#;ashs 800 follower celebration

[disturbedbeautywrites]

12. “you don’t have any reason to be jealous, i love you.” with steve harrington

“You don’t have any reason to be jealous, i love you.”

Thank you for this request lovely!!

Dating Steve Harrington came with some added consequences, one of them being that girls were constantly staring at him. You had tried to get used to it, but it was more unnerving that anything. It was especially bad at school when you could hear girls whispering about you behind your back.

It all came to a head when you were standing at your locker one day, your eyes on your boyfriend as he stood by Tommy a few rows down. They were laughing at something when a group of girls walked up, flirting with both of them and not even trying to hide it. You saw a hand make its way to Steve's shoulder as he pushed it off, brushing past the girls and walking towards you.

"Hey, beautiful." His voice was warm as his breath fanned over the back of your neck, his arms wrapping around your waist. When you didn't respond, he knew something was up. "What's wrong?" He carefully spun you to look at him, noticing the frown on your lips. "I hate how they all treat you like you're single. You're not." You pouted as his thumb ran over your bottom lip, a sad smile on his lips.

"There's a reason I walked away. You don't have to be jealous or worry about anyone else, I love you." He sealed the words with a soft kiss to your lips, pulling you close to him before he pulled away and pressed his lips to your forehead. "I'm yours and only yours."

[theunconcernedembalmer]

I know i missed is birthday but i only have enough time and energy to do this doodle for now so. Yeah

[stuckinapril]

hello! i also don't have instagram (and personally i've really enjoyed my time having) but i wanted to also ask how/what your experience has been without it (and also ashstfu's if they want to share :))

p.s. i love your blog mwah!!

Ash has absolutely no regrets hahaha. Like she gives no fucks about not having ig at all. It makes sense bc she’s a lowkey person to begin with / prefers to stay out of the loop. The pros outweigh the cons for me as well, but I’ll give you a comprehensive list anyway so you can make your own conclusions. Hope this helps <3

Cons:

There’s less to talk about w your friends. Unless you talk w that particular friend on a daily basis, not many people will be good about updating you about their lives. I actually found that watching people’s stories helps me start a conversation w them on whatever their stories were about, whereas if you don’t have insta you kind of have to dig. A lot of people are just used to others watching their stories rather than actually having a conversation about it, so this could impede communication w more casual friends (or even close ones honestly if they’re just bad at socializing, which a lot of people are now precisely due to apps like ig).

Lots of casual friendships will fizzle out. Insta is perceived as more casual than text, so many people would rather text you through ig rather than something like iMessage. This shouldn’t be a big con if you don’t care about superficial friends to begin w, but if you do it might be a dramatic change / might start to feel lonely.

Small, independently owned businesses love to update through ig, so if you follow those you’ll need another source to stay in the loop through. Same goes w album drops / tours / tickets. That kind of information is almost always shared through Instagram first.

Orgs love to update through insta as well, whether it be your uni orgs or nonprofit orgs. You’ll have to work a little harder to extract information your peers might have acquired just by checking their stories.

I used to follow the paris review / ny times / the new yorker / the washington post etc etc, and I actually really enjoyed their daily posts/stories. Same goes for the once-a-day poem accounts I followed. This is an easy fix tho bc I just substituted it w subscribing to their daily newsletters / one poem a day newsletters, but if you’re not into that maybe take this into consideration.

You kind of become?? A ghost??? The moment you decide to eschew an ig presence, you become inconvenient to a lot of people who couldn’t be bothered to hit you up & learn what’s going on in your life. So definitely prepare to find out who really cares and who doesn’t when you deactivate insta hahahah. This was a pro to me, but I can understand why it’s a con for a lot of people who like their casual networks.

Pros:

You don’t have the compulsion to check on anybody else. At all. Which is good, bc the human brain is absolutely not designed to know what 800 people are doing at any given moment. It’s too much. It leaves you burned out bc of media consumption overload, but not many people realize this. I realized it once I deactivated Insta & magically started having a will to live again hahah.

You won’t be in an imaginary competition w other people. Instagram is all about glamor. It’s all about fabricating a life that does not actually exist, for the purpose of impressing people you don’t actually know. Once you have insta out of your system, you’ll stop comparing your life w the make-believe lives people on Instagram want you to think are actually real. I had a very bad phase of comparing myself bc of ig, so deactivating it really helped me not be so hard on myself.

No FOMO. You won’t feel like you constantly have to be updated on your insta feed. You don’t need to know what celebrity selfie #827262626 is or story #2728727 is about.

You won’t feel the dying need to be perceived. Every trip isn’t about taking pictures you can post on your ig. Every good thing in your life doesn’t have to be something that gets broadcasted to your followers. You’ll enjoy sweet moments in the privacy of your own mind, and you’ll go somewhere for the simple joy of going somewhere rather than posting about it for validation, and you’ll be more present in general. Big pro for me. Very big pro.

No creeping your significant other’s insta to see who they followed, what they liked, etc. Blessed to have never fallen victim to this.

You’ll actually discover who your real friends are—the people who actually make the effort to hit you up to know what you’re up to, rather than choose the path of least resistance (liking your picture and moving on with their lives a second later).

Less time on your phone!!! This is so important. This genuinely scares me sometimes, bc imagine how many hours it would be if you summed every hour you spent glued to your phone over your whole life. The answer will always be too many. We already have so little time on this earth. Digital minimalism really is the way to go if you want to live a life you won’t abhor on your deathbed. This is not impossible to achieve while also having an ig, but this app has been designed by several people to be as addictive as possible. Sometimes deactivating it is better than simply minimizing it.

[avanatural]

Mind Games

Part 2

Series summary: Set in 1984. It’s that time of the year – the supes are having the time of their lives at the Herogasm festival. Soldier Boy seems to have taken a special interest in Y/N, a fellow superhero.

Pairing: Soldier Boy x female Reader

Category: Angst, smut, 18+

Word count: 4.3k

Warnings: Mentions of alcohol, smoking, mentions of sex, attempted sexual coercion, cursing, violence, Soldier Boy crossing boundaries, dub-con elements

A/N: This story contains sexual content! Do not read if you’re under the age of 18! Part two to celebrate reaching over 800 followers! 💃 You guys are amazing, thank you so much for supporting me! 💖 I hope you enjoy! Wanna be added to my Soldier Boy tag list? Send me an ask!

Part 1 | Series Masterlist | Soldier Boy Masterlist | Part 3

Main Masterlist

♩ Solid Gold ♩

“It’s Solid Gold! Starring Marilyn McCoo, Kim Karnes, The Oak Ridge Boys, Waylan Flowers & Madame, the Solid Gold dancers, and very special guest… Soldier Boy!”

I grunted internally, resisting the urge to toss my head back against the worn-out couch. He was everywhere. And I mean everywhere. On posters, in theaters, even on goddamn lunch boxes, and now on Solid Gold, hence, in my tiny fucking living room. On a Saturday night, nonetheless, when all I wanted was to relax and drink my goddamn wine in peace.

From the corner of my eye, I could see my twelve-year-old sister’s eyes light up as Soldier Boy showed up on the tv-screen. He waltzed onto that stage like he owned it, holding a microphone, smiling that stupidly attractive smile. He looked straight into the camera, his eyes framed by a brand-new helmet. My insides started to tingle as I recalled how I had broken his previous helmet at Herogasm.

Soldier Boy’s deep voice echoed through the small living room as he spoke, “Good evening, everyone! I wanna dedicate this performance to a very special someone…” 

My eyes wanted to roll to the back of my head. He was surely talking about Crimson Countess again. I knew that at this point, the two of them were only required to keep up their little romance for the public eye. Which, by the way, annoyed the fuck out of her.

Soldier Boy proved me very, very wrong, though. The tingling sensation in my belly intensified a thousandfold as he continued, “She likes to wear leather, and her eyes can light up any room she enters, literally! She’s a force to be reckoned with, let me tell ya. Trouble, this one’s for you!” He winked at the camera as if it was the most natural thing and started to perform “Can’t Fight This Feeling” by REO Speedwagon.

Meanwhile, my blood felt as though it had turned into thick ice cubes. My eyes went round as I repeated his words in my mind. Trouble was my supe name, my persona, if you will, and Soldier Boy had just mentioned me to the world. Light up any room, my ass. He made me want to light up his fucking mind.

“What- Whoa! Did he just say Trouble?”, Lily, my little sister, inquired, her voice rising like a phoenix from the ashes. She almost jumped up off the couch.

I just observed the screen, watching Soldier Boy sway his hips with a look of pure bewilderment on my face. What the actual fuck?

Lily shook my arm, effectively dragging me out of my trance. “Y/N-“

“No. No, just forget it. He wasn’t talking about me,” I quickly brushed her off and reached for the remote.

In true annoying-little-sister fashion, Lily snatched the remote from my hand, wearing that big puppy-frown on her face. “Y/N! You know Soldier Boy and you didn’t tell me about it?”

Oh, yeah, did I mention my sister was Payback’s number one fan? All her life, she’d dreamed about having superpowers like me and being friends with great heroes like Soldier Boy.

I sighed, pushing some exhausted air from my lungs. “It’s no big deal, okay?”

“No- No big deal? He acknowledged you on tv! How long have you known him? Wait, are you dating or something??”, she rambled, the questions flowing out of her mouth like one single word.

My nose wrinkled. “God, no.” That asshole just played with my feelings at a fucking superhero orgy. “He’s just messing with me.”

“So, you’re friends?”

“No, we’re not.” I sighed again and got up from the couch, trying to wrap my head around the fact that Soldier Boy had addressed me on television. I didn’t know what his intention was, and it was driving me insane. Did he want to put some kind of pressure on me? “I’m gonna make you some dinner, okay?”, I suggested to my sister, needing to distract myself, already heading for the kitchen.

“Is this about the letter you got?”, Lily blurted, sitting up straight on the couch.

I paused, holding my breath for a second, and slowly spun around to face her. “What?”

“The letter,” she repeated and gave me a shrug so innocent that I almost couldn’t be mad at her for knowing my little secret. Almost. “From… From Vought.”

With a creased brow, I took a step closer to her, raising my voice. “You went through my mail?”

“I just…” Lily shrugged again, her face turning apologetic. “I saw the Vought logo on it. I couldn’t help it! You’d already opened it. I only read a few lines, I swear.”

“Lily, we’ve talked about this.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

I took a deep breath and crossed my arms over my chest, thinking about my next move as Soldier Boy danced across my tv screen without a care in the world. God, he was infuriating, putting me from one uncomfortable position into the next.

“But Y/N, they want you to sign a contract!”, Lily exclaimed, her little face lighting up with excitement. Of course, she would think this was all a dream come true.

“They want me to join Payback,” I clarified. My stomach fluttered nervously as I said it out loud for the very first time. For the past two weeks, I had kept the letter to myself, just brooding on my own.

My sister got up from the couch with a little bounce. “You have to do it! Oh my God, that’s so fucking cool!”  

“Language.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I can’t join Payback.”

“But… I thought you’d want to work for Vought,” my sister argued. Her eyes were wide with misunderstanding. 

I couldn’t blame her for not getting it. But I couldn’t tell her about my encounter with Soldier Boy. I couldn’t tell her that I got a fucked-up vibe from him. And I certainly couldn’t tell her how he’d used my powers against me at Herogasm. She was just a kid. I wanted her to be able to keep enjoying all that supe stuff as long as possible.

With a scowl on my face, I thought back to my last conversation with Payback’s leader. “I’m not so sure anymore.”

A month earlier

“For the record, I see why they fucking call you Trouble,” Soldier Boy stated, his voice deep and gravelly as he pointed his finger at his broken helmet on the floor.

My jaw was clenched so tightly that it ached. I could still feel the electricity pumping through my veins. I absolutely hated the effect that this guy had on me. I hated what he brought out in me. I didn’t want to be this impulsive, angry supe anymore. “Are we done here?”, I asked cautiously, my body still tense as a fucking brick, ready to fight.

“Oh, I don’t think we are.” Soldier Boy took a step towards me, his bright green eyes sparkling darkly. He took my chin between his fingers and made me look at him. His spicy scent hit me again, mingling with the smell of the cigars he’d been smoking. “You ever thought about joining my team? Hm?”

I held his gaze, unwilling to miss even the slightest change in his eyes. I knew I was in danger right now. But so was he. “Once or twice.”

His tongue slid along his lips, so slowly that it seemed like he was tasting something he wanted to savor. “What if I told you I knew a way for you to get in?”

I didn’t reply. No, I just eyed him, trying desperately to figure him out. He was riling me up, humoring me, baiting me, all at once.

“What if I told you…,” he continued, his penetrating green stare not wavering in the slightest, “That I could make a personal recommendation for you to join Payback? Swatto’s basically on his way out, anyway. That stupid fucker. They’re all a bunch of pussies, really.”

Joining the most famous, best paid team of superheroes? Any other supe would surely sink their teeth into that offer like a starving hyena. But this kind of thing definitely didn’t just happen to you. No, it took years to achieve a goal like that. It took an amount of effort that I had never been willing to put into anything my entire life. “What’s the catch?”

He scoffed, his gaze dropping to my mouth. His hand wandered, slowly slipping from my chin down to my throat. He didn’t grab it, didn’t squeeze it, no, his hand just laid on my throat, resting there in an alarmingly calm manner. “No fucking catch. Just glory.”

“You would do that for me?”, I asked, my voice laced with distrust, “After what I just did?”

“That little fucking stunt you just pulled… I gotta say you’re… intriguing.” For a brief second, his hand curled around my throat, giving a small squeeze, but then it went back to just resting there. “You could be of service to us. To me.”

I arched my eyebrows as his blunt fingertips left a tingling sensation on my skin. “What are you suggesting?”

“You and I…” He licked his lips again, his fingers sneaking lower to brush the top of my cleavage. “We’re gonna have a fun little chat upstairs. In private.”

I covered his hand with mine and pushed his fingers away from my skin. He’d just taken me right to the edge again. My anger rushed back to the surface, making my blood feel like it was boiling. Who the hell did the think he was? “No. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Soldier Boy huffed, his broad shoulders twitching with cockiness. “You’re a tough one to crack. But I like a fucking challenge.” His eyebrows and lips curled smugly as he stepped away from me. “I’ll be seein’ you around, Y/N. That’s a fucking promise.”

Present

“Why wouldn’t you wanna work for Vought?”, Lily inquired, her brows twirling with confusion, her long ponytail swaying back and forth as she shook her head, “You’d be famous!”

I inhaled slowly, trying to think of an excuse I could tell my sister. Sure, if I joined Payback, our financial problems would disappear into thin air. I'd be able to offer Lily a stable home. I wouldn’t have to struggle to hold down a job. I wouldn’t need to partake in stupid casting shows in the hopes of getting a spot in a shitty superhero team. Not that I’d ever been welcomed into any superhero team. Rising from literally nothing to Payback? The offer sounded too good to be true. And also shady as hell. I had zero field experience, and now fucking Vought came knocking on my door?

“I don’t wanna be famous.” I shrugged my shoulders, close to being at a loss for words. I didn’t wanna be famous. Did I? It suddenly occurred to me that I had no goddamn clue what I truly wanted. All I knew was that Soldier Boy and Vought’s attention flattered me more than I would have liked to admit.

I was almost grateful when the telephone started to ring, interrupting my train wreck of thoughts. On somewhat wobbly legs, I walked into the hallway, whose walls were painted a horrendous dirty white color. I reached for the telephone, which was placed on an old little side table next to our battered shoe cabinet. “Hello?”

“This is Stanford Edgar,” a male voice echoed through my ear, “I’m an associate with Vought American. I wish to speak to Y/N Y/L/N.”

“You’re talking to her,” I replied, pressing the phone closer to my ear and curling my free hand around the phone cord.

“Miss Y/L/N, it was brought to my attention that you have been contacted by our company.”

“Yeah.” I cleared my throat and threw a quick glance towards the living room, hoping that my eavesdropper of a sister was keeping herself in check. “I got your letter.”

“I see. I’m really sorry to tell you that the letter you received contained false information.”

What, now? I could feel the line between my eyebrows wrinkle. I could practically hear my mother’s disapproving voice in my head, saying, ‘It makes you look unpleasant, dear.’ I sighed out loud. “Come again?”

“We would like to apologize and rectify our mistake. And we would like to do so by offering you what one could call a… trial run.”

“A trial run?”

“Yes. Vought American would like to welcome you to the movie set of Payback Rising.”

Payback Rising. Another one of those super popular Vought movies that was currently being filmed. I’d seen the announcement in the newspaper.

“You’ll have a small speaking role, meet the team,” Edgar continued, “Meet important associates.”

My fist closed around the phone cord. “I thought I was being invited to join the team, not act in their newest movie. I wanna know what’s going on, Mr. Edgar. Right now.” There was a short sigh on the other end of the line. Surely, I was being an inconvenience to his company. That was fine, though. I’d never been anything other than an inconvenience my entire life.

“That letter…”, he spoke, “It was sent to you before Vought had a chance to authorize it. I would like to personally apologize for the misunderstanding. If it’s any consolation, we do believe that your powers could be an enrichment for Payback. We’d just like to get to know you first. We will not leave you without compensation, of course.”

I arched my eyebrows. And since I couldn’t see Edgar, I arched them at Lily’s newest poster of the TNT Twins that she’d put up the day before. “Compensation?”

“Financial compensation for your troubles.”

“Uhm…” I paused for a second. Even though I had no desire to learn lines and act in a superhero movie, compensation did sound tempting. I needed money to pay the bills. I needed money for my sister. She needed new shoes, new school supplies. It was just me and her. I had already fucked up her life enough with my irresponsibility. “How much money are we talking?”

Two weeks later

I arched my eyebrows as his blunt fingertips left a tingling sensation on my skin. “What are you suggesting?”

“You and I…” He licked his lips again, his fingers wandering lower to brush the top of my cleavage. “We’re gonna have a fun little chat upstairs. In private.”

My hand collided with his cheek in an instant. Soldier Boy’s face turned to the side, the impact powerful enough to make him lose his balance a bit. He was caught off guard, so I took my chance to hit him again, using my fist this time. He groaned in pain as it collided with his cheekbone.

The sound of his pained grunt was music to my fucking ears. And then I just kept punching him, pushing him, kicking him until the blood started to flow.

Again.

And again.

And-

With each harsh thrust of his hips, he went deeper, knocking the air from my lungs, making the wall shake. All I could to was gasp and groan, time and time again. 

“Look at me,” he kept repeating, demanding that I try to keep up the eye contact. He was so rough that I expected him to break me. But he didn’t. My wetness took all of him until he was buried so deeply inside of me that-

“Y/N?”

I snapped out of my visions and looked up, disoriented. Then I remembered that I was on the set of Payback Rising, sitting in front of a mirror. The make-up artist, Jeanine, was gazing down at me with a concerned look on her face. My hands were digging into the armrests of my make-up chair.

Had I just envisioned beating the crap out of Soldier Boy? Yes. Had my mind gone an entirely different route by reliving Soldier Boy’s mental images from Herogasm instead? Also, yes.

“I’m good,” I replied, squinting up at Jeanine. I may have been able to enter other people’s minds, but I myself had a very vivid imagination, too. When I got lost in a daydream, it could be hard to get a hold of me and pull me back to reality. As a kid, I’d spent hours just hanging out in my very own comfort fantasies.

“Are you sure?”, she asked.

I brushed her off with a small wave of my hand. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

Before she could ask any more questions, a male voice entered our conversation. “Well, well, well, and what do we have here? Who is this pretty lady?”

I turned around in my chair and saw a tall man who had to be 30-ish trudge towards us. He wore a black suit, a big pair of brown sunglasses, and carried a cigar between his fingers. With a casual gesture of his hand, he signaled for Jeanine to leave. She followed his request immediately, zero hesitation, and walked right off.

“I’m new here,” I replied drily, looking up at the man.

He pointed his finger at me, casually wriggling it from side to side with a smile on his face. “You must be Trouble. I’ve been looking for you fucking everywhere. I’m Vought’s VP of hero management.”

Well, that certainly rang a bell. My eyebrows climbed up my forehead. “You’re The Legend.”

He pulled on his cigar, quickly pushed the smoke back out, and placed his hand over his heart. “That’s exactly who the fuck I am, doll. I’m supposed to apologize for that misunderstanding with your letter. A real fucking shame, if you ask me.”

The way he emphasized the word ‘misunderstanding’ caught my attention. My eyes narrowed at him. “What do you know about that?”

He chuckled and used his cigar to point at my face. “I see you’re a cut to the chase-kinda girl. I get why the fuck chose you.”

“Chose me?”

The Legend shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant fashion. A whole cloud of heavy cigar scent surrounded him. “Yeah. Soldier Boy.”

Hearing his name made me hold my breath for a second. So far, I hadn’t met him on the set. Thank fuck. I looked around to see if anyone could have been listening to us. Lowering my voice, I asked, “So, he really recommended me to Vought?”

The Legend tilted his head at me. “Is that so surprising?”

“It is, actually,” I responded, “Him and I… We kinda started off on the wrong foot. And that’s probably an understatement. Is he out to get me? Is he trying to humiliate me or something?” If I needed to watch out, I wanted to at least be prepared.

The Legend laughed. “Hold your fucking horses, Sweetheart. Soldier Boy likes to play! The harder you are to break, the easier it’ll be for him to keep you in mind. He likes the assertive type. To a certain extent, at least. You’re his new plaything, his most recent obsession. That shit usually doesn’t last too long.”

“So, what am I really doing here?”, I demanded, subtly shaking my head, “This can’t actually be a trial run.”

“Well, Edgar wasn’t too happy that Soldier Boy made an assistant write that fucking letter to you, without Vought’s knowledge. You seem like a smart girl. You can figure it out. What the fuck do you think this is?”

I didn’t need to read his mind to comprehend what he was getting at. Honestly, I’d had a bad feeling ever since I’d arrived on the movie set. No one had really spoken to me, and definitely no Vought associates. Oh, and my role was trash. I was gonna be ‘saved’ by none other than the great Soldier Boy himself. I ran my tongue along my lips and shortly closed my eyes. It was official – I was a fucking dumbass that had been baited with money. “They’re gonna make me ‘damsel in distress number thirteen’ in the movie and throw me out like garbage.” These bastards really thought that by giving me the time of day, they could get rid of me.

He clicked his tongue and pointed his cigar at me. “You’re indeed a smart one, doll. Swatto may be about to lose his fucking job, but Vought’s certainly not looking for a second Mindstorm to replace him. No offense.”

I scoffed, but couldn’t hide away my smile. His straightforwardness was refreshing in this whole goddamn mess.

The Legend smirked back at me. “Let me give you one little piece of advice, okay?” He leaned closer to me. So close that I could see his pale blue eyes underneath his brown sunglasses. “Never take anyone’s shit. Doesn’t matter if it’s Stan fucking Edgar or Soldier Boy or the goddamn Pope, for Christ’s sake. Give ‘em hell. That’s how you make it in this God-forsaken world. You do whatever the fuck you need to do, just don’t ever take anyone’s shit. Keep that in mind. And quote me on that. Fucking inspiring shit.” As he sent a wink in my direction, his mouth closed around the cigar again. He then walked away, looking free as a bird, as if he hadn’t just told me to give the Pope hell.

I looked into the mirror in front of me, barely recognizing myself. Not because I looked different, no, the make-up artist had barely gone to work. No, when I stared back at myself, I couldn’t find my spirit. My defiance. The Legend was right. I was not going to take anyone’s shit on this set. I clenched my jaw and pushed myself up off my chair.

With my hands balled into fists, I walked in between the trailers, trying to find a very specific one. 

The movie set was surrounded by nature. Wherever you looked, you were met with green beauty. But I couldn’t see any of that. I just wanted to act on my impulses and get my rage out of my system. Old habits die hard, indeed.

I didn’t need to search for him very hard. In the distance, I was quick to spot his giant frame. My eyes morphed into two angry slits as I hurried towards him, my cautions thrown overboard. For now, at least.

Soldier Boy was standing in front of his trailer, carrying a cigarette between his lips and lighting it. His helmet was off, his long strands of hair a little tousled as he treated himself to a break. A break that I was fully intending to interrupt.

“Hey!”

He looked up as he drew on his cigarette, pulling the smoke into his mouth. A look of recognition passed his face as he released the smoke, creating waves of faint fog around his face. “Y/N!”, he exclaimed, dragging out the sound of my name. One look at my angry face, and he taunted, “Am I in trouble?”, his tongue peeking out between his ample lips.

“What are you doing?” I got straight to the point, knowing that if I hesitated for just a second, the fear would sink in and inhibit my courage.

Soldier Boy stood tall, his back straightened with confidence, as he stalked closer to me on his bowlegs. “What’s it fucking look like?”

“It looks like you’re trying to play games with me,” I replied honestly, looking up at him with as much bravery as I could muster. His beard had grown out more since the last time I’d seen him. He looked good. But also tired.

“Games, huh?” He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and slowly let his eyes roam the open space surrounding us.

There was no one else there but the two of us. As I took notice of the vulnerable position I’d put myself in, my stomach took a small turn. My shield of courage was slowly being crushed by the weight that was the dark aura surrounding Soldier Boy. But I would have been damned if I’d let it show.

“Last time I checked,” Soldier Boy continued, narrowing both his voice and his emerald eyes at me, “You were the one playing fucking games.”

“Me?” He couldn’t be serious, could he? “You were the one who-“

“You were the one who teased me,” he talked over me. His kept a straight face, but I could see how much he was enjoying this. There was a sparkle in his eyes, and I hated him for it. “With that little fucking dress.” He pointed at my white leather dress. “And that death stare, you were practically begging for me to screw your brains out. And now you’re gonna act fucking coy, huh?”

“Listen,” I said, causing him to raise his eyebrows at me expectantly, “You people can’t make and withdraw offers as you please. I’m a person, not a toy. And I have a kid to look out for.”

Wrinkles of surprise emerged on his forehead. “You’re a mom, huh?” He went from surprised to pleased, his mouth twisting into a slight grin.

“I’m a sister. And Vought is doing nothing but waste my time with this whole ‘You’re special, but oh, wait, we don’t care after all!’-crap.”

Soldier Boy wet his lips and then pursed them. “You know… I just can’t seem to decide,” he stated, his voice having dropped seductively.

“Decide what?”, I demanded.

“If I wanna bend you or break you.”

A hot shiver shot up my spine. Pictures of him taking me against the wall rushed through my mind, like a wound being reopened. Yes, I had recalled his mental images of us many times after Herogasm. He was an ass, but I was attracted to the danger he radiated. I had a stupid weakness for the bad ones.

Soldier Boy took another step closer, making me jump into action and take a step back in response. “I’m outta here,” I stated weakly. I didn’t know if I wanted to hurt or fuck him. But I had gotten what I’d wanted to say off my chest, so I knew it was time to get the hell away before I was going to regret my little rant.

I turned on my white leather boots, but I only got to take one step before Soldier Boy called after me, saying the magic words that could always persuade me.

“Care for a drink?”

Part 3

Tag list: @akshi8278 @leigh70 @mimzy1994​ @impalaslytherin​ @asgardiandeadpoetsociety​ @panhufflestugf​ 

[guess-my-next-obsession]

Hi!! Congrats on 800 followers!! 💖 Can I please request javi pena, fluff, song #2? Thank you!!

Ours

pairing: retired!javier peña x age gap!reader

warnings: age gap relationships (reader is 25), lots of fluff, outside jealousy, just a cute lil read

words: 1.3k

prompt: “Seems like there's always someone who disapproves. They'll judge it like they know about me and you, and the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do. The jury's out, but my choice is you.”

celebration masterlist

a/n: thank you!!! i still can’t wrap my head around 800 human beings following my work 🤯

Elevator buttons and morning air. Strangers' silence makes me wanna take the stairs. If you were here we'd laugh about their vacant stares, but right now my time is theirs.

“Good morning,” You smiled at the man you recognized from a few cubicles down as he stepped onto the elevator you were already on. He didn’t say anything in response, just scowling at you before turning to press the button to your shared floor, just now noticing it had already been pressed…since you work together.

You didn’t blame the guy for not remembering your face. You stood and wondered if anyone in your office would. It wasn’t like you socialized much—not that they were a very social bunch. You usually kept to yourself, waiting for five o’clock to roll around so that you could rush off to see him. Javier Peña. The older, now-retired agent you used to know from newspaper clippings—who you now know inside and out.

Seems like there's always someone who disapproves. They'll judge it like they know about me and you, and the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do. The jury's out, but my choice is you.

It was a natural meeting—the two of you—nothing at all like the rumors made it out to be.

If you asked any of the town gossips about the two of you, they’d tell scandalous stories of him meeting you as a teenager and vowing that one day he’d return when you were old enough then parading you around like his young trophy.

None of that was true.

You really had only ever heard the name. Javier Peña, DEA hero. You wouldn’t have even had a face to put to the name if it wasn’t for the picture of him in uniform after graduating from the Academy.

No, you didn’t meet him when you were fifteen like everyone thought. You met him ten years later at twenty-five, in a shitty honkeytonk bar with way too much tequila in your system.

“Hi, my friends told me you were checking me out. So I came over here, because…fuck it.” You slurred your words, but somehow still managed to charm the hard looking man sitting by himself at the bar. With your hand stuck out, you smiled at him. “I’m Y/N.”

“Hi, Y/N. You look like you might need some coffee, or water, maybe.” He turned away to call the bartender over, asking him to bring out some coffee and to put it on his tab.

“Boo! It’s a Friday night!” You pulled out the seat beside him and Javier looked around at the room, spotting your nosy but well-meaning friends in the corner giggling.

“Which one told you I was checking you out?” He asked, ashing the cigarette in his hand. You turned around and pointed at the guilty looking red head.

“Mary.”

“Well, I think Mary might’ve told you a little white lie.��� He leaned in and whispered, pulling your attention back to him, his face now much closer than before. “I haven’t been looking at anybody.”

“No?”

“No. But…” His eyes quickly combed over your form. “Maybe I should’ve.”

“What’s your name?” You breathed out through a nervous smile, accepting the coffee that was slid in front of you.

“Javier.” He watched as you took a sip of the hot liquid and placed it back down.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re handsome, Javier?” You asked with a tilted head, leaning on the bar and smiling at him as he tilted his head with you.

“Yeah, but…It sounds better coming from you.”

You never know what people have up their sleeves. Ghosts from your past gonna jump out at me. Lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles, but I don't care 'cause right now you're mine.

As you slipped out of your office not a minute past five, you bumped into a young woman dressed in scrubs.

“Oh, I’m so sorry—“

“Hey, you’re…aren’t you the girl Javi’s been seeing?” She asked, seemingly uncaring about the shoulder check you just gave her as she smirked at you.

“Uh, yeah.” Small town life. Gotta love it. “Do you…did you used to know Javi?”

“Oh, yeah. We used to know each other real well.” She grinned to herself, her bubblegum-pink lips curling up as she gave you a full body scan. “Seems he’s running out of options here in town.”

“Excuse me?” You hissed before feeling a familiar warm hand on the small of your back.

“Sorry I’m late, cariño.” He kissed your cheek, proudly claiming you before turning his attention to his high school ex. “Billie.”

“Javi.” Her tone was much more flirty than Javi’s was, causing your eyes to roll. “Thought you liked women…not girls.”

“Am I…a little girl? I woke up this morning as a grown woman, but maybe you’re right! Maybe…oh god.” You scanned your body, mockingly patting your chest and hips as though they’d disappeared. Javier chuckled and squeezed you closer to his side, waving at his ex as he walked the two of you down the street to his car. “See ya, Billie!”

You waited until she was out of ear-shot and gagged.

“Bitch.”

“You’re not wrong.” He kissed your head and opened his truck door for you, smiling at you as you slid in.

And you'll say, “Don't you worry your pretty, little mind. People throw rocks at things that shine and life makes love look hard. The stakes are high, the water's rough, but this love is ours.”

“What do I always tell you?” He asked once he noticed your grumpy frown still hadn’t faded by the time he pulled up to your driveway. When you didn’t reply, he gently punched your chin and turned your head to him, your eyes rolling.

“People throw rocks at things that shine.” You groaned out, watching as his lips curled.

“Exactly.” He leaned in and kissed your lips tenderly, proving to you that you were the only girl in that godforsaken small town that he wanted. “I love you. Don’t let them make you question that. They’re all just bored and lonely and dissatisfied.”

“Because they don’t have you anymore.” You leaned in closer, sliding your arms around his neck and nuzzling your nose against his.

“And never will.” He kissed you again, smiling against your lips. “I have something for you…but I don’t want you to freak out about it.”

“Okay?” You chuckled and pulled back so that he could tug something from his pocket—a loose diamond ring. He took a breath before holding it out, chuckling at his nerves.

“I love you, Y/N. And I know it’s only been six months. But…I’m sure of you. Of this. So…whenever you’re ready to wear it…whenever you’re ready to say yes…it’s yours.” You chuckled in shock and reached for it, watching as he pulled it back. “You realize I’m asking you to marry me, right?”

“Obviously!” You swatted his shoulder and snagged the ring from him, sliding it onto your finger and examining it. “What if…I wanted to wear it now?”

“Well…that would make me a very happy man.” He smiled at you nervously, watching as you seemed to hesitate, your face twisting with doubt. “But only if you’re ready, baby. No need to rush—“

“You’re right. I shouldn’t take it if it’s not something I want.” You slid the ring off and offered it over to him, Javier’s face dropping as he reached to accept it, only to have you snatch it back.

“Ha-ha! Got ya.” You leaned in kissed him with a pleased grin, watching as he caught his breath. “You totally thought I was second guessing it.”

“I’m in love with a psychopath.” He sighed and clutched his chest, chuckling as you slid it back in and kissed his face.

“Of course I’m ready to wear it. Ready to marry you.” You bit your lip and smiled at him. “Besides, this’ll give the town a whole new reason to gossip!”

“Gotta feed the vultures somehow.”

taglist: @joelmillerscoffee @ajeff855 @wildemaven @axshadows @sherala007 @browneyes-issac @tooflef @mariasabana @tae27 @kimm4710 @stxrrylunatic @sara-alonso @paulalikestuff @jbh-castaway @oceandolores @mandomover @chxpsi @auberosier @mashomasho @vanemando15 @vinaispunk (sorry if your tag isn’t working!)

[adultswim2021]

Robot Chicken #63: “In a DVD Factory” | December 28, 2008 - 11:30PM | S04E04

This one actually got an honest-to-goodness laugh out of me: the “Lil’ Magnum P.I.” sketch had a joke in it (“oh shit they have a chopper!”) That made me do a nice-sized laugh. I also liked the Silver Bullet sketch, where a guy turns a werewolf into goo with non-silver bullets, sets his remains on fire, snorts the ashes, and shits it out. I don’t know, I liked the idea. I can’t wait to try this to the next dog I see.

There’s a lengthy sketch about hybrid Santa/Frosty the Snowman, who we saw in a previous Christmas episode of Robot Chicken. This is his origin story. I guess that makes this one their Christmas episode, even though it aired after Christmas. This is followed by a brief sketch about an 800 pound man who uses a forklift to rescue a small child and his dog out of a burning building. I didn’t mind that, either. I find this show at it’s most potent when it’s just exploring weird ideas like that. 

This one ends with a lengthy sketch about Hannah Montana, and returns to the well of mocking Lindsay Lohan for being vapid and young. There’s a scene where Hannah Montanah is killed, and her corpse winds up partying with an oblivous Lindsay Lohan, giving her that voice they always do for every of-the-era young lady celebrity. Not my thing! I get no joy thinking about Lindsay Lohan. Wait, that’s not true, I sometimes like imagining her putting her huge jugs on my face. The sketch should have been about that, maybe.

Sorry about that last paragraph, everyone. I don't know how to be funny without being coarse/exposing my actual id. Merry Christmas.

EPHEMERA CORNER

[glitter-anon-asks]

Happy Birth To Me. I'm celebrating by becoming an angst writer.

Part 1 of 7.

Summary: It is said that we are forced to repeat the fate of our forefathers. Some people, are their own forefathers.

Rating: M; This is heavily edited, but this will be pretty dead dove in future chapters.

Warnings: Canon typical violence, Death, Dead bodies

Series: Suicide Is Painless

Word Count: ~800

Chapter 1: Time Will Pierce Our Skin

Sometimes, when she closes her eyes, she can see the world burning around her once more. 

The enemy is long gone. The threat of being found is no longer a concern. 

Embers floating and flickering like lightning bugs in the summer. Smoke drifting and billowing and encompassing with the shifting of the breeze. Flames licking up and burning through any available fuel. Living or not, nothing is safe in its path. Breathing does not come easy. 

Buildings around her crumble as their structural integrity is lost. She barely manages to crawl out from one, as it collapses behind her. She does her best not to think of those that were still in there with her only hours before. She does not think of the sting of betrayal that sits wedged between her ribs. Or who placed it there. And she does not think upon the grief that fills her, when comms continue to go unanswered. When she realizes that it may well and truly, just be her. 

She allows herself to fall numb to the world. Following protocol, rather than the human urges. The likelihood for the lack of response being cut comms is about fifty percent. As is there not being any survivors to respond. 

While she may have struggled to get to her feet, once up properly, she is grounded. The roaring in her ears quiets, and everything shifts into focus. Nothing is more important than confirming count and regrouping. Nothing is more important than knowing if her brothers had made it. 

It takes nearly two hours, but she is able to make it through most of the surrounding area of the safe house. Lining up bodies with as much care as she can afford them on her own. Extracting one dog tag from each to be given to a member of the burial team; leaving the other to stay with them in eternal rest. Whispering quiet ‘I love yous’ and pressing kisses to their faces as she lays them side by side. Of the sixteen deployed, she was only able to locate ten. Three having been in the now collapsed building. She is careful to mark their last known location on a map for retrieval.

There are still two bodies she has yet to set eyes on. She is too scared to hope, but the prayer upon her lips comes easy. A mantra to see her finish. Please don’t let me find them. Please don’t let me find them. 

Her feet drag her to the previously agreed upon exfil point. There are signs of a landing. Many boot prints imprinted into the dusty ground. There are two not insignificant spots of blood soaked into the earth, not far from each other. Indents from the heels of boots digging into the ground as their bodies fell back from some unseen force. The length of the imprints matched too well with the heights of the final missing two. Please. There is nothing to indicate that they had gotten up and moved forward on their own. If she is lucky, they have been taken. She doesn’t dare hope. Please. She follows boot prints she can barely make out through the settling ash. 

Don’t let me find them.

She can see loose upturned earth piled off to the side of what looks like a shallow ditch. Please. Please. The air around her compresses. Her treacherous heart claws out from the gaping maw that has formed at the very core of her existence. It bubbles past her sternum, scrapes unyieldingly against her tonsils and sinks into her jaw. Its ugly visage embedding into the base of her tongue. Waiting. 

Two charred bodies lay side by side, their limbs twisted in unnatural positions from the heat of the fire that consumed them. The signs of struggle in the dirt around the body on the left leaves her with a thought she does not want to bear the weight of. 

She drops to her knees between them. Ears ringing. Hands shaking as she reaches to confirm what she already knows. The dog tags detached from their chains, sat in her upturned palms. The names read with such clear familiarity it hurts to know them. The ringing stops. Drowned out by the heavy sound of silence. Please. 

It unfurls, teeth gnawing as she lays there between what is left of her two closest friends. Not a sob, a scream, or tears. But a hollow rattling of a final breath. 

Sometimes, she feels like this was the last time she ever really breathed. 

-

She out lives many people. Of them her friends, comrades, and family. She outlives most of her enemies, and for that she is thankful.

She outlives. Until she doesn’t. It becomes a common theme in her lives.

[lewis-phillipson]

Doctor Who Has Just Lost Another Story & This Time It's Not The BBC's Fault

Source: BBC

The BBC recently made an exciting announcement that had Doctor Who enthusiasts buzzing with anticipation. In celebration of the show's 60th anniversary, the BBC planned to release over 800 episodes of Doctor Who and its many spin-offs on the BBC iPlayer.

It was a momentous occasion, and fans couldn't wait to embark on a nostalgic journey through the history of the iconic sci-fi series.

However, the excitement has been somewhat dampened as it was revealed that a few crucial episodes from the very beginning of the show would be missing due to rights issues.

The disappointment stems from the fact that the first four episodes of William Hartnell's era, featuring the inaugural adventures of the Doctor, won't be part of the archive.

The BBC, in a statement, explained that they lacked the necessary rights for these episodes. While this is undoubtedly a legal matter, it leaves fans disheartened, particularly given the significance of those initial episodes to the show's history.

But Why Is This Happening Now?

The episodes in question were written by Anthony Coburn in 1963 on behalf of the BBC. Due to the way rights were handled in TV at that time, Anthony retained the rights to these episodes. Sadly Anthony passed away in 1977 and the rights were passed on to his family. In In August of 2013, the rights ended up in the hands of Anthony's son Stef.

This is where our story takes a turn, it is Stef's belief that Anthony's death was caused by stress relating to his time working for the BBC and as such he now has a personal vendetta against the corporation.

However, many fans of the show believe that this reasoning is nearly a cover for a more sinister and less publically palatable explanation of his motives.

The Mind Of Stef Coburn

Following the BBC's casting announcement of Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor, Stef tweeted the following statement:

"The ashes of my father: Doctor Who CO-CREATOR, & 'TARDIS' ORIGINATOR, Anthony Coburn, are now oscillating at light-speed in his urn; in OUTRAGE at what generations of progressively MORE corrupted BBC filth, have done with HIS creation.

Had he known, he'd have turned-down the job."

A deeper dive into Stef's social media reviels a patern of support for off the wall far right conspiracy theories, ranging from Joe Biden being replaced by an actor, to football stadiums being satanic symbols.

Source: Stef Anthony Coburn & Ian Levine via X (formaly Twitter)

Stef has stated in multiple tweets that his only intention is to protect his fathers works, however fans have been quick to speculate that given his views the move is little more than a spiteful attempt at revenge.

Fanciful Claims

Stef has also claimed that his father created the word TARDIS and has previously attempted to trademark the word. This claim has been widely disputed however, including by the show's original director Waris Hussein. Given this vital information it's reasonable to question the validity of Stef's claims and intentions.

Source: Ian Levine via X (formaly Twitter)

It is incredibly sad that so many talented people's work can be taken from the world by one man with only a second-hand connection to the work.

Doctor Who fans are aware of the many missing episodes due to the BBC's decision to not archive the show from its inception. But what people may not be aware of is that An Unearthly Child is Waris Hussein's only surviving Doctor Who story.

There is a positive in every story and in this case, we can be grateful that, at the time of writing, it is still possible to buy An Unearthly Child on DVD and it has even topped Amazon's bestseller list as fans rush to secure their copy while they still can.

The irony of the situation is that in blocking the BBC's request to put the episodes on the iPlayer, Stef has inadvertently boosted DVD sales which actually benefits the BBC more than having the episodes available to stream for free.

[the-hem]

“This One.” Introduction to the Rudra Hridaya Upanishad, the Exploration of the Mysteries of the Sacred Heart.

I cannot find an exact date the Rudra Hridaya Upanishad was written. It is most likely in the latter half of last millennium BCE, circa 800-to the year 1 BCE. It is numbered 50 of 108 and explores the nature of God’s heart. 

We just finished the Praniagnihotra Upanishad which says unless we sacrifice violence and poverty, we shall not see heaven. Let us see what kinds of heartfelt advice follows for making this possible: 

Invocation to the Rudra Hridaya Upanishad: 

Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; 

 May we work conjointly with great energy, 

 May our study be vigorous and effective; 

 May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any). 

 Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! 

 Let there be Peace in my environment ! 

 Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me ! Now, at this moment, I take refuge in that Pure State of the Supreme Absolute which can be known by the Vidya (essential knowledge), called the Rudra Hridaya Upanishad. 

 After prostrating before the celebrated form of Sri Mahadeva-Rudra “the Great Lord, the Drier of Tears) in his heart, adoring the sacred Bhasma (ashes) and Rudraksha (prayer beads) and mentally reciting the great Mahavakya-Mantra, Tarasara, (another Upanishad). 

Sri Suka “sweetness” asked his father Sri Vyasa Maharshi “The diameter of the great sage”, thus: Who is the real God of gods? In whom are all these existences established? By worshipping whom, can I please the Devas in whole? 

Hearing these words, Sri Veda Vyasa replied thus: Rudra is the embodiment of all Devas.

All devas are merely different manifestations of Sri Rudra Himself. On the right side of Rudra, there is the sun, then the four-headed Brahma, and then three Agnis (fires).

 On the left side, there exist Sri Umadevi “the mountain”, and also Vishnu “the pervasive Light” and Soma (moon). Uma Herself is the form of Vishnu. Vishnu Himself is the form of the moon. Therefore, those who worship Lord Vishnu, worship Siva “God of Kindness” Himself. 

And those who worship Siva, worship Lord Vishnu in reality. Those who envy and hate Sri Rudra, are actually hating Sri Vishnu. 

Those who decry Lord Siva, decry Vishnu Himself.

=

“All gods are as one God”. 

On the left of God is the Highest Peak, on His Right is the Sun, radiant from His Knowledge is mankind. Those who worship the Supreme Lord worship Him for His Kindness, Grace, and the Mountain, the Highest Knowledge, which is essential if mankind is to reach the Heights.

The question of which God is the right one and what name do we call Him in our prayers is quite common and easily solved by closing one’s eyes and listening to one’s heart. There one will find evidence of God- the heartbeat and respiration. 

Behind these things is the One True God, the Kindest, the Most Gracious, the One give us life so He can teach us. There is no other God but this One. 

[jimmys-zeppelin]

Congrats on the 800 em!!💐🥳 Jimmy’s all dolled up and ready for the party :)

thank you so much ash!! jimmy's looking dapper as always in that purple suit omg djdjfjd 🥰

ask me anything!

[disturbedbeautywrites]

“Marry me, I’m serious.” with Jake Seresin, please! Congratulations!

“Marry me, I’m serious.”

Thank you for the request, lovely!

Deployment was hard and was always going to be hard, that you knew even before you became a navy girlfriend. But, as you stood among the other girlfriends and wives, you felt a collective understanding. You all were waiting on their loved ones to walk off the same ship you were currently staring at.

As you saw an all too familiar head of blonde hair walking your way you couldn't help but take off sprinting at him, your legs wrapping around his waist as soon as he was close enough. Your head was buried in his neck and your arms were thrown around him. He chuckled and it was the most beautiful sound you had ever heard, his breath fanning out across his neck as he held you close. "I'm missed you, pretty girl."

You pulled away from the hug to stare into his eyes, an easy smile on your lips as you pressed yours to his. It was a desperate, passion filled kiss that was I missed you and I love you all at once. Once you pulled away, Jake was breathless, his eyes sparkling with love. "Marry me." His words took you by surprise as he realized he said it out loud, the words tasting good in his mouth. He decided to say it with his chest more, the words a little more confident and sure. "Marry me, I'm serious. This deployment made me realize I want you to have my last name more than anything." You were speechless as you nodded, tears welling up in your eyes.

"Only if you give me an actual proposal as well, Seresin." Your words were teasing as he chuckled and nodded, letting your feet hit the ground. "Well, of course. I gotta one up Bradshaw's proposal still." At his words you jokingly smacked his arm before it slid around your shoulders, the two of you making your way to Jake's truck that you had driven to pick him up. You couldn't wait to spend the rest of your life with him.

[ladyxskywalker]

800 followers Celebration 💫

thanks so much to everyone ! 🌸💗

all of you have been so welcoming & I'm so happy to have made some really nice friends here. thank you for always being kind, & supportive. I'm going to keep doing my best to make this an enjoyable space for everyone. ☕ xo

to show my appreciation, I'm going to do a fic vote ! which story would you like to see me write next ?

fill out the form here 💌 to let me know ! voting will close on april 8th

show some love for your favorite blogs ! tell me why you appreciate them ! Are they an artist or writer? or just a great friend? let me know on the same form 💌

also during this time, I will be finishing up the last few requests I received for the December follower appreciation. I know it's been a while, I haven't forgotten. 🙏

tagging some people below off the top of my head & of course feel free to ignore ✨

@paper-n-ashes @tlcwrites @reginasansrex @arianalilyblack @the-mandalorian-clone-lover @anakinswhore @haydens-moles @profkenobi @maybege @obirain @filthybookworm @keeper0fthestars @hellotherekenobi @aerynwrites @star-whores-a-new-hoe @hotspacepilots @mcu-padawan @anakin-danvers @chogisss @i-am-i-am-obiwankenobi @blackirisposts @blondekel77 @xcertaindarkthingsx @myonly-hope @dexthtoyounglings @sunsetkenobi @janghoefett @clan-djarin @frannyzooey @agent-catfish-kenobi @moriamithril @poedameronloverx @justrunamok @labyrinth-runner @hdlynnslibrary @andiebell2023 @shaaktease @motherfuckingstargirl10 @rentskenobi @please-buckme @basicanti-socialb-tch @remmysbounty @clydesducktape @bb8sworld @cosmicsierra @laserbrains @penfullofwordsaheadfullofstories

[xfandomwritingsx]

The Last Card – Dean Winchester

(image source unknown)

Ashley’s 2020 December Prompts

Prompt: Christmas Cards

Warnings/Labels: Angst. Sadness. You’re actually dead. This really isn’t good for Christmas spirit. I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry.

Appox. Word Count: 800

You had always loved Christmas. It didn’t matter where you were or who you were with. You made sure to celebrate Christmas. There were some years Dean loved it and some years he wished you’d just let it die. He always scoffed when he saw you writing out Christmas cards. If you didn’t have a desk or a table, you’d curl up on a motel bed or in the backseat of the Impala and write them on your knees. You were determined to get them out every year. And without fail, he always received one. It didn’t even matter if you were with him on Christmas. He still got a card; in the mail if possible and if not, then on his pillow.

This year, as Christmas draws closer, Dean finds himself getting ever the more somber. The sight of colorful lights just drain him dry and the very idea of pulling out the Christmas boxes in the bunker make him not want to get out of bed in the morning.

Fuck, does he miss you. So much that it hurts.

He sits at the bunker’s table, still in his robe and gently swirling his coffee in a mug and staring blankly at it. Colors dull. Food tasteless. Maybe he should just go back to bed. Before he can, Sam comes in cautiously, eyes red and slightly puffy.

“Dean,” he calls gently. He’s got an envelope that he awkwardly shuffles from hand to hand. When Dean looks up, he notices his name written on the envelope between the slots of Sam’s fingers. And he recognizes that handwriting as yours. His heart clenches up and there’s a rush of anger that fills him simply because he’s so damn tired of the pain. “She wanted me to give you this.”

“Fuck,” he groans, hanging his head down as though if he didn’t look at it, it would simply vanish.

“I promised her.” He says it apologetically and steps forward to hand him what he already knows is going to be a Christmas card you wrote prior to…

“God damn it,” Dean swears as he swipes the envelope angrily. Sam backs up quietly, running his hands over his face and not bothering to try to say anything else as he leaves.

Dean stares at the plain white envelope and turns it over a few times, trying to bring himself to open it. The pain is too fresh, too visceral to let go. Everyone they ever lost hurt, but you were different. Losing you, watching the light go out in your eyes as he held you, it nearly took him out. How can he just open a card from you like nothing happened?

He fights back the tears. Fights back the anger enough that he doesn’t rip the envelope to shreds as he opens it.

The card has an artist’s painting on the front; a cottage blanketed in snowfall in the midst of the night. Warm light spilling from the windows and a harsher light from a street lamp illuminating the cobbled path of a drive. He wonders if you got lost in the image when you picked it out, if you fell into the scene and felt at home. He wonders if that’s where you wanted to end up. Perhaps that’s where you imagined he and you retiring to. You had deserved that.

And instead you got put on a pyre and your ashes in a hole in the ground.

His hands shake as he opens the card. Save for a large Happy Holidays! printed in fancy script, the rest of the card was left blank and filled in with your own writing. He closes his eyes and sighs deeply, bracing himself to read what you wrote.

Dean,

Here’s to hoping for another year where you never get this card. I’ve written one every year “just in case” and have never needed to do anything but throw them away. Fingers crossed for another good year!

But I suppose if you’ve got this in hand then something happened and Sam followed his strict instructions to make sure you get this. You didn’t think I’d let you go without a card this year, did you? I know sometimes you hate the Christmas spirit but I can’t help it. Even when you’re being a dick about it, there’s that little twinkle behind your eye and I know there’s a part of you that loves it.

Don’t let that go. Keep that little glimmer of hope and happiness. Put that smile on your face for me and drink the eggnog spiked a little too hard.

I love you Dean. Just… never forget that. I love you.

And Merry Christmas.

He breaks down. Tears streaming down his face and sobs wracking his body. He doesn’t know how he’s going to be okay. He doesn’t know how he’s ever going to be able smile or enjoy anything without you.

But he’ll try. For you, he’ll try.

[lastprophetsworld]

The Fourth Pillar of Islam: The Fast of Ramadan

Fasting is not unique to the Muslims.  It has been practiced for centuries in connection with religious ceremonies by Christians, Jews, Confucianists, Hindus, Taoists, and Jains.  God mentions this fact in the Quran:

“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may develop God-consciousness.” (Quran 2:183)

Some Native American societies fasted to avert catastrophe or to serve as penance for sin.  Native North Americans held tribal fasts to avert threatening disasters.  The Native Americans of Mexico and the Incas of Peru observed penitential fasts to appease their gods.  Past nations of the Old World, such as the Assyrians and the Babylonians, observed fasting as a form of penance.  Jews observe fasting as a form of penitence and purification annually on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur.  On this day neither food nor drink is permitted.

Early Christians associated fasting with penitence and purification.  During the first two centuries of its existence, the Christian church established fasting as a voluntary preparation for receiving the sacraments of Holy Communion and baptism and for the ordination of priests.  Later, these fasts were made obligatory, as others days were subsequently added.  In the 6th century, the Lenten fast was expanded to 40 days, on each of which only one meal was permitted.  After the Reformation, fasting was retained by most Protestant churches and was made optional in some cases.  Stricter Protestants, however, condemned not only the festivals of the church, but its traditional fasts as well.

In the Roman Catholic Church, fasting may involve partial abstinence from food and drink or total abstinence.  The Roman Catholic days of fasting are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.  In the United States, fasting is observed mostly by Episcopalians and Lutherans among Protestants, by Orthodox and Conservative Jews, and by Roman Catholics.

Fasting took another form in the West: the hunger strike, a form of fasting, which in modern times has become a political weapon after being popularized by Mohandas Gandhi, leader of the struggle for India’s freedom, who undertook fasts to compel his followers to obey his precept of nonviolence.

Islam is the only religion that has retained the outward and spiritual dimensions of fasting throughout the centuries.  Selfish motives and desires of the base self alienate a man from his Creator.  The most unruly human emotions are pride, avarice, gluttony, lust, envy, and anger.  These emotions by their nature are not easy to control, thus a person must strive hard to discipline them.  Muslims fast to purify their soul, it puts a bridle on the most uncontrolled, savage human emotions.  People have gone to two extremes with regard to them.  Some let these emotions steer their life which lead to barbarism among the ancients, and crass materialism of consumer cultures in modern times.  Others tried to deprive themselves completely of these human traits, which in turn led to monasticism.

The fourth Pillar of Islam, the Fast of Ramadan, occurs once each year during the 9th lunar month, the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar in which:

“…the Quran was sent down as a guidance for the people.” (Quran 2:185)

God in His infinite mercy has exempt the ill, travelers, and others who are unable  from fasting Ramadan.

Fasting helps Muslims develop self-control, gain a better understanding of God’s gifts and greater compassion towards the deprived.  Fasting in Islam involves abstaining from all bodily pleasures between dawn and sunset.  Not only is food forbidden, but also any sexual activity.  All things which are regarded as prohibited is even more so in this month, due to its sacredness.  Each and every moment during the fast, a person suppresses their passions and desires in loving obedience to God.  This consciousness of duty and the spirit of patience helps in strengthening our faith.  Fasting helps a person gain self-control.  A person who abstains from permissible things like food and drink is likely to feel conscious of his sins.  A heightened sense of spirituality helps break the habits of lying, staring with lust at the opposite sex, gossiping, and wasting time.  Staying hungry and thirsty for just a day’s portion makes one feel the misery of the 800 million who go hungry or the one in ten households in the US, for example, that are living with hunger or are at risk of hunger.  After all, why would anyone care about starvation if one has never felt its pangs oneself?  One can see why Ramadan is also a month of charity and giving.

At dusk, the fast is broken with a light meal popularly referred to as iftaar.  Families and friends share a special late evening meal together, often including special foods and sweets served only at this time of the year.  Many go to the mosque for the evening prayer, followed by special prayers recited only during Ramadan.  Some will recite the entire Quran as a special act of piety, and public recitations of the Quran can be heard throughout the evening.  Families rise before dawn to take their first meal of the day, which sustains them until sunset.  Near the end of Ramadan Muslims commemorate the “Night of Power” when the Quran was revealed.  The month of Ramadan ends with one of the two major Islamic celebrations, the Feast of the Breaking of the Fast, called Eid al-Fitr. On this day, Muslims joyfully celebrate the completion of Ramadan and customarily distribute gifts to children. Muslims are also obliged to help the poor join in the spirit of relaxation and enjoyment by distributing zakat-ul-fitr, a special and obligatory act of charity in the form of staple foodstuff, in order that all may enjoy the general euphoria of the day.

From: Islamreligion

[heytherejulietx]

Salad 🥗 : If you had to rename Riverdale, what would you rename it? (Southside Serpents isnt an option)

If you had to rename Riverdale, what would you name it?

I’ve actually sat and thought about this because it’s a hard question so thanks Ash wodjwidjwjdj. It’d probably have to just be either something like “crazy town” because it is, or something like “maple-town” because of the maple syrup business thing for the whole town. Idk something with maple.

800 followers celebration

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 3.1

509 BC – Publius Valerius Publicola celebrates the first triumph of the Roman Republic after his victory over the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus at the Battle of Silva Arsia. 293 – Emperor Diocletian and Maximian appoint Constantius Chlorus and Galerius as Caesars. This is considered the beginning of the Tetrarchy, known as the Quattuor Principes Mundi ("Four Rulers of the World"). 350 – Vetranio proclaims himself Caesar after being encouraged to do so by Constantina, sister of Constantius II. 834 – Emperor Louis the Pious is restored as sole ruler of the Frankish Empire. 1476 – Forces of the Catholic Monarchs engage the combined Portuguese-Castilian armies of Afonso V and Prince John at the Battle of Toro. 1562 – Sixty-three Huguenots are massacred in Wassy, France, marking the start of the French Wars of Religion. 1628 – Writs issued in February by Charles I of England mandate that every county in England (not just seaport towns) pay ship tax by this date. 1633 – Samuel de Champlain reclaims his role as commander of New France on behalf of Cardinal Richelieu. 1692 – Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne and Tituba are brought before local magistrates in Salem Village, Massachusetts, beginning what would become known as the Salem witch trials. 1781 – The Articles of Confederation goes into effect in the United States. 1790 – The first United States census is authorized. 1796 – The Dutch East India Company is nationalized by the Batavian Republic. 1805 – Justice Samuel Chase is acquitted at the end of his impeachment trial by the U.S. Senate. 1811 – Leaders of the Mamluk dynasty are killed by Egyptian ruler Muhammad Ali. 1815 – Napoleon returns to France from his banishment on Elba. 1836 – A convention of delegates from 57 Texas communities convenes in Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas, to deliberate independence from Mexico. 1845 – United States President John Tyler signs a bill authorizing the United States to annex the Republic of Texas. 1867 – Nebraska is admitted as the 37th U.S. state. 1870 – Marshal F. S. López dies during the Battle of Cerro Corá thus marking the end of the Paraguayan War. 1872 – Yellowstone National Park is established as the world's first national park. 1893 – Electrical engineer Nikola Tesla gives the first public demonstration of radio in St. Louis, Missouri. 1896 – Battle of Adwa: An Ethiopian army defeats an outnumbered Italian force, ending the First Italo-Ethiopian War. 1896 – Henri Becquerel discovers radioactive decay. 1901 – The Australian Army is formed. 1910 – The deadliest avalanche in United States history buries a Great Northern Railway train in northeastern King County, Washington, killing 96 people. 1914 ��� China joins the Universal Postal Union. 1917 – The Zimmermann Telegram is reprinted in newspapers across the United States after the U.S. government releases its unencrypted text. 1919 – March 1st Movement begins in Korea under Japanese rule. 1921 – The Australian cricket team captained by Warwick Armstrong becomes the first team to complete a whitewash of The Ashes, something that would not be repeated for 86 years. 1921 – Following mass protests in Petrograd demanding greater freedom in the RSFSR, the Kronstadt rebellion begins, with sailors and citizens taking up arms against the Bolsheviks. 1939 – An Imperial Japanese Army ammunition dump explodes at Hirakata, Osaka, Japan, killing 94. 1941 – World War II: Bulgaria signs the Tripartite Pact, allying itself with the Axis powers. 1942 – World War II: Japanese forces land on Java, the main island of the Dutch East Indies, at Merak and Banten Bay (Banten), Eretan Wetan (Indramayu) and Kragan (Rembang). 1946 – The Bank of England is nationalised. 1947 – The International Monetary Fund begins financial operations. 1950 – Cold War: Klaus Fuchs is convicted of spying for the Soviet Union by disclosing top secret atomic bomb data. 1953 – Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin suffers a stroke and collapses; he dies four days later. 1954 – Nuclear weapons testing: The Castle Bravo, a 15-megaton hydrogen bomb, is detonated on Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the worst radioactive contamination ever caused by the United States. 1954 – Armed Puerto Rican nationalists attack the United States Capitol building, injuring five Representatives. 1956 – The International Air Transport Association finalizes a draft of the Radiotelephony spelling alphabet for the International Civil Aviation Organization. 1956 – Formation of the East German Nationale Volksarmee. 1958 – Samuel Alphonsus Stritch is appointed Pro-Prefect of the Propagation of Faith and thus becomes the first U.S. member of the Roman Curia. 1961 – Uganda becomes self-governing and holds its first elections. 1964 – Villarrica Volcano begins a strombolian eruption causing lahars that destroy half of the town of Coñaripe. 1966 – Venera 3 Soviet space probe crashes on Venus becoming the first spacecraft to land on another planet's surface. 1966 – The Ba'ath Party takes power in Syria. 1971 – President of Pakistan Yahya Khan indefinitely postpones the pending national assembly session, precipitating massive civil disobedience in East Pakistan. 1973 – Black September storms the Saudi embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, resulting in the assassination of three Western hostages. 1974 – Watergate scandal: Seven are indicted for their role in the Watergate break-in and charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice. 1981 – Provisional Irish Republican Army member Bobby Sands begins his hunger strike in HM Prison Maze. 1990 – Steve Jackson Games is raided by the United States Secret Service, prompting the later formation of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. 1991 – Uprisings against Saddam Hussein begin in Iraq, leading to the death of more than 25,000 people mostly civilian. 1992 – Bosnia and Herzegovina declares its independence from Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. 1998 – Titanic became the first film to gross over $1 billion worldwide. 2002 – U.S. invasion of Afghanistan: Operation Anaconda begins in eastern Afghanistan. 2002 – The Envisat environmental satellite successfully launches aboard an Ariane 5 rocket to reach an orbit of 800 km (500 mi) above the Earth, which was the then-largest payload at 10.5 m long and with a diameter of 4.57 m.[10] 2003 – Management of the United States Customs Service and the United States Secret Service move to the United States Department of Homeland Security. 2003 – The International Criminal Court holds its inaugural session in The Hague. 2005 – In Roper v. Simmons, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the execution of juveniles found guilty of murder is unconstitutional. 2006 – English-language Wikipedia reaches its one millionth article, Jordanhill railway station. 2006 – A shocking child rape and murder of 2-year-old Nurasyura Binte Mohamed Fauzi, better known as Nonoi, first made headlines for her initially-presumed disappearance, which would later on be exposed as a case of rape and murder. Her stepfather Mohammed Ali bin Johari was found to be responsible for the little girl’s death, and he was sentenced to death a year later. 2007 – Tornadoes break out across the southern United States, killing at least 20 people, including eight at Enterprise High School. 2008 – The Armenian police clash with peaceful opposition rally protesting against allegedly fraudulent presidential elections, as a result ten people are killed. 2014 – Thirty-five people are killed and 143 injured in a mass stabbing at Kunming Railway Station in China.