#it’s like watching a pendulum swing back and forth it is mesmerizing to me

[xpupslxtx]

a moment of appreciation for when they’re so hard their t dick starts twitching

[zyhrens0ng]

Tessellated Vitrine Of Torment:

Tick tock pocket watch, pendulum swinging hypnotized.

Back and forth between my eyes.

Bite my throat and make me bleed, make me cry for them to see.

Red viscous liquid, finger paint a tragedy.

Crimson kiss a victim, I'm another travesty.

Locket in a box, memories in a cage.

Drowning in the misery, loving all the pain.

Licking the lips of sorrow and then rage.

Razorblade lipstick smiles, a seductive grin.

Enjoyment of the beguiling scarred Fibonacci skin,

Mesmerized as I carve up my canvas of sculptured limbs.

Cyclic hands fixed upon a shattered face, on display like curated art.

As if viewed through a glass case, skewed wounds critiqued.

Even still the masochistic urge consumes, as burning hands grasp a knife of golden gilded pain.

Pressed against a heart dripping blackened stain, crimson rain, and scabs of jade.

Another tick tock clockwork heart in a gallery of agony, people only stare ironically.

Enjoyment of course, and a smile on their face.

Here I remain a statue, a monument, and a masterpiece.

Misery exhibited for eternity.

But even so I love the blood that flows.

~Zyhrenẞøng~

[elshells]

Find the Word Tag

Got tagged by @tisiphonewolfe, @writernopal, @clairelsonao3, and @captain-kraken. Thank you all so much!!

(No Pressure) Tagging: @dragonedged-if, @mysticstarlightduck, @outpost51, @cosmiccoincidence, @writingmaidenwarrior, @liv-is, and anyone else who wants to jump in!

Your words to find are: FOUR, CIRCUMSTANCE, FAVOR, SHADOW, and EMBRACE

Asterisk (*) denotes a passage from an unreleased chapter that may contain out-of-context spoilers

Round One: @tisiphonewolfe

Words to find: HEAL, FINGER(S), WORLD, SPLIT, and SCRAPE

HEAL - Agent Ace, Chapter 5 (Sophia's POV):

“You definitely sustained yourself a nasty bit of head trauma. Mild concussion, as you put so aptly, but nothing so serious. I’d be thankful for such a dim living space with a condition like that. City lights can be overstimulating, even for a healthy brain. Though the wound in your arm is rather deep—thank you, Bellona—I expect that, too, will heal without any complications. So long as you don’t behave foolishly with it.”

FINGER(S) - Agent Ace, Chapter 2 (Harley's POV):

“I spoke to an inquisitor about the phone call, and he said he’d pass the information on to the field agent.” Jade wrapped a coil of hair around her finger and tugged on it gently. “The rest, I’m still piecing together. The Watch has been acting hush-hush, to avoid alarm, I guess. You know how they work. It’s an ongoing search, but I don’t think they’ve found anything yet. At least, they haven’t released any updates on the case.”

WORLD - Agent Ace, Chapter 3 (Sophia's POV):

“Wait!” The word slipped past Sophia’s lips before she could stop it. He paused and looked back to her. “Yes?” “Who are you people?” Janus hesitated, his mouth twisting into a wry expression. When he finally spoke, all he said was, “We’re the ones who’ll change the world.”

SPLIT - Agent Ace, Chapter 10 (Harley's POV):

Jade dropped the can with a loud clatter. She met Harley’s gaze for a split second—long enough for her to see another flash of gold—before she broke down into tears.

*SCRAPE - Agent Ace, Chapter ?? (Sophia's POV):

She’d almost drifted off when Janus’ voice startled her awake. “I’ll keep watch. If anything happens, I’ll wake you.” “I’m fine. I don’t need rest,” Sophia grumbled. She sat up straight and resisted the urge to rub the sleep from her eyes. “Mm-hm.” Janus used the pointed end of the rod to absentmindedly scrape moss off the side of the apartment wall.

Round Two: @writernopal

Words to find: SUFFER, ESTEEM, SMILE, AMICABLE, and CAT

SUFFER - Agent Ace, Chapter 8 (Sophia's POV):

“No use lying to us, kid,” the vigilante growled, swinging his hook back and forth like a pendulum. “We know damn well you can read.” Max flinched. “N-No, not like that. I mean, uh… I’m farsighted. I can’t see the screen.” The vigilante caught the hook in one hand and went deadly still. The color drained out of Max’s face. “Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Mulciber shooed the vigilante toward the door. “Put that thing down and go get the boy his glasses. We don’t want him to suffer from eye strain!” The vigilante turned on his heel and stormed out of the cell. Mulciber chuckled to himself.

ESTEEM - Agent Ace, Chapter 8 (Sophia's POV):

Mulciber ignored the question. “Look at you! That mask suits you well, my friend. I knew it would. How are you feeling today?” “F-fine, sir.” The vigilante said anxiously. “Uh, Apollo said you wanted to see me. Have I done something wrong?” “No, no, quite the opposite.” Mulciber clapped his hand on his shoulder and led him over to the table. “I have an introduction to make.” He made a gesture toward Sophia. “This is Agent Sophia Colbo, an esteemed enforcer of the Watch who’s been hot on our trail. Agent, meet our newest recruit. Our newest Prophet.”

SMILE - Agent Ace, Chapter 10 (Harley's POV):

“Did you make this?” Harley asked breathlessly. “Only partly.” Jade stood next to her, staring at the window and looking as mesmerized as Harley felt. “A couple of weeks ago, I came by here and found another artist leaving her mark. I didn’t know her, but she caught me watching and asked if I wanted to join her.” A smile grew on her face as her eyes drifted over the painting. “I didn’t want to at first—it’s sort of a rule that you shouldn’t paint over someone else’s art—but she insisted. Said that we could be partners. So I helped her finish it, and I added Max’s name, with her permission.”

AMICABLE - N/A

Didn't have this word!

CAT - Agent Ace, Chapter 12 (Harley's POV):

The vigilante stopped in the middle of the room. Harley couldn’t see anything above her boots, but she could imagine her eyes scanning the room, like a cat stalking a mouse.

Round Three: @clairelsonao3

Words to find: SHINE, LOSE, and CARE

SHINE - N/A

Didn't have this word!

*LOSE - Agent Ace, Chapter ?? (Sophia's POV):

Chuck took the money and leaned under the desk. When he surfaced, he held two key cards and a set of car keys in his hand. “Use these to get into the room—don’t lose them,” he said, passing them to Janus. “Car’s in the lot when you need it. Be mindful of quiet hours, and don’t make a mess.” He paused, then ripped a piece of paper off of a notepad and handed it to Janus. “And this week’s net password is ‘wagyu beef.’ No capitals, no spaces.”

CARE - Agent Ace, Chapter 4 (Harley's POV):

“Of course I am!” He spoke in a hushed tone, but there was a detectable edge to his voice. “I have no idea where she is. But you know all about that, don’t you?” The next pause was much longer, and Ahren’s brow furrowed in anger. “I don’t care what the policy is. Is Sophia in danger or not?”

Round Four: @captain-kraken

Words to find: FAINT, LONELY, GROW, and MEMORY

FAINT - Agent Ace, Chapter 8 (Sophia's POV):

Max set the tablet down on the table, took a deep breath, and tapped the screen. A faint blue glow emitted from the device, casting shadows over his face. He squinted long and hard at the screen, concentration etched on his face.

*LONELY - Agent Ace, Chapter ?? (Sophia's POV):

She entered a clearing at the end of the path, a glade blanketed in pine needles. A lonely outhouse with peeling paint stood amongst a copse of trees, marking the fork of two split paths. One led out of the woods and down towards the lake, while the other inclined uphill, towards the outcropping of rocks that peeked out from the canopy above.

GROW - Agent Ace, Chapter 2 (Harley's POV):

Blumoore was as vibrant as ever. The Vibe, a grungy music club and one of Harley’s favorite night time hangouts, was on full display as usual. Crowds flocked in and out of the venue, and she could almost feel the pump of hard rock vibrating in her bones. As the club disappeared from the window, she caught more familiar sights. The Equinox Cafe, Dorian’s Garden—her mother’s favorite florist—and the corner bookstore where Harley had practically grown up. Even the overpriced juice bar she’d never set foot inside before brought a calm wave of nostalgia washing over her.

*MEMORY - Agent Ace, Chapter ?? (Sophia's POV):

The car lurched to the side as it took a turn and picked up speed. Sophia shifted back upright in her seat as they left Harmont behind, disappearing into a glittering city skyline. If they hadn’t been seen, they’d be in the clear, for now. But Sophia didn’t feel better in the slightest. She’d been unable to shake that memory of her father since she first encountered the vigilantes. It used to be a fond memory—a solace in times when she was feeling nostalgic—but now it left a sour taste in her mouth.

[toloveawarlord]

Ashes to Ashes (Ch. 1)

You can find my masterlist in my bio!

Look at me! I did something on time! Tagging @plumpblueberry​ for all her support and @christmaswarlock​ for always loving my oc kids as much as I do.

Yes, the title is meant to be a play on words... and yes, I think I’m hilarious for doing so. I justify it by having it actually hold significance in the story as well.

Without further ado, here is Kyle’s two rascally babies!

The guards at the front gate proved to be the biggest obstacle, asking a multitude of questions but never waiting to hear their answers. Beckett couldn’t let his big plan go to waste without even getting into the building. Sure, no one would miss them at the home right now, but each ticking minute felt like the swing of pendulum coming down cut the rope of the guillotine looming over the siblings.

“You have yet to state your business,” One guard said again, icy glare watching the two closely.

Beckett motioned to his sister that had hid behind his back, playing her role perfectly. “My little sister is sick, and we want to see the doctor. He’s the best in Cradle and she needs his help.” He drove his elbow back into her stomach, prompting the younger girl to cough.

Only half of the story true. They had other intentions for seeing the Seven of Hearts personally. The boy’s plan hinged on getting him alone and gaining sympathy before laying out the truth of their identity.

Sadie continued to cough, hiding behind her older brother while swiping some blood across her palm. With practiced movements, she gasped softly. “Blood…” Her whine of fear and the begging golden eye elicited the response they sought.

Permission to enter the grounds was given. One of the guards led them into the large building. The two took it in with amazement, having never seen something so clean. The soft carpet beneath their dirty shoes held no trace of dirt or any stains. No bugs skittered across the floors.

“Wait here, and I’ll send Dr. Kyle immediately.” The guard pulled the door closed, leaving the two alone in the room.

The small girl released her grip on Beckett’s shirt, stretching her arms over her head. A wide grin spread over her lips. “Well, we made it this far! Thanks to my acting of course,” she announced. She could play the innocent little girl as well as a professional actor.

Her brother scratched his cheek. “We’re far from the end goal. You shouldn’t celebrate so early.” A number of things could go horribly awry. What if this Kyle Ash said no? “Hey, Sadie?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think he’s going to want us?” Beckett asked, swallowing down the lump in his throat. If he had to take her back to that ratty apartment in Central Quarter, he feared her next accident would end in her death.

Facing him properly, Sadie waved her hand dismissively. “Of course, he is! We’re his kids, after all. He has to take some responsibility.” Her fingers traced over the eye-patch covering her right eye, the most recent result of their mother’s rage falling on them.

The door opened, and the man in question came into the room, hand stuffed in his doctor’s coat. He paused only for a moment at the sight of them. Both having similar reddish-brown hair like his. The boy having striking blue eyes as opposed to hers that were golden. “Are you the little girl that is sick?” He ignored the pricking feeling that something was amiss.

Sadie bobbed her head in response. She should sink back into the role of being a sick, helpless little girl but instead, she stood mesmerized by how similar they looked. Tilting her head to the side as he knelt down, pressing his cool hand to her forehead, Sadie forced a cough, the only sound that would come out.

“You do have a fever,” Kyle murmured, taking her small wrist to press two fingers to check her pulse.

“I do?” Her confession unbidden, but he’d surprised her with that. The whole story about being sick had been fake. She felt perfectly fine. “But… it was a lie.” Is she actually sick?

Kyle’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “A lie?”

Beckett moved closer, heart beating faster in his chest. This was their chance, the only one that could get them out of their hellish home, away from their mother. “We had to see you. It’s a matter of life and death!” He scrambled to explain themselves.

“Slow down, kid. You aren’t making any sense. Tell me what’s going on while I check out little miss for the source of her fever,” Kyle said, lifting the girl up into his arms. Kneeling on the floor had begun to make his knee hurt. He placed her carefully on the edge of the nearest cot, plopping down onto his stool.

Sadie shivered as the cool metal pressed against her chest, the stethoscope listening to her heartbeat. “I feel fine.”

“Nothing hurts?” Kyle asked, moving on from his checklist. Her lungs were strong, no crackling or wheezing. Pulse had been normal, blood pressure the same. It could be a simple cold.

Beckett stared at his sister, a flash of a memory from the morning returning to him. “Sadie, does your eye still hurt?” He’d been the one to patch her up, and she still complained of pain before they had left their house to come here.

Her good eye moved back and forth, testing the one under the patch. “Yeah, a little. But that’s not new.”

“Mind if I take a look at it?” Kyle asked, already sliding his fingers under the strap on either side to lift it away. He held her chin with one hand and leaned in. “What happened here?” The stitches were poorly done, and the wound marring from the top of her nose down the crook of her eye had puffed up, red and leaking pus. Infected, for a day at least.

“I fell,” she answered with her normal response coming to her lips without any thought. Any accident would always be told as her fault. She tripped down the stairs. Beckett and she were chasing each other, and she ran into the door. That’s how that bruise got there. That’s how her wrist was fractured. Lies. Engrained into her mind.

The doctor hardly believed it, but he wouldn’t press the matter at the moment. “Where did you get these stitches?” He needed to remove them completely, wash the wound and stitch it back correctly. First, it would be best to numb the area. With her being so young, he didn’t want her to have any unnecessary pain.

“I did…” Beckett spoke up, poking his index fingers together.

“You?”

With a nod of his head, his blue eyes dropping down to study the floor beneath his feet. “I read it in a book… the instructions were simple. Sadie wouldn’t sit still, so they’re jagged, but the wound stopped bleeding.”

Kyle patted his head, giving him a word of praise. “You did good, kid. The infection came from not being properly cleaned afterwards.” Gathering items off the shelf without much of a glance, he returned to the girl. Prepping the syringe with the numbing medication, her whine gave away her displeasure. “Not fond of needles?”

Sadie shrank back, rigid with fear. “No.”

His internal debate on how to handle the situation was interrupted as the door opened once again, the Ace of Hearts entering the room with files in hand. “New recruits’ medical information that you requested.” He paused, taking in the scene.

“Put them on the desk.” Kyle glanced between his fellow officer and the trembling girl. “Zero, come help me for a minute.”

Zero complied, following the instructions given to him perfectly. One arm wrapped around the girl’s torso, keeping her arms and body pinned to his own, and gently keeping the other resting on her cheek, pressing her against his chest. “This okay?”

“Yeah, don’t let her move too much,” Kyle said, giving Sadie a soft smile “Alright, little miss. I need you to close your eyes and take a deep breath for me, okay?” If she didn’t watch it coming, it would take away some of her nervousness, though it did little to stop her trembling body.

Sadie twisted her hands around the material of Zero’s jacket, squirming under his tight hold. Her eyes were closed but it did little to bring her comfort.

“Another deep breath,” Kyle said, waiting for her to exhale before giving her the shot to numb her eye. One little prick above and one below to make sure all of it would be numb for the rest of the procedure. It took a matter of seconds to complete. “There, all done with the needle, okay?”

Her lashes fluttered, the numbness making the right one impossible to feel.

Zero excused himself, having other duties to attend to. Kyle prepped to wash out the wound with warm water, using a magic crystal to heat it to the perfect temperature. “Does your brother have a name?” He hadn’t been properly introduced but Sadie’s name had been given several times.

“Beckett, he’s turning six in a few months,” Sadie said, the odd sensation of not quite feeling the water on her eye but seeing it blur her vision being strange.

Kyle kept her head tilted back with two fingers under her chin and wiped away the water that had spilled down her cheek. “Oh, and how old are you? Three?”

Her lips pursed out in a pout. “I turn four next week!”

“A big birthday, huh? How are you going to celebrate?” The silence immediately alerted him that he’d hit a sensitive topic. Placing the final stitches, he put a clean eye-patch back over it. “There, all finished.” He ruffled her hair. “You’re a tough little girl, aren’t you?”

Sadie couldn’t take anymore sweet words from him. Catching his hand as he stood up, she hesitated for only a moment. “We came because, well…” Words stumbled out of her mouth, nearly incoherent in her thought process, until she reached the ones that mattered. “See… you’re our dad.”

Kyle turned his attention fully back at the two kids staring up at him with hopeful eyes.

“Huh?”

More ikerev kids! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed this first chapter of the two precious beans.

[wanderingdogwoof]

Sherlock says it when they're on a case

It was a case just like any other one really, Lestrade had texted Sherlock and now the detective and John were standing in a museum in front of a giant pendulum smeared with blood.

"A pendulum as a murder weapon. Well that's new." John says watching Sherlock closely inspecting the metallic ball.

"Hmm " Sherlock takes the ball and drops it making it swing back and forth. His eyes follow the pendulum while his head stays perfectly still. Suddenly his mouth twitches a little, a movement anyone else might've missed, but of course John notices.

"What is it, Sherlock?"

Sherlock's eyes never leave the swinging ball.

"Hm? Oh nothing of importance. It just reminds me of you."

John's eyebrow creases.

"It?"

"The pendulum"

"Of me?"

"Obviously"

There's a short pause, John trying to figure out what Sherlock means or perhaps just a silence that's supposed to encourage Sherlock to continue his train of thought. Neither happens.

John clears his throat.

"Why exactly does it remind you of me?"

Sherlock's on his phone now, typing something not even glancing up when he answers.

"Look at the way it swings, John."

Another short pause. John gives in, still clueless about the point Sherlock's trying to make.

"So?"

"It swings to the left and the right, back and forth, this and that way, yes?" Sherlock is still typing.

"Yes"

"So one could say-" Sherlock hits one last button on his phone before looking back up at the pendulum.

"- that it swings both ways"

...

"W-what..?"

When John finally answers it's more of a croak than anything.

Finally, finally Sherlock looks at him.

"It's an expression." Sherlock says, as if that would dimish John's bewilderment and shock.

When John keeps staring at Sherlock, mouth slightly open, features frozen, Sherlock continues.

"It suggests that someone is bisexual."

John looks like he's not breathing, fist tightly clenched. Sherlock begins to look equally irritated and concerned.

"It means that someone is sexually and romantically interested in both, men and women."

"I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS, just-" John seems to have regained at least some control over his body. He swallows. His next words are nothing more than a whisper.

"-why would you think that I am- that I'm-"

"Bisexual?"

"Yes!"

"I don't think it, I know it."

John is staring at the ground now. Swallowing again. Taking a laboured breath.

"I'm not..." John's eyes flicker up at Sherlock. He swallows again. Licks his lips.

"...gay" he ends.

"I didn't say you were" Sherlock seems strangely patient in that moment. He studies John, watches him intently. John feels heat creep into his cheeks.

"Um, good" John coughs " yeah, good, because, you see I'm- I'm not"

"I know"

Sherlock slowly turns around, back to the pendulum. John ignores his pounding heart and sweaty palms and follows Sherlock's gaze. Bloody hell.

"It doesn't work for me"

"What?" John's voice is still kind of raspy when he speaks.

"The pendulum. In fact I think this exhibit over here would be much more suitable to represent me."

When John turns to see what Sherlock's referring to, he's faced with a small crystal ball hanging from the ceiling. It's beautifully shaped, clear, elegant and looks delicately precious. It's strong and fragile at the same time. John is mesmerized.

It reflects the colors of the rainbow.

A thousand little lights, in all colours are reflected on the walls, the floor, the ceiling. It's practically a glowing rainbow diamond. Or something. John wonders how the hell he didn't notice it before.

When he finally snaps out of it, he turns around to find Sherlock gone.

He's given you every clue you need, now go solve the case.

And John starts walking, breaks into a run to chase after - and finally catch Sherlock Holmes - and the last thought that goes through his head when he leaves the museum is that no matter what the path ahead might look like, it's got to be some kind of winding road because whatever their story is, it definitely isn't straight.

----------

Um, okay this was just a little idea spinning around in my head, needing to get out, so here we go, feel free to share thoughts or ideas on this, I'd be delighted.

[connorrenwick]

Friday Five with Aybars Asci

Earlier this year, we became intrigued with Brooklyn-based Aybars Asci after spotting his Liquid Forms concrete tile collaboration with KAZA Concrete at ICFF. So, we reached out and asked him to do a Friday Five for us, and luckily, he agreed. Asci attended Columbia University earning a Master of Science degree in Advanced Architectural Design and has spent the last 20 years as a practicing architect working in both New York and London, on projects that span the globe. The president and founder of Efficiency Lab for Architecture is also an inventor (he holds a U.S. patent!), educator (he teaches seminars and studios in various topics at The City College of New York, Cornell University, Pratt Institute, and Northeastern University), and environmentalist (he’s a certified Passive House Designer and a certified LEED AP BD+C professional). Therefore it’s no surprise that his work has won awards and continues to be widely published. Here, he shares five things he loves.

Bandirma Jetty \\\ Source unknown

1. Linear Spaces I grew up in a small coastal town in Turkey. It had a jetty that stretched half a mile out into the Marmara Sea. Memories of my teenage years are anchored on that jetty, walking back and forth, and again, and again, swinging like a pendulum. Maybe because of that, I always like linear public spaces – they do not give you any choices.

Triangle House \\\ Photo by Sitki Asci

2. Triangle House My father built this house the year I was born. It had its quirks, like the leaning walls in the bedrooms, or the wobbling cantilever floors. We used to go up and lay on the roof like a chaise lounge – and watch the stars. We called it the triangle house. My first initiation to architecture started here.

3. Guitar I have been playing the classical guitar for over 30 years. Beyond its beautiful timbre and colors, it showed me early in life that talent plays only a part in the making of art, it is dedication, discipline and hard work that makes the rest.

Einstein on the Beach \\\ Photo via NY Times

4. BAM Brooklyn Academy of Music is my favorite venue. I saw the most moving performances of my life including Robert Wilson & Philip Glass’s Einstein on the Beach. Mesmerizing….

Feather Mom by Ana Lucia Cano

5. Feather Mom This is a drawing by Ana Lucia Cano, a painter friend of ours. Feather Mom hangs in our living room, and every day she greets us. I am infinitely inspired by her dialectic spirit, emanating care and indifference, softness and rugged, all through one frame.

via http://design-milk.com/

from WordPress https://connorrenwickblog.wordpress.com/2017/12/08/friday-five-with-aybars-asci/