#But mine got flipped upside down in a way I didn't expect it to

[tonyspank]

“CURIOUS WHO’S BEHIND THE MASK, TARA?”

Summary: Tara finds out who's behind her school's mascot, and finds herself getting closer to them. But Ghostface has other plans for the two.

Warnings: Ghostface, angst, character death.

A/N: no pt.2 sorry & old draft that i shall post because i love u guys

"Woooo!" Mindy yells, clapping and cheering for her brother. It was a rare occasion to see everyone in the Core Four present at a football game.

But this was the championship game, and Chad was the star wide receiver. Sam smiles along with Tara, watching Chad celebrate at the end of the game, securing Blackmore the state title.

The team mascot, a fierce brown cougar, joins in the celebration by doing flips and cartwheels on the sidelines. Tara leans into Mindy's ear. "You ever wonder who's under the mask?"

"Curious who's behind the mask, Tara?" Mindy wiggles her eyebrows before chucking, adding, "Chad knows! Just ask him."

Quinn joins in, "They're hot too! Chad showed me a photo of them." Mindy thins out her lips, nodding in agreement.

Tara raises an eyebrow maybe she will.

-

Chad laughs, now at Tara, Sam, and Quinn's apartment, along with Mindy, Ethan, and Anika. "Why are you so curious about our mascot?" Mindy sets down her drink, cutting Tara off.

"Quinn and I were kind of hyping them up." Tara nods, confirming Mindy's words. "The seasons over with! Why are you still keeping it a secret?" Chad shrugs, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "It's just more fun this way. Keeps everyone guessing."

Anika tilts her head, intrigued. "But don't you think it's time to reveal the mascot? I mean, the suspense is killing me!" Chad chuckles and takes a sip of his drink. "I don't know, guys..."

Ethan watches Tara and Anika throw their heads back, sighing and letting out a small laugh. "Maybe you should just tell them before jump them and rip off the mascot costume." He jokes, earning a playful punch from Anika.

Chad looks around the group before pulling out his phone. "I guess you're right," Chad says, scrolling through his phone. He stares at his screen a bit before a voice is heard from his phone. "Hello?"

Chad's face lights up. "Everyone wants to see you without the mask. They've been asking about you all day." The group looks at Chad with anticipation, eager to hear who Chad has on the phone.

"Oh...uh, sure." You let out a laugh, placing your phone on your desk, ready to reveal your identity to the curious group. Chad flips the phone off his face, revealing the screen to everyone. Tara and Anika's jaws drop, their eyes widening in surprise.

"Oh my god." Anika mumbles, covering her mouth in disbelief. Tara, on the other hand, lets out a small laugh. "I didn't expect that."

You wave at everyone. "I hope I lived up to your expectations!" you say with a smile. Chad, still grinning, introduces you to the group. "Everyone, this is Y/N. Our school's mascot."

-

"Mind refilling my cup?" you ask, pointing to your empty cup. Tara chuckles. "Can't you just use the force and make it fill itself?" She teases, mocking your Anakin Skywalker costume. You playfully roll your eyes, knowing that Tara always has a quick comeback.

"You will refill my cup." You say, waving two fingers in a playful Jedi mind trick gesture. Tara laughs and obliges, taking your cup before making her way to the keg. A brown-haired boy places his own cup upside down on the pump.

"You're kidding me, right?" Tara asks the boy, raising an eyebrow. He grins, "Nah, last one's kicked. We got hard stuff in the kitchen though." The boy extends his hand, "Frankie."

Tara smiles, shaking his hand. "Tara. Lead the way." Frankie leads Tara towards the kitchen, and you watch with a slight frown. "Looks like you have a sith to deal with." Mindy says, nodding towards Frankie and Tara.

You light up your prop lightsaber, and Anika adds, "May the force be with you." You chuckle and reply, "Thanks, I might need it."

You walk to Tara and Frankie, ignoring the boy as you smile at Tara. "Is that mine?" You ask, pointing at the red solo cup. Tara nods. "It's tequila, so proceed with caution."

You raise an eyebrow and take a cautious sip. The strong taste burns your throat, but you manage to hide your discomfort. As you hand the cup back to Tara, you notice Frankie smirking at your reaction. "Not a fan of tequila?" Frankie asks teasingly. You playfully roll your eyes and reply, "Let's just say we have a complicated relationship."

Frankie chuckles and turns to Tara. "Hey, I have a bottle of Fireball in my room." You narrow your eyes at Frankie's suggestion, could he be any more obvious?

Tara shakes her head. "I'm good. Thank you, though." You smile, silently grateful for Tara's refusal. It had only been a couple of months, but you found yourself grown to Tara completely.

"Do you wanna go somewhere more silent?" she asks you, turning her back to Frankie. You nod eagerly, relieved to escape Frankie's presence.

-

"Ghostface chasing us...Sam being Billy Loomis's daughter...is just mind-blowing." You say to Tara, leaning your back against the snack bar. Tara looks down at her shoes, a pensive expression crossing her face. "Yeah, it's definitely a lot to process," she replies softly.

You lift yourself off the snack bar and take a deep breath. "But regardless. I'm happy that I'm with you. You've truly made a mark on my life, Tara. I don't think I've felt so strongly for someone, you know? I'm willing to do some crazy shit for you, if it means keeping you in my life."

Tara's eyes meet yours, her eyes darting around your face. She takes a moment to collect her thoughts before speaking. "I feel the same way... It's scary sometimes, but in the best possible way. I can't imagine my life without you either."

You smile, leaning down and capturing Tara's lips with yours in a passionate kiss. You slightly pull away, bringing your forehead to rest against hers. "I never thought I would find someone who makes me feel this way. It's like you've awakened a part of me that I didn't even know existed."

Just as Tara leans in again, she feels a sharp pain in her back.

"Tara!" You shout, holding on to her before she falls to the ground. Ghostface turns towards you, attempting to slash at you with his knife. Adrenaline surges through your veins as you quickly dodge his attacks and push him into a movie poster.

You manage to knock Ghostface off balance, causing him to stumble and drop his knife. Taking advantage of the moment, you grab Tara's hand and pull her towards the exit, determined to get both of you to safety.

Just on time, Sam and Chad open the door, and all of you gasp in surprise. "C'mon!" Sam shouts urgently, gesturing for you and Tara to hurry. Without hesitation, you sprint towards the open door, looking for an exit. But it's not long before you're back where you started—the four of you fighting off Ghostface.

You all manage to knock Ghostface to the ground, and you grab a gumball machine, urging everyone to keep moving. You lift the machine above your head, ready to smash it onto Ghostface, but before you can make your move, another masked killer stabs you in the side.

You gasp in pain as the sharp blade pierces your flesh, causing you to drop the gumball machine. "No!" Tara shouts, rushing to your side, but gets held back by Chad and Sam. You fall to the ground, two Ghostface's tower over you. The pain intensifies as you struggle to catch your breath, realizing that this might be the end of the line for you.

"Y/N!!" She screams again, watching them stab you repeatedly with a sickening frenzy. Your vision blurs and darkness starts to creep in, but you summon every ounce of strength, mumbling. "Run! Go!"

The Ghostface's turn to the three, wiping off their knives in unison.

-

"Great job. All of you." Detective Bailey says to the three Ghostface's. Sam and Tara's eyes widen when realization hits them. "You?"

"Yeah, of course, me." He chuckles before continuing. "Frankly, I expected more from the two of you after what you did to us."

"Us?" The Ghostface on Bailey's left removes his mask, revealing Ethan. "Mindy was right, it was easy to juke the roommate lottery. All I had to do was room with a conceited, condescending alpha, literally named Chad! Fuck, it felt good to kill him!"

Sam and Tara exchange shocked glances, their minds racing to process the revelation. Ethan's words hang in the air, leaving them speechless as they struggle to comprehend the extent of his twisted motives.

Tara's eyes then fill with rage, thinking back on you and Chad, and they mercilessly killed you both. Ethan grins and holds up his mask. "This one was your grandmother's, Sam. Nancy Loomis? It really runs in your fucking family, doesn't it? Speaking of family, "

Bailey buts in, "Wait for it!"

"My names not Ethan Landry, is it Dad?" Bailey laughs, smiling proudly at his son. "Dad?" Tara questions, even more confused.

"Wait, then who else does that leave?" Sam asks, her mind racing to piece together the puzzle. "I don't know?...Mindy?" The Ghostface on Bailey's right takes off their mask, revealing a familiar face.

"Hey, roomies." Quinn says, smiling. "You didn't see that one coming, did you?"

Tara's eyes widen in shock. "Yeah, cause you died!" Quinn chuckles. "Kind of didn't, though. It was a good way to get off the suspect list. Stab Mindy on the train. That sort of thing."

"I just had to make sure I was the first one on the scene so I could switch her out with a fresh body. You'd be surprised at what a grieving father can get away with." Quinn smiles, "I got Stu Machers mask. He was my favorite."

Everyone turns to the last Ghostface, who had been standing silently beside Ethan. The last Ghostface slowly removes their mask, revealing a face that no one expected. It was you, alive and unharmed.

"Still curious who's behind the mask, Tara?" You ask with a smile.

Tara's eyes widen in disbelief as she struggles to grasp what she is seeing. "But... how? How are you standing here right now?" she stammers, her voice filled with confusion and shock.

"I watched you get stabbed!"

The room falls into a heavy silence as everyone waits for an explanation.

"And Sidney supposedly saw Billy get stabbed," you continue, addressing the lingering doubt in the room. "He used pig blood, but that's out of date. Modern special effects have come a long way since then. It's all about creating the perfect illusion, and that's what I did." You explain, revealing the truth behind the seemingly impossible situation.

"I got Amber's mask." You say, looking at it before making eye contact with Tara. "See, I miss my sister dearly. You know Tara, she would call me and tell me how much she cared about her best friend, and not even two months later, you shoot her dead."

"She was trying to kill me!" Tara shouts. You clench your jaw, your own voice raising. "She loved you!"

Tara's face contorts with anger as she retorts, "She may have loved me, but she was also willing to take my life. I had no choice but to defend myself."

"...How are you, Amber's sister? Why weren't you in Woodsboro?" Sam asks.

You take a step closer to the sisters. "Me and Amber weren't biological siblings, but we were raised together since we were young. As for why I wasn't in Woodsboro, I stayed with my aunt... I never was a Cali person, you know?"

Tara glares at you, her anger still evident in her eyes. "Well, it's not like you would understand. You weren't there when it happened. You didn't see what she did."

"I may not have, but I know how she felt, and I saw what you did. I came here to get revenge for my sister and I will finish the movie she started with Richie, believe me."

[n3ptoonz]

'Closer'

Pairing: Smoke/F!Reader

Fandom: Mortal Kombat 1 (2023)

Warnings/tags: SMUT! Explicit!! Msub to Mdom, fluff elements, we use Tomas around these parts (literally and figuratively), implied breeding knk, dirty talk near the end, Tomas is a lover boy with a filthy mind, riding

Word count: 1.8k+

When he met you, his whole world was flipped upside down in the best way possible. You were strong, physically and emotionally, and tolerated no bullshit. All with grace and beauty. You were almost the opposite of him in personality, which drew him in even further since the day he met you at Madam Bo's. You were one of the customers that stayed behind to help out when the test was going, having you think the Lin Kuei was really trying to take over the restaurant.

You were and still are a fierce fighter. You really almost beat him if he didn't go invisible to take you down. So now, he was absolutely infatuated with everything about you. The day he came back to you, letting you know about the break in Kuai Liang and Bi Han's relationship and Kuai's new clan; how quick you were in agreeing to follow him wherever he goes was just the icing on the cake.

Tomas opened the door for you, a bright smile shining on his face. He finally married the woman of his dreams after so long of you proving you were fit to marry into the clan, which he held dear to his heart.

You kissed his cheek as a thank you, walking further into your suite. You both made your way to the back door, taking in some of the view --that wasn't covered by the fence--of Outworld's biggest city: Edenia.

"Beautiful..." Tomas murmured, "The view too." he chuckled, nudging you playfully.

You playfully rolled her eyes, nudging him back from his cute little joke. You wrapped your hands around his arm, laying your head on his broad shoulder as you two stared at the blue sky that was soon to change colors, sighing in content.

"If this is a dream, don't wake me up." you mumbled, quietly but just loud enough for him to hear what you said. You looked up at him, tracing the muscle lines on his thick biceps. It was one of your favorite physical features about him, his beautifully sculpted arms from the years and years of training in the Lin Kuei.

Tomas felt warmth spreading through his chest as you cuddled against him, and from the sound of your voice filled with pure contentment.

Leaning in, Tomas captured your lips in a gentle, lingering kiss. His hands found their way to your waist, pulling you closer. The delicate taste of your lips alone was intoxicating, causing a surge of desire to wash over him. The moment felt surreal and yet undeniably real, like a long-awaited fulfillment of your love.

Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against yours, his breaths coming out in soft, ragged puffs. "My beautiful wife," he murmured your name, his voice filled with devotion. "I am so lucky to finally be able to say you are mine, and I am yours. This honeymoon will be unforgettable, just you wait." he whispered, nuzzling his nose with yours with the giddiness that a newlywed would be expected to have.

You gently ran your fingers through his short silver locks, smiling at his love professions. Your gaze shifting oh so slightly, but he could easily tell what it meant after being with you for so long.

"Why don't show me in the hot springs?" you whispered, slowly pulling away from him and letting your eyes linger on him. You got undressed, wrapped yourself in a towel off the shelf, and headed towards the back door with a sway in your hips, looking back at a blushing Tomas.

"Well?"

Tomas couldn't help but stammer over his words as he stared at you. You've only ever engaged in intimate moments with each other a few times in the 5 years you've been together pre-marriage, but never got to the sexual part. This good old fashioned lover boy was raised on the idea that partners are to be cherished, and there were far more ways to show your love for someone without it always resulting in sexual activity.

However, today, that was about to change.

You both settled into the hot springs after washing up, sighing in relaxation. He stole a glimpse of you looking up at the sky changing from blue to yellow as the sun was setting along the horizon. One small part of him was nervous. Not because he was sitting across from you and your naked figure that was obscured by the water, but because this was your first time together. He hadn't much time to think about this sort of thing due to his new role in the Shirai Ryu and actively protecting Earthrealm. So this moment was very important and special to him.

"The sun's about to set." you said, looking over at him who was nearly frozen in place--his gaze already meeting yours.

"Outworld's skies are always so beautiful at night." you continued, tilting your head to the side and trying to get a read on him.

"I can think of something prettier..." he murmured. The calm waves rippling over his biceps and collarbones made your mouth water. He always found a way to round a statement back to how beautiful he found you, and he meant it every time seldom shame.

"Yeah? What's that?" you asked, slowly standing up out of the water. As soon as it dropped back down, the remaining drops just continued to fall down every inch of your body. The closer you stepped towards him, the more he could see the sun rays bounce off the water reflection sticking to your skin.

Tomas's next words were caught in his throat. The mere sight of the water dripping from your breasts, to your hips, to your thighs--and how some of the drops fell in between them. You re-settled into his lap and let his hands instinctively grab your hips.

Was this all a dream? A simulation? How did he get such a good-looking individual that could fight her heart out against strangers that were twice her size? Ugh, he felt so lucky and so selfish at the same time. He had you all to himself, and all his dreams were to be fulfilled.

"I...You-"

You slowly sank down into his lap, drinking in his moans with a kiss. His body tensed underneath you as you took all of him. You briefly broke the kiss for a second to gasp at how much he filled you up.

"Tomas..." you breathed out, sitting still for a moment while you adjusted and gripping his shoulders.

He shuddered at the sound of his name escaping from your lips, letting his soft hands feel you up as much as he pleased.

"Take it, baby...it's all yours..." he whispered against your lips and smiled, pecking the corner of your mouth. "Take your time, we've got all night long."

This was your first time together and in general. All those times of sneaking off just for a few kisses and hugs were absolutely nothing in comparison to this.

Every movement of your hips felt like pure bliss for both ends. It's like your body was made for him and vice versa. The water making the flow smoother added a perfect touch too.

You could feel Tomas gripping your sides, panting like he just ran a mile.

"Shit-" he said, pulling you closer and letting himself loose. You softly gasped at the feeling of warm liquid pumping inside you, and it definitely wasn't the water from the hot springs.

His breaths were shaky and his body trembled beneath you. His face was bright pink from embarrassment since he didn't expect to cum so quickly.

You cupped his cheeks in yours hands and just looked at him with adoration.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, I'm actually flattered," you said, whispering the last part, "But we aren't done just yet."

-

The loud sounds of skin smacking together mixed with heavy breaths and moans filled the room like there was no tomorrow. You two managed to make your way back to the hotel room and get to work, but Tomas's attitude did a complete flip.

Underneath that lover boy, sweetheart exterior, tonight his main goal was to spread you wide and take you like you were his. because you are his, and he's yours, forever. Tomas was always the kind of man who made sure you were top priority. Nothing was changing tonight. In fact, it's being put into more practice tonight.

He had you on your side and holding your thigh in one hand while his free arm was wrapped comfortably around your neck. He couldn't help but feel obligated to give you the best time of your life after cumming so prematurely, and he knew that his bicep being so close to your face would send you into overdrive.

You were speechless. The words he uttered into your ear while he fucked into you had you stuttering and gasping. You grabbed and clawed at his arm, tears forming in the corners of your eyes from the overwhelming pleasure you received, pleading he doesn't stop.

As you neared your climax, he was getting closer too, as it was all going to his head in the hottest way possible. You had never seen such a side of him even though you knew he had it in him whenever you saw him fight. But this? Oh, this was different. This was sexually frustrated, passionate Tomas, who wanted to give you everything he had.

"I'm gonna cum inside you one more time, and you'll be having twins." he said, his voice getting raspier as he gripped your thigh a little tighter. You whined and clenched around him, still unable to form words and nearly drooling from the side of your mouth.

You came first, trembling under his touch and slightly bucking once his final thrust hit your sweet spot. You were simply a mess by the time he was finished with you, and you couldn't be happier.

He, in fact, came inside you one more time. That twins line surely did a number on you. You wondered just where the hell he had been hiding this side for as long as you knew him.

You both cleaned up and finally rested, tangled in each other's arms and lovingly looking into each other's eyes.

"Where'd you learn to talk like that?" you asked in half jest, playing with his hair.

"Honestly? I was surprised myself...But I was dedicated to taking care of you on this special night. And I hope I didn't freak you out with that whole twins thing..."

You raised your eyebrow, shaking your head to reassure him. "Please, I'd have your triplets."

"Deal." he responded rather quickly, earning a playful roll of the eyes and shared laugh between you two.

----

a/n: hii if you made it to the end, just know since bi han won in the poll i posted a few days ago he will be next so stay tuned! <3 also my asks are now open i finally figured it out

[infernothechaosgod]

tw me screaming into the void (also alcohol and neglect i think but neglect is just mentioned and alcohol is for food and not drinking but i'm still putting a tw on that cuz ya know)

Feel free to skip this its just me talking abt things

Dude i usualy don't use this blog to talk about personal stuff because theres very little to talk about but my friends are probably asleep and others could get worried so I shall scream into the abyss that is this blog

I woudn't Say I'm harshly neglected like my family usualy gives me dinner when there home or if they know they won't be during dinner time theres usualy something left for me but most of my day i'm completly alone and the biggest issue for me is that I don't know when or for how long alone I am/will be so I don't know when I can start doing stuff outside my room (witch is Just a white void witch for my artist eyes is like the 4th stage of hell)

I mean like cooking or throwing trash out or just being out of my room BUT being alone so much leads to me randomly learning the most random hacks and abilities ever

I was Just cooking myself hard boiled eggs and thought id try to marinate them with soy sauce bc i just got some and saw that somewhere before and I looked it up it was easy recipe just like soy sauce water sugar and mirin but I didn't have mirin so I looked up what else I could use and it said sake or wine and my parents have this fancy as fuck for no reason bottle of wine from 1856 I belive? It's older than cartoons or sherlock is what i'm trying to say old as hell wine bottle on a shelf above fridge is just chills there more as a grand decoration you'll see if you step into the kitchen/living room/the place a bit behind kitchen we have less door on this floor than cats have fingers so you know

The thing is I immidietly think of that bottle i take it and I can't find the stuff you use to open it so I think i'll do it the other way where you stick a knife into the plug then twist it and pull it out and uhhhh

Things didnt go well because I pushed the plug into the bottle, and at first i'm like "oh i'll take a single Bowl we own because my mother took all the others and I'll pour all the wine into it and with the wine the plug will also come out than i'll just take the little wine i need pour the rest back in and put the plug back in and poof were done!" but then I realize it's a fucking plug and it's too big to go through so i'm panicking thats some expensive ass wine and my dad would be probably ok with it cuz it's still in a Bowl so the wine itself is fine But my mother and ana? Yea they'd explode over that

So i'm out there finding ways to pull out a plug out of a wine bottle and this trick where you flip the bottle upside down and make sure the plug is close to the entrace then put a bag in a bottle and blow into it then pull that out so maybe the plug will like stick with it and also come out after some rlly harsh pulling

So I try that and I try that over and over i like cut the bag so it'll fit better i find like 5 diffrent ways to put the bag in the bottle and be able to blow into it and after an hour it works finally

So now I know 3 things from that

1 never open the bottle of wine with a knife and your eyes open cuz thats not gonna end well for both you and the wine

2 putting a plastic bag in a wine bottle while the plug is stuck in, blowing and yainking that can seriously help

3 wine fr helps with the flavor of soy sauce, like I didnt expect that maybe i just put in the perfect amount of sugar but it teasted sm better than normaly

I'm probably never gonna do that again (at least for just myself) because I do plan on never drinking wine or alcohol on it's own but who knows maybe i'll mess up in the kitchen again or a friend of mine will mess up like me now who knows

[starshiprangerash]

I'm just gonna talk about some personal stuff, essentially dumping everything in this post. I don't expect anyone to read it, hence the read more cut. I just want to type it all out, I think it'll help a lot. So feel free to ignore this.

Let me just recap this year a little, well over a year.

So, about October of last year my dad got an infection. Now I don't what kind, or how, or anything. He wasn't keen on telling us stuff. But he couldn't had this, cause I was the one who had to stay with him to make sure he took his medicine.

And things seemed to pretty fine, and then July happened. And oh boy did the universe decide to have some fun timing.

So, June 30th, Techno's dad posts the video announcing that sadly Techno had lost his battle to cancer.

July 1st, I wake up go downstairs, ans my mom tells me my aunt has cancer. (here's a fun fact I only have 2 aunts, and the other one died from cancer a few years ago)

And then the end of the month comes along, where me and my sister go on vacation with my dad's girlfriend's family. During which my dad has to go back home for a doctor's appointment. While he's gone, me and my sister find out, he wasn't fine. He had been in and out of the hospital for months. That realization hurt. We all thought he was doing fine. So when he comes back, I tell him he can't hide that, we want to know, and there's an agreement reached.

August 10th, I have the most interesting first 20 minutes of consciousness. Cause hey that's when Oli posted his first Empire's video. And it's also when my dad got admitted in the hospital. And it's also when my mom came into my room to tell me my grandpa had cancer.

And thus began the month where someone was in the hospital all the time. And I'm not exgerrating, I kept track. The longest no one was in the hospital was 18 hours. Either my dad, grandpa, or grandma was in the hospital. Sometimes all at once. Yippee.

And then September. The first to be exact. My mom comes into my room to wake me up. They had to intubate my dad. My sister was coming soon, and we were going to go over to say our goodbyes. Luckily he pulled through. The 10th, Grandpa is rushed to the hospital. He never leaves. He died on the 15th. I didn't much care, he was a miserable man who made everyone around him miserable. But it still happened. Didn't hit till two days ago when the Christmas Eve party text went out. He always played piano.

And things liked good after that. My aunt was getting chemo, grandma was doing fine for her age, and my dad was getting stronger. He's eating, he's trying to talk. We visited on Thanksgiving.

December 3rd. My dog's barking wakes me up. I text my mom asking if she wants me to send him down or if I should wait, cause I know she might be cleaning the floors. She just says my sister is coming. My sister arrives, and they both come into my room. The first thought that passes through my head was "The last time they had to sit down like this was when my cat died while I was at work" almost jokingly say that. Only reason I don't is cause I get a message that distracts me long enough for my sister to rip the band-aid off.

And I understood what people meant when they say "time stood still" or "they felt the world flip upside down" Cause that's what happened. Two words. Two words I haven't been able to repeat.

Look my dad wasn't the world's best dad, but goddammit he was mine. And it's been in waves. Like that first day I was a wreck, and yes I went to work. It helped. It was a distraction. Every person who found out (either from putting two and two together or from a text I had my sister send cause I couldn't) asked me why I was there? Cause i needed to be, not in a work way, but in a distraction way.

Also I should mention, my mom's birthday is December 5th, ain't that some funny timing as well.

I guess this is the part where I ramble. Cause I haven't been able to fully process this. Or maybe I yell cause it's not fucking fair. Cause it isn't. My grandpa who was a shitty person got so much time with his kids. Ans he fucking wasted it, leaving a mess in his wake. My dad got so little with his. My grandpa saw one of his grandkids get married. My dad didn't even see his kids get married. He deserved more. Maybe I deserved to have a dad longer. I don't know.

I do know my life is different. I do know I'll have to process this with more than just jokes. I also know I'm tired of "are you alright?" I know I'm tired of "I'm sorrys".

If you did read this, just know I know. You're thinking you wish well wishes, thoughts prayers, virtual hugs, or whatever. I know. And while I do appreciate it, I don't need to read it. Just know I know and appreciate it. Or maybe do tell. I don't know. This whole grief and healing thing is confusing. I don't like it. But I can't avoid it. Is that why people still say all those things? Cause it helps the process. You can't deny or ignore it. Maybe. I don't know.

But I do know I need to end this with those two words. The words said to me on December 2nd. The two words I haven't said. The two words that changed my life. The two words I refuse to type. (though it'll be three in this case)

My dad died.

[ave-the-enby]

Ever since I took a step back for my needs people have been noticing me a bit differently I guess and it's so different. Like my mom was talking to me about everyone's responsibilities and where they spread out to, what falls on who. And she brought up me and my little brother. Saying well, we're both autistic and need extra care, which yes, but less for that and more for lupus. But to be fair she doesn't know my symptoms only I do. And she also brought up that I came to it later in life because of trauma, and that surprised me. I didn't expect it to be acknowledged. She still doesn't know the extent of my trauma because I have hid a lot of what I've been through. It's not easy to talk about it, and there's things I simply can't admit to. She said she brought it up to my younger siblings and I'm pretty sure she's going to mention it in our group chat. I held in so much, and pushed myself so far and developed more trauma from my actions, being acknowledged that I am vulnerable in any way is new to me. No one ever really sees me as such, it's always I'm so well put together and strong, I'm resilient, things like that, and I'm not. But I couldn't afford to be seen as anything but that. And refused to be seen as fragile. I've opened up before about my depression and was treated like I was going to break at any point and when I exploded because it was being used against my older sister it didn't help my case. They backed off of her since I clearly wasn't going to, but it's also the reason I shut down my feelings for a while. I didn't want to be seen as vulnerable and be taken advantage of in any way. So being acknowledged in this way is new and kind of anxiety inducing because it's laying out a part of me that I have hid for so long. I never tried to seem like I was perfect but that I was confident and fine, I could handle anything and I didn't need anyone or anything. But it's becoming very apparent lately that isn't completely true. I am independent for the most part but I falter. And those falters are now being noted. And instead of having to deal with it by myself I'm getting help and I'm not used to that. I'm barely used to helping and taking care of myself and now I'm having others check in on me and trying to help me in ways I can't help myself. I did not expect this when I stepped away. I don't know what I expected but it wasn't this.

[a-bang-for-your-bucky]

Playin' With Fire

Summary: Dani has moved in with Will and Benny Miller. One night they throw a party and she finally gets to meet the final Special Ops teammate, Frankie. There is an obvious connection between the two, but what happens when life throws a roadblock in the way of them being together?

A/N: So here it is. My first ever Frankie fic, my first ever Pedro Character fic, my first ever fic that has all the parts completed. I would like to say a BIG thank you to @221bshrlocked for the mood board because hers is TEN times better than any of mine were. Each part will have their own warnings. Translations will be at the end of every chapter, let me know if any of them are wrong. Also let me know if I've missed any warnings. Y'all forgive me if my writing is crap.

Warning: Explicit language, mentions of someone getting handsy, um dirty dancing?, mentions of sex.

Word Count: 4,205

It was a warm summer day, Benny’s birthday to be exact. Will had decided to throw a party at their house for him. Will had mentioned that their childhood friend, who they called ‘Tequila’ just moved in with them. Frankie had shown up early to help Will assemble the new grill he had gotten. He never expected for his entire life to be flipped upside down.

He knocked on Will’s front door three times before it swung open and there she stood. Dirty blonde hair that hung just below her breasts, eyes so blue it put the sky to shame. He was sure he looked like a damned fool, mouth agape, probably catching flies. Then she smiled, and Frankie’s heart beat faster than ever thought possible.

“Hey, you must be Catfish. Will told me he was expecting you.” She greets him and her voice sounds like a fucking angel. There was no way that she wasn’t messing around with Benny. She looked just like his type.

“I’m Dani, Will and Ben’s roommate, but everyone calls me Tequila.” Frankie groans internally, he was so screwed. She opens the door a little more and moves out of the way. “Will’s in the backyard.” She points through the house.

Frankie hurried past her and mumbled a “Thank you”. Frankie’s eyes were trained to the floor as he briskly walked toward the kitchen and out into the backyard.

“Fish!” Will bellowed with a huge smile on his face. “I guess Tequila let you in.” The two men embraced in a bro-hug. Frankie nodded, moving over to where Will had the grill pieces laid out.

“She did. You never mentioned your new roommate was a woman and hot.” Frankie responded, looking over the directions. “You know man, you pay like fifty extra bucks and they put this shit together for you.”

It took Frankie and Will three fucking hours to put the grill together. By the end of the last hour, Frankie was cursing Will, telling him he’d never help him do something like this again; Although, they both knew that was a lie. The two men walked into the kitchen, where Dani was prepping the steaks for dinner. “Finally done, boys? I threw a couple of buds in the fridge for y’all.” She chuckled as the back door opened.

Frankie knew he shouldn’t, but walking up to the fridge, he couldn’t help but steal a gaze at her back side. The shorts she was wearing left almost nothing to the imagination. Her tanned legs seemed like they went on for days. Her feet clad in converses, which made Frankie laugh, because who wears those any more.

Dani heard the laughter and turned around, seeing Frankie looking at her feet. "My shoes funny to you, Catfish?" She asked, with a playful smile on her face.

Frankie's head shot up. " No, no. I love Chuck Taylors as much as the next person. It just surprises me that people still wear them." He explained himself, hoping she didn't catch him staring at her ass, too. Frankie opened the fridge and grabbed two beers, before asking her if she wanted one. She shook her head, stating she doesn't drink beer. Frankie wondered what that meant, and handed the other beer to Will who watched the scene unfold in front of him with a smirk on his face.

There was about an hour to kill before everyone showed up to celebrate Benny's birthday. "The steaks should marinate for at least another half hour." Dani explained to Will, "And make sure you don't burn 'em this time, Ironhead." She teased him, and he threw a hand over his heart, feigning that it was broken. The two went about the kitchen prepping side dishes for the night.

Frankie was outside, trying to figure out why the grill wouldn't light and he was sure Will fucked something up. He couldn't help but wonder what Tequila and his friend were talking about.

Dani turned to her best friend, "So, what's Catfish's story?" She asked, twiddling her fingers. Will looked at her with a raised brow.

"Frankie? Why?" Will questioned her teasingly. Blush covered her cheeks and she averted her eyes to the floor.

"I dunno. He seems sweet." She replied and Will smirked, giving her a knowing look. "Will, stop it. All I said was he seems sweet." She playfully smacked the other blonde.

"Well, Ironhead. I figured out what you fucked up." Frankie's voice boomed as he opened the back door. He noticed that the two were talking and apologized for interrupting.

"It's fine, Frankie." Dani smiled, "What did this dumbass do now?" Frankie realized that was the first time she said his real name, and it was the greatest thing he has ever heard.

Frankie turned to Ironhead. "Maldito idiota. You forgot to connect the gas line. The whole place could have gone up." Will's eyes almost popped out of his head.

Tequila turned to Ironhead. "What the fuck, Will?!" She screeched. Will threw his hands up in defense.

"I'm sorry. I got distracted." He tried to save his ass. "I swear I connected it."

Frankie and Tequila rolled their eyes. "Well, I hope your girl of the week knows she almost killed us." Tequila groaned and walked outside, knowing exactly what was keeping Will distracted. Frankie just shook his head and followed her.

"Hey," he started as he walked up to her at the cooler. She gave him an acknowledging nod as she pulled a bottle of tequila out. "Oh. Is it time for the hard stuff,already? Una chica después de mi propio corazón." The spanish rolled off of Frankie's tongue and Dani could have fallen over.

She would never admit it to anyone, but she had a thing for languages. Or maybe she just had a thing for Frankie and his Spanish. She wasn't sure which. "Yeah, well after finding out your best friend almost killed you for a few nudes from his fling of the week, tequila seems appropriate." She forced a laugh. Frankie definitely caught on that she described Will as her best friend and that he was having flings.

Frankie nodded in agreement. "So, is this why they call you Tequila?" He tried to change the subject, pointing to the bottle of Patrón. She shook her head 'no'. Before she could tell him, Will stuck his head out the door, yelling that Santiago was here.

"Santi!" Tequila squealed, rushing to the door, and she missed the look on Frankie's face. It was a mix between hurt and confusion. How did she know Santiago when Frankie had no idea she existed? Frankie groaned and walked toward the house to greet his friend.

Dani had already made it inside and was wrapped in an embrace with Pope. “Fuck,” Pope groaned with a smile as Dani jumped into him. “Hey, Tequila.” He hugged her tightly.

“Look here, jerkface,” She said as they separated, “Next time you hook up with one of my friends and leave me to deal with her crying, I’m kicking your ass.” She poked him in the chest to get her point across.

Santiago just hung his head and mumbled a “yes ma’am” before Frankie caught his eye. “Lo que hasta hermano” He greeted one of his oldest friends. He looked at Dani and mouthed “help me” to Frankie, earning another poke from the blonde girl.

“Estás solo, hermano. Ella da miedo.” Frankie smiled, pointing to Tequila. She huffed and crossed her arms.

“Oh, fuck you guys. I’m fluent in Spanish. Deja de hablar mierda de mi.” The words rolled off her tongue with ease and Frankie almost lost his shit right there. Lucky for him, Will broke up the tension.

“Benny just texted me, he will be here in twenty. Tom is bringing Molly and will be here in about fifteen.” Dani excused herself to go get ready, claiming she wasn’t presentable for a party. If it had been up to Frankie, she wouldn’t have changed at all. He found himself excited when she came back about fifteen minutes later in the same shorts, shoes, and a cropped Guns-n-Roses t-shirt.

The party was in full swing. The seven of them were gathered around the fire pit. The group was too many drinks in and knew they would be crashing here. Thankfully Benny and Will had the room.

“So, Dani. Why do they call you Tequila?” Molly had asked and Will and Benny started laughing. Dani just shook her head. Benny answered before she could.

“Because Dani can knock you on your ass with one good shot, just like Tequila. Trust me, I know.” He explained, speaking from experience. Molly looked at her with wide eyes and she just shrugged.

“I bartended my way through college. Sometimes an asshole would get too handsy. It paid off to have two protective guys who taught me how to throw a good punch. Plus, I really like tequila.” She winked at Frankie, referencing their conversation earlier in the day, taking a sip of her tequila sunrise. She made a face, realizing it had watered down. “I’m going for another, anyone else need one?” She offered and everyone raised an empty bottle.

She got up from her chair and turned toward the house. Frankie got up too, “I’ll help you,” he offered, ignoring the whistle Santi let out. He was clearly feeling good. Frankie flipped him a quick bird and continued into the house.

Inside, Dani was already grabbing bottles out of the fridge, mumbling about how they have already almost finished off their stock. “Oh, here” Frankie started, leaning on the counter. Dani closed the door, turning her attention to the man beside her. “Let me help.” He said, taking the bottles out of her hands, seeing her struggle to hold them all. “Can I ask you something?” Frankie gets the words out before he changes his mind. She hmms in response.

“How have we never met? I mean you obviously know Santi.” He takes his hat off to run a hand through his hair. Dani smiled at the sight of his hair all disheveled.

“I’ve been asking myself that all night. You do seem to be the better of the bunch.” She flirted, hoping he would return the gesture and he did.

“You are definitely not what I was expecting when Will said they had a roommate.” He smiled, leaning a little closer to her. Dani noticed and moved closer herself. Before they could cross that line, they were startled apart by a very inebriated Benny.

“Tequila!” Their drunk friend slurred, “Wha’re you ‘n fish doin’? Cat, you hittin’ on my girl?” He tried to be serious, but Benny stumbled over his own feet into Frankie.

“Woah, Benny. Careful.” Frankie caught him and set him up right. Dani laughed, he always was a lightweight.

“We were just about to bring the drinks out.” She says, grabbing the bottles off the counter, leaving a couple for Frankie to carry.

Back outside, Dani and Molly danced to whatever music Will had playing. “Yeah!” by Usher came on and Molly squealed that she loves this song. “Dance with me, Tequila!” She pulls her closer and Dani lets her, the alcohol clearly gone to her head. The two girls are all but grinding on each other. Tom quickly gets up, knocking his chair backwards. He takes Dani’s place dancing with Molly, grumbling something she would never repeat in public.

Frankie wanted nothing more than to join her now that she was dancing alone, but Santi beat him to the punch. “Baila conmigo, cariño.” He whispered in her ear and she giggled. Frankie wished it had been him to get that noise out of her. Dani shook her head and pushed Santi away.

“Solo en tus sueños, playboy.” She responded and it was Frankie’s turn to laugh. Dani walked away from Santi over to where Frankie sat. “Dance with me, Frankie?” She asked sweetly. How could Frankie say no?

He followed her just as a Def Leppard flowed through the speakers. She began moving her body to the beat of “Pour some sugar on me”. Frankie did his best to keep up with her, but he kept losing concentration, especially when her ass connected with his crotch one to many times. His hands instinctively went to her hips and pulled her closer. “Joder, princesa. Tienes que parar antes de que pierda el control.” He groaned into her neck where only she could hear him.

She turned to face him, throwing her arms around his neck to pull herself closer. “Tal vez eso es exactamente lo que quiero.” She purred in his ear.

The sun beamed through Dani’s window way too early the next morning. She groaned and rolled away from the penetrating light. As she turned, her hand hit a warm body and it elicited a groan. “Too early.”

Dani’s eyes shot open, trying to see who was beside her. Looking around, she realized that she was not in her room, but instead in Will’s. “Will?” She questioned, berating herself for going this far with her best friend. The other person threw the blanket off their head and Dani let out a sigh of relief. Seeing Frankie took the weight off of her shoulders.

“Hermosa, did you just call me Will?” Frankie asked, sleep thick in his voice. Dani was so embarrassed.

“Sorry, fish. I opened my eyes and saw that we were in Will’s room. What the fuck happened last night?” Dani questioned the man beside her as she sat up to assess the room. She looked around for any indication that something transpired between them last night.

“Trust me, Tequila. You’d know if we slept together.” Frankie sighed, as he swiped a hand over his face. Cocky much, Dani thought; However, he was right, she didn’t feel like she had sex. “I need coffee.” He griped, throwing his legs off the bed and standing up. Dani caught him out of the corner of her eye. He had on sweats and no shirt. She turned her head, shamelessly checking him out, before he pulled his shirt on. “Take a picture, Teq.” He laughed and she threw a pillow at him.

Dani forced herself out of the bed too, happy to see her drunk self had put on decent pajamas. The two padded into the kitchen as quietly as possible. They had passed Santi and Ben passed out on the couches.

“Where are Molly and Tom?” Dani whispered to Frankie and he just shrugged. Frankie rummaged through the kitchen searching for the coffee. “Teq, where are the filters?” He yawned, holding up the coffee can.

“Shit, we might be out.” Frankie whined at her answer. “Come on. There’s a coffee shop within walking distance.” She continued, heading towards her room. She opened the door and found out where Molly and Tom were. “Holy shit!” she gasped and immediately turned around. Frankie heard her outburst and rushed over to her, seeing the same sight as her, Molly perched on Tom’s lap, moving in an obvious way.

“Jesus,” Frankie said, covering his eyes.

“I’m just gonna borrow some clothes from Benny.” Dani said walking away and closing her door. Once in Benny’s room, they found Will sound asleep. Dani quickly picked up some sweats and a tee from Benny’s drawer. “I’ll be right out.” She told Frankie as she entered Benny’s bathroom.

When she emerged, she had dressed and her blonde locks were haphazardly thrown into a bun. Frankie loved this look on her. She was just as beautiful as she was last night, and this looked more natural on her. “You’re staring, Catfish.” She teased him, “Let’s go get coffee before anyone else wakes up.”

The walk to the coffee shop was a pleasant one. It was about 7am and the North Carolina humidity hadn’t set in yet. Frankie and Dani chit-chatted the whole way. She had learned that he had met the guys while in the service. He joined right after high school, just like them. He was their pilot. His favorite color is black, and that is exactly how he likes his coffee. He drives the same chevy he got on his 18th birthday, and has no intentions of getting rid of it because “she still purrs like a kitten”.

He learned a lot about Dani, too. Her favorite color is purple. She likes her coffee with just cream. She met Benny first, since they were the same age. She is an only child, so Ben and Will are basically her older brothers. She just finished her residency at the county hospital and is getting ready to take her boards. She absolutely loves 80’s hair bands and country music, but has a soft spot for R&B and rap.

They were nice enough to get coffee for everyone, even though Tom and Molly seemed to have enough energy this morning. “I have to buy a new mattress now.” Dani cringed at the thought of what Molly and Tom were doing.

They got back to the house to see that everyone was now awake, and fully clothed. Dani gave Tom and Molly a dirty look and they both apologized, confusing everyone else in the room. Frankie started handing out the coffees, getting mumbled “thank yous” from the group.

“Are those my clothes?” Benny asked, gesturing to Dani. She nodded and proceeded to tell everyone why she had to wear Benny’s clothes.

“Holy shit. You need a new mattress now.” Will snorted, his face drawing up in disgust.

Dani laughed, “That’s exactly what I told Frankie!” Molly’s face was beet red and Tom just hung his head. “Awh, come on, guys. We’re just kidding. Although, I do need a new mattress.” She tried to lighten the mood.

Frankie quietly sipped his coffee, trying to figure out if he should ask Dani out on a date. They’ve only known each other for a day and Frankie can’t imagine his life without her, even just as a friend.

What seemed like hours passed and the group slowly trickled down until it was just Benny, Dani, and Frankie. Benny was the next to leave, loudly saying he was going to take a nap and for Frankie to behave himself. Frankie just shook his head at his friend.

“I guess I should be heading out soon.” Frankie sighed, not wanting to leave. Dani nodded, trying not to look disappointed.

Frankie scooted closer to where she was sitting on the couch, lifting her outstretched legs over his. The two sat in silence, purely enjoying each other’s company. “Fish,” Dani started, “You wanna get dinner sometime?” She asked, biting her lip nervously. Frankie looked at her, shocked, that she asked first.

“I would be damn stupid to say no.”

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. Dani and Frankie had become best friends. Even through all of the flirting, they never crossed that line. Dani was working at the hospital, and Frankie was back on rotation at the airport. He was gone most days, but he was due to come back for a short time.

Frankie was ready to be back home. He loved flying, but now he had something worth being on the ground for. He had called Dani before his last flight left, telling her he would be back by 9am the next day.

Like clockwork, Frankie was knocking on the door at the Miller Party House™ by 9:30am. Dani begrudgingly dragged herself out of bed and threw on her robe. She scurried toward the door, pulling it open to reveal Frankie with a bouquet of sunflowers. Frankie laughed, “No need to get dressed up querida, it's just me.” He teased her.

Dani pulled him into the house and hugged him tight. “Fish! I can’t believe you’re here.” She said sleepily. Frankie smiled at her tiredness. She just looked so damn cute in her fuzzy robe and bed head. “Give me thirty and I’ll be ready.” She yawned as he released her from his hold.

He watched her pad her way down the hall to her room, his smile never leaving his face. He made his way to the kitchen, knowing where everything was, he started a pot of coffee. Even though they were going for breakfast, he knew she would want a cup to-go.

True to her word, thirty minutes later, Dani emerged from her room, dressed in distressed jean and a black T-shirt. Her hair was thrown into a messy bun, her signature go to. She walked into the kitchen where Frankie just finished making her cup of coffee.

“Just the way you like it.” He promised with a wink, as he handed her the cup. She happily accepted the hot beverage. Taking her first sip, she moaned at the heavenly taste.

“You are the best, Cat.” She murmured, walking past him, only stopping to place a sweet kiss to his cheek. She all but inhaled the drink, before she slid her feet into her trusty converses. The two made their way outside and climbed into Frankie’s Chevy.

The drive to their usual diner, Luanne’s, was a short one, but it was filled with laughter. Frankie was at his happiest when Dani was with him. They pulled into the parking lot, Frankie backing his truck into ‘his’ spot. He hopped out of the cab, rushing to the passenger side, so that he could open Dani’s door.

“Who says chivalry is dead?” She joked as the door opened and Frankie held out a hand for her to take. She gladly accepted it and slipped out of the truck. The two walked hand in hand to the door. Frankie pulled it open to see Luanne standing behind the counter.

“Well look what the cat dragged in! I ain’t seen you two in a hot minute.” She greeted them, not bothering to get menus because they always ordered the same thing. “Your usual booth is open, go on and take a seat. I’ll get the coffee.”

Frankie and Dani mumbled a “thank you” in unison as they moved toward the back of the restaurant. Just as they were getting comfortable, Luanne walked up with a thermal carafe and two coffee cups. “What have y’all been up to?” she asked, sitting down the coffee and some cutlery.

“I just got back into town.” Frankie explained, “Had to drag this one out of bed.” He laughed as Dani stuck her tongue out at him.

“Well I’ve been taking extra shifts at the hospital. I think I’ve earned the right to sleep in.” She shot back at him with a smile.

“Y’all are the cutest. What are we getting today? The usuals?” She didn’t need to ask, she already knew. They nodded. “ Alrighty then. Coming up darlin’s.” Luanne walked away, leaving them to each other.

“So, extra shifts at the hospital?” Frankie asked her as he poured coffee, sliding her a cup.

“Yeah. Residency is kicking my ass. I’m trying not to fall behind.” she told him. “I take my boards in a week and I’ve logged almost no time in neuro.” She sighed. She didn’t want to go into neurosurgery, but she still needed the hours.

“You are going to be the best damn trauma surgeon Memorial has ever seen.” Frankie promised her, “And if they can’t see that, then fuck 'em.” He smiled at her. Luanne brought them their breakfast and they halted their conversation.

When they were done eating, Frankie insisted on paying, telling her she could get it next time. They left the diner and went back to Dani’s place. “You have me for the day, hermosa. What do you wanna do?” Frankie asked her. Dani tapped her pointer finger to her chin, pretending to think.

“I believe we have a show to catch up on, Morales. Seeing as I can’t watch it without you.” She teased him. “You grab the snacks, I’ll get the drinks, and get Hulu up.” He nodded in agreement and they separated.

When Frankie entered her room, she had blankets and pillows set up in a mock fort on the bed. How she did it so fast, he will never know, but he isn’t complaining. The two settled down and turned on ‘Sons of Anarchy’.

The show was gruesome and Dani hated watching it without Frankie. “Hey, fish?” She started, “Doesn’t Jax look a lot like Will? I mean, if he had long hair?” She asked, and Frankie studied the screen.

“Nah, I don’t see it.” They laughed and continued watching. She wasn’t sure how many episodes they watched, but she looked over and Frankie had fallen asleep. She closed the laptop, moving off the extra pillows, and covered Frankie with a blanket. His signature hat was falling off his head and she set it on her nightstand.

Dani sat there on her bed, looking at her best friend sound asleep. He looked peaceful. His face smooth of the worry lines he normally sported. His curly hair in disarray. She couldn’t help but smile. In that moment, she knew there was nowhere else she’d rather be. She curled herself up in the bed next to him, where she drifted into a relaxing slumber.

Translations:

Maldito idiota - Fucking Idiot

Lo que hasta hermano - What’s up brother

Estás solo, hermano. Ella da miedo - You’re alone, brother. She’s scary.

Deja de hablar mierda de mi. - Stop talking shit about me

Baila conmigo, cariño. - Dance with me, honey

Solo en tus sueños, playboy - In your dreams, playboy

Joder, princesa. Tienes que parar antes de que pierda el control. - Damn it, Princess. Stop before I lose control.

Tal vez eso es exactamente lo que quiero - Maybe that’s exactly what I want.

Hermosa- beautiful

Querida - Dear

[doyouever-daydream]

8. I wanna get better

A/N Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve updated this but I’ve been having a little trouble finding inspiration to write this story in specific but I think my inspiration is back! Only three parts left until this one is over BUT I have an idea for another Garvez series that’s got me so excited! Anyway, enjoy!

Pairing: Penelope Garcia x Luke Alvez

Warnings: Mentions of death, and I guess implied depression/PTSS.

Word count: 1302

Song: I Wanna Get Better by Bleachers

Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

“And I miss the days of a life still permanent

Mourn the years before I got carried away

So now I'm staring at the interstate screaming at myself,

Hey, I wanna get better!

 I didn't know I was lonely 'til I saw your face

I wanna get better, better, better, better,

I wanna get better

I didn't know I was broken 'til I wanted to change

I wanna get better, better, better, better,

I wanna get better”

The next morning, Luke woke up expecting to find her but she wasn’t there, he heard noises outside his bedroom so he quickly got up in an attempt to catch her before she left, he didn’t want her to leave before talking more about their relationship.

When he opened his door he was met by Penelope making breakfast, she was still wearing his clothes, she turned to him and shot him a shy smile.

“Good morning” She returned her focus to the pan as she flipped a pancake.

He walked up to her and kissed her cheek “Good morning indeed, do you need help?” His stomach growled as he smelled the pancakes and fruit that was on the counter.

“No, it’s almost ready, go get dressed and then we’ll have breakfast” He laughed, enjoying the small domestic moment they were having.

“What’s wrong with my outfit?” He glanced down and Penelope rolled her eyes.

“Aren’t you freezing? It’s still pouring outside and you’re only wearing boxers” She stated as she leaned on the counter took a sip from her mug.

“I thought you enjoyed the view” He winked at her and she jokingly rolled her eyes.

“Stop being stubborn, you’ll get sick, go get change or I’m breaking up with you” Penelope turned to get some plates, Luke stood behind her and placed one arm around her waist and with the other reached for the plates.

“Break up with me? You’d need to be my girlfriend to do that” He had a smug smile that she couldn’t see but could picture quite clearly.

She sighed “And what if I wanted to be your girlfriend?” Luke’s face lit up.

“I’ll go get changed and I’ll be right back to talk about that, please don’t change your mind while I’m not here” He returned to brush his teeth, and change into a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt.

When he came back, Penelope was already having breakfast on the table.

“Sorry, newbie, you were taking an eternity and I was starving” She took a bite of her pancake and Luke sat in front of her.

“Thank you for making breakfast” He also took a bite of his own plate “It’s delicious”

“It’s the least I could do after showing up last night unannounced” He glanced at her.

“You are always welcome anytime any day” She bit the inside of her cheek and continued to eat her breakfast.

“I don’t get how you never get cold” She commented after a few minutes, seeing him unbothered by the weather while she wanted to wrap a blanket around herself.

He shrugged “I rarely do, I’ve always been this way” They continued to eat in silence, it wasn’t awkward, it was peaceful.

“So, girlfriend, huh? Are you ready to make things official?” Luke dared to ask directly, not wanting to miss the chance.

She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose “If you agree to that then yes, I guess we would be officially a couple” He grinned.

“Well of course, I’ve been wanting to make things official for a while now” He confessed as he leaned across the table and took her hand “I have to confess something though” He pressed his lips together “Last night you expressed your concerns and well, you opened up to me so now I want to also be open with you”

Penelope sensed his nervousness and squeezed his hand “You don’t have to do it unless you really want to”

“I do, I really do, you told me about your past and I wanted to tell you about mine” He lowered his head “Before you there wasn’t really anyone who made me consider a relationship, I’ve dated a few women but I never saw myself being anyone’s anything, I mean it’s no secret I’m kind of a loner, Phil was my only friend until I joined the BAU but before that there wasn’t anyone I was close to beside him” His fingers tapped against the table “During all of my adult life I focused solely on the professional aspect of it, and you know, I don’t think I ever told this to anyone, not even Phil but I was never the same after Iraq, I mean how could I? I lost friends out there, it’s hard to care for someone after that, then what happened to Phil and seeing his life being thrown upside down by Cullen, I closed myself off for a long time, that’s why I think the fugitive task force was good for me, it kept me busy, but when Hotch offered me the job at the BAU, there was something that told me it was time for a fresh start, I’d still travel a lot but I wouldn’t be undercover, it was a chance to get my life back in a way and you played a huge part in that”

She felt a knot in her stomach, trying to understand how difficult it was for him to go through many losses “How so?” 

“It may sound really stupid but I think it was until I met you that I knew I didn’t want to be alone anymore, and at the beginning it wasn’t in a romantic way but the way you cared for the rest of the team and the way they cared for each other made me want to be a part of it, I wanted to be a part of something” 

Penelope was touched by his words, everyone knew that Luke didn’t share much about his life, but even before today he had shared with her and only her, details about his family, his childhood, he had even told her some embarrassing stories from his teenage years but Luke never talked about his previous years to the BAU, she had figured it was a delicate subject and she understood so she never asked about it, and now that he was baring his soul to her, she felt very thankful to be the one he decided to confide in.

“It’s not stupid, Luke” She reached for his hand across the table “Thank you for telling me this, I appreciate the fact that out of all people it’s me you feel comfortable talking about this” She paused for a second “And I’m glad that what you saw in us was something you wanted to be a part of, we all feel so lucky to have you as a part of our family”

“I’m not one to think much about why things happen but being around you has convinced life put me exactly where I needed to be so I could cross paths with you, you made me want to get better, to be better” He squeezed her hand and she smiled in return.

“I guess we both have things to work through and I’d love to have you by my side while I discover exactly how to do it and I mean it when I say I want to be by your side as you also work on yourself” Luke’s jaw tensed as he fought the tears back, he was overwhelmed with emotions he had never felt before, he was afraid of even thinking it, because it might have been considered too early but he felt in his heart that this was it, that Penelope was it.

[theangrypokemaniac]

Since I rant enough about the wizening Ma and Pa received in Sinnoh it's only right to wreak bloody rhetorical vengeance elsewhere:

However harsh it may be, I'm glad Takeshi Shudo isn't alive to witness the hateful desecration of his legacy.

...

In a universe where no one's allowed to age, why are the modern Jessie and James so withered and decrepit?

Dragon Ball has been on for more than three decades. Its stars were permitted to grow up, because the head can cope with the opportunities this offers.

Yet Goku, Krillin, Bulma et al bear a greater similarity to their younger selves than these gurning invertebrates do to Team Rocket, wearing a papery approximation of their skin.

Akira Toriyama is actually concerned about his life's work, still coming up with interesting concepts, brand-new characters, and most importantly, values his audience by keeping to the established canon.

If a Dragon Ball fan reads this, I am so jealous of you.

Consider yourselves fortunate not to have seen the thing you loved the most pulverised and the resulting glutinous mass moulded back into makeshift sloppy cadavers.

Look at the state of that man! That's a good picture these days!

Why have the eyelid lines turned into upside down bags?

And why has she collected her lashes for this particular screen shot?

On eyes with a strangely feline slant...

Has she had a face lift?

Get yer money back on that one, love.

And why has he marks under his eyes and round his flapping gob to add the hint of exhaustion?

And why don't her lips reach the edge of her mouth anymore?

And why must he display Beaver Toof, as if he's only got six pegs left?

Giving it to him but not her implies she's lost the lot, needing to gum objects for a result.

And why do her low-slung ears consist only of lobe?

And why can you see his featureless lugs? Why does his barnet stand outwards in tentacles like he's taken to wearing a floppy Starmie?

What's that's meant to be, purple dreadlocks?

And why is her hairline curved and absolutely straight, like a bad wig, apart from the perfunctory bits to the side, which I guarantee won't alter their position throughout the run?

Hair used to move about, now by law there's a set pattern which cannot change. Stamp that life out immediately.

And what's that flaccid growth between his weary peepers? Is that meant to be fringe?

PFFFT!!!

And why are her digits just as thick and oblong as his?

It ain't fingers. It's trotters.

And why's he got a back to his throat, but she hasn't?

And why are we forced to witness it? You can see all the way to his dangler!

The great gaping pink cave looks like the end of Looney Tunes when Porky Pig pops up and stammers: "That's all folks!"

Remember a lack of Beaver Toof? And triangular mouths?

Remember when Meowth was a cheeky, spirited little cat, not a middle-aged human midget, an emaciated wreck bored of it all?

Remember when it wasn't deemed necessary to expose us to internal organs?

And when James was a handsome, hysterically camp dandy, not a creepy, snot-ridden science dweeb?

And when Jessie was a beautiful, stylish young girl, hot-tempered but loyal, not a sullen, cold, reptilian, Botoxed-to-the-gills gorgon?

Remember when Team Rocket were fun? And attractive?

Remember when they had joy in their hearts in spite of their poverty? And vim? And hope?

Remember them acting with flair and imagination?

Remember when their schemes had variety?

Remember when they had more than a single disguise per era?

Remember when they had many occupations? And were good at them?

Remember when they'd have a go at everything and weren't reduced to flipping condemned meat in a grotty burger van FOR THREE YEARS?!

Remember when those in charge didn't despise them, when they got happy endings?

Remember split screens? And face faults? And background tones? And purple streaks down your cheeks?

Remember big, bright open eyes, not shrunken, sagging and empty holes afflicted by glaucoma?

Remember when Jessie had eyelashes?

Remember when Pokémon was an anime?

And when James had a fringe, not a bent swelling like a balloon animal?

And when the artist could be arsed to draw Meowth's Charm properly?

Remember when the voices weren't nails down a blackboard?

When Meowth didn't sound like a wedge of coal grinding beneath an oil-deprived door?

When Jessie's dulcet tones had a wider range that just screechy, and weren't reminiscent of a cacophonous banshee clawing her way from a bog, using her own mug as a shovel?

When James speaking didn't suggest he was at best, suffering sinus difficulties, and at worst, constantly battling to swallow his own sick from looking at her?

Mind you, I'm grateful the 4Kids cast are no longer here. They deserve better, and their presence would only validate the crude bastardisations.

Every time the guttural howls reach my poor ears a chill runs through my system, and reminds me of The Pokémon Company sacking the real dub crew in preference for a job done on the cheap.

Remember speed lines? And Pokéball-throwing animation?

Remember a new motto performance in each installment, not the same stock footage reused again and again?

Remember when it rhymed?

It shows.

Remember remembering it?

Remember when Team Rocket would walk down the street in their uniforms and no one took a blind bit of notice despite the organisation operating there?

And they didn't fanny about in one scabby polyester costume every minute they were travelling, even when NO ONE KNOWS WHO THEY ARE?

Since Unova, whilst confronting Ash and this era's soon-to-be-forgotten companions, you get this exchange:

Moron-Of-The-Week: "Who are Team Rocket?"

Ash: "They're bad guys who steal other people's Pokémon."

EVERY SINGLE BLOODY TIME!!!

WORD-FOR-WORD IDENTICAL!!!

The writers have such deep appreciation for their work they're sending in cut-and-paste scripts.

Remember blasting off when something blew up, not an explosion from nowhere, or giving it the slip with a jet pack, or abduction by a Care Bear?

Remember when the eyebrows matched the hair?

Remember when he wore it long?

Remember blue shock? And sweat drop? And hammerspace? And comedy violence?

Remember her jagged hairline? And it being RED!!!

Remember proper highlights to it, rather than the odd white lump now and again, as if sweating like a pig, or their heads are infested with giant space ticks?

Remember when they were in all the episodes? And were main characters? And on the introduction sequence?

Remember when Jessie and James used to hug? And hold hands?

And bicker as only a couple can, but you knew they'd never cope alone?

Remember when they'd fly into each other's arms under the flimsiest pretext?

Remember when they meant more to one another than just being a pair of unconnected and disembodied wraiths coincidentally walking down the same road?

And they had more than civil interactions?

Remember when she loved him as much as he loved her?

And no one else could ever take his place?

And canon wasn't infected with the ruinous depiction of her as a hard, heartless bitch barely tolerating him until someone 'better' came along, at which point she'd fuck off without a backwards glance?

'Better', as in a scabby, satchel-mouthed, gormless cretin, just to add surly insult to merciless injury.

Never has such a life-long and hardcore defender of the faith flipped into an ardent Rumishipper as I did after that episode, once I'd swept up the fragments of my soul.

Remember when they were sympathetic?

Remember when they showed human warmth?

Remember when they cared about each other?

Remember when they weren't just a jangling, distorted mess of half-recollected traits?

Remember when they weren't really evil?

Remember Rocketshipping? That was a thing once, believe it or not.

Remember when they had a conscience?

Remember when actually wicked characters turned up, and Team Rocket ALWAYS sided with Ash, rather than the nauseating spectacle of suddenly being best buds with the Boss?

Remember when they had contact with the Twerps?

Remember when Team Rocket and the Twerps loved each other in secret and would endanger themselves to save their 'enemies'?

Everything that was once good and winning about them was sucked out, degree by degree, to leave the corpse, hollow and dead, strung up on wires as a grim marionette.

I'm sure most who see this will vehemently disagree, that I'm completely wrong, that THEY like them.

Yes, you like this three, but you don't like Team Rocket. This is not them. You have yours, and I have mine, but let's not pretend they are the same.

Why, if there is no difference, would I be so hostile, when they meant so much too me?

Did you ever wonder where the original fans went, why they all departed en masse? It's not because they 'moved on' or 'matured'.

They didn't leave Pokémon. Pokémon left them.

As the makers rely so heavily on repetition (sorry, nostalgia) they arrogantly expect us to still be here, having blithely welcomed our memories minced and our canon ripped up or ripped off, apparently.

We're intended to put up with watching them lay waste to ťhe series's body, clinging on for when a rotting bone is pulled up now and again and waved at us, before they chuck it aside to continue the dismemberment.

It's been eaten from the inside out, explaining the facial collapse. Behold the beauty on show:

You see what I mean, don't you?

Don't you? No, because otherwise you'd say the same.

How anyone feels able to describe three deformed freaks as 'hot' or 'cute' I will never comprehend.

The uniform collar protrudes like a solid pipe, emphasising the pencil necks.

It gives the impression of wrinkled, leathery tortoises peering out of their shells to secure a tasty lettuce treat.

Is that pretty? No.

Is it so surprising I don't care for my favourites to resemble melted waxwork skeletons of their own dæmonic counterparts?

S&M is a most fitting name, for this is torture.

In the film Death Becomes Her, Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn vie for the attention of Bruce Willis, both taking a serum giving everlasting youth and slimness.

The catch is it confers immortality, but not invulnerability, so when pushed down the stairs Meryl survives but is dead, her neck broken, thus she's zipped up in the morgue fridge.

When Goldie is shot with a canon she too rises, internal organs blown out.

The rest of the adventure involves the pair losing the war against time, patching up and painting over peeling grey skin, holding onto loose limbs as their bodies fall apart.

This obviously is the case here. The trio lapped the potion up at the close of Sinnoh, experienced a fatal accident and are now steadily crumbling to mush before us.

According to grave-diggers the head always goes first, so there you are then.

I have a suspicion that Giovanni lured all three to his crypt, experimenting on them to engineer his ultimate super soldier, which explains their flat, plastic appearance. Those since Unova began are the cyborgs, the real ones locked in his cellar.

You may notice I have about the lowest opinion possible of the current writing team, as they deserve.

Why should I have any respect for vindictive halfwits like this, who hate Team Rocket so much they're going out of their way to distort and uglify them, expressing the resentment in celluloid?

Jessie, James and Meowth lost their only defender in Takeshi Shudo. From that point they descended from loveable, hapless tragic figures to self-parodies (Hoenn) whiney, irritating divs dumping one another at every interval (Sinnoh), robotic, amoral scum (Unova and Kalos) and now physically repulsive minor additions (Alola and Galar). Is that trajectory all accidental?

It not that it's a new 'style' (for want of a better word), as were that the case, this hideousness would apply to the entire cast, but it's only done to Team Rocket. How could that be unless motivated by malice?

Given the sub thesps are obliged to prostrate themselves in the dust, begging fans to make their appreciation known, it smacks of desperation.

They wouldn't need to ask that were the trio treated as an integral component. They must sense the objections and are thus drumming up support to avoid the dole queue.

Are those in charge so resentful of their presence it manifests in mutilating them, keen to do anything that may alienate the fanbase, so at the first sign of a dip in popularity they can leap upon it as the perfect excuse to write Team Rocket out?

Why be surprised? These are imbeciles who reject their own canon at the close of every generation, so why care about someone else's?

If people have to harangue the writers with grovelling praise of their retcons, rehashes and all-round twatting about, butter 'em up sufficiently, with the implied threat of deserting the franchise should Team Rocket be ejected, taking their purses too, all so the smug, avaricious berks deign to put the trio in the next generation, that proves they don't want them, so how can what they write for their characters be objectively of any worth?

Team Rocket would've departed by now, were there not a palpable worry their absence might ring the death knell of the whole thing, turning off the financial tap, which is what matters.

Therefore they are retained, grudgingly, and only so long as the clamour continues at its current decibel level. If that drops it's over, and don't expect a romantic resolution. Why should pleasing you be a concern when you're to leave with them?

Ask yourself: how much of your devotion is based on what they are right now, and how much is from who they used to be?

How long can they live off past glories?

The offences done in Unova and Kalos were bad enough, but remarkably Game Freak found further depths to plumb, therefore it can only get worse.

I have of course retained the loveliest for last:

Be still, my beating heart.

No, really, be still. Stop infact. 

Planet of the Apes.

[czec-hoslo-vak-ians]

Michael and Maria💜

Scene goes 👽

Well you guys we made it to the end of the season.

I'm so glad that we picked off right where we left off the last episode. I'm glad that the the gang is all there to help to get Max to safety. I wonder how they knew which car to follow they were smart to have three different cars get there and leave. Poor Maria car her mother is going to have a holy cow. Who has time for a kiss when you're being hunted by people and they're right on your tail.

Poor Max he can't keep up he is still trying to recuperate from what just happened to him. I love that Max is willing and able to let live see the good visions and the bed visions when they kiss. I don't blame Tess for being upset that they left in the Necdio behind.

Liz is Max life support only thing that keeps him from Living For. I finally got the first I love you of the season however it happened to be at the end of the season, but I will take it. The way. Max says I love you is so emotional and cute at the same time.

I love that Valenti and Michael are teaming up.👽 Max and blues sleeping together on an upside-down abandoned bus they made that look semi cute. I don't blame Michael for asking Valenti why is he helping. Michael had to use his powers in front of Valente he had no other choice in order to save Max and Liz. Valenti is confused Michael has no idea how he did what he did or what he did. I don't blame Max for demanding to Valenti that he needs to trust him however I also understand that Valenti's need to know everything because it is his life that's a lie on the line also. Max is so correct Valenti's father would have definitely turned them in. Question is is Valenti going to be like his father? I don't blame Valenti for being flabbergasted by all of this, this is a lot to take in at one time.

Michael Powers are growing he just needs to learn how to control them better.👽 tiny tiny feel bad for Tess that she doesn't have anyone there to want to stay there for her or go where she does. Max is right they have to stand up and fight for themselves. Pierce may be strong but they are stronger together.

Oh man but Monday has a hard choice to make and Pierce is not going to make it easy on him because he did shoot them because he did shoot them oh no Kyle's getting roped into all of this. We have not seen him in a while I'm glad that we get to see him. Definitely a cool Power Tess. Of courseTess is talking about liz not being with Max she just had to throw that in there. Kyle is so clueless right now, of course Kyle is not going to listen to Max he's going to follow don't be an idiot and take the gun.

But half a second you think that Valenti is going against the kids. Valenti was smart enough to tell him that they were dismantling his agents because that was the only way for Pierce to believe Valenti. Adding protection for his family his father and his son was the frosting on top.

Max is acting like he is this big top guy when he's confronting agent Pierce does not sound very intimidating. Pierce definitely did a better job at it. I don't blame Isabel not wanting to walk into someone's head while they're awake. Dang it Valenti I thought he was on Solid Ground now he's being all shaky and doesn't know that to do.

Of course is Kyle end up where, why the heck would he be untying agent Pierce for he should have just listened to Max and stayed where he was at home. Michael just save Valenti's life so you better not be turning him in. Poor Michael just kill him he definitely didn't mean too or did he. Max has to help Kyle it's just the right thing to do because he doesn't Valente sure will definitely be turning them in and he would be a murderer if Max didn't help.

I'm glad that Max is saving Kyle it's the right thing to do I just feel bad for Michael he doesn't have this ability it seems like Micheal causes death. I don't blame Michael for wanting Agent Pearson dead.👽 Alex is so understanding he realizes when Isabel need to do something by herself she needs to do it by yourself and he gets it. To me it seems like Liz is being a little selfish by not allowing Max to take this journey on his own. Michael pushed her away she didn't go after him, Alex understood Isabel needed you do this by yourself he did go after her, Liz is the only one who can't stand not being away from him not understanding that this is something that he needs to do by himself he doesn't need her to be there, however Max didn't put his foot down and say do not come with me so he's just as much to blame for her being there when she's really shouldn't be.

I'm glad the stones works on a Necido I really like his character, he is so right Liz does not belong there with them. Well we know that the Necido isn't the leader and that long look at Max you realize that Max is the leader. Smart of them to replace Pierce with Nacido.

It's a real risk of them to try to make the orbs work because you don't know who they are contacting or who will be listening. All this information this woman is saying it's a lot to take in. So Max and Isabelle are brother and sister Max and Tess are supposed to be made in life Isabel and Michael betrothed to each other. Max is leader, Michael second-in-command this is a lot to handle and take in and hearing it from your mother your real mother. Yikes that is a lot to swallow poor Liz having to hear all this. They are destined to go back to free them( that's a little hiccup in the series because they never go back home spoiler alert.. it would have been nice to see that happen for them to go back home and try to free everyone at least for half a season while they're also trying to find a way back to Earth. At least season 3 should have been that and then season 3 should have been season 4.. that's just my opinion) the scene is so important that it got sideswiped throughout the rest of the series which is a shame. I'm proud of Liz for stepping up and doing the right thing by walking away like that. Them opening up the orbs like that a new threat is among them.

💜 of course Maria is worried about Michael not coming back however he flips it and told her that he will bring Liz and Max back Even though he knows she really mean I'm worried about you.

💜I'm so glad that Maria wants to be there with Michael no matter where he goes( spoiler alert not the only time she does it when she has a choice like this). Michael definitely wasn't expecting her to say that but he definitely does embrace it with a soft hug

💜 this is one of my favorite scenes between Michael and Maria from the season. All Michael does is push Maria away and all Maria wants is to be there through the good the bad the ugly everything. Michaels reasoning is totally understandable and why he keeps pushing me away it's because he loves her so much and he doesn't want her to see the ugly side of him or wants her to get hurt because him. This I love you is way better than Max and liz I love you.( that's just my opinion). Maria is so flabbergasted and what she just heard Michael say she can't really believe she heard what she heard.

Well you guys that was the end of the season I had fun I hope you had fun I'll see you on the other side

Coming up next season 2

Quote of the episode

Edit NOT mine

[calyxaomphalos]

The Ghosts of Windy Ridge

Turn #59, three components

location #12 - QRS club house (abandoned) (2) neighbor #3 - Andy (5) item #15 - of great beauty

And a brief turn #60, daily recap.

15 April 2022, Friday Evening

Back to the cabin, groceries unloaded, and a nice dinner left me with a couple hours before sunset, so I thought I'd take that walk over to the abandoned QRS club house, where I was headed yesterday morning when I ran into Suzy. I still had the key that Black Shuck had pointed out to me under the doormat, so I didn't expect any trouble gaining access.

It turned out I was wrong. The key slid into the lock alright, but then it just wouldn't turn. The lock looked just like I remembered it from earlier in the week. I tried the key not quite pushed in all the way, I checked to see if it would fit in upside down perhaps? No luck there. I was still fiddling with it when I heard a voice call out to me.

"Hey, Serren!" I recognized Andy's voice. The last time I had seen Andy was up at the mine when I showed him the door in the grating was unlocked. And here I was futzing with another supposedly locked door. I'd already stood up and turned around in surprise, but the friendliness of his greeting lowered my anxiety a bit.

"Hi, Andy, um, I suppose this might look a bit weird. I just love looking at old abandoned properties and this was hard to resist. There was a key under the mat but it doesn't seem to work?"

"Not too weird," Andy said, coming up onto the porch. "I've been meaning to check this place out myself. You said the key was under the mat? Can I try it?"

"Sure thing," I said, handing the key over to him. He put it in the lock and gave it a turn. The door opened right up. I thought quietly to myself, "maybe the house doesn't like me much today."

I followed Andy through the door into the foyer. "Hey, can you maybe prop the door open for some light?" he asked, but I was already on it, using the same brick I'd used last Tuesday. Andy looked to the left into the living room and then right at the paned glass double doors. He put his hand on the handle of the door on the right and gently pushed down. I heard a click. Andy pushed the door open slowly. The groaning creak made by the hinges reminded me of the door in the grating up at the cave and I felt an awful creepy shiver which persisted for a second or two after the sound had stopped.

Andy was already into the next room and I followed him, not wanting that door to move again any time soon. The wall which was visible through the glass of the doors was pretty much bare, just a lower dark wainscotting and the upper portion wallpapered with a subtle wide vertical stripes pattern, at least until further down on the right. That whole end of the room was lined with narrow side-tables, like little desks, because they each had a small chair situated in front.

Most of the tables were empty, but one had a stack of books and another had a small box. Andy went to look at the books. I examined the box. The light was dim, so I suggested that we take these items and go, examine them in good light and figure out what to do next from there.

"Yeah, I suppose it is getting late, let's go out on the front porch and see what we've got," Andy agreed.

At first glance, the three books Andy had picked up were related to mining. One was specifically about the ores of the state, another about the physics of tunneling through various types of rock. The third one looked quasi-religious on the surface. I thought I recognized a daemon seal as Andy flipped through the pages.

"What is this horseshit? I mean, the mining stuff makes sense, but what the fuck is this? And what's that box you have there?"

The box was a rich dark wood, beautifully inlaid with chips of mother-of-pearl. I couldn't see any immediate way to open it. I shook it gently, but there was no rattle at all. "Maybe it's empty," I said. "Maybe it's just a decorative thing and is solid?"

"Lemme see it," Andy said. "I could take it back to the shop and run the ol' bandsaw through it."

"Eh, I don't think that's a good idea. I'd also like to take that weird religious book, if that's OK with you," I said, hoping he'd agree.

"Yeah, it's creepin' me out," he said, handing the book over to me. "But you let me know if you want to try the bandsaw on that block of wood, OK?"

15 April 2022, Friday Night

The weird religious book that creeped Andy out turned out to have the title, QRS Knowledge Lectures One Through Six. There was a section on daemons, one on the zodiac, another on Tarot, yet another on Geomancy, and that was just Lecture Three. It'd take some effort to get through it all. It was dense occult material.

The decorative wood block may or may not be a box. I tried poking and prodding at it for several minutes and then decided I was exhausted from the day. I'll face this fresh in the morning!