their bodies still gave them so many hints!

She supposed Liva could have a pass -- How were they supposed to know humans and Galra were compatible -- but Akira? What did he think was going to come from what they had been doing?

Red huffed and nosed Shiro’s hand so he'd start petting her again.

“I was so careless! But how was I supposed to know… I didn't think I could… What am I going to do?”

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay. You’re not alone with this. I’ll help you through this.”

“I can’t ask that of you.”

“You didn’t have to. I'm not just going to abandon you, Liva.”

Teary-eyed, Liva threw herself at Akira and pulled him into a hug.

“I wish I was human.”

Red yawned and turned her head to look at Liva, who was laying on the bed next to her flicking through one of the pregnancy books she had picked up.

“I mean, they're so fragile -- look at the mortality rate for both the mother's and the children! -- and who’d want to run the risk of carrying multiple children inside you, but otherwise their pregnancies are so simple! Some cravings, nausea, pain, and mood swings. That's it! No nesting! No fur and hair going pale! No spurts of temporary blindness!” she sighed and tossed the book.

Red flicked her tail before turning away. She forgot how insane people were when they were carrying a child.

“Is it going to be a boy or girl?” Shiro asked.

Liva frowned. How would she- Oh, right!

“It’s going to be a girl.” Just another thing she didn’t understand about humans; human genders were determined by sex markers until the human said otherwise. And even then-

“So is Liva going to be my sister?”

Akira spat out his coffee and Liva blushed.

“Have you settled on a name?”

Akira glanced over at Liva, who smiled. “Not yet. We’re still debating between Angel, Sora, and Ha-neul.”

“Those are such cute names. Of course, with a mother like you she’s sure to be just as cute!” Shiro’s teacher said as she led them out of the classroom.

“Yes, I suppose they will.”

“Well, it was nice meeting you both,” she said as she opened the door for them. She smiled at Shiro, who was waiting outside, and added, “Although hopefully we won’t have to meet again. Not that I’m worried. As I said, Takashi’s a model student.”

“Are you two going to get married?”

Liva glanced towards the woman standing next to her -- the grandmother of one of Shiro’s friends -- then turned to Akira. He wrapped his arm around her waist and answered for her. “We haven’t made any decisions, yet. We both agreed to wait until after the baby’s born so we can be sure that’s not the only reason we’re doing this.”

“Smart,” the woman chuckled. “Too many kids these days, off getting married before they know what to do with themselves. No wonder people are getting divorced left and right! Now, how far along are you darling?”

“About twenty-five weeks.”

“Ah, right in the middle are you! Have they started kicking yet?”

“All the time,” Liva chuckled, resting her hand on her stomach.

“May I?”

Liva nodded and the woman brushed her hand over her stomach. The woman chuckled as she felt the baby kick against her hand.

“I have three kids and seven grandkids and still, this never gets old,” she sighed, pulling away. “How’s little Takashi handling it?”

“He’s thrilled. He hasn’t stopped talking about his little niece. He even set aside a few of his stuffed animals for her,” Akira laughed.

“That’s good, especially if you two do end up getting married.”

“Where is it? I know I had it on me when I left. It has to be here somewhere.”

“Wrrrrrr?”

Liva only wasted a second to glance at Romelle before going back to work. “I’m looking for a vial. About this big, bright purple liquid inside, should be connected to a chain.”

The caracal’s head tilted to the side and she slipped into the pod to duck under a few boxes. When she pulled out again, she had a chain clenched in her teeth.

“Oh, you found it!” Liva ran over, as fast as she could with only a few weeks left until her due date, and took the vial.

Romelle nosed her leg and she looked down with a sad smile. “It’s a surprise.”

“I still say I should go with you.”

“It’s fine, really. You’ve got work and Shiro’s got school. I’ll be okay. The doctor said both the baby and I are fine and showing no signs of complications.”

“I wish you could just stay and have the baby in town.”

“I know, but even if my family’s gone, I still want to follow their traditions. I won’t be gone long and I’ll call you everyday.”

“Alright. Is there anything you need before you go?”

“No, but thank you. I’ve got everything packed. I’m just waiting for my car now.”

“Be safe.”

Liva froze, then let out a shaky sigh. “You too. I’ll call you once I get there. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Liva hung up the phone and drooped in her seat. “It would be so much easier if I could just tell him.” She looked over to where Romelle was sleeping before getting up to double check her bags. Once done, she pulled out her portable holoscreen and brought up the feed. “Only a few more weeks.”

Red paced back and forth outside the pod. How long were these things supposed to take?

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right.

<Ugh! That’s it! I’m going hunting,> she hissed.

The pod doors swished open and Red was immediately in front of them. The droid Liva had modified beeped at her before turning around and floating back inside. Red followed it inside, past a small pile of bloody fabric to where Liva was lying curled up in a much larger pile with a small squirming thing tucked against her chest.

Red nosed Liva’s leg, pushing her towards her seat, but the woman waved her off with a chuckle. “I’m fine!”

Red huffed and her ears pressed flat against her head. She turned away, her tail flicking back and forth, and slipped into the nest of blankets to curl around Kitten’s small form.

“There, everything’s complete. Now there’s just one last thing to do.” Red looked up as Liva approached. The woman tucked the papers from the machine she had set up months earlier into her bags and pulled out the vial Red had found for her weeks before.

Only now the liquid inside was a golden green color.

<What’s that?>

Liva smiled and stroked her head before carefully picking Kitten up. The cub whimpered and shifted, his yellow eyes flicking open for only a second before he covered them with a whine. “Sorry, love. I know it’s a little bright in here. Mama’s not used to it so dark anymore. This will help. Open up.”

Red was immediately on her feet as Liva opened the vial and brought it towards Kitten’s face. <What are you doing!?>

Liva gave her a sad smile. “It’s okay, Romelle. This is just going to help Angel fit in. It won’t hurt them.”

Red shifted nervously as Liva poured the liquid into Kitten’s mouth. She didn’t like the feel of the liquid. It smelled like dark magic, like the witch that had been following around Reject. Liva wouldn’t hurt the cub though, right?

Kitten whimpered again and shifted in Liva’s arms. Suddenly, his ears began to shift, becoming small and rounded like a human’s. The fluff of hair on top of his head darkened to pitch black. The vibrant lavender skin around his eyes and most of the splotches around his body changed to match the cream tone he’d gotten from his father. Finally his eyes opened and instead of the normal Galra yellow, his eyes were a shade of dark grey-blue-purple.

<What did you do?> Red hissed as she sniffed at the cub.

She could barely even smell the Galra underneath all the human and magic! Wouldn’t have if she hadn’t been looking for it!

“Hey, it’s still Angel, Romelle. They just need to look fully human if th- we’re going to keep hidden.”

Red’s ears flicked at a knock from the front door, but ignored it in favor of watching Kitten gurgle in his sleep. She heard voices in the living room, then the bedroom door slowly opened.

“Quiet, Shiro. They are probably still asleep. And don’t get too close, Romelle’s been in full mother cat mode lately.”

Red looked away from the pillow bed’s occupant to see Shiro tiptoeing into the room. “Okay Liva,” he quietly called as he turned to shut the door.

“Honestly, you’d think Angel was her’s the way she’s been acting,” Red heard Liva sigh just before the door clicked closed.

What did Liva expect? She had used dark magic on her child! Clearly Red would have to step up to be a proper mother for Kitten!

Shiro tiptoed across the room, pausing halfway when he noticed Red watching him.

“H-hey, Romelle,” he whispered. “It’s okay, I just want to see the baby. Is that alright?” He knelt down and held out his hand.

Red eyed him and his hand, her tail slowly waving back and forth. She’d seen how rowdy human children could be, Shiro included, and her cub needed his rest. Human children could also be extremely clumsy. Although, Shiro didn’t seem nearly as bad as the others. He was also kind and gave great scratches. Then there was the fact he felt like Black… Yes, she supposed she could trust Shiro with her cub.

As long as she watched him, that is.

<Fine,> the caracal purred and turned back to Kitten. Shiro waited a moment before slowly creeping forward. He sat down next to Red and smiled down at Kitten. Red curled up against him and set her head on his knee.

“Hey bro,” Shiro said before spooning more cereal into his mouth. “Can we get a cat?”

“Wouldn’t you rather have a hamster? Or a pet rock?”

Shiro turned to his brother with a pout.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

“We’ll talk about this later,” he huffed.

“Or never,” Akira teased before picking up the phone. “Hello, Shirogane residence.”

Shiro sighed and turned back to the tv.

“WHAT?”

Shiro jumped at his brother’s shout. He looked over his shoulder to see Akira frowning at the wall. He glanced over at Shiro then left the room.

The boy watched the door until Akira came back ten minutes later, calling out for Shiro to, “Grab your shoes.”

“But school’s not for ano-”

“Now, Takashi!”

Shiro’s eyes widened and he ran off to get his shoes from his room.

Shiro shifted nervously in his seat and watched buildings flash by the windows of the car. His worries didn’t let up when they pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. “Akira, what’s going on?” he asked as they got out, but his brother just ushered him inside.

“Go sit over there and wait for me,” Akira said, distracted, before rushing over to the reception area.

Shiro bit his lip and glanced towards the waiting area, before sneaking off after his brother. He ducked behind a plant when he saw Akira talking to a police officer.

“Any news?”

“No, but we’re looking. We’ll find her.”

“But will she be alive?”

“Calm down, sir. We have reason to believe she is alive.”

“The officer before said her apartment had been trashed.”

“There were signs of a struggle, yes. But there were no signs of blood so her attackers either managed to subdue her or knocked her out.”

“Or killed her.”

“As I said-”

“Do you have any ideas yet about who did this?”

“I can’t release-”

“What about Angel?”

“The baby was unharmed. She was found asleep, hidden under some blankets in the mother’s bedroom closet. The assailants must have missed her. We probably would have too if we hadn’t been looking and for that cat.”

“Romelle. What happened to her?”

“Nearly attacked my partner when he opened the closet door. It seemed to calm down when it got a look at us though and fled out a window. That’s when the baby woke up.”

“And you said she’s fine?”

“Yes, she was only brought to the hospital as a procation because of how young she is.”

“Can I see her?”

“We have a few questions for you, but then you’ll be able to take her as soon as the hospital allows it. It should only take a moment.”

“Alright, let me just check on my brother-”

Shiro didn’t hear the rest of Akira’s words as he fled back to the waiting area. He grabbed a magazine at random and dropped into a chair just before his brother came into view.

“Shiro,” he called and Shiro looked up from pretending to read the magazine. “I need to take care of something, okay. Don’t go anywhere. If you need anything, just ask the lady behind the counter, alright.”

“Okay, bro.”

Shiro waited exactly one minute after his brother had left before tossing the magazine aside and calmly walking up to the reception counter. “‘Scuse me, miss,” he said in that soft, kiddy voice Shiro knew made women do stupid things.

Like clockwork, the woman looked down at him with a wide smile. “Oh, hello there sweetheart! What are you doing here all alone?”

“My brot’er had to go talk to the p’lice offercer, but he said you could get someone to take me to my baby nib’ while I wait.”

“I don't know…”

Shiro slumped his shoulders and pouted, giving the woman wide eyes. “Pweeeeease!”

“Oh, alright. Just give me a sec, cutey. What's your name?”

“Shiro.”

“And your nib’?”

“Angel. Mun.”

“Of course, the poor thing. Don't you worry, they'll find your sister soon enough.”

Shiro nodded and forced himself not to start tapping his foot.

A man in a nurse’s uniform walked up and the reception woman whispered something to him before saying, “Shiro, honey, this nice man is going to take you to your niece, okay?”

The boy gave her a big smile and replied, “Okay! T’ank you, miss!”

As soon as Shiro had been guided into an elevator and the nurse was distracted pressing the button, he dropped the act and rolled his eyes.

Why were adults so stupid? He was nine and nine months, not four!

Shiro followed the man through hallway after hallway until they reached a big glass window with a ton of baby beds on the other side.

“Wait right here, okay?” the nurse asked before ducking through a door. He returned a few seconds later with a woman holding a pink bundle.

The boy frowned when he spotted Angel’s head peaking out of it. “Why is the blanket pink?”

“It's to help us keep track of the babies’ genders,” the woman said, kneeling down next to him. “Boys get blue blankets and girls get pink.”

“Liva says we won't know what gender Angel is until they do, and that won't be until their older.”

The woman's nose scrunched up like she smelt something bad and Shiro wondered if Angel’s diaper needed to be changed.

The man laughed and Shiro gave him a confused look. “What's so funny?”

“Nothing, little man. Liva is very smart.”

“Smarter than her and the other people who work here, apparently,” Shiro said, gesturing to the woman, who really needed to change Angel’s diaper if her face was any indication. “You should give them a blue one. Or if it would be too confusing for you, red will work too. You should do it quickly though.”

“Oh, why's that?” the man asked, still chuckling.

“Romelle hates pink.”

“Romelle?”

“Our cat. She destroyed the pink blankets Sona’s mama got us. She doesn't like most other color's either, but she's okay about yellow and green sometimes. Blue and red are her favorites though, especially blue.”

“Well, your cat won't be allowed here so it won't matter,” the woman snapped.

“But Angel is Romelle’s baby! And Romelle is really sneaky. She's probably already here. She doesn't like leaving Angel alone.”

“Takashi!”

Shiro jumped and put on his most innocent expression as he turned to face his brother.

“I told you to stay in the waiting room.”

“You also said I could ask the lady if I wanted anything. And I wanted to see Angel.”

Akira set his hand on Shiro’s shoulder and gave the look that meant he'd be going without tv for awhile.

Red flicked her tail as she passed over the vaporized remains of the pod.

She was going to kill Liva if they ever crossed paths again.

The caracal had been worried when she'd woken up inside the closet with Kitten to the sounds of breaking glass and other such destruction, but hadn't wanted to risk leaving and exposing her cub. So she'd waited, curled up with him underneath the mound of blankets and ready to pounce the moment someone unfriendly opened the door.

She was shocked when the door was opened by a human policeman. She was moreso when she jumped out of the closet, startling the human, only to find that the two human’s scents were the only ones inside the apartment that she didn't recognize. Knowing the policemen were protectors, Red left Kitten in their hands so she could track down Liva.

Which led her to where she was now and the facts were easily put together. The pod had been self-destructed. There was evidence of the one-person stasis shuttle that had been in the back taking off. Only Liva’s, Kitten’s, and Red’s scents were in the cave. Liva’s scent was the one all over the apartment. Liva had trashed the apartment. Liva had left Earth.

Liva had left her cub and Red behind on Earth.

Red growled and swatted a loose rock away from her. She wasn’t really angry that Liva had left her. The pull that had attracted her to the Galra woman was gone. Had been for a little over a month. Had been since shortly before she had stepped into the pod and first laid eyes on Kitten, though she hadn’t realized at the time.

No, she was furious that the woman had abandoned her cub. Red had never had children, but she knew parents were meant to be protectors and that she understood.

You did not abandon the one you were most meant to protect.

The caracal growled again and stomped out of the cave. It seems she was right before. She would have to be the one to take care of Kitten.

[thetwistofmelancholy]

waiting

The resume and cover letter writing, rewriting, and sending continues, along with the battle between my sanity and my despair.

In a way I am a pessimist - it’s hard for me to focus on the positives when my savings is being depleted and my inbox is empty.  I have to ward off panic attacks by engulfing sleeves of Thin Mints sometimes accompanied by alcoholic beverages. However, when making plans, I am often an optimist.  For example, “I want to go back to America and be near my family.  It’ll be fine - I’ll get a job and have stability and I’ll be able to go to my nieces’ and nephews’ birthday parties, and I’ll be happy.” And in my mind, it would be rather easy. Sure, it was the middle of the school year, but I didn’t really want to teach anymore anyway. And surely someone would hire me... I mean, I’ve got worldly experience, I can read, write and edit, and I have decent people skills.

38 resumes later...

I had a GREAT idea (I thought). In college, I worked as a YMCA camp counselor and loved it.  I love the Y - its family values, its loving and inclusive environment, its focus on helping those with disabilities. I can get behind this organization, for sure.

So I looked on the YMCA website and applied for EVERYTHING with “director” or “coordinator” in the name.  And I got an email! They wanted to interview me! Finally.  I JUST need a paycheck. And a job that doesn’t make me want to slit my wrists. The pay wasn’t listed, of course, and so I had determined that as long as it was 25,000 a year, I would take it.  That’s a LOW number, but hey, I’d have health insurance and weekends off and a job I could be proud of.

So I prepared by watching LOTS of youtube videos about interviewing, I took notes, I recorded myself answering potential questions and then listened back to see how I sounded, and I talked over my answers with my sister and she brainstormed with me. And then I went to the interview.

I thought it was a little weird that the girl interviewing me looked about 18, but I tried not to read too much into it. After about FIFTEEN questions, she said, “Do you have any questions for me?” And after asking a few planned ones, I asked about the pay.

Nine dollars and 60 cents an hour.

Well then. I came home and nearly had a nervous breakdown. And decided that I would, in fact, have to resort to waiting tables again. So I took my resume into a local Irish pub that’s close enough to ride a bike to, and I applied.  I got the job on the spot.  If only real jobs were this easy...

Yesterday, I had to go buy those special waitress shoes - the black “non-slip” ones that make you feel like you have hit rock bottom. And today was my first shift.  I was trained by a girl who was probably ten years (or more) younger than me, and the other guy who worked with us was a senior in high school. I was relieved that they never asked me how old I was. I probably (read: definitely) would have lied.

In a way, I’m acting like a really whiny privileged princess. And I constantly shift back and forth between healthy and unhealthy mindsets. When I’m being healthy, I’m thinking -

I am so lucky to have work that pays this much. I have met people in Myanmar who sell vegetables all day for what I’ll make at this restaurant in one hour. And I look at the dishwasher who doesn’t speak English and think, he’s probably not whining about having to have ugly black non-slip shoes. I realize that waitressing is not that bad. It’s easy and after about 5-6 hours you are done and you go home and don’t have to think about it again until your next shift. And I can meet people. I can network. Someone who comes in and sits down could meet me and offer me a dream job.  It could happen.... Plus, it could be worse. I could be in debt. I could be a single mother trying to feed and house my children on this waitressing salary. 

And then when I think unhealthy thoughts:

My, how the mighty have fallen. At this time last year I was probably in Cambodia exploring ancient temples or something. Or I may have been editing my students’ college essays trying to help them get into their dream schools. Now I’m trying to remember that you have to put a pickle on the side of every sandwich order before you bring it out. And I wonder what people my age who are successful are doing. Right now, my friend Morgan (with his PHD) is counseling people who are having marital problems. In his own office. In the practice he built. People work for him. My friend Adam is a doctor in Washington, DC. Another friend is making about 80,000 a year as a pharmacist. I think of people who have stayed in the same job for a while and worked their way up. Something I never did because I was moving every 2-3 years. I wonder if I’ve screwed up big time.

But I have a tendency to be dramatic.  This is just temporary. And even if I waitress until school starts again and I go back to teaching, it will be ok.  This ego is a difficult thing to tame.  We learned (or maybe I didn’t actually learn but I was TAUGHT) in yoga camp that we are all of the same value. Our jobs don’t define us or make one person more important than another.

Plus, Thoreau taught me that a simple life is best.

 “...to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to find a quest of wild berries more satisfying than a gift of tropical fruit; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wild flower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”

Maybe it’s time to read Walden Pond again. Maybe it’s time to be reminded that I don’t have to analyze the sh*** out of everything I do. Tomorrow I will wake up, I will put on the non-slip shoes, I will go to the Irish pub, give some people their food, try to remember which sauce goes with what sandwich, and then I will come home. Later, I will go watch the Superbowl. And I don’t have to think about success, I don’t have to compare myself to anyone, and I don’t have to yearn for anything else. It’s that simple.