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jcmarchi · 7 months ago

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CSS Stuff I’m Excited After the Last CSSWG Meeting

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CSS Stuff I’m Excited After the Last CSSWG Meeting

From June 11–13, the CSS Working Group (CSSWG) held its second face-to-face meeting of the year in Coruña, Spain, with a long agenda of new features and improvements coming to language. If 2023 brought us incredible advances like out-of-the-box nesting, container and style queries, or the has: selector, then 2024 is going to be even more packed with even more ground-breaking additions. Whether a new feature like inline conditionals is just starting or long-term projects are wrapping up, 2024 is already filled with exciting developments — and we’re still in July!

I wanted to share what I think are some of the most interesting and significant features coming to CSS that were examined in the meeting. However, I don’t want you to take the following as an exact recap of the discussions. Instead, I want to bring up the broader topics coming to CSS that had a spotlight at the last meeting. In reality, the features examined have been cooking up for even years and the discussions are geared towards specific cases and new enhancements, rather than defining a whole specification; a work that would be impossible in one meeting.

You can see the exact issues discussed on the CSSWG meeting agenda.

Feature 1: What if we get if()?

Since CSS custom properties gained reliable support around 2016, there have been many attempts to apply certain styles depending on a custom property value without, of course, appealing to JavaScript. One of the earliest workarounds for conditional styles was posted by Roman Komarov back in 2016 in “Conditions for CSS Variables”. From there, many other hacks have been documented for making conditional declarations in CSS (including this extremely clever one by Ana Tudor here on CSS-Tricks). In fact, you can find a full list that discusses and compares those workarounds by CSSWG member Lea Verou in her recent article, “Inline conditionals in CSS, now?”.

What’s for sure is that the community has craved a conditional way to apply styles using custom properties. Nowadays, we have a specification for Style Queries that’s capable of the task, but they come with limitations not related to browser support. The biggest of those limitations? We can’t directly style the container that’s queried, so we need some sort of wrapper element around that wrapper in HTML.

…in addition to writing the style query:

.news-container container-name: news-container; @container news-container style(--variant: info) p color: blue; border: 1px solid blue;

What if() might look like

On the CSSWG side, there have been discussions about adding an if() function as far back as 2018. It was June 13 of this year — yes, six years later — that the CSSWG resolved to begin working on if() for CSS. As good as it may look, don’t expect to see if() in a browser in at least two years! (That’s Lea’s unofficial estimate.) We’ll likely need to wait even longer for enough browser support to begin using it reliably in production. The spec draft is only barely getting started and many things have to pass a test first. For context, the CSS variables working draft began in 2012 and only received wide browser support in 2016.

Syntax-wise, if() is probably going to borrow the ternary operator from JavaScript and other programming languages, structured like this:

if(a ? b : c)

…where a is the custom property we are checking and b are c are the possible conditional return values. To check for styles, an inline style(--my-property: value) would be used.

.forecast background-color: if(style(--weather: clouds) ? var(--clouds-color): var(--default-color));

Even if ? isn’t used in CSS and : has a different meaning everywhere else, I think this syntax is the one most people are familiar with, not to mention it also allows seamless conditional chaining.

.forecast background-color: if( style(--weather: clouds) ? var(--clouds-color): style(--weather: sunny) ? var(--sunny-color); style( --weather: rain) ? var(--rain-color): var(--default-color) );

Future if() improvements

Although these probably won’t make it in the initial release, it’s interesting to see how if() might change between now and sometime further in the future:

Support for other inline conditionals. We are supposed to check for custom properties using the style() query, but we may as well check for media features with an inline media() query or if a user agent supports a specific property with an inline support().

.my-element width: if(media(width > 1200px) ? var(--size-l): var(--size-m));

Using conditional inside other CSS functions. In future drafts, we may use ternaries inside other functions without having to wrap them around if(), e.g. just as we can make calculations without calc() if we are inside a clamp() or round() function.

Feature 2: Cross-document view transitions

Last year, the View Transition API gave us the power to create seamless transitions when navigating between web pages and states. No components or frameworks, no animation libraries — just vanilla HTML and CSS with a light sprinkle of JavaScript. The first implementation of View Transitions was baked into browsers a while back, but it was based on an experimental function defined by Chrome and was limited to transitions between two states (single-page view transitions) without support for transitioning between different pages (i.e., multi-page view transitions), which is what most of us developers are clamoring for. The possibilities for mimicking the behavior of native apps are exciting!

That’s why the CSS View Transitions Module Level 2 is so amazing and why it’s my favorite of all the CSS additions we’re covering in this article. Yes, the feature brings out-of-the-box seamless transitions between pages, but the real deal is it removes the need for a framework to achieve it. Instead of using a library — say React + some routing library — we can backtrack into plain CSS and JavaScript.

Of course, there are levels of complexity where the View Transition API may fall short, but it’s great for countless cases where we just want page transitions without the performance cost of dropping in a framework.

Opting into view transitions

View transitions are triggered when we navigate between two pages from the same-origin. In this context, navigation might be clicking a link, submitting a form, or going back and forth with browser buttons. By contrast, something like using a search bar between same-origin pages won’t trigger a page transition.

Both pages — the one we’re navigating away from and the one we’re navigating to — need to opt into the transition using the @view-transition at-rule and setting the navigation property to auto

@view-transition navigation: auto;

When both pages opt into a transition, the browser takes a “snapshot” of both pages and smoothly fades the “before” page into the “after” page.

Transitioning between “snapshots”

In that video, you can see how the old page fades into the new page, and it works thanks to an entire tree of new pseudo-elements that persist through the transition and use CSS animations to produce the effect. The browser will group snapshots of elements with a unique view-transition-name property that sets a unique identifier on the transition that we can reference, and which is captured in the ::view-transition pseudo-element holding all of the transitions on the page.

You can think of ::view-transition as the :root element for all page transitions, grouping all of the parts of a view transition on the same default animation.

::view-transition ├─ ::view-transition-group(name) │ └─ ::view-transition-image-pair(name) │ ├─ ::view-transition-old(name) │ └─ ::view-transition-new(name) ├─ ::view-transition-group(name) │ └─ ::view-transition-image-pair(name) │ ├─ ::view-transition-old(name) │ └─ ::view-transition-new(name) └─ /* and so one... */

Notice that each transition lives in a ::view-transition-group that holds a ::view-transition-image-pair that, in turn, consists of the “old” and “new” page snapshots. We can have as many groups in there as we want, and they all contain an image pair with both snapshots.

Quick example: let’s use the ::view-transition “root” as a parameter to select all of the transitions on the page and create a sliding animation between the old and new snapshots.

@keyframes slide-from-right from transform: translateX(100vw); @keyframes slide-to-left to transform: translateX(-100vw); ::view-transition-old(root) animation: 300ms ease-in both slide-to-left; ::view-transition-new(root) animation: 300ms ease-out both slide-from-right;

If we navigate between pages, the entire old page slides out to the left while the entire new page slides in from the right. But we may want to prevent some elements on the page from participating in the transition, where they persist between pages while everything else moves from the “old” snapshot to the “new” one.

That’s where the view-transition-name property is key because we can take snapshots of certain elements and put them in their own ::view-transition-group apart from everything else so that it is treated individually.

nav view-transition-name: navigation; /* ::view-transition ├─ ::view-transition-group(navigation) │ └─ ::view-transition-image-pair(navigation) │ ├─ ::view-transition-old(navigation) │ └─ ::view-transition-new(navigation) └─ other groups... */

You can find a live demo of it on GitHub. Just note that browser support is limited to Chromium browsers (i.e., Chrome, Edge, Opera) at the time I’m writing this.

There are many things we can look forward to with cross-document view transitions. For example, If we have several elements with a different view-transition-name, we could give them a shared view-transition-class to style their animations in one place — or even customize the view transitions further with JavaScript to check from which URL the page is transitioning and animate accordingly.

Feature 3: Anchor Positioning

Positioning an element relative to another element in CSS seems like one of those no-brainer, straightforward things, but in reality requires mingling with inset properties (top, bottom, left, right) based on a series of magic numbers to get things just right. For example, getting a little tooltip that pops in at the left of an element when hovered might look something like this in HTML:

Hover for a surprise Surprise! I'm a tooltip

…and in CSS with current approaches:

.text position: relative; .tooltip position: absolute; display: none; /* vertical center */ top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%); /* move to the left */ right: 100%; margin-right: 15px; */ .text:hover .tooltip display: block;

Having to change the element’s positioning and inset values isn’t the end of the world, but it sure feels like there should be an easier way. Besides, the tooltip in that last example is extremely fragile; if the screen is too small or our element is too far to the left, then the tooltip will hide or overflow beyond the edge of the screen.

CSS Anchor Positioning is yet another new feature that was discussed in the CSSWG meetings and it promises to make this sort of thing much, much easier.

Creating an anchor

The basic idea is that we establish two elements:

one that acts as an anchor, and

one that is a “target” anchored to that element.

This way, we have a more declarative way to associate one element and position it relative to the anchored element.

To begin we need to create our anchor element using a new anchor-name property.

Changing our markup a little:

Hover for a surprise Surprise! I'm a tooltip

We give it a unique dashed-indent as its value (just like a custom property):

.anchor anchor-name: --tooltip;

Then we relate the .tooltip to the .anchor using the position-anchor property with either fixed or absolute positioning.

.toolip position: fixed; position-anchor: --tooltip;

The .tooltip is currently positioned on top of the .anchor, but we ought to move it somewhere else to prevent that. The easiest way to move the .tooltip is using a new inset-area property. Let’s imagine that the .anchor is placed in the middle of a 3×3 grid and we can position the tooltip inside the grid by assigning it a row and column.

The inset-area property takes two values for the .tooltip‘s in a specific row and column on the grid. It counts with physical values, like left, right, top and bottom, as well logical values depending on the user’s writing mode, like start and end, in addition to a center shared value. It also accepts values referencing x- and y-coordinates, like x-start and y-end. All these value types are ways of representing a space on the 3×3 grid.

For example, if we want the .tooltip to be positioned relative to the top-right edge of the anchor, we can set the inset-area property like this:

.toolip /* physical values */ inset-area: top right; /* logical values */ inset-area: start end; /* mix-n-match values! */ inset-area: top end;

Lastly, if we want our tooltip to span across two regions of the grid, we can use a span- prefix. For example, span-top will place the .tooltip in the grid’s top and center regions. If instead we want to span across an entire direction, we can use the span-all value.

One of the problems with our anchor-less example is that the tooltip can overflow outside the screen. We can solve this using another new property, this time called position-try-options, in combination with a new inset-area() function.

(Yes, there is inset-area the property and inset-area() the function. That’s one we’ll have to commit to memory!)

The position-try-options property accepts a comma-separated list of fallback positions for the .tooltip when it overflows outside the screen. We can provide a list of inset-area() functions, each holding the same values that the inset-area property would. Now, each time the tooltip goes out off-screen, the next declared position is “tried”, and if that position causes an overflow, the next declared position is tried, and so on.

.toolip inset-area: top left; position-try-options: inset-area(top), inset-area(top right);

This is a pretty wild concept that will take some time to grok. CSSWG member Miriam Suzanne sat down to discuss and tinker with anchor positioning with James Stuckey Weber in a video that’s well worth watching.

youtube

Geoff Graham took notes on the video if you’re looking for a TL;DW.

There are still many aspects to anchor positioning we aren’t covering here for brevity, notably the new anchor() function and @try-position at-rule. The anchor() function returns the computed position of the edge of an anchor, which provides more control over a tooltip’s inset properties. The @try-position at-rule is for defining custom positions to set on the position-try-options property.

My hunch is that using inset-area will be plenty robust for the vast majority of use cases.

The CSSWG is a collective effort

Earlier I said that this article wouldn’t be an exact retelling of the discussions that took place at the CSSWG meetings, but rather a broad representation of new specs coming to CSS that, due to their novelty, were bound to come up in those meetings. There are even some features that we simply hadn’t the time to review in this roundup that are still subject to debate (cough, masonry).

One thing is for sure: specs aren’t made in some vacuum over one or two meetings; it takes the joined effort of tens of amazing authors, developers, and user agents to bring to life what we use every day in our CSS work — not to mention the things we will use in the future.

I also had the opportunity to talk with some amazing developers from the CSSWG, and I found it interesting what their biggest takeaways were from the meetings. You might expect if() is at the top of their lists since that’s what is buzzing in socials. But CSSWG member Emilio Cobos told me, for example, that the letter-spacing property is essentially flawed and there isn’t a simple solution for fixing it that’s copasetic with how letter-spacing is currently defined by CSS and used in browsers. That includes the fact that converting normal properties into shorthand properties can be dangerous to a codebase.

Every tiny detail we might think of as trivial is carefully analyzed for the sake of the web and for the love of it. And, like I mentioned earlier, this stuff is not happening in a closed vacuum. If you’re at all interested in the future of CSS — whether that simply keeping up with it or getting actively involved — then consider any of the following resources.

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jrpneblog · 10 months ago

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Always someone else`s party

Leicester City visit Deepdale on Monday evening either promoted, depending on the Leeds result at QPR on Friday, or on the cusp of promotion. Once again the North End faithful have to witness someone elses party as the Foxes make an almost certain immediate return to the Premiership. To be honest I`ve become quite pointed about it in recent months listening to people trying to tell me we should be glad to be midway up the Championship. Yes, our budget is in the bottom 25% of the division but I wonder what Mark Robbins budget was when he took over at Coventry City almost seven seasons ago. Do people really believe that Luton, Barnsley, Huddersfield, Burnley, Bradford, Blackpool, Bolton, Charlton, Swansea, Watford, Wigan, Wimbledon were in a better financial position than us when they were promoted to the top flight? In fact Burnley would have gone bust if they had not beaten Sheffield United in the 2009 play off final. I understand all the issues with regards to keeping the team afloat but I will never purport to the theory or the narrative that we should be thankful for where we are. I have watched this football club since 1967 and our highs during those 57 years have been 2 Championship play off finals. "Punching above our weight"? Not in my book I am afraid. In fact I believe we have under achieved this season with the squad we have and it will be interesting to see how the club pitch the season card sales campaign this time after an absolute roller coaster of a season.

On Saturday we suffered our third defeat on the trot going down 0-1 at lowly QPR. Rangers needed the points, of course, but the quality of football on display from both teams was not something to brighten up a Saturday tea-time encounter in West London. Five changes for North End saw a stronger side take to the field although in what Universe Mads Frokjaer does not get into the starting eleven is very much a point for discussion. North End had their best chance early on via Liam Millar but an absolute howler from Freddie Woodman twenty minutes in was enough to give Lydon Dykes his first goal in sixteen games and send North End to a woeful defeat, again, in front of the Sky TV cameras. With Leicester and West Brom left to play and something probably on both games it would appear that five straight defeats to finish the season is certainly a possibilty the way we are playing.

Sky will once again be at Deepdale on Monday evening as we welcome Leicester City under the lights. No doubt the TV coverage will be all about the Foxes and, probably, rightly so. However this is a big game for North End, too, or at least it is for the management team, who must find a way to try and negate a Leicester threat that saw them put five past Southampton on Tuesday evening. The fact of the matter is that City are a Premiership team playing in the Championship and will no doubt want to return to the top flight in style. I hope North End can get something from the game because, in a way, it will show just how tough a division the Championship can be. I`m hopeful rather than confident about Monday evening but if we at least give it a go and don1t sit deep like frightened rabbits in the headlights then that will do for me regardless of the score.

And finally this week:- more controversy regardin VAR and in particular the Everton v Nottingham Forest game at Goodison at the weekend. The inconsistency in decision making beggars belief and no more so than in the handball by Ashley Young which was not given by the VAR. There was a clear movement of the hand towards the ball and by not reversing the on field decision the whole concept of VAR was thrown out with the dirty washing. It is time to abolish VAR in the English Premiership and to let the on field referee carry out the tasks for which he is employed.

MATCH PREDICTION -

LEICESTER CITY (H) League - Away Win

JR`s HIGH FIVES

Huddersfield to beat Birmingham 5/4

A £5 Stake returns £11.25 on bet365

SEASONS STATS

Returns £101.00 Stake £190.00

Percentage profit+/-loss - 46.84%

Predictions 38 won 10 lost 28

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theoryinpractise · 2 years ago

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Healing The Poisoned Repository

It's been a long time since I've posted anything on this blog, and with the recent release (this weekend) of Apache Maven 3.9.0 it's high time to revisit an old topic of Maven hackery - and that of Intra-Repository Feature Builds, way back in 2014 (ye-gads!) the “hack” involved updating ones ~/.m2/settings.xml file to override the local repository based on environment variables:

<?xml version="1.0"?> <settings> <localRepository>/var/build/m2repository/${env.GERRIT_BRANCH}-${env.GERRIT_TOPIC}</localRepository> </settings>

This “worked” such that each branch/topic from Gerrit's CI builds would build in a clean, isolated local repository, and any SNAPSHOT's built could be shared, also in a somewhat isolated state. The downside, is that Maven would download every artifact each time; everything that's already released, or pulled from a central repository would be re-downloaded, wasting time, and storage.

This all changes with the release of Maven 3.9.0 - with a subtle mention of the inclusion of MNG-6270 - "Store snapshots in a separate local repository" being included, seeing that I immediately perked up and dived in to see just how this worked.

The underlying behavior of this comes with the 1.9.x update of the Maven Resolver1 library, and provides an interesting set of options to control its usage.These properties can easily be defined in any one of:

~/.m2/settings.xml

pom.xml

``.mvn/maven.config`

a parent pom

or a custom Maven Tile

For my own usage currently, I've opted to use ~/.m2/settings.xml just for consistency:

<profile> <id>repo-management</id> <properties> <aether.enhancedLocalRepository.split>true</aether.enhancedLocalRepository.split> <aether.enhancedLocalRepository.splitLocal>true</aether.enhancedLocalRepository.splitLocal> <aether.enhancedLocalRepository.splitRemoteRepository>true</aether.enhancedLocalRepository.splitRemoteRepository> </properties> ... </profile>

This enables all three options:

aether.enhancedLocalRepository.split — enables basic repository splitting giving ~/.m2/repository/cached and ~/.m2/repository/installed

aether.enhancedLocalRepository.splitLocal — enables further splitting of the installed path to installed/releases and installed/snapshots - this is great as it allows you to quickly and easily delete just the SNAPSHOTS from your file system if you need to clean up a really messed up build.

aether.enhancedLocalRepository.splitRemoteRepository — this third option splits the cached artifacts down by the defined remote repository.

I have everything except my-releases repository mirrored by our company nexus instance, so my ~/.m2/repository tree looks like:

. ├── cached │ ├── nexus │ │ ├── javax │ │ ├── junit │ │ └── org │ └── my-releases │ └── com └── installed ├── releases │ └── com └── snapshots └── com

This is all great, but where's the solution to our multiple concurrent feature branches, our original hack "solved"? This comes in with one more setting to define: aether.enhancedLocalRepository.snapshotsPrefix which I've, for now, experimentally defined in my ~/.m2/settings.xml file as:

<aether.enhancedLocalRepository.snapshotsPrefix>${env.FEATURE}-snapshots</aether.enhancedLocalRepository.snapshotsPrefix>

This will use a snapshot path based on the FEATURE environment variable, the downside is that an undefined value is just replaced with the raw text, so we end up with:

├── ${env.FEATURE}-snapshots │ └── com │ └── testing ├── releases │ └── com │ └── testing └── testing-snapshots └── com └── testing

This can be resolved easily using something like direnv – unclutter your .profile | direnv.

Unfortunately it seems the karaf-maven-plugin2 I uses it's own version of the resolver and doesn't pick up these split local repositories, so for now it seems I have to disable the settings until that issue is resolved.

The Maven Resolver library was originally known as Aether, and still carries that name in its internal API signatures. ↩︎

It would appear it's actually OPS4j Pax URL and it's shaded version of Aether. ↩︎

#java #maven #git

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wizkiddx · 4 years ago

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hiii could you do one of tom asking your dad to marry you?? thankuuuuu

okay so I don't believe in boys having to ask the dads, because we are strong independent QUEENS and no man owns me ever, but I hope this is still okay <33

not proof read and written super quick so sorry!

summary: Tom's terrified to ask your dad a very particular question question

///////////////////////////////////////////////

“Mr Y/l/n” Tom called your dads attention from the dishwasher he was loading up. The holidays spent at your parents meant a lot of good things- but mainly food. So much so the dishwasher was almost continually on, just so you didn’t run out of crockery.

“Its Y/d/n Tom, we’ve been through this.” He was joking but with your Dad - Tom could never really tell. At heart your dad was an absolute softie, except no one really saw that except your mum and you. Always a daddies girl, Tom knew how much your dad had meant to you. He had guessed before he’d met you parents , that he would be protective.

And that he was, never frontally rude or cruel. It was more subtle - though to Tom it was very damn clear, he had his doubts. As a people pleaser, Tom didn’t like the fact he didn’t like him. Time and time again, he’d tried to prove just how much you meant to him and yet it seemed to fall on deaf ears. So three years down the line, it was safe to say he was bloody terrified. Heart-in-mouth sort of event. Tom did a lot of ‘terrifying things’: talking to massive studio heads; going on stage with thousands of people screaming; jumping out a plane even.

But no, a single conversation with your dad had his adrenaline going like nobodies business. Asking to marry you.

“You going to just stand their gawking? I hope the moviestar doesn’t make my Y/n do all the housework?”

“No sir I-of course I don’t” Stammering his way through with wide eyes, Tom practically leapt across the kitchen to the opposite side of the dishwasher to your dad. Secretly your Dad was chuckling away to himself, taking absolute delight in how terrified the ‘movie star’ was of him, but managed to keep a steely outershell. In silence, the two uunloaded the dishwasher, Tom desperately racking his brains for conversation starters.

This is what he did for a living, learnt the speech he’d spent hours preparing, then retell it. Why then, was Tom having such an issue with the script he’d arguable practiced the most? Deciding he needed a buffer, Tom went to the safe space of small talk.

“So how was the pub? Y/n said you were meeting some old friends?”

“Watched the match, bloody awful game and Wilks was crap, I don’t know why he even started.” Now this football talk was something Tom felt safe in. He had learnt as much as he could about your dads team - just so there was some mutual conversation.

“Yeh tell me about it, I caught the last half. Though the ref made so bad decisions too, that penalty never really was VAR or not.”

“Thats the most respectable thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

The next couple of minutes were spent with both men raving fanatically, letting all their anger out on the pretty subpar game this afternoon. In fact, Tom swore your dad actually laughed along with him at one point. Admittedly he’d caught himself almost immediately- but for two seconds, he had cracked it.

With the last mug placed in the cabinet, Tom was quite frankly shocked at what your dad said next. He had presumed that since it was late and everyone else was in bed, Y/d/n wouldn’t want quality time with his daughters boyfriend.

“You fancy a nightcap son?”

He’d never called Tom that either. Frankly, you dad preferred the nickname ‘moviestar’ because he knew it infuriated Tom. Made the tips of his ears flush bright red, that was Toms tell - one that your dad had noticed too early on.

Jerkily Tom nodded, swallowing down the lump in his throat as he followed the elder man to the sitting room - where he kept the scotch glasses and bottle. No sooner had the drinks been poured, that Tom practically exploded with his thoughts.

“Mr Y/l/n-sorry I mean Y/d/n I-I um I needed to ask you something.” All he got was a long sigh and a nod, encouraging him to continue. “I-uhm….”Tom scoffed, clearing his throat because all of a sudden it felt like he hadnt had a drink in 10 hours, mouth completely dry.

“Well first off-and all respect. I know I don’t have to ask you. Y/n is the most independent and strong woman and we aren’t living in the 1950s. But, well but she loves you alot.” Tom stressed that last point especially, looking up to your dads poker face. It put him off for moment.

It was just how grumpy he looked, it was bloody terrifying. Taking a big gulp of the malty liquid, Tom steeled himself once again. “ And she respects you, your opinion always matters and I’d never come between that. And Y/n, she likes her traditions right? Like the stupid hat game you all play at Christmas dinner which makes no sense to me? Or the puzzle that you don’t start till everyone’s pretty drunk and tired at 3 o’clock in the morning on christmas? So that is… uhm thats why I’m asking you.”

Again all Tom was met with was a stern gaze, once again taking another generous sip of the scotch.

“Look I know you have your doubts about me- “ That got a response, a snort of agreement from your dad as if saying ‘you think’.

“But-but I really love your daughter. She’s my whole world and I can’t imagine being without her. And I know my lifestyle probably doesn’t fit with how you imagined your daughter to have. I mean-I’m not always at home and I’m away for months but- but…. look.” Tom sighed, shifting awkwardly on the sofa to directly face your dads armchair. “When I’m homesick and tired and grouchy from filming and I get back to the hotel I facetime Y/n. Everyday. And just seeing her smile, you-you know, the really soft small one that makes her dimples pop out? One look at that smile and everythings fine. Because all I’m thinking about is seeing that smile for the rest of my life. When she finds out she’s pregnant with our kid, when we’re taking them to college. I mean even when we’re 80 and probably sick of each other- she’ll still have that little smile that puts me into this sort of stupor. I just- I love her. And I’d do anything for her, I always will, I promise you that. So-so” With a shaky breath, Tom delivered his hitline.

“This is me just letting you know that I’m going to ask her to marry me and- I really hope she says yes.”

Tom was almost out of breath, and the breath he did have was shaky, looking up desperately at the older man across from him. He watched with wide eyes as your Dad placed his glass back on the drinks table with a clink, before leaning forward and standing up from the chair. He groaned slitghtly at the movement (his knees werent what they used to be) and took the two steps forward to be stood right infront of Tom’s seat. In that moment, Tom honestly thought he was getting a punch to the jaw at the very least. Afterall, he had just pretty much demanded that he were to propose to you.

As he braced for impact, tensing all his muscles, instead what he felt was a light pat to his right shoulder. Tom trailed his eyes up your dads figure to see what he thought was a gentle smile on his face too. Though he hadn’t ever seen your Dad smile at him before, so couldn’t say for certainty.

“You’re a good kid Tom, and you make Y/n very happy. Just pull yourself together when you ask her alright son? Didn’t think moviestars got stage fright.” And with that, your dad turned his back, heading toward the doorway that lead to the stairs to the bedrooms. Stunned, it took a moment or two before Tom processed - long enough that he had to leap up and call your dads name to get him to halt in the hallway.

“So is that a yes? You’re giving me permssion?”

“Oh Tom….” Your dad sighed in the lowlight of the hallway, in a more muted voice - now they were closer to the bedrooms where both you and your mum were sleeping peacefully. “ You already said, Y/n is strong and fiercely independent. I don’t control her, heck I don’t think she’s ever listened to me and never will. But…. for the record, I hope she says yes too and… I know she will.”

Scoffing in excitement, Tom combed a hand through his scalp, feeling such a wave of relief it was almost indescribable as your dad turned and trudged up the stairs. Once he heard the door of your parents bedroom close, he couldn’t help himself. He ran back into the kitchen, where he preceded to do an excited jumpy dance thing.

Because it meant a lot. To have your dads approval, to have your dads support. That meant the world. Not only for the sake of proposing but also, everything Tom said was true. He wanted to build a family with you - which meant that man was going to be the grandparents to your kids one day. That man had helped to craft you into the person you were today - his ‘person’. His perfect angelic, sweet woman.

Whenever he felt this excited, this happy, this elated - theres only one person he wants to be with. So, after turning all the lights off and checking the doors were locked (with a very obvious spring in his step) he then hopped up the stairs. Tiptoeing around, he got ready for bed in no time, before getting to the highlight of each evening.

Delicately he crawled into bed, sliding under the covers, so as to not disturb you. Naturally though, feeling the bed dip made you turnover- hooking your legs round his and resting your head on his chest. Tom chuckled quietly at your cuteness, stroking your cheek lightly with his thumb. It was enough to rouse you awake, enough to make you acutely aware of the thundering sound from his chest. With tired eyes, you propped your chin on his breastbone looking up at him with concern.

“You alright T? Hearts really racing.” He only replied with this loopy lovesick grin, his right hand coming to cup your cheek.

“Go back to sleep darling, I’m okay.” He did look okay, but he was almost too smiley and even with a foggy sleepy brain, you were still suspicious.

“Whats going on, you’re being weird?”

“Nothing…. your dad and me just had a chat… He called me son.” That shocked you too - clearly the conversation you’d had with him about being nicer to Tom had rubbed off.

“He did?”

“He did…. you are beautiful you know?” Now he was definitely being weird. You furrowed your eyebrows, as if trying to read his mind because something odd was going on in there.

“Now you’re just being creepy. What’s up?”

Tom just leant forward to kiss your forehead, then pulled you down onto his chest.

“I just love your family and I love you, you know that?”

“Are you trying to get into my pants? Because my parents are literally in the next room.”

“Oh shut up and kiss me.”

#tom holland #tom holland fluff #tom holland x reader #tom holland x you #tom holland angst

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themurphyzone · 3 years ago

Text

Nova Ch 11

AN: This is gonna be the last of the set-up chapters. The story will start snowballing (see what I did there? Heehee) from the next chapter on.

This chapter includes an art piece I requested from the talented @plutonis, and I’m so glad I can finally show this off because it contains some very gorgeous colors.

AO3 Link

Ch 11: Spectrum

Terran Date 2015.4.28

Yesterday, Pinky showed me one of his favorite pieces of media to thank me for the story of Heikro var Silda, even though he cried for fifteen minutes because of the tragic ending. While indeed sad, I’m proud to say I remained steadfast and controlled my emotions upon revisiting the story. And while I told him it wasn’t necessary, he insisted and I acquiesced to his demands.

That’s how Pinky introduced me to The Lion King. Once again, I remained strong even when the emotional distress threatened to override my logical mind. It was...rather difficult, I’ll admit. We watched the sequel afterward, and though I’ve created five different charts that list the plot points in order, I cannot come up with a satisfactory sequence of events that connects both movies into a cohesive narrative.

Moving onto real life matters...Pinky seems to be under the impression that I will be a permanent resident of the lab.

Celestial bodies above, what use is my intelligence if I’m trapped among heathen, dimwitted fools who can’t tell the difference between left and right! I refuse to be a lab rat, made to do the so-called dominant species’ bidding. Snowball and I shall be taking over this planet and progressing their backwards society far beyond their wildest dreams! That’s what we came here for, and I will not be sidetracked again.

As for Pinky...well, his imagination can make up some personalities for his inanimate object friends once I leave. He doesn’t have any shortage of those. The newest addition to the crew is an eraser nub with the moniker of ‘Gummy’.

Signing off for now,

The Brain

o-o-o-o-o

Brain saved the new transmission to an encrypted, password-protected file. None of the scientists were technical experts, so the odds of discovery were miniscule or nonexistent. He only had five audio files in total, a meager amount compared to the hundreds of transmissions he’d made back on New Selene. The pointer hovered over the Delete All button. He didn’t have a reason to keep making transmissions when he was leaving the lab behind in just a few days.

Still, he hesitated.

Maybe he could leave it as a memento for Pinky. But even a basic level of encryption and case-sensitive password would remain far beyond Pinky’s capabilities.

Perhaps it was best to leave the issue for another night.

He logged off the computer and joined Pinky, who’d surrounded himself with Gummy and the rest of his inanimate object friends as he played a board game called Monopoly. Though Brain had looked up the rules and goals of the game during his online session out of curiosity, he didn’t really understand the appeal or mass marketability of such an unbalanced game.

Although, given the number of different versions of Monopoly out there, creating and selling his own version of the game with the title of Brainopoly could prove to be a viable plan.

Pinky was playing as if there were four players and not just a free-for-all against a nickel, button, and eraser. It became disturbingly obvious that Pinky was either overly generous or just woefully terrible at mental math, because he continually doled out the wrong amount of money from the bank or his own meager cash pile.

And Pinky was far better off if Brain cut in now, because there was no chance that anyone else was catching up to Gummy, who owned the most lucrative properties and had the largest amount of money.

He had to stop anthropomorphizing these objects. He was starting to think like Pinky, and that was an extremely distressing thought.

“You’re losing to an eraser,” Brain said. Pinky only had a few fives in currency, and the three properties he owned were all flipped over and mortgaged.

“Yeah, Gummy’s just very good at this game! Narf!” Pinky said as he rolled the dice for Mr. Button. “It’s so nice of him to let us sleep in his Marvin Garden Apartments though. Otherwise we’d be homeless!”

“Nice indeed,” Brain replied. For his peace of mind, he didn’t dare press for more details.

Pinky threw the dice, then moved the bucket token seven spaces, landing on the Luxury Tax space. “That’ll be seventy-five dollars, Mr. Button,” Pinky said as he gathered the money, which only totaled sixty. And Mr. Button’s four properties were all mortgaged. Pinky realized this too. “Oh...you don’t have enough. Poit.”

Any normal player would’ve tossed in the towel right there, but Pinky wasn’t a conventional player by any means. He frowned, scratched his head, then picked up his own pile of fives and tossed them onto the sixty, bringing the amount to seventy-five, with two leftover fives for Mr. Button.

“You can have that, Mr. Button!” Pinky chirped as he dumped the luxury tax money in the middle of the board. “With a little more for the bus!”

Pinky had completely knocked himself out of the game.

This was supposed to be an extremely competitive game for families and seasoned professionals, right? Though the rules of Monopoly appeared confusing and controversial to most players, he was certain that nobody would willingly lose with such a reckless method.

Well...maybe it was just a fluke. Pinky was only playing against himself, so if he wanted to give up the money to something he was making the decisions for, that was his choice.

Besides, he couldn’t watch this game much longer.

“I’ll be your next opponent,” Brain announced. He’d never played before, but the basics seemed simple enough. And the math involved was basic arithmetic he could do in his sleep. “Reset the board at once, Pinky.”

Pinky’s tail wagged as he gathered up the houses and hotels and tossed them back into the box, then settled down as he skillfully shuffled the Community Chest and Chance cards. From the way he hummed and twirled around, an outsider could easily mistake Brain for a playmate instead of an opponent.

Brain quickly read over the instruction sheet, then divided the game currency into a starting amount for himself, Pinky, and the bank.

“Can I be in charge of the property cards, Brain?” Pinky asked as he organized them by color.

“Yes, but I shall handle all other banker duties,” Brain said. “Listen closely, Pinky. I’ve looked up stories about Monopoly games going on for a long time with no definitive winner, so we’ll stop the game when one of us runs out of money, or if chance has favored you or I enough that we can place a hotel on the board.”

“Chance always has a problem with favoritism,” Pinky said as he moved the horse token to the Go space. Indeed, chance hasn’t always favored members of either of their species, but it could stand to be more merciful during a board game. He hugged the horse token to his chest. “Anyways, Pharfigtwoton is always my choice! What’s yours?”

Brain didn’t understand how anyone in their right mind would want to play as a wheelbarrow or bucket, and the only pieces that interested him at all were the ones that resembled modes of Terran transportation. In the end, he chose the battleship.

He was tempted to call it the Conquistador Two, but he didn’t want to follow the trend of naming random objects.

“Good one!” Pinky said as he pushed the ship over to the horse token. “A gorgeous ship like this needs a name...so I hereby dub thee Battley McBattleface!”

“We’re calling it the Conquistador Two, and that’s final,” Brain snapped.

“The Conquesodor Two,” Pinky agreed.

They tossed the dice to decide turn order, and Pinky won that battle easily since Brain had the misfortune to roll double ones.

On his first turn, Pinky managed to land on St. Charles Place with a high roll. He happily shelled out the money required to buy the property. “I’m putting a nice dog park here!” he declared, placing the unused dog token in the magenta space above the property. “Now Pharfigtwoton can give rides to all the puppies!”

Brain didn’t know if Monopoly required players to create their own storyline, but it certainly made the game more interesting and baffling at the same time. He rolled the dice, sighing when he could only advance to Reading Railroad.

He hoped it wouldn’t be a trend for Pinky to receive high rolls while he was stuck in the first half of the board.

But he quickly changed his mind once he paid up for Reading Railroad and read through the card information. Just like any real life war or corporate strategy, the key to his victory would lie in controlling the flow of transportation and goods!

Pinky landed on New York on his next turn, rambling about taking all the puppies to New York for a double decker bus tour of the city as he slid a stack of bills to Brain. Brain sighed and tossed an extra twenty bill back at Pinky. He wished Pinky would pay more attention to adding properly than the make-believe puppies.

Brain rolled the dice and moved his battleship to Virginia, claiming the property so Pinky couldn’t control one-fourth of the board this early in the game.

“Brain, can I have a house?” Pinky asked as he drew a Community Chest card. He read through the card and grinned. “Awww, I got second in a beauty pageant! Thank you, everyone! It’s such an honor! Oh, and it says I also won ten dollars.”

“You don’t meet the conditions required for a house, Pinky,” Brain said, giving Pinky a ten. He didn’t care about the fake beauty pageant, just that money was either gained or lost depending on luck of the draw.

“Oh, I’ll keep them off the board,” Pinky promised. “I just want a house for Terry to live in.”

He held up the dog token, who was now apparently called Terry.

“Fine, but don’t mix your ridiculous fantasies with the board,” Brain sighed and tossed a green house at Pinky, which smacked him in the head when he didn’t catch it in time. Pinky laughed it off and coaxed Terry to stand next to the house.

Houses and hotels. His Internet searches on the Clarkes led to tons of websites on the Terran real estate market and hotel industry.

Which reminded Brain that he hadn’t shared his research into the Clarkes with Pinky yet. There hadn’t been enough time during the day, where the incompetent scientists poked and prodded them. And in Brain’s case, tried to figure out where the antennae came from.

Their hypotheses, and he was being exceedingly generous when he described their speculation and conspiracy theories as hypotheses, amounted to claiming a Terran mouse and insect had reproduced together.

“I’ve brushed up on the Clarkes so we can properly impersonate them at the party. According to-scrik!” Brain hissed under his breath when he landed on New York and had to pay Pinky.

“Sixteen please!” Pinky chirped. “All proceeds will go to buying toys and treats for good dogs in need!”

Brain grudgingly gave up the sixteen. Probability was not on his side tonight. “As I was saying before cruel fate reared its ugly head, the man I shall impersonate, Anthony Clarke, is an esteemed real estate and luxury hotel mogul, with a net worth in the billions. His success is rooted in savvy, ruthless business against competitors. It appears that he and Lamont are old college acquaintances, which we can spin to our advantage. And...yes! B&O Railroad!”

He claimed the B&O Railroad for himself, and Pinky wrinkled his nose. “I wouldn’t ride on the Body Odor Railroad even if you pay me in cheese,” he said.

Brain rolled his eyes. “The temptation for cheese is too powerful for your empty mind and bottomless stomach.”

“You’re right, Brain. It’s too yummy.” Pinky licked his lips. “So does that make me Mrs. Zoey Clarke then? Unless he divorced her already. I haven’t kept up with them in a while.” The butler on the phone had made a similar comment, thoroughly expecting ‘Mr. Clarke’ to divorce his spouse by the end of the week.

“So you’re aware of the Clarkes,” Brain said. He rolled the dice, and chance immediately sentenced him to jail. He had to push his battleship all the way to the jail space.

But all of this divorcing nonsense was trivial to his goals. Hardly worth a footnote.

The objective was to infiltrate the party, mingle with the guests to throw off suspicion, then steal the military weapon and take over the world, not involve himself in a Terran’s relationship drama.

“Ooh, tough.” Pinky clicked his tongue in sympathy as he bought Waterworks. “But everyone knows who the Clarkes are. Didn’t you see anything about all those divorces when you looked them up?”

“I’m more interested in his business ventures than his messy personal life,” Brain replied. “All this talk about divorce is simply incidental. But now I digress. Escaping jail so I may continue my conquering campaign is of utmost priority.”

“Doubles! Doubles!” Pinky chanted as Brain threw the dice. A two and three faced up, but no doubles. Pinky deflated, but only for a moment. Then he picked up a fifty. “Here, Brain. I’ll bail you out.”

From Brain’s brief skim over the rules, he didn’t recall a single one that allowed players to bail each other out of jail. He wanted to refuse and tell Pinky to focus on winning for himself, but obtaining Pennsylvania Railroad, which he’d missed the first time he’d passed through this section of the board, was just too tempting.

Brain took the fifty from Pinky, put it in the bank, then moved his battleship out of jail and used his draining resources to buy Pennsylvania Railroad. Only afterward did he realize that he’d been steadily losing money every turn and hadn’t gained anything since the beginning of the game.

Contrast to Pinky, who rolled a twelve and skipped over the last fourth of the board, placing him squarely on the Go space and guaranteeing himself a free two hundred. Then he rolled a low number and bought Mediterranean.

A poor investment, given that it was hardly worth anything. But Pinky didn’t think so.

And he wouldn’t stop cooking up new fantasies either. “Now we can host a beach jubilee for your welcome home from jail party! With hot dogs and beach balls and those big umbrellas and-”

Brain lobbed the dice at Pinky so he’d quiet down and allow Brain to formulate a strategy in peace.

Perhaps a pass around the board without purchasing anything would be necessary. He had to rebuild his financial resources again. The downside was that Pinky could potentially take the spaces for himself, but it was entirely possible that he’d miss some of the open spaces too.

So he did just that, finally lucking out when a Community Chest card sent Pinky to Reading Railroad.

But Pinky was incapable of keeping his mouth shut, and soon he was back on the topic of the infamous Clarke divorces.

“-so I think Zoey is number eleven, and I know they all blend together, so when I confuse them I just remember divorce, beheaded, died, divorce, beheaded, survived!”

Brain stared at Pinky, praying to all the ancient Selenian gods nobody believed in anymore that Snowball didn’t have him take the identity of a murderer.

“Oh wait no, no...that’s King Henry, not Clarke. Must’ve mixed them up, poit. Sorry.”

Brain threw another green house at Pinky, nailing him in the shoulder. Pinky yelped, but once he realized he had another house he immediately thanked Brain because that meant Terry’s friend could move next door.

Since there was little point to dissuading Pinky entirely, Brain focused on his game strategy instead.

It was mostly repetition anyway. Roll dice, move piece, board event, repeat. Perhaps it would be considered tedious and monotonous, but the storylines Pinky improvised were what truly made it fascinating, even though Brain could only follow about half of it since Pinky created plotholes within the fantastical yet mundane place named Monopoly City faster than the speed of light.

According to Pinky, he and his sister co-ran an enormous pet supply shop attached to a humane animal shelter next door to the dog park. Meanwhile, Brain was conductor of a magical train and seeking the mayorship because the corrupt mayor was involved with an evil cigarette corporation who wanted to diabolically sell their products to innocent children.

And while Pinky certainly had a knack for improvisation, the matter at hand was that Brain couldn’t resist buying Boardwalk, but he’d used up a third of his money and Pinky wasn’t landing there to make up for the deficit. But Brain also had Baltic, the least valuable property, and Pinky had Park Place, which Brain desperately needed since neither of them had houses on the board yet.

This wasn’t going to be a fair trade for Pinky, but it was the best chance Brain had to etch out a victory. He was going for it.

“Park for Baltic so we can finally build some residences,” Brain said, sliding the card over to Pinky.

And to his surprise, Pinky jumped at the opportunity. “Sure, Brain! If you’ll trade me Oriental for Marvin Gardens. We’re gonna open a Chinatown district!”

He’d be giving Pinky control of the first quarter of the board, but the allure of the most expensive properties was far too tempting to pass up.

They swapped properties, then paused the game to set up their houses. Brain didn’t have enough money to buy houses for all his properties, so he set two houses on Boardwalk and hoped he could deal a staggering blow to Pinky’s finances. And even this decision was costly, for he only had $180 left.

Pinky set four houses on Baltic and clapped his hands together. “They’re beach houses,” he explained, and didn’t bother putting houses on the rest of his properties even though he could afford it.

Brain kept his mouth shut. Best not to give Pinky ideas. So he rolled the dice and got doubles.

Luxury Tax.

Scrik.

Now he was down to $105. But he’d pass Go on his next turn, so he could obtain an extra two hundred and hopefully skip this portion of the board.

Then he landed on Baltic.

He slowly looked at Pinky, and Brain couldn’t tell if Pinky was being perfectly innocent or just very, very good at pretending to be perfectly innocent. “That’ll be $320 please,” Pinky said.

Including the two hundred from passing Go, he’d only have a grand total of $305.

And according to the conditions he’d set, he’d lost the game through losing all his money.

“Can’t pay it,” Brain sighed. “Congratulations, Pinky. You’ve bested me.”

Pinky giggled and threw his play money in the air in celebration. “Aw, thanks for playing with me! I’ve never played Monopoly with anyone before. Never been able to get the board to Pharfignewton’s stable without the play money flying all over the street. It took me a long time to pick it all up. We should definitely do this again, Brain! Troz!”

But there wouldn’t be a next time. No matter how much he wanted to be victorious in another match against Pinky.

“Yes, we should,” Brain forced out, willing his racing heart to calm down so he wasn’t caught in his lie.

Pinky beamed, and Brain only wished it wasn’t so difficult to explain.

o-o-o-o-o

Terran Date 4.29.2015

Tonight, we shall seek appropriate outfits for the masquerade ball. I have been informed that my jumpsuit is not considered formal attire and that we will need to shop for proper clothing. However, I will be bringing my jumpsuit along since I will not return to the lab, and I require my conquering outfit to carry out our plans.

Pinky knows a place that may contain what we need. He’s spent the last two hours finishing his hat for the Kentucky Derby and has proudly shown off the finished product to me. Though I’ll admit that the result can only be considered a hat if one is generous with their definition.

I have not been able to contact Snowball. I can only assume he’s making the necessary preparations on his end.

Signing off for now,

The Brain

o-o-o-o-o

They stood in front of an enormous building with bright neon letters, impossible to miss even with his direction-challenged companion. Thankfully, it was only a few blocks from the lab. After the scientists strapped him to a machine that tested centrifugal force, he didn’t have the energy to walk much further.

“Welcome to Toyz ‘B’ We, Brain!” Pinky exclaimed, and Brain cringed at the horrendous grammar of that name. “It's the most wonderfulest toy shop ever!”

Wonderfulest wasn’t a word, but Brain was given no time to inform Pinky of that fact before Pinky dragged him to the entrance, where a large, cartoonish statue of a Terran bee stood off to the side, greeting customers with a cheerful wave of her magic wand.

“So that’s the mascot, Becky Bee,...let’s see, those are the shopping carts and the baskets and those machines that give you washable tattoos-”

“Focus on the clothing, Pinky. Not all the extraneous material,” Brain reminded him as they entered the store. Unlike their disastrous mall trip, Brain had brought along a source of money, an ACME credit card one of the scientists had carelessly left at their desk after purchasing a chair online.

They had a right to use the card as ACME employees who never got paid for their hard labor in experiments. And he promised Pinky he’d give it back once they were through purchasing the necessary items, so it didn’t catch on that pesky ‘no stealing’ radar.

Based on Pinky’s descriptions of the store, he expected an interior full of wonder, excitement, and interesting objects designed for enjoyment for young Terrans.

Instead, everything was a sterile white, yellow, or black. Rectangular kits of building blocks of all shapes and sizes sat neatly in a row, their price tags dusty as if they hadn’t been moved or cleaned in some time.

Dozens of bee models hung from the ceiling rafters, all of them sharing the exact same dead stare and pose. The whole setup was rather unnerving, and Brain averted his eyes.

He spotted two workers at the registers. They scrolled through their phones, not noticing Pinky’s cheerful greeting as he skipped past them. A third worker called out in alarm to them, and they suddenly dropped their phones and picked up rags, repetitively wiping their counters in circles in a poor attempt to appear busy.

The only one who acted like they were in a store meant for entertainment was Pinky, who oohed and ahhed and zigzagged all over the place to get a look at all the toys.

“Brain, look at this Barbie convertible! It’s so sparkly!” Pinky exclaimed before darting off to admire the box art on five-hundred piece jigsaw puzzles, then crawled onto the lowest shelf to hug a life-sized chihuahua plushie. “Narf! This one’s a cutie! And I also like the polka-dotted lizard, that green unicorn, and that rainbow koala looks really soft too-”

Brain grabbed Pinky’s tail, yanking him out of the shelf and onto the floor.

“This store’s already eroding whatever’s left of your mind,” Brain said, dragging Pinky away from the stuffed animals.

Pinky propped himself up on his elbows, humming as they passed aisle upon aisle of action figures, balls, and building blocks.

It was strange how they seemed to be the only customers here. Shouldn’t there be more snot-nosed brats running amok or haggard parents corralling them so they didn’t destroy everything with their grubby hands?

Still, perhaps he shouldn’t complain.

It was a relief that he didn’t have to worry about people trampling him underfoot for now.

But the peace didn’t last long, since Pinky suddenly peeled away in a completely different direction, forgetting that Brain was hanging onto his tail. Though he tried to dig his heels in, Pinky was too fast and the floor too slippery for Brain to bring them to a halt.

Then Pinky stopped on his own, and Brain only caught a glimpse of a metallic table leg before he crashed face-first into it, his nose smarting from the impact.

“Sorry, Brain,” Pinky said sheepishly, and there were five upside-down images of him. Brain swatted at the one in the middle, but his hand hit empty air instead. He shook his head to clear his vision, and all but the Pinky on the far left vanished.

Pinky didn’t stay put for long, darting past Brain. He hauled himself up the table leg and onto a light blue tablecloth. “You have to come up and see this, Brain!” Pinky squealed, peering over the edge of the table, his tail wagging beside him. “There’s an entire fence made of Legos here!”

Brain sighed, wondering if it was an exercise in futility to get Pinky to focus on the task at hand. “This is the last time I’ll repeat myself!” Brain shouted as he climbed up to retrieve Pinky. “We’re here for the clothes and-”

Though Brain only took fifteen seconds to ascend, Pinky managed to don a cropped, checkered top that showed off his slender stomach and a very short blue skirt in that short timeframe.

“Well, what do you think?” Pinky giggled and twirled in circles, the skirt flying in a graceful arc around his waist. “I could go square dancin’ in this, pardner! Yee-narf!”

Realizing he’d been staring at Pinky’s exposed stomach rather than making proper eye contact, Brain quickly turned away and pretended to find a row of small toy cars interesting. Next to the toy cars, there was a menagerie of small, plastic animals penned in by a colorful fence.

Part of a garden themed jigsaw puzzle served as a lawn under his feet, the pieces leading up to an enormous pink dollhouse.

Pinky took off the clothes he’d tried on, neatly threading a bent wire through the crop top and skirt and hanging them on a piece of string that served as a makeshift clothesline. There were five different clotheslines, each stocked to the brim with a variety of colorful articles.

Brain thumbed through the selection, though he didn’t feel an attachment to any of these pieces. While these clothes were designed for toys, most of them were still too big for him.

Finding something that would fit would be more difficult than he realized.

There was a large empty space past all the clotheslines, but it seemed it would be filled in soon enough. The display had all the signs of being a work in progress, and Brain couldn’t help but wonder who had the patience to put all this together. Certainly not the bored workers at the registers.

It was a welcome splash of creativity from the rest of the dull store.

“Poit. This is exactly how I imagined my dream home to be,” Pinky said in awe. He walked up to the front door and popped it open, revealing a spacious interior. Brain followed Pinky inside and they explored the first floor together, which contained a kitchen, living room, and a playroom.

“I really like the coloring on those kitchen cabinets, and the fireplace is a great touch! Very retro. And the kiddies will have a grand ol’ time in the playroom,” Pinky said as they climbed the staircase to the second floor and walked through two bedrooms and a bathroom.

“Marble countertops would make the kitchen and bathroom more refined,” Brain argued. Really, did Pinky want any visitors to think uncivilized brutes owned the house? “But the fireplace is a welcome touch.”

Pinky shrugged as they entered the master bedroom. “It’s fine as is. Now if the backyard was bigger with a dolphin-shaped swimming pool, that would be really, really amazing!”

And Brain preferred marble countertops, but since he wouldn’t be getting everything he wanted, neither would Pinky.

Brain sat on the large bed that took up half the room, the fluffy covers soft and welcoming. But they were on a mission, and future world rulers didn’t roll around on beds in an undignified manner, no matter how tempting it was.

Pinky threw open the closet doors, revealing more clothing inside. “Oh, these pajamas are lovely!” he said, pressing a yellow nightgown close to his body.

“Anything that would suit our purposes?” Brain asked. In hindsight, doing some research into what people wore for masquerade balls would’ve been helpful. He didn’t know why it slipped his mind. Perhaps Pinky’s scatterbrained traits were contagious.

“Hmmm, it’s all pajamas and casual wear,” Pinky said, flicking through the different articles. He closed the doors and reopened them, as if the formal wear would magically appear if they were out of sight. “No suits for you or the porpoises, Brain.” And he’d been so hopeful too.

“Maybe we can find something in the aisles,” Pinky said.

A sensible suggestion, for once.

Brain tried not to appear reluctant to leave the bed, but necessity demanded it. As he stood up, the fur on his neck pricked, his ears twitching towards the large window in the bedroom.

An odd sense that he was being watched came over him, and when he turned to look at the window, he saw a Terran’s eye peering into the balcony.

They stared at each other.

Then the eye blinked.

And Brain was suddenly very, very glad Snowball wasn’t here to bear witness, or he’d never hear the end of how he’d leapt onto Pinky’s back in his moment of panic.

Pinky yelped, and so did the Terran outside the window. There were several loud thuds, followed by a frantic apology.

Brain released Pinky, rubbing his face to get rid of the blush as he ran down the staircase and out the front door.

“S-sorry!” a young woman stammered as she bent down to pick up several packages of toys, only to lose her large glasses on the floor in the process. She wore the standard uniform of the store. “I didn’t think anyone would be inside! I thought one of the furniture pieces fell over, that’s all!”

Pinky hopped down from the table, picking up the woman’s glasses and pressing them into her hand. “It’s okay!” he chirped. “You scared us good, but now we can laugh about it! Oh, your name tag says Sharon! What a lovely name! I’m Pinky, that chubby alien up there is Brain, and we’re going to a party this weekend where we’ll raise awareness for the plight of frosted animal crackers!”

“That’s not the event’s objective,” Brain corrected, and he had no choice but to let Pinky come to his own conclusions. Stealing the secret weapon on Lamont property would remain classified information as promised. “And if you call me chubby again, I shall have to hurt you.”

Sharon took her glasses from Pinky with a tentative smile, then let him climb up her arm and onto her shoulder. “Zort! You have very good taste in Polly Pocket dolls!” Pinky said, peering down at the packages in her hands. “Do you collect?”

Sharon blushed. “I, um, have a lot of Beanie Babies at home. I’m not really interested in Polly Pockets, but they’d fit much better in this display than a standard Barbie.” She glanced at Brain. “I’m sorry, could you please move? I’m putting a few things in that area.”

Brain moved out of the way as Sharon carefully opened the packages. Then she placed several small tables and chairs in the empty space next to the clotheslines, bending the dolls’ legs into sitting positions and placing them on the chairs. She worked slowly and diligently, taking great caution to not knock anything over or break the items.

“Did you make all this?” Pinky asked. “It’s amazing!”

“Y-yeah, I did. The display, I mean. Not the toys.” Sharon didn’t look at Pinky as she straightened one of the Lego fences. “Store’s been on the decline, and because there’s not really much to do, I’m trying to create a few displays to generate some interest. The toys in this one were supposed to be thrown away since nobody’s buying them, even on clearance, but it just seemed so wasteful.”

She was resourceful. It was a valuable trait, but she seemed more embarrassed than anything.

“Take pride, Sharon. It’s an excellent use of parts,” Brain advised.

Pinky nodded eagerly. “And you’re saving the toys from the evil furnace! I’m sure they’re very grateful to you when you’re not looking!”

“You...you really like it?” Sharon lifted her glasses and wiped a tear from her eye. “Nobody’s ever really noticed my efforts around here.”

“Well, they should!” Pinky declared. “I’ll tell them so myself!”

Sharon smiled as Pinky hugged her face, then rejoined Brain on the table. “Thanks, but I don’t think you came to this store just to invade a toy home.”

“No, we didn’t,” Brain said, seeing his opportunity and seizing it. “We require formal clothes for a masquerade ball, and unfortunately, we haven’t seen anything of interest yet.”

“There’s plenty of interesting things in here, Brain,” Pinky said. “Like the busybody bees up on the ceiling!”

Apparently they had two very different definitions of interesting.

“Well, I can bring out some items from the back,” Sharon offered. “We had to pull the entire line of formal Zuma Ben accessories last week. Some parents found the outfits a little scandalous for their kids, so now the accessories are just going in the trash. But maybe you’ll find something to wear from the pile. Be right back, guys!” She walked away, her steps growing slightly more confident.

“Real Zuma Ben accessories?” Pinky clasped his hands to his cheek. “I’ve never worn anything like that before!”

“It’s just a name,” Brain said. He didn’t see why Pinky was treating Zuma Ben’s name like a sacred object. “As long as we’re dressed to impress, the name doesn’t matter.”

“I just think they’re pretty,” Pinky replied. “And I like looking at them, even if I can’t buy anything. Still, I’m really happy with the clothes I have now.”

But Pinky had a sizable wardrobe. Those clothes had to come from somewhere.

“So how did you obtain your clothes if you never bought them?” Brain asked.

Pinky smiled. “The scientists. They’ll drop clothes into my cage, which is really nice of them! One time, I put on this pretty sundress they gave me and I started itching really bad. I was jumping around like a tiny monkey and I managed to make them all laugh! I must’ve been quite the sight!”

Pinky laughed at the memory, but Brain was more disturbed at how the blatant act of humiliation didn’t affect him in the slightest. Then the laugh faltered and restarted at a higher pitch.

No, that initial assessment was wrong. True, Pinky could withstand many things, but not even the most resilient being could tolerate the sound of mockery for long.

Should he say something? Was an ‘I’m sorry’ sufficient? Was there any act of comfort that didn’t involve unnecessary physical contact?

Brain wanted to be decisive, but dozens of scenarios played out in his head, and none of them led to a satisfactory outcome. Tell Pinky to cease his laughter, embrace him, talk about the weather. He didn’t know.

Emotions led to nothing but trouble.

“Quit staring,” Brain snapped when Pinky wouldn’t stop watching him like he wanted something.

Pinky’s ears fell, but Sharon came back before the pang of guilt could fully settle in Brain’s stomach.

“Thanks for waiting, guys,” Sharon said as she dumped the accessory packages onto the table. “See anything you like?”

“All of them!” Pinky declared, happily tossing a three-pack of formal dresses into the air. He tried tearing it open, but the packaging wouldn’t give. Sharon helpfully tore it open for him, and Pinky made a happy, grateful sound before pulling a sparkly purple dress over his body. He twirled around. “So how do I look?”

“Lovely,” Sharon giggled as she pulled out her phone. She set it against the Lego fence, allowing Pinky to see himself in the camera app.

“I’ll put this as a maybe,” Pinky said. “But I have to give all the dresses a chance too!”

He tried four other dresses on in quick succession, and all of them went into the maybe pile.

Meanwhile, Brain searched through his choices of men’s formal wear. He wanted the best possible option for successful infiltration, but he didn’t know much about Terran fashion. His nose wrinkled at a powdered blue suit with far too many ruffles. He was fairly certain that wouldn’t garner respect on any planet, so he pushed the offending pack away from his other options.

The pure white suit would get stained too easily. He needed something darker. That one was out.

“Hey Brain, what about this one?” Pinky asked. He now wore a long sleeved lime green dress, which Brain found extremely tacky and unappealing to the eyes. Not even Pinky could salvage that monstrosity. Yet in Pinky’s hands, there was a black suit with a white shirt underneath. Not extravagant by any means, but since the coloration was similar to his conquering attire, it was the most probable choice by far.

But while Pinky was comfortable with changing in front of others, Brain wasn’t so keen on the idea.

“I require privacy,” Brain said. He took the suit from Pinky and went inside the house, shutting the door behind him and ensuring the shutters were closed.

Then he removed his gloves and jumpsuit, shivering from the cold air as he laid the items over a chair. He put on the new set of pants first, then the white collared shirt, and finally buttoned the jacket over his abdomen.

Well, it was comfortable. And it hid most of his stomach too, which was also a positive. But he needed to see how it looked in the light before making a judgment call, so he rejoined Pinky and Sharon, who were playing with different filters on her phone while Pinky wore a magnificent feathery pink dress.

“Now you really look like a flamingo,” Sharon laughed as Pinky changed the filter to sepia, the image now different shades of tan. Pinky blew a kiss to the camera. “This one’s my favorite so far,” Pinky declared with a graceful curtsey.

And the sleeveless feathery dress did seem to match his personality much better than all the other dresses. Flamboyant and quirky, but inviting and friendly as well. A darker pink feather boa was draped over his shoulders, and purple feathers fanned out from the back of his neck. A light green choker was wrapped around his neck. Then Pinky added a matching headband with a light pink tuft to complete the ensemble.

“That will certainly make an excellent first impression on the partygoers,” Brain said.

Pinky changed the phone filter back to normal with one hand, playing with the feather boa in his other. “Egad, you really think so?” he exclaimed. “Hold on a sec, Brain. Where’s the rest of your outfit?”

“Rest of?” Brain echoed. “This doesn’t require anything else.”

Pinky shook his head and dug a red bow and matching sash out of the clothes pile. “You need a few splashes of color, Brain! Or you’ll just end up a sad wilty wallflower!”

“They’d really match your circles,” Sharon added.

Well, he’d always looked good in red. It was a bold, attention-grabbing color.

Brain draped the sash over his shoulder and fastened the bow around his ear, checking himself over in Sharon’s phone. Then Pinky and Sharon started giggling for some odd reason.

“What?” Brain asked. He was presentable at a formal event now, wasn’t he?

“You’re kinda wearing it wrong,” Sharon admitted.

His ears flattened from embarrassment. Selenians typically wore practical jumpsuits with minimal accessories, and none of their databanks ever mentioned Terran outfits. They must’ve found it unimportant.

“Don’t worry, Brain. It’s an easy fix! May I?” Pinky exclaimed.

Brain nodded his permission, and Pinky removed the bow from Brain’s ear and carefully fastened it underneath his collar, taking great care to not pull the bow too tightly around his neck.

“So this isn’t a sash. It’s a cummerbund and you wear it around your stomach,” Pinky explained as he demonstrated the proper way to wear it. It was relieving to know Terrans made accessories that would hide the slight bulge, and Brain donned the cummerbund correctly.

The accessories really did match his orbs. For the first time, he was dressed to the nines and it was a glorious feeling indeed.

“Aw, you’re both so spiffy!” Sharon exclaimed. “Mind if I put a photo of this on the Twitter page to boost some interest?”

“We’ll return the favor,” Brain said. She deserved some reward for helping them out anyway.

Sharon turned her phone around, ready to snap the picture when Pinky suddenly darted out of frame. “Hold on! Narf!” he cried, shoving a small blue butterfly-themed mask into Brain’s hands and flipping a pink feathery mask over his face. “It’s a masquerade ball, you know!”

While Brain’s mask only covered the area around his eyes, Pinky’s face was mostly hidden by his birdlike mask, leaving only his bright blue eyes exposed.

“Doesn’t that tickle?” Brain inquired as Pinky stretched his boa out for a picture.

Pinky shrugged. “A little. But I don’t mind!”

“Smile for the camera, you guys!” Sharon grinned.

Brain didn’t smile, but he stood in front of the toy house while Sharon snapped pictures and Pinky struck a different pose with every shot.

Pinky’s laughter rang joyously in Brain’s ears.

He would leave that sound behind in just a few days. But it was a small price to pay for the world.

End AN: Maybe this chapter is a little disjointed, but oh well. Sharon is based off the toy store worker who helps the mice in Brain’s Night Off.

I tried to do the math for the Monopoly game and even pulled out my Monopoly property cards so I could get the amounts correct, but if anything is inaccurate I am hereby excused from responsibility because I am a writer and not a mathematician. Yes i use that excuse every time but it’s true.

Brain's outfit comes from the tuxedo he wore in the reboot's Future Brain episode. Pluto designed Pinky's outfit herself (somehow we both were thinking lots of pink feathers for Pinky) and deserves all the credit for it cause it's so beautiful. I chose a butterfly mask for Brain and a flamingo theme for Pinky.

#pinky and the brain #patb fanfiction #patb nova

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onlyalperend · 3 years ago

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Alperen`in proje secme seklini,motivasyonlarini cok guzel anlatan 1 cevabi. Here`s a great answer of #AlperenDuymaz which highlights perfectly the way he selects a project or what drives him to do so. how not to respect & love him?♥️ . #AlperenDuymaz ❤ #Cosmopolitan röportajından.Ocak 2017 sayisi Excerpt from one of his old reportages for #Cosmopolitan- January 2017 #issue . . ▶ Yeni nesil oyuncular arasinda yeteneğinizle fark yarattiğinizi düşünüyoruz… sinema filmi teklifleri de geliyordur, değil mi? . . ▶Evet, teklifler alıyoruz. Bence her oyuncunun, sanatla uğraşan herkesin bir derdi olmalı bu yolda. İnsanlara faydalı olabilecek herhangi bir şey yapıyor olmalıyız. Bu müzik, resim, tiyatro oyunu, sinema filmi olabilir… Sanatçının yapması gereken bu kanalları kullanarak kişilerin algılarını açmak. "Bu böyleymiş" dedirtmek, farkındalık yaratmak. Sanat bunun için var! . ▶C: We believe that you made a difference between the new generations of actors with your talent..You are also receiving movie offers, aren`t you? . . ▶ A: Yes, we do receive offers. I think that every actor, everybody who deals with art should be troubled on this path. We should be doing anything that can benefit people. This can be music, painting, theater play, a movie… What the artist needs to do is to open people's perceptions by using these channels. To make people say, "This is how it is", to create awareness. That's what art is for! . . #Turkish #Actor #talent #AlperenDuymazrop #cosmoman

#alperen duymaz #alperenduymaz #alperen duymaz rop #cosmopolitan #cosmoman

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madam-whim · 3 years ago

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In defense of ESO PvP players

So, once again, the Mayhem event is happening and I’m already hearing stories about people painting PvP players as these toxic evil monsters whose sole purpose is to torment casual players. Just yesterday a friend told me about that one former guildmate of hers that would no longer speak to her after finding out she actually killed other players to farm her Tel Var for the set she needed instead of killing sewer monsters all day like a “normal person”.

And look, I get it. Repeatedly getting killed while just trying to finish the damn quest is annoying. But it is PvP content, and if you are unwilling to learn and adjust, you are going to get killed. You wouldn’t run into a vet trial without the right gear and potions either, would you? Now, if you want to avoid fighting, pick a campaign where your faction is currently the strongest - the population indicators are there for a reason. It’s not a guarantee you won’t ever die, but it significantly increases your chances of getting your tickets quickly so you can get the hell out of there.

There is still a possibility that you will encounter toxic players who aren’t there to actually fight, but to bully PvE players who just want to get their quests done. A few years back I encountered a Warden Emperor complete with two Dragonknight bodyguards who had decided to just hide inside one of the quest giver buildings and jump anyone who tried to turn in their quests. They didn’t even flip the town. Repeatedly killing these people did not even give them any AP anymore, as AP gain decreases significantly when you kill the same people more than just once or twice. That’s toxic behaviour alright, but I must point out that this is an exception that does not give you the right to hate on people who enjoy playing PvP.

The Imperial City, however, is a slightly different issue, and it’s due to the Tel Var mechanic. It’s probably going to sound like I’m contradicting myself here, but in this case, repeatedly killing the same people is not inherently toxic (we can’t see how many Tel Var you have and need to kill you to find out) and I need everyone to understand that. Maybe camping the entrance to an enemy sewer base and ganking everyone who walks by trying to get back to base could be considered toxic (looking at you, nightblades), but really, when it comes down to Tel Var, all bets are off.

(By the way, if you’re in the IC and want to save your Tel Var but suspect the way to your base isn’t safe, you can always queue for a Cyrodiil campaign from inside the IC and it will teleport you out of the City and into your Cyro alliance base! Now you know this and can’t blame the evil PvP players for losing your stones.)

Personally, I love the PvPvE aspect of the Imperial City, but sadly, it’s mostly dead content outside of events. So yes, I will be there during those, and I will be playing PvP, both because I enjoy it and rarely get to do so, and because the Tel Var are worth a lot of money. I am playing this content the way it was intended, as are other PvP players. It’s not our fault if you are underprepared or not careful. We die too if we let our guard down or round a corner and suddenly run into 30+ enemy players.

So what I’m saying is this: If you die because someone jumps you while you are doing a district boss, it’s not their fault - you forgot to watch your surroundings and died because of that. If someone kills you because you thought it was a smart idea to stand in the middle of the road checking your map, it’s not their fault - you did not have any defensive spells up and were easy pickings. If your entire twelve man team gets killed on a flag by four people, it’s not their fault that you died either - your group allowed them to engage and had no counterplay prepared. And if you lose several thousand Tel Var at once, well, that’s on you too. Honestly. Don’t just rotate through the districts for hours thinking a big group means safety. It does not. Four decent-ish players who are in voice chat together can easily kill 20 players who are uncoordinated. Return to base and bank your Tel Var as soon as you think you’d feel uncomfortable with losing half of them.

ESO doesn’t have all that much PvP content as it is, and let’s be perfectly honest, the devs care more about literally anything else than they do about PvP. Just... deal with it, let PvP players enjoy their two weeks of mayhem, and don’t blame them for any of the following: having fun in PvP, killing other players in a zone specifically created to do so, or being more skilled than you are.

Thank you!

#eso #pvp #intya plays eso #the hatred many casual players hold for players of a higher skill level is especially noticeable in pvp #which is kinda obvious bc they die to them in pvp while someone having a godslayer title doesnt affect them directly #that being said people are being harrassed over being good at the game in general these days

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noladyme · 4 years ago

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My Only Sunshine - Chapter 4

Liv is as human as they come – faults and all. After a dark experience in her past, she is determined to live life on her own terms, and never let anyone claim her as theirs again. This becomes an issue, when she meets a 1000-yearold vampire, who is dead-set on claiming her as his own.

CHAPTER 3

I had the driver take me to Reunion Tower; not wanting to go back to the hotel just yet. Clutching the package in my arms, I stood for a long time, looking at the panoramic view of Dallas. It was beautiful, but I couldn’t appreciate it; being too rattled from my encounter with Thomas. He didn’t remember me, and yet he’d sent me the picture of myself dancing; and the one of me and Sam talking. Or had he? I was confused, and afraid.

After I watched the sun set over the city, my phone rang; and I picked up the call. “Hi. You’re late”, I heard Pam’s bored voice. “Oh… right. I’m sorry”, I said. “Fråga henne var I helvete hon är!”, Eric thundered in the background. “I’m supposed to ask where in the hell you are…”, Pam said. “I’m on my way back”, I said. “I’ll be there in a few. I have the package”. “Är hon I säkerhet?”, Eric said. “You could ask her yourself…”, Pam said. Someone threw something made of glass. “You should probably hurry up… Before we have to pay for this place to be renovated”, Pam said. “I’m on my way”, I said, and hung up.

I told the driver to hurry back to the hotel, and almost ran into the suite. A maid was sweeping up some broken glass from the floor, and a recliner was almost torn in half. Pam was reading yet another magazine on the couch. I had been right about Erics comfort about his own nakedness, as he stormed into the living room – lips drawn back in a snarl – without even closing his robe before Pam or anyone else might see him. It was only when the maids jaw dropped, that he finally decided to cover himself up. He was holding the torn-up dress I’d been wearing the night before, and threw it on the coffee table. “Goddammit, Eric. That was couture!”, Pam said. “Please tell me the boots are ok”. “Get out”, Eric said to the maid. “Sir, I just need to…”. “I said, get the fuck out!”, he growled. The woman almost ran out of the room. “Great, now I have to go out for breakfast”, Pam said.

Eric walked up close to me; staring me down. “Where the fuck have you been?”, he said. I moved around him, and put the package on the table. “I went to see that photographer, like you asked me to”, I said quietly. A V-amped psychopath, who would have probably hurt me, if he hadn’t been glamoured to forget me. “You should have been back hours ago!”. I clenched my jaw, trying to keep from screaming at him. “What the fuck do you care? You only just rose”. Pam raised a brow at me; and I almost offered her some popcorn with her show.

Cherishing my life more than that, I instead headed towards my room. Eric stormed after me; and took a firm hold of my arm. I instantly froze in place. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry”, I breathed, not daring to meet Eric’s eyes. He let go, and seconds later, I found myself seated on the edge of the bed, with the vampire kneeling in front of me. “What happened?”, he asked. “Nothing… Nothing happened”, I said. I wasn’t lying – nothing had happened. Thomas hadn’t touched me; not in the way I’d feared he would if he ever saw me again. “Pam, go get ready. Take the gift, and make it more presentable”, Eric said almost inaudibly. I heard the door to the suite close behind Pam as she left.

I was shaking in front of Eric, and he brushed his knuckles down my cheek. “I don’t want you to be afraid of me”, he said. “I would never hurt you”. “I know…”, I whispered. “Do you?”, he asked. I didn’t reply. “Liv; look at me”. I raised my eyes, and met his. They were gentle, even warm. “I do… It’s just this place… those vampires last night”. This time, I was lying; a little. Eric raised his brows at me. “That’s why I don’t want you alone after sunset”, he said. “I can’t protect you when I don’t know where you are”. “I know”, I nodded, and looked down again. “And I should have been back before sunset. It’s what you’re paying me for”.

He put a finger under my chin, and made me look up at him. “Did you think I was angry because of the job?”, he asked. “I don’t know, what I think… Why didn’t you just get someone else to come to Dallas with you?”. My voice was sharp; surprising even myself. “Don’t give me some story about meetings and stuff; I don’t even know what kind of information I’m supposed to pass on to you”. “You know why”, Eric said. “So… we could have sex; and you could get over your thing for me…”, I almost whispered. He frowned at me. “When I realized you were gone, after I rose…”. He clenched his jaw. “Yeah, I saw that chair in there”, I muttered. “I don’t do that… I don’t lose control”, Eric said. “But I did, because of you".

I put a tentative hand on his shoulder. Eric leaned closer to me, and kissed me. I put my arms around his neck, and he pulled me of the bed; onto his lap, so I was straddling him. I whimpered softly, when he suckled at my lover lip, and slid his hand down to my butt; squeezing it. “If we had enough time, I would fuck you on the floor right now”, Eric said against my lips. His robe had opened; and looking down, his erection was telling me that he was being truthful. “Later?”, I asked hopefully. “Greedy…”, Eric chuckled. I blushed, and turned my face away. “No, I like it”, he assured me; and kissed my neck near the fang-marks form the night before.

I pulled back slightly. “Eric… Could you make them go away?”, I asked. He set me back on the bed, and got up to stand; removing his robe, and throwing it into a corner, before walking back towards his own room. “Yes, but I won’t”, he said. “It’s better that you have the marks tonight. There will be even more vampires we must convince of you being mine…”. He turned around facing me in all his glory. “Unless, you changed your mind…”, he said, raising a brow at me. “I didn’t”, I assured him. He grunted, and rolled his eyes; before continuing into his room. “The red dress”, he said, as he walked away. “Oh, and we’re going to talk about whatever it is Sugar and Spice means. You didn’t think I’d forget, did you?”.

“Fuck…”, I muttered to myself.

---

“You were a stripper?”, Pam said. “I knew you had at least one redeeming quality”.

We were seated in a sedan again; on our way to Godrics house, where the opening ceremony of the conference would be held. Eric had more or less been glued to my side, after I stepped out of the bathroom wearing the dress, he’d chosen for me. My chest was pushed up by the tight fabric, and he’d looked hungry in more than one way, when he saw me. Now, his face was pointed forwards as I sat next to him in the limo. I didn’t know if he was pissed or didn’t care, now that I had told him and Pam about my former job. His face gave nothing away.

“I didn’t strip…”, I said. “Wasn’t really a reason to; I was already wearing so little”. “So, you just danced in your underwear?”, Pam asked. “Yeah… Was good at it, too”. I wasn’t going to make some stupid Viking make me feel bad about a job I had enjoyed. At least up until the part where I had to drop everything, and run away. “How are you with a pole?”, Pan said. “Enough”, Eric said. “We’re here”.

The limo stopped in front of a beautiful modern house, and Eric stepped out first; giving both Pam and I a hand to exit the car. I was once again in a pair of ridiculously high heels, and finding it difficult to walk behind my vampire companions; but knew that we were in business mode, and I needed to know my place as a lowly human. I wasn’t supposed to complain; I should be honored to even be there. I was carrying a cloth wrapped package – the item I’d picked up from Thomas’ studio. Taking the lead of our little parade, Eric nodded at the vampire guarding the door; and we entered the large room – without me falling over in the process.

Stan seemed to hold court in a corner, surrounded by vampires and a few humans. His meal from the night before had been lent out to another vamp, who was snacking from her wrist on a large white sofa. Isabel was nearby, looking in Stan's direction, while conversing with Carl – a worried expression on her face.

Eric stopped at the end of a line, going up to a large double door. I went to stand behind him and Pam, but he reached back to grab my arm, and tug me forward; so that I stood next to him. “Do you remember the rules?”, he asked. “Don’t speak unless spoken to. Keep my head down. Don’t attract attention”, I muttered. “You’re going to have trouble with that last part”, he said. “You look delicious in that dress”. He looked down at me. “I’ll take the blame for that”, he said, smiling slightly. So, he wasn’t pissed.

After waiting for what seemed like forever – especially in uncomfortable shoes – it was our turn to face our host. The double doors opened, and we stepped into an office. Godric was seated in a recliner, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. Eric kneeled in front of his maker; but as Pam didn’t follow, I thought I didn’t need to either. I was only furniture, after all.

“It is good to see you again”, Godric said; and put his hand on Erics head. “As is custom, I have brought you a gift”, Eric said, and got up to stand. I looked at the large desk, and saw a spread of items – ranging from jewelry, to an ancient looking sword, to what looked like a solid gold cowboy boot. Eric turned to look at me, letting me know to hand over the package.

I stepped forward, and handed Godric the bundle, making sure to keep my eyes down. Godric placed his cool hand on top of mine, and I raised my eyes to see that his were trailing my neck. He looked at me, and smiled almost sadly. “Thank you”, he said. “Eric. You’ve tasted”. “I have”, Eric said. “She is… like nothing I have tasted before”. “I’m not a fucking juice-box. Stop talking about me like that!”, I hissed.

Pam’s jaw dropped, and Eric looked impossibly paler than before. “Liv…!”, Eric said below his breath. “Stay quiet”. Godric smiled broadly. “You’re the first human who’s dared to speak out loud in my presence tonight”, he said. “That is the best gift so far”. Eric looked down at the floor; and Godric got an expression, like a parent in front of a disappointed child. “But, I am sure I will be glad for this as well”, he said, and began unwrapping the velvet cloth from around the gift.

Inside was a black wooden frame, surrounding a photograph, of three figures. I looked over it quickly, recognizing two of the people photographed. Eric and Godric. The third was a woman.

“1839, Cormeilles-en-Parisis”, Eric said. “The last time…”. “The last time we were all together”, Godric said. “Louis Daguerre captured the moment, before Nora glamoured him to forget”. Eric smiled softly. “She had to. We almost drained his assistant”. “He lived”, Godric said. He looked up at Eric. “It is a good memory, Eric. Thank you”. Eric nodded with what verged on a warm smile.

The door opened, and Isabel stepped inside. “Godric, 13 is waiting”, she said. “And we all know what happens when Rose is kept waiting too long”, Godric almost sighed. “Eric, I will have need for your human at the ceremony". Eric frowned for a moment. “Yes, Godric”.

We left the room quickly, and once again I kept behind Eric and Pam. We went outside into the yard, where a platform had been raised on the middle of the lawn. Strange music – like classical techno – came from some speakers, and vampires were mingling, having quiet conversations. “What was that about?", I asked. Eric gave me a look out the corner of his eyes. “I’m not sure", he muttered; seemingly very unhappy about that fact. I wasn’t just unhappy. I was afraid. I didn’t know what Godric wanted from me, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. “He has need for me? What am I supposed to do?”. “I don’t know!”, he thundered. “But you will be fine… I’m sure of it”. I wasn’t.

All the attending sheriffs and their companions gathered on the lawn; and as my heels were sinking into the ground below me, Eric put an arm around my waist to keep me standing. “Maybe you should have gone barefoot”, he said quietly. “Dick”, I muttered. “Later”, Eric promised, making tingles run down my spine.

“Welcome vampire-sheriffs of the Americas”, Isabel said, having gotten on the platform accompanied by Stan and Godric. I guessed Isabel was some sort of deputy-sheriff; I didn’t know too much about vampire politics. “Before we start the ceremony, let me go over a few of the agreed upon statutes for our convention”. The strict-looking female vampire raised her hand, but Isabel halted her. “Rose, your objections have already been noted; and the suggested changes from Area 13 will be voted on at the appropriate time”. “She wasn’t at the party last night”, I whispered. “Because she’s a boring cunt”, Pam said. “Now shut up”.

Isabel continued. “Feeding on willing humans will be allowed, outside meetings. Sheriff Godric encourages you all to keep it in private – or at least away from humans not attending the conference. Only TruBlood will be served during meetings, for those who cannot wait until after… Claimed humans are off limits, unless their masters allow it, and the human consents…”. Eric gazed towards me, and shook his head slightly. I was off limits to anyone but him. “There will be no deaths at this convention, be they human or true deaths for vampires… Any agreements made between districts will be shared at the end of the convention”. “Fat chance”, Pam scoffed, while Eric simply raised a disbelieving brow. “These are the main points of our agreed upon statutes. The rest are in your welcome packages”, Isabel finished. “Godric will now lead the opening ceremony”.

Godric stepped forwards with a solemn expression. “Brothers and sisters – and humans”, he said. Some of the vampires sneered at his addition. “We are convened to share and learn from each other. Under our kings and queens – and under the Authority – we are to lead and guide the vampires in our areas, keeping peace and assuring prosperity; especially in our relation to the human world”. Another murmur went through the crowd. “As this is election year, this is a good a time as any for new beginnings”. “What the fuck is he doing, Eric?”, Pam whispered. “Is he trying to get killed?”. “Not now”, Eric said. “Custom is that we open the conference, by the host toasting in blood from a chosen human; who kneels at the sheriff’s feet… Eric?”.

Eric tensed up next to me. “Godric, no…”, he said almost inaudibly. “För fram din människa”, Godric said, and looked at me. I swallowed hard. “What’s happening?”, I croaked. Eric looked at me defeatedly. “Godric has chosen you to feed from”, he said. My eyes widened in fear. “He can’t do that, I’m supposed to be yours!”, I said. “I must do as he asks…”, Eric said; and with a firm grip around my arm, he led me forwards. “You’ll be fine”. “I don’t want to!”, I said. “What the hell happened to consent?”. “Do us both a favor, and shut the fuck up”, Eric said. “Just trust him”.

Eric lifted me onto the platform, as if I weighed no more than a small child; and I was now stood in front of the ancient sheriff of Area 9. Eric stepped over to stand next to Isabel and Stan. Godrics eyes were warm, and he gave me a slight smile, before turning to the crowd again. “I’ve decided to forego custom”, he said. “Peace between vampires and mankind should not be discussed, after a ceremony based on degradation of humans. We were once all humans; though some of us may have forgotten that”. I heard Stan curse below his breath, and gazing across the crowd I saw a wide range of expressions on the present vampires faces. Some where smiling, respectful even; while others – too many for my liking – looked angry, and even afraid. Godric looked at me again. “Human, I stand before you in appreciation of your life, your mortality and your bravery for being here; among us who have preyed on you for millennia. As a representative for humankind, I ask for your forgiveness for the blood I and my kind have taken from you without having been given leave to do so. I cannot ask forgiveness for the lives that have been lost; for that there can be no clemency…”. An audible gasp went through the crowd, as Godric kneeled in front of me. “I am sorry”.

“What the fuck is this, Godric?”, Stan growled. “This is not what we agreed on”. Godric ignored him. “Will you stand with me, as I proclaim this conference open – not as a lower being; but as an ally?”, he asked me. I gazed towards Eric, who had an unreadable expression on his face. He wasn’t going to tell me what to answer, as I was about to represent all humankind to these vampires “I… will”, I said, my voice shaking. Godric smiled warmly, and got on his feet; taking my hand, and raising it in the air. “I now declare this conference in session”.

The music was turned up, covering the sounds of the disgruntled murmuring among the attendees. Godric let my hand down, and looked at me. “Thank you, Liv”, he said, and nodded for Eric to come take me away. With an arm around my waist, Eric led me off the platform, and into the house again.

---

I was taken back into Godrics office, where the gifts – save the picture Eric had restored – had been removed from. The photograph of Godric, Eric, and the beautiful dark-haired woman, lay on the desk.

My knees were shaking, and Eric led me to sit in the recliner, where Godric had been greeting guests from earlier. Pam closed the doors behind us. “Seriously, Eric. What the fuck?”, she said. “What the hell is he playing at?”. “Stan was right”, Eric said quietly. “Godric is stepping down… he will have to now”. He punched his fist into the desk, making the glass surface shatter. “Fuck!”. “Did I just almost get eaten?”, I asked. “No”, Eric snarled. “Godric had no intention of feeding from you tonight”. Well, he had already had a taste once, I reminded myself. And I’d tasted him.

The double doors slammed open, and Stan stormed in; Godric and Isabel close behind. “I demand that you pull out of the running for another term as sheriff!”, Stan growled. “That display out there was bullshit!”. “It needed to be done”, Godric said. “We have to start showing respect for our human beginnings”. “It was dangerous, Godric”, Isabel said. “You may have lost many supporters”. Godric smiled softly. “Then it is good there are other candidates”, he said, raising a brow at her. Isabel shook her head. “We’ve discussed this. I am not a viable candidate, after what happened with Hugo”, she said. “Damn right, you’re not”, Stan said. “But what you just did out there, leaves me with a fuckload of cleanup once I’m sheriff, if I’m ever going to convince the other areas that Dallas don’t bend to lesser beings. What’s next? We gonna be hooking up with weres now?”. Godric went to sit by his desk. “You both have meetings to attend. Go on”, he said to his underlings. “I’m not going to let this stand”, Stan said, and left the room with vamp-speed. “Master…”, Isabel began. “Please, Isabel… go see to your meeting”. The brunette nodded, and left the room; closing the doors behind her.

The silence in the room was almost deafening, as Eric stared at his maker. I was about to open my mouth, when I saw Pam shaking her head slightly at me. “Hvarför, Godric?”, Eric muttered. “Eric, I am tired”, Godric said. “I want to step down. I don’t want another term”. “You’re the only one able to keep Stan in check”, Eric said. “Without you, it’ll be chaos!”. “I made my stance on our relations to the humans”, his maker responded. “Isabel will continue on in the track I have laid out”. “If she’s voted in!”, Eric said. “Stan is just as likely to win”.

“Don’t the local vampires vote for their own sheriff? Stan doesn’t seem very likeable; who’d want to vote for him?”, I asked. Pam rolled her eyes at my inability to stay quiet. Godric smiled overbearingly at me. “Sheriffs are officially chosen by the vampire Authority, in a popular vote among its chancellors”, he explained. “The sheriffs all speak their mind on each other, in private meetings with the chancellors”, Eric said. “Per custom, the Authority chose the sheriffs based on these conversations – and based on the chancellors’ preferences”. “So… the sheriffs choose each other, and then some higher authority confirms it? Isn’t that nepotism?”, I frowned. Godric’s smile broadened. “It is… and it is how I have remained in power so long”. “The chancellors always have the last word”, Eric muttered.

I saw Godric run his fingertips over the face of the woman on the picture in front of him. “Who is she?”, I asked. He raised his eyes, and looked at me. “That is not necessary for you to know”, Eric said, his voice almost warning me. “She is Eric’s sister”, Godric said, making Eric clench his jaw in anger. “My daughter; chancellor Nora Gainesborough. She has fought for my reelection for the last 70 years”. My eyes widened in realization. “You did what you did, so you wouldn’t have to be sheriff again!”, I said. “You didn’t mean any of what you said”. Godric shook his head. “No, I meant every word”. “You are forcing her hand”, Eric said. “Nora won’t be happy when she hears about this”. “I know it will pain her, but I cannot continue on as sheriff”, Godric said. “This was the only way… And I could make my stance clear”. “You’ve also made your future as a chancellor a complete impossibility”, Eric said.

“Enough, Eric”, Godric said, his voice instantly making Eric cower. “It is done… Now go. I want to speak to the human alone”. Eric looked back at me, and narrowed his eyes. I drew in a short breath, and shook my head – half in fear, half in confusion. “Why?”, Eric asked. “We have things to discuss, which are private”, Godric said. The Viking clenched his jaw, and tried to steady his voice. “You should know that Liv cannot be glamoured”, he said. “If she wants to share what we speak about with you, that is her choice”, Godric replied. “But I trust I don’t have to command you, to not force her to tell you”. “Of course…”, Eric said. “I have a few meetings to attend to”. “I will make sure Liv is safely returned to the hotel”, Godric said. “You can use my secretary, until she returns”. A middle-aged man stepped through the door, and bowed to Godric. Apparently, Godric didn’t see the need for scantily clad young women, when it came to choosing his staff. Eric gave me a last solemn look, before he and Pam disappeared; leaving me alone with the ancient vampire.

Godric got up to stand. “Will you take a walk with me?”, he asked. “Mind if I take off my shoes?”, I replied.

---

The dew on the grass cooled down the beginning blistering on my feet, as I walked through the yard with Godric. Some vampires were in the process of taking down the platform; but they worked so fast, that soon we were alone under the stars.

“I did not think I would ever see you again”, Godric said. “Likewise”, I said. “I need you to know, I never told anyone”. “I knew you wouldn’t”, Godric said. “And yet, as I see you now, you have the same expression of fear on your face, as you had that night. Was my part of our deal not kept up?”. “I… don’t know”, I said. “Thomas has… He’s been sending me messages. Photographs”. “And you’ve seen him again”, Godric said. “Eric’s gift came from him?”. “Eric doesn’t know about what you did… the deal we made”. Godric nodded somberly. “When you saw him… Did he remember you?”, he asked. “He didn’t seem to”, I said. “And he has a woman with him… I think he hurts her. They’re both on V”. If Godric was the kind of vampire that sighed, it was clear he would have. “There was a chance this might have happen”, he said. “The amount of vampire blood in your aggressor’s body that night, may have made him unable to be fully glamoured. Even by me”. “Is that why you couldn’t glamour me as well?”, I asked. “No, I think there is a different reason for that”, he said.

He gave me a look which reminded me of one I’d seen from Eric. “You don’t think I’m human”, I said quietly. “I think you are nothing but…”, Godric smiled. I sighed deeply. “I know you’re not used to talking to humans, but I need you to be little less… unclear”, I said. Godric didn’t reply, seemingly wanting me to explain. “I don’t understand what you mean by me being nothing but. If you know what I am – what it is that makes vampires unable to glamour me – then tell me”. Godric laughed softly. “I’m being perfectly clear. I believe you are as human as you possibly can be”, he said. “I sensed it the moment I smelled your blood. You are pure”. “So, there’s nothing else in me as well?”. “No. Nothing”, he said. “Then, why can’t I be glamoured?”, I asked. “Because of that very reason”, Godric replied. I still didn’t understand his words, but couldn’t think of a way to rephrase my question in a way that would get me a clearer answer.

We walked on for a few minutes. Godric didn’t seem like the type to speak more than necessary, but he seemed willing – even enthused – to speak to me. “You seemed unhappy that Eric gave me his blood”, I said. Godric frowned slightly. “When he did, it was to create a blood-bond with you, wasn’t it?”, he asked. I nodded. “When I gave you mine, it was to heal you. I admit my reason for helping you wasn’t exactly noble; but I wasn’t trying to seduce you”. I instantly blushed. “Eric isn’t really the healing kind, I suppose”, I muttered, and absentmindedly put my fingers to the fang-marks on my neck. “He’s marked you as his, even if you are not”, Godric said, a slight distaste in his voice. “He’s always been…”. “Possessive?”, I said. “Not the word I would use”, Godric smiled. “He doesn’t usually have problem sharing humans as meals or sexual partners. But when he’s set his mind on having something for himself, he is not one to give up”.

We’d come back to the house, and I pulled at some grass with my toes. “I guess he’s had many”, I said; once again without earning a response. “Humans, I mean”. “He’s had a millennium to feed on all the humans he wished; it took me 200 years to teach him how to avoid killing his prey”, Godric said. “But he has not had many he called his own. His sister was one, before she contracted the plague, and Eric brought her to me to be turned”. “Nora…”, I said. “Who was she to him?”. “Sister… lover… Vampire relationships can be many things”, Godric said. I had to keep my jaw from dropping. “You find this… wrong?”. “I… don’t know”, I said. “Your ways are just… very different”. Godric couldn’t help but laugh a little at my statement. “After more than 2000 years being what I am, your ways are also very foreign to me”, he said. “I hope to learn”.

Once we were back in the house, I chewed my lip for a moment, before getting the courage to ask my next question. “You don’t think your glamour on Thomas took?”. I didn’t want to offend the ancient deadly vampire, by calling him impotent as I had Eric. “If it didn’t, we might both have a problem”, Godric said. “What happened that night could turn out to…”. “Bite us both in the ass”, I said. “Pardon the pun”. Godric laughed again. “I understand why Eric has taken a liking to you”, he said. “Speaking of which… I did not only ask for your secrecy for my own sake, but also for his. Both Nora, Eric, and his progeny, Pam, could be in danger from the authority; if it is revealed what I did”. “I understand”, I said. Godric raised his brows at me. “You do?”, he asked disbelievingly. “No”, I admitted. “I don’t really understand your rules or… laws, or whatever”.

I tugged at the hem of my dress, to cover up some. One of the vampires that had stayed behind to clean up after the ceremony, was looking hungrily at my thighs. “I’d think helping me was a good thing, seeing as you’re trying to improve your relationship with humans”. Godric shook his head. “California is what is called a dry state. Biting a human is illegal by your laws there; and heavily frowned upon in our statutes. Though there are those of us who do not believe in following human laws, the official stance on it, is that we are to mainstream, and follow them. To add to that, I gave my ancient blood to a human that has no known value to our community”. I scoffed. “That’s me. No Value Sally”, I muttered. “Can’t even rhyme for shit”.

Godric took me by surprise, by putting a hand on my cheek. Where Eric’s touch was cool, Godric’s was in fact cold; reminding me I hadn’t seen him feed all evening. “You have more value than you can comprehend”, he said. “I admit, that if you didn’t, I might not have helped you that night. I was selfish. Your blood spoke to me – to my memory of different times – and I wanted to taste it. What that man was doing to you, would have killed you; and I would not have had the pleasure”. “You could have just waited until I was dead”, I said. “I do not require much blood to survive”, Godric said, and removed his hand from my cheek. “But what I take, I prefer to be from live, willing donors. I did not wish to make our encounter different. I don’t wish to kill any human”. “What would happen to you, if it came out what happened?”, I asked. “Usually, the vampire that committed the crime would be defanged. In my case – with my age and knowledge of our laws – the punishment would be much more severe; to set an example”. “True death”, I whispered. Godric nodded solemnly.

The vampire who had been admiring my thighs, stepped forwards, and bowed his head to Godric. “Sheriff, your meeting with 16 is in an hour”. Godric nodded. “Liv… Thank you for speaking with me”. I shrugged embarrassedly. “You didn’t really get anything from me. I mostly just asked you questions”. “Your conversation and bluntness has been a gift in itself”, Godric smiled. “Let me walk you out to the car”.

Eric had left behind the sedan for me; probably having flown back to the hotel himself. “Can I ask you one final question?”, I said to Godric, as we stood in front of it in the driveway. He didn’t respond, which I took as a yes. “Why would Eric and Pam be in danger from knowing about what happened? And Nora, if she’s a part of the Authority…?”. Godric frowned slightly. “Eric would be obligated to turn me in to the Authority”, he said. “And he’d feel honor-bound to me to not do so. At one point or another, the truth will come out; and if he is revealed to know of my crime, he’d be sentenced alongside me. He would fight, and he would die. Pamela would go down along-side him… And Nora… Having a criminal maker, could take away her position as chancellor”.

I got into the limo, and gave Godric a final smile. “I’ll stay quiet”, I said. “To protect Eric”, Godric said. I frowned. “Yes… But also, for you”, I said. “You saved my life. I owe you”. “You already paid me back”, Godric smiled. “You let me have your blood”. “Still… Thank you”. Godric nodded in response, and closed the door of the limo.

I sunk down into my seat, and sighed heavily. Eric would want answers when I returned to the hotel.

---

Pam had sent me a message, letting me know to go to a conference room in the hotel. I quickly changed into more conservative clothes – the tight pants and top I’d planned on wearing for the party the night before – and grabbed a quick dinner of a granola-bar from the mini-fridge; before rushing to meet up with her and Eric. They were already seated by a long table; and Eric gave me an approving once over, before nodding for me to stand by the other humans by the wall – one of them being Javier, who’s cheeks were pinker than they’d been the night before. Though disgruntled about being placed in the corner like a piece of furniture – again – at least I’d worn flats this time, and wouldn’t have to worry about falling over where I stood.

Around the table, two other sheriffs and their deputies were sat. One of them was Carl, and the other was a striking woman – striking, mostly due to her overbite. I wondered if her fangs stuck out like her front teeth did, when they were exposed. I must have been very obvious in my speculating – maybe due to my biting my lip – because Pam gazed up at me, and nodded. I stifled a grin.

“If you gentlemen don’t mind, I haven’t eaten all night”, Overbite said, and gestured at a nearby table set up with bottles. “I ordered TruBlood for us all”. The two other human secretaries went over to grab bottles for their bosses, and I followed in their tracks. I let my hand travel over the bottles, looking covertly back at Eric, who nodded slightly, when I got to a bottle of AB negative. Expensive taste, I thought to myself, and grabbed two bottles for him and Pam; before heading back to them, to set them down. I didn’t get a thank you from either vampire, but felt Eric’s hand ghost the back of my thigh, sending shivers down my spine. I went back to stand by the wall.

“Let’s keep this short and sweet, shall we?”, Carl said. “I have some Argentinian twins waiting in my room”. “Well, you were the one to call for this meeting between our areas; why don’t you start it off?”, Overbite said. “Relax, Rose”, Carl said. “It’s nothing as serious as that”. “Then what is it?”, Eric said. Carl sat back in his chair. “My salons”, he said. “I’m thinking of branching out into other states. Specifically, Louisiana and Florida. Humans in your states seem very keen on getting the right… shade”. For a moment, I stood in confusion. “There are enough spas in Florida as it is”, Overbite – or Rose – said. My jaw almost dropped to the floor, when I realized Carl handled in tanning-salons. It struck me as quite counter-productive for a vampire. “We do spray tans as well”, Carl said. “Quite popular among local vampires in California”. Pam seemed intrigued for a moment.

“What’s in it for us?”, Eric said. “Half off on treatments”, Carl smiled. “You could do well to freshen up that pasty Scandinavian hue”. Pam laughed in the sarcastic was only she could. “You want to impose on Eric’s territory without paying for the privilege?”, she said. “Fat chance”. Eric gave Pam a short look, and she sat back in her chair; taking a sip from her bottle of TruBlood. “I take 50 percent, or co-ownership of all vampire businesses in Area 5”, he said. Now I knew where his money came from. “Same for me”, Rose said. Carl shook his head. “That’s out of the question”. “Then this meeting is over”, Eric said, and made to stand.

“20 percent”, Carl said. Eric halted. “40”, he retorted. Carl grimaced. “25…”. Eric smiled overbearingly. “30. And 10 percent ownership”, he said. “Carl, there’s never been a vampire business in Area 5 that has survived its first month; without my support”. “Because you’ve had the buildings burned down”, Rose said, raising a brow at him. Eric shrugged.

Carl clenched his jaw, before slamming his fist into the table. “Fine… But you handle finding locations”, he said. “Already have a few in mind”, Eric smiled. “Send your plans to my email. We’ll be in touch”. So, vampires had email addresses; I realized. “Will do”, Carl said, his expression turning back to smiling. “Rose?”. The third sheriff thought for a moment. “I’m sure we could come to a similar understanding with Florida”, she said. Eric got up to stand, and Pam followed. “Well, then I guess this meeting is adjourned”.

Eric and Pam nodded at the other vampires, but Rose didn’t move. “I’d like to have another word with you Carl. If you don’t mind…”. Carl shrugged. “Of course”, he said. “But we must follow the statutes. Eric, we will need your human as witness; unless you can spare your deputy…?”. “I need Pam with me. We have Area 2 coming up”. The other vampires nodded.

Eric went over to stand in front of me. “I’ll see you in our suite later”, he said; before looking at me meaningfully. “Do your job”. I nodded. Eric was telling me one of the vampires he was leaving me with, would probably try to glamour me to forget what was about to be discussed. I was also about to be alone in a room with completely strange vampires – one of which had made it clear he wouldn’t mind a taste of my blood. Eric seemed to realize this himself, because he seemed reluctant to leave. “I’ll be fine”, I whispered, trying to convince the both of us. He nodded shortly, and grazed my jaw with his knuckles, before following Pam out of the room.

After a few moments, Javier checked the door to see that no one was listening in; and nodded back towards Carl and Rose, before returning to his post by the wall. “This conversation will be off the record”, Rose said. “Of course”, Carl said. “Nothing will leave this room. What can I do for you?”. Rose sat up straight in her chair. “Stan is moving for the sheriffs post in 9”, she said. “That’s no secret…”, Carl said. “And he’ll have it, after that shit Godric pulled tonight”. “Not if Isabel decides to run”, Rose said. “After her human betrayed us like he did? Not likely”, Carl scoffed. “More likely than you think. Her maker is chancellor… And she’ll continue in the track Godric has laid out”.

Both vampires looked intently at each other for a long moment. “You want me to push for Stan to win”, Carl said. “We need as many as possible to do so”, Rose nodded. “If we have enough sheriffs behind Stan, we can force the Authority to make the right choice”. “And Stan is the right choice?”. “Area 9 has sway over the surrounding areas. They follow where 9 leads”, Rose said. “Even Northman listens when Dallas speaks”. Carl chuckled, and shook his head. “Only because Godric is his maker”, he said. “And you still haven’t told me why Stan is the best candidate”.

“This is why!”, Rose growled; grabbed her bottle of TruBlood, and threw it at the wall next to me. The liquid sprayed across the wall, and on me. I made sure not to move; though my knees were shaking. “Ever since we came out into the open among the humans, we have been living like culled animals. We shouldn’t have to take our nourishment from a bottle, when there are cattle walking about; fresh for the reaping!”. Humans were the cattle, I gathered. “That is a dangerous opinion to have in the open”, Carl said. “And feeding from willing humans isn’t illegal”. “Human law should not apply to us!”, Rose snarled. “It’s demeaning to let them consider themselves our equals… When I want to feed, I feed. You don’t ask the cow whether it wants to be butchered!”. There she went with the cattle references again. I was beginning to feel a knot growing in my stomach, and kept my eyes hard on a speck of the spilt TruBlood, on the toe of my shoe.

“You think making Stan a sheriff will make a difference in that matter?”, Carl asked. “He will set the tone for a different relationship with the humans”, Rose said. “And as I said, where Dallas leads…”. “The surrounding areas follow”, Carl said. “That won’t change the stance taken by the Authority on vampire/human relations”. “Fuck the Authority!”.

Carl’s jaw dropped. “Rose… that is treason”. Rose clenched her jaw; a strangely amusing sight, due to her overbite. “What are they good for, anyway? All they do is sit and drum out guidelines and rules they don’t even follow themselves”. She leaned forwards. “Once we’ve gotten Stan elected, I say we create our own set of rules for all of the southern states”. “You’re talking civil war…”, Carl said. The other vampire shrugged. “If it comes to that”.

Carl seemed to shrink in his seat a bit; his flamboyant demeanor no where to be found. “I don’t know if we’re on the same page”, he said. Rose gazed over at Javier. “You can’t be serious… Don’t tell me warm dick is clouding your judgement”, she said. I was finding it harder and harder to keep my composure; I wanted to run screaming from the room. I noticed Javier swallowing hard next to me. “Leave Javi’ out of this”, Carl said. “I wouldn’t dream of touching your pet”.

The two vampires were quiet for another moment, before Rose spoke again. “We have an opportunity to create a new future for our kind. I’m just asking you to stand on the right side of history. You know I’m right; you have always been one to take what you wanted. It’s in our nature”. “We’re not animals”, Carl said. “No, but we could be gods; if we just take what is ours”, Rose said. “I’ll give you some time to think it over, but you should know, the wheels are in motion; whatever happens from the Authorities side. We want to keep this civil, but if they make the wrong choice, we do have a contingency plan. We’re not going to sit idly by, as Isabel drags the south into the mud along with the blood-bags Godric calls allies”. “And if Godric doesn’t step down? If he runs for another term, he will be chosen”, Carl said. “He won’t… even if he does, we have ways to take him down”. “Like what?”.

A smile ghosted Rose’s face. “You know as well as me, that sheriff Godric isn’t as squeaky clean as he pretends to be… He has been breaking a few laws himself”. She knew. She might not know the human Godric had broken the laws for was me, but she knew what he’d done. “We’re past that, Rose…”, Carl said. “Are we?”, she smiled. “Talk to Stan… Let him at least try to convince you”. Carl got up to stand. “I’ll talk to Stan”, he said. “For now, I have another meeting”. Rose nodded, and got up herself. “We will need to glamour Northman’s human. You go on, I’ll take care of it”.

After Carl, his deputy, and Javier left the room, Rose walked over to me. I kept my eyes on the floor, until she was right up in my face. “Look at me”, she said. I let my eyes meet hers. “Liv… isn’t it?”. “Yes”, I said. “Liv… You smell… different”. Her fangs popped out, and as I’d figured, they stuck out along with her front teeth. I bit my tongue too keep from giving away the amusement that was mixing with my fear – a confusing mixture of emotions, honestly. I worked hard to let my eyes go blank. “You just heard two vampires discuss business, didn’t you…?”. “Yes…”. “You heard us talking about how sheriff Rockford is going to set up four new spas across my Area. We only talked about that, weren’t we…?”. “Sheriff Rockford is branching out in Florida”, I said. “And then we toasted in TruBlood, that you served us. But you were clumsy, and dropped a bottle; making it spray all over the room, and on yourself”. “I was clumsy…”, I breathed. “That was all we spoke about”. “Yes…”. Rose patted my cheek. “Good girl. Now run along”.

I left the room as quickly as I could.

#eric northman #eric northman fic #eric northman x oc #eric northman smut #true blood

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honeyxmonkey · 5 years ago

Text

Shattered Trust (part 5)

“Why did you leave?”

Veronica pursed her lips and looked away. She couldn’t bear to see the hurt in his eyes. She sighed and carded her fingers through his hair.

“I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I thought you would be better off without me.” She brushed a tear away from his cheek. “I promise I will never leave you again.”

Varian hugged her, letting a few more tears fall. He had exactly what he wanted. How long would it last?

*******

“Varian wasn’t in his room.” Rapunzel sighed and dropped onto her throne. “He might be in town today.”

Catalina and Angry looked at eachother confusedly. “Why is Varian so upset? We haven’t seen him in a few days, what happened?”

Rapunzel groaned and mentally slapped herself. The girls didn’t know.

“We uh... we lied to him. About something rather big and he’s really mad at us.”

Lance snorted from where he was sitting on the side. “’Mad is an understatement. I have not seen him this angry at anyone since... well, since I don’t know when.”

Rapunzel thought back to the day he stole the flower. “I have, and trust me, if we let him be alone for too long something bad could happen.”

Eugene cleared his throat and gave her a look.

“I didn’t mean like that. I was wrong to think he would do something like that again.”

Eugene nodded, apparently satisfied with her answer. “Alright, but I do think we should give him some space to clear his head.”

******

Varian immediately liked his mother. She was everything he’d thought she’d be and more. After he was done crying, they’d spent the day together. They got to know one another and it was great. That was when he found out she had tried to come back once when he was five.

“So, he wouldn’t even talk to you?” Varian asked her quietly.

Veronica nodded. “He was so mad. I mean, he had every right to be after I left without a word. And you... well, you weren’t there that day. I never got to see you.”

“What did you do?”

“Well, after your father yelled at me, I left. I had no reason to stay. He didn’t want me back in his life and I can’t really say I blame him.”

They both were silent for a moment before she asked him a question.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Monty told me. He was surprised he hadn’t seen us with you yet.” Varian bit back another wave of tears. “They- they lied to me. They all told me you were dead. When I asked why they lied, dad wouldn’t say anything. Rapunzel said she was afraid I would leave Corona with you.”

Veronica looked surprised. “Why would the queen think I would want to take you away?”

Varian laughed bitterly. “I don’t know. She’s never been this insecure about our friendship before. It’s almost like... like she’s jealous? I don’t know why. I mean, she has no reason to be.”

Veronica was silent for a moment. “Varian, you should talk to them. Perhaps this is the only way to make things right. For everyone’s sake.”

Varian nodded. He really didn’t want to but he knew she was right. He couldn’t keep ignoring his friends no matter how much he wanted and no matter what they’d done, they were still his family and he loved them. That would never change.

*****

Varian and Veronica went to the palace later that day. Pete and Stan were pleasantly surprised to see him.

Pete hugged the young alchemist and it seemed like he was trying not to cry. “I’m so happy you aren’t trying to kill us right now!”

Varian pat his back awkwardly. “Yeah... me too?”

After releasing him, the two guards allowed them in the castle.

“Rapunzel is going to be so stoked to see you!”

Varian bit back a bitter comment. No matter what Rapunzel had done he had to keep a level head. He refused for things to turn out like they had last time.

They entered the throne room to find all his friends were looking anxious. Rapunzel most of all.

When she saw Varian she jumped up and ran to hug him but stopped short when he backed away from her. Instead she offered him a smile.

“Varian, I am so sorry.”

“For what?”

A look of confusion crossed her features. “W-what do you mean?”

“What are you sorry for? Lying to me? Letting Nigel lock me in a dungeon for something I didn’t do? Oh, or sending Cassandra of all people to talk to me.” The bitterness in his voice stung like venom. “Did you think I was going to go back to being a villain? Is that something you’re scared of?”

He expected her to deny it right away, but instead she turned her head away and bit back tears.

“I... Varian I...” She couldn’t even bring herself to say it.

Varian once again felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. Why was she so scared of him? Scared of him. One of his best friends, his basically sister, was scared of him. Scared he would turn to kidnappings and murder plots at the drop of a hat. Scared he would turn into a monster again.

“Okay.” Varian’s voice was barely over a whisper. He looked right at Rapunzel. He wanted to be angry at her. He wanted to yell and make her feel just as wronged and betrayed as he did. But one look into her eyes and he could tell she was already suffering tremendously from guilt. He didn’t want to add to that. “That’s okay. You don’t have to say anything.”

She was surprised by how soft his voice had gotten.

“I can tell we’re having trust issues.” Varian decided he would be the bigger person and make the first move to forgive. “But Rapunzel, you don’t have to worry about me like that. I’m not going to try and hurt you again.”

Rapunzel nodded and she knew he meant it. She took a step forward, arms out as she waited for Varian to accept the hug. Varian fell into her embrace and for a moment, everything seemed like it was going to be okay.

Veronica watched with a smile. It gave her no greater joy than to see her son surrounded by people who loved him.

The Nigel walked in and that moment ended.

“Your majesty, we went back to his lab and we found this.” Nigel marched forward and showed Rapunzel the automaton plans. “I have every right to believe he wants to use them for evil.”

Rapunzel stared at the plans but Varian wasn’t worried about her. He glared at Nigel.

“Did you break into my house?” He demanded angrily.

Nigel fixed a cold, steely glare of his own on the boy. “Don’t try to turn me into the bad guy. The evidence for your conviction is right here.”

Rapunzel slowly looked at Varian. “Var, what is this?”

Varian snatched the plans out of her hands and kept his glare at Nigel. “Do you want to know why I have these? Do you want to know what this is? I’m trying to help my village.”

Rapunzel stayed silent as Varian explained.

“I tweaked the design so that instead of them being made for battle, they’re supposed to be used for construction.” He crossed his arms. “I’ll take your apology now, Nigel.”

Nigel glared at him. “Do you truly expect me to apologize to you? How do we know you aren’t lying?”

Rapunzel stepped in, fixing her own glare on Nigel. “He’s not. I trust him.”

Nigel crossed his arms. “Forgive me for saying this your majesty, but trusting this boy is foolish and would only lead to the end of the kingdom.��

“Excuse me!” Rapunzel demanded, her gaze intensifying. “How dare you, Nigel! Varian has proven time and time again how trustworthy he is! How can you still not believe in him?”

“Forgive me, but you were quite certain he would return to his old ways when he left yesterday.”

“And that was my mistake. I shouldn’t have even entertained the thought.” She looked at Varian apologetically. “I’m sorry.” She looked back at Nigel, her glare returning. “But you do not get to go and arrest my friend because he yelled at me. He was angry and had every right to be.”

Varian watched Nigel’s face go red from anger and embarrassment. “But he’s attacked the kingdom before! Who’s to say he won’t do it again!”

Rapunzel grit her teeth. “That’s enough, Nigel.”

“Your majesty, he is a danger to Coro-”

“THAT IS ENOUGH NIGEL!” Rapunzel yelled, startling everyone in the room. “I want you to take a leave of absence.”

“What! For how long?”

She sighed and ran a hand over her face. “I don’t know!” Just, go. We all need to take a breather and I don’t want you two in the same room.”

“Then why send me off!”

“Because you’re being irrational and I don’t trust you around him right now!” That’s why.” Rapunzel crossed her arms. “Now, Nigel.”

The man grumbled under his breath but walked away, aggressively brushing past Veronica on his way out.

Varian let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding in. “Thank you.”

Rapunzel gave him a tight lipped smile. She was obviously still stressed out. “Of course. I’m sorry for everything that happened. I shouldn’t have lied or doubted you.”

Varian nodded. “And while all this was happening, I found my mom.”

Her eyes widened. “You... what?”

He pointed his head towards Veronica who took that as her cue to walk over.

She did and gave the queen a smile. “Your majesty.” She bowed her head. “Thank you, for standing up for my son. It... it means alot to me, to know that he has such a good friend.”

Rapunzel couldn’t decide between being shocked and faking happiness. The result was her staring blankly as everything Quirin told her ran through her mind. This woman seemed nice enough. But then again, so had Gothel.

She shook off her thoughts and gave her a smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Um... thanks for watching after Varian for the day. I know I was the last person he wanted to see.”

If his mother noticed her apprehension, she didn’t comment on it. “Yes, well. I hope you two can patch things up. I’d hate for you to end your friendship over me.”

Rapunzel was startled by this. It was an odd thing to say. The queen looked into her eyes but only saw warmth and motherly affection.

“Uh... right. Yes. I mean, I love Varian. I would never let that happen, of course.” She awkwardly stumbled over what to say. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of the woman.

“Rapunzel,” Varian’s voice was soft and his eyes were kinder than she’d seen them in a while. “I know my dad probably said some awful things about her but, she’s changed. I trust her.”

Rapunzel resisted the urge to tell him he’s barely known her for a day. But, knowing the reaction that would entail, she instead smiled and nodded. “Okay. If you trust her then I do too.”

*******

Hope you guys enjoyed chapter 5! Likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated!

#no #rapunzel doesnt actually trust her but she cant tell varian that #shattered trust #and raps is actually insecure about this and you'll find out why soon ;)#uwu #nigel is fixin to be the big bad #*evil laughter*#ooh #yall are bout to hate me #varian #varians mom #tts varian #tangled varian #tangled #tangled the series

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the-necessary-unnecessary · 4 years ago

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HiI 🙋i saw you talking about City and Chelsea as Favorite english teams to go to a forward stages on CL and I say don't be blind to Arsenal too and i explain: 1. we also made signs that will take us farther like Maritz and Catley, they may be not names that the media hyping but they are what we needed to bring into the squad cuz your back line was our weak link. 2. Chelsea didn't bring in players that better then their first XI and after watching every game last season 3 times i don't (1/_)

okay I’m going to put this under a cut because it’s very interesting but also very long so I don’t want it filling up people’s dash too much!!

think they have better squad then us. yes they beat us but if you look closely in our last league game against them it's not a secret that Joe chose the wrong tactic so in the second half when we do changed it we mostly controlled the game. In the CC final we were the better team so i don't think Chelsea squad is better but i think we had two problem in those games that also showing in our stats:

1. we have mentality issue when we play against Chelsea that we most work on it and the other problem that we have also with City and show in our stats is that we not taking your chances in front of the goal while Chelsea and City does. I think it's the decisions in the last pass, Impatience of players that trying to shoot except of finding the hole in defense and our sharpness. we have the right players but we also need to improve in those areas. Also don't forget that in the final we played with players from the bench cuz we lack of key players like Kim, Beattie and and Lia but still manage to control the game (and with a masterclass from Chelsea keeper).

3. City did bring in world class players but those are players that needed in the first XI like Bronze, Mewis/Lavelle and Kelley so yes they may improve in some areas but also we will in the back line and don't forget we played them without Beattie and Little (key players missing like Lyon) and still control those games also with bench players (even in the game we lost) I'm sure City and Chelsea will improve next season but don't forget that also we will now that we take care if our back line, the bench quality and our key players that back. So if we look at all of this i do think that Arsenal in the same level that those teams are in CL of course we will that care of the mental problem (it's the biggest on imp) and will improve on attack area. i will not look too much on the game against PSG cuz i think all the circumstances need to take into account (5/_)

I watched PSG semi final game and final game against Lyon and also all Lyon preseason and let me tell you they didn't do better than us in their first game after 5 months without playing, so top team like them been our first competitive game after so long of not playing (the semis and final against Lyon gave them big advantage imo) the lack of game fitness, the shite ref and Joe late subs they all need to take on account here. yes, they played better but it also the circumstances that hurt us and i don't think City or Chelsea could do better in there.

in conclusion all i'm saying is that we didn't fall from those team quality last year even when we lost key players and like i said i think it's mostly a mental problem and attack problem that we need to solve. go look on Chelsea and City bench and look at our bench next year and you will see difference in numbers but not so much in quality (and don't forget we have world class versatile players that can play in serval positions).

and the last thing is that don't forget we also signs players that would also improve us next year like City and Chelsea so in the end i don't think those teams is a level up of Arsenal in CL but in the same. I know it easy to forget this when you remember only results but if you look closely at every game the all 90 min in the end they are not better and yes like every team we have to work on our problems and build but i do think we have the right players also for the CL (8/8

just a reminder that English is not my native language so if it sound a little bit harsh i didn't mean it. also sorry for the very very long ask 🙈🙈🙈 i hope i explained my point and you understand what i meant

No problem for the long ask, it’s a good discussion to have and yeah I do think I understand your point. As we’ve said before, chelsea and city might have brought more and bigger names to their squads this season but that does not take away from the fact that we have a world class squad ourselves which has practically unmatched versatility. Also in terms of play last year then it is good that you’ve noted how what lets us down are the fine details like not taking our chances, there being issues with the last pass etc.

This was very much shown against PSG too, albeit due to a great performance from their defense but still something that if we’d truly been superior we could have overcome the solid defense at least once or twice (because let’s face it, with decent refereeing/var the goal that we did get would have been annulled).

Also, a lot of players don’t have much champions league experience in these last few years. Maritz shone on Saturday and although a lot of this was up to the fact that she had played with wolfsburg until up to a month and a half ago, I also think it’s because she’s more used to playing against the biggest teams in Europe and used to performing on big, international, club stages. It wasn’t just totally a rustiness from the players, it was also nervousness. They took their time to find their positioning, Katie couldn’t adapt to having to mark a player like Diacre (although I do get that this is also Joe’s tactical fault), Lisa took her time to actually play her role and Leah was hit and miss all game long making errors that even not having played any official games can hardly excuse. Basics like clearances and ball side goal side marking. So yes, I completely agree that their situation was really exacerbated by both the ref and the fact that they were really out of practise, but their inability to keep control in big occasions is also linked to that big game mentality thing which definitely is a great problem here.

But anyways, even with all of this in mind, I think why we were mostly talking about chelsea and man city is because they’re the ones that have qualified for the cl next year and ultimately are the only wsl teams with a chance to dethrone this year’s champion of europe. In a longer term scenario arsenal may well get another chance especially if the squad keeps adding a few very quality players per year and have high levels of retention over the players that we already have. But right now it’s undeniable that chelsea and city have made their own reinforcements to their squads and have been given more money to invest and so, although i’m still a bit cynical over this ngl, they may have a larger chance at this dethronement. What will happen in the domestic league is yet to be decided.

#the asks #arsenal wfc #chelsea wfc #man city wfc

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mechawaka · 4 years ago

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jumping on the ask train with 21 & 33

eyy neon! thanku! two hard ones, eh

21. Are you currently holding on to something that you need to let go of? If yes, what’s stopping you from letting go?

the answers to these are YES: perfectionism

and YES: perfectionism

i read a lot of advice that’s just like “yeah you gotta let that shit go, man” and i’m like “nice, how”

33. What was a time that you did not speak but you should have?

about five years ago, i was in a d&d group in the last place we lived. i didn’t really know any of them before playing, but most of the others knew each other through work, including vars. that’s how i slid in without actually having to socialize first. it was a cool life hack OR SO I THOUGHT

there was one other person in the same awkward boat as me - a “spouse,” not a coworker - and i think that’s why we hit it off so fast (we’re still friends to this day and play d&d online).

now our DM was a real a-hole, and we can all laugh about it now, but back then he was like a mentor kinda. he was much older than us and really prided himself on being an ‘expert’ at the game and at being an unbiased rules arbiter.

well, he disliked Other Spouse and bullied them often. he would subtly dig at them both in and out of game, and I really regret not nipping that in the bud as soon as I saw it. there was this weird societal pressure where nobody else reacted and i was like, ‘well maybe that’s just how this friend group is?’

it wasn’t. DM was a grade-A fuck nugget with some pretty dank homophobia and misogyny issues. we eventually hashed it all out and no longer associate with that poisonous control freak. really wish i’d been brave enough to call him out earlier.

(some life advice: if a much-older person surrounds themselves with younglings, it’s because nobody their own age will tolerate their immaturity)

#i say this all the time but like #d&d attracts the best and worst people #this hobby has some i s s u e s about the kind of behavior that's normalized at tables

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shinystarfishus · 4 years ago

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Week 4 Assignment - Potential Moderator Testing

1) ANOVA Test

Objective: To determine the relationship of with whom children lived with after parents divorced and smoking quantity depend on tobacco dependence for the past 12 month.

Result:

P-value for not tobacco dependence is 0.1267 (>0.05) associated with F-value 1.92, which mean that the two variables are not related.

P-value for tobacco dependence is 0.0153 (<0.05) associated with F-value 3.52, of which the null hypothesis is rejected and there is association for the two variables.

As such, we can conclude that there is strong tobacco dependence.

2) Chi-Square Test

Objective: To determine the relationship of with whom children lived with after parents divorced and major depression depend on gender.

Result:

For male, p-value is 0.076 (>0.05) with low chi-square value of 6.8735, which mean that the two variables are not related.

For female, p-value is 0.2442 (>0.05) with low chi-square value of 4.1653, which also show that there is no association between the two variables.

Hence, we conclude that there are no dependency of gender.

3) Pearson Correlation

Objective: To determine the relationship of urban rate and average alcohol consumption depend on income group (i.e. Low, Medium and High).

Result:

For low income group, p-value of 0.7847 (>0.05) and correlation coefficient of -0.04093 shows that there is no relationship between the two variables.

For medium income group, p-value of 0.0261 (<0.05) and correlation coefficient of 0.23319 shows that there is relationship between the two variables but the relationship is not strong.

For high income group, p-value of 0.2266 (>0.05) and correlation coefficient of -0.19553 shows that there is no relationship between the two variables.

Thus, we conclude that there is only weak dependency of income group for medium income group.

Week 3 Assignment - Pearson Correlation

In this assignment we will examine the relationship between different variables from the GAPMINDER data. The variables include: income per person, urban rate, internet user rate, residential electricity consumption per person. We will examine the relationship between these four variables using Pearson Correlation test in SAS studio.

Syntax:

libname gap “/Home/my_shared_file_links/my_courses/ldierker/c_3054”; data new; set gap.gapminder;

proc sort; by country;

proc corr; var urbanrate incomeperperson relectricperperson internetuserate;

Run;

Results:

The correlation between the variables can be seen in below SAS table. The scatterplot shows both weak and strong relationships.

the Results reveal that income per person and urban rate has a positive and significant but weak correlation (0.49).

Income per person and residential electricity consumption per person has a positive, significant and strong relationship (0.65).

Income per person and internet user rate has also positive, significant and strong correlation (0.75)

Also Urban rate and internet user rate has a strong positive and significant correlation. (0.61).

Internet user rate has a strong positive and significant correlation with both the income per person and electricity consumption per person.

Also the statistics table below shows the mean, standard deviation of the variables.

r2 refers to the amount of variability of one variable that can be predicted by the other. These r2 of 0.24 shows that 24%of the variability in urbane rate is predicted by income per person .

22% of variability in residential electricity consumption per person can be predicted by urban rate.

38% of variability in internet user rate is predicted by urban rat and so on.

Data Analytics Tools – Chi Square Test - Week 2 Assignment

I have selected the data of NESARC Wave 1 data. In it I have selected following variables to establish relationship

For people who’s mother had a drinking problem, the relationship of how much alcohol a person drank and if their father had a drinking problem (S2DQ1) (responsive variable) as well.

The null hypothesis is there is no relationship between drinking frequency and parental drinking issues.

The alternate hypothesis is there is a relationship between drinking frequency and parental drinking issues.

To be included in the data set the person had to be:

1. a drinker.

2. Have drank in the last 12 months

3. Mother had a drinking problem

The levels of drinking (explanatory variable) were:

1 = daily

2= weekly

3= monthly

4= 6 times a year or less

Results:

We cannot reject the reject the null hypothesis (i.e. that there is no relationship between drinking frequency and parental drinking issues) since p> both .05 and p value/nb pairs (i.e. .0082)

If we had been able to reject the null hypothesis the chi square analysis compares the various drinking levels to each other pair-by-pair telling us is there are significant differences.

As you can see each comparison is not significantly different from one another.

Code:

LIBNAME mydata “/courses/d1406ae5ba27fe300 ” access=readonly;

DATA new; set mydata.nesarc_pds;

LABEL Sex=“Persons Sex at Birth”

S1Q1F=“Born in USA”

S2AQ1=“Drank at least 1 drink in Life”

S2AQ2=“12+ DRINKS IN 12 MONTHS”

Consumer=“Currect Drinker”

S2AQ8A=“Drinking Frequency”

S2DQ1=“Father has Drinking Problem”;

/*Set appropriate missing data as needed*/

IF S2AQ8A=99 THEN S2AQ8A=.;

IF S2DQ1=9 THEN S2DQ1=.;

IF S2DQ1=2 THEN S2DQ1=0;

IF S2DQ2=2 THEN S2DQ2=0;

IF S2AQ2=9 THEN S2AQ2=.;

IF S2AQ8A=1 THEN FREQLEVEL=1;

ELSE IF S2AQ8A=2 THEN FREQLEVEL=1;

ELSE IF S2AQ8A=3 THEN FREQLEVEL=2;

ELSE IF S2AQ8A=4 THEN FREQLEVEL=2;

ELSE IF S2AQ8A=5 THEN FREQLEVEL=2;

ELSE IF S2AQ8A=6 THEN FREQLEVEL=3;

ELSE IF S2AQ8A=7 THEN FREQLEVEL=3;

ELSE IF S2AQ8A=8 THEN FREQLEVEL=4;

ELSE IF S2AQ8A=9 THEN FREQLEVEL=4;

ELSE IF S2AQ8A=10 THEN FREQLEVEL=4;

/*FREQLEVEL DRINKING LEVEL

1=DAILY

2=WEEKLY

3= MONTHLY

3= LESS THEN ONCE A MONTH*/

SEX=SEX;

/*subsetting data to include only PEOPLE WITH BOTH MOTHER AND FATHER WITH A DRINKING ISSUE

IF S2DQ1=1;*/

/* AND WHO’S MOTHER WAS HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM*/

IF S2DQ2=1;

/* MUST HAVE DRANK IN LAST 12 MONTHS ONLY*/

IF S2AQ1=1;

/*MUST BE A CURRENT DRINKER*/

IF CONSUMER=1;

/*MUST BE A FEMALE DRINKER

IF SEX=1;*/

PROC SORT; by IDNUM;