#(except said. you know. joyously~ :D)

[kindlythevoid]

Needless to say, I am EXTRAORDINARILY pleased and VERY EXCITED to see how this goes. :D :D

[some-days-we-get-sundays]

prompt request: Sophie is jealous

There is a knock on the door to Mary and Ryan’s place. 

Mary goes to open the door and Sophie is standing on the other side looking amazing in a red blouse and black jeans. She also looks kind of sad but not in an unhappy way, more somber if anything with a lot going on in her eyes and an expression that Mary can’t quite read. Sometimes she wishes she had Alice’s skill of deciphering people. 

“Hey, Sophie. I thought you’d be with Kate. Did you go and see her?” Mary opened the door wider and allowed Sophie to walk in. The two women made their way to the couch. 

Sophie sighed as she slipped her shoes off and sat down. “Kate’s gone.” Mary made a face because she knew Kate was leaving again, off to the next great adventure. She had made peace with it. She was just happy that she got Kate back - the real Kate, and that she wasn’t dead. Mary still wakes up crying and drenched in sweat when she has dreams of Kate and her funeral. She would love for Kate to stay and for them to catch up, but it’s enough right now knowing that she’s alive and safe. And that she remembers who Mary is again. 

“Kate came and met me at The Hold Up. She had her stupid motorcycle helmet in her hands and said she was leaving. Going to go find Bruce and your dad.” Sophie rolls her eyes and her voice sounds even more raspy than usual. 

“Yeah, Kate told us she was going.” Mary thought Kate would at least stick around a bit longer for Sophie. “I’m sorry Soph. I know she loved you so much. She’s been through a lot and, I know the feeling. She needs time to figure things out. She’ll be back.” Mary tried to be comforting and give Sophie what she needed in this moment, even though she wasn’t too sure exactly what it was Sophie needed. But she rubbed her back anyway and went to put on some water for tea. She felt like this was more of a tea moment than a let’s get hammered and solve clues under the direction of a mad man moment. 

Mary came back a few moments later with tea in hand. 

“You know, you should really start leaving some clothes over here to hang out in. If you weren’t so tall I’d say you could borrow something of mine. I feel a girls night coming on.” Mary said and laughed softly. Sophie brought her tea to her lips, blew on it, and then set it back down. “I might have shorts that would fit you, and Ryan has some oversized sleep shirts. You could borrow something.” Mary thought out loud.

“I don’t know if Ryan would want me over here getting that comfortable.” Sophie didn’t actually mean this, she knew her and Ryan were in a much better place. Sophie offered Ryan her couch to crash on. They were no longer Crowie and the Ex-Con with no future. They were really starting to just become Sophie and Ryan. Wildmoore. 

“Oh come on, you and Ryan are tight now. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you two being a lot nicer to each other.” Mary lightly bumped her shoulder into Sophie’s. 

“Where is Ryan anyway?” Sophie asked attempting to be nonchalant. She picked up her tea and blew on it some more as a distraction and to help with her façade of appearing uninterested. 

“Um, I think she went to go meet with Imani.” Sophie sputtered and almost spilled her tea. 

“Woah girl, you alright?” 

“Yeah, just, this was way hotter than I was expecting.” Sophie laughed awkwardly and tried to recover. “She’s with Imani?” Sophie pressed out her bottom lip in consideration before her next comment. “I thought they were over?” Sophie didn’t know for sure if Ryan and Imani were over but ever since Luke got shot, she and Ryan were spending a lot more time together and Imani was nowhere to be found. Ryan hadn’t even mentioned her. Unless Ryan and Imani just sexted and spent late nights together. Sophie found herself annoyed with the thought of Ryan and Imani spending late nights together and sexting.

“Um I don’t know actually now that you mention it. I mean you were there when I told Ryan I don’t want to be included in her little sexcapades so maybe that’s why we haven’t heard from the two of them as of late.” Mary offered. Sophie was quiet. So Mary kept talking to fill the silence. “But Imani is cool, you’d like her.” 

“I know Imani is cool Mary, she saved us from jail with her fancy lawyer knowledge. Besides, Ryan wouldn’t date somebody uncool. I mean except for Angelique.” Sophie said as an after thought.

“Ohhh you didn’t like her either!?” Mary exclaimed and put her hand on Sophie’s shoulder.” Mary laughed joyously. “Whew I thought I was the only one! Girl maybe we do need to get out the hard stuff from the cupboard!” She gave Sophie a look letting her know that she was down to turn up whenever she said the word.

“It’s not that I didn’t like her. She just wasn’t good enough for Ryan.” Sophie said matter-of-factly. Mary sat there in stunned silence at Sophie’s admission. But before she could say anything, Sophie tried to clarify. 

“I-I just meant like she’s Ryan Wilder, bad ass extraordinaire, Batwoman by night and day, bartending babe on the side. Angelique was just bringing Ryan down. I never saw it until I got to know Ryan and realized she was always covering for Angelique, and Angelique was taking advantage of Ryan’s kindness and the emotional attachment that was there from when they were kids. Ryan felt like she owed Angelique, when really it was the other way around. Ryan’s a good person. She deserves someone who knows that but doesn’t use it against her, someone like-”

“Someone like you?” Mary offered up slowly, testing the waters. 

“Are we singing Adele now?” Sophie went for a joke hoping that she was coming off as aloof. Mary just kept staring back at Sophie with a grin on her face. 

“Stop smiling Mary. Ok what? If you’re thinking I want to date Ryan, I don’t.” Sophie inwardly cringed as this sounded like such a lie even to her own ears. 

“Well it doesn’t sound like you want anyone else to have her.” Mary was feeling emboldened. Sophie didn’t seem mad, she just seemed either unaware or in denial. Mary continued, “you didn’t like Angelique, which I am with you on that one. And you sound jealous of Ryan spending time with Imani. So if all these girls that Ryan gets with upset you, then why don’t you just ask Ryan out? You just said she deserves better. You could be better.” 

Sophie took a long pause and stirred her tea. Seemingly gathering up courage to say what she was going to say. “Ryan and I are finally friends. It took so long for us to get to this place of genuine understanding and respect. I don’t want to throw dating her into the mix. And yes, ok, she’s gorgeous, like drop dead gorgeous- she is. But what if things go horribly wrong and then we’re back to square one. Or even worse, we don’t even talk anymore because we hate each other so much. I don’t want to take that risk. I care about her too much.” Mary sat there with her eyes wide and a shit eating grin on her face. She had no idea Sophie had all these feelings. She thought at the very most Sophie was just crushing. 

“Oh my gosh, you totally love her!” Mary squealed.  

“Shut up Mary. I don’t.” Sophie got up to bring their empty tea cups to the kitchen and to try and calm her nerves and distance herself for a second from Mary’s prying and absurd accusations. 

“You love her! You love her! You love her!” Mary repeated trying to get Sophie to admit it.

 At that moment the door suddenly opened and in walked Ryan. 

Mary froze and Sophie came out of the kitchen to see who it was. She had a fleeting thought that it would be Kate and that maybe she had changed her mind and decided to stick around. Sophie then had another fleeting thought that Ryan and Mary should possibly change the locks. Just incase Kate isn’t Kate again or something.  

“Um who loves who?” Ryan grinned as she came inside and closed the door. She kicked off her shoes and ran a hand through her loose curls. Sophie came back and sat on the couch. Her and Ryan gave each other quick smiles. The energy between them was so different than it had been only a few short months ago. Before, Ryan would have been demanding to know why there was a crow in her loft. 

“Kate loves Sophie.” Mary quickly covered. 

“Oh.” Ryan simply said and walked off to her room. Mary and Sophie looked at each other with nervous expressions. Not soon after Ryan left she was back in an oversized shirt and some sleep shorts. Sophie had to try hard not to slowly run her eyes up and down Ryan’s entire body. That girl was banging. 

“So how is Imani?” Sophie awkwardly and quickly tried to take the attention off of herself and change the subject. She was still curious where Imani came from and how long she was going to be staying. Ryan shot Mary a look, and Mary put her hands up in mock surrender. “Hey, I barely said anything. Sophie asked where you were and I said you were with Imani.” Now it was Sophie’s turn to shoot Mary another glare. Ryan was smiling wildly and looking between the two. She hadn’t realized that she was the topic of conversation while she was gone.

“So, you been asking about me huh Soph?” Ryan teased. 

“Girl please. It was just so peaceful and quiet over here so I was just making sure you weren’t getting yourself into trouble somewhere.” Sophie quipped. 

“Oh I was definitely getting into trouble.” Ryan shot back with a smug look on her face. “I was getting into a very sexy kind of trouble, I got into trouble maybe 3 of 4 times actuall-”

“Ok we get it Ryan.” Sophie snapped. “I mean, we get it.” Sophie said a little softer this time. Then without warning Sophie got up, hurriedly walked to the door, opened it, and rushed out, slamming it shut as she left. 

Inside the loft, Ryan and Mary gave each other puzzled looks and Ryan pointed to the door as if to say, what was all that about. “You should go after her.” Mary said simply and then retreated to her room. Ryan shook her head in confusion and then went to find Sophie.

Ryan didn’t have to go far as Sophie was sitting just outside the door against the wall. Ryan stood in front of her. Sophie didn’t look up so Ryan slid down next to Sophie against the wall. Ryan put her hand on Sophie’s knee and now the ball was in Sophie’s court. Ryan patiently waited and hoped that Sophie would share what was bothering her. Sophie had been there for Ryan this whole year, and Ryan wanted to return the favor. Sophie looked up with pools of water in her autumn colored eyes threatening to spill and Ryan’s heart broke just a bit. Sophie was always so strong but Ryan didn’t want or need her to be. Sophie was allowed to break and fall apart, and in that moment, Ryan vowed to always be there to catch her and help pick up the pieces when she did. 

“I’m sorry for running out like that.” Sophie said quietly and sniffled. 

“Soph, you do not need to apologize.” Ryan reassured her. They were quiet again for a few beats. 

“So, you really like Imani.” It wasn’t a question, more like an observation. 

Is that what this is about, Ryan thought. Is Sophie- is she jealous? That can’t be right. If she was jealous that would mean... Ryan looked over again slowly at Sophie. 

“Imani is great.” Ryan started. She watched as Sophie sunk into herself more at that statement. Ryan continued, “but it’s not serious. It’s just sex and comfort and the closeness of somebody. I know I talk a big game and don’t get me wrong, being Batwoman is amazing, it’s everything I’ve ever dreamed, but it’s lonely. And whoever I’m with I can’t even share myself fully with them. I think I’m going to break it off with her anyway.” Ryan was thinking out loud at this point. Up until now she didn’t mind having a fling with Imani, it kept her company. But like her and Luke had discussed, it was hard dating and being a Superhero. And if Sophie was into her...

“Kate left.” Sophie said suddenly. Ryan sighed. She looked at Sophie, put a finger up to her cheek and caught a stray tear that was sliding down the side of her face. “I know.” Ryan said. She wiped her damp finger on her sleep shirt. 

“I think I’m... relieved.” Sophie finally said. This surprised Ryan. She thought Kate was the love of Sophie’s life. 

"She was the love of my life, but I think the key word is, was.” Sophie said as if reading Ryan’s mind. “I think I loved who she used to be. When she came back I was different and so was she. And when she took off again, I realized I wasn’t all that upset or hurt. It took losing her to realize that while I loved and cared deeply for her, she’s not my soul mate. She represents a time in my life that is special but it’s not where I am anymore. And then I met someone named Ryan Wilder.” Sophie smirked and looked into Ryan’s wide shocked eyes.

“Me?” Ryan said with the cutest look on her face that Sophie had ever witnessed. 

“Yes you. Ryan, you annoyed the hell out of me, you pissed me off, you irritated and enraged me-” 

“Ok girl, damn. We get it.” Ryan rolled her eyes. Sophie let out a raspy chuckle and continued. 

“You challenged me, you made me see things that I didn’t want to see within myself and within the Crows. You inspired me, you amazed me, and you thrilled me. I wanted to be a better me because of you Ryan. And then when I found out that you were Batwoman...I  knew I had it in me to fight the system in the way that you do. And I could no longer keep working with the same people who you were trying to take down. I had to pick a side. And I’m team Ryan.” Sophie smiled. 

Ryan laughed and lightly shoved her. “You’re team corny. But thank you. Thank you for choosing me.” Ryan said turning serious for a moment, but she couldn’t stop another grin from overtaking her features. 

“I’ll always choose you, Ryan.” 

Ryan visibly swallowed and then she looked at Sophie. “So, you really do have a thing for women in suits, huh.” Ryan teased. 

“I have a thing for you.” Sophie retorted. 

“Wow, just getting right to it huh?” Ryan flirted back. Sophie shrugged, “I want you Ryan. And I don’t want to step on Imani’s toes or anything but-”

Sophie felt warm, soft, wet lips press against her own. She instinctively flinched and then closed her eyes and sunk into the feeling of Ryan’s lips pressed against her own. Sophie immediately sucked and pecked at Ryan’s bottom lip and then she dipped her tongue into Ryan’s mouth, she let Ryan dip her own tongue out and she lightly sucked on it while Ryan sucked and kissed Sophie’s top lip. She felt Ryan’s hands in her hair and so she moved her hands to Ryan’s waist, and slipped them slightly under the oversized shirt Ryan was wearing. She had wanted to feel Ryan’s abs for quite some time now. Ryan smelled like shea butter, lavender, and eucalyptus. Sophie’s senses were shooting into overdrive. A cough interrupted them as someone walked by. They both realized they were still sitting out in the hall. 

“We should go inside.” Sophie said and then laughed. Her face was flushed and her blouse that was tucked into her jeans was now hanging loosely untucked. They got up and opened the loft door and saw Mary race to the couch. 

“Um hey guys.” Mary tried sounding as casual as possible. “You guys wanna stay up and chat?” Mary offered. She wanted all the tea and it was worth a shot. Ryan and Sophie knew they had been caught. 

“Goodnight Mary. Oh, and Sophie’s staying over.” Ryan said as she walked Sophie to her room. Mary noticed Ryan held Sophie’s fingers gently in her hand. Mary squealed. 

“Details! I want details in the morning! And pancakes.” Mary shouted as an after thought. 

“Deal.” Ryan said as her and Sophie giggled and Ryan closed her bedroom door behind them. 

[joyfulsongbird]

“Eurydice finds out she's pregnant after going to hadestown and Persephone makes hades let her go back to Orpheus.”

🦥 anon, it wouldn’t let me post it as a reply to an ask so here we go: I meant this to be short but 5000+ words burst from my fingertips so here you go.

I had to change it slightly so that Eurydice has the baby BEFORE Seph gets back (assuming she’s about one to two months pregnant, which wouldn’t be showing yet, when she goes to hadestown) cause Seph leaves and doesn’t come back for six months.

***

work, work, work

constant, pulling, weight on her shoulders, never ending

gods, she’s tired

so tired

she’s never been this tired before

will it ever end?

la la la la la la la

two voices, so many souls. her mouth is closed and she’s screaming, echoing, crying.

and then the bell, the signal that this is not never ending. that work doesn’t last to the end of time, that Hadestown has some mercy for it’s workers. for the people who cry at the foot of the wall every day, except now they are tearing it down. and they cry, they cry, they cry for all of the blood and sweat that went into building and now their tears sink into the mortar, slowly tearing down what they dedicated their life to. what they believed would save them from poverty. and now mister Hades, every morning, reminds them that the wall must come down. that someday, they will see the sunshine again. he doesn’t speak in that hopeful tone, of course not, but Eurydice hears it.

she hears it and hopes. she hears that he is reaching for them with this withered outstretched hand that hasn’t known mercy for so long, and she’s taking it. and saying “this is what it’s like to be merciful”.

look me in the eyes and see what it is to forgive.

for she knows forgiveness like the back of her hand. she knows forgiveness like the deepness of his eyes. knows forgiveness like that the pit of hunger in her stomach. she knows forgiveness. he does not. she can teach him, she can teach him. teach them. It’s only been about two or three months since Persephone went back for spring, it could be longer than that, could be shorter. what is time in Hadestown? there is only the toll and the wall and the crumbling of what they lived for.

she drops her hands to her sides, still coated in grime, her body aching to stretch her hands towards the sky (well, what they call the sky, it isn’t that, it is red and dark and unforgiving). it’s under her fingernails, it’s in her hair, it’s on her cheeks. she is a full fledged creature, with mud on her body like camouflage. she is a machine, work, move, clean, again. what is cleanliness if you are just going to get dirty again tomorrow?

and what is germs in Hadestown? there is no sickness here. that’s what they were promised. a warm place of wealth and no pain. they don’t get sick, they don’t get cold, they don’t go hungry. that’s what was promised to them. but she can’t feel anymore. yes, now she can remember his face, remember his voice, but now... now she feels nothing when she sees his face.

it’s definitely worse.

it’s like she’s looking at the face of a boy she saw in passing on the street. she knows that she loved him, that she still loves him. but there is nothing in her memories that twinges her feelings back into what they were. she sees everything through her own gaze, she knows that at some point she felt these emotions that were so extreme that she cried real tears, that she laughed with this joyousness that filled the entire room. she remembers how he looked at her. with reverence. with love. how he smiled every time she entered a room, and she smiled too. she knows that she smiled too, she remembers that.

she goes through her routines, goes to her shared apartment flat with two other women. they never really speak, they don’t even make eye contact most of time. Eurydice just taps her foot against the floor, waiting for her turn in the shower. directly across the wall, one of her roommates, Afra, stands there. doing the same thing; waiting, listening, all impatiently. Eurydice doesn’t know her well, doesn’t know how she got here but she assumes they all came for the same reasons. security. safety. or maybe, just to get away. Eurydice is sure that if she’d known about Hadestown when she was a younger girl, living in a home with people she loathed, with people who loathed her, she would’ve flown off to hadestown long ago.

Eurydice gets the shower next, stepping into the already steamy small room with the tub and rusty shower head against the wall. the mirror is fogged up and Eurydice leaves it that way, there’s no need to see herself this way. there’s no need to see herself at all. what’s the point down here? who needs mirrors in hell?

shedding her outer layers, she steps right into the shower, watching as the water below fills with dirt and grime, turning it a muted gray color, she stands there until the water turns clear again. she scrubs aimlessly at her skin with the soap bar for a minute or two, trying to feel clean but the dirt stays no matter what she does. it’s under her nails. it’s in her hair. it’s under her skin. she’ll never be rid of it. she’ll never get rid of-

she doubles over in the shower, the dizziness catching her off guard.

“woah, okay.” she murmurs to herself, reaching to clutch the slippery edge of the tub, steadying herself. it passes after a brief ten seconds but she steps out of the shower after that, turning off the water for fear of falling and hitting her head. she knows, objectively, that she can’t really be hurt here in Hadestown but old habits die hard.

dressing slowly and carefully, she addresses the main problem here is that both her head and her stomach are killing her.

well actually the largest looming problem here is: you don’t get sick in Hadestown.

Oh gods, does she have to be the anomaly here?

she’d like to just be normal, just blend into the crowd, but no, she has to be different. she has to stick out like a sore thumb in every place.

before she even knows what’s going on, she’s thrown up what little she’d eaten that day. it makes her feel a little better but sweat makes her forehead sticky, her whole body feels shaky and not quite right.

“Eurydice?” Afra’s voice is unsure of itself, they don’t often use their voices down here. “everything okay in there?”

“yes.” Eurydice calls back. “I’m fine.”

Is she?

she feels something for the first time in awhile: fear.

***

it was all very simple, she should’ve added it up the first time she threw up, so long ago. but it isn’t until she looks in a long mirror for the first time, wearing only her underclothes that she notices something.

no.

gods, no.

she doesn’t make an appointment with Hades, like he says you’re supposed to when you need to speak with him. this is too important, this is too much of his own fault that she has to speak him right then. she wants to cry, she needs to cry but she can’t. so she runs, so she runs as fast as she can until she’s at the doorsteps of the dark building where she knows he resides almost all of the hours of the day.

the door is unlocked, surprisingly, and she just walks in. down dark halls, ignoring the shadows that paint fear across her body. that’s the one thing she can feel nowadays, fear for herself, fear for Orpheus, fear for everything, for their unborn child. no child has been born in Hadestown to her knowledge, a desolate place like this cannot sustain a new life like that. it sucks life away, it tears families apart.

it’s relatively easy to find his office, it’s the only room that’s doorknob isn’t coated with dust and the door is slightly ajar, letting stark light stream into the dark hall.

she bursts inside before she even has time for a second thought.

he’s at his desk, pen in hand, paper in the other. his eyes raise to hers the moment he notices her presence.

“miss Eurydice-”

“cut the bullshit, Hades, why am I still here?”

“I-” she holds up her hand, cutting him off somehow. such an impressive, looming presence usually, but when a women on a mission is in front of him, he never knows what to do. she starts pacing back and forth, in front of his desk. clenching and unclenching her fists. should she punch him? no, no, nothing like that. she didn’t come here for violence... why did she come here? what was her mission when she set out to come here? she doesn’t know, she just knew that she had to get here.

“I thought I’d just be able to live my life in peace. In complete solidarity. That’s what you promised me. you told me I’d get- you said I’d be good here.”

“and didn’t I deliver?” he said, his rumbling voice carrying through the office. across the desk that was separating them. “aren’t you at peace?

she felt something lodged in her throat, she tries to swallow it but the effort makes her voice come out choked. “not anymore.”

suddenly, she feels everywhere. suddenly, she’s so full of feeling her knees nearly crumple to the ground. leaning against the desk. she still doesn’t cry. no, there’s almost too much feeling for that. her whole body is overwhelmed, for so long she felt nothing that this sudden feeling is almost causing her to double over in the pain. it’s fiercely coursing through her veins, her shaking knees could be from the fear or the feeling, she can’t tell.

Hades is up and holding onto one of her arms, his touch surprisingly gentle and uninvasive. he keeps her steady, while guiding her to come sit on a couch on the side of the wall.

“sit here.” he says, his voice shockingly calm and... kind. “I’ll get a glass of water.”

he busies himself with a pitcher of water that sits on his desk, and an empty glass beside it. Eurydice fiddles with the rings on her fingers, trying to sort her mind out, trying to figure out how to say it.

he’s pouring a glass of water. for her.

“I’m pregnant.”

he stops pouring.

he doesn’t turn around either. “your boy...”

“It’s Orpheus’, I’m positive.”

“how long?”

“I only just realized today. I didn’t know who to tell, Lady Persephone is gone and I just don’t know what I’m going to do.”

he’s being surprisingly calm, for a man with no children and no real relationship with Eurydice besides one layered with negative emotions.

“you don’t work for the time being.” he says after a moment of consideration. he turns around, holding a glass of water in one of his hands to face Eurydice’s gaping face. “I need to speak with my wife, but that can’t happen for another few months. So you don’t work and keep busy within what’s left of the walls.”

“what am I supposed to do? for those four months?” she has no idea when she’ll be due, the uncertainty of it is making her feel shaky. the fear strikes her again and she turns her to the side, not making eye contact with Hades again for fear of crumpling in on herself again. she purses her lips.

“I can tell you’re scared,” he begins.

“I’m not-” she starts.

“you younglings always try to convince everyone else that you aren’t terrified,” he thrusts the glass of water into her hand, giving her a pointed look.

“like you’re one to talk.”

he sighs. “only you could sass me when I’m trying to help you.” embarrassment faintly paints Eurydice’s cheeks a blush color, but it fades quickly. “let me continue.

“I can tell you’re scared,” he repeats. “but I’ll promise to protect you and your child, I may be a lot of terrible things but one thing I will never do is force a mother and her child apart. you’ll go back to your apartment and get some rest, tell your roommates that you don’t need to get up for work tomorrow, by special permission of Hades, and I’ll try to get in contact with my wife. But I have a feeling we won’t be able to have a full discussion until she gets back from summertime.”

Eurydice nods and takes a couple sips from that glass of water, her hand shakes so much, she knows that if there was ice in the glass they’d be able to hear the clinking of the two solids. but for now, she tries to act like she isn’t slowly crashing and burning.

Orpheus

Orpheus, you have a child

and he doesn’t know it. he may never know it.

“my child will be doomed to this life, won’t they?” she whispers, eyes downcast. “if-if I give them to Persephone before spring, will they be able to go Up Top? would it be possible?”

he sighs, the sound is burdened. “I don’t know. A child has never been born here before, so I don’t know.”

she stares at the surface of the water, rippling with little currents and waves from her trembling hand. “they will never know grass, or happiness, or love-”

“no.” Hades says firmly, he steps closer, he brushes her knuckles with his fingertips, unsure of what to do as a comfort. but his words are comfort enough. “your child will know love, you will love them and that is love enough.”

she purses her lips tight together, she still does not cry, she still has yet to cross that threshold of pure feeling.

“go home, get some sleep.” it’s a command, almost, like everything Hades says is. she could always refuse but instead of standing up to him like she usually prefers to, she nods, because she could use some sleep in times like now.

***

Eurydice had forgotten love until Calista.

she knew love well before Hadestown but in that span of few months, she forgot what it was like to love. to love something with this fierceness you can’t control, and to have that ability feels powerful. she felt like a monster before, but holding a child close to her chest is what makes her feel human again.

yes, they are still in Hadestown, but when life finds ways to spring up, it flourishes.

she’s moved apartments since finding out about the baby, to a smaller one, a studio with a bathroom and a tiny kitchen but it’s just for her and her daughter. people know that the only current mother in Hadestown lives there, her neighbors seem to brighten at the sight of her child. their darkness when they come back from work slides away for just a little bit of light when Callie smiles at them from afar.

her daughter brings hope, and Eurydice couldn’t be more proud. she doesn’t even know it yet, but Callie is really the carnation in the winter, she’s the light in the dark, the song in the silence.

And Persephone comes back and is immediately pointed in the direction of Eurydice’s apartment by Hades, with barely even a kiss on the cheek, she’s worried something bad has happened. It’s a combination of good and bad in her opinion.

she knocks on the door and a voice calls, “come in!”

Persephone, not knowing what she’ll find, steps inside tentatively. “Hades said to- oh my lords.”

Eurydice sits cross legged on her small bed, a baby sitting in her lap with the widest smile she’s ever seen on a child. she has her mothers eyes, even from here Persephone can see the dark color, the deepness of them.

“hi.” Eurydice begins. Persephone closes the door loudly, accidentally making Eurydice and the baby jump. she surges forward, first taking the young woman’s face in her hands, cupping her cheeks and brushing her cheeks with her thumbs.

“please tell me it’s Orpheus’.” Eurydice nods.

“It is” she assures, “look, she has his nose and you can just see, his hair, too.”

“she’s lovely.” Persephone sighs, sinking to sit beside Eurydice. Persephone brushes Eurydice’s bangs away from her eyes, she notices that they are freshly cut and a little jagged and uneven. she’ll ask about that later. “how old is she?”

“A month.” Eurydice answers immediately, her smile is genuine and Persephone can tell, there is love. a deep, motherly love that Persephone has only ever experienced when she looks at the young girl who turned into a young woman while she was away Up Top. “she came a little early, and I was worried, but she’s doing well now.”

“what’s her name?”

“Calista.” Eurydice says, gently tracing her daughter’s ears and tiny nose. “I started calling her Callie, though, and never stopped.”

“Callie.” Persephone repeats. “I love that.”

“me too.” Eurydice bites her bottom lip, before the real dawning of Persephone being here hits her. her expression barely changes and her tone of voice doesn’t at all but Persephone can feel the shift in the air.

“how is Orpheus doing?”

Persephone continues stroking through her black hair, untangling the knots like she imagines a mother would. “he just started singing again. only the past month or so. his voice sounds different after so long with so little use but it’s just as beautiful as it was when you knew him.”

Eurydice lifts Callie a little higher, adjusts her in her arms so that the child lies with her head in the crook of her elbow. “I’m sad that she’ll never get to meet him.”

she says it simply, she’s already accepted the fact, but underneath that is the lingering of sadness that lies there. an undercurrent of disappointment that Persephone came alone. she’d probably had the tiniest grain of hope and Persephone came empty handed.

“well!” she stands up, straightening out the creases in her dress. “I’d better get to the house, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen my husband up close.”

Eurydice smiles. “alright. see you again really soon?”

“of course.” Persephone plants a kiss on both girl’s heads and heads out the door, blinking away the sharp burn of tears.

***

she walks into Hades’ office and before she can even get the words out, he waves his hand at her without looking up from his ever important paperwork.

“I’m sending her up, don’t worry.”

she opens and closes her mouth. “I thought it might take some convincing.”

he scowls down at his desk. “I’m not heartless. I saw her when she first found out, the selflessness in that girl...” he shakes his head. “she was concerned about not being able to love her kid enough. not being able to provide that for her. she wanted to send Cal up there with you in the spring without her? you know that? the insanity in her, that I’d separate a mother and her child.”

Persephone steps around her and plants a firm, smiling kiss on his lips. Surprising him and pulling him away from his paperwork. “I love you.”

a smile twitches at his lips. “I love you too?”

“so,” Persephone says, promptly taking a small step back. “Eurydice and Callie will come up on the train with me in the spring?”

“as soon as I get all the paperwork in order. this is a... unique situation to say the least.” he turns back to his work, Persephone stands and watches for a moment, before planting one more soft kiss to the top of his head and heading out to get a drink. she can’t tell Eurydice yet, because if it doesn’t come true she’ll be heartbroken but knowing that she’ll be able to take the two of them up with her in the spring will be a joyous moment.

only six months until the couple that became a family gets reunited.

***

Children grow fast, this is something that Eurydice was never told. by the time Callie is seven months old, Eurydice has watched her learn to crawl, learn to reach and to touch and to smile. it still scares her sometimes, that maybe she isn’t meant for this? maybe she’s not cut out for this kind of thing. she’s already had to reason with herself over several things that just dig into her scalp, telling her Callie deserves a better mother. she had to bottle feed her, for god's sakes, her body seems to be malnourished enough and overworked enough that she can’t give that to her daughter. she has to take care of herself too, is what Persephone keeps telling her. she has to give herself a little attention too, give herself some love as well.

she faces Hades one last time in front of the train, he says he’s there to see Persephone off but Eurydice is glad that he’s there.

“thank you,” she says, lifting her chin to look him right in the eyes. “for all that you did for me and Callie, and for you are doing for Orpheus. he doesn’t know it yet, but he will be very thankful to you.”

“don’t say things like that,” he says, voice extra gravelly with the sadness of his wife leaving, but he tries to hide it. “I would never have hired you if I’d known...”

“neither of us knew, I would never have agreed to go if I’d known.”

a small silence stretches between them, she doesn’t know what to do with herself, a year ago she despised this man. everything about him made her heart shudder in her chest, but now... she’s seen his mercy and can’t help but feel that it was there all along.

she holds out her hand to shake his. “thank you, I will make sure to let Calista know as she grows older all that you have done for us.”

he lets out a chuckle as he takes her hand. “I’m sure she will also know all I have done against you.”

“in my opinion, it evens out. thank you.” she drops his hand and climbs onto the train, her stomach starting to swirl in her stomach.

She tries to remind herself of all that she’s been told by Persephone, love herself and that has to be enough, as she climbs the train, she’d handed Calista over to Persephone while Eurydice puts her things on the train. her heart beats so fast, this rhythm of readiness, of anticipation.

thump, thump, thump

Get Callie, she’s getting fussy in another woman’s arms.

thump, thump, thump

Sit down in a seat before the train starts moving.

thump, thump, thump

“if it isn’t my favorite songbird.” a withered voice comes from the front of the train car.

“Hermes.” Eurydice breaths, she speeds her steps up to meet him halfway and throws her arms around his neck. she buries her face in the man’s shoulder, letting him gently hold her like a father would hold a daughter, gently, calmly. he pulls back after barely five seconds.

“you takin’ the train?” she nods with something like tears stinging in the back of her eyes but they aren’t close to falling, yet. Hermes’ smile stretches almost all the way to his eyes, wrinkles creasing on his forehead. “he’ll be waiting for Seph, right by the station.’

Eurydice smiles but her heartbeat is still flurrying over her entire chest, heat spreading across her whole body like a licking fire. she needs a distraction from her shaking hands and churning stomach. Hermes pats her cheek affectionately, finally looking over her shoulder and squinting at Persephone holding the infant in her arms. he narrows his eyes, like he’s seeing a mirage and isn’t sure exactly what he’s seeing.

Eurydice breaks away from him, going to Persephone to take her daughter from the other woman’s arms. “this is your kind of granddaughter, Calista.”

“a lovely name for a lovely girl.” Hermes smiles in that way he always does when he knows something, when he looks at someone and can see their future. Eurydice always feels exposed whenever Hermes looks at her, like he knows what goes on in her head every day. like he knows all of her fears and hopes and emotions. the train starts moving in that moment and Eurydice has to sit down, holding Callie in her lap, pulling her tightly against her chest.

they move through tunnels, the dim lights of the mines flash through the windows every once in awhile, flushing the four of them in a golden glow, turning Persephone’s green dress into a brownish color, splashing across Hermes face briefly and throwing shadows like the darkness of the wall falling over her. she hasn’t worked on the wall in months, hasn’t gone into the mines in about as long, but it still haunts her. to forget how to feel, though since Orpheus came and left, the place improved it still left her feeling like there a life she was missing out on, the other half of her. or maybe it just was that her other half was Up Top. Callie taught her to remember feeling, taught to feel again altogether. and when she begins to whimper in the dark of the train, her heart stutters and all she wants is to make her smile again.

“shhh,” Eurydice murmurs, bounding the little girl on her knee briefly. “it’s alright, love, shh.”

even just her voice soothes the child and she quiets, she is normally not the most emotional infant, though they all cry, Eurydice knows that from her younger siblings. she takes after her mother in that, she only gets emotional really when Eurydice gets emotional. so now, when Eurydice is nervous and fidgety and on edge, the girl picks up on it and begins to cry. she calms herself, taking deep breath and pressing a kiss to her daughters soft bed of dark brown hair.

it’s a longer train ride than Eurydice would think, so they sit in silence, contemplative over what is to come, over what is going to happen when those doors open and sunshine floods the train car. when Orpheus is right before her what will she say? what will she do? he doesn’t even know she’s coming, he’ll be happy to see her, won’t he? yes, yes, he will. she knows this, she knows he loved her, and hopes for that present tense to re-enter the assuredness of her vocabulary. she loves him, simple as that, and he will love what she brings with her.

as light starts to flood the car, she closes her eyes, feeling the warmth flood through her body. the familiar scent of the dirt and the trees, the sound of chattering voices and birds beginning to chirp, everything so familiar yet so foreign. the last time she was this anxious to step outside was during The Walk and she never stepped foot outdoors during that. she’s both ready and most definitely not.

“here,” Persephone says. “I’ll take Cal, and you can step out by yourself. take a look about, greet old friends without this little one in your arms.”

reluctantly, Eurydice relinquishes Callie into Persephone’s arms. she stands, ready to face her fate, ready to smell the earth, bask in the sunlight. she is here, she is full of light, she is ready.

she’s ready.

the train car opens by itself and she steps out, shading her eyes with her hand to gaze over the crowd, which a hush falls over. she is known here, though she looks different. though having been pregnant and gave birth, she’s lost weight. the doctors she saw worried for Callie’s health, when Eurydice has spent her whole life only getting just enough to eat and too often in Hadestown she neglected to eat, after the pregnancy especially, it seemed. she just simply... forgot to take care of herself sometimes. those were the days where she got talks from Persephone, lectures from Hades, both about taking care of herself not just for herself, for Calista. she tried her best, but old habits die hard. she looks more tired now, her hair now just brushing the very tops of her shoulders but the bangs freshly cut. every few months, or when she was feeling especially restless, she would go to the bathroom with a pair of scissors and retrim her bangs. what a great influence she’ll be on her kid.

and in the crowd, in the very back of the crowd, is a boy just a little bit older and more tired looking. and his eyes are raised to hers. his mouth is forming the first syllable of her name, with a question in his eyes. is this real? are you real?

and she wants to run to him and say yes yes yes yes im real this is real this is true

but she can’t move until Hermes walks up beside her, loops his arm through hers and begins to walk her down the steps of the station. the crowd parts for them and Eurydice can’t help but see the imagery of it all. like a bride walking down the aisle, she is being given away for the second time in her life. the first, she gave away herself, in secret. not an elopement but a ritual in which they were “married”. this time, she is given away to this life that she once gave up. here, she is being given permission to step back into this life, she is being given permission to look him in the eyes, to speak to him. he gives her away and leaves her there at the altar- or rather, right in front of Orpheus- and leaves her there, blending back into the crowd.

“how- how... what are you- how are you-?” he runs a hand through his hair, just looking at her, just... looking. “Eurydice-”

when he says her name, her entire body feels like it will combust and she can’t just stay standing there. it feels like their first kiss: happening before she knows what’s happening and over before she wants it to. whistles break out through the crowd, a laughter spreading through the silence. the tension breaks and she’s left just feeling his hands at her waist, and his face close to hers, his breath against her cheeks, fluttering her eyelashes against the breeze.

“how-?” he asks again.

she licks her lips, unsure of how to say it. “I’ll show you.”

Persephone is already walking towards them, holding Callie to her chest. Orpheus, the ever confused, just stares. the two dots not yet connected yet, so he must say the first thing that comes to mind.

“congratulat-”

Persephone shakes her head and laughs. “no, poet.” and hands Callie to Eurydice.

he watches with wide eyes as Eurydice holds the child in one arm and with the other, adjusts Orpheus’ arms so that she can gently place the girl in his arms. she holds both his arms and the baby for a moment before removing her hands and stepping back. his eyes flick from Eurydice, down to the infant, and then back to Eurydice in a panicked state.

“her name is Calista, she’s seven months old... and she’s your daughter.”

Orpheus lets out a huge, deep, shuddering sigh that feels somehow close to tears. he finally looks down and admires the face of the girl in his arms, and as he does, Eurydice tells him about her.

“she has your nose, and your hair, but my eyes. she’s not very talkative but she likes to be read to before going to sleep, and she always, always prefers to sleep close to me, or close to a person. she’s like you, she loves to listen. and she loves people-”

she stops herself at the sight of his face, smiling but filled with this sorrowful inside. “I can’t believe- I missed a whole life starting... Eurydice, she’s so beautiful.”

“not your fault, Orpheus, neither of us knew.” she murmurs. “and now, we’re here.”

“you’re home.”

[mittensmorgul]

Eleven years since an angel and a hunter walked into a barn... I had to write something. :)

Rating: T Words: 2297 Tags: it’s just these two nincompoops actually talking about their feeeeeelings

Read below, or on AO3.

The case had proven to be sad more than scary or dangerous. An abandoned house. The ghost of a woman who only wanted to be reunited with her husband, stuck mourning his loss in the house they’d shared for decades, unable to move on after she died. It would’ve been a simple matter of salting and burning her bones, if it had been Gloria Radcliffe’s bones trapping her there.

It was Cas that finally got through to her, assuring her that her husband was waiting for her in Heaven if she could only let go of the home they’d made on Earth. She could go and find peace and happiness forever, but it had to be her choice.

Or that’s what finally convinced her to let go, at least.

Dean knew Cas had told her the beautiful lie everyone wants to believe about Heaven. Sure, you’re there with your loved ones, eternally living out your happiest memories, but how much of it is really real. Dean had been there. He knew. It kinda tarnished the illusion just a bit.

It had weighed on him the entire ride back to the bunker, the strange melancholy he couldn’t shake. The spirit’s grief was all tangled up with his own, spiraled out through the events of his entire life. Maybe it was just the cooler autumnal turn the weather had taken over the last day or two, or the fact the hunt ended with a good cry instead of a good fight, but Dean felt itchy and restless, like there was something important he’d forgotten, or maybe hadn’t even figured out yet.

He sat in the kitchen long after Sam turned in, picking at the leftover pizza they’d brought home and wishing they’d thought to pick up something sweet. It was an ice cream kind of night, he thought as he slowly sipped a beer and stared at the mostly empty pizza box.

“Dean, you’re still up?” Cas asked, finding him still sulking at the table a little while later.

Dean snorted but didn’t look up from his half-drunk beer. “How could you tell?”

He didn’t have to look up to know the sour face Cas made at that comment, or to know that Cas would come over to the table, close up the pizza box and take it to the fridge. Cas had been getting a lot better at knowing exactly what to do in situations like these. Not just how to deal with a melancholy Dean, but how to be patient enough to wait out Dean’s bullshit long enough to wheedle the truth out of him. If his patience was often displayed through the performance of various household chores, Dean wasn’t about to complain. Hell, he enjoyed this more laid back Cas. If he was being honest with himself, he was becoming a lot more laid back, too.

“Something about today’s hunt has been bothering you all night,” Cas said, sitting down across from Dean. He didn’t need to say anything else. He just sat back and waited Dean out. His tactic paid off eventually.

“Imagine being married to someone for 67 years,” Dean said, picking at the label of his beer bottle, the contents long since gone warm and flat. He finally looked up at Cas. “67 years, and then not having any idea how to let go of that life, even after the person you loved that much is gone.”

Cas nodded slowly, letting Dean work out why this was bothering him so much.

“You told her he was waiting for her in Heaven.”

Cas shrugged. “Gloria will bring his memory with her, whether or not they’re true soul mates who will share a heaven. She’ll be happy there. Much happier than she’d been stuck in her empty house alone, mourning the life she’d lost. Her life with her husband was a gift she can treasure for an eternity now.”

Dean nodded, shifted uneasily in his seat and went back to picking at his beer label. “They had a long damn time to make memories together. Some people don’t get near that long.”

Cas frowned and ventured a guess. “Are you referring to your parents? Because I assure you that your mother was joyously happy in her Heaven.”

“They only had ten years,” Dean said. “Ten years from when a cupid forced them to get together to when she burned.”

“This is why we make the most of the time we’re given, to hope the good outweighs the bad, and find happiness where we can,” Cas said softly. “Ten years can change everything.”

Dean let out a tired laugh and rubbed his eyes. “Might as well be a million years in my case. I ain’t never gonna have that kind of relationship.”

Cas sat quietly for a moment, frowning at him. “What do you mean?”

Dean turned serious, pushing his beer bottle aside and leaning his arms on the table. “The longest relationship I ever had lasted less than a year, and it ain’t exactly a barrel of happy memories. What do I even have in my life besides Sam, who’s practically married to Rowena now, and you?”

Cas shook his head, his eyebrows pinching together as he squinted at Dean. “Me?”

“Yeah, dumbass. You’re about the closest thing I’ve got to settling down with someone. Except, you know, we’re… not… that...”

“We’re not what?”

“You know,” Dean said, raising his eyebrows and waving a hand between them. “A thing?”

Cas nodded slowly, this time Dean letting him get there on his own. “But you want to have a thing… with someone?”

Dean shrugged one shoulder. “Never really thought I could, you know? Spent most of the last decade playing cosmic catch up. It didn’t really leave a lot of time for a social life.” Dean snorted at the recollection and then grinned at Cas. “Even you judged me once for never going to parties.”

“Well, it’s tr--”

“When’s the last time you went to a party, huh?” Dean said, cutting him off. “And drinking a liquor store during the apocalypse doesn’t count as a party.”

“There was that time at that nursing home,” Cas replied. “There was cake.”

Dean blinked at him for a second, trying to remember. “You mean the cake that exploded? What did you call it, a pastry mishap?”

“It was still a party,” Cas replied defensively.

“Weren’t you invisible at the time?” Dean asked, a grin spreading across his face. “It’s not like you were on the guest list.”

“I was still there,” Cas replied. “You only arrived after the cake exploded.”

“Yeah, I missed the festivities.”

“Fine, so neither of us has had a lot of time for celebration.”

Cas turned and looked at the clock on the wall. It had finally passed midnight. He got up and went to the fridge, and pulled out a small white box pastry he’d hidden behind the beer. He slowly slid it on the table in front of Dean and then took his seat again. Dean looked up at him, confused.

“Open it,” Cas said, gesturing at the box.

“This your idea of a party?” Dean said, lifting the lid. His smirk faded as he got a look inside. He stared down at the small cake, decorated with rainbow confetti sprinkles and the number 11 written in green frosting.

“I was saving it for later, but it’s officially the 18th now. Happy anniversary, Dean.”

Dean sat there, dumbstruck, looking between Cas and the cake, finally processing exactly what day it was.

“September 18,” he finally said. “Shit, has it really been eleven years?”

Cas nodded. “Eleven years since I gripped you tight and raised you from perdition, yes.”

“That’s longer than my parents had,” Dean said quietly, rethinking what he actually had with Cas in an entirely new light as he came to terms with what had really been upsetting him all day. “Guess we met because of angels, too. Only we both had a choice in the rest of it.”

Cas smiled at him. “And we’re still choosing every day.”

Dean stared at him, wondering how he hadn’t seen it sooner, appalled with himself for assuming this shit didn’t mean the same to Cas as it did to him. It wasn’t as if he’d never entertained the notion before, but it had always seemed so laughably impossible. Cas struggled to understand some of the most basic human concepts, and this was the one he got on the first try? Then again, he’d been trying to get this one since day one, hadn’t he? Good things do happen, Dean.

Cas had said everything could change in ten years, and he hadn’t been kidding. Eleven years ago, he was fresh outta hell and was still coming to grips with the fact that angels were real, and now he was sitting in his own kitchen just chilling with one. The same kitchen where God had once cooked them up pancakes while Cas had still been possessed by Lucifer. The same kitchen where he’d sat with his resurrected father and cooked dinner with his resurrected mother. The same kitchen where he’d told Sam he couldn’t imagine living any other life than the one that had led him right here, surrounded by the people he loved and loved him in turn. And it had all happened in little more than a decade.

This was still uncharted territory, though, so Dean took it slow. He took a deep breath and let Cas’s calm patience with him guide his next words.

“You know, busting into that barn with the light show and everything, you put on a pretty decent party.”

Cas snorted. “You contributed to the decor.”

“Coulda used a buffet, maybe an open bar,” Dean replied. “Still, it was better than Hell.”

“Most things are,” Cas said, fighting a grin.

Dean got up and returned a moment later with two forks, handing one to Cas. He pushed the cake box to the middle of the table between them.

“Dig in, Cas. We’re celebrating. We got eleven years. You think we’ll get 56 more?”

They each took a bite of the cake. Underneath the white icing and the rainbow of sprinkles, it was filled with rich chocolate. Dean went in for another bite around a hum of satisfaction while Cas watched on with a smile.

“I think it matters far more what we make of our time than how much of it we’re given.”

Cas carefully took a bite of the cake, stared at it for a moment, and then ate it. Dean smiled at him and nodded to the cake, shoving another bite into his own mouth.

“Good, ain’t it?”

Cas swallowed and licked the frosting off his teeth, nodding as he went back for more. “It is.”

They let the conversation hang there, unfinished, while they slowly devoured the cake. Eventually Dean broke their silence again.

“So, is this a good use of our time, you think?”

Cas shrugged. “Any time spent in your company is well spent. I said a lot can change in a decade, and I meant it. Knowing you has been the best part of my life.”

Dean blinked at that, because Cas had said that before, too. He’d pushed it aside at the time, because Cas had been dying, and then a demon tried to finish them all off. When they were all safe and whole and healthy again, they’d had even more worries to deal with, and somehow Dean had never gotten around to asking Cas exactly what he’d meant by that. That hadn’t stopped him from thinking about it, maybe obsessing over it. An angel, billions of years old, and the decade he’d spent with Dean had somehow topped his highlight reel. It was a terrifying and ridiculous thought, and yet now that Cas wasn’t dying and they were actually having a conversation about the past and the future, he still calmly insisted it was true. And if it were true, Dean finally understood what had upset him so much about the ghost of Gloria Radcliffe.

“I got her grief,” Dean said, not taking his eyes from Cas. “Gloria, the ghost. That kinda longing, the loss, I know exactly how that feels.”

Cas raised an eyebrow and waited for Dean to finish. Dean took a deep breath and let it out.

“I lost you a couple of times already. I know how losing everything feels, but what I don’t have is all the shit that’s supposed to lead to that at the end of the road.”

“And you’d like the long and happy life to go with it?” Cas asked, leaning forward across the table.

Dean just nodded, as Cas smiled.

“I think I’d like that, too.”

“So, where do we go from here?” Dean asked, feeling slightly giddy at the profoundly underwhelming sense of relief at a decade-overdue conversation. “I feel like we’re already doing this backward.”

“Where would you like to go, Dean? I’ll follow wherever you lead.”

Dean considered that for a moment and then leaned over the table, his face only inches from Cas’s. “How about we start with this.”

He leaned in ever so slowly, giving Cas all the time in the world to back away. Instead, Cas surged forward until their lips met. Dean leaned back, blinking at Cas like he couldn’t believe they’d actually done it, but from the contented smile on Cas’s face he knew it had to be real. He’d never seen Cas look so satisfied with himself. This definitely couldn’t be a dream. If it was real, then Dean needed to continue this experiment immediately. They had a hell of a lot of time to make up for. And they had all the time in the world to do it.

[kaspbrak-tozier-reddie]

Prompt list 30 with bill? Maybe someone (richie or stan) said that abt his stutter in the middle of a fight sorta angst?

30. “Oh my gosh, you’re so annoying!”

Prompt List

———————————————————————

At the inn, 6 Losers were sitting around continuing on with their reunion. Eddie, Bev and Richie snuggled against each other on the couch while the others stood around.

Bill was talking to Mike on the many ways they could potentially kill IT. Ben was talking to Richie and Eddie and Beverly were complaining about their spouses.

Bang!

The sound of a door being thrown against a wall made all the Losers jump. Mike was ready to use an empty whiskey bottle as a weapon but in walked Stanley.

“Sorry I’m late. I was um, I didn’t want to come but I figured that I’d be killed if I didn’t.” Stan explained.

“Good to see you, Stan the Man,” piped Richie being the first to engulf the thin shaken man in a hug.

“You too Richie.” Stan whispered as he returned the comforting hug.

The group of friends caught up with Stan, telling him what they’ve been up to and them learning that Stan was happily married and that she was a teacher and he was an accountant.

All of his doubts and fears went away and was comforted by his old friends. Just like he was when they were kids.

Not once did any of them hammer him on not wanting to come. They knew what happened down in the sewers 27 years ago. If there was going to be one person that didn’t show up, it was Stan and everyone understood if he didn’t.

****

At the Neibolt house, the following day, Eddie and Stan tried to keep each other safe and siking themselves up. As much as they waned to believe that they could face the clown again, they didn’t want to die. Stan loved his wife and his job, he didn’t want to lose that.

Eddie on the other hand, wanted to file for divorce papers so he didn’t have to put up with Myra and tell Richie how he truly felts.

The two walked side by side into the house, Eddie took a shaky breath but continued forward. Stan on the other hand, stopped dead in his tracks.

He had not gone into this place voluntarily, the first time he went in was because Eddie, Richie and Bill were attacked. The second time he was forced in because of Bill wanting to kill the clown. Now he walked in voluntarily and his fear rose.

Everything came back.

****

As they dropped down into Pennywise’s lair, in the heart of the sewers. Eddie freaked out, which inevitably made Stan panic.

If Eddie can’t, then I can’t, Stan thought.

He watched as Richie stopped him, “You’re braver than you think, Eds.” Richie said.

“You too Stan. You both can do this.” Beverly said. Stan gave her a weak half smile and forced himself through the hole in the floor.

It was just as dark, cold and wet as he remembered. He held the flashlight up in front of him and slowly followed Ben and Mike into the lair. Squeezing through two rocks, he hauled himself with the help of Richie.

But the fear caught back up with him. “I’m sorry guys but I can’t do this.” Stan panicked.

“F-f-for gods s-s-s -” Bill paused. “For. Gods. Sake. Stan.”

“What Bill? Say what you have to say to me then I’m leaving!”

“Y-y-you l-leave, y-y-ou will d-die. I-It’s the w-ay that IT w-works.”

Stan refused to believe that. He refused to accept the fact that if he left Derry he’d be killed by IT ... somehow.

So he was still going to leave, he’ll just stay put in the shitty, asbestos ridden inn.

“Oh my gosh! You’re so annoying!” Stan yelled. Knowing that he’d gone too far but he didn’t care. He wasn’t hoing to put himself in harms way and for what? So a psychopathic clown could potentially kill him? No!

“Stan.” Richie warned.

“No Richard. I just shouldn’t have come. This was a fucking mistake. Hope you kill IT.”

With that Stan left Neibolt and stayed at the inn waiting for the Losers return but they never did. When he checked himself out a day later, he saw that their cars were gone, all except Eddie’s.

****

As they all watched Stan leave, Bill was almost in tears. His stutter was something that he was ashamed of and was insecure about. Stan knew that, yet he still said those 3 words.

“Bill, let’s kill this motherfucking clown.” Richie bellowed.

“We don’t need him Bill.” Mike said placing a hand on Bill’s shoulder.

“Ignore him Bill, he’s in fear and pissed off. He probably didn’t mean it. Forget about him. We’re here for you.” Beverly soothed.

Something in Bill’s mind snapped he took everything from Mike and set up the ritual like Mike had shown him. One by one, each club member placed their token into the can.

*

“Yippee Kayay motherfu-“ Richie said before falling into the deadlights.

“Hey dickwad!” Eddie yelled, drawing Pennywise’s attention towards him.

Bill didn’t like what he was watching and as soon as Richie was brought out and Eddie celebrating. He knew what was about to happen.

They helped him and he was going to return the favour. He ran towards the and just in time too before Pennywise’s claw penetrated Eddie.

“Holy shit, you save me.” Eddie breathed.

“Yeah, you saved me last time Rich, you too Eds.” Bill said. “Shit, sorry, Eddie.”

“Nah, I actually liked being called Eds. Myra called me Eddie or Eddiebear so Eds feels right.” Eddie explained. There was a look in Richie’s eyes that Bill had seen before and knew all too well.

Hope.

“You’re a fucking pussy!” Bill yelled at the clown.

“Nobody likes you.” Ben fired, not wanting to curse.

“You’re just a clown.” Beverly said to really finish the job and that’s when Bill reached into Pennywise’s chest and pulled out his heart.

The heart still pumped in the palm of his hand. With one final cackle from the deflated clown, Bill squished the heart.

****

They all ran out of the house as it started collapsing. Just as they watched it fall, the unknown weight and stale air that they all subconsciously had, lifted.

Even though they lost 22 years, they had each other now.

“Why don’t we all go and get our cars and meet at the Quarry?” Bill suggested.

“Yes!” Richie said pumping the air. “Actually once we get through town, Eds and I may be a little late. I wanna show him something.”

“You’re gonna show him that thing?” Bill asked, Richie nodded joyously.

*

The walk through town was calming and felt nostalgic. As they passed an old window front, they all stopped, just like they did 27 years ago.

Except this time Eddie didn’t have vomit on him, Bev didn’t have dried mud covering parts of her face and stan wasn’t in the picture.

The dead streets were once again filled with life. unlike a day ago when the streets were literally dead. This was what freedom felt like. Nothing holding them back, minds completely filled with childhood memories and the confidence to remove themselves from situations that they hated.

But the weight of losing a dear dear friend laid heavily on each Losers’ shoulder. Stan was Richie and Bill’s oldest friend, Stan was the first to know about Richie’s crush on Eddie and had helped Bill maintain his stutter to a couple a words a sentence.

Stan was everyone’s go to guy when they needed help. Any sane person would hate it but Stan loved it. It made him feel loved and wanted.

But when those words fell from his mouth, only moments ago, everyone stood behind Bill. If anyone picked on one of their friend’s insecurities, they’d stand by that person and shun the person that attacked them. It killed everyone to shun Stan but especially Bill.

****

Stan didn’t know whether or not Eddie survived until one day he was scrolling through Facebook and saw a post from Richie announcing his engagement to Eddie. As well as Eddie announcing that he and Richie had adopted a beautiful baby girl. Every Loser was there at the engagement party but Stan. All because he left them to face a killer clown with out him.

He knew he deserved it and all he said on both Facebook posts was congratulations Reddie.

———————————————————————

A/N: I meant for this to go down another road but I deeply apologise for a shitty Stanley.

[thenickelportrust]

If MC tells a friend that they very much love the RO (no confession has taken place/re-affirmation for the divorces) but are afraid of telling them? And surprise! RO manages to overhear ;D what happens

Finley: Finley chokes on their coffee as they walk by. Did they… Did they just hear that right? Hang on, they don’t have the full story- and if there’s one thing they know, it’s the danger of going off of half the facts. Maybe they should listen a bit more. Just to- to make sure they heard correctly. And if so… If so then… then… 

You’d think years of chasing down super-human people through the city streets would prepare them for almost any situation, or at least help them deal with surprise. But then there’s the MC, and they’ve always been a bit of an exception.

Finding a time alone afterwards is gonna be difficult with both of their schedules, but if what Finley heard really is right then… it’s imperative. They knock gently on the side of the door… 

Raf: Raf really shouldn’t be eavesdropping, it’s bad and he feels guilty for doing it… But even if he wanted to move, he can’t. Frozen, rooted to the spot just outside the doorway wondering if maybe he should-

No no no, he’s probably just hearing what he wants to hear.

But then why can’t he move? Glued to the ground with ears tilted towards the door- listening, all the while telling himself he must be hearing it wrong. He has to be hearing it wrong. Yet he’s still there, even after the conversation ends, even when he really should be going before they open the door and-

Ah.

Shoot.

Jacob: Jacob had been meaning to talk to the MC, he was supposed to tell him… uh… something. Something that seems pretty gosh darn unimportant because of what he just heard. And, worst of all, the MC probably knows he just heard. At least, stuttering out a very loud and obvious ‘You- uh- what?’ probably didn’t help with the stealth factor.

At this point Jacob considers two options, stating that he forgot something and running away for a brief moment until words work again, or, y’know, actually admitting to having heard and maybe even somehow stringing together one of those magical ‘sentences’ he’s heard so much about to tell him how he feels as well??

Someone needs to say something, at least. Preferably before this awkward silence drags on any longer. “So…”

Lucy: Lucy hides a smile behind a fist, pressing it against her lips as she waits for their conversation to end. Frankly she doesn’t really know what else they say besides the blood that roars in her ears. She had always hoped- always thought that maybe, just maybe it was possible but…

Hearing it? Knowing that they really do feel the same way?

Now that’s something else.

Suddenly there’s no more talking, maybe a sigh or two or a quiet, final piece of advice- not that matters much now anyway- and she hears footsteps replace words. Still they don’t get very far, not when she swings around the corner, doing her best to quiet down the large smile on her face.

If they truly think that she’s about to let them get away with that then… 

They obviously don’t know Lucy.

Yolanda: Yolanda had been meaning to mind her own business, and, granted, she was still doing very much the same thing. This business did have to do with her, after all. Still… that she… ‘loves’ her?

Preposterous.

She’s sure that it must be an effect of that sweeping, almost hallucinatory nature of passion. Of course she’s had many an admirer and more than one woman who claimed that it was honest-to-goodness, fairy-tale ‘love’. Yolanda was always a skeptic, and this was no difference, of course.

(if the two have a purely physical relationship:) Why, she’d even be willing to bet that it’s a result of their current acquaintanceship. Perhaps they should put some distance between each other for a while to sort this out and let things fall back to normal…

Yet that… seems like such an undesirable option. Of course- just because she enjoys the MC’s company. That is… all it is. Right.

(if the two don’t have a physical relationship:) But they’d all… simply given up after a while, or settled for something more agreeable and loose. Yet she… The MC had been pursuing this for quite some time, hadn’t she? In fact, this is entirely in her character. Yolanda perhaps should have even predicted she’d stumble upon her saying something as… sentimental as this.

She shouldn’t put any real stock into though. Sure, she’d lasted longer than any other amorous pursuer… but that doesn’t mean she isn’t fooling herself. She’ll stop eventually… She… she should…

Because that’s what… That’s what Yolanda… wants…

Right.

Eileen: Eileen’s hands fly up to her mouth, squeezing the area around her lips as she stifles a gasp. She hesitantly walks around the corner, and maybe the MC doesn’t notice her at first because she’s so quiet, but they sure as heck notice their friend gesturing that maybe they should look behind them and that’s when they see her.

She doesn’t say much at first, hands folded in front of her chest, fingers squeezing nervously over each other. 

Even she does speak, she doesn’t have to say much at all- anything she could say in conveyed in a slow-spreading smile, in the light that glimmers joyously around her eyes. She runs up and wraps her arms around them, squeezing tight.

Informant: The Informant doesn’t know what to feel. He doesn’t know what to do. He just stands there, listening quietly as the MC goes on to talk about… about him. About how they feel towards him. He rubs his eyes as if tired, as if hallucinating. Part of him berates himself for continuing to listen, but the other half argues that even if it weren’t something- someone- so dearly important it’s in his nature to seek out information.

It’s a weak excuse at best.

Should he confront them? No, no, no, ‘confront’ would be the wrong word.

Even if he did just ‘talk’- or perhaps a more casual ‘chat’ would fit better?- he still wouldn’t know what to say. 

‘Afraid’? Why are they even ‘afraid’ to talk to him to begin with? It seems almost a little silly, but… He won’t push them into saying anything. He should show them that they don’t have to be scared to talk to him but outright asking them feels a little… forceful.

He’ll just have to let them know, some other way.

Ricky:  Ricky doesn’t know what to do. Them saying it to his face is one thing- flirting with him can easily be brushed off as reporters doing what reporters do best- manipulating emotion to get a story. But hearing them say it, in that kind of fearful, cautious tone to someone they know- as if it were some grand, precious secret or…

The worst part is that this means they were being honest. That Ricky can’t deny the truth anymore and that…

No. No this has got to be… some kind of ploy. Some kind of plot against him or something along those lines. They’re not being honest. The MC? Lying is in their blood. That’s the answer. That’s it. That’s all it is. All it ever will be.

The alternative is…

Ricky refuses to think of the alternative.

V: V has to stop themself from busting the door down and wrapping them up in the biggest embrace they can manage. Of course, what they end up doing isn’t much better. Probably end up putting together some kinda walkway of rose petals in the MC’s own home (and god only knows how they got in there), has a small man playing the violin in the corner as they recite some (definitely totally not just a mish-mash of famous movie lines) original declaration of love.

Followed, of course, by said biggest embrace that they can manage. As they probably ask the MC, “Now, why would you ever be afraid of telling me?”

(To which the MC might reply: “Because of this.”)

[musingsofthefox]

Game Content : Chapter 6

This is the most recent chapter in my Teen Titans fan fiction (in case anyone’s curious) :D

You can also read it here: 

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12249275/1/Game-Content

Starfire had decided to walk alongside her friends for a few miles. It didn’t seem healthy (even if it was her own power) to waste unnecessary mana points. Besides, she missed the conversation, and even though they were eternally grateful for the aerial view on her behalf, they missed her, too.

“Did you see when I blasted ten of em’ in a row?” Cyborg asked her, wondering if she’d gotten a good view of the fight.

She nodded. “Oh yes, I especially saw when one of their helmets went flying. Their faces are quite gruesome.” She shivered to think about it. “I wonder what must have happened to them? Or are they a strange alien from another planet? I have never heard of ‘Orc’ or ‘Goblin’ infested planets before. Although, I assure you that if I did, they would have been wiped out a very long time ago. Their primitive weaponry and weak constitution would have fallen to the Mithronians of Maldustia centuries ago. That’s what happened to the slug people of Beta 462.” She chatted on.

Robin smiled and nonchalantly took her hand for a moment as they walked. She gently grasped his back, careful not to break his littlest finger like the last time she squeezed it in joy. It did not take long to heal thanks to Raven’s powers, but caused him more pain than she’d ever thought she could inflict upon her love.

“I think there’s something up ahead.” Beast Boy commented, cutting through the war talk and the lovey-dovey hand holding. “It looks like a sign?”

In fact, it was a marker upon a dark mound of dirt. The mound was very small, and upon further inspection was actually a makeshift flower pot for a dangerous, thorny looking plant that wove its way around the marker. It bloomed black roses and, with its red thorns, gave the impression that it was not to be touched. In the clearing where the marker stood, there was no sound. All of their skin prickled. The marker was illegible, probably in some ancient tongue and written in runes.

“This feels...funky.” Cyborg commented, shifting the axe on his shoulder. Robin unsheathed his broadsword.

“You’re right. We should stay defensive and look for clues. This could be a quest. I don’t want to fail because we missed anything or got caught out by the enemy.”

They nodded and, following their leader’s command, split up into a four way search. From the marker they each decided they would scan the woods from a diagonal perspective, going to all four corners of the clearing. That way, they could cover some equal ground.

While they walked, Beast Boy called behind him, “Doesn’t this remind you guys of the Fantastic Four?”

“It would,” Robin commented. “If we weren’t the Fantastic Five.”

“Yeah,” Beast Boy agreed, a little sheepishly. “But, you know. Just for now, I mean-”

Starfire screamed.

Everyone turned at once, as if they were frozen in space while Starfire’s scream echoed off of the trees. While her scream had scared them out of their wits, that wasn’t the worst part. Starfire was gone.

“Starfire!” Robin yelled after her. “She was right here, where did she go!” His voice took on the protective tone that it usually did, and both Cyborg and Beast Boy’s hearts were pounding horribly in response.

Where, indeed had Starfire gone?

They, in a panic, scanned the skies, the treeline. Where was she? Where had she just dissappeared off to???

Suddenly, Cyborg stopped moving, he was staring down intently at his feet in horror.

“What? What!?” Robin asked him, demanding he share any information. Beast Boy rushed over to see what the fuss was about.

Instead of answering, Cyborg took both of their heads in his massive hands and forced them to look down at his feet. In unison, the three of them exclaimed: “WHAT???”

Starfire was below them. As if they were standing upon a glass floor, she stood about ten feet below them like she were in an aquarium, waving up at them from below. It was clear she was shouting something, but they couldn’t hear her.

Robin lay down on his stomach and pressed his face to the ground. Now that he thought about it, it had always been glass, but it had looked like regular earth beneath them from the transparency. He tried shouting something to her, things like “are you okay” or “how the hell did you get down there” but of course, she couldn’t hear him either.

“We have to figure out how she got down there and get her back.” He said, resolutely standing back up. “Go toward her corner of the clearing and try to fall in.”

“Fall IN?” Beast Boy questioned.

Robin nodded. “We’ll try to find the opening and go from there.”

“Okay…” Beast Boy agreed, running off in the direction toward where Starfire had fallen.

Beneath them, she ran in sync with their pursuit, trying her hardest to remember where exactly she fell through.

After her initial shock of falling, especially since she was trying not to waste mana on flying, she had allowed herself to gently float to a stop before hitting the ground. The place she was in was EXACTLY like the clearing she had been in, except above her it was as if her friends were all flying. A rare sight, and kind of ironic (if Starfire had had any concept of irony). There were still forests on either side of her, and another sign in the middle. The runes, this time she noticed, were upside down. When she’d realized what had happened she immediately ran toward her friends, only to find that no matter how hard she yelled, they wouldn’t look down. Not until Cyborg had.

Now, as she ran with them toward where she fell, she could finally hear them. Their shouts were getting louder, as if unmuting a video and turning the sound up slowly. She was just thinking that maybe she’d fallen through an actual hole in the glass ceiling, and they were getting very close to it, when Robin faltered and fell, coming right at her. She caught him mid-fall and kissed him joyously.

“Robin!” She cheered. He blinked and then smiled.

“Hey, Starfire.”

From above they heard Beast Boy shout, “Dudes! Run! Er...fly!” and also noticed him pointing behind them. From the trees, here in the ‘lower’ half of the clearing, dark mist was forming. Like black tendrils of smoke, something wicked their way came. It fizzled and smoked, hissing at them like a cloud of angry snakes, and yet no specific form was visible. However, from the mist glowed a thousand yellow eyes.

“Eeep!” Starfire blasted at it with her starbolt vision, but it did nothing except separate the mist in half. After that didn’t work, she held onto Robin and flew straight up where he fell. When they got very close to Beast Boy and Cyborg’s feet, they unfortunately slammed face first into the ceiling.

Robin rubbed his head in confusion.”What?” His hands felt the ceiling above them, yet there was no longer a hole. “Is this the right place?”

“Yeah dude!” Beast Boy stuck his arm down and grabbed Robin’s wrist. “It’s right here, now stop messing around and come on.” He attempted to pull them out himself, as if it were some sophisticated portal, but it turned out that the glass spell was smarter than that.

Instead of pulling them out, Beast Boy’s arm was stuck. It was odd for him to feel trapped and yet  see nothing holding onto him. He blinked and yipped. “What do I do???” Cyborg, scratching his head nervously as the slow, dark cloud came closer and closer. “I think it’s a one way ticket.”

Beast Boy, now really unhappy about “trying” to fall into the glass trap, looked up at Cyborg in fear. “Don’t you dare.”

“Sorry, bro.” Cyborg kicked the poor green Titan and he tumbled head over heels into the trap. “Cannonball!” Cyborg shouted, and he too allowed himself to fall.

Robin, now realizing that the only thing left to do was fight, had Starfire set him down and he unsheathed his sword. Although, I don’t know how much good it’ll do.

Beast Boy landed gracefully on the ground as a cheetah, ignoring the forced push and readied for battle, too.

Cyborg patted the cheetah’s head and laughed. “If we do this, we do it together.” Beast Boy responded with a slap of his tail, which honestly Cyborg found to be fluffy and didn’t mind.

“How do we defeat what is not there?” Starfire asked. When one of the pairs of eyes flew straight for Cyborg, and he swept his axe right through it, it kept going, it's two halves were circling overhead like erratic bats. “I think I just made more.” He commented.

Robin wondered why it had only sent out one scout, the mass was hovering just before them.

Silent.

Watchful.

It gave him the creeps.

“Wait…” Beast Boy reached into his pack. “What about...this!” With flourish, like a Yu-Gi-Oh dueling master, he summoned ‘Revealing Light’, a card which was supposed to illuminate foes that were hidden on the battlefield.

The cloud hissed again, fizzling and finally (and rather alarmingly) it split apart into a thousand small, dark wraiths. Each one screaming loudly and so high pitched that the team thought their ears were going to start bleeding.

“What did you do that for???” Cyborg loudly chided his small, green friend. Beast Boy sheepishly shrugged.

“I thought it would work!” He shouted over the noise.

Robin, although wishing that Beast Boy would have consulted them a little bit first, thought that maybe his friend had the right idea. Well, not THAT idea, but he was headed in the right direction. Clearly this monster couldn't be defeated with weapons, and therefore their only resource was cards. Now, other than the creature, the only thing else in this clearing was-

“The sign!” He shouted, the creatures getting louder and louder with every second. “Get to the middle!”

Only half-hearing him, they followed his lead anyway toward the middle of the clearing. Starfire shot a few more of the little devils with her Starbolts out of principle. Now that they had all multiplied as much as possible, she was making a little progress at cutting them down or burning them away, but there were (what seemed like) millions! She’d never win, not before their screams drove them all to madness.

After reconvening at the middle of the clearing, they had to resort to putting their hands over their ears. Beast Boy, the most sensitive to sound, looked like his eyes were about to start tearing up. “Whatever you’re going to do??? HURRY!”

Robin plunged his hand into his knapsack, rummaging for the deck of cards. Finally he had them, but unlike his friends he couldn’t save his ears in the process. As he combed through the deck for the one he wanted, his hearing went out.

It was a shocking moment, to say the very least. No ringing, no popping noise. Just nothing. At first he thought the monsters had stopped on their own and had snapped his eyes up from the deck. He was almost relieved when he realized that his friends were still covering their ears. His heart thud rapidly in his chest.

Gone? His hearing was just...gone?

His knees shook, and for the first time in a long time, he was genuinely afraid. He almost cried out, needing to tell his friends what had happened, but he decided that helping his team was more important right now. With a lump in his throat, and heartbreaking thoughts about the word ‘deaf’, he told himself he’d deal with it later.

Finally, he found it. ‘Hermit’s Dictionary’. It was a translation card, one that he’d used in previous games to get Raven to reveal her complicated spell cards. In this case, he used it on the sign, the one wrapped in black rose vines. The runes shifted, slowly revealing that they were NOT runes. Instead, they were lines. Each line moved, repositioning, reshaping and bending itself until it spelled out:

Reading is All You’ll Ever Do

Once we Get inside Your Head

You’ll hate our song, we don’t Sing well

You’ll Wish that you were Dead

Roses are Quite Beautiful

They are my Raven Song

She’s just out of reach, Poor Fools

Your Defeat will not be long

If you’re smart enough to break,

Our Little hidden Room

You need to think, Dear Fools

The Key is in the Bloom

Ignoring the jabs at their intelligence, Robin frantically went to the rose that grew delicately out of the vine on the marker. It was beautiful. Black, but when the light hit it, it was a dark plum color. Malchior is really going for those Raven references. He thought bitterly. He gently took the flower, attempting to see what kind of key the poem was talking about. He turned it this way and that, but there was nothing. In frustration, and fury, he ripped the flower from its vine.

Beast Boy shouted something at him, but he couldn't hear it. Instead he saw Beast Boy grab the vine.

Meaning he took his hands from his ears. Robin saw the moment where Beast Boy’s hearing went out, because his head snapped around, and fell on Robin’s face. Beast Boy opened his mouth to say something, but shook his head and took the vine in both hands now.

He pulled hard, and unwove it from the sign. It was buried deeply in the ground, and his hands started to bleed, but now that he knew what was at stake, for both Cyborg and Starfire... losing their hearing? He kept pulling.

Finally, he broke it free, and the four of them could see that it was in fact a weapon. At the end of the vine was the sharpest, blackest stone. It formed in a diamond at the end with wicked hooks littered all over it.

Beast Boy turned from his friends and, with an animal scream he could no longer hear for himself, swung the weapon in a huge circle at all the screaming wraiths. When they were hit with this particular weapon, they fell like black water to the earth. Raining upon them, the mist turned solid and each wraith, in no time, was nothing but black droplets on the grass and sand.

Beast Boy panted and dropped the vicious vine. His hands hurt like Hell, red blood adding to the black painting, but he had done it. Starfire and Cyborg would be fine. Even if he and Robin weren’t.

“Nice going, BB.” Cyborg said beside him, patting his shoulder. “How did you know you could do that?”

Beast Boy’s head snapped up, and so did Robin’s. They both gave each other a look, breaking out into the widest smiles. They could hear again!

Beast Boy cheered. “Whoo! YEAH!!!”

“What?” Cyborg asked. “What did I miss?”

“Nothing, dude.” Beast Boy laughed, coming down from his euphoria. No need to worry the other two with what had almost happened to them.

Robin came up next to him and nodded his approval. “How did you figure that out? The message said that the rose was the key.”

Beast Boy pointed at the message. “Well, first of all Malchior hates us. Duh. Of course he’d try to mess with us. He writes that the rose is Raven, and he never wants us to get her back. Obviously, the rose was a lie at the end. Also, he writes we need to “think”, and calls us fools. Dick.” He pointed at the vine now. “So I thought about it, and if it wasn’t the rose, it had to be the vine.”

Robin crossed his arms and smiled with approval while Starfire hugged Beast Boy and cracked his back. Cyborg laughed. “Nice, little dude.”

“Now…” Robin cut back into the conversation. “How do we get out of here?”

“You think it’s opened up now?”

Starfire pointed at the sign. It was crumbling, like sand it started to fall and disappear. Above them the glass ceiling made a cracking sound.

“Oh Shi--” The shattering of glass drowned out Cyborg’s comment and they all shielded their heads with their arms.

When it was over, Robin narrowed his eyes at his teammate. “Language.”

[dailyofficereadings]

Daily Office Readings August 12, 2019

Psalm 89

Psalm 89

God’s Covenant with David

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord,[a] forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. 2 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: 4 ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, 7 a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and awesome[b] above all that are around him? 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is as mighty as you, O Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds you. 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it—you have founded them. 12 The north and the south[c]—you created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance; 16 they exult in your name all day long, and extol[d] your righteousness. 17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: “I have set the crown[e] on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20 I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him; 21 my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted. 25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. 26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’ 27 I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28 Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him, and my covenant with him will stand firm. 29 I will establish his line forever, and his throne as long as the heavens endure. 30 If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my ordinances, 31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, 32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with scourges; 33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love, or be false to my faithfulness. 34 I will not violate my covenant, or alter the word that went forth from my lips. 35 Once and for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 His line shall continue forever, and his throne endure before me like the sun. 37 It shall be established forever like the moon, an enduring witness in the skies.”Selah

38 But now you have spurned and rejected him; you are full of wrath against your anointed. 39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. 40 You have broken through all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. 41 All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. 42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. 43 Moreover, you have turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not supported him in battle. 44 You have removed the scepter from his hand,[f] and hurled his throne to the ground. 45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame.Selah

46 How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how short my time is—[g] for what vanity you have created all mortals! 48 Who can live and never see death? Who can escape the power of Sheol?Selah

49 Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David? 50 Remember, O Lord, how your servant is taunted; how I bear in my bosom the insults of the peoples,[h] 51 with which your enemies taunt, O Lord, with which they taunted the footsteps of your anointed.

52 Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen and Amen.

Footnotes:

Psalm 89:1 Gk: Heb the steadfast love of the Lord

Psalm 89:7 Gk Syr: Heb greatly awesome

Psalm 89:12 Or Zaphon and Yamin

Psalm 89:16 Cn: Heb are exalted in

Psalm 89:19 Cn: Heb help

Psalm 89:44 Cn: Heb removed his cleanness

Psalm 89:47 Meaning of Heb uncertain

Psalm 89:50 Cn: Heb bosom all of many peoples

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

2 Samuel 13:23-39

Absalom Avenges the Violation of His Sister

23 After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Absalom came to the king, and said, “Your servant has sheepshearers; will the king and his servants please go with your servant?” 25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, or else we will be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast.[a] 28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Watch when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not myself commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons rose, and each mounted his mule and fled.

30 While they were on the way, the report came to David that Absalom had killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them was left. 31 The king rose, tore his garments, and lay on the ground; and all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. 32 But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; Amnon alone is dead. This has been determined by Absalom from the day Amnon[b] raped his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore, do not let my lord the king take it to heart, as if all the king’s sons were dead; for Amnon alone is dead.”

34 But Absalom fled. When the young man who kept watch looked up, he saw many people coming from the Horonaim road[c] by the side of the mountain. 35 Jonadab said to the king, “See, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36 As soon as he had finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, and raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son day after day. 38 Absalom, having fled to Geshur, stayed there three years. 39 And the heart of[d] the king went out, yearning for Absalom; for he was now consoled over the death of Amnon.

Footnotes:

2 Samuel 13:27 Gk Compare Q Ms: MT lacks Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast

2 Samuel 13:32 Heb he

2 Samuel 13:34 Cn Compare Gk: Heb the road behind him

2 Samuel 13:39 Q Ms Gk: MT And David

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Acts 20:17-38

Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders

17 From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. 18 When they came to him, he said to them:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. 20 I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus. 22 And now, as a captive to the Spirit,[a] I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. 24 But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.

25 “And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. 26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God[b] that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.[c] 29 I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. 35 In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. 37 There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.

Footnotes:

Acts 20:22 Or And now, bound in the spirit

Acts 20:28 Other ancient authorities read of the Lord

Acts 20:28 Or with his own blood; Gk with the blood of his Own

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Mark 9:42-50

Temptations to Sin

42 “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me,[a] it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell,[b] to the unquenchable fire.[c] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.[d][e] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell,[f] 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire.[g] 50 Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?[h] Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Footnotes:

Mark 9:42 Other ancient authorities lack in me

Mark 9:43 Gk Gehenna

Mark 9:43 Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are lacking in the best ancient authorities

Mark 9:45 Gk Gehenna

Mark 9:45 Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are lacking in the best ancient authorities

Mark 9:47 Gk Gehenna

Mark 9:49 Other ancient authorities either add or substitute and every sacrifice will be salted with salt

Mark 9:50 Or how can you restore its saltiness?

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[dailyofficereadings]

Daily Office Readings January 03, 2019 at 11:00PM

Psalm 85

Psalm 85

Prayer for the Restoration of God’s Favor

To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.

1 Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin.Selah 3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us. 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.[a] 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 12 The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

Footnotes:

Psalm 85:8 Gk: Heb but let them not turn back to folly

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Psalm 87

Psalm 87

The Joy of Living in Zion

Of the Korahites. A Psalm. A Song.

1 On the holy mount stands the city he founded; 2 the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.Selah

4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon; Philistia too, and Tyre, with Ethiopia[a]— “This one was born there,” they say.

5 And of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in it”; for the Most High himself will establish it. 6 The Lord records, as he registers the peoples, “This one was born there.”Selah

7 Singers and dancers alike say, “All my springs are in you.”

Footnotes:

Psalm 87:4 Or Nubia; Heb Cush

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Psalm 89:1-29

Psalm 89

God’s Covenant with David

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord,[a] forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. 2 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: 4 ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, 7 a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and awesome[b] above all that are around him? 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is as mighty as you, O Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds you. 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it—you have founded them. 12 The north and the south[c]—you created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance; 16 they exult in your name all day long, and extol[d] your righteousness. 17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: “I have set the crown[e] on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20 I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him; 21 my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted. 25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. 26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’ 27 I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28 Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him, and my covenant with him will stand firm. 29 I will establish his line forever, and his throne as long as the heavens endure.

Footnotes:

Psalm 89:1 Gk: Heb the steadfast love of the Lord

Psalm 89:7 Gk Syr: Heb greatly awesome

Psalm 89:12 Or Zaphon and Yamin

Psalm 89:16 Cn: Heb are exalted in

Psalm 89:19 Cn: Heb help

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Exodus 3:1-12

Moses at the Burning Bush

3 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

7 Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Hebrews 11:23-31

The Faith of Moses

23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.[a] 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered abuse suffered for the Christ[b] to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king’s anger; for he persevered as though[c] he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.[d]

The Faith of Other Israelite Heroes

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient,[e] because she had received the spies in peace.

Footnotes:

Hebrews 11:23 Other ancient authorities add By faith Moses, when he was grown up, killed the Egyptian, because he observed the humiliation of his people (Gk brothers)

Hebrews 11:26 Or the Messiah

Hebrews 11:27 Or because

Hebrews 11:28 Gk would not touch them

Hebrews 11:31 Or unbelieving

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

John 14:6-14

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know[a] my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me[b] for anything, I will do it.

Footnotes:

John 14:7 Other ancient authorities read If you had known me, you would have known

John 14:14 Other ancient authorities lack me

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[dailyofficereadings]

Daily Office Readings October 01, 2018

Psalm 89

Psalm 89

God’s Covenant with David

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord,[a] forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. 2 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: 4 ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, 7 a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and awesome[b] above all that are around him? 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is as mighty as you, O Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds you. 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it—you have founded them. 12 The north and the south[c]—you created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance; 16 they exult in your name all day long, and extol[d] your righteousness. 17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: “I have set the crown[e] on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20 I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him; 21 my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted. 25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. 26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’ 27 I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28 Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him, and my covenant with him will stand firm. 29 I will establish his line forever, and his throne as long as the heavens endure. 30 If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my ordinances, 31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, 32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with scourges; 33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love, or be false to my faithfulness. 34 I will not violate my covenant, or alter the word that went forth from my lips. 35 Once and for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 His line shall continue forever, and his throne endure before me like the sun. 37 It shall be established forever like the moon, an enduring witness in the skies.”Selah

38 But now you have spurned and rejected him; you are full of wrath against your anointed. 39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. 40 You have broken through all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. 41 All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. 42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. 43 Moreover, you have turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not supported him in battle. 44 You have removed the scepter from his hand,[f] and hurled his throne to the ground. 45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame.Selah

46 How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how short my time is—[g] for what vanity you have created all mortals! 48 Who can live and never see death? Who can escape the power of Sheol?Selah

49 Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David? 50 Remember, O Lord, how your servant is taunted; how I bear in my bosom the insults of the peoples,[h] 51 with which your enemies taunt, O Lord, with which they taunted the footsteps of your anointed.

52 Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen and Amen.

Footnotes:

Psalm 89:1 Gk: Heb the steadfast love of the Lord

Psalm 89:7 Gk Syr: Heb greatly awesome

Psalm 89:12 Or Zaphon and Yamin

Psalm 89:16 Cn: Heb are exalted in

Psalm 89:19 Cn: Heb help

Psalm 89:44 Cn: Heb removed his cleanness

Psalm 89:47 Meaning of Heb uncertain

Psalm 89:50 Cn: Heb bosom all of many peoples

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Hosea 2:14-23

14 Therefore, I will now allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. 15 From there I will give her her vineyards, and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she shall respond as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

16 On that day, says the Lord, you will call me, “My husband,” and no longer will you call me, “My Baal.”[a] 17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be mentioned by name no more. 18 I will make for you[b] a covenant on that day with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground; and I will abolish[c] the bow, the sword, and war from the land; and I will make you lie down in safety. 19 And I will take you for my wife forever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy. 20 I will take you for my wife in faithfulness; and you shall know the Lord.

21 On that day I will answer, says the Lord, I will answer the heavens and they shall answer the earth; 22 and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil, and they shall answer Jezreel;[d] 23 and I will sow him[e] for myself in the land. And I will have pity on Lo-ruhamah,[f] and I will say to Lo-ammi,[g] “You are my people”; and he shall say, “You are my God.”

Footnotes:

Hosea 2:16 That is, “My master”

Hosea 2:18 Heb them

Hosea 2:18 Heb break

Hosea 2:22 That is God sows

Hosea 2:23 Cn: Heb her

Hosea 2:23 That is Not pitied

Hosea 2:23 That is Not my people

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Acts 20:17-38

Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders

17 From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. 18 When they came to him, he said to them:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. 20 I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus. 22 And now, as a captive to the Spirit,[a] I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. 24 But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.

25 “And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. 26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God[b] that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.[c] 29 I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. 35 In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. 37 There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.

Footnotes:

Acts 20:22 Or And now, bound in the spirit

Acts 20:28 Other ancient authorities read of the Lord

Acts 20:28 Or with his own blood; Gk with the blood of his Own

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Luke 5:1-11

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

5 Once while Jesus[a] was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Footnotes:

Luke 5:1 Gk he

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[dailyofficereadings]

Daily Office Readings August 14, 2017

Psalm 89

Psalm 89

God’s Covenant with David

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord,[a] forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. 2 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: 4 ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, 7 a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and awesome[b] above all that are around him? 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is as mighty as you, O Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds you. 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it—you have founded them. 12 The north and the south[c]—you created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance; 16 they exult in your name all day long, and extol[d] your righteousness. 17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: “I have set the crown[e] on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20 I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him; 21 my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted. 25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. 26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’ 27 I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28 Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him, and my covenant with him will stand firm. 29 I will establish his line forever, and his throne as long as the heavens endure. 30 If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my ordinances, 31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, 32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with scourges; 33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love, or be false to my faithfulness. 34 I will not violate my covenant, or alter the word that went forth from my lips. 35 Once and for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 His line shall continue forever, and his throne endure before me like the sun. 37 It shall be established forever like the moon, an enduring witness in the skies.”Selah

38 But now you have spurned and rejected him; you are full of wrath against your anointed. 39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. 40 You have broken through all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. 41 All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. 42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. 43 Moreover, you have turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not supported him in battle. 44 You have removed the scepter from his hand,[f] and hurled his throne to the ground. 45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame.Selah

46 How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how short my time is—[g] for what vanity you have created all mortals! 48 Who can live and never see death? Who can escape the power of Sheol?Selah

49 Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David? 50 Remember, O Lord, how your servant is taunted; how I bear in my bosom the insults of the peoples,[h] 51 with which your enemies taunt, O Lord, with which they taunted the footsteps of your anointed.

52 Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen and Amen.

Footnotes:

Psalm 89:1 Gk: Heb the steadfast love of the Lord

Psalm 89:7 Gk Syr: Heb greatly awesome

Psalm 89:12 Or Zaphon and Yamin

Psalm 89:16 Cn: Heb are exalted in

Psalm 89:19 Cn: Heb help

Psalm 89:44 Cn: Heb removed his cleanness

Psalm 89:47 Meaning of Heb uncertain

Psalm 89:50 Cn: Heb bosom all of many peoples

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

2 Samuel 13:23-39

Absalom Avenges the Violation of His Sister

23 After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Absalom came to the king, and said, “Your servant has sheepshearers; will the king and his servants please go with your servant?” 25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, or else we will be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast.[a] 28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Watch when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not myself commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons rose, and each mounted his mule and fled.

30 While they were on the way, the report came to David that Absalom had killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them was left. 31 The king rose, tore his garments, and lay on the ground; and all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. 32 But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; Amnon alone is dead. This has been determined by Absalom from the day Amnon[b] raped his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore, do not let my lord the king take it to heart, as if all the king’s sons were dead; for Amnon alone is dead.”

34 But Absalom fled. When the young man who kept watch looked up, he saw many people coming from the Horonaim road[c] by the side of the mountain. 35 Jonadab said to the king, “See, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36 As soon as he had finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, and raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son day after day. 38 Absalom, having fled to Geshur, stayed there three years. 39 And the heart of[d] the king went out, yearning for Absalom; for he was now consoled over the death of Amnon.

Footnotes:

2 Samuel 13:27 Gk Compare Q Ms: MT lacks Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast

2 Samuel 13:32 Heb he

2 Samuel 13:34 Cn Compare Gk: Heb the road behind him

2 Samuel 13:39 Q Ms Gk: MT And David

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Acts 20:17-38

Paul Speaks to the Ephesian Elders

17 From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, asking the elders of the church to meet him. 18 When they came to him, he said to them:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the entire time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews. 20 I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus. 22 And now, as a captive to the Spirit,[a] I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and persecutions are waiting for me. 24 But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.

25 “And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. 26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God[b] that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.[c] 29 I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to warn everyone with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. 35 In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. 37 There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship.

Footnotes:

Acts 20:22 Or And now, bound in the spirit

Acts 20:28 Other ancient authorities read of the Lord

Acts 20:28 Or with his own blood; Gk with the blood of his Own

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Mark 9:42-50

Temptations to Sin

42 “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me,[a] it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell,[b] to the unquenchable fire.[c] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell.[d][e] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell,[f] 48 where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

49 “For everyone will be salted with fire.[g] 50 Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?[h] Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Footnotes:

Mark 9:42 Other ancient authorities lack in me

Mark 9:43 Gk Gehenna

Mark 9:43 Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are lacking in the best ancient authorities

Mark 9:45 Gk Gehenna

Mark 9:45 Verses 44 and 46 (which are identical with verse 48) are lacking in the best ancient authorities

Mark 9:47 Gk Gehenna

Mark 9:49 Other ancient authorities either add or substitute and every sacrifice will be salted with salt

Mark 9:50 Or how can you restore its saltiness?

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[dailyofficereadings]

Daily Office Readings January 04, 2017

Psalm 85

Psalm 85

Prayer for the Restoration of God’s Favor

To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.

1 Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin.Selah 3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us. 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.[a] 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 12 The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

Footnotes:

Psalm 85:8 Gk: Heb but let them not turn back to folly

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Psalm 87

Psalm 87

The Joy of Living in Zion

Of the Korahites. A Psalm. A Song.

1 On the holy mount stands the city he founded; 2 the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.Selah

4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon; Philistia too, and Tyre, with Ethiopia[a]— “This one was born there,” they say.

5 And of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in it”; for the Most High himself will establish it. 6 The Lord records, as he registers the peoples, “This one was born there.”Selah

7 Singers and dancers alike say, “All my springs are in you.”

Footnotes:

Psalm 87:4 Or Nubia; Heb Cush

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Psalm 89:1-29

Psalm 89

God’s Covenant with David

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord,[a] forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. 2 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: 4 ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, 7 a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and awesome[b] above all that are around him? 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is as mighty as you, O Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds you. 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. 11 The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it—you have founded them. 12 The north and the south[c]—you created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. 13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance; 16 they exult in your name all day long, and extol[d] your righteousness. 17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: “I have set the crown[e] on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20 I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him; 21 my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his horn shall be exalted. 25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. 26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’ 27 I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28 Forever I will keep my steadfast love for him, and my covenant with him will stand firm. 29 I will establish his line forever, and his throne as long as the heavens endure.

Footnotes:

Psalm 89:1 Gk: Heb the steadfast love of the Lord

Psalm 89:7 Gk Syr: Heb greatly awesome

Psalm 89:12 Or Zaphon and Yamin

Psalm 89:16 Cn: Heb are exalted in

Psalm 89:19 Cn: Heb help

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Exodus 3:1-12

Moses at the Burning Bush

3 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

7 Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Hebrews 11:23-31

The Faith of Moses

23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.[a] 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered abuse suffered for the Christ[b] to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king’s anger; for he persevered as though[c] he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.[d]

The Faith of Other Israelite Heroes

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient,[e] because she had received the spies in peace.

Footnotes:

Hebrews 11:23 Other ancient authorities add By faith Moses, when he was grown up, killed the Egyptian, because he observed the humiliation of his people (Gk brothers)

Hebrews 11:26 Or the Messiah

Hebrews 11:27 Or because

Hebrews 11:28 Gk would not touch them

Hebrews 11:31 Or unbelieving

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

John 14:6-14

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know[a] my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me[b] for anything, I will do it.

Footnotes:

John 14:7 Other ancient authorities read If you had known me, you would have known

John 14:14 Other ancient authorities lack me

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.