#he wants to distance himself from lamar for the best of lamar but also he just cant seem to make himself let go | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

se0kie · 5 years

Text

love me— myg (m)

pairing: yoongi x reader

genre: fluff, mild angst (if you squint), smut

undergroundrapper!yoongi, established relationship, boyfriend!yoongi

warnings: description of insecurity, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it baybees), fingering, blowjob, light nipple play, really really soft fucking

based on love by kendrick lamar feat. zacari

summary: shaken by betrayal and riddled with insecurity yoongi questions whether you deserve to be with someone like him. it’s time you showed him how much he truly meant to you.

you had gone looking for yoongi after he had stormed out of the underground rap club and into the alley beside the building. what was supposed to be a night of excitement and hushed expectations had swiftly taken a turn and become one of the biggest shocks you or your boyfriend had ever experienced.

yoongi was an underground rapper, he also wrote songs that he would sometimes sell to people he deemed worthy. every friday he would go to the local underground rap club with his rapper friends namjoon and hoseok, sometimes to take part in the head to head battles and earn a little cash but mostly just to chill. it was rumoured that this friday there would be talent scouts in the crowd looking to sign a new rapper to one of their esteemed artist management agencies. yoongi hadn’t wanted to make a big deal out of it so he kept it hushed but told you to accompany him on this particular evening. he was to participate in a freestyle rap battle with one of the house favourites to hopefully convince the scouts present to sign him.

you had faith in yoongi. not only was he a lyrical genius but he also had immaculate flow and could rap at the speed of lightning. you knew your boyfriend would demolish whichever poor sod that was stupid enough to challenge him. you obviously agreed to go and show support. but what happened at the club was something you would never have dreamt of in a hundred years.

yoongi had been challenged, his opponent standing across from him red cheeked listening to yoongi diss the life out him. but as soon as yoongi finished and the other boy started his rhymes you could exactly see the shock on your boyfriend’s face. his lips had parted slightly and his face seemed like he had been slapped right across it. the boy finished and it was yoongi’s turn again but to your horror he said absolutely nothing. he stood there for a few seconds staring at his challenger and then as if suddenly realising that he had an audience yoongi looked across the crowd, latched his gaze at you and then chillingly at namjoon who was standing right next to you. his expression was something you would never forget, it was a look of absolute disappointment and fury. if you had the mind to look at your friend beside you, you would've probably noticed the look of immense guilt on his face but your priority right then was yoongi who had proceeded to shove past you and your group of friends and right out the exit of the club. namjoon had promptly left right after him, presumably to follow him and explain himself.

you had yet to understand what had exactly taken place. you turned to hoseok with confusion written all over you and questioned him, “what the hell was that about hobi?” hoseok had an uncannily similar expression as yoongi’s. he answered slowly as if trying to calm himself, “Y/N the guy going against yoongi, his name is younghyun. he just used yoongi’s lyrics from his upcoming song against him. it was a project me and yoongi were working on together and the only other person to know of it was namjoon.” you let out a shocked breath at hearing his words, realisation slowly settling in. namjoon had sold out his two best friends? he had been a friend of yours for years and you trusted him with your life but right now all you could feel was disgust towards the boy and pity for your dear yoongi. you decided that worrying about namjoon is not nearly as important as looking for yoongi so you muttered quickly, “I'm gonna go look for yoongi, okay hobi?” and left without waiting for an answer.

and here you were overhearing yoongi and namjoon’s loud conversation in the alley beside the club.

the voices were rather quiet but the soft breeze in the air was carrying it towards you enough for you to barely make out what they were saying.

“...how could you namjoon? I trusted you with everything, hobi trusted you with everything. how could you steal from your own best friends?”

“I'm tired of you two being in the spotlight all the time that’s why!”

you winced at the venom in the younger boy’s words. had he always felt like that? was he pretending this whole time? you were distracted from your own speculations as the voices grew in volume.

“I don’t wanna be like you, hyung. talented but jobless, in love but can’t express it. you’re always broke, hyung. I can’t live like that. you clearly don’t care about your financial situation that’s just pathetic. nobody ever even pays attention to me even thought i’m the only one out of your group that actually wants to make a name for himself. your lyrics can earn so much more for you, fame and fortune are waiting for you but you refuse to do anything about it. you live like a penniless college student and I don’t want that life for me.”

you felt as if someone had stung you. the insults heaping upon each other hurting you as if they were hurled at you directly.

“when was the last time you took Y/N out, huh? when was the last time you spent money on her, showed her what a relationship is like. when was the last time you received a paycheck?”

“namjoon please leave.” you could hear the pain in yoongi’s voice. you knew how insecure he was, you knew exactly how much he worried about not having enough money and you knew that namjoon knew too. that’s why it hurt even more to hear him say these things. namjoon huffed in the distance and you could hear his feet crunching the ground indicating that he was walking towards you. you refused to look at him and instead chose to stare at the floor instead. he stopped when he reached you for a few seconds, it seemed like he wanted to say something but eventually decided against it and left.

as soon as you were sure of his departure you half walked half jogged towards your boyfriend, when you stood in front of him you opened up your arms and your heart gave a little clench at seeing the soft tears adorning his full cheeks, his eyes glistening and lips pink and puffy. Another clench at how quickly he rushed into your open embrace and hid his face in the crook of your neck. this position was unfamiliar to you as it had always been yoongi comforting you. he was the strong one, the one who kept the both of you standing in the way of a storm. but you knew that right now out of all times yoongi needed you to be strong for the both of you, he needed you to be the pillar in your relationship this once and you would gladly do it again a hundred times, for him. you could feel his light shakes as he let himself cry in your hold, in his safe space. he let himself go in front of the one person he knew would never betray him

~~~~

you had driven yourself and yoongi back to your apartment in your old and battered car. the long silent ride exactly what yoongi needed to process everything that had happened. you had let him have his space, you knew what kind of a jolt it must have been to find out that one of your closest, most dear friend actually did not love him as you all had been led to believe.

you reached home and could finally let out a breath of relief at being in your safe space. somewhere you knew it was just you and your boyfriend and you could be alone with your thoughts. you walked into your small bedroom and pulled out a t-shirt from the little collection that yoongi always kept at your place, because of the sheer amount of time he spent in your house it only seemed practical. you handed it to him and watched him pull off his t-shirt and put on the new one. without asking, out of habit he passed you his dirty shirt. you accepted it with a small smile and discarded your day wear and pulled on the soft material. it smelled like yoongi, fabric softener, coffee and his cologne mixed with the musky scent of his sweat. you brought the neck of the shirt up to your nose and took a deep inhale, “stop that, you look like a crazed puppy.” you scowled at his words but your gaze softened almost immediately at his lighthearted demeanour. “are you feeling better, sweetie?” you couldn’t help but ask, you needed to know how he was feeling, the urge to envelop him in your arms once again and kiss every wound of his deepening by the second. yoongi gave you a small nod, a few moments of silence followed and then he started with a burst of words, “I know I probably can’t show you off to the world Y/N, i’m not good at expressing my emotions, i’ve always just relied on the fact that you would know that i love you, I won’t be able to buy you designer clothes and take you on expensive dates, you deserve it all and so so much more but I can’t give you the joys that money can buy. all I can do is love you. I will always look out for you and take care of you. Will you still be with me knowing that i can’t give you diamonds and mansions? Will you still stay by my side?”

you could feel the damned tears prickling at your ears but you couldn’t wait to tell yoongi what you thought, “I don’t care that you can’t buy me materialistic shit yoongi. I have never cared about that, but what you do give me is happiness, and my world stops every time you smile at me. you love me and I love you and that’s more than what I can ask of from the universe. i will love you even if you don’t. all i ask of you is that you trust me.” you bit your lip, all of this being way too honest and sentimental for you than you were used to but you knew that yoongi needed this confirmation. “I love you the way you are because you love me the way I am. I would rather live in rags beside you than in a mansion without you min yoongi. I love you.” you could see the emotions burning behind your boyfriend’s eyes. you closed the distance between you with a few steps and soon you had your lips on his.

the kiss started out chaste and sweet but as the frustration and pain from the happenings of the day boiled through the both of you, heat added to the negligible space between your bodies. yoongi’s hands previously on your waist had now slipped towards your ass and were cupping the fleshy cheeks. he gave one a squeeze and you couldn’t help but moan into the kiss that still connected you. his expert tongue swept across your bottom lip. silent. soft. asking for permission. you granted and opened up a little to let him slip his tongue into your mouth. your hands were at the nape of his neck, fingers playing with the soft hair that curled at the end. you were overtaken by the need to show this man how much you truly loved him. you turned yourselves around so that yoongi’s back was now facing the bed and slowly pushed at his shoulders, wordlessly asking him to lie down. you whispered, “lay back and let me love you.” yoongi smiled softly and gave you a nod. you sat down on your knees, yoongi’s thighs in between the space of your parted legs. you fumbled with the zipper of his jeans and somehow managed to get his pants entirely off. the soft glow of the moon was the only source of light and you took a few moments to appreciate the gorgeous man you had the honour to call yours. his shirt long gone and the pale smattering of fine hair on his stomach shining in the glow of the night, highlighting his toned pecs. “you look so gorgeous. my heart belongs to you, yoongi.” you bent down towards his crotch and got his boxers off, his half hard cock slowly rising at your warm touch. you fondled his pretty dark pink balls and swept at the drops of precum forming at the slit of his head.

you gave his cock a stroke and gingerly gave it a kitten lick at the top. “ungh Y/N baby please stop teasing.” yoongi moaned. you loved that about him, yoongi was never afraid of being vocal. you decided to end his suffering and took half his cock into your mouth. the feeling of the wet warmth enveloping his cock almost made yoongi cum right then and there, you were treating him so good. you hollowed out your cheeks and sucked at his dick like he was your own personal yoongi flavoured popsicle, salty and bitter and delicious. a few more sucks and you had yoongi tapping at your hand signalling you to stop. you gave him a few more licks to the pretty swollen head of his cock and finally released him from your hold. yoongi had sat up now and was at your lips attacking you with kisses, hungry to taste himself on your tongue. “lay down with your head on the pillow baby.” he was back to instructing you, the need to be close to you and pleasuring you building in his stomach. you did as he said and laid back on the bed. yoongi had come up to your chest and taken a nipple into his warm, wet mouth. the sensation causing you to arch your back. he suckled at your nipple and you could feel his hand make his way down to the waistband of your panties. you helped him take of the undergarment and swift as a cat he had his finger on your clit, giving it a tentative rub earning a string of moans from you. he teased at the outer lips of your cunt and played with the moisture gathering there. “yoongi please touch me.” you whined and whimpered for him to finally touch you the way you wanted to be touched. “patience, angel. I'll touch you, don’t you worry.” he made good on his promise and soon yoongi had two of his fingers shoved into your dripping pussy and eliciting sounds from you that would have made demons blush. he pumped your cunt with a few expert strokes, bumping against the rough, spongy spot he was more than familiar with. the outcome of years spent together. one stroke, a second, third, fourth, fifth and then suddenly he stopped. you let out another pathetically needy whimper. “why’d you do that I was just about to cum?” he lets out a chuckle and says, “I want you to cum on my cock baby. I can only go once tonight I need you around me when I do that.” you nod dejectedly and open up your legs, blunt and bold. you want his cock inside you and you will have it.

yoongi crawls over you, hands on either side of your head and cockhead positioned at your red, leaking opening, waiting to swallow his length. he bends down to your face and kisses you, disctracted by his actions you’re taken by surprise when he enters you in one swift motion. your jaw goes slack and you moan into his mouth. “mm yes oh god i feel so full yoongi. i love it when you’re inside me baby, i love you so much.” “i love you too angel, so so much you have no idea. is it okay if i move now?” you nod in assent and in a matter of seconds you’re turned into a moaning mess. yoongi’s length is pistoning in and out of your sloppy hole but as rough as he is down there that much more soft is he in your kisses. his right hand is at your breast and fondling your nipple. you’re unable of stringing together coherent sentences so all you do is moan and whimper and revel in how good yoongi is making you feel. he rolls your nipple in between his fingers and he has his mouth down to your left tit, he takes it in between his lips and swirls his tongue across the hard peak. this added sensation along with his long hard stroked at your cunt builds a string of red hot pleasure in the pit of your belly that snaps when he flicks his tongue over your stiff bud. you’re cumming, hard, and clenching around yoongi’s dick. yoongi can’t hold himself back anymore. knowing he’s made you cum he now lets go and spills his warmth deep into your pussy and slumps down onto you, holding himself up with one hand to not crush you under his weight.

you try and catch your breath after the invigorating session and you’re met with tens of sweet utterings sent to your ears. ‘i love you’s and ‘i’ll never leave you’s making their rounds. “angel you did so good, you treated me so well, i love you so much.” you blushed at his praise and replied, “i love you too sweetheart. if i don’t have you i have nothing. always remember that please.”

you snuggled into yoongi’s chest and he pulled you as close as physically possible. you had each other and you loved each other. everything else could be dealt with as long as you were in each other’s arms. that was all the comfirmation yoongi needed.

#bts writing cafe #minthlynet #yoongi #yoongi fluff #yoongi smut #min yoongi #bts #bts smut #suga #suga smut #yoongi one shot #yoongi x you #se0kie

215 notes · View notes

anotherarchivesblog · 4 years

Note

hi who are most of the people in the relationship charts you posted on insta a while ago?

Like I know you’ve posted some stuff about Nate and Zoe and even Venus but I’m really curious about everyone else!

I wanna preface this by thanking you for your patience since it took me forever to reply to this. I really appreciate it! <3

Anyways, those charts are divided into two parts — the first is Nate’s friend group (which I call the Zodiacs) and the second is the Celestial Council. The Zodiacs are central-focus characters while the Council’s role is more on the back burner.

I’ll talk about the characters individually under the cut, but if you’re not into summaries I’ll include a song that reminds me of each character since I think music is a fantastic personality descriptor:

ZODIACS

NATE SAGITTARIUS: Nate is an overly ambitious teenage boy who becomes a Regulator at the Venus Villas after discovering that he’s half elf. I’m sure you know the rest of this rant by now.

“Genius Next Door” — Regina Spektor

ZOE SAGITTARIUS: Nate’s punk-rock older sister, who is much cooler than he’ll ever be. Zoe is a dryad that was adopted by Jupiter Sagittarius shortly after she had woken up in a Bronx alleyway with a bad case of amnesia. Nowadays, she works as a Regulator at the Venus Villas and wields a talking snake shaped dagger named Sabik.

“OHFR?” — Rico Nasty

DANIEL ATKINS: As Head Regulator, Daniel Atkins is known to keep things in line. Daniel is an aloof ghost from the 1910s who hasn't matured much since his death. He’s notoriously bad with social cues and always says whatever he’s thinking, which Nate doesn’t seem to mind. The two of them quickly become best friends, much to Zoe’s dismay.

“Nobody” — Mitski

BRENDA ANTARES: With her competitive nature and innate sparing abilities, Brenda was the obvious choice for Mars’ Lieutenant. When she’s not assisting Mars, Brenda volunteers as a part-time cook at the Venus Villas. Brenda is a sweetheart who befriends anyone she can, which is ironic considering the fact that she shares a body with a temperamental demon named Aries.

“What’s Up Danger” — Blackway & Black Caviar

ANASTASIA CHERNOV: Not much is known about Anastasia’s past and she’d like to keep it that way, thank you very much. Anastasia Chernov is head general of Via’s Army and a recurring antagonist throughout the series. She is a blind vampire who, despite her overall brooding nature, loves cutesy magical girl animes and Vocaloids.

“Oh Ana” — Mother Mother

MAYBELLE SAVURI: Real hot girl shhh! Maybelle Savuri is a top-charting singer and model from the monster world who just so happens to be Venus’ daughter too. She’s a super rich vampire with shapeshifting powers, the cutest outfits, and confidence for days — what else could you possibly want?

“Girls in the Hood” — Megan Thee Stallion

LEO JEMBER: Resident golden boy and honorary funnyman, Leo Jember is one of the first friends Nate makes at the Villas. Leo is a (literal) angel who works the front desk at the Venus Villas, and spends his free time messing with his best friend Scorpius Singh. Leo is extremely popular with the workers at the Villas but he also has the tendency to push Venus’ buttons for fun.

“C7osure.” — Lil Nas X

SCORPIUS SINGH: The only Zodiac more secretive than Anastasia is Scorpius. Scorpius Singh is a witch cursed to kill everything he touches. Nowadays, his hands are constantly bandaged and he tends to keep his distance from other people. Around the Villas, Scorpius is known for his intellect and snippy attitude.

“Goodbye Mr A” — The Hoosiers

POLLY DE DIOS: Just like her father, Polly de Dios is a skilled inventor who helps with repairs around the Villas. Polly and her twin brother, Cas, are a pair of hyper-intelligent androids built by Mercury de Dios. Unlike her lax brother, Polly is a rule-abiding teenager with a love for list making and hard work.

“B.I.T.C.H” — Megan Thee Stallion

ALEX MILTON: Come through, daddy issues! Alex Milton is a blunt satyr who spends his free time committing petty crime. His tendency to use his powers in the mortal world often winds Alex in trouble with the Venus Villas. Despite his unpleasant nature, Alex is both humorous and intelligent… maybe that’s the reason Nate had a slight crush on him when they first met.

“Rich & Sad” — Post Malone

DAX LEE: Dax is good friends with Leo and Scorpius which, by default, makes him Nate’s friend as well. Dax Lee is a deaf merman who has the power to mind control other people whenever he sings. And while Dax may not be the smartest member of the Zodiacs, he certainly is the friendliest!

“This December” — Rick Montgomery

JEONG NA-RI: As a powerful psychic, Jeong Na-Ri is a force to be reckoned with. But after Nate accidentally frees her from a hundred-year imprisonment, Na-Ri quickly learns that the world she came back to is extremely different from the one that she left behind. Not only that but, with her immortal dad still around, Na-Ri now has a new step-mom and an older brother named Dax.

“Cartoons” — Louie Zong

CELESTIALS

**SOL JEMAL: As head of the Celestial Council, Sol plays a particularly important role in the monster world. Sol Jemal is an angel that has been around since the beginning of time so she’s pretty much seen it all by now. Her distant nature has caused an aura of mystery to form around her, but her sons Deneb and Leo reason that she’s not as omnipotent as she seems and, if anything, she’s just a bit uptight.

“YAH.” — Kendrick Lamar

MOON ATKINS: It doesn’t matter that they’re twins, Moon would like to make it perfectly clear that he is Sol’ older brother. (By five whole minutes!) While Sol is known for being the bringer of life, Moon Atkins was assigned the role of ruling over the dead. Because of this, Moon’s presence is seen as a bad omen in the monster world. However, Moon is quite the gentleman with an extreme interest in birds, particularly ravens.

“Lethargy″ — Bastille

MERCURY DE DIOS: The rest of the Council has the tendency to look over Mercury’s existence. Mercury de Dios is a gnome with a knack for inventing. He’s a genius when it comes to innovation, but has trouble when it comes to socializing with other people, so he avoids it completely by shutting himself in his workshop all day. When he’s not inventing, Mercury is either spending time with his children or trailing behind Venus and Mars around the Villas.

“Touch-Tone Telephone” — Lemon Demon

VENUS GALILEI: As both his boss and godmother, Venus spends a lot of time with Nate. Which is unfortunate for him, because while many other adults in the monster world think Nate is old enough to fight against Via’s Army, Venus adamantly believes that he is too young to get involved. Still, despite their many disagreements, the two care very deeply for each other.

“Glamorous” — Fergie

TERRA GALILEI: Nate’s not the only one with an adopted dryad sister. Terra Galilei is Venus’ younger sister who is head of human relations — meaning that she keeps in touch with the very few humans who know of the monster world. Unlike her sister, Terra is a loud party animal with a love for sports.

“Lightning” — Rico Nasty

MARS HUYGENS: Oh boy. Where to begin with Mars? Mars Huygens is a cyclops widely known in the monster world for his loudmouth and love of violence. He is one of the three Celestials who work at the Venus Villas — the other two being his spouses Venus and Mercury — much to the Regulators’ dismay. Despite his reputation, Mars gets along swimmingly with Brenda and, despite how often he teases the kid, has a bit of a soft spot for Nate as well.

“PRIDE.” — Kendrick Lamar

JUPITER SAGITTARIUS: Everyone in the monster world knows Jupiter as the elf who had a child with a human. Jupiter Sagittarius is Nate and Zoe’s music loving father who never really grew up. Jupiter supports his children in their endeavors, however he’s not quite qualified for his own responsibilities. Despite his scatter-mindedness, Jupiter puts a genuine effort into everything he does which, at the very least, is why his peers tend to like him so much.

“8TEEN” — Khalid

SATURN HAMILTON: With the exception of Mercury and Moon, no one in the Celestial Council really likes Saturn all that much. Saturn Hamilton is a workaholic satyr who is obsessed with the human world and its history. More often than not, Saturn finds himself butting heads with his eldest son, Alex, despite Saturn’s attempts to salvage their relationship as of late.

“Cemetery” — COIN

URI HERSCHEL: Uri is a man of few words… mostly because he’s a selective mute. Uri Herschel is an ice giant known for his eccentric nature — whether it be his odd choice of clothes or his peculiar love of taxidermy.

“Anklebiters” — Paramore

LEE NEPTUNE: Guess it’s time to release the kraken. Lee Neptune is a picture perfect beach dweller — a handsome surfer dude who plays the ukulele and has the ability to shapeshift into the legendary kraken. He may not be the smartest member of the Celestial Council, but he certainly is charming.

“Drunk Walk Home” — Mitski

PLUTO TOMBAUGH: While he’s technically no longer a part of the Council, Pluto will always have an honorary spot in these lists. Pluto Tombaugh is a laid-back and likeable dwarf who is obsessed with the animals that reside in the monster world — which he collects and studies in his downtime.

“Jawbreaker” — Injury Reserve ft. Rico Nasty & Pro Teens

**The surname Jemal is just a placeholder and will most likely change down the line.

#seriously tho thank you sm for being patient ur the best #also I wanted to put Beef FloMix by Flo Milli for Venus but the vibe didnt match Venus' aesthetic >:(#anonymous

3 notes · View notes

angelbabylu · 5 years

Text

Only For The Night // CH

pairing: oc x calum

word count: 8k

warnings: smut, angst, fluff and brief mentions of sexual abuse

notes: dad!sos baby!!!! okay, well more like dad!sos origins. I’ve been writing this fic for like a month now and truthfully, i ended up scrapping the first couple of versions. BUT i really like how the final version came out. special thanks to @5sosnsfw and @aspiringwildfire for reading and editing this fic. i love you both so much!! more notes at the end!

title: from LOVE. FEAT. ZACARI by Kendrick Lamar.

September 2015

“Did you bring me all the way to your fancy house to show off how rich and famous you are?”

The girl perched atop Calum’s marble counters had an unmistakably flirtatious glint in her eyes. With the smallest of movements, she curled the corner of her mouth up into a insinuating smirk. Not for the first time that night, Calum was floored by the unconventional beauty in front of him. There was something in those deep brown eyes, in the soft plush of her lips, the light rosy tint of her cheeks, that pulled Calum in.

This was the very same allure that had caused Calum to respond to her earlier announcement of “I’m craving ice cream now” with “I have some at my house.”

Just half an hour before they had been sipping beers on a sofa in Michael’s girlfriend’s living room. Crystal had decided to throw a party for some superfluous reason or another - one that Calum was sure she had explained to him, but that had slipped his mind as soon as he had heard it. Sometimes, it felt like Crystal threw a party every week and while Calum preferred the comfort of his bed and a Netflix series he had seen a thousand times, Michael just started dating her and part of his new boyfriend routine included forcing his friends to attend every event she hosted.

When he had arrived at her house, his plan had been to sit in a corner and get drunk enough to forget his social inhibitions and maybe eventually mingle with some of her friends. His social crutches Ashton and Luke were both MIA that night. Ashton and Bryana’s relationship was on the rocks, and they were spending some time alone trying to mend it. And Luke — well, as usual he and Arzaylea were at some high end music event smooth talking execs.

When Michael had handed Calum a beer at the door, Calum had known that would be their only interaction for the night. Michael was so obsessed with being the perfect boyfriend to Crystal, he would follow her around like a lost dog. Unfortunately for Calum, perfect boyfriends didn’t hide away in corners getting drunk with their best friends.

So, as planned, Calum had taken a couple shots of tequila, then found his corner, nursing a beer in one hand and scrolling through social media on his phone in the other, waiting for his buzz to kick in.

Beth was not planned.

A few minutes into his pre-drunk brood, she had ungraciously plopped herself next to him and asked, “What’s a tree’s favorite drink?”

His first thought was that he was somehow already drunk and had misheard her. “What?”

The flirtatious glint he would grow familiar with shined in her eyes for the first time that night. She had a bright red popsicle in one hand and fidgeted with a phone in the other. The red of the popsicle had bled unto her tongue and lips, drawing Calum’s eyes to her cupid’s bow as she repeated once more, “What’s a tree’s favorite drink?”

Calum wasn’t quite sure how to answer, but the more he turned the question over in his mind, the more convinced he was that there was some joke in it that he had missed.

The confusion must have been fairly evident on his face because she rolled her eyes and blew out an exasperated sigh. The knuckles of the hand still holding her phone gently pushed at his shoulders. “Did you talk to anyone before coming to sit in this corner?”

Calum had half a mind to be affronted, but truthfully, he had only said hello to Michael and gotten a few shots from Crystal. “I said hello to Mikey and Crystal?” He offered sheepishly. He wasn’t shy exactly, but sometimes he needed a little liquid courage before coming to life at a party. It wasn’t hard at a party surrounded by people he knew, but this was mostly Crystal’s friends, and he was not the best at introducing himself to new people.

“Well, lucky for you, I’ve talked to almost everyone.” As she spoke, Calum took in the way she was always in motion, fingers rapping aimlessly on her phone case or fidgeting with her popsicle stick, shoes tapping lightly against the hardwood floor. She even took a pause in her speech to wrap scarlet stained lips over the head of the popsicle. Calum had to consciously draw his eyes away from the movement of her mouth so as to not be caught staring.

“Crystal’s trying to defend her title as the undisputed party throwing champ, so she bought a bunch of treats that are basically quintessential to growing up in America in the nineties and early two thousands.” She gestured to the popsicle in hand. “The popsicle, of course, is an important add. And no 90’s popsicle is complete without the joke on the stick.”

It took a moment for Calum to realize she was done speaking, waiting for him to respond. As the popsicle disappeared into her mouth again, Calum found himself unable to concentrate.

His genius response was, “Like a paddle pop?”

And this was why Ashton said there was no sight more amusing than Calum attempting to talk to a pretty girl. To be fair, she had thrown him off his rhythm. She had shown up out of nowhere with her red stained lips and deep brown eyes and a question he couldn’t understand. Her every movement proved a distraction, everything from the way she licked her lips to the way she tucked raven black strands falling loose from her twin dutch braids behind her hair.

Beth snorted in a way that shouldn’t have been attractive, but Calum thought it was cute anyway. “What the fuck is a paddle pop?”

“Ice cream.” He clarified. “On a stick. They used to have jokes on them. Do you guys not have that here? They’re huge in Australia.”

She shook her head, more strands falling free to frame her face. “Sorry Mr. Australia, we only have plain old popsicles here.”

Somehow that had launched them into a conversation about the differences in their American and Australian upbringing. It turns out Beth had been born in New York to immigrant islander parents whose strict adherence to their culture made her feel as if she had grown up in two different countries. To make matters more complicated, Beth had moved to California with her mom after her dad died. She quickly learned that California was like another country all on its own. Despite her eclectic upbringing, they still managed to find areas of common ground. They talked about music (his love for classic rock and her love for early 00s pop), TV shows (Calum hadn’t seen any of her Disney Channel favorites, but they could both agree on their love of Arthur and the Wiggles), toys (Tamagotchis were a yes, Ferbies were a no), their home lives and everything in between. It didn’t escape Calum’s notice how she skirted around any mentions of her mother. He wondered what the story was there but decided not to press her.

Calum wasn’t sure how long they sat in Crystal’s living room talking, or how long it was before Beth reached the end of the popsicle and found her answer (A tree’s favorite drink is root beer) or even how long it was before she had announced her craving for ice cream. He was so enraptured by her; he barely noticed the passage of time. He wanted to lie to himself, to assert that his desire to continue the conversation is what made him invite her over to his house. Truthfully, it was the pull of wanting something more.

Now, she was swinging her short legs off the edge of his kitchen counter and sucking mint chip ice cream from a spoon. Idly, he wondered if she noticed how his eyes had been straying to her lips all night.

“I’m not trying to show off,” Calum grumbled, leaning forward, bracing himself on his elbows on the countertop next to her. It was not an accident the way his forearm grazed the outer edge of her thigh. When she had hopped on the counter, her button front jean skirt had slipped even higher, and he couldn’t help the way the deep color of her skin caught his eye.

She had been flirting with him all night if the gratuitous glances and her light grazes were any indications. Even now as she shoveled another spoonful of ice cream and held it out for him, it felt intimate and teasing, as if they were both after the same thing.

It was easier with her than it had been with his other recent pulls. As much as he had been imagining her lips around his dick the entire night, Calum had also really enjoyed their conversation, and even if he didn’t get to fuck her, he knew he would still save her number and text her in a few days.

“It’s okay if you’re showing off. The only thing I like more than tall, broody strangers are tall, broody strangers with nice houses.”

A blush tinted Calum’s cheeks. “Good, that means my plan is working.”

They smiled shyly at one another then Beth went silent for a moment, all of her attention focused on the ice cream in hand. He wasn’t sure how to verbalize what he was feeling or how to ask if she was feeling it as well.

There was always the possibility that his mind was playing tricks on him, but the way she purred her next question made him think otherwise.

“And what is that plan exactly?”

Calum moved to stand in front of her, but kept a short distance between them, not wanting to give in to his desire until he got the express permission to do so. Slipping off of the counter, Beth mirrored his action. His eyes tracked the way her skirt slid up her thighs before moving back up to her eyes.

He summoned a little courage. It didn’t hurt to ask. “Well if you just want to continue talking and eating ice cream that’s fine. But if you were interested in something more, we can do that too.”

“I thought you’d never ask.” The ice cream tub thudded forgotten on the counter, and she reached out a hand to him. “I’ve been putting the moves on you all night.”

Calum was powerless to resist the pull of her. Mirroring her action, he reached out as well. As soon as their fingers touched, she gripped them tightly, pulling him towards her with one firm tug.

“When?” He asked, teasingly. “The confusing opening question or the couple hours long talk about our families?”

When his hands laid gently on the small of her back, hers twisted in the hair at his nape, the cool metal of her rings occasionally brushing against his scalp. “Okay, I might be bad at the whole flirting thing, but I was basically blowing that popsicle earlier.”

A flash of plush red lips stretching deliciously over the head of the popsicle flashed in Calum’s mind. “Yeah that. . .” He didn’t have words. There must have been an obvious moonstruck look on his face because Beth giggled and pulled him towards her.

“I figured that would work.” A few seconds later, the lips he’d been enchanted by all night were finally on his.

She tasted like the mint chocolate chip ice cream they had just been sharing.

As he savored the taste of her, he allowed his hands to roam, feeling the soft curves of her torso, gripping lightly at the spots he could feel himself becoming obsessed with. He couldn’t wait to get her into bed, to tease with lips roaming everywhere.

Later, he thought, filing those ideas away. For now, he dropped his hands further, grabbing at the meaty flesh of her ass and kneading a few times. Beth moaned into his mouth at the feeling and pressed closer to him. He slid his hands down again, to her thighs this time, and hiked her up, her legs wrapping around his waist in response. A second later, he placed her back on the kitchen counter. They both sighed in relief as the height difference shortened. He no longer had to crane his neck down, and she no longer had to stand on the tips of her toes.

Plus, she was now at the perfect height for him to mouth at her chin. She smelt amazing there, like roses and cocoa butter and the fading hints of an oceany perfume.

Almost reluctantly, he left her chin to toy with her neck. As he moved, he could hear her breath hitch with every nip and suck. By the time he made it to her chest, grabbing the edges of her shirt and pulling it over her head, burying his face happily on the perfect pillow her pushup had created, she began to get whiny.

He smirked.

He loved it when girls got like this.

He loved their high pitched pleas. It felt like reassurance almost, letting him know that they were just as affected by him as he was by them.

“Can I?” He asked, nimble fingers loosely playing with the hook of her bra. She nodded, and the bra was off, joining the shirt on the floor. When he took one nipple into her mouth, rolling the other between his forefinger and thumb, she gasped out his name like a prayer, her nails scratching lightly at the hair at his nape.

“Are we really gonna fuck on this kitchen counter?” Beth asked when he moved on to the next nipple, giving it the same treatment as the first.

He laughed, letting her breast fall from between his lips. “Sorry, I got carried away.”

“I’ll say.” Beth gestured pointedly to the way he had his hands on each of her breasts as they spoke, playing with them idly. Sheepish at his lust, but unable to keep his hands off her, he moved them back to her side.

He didn’t make any efforts to leave the kitchen, however. Instead, he dipped his head, so he could curve into her mouth once more.

“You’re intoxicating.” He breathed into her, as if the very act of kissing her was making him drunk. Before they knew it, his hands were roaming again, down thighs this time, fingers digging into the softness there.

It took Beth a minute to get her wits about her, drunk on him too. When she did, she pulled her mouth away, hand gripping Calum’s, forcing their motions to stop.

“Bed, Calum.” She was laughing. At what he wasn’t sure. Perhaps it was at the way neither of them could seem to keep their wants at bay long enough to make it up a flight of stairs to Calum’s bedroom.

Both of Calum’s hands went up in the air, and he took an exaggerated step back in a show of restraint. “Okay, okay. I’ll take you to my bedroom.”

He turned and offered his back to her. “Hop on.”

She did, but not without grumbling. “Piggyback ride?”

“Piggyback rides are sexy.”

The melody of her laugh sounded right next to his ear, and he couldn’t help but laugh with her. “I’m really about to have sex with a guy who thinks piggyback rides are sexy. Lord, help me.”

“To be fair, at this point, I’d think doing anything with you was sexy.”

She hopped off his back once in his room, and they shut the door behind them. They didn’t bother turning on any lights but as she moved closer to the bed, the moon shining down from his skylight, illuminating and accentuating her curves. That was more than enough to set his desire alight again. Stalking towards her, he was ready to get his mouth on her once more.

A single finger to the chest stopped him before he could get more than arm's length. “Uh huh.” she purred. “I’m over here in my skirt and panties, and you’re fully clothed. You’re not playing fair, Mr. Hood.”

Hastily, he removed his shirt and his pants then looked to her expectantly. When she gestured to his boxers, he released an indignant, “You too!”

She rolled her eyes, but a few seconds later, they were both standing staring at each other’s naked bodies.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Her arms went around her frame, a sign that she was a little self-conscious about the way his eyes drifted over her body.

“Can’t.” He murmured as he crossed the short distance between them. “You’re too beautiful.”

“You can stop laying it on so thick, I’m going to let you fuck me.”

“Bethany.” He paused, searching through all the information she had relayed about herself earlier that night. “Bethany whatever your last name is, I’m not ‘laying it on thick.’ I honestly think that you are gorgeous, and I need you to know that.”

Beth ducked her head as if trying to hide from the compliment, but Calum slipped two fingers under her chin and lift her face up to meet his.

“You’re so cute.” He punctuated each word with a chaste peck on the lips.

“Shut up and take me to bed,” Beth ordered steely, but there was a light blush dusting her cheek and a grateful look in her eye that told Calum she appreciated the way he complimented her.

Unceremoniously, he picked her up, laughing at her yelp in surprise. Then, he crossed the hardwood expanse of his room and deposited her on his bed.

This time when their lips met again, all the frantic heat from the kitchen and the teasing feather light pecks from a few seconds before were replaced with slow, tender movements of their tongues rubbing against one another’s.

All his life, the intimacy of touch was second nature to him, so it was easy for him to pour out his adoration with his mouth and worship her body with his hands. Said wanderers moved up and down her side, gripping at the softness of her middle and her thighs.

He pulled their mouths away, so he could lick down her neck and chest. Every nip and suck drew a slight hitch in her breath. She was easy to arouse. By the time his tongue darted out into the dip of her belly button, she was squirming and pleading, trying to guide his head where she wanted him most.

Instead, he teased her. He skimmed a lightly stubbled cheek against the inside of her thigh, breathing deeply to take in the heady scent of her sex.

“Calum Hood, when are you going to stop teasing me?” her voice waned, dripping with a plea.

He let out a small huff of breath against her thigh and whispered, “Never.”

When he crawled back up her body instead of giving in to her temptation, she shot him an unimpressed look. He let out a short yelp in surprise when she flipped them, sitting up on his thighs.

“I’m taking charge now,” she said pointedly, playfully unamused with his earlier teasing.

Unbidden, she reached her fingers down to rub gently on the underside of his cock. He was already hard, and he knew that in just a few moments, she would have him leaking.

“I’m starting to learn that you like being in charge,” he grunted out. The words were hard to concentrate on as she gripped and stroked him, sending prickles of pressure up and down his spine. She kept eye contact with him as she bowed, bringing soft, plump lips to his tip. God, he had been dreaming about that all night. Overwhelmed, he couldn’t help but moan in arousal.

He could get turned on from the sight of her lips wrapped around his cock alone. Accompanied by the sinful movements of her tongue, he felt as if he was on fire. She bobbed her head, using her hand to cover what she couldn’t reach. As he felt his pleasure building, he knew he had to get in her.

“I thought you said something about letting me fuck you?” he joked, voice heavy with lust nonetheless.

She pulled off him with a wet pop. “Now, I’m getting carried away.”

He slid the hand that was at her nape to her chin, nudging just enough for her to get a hint. Crawling up his body, she allowed her weight to fall fully atop him, taking a second to dip into his mouth.

“Gonna ride you,” she commanded between kisses.

“Of course you are.” No question she liked setting the pace for them. She had been doing it all night. Riding him would allow her to keep control.

“Condoms?” She asked, already instinctively leaning over him to his bedside table. He didn’t respond, knowing that she would find just want she needed as soon as she opened the drawer. She held up the condom in triumph before settling back over him.

She easily rolled the condom on, but before she could line herself up with his member, Calum pulled her down for a kiss. Every time she moved away, he felt starving for a taste, craving her kisses as much as he craved being inside her.

Immediately after they parted, he brought two fingers to her mouth and commanded, “Suck.”

She pulled them between her lips, tongue coiling around the long digits. When he pulled them out, he was enraptured by the string of translucent saliva that connected them until it broke. Then he was on her. Their lips met with desire as his fingers went to her clit, applying pressure, causing her to gasp into his mouth. He grazed between folds, slipping in and out of her, coaxing shudders from her supple frame.

“Calum.”

Her whines dragged him from his explorations.

“Sorry,” He bit out. It seemed like getting carried away was their theme for the night.

Shaking her head in slight exasperation, she pushed his hand away, then lined herself up with his cock.

Calum couldn’t help but groan, “Fuck,” as he became enveloped in her pulsing heat.

The way she moved on him was sinful. She started slowly, moving up and down, squeezing him gently. That alone was enough for his hands to fly up to her middle, squeezing gently as he threw his head back with a groan. She pressed herself on top of him, and he marveled in the softness of her. When she started kissing his neck and grinding on him in earnest, he decided that they had to do this again.

“Fuck baby girl. You feel so good.”

“Yeah?” She asked, and he couldn’t even respond. Sitting up, she had changed her rhythm, moving more enthusiastically against him. His grip on her tightened as he lost control of his hips. She didn’t like that.

When he started bucking up to meet her motions, she placed one delicate hand on his torso and whispered, “Behave.”

“Come on,” he whined, but she ignored his pleas, bouncing lasciviously up and down his dick.

It felt like forever that he was a slave to her motions, the way her hips dropped down to meet his and she clenched around him. Somewhere along the line, he had turned to begging, wanting to take charge, to flip them so he could properly fuck into her.

Finally, she gave into him.

“Alright you big baby,” she had grumbled, then slid right off of him. Lying next to him, she opened up her legs, inviting him in. Both of them groaned when he lined up with her entrance again. He fucked into her slowly while mouthing up and down her neck. At each thrust, she whined and cried out his name. Her fingers clawed up and down his back, bringing pleasure almost to the point of pain.

“You said you wanted to fuck me, so fuck me.” Bossy as always.

He slid his arms beneath her knees, pushing her legs up against her chest so he could drive into her. Their sounds devolved to groans and the calling out of each other’s names. She came first, clenching against him, her whole body shuddering. He felt the moment, immediately following her release, when the sensations changed. When the condom ripped open, and he became intimately familiar with the walls inside her. The feeling came as such a shock to him, but before he could even process it, he was spilling inside her.

There was no relief in his release.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Calum was muttering as he pulled out of her. “Shit. The condom ripped.”

Beth did not share his sense of urgency. Amusement glinted in her eyes as she failed to smother a yawn.

“Relax,” she chided lightly. “I have an IUD.”

Then the amusement in her eyes turned biting. “Unless you have an STD?”

Calum shook his head, disposing of the torn latex material. “I don’t have an STD.” It didn’t even cross Calum’s mind to be worried about his own health. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go get you Plan B?”

Beth rolled her eyes. “Trust me. I fucked my ex for two years with this IUD. We’re fine.”

Calum still twitched nervously at the edge of the bed, worrying his lip.

“Come back to bed,” Beth ordered. “Come tell me how good that was.”

It took a moment, but eventually, Calum decided to trust her, putting his fears behind him. “That was good.”

He crawled back in bed with her. From her position laying atop him, Beth merely made a sound of agreement.

“Although maybe next time I should just tie you up and have my way with you. Get you to give up control for a second.” His tone was light and teasing, but the way her breath hitched told him that was definitely something they could explore in the future.

“Or maybe,” she said somewhat indignantly, “I should tie you up and have my way with you.”

“We’ll take turns,” he conceded easily and was surprised to hear her murmur in agreement.

She stifled a yawn and asked, “Can I sleep here? Just for a bit. ‘M tired.”

Calum nodded, “Yeah. Stay as long as you like,” unaware that when he awoke, she would be gone.

May 2018

Calum doesn’t even hear Beth’s name again until three years later. And not for lack of trying. The memory of one unanswered text message lived in the dark recesses of his mind - If you’re not busy there’s a new ice cream place in West Hollywood I want to try?

Nothing.

He had agonized over her lack of an answer for days. At one point, he was almost desperate enough to go to Crystal. Eventually, his sense of self-preservation won over his desire to see her again. Michael and Crystal hadn’t been paying attention to him at the party and Ashton and Luke weren’t even there. No one knew of his tryst with Beth, and it was probably better that it stayed that way. If Calum alerted his friends, that was just four more people to watch as he struck out with a girl he was arrogant enough to believe he had left an impression on.

Still, over the years his mind would occasionally shift back to her. He could never shake the feeling that her unanswered text was more than a dismissal. Crystal proved these feelings correct.

“Calum,” she had called as she waltzed into the room. She was ignored by four of the five individuals that lounged in various states of relaxation on her couches.

Calum didn’t even take his eyes off the screen where his disparaging number of kills reminded him why he didn’t like playing video games against Michael. Michael’s devotion to these games went unmatched within the group, which is why it came as a complete surprise when he paused it.

“Hey!” Calum cried out in protest. But when he looked over to Michael to complain, he realized that all Michael’s attention was focused on Crystal. That’s when Calum brain caught up with reality, and he realized that he had missed her calling his name upon entering the room. “Oh shit, sorry. Yes?”

The minute his eyes grazed over her, he knew something was wrong. She was paler than usual, and her lips were clasped into a thin line. “I need to talk to you.”

Ashton query of, “What’s Up?” came before Calum could even open his mouth. There was a distinct note of worry in both Crystal and Ashton’s voice. Something had happened. Even Luke sat up from where his head had been resting in Sierra’s lap to hear what Crystal had to say.

Despite all the attention on her, Crystal’s eyes were still locked on Calum. “Alone.”

Ashton scoffed. “As if he’s not going to tell us exactly what you say three seconds after you say it.”

It was a fair statement. Calum was private about almost everything in his life - except when it came to his best friends. And most of them were in the room at the moment. Crystal’s eyes searched Calum’s as if looking for approval. Calum merely shrugged. He and Crystal lead such separate lives that he couldn’t imagine anything she’d have to say being something Luke, Sierra, Michael and Ashton didn’t already know.

“Do you remember a girl named Beth?”

It wasn’t until the words were out of her mouth that he remembered the one thing Luke, Sierra, Michael and Ashton didn’t know. His mind swam with a million reasons why he would be hearing her name again after all these years.

Calum saw Ashton open his mouth, no doubt to say that they didn’t know a Beth. Before he could speak, however, Calum uttered, “Yes.”

“What?” Ashton said in a bought of incredulity. “I’ve literally never heard you mention a Beth.”

“We had a one night stand like three years ago,” Calum revealed with a dismissive wave. The light air about him did nothing to quell the worried feeling budding in the pit of his stomach. “Crystal why are you bringing her up now?”

Crystal spoke slowly as if she was afraid her next words would startle Calum. “Because she’s back in LA. Because she says she’s looking for you.”

At her final words, Calum could feel all the air get caught in his throat. “And because she’s walking around with a two year old that looks an awful lot like you.”

The Next Day (May 2018)

The next time he saw Beth, he marked little differences between her then and when they were eighteen. Curly shoulder length hair was tucked behind her ear, and he couldn’t remember if it was that same auburn color the first time he had met her. He didn’t spend long noting the deep brown eyes or perfectly shaped cupids bow that had flitted around in his memory throughout the years. He couldn’t really because his eyes were drawn to something else.

To someone else.

Standing with a tiny hand slotted firmly into her mother’s was Lennon. Even if Calum hadn’t looked into a mirror almost every day of his short 22 year old life, he would have recognized those eyes, the round cheeks, and prominent chin anywhere. They were his family traits now unmistakably carried on in Lennon. Curly hair was bundled into two small buns atop her head, and the hand that wasn’t in her mother’s drank juice from a pink sippy cup.

She eyed Calum wearily, as if unsure whether he could be trusted. Calum looked to Beth for permission, and when she shrugged, he stooped to be face to face with his daughter.

“Hi,” he tried, gently.

She moved closer to her mother’s side and didn’t even remove her sippy cup before mumbling, “Hello.”

“She’s shy with people she doesn’t know,” Beth said by way of explanation. Calum tried to ignore the way his heart squeezed at the fact that he was a stranger to his own daughter.

They met in a park at Beth’s insistence. It was the smaller of two in the gated community he lived in, but it had plenty of space for Lennon to play while he and Beth talked privately.

“You must hate me.”

These were the first words Beth said to him after getting Lennon situated in a sandbox. The way she ungraciously fell on the bench next to him brought him back to the moment they met. There was never really anything poised or deliberate about her. He had liked that.

Calum sighed, considering her words carefully. “I don’t hate you.”

It had been almost 24 hours since Calum had learned about his daughter, and he had thought of little else since. He didn’t hate Beth, but he wasn’t sure how to feel either.

“I’m sorry,” She continued on as if Calum had confirmed his ‘hate.’ “I know there’s no version of this where I come out looking favorable. Either I ruined your life by causing you to miss the first two years of your daughter’s life, or I’m ruining it now by bringing an unwanted child into the mix.”

It was a good point. Calum didn’t like that for the first time in his life Hood brown eyes had stared back at him untrusting. At the same time, he wasn’t sure if he would have been ready for a child at 19. Or if he was ready for a child now.

He steered the conversation in a different direction. “I have questions.”

Beth sighed as if those very words were the last thing she wanted to hear. She leaned forward, bringing both elbows to her thighs. Her small hands pushed at the curls gathered next to her ear, and after a moment she said, “Okay. What do you want to know?”

Everything.

But Calum didn’t go with his instinctual response. Instead, he poked at the one thing that had been niggling him all these years. “I texted you.”

After a brief moment of contemplation, she suggested, “Perhaps I should tell you the story from the beginning, and you can ask questions at the end.”

Calum’s eyes briefly left the nervous twitch of her leg and moved over to where his daughter used a plastic shovel to scoop sand into a pail. He was sure this would be a long story. Relaxing back a little into the bench, he said, “Okay. Go ahead.”

“You should know that I went to Crystal’s party with every intention to hook up with a guy I would never see again.”

Calum couldn’t help the low hiss he expelled as he thought back to how he had wanted nothing more but to see her again.

“That explains the unanswered text.”

She nodded sharply, agreeing. “I didn’t think that we’d have so much fun together. I thought I’d saddle up to you, pretend to blow my popsicle, then get to blow you and be on my way.” She said it with a bitter laugh. “It was my first time ever doing something like that too - having a one night stand with a stranger I’d never met. Figures it would be just my luck that I’d end up pregnant from it.”

“But where’d you go? I went to so many of Crystal’s stupid parties after that, and I never saw you.”

When her brown eyes met his, he remembered he was supposed to keep his questions until the end.

“I’m not very good at telling the story, am I?” She asked with a very rueful smile. It was as if there was something at the beginning of the story that made it hard to tell. Eventually, she spat it out. “When you met me Calum, my mother had just died.”

Calum sucked in a breath. He had a feeling it would be something bad.

“She was sick for a while, so I had to drop out of college to take care of her. Then she died, and I was alone. I didn’t know what to do with my life. I had a terrible job and an ungrateful boss and a year’s worth of crippling debt from medical expenses I couldn’t help to pay off. That’s why when my dad’s cousin showed up at my mother’s funeral and invited me to move in with her in New York, it felt like a blessing.”

The way she spat the words suggested it was just the opposite. But she didn’t follow that train of thought. Instead, she went back to the night of the party. “I just wanted to spend one night having the quintessential college experience I knew I never would. I wanted to get drunk, party, and hook up with a guy. Crystal had a lot of friends in the UCLA art department, so I had been to her parties before. When I got invited to this one, it felt like a godsend.” She met his eyes purposefully. “You felt like a godsend. Plus, you’re a celebrity. And by some miracle, you were interested in me. I had heard rumors that one-night stands were kind of your M.O., so I went for it.”

Calum wanted to interrupt her, indignant at the rumors about his sex life, but he held his tongue.

“Then you know what happened next,” She continued. “I never expected to have so much fun with you. Why couldn’t you be the vapid, egotistical bassist I was expecting you to be?”

He chuckled and shot her a wry smile. “I’ll try harder from now on.”

Soft hands found his, squeezing gently. It was a gesture of gratefulness, no doubt for the way he had patiently sat, listening to her story, no trace of resentment on his face. Unthinking, Calum laced his long fingers through hers, smiling when she didn’t pull away.

“I went back to New York the next day. I didn’t realize I was pregnant for a while. I had missed periods before because of stress, and for three long months, I thought the stress of adapting to my new life in New York, a new life without my mother, were the root of my problems. I was three and a half months in before I went to go see my gynecologist.”

Calum had to ask a question then. “Why didn’t you call me?” Purposefully, he kept his voice gentle.

Her tone was fraught with distress when she responded. “Calum, I was a college dropout with thousands of dollars in medical expenses when I met you, a newly rich bassist with more than enough money to solve my problems. Then, when the condom tore, I somehow forgot my fucking IUD had expired and insisted I didn’t need Plan B. You don’t think I thought of calling you? I have thought about reaching out to you every day for the past three years. But, I couldn’t help but wonder how that would look to you. I worried you would see this as some elaborate plan to swindle you out of your money.”

He wanted to tell her that he would never do something like that, but remembered the way Ashton had sneered, “She’s probably lying.” When they had finally gotten the full story from him and Crystal.

“Plus, that night. . .”

There’s no need for her to finish. The moment flashes before him, the memory of their words clear in his mind’s eye.

“Sometimes I think I want to have a whole brood of children. I really hated being an only child.”

Beth was laughing before she had even finished talking. Calum’s sour expression gave away just how turned off he was to that idea.

“What?” she began, gesturing to the crinkle of his nose. “I’m guessing you’re not a fan of children?”

She stuck the popsicle back between her lips and waited for his response. “Yeah, I don’t think I want kids.” He grumbled. “I can’t imagine myself with kids. Not now and probably not ever.”

In the present, they sat and watched the inconceivable jump around and play in the park. They were still holding hands. Both were seated with their faces forward; however, neither of their eyes strayed far from Lennon as the conversation wore on.

She had done a good job of navigating through her past. A part of Calum knew that he should be angry. Whether it was at Beth or the circumstances, he wasn’t sure. Even so, most of what he felt was regret, and the guilt-inducing thought that he wouldn’t have done anything differently. He wished Beth never went through all that pain, but he was a different person at 19. Teenage Calum could not handle a child. 22 year old Calum, however? His time traveling around the world with the boys had instilled a need for a family. Someone to come home to. A knowledge that his community extended beyond his friends and their girlfriends.

There was one more question, one that he had to ask before he and Beth found a way to step into their future.

“Why now?”

He wasn’t expecting her to break down and cry.

Present Day

The patter of tiny feet on their hardwood floor was enough to draw Calum from his slumber. Knowing his three year old, she probably thought she was being sneaky. But, everything from the creak of the door to her high pitched giggles and the aforementioned heavy footfalls gave her away. Calum pretended to be asleep anyway. One day her childlike innocence would give way beneath the harsh realities of life, but Calum wanted to keep that at bay for as long as possible.

There was a sharp tug against the sheet tangled around his waist as his daughter tried to climb into bed with him. The first time she had done it, it just about gave Beth a heart attack. The very next day, they had gone out and purchased a toddler friendly, easily climbable bed.

Beth.

The bed was noticeably void of the warm body he usually woke up next to. This was unusual, as Beth was even less of a morning person than he was. But, today was a year anniversary of the day he and Beth re-met. A few days earlier was the anniversary of –

Calum had a hard time even thinking about it. In the year that followed, what Beth said that day through tears and gritted teeth often haunted him. If he were more prone to anger, perhaps he would have flown out to New York and saw that the people who wronged her were brought to justice. But Beth had enough forgiveness for the both of them. (And, as she often reminded him, the law wasn’t usually on the side of people like her.)

He was jerked from reminiscing on their past when his daughter landed squarely on his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

“Lennon,” he groaned. The worst thing about having a toddler? She was always kicking him or kneeing him in some way with her unrestrained motions.

“Oops, sorry daddy.” She still struggled to pronounce her R sounds, so it came out more as “Sowwy.”

Calum might have been mad if she wasn’t so cute. When he finally opened his eyes, he was met with familiar brown ones staring right back at him. She was sat on his stomach clutching her favorite stuffed chameleon Miti (pronounced Mighty) to her chest. The chameleon was named after her favorite hair color changing uncle who, up until the time she was three, was also dubbed “Mi-ti.” Mikey was glad once that phase was over and jokes about his strength, or lack thereof, came to an end. (Unfortunately, Ashton still had to endure being called “Unka Ass” much to the amusement of everyone but him.)

“Hey, where’s your mommy, huh?”

Calum brought a finger up to poke at her side, smiling as she giggled and squirmed away from it. When she didn’t answer, he worked her other side. Then again and again until he had to sit up, repositioning her in his lap, giddy at the sight of his daughter squirming and laughing at the movements of his fingers.

Eventually, her giggles turned to squeals intermixed with pleas of “Daddy, no!”

He gave in. His long fingers paused as he brought Lennon up to his chest, cradling her as he placed kisses around her face.

“Let’s go find your mom, huh?” He asked but didn’t wait for an answer before standing up with her in his arms and making his way to the kitchen.

“Beth?” He called her name a few times but was only answered once with a bark from Duke. He smiled as the small dog came into view. From his arms, Lennon smiled down at the rescue, waving the hand that wasn’t clutching her chameleon. The dog barked in response to her hello.

Eventually, Duke, Calum, and Lennon found Beth outside, standing on their deck.

“Mommy!” Lennon called out. As soon as Beth turned to face them, it was apparent that she had been standing out there crying. Calum placed his squirming daughter on the floor so she could rush to her mother’s side. A lot of things had changed in the past year. One thing that hadn’t was how protective Lennon was of her mother.

Beth reached down to pick their daughter up. Settling her firmly on her hip, Beth pressed a kiss to Lennon’s hair.

“Mommy, you’re crying.”

Beth laughed at their daughter’s astute observational skills. Then, she took in the twin looks of worry on Calum and Lennon’s face.

“I’m fine,” she promised.

Calum took a few steps closer. He reached his hand up slowly, then wiped at her tear stained cheeks.

“They’re tears of joy, Calum.” She assured. “One year ago, you saved me. And I was just so overwhelmed by my love and gratitude that I started crying.”

Calum wasn’t sure if he would call what he did saving. A couple years after Beth moved back east, her cousin's husband had stumbled home in the middle of the day, drunk out of his mind. He had pulled Beth from where she was sitting next to her sleeping daughter and into his bedroom. Then, he had proceeded to do unthinkable things to Beth with her daughter just down the hall.

Beth had always been built on pride and self-reliance. These were instilled in her from years of watching her mother take care of the two of them all on her own. Beth had been lured to the east coast with the promise of a family - someone to take care of her so that for once she could give up control. Not once had Beth imagined that the family she had spent most of her adolescent life dreaming of would abuse her.

Calum didn’t like thinking about it, but he knew that if Beth didn’t have Lennon, she might have stayed. It was easy for her mind to confuse giving due thanks and allowing someone to take more than what they were owed. But In the aftermath, two year old Lennon had sleepily stumbled into the room, only to find her mother strewn out and crying on the bed. Beth had only needed to take one look into her daughter’s eyes to know what needed to be done.

She had bought a ticket for California the very next day. On the park bench that day, Beth had said between sobs, “Don’t worry about me. I just want my baby to be happy. Will you take care of her, please?”

Instead, Calum had asked them both to stay. To be honest, he hadn’t been sure what would happen next. For a while, they were nothing more than two people sharing the same space and a child. Sometime between then and a year later, they became something more. Calum hadn’t realized how lonely he had been until Beth and Lennon found him. And Beth hadn’t known how to put her trust and love into someone who would not abuse it.

“We saved each other,” Calum whispered, bringing his thoughts back to the present moment in front of him.

“We love you, Mommy,” Lennon said sagely before leaning her head on her mother’s shoulder. Calum wrapped his arms around them both, placing his cheek on Beth’s hair. He realized suddenly that he had never been as happy as he was in that moment, his love and his daughter in his arms.

Part 2

let me know what you think of calum, lennon & beth! love yall!

tag list: @5sosnsfw / @bloodmoonashton / @lukescaboose / @5sex-of-summa / @deviantnines / @halcyonnhood / @gh0st-0f-y0u-95 / @aspiringwildfire / @cal-pal-cuddles / @hotmessmichael / @hereforlukescruff/ @softforcal / @ohhmuke / @fratcalum / @calumamongmen / @ashtonandcalslefthand / @asht0ns-world / @colorful-queen-of-the-roses / @heavenlydrarry / @slowlyelectronictragedy / @myemptywallets / @pagesuponstpages / @fallfrxmgrace / @thefireisgone / @michaelorwhat / @dammitbands / @sugarcoated-pain / @sublimehood / @cal-puddies / @singt0mecalum / @irwinkitten / @myloverboyash

#calum hood #calum hood fic #calum bood blurbs #calum hood imagine #5sos #5 seconds of summer #5sos blurb #calum hood angst #calum hood au #calum hood fluff #5sos fic #5sos imagine #5sos fluff #5sos au #luke hemmings #ashton irwin #michael clifford #my fic #jay writes

211 notes · View notes

numba99 · 5 years

Text

Birth Chart Breakdown: Carter Hart

Another player in my birth chart series (finally)! Basically this is me looking at a players personal placements and discussing what their personality could be like. Obviously this up for interpretation and not necessarily how they think/act! I have been told my readings are pretty accurate, so take from that what you will! Okay let’s get into it!

Sun in Leo (sun = general sense of self) OKAY so Leos have a big thing for loyalty. They are very loyal to others and they will expect it back. If you’re not loyal to him, you won’t last long. And this doesn’t apply to romantic relationships, it is all of them. Leos can also struggle with their self image. They often get pinned as being self absorbed or conceited and while yes some underdeveloped Leos can be (and other signs can as well) it’s often a mask. Carter could be the kind of person who puts on a mask, so to speak. Like he, as well as other Leos, could project a level of confidence that they don’t actually feel. They have a certain level of pride (they are represented by the lion!) ad definitely wouldn’t want people to catch them slipping. He probably does care what people thinks of him to some degree and will try to curate a persona for people to see. That aside, Leos are incredibly loving people. Carter will care deeply for the people around him. He wants the best for everyone and wants them to reach their highest potential, just as he wants that for himself. He also has a lighthearted and attractive aura to him. Leos are represented by the sun so their is a brightness to them that is undeniable! He probably brings a lot of warmth to those around him, and it can be easy to be charmed by him. He can be a bit stubborn though. They can tend to have an idealist view of the world and their own inner code when going about their lives. He will stick to his own moral code closely and probably will not get along with people who don’t share their beliefs. And don’t bother trying to change them. It won’t work.

Moon in Taurus (moon = emotions) I share this placement so I can speak from experience. Carter needs stability. Though taurus in not ruled by the moon (it is ruled by venus!) it is very comfortable here. So, people here tend to be pretty emotionally stable/ they are good and regulating and understanding emotions. He most likely has certain things or places that bring him peace. Having stable things (or people honestly) to return to in times of trouble is super important for him. He is also probably pretty levelheaded. Again, he could be a bit stubborn because of this placement. It may be hard for him to understand/connect with people who aren’t on the same wavelength as him emotionally. He is probably pretty resistant to change, I would imagine sudden or drastic changes could be very stressful for him. However, he is super romantic. He will take the slow and steady approach, not really one for jumping into relationships or having little flings. For him, that stable emotional connection is super important for establishing a long-term relationship. There is also a calming aura to this placement. Because their stability, people often feel at ease around taurus moons. I would not be surprised if people went to Carter a lot when they were struggling. His ability to empathize while also remaining stable and strong probably makes him someone that is easy to open up to.

Mercury in Leo (mercury = communicaition) A great problem solver and collaborator. Works well with others, but I think he has that natural born leader personality and is probably often taking charge of things (whether it is other appointing him or it just happening naturally). He is probably pretty enthusiastic and charming in conversations. I think he would make the people he speaks with feel special, like he is genuinely engaged with them and interested in what he has to say. Big jokster as wel!

Venus in Leo (venus = love/realtionships) okay again I share this placement with hims so I can speak a lil from experience! SUPER loyal and expect back. Probably would not be to keen on having like an open relationship with someone. Super hopeless romantic type. In love with the idea of love, if you will. He probably really liked the “process” of falling in love. Romancing him will go along way, and he will definitely give it back. Romantic gestures, big and small, go a long way for him. He will love to show his partner off, and be shown off himself. Probably a little needy if we are being honest. BUT as much love as you give him, he’s going to give it back to you 5 time over. He will shower his lover in affection and things. Prepare to be spoiled. He really likes feeling appreciated and needed and probably has the love language of verbal affirmations. Make him feel important to your life, it will bring him peace and make him feel secure.

Mars in Cancer (mars= action, desire) He can be a bit passive aggressive. Unlike the taurus moon placement, cancer is not happy in mars. Mars is very action oriented and cancer is a much more “slow moving” sign. He is resistant to change and needs to feel secure in his actions. He is not likely to jump into things because he doesn’t like risking his security. Emotions and sex are highly intertwined for him. Again, I don’t think he would be the type to just sleep around or have little flings (not that this is a bad thing at all!). At the very least, sex is not the same for him when it is not with someone he shares a deep emotional bond with. Lowkey turned on by the thought of making a baby though. He can be a lil over sensitive and may tend to lash out when he is frustrated or upset. He can probably be a bit argumentative as well and have mood swings where he is more prone to agitation. However, when he feels safe and supported he will be at peace. He will be protective ad reliable in relationships.

Overall thoughts: Alexa, play Loyalty by Kendrick Lamar. Seriously though, Carter is EXTREMELY loyal based on what this chart is telling me. Again, this isn’t just about romantic relationships, it would extend to his friends too. Like,he would be the type to fight for his friend even when he knows they’re wrong because that’s his friend! He’s ride or die for them no matter what. But you have to have that same energy for him. If not, he’ll probably distance himself over time. I also think love is really important to him, specifically finding the right partner. He wants someone for the long haul, someone he can spend his life with. He will be a super devoted lover and I really don’t think you’ll have much to complain about, as long as you’re someone who enjoys that it’s me and you until the end of time type love. Perhaps not for the faint of heart, but man he loves hard. Honestly, this is a super sweet chart he seems like someone that is just nice to be around. I imagine he brings a lot of happiness and support to the peoples in his lives

#carter hart #astro asks #birth chart break down #c hart #flyers #philidelphia flyers #carter hart imagine #carter hart fanfic #nhl imagines

62 notes · View notes

imbumkyung · 5 years

Text

I Saw It In A Movie One Time (ch.4) - Acting

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 5

Warnings: none!

“Well the good news is, the cast should only be on for about a month, and you can go back to regular activities within eight weeks,” the blonde, golden eyed doctor advised.

The room you were sat in was glum. You remember it this exact way from the movie. Dr. Cullen’s hair swept back with a white coat on, eyes focused on the document in front of him being held by a clip board. We was writing things down, probably prescribing her some medications or as her friends liked to call it— hardcore drugs.

Kai reminisced that comedy segment that John Mulaney did about lying to his doctor for Xanax. She considered the same trick on Dr. Cullen, but feared that he would deny her since marijuana and other drugs were still taboo in 2007. Still, her mouth ran faster than she could process.

“Hey uh, sometimes I get nervous on airplanes,” she stated

God. I have to blame my ADHD on that one.

“Ah,” he nodded, “well I hope you won’t be going on any airplanes anytime soon then,” Dr. Cullen replied with a smile

Dammit. No Xanax for me then.

He finished writing but not without leaving a signature at the bottom of the page and sending me off with a smile. As she was leaving the room, she happened up bump straight into the hardest and coldest figure she’d ever felt.

“Sh— sorry man,” she apologized. She looked up for a split second and instantly regretted when she did

Edward

His eyes narrowed, making her feel smaller, “I remember you,” he stated

She said nothing, but ducked her head and rushed away as fast as she could. Her sense of accomplishment for getting away was cut short by a cold hand wrapped around her upper right arm. At this, she tensed and gave him a cold look.

“It’s not nice to grab people,” she spat

“How do you know who I am?” He asked gently

“The last time someone asked me that I got this,” she raised the cast on her left forearm. Unknowlingly revealing she knew about Victoria as well. The sound of her screaming in pain and the events of Victoria effortlessly snapping her arm played in her head.

“Besides,” she shrugged her arm from his grasp, “I’ll be out if your way soon”

Unwillingly, she remembered the time she tried to kill herself back to go back to her normal life and the next image that flashed in her head was her driving at over 100mph, then closing her eyes and sealing her fate. It wasn’t a set-in-stone kind of plan, but it was an idea that came up on the spot.

Edward cringed, “that— that’s not neccessary,”

“What’s not neccessar— oh. Stay out of my head please,” she remembered, he can hear her thoughts, but she wasn’t aware that any form of imagery would translate for him.

“You know I can read your thoughts,” he stated.

“Look, I’d love to explain everything, but I really gotta go. My mom needs me home to uh...” she paused, scrambling in her head for an excuse “take care of my brother— Don’t speak to me if you ever run into me again. Please,” she walked out of the hospital as fast as she could, deciding she didn’t need any of the medication. She just needed to get away.

Needless to say, Kai was stressed. Stressed that she’s attracted so much attention from the characters. Stressed that said characters had even seen her. It put her in danger. Victoria even knows about her now, and now that another human besides Bella knows of their existence— it’s a crime to the bloodsuckers.

Upon realizing this, Kaileia’s eyes widened.

Her knowledge of them had been exposed to two vampires. Theres no one to protect her from this— Bella’s safety was secured because Edward was her mate. Kai had no one. She’d avoided becoming friends with anybody at all in fear that any connection would lead her to the vampires or the wolves.

Slamming open the door to her bedroom, she scrambled for the journal she bought months back. It had been weeks since she last documented her experiences, but after today, it was time for an update

“Victoria caught me today and broke my arm bro. At least it was my shitty arm. I havent had an actual conversation with anyone besides Jeremy who interviewed me for the job I have now. Carlisle fixed my arm as if theres no other god damn doctors in forks dAMMIT MEYER. Then edward radiated some REAL Serial killer energy today like hOLY SHIT he can read my thoughts. I just wanna go back to where my only problem was my mom. She wasnt even that much of a problem tho tbh. But its Not like blood sucking vampires and their werewolf enemies. Kendrick Lamar isnt even famous yet. No one knows who Chance the Rapper is. Everyones obsessed with the pussycat dolls and I dont even think they know about Chris Brown beating up Rihanna. At this point, I’ve definitely missed the area 51 raid and I’m disappointed.

Not gonna lie tho, I’ve been running from it all this time and it’s worked until now. I was faced with just the greatest danger ever and now I’m getting sucked in. I’m really hoping I never have to mean anything to them. I’m also wondering what happens after it’s all over? I don’t want to write what it is here, because if someone finds this I don’t want to change the future, but after that last chapter, where do I go? I can’t live here forever. I have my own life.

I wonder if my dogs miss me. If anyones feeding them the right amount, walking them twice a day. Do my parents know I’m gone? Its been over half a year and I’m still here”

Her hand started cramping and she shut her book, flinging her pen across the opposite side of the room, thought instantly regretting it because she may think of other ideas to write down. Kai lay flat on her bed, letting go of any control she had over her muscles and stared at the ceiling. Things were starting to get a lot more intense. It had her shaken that she might have to be involved in order to stay safe.

There was no evidence supporting her theory, but Kai believed in order to go back to her old life, she cannot die by the hands of another person.

(Fourth wall break)Yes, it’s a plot hole. Smeyer had a lot of those too and I’m writing this impulsively. Give me a break

Edward pushed open Carlisle’s office door with force, “She knows,” he stated urgently, his expression stoic but panicked.

Carlisle furrowed his brows, “who?”

“That patient you just had,” Edward said, pointing back to the door behind him with his thumb, “She knows about us. I was in her head. Victoria broke her arm,” He rushed, taking a step toward Carlisle with wide eyes.

Carlisle’s eyes widened as well, “She’s in danger,” he stated

“We have to protect her,” Edward stated, “if Victoria kills her, the treaty is compromised,” He concluded, alluding to the treaty they had with the wolves.

Carlisle paused, trying to collect his thoughts, “I think this calls for a house meeting, actually,” he suggested, now standing with his arms to his side, “I can tell this concerns you, Edward.”

“I don’t want a fight with the wolves,” Edward explained, “Jacob was here for Bella while I was in Italy. He’s the one who told me she was dead,” he paused, Carlisle listening intently to his son, “I know if we fight, he’ll come for me first. And I can’t hurt Bella like that.”

Carlisle nodded, “We’ll let the rest of them know,” he said, referring to his family, “I think it’s best if the wolves know to protect her as well,” he suggested

“She doesn’t want to be involved,” Edward said, “it was the last thing she wanted. I don’t want to drag her into this life as well.” Edward was still beating himself up for bringing Bella into his world. Weather she wanted to be in it or not, he still wanted her to keep a normal human life. And if a normal human life is what Kai wanted, then damn it, he was going to let her have it

“So theres another human?” Rosalie seethed

“It’s not her fault—” Carlisle interjected

“It’s not her fault? Not her fault that she found out about us? How could she figure it out without dedicating so much time into figuring us out?” She accused the girl they didn’t know about. She knew Bella only found out because of the loads of research she did.

“She didn’t,” Edward defended, taking a step closer, “I don’t know how she knows, but she does. She doesn’t even want to be involved in this life,” he said gently, keeping eye contact with Rosalie

“So what do we do?” Esme asked, “If the Volturi find out she knows about our kind, they have no one to accuse except us. We’re the only coven in Washington.” She said softly

Everyone was staring hard at the ground, trying to grant Kai’s wish of not becoming involved, all the while knowing that the only real way to protect her was to stay with her at all times.

“She at least needs to know the that Victoria won’t stop,” Alice said, “she knows the Volturi would either blame her or us for exposing our kind.”

Carlisle pressed his lips in a tight line, “I’m sure she knows.” He sighed. Everyone shared quick glances before staring back to the floor in concentration, desperately trying to come up with a solution.

“She’ll need to get out of Forks,” Alice concluded, “Victoria is only here for Bella, I don’t think she’ll go for the girl until after her plan for Bella.” Alice believed Victoria was really only hungry for revenge, and this unknown girl wouldn’t be in danger until Victoria got what she wanted with her. However, Alice had no doubts that Victoria would be defeated before even having the chance to get to the girl.

“What’s her name?” Esme asked, “so we don’t have to keep calling her “the girl””

Edward shrugged, “I don’t know, actually.” He described her instead, “she’s short, black hair, tan skin and freckles” he recalled.

Carlisle nodded, the same description in his mind

Alice froze, and stared off into the distance, “It’s Victoria.”

Everyone stood alert. Alice was having a vision.

“What? What about her?” Jasper asked, his eyes not leaving hers.

“She’s in La Push” Alice sat, her eyes unmoving. Jasper handed her a pen as she sketched a store on one half of the paper writing “Minnie’s Stop” above it. Within a second, she moved her hand to the right, sketching out a house at the corner of a row of houses reading “Hilltop Rd”.

Edward’s brows knitted and shook his head slowly, “That’s not Bella’s street.”

“It has to be hers,” Esme said

Alice looked ahead incredulously, “she’s not going for Bella.” Alice snapped out of her vision, “If she was going for Bella, I would have seen something familiar.” This proved their theory wrong. She spared some time before getting to Bella. Why did she prioritize catching the unknown girl over avenging her mate?

The Cullens shared silent glances, knowing all too well that Victoria was hunting down the girl.

“She goes to La Push. We have to inform Sam.” Carlisle said sternly. He turned to Edward, “I understand you want to protect her from this world, but we can’t risk anything happening to her on their territory.”

Edward nodded and sighed. As opposed as he was to the idea, he knew Carlisle was right. He grabbed the keys off the table and bid his family goodnight, before leaving to spend the night at Bella’s

“You said she already knew who you were?” Bella asked concerned, a hand on his chest, her eyebrows together and eyes looking straight into his own

“Yeah,” he exhaled, “not just who but... what.”

Bella was confused, “how?”

“I wish I knew. She refuses to speak to me and guards her thoughts. Every time I try to read in, she stops saying things in her head,” he paused, “She knew I could read minds”

“Do you think there could be other... creatures besides your kind and Jacobs?” Bella asked, just above a whisper, “like— she could be a fairy or something,” she chuckled a bit, shaking her head at the idea.

“She was kind of short,” Edward shrugged and smiled at the memory of looking down at someone the size of a fifth grader.

“Get some sleep. We’re going to meet with Sam tomorrow and tell him everything. Alice saw Victoria hunting her down in La Push.” Edward advised and let her know their plans for tomorrow.

Bella nodded before snuggling closer to his chest and finally dozing off

———

WHOOP CH 4 IS HERE!!!

Let me know what you guys think!!

Ask box is always open for comments, critiques and suggestions! Or any feedback, really. Ya know what even if u wanna just say hi HAHAH

Its open for anything really

Thank you for reading! Likes and reblogs are all appreciated!

Tags: @coffees-and-constellations @rosalies-hale @sunflowerspectre

26 notes · View notes

princessamericachavez · 6 years

Text

FJORD’S PLAYLIST

Welcome to my overthinking where I literally meta over meta. Because what else am I supposed to do when Travis gives me such a good Fjord playlist to freak out over.

So, y’know, meta under the cut. Here we go:

1. Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea by Missio

Panic. Confusion. The cold, dark and salty depths with no end in sight. And then light — but, how? Fjord shouldn’t be here. What is he forgetting? No time to ponder or fight something that seems to have a plan of its own.

I FEEL LIKE FJORD’S DROWNING WAS WAAAAY MORE TRAUMATIC THAN WE AS A FANDOM ACKNOWLEDGE, OKAY?

Like, way way waaaaay more horrifying than just “I passed out and woke up in the beach with cool new powers” and more “I think I literally died.”

The berth surrounding my body crushing every bit of bone The salt, it seeps in through the pores of my open skin I wait on you inside the bottom of the deep blue sea I wait on you inside the bottom of the deep blue

Fjord shouldn’t be here. How many times do you think he’s thought that? Not only the fact that he should, by all accounts, be dead, but that out of his whole crew why would he get to live while everyone else is lost and gone.

Fjord has some fucking deep survivor’s guilt, y’all. I’m telling you.

2. The Funeral by Band of Horses

Things seem the same – but where is Vandran? Who will guide Fjord now? One thing is for sure, the Fjord he was before is dead and gone. Bury the pain and live on.

AGAIN, I FEEL LIKE WE AS A FANDOM DON’T ACKNOWLEDGE ENOUGH HOW FREAKING LOST FJORD IS WITHOUT VANDRAN. (i will never get used to that freaking spelling but I guess it’s the official so fine)

He was Fjord’s mentor, father figure and overall savior. He’s the person who made the difference in his life, who pulled him out of what seems like hell and gave him a purpose and sense of self. Losing that is no small deal, and I think a lot of his actions in the past several episodes have been guided by that pain and that need to find out at least what happened to him and who this man was before they met.

To the outside the dead leaves, they're on the lawn Before they died, had trees to hang their hope

He didn’t even get to give Vandran a proper funeral or goodbye, y’all.

Fjord’s whole arc is just one last desperate attempt to connect to Vandran, to feel like he maybe hasn’t lost him entirely (probably the reason Jester keeps bringing him up, too; she knows Fjord the best and probably understand that urge is what’s driving him).

3. Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi

Time to go. Keep moving and don’t look back. Fjord’s only known two lives — one he loved and valued, the other he detested and wishes he could forget. Only by moving north and away from this city will Fjord be able to start fresh. Now to disappear… ya’ll.

Time to go. Keep moving and don’t look back. I’ve said this before, and I will say it again: Fjord is a survivor. He’s gotten this far by not giving up, by doing whatever it takes to survive, and he’s not about to stop and give up now.

He’s lost everything he ever had, good and bad, he’s lost the little sense of stability he grew to cherish, and all he has now is the drive to start again. To not give up.

It's all the same, only the names will change Everyday, it seems we're wastin' away Another place where the faces are so cold I drive all night just to get back home

He’s never been anyone, anyway, never had a family, a last name, property... all he has is himself and his resolve to keep going.

4. The Sound of Silence by Disturbed

Love me some Disturbed, and this rendition builds like one of Fjord’s dreams. Terrifying and incredible visions flood his mind, and his confusion is only matched by the sometime physical manifestations that accompany his dreams. Can’t help but think of Caleb’s memories at the same time.

WOAH TRAVIS.

I feel so bad because Fjord seems to really be terrified of whatever is happening to him, even when some of it might be incredible and peak his curiosity, it feels like he’s just freak out.

Also interesting to feel like maybe Fjord finds a ghost of that darkness in Caleb, perhaps what drives him to confide in him, or trust him to stop the darkness if Fjord loses his way.

Hello darkness, my old friend I've come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains Within the sound of silence

“Left its seed while I was sleeping” is such an on-point way to put the way Fjord is shaken by this visions, mulling over them when he wakes, trying to figure them out. After every dream, you can see his stance shift slightly as he tries to adapt to whatever new knowledge he acquired.

5. How Far I’ll Go by Auliʻi Cravalho

Let’s be honest – this is totally Fjord. Plus, you bitches were kidding yourself if you thought some musical numbers weren’t going in this playlist. Also, Disney.

FJORD IS A DISNEY PRINCE CONFIRMED.

Travis is a dork, also confirmed.

For real, though, I feel like this song captures Fjord’s excitement with his new life. He’s constantly pushing to see how far he can take his powers. For the first time, he probably feels there’s a chance that he will be someone, that he will “go to distance” (sorry not sorry). The world is no longer an island for Fjord, it extends beyond the horizon and he’s hungry (also not sorry) to see and experience it all.

Every turn I take, every trail I track Every path I make, every road leads back To the place I know, where I can not go, where I long to be

See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me And no one knows, how far it goes If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me One day I'll know, if I go there's just no telling how far I'll go

Also, for the first time in the list, this song is so full of hope for big and good things. I’m all here for this. LET FJORD ENJOY HIS NEW LIFE AFTER A LIFE TIME OF SUFFERING AND LOSS. PLEASE.

6. Heathens by Twenty One Pilots

We’re going to get each other killed. Who’s in charge of this ragtag bunch of misfits and criminals? And if no one is in charge, does anyone know what we’re doing? Pretty sure the answer is “no.” One thing is for sure, it’s best for the common stranger to mind their manners when addressing The Mighty Nein. Unless it’s a kind word, best keep your thoughts to yourself and move along, amigo.

I laughed so damn hard when I read this because that’s such an ON POINT definition of the M9.

Group of Heathens? Check. Gonna get each other killed? Check. Who tf is in charge? Check.

However, it also shed light in the idea that the M9 are dangerous and better not be crossed. It almost sounds like Fjord enjoys that. Can you blame him, after being through hell? To have a group of people where he feels like he has some power, that he can earn respect, that he can defend himself and those he loves? Unless it’s a kind word, best keep your thoughts to yourself and move along, amigo.

Welcome to the room of people Who have rooms of people that they loved one day Docked away Just because we check the guns at the door Doesn't mean our brains will change from hand grenades You're lovin' on the psychopath sitting next to you You're lovin' on the murderer sitting next to you You'll think, "How'd I get here, sitting next to you?" But after all I've said, please don't forget

All my friends are heathens, take it slow Wait for them to ask you who you know Please don't make any sudden moves You don't know the half of the abuse

YOU DON’T KNOW THE HALF OF THE ABUSE.

There’s a very strong sense in this song of “even if the world is against us we look after each other” and I love that mindset for this little group of disasters.

7. Overburdened by Disturbed

The weight of Fjord’s responsibilities weigh on him constantly. New powers, new mission, new friends, new crew. The last time he felt this comfortable, everything was ripped away from him — violently. He feels like the waves may be breaking over his head, and struggling to catch his breath he must keep a calm demeanor and steady hand — and push on.

We all know Fjord has been in over his head but it’s nice to see Travis put it so clearly. I think it’s also interesting to be reminded that most of Fjord’s calm and in control demeanor is just a front to hide his doubts and fears. The best example for that? The whole thing with Avantika and how some of the M9 (and the fandom) feared some of that was for real when his goal has always EXPLICITLY been to protect his friends.

Hell is still overburdened I must stand and wait in line Hell is still overburdened How have I been so determined maligned?

There’s the closing of the curtain In the play that was my life Countless chapter’s left unopened, tragedies inside I was fighting for a reason Holy blessed homicide Seems I have committed treason All I’ve sacrificed

In the end, though, he walks a thin line and falling over to the wrong side is all too easy.

8. Pray For Me by The Weekend, Kendrick Lamar

How dope was the Black Panther soundtrack? Fjord feels strange and exciting powers surging within him, and as much as he wants to push the envelope of what he’s capable of, he must rely on those he’s closest with to check him, to keep him grounded — or he might lose more than just his sense of self.

That’s such a good way of putting it. If Fjord dares push for this powers and chase his curiosities at all, it’s probably bevause he’s counting on the M9 to tell him when he goes too far.

I’m always ready for a war again Go down that road again It’s all the same I’m always ready to take a life again You know I’ll ride again It’s all the same (ooh, ooh, ooh) Tell me who’s gon’ save me from myself When this life is all I know Tell me who’s gon’ save me from this hell Without you, I’m all alone

I just really love the idea that Fjord is willing to go as far as it takes to survive, to neverbbe powerless again, to protect himself. That he is always ready to do what it takes… And that’s what he needs true saving from. Himself.

When Travis talks about Fjord losing more than his sense of self, I suspect he means his new friends. He’s afraid to lose their trust, and that might just be the thing that keeps him from risking too much. It does well to have something to lose, something worth protecting even over our own desires.

Without you, I’m all alone.

9.Sunflower by Post Malone & Swae Lee

It’s easy to let all of life’s shit get you down — and sometimes, you need only look as close as your friends. Watching Jester move through life with boundless exuberance is contagious.

YOU KNOW I’M GONNA MAKE A WHOLE ASS POST ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SONG RIGHT?

So I’m not gonna go too hard om the shipper feels right now. Not too much, anyway.

Just let me get emotional about Jester being Fjord’s literal beacon of light in all this darkness, in him being pulled along with her happiness and shenanigans, loving her pranks and silliness… As much as Fjord got a sense of self amd belonging with Vandran and his crew, did he ever have a true friend that could lift his spirits like this before?

Every time I’m leavin’ on ya You don’t make it easy, no, no Wish I could be there for ya Give me a reason to go Every time I’m walkin’ out I can hear you tellin’ me to turn around Fightin’ for my trust and you won’t back down Even if we gotta risk it all right now, oh

I think this is so important, both in light of what we mentioned earlier and in Fjord’s current arc. Jester constantly pulling him back in when he goes too far, not giving up on him, making him wish he was better and that he could protect her too.

They look after each other.

I’m fine.

ALSO JUST LET ME SCREAM ABOUT TRAVIS ADDING A WHOLE SONG JUST FOR JESTER FOR A WHOLE MINUTE BECAUSE I’M FEELING SO BLESSED AND VALIDATED. SHE IS SO DAMN IMPORTANT TO HIM.

10.Unsteady (Elrich Lee Gravity Remix) by X Ambassadors

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And looking around at the people that now surround him, Fjord feels like they are building an increasingly strong chain.

Listen, Fjord my boy is already so attached and dependent of his friends and feels so much stronger and steadier thanks to them after a lifetime of fear and rejection. I’m so emotional.

Mama, come here Approach, appear Daddy, I’m alone ‘Cause this house don’t feel like home If you love me, don’t let go If you love me, don’t let go Hold Hold on Hold on to me 'Cause I’m a little unsteady A little unsteady

DON’T YOU DARE LET GO OF HIM YOU GUYS HE NEEDS YOU SO MUCH.

11. Ocean (feat. Khalid) by Martin Garrix

Feeling cautiously optimistic about his future, he finds himself in awe of his adventuring crew. That’s a new emotion and outlook for him, and he feels truly bound and responsible for these crazy people.

THIS IS A LOVE SONG TO THE M9.

THAT’S IT.

HE LOVES THIS CREW SO MUCH. HE’S REALLY TRYING TO DO HIS BEST BY THEM.

I will physically fight anyone who dares doubt of this good boy again. He’s been alone his whole life. He finally found a family and he will do anything for them. They are the best thing that has ever happened to him.

If we’re caught in a wave, I will carry you over It don’t matter where you are, I’ll run to your front door When my head goes in different directions You know my heart’s never on the move And in the dark times, you don’t have to question If I’m a hundred with you

You could put an ocean between our love, love, love It won’t keep us apart You could build a wall, I would run it up, up, up Just to get to your heart If we’re caught in a wave Baby, we’ll make a way You could put an ocean between our love, love, love It won’t keep us apart

LISTEN. I’M JUST

EMOTIONAL

12.Warriors by Imagine Dragons

Half the shit Fjord has seen since joining up with The Mighty Nein would normally have sent him running. But ya best know, The Mighty Nein are no joke. These fighters are bound to him, and he to them —and no one is taking away this new world he has found.

LET HIM FEEL BRAVE.

LET HIM FEEL HOPEFUL.

LET HIM FEEL POWERFUL.

LET HIM FEEL LOVED.

LET HIM FIND STRENGTH IN HIS FRIENDS.

In youth you’d lay Awake at night and scheme Of all the things that you would change But it was just a dream!

Here we are, don’t turn away now, We are the warriors that built this town Here we are, don’t turn away now We are the warriors that built this town From dust.

This is so on point and I love how much Fjord enjoys being a part of this group of powerful warriors and how protective of this he is. This is his life and he will do anything it takes to live it and keep it by any mean necessary.

“and no one is taking away this new world he has found” is such an interesting perspective about how Fjord thinks and why he’s sometimes willing to go to even dark lengths to get what he or his friends want. This is a possessive and protective statement coming from a man who already had everything he held dear ripped away from him once, who had lost and suffered too much… He won’t let that happen again.

#fjord #fjorester #critical role #sofia's nonsense #travis willingham #listen to the drums; listen to them

222 notes · View notes

rimeshard · 5 years

Text

spotify explanations.

each one of the songs added to the spotify list on my homepage is in reference to an event, character or interaction that Riley has been through or dealt with, whether positive or negative. as a writing exercise, i decided to work out what each of these songs means in context for her character and her development.

Emiley’s Smile - Commix

This is a general purpose ‘ethereal’ floating song for Riley. I think it fits a young Quel'dorei very well, especially one who transitions from up periods (the higher synths) to darker periods (the low bass intonation).

Chrome - VNV Nation

Hurt, the measure of blind ambition The testament to your singular disease Against all wisdom you heed no warning Your desires giving you away

A perfect song for a post-resurrection Riley who was hell-bent on destroying those who had wronged and murdered her, along with her distaste for the Forsaken who still follow a murderous Warchief, and the Alliance who still follow the whims of a boy-king.

Better Love - Nookie

Another general purpose ‘vibing’ song, used to maintain a chilled, distanced, lounge demeanor that Riley tries to keep with her customers. Yes, breather. Keep calm. Consider the purchase of the haunted Jinyu pearl necklace. This one will not harm you. We are indifferent to your purchase. Other buyers will come otherwise.

In Space - Röyksopp

Here’s where we start getting into real character development. “In Space” is in reference to the many memories that float through Riley’s mind at any given moment either pre- or post-resurrection. She had a very timid personality when I first began playing her, as an arcanist’s assistant and protégé. Over the years Riley developed into a stand-alone character, able to hold her own despite battling deep-seeded fears and longing for her mentor. “In Space” in general is a 'harmless’ song, mainly evoking happy memories or drawing on pleasant dreams to function.

Dawn Chorus - Boards of Canada

Most, if not a majority, of Riley’s development centered around her mentor, Taldarick Reynolds. Taldarick was a survivor of the Azure wars; he had sided with the Azure Dragonflight and Malygos against the Blues and the Dalaran magi. In doing so, he killed his own brother, who was sent to retrieve/recover him. Taldarick then spent a session in the Violet Hold on his capture, and was released. He spent every waking moment following this developing a bastardization of chronomancy and necromancy in an attempt to resurrect his brother, beholden and bereft by the guilt of his murder. “Dawn Chorus” is the discordant musical equivalent of being inside that Machine; a vividly disgusting and perturbing sensory deprivation and immersion tank, all at once, during stages of being incomplete. At one point in exquisite detail did Taldarick’s RPer describe a 'tree made entirely of meat’.

Tears from the Compound Eye - Boards of Canada

Riley spent many nights comforting and working with Taldarick during his exploratory phases to work on his Machine. In doing so, and during his lessons, they bonded; however, their shared, mutual and different traumas would not let them reciprocate their feelings for each other. “Compound Eye” sounds, to me, like a forlorn hand reaching across a chasm - with a small uplift near the center for what may be a hopeful release or even a return of emotion; only to have it lapse back onward and into silence, knowing it won’t come to pass.

Infotain Me - Ochre

A song explicitly describing the back and forth between Riley and her adopted daughter, Nicolette. The two have a springy, childish wordplay between each other, but despite the edifying violins, it also carries an undercurrent of misery; Riley knowing that Nico is diving into Necromancy despite her displeasure, and Nico knowing that Riley has been raised into undeath.

Space Cowboy - Saib

A jaunty song that encapsulates the spirited relationship between Wey-chung Brokenarrow and Riley; both before and after her resurrection. Wey met Riley roughly around the same time that she set up her meeting with Taldarick, and was initially suspicious of the Quel'dorei; however, shared bonds through adventures together and camaraderie through allies has cemented a powerful relationship, wherein Riley chastises Wey for his penchant for flirtatious behavior, while Wey keeps Riley beveled with her obsession over Taldarick (before her death) and her willingness to find a purpose in life while unliving (in death).

Weird Science - Oingo Boingo

from my heart and from my hand why don’t people understand my intentions

Easily the most recognizable song on this list, “Weird Science” is less for Riley and more for Taldarick outright, it having been his RPer’s song of choice for his character. The lyrics fit him perfectly; people do not understand the arcanist’s often odd behavior, his demeanor or even his appearance.

Kyoto - aso. [ original sample is from “Love at 20” (二十歳の恋) by Lamp ]

anata ga sukidesu

Absolutely hands-down used as the 'romance’ song for Riley and Taldarick. This song was playing initially when Taldarick requested that Riley pick up adoption papers for Nicolette, when he asked her to move in with him, and when he finally confessed that he 'cared for her’. This mellow, inviting, warm and cozy song is on a loop just enough to serve as a backing track for their playful banter and their romantic inclinations - like how Taldarick admitted to Riley that he had slept for an entire night for the first time since his release from the Hold when sharing a bed with the Quel'dorei, and that possibly - a life of self-flagellating vengeance wasn’t quite as desirable when compared to one with Riley and their new daughter.

LOYALTY. FEAT. RIHANNA. - Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna

It’s a secret society

All we ask is trust (all we ask is trust)

All we got is us

Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty

I warned you that Taldarick played a huge role in Riley’s development. “LOYALTY.” is massive for these two for both views the featured artists present. Kendrick’s lyrics encompass finding someone, finally, that he can have faith in; both he and Rihanna question who is really worth that amount of loyalty, and what loyalty means - are they going to be there for you when things hit rock bottom? The chorus alludes to both artists indicating something’s wrong, and that either one of the pair aren’t as loyal as they claim to be. Would Taldarick and Riley ever really hit that 'rock bottom’?

Jealous (I Ain’t With It) - Chromeo

I get strung up from [his] loving

I wish [he] cared to see

But [he] only cares when [he’s] so inclined

And I fret so much about [his] loving

I wish [he’d] let me be

But [his] destiny got us so intertwined

Not necessarily rock bottom, no. But Taldarick’s flightiness, tendency to flirt with other women and his general tendency to drop Riley at the drop of a hat due to survivor’s guilt and refusal to admit his reciprocation early on spurred Riley on to drinking copious amounts of Kungaloosh, much to Wey’s dismay.

Gentle Breeze - Saib

In between this, I allowed Riley to relax somewhat after picking her up from a brief hiatus. She was allowed to spend time ruminating on her place in the world and a life without Taldarick; her daughter was safely enrolled in a Dalaran academy to further her own half-elf lineage for magic, and Riley herself was assigned from a Dalaran guard status to front-lines Legionfall guard, putting out fel fires on the beaches with her talents for summoning large amounts of blueberry-flavored slushes. This is also where she was tasked with taking care of the first incarnation of Alectryo, the Divination Chicken, so this song can count for his initial appearance, as well.

Die for You - The Weeknd

I’m scared that I’ll miss you

Happens every time

I don’t want this feelin’

I can’t afford love

I try to find reason to pull us apart

It ain’t workin’ 'cause you’re perfect

And I know that you’re worth it

Now we’re getting into one of the most miserable states of Riley’s development. Our OOC schedules had begun to wind up and Taldarick’s RPer could no longer commit time to Warcraft in between his own growing schedule, and often Taldarick would be ICly sent to foreign Legion planets on Kirin Tor order for investigation. Often he wouldn’t come back for days, weeks, or even months. And often Riley would be found at the same Stormwind park planter in which they would usually be found, faithfully awaiting his return. Her friends and Highguard members would have nothing but concern for her and the wily arcanist, but often found her inconsolable until he returned.

It was during one of these mission returns that Taldarick came back - not quite himself. His blinded eyes had been replaced with strange demonic implants of his own 'harvest’ (previously Taldarick had become physically blinded, and relied on Riley to be his 'seeing eye elf’ when divination did not suffice) and he refused to answer questions about where he was, what he was up to and whether or not he was coming home like he’d promised. He erratically vanished from Stormwind and was never heard from again, despite Riley’s attempts to track him down through the Kirin Tor’s files and his operatives in the Hall of the Guardian.

“Die For You” is from Taldarick’s point of view; expressing his miserable state in struggling to let Riley go, but knowing it was what was best for both of them.

Only - Nine Inch Nails

Yes I am alone

But then again I always was

As far back as I can tell

I think maybe it’s because

Because you were never really real

To begin with

After Taldarick’s final departure, Riley spent several erratic months still deluding herself into awaiting his return. She was in denial that there was a possibility that he wasn’t coming back - or didn’t want to come back, and would violently snap at anyone who suggested such. Riley began to question herself, and her adoption of her daughter - her position in the Highguard - her own abilities in the arcane.

Since I Left You - The Avalanches

Riley was, eventually, finally allowed to move on from Taldarick, having mostly given up on ever seeing him again - and in freeing herself, this song encompasses the first breath of an unrestricted, free-from-obsession headspace. While still a jumble of plunderphonics noise, “Since I Left You” carries a tone of hope and moving forward for the first time on her own.

The Orb of Dreamers - The Daniel Pemberton TV Orchestra

Dreams. Fantasies. Ideas.

Where do they go when life brings you tumbling back to the now?

While this song is infinitely popular as an opening for Little Big Planet, it also serves as a dreamy, very infatuated melody. Think back to the butterflies you may get in your stomach when envisioning that special someone, or the typical 'pink anime haze cloud’ that shrouds an object of affection when looking at them for the first time, and that’s the general feeling of this song for Riley, for both Taldarick and a former RP partner; more on them below.

With.You -Jinsang

A song that finally applies to a love interest outside of Taldarick. Mellow and alternatively inviting, “With.You” is very fitting for a former RP partner of mine; the initial patient hammer thwacks in the background are reminiscent of his character’s penchant for blacksmithing.

This character’s relationship with Riley was healthy at first, but ended up being demoralizing both IC and OOC; they had met when she was alive, and he assisted her in joining the Blade in her undeath - she became subservient to him, much in the way that Riley was with Taldarick - but unlike 'fun’ apprentice/teacher RP with Taldarick, who was a more comedic and flexible writer, this partner was very stoic and solid, which turned Riley into a stoic and solid character.

Serenade - Esbe

Much like With.You, Serenade is in reference to this previous RP partner’s relationship with Riley, specifically after her death. It gives off a very melancholic performance of echoed samples and the same deadened electronic drum beat, guiding you through the steps in a mechanical fashion. The backing track constantly feels like it’s slipping through your fingers, much like the fading memories Riley lost upon her death.

Low Grav Freefall - Ochre

Another Ochre song to use with Nicolette, but it fits her and Riley’s dynamic so well that I can’t help but to use it. This song alludes in terms of Nico’s first face to face meeting with her mother after Riley’s death, hiatus in Acherus, and return to Stormwind, and Nico’s unwillingness to deal with the loss of yet another set of parents - despite Riley being 'there’, she isn’t, really. The grief and steeled resolve of keeping a mask of indifference really shines through at the 1:05 mark, masking the initial saddened synth that remains present throughout the song. It keeps the same somber tune in its nearly seven minute runtime - however, at about six minutes in, the angry, resentful synths fade away, and Nico begins to accept that this is still her mother - that she still loves Riley, even though this is what she has become. It ends on an oddly discordant, buoyant note.

Dayvan Cowboy - Boards of Canada

Last Boards of Canada song, I promise. Maybe.

This song is an odd choice for this one, but, I like to attribute it to Riley’s death and then her subsequent raising into a banshee by the necromancer she was attempting to impersonate. It’s a rough, slipshod, discordant and scratchy mess at first - I liken it to being completely underwater and having your ears be filled up with water to where you can’t hear anything but the rush of your own heartbeat; the shakes of a tambourine are a good count for this. Riley was stabbed multiple times and allowed to bleed out, feeling at ease and at rest due to her mission being completed - she was able to save five people’s lives at the cost of her own. In this way she felt like it was worth it; that she wasn’t just a coward hiding behind Taldarick, or the other elves; that she had made something of herself, and proven herself a hero. It was okay to let go.

And then 2:07 kicks in, and without warning she’s pulled back into her body. This horrible, frightening, ice-cold sensation of her soul being lashed from the Shadowlands and forced, wailing and screaming, back into her own corpse. Eventually (2:40) she learns to get it under control - but there’s still this aura of miserable existence, with the resentful strums of the guitar. The song, much like most Boards of Canada songs, trails out on an unknown note, giving credence to Riley not knowing what to do with herself yet.

Everyone Looks Like Everyone - The Pack a.d.

If you think this is your story

Just cause you got in the way

Doesn’t mean it’s your story

You just got in the way

A simple brawling song. That’s all. They aren’t all deep, but they are all bangers. Enjoy a lovely Letterkenny reference. That’s a Texas-sized 10-4.

Fashionable People - Joel Plaskett Emergency

The dancers need a dancefloor,

The swingers gotta swing,

Fashionable people doing questionable things

A song I like to attribute to Wey-chung and Riley just hanging out; despite the content of the lyrics implying the singer would like to hook up with the object of his affection, due to the context of the song used in the show Letterkenny, the melody of “Fashionable People”, to me, is that of two familiar people having a good time together at somewhere they don’t normally belong - and that’s those two’s friendship to a T.

Stage 12: Mystic Mansion - SEGA SOUND TEAM

As a recovering Sonic the Hedgehog fan and deviantART user, I can’t not have a reference to a Sonic song in a fan track list. It’s against the law. I don’t make the rules, sorry. Enjoy your expected, obligatory and obvious 'Riley is a spooky vendor, working for the Ebon Blade, sourcing curios and bartering haunted goods with the breathers’ track.

Sorry for Not Answering the Phone I'm Too Busy Trying to Fly Away - In Love With a Ghost

The rocking back and forth sounds of a soothing piano and synth combined with repetitive clicking of odd instruments, to me, sounds like the moving of a caravan of supplies, and the soothing chorus of those who have come before her. "Sorry for Not Answering" applies to Riley's scant time spent thus far with Remington Thornbolt and the Fence Macabre, a group of Forsaken who have all suffered what she has, and welcome her with open arms to vendor, travel and adventure alongside them.

This Machine: Theme of Team Dark - Julien-K

A shadow of myself, just who am I?

Scan horizons

A tragic mystery

…. as a recovering Sonic the Hedgehog fan, I can’t not have two references to Sonic songs in a fan track list. “This Machine” is a giant meme, has been for decades, and is angst personified without dipping too much into the “Shadow the Hedgehog (2005)” video game soundtrack. We don’t go down that road.

Un musicien parmi tant d’autres - Harmonium

À la porte d'un café [ At the door of a café ]

Les noms ne font que changer [ The names only change ]

Il a enfin compris pourquoi [ He finally understood why ]

Le sien ne sera plus là [ His will not be there anymore ]

Comme un enfant, on ne vit qu'une fois [ Like a child, we only live once ]

Change is inevitable. Monuments erode. People are eventually replaced, and forgotten. The young live to be old, and the old wither away. You should sell Riley their stuff when they die.

#rumination

1 note · View note

codearvis · 6 years

Photo

01. BASICS

NAME: Wesley Lamar TITLE: The Genius DATE OF BIRTH: August 12th, 1991 ( Twenty-seven years old ) PLACE OF BIRTH: Brooklyn, NY PREFERRED PRONOUNS: He/Him SEXUAL & ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Bisexual & Biromantic OCCUPATION: Graduate student FIELD OF STUDY: Computer Science (specialization in AI & Robotics)

02. PERSONALITY

MBTI: ENTJ POSITIVE TRAITS: Confident, Meticulous, Persistent & Charming NEGATIVE TRAITS: Prideful, Impulsive, Thoughtless, Finicky

03. BIOGRAPHY

Wesley was the result of a one night stand on a New Years’ Eve and was born eight months later. He was born prematurely and his mother wasn’t sure if he would survive. She gave birth to him in a hospital and seeing that he was going to be well cared for by the nurses, she left shortly after she recovered from labor. She simply left a note in her hospital room, letting the nurses know who Wes’s father was and then slipped out the front doors. After that, she was never seen again and Andrew Lamar was brought to the hospital to meet the son he didn’t know he had.

Andrew Lamar was not the type of man who was ready to settle down at all, if ever. Still, he decided to keep Wes in hopes that it would force him to stabilize his erratic life. He probably should have given Wes more attention, but he always gave the kid what he needed and wanted. As a result, Wes looked for attention elsewhere. He was a very smart kid, so it wasn’t hard to figure out what he was good at. He got involved with a lot of extracurriculars, read books, and being highly intelligent, took extra and more advanced courses. He eventually realized how good he was at computer science and started to study it more and more and more.

Wes graduated from high school at the age of fifteen and then graduated from college in three years by the time he was eighteen. He got involved in the coding industry for a while, working at a few startup companies. Eventually, he wanted to return to school though and work on his PhD, deciding that he wanted to get more involved with artificial intelligence and robots with the hopes of doing more research instead of working on a product all the time. He finished his Masters by twenty five and has been working on his PhD ever since.

He struggled at first with his dissertation, but upon making a rather remarkable discovery in the basement of the old computer lab, he figured out exactly what he wanted to study. The Grid was something amazing and unique. He recruited friends to help him figure it all out and help him find out who created it in the first place. However, Wes has begun to slip in both his duties to his friends and the Grid as well as his studies due to his recent diagnosis of Huntington’s Disease. He fears losing his mind as it’s what’s gotten him his new and wonderful circle of friends, helped bring him to the Grid, and helped him with his research into AI.

04. FAMILY

Andrew Lamar: Father

Unknown: Mother

Bailey Fuge: Cousin

Yvonne Fuge: Aunt, Turing Academy's headmistress

05. CONNECTIONS

The Gregarious: Cousin

The Leader: Ex-girlfriend, stayed on friendly terms

The Anarchist: Best friend (deceased)

The Hacker: Close friend, classmate

06. AVATAR

AVATAR’S FACECLAIM: Ryan Fisher (Cyborg) SPECIAL SKILLS/POWERS: X-Ray vision, Electricity manipulation & Enhanced strength. WEAKNESSES/LIMITATIONS: Wes can’t see through some materials or can only see a certain distance (for example, he can see through maybe two walls, but not five) and his ability also depends on how close he is to what he’s looking at. He can electrocute himself if he’s in water or otherwise loses control. Using his strength can drain his energy.

WESLEY LAMAR is portrayed by Alfred Enoch and he is currently TAKEN.

#ca:the genius #ca:canon #ca:taken

2 notes · View notes

youngboy-oldmind · 4 years

Text

IN DEPTH REVIEW- DAMN Part II

The bipolar aura of DAMN. continues in the next few tracks. Kendrick talks about his superiority in the rap game, stating how unparalleled he stands. But following a stint of confidence, we get a brutal look at Kendrick exposing himself for his consistent internal struggles. While remaining on top and being idolized by so many, he expresses great loneliness, hopelessness, and feeling a lack of genuineness surrounding him. Then, we get a nice harmony between Kendrick and Rihanna talking about dedication and loyalty, wherever or whoever one is loyal to.

4. ELEMENT

Similar to the beginning of “YAH”, we hear Kid Capri start off the track yelling “New Kung Fu Kenny” and “Aint nobody praying for me”, which generally lead to more aggressive, chaotic, and/or negative tracks. While not negative, “ELEMENT” is Kendrick’s chaotic boast to the rap industry and any competitors that he is elite and the best in the game. Going as far to say he’d die, kill, and go against the bible and go “eye for an eye” (which Jesus was against) to be successful. Over three verses and choruses, the later being a eerily slowed down version, Kendrick let’s everybody know he’s not to be messed with and if someone is going to step up to him, they better carry some kind of weight or he’ll slap you and make it look sexy.

The chorus on this song is my favorite on the album. The light piano-like notes added on the chorus are a perfectly opposite from the deep, monotoned piano notes during the verses. This creates an interesting comparison. Kendrick is very intense, direct, and aggressive during the verses. However, on the chorus he seems playful and lighthearted. It’s not a “just kidding” playful, it’s more like he will do it so effortlessly that its a joke. Both the delivery and instrumental switch between verses and choruses paint a cocky, unbeatable Lamar.

5. FEEL

"FEEL” begins similarly to “ELEMENT” with Kendrick stating nobody’s praying for him. Through two heart-wrenching verses, we get Kendrick’s confessions of every negative emotion he’s wrestling. He talks about being on edge, feeling low and isolated, distant from his friends and family, and hopelessness when reflecting on society. The last section we get another demonic-esque layering over his vocals while talking about the end of the world and monsters like phoenixes and the Loch Ness that represents a culmination of chaos ensuing from an impending doom.

This track is BRUTAL. After such an upbeat, bragging song in the previous track, “FEEL” is another 180 turn that counters his established confidence. However, Kendrick doesn’t discredit his success or unparalleled status, indicated by the lines:

“I feel n****s been out of pocket/ I feel n****s tappin' they pockets/ I feel like debatin' on who the greatest can stop it/ I am legend, I feel like all of y'all is peasants/ I feel like all of y'all is desperate/ I feel like all it take is a second to feel like/ Mike Jordan whenever holdin' a real mic/ I ain't feelin' your presence/ Feel like I'ma learn you a lesson”

Here, Kendrick once again compares himself to Michael Jordan in hip hop, stating there’s no debate and he’s at a level he could teach rappers below him. Kendrick expresses a lack of assuredness and trust with people around him. However, the one thing he knows for sure is he’s the greatest. I like that he maintains this sentiment. No matter how dark or hopeless he feels, he will still be the best. He also draws another comparison to him and 2Pac, saying the feelings he has must be what 2Pac felt when he fled to Cuba to distance himself from fame. If Kendrick suddenly dies or goes missing, I guess we know where he could possibly be.

The hardest-hitting sentiment of this track is the final two lines of both verses that leads to the chorus, “Ain’t nobody praying for me”. As much as his fans praise him and as much as he looks out for others, he feels isolated and like nobody truly cares about him. This is an awful feeling to wrestle with when in the same breath claim legend status. Kendrick didn’t take the route I expected him to; the route that others (popular ones include T.I. on “Live Your Life” and J Cole on numerous tracks) take when they say they’d give up the fame and success if it meant true happiness because that’s what ultimately matters. Here, it seems Kendrick is stating that the fame and status is important and he’s not giving it up, but wishes he had happiness and a trustworthy close circle around him.

Besides “FEAR”, “FEEL” is Kendrick’s most brutally transparent expression of his negative internal plights.

6. LOYALTY

“LOYALTY” is a breath of fresh air after the two previous intense tracks. This tracks features Kendrick and Rihanna exchanging verses and collaborating on the chorus to discuss things they’re loyal to. Kendrick talks about his dedication and loyalty to his art and previous success, then transitioning to talking about wanting loyalty and forever with a partner. Towards the end of the track, Kendrick and Rihanna inquire what a potential significant other is loyal to: friends, family, drugs, fame, money, yourself? What are your priorities?

This isn’t quite a love song. It’s more like a dedication song. Lacking much of a romantic vibe, it addresses on what you focus on and whether a relationship is possible, whether romantic or friendly. This connects to Kendrick’s previous feeling of not trusting those around him. This song applies to anyone in his life; are you going to be there through ups and downs?

I think this is a great add-on to previous thoughts he’s expressed so far on this project. After stating how abandoned and hopeless he feels, he’s actively making sure those around him are trustworthy. I think this expresses growth and less of the “Kung Fu Kenny” chaos perspective.

In terms of popularity, this song is in the Top 5 most streamed, behind “DNA”, “HUMBLE”, and “LOVE”. Rihanna and Kendrick make a great combination. The back an fourth dialogue and occasional harmonies pair together well; Kendricks lower, gruff voice matches Rihanna’s higher, singing voice. I definitely hope they collaborate more in the future.

Part III Coming Soon!

#album review #music review #hip hop review #hip hop #Kendrick Lamar

0 notes

thedenfantasyleague · 4 years

Text

The Den Weekly Fantasy Recap: Week 6

Gents,

We’re already into Week 6 of this season and a lot has happened. We’ve had to adapt, we’ve had to defend against Kurses, and we’ve had to make some name changes to spice things up. All this and we’re basically halfway from the finish line of the regular season. It’s about to get real.

Viking Quest v. 11-4-1 PVO

I’m sorry. I truly am. Dealing with some bye-week blues, I didn’t stand a chance against Dylan. Even with a 30 spot on my bench with Matty Ice (classic Falcons), I still wouldn’t have had a chance. I had three players meet their projections this week (Taylor, Moore, and Kelce) and the rest really couldn’t put up a fight. Another bye-week issue coming up but I can’t complain. I have to win. No excuses. Speaking of winning, congrats to Dylan. He came into this game tied for last place but was able to seal his second win on the season. Despite fumbling issues from Zeke, Dylan had 75+ points from three players alone: RoJo, Julio, and Kittle. Those alone beat me and the rest was just an insult. Dylan looks to continue his winning streak and create some distance between himself and the bottom.

Virginia Reel Rockets v. Team Timshel

Poor Al. Despite being our fourth higher scorer on the week, he ran into a week-leading Mike for a tough loss. Surprisingly, Al was able to score as much as he did with four (4!) players from the same team in his lineup. Unfortunately for him, only Kyler and Kirk had good enough games to get him some solid points. Mike also went with the teammate approach to his starting lineup and had nearly 70 points amongst Tannehill and Henry. Oh, and his kicker got 20 points. Mike’s team is starting to look good and getting into champion form.

Miami-Dade Matthews Band v. Kalabar’s Revenge

Yes, you are reading that correctly. In a battle of who loves Miami more (Scott and Vinny) the former went all out and changed his team name. In our lowest-scoring game of the week, Scott’s name change was in the aftermath of victory. Scott actually had only two players meet their projections Tim Patrick (who?) and Pats D. That’s it and yet he somehow pulled out the win. G had three players meet their projections but unfortunately, those were the only players he had in double figures. His biggest disappointments could be his Packers (Rodgers & Adams) who missed their projections by 23.5. They combined for 12.9 of which Rodgers had 3.8. Not great. G is going to need to shake off the bad juju before October ends because who knows what November will look like.

Wilmore Cinderella v. Fire Jarn

In the battle of bad-ballers, JP took on Rubbie, and just like basketball JP won. Again. How did JP shock the world? Well despite his RBs providing virtually nothing, he had big games from Deshaun, AJ, and Chase. Could JP return to championship-form or his destined to be Cabana Boy again? Speaking of Cabana Boy, the guy who doesn’t want to see JP as CB again gave him a victory he desperately needed. Robbie only had three players in double figures but only one of those actually met their projection on the week. Starting the wrong QB definitely didn’t help but that’s the risk of fantasy. Who is Rob this year? Is he reverting back to his old self or is getting a slow start to duplicate his solid season last year? Only time will tell.

Debbie Rowe v. The Perfect Ten

Jake knew going into this one he had a slim chance of winning. His prediction came to fruition this week as he lost by a solid thirty points to E. Jake’s bad vibes led his team to only having two players reach their projection on the week: his D and Clyde. Fun fact: Clyde is allergic to touchdowns. Another fun fact? Sure! If Jake starts Justin Jefferson and Bucs D this is a whole new conversation. Does JuJu deserve to be benched? Did he let his deep love for Rodgers blind him from playing a good D? Maybe. Maybe. E is slowly starting to look like a champion once again. He actually only had three players meet their projections: Conner, Fuller, Phins D. Luckily for him Fuller greatly surpassed his projection, and everyone really just pitched in. Are we concerned that E will win the league again and embarrass us all? Yes.

Mr. Magorium’s Mixon It Up v. Tua Days

Speaking of Miami, that team/city has been the hot topic of our league lately. In a battle of trash-talkers, Miami’s “own” won the battle of talk in a pretty convincing fashion. Gabe fell just shy of 80 points on the week and failed to have a player reach their projection on the week and his best player (Mixon it Up) scored 13.9 points. Unfortunately, he made the wrong play in leaving Swift on the bench but that still wouldn’t have been enough. Miami’s “own” had four players reach their projection including 28+ from Lamar and Kenyan and 11+ from Bears D and Raaaaaaaaandy (Vinny will get that one; Aziz, look it up). Oh, and Cooks scored 17+, a true shocker. Vinny is going to let his game do the talking and let’s hope that, for this year, his game will step up.

Week 7 Matchups

The Perfect Ten v. Viking Quest Kalabar’s Revenge v. Virginia Reel Rockets Fire Jarn v. Miami-Dade Matthews Band Tua Days v. Debbie Rowe Team Timshel v. Mr. Magorium’s Mixon It Up 11-4-1 PVO v. Wilmore Cinderella *Game of the Week*

Kurse

“Scott” - G the Medium

0 notes

paulbenedictblog · 4 years

Text

%news%

New Post has been published on %http://paulbenedictsgeneralstore.com%

Cnn news Coronavirus government response: Americans returning to work can get tested: Trump

Cnn news

President Donald Trump on Monday pushed his scrutinize that there is ample checking out for states to reopen, at the same time as the White Condominium is instituting increased checking out and introduced with other new precautions over fears the unconventional coronavirus has invaded the dinky offices of the White Condominium West Fly.

At an afternoon news conference within the White Condominium Rose Garden complete with a colossal banner announcing, "The united states leads the arena in checking out," Trump claimed all Americans returning to work can obtain examined on day by day basis "very soon," even supposing some governors disagree.

Earlier, ABC Info' Katherine Faulders and John Santucci reported a brand new White Condominium coverage was once distributed to West Fly workers Monday afternoon directing them to wear masks the least bit cases whereas working within the West Fly, per sources aware of the subject. The guidance comes after two White Condominium staffers examined certain for coronavirus perfect week.

Extra measures were being regarded as this week at the White Condominium following certain assessments from one amongst the president's valets and the vice president's press secretary for coronavirus. In the meantime, critics of the administration put a query to when frequent checking out, contact tracing and preserving equipment will turn into on hand to all on a common basis Americans returning to work, as they turn into constructed-in at the White Condominium.

"If we did very shrimp checking out, [America] don't non-public the most cases," Trump talked about perfect Wednesday. "So, in a formulation, by doing all of this checking out, we compose ourselves discover about immoral."

On Capitol Hill, job force witnesses scheduled to testify forward of the Senate Health Committee on Tuesday relating to the outlet of the economy -- along side Drs. Anthony Fauci, CDC Director Robert Redfield, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn and coronavirus checking out coordinator Adm. Brett Giroir -- will as an different appear by videoconference within the historical listening to.

Fauci, Hahn and Redfield are in some obtain of quarantine this week following contact with out a longer decrease than one White Condominium staffer who examined certain. Even the committee's chair, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., will preside over the listening to from his dwelling notify "out of an abundance of warning," after one amongst his workers individuals, too, examined certain for the contagious pathogen.

Tune into ABC at 1 p.m. ET and ABC Info Are residing at 4 p.m. ET every weekday for special coverage of the unconventional coronavirus with the total ABC Info crew, along side the newest news, context and evaluation.

Here are Monday's most well-known trends in Washington:

Trump, at Rose Garden news conference, claims Americans returning to work would possibly also be examined on day by day basis 'very soon'

'We non-public prevailed on checking out," Trump says, even though some governors disagree

Carrying masks in West Fly now well-known for White Condominium workers after Pence press secretary, Trump valet leisure certain

Drs. Fauci, Redfield, Hahn and Giroir, of the coronavirus job force, will testify forward of the Senate Health Committee Tuesday by ability of videoconference with Sen. Alexander, R-Tenn., moreover presiding over the listening to remotely

Trump economic advisers predict unemployment would possibly surpass 20% subsequent month

Trump claims Americans returning to work would possibly also be examined on day by day basis 'very soon'

Because the contagious coronavirus appears to be to non-public invaded the White Condominium West Fly, ABC Info Chief White Condominium Correspondent Jonathan Karl requested President Trump at a Rose Garden news conference when on a common basis Americans would possibly be ready to acquire examined on day by day basis as they return to work lawful as White Condominium staffers now can.

"I mean, if truth be told very soon. It’s a spell binding put a query to because, in total, that you just can non-public talked about that you just is inclined to be no longer examined and also that you just can non-public been, , knocking us for no longer getting examined. So if we obtain examined, it's some distance a self-discipline, and if we originate no longer obtain examined, it's some distance a self-discipline," the president talked about.

When pressed, Trump knowledgeable Karl governors are in issue of creating the decisions ultimate for their states.

"We're leaving that up to the governors as , and if we investigate cross-check something tainted, we are going to call them out and we are going to pause it," Trump talked about. "Some are being no longer aggressive ample for my fragment, and some are being a shrimp bit aggressive."

When ABC Info' Jordyn Phelps pressed the president relating to the "double new" beneath which individuals of his have workers can obtain examined frequently when new Americans can no longer, Trump urged individuals of the press would complain if the White Condominium had no assessments, announcing, "you might no longer buy."

"You know what? If we didn’t obtain the assessments, if we did no assessments within the White Condominium, you’d be complaining, ‘Why must now not you getting assessments for the White Condominium?’ Scrutinize, we are in a position to no longer buy them serve. Because if we didn’t obtain the assessments, you’d be up -- I understand you totally, better than you understand your self," he talked about.

"And albeit, if we didn’t obtain assessments done, that you just shall be up, complaining relating to the proven fact that we didn’t non-public the assessments done," Trump persevered. "Now that we are doing so neatly on assessments and so snappily and so snappily, five minutes, et cetera, and so lawful, you is inclined to be complaining that we’re getting too many assessments. So, you might no longer buy."

When Phelps requested the president to elaborate or supply figures on when exactly all individuals who wants a test can obtain one, as the president has claimed since a visit on March 6 to the CDC, Trump talked about, "it's some distance a correct assertion already."

Adm. Brett Giroir, the administration's point particular person on checking out, tried to elaborate and qualify Trump's claim about who would possibly obtain examined.

"Everybody who wants a test can obtain a test," Giroir talked about. "Whereas you occur to're symptomatic with a respiratory illness, that's a label for a test and also you might obtain a test."

In a 2d that echoed a previous controversial claim, Trump added if people desire a test, they'll obtain one.

"If people need to acquire examined, they obtain examined, nonetheless for the most fragment they must now not need to acquire examined," Trump talked about. "There isn't the form of thing as a motive. They feel authorized. They originate no longer non-public sniffles. They originate no longer non-public sore throats. They originate no longer non-public any notify."

In the meantime, several governors and local neatly being officers non-public persevered to file considerations with the checking out supply chain corresponding to entry to swabs and antigens.

Vice President Mike Pence, even though fresh in Washington, was once seriously no longer in attendance at the briefing.

The president moreover talked about that whereas governors and the public alike non-public learned quite a bit relating to the virus over the best couple months, he claimed there are two sides of the argument on wearing face masks -- a recommendation Trump has resisted following himself.

"In relation to all people has a face conceal on. They've learned about face masks the authorized and the immoral. By the ability, it's some distance rarely always a one-sided ingredient, give it some thought or no longer, nonetheless our country has learned, our country has been improbable," Trump talked about, with out offering particulars.

Later, when requested why the White Condominium had waited goodbye to put in force conceal-utilization within the West Fly, one month after the CDC at the origin supplied the guidance, Trump talked about it’s because most folks don’t obtain that shut to him -- nonetheless he claimed he was once the one to remark the change.

President Trump started by announcing that his administration will distribute additional funding to states to lend a hand them ramp up novel coronavirus checking out -- even supposing that money was once distributed by Congress in a invoice that Trump signed into regulation two and a half of weeks ago beneath the Paycheck Protection Program.

“To additional develop our nation's checking out capabilities, this afternoon I'm announcing that my administration -- and we’ve got this all common, it's all done. We're sending $1 billion to The united states’s states, territories and tribes,” Trump talked about, even though a senior administration reliable talked about forward of the briefing that $11 billion would possibly be distributed, no longer $1 billion. “This main investment will compose certain that that The united states continues to conduct extra assessments than any country on Earth by some distance.”

With two colossal signs reading "AMERICA LEADS THE WORLD IN TESTING" flanking his podium, President Trump all nonetheless declared victory on the checking out front, announcing, “We non-public met the 2d, and we non-public prevailed.”

When wondered later on if he was once declaring "mission carried out," Trump talked about he was once referring handiest to checking out.

"We non-public prevailed on checking out is what I am relating to. That was once in regards to checking out," the president talked about. "Whereas you might non-public got doubtlessly hundreds and hundreds of parents in some unspecified time in the future of the arena which shall be death, that’s no longer prevailing."

White Condominium directs West Fly workers to wear masks the least bit cases within the constructing

ABC Info has confirmed a brand new White Condominium coverage was once distributed to presidential staffers Monday directing them to wear masks the least bit cases whereas working within the West Fly, per sources aware of the subject and an electronic mail despatched by the White Condominium Administration Office this afternoon.

In the e-mail, workers are knowledgeable they must wear a conceal upon entry, care for social distance from colleagues each time possible, and that they'll handiest no longer wear a conceal when they're seated at their very have desk. Workers non-public moreover been knowledgeable, per sources, that the White Condominium will provide a conceal to somebody who wants it.

"The CDC continues to motivate utilizing facial coverings when social distancing isn't any longer an option. As a additional layer of security, we are requiring all individuals who enters the West Fly to wear a conceal or facial covering," the letter talked about. "Except you fully must conduct in-particular person industry within the West Fly, we respectfully request you to care for some distance from useless visits."

ABC Info’ Katherine Faudlers and John Santucci

First lady Melania Trump's workers is working from dwelling

All of first lady Melania Trump’s East Fly workers are working from dwelling, per her chief of workers and spokesperson Stephanie Grisham.

"We're all teleworking merely now," Grisham, who till no longer too prolonged ago served as White Condominium press secretary and communications director, talked about in an interview with Fox Info.

"So all people's working from dwelling. And If I'm going in there for any meetings, I'm examined each day. If we meet along with her, we take a seat six toes apart. Whereas you occur to have not been examined, you wear a conceal. Even when we've done the flicks, it's some distance a extraordinarily, very tiny footprint through workers and video crew. That's needed to her."

The principle lady has moreover decreased the series of workers within the White Condominium situation, who "all wear masks," Grisham talked about.

ABC Info' Jordyn Phelps

Pence calls governors from diversified salvage 22 situation than new, alone, after staffer assessments certain

Vice President Mike Pence knowledgeable governors in a video teleconference call Monday that he was once taking the call alone and physically turn into independent from White Condominium coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, who sat within the White Condominium’s Scenario Room, per an audio recording of the call obtained by ABC Info.

CNN seen Pence coming into the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, subsequent to the White Condominium, earlier this morning.

"Whereas you occur to're looking on from a video, you might investigate cross-check that we're in a a shrimp diversified circumstance at the White Condominium today time," Pence knowledgeable the governors. "Dr. Birx is in a Scenario Room with some workers. I am in a separate room on my have."

"Heaps of you heard that we had just a few workers individuals that examined certain," he persevered. "And so, as all of you is inclined to be aware, we're taking the ultimate countermeasures to supply protection to the president's neatly being as neatly as the neatly being of all of these which shall be serving [inaud]. Work goes on."

GOP Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan talked about that he wished the White Condominium workers neatly, and Pence talked about he was once "pleased to file both of the staffers that examined certain are both doing neatly."

"And I'm moreover totally pleased to file that we continue to examine detrimental all over," Pence persevered. "However lawful corresponding to you are doing there and the total governors... we're taking every precaution, in issue that we are in a position to continue to present a buy to the president's neatly being as neatly as compose certain that that he's got the total crew around him."

ABC Info' Jordyn Phelps

Joint Chiefs member assessments detrimental after initial certain test at White Condominium

A routine White Condominium screening test for novel coronavirus led to a certain test consequence for Gen. Joseph Lengyel, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, forward of President Trump’s assembly at the White Condominium on Saturday evening with the Joint Chiefs of Workers and other senior protection officers.

That certain consequence presumably did now not permit Lengyel to wait on the assembly, nonetheless he later went to the Walter Reed National Armed forces Scientific Center in Maryland to receive one other test that later proved detrimental for the virus, a U.S. reliable talked about.

With the conflicting consequence Lengyel underwent a third test on Monday that moreover proved detrimental, the National Guard talked about in an announcement.

"Thanks to all who non-public expressed notify for my neatly being and security," talked about Lengyel. "I am totally pleased to continue to point of interest on the efforts of the 46,000 Guardsmen and females who're combating this pandemic within the 50 states, three territories and District of Columbia."

One more member of the Joint Chiefs of Workers moreover did now not wait on Saturday night’s assembly as a precaution as a consequence of possible exposure to the virus.

Adm. Mike Gilday, the Chief of Naval Operations, learned perfect week that he had been uncovered to a family member who had examined certain for the virus. Gilday did now not wait on the White Condominium assembly whereas he awaited the outcomes of his have test that later came serve detrimental.

Out of an abundance of warning Gilday has determined to self-quarantine for the next week.

-- ABC Info' Luis Martinez

Schumer tells Fauci to 'let it rip' in some unspecified time in the future of Tuesday listening to testimony

Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer had one allotment of recommendation for Dr. Anthony Fauci in advance of his listening to forward of a Senate committee Tuesday : "Let it rip"

"This would possibly be one amongst the main opportunities for Dr. Fauci to remark the American people the unvarnished fact with out the president lurking over his shoulder," Schumer talked about. "Dr. Fauci, let it rip."

Senate Majority Chief Mitch McConnell, speaking on the Senate ground, moreover emphasized the work that the Senate Health, Training, Labor and Pensions Committee and Banking committees would possibly be doing this week connected to COVID-19.

The HELP Committee will host Fauci and other administration officers Tuesday for a listening to on reopening the country, with three of four witnesses and the committee's chair joining remotely. He talked about the Senate Banking Committee will host representatives from the Federal Reserve and FDIC on financial regulation.

"Obviously that's an needed subject as the authorities continues to push out billions and billions of bucks in emergency liquidity following the CARES act," McConnell talked about.

"It is crucial that as we continue to battle the pandemic itself we compose certain that it's no longer followed up by a job killing epidemic of frivolous court cases," McConnell added. "This is in a position to be relating to the worst time in residing memory to let trial lawyers line their pockets at the expense of the reduction of the country."

Schumer old the different to continue responsible McConnell for failing to yelp coronavirus legislation to the ground or to motivate ample well-known oversight hearings connected to the virus.

"We reside within the different actuality of the Republican Chief McConnell's making," Schumer talked about, along side that McConnell’s "wait and investigate cross-check" ability on a fourth stimulus bundle is now not practical if hearings must now not being conducted.

ABC Info' Allie Pecorin

High WH alternate adviser: Bid of the immoral economy looks as if a 'pity occasion'

The White Condominium's top alternate adviser Peter Navarro talked about this morning that Sunday point to chat of historically low economic numbers amid the coronavirus pandemic was once "pity occasion stuff."

"It was once a pity occasion," Navarro knowledgeable "Fox and Guests" Monday. "Here's no longer the Gigantic Depression. Any individual who thinks this is the Gigantic Depression does now not understand historical previous or economics."

He argued the new disruption was once non permanent and did now not equate to the last decade-prolonged affect of the Gigantic Depression.

"This Gigantic Depression pity occasion stuff I seen the day before today time, this ain't that," he talked about.

Navarro was once moreover requested a pair of Washington Post article on the federal authorities in January turning down a Texas company's supply to assemble N-95 masks. He talked about the firm was once "very complicated to work and talk with" and that "they were having their very have considerations which were glorified within the Washington Post article."

ABC Info' Ben Gittleson

From earlier today time:

White Condominium looks at doable new procedures after no longer decrease than two West Fly staffers test certain

Extra measures are being regarded as for the West Fly after two aides on the White Condominium campus examined certain for the unconventional coronavirus.

Sources express ABC Info there would possibly be extra aides wearing masks in latest weeks, even though this would possibly no longer be required. Secret Provider brokers shut to the president and within the vicinity of the Oval Office will moreover launch wearing masks.

One measure beneath consideration is that aides must care for a six-foot social distance in some unspecified time in the future of meetings along side ones with the president, one senior stage source knowledgeable ABC Info.

There is a list of over a dozen individuals who work within the west soar who would possibly be examined on day by day basis forward of reporting to work, within the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjoining to the White Condominium, loads of sources squawk.

"We're going to continue to conduct industry nonetheless no longer scurry the likelihood of being doubtlessly contaminated by a total source," a non-public aware of the discussions of doable new procedures talked about.

White Condominium chief of workers Put Meadows talked about on Friday the White Condominium "is possibly the most safe arena you might come to," despite confusion internally about what the White Condominium was once in actuality doing to care for the constructing and workers safe, given many originate no longer observe social distancing measures.

Over the weekend, Meadows worked with its clinical and security objects to build additional protocols in arena, sources squawk.

"Any meetings the president goes to people will care for maximum social distancing measures," one administration reliable talked about.

There non-public been discussions moreover about isolating the president and vice president, nonetheless at this point loads of officers squawk that's no longer going and that the 2 will easy wait on meetings collectively.

Pence did now not quarantine over the weekend, even supposing he was once no longer in attendance for a Saturday assembly at the White Condominium.

ABC Info' Katherine Faulders and John Santucci

Trump inaccurately says COVID-19 'numbers' are 'going down nearly all over the world' as death toll nears 80Ok

President Trump talked about inaccurately in a tweet this morning that "coronavirus numbers are … going down nearly all over the world."

An ABC Info evaluation, fixed with Unique York Situations recordsdata, chanced on that, as of Sunday, in a majority of U.S. states cases are both increasing or mostly staying the identical.

As Trump tweets "Coronavirus numbers are looking MUCH better," the series of total deaths domestically is nearing 80,000.

The College of Washington's IHME model, a key forecasting draw old by the White Condominium, is predicting extra than 137,000 deaths from COVID-19 by early August, as of Monday morning.

The president continues his reopening push as extra states buy restrictions, even supposing a brand new ABC Info/Ipsos poll shows most Americans face up to reopening the country now, believing the likelihood to human existence outweighs the business toll.

ABC Info' Ben Gittleson

What to understand about Coronavirus:

The plot in which it started and strategies to supply protection to your self: Coronavirus explained

What to originate for people that would non-public got symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms

Tracking the spread within the US and Worldwide: Coronavirus blueprint

0 notes