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walker-journal · 4 years

Text

Lion and Wolf

timing: At the start of the full moon parties: @letsbenditlikebennett, @laylacooke, @walker-journal summary: Adam meets Layla on the eve of full moon and has to decide if its stabbing time, Celeste saves the day.

Adam was in Took’s General Store purchasing the essentials for “Big Moon” days. Previous trips to The Armory and Excalibur had taken care of most munitions and blade requirements. However there was always miscellaneous stuff. Materials for molotov cocktails, chloroform, poisons, and other essentials were all readily available within Took’s cheery confines.

Plus soap, gonna need ...lots...of soap.

To Adam’s surprise there was a small hesitation inside of him, a passing flicker of hope that none of the wolves he’d encounter were Winn or Lucas inside, or Lucas’ brother whom he’d never met. It was an unusual train of thought for Adam and he shoved it away. All threats needed to be eliminated no matter who they were. This kind of thinking wasn’t what he needed during this critical part of the lunar cycle. Focus.

However the athlete’s mental coaching actually made him lose track of where he was, leading him to almost run over someone in the aisle.

“Hey look where you’re…”

It was about this time that Adam’s eyes took in that the human roadblock also happened to be a bombshell. Brown eyes traced curves before finally arriving to her face with an appreciative smile.

“Sorry about that,” he said in a markedly more diplomatic tone. “My bad.”

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

Layla had only been in Took’s a few times. When she had managed to find some money here or there and could afford a small snack or something to drink. But being able to freely go in and just look was something she was able to do now. And since finding a home with Ari, Ulf, and Celeste, her mission was to explore the town and familiarize herself with everything without as much worry as she once previously held. Of course, tonight’s only issue was the full moon, which was rather big, and she knew she’d have to head back home soon.

Perusing the aisles, Layla wasn’t looking for anything in particular, however, she also hadn’t been paying attention to where she was going, so when she ran into someone she quickly started apologizing, “I’m sorry, I got caught up in looking, and I didn’t...see you.” The guy staring back at her had caught her attention with his smile.

It had been a long time since anyone had looked at her like that, and while she was flattered, she was also reminded about the serious relationship she had been in for a few years now, “It’s cool. I should have been paying attention to where I was going.”

---------------- “No problem,” Adam said with a lavisciously distracted grin.

Yet with the young woman’s (was she legal...oh god, hopefully?) presence came a feeling of cold that prickled long his skin in ripples of goosebumps and washed down his spin like he’d stepped under a waterfall. Something about this chick’d set off his Hunter senses. She was likely an inhuman, but of what kind he had no idea.

“Adam Walker,” he said, reaching a thewy arm across the card to offer his hand, trying not to let the heeby jeebies change his expression. “You from around here?”

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

Was this guy flirting with her? He had to have been. That smile that seemed to be permanently etched on his face was alerting her to the fact. She had seen it so many times in high school and when she would go out with Frankie and their friends, but the biggest difference now was that Frankie wasn’t here.

“It’s nice to meet you Adam Walker.” She stuck out her own hand to meet his and shook it gently. “Layla Cooke. And no. I’m actually from the South, but I decided to give White Crest a shot. What about you?”

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

“Going to college here,” Adam replied, keeping his expression neutral as the touch of her hand brought a rush of inhuman wrongness into his nervous system. The conditioned response of adrenaline entered his veins, years of training and violence filling Adam’s brain with visions of throwing Layla against the mental counters and slamming her skull against the tile floor over and over..

Focus. This is a public place. He knew nothing about her.

“Part of Delta Iota Epsilon,” Adam continued, and shoved a thumb towards the sleeveless t-shirt with the acronym of DIE he was wearing. “Parties all night on Friday and Saturday,” Layla received another appraising look that was devoid of shyness or shame. “You should come check it out...you’d be a great fit,” he assured with a slow nod.

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

“Yeah, I’m hoping I can go there one day, when I’m able to get my life in order.” She slowly pulled her hand back and let it drop to her side. She couldn’t tell anything different about Adam, just that he seemed to be a huge flirt. It was weird talking to a college guy, considering they were probably about the same age. But after the bite, life just didn’t seem real anymore.

Seeing him motion to his shirt, she smiled, but something about the letters he was pointing to began to make her uneasy. His smile never seemed to falter though, “You know, I wasn’t as big into the party scene as one might think. My parents weren’t too keen on the idea of their only child going out and getting drunk on the weekend.” No, instead they had her training how to hunt and kill werewolves and other creatures of the night. “But I guess one party sometimes couldn’t hurt.”

Looking past Adam, Layla had noticed it was starting to get dark outside, and that meant that the moon would be coming up sooner than she would have liked, “Well, this has been fun, but I think it’s about time I head home, you know, with it getting dark and all.” Layla started to feel faint and sweat slowly began to build on her brow.

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

Adam’s sinewy shoulders shrugged. “Sounds like a drag...but guess its better than them now caring?” The footballer seemed a little uncertain on that last point. “But hey definately welcome anytime.”

She excuses herself and Adam had far more preparations to complete before the moon was high. “Yeah no prob see you arou….um, Lyra” (it was an L name right?) “you ok?”

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

“Uh, yeah, I guess.” She was starting to get worried for multiple reasons. “I’ll look you up.”

Layla began moving forward, but stumbled slightly. And there it was. The feeling she dreaded with a passion of a million fiery suns, “Layla. It’s Layla.” Forcing back the lump in her throat, she looked to him with an uneasy smile, “Yeah. Totally. Just need some water.” She began looking around for a cooler with drinks in them. She had to get away from him. Had to get out of the store. Get home.

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

Adam frowned in concern as L-chick stumbled. Her weak smile only deepened his downturned expression. Adam went down one of the aisles to the coolers in the back. He placed a water bottle by ?Laura? And went up to the cash register to pay.

“Any better,” he inquired upon returning.

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

Layla felt like she was going to leave a lung on the floor of the store. Seeing the water, she grabbed the bottle and opened it, chugging it down. She had never changed in front of anyone before. She had always managed to find privacy, but tonight might have been the night, and Adam was the last person she wanted to know or see what she was.

Finishing the water in one long drink, she let the empty bottle fall to the floor, “Thank you. A little, but I really...I’ll see you around, yeah?” Heading for the door, she forced the door open allowing the cool night air to hit her in the face causing some relief to her pale, clammy skin.

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

After a courteous goodbye Adam gave Layla a minute or so headsteart. He was strapped for time but his instincts were picking up weird vibes here. All kids of weird shit went down around the Full Moon, furry and otherwise. If this chick were a supernatural and acting weird, then that's something he needed to follow up on for security’s sake, at least until he was sure it wasn’t going to be a public incident or Pet Shop of Horrors in some back alley.

Adam’s eyesight wasn’t human, thus he could give Layla a very wide berth while trailing her, keeping it casual and hoping to blend in with the crowd.

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

With each passing moment, Layla could feel her human side getting weaker and the beast growing stronger. She just wanted to shed her skin and feel better. To have this continual growing ache to disappear, so the animal inside her could be free, but at the same time, she wanted it under control. So far, with every shift, she hadn’t been able to remember what had happened the night before, and it scared her. Hurting someone or something was the last thing she wanted to do, but everytime it happened, Layla seemed to wake up covered in some kind of blood.

Clutching at her side, she could already feel things starting to happen, and the pain had been worse from her little scuff with Francesca and Orion a few days prior. Unable to control it, Layla let out a yowl of pain. With people staring at her, she began running back towards the place that had been discussed with Celeste as a good place to be locked up for this very occasion.

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

Adam darted into the back allies, mentally visualizing the direction Layla was probably heading. Unimpeded by the crowd, the Hunter place the purchased gear in his backpack and broke into a full sprint, vauling over obstacles, and scale fences in a few alacitious motions. Adam let his mutant physiology take control, hurtling forward over, around, and through the gaps in obstacles as he tried to gain on Layla.

He swung over a chainlink fence and out into the street again. He advanced after Layla with cold purpose, feet pounding on the broken sidewalk. “Heya Layla…,” he piped up, warm amiable tone not matching the hard agates of his eyes. “You ok?...Do you need me to call emergency services?”

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

Her mind was focused on getting to safety. She just wanted to be left alone, aside from someone to keep watch to make sure she stayed locked up. Layla definitely didn’t want to die, but if she had gotten out, she knew it was a real possibility and one she could support, despite her every effort to convince her parents not to hunt or kill wolves, but to subdue them by safer means.

However, her ears had picked up on something as she was scrambling to get home. The sound of feet hitting the ground at a rapid pace, and it wasn’t long until she knew exactly whose feet it was chasing after her. “Adam?” Her eyes were filled with shock, but also worry, “I don’t know how you got here. Or why.” By now she had a pretty good idea why, “But it’s not safe okay? That’s all I’m saying. So you need to leave.” She hated being blunt, but she couldn’t handle the possibility of attacking him or lashing out unintentionally.

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

Adam advanced in firmly purposeful steps, his expression steadily losing its warmth until it had cooled into an iron neutrality. Eyes that once regarded her with playful lewdness were now sizing her up with a calculation that held a surgical edge, something to be assessed and possibly disposed of rather than a woman to court.

“Why is it not safe Layla,” he asked with level calm.

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

Layla’s strength was diminishing. She was going to have to change sooner rather than later, and along with her strength, her patience was growing thin. It was the animal inside that made her want to lash out and rip his head off, but she resisted the urge, knowing deep down inside, she couldn’t live with herself if she ever did hurt someone, “Because, Adam, I’m not feeling too good, and I wouldn’t want you to get sick…” She looked over to him, the softness of her own expression gone and easily turning into something harder.

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

Adam looked around at the courtyard we were in. Cracked cement and empty storefronts long closed where dotted around them. Small plants and mosses eaked out starved existences in the small fissures spidering through cement and tarmac. The dusk cast waning crepular light over the patch of urban decay that Layla and Adam found themselves. The street’s activity was muted in the distance. “Thanks, that's very considerate of you,” Adam said, still advancing. He lifted a necklace from under his thin shirt. A six-pointed star caught the wan light, pure silver contrasting with the young man’s skin, still ruddy red from the sprint over here.

“You should really let me help walk you home though,” Adam said, winding the sliver symbol through his fingers as he drew closer. “This town can be pretty dangerous at night.”

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

Layla hadn’t yet been in contact with silver, since the night she received the bite that changed her. Seeing the glint in the rising moon, the girl’s demeanor completely changed and a low guttural growl escaped her lips, “What do you want with me?” Her body ached and the animal raged inside of her begging to escape, but the moon still hung too low in the night sky. Her breathing was rapid, and she could feel the sickness in her growing, “Are you gonna kill me? Is that why you won’t just leave me alone?” Tears formed in her eyes. Was tonight the night Layla was going to die at the hands of a hunter not much older than she?

She continued to move forward. Her only goal at this point was trying to make it back to Celeste, unless a fight were to ensue, which there was a very good chance she wouldn’t survive.

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

Perhaps seeing that subterfuge held no further purpose, Adam reached his free hand behind his back and under his shirt and withdrew one of the two blades he kept there. A cruelly serrated and silvered tactical knife danced easily in the Hunter’s fingers as he readied it.

“Depends,” Adam said coldly, keeping a steady pace but not yet rushing forward. “Where’re you going this Full Moon? If you're going to be out and about then yeah,” the athlete affirmed with a shrug of his shoulders. “You’d be too much of a danger to let live.”

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

Layla’s entire body was starting to ache, but she knew she was getting closer to where she needed to be. However, it didn’t deter Adam from continuing to follow along or threaten her. Finally at her wits end and her breathing growing shallow, she stopped and confronted him, “I’m trying to get to the place I was told to go so I can lock myself up, you nosey piece of human garbage.” Sweat was pouring down her pale face, and it was taking everything within her not to just give up and let the monster take control of her body.

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

Adam stopped when Layla did, posture slightly slanted as he kept his weight ready on his back foot. The insult didn’t seem to phase him however her claim provoked a moment of contemplation, brawny arms folded in front of him. However the way the silver tactical knife was nevertheless held in the outermost arm in readiness hinted at the deception within this face of casualness. The muscles within the Hunters arms and shoulders were still taut and knotted in this state of stillness, as if he genuinely expected Layla to drop this obvious charade and lunge at him any second.

“Really now.” Dubiety dripped from the worlds as tawny eyebrows raised in an expression that asked Layla if she ...really...wanted to play this way. There came another shrug. “Cool, let’s go and make sure you’re chained up nice and safe.”

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

Layla knew hunters. She knew the tricks they played. She was taught how to play games by her parents. And if she had really wanted to snack on his flesh, she would have done it already, but the idea of meat grossed her out, and that idea still lingered behind all the rage and thirst bottled up inside her, “Geeze, yes. Really. Quit acting like a smug, fuckboi hunter and just help me get to the place I’m going. Unless you’re really just looking for a fight, because, yes, you’d probably win. I’m a baby wolf that doesn’t know shit, except animal instinct, which you’re going to experience, if you don’t quit slowing me down. Embrace this moment, you ass. Cherish it, because I’m sure it’s not often you get a willing participant to play your little cat and mouse game that actually just wants to go lock herself up.” She growled at him, before resuming the walk at a quicker pace. She was dispelling more energy, but if it got her away from him and in chains faster then so be it.

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

Adam let out an exhalation that evinced that confusion was stronger then frustration. “Yup, it definitely is different,” he admitted while keeping pace. “This isn’t cat and mouse so much as if you're lying, I size you down to fit in those dumpsters,” Adam replied with tactless frankness, nodding towards some waste receptacles they passed.

“Kay, so should I hold you up, carry you..” Adam asked in a more amenable tone, not about to throw an angry she-wolf over his shoulder without permission.

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

Layla rolled her eyes at his comment about the dumpsters, “Let me make it easier on you, Adam. You don’t have to size me to fit into anything. I know I fit in dumpsters for a fact. No shame here, because it’s where I used to get my food. So if you want to murder me, then go ahead.” She had almost regretted saying that. Almost.

The teenager closed her eyes in defeat, before reopening them and training them on the hunter in front of her, “If you think you can get me there faster, then be my guest.” She held out her arms waiting for him to pick her up.

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

There Hunter shook his head at his quarry and companions second slip into submitting before the knife. “Not that I don’t appreciate an easy kill to move the night along and all,” he began. “But you give up too easy Layla. It doesn’t matter if you’re small or young. Hit the right tendon it doesn’t matter. Fuckin dead is dead.”

On that cheery note, the Hunter put away the silver chain and sheathed his blade. He took the girl into his arms and hefted her weight without visible effort. This done, the athlete took off in a brisk run that steadily accelerated as the mutant fell into a stride that’d have had most fully-human soldiers panting before long.

“So, where is this place?”

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

He was right. She did give up too easily. Somehow she had made it this long on her own, but why? Why had she still been spared? Layla couldn’t figure it out. The one thing she did know was that she was angry at the world. Her parents. The wolf who had bit her. The people who had turned her away when she was at her lowest…

The only semblance of hope that had started to return was the day Ariana had offered her a hot meal and a bed to sleep in.

Feeling him lift her up, without resisting, she tried to hold herself up so as to not put all of her weight on him, but it didn’t seem to be much of an issue, “It’s deep in the woods, just past the drive-in theater. Adam, why are you helping me? Why not just kill me when you had the chance?”

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

“Because it's not the killing that’s important,” Adam huffed as he continued in a boot camp pace up various hills, across cul de sacs, vaulting over property fences using his free hand, and ignoring the residents cry of outrage as he just took the next fence at a run without responding to their questions.

“It’s about removing threats to mankind,” he continued between breaths while running off the paved streets onto the more rugged roads that signaled one was drawing nearer to the drive-in-theatre and woods. “If you stay out during the full moon then you’ll lose control and be a threat to everyone.”

Dusk deepend and shadowed lengthened, even with the Hunter’s superhuman stamina nightfall proved an implacable pursuer.

“But if you're inside and chained up then you’re not a threat and I don’t have to kill you,” the Hunter finished with the brutally linear logic that the Code demanded. “Me helping you means less people die.”

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

Layla latched onto Adam. He was so much stronger than he looked, and she was impressed. And as she watched the town fly by as he ran, she listened to him explain the answer to her question. The fact that he didn’t outright want to kill her, she could respect, and it reminded her of the many arguments she had with her mother and father about that very issue; killing. However, where they differed was that she didn’t want to kill at all. She had just wanted to subdue the beast, despite knowing that there were wolves and other creatures that would kill regardless. And it’s part of the reason she was in the situation she was currently in.

“Well, I can respect that, and I greatly appreciate you giving me a chance. Not all of us want to be killing machines. Some of us just want to be normal human teenagers that go to college and spend time with their girlfriends and paint our nails.” She sighed. “And not have to be locked up every time there’s a full moon.”

She rested her forehead into his shoulder in defeat getting a whiff of his body spray, “Huh, you actually smell really good.” Looking up, she noticed the small structure just up ahead. “There. Celeste should be waiting.”

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

“You’re welcome,” grunted Adam as he leapt over the makeshift barricade at the far end of the drive-in theatre. Cicadas whined as the Hunter bounded through the open field towards the woods. Tall grasses and thorns tore at his fatigues, staining the light beige with slashes of green and yell as his breakneck pace barreled through dandelions and knots of knee-height weeds. The air was filled with the smell of fields yielding to the seedy pungence of the woods.

“Heh well I can’t really pretend to know what normal is like,” admitted the mutant who as a child needed to be carefully taught how to interact with non-Hunters so he didn’t accidently break his classmates. “Glad your’re more ...Ya-Ya sisterhood stuff then... murder though,” he huffed as they cleared the treeline, branches snapped with like firecrakers under his pounding feet. “And I guess that’s just life ...when you got’ crazy moon virus,” he said with characteristic tactlessness on the matter of being locked up. “It isn’t fair...but that shits the breaks. “Heh, you mention your girlfriend ...then tease me with the smelling good and getting up close in my grill like that,” Adam noted with a hoarse laugh as they entered the home stretch up towards the woodland house, blinking as sweat stung at his eyes. “You're cruel,” he joked. While the relative intimacy of her so up close against him might’ve been more..distracting...under different circumstances, Adam was actually more concerned about Layla shifting in his arms and taking a big ‘ol bite out of his neck.

“Kay here we are, not much time”

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

Layla continued to stay latched on, but she could feel her body starting to make miniscule changes. Things got a little brighter in the night. Smells were more apparent and distinct. And she started to feel sick again. She had done a good job of suppressing it as Adam raced her towards the safety of a makeshift cage, but it was getting harder now. And she could start to hear the blood pumping through his veins, which left her mouth watering. But, of course, she kept her sudden needs on the DL.

“Crazy moon virus. Best name for it yet.” She felt her arms go around him a little tighter in both a manner of trying to hold on, but for deeper innate reasons. She was praying they would make it there soon, and despite him being kind of an ass, she didn’t want to hurt him. There was something about him that she valued, especially considering he was willing to risk his life to get her to where she desperately needed to be.

“What can I say? I must just be a heartbreaker.” She laughed weakly as they inched closer, and when they had finally made it, she slid off his back, nearly collapsing to the ground. Her eyes searched for Celeste as she tried to make her way to her feet, “Celeste! Please tell me you’re here...Please be here…”

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

As it got darker, Celeste found her nerves were dancing under her skin. Layla should have been here by now. She’d headed over to their spot early to ensure the chains were set up and ready to go for Layla. After many tests to make sure they’d be safe, she’d waited patiently, her fingers idly drumming over the tranquilizer gun on her hip. Except as the sky got darker, her patience soon wore thin. She was practically pacing a hole into the ground beneath her feet.

When she heard people approaching, she briefly felt relieved until she heard another voice with Layla’s. Her brow furrowed, she wasn’t keen on anyone else knowing about this spot. “Layla,” she called out, running toward Layla and the man carrying her. She looked over him carefully, waiting for him to set her down. “You’re late,” she said simply before asking, “And who is this?” With Ariana not too far off, Celeste felt on edge having someone else here.

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

If Layla consented, Adam set her down. He leaned back and placed both sinewy arms behind his head. The run here carrying another person had been taxing even by Hunter standards, and the footballer’s shoulders rose and fell in a steady rhythm as he tried to get some breath back.

“Adam,” he said with a flushed grin despite his brown eyes scanning the area, looking for if this lock-up was legit or if his sweaty gullible ass was about to be ambushed at this murder-cabin. “It’s ok, I’m used to hot gingers climbing me like a tree.”

He looked to the sky and then cautiously between both women. “So...where’s this safety room?”

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

“I know. I got held up.” She shot Adam a look. But as the moon was nearly high in the sky, the young wolf started to feel a more severe shift, and without being able to control it, cried out in pain. It was starting, and if Layla didn’t get chained up soon, then bad things were bound to happen.

Stumbling towards Celeste, Layla’s eyes held agony, “Do it. Whatever you’ve gotta do, do it.” She had done this many times alone, but there was no one around her that she feared she would consume. Of course, that wasn’t to say she hadn’t eaten people before, she just couldn’t remember it, and that always scared her.

Looking between Celeste and Adam, she had hoped they would both be safe and leave when need be. She had also wondered about Ariana, and if she was being locked up as well, but she didn’t want to say anything with fear of Adam trying something.

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

The idea of bringing a stranger into the space she’d set up was not something Celeste was keen on doing. Gently grabbing on Layla’s arm, she looked at Adam with narrow eyes. “I’m Celeste. If you haven’t noticed, I don’t really have time to give you a tour.” There wasn’t much time for a debate either, so she led Layla over to the abandoned underground room she’d found. It’d taken a little work to get the chains adequately reinforced and Ulfric didn’t love the idea, but it was what Layla wanted. If this Adam followed then he followed. Once Layla was restrained, she could pay more attention to him and determine if he was a threat.

Layla’s pain was apparent as her bones were shifting. She rushed down the stairs of the abandoned building and kept Layla close to her, placing the cuffs of the chains around her wrists as quickly as she possibly could before looking back to see if he had followed.

--------------- Adam would like to say that he was the kind of person that could’ve just accepted that this Celeste chick, though she felt human to his Hunter senses, was some nice wonderful person who definitely wouldn’t just let the almost shifted out to run free and gnaw off citizen’s gnads. Celeste’s concern looked genuine.

But Adam’s life hasn't been the kind that really left much room for faith in anyone. Faith was too dangerous.

Thus, he followed the two women with a feigned expression of mere idle curiosity.

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

Following Celeste as she grabbed onto Layla’s arm, the young wolf could already feel the crack and tearing of bone and muscle begin. But it wasn’t long before she was on the ground being chained up. It was the first time the girl had ever had chains around her body, and it scared her. But her mind couldn’t process words to speak from the pain that was taking over her form.

Curling up into a fetal position, she wailed out in pain as the horrific transformation continued to take place. It seemed like an eternity, before all was said and done, but when she had fully shifted, she lay on the floor panting, regaining her strength, before she managed to climb onto her two hind legs. She was smaller than most of the wolves, but she stood at least another foot taller than she previously had. Her fur was a warm, reddish-orange, and her eyes glowed brightly.

Sniffing the air, she looked around until she had laid eyes on Celeste and Adam. Food. Lunging came naturally, but she was quickly jerked back and hit the floor moaning slightly, before crawling forward trying to reach out swatting at both the hunters, but restrained from the large, heavy chains.

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

Celeste watched closely as Layla transformed, making sure the chains held. When she lunged and got jerked back immediately, she allowed herself to relax a little and look back over to the man who’d brought Layla here. “Adam,” she said slowly, “I suppose a thank you is in order. I appreciate you getting her back here safely.”

She scanned him carefully, he was young and looked strong. It seemed likely they had a shared background, but he’d brought her here instead of killing her. “So, I can assure I have things under control here. I went through rigorous testing with the chains and have a little help handy if I need it.” She patted the tranquilizer gun on her hip, “Do you normally pick up shifting werewolves on the full moon?”

--------------- “No problem Ma’am,” Adam said in a distant distracted voice as he looked on the russet monstrosity that Layla had become. The air of inhumanity Layla brought to his Hunter sense came off the Werewolf in choking waves now that she’d shed her human shape. The silver knife tucked secured in the back of his pants under the sweat-soaked shirt seemed to dig painfully into his spine. There was a moment of regret where Adam’s heart faltered in the conviction that was the right choice.

Look at that thing. Why save Layla when it just meant that an innocent would likely pay the price for Adam’s weakness on a future full moon?

Adam pressed the thought from his mind, knowing first hand where that line of reasoning often led.

“Thank you for making sure the creature’s secure,” the Hunter said with an unconscious lapse into depersonalization. “Not usually how I roll,” he admitted, brown eyes drawn again to the luminous gaze of the straining lycanthrope. “But this seems a regular thing for you...Celeste, right?”

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

The young, wild animal paced back and forth knowing she was limited in her range on the chains, but she was hungry. Saliva dripped from her long fangs as she continued to snarl and growl at the two humans in her presence. And when innate hunger became too overpowering again, she took a harder lunge, only to be yanked back once again; her efforts proving fruitless.

Any indication of Layla was gone. She was just an animal looking to fill her stomach with anything, and they had been her targets. She was young and dumb, still new in her ways as a werewolf. She had many lessons to learn, but right now she was running simply on endorphins and the animal instinct that had come with the curse.

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

She wasn’t sure why it was so hard for her to believe that maybe another hunter had a more reasonable code than her parents had, but Celeste would be grateful for it. She’d have to find a new spot for the next month though. She didn’t want anyone outside of them knowing where they were. Too much of a risk. “I see,” she said, calmly and slowly, blinking a few times before she finally added, “I think I can figure out the rest, thank you.”

With a more serious face, she assured, “It is, yes. I’ll make sure she’s on time next time. She cut it entirely too close for my liking.” She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Just another layer to this whole fucked up puzzle of keeping both the kids and others safe. She figured she’d refrain from mentioning the bit about being what her parents would call a deserter. Most didn’t take kindly to that. ---------------

Although this particular encounter had ended happily, Adam’s night had really only begun. By this point those wolves that were still out had already changed, and Adam’s duty shifted from containment to elimination. “Thank you ma’am appreciate it,” the Hunter said, wishing he still had enough faith left to take Celeste’s assurance at face value.

Making a polite excuse to leave, Adam began the long trek back to town to retrieve his supplies and take up the night’s patrol

Plus soap, gonna need ...lots...of soap.

However the athlete’s mental coaching actually made him lose track of where he was, leading him to almost run over someone in the aisle.

“Hey look where you’re…”

It was about this time that Adam’s eyes took in that the human roadblock also happened to be a bombshell. Brown eyes traced curves before finally arriving to her face with an appreciative smile.

“Sorry about that,” he said in a markedly more diplomatic tone. “My bad.”

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

“No problem,” Adam said with a lavisciously distracted grin.

“Adam Walker,” he said, reaching a thewy arm across the card to offer his hand, trying not to let the heeby jeebies change his expression. “You from around here?”

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

Focus. This is a public place. He knew nothing about her.

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

She excuses herself and Adam had far more preparations to complete before the moon was high. “Yeah no prob see you arou….um, Lyra” (it was an L name right?) “you ok?”

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

“Uh, yeah, I guess.” She was starting to get worried for multiple reasons. “I’ll look you up.”

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

“Any better,” he inquired upon returning.

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

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

Adam’s eyesight wasn’t human, thus he could give Layla a very wide berth while trailing her, keeping it casual and hoping to blend in with the crowd.

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

“Why is it not safe Layla,” he asked with level calm.

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

“Thanks, that's very considerate of you,” Adam said, still advancing. He lifted a necklace from under his thin shirt. A six-pointed star caught the wan light, pure silver contrasting with the young man’s skin, still ruddy red from the sprint over here.

“You should really let me help walk you home though,” Adam said, winding the sliver symbol through his fingers as he drew closer. “This town can be pretty dangerous at night.”

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

She continued to move forward. Her only goal at this point was trying to make it back to Celeste, unless a fight were to ensue, which there was a very good chance she wouldn’t survive.

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

“Kay, so should I hold you up, carry you..” Adam asked in a more amenable tone, not about to throw an angry she-wolf over his shoulder without permission.

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

“So, where is this place?”

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

The only semblance of hope that had started to return was the day Ariana had offered her a hot meal and a bed to sleep in.

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

Dusk deepend and shadowed lengthened, even with the Hunter’s superhuman stamina nightfall proved an implacable pursuer.

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

“Heh, you mention your girlfriend ...then tease me with the smelling good and getting up close in my grill like that,” Adam noted with a hoarse laugh as they entered the home stretch up towards the woodland house, blinking as sweat stung at his eyes. “You're cruel,” he joked. While the relative intimacy of her so up close against him might’ve been more..distracting...under different circumstances, Adam was actually more concerned about Layla shifting in his arms and taking a big ‘ol bite out of his neck.

“Kay here we are, not much time”

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

He looked to the sky and then cautiously between both women. “So...where’s this safety room?”

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

Adam would like to say that he was the kind of person that could’ve just accepted that this Celeste chick, though she felt human to his Hunter senses, was some nice wonderful person who definitely wouldn’t just let the almost shifted out to run free and gnaw off citizen’s gnads. Celeste’s concern looked genuine.

But Adam’s life hasn't been the kind that really left much room for faith in anyone. Faith was too dangerous.

Thus, he followed the two women with a feigned expression of mere idle curiosity.

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

“No problem Ma’am,” Adam said in a distant distracted voice as he looked on the russet monstrosity that Layla had become. The air of inhumanity Layla brought to his Hunter sense came off the Werewolf in choking waves now that she’d shed her human shape. The silver knife tucked secured in the back of his pants under the sweat-soaked shirt seemed to dig painfully into his spine. There was a moment of regret where Adam’s heart faltered in the conviction that was the right choice.

Look at that thing. Why save Layla when it just meant that an innocent would likely pay the price for Adam’s weakness on a future full moon?

Adam pressed the thought from his mind, knowing first hand where that line of reasoning often led.

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

Making a polite excuse to leave, Adam began the long trek back to town to retrieve his supplies and take up the night’s patrol

#letsbenditlikebennett #laylacooke #chatyz

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vaguely-concerned · 5 years

Text

Mass Effect: Annihilation thoughts

TL;DR I fucking LOVED IT, a balm to my heart after struggling through Nexus Uprising! Also canonical lesbians! The sweetest quarian & his badass grandma! Elcor Hamlet except this time it’ll make you cry!!!

- Aaaaaah the audiobook reader is Tom Taylorson (so male Ryder)!! Fryda Wolf (female Ryder) read the two others and did a nice job, but man I’m soft for his voice in a way only rivaled by (...outside-of-Overwatch!)Jennifer Hale and Nicholas Boulton haha. He also has a much better handle on the pronunciations and voices for the different alien species -- delightful, I’m still cackling over his pitch perfect elcor impersonation. (Bioware please give him more Scott Ryder to voice I miss my son)

- I’m only about half an hour in and this is already SO much better than Nexus Uprising, it really does feel like a brave new galaxy haha. Very funny, very warm and smart and engaging in how it does its characterization and Valente clearly has affection for the setting and the universe, she and Jemisin both do incredible jobs with these.

- I’m fucking crying laughing at this cross-species near-brawl over a flower arrangement, god I love Mass Effect SO MUCH (what a neat idea though. something blooming quietly even when no one can see it. impractical as hell and hilariously including a high-nutrition celery now, but still neat)

Taylorson continues to wonderful things with the voices, that volus suit sound is so good. (he’s just generally really good at comedy) also a volus bellowing insults ‘moments before punching an anti-bouquet batarian in the groin’ sdafhjklsahfsjadkhfklajshdfkjlsadhf

- a high as a kite elcor... what a time to be alive, to get to read this book

I have already reached the ‘I LOVE EVERYONE IN THIS BAR’ stage with these characters, hard boiled drell detective lady and sweet sweet quarian first officer and manically enthusiastic elcor doctor TOT I would die for any one of you!!!

- The quarian/multispecies ark was built for long-term habitation, potentially over multiple generations. So what you’re telling me is that the quarians are the only ones who fucking thought this through and the rest of the Initiative probably should have listened to the people who’ve essentially been living on arks for ages. Who’d’ve thunk huh lol. (I guess the in-universe explanation is that people like the mysterious benefactor just wanted those arks yeeted to Andromeda ASAP, no time to get fancy in case the Reapers changed up their schedule. Fair enough)

- ;n; petition to let senna have a SAM pls (also uh. how happy do you think the stringently anti-AI quarian pathfinder will be when he finds out about everyone else’s SAMs lol lol lol he’s going to PASS OUT FROM RAGE upon meeting ryder. well he sounds like an asshole, I hope he dies so senna gets a chance)

- I can’t BELIEVE yorrik is an anti-stratfordianist, i am betRAYED! disgraceful, how can I still love you knowing this (and yet I do he is extremely funny and sweet)!!! (at least his theory is that this so-called ‘shakespeare’ was actually an elcor, which makes it better somehow lol. anything so long as he’s not an oxfordian tbh)

senna and yorrik’s friendship is so good and wholesome

- I really love the consistent alien POVs in this book, mass effect should indulge in this more -- everyone loves this universe so much, bioware, stop making us squint through a human lense to look at it!!

- oh of course quarian ‘pirates’ exist, the people who’re thrown out of the fleet must be doing something huh.

- haven’t written that many notes in a while just because I’m enjoying myself so much, I keep forgetting

- lfsdkhfsajkldhfskadjhfsjakdfhsdkjfh communist volus!!!! this is not a drill, communist volus! I am completely and utterly charmed by this entire book

- the quarian ancestor VI is so interesting and weirdly touching. senna is adorable (and relatably neurotic lol)

grandma AI smoking T___________T I love everything about this, she’s so cool. the worldbuilding being done around pre-geth revolution rannoch here... exquisite

- way to make me cry about batarians cat valente ;_______;

- the voice acting is SO FUCKING GOOD! I keep forgetting it’s one dude reading all these characters haha, I caught myself wanting to look up who voiced this dying batarian. (special shoutout that he does so many wonderfully distinct and specific female voices!)

- haHA I KNEW the quarian VI was a full AI (or near enough that it makes little difference tbh)!!! this fabulous grandma was self aware the entire time b i t c h e s !!!!

- the running joke of borbala’s ‘you need ______? I can make _______ happen’ is SO satisfying hahaha

ooooooh serious femslash vibes!!!! initially I thought batarian ex-crime matriarch was too old for drell PI, but this is undeniable. (I don’t think we actually ever get to know how old annex is, anyway, come to think of it) I guess if asari get to be five times older than everyone else and still fuck freely this isn’t really that weird lol

- “don’t look! it’s not so bad if you don’t look!” ofhsdalfhskldlsfjas oh senna baby boy

hey qetsi? qetsi both senna and I love grandma liat more than you. stand the fuck down

- NOOOO GRANDMA LIAT ;______________________________________;

- do you think SAM could meet liat (either ship!liat or just grandma!liat).... and have... a friend ;_________; (a cool laidback friend who isn’t a murderous angaran ai who might very well go the murder suicide sort of friendship route lol)

anyway I miss SAM a lot and love him??

- yorrik noooooooooooo this is awful everything is bad and terrible I love all of them so much why must senna be sad and watch everything he loves fade away 😭😭😭

“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood/Clean from my hand?” He realized he’d forgotten to preface the words with an emotion. Now they wouldn’t understand what he meant.

Oh. Oh what a way to drive home the sadness and loneliness of this moment f u c k (and again the emotion taylorson brings to it jesus cHRIST)

I’m destroyed over how much senna and yorrik love each other, cross species found family out here wrecking my heart in true mass effect style

- yorrik is such a great character though. he’d be so easy to make a one-note joke character (like most elcor have been in canon lbr), but there’s nuance and depth and just enough satsifyingly believable alienness there. (I love the staunch elcor ‘you can’t call anything love that hasn’t lasted at least two centuries’ perspective haha) his memories of his childhood and disappointment with his profession and everything... goodnight sweet prince indeed :(

- they went and made elcor hamlet heartbreaking how dare they

(to be real for a second I think some of the human culture references are a little bit clunky, but the elcor hamlet stuff is perfect. contextualizing a throwaway joke from the original trilogy and giving it emotional depth, helping us see it from the elcor perspective and how frustrating and lonely it is to be so fundamentally not emotionally understood or seen on a level most of the other races are, despite their other differences, even though you have all these feelings and want to communicate... its very good.)

fun additional fact: both mordin and yorrik have played/wanted to play polonius in a production of hamlet! though I guess mordin is the slightly problematic fave in that duo and yorrik is a sweet melancholic angel who has never done anything wrong in his life, I would say protect him but I guess it’s too late for that D:

- qetsi giving off some real ophelia vibes here, I wish yorrik was here to see it, he’s the only one who’d properly appreciate it despite it all

- I. am. SO FUCKING HUNGRY for more mass effect after this (well even more so than usual) I’m so hyped!! I love this universe so much! I want a new andromeda game with senna as quarian pathfinder and grandma liat as the ship’s AI and see how they interact with ryder and SAM! (honestly though I feel like senna might be the one who’d translate the most cleanly into a game, I think there’s a lot of potential in him that’s barely being realized towards the end there with his deep righteous rage cutting through his uncertainty. also I just want nice things for him. is that so much to ask. he is a good boy, yorrik was so right.)

- aaaah not just femslash vibes, canonical lesbians, this is not a drill! I can’t wait until they propose... ‘we get shit done together, want to be in good cop/bad cop with me until the day we die y/n?’

- the ME universe doesn’t feel quite itself without all these ‘background’ species hanging around, I suddenly realize. I dream of an Andromeda sequel with all of them on the board and in play again Y-------Y

- potential Liat and SAM dynamics are so fucking interesting though! if she becomes/is confirmed as a full AI (all I hope and dream of), you’ll have two artificial intelligences with such different starting points but not that dissimilar goals? Liat was an organic person once who’s looking out for her family even now, and SAM is completely artificial but also intimately tied to and protecting His People. (and pulling a whole lot of symbolic weight re: the strength of familial/interpersonal relationships to boot; he’s the best way alec ryder managed to connect with his children. even though he was dead. because as established alec ryder was a disaster of a person)

- I enjoyed the loose murder mystery structure of this quite a lot, but that might also be because nexus uprising is so shapeless and meandering by comparison that I’d be relieved by anything else (sorry I’ll stop ragging on NU soon it just. took some hours of my life I can’t get back)

- jemisin did great stuff for characters already in andromeda (cora, SAM, alec ryder) and valente made me remember just why I love this universe so much and desperately want these aspects brought to andromeda too... and now I’ve exhausted all the fresh mass effect content I had available to me and will sit here consumed with lust for the rest of the time it takes for a new game to be announced thank you and goodbye

#mass effect #mass effect andromeda #mass effect annihilation #*vibrates silently with cravings for more mass effect all while knowing it's gonna be a good goddamn while yet*#thank you cat valente this was a very nice gift

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sciencenewsforstudents · 5 years

Link

Most people are familiar with phlegm. It’s the gunk you might cough up when you have a cold or the flu. This mucus is not pretty. But as long as it keeps moving, it does a body good. With certain diseases, though, phlegm becomes too thick to be easily cleared. It can end up clogging the lungs, making it hard to get oxygen in and out. In some diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, people risk suffocating from a phlegm overload. The question has been why their mucus sticks so firmly to their lungs. A new study finds that it all comes down to water.

The new data might help doctors better gauge which treatments work, and what new medicines might help patients breathe more freely.

“We wanted to know how mucus is cleared by cough,” says Brian Button. He studies biophysics — the physics of living things — at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Phlegm gunks up the lungs in two ways. The first is adhesion, the tendency of mucus to stick to the surface of the lungs. The second is cohesion, the tendency of mucus to stick to itself.

To measure these things, Button uses a device called a peel tester. It gauges how sticky something is by measuring how much force it takes to peel it off a surface. Normal peel testers are designed for products like tape. Button and his colleagues had to invent a new type for phlegm.

This is Button��s peel tester at work, slowly lifting mucus off a film to gauge its stickiness.

CREDIT: B. BUTTON

Next, they had to collect a lot of mucus. They got some samples from living patients. But they also got some from donated lung tissue. Some came from healthy patients who had donated their organs to science after death. Others came from people with cystic fibrosis or other lung diseases who had received a lung transplant (leaving their unhealthy tissue available for science).

From those donor lungs, Button says, “We scrape off the airway cells and grow them [up in a dish].” As the lung cells multiply, they make mucus. They even wave their tiny cilia around, pushing the mucus in slow circles. In a way, his team became “mucus farmers,” Button says.

The mucus in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis is especially gloppy. But scientists did not know how this viscous stuff interacted with the lungs, or what would help a patient cough it up. Some researchers thought they could thin out mucus by making it more acidic — like lemon juice.

Button’s team thought maybe the thick mucus was just too dry. Normal mucus is 98 percent water. In people with cystic fibrosis, that mucus is only 79 percent water. Using the peel tester, the team showed that the force of a cough could easily tear normal phlegm off a surface. But at 79 percent water, mucus clung too tightly. A cough would not be strong enough to propel it out of the lung’s tiny airways.

The more watery a mucus, the more easily it tore away. And when Button and his colleagues added water to samples from patients with cystic fibrosis, their mucus now peeled away just fine.

These researchers shared their findings in the December 4, 2018 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

#body functions #science #scied #sciblr #health #medicine

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a-queer-seminarian · 5 years

Text

reformed theology

throwing all my notes about theology from my Presbyterian Heritage and Polity class here!

Why Reformed theology is all about Grace

there is no part of us that is untouched by sin

but there is also no part of us that cannot be touched by God’s grace!

the knowledge that we are sinful and that only God can fix that should make us act with humility -- we’re gonna mess up a lot, including in regards to what we believe, and have to be open to hearing people tell us we messed up so we can do better

this is how we can show gratitude for God’s grace and show grace to one another in turn

Sin

sin is an infection so holistic that we cannot cure it

taints our sense of the divine available to us in creation

we are “little idol factories”

we would prefer a smaller, more manageable, more manipulable God to this big God whom we do not control

we always try to make God containable, by limiting language for God and narrowing our theologies...

Knowing God

yet we do all have a sense of the divine – God is transparent in Creation; but because of sin we can’t figure it out on our own (and also because God is ~Mysterious~)

because we are finite and because we are sinful and because God is mysterious, we can only know God insofar as God chooses to reveal Themself to us

Shannon’s example: If an elephant shouts at a ladybug, the ladybug won’t know what’s going on. But if the elephant becomes a ladybug, and speaks the ladybug’s language, they can communicate

Protestants down the line are going to twist this idea of knowledge, they’ll say that it’s all about knowing the right truth claims to assent to

What Calvin’s concept of knowledge is about is way more interesting; it’s kinda hard to grasp but i like it. It has to do with...

Affections!

affections = the kind of knowledge that includes both the intellect and the emotion -- a much more holistic idea of knowledge than what we usually think of

Don Saliers is a theologian who calls affections “belief-laden emotions”

And then there’s Wesley’s language of “our hearts are strangely warmed”

If you know “I am sinful,” but have no emotion of being sorry, being remorseful about that, then you do not truly know that you’re a sinner

Thus believing something in a religious sense is different from believing something in, say, geometry class

if you believe that Creation is a gift from God, you will have an emotional response to Creation – it won’t remain a neutral “it just exists” but involve gratitude, reverence

Shannon adds that there should also be a volitional response -- our will for how to be in the world: should belief that Creation is a gift from God not also include willing oneself to be in relationship to God?

If you believe Creation is a gift from God but then you go and destroy it for profit – then you don’t really believe that Creation is a gift from God

I’m starting over the bullet points for the next bit because i think it’s cool and important, but it’s still about the affections stuff above

Belief thus involves bodily responses

That doesn’t mean that every “belief-laden emotion” that affects your will and body and great

When we do something we know is wrong, our whole person is involved in the knowing -- we may feel physically sick

We practice affections like hope, like repentance; we do not practice affections like resentment and bitterness (because who wants to have those negative physical & emotional reactions?)

practice = attempt to be formed in such a way that we can know and live in emotions like forgiveness

LAMENT is a Christian affection!

all the affections we work to shape ourselves in are ultimately rooted in scripture, and that includes lamentation

Scripture

Calvin heavily influenced our modern church language about the Bible

We know God in and through scripture, through the power of the Holy Spirit

but interpretation is key to that! -- you don’t just wait for God to interpret it for you; the Spirit does the work through your studying of the text

Calvin’s humanist background led him to say that we should interpret scripture as we would any other text -- while taking its context seriously

This is why he argued that pastors need to be educated in scripture -- so they can help their congregations read the Bible well

being able to think critically about scripture will prevent the kind of idolatrous religious abuses that we are all tempted to

Law and Gospel

In a rare instance of Calvin saying something I actually like lol, Calvin added a third use of “the law” -- the torah -- on top of the two that Lutherans had: while Lutherans claimed the law’s purpose was (1) to show us our own sin and lead us to Christ and (2) to control non-Christians from “running wild” (lmaooooo garbage), Calvin said that (3) the law was also a guide for us

The law/torah has ongoing moral authority -- Presbyterians don’t agree that the Gospel “freed us” from the law (thank goodness, that’s super supersessionist)

The torah, which was a way for God’s people to relate to God, is really good news in itself – evidence that God wants to be in relationship with people and shows people how to do that!

Providence, Free will, predestination

This was such a huge section i went ahead and made it all a separate post.

But one big point is God’s sovereignty -- their active care and control over every aspect of life, no matter how small

There is no moment in your life when God is not with you, actively loving you in that moment

God wills the ultimate flourishing of all -- and humans have a role in that

And as to predestination stuff, the main thing to know is that we have no role in our own salvation -- God saves us freely; our proper response to that is gratitude

Reformed Theology’s development after the first Reformers

Since the time of Calvin, Christians were arguing about how Christianity can hold together with reason, with science

the Enlightenment that influenced the Reformation brought with it an ideal of knowledge as universally true and accessible

i.e. if one person does an experiment and no one else can replicate it, something is wrong with it

by the turn of the 1900s, some were coming to think differently about fairness; it was stuff that took place in the 1800s that caused that

Nineteenth Century Protestant Liberal Theology

emerges in the last quarter of the 1800s, continues through early 1900s

historical critical method of biblical scholarship – studying the bible in context, etc. – was new but becoming widely accepted

science and history as the lens through which you view scripture

theology is compatible with history and science; the relationship between theology and history matters

use methods of critical scholarship to avoid coming up with a personal view of Jesus who’s different from the historical Jesus

relativizing dogma: truth is relative to time and place -- different from that Enlightenment view of universal truth

a judging of Christian expressions as appropriate and correct

a sense that you don’t have to believe everything that Christians believed before – frees Christians from some of the constraints of tradition

General Themes

a desire for a living, vital faith like that of the early Reformers

the parts of the Bible that hold the most weight involve Jesus’s activities

a sense that Christian faith has strong practical and moral implications

the social gospel movement grows from this

theme of the Kingdom of God

fundamentally optimistic -- we can make progress by moral effort

Experiential faith

“I know something of God through Jesus and through great literature / watching a sunset / listening to music”

...And then Karl Barth drops in.

his work is described as a “bombshell tossed into the playground of the theologians.”

once a Liberal theologian himself, Barth’s time as a pastor in a little village impacted by WWI causes him to criticize Liberal Theology as an attempt to domesticate a God who is known only as the Unknowable, whose yes is our no and no our yes.

Some of his criticisms of Liberal Theology:

too high a regard for humans

you are so optimistic about humanity -- have you forgotten that we are sinful? that our viewpoints are corrupted and twisted by sin?

humanity didn’t seem to be progressing that much from where he was sitting, with his parishioners struggling and bombs dropping.

if you’re tying to find the “golden kernel in the husk of Christianity,” how do you discern what’s kernel and what’s husk – an awfully high evaluation of your own discernment methods to think you’ll succeed

claims liberal theologians are too complacent, too self assured

“You look at the Bible and question it, instead of allowing it to question you.”

You’re not studying God; you’re studying human beings!

Better to word things not as “God does this” but “I experience God as”

An anthropological starting point -- liberal theologians are trying to get to God from humanity

in doing so, you’re only going to get a human blown up really big.

you have a general understanding of truth and history and reason and use that to approach the revelation of God

Liberal Theology makes God’s action continuous with social movements

don’t assume that God’s actions are continuous with yours – that makes God much smaller and more manageable than She really is

he criticizes these folks for being apologetic – trying to make Christianity understandable in cultural terms

you end up saying “God is like this human or that created thing”; “Christianity is like this”

Barth is talking to people who are used to walking around and seeing craters left after bombs

“What we know of Jesus is the crater left after the bomb is dropped”

revelation is not some kitten curling up next to you is to make you feel better

We cannot handle God’s bigness…so we make idols

Barth calls idols “no-gods” that give us their stamp of approval on our lives, instead of looking to the God of Jesus who upends our lives and whom we cannot manipulate

We cannot get to know God on our own steam at all

Revelation = God’s act in Jesus

God’s act of revelation in Jesus is like a flash of lightning that penetrates the sphere of human existence

gives us a reality of God that is inscrutable, rather than being a detailed description of who God is—God has revealed that God is Mystery

#pcusa #reformed theology #theology #ordination exams #polity class #notes

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surge-et-ambula · 4 years

Text

About manifesting

It’s just a recollection of a few things I found out myself, by practicing, and reading other authors.

Consistency is key.Like, for real. Don’t just try to manifest one day and completely forget the next day.

Visualization: Let me tell you this. You hear visualization and all you can hear is ‘visual’. No. I mean if it works for you, good. But more than that, you must be able to perceive how you’d feel if you’d had what you want already. It isn’t that bad if you can’t see things, as long as you can feel it.

Honestly just work on your money mindset. There’s a lot of people out there with great resources about this (try Brad Yates, Gala Darling and I currently really like Manifestation Babe. Abraham-Hicks is great too). It’s always a work in progress and you should keep working on getting out of that scarcity mindset until it’s gone. And refresh here and there.

Sometimes, what you try to manifest will arrive... And you won’t notice right away. That’s what I got when I manifested the best group of friends ever. I love them. I wouldn’t trade them for anything but... I didn’t notice until recently. You just get the realization suddenly some day, once it happened. It’s alright.

Gratitude. Be grateful for what you already have. Thank the Universe, Life, the God(s), whoever or whatever you might think is watching over you. If you don’t believe in anything, just be grateful in general for life being great already.

A manifestation box can help. Dunno how it works, but it did work for me, and even though I’m curious, I’ll just say this: what does it cost to you to try it out, if you’re already trying to manifest something? Mine’s a cardboard box with a pretty pattern, and I added some silk paper in there + a quartz generator but... You just need a box, really. Give it a try.

You don’t have to manifest in your own language. Honestly, I find it easier to manifest in English. I’ve been raised with French as a mother tongue. If it sounds weird to you in your own language, switch to something you feel at ease with.

Do your part. What, you’d expect the water in the kettle to boil, if you don’t put it on the stove? Pull yourself together, tie up your hair, do whatever you need to, but do your part. Whether it’s looking at apartments and calling people about it, writing applications, cleaning up your space, learning about self-love,... Do your part.

Indulge. You’ll feel abundant. The Universe will feel it. And things will get better and better. It might be a big thing, or smaller stuff. but it’ll help you align with the energy and the flow - I was resisting buying stuff for my kitchen because I know I’ll move out soon... But hell I feel so great and so happy with my new stuff. And it’ll be the perfect colors for the general vibe of my house.

Allow yourself to radiate. You don’t have to talk about manifestation to other people, but allow your happiness and energy to flow freely in your circle. It’ll help you, and it’ll help them. It’s another way to be abundant and to be generous.

Sometimes, you’ll realize that you’re not ready for something. No matter the reason, trust your guts. Something better is on its way. Or you’ve got something else coming, on a totally different topic. Or just, you still got a couple issues to solve. It doesn’t matter. If you don’t feel ready, listen to yourself and try to figure out why. Tap on it, meditate, but work on the issue.

Pay attention how you word things. For some people, manifesting something in a very precise way will work very well, for some, it’ll have to remain vague. I guess it also depends on the thing being manifested. But try both, and remain positive in what you try to attract. A very simple example, if you try to manifest something ‘not too far from’, switch it up. There’s words for that. Just use ‘close to’. You’ll do yourself a favor.

Keep faith that it’ll happen. It can be hard sometimes, so just take a break when you feel you’re lacking trust. Do something you enjoy. Then go back to manifesting, while feeling refreshed and ready for what’s next.

Keep it fun! It goes without saying.

Give it time. Some things can indeed happen in a blink, some still take some time. Concrete example: I used my manifestation box for a cool job. I got called two days later for an interview, somewhere I didn’t even send a resume. Got my appointment, it went great, but that’s all. It was last week. But you know what? Firstly, they sent me an email, to apologize for the delay (so that means it went well enough for them to really want me) and second, I know that between the covid and the summer holiday, people are less available. It’s normal, and it takes some time. You just need to be more patient. It will come. And it will be awesome.

You can manifest anything, and you can manifest stuff you didn’t expect when you’re not specific enough. But it can also be great. Just try it out and remember to be positive in what you try to attract.

That’s it for today. I know it isn’t exactly related to the general editorial line of this blog (well as much as there’s one) but it’s something I wanted to write on to share it.

Give it a try and enjoy

All the love! 💖

#Manifesting #manifestation

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softforcal · 6 years

Note

Can you do a Luke x opener continuation?? I loved it so much

Luke x Opener!Reader

Poly, Cal, Ash, Michael

-you’re an rising performer and they saw you live once while creating their new album and all fell in love with your voice on the spot

-they convince management that they want you as their opener because you’re amazing

-when your management approaches you about it, of course you say yes and soon after that you’re following all of 5sos on insta and they’re following you

-they want to get to know you pre tour to see if you’re chill, it will be easier to tour together if you’re all buds

-so you go meet up with them at Cal’s house and spend the whole day getting to know each other

-they’re all super cool and you find yourselves all laughing and chilling next to the pool having a great time

-they show you some of their new songs and you all end up having an impromptu singing and dancing party

-yeah, its going to be a great tour

-you have to leave and they all offer to drive you home but you have it covered

-as soon as you’re gone they’re all just like “wow.” “yeah, she’s an angel.”

-they make a group chat with you in it and you all talk a bunch before the tour starts

-meeting up with them whenever you can

-Ashton convinces you to go to yoga

-you go walk Cal’s dog with him

-Michael getting you to create fortnite so you can play with him and Luke

-the first day of tour arrives and you show up to the airport only to be sneak attacked by Ashton who was totally waiting for you, he’d really want you to feel included and welcome

-getting to the plane and you go to sit by yourself but then Michael just comes and sits next to you and smiley, and he’s like “are you ready for tour?!” and he’s just a ray of absolute sunshine

-they all kind of take turns sitting next to you because the flight is so long

-you end up falling asleep on Luke’s shoulder and they’re all just like “oh my god she’s so cute.”

-Luke doesn’t let anyone wake you

-usually the opener would travel in a different van and tour bus but they really want to ‘include’ you so you end up being in their van most of the time and you sleep on the other tour bus but you’re in their bus most of the time

-your first show you go out there and you have an amazing set, as you get off the stage the guys all pull you into a huge hug to tell you how amazing you were

-getting to watch them preform and they are brilliant

-hanging out after the concert in a back stage room laughing and talking about the tour

-singing with them

-going over their note changes with them

-can you imagine singing with Calum and Luke and they both just adore your voice

-Michael trying to teach you how to play guitar if you don’t know how to already

-Cal trying to teach you to play bass

-And Ashton letting you dick around with his drums

-going out after concerts to look at the city

-you always get cold and one of them always ends up giving you their jacket

-or one of them offers to hug you to keep you warm

-Michael gives the best fucking hugs but Cal is a close second

-its because Michael is a lil squish okay!?! don’t fight me on this

-all of you taking pictures of each other and being able to freely post them because you’re their opener and its the cutest thing ever

-everyone speculating that you might be dating one of them

-taking cheeky photos where you’re kissing one of their cheeks or their kissing yours and everyone flips out

-spending entire bus rides in their bus goofing off and laughing and having a great time

-when you leave to go to your own bus for the night they spend at least an hour usually talking about the cute things you did while with them

-one night you’re in the chill area with them watching a movie and you fall asleep cuddled against Calum

-none of them want to move to wake you up so they all sleep there

-waking up next to these four guys, you all having moved at some time during the night and you’re just a cuddle blob

-pre concert rituals together with huge group hugs

-helping Luke put glitter on before a show because “more glitter!”

-sometimes they bring you on stage to sing with them as an encore

-you and Luke just have such vocal chemistry

-”and can we give it up for our angel and opening act, Y/N!”

-so many hugs

-group dogpiles after the show

-you all write songs together and bounce ideas off of each other

-harmonizing together

-tapping out beats together

-running around cities and usually one of them grabs your hand and starts running and then you’re all running around looking at stuff

-Cal and Ashton are huge fans of carrying you when you get tired

-getting shipped with all of them

-the five of you looking at the ship names and laughing then picking favourites

-so every guys favourite ship name is their own name with yours? what a fucking coincidence eh?

-they all ask your favourite ship name and you’re just like…… “uhhhhhh….”

-refusing to choose

-it would honestly be such a mess because it’s not like you don’t know they’re into you but its hard to choose because they’re all hella

—————————————————————–Luke con’t here

-so on tour there are also a lot of interviews the guys have to do

-you usually don’t have to do any interviews which is great, you can just spend the day looking around

-one day you get a phone call from Luke, they’re all set to do this super low key interview that they doubt will get much coverage and he has no idea where the other three are and no one is answering their phones except you and the interviewer suggested if you were available you could go because you’re their opener and they could talk about tour life from an outside perspective

-your management sends you a message and they think its a good idea so before you know it, you’re going and meeting Luke for an interview

-the interview starts kinda funny because you’re all laughing about how three members of 5sos are just MIA but you must be the new 5th member

-the interviewer is actually super sweet about it and its obvious that she’s just coming up with questions because obviously she had made questions for the group of guys but can’t use them anymore cuz they aint there

-”so give us an inside look on what it’s like to be on tour with four giant Aussie men?”

-”oh my god it’s the worst.” you joke, Luke pushing you with a grin, “no it’s great, they’re all super great guys.”

-talking about what it’s like to practice vocals with Luke and if there’s a possibility of there ever being an actual duet that might be released

-”i’d be down to write one. Y/N’s a lyrical genius.” Luke grins

-talking about tour shenanigans

-the other three boys showing up ten minutes in, breathless and with dead phones

-they swap in for you and complete their interview

-but the interviewer asks if it’s okay if she posts both interview videos separately

-management agrees

-its a decent interview and you’re not worried because management assured you it’s a super low key interview company and because it’s the two of you it probably wont get as many views as a normal interview would

-so management is wrong

-the interview blows up online

-for very good reason

-every time you speak Luke just looks at you with the most complete adoration and you hadn’t even noticed

-watching a gif of it because holy fuck how could you have not noticed? well, you were looking at the interviewer so it makes sense

-but holy shit this boy has heart eyes

-you never really know how someone feels about you until you see how they look at you when you’re not looking i guess

-you’re at the hotel later that night, you havent seen Luke since the interview

-you have no idea if he’s seen the frenzy on twitter, your ship name is trending and its mayhem

-you’d always kinda guessed that the band all had sorta crushes on you but the way Luke had been looking at you wasnt a simple crush

-there’s a knock at your door and of course when you open it, its Luke

-”hey, uh, can i come in?” he seems kind of nervous, you’re nervous too, i mean how do you even deal with this situation?

-you’re his opener and you’re not even half way into tour, if this goes bad, it will be very bad

-”i wrote some stuff i wanted you to take a look at.” he says, pulling out his phone and opening the app he keeps all his new lyrics on

-the two of you get comfortable and you take his phone and begin to read

-they’re love songs. really good love songs about passion and the inability to make a move and you start to realize little details about the person the speaker is talking about are little things about you

-”what do you think?” he asks nervously

-”i think whoever these are about is a really lucky girl.” i mean, you’re not just going to assume they’re about you because if you’re wrong you’re fucked

-Luke sighs, “you’re going to make me say it arent you?” “what do you mean?” “they’re about you.”

-”oh thank god!” you laugh, closing the space between the two of you so your lips can meet his

-the two of you crash onto the bed with you on top and you both giggle, lips meeting again

-when you pull away and red your forehead against his, just taking in the happiness, his fingers rub small circles on the bit of exposed skin on your waist

-”you have no idea how long i’ve wanted to kiss you.” he breathes ”was it everything you dreamed of?” “better… i want to take you on a date. a proper date. just you and me. have you eaten yet?”

-the two of you decide to go out for dinner, a late dinner but still

-he holds your hand as the two of you walk

-”Luke should we worry about Paparazzi?” “the entire internet already thinks we’re dating… unless you don’t want to hold my hand?”

-gripping his hand tighter

-you’re already such great buds its like almost any other night, except its just you and him (usually at least one of the others tags along)

-and then his hand goes to cover yours on the table and you melt

-so much laughing

-”i’m so glad those dumb asses missed that interview.”

-he insists on paying

-as you’re leaving the restaurant you get papped a bunch but Luke tries to shield you to the best of his abilities

-ending with the two of you running down dark streets like mischievous children to escape the cameras

-him pulling you into a dark alleyway to kiss you as he presses you against the wall

-”wow Hemmings, you know how to sweep a girl off her feet.” “Princesses are meant to be swept off their feet so it’s only natural.” (ok he would not say this, like straight up he wouldnt, but let me live okay. fuck ya’ll i’m soft and a girl can dream of a guy being this squishy okay?)

-running your fingers through his curls

-the two of you getting back to the hotel and as you’re walking down your hallway to your separate rooms, Cal, Michael and Ashton’s doors all open to stare at you two

-”so how was the date?” “do you two need condoms?” “Luke you’re a walking meme again.”

-like yeah they were all into you, yeah you’re gorgeous, but Luke went for it and you’re obviously reciprocating and bros before hoes, man, they gon support their tall bean friend

-”could you guys give us a bit of space?” Luke laughs but he’s serious

-they all kinda begrudgingly close their eyes as Luke walks you to your door, “see you in the morning?” “yeah we’re bussing to the next city.” “just making sure you’re not getting on the next plane or something.”

-soft boy being worried because he can’t believe it’s real

-reaching up and kissing him again

-he goes from soft to hardcore in an instant, his body pinning you against the wall as his hand cups your face and his other goes to your waist

-whistles erupting through the hallways because of course those nosy fucks opened their doors again to see if Luke got a goodnight kiss

-blushing as you hide in your apartment, giving Luke a quick peck before closing the door

-tour continues sort of like normal

-going on stage is kinda weird now because the fans definitely know you and Luke are trying it out

-you and Luke try to find more time alone

-lots of cute short dates when you can find the time

-holding hands on the tour bus

-he invites you to chill in his bunk for a bit one night and you both just talk about lyrics and vocals until you fall asleep

-waking up the next morning to the rest of the boys teasing you and Luke

-you’ve been dating a while and you’re both anxiously awaiting the next time you get to stay at a hotel because like… there’s been some close calls in hallways and on his bunk but he wants your first time to be somewhere you won’t get interrupted

-and the sexual tension is as thick as smoke

-like the boys don’t even want to be around the two of you

-because you and Luke are just looking at each other with such hungry eyes

-Luke getting kinda weird when any of the other guys are doing cute things with you…. like, Ashton had his arm over your shoulders and Luke growled.

-everyone knows that your casual dating is reaching something more

-the day arrives and you have the longest concert of your life before you all pack into a van to go to the hotel

-the van is silent. you all know what’s about to happen let’s be serious

-”so…. my condom offer still stands.”

-”shut up Michael!”

-as soon as the van stops Luke grabs your hand and the two of you practically run into the hotel and up to your rooms, the door isnt even closed and his lips are on yours.

-first time with Luke when you’re his opener is pent up and needy because you’ve both been waiting for a while and patience is not this boys best feature

-hands are everywhere

-clashing teeth

-laughter

-tearing clothes

-not wanting to have your lips away from each other for that long

-lots of whining and moaning

-grinding

-the two of you finally get on the bed and he pulls away, “Luke-” you try to protest but he just brushes his fingers softly against your face, “give me a moment to just look at you. you’re so beautiful.”

-his fingers gently roaming your body

-its like the eye of the storm. a few moments of him just cherishing you and being so soft

-”Luke i need you.”

-and then he’s back at making you moan so loudly you’re sure the others arent going to get any sleep

-i feel like he’d spend a lot of time worshipping your body with his fingers and mouth

-yeah, at least one orgasm before he’s even actually inside of you

-he works you up until you’re begging him for it before he actually goes inside of you

-staying still for a moment, his fingers brushing over your face again

-then he just goes ham fam,

-i feel like he’d really be down for first time missionary with someone he actually loves

-having access to his beautiful, broad back and shoulders

-scratching him up

-”fuck you’re so pretty!”

-a super intense orgasm lets be serious

-both of you just lying next to each other after, his arm around you as you both stare at the ceiling.

-”i love you.”

-”i love you too Hemmings.”

-okay i just killed myself. sorry fam. i’m dead. i like need a second.

-waking up next to each other

-going for breakfast with Ashton and Calum the next morning and they’re both just grinning hard core. “where’s Michael?” “still sleeping, he’s the one who had a room next to yours last night.”

-so much hand holding

-long sweet kisses before you go on stage

-singing your love songs and having to fight the urge to look at Luke who’s watching you from side stage

-kissing him before it’s his turn to go on

-the band all making grossed out noises whenever you two kiss but you know they’re all soft for you and Luke

-Ashton sending you a bunch of pictures of you and Luke for “when you wanna make it official on the Gram.”

-you and Luke agreeing to each choose your favourite picture and post it at the same time without showing each other so it’s a surprise

-you both choose the same picture because you’re #that couple

-fans go wild. i mean, they knew, but its like official now

-interviewers everywhere want you to start doing interviews with the band because you’re their opener and you’re dating Luke?

-so many cute pictures of the two of you

-i love this concept. i mean. i love 5sos opener concepts but like, Luke is bae.

-Luke singing Valentine to you all the time

-he sings it while grabbing your face and kissing you

-lots of quickies wherever you can but it’s always amazing because you’re like so in love

-Michael refusing to sleep in the room next to yours when ya’ll get a hotel

-the boys switch each time

-you and Luke buying them ear plugs and then laughing your ass off about it

-Luke’s arm over your shoulders

-he’s very protective of you, especially in cities you’re visiting

-he buys you little presents from most of the cities you’re in

-chasing each other through arenas and venues

-yeah, if people hear giggles or screams they know it’s you and Luke messing around

-”have you seen Y/N?” “are the two of you playing sexy hide and seek again?” “no….”

-”how do you even play sexy hide and seek?” “trust me Cal, you don’t wanna know.”

-you and Luke getting so distracted before he goes on stage that sometimes Ashton has to like tear Luke away from you

-getting to help him take off those gorgeous on stage #looks

-just so soft fam. i am so soft.

#luke hemmings #luke hemmings x reader #luke hemmings smut #hc #softforcal #5sos #5sos!opener #5 seconds of summer #5 seconds of summer smut #5sos smut #luke hemmings hc

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fortunatelylori · 6 years

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Why the Jon/Daenerys romance doesn’t work (Part 1)

Are D&D really idiots?

Disclaimer: So ... my experience with Tumblr is veeeery limited ... as in this is my first post on here so if I fail to link things properly, give credit for gifs, caps or other people’s creations in an appropriate manner, I apologize in advance. Please let me know if you notice something like that and I will change things accordingly.

I have been scrolling around the site for about a week now, after having revisited season 7 of GOT. I will freely admit in advance that I ship Jonsa. However, for what it’s worth, when season 7 first came out, I was more than ready to abandon my Jonsa dreams and get on board with the Jonerys love fest, since everyone around me assured me that it was the end all be all of romance. After seeing the episodes for the first time, I was completely underwhelmed but I ignored my gut feelings because well ... everyone assured me that Jon and Dany were oh, so meant to be. Who am I to fight fate, I thought?!? So I just shrugged and moved on with my life.

However, part of the problem with this ship is that the more time passes, the more people like me, who actually enjoy watching and rewatching the same thing over and over again, start to see the cracks in it. I don’t mean to offend anyone that ships Jonerys, even though I probably will or anyone who likes Dany. Personally, I’ve had a whole host of problems with her character but I will refrain from commenting on my issues with her in this series and just give an opinion on why this story has the deepest scent of red herring since the invention of red herrings.

Before I get into it, I will keep these metas mainly focused on the story from a scriptwriting POV, since that was my job for a time. This series will be less focused on visual cues, camera angles and such. People with far more patience and experience have already done this so I will focus my observations around my area of expertise, such as it is.

In this first part I will try to dispel a few notions about David Benioff, D.B. Weiss and their writing crew.

One of the common defenses for Jonerys, is that the creators of GOT are simply not every good at their job. They are unable to craft a decent love story for these two characters.

So the guys who created the most popular TV show on Earth, a show that HBO has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into, are hacks. Ok …

Why do people believe that? Well, for a number of reasons:

1) The show does not have the thematic scope and wealth of characters that GRRM included in his series

This is true. From the direwolves, to the missing characters, to entire plot threads, prophecies and themes upon themes, D&D have significantly simplified GRRM’s work.

But I would argue this is not because they don’t know how to do their jobs, but rather because they do know how to do it.

GRRM’s himself has said that he started writing ASOIAF out of sheer frustration with being a scriptwriter. Writing a book IS an extremely liberating experience after writing scripts. Why? Because words on a page cost nothing, aside from time and creativity. The sky is the limit.

The sky is absolutely not the limit when you’re a scriptwriter. You are constrained by all sorts of things like: money, sets, weather, daylight vs. night time, actors ‘availability etc. You’re always looking at what you can condense, tighten up. You’re always cutting words out of lines to make them sharper, regrouping scenes so you can maximize your locations, cut out all the fat so you can get an episode that is the required length.

And then there’s the all important element: the audience. People have different reactions to reading something vs. watching something. You read to get lost in a world, the journey is the main entertainment. In contrast, you come back week after week to watch a TV show to see what your favorite characters are getting up to.

Considering all of this, is it really surprising that they would cut out things like the young Griff or fArya from the show? Does anyone believe that the general audience out there cares about them? No. They want to see Jon, Arya, Tyrion, Dany … And they also want to see progression. A season of Tyrion on a boat thinking about stuff is not an option.

Also, GOT has quite a reputation for having a hellava lot of characters. Just watch the honest trailer that Screen Junkies have done:

youtube

At around the 3:20 mark they point out all the characters whose names you remember and all those you don’t. And it’s hilarious. Why? Because it’s true.

By season 3, people were still struggling to remember Littlefinger’s actual name. How do you think they’d fair with all the Greyjoys that pop up in the books like mushrooms after the rain?

So yes, D&D and their team cut out themes, characters and storylines for the sake of brevity. That’s what scriptwriters have to do, as sad as it may sound. That’s not to say they do everything right but by and large they’ve done a decent enough job for me not to assume they can’t write a proper love story for 2 characters that they’ve been working with for 6 seasons.

2) Emilia and Kit have chemistry in real life so if that didn’t translate on screen, it’s because the scriptwriters were doing a terrible job at tapping into it

See, I would almost buy into that if it wasn’t for the fact that their scenes aren’t poorly conceived but rather are actively undermining the budding romance. You never get a sense of completion, of certainty from any of them. I will go through every scene in my next post, but for now, I’d just like to draw your attention to this moment:

(source: @dreamofspring )

We’ll leave aside character motivations on this for now, but if the script writers put that line in there to further advance the Jonerys romance, then they shouldn’t be in charge of writing commercials, let alone multimillion productions.

Are we to assume they simply forgot the other two instances where this line was used?

They revisited the Tower of Joy this season but apparently no alarm bells went off in the writer’s room at this:

(source: @dreamofspring)

They paralleled Jon’s arc this season to Mance Rayder’s but nope, simply forgot about this:

This script went through a dozen rewrites and probably 100 hands by the time it made it to the screen and yet at no point did anyone think: “Hey guys maybe we shouldn’t have Jon say good bye to his lady love by quoting Mance right before he was burned alive.” Those silly, silly writers.

3) The show has taken a dive quality wise since they can’t follow GRRM’s source material any longer

There is some validity to this, I will admit. This season we’ve seen the likes of Tyrion, Varys and Littlefinger lose some of their vital energy and characteristics that have made them such interesting, fun characters to watch.

The Littlefinger plot, in particular, was poorly executed. In their desire to leave us in the dark about what was happening in order to have what amounted to a cheap twist at the end, we were given a convoluted, clunky mystery plot where everyone was playing everyone else but not really. While I’m glad, on principal, that the show established the Stark sisters coming together as a unit against a common foe, giving Littlefinger such a stupid ending left a bitter taste in my mouth. Not a worthy completion to the arc of one of the best players of the Game of Thrones at all. So yes, they dropped the ball on that one.

Tyrion and Varys are a different matter. The main reason why they’re rather ineffective and sidelined is because they probably shouldn’t be there in the first place. That’s because their entire vision on life, justice and good kingship comes directly at odds with Dany’s “Fire and blood” policy. They are just now starting to worry about this predicament but they’re both far too smart not to have noticed until now. The woman brought 3 dragons and a Dothraki horde into Westeros. What did they think she was going to do with them? Play boggle?!?

If I try really hard, I can find an explanation for Tyrion. I think, probably, he’s still reeling for the trial and murdering dad so he’s not in the best state of mind.

Varys however? He definitely shouldn’t be there. He should be with young Griff which makes much more sense since it’s very likely there is a deep, personal connection there that would make the usually cynical and skeptical Varys trust that the person he is actively supporting is actually best for the realm. But alas, young Griff doesn’t exist so he’s stuck with Dany, until he finally turncoats and gets burned alive. So brevity is at fault here.

All that being said, I think it’s unfair to assert that the show runners have dropped the ball. That’s because the more I think about it, the more season 7 looks like a part of a whole, instead of an arc on its own. There are too many open ended questions, too many character choices that don’t make sense (particularly Jon who is, by far, the central character this season) for it to feel complete.

Season 7 is like the Infinity War part 1 of Game of Thrones. You can analyze it on its own but you can’t really determine its true quality or meaning until you see Part 2.

I know this got very long so thank you to everyone that had the patience to read until the end. J

#jonsa #meta #my got meta #anti-jonerys #i wish you good fortune in the wars to come

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pinpuku · 6 years

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Partner Request for @killerlimousine

~Request info under “keep reading”~

Hi there! I feel kinda bad about requesting a partner/team right after following but I just love what you’re doing, and being incredibly new here I also just really like your blog so I followed as well. Onto the personality stuff, I’m an INTP, 5w6 and an Aries but I find the classic traits for Aries don’t fit me at all. Most of my behaviour depends on where I am but I’m always nervous on the inside (like requesting this right now ekekekke) and don’t like things to be too serious. I’m kind of pessimistic and tend to dwell on things but I keep worrying out of the way of getting things done. I like to talk about my ideas a lot but feel bad about taking up people’s time so I usually just keep a bunch of personal projects on the go. I have a few close friends instead of a lot of acquaintances and most of them insist I’m a wholesome person despite me being kiiiiind of proud of being rude or sarcastic. I’m hardworking (when I’m engaged), logical but still aware of people, multifaceted, but also nervous, passive, and cryptic. My favourite animals are polar bears, toucans, bearded dragons (and there’s a lot of specific reasoning behind those, something general would just be lizards). I’d like my partner to be able to be left alone but also be very responsive when I give them attention. Besides that, it doesn’t really matter what they’re like! Big or small, cuddly or distant, cute or tough, I don’t mind. I hope this wasn’t too hard to read, and thanks again!

Hello! I think a good partner for you would be Shieldon! Quite a unique partner, in my opinion, as it’s not a Pokemon I’m commonly gravitating towards for requests.

♡ Shieldon is an underrated, but very cute Pokemon! Despite it being pretty small, averaging about 1′08″ (or 50.8 cm) tall, it is very tough! Shieldon is a relaxed & docile Pokemon. Its unusually high defenses made it almost immune to predation in the wild. As it is a fossil Pokemon, it has no natural wild population anymore, although the fossils are not too rare if you try to find one.

♡ Shieldon is trustworthy & reliable enough to be freely allowed lots of alone time. It can naturally defend itself, so it won’t feel much anxiety being left to do its own thing. It also has a mild disposition that would greatly enjoy attention & quality time with its trainer too, or possibly other people/pokemon. It doesn’t really have issues with most things, actually. Shieldon can be a simple pal to have as a friend & source of comfort at all times, in almost any situation. It naturally polishes & cleans its face, so not much special grooming is required. It eats tree roots & grazes grass on its own, but if none of these things are available, it can also be fed berries & be fine!

♡ This Pokemon is both flexible & sturdy, sweet, low maintenance, low anxiety, and slower-paced. You two should get along with great ease & become the best of pals.

Hope you like your new partner! Since it is similar to various baby dinosaurs, it vaguely reminded me of smaller reptiles & the yellowish shade bearded dragons have + their chill personalities. xx

#partner request #pokemon match up #pokemon partner request #shieldon #pokemon aesthetic #pokemon moodboards #pokemon #spoiled-pout

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canaryatlaw · 6 years

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alright, well today has certainly been interesting. my alarm went off bright and early at 7:30, and though I was tired of course the adrenaline for today’s events kicked in pretty quickly and I was off getting ready. I did my makeup to make sure it was impeccable (and it did turn out really nice) and got my freshly dry cleaned suit on with all its buttons and such. Spent about ten minutes eating breakfast before getting an uber to the juvenile courthouse. I was still feeling kind of tired so I decided it would be a good time to use a piece of my caffeine gum, which starts as like a hard tablet thing then turns into gum as you chew it (kinda like a gumball). So I’m chewing it and I’m like wtf there’s like something hard in the gum??? so I pulled it out and oh, that’s definitely a piece of tooth. great. I have about a billion fillings so I figured it had to be one of those, so the first place i checked was the last one that had gotten done that wasn’t all that stable but it was fine, and it ended up being the last tooth on the top left side of my mouth. Well, not much I can do about it at the moment. I got dropped off at the courthouse around 9:15 and just decided to wait around for a few minutes since it wasn’t terribly cold out rather than find another place to stake out for a bit. so I called my dentist’s office and told them what happened, and they said I could come in today at 11:30 or 2:30, I wasn’t sure I’d make it back from the interview for the 11:30 so we decided on the 2:30. I waited a couple more minutes before going inside and going through security, I swear it was the same sheriff that manned that security check point my first summer there that was so much better than the other ones, but after that first summer I moved and my public transit was closer to the other entrance. but they let me through easily, even though I definitely did set off the metal detector 😂story of my life. so I went up to the 4th floor where their office is and ran to the bathroom by the elevators right outside their actual office to make sure everything was good and kill a few more minutes so I wasn’t too obscenely early. Once I figured it would be a decent time to go in I headed in, the email instruction had said to you know let the receptionist know your name and that you’re here for an interview, except I knew the receptionist, so I didn’t have to do any of that lol. They gave me a standard employment application to fill out (which I’ve filled out for them before) which stated you didn’t have to rewrite any info that was on your resume, you could just write see resume, so that’s a lot less annoying, and to email a reference list in afterwards. So I finished that and gave it back, then a few minutes later the woman I’ve been communicating via email with, who I also know, came and got me to take me back to the conference room, which is in the back of the office, so while we were walking there she was like oh I love your suit that’s so cool, is it custom?? so that was cool to hear, I said it was and that a former employer had decided to get it for all of us and she was like awesome, my husband has a custom suit he loves lol. Once we reached the conference room she walked me in and, unsurprisingly, I knew the two people on the other side of the table that would be interviewing me (so just to keep track, I’ve officially known every person I’ve encountered in the office). One of them was actually in my first interview for being a law clerk way back in 2016 and then she ran the training so I knew her quite well, the other guy I didn’t know that well but I was familiar with him and he said he remembered me so that was a good sign. So they asked me about what my experience working with the office had been so I talked about the unfounded reports and the child death case and the permanency hearings and the interviews ranging between a 4 year old who’s been in her foster home for 3 days and is already calling her foster mother “mom” and wants to stay with her forever, to a 16 year old boy involuntarily in a psych ward which he would be stuck in way past the point of medical necessity (like, two months past when he was cleared after 6 days there) to the point where we had to get a court order for DCFS to place him somewhere else- so really running the gamut of different experiences here. So I talked about some of my other legal experiences like working for my dad (which is always a good one to use because I can bs it pretty freely to fit whatever I need it to be) and at the DV clinic and how I handled dealing with judges and clients and all that good stuff. They asked some question about the majority of the population they serve being African American and why I thought that was, so I said that of course the fact that 95% of parents qualify for a public defender means that the vast majority of them are living in poverty (and sadly a lot of people living in poverty in Chicago are African American), and while poverty itself is not child neglect it makes it a lot more difficult when you have to choose between going to work to feed your family and leaving your 8 and 10 year olds home alone which is child neglect, or not being able to afford a bed for your child, which is child neglect. And of course that while child abuse takes place across all socioeconomic levels, those in poverty are often in positions where their actions could be reported to DCFS a lot easier whereas someone with some social standing would probably be given the benefit of the doubt by not reporting when they see what could be evidence of abuse/neglect. There were a few other questions about using common sense and if I could give an example of how I thought that played into the job, so I talked about how when I was reviewing unfounded reports there was one against a daycare owner that had originally been indicated but was unfounded on appeal because the supposed act of abuse had been fairly minor, but the fact that the owner would treat a small child like that to begin with coupled with the fact that she lied to the parents and lied to the investigators and completely refused to cooperate were all big flags for me that this is not someone who should be entrusted with young children when they are capable of such actions, and how I took steps to ensure something was done about the situation. They wanted to know more about the child death motion so I talked about that and how I had researched it and the ultimate conclusion the judge reached that while he did not grant the motion, we were successful in convincing him he had the power to do what we were requesting, it was just the facts that he found unconvincing which of course we don’t have any control over, so I was still pleased with the outcome. And yeah, lots of questions about handling a high case load and all that good stuff, they had said since they lost a lot of staff they were down to like 3-4 attorneys per courtroom when it used to be more like 5-6 so caseloads had been rising again and that I’d have to be prepared for that. I asked them if they had a timetable as for when they would be making hiring decisions, but they were like oh yeah we have no idea, so still don’t know what to do with that other than wait I guess. So yeah, overall I think it went pretty well, I was confident in pretty much all of my answers and I think my passion for the work really followed through. So when we finished I headed out, it was like 10:40 at this point so I called the dentist office back and asked if the 11:30 was still available and they said it was, so I got an uber pool and rode it downtown to where my dentist is located. So he checked it out and got his little camera pen thing in there so I could see, basically a fairly large part of the tooth/filling had come off revealing the silver filling beneath it, which means it wasn’t a filling that we’ve done over the past 3 years I’ve been here with this dentist, but was something my New York dentist had done. The dentist said it was stable for now though, so we made an appointment for next week to put a crown on it. I took the brown line to the bus and then home which was fairly easy. After changing out of the suit I made some lunch and tried to relax for a bit, watched some Reign and made sure I sent the reference list over. I also started picking at my gel nail polish because once you start doing that it’s really hard to stop, so my nails were not in good shape by the end of the day, but that was okay because once Jess got home we met up at the nail place we’ve been going to and got manicures, and then walked over to main street and got dinner and then ice cream because ice cream is always needed for birthday celebrations, even if it’s slightly delayed. Headed home after that and looked at stuff on my phone for a while trying to figure out what I want to do tomorrow. I’m supposed to (and by that I mean I responded yes on facebook) to this event with Illinois prosecutors and government attorneys where there are a bunch of different government agencies attending and will be possible networking attorneys. And of course part of me is like just suck it up and go it could be helpful, but another part of me knows I’m really not interested in any of the options listed, I don’t want to end up in some random government office, and I highly doubt I could get hired by the SA’s office given my dearth of experience with criminal law in the actual courtroom. The one thing that might’ve been slightly interesting was the office of the inspector general, which I would be interested in as they have a division that works inside DCFS that I would love to work for, but those that are attending are apparently from the office of the executive inspector general, which just means they oversee state operations and such and basically has no connection to the DCFS branch. and I mean, what am I gonna do, hand them my resume and ask them to give it to someone at a totally different office? they’re obviously not going to do that, so at this point I’m seriously doubting going, I really just don’t think there would be anything worth going for, but I guess we’ll see. And yeah, after that I showered and got ready for bed and now I am here and I am definitely ready to pass out, so I will end this here. Goodnight darlings. Congrats on being halfway through the week.

#daily journal #March 2019 #Rachel's lawyer adventures #Jess tag #birthday

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poststhatmakemefeel · 5 years

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People pleasing and the "fawn" response

(I saw this go by on Facebook, and it was surprising how much it resonated. I'm copying it from ThreadReader, which got it from Twitter, where it was originally written by Sam Dylan Finch. Complete text below the cut. )

I want to share what has been, in the last year or so, one of the most important things I've realized about my own trauma history — something that has been massively important for my own healing.

Let's talk about the link between people-pleasers and emotional abuse. 🧵

Confession: I am a people-pleaser.

It took me a long time to realize this, though. Because I'm opinionated! And I speak my mind! I'm an "open book" about a lot of what I've been through. Clearly I don't care what people think... right?

But people-pleasing is a lot more complex than that. It's actually part of a trauma response. Most people know about fight, flight, and freeze — but another response, "fawn," is at the core of what people-pleasing is actually about.

To avoid conflict, negative emotions, and retraumatization, people who "fawn" when triggered will go out of their way to mirror someone's opinions and appease them in order to deescalate situations (or potential issues).

For me, this meant that the more invested I was in an emotional connection, the less likely I was to criticize that person, vocalize when my boundaries were crossed, express unhappiness with their behavior, or share anything that I felt might damage that relationship.

This could come across as being excessively nice and complimentary, overly-concerned with another person's happiness, and waiting for cues in conversation to determine if something was "safe" to share or disclose. People-pleasers are often considered "emotional chameleons."

People-pleasers are often really warm, encouraging, and generous people. They tend to overextend themselves and say "yes" to everything and everyone, eager to make those they care about happy and comfortable.

They often grow up in very controlling and chaotic environments, and internalized the idea that if they were perfectly good or well-behaved, they could minimize conflict and secure love and attachment.

And.

When you have this tendency to defer, make yourself subordinate, try to become smaller, ignore your boundaries and intuition, and minimize your own needs... you are profoundly vulnerable to emotional abuse.

When you are excessively concerned with pleasing others, you learn that in order to be effective at this, you have to shut down your gut instincts, your values, your emotions — bc being an individual, rather than a mirror, doesn't serve you in securing the love that you want.

People-pleasers can become drawn to abusive relationships, and repelled from relationships that are abundantly loving — because love has to feel "earned" in order to feel secure. In other words? If love is given too freely or easily, it doesn't feel safe.

This means people-pleasers can be drawn to relationships that are controlling (they feel safest when they defer to others), emotionally-withholding (they are driven by the need to "secure" affection/elated when they do), and even abusive (their lack of boundaries is exploited).

Another part of being vulnerable to abuse is that people-pleasers are so easily gaslit, because when they are inclined to suppress their own instincts, values, and beliefs, they're infinitely more likely to defer to an abuser's version of events or narrative.

This also means that "fawn" types often go through cycles of restricting emotionally (I can't be "too much" for others) & then purging emotionally ("unloading" onto a trusted person bc the expectation to be perfect gets to be too much).

(I think this is why so many of us have eating disorders — just an anecdotal observation, but I digress...)

People-pleasers (the "fawn" trauma response) isn't intended to manipulate others and it's not meant to be dishonest. Every single person presents a version of themselves to others. This merely describes how trauma informs that presentation on an often unconscious level.

The "fawn" response is driven by fear, not a hidden agenda. The "fawn" type is less about manipulation, because it's not being used to *overpower* someone. Instead, it's an excessive *relinquishing* of personal power, driven by fear and a desire for validation.

For example, someone who runs personal errands for their boss — despite it not being part of their job description — is not manipulating their boss into liking them. (It won't work anyway.) Their boss, testing those thin boundaries, is exploiting their need for approval.

In more intimate relationships, this can show up as "fawn" types gravitating towards hot/cold dynamics, where affection and love are offered unpredictably.

This is where the emotional abuse piece comes into play. You have someone who is controlling, who feels safest in relationships where they call the shots, and most loved when someone is actively seeking out their approval.

Enter: The "fawn" type.

An abuser will offer validation only to keep the fawn type tethered. But they'll withdraw that it before things feel secure, to ensure that the pleaser will continue going out of their way to "fawn" — continually giving over their power and autonomy so the abuse can continue.

I'm sharing this because, holy shit, my friends, the number of traumatic relationships I've thrown myself into — professionally, personally, romantically — to get stuck in this cycle, with my self-esteem pulverized, has made my heart so heavy.

It took stepping away from a friendship that had so thoroughly gaslit and demolished me — while plummeting into the deep depths of anorexia — before I realized that chasing controlling, emotionally unavailable, even abusive people was crushing my spirit.

I'm not going to leave you hanging, though. If you're reading this and say, "Holy shit... it me. Oh god. What do I do?" I'm here. I've got some advice, some books, some resources. Hang tight.

For starters, I'm going to ask you something: Which of your friends do you cancel on?

Personal experience: I had this tendency to bail on friends, partners, acquaintances, whoever, that were the most generous, warm, and emotionally-available. I avoided those relationships where love was free and easy. Because it didn't feel "earned," so I didn't feel "worthy."

Which isn't to say that everyone with this trauma response does this, BUT, we seek out the familiar. Which means many of us tend to avoid what feels unsafe. For people-pleasers, we're so used to working endlessly hard in relationships — it's disorienting when we aren't asked to.

I made a google doc (no, I seriously did) where I listed out people who were "way too nice to me." And then I asked myself, do I like this person? Do I enjoy their company? If I did, I sent them a text message and told them I wanted to commit to spending more time with them.

I was completely honest about my process with those folks, too. I said, "Listen, I get really scared when people are nice to me. You've always been SO nice to me, and I get afraid of disappointing you. But I want to change that, because I just enjoy your company so very much."

In my phone contacts, I put emojis by their names. I put strawberries next to people who were super loving. I put seedling emojis by folks who taught me things that made me think/grow. So when I saw a text from them, it reminded me that I should prioritize that message. 🌱🍓

And?

My life completely changed... in every imaginable way.

My "strawberry emoji people" went from being acquaintances/friendly to becoming chosen family that I literally could not imagine my life without.

With the help of some amazing therapy, I grew to love myself so much — because that love was being modeled for me in a healthy way.

I'm going into a partial hospitalization program for my anorexia in the next couple weeks (because I've taken it out on my body as much as I have my mind), and my strawberry people (who are now all in a group text together) have been there every step of the way. 😭❤️🍓

Resources!

I genuinely believe that every single person should be reading Pete Walker's book about complex trauma. "Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving: A Guide and Map for Recovering from Childhood Trauma."

It's really damn good. It talks about fawn types in more detail!

I also wrote a blog entry last year about the pleaser/controller relationship type, if that sounds a little too relatable: https://letsqueerthingsup.com/2018/06/30/people-pleasers-can-be-drawn-to-toxic-relationships-its-important-to-know-why/

I chat a lot more about recovery from trauma/eating disorder stuff on my instagram as well. (I should probably be plugging it more regularly but I forget, sigh. Same handle as here!)

So if this type of content speaks to you, I write about this on a weekly basis over there. 🌱

Most of all though, I just want to validate the hell out of you. ❤️ I understand the very hellish cycle that we find ourselves in when we're consumed by this idea that we need to be "exactly enough," and that, if we measure it out correctly, we'll never hurt or be hurt again.

But relationships involve putting ourselves in harm's way sometimes. What they shouldn't involve, though, is self-harm — and ultimately, that's what "fawning" does. We're harming ourselves. We're making ourselves smaller, we're self-silencing, and we're punishing ourselves.

You are allowed to have ALL the feelings. You are allowed to take up ALL the space. You're allowed to be everything that you are & then some. The right people — your people — will love you even more when they see how expansive your life becomes when you give yourself that space.

It doesn't happen overnight. It's a process! But I want you to know that it's a process you can begin at any time. It's never too late to give yourself permission to be, to show up more authentically, and to find those who will celebrate you for it. I promise you that. ❤️✨

PHEW that was a really long thread but... if even one of you is like "wait fuck this I'm gonna let myself be loved" then it was 100% worth the followers I lost in the process. 😂

(To them, I am sorry for flooding your Twitter feed, but I did it out of LOVE.)

Okay ily byeeee 👋🏻

Adding to this thread, since so many of us are in our feels right now: I’m listening to the song “Sum Of Our Parts” by @marylambertsing and FEELING IT.

“Which part of you clipped your own wings?”

Hugs to every single one of you. ♥️♥️♥️

I added a strawberry next to my name. Each time you see it, please know it’s me, right by your side, cheering you on in this messy and beautiful and weird journey we’re all on. ♥️🍓

May you find your “strawberry people” and grow beyond what you ever thought possible! 🌱🌿🌷

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totallyrhettro · 6 years

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Territorial, chapter 28

Word Count: 2378 Rating: This chapter: PG-13. Overall story rating: explicit Warnings: Werewolf Violence, Depictions of Death Summary: After finally realizing their shared love for one another, all internetainers Rhett and Link had to do was live happily ever after. Unfortunately, as it turns out, that’s a lot harder to do in a world of werewolves. Notes: Takes place 1 year after Animalistic began. Still no wives; Rhett and Link are in an established relationship. This is a sequel to that fic. You don’t have to read that first, but it is highly recommended.

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Link wasted little time trying to find the key to this atrocious cage, turning over what little furniture there was in the small room during his search. He steered clear of the crucible in the corner by the stairs, the fire beneath it still burning, the stench of molten silver swirling above it. The smell of the deadly substance wormed inside his wolven brain, tempting his feral side to flee from this forsaken place, but he kept it still, kept it here. He wasn’t going to leave without Rhett.

As he searched, Rhett continued to watch from his spot on the floor, intently observing his visitor’s every movement. Rhett’s wolf was in control, but he was scared and confused. He knew this werewolf before them, knew its smell if not its face. He knew it well enough to trust it not to hurt him, but beyond that he just couldn’t comprehend. Deep inside, in the hidden recesses of his mind, the wolf tried to piece it all together, to think beyond what his normally simple brain could understand. The man that lived within him would understand, would know more, but he was sleeping, hiding, unable to wake.

Meanwhile, while he tried to reconcile his realities, his friend managed to find a key hanging on the wall near the stairs. Like the cage itself the key was large and metal, looking like it belonged in the same torture museum. Still, despite being large for a key it was tiny in Link’s werewolf claws and he had a difficult time removing it from its delicate hook on the wall. His claws scraped against the stone as he took it, and Rhett flinched at the sound. Link folded his down ears back, glancing at his friend with a look that told him he was sorry for the noise.

Once he had the key, and figured out how to hold it correctly in his giant hand, Link went back to Rhett’s cage and put it into the lock. It didn’t turn. He tried clockwise and counter-clockwise, but it wouldn’t budge. Snarling to himself he banged against the cage in frustration, shaking the metal frame. The hanging spikes shook ominously and Link held his breath. Only when they became still did he breathe freely again. Brute force wasn’t going to get him anywhere and, worse still, it could make this whole contraption activate and kill his friend. That was the last thing he wanted to do.

Stepping back Link took a better look at the entire cage, crank and all. From what he could tell it was impossible to open unless the silver-tainted spikes were raised all the way. He was strong enough to turn it, no doubt, especially in this form, but it was an inconvenience he wasn’t sure they had time for. Still, he had no choice. If he was going to get Rhett out here, he had to take that time.

Setting down the key and grasping the crank with both hands, Link began to turn it with as much vigor as he felt comfortable with. He was terrified it was going to break or fault and the spikes were going to come crashing down on top of Rhett. The bars shook with every turn but slowly the spikes rose. Rhett’s wolf shifted, restless and hopeful that his captivity was finally about to be over. The moon was calling and he desperately wanted to be out to greet it.

Another turn. Clang. The pawl slammed into the teeth of the cogwheel. Another turn. Clang. The spikes were raised another inch. With each turn the wheel slowly turned and eventually there was one last clang as the wheel hit the end of it’s rotation and wouldn’t turn any more. All that was left to do was open the cage. That and escape from the Lowell’s territory once and for all. Snatching up the key from where he’d left it, Link stuffed it back in the lock and gave it a turn. This time there was a very satisfying click and the locked turned. He barely started to open the door when Rhett leaped against it, knocking it open and toppling Link in the process. He landed on top of him, happily licking his face like a dog that hadn’t seen his master for years.

It took a little bit of coaxing but Link managed to shove Rhett off of himself, pleased that at least the wolf remembered him, but there was no time for the reunion he had wanted or planned. They had to get out of here before Caleb returned. They had to get somewhere safe. Getting to his feet, Link nuzzled his friend, assuring him they were going to be alright now. He was just turning around to lead them both out of this damned house when a scent reached his nose and a sound reached his ears. They were no longer alone.

“That’s mine,” growled a voice. Link turned to see his worst nightmare standing in the doorway. Caleb’s menacing shape blocking their path completely, his eyes shining like a demon in the dim light. He had a few more cuts on his body than the last time Link had seen him, but if he was here then that meant that Damian was hurt somewhere else, possibly dead. At least it appeared as if he had put up one hell of a fight before the end.

“No,” Link snarled, putting himself directly between Rhett and Caleb. He hadn’t been there for Rhett when the Lowells took him, but he was here now and there was no way he was going to let them hurt his best friend any more. At Link’s defiance, Caleb’s glare morphed into an evil grin and a small chuckle rumbled in his throat. With slow but deliberate steps, he moved over to the crucible by the wall. Both Link and Rhett watched him intently, waiting for his next move, wondering what he was up to. Caleb reached down towards the molten silver, still bubbling away, and dipped his long, sharp claws just under the surface. As he pulled them out, they could all see the metallic sheen left behind.

“The hard way it is,” he warned, flexing his newly anointed claws. Link was unsure what that silvery stuff was, but he could easily guess. Behind him, crouching low, Rhett was whimpering softly and that sound tore at Link’s heart. Whatever this new threat was, Link wasn’t going to back down. Not now, not ever, now when Rhett was being threatened. Pulling himself up to his full nine foot height, Link puffed out his chest and bared his teeth. If this was the way Caleb wanted it, then so be it.

Caleb and Link stared each other down, waiting for the other to make the first move. The fur on the back of Link’s neck was standing on end. Caleb’s tail swished back and forth almost casually. In size they were about equal but Caleb had muscle on his side and experience. Link just had to hope that he wasn’t as fast as he looked, or as strong. It was his only hope. He thought that, at any moment, this beast before them was going to leap and kill them both, but he stood fast, waiting. It was more than just seeing what Link would do, Caleb was playing with them, toying with them. He knew he was going to win this fight, there was no question in his mind, but he wanted to have some fun first. This was what he lived for, what his blood craved, and he had waited for it for far too long.

There was fear in Link’s head, but passion in his heart giving him the courage to ignore his every doubt. He had never been in a fight, not even as a child, but here, in this basement, he was no ordinary man. He was a werewolf, a beast of the night, a monster of legend and he was not going to be intimidated by anyone, not even another beast. With a gravely roar he lunged forward, claws out, ready to strike. He was fierce, he was intense, but Caleb was ready for him. Ducking low the roan wolfman rammed against Link’s charge, knocking the wind from his lungs, pressing him across the room until his back slammed into the metal bars of the cage.

Momentarily winded, Link didn’t see the claw swiping for his face until the last second, just barely managing to catch it in his paw and stop it from ripping his eyes out. The liquid poison was quickly hardening on Caleb’s claws; one drop in Link’s veins would burn like hell. It took all of his strength to wiggle out of Caleb’s pin, nimbly stepping away from another swipe as he moved back. He had escaped the monster’s grasp, but now that monster was between him and Rhett. Not that his beloved was completely helpless without Link to protect him, but it make Link worried for Rhett's safety.

With Caleb momentarily distracted by Link, Rhett’s wolf saw his opening to strike. Before Caleb realized he was actually surrounded, he felt a sharp pain on his left forearm as Rhett’s sharp canines pierced his flesh. Roaring in pain and anger, Caleb pulled his arm back, swinging wildly, trying to shake off his attacker. Link took a chance and swiped at the monster’s face, landing a solid hit.

Rearing back, Caleb shook his arm one more time and as soon as Rhett lost his grip he went flying, landing on the edge of the stairs. He hit the floor with a whimper and didn’t get back up again. Link looked at the canine form of his love, not moving, and his blood ran cold. If his werewolf ears hadn’t heard Rhett’s heart still beating, he may have thought the wolf dead on the spot. It was enough to make Link’s rage boil. Caleb was facing him again, now, his hatred focused completely on him. That’s the way Link wanted it, that’s the only way he knew to help Rhett.

He also knew he couldn’t take Caleb in a one on one fight, not a fair one anyway. He didn’t stand a chance. Caleb was bigger, stronger, more experienced, and probably completely mad, but Link wasn’t scared. He had to protect Rhett, to save him, to get him out of this hell hole and fast. If defeating Caleb was the only way to do that, then so be it. Link stood tall, puffing out his chest again, taking slow, careful steps in a semi-circle around his prey. Caleb watched him closely, trying to figure out his next move, waiting for Link’s next attack.

When Link finally came to a stop, putting himself between Caleb and the cage, he just glared at the beast before him. He wanted so much to just slash at him until he fell in a bloody pulp on the floor, but he couldn't. Instead he waited for Caleb to make the next move. It was driving him crazy, but still he waited. Eventually Caleb gnashed his teeth together, impatient and furious that anyone had actually stood up to him. Lowering his head he rushed at Link, intending to bash him into the cage. This time Link was ready. As soon as Caleb started moving, Link ducked out of the way, trying to leave a clear path towards the cage. At the last second Caleb realized Link’s plan and tried to stop himself, claws ripping at his target. Three of his silver-tipped talons hit their mark, slicing long lines across Link’s chest and causing him to howl in pain, but it didn’t matter. Caleb’s feet tried vainly to stop his tumble, but it was no use. He fell into the open cage, smashing into the back wall with a tremendous force.

The cage wobbled. It was too old, or not well taken care of, or had just been through too much tonight to take any more. The spike rack shook one last time and then, before Caleb could get to his feet, the ratchet crank slipped loose and the spikes came crashing down, the giant boulder on top with them. The whole contraption crushed down on top of the werewolf, burying all of its silver-painted spikes into his furry torso. Link stood back, helpless and unsure. Even if he had tried, he wouldn’t have been able to lift the spikes by himself. All he could do was watch as the silver dug into Caleb’s body, burning him to the bone. The soft liquid poisoned his veins, inflaming his wounds. His bones were broken, his blood poured from everywhere, but his werewolf body couldn’t heal, not with the silver in his back, not from this much damage. Within a few seconds the werewolf breathed his last and he was finally gone from this world.

As Caleb’s dead body transformed back to human, Link turned from the sight, relieved that at least it was all over. He ran to where Rhett had fallen, kneeling down to see just how badly he was hurt. Rhett’s wolf was already stirring, coming to after his nasty fall. He would be okay, he was going to be okay, they just had to get out of here. Taking Rhett’s body in his arms, Link didn’t look back as he left the basement; didn’t slow down as he left the house. Stepping out into the moonlight felt like leaving hell itself. He had done what he had set out to do, he had gotten Rhett out of that prison. Now they just had to get home.

“I should have killed you both on that farm,” came a voice. Link turned to see another werewolf, even bigger than Caleb, standing behind him. It had dark, brownish fur with silver tinges, and blue-green eyes. He didn’t recognize him, but he could guess.

“Seth,” he managed, his canine tongue having a bit of trouble still speaking. Instead of answering Seth flexed his claws in warning. Link wasn’t ready for another fight, not with Rhett wounded and with no cage to win it for him, but Seth definitely wasn’t going to let them leave without one.

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#rhett #link #rhink #fic #fanfic #fanfiction #werewolves #territorial

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