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monvria · 2 years

Text

1921

Historia nacida en parte por un arte autoría de @animeluci-98thpg y por una conversación en el discord de LH.

Resumen: Pese a lo suscitado, puede que esté floreciendo una nueva amistad entre dos personificaciones.

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El olor a hierro abarcaba todo el bohío, con pequeños atisbo de pestilencia a sudor con moscas revoloteando a lo largo y ancho de la morada. La humedad no daba tregua y el ambiente se tornaba pesado, pese a que solo hubiese dos personas dentro de la choza. Del pequeño botiquín encimado en una silla de madera se sacaba diferentes utensilios, vendas y frascos pequeños de vidrio con alcohol dentro.

—Quítate la camisa.

La muchacha vio al hombre, y éste captó de una vez la mirada de odio africano que estaba reviviendo por parte de la mujer. ¿Puede culparla? Por supuesto que no. Fuese él en su posición y se habría lanzado a la yugular para arrancárselo a mordisco de bestia. Pero aquí las tornas son diferentes; él tiene el control y ella solo puede obedecer o ignorar, y lo segundo, en este caso en específico, es más mal que bien por más que salvaguarde su orgullo.

—Quítese la camisa. . . por favor.

Un fuerte suspiro nasal fue su respuesta, pero pasado el minuto intentó, desabotonando poco a poco los botones de la camisa chocolate, totalmente sucia y húmeda después de que el buque La Estrella encallase en un montículo de arena den el río Coto. Estaba a medio abrir hasta que se detuvo, dirigiéndole la mirada al hombre parado frente suyo. Éste no captó a la primera, incluso alzó las cejas en señal de duda.

—Exijo decoro. Voltéese, Ayala— Dijo la muchacha y el otro ahora a sabiendas qué quería la mujer, y un poco apenado por no haberlo captado en la primera, se volteó pero sin recato, ni atisbo militar, sino como se voltearía un pingüino de la forma más vergonzosa posible.

Viendo a una pared Rodrigo solo capta pequeños sonidos, sonidos suaves indicando el pudor de los movimientos de la joven, sonido de tierra por las pisadas y firmeza de la muchacha, el chillido del banco de madera proveniente del banquillo donde estaba sentada la mujer, entre otros sonidos. Se le añadió entonces el sonido liso de vendajes, y el sonido de piel pegajosa.

—Puede voltearse.

Y así lo hizo. La muchacha seguí igual, solo que con la camisa en los hombros, dejando expuesto todo su frente. Captó porqué el sonido de vendajes. Había afirmado más las viejas vendas encima de su pecho, para afirmarlos a modo de sostén; supuso entonces que durante el salto al agua éste se había mojado y se había aflojado por consiguiente.

—Fernanda. . . Digo, Vásquez, limpiaré las heridas y, dentro de lo posible, intentaré curártelas ¿De acuerdo?

—Solo si es usted.

—De acuerdo.

Era algo tácito, por más que pese, que el enemigo cure tu heridas es una muestra de respeto pero podía ser tomado como todo lo contrario, como un irrespeto al perdedor, una oda a la condescendencia. Por más que existían historias que narraba eso, de enemigos curando y alimentado al perdedor, y por consiguiente, los vencidos adquirían un respeto por su hospitalidad incluso estando en el bando perdedor, para Fernanda era inconcebible eso. Pero en una prueba para igualarse, por más que esté en el lado desfavorecido, prefería que fuera su propio equivalente como representante de un país el quien atendiese sus heridas, y no un soldado raso o incluso alguno de la alta jerarquía militar; para que fuera igual tendría que ser él.

Vio como el otro colocaba un banquillo frente suyo, sentándose y esperando a la invitación. «¡Qué caballeroso!» pensó de abroma la mujer, pero aun así tiró del tapeta frontal revelando que en su lado izquierdo había una abertura sanguinolenta, posiblemente de una bala durante el tiroteo. Para un país, recibir daño en físico, al menos de parte de un humano común, no suponía ningún problema; no era herida mortal; dolerá como si fuera humano de carne y hueso pero no supondría un peligro para su propia existencia. Diferente fuera si el daño lo propició alguna personificación de un Estado. Cosas de la metafísica. Esta herida, que estaba a su costado izquierdo, en la sección de la tripa y cintura, se nota que fue propiciada por algún soldado del bando panameño, por tanto, no supondría ningún peligro para la morocha más allá de un dolor sórdido que, a ojos de Rodrigo, ha hecho muy bien en ocultar.

—Aquí, me dieron. En el hombro de este mismo lado también tengo una herida, pero no es de plomo, será de un golpe o quizás un corte, no sé, pero esta de acá es la más importante.

Despojado de cualquier pudor, Rodrigo agarró la cintura del lado derecho de la muchacha, para estabilizarla, y con su otra mano libre empezó a tantear alrededor del área afectada. Fernanda en consecuencia, y por el dolor, se agarró fuertemente el hombro del otro. La respiración de la mujer se volvió audible, en un patrón rítmico y pesado de inhalar y exhalar aire, viendo qué era lo que estaba haciendo Ayala.

—No está muy profundo, la bala digo. Creo que la puedo extraer. ¿Te parece?

—Está bien.

—¿Gustas un palo para morder?

Y ante la sugerencia la otra afianzó su agarre en el hombro, pero de forma abrupta y brusca, hiriendo (aunque éste no lo iba a admitir) un poco al hombre frente suyo.

—No soy un perro, Ayala.

—No es eso, no es un insulto, es. . .

—Ayala. . . entre nos, soy yo quien tiene más experiencia en esto del belicismo, y entre nos y seguro yo poseo más herida en campo de batalla que usted en todo lo que llevamos de vida. No necesito un palo en boca para no gritar, ¿entendió?

Ambos estaban cruzando miradas en un duelo de quién podía mantener más las miradas entre sí. El ceño fruncido más pronunciado en la mujer. Y el hombre, ante un hecho cierto, y medio adolorido pero con ira surgiéndole de la entrañas, y arremetiendo mal, apretó un poco fuerte el costado derecho de la muchacha invitándole a avasallarse, más la otra no cedió, por más que le dolía el apretón y sabiendo bien que dejaría moretón.

Aquí el conflicto ya era más personal, desprovisto del contexto en donde estaba; era una medición de egos conflictados, del convulso histórico que tardó décadas en explotar. De un hecho que surgió al comienzo del siglo XIX, prendiendo las llamas en 1836, y que ahora, en 1921, llegó a explotar en una posible culminación abrupta. Para Rodrigo era una de las herencias de su hermana (de las cuales podía abrazar gustoso), la lucha de su integridad nacional (aunque no quiera, debe de admitir, que su jugada con el estadounidense no ha salido del todo bien), y esto último es lo mismo para la muchacha. Se entienden, entonces, no en totalidad pero sí los mayores atisbos.

Pero es que acá, para Fernanda, ha sido una herida a su orgullo. Orgullo que tomó siglos en edificar, culminando a lo largo del siglo XIX dicho proceso; haciendo la distinción de los otros cuatros quienes poseyeron desde un comienzo mayores facilidades que ella. Entonces esto se derrumba por un majadero, por un tipo que ni ejército tiene. Y hela acá, magullada y herida, aceptando por su bien, pero mordiéndose la lengua de la rabia. Pero ¿rabia por quién o a qué? Que es lo que le está haciendo doler la cabeza porque no halla respuesta, porque no es al majadero de al frente, ni por la situación. A poco será a ella misma, porque no pudo y hela aquí.

A modo de perdón, Rodrigo afloja su agarra e incluso soba el área, cede ante el duelo de miradas y opta por agarrar la pinza del botiquín y dirigir su mirada a la herida. Tiene algo de experiencia el muchacho. Una vez curó a su hermana en el campo de batalla, allá en el valle. Y también a otros hombres. María una vez le dijo que no tenía vocación de militar, él no respondió. «Ella sabrá» se había respondido en la mente, porque María era Capitanía y todas las Capitanías hispanas han nacido con la vocación de lo militar y lo aguerrido. No recuerda quién, pero le habían dicho que era más dado para la negociación y que si lo veían tomando armas era porque todo se fue al despeñadero. Tienen razón ahí, quizás, porque esto aquí, este conflicto en sí, fue esa consecuencia cuando todo se fue por el despeñadero.

Extrae la bala y la otra se queja, hay bufidos de dolor y agarres fuertes en el hombro del hombre. Es cierto, no necesita un palo para no gritar. Prefiere ahogar sus gritos y maltratar al otro para socavar cualquier atisbo de dolor. Extraído la bala pero sin moverse, el hombre dirige su mirada a la muchacha y ésta lo ve, siempre lo ha estado viendo, y ve entonces el sudor acumulándose en la frente de Fernanda y su cara de terror del cual no comprende el porqué. ¿Terror por el dolor o por él? No sabe.

Fernanda inclina más su cuerpo con el de Rodrigo. Su excusa aquí es el cansancio, en parte, pero la verdad es el dolor. Es ambas. A Rodrigo no le importa, sabe que duele y no la puede culpar. Limpia el área y lo sanitiza, le pide permiso para quemarlo con pólvora. La muchacha cede y cuando sucede, para no gritar, tiene que acceder a morder algo y ese algo era el hombro del hombre al frente.

Todo el ambiente se ha tornado mucho más pesado que desde el comienzo e incluso él mismo ha empezado a sudar por el mismo. Fernanda está cansada, ve Rodrigo, desde la mordedura no se ha despegado de su cuerpo y han quedado enclaustrados en un abrazo. Algo así sucedió con su hermana, solo que acá la herida y el hecho es mucho peor. Rodrigo otorga un abrazo adecuado y pequeñas caricias ahí y allá para calmarla y Fernanda concede. Entonces se dan cuenta, ambos, que no se odian y que la ira del momento es por el contexto. Porque no es que se hayan llevado “mal-mal” desde que se conocen, porque cuando se conocieron, allá en la iglesia cuando Antonio estaba emperrado en que todas las nuevas colonias conocieran el evangelio; incluso compartieron banca, recuerda una vez. Fue algo nacido más tarde, pero incluso así, ambos relegaron su importancia pertinente en pro de cuestiones más significativas para aquel entonces.

Una vez acabado el tiempo de reposición, Rodrigo prosiguió con coser el área cerrando así y en totalidad la herida. Dicho proceso de curación se repitió pero ahora en el hombro de la mujer. Acabado la faena el hombre se levanta. La mira y quiere cederle tambucho, paños y agua para que se limpie; un nuevo conjunto de ropa; traerle algo de comer pero nada de eso tiene. De pura suerte solo para él y compañía. Más sí le puede ceder el bohío.

—Te quedas aquí. Sé, no es el lugar más agradable, la cama es de penca y hay pocas cosas para entretenerte pero es eso o a la intemperie.

Fernanda abre la boca para comentar lo dicho por el joven pero cierra. No tiene ganas de discutir. Todo el proceso de curación le ha drenado las ganas y ahora mismo solo quiere acostarse y dormir. Con las fuerzas que aún posee se para y camina medio tambaleando a la cama de penca, del cual se sienta y mira al hombre, pidiéndole por medio de los ojos privacidad.

—Vale. Te anuncio algo. A tus hombres caídos en combate se les dará sepultura. He de admitir no en las mejores condiciones puesto a que serán enterrados en fosas. Si lo que me mencionó el Coronel Armuelles es correcto, en algún momento, más pronto que tarde eso sí, trasladaremos a tu gente a Charco Azul, y de ahí, a otras áreas hasta que acabe el conflicto— La muchacha ni veía a Rodrigo, veía al suelo, como analizando todo en su halo de cansancio —En cuanto a los heridos, no tenemos suficiente utensilios para todos, más le indico que puede confiar que, cuando los tengamos, los atenderemos como es debido. Los voluntarios de la Cruz Roja, apostados en Rabo de Puerco, deben estar llegando en estos días para acá. Serán atendidos. Y en cuanto a ti. — Ahí la muchacha dejó de ver al piso, ahora viéndose ambos a los ojos —Como a tu gente, serás traslada como prisionera. —

—¿Eso es todo?

—Sí.

Y ya no hubo respuesta. Ahí supo pues que tenía que salir del bohío. Esa misma tarde el tercer buque de contingencia, La Esperanza, al igual que los dos buques anteriores, sería arrinconado y tiroteados por el cuerpo de armas panameño apostados en Coto.

Como le había remitido Rodrigo, la mañana siguiente había llegado una contingencia panameña en un buque gasolinera. De ahí salieron, además de otros soldados (y después se enteró ella, que también había venido el quien era Jefe de ejército panameño, General Manuel Quintero Villareal, y otros altos mandos), una pequeña agrupación con sus cruces rojas en la ropa, quienes empezaron a entender a sus compatriotas, tal como le había dicho el panameño. Y como también le remitió, a ella y a su gente lo subieron en sus mismos buques y fueron trasladados a Charco Azul en localidad de Rabo de Puerco; de Rabo de Puerco a Progreso; de Progreso a David y de David a Ciudad de Panamá. De ahí a una isla del Golfo de Panamá, la isla de Taboga. Dicha isla sería su “prisión” hasta que culminara el conflicto.

Lo que le sorprendió a Fernanda fue que el propio Rodrigo les acompañase en todo el trayecto. Le resultó raro, puesto a que la guerra seguía en curso y, si lo que le habían dicho antes de zarpar en La Estrella rumbo a Coto es cierto, las movilizaciones militares hacia la frontera sur seguirían su curso ya estipulado.

Entre las presentaciones del lugar, indicando el área donde iban a estar, hasta donde se podían movilizar, entre otros menesteres, Fernanda le preguntó al muchacho porqué había venido acá. La repuesta fue lo esperado, no hubo respuesta alguna. Pese a ello divagó que quizás se haya tomada unos días de descanso, o se iba a movilizar a otra parte. «Si nada ha salido mal, la cosa no le debe ir bien a él en el área Caribe».

Su estadía en Taboga no fue mala, tuvo que admitir. Se le fue cedida una casona donde podía descansar, ropa para vestir en los días venideros y cierta libertad en recorrer la isla si iba acompañada de algún soldado panameño. Para su sorpresa (o no) quien le acompaño en esos días fue Rodrigo. Aunque descansado igual se le veía una cara media de preocupación, medio de otro atisbo imposible de describir. Aun así, cuando se le presentaba cara a cara, su rostro cambia y se volvía una más solemne.

Era un buen compañero, tuvo que admitir, y un perfecto caballero (y esto sí, ya no a tono de burla). Cuando quería ir a estirar las piernas por ahí le llamaba, y siempre estaba disponible. Incluso si le preguntaban creyó que podía llamarlo a eso de las una de la madrugada y él acataría. En esos días, también le fungió de guía por el poblado.

«No hay mucho que ver» Le dijo mientras recorrían cerca del centro del pueblo «Aquí a veces, cuando no quería saber nada de Bogotá, ni Colón o incluso mi capital, me largaba acá un par de días a ordenar mi cabeza y después me iba. Pero era eso, un par de días. Acá el único ocio es caminar, hablar, chismear, jugar dos que tres juegos de naipes o Tute, quizás allá alguno con un dominó disponible, ir a la iglesia y tomar. Vuelto a repetir»

Igualmente le gustó. Escuchó atenta sobre la historia de la isla, desde conquistadores que zarparían al sur, hacia Perú, hasta piratas que visitarían la isla e incluso la utilizarían como fuente de abastecimiento y guarida de las autoridades reales. O como el poblado sería destruido durante las guerras de independencia hispanoamericanas por ser leales a la corona española.

Como antaño, cuando se conocieron de niños y todo era más sencillo, fueron a la misa en la Iglesia de San Pedro en pleno centro del poblado. Como aquella vez compartieron banca y, en un despertar lúcido, Fernanda no podía creer lo que estaba pasando ni mucho menos. Hasta donde sabía el conflicto seguía y helos acá, estos dos compartiendo compañía como si nada pasara. Se le revolvió la tripa por el pensamiento y casi que le dio unas ganas de salir huyendo. No entendía nada y todo se le hacía confuso. Luego sintió un toque, casto, y dirigió sus ojos al lado derecho donde estaba su acompañante. Compartieron una mirada, sin mover la cabeza, por un par de minutos antes de que el hombre volviese a dirigir su mirada hacia al frente. Pero el castaño agarraría la mano de la muchacha, con timidez, y le sobaría el dorso a modo de calma.

Para Fernanda Rodrigo estaba como una cabra, no le entendía ni más ni menos. Si le preguntaran a Rodrigo, él tampoco sabría qué contestar. Quizás fue el exceso de algo que casi nunca cataba, dígase la guerra, que le terminó por fulminar el cerebro. Pero acá en Taboga, lejos de la frontera entre ambos, los dos se podían dar el lujo de quitarse ese velo de aguerridez y seriedad (y enemistad) que se les exigía por derecho.

Ahora estaban en lo alto del Cerro Sinaí después de cruzar un camino de trochas. A esta altura, desde arriba, se podía ver todo el poblado, su gente y lo que hacían. Y al horizonte, le dijo Rodrigo, que si tenía buen ojo podía ver la Ciudad de Panamá.

—Me has mentido. No veo nada.

El muchacho estaba a dos metros detrás de ella, luchando con su mechero que se había quedado atascado, hasta que por fin tiró una llama lo suficientemente satisfactoria como para prender el tabaco rústico que le había vendido una de las señoras del poblado no hace mucho.

—Mira bien, a lo lejos notarás algunos edificios.

—Pues nada, no veo nada, solo barcos pesqueros y ya.

Fernanda vio para atrás y vio al muchacho, vestido de ropa militar y con su respectivo sombrero, no como anteriores días que iba más mundano o incluso de paisano, fumando para adentro su tabaco. Fumar para dentro. Fernanda recordó eso, cuando lo veía en su gente e incluso antes; recuerda a su madre fumando para dentro también. Le quita la vista y vuelve a ver el mar. Ya está anocheciendo y es mejor que bajen antes de que esté todo oscuro, pero aún quiere seguir acá. Está muy lejos, ve, muy lejos de su hogar. Se pregunta cómo andará todo allá y ojalá que no haya otra catástrofe como lo sucedido en Coto.

—Tendrá que buscarse otro escolta.

—¿Perdón?

—Me quedo con usted hasta mañana, por la mañana. Después voy rumbo a otro lado. —Contestó Rodrigo, y ante la mirada de Fernanda y sabiendo qué iba a decir —Lugar confidencial. No preguntes. —

Se ganó una exhalación pesada y ella una risita del susodicho. El muchacho nuevamente se coloca al lado de ella y, como le hizo antes de emprender hacia acá, le cedió el brazo y codo para que lo agarrara lo cual hizo. Aun así, ya listos para partir, no se movieron.

—Sabe, le voy a extrañar. Eres un buen acompañante, Rodrigo.

—¿Ah, sí? Bueno, usted tampoco es aburrida, Fernanda.

—¡Oye!

Y el panameño volvió a risotear. Pues debe de admitir (ambos) que sus compañías al contrario de lo que pensarían fue más que bienvenido y todo contrario a lo que uno pensaría de buenas a primeras. Pareciera pues que no estaban en conflicto, ni nada, que eran simples mortales acá viviendo un pedazo de su corta vida. Una lástima pues que no fuera cierto, pero este margen que se abrió, pensaron ambos, fue más que bienvenido.

—Fernanda, le quiero decir algo. Vea, no sé cómo fue allá, pero acá pese a lo que digan los diarios, mis intelectuales, al menos los que tengo en buena estima, comentaron que esto lo que está sucediendo es un error garrafal; que en sí, ambos países, deberíamos haber evitado el conflicto armado y la pelea puesto a que, según ellos, estamos más hermanados que enemistados pese a la delimitación de nuestras fronteras.

Fernanda no supe qué responder. Puede que sí, tenga razón, en parte porque esto fue la culminación de todo un hervidero, en retrospectiva habían ido intentándolo solucionar por la vía diplomática desde que se conocieron, mucho antes de que el hombre a su lado izquierdo fuera país y fuera independiente. Quizás, en otra vida, si lo hubieran resuelto de otro modo.

La mujer vio que el otro tiró el tabaco al suelo y lo pisoteo, apagándolo, sabiendo que era la señal para regresar al poblado. Y así fue, retornaron al pueblo. Incluso el anterior comentario fue olvidado, prefirieron que, como charla de regreso, se enfocaran en cuántas flores pudieran ver y cuántas identificar hasta llegar a la casona donde la muchacha residía temporalmente olvidándose de guerras, conflictos y todas esas cosas que acataran posteriormente.

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Nota:

- El contexto de la historia está ubicada en el año 1921, durante los acontecimientos de la Guerra de Coto, conflicto bélico entre Panamá y Costa Rica por la la falta de delimitación clara en la frontera oeste o sur (dependiendo de qué país se mire) entre ambos.

- El nombre de las localidades, así como el nombre de personas y grupos civiles/militares son correctos.

- Igualmente, el nombre de los buques son correctos, así como son tres. En orden de llegada fue así: La Sultana, La Estrella y La Esperanza.

- El hecho de que CR estuviera en el buque La Estrella y fuera capturada solo fue por mero conveniencia para la historia.

- A los prisioneros costarricenses, que fueron unos sesenta y tanto, se les fue trasladado de Coto hacia Panamá. El trayecto que se narra en dicho párrafo fueron en verdad el trayecto por el cual movilizaron a los prisioneros de guerra, siendo el punto final la Isla de Taboga en el Golfo de Panamá.

- Según se narra en el libro «Costa Rica y Panamá: entra la diplomacia y la guerra» de Carlos Cuestas, a los prisioneros ticos se les trató bien en suelo panameño, tanto así que el Capitán Miguel Ángel Obregón, Comandante de La Sultana, remitió un mensaje a un diario josefino en contra de lo publicado en el diario La Prensa de Costa Rica que en Panamá se les trató mal. Obregón remitió lo siguiente: «Fuimos tratados como no lo esperábamos, nos guardaron consideración de toda clase, se nos trató del modo más hidalgo. No hubo la menor ofensa que pudiera lastimarnos». (pág. 286)

- Lo de los intelectuales. Es verdadero hasta cierto punto. Se sabe que el panameño Ricardo J. Alfaro lo comentó así, igual que el presidente de ese entonces Belisario Porras. Ahora bien, no hallé la fecha en que lo comentaron, si fue antes de la guerra, durante o después. Por tanto acá me tomo libertades históricas para eso.

- “Fumar pa’ dentro” es una forma de fumar tabacos que existía antaño. Por lo general el tabaco era de estilo “coecha”, algo similar a un puro. Para fumar para dentro solo tenías que poner el área donde se estaba quemando el tabaco en la boca, dentro, e inhalar ahí a diferencia de lo común que se inhala al otro extremo de donde está la candela.

- Si lo lees Frijolito, después de que bajan y van a la casona es que sucede lo +18 y el magical healing cock.

#latin hetalia #lh: costa rica #lh: panama

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sietemapas · 1 year

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Aprendiz | Violeta Gonzales Blanco

De la publicación La poesía es fuego FCE Perú

(Pie forzado: revolver, llave, mochila, corona, cuchillo, chocolate)

Tomarnos un trago

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Hallaste la clave

para tu intrusión

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Insectos que impiden

ver tu carga en la espalda

¿O fue la corona que me ciega?

Y precisamente dentro de tu empaque

el objeto punzocortante

frustró mi defensa

del juego de ruleta

la única bala

que endulza mi memoria

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deertyhandz · 5 months

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También los que compartimos con los fantasmas

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...cita con un destino incierto, opté por tomar una redbull y fumar dos cigarros, son señales de lucidez, por que cuando la guerra es con uno mismo, el resto entiende que sobra..

Soy los lugares donde nos defendimos

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Estoy del lado inocente, así de arriesgado, explorador del abismo, pierde teorías

Eres los lugares que son tu cuerpo, soy los lugares que entran en mi boca

Y además

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...También mi lugar es el naranjo de mi piel a los 17 años, con la alegría de volver a reír, después de años

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...mi vida, lucerito sin vela, mi sangre de la herida, no me hagas sufrir mas, no quiero que te vayas, cada día mas y mas, mi vida, bala perdida, por la gran vía, charquito de arrabal

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Soy los lugares que quiero

Soy lugares que la madrugada decidirá

Seré lugares que me exceden

...lagunas caprichosas, aparecen con el sopor, en mi vigilia soy

cada lugar donde despierto, se que sigo siendo yo...

Reivindicación del cinismo

Estoy del lado arriesgado. Así de inocente

....

#cocaiinedays

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domingoyfebrero · 1 year

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El disco homónimo de los Smiths de 1984, Heavenly vs. Satan y The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: los tres por menos de 60 libras en Rough Trade. Un suéter de Junji Ito, una playera de Drácula enmarcado por un corazón y la bala de plata que mató a Jacob Javier: todo por poco más de 100 libras y gracias a un loco que caminaba sin abrigo en uno de los callejones de Stratford.

Parafernalia de Harry Potter en la 9 ¾: la varita de Stiers von Kamptf, un ojo de dragón, seis ranas de chocolate (una para Fer), fetos de salamandras y un bolso hecho con piel de Catoblepas. Ah, ¡y un bestiario de zoología fantástica fantástica! 300 libras.

Unos llaveros para la hermana de mi mamá. Un bus de juguete para Natalia. Algunos imanes. 20 libras sumándose al total.

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nomebusquesquemeencuentras-blog · 2 years

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"QUISIERA CONTARTE QUE TODO VA A SALIR BIEN"

¿Recuerdas cuando íbamos al Kalahari y me decías que no me soltarías la memoria?

Cuando un golpe en el culo hacía saltar los peces de mi boca

Los ocho mil, necesitaban oxígeno para alcanzarnos

y una fractura era un signo de victoria

El abecedario eran palabras-flechas obscenos a tus rodillas

¿Recuerdas el pelo en las manos y el signo de libetad en la frente?

En tiempos pasados movías mares

y las palmas de las manos eran líneas de viaje

Cuando no, nos importaba la absurdez de la vida si dentro de un bala había chocolate

o cuando dibujábamos a índices el horizonte y con el corazón, hundíamos todos los barcos

¿Recuerdas cuando los años no pesaban y hacíamos con él,

un juego de hilos entre los dedos?

Y éramos invencibles los sábados por la noche y nuestro único padrenuestro era ponernos la falda más corta y la lengua más larga

La felicidad era barata y nos comíamos hasta las suelas

¿Recuerdas cuando nos decían que éramos libres, como mentira más piadosa e inamovible?

(Alexandra)💙

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espanolnews · 2 years

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los Titánico se hundió alrededor de las 2:20 am del 15 de abril de 1912, luego de chocar contra un iceberg en el Océano Atlántico. Archivo de Historia Universal / Getty Images Cuando cae la nieve, las propiedades del agua realizan una delicada danza. Los copos de nieve caen como caen las fichas de dominó. Un trozo de polvo forma un cristal, y la aparición de ese cristal atrae más cristales hasta que forman largas dendritas alrededor de la mota de polvo como las hormigas alrededor de un trozo de chocolate. Mientras el copo de nieve en crecimiento siga siendo más liviano que el aire, flotará. Pero tan pronto como un cristal extra cruce el punto de inflexión, la estructura sucumbirá a la gravedad y caerá. La nieve tiende a caer en lugares donde ya ha caído otra nieve. Y aunque cada copo de nieve es diferente, no son tan únicos como nos han dicho. Comienzan como esferas y forman zarcillos para difundir el calor. Las bajas temperaturas producen copos que parecen balas o agujas. El clima muy frío es cuando encuentras la forma clásica de un prisma de seis lados, o el cristal con forma de helecho con seis ramas radiantes. Probablemente fue esta forma de nieve parecida a un helecho la que cayó un día, hace quince mil años, sobre las heladas capas de hielo de Groenlandia. La masa de tierra ya estaba cubierta de hielo de dos millas de espesor. Con el tiempo, los copos frescos descendieron al hielo, ocultos a la luz del día, y comprimidos por la presión a un tercio de su tamaño original. En consonancia con la geología, pasaron miles de años y pasó poco. La nieve que comenzó como copos se transformó en denso hielo glacial a medida que avanzaba rápidamente, unas cuatro millas por año, hacia la costa oeste de Groenlandia. El hielo se debilita a medida que se acerca a la costa, porque todos los días, especialmente en verano, enormes paredes de hielo se desprenden del glaciar y caen al océano. Así es como se forman los icebergs oceánicos. Pero fue un iceberg en particular que cayó en el verano de 1909 el que derivaría hacia la infamia. Demasiado breve para tener un nombre, este iceberg tenía más de dos millas de ancho y cien pies de alto en su nacimiento, lo suficientemente grande como para empequeñecer al Coliseo de Roma y todas las pirámides juntas, al menos antes de que comenzara a derretirse. Se alzaría sobre el barco de vapor más grande jamás concebido, que también se formó en ese verano de 1909. Ese barco de vapor, el Titánico, fue concebido con una ambición competitiva de tamaño y opulencia. Sería el transatlántico de pasajeros más grande y lujoso que jamás haya flotado. Construido durante tres años, era un triplete, diseñado por White Star Line con dos barcos hermanos, el olímpico (1911) y el ligeramente más grande británico (1915). Fueron diseñados para transportar a los ricos, famosos y bien conectados a través del Atlántico en cabinas adornadas con elegantes comodidades victorianas. El boleto de mayor precio en el Titánicojusto al norte de $60,000 en dólares de hoy, otorgó a un pasajero acceso a un comedor de élite, salas de reuniones con paneles de roble, un baño turco, una piscina de agua salada, enormes ventanales y una orquesta itinerante. Ninguna de estas comodidades resultó importar por mucho tiempo. El barco salió de un dique seco en Irlanda del Norte a principios de 1912 y se detuvo para hacer recolecciones en Cherburgo, Francia, y Queenstown, Irlanda, antes de girar al oeste hacia Nueva York. Una vez lleno, el manifiesto contabilizaba poco más de 2200 personas, más de un tercio de ellas tripulantes. Sin embargo, cuatro días después de su primer viaje transatlántico, después del famoso roce de hielo del barco, todos menos 710 de ellos estarían flotando muertos en la superficie, o peor, tirados profundamente al fondo del océano. En ese momento,

los humanos sabían poco sobre el comportamiento de los icebergs, excepto que la mayoría se derritió en algún lugar del Círculo Polar Ártico. John Thomas Towson, un científico dedicado a la navegación de barcos que escribió un libro llamado Información práctica sobre la desviación de la brújula, observó en 1857 que los icebergs no eran diferentes ni más blandos que las rocas formadas durante milenios por el tiempo y la presión. Towson sabía que los icebergs representaban un peligro existencial para los cascos de madera de los barcos del siglo XIX. Los cascos de acero eran invencibles, dijo, pero eso se basaba en suposiciones, no en la experiencia. Un número tan extremo de icebergs viajó hacia el sur a través del estrecho este de los Grandes Bancos en el este de Newfoundland que en 1912 la Guardia Costera de EE. UU. apodó el área como "callejón de iceberg". Durante tres años, la masa helada se balanceó y onduló en las aguas del Ártico. En un momento, viajó hacia el norte y pasó el verano de 1910 más hacia el polo norte. Luego atrapó la corriente de Labrador, que lleva agua helada hacia el sur. La mayoría de los icebergs se derriten en su primer año. Unos dos últimos. Solo un puñado de los últimos tres porque, eventualmente, la corriente de Labrador se encuentra con las cálidas aguas de la Corriente del Golfo, que actúa como un microondas oceánico. Solo el 1 por ciento de los icebergs del hemisferio norte sobreviven a esta zona desértica y, finalmente, solo uno de varios miles llegaría a los 41 grados norte, la misma latitud que la ciudad de Nueva York y directamente en el camino de los barcos transatlánticos. Cuando el Titánico se hundió en 1912, se hundió la asombrosa distancia de dos millas y media y golpeó el lecho marino a más de treinta millas por hora. La tumba oceánica del barco era tan remota que su ubicación siguió siendo un misterio hasta 1985, cuando un equipo que se benefició de los submarinos desarrollados por el gobierno y las embarcaciones de aguas profundas pudo tomar algunas instantáneas borrosas. Se necesitaron setenta y tres años, casi toda la vida humana, para encontrar el naufragio más ilustre y fascinante de todos los tiempos. Este curso de eventos se ha vuelto tan conocido (contado sin cesar en películas, libros, exhibiciones de museos, productos de consumo y programas especiales de televisión) que es fácil olvidar el detalle más asombroso: lo cerca que estuvo de no suceder. Los icebergs habían golpeado a los barcos desde que hubo barcos que atacar, pero el que derribó el transatlántico de pasajeros más grande jamás construido casi había desaparecido. Después de tres años a la deriva, la masa helada probablemente tenía una semana de vida, dos como máximo. Se estaba haciendo más pequeño mientras se adentraba en aguas más cálidas. Como los icebergs se derriten desde el fondo. Se vuelven pesados y voltean, seguidos de más erosión y más volteretas, hasta que finalmente, cuando se reducen al tamaño de una pelota de baloncesto, están constantemente volteando hasta que no queda nada. Según algunas estimaciones, hoy en día flotan más icebergs que en la era del Titanic, en gran parte como resultado del agua más cálida que provoca que los glaciares se desprendan con más frecuencia. Los avances en el monitoreo de radares, GPS y aeronaves, junto con barcos más grandes y mejor diseñados, han reducido el peligro de los icebergs para los barcos. Pero los icebergs siguen siendo una amenaza. En 2007, un pequeño crucero cerca de la Antártida llamado MS Explorador fue golpeado por un iceberg invisible. Después de que el trozo hirió el costado de estribor, los pasajeros corrieron a los botes salvavidas y fueron rescatados varias horas después por otro crucero cercano. Pero ningún iceberg será tan famoso como el una. Cualquier otra semana y un barco que nadie creía que pudiera hundirse completaría su viaje inaugural y se daría la vuelta para su segunda aburrida. Cualquier otro día y el iceberg habría sido una fracción de su tamaño peligroso.

Cualquier otra hora y habría estado a cientos de pies de distancia. Pero el barco no esperó nada, y el hielo no sabía nada que esperar, y el ingenio de los humanos en los albores de la invención moderna sucumbió, increíblemente, a la fuerza de varios copos de nieve triturados tan duros como rocas. De CABLE FREGADERO por Daniel Stone, publicado por Dutton, una editorial de Penguin Publishing Group, una división de Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2022 por Daniel Piedra. Océano Atlántico Océanos Barcos Naufragios El Titanic Vídeos recomendados

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bvstivnvn · 2 years

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Vacaciones en tu cuerpo

y nade desde la costa de sus piernas hasta besar la lagrima de su labio, para terminar la mire a los ojos, le apreté el cuello y como una bala, mis labios traspasaron el dulce sabor de los suyos, para cuando ella se convertía chocolate en el verano.

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kingkringle · 7 years

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youtube

“Si no me mata un balazo, secuestro o asalto, Si no me ahogo de ceniza de volcán, Diabetes, cirrosis, neurosis, psicosis, Necrosis, por sobredosis, Si no me mata alcoholismo, egoísmo, Pendejismo, partidismo, o un sismo, De espanto por la telenovela Me voy para el carajo y me tuesto mi cacao.”

#lila downs #balas y chocolate #balas

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resiliense · 3 years

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Cuentan por ahí que ya está comprometida que ahora se desvive hasta que le llamén, prueba cafés, chocolates, alientos y habitaciones, pobre de aquel que se enrede en esa piel pues comentan que es una droga.

Podrás proponerle el sol y las estrellas pero en el altar a la espera de un si, recibirás una bala, si de él, nadie sabe de quién se trata solo ella, malvada solamente callas y regalas noches mágicas.

Hijaheredera

#citas #escritos #frases #notas #inestables #textos #pensamientos #escrituras #septiembre 2021 #hijaheredera #4

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whereisten · 4 years

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Heal

A Kun fic that’s part of our Halloween Series!

Summary: Doctor Qian Kun is a young and successful doctor who works miracles. And you are no exception when you become his patient.

Pairing: Doctor! Kun x female reader

Genre: romance, angst, fantasy, horror

Word Count: 5.6k

Warnings: blood, manipulation

(A/N: Thank you guys so much for your support with our Halloween fics! Hope you enjoy the adventures of y/n and Doctor Kun!)

___

You were no stranger to visits to the Neo Hospital in your hometown. When you were a baby, you basically lived at the hospital. You were prone to colds and fevers. You always experienced body aches and fatigue. You were born with a chronic autoimmune disorder that left many doctors baffled. They were only able to provide you with medications to alleviate your pains temporarily. You were confined to stay at home, to be homeschooled by your parents, and make friends online. Your childhood was far from normal.

You were a college junior now and you’ve been strictly online. If it wasn’t for the Internet, you probably would’ve lost your mind by now.

You had contact with the outside world but not physical contact. It’s what you longed for the most.

You resented your family. Your older and younger siblings could go out whenever they pleased. How did they get so lucky? Why were you the only sibling that got the short end of the stick?

Everyone in your family always interacted with you carefully, using hand sanitizer and always washing their hands prior to helping you with something. They treated you like a fine, porcelain doll that had to be preserved. It was irritating on your best days and unbearable on your worst. You felt like an abomination sometimes.

However, throughout the years, you would rebel. You would run away from home when your parents eyes wandered for a moment. The farthest you’d get before getting caught was the park. You were lucky that you didn’t develop any harsh symptoms from those times you ran away. However, you would be punished for taking such risks. You’d get your phone and internet privileges taken away for a month every time.

Last week, you succeeded in your most ambitious escape yet: you made it to Target to buy the new Ariana Grande CD. You thought that the one trip to Target couldn’t hurt you. By no means was it crowded and no one got into your space.

Well, you were wrong to think that you’d be fine.

Now you came down with a fever and you’d been placed on bed rest at your all-too familiar Room 1196 on the eleventh floor of the hospital.

You resented your body. A lot of people could recover from a fever and carry on with their day-to-day lives but you? Not so much.

Your parents made a whole spectacle of getting you to be seen by the best doctors but these doctors couldn’t help you the way you’d hoped.

However, this time, you awoke the next morning after your intake and felt...nothing.

Like you never had a fever in the first place.

You spent the morning checking your social media. Your crush/online classmate Sicheng was on a weekend hiking trip with his friends. He was with a bunch of beautiful, healthy people in North Carolina. You were even more bummed to be in the hospital now.

You wondered what life would be like if you didn’t have your condition. Where could you have gone? Who would you be now?

You’ve always wanted to go to the beach by yourself. To the supermarket. Hell, across the street. You wanted to go somewhere. Anywhere. Without anyone coddling you and watching your every move.

You wished for freedom from the body you were born with. To find a new one, somehow.

Because you had no hope for your current body to change.

“Y/n? Can I come in?” A male voice was heard from the door.

“Sure.” You sat upright on the bed.

The person at the door entered and he was the prettiest healthcare provider you’d ever laid your eyes on. He had warm, brown eyes and a radiant smile. His dark blue hair was wavy.

Suddenly, you regretted not brushing your hair that morning.

He donned a lab coat with the hospital’s name on it. His name tag was in a lanyard: Dr. Qian Kun, MD, DOM, PharmD.

He looked very young...And to have all of those titles? Your head was spinning.

He frowned as he saw how confused you looked. “Are you alright?”

You nodded. “I am.”

He sat on the chair beside your bed. “It’s nice to meet you, y/n. I’m Dr. Qian Kun but you can call me Kun.”

You blinked a few times. “Are you really a doctor?”

He laughed, confused. “What?”

“You don’t seem that much older than me…”

He sighed. “I get that a lot. I’m twenty-four. I graduated early from university...Earned my titles...Now here I am.”

“That’s amazing. You are probably the youngest doctor ever.”

Kun shook his head. “Afraid not. Bala Ambati became a doctor at seventeen.”

You shook your head. “Still...You have three doctorates. That means triple the sleep deprivation. Hats off to you.”

Kun chuckled as he looked at your information in his clipboard. “Your vitals have improved a lot since yesterday.”

You looked down at your hands. “Yeah...That’s impossible…”

Kun shook his head, noting how down you looked. “It is possible, y/n.”

You met his gaze. “How?”

He smiled. “Are you familiar with oriental medicine?”

He sure was charming, you thought. You reminded yourself to answer his question. “No, I’m not.”

Kun got up from his seat. “Well, there are many different practices that a doctor of oriental medicine can utilize, like acupuncture, meditation, and herbal therapy...To restore harmony to the human body. I specialize in herbal therapy.”

“I see…”

“I have created an herbal mixture that has worked efficiently to get my patients back up on their feet.”

Incredulous still, you managed to say, “That’s great, Doctor.”

He lifted an eyebrow.

“I mean, Kun.”

Kun resumed, “And I‘ve provided you with the herbal mixture and from the looks of it, the results have quickly taken effect.”

You were speechless. “That’s…”

“I know it’s hard to believe, y/n. But sometimes doctors fail to find other alternatives to help their patients. Which is why I’m glad I’m your primary physician now.”

“Wait, what about Doctor Morris?” Doctor Morris had been your primary physician since you were five years old.

“She’s retired. I’ve been taking on a couple of her patients now.”

“I see…”

Kun looked out your room’s window and smiled to himself. “You don’t trust me.”

“Don’t take it personally. I don’t trust any medical professional. No one has been able to understand my condition yet so…”

Kun replied, “You’ve been let down too many times.”

“Exactly. Doctors just can’t figure me out.”

He turned to you and grinned. “Allow me to prove you wrong, then.”

___

At the recommendation of Doctor Kun, you were assigned to stay in the hospital for the next few weeks to see how the herbal mixture would affect your body if you took it for a longer period of time.

Every passing day, you felt more alive. It was weird to say this but you felt more alive at the hospital than you did before. You were beginning to suspect that Kun’s herbal mixture was actually working.

The herbal mixture was made of feverfew among other medicinal herbs. It had certainly done the trick to reduce your fever overnight. You wondered just what this mixture was made of.

You just finished your online linguistics lecture and closed your laptop. You found Kun waiting at the door. “You free?”

You nodded. “Yes.”

He sat down next to you and pulled some of your favorite candy out of his pocket.

He put the candy bar in your hand. His fingers lightly touched your palm. Your face warmed up at his proximity. “Happy Halloween, y/n.”

Your eyes nearly bugged out. How did he know you loved Twix? You took the candy bar into your hand and almost cried.

“Y/n?” He asked, worried.

You wiped a tear away. “Sorry...It’s just that this time of the year is hard because...I want to celebrate it. Go out and trick or treat...I know that time has gone for me but I hate that I missed out, you know…”

“Y/n…”

You sniffled and took a bite of the chocolate bar. “My parents never wanted me to feel like I was missing out so they would bring the holiday home to me. I was never in need of M&Ms, Skittles, Twix, or Sour Patch Kids…They even helped me make the best Halloween costumes. We would watch a bunch of horror movies all month long...But I wanted to be a kid. I wanted to go out with my friends and go door to door…”

Kun’s heart went out to you. He hated seeing you so down and so deprived of a life that everyone should have. “Y/n, you will be able to do all of the things you want to do in life.”

You looked at Kun and he had a determined look on his face. “How can you be so sure?”

“I’ve worked with people with conditions like yours...They thought they would be attached to the hospital forever one way or another. But with my methods, I was able to help them turn their life around. And now they’re living normally and fully.”

You sighed. “I’m happy to hear that...I just don’t think I’ll be one of them.”

Kun placed his hand over yours. “Trust me, y/n. I won’t let you down.”

You met his eyes, then, and you smiled. “Thanks, Kun. I’ve gotta hand it to you. You’re my favorite doctor.”

He beamed. “Is that so?”

You nodded. “Yeah...None of the other doctors ever gave me so much as a lollipop Even though that seems to be the norm on TV…”

Kun chuckled. “There’s more where that came from, y/n.”

___

It has been a month since you’ve entered the hospital. The medical bills were covered by an anonymous benefactor. Your family didn’t have to worry about the financial strain of your hospital stay.

Your family came to visit you and they were stunned at how radiant you looked. They were surprised at how much more ALIVE you looked when they expected you to be weak and miserable because you were at the hospital. Something about you was different.

“Doctor Kun is a miracle worker, isn’t he?” Your dad asked.

“I heard he’s a sight for sore eyes, too...Don’t you think so, y/n?” Your older sister Sydney teased.

You mom shook her head and helped fluff your pillows. “How are you, sweetheart?”

You smiled. “I’m better, actually. I think Kun’s methods are working.”

“Oh, are you two on a first name basis?” Your sister joked.

You rolled your eyes. “He told me to call him Kun. If you saw him, you’d feel weird calling him Doctor, actually.”

“He’s quite young, y/n. He graduated from a top university in Beijing at age 10. Then, he went to medical school right after. He’s been a practicing doctor for a couple of years now. He’s unbelievable,” you dad said.

Kun entered the room, then. “I hope I’m not interrupting. I’m Doctor Qian Kun. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Your mom was in love with him. Your dad was in shock at how young he was. Your sister wanted his number. You broke their stunned silence. “Kun, these are my parents Donna and Andrew. And this is my sister, Sydney.”

Kun greeted them. “I’m glad you are all here so I can tell you the good news.”

Everyone was shocked at the phrase “good news”. What good news could he possibly have to share?

Kun continued, “Y/n, your vitals are working at optimum level and we want to see how well you can fare by discharging you.”

You asked, “What?”

Kun smiled. “You can start having a normal life...In which you can attend in-person classes, go to the supermarket, take up a sport…”

You weren’t sure about the last thing he offered but everything else he suggested made you jump out of your bed. “Serious?”

Kun’s smile grew. “Yes.”

Your parents gave each other looks.

Your dad started. “Doctor, are you sure about this...y/n has lived all of her life in our home. The only outside world she’s ever known is our backyard and this hospital.”

Kun nodded. “I am sure. I’ve worked with several patients with similar cases as y/n’s and I would like to put the effect of the herbal mixture to the test. If there is any risk, she will immediately be brought back to the hospital and I will up the dosage for the herbs.”

After a few more minutes of discussion, your parents reluctantly agreed to take you home. To alleviate their concerns, you promised to consult with Kun once a week so he could monitor your progress.

You would be going home tomorrow and you had been given the green light to live a normal life. Outside. Go to classes. See your friends. Go to the beach. Buy fruits at the grocery store.

You packed up your belongings and Kun visited you one last time before you left. “Hey.”

You smiled brightly at him. “Hi!”

“How are you feeling?”

“Better than I ever have, honestly. And I have you to thank for that. Look, I’m not sure if this will work out in the end but the fact that I can take the chance and go out there...Thank you.”

Kun ruffled your hair. “I’m here for you, y/n.”

You did admit to yourself that you’d had a little crush on Dr. Kun but who were you kidding? He was so out of your league. You’d had a friend in him and you would always be thankful to him. “I have something for you.”

Kun’s eyes widened. “For me?”

“I wasn’t sure it’d get to my house in time but my mom got the package today. I told her to bring it today when everyone visited so…”

You pulled out a small gift bag with Kun’s present inside.

Kun smiled. “You didn’t have to get me anything.” “You’ve done a lot for me, Kun. I may have my doubts but I don’t doubt your intentions. And they're nothing but good. You’ve been doing so much for me. You’re setting me free...In a way.”

You handed the bag to Kun. He pulled out a little wrapped box from inside. He looked at you as he mocked suspicion.

He removed the wrapping to find a pair of AirPods. He gaped. “Y/n…”

You smiled. “For whenever you need to escape the noise…”

Kun had told you that sometimes he would get overwhelmed with his duties at the hospital and you’d asked him what gave him comfort. He told you it was music. So you figured something as light and portable as AirPods could help Kun calm down whenever he needed it throughout the day.

He smiled brightly at you and surprised you by wrapping his arms around you. “Y/n, thank you...You shouldn’t have…”

You froze. Kun’s toned body was against yours and you could feel the racing of his heart. Your heart probably beat twice as fast. You felt yourself get warmer and warmer. You pulled away from him, his hands on your arms.

He blushed. “Sorry…”

You cleared your throat. “Don’t worry about it…”

Your dad returned to the hospital room. “Y/n, you ready?”

Perfect timing, dad, you thought.

“Yeah, I’m coming.”

___

It may have been the second semester of your junior year but you felt as nervous as an incoming college freshman as you entered Neo University’s grounds for the first time. You were meeting some of your friends for the first time ever.

It was one thing to see them on the screen but your heart accelerated thinking of what it would be like to see them in the flesh.

You’ve been doing well so far with the herbs Kun had sent you home with. You were able to go grocery shopping with your mom. She was still considering whether or not you could go to the beach yet. You hoped that your progress would continue so she would say yes.

You felt healthier than ever. You could breathe well through your nose. You felt no body aches. You were ready to cartwheel across the quadrangle.

First, you had to learn how to cartwheel, though.

“Y/n!!!!!” Jungeun called out to you.

Your blonde best friend ran up to you and jumped you from behind. “Ah!”

“Jungeun!” You gasped.

She laughed. “You said I could touch you so I wasn’t about to hold back.”

You hugged each other tightly.

“Y/n, it’s so good to see you!”

You and Jungeun have been friends since middle school so you were already a sobbing mess on your first day.

“Stop crying, y/n or else I’m gonna…” She started crying, too.

“Enough with the tears, already,” Dejun added.

You and Jungeun hugged Dejun to bother him, then.

He laughed. “Y/n, welcome to Neo U.”

“Thanks,” you said, smiling.

You three went to your seminar together and you were just so in awe of being in a classroom, you had trouble focusing on the lecture. You were even more distracted when you saw that Sicheng was in the same class.

He recognized you and waved. You were yelling so loudly on the inside.

Before this semester, you had the occasional online class that you shared. You saw Sicheng for the first time a year ago and your crush on him grew from there. He was one of the most popular guys on campus, according to Jungeun. You had a group project with him last semester and he was so...Perfect.

He was intelligent and down-to-earth. His smile was so sweet and his eyes pierced into your soul. He was talking poetry. It felt like you were seeing your favorite celebrity in person.

When class ended, you went to lunch with your friends and Sicheng joined you.

“How are you, y/n?” He asked.

“I’m great. Never been better,” you replied.

He smiled. “I’m glad. If you ever need anything, please let me know. You have my number.”

You nodded. “Of course. Same here. If you ever need anything. I’m here for you, too.”

Sicheng chuckled. “Great.”

When you finished lunch, Jungeun couldn’t stop poking fun at you. Sicheng left early for a club meeting. “I’m surprised he didn’t ask you out, then!”

You rolled your eyes. “Ask who out?”

Dejun added. “Me, of course.”

Jungeun continued. “The ‘you have my number’ couldn’t have been more obvious. He wants you in his dorm yesterday.”

You frowned. “And what would we do? Fix his bed?”

Jungeun and Dejun laughed. Jungeun added, “The opposite, y/n.”

Your face heated up then. “Oh.”

Since you have basically spent most of your life either at home or at the hospital, you never even considered the possibility of a love life. You tried to convince yourself that dating sims would’ve been enough.

“Don’t worry, y/n...You and Sicheng can take it slow...He’s no incubus who is trying to take your soul,” Dejun offered.

“True,” you said.

That was if Sicheng saw you that way in the first place.

___

A few weeks had passed. You’d been seeing Kun regularly to check in and everything had gone as expected. You were fine. You weren’t exhibiting any flare-ups. So long as you kept taking the prescribed herbs, you would be fine.

“How is everything, y/n?” He asked.

“Pretty good, actually. School is still school, even if it’s in person. But I got to go to a skating rink for the first time.”

He laughed. “How was it?”

“I am terrible.” You showed your legs. “It explains these bruises.”

Kun shook his head and chuckled. “I’m glad you’re getting out more, y/n. Try and take it one step at a time.”

“Oh, geez. I wish you said that sooner. I already joined a blood cult and I’m getting married next week.”

Kun rolled his eyes as he finished taking notes from your consultation.

“How is everything with you, doc?”

Kun’s eyes widened. “Me?”

“Surely, you’re not always at the hospital.”

Kun sighed. “Well, y/n...it just so happens that I’ve taken residence up on the top floor. The whole floor is my apartment. Don’t really get to spend much time there because I’m almost always on call.”

Your jaw dropped. “What? Kun, that’s abuse. You shouldn’t be working so many hours. It’s against the-“

Kun couldn’t help his smile appearing.

“You sneaky bastard,” you said.

You both laughed, then.

Sometimes you forgot Kun was a successful doctor. Sometimes he felt like your infinitely smarter senior at college.

He was a million worlds away from yours.

Kun answered, “Well, I’m doing fine, y/n. I meet up with friends once in a while and go white-water rafting.”

“That sounds like fun!”

Kun shook his head. “It’s challenging but exciting. I get a rush every time I go.”

You thought out loud. “I’d love to try it sometime…”

Kun pat you in the back. “When you are at one hundred perfect, I’ll give you the green light. Sounds good?”

You nod.

___

You’d wrapped up your midterm and you were ready to head home and take a nap. You walked through the student quad.

“Y/n!” Sicheng called out to you.

You turned around and found Sicheng running towards you.

You smiled, already warm in the face. “Hi.”

“I was wondering if you were free right now…”

“Really? Me?”

He smiled, confused at your question. “Yeah, you. Want to go to the movies with me?”

You nodded. “Absolutely.”

Sicheng drove you guys to the movies. He bought the tickets and the snacks. He let you pick the movie. You picked The Blair Witch Project. It came out over twenty years ago but the theater was doing a limited time screening of it.

You and Sicheng couldn’t shut up throughout the whole movie as you whispered to each and made each other laugh. You’d almost gotten kicked out of the theater.

You left the theater together and he asked you to dinner. You said yes. You were starting to think that this was a date.

“Y/n, this is a date, right?” He asked you at dinner.

You stopped eating your chicken parmigiana and looked at him with big eyes. “I think...Is it?”

Sicheng sighed. “I wanted it to be…”

You laughed. “Oh, thank God. I thought it was all in my head for a second. Maybe you were this nice to all of your friends.”

He pointed out, “I am not this nice to my friends, I can promise you that.”

Sicheng drove you home and kissed you goodnight before you entered your house. You felt like you were floating on a cloud now.

___

Two days later, there was a campus alert that Sicheng had gone missing. His face was all over the news. The last time he was heard from was when he told his best friend Jaehyun that he was going to ask you out to the movies. The last time he was seen was when he took you home.

Sicheng’s car was found a mile away from the dorms. The key was still in the ignition and his wallet and phone were left behind.

You were brought into the police station for questioning and you told them everything that happened the night Sicheng disappeared.

You were worried. What could have happened to him? Would he be alright? Would he be able to come back home? You missed him so much.

You took an evening stroll around your neighborhood to try and calm down. You reached the park where there was no other soul in sight.

Suddenly, you felt a tingly sensation in the back of your neck. You felt that someone was following you.

You began to walk faster. Suddenly, you were pinned to the ground and everything turned black.

___

You woke up in Room 1196, then. Wait...It wasn’t 1196...It was a different room in Neo Hospital. The room was dark and you could only hear the sound of your breathing. It grew more hysterical with each second.

You felt a burning sensation in your neck. You cried out in pain. You cried out, “Help me, please.”

“Y/n…” You recognized Kun’s voice.

You nearly yelled out in pain but restrained yourself. “What...happened?”

“An animal attack,” he started.

You frowned. “What?”

Kun sighed. “It was good that I was there to help you in time, y/n…”

“What?”

Kun moved your hair out of your face. “I was in the neighborhood when I saw the beast attack your neck.”

“A beast?” You frowned.

“Sicheng, was it?”

Your eyes widened. “How do you-“

“You can’t hide anything from me, y/n...You know that’s not how our relationship works.”

“What are you talking about? Ahhhhh.” The pain was getting to be too much for you.

“Can you put two and two together, y/n? Sicheng bit you.”

You shook your head furiously. “No, he wouldn’t-“

Kun snapped his fingers and Sicheng entered the hospital room. His bright expression nowhere to be found. His eyes were a bright red and his lips had traces of blood on them.

“Sicheng?!” You asked.

Sicheng smiled, showing fangs in his teeth. “Hi, y/n…”

“Oh, my God!” You started.

Kun grew annoyed. “Alright, that’s enough pleasantries for my taste. Go.”

Sicheng walked away at his command.

You began, “What the-“

Kun smiled brightly at you then. This time, his straight white teeth displayed his own fangs. “Y/n...Sicheng has put you in a bit of a bind, hasn’t he?”

You tried backing away from Kun and getting off of the bed but it was almost as if the pain kept you from moving.

Kun ran the back of his hand down your cheek. “When a newborn vampire bites you, the bite is lethal...You could die anywhere between minutes and hours...It depends on the bitten, really…”

You flinched at his touch. “What...did you do to me?”

Kun inched closer to you and you winced. He lathered up the blood that leaked from your neck down to your collarbone.

“What had to be done, y/n. From the moment I first saw you, I knew that I had to have you.”

You cried out in pain. “Somebody help me, please! Sicheng, please!”

Kun, annoyed over you mentioning Sicheng, shut the door to the hospital room. “It’s useless, y/n. Sicheng wouldn’t be in this mess if he hadn’t infiltrated what is mine. Now Sicheng must endure the consequences and be at my mercy. I turned him so now he looks to me for instructions. Until I release him...Perhaps in the next millennium...”

You sobbed. “Kun, please make this pain stop! I can’t take it!”

He cooed. “I know, baby. I want to help you. Just say the word and I’ll make the pain go away.”

The pain dominated your senses so you couldn’t process how exactly he would make it go away. “Okay! Just do it!”

Kun got up onto the bed and straddled you. He leaned down towards your neck and bit into you.

You cried out again but this time the excruciating pain turned into a euphoria so glorious, you never wanted it to end. You wrapped your arms around Kun as he continued to drink your blood.

___

It was morning when you had woken up. You were in Room 1196 now. You shot up from your bed and found Kun seated right beside you.

“Good morning, darling,” he started.

You glared at him. “Bite me. Oh, wait, you already did.”

He smiled. “I see your energy is up. That’s good to see.”

You rolled your eyes. “I’m going home…”

Suddenly, you stopped right at the door and your throat started to burn. Your senses heightened and you could sense that one of the nurses was walking right past your room’s door. You wondered what she would taste like if you caught her by surprise right then and there and…

What the holy hell were you thinking?

Kun sighed. “Don’t kill Joyce. She’s the most competent nurse on the staff.”

You ran into your bathroom door and looked at yourself in the mirror.

But you couldn’t.

You put a hand over your mouth and sobbed. “Kun!!!!!”

Kun joined you in the bathroom. “Ah, yes. You won’t be able to gain access to your reflection for another twenty years.”

“Twenty years...What is going on?”

“But what else, y/n? I turned you. To save your life.”

“Turned me into what, Kun?! Say it!”

Kun smiled. “Darling, you already know. Just admit it to yourself.”

You cried. “No…”

“You’ve always wanted a new body. A new life, y/n. And I’ve given it to you. I’ve made you the most powerful creature on this damned planet: a vampire.”

You fell to the ground. You could feel your fangs against your tongue.“Kun! Why did you do this to me? What did I ever do to you?”

Kun sat with you on the ground. “Because I love you, y/n. I never want to be apart from you again.”

You spat in his face. “You made me into a monster.”

Kun, unbothered, wiped your spit away with the sleeve of his coat. “I did not. I made you the best version of yourself you can be. Time for you has become infinite. Your body is immune to all illnesses now. You can see clearly. Your metabolism is in top shape. You are a goddess now.”

You shook your head. “Kun, take it back.”

He chuckled. “You’ve seen enough movies to know that that’s not how it works, y/n...You are mine now. Forever. Just like Sicheng. Just like a lot of the staff in this hospital.”

You shook your head rapidly. “Like hell I’m yours.”

“Y/n, I have been very generous up until this point. Using my blood to help you overcome your chronic condition. Funding your hospital bills...The least you can do is submit to me....”

It was hard to process all of the truths he just delivered. “Your blood?”

He laughed. “You mean you couldn’t taste my blood in the herbal mixture?”

You were about to throw up.

He chuckled darkly. “Admit it, y/n. You loved it.”

“Fuck you, Kun!”

He smiled. “We’ll get to that…”

You sneered. “You are despicable.”

His smile faded. “And you are testing my patience…” He snapped his fingers at you. “On your knees…”

You stayed on the floor with your arms crossed across your chest.

He frowned as he snapped again. “On your knees, y/n.”

“I don’t think so,” you said.

Kun looked taken aback. “What? How?”

You got up from the ground and looked at him. “I will never submit to you for as long as I live..” If vampires were even considered living.

You ran quickly out of the hospital room, realizing you had superhuman speed now. You were able to leave the historial without facing any temptation to bite someone.

But your thirst had to be satisfied somehow and you had to find a way to quench it without hurting anyone.

___

[2 years later]

You’d skipped town not long after you turned. You sent letters to your family without a return address so as not to risk their safety.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I’m so sorry I ran away. I had no choice. If I didn’t leave, you all would’ve been in danger. One day, I hope to explain it all to you but in the meantime, live your lives fully and love each other. Don’t take anything for granted. I love you so much and will see you again.

Love,

y/n

You had become an infamous blood bag bandit as you moved across the country, running away from Kun. He would occasionally try and track you. Or he would send his henchman like Sicheng to do it for him.

You were lucky so far. You had never attacked a human being and sustained yourself on some blood bags you were able to nab from donating trucks.

The reason why you didn’t submit yourself to Kun that day was indeed because of his blood. Consumption of his blood made you immune to his influence. He couldn’t have you like he had wanted all along.

Kun had been obsessed with you from the very beginning. When you were discharged from the hospital the time you met him, he continuously stalked you. At college, at the grocery store, at your home...It would explain why he was able to send Sicheng to attack you.

He always knew where you were back then.

Kun commanded Sicheng to bite you then and put you at risk of dying. Kun’s plan was to save you, make you his vampire queen, and control you.

It was a shame he failed to see that his creation of medicinal herbs was the one thing that would lead to his plan’s failure.

You were immune to his commands and you weren’t going to stick around and see how else he would try and “win you over”.

According to your research, in all public records, Kun was now twenty-six. A blatant lie since he couldn’t age. So you wondered how long he would remain in your hometown. You kept a careful eye on your family every now and then. You’ve made some contacts to track your family occasionally, as well.

Kun had stooped low and you prayed he wouldn’t stoop even lower to get you.

You worked hard every day to work on your rapidly growing vampiric abilities. You couldn’t stick around anywhere for too long without arousing suspicion.

Now you weren’t confined to one space anymore.

You were confined to running.

You hoped to one day bring it this madness to an end and take Kun down. Save Sicheng and Kun’s other minions.

And for you to truly be free.

[Fin]

339 notes · View notes

allwomenplaylist · 7 years

Video

youtube

Lila Downs - Balas y Chocolate

#lila downs #balas y chocolate #music #music by women #women of color #woc #spanish #latina

0 notes

lovestereo · 3 years

Note

All anonymous single songs requested between September and December 2020 under the cut. Sorted alphabetically by artist's first name from A to Z.

The askbox, along with the anonymous option, will open again soon. Please read my updated FAQ before making a request in the future.

Abhi Dijon - Distant Love

Adeline - Twilight

Ace Tee

ALEXA - Villain, Burn Out, Kitty Cat

Aluna - Envious, You Know You Like It

Alvaro Diaz - Lo Que Te Duele

Amerie - 1 Thing

Andrea Valle - WIYLL, Treat

Angel Haze - Black Dahlia

Anik Khan - Unfair, Choturdola

Anna Wise, Xavier Omär - Easy

ANRI - Cat’s Eye

Aretha Franklin - Who’s Zoomin’ Who?

Aries - FOOL’S GOLD

Arijit Singh - Naina

Ari Lennox - Chocolate Pomegranate

Ariza, Astyn Turr - Sink or Swim

Ashanti - VooDoo

ASTRO - 장화신은 고양이

Audrey Nuna - Soufleé, Damn Right

Aventura - Un Beso

Bad Bunny - Desde el Corazon

Banda El Recodo - Entonces Que Somos

beabadoobee - coffee, The Moon Song

Berhana - Wildin’

Bigflo & Oli - Libre

Big KRIT - 1999

Björk, serpentwithfeet - blissing me

BLOO - Downtown Baby

Blood Orange - Jewelry, Dark & Handsome

Bob Marley - Satisfy My Soul

Bren Joy - Sweet

Brittany B - Company

Brownstone - If You Love Me

Bryson Tiller - We Both Know, Set It Off

boy pablo - te vas // don't go

CHAI - Plastic Love

Che Ecru - Backflip

chelmico - disco (bad dance doesn’t matter)

Ciara - Thinkin Bout You

Coi Leroy - VVS

Deftones - Knife Prty

Denai Moore - Cascades,

Destiny’s Child - Killing Time

Destin Conrad - In the Air

DICKPUNKS - Addicted to TV

Dominic Fike - King of Everything, Acai Bowl

Duckwrth - Start a Riot

Earl Greyhound - Back and Forth

Earth, Wind, & Fire - Reasons

EDEN - Why Don't We

El Alfa - Suave, Scarface

Eli Sostre - New Level

ENNY - Peng Black Girls

Erykah Badu - Didn’t Cha Know

Famous Persona - Ivy

Fefe Dobson - Ghost

Fujii Kaze - Hedemo Ne-yo

Gemini - Going

gesu no kiwami otome - Battling

Glass Animals, Denzel Curry - Tokyo Drifting

GRAY - Just Like The Rain

Haru Nemuri - 春ねむり

Hiroshi Sato - Only A Love Affair

Hojean - Let Me, Over 85

IMFACT - NANANA

Inez - Oumi

IU - Peach

IZA - Esse Brilho É Meu

Jadal - Hamm o Bala

Janelle Monáe - Look Into My Eyes

Jamelia - Superstar

Janet Such - Morning

jeerena montemayor - rose

Jessie Reyez - Far Away

JOE CHO - How Much

Jorja Smith - On My Mind

junglepussy - what you want

Justin Park - On The Low

Justin Nozuka, Mahalia - No One But You

Kaytranada, Janet Jackson - If I Was Your Girl, Glowed Up

Kelis - Caught Out There

Kelsey Lu - Church

Kevin Kali, Syd - Do U Wrong

Keyshia Cole - I Remember

Kishi Bashi - Say Yeah

Kiyo - Ikaw Lang

KOHH - ひ��つ

Kojey Radical - Cashmere Tears, Can’t Go Back

Krewella - Rewind

Lakeyah - Female Goat

Larc en Ciel - Lover Boy

Lil Ghost - Unicorn

Lim Jae Bum - For You

Lisa Fischer - How Can I Ease The Pain

Little Simz - Selfish

Lypla - I Want You Back

Maluma - Medallo City, Hawái

majiko - 命に嫌われている。

María José Llergo - Niña de Las Dunas

Mario - Never

Mariya Takeuchi - Let’s Get Married

maye - my love

Michael Kiwanaka -

M.I.A., The Weeknd - Sexodus

min.a - Hour 24

MINA - Good Person

Mika Nakashima - Resistance

Mitski - Cop Car

Monchy y Alexandra - Te Quiero Igual Que Ayer

Moses Sumney - Indulge Me

Muzie, SUMIN - Thinking About You

Necronomidol - Dawnslayer

Ne-Yo - Because of You

Nilüfer Yanya - Same Damn Luck

Nito

No Rome - 1:45AM

NO1-NOAH - Stuck on Stupid

Omar Apollo - So Good

ORβIT - UNIVERSE

oresama - cute cute

Pa Salieu - Betty, B***k

PENOMECO - Okay, Tempo, ODD ep

Phillipa Soo - Ultraluminary

pH-1, Yerin Baek - Nerdy Love

Piso 21, Feid - Querida

Prince - Controversy, Erotic City

Q Lazzarus - Love Dance

Quay Dash - U.A.F.W.M

Ramy Essam - Saura

Rauw Alejandro - Detective

Reol - Echo, Syrup

Romeo Santos - Obra Maestro

Roy Woods - BB, She Knows About Me

Rum Gold - Save You

Satellite Young - Don’t Graduate, Senpai!

Sech - Relacion

Skie Dadios - Unang Sayaw

SG Lewis, Lucky Daye - Feed the Fire

Shenseea - Good Comfort

Sonder - Care

SURAN, Coogie - Into the Abyss

Syd Hartha - ayaw

Tatsuro Yamashita - Fragile

tobi lou - sadderday

TOKYO’S REVENGE - THOT!

Tommy Genesis, Charli XCX - 100 Bad

TOSHIKO HAYASHI(%C) - Stay A While

the vowels they orbit - selos

The PropheC - Jane Je Ta

THEY - Red Light Green Light

Tom Misch, Yussef Dates - What Kinda Music

Toro y Moi - yeah Right

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car, The Promise

TXT - Cat & Dog (English Version)

Valerie June - If And

Wildhood - Double Dark

Xavier Omar - Deep End, Just Get Here

Wizkid - True Love

Ye Ziming - JENNIE

Yoon Mirae - Thin Lines

Young K - Enemy, Is It

Yuna - Forevermore, Stay Where You Are

Yung Bleu - You’re Mines Still

Yumepedia - Tick Tock

#requests

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lu-undy · 3 years

Text

Chapter 90 - SBT

Here it is!

"Mike?"

"Yeah?"

"We're out with Micky."

"Oh, alright, be safe out there, eh?" Mike answered from his sofa, while watching the television.

"Yeah, I'll be home later, he'll drop me."

"Fair enough, have fun and watch out for your Mum, Micky."

"Yeah, will do… Uh, see ya, Dad."

Mundy raised his eyes to his father from the door and sighed. This might be the last time he was allowed in his parents' house…

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Love ya."

Mundy couldn't see it, but Mike's eyebrows jumped.

"Love ya too, son." He unglued his eyes from the screen and turned to look at Mundy and Caroline at the door. "You be a good boy and take care of your mum, yeah?"

"Yeah, don't worry."

They exchanged a smile and Mundy stepped out of the house. He exhaled a breath he didn't know he had been holding, and his shoulders sank.

"You ok, Micky?" Caroline's higher pitched voice tickled his ears and made him land back to reality.

"Yeah… Let's get to the van."

Caroline followed Mundy and hopped in the van that was parked a few meters away. They both fastened their seatbelts and Mundy started the engine.

"Is your house far from here?" Caroline asked.

"Nah, it's a fifteen minute drive, something like that."

"Ah, alright."

Caroline paid attention through the whole journey and was surprised to see that Mundy stopped and parked in the city centre.

"You live around here?"

"Yeah, that black door, that's the place." Mundy pointed and Caroline followed the direction he showed.

"Oh…"

They hopped off and Caroline followed her son to the door. Mundy took his keys out and unlocked it. As soon as he pushed it open, a white cloud of fluff and her black companion meowed repeatedly and trotted to Caroline and him.

"Hey, babies… Mum, welcome home."

"Ooh…"

They both stepped in and while Mundy shut the door, Caroline's head was moving left and right, scanning the floor, the walls, the ceiling and the furniture.

"Here, gimme your jacket and go ahead, have a look."

"Thank you Micky."

"Meow…!"

"Pearl, baby, go take Soot and play with him, Grandma and I need to talk, yeah?" He crouched down to scratch their heads and the cats left their side.

"Very beautiful house you have…"

"That's all Lu'." Mundy started and came close to his mother to hold her hand and lead her to the living room. "When we got the house, it was practically empty. He did all the decoratin', he chose the furniture and stuff. He's good at it."

"You didn't take part in that?"

"He always asks me before buyin' something, but I just trust him. Also, uh, see that corridor with the stairs? It needed a new layer of paint and I did that. I do all the heavy stuff, he does the pretty stuff."

"Oh, I see…"

"And this here, it's the kitchen."

"Ooh! Very colourful!" She said.

"Yeah, again, it's all Lu', I just put a fresh layer of light blue on the walls and white on the ceiling. And then, he bought all the kitchenware."

"D'you have a garden?"

"Nah, we don't."

"Ah, makes sense, you're bang on in the centre…! I guess the rent is expensive, eh?" Caroline asked.

"Uh… Mum…?"

"Yeah?"

Mundy stopped walking and Caroline turned to him.

"What is it?"

"We… Uh… We're not payin' rent…"

"What? You don't have the money for it? How late are you?"

"No, no, Mum, it's not that… It's uh… W-we actually bought this house."

Caroline's eyebrows jumped behind her glasses.

"You… bought it?"

"Yeah, with Lu's money… Uh, y'know what? Let me make some tea and we can sit down and I explain everything, yeah?"

"Alright." Caroline frowned slightly. So she had been right, huh? Lucien did have heaps of money…

Mundy got busy in the kitchen.

"Let me help you, Micky…"

"Nah, you're the guest here, Mum."

"I'm your mum, Micky, I'm not a guest!"

"Fine…"

They put together a kettle and in no time a tray was ready with tea, milk and sugar.

"Here, try these biscuits." Mundy put a pack on the tray.

"What are they?" Caroline asked.

Mundy took the tray and headed for the living room, followed by his mother.

"They're called something-something, I can't remember the name in French but it means 'cat's tongue'."

"Oh, I guess Lucien showed them to you?"

They both sat on the sofa and Mundy put the tray on the coffee table.

"Yeah, he loves them with his coffee, but they work well with tea too." Mundy answered as he started to serve his mother and himself. "Here, milk but no sugar, yeah?"

"Yeah, thank you sweetie."

They exchanged a smile.

"So tell me about the house." Caroline asked.

"Right… Mum, you were right, Lu' is… uh… very well-off."

She nodded to herself proudly.

"We bought the house with some of his money because… Uh… To be honest, he surprised me with it."

Caroline frowned.

"One day, he brought me here and made me visit it. I didn't really know why. You should've seen it back then, there was nothing in it, absolutely nothing! But then he said that it could be ours if I liked it too."

"Ours?" Caroline repeated.

"Mum, there's heaps of things that we didn't tell you because… I didn't want to worry you or Dad and I wanted to just… y'know, get along well with you. And now that Dad sees that I've fixed my life, I don't want to tell him how or why."

Mundy paused and put his cup of tea back on the tray. He wiped his sweaty hands on his trousers.

"Tell me, Micky…"

"I'll try." He took a deep breath. "Here's the thing, uh… I don't know where to start… Hold on…"

Caroline put her cup back on the tray and put her hand on Mundy's.

"Start at the beginning." She said.

"Y-yeah but… You gotta promise."

"I swore I won't tell your dad a thing."

"N-no, you gotta promise to… to still talk to me… after I tell you the truth…" He lowered his head. "Mum, please…?"

"Why wouldn't I? You told us you killed a man, but you're still my baby, you're still the same baby Micky that I held in my arms many, many years ago." She put her hand on Mundy's cheek and gently brushed it.

"Please, Mum, promise."

"I promise." Caroline said, thinking that there wasn't much left to be worse than actually killing a man.

"Right." Mundy raised his head again. "Here's the true story of Lu' and me then." He cleared his throat. "Back when I was searching for Johnson's alligators, I had a lead that pointed to the Queen Victoria, y'know, the posh restaurant."

"Yeah, I know it."

"Well I went there and uh… Pff, it was ridiculous. I put on the only suit I had, the black one that I had for your funeral. I couldn't pay for food so I got their cheapest dessert, a chocolate cake. I sat there and was observing people, trying to find the bloke I was after, and uh…"

"And?"

"And that's where I saw Lu' again, but I didn't know it was him, I didn't realise."

"Wait, this was before you found the alligators, right?"

"Yeah. I saw Lu' on the stage there, singin' and playin' the piano…" Mundy had dreamy eyes and a smile on his lips. "He sang a song about solitude. It was in French but… I don't know, I kinda got the idea of the song even if I understood nothing of what he was blabberin' about."

Caroline nodded.

"I realised that I liked it there. It was posh and filled with filthy rich people, but I liked listenin' to him. So I came back a few times… Oh, hold on-!"

Mundy jumped out of the sofa and went to one of the shelves in front of them. He opened a book and retrieved a sheet of paper.

"I even wrote to him…" He showed his mother the letter he had addressed to Lucien back then. "And I learnt that letters like these, he was receivin' heaps of them. Sheilas were falling like flies for him, understandably so. He was singin' like he meant it, and he was dressed so nice… Looked like he was born wearin' suits, like his tie wasn't strangling him like mine was…"

Caroline smiled.

"It is true that he is good looking and he has very good clothing taste, elegant and all."

"Yeah, he does…" Mundy blinked and landed back on Earth. "But yeah, I took that habit of goin' there, spending my last bits of money on a chocolate cake that was very good, yeah, but I couldn't care less about it. And then…"

"Yeah?"

"Then… Then there was the alligators' thing where I met Lu', not knowing that he was the same person as that singer, and then we spent our time arguin' and fightin' over who would get Duchemin first…" Mundy sighed. "Until the masquerade ball."

"The what now?" Caroline asked, surprised.

"Duchemin organised a ball with costumes and he invited Lu', the singer. Lucien got me a costume and we went there dressed like rich people from two hundred years ago… It was ridiculous, Mum, but it got us closer to the man and I actually talked to him…!" Mundy opened wide eyes. "Actually, he talked to me, and I got so confused, I wanted to kill him then and there but I couldn't, the place was full of his goons…!"

"What did you do?"

"Me? Nothing… I couldn't do anything. I stayed there, like an idiot, paralysed. It would have all gone to shit if Lu' hadn't been there. He talked to the guy, like small talk and all, and when we got alone, he calmed me down."

Caroline smiled tenderly.

"Then, Duchemin asked Lu' to sing something, but I was convinced this Lu' wasn't the singer, so I panicked! If Duchemin learnt that we had tricked him, we were good as dead! But Lu' went anyway and sang something and that's when I got it… Him and the singer were one and the same…!"

"Hold on, you didn't see that it was him?"

"When he was singin', he was wearing nicer clothes. But when we were out there tryin' to get Duchemin, he was wearin' uh… What was he calling it…? Uh, bala-balala...thingy? It's a mask basically, so I never saw his face entirely when we were workin' together. But then he sang and I recognised the voice and the manners and everything… I wanted to beat him up for lying to me, but I couldn't make a scene."

"So what did you do?"

"We went back to town and in the middle of the desert, on the road, I asked him to stop his car and then I beat him up."

"Micky!"

"I did…"

"You… beat him up?!" Caroline exclaimed, astonished.

"Y-yeah. I beat him up and he didn't fight back. I beat him up but it wasn't even the first time. But that time, he let me knock him out completely. I carried him to the Doc' and stayed with him all night, couldn't sleep."

"Micky… Since when did you get so violent?"

"Since you and Dad were dead and nothin' made sense, everything was unfair." He frowned. "After that, I got a message from Maurice telling me that Lu' might have… gone."

"Gone? What d'you mean?"

"I didn't know what he meant either, so I ran to his hotel and when I got to his door, I heard Pearl cryin' on the other side of it. I broke in and -"

"You broke in?"

"Yeah, and I found Lu'..." Mundy got shivers and wiggled his shoulders to shake them away. "For a second I thought…"

Caroline hugged him and brushed his back.

"In your own time, sweetie…"

Mundy took a deep breath.

"He was in his bath, fully clothed… He had an empty bottle of wine in his hand and… His eyes were closed."

"Oh, dear…"

Mundy nodded.

"I got him out and dried him out before trying to put dry clothes on him. I slapped him on the face, Pearl curled up next to him to warm him up, his lips were blue… And finally he woke up."

"Whew…!" Caroline exhaled the breath she had been holding and put a hand on her chest.

"Yeah, he woke up but was hungover like hell. I brought him water and some sugar while he talked nonsense… I asked him if he wanted some food or somethin' and he said he was hungry. So I went to the kitchen and cooked whatever I could find while he put on some more clothes."

Caroline nodded to show she was following.

"A few minutes later, he popped in, in the kitchen, and he… uh… he was still weak so he, uh, c-clung to me, I mean, just cause he couldn't hold himself up, eh?" Mundy blushed and his mother smiled.

"We had dinner together and uh… I just made sure he could… Y'know… Go to bed safe and stuff…"

"Yeah, I get it."

"Then I went back to the van and drove away. After that, I tried to get Duchemin on my own. I went to his palace and hunted him down."

"Yeah, I remember you told us about that." Caroline nodded.

"But I didn't tell you that the only reason I survived this, is Lucien. He came after me, riskin' his skin as much as I was foolishly riskin' mine, and he got me out of there. He drove me to the Doc' and this time, he stayed with me all night."

"Why did you go on your own?"

"Cause he had Pearl to live for. I had nothin', no one." Mundy raised his hands before they landed on his lap again. "Who cared who I was, what I wanted, what I was? No one! You weren't there anymore and I had nothing left!"

Caroline softened and shook her head, the pinching she felt in her heart showed on her face. She put her hand on Mundy's again and brushed it slowly.

"When I woke up, I was determined to go back and try again."

"But you nearly got killed?"

"Who cared?!" He said, his lagoon, eager eyes riveted on his mother's hazel, soft ones.

"I…" Words failed her and Mundy sighed before a gentle smile appeared on his lips.

"He had Pearl and uh… There was a person… He-he fancied someone, I knew that much. And uh, I thought whoever that might be, they'd fancy him back, no doubt about that, right?"

"Oh."

"Yeah, so I thought to myself, well, if someone has to go kill Duchemin and then die, let it be me cause uh… I-I…" The muscles of his mouth wanted to say it but his head hit a bug repeatedly, like a wall. "I was sure that the uh… the person that… I mean…" He closed his eyes and scratched his head and his cheek nervously. "I-I mean… The-the…"

"You were in love with someone too?" Caroline's eyes snapped wide and Mundy hid his face in his hands. "Micky…" She brushed his back. "I know we never talked about these things but… Don't be shy, eh? I'm your Mum, baby, I love you…"

"No, Mum, you don't get it…" His muffled voice answered as his hands still covered the shame of the truth. "I fancied someone but… I was sure they didn't like me back…"

"Oh, Micky… Look, it's a heartbreak, it happens, it hurts, yeah, but it’s fine… If it didn't work out, that means she wasn't the right one." Caroline tapped his back gently and leaned on his arm.

"Mum, I…" He sighed. "I can't bloody say it. I know the words, I wanna say them, but I can't."

"Why?"

"Because… I'm sorry, Mum!" Mundy burst into sobs. "I'm so sorry… I wish I wasn't like that, I wish I was born differently, I wish I-"

"Shhh… There, there, baby, I've got you." Caroline hugged him and he sobbed against her chest.

"You and Dad didn't raise me like that, you… I… I'm sorry…! I'm so bloody sorry…!"

"What are you talkin' about, Micky?"

Mundy's tears started to drench his mother's blouse.

"I swear, Mum, I swear I didn't do any harm to anyone, we're quiet and lead a good an honest life, Mum, I swear that we're good people, we don't look for trouble, we lead a calm life, we're just livin' normally, Mum…!"

"We? You mean Lucien and you? Yeah, I know that you're not hurtin' anyone, what do you mean?"

Mundy calmed his hitched breath and wiped his face with his sleeves. His hair was a mess and his eyes were red and slightly swollen.

"We… Lu' and me… W-we live together."

"Yeah, I know…?" Caroline failed to understand.

"No, no, you don't get it." Mundy sniffled and took a deep breath before he took both of his mother's hands in his. His palms were sweaty, his nerves were buzzing and hurting everywhere. "We live together…!"

"Yeah, Micky, I know, you already said. What is it? Why did you cry? Why apologise?"

"Mum! You… Ugh… C'mere…"

Mundy stood up and pulled his mother by the hand. They climbed up the stairs.

"Meow?" Perle and Soot peeked out of their room and Caroline stopped sharp.

"Oh, woah, hold on, Micky…" She pushed the door and her jaw dropped. "Is that your room…?"

"It's Soot and Pearl's room." He answered.

"Did you… build all that?"

He smiled as his mother looked at the shelves on the wall, the ropes and other installations that Mundy had built for his cats. They were all painted with different colours, which brought a vibrant atmosphere in the room.

"Oh, look at their bed…!" Caroline pointed at the little fluffy bed on which Soot was still asleep.

"Meow…" Perle trotted to her husband and lay next to him. She bathed him and the black cat opened his eyes before yawning.

"You really love them, eh?" She said.

"Mum, these cats are my babies. I raised them, I fed them, washed them…"

"I can see that, eh. They obey you like they understand your words… Anyway, what is it you wanted to show me?" She asked.

He took her hand and went through the corridor before he stopped in front of a door. Mundy turned to his mother and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Mum, before I open this door, you really swear that you're not gonna tell Dad, right?"

"Yeah, I swore and I swear again."

Perle and Soot trotted to them and brushed themselves on Mundy's legs while meowing repeatedly.

Mundy took a deep breath and turned to the door. He put his hand on the handle and pushed it down.

"What is it? Your room?"

Mundy pushed the door open and let his mother in.

"Oh, yeah, that's your room. Did Lucien decorate it too? I don't see you like the flower in a vase kind of man…" Caroline stepped in and her eyes directly caught the flower vase on the night tables. "And a big, double bed you have, eh?"

The cats jumped on the bed and lay on it, bathing each other.

Caroline's eyes went to the wooden suit valet stand.

"You wear suits now?" She went closer to it and looked at the brand. "And it's a Lemercier too…!"

"N-no, that's not mine." Mundy was at the door, incapable of stepping in his own room as if it was forbidden somehow. He fidgeted with his fingers while his knees were wobbling awkwardly beneath him.

"It's Lucien's? What is it doing in your room? Oh…" Caroline went to the night table and saw on each one, a framed picture was resting. She took one in her hand and adjusted her glasses before inspecting it. Mundy closed his eyes and hid his face in his hands.

"Micky…? You sure are very good friends with Lucien, eh…? You keep pictures of both of you next to your bed? And what's this one? Oh…"

It was a picture of Lucien and Mundy hugging each other, on the day that the house was officially made theirs.

"I didn't take you for the huggin' type, Micky…"

Mundy's whole body was boiling, bubbling on the inside and burning in an uncomfortable way. The clock was ticking and he knew that his mother would understand any second now.

"And the bed sheets… They're silk!"

"L-Lu' likes them…"

"So this is Lucien's room? Why did you take me here?"

"N-no." Mundy couldn't move. His heels were anchored in the floor and his legs were threatening to give up. "Go look… in the… cupboard."

Caroline put the framed picture back on the night table and looked at her son.

"You're shakin', Micky. Are you alright?"

He nodded as much as he could.

"Just… go, please."

Caroline frowned and did as she was told. She went to the wardrobe and opened it. Half of it was filled with suits neatly hanging and the other half was simple polo shirts and trousers.

"He wears very diverse stuff, eh?"

Mundy took the few steps that separated him from his mother and pointed at the suits.

"That's… his."

"Yeah?"

His index moved to the polo shirts.

"That's… mine."

"Why would you both put your clothes in the same wardrobe?" She raised a curious eyebrow.

Mundy moved to the bed. He pointed at Lucien's side, where Perle was lying.

"His." And then at Soot's side. "Mine."

"I know Soot is yours and Pearl is his-"

"No!" He exclaimed and the cats moved out of the bed. He pointed again. "His side… Mine…" He turned tearful eyes to his mother. "The bed is… ours…"

Caroline's eyebrows arched high up and Mundy saw it. He saw the precise moment that she saw the truth. Her eyes went to Lucien's suit, then the framed pictures, the wardrobe and finally, the bed.

"Mum… We live together."

Her jaw dropped and silence fell.

#tf2 spy #tf2 sniper #sniperspy #SBT

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