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drariellevalentine · 4 years

Text

Medically Inevitable

Chapter 5- Heartfelt Housewarming

Warnings:- Alcohol

Characters:- Arielle Valentine, Ethan Ramsey, Sienna Trinh, Landry Olsen, Elijah Greene, Jackie Varma, Aurora Emery, Ines Delarosa

Pairing:- Ethan Ramsey x Arielle Valentine

After a night of restless tossing and turning, you get up skipping your usual morning routine and head into the shower. Stripping yourself of your clothes, you step into the shower, hoping the hot water washes away yesterday’s events. You close your eyes and everything comes flooding into mind.

“Dr. Valentine, your post-op patient is in distress!”

“What happened? She was fine two minutes ago!”, you say.

“Fluid buildup in her lungs, she can’t breathe!”

“Heart rate’s above 160. It’s in atrial fibrillation!”

“BP’s crashing, she’s hypotensive!” Everything swirls around in confusion. You’re frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

“What do you want us to do?” Your mind is jumbled. You can’t focus.

“Dr. Valentine! What do you want us to do?!”

You’re wrenched out of your reverie as your bottle of body wash drops to the floor.

“Arielle? You okay?” Sienna asks.

“Yeah, just dropped something. Be out in a sec.”, you pull back the fogged glass door and grab your blush coloured towel, which matches your room’s aesthetic. You remember the day you went out shopping with your brother’s girlfriend who also happens to be one of the huge fashion icons and designers, to buy everything you needed for your apartment. After drying yourself off, you slip on a silk robe and leave your bathroom to see Sienna and Landry waiting for you.

“Hey.”, you say plopping down on the furry bench at the front of your queen sized bed.

Si comes and gives you a hug. “What happened yesterday isn’t your fault, okay.”

“I know. I just can’t stop thinking about what would have happened if the nurses hadn’t bailed me out yesterday.”

“You can always go over your cases. It helps to be prepared.”, advises Landry.

“Thanks Landry.” They exit your room as you head into your closet to get dressed. Deciding on a teal wrapped top, a navy blue pair of leggings, matching boots and accessories, you grab your mini backpack which you packed last night and head to the kitchen.

“Okay. I have 15 minutes.” You throw some strawberries, a banana, and vanilla almond milk into a blender and grab a straw. Pouring the smoothie into you regular glass, you pop a straw and grab a protein bar. You have breakfast as you scroll through your messages with 10 minutes to go. Washing out the cup and placing it in the dishwasher, you head out to your car, protein bar in hand. You play a few tunes as you drive all the way to Edenbrook, singing along.

You park your car and head towards the locker room to drop your belongings. Heading into the atrium, you notice a huge crowd of interns. Entering the atrium I find it full, some interns scattering around, while the others are pushing each other to get in front of the crowd where Dr. Ramsey is standing with a piece of paper on his hands.

"Gather around interns," Ines's cheerful voice rings through the atrium.

"Back! Back! Christ! You all are like a bunch of rabid dogs!" His angry voice announces.

Sienna, Landry and I go and join the crowd where Elijah and Jackie are already present. Tiptoeing I try to get a better look at the paper. But it's really hard to see it from here.

"Wow! It looks like everyone signed up for the competition," I state shocked seeing the huge list in front of me.

"Of course they did. It's an opportunity for a lifetime!" Landry says excited.

"Yeah exactly, only a complete jackass would think about passing it," Jackie smirks .

"Gee, thanks!" I roll my eyes playfully.

"How about this? Whoever ranks the lowest picks up the keg for tonight's party?" Elijah suggests.

"I like the way you think," Jackie says and then turns around to check the list.

"Great! Sienna already whipped up a few treats and she’ll be going shopping to pick up the rest of supplies while we decorate the house. I told everyone to come by 8," Elijah grins and Jackie turns around to look at him.

"What do you mean by everyone?" Landry questions.

"My question exactly," Jackie adds.

"You know the other interns," Elijah smiles.

"I have told a few residents about it too," Sienna says, "And also a few nurses." Sienna kinda blushes? You make a mental note to ask her later.

"Guys, our place is nice but not that big! We have to keep it small," Landry states.

"You have a point," I start to say and look over at Elijah whose expression turned into a sad one. "But it's about tonight only! And it's not like everyone we invite is gonna show up," I smile a Landry, "Chill out dude."

"Famous last words..." Landry says, his voice low.

"I can't believe I am about to throw an party at last!" Elijah chimes.

"Ooh! Are you talking about you homecoming party tonight?" Ines asks from behind him.

"You've heard about that?" I ask surprised.

"Everyone's heard about that," She smiles.

"Cool. So are you coming?" I return the smile.

"Yeah. And do you guys mind if I bring Zaid along?" She asks sweetly.

Dr. Mirani. In a party! That's beyond my imagination.

She must have seen the hesitation on our face so she starts to explain, " I know his sense of humor isn't everyone's cup of tea but he's loads of fun at a party. Trust me."

"Of course," I smile trying to remove any trace of the hesitation from my face ," The more the merrier."

"He has a sense of humor?" Jackie acts shocked after I Ines leaves and I nudge her playfully. And the rest of my roommates shoots looks at me.

"What? What'd you expect me to say?" I ask shrugging.

They all give me a fake angry look before looking forward where Dr. Ramsey just pinned our score sheet.The crowd of interns moves forward threatening to cush him.

“Now you can stop badgering me with quest about where you stand.”, Dr. Ramsey’s cold voice announces. “If you would like to challenge your rankings, fell free to swing by my office and I’ll immediately disqualify you. Good day.”, his nonchalant voice adds before walking away after pining the ranking sheet.

“Is it just me or is he more grumpier than usual?”, Sienna asks quietly so that only the five of us can hear.”

Jackie shrugs, “He’s probably annoyed cause he has to pick an intern.” The crowd of interns slowly disappear leaving the gang and a few other interns in the atrium. We look towards the board to check our rankings.

“Let’s see who’s number one.”, Landry says looking at the list.

“It’s Aurora, that little-", Jackie stops when she sees her but it’s too late.

“Please continue!”, she sneers.

“That little colleague whose aunt signs my checks.”, Jackie painfully finishes.

“Jackie...keep reading.”, Sienna nudges her.

“I’m fourth. Fine, I guess. Landry’s seventh, Elijah’s tenth.

“And Arielle you are- nineteenth," she says kinda surprised.

"Nineteenth? Looks like you are on the keg duty Valentine," Elijah says.

"It's okay. I just need to work harder," I say.

"Are you sure? I mean you are not me but you aren't that bad," she says playfully trying to lighten up the mood and at the same time establishing a point- I deserve more than the 19th ranking. "Are you sure Dr. Ramsey doesn't have it up for you?"

“No, I think it's what I deserve. I just need to work harder and it'd pay off," I force a smile.

You rush after Dr. Ramsey to update him about Shonda.

“Dr. Ramsey!”

“Yes?” He turns to look at you but he seems rather distant.

“I wanted to update you on my post-op patient from last night.”, you tentatively say.

“You mean the ones that the nurses had to intubate? I’ve already been informed.” You wince waiting for his berating...but it never comes. You’re surprised.

“Aren’t you going to berate me?”

“No. I have work to attend to and by the look on your face, I gather that you already feel bad.” He turns to leave.

“Wait!” He turns to look at you. “I wanted to invite you to a housewarming party my friends and I are hosting later tonight. It’ll be a nice breather from work.”

Ethan’s PoV:-

You’d never thought an intern would invite you to one of their parties. You’re about to agree when you remember that you have work to do. “I’ll have to decline.” Her face falls. “But I appreciate the invitation.” She turns to leave.

“Rookie. Wait.”, you find yourself saying. “What the hell are you doing, Ethan!”, you think. She turns to look at you.

“All my patients are stable. What do you need?”

“Radiology just received a new f.M.R.I machine a week ago but they haven’t tested it yet and I’m getting impatient.”, you reply.

“You want me to stick my brain so you see all my deepest secrets? Alright!” You laugh.

“Follow me.” You lead her to the equipment room. You’re about to tell her what she needs to do until you realise that she’ll need to take off her shirt. “Shit!”, you think. We’re doctors, surely this is normal! you try to convince yourself.

Arielle’s PoV:-

“You can keep your shirt here any make sure you take off all jewellery.” He gestures to your earrings, necklace and many rings. Then it hits you. “I’m going to be half-naked in front of my boss. Why did I agree to this?!” You turn around, facing the wall and take of your shirt, revealing your matching teal lace-up bra. Great day to wear a lace-up bra, thank god it doesn’t have any metal! You turn sideways and take off all your jewellery, shoes and ID. “Done. Now what?”, you turn to face him.

Ethan’s PoV:-

You gulp at the sight of her. You’ve never seen someone so pretty in just a simple pair of leggings. The sight of her long violet ombré tresses cascading down her shoulders- “Shut up Ramsey! She’s your intern!”, you think. “Have you taken off all metal?”, you gesture to her very lacey bra.

“My bra isn’t wired so I won’t have to take it off.” You’re thankful for that. You bring the syringe of gadolinium near her. “Sit here and lean back.”, you instruct her. Palpitating her veins, you inject the gadolinium, trying not to focus on the scent of vanilla and cinnamon from her. You dispose the syringe. “You help her onto the machine, instructing her not to move.”

“Why do they make these damn machines so high?”, you hear her mutter. You stifle a laugh.

You head into the adjacent room, turning on the machine. “Is my voice audible?”

“Yes. It’s loud and clear.”

“Okay. Can I start?” She agrees. “If these questions are too personal, tell me and I’ll ask something else.”

“You do realise that I’ve already told you a lot about my personal life, right?” You ignore that.

“What is your middle name?”

“Cerise.” (Cherry in French)

“Cherry?”, you ask. Your lips quirk up.

“My mother named me Cerise for two reasons. One, her main pregnancy cravings were cherries. Two, apparently my lips were the colour of cherries when I was born.”, she answers. You see her temporal lobe glow.

“Do you have any favourite childhood memories?”

Her hippocampus, neo-cortex and amygdala glow. “I do. When I was little, I would visit my godfather every Friday evening and stay there until he would drop me off at school Monday morning. I would enter the house and he would have all the ingredients lined up for some kind of dessert or pastry as long as it had chocolate. We would bake together, laugh and talk and I would tell him about all the stupid things that would happen in class.” You smile at the thought of a little Arielle baking.

“Okay. Tell me about one of the happiest days of your life.”

“Probably when my niece was born.”

“You have a niece?” You’re surprised. Her prefrontal cortex glows very brightly.

“Her name is Arabelle, Belle for short. It was an unplanned pregnancy and there were some ups and downs, but the moment she came it was absolutely beautiful. To become an aunt and hold your niece in your arms for the first time, it’s one of the most beautiful things in life. She turned 4 years old a few months ago... Is the machine working properly?”

“Yes, it works alright. That’s enough questions.” You power down the machine and go back to the equipment room, when you hear a thud. You rush into the room to find Arielle getting up from the floor.

“Ooh! Very hard floor!”, she rubs her arm.

“How did you manage to fall down from the machine?”, you ask while helping her up.

She shrugs, her lips widening into a grin. “There’s a reason why my brother calls me Calamity Cerise!” She pulls her shirt back on, along with her jewellery, ID, and shoes. She saunters over phone in hand and shows me a picture. “This is my niece Belle.” She pulls up a picture of an adorable 3 year old dressed in a powder blue fluffy gown. Beside her is Arielle, wearing a beautiful matching dress with a huge smile on her face.

They look absolutely adorable.

“She’s cute.”, you respond.

“She is, isn’t she! She wanted a photoshoot for her birthday. This was one of the pics.”

“Thank you… for the assistance, Dr. Valentine.” You turn to leave. You’re about to ask her when the party starts, but you stumble on your words and leave.

Arielle’s PoV:-

You’re just finishing your shift as you notice the time. Your shift ended early, so you decided to go with Sienna to help shop for the party. You text her and meet her at the parking lot.

“Hey Si, ready to go?”

“Yeah! I made a list of all the things we need to buy!” You take your car and drive towards Walmart.”

“Okay, so I’ll pick up the plates, cups, and other stuff. You pick up all these snacks.” We’ll meet at the dairy section in 20.” You head towards the snack aisle and pick up tortilla chips, crackers and a few other snacks that Si told you to buy. Hmm... we need drinks! You head towards the drink aisle where you find Bryce.

“Hey Bryce! What are you doing here?” He whirls around, his face breaking into a smile when he sees you.

“Elle! I thought I would buy a little something for the party.” You notice the bottles of tequila in his hand.

“Aww Thanks! Now, help me in getting those Sprite and Fanta bottles up there. I can’t reach.” He laughs and picks them up from the shelf with ease, placing them in the cart. You lead him to the dairy section, where you find Sienna waiting for you.

“What took you so lo-Hi Bryce!”

“I found Scalpel Jockey in the drinks aisle.”

“Okay, so I already made a bunch of desserts, we just need different cheeses and meat. I’ll head towards the deli and you two find some blocks of cheddar and gruyere.” She heads off.

“Okay, let’s go for cheddar, mozzarella, gruyere and pepper jack. I’ll get some vegan versions.” You slide over to the non-dairy section and pick up a few items and drop them into the cart. “All done, Bryce?”

“Yeah, found everything! I’ll stand in the billing aisle, you go bring Sienna.” You go to the deli section and bring Si over.

“Did we get everything Si?” She goes over the list. “Yeah, Jackie and Elijah said they’ll bring the beer and a few other drinks so we should have everything.” You finish billing and head to the parking lot. Bidding goodbye to Bryce, you head to the apartment to find the place fully decorated.

“We were wondering when you guys would show up. We decorated everything already!”, says Landry.

“Great! Elijah, you can help me whip up some dips while Landry and Jackie set up the rest of the food.”

“I’ll go pick up the keg stand and a little something special.” They give you a questioning look. “It’s a secret!”, you sing as you head out to your car. Picking up the keg stand and karaoke machine takes longer then you expected. By the time you come home again, the apartment is packed. Bryce comes and helps you with the very heavy stand.

“What’s in there?”, he asks pointing to the other box I had in my hand.

“I called in a favour and got us a karaoke machine. Give it to Elijah, he’ll hook it up.” You head to your room to get dressed. You pull out a fitted black crop top with a sparkly violet miniskirt. Brushing on a little lipgloss, you decide to focus on your eyes and add a little eyeshadow to your usual makeup. Lastly, you take your your hair from the Dutch braid you purposely did this morning, your hair falls in thick curls. Spraying on a little hairspray, you quickly take a pic and post it with the caption ‘Housewarming party ready!🥳’

By the time you come out of your room, the keg stand is completely set up.

“Arielle! You’re going first!”, Elijah yells.

“Hell No! Scalpel Jockey can go first.”

Bryce saunters over and starts while Elijah sets the timer. “1..2..3...........25...28”- Bryce flips over, as the people cheer.

“I’m feeling a little woozy.”, he sits down. You step up, putting you hair up in a loose bun.

“Ready Arielle, 1..2..3..Go!” You flip over, planting your hands on the ground and kick you feet up in the air as you guzzle down beer. “1..2..3..4.................30..”, You’re getting really lightheaded. “43..44..45”, You flip back to the ground and sway like a pendulum until one of the surgical interns steady you.

“Damn Arielle! 45 seconds! Anyone want to top that?”, Elijah shouts.People line up after you’re lead by Ines to sit down. She gives you a glass of ice cold water as you turn to see Zaid at the keg stand. You nearly spit out the water in your mouth at the sight. He surprisingly managed for 20 seconds. He takes a seat beside you as the surgical intern who steadied you goes next.

“I don’t know why you youngsters do this to yourselves!”, Zaid grumbles.

“Me either!”, you answer as your stomach rumbles. You forgot to eat lunch.

You head over to the snacks area where you have a few of Si’s mini treats.

“Yo Arielle!” You turn around to see Elijah yelling from standing on a ‘stage’. You head over and see the karaoke machine fixed up.

“How in the world did you manage to get a karaoke machine at this caliber?” You smile.

“I have friends in high places. Now who’s going first?” Bryce and a few surgical interns hold a riff-raff as you and a few others cheer them on. Bryce wins, that guy has got pipes. Now comes duet rounds. Jackie saunters over, partly drunk.

“So this was the surprise you were talking about.” You nod. She suddenly drags you to her the stage. You see Elijah manning the controls.

“Now for the one and only, Jackie and Arielle! What song will it be?”

“None Of My Business” You laugh, she still manages to choose a sassy song when drunk. “You ready Arielle?” They’ve never heard you sing, so they’re in for quite a surprise. You turn to the screen, blue for Jackie, pink for me and purple for both of us... sounds good.

She starts, her voice bold and sassy, a little bit of her accent shows through.

“Damn, I heard you and her been having problems”

“She likes to fight, I guess you both have that in common”

“Go Jackie!”, Si yells.

“Started at the top but now you at the bottom”

“But baby, this is none of my business”

“You think you can top that Arielle?”, Jackie asks with a smirk. You don’t know if it’s the alcohol coursing through your veins from the keg stand or the sugar rush from Si’s treats, but you know one thing for sure, you’re going to give them a show. You keep your voice sultry and sassy.

“You moved on, that a wrong, been a while, baby”

Jackie’s shocked. “Damn Arielle, where you been hiding those pipes!”, Bryce yells. You smirk and flip your hair.

“So did I (so did I, so did I)”

“Took her home to your home”

“But trust me that ain’t on my mind (on my mind, on my mind)”

You start slowly moving your upper body to the beat, flipping your hair for extra flair.

“I-I-I-I-I, I-I-I-I-I”

You and Jackie both belt out, her taking a lower range while you hit that high. Elijah and Bryce whistle.

“I saw on my feed”

“She looks a little like me”

“I-I-I-I-I, I-I-I-I-I”

“I can’t help but see”

“It’s not jealousy, no”

You both finish off the song receiving a huge applause once finished. You saunter over to Jackie, “Is that up to your standards, Miss Varma.” She smirks and heads off.

You decide to get a drink and enjoy the rest of the duets. A while later, someone taps your shoulder. You turn around to see Bryce. “Elle, you have to sing with me. I may have bet a 100 dollar bottle of whiskey to Mark and Rosa that i would sing much better than them but I can’t find a partner.

“Fine. What song?

“Trampoline.” You give him a look. “Please?” You let him drag you towards the stage for the second time.

“Looks like you found a partner Lahela.”

Elijah announces the rules in the mic to the huge crowd, “Listen up! Bryce and Arielle will sing the same verses as will Mark and Rosa. It’s up to you guys to decide which pair is better!”

You know you’ve had one too many drinks, and Bryce had to choose one of the sultry songs. You turn towards the screen. Pink for the girls, blue for the boys and purple for all. You and Bryce are up first.

You start singing in a breathy but sultry tone.

“I’ve been having dreams”

“Jumpin’ on a trampoline”

He matches your tone, going just a bit deeper.

“Flippin’ in the air”

“I never land, just float there”

“As I’m lookin’ up”

“Suddenly the sky erupts”

You both sing together, his voice hitting those deep notes while you hit those whistles.

“Flames alight the trees”

“Spread to fallin’ leaves”

“Now they’re right upon me”

The alcohol in you takes over, you start swaying your hips to the sultry beat gaining the attention of the crowd. The surgical interns whistle.

“Wait, if I’m on fire”

“Then how am I so deep in love”

“When I dream of dying”

“I never feel so loved”

You and Bryce reach the peak of the song, him singing that low bass as you match his tone at a higher pitch, leaving the crowd in awe. Bryce sings the next few lines, leaving you to sing the beautiful breathy chorus.

You both finish after alternating lines and earn whistles and applause from the crowd. Bryce saunters up to Rosa and Mark, “Think you can top that?” Mark forks over a hundred dollar bill and walks away.

“I believe that you owe me a thank you.” He sweeps you up into a hug.

“Thank you so much Elle. Come over some time, I’m sharing this with you.” He heads off. You sing a few songs with Sienna, Ines, Jackie and Elijah until you find yourself winded.

You’re heading out to catch a breather when you notice the crowds of people laughing and drinking. You see Si standing alone and head over. “Hey Si, where’s Wayne?”

“Oh! He had to go home. He has work tomorrow morning.” You frown.

“Si.” You give her a pointed look.

“I know, he was really rude. But I promise he isn’t always like that!”, she says.

“Okay Si, I believe you. But if you need someone to talk to, I’m here okay?” She nods and heads inside as Elijah wheels past.

“Hey Elijah, don’t you think the party’s getting a bit out of hand?”

“Sienna cleared it with Farley until midnight.” You look at him.

“Which is in 10 minutes.” He’s about to respond when a girl about your age walks near.

“Could I squeeze through?”

“Yeah, of course.”, you respond.

“Are you guests of this rager or...” You smile. “It’s ours. I’m Arielle and this is Elijah.”

“Hey...”, you can see him blush. He totally likes her.

“I’m Phoebe, I live right down the haul.” You can’t stand to witness anymore of this cuteness and decide to play Cupid.

“Hey Elijah, why don’t you show Phoebe around and let her play a game or two.” You turn to Phoebe. “He’s really good at beer bong.” They nod and head inside as you smile. Suddenly Landry rushes towards you, followed by Jackie.

“Someone just ratted us out! I saw Farley entering the building!”, Jackie says.

“What are we going to do? We can’t possibly get this in control by the time he gets here!”, Landry says.

Shonda’s advice comes back to you. “Okay! Here’s what we’re going to do. Landry, break out the board games and sit everyone down. Jackie, tell everyone to go inside and quiet down. I’ll placate everyone with leftover treats. Go! Between the three of you, with some help from Sienna, Elijah and Phoebe, you manage to get everyone under control. You rush towards your room and slip on a robe just as the doorbell rings. You open it and act nonchalantly as your roommates shush everyone. “Hey Farley, is everything alright?”

“Miss Raines, I received a complaint about your party extending the duration of time and the level of noise.”

“What? Everyone already left and I was getting ready for bed.” You ‘yawn’.

“My apologies Miss Raines, carry on.” He turns around and leaves. “Mission Accomplished! Now, everyone stay quiet please.”, you say as everyone cheers quietly. The party slowly dwindles down until your roommates and Bryce are the only ones left.

“You don’t have to help clean up, Bryce.”

“It’s alright Elle. Also, how come you never told me you could sing? I actually thought that you were lip syncing.” You laugh.

“I learned to play the piano at a very young age. Singing just came naturally. It was one of my mother’s favourite hobbies.”

He smiles. “I think that’s the last of the trash. Goodnight Elle.” He kisses me on the cheek and leaves. I smile thinking I might have just found another brother.

After locking the doors, you head back into your room to sleep. You slip off your clothes and drop them in the hamper. You put on a silky white pajama set and enter you bathroom. You wash your face with a face wash and pat it dry. Skincare has always been something that is very important to you, especially when Naveen has taught you so many tips and tricks from his Indian heritage. You start with your usual eye cream to get rid your dark circles, eyelash serum and lastly a night moisturiser.Then you lightly braid your hair and flop into bed, tucking yourself deep under the fluffy blush coloured blanket.

You wake up to ‘Dancing With Your Ghost’ by Sasha Sloan. You slip on a matching robe and head out to the kitchen for your tea.

“Good Morning Ari!” You notice Elijah at the dining table and greet him back. “Look who was up all night.” He points to the sofa. You walk over and notice Danny sleeping, Sienna lying on him peacefully. You take your phone and take a photo without them noticing.

You tiptoe back towards Elijah and show him the picture. He smiles. “Honestly, Danny would be a much better match for Si, Wayne wasn’t like anything Si described.”, you say.

“Ari, that’s enough playing Cupid. You’re going to be late if you don’t get ready.” You notice the time, no tea for me today! You head towards your room to get ready.

Later that day, you’re walking in the pristine white halls of Edenbrook when you get a page. 911 for Mrs. Turner! You run to the stairs.

I charge into the room to find her in respiratory distress, the nurses running around to help her.

"She's crashing again?" I ask the nurses, shock and fear clearly noticable in my voice.

"Yeah, just like last time," Marlene answers.

"Body temperature is skyrocketing. She's in AFib, her B.P. is crashing and she's got a pulmonary edema," Danny informs me her condition but barely a word enters my brain.

My mind's got blank the second I saw her lying unconscious in the hospital bed.

Get a hold on yourself Arielle! She's your patient, you need to help her. She'd die under your watch if you don't act quickly!

"What do you want to do doctor?" Sarah asks.

"I-I-" I try to say something but my brain gives up. I can hardly form a coherent sentence.

"I want to... breathe," I say, panic rising with each passing second.

"What?" The nurses stares at me shocked. But despite that I take a moment to myself and breathe.

I close my eyes.

I can do it. I have to do it. I just think.

I just have to guide the nurses. Calm down Arielle. You've got it.

I count upto three, to calm down and subside my tension.

"Here's what we need to do.”, I open my eyes.

"Sarah prep the I.V. We have to get fluids in her. Marlene get the ice packs and cooling blankets. Cool her down so that she doesn't get heat stroke."

"Right away Dr. Valentine," Sarah moves to get an IV stand.

I turn to Danny then. "And Danny get the defibrillator. Then we intubate."

"On it doctor," he says and rushes to get the equipment. After dealing with the patient, you head towards the ER. Later, when you’re heading for your lunch break, you come across Dr. Ramsey.

“Rookie. I heard you kept Mrs. Turner alive.”, he acknowledges.

“I did.”, a small beam of pride hits you. He turns and walks away when one of his files fall down. You reach down and can’t but help notice the quizzical patient name, ‘Patient X’ as you pick up the chart. He quickly turns around and quite rashly pulls the CT scan from you.

“Thank you.”, he hurries down the hallway. You wonder who it could be, and why he is so secretive.

#ethanjonahramsey #open heart #playchoices #ohsy #collab #modern au #ethan x mc #open heart fanfic #partynextdoor

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jocelynscloset · 4 years

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On Low | Michael Langdon

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Author's Note: This got super long. It's 1.7K words, so enjoy :)

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A quiet moan falls from your lips as the heel of Michael's hand digs just right into the tension that has been building in your lower back for days. With the unbearable mattress supplied by the hospitable Outpost 3, you've found yourself becoming irritable and grumpy, especially with Michael refusing to lay by your side as you fall asleep on the rock hard slab each night because he's "formulating his selections".

The second you snapped at him after 4 days of barely speaking to one another between him interviewing various intolerable shrews who lick their lips salaciously whenever he walks into a room, he knows it's time to do something to relieve your tension. The second you glared at him and told him to "eat by yourself, asshole", he pushed you against the wall and planted his hand authoritatively against your throat. However, you groaned in pain as your shoulder blades slammed against the hard surface because you were trying to protect your lower back from taking the brunt of the force.

Immediately, Michael's frustrated glare turned into a look of concern as he scanned your face for the fleeting expression of pain he'd just witnessed.

"What's wrong, darling, did I hurt you?" You shook your head, raising your arm to gently stroke the top of his hand that still rested comfortingly against the column of your throat.

"No, Michael, it's not you. It's that fucking bed. My back is all screwed up and I'm barely sleeping and I guess it's making me more grouchy than usual." Your husband merely hummed and stroked your cheek as he pondered a solution to your pain.

"How about I give you a massage like I do when we're back home?" You blush at the thought. Michael's smirk grows as you reminisce on his special method of working the tension out of your body and your mind. You look down slightly out of embarrassment, but he tilts your chin up to meet his eyes immediately. "Don't overthink it. Let me make you feel better." He presses a delicate kiss to your temple and you hum in agreement before allowing him to guide you to the uncomfortable bed. With a wave of his hand, the bed rises in height by at least 4 inches and you sigh.

"Michael, why couldn't you have just replaced the mattress in the first place?" He chuckles and rubs at the bridge of his nose.

"Because I haven't had the privilege of experiencing how uncomfortable it is yet, sweetheart. I fall asleep in my desk chair every night." You tilt your head sympathetically and it sinks in that the last few days here haven't been easy for him either.

"Well considering that we've both had a shitty stay here at Casa Outpost, I'm returning the favor this time, and I want no complaints." Michael only nods and leans his head down to capture your lips in a loving kiss.

"I appreciate it, my love." With that, Michael backs away slightly before winking at you, and in a second your dress falls to the floor, leaving you in a simple bra and panties, which happen to be one of his favorite outfits to see you in. He loves the domesticity of seeing you in a simple black bra and a cute pair of cotton panties, and he notes the avocados scattered all over your current pair. You blush at your un-sexy underwear, but you know he appreciates your body all the same.

After taking a moment to admire you, he stalks over to his desk drawer and grabs the standard bullet vibrator that you two like to use from time to time for occasions like this. It has multiple settings, including one that is just barely enough to be noticeable, but not enough to get you anywhere near your orgasm. That's the trick to his special "massages". He slips the little bullet into your panties to tease you while he massages your sore muscles and uses his hands to get you pliant and relaxed before he completely exhausts you with a long, slow orgasm where his cock is nestled deeply in your cunt and he's just barely moving, each movement causing an intense jolt of pleasure to radiate from your tummy to your toes.

It's the most glorious way to end a shitty day, and the further he gets with his plans for the cooperative, the more it occurs. While you hate the irritation that comes with your respective seats at the head of the table, you savor the way you care for each other through it. Though, this time, you're determined to give him the same attention.

Michael rests his hands on your hips, turning you away from him and prompts you to crawl onto the now fluffy bed and get into a comfortable spot, resting on your bare tummy with your arms folded under your chin. Michael takes off his jacket and shoes, unbuttoning his shirt half way and pulling off his belt as well. You love Michael when he's like this; just completely comfortable and dressed down and warm in his demeanor. As turned on as you get by his coldness and authority, you savor the fact that you're the only one who gets to see him like this.

Michael sits beside you on the bed, his hips resting comfortably next to your thighs as his fingers, still adorning it ornate ring collection, caress your thighs with a feather-light touch. You shiver, goosebumps rising on your exposed flesh as he continues to touch you. He leans down and plants a kiss on the small of your back, and you giggle at the ticklish sensation, which in turn causes a loving smile to crawl onto his features.

He warms the vibrator in his hands and switches it onto the lowest setting before clearing his throat, which you know is his way of asking you to raise your hips to allow him to slip it into your panties and position it against your clit. He lightly taps your ass, allowing you to replace your body in it's relaxed position. You sigh in delight as you feel the comforting vibrations against your bundle of nerves, and as soon as you're resting again, Michael begins to rub and apply pressure to your back, one area at a time, making sure to note your soft sighs and hums when he reaches a knot or a sore spot.

Soon enough, you're practically whining as he grinds his hands down particularly hard into your lower back, undoing all of the tension that has been souring your mood for days. He grins when your breathing returns to a relaxed, rhythmic pace and he's merely caressing your skin.

He leans down to press another kiss to your back, this time right between your shoulder blades, and you giggle in appreciation. He looks between your legs and sees that you've effectively soaked through your panties, which is his way of assessing a job well done. However, as he goes to remove the tiny device, you lift yourself on your forearms and reach one hand back to swat his hand away.

"Um, it's your turn, Mr. Langdon." Michael rolls his eyes but smiles nonetheless and finishes removing his shirt before you roll out of your spot on the bed and instruct him to take your place. You get distracted for a moment by the way his skin stretches across his muscular arms and toned back, and run your fingers innocently against his smooth skin. He clears his throat and you laugh at his impatience. "And you were complaining..." you mumble mostly to yourself before straddling one of his clothed thighs and you gasp as you feel the vibrator press harder against your clit.

You ignore the pleasure and begin running your hands up and down your husband's back, taking a moment to gently gather his stray locks of hair and push them aside. He hums as you delicately graze your nails down his back to the waistband of his slacks, and then begin to knead at his, admittedly tense, muscles.

You get so lost in the task of evenly working out the knots and soreness in his body that you don't realize how you begin to rock against his thigh, chasing the light pleasure that's being delivered through the tiny device. Michael chuckles to himself at your neediness, but he figures there's no way you could get yourself to orgasm with that little pressure.

However, less than a minute later, your hands lose their rhythm on his skin and your hips begin to stutter on his thigh before a quiet, desperate moan leaves your lips and you feel your clit pulse with orgasm. It's not exactly intense, but it was unexpected and you suspect immediately once your mind returns from the delightful haze that it had more to do with the eroticism of worshipping Michael than the physical stimulation itself.

Regardless, Michael turns his head and looks back at you in slight astonishment, his eyes drifting to where your core rests against the back of his thigh and he just grins at you with a smugness you could only describe as boyish.

"You really are a dirty whore, aren't you?" You blush at his words, since instead of being delivered with the usual coldness, he's nearly laughing. You grumble just a little slipping your bra and panties off and turning off the vibrator, but you can't help the little smile that takes over your features.

You climb off of Michael and lay next to him on the sheets, and he just rolls onto his side and rests his hand on your warm cheek before kissing you with a sweetness you feel a nostalgia for from early on in your relationship, when he was just a gifted boy who wore ripped t-shirts and listened to Fall Out Boy.

"I love you, and your naughty urges." You blush again, shoving your face into the pillow and curling closer to him. Michael waves his hand one more time and his own clothes are removed and you both now suddenly lay beneath the covers.

"I love you too, Michael." You sigh and snuggle closer to him, but he chuckles instead of wrapping arms around you like he usually does.

"Oh sweetheart, I'm not done with you, yet."

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

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#michael langdon #michael langdon x reader #michael langdon smut #michael langdon fanfiction #american horror story #michael langdon fic #michael langdon imagine

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obscure-sentimentalist · 4 years

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for ya boi tate 2, 3, 10, 18, 30, 38, 44, 57, 64, 70, 80, 92, 100

For the original character asks

Oh, Tate, my sweet boy who wasn’t even supposed to be an original character, but evolved on his own and silently demanded that I tell his real story. He was entirely unanticipated, and now I can’t shut up about him.

Character context: Tate Merlyn, hailing from the being-reworked-and-written Distortion ‘verse. Tommy’s twin brother in a world where Malcolm decided to bring his young sons to the League of Assassins and train them for his own purposes. It takes many years for the brothers to get out, but they eventually settle back into Starling City, falling in with a certain vigilante operation and forming a tight-knit friendship (and later become roommates) with Felicity.

2. Do they like animals? Well, Tate doesn’t not like animals. However, the circumstances of his life didn’t give him a chance to have a pet, nor put him in contact with domestic animals often, and he never really let himself feel anything about that lack. At first impression, he’s ambivalent about animals.

But find him in a brighter future and give him a kitten to hold or a dog to run into on the street, and he’ll melt the second he makes eye-contact with them. Lots of soft, dopey smiles all around.

3. How do they dress? Ah, yes, a topic that honestly shouldn’t hurt as much as it does.

Given that this is a universe where Malcolm is an even shittier father than in canon and has two sons who he’s shaped into his personal weapons from a young age, Tate doesn’t have a fashion sense for much of his life. When he isn’t in League uniform, his clothes are all black and gray, meant for utility and nothing more. The most he’ll allow himself is whatever excess warmth he can get from an old sweatshirt or hoodie, if one is on hand.

Even once he’s free enough to choose for himself, for a long time, Tate just… sticks with his wardrobe and its utter lack of character. Practical is fine, and it saves him time if he just grabs whatever’s in his drawer without looking--it’s about all the same, anyway. Why add another step?

It takes active intervention from Tommy and Felicity (and an incident involving a laundry mix-up) for Tate to start introducing more variety to his closet. He still opts for deeper, darker colors (more autumnal) for everyday wear, but at least it’s color. He’s also into flannels, though he has to be careful with any facial hair he might have, because he’ll make himself ripe for lumberjack-related playful mockery.

There are also plenty of warm sweaters and sweatshirts, because Tate loves being cozy, though the colors of those tend to lean on the lighter, softer end of the spectrum. He loves them, and over time begins to wear them more often than just around the house.

10. Do they have any nicknames? “Tater Tot.” There was no escaping that one, especially with a brother like Tommy. It’s often met with a fond “asshole” in reply, because these boys are such children.

He’s been called a few other silly things by those around him, though not quite to the level of a full-on nickname. Still, they’re often said quite lovingly, which fills Tate with a sort of warmth.

(He can’t say the same about the other names he’s gone by, so… he’ll take this.)

18. What flaws do they have? Tate’s biggest flaw is that he’s self-sacrificial as hell. It’s a character trait that sets up his whole role in the story, one that’s evolved painfully over time and the consequences of which are hooked deep in the narrative. Tate is just a dear, tragic boy whose attempts to protect and save his brother at the expense of himself go catastrophically wrong sometimes, and it takes him a very long time to unlearn that behavior.

Tate has plenty of other heavy-stuff flaws, but in more lighthearted terms… he can’t cook an edible meal, no matter how hard he tries. He can bake a little, if it’s just cookies or box-mix cake, and he’s a tea-making master, but any actual entree stands a fair chance of being toxic for human consumption. His archery skills are also abysmal--despite it being his father’s forte, and later surrounding himself with so many bow-wielding vigilantes--to the point where a plate of pancakes is more likely to be lethal than arrows fired by Tate. The people in his life lovingly refuse to let him live these foibles down.

30. What music do they enjoy? For the most part, Tate likes whatever songs make him happy, or simply jive with him. He’ll dig into some artists if more than a few of their tracks already appeal to him, but by and large he’ll rely on stumbling across individual songs that have a nice sound, no matter the genre.

He does tend to favor pieces that are more instrumental or have subtler, simpler vocals, though. It’s partially because that’s best suited to his quiet demeanor, and partially because lyrics are a bit of a tough spot for him, especially with more emotional, introspective songs. He can certainly appreciate well-crafted songwriting, but every once in a while a line will strike him in a particular, relatable way, and it makes him uncomfortable. Tate’s also a bit of an old man with a lot of top hits, grumbling about how he just wants some fun tunes, but here’s everyone talking about their bodies and other people’s and what they’re going to do with them, can he please just get songs about platonic affection every once in a while.

38. Are they the hero, or anti-hero? Definitely a hero, even though he won’t think of himself in those terms for a very long time, and his introduction in the present of the narrative--catching him at his lowest, darkest, most threatening point--sure doesn’t make it seem that way. His journey from that stage to the soft, heroic boy he becomes is messy and complex, but so meaningful.

44. How do they speak? Examples - Are they soft spoken, hot heated, vulgar Truly, my favorite part of this precious boy, the most defining Tate trait. He just… doesn’t speak much.

It’s not that he’s not good with words, or doesn’t pay much attention--Tate is pretty damn eloquent when he wants to be, and is observant to a fault. He’s merely incredibly selective with when and how he uses his words, which is a very distinctive contrast from Tommy’s frequent need to say something. Tate is fully capable of getting his point across with his body language and expression alone, or lets his brother do the talking for both of them.

To some extent, this is his nature, to be quiet and lean more into the nonverbal, but it was certainly exacerbated by the conditions he grew up under. In dealing with Malcolm and any sort of League business, Tate’s instinctive defense was to keep silent and speak only when expected--typically in response to or in clarification of orders. Quiet became less of something calming and wanted; and more of a necessity, a protection, a falling-in-line.

Tate may speak more often--not by much, but somewhat--in better times, but that’s because he feels comfortable and free enough to do so, and he’s leagues from being as talkative as Tommy. Still, even his silence is different, more expressive of his current mood instead of just serving as white noise, a smothering and muting of his feelings.

57. What do they do when they are happy? Tate is just a very tactile, huggy guy when he allows himself to be, and that often becomes particularly clear when he’s in a good mood. The happier he is, the more octopus-like he gets with his clinginess, but it’s sweet.

Either that, or he just dives head-first into his love of tea--making it, organizing his collection of it, buying more of it...

64. Do they like to dance? If he’s asked, Tate won’t answer that question--he’ll just silently raise his eyebrows and stare pointedly back at whoever brought it up. (If it’s Oliver or Roy, there’s another layer to the look, a clear returning of the question to them in challenge.)

The truth of it is yes, he does like to dance if the music and time are right, but he looks like a suburban dad at a barbecue when he does and he’s well aware of that fact. Better to act like he’s a townsperson from Footloose than hint that he even attempts to have a sense of rhythm.

70. Do they like themselves? Oof.

Tate… he’s done things. Granted, most of them were because he never actually had a choice unless he was willing to risk the consequences (if he was the assured sole recipient of them, he’d be more likely to; unfortunately, this was rarely ever the case, so Tate would fall in line for Tommy’s sake), but Tate is still accountable for how they went down. For as much as he can attribute his actions to trying to keep himself and his brother alive and free from as much harm as is avoidable, there’s still literal blood on his hands.

The thing that burns Tate the most, though, is the one decision he made of his own volition with the direct intention of hurting Tommy--again, for his safety, but that doesn’t make it any better. While the twins reconcile and rebuild their brotherhood even stronger than before, it’s still a blackened spot in their history even with the truth of it unraveled.

The question of whether or not Tate likes himself will be met with a vehement no for longer than anyone around him might expect, even as he gets more comfortable in his new life and knits himself into a group of people he can trust and who care. It’s recovery from the harm of the past, but Tate won’t feel comfortable in saying he likes himself until he figures out who that even is.

It’ll take time, but one day he’ll have a positive response.

80. How would they fare in a zombie apocalypse? Oh, Tate has the necessary skills down pretty darn well, knife expert ex-assassin and survivalist that he is. His biggest problem in that situation would just be the bitter frustration that he spent nearly 20 years of his life just trying to make it through a terrible situation, and he gets out only to be dumped into this? It’s another long fight for his life, which is disheartening for a guy who’s finally let himself admit that he just wants a chance to actually live. But he’ll handle it with grim determination, and hopefully with his brother at his side.

92. If they were given minutes to live, what would they do? Who would they want to see and say? Tate wouldn’t say much of anything here--he rarely ever needs words to express himself to the fullest.

Depending on the timeline--even solely focused on his better days--the number of people he’d want to see varies (thankfully, it grows as the years pass). But if he’s on a tight time limit and can only choose a few, then it’s without a doubt Tommy and Felicity. The three of them are the core found family (well, the twins are obviously twins, but still), the foundation of Tate’s life free of his father’s plans. And all Tate would want from his last minutes is to have the two of them present, to hold and be held in a tight group hug.

Tate is truly a simple man--just give him his people and a hug, and he can make peace with the situation.

100. Are they a day, or night person? Tough to say with Tate. For most of his life, he’d never really had that luxury--he’d be up at the asscrack of dawn or wide awake under the night sky depending on what was required of him. He’s adaptable by necessity.

But if we look to his better future… he’s still kind of middle-ground. He’ll generally be up at a reasonable definition of early in the morning, but also likes to take naps around the house when it’s particularly sunny and he’s not busy. Likewise, Tate will be fully alert at night for the amount of time he needs to be (whether it’s for crime-fighting-related activities, or just movie night), but will pass out the second he drops onto his bed, if he feels safe and comfortable enough with his surroundings to do so.

#obscure-sentimentalist writes sometimes #and cries about Distortion 'verse #and yells about her sweet boy Tate #truly I have not had my heart stolen by an original character like this ever before

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fernrisulfr · 5 years

Text

Digimon ReArise Review

I realize I don’t post a lot of my reviews on tumblr, usually just to steam, but this is about Digimon, and I have opinions on Digimon. Especially after how terrible Digimon Links was. I’ll break this review into parts, making comments on the various activities and mechanics in the game, as well of course comments on the Digimon themselves.

STORY: First off there’s the fact that there is an actual story, a massive improvement over Links which honestly had nothing, or at least so little it may as well have BEEN nothing. While the story itself isn’t anything as complex or indepth as FGO or Gran Blue, it is still quite enjoyable. It has a straight forward episodic nature, mixing cutscenes with blurbs/text bubbles that show up in the middle of actual combat. While the story itself may be simplistic, it’s suits the Digimon Franchise, and is in a lot of ways much like playing through an Episode of the various Television Series. While in truth the story may actually have been better suited TO the Television Series, and keeps the aspect of Episode Titles giving away when Story Relevant Digimon are going to Digivolve, it’s still good. VORTEX: The Vortex’s are the main sources for farming materials uses for Awakenings, as well as Food Items to raise your Digimon’s Bond. They’re reminiscent of Dailies, while being on a much shorter timer. Though it seems like recently they lengthened the timer from 4 hours to 7. In general they’re fairly easy and after a point you can simply autobattle your way through them, but it does remove the strain of farming materials, as it makes it easier to multitask. CLASH: Essentially these are Raid Battles designed to be beaten by Multiple Players. They come in multiple levels so it’s possible for even the lowest level player to reasonably participate. Only the Top 3 Damage Dealers and the Spotter (person who found/started the Clash) gain additional rewards, so it’s easy for weaker players to farm things out enmasse even if they don’t deal much damage. Along with dropping materials necessary for Digivolution, Clash Battles also drop a currency called Clash Medals, which can be spent in a shop. Clash Medals can be spent on Rare Plugins (Equipment) or on additional Digivolution Materials. BATTLE PARK: The Battle Park is ReArise’s version of PvP. A single “season” lasts for 1 week before resetting. Battle Park Stamina is separate from regular stamina, so it’s only possible to compete in about 5 battles in a row before needing to wait and recharge. The Battle Park itself rewards both BP Medals which can be used to buy DigiEggs (and later Rare Plugins I’ve heard) as well as DigiRubies (Paid Gacha and Shop Currency.).The Battle Park itself is honestly insanely broken. It divides players into Ranks, and once you gain enough points you’re able to participate in a “Promotion Battle” allowing you to rise to the next rank. However once you’ve advanced in Rank, you cannot drop to a lower rank. This is a problem because it means it’s very easy for a Player to pass the Promotion Battle, and then find themselves in a Rank they’re not yet ready for, causing them to constantly lose. In addition, the Promotion Battle becomes Mandatory once you’ve gained enough points. You HAVE to do it, and you can’t ignore it without ignoring the Battle Park entirely. Adding to the problem is that “Season Rewards/Rank” are determined by how many points you gain in battle over the course of the week, however as you climb to higher ranks and begin to win less and lose more, it becomes next to impossible to obtain higher rewards without going out of your way to pay for more stamina and heavily grind at the Battle Park. As well, and this will be mentioned again quite soon, Status Effects are tremendously broken in PvP. Particularly Stun, Shock, Paralysis, Sleep, and Skill Lock. Each Status Condition states that it lasts for “2 turns” or a similarly short duration. However a “Turn” is so long that in this time that your Digimon is Immobilized, your own Team is likely to be decimated unless you have a significant level advantage over your opponent. They’re incredibly unbalanced and overpowered. UNDERWORLD: The Underworld is interesting in concept. It’s a series of “floors” separate from the Main Story and Vortexes. Each floor can only be played once, and will give a variety of great rewards such as High Tier Plugins, DigiEggs, Gacha Currency, and Store Items. They’re intended to be Post-Game/After-Story Challenge Quests intended for High Level Players. Which is great. However in reality they only showcase the problem I mentioned with Status Effects all the more clearly. With the encounter itself set to Max Level, enemy party combinations are often set to spam Status Effects, particularly those that hit the entire party and are capable of immobilizing multiple members. Unless you have a Digimon that is immune to or heals the status effect your utterly screwed, and even if you DO, there’s a good chance you’re screwed anyway because in the case of a healer there’s a 50% chance they’ll be immobilized, preventing them from healing anyone/removing the status effect, and even if they do succeed there’s a good chance it’s just going to happen again. If you have Digimon that are Immune, it better be over half the party worth, or you’re likely to lose purely based on numbers.

Now then, let’s take a step back and lok at the DigiTown as well as various other in-game mechanics. The main screen for Digimon ReArise is the DigiTown, a customize-able space that you can decorate, and watch your Digimon run around in. From this area you can reach the various menus (of which there are a lot.), as well as feed your Digimon to raise their Bond. Which brings me to the Four things you must do in order to make a Digimon strong. BOND: A numerical representation of your Digimon’s happiness, trust, and faith in you. You can raise it either by bringing a Digimon with you into battle, assigning them as your Partner Digimon, or by feeding them Food Items in the DigiTown. Required to perform Awakenings and Digivolution. Honestly I like it in concept, but not strictly execution. It doesn’t have a huge overarching effect (though feeding Digimon also improves their Mood and allows them to make Critical Hits more easily), and ultimately it ends up just being another number we need to raise and grind for. LEVEL: Sort of self-explanatory for the average player. Level is a representation of their over all power. The higher their level, the higher their stats. Can be raised by spending “bits”, the in-game currency gained from battles. A certain level is required both for Awakenings and Digivolution, both of which also happen to raise the level cap. WORK-OUT & AWAKENING: It is possible to “train” your Digimon using various Work-Out Chips obtained from Story Quests and Vortexes. Letting a Digimon Work-Out raises individual stats, and once all Work-Outs have been completed, and the additiional requirements of Level & Bond have been met, it’s possible to Awaken a Digimon. Awakening a Digimon further raises their stats (more significantly than the individual workouts), and raises the level cap. I compare it in some regards to Ascension in FGO, however it happens much more frequently, requiring more time and materials, as well as sharing the role with Digivoltion. Speaking of. DIGIVOLUTION: Requires the Digimon to be at a certain amount of Level and Bond. Allows the Digimon to reach the next, more powerful, stage. Raises their stats significantly, as well as boosting the power of their Main and Sub Skill. Naturally this also changes their appearance. A noteable thing is that while all Digimon can reach the stage of Ultimate, only SOME Digimon can get all the way to Mega, usually requiring you to roll in a paid Gacha, or get really lucky with a Digi-Egg. Alongside the above, other ways to make a Digimon Stronger are to raise their skill level (to a maximum of 10) or Equip Plugins. To raise a Skill Level you simply need to combine them with a Digimon with the same Digivolution Tree. This means that they have to have the same Rookie, Champion, and Ultimate Stage, and that Mega Digimon can only be combined with Digimon that can also reach Mega. Plugins are Equipment that can be sorted into Offensive, Defensive, and Status Effect. At max level you can equip 2 of each, for a total of 6 Plugins. Plugins, simply enough, raise various stats. They can be obtained as drops in Story Quests and the Underworld, bought in various currency shops, or obtained in the Gacha (More on this latter.). Plugins can also be combined together to increase their stat bonuses. Next we have the game’s “Social” aspects and a shameless plug from myself.

GUILDS: DigiGuilds are in a lot of ways like a second Friends-list, giving you another list of people you can invite to raids, or call on for support in battle. Joining a Guild also gives you access to a second DigiEgg Incubator, allowing you to raise 2 DigiEggs at the same time, as well as request help from Guild Members to ease the burden of hatching and raising it. The Guild also provides additional rewards to reap. Once a day Players can enter their Guild Page, and by clicking “Support” (or Support All) will receive additional Stamina for each member of the guild, which can be great while farming. As well by “Checking In” the ENTIRE Guild will receive a Reward based on the number of Members who checked in during a 24 hour period. The more members, the better the Rewards. Shameless Plug: Featured above is my own Guild “Menagerie” (Because “Phenomenal Menagerie Souffle” was too long.). If you play Digimon ReArise or this post convinces you to play Digimon ReArise, consider joining! If you do, please remember to Support and Check-in! FRIENDSLIST: The Friends-list like in most Mobile Games, is a list of other Players whom you’ve made (or accepted from) a friends request. Players on your Friendslist can be called for Support in regular battles, or send a help request for a Clash Battle. In addition they serve as a source of “Social Points” which can be earned by Greeting Players once a day (Button located in your Friendslist), by those players Greeting you, and by other players using your Digimon for Support in Battle. Social Points can be spent in a Shop to purchase new Decor items for the DigiTown, or Food. In addition they can be used in a Free Plugins Gacha. Speaking of the Gacha!

That’s our next topic on this painfully long review. GACHA: There are several types of Gacha in Digimon ReArise. The Limited Summon Gacha, the Step-up Summon Gacha, various Plugins Gacha, and the Social Points Plugins Gacha. Every Gacha besides the Social Points Plugins Gacha, costs DigiRubies, the Paid Gacha Currency of the game. There is no “free” Gacha for Digimon unfortunately, however I have found that DigiRubies (especially early on) are fairly easy to earn for free early on. So it’s not all bad. Additionally you can also gain new Digimon by hatching DigiEggs, which can be obtained in Shops, from Events, and from certain floors of the Underworld. SUMMON GACHA: A pretty standard Gacha. Comes in x1 or x10 (+1). Put in DigiRubies and a Random Digimon pops out. The Summon Rate of higher-tier Digimon is better when you roll x10 as opposed to x1. STEP-UP SUMMON: A Step-Up Summon Gacha is a Gacha that comes in steps. Ones I’ve seen have been 3-5 steps. The Price of each step is set, so there’s no x1 or x10. You roll it or you don’t. The Price and number of summons increases with each Step of the Gacha, but so does the Summon Rate of the available Digimon (so the higher the step the better your odds.). Additionally with each step you gain a Reward. At the Final/Highest Step you’ll get 1 Guaranteed Mega-Capable (Can digivolve to Mega) Digimon. Usually a specific Digimon associated with the Step-Up Summon. The Summon Rate increase will cap at the final step, but it is possible to roll the Final Step multiple times (However the Guaranteed Mega will only occur the 1st time you roll the final step.). PAID PLUGINS GACHA: Kinda says what it is on the tin here. You pay DigiRubies to roll for Plugins more powerful than what is generally going to drop from quest nodes. Comes in various types associated with your Digimon’s Personality Type, a concept I still don’t understand. SOCIAL POINTS PLUGINS GACHA: Again sort of what it says on the tin. A Plugins Gacha, only instead of DigiRubies you spend Social Points, so it’s essentially free. Again drops better Plugins than you’re likely to get from farming quest nodes.

Next we’ll cover the all important aspects. The Digimon themselves and Combat. DIGIMON: Digimon’s stats are pretty straight forward, split into HP, an Offensive Stat (PWR or TEC depending on the Digimon.), DEF, and SPD. Each Digimon has 3 Skills. A Passive Skill, usually some sort of Buff or Immunity. A Main Skill, which is an offensive Skill Unique to the Digimon themself (such as WarGreymon’s “Terra Force” as seen above), and a Sub-Skill, another Offensive or sometimes Supportive Skill which can be found across several Digimon. As noted before, only some Digimon can Digivolve all the way to Mega, but all can reach Ultimate. I don’t strictly agree with that decision, but I at least understand the reasoning behind it. BATTLE: Combat in Digimon ReRaise involves a Party of 1 to 5 Digimon Vs 1-3 Waves of Enemies (each Wave in a group of 1-5). Players can chose to activiate Skills Manually, or set Combat to Auto and let the AI decide when to use them. Fights in both Main and Vortex Quests is incredibly easy, and often better left to Auto. If a player is looking for a fight that involves some form of Strategy you’re better off going for a Clash Battle, the Battle Park, or the Underworld (despite my complaints about the latter two.). One glaring fault with the Combat is the inability to select your Target. Who get’s hit by your skills is randomized, which can be a problem both in high difficulty quests, or when special requirements require you to hit the “Boss” with a particular kind of attack.

Lastly we have the DigiWalker, a magnificent callback to the olden days of the Digivice Toys we used to violently shake up and down instead of actually walking with. The DigiWalker requires a Phone with a Pedometer Function, and access to said Function, but otherwise doesn’t require the game to actually be on. After a certain number of steps your Digimon will find items. When you accept those items they’re gain Bond Points. Digimon ReArise is not without flaws, the most glaring of which is an excessive number of loading screens, but over all it’s a game I greatly enjoy, and one you can play entirely for free. I’ve been playing a month and haven’t spent a single cent, but still have 6 different Mega Digimon. Thank you for reading this Review, and I hope it was informative.

#Digimon #Digimon ReArise #Game Review #Game Rant #WarGreymon #DigiGuild #Mobile Game #Nostalgia #Digimon Game #Pedometer #Gacha #Gacha Game #F2P

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back-and-totheleft · 4 years

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His anger is his art

Oliver Stone is worried that Donald Trump doesn’t get enough sleep.

“He doesn’t sleep a lot. He doesn’t take good care of his health. Don’t you think there’s some pile-up, if you don’t sleep for several years like this?”

I feel a movie coming on. Stone, after all, made W, a film about President George W Bush; this one, perhaps, could be The Don. Sure enough, he seems to be thinking about it.

“There’s nothing that could quite capture this fellow. He’s quite a whirlwind, a fascinating dramatic character. Shakespearean too, in the sense that he’s so emotional — at times he creates a storm, almost purposely every day, to keep the energy going. He creates a storm inside himself. He’s King Lear in a strange way too — which daughter loves me more?”

He’s also thinking about the murder of George Floyd, but he thinks a black director should make it.

We are Zooming. He is in Los Angeles in a large book-lined room, I am not. He’s not lost his looks — sort of handsome, friendly but in your face — and his conversation is warmly attentive.

The talk of possible films is all Stone business as usual, running towards the news and the gunfire, especially if it’s American. At 73, his soul is still that of the gonzo movie-maker who turned out almost unbearably violent films such as Platoon and Salvador. But he did them because he hates film and television violence. He learnt about the real thing when, in 1967, he joined up and volunteered to fight in Vietnam. He left garlanded with honours but angry.

“I was known for my violent screenplays, but it came from a background of real violence. There was a lot of it I saw, and I wanted to depict it accurately. I really hated that. All the TV shows — 1970s, 1980s, 1990s. Same old bullshit. I hated the fake violence, so I was trying in my movies to move away from Rambo bullshit. It just doesn’t look as good as it does in the movies; it never does.”

And now he’s written an autobiography, Chasing the Light, covering his life up to 1986. He was 40 then; Platoon had just been released and, earlier that year, Salvador. Platoon won four Oscars, one for best director, and Salvador was nominated for two, one for best writing — Stone co-wrote it. It was, as he says, “a remarkable two-film journey from the bottom back to the top of the Hollywood mountain”. He had arrived, he had been accepted. The book ends with him trailing clouds of glory.

“I’d managed to crest into the light,” he writes. “Money, fame, glory and honor, it was all there at the same time and space. I had to move now. I’d been waiting too many years to make films. Time had wings. I wanted to make one after the other in a race against that time — I suppose really a race against myself in a hall of mirrors of my own making.”

Will there, I wonder, be another volume?

“Yes, of course. Why not? I think it’s important for me to at least come to grips with things because it goes so fast. You don’t really get it all. You don’t — one event after the other. One movie after the other. You’re always dealing with people, people, people. It’s hard to have that solitary space.”

He kept diaries “to understand myself, to understand what happened”. As a result the book is phenomenally well detailed. It opens with an account of filming a scene from Salvador. It’s a cavalry charge being shot in Mexico; everything that could go wrong seems to be going wrong, and the money — where on earth is the money? But somehow he pulls it off. Reading that made my head spin: how could anybody live with such levels of risk? Reading his diaries made him ask the same question about himself.

“I always knew I was bold, but I never realised that I was crazy too and risked a lot. At 39, with nothing in my future, my father dying, my mother dependent on me, a new wife, a new baby — and I go and put everything I have into this idea, this crazy idea to shoot this movie.”

He has, as the critic Pauline Kael noted, a divided sensibility: “He’s working outside the industry, in freedom, but he’s got all this Hollywood muck in his soul.” She never liked his films, but he accepts this judgment. The book also stands up her analysis — one minute he’s the guerrilla film-maker, the next he’s lapping up the glamour, the drugs and the schmoozing with stars. But the real divisions are much deeper than that. The first is the division between his father and mother.

He was born in New York. His father, Louis, was a high-ranking soldier turned stockbroker; his mother, Jacqueline, an elegant, beautiful French lady Louis met while fighting with the allies in Europe. She loved parties and glamour — Stone says she would have loved him to make a flowery romantic film. His evocation of her character is laden with love for her. Louis was more complex, serially unfaithful and constantly at war with the demon money.

One day, when he was 16, Stone had a phone call at his private boarding school: his parents were separating. It was a pivotal moment.

“I was naive. I thought it was a happy, loving family and I was very privileged to have that. The divorce was cruel in the way that it was done. It was brutal, and it shocked me because I was naive. The whole world fell apart. They split, and there’s nothing else. There’s no brothers, there’s no sisters. There’s no home. And as a result you become an orphan of the storm. If Charles Dickens were writing it, it might be an Oliver Twist story … I used to get kidded that my name was Oliver. And maybe I did feel an identification with him.”

His education faltered. He went to Yale but never completed his degree. At 18 he started wandering the world and at 20 he enlisted, then apparently forced himself to see the worst things that could be seen in Vietnam. The book starts 10 years later when he is at his lowest ebb. He speaks of himself in the third person while talking about this moment.

“He confronts his failures in life. He sees that he hasn’t gotten his dream, what he wanted to do. And his grandmother dies. He had gone to see her on this deathbed in Paris and he talks to her. And she communicates to him, and she tells him how he must live his life the way he is doing it, he’s following his instincts. And she loved me, and she’d always loved me and believed in me. That was a big thing. Something happened at 30 with her death. And I became more mature, and my success started to flow from there.”

His attempts to reconstruct a family have been patchy. His present wife is his third, and he has two sons and a daughter. There’s a moving moment in the book when he holds one of his sons, Sean, in his arms.

“If ever there was proof,” he writes, “we are born with a sweet nature, this was it; the veils come later.”

He has a Wordsworthian sense that we arrive trailing clouds of glory, but somehow the world takes all that away. So does he think we are born good? “Yeah, I think so. A baby is innocent, beautiful. You see it in baby animals. They don’t know what the world is.”

The second division is America. He came back, he says, “very divided and alienated”.

“Nobody was walking around over there saying: I’m against the war. No. A lot of us knew the war was bullshit. Certainly the black soldiers knew that, they didn’t really believe in it.”

Stone became an American exceptionalist. Usually that means somebody who regards the US as an especially good country; Stone regards it as especially bad.

“The divide was growing when I came back and that’s still with us. You see it coming down to us to this very day. We have a law-and-order candidate in Mr Trump. He talks like a fool, but he talks like many people — more military, more power, more application of force, more violence.”

From Salvador and Platoon onwards, Stone’s work became an angry charge sheet, an indictment of US postwar politics. His 1989 film, Born on the Fourth of July, attacked the treatment of veterans; JFK (1991) embraces conspiracy theories about the death of Kennedy; Heaven & Earth in 1993 skewered the behaviour of Americans in Vietnam, and so on. Postwar American history became, for Stone, a descent into insanity.

“America just goes mad after the Second World War — it just goes mad. Under Eisenhower the beginning of this madness sets in. The question we have to ask ourselves now is: was there really an enemy? Russia was not the threat to Europe we pretended it to be. And, for that matter, China neither. And we created this postwar scenario that was culminating in this economic concept that had come out of the Depression, that we cannot go back to the old way again and have to keep going. We have to put money into this military economy, to keep the country pumped. There’s been no end to that, no end at all. It just keeps going up. It doesn’t matter who the president is in the end. It’s the system. And no one can beat that system. No one can control it.”

This is, you will gather, a tremendous book — readable, funny and harrowing. It’s also full of movie-making gossip, scandal and fun. If you want to know what working with a truly difficult actor is like, read his account of handling James Woods on the set of Salvador. Nevertheless, Stone sticks with Woods because “he is a genius”. Also if you want to know what it’s like to be so intoxicated at a Golden Globes ceremony that your speech is so bad and almost denies you an Oscar, then you need this book.

There is much to disagree with about Stone’s politics — America’s iniquities in the postwar period are nothing next to China’s — but his anger is his art. It’s a way of balancing out the deep divisions in his character and his feelings.

For the moment he is not too worried about the pandemic, but he is taking on a new cause: nuclear power.

“The virus seems to me the ongoing business of history. It’s just... there’s so many viruses. I don’t see it as an existential threat to the world. It’s more of a mood thing. No, I think the real issue is global warming.”

He is making a documentary, A Brighter Future, about the need to deploy nuclear power to reduce carbon emissions. “Renewables,” he says, “cannot solve it.”

There he goes again, running towards the news and the gunfire, like Oliver Twist always asking for more.

-Bryan Appleyard, “Oliver Stone interview: the Platoon director and Vietnam vet on his new memoir about his early days in Hollywood,” The Sunday Times, July 12 2020 [x]

#oliver stone #chasing the light #platoon #salvador #the times #the sunday times

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maitre-kuroneko · 5 years

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Top 10 of the 2010′s

I was tagged by @joi-in-the-tardis list off my Top Ten of the 2010′s, and as usual it took me forever to do it ^^;

I’ll begin with a warning: I was in a really dark place at the beginning of the decade. For too many years, I was already locked in a constant dark mood that I later identified as depression, that huge monster really has it claws deeply on me and was slowly instilling suicide ideation. I honestly could not project myself in the future because, “if life was already as it is now, these years all adults around were in the opinion shall be my best ones, why live to see the rest?”. I was convinced it would be endless suffering and something was bound to happen before I turned thirty. I tried not to focus on this because obviously this post is supposed to be about accomplishments, but I’m bound to mention it in a few points:

My student life came to an end… and it was a struggle, I still don’t know how I managed to juggle all the learning, multiple reports and the hellish study trip to Africa while having a massive depression with suicide ideation. In the end, I had my diploma but I was a very average student, had next to no relation with my fellow students – who (except two girls, and even them I kept absolutely no contact with afterwards) did not understand me and wanted nothing to do with me. As soon as all exams were over I got the hell out of here and only came back to fetch my diploma (and it took me nearly a year). But the thing is: I did it. It took me a year more than it should have but against every odds, sleepless nights and breakdowns, I did it, out of sheer stubbornness.

I had my first jobs: hello my social anxieties… you were really a drag for this step. Sending applications? That’s alright. Anxiously waiting for someone to call me back? Go to an interview? Do a job with a lot of interaction with people? Urrrrgh… I remember my first days as a cashier: a lot of blushing, sweating and a long internal litany of “don’t forget to raise your voice, don’t stutter…” My first days on the phone? “oh thank gods there’s a script to follow”, said she, while shaking. When I left, after two years on the job, my manager said I was the best example of a shy, nearly silent person who turned out to be a good employee… (but they still didn’t want me back – ahah). Working did so much to quell my stuttering and general anxiety at randomly talking to strangers.

I fell in love: it did morph into a huge toxic mess and it took me months, if not years, to disentangle myself from it all BUT I’ll never throw it away because it saved my life: when I was travelling through the darkest part of my life, thinking seriously about ending it all, that man came and loved me, broken pieces and all. It proved me there was something loveable about me, even if most people would say I’m cold, unexpressive, terribly awkward and haughty, there would be people to see past all this.

I left my parent’s house: another struggle… it took time partly because landlords were not interested renting their place to a part time worker, and partly because I was very afraid to live alone. I firmly believe that part of my depression was manageable because there were people around me I had to pretend to be – mostly - alright for. Pretend comprised: eat at least a full meal a day, make jokes and go to school. People, even people who didn’t know or didn’t want to see my mental state or whom it was really hard to live with were still part of my survival plan: what would happen without them? But it was just becoming too difficult to live with anybody, I’m just a bear wanting to be left alone, I can’t be nice and sunny as soon as I leave my bed but people kept insisting talking to me at an unreasonable volume. From the day I moved… it was a liberation, and my depression bouts turned out to be way easier to navigate when I was not under scrutiny. If I want to stay silent and not use facial expressions all week-end I can do so and, wow, all the spoons I have on Mondays. My relationship with my dad is so much better since we don’t see each other every day.

I learned I didn’t need someone to do things: no one wants to go with me on conventions, concerts or simply to the movies? Do it with yourself girl! That’s basically what I said to myself after being disappointed at missing too many events – and I discovered it was ok. Very ok. I still can’t manage things far from home (that would require a night or two in a hotel), or eating alone at a restaurant, but maybe I just need some more years to achieve this.

I travelled : no big journeys around the world but I live in a country with a large variety of reliefs and flora, near oceans and seas, so I managed to have some nice vacations, mostly with family but I also traveled alone by train, which was a big no-no ten years ago ^^;

I asked for help and followed a very informal therapy, just having someone listening without judgment can be a huge improvement to one’s mental state and self-esteem, which leads to…

I made peace with myself: most people find me weird, inadequate, have no problem drifting away and never speak to me again. So what? Is it telling something about me or about them? If what they perceive is not attractive, does it mean I’m not interesting or undeserving of having a good life?

I became a vegetarian: for a long time, to evade hypothetical remarks and bad jokes, I entertained the somewhat weird idea I could put aside meat and fish at home and eat normally at people’s places… it didn’t work. This diet was ridiculously easy to adopt once I was living alone, then I began to be sick, mentally and physically, after eating anywhere else: my stomach was rebelling against the food it was not used to ingest anymore (the last Christmas I ate meat I was sick for three days afterwards. GREAT) and my mind clearly did not agree with the paradox of abstaining because of my principles but then throw them away just to please disrespectful others. After two years of this I took the leap and stopped completely, I lost the count for how long (three years?) and, despite the jokes and unwelcomed opinion, I live way better with myself, which is the most important thing. You only live partly with others but 24/7 with yourself.

I tried: better failure than regret. It may be a weird accomplishment but it takes me so many time (hello again anxiety) to dare doing new things that every failure means a prior victory anyway – I tried zumba, Aikido, Qi Gong, to learn guitar, to mend things with friends, to make new ones, I went in search of companionship, I tried to buy my own flat. Every failure can be more or less depressing but can also give a better understanding of oneself and of circumstances, of what can be accomplished in the future.

It took me weeks to write this, first because my initial reaction at being tagged was “I’ve not accomplished anything a thirty-something person is supposed to have”, oh dear. Before my stupid anxieties over everything took the better of me I decided the best course of action would be to just do the thing, prove to the low self-esteem part of my brain it’s not because one does not reach society’s expectations that they do nothing. Obviously, time was needed to dig up ten accomplishments I’d want to kind of brag about, and then some more to find a way not to morph something supposed to be light into the boo-boo story of my life. Let’s say this post simmered in the background for a while. Ten years ago, I’ve already been a pessimist for a long time, joy and simple pleasures squashed by bullies and my general lack of social skills, I ended basking so much in the negativity I forgot there could be nice things in life. With all the gloom I’ve been experiencing in the last few months I needed to remember my “lowest of the lows” and all that was accomplished to evolve into a more optimistic version of myself. Work is still in progress and people are often puzzled over my ability to joke about past me and present problems (if I don’t the alternative is complaining, if I complain I’m doomed, got it?), which might be contributing to that weird image they have of me but – meh. Don’t care.

I’m ace, I’m bi, I’m poly, maybe aspie, a bookworm and serievore, sometimes a gamer, a lover of imaginary worlds, a cat person without a cat, a great hugger without people to hug. Nice to meet you.

#I DID THE THING #things i'm tagged in #i'm soooo happier in my thirties than in my teenage years and twenties

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darkdevasofdestruction · 6 years

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Chisaki, Aizawa, Shinsou with a Healer Fem!S/O who is wronged

Basically, I realised that a lot of my effort was for nothing because a teacher was incredibly mean with me and just did NOT want to pass me, and it made me feel horrible, so hey, why not write comfort stuff so I could feel better?

Chisaki Kai

“Your mark is 3, you failed, go study more and you’ll resit this exam in Summer.” I heard the teacher say with a taunting smirk, looking down at me, letting me to leave the examination room.

I was rooted to the spot, gaping at him like I was a retarded cat, but I just couldn’t understand where I went wrong? Everything I said was textbook-correct...HE wrote the textbook and drew all the sketches at courses...So why was what I said wrong? He said that everything I said was wrong...That it was false information... But how could it be false...If that’s what he taught us?

What...In the world...Is going on...?

With a robotic movement, I somehow got home, back to Chisaki’s basement, without even realising since my mind was still stuck on that moment.

I failed...

I’m a straight A+ student, a Doctor in training and for the first time, that’s what I hear...

How could I fail?

I’ve been studying for so long, with no breaks-

I’ve been drinking 6 coffees per day, lots of pepsi, ate lots of chocolate, just to stay awake this last week so I could study and study- I even went past all the panic attacks I had for the past days, just so I could study for this dissection exam-

Only to get asked 3 things, which I answered easily in the blink of an eye and to be told they’re all wrong and make no sense.

“S/O...S/O...What’s with you?...Answer already...” there was someone trying to get my attention, but all I could hear was an irritating voice that was trying to take me away from my thoughts, so I snapped at them, ready to burn them to crisps with my Fire Quirk.

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WA-...Huh? Chisa...Ki? What the...Wait, when did I get here...?” I asked, completely shocked at what was going on, putting out the fire in my hand. “About 10 minutes ago. Why are you crying? Who do I have to kill?” he asked, fire igniting in his eyes. “I’m...Crying...? Mhh...I...I think I need to...Calm down for a bit...See you at dinner...Or somethin’...” I muttered, dragging myself to my room, turning off the blinds to make complete darkness, getting in bed, not even bothering to change into lighter clothes. Instead, I took off my lab coat and screamed in rage as I burnt it and allowed myself to sob myself to sleep, under the covers, my head full of self-depracating thoughts.

When I woke up, it was dark as hell and checking the time on my phone, I realise that in fact, it was midnight, but I’ve been sleeping for more than 24 hours and this was the farthest thing from normal, which made me panic and yelp in shock.

I never realised it before, but this week was so horrible for me since I stressed myself out beyond belief and compromised my health, but now I can feel the terrible headache and the stomach ache, and even worse, the beginning of a new panic attack.

This wasn’t normal...Not okay at all...And for what? For a failure?!

I was so absorbed in my thoughts, again, that I didn’t realise the door opened until a low voice called out my name, which made me jolt and turn to said person.

Again, it was Chisaki, with a tray in his hands.

“Do you need me for something? Files to sign or read? Hacking? A massage?” I asked out of habit, even though I was too exhausted to do either of them. “You idiot, what have you done to yourself? You look like you just woke up from your grave.” he asked, sitting on the bed, putting the tray in front of him. “I feel much worse than you described, but thanks for compliment.” I muttered, trying to laugh, but even for that I had no energy. “So who do I have to kill?” he said, taking off his beak mask. “Mhh...I don’t know, maybe me...I just get get where I went wrong?! I...I’ve been studying so hard...And I get a...A 3 as a grade? I fail with the lowest mark?! Like...Why? Because of some old geezer who looks down on me for being young and he says that everything I say is wrong, even though it’s textbook stuff? Like...What did I do wrong to deserve this, Kai?! Why me?!” I tried to say between sobs, my voice a complete mess, but not as worse than my face, probably. “Come here.” he commanded, to which I could only force myself to crawl next to him, but to my surprise, he...Hugged me. Chisaki Kai had his arms around me, petting my hair and just...Staying there.

“K-Kai...?” I whispered, still in shock. “Tell me his name, and he’s dead. I will not have my fiance have her health put at risk and suffer several panic attacks only to hear that she failed something she is perfect at. You’re going to become an official Doctor and the whole Underground world is going to beg to be treated by you. Now, tell me his name and I will make him suffer for his insolence. Nobody is allowed to treat my Queen with superiority.” he growled, clearly burning with rage, which made my heard skip a few beats, moved by his words. “Thank you, Kai...Thank you so much...I thought I was going insane from this injustice...It hurt so much...And to heart that I f-failed...Urgh...And...I honestly hate coffee, I don’t want to have to drink so much that I’m shaking from it...” I cringed at the memory, only holding him tighter, feeling warm and safe for the first time in a long time.

The whole night he just made sure that I ate properly and slept enough, creating a fixed schedule that he personally attended, to make sure I won’t ruing my health over something so petty, and yet, he also made sure no source of unnatural stress occurred again.

Thanks to that, he went to the teacher, made him change my mark to 100%, to match my other ones, then made the Shie Hassaikai stalk the teacher, made him paranoid, before they captured him and got him to the base, where Chisaki tortured him to death and I got to watch in satisfaction, feeling all the stress go away with each scream of agony, getting filled with complete satisfaction.

Now who failed, bitch?!

Aizawa Shouta

This was it, the most important time for both Aizawa-kun, myself and our friends, the exam day when we’ll finally become Pro-Heroes. Of course, because of our Quirk differences, he and Yamada-kun will be the fighters, while I will be the Healer, making sure everybody is okay. That’s how all good teams were made, for everyone needs a good support!

Giving them both a tight hug, I go, I take a deep breath and go to take my practical exam. I’ve taken several mock exams before, most of them with the sweet Recovery Lady who always helped and encouraged me, and everyone was sure I will pass with flying colours.

The problem was, that as soon as I entered the room, the whole atmosphere changed. Or rather said, the whole room was already filled with an incredibly menacing aura, one which shouldn’t really be around people who are supposed to HEAL others.

My examination lasted about less than 3 minutes altogether, hearing only mocks, jabs and taunts from the examiners, which only made me unable to say anything else in return, my mind blocking completely.

These people were supposed to be Pro-Heroes, people who were just, correct, forgiving and able to give others help and support... So... Why this...?

“Why did you even come here? To show us how you just slacked off and did nothing all years at U.A.? You’re just a lost cause, instead of you, another who truly wished to have a future could have had your place! Get out and only com here when you actually studied anything, otherwise you will never become a Hero, no less one who saves people!”

That’s what I was welcomed out of the room with, and I could only get the hell away from there and reach the closest bench, crying my soul out of desperation.

Where did I go wrong? What did I do? Why such hate?

I just couldn’t wrap my head around what the hell happened?

I didn’t even realise how shaken up I was until I hear someone call my name and I slowly turned my head to look at Aizawa who, despite now showing it, was happy. He definitely passed the exam.

“Congratulations for passing, Aizawa-kun! I knew you could do it, I’m sure you passed with no problems! That’s my Aizawa-kun!” I grinned at him, quickly wiping my tears and jump-hugging him. “What happened to you?” he asked bluntly, keeping me at arm-length, looking straight into my red eyes. “H-Hey, what do you mean? Forget about me! It’s time to celebrate your victory! Ah, I’m sure Yamada-kun passed to! Or should I start calling you Eraserhead and Present Mic, the new and cool Pro-Heroes?” I exclaimed, holding his hands tightly, trying to change the subject. “Tell me what happened. We can celebrate any time, but you’re upset now, not later.” he said firmly, not taking his eyes away from mine. “B-But I don’t wanna ruin your mood, I’d be the worst best friend and girlfriend anyone could have! I want you to be happy and to know that I, too, am happy and very proud of your achievements! So forget about the little things and let’s be happy!” I tried to hype him up, but he only shook his head and guided me back to the bench where he wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. “Don’t be stupid. Sure, I am happy about my achievement, but I can’t be happy knowing my girlfriend cried and I wasn’t there for her. Now, tell me what happened.” he said softly, stroking my hair the same way he would every time I’d need help calming down from a panic attack or sleeping, since I am an insomniac, which made me sigh and defeat and put my forehead on his shoulder, trying my best not to start crying again, and told him everything that happened. “Honestly...I don’t get it...Why such mean words...It was obvious they didn’t want to pass me from the second I got into that room...Like, a younger examiner called the older one, meekly telling him that I was there to be examined, and he snapped at her saying very rudely that I wasn’t tired of waiting or something...And then he just...Got there, looking very intimidating and radiating with superiority...He barely let me saying, most of the words spoken were just jabs at me...And after 3 minutes of that, he just kicked me out of there like I was nothing, saying that...Well...” by this point I was already trying not to let my voice break again, gripping Aizawa’s shirt tightly, which only made him hug me tighter, whispering soothing things into my ear. “Give me a day and I will see how I can solve this. Recovery Girl will be livid when she hears that, there’s no way she will allow her favourite student to be treated so bad.” he reassured me, tilting my face up so I could look at him, to know that he was serious. “Y-You...Think so...?” I whispered, tears forming at my eyes in hope. “That woman would overthrow the Government for you. You’re talented and worked extremely hard, she’s not going to let you be treated like that. You’ll see, don’t worry.” he let out an amused breath, before getting me to get up, wiping my tears with his handkerchief. “Thank you, Aizawa-kun...I’ve no idea what I’d do without your support and help, really...Hehe! Kinda silly...” I said, grinning sheepishly, scratching the back of my neck, when we heard the obnoxious yell of our friend. “Yooooooo! Guess who’s a new Pro-Hero! Oh yeah, this guy!” he laughed, smiling from ear to ear, hugging both me and Aizawa tightly. “Good job, Yamada-kun! I knew you could do it! Ah...! Or should I call you Present Mic from now on~?” I asked, smirking, teasing him and poking his cheeks, like I always used to when he’d get super excited. “Ohhhh yassss! That has such a nice ring to it! And now, we’re the perfect team! Present Mic, Eraserhead and-” he started saying, but was cut off by Aizawa, who looked at me, then with a proud side smile, he said my Hero name.

It had a god damn great ring to it when he said it.

To celebrate, we all went to a pub and had fun the whole night, drinking, playing games, gossiping and just enjoying each others’ existence, happy that, at least for tonight, there were no more worries, and I actually had a chance to become a Healer Hero without having to go through such ridicule again.

Thank you, Aizawa-kun, for always being there for me when I needed you. From now on, please, let me support you as well!

Shinsou Hitoshi

To be explained that I and Shinsou have been best friends since forever and that I always told him he’ll become an amazing Hero, especially with such a brilliant Quirk, is an understandment, because this lavender boi deserves all the love and support in the world.

Now, we’re both in U.A., him in class 1-C and I in class 1-A.

To be fair...It’s rather unfair, I think. It should have been him in the Hero class, not me. He worked much harder against the stigma, and he’s the one wanting to be a real Hero and to save people, not me.

I tried to talk to the higher-ups, but they didn’t allow this student transfer, unfortunately. Of course, he wasn’t jealous or upset about this, and just said he’ll work harder to earn a spot in either Hero classes, so all I could do was support him from now on as well.

He deserves it.

The problem was that by some people, my Quirk was seen as nothing but dull and boring, something so passive that shouldn’t have been in the Hero course, but in some other class where they allowed whimps.

I mean...That wouldn’t have been such a huge problem, if not for the fact that some people found out that my parents were villains and they started hating on me for that, as if I had any choice in that matter.

The only place where I didn’t hear jabs was in my own class, and to be fair, I was rather reserved, not wanting to leave the classroom unless absolutely necessary, or if I had to go home, so I won’t hear any of those things again.

Today again, I was waiting for Shinsou in front of the gate, so we could go home together, just as we always do, when a group of students go past me and start laughing. I try to ignore them and just hang my head, braiding a little tail on my hair and swinging my feet back and forth.

“Why the hell are you even here? You won’t become a hero, that’s for sure. Hell, maybe with some luck you can graduate, but who in their right minds would make a villain’s child a Hero? It’s clear you’ll betray us! And, really? Healing, that’s your power? How pathetic! Why don’t you crawl back under a rock or something?” one of them jabbed at me, but I only looked away. “I mean, you didn’t make it in any of the Hero classes. In fact, you’re from 1-K, Management or something. I don’t see you doing anything heroic, so why don’t you leave me alone?” I mutter, hoping they’d go away, but to my surprise, the one who spoke also got mad and took me by the neck of my shirt shirt, looking very angry. “Listen here, you nobody! If I ever see you around, I’m gonna beat the hell outta ya! Ya hear me?! I’m gonna show ya what people do to villains!” he started threatening, which made me gulp since honestly, I WAS training physically, but the fact that my Quirk was no help in that department wasn’t the best thing to think about. “Yo, dude, the hell are you doing there?” a voice called from somewhere, which made the guy harassing me reply with a curse, which in turn, got him blank-minded, letting go of me, then slapping himself repeatedly. “This should teach you not to bully others, you lowlife. Now leave, all of you.” looking up, I see that my saviour was Hitoshi himself, who looked pretty pissed off. “Hey...Sorry about that. I didn’t expect them to get physical...” I apologised, looking away. “Why are you apologising? It should be them who apologise to you.” he asked, tilting his head like a confused kitten. “You got through all that trouble to save me and even used your Quirk for that...I should have been able to fend them off myself.” I mutter, fumbling with my fingers. “I’m the offense and you’re the healer, I think that went pretty well. Healers are too rare and important in missions so they’ll never be in the front row either way. So...What’s the problem here?” he asked, trying to understand my weird behaviour. “You say that but...Maybe they’re right, in their own way. I mean...Who’d make a villain’s kid a Hero or something? No one’s gonna trust me...Especially for a task like saving people...And? A Healer Quirk in the Hero course? That’s just pathetic...You should have been the one in 1-A, not me. You have much more potential and deserve it, unlike me...” I muttered, looking away, but his response was a sigh and a flick on the forehead, which made me gasp in shock, not having had expected something like that to happen. “If I hear you saying that again, I will personally beat some sense into you. Honestly, what’s with you, anyways? You’re the one always saying I should trust in myself and my own abilities, so now you doubt yourself? And what for, over some brainless guys’ mean words? I’m gonna get in the Hero course and you better be there to wait for me, got it?” he replied firmly, his gorgeous eyes looking straight into my soul. “D-Damn...Shinsou-kun...You can be rather intimidating when you want to be...” I chuckle nervously, knowing I had no escape this and my words won’t be forgotten. “Look...I’m not the best at comforting...You’re much better and in-touch with emotions, so I’ll let you be the boss at that...But even so, stop comparing yourself to others. You are yourself and nobody can compete with that, got it? If you got into 1-A, that was with a reason and nobody can take that away from you. Now...Look at me and show me that smile I fell in love with.” he finished with a smile, his hand on my cheek, raising my face so I’d look at him. “You know I love you, right? You always say what I need to say...Thank you, Shinsou-kun.” I smiled softly, leaning into his touch. “Good. Now then, Aizawa-sensei gave me the weekend off, so I guess it’s date night. I’ll be over at yours by 7 or something. Gotta grab some snacks and video games, after all.” he smirked seeing how my eyes lit up in happiness, forgetting every bad thing that happened today. “R-Really? We didn’t have time for a date night in ages! Ahhh, so cool!! I love you, Shinsou-kun!” I replied in glee, jump-hugging him tightly, kissing his cheek before I hugged his arm so we could walk home. “Heh...Love you, S/O.” he said in a low voice, still smiling and blushing slightly.

Villain or Hero, neither of us cared anymore, it was just the two of us, cuddled in bed, playing video games, surrounded by various snacks and fizzy drinks, making jokes and having fun, like two ordinary teenagers with no worries about the world’s problems.

We are happy.

211 notes · View notes

reject-princess97 · 6 years

Text

Peter Parker -Spider-Man

The school day pretty much dragged for Peter Parker and I, we had be stuck in Chem, and had been for what felt like the last 15 hours. Pete tapped his pen against the desk next to me in the rhythm of one of my favourite Imagine Dragons songs, while I hummed along quietly finishing off the last of my work.

"OK Class, I expect you have all handed in the permission slips in for the Stark Tower trip tomorrow." Our teacher Mr Harrington announced. The whole class nodded and then the bell rang.

"Miss Barton and Mr Parker, please stay behind for a moment." He announced as we all stood to leave. Pete and I sat back down and waited until the room was empty and Mr Harrington came and sat on the desk with on of ours.

"I'm fully aware of your, involvement with the Stark industries, I know this because one of the conditions to our opportunity as that you two are to be in attendance." He told us and her eyed the two of us suspiciously. Of course he had know Idea of our involvement with SI. He had know clue that Peter was in fact spiderman and that his "internship" is just a cove. He had know idea that my dad is in fact Tony Stark himself and that I only use the name Y/N Barton to keep my identity a secret so people don't treat me any different. Only Pete, Ned and MJ know my really name and only they know of Peter's alter ego too.

Pete and I nodded carried on as he spoke. "I expect you two on your best behaviour, I don't want another repeat of last year." He instructed before he shooed us off.

"He acts like that terrorist group attacking us was OUR fault." I muttered as we made our why out of the school where Happy waited for the two of us.

"To be fair, those guys were after you personally, the only reason he didn't get you was because Spiderman stepped in and saved your ass." he rose and eyebrow as we climbed into the back of the car.

"Yeah, and then who had to step in and save both your asses?" My dad sassed on the video phone. I smiled over at the screen and my dad smiled back.

"Papa Stark, how's things?" I asked as he let out a chuckle.

"Good, kid, listen, The team and I have a mission and as Pepper isn't back in the states till tomorrow, May has offered you a bed for the night. I'm sorry it short notice but I've packed you a bag, and by me I mean your aunt Nat." My dad told me and I nodded.

"OK, when will you be back?" I asked, letting out a sigh, this was the third time this week he had left me in the care of Aunt May, luckily this time Peter hadn't been called to the line and I wasn't left alone.

"I'll be back early hours this morning, I'll Text you in the morning, I love you Kiddo." He smiled apologetically I told him I loved him back before He was gone and I turned to Pete who smiled.

"You wanna order take out and watch supernatural?" He offered, taking my hand and I nodded, resting me head in my boyfriends shoulder and Happy drove us to Pete's weeknight home, as we called is a he usually spent the weekends at the Tower with my dad and I, working on new weaponry for the Avengers.

******The Next Morning******

I woke up on the couch in the living room, wrapped up in Peter's arms as he snored softly, to my phone ringing. I picked it up to see ****IronDad**** Flash across the screen and I smiled, answering the call.

"Dad, Hey!"

"Hey, Kiddo, just letting you know we made it home safe, a little beat up but not to much." He said and I could here the smile in his voice.

"Went well then?" I asked and he grunted in reply, a sign he was tired and wasn't really in the mood to talk about it right now.

"OK, well, you get some sleep and I'll see you later, OK?" I told him and he chuckled back,

"OK, Kiddo, I love you... I'll pretend I don't hear the Kids snores down the phone."

"Relax, Dad, we fell asleep on the couch watching Supernatural, we both know May would never allow the two of us to share a bed." I told he and I just knew he had a smirk on his face. "I love you too." I chuckled before we both hung up and I looked at my phone and sighed as I turned to Peter and shook him awake.

"We gotta get up loser, we got that trip today and we leave and like ah hour and a half." I told him and nodded, opening his arms wide and pulled me in to his chest.

"Petey, we gotta get up. Come on." I sighed as I pulled away and stood up, grabbing my bag and walking into the bathroom where I changed into the clothes Aunt Nat had picked out for me.

I liked that aunt Net knew how I liked to dress, especially around School or the tower so when I changed I was happy to find a pair of faded dark blue skinny jeans, a black ACDC top and a pair of black and while Converse. Also on my bag was various types of tech that my dad had developed to look like accessories so I could keep them on me at all times. One being a small bracelet that had a direct link to on my dad wore and a necklaces that was actually a panic button linked to both dad's and Peters phone.

Once fully dressed I walked out to find Peter dress and ready, standing by the door with a cup of coffee in each hand.

"Ready to good Stark?"

"You know it Parker." I smiled as I grabbed a cup of coffee and kissed him softly before we left, waving goodbye to May who waved, smiling.

The walk to school was pretty much the same as it always was, Peter and I walked hand in hand, sipping coffee and talking all the while a tall, well dressed man, followed not so subtly behind. Once as school wave to Happy, who nods back and we enter the school.

We walked to the group of students all waiting for the field trip, by the big yellow bus. After Mr Harrington checked our names off we all headed on the bus and soon we were on our way.

Although the Bus ride was short if felt as though it was dragging as Flash Thompson began to annoy Peter bout if internship, something Flash believed to be non existent. MJ and I, who sat next to each other in front of Peter and Ned, let out a sigh of relief when the bus stopped and we all climbed off.

"OK, students, please remember, this trip is not a right, it a privilege and any and all bad behaviour and messing around will result in you being brought back to the bus where you will spent the remainder of the day.." He informed the student however his eyes seemed to dart between Peter and I.

"I'd really like to see him try to kick me out of my our home, I mean seriously, Happy would laugh in his face if his tried to have me escorted out of the building." I muttered to MJ as we all headed inside to the lobby.

The lobby seemed to render everyone speechless. Peter and I just chuckled at everyone's faces at they look around and awe. Even MJ and Ned who had been here numerous times looked like their eyes might pop out of their sockets.

"OK Students, This is Chris. Chris, he will be our tour guide so please, do as he asks." Mr Harrington really did look at us this time as we turned and wave at Chris who smiled back.

"OK, Guys, before we start we have these passes to give out, this will allow you in and out of every door we pass as long as you have the right security Clearance." He explained as he handed the box too Mr Harrington.

"A little bit about the clearance levels, there are then levels, 1 being the highest then 10 being the lowest, these show you Floor clearance, then they are sorted into Alpha, Beta and Omega which basically tells you where in the level you are, Alpha being the head of the floors and omega being the interns and office staff and then from there it's split into two colours, Red and blue." Chris spoke, as each of the students took a pass with their name on it. "You being tourists have the lowest security Clearance, Level 10 Omega Blue." He told them as he led us all over to the security scanners.

"OK, just scan your pass and it will allow you in." Chris said as he scanned his pass and the automated voice called out

"Chris Jones, Level 5 Beta Red"

As numerous students scanned into the building Mr Harrington called Chris over and pointed and MJ, Ned Peter and I.

"I'm sorry to be a pain but, these four students don't have a pass and..." Chris cut Mr Harrington off and nodded.

"Well, they already have passes." Mr Harrington looked over at us surprised as we nodded.

"Bullshit, like hell Parker has a pass here." We heard Flash yell. Peter pulled out his pass and held it up, shrugging.

"Well, it's probably only like, level 10, same as us all." Flash bite back as he scanned his pass.

"Eugene Thompson, Level 10 Omega Blue" The voice called and Flash stepped in and stood, on the opposite side watching with a smug smiled as Ned scanned in

"Ned Leeds, Level 5 Alpha Red, penthouse access, welcome back Mr Leeds." Ned smiled and walked though, sending a smug smiled to Flash who watched wide eyed.

"Michelle Jones, Level 5 Alpha Red, Penthouse Access, welcome back Miss MJ." The automated voice sounded as MJ passed through, next was Chris and Mr Harrington then Peter.

"Peter Parker, Level 1, Alpha, Red" As peter scanned in the automated voice disappeared and F.R.I.D.A.Y spoke up.

"Good morning Mr Parker, I didn't know you were working, shall I imform Mr Stark you are here?"

"No thanks F.R.I.D.A.Y, I here with school." Peter answered.

"Very well" F.R.I.D.A.Y replied and my eyes widened as I saw it was my turn.

"SHIT!!" I called as I looked up in horror, realising I was about to be outed

"What's Wrong?" MJ asked. I saw evryone look back at me and Mr Harrington sent me a very stern look.

"Miss Barton!" he scoulded but I ignored him

"My ID dosn't say Y/N Barton." I told her.

"How can your ID not say 'Barton' Miss Barton?" Harrington asked but I looked over at Peter who know my problem and he was just as stuck as I was

"MISS BARTON CAN YOU PLEASE JUST SCAN IN SO WE CAN CARRY ON WITH THE TOUR!!" Mr Harrington yelled, making me jump. Chris looked over it him wide eyed.

"I'd advise you not to yell at her, not unless you want to be escorted out of the building." Chris warned him.

"No, I will not, not because Miss Barton is taking her time to Scan a bloody card. "

"Seriously, you yelling at Y/N is not good Mr Harrington." Peter spoke up and he scoffed.

"I will yell at any of my students if and when I please. And there is not a thing you can do about it." he yelled again and then he looked at me. "Now scan your ID card so we can carry on."

"Sure thing Harrington" I sighed. I took a deep breath and scanned in

"Y/N Stark, Level 1 Alpha Red" Then once again F.R.I.D.A.Y greeted me.

"Good morning Miss Stark, I was unaware of your presence today also, I'm I right in assuming you are attending the school tour along with Mr Parker?" She asked.

"Yeah, Fri, I am." I spoke.

"Shall I inform your father you and Mr Parker are here?" She asked.

"I'm sure they all know were here by now F.R.I.D.A.Y but If you could just tell him I'm around, thanks." I told her as I walked over to Peter who stood by our teacher who starred at me wide eyed.

"The Team have been notified of you presence and Dr Banner as asked for you and Peter to stop by the lab if you have a chance." F.R.I.D.A.Y announced and Peter and I thanked her before turning to Chris who smiled.

"We'll be heading that way soon." he told us before pulling the classes attention back to the tour.

After a couple hour of walking around the tower we were all sat in the work out room and Mr Harrington was constantly trying to apologise for yelling at me. I rolled my eyes for the 100th time and sighed in relief when I heard someone call my name but when I turned my face dropped.

"This can't be good." I sighed as Clint Barton came walking over.

"Lady Stark, Lady Starks Boyfriend, how goes it?" He asked as he and Nat walked towards us.

"Uncle Clint, Aunt Nat, what are you doing here?" I asked, turning to my awe struck Classmates.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y told us you were around, figured we'd say Hi...Hi" Nat explained as she waved at the two of us. Peter chuckled and I groaned, turning back to Chris who too looked awestruck.

"Look, I'm the daughter of Tony Stark, I live in the Stark Tower, where the Avengers also reside. Don't be surprised if the other guys make an appearance." I told my class who all nodded but quickly let of shrieks as I was lifted of the floor and began floating in mid air.

"Maximoff, I will kill you!" I called to the Witch, who I know was around some where.

"Please little Witch, you couldn't touch me." She sassed as she came into view. She set me down and smiled.

"I reacon she's got you there princess" Peter laughed from beside Ned who watched wide eyed. I flipped him off and shook my head.

"Big talk coming from you Parker." I challenged.

"Bring it Princess" Peter smirked.

"Oh you guys are about to see something awesome" Nat told the class who watched Peter and I.

Nat nodded to Clint and I watched as walked over and pulled two staffs from the weapons wall and throw them at Peter and I which we caught with ease and I smirked as I saw Nat and Wonda shake hands, obviously placing bets.

I smirked as I made the first move and then Pete and I spared for about ten minutes before Pete knocked me on my butt

"You give up yet?" He asked, holding the staff to my throat. I smirked, did a fancy leg flip thing and chuckled as I sat on Pete's chest, the staff against his neck and his legs and hands pinned.

"I win" I smiled as I lean forward, kissing his lips and standing up and pulling him up with me.

"Ha, Peter got his ass kicked by a girl" Flash yelled, laughing.

"Kid, it's sparring, Honestly if Y/N hadn't taken advantage of her possition on the floor, Peter could have won just as easily." Nat told him, "Fighting isn't just being strong or week, Y/N could easily be the weekest person in this room, and Peter the strongest, but if Y/N knows when to strike, when to take advatage, then Peter would have lost all the same, It's all about using your brain." She continued.

"Besides, she trains with the Black widow, no body in the room can beat her." Peter told him, high fiving Clint who chuckled and Agreed.

"OK, let's move on, Miss Stark shall we take them to see Dr Banner now?" Chris asked and I nodded, Peter and I walked off, leading the way, hand in hand as we stopped at the Elevator.

"Non of you have Clearance for the next floor so you'll have to wait out in the hall and we'll get uncle Bruce to come out." I explained we all climbed in and I scanned my card, overriding the elevator with my own security clearance.

As we reached the Lab My uncle Bruce spotted us and smiled, making his way over.

"Hey, Uncle Bruce, F.R.I.D.A.Y said you requested our presence?" I asked once he was outside.

"Well, I need Peters help with the project we are working on and I need you because everyone needs a tiny, less annoying Stark in their day." He chuckled pulling me into a hug.

"He isn't wrong!" I heard a voice call. I turned to see my mother, Pepper. OK so she wasn't my birth mother, but she was the next best thing.

"Mum!" I grinned. "I thought you were away somewhere?" I smiled as I hugged her.

"Ok, so who has a question for Dr Banner?" Chris asked as I walked away from the group just a little so I could speak to mum while the class asked Bruce questions.

"Have yo spoken to your dad today?" She asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, he called me this morning, I told him to go to sleep, why?" I asked, I knew something was up because Pepper usually knows when dad calls me.

Pepper and I tell each other everything, even before she and my dad became a thing. She is the only mother I've ever known, my birth mother abandoned me when I was a baby, she left me with my gran. After Grams got sick she told me I was going to be living with my dad, Tony Stark.

Pepper took care of me when my dad was away and/or working so she became my mother figure. Then she became my mother. She and Dad got married and she asked me how I would feel about her becoming my mother, she wanted to adopt me and I cried for a whole day when she asked. I said yes and now, here we are, Tony Stark, his wife Pepper Stark and their daughter Y/N Stark. We were a family, something Tony and I never had much of growing up.

"Y/N honey, your dad got back from the mission a little, lets say broken. the iron man suit blown to pieces. Your Uncle Steve and Bucky had to bring him home, he was knocked out for a few hours after they got back. I thought he would have told you this." She explained as I looked at her wide eyed. I shook my head.

"I..is he OK?" I asked clearly getting upset mostly out of fear but also anger.

"Yeah, honey, he's fine. A little bruised but he'll be back to his usual annoying self in no time." She smiled, making me laugh a little.

"I resent that!" I heard my dad's voice come through over the PA system.

"Dad, were you listening in on mum and I?" I asked. I noticed, in the corner of my eye, all the students looked around, confused.

"What, no, of course not, I was just checking in but then I heard what you were saying." He defended himself. I knew he was lying though, I could hear it in his voice.

"Well, how about you go back to bed and later, when I come home from school, I'LL KILL YOU!"

It was quiet for a couple seconds before Imagine Dragons began to play over the PA. Demons to be exact.

"What is he doing?" Uncle Bruce asked, looking over at Pepper and I.

"He's 'soothing' Y/N with her favourite song." Peter answered as he exited the lab, letting Bruce know he was done with his work.

"Why would he do that?" Bruce asked, seeming even more confused.

"Because my stupid father got hurt in the last mission and he didn't tell me." I seethed.

"Miss Stark, your father would like to know if my playing music has calmed you enough?" F.R.I.D.A.Y asked.

"Yes, it has, however you can tell my father if he pulls this shit again I will kill him, violently." I told her.

"Wow, I'd hate to be the guy that ever breaks your heart." Peter joked, throwing his arm over my shoulder and leading me back to the group. I said a quick goodbye to my mum and rejoined my class.

The rest of the tour went by pretty smoothly. We toured around the final part of the building, the Avengers Museum, before make our way down to the lobby where everyone handed in their passes.

"OK, thank you for coming today and I hope you have learned a little something about working for Mr Stark, and yeah, it's pretty much like that all the time!"

"Not True!" Peter and I said at the same time.

"OK, no sometimes Captain America is here to keep things in check, sometimes Clint messes with stuff and blows stuff up and sometimes we have Two very annoying Teenagers running around the building with various weapon prototypes blasting each other...it's never this crazy" A voice said from behind me and I turn to see Rhodey called from behind me as he walks over to the group.

"OK, first of all Uncle Rhodey, Uncle Steve doesn't keep anything thing in check unless there is a mission, secondly, Clint is an idiot who can't keep his hands to himself and third...Pete and I get board so we 'TEST ' the prototypes to make sure things work." I told him.

"Sure, you joining us for dinner tonight Pete?" He asked turning his attention t my boyfriend who was chuckling beside me.

"It's Friday, Colonel Rhodes, I'm here most of the weekend working anyway so sure," Pete replied.

"Great, I'll see you after school. Y/N, I'm picking you up as your dad is..."

"dead" I interrupted him, "Or he will be when I get my hands on him." I huffed as I turned to walk away.

"Mr Stark didn't tell her he got hurt." Peter explained.

Once everybody had scanned out, Peter and I were last, and F.R.I.D.A.Y, spoke up.

"Miss Stark, your father would like me to inform you he will be picking you and Mr Parker up after school, not Colonel Rhodes and he will be taking you and Mr Parker to the beach house for the weekend, your mother too."

"Thank you F.R.I.D.A.Y." I told her as we all exited the building and climbing onto the bus.

"So, you got a beach house?" Ned asked as he stood by me seat.

"My dad has a beach house, I only stay there when dad wants family time." I told him.

"Then why is Peter invited?" MJ asked pointing at Pete who sat down and looked confused.

"My dad as already married me off the this Idiot...the son he never had." I joked. "If my dad can't adopt him, then he will make him his Son-In-Law instead."

"I feel honoured." Pete smiled. "I mean for Mr Stark to trust me with his only daughter...he must really like me." He beamed.

"Yeah, you'd think that." I told him sitting down as the bus set of back to school.

#Peter Parker #peter parker imagine #tony stark imagine #The Avengers #the avengers imagine #imagines

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paleorecipecookbook · 6 years

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The Top Health Benefits of Green Space

The health benefits of having access to “green space”—from dense forests, fields, and lush parks to simple garden spaces, tree-lined streets, or a humble backyard—are well documented in scientific literature. This shouldn’t come as a surprise given that, as humans, we evolved in nature for most of our species’ existence. If we want to experience vibrant health and well-being, we need to step away from our screens and reestablish that ancestral connection. Keep reading for a look at the latest research, plus great ways to increase your exposure to the great outdoors.

Spending time outdoors in green space can have a beneficial impact on your immune system and overall health. Check out this article to find out how, and get three tips on how to spend more time in nature. #optimalhealth #healthylifestyle #chriskresser

An Ancestral Perspective: Going Green Is as Old as Time

You might be asking, how could being in nature be so essential to wellness? The simplest answer: it’s in our DNA. For hundreds of thousands of generations, human beings lived, worked, ate, played, and slept outdoors in the most lush, verdant natural environments they could find. Never before in our history have we spent as little time in contact with plants and animals as we do today. And as you’ll come to learn, our health is suffering as a result.

Just as we didn’t evolve to eat an industrialized diet full of processed and refined foods, we also didn’t evolve to live lives disconnected from nature.

In the 1990s, scientist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author E. O. Wilson labeled this concept—that humans have an innate affinity for the natural world—the “biophilia hypothesis.” Since then, his theory has been supported by a wealth of clinical evidence.

Of course, he couldn’t have known exactly how technology would develop—that it would, in effect, replace the elemental need to connect with nature with an altogether different need (an addiction, for some)—to be wired and plugged in, 24/7. Journalist Richard Louv hit on this in his book Last Child in the Woods. He introduced the idea of “nature-deficit disorder,” a term that applies to children and adults alike who stare at screens instead of playing outside. This leads to a whole host of consequences. Fortunately, turning that deficit into an abundance can mean big health benefits.

Three Big Health Benefits of Green Space

I’ve isolated these benefits in order to highlight specific research, but keep in mind that all of these impacts on health also work together synergistically to improve well-being. For example, reducing your stress shores up your immune system, while robust immunity means less disease, which confers longevity, and so on.

1. Green Space Strengthens Your Immune System

Nature boosts our natural immunity, and some of the best proof here (along with research to back it up) comes from Japan. There, many citizens regularly participate in shinrin-yoku, a practice that translates as “forest bathing.” These leisurely visits to the forest increase the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, a component of the immune system that helps the body fend off tumors and viruses.

In one study, subjects took a three-day/two-night trip to the forest. Researchers collected blood and urine samples from the participants on days two and three of the trip and on days seven and 30 after the trip. They collected the same measurements on normal working days as well to act as controls. Not only was NK activity significantly higher on forest-bathing days, but the increase in activity, along with an increase in the number of NK cells, remained long after the trip was over—30 days after. To further pinpoint nature’s effects versus, say, time away from work, the researchers also had participants take trips to the city, which did not increase NK action. (1)

Phytoncides, essential wood oils emitted by plants and trees, seem to be responsible for the effect on NK activity. (2) Sunlight also appears to regulate immune function: exposure reduces the risk for autoimmune diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis. (3, 4)

2. It Boosts Your Mood

In general, exposure to nature is correlated with greater life satisfaction. (5) More specifically, research has also connected green space to reduced stress and incidences of depression and anxiety.

In a study of more than 11,000 adults from Denmark, researchers found that participants who lived more than roughly half a mile away from green space were 42 percent more likely to report high stress levels than those who lived closer to green space. (6) Interestingly, a similar study suggests that green space acts as a buffer to stress’s detrimental effects on the mind and body: participants who had recently experienced major life stressors, such as financial difficulties or relationship problems, but who had more green space in a certain radius around their home had fewer health complaints than their peers who also faced stressors but had less green space nearby. (7) One possible explanation? Green space appears to modulate our stress hormones; in particular, it lowers cortisol levels. (8, 9) Chronically high cortisol levels can have far-reaching impacts on health, including brain damage.

Recently, researchers at the University of Washington evaluated pairs of twins and found that the twin who lived among denser vegetation had a lower risk of depression. (10) An older study out of the Netherlands found that people with only 10 percent green space in a close radius around their home had a 25 percent greater risk of depression and 30 percent greater risk of anxiety disorders when compared to those with the greatest amount of green space in the same radius around their house. (11)

3. It Helps You Live Longer

Research conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, and China have found that people who live in the greenest areas have a reduced risk of mortality from all causes, as well as a reduced risk of mortality due to kidney disease, respiratory disease, cancer, and stroke. (12, 13, 14, 15)

How Green Space Reduces Your Risks of Developing Chronic Diseases—Even Cancer

In the same Dutch study I mentioned above, researchers found the annual prevalence rate of 15 of the top 24 diseases to be lowest amongst those living in the greenest environments. (16)

These results may be in part attributable to sunlight. As I’ve shared before, vitamin D deficiency is implicated in at least 17 types of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and the list goes on.

It May Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes

While it’s possible that green space makes people more willing to exercise—helping them in that way to maintain a healthy weight and reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes—some studies suggest that something else is at play. (17) For example, in one Japanese study, participants’ blood glucose levels dropped after a session of forest bathing, an effect found independent of the distance they walked during their time outside. (18) In a 2016 study, people living in neighborhoods with the greatest amount of green space had a 19 percent reduced risk of developing diabetes than those in the least green areas, regardless of their age, sex, socioeconomic status, family history, and, importantly, BMI. (19)

It Improves Your Cardiovascular Health

Spending time in nature lowers blood pressure and pulse rate and increases heart rate variability, a marker more and more experts are looking to as an indicator of health and resilience. (20, 21, 22) There’s also a connection between increased exposure to green space and a lower incidence of coronary heart disease. (23)

Green Space Can Help Your Body Fight Cancer

Remember those NK cells I mentioned earlier? They have the power to kill tumor cells by releasing anti-cancer proteins, which forest-bathing has been shown to increase, along with the number and activity of the NK cells themselves. (24) Indeed, when Japanese researchers compared data on forest coverage across the country with national cancer data, they found lower rates of lung, breast, and uterine cancers in women and prostate, kidney, and colon cancers in men who lived in areas with higher forest coverage, a fact that remained even after factoring in smoking and socioeconomic status. (25)

It Protects against Alzheimer's Disease

Green space may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. Higher levels of residential greenness are correlated with a slower rate of cognitive decline later in life. (26, 27) Green space also improves overall cognition. (28, 29, 30)

Three Easy Ways to Get More Exposure to Green Space

Even if you’re convinced that you need to get outside more, it’s not always simple to do. You may not have wooded hiking trails at your doorstep, or your schedule may feel too jam-packed for a leisurely “forest bath.” You might live in a densely populated city in a high-rise apartment, with no common green space. Or you may live in a community where cars have taken over and sidewalks have lost ground to widening roadways. Maybe you think it’s too cold or too hot, too rainy or too snowy.

Just remember, wherever you live and no matter how busy you are (or uncooperative the weather may be), you can green up your days.

Here are three simple ways to get out there.

1. Take Your Exercise Outside

Go for a walk at your local park (wear layers and a hat if it’s cold, or sweat-wicking fabrics if it’s hot) rather than plugging away on the treadmill in your fluorescent-lit gym. Take advantage of mild days and move your workout routine into nature, especially if it’s sunny. Even if you’re in an urban environment and can only hit the sidewalk, you’ll still get much-needed sunshine. People who work out outside tend to exercise more, and that outdoor exercise may even confer greater physical and mental benefits than exercise indoors. (31, 32)

2. Bring the Outdoors In

Just being around potted house plants can improve memory recall, minimize health complaints and discomfort, and reduce anxiety. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can find low-maintenance varieties of ivy and cactus. Grow a container herb garden on your windowsill. If it’s midwinter, try forcing some bulbs like paperwhites and enjoy an early glimpse of spring. Or fill a vase with some local fresh flowers and greenery. (33, 34, 35, 36)

3. Limit Screen Time (Yours and Your Children’s)

Researchers point the finger at screen time as a culprit for our spending less time outdoors, especially for children. (37, 38) Take a digital detox and you might just free up enough time for a big hike, family camping trip, or nice long forest bath after all.

How often do you spend time outdoors? Have you noticed any benefits to spending time in green space? Let me know below in the comments!

The post The Top Health Benefits of Green Space appeared first on Chris Kresser.

Source: http://chriskresser.com January 16, 2019 at 03:49PM

#paleo #recipe #food #delicious #healthy #yum #diet

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mafiabosstsuna · 6 years

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This blog's notification was the only thing that made me happy in the mornings...Thanks for the amazing fics and stuff. They helped me a lot during hard times! Hibari, Giotto and Hayato supporting their s/o in their project/university course. But of course, in a mafioso way~ Ps: i love this blog with my all being plx dont leave :c

[ I hope we can still make you happy, even though the old admins aren’t writing with us anymore. I’m sure they would be honored than this blog and their writing was able to help you. Having such loyal readers is a gift and I sincerely hope that moving forward, we can uphold their standards. Nevertheless, thank you for writing in, and here’s to better times ahead!

–Admin Giotto ]

[ Additional Notes: The grading system mentioned in Hibari’s portion is the American system where an A represents 90th percentile of a grade, a B the 80th, and so on. An F is anything below the 50th percentile, and the lowest you can receive in most schools, meaning that you’ve failed the class (or assignment).

The economics course only allowing the top 10% of students to receive an A and only half of the students to pass the class altogether is actually based on a real economics teacher I had in high school. He was a dick, and this was therapeutic to write. ]

Hibari:

“What a useless grading scheme,” Hibari turned over the syllabus in his long fingers, frowning at the percentages listed in bold. “It’s not even curved.”

“It’s an economics class,” You explain, and run a frustrated hand through your hair. “The professor is using the scarcity principle to game our grades. It’s stupid and completely rigged to justify favoritism. It’s been that way all semester.”

The heavy sigh that blew out of you pulled Hibari’s attention from the syllabus, and his dark eyes focused on the defeated slump of your shoulders.

“Half the class will actually fail? Only ten percent will achieve top marks?” He set the syllabus back with your things, considering the system’s merit.

“Yeah. My GPA shouldn’t take a blow just because someone else scored an A, too.”

“I see.” The answer seemed obvious to Hibari. If the goal of the class was to reflect the resource scarcity of real life, then the answer was to ensure your control of resources.

You gave an exhausted laugh, and let your head fall onto the pages of your textbook. “Yeah, me too.”

————–

“Hibari,” You called, wandering into the house. He looked up from his book, and you held your final grades transcript for the semester up in confusion. “I…. I got an A.”

“Don’t you usually?” The answer was casual, almost bored.

“Not in this class. Not my economics class.”

“You received an A because you have ties to the mafia.”

It took you a moment to process that. Hibari was never so…. so blasé about mafia business. Or using it to interfere in your life.

“I… I’m sorry, what? What about mafia ties?”

“The only solution to acquiring a scarce resource is to seize the control of that resource.” Hibari turned the page of his book, seeming to have lost interest.

“Hibari, what did you do? Did you rig my grades?!”

“Your professor wanted to simulate reality. Reality is that your ties to the mafia give you a means that other students don’t have. Those means secured your grade.” He raised an eyebrow, as if this were obvious.

“I worked so hard,” Your voice shook. “I studied for hours, and whatever grade I would’ve gotten, I would have deserved! Because it would have been me that earned it, not the mafia! Not my boyfriend! Not my professor being threatened!”

“Why are you upset about succeeding?” Hibari’s brow furrowed, his attention no longer on the book in his lap. “Is it so upsetting that you received an A you would have deserved, if it weren’t for his justifications for favoritism?” He threw your words back at you, like they justified what he had done.

“I wasn’t successful! You were!” You all but screamed, shaking the paper at him. “I worked hard, Hibari! I wanted to do this myself!”

“Success isn’t about hard work,” His tone was clipped. “It’s about strategy. It’s about playing the game, and using the means at your disposal. And you won this round, _____. That’s what success is.”

————————————————————————————–

Giotto:

“I’m never gonna finish this paper before the deadline!” Stress radiated from every tense line of your body as you frantically poured over research, hands flying over each keystroke like your fingers were on fire.

“Ah, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll have enough time!” Giotto laid a soothing hand between your shoulder blades, and kissed the top of your head.

Within an hour, your professor issued a class-wide extension of the deadline. You breathed a sigh of relief, and went to get a cup of coffee.

——–

“Oh, this class looks interesting. It even counts towards my prerequisites!” You tapped the title in your course book excitedly, showing the man poised over your shoulder. It was so rare to find enjoyable classes that counted towards your core curriculum. Skimming through the information listed, your good mood fell abruptly. Only worth three credits. Silently, you put an X through it and turned the page, continuing your search before the registration deadline hit.

His hand stopped yours, smoothing the page back down.

“You’re not going to take it?”

“No,” You sighed. “It’s only three credits. I’d have to take another class to get all my credits in under the prerequisites, and that’s too expensive and way too much time. I’ll have to find something else.”

You tried to keep the disappointed tone out of your voice, but Giotto’s thoughtful hum meant you had failed miserably. He took your pen and scribbled down the course number.

“Just in case,” He told you. “Keep looking. I’ll be back later.” The apologetic look usually meant he had mafia business. Brushing it off, you went back to your search.

A week later, students were issued an updated course catalog just in time for the semester registration. Of the notable changes made, there as just one that interested you- the credits for the course you had so badly wanted to take had changed.

Four credits. Just enough to fill the requirement.

You eyes narrowed suspiciously.

——–

“I think the university made a mistake.” You kept your tone casual, not ready to show your hand. Instead, you focused on the screen in front of you, wearing a face of light confusion.

“A mistake?” Giotto’s brow furrowed in concern, and he peered over your shoulder. “How so?”

“It says my tuition has been paid.” You narrowed your eyes, and looked up at him. “You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, Giotto?”

His face pinched, and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Of course not– ”

“ –So if I ask your secretary, she’s not gonna show me a bank statement that has a withdrawal to my university in it?” You interrupted, crossing your arms. Giotto was a terrible liar, at least when it came to you.

He paused and took a breath, seeming to carefully consider his next words.

“…..I only want you to be able to focus on your studies without worrying about the money.”

“I have a job and I can pay my own tuition.”

“You shouldn’t need to work your way through school.” He frowned, mirroring your frustration.

“I can do this myself! I don’t need you to pay my way, especially without my permission.”

“You don’t have to do this yourself.” Although it hadn’t been cross to begin with, his tone gentled. “I know you can. But you don’t have to.”

Your arms fell apart, anger draining out of you at his words.

“There’s nothing you can’t do yourself. But I’ll always be here to support you. Always.”

————————————————————————————–

Hayato:

“Don’t you think you’re spending a little too much time with those shitty textbooks?”

You poke your head up from the stack of homework you’ve accumulated.

“Are you jealous of my assignments, Gokudera?” There’s a coy smile you’re fighting to keep off your of your lips, as you peer at him in amusement.

“I’m not fucking jealous, I just think you’re neglecting your duties to the Famiglia.” He fixes you with a glare, but you’ve learned to read Hayato’s moods like the back of your hand.

He’s not mad. He isn’t even worried about mafia business. He’s jealous.

“I just have to get through midterms and I’ll be back to normal, okay?” You give him a reassuring smile, turning the pen in your fingers. As cute as it is that he wants your attention, you really need to get this assignment done.

“No,” He snaps. “You’re spending too much fucking time studying and you’re always gone at classes when you’re needed here. This isn’t working, ____.”

The agreement had been that, even while taking classes, your first priority would the Famiglia. And in your eyes, you had upheld that bargain beautifully. Anger finally getting the best of you, you dropped the pen and stood, planting the hands on the pages in front of you.

“I never miss a training session! I never miss a mission! There’s not a day I haven’t sacrificed going to class if I was needed for something, and you know it! You want to talk about always being gone? Where are you, half the time anyways, huh?”

“I’m off taking extra missions to keep work off you back, idiot!” Hayato unfolds himself from the doorway, standing to his full height as his own anger flares to life. “I make sure you have time to go to class! I take other partners so you can write your shitty term papers! And it’s not gonna keep working like that!”

You blinked, staring at him open-mouthed. You’d had no idea he was working so hard to give you time for school. Hadn’t known there were missions he took behind your back so you could focus on assignments.

“I’m sorry,” The words spilled out of your mouth. “I’m sorry, Gokudera. I…. I didn’t realize.”

He scoffs. “Yeah, I bet you didn’t.”

“I’ll cut down to part time. I won’t make you cover for me, anymore.”

Hayato eyes you skeptically, but nods. The small gesture speaks volumes about his support. If he didn’t want you in university, he wouldn’t demanded you pull out altogether. If he thought your degree was a waste of time, he wouldn’t have cut down your mafia duties behind your back.

“And…..Gokudera?” He throws a glance over his shoulder, having turned to leave.

“Thanks.”

“Whatever. You’d better not fuckin’ fail those classes.”

You smile.

#tuncelif #KHRscenarios #college #university #supportive #Student S/O #Gokuera #Hayato #Giotto #Hibari #Kyouya #Admin Giotto

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bettycooperthefirst · 7 years

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Bughead AU: Betty Cooper’s job as a NYC journalist is more stressful than she ever could have imagined, so she starts baking to decompress. There are only two problems with this: 1. Any time she uses her oven, even on the lowest possible setting, her smoke alarm seems to go off and 2. the dark haired boy who lives across the hall does not like being woken up at three in the morning.

Betty Cooper was stressed out of her mind. Being a journalist in the biggest city in America wasn’t easy, as her mother had warned her just about a million times before she moved to New York. It meant new stories constantly popping up and overruling the last. And as a young 23 year old who had only been with the company for a year, she was still trying to get her footing among the hot shots who still only saw her as a kid. Today she had walked into the office with a great scoop, and as soon as she finished the article (an impressive 10 minutes later, ready for print), it had already been released by an opposing publication and an hour later, undermined by new evidence in the case.

She was tired. Her feet hurt from the heels she chose to wear today- black and strappy and an inch taller than usual, but they were on sale and cute and she thought she could make it work. But after she ate her dinner, after she showered off the day, she didn’t sit back down. She didn’t lay down in her bed to sleep. She opened the small pantry in her New York apartment and did what she always did when she was stressed: she started to bake.

***

The smoke alarm was going off. This was the 2nd time this week and the 5th time this month. Unfortunately, this seemed to always happen in the middle of the night. When Betty baked during the day, she was on her game, she didn’t let things like that happen. But once it got to be past midnight, mistakes were made. A loud pounding came from the door. Betty looked at the clock: 3 AM. She thought that if she personally heard a smoke alarm go off at 3 AM she’d probably just wait for it to stop, rollover and go back to sleep, no matter how irritated she was. But she knew exactly who was at her door. She had met him 3 nights ago when she burned her chocolate chip cookies. An angry boy about her age, jet black hair stuffed under a grey hat on his head, went by the name of Jughead. He had moved into the apartment across the hall from her about two months ago and anytime she saw him around the building he looked irritated. On the night in question, he had obviously just rolled out of bed to come yell at her. And yell at her he did. And of course she had handled it the way she had been taught to: all “I’m sorry for the disturbance Mr. Jones. There was this lovely recipe…” with a sweet smile and an offering of one of the less burnt cookies.

But something was different tonight. Not only had Betty been unable to enjoy the singed cookies from her last stress-bake, she’d had to shower in cold water for the last two days due to terrible building management, lost the aforementioned story and broken her purse strap on the subway, sending all her personal belongings flying out onto the floor. The cherry on top was the guy two desks over at work asking her out for the 3rd time and telling her she was “an ugly prude anyway. I was just trying to be nice to you” upon her denial. As if she owed him something for being a nice enough guy. Which he apparently wasn’t anyway. It had been a long day on top of a long week, and as much as she knew it was her own fault that smoke alarm was going off, she also knew that it was clearly defective. The only time it had gone off when there was actually smoke was 3 nights ago. Every other time, she had no idea what it was doing and she’d been waiting almost six weeks for the super to come take a look at it. So she wasn’t in the mood for some angst ridden guy to tell her off and she sure wasn’t in the mood to take it politely. in fact, now would be a good time to unleash her anger.

“Are you SERIOUS right now?” he started immediately after the door opened. “It’s three in the damn morning! What could possibly be so important that you need to be baking right now?” It was a bit hard to take him seriously, with that dumb beanie on his head. There was that same fire in his eyes, and she just knew that he was expecting the same response from her that he’d gotten the last time he was here, but she wasn’t feeling like following the Alice Cooper Handbook right now. She took a deep breath and responded. “Are YOU serious right now? It’s three in the damn morning! What could possibly be so important that you need to come and knock on my fucking door and tell me what to do?” His eyes widened, but she only continued. She was shorter than him and having to look up to yell at him only made her more angry. “Oh right, the smoke alarm. The same smoke alarm that I turned off within 10 seconds, therefore only causing you minor irritation through which any normal, sane adult would just go back to sleep. But not you. Of course not you. Not Jughead Jones.” “Whoa, slow down.” She could see the boys expression changing, but it was unclear to what. Could that be worry pulling his eyebrows together? “What?” She snapped. “Listen, I still think that you need to be more careful with your smoke detector but, I’ve seen you around here, in the hallway, at the mailroom, and you never seem upset. Or even remotely angry. Mr. Johanssen spit on you while he was talking the other day, a giant spit blob, and you literally smiled even bigger at him.” “And?” “And… I came over here because I’m always up at this time writing and the last few times your alarm went off it completely broke my focus so yeah, I was pissed, but now I’m honestly a bit concerned.” He was cute, she thought, if he would just be like calmer like this all the time. To be fair, it was 3 AM and she had just set off the fire alarm… “I’m sorry. It’s been a long week for me and when I get stressed out I like to bake. Sometimes I forget to keep track of time and my smoke alarm is defective. And by the way, Mr. Johanssen is the nicest old man I’ve ever met. I can’t let him know that he constantly salivates like that, it would only embarrass him.” His mouth twitched up for a millisecond but the concern in his eyes only deepened. “This has happened at least once a week for a month. Twice in the past 3 days. You’ve been stressed out that often?” “Um. I guess so.” He nodded. “When I get stressed I usually write.” He looked down at the floor. “What I’m trying to say is I get what you’re doing. I just don’t particularly love the sound of that alarm in my ears.” “Me neither. It’s really touchy in here. My carrot cake isn’t even burnt and there’s no visible smoke but it still went off all weee-oooo-weeee-ooo.” Betty could feel the time of night catching up with her mind and making her nonsensical, but Jughead smiled. He looked good when he smiled. And it didn’t seem like something he did particularly often. “Wait. You’re a writer?” “Kind of. I mean I try, but I don’t know if I’m any good.” He pushed his hands in his pockets and his cheeks seemed to redden. “I’m a writer too.” She offered. “Or. A journalist. Kind of. I usually just help to edit other peoples articles but I’m trying to be a writer.” His smile came back, even bigger this time. “I’m sure you’re already ten times better than all the other people in your office. They should probably promote you, I mean after all, you’re also a professional baker. Don’t sell yourself short.”

***

Two nights later, Betty was up again at 2 in the morning. This time she wasn’t baking. She was thinking about the boy who lived across the hall. Jughead Jones. The way he softened once they started an actual conversation. The flannel pajama pants and wrinkled grey t shirt. That smile. And she thought about how now that they had an understanding she might never talk to him again. She hadn’t before. And it didn’t bother her before. What had changed? Right then, the fire alarm went off, and Betty sat up quick on her couch. She naturally looked at the oven, but this time it wasn’t her. And it wasn’t stopping. Confused, she stepped out into her hallway. And there he was. “Betty.” He said. “Jughead… what’s going on?” She looked at the plate of burnt cookies in his hands. “I decided to try baking. Not as easy as it seems. Not a de-stresser for me personally, but to each their own.” “Okay…” “See, the thing is, you said your smoke detecter was touchy but apparently mine isn’t. I’ve been trying to set it off baking but I ended up just holding a lighter up to it.” His cheeks were getting red, she noticed, and for the first time he wasn’t wearing that stupid hat. Even though he did kind of make it work. “Why are you trying to set your fire alarm off?” “Well for one, I think it’s time that building management takes a look at the fire alarms in this building.” He took a cautious step forward. “But mostly, I needed an excuse to see you again. There’s something I needed to ask you.” She felt a flip in her chest and tried to keep her feelings under control. “Which is?” “Would you like to go out to dinner with me one of these days?” She let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she was holding. He was asking her on a date. He had made her cookies and tried to do a romantic gesture and no one had ever done anything like this for her before. “Or breakfast or something, I mean I don’t know your daily schedule.” The way he was starting to freak out made her realize that she was waiting much too long to answer him. “I’m actually more of a midnight snack kind of girl, if that’s alright with you.” She took a step closer to him and picked up a cookie off the tray. It actually didn’t look too bad. The edges were a little bit burnt but the rest of the cookie looked like just the right consistency. But Jughead seemed nervous. “The cookies were just a bit. You don’t actually have to eat them.” She gave him a confident smile. “Don’t sell yourself short.”

#bughead #bughead au #betty cooper #jughead jones #betty x jughead #riverdale #riverdale au #mine #my writing

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daniloqp · 3 years

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The 16 best weekend deals: headphones, sound bars and more

https://theministerofcapitalism.com/blog/the-16-best-weekend-deals-headphones-sound-bars-and-more/

If you go out of the house is not an option readily available this summer, the next best action may be to improve the little things that bother you. Tired of turning on the TV, just to have an unbalanced sound? A sound bar can help. Are you sick of the yellow light in your kitchen? A new LED bulb can fix it financially. The offers we completed this weekend are full of equipment that can make a big difference at a lower-than-normal cost.

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Technology and home offers

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G

Photography: Samsung

Samsung’s new Galaxy A52 5G (7/10, WIRED recommends) is a solid smartphone, especially considering its affordable price. The 120 Hz screen is fantastic, its plastic construction makes it more durable than the most iconic of all types of glass and the robust 5G connectivity along with 4 years of security updates means it should last a while (and continue working well). You can get an even better price if you change a device. It was $ 25 cheaper on Amazon, but it is Temporarily out of stock when we last checked.

Everyone it should have a sound bar. The Roku Streambar is one of the best sound bars for people who want to update home theater audio i use its built-in transmission functionality. The price comes in at a couple of dollars from the lowest we’ve followed. This agreement is coinciding with Target. Someone else Roku Gadgets they are also on sale, but not the best discounts.

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Amazon Fire HD 10.

Photography: Amazon

The new Amazon Fire HD 10 (7/10, WIRED recommends) is ours Preferred tablet for less than $ 200. A discount of almost 50 percent just a few months after it is published makes this deal attractive. It matches the price we saw on Prime Day. The agreement is matched to Best buy but, strangely, not Amazon. He greater capacity it is also discounted. See ours Fire Tablet Buying Guide allowed.

If you want to add to your digital game library, Celeste is it worth it. It has all the characteristics of a good independent game: stunning art, a magnificent soundtrack and an immersive game. Here it is our full review.

This is not the latest model, but we have not seen a better offer than this. In ours in-depth review, we applaud your audio quality, comfort level, and battery life. This great price is the icing on the cake. Here are some more fantastic ones cans that cancel out the noise.

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A 35-liter waterproof water bag may seem excessive, but the Yeti Camino Carryall (8/10, WIRED recommends) is strangely impressive. During rehearsals, senior associate review editor Adrienne So used it as a diaper bag, gear carrier, and grocery store assistant, and she liked it for all three purposes. This is the best price we have seen; there are a couple of color options on sale.

Summer sales

Tushy Classic

Photography: Tushy

A bidet change your life. Tushy makes some of the models easier to use. No complicated setup is required and they will fit almost any existing toilet. All models are discounted, including the newest version of the Tushy Classic. For an even more affordable version, the previous version is cheaper on Amazon (and still good.)

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Outdoor lovers may want to take a look at the massive selection of authorization items in Backcountry. It’s a great way to save on equipment from brands that don’t go on sale very often, such as Prana i Cotopaxi. One of the highlights is a $ 35 discount on North Face Isabella Daypack. Isabella is one of ours favorite backpacks, and the price is valid for both color options.

Everlane doesn’t offer discounts often, but right now it has a lot to offer. Our favorite product of this brand, the French Terry hooded sweatshirt, has a $ 20 discount, but sizes are limited. There are many other items to choose from if you have noticed something.

The timing makes some of our favorites camera accessories and equipment. Their summer sales end on July 31 and you will find discounts MagSafe iPhone 12 Cases, MagSafe assemblies to plug in camera accessories and even one of our favorite camera bags, the moment MTW backpack.

Sometimes it’s hard to save on technology. Outbound events like this can be a great way to circumvent the lack of sales. Merchandise ranges from returned items with open box to refurbished products, so be sure to check the details, condition and warranty of the product before you buy. I, Louryn, managed to get a perfect Apple Pencil for $ 35 off during a Best Buy sale like this. The only flaw was a dented box!

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deadcactuswalking · 4 years

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REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 06/02/2021 (Fredo’s Money Can’t Buy Happiness)

This is an odd, scattered week - a slow one thankfully for the day after my birthday - but we do have a bigger album bomb than I expected from Fredo, even if “drivers license” is still at #1 for a fourth week, blocking EDM remixes of sea shanties because of course, it’s the UK after all. Let’s just get back into REVIEWING THE CHARTS.

Rundown

Now, I predicted last week that Fredo would have two songs debut high up on the chart from his most recent album, Money Can’t Buy Happiness, and the pre-release single “Back to Basics” would rise to the top 10. That didn’t exactly happen, as “Back to Basics” actually dropped out of the chart off of the debut for being one of the lowest-performing Fredo tracks, or at least less successful than the three songs that debuted, as that’s all the UK Singles Chart allows. Speaking of drop-outs from the UK Top 75, they’re all mostly inconsequential, made up of recent debuts like “Wellerman” by the Longest Johns and “Bad Boy” by the late Juice WRLD and Young Thug. In terms of notable drop-offs, we do have some arguably premature falls for minor hits, like “champagne problems” by Taylor Swift, “Body” by Megan Thee Stallion, “Lonely” by Justin Bieber and benny blanco, and, finally, “Diamonds” by Sam Smith. This is a slow week outside of the top 40, so we just have some spare oddities to cover outside of the drop-outs. For our fallers, we have “34+35” by Ariana Grande fading its remix boost at #14, “Therefore I Am” by Billie Eilish at #30, “SO DONE” by The Kid Yaoi at #52, “All I Want” by Olivia Rodrigo at #54, “Lo Vas A Olvidar” by Billie Eilish and ROSALÍA at #64 off of the debut and a couple real crashes at the tail-end of the top 75, those being “Holy” by Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper at #71, “WAP” by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion at #72, “Notorious” by Bugzy Malone featuring Chip at #73 and “Dynamite” by BTS at #75. This may explain the otherwise inexplicable returns for songs that are always clinging onto the back half of the chart, like “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac at #74, “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran at #70 and, incredibly, “Mr Brightside” by the Killers at #68, the highest it’s been in a while (and that’s a feat considering how long it stays on the damn chart). For gains, we’re really not picking up much traction here. Sure, “Baby Shark” by Pinkfong is back at #73 for some reason, but otherwise we just have middling songs with middling gains, like “Martin & Gina” by Polo G at #61, “Take You Dancing” by Jason Derulo at #59, “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles rebounding to #44, “Your Love (9PM)” by ATB, Topic and A7S making a surprising and scary gain to #42 (and I’ll admit, I’ve warmed up to it quickly), “i miss u” by Jax Jones and Au/Ra clawing back in the top 40 at #39, “Friday” by Riton, Nightcrawlers and Musafa & Hypeman dopamine re-editing itself up to #24 (Please don’t make this a hit) and finally, “Streets” by Doja Cat continuing its rise up to #12. Oh, yeah, and “Skin” by Sabrina Carpenter is down to #41 off of the debut but everyone’s forgotten about that song considering how big “drivers license” still is, so yeah, let’s just get to our new arrivals, because we do have some interesting things to touch on this week.

NEW ARRIVALS

#66 – “Higher” – Clean Bandit featuring iann dior

Produced by Mark Ralph, Grace Chatto and Jack Patterson

Well, they made a song with 24kGoldn, and that was awful, so... I guess it’s Puerto Rican emo-rapper iann dior’s turn. They might as well remix “Mood” while they’re at it. Instead of Mabel filling in for the singing where 24kGoldn couldn’t on “Tick Tock”, however, we have honestly a less charismatic singer in iann dior playing all the parts, without a rap verse to speak of. Okay, so this could work if he just fills in the spot of generic anonymous singer, and it fits exactly within that mold if he wants to, even though that’ll take away any of the character he had – not that any of that character was likeable or interesting, but hey, baby, he is not your dad, so maybe he’ll blend in well with Clean Bandit’s decreasingly unique production. This is a tropical EDM track where iann dior’s non-existent range and raspy, uncaring tone zaps the energy out of the touches of steel drums and orchestral stabs. This drop is nothing more than a vocaloid loop, and a pathetic one at that, with iann dior’s really gross falsetto proving that Auto-Tune can’t really fix bad singing, not that it needed to be proven. The lyrics here are nothing to write home about, wrapping a love song with ocean metaphors probably just so he can say “I’mma get her wet, oh, baby, then slide”... Gross. There’s like zero build-up to this drop at all as well, so there’s no stakes, no climax, and hence not a good EDM track. Come on, Dan Smith of Bastille wrote this, can’t he get the lead vocal? At least it would sound competent.

#63 – “Grown Flex” – Chip featuring Bugzy Malone

Produced by the Fanatix

Ah, my favourite duo. Apparently this is from a Chip album that I didn’t even know existed, thankfully because it’s 21 tracks, over an hour, with two consecutive Young Adz features. “Grown Flex” is another collaboration with Bugzy Malone, probably here because of the video and the sample of iconic UK bass tune “Heartbroken” by T2, one of the most popular songs in that wave of EDM and a pretty damn great song. It has been sampled before by people like DJ Khaled and Drake but no-one’s made a better song, so maybe these formerly feuding Londoners can make a good song with this sample as the base? That isn’t a question actually, but if it was, the answer would be no. They pitch up the (honestly ahead of its time) vocaloid loop, and put an obnoxious UK garage-adjacent drum loop over it that’s barely on beat with all of the chiptune sound effects distracting from Chip’s also off-beat flow. The chorus is really awkward, with him being off-beat and uncredited female vocal backing vocals with entirely different vocal processing coming in and sounding equally janky. This beat isn’t broken inherently, it could work but it’s too shrouded in these two rappers void of personality. Bugzy Malone is here but his rough tone does not work on this beat, regardless of how much he wants to pretend there’s any melody to his drawl with the Auto-Tune and multi-tracking. He’s still somehow the best part though because, yeah, this is just... incredibly awful. The production is onto something by the end with the horns coming in but they immediately fade out and eventually it just abruptly cuts to some pointless chiptune beeping sounds that have been there the whole time but play alone right at the end for no reason. This is aggravating, I know I’m pretty much nit-picking but there’s nothing of substance to pick apart here anyway. This is pure incompetence and a butchering of a good sample... that they should be allowed to use freely, though, by the way. Abolish copyright law.

#62 – “Ride for Me” – B Young

Produced by Mike Spencer and Pacific

Since everyone seems to have forgotten how to actually make music this week, at least we can always count on B Young... okay, no, but at least he’s given up on trying to be a rapper or R&B singer at this point, as a lane of generic guitar-pop probably would work best for the guy’s voice. I mean, we have an acoustic loop here that sounds like it’s jacked straight from a Shawn Mendes demo. At least the incompetence here is charming, with his rougher vocals being a pretty nice contrast from the otherwise kind of ugly mixing, especially on the flat percussion. I do like the lyrics here, as he’s simply love-struck and enjoys the company of this woman, for more than just sex and appearances. He just hopes that things don’t change and the relationship lasts forever. Sure, it’s shallow but it seems genuine. Sure, there’s some drug references and him being pushy to ask her for no make-up, though it does come off as just enjoying her presence instead of any stuck-up preference, especially since he offers his tracksuit and they end up watching some crap Netflix original film. Yeah, this is just a sweet track if nothing else. Since I did do a full song review for his song “Jumanji” years back, I feel a weird sense of almost parenthood for this guy, like I’ve seen him grow and finally he’s made a good song, even if it’s a bit out of his wheel-house. He’s never not been genuine, just only now that’s given him some more likeability, even if it’s just to make a cute love song. He sounds like a good boyfriend, and that’s really the appeal of the song, so, yeah, good job. I’m honestly kind of surprised.

#60 – “Gravity” – Brent Faiyaz and DJ Dahi featuring Tyler, the Creator

Produced by DJ Dahi

This is the most frustrating song I’ve heard this year so far, I’m almost fascinated by it. Before we get into that, I’d like to say that it’s good to see Brent Faiyaz finally debuting a song relatively high, and this is DJ Dahi’s first ever credited UK Singles Chart entry, although he’s produced top 40 hits before for Kendrick Lamar. Faiyaz has been a bubbling artist in R&B for the past few years, and honestly he might have had the most successful career off of the three artists that propelled themselves off of the back of “Crew” with GoldLink and Shy Glizzy. It was a minor hit that ended up producing no rising stars until around five years later, where we have a genuine hit potentially coming from the guy who sung the chorus, of course with some help from Tyler, the Creator. I do think this song is good but owes a lot to that to the production and charisma of our artists, as I can pick this apart way too easily for my taste. This beat is good, with some incredible guitar work from Steve Lacy as he would always deliver, but feels very aimless, especially with the pointless air horns in the background that if anything distract from Brent Faiyaz, who needs room to breathe. I mean, he’s an R&B singer, of course he does. The beat takes certain left turns during the verses that seem like meanders and if it’s not deflating any of its groove for the sake of guitar loops, it’s got this really tense percussion that does not work for the content or performances here, which are both pretty checked-out, especially Tyler, who’s as stiff as always but without any really interesting lyrical moments or a shift of flow. It’s one of his worst verses in my opinion, and he really goes in one ear and out the other with how short it is, which surprises me because of how Tyler usually either steals the show or meshes really well with his collaborators. So, our two performers are mostly checked-out with little to no chemistry, and the beat is awkward and unfitting for the content, which is about them being brought back down to Earth by their loved ones, hence the name, despite their travel habits due to touring – which isn’t a thing that’s happening right now at all, so maybe this’ll be a slow burn hit before it can really resonate. If we listen to these lyrics more closely, we also don’t get the sense that Brent Faiyaz is even likeable here, as we have no reason given for this woman to not feel uncomfortable that he’s paying little attention to her. Instead, Faiyaz just comes off a dismissive ass to this undeserving woman who is reasonably upset at the lack of time spent with him. It’s never made clear that she’s pestering him, so I honestly don’t get how Faiyaz wants to frame this. It doesn’t help that Tyler has the opposite reaction, longing for his partner when he’s on tour instead of feeling annoyed by her, but ultimately with no interplay so this means nothing. Oh, and if the songwriting weren’t janky enough, the chorus is barely catchy and covered in pitch-shifted multi-tracking that takes any of the focus off of Brent Faiyaz, who’s constantly crushed by backing vocals, being pitched down for no reason with unnecessary censor bleeps when they both swear freely at other points in the song. This type of maximalist production works but only when there’s any grandiosity to make it feel warranted, and if there isn’t that, the gunshot percussion is out of place and there ends up being a lot of empty space. There’s nothing smooth about this, and that’s frustrating as you’d expect these three to bring a really relaxed tune with some great 70s soul vibes and... I mean, that’s obviously what they’re going for here, but it is painfully over-produced and ultimately immensely disappointing. I can see people enjoying this a lot but no, this doesn’t work for me at all. Sorry.

#45 – “Dancing on Ice” – Yxng Bane featuring Nafe Smallz and M Huncho

Produced by Don Alfonso and Quincy Tellem

Oh, Jesus Christ, these guys again... and Yxng Bane, I guess. So, you know what the deal is with this UK ‘trap-wave’ type stuff, right? There’s a vaguely interesting synth loop drowned out by cheap percussion and crap bass mastering, as well as awfully processed vocals from everyone involved. They can trade verses, but more often than not don’t say anything that doesn’t embarrass themselves. You get a sense of really toxic masculinity, misogyny and materialism without any charm in their delivery, inflections or wordplay – which is usually non-existent. Here, it’s not any different. Yxng Bane has some good melodic flows – and I really like his line about his Rolex Presidential Watch being discontinued but since he’s “going Donald”, he wears it anyway – but he also threatens... presumably the listener with gay conversion therapy in the first line of the verse, so all good will’s lost. Nafe Smallz sounds better than usual but his nasal flow is still whiny and insufferable, and M Huncho is here to waste time and sound bad doing it, although he’s probably the least worst sounding vocally out of these three clowns. I misread his line about his rucksack being heavy as “nutsack”, and that’s all the positive engagement I could claw out of this. I ask this every time but honestly, who listens to this?

#21 – “Ready” – Fredo featuring Summer Walker

Produced by Mojam

Much like the end of a Morrisons sweet aisle, past this point, it’s all Fredo. Admittedly, I didn’t end up listening to the record but I have heard a select few songs, this being one of them, and I’m not really a fan. I do like the eerie loop but it seems a bit unfitting for a triumphant flex song emphasising a rags-from-riches narrative, especially since the mix really crushes both Fredo and Summer Walker in this blend of boring skittering trap percussion and the ambiance, making her hook impact a lot less. Fredo’s verses are pretty damn heartfelt, I’ll admit, and I really like his lines about pleading with God that he should be let into Heaven. In fact, Fredo’s bars are pretty consistently great, focusing on how his criminal past in the streets of London refuses to escape him despite his efforts to make it out using rap, and by the end, he sounds pretty defeated when he says, “Yeah, I’m lonely, but that’s just a player’s life”. Honestly, for a song that initially builds itself up to be a triumphant flex song, it ends up just being kind of sad, and that’s fine, more fitting for the instrumental but it really makes the hook feel even more out of place. Ah, well, the song’s fine, really, just a blend of ideas that never really stick the landing together.

#18 – “Burner on Deck” – Fredo featuring Pop Smoke and Young Adz

Produced by RicoRunDat and Yoz Beats

Now this is what I want from Fredo. Now, this is posthumous in Pop Smoke’s case but it’s far from an unexpected feature, as whilst this is one of his first UK drill collaborations, Pop Smoke was known for his pioneering of the New York style of London’s grittier, more menacing drill music, and even named Fredo and Young Adz as some of his favourite rappers. Okay, so he had questionable taste – I mean, Young Adz? - but Pop Smoke felt more of a connection between New York and London beyond just instrumentals, with a shared slang, street culture and arguably most importantly, inequality. This is all cited from a Complex interview, by the way, but you can tell even from his music what a great respect he had for British hip-hop, especially considering his main producer, 808 Melo, is from London. The song itself is pretty great too, relying on these spacey synth loops that build up with more eerie keys before finally crashing into an intense drill beat, with all artists sharing the Auto-Tuned hook, but Young Adz probably shining the most in how he plays off of Pop Smoke’s deeper, rich voice with his nasal whine. The lyrics may be generic gunplay and flexing, but the delivery saves it for me, with Fredo enthusiastically shouting out Gorillaz of all people, and the chorus being way smoother than it would usually be for a drill track, as well as being really catchy. Pop Smoke absolutely kills it here, going with his typical stiff, fast-paced flow for a verse that is really short but just as powerful as he usually delivers. You can tell this was made for this track as well from the interplay on the hook and him shouting out Young Adz in his verse. Fredo pretty much completes the second verse by chiming in and showing more of the charm I enjoy from him as he mentions coughing the bar before he coughs for basically an entire bar. It caught me off-guard at full listen and it still leads in perfectly to the oddly-mixed sombre piano that comes in for the final hook. With a better mix – and even then, it kind of works without it – and maybe some extended verses from both London and New York drill artists, this could bang even harder. Maybe for a remix, this beat could bring the best out of Swarmz, DigDat, AJ Tracey, Hardy Caprio, Tion Wayne, Fivio Foreign even... I could go on, this could be a great posse cut. As it is, it’s still pretty damn good, and again, rest in peace to the late Pop Smoke.

#3 – “Money Talks” – Fredo featuring Dave

Produced by Dave

At first, I was surprised this debuted at #3, which seems high for a British rap track, but then I remembered that the last time these guys collaborated on a single it debuted at #1 without an album attached, and it helped that “Funky Friday” is also a great song, admittedly something I didn’t think at the time. It does make perfect sense that this debuts so high, especially since this album was actually executively-produced by Dave, so given these guys’ track records together and alone, I did expect something great, and, well... okay, so instead of a drill beat as this pretty vocal sample would be fit for, as would the flows, we get a lightweight trap beat with odd vocal and bass mixing. Admittedly, the 808 slides here are pretty excellent, but that’s the only shred of intricacy I see here, which is usually commonplace in Dave’s production. There’s also simply not enough consistency or variety here to make it worth the four and a half minutes, with the chorus being awkward if anything. There’s less depth to the rags-to-riches stories here, with Fredo probably giving more commentary than Dave does, which seems odd but fitting for how checked-out Dave is here. There’s just a resounding lack of anything to this song other than a boring beat and performances that could be a lot sharper and interesting. Sure, Dave flexes his technical piano skill by the end but the beat had already run dry by about two extra minutes before that – this could have run through your second verse, Dave, or you could have added a bridge instead of repeating the chorus. I do like some of the lines here that are obviously more personal and introspective, like Fredo’s conflict with the justice system and Dave explaining how he got robbed when he was a child and to cope with the trauma of this, he started toting weapons. I guess the EastEnders reference is funny but it just reminds me of DigDat making a similar cocaine joke with arguably funnier source material on “Guten Tag”. Yeah, this could be a lot better but it’s not offensive and hey, it’s competent at least. I mean, it’s Dave, it won’t be anything less, just a tad disappointing. I mean, come on, “coochie freshly shaven, man’s got expectations”?

Conclusion

This week is so disproportionately male, huh? Ironically as I say that, none of the women represented here – in the form of soulless EDM production and boring guest feature – get Best of the Week, as that’s going to Fredo’s “Burner on Deck” featuring the late Pop Smoke and, yes, Young Adz, with an Honourable Mention to B Young of all people for “Ride for Me”. Worst of the Week will obviously go to Chip and Bugzy Malone for the pathetic “Grown Flex”, with a tied Dishonourable Mention this week going to both “Dancing on Ice” by Yxng Bane featuring Nafe Smallz (for being gross and offensive) and “Higher” by Clean Bandit featuring iann dior (for being remarkably inoffensive). Yeah, Brent Faiyaz and Tyler are safe there but that’s still a fascinatingly bad song, though I don’t think I’ll make any friends with that opinion. Anyway, here’s the top 10 for this week:

Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed and want more of my cacti-branded rambling, follow me on Twitter @cactusinthebank. I can’t make any predictions for next week that aren’t depressing, but we may have to discuss death and politics next episode if a certain song gets renewed traction. Happy times. See you next week!

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bellemareyouserious · 7 years

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Knock, knock

Knock, knock (Leon Draisaitl)

Description: Your roommate/best friend’s (Connor McDavid) teammates are usually so kind to you, most of them your friends. Except Leon. You had such a dislike for him, but you knew (and so did he) that he was gorgeous. One night, he walks in on you masturbating, and won’t leave it alone.

Warnings: Smutty smutty smut/cursing

Author’s Note: Okay, so here’s my first smut!! Please let me know if you like it, dislike it, what you want me to change etc. Give me feedback! Also I’m working on my Auston Matthews story right now. Keep an eye out for that ;)

It was about 5:00pm, and you knew you had time before your roommate came home. Your roommate was the “100 million dollar man,” AKA captain of the Edmonton Oilers, Connor McDavid. You had been friends with McD for a few years now, and he offered for you to move in with him so you could be at the apartment during the off season. You loved living with Connor, except when some of his obnoxious teammates came over. The most obnoxious of them all, though, had to be Leon Draisaitl. He always knew just how to get under your skin without even trying.

He was SO gorgeous, though. And he knew it. Every time he complimented you, even if it was all a joke to him, you would think about it for days. He loved making you blush just to prove he had an affect on you. 5:13, okay there’s still time. You had been frustrated for a while, having broke up with your ex about 4 months ago. You just recently bought your first vibrator, and it was your new. best. friend. Sometimes you would think about Leon while getting off, though you’d never admit that to anyone. Not even Connor.

Slowly pulsing, you put the vibrator just below your clit to tease yourself. You grabbed some lube off your nightstand, and put the vibrator slowly into yourself on the lowest power. Once it’s completely inside, you turn it up to the highest speed it has, and it has you panting and biting your lip in pleasure. You think to yourself, “no man could ever pleasure me like this.” Pictures of Leon pop up in your head, you think about those beautiful eyes, that scratchy scruff on his face, his long hair that you’d love to pull. God he’s hot. You start pumping in and out, getting closer and closer to your orgasm you so desperately needed. You feel your heart racing and your muscles clenching, letting out a long moan. That’s when you hear the door open and a wide-eyed Leon staring down at you.

“Jesus! Ever hear of knocking?!” you yelled out to him. His expression was a confusing mix of shocked, a smirk, and something else you couldn’t quite pick up. Turned on maybe? He manages a combination chuckle and cough and avoids your eyes at all costs. You swear you can see a blush creeping up on his face, too.

“Uhh, sorry, Connor and I are going to dinner with all the guys and he wanted to know if you wanted to come. Although I think you just did,” he smirked that cocky fucking smirk you loved and hated. You unconsciously pulled the blanket further up your body in embarrassment. You couldn’t believe he saw you this way. Especially since you were thinking of him the whole time you were fucking yourself.

“Give me 15, I’ll be ready,” you quietly say while getting up out of your bed. He just nodded, looked you up and down, and left the room without saying anything else. You really hoped he wasn’t going to tell the other guys on the team. Connor probably knows, he’s been your best friend for so long now. You throw on a casual dress and quickly put on eyeliner and mascara, not wanting to make the team wait for you. You walk out into the living room to see Leon and Connor whispering, and as soon as they saw you they stopped. Connor knew your feelings for Leon, you had such disdain for him but he was just SO attractive. And when he was being genuine, he was a really nice person. That usually only happened when he was drunk.

You met the team at a warm, casual restaurant and immediately ran to find Milan Lucic and give him a huge hug. He was your best friend on the team besides Connor. You whispered and told him you needed to tell him something, but it could wait for later. There were about 12 of you at a huge table and of course they sat you right under the vent. You were visibly shivering but you wouldn’t let anyone know you were cold (mostly because you wore a short dress and they’d make fun of you for it). Milan, sat a ways away from you, offered to switch seats with you and you gladly oblige. It isn’t until after you switched that you realized you were right across from Leon, who gives you that smirk as soon as you look at him. You quickly look down to the menu to avoid any more eye contact.

The evening goes on without incident, that is until conversation comes to you. You’re nervous about an interview you have next week, so you’ve been asking the guys for advice.

Milan pipes up and says, “Hey, why get a job when your bestie is a 100 million dollar man?” and winks at Connor who rolls his eyes. Some more of the guys give you praise and advice, while Leon is biting his lip.

“Hey, y/n, I’m really sending good vibes your way,” he laughs, satisfied with his own lame joke. He continues, “yeah, you know, you really have to do you, and find what makes you happy. Gives you a good amount of unimaginable bliss,” he stifles his laughter as he relentlessly teases you. Connor looks between the two of you and sighs.

“Leon, what the fuck are you laughing at? Are you drunk or something?” Connor always has your back when Leon is being a dick to you.

“Oh, nothing. I hope you get the job, y/n,” he sighs in content and looks at the ground. You have had enough so you excuse yourself to the bathroom. As soon as you reach for the door to the bathroom, you feel a hand grab your wrist. You whip around and find Leon staring down at you.

“What the fuck do you want now?” you spit at him, not wanting to hear any of his bullshit. He’s a dude, he probably jacks off like 10 times a day. Why does he find this so amusing?

“I want you. And I know you want me, too,” he adds with a wink. What did he mean by that? Did he know about your fantasies? Oh god, what if Connor told him every dirty thought you’ve ever had about him? And there were A LOT. He notices the confusion on your face and explains, “C’mon, y/n, I see the way you look at me. When you’re waiting for Connor in the locker room and you see me all sweaty, when I come over before games in my suit, jesus, even when I straight up saw you cumming you were attracted to me. And I bet you I’d be a hell of a lot better than that vibrator you were using,” he laughed the last part out, but you knew he was serious. You couldn’t think of anything to say but you know you needed to be just as cocky with him right back. You knew how to play this game he thinks he invented.

“Oh yeah? Do you have 10 speeds and pulsing patterns?” you barked at him. He started laughing-cackling almost.

He looked you up and down, came right up to your ear and whispered, “Do you want to find out, sweetheart?” in the sexiest voice you had ever heard. You felt a shiver quickly go down your spine as you bit your lip, and before you know it, he had you pinned up against the wall, kissing you mercilessly. His hands were at your waist, fingertips digging into the soft skin beneath your dress. His tongue begged to be licked by yours, trying to get a steady rhythm going. You could feel yourself getting wet, and just like that he pulled away from you. He bit his lip and smirked at you, your eyes speaking to words you didn’t have to say. “Make sure Connor stays with the guys, yeah?” he asked of you. You just quickly nodded your head as he went into the bathroom.

When you came back, a few of the guys were leaving, giving you hugs and saying their goodbyes. Connor quickly walked over to you, “y/n, are you okay? I’m gonna stay here with a few of the guys who are drinking, make sure they don’t get into trouble,” his face was filled with worry. This is why he’s your best friend.

“Yeah, I’m just not feeling well. Leon is going to take me home. Make sure Milan behaves for me?” you give him a small smile and he nods, hugging you and saying goodbye.

As soon as you get into Leon’s car, he pushes his hand up your thigh and starts rubbing circles into your skin. Your head leans back as a response and he giggles at you from the driver’s seat. He blasts some obscure rap music and continues teasing you until you get back to your apartment. His fingers roam until he reaches your clit, just brushing over it leaving you wanting so much more. It feels like the longest car ride of your life. You were soaked by the time you got home.

As soon as you’re in the door, he turns you around and pushes you up against the door. You stop his face when it’s a few inches away from yours, “You know I still kind of hate you, right?” He chuckles at your inopportune timing and just nods. He takes your hand and leads you to your bedroom before sitting you down gently.

“Take your dress off,” he instructs, his eyes going serious as they travel up and down the length of you. You want to say something witty but it seems like he’s not in the mood for jokes, only for you. You gulp and do as he says, removing your dress so that only your panties remain. He audibly gasps after seeing your bare chest for the first time. “So beautiful,” he whispers before laying your top half down on the sheets. He quickly climbed on top of you and took your nipple into his mouth gently, making you gasp loud. You can feel him smiling around you as he licks gently over your hard skin, making you moan in response. “That’s it baby, we need to make it loud, okay?” he breathed out. His lips started wandering up to your neck, biting you softly behind your ear making you shiver. He leaves sloppy kisses down your body until he gets to your panty line. He looks up for your approval and you nod furiously, making him laugh. He pulls your panties down painfully slow, making you impatient.

“Leon, can’t you go any faster?” you mutter at him.

“Yeah, I could, but what fun would that be?” He starts sucking on your thighs delicately, watching you wriggle around with want. He knows he has you wrapped around his finger, if only for tonight.

He finally kisses his way up your thigh to your throbbing clit. You’ve been thinking about this moment for so long.

Leon slowly kisses your clit with his lips, puckering so just the smallest amount of him is touching you. You’re already panting, hell you’re probably dripping wet for him right now. He finally puts the tip of his tongue onto your clit, wet and hot. He licks a stripe downwards towards your entrance, ever so slowly. Your hands entangle into that beautiful hair when suddenly he puts his entire tongue into you, making you moan louder than you expected. He continues his teasing before coming back up to your clit and licking it with the flat of his tongue, kitten licking it before sucking it into his mouth. He continues ravaging you with his mouth, his hand reaching up to caress your sides and ass. You can feel yourself getting closer and closer to your orgasm, so you pull him up by his chin, not wanting to cum until he’s inside you.

He stands up and kicks off his pants and boxers, letting you take his t-shirt off in the process. You take all of him in, rubbing his toned chest up to his cheeks to pull him in for a kiss. He lays you on your back as you reach for his hard cock, pumping it a few times and watching his eyes roll into the back of his head. “y/n…” he moans out, “I need to be inside you. Now.” He dips down and starts attacking your neck, leaving marks all over your tender skin. You reach into your side drawer for a condom and hand it to him. He rolls it onto his cock, you almost drool at the sight of his pink tip leaking with precum.

“Leon…” you breathe out, “I want you so bad,” it’s barely audible but he knows how much you want it. He aligns his tip to your entrance and starts pushing into you ever so slowly. You give him a nod of approval and he pushes in all the way, stretching you out in ways you’ve never experienced before and you let out a lengthy moan.

“Oh my god, y/n, how the fuck am I supposed to last long when you feel this good?” he moans out, causing you to clench down on him in response, eliciting another moan. He starts slowly pumping in and out of you, your thighs wrapped around his waist so tight you think you might crush him. He starts moving slightly faster, his face creasing in pleasure. You quickly roll him over so you’re on top and take control. You start riding him with your knees on either side of him, swinging your hair around, chest bouncing up and down with you. It took him by surprise but his moans reassured you just how good you were.

“Fuck,” he mumbled, rolling you back onto your back. “I’m the one who’s gonna be fucking you, okay?” as he said this, his hips smacked into as his cock went deeper inside you than you knew possible. He kept up a pace pushing in and out of you, making you cry out in pleasure. He started pumping faster while kissing your neck, lips, chest, anything he could get his mouth on. “Leon!” you screamed out, only making him push into you harder and faster than before, your headboard smacking the wall rhythmically. His cock felt so good inside you, going faster and faster when you started feeling your orgasm building.

Your muscles started clenching as you scraped your nails down Leon’s shoulders. “Baby, I’m gonna cum!” you yelled at him.

“Hold on, babe, hold it for me,” he breathed and sped up even more, causing your orgasm to hit you so hard you screamed out. “Leon! Oh my god!”

You felt him tense and moan out your name so loud as he collapsed on top of you. You pushed his hair out of his eyes and just whispered out a “wow,” at the same time he did.

“Still hate me?” he laughed as he pulled out of you.

“Definitely. Although you were better than my vibrator after all,” you winked at him.

You both heard a knock on the door and Connor calling out “You two are gross.”

You both laughed and cuddled the night away.

#leon draisaitl #edmonton oilers #nhl imagines #nhl smut #leon draisaitl smut #my first story!!#please please let me know what you think!

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