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storytimewithtibby · 18 days ago

Text

warnings: none I can think of, catwoman / riddler / scarecrow x gn!reader word count: 2742 work - continuation of this

a/n - surprising no one this got away from me. i will be finishing this up this evening but I want to get my philia of the day done first . smut later today for me

The chances of seeing most of what the Gotham Gossip had coined as the A List Rogue were slim but not impossible. They didn’t list the criteria, and some of those listed lower had kicked a fuss, but they really hadn’t been wrong. The bank, the dry cleaners, those were par for the course. Riding past two city blocks covered in ice when it was still summer? Unfortunate. Not unusual. Dandelions growing two stories high and teeth? Someone finally got caught for dumping waste where they shouldn’t.

But that was all outside a bus window, that was all the way out there while you were relatively safe and moving. Giving a brief look over the other passengers you didn’t see anyone who immediately screamed goon, or plant. Outside the actual plant, a small succulent on an old lady’s lap. So you were fairly confident that you were going to make it home with no further hiccups.

And you were kind of right, it wasn’t a hiccup. It was one of those nasty kind of diaphragm jerking, chest punching kind of things. It took you too long to realize that the bus hadn’t stopped in a while, and the street names were wrong. You knew this route better than the driver did, had to be a new guy because you hadn’t recognized him when you stepped on. But turn over in Gotham could be high, it didn’t necessarily mean anything.

Except it definitely did now.

Realizing the bus was crossing into the East End you tugged the cord to request a stop. Nothing wrong with this part of town but you lived a ten minute drive away, and if you had to walk you wanted to get started immediately. But it just kept on rolling, all the way to the docks. Odd, but not necessarily bad. Selina Kyle ran the East End and she didn’t do human trafficking.

“Thanks for the bus, Gus.’

Oh, that wasn’t good. You and the other passengers watched as a man in all green strolled onto the bus, a few of them groaning in dismay. You wanted to use the emergency exit damn the consequences. What had you done to the city to chase your blood like this? As he handed a phone to the man who’d been driving, you flicked your gaze to the back doors that were also open.

Maybe if you slid down in your seat and inch wormed you could make it out and start running. But even as you got half way through hyping yourself up to try for it, he locked eyes with you and shook his head. A grunt startled you, head turning to see a man slumped in his seat gun clattering to the floor.

A completely different set of green eyes met yours, and you kicked yourself for not noticing. If you made it out of this you were going to have a psych evaluation, watching the woman pull off the blonde wig and shaking loose the dark hair that had been secured underneath. You were too dumbstruck to do more than blink when she pinched your cheek and wrinkled her nose at you.

“Just play along, kitten, and you’ll be just fine.’

Say. Less.

Watching her walk to the front of the bus, you couldn’t help feeling confused when she tucked herself under The Riddler’s arm and slid something into his pocket. Okay so they’d gotten what they wanted, you were all going home now, right?

Wrong, Gus was no longer behind the wheel. And based on the other four conscious bodies none of them were good for it. To be fair it was gas pedal, brake pedal, turn the wheel. But the older lady looked about three minutes from something fatal, the two guys in button ups were staring at the floor holding their breath it looked like. Whoever the guy was behind you was unconscious, and the only other person who’d looked capable, was. She just happened to have shifted herself to the other side of the equation.

“Well that is unfortunate.’ Pulled from your musings, the Riddler was eyeing the empty driver seat. “I don’t suppose you know a guy, who knows a guy?’

“I’m sure one of my girls can drive it, wouldn’t be the first big ride they’ve boosted.’ She rolled her eyes when he lifted her hand to kiss her fingertips. “You still only have four hours, Eddie. Then it’s out of East End your way or mine.’

The moment she was out of sight, he flapped his hand mimicking talking as he rolled his eyes. He flinched hearing a tap on the window, offering a tight smile at the middle finger she showed him.

“Well you heard her.’ He skimmed over each face before pausing on yours then moving on. “One of her charming ladies will be along shortly to get you out of East End. After that you can find your own way home.’

Maybe Gotham didn’t hate you? Feeling a bit giddy at the idea that not only was this an easy in and out kind of hostage situation, but you’d probably get home well before midnight. Except Selina still hadn’t come back ten minutes later, The Riddler taking out a freaking palm pilot and a cord as he leaned against the glass divider for the driver. Who even knew what those were anymore?

The pile of clothes on the seat behind the driver seat shifted, and you felt guilty for not recognizing it as a homeless person. That was a real problem in most major cities, and Gotham was no better. You thought you were better than that, you tried to be better than that. Long limbs slowly stretched out before they rolled onto their feet. Really casual considering The Riddler was blocking the aisle, twining around the unmoving man.

“Y’ get it?’

No, no, no. There was no mistaking the drawl from the lean figure that attempted to peer over The Riddler’s shoulder. No mistaking who it was even without his own signature “look” to hide the semi familiar face. What a fucked up combination…

“Jesus Christ!’ He almost dropped the Best Buy bargain bin rejects he’d been balancing in his hands. “I’m putting a bell on both of you, that’s the fifth time today!’

“Can’t help it you’re skittish.’ Your nose itched, instantly suspicious, immediately concerned. “Shouldn’t’a been nosy. I told you not to go into the room for thirty minutes.’

“The kitchen, where the food is.’

“And the pots. Had to heat up something and a bit spilled into the water.’

He’d started walking down the aisle, pausing in front of the older lady who was staring up at him with an expression equal parts fascination and fear. The look on her face didn’t change as he walked away, but the moment his back was to her she started praying. The Riddler made a small disgusted noise before connecting the cord to each piece.

Whether it was for the flippant rebuttal, or the woman’s praying, you wished he’d kept Dr. Crane’s attention at the front. A soft groan from the seat behind made you tense, the long fingers that had been reaching out for one of the guys’ chins freezing. No, no, no, making eye contact over the frames of his glasses and tried to figure out how to react.

“Leave them alone, Jon. You know how she gets when you start parceling out your snake oil on her “turf”.’

Feeling very much a bird in grass that wasn’t tall enough for your liking, you watched him straighten and his attention shift. Not enough warning to do anything as an arm wrapped around your neck and dragged you over the back of your seat. Legs flailing, you didn’t notice the knife resting under your jaw until your ankles hit the floor of the bus with a jarring thump.

Hands locked around the poles on either side of the aisle, Dr. Crane smiled at the man holding you, slowly leaning forward. The Riddler barely glanced up, holding the small device he’d gotten from Selina between his pinky and ring finger while he balanced the pilot on his palm. The stylus’ clicks were audible, and you wondered if he had to replace the screen often.

“What’s the plan, boy?’ His head jerked back in The Riddler’s direction. “You think either of us give a damn about that city slicker?’

Offensive. Was it the suit? You had to wear it for work, you only had two, surely that didn’t count. The edge of the knife scraped over skin, and you felt the rasp like it had fingers that touched places it shouldn’t. Thankfully both men ignored the whimper that escaped you, though you knew Dr. Crane had heard it. His fingers wrung the poles he was half hanging from, eyeing the courier behind you with mocking amusement.

“No. But the Bat will.’

At the doctor’s slow blink, not impressed by the logic presented, the knife pressed harder. And you couldn’t help sinking your teeth into your lower lip, closing your eyes and counting to ten. Then twenty. When you opened them again the doctor was staring, and you had the oddest feeling that he knew too. It was the same certainty that had struck you earlier when the Joker had let you go.

You could feel the trickle of blood over your collarbone, coaxing a similar fizzle of heat that you could feel trickling down your body to settle low in your gut. And it must have been clear to Dr. Crane because there was a slow realization on his face that the courier mistook for a small victory of his own. He was wrong, any interest Dr. Crane may have had in the conversation had been derailed. Which was a terrifying thought, one that should have been a splash of cold water to your face.

It wasn’t.

“That’s right, doc. I kill ‘em and with your fingerprints everywhere, his too, he’ll assume you twose were behind it.’

Being saved was no longer a priority, because it meant that you’d be here on this bus with Dr. Crane who was looking at you like a present he was excited to tear open. You did not want to be Christmas come early, hearing the squeal of skin on metal as he twisted his hands to straighten again. And you really didn’t want him to announce his conclusions, seeing the smirk on his lips as his fingers skimmed down the poles before dropping at his sides.

“Long as the poor lamb isn’t gagged on toxin he’ll know it’s not me. I don’t waste my time on picking people apart without it.’ He shrugged, your breath caught in your throat as the knife pressed a little deeper, widening the small cut. “But you know Selina doesn’t like cops sniffin’ ‘round East End, they’re real hard on her girls.’

You were hard, and aching, and at the angle Dr. Crane was standing; it wasn't hard to notice the clear evidence. With the way the courier was hunched over to use you as a shield, his knees pressed against your lower back, forcing you into an awkward arch. Nothing you could do would make it less obvious, anything you tried would only make it worse.

“Should have just been happy you were able to end the night alive.’

That was a threat, and even if it wasn't aimed at you, the jagged croon had to crawl over you to get to the man behind you. And it left little pinpricks of heat that coaxed another low sound from you. This time The Riddler noticed, pulled from his work and letting out a low noise of exasperation. Your body jolted, your brain struggling to catch up on events.

A tendril of smoke danced at the end of the muzzle, ears ringing as The Riddler stared at the scene he’d so abruptly ended. There was a fuzziness to his look like he was recalibrating, hell all of you were. Who shot off a gun in an enclosed space? Rubbing at his ear, gun awkwardly nudging the brim of his hat, The Riddler didn’t even attempt to stop the other three people on the bus.

Scrambling to get away from the body, not a courier any more unless it was bad news for the Devil, your desperate crawl came to an abrupt stop in front of pointy shoes. Head lifting, you almost threw yourself backwards at how close his face was to yours. With a bit of distance you could see that he’d bent over at the waist, his head tilting to follow you as he slowly straightened.

“Are we keeping this one?’ He asked, and you really wanted to shake your head, caught by his gaze that pinned you over the golden edge of his glass’ frames. “Might need a hostage now there’s a dead man.’

“What’s that?’

You wanted to look away but there was the concern that if you did he’d move closer, like some demented game of red light green light. The way his gaze kept looking you over briefly before moving back to eye holding was unsettling.

“Breathin’s a bit ragged, pupils dilated, and if that lower lip sees any more action it’ll get gnawed right through.’

You immediately stopped, and realized it didn’t matter if you did or not, a low considering hum escaping him. There had to be a more precarious position than the interest of Dr. Crane, but you couldn’t think of one off the top of your head. The Riddler sighed and moved closer, eyeing you over his shoulder with a flicker of recognition you didn’t like either.

“Must you always play with your food?’ He muttered, though he didn’t look as irritated as he should have been given his tone. “Either eat it or leave it alone.’

“That’s the problem, it wants eatin’.’

The slow smile that curled his lips did not put you at ease, bedside manner one out of five stars, will write scathing review. A part of you was waiting for the jumpscare, for Dr. Crane to just move inhumanly fast and disjointed. A vibe sure, but not one you were down for. But it was the long, intense staring that kept going as you waited for them to decide something.

“That’s all I get? You aren’t going to illuminate me, go on and on about the psychology of it all?’

He moved around Dr. Crane, putting away the device as it chirrupped. It was rude not to look at the person closest to you, etiquette and all that, but you still couldn’t manage it. A gloved fingertip rested under your chin, and your head turned though your eyes didn’t move. He didn’t like that, taking hold of your chin in a hard pinch and giving your head a rough shake until you looked at his face.

If he moved you were going to lose it.

“Do you think this is an explicit candy gram situation?’ He asked, voice all conversational and mild. “Because you’re right, they look like they’re a bit pent up. … Wait, how’d you recognize it?’

“Autassassinophilia.’

“I beg your pardon?’

He was closer, crouched near your feet, long torso slowly moving closer as he braced his weight on a hand that felt too close to your hip. Or not close enough, he could be gripping it. The Riddler gave a dry chuckle when you inhaled sharply, your back hitting his knee making you jump. Not good, hadn’t noticed his shifting to make room for Dr. Crane. Who definitely didn’t need any further room.

“Know your enemy.’ You were confused for a moment, you worked for a bank. Not exactly masterminds either. “Nothin’ more irritating than trying to drive someone mad with fear and they get distracted by the drive to fuck the feelin’ away.’

“Touche.’

“What are you two doing?’

There was no evidence that she would save you. As a matter of fact it really seemed to be the direction the wind was blowing that hour that decided if she wanted to be altruistic. Considering the fact that she perched her hip on The Riddler’s shoulder, the arms loosely crossed over her middle leaving view as she bent over. Eyes averting, but that left you staring into Dr. Crane’s lenses as his head tilted and he smiled.

“I think your kitten wants to be eaten, Ms. Kyle.’

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the-knight-of-the-stars · 8 months ago

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Soon the world will be ours

Fictober Trope: Uma/Jay — I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston —Urban Fantasy AU

Part I: What me, a traitor?

School nights were always strange. No matter how mundane, there was always a strange, volatile feeling floating between the traffic noises, the barking of the dogs and the chirping of cicadas. As if such a moment had magical properties of its own. A particularly crude kind of magic, with the smell of car oil and old paint peeling from the humidity.

Uma was sure that in a small, remote town like this, the feeling was due to abandonment. It slowly took over the houses and the people, and left a vague premonitory feeling that one day no one would remember this place, it would remain as nothing more than a ghost in their memory.

On a Friday like this, six thirty in the afternoon, trying to understand the complicated words in her textbook, the orange sun of the sunset beating down on her face, Uma feeling the proximity of the night tickling the back of her neck. A Friday like all the Fridays in the world, all coexisting at that very moment.

“Due to the multi-diverse nature of a supercomposite spell, all original components must be taken into account both individually and collectively, and how each set interacts with its components to create a new product.”

Instead of concentrating on the assignment, Uma often found herself wandering about the complicated nature of these texts, wondering how the people who wrote them had learned all that and then decided that redundant words and confusing phrasing were the correct way to convey the information.

Uma threw her book into her backpack and peered through the cracks in the blinds. The sun had set, and Uma felt a surge of voltage zip through her chest. In the dim light of her room, the posters of horror movies and pop band albums were distorted by the dim light, shifting watercolor shadows. Uma threw her jacket over her shoulders and bounded down the stairs.

“Uma! You better not run out like that tomorrow, I told you I need you to take the night shift,” the voice of her mother, Ursula, came from the cracked pool in the backyard where she spent her afternoons in her octopus form, trying to reach the sensation of the waves in that lime-smelling water.

Uma opened the front door with more force than necessary, making noise so her mother would know she had heard her.

“And those dishes ain’t gonna wash themselves!”

Share my life Take me for what I am 'Cause I'll never change All my colors for you

The entire galaxy spilled out into the sky. Uma tried to mentally name every color in the night sky as she sped along on her bike, dodging potholes as the wind whispered the neighborhood gossip into her ear.

Turquoise, purple, royal blue. Flush! The clouds seemed to melt between the stars like colorful cotton candy. Tina still hasn't picked up the laundry from the dry cleaner. Ahead were the downtown stores with their buzzing signs and the apartment buildings lighting up window by window. Pastel pink, mint green, scarlet red. Johnny wants to quit his job.

The familiarity of the city squeezed her heart like one of her mother’s hugs. Invasive, uncomfortable, deeply comforting. She wanted to pull away immediately and reject the warmth, but it was too comfortable, too sweet in all its suffocating nature.

A Friday like every other Friday. The buildings were grey, their windows emanating the warm amber of the interior. The shops were colorful and children with sticky hands escaped from their mothers to peer into the shop windows. New televisions were displayed next to outdated models of never-sold vacuum cleaners.

On the avenue, middle-class kids passed by, crowding around Anthony Tremaine's yellow convertible. The extra-large horns blared and made everything jump. The old man from the butcher shop came out in a huff, shouted a spell in Latin at them, and the yellow car swayed as if a giant hand had shaken it.

Uma turned into an alley between buildings and braked. The metal door, hidden between the trash cans, was closed, so she knocked into it hard. Desirée opened it, a scarf in her hair and a tray under her arm.

"It’s rush hour. You’ll have to take the service stairs, boss,” she said.

Inside, steam from the stove made the waiters sweat and grease from the fryer stuck to the walls. Uma crossed the kitchen and ran upstairs, where the noise from the cafeteria grew old and distant.

Harry had his head buried in wires, a pen behind each ear. He reached for the screwdriver and scratched his head, trying to remember which wires to save first if the circuits had been compromised. The constant beeping of the power center was starting to drive him mad.

“Shut. Up! ”

“Harry!”

He jumped up, inadvertently dropping pens, paper notes, wires, and tools onto the floor. A screw rolled to Uma's feet. She closed the door and picked it up. She had already put her gloves on, Harry noticed.

Take my love I'll never ask for too much Just all that you are And everything that you do

“Missing me?”

“Uma,” he said, his crooked grin reaching down to his pointed, dented ears. “What are you, an evil elf?” Uma had said to him the first time they’d met. “No, sadly,” Harry had replied. “I’m only human.”

Still, Uma was sure there was some spooky mysticism to him. She liked that.

“Are we all set?”

“I don't do tools work, and they left me alone,” Harry replied, emerging from the nest of cables he had found himself in, grumbling.

“ Chill. Gil is on his way.”

“It’s been unbearable,” Harry continued, shaking his head.

Uma dropped into the swivel chair in front of the main panel and looked at the screens that filled the wall and illuminated that room of sad objects and forgotten dreams. Shadows of boxes looming between the computers. One, two, three screens out of service. That left them with two channels unreachable.

But at least four monitors were transmitting the desired images. Live television projecting its greenish light dots across the thick screen. Romance movies, animal life documentaries, a report on the governor of Camelot. The usual for Auradon's open television.

She smiled as she identified the target for the evening. Auradon TV, the only channel that all televisions on the Island tuned into. The only one the Isle's population could access without hacking and piracy. They were now broadcasting their usual afternoon gossip show, recounting all the drama between Princess Melody and the outdated dress she had worn to the most recent ball.

Adam kept saying the reason no other channels reached the Isle was an inescapable peculiarity of the air around that zone. They would fix it, eventually, even if they haven’t been able in more than ten years. Now Uma knows for sure it is a lie.

How perfectly convenient. The population he wants more eagerly to keep isolated stays in the dark, unable to learn anything about the outside world. The only window to the rest of Auradon being the mindless, carefully constructed view they want them to have of them. Another gear on his propaganda machine.

But if Adam won't give them more windows, Uma will poke as many wholes as necessary.

“How long until the transmission loads?”

“I'm not sure, love. If Gil were here…”

“Relax, Harry,” she said, and was surprised by her own optimistic tone. “We can wait for him.”

She sat back on the chair, caressing the surface of the keyboard. Any of the channels Gil had gained access to would do. They were all knowledge, and it was their mission to give it back to the villain children, piece by piece.

I don't really need to look Very much further I don't wanna have to go Where you don't follow

Harry scooted his chair over to Uma’s and dropped his head into her lap. “We make a mess tonight, darling.”

Uma pressed her forehead to Harry's. His skin was dry and cold, contrary to her, cheeks flushed and hair warm from the last sunset rays. His hair still smelled like the damp, dense air of the lagoon. Through it, Uma could picture his father's boat; heavy, worn out fiberglass, rocking in the clogged murky waters, the bitter smell of alcohol and resentment of its walls.

“You bet we do.”

She pulled away, and with her finger traced a sigil over his face, his chin, his nose, his forehead. For a second it sparkled, like miniature fireworks between them.

“What was that for?”

“Protection,” Uma said. “There's been more vandalizing lately, I don't want you to get cursed.”

It was almost true—Hook's ship was already covered in sigil graffiti everywhere—but if she's being honest, Uma hoped the sigil would also scare away the deadly melancholy that plagues his father.

Harry stayed still, staring at her.

“What?”

Harry smiled. “Your face… it shimmers.”

“You pick today's program,” Uma answered, rolling her eyes.

Harry’s eyes glowed and widened like a cat’s. The greenish lights of the monitor loomed over him, accentuating the shadows of his smile. “A horror movie!”

“Perfect,” Uma said, letting out the shadow of a laugh. “Just in time for Halloween.”

The door busted open. Gil walked in with an electrifying grin and pounced on the available chair, sliding over to where they were. His hands and face were covered in car grease, his faded Sherwood Forest Falcons shirt permeated with the smell of gasoline.

“You guys are not gonna believe who I just saw outside!”

“You were supposed to be here hours ago!” Harry exclaimed, getting up and gesticulating toward the screen.

Gil's smile seemed nailed to his skin with how stretched and immovable it was. Harry's words flew over him.

“Carlos de Vil!”

Harry's eyes went white in an expression that was half nervous twitch, half sneer. Uma just stared, very still.

“Really?” she said.

“He was just walking with Professor Yen Sid on the street! I told Jonas to follow him, we should kidnap him!”

That caught Harry's attention more. He smiled and shook Gils' shoulders, excitement growing on his chest.

“Aye, that's a great idea! We could broadcast him to Auradon and scare the whole bloody kingdom off their skin…”

The tinge of anger in his voice lit a spark in his eyes, and he stood up straight, triumphant in a sort of superhero pose. Uma could feel all his illusions, flying around in a whirlwind inside his head.

“We could…” Uma whispered, tapping on the arm of the chair.

But something worried her. Her eyes narrowed in thought. Carlos de Vil. Yen Sid. They hadn't heard anything about it, neither on the news channels nor on the gossip channels. Why would he come back?

Carlos had his precious passport, a scholarship at Auradon Prep, and a life that had been as far removed from the Island as humanly possible. The mother he left behind has long since sunk under the weight of her own bitterness. The town had forgotten her, along with the ramshackle house with rusty hinges and rotten wood that the blizzards tear apart little by little, and where Cruella remained as if the house had become part of her.

There's nothing left for Carlos here. Nor for any of them.

“He didn't come alone, did he?” Uma said, unable to stop the anger seeping into her voice. “They must have come with him.”

As if responding to that omen, the small transmitter hanging around Harry's neck began to make noise.

“… oss I… th …” a voice started to come through the wall of static, and Harry ripped it off to move the antenna.

“First Mate here, over.”

The static answered her, ominous in the deathly silence their nervousness had created. Uma held her breath until they heard the click on the other end.

“… nas here… er you, over.”

Jonas's voice was much clearer now, and Uma immediately noticed that he was whispering. Like he was hidden.

“Captain…” Jonas said, breathing slowly over the radio. “Just spotted Jay in a bar…”

I won't hold it back again This passion inside Can't run from myself There's nowhere to hide

Her heart dried up and tightened like a raisin. It felt stupid, to care so much. Gil and Harry's faces told her everything, trying to hide the disappointment they still felt like a sore that never fully healed.

The veil of years and forgotten dreams passed before her eyes like the halo of a ghost. A sentimentality that she felt ashamed of still treasuring, in the memory of eyes and a laugh and a voice that were no longer there. He might as well be dead, with how much his absence had penetrated.

And it was strange, how far away it felt. Uma remembered the greenish light of the store filtering in distorted halos through the fish tanks. The shadows of Christmas lights that were never taken down, gathering dust between the old cat cages. The glitter-covered plastic floor and the ghostly sight of the life-size cardboard cutout of King Adam by the cash register.

She remembered arriving with nervous aggression, squeezing his house keys in her hand until they made indentations on the palm. He saw her first, through a space between the fish tanks. He was smiling when Uma looked at him.

“You have my mother’s eels,” she had said coldly, without any pretense of formality.

It had taken Jay a few seconds to react, staring into her eyes.

“Hey, the name's Jay.”

He was leaning against a shelf of fish food, a half-smile slightly crooked by a fresh cut in the middle of his lip. He was all ragged baggy jeans and frizzy strands of hair over small, mischievous eyes.

“Don't worry, I'm a great eel dad,” he said, raising an eyebrow with that ridiculous, charming smile.

He spent the afternoon in the back room of the pet shop convincing her that the eels were safe with him and was not intimidated by her stoicism. He was energetic, daring and shameless.

“You could say we have an electric bond; do you feel me?”

The first thing Uma thought of him was that he had a stupid laugh, muffled by a teenage cough and infinitely confident. The second thing was that Jay gave off the same chaotic air as Harry. A strange aggression barely contained in the tension of his muscular arms. Jay handed her a handful of powdered eel food for the two of them to throw into the fish tank. Lagan and Derelict put their snouts to the glass as soon as Jay approached them.

“Check it out, they love me already,” he said, genuinely excited. “You see, I happen to be a professional heartbreaker.”

He gave Uma a wink, and she allowed the shadow of a smile to pull from her lips.

Uma is still not sure why she came back many times after and sat on the plastic box next to the empty cages that smelled of wet dog, feeding the eels while Jay flirted tirelessly until the heat of the evening steamed the puddles on the floor and the place became stifling.

Harry's initial jealousy only exacerbated Jay's brazenness. He waited for her outside school, biting his lip, anxiously awaiting the moment when he could jump into a spot next to them on the sidewalk and steal some attention.

“What a coincidence to see you here, must be fate.”

“Hey, gorgeous, I thought I could come by and bring you this super cool ring I found, you know, it just reminded me of you.”

“If I ever find that damn lamp, I'm going to wish to be the earth you step on, sweetheart.”

They never knew when the distrust faded. Harry began to let go of the initial bitterness through the fake fights he had with him, in which Jay was unable to take anything seriously and Harry took everything with great personal seriousness. Punches turned into laughter and accidental enthusiasm for the same things.

In no time Harry was all over Jay. Hugs that from the outside looked a little too restraining, hands casually resting around his neck. Always with his hands on him. Invasive affection still tinted in aggression, but unmistakably friendly.

Gil was charmed from the start. He would laugh at Jay's bad jokes and give him a pat on the back that took all the air out of him, until they were both pushing each other.

“Bro, you should do parkour with me!”

It was a terrible idea. But Uma had never seen Gil so excited, even when he fell off roofs and slipped off walls a hundred times. Afterwards, they sat in the park with its rickety swings and yellow grass, their faces covered in bruises, sharing a comically large bag of cheap snacks that tasted like cardboard Jay had stolen from Facilier's store.

Don't make me close one more door I don't wanna hurt anymore

Jay fit in with them like a piece they didn't know was missing, slipping slowly through the cracks until he penetrated their barriers. Suddenly, he was there. Another body to hug, another loud voice, another name ever present in the back of their minds. His aggressive energy matched their own, growing and boiling until they were drunk in it.

Professional thieves wrecking everything on their path. Jay, enthusiastic show off and seasoned kleptomaniac, would get them in trouble constantly, getting too comfortable in his craft and stopping mid-chase to collect anything shiny he thought Uma would like. But he would always come through; he was good at it, terribly, stupidly good. It seemed there was nothing he couldn't get away with.

It's probably one of the first things that caught Mal's eye (another ghost from Uma's past, another rip in her heart), and made her want him in her gang again, like when they were little kids. Uma never thought he would take up her offer.

That's how secure their wrap felt. Living in a haze of blood and party and recklessness that for some inexplainable reason was the safest place they knew.

An irrational, resentful part of her thought she should have known. After all, Jay was raised to be a snake.

But it is hard to reconcile it. For a second, their lives had felt tethered forever, and maybe they still were. With how much his ghost still lingered, despite their best efforts to ignore it.

Stay in my arms if you dare Or must I imagine you there

There is something unforgettable in the way Jay looked at her. Like all misery was worth looking into her eyes. Uma was made of rough edges, a bellicosity deep in her bones that made her hungry for power. Back then, Uma couldn't understand the depts of that anger that threatened to break her apart.

But Jay had. He pushed back her, dug right into her spikes and revealed in her darkness, seeing through her and wanting her with every fiber of his being.

“I know you love me, babe,” he would say, getting his face too close to her and laughing ecstatically when she grabbed his chin in an iron grip.

Uma didn't want to think about how much she had liked it. That pull and back that turned into attachment that turned into yearning. Uma doesn't know when it is she let Jay invade her every breath. Her mother's indifference, the phantom of the family's greatness, the wound of having been born helpless; it all disappeared under his touch. And for Jay, she made the devastating anger and the parasitic loyalty to Jafar and the helpless prospect of the future all turned little.

This youthful, blurring love affair was all that existed. Uma still has his adoration burned into her mind. Carnal, careful touches over the stiff sheets of her bed, her lava lamp barely breaking through the hazy darkness of that night, starts and ashes of magic floating all around them. Reverence glimmering in Jay's eyes, amid this suffocating intimacy, kissing her neck and stroking down her legs and whispering, “Uma… Uma… Uma.”

Like he needed to summon her at every second. Like her presence was as fleeting as a sea wave, and Jay would cling to her, desperate to inhale her for as long as she would have him.

Harry could never forgive him for hurting her. For not answering Gil's calls. For leaving them. Like her, Harry still has Jay's kiss tattooed on his skin.

This hatred and hurt that now blinded them, as the static on the radio kept buzzing, a blur of past present and future liquefying on the blinding blue glow of the screens, it could only come from something just as strong. And maybe that was the worst part of it all:

It had been real.

And he still had left.

“Jonas,” Uma said, voice firm as iron. “Size the little birdy; he has a show to perform.”

Don't walk away from me I have nothing, nothing, nothing If I don't have you, you, you, you, you, you

***

This is strange, right? I'm still trying to strech my abilities after a long health issue that prevented me from writting, but I liked this.

Okey, hi, thanks for reading. This was one several drafts I left abandoned last year when I was trying once again to do fictober (that is clearly not for me) but I thought this October I would try to come back to them. Basically I put spotify to reproduce songs from my playlist on a random order and the first four would be paired with whatever character/ship I thought of first.

Some really unique ideas came from that, such as this one. The flavor of the song inspired me to make an urban fantasy amd I tried to give it a kind of an 80s coming of age romance feel.

This has two other parts planned, exploring more of Mal and Jay's perspective. Tell me if you would like to see those and the other songfics I had, and what you think of this weird little thing I made.

#disney descendants #descendants #descendants disney #uma descendants #uma daughter of ursula #jay son of jafar #harry hook #uma/jay #jay/uma #juma #huma #fictober

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sparkarrestor · 1 year ago

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Tied Up!

Written By: SparkArrester

With thanks to @lswro2-222 and @kujakisser for some good ol' inspiration.

Toad the Brake-van is a well known sight along the Little Western. He's probably the best at keeping the trucks in line. Despite this, he’s seen by most non-railway folk as “Just another wagon”, though he doesn’t mind one bit.

One day, however, Donald clanked into the Top Station of the Little Western, where he saw the most peculiar sight!

“Lor Sakes Laddie!” He exclaimed.

Toad was sitting in a siding, wearing, under his chin, a sleek black bowtie!

“Hello Mista Donald! How do you like my new look?”

“It looks great on ye! But where on earth did ye find it? In that size nonetheless?”

Just then, Oliver pulled up with some empty wagons.

“The Fat Controller sourced some!” He answered, “Great Western originals too! We ‘ave a whole box of these things in the shed!”

“Great Western Originals?”

“Yes Mister Donald! We used to have these back on the Great Western. Coal Trucks and Goods Vans were expected to be dirty, but everything else, including us Brake-Vans, had to look as put together and high class as possible! This was management's way of making us look the part!”

“Then why didn’t ye have one when ye first came ‘ere?”

Toad sighed, “When BR took over, they got rid of them. They said it was an unneeded expense…”

“Aye, that’s just like yon snakes, draining the soul oot the railways. Well, I’m glad tah see ye got yours back. Really fits ye!”

Douglas wasn’t the only one who thought so! The summer season brought many tourists and holidaymakers to the railway, and they all took notice! Even passengers who usually took no notice of Toad raised their heads as he passed by. Toad had many different bow-ties in many different colors, and each day he wore a different one. The tourists certainly ate it up, and fellow engines complimented Toad on them. Well, all but one…

“Gawd he looks adorable!” Exclaimed a tourist in a thick accent as Toad passed by the Big Station, trailing after Douglas and his ballast hoppers.

“I say!” grunted Gordon, “Little Toad is making quite the impression!”

“I can see that…” growled James, trying and failing to sound calm.

“You aren’t jealous, are you, James?”

“Me, jealous of a filthy brake-van? Pah!”

And without another word, he snorted off.

But he was jealous, and, failing to hide it, he made his grievances known at the sheds that night.

“I take great pains in keeping my resplendent paintwork spotless!” He proclaimed, ignoring the dirty looks he got from the cleaners, “But no, they all take to some filthy brake-van with second rate accessories! Honestly, the nerve!”

“The nerve indeed…” Yawned Emily, “Now quiet you, I’ve got an early train tomorrow…”

And that was that.

James was still making a fuss the next morning.

“They want accessories?”, he ranted, “I’ll show them accessories! I’ll accessorize so much they can’t take their eyes off me!”

But by doing that, he took his eyes off of one very important thing: watching where he was going.

“Horrors!” He cried, as he slammed into a goods van. It’s contents flew out and landed all over James. As he opened his eyes, he gaped. He had crashed into a van full of clothing. Blazers, Jackets, Dress pants, and cufflinks covered him from chimney to wheels. But that wasn’t all! Tied around his lamp irons were bow-ties of every shape and color. James was about to lose it when laughter erupted on his left. He had crashed next to the station, and the passengers (and engines too!) all took proper notice of him now!

“Well!”, said Toad, who heard on the grapevine about James’ behavior, “Now that’s what you call accessorizing!”

#spark writes #ttte #ttte fic #ttte toad #ttte james #general rws stuff #bow tie supremacy

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wellworth · 2 years ago

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Revitalize Your Leather with Well Worth Products' Leather Cleaner and Conditioner

Well Worth Products is synonymous with superior leather care, and our Leather Cleaner and Conditioner combo is no exception. Say goodbye to dull and cracked leather; say hello to timeless elegance and durability.

#car care products #car care components #car maintenance products #best car cleaning kits #car care supplies #auto care supplies #acid free wheel and paint cleaner #automotive brake parts cleaner #wheel cleaners #automotive paint cleaner

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etherealcauldronseer · 16 days ago

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ok so i need help like serious help. so im that girl who made that post how to know if im being groomed anyway things have escalated big time. so i want to know if his gonna hit and dip (witch i want since ima be 18 dont wanna be locked down or if his gonna get worse)

so ik im stupid and still had contact but we work together so its not just gonna go away anyways im young his in his late 30s wont tell me his exact age. but anyway ill be legal in a few months he is aware of this anyways.

so when we first interacted he commented on “lift this i wanna see if you can handle it” so i did then he said “make sure you squat” witch i was already doing but then he says “good you got the form down” so then the second time we had a actual interaction he asks if im in school, my work schedule, then a compliment.

so anyways we had some eye flirting then he started complimenting me saying i should stop smoking etc. then he asked when i started i said 14 he said your trouble.

anyways a few days later asks if im married or have a boyfriend im like nope his like why not and i said idi geuss they dont like me then he said thats a lie and you know it. then he asks what vape i have and i showed him then he shows me his saying he started yesterday.

then asked for my snap i give it.

so then it started off normal. then he started asking to see me without makeup claiming bcs the lashes and eyeliner make ppl look so different so i showed him with LESS makeup not none. anyway then it was kinda basic stuff then we moved to snapping and it was kinda how was your day etc and i feel like this is a important part to say but he was telling me how he was cleaning then made a joke about coming over and helping him and i was being dumb and said im a excellent cleaner i will then he asked can i cook to.

anyway basic stuff then it got sexual but normal then sexual at the same time kinda. so anyway same day we were snapping then he asks to see my room and im like why and he said to see if im organized.

anyways a few days later i unadded him bcs he left me on delivered a little long and i fell asleep the next morning he sent a chat saying “un?” and texted back saying “wrong person sorry” and added him back (im a idiot ik) anyways he didn’t respond for two days then i saw him at work and confronted him about it kinda. i was like sorry it was a accident and he was like sure sarcastically and then i said it was and he was like its ok were still friends so i said you gonna add me back and he said no with a smile and slowly so i said why not with a head tilt and he said ill think about it so i backed off a little saying ok then he said ill consider it. anyway that night he adds me back and i dont acknowledge it just posted to my story and then a few days later i sent a regular snap and he snapped back so weve been doing dry snaps rn.

then anyway the other day the morning i didn’t really do much but then we botg were in a posting where we had to cross positions and he stopped smile i smiled then said go and he did so that evening when we saw eachother and he was professional at first then it got wierd.

then that evening i was alone pretty much ans it started OK SO ITS A LOT but anyways i went on my break after the cold behaviour and i assumed hed be gone! by the time i got back so anyways i go to the office my co workers there so anyways shes on the phone ans he walks in! and says come with me and im like wtf so i follow him and his leading me to the back dock doors opens the door then shuts it so its just us alone anyway he says i need help with my truck and im like oh i thought i was in trouble and he says you are in trouble for a lot of things and i was like whatt then he says get in there and its the drivers seat so i jump up his close as i do ans his like ok push down on the brake pedal so i do then he comes back is reaching over me touching my leg talking balh blah about cars ans i start shaking cant stop so he walks over and is like why are you shaking and im like fuck off and he laughs jumps up and is like leaning so im like backed into this spot and then he says ok good so i jump out his right in my soace as i do and his like thank you i gotta teatch you how to drive then he turns around fast and like walks fast toward me a couple steps all big and i backed away a couple steps bcs it spooked me then he just stopped and went back to normal anyway we go back in and im with my co worker again and shes explaining a bunch of shit with me ans then we walk to the doors (because one truck was late) so shes asking wben its gonna be here and his like dw ill help her ans tben after shes like he musy like you his nixe to you he wasnt with me while laughing ans im just chucklinh a long then

then he asks for my help with the break pedal AGAIN so were in that situation again and his doing the same shit then wben i get down his all close his arm brushes my boob etc then my coworker leaves ans its me and him and his outside fixing the truck then he comes in is like help me and so i help him carry some stuff inside to the office and then he gets me to sit down on a chair while his putting stuff away is trying to get me to learn how to read a car manual confusing 😭 ans then for like 20 minutes im sitting there hi standing there talking blah blah blah it was def to just keep me there

then anyway we walk further back to the department and his like asking questions about the inside part of the job how to print shit and things so anyway his like go get your device and im like i put it away you get it and he says go get it firmly idk why but i was like fine kinda attitude but went and got it anyways im “showing” him im like why do u need this ans his like incase one day i need to help u guys out but knowing how to print is nothing 😭 anyway he grabs the temp gun and is like lets take your temperature and dose my head tben moves it down to my boobs ans is like its hotter there then i think he was gonna do my downstairs but baild out 😭 then he had me like waiting 30 mins past my shift is done waiting for this delivery driver giving excuse oh ill take the load or lets give him five minutes then he gets me outside again with the delivery to wait for him so then were outside alone door shut and his talking about my nails then how he gives ppl shit then jokes about his his my boss and i said your not my boss and he said yes i am then we were talking about that time when he dominated my supervisor i said it was kinda funny how he cowered to you and he was eating that up and his just talking about how he fires ppl and his the boss etc then how the other drivers are intimidated by my supervisor but not him and he gives ppl shit witch shouldnt be attractive but it was im sorry 😭 anyways i was like your scary when u get mad and shit and i now realize he did dominate me i challenged him a little but its whatever

thats not even full detail or all of it

and my mom and nona are like thinking he wants more than a hookup and think he is gonna try and move me in because he knows i wanna move out at 18 and he said better start saving then but that was when we first started talking.

anyway i need advice if im being groomed or its just a hit and dip witch is what i want thats what i assumed going into this but now im confused. so thoughts?

#tw grooming #addvice #vent #older male #older guys #older man younger girl #help

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justicepuppet · 1 month ago

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He had spotted the motorcycle at an auto-shop that he was mostly positive was a cover for a chop-shop; Akechi had gone here a few times before to meet up with the Cleaner Shido worked with, which meant there was a connection to some other organizations he was better off avoiding. And he would, except for a sudden impulse he found he didn't wake to shake off. He was eighteen, he had a license (not for a motorcycle but he could worry about that later), and he wanted - needed - something to pick at.

Sojiro had been less than pleased when the damaged bike had been delivered into the back-alley behind the cafe. Something about it being bad for business, though he couldn't really explain why since it wasn't going to be where any customer could see it. That didn't stop him from staring at the machine with an expression of worry and resignation. Disapproval too, likely.

"... just don't get yourself killed."

-- worry hadn't been in his bingo sheet.

It had been dropped off at the end of April, and by mid-May a make-shift garage had been put together, complete with stretched out tarps on both the ground and suspended to keep tools and machinery alike protected from the weather, and a small temporary 'cage' put in place with wire meshing to make sure no one could steal it. It'd be easy enough, but it was still just a piece of junk, and it was well known that it would earn the ire of the disgraced Detective Prince. Not worth it for the reward.

It was an old Kawasaki, and it didn't run, and he had no idea how to even start. But he had plenty of free time outside of work and he needed a distraction, so why not spend it pouring over manuals for the bike and read up on common errors and how to take it apart and maybe put it together.

The issue was surprisingly simple, and the main reason it had been placed as scrap was the fact that it was just ugly, covered in rust and most of the paint chipped off. Also likely stolen, but that wasn't his issue. A few parts needed to be ordered, pieces replaces here and there. Spark plugs, brake pads - nothing that he wasn't able to read up on how to do, though that didn't necessarily mean he should have been the one to handle it.

And it was mid-July when it was fully running.

#beneath the mask: headcanon #[[ uh. this was meant to be an open thread. and i think i just wrote a headcanon/drabble instead ]]#ic: drabble

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hirocimacruiser · 1 year ago

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13th TSUKUBA SUPER BATTLE NA CLASS

CHAMPION

AP.E CIRCUIT ATTACK ALTEZZA 13th Tsukuba Super Battle NA class fastest

BASE VEHICLE MODEL

1998 SXE10 Toyota Altezza

DIMENSIONS/WEIGHT

4400×1755×1410mm/1030kg

ENGINE TYPE

3S-GE

MAXIMUM POWER/MAXIMUM TORQUE

282ps/7700rpm 28.6kgm/6200rpm

When using NOS 335ps/8000rpm 33kgm/6000rpm

ENGINE

Port processing

A'PEX 2.2L KIT (piston, crank, connecting rod)

A'PEX SPL Camshaft IN 295-13.3 EX 285-13.0

A'PEX Metal Gasket (T-1.5mm)

Compression ratio 12.0:1

AP Engineering Original NOS System

TRD 4 slots

INTAKE AND EXHAUST SYSTEM

cleaner

EX manifold for TRD competition

front pipe

Muffler AP Engineering Titanium SPL

COOLING SYSTEM

intercooler

radiator normal

oil cooler

FUEL SYSTEM

injector normal

PUMP - BOSCH Reinforced Pump

ATL Safety Fuel Tank (30L)

IGNITION SYSTEM

PLUG A'PEX RACING PLUG No. 9

Plug cord

BRAKING SYSTEM

Brake pad PFC

Brake Hose AP Engineering SPL

With adjustable P valve

SUSPENSION SYSTEM

A'PEX N1 Dunbar Type PRO

A'PEX N1 Spring IIF 22kg/mm R20kg/mm

Stabilizer AP Engineering SPL. (Adjustable)

Bush full pyrolysis

Tire MICHELIN PILOTSPORTS F 235/40-17 R235/40-17

Wheels Gram LIGHTS 57F F 8.5J-17 R 8.5J-17

POWER TRANSMISSION/TRAVEL DEVICE

Tower Bar AP Engineering

Mission TRD cross mission (6 speed)

Differential ATS

Clutch ORC single plate

Flywheel ORC lightweight flywheel

CHASSIS SYSTEM

Roll bar 15 points

Strengthen members and make them rigid

CONTROL/ELECTRONIC PARTS

A'PEX Power FC AP Engineering SPL.

A'PEX EL System Meter

OIL

A'PEX OIL PRO Racing NA oil

Mission OMEGA

Differential OMEGA

INTERIOR

Steering Nardi gala 3 Buckskin

Seat BRIDE ZEROS/NEOS

Seat belt

EXTERIOR

VERTEX Super durable F bumper, raised over fender

GT Wing, AP Engineering Polycarbonate Window

F under cover

#Toyota Altezza #SXE10 #Altezza #Lexus IS200 #A'PEXi #A'PEXi Altezza #Lexus #Lexus IS

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overland-defender · 5 months ago

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28/01/2024: Braking’s Bad

Ah the brake overhaul job, it’s becoming second nature to me. Yet the pain that comes with having to remove the hub assembly in order to change the disc for some is annoyance, it does mean you are in someways forced to inspect bearings and seals etc.

Following the below to get an idea of the methodology and required tooling to carry out this job. (Caliper and disc replacement).

How to Replace Rear Brake Discs & Calipers on a 2005 Land Rover Defender 110

This guide walks you through replacing the rear brake discs and calipers, which on this model require removing the hub assembly.

Tools & Equipment Needed:

- Jack and axle stands

- Breaker bar

- Sockets (13mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 52mm hub nut socket)

- Torque wrench

- Brake hose clamp

- Brake fluid (Dot 4 or 5.1)

- Brake cleaner

- Wire brush

- Copper grease

- Bungee cord or hook

- Brake bleeding kit

1. Preparation

1. Park on a level surface, engage the handbrake, and chock the front wheels.

2. Loosen the rear wheel nuts slightly.

3. Jack up the rear axle and secure it on axle stands.

4. Remove the wheels.

2. Remove the Brake Caliper & Pads

5. Use a brake hose clamp to prevent fluid loss and disconnect the brake hose from the caliper.

6. Remove the two caliper bolts.

7. Carefully remove the caliper and suspend it with a bungee cord (do not let it hang by the hose).

8. Remove the brake pads.

3. Remove the Drive Flange & Hub Assembly

9. Remove the drive flange bolts and remove the flange.

10. Remove the circlip and washer from the driveshaft end.

11. Undo the hub nuts and remove them.

12. Slide the hub and wheel bearing assembly off the stub axle. Be careful, as the outer wheel bearing may come loose.

4. Replace the Brake Disc

13. Remove the disc retaining screws.

14. Remove the old brake disc from the hub (may require a hammer or press).

15. Clean the hub face and install the new brake disc.

16. Secure it with the retaining screws.

5. Reassemble the Hub & Drive Flange

17. Reinstall the hub onto the stub axle with the bearings in place.

18. Tighten the hub nut fully, then back it off slightly to allow for proper bearing preload.

19. Reinstall the washer and circlip on the driveshaft end.

20. Reattach the drive flange and secure it.

6. Reinstall the Brake Components

21. Reinstall the caliper carrier and tighten the bolts.

22. Insert the new brake pads with copper grease on contact points (not friction surface).

23. Compress the caliper piston using a C-clamp or piston tool.

24. Reattach the caliper and tighten the bolts.

7. Reconnect Brake Hose & Bleed Brakes

25. Reattach the brake hose and secure it.

26. Refill brake fluid if needed and bleed the brakes to remove air.

8. Final Checks & Reassembly

27. Reinstall the wheels and tighten the wheel nuts.

28. Lower the vehicle and double-check all connections.

29. Pump the brake pedal to seat the pads.

30. Check for leaks and test drive at low speed.

Notes:

Always replace brake components in pairs.

Ensure wheel bearings are greased and properly adjusted before reinstalling the hub.

After installation, bed in the new brakes by performing several gentle stops from moderate speeds.

Parts list

Inner stub axle seal - OE Manufacturer: FTC5268G

Gasket - stub axle to axle: FTC3648

Rear stub axles: FTC3188

Stub axle mudshield: FRC2310

Screw M6 X 20: FS106207L

Washer: 2215L

Rear caliper AP (OEM) - 110/130 - LH - from 1A614448: SMC500260G

Rear caliper AP (OEM) - 110/130 - RH - from 1A614448: SMC500270G

Stainless Steel Brake Shield Bracket: DA4789

Wheel Bearings - Timken (OE): STC4382G

110 & 130 Rear POWERspec Brake Kit - From XA159807: 110-RP

Bolts: LR082331

I hope the above brief explanation gives you confidence to go give it ago yourself.

#landrover #defender #landroverdefender #overlander #4x4 #defendertd5 #defender110 #jlr #paddockspares #lofclutches #L.O.F #aplockheed

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stevishabitat · 1 year ago

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wodneswynn Hey, listen: We're not gonna get anywhere with this "socialism" stuff unless we can establish solidarity networks that provide. real, tangible aid. And I do mean "tangible" in the sense of "you can fill up a box with it."

Back in the old-timey days, when we didn't have things like a minimum wage or gov- ernment assistance, folks didn't think twice about paying union dues every month out of their meager paychecks. And in those days, when it was a regular, everyday occurrence for union people to get beat up or outright murdered for their union-ing, the unions still managed to win a lot of their fights. Reason for all that? The bigger part of them union dues I mentioned "went into a strike fund",

Time on a picket line means time off the clock. And as for me, in this economy, if I go a week without a check, my family don't eat. I go two weeks without a check, and we're homeless. And them's the brakes.

Rjenroses: In my community we started a co-op in order to, in part, purchase things with mass buying power (i.e, we can get things at wholesale if we order enough of them, so we can, for example, eat organic food for about what conventional costs a lot of the time.)

But we also set aside a little money each time we order, and that money helps pay for donation boxes... and the social network we created when we created the co-op means that if someone has a crisis, someone else probably has the answer. "This family just lost their job and can't afford to buy presents for their kids" may get a response of "Here are presents for every single family member" or it might end up with finding a job for the people looking for work, or both, because the co-op membership is diverse and represents a lot of people who are otherwise. very connected in the community.

When a part of town is out of power, it's usually possible to find a co-op member who can run for ice or bring a meal, or offer use of a washer/dryer for the evening.

We had one year where we were making donation meal boxes for a holiday, found out on the last delivery about a family in severe need, talked about it in the co-op group and ended up showing up at their house with not only a meal, but enough dry goods, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. for a month, plus a credit with the co-op for fresh fruits andveggies.

I cannot overstate the power of networking. in your community. This one started out. in a natural parenting group, but quickly spread beyond that, from college students to retirees. It's like a small town, only more open-minded. We started with about 20-30 families. There are now hundreds of people involved.

I had a trans kid land with me at one point and asked if anyone had size whatever clothes and within a few hours we had a box on my porch, within a couple days we had a bunch of things he needed.

The co-op keeps a lending library of tools and weirdly specific kitchen devices like an Æbleskiver pan, a food dehydrator, a capsule maker and a carpet cleaner. The kinds of things people need once or twice a year, but might not have the room to store.

We periodically do a buy of sensory toys and sensory bin supplies, for example, because we have a lot of autistic members and parents of autistic kids,I have bought socks from the co-op that were purple with unicorns farting rainbows on them. We recently got in Black History: flashcards and we've done a lot of Black Lives Matter and Hate Has No Home lawn signs. Pretty much if people want it and we can find it at wholesale, the co-op will order it.

It even spawned a side-business (more than one, actually, but this is the relevant one) of an online app for co-op managing, called http://managemy.coop so that other communities could take advantage of our experience and start out with an easier tool than the google spreadsheets we started out with.

Anyway... if you want to network within your community, this is a really, really good way of connecting with a broad cross-section of people.

nyshadidntbreakit: All that stuff about unions still applies, too. Unions have hardship funds. If you're a union member and you're broke, or you've been fired, or whatever, you can apply to the union for a grant to help you out. The binmen in Birmingham pulled off a months-long strike. recently thanks to the union paying their living costs. Unions force employers to pay decent pension contributions and have safe sick leave policies,

If you're employed, join your damn union!

solarpunk gnomes: You might check out http://www.transitionus .org/transition-towns too. They're trying to build resilient communities by getting neighbors to talk with each other about stuff.

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fandom-junk-drawer · 2 years ago

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The Witcher Headcanon (Modern AU) - Upset - Part 1

(Whump fic disguised as a headcanon)

Jaskier was typically outgoing, charming, and had an amazing sense of humor. He was good-natured and wasn't one to get upset easily. Except when it came to Valdo Marx. That a**hole was a completely different story!

But Jaskier did get angry, or sad, or got his feelings hurt, like any normal person. And while he did get upset, he was also quick to forgive his friends. He may not forgive himself as quickly or easily, but would always forgive the people closest to his heart.

He had even forgiven Geralt for abandoning him on the mountain, but Geralt wasn't so sure Jaskier was going to forgive him for this...

Geralt and Jaskier had just pulled into the driveway when Jaskier had been called away for band business. He'd jumped out of Van Roach, broken the world's speed record for showering, thrown on clean clothes, and headed over to their little studio.

Geralt had been left to unpack everything from their recent roadtrip: two weeks on the Path, hunting monsters in Temeria. He was tired, but he had to get the van cleaned out and restocked for the next trip. He gave it a good vacuuming, took out all the empty food containers and packaging, and tossed all the empty cans and bottles.

He shampooed the carpet and seat where Jaskier had spilled his drink after Geralt hit the brakes quite suddenly, on purpose, after Jaskier kept forgetting to put his seatbelt on, and wouldn't stop putting his feet up on the dashboard. Jaskier had folded in half with a surprised shriek, and Geralt had to stop to pull his a** out of the footwell.

Geralt restocked the medical supply cabinet, then bundled all the bedding up and shoved it into the washing machine. Was it overloaded? Most likely. Was Yen going to be mad? Not if she didn't find out. Geralt left the machine to do its job and f**ked off to go do something else until it was time to dry everything.

After half an hour of sitting in front of the tv, he heard the washing machine stop, so he peeled himself off the couch and went to shove everything in the dryer. He was pulling the blankets and sheets out when he saw it...

Geralt experienced a mental pause while his brain devoted most of its function into verifying that what his eyes were seeing was really true.

Then came the wave of panic as he carefully pulled the blanket out of the washer. Ohsh*tohsh*t! It had gotten mixed in with the other bedding, and he hadn't noticed! Sh*t! Oh gods! Were the tattered spot worse, or had they always looked like that? Ohhhhhhhhhh.....

Yennefer was out in her herb garden when she heard Geralt swear loudly and emphatically, "FFFFAAAAAAAHHHHKKKKKHHHH!!!!". She ran inside immediately, and heard him swear again in the laundry room.

She flung door open, voice raised in righteous fury, "You better not have overloaded the washing manchine again, Geralt!", and froze on the spot when she saw Geralt standing there, holding a blanket.

Yennefer gasped, experiencing the same panic as Geralt when she recognized the familiar, but now much cleaner looking ratty blanket. That wasn't just any blanket. It was Jaskier's blankie. And Geralt had just washed it! Their eyes locked, and a single thought passed between them,

oH sH*T!

They both knew the significance of what had just happened. They were f**ked. There was no way to fix this. Geralt's brain made a valiant effort though, and coughed up an absurd, but simple solution.

"Yen, quick, magic it back to the way it was!"

"What?!"

"Just...I don't know, put the...the 'yuck' back on it!"

"You want me to just magic decades of drool, dirt, sweat, and gods know what else back on to it? What the f**k, Geralt?"

"Ok, ok, then at least put the stink back on it so it will smell like it did before I accidentally washed it!"

"I can't, you nimrod! I don't know what it smells like!"

Geralt gave the blanket an experimental sniff. That one corner still smelled funky to him. Maybe it was going to be okay.

Yennefer burst his bubble. "He's not a Witcher! He doesn't have your sense of smell!" She took a sniff herself. All she could smell was lavender and linen. "And I don't either!"

"D*mn, it's a little...uh...ragged too!" Yennefer groaned, looking at the bits where some of the old, slapped on patches had frayed and pulled away from the other bits of fabric. There were stringy bits, and small areas where the old batting was showing through.

Geralt felt his heart sink with dread. The blankie was mostly in one piece, just a little 'battle worn', but it was still obviously damaged and would need repair.

Oh, f**k, we're...f**ked!"

They were very much f**ked because that was when Jaskier walked in. He knew something was wrong. He could sense dread and urgency through Yennefer's mental link as soon as he walked into the house.

Jaskier opened the laundry room door and froze. He saw Geralt holding his blankie. Saw the open door of the washing machine. Saw the ragged look of his blankie. Smelled laundry soap. And put one and one together.

"You...you...washed it..." he said, his voice small and flat. Geralt and Yennefer both flinched. Jaskier slowly reached out and took the damp blanket from Geralt's hands. He started trembling then, and Geralt could smell the distress coming off him. It was making him sick to his stomach.

Jaskier ran his hand over one frayed patch where the stitching had given way, his thougths racing as he tried to both process what had happened, and simultaneously come up with a way to fix it.

"Jask, I-!" Geralt began to try to explain, reaching over to lay a comforting hand on Jaskier's shoulder.

Jaskier jerked away from him, "No!" he barked, his voice rough and tight. He was shaking now.

"No..." he whimpered, his voice sounding small and broken. Yennefer gasped when, out of pure distress, he started banging his fist on his head and repeating "No" over and over.

Geralt grabbed his wrist, "Hey! Stop it!"

Jaskier twisted and jerked, then tensed up as he felt a familiar pain flare in his chest. "F**k you!" he cried, suddenly angry. "F**k you, Geralt! F**k you!"

"Geralt, his chest-!" Yennefer said quickly, feeling the pain through their link.

Geralt immediately released his grip.

Jaskier stumbled as Geralt let go. He took a step back and bumped up against the counter, sliding down to sit on the floor. He felt light-headed.

"Breathe, Jaskier..." Yennefer said, her voice full of concern. She crouched beside him and lightly slapped at his cheek until he blinked and took a breath.

Yennefer tried to press her hand to his chest, to feel if those ribs had separated from his sternum again, but he turned away from her slightly.

"Let me see, Nightengale. Please?" She asked quietly.

Jaskier shook his head and hugged his damp blanket to his chest, sniffling and trying to get a hold of himself. "Get out." he said quietly after a minute.

"Jaskier," Yennefer said gently, pulling on his hand when he started fisting his hair. "Let's get your blankie in the dryer, okay?"

He didn't look at her, just stared at the floor numbly, holding his wet blanket, eyes glistening with tears.

"Jask?" Geralt rumbled softly.

"Just f**k off, both of you. Please."

Geralt looked at Yennefer, who nodded. They quietly left the room...

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