#“oh but caitlin you see them for holidays and birthdays!”

[solavillain]

is it too much to ask for people to just. make time for me.

why am i always the one asking "hey want to do x"

80% of the time the answer is no anyway.

i want quality time with my friends but i'm starting to believe i don't have many left.

[hope-for-olicity]

Leaves of Change 1/?

Felicity Smoak returns to her small hometown of Silver Lake just in time for the Harvest Fest, she came home to get grounding and figure out what she wants to do next the last thing she expected was that she’d want to stay.

Happy Belated Birthday to my dear friend @stephswims! This one is for you! Thanks so much to @mel-loves-all for the truly stunning edit. Also full disclosure, I’m Canadian so Thanksgiving will be October.

Each chapter will follow a Fictober prompt, I can’t guarantee that I’ll post daily like last year but I will post regularly. I hope you enjoy. The story will also be available on A03.

1. “It will be fun, trust me.”

Felicity loved the sound of the leaves crunching beneath her feet as she walked through the forest. Her mother’s house was built in front of a forest, always giving it a mysterious feel. It had been years since she had been home in Silver Lake in the Fall. While she loved living in the city there would always be certain aspects of small-town life she missed. Silver Lake in the Fall was near the top of that list.

She stopped for a moment to enjoy the quiet. Felicity spent the last ten years working at what she thought was her dream job in the city, she gave 150%. She missed birthdays, holidays and worked countless hours of unpaid overtime hoping to be recognized and finally get a promotion. She knew was more qualified than the people, all men, who had been promoted above her. She was in a male-dominated field so she hoped it wasn’t sexism but when her colleague who she knew was all talk and little action got promoted to be her boss, it was the last straw. She handed in her resignation. She deserved better and she was going to get it.

Sadly, it was harder to find a job than she thought. Felicity didn’t want to just take any job and be back at square one. So she decided to come home. She’d been remiss in visiting the single mother who raised her in the past.  Plus, being home gave her grounding, reminding her who she was and what she wanted in life.

Besides seeing her mother, Felicity’s high school best friend Caitlin also settled in Silver Lake. She ran a coffee and donut place, Felicity smiled as she remembered this was her next stop, she had worked up an appetite. 

~~~~~

Oliver loved the Fall. New beginnings and the new school year. If someone had told him that he would become a teacher when he was in high school, he never would have believed it. But he loved teaching his young grade two students. Most couldn’t wait to come to school and he couldn’t wait to see them.

“Mr. Queen, welcome back.” Oliver smiled at his best friend and principal John Diggle as he greeted him at the door.

“Mr. Diggle,” Oliver chuckled, “I was in an all-day meeting with you yesterday, it hasn’t been that long.”

“Today’s the big day, you can feel the place buzzing with excitement to learn. And with our new plans for the year, this will be the best yet. Fall is a new beginning,  you never know what might happen.” Mr Diggle turned to wave at students who were shouting out, “Hey, Mr Diggle,” as they walked past.

Oliver smiled as he headed into his classroom. He looked around at the empty desks, soon to be filled. He couldn’t lie he was disappointed in the minimal decorating he’d had a chance to do over the last two days. Oliver sighed, remembering his mother’s primary school classrooms. As a child, Oliver had spent a great deal of time in his mother’s classroom, she taught grade three but she far exceeded him in the decorating department.  He planned to display his students work but for now, the room looked a little bare. He hoped his enthusiasm would make up for that with his students. He was the only male teacher in the school and he was determined not to be shown up.

As the bell rang Oliver prepared himself to meet his new class.

~~~~~

The welcome bell clanged as Felicity entered Caitlin’s shop from Main Street. The place was hopping in the morning. She could hear a top 40 radio station in the background as people picked up their coffee in their own to-go cups to start their days. Felicity held back and watched the busy. She had nowhere to be so she wanted to let those rushing off to work grab their coffees first. 

She grabbed one of the empty seats by the window, watching the crowd dwindle.  She was sad that she didn’t recognize more people, this was her hometown, where had everyone gone? 

Finally, the last customer left, Felicity headed up to the cash. “I’ll take a MEGA coffee and a donut with sprinkles. I really NEED sprinkles in my life right now.”

“Felicity freaking Smoak!! I didn’t know you back!” Caitlin rushed out from behind the counter to give Felicity a hug. She pulled back and took a good look at Felicity. “Looking good girl. So nice to have you home. I got your email saying you were coming home and I maintain what I said, their loss. You are the best. You will find a job that’s much better suited for you but now - I get to have my best friend home and I’m not complaining!”

“Aww, thanks, Caitlin. I so appreciate your support and understanding.” Felicity watched as Caitlin went back behind the counter to grab two ceramic mugs of coffee and two donuts. 

Felicity gestured to the table by the window, “time for a break with me?”

“You bet! Grab the coffees from the counter, I’ll bring the donuts.”

Despite not seeing each other as often as they would like, Felicity was glad she and Caitlin maintained their close relationship despite the distance. While their lives had travelled in different directions, the people they were had not changed.  “How are Ronnie and the kids?”

“Great! Ronnie’s medical practice is doing well, he took on a young new doctor this year, giving him and us more free-time. Today was the first day of school, Ronnie took them. Steph is in grade two and Molly is in grade one. He sent pics, let me show you.” Caitlin hauled out her phone to show the pics Ronnie texted. 

“Oh my! They grow so fast! I can’t wait to see them.” 

“They will be over the moon to see you. Molly is always begging to visit aunt Felicity in the city. She wants to be you when she grows up.”

Felicity blushed, she wondered if Molly would change her mind once she learned aunt Felicity was unemployed.  “We will have to plan something. I’m not sure how long I’m staying but I’m hoping to stay through Thanksgiving.”

“Oh, that is wonderful! You will be here for all the Fall Harvest Fest events!”

“What Fall Harvest Fest events?” Felicity was intrigued. She loved the Fall, this sounded like a great distraction from her problems. 

Caitlin jumped up to grab a flyer. “I’m on the organizing committee. We began the Harvest Fest about three years ago and each year we’ve added more events. It’s fun for the town and it brings in tourists. See,” Caitlin hands Felicity the flyer.

“Pumpkin carving, pie contest, the biggest pumpkin contest, craft sale, opening harvest dance, kids events, Little Miss Harvest Fest pageant, fireworks, closing dance, wow, this is quite the list.” Felicity was impressed. “I wonder why my mother never mentioned this.”

“I’m surprised she hasn’t she’s on the organizing committee with me this year. Maybe she didn’t want you to be sad to miss it, everyone knows you love the Fall, Felicity. Maybe you could enter the pumpkin pie contest!” Caitlin winked at her. 

Felicity laughed. “We both know that I’m a colossal failure in the kitchen, but I can cheer her on from the sidelines. When does this all start, anyway?” Felicity looked down at the flyer for dates. 

“Starts tomorrow night, with the opening dance. You have to come!” 

Caitlin had the look in her eye like she would not take no for an answer. While Felicity was exciting for Harvest Fest going to a dance in Silver City while single seemed a little risky. This was the type of town where everyone married young, she didn’t want to be the wallflower standing in the corner alone. “I don’t know. I just got back and I don’t really know anyone anymore. Plus, I don’t dance….I don’t think…”

“Agh no, you are coming to this dance Felicity Smoak. You know me and Ronnie and the whole town will be there. It will be fun, trust me.”

“Okay, I’ll go but if the place is full of married couples I’m done. You and Ronnie don’t need me as your third wheel.”

“You won’t regret this, you never know who you’ll run into.”

Felicity recognized the mischievous glint in her friend’s eyes, she hoped she didn’t have anything to worry about.

Thanks so much for reading! Tagging a few people. Please let me know if you would like to be tagged or untagged.

@memcjo @stephswims @it-was-a-red-heeler @cruzrogue @mel-loves-all @tdgal1 @vaelisamaza @onceuponarrow @msbeccieboo @lucyyh @julieofrandomfandoms 

[killervibe]

Killervibe + “He makes me happy.” 😘😘😘

Caitlin picked up a basket and perused the aisles, biting her lip at the excess of soft teddy bears and paper hearts in the store. She wanted to start with a card before expanding to extra cutesy stuff. They had never discussed exactly what their plans were for gift-giving or even any holiday plans, but Caitlin figured Hallmark would always be a safe bet for Valentine’s Day.

As she reached for a card with golden lettering, a familiar voice called her name.

“Caitlin?”

Caitlin turned, and there was Patty Spivot, smiling kindly.

“Patty! Hi!” She hadn’t realized she’d been back in Central City. Then again, it’s been over four years since she left to complete her degree. Her blonde braid was longer than it had ever been in 2016, falling down her back. She held a shopping basket in the crook of her arm and looked well.

 “It’s nice to see you! Have you moved back?”

“Oh no,” Patty said. She lifted her gift basket. “I haven’t come back to live here, but It’s my mom’s 50th birthday. We’re hosting a big surprise party this weekend and I’m on decoration duty.” She paused, then asked tactfully, “How’s Barry?”

Caitlin’s eyes widened a bit, not sure how to respond.

Patty noticed her hesitation and laughed, touching her arm. “Don’t make that face. We’re still Facebook friends. I know he’s happily married to Iris. Besides…” She wiggled her fingers on her left hand, showing off a small diamond ring that Caitlin hadn’t noticed until Patty pointed it out. “I”m actually engaged!”

Caitlin immediately relaxed, chuckling at her own awkwardness. “That’s wonderful! And they’re doing well, just, you know how it is…we’re always crazy busy.”

Patty winked, knowing exactly what that meant. “I bet he is.”

A lady with her hands full of porcelain Disney figurines shoved past them, giving the two dirty looks for blocking the aisle. They moved to the side as they chatted. Patty was engaged to a firefighter in Coast City whom she had met across the street from her police station where she worked as a CSI. It was a really cute story.

“And what about you?” Patty asked, wanting to distract from her own flushed cheeks, gesturing at the Valentine’s Day card.

“I’ve been dating Cisco for a few months now.”

Patty’s eyebrows flew up to her hairline. “Wow!”

Caitlin shrugged, self-conscious. “He makes me happy.”  

“Of course he does,” she reassured, voice softening. “That doesn’t surprise me at all.”

Caitlin found herself flustered by that, and shut down the conversation gracefully. Anymore talking about her boyfriend in the Valentine’s Day section of Hallmark in would cause Caitlin to melt into a puddle of adoring girlfriend on the floor. They exchanged phone numbers and she went to pay for the card as Patty continued looking for streamers.

She walked out of the store, slipping the card and envelope into her purse and went to the dry-cleaners to pick up her clothes from last week.

Eventually, she met Cisco at the hardware store, a plastic garment bag folded over her arm as she approached him by the screwdrivers. He lit up as he saw her and she couldn’t help but pull him into a kiss.

“Hey you,” he mumbled against her lips. “Happy to get that stain out of your dress?”

“And then some,” she said, kissing him again until an old crotchety man with a chain saw cleared his throat.  

Cisco rolled his eyes at him as he slipped an arm around Caitlin’s waist. “What was that about?”

She hummed and they switched stuff, Caitlin taking his basket of tools as Cisco held her dry-cleaned dresses. “I ran into Patty. I told her how happy you made me.”  

“Ah,” he said, wearing his gorgeous grin. “And how happy is that?”

Caitlin stopped in front of the cash. “I just made out with you in front of a bucket of slotted screwdrivers in Home Depot.” 

Cisco laughed out loud.

[verosims]

Get to know the simmer

tagged by @bunsim​, thank you! :3

Your name: Caitlin

Languages you speak: English and semi-fluent Japanese

Are you a mermaid?: Maybe... I like mermaids, but I don’t think I’d want to be one

Your play style: At the moment it’s maxi’s match for TS2 and TS4, but I like alpha for TS3. I enjoy all styles and experiment a lot. I think I’ve finally settled on a style for TS4 that I like. 

Your Simself picture:

Uhhh I don’t have a simself, at least not anymore. The last time I made one was in TS2 12+ years ago. 

Stories or gameplay, builds, lookbooks, edits or CC: For me it’s definitely gameplay + building/decorating. I’m crap at screenshots and editing so that rules out pretty much everything else lol. Maybe one day I’d like to do stories since writing is a hobby of mine, buuut I’m not sure how that would translate into sims storytelling. 

Your favourite age state: Depends 100% on the game, but I really love toddlers and children... just not in TS4. Toddlers are fun, but kids are so boring because there’s not much to do. :/

Your favourite season: AUTUMN. I love winter IRL, but I feel like autumn is a nice balance between summer and winter in game. I love the seasonal colours and it just feels so cozy.

Your favourite holiday: Christmas! I’m admittedly get very much into it, love decorating the tree, making a yummy meal, just being with family, etc. For sims... I guess birthdays since I get very attached to my sims and seeing them grow up is always sweet. :’)

How was your day?: Eh. Can’t complain but I’m in a bit of a slump and not feeling very creative at the moment. Also very burnt out from playing World of Warcraft because there’s too much I need to keep on top of (and I just kinda want to play other games but I can’t ;_;)

Your favourite career: Medicine. I have multiple sims in medicine so... it’s always been the career that sticks out to me and one I’ve always enjoyed. Imagine my disappointment when TS4 released without it lol.

Your favourite aspiration: Family/Knowledge! Hard tie. I used to ALWAYS pick family when I was younger, because it was the ‘easiest’ aspiration for me to play when I loved doing legacies. However knowledge is my fav with all the expansions because of the supernatural stuff. ;)

Your favourite EP, GP and SP: 

Sims 1 - MAKIN’ MAGIC. Hands down. Best expansion. The amount of time I’d spend writing down spells and grinding for magical ingredients... especially that kid charm that allowed children to age up (that was practically a MUST) it was just so much fun.

Sims 2 - Apartment Life. For the solid reason that you can create mini-neighbourhoods by having an apartment lot and it brings some realism to the game. But honestly, all TS2 expansions are 10/10. Love them all.

Sims 3 - Love supernatural. Not everyone’s favourite, but I really enjoy playing supernaturals and this expansion just gave me what I needed. I really enjoyed fairies in particular. Hated the zombies tho. Sad they didn’t really get a proper occult state. 

Sims 4 - Honestly, all of them are very mediocre and I don’t have a favourite. :/

How old is your simblr?: I have no idea. I started my tumblr when it was still in beta, so however long ago that was. It would have been before ‘simblr’ was a thing and people were still on forums, because I only made a simblr as a place to post gameplay pics for myself since it was private for so long.

Have you WooHooed?: I’m ace so hell no lol.

Your favourite skill: I don’t know why but painting stands out to me. :3

The size of your mods folder: 

Oh boy.

TS2 - 9.82gb

TS3 - 14.2gb

TS4 - 28.8gb (lmfao)

Your 3 favourite mods: Any mods that enable more realistic gameplay, like romance, more bills, puberty, etc. Just adds more flavor to the game. :)

Your interests (other than Sims): Video games, writing and reading. I love anime and donghua and I hoard collect figurines and merch. I also have a rattery that takes up a lot of my time. I love my rats a lot. :3

Your favourite Sim (picture if possible): 

I have a lot of favs, but I guess the Specht siblings since they were the family I primarily played in TS2 and I’ve recreated them in all the Sims games. :)

Priscilla.

Gertrude.

Jasper.

Sethos.

Aurora.

Sorry for the stupidly big portraits.

Which Sims games have you played (including mobile games)?: Sims 1, Sims 2, Sims 3, Sims 4, Sims 1 & 2 on PS2, Sims 2 Castaway, Sims 2 Life Stories, Sims 2 Castaway on PSP and MySims on Nintendo. Also played a Sim mobile game at one point but I can’t remember what it was?

Propose a crazy scheme: EA actually giving a shit about their game lol. The 20th anniversary speaks for itself. 

Best part of simblr: Just that it’s still so active across ALL games and people still make CC and mods and in general, people are so welcoming and nice. Just seeing the community together is so great and I love being able to like/reblog something without commenting because I’m extremely shy and introverted. That’s something I struggled with on forums. :( 

Worst part of simblr: People who think it’s a popularity contest. I mean yeah, it’s nice to get notes but I’ve always just posted my gameplay for myself. I can’t help but roll my eyes whenever I see people who get on average 20+ notes complain about not getting notes lol. I think that’s died down a bit but I still see it happen and I just have to wonder if people are here for sims or if they’re here for internet clout. 

What other games you play?: World of Warcraft, Pokemon, Overwatch, Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, 7 Days to Die, My Time at Portia, Zelda... a lot of games but those are the main ones. :)

Other websites or accounts (Origin, Twitter, etc.): I don’t really use social media much.

Are you single?: Yep

I’ll tag @moo-re​, @polk-la-dots​, @teekalu​, @valpre​, @katmk36​ and @crescendemon​ if you’d like to do this. Sorry if you’ve already been tagged!

[hedgiwithapen]

Killervibe week day 1

Fake dating

Cisco frowned at his deskspace, reaching up to rub his eyes, trying to fight off what promised to be a monster headache. Something was off.  Not the pile of papers,  and it didn’t look like anyone had gotten into his redvines jar or disturbed any of the other tools and trinkets, but still.  Maybe he just needed more coffee--even if Caitlin and Iris both agreed that he Really Didn’t. He reached for the cup and blinked. “Caitlin?” “Mm?” Caitlin poked her head out of the medbay that adjoined the cortex. “What’s wrong?” “Can you tell me how long I’ve had this?” he held up the blue mug, with the TARDIS outlined in darker blue and white. The coffee in it was still warm. “You got the coffee ten minutes ago, Cisco, are you feeling ok? Wait, did you hit your head in that last fight? You  told me you were fine, and if we need to have another talk about lying to your doctor--” “Not the coffee, and no, I didn’t hit my head. I don’t think. The mug. Since when?” “Last month. The station gave it to you after you fixed their coffee machine again. What do you mean, ‘you don’t think,’ Cisco, it’s a yes-or-no question.” Cisco thunked his head down on the desk with a louder bang than he’d intended. The mug was wrong, he usually kept just a regular STAR labs mug, or  the Star Trek mug the Steins had gotten him for his birthday at the lab, and this one looked familiar, but...differrent.  So how--- looking up, the light that glimmered on the edge of the mug and the glass wall as Caitlin passed it shone blue, and Cisco thunked his head down again.

“I’m going to kill him.” “Be more specific,” Caitlin advised. “And look up, I need to see if you have a concussion.” “Where’s Barry?” Cisco asked by way of reply. “It’s not a concussion--” “You just slammed your head against your desk so I’ll be the judge of that. I’m not sure, probably with Iris. Or running down a lead for dealing with  our newest friend.” She jerked a thumb at the display screen with all the information on the latest supervillain threat. Cisco grumbled, but let Caitlin cup his cheek with one hand and shine a light at his face with the other, wincing a little at the brightness.  “Better question, when is Barry.” Caitlin’s eyebrows rose for a fraction of a second before furrowing. “What do you mean--wait--that’s what the mug’s about?”

Cisco nodded. “Used to be different. Not sure if the whole story changed or if I just… brought this one to STAR or something.. It could be something small…” “Frost says he better be now, and she’s--saying things I won’t be repeating she can say them to his face later.” Caitlin sighed. “He promised he’d stop messing with time, at least without warning us.” “I’m going to see if I can figure out what else he changed. God. Remind me to pester Ray for an update for Gideon so she can do this instead of me.” Caitlin nodded. “Want me to call Iris?” “Nah. Let’s make sure this wasn’t like the first time he time traveled. Or the… third? If it was an honest mistake that  happened because he was outrunning a, a--” “A tidal wave, or a magical explosion that vaporized the rest of us, yeah. Frost still wants a word with him.” “She can get in line.” Cisco leaned back, trying to concentrate, finding the threads of energy that wove through him and into  the larger picture; trying to trace those threads to the place the blue turned to gold.  Images flickered, a montage of clips, like evidence stacking up in a crime drama during a detective’s voice over, or Wally speedwatching an entire season of masterchef, but  nothing major seemed to be highlighted, nothing felt too off or wrong-- Something drew his internal gaze deeper. A crime scene, from a few months ago,  two images trying to compete for memory space. Blue versus full color, they were almost identical: the Flash standing on a rooftop, the costumed villain standing a few feet away, crackling with green fire. One thing was different. A blue-tinted body lay to one side of the two. That wasn’t right. The fight had just been a fight, no one had gotten seriously hurt (Barry’s broken arm had healed in half an hour, that didn’t count as serious.)

He drew back from the vibe. “ I… think I found it? The thing that changed. Someone died in that fight with Witchfyre.”

Caitlin shook her head “No, no one was up there, the nightguard--oh. Well, that’s… something. We can still be mad at him though.” “Oh absolutely. I mean, seriously, this is what we call in the legends for.” Cisco grumbled. “I’m going to have headaches the next two times we fight Witchfyre, I swear to God.”

“Two?” Caitlin asked. “We locked them up.” “Yeah they’re still alive, so statistically speaking--”

Caitlin muffled some laughter. “You sit those out then. Barry can deal with them himself.”

“That’s right.” Cisco took a redvine. “You know, he never bothers to figure out exactly what happened  in the time he changes, he just goes along with it. Be nice to pull a surprise on him. One that, you know, wasn’t shitty for us.” Caitlin nodded. “If we get Iris in on it we could swap McSnurtle for an alligator lizard or something.” Cisco frowned. “She’s really bad at lying, though… hmm… not enough time to paint the cortex…I’m not cutting my hair.what does that leave?”

“How far back did he go?” Caitlin asked, stealing a redvine. 

“Two months and three days,” Cisco said. “So that limits things a little....” “Gives us enough time for today to be our two month aniversary and he promised to be on watch at STAR while we went out to that new Italian place,” Caitlin offered after a moment. “He’s going to get that deer-in-headlights look,” Cisco agreed. “Oh man, that’s genius.” “Who’s going to what?” Barry asked, catching some of the papers that went flying as he skidded in. “Finally,”  Caitlin said, making a show of checking her watch. “I was about to call.  Did you hit your head in that last fight?” “...no? Why?” “So you just forgot Caitlin and I had our date tonight?” Cisco asked, hoping he could pass off his tripping over ‘date’ as mild indignance. “Your wha-- I mean,” Barry’s face matched the red of his suit and just as quickly went dead white. “ Um.. that was… today?” “Yes,” said Caitlin, grabbing her coat. “You know the drill, text if there’s an emergency, don’t blow anything up, set the alarm when you leave--” “--And don’t fuck with time,” Cisco said with her as they left.

The Dinner was nice. Caitlin hadn’t been out for Italian in ages, but it was a quiet enough place with good food.  Cisco held up his phone. “ Evidence selfie?” Caitlin laughed, and leaned her head against his. His hair was soft, and she took a moment before pulling away, after the picture was taken. Her phone beeped, and she glanced at it. “Uh oh.” “What’s wrong?” Cisco asked. “....we forgot something.” “What did we forget? Dessert?” he reached up absently, checking for his vibe goggles,but no, he’d stored them safely. “Iris just texted.” “....and she didn’t timeline hop. Right.” Cisco sighed, crestfallen. “Also we forgot to order dessert,” Caitlin continued. “Wanna split a Tiramisu?” “What about…” “I think we can get Iris in on this,” Caitlin said, sliding the phone away before Cisco could see the text in question. From Iris, 7:52 It’s about time! details!? Cisco grinned. “In that case, absolutely. How long do you think it’ll take Barry to realize?” Caitlin thought for a moment “Not until the holidays at least.” “There’s always something big then,” Cisco nodded. “ I say, next May.”

“Loser buys cake and ice cream for a week.”

In the end, Barry only figured it out when their one year anniversary was a few months off from when he was sure it was.

[lilysevans]

tagged by the wonderful @undomiels , thank you honey peach 🍑✨

LAST…

drink: chai tea

phone call: my sister

text message: my best friend

song you listened to: I Don’t Wanna Love You Anymore by LANY

time you cried: about half an hour ago

EVER…

dated someone twice: yes

kissed someone and regretted it: no

been cheated on: no

lost someone special: yes

been depressed: yes

gotten drunk and thrown up: i have been drunk but not to the point of throwing up

favorite colours: the colors of the sky! i love the pinks, oranges, blues and purples of a vibrant sunset, the bright, powder blue of a clear sky, the angry dark greys and purples of brooding storm clouds, and the rich, midnight blue of a star-studded sky. 

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU…

made new friends: yes

fallen out of love: no (theres always something or someone to be in love with)

laughed until you cried: yes

found out someone was talking about you: no

met someone who changed you: yes

found out who your friends are: yes

kissed someone on your facebook friends list: i dont have facebook (yet)

GENERAL

how many of your facebook friends do you know irl: n/a

do you have any pets: yes, a beautiful long-haired german shepherd called Zoë and a ragdoll cat called Primrose Persephone

do you want to change your name: no

what did you do for your last birthday: went out to a bowling alley with all my friends, then went to a karoke bar and strolled around the city!

what were you doing at midnight last night: reading Wuthering Heights

what is something you can’t wait for: moving in with my best friends and boyfriend next year!

what are you listening to right now: my mega playlist which has nearly 500 songs on it!

have you ever talked to a person named tom: yes

something that gets on your nerves: people who dont listen to reason

most visited website: tumblr for sure

hair colour: light brown and blonde ombre 

long or short hair: long

do you have a crush on someone: always

what do you like about yourself: i like that i am wise, that i follow a healthy diet and my efforts to help the environment

want any piercings: i’d love a belly-button piercing but i’m afraid of needles 

blood type: O? I think

nicknames: ci (pronounced ‘see’), enna, Birdie, baby bear and bubbi 

relationship status: in a relationship

zodiac: Libra

pronouns: she/her

favourite tv shows: oh man okay i love so many! the good place, stranger things, b99, teen wolf, daredevil, the office, parks & rec, jessica jones, friends, avatar: the last airbender, queer eye, asoue the list goes onnn

tattoos nada (yet)

right or left handed: right

ever had surgery: no

piercings: two on each of my ears

sports: (like Elizabeth!) yoga and pilates and i do swimming and hiking

vacation: i just got back from a roadtrip with my friends from perth to albany and back (WA)

eating: nothing

drinking: nothing

about to watch: nothing (bed time!)

waiting for: fantastic beasts, s3 of the good place, captain marvel, next avengers film

want: to maintain a healthy life, give as much as i can to others and make them happy, and to learn another language!

get married: oh yes, I’ve been planning since i was six!

career: a journalist (I’d love to work for National Geographic), or an astrophysist.

WHICH IS BETTER

hugs or kisses: both

lips or eyes: both

shorter or taller: taller

older or younger: older

nice arms or stomach: arms

hookup or relationship: relationships

troublemaker or hesitant: probably hesitant

HAVE YOU EVER…

kissed a stranger: yes

drunk hard liquor: yes

lost glasses: yes

turned someone down: yes

sex on the first date: no

broken someone’s heart: no

had your heart broken: yes

been arrested: no

cried when someone died: no

fallen for a friend: yes

DO YOU BELIEVE IN…

yourself: i try to!

miracles: yes

love at first sight: yes

santa claus: of course! why, are you telling me he’s not real?? ;)

kiss on a first date: depending on the date, yes. 

angels: yes

OTHERS

best friend’s name: georgia, caitlin, tara, riley, jack, xavier, ryan ‘the rhino’,jess, shannon, danny, and tim!

eye colour: green

favorite movie: breakfast at tiffany’s, inception, rebel with a cause, pride & prejudice, harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban, cat on a hot tin roof, moonlight, roman holiday, cleopatra, coco and most disney films!

favorite actors: (in no particular order) audrey hepburn, viola davis, emma watson, leonardo dicaprio, chris evans, elizabeth taylor, donald glover, laverne cox, dev patel, chris hemsworth, pom klementieff, Mindy Kaling, james dean, claudia kim, chadwick boseman, taraji p henson, keira knightley, emma stone, cate blanchett, helena bohem carter and dame maggie smith (i probably missed heaps!)

tagging: @faheys @casterlys @lupins @andrewminjard @pctcrparkerss @mairauders @lilyevane and anyone who wants to do this!

[backtothestart02]

Christmas with the Newlyweds | A westallen x parkwest fanfiction

For @inksmudge on her birthday!! Happy Birtheday, hun!! You’re amazing and deserve everything!!!

(I’m really cutting it close here, but it’s still in before midnight, so it still counts in my book!! lol. I hope you enjoy it, dear! - And everyone else too!!)

*Big thanks to @valeriemperez for beta’ing on such short notice & getting it back to me just in time! You’re awesome!!

Synopsis: 4x09 - Canon Divergent - The Christmas Party goes as planned with no arrests and no interruptions, except for a couple surprise visitors.

Rating: General Audiences

Romantic Pairings: Barry & Iris, Wally & Linda

 Settled at the kitchen, her ankle pleasantly brushing up against her husband’s knee, Iris took in the surroundings. It was a shame Cecile – and Wally – couldn’t be here to experience it, but there was so much joy and happiness humming in the air. After the tension of the last couple days, after fretting about how she’d let her levelheadedness as a leader swamp every nerve ending in her body that screamed at her – what if? What if Barry doesn’t make it? What if you made the right call but you lost the love of your life all over again and this time he couldn’t be brought back? What if???

But the familiar rush that tossed her hair about and sent chills racing down her spine returned to her as if it had never left. And there he was – tired, exhausted, but all Barry. All hers and back in her arms. He was barely letting go, but she needed to just hold onto him for a while, to breathe in his scent, feel the warmth of his body holding her too, and forget all her worries. Because she almost lost him, but she hadn’t.

And now they were at a Christmas party with almost everybody they loved. Ralph is questionably pleasant, but she wouldn’t let herself be bothered by that. Even Dominic was a welcome addition. She smiled to herself, counting her blessings. Even the mystery of why there had been no counter attack from Devoe could be dismissed tonight. It was Christmas, her first Christmas as a wife – and in this moment, she couldn’t be happier.

“What?” she heard Barry say and flicked her eyes in his direction.

“Hmm?”

His sappy, incredibly sexy grin made her feel hot all over, a feeling which miraculously subsided when she remembered there were people no more than a few feet away.

“What’re you thinking about?” he asked, nudging her foot a little with his leg.

She bit her bottom lip, smiling.

“Just thinking how lucky we are.” She reached her hand across the table. Barry met it halfway and intertwined their fingers. “How happy I am.”

He pulled their hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

“Me too. And it’s only going to get better.”

She had to look away after a while because the pure adoration in his eyes was almost overwhelming. Her gaze fell to his ring finger when he set their hands back on the table, and she felt her heart leap into her throat.

“What?” he asked again, a teasing lilt to his voice as he smiled at her.

“It’s nothing. I just…”

He raised his eyebrows, waiting.

“I can’t believe we’re finally married,” she admitted, her eyes shining. “This is our first Christmas together as a married couple and God, that ring looks really good on your finger.” She gave a short laugh, aware that she was gushing over such a simple thing.

“Oh yeah?” he asked, lifting her hand and angling it so her rings could be seen. “Your wedding band doesn’t look too shabby either.”

She rolled her eyes, fighting a smile.

“That’s different. I’ve had this diamond on my finger for months. You’ve had time to get used to it. Adding a wedding band to it shouldn’t come as big of a surprise to you. Your ring on the other hand…is new to me.”

Barry laughed. “Used to it?” He shook his head. “Iris, I am never going to get used to the fact that you’re my wife.”

Iris felt the shivers run up and down her spine as he said that word.

“You say it so nonchalantly.” She looked away again, bashful even though she had no need to be. Barry practically quoted romantic soliloquys to her in his sleep. “As if-”

“It’s not the reason stars burn bright and time stands still?”

She lifted her gaze to his. “Isn’t it, though?”

Barry’s eyes softened, and he started to lean in. Iris could already feel the press of his lips and the warmth of his breath before he’d descended far enough to touch her.

The moment their lips brushed, there was a knock on the door. Regretfully they turned to see who it was, and everyone else broke from their conversations out of mild curiosity as well.

“Oh my God, Wally!” Iris immediately sprang to her feet and crossed the room, engulfing her brother in a ginormous hug the second she spotted his face as he walked through the door. Joe barely had a chance to get his hello in before his daughter interrupted.

“Hey, Iris,” Wally gushed in return. “I’ve missed you, too.”

“I thought you were in Cambodia,” Joe said when Iris finally released her brother.

“I was,” he confirmed. “But, I, uh, met someone there.”

A devilish glint shone in Joe and Iris’ – and to be fair everyone’s – eyes as Wally started to babble.

“She…” He cleared his throat. “She-”

“She thought,” the pretty woman pushed past him from on the step behind him, “that this boy had better see his family for the holidays, since she hadn’t seen them in a while either.”

Iris’ jaw dropped. Barry’s slow stride suddenly sped up a little, just as shocked as the rest of them.

“I don’t get it. Who’s this?” Ralph asked in the two-second silence.

“Oh, my God, Linda?!” Iris pushed her brother aside, nearly causing him to fall over as their dad caught him in his arms. “What were you… You were in Cambodia?!” She pulled back from the crushing hug. “How did you – wait.” Suddenly everything clicked. “Are you and my brother—”

“Together?” Linda let the single word hang in the deafening silence as the surrounding guests waited with baited breath. Her eyes shifted over to a bashful yet proud Wally standing in the corner. “In a manner of speaking,” she allowed.

Harry slowly walked up between them.

“You do know that he just got out of a very serious relationship…”

“Harry-” Joe warned.

“With my daughter,” he continued, tuning the older West out.

The tension was so thick in the room, Iris couldn’t decide whether to defend her brother or Linda or even Harry on Jesse’s behalf.

“So did I,” Linda retorted.

“What?” Barry and Iris asked simultaneously.

“With who?” Cisco demanded, having re-emerged into the house when he saw Wally and Linda walking up the front steps from the street outside.

“Does it matter?” She raised an eyebrow daringly.

Cisco’s eyes squinted but he said nothing.

“You have a vibing girlfriend who just sent you a sex cube, Cisco,” Caitlin muttered under her breath.

“I’m aware of that,” Cisco said defensively. “I was just asking who-”

Joe closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his forehead before moving out of the cluster of individuals towards the kitchen.

“I need some ‘nog,” he said, heading straight for the mug that he decided had his name written all over it.

Harry stayed glaring at Linda for a while before she finally matched his pointed stare with one of her own.

“We’re taking it slow,” she said, genuine in her response, not in her tone. “I’m no more interested in jumping into something that might very well crash and burn than he is, I assure you. And I would be happy to meet your daughter at any time, since Wally has done nothing but talk fondly of her.”

Harry relaxed some, glanced over at Wally, then back at Linda.

“I’m happy for you two,” he suddenly said and headed in the direction Joe had gone.

Linda looked at Wally for an explanation, but he shrugged helplessly, so she turned to Iris who quickly looped her arm around hers and tugged her across the room.

“Tell me everything about Cambodia,” she gushed, looking pointedly over her shoulder at Wally as they walked farther away. “You’re next.”

Wally pointed to his chest, a degree of fear reverberating there.

“Me? What did I-”

“Come on, man,” Barry said, saving him and squeezing his shoulder from the other side. “Sit by the fireplace with us. It’s way better than whatever they have in Cambodia.”

Wally laughed and nodded. “Okay, yeah, I’ll do that.”

Barry grinned, more of his pearly whites shining through when the door opened once again to reveal and unexpected by warmly embraced Cecile and Joanie Horton. That entrance really boosted up Joe’s mood, and in no time Harry was borderline terrorizing Joanie on what she planned to do with her future, surprising them all when she said simply, “I’m thinking something scientific.”

Later she responded to Iris’ questing for a more specific position in the scientific field, “Oh my God, I hate science.” Iris almost spit out her eggnog. “But that guy would not shut up. What was I supposed to do? Endure lectures about my future all evening. On Christmas?”

Iris stifled her laughter. “No, of course not. Never on Christmas.”

Joanie didn’t catch the sarcastic undertones, and in a minute she was gone to pour herself the much coveted eggnog on the kitchen table. The complaint of why her grandmother’s eggnog hadn’t been made was immediately dismissed when she tasted the recipe that apparently had come straight from Ralph’s family going back several generations.

“We are going to be drunk,” Joe said, staring down into the beverage that likely contained more alcohol than anything else.

Iris laughed to herself and traveled to Barry a while later after catching up with Wally and Linda.

“Hey, Handsome,” she cooed, landing as solidly on his lap as he had before.

She felt his hand cup her ass and smiled without saying a word. His next words melted away the amusement buzzing inside her.

“Hello, Wife.”

“God, I love hearing you say that.” She started to lean in.

“Oh yeah?” he whispered when she was a breath away.

“Yeah.” She nodded, silencing him a moment later with a kiss.

Once. Twice. Three times.

Joe cleared his throat loudly.

They parted and looked up to find everyone suddenly staring at them.

“Keep it PG, would you?” Joe said. “I don’t want to send you two home too. You’re family.”

“I came back!” Cisco interjected, but it was ignored.

“We’re newlyweds,” Barry defended.

Iris wiggled her finger and gushed as her husband held his hand up to showcase his own ring.

“Iris West-Allen, remember, Dad?”

Joe tried to remain strong, but softened a little under the reminder. He managed to point a finger at them accusingly.

“PG,” he repeated and walked back into the kitchen.

“I think it’s cute,” Linda said from her position squished beside Wally in a massive chair. “Flaunt that all you want.”

Iris laughed. “Actually, I have an idea.”

“Oh?” Barry raised his eyebrows, simultaneously curious and amused.

“Mhmm.” Iris managed to get to her feet and lead him across the room away from most of the guests. She stopped right exactly beneath the mistletoe Ralph had thankfully managed to place amidst his many decorations.

“Oh…I see, Mrs. West-Allen. Very clever.”

Her eyes glittered. “Thank Ralph.”

“Hey, nooo,” the taller, annoying man whined, but they paid it no mind.

Iris grabbed onto the collar of her husband’s shirt and pulled his down to her, thrilling in the way he cupped her face, sunk his fingers into her hair, and kissed her as if no one was watching.

“PG,” she whispered when he tried to stick his tongue into her mouth.

He sighed regretfully, but nodded. “Later.”

Her eyes glinted mischievously as she lowered herself from up on her tiptoes and clasped their hands together, rejoining the crowd settling down to open Christmas presents.

*Also posted on AO3 and FFnet.

[jade4813]

The Princess and The Pirate, Chapter 3

Author Notes: Endless thanks to @valeriemperez for her help editing this story and assisting me in figuring out how I wanted this story to go! This will hopefully end up being the first in a planned Westallen Fairy Tale AU series!

I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll probably be a little behind in getting chapter 4 finished, since I’m working on a Westallen Christmas fic. But this story won’t be forgotten; I promise!

Title: The Princess and the Pirate

Rating: PG

Synopsis: Princesses don’t fall in love with pirates, do they? Anything is possible in a fairy tale!A Cinderella/Princess Bride inspired Westallen AU.

Chapters: 3/?

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Iris and Caitlin were relaxing in the gardens one morning, idly sketching trees they’d drawn a hundred times before, when Caitlin heaved a heavy sigh. “Your Highness,” she began, her voice low and reluctant, “There is something I need to tell you.”

Iris glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye and put her pencil aside. Caitlin had been quiet for a couple of days, lost in her own thoughts. All efforts to discover the source of her distraction had failed, and so Iris had quietly decided to wait until her friend was ready to confide in her. It seemed that moment had come.

But now that she’d begun to speak, Caitlin didn’t know how to continue. She lapsed into silence, so Iris pressed softly, “Are you unwell?”

Caitlin blinked rapidly and shook her head. “No, it’s not –” she began. Her voice broke off, and she cleared her throat softly. “I’m fine. There’s something I need to tell you. I should have told you sooner, but the King –”

Her voice broke off when a guard approached, bowing deeply to the princess. “My apologies for intruding, Your Highness, but the King would like to see you. He asked to see you both.”

Throwing her friend an apologetic look, Iris nodded. “Of course,” she demurred. A summons from her father could hardly be ignored.

When she turned back to the castle, however, the guard cleared his throat. “My apologies, but if you will accompany me, he’s waiting for you in the drive.”

That piqued her interest. Giving the guard a slight nod, she and Caitlin fell into step behind him. Though she tried to catch her friend’s eye, Caitlin kept her gaze on the guard’s back, her mouth tightened into a firm line.

When they reached the drive, Iris found a carriage waiting for them with her father inside. She tried to hide her surprise, taking the footman’s hand so he could assist her into the carriage. She typically only accompanied her father into town for holidays and other special occasions, so she couldn’t imagine the cause for this trip.

Once she had settled into the seat across from her father, the carriage began to move. The trio sat in silence as they traveled through the front gates, headed towards town. Though she was burning with curiosity, Iris bit her tongue and tried to exercise patience. Her father would reveal the reason for this trip in his own time.

Eventually, the King pulled his attention from the trees passing by the carriage windows. With a slight smile, he met his daughter’s eyes and said, “I’m sure you’re wondering why I wanted to see you. There was something we need to discuss, but I wanted to do it in private.” Iris nodded. Privacy was one commodity impossible to come by within the castle walls.

The King frowned but he didn’t continue, and Iris’s mouth twisted into a wry smile. It seemed this was a day for uncomfortable, reluctant conversations. She shot Caitlin a quick look to see if she was similarly amused, but her companion was staring out of the carriage windows.

“Is everything all right?” Iris finally asked, unable to completely hide her exasperation.

Her dad’s teeth flashed in a quick grin. “Everything’s fine. It’s just hard for a father to admit that his daughter has grown up.” He reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a slight squeeze.

The tension broken, he continued, “I asked you to accompany me today for two reasons. First, I wanted to tell you that I know I’ve been…unfair to you. I’ve wanted to keep you at the castle to keep you safe.” He paused and then added with a wry twist of his lips, “As your father, I would keep you safe in the castle forever, if I could. But as a king, I know you need to know get to know your people – and your people need to feel that they know you. They need to trust you and believe in you.

“I wanted to let you know that I’ll be assigning a few guards to you over the next couple of days. Whenever you want to leave the castle, they will accompany you. In return, you need to promise me that you will take at least two of them with you any time you go out. I may not be able to protect you from the illness that took your mother, but I will do whatever I can to ensure your safety.”

Iris beamed. If they weren’t stuck in an enclosed carriage, she’d throw her arms around her father in an exuberant hug. Lurching forward, she did her best, but it was awkward to say the least. “Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered into his ear.

“Just promise me you’ll stay safe, baby,” he murmured back. When she settled back onto her seat, he continued in a stern voice. “And no more putting on your maid’s clothes and sneaking out alone.”

Iris froze, her breath caught in her throat. “How did you –?” she began, but she broke off before she could continue the question. She could feel Caitlin stiffen beside her, and she shot a quick glance in her direction. Her friend wouldn’t look at her; she kept her gaze firmly on her lap, where she worried a handkerchief between her fingers. “Oh.”

“Don’t be angry with her,” her father said softly. “She was worried for you. I commanded her to tell me if there was anything that might help us track down the Man in Black. Regardless of what he said, she was afraid he might have recognized you and followed you home.” He paused and then added, his voice low, “Before too long, this kingdom will be yours. When you carry that responsibility, you cannot always believe the best in people – even if you wish you could.”

To hell with what a princess should or shouldn’t do. Iris sighed heavily, her gaze dropping to her own lap. “I’m not angry.” It was a little white lie that meant no harm. She understood that the King’s command would always come first, but that didn’t mean she had to be happy about it right away. Raising her gaze to her father, she straightened her shoulders and asked firmly, “And what is the other reason you wanted to see me? You hardly needed privacy to tell me the first part.”

“Ah,” he said with a nod. “Of course.” He paused and cleared his throat, his hand forming a fist in his lap. “As you know, according to tradition, you should be betrothed by your twenty-third birthday. You turn twenty-two in six weeks, so we need to start looking to the future.”

A knot formed in her stomach. Iris squeezed her hands in her lap, wishing she could reach for the comfort of Caitlin’s hand. She was aware of the tradition. She had simply hoped that she wouldn’t have to abide by it. A year suddenly seemed to be entirely too little time. “But surely – surely I’m not – it’s just a silly old tradition. You’re the king. Surely you could –”

He bowed his head. “I could,” he admitted. “As your father, I wish I could allow you all the time you need to follow your heart. But in this, I must think like a king. And as king, I have to put the good of our people ahead of ourselves.” His eyes were troubled as he reached for her hand, but she kept her own in her lap. “I wish I didn’t have to lay this on you, baby girl, but I have a greater responsibility to consider. We both do.”

She nodded, not needing him to elaborate any further. She was the sole heir to the throne. Should something happen to her, the next in line would be her cousin, Wallace. He was a good man and a good king, ruling over a kingdom of his own. Should he assume rule over their land, as well, it would almost double his holdings. While the nine kingdoms had existed in harmony for generations, peace was never guaranteed. In the past, kingdoms had gone to war for far less than a dramatic shift in power.

As unlikely as it was that Iris would die any time soon, she was gambling with the lives of innocent people – those who would be sent into battle against one another – if she was wrong.

She couldn’t do that.

Dropping her gaze to her lap, she asked in a low voice, “What did you have in mind?”

Her father shifted in his seat, uncharacteristically awkward. “We have already planned a party to celebrate your birthday. I suggest we invite the eligible princes in the surrounding kingdoms to attend. You don’t have to make a decision on that day, but perhaps…” He let his voice trail off, but she hardly needed him to complete the thought.

Her gaze shot to his face. “Six days?” she asked in surprise. “But is that enough time to –” She broke off when she saw his expression. “You already invited them.” He didn’t respond, so she heaved a heavy sigh and looked out the window. People had noticed the King’s carriage and were lining the streets, waving to them as they passed. Some reached out and ran their fingers gently along the sides of the carriage, wanting to touch the king they so loved in whatever small way they could.

Iris was touched by their genuine outpouring of support and love. How could she repay that love with selfishness? With a smile, she reached through the window and grabbed one of the hands held out to her, letting her subjects’ fingers brush gently through her own. And that was when she had an idea.

“Father, I will do what you ask. But in return, I have a few requests.” Pulling her hand back, she turned back to the king, her jaw set in resolve. “I want all of our people to be invited to the ball, as well. Six days should be sufficient to prepare.”

His eyebrows lifted slightly, but he smiled. “Anything else?”

“Yes. I would like it to be a masquerade. If I am to meet – and perhaps choose – my future husband at this ball, I would like the chance for him to be attracted to me and not just my crown.”

Her father’s smile faded, but he offered her a solemn nod. “Iris, as it is a celebration of your birthday, you will open the ball with the first dance. You will also be by my side periodically throughout the evening. You can hardly hide your identity at that point.”

She gave him a thoughtful look. “True. But have you met the Lady Cecile? She’s new to the court, but she’s about my size. I propose we prepare two gowns. After the first dance, I will slip away to change, and she will take my place. If you keep her at your side throughout the evening and speak for her as much as possible, nobody should realize the subterfuge.” He looked doubtful, so she pressed gently, “Please, Father? For me? I wish to at least have a chance to find the kind of love you and Mother shared.”

His head bowed for a moment, but then he nodded. “Very well,” he agreed. Then he said in a low voice, “You know I wish I didn’t have to ask this of you.”

Iris swallowed heavily and looked out the window. They were heading back to the palace now, and she had never been so tempted to blink away tears at the sight of her home. “I know.”

They fell quiet until they pulled into the drive, and the two women climbed out of the carriage. Once it pulled away, Caitlin blurted, “Ir – Your Highness, I’m so sorry for telling your father about our trips into town. I didn’t want to betray your trust, but I was –”

Iris raised a hand, cutting her off. She had been angry before, but now she just felt numb. “Stop, please.” She turned and threw her friend a wry smile. “Now more than ever, I understand that the crown will always come first.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she sucked in a deep breath and tried to ignore the sinking in the pit of her stomach. “I just – I hoped…I wanted the chance to fall in love one day.”

Caitlin reached out to put her hand on her arm. “Perhaps you will. I know it seems unlikely, but you might fall in love.”

She scoffed, stepping away from her friend’s touch. “Oh, Caitlin. I may be a princess, but this isn’t a fairy tale. And I cannot expect it to be.” She took a deep breath and said with firm resolve, “I must do what is right by my people. I’m afraid love is a luxury I simply cannot afford.”

“You know, you’re so disgustingly in love, it’s a wonder Cynthia manages to put up with you,” Barry teased his friend as they slung their bags over their shoulders and headed away from the dock. Cisco had been almost obnoxiously cheerful for days, looking forward to the moment he’d get to see Cynthia again.

Cisco chuckled and gave Barry a slight shrug. “I hate to tell you this, but you’re no better.”

Barry threw him an affronted look. “What are you talking about? I’m not in love.”

A snort was the only response, since Cisco was immediately distracted by Cynthia shoving her way out of the crowd. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him in for a long kiss. Barry shook his head and looked away, but when the kiss didn’t end even after several minutes, he cleared his throat. That still didn’t get their attention, so he tried again, louder this time.

The kiss finally ended, and Cynthia turned to Barry with a smile. “Good to see you again, Allen. Thanks for keeping this idiot safe for me.” She nudged her boyfriend in the ribs and threw him a quick grin.

Cisco scoffed. “He kept me safe? I will have you know that I am the responsible one in our relationship.”

Cocking his head to the side, Barry threw him a measuring glance. “Really? That’s not the way I remember it.”

“Me, either,” Cynthia agreed, though she seemed distracted as she looked at Barry. At his questioning look, she explained, “I didn’t realize you had a scar from your sword fight.”

“Oh,” he murmured, raising a hand to rub the thin, pale scar just under his eye. “It’s not too bad, is it?”

She shook her head slowly. “No, but it is a problem. Come on; I’ll explain when we get home. Just…keep your head down until we’re out of town, okay?”

Barry nodded, and Cynthia linked her arm through Cisco’s as they made their way back to her home. As the Mistress of the Hunt, she lived in a cozy cottage within walking distance of the palace’s front gate. Though he kept his head bowed, Barry noticed that people stepped out of her way and touched the brims of their hats when they saw her approach. He didn’t know why his scar was a concern, but perhaps it was best that people were too distracted by her to pay him much attention.

Back at the cottage, Cynthia threw open the door and escorted them both inside. Then she grabbed Barry’s arm and moved him towards the light spilling through the open windows. “Here. Let me look at that again.”

“What’s wrong?” Cisco asked as she studied his face. “How is his scar a problem?”

She made a soft sound in the back of her throat and turned to rummage through some papers on a nearby table. Finally pulling one out, she handed it over. “Because everyone – including all the castle guards - is looking for a guy with a scar like yours, right under the eye. You just had to pick a sword fight with a princess, didn’t you?”

His stomach sinking, Barry took the piece of paper from her hand. The picture on the Wanted poster wasn’t a terribly good likeness, but it did mention that he probably carried a scar. “I don’t understand. She ordered my arrest?”

Cynthia shook her head. “She didn’t, no. The King did. Her lady in waiting told him that the princess cut you in the fight and you might have a scar. He sent these out the next day.”

Cisco took the paper from Barry. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you send word about this?” he asked in confusion and concern as he studied the image.

She shrugged. “These were only posted recently. About a month ago. I figured you’d be here before any letter I tried to send would find you.”

Putting the paper down, Cisco turned to her friend in concern. “Maybe this is a bad idea. You should take the ship and get out of here. If anyone realizes you’re the Man in Black, you’re going to be thrown in jail. Thanks to you, Eobard is rotting away in a jail far away from here. Isn’t that enough?”

For a second, Barry was almost tempted. Then he remembered why he’d returned, and he couldn’t do it. “It’s unlikely he could have done what he did alone. Lord Jesse had my parents’ rings. If he helped cover up Eobard’s crime and framed my father for it, then he needs to be brought to justice. Until he is, the princess – the royal family, I mean – could be in danger. I need to make sure she’s safe.”

Cisco and Cynthia exchanged looks. “They’re safe, you mean?” Cisco couldn’t resist teasing.

Barry flushed. “I’m not in love with her,” he grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. At Cynthia’s look, he protested, “I’m not!”

“Oh, of course! I believe you!” she reassured him quickly, but it was obviously a lie. “I mean, Cisco mentioned in his last letter that you rarely even mention her. Only, what was it you said?”

“Four or five times an hour,” Cisco readily supplied.

He glowered at them both. “I don’t –!” he began to protest, but the look on his friend’s face made it clear how little he could argue the point. His voice lowering, he crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled, “That doesn’t mean I’m in love with her.”

Cynthia’s sigh was full of feigned regret. “Then I guess you won’t care that there will be a masquerade ball in honor of her birthday tomorrow night. And everybody in the kingdom is invited.”

Barry froze, his eyes wide. “R-really? A masquerade?” At her nod, he cleared his throat. “You know, it would probably be the perfect time for me to sneak in. To warn her. About Lord Jesse.”

Cynthia managed a grave nod, but Cisco didn’t even try to hide his response. He ducked his head and laughed, and Barry looked around for something to throw at him. Sadly, there was nothing within reach that Cynthia wouldn’t kill him for breaking, so he just huffed in irritation. “I’m not in love with her! I’m not!” he protested.

Nobody was listening.

[fulcrumahsokaamidala]

Sunday Spectacular #27

Happy Sunday!!! So this is me thanking awesome fanfic writers for their amazing work and all the time they put into their fics. ♥️ I want to recommend spectacular fanfic stories I read this week! ♥️ They are posted in the order I read them. All posts will be tagged #spectacular fic rec

Pieces of Always by @so-caffeinated​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Life continues after Forever is Composed of Nows.Ongoing non-linear collection of family moments for the Queens. You do not need to have read FiCoN to enjoy this, but it will spoil the end.

with(out) you to hold by @inlovewithimpossibillity​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: a one-shot sequel to 'and we're somehow caught up in a web of lies' set at the holidays after their defeat of slade

(settle down with me) and i’ll be your safety by @dust2dust34​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: Six times Oliver and Felicity fall asleep with Artie, and one time they catch her sleeping.

All Her Firsts by @callistawolf​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Felicity Smoak visits Starling with her high school decathlon team, prepared for a week of intellectual rigors. What she doesn’t expect is the emotional roller coaster that follows as she begins to fall for her host- the totally-out-of-her-league Oliver Queen.

“Time for a story” Drabble Series by @smkkbert | Arrow | WIP

Summary: This fic shows Olicity and their life as a (married) couple with family. Although Olicity (and their kids) are the protagonists, other characters of Arrow and Flash make appearances. It started as a drabble series, but developed more and more into a full domectic AU. Although some chapters are still drabble-like, there are longer storylines by now.

wading through the fire and smoke (like sunlight through the haze) by @alexiablackbriar13​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: Oliver and Felicity are publicly out as a soulmate couple. When she’s kidnapped for ransom, the Arrow saves her and is seen comforting her and heard calling her pet names.

Instead of thinking Oliver is the Arrow, the police and media outlets begin to think Felicity Smoak has two separate soulmates: Oliver Queen... and the Arrow.

Cue the entire world thinking Oliver, Felicity, and the Arrow are a soulmate throuple.

Tommy Merlyn's No Good, Very Bad, Terrible Day by @realityisoverrated-fic | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: Tommy's first time out in public with all four kids turns to disaster when they encounter the paparazzi.

if you really love me punish me by @felicityollies​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Oliver thought Felicity Smoak was the love of his life, until they couldn't seem to make their marriage work. Now they're about to get a divorce and he's wondering where things went wrong.

The Daughter That Was Left Behind by @laxit21​| Arrow | WIP

Summary: Before the Gambit, Oliver Queen met QC intern Felicity Smoak. When he boarded the Gambit, he left something behind. Now, five long years later someone is waiting for him.

Artemis by @laxit21​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: When the Queen’s Gambit sank, two people were stranded on Lian Yu. Five years later, four came back.

The Legacy of a Queen by @inlovewithimpossibillity​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Series of one-shots from a future AU where Oliver and Felicity are able to raise their children after they defeat the Ninth Circle and Oliver hangs up the hood

And then you walked into my life by @oliversmuse​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Felicity Smoak is a down on her luck IT specialist who has taken a job walking dogs. She enjoys the animals and less stress but she wants to get back into her field as soon as she can. Oliver Queen is a CEO of the most lucrative tech company in Star City. He has recently adopted a new puppy as a way to relieve his stress and decides to hire a dog walker. He never expects the blonde haired, blue-eyed beauty that shows up at his door and will change his life forever.

Alarm Signal by @alexiablackbriar13​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: When Felicity is pursued by a mugger late at night in the Glades, Oliver races to rescue her despite a strained wing.

Another Flying High one-shot in which our feathered hero scares the crap out of the guy who dared to attack his love. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MASQUE!

I Scream But No Sound Comes out by @laxit21 | Arrow | WIP

Summary: When Oliver returns from Lian Yu after five years, he comes back different. What happened there damaged more than just his body. How will his friends and family deal with this new Oliver?

Baby Daddy by more0rLessJess | Arrow | Completed

Summary: Bartender Oliver Queen was living his twenties to the fullest, he lived with his best friend John Diggle, and his brother in everything but blood, Tommy Merlyn just moved into their apartment as he started his professional baseball career for the Starling City Rockets. On top of that, his childhood best friend Felicity Smoak, who was no longer goth and instead blonde and beautiful, was back in town and they were hanging out again. Oliver thought his days were going to be filled with partying, one night stands, and boys weekends while also spending quality time with the girl everyone kept telling him he was in love with. Until his ex-girlfriend dropped a baby on his doorstep who turned out to be his son. After a lot of thought and Felicity Smoak pep talks, Oliver decides to keep and raise his son with the help of his friends. Or the AU fic inspired by the Freeform sitcom Baby Daddy that no one asked for but I needed to write. Aka Oliver and Felicity are childhood friends and are hopelessly in love with each other and everyone knows but them, oh and now they’re raising a baby. What could go wrong?

'Always' Starting A Bit Sooner by @ymnfilter​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: Olicity Fanfic ARGUS!Felicity Married!Olicity AU

Or

What if Oliver and Felicity met at ARGUS three years before Oliver Queen was found alive? What if they still fell in love, despite Oliver being at his darkest? What if Oliver Queen still came back to Starling City to right his father's wrongs? Only this time, with a wedding ring and a more emotionally stable mind-set?

#FelicitysMarvelousSoberPartyTimes by @alexiablackbriar13​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: felicity smoak @smoaksfelicity thank you all for your sympathies that i cannot drink tonight i truly am devastated but promise to still bring the content at our cast and crew holiday party. will be using #FelicitysMarvelousSoberPartyTimes which i know is long af but also,,,, its appropriate stfu

felicity smoak @smoaksfelicity so to start off. trimmed and tidy xx #FelicitysMarvelousSoberPartyTimes [Image of Oliver and Felicity pulling faces in a selfie, showing off their holiday party outfits]

MadeInOlicity @joganolicitys holy shit guys did you see that pic from mom and dad i think i just had an orgasm

A sequel to #olicitylives in which there are more Twitter antics, including Felicity livetweeting a holiday party.

The Felicity Smoak Diaries by @inlovewithimpossibillity​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: When Felicity Smoak starts a YouTube channel in tandem with her best friend, Caitlin Snow, as primary research for her thesis project, she has no idea what it will grow into. It becomes a diary of a year of her life, documenting family, friends, and her changing relationship with a man called Oliver Queen.

a lizzie bennet diaries olicity au

The What If Harassment Alternative by portlandborn | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | WIP

Summary: What would have happened to Peraltiago And our intrepid detectives, if Amy had reported her mentor captains ugly behaviors?

I Do. I Do. I Do. by @realityisoverrated-fic​ | Arrow | WIP

Summary: The Wedding

Take Me Out To The Ballgame by @realityisoverrated-fic​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: Oliver and Tommy take Bobby to his first baseball game. Later that night, he has some tough questions for Oliver.

listen to the sound of my love for you by @felicityollies​ | Arrow | One-shot

Summary: Oliver and his friends are at a bar for a show. He's excited to get out for a night and he's more excited about the band Ghost Fox Goddesses. What he doesn't expect is the drummer to be the most talented and stunning person to ever cross his path.

Let me know if you want to be tagged!

@hope-for-olicity @emdee8907 @malafle @laxit21 @icannotbelieveiamhere​ @xspeedytrashx​

[pluckyredhead]

Here's a $20 donation to the ACLU: imgurcom/cNTrU6P for the prompt: how about a barry/cisco holidays fic with barry being really sappy and doing over-the-top things for cisco? (bonus points for creative use of powers?)

This took SO LONG, I’m so sorry! But here it is! Obviously the holidays have passed us by so I took some liberties:

Barry was acting weird.

“Hey, you’re gonna be at the lab on your birthday, right?” he’d asked Cisco on Monday, fidgeting with one of Caitlin’s pencils until it became a yellow blur in his fingers.

“Considering it’s a Thursday, which is traditionally a weekday, yeah, that was the plan,” Cisco said. “Is that a problem or something?”

The pencil burst into flame; Barry yelped and dropped it. “Yeah! Yeah, of course, work birthdays are the best birthdays. It’s cool. I’ll see you later.”

He blitzed out of the room.

Caitlin walked in and frowned. “Why is there a small fire on my desk?”

*

“If you could pick one food to eat for the rest of your life, nutritional value be damned, what would it be?” Barry asked on Tuesday, bouncing on the balls of his feet like he was about to set a long jump record.

Cisco paused the simulation video he was running and looked up at the ceiling to think. “Pancakes. Really good ones, with the lacy edges and lots of real maple syrup.”

“Cool,” Barry said. “Oh, hey, I gotta go.” He vanished in a burst of air, then reappeared just as quickly. “Hey. Bacon on the side?”

“Obviously.”

“Great. Bye.” And he was gone again.

H.R. tilted his head at Cisco. “Is he okay?”

Cisco started up his video again. “Honestly, I’ve given up wondering.”

*

“Hey, what’s your favorite color?” Barry asked.

“Is this really the time to be asking me this?” Cisco asked, then winced as security footage showed Barry zipping out of the way of a hail of bullets just in time.

Barry wove gracefully through the eight heavily armed bank robbers like a prima ballerina through a field of stupefied water buffalo. “It just occurred to me.”

“You couldn’t figure it out? I picked it for your suit. Bogey on your six, by the way.”

Barry spun, ducked, and knocked out his attacker with a much sweeter right hook than he would’ve thrown a year ago. “Aw, really?”

“I mean also red’s the color of speed and, and firetrucks and...I don’t know, Lightning McQueen, but yeah. Don’t be too flattered.” The fact that Barry happened to look even more like some unreal sylphan creature in Cisco’s favorite color was just a coincidence, and not one Cisco planned on sharing out loud.

“I like red too,” Barry said warmly.

Julian leaned in towards the mic, shoving Cisco out of the way. “If you two are through flirting, maybe Barry could wrap this up so that the CCPD can move in?”

Cisco elbowed him as Barry spluttered. “Aw, Julian, I can flirt with you too if you’re feeling left out,” he said, and hoped no one noticed how flushed his face had just gotten.

*

All of Barry’s weird jumpy questions made sense on Thursday.

“Well, I’ll be darned,” Cisco said as he walked into the lab. The entire place was festooned in red balloons and streamers, with a huge sign hanging over Cisco’s workstation reading “HAPPY BIRTHDAY CISCO” in giant glittery red letters. There was a birthday cake in pride of place on the center of the table, but it almost disappeared under the plates and plates heaped with towers of buttery, syrupy pancakes and surrounded by endless rashers of bacon.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” everyone - wow, everyone - crowed, H.R. through a mouthful of bacon.

“Thanks, guys!” Cisco said. “You did all this for me?”

“Well, Barry, mostly,” Caitlin said, stepping forward to give Cisco a hug. “The rest of us were just supposed to be here on time.”

Cisco looked over Caitlin’s shoulder to where Barry was rubbing the back of his neck and kicking at the ground. “Well, you know, birthdays only happen once a year. And. It.” He shrugged as if the last two words had been coherent and universally relatable sentences. “Who doesn’t like pancakes, right?”

“Who indeed,” H.R. cut in before Cisco could call Barry on his weird diffidence. “You know, this reminds me of something that happened on my Earth, don’t think it happened here, the great Syrup Strike of 1987…”

Cisco disentangled himself from Caitlin and went to get a plate of pancakes and bacon before H.R. put him off of them forever with whatever weirdo story he was about to tell.

It was safe to say no one got much science or superheroics done that day. H.R. ate too much sugar and fell asleep under a desk. Jesse and Wally went off together somewhere, giggling, and Joe, Iris, and Julian all got called in for work-related issues. Even Caitlin made her excuses early - she was having an attempt at a reconciliatory dinner with her mom and didn’t want to be too full to eat.

Barry refused to let Cisco clean up on his birthday, so Cisco perched on a desk and picked at the last of the bacon while Barry blitzed around the room in a frenzy of tidying. Within minutes the lab was clean - not to the original Wells’s standards, but certainly more spotless than any room at Cisco’s place.

“I can’t believe you did all this for me, man,” Cisco said as Barry slowed to a normal pace.

“Yeah, well.” Barry was flushed, but that might have just been from the cleaning. There was red glitter in his hair. “You’re my best friend. And things have been...I don’t know. You’re special to me and I wanted to make sure we were okay.”

Cisco felt his ears heat up. You’re special to me. He couldn’t believe he was so swoony over such a cheesy Hallmark statement, but “cheesy Hallmark” was so very Barry, and Cisco had been swoony over Barry since approximately four seconds after Barry woke up from his coma.

He hopped down from the desk. “You’re special to me too,” he said, and reached out to pull Barry into an affectionate bro-hug -

- and Barry leaned down and kissed him.

Cisco froze, startled, and Barry jerked back. “Sorry!” he said. “I thought - I didn’t mean to - I thought you were going for a kiss and I - uh, I’ll just go now.”

He turned and would have zipped away if Cisco hadn’t rallied and managed to vibe the doors until they shook closed. “Wait!” he said. “Wait. Can you just - wait? For a second?”

Barry turned to face him, his face as red as his costume. “I really am sorry, Cisco,” he said.

Cisco shook his head - not refusing his apology, just trying to make sense of this. “You thought I was going to kiss you?” Barry nodded miserably. “So were you kissing me back to be polite, or…?”

“Not…” Barry sighed. “Not just to be polite.”

“So…” Cisco glanced at the remnants of the cake, the decorations stuffed into a garbage bag by the doors, Barry’s pink cheeks and shifty eyes. “So you did all of this because you like me.”

“No!” Barry said quickly. “I mean, I didn’t - you’re my friend, Cisco. That’s true no matter what.” He glanced at the ceiling. “The other part...might be true too.”

Cisco nodded slowly, taking this in. Then he took a step towards Barry.

“I’m gonna make this really clear,” he said. Barry swallowed, looking like he was facing a firing squad. “I’m going in for a kiss this time.”

Barry stared at him. Then he absolutely lit up.

“Happy birthday, Cisco,” he murmured as he stepped in and gave Cisco a real, solid, superhero-style kiss.

Cisco pulled back and grinned at him. “You know what?” he said. “It really, really is.”

[mikeyd1986]

MIKEY’S PERSONAL BLOG 108, June 2018

On Queen’s Birthday public holiday, I decided to go down to YMCA Casey RACE for a Body Pump class with Natalie Blanch. As it was a “typical” Monday, I was struggling with both time and motivation but was still determined to get down to the gym regardless. Surprisingly, for a public holiday, there was a decent amount of members in the class today. I spent some time reflecting on how far I’ve come from my very first Pump class until now. I’ve certainly grown in confidence, able to follow Nat’s directions easier, can usually keep up and I feel fitter as well. https://www.lesmills.com.au/bodypump

Today we did tracks from Release 96 including Tiesto - Blow Your Mind, Panic! At The Disco - Hallelujah, Flo Rida - Wobble, Galantis - Peanut Butter Jelly and Zedd featuring Bahari - Addicted to a Memory. It was a pretty tough release especially the dreaded lunge track which Nat claimed was “fun” (My thighs were burning a lot). Some of the exercises we did included overhead presses, power cleans, deadlifts and rows (Warm-up, Back), push-ups, dips and bicep curls with the bar (Biceps, Triceps), flying raises, side raises and revolved raises (Shoulders) plus crunches, crunch pulses and Hurdler’s stretch (Core, Cooldown). https://www.siphilp.com/les-mills-bodypump-96-music-track-listing.aspx

On Tuesday morning, I had my final Employ Your Mind session for Phase 2 at WISE Employment in Cranbourne. It was a little disappointing and anti-climatic that I was the only participant leave at the end of this phase. Whilst it’s obviously nobody’s fault that clients can’t always attend due to having other commitments, it did make me feel awkward seeing as this was meant to be a “group” session.

However, support workers Karen and Vadim did the best that they could given the circumstances. Today I did a review of my Goal Setting Plan from Phase 1, going through the list and seeing if I needed to add or modify any of the goals that I set for myself. These included: Improving conversational skills and self-confidence. Being able to cope better with my mental health issues. Improving my memory, focus and concentration at work and in social situations. https://www.themhs.org/resources/1605/s58-employ-your-mind-improving-thinking-skills-for-work-and-community-engagement.

I decided to add two goals to my list: Making more friends and improving my social life. Losing weight and maintaining a healthy body weight. These two goals in particular have been things I’ve been continuing to work on over the past couple of years and have both had their share of challenges. But these goals are extremely important to me so I’ll continue to do what it takes to achieve them. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/goal-setting

The next part involved having a brainstorm about reaching my goals. The things that help me to reach my goals include breaking them down and setting myself a plan, getting support from family, friends, support workers and counsellors as well as trying to eat healthy foods and exercising regularly. The things that get in the way of reaching my goals includes lack of motivation and struggling with my mental barriers (self doubt, worries, anxieties). Things that I’ve used to overcome these are positive affirmations, reminders of my strengths and personal qualities, meditation, deep breathing and asking people for help when needed. https://www.naturalhealthmag.com.au/content/6-ways-achieve-your-goals

On Tuesday night, I attended my Body Combat class at YMCA Casey ARC in Narre Warren. Tonight’s class was a bit different in that Cinamon Guerin invited Caitlin up onto the stage to demonstrate half of the tracks. She is essentially an instructor-in-training and I have to say that she did a great job. She had a really good rapore with Cinamon and was able to confidently instruct by herself as well.

As usual tonight’s Combat class was a tough one with plenty of high knees, lunges, esteevas, jab boxes, uppercuts, front kicks, back kicks, side kicks and tricky combos. I was dripping in sweat halfway through the class and had to pull back a bit due to fatigue and soreness. I’m still proud that I’m able to come to Combat classes and smash it, no matter how I’m feeling inside. I’m determined to drop those kilos again. https://www.lesmills.com.au/archive-bodycombat

On Thursday morning, Mum and I dropped into Insight Accounting on the rooftop of Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre. Ever since the bad experience I had with my tax return last year, I’ve been trying to shop around to find another accountant who I might be more suited to. A quick Google search pointed me towards Insight Accounting and today I thought I’d drop in to make an inquiry about getting an individual tax return claim done.

The Cranbourne office located next door to Anytime Fitness (Cranbourne) seemed a little daunting at first with a long white hallway leading to the reception desk. The receptionist named Emma ended up asking one of the accountants, Stacey, to have a chat with us in her office. The space was very inviting and comfortable. Whilst Stacey was a lot younger than my last accountant, I could tell that she was switched on and had the right know-how about the preparation involved with tax returns. I feel pretty confident that I’ll end up doing my tax return through them this year. http://www.insightaccounting.com.au/individuals/

I personally don’t think there’s any harm in changing companies if you don’t feel satisfied or happy with their services. That is the prerogative of a client and you should make zero apologies about it. I used to be much more passive about it in the past but now I apply this to everything in my life...psychologists, counsellors, personal trainers, teachers, doctors and now accountants. If you don’t do this, you end up getting stuck in a rut and feeling depressed, frustrated, annoyed and/or upset. Don’t settle for second best.

On Friday morning, I dropped into my local Centrelink customer service office in Cranbourne to (hopefully) sort out the birth certificate issue from last week. Thankfully the lady who was serving me was much more helpful and less vague than Ms. Sue from last week. I could feel my anxiety levels spiking up as she was busily typing away behind the counter. I was praying that this time the system would actually accept my birth certificate now that I had my Change of Name Registration certificate with me.

Unfortunately, we had the same issue again and not even the expertise of the male staff member next door could resolve it. However, she did make copies and scans of both documents to send away to Births, Deaths and Marriages to get them verified and matched up. Whilst it was another frustrating result for me, at least this time some progress was getting made and it didn’t feel like a waste of time. https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/enablers/confirm-your-identity

On Friday night, I attended the re-opening night of Aaron Petty’s yoga studio, Level Up Yoga in Berwick. It’s really no secret that I find social situations to be tremendously difficult particularly when it comes to making conversation. How do I break the ice? What do I say? I don’t know 80% of the people in the room. And of course the wet weather had continued into the night. But I wasn’t going to let any of these barriers stop me from coming tonight.

Aaron has spent the last two weeks renovating and transforming the existing space located upstairs inside Personal Performance Training Centre into a proper yoga studio. It now features: a peach coloured feature wall, ceiling fan, air conditioner/heater, flooring vents, polished cork flooring, a storage cupboard and benches for the yoga equipment, mirrors, a new door and added wall. Honestly, Aaron and his team have done a magnificent job and all the hard work has paid off.

Tonight the space was beautifully lit up with lamps and fairy lights. The bench was decorated with little chocolates, love hearts, strawberries, tealight candle holders, a diffuser, native twigs and gum leaves. They also had some canopes and a glass teapot set up. I decided to start by having a chat with my good friend Daniel Cooper, whom I know from his band Spectral Fires. I actually did surprisingly well despite the obvious stumbles and mental blanks, grasping for the right words to say.

Then my anxiety was starting to kick in. I checked my phone and discovered that I’d only been there for 20 minutes. I was determined to push myself and not simply bolt out the door. It didn’t take long for the yoga space to start filling up with people. The volume level was also increasing pretty rapidly. I thought I’d sit down, grab some tea and read one of the orange timetables that Aaron had made up.

I was sitting next door to a tray full of peanut butter and coconut protein balls. In that moment, I could have honestly eaten the whole tray but that was the comfort eater inside of me talking. I was trying hard to be disciplined as weight loss is still an uphill battle for me. And here come the anxious thoughts (God this is so difficult. I hardly know anybody here. So many people know each other. Why do I find talking to people so hard? Maybe I should leave).

Thankfully this stream of thought was interrupted by Aaron Petty making an announcement. There was probably around 30-40 people in the room now which is a very impressive turnout. After delivering his thank yous and having one-too-many applauds, he started talking about his new concept for Level Up Yoga, Freedom and Stillness and what these words meant to him. Then he gently lead us all into a short guided meditation with Daniel Cooper playing some beautiful music in the background.

Finally he got us to introduce ourselves to a person we didn’t know and ask them “What does freedom mean to you?” Cue to typical thought of “OH SHIT!” But honestly this was exactly what I needed. To get out of my comfort zone and meet people. A couple of people actually approached me and it felt good despite how flustered my face was getting. But at the same time, my anxiety was easing a little and I didn’t feel quite as social isolated or withdrawn.

I aimed to stay for over an hour and I smashed that goal. I tried to do my usual sneaky ninja exit but was easily detected. To be honest, I didn’t mind because it showed that quite a few people in that room care enough about me to acknowledge my existence. Whilst it was hard for me sitting through the anxiety and the uncomfortable feelings I had inside, I’m really proud that I did it because that shows true strength. I deserve to be a part of the Level Up Yoga community. https://www.aaronpetty.com/teaching-schedule/

On Saturday morning, I did a Vinyasa yoga class with Aaron Petty at Level Up Yoga in Berwick. As I had the day off work, I figured I’d come along to one of the free yoga classes Aaron was offering this weekend. I was still feeling a bit restless from last night as I didn’t sleep very well but I somehow managed to motivate myself to go this morning. It was a small class with only two other girls joining me but I was very content with that considering how packed the studio was last night.

Being a Vinyasa class, I knew that this would be challenging but I just did the best I could. We did several different sequences of poses including:                      Vinyasa Flow: Downward Facing Dog, Plank, Chaturanga, Baby Cobra/Cobra/Updog.                                                                                    Warrior Sequence: Three Legged Dog, Crescent Lunge, Warrior 2, Reverse Warrior.                                                                                                      Strength: Half-Pigeon, Mermaid, King Pigeon, Side Plank, Elbow Plank.              Inversions: Legs in the air, Shoulder Stand, Handstand.

This morning I tried to use laughter as a coping mechanism to deal with my struggles particularly with the strength and balancing poses. Holding my own body weight is something I’m still continuing to work on. I also knew what my limits were and there were a few times where I had to pull back due to fatigue, especially towards the end of the class. This is not a sign of weakness. It’s actually a good thing to have enough self-awareness to figure out when I should be resting or pulling back. The last thing I want to do is injure myself. https://www.popsugar.com.au/fitness/Benefits-Normal-Plank-vs-Elbow-Plank-28902118

“It takes a voice to make a change. It takes courage to not be the same. If the world is silenced today. I make sure to scream my name. Don't lose your heart. If you're willing to change, willing to fight. Promise me. Remind yourself. You're breathing. Remind yourself. That you are bleeding.” Dream on Dreamer - Don’t Lose Your Heart (2015)