#Cobra Traffic Management

[noobforever]

The Womanizer and The Maneater Pt. 1

Dallas “Dally” Winston X Reader

Description: What happens when Dallas Winston, a boy known throughout Tulsa for running through women like hurdles, notices a new girl in town with spunk, charm, and crazy good looks running through boys like traffic cones and leaving them wanting more?

Authors notes: The songs that inspired me to write this are at the end! Give them a listen if you haven’t heard them already, they’re mad good.

I’m looking for any requests with The Outsiders, Back To The Future, The Karate Kid, Up The Academy, and Cobra Kai.

P. S, I hope you all enjoy as English is not my first language so please tell if there are any grammatical mistakes.

———————————————————————————

Whistles were heard through the air. The sound of black heels clicking against the rough pavement of Tulsa echoed, leaving men turning their heads and one car even slowing down to simply get a glimpse of this supposed girl.

Quite the beaut to see, a blossoming belladonna knowing her effects on passersby, yet seemingly acting nonchalantly at the occurrence as if it’s a normal act for her to be catching eyes like a lone flower in a garden. Because it is.

She’s a youthful, charming lady by the name of Y/N. A suave girl able to attract men from anywhere, but also a maneater of sorts.

To be frank a maneater of many sorts. She was well aware of her effects on boys from an early age, and well, she decided to play into it.

At first she didn’t do it for fun, she genuinely wanted a nice, long relationship. However, she figured out that after a little bit, no matter the person, the gifts, the looks, nor money, she always found herself bored.

In other words she could never find one man enough to satisfy her constant changing tastes. So she started viewing it as a game of sorts.

“It” as in “love”

She went through boys like traffic cones, seeing who lasted longer, who’d give her the best gifts, who had the best hair, who had the best voice, who this, that, this, that, this. Leaving them with broken hearts, yet still.. yearning for more of her.

In her defense, she couldn’t help it, she just lost interest after a bit of time, and who was anyone to judge her? In her opinion it was a good thing she didn’t lead them on thinking that she still wanted them.

Y/N had two rules to herself

Those were to never. ever. Date the same boy twice

And to never. ever. Date a boy whilst having eyes for another.

And Y/N never broke them.

———————————————————————————

Luscious h/c hair flowing in the wind, she moves a hand softly to place a strand out of her face, behind her ear, whilst the other clutches a small handbag. A lovely fitted dress capturing all of her curves perfectly as she walked.

She seems to catch all eyes, nothing less being expected from her, however, one pair belonging to a certain grease decides to take the extra step as to follow her, this man being none other than Dallas Winston himself.

A young man that some would classify as a “womanizer” He flirted with random chicks, slept with them, lead them on, toyed with them, and so much more. However to him, he just didn’t care. Dally did what he wanted, when he wanted, didn’t care about the repercussions, and that applied to everything, including girls.

He took one last drag from his cigarette, observing the girl moving past him, before tossing the cancer stick on the ground and putting it out with his boot in a firm, yet swift movement. Dally started walking and began to speed up his pace gradually.

He eventually managed to get up close enough behind her to the point where he was sure that she could hear him. So of course he did as expected of any degenerate such as himself with his eyes on a girl like that, and whistled at her.

However, to his dismay she continued walking by as if nothing happened. “Hey!” He walked faster, catching up to her side.

Finally managing to grab her attention enough for her to glance at him he began speaking. “Hey pretty girl I know that you heard me.” His thick, New York accent coming out . “C’mon- Don’t you know it ain’t exactly nice to ignore somebody huh?” Dally huffs.

“Yeah, I heard you all right, as well as all the other guys doing the same thing.” She scoffs. “I mean-Don’t you know that it’s not exactly nice to catcall somebody?” Y/N continues walking, with her head tilted up slightly in an attempt to dismiss him.

“Yeah yeah whatever man, but if it keeps getting girls like you talking to me, then what the hell!” He laughs after spouting his cheesy blabber, and remains alongside her.

“Ain’t you got somewhere to be?” She retorts.

He lets out a quick hum and responds sleazily “Nah, ‘m fresh out the cooler baby.. looking for a new broad myself.. and hey.. you look pretty new to me, you got a name sweetheart?” He removes his hands out of the pockets of his black leather jacket.

Clutching her bag a little tighter, she takes in the appearance of him, with ragged yet fitting dark hair, chiseled cheekbones, and fair skin, she replies after a quick thought, “Well that’s because I am new here, hun. And why exactly should I give you my name hm?.”

“Because I asked nicely, and I’m never nice.” He responds truthfully.

“Well.. if that sounds like a good reason to you,” She rolls her eyes. “I’m Y/N, Y/N L/N.” Y/N turns her head slightly and gives him a quick nod, taking in his appearance once more, then moving her head back forward.

“Dallas, Dallas Winston. Call me Dally. I’m sure you might’ve heard of me already, and if you haven’t then you’ll be in for a real treat..” He says pridefully.

Playfully she responds, “Call you Dally?” “Well if you keep following me around like some little lost puppy I might just have to call animal control on ya.” She giggles softly, hoping he takes the joke light heartedly.

“Funny girl huh? I like that..”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah..”

She makes a sudden turn to the left, bumping into him and losing her balance, just for him to pull her in by the waist and holding a firm grip on her arm to hold her right back up. “Easy there Y/N, fall one more time and you might just end up falling for me.” He teases. “Although, I don’t think I’d mind that at all.” Dally lets go of Y/N once he knows that she’s stable.

“Thank you but, haha, you’re very funny- no not really. But whatever helps you sleep at night, Dals.” She jokes once more, a little bluntly near the end before continuing towards the music store, without making any effort to try and say goodbye.

She reels him in, -leaving him there, and leaving him wanting more. She’s done it before to others, and already knows that she’s doin it again to him.

Nonetheless he does what any boy such as himself would do, and he follows right on her trail. He takes a step and opens the door for her right before she walks in.

They both smile.

But for different reasons.

Feeling satisfied, thinking that he’s gonna some fun with her for a bit, see what she’s all about, he smiles.

Delighted, thinking that she has another guy to test and trial for a bit, ‘n see what he’s all about, she smiles.

“Quite the doll aren’t you?”

“Don’t mention it sweetheart.”

The bells connected to the door ring, alarming the man at the front desk. “Evening!”

“Evening!” Y/N waves in response kindly.

They were going to have fun.

T.B.C (if y’all want ofc)

[ruvviks]

hiii bones i desperately need to know more about the time seb and cassidy got chased by the NCPD and then hit by a car in front of the hospital i'm sorry i ended up getting obsessed with a small detail

HIII RENA THANK YOU SO MUCH it's honestly one of my favorite encounters of them all 😭 for context, there's a total of 28 encounters between january 2077 and december 2077; this encounter is the 13th encounter and it happens in the end of june 2077 (which, if you're interested, lines up with the in-game events in my canon with vincent and would happen around the same time of the parade; so while all of that serious business is going on you got these two clowns getting hit by a car SBHGFDJGDFJGD)

basically what happens is that for once, cassidy is not out to kill seb; he's having a moment in a bar and seb happens to show up at the exact same place, then believes that cassidy did in fact show up there to kill him (which usually is indeed the case) and this prompts a fight between the two which ends up escalating rather quickly into a full-blown bar fight. fun!

that is until the ncpd shows up and starts to arrest people left and right but naturally so, since this is night city, the cops end up getting dragged into the bar fight as well. at some point seb and cassidy manage to stumble out of the bar (well. one of them gets flung through the window and the other stumbles out of the bar) and one of the few still standing cops in the midst of the chaos and panic ends up arresting them?? sort of??? but also needs to call for reinforcements and he ends up just. handcuffing them together. oops

and then they need to run the fuck away from the cops because cassidy is wanted dead or alive by maxtac and kang tao and lowkey militech as well and seb is wanted very much dead by arasaka so if either of them were to get captured by the ncpd they'd be in a bit of a pickle. a big one

so! cue to a chase scene through night city (i feel like it's important to mention once more that seb is 1.99m tall with silvery gray hair that stands out in a crowd and cassidy is 2.01m tall with peach pink hair that. you guessed it. stands out in a crowd) in which they're mostly trying to outrun several ncpd vehicles but also around every corner they try to kill each other. while still being handcuffed together. on more than one occasion they would also end up falling into each other's arms and touching hands and all the other gay shit you'd expect from me and andy in our writing but that's not important right now

the chase ends pretty abruptly when they've managed to outrun the ncpd but they're still trying to fuck each other up which results in them running into traffic and then getting hit by a fucking car right at the entrance of the hospital =D obviously the driver is very worried and checks them in at the hospital so they can get looked at. they're still handcuffed together. no one questions it it's night city. they're now stuck in a waiting room for about 45 minutes with crying children, arguing couples, staring elderly people, etc etc, WHILE handcuffed to their arch nemesis. and they can't even kill each other about it

as funny as this whole idea is, the scene ends with them outside the hospital and amanda (seb's best friend and another member of the cobras, his gang) unlocks the handcuffs for them. and cassidy makes eye contact with seb very briefly. and then starts walking backwards and quickly turns around and leaves. and that's where it ends

because despite the fact that yes he does really need to kill this man, at that point it's become much more than just that contract that he signed with his mysterious client. with both seb and cassidy the other is fascinating to them and it's kind of become a game; they're each other's equal in combat which has RARELY happened before, it's kind of like enrichment?? obviously it's also infuriating and they're both going insane but at the same time it would by then have become something that they both rely on. creating intricate rituals to be close to another man etc etc

it's kind of like. violence as a love language honestly. like knowing what the future holds for them and all this is just. slowly but surely transforming into something entirely else than just two guys trying to kill each other because they both know that it's never gonna happen. they know the other isn't gonna kill them and they know they'll never be able to kill the other so really what does that all mean then? what's left? they could easily stop but that would mean they won't ever see each other again because well they're enemies. they can't suddenly become friends. they're both just kind of. waiting i guess?? to see where it goes. because maybe one day things will be different... not that they would ever admit to anyone let alone themselves that they would like for things to be different but like. it's about the subconscious yearning of it all. do you see the vision

anyway this got very long but i could've gone on for longer because. as you could probably guess. andy and i wrote out shit like this for every single encounter SBHGJMKFDGBFDJGKDF and then!!!! we have entire LISTS of jobs and targets for the later eras (this here is what we call killing era on account of the. well. there's a significant lack of killing but it's about the attempts i guess) with again. so much detail. THERE'S JUST SO MUCH WE HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY

[affordablelightingusa]

Cobra Head Lights: Everything You Need to Know

Cobra head lights are commonly used in outdoor lighting. They are named after their unique shape, which resembles the head of a cobra. These lights are typically found on streets, highways, and parking lots. Cobra head lights are known for their efficiency and reliability.

Design of Cobra Head Lights

The design of cobra head lights is simple yet effective. Their curved shape allows them to focus light downwards, ensuring that the light is distributed evenly over a large area. This also helps reduce light pollution, making them ideal for illuminating roads and public spaces.

Efficiency of Cobra Head Lights

Cobra headlights are energy-efficient. Most modern cobra headlights use LED technology. LED lights consume less power than traditional bulbs, helping reduce energy costs for cities and businesses. Additionally, LEDs have a longer lifespan, reducing the need for frequent replacements and maintenance.

Advantages of Cobra Head Lights

There are many advantages to using cobra head lights. First, they provide excellent visibility at night. This improves safety on roads and in public areas. Drivers can see better, and pedestrians feel safer. The even distribution of light prevents dark spots.

Second, Cobra head lights are durable. They are built to withstand harsh weather conditions. Whether it’s rain, snow, or strong winds, these lights continue to function properly, making them a reliable option for outdoor lighting.

Third, cobra head lights are environmentally friendly. Since they use less energy, they help reduce carbon emissions. Many cities are switching to LED cobra head lights to become more eco-friendly.

Applications of Cobra Head Lights

Cobra head lights are used in many different locations. You will often see them on highways and major roads. They provide bright and consistent lighting for drivers. They are also used in parking lots to ensure safety.

In addition, cobra head lights are common in parks and public spaces. Their even lighting helps create a safe environment for visitors. Some businesses also use them in large outdoor areas like loading docks or warehouses.

Installation and Maintenance

Installing Cobra head lights is relatively simple. They are mounted on poles, which can vary in height depending on the area. Maintenance is minimal, especially with LED cobra head lights. However, occasional checks are necessary to ensure they are working properly.

Replacing traditional cobra head lights with LED versions is also a popular upgrade. This change can save money in the long run due to reduced energy consumption and fewer replacements.

The Future of Cobra Head Lights

The future of cobra head lights is bright. More cities are adopting LED versions to reduce energy costs. In addition, advancements in technology are making these lights smarter. Some cobra head lights now come with sensors. These sensors can adjust the brightness based on the time of day or the amount of traffic. This further improves energy efficiency.

Smart lighting systems using cobra head lights are becoming more common. These systems allow cities to monitor and control street lighting remotely, which can lead to better energy management and quicker repair response times.

Cobra head lights continue to be a top choice for outdoor lighting due to their practicality and low maintenance. Their ability to withstand harsh weather, along with energy-saving LED technology, makes them an ideal solution for cities looking to cut costs. As technology advances, these lights will only become smarter and more efficient.

Conclusion

Cobra headlights are a reliable and efficient choice for outdoor lighting. They provide excellent illumination for roads, parking lots, and public spaces. With their energy-efficient design and durability, Cobra head lights are a cost-effective solution for cities and businesses alike. With advancements in smart lighting technology, the future looks even better.

[jcmarchi]

7 advanced persistent threats (APTs) to know about right now - CyberTalk

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/7-advanced-persistent-threats-apts-to-know-about-right-now-cybertalk/

7 advanced persistent threats (APTs) to know about right now - CyberTalk

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

An unseen adversary could stealthily lurk within your networks for months or even years. Methodically reconnoitering, establishing footholds, mapping out critical assets – this is the modus operandi of Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs).

These sophisticated, well-resourced actors don’t just strike and disappear. Rather, they entrench themselves within systems while obfuscating their presence as they move towards their ultimate objective; a devastating cyber attack. By the time that a given organization detects an APT, the damage might have already been done.

Believe it or not, 80% of organizations have contended with downtime due to APT incidents.

Develop a stronger understanding of the APT landscape and the adversaries that are targeting your industry. Beyond that, learn about mitigation techniques that can strengthen your security and fortify your resilience capabilities. Get the details below.

7 advanced persistent threats to know about right now

1. The US-CERT has released a technical alert regarding two malware strains; Joanap and Brambul, deployed by the North Korean APT group known as Hidden Cobra.

The alert, issued in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), explains that Hidden Cobra has been using these malware variants since at least 2009. Targets have included organizations in the media, aerospace, finance and critical infrastructure space.

Joanap is a remote access trojan (RAT) that allows Hidden Cobra operatives to remotely issue commands to infected systems via a command and control server. It usually infiltrates systems as a payload dropped by other Hidden Cobra malware, which people inadvertently download through compromised ads or attachments.

In contrast, Brambul is a brute-force authentication worm that propagates through SMB shares by using a list of hard-coded login credentials to perform password attacks; thereby gaining access to victims’ networks.

To mitigate the risks associated with these threats, US-CERT advises organizations to keep systems updated with the latest patches and antivirus software, to enforce the principle of least privilege for user permissions and to deploy effective email security software that can scan and block suspicious attachments.

In addition, disabling Microsoft’s File and Printer Sharing connection requests can prevent this type of malware from spreading within networks.

2. A new advanced persistent threat group, dubbed LilacSquid, engages in data exfiltration attacks across various industry sectors in both the U.S. and the E.U. The tactics employed by the threat group are similar to those of the North Korean threat group known as Andariel, a sub-cluster of the Lazarus group.

LilacSquid’s initial compromise methods include exploitation of known vulnerabilities in internet-facing application servers and use of stolen RDP credentials. After infiltrating a system, LilacSquid leverages a series of open-source tools, including MeshAgent, which allows for remote management, and InkLoader, which allows for decrypting and loading malicious content.

To mitigate the threat posed by LilacSquid, organizations are advised to focus on ensuring that software systems are up-to-date with the latest security patches. It is also suggested that organizations implement strong password policies and multi-factor authentication. Further, organizations should monitor network traffic and deploy advanced threat detection tools.

3. In Southeast Asia, a trio of state-aligned threat actors are executing Operation Crimson Palace, which is currently impacting a high-profile government group. Attackers have exfiltrated sensitive military and political secrets, including strategic documents related to the contested South China Sea.

The operation weaponizes advanced malware tools, involves over 15 DLL sideloading efforts, and innovative evasion techniques.

The operation’s first phase, in March of 2022, involved the deployment of the “Nupakage” data exfiltration tool by Mustang Panda. This was followed by covert backdoor deployments in December of that year. In early 2023, the main campaign began.

To mitigate this type of threat, organizations may wish to implement comprehensive cyber security measures. These include robust network segmentation, regular system updates and advanced threat protection systems that can identify novel malware and backdoor techniques. Also, consider investing in security solutions that use AI.

4. To infiltrate European diplomatic agencies, nation-state backed hackers (attribution unclear) have recently leveraged two new backdoors, known as LunarWeb and LunarMail. The hackers breached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs belonging to an undisclosed European country – one with diplomatic missions in the Middle East.

The attack chain initiates with spear-phishing emails that contain Word documents embedded with malicious macros, which deploy the LunarMail backdoor. This backdoor establishes persistence by creating an Outlook add-in, which activates anytime that the email client is launched.

The attack also exploits misconfigured Zabbix network monitoring tools to deliver the LunarWeb payload. LunarWeb persists by masquerading as legitimate traffic, utilizing techniques such as the creation of Group Policy extensions, replacing system DDLs, and embedding in legitimate software. Both backdoors are decrypted and activated by a component named ‘LunarLoader’ using RC4 and AES-256 ciphers, ensuring that they run exclusively within the targeted environment.

To prevent these types of threats, organizations should install robust email security protocols. Using advanced threat prevention and detection systems is also a must when it comes to enhancing APT resilience.

5. State-backed hacking group APT24 has recently employed advanced social engineering approaches to disrupt networks and to access cloud data across a variety of sectors. The group targets organizations in Western and Middle Eastern NGOs, media organizations, academia, legal services and activists.

The group’s tactics involve posing as journalists and event organizers. This strategy enables APT42 to harvest credentials and gain initial access to cloud environments, from which the group can exfiltrate attractive data.

To counteract these types of threats, take the time to learn about the latest social engineering tactics. Threat intelligence can also enhance an organization’s abilities to contend with such sophisticated campaigns.

6. The advanced persistent threat (APT) operation known as HellHounds has been deploying the Windows version of Decoy Dog malware against telecommunications, IT, government and space industry entities across Russia. At least 48 different organizations have been affected thus far.

To maintain a presence within Russian organizations and to evade malware defenses, the HellHounds group has modified open-source tools. The HellHounds toolkit, though primarily based on open-source projects, has been optimized to ensure prolonged covert operations within compromised environments.

To mitigate this threat, organizations are advised to implement robust multi-factor authentication, regularly update and patch systems, and to employ advanced threat prevention and defense solutions.

7. APT28 is targeting European networks using HeadLace malware and credential harvesting techniques. Operating with stealth, APT28 employes legitimate internet service (LIS) and living off-the-land binaries (LOLBins) to hide their malicious activities within the stream of regular network traffic, significantly complicating detection efforts.

To mitigate the threat, cyber security professionals are advised to block spear phishing attempts, implement comprehensive email security services, and apply multi-factor authentication.

For more insights into the latest malware threats, please see CyberTalk.org’s past coverage. Lastly, to receive cyber security thought leadership articles, groundbreaking research and emerging threat analyses each week, subscribe to the CyberTalk.org newsletter.

[zipper-neck]

What level of thought did you exercise?

Each "level" measures how well a solution to a problem was thought trough.

Level 1 solutions, the lowest level, usually reflect a lack of understanding about a problem and are either laughably ineffective or have unforeseen consequences.

An example of Level 1 thought: A manager notices their department is struggling to meet its fulfillment goal. So, the manager raises the goal. This is a Level 1 solution because the manager addressed only a superficial aspect of the problem without looking into the deeper causes that affect the department's performance. The manager assumes the workers are struggling because they are complacent and therefore need a higher goal. (Yes this is based on a real situation).

Another example is the story behind the "Cobra Effect," where there were too many cobras in Delhi, so the British government put a bounty on them. This resulted in people exploiting this by breeding cobras to collect bounty on their corpses. When the program ended, there were more cobras than what they started with.

Level 2 thought is an attempt to anticipate the effects of a solution further, and try to understand the nature of a problem to take more effective action.

For example: A city has too much traffic congestion. The city planners realize that building more car lanes does not alleviate the problem. So they research the issue and decide to implement more robust public transit and modify zoning laws so that other options besides driving become more attractive.

Level 3 thought looks at one's perception of the problem to overcome myopia and encourage creative solutions. It is making sure that you are not getting stuck in one way of viewing the problem, like the phrase "when you have a hammer, all problems look like nails." It takes a holistic, context-aware approach to problem-solving.

An example of Level 3 thought: A new hotel manager notices the staff feel apathetic about their jobs. Instead of thinking in terms of rigid hierarchical structures and disciplining them, the manager instead arranges a meeting with all the staff. The staff state what they would like the hotel to be like and what its goals should be, in a democratic manner. This gives them a sense of ownership towards the hotel rather than feeling like just a "cog in the machine."

The story of the "Rat Park" experiment is, I think, another example of Level 3 thought.

There might be higher levels than this, which I tentatively call "straight-up inspiration from God telling you the solution."

[imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl]

All Of Me {Part 07 of 13}

Pairing: Robby Keene X Reader

Chapter word count: 2K

Summary: Being the new girl in the Valley wasn't as bad as you expected, and you were finding your place when the dynamite you were living into exploded. You were kicked out of your house by your stepfather with nothing but a backpack with a few pieces of clothing. There was nowhere to go, and you were preparing yourself to spend the night in the streets when a guy finds you. After being invited to crash at his place, you didn't know the war you were walking into. A war you became determined to end.

<- Previous part (06)

Next Part (08) ->

{Cobra Kai Masterlist}

Dance With Me

With only three days before Sunday, it's understandable that you have two friends - with very different tastes - driving you nuts about the dress. You were going to put on something you had, but both Sam and Piper said that you have to buy something special. On the same day Sam took you to see some options, and Piper, later on, took you to very expensive stores. The dresses there were amazing, but there's no way you will spend that much money on a dress you'll use only once.

But, the moment you set foot in the dojo talking about expensive dresses and the lack of money, you got Sensei Silver's attention. And at the end of it, you did buy a rather expensive dress, Robby got an expensive suit, and Silver said he would have someone bring one of his cars. In his words 'Cobra Kai must be seen in all its glory', even at Valentine's day school party.

So, when Sunday comes, you're finishing styling your hair in the bathroom at 7:30 pm, thirty minutes into the party already. But you don't mind. The best music never comes up in the beginning anyway, and, buying into this whole Coka Kai thing, you do want to be fashionably late.

You have your hair in waves flowing down your shoulders, with the top pinned up and braided, with a few strands of hair framing your face. The dress you got is a dark shade of red, a cherry tone, and the glistening fabric shines when you move. The dress hugs your body perfectly, and the cut on the left, reaching up to the middle of your thigh, will give you enough freedom to dance.

When you're done, you leave the bathroom and put on the black pump high heels. Then, is time to go. Robby is outside waiting, and you take a deep breath before moving. Crossing the tatami in these shoes is quite an adventure, but you manage without accidents. When you pull the dojo door open, Robby turns around. And the first thing you notice isn't the luxury car he's leaning on. It's just him, in a dark grey suit, looking like a movie star.

“You-”

“You're stunning.” He says before you can, eyes moving up and down your body as you walk over to him. “I took a peek at the dress yesterday but... I had no idea you'd make the dress look so much better with you in it.”

Now, your entire face is burning hot. “Thanks...” You mutter, looking down at your hands. “You look amazing too.”

“Nobody will notice me, not with you looking like that,” Robby says and moves to open the door for you. “Let's get going.”

“Which car is this? Looks expensive.” You give it a quick look before getting in, the yellow color making a clear reference to the dojo.

“It's a Ferrari 458.” He pushes the door close. “Probably worths more than the entire block.”

“Don't crash it.” You snap and he laughs.

And, as you expected, the car flies. Robby speeds through every yellow traffic light. And you don't mind it, you're already having fun even before getting to the party. But it's always like this with Robby, no matter where you are, or what you're doing, you're having fun.

He parks near the entrance, because the place is full, and then, much to your surprise, Robby opens the door for you. “Whoa. Such a gentleman.” With a smile, you take his hand and get out of the car. “You know... We should leave our phones here. There will be enough pictures of us as it is.”

Robby nods, looking down at you. “No interruptions. I like it.” He throws his phone in the passenger seat, and you do the same. “Now, my lady...” Robby gives you his arm, which you take with a smile. “You're blushing.”

“Oh, shut it!” You squeeze his arm, and he laughs.

There's still a bunch of people getting here, so you're among them as you walk around the school to the entrance they made in the back. And... It's pretty much as you expected.

“That's... Cheesy.” You say, looking at the many years and cupid decorations they set on the short hall that leads to the gym.

“It's a school party for Valentine's Day. What did you expect?”

“I guess you're right.” Shrugging your shoulders, you're about to say something else when you step into the gym, crossing the red curtains they put here, pulled open... And you're quite impressed. The decoration isn't in overwhelming shades of red and pink. They're there, but the whole thing is much more sophisticated, with fake candles, red roses on the tables, and little white lights throughout the place. “I take it back. That's actually really good.”

“Yeah... I'm impressed.”

“Hey, (Y/N)!” A short boy with blond hair and a camera, Ryan, comes to talk to you. “I'm taking pictures of the couples. Can I take it?”

The familiar burning comes to your face, and you're about to find an excuse when Robby wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you close. Ryan takes that as a yes, holding the camera up. Moving closer to him, you smile. Robby's face is very close to yours, and you wonder if the camera will get your blushing cheeks. Ryan snaps two pictures, and for the second one, Robby kisses your cheek.

“Let's find our table.” You say, but halfway there, fast music starts to play, and you and Robby exchange a glance.

“Oh no, princess. We're hitting the dance floor.” He says and the next thing you know is that you're dancing, moving to the beat with Robby's body way too close.

But you don't care. And you care much less about the stares you're getting, and you only stop dancing to say hi to your friends as they pass by. But other than that, Robby has your undivided attention, and you both laugh, holding onto each other and ignoring the teachers that come to say something about the acceptable distance between the students. You answer by saying that Robby isn't a student, so the rule doesn't apply to him.

That works for a while until the principal himself comes, recognizing Robby immediately... And that's when you're told he's forbidden to come into the school. You try to argue, to say that what happened was an accident, but the man says rules are rules and then insists on escorting Robby out of the building.

“You should stay,” Robby says when you're outside, walking to the car as the principal stands there, staring, making sure he'll leave. “Your friends are in there, I'm sure they wouldn't leave you alone.”

“I know.” You say, shrugging. “But then you'd be alone. You shouldn't be alone on Valentine's Day.”

When you get to the car, Robby pulls the door open and looks at you. “Then we should go somewhere else. It's still early and I don't want the night to be over just yet.”

At that, you smile, nodding before getting inside the car. “Me neither.”

Robby smiles and pushes the door close, and soon after you hit the road. You don't ask where he's taking you, and it doesn't look like he'll tell.

The ride is filled with small talk about school. Who was with who, who broke with who, as you update him on all the gossip about the people he used to study with.

Half an hour later, you see where he's taking you. “The beach!” You exclaim when you see it. “Amazing.”

“I knew you'd like it.” Shortly after, Robby parks, and you rush off the car, taking your shoes off before walking towards the beach.

The sand looks silver under the faint street lights, and the ocean, with the sweet sound of the crashing waves, is pitch black. But suddenly, lights are turned up, and when you turn around, you see that Robby turned the headlights on... And then, a soft song starts playing.

“I was waiting for the slow songs to play at the school but we didn't get to that part,” Robby says as he comes to join you on the beach.

The wind messes with your hair, and you hold it with a hand to keep it off your face. “It looks like you wanted a romantic turn on the events...” You feel yourself growing hotter as you say this, which is good because the wind coming from the ocean is quite cold.

“Is it that obvious?” When he's close to you, Robby places his hands on your waist, and you start to swing from side to side, to the rhythm of the song. But you don't want to answer because you're too scared to have misunderstood something. “What? You don't like this?”

“Slow dancing at the beach? Of course I like it.” Taking a deep breath, you bite your lip, looking up at him. “What girl wouldn't?”

“I don't care about other girls. I care about you.”

Again, you don't know what to say. And you're about to say something funny when ‘All Of Me’ by John Legend starts playing. “That's... A pretty song.”

“It is.”

And for a while, nobody says anything. You just dance, the lyrics making you feel... Weird, as you try not to let it sink in. And you fail.

And that failing comes when Robby starts humming the song, in your ear, and then, when the chorus comes, he starts singing in a low voice, barely a whisper. “Cause all of me loves all of you... Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections...”

“I had fun back at the school.” It comes out suddenly, you're not even sure how because there's a lump in your throat.

“I always have fun when I'm with you.” He says, moving away just enough to look down at you. “I had plans to bring you here after the party, because every time we were about to have a moment, someone interrupts.”

Furrowing your eyebrows, you tilt your head to the side a little. “What do you mean?”

He smiles. “One of the Senseis calls, or one of the guys... On your second day, it was the stupid pizza guy.”

“The pizza guy...?” You do remember that day, when somehow you ended up talking about kissing.

“I've been wanting to kiss you since that day.” He admits, and the cold wind isn't enough to cool down your skin, and you know the headlights are like spotlights on you now, making your blushing cheeks shine against the dark beach.

“You do?”

“I thought it would go away... I thought these feelings would fade away but they didn't. I live with you and the moment I'm not with you, I already miss you.”

“Robby, what...”

“I'm not a good influence. You can ask any of your Miyagi-Do or Eagle Fang friends, I know exactly what they'll say about me. But... I really wanna see if this could work. Because I can't keep you off my mind, (Y/N).”

Without taking your eyes off him, you hold the collar of his suit, standing on your toes. “Then kiss me...” You mutter, being braver than ever, way more than on your first class at the dojo. “There's nobody to interrupt us now.”

Robby's smile only grows brighter, and, as he leans closer, you close your eyes. The moment you have his lips on yours, it feels like you've been waiting for this. Maybe even before meeting him at all. It was <him> you craved for, this sensation of not just kissing and being kissed, but of kissing the right guy.

You can't remember now the types of kisses Robby told you about that day, but you don't care. The kiss starts sweet and slow, just a couple of pecks before you part your lips a little, and from that point on, Robby takes over, guiding you. But he's gentle, waiting for you to get used to his pace. It doesn't take long until you wrap your arms around his neck, your entire body pressed against his.

You're not sure if it's the giggles coming from somewhere to your left or the fact that you're almost breathless that makes you break apart. But you remain close, foreheads touching. “Robby, I really-” You start, but you're suddenly hit by a wave, the cold water reaching up to your knees making you gasp in surprise. “Damn!”

Robby laughs, holding you up by the waist. “The tide is catching up to us.”

“I think the dress is ruined.” It comes out in laughter because you don't really care.

“I don't want the night to end, but it's late. And we have school tomorrow.” Robby says, setting you down when the wave flows back to the ocean.

“Well, we have tomorrow... And the day after, and the day after that, so... It doesn't really end, does it?” You're not sure what you mean, but Robby gets it. He smiles, and you both start making your way back to the car.

The ride home is filled with some 80's rock and roll music, that you sing at the top of your lungs, with the windows rolled down. He doesn't care, and neither do you. Once you're back home, after stumbling through the dojo among giggles and laughter, you both just crash into bed, catching your breath.

“I think we should change out of these expensive clothes,” Robby mutters after a while, his voice filling the silence. “Might be a waste. We could find nice places to wear them to.”

“Mm... I really don't want to get up now...” You reply, eyes already closed.

“Alright, then, princess...” He says, and you feel it when he moves, pulling you closer. Resisting it doesn't even cross your mind, so you just move until you have your head on his chest.

@eddiemunsonsbattoo

[one-boring-person]

A Game Of Numbers. (Part 6)

Marion "Cobra" Cobretti x reader

Warnings: death, corpse description, swearing, injury detail, blood detail

Context: When a string of seemingly connected murders and kidnappings break out in LA, Cobretti is called in to figure out what is going on. He is, however, not alone in his investigation. Lieutenant "Hawk" (Y/l/n) is deployed to help him, though it quickly becomes clear that the crimes taking place are not as random as they first thought, but rather a little more personal than either of them would hope.

A/n: I am slowly but surely losing interest in this story, but I'll try to stick it out 😅

Masterlist

"So, Miss Lloyd. You say you witnessed the abduction of the two victims?" Hawk starts off the inquiry, not choosing to use the names of the victims, given that the press has somehow managed to weasel its way into the case and spread news of the investigation.

"Yes, I did. It was horrible." She confirms, casting a very brief look at the lieutenant she is speaking to.

"Any chance you could elaborate on that?" Hawk pushes, trying to keep her irritation out of her voice as she observes the woman across from her.

"Oh, yes, of course." Lloyd settles herself in the chair, eyebrows pulled together in concentration, "Well, I was out after work, last week, and I was passing by one of the clubs near my house, called Eclipse, I think. I was going to take a shortcut home, when I saw three people in an alleyway nearby. One of them was a woman, and the other two were men, but one of them was pushing the other two around. Their voices were raised, and the pair were fighting back, but then the other guy made some threat, and they went quiet. I didn't stop to figure out what happened after his, I just wanted to get out of there. It was very scary, you know."

"I can imagine." Hawk mutters as she takes some notes on a scrap of paper, "What time was this?"

"Oh, about five o'clock? Maybe a bit later? I didn't check the time." Lloyd casts her gaze back to Cobra, "You don't say too much, do you, handsome?"

At this, Hawk bristles a little, an inexplicable feeling flaring to life within her as a pang goes through her heart. Cobretti only shrugs, chewing his matchstick.

"My colleague is doing a good job, there's no need for me to talk." He responds evenly, sending his partner a look of appraisal.

"If you're sure." She frowns, appearing a little put out by this.

"I am." Cobretti nods, leaning on his hand as he waits for the interview to continue.

"So, Miss Lloyd, is there any chance you can describe the people you saw in any more detail?" Hawk questions, ignoring the disappointed look on the other woman's face.

"The woman was small, and was quite skinny. The man that was being pushed around wasn't so easy to see, but I'm pretty sure he was also very skinny, and quite tall. The other guy was very tall, and had a very muscular build. He was intimidating to me."

"And that's all you can remember?" Hawk probes, looking thoughtful.

"Well, in pretty sure I also remember the strong man pulling a big knife on them, like a kitchen knife, and cutting the girl with it."

The two lieutenants exchange a glance, going to continue the conversation until they're interrupted by the door slamming open. Snapping round, Hawk and Cobra instantly frown as they see Monte standing there, the detective red in the face, breathing heavily.

"What do you want?" Hawk snaps at him, annoyed that the interview is being interrupted.

"We need you both now." Monte pants, catching his breath.

"Why?" Cobretti questions, suspicious.

"We've found them. The two kidnapped people." The detective goes to continue, only to notice Lloyd still sitting at the table, "Can we take this outside?"

"Yeah, let's go. We apologise for this, Miss Lloyd." Hawk briefly says to the woman, before the lieutenants duck out of the room, both anxious to hear what's happened.

Once outside, Monte leads them a little way down the corridor, before he stops.

"Someone called in this morning, said there was a horrible smell coming from the flat upstairs and that they hadn't seen anyone come or go for a little while. We sent an officer, and he found the bodies of the two missing people." He explains, pulling at his tie, "We've left them exactly as they are, and we need you two down there immediately."

"Ok, what's the address?" Cobra inquires, already walking off down the corridor.

"Just follow my car." Monte rolls his eyes and strides past, Cobra and Hawk following after him after exchanging a look of exasperation.

Once in the parking lot, the three cops go over to their respective vehicles, climbing into them in silence. Pulling out onto the road, they start the journey to the apartment.

In Cobretti's car, both he and Hawk are mostly quiet, until the latter suddenly speaks up, body tense.

"What did you think of Lloyd?"

Cobra frowns and looks over at her.

"What do you mean?" He questions, confused.

"Well, what did you think of her? Do you think she was telling the truth?" Hawk muses, picking at her hands.

"She seemed very enthusiastic, but I'm not sure where you're going with the last question." Cobretti responds, watching his comrade curiously.

She sighs and runs a hand through her hair, resting her elbow on the door of the car as she lays her head in her hand.

"I think she's lying." 

"Why?"

"Because," Hawk looks at him, jaw set, "None of what she said matches up with our other evidence. The descriptions of the victims were off: Fraser isn't short, and she isn't skinny, and neither is Wheaton. In fact, I'm pretty sure we've got a statement somewhere saying that neither of these people were particularly thin or easy to kidnap, in that respect, so what she's saying doesn't fit. And the knife doesn't fit, either. The PM said all the wounds on the bodies were made by a serrated knife, so the kitchen knife idea doesn't work."

"But why would she lie?" Cobra points out, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure she is. I can feel it."

Silence falls on the two of them as she comes to a halt, neither saying a word as Cobra processes what she's said to him, knowing that her points are valid.

"You sure you just don't like her?" He eventually jokes, hoping to diffuse the tension Hawk seems to have picked up over the past few days. Thankfully, he gets a grin out of her, the lieutenant chuckling softly.

"That too."

Amicably, Cobra and Hawk lapse back into comfortable silence, a little more relaxed now as they follow after Monte, who has now activated the sirens on his car to clear the traffic for them to get through. It only takes them a further five minutes to pull up in front of a shabby apartment complex, where a police car is already parked up. Drawing up alongside it, the two lieutenants get out of the car and go into the building, Monte leading the way.

A rising sense of dread slowly fills Hawk as she trails after the two men, an eerie sense of deja vu accompanying it as she swallows back her nerves. The halls are quiet, no one around to investigate yet, though they will be soon, given the influx of press that will likely flock here. 

Taking them to room 45, Monte waits for them to stop beside him, before he opens the door, swinging it open to reveal a gruesome scene before them. Eyes widen, bodies stiffening uncomfortably as a strong odour hits them, making their eyes water somewhat. Reluctantly, they step further into the room, observing the place with some disturbed curiosity. 

It's pretty plain: a table sits in the centre of the room, a sofa pushed to the far wall, a kitchen counter opposite it. In another room, a bed can be seen, as well as a toilet, but other than that, the place is sparsely furnished. At the table however, are the two things that will stick with both lieutenants forever. 

The two bodies have been propped up in chairs opposite each other, arms positioned in a way that mimics a card player, a set of cards placed in the bloodied hands of each corpse. Slashed faces stare down at their cards, matted hair hanging into their view from the hunched positions that they've slowly acquired, blood having dripped into thick puddles on their lips and the table in front of them. Wounds litter their naked bodies, gashes adorning their skin in macabre patterns, some appearing more deliberate than others, though none are any less painful-looking. On the table itself, a knife has been thrust through a pile of papers, the top one being a note, written in a  beautiful, elegant hand, a vase set up with a sprig of heather alongside it. 

Going over to it, Cobretti solemnly pulls the note from the table, noticing now the three photographs below it: more victims. He reads the note, only to find out it's in another language.

"I can't read it, it's not in English." He says to the other two, noticing Hawk's ashen face suddenly, her terrified expression new to him. Frowning in alarm, he goes over to her.

"What's wrong, Hawk?" He asks her, approaching her carefully.

"The note...it's in German, isn't it?" She mumbles looking at the paper in his hand.

"Yeah, maybe." He says, handing it to her.

"Nein, Nein, Nein! Das kann nicht sein!" She hisses, putting a hand to her head.

"What? What is it?" Monte asks from behind them.

Hawk is silent for a moment, before she finally reveals what's wrong.

"I know who killed these people."

[nope-rope-sohma]

Ayame/Mine Family Headcanons That Nobody Asked For, 1/?

Massive spoilers ahead if you haven’t read the manga or Fruits Basket: Another.

Ayame insists on being in the room with Mine once she goes into labor, but faints 30 seconds into the actual delivery.

After little Hibika is born, Ayame spends so much time holding her that Mine jokes she’ll never learn to walk if he keeps coddling her like that.  Having known of the curse before it was broken, she understands his reasons and never actually scolds him.

The first month of being parents is the first time they feel legitimately exhausted.  Yuki discovers this when he comes to visit and finds Ayame asleep with his head submerged beneath a running faucet.

After that incident, Yuki starts dropping by at least once a week to make sure neither of them have managed to kill themselves.

Ayame faints again during Chizuru’s birth, except this time he manages to smack his head against something on the way down.  The photo taken afterwards (courtesy of Hatori) shows Mine passed out from exhaustion, baby Chizuru passed out from crying, and Ayame passed out on the floor with an ice pack over his face.

What really ties the photo together is Hibika bawling her eyes out because she thought Hatori killed them all.

Hibika carries Chizuru everywhere she goes because she just adores him so much.  Since she’s only 5, her form of carrying looks more like she's trying to hang onto a sack of flour.

Likewise, Chizuru follows her around like a baby duck once he learns to walk.

As precious as Ayame finds this, it stings a bit because it reminds him of how he and Yuki never got the chance to forge this kind of bond when they were little.  He knows it’s silly since the two of them have since patched things up, but it gnaws at him for a while before he finally moves past it.

Chizuru is the one to give Hibika her "Pika” nickname.  His first word was her name, but he couldn’t say it right and it ended up sticking.  

Due to their apartment’s location above the shop, Ayame and Mine develop a routine where one of them runs the shop while the other looks after the kids/works from home.  They switch roles every other day.

The SAH parent occasionally brings the kids down to the shop during working hours.  Mostly to check in on things, but also to get Chizuru and Hibika used to the shop’s busy atmosphere.

The customer traffic really picks up on those days because everyone wants to stop in and fawn over the gorgeous shop-owner’s equally-gorgeous children.  There’s a lot of squealing and cheek-pinching.

Hibika handles the extra attention alright, but Chizuru gets stressed out after just a few minutes.  As soon as he starts tugging on her sleeve, Mine immediately parks herself in front of him while Ayame turns the customer’s attention elsewhere.

Kakeru sees this happen once and upgrades his nickname for Ayame to “Cobra Commander.”  When Yuki asks him why, he explains that king cobra parents use similar tactics when guarding their nests.

Ayame is both the best and worst when it comes to bedtime stories.  He’s so insanely awesome at adding flair to his stories that the kids are too hyped to sleep afterwards.

Mine has a beautiful singing voice.  Her lullabies are 100% effective at knocking the kids out in under 3 minutes.

Hibika’s first pair of glasses is a set of thick red frames without lenses.  She doesn’t actually need them to see, she just wants to look pretty like her mother. 

Chizuru doesn’t break out of his habit of following Hibika everywhere until he turns 8.  He completely denies he ever did this once he hits double digits.

There’s definitely more, but I gotta limit myself before I go too nuts because I absolutely love this ship and their babies

[sleazygoing]

CHARACTER SHEET repost. do not reblog.

𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 !

FULL NAME.     vernon f. kennedy. NICKNAME.     uncle v, VFK, various aliases and fake names. GENDER.     cis male. HEIGHT.     5′9′’-ish. AGE.       43. ZODIAC.     pisces. SPOKEN LANGUAGES.     english, mexican spanish, a little ASL, a few handy tourist phrases in japanese such as “sorry, i am american,” and “excuse me. is there a good bathroom here to do coke in?”

𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 !

HAIR COLOR.     brown. a few grays in his facial hair though. EYE COLOR.     greenish-brownish. probably. he makes it hard to tell. SKIN TONE.      guy’s got a pretty great tan everywhere except under the speedo. BODY TYPE.     honestly, vernon is built just the pink panther, if the pink panther had a little spare tire of pudge. he’s not tall but he’s long, lean with a little muscle, but he’s huskier around the gut than he used to be. certified dad-bod. ACCENT.     very, very american, and purposely hard to put a finger on beyond that. VOICE.     he says everything just a little too fast or a little too slow. and he’s loud, not in terms of noise level, but just the amount that he talks at times. he’s got shit to say.  DOMINANT HAND.     he’s a leftie. POSTURE.     great, but sometimes he’s fidgety in an annoying, lazy kind of way, and habitually slightly too relaxed. SCARS.     nothing major. TATTOOS.        JFK $1,000000 bill chest piece, three dot triangle on the back of his right hand, prison upper half-sleeves (think barbed wire, ex’s names, flames and lucky dice and bad ‘tribal’ patterns) ‘loyalty’ belly tat, badly mistranslated chinese tramp stamp, traditional-style cobra and a pin-up on his calves, playboy logo on his ass. MOST NOTICEABLE FEATURE(S).     well-kept funky sideburns, several gold teeth (lower left side), fun designer sunglasses that rarely come off, bad ink, killer chest hair, 'ostentatious’ dress sense.

𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 !

PLACE OF BIRTH.     not telling. HOMETOWN.     he doesn’t reckon he has one. SIBLINGS.     we’ll go with none. none that he knows of. PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.     yeah, no, it’s a nuanced situation. he didn’t even tell his mom when he went to prison. he sends her money, though.

𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 !

OCCUPATION.     career criminal, con-artist, part-time cocaine dealer in denial, and the world’s worst manager/amateur attorney. CURRENT RESIDENCE.     he lives mostly on his own, bouncing between his swanky pink shag-pad and hotel rooms he’s not paying for. CLOSE FRIENDS.     vfk has a very loose definition of ‘friend’. if you haven’t tried to kill him yet, you’re his friend. some people that have tried to kill him count too. RELATIONSHIP STATUS.     depends who’s asking, but he’s down for whatever. FINANCIAL STATUS.     filthy rich, baby. emphasis on the filthy part. DRIVER’S LICENSE.     you betcha. he’s a surprisingly competent driver. his car is his baby. CRIMINAL RECORD.     served 8.5 years of a 10 year sentence for several counts involving conspiracy to traffic cocaine. it’s hard to rebuild things after catching a felony and serving that long, but turns out that it’s very, very easy to skip town and start again as somebody else. vernon kennedy’s record is squeaky clean. VICES.        enough cocaine to get a small country wired, cocktails with dirty names, and shopping.

𝐬𝐞𝐱 & 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 !

SEXUAL ORIENTATION.       bisexual, mostly dates women. PREFERRED SEXUAL ROLE.     vers top. a little submissive for the right person. LIBIDO.     pretty average. used to be a real horndog, but he’s mellowed out somewhat.  TURN ON’S.     milfs/cougars/g-milfs, cowboys, scorpios, material wealth, being bossed around, softcore femdom stuff, handcuffs, a nice romantic back rub. TURN OFF’S.     fragile macho masculinity, commitment... also he could never date someone who is rude to waiters and stuff. it costs $0 to be nice! LOVE LANGUAGE.   terms of endearments, lots of pillow talk, and (sometimes sleazy) compliments. he’s a touchy-feely, cuddly kinda guy too and never shy about letting his better half/s know it. RELATIONSHIP TENDENCIES.     i’ll give you a clue: he has been divorced four times. sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes years, but vernon has a terrible tendency to ride a relationship ‘til the wheels fall off and his partner throws in the towel. things just don’t work out unless he’s living a lie or with someone on totally the same wavelength as him, chill, with no expectation of commitment or stability. at best, he’s a fun regular lay with a kitschy romantic streak. at worst he’s reckless, dishonest, and just not fun any more.

𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬 !

CHARACTER’S THEME SONG.    margaritaville. HOBBIES TO PASS TIME.     mini-golf, nature documentaries, cocaine, fashion magazines, ‘me time’, eating good, chill philosophy, ethically dubious money-making schemes, having a drink or two, various felonies, hanging out at strip joints and casinos. he’s a busy guy. MENTAL ILLNESSES.     n/a. PHYSICAL ILLNESSES.     beyond losing his sense of smell, he’s healthy as a horse for a guy who can get through a gram of coke without noticing. LEFT OR RIGHT BRAINED.    no brain. PHOBIAS.     n/a. SELF CONFIDENCE LEVEL.     great. he’s sure of himself, but not cocky. he feels good, he feels sexy, and he doesn’t believe in taking yourself too seriously. VULNERABILITIES.     he’s greedy and living a very elaborate mess of lies that could collapse like a house of cards on an airplane tray-table during turbulence.

TAGGED BY.  @hammurabicomplex​, thank you so much! <3 TAGGING.  @evieenpointe​, @butvic​, @viollens​, @lepuscor​, @mcneyhoney​, if you’d like, and anyone else who is down please have at it!

[newgeht]

Binding Ink

Uhm... So here’s a new chapter! I hope you all are enjoying the festivities of the holidays. (Or if you’re like me and choose to sit out, I wish you a good month of December) 

Chapter 3 : A Date Gone Awry  Summary: Everyone had a name forever embellished on their wrist. This was the name of their mortal enemy... at least it was supposed to be. AU  Characters: Lucy Heartifilia, Minerva Orlando, Gray Fullbuster, Cobra/Erik, Midnight, Lamy, Gajeel Redfox, Natsu Dragneel, Flare Corona Rating: T  Words: 6,832 AO3 | FFnet  1 | 2 

It had been almost a two weeks since the events of the beach. Fairy Tail was a place that thrived on gossip even if friendship was one of their highest values. Whispers of that day had been following Lucy around nonstop, and it didn’t seem like she could catch a break. All the kids in magic theory had been talking about was the binding enchantment.

She tapped her pencil anxiously against the chipped table top. This school needed some renovations, but what was it to her? She eyed the clock, waiting for the last bell to ring. She had to dodge Gray and Natsu, they had been around her all week.

Gray had been deemed as her personal bodyguard (by who, she didn’t know). And Erza was constantly surveying who she was socializing with. She was surprised how the red head managed to get so much information when she didn’t even attend the high school anymore. The requip mage had gotten a prestigious internship with the magic council and she had been in Era ever since.

Her social life was placed in isolation because of her best friends, and she couldn’t imagine what would happen if they stepped over the personal boundary. Sabertooth was five towns over, any possibility of an attack during school was impossible.

Though she was worried for Natsu, her best friend’s relationship didn’t seem too bright. Lucy had walked in on him arguing with Yukino over the phone. He was torn between two people, not like she wasn’t either. Gray was breathing down her neck during school and she couldn’t stop thinking about Minerva.

Whenever the dark-haired woman passed her thoughts, butterflies would arise in her stomach. Did she really have to fight such a suitable candidate?

Still tapping the desk, she could feel a buzzing in her pocket. Her ringtone ripping through the chaotic classroom. Everyone fell silent to the obnoxious Six Flags theme song, her face burning red. The silence was followed by an uproar of laughter, her teacher eyeing her with a tinkle of amusement. The bald haired man gestured to the door, letting her go if she choose.

Lucy held her head down as she left the classroom, the boys making jeering comments to her. She clutched the strap of her bag, the voice of Erik (or Cobra as he liked to call himself) ringing out above all the others. “Let the door hit your ass on the way out, Blondie. We know who’s been all over it.” His cackle was the last thing she heard before the door closed. That damned dragon slayer really knew how to press her buttons.

Shoving her hand into her pocket, she pulled her handheld lacrima out, silencing her silly ringtone. Without looking at the caller identification, she held the orb to her mouth. “This is Lucy,” she hoped it would sound cheerful, but Erik’s comment really hadn’t put her in the best mood.

“Sounds like you’re not happy,” the voice on the other end drawled. Lucy didn’t think it would be so easy to detect her annoyance. But she had an inkling of a feeling who she was talking to. A woman who was well aware of her power, unafraid to claw those who threatened her -Minerva. “I can make you feel ten times better.” She spoke with bravado, so sure of her words. And Lucy believed it.

Lucy didn't care how Minerva got her number, she just wanted to get out of school. “Then what do you have in mind?” She replied as smoothly as possible, but the words felt awkward on her tongue. Her palms began to perspire as she clutched the lacrima-com, waiting for Minerva's answer.

“It's a surprise. I'm waiting for you outside.” Minerva replied, the revving of an engine being heard through the phone.

Lucy peered out the window, Minerva straddling a motorcycle. She couldn't say what type it was, but it looked luxurious. It was black and sleek, the afternoon rays highlighting every edge. “I see…” Minerva held up her gloved hand, waving at her. “But I can't just ditch school.”

Minerva shifted, putting her helmet into her lap as she glanced at her wrist. “I don't see the harm in walking out early. You're already out of class. Just come down already.” She was fidgeting on her ride, becoming more curt as she went on.

Lolling over her options, going with Minerva didn’t seem so bad. It was better than making a bigger fool of herself; she still couldn’t believe that Erik would have the gall to say such a thing. But it was to be expected of the school’s juvenile delinquent. Huffing, she pulled her head from the window and headed down the empty hallway. “I’ll be down in about two minutes. If you don’t have two helmets, there’s no way I’m going.” She flipped the phone closed, her heeled boots clicking hastily against the cheap linoleum floors.

While walking through the front office, strange looks were directed toward her but nothing happened. Sure there was about ten minutes before school ended, but was it really so easy to ditch school? Lucy gripped her woven strap and pushed through the glass doors. A sly grin appeared on Minerva’s face as she held up two helmets.

One was a stark black, tinted with violet as the light hit it. The other one was white, shimmering with golden sparkles. “I thought you might like it,” Minerva said, tossing the white helmet to her.

Lucy was known to be very coordinated, but she failed to catch it. The helmet hit the pavement and she squeaked, scooping it up the moment it hit the ground. “L-Like it?”

“Mhmm,” she nodded. “I buy all of my friends their own helmet,” Lucy opened her mouth, but Minerva slid her helmet on. “And yes, you’re my friend. Now get on before I get caught, you fairies are very defensive over the boundaries.”

Lucy compiled very quickly, settling the helmet on over her head. It felt weird, as she hadn’t worn something so heavy before but it would keep her safe. She straddled the seat, barely enough left to fit her bottom. “Thanks, Minerva. Are you sure buying a helmet was necessary, I could-”

Minerva cranked the hand bar once more, the motorcycle roaring to life. “I don’t waste my money on random people, Lucy. You don’t need to pay me back, I have enough money as it is already.” At her last comment, a disheartening chuckle came. “Now get a better grip on me, we wouldn’t want you to fall off. Your ‘friend’ wouldn’t like that too much.” Minerva pulled her hands, wrapping them more securely around her leather covered waist. She took this opportunity to truly embrace Minerva, scooting forward in her seat. She felt so secure being close to the tiger, relishing in the magic that seemed to always pour between them.

She squeezed Minerva’s waist, her smile hiding under her helmet. Lucy was perplexed by the shift when she used the word friend, paying no mind to it. “If I fell off, this would be one hell of a ride. Now take us to your destination, my trusty steed!”

Now it was Minerva’s turn to laugh, it was genuine and filled with heartiness. She pulled her heeled boot up to rest it on the bike, time slowing as they tore off. Minerva’s bike booming with a youthful excitement, the tires careening against the worn asphalt. Lucy’s vision waa black, tinted by her helmet’s visor. A small twinge of guilt passing through her, seeing none other than Gray bounding against the school’s courtyard.

Minerva along with the engine mocked him with their cries, drowning out his own pleas for her to come back. Those blue eyes sent a chill through her but she choose to look forward; right now Gray would only hinder her from her current goal. All she wanted was love, was that too much to ask?

Sure, she had noticed Lucy’s classmate running through those glass doors. But did she care? Not one bit. In her own cunning way, Minerva had whisked the celestial mage away. She was going to give Lucy the time of her life, whether that boy or any of those other fairies liked it or not.

Moving the handle bar forward, she accelerated down the streets of Magnolia. She didn’t have a clue as to where she was going, but she had a final destination in mind. The wind was hitting her sharply, briskly whipping against the wisps of hair that had fallen from her helmet. Those slim hands that were wrapped around her torso granting her more confidence than she typically had. Right now she was riding high, the streets aware of the daring side of her driving.

Keeping her eyes forward, she careened through traffic. Being careful not to startle her sole passenger, but the girl didn’t seem to mind her speed. The stop light ahead had just turned yellow, but she had no intentions of slowing down. “Minerva!” Lucy’s fingers gripped her waist, shoving her head into her back. The wind almost drowned her voice out, but Minerva could hear the urgency.

Feeling the adrenaline course through her, she beamed forward and passed through the crimson light. Multiple cars honked at them, halting as they passed through the intersection but she payed them absolutely no mind. Turning the corner she pushed them through the boundaries of Magnolia.

Slowly the colorful streets became more and more dull with each crossing, the town shifting into desolation. She knew this part of Fiore well, Minerva had grown up on these broken roads. It was a town far from where Sabertooth resided, a city in which she grew up.

The small town of Daffodil was worn down and torn up by the cities surrounding it. Everyone had stomped all over it, crushing and wilting it down to the bare thread it was now. In its prime everything was flawless and stunning, but now it was just a complete mess. Once again, Minerva turned, hitting her bar hard as they sped uphill.

She sped onto a dirt lot, facing a crumbled and abandoned warehouse. There was already a various assortment of vehicles in the makeshift parking lot, but they all had come here for her. Coming to a stop the dirt settled around them, the engine’s call slowly fading out. Minerva placed her gloved hand over Lucy’s and removed her dainty hands. It irked her how much her magic had reacted to Lucy. She figured it would be over in due time, she just had to wait it out.

“I know it may not look like much, but we’re here.” She could feel Lucy slip off the seat, her boots crunching the ground. With a small maneuver of her foot, she kicked the bike’s stand out. The silver piece of metal fitting into the dirt nicely as she set it down.

She leaned on the bike after she pulled her leg over, watching as Lucy pulled the helmet from her head. The afternoon sun shaded her hair the amber but the color of gold was still apparent. “Is there some type of party going on?”

It was apparent that she didn’t know what to do with her helmet, already shifting the gear from arm to arm. Minerva smiled as she pulled her own off, her hair falling in waves over her shoulders. She held out her hand, gesturing to the white headgear. “You could say that, but it’s much better than some highschool party. That much I can tell you.” The moment her fingers touched the pearly surface, the piece disappeared along with her own helmet. “Would you like me to take your bag too?”

Her doe eyes sparked with confusion and Minerva materialized her own helmet again. “I have the ability to manipulate space, remember?” She crooned, a teasing lilt in her voice.

A small blush rose on Lucy’s cheeks as she face palmed. “Yeah, I guess seeing your magic in the works was very new to me. I usually have my spirits store my stuff.” Minerva raised a brow at this.

Lucy continued on shyly, “Yeah, the spirit of the maiden, Virgo will practically assist me in any way shape or form. As long as I ask her…” She paused and looked at Minerva coyly, “...but between you and me, she's a bit of a masochist too.”

The blonde's small remark made Minerva smile. She had heard of Lucy’s relationship with her spirits from Yukino, and she wasn’t let down in the slightest. It seemed as if she were much more fond of them, than her best friend. Lucy held many more keys than Yukino, which meant she held more power. It didn’t necessarily mean she was stronger by any means; this was something Minerva needed to check out for herself.

Which is why she brought Lucy here in the first place -a fight club. The blonde didn’t fit the bill for this place, not one bit. She didn’t seem like the type for such brawls with her cheerleader-like personality, but most importantly, Lucy was a fairy. Most of the people didn’t associate with the likes of Fairy Tail, but Minerva would grant her premier access. It was her club, after all.

“Most maids are,” Minerva quipped in return. She looked Lucy over and was surprised by the girl’s wardrobe. Never had she seen someone dress so provocatively and handle it well. She would be saddened if she had to take her eyes off the blonde.  “Now let’s get inside, everyone is waiting for my arrival.” Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, she led Lucy inside the graffiti covered building.

The walls were falling apart and there was hardly any lighting. Minerva had heard this site was supposed to be a parking structure but had collapsed due to faulty structuring. It was just another on the long list of failures for the city of Daffodil. She was glad it had fallen, because now she had a place to entertain herself in.

She heard Lucy gasp errantly as they stepped into the main chasm. The space was filled with piles of rubbage, the rocks piled haphazardly on top of one another. These stacks circled around what was the middle of the room, light filtering down from above. The soon setting sun offered little light, but the moon shone desperately into the circle. That same silvery light outlining the two opponents in the center. A mop of blonde hair and a darker head she was fond with stood bloodied and bruised, neither ready to back down.

“Welcome to the party, Lucy.” Minerva chuckled deeply, ushering the blonde in. At the sound her own voice, many who were meandering on the rocks yelled the mage’s name. Hoots and hollers welcomed the two in and she absolutely relished in it.

She was stiff and Minerva placed a hand on her back, closing the space between the two of them. Carefully she pulled a lock of hair behind Lucy’s ear, magic bouncing between them. Minerva managed to hold her surprise in, but the blonde shuddered. “Don’t worry, Lucy. These guys bite, but they are good acquaintances of mine. If they lay a hand on you, they’ll be paying a fair price.” Her lips barely moved against the shell of Lucy’s ear, the blonde fidgeting in her place. The devil in her was currently in play and she couldn’t stop making the fairy quiver, it was too much fun.

She nodded and stepped forward from Minerva, stepping out of the darkness. “This is my guest, Lucy. We are to play nice with her today, if not you are expelled from here. But that’s not before you get a taste of my fists.”

Most of the population were males and they whopped at her introduction. The two in the ring turned and eyed them cautiously before stepping out. The one with darker hair grinned and stepped forward, “Great timing, this demon was just about to get his ass kicked.” Blood covered his fists and portions of his face, brightening the feral look in his crimson eyes.

“The fuck ya mean. One more explosion and it would’ve been lights out for you, pincushion.” Very animatedly the blond shook his fist at Gajeel, his canines bared. Jackal really had a knack for blowing up on people. He did look to be in much worse shape from his combatant, not that it mattered much to her. “Now that the lady is here, I can’t give ya the lights out you deserve.”

Minerva tutted, placing a hand on her hip. “You guys are always so desperate, it’s pathetic. And it’s also very impolite that you started without me, for that you two are punished. You cannot participate in the next meeting.”

Both growled but didn’t dare to challenge her word. The two took their separate ways, allowing the spotlight to be directed upon herself. She grinned as everyone’s attention was finally on her, she loved the attention -it was a home away from home. “Now,” looking around it didn’t seem as if many others had turned up, “I think we should show Lucy how things work around here. Don’t you agree?”

Many blank stares were directed toward her and a single hand lifted. It belonged to none other than Cobra, and he stepped from the shadows. “If Blondie is here, she might as well get initiated. Don’t ya think? It’s one of the rules you implemented from the start, m’lady.” He hissed mockingly, a maniac grin curling on his face. Lucy flinched at his words, shying into her side.

Minerva shook her head, “She isn’t here to join.” She sent a glare his way, warning him to behave.

“She might as well be, why else would she be here? Unless this is your idea of a first date, you lesbian cu-” He sputtered as a hand clapped him on the nape of his neck. Lucy’s face turned bright red at his comment and Minerva wanted to point it out so badly, but she would wait another time.

“You’re so rude, Erik.” Midnight’s two-toned hair glistened as he stood next to the dragon slayer. “Minerva isn’t going to take your bullshit any longer. Last time you pressed her buttons, she kicked your ass to the curb.” The members erupted into laughter and she thought on the memory fondly, it was such a good meeting. She showed his punk ass who truly was boss and she was ready to do it again.

Cobra immediately zipped his lips shut, cursing under his breath. “So what if it’s a date? My personal life does not involve you, Erik. Now shut your trap or I’ll show you the door.” She replied smoothly. Looking around, she eyed the crowd and pointed at two opposing figures -Sting and Flare.

“Get out onto the floor and show us what you’re made of.” Minerva stalked over to a makeshift throne, gracefully sitting upon it. She beckoned Lucy over, gesturing to her lap. “Come and sit.” The blonde blushed, shaking her head.

“If there’s rules here, I will oblige. I can fight instead of Sting.” Lucy wasn’t shy in her words, but there was an underlying uncertainty.

This made Minerva grin, she was just one surprise after the next. “I suppose you can, but it’s not going to be that easy. You can relax for now, Sting.”

Sabertooth’s president groaned as he stepped out of the ring, taking his side next to her. “I wanted to fight today, Minerva. You promised me, “ Sting whined. He sat on the arm of her throne, leaning against her.

“Behave yourself and you can go after Lucy.” With her toe, Minerva nudged Lucy into the circle. “There is only one rule: you must knock your competitor out with the use of magic. Whether you push them out of the circle or knock them out.” She grinned as Lucy shuffled passed the white chalked runes. Minerva didn’t give the celestial mage a chance to back out, those same runes glowing as she stepped over them. With the snap of her fingers, a cage sprouted from the ground, confining the two girls inside.

Minerva stared in awe at Lucy, her stomach turning at the thought of her pale skin being marred by the psychotic red head. Flare was a force to be reckoned with.

Lucy did not come here prepared to fight; her clothes were revealing and she didn’t even have the time to stretch! Eyeing her opponent, Flare (she believed) was dressed like her -maybe ever worse. A long red sundress covered her body, the top v-neck line showing an obscene amount of cleavage. A large tribal-like mark covered her bosom, but it was distinctly familiar to Lucy.

She knew that most of the people gathered here were juvenile delinquents of sorts. It was obvious because of her classmates Cobra and Midnight, but she didn’t have much of an idea who anyone else was. But this was the perfect spot for such shenanigans, and to think Minerva would be the head of it all.

Coming into the rundown place, she knew something was off but she didn’t expect a fight club. Out of all the possibilities, it just had to be this. She wondered what Minerva could possibly be thinking by bringing her here. But if this place had rules, it was her duty to follow them. With or without invitation, she would assimilate with this rag tag bunch. Her end goal was to become closer with Minerva and this would surely do the trick -hopefully.

Looking back, she met those alluring hazel eyes. They sparkled with a unfamiliar darkness, beckoning Lucy to step forward. Minerva crossed her leg, leaning back in her rocky chair of royalty. “She can’t save you anymore, Blondie.”

Flare shuffled across the tattered floor, crooning her head at Lucy. There was only one problem, Lucy wasn’t trained in fist fighting. She didn’t know if she could do this without her whip but she eyed the redhead anyways. “I don’t need her to save me.” As much as she tried, her words wavered. Those gathered snickered and Lucy could feel her face heat up, pulling her hand to her side.

All too familiar keys warmed against her fingers, her spirits consoling her through the metal. Before she could pull one off her ring, tendrils of red wrapped around her wrist. In one quick motion, her hand was pulled from her hip; those same locks glowing red. Her wrist flared up, burning in the wraps of hair. Lucy hollered in pain, yanking her wrist from its bindings.

A manic smile encroached on Flare’s features, daring Lucy to touch her keys once again. Her body thrashed over from one side to the next, sending more of those red strands toward her. Lucy’s heart skipped a beat as she successfully dodged the girl’s assault, pulling Virgo from her belt. “Gate of the Maid, I open thee! Virgo!”

With the queue of bells and pink mist, one of her most powerful spirits appeared. A small flick of her wrist indicated one command -distract Flare. Holding out her hand, her fleuve d'étoiles, her most powerful weapon appeared. Flailing it to the side, the tail radiated with blue magical energy. She cracked it at her opponent as accurately as possible, hoping to get her off-guard.

“If we’re starting, let me introduce you to Virgo!” Lucy exclaimed as Flare dodged her own attacks. At this point Lucy was waiting for her spirit’s own queue.

Multiple threads of hair came at her once again and she barely managed to escape from them. They kept trading attacks, blue and red crossing paths numerous times. Flare’s red eyes burned with each failed attack. “Now sit still,” hunching forward, her hair molding into a large dog, “Hair Shower: Wolf Fang!”

In an effort to block, she placed her forearms in front of her face. This did little against the force of her attack. Flare’s hair barreled into Lucy, making her skid into the white rune border. Immediately she hopped back up onto her feet, her whole body burning from the dog’s bite. “Who said that you could leave?” Those feathered fringes of red, wrapped around Lucy’s boot and pulled her deeper into the ring.

She couldn’t help but scream as her body was dragged across the rough landscape. Lucy pulled at her belt, her fingers skimming over her most reliable spirit. “Le-”

Silken strands wrapped around her mouth, smoldering her lips. Another scream ripped from her throat, Flare’s ruthlessness never ending. “I never said you could speak either. Just scream!” Her red hair pulled Lucy up, holding her up by her wrists. The color glowed brightly, the heat tearing through her smooth skin.

In desperation, Lucy bit down on her tongue as to not let another cry of pain break through. A new feeling of warmth spread over her tongue, mixed with the taste of iron. Everyone was screaming and rooting for Flare, not one call for herself. Lucy hung her head in shame, trying to pull her wrists from their entrapment.

The ground under the red head’s feet began to rumble and Lucy cheered internally. A great big hole appeared under Flare’s feet, gravity doing the rest of the work. She fell into the opening, her hairs releasing their hold on Lucy. “Now Leo!”

Her trusty lion appeared in a burst of gold, winking at Lucy. “Anything for you, princess!” Leo lunged forward, his fists glowing with the power of Regulus. As he jumped down into the hole, she feel to the ground. Her body burned from Flare’s magic, the pain making her vision blur.

Pulling herself back up to her feet, she could feel a great pull on her magic. Virgo’s gate had closed, Flare cackling from the small opening. Lucy picked her whip back up, stumbling over to the deep pit Virgo had made. Leo and Flare were dodging each others close ranged attacks.

“Lucy Kick!” The blonde dived down, feet first. Her heel connected with the back of Flare’s head, sending the girl down to the floor. Her hair spilled around her form like a puddle of blood, those tresses tangled and dirtied from their battle.

She stepped from Flare’s body, the effects of adrenaline leaving her body. Lucy felt a wave of exhaustion pass through her, leaning on the dirt wall. Leo nudged her body with his foot and gave her the thumbs up.

She acknowledged him with a small nod and looked up toward the night sky. The stars called to her and she smiled.

“The bitch down yet?” A head of yellow hair peared over the edge of the hole, his snarl revealing two rows of sharpened teeth.

“Back off, Jackal.” He was yanked back, Minerva’s face appearing instead. A proud smile lifting on her lips as her hazel eyes met her own. “You made me worried for a second. I’m glad to see you could handle yourself, Lucy.”

“You shouldn’t doubt her.” Leo chided, hefting Flare into his arms. “Although I don’t approve of this, Lucy is capable of handling herself any day.” He huffed, a film of dust covering his glasses.

Minerva eyed the spirit with much thought, those red lips falling into a scowl. “I never said I doubted her talents. She wasn’t supposed to participate anyways, lion. I’m not who you think I am.” She turned her attention from her spirit to Lucy, holding her gloved hand out to her.

Lucy could feel Minerva’s magic pour through her, graciously accepting the tiger’s hand. She failed to notice her other spirit’s gate closing. The stars had left her, eyes growing wide as her side burned. Looking down she could see crimson red locks spill through her abdomen, all of it covered in her own blood. She released Minerva’s hand, falling back into the large ditch.

“I win, Blondie.” This was the last thing she heard, Flare completely unhinged as she fell into the space of darkness.

Minerva’s reaction was instantaneous, everyone else in uproar. Her tattooed wrist flaring with a cool heat as Lucy fell, hissing in pain as magic burst from her fingers. A swirling black guise flew at Flare, truly taking the psychotic bitch down now. Deep down Minerva knew it was a bad idea to let Lucy fight.

“Sting, get down there and tend to Lucy.” Urgency was laced in her command, her throat straining against it’s leather confines. Minerva then pointed at Cobra, “You, get Flare out of here. We’ll deal with her later. And to the rest of you…” She paused and quickly contemplated the best course of action. An injury such as this had never occurred before.

“Get the hell out of here. If so much as a word about this gets out, I will come for you personally.” Minerva seethed and threw her hand out to the side. The group of shifty delinquents didn’t question her, meandering on their way out. And there was a certain injured dragon slayer, that stuck out like a sore thumb on the leaving crowd. She needed him for their trip to Lamy’s. “Everyone except for Gajeel.”

The iron dragon slayer stilled in the crowd, waiting until the rest passed by him. “Why the hell do I hafta stay? I did nothin’.”

Minerva eyed him, not amused by his small outburst. “It’s simple really. I need you to carry Lucy, we need to get her to Lamy.”

It was clear that he disagreed with her idea, it was written all over Gajeel’s face. “Isn’t there someone else we can take her to? That… girl really has a knack for grinding my gears. And she’s super fucking creepy.”

She shook her head and pointed to the massive hole. “Just do as I say. Help Sting get her stabilized and I’ll meet you at Lamy’s place.” She began to stalk off toward where Cobra had taken off with Flare. Lamy always fell for Minerva’s tricks, Sting and Gajeel would be good eye-candy for the boy thirsty doctor. The girl wouldn’t be able to resist her finest.

“Aye, where do you think you’re goin’? You can’t just leave us with this blonde bimbo.”

Lucy’s name burned and Minerva grimaced as she turned. “Dealing with Flare is my top priority at the moment. If Lucy dies or gets an infection, or some other debilitating wound because your lazy ass won’t help her, then you’re next on my list.” Gajeel gulped, fear fuming off of him. If she didn’t need him, he would be in just as much pain she was about to give Flare. “Got that, Redfox?”

Without another word, he dropped down and all she could see was the top of his head of hair. Minerva grinned at her win but the feeling didn’t last for long. Once out of the demolished parking structure, her main focus was on Cobra. Pulling out her lacrima com, she dialed the said dragon slayer.

“We got her in the back of the truck. You failed at knocking her out though.” As Minerva walked, his voice echoed through the speaker. “And right now, she’s really putting up a fight against Midnight’s magic.”

Hastily she walked through the makeshift parking lot, searching for the industrial white van. “It wasn’t my intention to knock her out. That bitch needed to be put down until I got to her. Now make sure Midnight keeps his hold until I get there.” Minerva scoffed and ended the call.

A yellow light was timidly shining on the dirt lot, white doors open wide. Positioning herself right in front of those same doors, her hands were consumed with her own magic. “Release her, Midnight.”

Midnight withdrew a relieved sigh and stepped out of the truck, Cobra following in suit. An ear piercing scream shattered what little patience she had left. Minerva was really going to enjoy teaching Flare a small lesson. The red head curled into the back of the van, attempting to hide from Minerva. How silly.

Manipulating the space around Flare, Minerva restrained all of her limbs. A purplish grow radiating off her body as she held the hair mage. “Did you really think you could get away with it? Lucy is mine, not yours.” She seethed, her emotions strangling her thoughts.

Flare cackled, insanity covering her features. “That tramp couldn’t win. Her porcelain skin just had to break. At least the red will compliment her outfit.”

Midnight and Cobra stood with their arms crossed, not once flinching as she began to torture Flare. Her stomach was reeling with anger, pushing it all into her magic. They made absolutely no move to stop her, only stood as watch for the law. Minerva was merciless as her magic dripped from her, making sure Flare felt the burn with every attack.

It felt like ages had passed when she was done with Flare but it had only been five minutes. Five minutes of piercing shrieks and cries of pain. And she did all of it with a smirk on her face, it was a joy to utilize her powers for revenge. If this had happened to anyone else, she knew that it would have been handled differently. But no one was allowed to lay a hand of ill intent on Lucy except for her.

Flare’s injuries didn’t compare to the blonde’s but she left the woman sitting in the back of the truck. Grabbing ahold of the two steel doors, she slammed them shut. “I think red look best suited on her right now. Take her to the doors of Raven Tail and drop her off. If she makes contact with anyone here, let me know Cobra. As far as I’m concerned, she is a traitor.”

Cobra grumbled and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. “Whatever you say, Minerva. Make sure not to dwell on your thoughts too much, they’re dangerous.” He stalked off to the driver’s door and Midnight hopped into the passenger seat.

Shit, Minerva thought. Cobra had just heard every single thing. “Damn right I did.” Cobra yelled as he pulled off.

She hoped he wouldn’t use this information as leverage. Cobra wasn’t the type to meddle in others business, but if he tried to pull anything, he knew she would be on it in a minute.

Walking back to her motorcycle, not one vehicle inhabited the lot. She was impressed by the clear time of everyone, it left her impressed. Her little band of misfits really knew when to listen. Speeding down the dark hill, she took many side roads to Lamy’s shifty clinic. It was after curfew and she couldn’t risk being caught. It would be harder to get things done if she had a run in with the cops.

Minerva cam skidding to a halt in a dark alleyway, knocking on rust-encrusted door. The door squeaked open, a small girl stepping through. “Why can’t I ever be left alone with such lovely boys?”

She could feel her eyes roll into the back of her head, Lamy was the same as ever. “Shut up, will you? Did you manage to get her stable?”

Lamy began her unusual hyperventilating as she led the way through her so-called clinic. The lights were flickering and there was absolutely no sense of organization. The place looked like a rat’s nest, hospital beds strewn about, medical supplies placed were placed in mindless spots, and nothing looked sterile. But it was Minerva’s only option for now.

“I wouldn’t have come to the door if she wasn’t. But you two girls need to leave.” She pulled back a worn and stained curtain, revealing Lucy.

She was lain on a dusty bed, only two bags attached to her. Her wrists and ankles were wrapped, along with her torso. Blood seeped through the bandages wrapped around her midsection, and Minerva frowned.

“I’m gay for christ’s sake. My presence, and Lucy’s do not hinder you from ‘your boys’. Now what’s the final verdict?” A small sigh of frustration came from her as she sat at Lucy’s bed side.

Lamy wheezed and picked up a small clipboard. “She received second and third degree burns on her wrists and ankles. But what we need to  worry about it the gaping hole in her stomach.” She tapped the board apprehensively, observing Lucy’s monitor. “Those burns will be easy to heal, but her abdomen will be harder to fix. I can’t do that over night.”

“You mean you can’t be bothered with it.” Minerva snapped, tired with the demon already.

Lamy frowned and spoke quickly, “She’s not really my problem, is she? I don’t see why I have to fix someone who’s already so… pretty.”  

Minerva huffed and stood, grabbing the clipboard from the small girl. “If you’re not going to do it, I will. Sting and Gajeel will have no part in it either.” She had Lamy on a string, the girl’s eyes widening with deprivation.

“No, no. I’ll start the preparations now. As long as those boys help me, everything will be done. And this busty blonde will be patched up as good a new. Not one blemish or scar, I swear.” Lamy’s words were rushed, she never wanted to lose the attention of a male.

Pushing the board back into Lamy’s hands, she nodded. “That’s what I thought. Now hurry up, I need to have her back before dawn.”

“Sting! Gajeel! Hurry up and get this bimbo to cylinder one!” Lamy ran from the room, leaving Minerva alone with Lucy.

Once again, she settled at her bedside. Minerva eyed her surroundings before taking Lucy’s hand in her own, sighing in relief as that small twinge of magic jumped between them. She opened her mouth to say something, but snapped it closed. Lucy was unconscious and no one else was there to listen to her.

Her golden hair laid flat against the white pillow, not one person bothering to pull the covers up over her. Leaning down, Minerva fixed it; laying the strachy sheets over her frame. She even went as far to tuck her in, a small smile dotting her lips. Timidly she pet the hairs on Lucy’s forehead, tucking a long strand of hair behind her ear.

“You did so well today, Lucy. You fought with spirit and wit, trumping Flare’s laughable tactics.” Picking up the unconscious girl’s hand, she peppered it with a small kiss.

“Yeah, we’ll get her. Calm the fuck down, bunny girl.” Gajeel obnoxiously clambered into the room, trying to shoo Lamy off. Minerva quickly dropped Lucy’s hand and stood, looking right at the pierced male.

Lamy paraded around him, practically worshipping his every move. “But just let me,” she wheezed, Lamy’s breath hitching, “observe those muscles as you work. It will give me some research material.”

Gajeel’s patience was completely absent as he pushed the small girl out of the way. “Observe this then.”

“Be nice, Gajeel. To Lamy and Lucy, I don’t want to fix anyone else up today.” Smoothing her hands onto her suit, she stood up. Gajeel scoffed and pulled the bed Lucy was in, pushing her out the door.

“Yeah, yeah. No way am I gonna fuck with you, but you should get this demon off my ass.” At his words, Lamy began to maniacally giggle. Minerva felt some guilt, but this situation was also too funny at the same time.

“I’m going to take a walk instead.” Minerva gave Gajeel a pitiful pat on the back as she left the room. “I’ll be back before the night is over.”

She took one last look at Lucy, her wrist pulsating with and unknown flame of desire. She ignored it and exited into the back alley of Lamy’s shit-hole of a clinic.

Her motorcycle was nowhere in sight, the night enshrouding it. Yet she could hear the engine of her bike purr. “Nice bike.”

“Nice to see you’ve finally found us, Gary. Oops, I mean Gray.” Minerva grinned, feigning a small apologetic smile. The lights of her bike flickered on, covering Minerva in a blinding white film.

This weekend didn’t look to be getting any better at this point.

[trexova]

Yoga for Diabetes: Restoring Calm through Conscious Exercise

Introduction

Yoga can be a game-changer if you're having trouble managing your diabetes, which can be challenging in and of itself. The ancient practice of yoga, which aims to unite body, mind, and spirit, has been shown to help diabetics in some ways. Improved blood sugar control and reduced stress are just two of the many ways in which yoga can benefit your health. In this article, we'll look at how yoga can help with diabetes management and how regular practice can boost your sense of equilibrium and vigor.

One benefit of yoga for diabetes is an increase in insulin sensitivity, which improves the body's ability to utilize glucose. Bhujangasana and Paschimottanasana (Sitting Forward Bend) are two examples of yoga asanas. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) and Paschimottanasana (Sitting Forward Bend), two common yoga asanas, have been shown to promote healthy insulin production by stimulating the pancreas.

Stress reduction: anxiety and stress can lower blood sugar levels. Yoga's parasympathetic nervous system activation—attained through practices including deep breathing, meditation, and relaxation—encourages calm and reduces the production of stress chemicals. As a result, this may help reduce glucose levels in the blood.

Inversions like Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) and Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose) are among the yoga poses that increase circulation, particularly in the lower extremities. Diabetics who experience circulation issues may benefit from this.

Helps with Weight Control and Regular yoga practice can assist in maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) and allowing you to keep your weight under control. Since being overweight raises the risk of developing diabetes, combining yoga with a good diet can be quite beneficial.

Yoga is a useful method for managing diabetes because it takes a comprehensive approach to maintaining blood sugar control, reducing stress, and enhancing overall health. You may get the benefits of yoga by making it a regular part of your routine.

 Find Online Yoga Courses Convenient for Your Schedule

In today's fast-paced world, it can be challenging to squeeze in time for physical activity and self-care. However, with the proliferation of online yoga classes, geography and time are no longer barriers to yoga practice. Taking advantage of local online yoga classes can be a convenient way to put your health first without having to sacrifice your time or travel.

One benefit of taking a yoga class online is that you can study whenever it is convenient for you. Whether you're a morning person or a night owl, you have the freedom to pick the time of day that works best for you to attend your courses. There is no need to rush through traffic anymore. studio without delay.

Online resources make it simple to connect with a wide range of knowledgeable yoga teachers. Choose from Vinyasa, Hatha, and Yin, and find instructors who are enthusiastic about the same things you are.

Thirdly, it's more convenient and comfortable to practice yoga at home, where you can shut the outside world out and focus on yourself without having to travel anywhere. Setting up your mat in the comfort of your own home, in your backyard, or even on the road makes it easy to maintain a regular practice.

Classes in my area provide a wide variety of meditation courses for people of all experience levels. You can choose courses that suit your needs and interests, whether you're looking for gentle stretching, a more vigorous flow, or specialized types of yoga-like prenatal or restorative.

Community and support Many online yoga platforms foster a sense of community through live courses, forums, and social media groups. While practicing yoga, you may be able to connect with people who share your interests, learn from each other, and offer moral support.

The accessibility, adaptability, and professionalism of local online yoga classes are hard to beat. Put your health first by incorporating modern tools into your yoga routine, and embark on a journey of introspection and personal development. With a variety of classes, expert guidance, and the option to practice whenever and wherever it is most convenient, online yoga courses provide the way to a richer, more satisfying existence.

Recognize the Benefits of Online Yoga Classes for Your Health

The convenience of taking a yoga session from the convenience of your own home has led to the rise in popularity of online yoga classes in the modern digital age. Here, we'll take a look at how taking yoga classes online may be a game-changer for your well-being on many levels.

meditation classes near me provide you the freedom to practice whenever and wherever works best for you. Whether you have a busy schedule, are constantly on the go, or simply prefer the comfort of your own home, online yoga sessions give you the flexibility to easily incorporate yoga into your lifestyle.

Certified Opinions You can find certified yoga teachers from all over the world by using the internet. a digital equivalent of a physical entrance. Experienced teachers who are experts in a variety of yoga methods will be teaching you, so you can rest assured that you will be guided through each pose and sequence with precision and clarity.

Thirdly, you may tailor your online yoga experience to your interests and needs by choosing from a wide choice of styles, difficulty levels, and session lengths. Whether you're just starting or have been practicing for a while and are seeking a new challenge, you may tailor the courses to your needs.

Practicing yoga at home provides a quiet, comfortable setting, free from interruptions, and where one may relax without worrying about how they look. You can devote yourself fully to the practice, trying out new positions and fostering a deeper connection to your body and breath, without any interruptions.

Fifth, online yoga platforms usually provide a sense of community and support through virtual forums, live chats, and social media groups. It's possible to connect with other yogis along the way, share experiences, and gain inspiration and motivation from one another.

Online yoga courses have revolutionized the yoga industry by making them accessible to a wider audience and elevating the quality of both the education and the community surrounding it. Recognize the significance of online yoga and get the life-changing benefits for your health and well-being. No of your expertise level as a yogi, online yoga classes open up a wealth of possibilities. They help achieve physical fitness, mental clarity, and emotional stability. To begin your yoga practice, roll out your mat and log in to your chosen online yoga resource. a trip that will heal your body, mind, and soul.

[lovetheplayers]

CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT: TAYLOR SWIFT’S INDIANAPOLIS PERFORMANCE WAS LUCAS OIL STADIUM’S BIGGEST AND BEST YET

Since replacing the RCA Dome in 2008, Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium has hosted a number of great concerts since breaking ground. While Kenny Chesney held an informal monopoly on concerts for the venue’s first eight years, One Direction and U2 have also delivered memorable shows at Lucas Oil for their Indiana fans. Concerts at the stadium are rare and reserved for the biggest names in music.

Saturday night was no exception to this trend as Taylor Swift delivered arguably the best concert in the stadium’s decade-long history. As part of her critically acclaimed Reputation Tour, the 10-time Grammy winner not only broke domestic records with her new tour but now also holds the attendance record for Indy’s downtown stadium, with her thirteenth ever performance in the city (13 of course being Swift’s lucky number).

Numbers don’t lie either, because Saturday night’s performance was deserving of the massive number of fans who passed through the turnstiles to watch music’s biggest pop-star perform. From the tour’s grand set design to the delicately organized set list, you can call it what you want but the performance was beyond comparable.

And if Taylor Swift wasn’t already a big enough name to fill the concert’s marquee, Swift brought along Charli XCX and MTV’s VMA Artist of the Year, Camila Cabello, along for the ride.

Up first for the night, as fans began to fill the $720 million dollar stadium and find their seats, English singer/songwriter Charli XCX put on a 7-song performance to reward fans for showing up on-time. The set was short but sweet, as practically every song the 26-year-old singer performed was a hit. Opening up with 2014’s ‘Boom Clap’ (from the movie “The Fault In Our Stars”), hits like ‘I Love It’, ‘Break The Rules’ and ‘Fancy’ kept the crowd moving.

Up next to the stage was an artist who will be headlining stadiums of her own in no time. Despite years of experience from her time with Fifth Harmony, the newly solo Camila Cabello has hit the ground running after announcing her departure from the pop group, which has since announced an indefinite hiatus in pursuit of solo careers.

In just about a year’s time, Cabello delivered the song of the summer with her breakout single ‘Havanna’, released her self-titled debut album and recently took home MTV’s Video Music Awards for Video and Artist of the Year. While pop stars typically grind for years before experiencing massive success, Cabello’s notoriety with Fifth Harmony and addictive tracks have helped her grow at an unprecedented speed.

The sky’s the limit for the ‘Never Be The Same’ singer and Saturday night was evidence of just that. Performing the majority of tracks from her 2018 debut, Cabello’s vocals and talented displays of dancing are what stood out the most, all making for an A-list pop-star.

While tracks like ‘Never Be The Same’ and ‘Havana’ (which opened and closed her set) of course had the crowd singing along, B-sides like ‘She Loves Control’ and ‘Inside Out’ were personal favorites. As an opener, her current show is perhaps better suited for a smaller stage, but Camila still delivered a great performance and is more than capable of entertaining huge live audiences.

Following Cabello’s performance, crew finished setting the stage for the night’s headliner and promotional videos displayed for fans to pass time and speed up the lulls between sets. Although these were just small touches on the tour, the videos put Taylor’s personality and her relationship with her fans on display.

You could feel the anticipation of fans heighten as Taylor Swift was set to deliver her biggest performance in Indianapolis yet. It wasn’t long ago when Swift sold out the Bankers Life Fieldhouse, just a half a mile northeast of Saturday’s concert, and fast forward three years later, Taylor Swift is still the biggest artist in the world, yet performing for an audience over three times the size of her sold-out Indy crowd in 2015. Where you’d expect diminishing returns, Swift continues to find ways to grow exponentially.

Then as Joan Jett’s 1981 track ‘Bad Reputation’ played throughout the stadium and set the theme for Swift’s performance, soundbites from reporters then supplemented a montage displayed on the stage’s giant 100+ foot screen. Comments like “she holds too many grudges” and “I felt like she was a little angry” serve as the fuel to the fire seconds before Swift steps on stage, keeping the singer motivated throughout her 53-date world tour.

Next, with echoes of past criticism filling the entire stadium, Swift was ready for a performance unlike any other that Indianapolis has seen. Fittingly, the video boards parted to the side and Swift then emerged to her Reputation single ‘….Ready For It?’, to which her Indiana fans emphatically answered “Yes”.

The concert’s opening moments are indicative of most of the night, as Taylor and her dancers move across the entire stage and it’s two catwalks while entertaining choreography and hit records keep fans on their feet. And while Swift checks all the boxes when it comes to the main components of a great stadium show, many smaller aspects of the tour serve as the cherry on top. Whether it’s the bracelets (which fans will remember from the 1989 World Tour) that light up the night or the Reputation Newspaper confetti that falls from the sky, the tour’s attention to detail is great.

With this go big or go home mentality, it’s no surprise that it takes nearly 100 semi trucks to move the tour from city to city, enough rigs to cause a traffic jam of their own. After a strong start, with tracks new (‘Gorgeous’, ‘I Did Something Bad’) and old (‘Love Story’, ‘You Belong With Me’), the first big surprises for fans came during ‘Look What You Made Me Do’. During the bridge, as Taylor sings “I don’t trust nobody and nobody trusts me”, a giant king cobra rises to a height of 40 feet. With snakes serving as an informal mascot for Reputation Era Taylor, the Swifties in the audiences certainly loved massive prop.

A second “guest” (if you will) for the song came at the end of the bridge as the phone rang and actress Tiffany Haddish appeared on the video screen to sit in for Taylor for the tracks’ infamous line: “sorry the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Cause, she’s dead!”

Although the concert gets off to a great start from the very beginning, and ‘I Did Something Bad’ (her second track of the night) is a personal favorite among all the performances, the night’s momentum reaches a whole new level from ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ and beyond.

With strong tracks like ‘End Game’ and ‘King of My Heart’ following ‘LWYMMD’, Swift makes her first departure from the main stage via a floating platform while performing her current single, ‘Delicate’. As the track finishes, Taylor’s next stop is one of two B-stages. And it’s almost insulting to label them as such because although the stages dwarf in comparison to the main stage (her largest stage yet), they are both comparable to the size of her main stage on the 1989 Tour.

Despite selling out the biggest stadiums in the world, Swift covers as much real estate as she can in the venues, turning a huge production into an intimate show. There is literally no bad seat in the house for this one.

If you were closest to the stage-right B-stage though, you were in luck as this act of the concert is the best for many reasons. The first reason is that Swift kicks thing off with her mega-single ‘Shake It Off’ and she doesn’t do it alone either, as Camila Cabello and Charli XCX stick around to join in on the fun.

Next, Swift strips things down for an unforgettable acoustic portion of her set. Performing her Reputation track ‘Dancing With Our Hands Tied’ and her 2008 song ‘Forever & Always’ (a song performed special on the tour for her Indy fans), Swift slows things down and shares some special moments with the crowd.

After a few great performances, Swift then makes her way to the second of two B-stages for another huge single, ‘Blank Space’, as well as Reputation’s most risque record, ‘Dress’.

After her time at the B-stages, Swift floats on back to the main stage with a perfect mash-up of two tracks you would have never thought meshed so wonderfully, with 2016’s ‘Bad Blood’ and 2006 ‘Should’ve Said No’, a country record from Taylor’s self-titled debut. Although a decade and different genres separate these two tracks, it’s as if they were written and recorded as a pair.

With the final stretch of her set nearing, Swift kept her fans engaged with more songs from her newest album, including ‘Getaway Car’, ‘New Year’s Day’ and ‘Call It What You Want’.

Then, to cap off an already memorable night, T-Swift ends the performance with two especially strong performances, one old and one new, but both showcasing her tough, confident and sometimes unforgiving frame of mind. The first being ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ and the second being ‘This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’. Fireworks filled the Indianapolis skyline for the set’s finale and smiles spread across the Lucas Oil Stadium. There was no need to beat traffic that night, because enjoying every last second of the night far outweighed getting home as fast as possible. In fact, we’re sure the ushers had trouble herding fans out the door, as Swifties grabbed their final selfies to remember the record setting night.

It’s almost to impossible to imagine how Taylor Swift could grow after her beloved 1989 World Tour invaded Indianapolis a few years ago, and yet Swift managed to exceed even the highest of expectations.

We’re not sure how Swift can top herself with her next world tour, but we certainly know better than to doubt her.

Link

[asflowersfade]

Ficlet: Three Months Later

MacGyver ficlet, sequel to The Stuff That Kills You. Radiation poisoning - even just a “possible” one - is a bitch. Jack’s POV.

Once the mission debrief is over, they’re all overjoyed to head out; seven whole days stuck in the desert, on the run from the local militia, tend to have that effect on people. Bozer and Riley are already gone, rushed out the moment they were let loose, but when Jack hears Mac speak up, he stops in the doorway and turns back.

Mac’s saying, “I need the day off tomorrow, Matty.”

Their fearless boss looks up from her tablet and lifts her eyebrows. “May I ask why?”

“I have an appointment with Doctor Smith,” Mac informs her.

“Anything I should know about?” Matty asks, her brow now furrowed in concern.

Glancing at Jack, Mac shakes his head. “Just a regular check-up,” he assures her.

And then it hits Jack. Doctor Smith. Mac’s appointment with Doctor Smith.

“When’s your next appointment.”

“In three months.”

Oh.

Radiation poisoning - even just a “possible” one - is a bitch.

Jack picks Mac up first thing in the morning.

“You really don’t have to come with me,” Mac tells him as he settles down in the passenger seat of Jack’s Shelby Cobra, his lucky car.

“I know,” Jack replies calmly.

“The Doc will do a simple check-up, run some tests,” Mac continues.

“Fine with me,” Jack says, still very calmly.

“He promised to put a rush on them but it’ll still be hours before I get the results,” Mac points out.

Jack looks at him, stating firmly, leaving no room for debate, “I don’t mind, hoss.”

Mac lets out a long, slightly unsteady breath and rubs his palms hard against his jean-clad thighs. “Okay,” he whispers, nodding.

Jack nods back. “Okay,” he answers and starts the car.

The cafeteria in the medical wing of the Phoenix Foundation HQ is big and sunlit - and except for Jack empty. It’s still very early, after all. Jack can’t help but find it creepy anyway, the silent void of the sprawling hall.

He tried to play games on his phone. He read all the inspirational posters decorating the yellow-painted walls. He ate three slices of a chocolate cake, surprisingly good, too. And now he’s standing at the wall of windows, staring down at the half-empty parking lot, with his arms crossed over his chest.

And his mind’s running in circles of what-ifs.

What if it turns out that Mac’s sick? What if they can’t help him? What if-what if he… No. He won’t go there. He mustn’t allow his mind to go there. But his brain just can’t help it. The dreadful thought that Mac might get sick and die put down roots three months ago, when he first found out about what was going on, and he can’t simply dig it out like weed, he can’t stomp it out. It’s always there, this idea, running in circles, chasing its own tail.

Please. Please, don’t…

There’s a sound behind him, soft footsteps, and when he turns around, he sees Mac enter the cafeteria. He looks, well, he doesn’t look any different than when he went in, maybe just a little relieved that it’s done. Now, all they have to do is wait.

“Hungry?” Jack asks as Mac approaches him.

Mac smiles a little. “Starving,” he admits.

Jack smiles back. “The chocolate cake here is good but the other stuff that’s not buddy-buddy with sugar looks rather hinky to me. So, can we get out of here?”

Mac nods. “Yeah, we can leave. The Doc’s going to call my cell when he has the results.”

Blood tests. Results. Jesus…

Jack plasters a big grin on his face and rubs his hands. “Great! Pizza it is, then!”

They eat pizza at their favorite joint, then they head out for a ride. Jack drives north along the coast to the background noise of Willie Nelson’s singing. They don’t talk, both too wrapped up in their own worried thoughts, but the silence between them is not awkward, it’s comfortable, friendly… reassuring.

After some time, Jack realizes that Mac’s fallen asleep in the passenger seat. The fresh breeze and warm sunlight combined with the excellent food and the steady rumble of Jack’s classic car did their magic, just as Jack hoped they would, and soothed Mac’s frazzled nerves, lulling him to sleep.

Because Jack knows Mac. He might not be able to keep up with his brain-bending genius, but when it comes to emotions, Jack can see right through him. And that morning, Jack saw just how anxious Mac was despite what he told Jack three months ago, despite his steady reassurances that all these check-ups and blood tests were simply routine stuff and nothing more. Routine or not, Mac did crawl through possibly radioactive muck in the goddamn Chernobyl, and after all their close calls these past seven years, this time, they just might’ve run out of luck.

There’s the buzz of a cell phone, loud even over Willie Nelson’s voice floating from the radio, and Mac jerks awake. He fumbles in his pocket for a moment and when he finally fishes out his phone and checks the caller ID, he tells Jack a little hoarsely, “It’s Doctor Smith.”

Jack pulls over, and stopping on the shoulder of the sun-baked road, he lets the car idle while Mac gets out to take the call in private. Jack’s not hurt or offended, he knows how it is. Some news are better received with nobody around.

He taps his fingers against the steering wheel to the rhythm of yet another of Willie’s songs, trying hard not to listen to the one-sided conversation happening only a few short feet away. But he can’t help it. His shoulders and neck are so stiff they’re starting to hurt. He needs to know.

And then he hears it, Mac’s joyful response - “Thank you, Doc! Thanks, really. See you in another three months, then. I will!” - and for a second, his whole body turns almost boneless with relief. His throat closes up and he has to blink hard to get himself back under control, quickly before Mac comes back.

Thank God! Thank you. Thank you…

“So, you all good?” Jack manages to ask nonchalantly when Mac returns, bright eyed and with a big smile on his face.

Mac nods. “Passed all tests with flying colors!” he states happily as he slides into his seat again, clutching his cell phone like a talisman.

Shrugging, Jack says with faked matter-of-factness, “I knew there was nothing to worry about,” and decides to ignore the wry look Mac shoots him. Shifting gears, he sets off again, smoothly joining the traffic.

And when Mac laughs, the sound so cheerful and free it lifts his heart, Jack joins in.

[logicrays-academy]

Java vs. Python: Difference, Career Opportunity & Best Language for Future

There is an on-going debate about the difference between the two programming languages JAVA and Python. Students often get confused while selecting a programming language to start learning. You can choose the programming language by understanding the prime differences between JAVA and Python.

In the following article, we discussed the differences between JAVA and Python.

James Gosling developed JAVA in 1995. It was earlier known as Oak. It was developed to handle portable devices and set up boxes. After the first version, there have been many changes in the language. Starting from developing a language for set-up boxes, now JAVA Programming has changed the web page interface from simple text to animation. It is a high-level object-oriented language. It derives the name JAVA from a coffee found on an island in Indonesia. Developers use JAVA in Web applications, mobile applications, enterprise applications, etc.

History Of Python

Python Programming Language was developed by Guido Van Rossum in 1989, in the Netherlands. Python was originally derived from a general-purpose programming language named, ABC programming language. The language came to use in 1991 and used very few codes to express the concept. The release version of Python had enough capability to provide core data types, and classes with inheritance and exception handling and function. The most popular coding language, Python, has completed 30 years of existence. This can be one reason to learn python. It is the inspiration behind the development of other coding languages like Cobra, Ruby, Swift, Boo, etc.

Some Key Differences Between Java & Python

1. Stability

JAVA is less prone to code crashes or issues than Python. It is because JAVA is more technically stable than Python. We can run the Python syntax in runtime while JAVA requires proper review and running before running. JAVA receives regular updates, and the frameworks and libraries are upgraded regularly. It keeps JAVA relatively stable compared to Python. Regular checks keep the language stable and less prone to lagging or crashing in heavy traffic.

2. Performance

On an average view, Python programs run much slower than the JAVA developed programs. On the other hand, Python requires much less code than JAVA for a specific function. The same outcome from Python has 3-5 fewer codes than JAVA. Also, JAVA is quick for application performance while in the software development lifecycle, Python is faster. Python is also quicker in debugging, code maintenance and bringing the code to market. The just-in-time compilation of JAVA ensures performance enhancement of JAVA during web application development.

3. Resources

Small and medium-sized projects prefer python over JAVA because of its cost-effective nature. JAVA requires a large budget, more time and a large team of programmers. Hence, the development process is slower in JAVA. Although, the final product will be of higher quality than python the development process will be slower and time-taking. Hence, JAVA is common as a language of the corporation and requires an all-around investment.

4. Demand Across the Market

JAVA is more in demand among developers. Python is common in the market due to its easy communication. Compared to JAVA, python is famous among small-sized businesses and corporations. The Github Octoverse shows JAVA as the second most demanded language, followed by python. But, according to the latest trends, the demand for JAVA has fallen drastically due to the advent of Kotlin. But, JAVA is still more in demand than python.

Advantages of Java Language

The advantages of the Java programming language are as follow,

1. Platform Independent

Java is a platform-independent programming language hence you can run the compiled Java programming code on all platforms. There is no need for any software for running Java code on other platforms, but the machine should have JVM (Java Virtual Machine). JVM is used to optimize and manage the program memory and it is also used to run Java programs on various operating systems & devices.

2. Object-oriented

Java is an object-oriented programming language, and this makes it easy to reuse objects in other programs. It uses various object-oriented concepts like class, inheritance, object, abstraction, polymorphism, and encapsulation. With object-oriented programming, you can make programs more organized and pre-planned.

3. Libraries

You get numerous open-source libraries in Java programming languages like Maven, Apache commons, Mockito, Guava, JHipster, etc. Java programming language has a huge community that makes Java the best and easy to learn programming language. The huge set of libraries are very helpful in making the development easy and fast.

4. Automatic Memory Management

Memory management is the process of allocation and de-allocation of objects. In Java, the programming language allocation of the memory is done automatically. The automatic memory management system used by the Java programming language is known as a garbage collector and this reduces memory footprint and lagging.

5. Multithreading

For maximizing the utilization of the CPU, the Java programming language allows you to run threads simultaneously. The process of running threads simultaneously is known as Multithreading. Multithreading is very useful for heavy programs & gaming and threads are independent so in case if there are any problems then the other threads do not get affected.

6. Simple

Java programming language has a simple syntax that is clean and easy to understand and this makes it an easy to learn programming language. The syntax of Java is based on C++ and it has removed various complicated features like operator overloading, explicit pointers, etc. All these features make Java a simple programming language.

7. Distributed Language for Easy Remote Collaboration

Java is developed as a distributed language and this means it has an integrated mechanism that allows Java programming language to share data and programs between different computers to get better efficiency and improved performance.

These were the important advantages of both programming languages. Now we will look the what are the major differences between Java vs python language.

Advantages of Python Language 

The main advantages of the Python programming language are as follows,

1. Easy to learn

It is a versatile programming language, which is easy to learn and this makes it a perfect language for beginners as well as professionals. Python is an object-oriented programming language that helps developers in carrying out complex tasks in various fields like Artificial intelligence and Machine learning.

2. Extensive Libraries and Frameworks

Python programming language offers a lot of frameworks and libraries and this reduces the development time and makes the job of developers easy. Some of the amazing libraries of Python are NumPy, SciPy, PyBrain, Pandas, Theano, etc. One of the most important frameworks of the Python programming language is Django. It is a high-level framework that is used for clean design, rapid development, and secure websites.

3. Platform Independent

It is a platform-independent programming language that makes it easy for developers to run the code on other operating systems without making any changes in the code. The python programming language is supported by various operating systems like Linux, Mac OS, Windows, etc. It is an interpreted language because it uses PVM (Python Virtual Machine) that converts python code into a code that is understandable by the machine.

4. Efficiency

Python programming language is easy to understand as it mainly focuses on code readability. It takes less time to write codes in the Python programming language because the code is shorter. In the Python programming language, developers can focus on specific problems and this leads to increased efficiency and productivity.

5. Flexibility

Python programming language can be easily integrated with various other programming languages like Java, C, .Net, C#, ActiveX, Ruby, etc. It is a flexible programming language and developers can use it in various fields or in the development of specific applications.

6. Presence of Third-Party Modules

The third-party modules allow the python programming language to interact with other programming languages and platforms. The Python package index (PyPI) has numerous third-party modules like Virtualenv, pip, etc.

7. Open Source

Python programming language is developed under an OSI-approved open-source license that makes it free to use and distribute even for commercial use. It has an extensive community that keeps the python programming language well maintained.

Java Career Opportunities & Jobs

Java is one of the oldest programming languages that is used in various fields. You can easily make a career in the Java programming language as there are a lot of job opportunities available. Some of the various roles of Java programming language experts are Java developer, Java architect, Java Android developer, etc. The annual average salary of a Java developer in various countries is mentioned below,

India – ₹ 448,133

U.K. – £36,059

Canada – C$68,770

France – €38,561

Germany – €49,104

(Source – payscale.com)

Python Career Opportunities & Jobs

Python programming language is simple & easy to learn and it has various applications in a lot of fields. There are numerous job opportunities available for python developers because it is a versatile and flexible programming language. Some of the roles of a Python programming language expert are Python developer, Data scientist, Machine learning engineer, etc. Below, we have mentioned the annual average salary of python developer in different countries,

India – ₹ 561,940

U.K. – £39,368

Canada – C$67,257

France – €43,865

Germany – €49,442

(Source – payscale.com)

Java Vs Python: Which Is Better for the Future

Both Java and Python are very robust programming languages with massive potentials. Java is a statically typed programming language, whereas python is dynamically typed, and each programming language has its own advantages. Choosing a programming language between Java and Python mostly depends on the type of work involved. If a lot of data is to be stored and managed, then in such cases memory consumption is higher and Java is the most efficient language to use. However, for Machine learning tasks or for faster development, python is the most preferred language. Hence, based on the features both programming languages have a very bright future.

FAQ

JAVA Or Python Which is better for freshers?

In the case of freshers, python has more edge over JAVA. The easy-to-use and easy-to-implement nature of python allow freshers to learn and apply it in less time.

JAVA Or Python Which is better for the future?

The growing trends of artificial intelligence and machine learning are making python more in demand. Hence, python is a preferred skill in the jobs as well.

Conclusion

JAVA and Python, are the two most popular coding languages in the market. The powerful languages are serving the needs of various organizations. The future of technology, machine learning, and augmented and virtual reality-based applications demand both languages for different purposes. While there are differences in both languages it depends on the enterprise and which programming language they want to use.

[one-boring-person]

Hey Stranger.

John "Ace" Merrill x reader

Warnings: vaguely bad language, mention of injury (very vague)

Context: This was requested by @theghostof-myndi , so here it is! The overview of the request is like this: Ace and the reader are childhood friends, though the reader moved away from Castle Rock at some point in the fifties (given that this is now set in the sixties). When the reader eventually moves back with her father, she and Ace resume their friendship as he shows her around again, the two of them getting along very well and basically flirting with each other (unfortunately I'm terrible at writing flirting so it's not particularly obvious in this) . The fathers of the two know that they like each other and work to get them together, given that they are also old friends.

A/N: There will most likely be a part two to this fic! I haven't quite gotten to what is probably the better part of the actual plot, but I will write it at some point soon with the help of @jawline-of-steel , whose help I have enlisted to help me with ideas.

Edited By: @jawline-of-steel

Masterlist

"Hey, Stranger, it's been a while." A familiar voice greets from behind me, the perpetually snarky tone unchanged and still as rough as it used to be.

Whirling around, I grin as I recognise the person standing behind me, my instincts taking over as I lunge forward and wrap him into a hug, pressing my face into his shoulder with happiness.

"Ace! It's been too long!" I exclaim, smiling broadly as he returns the embrace and crushes me into him, burying his face into my hair like he used to do.

"Yeah, where've you been these last few years? You've missed so much!" The blonde pulls away slightly to look down at me, his icy blue eyes regarding me carefully as I shrug.

"Eh, we've been near enough everywhere." I reply, moving so I can stand back, looking him over, "It's good to be back, though. You're gonna have to fill me in on what's different now."

"How about I show you around again? That way I can introduce you to all the new assholes that have joined the Cobras and show you what's changed in town." Ace offers, gesturing to his car, "The new look is great, by the way, doll."

I blush slightly at the old nickname, thanking him as I climb into his car, picking up the baseball bat that he has propped against the dashboard.

"You guys still go around knocking down mailboxes?" I ask, thinking back to all the times we used to do it as teens, back when none of us had any inhibitions and the only problems we had were trying to hold up a reputation in town.

"Yeah, but only when my ass of a dad isn't looking." He smirks, "Wanna play a bit now?"

"Game on, Blondie." I respond, taking the bar in hand as he climbs into the car and starts it up, pulling out of the parking lot we were in and onto the main road, where there are fewer cars than I remember, "Hey, what happened to everyone? I swear there were more people around?"

He nods, shrugging a little as he navigates the sparse traffic, chewing lightly on the toothpick in his mouth.

"There were, but most people moved away over time. Now nearly everyone that lives here is from the old families, and everything is basically family owned, too." He explains quickly, pointing out a small diner as we go past that has a flickering neon sign hanging outside it, the word unclear as we speed past.

"Oh." Is all I say, before I stand up in my seat, the bat ready in my hand as I line up with the next mailbox I can see. Gripping the bat with two hands, I swing hard at it as we approach, whooping loudly as the bat clangs against the metal, knocking it to the floor with a crash behind us. Knowing the rules of the game, I instantly get ready to strike again, managing to knock down a good eight before I miss one, only just tapping it as we go past.

"Aw, come on! You swerved on purpose!" I complain jokingly, pouting as I sit back down in my seat, "You want a go?"

"Sure, I'm gonna completely show you up!"

"Keep telling yourself that, Blondie." I lean over and take the wheel for him, steering the car as he stands up and starts batting down the mailboxes that are unfortunate enough to lie on our route.

Looking up at him, I smirk to myself and wait until we're close to another one, harshly jerking the car to the side before he can actually hit it, drawing a frustrated groan from the blonde standing over me. He swiftly returns to his seat, taking the wheel from me as we steer back into town.

"You totally cheated." He says decisively, looking across at me with his signature grin, to which I act mockingly offended.

"How could you even imply that? I would never!"

"Yeah right." Ace chuckles, shaking his head.

Laughing, I turn to look at the surroundings, remembering all of the more dilapidated shops and houses, alongside some of the larger, grander ones, which I've always enjoyed looking at. As we drive, we pass another parking lot, where a group of boys are standing around their cars, smoking and talking with one another, beer bottles held in hand as they laugh and joke about. Upon passing them; Ace calls out to them, waving at them genially as they do the same.

"Friends of yours?" I question him once we've passed, lifting an eyebrow at him.

"Not really. They're just members of the gang that I have to keep up appearances with. Their old men are pretty big around here." He clarifies, rolling his eyes at the reminder.

"Their old men? Since when do they make a difference?"

"Since they took over the Cobras. My old man is the leader, but they're still pretty important." 

"Oh. I guess my dad will be looking for a place in the group, too, then." I muse, rubbing my temples a little.

"Yeah, most likely." Ace frowns and looks over at me, "We gave you the mark, didn't we?" 

"Yeah, you did." I confirm, easily recalling the pain from the knife as it cut the cobra shape into my upper arm.

"That's good. It means you're already basically a part of the gang, so you'll fit right in."

"Like I wouldn't anyway." I chuckle, punching his arm playfully.

*

"You know, I reckon they'd make a great pair, those two." Ace's father comments to (Y/n)'s, gesturing with his beer to the two young adults as they talk with each other, sitting very closely and behaving as if no time had passed between them.

"Yeah, they would. I don't think (Y/n) ever really gave up on him." The other man responds, taking a sip from his own drink.

"John definitely didn't. He's shown no interest towards the other sex since you guys left, except of course to fuck someone, but that never really means anything to him."

"Likewise with (Y/n). She has never brought home another boy who has stayed any longer than a few days."

The two of them stay in silence for a minute, both starting to think up a plan that could help them bring together their children again.

"We've gotta figure something out. We owe it to them, and to ourselves." Ace's father eventually breaks the quiet, sighing deeply.

"Yeah we do." (Y/n)'s father thinks a moment longer, "You know, I think I've just had an idea."

"You have?" The older Merrill shoots a surprised look at his friend.

"I have." 

"Let's hear it then."

Grinning, the two men lean into each other, conspiring together as they used to back in their day.

[trexova]

Finding Balance Through Mindful Movement: Yoga for Diabetes

Introduction

Although managing your diabetes might be difficult, incorporating yoga into your daily routine can be a game-changer. Yoga, an age-old discipline that integrates the mind, body, and spirit, has several advantages for controlling diabetes. Yoga offers a holistic strategy to enhance general well-being, from bettering blood sugar regulation to lowering stress levels. The significant effects of yoga on managing diabetes will be discussed in this article, along with how adopting a regular practice may improve your sense of balance and vitality.

1. Improving Insulin Sensitivity: Research has found that yoga for diabetes practice can improve insulin sensitivity, allowing your body to use glucose more efficiently. Yoga asanas like Bhujangasana and Paschimottanasana (Sitting Forward Bend) Yoga asanas (postures), such as Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) and Paschimottanasana (Sitting Forward Bend), stimulate the pancreas and support normal insulin production.

2. Reducing Stress: Anxiety and stress can have a negative impact on blood sugar levels. Deep breathing exercises, meditation, and relaxation methods are all incorporated into yoga, which activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting serenity and lowering stress hormones. In turn, this may aid in lowering blood sugar levels.

3. Increasing Circulation: Some yoga postures, including inversions like Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) and Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose), encourage blood circulation, especially in the lower limbs. This may be advantageous for diabetics who could have circulation problems.

4. Supporting Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) and controlling your weight can be achieved with regular yoga practice. Yoga, when combined with a healthy diet, can help with weight reduction or maintenance as being overweight increases the chance of developing diabetes.

Yoga is an effective technique for managing diabetes because it provides a holistic strategy for preserving blood sugar control, lowering stress levels, and improving general well-being. You may experience yoga's many advantages by adding it to your everyday practice.

Discover the Convenience of Near Me Online Yoga Classes

Finding time for exercise and self-care in the hectic world of today can be difficult. The limitations of distance and schedule, however, are no longer hurdles to yoga practice thanks to the growth of online yoga sessions. In this article, we'll look at the many advantages and practicality of online yoga classes sessions in your area, letting you priorities your health from the convenience of your home.

1. Scheduling Flexibility: Yoga courses online provide you the opportunity to set a time that works for you. You may choose lessons that work with your schedule, regardless of whether you're an early riser or prefer nighttime sessions. No more hurrying to get to a destination while stuck in traffic. studio promptly.

2. Easy Access to Expert Instructors: Online resources put a wide variety of qualified yoga instructors at your disposal. You may select from a variety of styles, including Vinyasa, Hatha, and Yin, and locate teachers that share your interests and objectives.

3. Convenience and Comfort: By practicing yoga in the convenience of your own home, you may relax and focus in a private environment that removes the need for commuting. It's simple to keep up consistency in your practice since you can set up your mat anywhere—in your living room, backyard, or even while you're traveling.

4. Variety of programs: meditation classes near me provide a wide range of programs for students at all skill levels, from novice to expert. Regardless of whether you choose a mild, You can choose courses that meet your requirements and interests, whether you like stretching, a vigorous flow, or certain yoga forms like pregnant or restorative.

5. Community and Support: Through live classes, forums, and social media groups, many online yoga platforms build a feeling of community. On your yoga journey, you may meet like-minded people, exchange stories, and get advice and support.

Online yoga sessions in your area provide unmatched convenience, flexibility, and access to professional teaching. Utilize technology to enhance your yoga practice, put your well-being first, and set off on a path of self-discovery and inner change. Online yoga courses open the door to a better, more fulfilling life by offering a range of sessions, professional instruction, and the flexibility to practice whenever and wherever you choose.

Accept the Power of Online Yoga Classes for Whole-Body Wellness

Online yoga classes have grown in popularity in today's digital age, providing a practical and accessible option to practice yoga from the comfort of your own home. In this article, we'll examine the transforming advantages of online yoga lessons and how they may improve your whole health—physical, mental, and emotional.

1. Convenience and Flexibility: Online yoga sessions provide the utmost convenience by letting you practice whenever and wherever you choose. Online yoga sessions provide you the freedom to effortlessly include yoga into your lifestyle, regardless of whether you have a hectic schedule, travel frequently, or prefer the comfort of your own home.

2. Professional Advice: Online resources connect you with highly qualified yoga instructors from across the world. virtual front door. You have the chance to learn from seasoned instructors who specialize in various yoga techniques and who can expertly and clearly walk you through each position and sequence.

3. Variety and Customization: A wide range of styles, levels, and durations are available in online yoga sessions to meet your interests and needs. You may choose lessons that correspond with your goals and adjust them to your level of practice, whether you're a beginner or an established practitioner looking for a soothing flow or a power-packed session.

4. Increased Privacy and Comfort: Doing yoga at home offers a private, comfortable space away from outside distractions and self-consciousness. Without any distractions, you may completely commit to the practice by experimenting with new poses and developing a close relationship with your body and breath.

5. Community and Support: Through virtual forums, live chats, and social media groups, online yoga platforms frequently provide a feeling of community. On your yoga journey, you may get in touch with other practitioners, exchange stories, and get support and encouragement.

Online yoga courses have completely changed the way we practice yoga since they provide convenience, flexibility, professional instruction, and a feeling of community. Accept the power of online yoga and profit from its revolutionary effects on your overall well-being. Online yoga sessions bring up a world of opportunities, whether you're an experienced yogi or you're just starting out. They aid in the development of strength, flexibility, awareness, and inner calm. Therefore, spread out your mat, sign in to your preferred online yoga platform, and start your practice. a journey that transforms and nurtures your body, mind, and spirit.