#(a full 45 minutes after the person placed their order and 30 minutes after it was picked up

[traumato]

On a related note, as much as i feel like 24h convenience stores are Necessary to at least some extent, i feel like them having delivery should be illegal lmao

[blueepink07]

I decided to look at the calendars and the timetable in Muu's MVs and I think I found some interesting things!

Taking in chronological order, the first calendar should be this one, which has the cherry blossoms. In Japan, usually, the flowering cherry trees come into full bloom around the beginning of April. It is the month when the new year of school starts for students.

So it seems that the friend group started the bullying, since the beginning of the school year, Rei's clothes being wet and her items being splattered on the floor. (the calendar in this scene also shows the cherry blossoms)

Remember this is the moment when Rei decides to turn "upside down" Muu's reputation at school, when she considers that enough is enough.

So then it raises the question... How much time Muu was bullied at school?

Well to find out we have again to look at the calendar.

This one should be a month from autumn, more exactly early September.

To understand better my line of thoughts, I will explain how did I reached this conclusion!

Beginning with the timetable!

Considering that the murder takes place during sunset, I thought that it was important to find when Muu finishes her classes.

"In a typical high school in Japan, teachers gather each morning at 8:30 a.m. for a brief meeting. Students meet at 8:35 a.m. for a 5-minute homeroom period. Regular classes begin at 8:45 a.m. and there are four 50-minute classes before lunch. High school students eat in their homeroom. "

With this information, I figured out that the empty space between hours is for lunch, because there are already four classes before it.

"Two afternoon periods are followed by school clean-up and a 5-minute homeroom meeting, after which students are dismissed at 3:30 p.m."

Muu has, after lunch, one or two afternoon periods.

Also, interesting she also has four classes on Saturday, something that is pretty common in Japan. "On Saturday the day ends after four periods, at 1 p.m."

Getting back to the topic, the classes usually end at 3:30 pm or 4 pm most of the time. However, it's pretty clear that it's not the hour when Rei goes home and the murder happens. Not only the sunset will not start so early, but also Muu's phone gives us a hint of the time.

But why are they at such a late hour at school, if the classes should end at around 3:30 pm? Simple, club activities after classes, at which most students in Japan attend to!

"Club activities are held after school and run until 5 or 6 p.m. One hour per week is devoted to mandatory club activity. Other club activity is voluntary."

They last around 2 hours, so, if we take into consideration Muu's timetable, the clubs should end at around 5:30 - 6 pm. (might depend on the club)

Now, I want to point out this specific interrogation question:

"What kind of kid where you?"

The past tense it's very interesting to me: "I did many extracurricular activities". Yes, it might refer to her younger self, but, considering that, even in high school, clubs are heavily encouraged in Japan, it's rather odd that she doesn't say that she still attends them.

That's because, in reality, she probably stopped going to those once she started to be bullied, which explains why she is the only one in the classroom, waiting for the club activities to be finished, so she can go home.

"School club activities, commonly known as “bukatsu” in Japan, play a significant role in the lives of students. These extracurricular activities are an integral part of the Japanese school experience, providing a platform for personal growth, skill development, and fostering a sense of community."

Club activities are a good way to spend your time with your friends, while doing something that you like. Because Muu started to be bullied, she had no reason to attend to these anymore. Not only she would spend her time alone, but also risk being picked on again, preferring to stay in the classroom.

With the idea that the clubs from Muu's school should end around 5:30 pm, we can decide the month based on when the sun fully sets.

I will admit that it took me a while to notice the yellow dots, which should resemble the leaves, so, because of the warm colours, I thought that the calendar showed July. Not August, because, in most schools in Japan, there is a summer vacation which starts from July 20 to August 31.

However, considering that Muu lives in Minato Ward, Tokyo, as seen in this post, the sun should fully set at around 7 pm, during July. Which doesn't really makes sense, because Rei should be outside of school, after club activities and some time spent preparing her herself to go, at around 5:40 - 5:45 pm, when there is not a sunset.

What made me, at first, not consider autumn as an option, where the green leaves from this scenery. So I researched a little and found put that in Tokyo, the leaves don't start to fall until late November.

Which left me with two options: September and October.

October was easily out of the question, because, in the first day of October the sun fully sets at 5:26 pm, which is too early.

Which leaves us with September, when the sun sets at around 6 pm. Taking into account the minutes before Muu reaches Rei in that day, I think it's safe to assume that early September, should be the time when the murder took place.

I hope I gave a good explanation and found some interesting things about Muu! Thank you for reading!

Sources if anyone is interested!

[apathetic-theme-song]

Best Laid Plans 1.5

I really want to finish this but my brain does NOT want to write smut so I'm just gonna post the non-smut build-up here as an offering, here u go

Context: Best Laid Plans (nsfw link) - sfw recap: Bakura & Yami hooked up at a party and now they're talking about it. Darkshipping, previous Prideshipping mention.

&&&

The door jingled from the front of the store, and Bakura struggled not to roll his eyes as he leisurely stood - he technically wasn’t allowed to sit on the job, but as the sole closer of the little retail shop he worked at, he had free reign to do whatever the fuck he wanted. God knew his boss never checked the cameras. “Hi, welcome… to…”

Yami stood at the entryway, smiling as the door closed behind him. Autumn was in full swing in Domino City, so he was clad in an expensive-looking overcoat, only a few ornate details shy of conspicuous consumption. “I thought it was you,” he said lightly. “I saw you through the window. I didn’t take you for a retail sort.”

“Hey, it helps pay the bills,” Bakura said with a shrug, recovering as he rested his hands on his hips. “What’re you doing out this way?”

“Had some shopping to do and figured I’d take a walk around. But I’m glad I found you - what time are you done?”

Bakura raised a brow. “I’ll be out the door in… 45 minutes, tops. Why?”

“There’s a bar down the street if you’d care to join me when you’re done.”

Dinner and drinks. Bakura couldn’t help but snort even as he smiled. “Sure. You’re paying, right?”

Yami rolled his eyes. “Sure.” And with that, he stepped back outside and disappeared down the street. He was the last person to come into the store until Bakura was able to close up - it was an unfortunate time of year when business dipped to practically nothing before springing back up for the winter, which made closing a breeze but left him sitting around scrolling through his phone for most of his shift. Time always moved slower when he had something to look forward to, too, so he sat tapping his finger on the counter until the clock finally struck seven o’clock.

He’d told Yami 45 minutes, but he was out the door and heading to the bar just five minutes after he locked up, so it was closer to 30. He knew which bar Yami had been talking about; it sat right on the corner a few minutes from his workplace, and it was kind of an upper-scale bar with laminated, perfectly polished wood furnishings and brand-name liquor on the shelves. Yami was seated at the bar nursing a drink when Bakura entered, looking horribly out of place. His job required him to dress… sort of nice, but not the polished look that most of the bar’s inhabitants sported. He stifled the feeling of being an intruder and sat on the stool next to Yami, who looked over with a welcoming smile. “That was a fast 45,” he said, sipping his drink.

“No one else came in after you, so I closed up a bit early.” Bakura ordered a simple whiskey cocktail and a glass of water and sighed, tossing his hair back. “So. Was there something you wanted to talk about?”

“Kind of.” Yami took another drink - whatever he had, it was either very smooth or he was very used to it. “I haven’t seen you since the party.”

“Well, we run in very different circles. If our brothers weren’t friends, we probably would've never met at all.”

“Probably not,” Yami conceded, his brows creasing together. “But I realized - for all of my teasing about asking for my number, I completely forgot to ask for yours.”

Bakura’s heart fluttered in pride for just a moment before he held out his hand. “Gimme your phone, then.” Yami fumbled to set his drink down before fishing his phone out of his coat pocket and handing it to Bakura, who got to work putting his number in. As he typed, he couldn’t help but tease, “I’m that good, huh?”

Yami laughed, his cheeks tinging pink as he grabbed his phone and looked at Bakura’s addition to his contact list. “Well. I did say you were welcome to try me again.”

Bakura smiled in delight, leaning forward against the bar as the bartender set his drinks in front of him. “Mm. So you did.”

“But I wanted to talk to you about something first. I… suppose I just wanted to clarify what we’re doing.” Bakura sampled his drink and, deciding it was quite satisfactory, stayed quiet, which Yami took as a sign to keep talking. “The last thing I want is to lead you on. I just got out of a relationship not too long ago, and it was… messy, to say the least. I do like you, but I’m not looking for anything serious right now.”

Bakura set his drink down to chase it with some water. He liked his drinks strong, but he also knew how to pace himself. “Right, I gotcha. I’m not looking for anything serious either, so no problems there. I just think you’re insufferably hot.”

Yami had the nerve to sound a little proud as he said, “Clearly. Insufferably, though?”

“Yeah, you corporate goth academia Christian Grey.”

Yami laughed - really laughed, having to turn away to cover his mouth and disrupting the idle chatter of the bar with its gusto. It was almost shocking, and Bakura paused mid-drink to stare as Yami tried to regain his composure. “I - sorry! That was good,” he said once he caught his breath.

“I gotta get you back for all that teasing somehow,” Bakura replied with a wink, taking another sip of his drink.

“You make it too easy. Then again, so do I, I suppose.” Yami looked down at himself with a little frown. “My ex is a rather prolific businessman - some of his fashion rubbed off on me, I suppose.”

“Ooh, scandalous. Do I know him?”

Yami side-eyed him before saying quietly, “Seto Kaiba.”

Bakura had the presence of mind to swallow his drink rather than spit it out all over the nicely varnished bar. “Kaiba?” he repeated in the same hushed tone. Seto Kaiba was infamous in Domino City for being the youngest CEO in recent history - as well as being an utterly ruthless member of the gaming community. “How the hell…”

Yami finished his drink with one last swig and sighed. “It’s… Yugi and I are both rather famous in the professional Duel Monsters circuit. So is Kaiba. I’m the only person who has ever faced him and won. Eventually, our rivalry spilled over into real life and… evolved.”

“Fast-tracked the ‘rivals to lovers’ thing, huh?”

“Yes, although…” Yami looked away. “I don’t know if he ever really loved me, or if he just wanted to prove he was better than me.” Bakura shifted on his stool, suddenly uncomfortable. He’d been kidding, but… Yami had said it was messy. He seemed to notice Bakura’s reaction as he sat back and said, “Sorry. I wanted to talk about us, not him.”

“Hey, I asked. Don’t worry about it. So, friends with benefits? Hookup? What are you thinking?”

Yami’s smile returned and he nodded. “I’d… like to be friends.” After a pause, he added coyly, “The benefits are certainly nice, at least.”

Bakura winked at him. “Alright. Glad we got that settled. Hope you’re not itching for company tonight, though. Ryou and I have a - movie night!” He looked at his phone and paled at the time, standing up and chugging the rest of his drink. “Oh, shit! I gotta get home.”

“Want me to call you a cab?”

“Nah, I can catch the bus if you’re still covering the drinks.” Bakura paused his frantic packing to say, “’Til next time, Mutou.”

Yami nodded, standing up leisurely as he pulled out his wallet. “Until next time, Bakura.”

Bakura found himself smiling genuinely as he headed out of the bar and fumbled around for his transit card. Friends with benefits - he’d suggested it mostly as a joke. He was good at hook-ups, but a committed, labeled relationship for all of his physical needs, especially with someone like him… it was equal parts embarrassing and exciting.

Yami texted him shortly after he boarded his bus. ‘Feel free to tell Ryou, but I’d like if this stays quiet.’

Bakura rolled his eyes and texted back, ‘as if I can keep anything from him anyway. alright, my lips are sealed ;)’

Yami texted back a grateful praying emoji, and Bakura stared at it. Yami just kept surprising him.

[lunathebee]

Pairing: husband!Jake Lockley x wife!fem!reader

Warning: fluff, pregnancy mentioned, cursed word (like one)

A/n: this was requested by @mystinky-butt ,thank you so much for being patient with me, this took longer than I thought lol

Summary: Jake wanting to build a crib all on his own is the most dad thing ever

Jake let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes before sitting up on the bed, cracking his spine by twisting his body. It is just a normal morning routine that he does every day. It's not that strange, is it? Wrong. It is Sunday, and the clock shows 6 a.m.

But Jake is too excited. There is a place that sells diy baby cribs and he just has to get there as soon as possible. Can you imagine it? A man who used to only know about alcohol and driving now gets worried about picking the right color for a baby crib! Married for over 3 years and having a loving wife sure could turn Jake into a whole different person.

Talking about his wife, the "sleeping beauty" is still deep in sleep beside him here. Jake smiles before leaning down and kissing Y/n's shoulder. The action didn't wake Y/n up, but enough to make the woman turn around and stretch her body like a cat. "Bae? Why are you up so early? "Y/n let out a yawn and nuzzled her face into the blanket.

Jake feels a bit guilty for accidentally waking you up, but your face is too adorable. "Sorry doll, you can go back to sleep. I promise there will be a surprise for you today."

"Umm hum, hope it is some pickles" Y/n giggles while slowly falling back to sleep. Jake gives her one last kiss on the cheek before getting up to go out.

Geez, pickles? He knows you're craving many things while pregnant, but he's worried about your sodium consumption (and god forbid him go out to find you sardines again at midnight).

=== 3 hours later ===

Hubby: Hey princess, how's your morning? Are you home?

Y/n's phone buzzes with Jake's text. She quickly put down the silverware and snapped a quick photo to text him back.

Love: I'm at this new place with Layla! Their pancakes are so good. We're shopping for baby clothes later too, so I won't be back home any time soon. Love you <3

*attached one picture*

Jake take a peek at the picture you sent while driving. It looks like you're having a fun time with the curly-haired girl (and your syrup drenched pancake).

This can't be more perfect! Jake will arrive home in 5 minutes, assemble the baby crib, and then when Y/N gets home, he will surprise her with it! It won't take more than 30 minutes...right?

It turns out it is way harder than he thought. "Ah...fuck...so this is not here...and this." Jake cursed while holding up 2 wooden sticks, eyes still glued to the instruction paper.

It's been over an hour and he has something that looks like a chair in front of him. This is only Jake's fault to blame, he ordered an XL crib without a second thought.

Finally, after struggling for another 45 minutes, Jake stood up with sweats rolled down his forehead, hands on his hips, looking at the baby crib. He had made it!

Jake let out a relieved sigh when you're still not home yet. He needed to lay down for a bit and rest. But somehow, a rest turns into Jake in full on snoring mode, ignoring his phone buzzing like crazy.

Love: Back home in 15 mintues! Can't wait to see your surprise

Love: *attached 4 pictures* baby clothes!

sent 5 minutes ago

Love: What are you doing??

Love: Bae?

After receiving no texts whatsoever, Y/N decided to just go home first and check on Jake. What awaits her when she peeks into the living room is enough to make her face light up like a child.

A baby crib! A big one too, in pastel (f/c), next to it is Jake sleeping peacefully. Y/n has to hold her laughter while tiptoeing near him; this is too good to not take a picture!

After posting it on social media, Y/N kneels down and kisses her husband, shaking his shoulder lightly to wake him up. "Baby, you shouldn't sleep on the floor; you will catch a cold."

Jake blinks a few times in surprise when he sees you. He has fallen asleep without knowing and unintentionally ruined the surprise.

"What do you mean ruined? I love it! The colour is lovely. This is the best surprise ever. Thank you hun." Y/n laughs while giving Jake a deep kiss, feeling him smile in return.

===☾︎ ☾︎ ☾︎ BONUS ☾︎ ☾︎ ☾︎===

Y/n_Lockley post a new picture:

*pic showed her belly and Jake sleeping near the baby crib*

Caption: Guess who is the real big baby here 🤭🤭

Liked by _Layla_EF and 281 others

See all 55 comments

⬇️ Top comments

_Layla_EF: Omgggg is that Jake??

YourmyGus: Great pic Y/n! The baby crib is huge, you sure that's for baby?

Marc.Marc.Marc: You should never delete this post Y/n 😂😂

IamnotKhonshoe: jdnclacu nd!

[wheretogoph-blog]

7 PROVINCES IN 6 DAYS (Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, and Capiz)

This trip was both exhausting and incredibly rewarding! I planned it for my 26th birthday. After six months of research, I finally created an itinerary that perfectly matched my flight schedule. Yes, I bought the plane tickets before finalizing the itinerary. I’m excited to share all the details with you—this will be VERY detailed!

Where to start?

I started my trip in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, for easier transportation. My flight was 7AM.

I booked a flight from Manila (MNL) to Dumaguete (DGT) with Cebu Pacific. My flight was originally scheduled for 7 AM, but there was a one-hour delay. Fortunately, my tour guide was very kind and waited for me at the airport.

Day 1: Dumaguete, Negros Oriental

9:30 AM: Arrive at Dumaguete–Sibulan Airport. 9:30 AM – 9:45 AM: Wait for my checked baggage. 9:45 AM – 10:00 AM: Freshen up at the airport. It’s a small airport with only two restrooms, so it was a bit crowded. 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Meet up with Kuya Thony for the Dumaguete-Valencia Tour. I was a bit shy at first because I was running late, but Kuya Thony was incredibly understanding. I had booked a solo tour with him two months in advance. Despite the rain throughout the tour, which I usually dislike, we pushed on and I eventually forgot about the weather.

Here are the places we visited on the tour, including the entrance fees:

Subida Souvenirs Cata-al Museum: Donation only Tierra Alta: PHP 100 per person, PHP 50 for parking Sulfur Vent: No entrance fee Pulangbato Falls: PHP 100 per person, free parking Redrock Hotspring: PHP 100 per person, free parking Forestcamp Resort: PHP 200 per person, PHP 30 for parking Chada Valencia: No entrance fee Dumaguete Signage: No entrance fee Rizal Boulevard: No entrance fee Cathedral: No entrance fee Silliman View: No entrance fee Sansrival Pasalubong: Depends on what you buy Monkey Sanctuary: No entrance fee. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see any monkeys because of the rain, though I spotted some in the distance on the mountains. Dove Feeding Plaza: No entrance fee, but you need to buy bird feed to attract the birds for photos. I opted for the larger feed, which cost PHP 50. 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM: Arrive at the hostel, Antwet Backpacker’s Inn & Rooftop Bar, for PHP 449.98 per night. After settling in and taking a bath, I headed out again at 7 PM. The hostel is conveniently located in front of the Negros Oriental Provincial Capitol.

I explored the area, took some pictures, and visited Rizal Boulevard, which was also part of the tour. Kuya Thony had mentioned it’s especially lively at night, and he was right—it was vibrant and full of energy.

Since I wasn’t very hungry, I looked for a café near the boulevard and found Tom N Toms Coffee. I ordered a mango yogurt smoothie for PHP 200. It was decent, and I spent about 30 minutes there before heading back to the hostel.

I prepared my things for Siquijor before sleeping.

Day 2: Siquijor

I booked a fast craft ticket in advance via the Oceanjet website, which cost approximately PHP 750 for a round-trip ticket. I mistakenly thought that purchasing the ticket online meant I wouldn’t need to wait in line at the port. Unfortunately, I was wrong. First, there was a long line to get a physical ticket, and then another line for the terminal fee payment of PHP 15. It would be helpful if they included all fees on the website to streamline the process for tourists. I wasn’t the only one confused; many other travelers seemed to be in the same boat. The travel time is approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

There’s also a cheaper ferry option costing around PHP 400 round-trip, with a travel time of about 2 hours.

5:30 AM – 6:00 AM: Wake up and prepare. I was supposed to check out of the hostel and leave my luggage there, but the reception was unavailable. So, I ended up booking another night through the Agoda app. I couldn’t reach the property representative either.

6:00 AM – 6:30 AM: Breakfast at Jollibee, which is conveniently located near the hostel.

6:30 AM – 6:40 AM: Head to the Port of Dumaguete. Remember to bring a valid ID, as it’s required for entry.

6:40 AM – 7:00 AM: Wait in line to get a physical ticket and pay the terminal fee.

7:00 AM – 7:20 AM: Wait for departure.

7:20 AM – 7:30 AM: Boarding. One thing I love about Oceanjet is their punctuality—they’re always on time!

7:30 AM – 8:15 AM: Fast craft ride from Dumaguete to Siquijor.

8:30 AM: Meet my tour guide, Kuya Dehm, outside the terminal. Although he wasn’t the guide I initially booked, everything went smoothly during the tour!

8:30 AM – 5:00 PM: Siquijor Tour—an action-packed day exploring the island. Here are the places we visited, along with their entrance fees:

Welcome to Siquijor: Free, located just outside the port

Saint Francis of Assisi: No entrance fee

Paliton Beach: No entrance fee; donation requested for photo ops by locals

Pitugo Cliff: PHP 30, plus PHP 30 for parking

Old Enchanted Balete Tree: PHP 20

Hapitanan Broom Shot: No entrance fee; donation requested for photo ops by locals

Lazi Church: No entrance fee

Lazi Convent: No entrance fee

Cambugahay Falls: PHP 20, plus PHP 30 for parking

Molave Man-Made Forest: No entrance fee

Salagdoong Beach: PHP 50 entrance fee, plus PHP 20 for parking

Cang-Isok Old House: No entrance fee; only for sightseeing, as you cannot enter

Lilibeth Pan Bisaya

Kuya Dehm and I parted ways at exactly 5:15 PM outside the port where we initially met. The Siquijor port is more convenient than Dumaguete’s. I just showed my e-ticket and paid the terminal fee. Although there were plenty of tourists, the line moved surprisingly fast. I waited until 6:00 PM.

6:00 PM – 6:15 PM: Boarding.

6:15 PM – 7:10 PM: Fast craft ride from Siquijor to Dumaguete. This was the most terrifying hour of my life—the weather was cold, the craft was fast, and the waves were huge due to the rain. It felt like a roller coaster ride. The woman sitting next to me said the rough ride was normal, though the waves were higher than usual. After this nerve-wracking journey, I took a tricycle back to the hostel. The caretaker was very kind and said it was no problem to leave my things in the room, even suggesting I shouldn’t have booked another night as it was unnecessary.

I checked out at 9:00 PM and headed to the Ceres Bus Terminal for the 10:00 PM bus to Bacolod. To my surprise, the only available bus was an ordinary one. The conductor advised me to wait for the 1:00 AM air-conditioned bus, which would be more comfortable.

In the midst of it all, I forgot to have dinner on my birthday! I quickly took a tricycle to Bazinga Dumaguete, where I enjoyed a burger and fries combo for PHP 200. It was delicious! I stayed there until 11:30 PM and then returned to the terminal, where I almost missed the bus.

1:00 AM: The bus departed for Bacolod. I slept throughout the journey to save time and hotel expenses.

Day 3: Bacolod, Negros Occidental and Iloilo

I arrived in Bacolod at 6:00 AM and had breakfast at a carinderia next to the terminal—one rice and hotdog for just PHP 35, plus a free soup!

Since it was too early for the museum and The Ruins, I decided to explore the area:

7:00 AM – 7:45 AM: I took a tricycle to the Plaza, which was only a 3-minute ride, but the driver asked for PHP 200. I was unsure and ended up paying him. I took a leisurely stroll around the plaza and visited the following attractions:

Bacolod Plaza Bandstand Welcome to Bacolod City arch City of Smiles San Sebastian Church 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM: Enjoyed coffee at Dunkin’.

8:15 AM – 8:50 AM: Walked to Capitol Park and Lagoon.

8:50 AM – 9:45 AM: Visited The Negros Museum.

9:45 AM – 10:40 AM: Took a Grab to The Ruins, but unfortunately, it was closed for an event.

10:40 AM – 11:30 AM: Headed to Manokan Country and had lunch at Aida’s Chicken. The chicken inasal was decent.

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Stopped by SM City Bacolod, which is conveniently located just in front.

12:00 PM – 12:15 PM: Walked to Bacolod Port and waited until my departure at 1:00 PM.

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Arrived in Iloilo, took a tricycle to my hotel, and checked in.

2:20 PM: Arrived at the hotel, which was quite old and lacked an elevator. My room was on the third floor, so I rested until 4:00 PM before continuing my tour.

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM: Started a walking tour around Iloilo:

Calle Real Sunburst Park Plaza Libertad 4:30 PM – 4:45 PM: Commute to La Paz Market by bus with a La Paz signboard.

4:45 PM – 6:00 PM: Had an early dinner:

Netong’s Original Special La Paz Batchoy Madge Coffee, the oldest coffee shop in Iloilo 6:00 PM – 6:15 PM: Took a bus to Jaro with a Jaro signboard.

6:15 PM – 7:00 PM: Explored Jaro:

Jaro Plaza Graciano Lopez Jaena Park Campanario de Jaro Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral 7:00 PM – 7:20 PM: Returned to Iloilo City Proper.

7:20 PM: Arrived back at the hotel.

I must say, Iloilo City has an excellent transportation system. Buses seem to go everywhere, which is very convenient. Plus, the hotel I booked is located in the city center, making it easy to get around.

Day 4: Guimaras

6:00 AM – 6:30 AM: Prepare to head to the port.

6:30 AM – 6:50 AM: Travel from the hotel to Parola Wharf. Advanced booking isn’t necessary. There are various fast crafts available, with fares ranging from PHP 15 to PHP 30 one way. I chose the PHP 30 option because it’s air-conditioned.

7:00 AM – 7:20 AM: Ride the fast craft from Parola Wharf to Jordan Wharf.

7:20 AM – 4:00 PM: Met my tour guide, Kuya Ryan, and we started the tour right away. Here are the sites we visited:

Jordan Signages: No entrance fee.

Smallest Plaza: No entrance fee.

Windmills and Man-Made Forest: PHP 30 entrance fee, PHP 20 parking fee.

Pitstop Restaurant (for Mango Pizza): I was skeptical, but it turned out to be surprisingly good! Free parking.

Guimaras Signages: Free parking.

Trappist Monastery: Free parking; donation requested for candles.

Guisi Lighthouse: PHP 30 entrance fee, PHP 20 parking fee.

4:00 PM – 4:20 PM: Travel back from Jordan Wharf to Parola Wharf.

4:20 PM – 4:40 PM: Return to the hotel to freshen up.

5:00 PM – 5:25 PM: Commute to Molo Plaza.

5:25 PM – 6:30 PM: Relax and explore Molo Plaza—there’s so much to see and do!

6:30 PM – 6:45 PM: Return to the hotel by riding a bus bound to Iloilo City proper.

6:45 PM – 7:30 PM: Prepare for bed and get ready for the trip to Antique.

Day 5: Antique

I woke up before my alarm and quickly got ready to start the day.

5:00 AM: Wake up.

5:15 AM – 5:45 AM: Prepare for the trip to Antique.

5:45 AM – 6:15 AM: Walk to the public market behind Robinsons Place Iloilo. I needed to catch a jeepney with the “Mohon Terminal” signage. I was a bit anxious about commuting since there weren’t many clear instructions online. Thankfully, the hotel receptionist kindly advised me to head to the back of Robinsons Place Iloilo and wait for the right jeepney.

6:15 AM: Arrived at Mohon Terminal. I was initially confused because the only bus there was headed to Kalibo. Fortunately, I asked the driver, who confirmed that the bus would pass by Anini-y, Antique, my destination. I boarded the bus to Kalibo but informed the driver to drop me off in Antique.

6:30 AM – 8:30 AM: Travel from Mohon Terminal to Siraan Hot Spring and Health Resort in Anini-y, Antique.

8:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Enjoyed relaxing at Siraan Hot Spring and Health Resort. The sulfur hot spring was wonderful, and the resort’s cliffside location offered stunning views. I would have loved to stay overnight, but I had other tours planned.

12:00 PM – 2:30 PM: Headed back to the hotel. I waited for a bus bound for Iloilo outside the resort. The bus dropped me off at Mohon Terminal, where I caught a ride back to Iloilo City proper.

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Freshened up at the hotel and then prepared for an Iloilo City tour.

3:30 PM – 3:45 PM: Took a bus with a “La Paz” sign from Iloilo City. This bus also passed by the museums.

3:45 PM – 6:00 PM: Explored the museums:

Museo Iloilo

National Museum Western Visayas Regional Museum (This one was particularly interesting; it was converted from an old prison into a museum.)

Both museums are conveniently located side by side.

6:00 PM – 6:20 PM: Rode the bus back to Iloilo City proper and stopped at Robinsons Place Iloilo for dinner.

6:20 PM – 6:45 PM: Dined at JD Bakery Café. I tried their Molo soup, which was decent.

6:45 PM – 7:30 PM: Strolled around Robinsons Place and nearly forgot to buy pasalubong. Luckily, there was a Biscocho Haus kiosk nearby!

7:30 PM – 7:40 PM: Returned to the hotel.

7:40 PM – 8:00 PM: Prepared for the trip to Capiz and then went to sleep.

Day 6: Capiz

I woke up extra early to prepare my check-in baggage. I had bought a bit too much biscocho and butterscotch, so I needed the extra time.

4:00 AM: Wake up.

4:00 AM – 5:30 AM: Prepare for Capiz and check out. I left my luggage at the hotel lobby before heading out.

5:30 AM – 6:00 AM: Went to the back of Robinsons Place again to wait for a jeepney bound for Jaro, as it would pass by Ceres Northbound Terminal.

6:00 AM – 9:30 AM: Traveled from Ceres Northbound Terminal to Roxas City Integrated Transport Terminal. There was light traffic, and we made a 15-minute stop in Passi City.

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM: From Roxas City Integrated Transport Terminal to Roxas City Plaza.

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Explored the city. Here are the places I visited:

Roxas City Plaza

Manuel A. Roxas Monument

Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral (Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Capiz)

Capiz Provincial Capitol

Ang Panublion Museum

Pres. Manuel A. Roxas Ancestral House

I initially planned to visit The Edge, but it was an hour away, and traffic was heavy.

12:00 PM – 12:15 PM: Took a tricycle back to the Integrated Transport Terminal.

12:15 PM – 4:00 PM: Travelled from the Integrated Transport Terminal to Ceres Northbound Terminal in Iloilo.

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM: From Ceres Northbound Terminal to the hotel in Iloilo. I took a jeepney bound for Iloilo City proper.

4:30 PM – 5:00 PM: I had planned to book a Grab to the Iloilo Airport, but fortunately, I found a couple of travelers also heading to the airport. The hotel offered a transfer service that was much cheaper—PHP 150 compared to the PHP 500 Grab fare.

5:00 PM – 5:45 PM: Transferred from the hotel to Iloilo Airport.

5:45 PM – 6:00 PM: Checked in.

My flight was originally scheduled for 7:30 PM, but as usual, there was a delay. We ended up boarding at 9:40 PM. You know there’s a delay when you see a Jollibee box at the gate!

10:00 PM – 11:15 PM: Flew from Iloilo to Manila.

EXPENSES

Dasma to Baclaran: PHP 60

Baclaran to Airport: PHP 200

MNL to DGT RT with 20kg check-in baggage: PHP 4,771.12

Breakfast at the airport: PHP 150

Coffee: PHP 255

Dumaguete-Valencia tour (tricycle, good for 2 pax): PHP 1,300 (Motorcycle tour for solo pax costs PHP 1,000)

Tip: PHP 500

Lunch: PHP 1,300

Coffee: PHP 100

Tour entrance fees: PHP 730

Hotel (2 nights): PHP 996

Cafe smoothie: PHP 200

Coffee: PHP 200

Souvenir: PHP 300

Total for Day 1: PHP 11,062.12

Day 2

Dumaguete to Siquijor RT OceanJet ticket: PHP 750

Tricycle to port: PHP 20

Breakfast: PHP 120

Coffee: PHP 200

Terminal fee RT: PHP 30

Siquijor tricycle tour: PHP 1,300

Tip: PHP 500

Lunch: PHP 1,200

Entrance fees: PHP 500

Souvenirs: PHP 500

Refresher: PHP 200

Tricycle from Dumaguete port to hotel: PHP 20

Tricycle to Ceres bus terminal: PHP 50

Tricycle from Ceres bus terminal to Bazinga: PHP 50

Tricycle from Bazinga to Ceres bus terminal: PHP 100

Dinner: PHP 250

Dumaguete to Bacolod bus fare: PHP 510

Total for Day 2: PHP 6,300

Day 3

Breakfast: PHP 35

Ceres terminal to plaza: PHP 200

Entrance fee: PHP 100

Coffee: PHP 100

Grab from Capitol to The Ruins: PHP 220

Grab from The Ruins to Manokan County: PHP 220

Lunch plus tip: PHP 250

Coffee at the terminal: PHP 50

Tricycle to hotel: PHP 100

Hotel (4 nights): PHP 3,462

Iloilo City to La Paz: PHP 15

Dinner: PHP 165

La Paz to Jaro: PHP 15

Cafe: PHP 200

Grab back to hotel: PHP 164

Total for Day 3: PHP 5,196

Day 4

Grab from hotel to Parola Wharf: PHP 125

Coffee: PHP 200

Iloilo to Guimaras RT: PHP 60

Tricycle tour: PHP 1,500

Tip: PHP 500

Entrance fee: PHP 200

Lunch: PHP 1,000

Parola Wharf to hotel: PHP 130

Iloilo City to Molo Plaza: PHP 15

Souvenir: PHP 100

Total for Day 4: PHP 3,830

Day 5

Iloilo City to Mohon Terminal: PHP 18

Coffee: PHP 200

Iloilo City to Anini-y: PHP 210

Siraan Hot Spring entrance: PHP 150

Anini-y to Iloilo: PHP 210

Lunch: PHP 150

Coffee: PHP 180

Entrance fee: PHP 200

Dinner: PHP 150

Pasalubong: PHP 5,000

Total for Day 5: PHP 6,318

Day 6

Iloilo City to Ceres Terminal: PHP 15

Ceres Terminal to Roxas City: PHP 210

Bus from terminal to plaza: PHP 15

Entrance fee: PHP 50

Coffee: PHP 165

Lunch: PHP 200

Tricycle from plaza to terminal: PHP 100

Roxas City to Ceres Terminal Iloilo: PHP 210

Ceres Terminal to hotel: PHP 15

Grab from hotel to airport: PHP 150

Coffee: PHP 250

Dinner: Free (due to delayed flight)

Coffee: PHP 255

Grab from airport to Dasma: PHP 1,500

Total for Day 6: PHP 3,135

Total Expenses for the Trip: PHP 35,841.12

Overall, this trip was the most expensive and exhausting journey I’ve ever undertaken, but it proved to be profoundly fulfilling. The Visayas region, with its stunning landscapes and vibrant culture, particularly Dumaguete, has truly captured my heart. Dumagueteños are some of the kindest and most welcoming people I’ve ever met. Their warmth and hospitality made every moment of the trip memorable and worthwhile.

Despite the challenges, such as navigating the various transportation options and managing expenses, the experience was enriching. From the breathtaking natural beauty to the rich cultural experiences, every aspect of the trip added value to my journey. The sense of community and the genuine kindness of the locals left a lasting impression on me.

If I ever decide to settle down or retire, Dumaguete will undoubtedly be at the top of my list. Its charm, combined with the incredible people and the serene environment, makes it a perfect place for a future home. The memories and experiences from this trip have cemented my affection for this wonderful region, and I look forward to returning someday.

[mdrblogblog]

Welcome members, to our 15th year of dirt biking fun! The way that MDR has grown over the years is absolutely astonishing and as part of the board we are so thankful for each of you! Each person, each family, each rider, each volunteer, each sponsor...the list goes on, but because of each person, MDR is what it is today! What an incredible place to be! You will start seeing many posts from me as we lead into our 15th season and we kick off our 2023 Manitoba Cup at Fisher Rocks & Logs in Fisher Branch, MB!

So, this post is simply just some updates before race day registration opens (those details are coming soon). Take a peek because these will affect quite a few riders, but in a great way!

First on the agenda is the Intermediate Race. At the AGM it was discussed to add an additional colour for the sportsman loop as we have been adding a little extra on the track to help prep for the big loop. So our colours for race times are as follows:

-Beginner Race (Sat 1:00/Sun 8:30) will be BLUE

-PeeWee (Sat 2:15/Sun 9:45) will be PINK

-Intermediate SHORT Race (Sat 3:00/Sun 11:00) will be PURPLE

-Intermediate LONG Race (Sat 3:00/Sun 11:00) will be ORANGE

-Advanced Race (Sat 5:00/Sun 1:00) will be ORANGE

***The website will reflect these as well in the Race Classes section in the 'Race Loop' category, so if ever unsure, a quick check there will help.

Second on the agenda, while we mention the colours, the race times have been adjusted as well! So, Beginner and Advanced are NOT affected, but Sunday race times are a little different. Pee Wee Race will begin at 9:45 (instead of 9:30) and Intermediate will beginat 11:00 (instead of 10:30). At the AGM it was also voted on that the intermediate race will be REDUCED to One Hour (instead of the 90 minutes). This jumps into my next topic...

Third item...TEAM RACES! They are back and in full swing! With the reduction of time for the intermediate race, this now gives a little extra breath to those that want to have some extra fun and jump into the team race! The Team Race is Sunday only, points are counted, trophies will be given, and this is a great way to keep riding but be able to take a breather in between laps. How does it work? Team of 2, one rider starts and completes a full lap, bump your partners tire just after the yellow ribbon of timing and scoring and your partner goes out while you hydrate, then repeat, until the race is over. The advanced race is 2 hours in length, so count on a couple laps! Also note, that in order to ride the team race, you do need to already be an orange loop rider for the safety off all riders out there.

Next item up is Memberships! Memberships are currently open online for the year, BUT please remember that online memberships will close on Friday, May 12. After this, memberships will need to be purchased in person at the scoring trailer with cash. So if you need a membership and want to use PayPal, you still have about a week to do so.

Number 5 today is volunteering! We will have our volunteer sign up sheet available when registration opens and we really hope to see some familiar faces along with new faces this year. We are volunteer driven and we would like to get back into that amazing part of the club where we can lean on our members to help out. There are some spots that are the length of a race, some that are quick and easy, some that are a little longer, but we have a variety of options and all help is appreciated. Please check in with our Volunteer Coodinator to clarify any positions and to learn how!

I think that's it for this post! Stay tuned, there will be more coming as we get close to the start of the 2023 season!

Thank you! See you soooooooon!!

MDR Board

[thedahliafrog]

Warrior's Plight & The Blood Curse

Warrior's Plight

Warrior's Plight is a type of mushroom that sprouts in the gardens of blood healers

The blood healers don't actually sow the mushrooms themselves, however when they do pop up they nurture and tend to them

Most experienced healers understand that Warrior's Plight is dangerous, should only be grown in small, very easily seen patches, and should be uprooted from any other place in the garden

This mushroom isn't prone to growing anywhere else and will only appear in a blood healer's garden

In order to survive Warrior's Plight must absorb a mixture of water and blood, and often the healers feed them with animal blood

This causes it to be very valuable on the battlefield, where a powder made of the mushroom is sprinkles onto bandages that are then wrapped around the wound of a warrior in order to stop the bleeding

However the process to create this powder is very meticulous and if not done properly the powder could instead cause the wounded to bleed more

The Blood Curse

The Blood Curse is a disease caused by the mushroom spores from Warrior's Plight

It was given this name because people didn't properly understand it and thought it was a curse from the gods

It's a very zombie esque disease

Outbreaks are very rare because most blood healers understand how to deal with these mushrooms or they are apprentices to healers who know how

However occasionally a new blood healer won't be taken under a master and will accidentally cause an outbreak

The new blood healers don't properly search their gardens for Warrior's Plight (because they don't know to) and their garden ends up overpopulated

*Warning for descriptions of sickness and death

The blood healer becomes infected as the surplus amount of spores filter into their lungs and infiltrate their blood streams

In the span of an hour the natural properties of Warrior's Plight will begin to take full effect and will block the blood, eventually trying to push it out of the body as the mushrooms begin to grow

The first three hours are the first stage of the disease, and after the fist hour the infected person will begin to frequently nosebleed and cough up blood

The second stage starts directly after this. During the first 30 minutes the infected person's body will begin to feel heavy, and after that 30 minute period the person will no longer be able to move for the next hour

The third stage is the last stage in which it is possible to cure the sickness

The infected person still retains consciousness during this stage, however no longer has any control over their body

At this point Warrior's Plight has reached the brain and will take control, searching for more hosts

During this stage blood will begin to continuously leak from the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, the infected person will begin to move again, and their body will search for the next target. Once this target is found the body will attack, seeking to infect that being as well

This stage last for around 45 minutes as the being's consciousness slowly fades

Once the body enters the fourth stage it can no longer be cured

The body will stumble around looking for more victims for an undetermined amount of time

When the body finally loses the entirety of its blood the body will collapse dead on the ground

However the corpse can still effect other beings if consumed or if the blood gets in a wound, and as such all bodies of infected should be burned

This is inspired by a dream I had. It was terrifying.

[seungstarss]

𝐁 𝐄 𝐓 ≛ 30 Sunday

wc: 1.2k +

「 8:45 PM : ❛❛ GET A HOT DRINK ❜❜ 」

Heeseung wore a negligent expression, eyes dead with a gaze full of indifference. Yet somehow, he still managed to be undeniably attractive, tall, well-groomed, with an overbearing aura. He provoked gossip and was one of the most debated subjects on campus — no one could keep his name out of their mouths. Girls flocked to him, but he remained aloof, unfazed by the amount of attention he received. However, he did know his relevance, using it as an upper hand to get what he wanted.

The Heeseung, who was now adjusting Y/n's seatbelt was different. He still smoked in public and spoke bluntly, however, his usual frowns pulled upwards when he saw Y/n. He was friendly with her, paying attention to every single word she said.

"I'm not sure why the seatbelt is so tangled," he mumbled, leaning closer to Y/n as he fixed the problem. "No one has even sat here for weeks."

Y/n felt tense as the boy passed the boundaries of her personal space, but she couldn't utter a single word. He was helping her. What more could he be doing?

"All done," Heeseung grinned, wiping his hands on his ripped jeans. "We can get going now, but before that, let's stop by a coffee shop."

It was around seven in the evening; the sun was about to set, and all warmth, by eight, would soon vanish. Y/n tugged on her thick puffer, unzipping it due to the contrasting warm temperature in the car. "Sure thing, let's do that."

—

The drive was entertaining, full of laughter and pure enjoyment of Heeseung's odd music taste. He didn't share his music often and found it intriguing how much Y/n enjoyed it, smiling at both the sunset and him.

"We're here. This place has a drive-through, so we won't even have to get out," Heeseung spoke, eyes on the path ahead of him. "What do you want to drink?"

"An iced coffee sounds simple and good," Y/n spoke as she scanned the electronic board displaying the menu.

"I suggest you get a hot drink," Heeseung urged, tone full of confidence. "It might be hot in the car, but the temperature may fall below zero later at night."

"Oh, you're right. Then I'll get a large French vanilla."

Heeseung nodded before rolling down his window to speak. "Hi, we'll get a large French vanilla and a small coffee."

After the voice on the other side confirmed his order, Heeseung drove to the next window, where he paid and received the orders.

"How much was it? Let me pay you back," Y/n spoke, digging into her tote bag for her wallet.

"No worries," Heeseung winked. "Think of it as a treat."

Y/n scoffed at his response, sinking into her seat, as she peered outside the window. "It seems pretty rural out here. Are we almost there?"

"Yep, just five minutes away," Heeseung smirked, driving down a rather bumpy road. The sun was now nowhere to be seen, already set and asleep. The time was now approaching nine.

"We're here," Heeseung spoke as he parked his car near the grassy hill. He quickly got out of the car before making his way over to Y/n's side, opening the door for her.

"Do we need to climb up the hill?" Y/n questioned as she slipped out of the car, adjusting her bag and clothing.

"Yep, we go up the hill and down on the other side. That's where the track is. But you could watch on the highest point of the hill if you wanted to."

The pair slowly trudged up the hill, side by side, as Heeseung saw Y/n struggle with the mud. He chuckled at her, offering his arm. "You look like you're having a bit of trouble, love."

Shooting him a glare, Y/n nudged his arm away. "Shut up, I can walk perfectly fine."

The sight on the top of the hill overlooked most of the racetrack, giving Y/n a good view. Her eyes landed on a few pairs of lovers, who seemed to be enjoying late-night picnics near the track.

"This is the ending point. It'll be easier to watch if you stay here. I'll go to the starting point, and you can watch us make our way to the finish line." Heeseung smirked, handing her a small blanket. "You'll need this, it might get chillier."

"Thanks," Y/n spoke, zipping up her jacket before taking the blanket Heeseung had offered. "The race starts at nine-thirty, right?"

Heeseung gave her a soft nod before turning around. "I'll get going now. I don't wanna be running late."

"Sure, sure, it's already nine-ten! You better run."

Heeseung shot y/n a wink before disappearing down the hill.

Y/n made her way down towards the track as she examined it. "Isn't this track a little too sandy for car races?" Y/n thought, tilting her head in confusion. Not wanting to question too much, she shrugged it off as she laid the blanket down on the grass, creating a decent seating area.

The sky darkened rapidly, the wind picking up its speed as it became increasingly colder. Y/n's eyes shifted towards the couples who were having picnics and were now getting up to leave. She assumed more people would arrive to watch, but no one came — they all left instead.

Y/n sat confused, gripping the warm drink in her hand as she constantly checked the time on her phone. It was now ten-thirty. She had been waiting for more than an hour, not hearing a single sign of a car engine. Perhaps the race itself started later due to complications, but something in y/n's stomach churned restlessly. She had a bad feeling.

She reached in her bag for a scarf, wishing she had worn more layers. Her fingers were pale, lacking colour as she shook uncontrollably from the mournful cold. She knew it was wrong to call someone when they were driving, but she couldn't help but dial Heeseung's number, attempting to reach him.

She had rung his cell ten times.

No one answered.

Y/n slowly made her way closer to the sandy track, eyes focusing on the numbers she had not seen the first time she examined the area. Her stomach dropped as soon as it dawned on her. Before her eyes wasn't a speedway — it was a long-distance running track for marathon runners.

Her teeth were jittering, unable to feel her fingers and contain the fear as she scrolled through her recent contacts. Jay was at the top, and he was the only person she had notified about her trip to watch Heeseung's race. She had no other choice but to call him.

He picked up in two rings.

"Y/n? What's up? I thought you were watching Heeseung's race?" Jay spoke.

"Jay," Y/n paused, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Her heart felt heavy. The feeling of sharp needles puncturing her chest was all too familiar to her. She had just experienced it a few weeks ago, thinking it was going to be the last time. "I'm... not s-sure where I am, but... I'll try to look for some road signs... please pick me up."

Jay's calm voice was now louder, worry lacing every single word he spoke. "Y/n, why is your voice shaking? What do you mean you don't know where you are? Aren't you with Heeseung? Where the fuck is Heeseung? Y/n, what is going on?"

"Jay... I think he abandoned me.

"𝐁𝐄𝐓≛ /. MASTERLIST

⇦ previous | next ⇨

SYNOPSIS. after jake takes a new liking to his friend’s diligent liberal arts partner, he decides to start a bet with his friends. “lets play a game. whoever can win her heart gets anything, anything they want.”

taglist.

@fiantomartell

@terrytaehyunnies @nyujjan @softforqiankun @redikuluspupil @berriniki @hobistigma @punneysushi01 @jdyunvrs @icywhatim @deathena @dear-dreamie @sunghoonsflwr @neovrse @whoe-dis @primorange @enhacolor @sunghonkers @shoftiiel @luv3iza @ncityy04 @jjun4thitboy @j3ntle @studioreader @elicheel @nyfwyeonjun @enheyy @abdiitcryy @angxlsj-wi @atinyyylove @chuntians @msxflower @luv4dream @ohmy-fandoms @jayk1wrld @90sni-ki @mymeloem19 @bunniin @hwalllllllelujah @milkycloudtyg @kingkaithekiwi @liliansun @witheeseung @c9tnoos @hoonbokki @killyoselff @myluckycat @yougeans @blank-velvet @cha-raena

[allthingsfern]

Me in NYC 2022: My first night

After a quiet, calm flight (well, I was excited AF, but the flight itself, the ride on the plane, was quiet, calm , smooth), I got to JFK at 8:55 pm and grabbed a taxi to Manhattan, to Harlem, where I stayed. This was my third time in NYC but it was my first taxi ride in New York. I mean, to me, when you visit NYC, you have to ride the subway at least once and you have to ride in a taxi at least once. Well, this trip I checked off the taxi ride box.

Sadly, most of the drive from JFK to NYC is dull, on a lowered expressway with barriers, so there was not much to see, but in about 45 minutes, I was at the Aloft Harlem, a nifty little (boutique?) hotel with friendly staff and a comfortable, minimalist decor, and a cool uptown vibe.

I was hungry and asked the young woman at the front desk where I could find a restaurant that serves good vegan food. She recommended Vinateria, about four blocks away. I looked it up and Yelp said it closed at 11:00 pm, so I walked over. It was about 10:10 pm when I walked into the place and it looked nice, and I was even hungrier. A young man (turned out he was the owner) approached me and, when I asked to be seated, he informed me the kitchen had closed at 10:00 pm. I groaned and then asked him where he thought I could get a somewhat-good vegan anything, and he just told me, “Never mind, What would you like to eat?”

I answered that a good plate of pasta would be wonderful and that I would trust his choice, to surprise me, as long as the dish was vegan and it was easy to make, since I did not want to upset his kitchen staff. (BTW, I do this often when I eat out. If I cannot make up my mind between a couple of menu items, I tell the server to bring me the one they prefer, and to just surprise me; I always wind up eating really good food and the server is happy to have their opinion validated a little.) He asked me to sit at the bar and went to the kitchen.

The bartender, a young women who turns 30 this month, was very friendly and we talked about a whole bunch of stuff, including sharing insights about bartending (I was a bartender for about 2 years and then every so often for events) and life and family and birthdays. I ordered a shot of Aperitivo Cappelletti (I love Campari, but they did not have it), which was delicious.

Anyway, great place, great booze, great bartender. Then the owner brings me a roll and some vegan butter. I died. The roll was whole grain, still warm (they bake their own) and reminded me of the awesome bread you can get anywhere in Germany. And a few minutes later, the pasta arrived. OMFG It was some kind of green pasta, I assume spinach pasta (I did not ask) in a yummy dill pesto sauce (without cheese).

I was in heaven.

When I finished I thanked them profusely and tipped the bartender well, then walked back to my hotel. I was full of good food and pleasant company and was walking the streets of Harlem in NYC.

It was a cold but beautiful night.

The lovely hotel and the pleasant walk and the lovely restaurant with friendly staff and superb food and drink were all a sign that my trip was going to be fun and exciting and everything NYC is supposed to be for tourists. And I was looking forward to meeting @matthewschiavello​ and @that-window-in-harlem​ in person.

My first night in NYC was a living, waking dream.

[matryosika]

shoot me, chapter VI

pairing — changbin x reader

rating — 18+

genre of the overall series — smut, angst, fluff if you squint

prologue chapter I chapter II chapter III chapter IV chapter V chapter VI

word count for this chapter — 4.1 k

warnings — mentions of alcohol and emotional abuse

note — this chapter has no smut in it. still, the love-story gets completely developed here. next chapters will be filled with smut and angst so stay tuned! i haven't read this chapter because i wanted to upload it as soon as possible, so it may contain grammar mistakes. i will check it later since i have to go out with my family to have dinner! <3 hope you enjoy

taglist:@cozyblues @ahgasearmyfan @binnie-m00n @minaamhh @pinkishwen @spilledtee

*

[changbin's pov]

"so?" you asked him, modeling one of the dresses that you had previously selected from the expensive clothing shop "what do you think?"

she looks like a goddess.

"good" changbin limited to reply. "is that the last one?"

"c'mon you are not helping at all" you grunted, turning around slightly on the mirror to see the full silhouette of the dress "this might be the one, don't you think?"

i think so. i think you look perfect in all the things you have tried on, actually.

"it's alright" the dark-haired man reply "just take that one and let's get this over with"

"jesus, changbin" you whined "you are such a pain in the ass. if you were in a bad mood then you shouldn't have accepted to drive me here so i can buy a dress for the wedding"

you had been in korea for a month and 2 weeks now, your relationship with changbin growing unconciously intimate as you often engage in sexual encounters with him. you wouldn't say the both of you were close, but each day that passed by you could feel how you learned more about him just like he learned more about you too. you wouldn't consider him a good friend, since hostility made a presence every now and then between the both of you, but you had learned to spend time with him without feeling the need to put plugs into your ears and a blindfold to stop acknowledging his existence.

"if you needed help picking a dress" changbin interrupted, standing up from the seat he had been occupying for the last 45 minutes "you should've asked hyejin or ryujin to come and help you out, not me"

"hyejin is busy" you were quick to respond "ryujin had work today and you were the only other person i know that owns a car"

"cabs exist"

"yeah well" you made a pause, swallowing hard "i don't like cabs"

"you could've asked arthur to lend you his private driver" changbin tilted his head slightly.

"i get uncomfortable with strangers" you answered after a few seconds of being completely silent, changbin's gaze making you incredibly nervous.

"really?" he inquired, one of his hands traveling all the way to the pocket of his jacket as he pulled his wallet out. "why won't you just admit that you wanted to spend time with me?"

"fuck no" a grimace of disgust was quick to appear on your face "don't get confused. i would rather be dead than to spend more time with you than i already have to"

"yet you are still here" he teased "maybe i'm not as unbearable as your mind is trying to convince you i truly am"

with lazy steps he took the bunch of dresses that were piled up on the chair next to him, putting them all over his shoulder as he walked to the counter. "what are you doing?" you asked, still wearing the last dress you tried on.

"you are indecisive and i am starving" he said without even looking at you "i don't need to spend another 45 minutes here looking at how much you struggle to pick between 5 dresses, just have them all and pick one when you are alone"

you looked at him in desbelief "do you have any idea of how much just one of them cost? are you stupid?" you almost yelled in astonishment, looking at the figure of changbin slightly turning around to face you.

"i am not stupid" changbin reply "like i said, i am just hungry"

and currently thinking about how beautiful you are looking right now with that look of amazement on your pretty face. if i could, i would buy you the entire world just for you to destroy.

[y/n's pov]

"i will pay every single one of those dresses back before i leave" you mumbled, eating your food as if you had been starving for days "i had money, i didn't need you to come and rescue me as if i was some sort of damsel in distress"

"you were in distress though" he added, taking a sip of the drink he ordered "you took almost 30 minutes just to pick one dress to try on, you are really undecisive"

"yeah well, it's not like i had anywhere else to be" you replied.

"isn't arthur going to have a small gathering at his house today?" changbin inquired "like a pre-celebration of the wedding or something?"

you shrugged your shoulders "i don't know and i don't care. i am just here for the wedding and then i will be finally free"

you kept on eating your plate of food, confused as to why changbin's gaze stayed fix on you. "what, do i have something on my f-?"

"are you leaving right after the wedding?" he asked in a very hostile way, almost as if he had completely forgot that you were not going to stay forever.

"not right after but that's the main reason i came here, yeah" you replied, having a mixture of feelings inside your guts.

you couldn't deny the fact that you missed tsukuba, but living there meant to be trapped in the university dorms 24/7 just studying. but still, the lifestyle you have had for the past time was absolutely something you could get use to it: ryujin, hyejin, going out on the weekends, being free from school, changbin...

changbin?

"i still don't know the exact date though" you added "school doesn't start for me in another months so..."

"how is your life?" he asked, earning a weird look from you as you couldn't quite understand his question "in Japan, i mean"

you sighed. you had thought that living in japan was really good and you felt utterly comfortable living there until you arrived to korea and discovered a whole new life style that you had already learned to love. not only that, but leaving everything here was going to get you a bit nostalgic in the future. "it is great, better than people say it is honestly" you responded as he nodded "i live at the university dorms so life is pretty much everything but rushed. i spend my days at the library studying, i sometimes work as a shadow teacher for like 4 or 5 kids and on weekends i go and visit my mom and her partner"

"your mom got married after divorcing arthur?" changbin followed, just in time as he finished his dish of food.

"uh, it's complicated" you gave him a smile "she lives with someone and she is very happy"

"and are you?"

you were about to answer the question when you felt a pinch on your heart. a month ago you would have replied "yes" without a doubt. you thought you were happy living in japan, you thought you were happy when you visited thea, your mother, and reiko, her girlfriend. you thought you were happy when reiko made you her special coffee and you thought you were happy when they ocasionally visited you on winter nights at your dorm. you thought you were happy when you worked with children and spent time with them. you thought you were happy when you rode your bike from school to work and you thought you were happy when ryejin visited you and your mom on the holidays.

however, you had learned a new definition of happiness here.

"are you?" you fired back.

changbin slightly tilted his head as he laid completely back on his seat "i could be"

"what is exactly stopping you from being happy?" you asked him, intruiged.

"even if i explained it to you" he mumbled "i don't think you will be able to understand it"

"ah, there you are again" you scoffed, slightly rolling your eyes "your god complex has not show all day. i guess you missed it."

"c'mon" he grunted, raising his hand at one of the waiters at the restaurant "let's go somewhere else"

"where exactly?" you laughed "to your place? your car? a motel? jesus changbin, you can't really go a day without fucking, can you?"

"that's not actually what i had in mind" he replied, taking out his credit card as he saw the waiter approaching the table "but i mean if you want to fuck i won't say no"

"you had something in mind?" you asked, faking excitment "for me? you planned something for me?"

"if you want i can drop you at arthur's place right now so he can force you to have dinner with him and his bride. it's up to you"

you weren't really feeling like spending "quality time" with your father, and you also knew that hyejin was probably not going to attent the dinner, so there was no point of you being there. but at the same time, the thought of spending time with changbin doing non-sexual activities was something that it always made you nervous for an unknown reason, and you were feeling particularly nervous today.

"whatever"

*

the evening went on peacefully and that alone was unreal. he drove you to the center of seoul and suggested to take a walk around the most popular avenues because "the city looked better at night", something you have always believed too.

changbin was attractive and, even though your personalities crashed every damn time, you couldn't deny the fact that there were some sort of intimate bond going on between the both of you since that very first night at the bar. still, you wouldn't accept it. you wouldn't accept that the one person you disliked the most was starting to change your mind.

and you couldn't get yourself to trust him either. you couldn't trust any men, for that matter.

"have you thought about which dress you are going to wear tomorrow?" he asked so casually, his hands inside the pockets of his jacket as his gaze diverted from building to building.

"no" you replied, trying to get back at the trail of thoughts you had been threading since you left the restaurant with him. "have you?"

"have i thought about the dress i am going to wear tomorrow?" he laughed "i don't know, it will depend on which one you lend me"

"i got distracted" you admitted "but i will try on all the dresses tomorrow morning and i will give you the rest of them so you can return them to the store"

"i won't do that" he clicked his tongue "i bought them for you"

your heart skipped a beat after hearing those words and it was everything but pleasent.

"i don't want them"

"you can't reject a gift" he mumbled "that's the whole point of a gift"

"i will sell them on the internet" you threatened.

"do it, at the end of the day they are yours" he gave you a side look while smirking "but i wouldn't sell them if i were you. you look good in them"

"oh so you want to give opinions about the dresses now, huh?" you asked, mildly annoyed "you could've help me back at the store but you chose to be grumpy"

"at least i am helping you now"

"you are unbearable" you whispered.

a bright smile was quick to appear on his face. a genuine smile, as if he was enjoying the conversation. not only the conversation but the whole moment: you and him, walking around the city and talking about something so casual and trivial like which clothes you were going to wear tomorrow or which dress he liked best on you.

and for a moment it felt nice.

you felt safe.

"the red one was pretty" he added. you looked at him confused, once again lost in your trail of thoughts. "the red dress, the one that you tried on last"

"good" you responded "i'll make sure not to wear that one"

"you hate me that much?" he teased while a faint chuckle left his lips.

"oh changbin, you have no idea" deep down knowing it wasn't more than a vile lie.

*

you looked in the mirror one last time before you heard hyejin calling your name once again "y/n, how long will you take? i need to stop by the bakery to pick up the wedding cake"

"i'll be out in a minute" you replied, noticing how your hands got sweatier by the second.

you were quite nervous, but couldn't really understand why. maybe the sole thought of your father having his "happy ending" made you jealous because you knew that he did not deserve that at all; he didn't deserve the love he had.

the emotional abuse your mother and you suffered throughout your childhood and adolescence was not something that could be fixed in a month or two and you were certain about it. no matter how happy your father was, you couldn't help but to feel jealous about how he never had to suffer like you and your mother did.

and even though you got over your negative feelings towards him, the scars and aftermath of an abusive household still caught up on you: the mistrust, the negativity, the hostility and the lack of commitment were things you had to deal with on a daily basis.

of course he was the one to blame. but you were an adult now, and you were supposed to deal with all those issues by yourself. no one was going to fix them for you.

"jesus y/n, we are running late" hyejin busted the door open "are you ready now?"

"yes" you were quick to respond, grabbing the purse on your bed and trying to quickly divert from your sister's gaze.

"wait" she mumbled, gripping both of your shoulder as you intended to the leave the room "why are you tearing up?"

"i am not" you replied "i yawned"

she didn't look convinced, but still decided not to push any further "i'll meet you in the car, i just have to grab a few things"

you nodded and made your way through the hallway. because of how rushed she was, you didn't have a chance to tell hyejin how gorgeous she looked. she was wearing a golden shiny dress that embraced her body just fine and carrying a maching clutch with it. she was really pretty, maybe the prettiest woman you had ever seen, and not only that but she was also very smart. any guy would be head over heels for her, but she still decided not to engage in a "silly love story" as she called them because "it is a waste of her precious time, and time is money"

you wished you had the same mentality as she did, but you grew up getting educated on how love was portrayed in books, movies and television. it was ironic how you were the first person on earth to deny that love actually existed, but you were still a hopeless romantic after all.

*

[changbin's pov]

"changbin, are you too far from the church?" haeun, his mother, asked desperately as changbin picked up the phone.

"i'm right outside" he grunted "i told you i was not going to be late"

"we are sitting on the second bench at the left of the altar" the old woman added "hurry up"

changbin hung up the phone and cursed under his breath. the weather today was maybe too nice for his own liking and his clothes were a bit too uncomfortable to be wearing them under the sun.

as quickly as he could, he closed the door of his car and started walking towards the entrance, making sure that the ceremony hadn't started just yet so he wouldn't make a scene.

"did you bring the gift?" jang-yeop inquired as he sat down next to him and changbin nodded "did you also bring your mother the pair of shoes?"

"yes" he responded "how long is this going to take?"

"40-45 minutes?" his father replied "i have no idea, what time is it?"

"7:02 p.m." haeun was quick to answer "now, the both of you shut up"

right after she mumbled those words, music started to sound on the church. changbin, being in a rush to get to his seat before the ceremony started, didn't notice that arthur was already standing up next to the altar and waiting for his soon-to-be wife. changbin's gaze was fixed on arthur, then it diverted into the bride walking down the aisle and then returned to arthur once again. he never thought about marriage or building a family. hell, he never thought about having a romantic relationship that would last longer than a few months actually. but as he grew older, and as he experienced new stuff, he wasn't sure if he still had the same mentality he used to have last year.

to changbin, arthur seemed genuinely happy. his half-lidded eyes along with that bright smile he was wearing indicated that the man was living one of the happiest days of his life. and as changbin witnessed that romantic scene, the question that popped up in the conversation he had with you last night grabbed his attention once again.

what exactly is stopping me from being happy?

and before he could respond himself with words, his eyes had already found the answer: standing on the bench at the right of the altar and wearing that promising dark red dress that could drive any man insane, the woman he never dreamed of looking just as beautiful as the very first day he met her.

not being able to have her completely.

*

[y/n's pov]

after the ceremony, a big party was held at a very elegant event hall located in one of the tallest buildings of seoul. you were not particularly excited about having to see arthur's side of the family, but you still managed to keep yourself together the whole time.

"you are wearing the red dress" a sudden voice whispered into your ear as you were counting the tables that were still missing their dinner plates, an order given by hyejin. you slightly turned around to meet changbin's breath dancing on your neck and nape, goosebumps filling every single inch of your skin due to the proximity.

"congratulations" you sighed "your vision is crystal clear"

"i have been watching you since the ceremony" changbin added "i can't help but think about how pretty you are going to look when you are taking that dress off for me"

a spark of electricity traveled around your whole body and directly into your core. you immediatly looked around and notice a few people who worked for arthur's company sitting not that far away from the both of us "do you really want to do this here?" you asked "aren't you scared of being caught by any of arthur's friends?"

"are you concerned about that now?" he chuckled "that didn't seem to bother you at the company's elevator"

"c'mon" you whispered, your back slightly pressing against his chest "i have to help hyejin with some stuff"

changbin slightly gripped your hand and guided you to the dancefloor that was crowded with couples dancing around "i am sure that she can handle all of this by herself"

before you could protest, you took out your phone and sent her a message with the information she asked for. you had no idea what changbin was up to, but you still decided to follow him.

changbin positioned his hands on your waist as he gracefully dragged you across the dancefloor, looking for a spot in the middle of the crowd so it would be easier for the two of you to get lost.

"you are spending the night at my place" he mumbled over the slow songs that were now playing. it wasn't a question nor a petition, it was an order.

"yeah right" you chuckled "if you are too desperate to fuck we can do that, but i am not fond of sleepovers"

the thought of you spending the night with him was terrifying, but you would've been lying if you said that you hadn't think about what it would be like to wake up next to his him.

"i wasn't asking" he responded. "tell me when you are ready to leave".

with a swift movement, your whole body was pressed against his, his hands resting on your lowerback as you both swinged from side to side, following the rythm of the song. this was a whole new side of him that you didn't know it existed, and you couldn't deny that you were loving every second of it.

"who thaught you how to dance, huh?" you asked, your gaze fixed on his eyes that looked even brighter because of all the lights adorning the hall.

"there is so much about me that you don't know" he replied.

"oh i know everything there is to know about you, changbin" you scoffed "but let's see if you can keep surprising me"

*

it wasn't even midnight but people were already starting to get completely intoxicated with alcohol. arthur had spent the night dancing with ara and, after she was done being the unofficial wedding planner, hyejin ended up getting wasted with the small group of friends she invited to the wedding. you, on the other hand, spent the night dancing with changbin and eating your dinner with him.

it was not unusual to see the both of you together since you spent too much time at the company, but tonight it was sort of different. the looks he gave you, the way you two danced for hours on end, the way he was treating you... it felt different, a little bit more personal and intimate. his parents probably noticed this too, since they made a lof of comments about "how happy they were about us being really good friends". if only they knew.

"i think i am ready" you said to changbin after telling hyejin that you were going to spend the night somewhere else. she nodded her head and agreed to say, if asked, that "you were at ryujin's" even when she wasn't invited to the wedding in the first place. you just smiled at her and nodded, not leaving without telling one of her sober friends to look out for her.

"don't worry" the pretty pale girl mumbled "she will stay at my house tonight"

you glanced over to arthur and ara who were still having the greatest time of their lives on the dancefloor, and proceeded to walk away from the party with changbin. "you parents will stay here?"

"yeah, they will leave in an hour or so" changbin replied "i told them that you wanted to go home and that i was going to drive you"

"perks of living alone i guess" you joked.

the walk through the empty corridors of the building felt eerie as the loud sound of the music were still ringing in your ears. even though you were walking on your own, you could still feel changbin's ablazing touch on your body and that only provoked your heartbeat to go even faster.

as you waited for the elevator to open their doors, changbin's lips unexpectedly crashed against yours. it wasn't a passionate kiss, and it wasn't rushed either. it was just a kiss, an innocent kiss, a kiss you give to your significant other as a demostration of how much you love them. his soft lips dragged against yours as his teeth bite softly your bottom lip, earning a small whine from you. his hands, that were now located into your waist, guided you to the insides of the elevator once the doors were opened.

"you look so beautiful tonight" he whispered interrupting, his breathing getting faster each second that passed by "i can't get you out of my head"

his lips left yours to meet the sensitive spots on your neck, peppering soft kisses all over the surface. your gaze found the reflection of the scene in the mirror of the elevator, looking at how changbin was tasting every inch of your skin with his eyes closed, his rushed hands traveling all the way from your waist to your lower back trying to memorize every single trace of your body.

"i don't want to hurt you tonight" he continued "no roughness, no pain, no petnames. i want to make you completely mine, in the most pure way"

and for the night, you agreed to let your feelings out and let go.

no fear and no mistrust, you were ready to face the overwhelming feelings that had been building up inside you since the day you met him.

even if you could potentially regret it later...

[komfortkiri]

HELP WANTED (PART 2)

WOLF QUIRK F!READER x HANTA SERO x EIJIRO KIRISHIMA WORD COUNT: 2,997 TW/CW: ABSENT PARENT MENTION (I know some people get really bothered about absent parents)

NOTES: No banner yet. And yes, I posted two parts in one day BECAUSE I’M LIVING FOR THIS. The next part I’ll include things from Kiri and Sero’s POV. I got tired toward the end of this one and wanted to finish and post it before going to sleep.

Your alarm went off at 6:45 AM, allowing you more time to actually get ready and look like a decent human being.. well, sort of. You laid there for a moment, though, thinking that if this really went well, you could be leaving within the next week. You’d have to tell your father and though he’d be hurt, it wasn’t like you wouldn’t come back to visit. With a deep breath, you threw your legs off the side of the bed, holding your arms over your head to stretch. The stretch was so good that you almost fell back into your mattress and went back to sleep but you shook your head and rose to your feet, proceeding to your bathroom to shower.

After you took your shower from Hell, you walked out of your bathroom and back into your room, making your way to your closet to browse over the clothes you had. You realized quickly that you should probably do some upgrading to your wardrobe but you’ll worry about that another day. Your eyes scanned over everything and nothing really stood out to you so you pulled out your phone to check the weather, seeing that it was pretty cold out— roughly 23 degrees. Coffee definitely sounded luxurious right now and that thought alone made you check the time to see that it was now 7:15 AM. You took a little longer in the shower but the scorching water felt like Heaven to you.

You sighed, taking a long-sleeved, burgundy turtleneck half-shirt off of a hanger along with a pair of black high-waisted jeans. You tossed both articles of clothing onto the bed then went to your small dresser in the corner of your room to open the top drawer, pulling out a white colored bra and a matching pair of panties to go with it. You closed that drawer then opened the second drawer, getting some black socks that rose to just under your knee. Once you had everything, you dropped your towel then threw your undergarments on, along with your socks.

During your dressing, you received a text message from the Kiri person so you rushed over to it, hoping they weren’t cancelling the get together. Relief washed over you whenever you read the message.

FROM KIRI: Morning! Wanted to send you a text to tell you that me and my roommate are getting ready and should be at the coffee shop closer to 8:30 AM. We still on?

You replied rather quickly, it was almost creepy.. like you were waiting for a text.

TO KIRI: Good morning! Yes, of course! I’m getting ready right now as well.. I may be there earlier than you both since it’s right around the corner from me!

Once the message delivered, you threw your phone back onto your bed then put on your shirt and pants, which had a special made hole just for your tail, then walked over to your full body mirror hanging on the wall. “Not bad.. Not bad at all.” It was almost like you were hoping these were men that you were meeting. You scoffed at your thought, nah. You walked back to the bathroom to grab your hair brush, one for the hair on your head and another for the fur on your tail. It was weird in a way.. you had to color coordinate what you used for your tail because the fur wasn’t as soft as your actual hair was. Once you finished grooming yourself, you put on a pair of flat-bottom, over-the-knee, black boots. 

Time, what was the— shit! Your damned tail, taking so much time to brush through. It was now 8:05 so you had to rush a little bit if you wanted to be extra early and order what you needed so you grabbed your black trench coat off your coat rack, grabbed your phone then your backpack that held your wallet and other necessities that you may need throughout the day and booked it out of your room and out of your front door. Your dad must have had to work this morning, considering his car wasn’t out front but nonetheless, you expected as much from a police officer.

NO TIME TO THINK, you thought so you turned in the direction of the coffee shop and started walking. Your walking turned into walking fast then into.. running, which doesn’t affect you much considering it’s part of who you are. You thankfully had a bottle of perfume with you, just in case you smelt like a wet dog and you sprayed a few pumps amongst your coat and a few on your neck. You took a minute to catch your breath right outside Camille’s front door then walked in.

“My, my.. Look who it is! If it isn’t my dear Y/N! I haven’t seen you in a few weeks, must be pulling extra shifts at the animal shelter, huh?” Camille practically rushed to you, bringing you into a hug. All you could do was smile and accept her embrace then return it. If you were being honest, you really needed the hug. “Hi, Camille! I’m sorry I haven’t been visiting like I normally do. I have picked up a few more shifts so I can save up for a place of my own.” You took a seat at your usual spot, right up close to where she made most things. There was a small little bar, in which, Camille practically saved your seat every morning when you started coming in. She was like a mom to you, which was nice in its own way considering yours wasn’t worth a shit. 

Camille knew just about everything about your life so you felt awful knowing that you hadn’t been around in a few weeks but you had to do what you need to first. “You know, darling, whenever you stopped coming in, these two very handsome boys started coming in every morning. It was almost fate in a way. They kept me company while you were gone, but don’t get me wrong, I’m glad my favorite girl is back.” Boys? Was this elderly woman really trying to hint at hooking you up right now? All you could do was shake your head and laugh as she set your usual in front of you— hot hazelnut coffee, extra sweet. You lifted the glass mug to your lips, speaking from behind it, “Boys, huh? Camille, are you trying to set me up?” A smirk formed along your face as you took a sip of the coffee, humming softly in satisfaction, your ears falling back some. She always did make the best coffee, it never failed.

The older woman laughed then leaned back onto the counter opposite from the one you were at, “Now, you know I wouldn’t meddle into your love life, dear. All I’m saying is, they are complete gentleman.” She leaned forward on her elbow, whispering her next statement. “If I was year and years younger, I’d probably take both of them.” This made you snort then double over in laughter, “Camille! Shame on you!” All she did was shrug then before she could respond, her eyes lit up when she realized who was entering her shop. You noticed this look and raised an eyebrow, sipping your coffee. Camille realized your eyes were on her and she nodded toward the door, mouthing that’s them. You tried your best not to make it obvious but you turned your head just enough to the side to peer over your shoulder and boy, she was not kidding. However, these were definitely not boys.. they were pure men. 

You quickly turned your head before they realized you were ogling them, your insides heating up. All you could think of was how the good Lord above took his sweet time crafting both of them. Your heightened sense of hearing allowed you to listen in on what was being said between both of the guys and Camille so you just barely turned your left ear to the side, lifting your coffee again to take another sip.

“My boys! Where have you been? Fighting crime as usual?” Camille greeted both with a big hug each before one of them answered her. “Yes ma’am, you know us. We have to make sure nothing happens to your wonderful coffee shop.” Your heart skipped a beat at that statement. Smooth. “Always such sweethearts, come. I want you to meet another regular of mine.” Please don’t, please don’t, plea— “Y/N?” Your face was probably as red as a beet at this point but you turn anyway with a smile that was semi-forced. You hadn’t much prepared well on talking to… very, very attractive men. “Boys, this is Y/N. Y/N, this is Eijiro and Hanta.” You shook each of their hands, your insides felt like they were being lit on fire at this point.

The man known as Kirishima smiled, “You can call me either Ei, Eiji or Kiri, though.” The fire was immediately put out by his statement. You were thanking all the Gods that you didn’t have your coffee in your hand because you would have dropped it. “D-Did you say Kiri?” You cleared your throat, scratching the back of your head nervously. 

“Yeah, do you know me? I mean, I’m a pro-hero but do you know someone I know or—“ You cut him off, not meaning to, but you had to get it out. “No, I.. I inquired about the roommate ad you had put up. We texted this morning and last night?” Kirishima and Sero’s eyes widened and they looked at each other. Something tells you they really weren’t expecting the person they were meeting to be a woman, but you were in the same boat because you didn’t expect for the two people you were meeting to be two gorgeous piece of asses either.

Sero spoke this time as he looked back at you, “So you are looking to be our roommate?” You blushed a soft shade of pink, not really knowing how to properly answer that but you did anyway. “Well, I-I didn’t really plan on you guys being, well… guys.” Both men laughed then Kirishima sat next to you, Sero sitting next to him on the other side. Camille put their coffees in front of him, Sero’s was partnered with a bagel. She gave you a wink then rushed back to the kitchen, peering out the little window in the door. All you could do was shake your head with a grin. “If it makes you uncomfortable, you definitely don’t have to move in with us but we’d like to be your friend.” 

You smiled at that but thought of the trouble you’d get yourself in just by being their friend. It was almost impossible not to yank both by their collars to the bathroom and— “Wolf quirk, eh?” Sero’s voice shook you out of your inappropriate thoughts. It’s almost like he knew where your head was spiraling to. “Y-Yeah. My dad is also part wolf as well.” You nodded, clearing your throat even though you really didn’t need to as there was nothing to clear. 

“What about your mom?” Sero pressed, not knowing that talking about your mother was something you hated doing. You sighed quietly, eyes darting in front of you to a blank space on the white wall in front of you. Your ear fell back, tone filled with… hatred when you spoke, which you didn’t intend for, but your burning rage for her was not controllable. “Don’t know her. She left not too long after I was a baby. Just up and left in the middle of the night and nobody has seen her since.” 

Kirishima looked at Sero, eyes saying way to go, idiot. He wanted to lighten the mood so he changed the subject quickly, “So, uh.. about your quirk..” You three sat there for what felt like hours just talking, having casual conversation. They asked about your quirk, showing high interest in every aspect of it. You reassured them that you didn’t shed hair so they didn’t need to worry about any of that. You didn’t realize that they were pro-heroes until they told you their hero names and you almost choked on your semi-hot coffee. You had heard of both but you never really are around the action to put a face to the name. They both do a lot of good work around your city, in which, you are thankful for with your father being on the police force. Without them, your dad would probably have been hurt or worse. 

Your anger about your mother had withered away and you were really enjoying yourself with the two men next to you. Your tail was moving to-and-fro the entire time, meaning you were happy. It got silent at one point and that prompted to Sero clear his throat then bump his elbow into Kirishima’s own, basically trying to push on this conversation. Kirishima turned his body a little toward you, his tone was soft, “Um.. This roommate thing.. It’s obvious you aren’t a serial killer, unless you’re a really good actor. You don’t have to give us an answ—“ You held your finger up with a smile because it was clear he was about to start rambling on due to nerves and not wanting to overstep. “You don’t have to say anymore. I’m super down for being your roommate.” It seemed like relief washed over the both of them because they smiled at you. “Hell yeah, you can move your stuff in at any time. Just let us know when so we can help you.” Sero nodded in your direction and you nodded back with a smile.

Moving in.. with two insanely attractive men.. What could go wrong, right?

[dinosaurtsukki]

[ traffic jams ] 

pairing: suna rintarou x gn!reader

word count: 1.8k words

contains: ‘timestamps’ in a way, some shenanigans to pass the time, slightly awkward!suna, a bit too many ratatouille references, friendship with mutual crushing

a/n: i lowkey miss the traffic jams going home and one thing that struck me when reading suna’s bio on the wiki was that he doesn’t actually live near inarizaki so i thought it would be cute to have like a suna x reader commute fic

>> 5:45 pm: 

you sigh for what was probably the fifth time that hour as you stare at the road map on your phone. the highway you were currently on was marked with red, indicating a traffic jam that stretched for kilometers. ‘estimated travel time: 4 hours’ the top of your phone screen read.

‘great, and it’s a friday night on top of that.’ you rub the side of your temple and stare out the window of the bus. you already knew what going to inarizaki, a high school all the way out in hyogo, while you were currently living in tokyo meant when it came to travel time. you often had to wake up early and get home late with the long travel time to school and back. most days, it was manageable and a one hour commute meant a good day. however, there were days when a storm was raging outside, delaying the train and bus schedules, and road accidents that led to the kind of situation you were currently in.

after leaving at five pm, you spent the past hour doing some homework in the bus and now you were fresh out of things to do. you’re also avoiding using your phone too much and draining your battery. right before you’re about to put on your earphones, your bus seatmate stirs awake. 

aside from you, there is one other student who also commutes all the way to school from aichi, the prefecture where you live: suna rintarou. you know him as one of the regulars in the volleyball team and that he’s in the same year as you. neither of you ever really interacted much but took the same bus to and from school. sometimes you’d greet each other good morning and recently had this silent agreement to sit next to each other.

you watch as suna blinks sleepily before glancing out the window beside you. “where are we?” he mumbles.

“still in hyogo. it’s been an hour,” you answer. 

“damn, really?” suna groans when he realizes just how terrible the traffic is outside. “and it’s a friday too.”

“tell me about it,” you chuckle mirthlessly. “also, estimated travel time is four hours so there go my exciting friday plans,” you add sarcastically.

“sorry you have to spend them with me,” suna smirks at you. your stomach flutters and you smile nervously. despite not knowing him too well, you couldn’t help but find him quite attractive. in fact, the reason why you got up early in the morning and tried to leave school at the same time as him was because you enjoyed your daily commutes with suna so much. even more so when you two started sitting next to each other.

“well, i don’t think that would be too bad,” you clear your throat. “we could play ‘i spy’ for four more hours.”

“or,” suna grins, leaning down and opening his backpack before pulling out his laptop. you chuckle and pull out your earphones. “we could watch ratatouille.”

“of all the things to pirate. you really chose ratatouille?”

“fuck disney, am i right?” suna smirks.

“fuck disney.”

>> 7:46 pm

“good on you for making sure that your laptop was fully charged before leaving school,” you say, stretching your arms a bit as soon as the credits roll.

“hmm, yeah,” suna sighs and leans his head back. “though, i think i made the wrong decision.”

“how come?”

suna crosses his arms over his stomach and squeezes his eyes shut. “because we watched ratatouille, i’m hungry now.”

“oh...” you nod your head, just as you feel a rumble in your stomach. “oh,” you repeat. 

“yeah,” suna groans. “do you have any food on you?”

“i have...” you rustled through your backpack before procuring “a bag of peanuts.” 

“hmm, that’ll have to do,” suna said, plucking the packet out of your hand. “say, one nut each per two minutes? just to ration it out?”

you sigh. “it’s going to be a long night.”

>> 8:10 pm

“there it is, the last two nuts,” suna says gazing at the two peanuts in the palm of his hand before offering one of them to you.

“i really, really thought they would last longer,” you sigh.

“they would have if you kept them for yourself,” suna raises his eyebrows. 

“i’m too nice for that,” you giggle. “besides, i’d feel too guilty seeing you all hungry.”

“and i might guilt-trip you just a little bit,” suna says. “like, toss you mournful looks and everything.”

“no! not the mournful looks,” you cry and the two of you burst out laughing. you lift your peanut towards him. “toast?” 

“toast,” suna snickers. you toast your peanuts before popping them into your mouth. you’re both still far from home.

>> 8:30 pm

“i spy with my little eye... something red and blinking.”

“oh my god, it’s another car taillight isn’t it?”

“... it is,” suna admits, blinking lazily out the window. “i mean, it’s all taillights out there. anyway, your turn.” he nudges your arm with his elbow.

“i spy with my little eye... “ you blink and yawn. “some really tired passengers.” 

“i’m looking at one right now,” suna snickers at you.

you two share a glance before simultaneously sighing. 

“i want to be home,” you say. you don’t even have to look at suna to know he’s nodding in agreement. 

>> 9:00 pm

“chicken nuggets.” 

“suna, please stop,” you groan.

“it’s all i can think of,” suna shakes his head. the two of you are staring up at the ceiling of bus, trying and failing to forget your hunger. “when we get out of here, i’m going to the first fast-food restaurant i see and ordering chicken nuggets. also ice cream from the convenience store. you know, the soft-serve one in the cone.”

“yeah, you only mentioned that five times for the past hour,” you roll your eyes.

“how bout you? what’s the first thing you’re getting when we finally get to the stop?” suna nudges your ribs. you close your eyes, knowing that nothing good will come out of talking about food. but then again, not thinking about it wasn’t going to make you any less hungrier either.

“strawberry yogurt drink,” you answer. “i want that strawberry yogurt drink that they always have in convenience stores?”

“oh that one,” suna hums. “you’re literally the only person i know who likes that.”

“which is great because the vending machines never run out of them,” you add. “you what else i want?” you ask after a beat of silence.

“what?”

“that mushroom remy cooked in the beginning of the movie,” you giggle. suna shakes his head as a smile blooms on his face. now that you think about it, you’ve never really seen that kind of goofy smile on him before.

>> 9:30 pm

suna wakes up for the second time during that bus ride after a short nap. it doesn’t surprise at all that he’s still in the bus. what does, though, is seeing you fast asleep with your head on his shoulder. you must have accidentally leaned on him while you two drifted off to sleep but suna was far from annoyed. 

he was never really one to approach random people to strike up a conversation, but he always enjoyed seeing you, wearing the same uniform as him, waiting at the same bus stop he took every morning. unlike suna, you were way more productive during your daily commutes by doing your homework in the bus. once or twice, he’d glance at your pretty handwriting or pick up your pencil after you accidentally dropped it.

suna noticed that sometimes, you’d pack cereal in ziploc bags to eat for breakfast. that it would take you less than five minutes to fall asleep in the bus when there are exams. that you rotated between the same five hairclips throughout the week.

the sound of the bus engine coming to a stop and passengers abruptly standing up brings suna out of his thoughts. with a start, he realizes that you’re both finally at the bus stop in your hometown.

“y/n. wake up,” suna nudges you softly. he only gets to appreciate your sleepy face for a few seconds before breaking the good news. “we’re home.”

“we are?” you wake up instantly at that and look out the window. “oh my god, we are!” you squeal. suna grins as the two of you quickly pick up your bags and leave the bus. 

“okay so the nearest fast-food place is the one a few blocks away from here,” suna says as the two of you leave the bus. god, he’s starving. he can already taste the chicken nuggets. 

“eat a whole bunch of them for me,” you laugh. suna stops and looks at you.

“i...” suna realizes with a hint of embarrassment that he was under the assumption you two would be going together. “if... if you’re hungry too you can come, if you want.”

“oh.” there’s genuine surprise in your voice and suna feels a bit of relief. “i... i thought.”

“of course you don’t have to if you really need to head home.” 

“it’s not that i just, rarely ever get invited to things,” you chuckle and hook your thumbs into the straps of your backpack. “so... shall we go?”

suna feels the corner of his lip turn up in a smile. “chicken nuggets are on me.”

>> monday, 6:00 am:

you sprint to the bus stop as fast as your legs could carry you. rarely were you ever late for your bus, especially with how quickly you went through your morning routine. but this time, your sibling hogged the bathroom for five minutes too long, thus leading you to your current predicament. 

the bus is thankfully still there when you reach the stop and you don’t hesitate before flinging yourself inside, only to be greeted with the seats full of passengers. ‘damn,’ you mentally curse. the next bus doesn’t arrive until twenty minutes later and you were surely going to come in to class late and--

“y/n.” 

you hear suna’s voice call out to your right. he lifts his bacpack off the seat beside him and gestures for you to sit. 

he had saved a seat for you.

“thank you so much,” you smile gratefully and slide into the seat while catching your breath. 

“sure thing, busmate,” suna smirks at you. “i, ah, also got you this.” he reaches into his backpack before handing you something. it’s a carton of your favorite strawberry-yogurt drink.

you have to press your lips together to keep the giddy smile off your face as you accept it from suna. “thanks... busmate.”

“so,” suna clears his throat. “i was thinking of what movies to pirate next in the event of another friday traffic jam. you got any ideas?”

“hmm, let me think...” 

maybe traffic jams weren’t going to be so bad after all. 

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[swim-culture-is]

Hello! I’m in high school and finished my season a few months ago as a varsity swimmer with no previous background in the sport. My coach wants me to swim on her summer club, which I’m going to do. There is a point to this, I promise, I have two questions, and one part B, for lack of a better term, for you! As follows:

I’m trying to do dry land workouts after school so I’m ready for June. Am I going to see any improvement when doing one ten-minute workout every day?

My coaches told me that I could most likely swim in college, to maybe try to join an all year swim team. I have three more years of high school; is it too late for me to join a full-year team? If it isn’t, would I have a good chance of making a college team?

Thank you!

hey!

for dryland, you really have to put in the effort in order to see major changes in your swimming/fitness. obviously it’s better to do something rather than nothing, but I would personally recommend a longer workout every other day or every day (like 30-45 minutes), but 10 minutes every day is a great place to start!

it’s never too late to join a year round club! you should definitely do that- it’ll really help your fitness and swim skills to swim all year and not just during highschool season. I don’t know a lot about college swimming/recruiting personally because I haven’t gone through that yet, but I think that if you’re showing the times and just swimming highschool that’s great, but I think colleges really want to see your dedication to swimming by swimming year round, and swimming year round will really help you get faster so that better colleges will look for you.

I hope this helps!

[darkalleywayexpress]

Your destiny is written from the day you’re born.

Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Rated M

Warnings: non-con sex, oral, violence, abuse.

This is based off of The devil all the time. Specifically Lee Bodecker. Ideas be taken from the original story of course. 

Note: First time writing. Haven’t written before, please give feedback. I don't mind constructive critism. Hope you enjoy! Thanks!

I have to get home before 12:45 am or else – ughh I don’t even want to recall what happened last time I came any later than that. Excuses as my parents say, is not a reason. Even it is a couple minutes later. The chilly wind is blowing straight at my face, the feeling is as though it’s cutting my cheeks. I have to leave the diner right at 12 once done cleaning or else I won’t make it to home on time. Only reason why I hate working closing shifts though, this neighbourhood is not a friendly place, people that should make you feel comfortable don’t give you the warmth that you should be getting. I make a right turn, heading into my neighbourhood three more houses down and I’ll be home, whatever that means. Just before heading in can I see the silhouette of my mother standing by the window on the second floor. She leaves as I set the key into the door. Taking my shoes off so I don’t dirty the floors. I begin making my way to my room and soon  prep myself to go to bed and fall asleep right away.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cheep Cheep. It must be morning already. The birds are standing along the window waking me up from my slumber. I should get ready before ma and pa, and my five older brothers wake up. They always get mad when I don’t get breakfast ready on time.

One by one they begin filing up the table. All I have to do left is fill up their coffee. I don’t eat until their done eating, since there is no seats available for me. They all leave to work and mom sitting in her usual spot. In front the television. It’s been this way since I graduated high school, I mean I always helped out when I was “free” but now I’m expected to do it all alone. 21, ever since I’ve been 21 my parents are wanting me to get married so I can stop being a nuisance in the house. I’m old they say and if I ain’t married young people will start thinking Im a whore and that’ll be the reason know one would want to marry me. Which literally makes zero sense since my parents don’t even want me to make any friends whether that person may be a girl or a boy. Ha. If they ever caught me with a boy, they’ll easily beat me to death in a blink of an eye. Life here in Southern Ohio is the opposite of a lovely town, it’s like everyone here is borderline psychotic-- no full-on psychotic. All I wish for is to get out of here in one piece, hence why I work at the diner though saving up around 20 or 10 every pay. It ain’t much but it is at least something. I’m expected to give every dime to my father which he spends on himself, mostly alcohol at least that’s what I think.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another closing shift today. Customers that start coming in at 3 are first students and as time passes by complete creeps come, though sometimes I am lucky with the odd family outing here. Time begins to fly by as per usual. I made a friend here a girl whom I tend to share my shifts with, Jamila, who is around my age just a couple years older. She knows how my family is and understands why I can’t do all things “normal” friendships do together. Its nice to have someone that is understanding. Though I pretty sure everyone knows my dad is a dick, he isn’t the type to hide it. Taking in pride that he suppresses his wife and well me though sometimes I do question whether people know I’m his daughter. Ding ding. The bell on the door chirms and I check the time since it is getting late. 9:30 am, we still have an hour and half left before we close, all most there. Looking at the people that came in, I noticed that its people from the deputy office, five of them. Looking at Jamila to see if she will be taking them, she smiles, indicating that she will be. I decide to head to where the cook is, so I can help him prepare their orders.

There are two groups. Three customers at one table and well the five that just came in. Looking at the group that has just recently came I notice that amongst the five and well of course Jamila standing and having a conversation with them through many giggles, I notice that the Sherriff is there. The most beloved of the town, hence why he got voted. If you were to ask me, I would say he is quite young to be a Sheriff aren’t they usually around their late fifties to early sixties. Plus, how do people see him as trustworthy his whole aura his cold. His eyes always seem tired and judgemental. I feel like I can shit myself whenever I see him, well any of them but him the most. Our eyes link, holding our gaze to one another. I fluster. Have I been staring for so long for him to notice? Straightening my posture I turn to make my way to the back of the diner.

 Jamila seems in a high spirit after her time with the men. “I wanna be married already, waiting at my parents house ain’t getting me nowhere.”

“Marriage ain’t the greatest thing in the world. Being able to stand on your own two feet is though.”

“Yeah, yeah. You say the same thing all the time y/n.” Jamila sighs back at my response. I can’t help but smile to myself, I wish I had the same optimism in life as her.

POV CHANGE

“Ahhhh. Honey make sure you get it all in the cup. We don’t want any spilling.”

“Yes. Ill make sure Lee. Mmmm or should I say Sheriff.” Dragging out the f with her tongue.

She begins kissing up all over my neck. Touching all over my body. Glancing around making sure no one is around to see just in case, I see the girl from the diner straight ahead. Is she walking alone at night back home from work? Is no one taking care of her? Oh my sweet lost girl, someone good must take care of such a weak young women. I pull away the hands on my body.

 “I think I should call it a night from here, I got a busy day tomorrow honey.”

“Will I see ya soon?”

“We’ll see about that; things have been getting bust around at the office.” With that she leaves, waving goodbye as my eyes begin following the girl from the diner. I’m just watching to make sure she is alright. I exit my vehicle since I won’t be able to see her from my seat much to long, keeping a far distance so she wont see me. She takes a right, walking into a neighbourhood I stop at the end just before entering. She stops at old Virgil’s place. She looks up and then begins walking up the steps putting her keys into the lock and shuts the door after herself. Huh. That’s Virgils daughter? A pretty dame for such an ugly Pa. Hahaha. Fucking Virgil.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I couldn’t sleep all night, waking up every so hour due to the aches in my body. Periods, they truly are the worst. It hurts so bad and Ma won’t even believe me when I say so, saying something along the lines of I didn’t have it that bad. But I have a feeling my body won’t be the only ache today. Groaning I get up to head down to start breakfast grabbing another painkiller to help feel better and a robe to help keep my body heated in this cold house.

Breakfast is all prepared by the time they all take a seat on the kitchen table as I take a seat on the sofa in the living room since standing is just to achy. Ding dong.

“ARE YOU FUCKING DEAF? Get up and open the fucking door!” Pa screams out the kitchen.

“Sorry Pa.” I get up quickly not taking in mind my pain. Has it rung a couple times? I haven’t even noticed.

“Good Morning. I just stopped by to speak to Virgil if he is not busy.”

It’s the Sheriff. What does he want from Pa? Nobody really ever comes to our house to speak to him.

“WELL WHO IS IT!” Pa screams.

“Let me go call him.” I say to the Sheriff. My body hiding behind the door.

“You go do that Sunshine.” He grins. I shiver in response. I go to tell dad and he gets up quickly from his spot. Taking his Jacket with himself not speaking to anyone as he does.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Monday 28 August 1837

7 20

12 40

Slept with A- fine autumnal morning F46° at 8 35 and off with A- walked with her as far as the old bar-house on her way to Cliff Hill – then sometime at Hipperholme quarry – Booth there – he followed me to the wheel-race – I said the wheel must be covered over – better make the building so that it would contain 3 or 4 worsted frames – I had quite given up the idea of a corn-mill (1st time of my decidedly saying this to B- or anyone, I think, except A- or Messrs Harper and Gray – and said it afterwards today to Robert Mann) – the building should be 19 yards long to cover wheelrace and pentrough – say 20 yards long x 8 yards wide within, and 10ft. high up to the square of the roof – the quantity of walling would be according to the n° of windows – say 30 roods of walling at 20/. or 21/. because carting from Hipperholme quarry is gain – but good common walling 18in. thick had lately cost 23/. or 24/. per rood – then there would be the hewing work windows and doors – there would be about 18 ½ squares of roofing at 45/. per square tho’ Mallinson had 50/. or 2 ½ guineas per square for Stump X Inn new building – it would be better to board the floor and then flag it over – this often done now – Suppose

Listerwick wheel-race covering over

30 roods walling at 21/.    = 31.10.0

hewing work                          10.0.0

say 20 squares roofing at 45 =     45.0.0

floor barded and flagged      50.0.0

joiners work     20.0.0

glaziers ditto    10.0.0

Painting    5.0.0

171.10.0

 Staling at 8d. per yard finding laths and nails   7.10.0

slates     15.0.0

Plaster     10.0.0

204.0.0

Booth arrived soon after me set Edward Waddington and John Sharp and Gray the labourer to fill [pull] down the old saddle room – got the chimney down and window out and the slate off in the course of the day – James and Mark Sharp walling about doorways from the house into the west tower and 3 or 4 of B-‘s other men at the terrace steps near the draw well – Robert M- and c° at the rough dry walling against the turret passage – 2 or 3? of Mawson’s carts carting stuff from there the home gates are to be. to foot of embankment in the hall wood beyond the great sycamore – Parkinson and c° at the top terrace walls, and P- himself at finishing the coach house court cistern arches – Nelsons’ men at the turret – and full force of the Manns hired carts at the platform – the gardener and brick layers at the garden walls – came in to breakfast at 10 40 – Mr. Barber junior called about leave to shoot – sent word by George I was very particularly engaged and could not see him, but would send the written leave – out again at 11 ¼ - having first come upstairs for a few minutes and said my prayers with tears of gratitude trickling down and then wrote in pencil on a loose bit of paper ‘I think perpetually of A-‘s leaving me and wish it more and more how merciful providence has been to me given her to me to spirit me up in the beginning and now takes her away just when I see that she could not make me happy’….. out again at 11 ¼ - about – Day came between 12 and 1 and I gave him a bottle of cowslip wine to take back for Mrs. AW- she had had a good night and was much the same as yesterday according to A-‘s little written slip of paper – siding in the corn chamber till 4 ½ and then off to H-x down the old bank to Mr. Parker’s – nobody in the office – went for sometime to Whitley’s and ordered 50 copies of the advertisement and bought Pinnocks Taylors’ Greece (history of) and Curtis on the preservation of health - - then bought 2 very small locks (for the clock) at Ropes’ and returned to Mr. P-‘s office – he was returned from High roydes – had been to see how the people got on with the reparation of the roof – the dog that Mr. Sunderland gave my father at Holts’ (High roydes) under sentence to be shot, Marian not choosing to go on paying Mr. Parkinson (late Cordingley) 2/6 per week for his keep – Mr. Parker hesitated about shooting so fine a dog – I said he was not fit to shoot over and I should shoot him – enough – Marian’s order is to be executed – shewed P- my landtax papers received on Friday last and brought them back but signed the receipt for them on the printed form sent by Mr. Rance, and left it as a letter to be forwarded by Mr. P-  P- then witnessed my signing the power of attorney for Messrs. Hugh Hammersleys banker and Marmaduke Pybus gentlemen both of Pall mall to receive the dividends for me on the £424 = £461.10.0 stock in the 3 percent [?] invested the other day for the infant Graham – P- signed ‘Robert Parker solicitor H-x Yorkshire’ adding the designation and address at my suggestion and dated the power today, 28 August – Mr. Carr from home till Saturday when P- saw him, and was coming here (Shibden) this afternoon if I had not gone to H-x   would I see Mr. C-? no! I thought that would do no good – P- and Mr. Harper had best settle the matter – C- must be rid of the coaches by the 5th of October (to avoid the taxes) but would have no objection to land his name and keep them on for a month or 2 to convenience me – he to choose one valourer and I another, and if they did not agree, they to choose a 3rd. – I said this was fair – I desired P- to talk the matter over with Mr. Harper – said I had ordered a few copies of the advertisement which I meant to send to some people I knew, in London and Leamington – would it not be well to send one to Lacey of the Royal hotel Manchester? oh! said P- he would be a good person to value the coaches – made no answer but thought Mr. Harper’s man Kemplay of Leeds would do better for me – mentioned the field at Northgate let till Xmas by Messrs. Husband and Nelson – P- would impound the cattle and if the man made anything to do bring an action of trespass against him – mentioned also A-‘s public house at Hipperholme – P- should have  a plan shewing the relative situations of the Inn and Ely Taylors’ beer shop and it would be well to have one of the Stump X Inn and Mr. Stocks’s new house – P- against Thomas Greenwood having a workshop at Northgate – he (P-) should see SW. to prove the notice to quit to Standeven – returned up the old bank – about ½ hour at P-‘s office – home about 5 40 – sauntered about – saw the gardener and told him he must speak to Robert Mann about a cart to cart the manure and told him I had to have the top garden wall brick inside, as also the south wall, but this latter faced with stone outside – came in at 6 40 – to tell A- to write note to SW. for the plans, and send it tonight by little John Booth who happened to be here – come for milk – dinner at 7 ½ - coffee at 8 40 – A- came upstairs at 9 40 and I a few minutes after – the large oak hall table moved this afternoon from the drawing room into the oak room and the model of Switzerland also from ditto into ditto and placed (as before) on the large oak table – I intended my portable bookcase and books to remain where they are till my room in the west tower is ready for them? fine day F50° at 10 pm – sat 1/2 hour with [A] partly at her bedside saying at dinner that P- would want SW about Standeven put her out of sorts but I gave her cherry brandy for poorliness! and took no notice of the temper  Mr. Gray must see how the matter stands

the clock ½ hour too soon

stopt it that much tonight and then at 11 20 had just written all the above of today

[tlatollotl]

As told to Scientific American

When a family member dies, we the Diné, whom Spanish conquistadors named the Navajo, send a notice to our local radio station so that everyone in the community can know. Usually the reading of the death notices—the names of those who have passed on, their ages, where they lived and the names of their matrilineal and patrilineal clans—takes no more than five minutes. It used to be very rare to hear about young people dying. But this past week, I listened to 45 minutes of death notices on KGAK Radio AM 1330. The ages ranged from 26 to 89, with most of the dead having been in their 30s, 40s or 50s.

I am in shock. The virus entered our community in March, through a Nazarene Christian revival in Arizona. They brought in vanloads and busloads of people from across the Navajo Nation for the gathering; then all those vans and buses returned them to their respective communities, along with the virus. There were immediate deaths because the medical facilities were not ready for it. More than 300 Navajos have already died of COVID-19, and the disease is still spreading.

I am a Diné storyteller and keeper of traditions. I live alone in a hogan, a traditional octagonal log house, in Chi Chil Tah, meaning “Where the Oaks Grow,” after the Gambel oaks indigenous to this region. Officially known as Vanderwagen, the community lies 23 miles south of Gallup, N.M.. The pandemic reached the area in late April. On May 1, the governor of New Mexico evoked the riot act to block off all exits into Gallup to stop the spread of the virus, and only residents could get in. The lockdown extended to May 11. It was not so bad the first week, but then we started to run out of food and water.

The groundwater in parts of Vanderwagen is naturally contaminated with arsenic and uranium; in any case, few of us have the money to drill a well. Normally, my brothers and my nephew haul water in 250-gallon tanks that are in the back of a pickup truck. At Gallup they have a high-powered well; you pay $5 in coins, put the hose in your tank and fill it up. You haul that home, dump that into your cistern, and you have water in your house. Without access to Gallup, people began to run out of water—even as we were being told to wash our hands frequently.

My hogan has electricity but no running water. My brothers bring me water, and they put it in a 75-gallon barrel. I drink that water, and I wash with it, but I also buy five gallons of water for $5, in case I need extra. I typically use a gallon of water a day, for everything—cooking, drinking and washing up. My great-grandmother used to say, “Don’t get used to drinking water, because one of these days you’re going to be fighting for it.” I have learned to live on very little.

We have a lot of cancers in our community, perhaps because of the uranium. And we have many other health issues that I think makes this virus so viable among us. We have a lot of diabetes, because we do not eat well, and a lot of heart disease. We have alcoholism. We have high rates of suicide. We have every social ill you can think of, and COVID has made these vulnerabilities more apparent. I look at it as a monster that is feasting on us—because we have built the perfect human for it to invade.

Days after Gallup reopened, I drove there to mail a letter. Every fast-food establishment—McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Wendy’s, Burger King, Panda Express, Taco Bell, they’re all located on one strip—had long, long lines of cars waiting at their drive-throughs. This in a community with such high rates of diabetes. Perhaps there wasn’t any food available in the very small stores located in their communities, but I also think this pandemic has triggered a lot of emotional responses that are normally hidden. On the highway to Vanderwagen, there is a convenience store where they sell liquor. And the parking lot was completely full, everybody was just buying and buying liquor. There is a sense of anxiety and panic, but I also think that a lot of Navajo people don’t know how to be with themselves, because there isn’t a really good, rounded, spiritual practice of any sort to anchor them.

COVID is revealing what happens when you displace a people from their roots. Take a Diné teenager. She can dress Navajo, but she has no language or culture or belief system that tells her what it means to be Diné. Her grandmother was taken away at the age of five to a BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) boarding school and kept there until she was 18. At school, they taught her that her culture and her spiritual practice were of the devil and that she needed to completely deny them. Her language was not valid: “You have a Navajo accent; you must speak English more perfectly.” Same happened to her mother. Our languages were lost, the culture and traditional practices were gone. That was also when spankings and beatings entered Diné culture. Those kids endured those horrible ways of being disciplined in the BIA schools, and that became how they disciplined their own children.

I meet kids like this all the time—who don’t know who they are. For 35 years I have been trying to tell them, you come from a beautiful culture. You come from one of hundreds of tribes who were thriving in the Americas when Columbus arrived; we had a viable political and economic system that was based on spiritual practices tied to the land. Some 500 years ago, Spanish conquistadors came up the Rio Grande into North America in search of gold. They were armed with the Doctrine of Discovery, a fearful legal document issued by the Pope that sanctioned the colonization of non-Christian territories. Then in the mid-1800s, the pioneers came from the East Coast with their belief in Manifest Destiny, their moral right to colonize the land. As their wagons moved west, the Plains Indians were moved out and put on reservations. When your spiritual practice is based on the land you’re living on, and you’re being herded away from what somebody else would call her temple, or mosque, or church, or cathedral—that’s the first place your spirituality is attacked.

My great-great-great-great-grandfather on my father’s side was captured and taken on what we call the Long Walk to Fort Sumner. Initially about 10,000 Diné were rounded up, and many died on that walk, which took weeks or months, depending on the route on which they were taken. They were imprisoned for four years at Fort Sumner, and released in 1868, because of the Civil War. At about the same time, my great-great-great-great-grandfather on my mother’s side escaped from Colonel Kit Carson at Canyon de Chelly and traveled north with his goats. He came back down to this area at just about the time my great-great-great-great-grandmother escaped Spanish slavery. Slavery was introduced here by the Spanish—that’s never talked about. The children born at Fort Sumner were taken into Spanish families, to be slaves.

We had the Spanish flu in the 1920s, one of many viruses to invade our community. Then in the 1930s there was the Great Depression. We didn’t know that was happening: we did not have money, but we had wealth in the form of sheep. And the government came in and killed our sheep in the Stock Reduction Program. They said the sheep were eroding the land, but I think they did it because the sheep made us self-sufficient, and they couldn’t allow that. We had spiritual practices around our sheep. Every time we developed self-sufficiency and a viable spiritual practice, they destroyed it. My mother said they dug deep trenches, herded the sheep and massacred them.

A tuberculosis epidemic in the 1940s took away my mother's parents. My great-grandmother, a healer and herbalist, had hidden my mother from the government agents who snatched Diné kids to put them into BIA boarding schools. My mother became a rancher, a prolific weaver, a beautiful woman who spoke the language. She did not speak much English. She died at 96; my great-grandmother died at 104. Now, in our community in Chi Chil Tah, there are no more traditional healers; the oldest person is my great-grand-aunt, who is 78. I am the only traditional Diné storyteller.  

Now that we are talking about issues of race in America, we need to also talk about the Native American tribes that were displaced. There is a reservation in upstate New York of the Iroquois people—all of 21 square miles. How much land were the Iroquois originally living on? Who was living in what is now Massachusetts? What about Pennsylvania? What about all the states under the umbrella of the United States? Whose land are you occupying? Abraham Lincoln ordered the massacre of 38 Dakota men the day after Christmas, the same week he signed the Emancipation Proclamation; they call him Honest Abe. They don’t talk about the dark side of things, and I think that is what COVID has revealed—the dark side. We see a police officer putting his full body weight on the neck of a black man. And suddenly everybody goes, Wow! What have we evolved to?

It seems to me that COVID has revealed a lot of truths, everywhere in the world. If we were ignorant of the truth, it is now revealed; if we were ignoring the truth, it is now revealed. This truth is the disparity: of health, wellbeing and human value. And now that the truth has been revealed, what are we going to do about it?