#and meeting others in a similar situation but don’t share a native language

[charlataninred]

I love love love fandoms so much. You’re able to more easily see the chaotic nature that is fandom when 90% of the people interacting with it are your friends/mutuals and you can see their work. I 100% believe it when one of them says “I wrote a whole paper on [fandom related thing] just because I felt like it” or “I spent literal hours of my day researching mythology/folktales just to make sure the symbolism in my fanart/fanfic makes sense” or “I went into the metadata of these web pages to try and find new lore arhat I haven’t heard of yet and share it with all of you.”

It just. You’re able to see community and genuine human excitement that you dont get (or at least I haven’t seen) much outside of fandom spaces. It brings people with all sorts of skills and other interests and they’re all using those differing skills to build something for themselves and each other

[folkloristico]

1, 9, 10, 13, and 14 for the writer ask :)

Hi, thank you for the ask!

1. What part of the writing process is the most enjoyable?

Okay, so, this could be an unpopular opinion for the writing community, but I love editing! My editing shifts from light-editing to heavy-editing based on the first draft (sometimes I just go with the flow and write everything that comes to my mind, even if it means ending up with a horrendous prose), but whichever the case, I enjoy the process. The way I do it, I already have the story—its skeleton, so to speak—and here it comes the fun part—I can focus more on the choice of words, on the rhythm (something I still don’t have a full grasp on in English), and add all those silly little details that make the fic pop up.  

9. What inspired you to write your first fic?

Foolishness of youth, probably. xD I always had a keen imagination and I would enjoy making up scenarios in my head; I was barely a pre-teen when I started writing a fic which was a crossover between Pokémon and Naruto, and my main reason was that I thought it would be fun to make my favorite characters interact. For years, the only thing I was interested in was writing down every idea that poked at my mind, as a way to give it a form and a meaning, I guess? In the years, my interests shifted and my skills improved, but my main goal has always been giving myself everything I wanted. I wouldn’t be writing for mostly dead fandoms if this weren’t the case.

10. Why do you continue writing fics?

What I just said—basically, creating something that caters to all my specific needs. That has been, and I hope always will be, my main goal. However, another thing that keeps me going is having the chance of interacting with readers/writers that share similar headcanons/ideas as mine. I don’t really ‘do’ fandoms because they’re too messy for my liking, I despise the drama, the wars, etcetera. Fanfics have given me the chance of meeting people that I really enjoy talking to. To me, interaction is a big part of fanfics and I’m glad every time a reader reaches out to tell me they enjoyed my stories.

13. Describe your writing style. If you were to participate in an anonymous fic writers guessing game (like The Masked Author), what writing habits do you have that would be a dead giveaway that it’s you?

This is a tough one! My writing style changes depending on the language I’m writing in. My style in my native language is very descriptive, you can put any word literally anywhere and it helps a lot set a rhythm. In English, on the other hand, my style isn’t personal just yet, I think I need more time to get there. For obvious reasons, writing in my native language is my comfort zone, especially if writing internal monologues/heavy introspective pieces. I did translate some of those into English and while I think they’re decent, it feels forced.

However, I do have a tendency of using the same expressiond/choice of words. I particularly like when I’m reading an author and a part of their vocabulary casually slips into mine.

14. Share a snippet.

Daphne smiled. “As much as I favor magical academia, I do have a keen interest in the humanities.”

“And what do the experts in the humanities say?”

“I was more interested in what you had to say.”

Griffin pursed her lips in a thin line. In all honesty, she didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know what she would do if the situation speculated by Daphne were to happen. Daphne had been clever in suggesting Faragonda as the person whose life was going to oppose everyone else’s, although it was no secret that Griffin and Faragonda had a special bond, a complex relationship that could be traced back to their high school days. Nor was the fact that Daphne had admitted between the lines that she was aware of the disagreements between Griffin and her father a surprise considering that neither of them had made any effort to conceal it, and moreover, Daphne had a natural penchant for catching the unspoken words squashed in the silence of her parents. Marion and Oritel seemed to be under the impression they could deceive Daphne, but Griffin wondered if it wasn’t the other way around.

“May I deduce by your silence that you have no answer to the dilemma?”

“I suppose you have one?” Griffin retorted, somewhat on the line of a challenge, though she was curious what Daphne’s answer would be.

(The only thing I enjoy more than writing about Daphne? Writing about Daphne through Griffin’s POV.)

[nevermindirah]

Do you have any thoughts on the use of AAVE for Nile (or lack thereof) in TOG fanfiction? I've been reading some Book of Nile fic and some writers seem to write her as a Millennial™ (using words like "fave" and "woke") but never acknowledge her Blackness in her patterns of speech. I know we don't see her use as much AAVE in the films, but I would argue she's in situations where code-switching would be valued (first in a "professional" environment in the army, then around a group of non-Black strangers).

Hi anon! I have many thoughts on this and I'm honored you asked me! But I should start by saying I'm white and any thoughts Black fans and especially Black American fans have on this that they want to share would be beyond lovely. (I'm not gonna tag anybody bc that feels rude but please add onto this post if any of y'all see this and want to!)

The main reason I personally avoid AAVE for Nile in my own fics is because I'm not Black. But Nile-centric fics by Black writers tend to avoid using much of it too, at least from what I've noticed/understood, and my guess is it's largely for the reason you mention, that she's in situations that encourage code-switching.

In movie canon Nile is highly competent at tailoring her language to each situation she finds herself in. This fantastic linguistics analysis meta shows how skillfully Nile chooses her vocabulary and grammar to meet her goals with different conversation partners in different contexts. In comics canon Nile had a bunch of different civilian jobs before joining the Marines, so she would've had experience code-switching in the ways that made sense for all those different contexts as well as the Marines and her family and high school and wherever else she spent her time before we met her. And now she's spending her time with a handful of immortals none of whom are native English speakers and a fellow Black American but one with a Queen's English UK accent whose professional experience is in the CIA where high-status code-switching is often an absolute must for success or even survival.

Fics featuring Nile are charged with extrapolating from that to how it might show up in her use of language that she's coping with a traumatic separation from her family and her career and pretty much everything she's ever known and now she needs to be able to make herself understood to people who seem to care about her and each other but are super duper in crisis, three (soon to be four) of whom predate Modern English entirely and the only one who's anywhere near her contemporary she's not supposed to talk to for a century. All of these people are telling her that pretty much any contact with any mortals poses an existential threat to her and the rest of the group. How the FUCK is she supposed to cope with that, like, generally? And would it be a more effective way for her to cope if she talked to Andy Joe and Nicky using the speech patterns that she used to use with her mom and brother, to at least retain that part of her identity even if it means having to do a lot of explaining, or would it meet her needs better to prioritize Andy Joe and Nicky understanding what she means with her words over using the particular words and grammar forms she used with her family?

I've seen several fics, both Nile-centric / BoN and otherwise, explore this a little bit in how/whether Nile uses Millennial™ speak. It's often a theme in Nile texting Booker despite the exile because of the popular headcanon that he as The Tech Guy is the only other immortal who understands memes. But Nile's much-younger-than-Booker mom probably uses Boomer and/or Gen X memes and Andy has been adapting to new communication styles for forever as evidenced by her canon high level of fluency with standard-American-accented English.

Which brings us back to people avoiding AAVE because they're not Black and they don't want to make mistakes (or they're not Black and they don't want to get yelled at for making mistakes, though I think many people overestimate how much they'll get yelled at while underestimating how much these mistakes can hurt). I can imagine some Black fans hold back from using much AAVE in fic because they don't want to share in-group stuff with white people who are likely to then adopt and ruin it, as white people so often do with Black cultural stuff. Some links about this including a great Khadija Mbowe video. I'm saying this gently, anon, because you might not know: woke, an example you cited as Millennial™ speak, is AAVE, and that's gotten erased by so many white people appropriating it and using it incorrectly online.

And also there's the part where fandom is a hobby and you never know when you're reading a fic that's the very first thing someone's ever written outside of a school assignment. This cultural considerations of language shit takes a level of effort and skill that not everybody puts into every fic, or even could if they wanted to because they haven't had time to build their skills yet. It's definitely easier for non-Black fans to project our millennial feels onto Nile than to do the layers of research and self-reflection it requires to depict what Blackness might mean to Nile, and it's not surprising that often people sharing their hobby creations on the internet have gone the easier route. There's not even necessarily shame in doing what's easier. It's just frustrating and often hurtful when structural white supremacy means that 3-dimensional Black characters are rare in media and thoughtful explorations of them in fandom are seen by the majority of fans as not-easy to make and therefore Nile Freeman, the main character in The Old Guard (2020) dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood, has the least fic and meta and art made about her of our 5 main immortals.

I've been active in different fandoms off and on for twenty years and I barely managed to write 5,000 words about Sam Wilson across multiple different fics in the 7 years since I fell in love with him. There's an alchemy to which characters we connect with, and on top of that which characters we connect with in a way that causes us to create stuff about them. Something about Nile Freeman finally tipped me over the edge from a voracious reader to a voracious writer. It's not for me to judge which characters speak to other individuals to the level of creating content about them, but I do think it's important for us to notice, and then work to fight, the pattern where across this fandom as a whole Nile gets way less content, and way less depth in so much of the content that's in theory about her, than any of these other characters.

Anyway, back to language. My two long fics feature Nile with several Black friends — Copley and OCs and cameos from other media — but all of those characters except Alec Hardison from Leverage aren't American. It's very possible I'm guilty of stereotyping Black British speech patterns in I See Your Eyes Seek a Distant Shore. I watched hours and hours of Black haircare YouTube videos in the research for that fic and I modeled my OCs' speech patterns on what I heard from some of those YouTubers as well as what I've heard people like John Boyega and Idris Elba saying in interviews, but the thing about doing your best is you still might fuck up.

I'm slowly making progress on my WIP where Nile and Sam Wilson are cousins, and what ways of talking with a family member might be authentic for Nile is a major question I need to figure out. For that, I'm largely modeling my writing choices on how I hear my Black friends and colleagues talking to each other. I haven't overheard colleagues talking in an office in a long-ass time, but back when that was a thing, I remember seeing a ton of nuance in the different ways many of my Black colleagues would talk to each other. Different people have different personalities! And backgrounds! And priorities! A few jobs ago my department was about 1/3 Black and we worked closely with Obama administration staff many of whom were Black and there was SO MUCH VARIETY in how Black people talked to each other, about work and workplace-appropriate personal stuff, where I and other white coworkers could hear. There are a few work friends in particular who I have in my head when I'm trying to imagine how Sam and Nile might talk to each other. From the outside looking in, God DAMN is shit complicated, intellectually and interpersonally and spiritually, for Black people who are devoting their professional lives to public service in the United States.

One more aspect of this that I have big thoughts on but I need to take extra care in talking about is the idea of acknowledging Nile's Blackness in her patterns of speech. There's no one right way to be Black, and Nile's a fictional character created by a white dude but there are plenty of real-life Black Americans who don't use much or even any AAVE, for reasons that are complicated because of white supremacy. (Highly highly recommend this video by Shanspeare on the harms of the Oreo stereotype.)

Something that's not the same but has enough similarity that I think it's worth talking about is my personal experience with authenticity and American Jewish speech patterns. My Jewish family members don't talk like they're in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and I've known lots of people who do talk that way (or the millennial version of it), some of whom have questioned my Jewishness because I don't talk that way. That hurts me. Sometimes when another Jew tells me some shit like "I've never heard a Jew say y'all'd've," I can respond with "well now you have asshole, bless your Yankee-ass heart," because the myth of Dixie is a racist lie but I will totally call white Northerners Yankees when they're being shitty to me for being Southern, and this particular Jew fucking revels in using "bless your heart" with maximum polite aggression, especially with said Yankees. But sometimes I don't have it in me to say anything and it just quietly hurts having an important part of me disbelieved by someone who shares that important part of me. The sting isn't quite the same when non-Jews disbelieve or discount my Jewishness, but that hurts too.

Who counts as authentically Jewish is a messy in-group conversation and it doesn't really make sense to explain it all here. Who counts as authentically Jewish is a matter of legal status for immigration, citizenship, and civil rights in Israel, and it's my number 2 reason after horrific treatment of Palestinians that I'm antizionist. But outside that extremely high-stakes legal situation, it can just feel really shitty to not be recognized as One Of Us, especially by your own people.

It can also feel really shitty to be The Only One of Your Kind in a group, even if that group is an immortal chosen family who all loves each other dearly. Sometimes especially in a situation like that where you know those people love you but there are certain things they don't get about you and will never quite be able to. I'm definitely projecting at least a little bit of my "lonely Jew who will be alone again for yet another Jewish holiday" stuff onto Nile when at the end of I See Your Eyes Seek a Distant Shore she's thinking about being the only Black immortal and moving away from the community she'd built with a mostly-Black group of mortals in that fic. Maybe that tracks, or maybe that's fucked up of me.

Basically, this got very long but it's complicated, writing about experiences that aren't your own takes skill which in turn takes time and practice to build, writing about experiences not your own that our society maligns can cause a lot of harm if done badly, it can also cause a lot of harm when a large enough portion of a fandom just decides to nope out of something that's difficult and risky because then there's just not much content about a character who deserves just a shit ton of loving and nuanced content, people are individuals and two people who come from the exact same cultural context might show that influence in all kinds of different ways, identity is complicated, language is complicated, writing is hard, and empathy and humility and doing our best aren't a guarantee of avoiding harm but they do go a long way in helping people create thoughtful content about a character as awesome and powerful and kind and messy and scared and curious and WORTHY as Nile Freeman.

[rivendellsstuff]

𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 ━━━ 𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐈 𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍

𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 | ❝In despair, he condemns his desires. Regretted, he know the consequences would be eternal and all he wanted was you. Your fiery personality, bright lips and soft skin.❞

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 2310;

Genre: friends to lovers;

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: Mentions of canon-typical violence. The first chapter is set before the events of the first season. Friends with benefits — so, it'll be eventual smut (like, a lot!)

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: English isn't my natives language, so if you spot a misspelled word or anything else, feel free to let me know.

━━━━ 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑

Some men's whish the glory, others crawl like snakes by power and there is those who live like rats in the system. However, there is a exception — and his names is Levi Ackerman. Emerged from the underground, by dust and blood, forged as a weapon at an early age and steeped in pride, he raised as humanity's strongest soldier. He carries a doctrine, imbedded in his bones: he serves to humanity, the balance and the freedom of mankind. If there is a threat, he is the man who can fight against it, ranging from cruel people to evil titans.

He was born in cruel times and did his best to survive in the Underground. He found a glory he wasn't looking for. Something many wish to through their lives, but which, for him, was irrelevant. They all bleed, they all are stuck on the Walls and share the same ended chapter: the death. The final outcome is not defined by possessions, achievements or privileges in life. The only difference was that could get death any easier and painless. Levi was not a hypocrite: he would rather a peaceful death, lying on his bed, instead of being eaten by a titan.

He rather — and is all what it is. It wasn't like if he had any choice. The Ackerman's family were designed to protect the people and to fight. They were cursed with a power. Some people could say it is a miracle in dark times. Others would argue that mans were corrupted, cruel and too ambitious to deal with that awakened power. Well, Levi knows, that no everyone were worthy to possess such ability — Kenny, that asshole, was one of them.

However, there was kind strange situation. An only exception, an affliction that hung over through the heart and maddened his mind: you.

Desire wasn't a word enough to define how he feels close to you, a fearless female warrior, who destroy each barrier he has built over the years, causing delirium with the thought of you hurt. Levi knew he would have taken a checkmate just by desiring you.

But when it all starts? He couldn't say with sure. Maybe, when he, Farlan and Isabel were recruited by the Survey Corps, and you were the only one who spoke to them without undriveable mock and trial. You, besides Erwin, didn't seem to care where they came from. As deeply loyal as you were to your comrades, you didn't depend on your interactions with them for take a direction — you were content to follow your own passions and desires without input from anyone else.

Maybe it started when he saw you in battle or an a argue with a member of Military Police Regiment. Fear is not in yours's vocabulary when you are on the battlefield or when you are speaking her mind to others.

As their partnership grew, he'd find some similarities between you, but also many differences.

You, just like him, has little patience for any form of prose or riddles when you are communicating with others. You speak bluntly and without pretense, and expects others to do the same, prefers to get to the point and doesn’t seek to romanticize your expectations or intentions. You also are focused on the present issues and what role you can play in protecting the people that you love, what can prevent you from seeing the future results of your present actions and, unlike him, does result in some impulsive and risky — yet brave— actions.

All these little things over the years, made him fall in love with you, and Levi had ways to say it without saying "I love you".

Like that night.

He wasn't hiding his disgust face when handed you a cup full of that steaming, black liquid; the simply smelling coffee could make your stomach turn, but still, he prepares a cup for you every night.

As the second in the command, you have spent several evenings together conducting the next advances of the squadron. So, there you are, sitting next to him, eyes focused on the paper, turning the pen between your fingers and... biting your lower lip.

Occasionally, almost instinctively Levi raises his eyes to you. Being so close of you was it's a unique feeling. The smell of your perfume as stunning, and his throat closes around the words he would like to say. The tension that has been brought in was too dangerous for someone like him.

Fucking woman, fucking lips. Fuck you!

''Is there a problem?'', you inquired making eye contact for the first time that night. He couldn't say if there was perversion when you wet your own lips, but Levi felt his muscles become tense and contracted when you made it.

Levi responded with a faint whimper before observed: ''You shouldn't be drinking so much coffee at this time. You look like shit when don't get sleep''.

Lie. Fucking hell, you're always beautiful, but no way he'd say what he thought.

You rolled your eyes. ''It's you who did'', you put forth.

''I wasn't in the mood to put up with a brat attitude from you.''

''Brat? You know that we have about the same age, don't you?'', your gaze traveled from the figure sat in front of you to the window, confused as to why you would be embarrassed about his presence. You took in a breath before adding: ''Anyway, don't want sleep.''

There was a pause for a few seconds. You and he eyed each other.

''Why?'', he asks, authoritative one.

You shrugged and shook your head firmly. ''It doesn't matter.''

''If it doesn't matter, why would I have asked that?''

"Cause you're snooper”, you smirked.

''I'm not a snooper, brat."

He felt his heart begin to quicken when you carried the pen to your lips and start biting.

"Yes, you are a horrible snooper old man, bossy and with an astonishing mania for cleanliness."

"Old? You know we have about the same age”; he repeats. His eyes drifted back to your face, noticing your gaze had shifted again to the woods beyond the window. "And you're avoiding the question", he softly says (at least as softy as he could be), interrupting your rampant thoughts. "Are you alright?"

Levi watches in silence as you'd shoulders slump.

"I can't sleep. My mind has the scary capability of being evil, although I always thought that one day it'd get better", you're voice was low and flat, quiet and a little sad as you spoke to Levi, who seemed to know what are you exactly referred to and only nodded at your words. "I feel guilty. All the time."

Even in the darkness the room held, your eyes find his greys one like the starlight's.

''Are you afraid of your dreams, too?'', you asked, never expecting the humanity strongest soldier to have any fears.

'Yes'', he said quietly.

You nodded with hesitation, his words repainting in your head as you struggled to forma a sentence to answered.

Levi was used to such sadness, he had month's — no, years — to griever over the deaths of his mother and friends. Death was not uncommon thing in his life. His childhood who should be carefree, playing in the sun, was like a living nightmare, learning to fight in the darkness of Underground. Later, when he left the place to join the Survey Corps, he accepted to live in that never ending tragedy that people had sadly grown used to. Death was more common in that job than anything else, and he knows how badly it fuck with his mind.

“I’m beginning to think we’re a lot alike… you and me. We’re both strange cast, who’ve learned to fight when we’re backed into a corner'', you began weakly.

''Well, we’re backed into a corner now. Two fucking insomniacs”, he shook his head, thinking about your words. He didn't seem to like the way your voice sounded sadder. You raised your eyes to him again as he slowly spoke: ''You're not alone''

You answered a tiny smile onto your lips. Levi felt his cheeks burn and opposite glanced to your empty coffee cup, thinking that he'll able to always tolerate your strange addiction.

A few second later you both went back to work, and Levi was left with words stuck, temptation planted in the mind and a sure thing for him: the insomniac nights would become better by you.

【 ━━ 】

Inside Wall Sheena, guests were arriving, among them five members of the Scout Regiment - consisting mostly of commanders - walked through the gates, exuding self-confidence, bitter to participate in that boring and stupid meeting.

Little lies, little social sacrifices to feed what kept the Scout Regiment going: funding.

It was not necessary to be an expert in politics to see beyond the traditional veil of those events, to perceive the intentions of certain parliamentarians, very sadistic. Knowing it was part of your job to relate to these kinds of people annoyed you.

For one minute, you saw out of the corner of your eyes, the first on your command. The man of grey eyes used a black suit that fits perfectly. Be present in an event with so many politics didn't seem to his liking. Was kind of hard for all of you play nice one with all this tension in the air.

You've never felt the feeling of fear and tension like that inside the Walls before.

''Stop frowning before you break your face''

'It would be so sad, and you would cry for being depriving of that beautiful face''

''Oh, fuck yourself'', he says, angrily.

''If you watch''

You smirched at his expression as he looks up to you, after seeing your face, he turns away.

''Watch your words, brat''

''Or what, old man? What will you do to me?''

He looks back up at you.

''I could break you habit of drinking coffee, put you to clean all the HQ or even to help Hange with the experiments. The three together seems good, by the way''

You roll your eyes.

''You're mean''

'You're annoying'', he replied. ''And you know, if you keep rolling your eyes one day their going to get stuck like that''

''Are you trying to be funny?''

His little grin showed up making you roll eyes into a smile. He was terribly bossy and annoying, but you like that about him.

You took the glass of wine to your lips and raised your eyes to hit his. Levi hovered over you, making you felt that flame into your heart once more. Your eyes tailed down to Levi's lips then back to his eyes. You could feel your heart beating recklessly.

Fucking grey eyes, fucking black suit. Fuck you!

You felt a thumb on your cheeks, making them burn.

''You look...'', he started whispered and slightly caress your cheeks. Your body started to get hot under his soft touch. ''... beautiful. You look beautiful''

You were speechless.

You liked the sudden ardor, of the dangerous attraction, of folly and frivolous with provocative sins. Liked and thought how the taste of his lips would be: the indomitable, the irresistible, the powerful and sin.

He slowly dragged his hand down to my thorax wrapping his hands around it. A soft gasp escaped of your lips.

''You know... If you want dance, it'll not rude to ask'', you try to say. ''The song is awful, but I'm not a demanding partner''

''Only if you don’t step on my foot''

His prepotency make you smile.

''Don’t be a bad partner and there will be no mistakes'', you retorted, making him raised one of the eyebrows. ''That's how a men should behave next to a woman''

He took you in his arms, abruptly, making the bodies collide with intensity. You gasped, very close to Levi's ears, who felt the hairs stand on the back of his neck. Leading you through music, in no second was the look averted, in a battle for unknown control.

You and Levi explored a unique experience.

He stares burned deep into your body. His touch on your skin made your body tingle.

Fuck, control yourself. Don't get turned on by him!

He didn't say anything, just left you hold into him. You could feel your body burning around him. What was he doing to you? It felt like a spell. The effect of sin, of desire. You should get rid of that, all you needed least were distractions in the workplace and ruin the friendship, trust and partnership that you two took so long to build.

However, both keep looking to each other longer than friends should. Longer than friends should...

He could saw you lost inside your mind. Slowly, he pulled down his fingers, lazily touching the skin of your exposed back by the dress. Levi's vision was blinded by the desire his image represented. The surroundings smelled wine and fruits, intoxicating his sense. The ears, doomed to hear the political bullshit. His tact could burn by touching you. His taste? It was dangerous, because wanted to discover the taste of your lips and body.

But not now, not here.

You are his friend — the only who was left. In despair, he condemns his desires. Regretted, he knew the consequences would be eternal and all he wanted was you. Your fiery personality, bright lips and soft skin.

To hell all of that. When you both got back, he'll fucked you, every way that he can thinking off. He wants to pound into you, slammed into you and give the best night that you ever have. He wants to kiss every inch of your skin.

''Good girl'', he whispers next to your ears. ''But I'll show you how true men should behave next to a woman when we get back''

[lovely-ateez]

Teach Me~

ꕥPosted: 9/1/20

ꕥGenre: Smut, Fluff

ꕥPairing: Yeosang x Fem!Reader

ꕥWord Count: ~1.7k

ꕥWarnings: Fingering, Praising (f receiving), Protected sex, Oral (f receiving)

ꕥA/N: The next post I’m making is Pt. 2 for Ice Cream! Hope you enjoy this one as well as the next :))

“Damn skater boys and their skills. Why can’t I skateboard?” I whined, lazily flopping myself on the library table.

The university I attended allowed bikes and skateboards on campus, so it was common to see people riding either on their way to class. Skateboards were far more convenient, though, and if I knew how to skateboard I’d be riding along with them.

My friend Varsha rolled her eyes at me, “Ask one of them to teach you if you’re so eager, then.” She took a sip of her mocha frappuccino.

“Noooo they look so intimidating. I’d make a fool of myself anyways.”

“Then stop complaining, you big baby. Listen I’ve got class in 10 minutes so I’ll see you later, yeah?”

She walked away as I waved goodbye at her and I felt myself still pouting.

A deep voice startled me, “I don’t think I’m that intimidating, personally.”

Jumping, I faced the owner of the voice. A Greek god appeared before my eyes, his blond locks flowing slightly past his neck. If he didn’t just confirm that he was a skater, his clothes sure would have. His pink beanie looked like it was falling off his head, and his loose shirt and ripped jeans hid his frame, but I just knew he had abs.

The man saw me checking him out and raised a brow. “You’re cute. Meet me in parking lot A at five today. I’ll teach you how to skate.”

He walked away before I had the chance to refuse or even get his name. Well shit. What have I gotten myself into?

-

My final class of the day let out at noon, giving me plenty of time to mull over what I was going to do about the man’s proposal. On one hand, I have no clue who he is or why he would want to help me. He’s a stranger. I literally didn’t even know his name. Yet, on the other hand, he was a terribly handsome man who was willing to teach me how to skate, and I was dying to learn.

I drove back to the on-campus apartments, waiting for Varsha to arrive. I needed a second opinion and as my roommate and a good friend, she was always there to help me.

While I was waiting I decided to change into clothes that would be easy to skate in. You know, just in case. I realized I didn’t have too many exercise clothes to choose from, so I just slipped on a pair of jean shorts and a plain white tank top. It was hot outside so threw my hair in a ponytail.

As I was tying my hair up, I heard Varsha come barging in. “What’s up, fuckers?”

Varsha waltzed into our shared room and began to remove a few books from her backpack.

“Okay first of all, rude. Second, Sinoo and Trixie aren’t here, so it’s singular; fucker.”

Sinoo and Trixie were our dormmates and they shared a separate a room together. We were all about the same age, all sophomores, and shared similar interests so we bonded pretty quickly.

Sinoo was a transfer student from Korea and was just about the kindest soul you’d ever meet. Her English was so good that we swore it was her native language, which she vehemently denied. Sinoo was a music major and had the voice of a literal angel. She would sing almost 24/7 but no one minded because of her voice. Her positive energy was contagious, and she always made us smile.

Trixie was the embodiment of a stereotypical girly-girl. She had long, blonde hair and always wore fashionable clothes. It was strange to have a weekend where she wasn’t begging us to go shopping with her. Like Sinoo, she had a kind heart. She could come across as brash sometimes, but was an incredibly loyal person. Trixie changed her major about four different times, finally settling on majoring in fashion design, although I wouldn’t be surprised if she changed it again.

And Varsha was a true chaotic neutral if I’ve ever met one. Her antics could be slightly unpredictable, but she always knew how to make someone smile. A day wouldn’t go by without her mentioning her adorable white poodle at home and how much she missed him. She was a comfort to have around and the apartment always felt empty without her. Varsha was undecided on her major but knowing her, she’d be able to do anything well.

“So I need advice.”

Varsha gave me a curious look. “About what?”

I explained my situation to her and she laughed. “Go with him, duh.”

“What if he like kidnaps me or something?”

“Okay first of all, I know where you’re at and what time you’ll be there. If you’re not back in two hours I’ll call campus security, okay?”

I nodded, embarrassingly not needing anymore convincing.

-

I arrived three minutes early. The parking lot was surprisingly empty, but since it was a Friday, I wasn’t too surprised. Most students went home for the weekend anyway.

Not knowing what to to, I pulled out my phone to mindlessly scroll through social media. I glanced up when I heard footsteps approaching.

“Didn’t think you’d come, to be honest. Glad you did.” The man grinned, “You ready for your first lesson?”

“I suppose so.” I paused, “What’s your name?”

The question must’ve caught him off guard, given the confused expression on his face.

“Oh yeah.” He laughed, “I’m Yeosang.”

I reached out to shake his hand, introducing myself as well. Yeosang motioned to his skateboard, setting it down.

“Alright. What’s the first rule of skateboarding?”

“Uhh...don’t break your skull?”

Yeosang laughed, nodding. “Well, I suppose that’s a good objective, but no. Balance is key. How good is your balance?”

“Mediocre at best.”

Yeosang tried his best to suppress a smile but failed terribly. I wasn’t sure why he tried to hide it. Every bit of him was so alluring.

“Alright then. I’ll hold you so you don’t fall. Now step up on the board just like this.” He demonstrated the action as he spoke, maintaining perfect balance.

I whined as I watched him. “There’s no way in hell I can do that, Yeosang.”

“Not with that attitude, you can’t.”

He led me to the board and I hopped on, doing my best to stabilize myself. I didn’t notice how his hands were gripping my hips or how close his face was to mine...at first. But when I did, my face instantly flushed.

With a raised brow, the man leaned even closer, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were blushing. I wonder what for? Could it be me?” The growl in his voice sent a shock straight to my core.

I forced myself to stable my breathing, “No. Get over yourself.”

“Feisty. I like it.”

-

We practiced for about an hour and a half but all I was able to accomplish was standing upright on the board.

“We’ve been practicing for quite awhile. Would you want to get a drink? It’s really hot.” Yeosang looked at me with genuine concern.

“Honestly, that would be fantastic.”

“My apartment isn’t too far from here. I can take you there and I can get you whatever.”

Normally, I wouldn’t have agreed in such a situation, but somehow I felt pulled to him. Like I couldn’t say no. And so, I agreed.

Yeosang picked up his skateboard and began to walk, leading me in an unfamiliar direction.

“So which apartment do you live in, Yeosang?”

“I live in Stockdale. Kinda sucks that it’s so far away from campus but it’s close to the lake so at least it has a pretty view.”

I nodded, “Ah I live in Callahan.”

“Oh yeah I lived in that apartment last year.”

I followed Yeosang up to the second floor of Stockdale and watched as he unlocked the door. All apartments had the same basic layout so the room essentially looked the same as mine, except for the position of the furniture and electronics scattered about the floor.

I sat down on the couch in his living room as Yeosang disappeared into his kitchen. I looked at the ugly, blue patched cushions that were placed on his couch. If they were unique to his apartment I would have teased him about it, but unfortunately the entire university decided that the pattern was ideal for all couches across campus.

A deep voice grabbed my attention. “Red punch okay?”

“Yeah that’s fine. Honestly anything is okay at this point.” I laughed. He passed me a cup filled with the red liquid and I took a sip.

“Thanks, by the way. For both teaching me and the drink.”

Yeosang smiled. “Not a problem. If you wanna get good though, you’ve gotta practice more. We should meet again.”

I smiled. “I’d like that...Oh shit-“ I quickly grabbed my phone from my pocket, remembering to text Varsha.

Noticing Yeosang’s confused look, I clarified. “I told my roommate if I didn’t call within two hours or so to call security.”

I felt embarrassed as I said it aloud but Yeosang let out a hearty laugh. “Did you think I was going to rob you or something?”

“Hey! I didn’t know!” I pouted, still slightly embarrassed.

“I mean fair enough. You didn’t even know my name...I guess someone was desperate to learn how to skate.”

“Shut up.” As I was trying to place my phone back into my pocket I spilled some punch on my shirt.

“Aww. I don’t wanna clean that up.” I whined.

Yeosang chuckled. “Lick it off, then.”

I felt a surge of confidence. “Why don’t you?”

The joking, carefree air around us had somehow shifted. The atmosphere felt tense. I was teasing at first but, I began to realize that I wanted him to do it.

He ran his tongue over his lips and my head clouded with thoughts of how his lips would feel running along the inside of my thighs, teasing me until I pleaded him to reach just slightly above.

The darkness in his gaze made me want to beg him to kiss me, to touch me, to give me anything. I tried to remember to keep my composure but it wasn’t working too well.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait too long before he pulled me close, locking his lips with mine. I leaned into him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

Biting my bottom lip, Yeosang slowly pulled back. “I think you need to changed out of this t-shirt, what do you say?”

I knew his words meant more than than what they appeared on the surface, especially given the look in his eyes.

I leaned in close to Yeosang’s ear, “I think I need you to help me.”

My words seemed to be the breaking point for him. His lips clashed back onto mine and before I knew it, he was setting me down on his bed.

Yeosang pinned my hands above my head and gently began kissing my neck. I closed my eyes, reveling in the feeling.

One of Yeosang’s hands grazed my clit through my shorts and I gasped. Yeosang smirked at me and slid down my shorts. When they were fully off he dipped a few of his fingers into my panties to tease me. I wiggled around, begging him to give me more.

“What a needy girl you are.” The man’s eyes were glazed over, lust controlling his every move.

I whimpered, “Please, Yeosang.”

“Only because you said please.”

He released my hands and slid his own down to my waist. Spreading my legs further apart, he bit the hem of my panties and slowly pulled them off of me with his teeth.

“Fuck, you look hot.” He told me as he threw my soaking panties across the room.

If I had the ability to form sentences, I would have told him the same, but I was so overwhelmed with the current situation that I simply couldn’t.

Yeosang lifted my legs over his shoulders and held my hips down in place. I felt his tongue gloss over my clit, making my back arch off the bed. He proceeded to kiss the inside of my thighs, slowly making his way up to where I wanted him. After what felt like forever, he began to slowly eat me out. I didn’t expect him to be as good as he was and all I could do was moan. I couldn’t be more thankful that none of his roommates where there.

“Shit. Yeosang I...I’m close. Please.”

I knew he heard me, but he didn’t acknowledge me outright. His steady pace continued, finally permitting my release. He reached up to kiss me, making me taste myself.

“Do you want to go further?”

His eyes were kind and showed concern, not trying to influence me in one way or the other.

“Yes.” I breathed out.

He once again tried to hide his smile, as if he was trying not to appear too eager. The man grabbed a condom out of his bedstand and quickly discarded the rest of his clothes. I, doing the same.

“Ready, darling?” Yeosang asked as he was slipping on the condom.

“Definitely,” I breathed out.

At a slow pace he entered me, stretching my walls and making me cry out at the pleasure.

“Such a good girl. Taking me so well. You’re so beautiful, you know that?” I felt tears prick at my eyes during his praises and I realized I didn’t want him to stop.

“Please don’t stop that.”

“Awe baby girl likes being praised? Well let me tell you, you’re doing a wonderful—fuck.” A deep growl left his throat as I unconsciously began to clench around him.

“You’re making me feel so good, sweetheart. What a good girl you are for me.”

His right hand wandered up to play with my nipples, gently fondling them. The euphoric feeling spurred on my rapidly approaching orgasm.

“Yeosang I’m gonna...c-cum again. Please.”

His thrusts gradually sped up as my hands grasped his biceps, nails digging into his skin.

Leaning towards my ear, he whispered, “Cum for me, darling.”

After a few more thrusts, I came hard, a mantra of his name falling from my lips.

“Just hold on a little longer, darling. I’m almost there.” The overstimulation wasn’t as bad as I thought it might’ve been, but it was entirely possible that Yeosang’s heavenly, fucked out expression compensated for it. Panting heavily, Yeosang soon reached his high and stilled. He gently pulled out and placed a kiss on my forehead.

“You’re really good at that, you know? Are you this sweet with all the girls?” I joked.

He gave me a slightly confused expression before his face returned to a more serious one.

“I haven’t done this in a long time. Like probably over a year at this point.” He scratched the back of his head, eyes darting anywhere but me. “Actually, I didn’t even mean for this to happen, believe it or not...You know I saw you on campus a few times and thought you were really cute. I’m glad I got the chance to approach you.” He watched me with calming eyes as I blushed.

“So...what now?” I asked, sheepishly.

His shy smile—which I think had become my favorite of his smiles—made an appearance.

“It’s probably silly, given what we just did, but I’d like to take you on a date. Or at least meet up to study or something...point is I’d like to see you again.” He held eye contact with me.

“I’d enjoy that. Plus, I could use a pro to teach me how to ride a skateboard.”

Yeosang rolled his eyes, a dazzling smile painting his face, “Oh whatever. I’m not that good.”

The butterflies I felt in my stomach were so unique to him. I didn’t want to admit how excited I was to see him again, but I was. And in that moment, all I could think about was how glad I was that he offered to teach me.

[hxneydreamers]

Hello dear ! I have read your blogs. You are amazing !!!! (10000x 💞 for you ). I wanted to ask a question . Neville goddard said that time doesn't really exist in manifesting . So actually my sp who is celebrity is very very older than me . Like we have a age gap of 12 years. 😥 as said i am minor. I decided to manifest him when i am 18 . But sometimes i get impatient but then i feel a bit upset and it's not legal to date a minor. Plus he lives in korea . As i have indian parents they never will allow me to even fly to korea. And even if we get in a relationship . They will never like him. Tho my mother is into the group (he is in a group ) she won't ever. As being in india , india is pathetic country with bs Trash . They ( the group is seen as bunch of gays) and most hurting thing is lgbtq is not accepted in this fuking country . Ppl tread them as trash not human. They get so much discrimination ( most of them are transgender ) and hate . Like they have to live together because thier parents disown them and stuff. Makeup is gender less. But in this country men have to be men. like all the fking indian celebrity don't ever wear makeup (males) . (Not gonna lie they all don't even have clear skin like korean ) Skin care is not menly . Men shouldn't do it. The mentally in this country is fucked up.

Now back to the topic.

- how my parents will judge him ? (Most my papa because mom knows a lot about korean cultural but she won't stand with me including some mfs relatives who judgemental af . Relatives ohh my these bishs are hella judgement (most the old one) doesn't matter how they themselves look or personality )

- is he gay ? Why he so feminine ? He is uses makeup damn sure he is gay or somthing he is a girl for sure !!

Doesn't matter how successfully he is and his personality . Doesn't matter how much more he is successful more than you. (Relatives and parent) don't matter if loves your beautiful daughter. doesn't fuken matter if he is caring and financial stable.

- as i minor they won't let me go to even study in korea !

- tbh my plans are to skip 12 or 10 grade (i am in 8 th grade now) and study in korean university as it's one of my dream. Then work as cosmologist here . I want to to have family here.

But but but

My parents hahah never i even asked them they even made fun of my dreams and they said it's gonna take 20 years to reach there .

I am extremely discouraged .

Then on the other hand i also want to desire body before everything happens . Like going to korea and stuff.

I suck at affirming and visualizing . I habe never got results from scripting.

Plus i got my school too. Omg also learning korean too.

Omg i am so done !! 😭 please help me and guide me. And advice me ! i am extremely sorry for my bad english . I am not a native.

Everything is so hard

Hey! Thank you so so so much for reaching out to me! I really appreciate you coming to me for advice! Don’t worry, your English was fine!

*I'm going to begin this post by clarifying that whilst it is possible for you to manifest anything in your reality, I do not encourage you manifesting this person if you are underage and they are much older. You have said in your question that you will not manifest them until you are 18, which is good, however I will just make it clear that this post is to help you manifest the other circumstances in your reality, and not the person or the age gap.*

Let me start by telling you I obviously haven’t experienced this as intensely as you have as I live in a country where people are much more open-minded about sexuality and ideas of masculinity, but I have stories to share with you from my own life that are very similar to what you want to manifest! They might encourage you! (PS, these following stories all took place from when I was at the age of 19 and up.)

(This story is before I knew about manifesting). My parents are very strict and traditional and I always wanted to go overseas to study in a specific country for at least a few months. My parents forbid it and I never would have been allowed to go, but I wanted it so badly that it was all I thought about and dreamed about! I started watching a TV show set in that country every single day. I even learned the language for fun. I somehow manifested it, because the next year, I took a semester off university and I went to that country for 3 months to live. So no matter what your parents say, you can 100% manifest this.

I had a celebrity crush in that country and I wanted to meet him and be with him SO BADLY! I didn’t know about manifesting until afterwards unfortunately, but guess what? I manifested seeing him MULTIPLE TIMES on the street, because I constantly thought about seeing him there and bumping into him! I even messaged him once and he responded. I also had one of his best friends on snapchat because I met him when I was there lol. I never got the celebrity crush because I focused too much on negative things. If I knew about manifesting, I would have gotten what I wanted.

My (specific person) SP who I am currently dating is actually someone who my parents also didn’t approve of for a long time because of sexuality and he is not stereotypically masculine! They also kept telling me negative things. The good news is that now my parents accept him and are happy for us!

Thank you for giving me the background information on your circumstances, it helps me understand your situation much better, and it also shows me how you’re thinking about the situation as well, which is the most important thing.

The beliefs you have are these:

Parents and other people not approving of the kind of people you are interested in.

You don’t think you can go to Korea for a long time

I’m happy to tell you that YOU CAN CHANGE THIS SITUATION!

As I said in the beginning, the age gap is illegal and should not be manifested. So as a result, you should begin with your beliefs about your family's negative opinions and your ability to travel in the future.

You need to stop mentally reacting to what they say when it’s negative about men who are not stereotypically masculine etc, and also when they say negative things about you ever traveling. They are only saying these things because in your mind you believe this to be true. Reality is an illusion and you need to know that if you really push through and persist, even if it feels extremely difficult, you can change this!

You should start by affirming your self-concept, something like this (you can also affirm in your own language if you prefer so it's natural to you :) whatever is comfortable for you!)

I am capable of anything!

I am a master at manifesting!

I always get what I want easily and effortlessly!

Everything always works out how I want!

Then I want you to affirm for your circumstances:

My family is always extremely accepting and encouraging!

I’m so happy that I’m going to Korea!

If you find it hard to visualise you can just affirm. I know you may feel like you’re bad at it, but if you practice it will get easier. Set a timer for 5 minutes and say your affirmations over and over! Make sure you don’t have any distractions. Focus on them. Do this several times a day, every day.

Also, if you can get the app ‘ThinkUp’ record yourself saying your strongest affirmations, and listen to them at night when you sleep. Start with your self-concept affirmations only for maybe 2 weeks! Then you can add your other affirmations.

Your goal is to change the way you feel and think about yourself and what you are able to do, your surroundings and your family’s opinions. Start with these things. Really persist in them.

I hope this helps in some way! If you ever need to reach out to anyone, so many people on Tumblr in the manifesting community are here to listen! We all want each other to succeed and I know that if you put the work in to do this, you will too!!

I also recommend you start binge-watching one of these youtube channels:

Sammy Ingram

Manifesting With Kimberly

Manifesting Secrets

Dylan James

Create Your Future

YOU CAN DO THIS <3

[writeanapocalae]

A Guide for Writing Trans People

Written by a Trans Man. 

I’ve seen a lot of different posts on how to write trans characters (absolutely none on how to write cis characters and I am so lost on how to do that oh my goodness) but maybe I’ve got a different perspective and maybe I’ve got something you haven’t heard before. Let’s go! 

Terminology

There are a lot of different genders out there, not just male and female. Some people think Trans men and women are some outside of the binary extra gender, which is very much not true. While many trans people do fall outside the binary, there are a lot who are strictly male or female. Therefore their genders are male and female. The trans part is not part of the word, it is a definer to state that the person is transitioning, that is all. So when you write trans man or trans woman the words are separate, not transman or transwoman. 

A trans man is someone who is transitioning his appearance for society to view him as male. 

A trans woman is someone who is transitioning her appearance for society to view her as female. 

The reason I am wording it this way is because they were already their genders. They have always been their genders. Transitioning is greatly influenced by the way we are treated by society, the same way that beauty standards influence people to contour and get surgeries and whatnot. 

Demi means mostly in terms of gender so a demi boy is someone who is male most of the time and a demi girl is someone who is female most of the time. 

Agender is someone who has no gender

Genderfluid is someone who shifts from gender to gender

Genderqueer is someone who’s gender is nondefined by other terms

Two Spirit is a third gender that encapsulates masculinity and femininity (according to Wikipedia) that is only used by Native Americans 

Third Gender is a gender that can encapsulate or be a completely different solid gender like male or female

Nonbinary is someone who is somewhere on the spectrum between genders and their gender is defined by them 

Pangender is someone who has all genders

Androgyny is not something that actually relates to gender as much as it does presentation. Presentation does not inherently tell you someone’s gender. Being androgynous just means that someone fits right in the middle of societies expectations of male and female and their AGAB cannot be guessed by onlookers. 

AGAB AFAB and AMAB mean Assigned Gender At Birth, Assigned Female At Birth, and Assigned Male At Birth. At birth someone will often assign a gender to a baby based on their genitals and parents tend to show off what sort of genitals their baby has with accessories and colors. Pretty creepy if you ask me. 

FTM and MTF has been deemed problematic but many still use them. They mean Female to Male and Male to Female. The terminology states that the person’s AGAB is their initial gender and they are becoming the opposite when, as stated before, it’s more that they were always their gender and now society has to catch up. 

Gender Nonconformity can be practiced by anyone regardless of gender. It just means that they do things that aren’t expected of someone of their gender like men wearing skirts (for some reason?) or women growing beards or a nonbinary person not being androgynous (for some reason that’s become an expectation)

Intersex is not a part of the trans umbrella, even though it is often lumped in and people who are intersex can also be trans. It is a sex (different from gender) in which different parts of genitals and chromosomes and hormones are produced in a way that deviates from the norm. Many intersex people undergo genital reconstruction or reduction surgery when they are infants (and can’t consent) in order to fit the mold better. Intersex people can be cis. 

Cis just means that someone agrees with the people who assigned them a gender when they were a baby and how society treats them. 

Slurs: Don’t use them. There are a lot. If you see it in a porn category you probably should stay away from it. 

Pronouns

Pronouns are highly personal and can be a myriad of things so I will not be going over all of them. They do not always match presentation (a long haired man with breasts is still a man) and many people will use multiple sets of pronouns or fluctuate between them for what they feel most comfortable with. 

Common pronouns are: they/them, he/him, she/her

Less common pronouns are: xi/xir, fae/faer, it/its, e/em, per/pers, ve/vir, zie/hir

Neopronouns: People make up pronouns all the time since they are personal and these new pronouns are just as valid as any others. Someone made up his and hers after all. When making neopronouns the main thing to be aware of is consistency. You want the different forms of conjugation to make sense and you want to spell them the same way every time. 

Appearance

As has already been stated, there’s no correlation between gender presentation and gender and many trans people are unable to present the way they want to due to the economy, genetics, health, or community. Still, people do what they can to pass or feel comfortable in their body and these things need to be in mind during descriptions. People tend to think of the slight things that make people not pass are unattractive and will point out a woman’s 5 o’clock shadow or a man’s high pitched voice as flaws. These things do not necessarily need to be skipped over but they can be described in a way that doesn’t distract from the characters gender. 

Try to stop thinking of an hourglass shape as an intrinsically feminine trait and height as an inherently masculine one. There are cis women with full beards and cis men with round jaws. Exploring different features, combining them, and seeing how they meld will give your characters more depth and help with differentiating them from one another. A good rule of thumb is, if you mention something that people don’t immediately clock as the characters gender, describe it as gender accurate. 

Misgendering

This is another one that I would say don’t do but there are characters who the writers don’t always agree with. Misgendering is extremely harmful, puts trans people’s lives in danger, and can out them without their permission. The narrator should never misgender a character unless the character does not realize they are trans until the story is underway but this should be rare. The trans character would have no reason to ever misgender themself and may talk about how they presented in the past but will, most likely, still refer to themself with the correct gender. The POV character may misgender a trans character upon meeting them but after being corrected should fix their behavior unless you want your audience to dislike the POV character. Friends of the trans character should not misgender the character unless they are in a situation in which being correctly gendered would bring them harm, otherwise they’re not good friends. Family may misgender the trans character if they are not out or if the family members are terrible people. 

Dysphoria/Euphoria

Dysphoria is when there’s a painful discrepancy between mind and body, like when someone knows they are one way but they don’t look the way they feel. Misgendering can be a large cause of dysphoria, as can hearing a recording of their voice, reflections, binding and tucking not hiding what the individual may want to hide, height, muscle structure, bone structure, etc. 

Euphoria is the exact opposite of this. It is an extreme sensation of peace and joy in personal gender presentation. This can be caused by hormone replacement therapy, correct gendering, presenting in a way that feels natural, and acceptance. 

Dysphoria is not necessary for being transgender. 

Social Groups

Look around your friend group. Notice anything eerie? Notice how most of your friends are similar to you in a lot of ways, especially IRL friends? They’re people that you trust and expect to keep you safe while having a fun time with because you share interests and experiences with. Same for trans people. This is why, if you look at my friend group there’s 2 genderfluid, 1 agender, 1 nonbinary, 2 trans women, 1 trans man, and 1 cis man (who’s a cousin). If you have just 1 trans character in a group of friends it is going to read as a need for diversity points and that character is less likely to feel safe with discussing trans issues due to no one around them being able to relate.

Outing 

This is one that a lot of people have a hard time with and even trans writers mess up a lot. We all know the infamous scene of someone walking in on a trans person changing and, hopefully, we know that this is not only cliche but actually harmful as it tends to lead to the idea of “lying” when it’s really just not anyone’s business and that trans bodies must be on display. I would say that you shouldn’t have to out your character because coming out is dangerous for real trans people in a lot of situations and it normalizes the idea that trans people must doxx themselves at any moment but due to the lack of representation and the nature of novels, you pretty much have to out your characters. No amount of subtext will be as beneficial to a trans reader as cementing the fact that there’s someone they can relate to in canon. Luckily outing a trans character is a lot easier than people think. 

Some of us can’t shut up. A lot of trans people will hint at it a lot and just flat out say it if they’re in similar company. If we see people who we feel confident are also queer we often drop hints that we understand we’re safe, they can come to us (especially in a retail setting), because we want a community. The amount I bring up my masculinity is very very often, to the point I’m surprised people aren’t annoyed with me. I don’t pass very well so I wear a lot of brightly colored buttons that explicitly state my pronouns. There’s also this very strong urge to correct people who use gendered language for things that don’t need gender (like sexual organs and menstrual cycles). There’s nothing wrong with just saying that a character is trans. 

Resources

The best thing you can do for your story is research. The trans people you know are not google and they do not deserve to be treated like google. You can use google. Here’s some stuff I found on google: 

Dummies | Transequality | EverydayFeminism | Scriptlgbt

But no matter how much research you do it’s not going to be as useful as a sensitivity reader. Once your story is complete ask people to read it as beta readers and sensitivity readers and listen to the people that fit your minority characters. 

Some musicians to check out for inspiration

I have to recommend music. I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t. 

Agender: Angel Haze | Mood Killer

Androgyne: Florian- Ayala Flora | 

Genderfluid: Aja | Miley Cyrus | Dorian Electra | Jana Hunter | Ruby Rose |  Sons of an Illustrious Father | Eliot Sumner | Maxine Feldman | Chester Lockhart 

Genderqueer: Sopor Aeternus | CN Lester | Planningtorock | Chris Pureka | Sam Smith | Rae Spoon | Vaginal Davis | Ezra Furman | Randa | Vivek Shraya

Genderneutral: Grimes | 

Nonbinary: Arca | Mal Blum | Justin Vivian Bond | Adore Delano | Grey Gritt | Rose McGowan | Shamir | T Thomason | Beth Jean Houghton | Openside | Fraxiom 

Pandrogyne: Genesis P-orridge 

Trans Man: Alexander James Adams | Bettens | Little Axe and the Golden Echoes | Cidney Bullens | Meryn Cadell | Ryan Cassata | Quinn Christopherson | Beverly Glenn Copeland | Quinn Marston | Clyde Peterson | Schmekel | Lucas Silveira | Billy Tipton 

Trans Woman: 1.8.7. | Nadia Almada | Vacancy Chain | Barbra Amesbury | anohni | Estelle Asmodelle | Backxwash | Mykki Blanco | Namoli Brennet | Tona Brown | Sara Davis Buechner | Mya Byrne | The Neptune Darlings | Simona Castricum | Lili Chen | Jessie Chung | Coccinelle | Jayne County | Bulent Ersoy | Deena Kaye Rose | Bibi Anderson | Marci Free |  Teddy Geiger | Gila Goldstein | Laurie Jane Grace | Romy Haag | Ai Haruna | Juliana Huxtable | Mila Jam | Christine Jorgensen | Lady | Left@London | Amanda Lapore | Liniker | Jennifer Maidman | Michete | Trevi Moran | Angela Morley | Ataru Nakamura | Octo Octa | Dee Palmer | Kim Petras | Axis of Awesome | Katey Red | Patricia Ribeiro | Danica Roem | Jackie Shane | Breanna Synclaire | Sophie | Ramon Te Wake | Terre Thaemlitz | Cindy Thai Tai | Titicia | Venus Flytrap 

Two Spirit: Tony Enos | Cris Derksen

[stirringwinds]

What do you think about the Native America "mother" figure head-cannon that Alfred had before Arthur took him under his wing? And being eventually killed off by Arthur and the other settlers. Many people find this head cannon to be culturally insensitive and if you do as well, I'd like to know your opinion of when or how child nations develop. Because otherwise, if some-one is taking care of this child they found, they're bound to notice that the child hasn't aged in the last 20 years. Right?

hey anon, this is an interpretation i don’t go with for multiple reasons, as i’ll explain: 

1. personifying “native america” as a single character has the effect of oversimplifying diverse cultural communities and political entities that didn’t perceive themselves as belonging to a uniform culture. having a character that is ”native america”, to me, would be like if we personified asia or europe as one person—and in hetalia, that isn’t the case. doing so would reproduce tendency of a lot of media/popular culture to perpetuate this homogeneous idea of “native america”, which has spawned a lot of culturally disrespectful and inaccurate portrayals of real cultures. with north america alone, i have already personified some of these nations separately for this reason—specifically with reference to other nations that feature in mexico’s background, like mexica, the head of the triple alliance, which we often refer to as the “aztec empire” and her rival, tlaxcala, whose soldiers participated in the real-life conquest of tenochtitlan. if the entirety of north america is one personification, you can see how we would be glossing over these crucial cultural differences and historical complexities. we’d be failing to do this history the same justice to how we recognise european states could have some cultural overlaps (i.e shared religion, belonging to related language families) while still being culturally distinct—and having rivalries and wars with one another. like tlaxcala and mexica both speak nahuatl, but they’re not the same personification and have a long rivalry.

2. there are also issues with treating this single character as being “killed off”: there are a lot of problems with how people depicted indigenous peoples as being extinct or just living in the past when these communities are still around, being both affected by and active in present-day politics. like in contemporary politics outside of helltalia, this depiction has at times been a tactic to abdicate responsibility for recognising past wrongs: if everyone involved is gone…then the issue “is in the past” right? so that’s something i think we should all be careful with. (additionally when we look at hetalia canon itself; contemporary and universal international recognition as an independent state isn’t a prerequisite for personification existing—canon has tibet, hong kong and taiwan even though some governments will say these are all part of the chinese nation.) and even aside from combating modern narratives of erasure, historically-speaking; a lot of forced removals of indigenous people occurred after the american revolutionary war (manifest destiny in the 19th century is a good example)—the 13 colonies were then more of a strip off the eastern seaboard, not atlantic to pacific. during the war itself, some nations for example allied with the british and you can see how it caused political splits, like amongst the iroquois confederacy/haudenosaunee nation. for this reason i wouldn’t go with the idea of one mother figure who died when arthur showed up, or even into the 19th century. it simply doesn’t even gel with history on the facts. it’s a similar situation with how i see my mexico oc; there are others who are older than her and still around.

3. tho, that’s not to say that i don’t think alfred had interactions with indigenous nations even before he properly meets arthur, (who will claim him as his son in my headcanon). there is indeed a lot of material and history documenting interactions (friendly, hostile, neutral and everything in between, which again underscores the diversity of political entities that exist) between european settlers and american nations from the earliest days in the 17th century. i take it you were thinking of that? like the ostensible mystery of the “lost colony” of roanoke—one hypothesis put forward is that the survivors, after exhausting their supplies and at risk of starvation, had possibly integrated with the croatan people who lived nearby. the debate is of course still ongoing, but it’s significant that in the 1600s people were already putting forward that explanation. 

4. as to the ageing issue for me that’s kind of how i see it: about child nations. alfred is treated with suspicion by the other english colonists for multiple reasons during the puritan era: they pick up on the fact that he is not wholly english—this is a time period where people were already hyper-conscious even of differences between different european ethnicities, to begin with (think the english-spanish rivalry). and some of this suspicion is specific to alfred not being human: he doesn’t grow old, he seems too intelligent beyond his years, a plague swept through the area and all the children he played with died…except him, because he cannot die. i feel many child nations do have quite a precarious existence at times; being mistaken for demons or other unholy beings—and yes, accused of witchcraft. which in puritan america, was not just about religious superstitions but intersected with perceptions of cultural otherness as we see from the case of tituba in the salem witch trials. in the best case scenario, child nations get treated as miracles of God or avatars of the divine (depending on the religious traditions in the area), but that isn’t the case for how i see alfred’s beginnings. arthur does have to move him around quite a bit to avoid suspicion. even after arthur claims him as his son, it’s a real issue that it is much harder to be a child nation than an adult one who can more easily disappear and wander around unnoticed without people asking questions about your parents. this issue of identity, legitimacy and lineage is definitely something young alfred experiences. even when he’s older—as a teenager, my headcanon is that from the POV of the humans, he’s still seen as the illegitimate son of an english lord (and in those days being perceived as a “bastard” was especially loaded) who prefers to keep him in the colonies to preserve his reputation back in london, instead of paying for him to be educated in europe. 

[alarawriting]

52 Project #8: Crab People

The aliens had studied the world they were traveling to for years. Transmissions of primitive radio waves from the hairless, bipedal mammals’ world told the Katalk everything they needed to know. The humans, though fractious and inclined to war with one another, did not have weapons that could pierce the thick natural body armor of the Katalk. Their world was mostly ocean, in a salinity similar to the oceans of the homeworld, teeming with life. Technically, the Katalk could simply conquer the ocean, and leave the lands where the humans dwelled alone, aside from the beaches and the other land areas closest to the sea, where Katalk who enjoyed spending time on land could make their vacation homes. But because the humans themselves poured poison and garbage in that ocean, and because they valued that sea-adjacent land very highly themselves, it was determined by the High Command that the Katalk needed to subjugate humanity in order to hold the oceans of the world the natives called “Earth” in their pincers.

While the discordant, warlike humans had many separate tribes that they called “nations”, and had no unity in the governance of their world, there did appear to be one nation that dominated all the others, producing the majority of the radio transmissions that contained visual information. Radio transmissions emanating from the other nations frequently included information that had originally been transmitted from that nation. So the Katalk carefully studied that nation. Its capital was heavily guarded with flying machines carrying metal projectile ordnance—mostly a nuisance to the heavily armored ships of the Katalk, but they had not become the dominant conquerors of the galaxy by allowing a nuisance to wear at their defenses when there was a better way. Besides, the capital was on a freshwater river, not particularly near an ocean.

A short distance north and east of that capital, barely twenty skroons of travel at the speed Katalk ships could go, there was another city… on a bay. A brackish bay whose salinity was perfect for Katalk, even better than the oceans of the world, where the salt was perhaps a little overly-strong for comfort. And that city had far, far less of an active military aerial defense. The city seemed to be somewhat infamous for the number of humans killing other humans with personal ordnance, but the personal ordnance used by humans would be, again, no more than a nuisance against the hard shells of the Katalk.

The Katalk broadcast on all the radio wave frequencies that were being transmitted out of locations near the city. Some of these frequencies could apparently transmit visual information, so they recorded images of their fleet leader, flanked by his chief war captains. “Human creatures. We are the Katalk. Our weaponry is far superior to anything your species has developed, and our natural armor can resist the strongest weapons you have. We claim your world in the name of the Katalk Empire. Surrender yourselves immediately or face the consequences.”

This was broadcast in all the languages that the radio waves were transmitted in. Then the Katalk ships descended to land in the bay. It was a perfect strategic position; from within this bay, they could quickly reach the capital of this nation by water, and there were multiple large cities within their reach now.

There were hundreds, perhaps thousands, of the humans crowded up on the piers and the shoreline of the harbor, watching the ships, but there had been no response from anyone who had authority, yet. “Let us get their attention unmistakeably,” the fleet leader said, and commanded the gunner of the lead ship to destroy the top few floors of their tallest building.

The top of the building exploded, mostly vaporized, but with enough chunks of solid matter spraying out over the city that many of the humans were injured, and a few were killed – as, obviously, were the ones who’d been at the top of the building. A new broadcast went out. “We are tired of your delays! Your ruler must come and surrender to the Katalk immediately, or we will annihilate this city!”

Within ten minutes, a brown human female surrounded by an entourage of humans in policing uniforms and humans holding microphones and cameras walked out on one of the piers. “Katalk ship! I’m the mayor of Baltimore, here to discuss the surrender,” she said.

“At last,” the fleet captain said, and left, with his own entourage. He didn’t have to – in fact, some might say that the fleet captain meeting with the mayor of a conquered city was bending low to a level far beneath his status. But he had been in space for months, and wanted to take the opportunity to breathe the planet’s air for himself.

The ship floated over to the pier and laid down its gangplank so that the fleet captain could stride down onto the pier. As he did so, he heard someone – not the mayor, but someone in her entourage – say “Oh my god, they look just like giant crabs!”

“We are not like any of your pathetic Earth life!” the fleet captain’s chief aide said. “We are superior beings, and you will treat us as such!”

“Of course,” the mayor said. “Please forgive my aide, he was just startled. You do bear a strong coincidental resemblance to an Earth life form called a ‘crab’, which is one of the most common and enduring symbols of our city. I feel as if God must have intended for you to come here to Baltimore as your first experience of our world.” She bowed deeply. “May we exchange names? I—”

“We may not,” the fleet captain said brusquely, interrupting the mayor. “It is taboo among the Katalk to share names.”

“Oh,” the mayor said, her face and tone showing the pattern humans exhibited when they felt surprise. “How do you tell each other apart, then?”

“We address each other by title. I am the Fleet Captain of the Katalk Expeditionary Fleet to the Sol System. These are my aides. I do not actually care who your servants or assistants are. You are here to surrender.”

“I most certainly am,” the mayor said. “I can take you to the place where we run our government right now. But I’d like to invite you to a ceremony tomorrow night, a ceremony we perform for our most honored leaders.” She bowed again.

“Describe this ceremony,” the fleet captain barked.

“We begin by inviting all of your crew to watch you be honored at the ceremony. We give you a ceremonial key that represents control of this city. Then we anoint you and your crew with herbs and spices that smell beautiful to us, and bathe you.”

This wasn’t the behavior the fleet captain had expected. Usually primitive races attempted to use violence to harm the Katalk, and needed to be taught a harsh lesson before their subjugation. And every human fiction broadcast on the radio waves from their planet, and every story of what was actually happening on their planet, said that this was what humans did as well. Yet the human woman was treating the Katalk as honored rulers of high status. Could it be that, because the humans of this city venerated a creature that looked much like the Katalk, they were prepared to accept Katalk rule near-bloodlessly?

That would be excellent. It was always best to take the primitive natives as slaves rather than destroying them. They would best understand the wildlife and the vegetation and how to utilize them as food.

“We will accept your ceremony of honor,” the fleet captain said.

He allowed the woman to guide him and his entourage to the place called City Hall, where she introduced him to many humans, by their titles only, and attempted to show him how to do the paperwork. He used his side weapon and vaporized the paperwork. “Your bureaucracy means nothing to me,” he snapped, claws clacking. “We will rule as we see fit.”

“Of course, my lord Fleet Captain.” The mayor bowed again. “Let me make arrangements for your ceremonial anointing tomorrow.”

She slipped away, leaving an aide to explain things the Fleet Captain did not need explained. Why would the Katalk care about humans having parking permits?

***

Interlude:

Come to Baltimore, and walk downtown, and perhaps you might be fooled into thinking there is an underground subway system, or something of that nature, because you’ve seen steam rising from vents in the streets and sidewalks. But it’s something else that causes the steam.

Beneath the streets of Baltimore, in the downtown area, there are pipes that feed chilled water, hot water, and steam to businesses in the area. These connect to heating and cooling systems in the local buildings.

Naturally, there are no buildings where the steam comes into the open areas where people are.

There are many engineers who work in Baltimore, for the energy company that supplies the steam, who would know how to redirect the steam. It might be a very difficult task. It might cause excessive cursing, and complaining about short notice, and overtime work. But if the mayor needed steam to be somewhere that it usually is not, and was willing to commit to whatever the cost would be, there are engineers who work for the energy company that supplies the steam, and they could do it. ***

The conquest was going well. Wherever the Katalk went, the humans pointed and made sounds of amazement. The mayor was incredibly deferential, and humans moved smoothly out of the way as the Katalk approached.

One of the fleet captain’s aides overhead the mayor speaking on a telephone, one that was connected by a wire rather than one of the ones that transmitted by radio waves. “No, Mr. President, there’s no need. No, we have the situation under control… Yes, that’s right. They’re right outside my office. I’ll let them know to expect you to arrive and surrender to them after the anointment ceremony… sir, it’s a Baltimore thing, don’t worry about it.” She hung the phone back on its cradle and looked up. “I’ve made all the arrangements! The ruler of our nation will be here to surrender formally to you after the ceremony! He wanted to send troops to fight you, but of course I told him that would be futile; your technology is far too advanced, so he’s agreed to surrender.”

“If you are planning some sort of sneak attack or subterfuge, this city will be destroyed,” the fleet captain said when he was told what the mayor had been doing.

“Of course! Don’t worry, I know I couldn’t outthink you. You must be far more intelligent than humans, with such advanced technology.”

“See that you remember it,” the fleet captain said.

***

The place where the ceremony was to be done had the sign “ROYAL FARMS ARENA” in large letters on the front of the building. “What does this mean, Royal Farms?” the fleet captain asked.

“It’s a figure of speech. The idea is that we grow a king or queen into their power and potential, the way that farmers grow plants,” the mayor said. “That’s why we hold the ceremony there.”

All of the Katalk filed in, with the exception of those who’d been left behind on the ships, one or two per ship, per regulations – they couldn’t have humans sneaking aboard the ships while they were all gone, after all. There were nearly six hundred Katalk coming into the ceremony. “We do ask that you leave your weapons here, at the front,” the mayor said. “Of course you can easily retrieve them if you need them, and it’s hardly as if humans are any kind of threat to you, but it’s symbolism.”

The fleet captain considered telling the mayor that he didn’t care about human symbolism, but decided to humor her.

As each Katalk entered the arena, several humans sprinkled large quantities of a strange-smelling orange powder over them, from tubs labeled “Old Bay.” “Our research on your radio wave broadcasts revealed that you have a product you refer to as ‘Old Spice’,” the chief researcher on humanity said to the mayor. “Is this similar?”

“It’s very similar, but this is the Baltimore version. We call the spice mix ‘Old Bay’ because we’re on a bay,” the mayor said.

The researcher touched his two large claws together in the gesture the Katalk used to express sudden understanding, or acknowledgement of a truth. “Sir, it makes sense,” he said to the fleet captain. “I haven’t seen anything about this specific ceremony, but I do know that highly honored culture leaders called ‘celebrities’ are often invited to ceremonies at arenas like this, and I also know that ‘Old Spice’ is considered a scent compound that is highly desirable and is seen as making the males of the species superior to those who are not scented with it.”

“Understood,” the fleet captain said.

After all the Katalk were in the room, the mayor went to the stage and spoke into a microphone, which was broadcast throughout the arena. “Our honored crab overlords, the Katalk, are here to be given the keys to our city, and to be anointed with the sacred Old Bay and bathed in the traditional manner. Let us give thanks that they came to Baltimore before any other city on Earth!” She called the fleet captain to the stage. “We are very, very pleased you have come to us,” she said. “Please accept this symbolic token of our surrender to your leadership.” She had two aides show him a ridiculously huge key.

The researcher whispered, “It ties out; they used to have walled cities to protect themselves from marauding humans. Since then, the ‘key to the city’ seems to represent a great honor.”

The fleet captain clacked his claws against each other in acknowledgement, and stepped on the stage. “Humans, your days of self rule are at an end, but if you continue to cooperate and embrace our rule as eagerly as you have done, you will be spared and allowed to continue to live and serve us.”

There was dead silence from the humans, and then the mayor said, “Let’s hear it for the Katalk!” All the humans started slapping their hands together loudly, which looked much like the human version of the Katalk acknowledgement gesture. The fleet captain assumed that they were signifying that they understood and accepted their fate.

“Now, for the ceremonial bath,” the mayor said. “We’ll let some cleansing steam into the room. It’ll really make your carapaces shine and bring out the scent of the Old Bay beautifully. We humans won’t be present for this, because it’s a taboo among our people to see someone else bathe unless they’re our mates. As soon as the bath is over, we’ll return, and take you to the places you’ll need to be after that.”

“And tomorrow your nation’s ruler will surrender to us as well?”

“He’s told me so, and none of the ruling class of America would ever dare lie to anyone as powerful and intelligent as you.”

“That sounds a bit dubious,” the researcher whispered. “Apparently their rulers frequently lie, according to the radio waves, and make promises they cannot or choose not to keep.”

“It’s no matter. If the nation’s ruler doesn’t come tomorrow to surrender, we will move on their capital, using this city as our base, and force him to his knees.”

The humans bowed as they left the room. The mayor said, “I eagerly look forward to meeting with you after your bath, fleet captain! No one in Baltimore can imagine anything more enjoyable than spending time serving you.”

The mayor’s obsequiousness was starting to get on the fleet captain’s nerves. “Just go. Let this bath begin so it can be over with.”

She left, and the doors to the arena were closed, as would obviously be necessary if there was to be a steam bath. “Let’s see if this steam bath is all that the humans say it is,” the fleet captain said.

The researcher said, “It is something they speak of highly in their radio waves. They also enjoy spending time in desiccating rooms where it is very hot but there is no steam, and in tubs of hot water. They are much more comfortable with water than we would expect from land mammals.”

The steam came in from under the seats. When the captain sent an aide to tell him how it was being done, he reported that it looked like there were dozens of pipes that had been hastily inserted into the walls. Steam rolled in from the pipes, and it was pleasant; the weather on this planet was chillier than the Katalk homeworld. The fleet captain relaxed and let himself enjoy the warmth, as the rest of the Katalk did the same.

But then the warmth began to grow uncomfortable. “It’s time we left,” he said. “If the humans haven’t come to bring us out, we will just go on our own. We don’t bow to their timetables.”

Two Katalk went to open the doors. They didn’t open.

More steam rolled in.

Katalk started desperately searching for doors, trying to batter the doors down when they found them, or bash holes in the walls with their powerful claws. The steam rose. Katalk fled up the stair-step seating, trying to find a place out of the heat. The steam rose. Swirls of it fogged the room and made it hard to see one’s fellow Katalk.

The fleet captain commanded that they form a giant pile and try to reach the roof. It was plain that the humans had betrayed them and lied to them, and had locked them in, but perhaps there was a way to escape via the roof.

Military discipline broke down completely. None of the Katalk wanted to be on the bottom of the pile where the steam was hottest and thickest. They climbed over each other frantically, sometimes ripping each other’s claws out in their fervor to climb higher than their fellows. The fleet captain bellowed orders, that were ignored.

It was so very hot.

***

Outside the Royal Farms arena, the mayor smiled grimly at the doors, which had been quickly screwed to a large piece of corrugated steel, so even if the doors gave way under the Katalk claws, there would still be no escape. “My son worked on the top floors of the Transamerica building, you sons of bitches,” she said, her voice quiet but her tone vicious. “Burn in hell… once you’re done boiling alive.”

She turned toward the crowd behind her. “Citizens of Baltimore, in about forty-five minutes, we’re going to have the biggest crab feast this city has ever seen, here at Royal Farms arena. And then our National Guard, who’ve been dispatched down here by the governor, are going to take these guns and use them to root out any of these crab people who might have stayed behind on their spaceships.”

“What are we gonna do with the spaceships?” a man in the crowd yelled.

“What else would we do with the spaceships? We’re gonna use them to go to space,” the mayor said. “Prepare to enter a new era of jobs and industry for Baltimore, all courtesy of our tasty friends in there.”

More and more people gathered at the Royal Farms Arena over the next forty-five minutes, milling around excitedly. Eventually, the steam was cut off. The mayor gestured at the sealed doors.

“Everyone! Please step out of the way to let the caterers through. They’ve been preparing corn on the cob for us to enjoy with our feast, all day long, because you can’t have a real crab feast without corn on the cob. And I’ve asked hardware stores around the city to donate hammers, because I think those shells are a good bit harder than we’re used to, and our wooden mallets probably won’t be enough to do the job.”

Everyone cheered and backed out of the way as the caterers wheeled forward large tables covered with brown paper, actual hammers, butter dishes, and stacks of corn on the cob, and the firefighters unsealed the doors. Steam escaped through the open doors, into the air, up and away from the waiting crowd. The appetizing scent of Old Bay wafted out, as the caterers waited for all the steam to clear before going through the door to prepare for the crowd.

It was going to be the crab feast to end all crab feasts.

“Save at least one for the president,” the mayor said to the catering manager. “I promised him one when he comes tomorrow.”

[lucy-sky]

Important Negotiation (Ezra x Reader)

This is my second fic about Ezra. I’m still not very confident about writing him, but I just had to return to this character one more time (at least) because the stories in my head want to be told no matter how silly they are :DD Ezra’s speech is still a huge challenge when English is not your native language, but I tried REALLY hard. Apologize for any possible mistakes, and once again, any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Summary: What happens if two touch-starved idiots harvesters accidentally meet in the shower after a hard working day, and one of them is Ezra?.. Apparently you're in a pretty awkward situation, which requires a serious negotiation...

Warnings: Uh... I can identify this fic’s genre as “soft porn without plot” I guess :’D Although it only contains heavy petting not the actual sex, I think it turned out quite sensual?.. 

Words: 3 176; gif by me (plz credit if using)

Tags: @biobiopsy​, @rzrcrst​ (I’m not nearly as good as you, but I’d be happy if you took a look... as an expert, you know :D)

The corridor is dimly lit and quiet as you walk to the bathroom. It’s your usual habit to go there after the rest of the crew is already in their quarters preparing to sleep. Since it’s basically the only place you could get some privacy, you don’t want to be in a rush because there’s someone else waiting to use the shower. You prefer taking your time after a hard working day.

The contract you’re currently engaged on is quite profitable, the crew is nice too; all of them are experienced harvesters you could learn a lot from, so you consider yourself lucky. Yes, the work is exhausting, but you believe it’s worth it. The only thing that gets on your nerves sometimes is that your employer is really strict, obsessed with the rules. Each day is precisely scheduled: what time you get up, eat and work, the curfew hour... Relationships with the crew are also strictly regulated. No inappropriate actions or contacts allowed; it’s called work ethics - your employer points. You all are here to do the job, not to make friends or have affairs. Maybe it’s for the best, but sometimes you feel like you’re suffocating. So this time of the day, when you quietly sneak out of the room you share with another female member of the crew, and head to the shower is like a breath of fresh air. This time only belongs to you.

You sigh deeply as you strip of your tank top and sweatpants and get under the warm streams of water. Today was really exhausting, but thankfully there’s only one week left until the end of this contract. One week and your crew will leave the Green with solid sums of money in your pockets and you will finally be able to have proper rest. And for now you need something to ease your body and mind.

Sliding your hand down your lower belly, you close your eyes and the image of a man appears in your head. Sometimes you think you should be embarrassed because recently you often catch yourself on fantasizing about one particular man… Who is your fellow crew member.

You cannot tell exactly when it started. Was it after the first time you were assigned to work in pair, or a bit later? Perhaps after the first time he called you “little one” - a moniker he gave you as the youngest member of the crew. You’re also not sure why you find this man so attractive. Maybe it’s his deep brown eyes, or his lips that look so soft… Or his ridiculously messy dark hair with a small blond streak in it… Or is it his fancy manner of speech and the sound of his voice? Anyway, you were attracted to him and you couldn’t deny it.

Sometimes you have a feeling that the attraction is mutual. There’s something in the way he talks to you, something in his smile and occasional touches… But even if it’s so, you’re not here for romance. Rules are rules. So all you could do is touching yourself in the shower, imagining how his touch and his kiss would feel on your bare skin - the only luxury you could afford.

Throwing your head back a little, you sigh with delight, and let his name silently fall from your lips:

- Ezra.

You’re so lost in your fantasy that at first you don’t even register someone else’s presence in the room. Suddenly the sound of a man clearing his throat practically makes you jump. Quickly you step out of the water stream and grab a towel from the hanger nearby to cover your nakedness. The next second you realize who’s standing in front of you.

It’s him. Ezra. In flesh-and-blood.

You blink stupidly, struggling to identify if it’s really happening or you’re experiencing some weird sort of hallucination caused by exhaustion or whatever it is in the atmosphere of this goddamn planet.

- Calm down, little one, - the man says in a quiet, soothing tone. - I apologize... Kevva knows I had absolutely no intention to startle you like that.

- Wh… What are you doing here?.. - You manage to mumble.

- Same as you, I believe, - he shrugs. - I intended to take a shower, and since the door wasn’t locked, meeting you here was the last thing I expected to happen.

Only now you notice that he’s standing in front of you wearing nothing except a big towel wrapped around his hips and a pair of rubber slippers.

- Did I… Did I forget to lock the door?.. - You blurt out, asking rather yourself than him.

- Apparently so. Or… Allow me make an assumption… It could be something that you wanted to happen subconsciously, without realizing it to the full extent.

- What do you mean? - You frown at his words. - And why are you still standing here? An adequate person would already have apologized and left.

- I might not be adequate enough but I’m not ignorant either, - Ezra says, mischievous sparkles playing in his eyes. - Pardon my boldness, but I suppose I know exactly what kind of an action was interrupted by my unannounced appearance.

Instantly you feel the blush creeping up on your cheeks. Of course he saw you pleasuring yourself. You don’t even know how long has he been around. You want to sink under the ground. Why wouldn’t he just leave? Does he find joy in torturing you like that? You want to hit him in the face, and normally you would do exactly this, but for some reason now you’re just frozen in place.

-   But I assure you, - Ezra continues in the same soothing tone. - It’s a completely natural thing. We’re human; we need each other. Physically too, among other things. You think I don’t know why you’re doing it in the shower? I’m familiar to this, girl. For sure we can satisfy ourselves without any difficulties, but warm water just makes it easier to pretend you’re in someone’s arms. I myself experience this firsthand. Let’s face it, little one. It’s been a while and we both are starving for a simple skin-to-skin contact. So… If you will indulge me, I’d be more than happy to propose my assistance. And being a gentleman, I’m not inquiring any sorts of favors from your part, believe me. It’s just a suggestion from one solitary person seeking for some warmth to another.

- Okay, I’m confused right now... What kind of assistance are you talking about? - You ask, narrowing your eyes. Actually you can’t believe your ears - did he just suggested to help you getting off? Seriously?

- I think I made myself clear enough, didn’t I? - Ezra cocks his head examining your baffled expression.

- Yeah, okay... But what makes you think that I can say yes to this?

The corners of his mouth twitch into a smug smirk.

- Forgive me, little bird... Of course I cannot asseverate that, perhaps my eyes and ears are just playing tricks on me, but... I might have noticed you uttering something very similar to my name.

- What...

Now your face is not just blushing. It’s burning. You didn’t think it’s possible to make you even more embarrassed than you already are, but he just did it. You’re lost for words. It clearly makes no sense to deny the obvious now that you were caught in the act...

- There's nothing to be ashamed of, little one, - Ezra says quietly with a sudden tenderness in his voice. - For what it's worth, it's only chemistry... After all, let's just endorse the reality that I would already have left, or you would have slapped me in the face if only we weren't attracted to each other since day one. You're not the first day in the business and I'm convinced you're pretty much capable to push back against me or any other intruder. And yet, I'm still here.

You think about his words for a couple of seconds. He's right, you have to admit. You sensed some sort of vibes between the two of you since the beginning. So if you both have sympathy for each other - what are you losing? In fact, only a few minutes ago, weren’t you busy imagining how his lips would feel against your skin?..

-  And dare I say, - he adds as if he read your mind. - If it wasn’t for the sake of annoying work ethics we’re bound to follow, I’d probably be more precise in my intentions since the very start.

He makes an expectant pause here, cunning brown eyes scanning your face, waiting for a response.

- So, birdie... what do you think?

- I think you talk too much.

You didn’t intend to sound this bold, but Ezra chuckles contently.

- The answer is positive, I assume?

- Correct, - you reply, unintentionally copying his strange manner of speech, something you noticed not the first time you did while talking to him.

This conversation is so weird... As if it’s some kind of... Negotiation? You’re still feeling awkward, but Ezra’s smile is warm and reassuring as he makes a step closer.

- Than let’s reject the useless pudency, shall we?

His hand reaches yours; fingertips brushing against your knuckles, making you release the grip on the towel you’re covering yourself with. Your heart is beating way too fast. You have no idea why you’re so flustered, as if it’s your first time… You imagined this so many times it’s hard to believe now it’s happening for real. Inhaling sharply you close your eyes and let the towel slip down to your feet. When you open your eyes again, you find him silently admiring you with lustful eyes.

- Aren’t you the finest creature, little one, - he proclaims.

- Your turn, - you try to sound confident, but your voice betrays you, trembling a little. Ezra smirks at this.

- Your word is my command.

His towel falls on the floor as well and you can hardly take your eyes off him - he’s so beautiful to you, all of him. Tanned olive skin, scars on his upper body, a trail of dark hair beneath his belly button... You’re not sure what to do next, but he’s suddenly gentle as he takes your hand and leads you closer to warm water still pouring from the showerhead. He positions himself behind you and you shiver when his lips are finally against your skin. He places soft kisses along your shoulderblade, then gently brushes your hair aside to kiss the nape of your neck. You bite back a moan when he reaches the spot right behind your earlobe. He’s so impossibly close you can feel his hot breath as he whispers:

- So what do you want me to do, little one?

- Touch me.

- With the utmost pleasure.

His hand immediately skims up the curve of your thigh, and your skin breaks out with goosebumps at the contact when he cups your breast. You gasp and he hums in approval, caressing your soft flesh before giving your hardened nipple a light pinch. You’re about to scream when his free hand palms your mound. You’re craving for more, but Ezra is unhurried, dragging his fingers along your slit to spread the wetness between your folds slowly, as if you have all the time in the world… And then your body jerks when he strokes the very tip of your throbbing clit with his finger. He teases you like that a bit more before finally adding so much needed pressure. Your knees go weak at the intensity of the sensation. You can’t even explain why it feels this good. He doesn’t really do anything you couldn’t do yourself, but his fingers just feel differently, both rough and deliciously tender if such a combination is even possible, and the way he’s holding you tightly against his frame and nuzzles into your shoulder just makes the whole act even more intimate.

- F-faster, - you plead in a shaky voice, feeling the tight knot in the pit of your belly is about to burst.

A whimper, a bit louder than you wish it to be escapes your parted lips when you feel his warm tongue on the side of your neck. Immediately, Ezra's hand covers your mouth and you’re internally crying in frustration as he slows down his movements.

- Shhh, be quiet, little one, - he hushes and his hoarse whisper against your ear gives you chills. - As much as I appreciate your grateful response, that'll be a shame to get fired only a week before the contract ends, right?

You nod in agreement, humming into his palm as he keeps going, increasing pace and pressure again until your body finally surrenders. Digging your nails into his hip in search for some support to keep balance you shudder, coming hard on his fingers. You’re trembling in his embrace, overwhelmed by this blissful sensation: warm, pulsating and so incredibly sweet, sweeter than all honey in the world. The pleasure runs through you in swift waves, and when the last tremors of your climax subside, you feel like melting into a puddle against his firm chest.

- You alright, little one? - Ezra asks. His arms are still around you, fingers drawing circles on your belly absentmindedly. It tickles a bit, but you don’t mind.

- Mhm… - You make lazily. - Uh...thank you…

- The pleasure is mine, - he smirks, placing a kiss on the top of your head.

His warm body feels like home. All you wish for right now is to stay like this forever, never losing the physical contact.

There’s something else you wish for though.

He’s undoubtedly hard against your backside, and you can’t fight the sudden urge to touch him. The man lets out a ragged breath as you reach behind you and let your fingers trail down his lower belly. Now it’s his turn to shiver in response to your gentle caress.

- Little one, - he sounds a bit raspier than usual. - I meant it when I said I’m not requiring favors...

- What if it’s not really a favor, - your palm wraps around his length, giving him a light squeeze and earning a quiet grunt from him. His cock is warm and thick, and feels amazing in your hand. - What if I just want to touch you too?..

- Therefore, I dare not protest, - you sense a hint of relief in his voice and smirk under your breath. He definitely needs it even more than you, and frankly speaking, you think he deserves it.

Ezra’s hips jerk a bit as your thumb makes contact with the tip of his cock, brushing against it softly. Encouraged by his reaction, you give him a couple of firmer strokes causing him thrust into your hand.

- Kevva, that feels good, - he mumbles, and suddenly you desperately want to see his face. You need it. So you turn around.

He opens his dark brown eyes to meet your gaze. The look is so intense it gives you shivers, and without any second thoughts and useless doubts, you press your lips to his.

He responds immediately, kissing you back feverishly, like a starving man, humming against your mouth, and you have to suppress a moan again at the delightful sensation when your tongues touch. Ezra’s hand grabs the back of your neck, pulling you even closer. His plump lips are almost as soft and nice as you imagined, only better, because they are real. You keep working on him, stroking him up and down in a steady pace, and you break the kiss only to taste the skin on the crook of his neck, hot and salty under your tongue. Your fingers run along his pecs and collarbones and you wish you didn’t have to keep quiet because you really enjoy his grunts and ragged gasps. There's something very satisfying in realization that you make him feel this way.

You increase the pace as the thrusts of his hips become more erratic and he tightens the grip on your hair. You kiss him again and he hisses into your mouth and bites on your lower lip almost painfully, but it’s a good kind of pain. You feel him throbbing and swelling, and a couple more movements of your hand finally bring him over the edge, his warm load spilling on the floor and your lower belly.

- Damn, birdie, - Ezra breathes out, relaxing against the tiles and pulling you closer to his chest. - I fully realize that current circumstances are far from being perfectly romantic, but still I must confess here and now - I’m pretty much into you, y/n.

You’re surprised to hear your name from him. You’re not sure, but it’s probably the first time you hear him saying it. For some reason it feels important. Despite the circumstances, it gives his confession even more value.

- I’m pretty much into you as well, Ezra, - you smile. - Even though you’re by far the biggest weirdo I’ve ever met.

- Why is that, if I may be so bold as to ask?

- Well, you know... That massive speech you delivered to convince me... Wasn’t it easier to just come over and like... kiss me maybe? - You shrug.

- That might be. But I wasn’t certain I’d not end up with a black eye or a bloody nose in this case... Simply due to your dexterous self-preservation instincts, - he chuckles and you scoff into his chest.

- Yeah, this is actually very likely of me. Who can blame me though?

- Wasn’t even trying. It’s the world we live in, little one. You have to be tough and cautious; otherwise your chance to survive is quite slim... And you see, I, on my part, am being cautious too...

- You’re really good at negotiating, I must say...

You both laugh quietly, as Ezra wraps his arms around your frame and lets his fingers run through your damp hair. You stay like that for a little while, simply enjoying the intimacy of the moment and the warmth of each other’s bodies.

- I have to make a point, - Ezra goes after the pause. - That normally I possess much higher levels of stamina. It’s just the months of touch starvation took their toll... We’re only human as it was stated in previous conversations...

- Right... - You smirk, tilting your head to look him in the eye. - I might give you a chance to prove it than... Once we’re done with this goddamn contract, of course.

- Sounds like a tempting offer, birdie, - Ezra grins before leaning in to steal another kiss. - I’m ready to negotiate.

- This is gonna be a long week… - You murmur softly, kissing him back.

***

Thank you for reading!

[divorcelawyergunnisonutah]

ASL Lawyer

These Guidelines are designed to help judges, lawyers, and others involved in the Utah Judiciary • Understand the unique communication needs of Deaf people who use a sign language of another country (i.e., not American Sign Language [ASL]) or who are not able to communicate successfully in ASL and • Provide guidance for improving the odds of successfully accommodating those needs. These are Deaf persons who have little or no mastery of American Sign Language and for whom the traditional accommodation of providing the services of American Sign Language interpreters alone is insufficient for ensuring equal access to court and other judicial proceedings and services, or satisfying ADA requirements for accommodating disabilities.

Background on Two Classes of Deaf Persons Having Special Needs There are two classes of Deaf persons generally considered to need the kinds of special accommodations. The first consists of those who are immigrants, migrants, or refugees who have come to this country from abroad and are fluent in their native sign language (e.g., British, Polish, or Spanish Sign Language), but who have acquired little or no American Sign Language. Thus the use of an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter is not a sufficient accommodation to secure satisfactory communication. The second class consists of Deaf persons who, due to numerous environmental factors combined with physiological deafness, can result in a juvenile or adult who has limited communication skills and has either limited or no facility communicating in ASL. These factors include: • Limited opportunities for acquisition of ASL. Some Deaf people do not interact with the signing community and this inhibits their exposure to and acquisition of ASL. • A bilingual home/school environment, e.g., deaf children born into Spanish-speaking homes who lip-read and hear Spanish until entering public school where they are exposed to lip-reading and hearing English accompanied by signs. • The presence of a secondary handicapping condition such as mental retardation, a learning disability, or mental illness. • A lack of natural language development during the crucial ages of 0-5 years, e.g., a deaf child born into a hearing family in which no one signs. • Limited or no formal education.

• Social isolation. Some Deaf people lead their lives isolated from both the hearing and Deaf worlds. They may lack the general social and cultural knowledge necessary for communication in any language. Deaf-Hearing Interpreter Team Required A team of interpreters should be formed which includes one or more of each of two kinds of certified interpreters. First, one or more certified interpreters of American Sign Language (ASL) is essential. These are persons who meet requirements established in Utah law and the Standards for Using Interpreters in Utah and who provide the link between what speakers say in English and the Deaf interpreter. Second, one or more Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI) is required. The CDI is a Deaf person who holds a valid Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) certificate from the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. and who brings to this challenging interpreting situation native ASL fluency, professional training as an interpreter, and a lifetime of personal experiences as a Deaf person. CDIs share with Deaf individuals the experience of sometimes having to mime and gesture their way through life with the non-signing public. This professional interpreter provides the link between the ASL interpreter and the Deaf party or witness who has limited or no ability to communicate in ASL.

Consecutive Mode Required

Working with a Deaf-Hearing interpreting team requires the strict use of the consecutive mode in all situations. This means the ASL interpreter begins interpreting into ASL only after the English speaker has completed an utterance. Once that interpretation is completed, the CDI then begins interpreting to the Deaf person using a variety of visual/gestural communication techniques. The process will be repeated in the reverse when the Deaf person is the source of the message to be interpreted. This means that simultaneous interpretation is not viable in this context.

Understanding Silent Communication

The process of communication in these situations will not always be as linear. Persons who communicate in ASL continuously exchange signed and non-verbal feedback in order to monitor the success of the communication. To the inexperienced observer, these exchanges could appear to be inconsistent with the unbiased role of the interpreter; however, they are in fact essential for successful communication in visual languages. The feedback exchanged between the ASL and Deaf interpreters occurs primarily to clarify a source message. For example, the ASL interpreter may ask the CDI for verification or clarification before rendering an interpretation into English. The feedback that occurs between the CDI and the Deaf party may include not only similar attempts to verify and clarify, but also a variety of strategies to convey the message and fully ascertain the response.

Tolerating Silent Communication

There will be periods of silence throughout this process. These periods of silent communication may make the court and the attorneys uncomfortable or frustrated. Judges and attorneys should understand and patient since this signing is related to communicating the question to the witness and ascertaining the witness’ response, nothing more and nothing less. Use of Alternate Forms of Communication The interpreters should be given wide latitude in using alternative forms of communication between themselves and the Deaf persons they are assisting who are not competent in ASL. The interpreters may need to use concrete objects such as paper and pencil for drawing, calendars, clocks, pictures, and dolls to supplement their gestures and signs. Additional space may be needed to allow the Deaf person to physically pantomime what happened. Guidelines for Asking Questions to Deaf Persons with Limited or No Ability to Communicate in ASL The normal process by which attorneys and judges ask questions in a court of law will not usually work successfully with either of these types of Deaf persons. The following suggestions are designed to help attorneys or judges adapt their styles of asking questions to have the best likelihood of succeeding in eliciting successful answers from these types of Deaf parties and witnesses: • Keep questions brief and as specific as possible. For example, the Deaf person may not recognize or use any of the conventional ASL signs for the word detective. However, when permitted to act out the story of his arrest, the CDI may gesture the officer flashing his badge out from under his shirt. • Avoid vague or abstract questions. • Avoid double negatives. • Present questions in sequential time order of the actual series of events in question. Switching back and forth between or among verb tenses can hamper communication. • When the Deaf party or witness is unable to answer any other form of a question, the court should consider allowing leading questions. • The court should be prepared for and permit the interpreters to request clarification from counsel periodically throughout questioning. The interpreters may need to know what the situation looked like visually in order to communicate the concept to the witness. This may necessitate sidebar discussions or can be part of the open court record at the discretion of the trial judge. • The court should be prepared for the hearing interpreter to use a variety of vocal intonations when rendering the witness’ response in English. These inflections will correspond precisely to the tone and affect of the witness’ signed response.

Instructions to the Jury When a Deaf Witness Who Has Limited or No Ability to Communicate in ASL Testifies

One characteristic of the communication style of these types of Deaf persons, i.e., nodding throughout any conversation, warrants special attention by the court. Judges should advise juries of the following: • When the Deaf witness nods, it is in no way an indication that he or she understands what is being communicated. It may merely indicate a willingness to continue the conversation. • Similarly, nodding is no way an indication that the Deaf person is answering “Yes” or “No.” • Ignore the nods and wait for the interpreters to render the complete response before drawing any inferences about what the witness said. How to Become a Legal Interpreter Legal interpreter translates spoken words from one language to another in legal settings, such as courtrooms and law offices. The work can be stressful, as interpreters need to keep pace with speakers, and their interpretations can have legal ramifications. Some interpreters have variable work hours, particularly those who are self-employed. Steps To Be a Legal Interpreter Step 1: Study a Foreign Language in High School Although it’s ideal to be raised multilingual, prospective legal interpreters can also develop the necessary language skills by learning at least one foreign language in high school, such as Chinese or Spanish. Consider learning a language that might be most in demand. Aspiring legal interpreters should also focus on English classes in high school, since their career relies on precision in this language as well. Step 2: Get a Bachelor’s Degree Many courts and other employers require that legal interpreters have a bachelor’s degree. Students don’t have to major in a foreign language, but it can be helpful. They can also benefit from choosing legal studies as a major or minor in order to learn the legal terminology required by the profession. Step 3: Receive Formal Training and Gain Experience Individuals interested in becoming legal interpreters can develop their skills through training programs and workshops offered through state courts and local or national interpreter associations. Some colleges also have training programs that teach legal interpreting skills. Most programs are certificate or associate degree programs, offering courses such as legal procedure and language, linguistics, and interpersonal communication. Some of these classes may be taken as part of or in conjunction with a bachelor’s degree program. Aspiring interpreters may also benefit from internships or volunteering to gain hands-on experience in their field. Step 4: Fulfill Court Requirements and Find Employment Most state courts mandate that legal interpreters pass a certification exam given by the court, a professional organization, or other agency. Many states recognize certification administered by the Consortium for Language Access in the Courts. Certification is also offered by the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators. Within the federal court system aspiring legal interpreters may find work as either certified interpreters, professionally qualified interpreters, or language skilled interpreters, depending on their professional credentials. Step 5: Seek Career Advancement Opportunities Experienced interpreters may consider pursuing supervisory positions or even starting their own firms. Individuals interested in becoming legal interpreters should have a bachelor’s degree in a foreign language, translation studies, or legal studies, and certification is typically required by the court system.

How Much Does an Interpreter Cost?

While translators work with the written word, interpreters focus on the spoken word. Professional speech interpreters frequently work in the business, healthcare, social work or judiciary fields, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Available for contract work such as guiding international travelers, interpreters may also interpret at conferences, legal trials or corporate events. Phone and video interpreting services have increased in popularity with the advancing technology. Typical costs: • Interpreting may take place in person, over the phone or via video phone. • In-person interpreters typically cost $50-$145 per hour. For example, American Language Services offers interpreters starting at $100 per hour (or $125 for sign language) and a two-hour minimum is required. • Phone interpreters typically cost $1.25-$3 per minute. Language Translation, Inc. offers a flat fee of $1.88 per minute for phone interpreting, for example. • Video interpreters typically range from $1.75 to $7 per minute. For instance, LifeLinks offers video interpreting from $2.25 per minute for any language and $2.95 for sign language. A 15-minute minimum is common for phone or video interpreting. What should be included: • Interpreters may specialize in languages ranging from French to Mandarin, and agencies should offer a number of qualified interpreters representing the majority of world languages. Sign-language interpreters are specially trained to relay speech to the hearing impaired, typically in American Sign Language. In-person interpreters should be booked several days to weeks in advance, depending on the agency. • Interpreter qualifications vary by state. For instance, Utah requires court interpreters to have some form of certification, but not for medical interpretation, according to the Utah Association of Professional Interpreters. Conference Interpreters may be active members of the International Association of Conference Interpreters. • Phone or video interpreters working with large call centers are typically available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No advance reservations are needed for this service.

Additional costs: • Travel time is typically billed extra, as an hourly rate or a set fee. For instance, interpreters working with the Utah Courts cost an additional 45 cents per mile or $40 per hour for travel outside of their county. • A two-hour minimum is common for in-person interpreters, so clients must pay extra if less than two hours of services are required. • It is common for sign language interpreters to switch off every 15 or 20 minutes, according to the Utah Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, because of the mental stamina required to interpret for long periods. Therefore, if an event is scheduled for longer than two hours, a second interpreter may be required. • Unless otherwise stated, international phone calls may incur additional charges on top of the phone interpreter’s fees. Shopping for an interpreter: • Search the online directory at the American Translator’s Association for a list of interpreting service companies and individuals. • The Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers a list of tips for working with a sign-language interpreter, both before and during an event.

ASL Lawyer

When you need legal help from an ASL Lawyer, please call Ascent Law LLC for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you.

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

Divorce West Valley

Utah Code 57-1-4

Box Elder County Utah

Does A Living Will Have To Be Filed In Court?

Writing A Will

Best 84070 DUI

{ "@context": "http://schema.org/", "@type": "Product", "name": "ascentlawfirm", "description": "Ascent Law helps you in divorce, bankruptcy, probate, business or criminal cases in Utah, call 801-676-5506 for a free consultation today. We want to help you. ", "brand": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "ascentlawfirm" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": "4.9", "ratingCount": "118" }, "offers": { "@type": "Offer", "priceCurrency": "USD" } }

Ascent Law St. George Utah Office

Ascent Law Ogden Utah Office

The post ASL Lawyer first appeared on Michael Anderson.

from Michael Anderson https://www.ascentlawfirm.com/asl-lawyer/

[mxrcayong]

the avatar series: 01.13

masterlist.

previous | next 

chapter twelve

~ flashback to 24 hours before ~

Roddie was practically imprisoned in the mayoral home. Guards were deployed all over the mansion, basically preventing her from even thinking about sneaking out past curfew, which was put at 7pm. Before, she wasn’t even done with her transit from school at 7pm. She was banned from leaving any time before 9am or after 7pm without ‘proper supervision’, making her essentially trapped in the same home as the father she despised.

It’s not like she has despised him all her life. In fact, he was an amazing father growing up. He was the one who taught her about how bending was ingrained and imperative in their culture, who taught her about the history of bending. Consequently, when he became mayor and eight years ago and his opinion rapidly changed, Roddie could practically recognized the man she called her father. Her confusion quickly changed to anger. Yes, before he was mayor – there was a mayor before who implemented the anti-pro-bending laws, but growing up; he always enthused to Roddie how much he would like to take her to one. Once he got the position of power, it seemed like he completely changed and became worse than the person before him. And when he started acting on his position of power, Roddie didn’t hesitate in separating herself from her father.

Consequently, for the last few days since the attack on the abandoned warehouse, Roddie has barely left her room. Her hopeless plans of avoiding her father initially consisted of her napping throughout the day and then working throughout the night, essentially giving her a completely different time zone from her father. However, her father was a politician. He’s practically always working. Not only that, but the staff in the home would always wake her up for meals – her mother insisting on hosting family dinners.

Being a politicians’ daughter made all eyes on them, especially now when the current news focuses on the politics of their society. Often, Roddie would use her attention to call out the government – which did nothing to repair her relationship with her father – however, this is the first time she’s been forcibly banned and censored by her parents and the staff.

Roddie cannot complain about this attention, especially if it meant that their family meals would almost always be interrupted by calls from other government officials or the press. Fortunately, this means her time with her father was interrupted.

Tonight’s dinner felt like the ordinary; a tense silence, the awkward clinking of utensils, the small conversation between her parents, and the resounding noise of chewing that took over any silence. Underneath the table, Roddie had her phone out – using her utensils with one hand and her other hand was texting her friends.

to: (glopo nerds + roddie): I actually hate this so much

to: (glopo nerds + roddie): kill me now pls

from jeyes (glopo nerds + roddie): can you just say you need to study?? we do still have an exam in a month

from lele (glopo nerds + roddie: I see why you call him a nerd now.

to (glopo nerds + roddie): excuse you you’re included

from lele (glopo nerds + roddie): I would offer to come over but I’m in a similar situation lol

One benefit from living in the mayoral estate rather than her dorms? She’s literally a street away from Chenle. Normally, she’s an elevator ride and multiple hallways away. Chenle was quite literally her neighboring home. It was why she saw him as a brother – for the last eight years, they lived next to each other.

to (glopo nerds + roddie): group call in 30??? Imma try to eat fast and get the hell outta here

from nana (glopo nerds + roddie): sorry too social for you guys 💁♀️  

from jeyes (glopo nerds + roddie) even for me??? 🥺

to glopo nerds + roddie: we literally have no other friends, shut up

from nana (glopo nerds + roddie): why you gotta expose me like that 😡  I s2g ik what parents mean when they say raising children ain’t worth it

Rolling her eyes at her friends, Roddie chewed her food faster but struggled due to the texture. She was debating asking one of the chefs to put the food aside for her to eat later, but she knew her mother would only make her finish eating now. Roddie was hungry – but her hunger couldn’t even motivate her to stay around her father longer. The anticipation to leave didn’t last long as a phone call soon brought her father away from dinner and to the other room.

Usually, he closes the doors – wanting the meetings to be private, especially if Roddie was there. She was known for calling out the government, and if she knew any of their secrets? He was certain they would be all over the news the next day.

But this time, he left the door open.

“Zhong, Amon,” His voice was faint and muffled by the door, but Roddie basically did everything she can to focus on what he was saying. “Don’t you think this is going too fast?” Robotic yelling could be heard from the phone. “Wait, what do you mean a reporter has been asking you questions?” Could he mean Tari’s so-called ‘best friend’? Roddie thought. “Why does this have to speed up-“He was interrupted���and he started walking away from the door. But, Roddie couldn’t deny the panic rising in his voice. In her eighteen years of life, Roddie has never heard her father’s voice rise in octave and spill quickly.

Her eyes widened, and this didn’t go unnoticed by her mother. “Aye, anak,” When her mother speaks in her family tribe’s native language, Roddie knows she’s about to get in trouble. “You know this is serious times. Please do not escalate things. You do not know what is going on.” Roddie remained silent, rolling her eyes. She didn’t want to be like her mother – standing idly by, being submissive to her father just because of the traditional roles she was raised to live by.

Practically stuffing her face – Roddie stopped caring about the possibility of choking. “IM DAHN.” Roddie screamed, her mouth still full of food. Ignoring her mother’s critique on her manners, she sprinted up to her room on the second floor.

As soon as she got into her room, she let her back land on the back of her door. Sliding down to a squatting position, she started texting one of her best friends.

To lele: hey hey emergency, can we meet?? Your dad isn’t there right???

From lele: he just left, why? Whatsup?

To lele: was it after a call?

From lele: ye how’d you know?

To lele: I overheard the calls…do you wanna be the Watson to my holmes?

To lele: the bess to my Nancy?

To lele: the hastings to my Poirot?

From lele: I’m in ONLY if you stop comparing us to famous detectives

From lele: the teachers in class heard you once and I think they genuinely thought my name was watson for a month

From lele: also im not always the sidekick smh 🤬 I s2g can I be appreciated more pls

From lele: whats up?

“Are you sure it’s safe to invite them?” Chenle asked Roddie as the two waited in the foyer for their bending friends. “They’re benders… they’re more at risk than us.”

Roddie rolled her eyes, “It’s nothing. Honestly, Jeno barely bends unless in a designated area. We know him, he’s a damp towel when it comes to bending.” Chenle laughed at the joke shared between them that Jeno is nowhere at all funny. The laugh, hopefully, covered up his fears he had for the safety of his friends. “Plus, Jaemin is my partner-in-crime, the Robin to my Batman, the-“ Roddie was about to continue listing characters, but the look on Chenle face practically threatening to leave right now stopped her. “I can’t do activist shit without him.”  

“How are you expecting us to leave your house by the way?” The younger boy furrowed his brows, “I was allowed because I’m legit a minute away. My guards saw me enter your house. But how do we get out of here?” The older girl and mastermind behind the plan pulled out her best puppy dog eyes, making Chenle’s eyes practically roll to the back of his head. “What is it?” He practically growled.

Roddie started swaying, trying to act cuter. “Do you remember the old mannequins I had when I was into fashion for like a month?” Chenle nodded. “Can you help me look in the basement for them? We can say we’re sleeping over.”

“Where will our legs be?” Chenle almost yelled but hushed it to a whisper as guards started walking past them. “Your mannequins are legless.”

“Pillows?” Roddie said, more as a question.

“You didn’t think this out properly, did you?” Roddie ignored his question. “Do you even know where they have gone?”

Her eyes went wide momentarily, before she pulled put her phone. “I may or may not have taken photos of some documents I’ve seen laying around, maybe the address of the factory is in one of them.”

“Factory?” Chenle clarified. “Do you mean the factory on Bumi Boulevard?” Roddie’s eyes widened. How did he know classified information? “Listen, because you have a bad relationship with your father doesn’t mean I have one with mine!”

After thirty minutes of rummaging through the basement for the old mannequins and some wigs that could even remotely match their hair color and some of her father’s old college shirts to put on the mannequins. Scattering the four mannequins around the room in a somewhat cohesive manner, they had two mannequins lying down on a beanbag and two on the bed – both lying down facing the opposite direction. Roddie couldn’t help but be more thankful that Jaemin had dyed his hair bright blue or else they may not have been able to find a wig.

Screaming out her room saying they’re ‘going to be studying and then ‘having a sleepover’, Roddie blasted music in the room and the three took off. Roddie knew all the secret exits, and although the house is more guarded than usual, the four are all wearing black and due to the darkness of the night, can easily be concealed. Additionally, the guarded element of her life comes from her designated guard checking in on her every hour.

Another thing Roddie couldn’t be happier for? Jeno having a driver’s license. Bumi Boulevard, although is connected to the train station, Chenle mentioned how its in more of the outskirts of the city. “You do realize I’m not some valet.” Jeno teased, climbing into the driver’s seat with Jaemin in the shotgun.

The car lifted off the ground. “Every time you invite me to go out at night, it’s either a sleepover or when you need a ride.”

“Don’t take it personally, Jeno.” Jaemin commented from beside him. “It’s just because you don’t like parties and the only time Roddie goes out at night, other than with us, is to party.”

“That’s a noble reason!” Roddie tried to convince him, “I’m respecting your preferences.”

“Whatever.” Jeno was teasing of course. As much as they say he isn’t funny, he’s quite funny and Roddie cannot deny it. “Okay, so let’s go over a game plan. We can’t just waltz in.”

“We can’t?” Roddie asked, genuinely confused. She’s pretty much used to getting access to most government buildings, unless her father has told the police to ban her from entering. That usually happened once she breaks in. She didn’t even know about the factory yet, so it’s practically impossible that she’s been banned.

“Jaemin, I can’t give her the look or else my eyes will be off the road.” Jeno groaned. “Can you glare at her with disappointment for a minute? Maybe for even twenty? Never have I heard a more stupid statement in my life.” Jeno teased. Roddie slapped the head rest of Jeno’s seat in offense. None of them expected Jaemin to actually give Roddie a disappointed look for five minutes as Chenle started brainstorming ideas.

Jaemin interrupted Chenle’s idea of ‘dressing up like barbeque delivery guys’ with even more disappointment than Jeno implied him giving. “You guys are literally their children. Does anyone-“ Jaemin let out a soft ‘ah’ when he saw Jeno with a backpack, “Just say that you have something in your bag you have to give to your dad.”

“Okay, well it’s probably best to me.” Chenle noted. “Everyone knows how much Roddie hates her dad.”

“What if they go through the bags?” Roddie asked, remembering the security checks in the government building. “Jeno, did you pack anything that can somewhat resemble a gift?”

“I think?” Jeno questioned himself, voice full of uncertainty. “I mean, at this point, because of school and stuff, I just carry the bag out of habit. I haven’t actually touched it or opened it and saw everything inside for like…a month?”

Roddie cringed in disgust. “Okay, well, as long as there are no condoms in there or snotty tissues, I can imagine it being okay.”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t okay. “Sorry to ask, but what exactly of these are you giving to your dad?” The security guard asked. Somehow, they managed to convince them that Chenle needed to bring his friends inside to reduce his anxiety about being in a government facility. Honestly, Chenle was glad this person was someone he hasn’t seen before – or else they would know Chenle basically lives in the city hall when he wasn’t with friends.

He was faced with the contents of Jeno’s bag; some lint, a beaten up water bottle, protein powder, a ‘5 free coffees’ card that expired a month ago with only three coffees being used (Jaemin scowled so hard at Jeno for not letting Jaemin use it at the sight of it), and a laptop in a casing that definitely didn’t belong to a government official.

“Oh, he left his…personal laptop at home.” Chenle lied, scratching the back of his head. “He messaged me saying he needed it…I couldn’t find his laptop case though, so I put it in…mine.” The laptop case in question? A plain white one, which had some unfortunate drawings of penises on it with sharpie (Chenle can take credit for the first penis on there- having drawn it when Jeno fell asleep during a lecture).

The security guard nodded, obviously somewhat skeptical. They sighed. “Okay, well, he’s in the meeting room with Amon so just leave it in his office. I think they’re having a private talk.” They noted, “All the guards were told to leave that floor.”

Chenle quickly nodded. The four of them nod politely and thanked them, before running to the closest map they could see inside the factory. The factory seemed to be completely made out of metal and with more levels underground than over it. Thousands of rooms surrounded the edges, but something about the factory felt like an auditorium. The floors above the very bottom floor seemed to act like balconies looking down at the center. She could see what happens on the bottom floor, which she would say is approximately 17 floors below her on ground level, from her position next to the map on the pillar. “Okay, so my dad and your dad are in the office with…Amen?”

“Amon.” Jaemin and Roddie said in-sync, remembering his name from all the news reports he’s been on.

“Right, Amon…” Chenle trailed off, before trying to understand the language on the map. It wasn’t something he’s seen before. In fact, they weren’t even words. They were numbers in some sort of sequence that doesn’t quite make sense to him, despite practically being an expert in math. “Uh…I don’t get it.”

Roddie decided to look around. Chenle and Jeno were the best at numbers. Her and Jaemin? Not so much. He once said 20 – 10 = 0 during a quickfire round of trivia. So her best bet is to observe while Jeno and Chenle analyse the plaque of the map on the pillar.

“Do you think we can find a lab coat or one of the uniforms?” Roddie asked, breaking away the trance of her friends on the plaque. “So we can get into more rooms easily.”

Jaemin snapped, grinning widely as he looked at his partner-in-crime. “Okay, I bet we can find a broom closet somewhere.” And that’s what Jaemin did. With no regards to walking into a private meeting or caught, he started trying to open any door he could see that seemed unlocked.

Behind the first door was a female bathroom, the second door was a weird test-tubey room, the third was something Roddie couldn’t even describe. It felt like some perverse and illegal version of the ‘Price is Right’ with the prices becoming more and more obscure.

Until finally, they got to a room resembling a locker room. And luckily for them, saw a cabinet labelled ‘extra uniforms’. “Thank fucking Roku.”

It felt like they were in the metal labyrinth for hours. Their hearts were consistently racing, worried about getting caught. Roddie and Chenle eventually had to disguise themselves – many guards offering to escort them to the office, to which they would always say ‘I’m heading to the bathroom’. They couldn’t feel luckier there were only so many workers here that they haven’t come across the same one twice, or else they would look like they’re having quite serious bladder problems.

They had no sense of time. The only thing that reminded them of the time was the clocks on the walls, notifying them it was now one in the morning. They got here around 10. That means they spent three hours trying to locate their parent’s secret office.

But normally, they’d be done with their meetings by now, right? Roddie thought back to all the times her father’s meeting went over time…it’s usually when something didn’t go to plan or it’s something with more risks than they thought. Shit, Roddie started biting her lip so hard – it bled at first contact with the tip of her tooth. We’re really in trouble. But she started praying they just went home by now. I hope.

It felt like a miracle the moment they got into a room that resembled an office. It required some failed attempts at lockpicking from Roddie and Jaemin, before expertful lock-picking from Jeno, who refuses to tell anyone how he learnt it. “Maybe Jeno is cooler than you guys.” Chenle teased, sneaking in behind them into the office. But the cocky words that left his mouth were the last of the same tone.

He was full of awe. This was Roddie’s dad’s office. Around the room had photos of Roddie as a child and family photos. While he was frozen in place, everyone else went searching around the room. It wasn’t long before they opened every drawer, every file (Chenle used his hacking skills to good use to open every computer file), every potential secret entrance handle – everything was turned upside down and sideways.

Everything they saw broke their hearts. Chenle’s and Roddie’s due to the destruction of their nation and Chenle’s disillusionment of his father, but Jeno’s and Jaemin’s because they could no longer feel safe.

But one folder revealed a lot. The folder title was ‘BENDING RALLY 001 – THE INITIAL STAGE’. Dozens and dozens of files and blueprints describing an event happening in a few days fell out as soon as they opened it.

“What is this?” Chenle said, almost as if he wasn’t there himself. He wasn’t like Roddie where he believed the worst in his family, particularly his father – but the documents proved otherwise.

Plans and blueprints of technology that would remove one’s ability to bend. Plans to temporarily disable their bending in order to ‘make a safer world’. But the blueprints show a sprinkler with an ‘anti-bending’ chemical in it, bracelets that look like Apple Watches with a band comparable to a single side of a handcuff. Both were made to suspend people’s bending – although there was minimal information on the blueprints if this will be permanently or temporarily suspended. A plan was made to have a registration event, mandatory for benders to come at a certain time and pick up the tool that’ll be oppressing them. There was another note saying they have to have a backroom for Amon ‘to do his magic’. What magic?

There were thousands of lists on the desks. From names of every citizen to the city to the lists of confirmed benders forced to register their bending ability due to their profession, the duo noticed that all lists focus on potential or confirmed benders living in Sooman. But one list caught Roddie’s attention.

On the top, the list showed how the official filtered and created this list. The categories were the birth year and which tribe their family has come from, according to their social identity information.

The list contained ten people and a message on top ‘to investigate these ten immediately’ and ‘nullify their risk’. Roddie couldn’t even imagine how they will be ‘nullified’.

There was one name that shouted at her, as if the black text suddenly became bold and red and underlined a million times. There was no way, Roddie thought – trying to recall her every interaction with them. It can’t be …but they don’t know that, they might kill them. She took out her phone and texted someone who could get to the bottom of this. Only once her information is confirmed will she tell them. She didn’t want to panic them.

But even as she left, the visual of ‘Tari Kotala’ dead center in the list of identities haunted her like a devil on her shoulder.

request anything for future parts / penny for your thoughts here

[judgement-free-sideblog]

The enemy of love is the truth

Pairing: Tom Hiddleston x reader

Summary: They were happy just as friends, but one morning the call from an old trauma may change everything.

Warnings: Alcohol consumption, history of drug use, mental health issues, cursing, angst, a little smut, violence.

I want to apologize in advance, I did my fare share of smut between 2008 and 2011, jesus we called them lemons back then (I'm so old, sorry) but in my native language. And even if I wasn't out of practice translating that kind of scenes is a complete nightmare, so I'm so sorry for what you are going to read.

■Part I  ■ Part II ■Part III ■ Part IV ■ Part V ■ Part VI ■ Part VII ■ Part VIII | Final ■

Part VI

"She invited you to ex's wedding?" Charlie said squatting out of breath, it was almost 8:00 am and they had been running since 7:00. "Don't you think it will be a bit inappropriate? I mean what if she still have feelings for that guy? God I need to lie down"

"Technically I invited myself..." Tom started also taking big breaths "Oh don't look at me like that, she they broke up long time ago, and even if she is not over him she would need support there, isn't that right Bobby??" He knelt to pet his dog, who looked at them puzzled by how tired they seemed to be.

"So, when is the big day?" He said finally standing up.

"Saturday, but apparently we are going to a small diner on friday night, the whole event is in a Hotel in West Yorkshire, and I don't feel like driving four hours in the same day"

"If I don't know you better I would say you're a brilliant bastard" he said choking out a laugh.

"Why?"

"Nice romantic hotel in the country, the emotional vulnerability of seeing your ex getting married, the comfort of the nice blue eyes of a loving friend" he said making and exaggerate gesture to Tom's face "But is you so ai assume you won't even share a room platonically"

"You are completely out of your mind" he said laughing "although it is a nice place, look" He showed him the electronic invitation where both bride and groom smiled to each other in front of the hotel.

"Is that the guy? Well she certainly had a type" he said studying the picture "I mean if he were older or a bit more fit he would look just like you" Tom look at the picture again not finding the resemblance "I'll tell you something if you guys finally do hook up could you wait until March to tell people? I said 3 years and 1 month and Zawe said 3 years exactly and I don't feel like letting her win."

"Do you really have a betting pool about us? Don't worry, I wouldn't tell you anything even of something happens" he said with a chuckle and they continued their run.

On friday at 3:00 p.m. he showed up at Y/N's place, with Charlie's words still resonating in his head, he found her in a beautiful burgundy off shoulder column cocktail dress and black heels, making this the third time he ever saw her in a dress, it was a big difference from the usual sneakers and hoodies, not a bad one but he couldn't help a bit of jealousy thinking this was for someone else.

"Stop staring at me, I know it's ridiculous and I'm gonna break my bloody neck with this things" She said showing him the fragile tip of one of the heels, he smiled founding his friend true nature even in that situation. "Stupid dress codes, is it too late to stay home? I have a rosé in the fridge wwith your name on it if you let me..."

"And losing the opportunity of seeing you roll your eyes at every old men comments on the country's economy?" He said putting her back inside the car and immediately after offering her hand to enter the car "Not a chance. You look lovely by the way"

"I won't roll my eyes at them, believe it or not, I do know how to handle myself in social events" She put on her seatbelt and he started the car turning on the GPS "Is the idea of meeting our old friends from uni and his parents what freaks me out, they must think I'm some kind of monster"

Our for some reason that word hurt more than it should, he brushed off the idea from his head again, jealous was an useless emotion to him and a dangerous one too in some people, and he was determined to not let them get the best of him.

"I don't think they would have invited you if they felt like that, or at least not to the rehearsal dinner too if that was the case." He said taking an exit indicated in the GPS.

"You clearly don't know Agnes Hawtrey" He briefly turn to her intrigued "David's mother, she is a rich harpy obsessed with showing everyone all the money their family has. I feel sorry for her future daughter in law, but since they actually getting married I assume she is not some Liberal brat who thinks spending Christmas in Libya is appropriate" She said imitating an high pitch voice with a posh accent.

"Why Libya?"

"Medecins sans frontiers" She answered "I volunteered to work with them in my holidays and David followed me a couple times. Agnes hated me for it, I actually think she was happy when I left him."

"Do you speak french?" He asked again trying to change the subject.

"Enough to work with them, but I'm completely rusty by now" she answered "I know it's too much effort to escape a suffocating relationship" the angry beast that had formed in his chest began to fade thanks to the idea of she not being entirely happy with the other guy, so he decided to approach the problem differently.

"I don't understand how do you end up together in the first place, you are too much of a free spirit to be around someone like that" He said, by now the city was getting behind them and he could start driving faster.

"Well my family is actually quite wealthy" She started causing a puzzled expression in his face "I reject any form of help from them and live on my own, but I did play my part in society for a while, so it seemed meant to be at the time. Of course I turned out to be a rotten apple and at some point I believe I was his excuse to hide how much he didn't enjoy their life style. I told you he was no saint, and maybe those where our finest moments" She said with a nostalgic smile, as if she remembered an specially pleasing memory. "But real life happened, you know? You are gonna like him don't worry"

"Well he sounds like a decent men" he said bitterly because his idea backfired "Music?"

They spend the rest of the trip talking about meaningless topics and singing along with the radio, by the time they eentered Yorkshire it was seven in the afternoon and the sun was standing to hide, the Waterton Perk hotel was magnificent, romantic and secluded as Charlie said, in the middle of a lake connected to land by a bridge full with trees naked by the winter that make the mansion looking more as something out of a fairytale.

He helped her out of the car and enjoyed having her body close to him while they crossed the bridge preventing her to fall with her heels. They entered a small lounge where people where waiting for the dinner to be served. As she had said earlier that week most of the people attending were old family friends of the bride and groom, and not many young faces were in the crowd. Except from those who he believed were the Uni friends, he introduced himself and even took a picture with one of the girls who had a similar reaction as Y/N when she met him.

Y/N was now chatting, a few meters away, more comfortable with them expecting the arrival of the main guests, while a couple of people were distracting Tom, complimenting his performance as Coriolanus a few years back and praising his Robert Down, so he couldn't notice the old woman, elegantly dressed in a light gray dress walking towards Y/N and dragging her apart from her friends, until she start talking in that high pitch voice Y/N had imitated very well earlier.

"How dare you showing your face in here?" The woman said to her while the young woman only remind silent not meeting her gaze "You spoiled ridiculous brat, after what you did to my boy, you should be ashamed..."

"Relax Agnes," She finally said lifting her look, Tom then was about to intervene but he could se a quiet rage behind her otherwise unaffected face, and felt forced to stay and watch "Let me remind you that your son invited me. And the last time I checked you are not David, also if you cared a little about your precious boy you wouldn't be making a fool of yourself in front of your guests" People where now standing very close to them listening every word the women said.

"You are right dear," Agnes started with a tone that said just the opposite, but smiling regaining her composure "After all how can I expect manners from a little trash from Devon anyway" Y/N let out a sarcastic laugh at the remark against her hometown and looked at her while the elder woman turned her back on her.

"Of course because the loose daughter of a fisherman as you called me can't be a suitable in law for you, I honestly pity the poor woman who has to have you in her life, I hope you can control her since you couldn't do it with me...

Her sentence die in the air because an old hand full of rings slapped her before she could finish, a red mark started forming in Y/N face, an she was fighting the tears, both from the humiliation and the hurt, from coming out of her eyes. Tom could see Agnes hand getting ready to hit her again while he tried to reach Y/N when a hand stopped her out of nowhere and spoke with a deep angry voice.

"That's enough mother" The infamous David was there, holding her mother still and standing in front of Y/N as a shield, all welled dressed and athletic, she looked tiny behind him and the beast inside Tom's chest started growling again. "Dad I asked you to watch her, Diane will be here any minute and I can't have this happening right now" The man who Tom assume was his father took agnes outside of the room and the rest of the people returned to their conversations as if nothing happened, finally allowing him to get closer. "Are you ok baby?" He said looking finally at Y/N offering his handkerchief to wipe her tears, that last word burned like fire in Tom's ears, he was now facing her with his back to Tom, and the bright smile that she gave him when she answered was making him sick

"It's okay sweetheart" She give back the handkerchief and give the man a good look "Let her have it, she has wanted to do that for 15 years, it's only fare, you look amazing, I'm so happy for you" She hugged him and the familiarity he showed holding her, made Tom's blood boil, he wanted to get him apart from her immediately, and take her far away from him and the poisonous thought of they together for years was corrupting his mind, there it was, jealousy cold and simple, the only thing his mind kept telling him was: He had her, and you don't. He had her for years, just the way you want her, she was his.

"And where is your something like that, I'm dying to met the lad" He said letting her go.

"Right behind you" she said completely ignoring the change in Tom's expression who was looking at the two with his mind apparently somewhere else. "Tom this is David." She said calling his name and breaking the murderous thoughts he was having.

"Sorry I wake you up the other night mate... Bloody hell you beautiful minx you did it!" He said loudly hugging her by the shoulder and then, much to his displeasure, Tom "Years obsessed with him, and drooling to his posters in our house and here you are inviting him to my wedding, I must say girl you made it! congratulations." She started turning red again but this time from the embarrassment, and Tom finally relaxed, something about David's personality make it impossible for him to be angry, maybe it was the fact that he was genuinely happy and how could he not? It was his wedding after all.

"Posters?" He asked enjoying the desperation in Y/N eyes urging him to change the subject.

"Posters, dvds, tshirts, you name it, she dragged me to watch your movies like four times each time they were on the cinema and then watched them on repeat at our flat" He recalled with exasperation "Don't get me wrong you are a fine looking man but not my type"

"Oh god, I think I'm going to find your mother to slap me again" She said covering her face "Please, I beg you stop talking"

"Let the man finish, it's the most compelling history" Tom said and while he put his arm around her waist taking her close to him.

"I'm glad to see you two together, I was so relieved when she said she was bringing someone, not like she needs anyone" He said anticipating her reaction proving to Tom just how much he knew her "But you two look actually happy together, and she's the most wonderful person" Y/N was about to clear things out when Tom wink at her and pressed her a little closer to him.

"She actually is, and we are very happy" He said giving him one of signature smiles "Is that your bride?" A young looking woman entered the room with a beautiful pale pink dress, and she looked at them completely baffled.

"Oh yes baby, that's my Diane" the man said and Tom felt ashamed for his brief jealous attack as the man seemed to call everyone baby. "Guess who we wake up the other morning dear?" The man said urging the girl to join them.

"Oh my goodness" The woman started "Are you...?" Tom smiled and politely introduce himself, and David then introduced both women "I am so sorry about the other morning, I told David to wait until noon when we were in Pakistan but he called you anyways, it was four in the morning right?"

"Yes, but never mind, what where you doing in Pakistan?" Y/N said now holding tight Tom's waist too.

"Building a hospital, Diane's foundation hired me a couple years ago and that's how we met, we've been living there for like five months, we were just going to elope a few weeks back, but I did this so I wouldn't cause my mother an aneurysm, but she had to accept my conditions to make it happen" He said proudly.

"Like inviting me?"

"That was actually my demand" Diane said with a little blush on her face "I really wanted to meet you, I heard so many wonderful things about you I thought maybe it was time for you to be friends again"

"And I told her we never stopped being friends in the first place, but she is stubborn, and I can't resist her" they started kissing like there were no one else in the room and Tom and Y/N look at each other nervously.

"Oi! Leave something for tomorrow" on of their friends called them from the dining room "The food is here come on"

The rest of the night went by without any other incident, apart for the perpetual state of happiness that David showed for Tom's presence, by the time the rest of the gests went to find their rooms Y/N and Tom were taking a last walk in the cold night, it was until they were at the entrance of the bridge that he noticed they were holding hands.

"Your boyfriend is quite a nice gentleman" he said teasing her.

"By the amount of wine he was trying to make you drink I would think he wants to be your boyfriend" she responded quickly. "Why did you told him we were together?" She question him now completely serious.

"I didn't thought you wanted to explain the nature of our relationship after what happened with his mother. So until the wedding is over I suppose I'm your boyfriend. How is your face by the way?" He said, not giving importance to the matter while they kept walking.

"It has been better. And thank you I suppose you are right, and it is nice to imagine what could have been, if I haven't been an idiot at the restaurant all those years ago, and not scaring you into not calling back" He stopped suddenly making them broke contact.

"That's why you think I didn't called?" He asked perplex "I couldn't care less about that ridiculous tantrum, if anything I was more interested in you for it" she was too astonished by his declaration to talk so he continued "I didn't asked you out again because you said I'll see you around I assumed you didn't want to be involved with me that way so I didn't push it."

"Well..." She started quietly with a sad half smile in her face "I did say that, with that precise intention, but secretly hoping for you to call anyway, and I even considered to ask you out myself, but then we became friends and, I don't know it was for the best, but nights like this one make me wonder if we made a mistake."

"Please never say that again" He took her face with both hands his hands and looked deeply in her eyes "Every day I have spend with you regardless of what our relationship may be, has been a blessing. I wouldn't change it for the world" she let go a sigh and her breath turn into vapor in the night, making them realize the cold weather. "I think we should get back inside, you are gonna freeze out here love, and what kind of fake boyfriend will I be if I let you become an ice lolly?". He offered her his arm so they could get back inside, his mind thinking too about how much he wanted to call her the minute he got home that day, but as always trying to respect her he didn't , and as always he calmed his regrets telling himself it was for the best, even if every passing day he felt more and more the opposite.

The room they had book was nice and comfortable, the big canopy bed in the middle was a beautiful promise of a long night of sleep and the window had a beautiful look at the lake. They both will be lying if they said this was the first night they have spend together, falling asleep talking in Tom's couch had happened more than half a dozen times, and even if Y/N never accepted it in front of her friends, she had stayed a couple of nights with him watching Bobby getting better, even sleeping in the same bed completley completely consumed by fatigue, so there was no awkwardness between them about consciously sharing the bed.

She took her heels off and found her silky romper pyjama in her suit case next to her travel size copy of Wuthering Heights, wich she occasionally read when she traveled and with the look outside the mansion it seemed appropriate, Y/N sit in the armchair in the corner of the room to read, waiting for Tom to get out of the shower, after reading four times the same paragraph without getting anything from it she realized just how tired she was.

She heard the door opened and saw him getting out of the shower whit just a pair of black loose sweatpants dangling from his hips and a thin line of pubic hair crawling up from the waistband dying in his perfect abs, drying his hair with a towel.

"What?" He asked her looking at her finally. "Do you feel alright darling?"

"I'm just tired" she said quickly taking her clothes and getting into the bathroom for a much needed cold shower. When she stepped out after drying her hair she almost fell down because he had turned out all of the lights and was already deeply sleeping, she'll have time to nagging him about how inconsiderate that was in the morning, she entered the bed and close her eyes trying to drift apart and think about nothing when she felt his arms suddenly trapping her and bringing her closer to him by her waist.

She didn't mind since they had cuddled like that before, even when this particular time she could feel the bare skin of his chest in her back, but then the hand that was holding her started moving slowly caressing her belly and some parts she often felt self conscious about, then slowly moving down to her thigh, she was about to finally move and stop him when she felt his breath behind her back and his deep voice in her ear.

"Are you awake?"

"Yes" Y/N said in a tiny whisper while his hand found her way under the fabric of her romper.

"Are you cold again?" He asked this time brushing his nose in her neck, every inch of her skin was reacting to his touch and the deep tone of his voice was making her wet "you are shaking"

"It's not about that" she answered incapable of moving only embracing the magnificent sensations she was receiving.

"Am I making you feel uncomfortable?" His hand had finally found her lacy panties and he had stopped only touching the seam waiting for her permission to continue. "Do you want this to happen?" He said stopping his movements completely, she could feel her heart racing and all logic flying away.

"Yes, I want it" she said finally and he caressed her womanhood over the thin fabric, making her soaked, while his other hand tried to remove the top part of her jumper sliding down the traps leaving her braless chest exposed.

"Naughty girl" He said with a chuckle leaving a trace of kisses in her back and cupping her breast in his hand playing with her niple until it was hard and them pinching it to get her in that point between pain and pleasure.

He move apart the fabric of her panties and let one of his long digits inside her making her moan in pleasure and impatiently brushing her thighs together desperate for more friction, she could feel his arousal pressing firmly in her buttocks, and all this anticipation was only to torture her.

"Don't be impatient my dear" he said letting in another finger and curling them inside her, touching her right on the spot to make her lost her mind "Tell me that you want it Y/N" he order her and she let go another moan.

"Fuck me Tom, fuck me please!" She said and he immediately took his fingers out to pin her in the bed under him.

He finished taking the rest of her clothes in one movement and opened her legs ready to enter her, he give her one last deep look with those piercing blue eyes and he bend to kiss her...

"You should take a shower or at least put on something more comfortable" Tom face said suddenly wearing his glasses and fully clothed. Y/N blink twice, before shaking the sleepiness, and trying to figure out what was happening. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up, but I thought you may want to shower before going to sleep"

She finally opened her eyes completely and could see him out of the shower on his pijamas, her silky romper still waiting for her to take a shower and her book comfortably resting on the lamp stand next to her.

"Yeah sure, I'm too tired I must have fallen asleep, thanks for waking me up" she said avoiding his look and desperately picking up her fresh clothes.

"Sure love, you can't be at the wedding with a crooked neck" he said picking up the book she was reading. "You were moving a lot so I imagine that armchair can't be comfortable" he said with a distracted smile and she went straight to the bathroom before turning red of embarrassment.

Y/N slammed the bathroom door closed, and Tom stood next to the armchair looking where she was just moments before, once he heard the water fall in the shower he massaged his temples, trying to erase from his mind what he had seen but it was impossible and he really didn't want to forget it. She was sweating and panting when he got out of the shower, and the neckline of her dress a was a little lower than usual perfectly countoring her breasts.

He stood there looking at her and it took him just one more second to realized what kind of dream she must've been having. Blushing and feeling like a pervert he walked back into the bathroom determined to make as much noise as he could to wake her up when he heard her moan. Fuck me Tom, fuck me please! He walked back to her and before the blood abandoned his brain entirely, to migrate to his lower region, he did the logical thing and wake her up.

He exhaled feeling like and idiot. This was going to be a long weekend.

[thisuserhasoriginalideas]

(Still nameless project) Character and Species master post

Soo how some might have noticed I am working on an original Idea for a comic and this will be my Character master post which I will add to whenever I got a new addition for the cast.

The premise of the story basically some aliens going on an adventure to find earth and join a supposed interplanetary peaceful conglomeration because they caught a transmission of an old cheesy and corny scifi series (ala star trek or well early Perry Rhodan when you actually know that novel series you get a free smooch from me)

The Lophorel and the Narlaha

Those are the first Species to be introduced and well the ones where the original three crew members will start off .

For demonstration purposes I include a pic of the parents of the first three bc I still need to make a general species guide for them lol

(From left to right: Shejeren, Noroph'a, Uruphija'l, Charalah I will give some short specific info about them later lol)

Both species share one planet which is the second in their solar system and has three moons orbiting around it.

The Lophorel are native to surface of the planet and usually have a skin color ranging from very light blues to dark purples. They have gem like growths on their heads which is surrounded by a skin covered bone structure which either is build like an ark or a row of lill spikes. They have pointy ears and their bigger eyes have octagonal pupils which form a cross when constricted. Usually their Iris has the same color as their gem and their Sclera is black, in rare cases there can be mutations of color tho. With their eyes they can perceive a wide array of colors and even some elektro magnetic phenomena in their environment but they are pretty much blind in low light situations. They usually wear longer hair (short hair is seen as obscene in their culture) in different braided styles. While white hair is the most common hair color in their species there are also variants of reddish browns that can occur. They aren't very strong however but do to their legs agile and good at jumping. Height wise they can get from 1,60 m (5' 2'')up to 1,90 m (6' 2'') They are generally hermaphrodites and don't have naval  due to laying eggs. They use the terms Eren (Seedgiver) and Ophat (shellcarrier) to adresse their parents and it occurs that siblings from the same parent pair use diffrent terms for addressing the same parent. They also number their children with the last sibille of their name so for example having 'rel' at the end of a name means that it is the first hatched child YEP I gonne write a language guid later someday lol . While being omnivore they have developed a distaste to eating meat and as a culture live mostly vegetarian.

The Narlaha are used to live mostly under the surface of the planet and are often called Nipht by the Lophorel which is similar to calling someone and earthworm. In turn the Narlaha call the Lophorel Kar'alarf which literally means stone-head. They are significantly smaller than their surface dwelling neighbors and only get around 1,50 m (4' 9''). They have four arms and are significantly physically stronger. Due to their carnivore nature and history of hunting they have sharp claws and teeth and usually a very dark grey skin completion mixed with red markings which makes them blend in with their stone surroundings. Their four eyes are one tones and most of the time their eye colors range from white grayish to red. They may only see the world in reddish and green tones but they have excellent vision in dark areas. The bone structure on their head helps them sensing vibrations from their surroundings. They are more like us humans when it comes to their genders and sexualities soo no big explanation here. But they don't really have their own names instead a family name is given from the chosen parent to the child with either a 'lah'(born female), 'ren'(born male), 'len' (born intersex) at the end depending on the biological sex they are born with. Also they tend to have brown to black hair only sometimes they mutate blond hair. Also there are albinos I'm the Species

In the history of their species they obviously didn't get along very well most of the time so after a view wars the Lophorel sadly established a trend of enslaving the Narlaha bc the Lophorel (having the advantage of not limited airspace) were technology more advanced than the Narlaha, who due to limited space couldn't build respected deferenses against the most of the time vibration based attacks of the Lophorel. While the violent ages of this planet are now gone both their cultures got so accustomed to the practice of slavery that there are barely any objectors on both sides of the coin. Still during the events of the story there some thing about to be changed lol.

And now off to a few words to the named characters above. They are as stated the Parents to the first three crew members of the story. Noroph'a is a rich space miner that makes his living with deploying mining ships to other planets of their solar system. They married the way less fortunate Uruphija'l due to practicality and the wish to produce taller offspring (They are a little insecure about their height). Both of them are rather strict and caught up in outdated social rules. After they conceived their first egg they bought Shejeren and Charalah bc they also were expecting a child and Noroph'a wanted their offspring to grow up with an always present play buddy bc he also grew up with a Narlaha play mate. After Charalah gave birth to a little baby daughter (Shejelah) She and her husband were kept as bodyguards for the two Lophorels while a third Narlaha took care of Shejelah and the now also hatched Ala'phrel.(Charalah and Shejeren already had a older child Chararen who at this point already worked in a diffrent household [Narlaha children get independent pretty quickly]). In general where the two Narlahas pretty happy to have landed in Noroph'a's household because their new daughter now had the privilege to get the basics of a good high tier education together with Noroph'a's offsprings which would mean that she could later find a home as a home preschool teacher which is considered a honorable position for a  Narlaha. Noroph'a  and Uruphija’l had one more child (Nirlaph) and even tho Shejeren and Charalah tried to also conceive again Shejelah stayed the only young Narlaha in the household. 

On to the important peeps

(From left to right Nirlaph, Ala’phrel, Shejelah)

Growing up together the three established a strong bond and even tho it was planed to send Shejelah away as she got old enough to be sold off again Ala’phrel and Nirlaph both protested against their parents wishes and kept Shejelah around. This is partially because when they were younger and first got to have tech based toys the three of them build a simple signal receiver which accidentally lead them to catch an old transmission of a show called "Captain Jacks search through the stars" which depicted a utopian society without racism and slavery. They didn't understand a word of what was said in the show but the depiction of different races (even tho they were suspiciously similar in general looks) working together seemingly without race hierarchy fascinated the three kids to such an extend that they from there on strived to one-day be able to meet Captain Jack and his Crew and join their ranks. They over time established a translation of the alien language and made it their own. Learned all principles which Captain Jack resided as foundation of the peaceful planets conglomeration and started studying all skills need to actually fly a space ship.

Even tho the three kids treated each other as equals the older they got the more Shejelah had to oblige to the house rules, meaning she had to adapt to the servant clothing, had to learn formal speaking rules and wasn't allowed to speak without spoken to in general. While she did conform to those rules to some degree the suppressed aggression against them lead to her having a very strange relationship with human swear words. She really likes to sprinkling them in when she has the opportunity to speak freely. In general she seem to be a rather reserved individual (despite the swearword occasionally slipping out) but that's just as long as she doesn't trusts you. At times she seems to be just a tad sassy which is a way for her to handel her insecurities about her social status and her struggle to actually  come forward with requests  regarding herself, bringing her ideas forward or just simply saying ‘no’ to a request. It is very important to her to be able to choose her own clothing and she often will change her outfits as she sees fit just because being forced to wear a unified and dull outfit for most of her life evoked a desire of outward expression of herself in her. So even tho she dawns a version of the uniform they have seen the crew members of captain Jack wear she  will take her own spin on them and  proudly wears her own creations. She wears an open nose ring to honer her upbringing as slave and symbolize her now found freedom. Shejelah is often called just Jelah by her two friend after  seeing the crew members of Jack using Nicknames for each other, while this is a shorter version of her name it also means ‘brain’ in an ancient language of the  Lophorel. And indeed a brain she is, not just having the strength of her species  Shejelah is quite smart and has a high interests in quantum physics and chemistry. She will often work together with Nirlaph, who has a interests into engineering to invent and upgrade all sorts of gadgets and knickknacks.   Speaking of Nirlaph (Nick: Nor translatable with ‘fluffy chicken’) they are non a less brilliant but suffer a severe case of being skittish and uncertain. As the younger sibling they often had to live to the standards the older one leid down first  and while they are in many aspects superior to their sibling the stress of being held up to already high standards got to them at a young age. So while they are capable of being  brilliant and an absolute genius their anxiety and stage fright often hold them back. So more often then not they tend to overthink decisions and either screw something up in the execution do to the anxiety or just not doing it at all even tho deep down they know they should have. They still don’t hold a grudge against their older sibling to the contrary they heavily rely on the fare more outgoing and intuitive  Ala’phrel to pull them for Support and to just pull them against  through it. But other than  Ala’phrel and Shejelah they prefer to keep to them selves  often working in the dead of the night and in secret  on their projects  to avoid the awkwardness that brings working under the public eye. But also he refuses to give their  and Shejelah’s brilliant invention to a society that wouldn’t even acknowledge Shejelah’s part in them  which they think is way greater than their part in them. So even if both of their work could have revolutionized the space travel of their society they keep their inventions a secret which will later be to their advantage. But well without  Ala’phrel the trio wouldn’t get to the point where they will find them selves.  Ala’phrel is bold, charismatic and understands how to get their way. They are the driving force behind the whole story dragging the other two further  into the right direction. While lacking the brilliant and deep understanding of the scientific backgrounds  their bordering on delusional positive attitude and admiration of the concepts  they have seen in the show keeps them all moving forward. Ala’phrel isn’t shy of justifying controversial actions ( like stealing a ship from their parents) with the greater  intention behind them which sometimes leads to further trouble they need to deal with together with their friends which more often than not build the perfect contra weight to  Ala’phrel ‘s at times insane schemes. They definitely are a bit too much obsessed with captain Jack and his crew and them being real so you could say they are a super fan. But in the end they have good intentions even tho they lack the experience they always try to do the best for their friend and for themselves.

[daydreamingfics]

When We Collide - Chapter One

Word Count:  2,535 

Chapters Released: 1 - Masterlist

Warnings: Slow Burn (this story won’t be going from 0-100. Hopefully, ya’ll won’t find it to be a complete snooze-fest. Other than that, this chapter really just introduces characters. There may be a swear word or two, but that’s it. 

Authors Note: This is the first piece that I’ve written in a very long time, and though I’m nervous about releasing it into the world... I’m also very excited to share this little story that I’ve concocted in my head. I have so many stories that I think up and never post out of fear, and I decided that it ends now. I’m also slowly getting back into second-person style writing as it’s not my favorite, so any feedback on how I can improve is much appreciated! I hope that ya’ll enjoy this story!

*This story is inspired by the song ‘When We Collide’ by Jon Foreman. I would definitely recommend giving the song a listen. Thank you so much for checking out this story! 

Ten-minutes into the trek back to Downtown Los Angeles you started seeing signs for Paradise Cove. You had never ventured out to this particular beach mainly because you never really had a reason to be in Malibu, to begin with. But after seeing numerous signs for the location, you decided that a quick pit-stop was worth making time for. Plus, after the shit show morning that you had- the last thing you were in the mood for was the hours of editing that awaited you back in the office. With the exit rapidly approaching, you looked over at your videographer, Reggie, who was operating the wheel.

“Hey Reg, do you mind dropping me off up here at Paradise Cove? I just need a minute to breathe before we attempt to salvage any useful material out of the interview footage.’

Taking a quick glance from the road over to you, Reggie let out a chuckle in understanding. Reggie was an older gentleman, most-likely early fifties, but he’d holler out that he didn’t feel a day over thirty if you were to ask him. The topic of Reggie’s age was often a running joke throughout the office, as no one but the man in question knew of his real age. He had a heart of gold and years of experience in the business. You were thrilled when the two of you had been paired-up for assignments. If there was anything that you didn’t entirely understand or if an interviewee got a little cross with you, Reggie, always had your back. Over time, the two of you had developed a sort of father-daughter type of relationship. Having grown up in a single-mother household, Reggie indeed was the closest thing you’d ever had to a father.

“Sure thing, Y/N. Need me to stick around the area to pick you back up after a while?” Reggie questioned, knocking you out of the momentary daydream that you had fallen into.

Shaking your head, you sent Reggie a small smile. “No, you can go ahead back to the office. I don’t want to keep you. I won’t be long, though, wouldn’t want to miss out on all the fun editing ahead of us. I’ll just get an Uber back.” Once the shoreline came into view, you knew that you had made the right decision. It's as if the day's stress was already melting away.

”Here, take this for your ride back. And call me if you need anything.” Reggie voiced as he held out a twenty.

”Reg, I appreciate it, but I'm fine. I may not get any worthwhile assignments, but I do still get a paycheck.” you laughed.

”You know that I won't take no for an answer, Y/N, so just take it.” Reggie replied while placing the crumpled bill into your hand. ”Now go, enjoy yourself! Be safe. Don't talk to strangers! And be home before the street lights come on. It's all types of crazies out in Malibu!”

”Yes, dad. I got it. I got it! Don't worry.” you snickered dramatically as you sent Reggie a wave while exiting the vehicle.

Paradise Cove was precisely that, a picturesque beach situated just off of the Pacific Coast Highway with towering sandstone cliffs that made it feel as if you were in a whole other world. Given that it was a Tuesday afternoon, the beach was virtually vacant, which was precisely what you had desired. You needed a few moments to decompress and rid some of the clutter that had taken up residence inside of your head. Slipping out of your patent leather pumps, you relished in the warmth that surrounded your toes as you took your first steps onto the golden sand. Your hometown was a small coastal community so, naturally, you were a sea lover by heart. It saddened you that in the year and a half since moving out to California, you could count on one hand how many times you got to have a beach day. Making a mental note to work on actually having a life outside of the office, you gathered your shoes in one hand and followed the sound of the waves crashing against the shore until you were right where the land and sea meet. Tilting your head towards the infinite blue sky, you inhaled the salty air and allowed the warm breeze to cascade all around you. Nothing but the sound of the waves and the seagulls screeching as you shut your eyes and lived in the moment.

Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as you walked along the pristine shoreline. Nearly an hour had passed since Reggie dropped you off, yet you couldn't get enough. Every way you veered, your eyes discovered something new. A few more people had wandered out by this point, yet the calmness remained. You watched as children created sandcastles, and splashed to their heart's content in the majestic blue waters. Not wanting to wander too deep into the unknown, you decided to turn around and go back the way you came. It was then that your eyes landed on him. You didn't recall seeing him previously, so you figured that he couldn't have been sat there long. He looked to be about your age with grey, almost silver-hued hair that was fashioned in an odd cut. In all honesty, the style would likely look hideous on anyone else, but he pulled it off. From your view, you also happened to notice that he had a multitude of piercings adorning his ears, and some type of slit going through one eyebrow it appeared. Again, you thought of just how unflattering that would look on anyone else. Yet, here, this guy was making it work. Really making it work. You contemplated getting closer to where he sat, maybe even striking up a conversation, but what would you even say. ’Nice weather we’re having?’

Aside from that, the fact that he was alone was a good indication that he had come out here with intentions similar to your own. For peace or quite, perhaps, both. He appeared to be rooted in thought and clearly focused on what he was doing. A notebook was his primary focal point, and you watched as he scribbled word after word inside of the book. He seemed to be on a roll, and the last thing you wanted was to be some random chick disturbing his focus. So, you decided that you’d just continue to admire from afar until you passed him. No harm in just looking, right? As long as you kept it discrete and didn't give off any grade-A creeper vibes, it’d be fine. You just couldn’t shake the feeling that, for some reason, this complete stranger felt familiar to you. He had this aura about him, and you racked your brain trying to place his face but kept coming up blank. As your feet drew you closer to where he sat, you struggled to fix your eyes on something else. Anything else. But, nothing quite caught your attention like him. Deciding that you had about one more quick look left before you would appear completely stalker-ish, you glimpsed back at the boy one final time, only this time he was gazing right back with a knowing smile.

You completely stopped moving at the sight as if somehow standing still would make you invisible, but no. Red leaked into your cheeks as you nervously mirrored his captivating smile, and even braved casting a small wave in this direction, to which he thankfully returned. How embarrassing would it have been if he were looking at someone else? You mused as your mind became momentarily distracted, thinking up all types of worse case scenarios. Peering over at the boy once more, you were shocked to see that he had shifted his positioning slightly and made just enough space on the beach towel for one more. For the second time in mere minutes,  the two of you locked eyes as he motioned for you to come and join him. Were you really going to just waltz on over and sit near a man that you knew absolutely nothing about? Yes, that was precisely what you were going to do. The image of Reggie giving you his ‘don’t talk to strangers’ lecture replayed in your head on a loop as you made your way over to the boy. You cautiously sat down beside the stranger, attempting to keep as much distance in-between the two of you as possible, which proved to be no small feat considering that the beach towel was intended for one. You could feel the awkward level rising as neither of you spoke a word, just sat there staring at each other with matching smiles and curious features.

“I’m Hongjoong.” he finally voiced after a few more seconds of silence. The sound of his voice was even better than you had thought it would be. You could sense that English wasn’t his native tongue, but at that moment, you could have sworn that the boy had invented the entire English language all by himself. 

“I’m Y/N. It’s really nice to meet you, Hongjoong,” you uttered nervously. Being this close to him was making you feel all mushy inside, and it was taking every fiber in your being to keep your shit together. The last thing you wanted was to create a complete fool of yourself.

After the initial awkwardness had worn off, the conversation between the two of you flowed seamlessly. Hongjoong was so animated and passionate with his words, and you quickly found yourself hanging onto every single one. Though you hadn’t known the man for long, you had already reached one conclusion, he was magnificent. You opened up and shared parts of yourself that had been locked away for years with Hongjoong because, for some reason, you felt as if you’d known him your entire life. He assured you that the feeling was mutual as you both revealed more than you probably should have considering you’d just met. Hongjoong had even let you in on why he had chosen to spend his day off at the beach, stating that he was in search of inspiration. Though the two of you never discussed your careers, you did discover that the notebook you’d seen him writing in were lyrics that he had composed. He briefly mentioned that his reasoning for being in the US was for business, so you just assumed that he was a songwriter or something along those lines. The sound of your phone ringing interrupted your conversation with Hongjoong, and you cast an apologetic look his way as you searched your purse for the device. 

[ 1 Missed Call - Reg (Papa Bear) ]

“Wow, the time. Have we really been talking for over two hours? My co-worker probably thinks that I got swept away at sea by now.” you giggled.

The comment elicited a chorus of cackles from Hongjoong, and it was at that moment you realized just how much you adored his laugh.

“I can’t believe it either. Time goes fast when you’re in the best company!” Hongjoong proclaimed while pulling out his own device and checking the time.

“I was wondering if-” he started but then stopped just as quickly with his eyebrows furrowing slightly. You could sense that he was perhaps anxious about something, but you weren’t sure what it could be. He laughed somewhat and subtly scratched the back of his neck with one hand while outstretching his other that contained his cell phone to you. Oh, that explains the sudden rush of nervousness. You knew that you wanted to see Hongjoong again, but you didn’t want to be the one who initiated the whole number exchange, so you were more than thrilled that he went for it. With an even more full grin, you grabbed the device and handed over yours so that he could do the same. The minute your device was back in your hands, it started ringing again. You were seriously going to blast Reggie later on for cockblocking you not once, but twice. Not wanting your time with Hongjoong to come to an end you ignored the call and slipped your phone back into your purse, Reggie was going to have to wait for a little longer. When you looked back up, Hongjoong’s eyes were already fixed on you. A few moments of silence passed, but unlike the beginning of your conversation, this silence was comfortable. When your phone began blaring once again, you knew that, unfortunately, you would have to leave and rejoin the real world. Sitting along the shore with the wind in your hair conversing with the most attractive man you’d ever encountered, felt like a dream. One that you never wanted to wake up from. The look in his eyes mimicked your own, and you prayed to all the gods that this wouldn’t be the end of your story with Hongjoong. 

“That’s work that keeps calling... I was meant to be back awhile ago, but I- I honestly didn’t want this moment to end. Thank you for this Hongjoong, it’s just what I needed. I’ve enjoyed getting to know snippets about you.” you expressed. The vibrant smile that etched its way upon his features let you know that your words were well received and reciprocated.

“No, thank you. Y/N. I came here hoping for inspiration, and now I have more than I could imagine. All because of you. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to sit and talk with someone about all different things. Things that I don’t usually share.” Hongjoong cooed as he cautiously reached for your hand and lifted it up to his lips. He then proceeded to place a feather-light kiss upon the back of your hand, all while never breaking eye contact. This man was going to ruin you, and you were completely okay with that.  

“I have a hectic schedule coming up, but I will call, okay? I’ll find the time.” Hongjoong expressed while pulling you in for an embrace. You weren’t expecting the hug but welcomed it gladly as you wrapped your arms around his frame and simply just took pleasure in the final moments that you two would share until the next time. God, you hoped for the next time to come sooner rather than later. You simply nodded along as he spoke the words directly into your ear and squeezed you a little tighter as his tongue rolled over each syllable. You knew from past experiences how daft it was to put so much faith in a man, especially one that you had just met, but the words didn’t seem contrived or untrue coming from Hongjoong. He said he’d call, and you believed him. 

Even if all you and Hongjoong were meant to have was this moment, the memory of being in his arms and the incredibly unexpected yet unusual time that the two of you had shared would never leave you. 

[fishcakedoodles]

Love Viruses

Words: 1.645

Rating: K+ (I think? If I get it wrong let me know!)

Pairing: NaruHina, mention of SasuSaku and SaiIno

College AU

I got inspired by this post, precisely the 4th point, and I felt the need to put my idea down.

This is my first ever writing in English I publish online. I've never been really good at English writing, always made a lot of mistakes (as for a foreign language: this is not my native tongue). I hope this will be appreciated by someone anyway.

I try, during almost 2 months, to fix any grammar error and make the story more flowing, but I reached the point of can't recognise any mistake nor possible fixing anymore. I'm sorry if it's a little cracky.

If anybody has grammar corrections, suggestions and explanation about why I get wrong some part (about English), I would be really happy to know them :)

______________________________________

It happened again.

She hoped her little sister would have learnt the lesson last time. It was the seventh time Hanabi downloaded those daft games from the internet, causing her computer to crash, and this is the fourth times in a week she need to go to the IT department in order to fix her problem.

Not that is something completely unwelcomed.

Indeed, there is a silver lining in this situation that she would never have expected.

There is a student into his second year, who helped her the first time she came searching for some kind-hearted soul, and she got stricken by him. His big, warm and charming smile disoriented her so much that she couldn't thank him properly, she just managed to shyly nod after he fixed her laptop and almost stumbled into the many cables on the floor in the process to run away. She felt so embarrassed she would rather run naked in the campus courtyard than see him again. But fate had never been on her side.

The following times, at least, she got by with a murmured "thank you", looking down at her feet, and paired with the reddest face she ever reached. However, the blond boy have always been really gentle and sympathetic, and her response seemed to be enough for him all the time, because he displayed others of his majestic smiles, turning her mute again every time. She would never think someone could make you fall this hard just with a grin, nevertheless here she is.

Thus, this time, the fourth she got to visit him in just one week, she must manage to say something more to him, not just "laptop", "virus", "sister" nor a simple "thank you".

She must be resolved.

When she get to the IT room, where he usually would be, she start to doubt herself. N-no! I can handle it, I promise myself to not run away anymore! Brace yourself Hinata, you can do it. She lecture herself, an habit developed during many years of shyness and self doubt, and after a few more seconds she knock on the door.

Just when her last knock ended, the personification of the sun open with a smile ear to ear"Hey Hinata!". She already feel the heat rise up to her face "H-hello Naruto-kun" she said, looking down to her feet.

"Another virus?"

"Uhm" she nod with a light blush onto her cheeks. Stop blushing! Stay focused! "I'm sorry to disturb you one more time Naruto-kun"

"Don't worry! It happens a lot, especially if you share your computer with other people." He said with is kind voice.

"Yeah, I think that is true."

"Let's check it, can I?" he offers his hand to her, obviously asking for her laptop, but she only stares at it, dreaming to hold it right away.

Perhaps she stared for too long, because sapphire eyes are looking at her, puzzled, and maybe a little worried?She come to her senses, ashamed for her rude behaviour "O-oh! Y-yes, s-s-sorry, I didn't mean to. I-I was spacing out." Stop stutter!

"Yeah don't worry! It happens to me a lot too!" and he beams even more fiercely than before, making him look like a happy fox.

She totally have the hots for him.

She gave him her case, hoping her hold habit to tremble when nervous don’t show up.

When the computer has turned on, he race his fingers on the keyboard, rapidly looking all folders and applications through. She watch him make his magic to fix her device, and she is enchanted by his skills, bewitched by his efficiency and precision. It is—

It is a strangled moan that take her out from her thoughts.

High, choked, sexual noise which reminds too much that english rock band her sister used to listen when she attended middle school.

If only her seat could swallow her all, she would be happier than being here in this awkward moment.

Even if his fingers fly over the keyboard, all the process seem to flow in slow motion to her, buttons too heavy to come up quickly. Few seconds, more similar to hours, passed, and finally the boy closed all banners and cancelled all viruses in her laptop.

She would never, EVER lend it to her sister again.

Once done with the cleaning, Naruto appear unquestionably troubled by the actual situation, and she can empathise with that. She can feel the uncertainty, the fear, the worry for any possible motion.

And so she decided to move.

In one fluid gesture, she stand up, take the PC without put it in its case, and try to make a run for it, only to be caught off guard by a big hand on her harm. She turn, wide eye seek the reason for this action, and she attempt to find an excuse, an apology, to leave soon as possible in order to avoid any more mortification.

But he speak first, and what he vocalise is not closely what she anticipated

"I wanted to ask you out today. I planned to do it after I fixed your laptop, because I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable if you wanted to reject me… I wanted to ask it last time, and the time before too.. but I couldn’t find the right words and– Maybe you’re thinking I’m a pervert by asking you out right after what happened, but really! I-I’m not that kind of guy, believe it! You’ll find out it if we hang out! If it make you feel more at ease you can make a friend come with us.”

When his babbler stopped, she couldn’t do anything but gawks at him, speechless. He take it as a bad sign evidently, because his immediate reaction is to draw back his hand from her wrist and look away.

This is like a dream, something she hoped to, but never dared to expect. This is the perfect occasion, the perfect turn of events to accomplish what she desired to do since he came into her life.

And she's letting it slip through her fingers.

When she finds the courage to utter her thoughts, a male voice speak with her

"Maybe this was–"

"I'd like to."

"...Really?"

"..Yes." she says softly with a small smile and rosy cheeks. When her answer completely settle in his mind, a light pinky dust color his face.

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

“Konohamaru.”

“Mh?” the dark haired boy respond lazily, while dusky eyes looked up from their position to meet sapphirine ones.

Really enraged sapphirine ones.

“What’s the problem, Naruto nii-san?”

“Can you explain me how those porn viruses we created for Ero-sennin lesson end up in Hyuga’s personal computer?” he try to sound commanding, but ended with an acute voice on the ‘Hyuga’ that almost make Konohamaru laugh, but he manage to control himself.

“Which”

Naruto look at him, a little bit of the anger slipping from his eyes, and he ask completely perplexed “Which what?”

"Which Hyuga. Because, you know, there's three of them we met, so I can't know which one you're talking about"

At this Naruto look taken aback, and a faint blush appears on his face. "Well.. the female one."

Purposefully horrified, Konohamaru sputter "Nii-san, I didn't think you would be such a perv…"

"... What?"

"I know Hanabi is really cute and all, but you are quite old–"

"I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT HANABI" and he's not 'old'!

"... Oooh." A sly grin comes into the dark haired boy's face "do you mean… That Hyuga?" He says, with his pinky finger up. "The elder one? The one you're speaking about lately? The one with that undoubtedly nice big boo–"

"DON'T YOU DARE" Naruto shout out with a deafening voice, smacking forcefully the young man on his head. "Ouch!! That's hurt!" He whined, scratching his nape, "I didn't thought you'd be so caught by her in just 3 times.."

"To…To be accurate, this was the seventh time I've seen her."

"Oh, seventh?" the hitted boy say "I didn't track how many time I did that."

There is an heavy silence, tension hanging in the air. His observation was more a self speaking, but maybe he did it too loud, because after other few more seconds the blonde senior utter "So you DO are involved into this."

With no more escape from this situation, Konohamaru look sheepishly anywhere but Naruto, and only say "...Ups?"

"YOU put those stupid viruses on Hinata's laptop, didn't you?" The senior boy demand with an abrupt tone, not wanting to buy a shit from the younger man.

"Why the fuck did you do that?!" he finally shout out, is anger not in check anymore.

"BECAUSE YOU TWO WERE HOPELESS. You were dancing around each other for weeks, and we get sick of ear you two complain about it."

With a suspicious glare and an hesitant voice, the Uzumaki ask "...'We'? Who else is involved into this?"

And the other start blather "Well... Hanabi.."

"Of course she's involved–"

"And Sasuke and Sakura.."

"....."

"And Sai and Ino. Precisely, this was their idea."

"WHAT?!"

"They attended that class of Jiraiya with our 'exhibition'.. they thought it would've been a fruitful way to push you two together. Personally, I've always thought those two guys are fearfully twisted."

"... I can't believe they all are implicated. This was a terrible idea of yours"

"Well, it seems this terrible idea of ours worked, didn't it?"

"...."

"Didn't it?"

"I'm too mad at you to talk you about that." Naruto pouted, and is in time like this that Konohamaru feels like he's the adult one, not the other way round.

But he's too curious to let his pride mess things up.

"So, when do you two hang out?"

"...on Friday. We'll go to get a ramen and then–"

"Shit! I owe Sasuke 50 bucks."

"... You bet if I would get a date with her?!"

"That, and where you'd go on your first dinner together."

".... I hate you. All of you."

Fin.