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pucksnsticksnhockeyboys · 5 years ago

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karaoke night

request: this came to me yesterday a karaoke night with your bf and his teammates. While you’re destroying a song he just looks at you with pure adoration and love like “ that’s my girl” If you’re not busy could you write about this with anyone?

summary: your boyfriend Travis invites you out with his teammates and he's reminded just why he fell for you.

warning: alcohol

word count: 1.2k

“There you are!” The booming voice of your boyfriend’s teammate and close friend caught your attention as soon as you walked through the bar. The loud Boston native had claimed his spot in a booth by the stage and you quickly realized he had chosen this bar for a reason. Kevin always was one for having fun.

“Karaoke? Really?” You questioned your boyfriend Travis, who instead of responding squeezed your hip with the hand he had wrapped around you to help lead you through the crowd. You chuckled at the excited grin on his face, turning back to the nearly packed booth where everyone was looking at the two of you, ready to greet when you got close.

“Hey, boys.” Travis spoke up first, sliding into the open spot on the booth before tugging you onto his lap. You ignored the smug look on his face at your position, knowing that there wasn't realistically any way everyone would be able to fit normally, not when four large hockey players already had taken up residence.

“I’m gonna get a drink, anyone need a refill?” You question, your gaze passing over Kevin, Nolan, Carter, and Ivan as it settled on the bar. Between work and your friend recently breaking up with her good-for-nothing boyfriend, you’d had a long week and needed a night out with your boyfriend and his friends, no matter how rowdy they could be.

“Already ordered, TK told us you needed a drink as soon as you got here.” Carter explained, pushing your usual order across the table towards you. You shifted slightly, turning behind you to look at your boyfriend who was smiling sheepishly at you. There was a chirp about him thinking you were an alcoholic on the tip of your tongue, but decided against it because it felt nice that he knew what you’d order and that you needed it.

“You’re a dork.” Okay, so maybe he wasn't completely off the hook from your teasing, but the loud laugh he and his teammates let out told you he didn’t exactly care.

“Thoughtful.” He argued, earning a roll of your eyes despite the wide smile evident on your face.

“Cheesy.” You countered, and he decided that was acceptable, because instead of talking back he shrugged before leaning in to kiss you quickly. The display of affection didn’t last more than a few seconds but that doesn't stop the other boys teasing relentlessly.

“You’re just jealous.” Travis waved them off, and you stuck your tongue out mockingly at Nolan. Travis’ arm snaked around your waist, tightening in affection as he watched you interact with his teammates. The way you joked around with Nolan and Carter, and indulged Kevin in discussions about his niece. He had always told you that he loved how you got along so well with his friends, and nights like these always reminded him of how lucky he was to have you.

A few drinks and a whole lot of begging later you had convinced not only Kevin and Carter, but Nolan to get up on the karaoke stage. Nolan, ever the grump, claimed he would do one song and only if he got to pick what the four of you sang.

Once you had finished his choice of Don’t Stop Believin’ he had decided that he was good for one more song. Which was how you found yourself surrounded by three professional hockey players singing Piano Man. Kevin was making sure to act like a fool and you weren’t much better, Carter and Nolan easing out of their shells and slowing becoming as ridiculous as you.

About halfway through the song, your attention landed on your boyfriend sitting at the booth close to the stage. You don't know how you didn’t see him before, he was looking at you in such awe and so much reverence that if you hadn't seen that look on his face so many times you were certain that it would’ve knocked you off of your feet.

He caught you looking at him, because he mouthed ‘I love you’ which, after how long you’ve been together and how many times he’s told you that shouldn’t make your heart race as much as it did. But no matter how many times you heard the phrase you’d get butterflies in your stomach and a blush would rise on your cheeks.

You tried to wink at him, though from your current state of intoxication from the liquid courage needed to get up on the karaoke stage, you probably looked ridiculous. Your suspicions were confirmed when Travis laughed loudly at you, shaking his head at your antics but still smiling fondly.

Your attention was drawn back to the song as Kevin swung an arm around your shoulders as he tugged you into his side and bellowed out the lines of Billy Joel’s classic song. You giggled, despite being crushed into the side of the Boston native.

Once the song ended, you followed the boys off the stage and were smiling widely as a result of the applause resonating throughout the crowded bar. You were certain that they didn’t think your performance was actually good, just that the drunken atmosphere of the bar meant that anyone who looked like they were having a good time onstage got a standing ovation.

Your first stop once leaving the stage was to head to the bar for a glass of water. You weren't alone long, your boyfriend coming up beside you just as the bartender set the glass before you.

“Didn’t realize I was dating a famous singer.” He teased and you playfully shoved at his shoulder. He chuckled at your response, by the impish grin on his face faded to something a bit softer, though he never fully could get rid of his mischievous grin.

“What’s on your mind, Konecny?” You mused, not used to the serious side of your boyfriend. Things with Travis were carefree and fun, of course it was a committed relationship, but you felt more like you were dating your best friend and you spent most of your time together laughing and sharing inside jokes.

“I just love seeing you with the guys.” He stated, hand resting on on your hip and this thumb rubbing into your skin through the fabric of your shirt. You smiled at the genuine adoration on his face that made your heart sore. You liked hanging out with the boys so it made you happy that he liked seeing you with his friends. You’d had more than your fair share of exes that would’ve been jealous by you being close with their friends. “It means a lot to me that you like them, since they’re such a big part of my life.”

“You’re such a sap.” You teased, pushing yourself forwards to press a chaste kiss to his lips before smiling sweetly at him. “But I love you anyways.”

“I love you, too.” He grinned, chasing after you for another kiss and you giggled, keeping him at bay with a hand pushed on his chest. He pouted at the lack of attention, but now it was your turn grin mischievously at him.

“It’s a good thing that you love me, unconditionally, because I may or may not have signed you and Nolan up to sing Hannah Montana.”

#travis konecny #travis konecny x reader #travis konecny imagine #travis konecny imagines #philadelphia flyers #Philadelphia Flyers imagines #Philadelphia Flyers imagine #Philadelphia Flyers x reader #hockey #hockey imagine #hockey imagines #nhl #nhl imagine

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dansedan · 5 years ago

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digging through stuff to submit to a writing contest, so here are two original short stories written about a year apart which I’m still generally proud of!

That Which Flesh Is Heir To

Death

The word seemed funny, coming out of her dainty mouth. She seemed too small, her voice too high-pitched in attempted formality. Her German thick with effort. It was one of the major themes of religious art across Europe at the time, she said. She waved her thin arms around her with every word, a little too excitedly, as if using a conductor’s meter to elicit some response from our group. Fear of death was useful to the church: for the sake of convincing the uneducated masses to maintain faith, and to benefit from the guilt of nobles, since their main role then was still in warfare.

Our class was moving on, the teacher rounding up stragglers and signaling the entrance to the next hall. It was filled with statues and paintings and marble, floor to ceiling wrapped in colors much like this one. My feet refused to obey her order, standing instead unflinchingly in front of the statue. In front of her. I couldn’t bear to move my gaze from the figure’s eyes, blank and hollow, despairing. The world blurred around the single point of bitter fate ensconced in marble.

Do you want to see something interesting? I hadn’t expected her to address me. She had moved now- we were side by side- giving off warmth from the proximity of her bare shoulders to my arm. I forced myself to nod, and felt a movement, something stiff and hot against my ear- something plastic. I like to listen to it, sometimes, she was saying, so close to me. It reminds me of this statue. Her fingers brushed the shell of my ear. It was Mozart, and the soft wailing choral voices seemed to echo my emotions as her fingers wilted back into her hand and away from me.

We stood there for a moment, lost in the crowd of museumgoers. An island in their midst, and in that second all I could think was do not let this go. This feeling, this fire in the pit of your stomach, this hollow feeling in your chest that’s rising to your head do not let this go. The violins and chorus and the marble. The cherubs in the vaulted ceiling smiling down with knowing, cruel smiles. Her collarbone and silver band across her chest do not let them go. The chatter of the crowd- Italian and Spanish and Croatian or Dutch. Do not let them go. Not for one second of your life. Do not forget this.

And I felt her press into my side, and touch my shoulder gently. She was whispering into my chest it’s alright, let it out it’s alright I’ve done it too. It’s helped me too, I’ve done it too let it out. I’ve cried here too, I’ve done this too. I feel it too. And as she held me I was shaking. Please do not forget this. Do not let this go.

All that flesh makes willing

Our affair was brief- I was a tourist- but she was beautiful, and cold only in the literal sense common for women of her stature. A thin white thing, like the marble she’d been surrounded with at work. Chestnut hair draped across her shoulders, to the collarbone- I’d never till then comprehended why dress codes, in my country, called to cover the collarbone. I could (and often did) end up staring at her for hours, willing her to be my muse, to make me make something, but she was so pragmatic that she often ended all of these discussions by smiling (I could hear it in her voice, the smiling) and requesting some menial favor. “could you please buy cigarettes”, or “pass me the salt-shaker”, or “isn’t it late now?”, anything. But she was beautiful, so I did it for her, anyhow. And so it happened that by the end of the three months stay I’d agreed upon with my agent for the residence the only thing I’d made from her was a larger pile of laundry and a couple embarrassing purchases- underwear, linens, whatever. And even in the final moments, at the train station, she only smiled and said good-bye and told me not to drift off when I was travelling alone, that the front of the train was still dangerous. And she smiled small and nodded sternly as she walked away, foot over unbearable foot blending together in an undulating gesture. And I stood there, dumb and half-blind (the irony) with agony but not saying anything, and eventually I checked my watch and it said it was midnight when I’d almost missed my ticket and got stranded (sometimes I wish I’d allowed that, then. Walked back to her apartment and killed her with kisses, refused to leave. But I was too pragmatic and my rent was due a couple days and I never understood how visas worked) and I made it in by running and forsook her wisdom, sleeping straight to Britain with only a couple minutes of half-lucid awareness where I denied wet towels and assistance transferring train cars.

It was only several months later that I let myself remember her, thick on the tail of another woman as I usually was, reminiscing my journeys from that summer until I suddenly stumbled upon those moments where we’d pressed together, where her smallness met the empty vast of my own hollowed chest and we breathed light the night into the daybreak. And at this memory I at once ached, and softly sighed around my daily life for days again without reprieve, reprimanding myself for forgetting her so quickly, as one does when stirred from sleep when dreams handcrafted by your mind so soon escape you. When the London rain was blue and humid bog-warm I would pace around the city with my coat on wandering. As if I could find her this way somehow. After weeks then I resolved I’d make her- as I was still convinced she had been my muse then- and conscripted through some not insignificant haggling the help of a dear friend to trot to the museum one brief moment to peruse their own swathe of Roman marble as material.

“So you bedded some Italian and now you can’t get over it- what’s with the statues?”

“We met at the museum”

“’The Museum’,” she said mockingly. “You were in Italy, Eva, which bloody museum?”

“The statue-room at the Uffizi”

“there’s more than-“

“she’s the guide there- speaks ten languages. She’s so clever…” I wondered ‘round the room. Bright blue walls surrounded the bright stone figures, seeming almost like a classroom round. “She was beautiful, Hannah.”

She stood still by the entrance- we were alone, and it was all quite quiet, a weekday near the start of June drew little people here. For a few tentative steps, her boots clacked loudly on the tile.

“…how did you meet her anyway?”

“Well, she’s the tour guide.”

“Well most people don’t shag the tour guide, genius.”

We were standing, shoulder-shoulder facing Venus in the corner of the rounded hall. Rather striking, must be- pair of stone-hard lezzies facing just that goddess. Hannah’s fuzz-buzz haircut and her stiff-wool coverall next to my own shaggy hair and rounded shades indoors. My sight-cane stuck to my Martens, clacking with my tics and movements (base-floor-base-floor-base-floor-base-floor).

“Well there was this pair of wrestlers, and I suppose she pegged me just the type then, looking at them close.”

“ah. Gotta love the Romans.”

“She’s so clever. Did you know she knew the story behind all the statues even, all about the burial sites and everything?”

“M’pretty sure they’re trained to do that”

“but she was clever. She’s really clever.”

“Jolly good then.”

I had to turn then- same comforting brown-orange smudge of longtime friendship as was usual- grab at her elbows till we were close enough to see the limits of her own round ruddy face.

“Hannah dear, I think I love her.”

“I think you’re spitting on me, Eva.” And she grabbed my shoulders playfully and pinched them tight within her plush palms. “and that you probably need to shag someone else and get back on your medicine.”

“you don’t get it, she was beautiful. She was-“ and here I very grandly gestured to the marble next to us, taking a risk and hoping we were still next to the Venus somehow since I’d lost my footing on how many steps inside I’d taken (and taking a risk that I’d maybe slap a piece of ancient history in the process). “prettier than this one, even.”

And Hannah was silent, because she knew better than to mention my blindness, and I dreaded to feel her being right about something I felt so strongly on.

“you don’t…her collarbone- she’s just. So pretty, so-” I hate my blubbering- this small pathetic schoolchild voice I make all suddenly- but soon her arm was back on my shoulder and she was moving close so I could see orange and grey in us fuzzing together, feel her strong arm on my back and nape. And she said “ alright, I believe you” and “let’s just get you home now” and we did, gone on the underground riding all the way together although she lived in Surrey and was supposedly only visiting for the day, and she sat in my apartment with the kettle on while I dragged a canvas out of the storage and started glopping color on it, thinking of the nearness of her face in the warm green summer nights of Florence then. Until I tired myself out at night and we just sat still staring at the wall with it, sharing cups of lukewarm grocery-bag tea with no sugar in and staring, staring, staring long and hard and in remembrance. And I wasn’t sure if that’s what she looked like because it had been so long and such a distance. And I felt then perhaps her smile sounded different to the painting, but Hannah spoke after a while of silence saying, “beautiful she is, then.” And that moment I felt fine and shut the door again on feelings- like at the train station back then- and melted into the naked brown of my friend’s shoulder, soft and dark and oaken-sure. And I willed me to forget myself.

#my writing

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weaselle · 5 years ago

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Dead Earth 3rd installment

Ringer had killed a couple men back in Quorum, and that was the problem. Quorum was pretty rough and tumble; those men he shot were mean and tough, and he figured it made him a real bad hombre.

He was tall and slim, and he fancied himself a gunfighter, wearing a pistol in a shoulder rig and another in a holster tucked into the back of his belt. Somewhere along the way he had joined up with Daily, a big beefy man who loved to hit things with his fists, and the two of them pretty much thought they were the toughest dudes to ever live. Geo, a smallish young man, was impressed by them, and latched onto the pair.

Breen only had two other crew members: Cee W., a copilot he’d met on a night the young man was fed up with his previous employer, and Hanah, an old ship hand who kept to herself, knew how to do her job and everyone else’s too. Breen’s ship The Grabbyelle was already warming it’s engines for take off by the time Ringer, Daily, and Geo showed up, late as usual.

“They’re on, Cap’n” Hannah’s voice sounded in Breen’s ear.

“Lift it” Breen told Cee W.. Once they were on course, he turned over control to his copilot and called a crew meeting in the galley. Hex and Jackal would be there, Cee W. would listen in on the com.

_____________________________________________________________________

Breen did a double take as he entered the galley and saw Hex. She was wearing a kind of business suit in crimson and black, with plenty of gold jewelry, somehow managing to look like both a CEO and a pirate -- the pirate effect highlighted by the nine inch blade strapped to her left thigh and a long wool coat draped over her shoulders like a cloak. Jackal was beside her in similar if less flashy garb. His large foxy ears were plainly visible through a brimmed hat with two holes for them, but looked at first glance like they might be part of it, like feathers stuck in the hatband. Wearing a vest and no jacket, he had a sort of short staff slung across his back. It was the least number of visible weapons Breen had seen on them yet.

When Ringer and Daily came in trailing Geo behind them, Hex and Jackal had their interest right away. Ringer leaned insolently against a counter eyeballing Jackal, and Daily walked over and lewdly ran his eyes up and down Hex.

“Well well, Captain, what have you brought us?” Ringer said, looking at Jackals ears, then glancing at Hex. “Pets? Are they house trained?” Jackal’s eyes narrowed a little, and one ear flicked. “What do think Daily, she got a tail hidden away behind her? Aww, what am I sayin’, you probably don’t care if she’s human or not”

“Shut up, Ringer” Daily said flatly, leaving his eyes on Hex.

“You’re out of line, Ringer” said Breen, with more confidence than he felt, “You too, Daily, back off! Don’t be rude to our clients” Daily lingered a second, then moved to sit at the table with Hannah and Geo.

“Oh clients!” said Ringer, bowing sarcastically “So sorry, I didn’t realize.” Suddenly ignoring Hex and Jackal, he dropped into a chair and faced Breen, who also sat. “What’s the job?”

Before he could answer, Hex said “I’ve hired this ship and its crew to retrieve something of mine. A box my uncle left me.”

“We need a whole ship for that?” said Geo skeptically “Must be a big-ass box”

“Not so big,” said Hex, as Jackal brought her a mug of black caff and sat at the table, “it’s not the size, it’s the location. I hope you all are ready for a rough time -- we’re going down to the Old World.”

Well, they didn’t like to hear that, and with good reason. The Lunar Colonies had been established close to 200 years ago, and the Earth had been considered a dead and dangerous planet for most of that time. Oh, there were things living on it, but it mostly wasn’t a fit place for people to live. Some did anyway, such were the ways of humans, to claw existence from the barest chance of survival. They lived amid the wreckage left by a combination of environmental disaster and global warfare, an apocalyptic wilderness considered uninhabitable by most of what was left of humanity. Many of those left on the planet were either genetically altered or cybernetically augmented, the progeny of laboratory creations during the last, war-torn decades of a fully populated Earth.

Called derogatory names like “grader” “shifter” “alter” and “mutie” (slurs short for upgraded, gene-shifted, altered, and mutant) people with cybernetic or genetic enhancements were not welcome in the lunar colonies. First generation Upgraded and Gene-shifted entities had been designed for war and terror, often mimicking horror story creatures such as vampires and zombies, or housing weaponry and programing for battle and assassination. Not just people, there were many human-created animals, some of which were quite intelligent. And there were micro-organisms and nanobots still swarming the planet, as well. When a last large-scale evacuation had finally been implemented, the Planetary Evacuation and Transfer Agency had screened for and denied entry to all Enhanced Beings, a policy meant to prevent “infecting” the supposed purity of the Lunar Colonies.

“I shoulda known a couple of damn shifters would try to get us down the well” said Daily, referring to the gravity well created by the planet. “Like hell I want to go there, full of vampires and borgs and nano-mites and who knows what.”

“That box of your uncle’s must have something worth a whole lot of money in it for you to hire a ship and land on that death rock,” mused Ringer. “What’s our share?”

Hex looked at him coldly “Whatever worth that box has is only valuable to me. There’s nothing in there for you. What you get is a working ship in operation, with its dock fees paid off and plenty of food and water, and your normal crew rates.”

Ringer scowled and looked over at Breen “That right, Captain? We working for zero percent of the haul? Doesn’t seem fair, that.”

“Can’t make money on a ship with empty tanks and unpaid dock fees, Ringer. I saw a chance and I took it. You’re getting paid your crew rate. Sometime in the next few hauls maybe we’ll find something that’ll earn you a nice bonus. Meanwhile, eat up, sleep tight, do your job, and draw your normal pay.”

“I don’t like it at all,” Ringer replied “and I know Daily and Geo don’t either. How ‘bout you, Hannah? You want to go down to Old Earth? Getting old to try that kind of environment, aren’t you? And I bet you don’t like to work a run and not get a percentage”

Hannah, never impressed by Ringer and his friends, shrugged “You ever shipped out on one of those big ol’ EA astroid miners? They charge you for room and board the whole time you’re on the ship, gotta pay it out of whatever you manage to mine while you’re out in The Black. If you don’t find enough ore to pay your bill, you don’t get to leave the ship when it docks, gotta head back out on the next run and hope your luck is better. Plenty of them miners never manage to get free, spend the rest of their lives working for that EA mining corp, never see a single kuai in their bank account. This here’s not my favorite deal, but it’s a deal, and a better one than I’ve had from some. Captain says we might get something extra later on, then I expect there’s a good chance of that, he ain’t lied to us yet.”

Hannah grinned nastily at the lanky troublemaker, “As for taking a trip down the well, you don’t worry me none with that talk, Ringer, what with you never even breathed the Old World air. You might be surprised to know I actually been down there before, an’ I ain’t so old I can’t go again. What’s more, I’m twice as likely to make it back as you are yourself, and that’s facts. That there planet eats up men think they’re tough like you, just plain eats ‘em right up; why, you oughta be scared more than you are, really.”

“Scared?” Ringer was outraged. “You keep talking, grannie,” Ringer bit out, “I’ll show you who’s tough”

“Alright, that’s enough,” said Breen, “In 52 hours we’ll be landing. It’s a dangerous world, but we’re just making a pick up, and taking off. No reason for everybody to get all wound up. Now you’ve heard the job, and that’s how it is. Everybody back to work. Hex, I’d like to speak to you on the bridge at your convenience” and with that, he walked out.

Daily stood up, looking at Hex, “How ‘bout it, lady, you want to come see me in my quarters when you’re done with the captain, I’ll show you a real man.”

“That’d be nice” said Hex, “I been looking for a real man since I got here.”

“Oh yeah?” said Daily, grinning lustily.

“Yeah,” said Hex, wryly, running her eyes slowly up and down Daily “and I haven’t seen one yet” and turned her back and left.

“Fucking bitch!” Daily exclaimed and leapt up to follow, but suddenly Jackal was face to face with him, fangs bared, staff out with the tip resting against Daily’s chest, stopping him. Ringer put his hand to his gun, but Jackal said “Daily dies if you do, Ringer. Daily, you better call off your buddy if you want to live. You know what a bangstick is?”

Off to one side, Hannah chuckled. “You boys sure went knocking on the wrong door. Better go easy there, Ringer. Bangstick is a compression gun, Daily, in case you don’t know. Just a pipe with a round loaded in, usually shotgun shell -- you jab it against anything and it hits the pin, fires the round. You’re mighty close to having a big hole right through you, boy.”

“That’s exactly right,” said Jackal “and your pal Ringer there could make me nervous, with his hand on his gun like that.”

“Let’s go, Ringer,” said Daily, slowly, “this is a bad start to a fight. We can pick a better time and finish it.”

“Anytime at all, cabronés,” said Jackal, as Ringer took his hand away from his holster and Daily backed away. “You try it anytime you want”.

Daily and Ringer left.

Hannah looked at Jackal. “You remind me of some folks. You ever ship with any of the Old Fleet?”

Jackal grinned at her and winked, touched the brim of his hat and left.

Hannah whistled soundlessly and looked across the table at Geo. “Kid, I never liked those two you hang out with, but you seem okay, so I’ll give you some good advice for free. If they go after these two, you just let them go and do it without you, I’d hate to see you killed. That there was a Galloglas, or I’m Queen of the Moon.”

Geo wrinkled his brow at her. “What in the diyu is a Galloglas?”

“You ever hear of the Old Fleet?” Geo shook his head at her. “The Council of Captains?” Geo shook his head again. “Well, you know how Sol Union got started?” Geo shrugged. “Por su madré, what all are they teaching people these days?” she said, “Well okay then, listen up, I guess this here is story time.”

“Back in the day, the Old Fleet was called the Station Supply Fleet, or the Service Fleet. A handful of giant ships created to service the seven space stations.

Life on these stations was secretive even back then, and from the beginning, their smaller populations tended to have a lot of brains and be in the top of their field. Then those folks raised a few generations of children who were certainly very, very smart, even if no one has ever proved they’ve been genetically enhanced to be extra intelligent, as rumor says.

Those stations, whole little worlds unto themselves, were busy developing goods and services in their areas of specialty -- those things they still produce, like robotics, medical research and narcotics, specialized food production, entertainment. But that wasn’t all they developed while floating around out in The Black. They also developed their own ways of life.

Sort of the same way, the Service Fleet was making their own cultures too. Most of those ships were crewed by several hundred men and women on back to back between-station journeys that could take three years or more each trip, and they naturally started their own way of living.

So anyway, it wasn’t long before the stations began to have differing opinions about what the law should be on-station. Different from each other, a bit, and very different than the governments that thought they controlled them.

More and more those opinions disagreed with the opinions of Earth and the Lunar colonies, and when one of those disagreements came to a head on Station Delta, the old Space Command found out very quickly that one of the things all the stations had in common was an opinion that attempts at military boarding and take-over of a station would not be tolerated.

The long and short of it was, the few surviving members of the Lunar Military incursion team wound up reporting that yes, the extremely intelligent people of Station Delta had, in fact, thought to engineer quite well against armed intrusion. Planetary authorities were further caught with their pants down when the seven stations of Sol System immediately unionized and seceded en mass, announcing themselves an alliance of self-governing bodies. Looking back, they had to have been planning it for a while, secretive messages going back and forth in the dark for years. Anyway, that’s how Sol Union was born.

The days-old Sol Union then gave the Supply Fleet that serviced them an offer, which was simply: join us.

Now those ships relied heavily on those stations to supply and refuel. There was no way to land them on the Moon or on Old Earth, they were designed to dock with the stations. And I imagine a lot of those ships didn’t care for being ordered around by government folks who didn’t know what life in the Fleet was like, most of who’d never even served on board any ship at all.

On each ship of the Fleet, decisions were made about the Sol Union offer. On some ships, there were votes. On other ships arguments were more pointed. Explosive, even. Two ships were lost entirely.

In the end, the Council of Captains was formed (some of whom were very new to their captaincy indeed). They defined each ship as an autonomous entity, and unanimously offered an alliance with the Sol System Union, simultaneously offering Earth and the Lunar Colonies a peace-treaty with trade agreements. Once the Sol Union signed that alliance with the Council of Captains, there wasn't really any choice for Terran or Lunar governments; the station labs produced a lot of the best goods and technology: medical equipment and vaccines, personal electronics, as well as widely enjoyed arts and entertainment- that last bit was particularly tricky for Space Command to get around. It was extremely difficult to keep the support of the citizenry when the 'enemy' was so damned popular.

But mostly it was that the ships of the Fleet were almost all of the serious space-craft humanity had made up til then. There was no space navy, nor any kind of second fleet to provide shipping. In effect, the rebel Union, while refusing to trade any of their products with Terra, had agreed to sell to the Fleet, who was offering to sell those things to the Earth and Moon. And buy goods from them to sell to Sol Union, of course. Neither Terra nor Luna could afford to refuse, and indeed, the Delta Solar Treaty worked well for all concerned. Still does.

Now, one of those ships, the captain was a woman named Reilly Galloglas. Nobody is sure how or where, but her crew started buying or building smaller ships. They spread out some. Some of them turned Pirate. Some of them started raiding Earth, scavenging and selling black market goods. Some of them even left off shipping out and worked security for a station here and there, or started a business. Mostly they’re one big family, even if distantly related. They’ll adopt long time crew members, and I’ve heard tell some people marry into the family. But they never take in or keep anybody who doesn’t live up to their standards, born in or not. And there are three things you have to know about them Galloglas folk.

First, they’re honest and honorable, even if half of ‘em are criminals and pirates. I mean they might steal all your money, but they won’t lie about it, they’ll keep any promise they make, and they’ll only kill someone who’s armed and facing them. Second, they’re a hard, dangerous, deadly folk. They don’t run from a fight, you can believe it; there’s just no back up to ‘em. And third, they are loyal as fuck. They mostly handle their own business, but gods help anyone who backshoots one, or gets one too outgunned and they have to call for reinforcements.

I only ever heard one time it happened. ‘Bout sixty years ago, the Theta Station Mining Co. had a difficulty with one, and blew her ship up while she was on station talking to them about it. They musta figured to strand her there, or something. I don’t know if they realized that little ship had her husband and kids on it, but she sure made sure they knew it by the end. Every Galloglas near got involved, and that right there is why there’s only six stations left in Sol Union. The rest of them stations looked at shrapnel left where the station had been, checked their options, and allowed as how Theta had fucked up and got what they deserved. They sorta buried the whole story and moved on quick. They surely didn’t want to push the issue with that Galloglas crew. I reckon if it came to it, they’d all of them show up, and I don’t see how there could be less than 500 of them Galloglases, maybe two or three times that number, a bunch of ‘em with their own ships, and every one a demon in a fight.”

Son,” Hannah looked into Geo’s eyes, “you take an old lady’s advice, tell your friends to lay off - them two are a lot more trouble than Ringer and Daily can handle”

“I will Hannah, thanks” said Geo. And a couple hours later, he did.

But the problem was, Ringer had killed a couple men back in rough and tumble Quorum, and he figured it made him a real tough guy.

#dead earth #fiction #writing #science fiction #dead earth 3

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spn-meanttobe · 6 years ago

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Spn Meant To Be Masterlist - 2009

Here is the roundup of the very first challenge. Please keep in mind, this challenge was ten years ago. Every effort has been made to find current/existing links, but some authors have packed up their work and not allowed it to be shared. Those entries are here to be preserved for posterity, but the download link and title will have a strike-through. Without further ado, this way to the happy endings!

RPS

Title: Better than Cherry Pie Author: mina_rox Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Accountant Keeley Davis has been hired to find out who's been bilking money from the well-respected Bingham Bros. investment firm. To do so, Keeley will have to don a disguise and work closely with tastier-than-homemade-cherry-pie controller Dane Weiss! As Keeley tramps herself up as Dane's personal assistant "Cherry Smith," her calculations start paying off big dividends—like when she serves up a hot plate of Dane à la mode. But as things start to really sizzle, Keeley wonders whether she can keep her eyes on the bottom line…when all she can think of is keeping Dane in her bed? Link to Fic: Better than Cherry Pie

Title: Small Moments Author: hunters_retreat Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Ten year anniversary celebrations weren't something to miss, so Jensen agreed to going to his friend Chris and Steve's week long get away. Only he hadn't expect his partner to go along and demand they leave two days into it. Still, he didn't have to put up with it much longer because they both knew it was over. That was, until they got trapped in a cabin all by themselves and come face to face with themselves, their failing relationship, and the truth they've both refused to see. Link to Fic: Small Moments

Title: I Can Almost See a Skyline Author: poor_choices Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Jared/Jensen, past Jensen/Misha Summary: Jensen Ackles is the number one surgeon at the most prestigious plastic surgery practice in LA. After a number of threats, his bosses decide to hire him a bodyguard, one Jared Padalecki, who sweeps in and turns his life completely upside down. Link to Fic: I Can Almost See a Skyline

Title: Sometimes It's Hard to Keep On Running Author: matalinolukaret Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Warnings: Sex, language Summary: Jensen's running from a past he doesn't want to face. Jared's moving on in his life, doing what he can for his daughter. What happens when Jensen stops running away from what he wants, and turns toward his future? Link to Fic: Sometimes It's Hard to Keep on Running

Title: My New Life is Waiting Author: neros_violin Rating: Adult Pairing: Jensen/Jared Warnings: Past character death Summary: Jared and his daughter Hannah are used to depending only on each other. Their life at the cabin on the lake isn't exciting, but it's safe. Until the night Hannah goes outside, drawn by the soft sounds of a guitar. While Jared is drawn to the music, the guitar player is too close for comfort. But something in music inexorably attracts Jared and his little girl, and they finally reach out to their new neighbor. Jensen seems like the perfect guy, and he is the perfect guy. But like Jared, he has secrets to keep and reasons not to trust. Can they move beyond their pasts to make a life together, away from the isolated shores of the lake? Link to Fic: My New Life is Waiting

Title: Laughing Down Lonely Canyon Author: calamitycrow Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Jared’s entire life centers around the rodeo, until an injury sidelines him for the rest of the season. And then to complicate things more, he gets guardianship of four-year Cody. Meanwhile, world-weary businessman Jensen heads to his Montana ranch to escape the pressure of his life for a couple of weeks. What he’s not expecting is a bout with pneumonia or falling for his foreman’s little brother. Link to Fic: Laughing Down Lonely Canyons

Title: Pom Poms and Circumstance Author: agt_bush Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Jared/Jensen, brief Jensen/Tom Summary: Jared Padalecki and Chad Michael Murray ditch their friends so they can spend the summer surrounded by beautiful girls at cheer camp. The plan works perfectly until Jared realizes he is falling for the gorgeous, and very male head cheerleader, Jensen. Loosely based on Fired Up. Link to Fic: Pom Poms and Circumstance

Title: What Would Rick Do? Author: gottalovev Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen, minor OMC/OFC and OMC/OMC Warnings: Sex, language Summary: Jared works as a research assistant for Liberty Production but writes sexy columns, The Ten-Minute Seduction about playboy Rick St-Clair, to help pay the bills. When he meets his porn-muse-slash-fantasy-man for real, the gorgeous Jensen Ackles, Jared is almost too nervous to function until he pretends to be his main character. They hit it off, but can they make it work if everything is based on a lie? Link to Fic: What Would Rick Do?

Title: Chisel Me Down Until I'm Clean Author: orphan_project Rating: Hard R Pairing: Jensen/Jared, implied Jared/Chad, implied Jared/OMC, brief Misha/Jared & Zac Efron/Jared, Jensen/Jeff Warnings: Blow jobs, drug use, gender change, swearing Summary: Jared and Jennifer have been friends for years. All though high school and into adult hood. Yet Jennifer has been going on secret doctor trips since they graduated. Jennifer is gone for a month with her most recent, and when Jared returns to work on the day she's suppose to be back, there's a new man sitting there where she should be. What if there is no one beside you when your soul embarks. What if you simply never knew they were there until this moment in time? Link to Fic: Chisel Me Down Until I'm Clean

Title: Ripped Apart Author: my_sam_dean Rating: R Pairing: Jared/OFC Warnings: Character death Summary: Jared and Jewel are a happy family with three children until a tornado tears through town. Separated by grief, can they repair their broken home? Link to Fic: Ripped Apart

Title: Another Start Author: joans23 Rating: soft R Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: This was supposed to be their happily ever after, but life turned out a little differently than they planned. Despite how painful it is, Jared decides to try and reclaim his life and Jensen ... well, Jensen just wants Jared back. Link to Fic: Another Start

Title: Too Far to Care Author: goddamnbatman & karabou Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Warnings: House fire Summary: Jensen was eighteen years old when his family home burned to the ground, taking all but his baby sister with it. Now grown, with a man's responsibilities and a chip on his shoulder a mile wide, he's faced with the last thing he ever expected - a growing attraction to the son of the man responsible for it all. Link to Fic: Too Far to Care

Title: Nip/Tuck Author: i_o_r_h_a_e_l Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Jared/Jensen, Jared/OMC Summary: After an accident that had left his face scarred and killed his boyfriend, Jared never went out or left his mansion. Nor did he intend to have his disfigurement fixed. Until one day he found a plastic surgeon that reminded him a lot of his late boyfriend, and decided that Jensen should come over, without realizing danger looming over their lives. Link to Fic: Nip/Tuck

Title: The Slow and Steady Rush Author: cookiemonsta Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Warnings: Sexin' and cussin'. You know, the usual. Summary: Jensen spends his days on the family ranch, bitter and lonely after his stint in the air force. When the friendly stranger Jared arrives as the new ranch hand, can Jensen learn to move past his brooding nature and let Jared in? And more importantly, what secret is Jared hiding that could ruin Jensen's family forever? Link to Fic: The Slow and Steady Rush

Title: Tell Me You Love Me Author: juice817 Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Jared has loved his brother Jeff's best friend Jensen for as long as he can remember, but when Jensen turns him down on his 23rd birthday, Jared flees to Corfu in an attempt to get laid and get on with his life - as far away from Jensen as he can get. But Jensen seems to have other ideas... Link to Fic: Tell Me You Love Me

Title: Cherish Author: breea1 Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen, Tom/Mike, Steve/Chris Summary: Many years before six boys had sworn they would always be together, despite differing backgrounds and outside pressures, but one summer something happened to change that. Jared, Tom and Steve had eventually left Cherish, Texas to follow their dreams - but not their hearts - and Jensen, Mike and Chris had settled in to make what lives they could for themselves in a town that didn't want them but that they couldn't leave. Now the past is rearing its ugly head and three men are coming home to find answers that had been denied them and to claim the men that they'd never stopped believing belonged with them. Cherish's most beloved sons have been out in the wide world for a long time and they've got a few tricks up their sleeves - and no intention of taking no for any answer this time. Jensen, Mike and Chris - and Cherish - aren't going to know what's hit them! Link to Fic: Cherish

Title: Awaiting on You Author: saklani2 & myficjournal Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Shy, awkward Jensen Ackles attends his sister’s debut party and is saved from the unwanted advances of Lady Jessica Alba by the dashing Jared Padalecki. He is grateful, especially when Jared makes an effort to befriend him and bring him out of his shell. Little does he suspect that Jared has an agenda of his own. Link to Fic: Awaiting on You

Title: Save me, I will rescue you Author: trinipedia Rating: R Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Who said you only get one shot at true love? Link to Fic: Save me, I will rescue you

Title: Never Will Run Smooth Author: kelleigh Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: When he was six, JR Ackles met Jared Anderson—his best friend and future husband. Twenty years later, Jensen meets Jay Padalecki. Link to Fic: Never Will Run Smooth

Title: You Can't Quantify Love Author: hildigunnur Rating: Hard R Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Jared Padalecki has started a new life as a Ph.D. student, hoping it will help him forget how Jensen Ackles broke his heart. It seems to be working until Jensen shows up where Jared least expects it. Link to Fic: You Can't Quantify Love

Title: Sunshine and Raindrops Author: the_milky_way Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Jensen is sort of oblivious, Jared a good guy and Mike is just too greedy. Link to Fic: Sunshine and Raindrops

Title: If You'll Say You're Mine, I'll Say I'm Yours Author: zams Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: At a charity auction, Jensen Ackles wins a date with Jared Padalecki, the head nurse at the county hospital, the winning bid a birthday present from his closest friends. Jensen is shy, but Jared’s dimpled smile and earnest eyes charm him effortlessly, and a simple date leads to more than either expected. Link to Fic: If You'll Say You're Mine, I'll Say I'm Yours

Title: You Can Help Yourself, But Don't Take Too Much Author: withdiamonds Rating: R Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Coming to the rescue of handsome nurse Jared Padalecki when someone tried to murder him wasn't the encounter Dr. Jensen Ackles had in mind when he first set eyes on him. Given that he recognized Jared's attackers, coupled with the chilling death threats, he knew the attack wasn't random. Although Jensen was an expert at covering up his tragic past, clues proved Jared's attack was connected to Jensen's former life. But as much as he wanted the sexy brunet in his bed, Jensen didn't want to admit he was connected in any way to who or what was endangering Jared's life. Will either of them live long enough to pursue their new romance? Link to Fic: You Can Help Yourself, But Don't Take Too Much

Title: Love and Other Sports Injuries Author: bonspiel Rating: R Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: After a childhood spent moving all over the US and Canada, living with his uncle Jeff, a professional hockey player and then coach, Jensen Ackles tries to avoid hockey whenever possible. Too bad that his hot one night stand turns out not only to be a hockey player, but one coached by his uncle. Jensen came to Kansas City to give a little family moral support, but now he's stuck in the middle of a team going bankrupt, with a defenseman determined to woo him, and worst of all, he doesn't miss his previous staid, hockey-free existence one bit. Link to Fic: Love and Other Sports Injuries

Title: In the Eye of the Beholder Author: surevesta Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Jared/Jensen, Jensen/Danneel, Jared/Sandy Summary: Excerpts from the baby book of Felicity Jaide Ackles. He gained a daughter and lost a wife. He gained a daughter and found a family. Link to Fic: In the Eye of the Beholder

Title: Where the Heart Is Author: cjmarlowe Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Chicago cop Jensen Ackles returns to his Oklahoma hometown after the death of his father, with his young son in tow and a chip on his shoulder about all things love. But his work isn't so easily left behind, and love isn't so easily dismissed when Jared Padalecki comes back into his life. Link to Fic: Where the Heart Is

Title: Lost and Found Author: apreludetoanend Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: Jared and Jensen were best friends until an argument tore them apart. When they find each other again, years later, will they become more? Link to Fic: Lost and Found

Title: Silver Star Author: topaz119 Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jensen/Jeffrey Dean Morgan Summary: As a Texas Ranger, Hayes Keller was used to tough assignments. But protecting Taylor Landis after a recent attack and keeping his professional distance was the most challenging job Hayes had ever faced. Every instinct told him not to let her get under his skin, but sticking by her side--all day and through the hot summer night--was pushing him to the limit. Link to Fic: Silver Star

Title: Just Over the Horizon Author: starless_riot Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Jared/Jensen Summary: In order to pay back a favor, Jared Padalecki agrees to spy on rival attorney Jensen Ackles--who suddenly decides to take an international vacation one week before the biggest trial of his career. Jared didn't count on even liking the guy, much less falling into lust with him. When Jared's lies and deceit finally come to light, will Jensen give him a second chance or is their budding romance headed for failure from the start? Link to Fic: Just Over the Horizon

Supernatural

Title: Alone, Baby, There Ain't No Peace of Mind Author: dreamlittleyo Rating: R Pairing: Sam/Dean Summary: Sam is touched that his sisters have arranged a holiday for him, and he looks forward to some time alone in an isolated cabin on Lake Superior. His only neighbor for miles is the taciturn, if incredibly attractive, Dean Johnson. Sam can't help but be intrigued by this solitary man… and with his warm personality and culinaryy talents, Sam is determined to pick away at the iron padlock around his heart. Link to Fic: Alone, Baby, There Ain't No Peace of Mind

Title: Two Men, One Face Author: rule_number_7 Rating: PG Pairing: Dean/Jimmy with mentions of Dean/Castiel Summary: Dean is called to Pontiac, Illinois for a hunt and is reunited with Jimmy for the first time since driving him home after Castiel's return to heaven after the war. Despite his efforts to get in and out of town as quickly as possible with as little contact with Jimmy as he can manage, Dean doesn’t seem to be able to avoid the other man. Link to Fic: Two Men, One Face

Title: The Dare Author: winged_dreams Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Sam/Dean Warnings: Vaguely AU for S1 Summary: Dean’s on a job that takes him to Palo Alto. He’s lonely and the girl at the bar wants to help. Link to Fic: The Dare

Title: Your Comment is Awaiting Moderation Author: latentfunction Rating: NC-17 Pairing: Sam/Dean, Sam/OCs Summary: Going by the dates on the blog, Sam hadn't even waited a month after the fall-out from Ruby before finding something else to keep secret. Link to Fic: Your Comment is Awaiting Moderation

Title: Set Me As a Seal Author: dessert_first Rating: PG Pairing: Dean/Castiel Summary: Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death… (Song of Solomon) Link to Fic: Set Me As a Seal

#spn meant to be #masterlist #2009

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contre-qui · 6 years ago

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Books of 2019 Wrap-Up!

In this post:

My top 3 favorite books

My 3 least favorite books

My fastest read

My slowest read

Books I acquired in 2019

2019 as a reading year

Books I read in 2019

Top 3:

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

This is absolutely one of the best books I've ever read. It was so refreshing to see a romance novel about a young gay couple - especially because it included their Mexican heritage.I really just don't have enough to say about this book; I cried at the end because I was just so pleased and emotionally moved. I would highly recommend this if you can get your hands on it. It was just so sweet, angsty, and emotional that I couldn't keep a straight face.

City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

What an excellent book! I'd been looking for something exciting but not overdone and this fully fit the bill. The romance was nice, the plot was well done, and there was just enough action to keep things interesting. I also really liked the mythology, since I'm not super up to date on the mythology and folklore of the Middle East so this was an awesome inclusion of those aspects.

Sonora by Hannah Lillith Assadi

This was such an interesting, short read. It was definitely dark, but I really enjoyed it. The plot was extremely complex and dealt with a lot of the darker sides of growing up. The title that finally came into play didn't show up until the very end and not in a way that I expected at all. I just really enjoyed the play back and forth between different shades of the past and present, leaving the reader trying to figure out when different events are happening.

Bottom 3:

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

I'm sorry to say that I absolutely hated this one. It felt trite, tropey, and overdone. I didn't like the plot, and Eliza was obnoxious. I liked that Zappia discussed anxiety and mental illness but the rest of the book was so obnoxious and over-dramatized.

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

This was such a struggle to get through; there was no real plot, the characters were somehow both dull and over-dramatic, and I truly just disliked the main character. I don't even know what else to say about A Confederacy of Dunces. I just plain didn't like it.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Killers of the Flower Moon was a required reading for my freshman writing class, and usually I don't mind class reading, but this just wasn't my favorite. It wasn't as bad as the other two - not by a long shot - it just was a little dry and a lot convoluted. It was designed to read as a mystery, but it just wound up confusing and difficult to follow. I liked the subject material and I liked what Grann was trying to say, but he just presented in a way that was difficult to keep track of and wasn't very interesting.

Fastest Read: The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains by Neil Gaiman

This was mostly a short story in a book form, illustrated, so it was very easy to get through. It was a really interesting read though, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Slowest Read: Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie

I started this one probably a year or two ago and just kept putting it down for some odd reason. But I picked it back up to finally finish it, and I really enjoyed the ending. I've always been a huge fan of Agatha Christie, so I was glad to get to finish a Poirot novel, since I hadn't read one before.

Books Acquired in 2019:

The White Forest

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

The Age of Ice

The Magdalen Girls

The Pact

Jules Verne collection

Foundryside

Warlight

All the Ever Afters

Micro

The Paris Architect

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

The Queen's Dwarf

Shovel Ready

John Saturnall's Feast

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Killers of the Flower Moon

Social and Cultural Anthropology

The Headman was a Woman

The Savior's Champion

The Difference Engine

Blindness

A Room of One's Own

Four Great Restoration Comedies

Jane Eyre

Flowers in the Attic

2019 as a Reading Year:

I'm really proud of how much I read this year! I definitely fell into some distinct slumps, but this summer was especially productive for getting books finished. My goal for 2019 was to read 40 books, and I managed to finish 42! I'm really pleased that I exceeded my goal, especially because I was starting college and I wasn't sure how much reading I was going to be able to get done. I think I could have done better, but I'm still really pleased with how I did. There were a lot of times that I could have or should have read and I chose to go on my phone instead, which is something I'll be working on in 2020. But overall, I achieved my goal and I'm proud of how much I read and what I read; I was able to get through a lot of books that I had sitting on my shelf unstarted or unfinished. I'm excited to see how 2020 goes for me!

Books I Read in 2019:

Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce

The Female of the Species by Mandy McGinnis

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

The White Forest by Adam McOmber

Sonora by Hannah Lillith Assadi

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The Age of Ice by J.M. Sidorova

Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card

The Magdalen Girls by V.S. Alexander

Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett

This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Warlight by Michael Ondaatje

All the Ever Afters by Danielle Teller

Micro by Michael Chrichton

The Paris Architect by Charles Belfoure

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

The Shell Collector by Anthony Doerr

The Queen's Dwarf by Ella March Chase

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Shovel Ready by Adam Sternbergh

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains by Neil Gaiman

John Saturnall's Feast by Lawrence Norfolk

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

(38.5) Social and Cultural Anthropology: A Very Short Introduction by John Monaghan and Peter Just

The Headman Was a Woman: The Gender Egalitarian Batek of Malaysia by Kirk M. Endicott and Karen L. Endicott

The Savior's Champion by Jenna Moreci

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

#contrespeaks #books of 2019 #bookblr #books of 2019 wrap up #book recs #book reviews

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magtitude · 6 years ago

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one-word prompts | accepting | @inquisitiveash

inquisitiveash asked: embrace: my muse abruptly throwing their arms around your muse, hugging them tightly. / beth

---------

A dream that’s more like a rehashed memory ( that’s more like a nightmare ) still lingers, the tendrils still sticky at the corners of Beth’s eyes and the waking haze phase of her brain; brought to waking by a ruckus downstairs. Friends trying to cook breakfast. Nice, at least she can guess how she’s going to die before -- good God -- before seven in the morning? On a Saturday? Her friends are maniacs.

Which should shock nobody.

They’ve formed a cluster that somehow seems to choke the overly-spacious kitchen into a claustrophobic room, with everyone bumping into one another and half-yelling at each other for getting in the way. A half-shout of what the fuck is wrong with you all, although lacking any real irritation, and everyone answering back in a cacophony that Beth chooses to not comprehend -- everyone’s just making excuse noises, and she can not be bothered with that right now. So she just grabs a spatula and threatens everyone out of the room. Yes, you too, Josh and Hannah. They all shuffle and argue on their way out, and Beth threatens to call them homophobes if they come back in, only to be answered with more complaints and near re-appearances.

The kitchen’s a mess. So much flour and butter and milk and eggs ( oh my GOD, SO MANY EGGS-- ) on the countertops and floor; Beth almost skid-flies to her death. It was either the egg-slide, or a house fire. Better that than a broken back and starvation.

God.

It’s a thankless and long task, mopping up the floor of food debris, picking up the egg shells and dropping them in the rubbish bin. Only after that does she start on the countertops, which is when Ashley decides to come back in, leaving the growing noise of the TV in the living room and everyone’s arguing voices.

Without turning around fully, Beth asks in a still-half-raspy voice, “What’d I say?”

“I can’t be homophobic if I came back in because I love you.”

“That a fact?”

“Yep.”

A half-hearted grunt when Ash wraps around her, a tight squeeze that’s more comforting but still involuntarily reminding her of the rock. It’s not really that disturbing, just... weird. But anyway-- Beth pats Ash’s hand, squeezes it gently with a fondness that might just bring her to tears because she’s just feeling that way lately. If she wasn’t still so tired, she’d probably turn around and kiss Ash full on the mouth and then some, vigour coursing through her bones. ( Besides, their friends are just in the next room, and there’s no doors to separate them. ) Instead, she hums. Then, “You gonna help me clean up?”

“Sure.” A cheeky beat. “If I must.”

Beth snorts, smiling.

#inquisitiveash #🌼 ic: answer.#📍 beth: answer.#📍 beth: alternate verse | twin survivors.#( i keep forgetting which way my/your muses goes with these prompts omg )#long post cw

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motherbearof03 · 6 years ago

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Writing Prompt. Pansy x Neville #14. It’s 4am # 17 And now you’re naked. Okay. # 29 If you think you’re getting out of this easily, you’re sadly mistaken. Please and thank you. 😊

So you may have been looking for smut, but my muse won’t allow me to put Pansy with anyone but Harry anymore. However, I think you’ll like this. It made me laugh the whole time I was writing it! As soon as I can think up a title, I’ll post it on AO3. Thank you for the prompt! This was great fun. Who’s next?

*********

The conch shell charmed to let her know if students were in the hallway woke Pansy before she heard the knock on the door. Tightening the belt of her dressing gown, she opened it to see two small First Years standing there, eyes wide.

“P-professor Parkinson, there’s a man on the grounds outside our rooms,” said the one.

“And he’s starkers,” added the other. She whispered the last word like it was a swear and the first nodded in agreement.

“Ladies, have you been watching Netflix again?” asked Pansy, biting her lip to keep from smiling at the child.

Hogwarts had changed a lot since she was a student and Muggle internet was now available in the common rooms and the online entertainment network was available to the students; with logins and passwords appropriate to their ages to restrict the younger ones from accessing more adult programming. But brilliant witches and wizards that they were, most of them figured out a way around the restrictions.

“No! Well, yes, but we’re not making this up!” The first speaker said. “Come look!”

Suppressing a sigh and refraining from asking the girls why they were awake at such an hour to begin with, but wondering not for the first time what possessed her to agree to fill in for Hannah Abbott, now Longbottom, while she took a short maternity leave, Pansy again tightened the knot on her dressing gown. Silken fabrics were aesthetically pleasing but not very practical.

As she followed the girls down the hallway, she muttered to herself,

“Filling in for the school nurse isn’t hard, Hannah said.”

“I’ll stay home with the kids, Harry said.”

“It will be fun to be back at school as an adult, Hermione said.”

Hannah was right. So far all she’d had to deal with was scrapes and bruises, stomach aches, sore throats, headaches and menstrual cramps. Those were all things she could handle. There had been one arm broken in two places from a particularly rough Quidditch game, but Hannah was still in the castle in her and Neville’s rooms so she was able to come and cast the healing spell while Pansy got to hold the baby. But all that did was make her miss her son and daughter. And yes, it was fun to be there as an adult and relive the good memories, but no one had warned her how needy and prone to exaggeration First Years could be. She snorted silently. A naked man outside their window indeed!

“Flibbertygibbet,” she said and the portrait swung open to enter one of the First and Second Year Girls’ Common Room.

Students were still sorted into Houses for points and Quidditch teams but dorms had been rearranged by ages, mixing the four houses, with a prefect and professor assigned to each group. Headmistress McGonagall had found the co-mingling of houses had resulted in less unfriendly competition and bullying. The two girls led the way to the window that looked out over the grounds with the greenhouses in the distance. Sure enough, she could see a male figure, walking slowly toward the castle. It was still too dark to discern his face but Pansy knew it had to be a professor or an older student. The wards were too strong to allow anyone else onto the grounds without permission. But as the clouds moved in the sky to reveal the nearly full moon, light shone down on him and she gasped. More from recognition of the person than to his state of undress although that did puzzle her as well.

“See,” said the one girl. “Starkers.”

Again, the word was whispered.

“Girls, you stay here,” Pansy ordered, and apparated from where she stood to the other side of the castle wall, walking briskly toward the man; who continued his slow progress. Now she could see he was limping a little. Having heard the crack of her apparition, he raised his head and drew to a halt, seeing her approach.

“Neville,” she hissed, although there was no one around to hear her if she had shouted. “What are you doing?”

“Pansy.” He had the grace too look embarrassed.

She tightened her dressing gown belt again, thinking she was transfiguring it into something more practical as soon as whatever this was was over and planted her hands on her hips in her best Molly Weasley imitation.

“It’s 4 a.m. And you’re naked!”

“Yeah, erm, we were up with the baby and when she finally went to sleep I couldn’t so I decided to go down to the greenhouses, but then I must fallen asleep while I was mixing fertilizer and it –”

“Exploded!” Pansy finished his sentence as she got a good look at his skin. His eyebrows were singed and there were burns on his face, hands and forearms. She assumed his robes had caught fire and that’s why he was undressed.

“I thought I could get back in the castle without anyone seeing me,” he told her.

As she looked him over for additional wounds, she realized quiet Professor Longbottom was a right fine specimen. The muscles on his chest and abs were ever more defined than Harry’s, she thought, and being an Auror he kept quite fit. She wondered if he’d been hiding this behind his robes all those years at school as well.

“Right then, let’s get you up to the infirmary and treat those burns. But first –” she transfigured the handkerchief in her pocket to a towel for him to wrap around his waist.

As they fell in step beside each other walking back to the castle, Pansy looked at him from corner of her eye and said with a smirk,

“But if you think you’re getting out this easily, you’re sadly mistaken. Two First Years saw you and by breakfast it will be all over the castle.”

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bubmyg · 7 years ago

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hannah,,,,,,,,, Lord Or Writing,,,,, lil sunshine,,,,,, could you please do something with yoongi where you've been married for a few years and you come with the boys at a fan signing and a fan who loves you and has a baby talks with you as you hold the child and yoongi goes into Soft Mode??? you can change it up if you want i just want soft yoongi who loves his s/o with children

a/n: i’m going to change this just a lil to one of their staff members has a baby and he sees you with it okay okay cool

word count: 819

You hummed an absent tune, tilting your head in sync with the swing of your legs off the counter you perched to. The blunt edge of your nail clacked against your phone as you scrolled, barely paying attention to the flash of colors and characters and words past wandering eyes. A methodical beat found the whoosh of your heels until one was snagged by long fingers.

Yoongi rutted the heel of your trainers against his thigh, tugging your attention down the length of your leg until you were staring into the amused bead of his pupils where he slouched in the chair underneath an attentive hand perfecting his makeup. “What are you reading?” He inquired quietly, squinting when the artist above him blotted powder just underneath his eye.

Your phone clacked to the counter when you locked it, palm bridging over it as you shrugged, “Nothing important.”

His eyes shined, the tiniest of smiles quirking to the corner of his mouth, thumb sliding up the bone protruding from your ankle. “Sorry this is so boring, love. I can get you a car home, if you’d like.”

You curled your knee into your chest when the stylist shuffled around his side with a quick apology and an eye shadow brush in hand, the soft color immediately staining to the crease of his eye when she ducked over him. You giggled when he poked his tongue out at you in the mirror. “No, that’s okay,” You shushed his childish actions with a finger over your lips, “I like being here.”

A sudden commotion lit the small dressing room, the half ajar metal door suddenly crowded with a collection of cooing individuals. One of their managers appeared out of the chaos wielding a baby close to her chest, tiny fists curled against a pink swathed chest, soft features scrunched in a peaceful slumber despite the roaring whispers awing around her about her.

The woman attached to a thin line of black over Yoongi’s top eyelid was the last to trip for the baby, nearly avoiding the flex of his ankle as it protruded unknowingly from his languid stature in the chair. Curiosity moved your feet, pushed you up off the counter as you shuffled around to flank their manager’s free shoulder.

The baby girl squeaked as consciousness lit her tiny yawn. An involuntary coo melted at the swell of your bottom lip, fingers wiggling in greeting to the sleepily blinking child.

“Would you like to hold her?” She gently nudged your elbow, smiling in encouragement as she stretched the wriggling bundle to you.

You hesitated, “I, uhm, yeah, sure...” You awkwardly curled your arms to encase the baby, holding her against your chest, copying the movements of her mother. The tiny creature rutted against your shirt, eager to find warmth again as her tiny fists flexed in search for something to grip on.

Her search was short lived as a long finger dipped over your shoulder, pinkish complexion latching to the milky paleness of Yoongi’s pigment. Your chin jerked, startled when he situated himself around you, a gentle hand on your waist as the latter served as a toy of sorts for the gurgling baby.

“Cute,” Yoongi mused, chin dropping to your shoulder, lips pecking at your cheek.

“She is,” You agreed, the rotation of your neck back to observe the baby slow, “She’s adorable.”

His chuckle echoed up the length of your spine, hushing low over the shell of your ear, “I meant you, like this,” Pursed lips caught the hinge of your jaw, amending, “beautiful.”

You shook your head in muted protest, forcing yourself to focus to the mewl of exhaustion that emitted from the baby in your arms as she gradually began to doze off, grip slowly falling from around the calloused pad of Yoongi’s digit. He took the opportunity to step back, gathering his phone from his pocket to snapshot a series of photographs.

“Hey, leave her alone,” His makeup artist, hooked an arm around his slender waist, tugging him backward toward the chair, “I’m not done with you yet.”

He came begrudgingly, flopping into the chair with a worse pout than before, eyes cast in the reflection of the mirror to inspect the actions of you, the baby, and the mother. The part of his mouth came involuntarily, falling into a perfect circle as a wet gloss was smothered to the rough chap of his skin.

“Maybe that’ll be your baby one day,” The stylist mused absently, tilting her head as she dug to the products spread out in front of him.

Yoongi’s heart thrummed once, painfully, the return of the rhythmic beat throbbing in his ears as softened eyes crossed over your bouncing figure, swaying the small bundle back and forth as your throat provided a high pitched tune of comfort.

“Yeah,” He sighed, bashfully meeting the knowing gaze of the woman crouched above him, “Maybe.”

#min yoongi #bts #bts reactions #bts scenarios #yoongi scenario #yoongi scenarios #min yoongi scenario #bts imagine #yoongi imagine #min yoongi imagine #im always hesitant to write about kids bc i know its not everyones thing so i tried to keep this #like up for interpretation as to whether u truly want kids in ur relationship or not ya know #birthofvcnus

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blog-of-a-multitude-of-fandoms · 5 years ago

Text

Present - Ron Weasley

Pairing: Ron Weasley x Reader

Characters: Ron Weasley

Warnings: N/A

Request: N/A

Word Count: 697

Author: Hannah

You’d always imagined that spending Christmas with your boyfriend would be a relatively chilled affair, but that was before you’d gone out with a Weasley.

It was going to be your first Christmas with Ron at the Burrow, since the two of you had been dating anyway. You’d spent Christmas with them the year previous when you were still working the courage up to tell Ron how you felt about him.

Luckily for you, on the train back to Hogwarts Ron had essentially confessed to you – it had been a complete surprise, but you were overjoyed.

Since then, the two of you had gone from strength to strength, you’d spent half of that summer holiday at the burrow and you were beyond excited to be spending Christmas there again too – even if it was your last Christmas at Hogwarts.

It was Christmas morning, but you’d woken up early, Ginny had snuck downstairs earlier to see Harry and Hermione was still asleep, so you’d decided to sneak up to Ron’s room.

Trying to stay quiet in the Burrow was easier said than done but you made it up to his room without anyone realising, well you hoped you had.

Ron turned to face you as you opened his door and he smiled as he saw you.

“Hey there gorgeous,” he whispered as he pulled back his duvet. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you too,” smiling back as you answered, you climbed into bed next to him and snuggled up. “When did Harry sneak down?”

Ron chuckled as he wrapped his arm around you. “Probably about the same time as Ginny did,” he answered. “He heard her going downstairs.”

“Well, it works in our favour,” you joked but Ron just smiled down at you.

After a few moments of silence and of Ron just smiling down at you you were starting to feel slightly unnerved.

“What are you planning?” you questioned, sitting up slightly so that you could look down at him.

His hand fell to your waist, but he started rubbing circled on your skin with his thumb. “I was just thinking.”

“That’s dangerous for you, don’t strain yourself.”

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. “You shouldn’t spend so much time with my brothers.”

You giggled before leaning sown to kiss him, but you eventually pulled back to hear about his musings.

“I was just thinking that if all my Christmases look like that then I’ll be a lucky wizard,” he explained as he continued to rub circles on your waist.

You couldn’t quite help the blush that rose to your cheeks. “You’re planning on keeping me that long?” you questioned, joking with him again.

He shrugged but reached behind him to get your Christmas present. “Open that and then tell me what you think.”

Looking at his in confusion, you sat up on the bed properly whilst he stayed lying down. “What is this?”

In your hand you had a small box which was wrapped surprisingly well. “Open it gorgeous.”

“It’s not going to jump out at me is it?” he chuckled but shook his head.

You then started to unwrap your present; a small black velvet covered box which sent your heart racing as you flipped it open but inside was a key.

“Well, it’s not a Gringotts key,” you joked.

Ron chuckled again as he sat up next to you taking your hand in his. “This is a key to Shell Cottage, Bill and Fleur moved a while ago and when I saw how much you loved it there, I asked for the key and it was put in my name,” he explained. “It’s mine now, and that’s for the front door.”

You nodded as you took it all in – you’d always told Ron how much you loved his brother’s house; you loved how close it was to the sea, you loved the seclusion of it.

“And I thought, maybe, we could have our own Christmas there next year?”

“What are you asking me Ron?” you questioned, moving your eyes from the key to lock onto his.

He took a deep breath as he continued to hold your hand. “Will you move in with me?”

#Christmas #Christmas 2020 #Hannah #Ron Weasley #Ron Weasley One Shot #Ron Weasley Imagine #Harry Potter Series #Harry Potter Series One Shot #Harry Potter Series Imagine #Harry Potter Films #HP #HP One Shot #HP Imagine #Present

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