#USA war against baby girls

[girlactionfigure]

1. Since October 7th, Hamas fired over 10,000 missiles at Israel while purposefully targeting Israeli civilians - a blatant war crime. The EU condemned Hamas for these acts. 

2. On October 7th, Hamas terrorists purposefully entered civilians’ homes in Israel and tortured, raped, kidnapped and murdered 1,200 Israelis. 240 were kidnapped, including babies, toddlers and elderly - a blatant war crime. 200 independent and foreign reporters viewed unreleased footage from Hamas’s terrorists body cams that show unspeakable horrors committed against Israeli civilians. Many of the atrocities were live-streamed. Look it up, many of the videos are easily available. Note - Hamas recorded these videos. The terrorists were proud of their actions. Many reporters told about the glee and excitement shown by the terrorists as they tortured and raped Israeli girls and babies

3. Hamas is well known for using schools and hospitals as terror sites - a blatant war crime. The EU officially condemned Hamas’s actions, which endanger both Israelis and Palestinians.

 4. IDF footage shows that Israeli hostages, including babies, were held under a Gaza hospital - another blatant war crime.

 5. UNRWA tweeted that Hamas stole fuel and food from its warehouses. They later deleted that tweet. Look up the testimonies of Gaza residents, which are easily available here on X.

 6. Hamas uses Gaza residents as human shields. There are multiple videos and testimonies indicating that Hamas set up road blocks to prevent Gaza residents from fleeing using the IDF’s humanitarian corridors. There are videos showing IDF soldiers securing that corridor since Hamas fired at its own people. There are videos of Gaza residents complaining about the fact that Hamas hides among civilians.

7. Hamas is a listed terror group per the USA, Britain, Canada and the European Union. 

8. Israel is under no obligation to reach a ceasefire with such a murderous terror group - who in fact swore to carry out more of these attacks until Israel is annihilated. 

9. Hamas is the elected ruler in Gaza, and Israel has the right and duty to eliminate it.

[warwickroyals]

queen rosalyn was mentioned in a recent post, so: can you give us any lore about her, her family, and how they managed to marry into sunderland royalty? if louisa had ended up queen, do you think she would have resisted and opposed rosalyn's politics once she reached majority?

This is actually a very helpful question, anon! Thank you for not getting mad since I took forever to answer <3

Uh, under the cut is a shit ton about the American Civil War and that means talk about slavery, so read at your own risk.

So, Rosalyn as I've made it clear was a Daughter of the Confederacy, like, a literal OG one a la Varina Anne Davis, born and raised on a plantation in South Carolina during a very contentious time. She had a very charmed childhood (like completely obvious to the horrors of slavery and raised as a true Southern Belle), but everything she loved became threatened by the inevitable Civil War and what she saw as the threat of Northern aggression.

Rosalyn in my head has always been similar to Scarlett O'Hara (Vivian Leigh's character from Gone With the Wind), she was absolutely stunning, at least appearance-wise. Sunderland and the USA are right next to each other, so it was typical for Sunderlandian royals to venture into the USA for both political and social reasons. I'd like to imagine that Rosalyn met her future husband Louis at a ball in Maryland.

Now, Louis IV, as I've mentioned before, assumed the throne at 15 years old and was of a rather weak constitution. Due to his poor health, he was used to being babied and pretty much always got what he wanted. So, giving this kid basically absolute power was bound to cause issues. For Louis, it was love at first sight and Rosalyn's family, realizing Louis's position, urged her to pursue him. They had a whirlwind Romeo & Juliet-style romance, heavily manipulated by the Southern planter class, who correctly predicted international opinion turning against slavery, and wanted to ensure Sunderland would remain at the very least neutral during a Civil War. There was no better way to promote their interests than a puppet Confederate queen who had a king wrapped around her fingers.

Basically everyone in Louis's inner circle begged him not to marry Rosalyn: Parliament, family, friends, etc. But Louis married her anyway, Sunderland lacked the proper checks and balances to prevent it (they'd fix this later). People were outraged and opinions about Queen Rosalyn ranged from dismissive to downright murderous. In Sunderland, she became a scapegoat for the coming war in America. The more things worsened in America, the more she was resented. The whole nation held its breath when she became pregnant in 1859, and rejoiced when the child turned out to be a girl.

Sunderland really lucked out with Louis's early death. For one thing, he died before the Civil War started and for another, he died before he could father a son with Rosalyn. Both prevented Rosalyn from really doing any damage or having any institutional power to promote Confederate interests. She had been Queen for just under three years. She fled Sunderland with her infant daughter mere weeks after Louis died, fearing for her life. The new king, Louis's cousin George, was fully intending to make an example of Rosalyn and Louisa if they came in the way of his accession, so it was a smart move.

However, the home Rosalyn returned to wasn't the same. Several of her brothers died during the Civil War, and Big Dick William Tecumseh Sherman marched his soldiers straight across South Carolina, destroying any plantations in his path. Suffice it to say, Rosalyn kind of lost it after that, she never recovered and became a recluse until her death.

As for Louisa, she was referred to by Southerners as the Queen of Sunderland for most of her life, but it was more sarcastically than with any real deference. She never attempted to take back her birthright and actually signalled her loyalty to King George several times. George, as a result, left her to live her life in the USA. The cousins were even on friendly terms until Louisa's death.

Lousia was still raised in the South and her mother probably spoon-fed her a wrapped education based on the pro-South Lost Cause narrative (Here's an amazing video about what that means, but it's basically the myth that the Civil War was not centred on slavery, like, "States Rights" and all that BS), but Louisa rejected appeals to becoming a spokesperson for Neo-Confederate groups. She was a very private person and valued a life out of the spotlight.

Now, had she become queen she would have almost certainly been separated from her mother and raised by the State with George serving as regent until she reached adulthood. Rosalyn would have had little power to do anything about it. There was no chance of Louisa being a Confederate sympathizer without getting assassinated. Plus, after the Civil War, there was no Confederate States to represent anyway.

[nijjhar]

Matt 19:- Abortion is killing an innocent person in Mammon. Poor people ... Matt 19:- Abortion is killing an innocent person in Mammon. Poor people love God and have no abortions. https://youtu.be/kNrVjkFcjPY Abortion is the killing of an innocent person mostly done by Mammon-infested countries making Bombs - USA, Europe, etc. https://youtu.be/T_6X7e__i2o Matt 19v3-12:- The Parable is highly spiritual and Man = Soul and Wife = flesh. Abortion is killing. https://youtu.be/7aKCQh_EEMg Holy Gospel of our Supernatural Father Elohim, Allah, Parbrahm, etc., delivered by the First Anointed Christ = Satguru of the highest living God Elohim that dwells within our Temple of God called Harmandir or “Emmanuel” according to Saint Matthew 19,3-12. But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male dominant and female subordinate to man. For this reason, a man, supernatural “soul”, dominant Male shall leave his Father, Elohim and Mother, Holy Spirit (and be joined to his wife on the conception of a baby), and the two shall become one flesh, one person whether a boy or a girl.' So they are no longer two but one flesh, person. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate as they kill “innocent Jesus” during the abortion very popular among the Mammon-infested countries." In the house, His twice-born Friends/Labourers and not the once-born natural 12 to 16-year-old boys, the disciples of the Rabbis, again questioned him about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife as Saul did by becoming the Disciple of Gamaliel and marries another as Gamaliel did to Saul commits adultery against her, Saul, the physical body that belonged to another person; and if she divorces her husband as people leave their own Free Will and become slaves to Pope or these hireling Dog-Collared Priests in which they obey him as wife would obey her husband and marries another, she commits adultery by leaving her own “soul or conscience” and do what her new husband, Gamaliel told Saul to persecute the Labourers of Jesus against his own “conscience”." Very difficult Parable to understand but if you know Christ Jesus came to set us Free of the Clutches of these hireling Dog-Collared Priests working for Mammon or slaves to Mammon and the Queen in England in which they glorify the soldiers who died in World War 1 and 2 whilst we glorify God by serving the people as the Salvation Army Brethren do and they are nearest to God but hated by the Church of England Priests looking forward to becoming the Lord in the House of Lords one day, then you can well imagine how spiritually blind these stooges of Mammon are? People were bringing children to him so that he might touch them, but His Friends and not the disciples rebuked them because the standard of His Preaching was too high for the little unbiased children. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the clean-hearted people like the children come to me; do not prevent them as these hypocrites Dog-Collared Priests do, for the Royal Kingdom of God belongs to such as these that Jesus proclaimed Nathaniel was, no speck of hypocrisy. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Royal Kingdom of God like the unbiased heart of a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them. Remember that in this Dark Age of Christ, everyone has to give his own account to God. Greatest Blasphemers and Killers Blair and Bush https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qHdTpTXHvE&list=PL0C8AFaJhsWz7HtQEhV91eAKugUw73PW1 Christ Jesus was killed by the Temple High Priest Hypocrite/Blasphemer against the Holy Spirit and so were Bush and Blair who at the backing of Jewish people in the USA destroyed one country after the other starting with the cradle of Humanity Iraq, the Land of the forefather of the Chosen People who is no more faithful to Abraham but has become sons of the Highest Satan Al-Djmar Al-Aksa. Blair and Bush's blasphemies against the Holy Spirit are bearing Fruit in economic chaos created by Virus https://youtu.be/0WBYOmpDuCs Blair and Bush blasphemy https://youtu.be/9qHdTpTXHvE. Greatest Blasphemers and Killers Blair and Bush being considered by Anti-Christ Bishops for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Peace Prize should rather go to Asange and the Iraqi Journalist who threw both his shoes at the hypocrite Bush in Iraq. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qHdTpTXHvE&list=PL0C8AFaJhsWz7HtQEhV91eAKugUw73PW1 American Jews are today – http://www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/GrimReaper.htm destroying one country after the other. For the unlisted videos www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/Unlisted.htm My ebook by Kindle. ASIN: B01AVLC9WO Private Bitter Gospel Truth videos: www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/JAntisem.htm www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/Rest.htm Any helper to finish my Books:- ONE GOD ONE FAITH:- www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/bookfin.pdf and in Punjabi KAKHH OHLAE LAKHH:-  www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/pdbook.pdf Very informative Channel:- Punjab Siyan. John's baptism:- www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/johnsig.pdf Trinity www.gnosticgospel.co.uk/trinity.pdf

[femsolid]

I might be wrong, but I think I remember seeing big master post about male violence statistics. Do you know where I could find that?

I did make a post about it a while ago so I'll copy the stats here (sources are at the end):

Men murder at least 137 women they know every day.

In 2017, men murdered at least  87,000 women around the world. 30,000 of the victims were their wives and girlfriends.

In the USA, men murdered 1,800 women they knew in 2016.

Mexican men murder around 5 women a day in total impunity. They murdered 16 000 mexican women in only 8 years.

In France, a man murders his wife every 2 or 3 days. That’s several thousands murdered women over the past 10 years.

Men murder prostituted women at a higher rate than any other class of women. Prostituted women (or “sex workers”) are 60 to 120 times more likely to be murdered.

In 2010, men have murdered at least 1,200 female babies. These murders go up by 20% each year.

Men have forced the termination of 25 to 50 millions female fetuses in India.

Misogyny in rural China makes 1 in 3 chinese woman kill herself. Each day, 500 chinese women kill themselves, that’s 182 500 per year and the n°1 cause of death.

Each year, men forcefully marry 14 millions of female children. That’s currently 650 millions of girls married to pedophiles.

In 2 years, men have brutally murdered 243 of their female relatives for “bringing shame” to their families.

Over the last two decades, men have murdered 1.8 millions female children (6 years old or under) in India only.

Men and their enablers mutilate the genitals of 7 girls per day. 91% of egyptians women are mutilated.

112 to 200 millions of girls are currently missing in the world.

Men are now more numerous than women by 60 millions due to the mass murder of women and girls as well as sex selective abortion.

Men are still accusing women of witchcraft and murdering them in Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands.

Men have harassed 86% of french women in public spaces. They have followed 43% of them home and insulted 39% of them. They sexually assaulted 40% of them in public. Similar numbers are found in Spain, the UK, the USA, Germany and Italy.

Men have sexually assaulted 49% of lesbian and bisexual women in public spaces, as well as 36% of muslim women.

French men have sexually assaulted 100% of female users in public transport. Half of which were underage at the time of the assault. 6 out of 10 french women report being scared when using public transports.

Men have raped approximately half of the female population in the UK, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands and France.

Globally, 4% or less of the men reported for rape are charged, making rape a sort of “legal crime”.

In the USA, men have raped 80% of disabled women.

In South Africa, men rape a woman every minute and 25,000 children a year.

Men mostly rape their wives (50%) or other close women, like their daughters, sisters, cousins, friends (40,8%).

Men send around 325 000 children into sexual slavery each year.

88% of the pornographic videos men make include violence against women. The women in this industry generally don’t live past 36 years old.

50% of male american students have responded that they would rape a woman. 30% responded they would rape a woman if they were sure to get away with it.

A US american soldier rapes one of his female coworkers every 3 hours.

In France men sexually assault at least 580 000 women every year. 62 000 french women are raped or victims of attempted rape every year. That’s 170 women a day. Most rapes are committed by a partner or former partner, a family member or a friend of the victim.

In the U.S., 1 in 3 women experienced some form of sexual violence in her lifetime. In 8 out of 10 cases of rape, the victim knew the perpetrator. 8% of rapes occur while the victim is at work.

96% of people who sexually abuse children are male and 76.8% of people who sexually abuse children are adults.

The number of women and girls raped and killed during wars is not counted here (or anywhere else…).

More than 9 times as many men (5,037,000) as women (581,000) have ever at one time been incarcerated in a State or Federal prison at year end 2001.

In 2014, more than 73% of those arrested in the US were males. Men accounted for 80.4 percent of persons arrested for violent crime and 62.9 percent of those arrested for property crime.

In 2011, of children under 5 killed by someone other than their parent, 80% of the people that were convicted were males.

2011 arrest data from the FBI:

Males constituted 98.9% of those arrested for rape

Males constituted 87.9% of those arrested for robbery

Males constituted 85.0% of those arrested for burglary

Males constituted 83.0% of those arrested for arson.

Males constituted 81.7% of those arrested for vandalism.

Males constituted 81.5% of those arrested for motor-vehicle theft.

Males constituted 79.7% of those arrested for offenses against family and children.

Males constituted 77.8% of those arrested for aggravated assault

Males constituted 58.7% of those arrested for fraud.

Males constituted 57.3% of those arrested for larceny-theft.

Males constituted 51.3% of those arrested for embezzlement.

Sources under the cut.

https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/GSH2018/GSH18_Gender-related_killing_of_women_and_girls.pdf

http://vpc.org/press/more-than-1800-women-murdered-by-men-in-one-year-new-study-finds/

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Pakistan-With-Peaking-Female-Infanticide-345-Newborn-Bodies-Recovered-From-Garbage-Piles–20180501-0015.html

https://womennewsnetwork.net/2012/02/07/india-girl-infants-murder-femicide/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/link-between-domestic-violence-mass-killings/

 https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics

https://www.ined.fr/fichier/s_rubrique/25953/538.population.societes.2016.novembre.fr.pdf + Ministère de la justice française

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_differences_in_crime

It’s a Girl : The Three Deadliest Words in the World by Evan Grae Davis

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9Qp5svC8Ou/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

La deuxième moitié d'Assita Kanko

http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/facts-and-figures

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wartime_sexual_violence

https://www.allgirlsallowed.org/womens-rights-china-statistics#_edn4

https://stoprape.humboldt.edu/statistics#3

http://www.hope-eci.org/_documents/disabilities.pdf

https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/sexuality/assaults.php

Briere and Malamuth, 1983

Goodchilds and Zellman, 1984

Bridges and Wosnitzer, 2007

Pornland by Gail Dines

https://www.egalite-femmes-hommes.gouv.fr/dossiers/egalite-professionnelle/lutte-contre-le-harcelement-sexuel-au-travail/les-chiffres-cles-du-harcelement-sexuel-au-travail/

http://www.haut-conseil-egalite.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/hcefh_avis_harcelement_transports-20150410.pdf

https://jean-jaures.org/nos-productions/les-femmes-face-aux-violences-sexuelles-et-le-harcelement-dans-la-rue

https://chretien.news/suicide-des-jeunes-femmes-chinoises/

https://www.cdhal.org/ressources/feminicides-au-mexique/

https://kutv.com/news/local/40-of-police-officer-families-experience-domestic-violence-study-says

https://www.liberation.fr/france/2020/01/31/violences-conjugales-par-des-policiers-et-gendarmes-il-y-a-une-sorte-de-sacralisation-de-la-parole-d_1776563

http://zodculture.com/sexism/

La Guerre Invisible de Leila Miñano et Julia Pascual

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/young-chinese-women-are-committing-suicide-at-a-terrifying-rate/

[freakingbellam]

Timeless (HP & HOO crossover x reader)

Synopsis: What would you say if I told you that Hogwarts and Camp Half-Blood are not so far apart? Yeah, Gale and Y/n would also say this is crazy. But these two girls are about to discover that even though they are far apart, the magic that surrounds them is the same. After all, what do a time travel, a fearful prophecy and a Titan about to resurrect, have in common? Certainly more than you can imagine.

Paring: Apollo x reader

Warnings: None, I guess.

Reader: Percy's step sister! reader

Word count: 1.7k

A / N: escreve o que quiser (notas da autora)

September 2010, New York - USA

Y/n would be lying if she said she didn’t cry like a baby when she saw Argo II return to Camp Half-Blood. She had been forbidden to help in the battle against the giants, but she was nevertheless not full at Camp. After the near invasion of Camp Jupiter and Reyna's visit, things got messed up there.

But the best part of the return of the other demigods was seeing Percy again. He looked extremely exhausted, but happy to be back in one piece. Y/n hugged him for so long that Percy almost fell asleep in her arms.

The boy was welcomed with all the frenzy he deserved, entitled to a hearty banquet and a visit from his father, along with a very tearful Sally and a relieved Paul.

Tyson had been absolutely thrilled to see his older brother talking to his friends by the fire, which glowed high and yellow, mirroring the emotion of the half-bloods.

Despite being as happy as the others, and maybe even more so, Y/n retired a little earlier that night. She didn't walk long before her absence was noticed.

‘Mingling with the shadows? I thought this was my own thing.” The girl smiled at Nico di Angelo, who walked over to her with his hands in the pockets of his aviator jacket, which was still too big for him.

“I'm going to sleep, Nico.” She explained, continuing her way to Cabin 3. “It was a day full of emotions, I'm tired.”

Nico nodded, walking beside her. Y/n always found it fun to be the same size as Nico, but now she realized that he was a few inches taller than she was.

“Are you okay?” she asked, bringing up the subject.

“I think so.” Nico replied, looking surprised by his own conclusion. “Maybe things get better for me from now on.”

“I'm sure it will.” Y/n opened an encouraging smile. Because he was the son of Hades, Nico suffered more than all the other demigods, which worried the girl. She hadn't seen him since the war of the Titans, but she talked to Percy during her mission and discovered things she didn't want to discover.

She looked at Nico. For the first time in his life, his face looked serene, as if his problems were gone. Y/n realized that it would be better not to go into details about the problems he went through. She did not want to end his joy.

“Di Angelo!” someone called, running up to them. Y/n turned to find Will Solace smiling like a ray of sunshine. “Hi Y/n!”

“Will.” She smiled. When looking at Nico, she noticed a pink tint on his cheeks and held her laugh. “Can you take care of Nico for me? I need to go to sleep but he doesn't want to leave.”

Will smiled, realizing what she meant. Nico looked at her with anger and indignation, but he didn't seem against the idea.

“Certainly.” The blonde took a step forward. “Have a good night!”

“You too.” She raised an eyebrow at Nico and walked back to her cabin.

She was still smiling when she passed Hecate's cabin, which looked darker than ever. Her smile wilted. She had always been a little afraid of the goddess's children since she found herself a half-blood and moved to camp. But that night, something seemed comforting in the hideous darkness of the cabin. Unable to contain the impulse that occurred to her, Y/n went up on the porch and went through the open door. None of the goddess's children were there, they were probably still at the stake celebrating, they always loved a good party.

Y/n didn't know exactly what she expected to find inside, but she certainly wasn't ready for what she saw. She had never entered the cabin since she had never been invited and it didn't feel right to enter without an invitation like she did now. But what she found was an absolute void. No bunk beds, bathroom, closet or chest. Nothing for the basic comfort of teenagers. All that was inside was a torch on the floor with a brown leather-bound notebook beside it.

“Take it” A whisper said, and Y/n knelt down to better analyze the notebook.

“Who...?” She started the question, but knew at the time that she had no need to finish it. Hecate was there. “Are you hiding in the shadows?”

There was a harsh laugh, but Y/n couldn't tell where it came from. It was as if the goddess moved in every particle of air around her.

“I heard that Poseidon's children were mocking, but seeing that feat face to face is much more fun. Ares definitely didn't say enough about it.”

“I don't think he has any reason to boast about it.” She commented, but her body was tense. Something about the goddess made her feel that bad things would happen any second.

“Take the notebook.” She asked, seeming to feel the girl's tension. “Take it and bring my girl back.”

“What does that mean?” Y/n asked, but never got an answer.

After several minutes, she finally let herself be overcome by curiosity, put the notebook under her arm and ran out of the cabin.

Y/n spent a few days without touching the notebook, which was comfortably resting on the small table in her cabin. Percy asked several times what the notebook was and why Y/n didn't move it, but the girl always answered the same thing. "It's just a silly notebook." She was afraid to open it and end up triggering something she couldn't control.

Percy and the others had just returned from a massacre battle with irreparable losses, she didn't want to leave anyone alarmed by something as stupid as a leather notebook.

Y/n tried to distract herself. She would swim in the lake, duel with Percy in the arena, ask Tyson to teach her something in the forges, help Chiron with pending camp, talk about the biggest zucchinis with Rachel, encourage Annabeth to talk nonstop about architecture, sometimes make her repeat everything he had said in Greek, but nothing seemed to get her thoughts out of the notebook. Instead of being distracted, she got some scars from the duels, burns from the forges and throbbing ears, but nothing erased the notebook.

Tired of trying, Y/n returned to the cabin and spent several minutes looking at the problem. She would get up a few times, making a move to pick it up, but soon she would go back to sitting on bed. When she finally thought she would be brave enough to end the trip, someone knocked on the door.

Changing her course, Y/n opened the door to the blond, smug figure.

Y/n and Apollo had spent a lot of time together a few months before, not that any of them had a chance to do the opposite. He had helped her save the Camp when everyone seemed too busy saving the world. Now she was no longer able to get rid of the sun god, who suddenly appeared in her cabin. At least now he had learned to knock on the door before entering.

“Good afternoon, beautiful lady.” He smiled, breaking into the cottage before Y/n had a chance to expel him. “What do you do locked in that cabin?”

“Apollo, seriously, now is not the best time.”

“Every hour is the best time for Apollo!” He smiled at her and Y/n found herself unable to say no to him. The god had that effect on her, but she couldn't explain why. She just went back to bed and sighed.

“What happened, Sunshine?” he asked, now more serious.

Y/n pointed to the notebook, like a child pointing out the bully who was mistreating her. Pausing to think, it was almost the same.

Apollo's gaze followed Y/n 's finger until it stopped at the Hecate symbol on the cover of the notebook, and he froze.

“What's it?”

“That notebook.” He got up and picked up it, playing with it in his hands. “I saw Hecate with another of his once many years ago. I asked her what they were, but she cast a spell on me that prevented me from speaking for two months. Where did you find it?”

“I found him at her cabin.” The girl admitted, unable to lie to the closest friend she had at the camp until that moment. “I heard Hecate ask me to take him away. I didn't understand what she expects me to do.”

“Write.” He suggested, after long minutes of silence.

“I’m sorry?” Y/n looked at him, confused. “What if something bad happens, Apollo? I don't know if I want to find out.”

The god smiled gently, taking the book to the girl and handing it over, along with a blue ballpoint pen. Y/n hesitated for a few seconds before picking up the pen and opening the notebook. But she didn't do much more than that, as the words “Owned by G. J. W.” they magically appeared on the first leaf, in a strange black ink.

Y/n looked at Apollo for help, but he just shrugged and encouraged her to write something below. "G. J. W.? This notebook is mine, and my name has none of those letters!”

Before she had a chance to tell Apollo how ridiculous it was, the notebook replied.

G: "Who are you?"

Y: “Y/n Y/l/n, are you?”

G: "Gale Wright"

Y: “How the hell am I talking to you through my notebook? Where you are from?"

G: “England. I'm a student at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, how about you? What school of magic do you belong to? ”

Y: "I'm not going to any magic school, I'm from New York, there's no such thing here!"

G: "I thought the United States school of magic was Ilvermorny"

Y: "I am not a witch!"

G: "Oh by Merlin, are you a muggle?"

Y: "Look, I may not be a witch but you don't have to curse me!"

G: “Muggle is a term for non-wizards ... But if you are not a witch, how can you talk to me? This notebook is bewitched, only those who have contact with magic could see it ”

Y: "I didn't know that the notebook was enchanted until now ... I didn't even know about the existence of a school of magic, wizards, yes, now schools? No, things are very different here"

G: "Different how?"

Y: "I am a camper at Camp Half-Blood"

G: "And what would that be?"

Y: "Well, a camp for demigods, of course!"

Y/n waited, but nothing else happened. She looked up at Apollo, who looked as upset as she was.

“School of Magic and Witchcraft of... Hogwarts?” She asked, hoping that Apollo would say something to her.

“I've heard of that school. Hecate loves to talk about how she has an entire chain of schools that teach children to do what she does. She is very proud of it.” He explained, taking the notebook from Y/n and examining the last conversation. “I just didn't think it was real at all. All the gods think it's Hecate's invention, but no one has ever tried to prove it.”

“Well, I think we just did that.” Y/n joked, but was far from feeling the fun of the situation, because, there in front of her, there was a problem. Perhaps a much bigger problem than she imagined.

[honey-dewey]

Road Trip to Nowhere

Chapter One: Midnight Music

Pairing: Frankie ‘Catfish’ Morales/Reader

Word Count: 1,104

Warnings: None!

Permanent Taglist: @phoenixhalliwell @star-wars-hell

To celebrate Santiago finally returning home from the states, you decide to do something a bit unorthodox. Pack all the necessities into one minivan and road trip across the United States with no plan and no destination. Will you find something cool? Who will commit a murder first? (Probably Will) Will you all even survive? Let’s find out, shall we? 

You sighed, resting your dominant hand on the steering wheel. You and the rest of the boys were on a road trip without a real destination. Santiago was finally back in the country and you were celebrating by packing everything you needed into your minivan and driving all over the United States with no plan. You’d just left the Miller’s house in Indiana in the morning, and it was now nearing midnight. The open road was before you, but you hadn’t passed another car in a while. 

Frankie heard you sigh and looked over, smiling. “Sleepy?” 

“You wish Morales,” you whispered back, grinning. “Check on Reyna and Santi for me?” 

Frankie twisted, looking back to see his best friend and his baby both dead asleep in the middle row of the van. “Sleeping like, well, babies.” 

“So sweet,” you cooed softly. “And the Millers?” 

“I assume doing the same, considering we can’t hear either of them,” Frankie said. “They took the morning and afternoon driving shifts, and they’re exhausted.” 

You nodded. “Yeah, they did. How’re you holding up, speaking of shifts? Do you want to sleep before you take over from me in an hour?” 

Frankie reached across the center console and took your right hand off the wheel, lacing his fingers with yours. “I’m used to be a military pilot,” he said, kissing your knuckles. “I can drive on two days of sleep deprivation.” 

“He’s done it before too,” Benny piped up sleepily from the back. “Damn fool.” 

“Go back to sleep Benny,” you said softly, switching the radio station. “We’ll wake you for breakfast. You have the afternoon shift tomorrow, so you can nap all morning if you really want.” 

Benny nodded, falling back against Will’s shoulder and immediately falling asleep again. 

Frankie stifled a yawn, smiling slowly as you hummed to the radio. “This song is cute.” 

“I’ve heard it a few times,” you said, blinking away the blur of headlights from another car. “Reminds me of you.” 

“Really?” Frankie asked. 

You hummed, nodding. “Yep.” 

Silence lapsed over you two, and the gentle music was the only sound beside the rumble of the car and Santiago’s slight snoring. It was incredibly peaceful, especially on the straight roads where you could really see the stars illuminating the Indiana night sky. The occasional far-off howl of a coyote would remind you that you were still in the middle of nowhere, USA, just how the boys liked it. 

When midnight passed on the clock, you began to look for a gas station. “Frankie?” 

“Wassup?” 

“Should we stop to sleep for the night?” 

Frankie shrugged. “Up to you,” he said. “But if you wake Will, he isn’t going to go back to sleep.” 

You grimaced, pulling into a gas station and parking. “Damn. I guess it’s just us and the road until tomorrow night. Want me to run in and grab you some coffee?” 

“Just us and the road,” Frankie agreed, getting out so he could switch with you. “Yes please.” 

“Alright,” you said, getting out of the car. “It’s a 7-11, so don’t go expecting gourmet coffee.” 

Frankie laughed, grabbing the gas pump and beckoning you closer. You stepped towards him, smiling as he wrapped his arms around your waist. “You know me,” he murmured against your skin. “If it’s got caffeine and tastes even remotely like coffee, I’ll drink it.” You felt him slide the money for the coffee into your back pocket, and you stood on your toes to get a better angle in kissing him quickly. 

“Be right back,” you promised, walking away to get the coffee. 

It wasn’t hard. At nearly 1 AM, you were the only person besides the underpaid teenager working the register in the store. You filled the biggest to-go cup they had with something you knew Frankie would like and headed to the counter to pay. The teenager didn’t even say much as you handed him the money and thanked him with a smile. Sliding the change into a tips jar, you left the 7-11 to find Frankie already settled in the driver's seat. 

You handed Frankie his coffee through his window and opened one of the back doors, nudging Santiago, who was still sleeping. 

“Up and at ‘em,” you said, gesturing to the passenger seat. “Your turn. I got Fish some coffee. If you beg hard enough, he might share.” 

Santiago grumbled something in Spanish and changed to the front of the car. You heard him and Frankie exchange a few words, still in Spanish, and Santiago took one sip of Frankie’s coffee before leaning back, almost immediately falling asleep once he had put his seatbelt on. You sat in his seat in the middle row, Reyna’s car seat across the small aisle to your left. 

During the exchange, Reyna woke. You hadn’t known her mother, so you had no idea what she’d inherited from her, but to you, Reyna looked like a spitting image of the baby pictures of her father. You lifted her out of her car seat and put her in your lap while you got situated in your seat. She gurgled and started to cry, but when she realized she was in your lap, she calmed, cooing and laying her head over your heart. 

You smiled, holding her close and humming to the radio. Reyna gurgled softly, falling asleep against your chest. “Aw, Frankie, your daughter has trapped me.” 

Frankie glanced back before pulling out and laughed. “She loves you more than she loves me, I swear.” 

“She’s a daddy’s girl,” you said, patting Reyna’s back and feeling your own eyes droop. “Reyna, baby, you’re putting me to sleep here.” 

“Just accept it,” Frankie said, eyes on the road. “I swear she’s magic like that.” 

You smiled, kissing Reyna’s soft brown curls. “I used to hear a simple song,” you sang softly along with the radio. “That was until you came along. You took my broken melody, and now I hear a symphony.”

Unbeknownst to you, in the front seat, Frankie was smiling, glancing back at you and Reyna, watching your eyes close as you succumbed to sleep, not even managing to finish the song before you succeeding in not only keeping Reyna asleep but putting yourself to sleep as well. He knew it wasn’t safe for Reyna to sleep in your lap in the car, and he knew that in a few minutes, he’d have to stop to take her from your arms, but for now, he left her to sleep where she wanted, finishing the song softly when he realized you could not.

“And now I hear, a symphony.”

A/N: Hey guys, Dewey here. This series is going to be different from my other ones because I will eventually run out of locations for these dorks. So, if you have any locations you really want the gang to visit, like small attractions, big attractions, weird small town stuff, of just something you think would make a good road trip stop, comment it! I would love to send these guys on the wildest trip I can, so help me out and send them somewhere super awesome. 

[sleepysailorghost]

Arcade wasn't sure what he expected when the Courier asked him to accompany them. They hadn't given a name, only said they were a Courier. It wasn't much to go on, but the Courier had looked up at him with big eyes. And for some reason, it didn't sound all that crazy to venture beyond the fort with them, a natural stanger.

They had listened so reverently when Julie spoke. They had fulfilled any job asked of them by the Followers. Certainly, if they harbored ill will towards the Followers, they would have gotten to their revenge before now.

He had asked for their name, if only to be polite.

"I don't have one. Courier or Six is fine, if you'd like."

"You don't have a name?"

"I guess I probably did once, but I don't remember any more. I just remember the man in the checkered coat- an 18-carat run of bad luck-and then waking up in Doc Mitchell's house. Maybe that man knows who I was. I don't know."

"That doesn't bother you, not having a past?"

"No, not really." The Courier leaned back. "I'm just me. Sure, I can't look back on the road behind me, but I can look forward."

"Interesting. Are you going to look for the man in the checkered coat?"

"I don't know. I guess I could. I'm supposed to, because he stole something from me and shot me in the head."

"Wait, he shot you in the head?"

"Yeah, that's why I don't remember much. It messed with my head too."

"Well, yeah. Getting shot in the head would do that."

"Oh, wait, I do have one hint to who I might have been." The courier starts to undo the many closures of their armor, like a fire's been lit under them. "What do you make of this?"

The Courier drops their armor clumsily on the floor, and then goofily flexes. He doesn't really know what they're refering to, but then he sees the poorly-done tattoo on their upper arm. It's a ring of roses and thorns that raps under their bicep. Despite being very mediocre, it is legible and in color.

"Huh." Tattoos aren't really unique, but it is something. "Maybe your name is Rose?"

"Maybe. It doesn't sound right."

"Maybe you just need to try it out for a while, wear it in." He's trying to help, but the Courier is a near stranger to him. "Or, if you'd like, I could arrange for you to see Dr. Usa-"

"No thanks. Don't want to take up her time." The refusal was off faster than a bullet from a sixgun. "If you're ready to go, so am I."

"Sure." He agreed. It wasn't really healthy of the Courier to act out against the idea of visiting the clinic, but it wasn't something he could force them into. At least, not as a near stranger.

This turned out to be one of the few times the Courier's former-NCR sniper friend wasn't travelling with them. He probably wouldn't have decided to go with the Courier if he had known they had company. Still, it isn't all that bad, even if he feels a little crowded with the Courier, their robot pet ED-E (he hates that thing), the King's robot-dog, the sniper, and the Remnant medical researcher. One more person, and the Courier will have a small army.

Not that the Courier normally has all of them traveling together at once. It's too noticeable, draws too much attention. It might even sound like a joke: an Enclave eyebot, a police cyber dog, an amnesiac Courier, a grouchy NCR sniper, and a medical researcher walk in to a bar...

It makes the Courier happy to travel with him, so he does it on occasion. Those occassions become a lot more frequent after they return from a place they call the "Big Empty".

That had been months ago. Now, he felt like he knew the Courier. Not that he wasn't surprised by the Courier-he certainly was. But he was familiar with the Courier now.

It was a dangerous sort of thing, that familiarity. He was even starting to think that perhaps it would be a good idea to let them in on his own origins.

And he knew how the Courier felt about him.

Leaning against his side while they sat at a fire, the Courier's hands stripping a defeated foe's weapon, they had muttered something.

"Sorry, say again?" Arcade responded. Most of the time, it was just complaints about bent springs or whatever, more to themselves than to him.

The Courier's hands stopped, laying the weapon on the ground.

"You're my brother, Arcade." The Courier says, and then continues before Arcade could interrupt. "Not by blood. Or hell, maybe you are. It's not like I'd remember. Course you are a heck of a lot taller than I am...maybe the tall gene skipped me."

Arcade doesn't say anything, attempting to process what the Courier was trying to tell him.

"No, we're not related by blood." He agrees, although he has no real way to confirm it without knowing the Courier's identity.

"I know." The Courier put their hand up to their chest. "I just...well, I know you're my brother. I, uhh, care about you."

Arcade didn't know what to say about that. It really did feel like it had come out of nowhere to him. A few weeks later, the Courier had gone running off to a place that might have been their home.

Antietam is walking by his side now, but their gaze is drawn over to an old poster. The pre-war store was filled with advertisements for many different products, from Sugar-Bombs to the newest products from Rob-Co.

Shelves, long ransacked and destroyed, have created something of a maze. The laminate tiling on the floor has become loose after centuries of neglect. Decorations littering the area would mark this location as a raider base at some point.

His friend doesn't seem to notice any of that, moving closer to a central display that might have been made of stacked shoeboxes once. Now, the boxes lay in a crumpled heap.

"Antietam, wait-" He says, and the courier stops.

"Yeah? Do you need something?"

"You need to be more careful! This could be a trap."

"I don't think it is. I'm pretty good at finding traps and I don't see any tripwires or bear traps. I've stepped in enough of those."

"Of course you wouldn't see them! It's a mess in here."

"I'm not going far. I just wanna see if I can find some of those."The Courier pointed at an advertisement. It was of a girl with little wheels on her shoes, looking over her shoulder as she spun away. Under the picture, it read "Roll with the punches with Roller-Ray skates!".

"Do you..need those?"

"Well, no. I just think they would be cool. Just rollin around town."

"I'll go with them." Boone added, if only so he could keep an eye on them.

"Yeah, plus ED-E's sensors haven't picked up on anything. I can handle myself while looking for skates, Arcade."

On that note, the Courier and Boone go to pick through the rubble. When they returned, Antietam raised their arm triumphantly.

"We found them! A little dinged up, but I can fix that. C'mon, lets go outside to try them!" With the hand not holding their skates, Antietam grabbed at Arcade's sleeve.

"Okay, okay." He said, because Antietam's enthusiasm for things was infectious sometimes. They exited the store, entering that had once been a parking lot. Rusted-through cars sat abandoned and the sun hung low in the sky.

Antietam dropped to the floor, strapping on their skates. They were metal and fit awkwardly with their combat boots and spurs. Awkwardly, like a baby radstag on ice, the Courier stood up.

"Okay,so I just." The Courier lifted one leg as if to take a step. Their balance was offset by the movement. Next to him, Arcade saw Boone move to catch the Courier if they fell, but the Courier braced themselves on a car instead.

They took a few more awkward steps.

"Yeah, I think I'm getting the hang of this." Their movements were jerky, but in time, perhaps they'd be alright at it.

Then they hit a skid in the destroyed asphalt and took a spill. Their left side collided hard with a rusted shell.

"Ouch." they groaned, and then collapsed onto the parking lot. "I'm just gonna rest here for a second."

Arcade laughed a little, and then helpfully whined about the sun.

"Alright, alright. Okay, getting up." The Courier pushed up from the asphalt with both hands, rising from their crumpled mass.

"Nothing broken?" Arcade asked, seeing Antietam avoid putting too much weight on their left side.

"No, probably just bruised." They replied, but that was what Arcade had expected. They were still extremely hesitant to be medically examined, even if it meant concealing and ignoring injuries. It stung Arcade-someone who the Courier allegedly loved like a brother-to be held at arms' length. That being said, he couldn't be upset with them either. The Courier had suffered greatly and been stripped of agency by doctors. It was a mark of pride that Antietam trusted him.

Actually, he could still be angry with them for concealing injuries.

The sun was beating down as steadily as it always did in the Mojave. A bead of sweat formed on Arcade's neck.

"Oh shoot." The Courier murmured, looking over their hands. They wore fingerless gloves, and a pip-boy on one arm. Arcade examined the injury. It would be a lot of work if the Courier came down with tetnus. "It's just a scrape, Arcade."

"It's not just a scrape. It's dirty and could get infected."

"Hottest part of the days coming up. We should wait it out in the store." Boone added, helpfully.

"C'mon, listen to your big brother, ok?" Arcade tried with a smile. The Courier looked up at him with their wide brown eyes.

Arcade was not above emotional manipulation.

Half a year ago, if someone told him that he was going to play big brother to a Courier who knew nothing about their past and hated doctors, he'd have likely sent them to see Dr. Usanagi.

The Courier ran their gloved hand through their short white hair. It fluffed up their bangs (despite the pin staying in place) and revealed the twin scars on their forehead and the surgical scar that ran around their skull.

"Okay." The Courier responded, sticking their wrist out to him for treatment.

"Oh, that's a nasty cut." he said, "Let's head inside so we can get this treated.:

In the end, even if the Courier was a hassle sometimes, he was glad to be their brother. He was turning into such a sap.

[smhalltheurlsaretaken]

Any thoughts on why, when complaining about how Force-sensitive kids are separated from their bio families, does no one blame the PARENTS?! Jedi don't steal kids, moms and dads willingly give them up. If they're any finger-pointing to be done, I'm pointing to the child's natural guardians.

That’s a very, very good point. I actually want to write a collection of short fics one day from the pov of parents giving up their kids to the Order, because it’d be fascinating to explore. The argument that is often put forward to justify blaming the Jedi instead of the parents (not that I personally think anyone needs to be blamed) is that the parents don’t feel like they have choice, and don’t really have any other option. 

To this, I say nope. Luke and Leia grew up without being trained, despite evidence that they’re both very strong in the Force, and we’re never told that it was particularly challenging for their caretakers. The most we see about parents of untrained Force-sensitive is in TCW and Rebels, and when the kids are given back to them (by the JEDI) after attempted kidnapping (by the SITH) it’s never implied that they can’t take care of them. (I’m thinking about Roo-Roo the Gungan girl and the children in Rebels, who at the most exhibit some empathic abilities.) 

Parents don’t have to give up their children, and we have no evidence that it would be impossible for normal people to take care of a Force-sensitive kid. Now there could be other reasons for the parents to feel cornered and desperate: maybe they’re too poor for another kid, maybe they’re superstitious and are afraid of the Force, maybe there’s peer pressure from their own families and friends... 

And none of that is the Jedi’s fault. 

And really, why would it need to be anyone’s “fault”? What’s so tragic about being brought up a Jedi? Sure, it’s a hard life, and sure it was probably terribly difficult for the parents... But why would there need to be a bad guy in the story? Kids are born with incredible talents that could be used for the good of the Galaxy, and they’re entrusted to others who can teach and guide them, and most find fulfilment in that life. 

People having to make a difficult decision because of the Order’s existence doesn’t make the Order bad. Seriously. 

.

Another argument I’ve seen being put forward is that there is no other Force-school that’s inclusive. Basically, if you’re Force-sensitive and you aren’t Kel Dor, Bardottan, Lasat, Dathomirian or from any other culture that has its own faith around the Force, the only way you can learn about it is by being a Jedi, and that’s unfair. (And the Guardians of the Whills or the Church of the Force don’t count, because they don’t learn to use the Force.)

That is, without hyperbole, the dumbest argument against the Jedi I’ve ever seen. How the hell would it be the Jedi’s fault that nobody else does what they do - i.e create a community that accepts members of any species from any background and any social status and raises them together as equals and teaches them about the mysteries of the universe? It’s like blaming a school for special-needs children that’s in Europe for being the only one of its kind, and obviously it’s not fair to American parents because it’d be better if there was one in the USA too so that their kids could go there without being separated from their families. It’s so dumb. 

“But the Jedi don’t have to separate families, they could allow visitation.” 

Welp, Lucas disagrees with that. Now you might think Lucas’ understanding of his universe’s lore and how best to deal with Force-sensitivity is wrong, but it’s still how he made Star Wars to be. And according to him, raising psychic children in a community like them and without fostering attachments (which, for the billionth time, he describes as different from loving connections) is beneficial to their mental health/their ability to master themselves later. We also have no indications that the children cut all ties to their background, Anakin being too much of a special case to rely on. They keep their names, they can choose to keep their cultural heritage, and the Jedi don’t disapprove of acknowledging blood connections. 

.

We are never, ever, ever told in all of Lucas’ canon that theJedi have the legal authority to take kids away from their families without consent, ever.

They stop going to places where they’re no longer welcome, like Bardotta. 

They let the kids have an adjustment period, as evidenced in the Holocron arc with the Rodian mother. 

There is a (probably Legends now, but that’s what most people who call the Jedi baby thieves base their understanding on) comic in which a Sullustan couple hires a bounty hunter to get their baby back from the Jedi. Mace protects the kid, until he realizes what the situation is and just... gives the baby back. 

It baffles me that this is one of the most prevalent criticism against the Order. The Airbenders function exactly the same way and you don’t ever hear anyone clamoring that they were a toxic culture. 

[whack-ed]

TIMELESS (INTERACTIVE HP & HOO CROSSOVER)

Synopsis: Alex finds Hecate's notebook and discovers about the wizarding world and about Y/n.

Paring: In the beginning it's platonic!fred & george x reader, but I promise that in the end it is fred x reader.

Warnings: None, I guess.

Reader: Slytherin!Female

Word count: 1.9k

A/N: In this chapter, Y/n appears little, but it is extremely important.

September 2010, New York - USA

Alexa would be lying if she said she didn’t cry like a baby when she saw Argo II return to Camp Half-Blood. She had been forbidden to help in the battle against the giants, but she was nevertheless not full at Camp. After the near invasion of Camp Jupiter and Reyna's visit, things got messed up there.

But the best part of the return of the other demigods was seeing Percy again. He looked extremely exhausted, but happy to be back in one piece. Alex hugged him for so long that Percy almost fell asleep in her arms.

The boy was welcomed with all the frenzy he deserved, entitled to a hearty banquet and a visit from his father, along with a very tearful Sally and a relieved Paul. Tyson had been absolutely thrilled to see his older brother talking to his friends by the fire, which glowed high and yellow, mirroring the emotion of the half-bloods.

Despite being as happy as the others, and maybe even more so, Alex retired a little earlier that night. She didn't walk long before her absence was noticed.

‘Mingling with the shadows? I thought this was my own thing.” The girl smiled at Nico di Angelo, who walked over to her with his hands in the pockets of his aviator jacket, which was still too big for him.

“I'm going to sleep, Nico.” She explained, continuing her way to Cabin 3. “It was a day full of emotions, I'm tired.”

Nico nodded, walking beside her. Alex always found it fun to be the same size as Nico, but now she realized that he was a few inches taller than she was.

“Are you okay?” she asked, bringing up the subject.

“I think so.” Nico replied, looking surprised by his own conclusion. “Maybe things get better for me from now on.

“I'm sure it will.” Alexa opened an encouraging smile. Because he was the son of Hades, Nico suffered more than all the other demigods, which worried the girl. She hadn't seen him since the war of the Titans, but she talked to Percy during her mission and discovered things she didn't want to discover.

She looked at Nico. For the first time in his life, his face looked serene, as if his problems were gone. Alex realized that it would be better not to go into details about the problems he went through. She did not want to end his joy.

“Di Angelo!” someone called, running up to them. Alex turned to find Will Solace smiling like a ray of sunshine. “Hi Alex!”

“Will.” She smiled. When looking at Nico, she noticed a pink tint on his cheeks and held her laugh. “Can you take care of Nico for me? I need to go to sleep but he doesn't want to leave.”

Will smiled, realizing what she meant. Nico looked at her with anger and indignation, but he didn't seem against the idea.

“Certainly.” The blonde took a step forward. “Have a good night!”

“You too.” She raised an eyebrow at Nico and walked back to her cabin.

She was still smiling when she passed Hecate's cabin, which looked darker than ever. Her smile wilted. She had always been a little afraid of the goddess's children since she found herself a half-blood and moved to camp. But that night, something seemed comforting in the hideous darkness of the cabin. Unable to contain the impulse that occurred to her, Alexa went up on the porch and went through the open door. None of the goddess's children were there, they were probably still at the stake celebrating, they always loved a good party.

Alexa didn't know exactly what she expected to find inside, but she certainly wasn't ready for what she saw. She had never entered the cabin since she had never been invited and it didn't feel right to enter without an invitation like she did now. But what she found was an absolute void. No bunk beds, bathroom, closet or chest. Nothing for the basic comfort of teenagers. All that was inside was a torch on the floor with a brown leather-bound notebook beside it.

“Take it” A whisper said, and Alex knelt down to better analyze the notebook.

“Who...?” She started the question, but knew at the time that she had no need to finish it. Hecate was there. “Are you hiding in the shadows?”

There was a harsh laugh, but Alex couldn't tell where it came from. It was as if the goddess moved in every particle of air around her.

“I heard that Poseidon's children were mocking, but seeing that feat face to face is much more fun. Ares definitely didn't say enough about it.”

“I don't think he has any reason to boast about it.” She commented, but her body was tense. Something about the goddess made her feel that bad things would happen any second.

“Take the notebook.” She asked, seeming to feel the girl's tension. “Take it and bring my girl back.”

“What does that mean?” Alex asked, but never got an answer.

After several minutes, she finally let herself be overcome by curiosity, put the notebook under her arm and ran out of the cabin.

Alexa spent a few days without touching the notebook, which was comfortably resting on the small table in her cabin. Percy asked several times what the notebook was and why Alex didn't move it, but the girl always answered the same thing. "It's just a silly notebook." She was afraid to open it and end up triggering something she couldn't control.

Percy and the others had just returned from a massacre battle with irreparable losses, she didn't want to leave anyone alarmed by something as stupid as a leather notebook.

Alex tried to distract herself. She would swim in the lake, duel with Percy in the arena, ask Tyson to teach her something in the forges, help Chiron with pending camp, talk about the biggest zucchinis with Rachel, encourage Annabeth to talk nonstop about architecture, sometimes make her repeat everything he had said in Greek, but nothing seemed to get her thoughts out of the notebook. Instead of being distracted, she got some scars from the duels, burns from the forges and throbbing ears, but nothing erased the notebook.

Tired of trying, Alex returned to the cabin and spent several minutes looking at the problem. She would get up a few times, making a move to pick it up, but soon she would go back to sitting on bed. When she finally thought she would be brave enough to end the trip, someone knocked on the door.

Changing her course, Alex opened the door to the blond, smug figure.

Alexa and Apollo had spent a lot of time together a few months before, not that any of them had a chance to do the opposite. He had helped her save the Camp when everyone seemed too busy saving the world. Now she was no longer able to get rid of the sun god, who suddenly appeared in her cabin. At least now he had learned to knock on the door before entering.

“Good afternoon, beautiful lady.” He smiled, breaking into the cottage before Alex had a chance to expel him. “What do you do locked in that cabin?”

“Apollo, seriously, now is not the best time.”

“Every hour is the best time for Apollo!” He smiled at her and Alex found herself unable to say no to him. The god had that effect on her, but she couldn't explain why. She just went back to bed and sighed.

“What happened, Sunshine?” he asked, now more serious.

Alexa pointed to the notebook, like a child pointing out the bully who was mistreating her. Pausing to think, it was almost the same.

Apollo's gaze followed Alexa's finger until it stopped at the Hecate symbol on the cover of the notebook, and he froze.

“What's it?”

“That notebook.” He got up and picked up it, playing with it in his hands. “I saw Hecate with another of his once many years ago. I asked her what they were, but she cast a spell on me that prevented me from speaking for two months. Where did you find it?”

“I found him at her cabin.” The girl admitted, unable to lie to the closest friend she had at the camp until that moment. “I heard Hecate ask me to take him away. I didn't understand what she expects me to do.”

“Write.” He suggested, after long minutes of silence.

“I’m sorry?” Alex looked at him, confused. “What if something bad happens, Apollo? I don't know if I want to find out.”

The god smiled gently, taking the book to the girl and handing it over, along with a blue ballpoint pen. Alexa hesitated for a few seconds before picking up the pen and opening the notebook. But she didn't do much more than that, as the words “Owned by (your initials) ” they magically appeared on the first leaf, in a strange black ink.

Alex looked at Apollo for help, but he just shrugged and encouraged her to write something below. "(your initials)? This notebook is mine, and my name has none of those letters!”

Before she had a chance to tell Apollo how ridiculous it was, the notebook replied.

Y: "Who are you?"

A: “Alexa Pearson, you?”

Y: "Y/n Y/L/N"

A: “How the hell am I talking to you through my notebook? Where you are from?"

Y: “England. I'm a student at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, how about you? What school of magic do you belong to? ”

A: "I'm not going to any magic school, I'm from New York, there's no such thing here!"

Y: "I thought the United States school of magic was Ilvermorny"

A: "I am not a witch!"

Y: "Oh by Merlin, are you a muggle?"

A: "Look, I may not be a witch but you don't have to curse me!"

Y: “Muggle is a term for non-wizards ... But if you are not a witch, how can you talk to me? This notebook is bewitched, only those who have contact with magic could see it ”

A: "I didn't know that the notebook was enchanted until now ... I didn't even know about the existence of a school of magic, wizards, yes, now schools? No, things are very different here"

Y: "Different how?"

A: "I am a camper at Camp Half-Blood"

Y: "And what would that be?"

A: "A camp for demigods of course!"

Alexa waited, but nothing else happened. She looked up at Apollo, who looked as upset as she was.

“School of Magic and Witchcraft of... Hogwarts?” She asked, hoping that Apollo would say something to her.

“I've heard of that school. Hecate loves to talk about how she has an entire chain of schools that teach children to do what she does. She is very proud of it.” He explained, taking the notebook from Alex and examining the last conversation. “I just didn't think it was real at all. All the gods think it's Hecate's invention, but no one has ever tried to prove it.”

“Well, I think we just did that.” Alex joked, but was far from feeling the fun of the situation, because, there in front of her, there was a problem. Perhaps a much bigger problem than she imagined.

tagging mutuals: @nebulablakemurphy ​​ @jamilelucato ​​ @inglourious-imagines ​​​​ @clarissaxpearce ​​ @beiahadid ​ @idontknowwhatthisisfam ​ @kpopgirlbtssvt ​ @shinydragoness @snitches-at-dawn @freddieweasleyswife

[atsunflower]

Rated: SFW

Author notes: fucking finally, I'd say. Sorry it took me so long to post it after I decided to revamp this series. Here goes my belated 300 special med student!Kuroo. Please note that this is written based on the med school model we have here, in wich we get the MD degree right away, without the pre-med division they have in USA.

PS: DAI¹ stands for diffuse axonal injury, a type of brain damage caused by violent shakes (acceleration/deceleration/shaken baby syndrome) of the head. No worries, banging your head against a hard surface isn't supposed to give you it. If you get confused by any medical terms, pls hmu!!

Warnings: me trying to be funny. Cursing (reader swears like a sailor here).

I – Lehninger principles of biochemistry

Previous || Next

Your head was throbbing. The professor's voice dragging through your ears made the discomfort you felt even bigger.

The first class of the day have barely started and you were already regretting leaving your bed.

You let out a shuddering breath while your fingers found their way to your temples. You massaged the area, trying to ease the headache.

"You look like shit" the voice came from your right. Shirabu gave you a sideways glance before going back to his notes. "Let me guess, your neighbor again?"

"Yeah, the bastard was up all the night. I still can hear his bed pounding into the wall and the girl trying to muffle her voice" You groaned.

"Ew. Gross" The blonde's face contorted in a grimace "Am I the only one weirded by the fact you never saw the guy?" He asked frowning.

"Hell, no. But I don't think I wanna meet him anytime soon." Your reply was earn; you wouldn't know how to react if you ever saw the said man. "Besides, the guy has this strange schedule. He leaves early in the morning and comes back late at night, it's kinda weird"

"Weird is the way you know him so well and never saw him before" You ignored your him and turned your attention back to the professor. Twenty minutes into the lecture, the door was open and a raven hair peaked from it, sitting on the desk available in the front row.

You mood automatically got worse just by the sight.

"You're staring" Shirabu's uninterested voice ringed in your ears again "Why don't you admit you have a thing for him already? It would make our lives a thousand times easier"

"I just dislike him. I can't stand that dumbass" You retorted grimacing while scribbling down in your notebook. God, you hated biochemistry.

"Yeah, keep repeating that and someday you'll believe it."

"Why you all keep saying it?" You winced at the high pitch of your whisper "The guy ain't special. He is an asshole, honestly"

"Deep down you only say it because he told you were 'just okay' in our first week of freshmen year" The male gave you a pointed look. "I know it's you just being petty, but it's pretty obvious you have a crush on him"

"Hell no, I'd rather have the whole Lehninger shoved down my throat" Your classmate scoffed by your side, resuming to his notes.

"By the looks Haruno-sensei is sending in our direction, it's going to happen anytime soon."

"For this term, you'll send me an essay about peptides with especial focus on physiologically active ones and their major role on human organism." The professor said, sending a stern glare though the class. "Pay attention to the next slide. It contains a table with the pairs I've assigned for this paper"

What the hecking heck?

Your mind went blank but you still heard Shirabu snickering by your peripheral. For such a stoic man, he was pretty out of character today. That little shit.

"Beware the addressed pairs won't be changed in any circumstances. Don't even bother to try" The woman said as she addressed the whole class a cold glare. Goddammit med school and its goddam professors. "You now can discuss this paper. Remember this essay is worth half the grade"

"Fuck" you cursed as your forehead banged onto the thick textbook.

"Whoa, be careful" The teasing voice made you painfully groan "We don't want this pretty brain of yours getting a DAI¹ before we start this paper"

"It's too early in the morning to deal with you, Kuroo" Your retorted came muffled as you pressed your face even flatter into the book. 

"It's too early in the morning for you be ranting about everything but you don't hear me complaining, kitten" He jabbed at you, laughing it off as mere teasing "Is it fine if we start the paper on this weekend? I gotta volley practice the whole week."

"Sure. Wanna meet up on the public library?" You asked gathering your things, as you turned to Shirabu and saw him cocking an eyebrow at you.

"Fine by me" The male scratched the back of his neck, giving you an awkward glance "Actually, I wanted to ask you phone number" You stiffened "Aw [Surname]-chan, C'mon! You know it's easier."

"But what for? You already have my institutional email"

"You're too formal for your own good, woman" He handed you his phone, nudging the device into your palms "Where do you think this strict act is going to take you?"

You rolled your eyes at him again.

"Actually, Kuroo-san" You made a pause, voicing the words with candour "I want chaos and world domination. But in order to do it, I need to overthrow the dean first" You said while punching the numbers onto the chapped screen of his phone. The ravenette snorted at your reply.

"Oh shit, you're so weird!" And he left out a hyena laugh.

"Way to impress a girl, huh" 

"Only the ones I'm trynna woo" The male smirked when he saw your dumbfounded face.

"Huh? Big words coming from a nerd" You brushed off his provocation. You knew he didn't mean it, but you couldn't prevent your heart to skip a beat.

"Oi, [Name]! What do you mean?"

Surprisingly, the week went smoothly. No Kuroo incidents nor professors bitching over the struggling students.

It was saturday and you were more than ready to spend a whole day inside the library with the ravenette.

Sarcasm? Check.

It wasn't like you hated him. If you were to be honest, it was the other way around — but you would never give Shirabu the taste of being right.

Kuroo just had a special way of getting under your skin. He knew what buttons to push and how to make feel flustered.

You were indeed whipped for him in your first year, but he was an asshole back then — It was kinda comprehensible though: being new to the infamous uni life, freshmen were always seeking acceptance from other people.

Kouhai trying to impress their senpai.

Jocks trying to make a number on the female population.

You trying to grab the attention of that hot guy from welcome ceremony — yes, the one who ended to be the bane of your campus existence.

Yada yada.

But when Kuroo turned you down — without you confessing first, you may add —, your pride was incredibly hurt. You then declared war. Best way to rile up a med student? Make your grades better than theirs.

But of fucking course Kuroo wasn't your regular med student. The competition only provoked meaningless banter — and it annoyed you even more because you couldn't get into his nerves the same way he did to you.

"Oi, [Surname]! You good there?"

"Yeah, yeah, get back to the damn peptides" You definitely despised biochemistry.

You rummaged through the books sprawled over the desk, searching for your Lehninger copy.

"Where the fuck that huge ass book went to?" You murmured, getting ready to go check on your backpack.

Glancing towards your classmate's direction, you spotted it under one of the textbooks he was using, but before you could reach for it, you felt hands gingerly wrapping around your chin, making your eyes lock into his stare.

"What are you doing?" You knew the warmth in your cheeks wasn't being provided by his body temperature.

"Conducting an experiment" He said as you melted under his attentive stare.

"Huh?"

"You know, they say exchanging looks causes an increase on Oxytocin synthesis in hypothalamus" The male smirked when a vein popped on your head, your brain recalled that science paper about the physiology on human and dog interactions. You wanted chaos and world domination — but in order to make it, you had to kill Kuroo first.

"Are you fucking calling me a dog?" You squinted at him, ready to fight. He laughed as your slapped his hands off of your face.

"Oh, come on, it was just a joke. You know the hormone of love doesn't work this way." His hyena laugh made presence as the bibliothecary gave you two a dejected stare.

Just a joke, huh?

For a med student, Kuroo Tetsuro would make a shitty doctor if he didn't know how bad his smile was for your heart.

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Taglist is open. Send an ask if you want to be added.

[buckysbitch107]

I don’t know if requests are open, but if they are can I request a Steve Rogers x Reader where at the end of end game he goes back to his lover from the 40s but instead of Peggy it’s the reader(include any backstory that you want)? Like even his compass contains the picture of the reader and not Peggy. I love your wring so far btw, keep up the good work!!!

Home Isn’t Just A Place | Steve Rogers x Reader

Summary: When Colonel Phillips himself delivered the letter stating the love of your life (and best friend since 5 years old) was dead, you were more than devastated. You were still mourning the loss of your fiancé, mindlessly fiddling with the ring on your finger, when a much harsher knock rang at your door. You expected it to be perhaps your sister or a delivery boy. What you certainly didn’t expect was for your fiancé, who you were told was dead, to be standing at your doorstep.

Warnings: Swearing, Angst, Crying

Word Count: 2.38K

A/N: Hope this meets your standards! I tried my best with this one and i hope you enjoy it! Just a reminder that I will always be accepting requests! I will be writing a Part 2 to this, so stay tuned!

“It’s fine guys! I can cook something in the apartment!” You speak, the men on either side of you giving you a small glare.

“It’s our last night, (Y/N/N). We wanna make it special before you’re alone in the apartment.” Steve mentions, wrapping his arm around your waist. You’re still taller than him, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

“That restaurant isn’t that good anyway.” You whisper, trying so hard to hide the disappointment in your voice. You’d been looking forward to sitting in that restaurant since it opened, and when Bucky and Steve said they were taking you, that meant you could finally get a chance. That is, until you got there, and they didn’t have your reservation.

“Doll-” Bucky starts, soon being cut off by your voice.

“Guys. It’s fine, really.”

“No, it’s not (Y/N)! We wanted to treat you to something special, and now it looks like we’re having cabbage fuckin’ stew for dinner… again.”

“Or,” You pause, lifting your arm to point at the sign hanging off of the corner store at the end of the street. “We could get some food from Stan’s. It’s still open and we have enough money for some hot dogs.” The two men agree shortly after and the three of you quicken your pace, eager to get some food in your stomach. The small bell above the door rings through the air as the three of you walk in, the owner walking out from the back.

“Steve, Bucky, (Y/N)! Nice to see ya! What can I get for you?” Stan asks, his smile always bringing comfort to you three.

“Three hot dogs and three cokes please!” You respond, offering him a small smile yourself. He nods and taps some button on the register, pulling the crank before turning his head back up to you.

“Thirty cents please.” You start digging in your wallet when a hand stops you, and your head snaps to meet Steve’s eyes before he starts digging in his own wallet. He hands the man 30 cents before discreetly grabbing your hand, a small chuckle leaving your lips. Stan walks to the back and returns with three hot dogs in hand. He sets them down on the counter before reaching in the fridge and pulling out the drinks. You take them and thank him before walking out the door, Steve and Bucky following you out with their own.

“Let’s go to the docks! Watch the lights in the city!” You propose, turning back to face the two men. They agree and you all walk down to the docks, finishing your food and drinks shortly after getting there.

“Sorry, it had to end like this, (Y/N/N).”

“Meh, I liked this ending better. At least this way I can say fuck.” You giggle, turning back to look at your boyfriend. A soft melody fills your ears and you search for the source of the music. You soon find it as a band plays at an oceanside restaurant, where people are probably dining on the finest steaks and champagne, but you’re happy right where you are. Steve’s hand grabs yours and he smiles, both of his hands wrapping around your waist.

“Dance with me, doll.” You nod before placing your hands around his shoulders, the two of you slightly swaying to the music. Bucky lets out a short laugh before leaning against a lamppost. Steve grabs your hand and spins you around, the blue dress flying up around your waist as he twirls you in his arms. Your eyes drift closed as he continues to spin you, a laugh bubbling out of your mouth, and you finish turning and open your eyes to see Steve on one knee.

“Oh.” Your hands fly up to cover your mouth and you see Bucky smiling out of the corner of your eye as Steve pulls out a ring.

“I know, I know it isn’t much, but it’s what we could afford.”

“Wha-Whe-How?” You whisper.

“Well, we saved up for a bit.”

“I think you’re supposed to give a speech now, Stevie.” Bucky comments. 

“I’m getting there!” Steve responds, making you let out a hoarse laugh before you start choking on your sobs. “Doll, you are the best thing to ever happen to me, Buck being a close second. You’ve always been there for me when I’m sick, which is a lot. I wanna be with you forever. I want to have kids with you, I want to give you the best white-picket-fence life I can. I swear to love you for the rest of our lives, if you’ll be mine. What do ya say doll?” By this time, your hands have migrated from your mouth to your chest, and you wipe your eyes while nodding your head, choking out a short “yes” before Steve slides the ring on your finger. As he stands up, you begin to cry harder as you pull him into a bear hug. He pulls away and you place both hands on his shoulders, looking at him sternly.

“You better come back to me, you hear me?”

“I promise I will, doll.”

“No, I need better than a promise.”

“I swear on my life, dollface. Besides, I wouldn’t leave my best girl behind.”

~~~

You’ve seen all the adverts and movies about the one and only Captain America. People see him as a hero, as the man who punches Nazis straight in the face and kisses babies, but you still see him as the little guy from Brooklyn who couldn’t run the mile from fourth grade on. Yes, you missed your fiance very much, but you had faith that he would keep his promise and come home after the war. A few months after Bucky and Steve left, you picked up a waitressing job in a mom-and-pop diner on the weekends and weeknights alongside your job as a science teacher. Bills aren’t going to pay themselves, and Bucky and Steve aren’t here to help you. You walk in the door, returning home from your morning shift at the diner, planning on quickly changing clothes before running out and volunteering at the animal shelter, something you always did on Saturdays. You throw on a simple dress, the pale yellow glowing in the sunlight streaming in from the window. Your plans suddenly change when a knock rings at your door.

“One second!” You yell, finishing pulling up the zipper on the back of your dress before walking over to the door, opening it to see Colonel Phillips himself. “Colonel Phillips.”

“Miss (Y/L/N). May I come in?” He asks, the solemn look on his face causing an uneasy feeling in your stomach.

“Of course, sir.” You open the door a little bit wider and he enters the apartment.

“You may want to sit.” You follow his instructions and sit yourself down at the kitchen table, now noticing the letter in his hands. “I wrote it all out on paper, but I also figured I should tell you in person.” He pauses, taking a deep breath. “Captain Rogers crashed a plane into the ice to save the lives of millions of people yesterday morning. I would have gotten here earlier but there were some complications with the plane.”

“No.” You mumble, standing up to directly face the colonel.

“He has been declared Killed in Action, along with James Barnes.” Your head snaps up at his comment, tears already pooling in your eyes.

“What-what do you mean they’ve both been killed in action? What-” A sob rising in the back of your throat cuts you off and you have to steady yourself against the table. Phillips places the letter on the table as you try to quiet your sobs. He quietly nods his head before turning to the door, about to step out when you choke out a short “wait”. Colonel Phillips turns around as you compose yourself, wiping the tears off your face.

“Yes ma’am?”

“Am I allowed to give you a hug?”

“Yes ma’am.” You wrap your arms around him and place your head on his shoulder, the colonel hugging you back shortly after. The two of you pull away and you whisper a small “thank you sir” before he nods and walks out the door. You turn around and grab the letter, ripping it open before focusing on the words carefully typed on the page:

Miss (Y/N) (Y/L/N)

437 West Clermont Street

Brooklyn, New York, USA

11201

I regret to inform you that both Captain Steven Rogers and Sergeant James Barnes have been killed in action in service of their country. As you know, Captain Rogers freed over 200 men across enemy lines in Azzano, Italy. He then formed a squadron, the Howling Commandos. That squadron took down more enemy bases than any other in history. It is with deepest condolences that we regret to inform you than on Saturday, February 19th, Sergeant James Barnes fell out of a moving train while defending Captain Rogers. On Friday, February 25th, Captain Rogers crashed a plane into the Arctic in order to save over three million lives from nuclear bombings. Not only has America lost a soldier, America has also lost a hero.

Deepest regards,

Colonel Chester Phillips

A loud sob erupts from your mouth as you throw the letter on the table, your hands quickly covering your mouth.

“No. Nonononono, they can’t be dead. I can’t- I can’t do this alone.” You back up against the wall, slowly sliding down as your fingers thread through your hair. It’s only when you look back at the ring on your finger that your tears of pain turn to those of anger. “YOU PROMISED!” You scream, not giving a damn if the neighbors can hear you. Your head falls into your hands as you curl up into a ball, your sobs echoing through the now eerily empty house.

“You promised.

~~~

It was a nice funeral. A lot of people you knew were there. Dum-Dum, Gabe, Jim, and Monty came, while Jaques sent his condolences. It was small, but Steve would have liked it. Yeah, you sobbed, but so did everyone else. You sit numbly in your house, the walls no longer filled with laughter, the floors no longer covered in flour and paint, now only scuff marks from your pacing panic attacks. You’re mindlessly fiddling with your ring when a knock sounds at your door, this one sounding louder and overall harsher than the other ones you’d been experiencing for the past week. You stand up and walk over, not caring to check the peephole before opening it. And standing there, is the man you were told crashed a plane into the arctic.

“Wha-”

“Hi, doll.” You slowly start shaking your head before walking away from the door, simply leaving it open.

“No, no. Nonono. You crashed a plane into the arctic. Your signal went dead. You were presumed dead! I’m going mad, I’ve gone absolutely bonkers and now I’m imagining the love of my life is in my living room when he’s buried somewhere in the Arctic!” You rant to yourself, tears slowly gathering in your eyes. You stop when Steve puts both hands on your shoulders, stabilizing you and forcing you to make eye contact with him.

“God, is this what happened after I crashed?” He mumbles, looking up and down at your frantic form. Your clothes have become a little looser, your hair a little thinner, the bags under your eyes just a bit more noticeable. But that’s not the only thing that’s changed. You look at Steve and notice he looks… different. He looks older and more exhausted.

“You aren’t my Steve?”

“Sit down doll, I have a lot of explaining to do.”

~~~

“So you’re from-”

“Yeah.”

“But you still-”

“Mhm.”

“And I’m still-”

“Yep.”

“But wouldn’t this-”

“Nope.”

“Huh. And this Thanos dude he-”

“Eliminated 50% of all living beings. Yes.”

“And you’re back here because you’re delivering the stones back to their original places in time and wanted to see me?”

“Yeah pretty much.”

“Huh. Okay.”

“So, can I have this dance?” He stands up and reaches his hand out to you. You smile and take it, the man pulling you into him. You notice as the two of you start swaying that he’s suddenly more relaxed, and that he’s definitely gotten more muscular over the years. You dance for a little while longer before he tilts your chin up, meeting your lips for a gentle kiss. “God I missed you doll.”

“I missed you too.” The two of you stay silent a little longer before he pulls back slightly, a serious look on his face. Uh oh.

“Come back with me.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Come back with me. To 2023.”

“Stevie, I can’t. I have so many responsibilities, and it could mess up the timeline and-”

“Nope. Already checked with the Ancient One. Said it should be fine as long as no one knows about it.”

“Oh.”

“Plus, you can meet my friends, and we can finally get married, and Bucky will-”

“Wait what? Bucky’s alive?”

“Oh yeah, he was captured by HYDRA but we got him back.”

“You’re gonna need to catch me up on everything.”

“So that’s a yes?”

“Fine. I’ll come with you, but if I throw up it’s your fault.”

“Deal.”

~~~

“I’m trying to bring him back!” Banner yells, flicking switches and pressing buttons on the dash. Bucky bites at his cuticles, something he does when he’s nervous, also something you used to yell at him for. The launchpad starts whirring again and both Bucky and Sam’s heads shoot up at the noise, not familiar with it at all.

“Um, is that supposed to happen?” Sam asks.

“Only when there’s more than one body being transported.” Banner mumbles, pressing a few more buttons. “Okay. Bringing him back in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.”

“AH-oomph.” Bucky’s eyes widen as his brain registers the yellow dress, the sparkling eyes, the dazzling smile.

“(Y/N)?!” He yells, giving both you and Steve a confused look. You sit up on the launchpad and look around, not familiar with any of your surroundings.

“Hiya Buck! Oooh, love the hair! Nice to see it change from the ol’ buzzcut.”

Permanent Tags: @wintersoldierslut​ @breakmy-bedbarnes@stuckys-hot-dogs​ @andreasworlsboring101 @yaxamarvel @donutloverxo

Just a reminder that all requests are open! My masterlist is in my bio, so you guys know who I specialize in, but really I do anyone y’all request. As I’ve mentioned, nothing is too fluffy, angsty, smutty, or gorey for me. I mainly write Marvel and its characters/actors. I can also write some characters from other things, you just have to ask! Also please let me know if you want to be a part of the Permanent Tags! But please, for now,

Call me Emily

[unsafepin]

Optical Illusions: A Study of Aesthetics in Activism in Two Accounts

There’s been a particular thing bothering me about social media for a while. I should probably get a cool editing app, write it in a few bullet points and post it on Instagram. You know what I’m talking about, right? The goddamn infographics. If I have to sit through another slideshow explaining to me another military conflict, another societal issue, another existential unfairness on a baby pink background in a cheery font, I might combust. But the cognitive dissonance of aesthetics in activism has been a problem for a while, hasn’t it? So today, I want to examine the effect of focusing on aesthetics over content, or, on the flipside, not considering the optics of your activism enough, and what it does to the consumer of your content by picking apart two local activist-adjacent media projects, Tetraedras and Giljožinios.

Firstly, I want to make my own bias abundantly clear. I am personally acquainted with the teams of both projects, so obviously there will be innate personal bias involved. I highly encourage anyone reading to check both projects out themselves (@t3traedras and @giljozinios on Instagram, as well as Giljožinios’ YouTube channel) and make their own conclusions on the matter. I believe that while my familiarity breeds deeper knowledge of my subjects, it also makes me more vulnerable to assumptions about individuals involved. My insights come from the perspective of an observer, not an expert. Welcome to the circus.

The use of the word “optics” in a metaphorical political sense sprung up in the 1970s to describe the way major political decisions would not necessarily affect an average citizen, but how it would appear to them, e.g. 'U.S. President Barack Obama temporized for weeks, worrying about the optics of waging war in another Arab state after the Iraq fiasco' (Toronto Star, 19th March 2011). However, it’s become increasingly relevant in our age of social media, an age of perceptions over substance, of shortening attention spans and increased barrage of information one has to stomach daily. Social media is the great equalizer - a random person off the street can theoretically hold as much influence as a politician - thus it is becoming increasingly crucial for the average Joe posting on the countless apps owned by Facebook to be as familiar with PR terms as a firm with a six figure salary. Or at least that would be nice, seeing that more and more average Joes are becoming actively involved in politics and education, seeking to influence their newfound audience.

So, let’s see how successful average people with no media or politics degrees are at balancing their image. Both Tetraedras and Giljožinios lean into their 2010’s social media project optics: millennial pink themes, bold names, young teams. But that’s where the similarities end. Tetraedras’ brand is safety. The shades of color on the profile are calming, the illustrations are youthful and playful, their more serious posts are interspersed with more relaxing content (poetry, photoshoots, etc.). Giljožinios is confrontational. The colors electric, posts loud and to the point, they’re what it says on the box - a leftist project - and unapologetic about it. This might help to explain why audiences react as differently as they do to these two, on the surface, similar accounts. Because while you might’ve stumbled on Tetraedras organically while browsing, them having almost two thousand followers, Giljožinios crashed into the educational/political social media scene by being featured on the goddamn national news, that’s how controversial the project is. And obviously I am oversimplifying the issue, Tetraedras slowly built up to posting more opinionated content, while Giljožinios came in guns blazing accusing USA of imperialism, but you’ll have to let me explain. Tetraedras, in its essence, is a welcoming environment. They explain complicated problems in short bullet points with accompanying comforting visuals, their mascot is a inoffensive geometrical figure and their face is a beautiful girl, make-up matching the theme of the post. Giljožinios is named after a revolutionary device, their profile picture is a monarch being beheaded, their host quite infamously sat in front of Che Guevara memorabilia in their first and (as of writing) only video. It’s a lightning rod for angry comments by baby boomers, no matter what comes out of their mouth. In fact, I would argue that, if presented accordingly, the idea that the US is conducting a kind of modern imperialism is just a simple fact and personally can’t wait until Tetraedras posts that with a quirky illustration of Joe Biden to introduce the concept to the wider public.

This leads me to my next point, because despite what’s been previously suggested, I’m not here to solely sing Giljožinios’ praise. There is a cognitive dissonance in both of these flavors of social media activism, but while I can understand Tetraedras’ on a PR level, I’m kind of personally insulted by Giljožinios’. While purely personally I find aspects of Giljožinios’ radicalism distasteful, I appreciate the honesty in the youthful maximalism, of coming in strong and not backing down, but from the guys that made a communist Christmas tree once I almost expected something more stirring than “military industrial complex bad”. This leads me to ask: who is your content for? Your average breadtube-savvy twenty-something already heard this a thousand times, because they consume similar english-speaking content and I doubt any minds of the vatniks that came by to fume in the comment section are being changed. I’m obviously harking on a newborn project here, the team of which has already been bitten by authorities censoring their content, but so far there has been a lot of optical bark, but no substantial bite, especially considering the team seems to be in a safer place now. And the inverse is true for Tetraedras, while I can understand wanting to be visually interesting yet inoffensive, their visuals are sometimes laughably, morbidly light for the topics they discuss Sexily posing in Britney Spears-inspired outfits while discussing the horrors of her conservatorship springs to mind (funny how Britney’s conservatorship leads her to have next to none bodily autonomy, including her public costume choices). And, once again, your target audience is teenagers. They understand English, they’ve seen the news, they don’t need you to translate infographics filled with statistics and information that’s locally completely irrelevant. There needs to be some kind of middle ground between aesthetic cohesion and common sense, because this all signals to the viewer that the content is meant to be mindlessly consumed first and to educate second.

Which leads me to ponder what kind of consumption accounts like these encourage, which will surely lead me to an early grave as I drink away the existential dread of how social media rots all of our brains. Because yes, actually, producing funky visuals to convey an idea way too complicated for an Instagram post is fun. I myself got distracted multiple times during writing to make the first slide for my own post. Meta, I know. This is obviously more of a problem for Tetraedras, who seem to fervently resist injecting their content with a few more paragraphs and a tad more nuance, but even with Giljožinios choosing a more appropriate long-form format to educate, I still pray everyday they don’t get lost in the revolutionary reputation their group built up and forget to make a point, not just talking points.

Because what all this all inevitably leads to is misinforming the public. Again, this seems to be less of a problem for Giljožinios, as the amount of critical eyeballs they have on them leads to them being corrected on every incorrect numerical figure and grammatical mistake, I just hope all this harassment, once again, doesn’t get them all caught up in the optics of a revolution against all the Facebook boomers and forgetting to do their due diligence to the truth. As far as I know, the only factual mistake is miscalculating how much Lituania invests in NATO and there’s still a historical debate in their comment section about the existence of a CIA prison in Lithuania, if anyone’s concerned. Tetraedras, however, is safe. And safe content goes down just like a sugar-coated pill, you don’t even feel the need to fact-check it. And fact-checking is what it sorely requires, or else you’re left with implying that boxing causes men to become rapists and citing statistics of every country except the one in which, you know, me, the team and the absolute majority of their followers live in.

So what’s my goddamn point? Burn your phone and go live in the woods, always. But in the context of this essay, if you are a content creator that aims to educate, inform, incite, whatever, you need to put aesthetics on the backburner. And, more importantly, we as consumers need to stop tolerating content that puts being either pretty or inflammatory first instead of whatever message it’s trying to send, because the supply follows where the demand goes. Read books, watch long-form content made by experts, not teenagers on the internet chasing followers out of not even malicious intent, but almost a knee-jerk reaction. Because while the story of those two accounts cuts especially deep, expectations for local-, even friend-made content being much higher than that for some corporate accounts shooting their shot at activism, the problem is entrenched deep, thousands of accounts exhibiting the same problems racking up millions upon millions of followers. Having said that, my attention span is barely long enough to read the essays I write myself, so maybe do burn your phone and go live in the woods.

Also, pink is actually my brand so both of these accounts are being contacted by my lawyers and the rest of you don’t try any shit.

[femsolid]

Terrorism, the calculated use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective.

---

Men murder at least 137 women they know every day.

In 2017, men murdered at least  87,000 women around the world. 30,000 of the victims were their wives and girlfriends.

In the USA, men murdered 1,800 women they knew in 2016.

Mexican men murder around 5 women a day in total impunity. They murdered 16 000 mexican women in only 8 years.

In France, a man murders his wife every 2 or 3 days. That's several thousands murdered women over the past 10 years.

Men murder prostituted women at a higher rate than any other class of women. Prostituted women (or "sex workers") are 60 to 120 times more likely to be murdered.

Men have forced the termination of 25 to 50 millions female fetuses in India.

In 2010, men have murdered at least 1,200 female babies. These murders go up by 20% each year.

Misogyny in rural China makes 1 in 3 chinese woman kill herself. Each day, 500 chinese women kill themselves, that's 182 500 per year and the n°1 cause of death.

Each year, men forcefully marry 14 millions of female children. That's currently 650 millions of girls married to pedophiles.

In 2 years, men have brutally murdered 243 of their female relatives for "bringing shame" to their families.

Over the last two decades, men have murdered 1.8 millions female children (6 years old or under) in India.

Men and their enablers mutilate the genitals of 7 girls per day. 91% of egyptians women are mutilated.

112 to 200 millions of girls are currently missing in the world.

Men are now more numerus than women by 60 millions due to the mass murder of women and girls as well as sex selective abortion and it shows no sign of improvement.

Men are still accusing women of witchcraft and murdering them in Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands.

Globally, men have physically attacked an estimated 736 million women. Terrorism is defined here as the recurrent use or threatened use of politically motivated and clandestinely organised violence, by a group whose aim is to influence a psychological target in order to make it behave in a way which the group desires.

Men have harassed 86% of french women in public spaces. They have followed 43% of them home and insulted 39% of them. They sexually assaulted 40% of them in public. Similar numbers are found in Spain, the UK, the USA, Germany and Italy.

Men have sexually assaulted 49% of lesbian and bisexual women in public spaces, as well as 36% of muslim women.

French men have sexually assaulted 100% of female users in public transport. Half of which were underage at the time of the assault. 6 out of 10 french women reported being scared when using public transports.

Men have raped approximately half of the female population in the UK, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Nederland and France.

Globally, 4% or less of the men reported for rape are charged, making rape a sort of "legal crime".

In the USA, men have raped 80% of disabled women.

In South Africa, men rape a woman every minute and 25,000 children a year.

Men mostly rape their wives (50%) or other close women, like their daughters, sisters, cousins, friends (40,8%).

Men send around 325 000 children into sexual slavery each year.

88% of the pornographic videos men make include violence against women. The women in this industry usually don't live past 36 years old.

50% of male american students have responded that they would rape a woman. 30% responded they probably would rape a woman if they were sure to get away with it.

A US american solder rapes one of his female coworker every 3 hours.

The number of women and girls raped and killed during wars is not counted here (or anywhere else...).

Those who engage in terrorism may do so for purely personal reasons, based on their own psychological state of mind. Their motivation may be nothing more than hate or the desire for power.

Sources :

https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/GSH2018/GSH18_Gender-related_killing_of_women_and_girls.pdf

http://vpc.org/press/more-than-1800-women-murdered-by-men-in-one-year-new-study-finds/

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Pakistan-With-Peaking-Female-Infanticide-345-Newborn-Bodies-Recovered-From-Garbage-Piles–20180501-0015.html

https://womennewsnetwork.net/2012/02/07/india-girl-infants-murder-femicide/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/link-between-domestic-violence-mass-killings/

 https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics

https://www.ined.fr/fichier/s_rubrique/25953/538.population.societes.2016.novembre.fr.pdf + Ministère de la justice française

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_differences_in_crime

It's a Girl : The Three Deadliest Words in the World d'Evan Grae Davis

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9Qp5svC8Ou/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

La deuxième moitié d'Assita Kanko

http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/facts-and-figures

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wartime_sexual_violence

https://www.allgirlsallowed.org/womens-rights-china-statistics#_edn4

https://stoprape.humboldt.edu/statistics#3

http://www.hope-eci.org/_documents/disabilities.pdf

https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/sexuality/assaults.php

Briere and Malamuth, 1983

Goodchilds and Zellman, 1984

Bridges and Wosnitzer, 2007

Pornland de Gail Dines

https://www.egalite-femmes-hommes.gouv.fr/dossiers/egalite-professionnelle/lutte-contre-le-harcelement-sexuel-au-travail/les-chiffres-cles-du-harcelement-sexuel-au-travail/

http://www.haut-conseil-egalite.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/hcefh_avis_harcelement_transports-20150410.pdf

https://jean-jaures.org/nos-productions/les-femmes-face-aux-violences-sexuelles-et-le-harcelement-dans-la-rue

https://chretien.news/suicide-des-jeunes-femmes-chinoises/

https://www.cdhal.org/ressources/feminicides-au-mexique/

https://kutv.com/news/local/40-of-police-officer-families-experience-domestic-violence-study-says

https://www.liberation.fr/france/2020/01/31/violences-conjugales-par-des-policiers-et-gendarmes-il-y-a-une-sorte-de-sacralisation-de-la-parole-d_1776563

http://zodculture.com/sexism/

La Guerre Invisible de Leila Miñano et Julia Pascual

[darkangeldesignstudio]

Dark Horse

Sorry for the EXTREMELY long hiatus guys....its been a long road to this chapter and it was so very hard to write. The emotions got the best of me and I absolutely HATED having to cause this sort of hurt to my story babies...I love them so much and really didn't want to start down this road of hurt but it had to be done for the story to continue so I really hope you all have enjoyed this chapter. Just remember I love you all and I really appreciate all the support you have given me during my writing process and through the hard times in my life...stay tuned for the next chapter, coming soon-ish.....I promise lol.

Chapter Eleven: A Choice to Make

Warnings: Angst, Violence, Death, Attempted Rape, Strong Language, Mentions of Animal Abuse, and Eventual Smut and Fluff

Setting: Post Civil War era USA. Marvel Cowboy AU.

Preface: Your home is attacked by the Hydra gang and you are rescued by Steve, Bucky, and their group. The government agency, known as Shield, wants them captured and Hydra wants them dead. With nowhere else to go, you join their ragtag group and set out on the adventure of a lifetime. Helping those less fortunate along the way, your small group grows and so does your affection for these two rough and tumble outlaws. When the chips are down, will you all be able to escape unscathed? Or will the boot drop and leave you heartbroken and alone again?

Song:  Wake Me Up by Tommee Profitt ft Fleurie

Previous / Next

Natasha helped Clint to his feet when a very equine snort came from the woods just to the left of them, catching your attention. The beautiful silver dapple stepped nervously from the trees. His body, covered in old scars, made you gasp. The quick intake of breath caught the nervous horse’s attention and soon you were stepping up to his form as if entranced.

From the corner of your eye, you saw Clint lift a hand to stop you, but Natasha quickly stopped him. The red head only smiled and whispered to him something that had Clint nodding back. You ignored them all, focussing once more on the equine in front of you.

His skin jumped and twitched with every step you took towards him. His legs were stiff with fear. You whispered to him, telling him everything would be okay and you wouldn’t hurt him, before stopping a few feet away and reaching your hand out slowly for him to smell. It took a moment, but he eventually reached out, brushing the short hairs of his nose to the back of your hand.

You smiled at him before stroking your fingers gently over his soft nose. He nickered a little merry sound and you heard Clint’s quiet voice cut through the silence. “His name’s Arrow.” Turning back to the group you saw all the smiles on Steve and Bucky’s faces before Nat giggled. Clint only looked at her with a sly smile. “What? You expected something else?”

She huffed a little breath before smiling up at him. “Giving the fact that he’s yours? His name would have either been Arrow or Coffee.” Clint gripped his chest in mock hurt. “You wound me and only just after reuniting?”

Steve and Bucky chuckled before approaching to each take one of Clint’s arms. “How else would she show that she missed you, Clint,” Steve said with a grin. “We missed you too, buddy.”

“I missed you guys too, just don’t expect me to kiss any of you on the mouth.” The sly grin on Clint’s face, coupled with Steve and Bucky’s matching cringes made you burst into laughter.

“No wonder you and Nat fell in love so easily, you are absolutely perfect for each other.” Looking to Nat, who had joined you by Arrow’s side, you saw the sly grin spread over her face as Clint shot you a saucy wink over his shoulder.

His gaze shifted to that of his wife before a matching grin spread over his lips. “I like this girl, Nat. Can we keep her?”

Two swift smacks had Clint breaking into deep chuckles and your face growing red as Steve and Bucky scowled at their friend. “Guess she’s spoken for then?”

The two men didn’t answer Clint’s question, but their eyes met yours for a split second before their faces grew equally red as yours. Then they were whizzing Clint forward towards where you had all left the rest of the group.

Turning to Natasha, you saw her smile. “What was that about?”

She giggled. “You will have to ask them. Now, lets worry about getting this beautiful boy out of here.” She rubbed Arrow’s scarred neck, cooing to him softly as you took hold of his reins.

Walking just behind the rest of the group, your chest warmed and your mind wandered. Did they have feelings for you? Did you have feelings for them? But as a sudden chill fell over you, worry and sorrow poured in like an angry wind.

How am I supposed to choose? I care about them both and they are like brothers; I don’t want to ruin that? What am I supposed to do? They probably didn’t even mean anything by it. Yeah, they were just being protective, they couldn’t BOTH like me. I doubt even one of them thinks of me that way. 

Your thoughts rolled like a wicked storm, creating a torrential downpour of doubt and self-hatred in your heart. Lost in thought you as you were, you didn’t notice the concerned looks Natasha was giving you, or that the men had slowed with your dawdling pace until Tony’s surprised voice cut through your inner turmoil.

“What the hell is going on?! Why did you all rush off like that-” Tony’s eyes grew wide as he spied the man being supported by Bucky and Steve just ahead of you. “Wait, Clint? But, how? We thought you were dead?”

Clint just chuckled, “Thanks Tony, missed you too. Now, if you don’t mind… I could really use some coffee right about now.”

Tony smiled, happiness shining in his eyes. “You’ve got it, friend. It's good to have you back.” Turning on his heel, Tony ran back to join the others, cheering like a child and making everyone smile and laugh at his joy.

Everyone cheered and celebrated for a moment, the members of the group welcoming Clint back with fond smiles, even shy Pepper joined in, offering to help Nat with tending to Clint’s wounds while Tony and Jarvis scouted ahead for a campsite where all could rest in peace for the night.

The sun was just setting when everyone had finished setting up camps a few miles down the road. The clearing was of the smaller variety, placing everyone in closer quarters than normal, but there was no complaint as everyone was too happy with Clint’s return to worry about the space. And as Clint continued to joke and rib at everyone gathered around the campfire, you could see exactly why.

He was an honest soul. Quick to smile and laugh and joke. It was like a piece you didn’t realize was missing had fallen into place as you saw your new family glow with happiness. Jarvis’ eyes shone with glee, Natasha was relaxed, even the stoic Bruce was smiling and laughing with the rest of the group, his booming laugh filling the clearing on multiple occasions as Clint picked on Tony mercilessly. And Tony was more than happy to take it all in stride, pouring Clint a third cup of coffee even as he glared. It was good to see them this way and it filled your heart full to bursting.

That was until your eyes caught on the visage of Steve and Bucky sat side-by-side at the fire, and the thoughts of earlier rolled in your mind again. Turning back to Boda, you tried to suppress the thoughts with the soothing sound of the brush through his glossy coat, but they continued to bombard you until the soft press of a furry body against your leg caught your attention.

Looking down into the amber eyes of Soldat you saw yourself reflected there as he took your wrist gently in his teeth and tugged you back towards the fire. Realizing what he was doing you chuckled, dropping Bodaway’s brush on the ground to be collected later and allowing the young wolf-dog to pull you back towards the fire where the others sat waiting.

Soldat stood just behind Bucky, and with your wrist still clutched in his jaws, he pawed at Bucky’s hip. Bent over as you were to accommodate the dog’s height, you were eye-level with the seated man as he turned to look. His eyes were a bit shocked before shifting quickly to humor as he realized your situation and grinned widely.

Unable to help yourself, you smiled back, giggling a bit at your predicament. “It seems I have been summoned?”

Turning back to you Steve also chuckled “Yes it seems you have Y/N.”

Both men shifted apart as Soldat released your wrist, making room for you to sit between them by the fire. You hoped they wouldn’t notice the flush of your skin as you took the proffered seat, settling between their larger frames as the fire flickered warm and inviting.

“Miss Y/N, it is nice to see you again.” Clint’s voice was polite as he spoke, but his smirk screamed mischief as he asked “So, which one o-”

Nat’s hand quickly muffled his voice as either man at your side stiffened and your face became uncomfortably hot. “That’s enough of that now, darling. Don’t pick on our sweet pevun’ya. If she hadn’t encouraged us to sing… I’m unsure that we would have found you.” She brushed her hand over Clint’s cheek, caressing the bruise that marred the skin there.

Clint had informed us all of his ordeal while in Hydra’s clutches on the way to the campsite. He had fared little better than Bucky had by the telling of it. Hydra was nefarious but apparently not infallible. Clint had told us of his escape, running while an ongoing raid distracted them. He had stolen his Handler’s horse to escape, but had failed to save the two others held captive with him. Apparently, they were moved the night before without Clint’s notice, which was surprising since almost nothing got past his keen eyes.

Those sharp eyes connected with your own, pulling you out of the memory of a few hours ago. “So, another songbird is she?” His smile eased the bit of worry that those hawk-like eyes instilled in you. “Thank you, Y/N. For bringing me back to my family, I could never be more thankful. Maybe one day soon, I could share a song of my own with you, songbird that my wife says you are.”

You smiled in glee. The prospect of hearing another song in such a brief period was exciting. “You would really do that?” His nod of affirmation had you giggling like a child, causing the others to chuckle. “I’m so excited, Nat told me you used to sing and play for everyone. I’d be happy to hear it all myself.”

Chuckling, Clint’s cheeks heated a bit with the praise. “Ah shucks… well it may take a while, but as soon as I get a new guitar, I’ll be sure to play something for you little lady.”

Nat stiffened in her seat, causing Clint to look at her in concern. She only smiled before jumping to her feet. “Hold that thought, darling. I will be right back.” Giving him a smacking kiss on the lips, she bolted back towards the wagons and disappeared for a moment where only the sounds of rummaging and cursing could be heard.

“What has gotten into her?” Clint asked, looking back to the rest of us. Everyone shrugged, unable to give him the answers he was seeking when a shout of girlish glee caught pulled our attention back to the wagon Natasha had disappeared into.

She emerged, holding a dusty guitar, causing a strangled sound to burst from Clint’s throat. “Where did you find that? I thought it was gone forever.”

She smiled at him, taking back her seat at his side and handing the beat up guitar back to him. “I found it a few days after your capture, went back to look for you and this was all that was left. The strings were broken and the neck was cracked, but I couldn’t get rid of it. So, I fixed it up and kept it safe. I’m glad you will play it again soon, my love.”

Clint was not so proud as to hide his tears as he pulled Natasha to him and kissed her full on the mouth. The group cheered, loud hoops and hollers filling the night sky as the stars twinkled above us. Nat and Clint stayed huddled together, shoulder to shoulder as the rest of the group told light hearted stories, filling Clint in on all the adventures they had had in his absence, giving the man a moment to calm himself again.

When Nat finally asked if he was felt like playing for the group, Clint respectfully declined as he was exhausted and unwilling to take his arm from around his wife’s shoulder. No doubt worried that if he let go, she might disappear.

Looking shyly to the man in question, you asked if he would allow you to take up his guitar and play for everyone. The night sky was calling you to play out your emotions of the day. It had been a long while since picking up this instrument, but with Clint’s encouragement and the first brush of your fingers over the strings, it all came rushing back to you.

The song that first came to mind was one your mother used to play for you. It was sad but fit with the emotions of the day. The soothing tone and soft lyrics full of love soon lulled the others into sleep. Many took the opportunity to lie awake in their respective tents or bedrolls as the melodic notes brought them into the oblivion of sleep.

Looking back up to where Clint and Natasha sat, you noticed the red head asleep in her husband’s embrace as he stared down at her with love and adoration in his eyes. It was very clear how much they meant to each other and it made the longing in your own heart grow, especially as Clint, tired as he was, picked up his sleeping wife and carried her to their tent, mouthing a silent thank you to you as he passed.

Reaching the end of the song, you glanced around and noticed that the only person still awake was Bucky. He was seated on his bedroll a few feet from the fire, just watching you with a small smile. Beside him, Steve was sleeping on his own bedroll. You could feel his eyes following you across the campsite as you returned the guitar to the wagon.

Turning to go to your own bedroll, feeling relaxed and happy to sleep beneath the stars, you stopped in your tracks as you watch Bucky’s large frame approaching your resting place. It only takes a few strides for him to reach you with the compact space of the clearing you are all sharing. There was a glint of determination in his gaze as he stood in front of you. You breathe deep, taking in the faint smell of him as he reaches out and pulls you into his chest.

You are too shocked to make more than a slight squeak of sound and soon your mind is swimming and your face is becoming heated with his closeness as he holds you to him. The memory of the last time you stood this way - on that icy porch in the mountains - flashed through your mind and you wonder if it was that moment that changed everything? But you are pulled from your thoughts as his deep voice rumbles from his chest with a quiet “thank you” as his soft lips whisper across the skin of your forehead in a chaste kiss. Taking a step back, he smiles down at you before going back to his bedroll and falling asleep.

You stood there for a moment more, touching the place that he kissed lightly with disbelief before quickly making your way to your own bedroll by the dwindling warmth of the fire.

Staring into the flames you watched as they die, but the warmth in your cheeks refused to part along with its warmth. Your mind was awash with confusion and soon swirled with sadness and anger as sleep evaded you.

What the hell is going on? Why do I have to feel this way? Is it too much to ask for the world to not be so cruel? I wanted to love. I wanted to be important to someone, but why? Turning to stare into the stars, you feel the tears sliding down your cheeks and into your hair. Why do I have to choose? I love them both and if I make that choice, to love one over the other, I will only break us all. Please, someone help me. Send me a sign. I do not want it to end this way.

[tays2centsonstuff]

JOJO RABBIT, 2019

synopsis: a young boy in hitler's army finds out his mother is hiding a jewish girl in their home.

director: taika waititi writers: taika waititi stars: roman griffin davis, thomasin mckenzie, scarlett johansson, taika waititi

genres: comedy | drama | war

country: new zealand, usa, czech republic language: english, german filming locations: czech republic

runtime: 108mins

---

overall opinion:

oh lord. ohhhhh lordy. this one. I know what you think… a comedy / satire about world war II??? that sounds terrible and disrespectful, no?

yep, that’s kind of what I thought. so I went into «jojo rabbit» with skeptical thoughts, as did a lot of people I think, simply because a comedy about world war II, how funny can it actually be without being tasteless? but I love taika waititi and I knew both he and scarlett have jewish roots so that kind of told me it couldn’t be bad.

and oh boy am I glad I watched this. 

this movie made me laugh until it had me bawling like a baby. 

okay, first. this movie was nominated for 6 oscars: best picture, best supporting actress (scarlett johansson), best production design, best costume design, best film editing, and best adapted screenplay for which it won. I wish it would have won more (best picture and best supporting actress, come on). it’s such a unique movie in that it portrays one of the worst periods in human history in such a fun, light-hearted and at the same time sobering and poignant way. you laugh, then you’re shocked, then you smile, then you cry, ... this movie is an absolute rollercoaster. it has so much soul and the characters are phenomenal (rosie just captured my heart). I fell in love with all of the characters instantly.

the story follows johannes «jojo» betzler (roman griffin davis), a 10 year old boy living in nazi germany, who’s a proud member of the hitler youth. throughout the movie, his imaginary friend adolf (taika waititi) guides him and tries to influence him (as in, jojo tries to convince himself that he’s doing the right thing as a nazi). at some point he finds out that his mother rosie (scarlett johansson) who is secretly anti-nazi is hiding a young jewish girl (thomasin mckenzie) in their house. for safety reasons, jojo and the girl, elsa, decide not to tell rosie that they have met, and instead meet up in secret while rosie is at work. jojo can’t believe he «caught a jew», and tries to find out all kinds of information to then tell the other nazis to give them an advantage in the war. except everything turns into a completely different direction. 

man, what a ride. honestly, I think this is a movie everyone should watch. all the actors are phenomenal, especially roman griffin davis (this was his first movie ever) as jojo, taika waititi as hilarious satire-hitler, and scarlett johansson as jojo’s mother rosie. every single one of them deserved an oscar for their performance. it was simply beautiful to watch.

the cinematography and the colours were also amazing. the movie looked stunning, despite the sad topic it covered. I love how taika decided to use vibrant colours and stylish costumes to contrast the dark matter of the film. it works beautifully and gives it a very human touch – like there was more to life than just the war, even during this time.

---

SPOILERS AHEAD, I would invite you to watch the movie first and then come back for the rest if it’s something that interests you. :)

---

out of all the perfect characters I think rosie was my favourite. she is anti-nazi and handing out little notes against the regime, which you know from the beginning is a death-sentence. at home, whenever she is with her son, she is this happy-go-sunshine person, ever dancing, making jokes, pretending everything is fine, all to protect her son and the girl she so selflessly invited into her home, knowing it would kill her if they found out. I had to actually PAUSE the movie and recover for a few minutes when jojo walked past those shoes hanging in the air. I CRIED. she was such a loving character. one of my favourites, ever. in any movie or book. simply beautifully created. I want to be rosie when I grow up.

but in the end, I fell in love with all of them. jojo, who was just so sweet in his ways, how he was convinced hitler was doing the right thing and he was proud to be helping them, but in the end realised that «those jews» are just normal people. the bond he develops with elsa over the course of the movie is so sweet and touching. the way he writes those letters to her «from her boyfriend» who he didn’t know had died. he was trying so hard to make her feel safe and happy even though she was «the enemy». that said a lot about him and roman brings him across so well.

and elsa, the jewish girl, played by thomasin mckenzie, wasn’t just intent on playing the victim. she was funny, sarcastic and clever, giving the most absurd answers to jojo’s questions on his quest to figure out more about jews. it made me laugh even though the situation wasn’t funny at all. it took some of the weight from the topic which I thought was great.

honestly, this film has it all. a great story, great morals, phenomenal acting, funny moments, heartbreaking moments, beautiful cinematography, and it will definitely leave you thinking after the end credits.

---

why it stayed with me:

the whole movie is such an emotional rollercoaster. it’s funny, it’s really sad, really intense, but then in the end… there is so much hope. 

the way taika waititi managed to tell a gruesome story in such a poignant way, you just can’t help but love what he’s done. I hate slapstick usually, especially about sensitive topics (like, I would rather die than watch borat which I turned off 15mins into the film), but this was done so well and with so much heart and soul. 

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favourite scene / moment:

the dinner scene with jojo and rosie. iconic. (39:40–44:00)

and when elsa and jojo are staring out the window at night and having a really sweet conversation.

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what I didn’t like:

nothing. it was perfect. although I HATED the fact that rosie died but I guess it was bound to happen.

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interesting trivia / fun facts:

both taika waititi and scarlett johansson have jewish roots. when taika, who is maori/jewish, was asked about why he chose to play the role of adolf hitler, he said «the answer's simple, what better 'fuck you' to the guy?»

one of taika’s reasons for making the film was the realisation that after world war II people cried that «we should never forget» but given the behaviour of «certain people in certain parts of the world», it felt to him like we are forgetting.

even though the spoken dialogue is all in english, all written or printed text in the movie is in german.

«I don't like the idea of seeing people hang,» taika waititi said, and that's what led in part to the reveal of rosie's death without showing her face. he added that seeing your dead loved one is an intimate thing, and that we didn't «have permission» to see what jojo saw.

in the scene where the boys burn books at the camp, tom waits’ «I don’t wanna grow up» is playing in the background. in 2009, scarlett johansson recorded an album with tom waits covers, which also features that same song. the album is called «anywhere I lay my head» and is available on spotify.

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favourite quotes:

[rosie and jojo come upon six people hanging from the gallows in the town square]

jojo: what did they do?

rosie: what they could.

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rating: 10/10.

this movie broke my goddamn heart and it had the audacity to do so while I was having a really fun time watching it! 

simply a must-see.

[mydearsaddiary]

Speakeasy Tonight Fanfic: Neil Season 3

Warning: Cursing, violence, sexual content (+16). Some topics may be sensitive to some people.

This is a fanfic based on how I’d imagine Speakeasy Tonight’s Neil Season 3 would be like. He’s a character from Lovestruck voltage USA game app. This is Chapter 6, here’s a link for all chapters:

https://mydearsaddiary.tumblr.com/NeilSeason3Fanfic

Little curiosity notes: So the Dresners are coming to visit! And I just noticed something I did wrong and I have to apologize for! Lucille was pregnant on chapter 3. Just now, while I was writing this chapter I realized in Neil’s route in the app she had given birth already (she had to because she already knew it was a girl). So sorry about that, but we’ll just move on as usual, Cornelia is here!

In this chapter, there’s a lot going on! We’ll have some sweet interactions and some wedding planning. Then, we get into some Vera and Adler problems and dealing with the Ice Box and all that. After, we have some hot stuff (hehe, missed this) and then shit just goes CRAZY after.

As always, please reach out to say anything you’d like! Anything at all! Thank you guys so much for reading this, I enjoy writing this very much! Hope you guys like it! Thanks!

-Candy (6/11/2020)

 ____

              Chapter 6-

                        ♜♞♚There Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked

1926

              -This is such a charming little house!- Lucille said as she entered Uncle Charlie’s house with the baby in her arms. I didn’t judge since I knew what kind of environment she grew up in. The house was small compared to hers in Boston. I couldn’t even imagine how miniscule it would look next to the Dresners’ estate.

              Mrs. Fitz, me and Neil helped Lucille, her mother and Mr. Branford with their suitcases and we set them in the extra rooms. I managed to be a good host with a late afternoon tea while we caught up on what had happened since we last saw each other.

              -I must apologize Miss Granger- Neil’s mother said. I didn’t want to make anything awkward or hold any grudges against a member of Neil’s family, so I was happy she came to Chicago with an open heart.

              -No, Mrs. Dresner. I understand you were just looking out for your son. As long as you’ve come around, let’s just let bygones be bygones- I smiled, a little more forcibly than I would’ve liked to.

              -Yes, I’ve come to terms with it- She said. It wasn’t exactly an “I’m happy for you” or “I like you”, but I decided to take it- Have you had much experience in the high society?

              -Mother- Neil started- I can handle that

              -You don’t know how to act like a proper lady in high society, you’re a man

              -Mother- Lucille said- Whatever Neil can’t teach her, I can help. The wedding is already trouble enough for now, so we should let poor MC take care of that first.

              -Oh yes, of course- The mother turned to me again- I’m sorry, MC. I’m a very traditional lady. It’s hard to compete with these modern times.

              -Don’t worry- I put my feelings aside again. I wasn’t one to let anybody push me around, but you’ve got to pick your battles. This wasn’t one of them.

              -Well, then do tell us about how the wedding is coming along

              -We found a venue-I exclaimed, more excited now- It’s here in Chicago, but far from the main streets so it’s peaceful and the area is nice, it’s greener. The chapel is tall and white and it’s a decent size. I thought it was cat’s pajamas!

              -That’s lovely- Lucille joined in- I never knew Neil to be the wedding planning type

              -Oh, I’m not, really- Neil said- MC is been taking care of most of it

              -On her own?!- Lucille said

              - I’ve got some help, the wedding planner is there-I added

              -No, no. That won’t do it-She turned to her mother- That’s it, I have to spend our time here helping MC as much as I can. She could use a hand!

              -I don’t see why not if Miss Granger isn’t opposed- Momma Dresner said

              -I’m not at all! I could use a feminine hand. Neil just says “whatever you choose is good”.

              Neil gave me a look that said  “That’s not what I was supposed to be saying?” And I just shrugged it off

                After a little while, Neil engaged in a conversation with Michael. He was getting to know his sister’s husband and I think he wanted to fix the bad image Mr. Branford had of him. He held Cornelia while they talked. The image did warmed me up inside, he had gentle hands with his little niece like she was a rare stone he had just found. It made me think that he was going to be a good father again. Behind that sarcasm and cynicism he worried, and he had the natural instinct to protect.  

              -You’re thinking about having your own?-Lucille disrupted my thoughts

              I looked at her, blushing a little- Oh! No! Heavens, at least not yet. I’m still awfully young

              -Yes, I could see you being a bit green. Neil though…

              -Yeah, I know. Believe or not, I know he wouldn’t come up to me and ask to have a baby, though- I thought a little about what to say- Sometimes I get curious about who Neil was before the war, I know he was getting married, so I wonder if he wanted to have a regular life you know… Kids included.

              -Neil was never the outgoing type, even before the war. But he came alive when he was with Alton. He’d be this shy, quiet kid, then Alt would pop up and he’d get into trouble. Even so, he always followed the rules. Alton was… loud, he was always running around, talking faster than his mouth could handle, doing stuff that could’ve sent his mother to an early grave- Her eyes were distant, navigating in the past- Even when they grew up, they were inseparable. They went to school, college and med school together.

              -And then they enlisted in the army together, were in the same unit in France…

              -Gosh- She continued- If Alton had survived the war, I bet they’d be living in the same house right now- She laughed, then turned serious, almost sad- It doesn’t matter if Alton had his parents or siblings… Neil was the one who was closest to him. They were brothers… And then, I can’t imagine what it must be like to not have someone like that in your life anymore. He just disappeared, and Neil had to deal with it

              -I can’t imagine either-I looked down- I always thought of it as just… Awful. But Neil must’ve felt pretty empty. God, he ended his engagement, left Boston and everything else behind. He went through so much.

              -But look at him now, MC-She pointed with her head and I looked at him. He seemed to be having a good time with Michael, he even played with the baby who laughed at him- He’s never going to be the old Neil again. But… Even comparing with back then, this is the happiest I’ve seen him. That’s what I told mother to convince her, you know?- She looked back at me- I told her he didn’t deserve to have someone else taken from him.

              I smiled sadly- Alton’s shoes seem really big to fill

              -You’re not a replacement, you know that, right?

              -I know

              -Just don’t leave or die-She pointed to my calf- And preferably don’t get hurt either.

              If she knew what kind of job I had, she’d be furious. It put me in danger every day. It made me even guiltier about the events that had happened the week prior. But I looked at her with determination and agreed that I’d always be here.

              We moved on to lighter subjects and I showed her some pictures of the flowers I had chosen. She and her mother spent some time giving me tips on roses. Not red because that’s too cliché, but how other colors could really help the wedding be a special day.

              -Hey, how about I take you out shopping for dresses this afternoon?-She sat closer to me- It’d give me an excuse to leave Cornelia to the boys and have some girl time. Plus, I could tell you embarrassing stuff about Neil’s past

              -Hey, I heard that!-Neil turned to us with a funny look on his face- What past stuff are you talking about?

              -Just everything you wouldn’t tell her-Lucille smiled in a little sibling kind of way, mischievously.

              -Great- He turned to me- I’ll have you know she was always known for lying

              -No way!-Lucille defended herself- He was always known for saying my truths he didn’t like were lies. Of course people would believe the older male sibling

              I laughed- Well, I’m believing everything you say today, Lucille-I got up-You don’t mind if I call my girlfriends, do you?

              She said no and I drove her to pick Cleo and Sofia up to go to a bridal shop Cleo mentioned. It’s funny she knew, she didn’t seem like the marrying kind to me. It got me wondering if she ever thought about it.

              Once we were inside I gathered them around like I was giving out a speech- Alright, ladies! It’s time to get down to brass tacks and find the dress, but first, I’d like to introduce you guys to Lucille. She’s Neil’s sister

              -Looks like her brother too-Cleo said- Don’t you come from a ritzy family in Boston? Your dress looks like it was designed especially for ya

              -Well, it was-She started- All of our clothing is always designed for us, unless it’s made by some famous designer then we have our servants buy it

              -Tres ritzy indeed. Think you could get a few designers to make dresses especially for us?- Cleo smiled

              -I could probably work something out

              -I like you already

              -Well, girls- I interrupted- That is the perfect opening I was looking for, since this makes it the perfect opportunity to ask you girls to be my bridesmaids

              -Really?!- Sofia asked- That’s so…

              -Oh, shucks. Don’t be so impressed-I said- Lucille means the world to her brother and she’s been helping me out a lot. You, Sofia, and Cleo have been my best friends since I got to Chicago. I want you girls to be part of it. Also, Hazel and Edith will be involved as well. This means we could take few looks on bridesmaid dresses too!

              We were all giddy for a while, excited about the wedding. It’s funny how I used to dread the thought of marrying. Momma talked about it so often and I always cringed at the mention of it. Then I met Neil and all I wanted to do was marry him.

              -You know, chicas- Sofia started- Choosing wedding and bridesmaid dresses is so much fun they should make movies about it

              -Huh? Movies about it?- I questioned confused- How are you gonna make a flick about just janes picking wedding dresses?

              -Listen to this- Sofia continued- They could film it at a bridal store. The crew would be there and they’d just film reality, just dames saying who they’re marrying and their story and how they go about picking dresses. They could film a dame and her bridesmaids or whoever is with her at the store, make a flick about it and then put it on the screen for everyone to watch the whole process. It’d be fun!

              Cleo laughed- Whoever would want to watch reality on screen? We already have plenty of it in our own lives

              I laughed with them- Alright- I said- Time to make our own wedding-dress-choosing flick here!- I turned to Lucille- You did this once, how did you go about it?

              -It wasn’t so hard for me. I didn’t have to choose a dress, I just told Momma what I wanted and she hired designers to make it especially for me

              -That must cost a pretty penny I don’t have-I crossed my arms- We’ll just have to do it the traditional way.

              -Calf-length dresses are in right now-Cleo said looking around- Let’s just all look for something we think would look good on MC and then we’ll have her try it on!

              We agreed and we all went looking for something. After, I started trying out all the options chosen.

              -Alright- I said in front of the mirror while the store clerk helped me out. I had a dress on that had long sleeves, there wasn’t much detail on it. It was all white and it went down to almost my ankles. It was pretty and Momma would certainly approve it, but the thought of it didn’t please me very much- I picked this one out because I thought it’d look nice. I didn’t realize how long it was

              -It’s conservative but fun-Lucille said- But… I think it’s way too loose. It’d probably be better for a bigger girl, but you’re tiny so it looks like you’re wearing a night gown.

              -And how!-Cleo said- I don’t think it says anything about your personality at all. You don’t hide from anything. You are daring but with class. I think your dress should say the same.

              We all agreed I should try a different one on, so this time I tried one that Sofia picked. It was so beaded it shined. The glow against the white gave it this holy aura, like I could be an angel coming down to earth. You could probably hear a choir behind me vocalizing a church song with all that glow. I’d be sure to be Neil’s beacon of light in the wedding if I wore that dress… That is if it didn’t blind him. Sofia herself said it hurt her eyes, so I quickly had it off my body.

              It was safe to assume we’d be there for a while. And so we were, for hours! Dresses and more dresses were pulled from the hangers and put on. It was fun and I felt like quite the model, but I had started to wonder if I was being too picky and I should just pick one of the dresses I had already tried on.

              After a while we all decided we were hungry and the sun was setting, so I changed into my normal clothes and walked towards the front of the store to meet them.

              -We have to show Lucille that charming tea room you girls always take me to. They have good food there!- I said about to walk out with them when something stopped me in my tracks

              A glow in one of the beads of a certain dress shined bright into my eyes, like a sign- Hey girls, just wait a second- I said reaching for the light that caught my attention. I pulled the dress out looking at it. It had a delicate round neckline formed by white flowers. It was see-through until the chest area and in the short sleeves, except for a thin strap at the shoulders and the little details on the sleeve. Its white grace went down until the calf. At the waist a pattern of beads started that went until the knees. It gave the whiteness a fun touch, or like Cleo said: daring, but classy.

              Lucille walked towards me- It’s definitely fun. It’s graceful, but it’s audacious.

              -It says you’re a modern girl, but you’re still a classic- Sofia added- It’s certainly something I could see you wearing.

              -I think your personality would shine through it-Cleo said

              -I’m sorry, I know you girls are hungry… Maybe we should come back another day-

              -No, no. Chica-Sofia said

              Lucille followed by putting her hands on both of my shoulders- This right here could be your dress. I have a good feeling about this one, so you have to try it on!

              Cleo came back with a few things- She said it! Can’t miss this chance. Besides, here- She handed me some pure white stockings, and these delicate and beautiful white heels- I think you need to complete the look

              -Those are beautiful, Cleo-I said holding on to them

              -Oh, and of course you can’t forget what Mr. Dresner is gonna see later!- Sofia gave me naughty smile, bringing this two-piece undergarment composed of a white lace bra and skirt

              -Miss Sofia, what a wicked mind! Can’t say I’m against though! I bet Neil would love this

              -Hey- She said a little uncomfortable. I’m pretty sure no one wants to imagine their sibling in a sexual way ever- You guys are forgetting about one of the most important things!-Lucille said bringing in a veil. It was floor-length but not awfully long. It had a lace cap and flowers on each side.

              I took it as well holding all the components that hopefully would create what I envisioned- Alright, time to try it all on!

              We decided with the neckline and the details on the dress that a necklace wouldn’t be necessary, so Cleo called the store clerk again to help me out and I went to the fitting room yet again.

              -Okay!-Cleo announced- Dress two-hundred and forty seven, come on out!

              I walked out all dressed up, standing in front of them and in the mirror- So…?!

              They didn’t say anything for a few seconds, Lucille was actually the first to talk- Wow, MC… You do look like a bride

              -Now that everything is put together like that,- Sofia said- Neil won’t know what hit him

              -This has the potential to make my brother cry at the altar- Lucille added

              -Then it must be magical. It’d have to be to make Neil cry, I don’t think he ever cried in his life-I replied

              -He’s not the sentimental type, is he?-Cleo laughed- Well, if that doesn’t get it out of him, nothing will! You look absolutely stunning, MC

              I was smiling with all the compliments, but it was when I actually when I turned around and first looked in the mirror that I understood what they were talking about. I could feel my heart pounding while I looked at me- Wow…-I let it out- I…-I was having trouble talking

              -You okay, chica?- Sofia asked

              -It’s just… With the other dresses, it seemed like playing dress-up- I moved my fingers around anxiously- But this one… This is it. Gosh, I think it just dawned on me that I’m actually getting married- I could feel my voice cracking a little bit- Oh, I love it! Thank you, girls- I said hugging them

              -Hey! You picked it!- Lucille said

              -Yes, but it wouldn’t have happened without your help.

              Soon the dress was in a garment bag and everything else was in a separate shopping bag. We went to eat and set a date to look at bridesmaid dresses before Lucille went back to Boston

              And so it was a few days later we were back and spent just as many hours picking their own dresses. It was still super fun! We decided on beautiful light pink dresses that were tight fitting on the satin top and from the waist down it formed a wide A-line and it ended in a ritzy lighter ruffle bottom. I made sure to get two more for Hazel and Edith and gave them a call that night to tell them about it.

x

              The night Neil’s family went home, I was sitting with Lucille and Cornelia in Uncle Charlie’s living room.

-Say, hi auntie MC- Lucille said- Do you want to hold her?

I hesitated a bit but agreed- The last baby I held was my sister Hazel when I was a kid- I adjusted little Cornelia in my arms. She felt warm and soft and surprisingly peaceful. I held her fearful of hurting the little body- Being a mother always scared me.

-You know… It always scared me too-She said and I looked at her with interest- But… You get used to it. The entire pregnancy I kept worrying if I’d be a terrible mother. It’s all just doubt really. I mean, it is not easy, but once I held her in my arms nothing else mattered. I love her and she’s mine. She’s a part of me- It was clear to me she could talk about her daughter for hours- It’s a surreal feeling really, like “Wow, I’m a mother. That baby, she’s my daughter”. It’s like, all this time you only had to be worried about being a kid and then you’re a parent. It’s as scary as it is thrilling- She looked into my eyes again- But once you’re ready you’ll know, MC. Once you marry, people are going to rush you because that’s what they think a woman should do right after the wedding, but you’ll know.

-How will I know?-I said, this time handing Cornelia back to her

-Oh, you’ll get that baby fever- She laughed

-Yeah- I chuckled. I wasn’t even sure why I was interested in that conversation- Maybe one day…

We dropped them off at the station a couple of hours later. It was late at night and I laid in bed with Neil. I was reading a magazine, but I couldn’t get my thoughts to stop revolving around what Lucille had said

-Penny for your thoughts?-Neil looked at me, I guess I did look deep in contemplation

-Well… Here we are-I opened my arms

-That’s a very astute observation- His sarcastic tone shone through

-I mean! We don’t live together, but have you realized how domestic we are? We lay in bed together, I’m reading my stuff, and you’re reading your book… It’s like we’re already married

-What’s your point?-He closed his awfully boring philosophy book to pay attention to me now

-We never really talked about what we’re gonna do after we marry

-Alright, let’s talk about it-He sat up

I didn’t expect that reaction to come from him, but I continued- Okay, well, where are we living?

-I just assumed you were moving in with me, to my apartment.

-Alright, but you do understand some changes in the place are gonna be involved, right?

-Yeah, yeah… I already came to terms with it- He rolled his eyes, but a slight smile he tried to hide still appeared on his face

-Okay, then. Do you always want to live in Chicago?

-I think this one depends on you more than me. You’re not leaving the Ice Box behind any time soon.

-True enough- I breathed heavily, preparing myself for the next question- Do you… Do you want kids?

He was silently for a few seconds, those seconds felt like hours and I felt my heart beating rapidly in my chest. He eventually replied- To be honest, I don’t see myself as a father.

-Oh yes!- I agreed, a little too quickly- I really don’t see myself as a mother either!-  I  remembered what I felt when I went out with Cleo to the maternity shop to buy gifts for my older sister, how the store was a complete nightmare

…Then why did it sting a bit when he said that?

I knew I was way too sensitive, but not so sensitive I wanted to suddenly have kids. I decided a night of sleep was what I needed. Tomorrow there was a lot to be done at the Ice Box.

                -Alright!-I gathered everybody at the box the next night- This is bad, this is real bad! But we need to decide what we’re gonna do from now on!- In the silence and tenseness that everybody was situated in, I could hear the very faint ‘slurp’ from Neil drinking bourbon, sitting at the bar and facing the opposite way. It would be funny otherwise, but considering the circumstances it got me in a lather. So I walked up to him- Hey, buster, enjoying your hooch?

`              -I am- He raised his glass- Thanks.

              I sighed angrily- Why aren’t you freaking out?!

              -When have you ever known me to freak out?!

              -Oh, you freak out! You get all ‘…’- I stopped talking to imitate his worried face in a mocking way

              -Huh…-Cliff started- So… You see…

              -What Cliff is trying to say…-Vince started- is for you to save the bickering for after the marriage. What are we gonna do?

              I breathed extremely annoyed, walking back to my original position

              -How’s the leg?-Cliff asked

              -It barely hurts anymore, it just gets sore at night- I answered- But since we’re on that subject, Mayor Adler absolutely hates me and he literally keeps tabs on everyone in Chicago. Last time I was there, he walks in and let’s just say he’s very forceful. He’s gonna try to have the upper hand and if somebody overpowers him he’ll kill the,. At this point he’s a bigger threat to us than Vera- I said sitting down

              -So what’s the next move?- Donovan asked- If it’s some help, the boys in blues at the station hate Mayor Adler. Everyone knows ‘is type.

              -Then can you try and find any dirt on him?

              -People have tried before, he is a slick one

              -Just try again. Dig deeper. Anything at all-I asked

              To my surprise he agreed and stayed quiet after. Then Gerald came forward- Should I keep… Talking to Vera?

              -Yes- I looked at him- How’s that going?

              -There hasn’t been any luck in kisses yet to take pictures of. She keeps on saying “I shouldn’t, I’m a married woman”, but I’m almost there. There has been more dates and touching hands and she does feel very comfortable around me

              -Well, as soon as you’ve got that picture you’ve got to hand it to me- I thought for a few seconds- In fact, Sofia, can you take that picture for me when it happens?- I turned to her. I thought it’d be better if that picture was in the hands of someone I trusted

              -You got it, Chica. How about those documents?

              -They’re in the Mayor’s office in his house- I pinched the bridge of my nose- Which means I’m either gonna have to be invited there again, or break in.

              -Alright- Neil started- There’s a couple of problems with that. First, Vera could invite you to tea again, but she’s got security around the big house and if Mayor Adler is near that house… Well, he just tried to kill you and he’ll try again, not mentioning the fact you’ll be in tremendous trouble if he sees you in his office. Second, you can’t break in because, again: Security all around the house.

              -Well, we’ve got to get back in there somehow. What do you plan then?

              -Fine, you’re right. But why do you have to do it?

              -Listen, Neil- Vince started- You gotta understand that MC is a mob boss.

              -I understand things just fine, Moretti-He looked back at me, waiting for me to answer it

              -Because I am the one who’ll most likely be invited there again, unless you want to bring Uncle Charlie back home and have him go talk to the mayor at his house- He stayed quiet this time, his brows still furrowed in worry. I knew he didn’t like it one bit, so I knew I had to say something else- Hey, listen… Remember back when Louis Tibbs was going around poisoning booze? And Uncle Charlie was just as worried as you are? You were the one who told him I could handle it so… I can handle it. I’ve gotten good at this stuff.

              -You like to pretend to be a tougher bearcat than you are, but since I know you’re stubborn and I’m losing this fight, I’m letting you go on. For now.-He went back to sipping his bourbon

              -I’ll see if I can get myself invited to Vera’s house again. Gerald will continue playing her and Sofia will hang around their dates until a kiss happens

              -Yea, so, how am I gonna do that without her noticing it?-Sofia said- Cameras are huge and there are flashes, you know?

              -Already one step ahead of ya- I looked at Gerald first- You gotta speed things up, ask her for a date to the Blackhawk- I said turning back to Sofia- I got you a gig there for some time next week, they’re waiting for you to come in and set the date, but I’m waiting until Gerald gives us a night. Then you, Sofia, will be there singing. Find someone you trust to take a picture of you that night, with Gerald and Vera in the background smooching and seemingly in love.

              -You let your creativity run wild, don’t you, chica?- She asked

              -Well, it’s the only way the Mayor will believe she betrayed him

              -What if he kills her?-Cliff’s voice sounded loud in my ears- You said he’s ruthless and kills everyone who goes against him. What if he gets that picture, and he kills her for cheating on him?

              I breathed slowly- No matter what I choose, someone’s gonna get hurt. I’m trying to protect our Ice Box family, I can’t allow myself to worry about the well-being of Vera Adler and everyone else and pretend we’re not gonna end up with no blood or no deaths- I looked around- We’ve been lucky before, and I know we’re on the good side of things… But it’s like Vince said-

              -Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty in this business- Vince completed it

              -Not meaning it’ll happen-I continued, but everyone was watching me as if they could read me- Shit, Cliff!- I exclaimed and the whole gang just looked at me surprise- Yeah, yeah, I cursed! So what?- I walked around the bar pouring a drink for myself. I couldn’t fool anybody with the cool boss speech- Now I’ve got to figure out a way Vera doesn’t get killed in the process, just hopefully very fucked.

              -Woah!- Vince said and people around me were grinning. Even Neil has a smile on his face

              -Will you guys stop looking at me like you’ve never seen a gal curse before?!-I drank again- Alright, Gerald. Here’s the deal, bring her to your house to spend the night with you after that date

              -Wait, wait… You want me to sleep with her?

              -No, you don’t need to make whoopee with her, just make sure she spends the night there. I’ll make sure the photo is in his hands that night and by then she’ll know to stay away from him because she knows what he’s like.

              -How about the documents?- He asked- When can I stop playing her?

              -I have until the date night to get them since my only way of going into the mayor’s house is to be invited there by Vera- I took the last sip of my drink- Alright, Gerald invite her to the Blackhawk next week, Sofia gets the picture and remember her face has to be very clear in it and Gerald’s not- She nodded and I continued- Before then I get the documents about the Broiler and it’s freed. Vera has no hold over it and she’s not the mayor’s wife anymore.

              -Alright, lassie-Donovan started- That takes care of ‘er. But after that, Mayor Adler is still the mayor

              -Yeah, I know. But one thing at a time, Donovan. First we make sure Vera is not a problem ever again. Then we focus on Adler.

x

              That night I stayed over Neil’s apartment. I stepped out of the bathtub and was looking at myself in the mirror. It got me thinking… There was no family here in Chicago anymore. I was busy with the wedding, but me and Neil decided to put the planning off for this week to focus on our Mr. and Mrs. Adler problem.

              However, that night felt peaceful. I usually got myself so worked up about problems and so busy with everything. Proof of it was that I kept getting sick. I decided to push that out of my mind for the time being and… Relax.

              I breathed in an out for a couple of times, focusing my attention on myself for the time being. So I opened my eyes and there I was on the mirror again- Miss Granger…-I started whispering to myself- It’s just you and Neil in this apartment tonight… You haven’t been in a nice date in good little while- I walked over to the lingerie I had- This is sexy, but you’ve got this new pajamas and you know Neil loves pajamas on you. So… How about you-I pointed at the mirror- and me, wear this and cook a nice little late night dinner where he has to stare at us in this outfit throughout the entire meal, while we know he’ll be hungry for something else?- I giggled at my silly acting, but the last few days sparked a flare in me that soon turned into my body getting hot to have that man for myself that night. So I made up my mind to make him crazy for me- Oh, we have a wicked mind don’t we?

              The pajamas I put on weren’t pants like the ones I wore before. This one was spicy, something dangerously new. It was a gown that went down to right above my knees, the right choice to show my toned legs. It was loose and flowy on the bottom, which means it was easy to pull up, but from the waist up it was tight, and the lack of anything underneath made the cloth hang on to every curve and detail of my breasts, just as if they were nude, but the tease of a thin cloth on them. A little thin bow fell on the neckline as a tease, an attempt the gown had to be proper while tightening the shape of my womanly figure. The thin straps on my shoulders were too big for them, they taunted slipping any time. My disheveled hair added a charm to the image I was about to present the man I loved to. I knew that was the perfect choice to make Neil go crazy.

              I heard him in the bedroom, announced from outside the door I was cooking dinner. I made a small plate for the both of us, since I myself was in a little bit of a hurry. I served wine as a romantic thing, even though I knew he preferred bourbon. As I was carrying the plates to the table I heard footsteps coming from the bedroom, so I held them both in my hands, waiting for him to appear

              -I heard a lot of noise and came to see if you weren’t destroying the place- He said looking down at his book- Should I call the fire depart- He paused when he took in the vision of me, well, more like the chest area but… I could see I caught him off guard so it was a win.

              -You were saying?- I said in the sexiest voice I could do, staring him straight into his eyes. However, all he said was a “huh…”, so I laughed and spoke again- Eyes up here, buster. Sit down- I turned around placing both plates on the dinner table- Food is ready.

              -You…-He put the book aside, then he smiled at me undoing his tie presuming we were jumping straight to the action

              I pointed at the plate- Alright with the one-word answers- I acted innocently- Sit down and eat dinner- I repeated myself

              He then stopped in his tracks glaring at me- You want… You’re dressed like this and you want to eat now?

              I nodded, taking a bite off my meal- Yeah… I’m hungry- I said almost in a whisper- Didn’t your mother ever teach you to eat first, then dessert comes after?

              He snorted- You’re playing me and you think it’s funny- There was a hint of impatience in his voice, almost frustration.

              -I’m not playing anyone-I drank the wine, enjoying myself a little too much- I just want to have a nice house dinner date with my fiancé, but if you want we could play chess later

              -Not on your life- He answered sitting down. His tie and jacket were on the floor anyway as he started eating a little too fast

              I smiled and ran my foot up his leg teasing him and then it stayed around in between his legs, stroking his bulge. He was uncomfortable and could barely focus on eating and I felt the most gratifying adrenaline from doing this to him.

              -What did I say about your feet while I’m eating?-He said in a stern tone, his frustration now clear on his voice

              -Something about the cuffs being the Maginot line?-I raised one eyebrow at him smirking- But I was never one to follow rules

              -Two can play this game- He said looking back at me. He still ate his dinner, but with his free left hand he traveled his way up my leg, then he pulled it and I went forward with the chair. My body was glued to the table and now his hands could go up my inner thigh

              I should’ve known. Neil is as competitive as I am and I could feel myself getting way warmer in places I couldn’t say out loud. But I wasn’t about to lose. I lifted myself off the chair enough to grab him by his collar and give him a kiss he wouldn’t forget any time soon. His grip on my leg loosened a little bit and as I sat back down, I could hear his soft panting and hungry eyes letting me know I had won.

              I smiled and went to grab another bite of my meal, but then he was suddenly past my inner thigh and his hands were way inside my night gown. I don’t know if it was out of surprise or because his cold fingers felt good but my eyes closed, my head tilted backwards I let a moan out of my lips that I couldn’t hold in. When I opened my eyes, I cursed in my head for letting him win that one, but seeing his reaction to me let me know it was a tie. He was one second away from going mad.

              -This…-His voice was almost a growl- This stupid table is in the way.

              I laughed lowly- We have to finish dinner- I went to grab my fork again trying to win for good, but he got up and was around the table before I could protest

              -No, we don’t- He picked me up and I smiled wrapping my legs around his waist- You messed with me enough- It was the last thing he said before kissing me

              He carried me all the way to the bedroom and let me down in the bed- I’m just getting started, Neil- I said sitting up, but he insistently pushed me to lay down again

              -No, you’re not- He pushed my gown up to my hips- This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?

              -What plan?- I gave him a side smile- I was just eating

              -This outfit is more for something like this-He said pushing up my thighs and placing his head in between my legs, and suddenly words didn’t matter anymore

              We were in a competition to drive each other crazy and we both ended up losing our minds for one another. Soon he yanked up my gown some more and pulled down the top to place kisses all along my chest and neck, and then got rid of everything else he was wearing before he was inside me and our hips were meeting in repeated motions. I gasped for air as he made a point of moving while looking right into my eyes and holding my head still by my hair, making sure I had no choice but to look back. He enjoyed letting me know that he was the one that was doing this to me. Little did he know from the bottom I could see I was doing the same to him.

              At some point the gown was completely off my body and I was on the top, then I was on the bottom again, then facing the bed, then on my back, then sitting on his lap. Then, I lost track of how much time went by and how many ways we made love to one another, completely lost in our hunger.

              I remember the climax, I remember crying out his name and I remember him whispering mine. But for some reason I must’ve been so dizzy after I don’t remember falling asleep. I don’t even remember if we talked after everything. Next thing I knew I felt the rays of sun hit my face, and my eyes slowly open to greet the morning. It was a sunny day and the first thing I did was smile. My body felt sore and it was a good feeling. I couldn’t help but close my eyes again and giggle as I remembered the events from last night, every touch and every sensation. I turned around and faced Neil who was still asleep. His broad chest went up and down as he breathed, so I turned around facing him to watch him for a few minutes.

              After a while, I got up wearing a robe. I cleaned up the mess we made in the kitchen the night before. When I went back to the bedroom he was still sleeping. I looked at the clock and it was almost noon. So I decided it was perfectly okay to wake him up. I sat on top of him and leaned down to kiss his face all over. It soon woke him up and he smiled once the confusion went away. He started chuckling as I kept kissing him- Morning, buster- Then I met his lips and the kiss was profound. It was pure love. I was madly in love with this man who drove me crazy from the first night I met him. I pulled myself back to stare into his eyes, then his hand reached up as he stroked my cheek, pulling my hair behind my ear. He looked very serious, so I asked him- What…?

              He shook his head- I just… I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy before

              I smiled, kissing him again- You’re such a romantic

              He snorted- Don’t take it for granted, MC. You like pushing your limits.

              -Shut up, will ya?- I said and then kissed him again- You know, this is the happiest I’ve been too

              -I love you-He whispered to me

              -I love you, Neil- I said back to him, kissing him one last time before pulling him to get up- Now, breakfast?

              He adjusted himself sitting up on the bed staring at me, still sitting on his lap- In a minute-He said undoing my robe and pushing it off my shoulders, so my body was nude in front of him

              -Right now?- I raised an eyebrow

              He hugged me pulling me closer for a kiss- Right now.

x

              That day, nothing could ruin my mood. That afternoon I was out with Cleo and I couldn’t stop grinning.

              -You look like the cat who ate the canary. Figure you had a good night with the doc?- She teased

              -Oh, just the best. And the dress is bought, the ring is on my finger, the venue and flowers are picked, we set the date… Just a few more things and a little bit of time and I’ll have nights like these for the rest of my life.

              She laughed as we went around Menken’s- You’re high up on the clouds. I was worried about you being tired and stressed and all with this stuff about Vera and Mayor Adler, but I’m happy to see you like this.

              -I don’t know, Cleo, I have a good feeling. I feel so at peace… It’s like I know everything is going to be alright

              -I bet, kiddo. You are glowing.

              I don’t know what it was about that that sent a chill down my spine. And then it came to me, is it ever a good thing when a Jane tells you you’re glowing? Maybe, but at the moment it didn’t come across to me as something good. For some reason it made me think of the last few months and how I never had time to focus on myself. Which means I could let obvious signs from my body that it something stirred up inside escape.

              -I’m…-I stopped in my tracks, looking at her- I’m glowing?

              -Yea, you’re really shining and all that- She looked back, her smile faded when she saw my serious expression. On her face I could see she realized what it was that got me like this- I mean…! Not the “congrats mommy” glow, it’s the “I was barney-mugging last night” glow!

              But the somber look didn’t disappear from my face- Am I really glowing?

              -Yes, honey, but a good night with a good man will do that. Don’t be all worried. You get all that and then I’ll get like that.

              -I haven’t had my period in so long…-I murmured in an urgent whisper to her- I didn’t have it in November… And now that I think about it, I didn’t have it in October either!- I looked at her- I’ve been so worried about Vera and the whole Ice Box and meeting Neil’s family and him mine, and then they visited and then Uncle Charlie… I didn’t think about it just now!- I was now grabbing onto the dress I was seeing tightly- I am totally knocked up!  

              -Horse feathers, MC! You’re so skinny. It’s stress.

              -And Cleo!- I gasped- I’ve been so emotional, and then I was feeling all nauseous and tired and I threw up last week! Oh, and how my breasts look so nice and how I’ve been… Oh my God, I need to sit down- I said going outside to a bench and Cleo went after me

              -Hey, hey!-She held my arm- You’re getting ahead of herself, honey. It could be all stress

              -And now I’m glowing!-I buried my face in my hands- I am so pregnant!

              -MC!- She said loudly getting my attention- Let’s go to the doctor and have a test done before you freak out- She shook me holding my arms- Listen, I’ll go with you. Say you’re going shopping with me again and if it’s just a scare you don’t even have to say anything to Neil

              -Alright… Yeah, you’re right. It could just be my head. Shouldn’t freak out, right?-I looked at her

              -Not at all. You can’t just puke and then “Woah, I’m preggo”

              I laughed agreeing- You’re right. Sorry, Cleo. Stress and all that. Say, I’ll drive you to the Ice Box.

X

Or maybe I should have started screaming right there. Because a few days after I sat in the doctor’s office with Cleo. That night, I had to put on my best face for tea with Vera and this doctor just sat right in front of me, and had the courage to congratulate me.

              -Your due date will be around the first two weeks of June

              -How?!-It was the first thing I asked

              -I’m sorry, Miss…

              -Granger. And I asked how do you know I’m… I’m…

              -Pregnant?- He said the word I couldn’t say at the moment- Well, there’s a hormone pregnant women produce. In your urine test we took from you, we inject it in a small animal, like a bunny or frog, and then if you’re pregnant that animal will start ovulating, which means the hormone for pregnancy is there. In your case, it showed the hormone is present. Based on what you told me about the last time you menstruated… Yes, first two weeks of June sounds right.

              -That’s absolutely crackers! I… Cleo!- I looked at her, she looked back wordlessly and then I looked at the doctor again- There must be some mistake, I can’t be pregnant.

              -Well, you are, miss. Should be at about ten weeks now. Which comes to a worry I have. I noticed you’re still ‘Miss’ Granger.

              -I’m engaged!- I corrected him quickly, didn’t want the doctor going to blabber to no one about a kid out of wedlock

              -Better hurry that wedding then, miss. You’ll start showing very soon- He got up, looking all respectable- A child to any woman is a blessing. Women are meant to be mothers, so don’t worry about it. Congratulations on your wedding and baby. I would schedule the next appointment with the secretary up front and…- after a moment I tuned out. He kept saying stuff I had to do from now on and I’m sure Cleo was listening to all of it closely for me, but my head was spinning. I don’t even remember how we got out of there and before I knew I was sitting on Uncle Charlie’s couch

              The silence that reigned was incredibly uncomfortable. But… I didn’t know what to say. I mean, what was the right thing to say? The more I thought about it, the further away I was from convincing myself it was true. I kept repeating in my head “I’m pregnant”. But something in my head kept saying “No, Edith is pregnant. She’s the one who was always meant to be a mother, not me.” And then it went right back to “I am pregnant”. After a while, Cleo broke the quietness.

              -I won’t tell anyone. I’ll let you do it- Cleo said- You’ll be fine.

              -Yea… Sure…- I said lowly- I’m just waiting until I wake up and then realize it’s not real

              She sighed- Just give it a little bit of time, focus on the Ice Box and the wedding for now, you’ll come to terms with it.

              I pondered my options for a while. I could sit here and cry or scream or give up. But that wasn’t me, that was never me and I wouldn’t start now. So I made the choice I knew I had to for the time being- No one can know. Not until this whole ordeal is done.

-Are you sure Neil shouldn’t know?-She looked at me worried

              -He’ll be the first to know…-I sat down- After we defeat Vera and Adler

              -MC…

              -I won’t hear it, Cleo. You know if Neil finds out he’ll take me completely off the board. The Ice Box can’t win without their boss. I need to go get the documents and I need to make all the decisions.

              -They can handle themselves, MC

              -I’m sure they can. However, the Ice Box is my business, Cleo. I’m not sitting on the bleachers while my team plays

              -Fine. I’m game. As long as you don’t put yourself in mortal danger, or risk losing the baby.

              -I won’t. I’ll see you at the box tonight?

              -You’ll be okay, kiddo?

              -I’ll be fine, really. I just need some time on my own

              And once Cleo let herself out, I felt the sudden urge to get spend some time getting myself accustomed to the idea that I was going to be a mother. I drove myself back to that maternity shop I visited with her a few months ago. No longer looking for presents for Edith, I walked around trying to pretend this wasn’t such a bad thing. I was looking at some little toys when a clerk approached me.

              -Are you shopping for yourself?- She asked

              I could say no. I could tell her my sister was pregnant and I was shopping for her. I wasn’t showing through the dress and I could just pretend nothing was happening. But then… I figured I came here for a reason

              -Yeah… I just found out early this morning. Doctor said I should be around ten weeks now.

              -Wow!- She laughed eagerly- That’s so exciting, your husband must be so happy, Mrs…?

              Oh yeah, of course a woman is ought to be married to be pregnant- Oh… Huh… Dresner. Mrs. Dresner

              It was the first time I referred to myself as Mrs. Although I loved how it sounded, something bothered me. I know Neil was the furthest thing from the nightmare Momma always hoped I’d marry, but I still seemed to find myself following in the footsteps she always dreamed I would. I was carrying a doctor’s baby who came from a rich family from Boston. Was I losing myself?

              -Are you alright, Mrs. Dresner?- The store clerk asked and I imagine I was lost in my own head again

              -Oh yes! You now… Just emotional. And well, my husband doesn’t know yet.

              -Oh I see, I can help you look around for stuff!- She had an annoying acute voice. I could tell from the way she carried herself she has old-fashioned ideals.

              -MC?- I heard Neil’s voice. My heart jumped a little as I looked towards the door and he was standing there- I was walking to the… To Charlie’s store and I saw you through the window- He walked towards me- Are you sending another gift to Edith?

              -Yes- I turned around to the store clerk giving her a look that said ‘please play along’- My sister is pregnant, so that’s what I needed help with

              She smiled, a little too amused to be aware of my little secret as I turned back to Neil- Do you wanna help?

              -Uh… You see… It’s pretty late so-

              -Nah-uh!- I walked over to him, pulling him to where I was before- You can walk me to the store later. Let’s spend some quality time together.

              -Oh, this is your husband!-She looked up at him, even with an appraising eye I didn’t miss.  

              -Yes!- I smiled- We are good now, if we need any help I’ll let you know!

              - You’re really gonna make me stay in this store with you?- Neil complained

              -Hey, what’s so bad about this store?

              -Are you alright?- He asked- It’s full of baby gowns and it smells like baby powder. Makes me think about the future generations and how we’re all lost in their hands.

              -Alright, your cynical wet-blanket. I’m trying to be happy for my sister- I turned back to see the little newborn clothes- Wouldn’t it be great if you could know the sex of the baby before it was born? I don’t know whether to buy her cute pink stuff or blue- I turned around to see him staring at me, pensively- What…?

              -…-That was his answer for the first few seconds, then he turned his eyes to what I was looking at with a sigh- Why don’t you buy this one?- He pointed- It’s just a white gown, useful for a newborn, leave the gender-specific clothes to her.

              -Okay- I said, going to pay for it before Neil offered to do it himself- See? You can be helpful when you want!- I grabbed his arm to leave once I had the bag with me

              He didn’t reply again

              -Neil? Hello? Calling Dr. Neil?-I asked

              -Sorry. I’m just in a thinking mood. Must’ve been the wonderful trip to a baby store you took me on. First you make me think about the past, now about the future.- He looked at me, taking my arm- To the Ice Box, then?

              -Yeah, I want to hear how Gerald’s going along and then I have a temperance meeting tomorrow. I can get Vera to invite me for tea after and then finally-

              I stopped talking once I saw police officers speeding past us

              -Wowsers… Where do you think they’re going?

              -I guess there-He pointed unenthusiastically. From one of Chicago’s nicest neighborhoods, I could see the public gathering like the president had come to town. Then I realized it looked familiar.  

              My feet started taking me towards the inferno that surrounded the ritziest place I had been to. Neil started to follow me and call my name, but it was like I was in a trance. I made my way towards the street and the people that gathered around to watch. The mayor sat in a stretcher with doctors surrounding him in front of his gracious mansion, talking to police officers and the media that surrounded him.

              -What happened?- I asked one lady who stood there and she turned to me

              -Vera Adler, the mayor’s wife. She tried to kill the Mayor Adler and then left!

              Neil whistled, more amused than surprised-Seems like someone in the hypocrite elite of Chicago got their fair share today. They’re not so different from scoundrels like us- He said getting a cigarette, lighting it up- There’s no rest for the wicked.

              Leave it to this contrary son of a gun to be bored with loud music and people laughing and dancing and be amused by attempted murder

              I turned around and saw the Ice Box’s personal Irish flat foot- Donovan!- I called and soon he came over- What the hell happened?

              -Well, lassie. There was an attempt on the mayor’s life.

              -This much I heard- I whispered- What actually happened? Why would Vera try to kill him?

              -The version dat’s coming out in the papers it’s that the mayor found out she was cheating on him with multiple men and guess what? She is the new talk between the ladies. How can a respectable woman just sleep around like that? They started arguing because the mayor felt so betrayed, then she got a gun and took three shots at him, ya see?

              I looked at him- Alright, buster, there’s more to the story. What actually happened?

              He lowered his voice- Seems like your ‘picture’ got to the Mayor a little early.

              -Gerald…?

              -No. Not exactly- He pulled me and Neil aside- The Mayor knew Vera was cheating on him. But the truth is, lassie, you were wrong. The mayor doesn’t care about being cheated on, he doesn’t care if Vera sleeps around. If Vera steered the other way and kissed women he wouldn’t get her arrested

              -So if the picture we were planning got to his hands, he wouldn’t have cared

              -Turns out the Mayor ain’t big on love and respect, lassie.

              I sighed- I should’ve guessed that. But it still doesn’t explain what happened.

              -Vera was passing off information about the Mayor around. Turns out she wanted to dishonor him or something- He looked around before continuing- That big speakeasy she was building, she was working with Gerald’s gang to expand and paying off new people. All the money it takes to do that wasn’t coming from her pocket

              -She was stealing from Adler- Neil said- Seems like she has quite the criminal mind

              -It’s not just that. Vera wanted to have more power than Mayor Adler.- Donovan continued- She wanted control over him like she tried to have control over MC, like she did with Gerald. So she started spreading around rumors, going out on dates with politicians that are close to Adler. She’s been playing her manipulation cards and people started turning on Mayor, being less afraid of him.

              -Wow- I said- She starts opening her mouth and the Mayor loses his grip on Chicago. His biggest nightmare

              -I ‘eard this from another dirty cop. She also stole information about him. She tries to blackmail him and say if he doesn’t do what she wants, she’ll destroy ‘im.

              -Wouldn’t put that past Vera-I said

              -So Mayor Adler finds himself at risk of losing his power of his city and his woman climbing up the stairs to stomp on him: Stealing money, passing information, literally making the mayor look like a joke to everyone and she look like the queen in the process. She’s been using him and going behind his back-

              -Which is the actual ultimate betrayal- I ended it for him- Here I was thinking it was child’s play, that he would have his heart broken to see her going out with Gerald…

              -The Mayor isn’t a teenager- Neil said- We underestimated him.

              -So,- Donovan resumed- He hears about all this, but for now it’s all just suspicions, he doesn’t have any proof. One of the mayor’s most trusted officers sees Vera and Gerald out on the “date” you put together. He knows O’Fallon is a mob boss and for Mayor Adler, that pretty much confirms the whole thing. So she gets home and they argue, she gets a gun, tried to kill him and then leaves Chicago

              -That doesn’t make sense though. Vera obviously doesn’t know how to shoot and it’s not like her to do that- I said

              -Besides- Neil pointed at the mayor- She would need to be a really good shot to shoot the mayor in three exact non-fatal spots.

              -What do you mean?-I asked

              -Look at it. The bullet holes are in three strategic spots, like whoever shot him wanted to make sure he didn’t die.

              -Which means this was orchestrated- Donovan said- Besides, Vera just disappeared after coming home. Her driver is still in the house and no one saw her leave or at the station. She hasn’t been seen since

              I looked at the whole scene for a second before speaking- For all we know, he could have had her killed

              -We got what we were lookin’ for in the end- Donovan said- Even if it wasn’t the way we planned, lassie. Vera is disgraced. She’s a jezebel who sleeps around town and commits adultery left and right and it’s in all the papers for everyone to see. She will no longer be seen as a respectable lady. 

              -And on top of that- Neil started- She’ll never have any kind of power in Chicago again, since it all depended on her image.

              -If she’s even alive, she just disappeared.-I lowered my head and suddenly felt it spinning. I should’ve been happier that our Vera problem was solved. But something in my gut told me the mayor would be the biggest problem the Ice Box had ever faced- We didn’t get this result because we wanted to. Vera did the Mayor wrong and he completely ruined her and then probably killed her

              -And he gets to be the victim in the end. The poor mayor who was cheated on, got his heart broken and almost got killed.- Neil said- Humanity is a sickening thing nowadays

              Donovan chuckled, though there was no humor in his voice- This ain’t humanity, doc- He looked back at the house- Mayor Adler is as far away from it as possible

              -I’ll get MC away from here- Neil told Donovan- We’ll meet at the Ice Box tonight

              Donovan agreed and Neil started pulling me away. My head kept spinning and spinning and my vision started to blur out suddenly

              -MC!- I heard Neil’s distant, but extremely concerned voice calling my name

              I don’t remember anything that happened after that. 

_____

             Author notes: Yes, Mayor Adler is the true villain of this story and he’s got a tight grip on Chicago. Plus, he’s insane, truly insane. The next few chapters the gang will be trying to deal with a man as powerful as him and they’ll realize they need to go to extremes this time to keep the Ice Box safe. Then there’s the fact MC just found out she’s expecting (our future Alton) and she’s got a wedding to worry about. Besides, let’s just say there’s an Uncle in Columbus that decided he ain’t too old to help and he’s still got what it takes to make his one big move to save Chicago with his little gang before he retires as mob boss. Uncle Charlie is coming back!

Thank you!!

              Candy