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[zomb13s]

Evolving Creativity: Alfons Scholing’s Exciting Ventures in 2024

At ikziezombies.com, innovation and creativity are at the heart of everything we do. As we step into 2024, our CEO, Alfons Scholing, is gearing up for an exhilarating journey filled with new projects and artistic endeavors. One of the highlights of this year will be Alfons’ dedication to capturing more time-lapse recordings of his mesmerizing street art graffiti canvases. Drawing inspiration…

[imagineinside]

Star-Like Encounters (Hugh Jackman x Fem!Reader) Chapter 3

Previous Chapter: https://www.tumblr.com/imagineinside/760895461984976896/star-like-encounters-hugh-jackman-x-femreader?source=share

A/N: Heheheh I had so much fun writing this little Cinderella-esque chapter. I hope you guys have equal amount of fun reading it! :) (Also, as always, I do not know these people nor is this meant to be an accurate representation of them.)

Description: You begin your first semester at a prestigious university with a mix of excitement and chaos. After a frantic start involving a late arrival due to your roommate’s Hollywood-related detour, your day takes an unexpected turn when you meet Hugh Jackman, your roommate’s boss, at a movie studio.

Hugh, intrigued by your expertise in physics, invites you to consult on a film project aiming for scientific accuracy. Balancing your new academic responsibilities with a potential Hollywood cameo, you must navigate your dual interests. As you face your own feelings, you discover that the lines between your professional and personal worlds are more intertwined than you imagined.

Currently Applicable Tags: Sexual themes 18+, Fluff, cocky Hugh Jackman, flirty Hugh Jackman, age gap (55 and late 20s), so much pining, mutual pining, reader under alcoholic influence, grammatical errors, more to come.

The day of the debut event arrived faster than you had anticipated. Hugh had arranged for you to meet with him and his stylists six hours before the event officially began, which you thought was quite an extensive length of time. But then again, you had never gotten ready for an event like this before. 

Hugh had been texting you pictures of various different red and yellow dresses, sent to him originally from his stylist. You think the last time you had worn an evening gown like that was to your high school prom. It had taken a while, but you had all settled on a strapless red gown that would be tailored to your form. What had really caught your attention about the gown was the small trane in the back and the slit up the front left leg. It was simple enough that you wouldn’t draw enough attention but still beautiful enough to match the rest of the attendees.

Hugh had promised to pick you up from your apartment, and as you sat on your couch waiting for the text saying he had arrived butterflies of anxiety flew around your stomach.

“You look like you’re going to throw up,” Ashley said as she walked into the common room with her lunch in her hand.

“Jee, thanks, Ash,” you snapped back.

Your friend raised her hands in self defense, “I didn’t mean bad by it. You’ll be fine tonight, you don’t need to worry. Hugh’s a good guy.”

“I know that. Just how would you feel if your celebrity crush asked you out to attend the debut of a movie you’ve been eagerly awaiting to arrive in theaters?” Your knees started to nervously bounce now.

“If Jennifer Lawrence asked me out I would make it a night she never forgot. So good that we would run off into the sunset together to live the rest of our lives together,” your friend said dramatically as she scanned the horizon with her hand.

You rolled your eyes, “Sure you would.” Just then your phone vibrated in your hand and a text from Hugh illuminated the screen.

Yup, that was the text saying he was here. You stood from your seat just as a second text came through.

You smiled to yourself at that, at least you weren’t the only person who was nervous about tonight. You thought that he would be accustomed to events like this after so many years in the entertainment business.

Going out to the car, you waved once you spotted Hugh parked on the side of the street. He was waiting outside the front of his car, leaning against the hood with his arms crossed over his massive chest. Something about seeing him waiting for you like that made your heart soar.

His eyes lit up once he saw you, a crooked smile forming on his face, “Y/N, it’s great to see you.” If he was truly nervous, he didn’t seem to show it.

You gave him a polite smile, “Thank you for coming to pick me up.”

“It was my pleasure,” He said and opened the door for you to slide into the passenger seat. His raw manliness is even more attractive paired with his manners and the way he seems to prioritize your comfort and presence.

The car was merging onto the road when he asked you next, “So, are you nervous?”

You let out a small laugh, “Me? Nervous about being photographed by hundreds of people? With you? And possibly also meeting some of your castmates? And seeing my photos go up online?” You swallowed and squeaked out a quiet, “Yes.”

Hugh laughed and something about the soft baritone made you feel a little better, “You’ll do great. You get to play the part of my sexy arm candy for the night… help to distract them from this old mug.”

You know he mainly meant it as a joke, but you were reeling with which to respond to first: his compliment (which like oh my god, did he just call you sexy?) or the fact that he views himself as anything short of the hottest man on Earth. “I don’t think anyone will pay me any mind, Hugh,” you said with a raised brow and a teasing smile thrown his way. “A fifty-five year old Wolverine never looked so good.” Were you flirting? Maybe just a little…

You weren’t sure if it was the change of lighting as you drove under a tunnel, but you thought you saw a slight blush creep up to his cheeks. “I’m glad you think so. I was slightly nervous at the start of the movie production being able to pay tribute to my old character.”

“Hugh, even if you weren’t still super hot and muscular, I don’t think there could be anyone else to play Wolverine.”

“You think I’m hot, huh?” He asked with a playful smile as he turned down an alleyway to the venue parking lot.

Despite feeling your own blush creep up on you, you decided to try to play it off, “I’m pretty sure every girl in the whole of the world finds you hot. I am far from the only one.”

You let him breathe a moment as he reversed the car into the parking spot, his hand coming up to the back of your headrest–and holy crap his bicep was right there. You barely resisted the urge to bite it.

“Maybe so,” Hugh finally replied as he gathered his belongings and paused for a moment to look you in the eye, “But right now you’re the only one that matters.”

* * *

The two of you were separated into different rooms when you arrived. Apparently it wasn’t going to take as long to get Hugh ready as you, so he was going to be working on other things. His stylist was a sweet, older woman who had years in this field. You gave her full liberty on your hair and makeup, she knew much better than you what would be appropriate.

“My daughter looks so much like you,” she had said sweetly while working on your makeup. “Of course, she never lets me do her makeup like this.”

Brenda, you found her name was, had given you a more subtle look. Nothing too flashy. More a sultry, smokey eye look with a matte red lipstick to match your dress.

“I do prefer to keep my hair up,” you had told her. You found it just bothered you if it hung in front of your face.

“We can work with that,” she said with a small giggle.

She ended up deciding on the very ageless french twist hairstyle, but without the necessary claw clip in the back. About midway through you had lost count of the amount of bobby pins she was hiding in your hair. Finally you were able to change into your dress, and with a couple finishing touches, such as earrings, a necklace and a bracelet, Brenda said you were “red carpet ready!”

It felt like you were living a real-life Cinderella fairytale. 

For one night only.

“Hugh is just through that door,” Brenda said with a knowing smile and a wink.

“Oh, Brenda, there’s nothing going on–”

She cut you off, “I’ve lived enough years on this Earth to know when there is a deeper connection, even if the other people try to deny it.”

Clutching the black handbag she had given you, you turned away from her and opened the door.

You didn’t look up right away, not sure what to do with yourself. You had never gotten this dressed up in your life. Pantsuits were more your style for work, not… this. Not that you didn’t completely enjoy it, though.

A breathless “wow” caught your attention and your eyes snapped up.

Hugh was standing across the room, seemingly in the process of applying his cufflinks. Though something had frozen him in place. 

No, not something… someone. You. 

His chest was moving quickly with his breaths, as if the wind had gotten knocked out of him. You felt every movement of his eyes on you as he took you in, as if his hands were there instead, trailing every curve and flowing line.

Not knowing what else to do with yourself, you gave him a quick spin, “What do you think?”

The next thing you knew, he was moving to you from across the room, cufflinks disregarded on a nearby table. Every step he took echoed through you until he came to rest before you. His hands hovered midair between the two of you, as if he wanted to reach out to you but came to his senses. 

You wanted to tell him to “Do it.” The words fell from your mouth before you could stop them.

Then his hands were on your waist and tugging you closer. You didn’t even realize you had begun to shake until you raised your hand to rest on his chest.

“You look absolutely stunning, Y/N,” the words left his mouth like a whispered prayer.

His hands seemed to move on their own as one trailed further south over the curve of your ass, and the other came up to your chin and tilted your face to meet his. You didn’t tell him to stop.

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” you whispered to him as you shared the same air. You could feel the puff of his breath across your lips–

A knock at the door had the both of you jumping away. It was like you had just been caught making out at your parents house for the first time.

“Oh, Huuuugh,” a sing-songy voice called from the other side of the door. You could recognize it anywhere, you had seen the Deadpool movies. “I’m comin’ in so you better not be naked.” And just like that the door swung open for Ryan Reynolds to enter the room. 

His eyes did one quick scan before stopping on you, and you weren’t sure why, but you held your breath. “And who is this lovely woman?” He said with a grin and began to approach you, “I’m Ryan, and who might you be?”

“I’m Y/N, the astrophysics Professor helping Hugh with his next film.” You said and shook Ryan’s hand.

“Well he did not say you were such a smokeshow, dear goodness. Don’t tell Blake I said that, she’d kill me,” you couldn’t help but laugh at that, knowing it was all just a joke. “Listen, they need us out there in like 20 minutos, can ya do that?”

20 minutes… your heart felt like it was in your throat. That little episode with Hugh had really distracted you from your nerves, but not anymore.

“Yeah, we’ll be right behind you, just give us a minute?” Hugh asked and gestured for him to leave the room.

“Ah ah ah, no not before a picture of you two, c’mon now,” Ryan said and practically shoved Hugh back towards you.

Something told you that Ryan wouldn’t give up quietly and Hugh gave you an apathetic look. You gave him a small smile and mouthed “it’s okay.” The next thing you knew, Hugh’s giant hand was back around your waist and you were posing for a picture. Once Ryan was apparently satisfied he put his phone down and began walking out of the room.

“You two look great! Trust me, you’ll thank me for the picture later.” With a click of the door, he was gone as fast as he had arrived.

A heavy silence fell over the small dressing room once Ryan had made his exit. You weren’t entirely sure where to pick up after what you had gotten interrupted from. Were you guys seriously about to kiss? For some reason you have a hard time believing Hugh would want to kiss you of all people. He could have literally anyone he wanted.

Distantly, you heard Hugh ask you a question. Something about a photo, maybe? You were so in your own thoughts that you just mumbled a “yeah” and didn’t give it much thought.

“Hey, Y/N, you alright?” Hugh asked, his hand appearing on your shoulder.

You blinked yourself out of whatever trance you had put yourself in, “Uh, yeah, sorry.” You paused for a moment, perhaps this would be the best time to be honest with Hugh. “Listen, I don’t know if I can do this…”

“What do you mean?” concern etched itself between Hugh’s eyebrows.

“I’m going to probably be asked questions I don’t know the answer to out there. I don’t know the first thing about posing in front of a camera. I am not star material, I spent nearly my entire graduate years inside my dorm room. I kid you not, I was so pale I scared my roommate ‘cause she thought I was a ghost one night.”

Your last comment made Hugh burst out laughing, the worry on his face disappearing almost immediately. You smacked him, not hard, with your black clutch purse. “Stop it!” You exclaimed, now beginning to fight your own laughter, “I’m actually nervous here!”

“Sorry,” he giggled, hand coming up to block his mouth as if that would stop his laughter, “I can just picture it so well–”

“Ah, jee, thanks. That makes me feel wonderful.”

Hugh wiped tears from his eyes and turned to look at you sincerely, “You are wonderful. But if you don’t want to go out there, then you can just skip the red carpet and go straight to the theater.”

You blinked up at him, “You promise?”

“I will pinky promise if you would like.”

You thought for a moment, “Yes, that would make me feel better.”

Hugh let out another laugh, “You don’t stop surprising me.” He linked your pinkies together and squeezed tightly, “I pinky promise you.”

Then, with a tenacity that surprised you after his hesitation earlier, he wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you towards him until your chests were flush together. “Though it would be their loss not getting to see how absolutely amazing you look tonight.”

The air was beginning to feel heavy again as tension crackled between the two of you. You weren’t sure you would stop yourself if it came to another moment like before, and it didn’t seem that Ryan was going to come swooping back in. So, to save yourself from any future embarrassment, you playfully shoved Hugh away, his grip on your waist releasing, and you said, “You better get finished up there. Don’t want to be the one to make us late now would you?”

Hugh then finished putting together his suit, which was an all black ensemble but with a red handkerchief to presumably match your dress.

“How do I look?” he asked and gave a quick spin, mocking what you had done earlier.

“Very dashing,” you said and threw the magazine you had been flipping through to the side.

Before you could push yourself to a stand, Hugh was there with his hand outstretched in front of you. You smiled shyly at him before placing your hand in his and allowing him to pull you up next to him. “As I said, you can still leave the carpet if it gets overwhelming for you.”

As the two of you approached the door, your left hand rested on his bicep as he held you close up next to him. It was definitely worth standing so close, his bicep felt like a rock beneath your hand. “Thank you, Hugh.”

He gave you the most genuine smile you think you have ever seen before he leaned down and placed a quick kiss to the top of your head. And just like that, you were walking out for your very first red carpet event.

* * *

Walking out onto the carpet for the first time was even more overwhelming than you thought it would be. The immediate flashing of cameras had you recoiling and gripping onto Hugh’s arm even tighter. His other hand came up to rest on yours as another form of reassurance. Then he leaned down until his lips brushed on the crest of your ear to whisper, “Show them how beautiful you are.”

Lifting your head back up you squinted your eyes into the flashing of the cameras and gave Hugh’s arm a thankful squeeze. There was so much talking and photographers yelling around you that you weren’t entirely sure where to go or what to do, so you followed Hugh’s lead.

It was slightly mesmerizing to watch Hugh be in his element on the carpet. The way he moved into poses with you almost automatically helped you feel more confident, and you would pause every few paces to let photographers get their desired pictures. Later down the carpet, Hugh got pulled into a few interviews with Ryan, but that gave you a chance to talk to Blake Lively for the first time. You had absolutely loved her “Lady Liberty” look a couple years ago at the Met Gala. The two of you had actually exchanged phone numbers in the hopes of staying in contact.

“You doing alright?” Hugh asked when he and Ryan walked back over to you and Blake. His hand slid across your waist and stayed there, notched around your back, as if it was his favorite place to be.

You smiled up at him, “Yeah, I’m actually really enjoying this.” You settled a hand on his chest and looked at him in his soft, brown eyes. “Hugh, thank you for this experience.”

He smiled back at you, the crows feet forming in the corner of his eyes, “I’m not sure if this night was more for you or for me.”

You were about to ask him what he meant when Ryan exclaimed you guys should go get your seats in the showroom before everyone else got there first. You had agreed it was a good idea, and the two of you followed after Hugh’s costar.

The four of you got seats all in a row, with–of course–Ryan and Hugh sitting next to each other. You couldn’t believe that you were really going to get to see the movie with the two starring actors sitting right beside you. You would have to be careful to keep your fangirling to a minimum.

Watching the movie felt like a spiritual experience, or maybe that was just because the waiters kept coming by and handing you more champagne which you were definitely getting tipsy off of. Either way, it was amazing. It was everything you had ever wanted all wrapped up into one two hour length film. The comic accurate Wolverine had you bursting out laughing and asking Hugh how they had made him so tiny. Getting to see all the old mutants from the X-Men was also such a great experience. The Honda Odyssey fight scene would go down in your mind as one of the best choreographed fight scenes of all time. And don’t even get you started on comic-accurate Blade, Elektra, and Gambit. Plus X-23 coming back had you crying tears of joy on the inside.

Now you were watching the final scenes of the movie when Deadpool goes down to stop the machine from destroying his world. You didn’t even try to stop the tears from falling down your face at the noble sacrifice.

Hugh must have heard your quiet sniffles as you tried to hide your embarrassing emotions over fictional characters you had grown so attached to. “Hey,” he whispered, “it’s gonna be alright.” His hand fell to your thigh and his thumb began rubbing soothing patterns against your skin.

“I know,” you whispered back, your voice watery from crying, “It’s just so beautiful. I wish I wasn’t ruining my makeup right now though.”

Hugh let out a low chuckle, “You still look beautiful to me.”

When you looked back up to the screen, it felt like your world was coming to a standstill. Right there, with Like a Prayer by Madonna playing in the background, was a very ripped, glazed Hawaiian roll looking Hugh Jackman all over the big screen. You didn’t even realize your jaw had dropped open until you heard laughter from beside you as Hugh took in your reaction. Deadpool’s reaction in the movie was also totally warranted.

“I don’t know if I’m turned on or still sad that now Wolverine and Deadpool are both going to die,” you whispered to Hugh beside you who gave your thigh a playful squeeze.

You watched the remaining moments of the movie at the edge of your seat, wishing that it would never end.

“Wow,” you said as the lights turned back on and people began filing out of the showroom. “That was…That was better than sex.”

“Amen,” Ryan replied as he helped Blake put her jacket back on. “Catch you later, Hugh.” You waved Ryan and Blake goodbye as they left the theater.

“I think that was the most jacked Wolverine has ever been in any movie.”

Hugh laughed and flashed his bright smile at you, “I definitely didn’t get that fit without a whole team to help me do it.”

You gave him a soft smile in return, “You did great in the movie, Hugh. I think that will go down as one of the best MCU movies, like, ever. I don’t think that was the worst Wolverine, I think he was the best one.”

Hugh tilted his head at you, “What makes you say that?”

“Because he had so many demons following him. He lost everyone. Yet he still found a new purpose to do better. You can’t be the worst version of yourself if you do that.”

“You look for the good in everyone don’t you?” He said with a smile as he stood from his chair and extended a hand to help you up. Ever the gentleman.

When you went to stand, your feet wobbled beneath you and fell forward like a damsel in distress. Strong arms held you upwards and you heard a laugh rumble up from Hugh’s chest. “Sorry,” you mumbled and righted yourself, “I think I had one-too-many glasses of champagne. Just hopefully I don’t throw up,” as soon as the words left your mouth you cringed at yourself outwardly. 

“Sorry, that was gross. Very not ladylike. And you are always such a gentleman. It’s like you were born to open doors for me and help me up from a chair. Sorry, I’m drunk. Don’t hold anything I’m saying against me tomorrow.” You mumbled into your hand as you realized you were rambling on. Jeez, that must have been some strong champagne.

“Maybe I should take you home?” Hugh offered as he held one arm around you and the other in your left hand, helping to steady you down the steps towards the exit.

“No, God, I’m sorry. I’m really making a fool of myself–”

“That’s not it.” Hugh cut you off, “I just want to make sure you get comfortable tonight and do whatever you need.”

“You’re so nice,” You said and looked up to his heartbreakingly handsome face, tears forming at the edges of your eyes, “I’m an emotional drunk, you can’t be that nice or I’m gonna cry.” Hugh laughed at that, at least he was able to find you humorous in this state. “Ashley also texted me and told me she was having a girl over tonight… I don’t want to walk in on her again.” You shivered, “We barely got past it the last time.”

Hugh seemed to cringe at whatever mental image he had pictured as well, “Alright, then where were you planning on going tonight?”

“I asked our friend Janet but she didn’t respond. Oh no!” You exclaimed, “I’m going to be homeless!”

Hugh laughed and guided you outside towards the back parking lot where his car was surely still waiting for the both of you. “You’re not going to be homeless. If you need to, you can spend the night at my apartment.”

“Nonononono,” you hurried to say, the words slurring together, “I can’t stay at your apartment. I cannot see where the magic happens.”

“Where the mag–What are you saying, goofball?” Hugh laughed again as he opened the door for you and you did not slide into the seat gracefully, as much as you tried.

“You’re so hot. There’s no way I can spend the night at your place. I want to too much.”

Hugh began driving out of the parking lot and the motion of the vehicle made your head spin even more. “Why not just try to get a little shut eye, it’s a thirty minute drive to get there from here.”

* * *

You didn’t even realize you had passed out in Hugh Jackman’s car until you heard the hum of the engine come to a stop and the lights flick out. You had drool sliding down the side of your mouth which you tried to slyly wipe away.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Hugh greeted and reached over to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. You reveled in the light graze of his fingers as they floated against your skin. “Let’s get you inside, shall we?”

The nap had actually helped to sober you up a lot, though you would never admit that he was right, of course. You were able to walk up to his apartment without any assistance in not falling over, though Hugh still stayed behind you in case you lost your balance. Once you got inside, your jaw felt like it fell to the floor. This one apartment was probably four times the size of the one you shared with Ashley, and it even had a staircase up to a second floor. So there wasn’t just one floor for one apartment? This was an entirely new concept to you.

And there was an entire wall of windows. You basically dashed over to them as you looked out to the sea just West of you and the city lights scattering the Southern coastline.

“Wow,” you breathed, your breath fogging up the glass.

“I know,” Hugh said from behind you, “once I saw the view I knew I had to have this place.” He reached forward and placed a gentle hand on your lower back. “Why don’t you go wash up in the master bath, I’ll get some clothes laid out for you.”

You blushed and mumbled a thank you before following Hugh up the stairs. The master bedroom alone was the size of your apartment, though you didn’t want to say anything. You’re sure Hugh isn’t the type to rub his financial status in other people’s faces, and therefore he probably doesn’t like people making comments on it either.

“Use whatever you need,” Hugh said with a smile as you worked on taking your heels off on the edge of the bed.

“Thank you,” you blushed, embarrassment flooding over you. “I’m really sorry about getting so drunk, Hugh. I don’t want you to think that’s normal for me.”

Hugh waved you away and came to sit next to you, the bed dipping from his weight as he sat down, “Tonight was about you enjoying the experience and the movie, which you did. I’m glad that you were there with me.”

“Did I say anything too unhinged? My memory is a bit fuzzy right before I passed out.”

Hugh appeared to give it some thought, “No, just that you think I’m hot.” He said with a mischievous smile.

You rolled your eyes as a smile grew on your own face, “Well I thought that was already obvious.”

“Oh really?”

“Well, duh, I’ve only had a massive crush on you since The Greatest Showman,” the second the words left your mouth you realized what you had said. 

The smile dropped from your face almost immediately as you grabbed a nearby blanket and threw it over your head to pretend you could simply disappear. You guessed that while you didn’t feel drunk anymore, your filter was still working on coming back. 

“Y/N,” Hugh called and tugged at the blanket but you fought to keep it in place.

“No, I’m never coming out of here.”

“Sweetheart, let me see your face,” something about the way he said it made you allow him to peel the blanket off of you. You weren’t ready to look at him again, though it felt like his eyes were looking straight through you.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered.

“For what, sweetheart?” Hugh asked as his hand lifted your chin until you had no choice but to look him in the eye.

“For ruining whatever friendship we had the possibility of creating.”

“Baby,” he purred, his voice like silk, “this was never going to be only a friendship.” Then his lips were on yours.

The kiss wasn’t frantic or steamy like you thought it would be. It was soft, and gentle, like he was just testing the water to see if either of you would get burned. You opened up to him, becoming pliant under his strong hand that was still on your cheek. A deep moan echoed up from his throat to urge you on, the sound making you squeeze your thighs together as you gripped around nothing.

“You’re so beautiful,” Hugh whispered, sounding absolutely breathless as he broke the kiss, only to come back for more.

You opened up for him when his tongue requested entrance and it was like neither of you could get enough. Sharing the same breath wasn’t enough anymore, you needed to be closer. You pushed against his chest, to which you received very little resistance before he laid back on the bed, all spread out for you. Something about seeing him flushed and breathing heavily because of you really messed with your head.

Before you had a chance to overthink it, you swung your leg over him and settled over his abdomen. Your hips grinded down on their own accord, though it rewarded you with a satisfying groan from the man at your mercy beneath you. You would do that all night if it meant you got to hear him make those noises.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” Hugh gasped and his hands shot out to your hips with a grip you were sure would leave bruises in the morning.

“I think I do,” you whispered, “because you do it to me, too.”

Both of you moved at the same time, lips crashing together. You didn’t even mind that your teeth knocked together as he ravaged you. His left hand came up to grip at the back of your head, holding you right where he wanted you. You felt him rut up against you in search of friction, and God you wanted it so badly too, but–

“Hugh,” you pulled away, breathless and lips red from kissing, “I think we’re getting carried away.” He stayed beneath you, chest heaving, as if he was still trying to process your words. “I don’t… I think we should talk once I don’t have any alcohol left in me.”

Hugh nodded, his mouth parted as if he was still contemplating whether to kiss you again or not. “Alright, sweetheart, I’ll let you get washed up. I’ll get you some water and a Liquid IV as well.”

“Thank you,” you said and placed a small kiss on his lips before sliding off of him as a reminder it wasn’t over.

You hadn’t realized the extent to which you had affected him until you looked back to see a tent in his dress slacks as he sat up. You quickly averted your gaze and strutted into the washroom.

Once you were done, just as promised, Hugh had left (what you would assume) was one of his shirts laid out on the bed, as well as water and a Liquid IV on the nightstand. Alongside it was a folded note that read: I’m sleeping in the guest bed, I don’t think I would be able to control myself with you tonight. Sleep as long as you need, I’ll have breakfast ready in the morning. ♥️

You went to bed that night with a surge of hope in your chest.

Bonus, Hugh’s Instagram Post:

Taglist: @corvusmorte, @chinchie, @reinabxitch, @shortnloud, @nizem8, @rexmeshlasblog (if you aren't on this last but want to be let me know!)

[climbthemountain2020]

Your Eyes Whisper Have We Met - Bonus Chapter 1

Ch. 28/28 | Ao3

Hello friends!

It is SO good to be back! Nessian is coming in hot, starting this week! You can find their story, the chronological continuation of Your Eyes Whisper Have We Met here. It's called To Know That I'm With You, and I can't wait to share it with you.

@popjunkie42, you are the love of my life. Can't thank you enough for taking on all my insane projects <3

Cassian was flying, his wings at a full extend with the warm sun beating down on them. It was a pleasant day, ideal for flying. The wind was entirely dead in this zone, but he’d caught enough of a draft that he was enjoying coasting, eyes closed as he let his body drift.

Cassian had set out this morning at first light from Day Court. He’d had a lovely stay at the palace right near the southernmost border, Helion so graciously putting him up in a guest suite after offering to share his bed three separate times. Some things even fifty years couldn’t change. 

Cassian had left when the sky was still mostly dark, flying as the sun rose to the east of him. He enjoyed the brisk air in his wings as the sky was painted in greys then pastels then deep oranges and purples as it fully rose above him. 

He had seen many sunrises in his long life, but something about today felt different. While the colors washed over the horizon and painted his wings, he felt good about the day ahead. 

There’d been a nagging in his chest since Rhys had returned, a restlessness that he couldn’t quite scratch out no matter what he tried. At first, he’d chalked it up to being allowed free from the bubble of Velaris after so long trapped inside. And while he’d been able to fly within the confines of his city during the last five decades, he hadn’t really been able to explore the way he was used to. 

Once Rhys and Feyre had politely but urgently excused themselves from society to complete their mating bond, Cassian had headed straight to the mountains, needing to feel the snow of Illyria on his skin, the winter winds in his lungs. It had been nice, but it hadn’t helped quell his unease. 

He’d wondered if he simply craved the presence of his family together again. And while that had also been nice, he’d still felt an odd tugging, a need to do something different. Be somewhere different. 

This trip, though not for any reason he’d have chosen for himself, had provided him with an opportunity to get out and stretch, both physically and mentally. Azriel had offered to winnow him through the courts, but Cassian was excited for the excuse to travel. It was the first time in the last few weeks the aching in his chest had subsided, the ability to breathe almost palpable within him.

Plus, Azriel had already been stretched thin, monitoring Feyre’s other sister and consulting with his network to help find the other one. Cassian knew precious little about the sisters, still. There hadn’t been much time. He wondered how like Feyre they might be, how different. Though he and his brothers weren’t blood related, they functioned as a sibling unit and had since childhood. Similarities in their preferences and nature and gestures and even speech ran deep. But when it came down to their personalities, the things that made them them, the three of them couldn’t be more different. 

Rhys had given him the briefest of rundowns in his office the day before, explaining the situation. He took a moment to show Cassian a memory of Feyre telling him about Nesta. It had been so long since his brother had regularly been in this mind, the sensation was both foreign and exhilarating. He’d missed him so much over the last half century that it felt like an open wound finally starting to smooth over and heal. 

He saw Feyre’s kind face, her brows furrowed and mind thinking. 

“Nesta is….diferent from other people.” Feyre spoke slowly, as though choosing the words carefully. “She raised us, after our mother passed. Made sure we were cared for when she was barely older than a child herself. She didn’t have the opportunity. She was always to carry on the wealth, the bloodline, and raise us, too.” 

Feyre looked a bit sad at this. “It made her hard. She took her promises seriously, perhaps too seriously. And I think she hid herself away in the process. She took every piece of her, things I barely remember from being so young, and she tucked each away in favor of everyone around her. She built a wall to protect us, to protect herself, and I think it’s been so long now that she isn’t quite sure anymore how to deconstruct it.”

It was Rhys’s voice in his mind now, though the softness of it let Cassian know he was still in the memory. Rhys was speaking to Feyre. 

“What is she protecting herself from?”

“Feeling. She feels too much, feels everything. And from the time she could talk, she was told not to. She was told it was a weakness, and she built herself entirely around that premise. Nesta doesn’t trust, not even Elain and I. She is distant and cold because she knows if she isn’t, then she can be hurt.” 

He heard Rhys hum. “Even those with a mask and walls can be hurt deeply, darling.” 

“I know that,” she murmured, her hand coming up to touch his face. “But she never let me in the way you did.” 

Cassian could hear his brother’s soft chuckle, full of affection, full of love and gratitude. It soothed something within Cassian to know that Rhys had found this. 

“Perhaps she needs to find someone as you did,” Feyre suggested. “Someone patient enough to break down those walls.”

“Or stubborn enough,” Rhys cracked back teasingly, his laugh emerging as Feyre smacked his chest. 

“Or that.” 

The memory faded, hazy and twirling, from Cassian’s view. Rhys was waiting for him with imploring eyes. 

“Don’t all siblings describe each other as difficult?” Cassian deadpanned, drawing a mirroring thwack on the shoulder from Rhys. 

“Perhaps, but I think Nesta is a different case. Feyre said she was supportive of her leaving. Part of me wonders if the glamour didn’t work and she went after her sister.” 

Cassian sat back at that. “A glamour not working on a human?”

Rhys shrugged, but Cassian had known him long enough to not buy his nonchalance. “It’s not unheard of.”

Cassian knew the entire story of Feyre and Rhys; they’d told it a few times since they’d returned home. If a forest witch strong enough to give Feyre the powers of the High Lords had put a glamour over Feyre’s family, it should have worked. Especially on a human.

Rhys leaned back onto his desk, scrubbing his hand down his face. He looked tired.

“I don’t know if it didn’t work, or if something with a greater magic than mine took her from that house. Either way, she’s gone. The other sister and all the staff seem to think both Feyre and Nesta are with their Great Aunt Ripleigh, a woman who I don’t believe exists,” he gestured out the broad windows overlooking the city. “For obvious reasons.”

Cassian snorted. “Some glamour.”

Rhys raised his brows in tired agreement. “Regardless, this means Nesta is missing. And while I have Azriel working with his spies to see what he can uncover, I’d like to have some feet on the ground, too.”

“You want me to go looking?” Cassian was mildly surprised. Azriel was usually the go to for anything dealing with humans or travel, simply because of his easy ability to travel and stay hidden. 

“I do. I think that it would be helpful to scan the area where Elain believes their aunt’s house to be. If you’re amiable. I know it’s a bit of a flight.”

Cassian didn’t think twice. “Yes. I’ll go. You have the location?” Rhys handed him a small note with rough coordinates and some scrawled directions below it. 

“Bring her back here if you find her. Feyre will be worried once she finds out.”

“She doesn’t know?” That surprised Cassian. 

“I’m getting breakfast with her soon. I wanted to tell her once I had a plan in place. She’s liable to sprout wings and take off herself if I don’t have one at the ready.” He smiled and it was filled with no annoyance whatsoever despite his statement. Only love-struck affection settled on his brother’s face. 

“Does she know what we are? What Feyre is now?”

Rhys pursed his lips as he hid a wince. “No.”

That could be an issue. 

“How do you expect me to convince a mortal to come here? She’s going to take one look at my wings and run screaming in the other direction.” He thought of the memory Rhys had shown him and huffed a laugh. “Or hit me with something.”

Rhys echoed an amused smile back. “I’ve never known you to be afraid of a challenge, Cass.” 

“It’s not every day you get to tell a mortal about the presence behind The Wall.”

Rhys extended his mind out once again, and Cassian granted him entry without thinking, the image flickering to life before his eyes. Another memory, but hazier this time, as though it had been Feyre’s as a human. The people were blurry, too blurry to see, but the words were sharp. 

I always knew you weren’t meant for this place.

The voice sounded like Feyre’s but deeper, harsher. The words, despite their denotation, didn’t sound malicious. They sounded strangely supportive. 

Rhys pulled back from his mind, the hazy images and the enchanting voice faded into nothing again. “It’s the only memory Feyre has shared with me of them from before. Perhaps you could convince her with their parting line.”

It wasn’t a bad idea. 

Rhys pushed to stand, crossing to where Cassian sat and putting a hand on his arm. “This is important to Feyre, so it’s important to me.” 

He clapped a hand over Rhys’s. “Then it is important to me, too.”

Rhys smiled down at him, his eyes looking brighter already. 

In the early hours of their return, Rhys had looked haunted, his eyes almost empty any time he began to slip away from what was happening in front of him. If he was focused on the conversation, his family, or Feyre, there was a brightness there, a joy. But the second the attention fell off him, Cassian could see his eyes glazing, hollowing. There was a look to them that Cassian recognized from warriors on the battlefield. Not quite dead, but those who may never be fully alive again either. 

It had scared him shitless.

After Rhys and Feyre had mated and married and returned, the hollow look hadn’t appeared again. The frown lines on Rhys’s face had smoothed, and he seemed more wholly there. Cassian could see the good that Feyre did for him, the true sense of safety and joy that she brought to his brother’s heart. 

Cassian’s relief had been immense. 

If he was being honest, when the wards had first been lifted and Feyre and Rhys had returned, Cassian was scared Rhys wouldn’t recover from what he’d experienced under Amarantha– would never be able to process what he’d been through. It had put a knife straight through Cassian’s heart, compounding the guilt he’d already felt being in Velaris all this time. And that came with an entirely different set of emotions, too.

They hadn’t gotten news from the outside in those fifty years, had no idea how long they’d be trapped, or what was happening with Amarantha. The city had carried on, as it always had. Self sustaining–its own bubble. And they had remained.

After the panicked message from Rhys, the resulting wards closing in, and the absolute silence that followed, Cassian had needed to grapple through many nights of complex feelings. 

Could he be angry with his brother for doing the only thing he could think of to keep them safe? For trapping them here?

Had he considered what would happen to them if he’d died there?

The thought was too macabre from every possible viewpoint to even imagine.

Rhys had done everything in his power for the purposes of keeping his family safe. It was a debt Cassian could never repay–that Rhys would never expect him to repay–which made the difficult feelings he had on it worse. 

Perhaps that was the crux of why Cassian needed to get out of Velaris and fly. Feel the wind under his vast wings and watch the sun arching across the sky from a new vantage point. That strangling feeling in his chest might very well be a need to prove he could leave now if he needed to. 

Cassian could never hold it against Rhys, would never speak to him about it either. He had his brother back, and a new sister to boot. He could not repay him, and he might never understand the full complexities of his feelings on the situation, but Cassian could do this. He could let him heal, give him just a fraction of what Rhys had given to keep them safe. 

He could run a simple errand to track down a mortal girl. 

And Cassian liked Feyre. Not just for the fact that she’d saved his brother and everyone else, but for the person she was. She was kind and smart and funny. She would make a wonderful High Lady. She didn’t take things too seriously, and her values matched Rhys’s. Her heart was in the right place. He’d yet to broach the topic of Illyria, their work in which had obviously stalled and halted while Amarantha ran amok in Prythian, but he imagined Feyre would be on his side in the initiative with full support. 

Another sore topic he probably shouldn’t think too hard on while focusing on flying. 

But Feyre was wonderful, exactly the kind of person Cassian hoped Rhys would find one day. She tested him, teased him, didn’t let him get away with his bullshit. They all adored her, and family dinners had a spark to them that filled Cassian with such joy he was fit to burst.

It was hard to imagine someone as closely related to her described as being prickly.

Nesta Archeron.

He rolled the name in his head and it stuck. 

He had to start thinking about how he might convince her to return with him. 

If he even found her. 

Even if he found the house she supposedly was staying in, who knew if Nesta would even still be there? Going back to Velaris empty-handed would be unacceptable by his own standards, even if Rhys would understand. Perhaps, if he found the location empty, he could backtrack to the Archeron manor. He had the location for that, too, and it wouldn’t take much. He’d need to be careful about his travels once he passed The Wall, though. His wings weren’t exactly subtle. 

But Cassian would leave no stone unturned, would not return without at least something to give them.

He raked a hand through his hair as he flew. In the meantime, he could enjoy the trip. He’d never take flying for granted, the gift granted to him by birthright. He didn’t care for much of his ancestry, the traditions and standards archaic and brutal, but of his wings he was proud.

Today would require a lot of them. The sun was high in the sky, and he was only just now coursing over The Middle. He couldn’t stop in Autumn or Spring safely, so he’d be flying long into the night to get to The Human Lands. He looked forward to soaring among the stars, though. Though his wings would be tired by then, and were sure to be aching and sore the next day, he would forge ahead. He hadn’t really been able to push himself or his endurance in so long–he was looking forward to the thrill of shaking off the dust and exhausting himself.

He looked down into the dense pack of fog below. He hated it here. Even before Amarantha’s rule, The Middle had been a place for people to avoid at all costs. There were monsters and creatures here beyond the comprehension of even the most ancient fae. Anyone with sense steered far away from it if they could. The looming mountaintop hovered over the clouds and mist, a sense of “other” tangible beneath him. But unless he wanted to fly over the ocean, there was no avoiding the horrid strip of land that separated the north and south of Prythian.

Suddenly, Cassian veered violently, his altitude dropping until his wings snapped out on instinct to catch himself. He righted himself quickly, pulling up and flapping his wings in suspension. There hadn’t been a draft or any wind that he’d seen. Above the heavy fog banks, the sun was warm on his wings, and the treetops pushing from the clouds below were entirely still. He didn’t feel any breeze on his skin.

He furrowed his brow.

Had he banked off a force field or some undetected magic? He ruffled his wings and searched for any errant spells, but nothing felt amiss.

Odd.

He began to fly again. But before too long, he banked hard again, his left wing tipping down just enough to drop him abruptly as though it wanted him to land. 

What the fuck?

His chest burned, that tugging ache that had been plaguing him amplifying into something near painful. Cassian tried to suppress the panic bubbling through him. 

Am I injured?

Has my body been trying to tell me all month and I’ve just been ignoring it?

Fae weren’t known to have heart afflictions, but gods knew he’d seen enough to not rule it out. Heat spread from his ribs like a pulled muscle, a strange feeling like separation catching his breath and nearly choking him. 

Fuck me. 

He needed to find somewhere to stop, somewhere to land.

How close am I to Winter? 

He scanned the horizon quickly. The snow capped mountains were distant, but he could make it if he pushed. Kallias would easily recognize him, give him a place to stay even if he had to message Rhys and ask for a few extra days. At least long enough to see a healer and assess what the fuck was happening to him. 

He pressed on, pulling hard on the muscles of his back to cover as much distance as possible in the shortest amount of time. Only a few seconds more and his body was banking hard towards the fog again. 

What in the Cauldron's name is this? 

Then Cassian heard the scream.

He felt it like a lightning strike, a current through his entire being. It split the air with a pain so vivid that it felt tangible. He could nearly taste blood in his mouth.

It was the scream of a female, and every nerve ending within him stood on end.

Some primal instinct within him overrode all else, every bit of training in him rioting at the discordant chaos suddenly filling his mind.

Protect, protect, protect.

The words slammed his chest like the beating of his heart.

Without another thought, Cassian dove, plunging through the thick clouds and headlong into the forest below. 

[growwithmeastrology]

Moon Trine Venus (3:50AM EST) Ain't love grand! Affection, love and romance are in the air. Smile, laugh and enjoy!

Moon Sextile Mercury (9:09 AM EST) Ideas flow freely. You express both your feelings and your thoughts with clarity. An excellent time for co-operative projects.

Mars Sextile Uranus (10:07 AM EST) At last you see the light. You are able to breakthrough obstacles in innovative ways. You are a dynamic leader.

Moon Opposite Uranus (10:12AM EST) Life is a little tense right now. Avoid willful behavior. Remain open to new possibilities and all will be revealed.

Moon Trine Mars (10:12 AM EST) Courage, mon brave! Make those quick decisions and others respect your leadership skills.

Mercury Opposite Mars (3:48 PM EST) Impulsive reactions. Fast pace. Trouble, problems and irritations. Mechanical breakdowns. Arguments and conflicts.

Moon Trine Neptune (7:03 PM EST) The Angels are smiling on you. This is a feel good time if you relax and tune into the subtle aspects of life - art, nature, beauty, dreams and spiritual realms.

Void Moon (7:04 PM EST) Moon is void until it enters the next sign. Actions done now may not turn out the way you intend. Similar to a retrograde.

Moon enters Sagittarius (11:28 PM EST) Expand your mind. Create space for adventure. Explore new pathways. Aim high. It is time to broaden horizons.

Want to dig deeper?

Learn more about your energies and how the forecast personally affects you! Comment below or DM me for a consultation or birth chart reading.

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[idontwantrobyntodie]

hi manti do you like my image. anyways i Was Wondering. if a girl (me) wants to get into Medieval Lit do you recommend anything!!! lit (specific translations) or history books about it i do not mind lichrally whatever

julia ily and i love ur image sm... i will endeavor to answer your quastion...

that said i want to preface that i am NOT an expert and in fact don't really know shit about medieval literature, especially because the middle ages lasted over a span of like 1000 years depending on where you cap it, but @elfstonke is my medieval consultant and I'm working on a research project about Knights rn so I will tell you what I do know <3 rn I'm reading The Bright Ages and Mysteries of the Middle Ages, both of which are history books that are going over the general history of the era but like, assume you already have some knowledge, like that you went to eighth grade. Both of them are very enjoyable!

do NOT read A world lit only by fire by William Manchester. i hate that book and its shoddy historicisity and its assumption that people in the past were gross and dumb and dirty. also it's full of genuine, actual lies (no, peasants in the middle ages didn't just go naked throughout the whole summer because their clothes would have fallen apart?? are you dumb?? have you ever seen an illuminated manuscript? mr manchester ik ur already dead but i want to rescind ur degrees from beyond the grave)

okay sorry. back to the point.

so a lot of medieival lit is in verse, they didn't really do prose very often for some reason, so a lot of what I do is just go on wikipedia rabbitholes to figure out which ballads and poems seemed interesting/culturally significant and then find pdfs of them on the internet archive or gutenberg. I reccomend this strategy. you know French and Arabic so your horizons would be incredibly open in this regard!! in English there's chivalric romances, many of which are about King Arthur (lots of these in french as well but I have not read them. for dont-speak-french reasons). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an especially popular one! Tolkien did a translation of it. Canterburry Tales is also where a lot of people tell you to start but uh. I have not read that. rip, take away my lit nerd card.

Scandinavian sagas can also be a lot of fun! They're written in prose which makes them easier to get into. I got to read a ton of them for a class, but I especially enjoyed the Saga of the Volsungs, which is full of a lot of epic heroism and a lot of family drama. at one point a woman feeds her husband their sons as revenge for said husband killing her brother <3 I love how women in medieval lit are submissive damsels in distress

and that is all! I'm sorry I couldn't give you a more thorough answer, but again I really do reccomend literally just going on wikipedia and messing around until you stumble upon something that seems interesting. a lot of these cycles of poems are related to each other, so if you find one there will be five more in some way connected to it. pls give me updates and opinions if you wind up picking something up :))

[spacenutspod]

4 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A NASA researcher and innovation architect from the Convergent Aeronautics Solutions project Discovery team collaborating at a whiteboard during a visit to Chapel Hill, N.C. on Aug. 13, 2024.NASA / Ariella Knight Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) Discovery identifies problems worth solving for the benefit of all. We formulate “convergent” problems—across multiple disciplines and sectors—and build footholds toward potentially transformative opportunities in aeronautics. As aeronautics rapidly advances, it is increasingly intersecting with other sectors like energy, healthcare, emergency response, economic resilience, the space economy, and more. CAS Discovery builds new innovation tools and methods, a workforce adept at innovation methods, and transdisciplinary teams of researchers within and beyond NASA that conduct regular “Discovery sprints”—expeditions into cross-sector topic areas that could beneficially transform aeronautics and humanity. WHAT is Discovery? Participatory It is difficult to understand and effectively address stakeholders’ needs & capabilities without engaging them. Discovery, in consultation with key NASA offices and other government agencies, has honed mechanisms to lawfully and respectfully engage and invite participation from stakeholders, communities, industry, NGOs and government to collaboratively formulate complex societal challenges tied to aviation.  Convergent Typical organizational structures limit convergence across knowledge boundaries. CAS Discovery is intentionally cross-sector and transdisciplinary because the most impactful ideas often lie at the intersection of boundaries, the borderlands where multiple disciplines and communities come together. We work to emerge multi-sector, system-of-systems challenges that integrate political, economic, social, technological, environmental, legal and ethical trends, needs, and capabilities. Future-Focused Organizations have a tendency of being driven by short-term thinking and relatively short time horizons. CAS Discovery uses strategic foresight methods to examine 20 to 50-year time horizons, systematically ingesting and synthesizing signals and trends from aero and non-aero sources to envision a variety of scenarios to uncover opportunities for the future of aeronautics. Ecosystemic We study the ecosystems that are part of aeronautics and aerospace. This helps in broadening consideration of impacts while practicing foresight. It enhances our awareness of the environment and gives stakeholders the ability to see ripple effects across technologies, economies, communities, etc. We seek to benefit the wellness of the entire ecosystem while also benefiting the constituents. A group of NASA researchers and leaders from the Convergent Aeronautics Solutions project Discovery team at the agency’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, on April 30, 2024.NASA / Ricaurte Chock WHO is Discovery? NASA Researchers They are the engine that propels CAS Discovery. Our cross-center Discovery sprint and foresight teams are composed of researchers from NASA’s Ames Research Center and Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, and Langley Research Center in Virginia. Researchers from Outside of NASA They collaborate with us as subject matter experts or Discovery sprint team members to contribute their backgrounds in fields less common within NASA, such as energy, economics, anthropology, and other areas. This collaboration happens through many mechanisms, such as freelancing, crowdsourcing, interviews, webinars, and podcasts. Stakeholders They are engaged in various ways and to different degrees, often co-envisioning potential futures, co-formulating problems, and co-designing solutions. Innovation Architects They are the glue that holds CAS Discovery together and the anti-glue that keeps our teams from getting stuck. They come from a wide range of experience, each bringing deep expertise in leading transdisciplinary teams and stakeholders through processes and methods from strategic foresight, complex systems design, human-centered design, and more. CAS Center Integration Leads (CILs) They work with NASA line management at each Aeronautics center to bring NASA researchers and potential new PIs into CAS. CILs also host annual Wicked Wild idea pitch events to bring new problem areas and solution ideas into CAS Discovery and early Execution phases. Ames Research Center CIL: Ty Huang Armstrong Flight Research Center CIL: Matt Kearns  Glenn Research Center CIL: Jeffrey Chin Langley Research Center CIL: Devin Pugh-Thomas CAS Discovery Leads They oversee Discovery sprint and strategic foresight teams, topics, and processes; new tools and continuous improvement experiments; and the overall health of the CAS innovation front-end pipeline and related strategic outputs. Discovery Lead: Eric Reynolds Brubaker, Langley Research Center Foresight Lead: Vikram Shyam, Glenn Research Center Sample Discovery Publications COMING SOON: Links to Technical Memorandums and conference papers. Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 2 min read NASA Concludes Wind Study Article 2 years ago 3 min read NASA Armstrong Supports Wind Study Article 2 years ago 4 min read NASA Interns Help Identify Aviation Solutions to Health Care Challenges Article 2 years ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Convergent Aeronautics Solutions Science Missions Aeronautics STEM Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Mar 21, 2025 EditorJim BankeContactDiana Fitzgeralddiana.r.fitzgerald@nasa.gov Related TermsConvergent Aeronautics Solutions

[sanelacconsultant]

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[crispinfandom]

In lieu of Project Horizon's soft cancellation and Chessington getting the old plans + 1 more bonus rollercoaster soon... Here was my lore!

CW - Pregnancy-Adjacent, Child-Birth Adjacent, and Miscarriage

-

So my dumb ass started setting up Project Horizon's lore in real time like a good little writer. Originally she was gonna be Oblivion's kid.

Coaster reproduction works very differently from human stuff. Coasters reproduce asexually (outside of a few very rare exceptions). Scientifically, this SHOULD make them an all female species, but whoops me having cis male Coasters was already set in stone sooo

Coasters don't get pregnant. I'm NOT Mpregging Oblivion, I'm NOT!! 😭😭

However, they do experience pregnancy like symptoms such as fatigue, morning sickness, nausea, being overly emotional/hormonal, nesting behaviour, etc etc. Y'know. For some added flare

"Conception" starts when a Coaster has its first mention, whether it be through planning permission, a public consultation, or what have you. A Coaster is officially born into its "child stage" (anywhere from 2-12 years old depending on the target demographic for the final product) once the first signs of construction start, however that may be defined.

The parent Coaster is notified that their child has spawned in by experiencing an intense, excruciating, full-body pain that lasts around 15-30 minutes. Y'know. Just so they know that they know.

HOWEVER! Project Horizon was concieved by this logic, but was never born! Therefore, Oblivion has officially had another miscarriage.

"Wait, another? Who were the first 2?"

Miscarriage 1 was The Smiler. If a Coaster is built in an area with another Coaster that's over 10 years old AND there's no other Coasters of the same manufacturer of the offspring at the park (IE, there was no other Gerstlaurers), then those rides become parent and child.

In 2012, Oblivion was 14, of Coaster reproducing age. However, in 2011, Oblivion was a canon alcoholic. In 2012, he also had other generally stressful life things going on. Therefore, literally less than 2 weeks aftet conception (and before he even really noticed), the parent-child connection was severed and thus marking Bliv's first miscarriage.

Smiler and Bliv are still close. This... Isn't something they really think about. Smiler was handraised by humans and kind of sees one random human as almost being like a parental figure, but absolutely does not see Bliv as like a dad. Probably for the best. Sometimes Bliv looks at Smiler and thinks "hmm. Wonder what life would have been like if things were slightly different," but the thought usually weirds him out pretty quick.

Miscarriage 2 was Oblivion: The Black Hole. Originally (in an out-of-text sense) I planned for Blackhole and Oblivion to have been Husband and Wife, (well... divorced now), and for O:BH to be their kid. I mean... No duh! Seems like a no brainer! But with BH being born in 1982-1984 and Oblivion being born in 1998 (14 years is a parent-child level age gap in Coaster Years) and BH leaving in 2005 and then RANDOMLY still having a kid with Oblivion 10 years later, the timeline didn't really pan out. So, this idea was scrapped. Instead, BH was Oblivion's Mum, and O:BH became Oblivion's sister.

"But wait! Oblivion is 17 years older than O:BH! Why are they siblings?"

If I was starting this lore from scratch, yes! You'd be correct! By my own logic, O:BH would in fact be Oblivion's daughter! Have a cookie, you clever clogs!

Unfortunately, writing is messy, and I already had a bunch of lore I was too attached to to throw away, so I made a compromise.

O:BH was ORIGINALLY going to be Bliv's kid. He conceived her, but before he even knew Gardaland was getting a new Coaster, he miscarried. Some doctors then explained to him that Gardaland was changing their lore and O:BH would be his sister instead.

Bliv's 3rd miscarriage was the aforementioned Project Horizon, obviously. Because Project Horizon was in development for 22 months before the announcement that it *might* be getting moved to Chessington, Oblivion had a lot of time to sit and ponder parenthood. He kind of figured he'd be a rubbish dad. Man can barely look after himself. BUT! He was also kind of excited. Maybe having a kid would be that nudge he needed to actually force himself to have structure and routine in his life, and cook dinner every day instead of just having pot noodle every day for 9 days straight.

However, with Bliv's fertility problems, it wasn't meant to be :(

Now, you may think it's a coincidence that Bliv seems to be a little bit infertile. Well actually, I found a reason! Blackhole also had a miscarriage before having Bliv! You see, there was a Schwarzkopf project planned to go near The Corkscrew that got planning permission in the early 90s, but as you probably know, it never happened. BH was the closest Schwarzkopf, and thus, she suffers the same fate as Bliv. In fact... A lot of Schwarzkopfs do.

Thunderlooper SPECIFICALLY was not expecting to have Nemesis and hated him because it gave him internal issues.

BH got internal issues after having Bliv, which nearly caused her death AND THEN caused Alton to sell her because they didn't wanna pay for her health problems.

Alton Beast (still unsure about the canonicity of this) got sold after having Galactica, perhaps due to reproductive health issues.

So basically, Schwarzkopfs suck at reproducing. This is because Schwarzkopfs were born in a mill, and it kind of screwed them up. Schwarzkopfs having reproductive issues may also explain why 1, Schwarzkopf was a mill in the first place, and 2. Why they're dying out.

But if BH had reproductive issues... and Oblivion has reproductive issues... Who's driving the ship? That's right, it's genetic babieee

TLDR get fucked Oblivion you're doomed by the narrative

[the-evil-skull]

My eighth fucking attempt at posting my highlights reel of Thrawn

A great tactician creates plans. A good tactician recognizes the soundness of a plan presented to him. A fair tactician must see the plan succeed before offering approval.

Those with no tactical ability at all may never understand or accept it.

Nor will such people understand or accept the tactician. To those without that ability, those who possess it are a mystery.

And when a mind is too deficient in understanding, the resulting gap is often filled with resentment.

"I'm like dropping hints that I think my boss is a fucking idiot. Anyway Rossi if you're out there--"

Eli winced. In general, not shooting a civilian population was a perfectly sensible approach to combat. More sensible, in fact, than he would have expected from a lot of Imperial officers.

THIS IS SO FUNNY I need a Live Eli Reaction to Thrawn bombing Lothal.

There are things in the universe that are simply and purely evil. A warrior does not seek to understand them, or to compromise with them. He seeks only to obliterate them.

THE HYPOCRISY. THE HUBRIS. MY BROTHER IN THE FORCE YOU ARE WORKING FOR AND COMPROMISING WITH THE EVIL

"Why do you seek high rank?"

It was a question many had asked over the years. Thrawn had asked it of himself. The answer never seemed to satisfy the questioner. "Because there are problems that must be solved. Some cannot be solved by anyone except me."

"I see." Vanto was silent a moment. "Senior Lieutenant Hammerly was able to stall them for a bit by telling them you were consulting with the local chief. But they expect you to call back."

"Of course." Thrawn said. "I will do so immediately."

"What will you tell them?"

"The truth."

Vanto had now asked the question. He was no more satisfied than anyone who had come before him.

Thrawn wondered if anyone would ever be satisfied. Or if they would ever understand.

There's so much going on here. The HUBRIS. THE WAR DOG COMPLEX. "Some cannot be solved by anyone except me" THE AUTISM. Important context: this happens after Thrawn burns down civilian farmland.

"I'm Arihnda Pryce. You probably won't remember, but we met once at an Ascension Week reception in the Alisandre Hotel, back when you were a senior lieutenant."

The fact that Arihnda and Thrawn keep inevitably coincidentally crossing paths in the 2017 book is hilarious. The Force is conspiring to draw them together through the machinations of the universe across time and space just so she can piss him off in Rebels season 4 by blowing his entire TIE Defender project to fucking smithereens the moment his back is turned

"But it does not matter. However these beings were pressed into service, they are now Imperial assets. They will be treated as such."

LIVE ME REACTION WHAT THE FUCKK😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧

Through the west-facing window, the sun was beginning to set.

For a moment she watched, thinking back to the evening when her mother was arrested and their lives changed forever. At the time she'd thought how the people in big cities probably never saw the horizon or the sunset, and had wondered if they ever thought about such things. Or whether they even cared.

Arihnda had lived on Coruscant, in the galaxys ultimate big city.

And as she gazed out the window, she realized that she really didn't care.

Oogh. No thoughts, just. OOOOOOUUUUUUUGGGGHHHH

"I have read about the nightswan," Thrawn called after him. "Have you?"

Nightswan turns partially back. His face is obscured by shadow. His body stance again holds weariness, along with a quiet dread. "You refer to the fact that it sings only as night is falling?"

"Yes," Thrawn said. "You do not expect your stand to succeed, do you?"

"I know that it won't succeed." Nightswan said.

"That does not necessarily mean the end. I can give orders for you to be taken unharmed."

"They'll be ignored. Half the troops here are Batonn Defense, and Restos is determined to get rid of me."

"Then come with me now."

"A man must do what he must, Admiral Thrawn. Even if his stand is against the fall of eternal night."

HUARGHH. JUST. NIGHTSWAN. NIGHTSWAN SAVE ME NIGHTSWAN. GODDAMN. HE KNOWS HES DOOMED, HE KNOWS HE WONT SURVIVE THIS STORY, FOR ALL HIS GENIUS HE IS STILL A DESPERATE MAN. EVEN IF HIS STAND IS AGAINST THE FALL OF ETERNAL NIGHT AUGH

"Your report, Colonel, said his death was confirmed?"

"Yes, sir." Yularen said, "His body was found and identified in one of the outer areas, where the damage was less severe. He was probably checking on the perimeter." He hesitated. "Possibly preparing to stand alongside the defenders there."

"Yes." Thrawn said.

And so it was over. The path had ended. The pattern was broken.

The song of the Nightswan was silence. The galaxy would be the worse for its loss.

NOOOOOOOOOOO. FUCK. NIGHTSWAN WAS MY FAVORITE AND PROBABLY THE ONLY CHARACTER WITH A REAL MORAL COMPASS. FUCK. RIP NIGHTSWAN YOU SERVED SO MUCH CUNT THE EMPIRE HAD TO GET YOU KILLED BEFORE THE REBELLION COULD BE PUT TOGETHER

It is said that one should keep ones allies within view, and ones enemies within reach.

A valid statement. One must be able to read an allys strengths, so as to determine how best to use him. One must similarly be able to read an enemy's weaknesses, so as to determine how best to defeat him.

But what of friends?

There is no accepted answer, perhaps because true friendship is so exceedingly rare. But I have formulated my own.

A friend need not be kept either within sight or within reach. A friend must be allowed the freedom to find and follow his own path.

If one is fortunate, those paths will for a time join. But if the paths separate, it is comforting to know that a friend still graces the universe with his skills, and his viewpoint, and his presence.

For if one is remembered by a friend, one is never truly gone.

I'm not one to claim Zahn is a master of prose but holy shit. Holy shit the final journal opening of the epilogue is pure art. He really put his whole Zahnussy into half a page of morally bankrupt Grand Admiral Thrawn (who uses lethal force against teenagers and commits so many war crimes he even pisses off Palpatine and can't understand the nuances of social interaction) talking about the value of having a real friend. Every lacking opportunity for poetics was given to the epilogue. Kinda. "When one is remembered by a friend, one is never truly gone" kinda. The platonic aspect of Thrawn and Elis bond is so deep and far-reaching that he's going to be HONEST about it for once?? For all how he loves Eli he also values him just for being there??? I'm gonf throw up. Imagine having a friend so dear to you that it forces you to be honest about it

[foundtherightwords]

All Our Yesterdays - Chapter 1

Pairing: Ralph (Timewasters) x OFC

Summary: Thu, a museum archivist, only wants to escape her dull life in 21st-century Hanoi. The last thing she expects is to end up in 1929 Indochina via a time-traveling elevator and cross paths with Ralph, an Englishman on the run from the French Foreign Legion. Romance blossoms between them, but in a colonized country, unrest is always looming on the horizon, and Thu must decide if she wants to stay with Ralph in the past or return to the safety of the future.

A/N: In the show, Ralph ends up somewhere in Morocco or Algeria (judging by this photo - thank you, @quinnkeerys, for doing the Lord's work), but I'm more familiar with French Indochina, and a Legion regiment was stationed there at the time, so I transferred him there to make the research easier for me.

A few notes on the Vietnamese names/pronunciation:

- Thu is pronounced like "too", but with a softer "t" sound. - The "D/d" letter in Vietnamese is pronounced as "z", so for example, "áo dài" (long tunic, the national costume of Vietnam) is pronounced like "ao zai". "Đ/đ" is pronounced as "d". It's confusing, I know. - For easier reading, I left the diacritics out of the characters' names (Hoang instead of Hoàng, Phuong instead of Phương, Lien instead of Liên.) The place names and other nouns are kept intact though. If they are difficult to read or mess up the format, let me know and I'll take them out.

Also, I only watched the first 2 episodes of "Timewasters" (the ones featuring Ralph), so I had no idea what is canon about the time machine.

Warnings: outdated/period-typical attitudes, mentions of war, mentions of pregnancy and abortion (involving a supporting character), some angst (it's mostly fluff but you know me, I can't do without angst altogether), some smut (non-explicit)

Chapter warnings: outdated attitudes about women/marriage

Chapter word count: 3.3k

Chapter 1

"Thu, are you even listening to me?" Hoang's irritated voice brought Thu out of her reverie. With difficulty, she turned her eyes away from the vendor selling tofu pudding—tào phớ—outside. The vendor's hand was moving in a blur, scooping silky tofu from the big container into smaller cups and pouring sugar water on top. She was remembering how, in her childhood, such vendors would use a big mussel shell as a scoop instead of the ubiquitous aluminum ones now, and how the tào phớ of childhood seemed to taste sweeter, fresher. Now she was struck by a sudden craving. It was the first of September, but summer was still holding on stubbornly, and the air-conditioned interior of the coffee shop felt close, stuffy. A bowl of cool, slightly sweet, jasmine-infused tào phớ would just hit the spot.

"You want some tào phớ?" she asked Hoang.

"What?" Her boyfriend stared blankly back. She nodded toward the vendor, and Hoang made a face. "No. And you shouldn't either. It's not sanitary, you know. I wish the city would just ban all street vendors. So untidy."

Thu rolled her eyes. "But they're such an integral part of Hanoi!" she protested. "It's been that way for hundreds of years and will continue to be."

"I doubt it," Hoang said callously. "Already there are fewer of them after the pandemic. People's buying and eating habits are changing. Soon they'll be gone, just you wait."

Thu sat back, chagrined. They had had this argument often enough for her to know it was a losing battle. She shouldn't have said anything at all.

"Anyway," Hoang continued, "we're good for this Saturday?"

"What's happening Saturday?"

"My parents coming to talk to yours."

"About what?"

"About the wedding, what else? Have you not listened to a word I said at all?"

The truth was that she had tuned out the moment Hoang mentioned his mother had been to see a fortune-teller. It was exhausting, the way his mother always consulted fortune-tellers before doing anything, so after a while, Thu stopped listening. But now, the mention of "wedding" sent a chill through her, as she realized what it could mean.

"Wedding?" she repeated, trying to hide her rising panic.

Hoang let an exasperated breath out through his nose. "Yes, our wedding. Mom is determined to have it before the Lunar New Year."

"Before the Lunar New Year..." Thu did some mental calculations. "But that's only five months away!"

"So what? Plenty of time to plan a wedding."

"But why the rush?"

"Because you're turning twenty-six next year, and it's not an auspicious age to get married," Hoang explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"So let's wait until I turn twenty-seven then! Or twenty-nine!"

"Come on, we are going to get married anyway, what's the difference a year or two going to make?"

It makes all the difference in the world! Thu wanted to shout, before stopping herself in time. She and Hoang had been together for four years, and it had always been understood that they would eventually get married, though they had never officially discussed it. And now, when Hoang finally brought it up, she realized, with horror, that she did not want to get married. Not yet. Perhaps even not at all. There was so much she wanted to do.

"I want to get my Master's first," she said.

"You can do that after we're married," Hoang replied breezily.

Easier said than done. After they got married, there would be kids (When are you going to have a baby?), responsibilities, and more kids (Two is always better than one, you know!), and before she knew it, her life would settle into monotonous drudgery, rushing home after work to put dinner on the table, dropping off squalling kids at daycare and picking them up again, arguing about what primary school to enroll them in, and on and on and on. Try as she might, she could picture none of the marital bliss people often boasted about. She shuddered and reached for her pendant, twisting it between her fingers as she always did whenever she was nervous.

"Actually... my parents might have... plans this Saturday," she said, trying to stall.

"Really?" Hoang raised an eyebrow. "But when my mom called, your mom said it was all good."

Thu's stomach churned in anger. Her mother always did that, deciding what was best for her without asking what she wanted. "Looks like they got it all under control," she said coldly.

Hoang didn't hear, or pretended that he didn't hear the frosty note in her voice. He leaned back and took a sip of his iced coffee. "Yep, I figured, moms have a lot more experience in this kind of thing, so why not let them take charge? They're happy, we don't have to worry about all the trivial details; it's a win-win."

Thu clamped down a bitter retort. It wasn't that Hoang didn't make an effort in their relationship; he remembered her birthday and their anniversary and other important dates, but he was always very matter-of-fact about them. His gifts were the practical kind, and he never got her flowers, saying there was no point since they were going to die anyway. Anything else would just be a "trivial detail" to him. She appreciated his pragmatism, but once in a while, she wished they could have been a little more spontaneous. It was like Hoang was afraid of being seen as sappy. She knew if he had it his way, he wouldn't even have a wedding at all. They would just go to the city hall and sign the marriage certificate and that would be that.

"Where are we going to live, after we get married?" she asked.

"With my parents," Hoang said, the "of course" plain in his tone even though he didn't actually say it out loud.

"You know I don't like it when so many generations live under the same roof," Thu said. Hoang lived with his parents and grandparents. She knew it was still the norm, but the very idea set her teeth on edge.

"What's the big deal?" Hoang shrugged. "In your own words, it's been like that for hundreds of years, and it's much more convenient. You know, for someone who loves history, you sure are picky about which part of it you love."

His words stung. "Just because I love something, doesn't mean that I'm blind about it!" she snapped, then gathered up her things and stormed out of the coffee house before Hoang could say another word. A bit of an overreaction, perhaps, but she was looking for any excuse to escape further discussion of the wedding. She wasn't brave enough to tell him that she didn't want it, and even if she did tell him, she wasn't even sure if she could get through to him.

That evening, over dinner at home, Thu tried to broach the subject with her parents first. If she could get them on her side, then maybe she could convince Hoang to push the wedding back a few years.

Her mom wasn't having any of it.

"But you two are going to get married anyway," she said, maddeningly echoing Hoang's words. "I don't see why you'd want to wait."

"We don't have our own place yet," Thu said. In this, she knew her parents would support her. No parents want their daughter to have to live with the in-laws. "And I want to get a Master," she added hopefully.

"What's the point? It's not going to raise your salary at the museum, is it?"

"It'll allow me to get a teaching position at the university."

Her mom snorted. "And their salary is better, I suppose? Your dad and I can lend you the money to buy your own place."

Thu turned to her dad in dismay. "Dad?"

"Mom's right," her dad said, his face hidden behind his phone. "We won't charge you interest."

"If you don't want to be in debt, then take that job with Cousin Minh," her mom continued. "He's been calling again. He says they can really use someone with your English skills, and they pay very well. You'll save enough for an apartment in no time."

"Mom, he sells illegal IDs!"

"Nonsense. He runs a visa agency."

"Yes, which includes selling illegal IDs. He's lucky he's not getting arrested. I am not going to work for him."

"Ooh, if you're getting married and moving out, can I have your room?" her younger brother, Tung, piped up.

Thu dug the heels of her hands into her eyes, frustrated. There would be no help from this quarter.

"Look," her mom said in a softer voice, "we just want you to settle down. Hoang is a nice boy. He has a good job. It's the right time to get married. If you wait longer, something else may come up."

Settle down. Get a job. Get married. Have kids. The same path as everybody else. Deviate from that, and you'd risk disapproval and pity. What will happen to you? Who will take care of your parents in their old age? Who will take care of you in the future? And of course, that was the sting. Hoang might be dull, but he was safe, stable, predictable. She could imagine a future with him, even if that future was not particularly bright.

Thu went into her room and took refuge in her history books. At least with them, she knew how the stories all turned out; it didn't matter if the endings were good or bad. Perhaps that was why she loved history so much. There was none of this worrying about the future in history.

***

Those gnawing thoughts were still going around her head the next day at work, grating on her nerves and making her snappish with everybody. It was a slow day. Usually, she relished days like this, when she could settle into the backrooms of the museum, going over the archives, or walking through the echoing halls, looking at the artifacts, pretending to be a visitor, but today, the quietness of the museum felt stifling, its familiarity stale. It probably didn't help that she was stuck doing paperwork, cataloging the findings of a recent dig just outside of Hanoi. Sometimes, this job felt futile, like there was nothing else they could discover about the past. Vietnam's history is a bewildering patchwork of myths and half-preserved facts, destroyed by centuries of war and natural disasters and just plain old bad weather, impossible to make sense of, and Thu had never felt the futility of that task more acutely than she did that day, while logging broken pieces of roof tiles and ceramics into the computer. She was glad when, near the end of the day, her supervisor asked her to leave off the work and deliver some invitations for the museum's upcoming seminar to the nearby Institute of French Culture.

Leaving her motorbike at the museum, Thu walked the short distance from behind the Grand Opera House down Tràng Tiền Street. It was rush hour; by the time she got her bike out of the museum's parking lot and found a parking space near the Institute, she would've already gotten there on foot. The concrete pavement still retained some of the day's heat, and the currents of roaring cars and bikes and their constant honking only added to the warmth, but already, there was a slight crispness to the air that whispered of autumn, of moon cakes and green rice, of lantern processions. As Thu wove her way through the traffic, she imagined herself as an office girl from the French School of the Far East, which used to be in the same building as her museum, walking to the IDEO Printing House, where the Institute now stood, on some errand...

Her phone buzzed, cutting off her daydreaming. She glanced at the screen and groaned inwardly. A text from Hoang:

Confirmed with my mom, we're coming to your house 10 AM Saturday. Prepare lunch. Something not too heavy.

The bossy tone of the text pricked at her. He couldn't even say "please" at the end! Was this a taste of how their marriage was going to be, with Hoang dictating the terms and Thu following obediently? To hell with that. And if Hoang and her mother refused to listen, then she would find a way to make them listen...

Without stopping to think, Thu logged into her mother's account, still remembering the password from when she set it up for her. She scrolled through until she found the string of messages between her mother and Hoang's, and fired up a text:

I'm very sorry, but we're going to have to cancel the plan on Saturday. There's an emergency.

Would that be enough? No. Better make it clear. She added, Also, to be honest, we can't afford a January wedding. It's too soon.

Better make it double clear then. And I think Thu and Hoang can benefit from having more time to think. They're both too young to—

No. She deleted the last sentence. It would be too obvious. Of course, it would become obvious who sent the text if Hoang's mother decided to call hers, but she was hoping, if nothing else, this would at least get their attention and allow her a chance to really talk about what she wanted.

Thu went into the Institute and dropped the invitations off at the main office on the fifth floor. Her head throbbed from the heat and the stress. While waiting for the elevator, she reached for her stash of emergency M&Ms in her backpack. She just popped a handful into her mouth when her phone rang, shrilly, accusingly. She glanced at the watch on her phone. Her subterfuge lasted a total of eight minutes.

"Hi, Mom," she answered, resigning herself to a dressing-down.

"It was you, wasn't it?" Her mom sounded furious. "You sent a message to Hoang's mother to cancel the plan on Saturday, didn't you?"

"I did, yes."

"Why?!"

"Because I don't want to get married, Mom. Not yet. I've been trying to say this but nobody—"

"Do you have any idea how humiliated I was? I couldn't tell her that I didn't send that message! I had to say there was a misunderstanding and reschedule for Sunday."

"Mom—"

"That's final! I'm done discussing this with you!"

Her mom hung up. Thu sighed. Why won't they just listen?!

The elevator arrived. The door slid open. There was already a man inside, a Westerner. Thu eyed him curiously. He looked to be in his sixties and was terribly unkempt. Despite the heat, he was dressed in a long, dark coat. His pale, straggly hair stuck out from under a woolen hat, and he had a scruffy white beard. If she didn't know better, she would've said he was homeless, but she had seen plenty of backpackers looking far worse on the streets of Hanoi.

"Going down?" she asked in English, indicating with her hand.

The man grinned, showing a mouthful of rotten teeth. Thu recoiled slightly. But it was getting late, and she was exhausted. She just wanted to go home, avoid her mother, have a long, cool shower, and curl up in bed with her books. So she shrugged and stepped into the elevator, carefully reaching around the man to press "1".

As she stepped back, Thu noticed him eyeing her bag of M&Ms hungrily, practically bending down to sniff it.

"Would you, uh, like some?" she asked.

The man gave her another rotten-toothed grin and snatched the whole bag out of her hand.

Before Thu could even protest, the phone rang again. Hoang this time. "Did your mom just reschedule our meeting for Sunday?" he asked.  

Thu wondered how he managed to make it sound so formal, like a business meeting. But she was in no mood for arguing. "I tried to cancel it, but she didn't want to," she said in a defeated voice.

"You did what—what the hell?"

"We're too young to get married! I'm only twenty-five and you're only twenty-seven, for Heaven's sake! Why is everybody in such a rush for us to get married? Is there an old relative about to die? Are you about to die?"

"Don't joke about that!"

"I'm not joking!"

She heard Hoang take a deep breath. "I don't understand your hang-up about the age thing," he said. "It's a perfectly reasonable age to get married. You know people got married in their teens back in the day—"

Thu wanted to scream. The fact that he thought this was about "the age thing" proved, all too clearly, that he didn't understand her doubt and her fear at all. "Stop talking about 'back in the day'," she hissed. "You have no idea what it was like 'back in the day'! If I could, I would go live 'back in the day' just to get away from all of you!"

"If this is how you insist on behaving, then maybe we should just call the whole thing off!"

"Good!"

"Did you hear me? I'm not just talking about our wedding, I'm talking about us! If you do this, it's over!"

"That's the best news I heard all day!"

She hung up, and, for good measure, turned the phone off and threw it into the depth of her backpack. She didn't want to give Hoang a chance to tell her that he didn't mean it, that it was just a heat of a moment thing...

Next to her, the homeless-looking man was munching on the M&Ms—her M&Ms!—and fumbling with the keypad. Then he turned and handed her a folded piece of paper.

Thu opened the paper and saw a few lines of Vietnamese scrawled on it:

RULES FOR TIME TRAVELERS

Don't kill anyone

Don't impregnate or get impregnated

Don't touch any animals

Try to blend in, and have fun!

Mystified, she looked up, but the man was gone. Before she could even wonder about his disappearance, a persistent beeping coming from the keypad caught her attention. The elevator was shaking.

Great. Just great. The elevator was breaking down, and now she was going to get stuck in it. Just the cherry on top of an already perfect day.

The shaking intensified. A flashing light made her look up, and she couldn't believe her eyes.

The elevator was not breaking down.

It was breaking up.

As in disintegrating. Above her and all around her. The debris was getting sucked into some terrifying vortex of dark clouds laced with lightning, while the beeping continued, piercing in her ears, and all the numbers on the keypad started flickering in a dizzying sequence. Thu had a horrible sensation, similar to when she was little and had a high fever, of being stretched long, as long as possible without snapping, while at the same time getting compressed into something tiny, tinier than she could ever imagine. She sank to her knees, wrapped her arms around her head, and screamed.

Then, as abruptly as it started, everything stopped. The elevator dinged and came to a halt.

Thu cautiously opened her eyes. She was still in one piece. She was still in the elevator, which was in one piece as well.

Perhaps it had all been in her imagination. There had been something wrong with the elevator, certainly, but in her stress and fatigue, she had imagined it to be something much worse. And the man... he must have gotten out when she wasn't looking.

Letting out a breath of relief, she fixed the straps of her backpack more firmly on her shoulders and exited the elevator.

And immediately realized that something wasn't right.

Chapter 2

A/N: This first chapter is just a setup, so please bear with me. Ralph will appear in the next chapter, which is coming tomorrow! Also, as usual, if you want to be added to the tag list, let me know.

[2025-horoscopes]

What to Expect in 2025: Aries Horoscope Predictions Revealed

As we approach 2025, Aries, the stars have intriguing plans for you. This year promises to be a dynamic period filled with opportunities, challenges, and growth. Here’s a comprehensive look at what you can expect over the coming months.

New Beginnings and Opportunities

The year 2025 kicks off with a fresh energy that will invigorate your spirit, Aries. With the Sun lighting up your sign, it’s an ideal time for new beginnings. Whether you’re considering a career change, starting a new project, or embarking on a personal journey, the universe supports your ventures. Embrace this wave of enthusiasm and take the initiative to set new goals and explore uncharted territories.

Career and Professional Development

In terms of your career, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of significant advancement. The alignment of Saturn and Pluto will bring focus and determination to your professional life. You may find yourself taking on more responsibilities or stepping into a leadership role. This is a great year to showcase your skills and take calculated risks. Networking will play a crucial role, so make an effort to connect with influential people in your field.

Love and Relationships

Your love life will experience a range of emotions in 2025. For those in a relationship, the year may bring moments of both harmony and challenges. Open communication and patience will be key to navigating any issues that arise. For single Aries, the latter part of the year could present exciting romantic opportunities. Keep an open heart, and you may find yourself connecting with someone who brings new excitement into your life.

Health and Wellness

Health will be an important focus for you this year. The influence of Neptune suggests that maintaining balance will be essential. Pay attention to your physical and mental well-being by incorporating healthy habits into your daily routine. Regular exercise, a nutritious diet, and stress management techniques will help you stay grounded and energetic. Listen to your body’s signals and avoid overexertion.

Financial Outlook

Financially, 2025 will require a strategic approach. While there will be potential for growth, it’s important to manage your finances wisely. Avoid impulsive spending and focus on saving and investing. Create a budget and stick to it, and consider seeking financial advice if you’re making major financial decisions. This cautious approach will help you build a stable financial foundation.

Personal Development

Personal growth will be a significant theme throughout the year. The influence of Jupiter will encourage you to expand your horizons and pursue self-improvement. This is an excellent time for learning new skills, exploring new hobbies, and personal reflection. Embrace opportunities for self-discovery and growth, and you’ll find yourself evolving in meaningful ways.

Key Periods to Note

February: A great month for starting new ventures and setting long-term goals.

May: Expect progress in your career and professional projects.

August: Relationships come into focus, with opportunities for deeper connections.

December: Reflect on your achievements and plan for the year ahead.

Final Thoughts

2025 is set to be an exciting year for you, Aries. With new opportunities on the horizon, growth in your career, and personal development, it’s a time to embrace change and pursue your ambitions with confidence. For personalized advice to your unique situation, consulting with the best astrologer in Chennai can provide valuable insights. Stay focused, nurture your relationships, and take care of your well-being. The stars are aligning to support you on this transformative journey.

[santoschristos]

Runa Raido by Mahaboka Today August 29th we enter the Runa Raidho manifestation period, which will last until September 13. Raidho- Wheel- Travels-Path (path meant as physical travel, not spiritual, also of the Soul The Runa Raidho or Reid represents the movement and strength of a person in the decisions to be made. A journey to be undertaken in search of everyone's values and consequently in search of oneself. Getting back on the right track and in order. The message in the Runa Raidho is that those who can see beyond the appearance must be prepared to embark on a journey, both in the mental as well as the spiritual and physical dimension in search of new horizons and new knowledge. On the contrary, the one who remains sitting in front of the stove in his house, waiting for a guru to ring at his door to sell him samples of prefabricated wisdom, will not go far. The journey that needs to be undertaken is an exploration of the unknown as well as a search for values that best fit to the consultant, therefore the journey leads to self-discovery. This requires loyalty, effort or sacrifice. The result pays largely for the adversity endured, because it coincides with self-affirmation and the awareness of what you can do and what you want. Raido reminds us that nothing is eternal, so he asks not to let adversity bring you down, just as you have to go through difficult times, in the same way, in the journey of life, you will also come across positive experiences. Divination If in the phase of divination the Runa Raidho comes out Straight, it is associated with communication and harmony of the elements at the end of a long journey, indeed Raidho also means search and struggle. Upside down on the other hand indicates impediments and delays in plans and projects already planned, disturbances, sudden trips and full of inconveniences. Indicates that, we need to observe. It’s very likely that we haven’t achieved the goals we set because our mental attitude is negative (that is, we don’t believe in our plans, nor in our abilities) and because we’re acting in the wrong way. We need to stop justifying ourselves and not accepting reality, face the facts and make the necessary decisions, even if they turn out unpleasant. This is the only way to go further. Raidho remembers that we need to move forward, step by step, without fear of facing adversity. When this rune appears, we need to trust that the problem beset us will soon be solved for good, provided that we keep our objectives clear and persevere. Raidho therefore advises us that, when the time to act comes, we should do it with confidence in our own forces. Raido can also announce the achievement, in a short time, of desired results or the next arrival of positive news from abroad. Regarding Love, Raidho warns us that there will be exciting and passionate moments in the love sphere, experiencing a sense of completeness seeing the need to love passionately fulfilled. For work instead: Raidho tells us that you need to prepare well and acquire proper training if your purpose is to achieve important professional objectives. In the case that at work what was expected has already been achieved, a period of calm and order will follow. And in the end, but not because of importance.. Hello. Regarding Health, Raidho warns us that health problems exist, they are not worrisome. In any case, Raidho recommends walking outdoors, doing yoga and exercising. Correspondence Syllabus : r Deities: Sun and Moon Tree : Oak Herb : Lavender Crystal : Chrysoprasium Color : Maroon Zodiac sign: Leo, period from July 23 to August 6. Animal : Nobody Tarot: V Major Arch - The Pope Astrology: Sun in Sagittarius / Moon in the third house I Ching: 45° esagramma, Ts'ui - 4.1251111111111 Rating 4.13 Fountain Runemal the Book of Runes Runica Paths of light The Power of the Runes the magic of the runes source --L'Antro celtico

[365proservices]

Unlocking the UAE's Golden Visa Maze: Insider Tips for Success

Welcome, aspiring adventurers, to the exciting world of Golden Visas Services in the UAE! If you've ever dreamt of unlocking new opportunities, exploring vibrant cultures, or building a brighter future in one of the world's most dynamic hubs, then you're in the right place. In this guide, we'll be your compass, navigating the Golden Visa maze with insider tips and expert advice to ensure your journey is not just successful but also fulfilling. So, grab your map, pack your enthusiasm, and let's set sail on this exhilarating voyage towards your Golden Visa dream!

1. Understanding Golden Visa Eligibility Criteria

Before setting sail, ensure you're eligible. The UAE offers Golden Visas to investors, entrepreneurs, talented professionals, and retirees. Each category has specific criteria, like investment thresholds or retirement fund requirements. Check your eligibility based on your profile and aspirations.

2. Gathering the Required Documents

Assemble your crew of documents for the journey. Common documents include passport copies, proof of investment, bank statements, and a clean criminal record certificate. For investors, additional documents like business plans, trade licenses, and property ownership deeds may be required. Double-check the specific document checklist based on your chosen Golden Visa category.

3. Plotting Your Investment Strategy

Choosing the right investment is crucial. Opt for real estate, business ventures, or innovation projects that align with UAE regulations and contribute to the economy. Research thriving industries, consult with financial advisors, and consider long-term sustainability when crafting your investment strategy.

4. Crafting a Stellar Business Plan

A well-crafted business plan is your treasure map to Golden Visa approval. Highlight your business concept, market analysis, financial projections, and growth strategies. Emphasize how your venture will create jobs, drive innovation, or enhance the UAE's economic landscape. Tailor your business plan to showcase value, feasibility, and alignment with UAE's vision for growth and development.

5. Navigating the Golden Visa Application Process

Embark on your Golden Visa application journey through the relevant government authority, such as the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), the Ministry of Economy, or local immigration departments. Follow the online application portal or engage with authorized representatives for a smooth submission process. Timing, transparency, and professional assistance are key for success.

6. Insider Tips for Smooth Sailing

Apply During Economic Stability: Submit your application during periods of economic growth and stability for higher chances of approval.

Engage Legal or Immigration Consultants: Consider hiring legal or immigration consultants for expert guidance and assistance throughout the application process.

Be Transparent and Consistent: Disclose accurate information and ensure consistency across all documents to avoid delays or rejections.

Showcase Long-Term Commitment: Highlight your commitment to long-term engagement in the UAE through investment diversification or strategic partnerships.

As we reach the shores of our Golden Visa adventure, it's time to reflect on the invaluable insights and strategies we've uncovered. From understanding eligibility criteria to crafting stellar business plans and navigating the application process, you've gained the tools and knowledge needed to steer your course towards success.

Remember, patience and preparation are your steadfast companions in this journey. Keep abreast of UAE's visa policies, adapt your strategies as needed, and stay committed to your long-term goals. Whether you're an investor, entrepreneur, or talented professional, the UAE's Golden Visa offers a gateway to new horizons and endless possibilities.

[freepressjournals]

Tamil Film Industry to Pause Productions and Implement New Regulations from November

In a recent high-stakes meeting among key players in Tamil cinema, significant changes are on the horizon. The Tamil Film Producers Association (TFPC), in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association, Tamil Nadu Multiplex Owners Association, and Tamil Nadu Film Distributors, has laid out a series of resolutions aimed at addressing the pressing issues within the industry.

Key Decisions from the Meeting:

OTT Release Window: Films starring major stars will now have an eight-week window between their theatrical release and their debut on OTT platforms. This new regulation aims to maximize the revenue potential from theatrical runs before films become available for streaming.

Actor and Technician Dues: A major concern is the practice of actors and technicians accepting advance payments from multiple production companies while failing to complete existing commitments. To mitigate financial losses for producers, actors and technicians are now required to finish ongoing projects before taking on new ones. Notably, producers are advised to consult the TFPC before beginning new projects involving actor Dhanush, who has been involved in such disputes.

Ceiling on Salaries and Production Costs: The industry has seen a surge in salaries and production costs, impacting overall budgets. The TFPC is working on new regulations to cap these expenses and bring more structure to film financing.

Temporary Suspension of New Shoots: To ensure a smooth transition to these new regulations, a temporary halt on the start of new films has been mandated from August 16, 2024. Current projects must be completed by October 30, 2024, with no new shoots commencing until the new rules are fully implemented.

Communication and Compliance: Producers are required to formally report ongoing film projects to the TFPC. This measure is intended to keep track of productions and enforce the new regulations effectively

Formation of Joint Action Committee: A new committee comprising producers, distributors, and theatre owners will oversee the implementation of these resolutions and address future industry issues.

These sweeping changes come in response to ongoing challenges in Tamil cinema, including financial mismanagement and escalating production costs. The industry has faced similar shutdowns in the past, such as the 2018 strike over revenue sharing issues. This time, however, the focus is on regulating actor and technician conduct, and the industry awaits the reactions from those directly affected by these new rules.

As the TFPC gears up for these significant shifts, it will be crucial to see how these regulations impact the Tamil film industry and whether they effectively address the concerns that have prompted this decisive action.

[notwiselybuttoowell]

Critics point out that the production of LNG, when drilling, production and burning are considered, is a major driver of the climate crisis. Studies have shown that while gas emits less carbon dioxide than coal, it often also involves the leaking of large quantities of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

“This is a carbon mega bomb,” said Jeremy Symons, a former Environmental Protection Agency official, of CP2, which has requested a permit to operate until 2050, a point when Biden aims for the US to have zeroed out its emissions. “The scale of the project is almost unfathomable and it locks us into a fossil fuel dependency for the next 30 years. If all we do is shift from coal to gas, we are cooked.”

According to calculations by Symons, who runs his own consultancy, the CP2 project would cause 197m tons of planet-heating gases each year once fully operational, including emissions from the production of the gas and its eventual burning overseas, which isn’t counted in the US’s own emissions tally.

This scale of emissions is 20 times greater than the controversial Willow oil project in Alaska, which was approved by the Biden administration despite a huge outcry from Democrats, tribes and climate campaigners earlier this year.

Should several dozen other proposed gas-export facilities along the Gulf of Mexico also be built, then the overall emissions toll would be gargantuan, according to figures Symons shared with the Guardian. If all planned terminals go ahead, it would result in an extra 3.2bn tons of greenhouse gases each year, he found, close to the annual emissions of the entire European Union and severely imperiling hopes of avoiding catastrophic global heating.

“It’s an unbelievable amount of pollution and it would spell game over for a livable planet as we’ve known it,” said Symons. “We would double LNG production just with the gas terminals that have been proposed, meaning we are just shifting emissions overseas even as we act on climate here in the US. We’ve left the back door wide open, and profit-seeking oil-gas companies are taking full advantage.”

The CP2 project is awaiting permission from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Ferc), which regulates pipelines, as well as the US Department of Energy. Several Democratic lawmakers have criticized Ferc, and the Biden administration, for repeatedly approving huge gas projects despite concerns over damage to the climate as well as to the air and water of nearby communities, already overburdened by a tangle of oil and gas infrastructure along the Gulf coast.

Ferc has been “captured by the fossil fuel industry”, complained the US senator Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, after the agency approved a separate gas plant in the Pacific north-west last week. “Ferc may be an obscure federal agency to most people, but there are important decisions on the horizon at Ferc that will determine whether the world meets its climate goals,” he said. “With projects such as the Calcasieu Pass 2 LNG export terminal on the horizon, right now, the signs aren’t good.”

[study-in-australia-consultant]

Internship and Career Opportunities for Graduates in Australia: Consultant Insights

As you envision horizons anew, Australia beckons as a land of unparalleled opportunities. With its breathtaking landscapes, dynamic economy, and a vibrant blend of cultures, Australia is an enticing destination for graduates seeking to kickstart their careers. Let’s take you on a journey through the vast landscape of internship and career opportunities for graduates in Australia, offering insights from seasoned consultants who know the ins and outs of this dynamic market. 

The Role of Australia Study Consultants

Before we dive into the world of internships and careers, let's take a moment to understand the pivotal role played by Australia study consultants. They are your trusted advisors, helping you navigate the maze of educational opportunities and career paths Down Under. From choosing the right course to securing your visa, they're the experts who'll ensure you're on the right track.

Internship Bliss Down Under

Diverse Industry Landscape

Australia's economy is as diverse as its wildlife. From bustling cities to serene outback regions, there's an industry for everyone. Whether you're drawn to the buzzing finance sector or the ever-growing IT industry, Australia has it all. Your Australia study consultants will work with you to identify the best-fit industry for your career aspirations.

Beyond the Classroom Hands-on Learning

Internships in Australia aren't about fetching coffee or making photocopies. They're immersive learning experiences where you'll roll up your sleeves and dive into real-world projects. You'll work alongside seasoned professionals, gaining practical skills that set you apart in the job market.

Building Bridges Worldwide

Australia's multicultural environment means you'll encounter people from all corners of the globe during your internship. These connections can be the stepping stones to international opportunities in the future. Remember, your career journey in Australia is more than just work; it's about expanding your horizons.

Cultural Immersion

While interning, you'll immerse yourself in Australia's vibrant culture. From weekend barbecues with colleagues to surfing at Bondi Beach, you'll have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the Aussie way of life. It's not just about work; it's about experiencing life to the fullest.

Career Opportunities

Carving Your Niche

Australia is actively seeking skilled professionals in various sectors. Whether you're a tech guru or a healthcare enthusiast, your expertise will be in demand. Australia study consultants can help match your skills with the industries that are hungry for talent.

Work-Life Balance

In Australia, work-life balance isn't just a catchphrase; it's a way of life. The Aussies value their downtime as much as their work hours. This means you'll have ample time to explore the breathtaking landscapes and enjoy the outdoor adventures that Australia offers.

A Secure Path Ahead

Australia's stable economy ensures job security and opportunities for growth. With a decent minimum wage, you can look forward to a comfortable lifestyle while building your career.

Embracing Differences

Australia is known for its commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Your background won't be a barrier; your talents will be celebrated, making it a welcoming place for professionals from all walks of life.

How Australia Study Consultants Can Help You

Finding Your Academic Home

Australia study consultants will guide you through the process of selecting the right course and university. They consider your career goals, academic interests, and personal preferences to ensure a perfect fit.

Navigating the Paperwork Maze

The Australian visa process can be complex, but with the expert assistance of study consultants, you'll breeze through it. They'll help you navigate the paperwork, ensuring a smooth transition to your new academic and professional journey.

Connecting You with Opportunities

Australia study consultants have a vast network of industry contacts, making them invaluable in securing internships that align with your interests and career aspirations.

Informed Decision-Making

They'll offer you insights into the Australian job market, helping you make informed decisions about your career path. This guidance is tailored to your unique goals and aspirations.

Navigating Your New Home

From finding accommodation to understanding the Australian lifestyle, study abroad consultants are your local experts. They'll ensure you're well-prepared for your life Down Under.

Australia is not just a dream destination; it's a land of opportunity waiting for talented graduates like you. So, don't hesitate to reach out to Australia study consultants, who will be your guiding stars on this exciting journey. Remember, your career is like an adventure down under, and every step you take gets you closer to success.