#hes accidentally formed a mini pack within the pack

[gingerminx75]

Consequences. Part 1

With my new shape comes new attention. Catcalls that I never heard before. The hotter weather means shorter shorts and a minimal tank top. I am not dressing for them, I am dressing for me. It appears that the men in my neighbourhood didn’t get that memo. My schedule too tight for me to vary when I run, and not wanting to drive, where I run. It’s safe to say I have become predictable.

The calls are becoming more difficult to ignore. Shouts of, “leave your door open, I know where you live”. Them “accidentally” blocking my path and leaving me stammering as I ask them to move. As I blush and lower my gaze, they laugh at me, reminding me that I am smaller, weaker and regardless of my running, slower.

I return home and while soaking in a nice hot salt bath a see an advertisement on my feed. Women’s self defence classes. This might be exactly what I need. An opportunity to learn how to defend myself and hopefully gain the confidence to put these guys in their place.

Unfortunately the course is not local, but there is a one week condensed program. I can take a week off work, have a mini vacation and return a who new person.

I contact the instructor, he seems a bit aloof, but that should not matter. I just need him to teach me how to defend myself. As a retired LEO, he should have a lot of experience with deviant minds and how they pick their prey.

I pack, excited for my adventure. Shoes, running shorts (but not too short), white tank top and white cotton panties. Just in case the class doesn’t wear me right out I pack a few casual clothes and my favourite little black dress.

My flight was uneventful, arriving in the south it’s a bit warmer than I am used to, but very beautiful. I’m glad I didn’t bring sweat pants, I will sweat enough as it is.

As I was travelling to attend the course, he had kindly offered to pick me up at the airport and take me to my hotel. A short cab ride in the morning and we will begin.

I was pleasantly surprised by his appearance. 6’2, piercing eyes and wonderful broad shoulders. He watched me approach, quietly confident. No smile, yet he didn’t appear displeased. His commitment to fitness was evident. I can only hope my training is as thorough.

I get to bed early, get up, quick shower and a light breakfast. Before I leave my room, I do a quick turn around and like what I see. Simple, comfortable but practical.

I go outside and have to take a few pictures, the landscape, even within the city is so pretty. I am not used to the hills, but it might help my conditioning. I turn to look back at the hotel to see if my cab has arrived, but to my surprise I see my instructor.

He explained to me that the other two participants had canceled, and I could reschedule or train one on one. I couldn’t rationalize travelling and taking time off twice, and while he was slightly intimidating, I really wanted to do this.

I hopped in his car, and after a short while we arrived at his house. With the lack of students, he explained that we would use his garage gym, rather than rent an area. Odd, but logical.

The gym was well setup, primarily free weights, with a few machines. The best part was the wide open door and quietly humming fans that kept the space fresh and comfortable. His house being set back from the road, and nicely treed, we were able to keep music playing and not disrupt the neighborhood.

We quickly got to work. Physical assessment first. Taking my measurements, testing my flexibility. Gently, but firmly assisting me to get the fullest stretch. Next came the weights. Setup so that I wasn’t working to failure, but able to complete ten good reps. Form being more important than moving a heavy load. He explained to me that if I don’t push myself and find out what I’m capable of, I will never know my limitations. That knowing what I can handle is the best way to boost my confidence.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but his “warmup” felt a lot like my workout. A quick break for water while we discussed the day’s workout.

Weights first, then an introduction to hand to hand training. The weights progressively heavier, as I grew tireder. Quickly and sharply corrected, I quickly realized that there was one right way to do things…. His way.

I appreciated the attention to detail, even as some as the criticism stung. I wanted to do well, I just didn’t know what to do. Frustrated with my failures. He didn’t appear to notice, continuing to correct me as he saw fit.

Watching me squat. Nudging my feet into proper position. Slightly wider. Toes out. Correcting the arch in my back with a firm hand. Close enough that his voice sounded like a whisper in my ear. “Yes, that’s it”. “Deeper now”.

That simple affirmation, after so many struggles, felt so good. Re-energized, I wanted more. I wanted his praise. Trying extra hard, legs starting to tremble as I descend. Him gently supporting the weight and allowing me to collect myself. Taking away his support feels like the weight doubled as I rise. The pause at the bottom ruined the momentum. I struggle to return to my start position. This time he allows me to struggle. For the first time, I see a hint of a smile.

I rack the weights and catch my breath. He leads me to the bench press. I assume the position. Feet flat, legs parted. Squared up to the bar. Standing behind me, he helps me unrack the weight. Light enough to not need a spotter yet, he stands and the end of the bench. Watching, guiding me with simple instructions. I’m concentrating on my technique, but distracted by his voice. I like it.

His whole demeanour authoritative, but confident. Self assured, with no need to be cocky. Quite obviously used to giving directions, rather than taking them. We watches me, arms crossed over his chest. Unintentionally showing off those gorgeous arms.

I don’t notice that he is watching me too. Watching both my form and my reactions. Watching my shorts ride up a bit as my back arches. Careful to stay in contact with the bench, unaware that my shorts have adjusted. The white cotton of my panties gleaming against the black silkiness of my shorts. Legs rolling outward, the damp spot on my panties that very likely isn’t sweat.

———-

I finish the set, get up and adjust my clothes. Riding up and exposing more than I’d like. Ready to wrap up for the day, I’m ready to go back to my room and relax.

My day isn’t over yet though, on the drive back to the hotel I receive a stern lecture about the importance of situational awareness. Learning to unconsciously scan my surroundings for threats. Being aware of what is present, and what can hurt me. I have been accused of being naive before. I want to believe that people are not all bad. And that kindness is not weakness.

Back in my room, I slowly strip. Enjoying the tightness of my hard worked muscles. Enjoying the sheen of sweat. Shyly wishing that someone was there to taste it. Running a bath, sipping a glass of wine. Strolling lazily around my room. Not a care in the world.

Morning arrives too early and I am outside and waiting before he arrives. Dreading the workout to come, but looking forward to it at the same time. I expect to see changes in myself by the end of the week. Wondering if anyone else will notice as well.

He picks me up, and today drives in the opposite direction of his home. I enjoy the scenery and wonder where we are off to. He pulls into a gorgeous wooded drive. Parks the car and takes two water bottles from the backseat.

I follow curiously as he walks down the path. His steps longer than mine, I have to run/walk to keep up. No small talk, no wasted energy. A man on a mission, but unwilling to share the plan with me.

We pass the free space area of the park and enter the trail system. Here he gets a bit more talkative. Asking me what I’m seeing, what I’m feeling and telling me to let him know if I get nervous. The last question seems odd. I don’t imagine anyone bothering us, not with his size and demeanour.

Today’s workout involves functional strength. Dead arm hangs from convenient overhanging branches. Some too tall for me to reach. He easily boosts me up and helps me down.

Hill climbing, wind sprints, pushups and skip rope. Oddly thrilled with the praise for something especially well done. The day is hard, but enjoyable. The sunshine, the dedicated attention of someone willing to help me grow better and stronger.

He seems very concerned for my comfort, always checking in to make sure that I am okay. Making sure that I am not afraid. As the day draws on, he seems almost frustrated with my answers. I’m not afraid, I am enjoying the adventure. I’m learning, I am growing and I am having a great time. This day is everything I wanted and more.

We stop to break a water break and sit in a lightly shaded clearing. I take a moment to rub a cramp out of my shoulder. I’m beginning to feel the effects of the past days’ efforts. He suggests that I sit up straight, back against the tree. Reaching my arms up high above my head. He stands in front of me, awkwardly close. Taking both my wrists in one hand and helping me stretch. It feels so good as the tension rises, then is released.

One more stretch he says, this time raising me to my feet. Arms up stretched above my head. Pulling me onto my tip toes. When I expected him to of release the pressure and let me down, he asked once more, “what are you feeling?”, “are you afraid?” I answer again, “I am nervous, but safe. I feel safe with you”.

Instead of reassuring him, I see a flash of anger across his face. He grips my wrists tighter and lifts me, dangling from his grip. He leans into me, pressing my body against the rough bark of the tree. Whispering in my ear, “you don’t understand, it’s me you should be afraid of”.

[otherwoofsarch]

I should be sleeping but instead I'm thinking about nick and his relationship with the boys (the 4 werewolves he 'adopted') and how with them he finally feels like he has an important role in the pack , and he loves them so so very much, and they love him and I just cry

[cyberexo]

FAR, FAR AWAY | Kim Minseok x Fem Reader

"his eyes sparkled as though god had taken a constellation of stars and placed them within his beautiful orbs"

you can also find this fan-fiction on wattpad under the username @mrkswrld

word count: 1.1K

･ﾟ☆ 5

It's been a couple of days since Minseoks' encounter with his old teacher at the bar, he was yet to get a day off from his shitty job to pay her a visit, eager to find out what it could be and how on earth did it involve him... I hope it's not about me cheating on a test in 10th grade, he thought to himself whilst carrying the stack of papers he just received from his boss back to his desk.

There was only two hours left for his shift to end so receiving sudden extra work was nothing less than agitating, especially since his boss needed them done, dusted, and sorted before the end of the day.

He sighed in annoyance, quickly seating himself back into his office chair hoping to get this over and done with on time with his working hours, his pen was millimetres away from the many forms before his office phone started to loudly ring through the entire floor. His eye twitched, taking a deep breath before picking up the phone.

"Minseok you son of a bitch! You told me you'd see what you can do about my situation. Nothing has changed?! what the fuck do they even pay you for over there-" before the madman could continue his scolding, Minseok pulled the phone plug out of the wall, he didn't need this right now and not at any other time either, if he was so desperate for help he could get someone else who doesn't mind getting their hands dirty, he silently retorted, a mischievous smile gracing his lips as he imagined how angry his client must be, trying to call again but was met with nothing but the agonising sound of trying to reach the other line.

･ﾟ☆ mini time-skip

It's been a couple of minutes since Minseoks' working hours ended, he was near the end of the paper stack. Yes, he messed up a couple but any normal human being would. He was going quick and the letters just started to look like blotches of ink.

"I better get something out of this," he quietly puffed to himself, finally sitting back in his chair and letting out a sigh of victory. He kept his eyes shut for a little while, mind threatening to doze off before he quickly rose out of his seat, swiftly picking up the stack of papers to carry back to his bosses office.

The building was less busy than it was in the morning, most people already at their respective residences and some packing up their belongings for the day. The trip to his bosses office felt awfully long but he finally got there.

His boss was still in his seat chatting away like he didn't have a company to run, but business hours were over so it shouldn't come over as a surprise. His eyes didn't lift from the piece of paper he was doodling on as Minseok gently dropped the stack of papers onto his desk, and was quick to make his leave, but didn't fail to hear his boss whispering "You'll have my thank you on your pay check," and continued chatting away which made Minseok feel a little better.

The trip back to his office seemed to end a lot quicker than the trip to his bosses, even though he walked the same exact distance. Time has such a weird way of working, he thought.

He hastily picked up his stuff, messily stuffing them back into his briefcase and made his way out of the building to his car. Realising he still had time to kill plus he didn't want to go back to an empty home yet, he felt around his pocket for the fragile piece of paper his teacher gave him a couple of days ago, ink withering away from accidentally putting it in the washing machine but he had a trusting memory, he knew where he was going with or without it, and so that became his destination. His clutter at home can wait a few more hours.

The drive there was peaceful, he thought he'd turned on some music to keep him entertained but apparently his thoughts were loud enough for him to completely forget the silent radio.

Finally after some time he arrived to his destination, realising his old school was a couple of streets away, he started to feel nostalgic as he walked up to his former teachers door. Mrs. Jungs' home looked deserted in comparison to the rest on the block, any potted plants placed outside by her door, long gone, the grass was overdue for a mowing, Minseok could've sworn it reached his knees if it was pulled up straight. not to mention the ivy like plant that had taken over most of the exterior of her home. If poison ivy had a house, this would be it, he thought to himself.

Before he could lift his hand to press on the door bell he doubted to work, the door softly opened, revealing Mrs. Jung in her lounge wear. He was visibly startled & it was so weird seeing her in anything but a suit, but Minseok was quick to not make himself look judgemental of her chosen outfit.

"Sorry for startling you Minseok! I heard a car park up and couldn't help but not mind my own business and look!" she greeted, whilst letting out a light chuckle, earning one from Minseok as well as he gave her a light bow. "Please come in! we have so much to talk about," she remarked, opening the door up a little more to let him in before checking for anyone else outside, as if she was suspicious someone would pounce from the jungle she had going on in her front garden, after mentally confirming she quickly retreated back inside, locking the door and off to seat both her and Minseok in her dull living room.

"I have some water boiling for some tea, how much sugar do you like?" she sweetly asked, even though it was a little awkward having her ex student in her home she tried to be as normal as possible. "Two teaspoons please," he replied whilst giving her a soft smile, eyes wandering around the walls that were decorated with pictures of the three same people, one who seemed to be Mrs. Jung, a man, & a young girl who looked too familiar to just be a stranger he could've passed by. Taking a step closer and looking at pictures of when she was older, he felt his heart slightly sink and his jaw lightly dropped.

"By that look on your face I can assume you know my Y/N?" Mrs. Jung cut the intensely silent air with her question, placing the tray of hot tea onto the table and seating herself. Minseok could barely manage a nod, he couldn't believe it.. he was standing in the home of his lost, first, & last love. But where was she?

"Sit down Minseok, there's something I want to show you,"

chapter 6

[jeongvision]

pairing. boyfriend! dong sicheng ✗ fem! reader

genre. fluff, humor, airport au, non idol au, established relationship au

warnings. slight cursing, mentions of alcohol, not proofread so expect grammatical mistakes lmao my bad

author’s note. this timestamp has been inspired by a fic called maison des fleurs (jeong jaehyun x oc) written by loviet from asianfanfics!

[ 5:14 AM ] You’re tired, so dead tired. If you weren’t tired before, then you are most definitely exhausted now.

For weeks, you and your boyfriend have been planning on taking a short trip to Greece as a mini getaway way to celebrate the end of your spring semester. You both thought it would be nice to destress after months of restless nights with your eyes glued on both your textbook pages or laptop screen. The moment you both finished your last final, you two booked the next flight out and packed your belongings.

What perfect way to celebrate the end of your hellish semester by spending time with your loved one traveling to a different country?

Unfortunately, life seems to love throwing curve balls at you, because here are you at the airport, sitting on one of those uncomfortable chairs at the terminal gate, three hours past your initial departure time. Weather reports called for harsh winds and rain, making it extremely dangerous for any aircraft to fly in this state due to turbulence. Meteorologists predicted that it will subside within another three hours but even then, it’s not a guarantee that it will stop storming by then.

Just your fucking luck, huh?

You and Sicheng are currently sitting in the terminal gate amongst all other passengers, impatiently groaning as the minutes pass by. You rested your head against your boyfriend’s shoulder, the soft padding of his jacket cushioning your cheek. You inhaled in his scent, putting your mind at ease as you wallowed up the lost time you could’ve used to explore other regions of Greece. You two already walked to nearby shops and food stands to kill time but it still gave you ample amount of time to spare. The both of you thought maybe social media or mobile games could assist in your boredoms but their attempts were futile.

You let out a deep sigh. “This sucks.”

“I agree,” Sicheng nodded. He repositions himself in his seat to ease the tension from your neck craning on him, arms draped behind your shoulders as he pulls you in more. “Have anything in mind?”

You scoffed. “Yeah. Get the hell out of here and go to Greece already.”

He chuckled. “Patience, little one.”

“If I had one, then I’d be a doctor.”

“Gotta wait for another eight years to become one, y/n. You still haven’t finished your undergrad yet.” You rolled your eyes and let out a chortle, playfully slapping his arm in response. He laughs again while his arm still remained around your figure. And just like that, you’re both enveloped in silence, eyes constantly checking the clock and the windows for any possible signs of hopping onto the plane as you two scheduled.

Minutes rolled by and you’ve lost count on how many sighs you heard from nearby passengers. Then, you felt your boyfriend clear his throat a little.

“Let’s play a game, hm?”

Confused, you took your head off his shoulder and narrowed your eyes at him. “Huh? A game?” He nods, his hand gently tightening on your arm. “What game are you thinking about?”

A grin appears on his lips. “Two truths and a lie.”

Suddenly, you burst into a fit of giggles. It was one of your favorite games to play with him, given how it was the main reason why you two are together in the first place. You two were sat in a circle with other mutual friends at one college party, also playing two truths and a lie with an addition of alcohol. It was Winwin’s turn when he inadvertently confessed to you tipsy, eyes glazed over at you as you were dressed so beautifully that night.

You nodded towards the latter, “Shoot.”

He pondered in his thoughts, weighing out his possible choices. He hums a little under is breath. “One, I accidentally stepped on Bella’s poop earlier before we left to the airport. Two, I got a 36 on my practical for anatomy. Three, I managed to get Ten to eat a grape last week.”

It doesn’t take you a second for a smile to slowly creep up on your face. “I highly doubt that you could make Ten eat a fruit.”

“What makes you say that?” he challenged.

“He’d rather get a tattoo of Johnny’s face on his asscheeks than eat a slice of apple.”

“Are you saying that I’m too dumb to pass my practical?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time you failed it. And same goes for Bella’s poop situation.”

He shrugs his shoulders. “Fair enough. Your turn.”

You giggled before pondering in your own thoughts for a moment. “Hm... One, all I ate during finals week were instant noodles and Jollibee. Two, I can tell which eggs have a double yolk inside without cracking it open. Three, if you never confessed to me drunk that night, I would be dating Lucas right now.”

He gawks at you, “What?! So you would’ve never dated me if I never said anything that time?”

Teasingly, you raised an eyebrow. “Are you calling me a liar?”

“I ain’t calling you a truther.”

You grinned in response. “Nope. Unlike you, he was actually courting me.” You give him a glance over. “Meanwhile, your lazy ass thought that by just staring at me from afar, I would somehow get telekinesis and catch the hint that you liked me.”

He ignores your comment. “I think you give yourself too much credit for calling yourself some kind of egg analyst.”

You slap his shoulder again, earning a chuckle from him. “Do not!”

“Just because you coincidentally cracked an egg with a double yolk inside does not make you an egg expert.”

“You mean, eggs-pert?”

“I hate you.”

“Love you too, babe.” He rolled his eyes and you laughed. “Okay, this is getting fun. Let’s keep going! Your turn.”

He takes another moment and relays his choices, a subtle pout on his lips before he grins. “Okay, I think I got one,” he begins. “One, I’ve always had a crush on you since freshman orientation. Two, Yuta actually pushed me to play two truths and a lie that night because you were also playing. Three, I want us to move in together after we graduate.”

You stayed immobile in your seat, eyebrows lifted in shock. Your eyes are wide open, mind completely wiped blank from his words. You nervously laugh, breaking the silence. “Winwin, I don’t think that’s how you play the game.”

He chuckles. “It’s not about the lies you tell, but the truths you tell.”

Your fingers twiddled with one another as you looked away from his gaze, eyes down on your lap. “But still. You’re supposed to say two truths and one lie, not three truths.”

He grins. “Bold of you to assume I didn’t say any lie.”

“Well, then I say the third one is the lie.”

“Where I want us to move in together?”

You look back up. “Yeah.”

“You’re right. In fact...” His face inches closer to yours, his forehead making contact with your own. “... I don’t want us to move in together when we graduate.” He pushes a strand of your hair behind your ear. “I want us to get married instead.”

Your eyes widened. “W-What?” He only grins at you. “Si-Sicheng, what—”

“Attention, passengers!” the ground attendant shouted. “Gate 486 is now open for boarding. Please form a line and have your ticket ready for admission.”

Your lover backs away from your presence, grabbing his bag before standing up from his seat. He nods to the terminal gate. “You heard her. Let’s go. Don’t want to miss our flight.”

Oh, but darling, how could you miss your flight when you’re already floating on cloud nine from his words?

[dreamkidddream]

AJVWDJL i found a blog that writes for junichiro bless your heart and congrats on all of your followers!!💗💗

if scenario 2 isn’t taken for your event, can you write it for him? (junichiro just to clarify)

if it is, don’t worry abt it!! enjoy day! mwah!💋

Thank you lots!! 💚💚 I am loving all the Junichiro requests seriously keep em coming! He really plays a bigger part in the ADA than people think so he needs more love and this is one of my favorite pieces I got to write for him🤧🧡 reader is gender neutral!

SN: so I’m pretty sure that most people know what a pink slip is, but for those who don’t it’s basically a notice that says you’re fired 😬

Prompt Scenario: “Person A is about to leave for work. Person B asks them if they've forgotten anything, and Person A gives them a kiss. Person B turns red and opens their hand to reveal Person A's keys/wallet/etc., saying 'I meant this, but thanks.'” with Junichiro!

You are running late. Again.

You would think that sleeping over at the twins’ place sometimes would help this from happening so much, but it did the complete opposite.

Usually you two would be up, him cooking breakfast and giving you a kiss as a good morning, and would make small talk until you had to leave for work (not without a “see you later” kiss). You didn’t work at the agency with them, instead having a job that’s “so much uncooler and boring” (your words not his), and today made you more jealous about that. Not only did you sometimes have to wake up earlier before them, but they had the day off today!

You wanted to grind your teeth at the fact that they can laze around while you have to break your back for an ungrateful boss, but you knew that they deserved it. They risk their lives everyday, and you can’t even imagine how much of a strain it is on them, especially Junichiro. So you did the grown up thing and got over it, even getting up and pecking him on the cheek, ready to get your day officially started (even though you were dragging your feet in some form of denial).

Besides waking up snug in his arms every morning is one thing that you will never complain about.

Until this morning.

You thought that you were way ahead of schedule than usual, and that you woke up before your alarm went off, which made you very suspicious. You brushed it off at first that you finally got some good shut eye, evident of the drool that accidentally got on your boyfriend’s shirt. You started on your regular morning routine and decided to be the best partner/friend and start on cooking breakfast for once since you had the rare opportunity to be the first one up. You took out the ingredients and set them aside, this morning was off to a pretty good start!

It wasn’t until you tried to check your phone that you noticed that it was dead.

You felt your heart sink and your panic swell.

Rushing back into the room, you reached across Junichiro’s body (that was cuddling your pillow in your absence) to snatch his phone off the charger that you noticed the time.

You were late. Like at risk of being fired late.

You wanted to pluck your eyelashes out and scream at the heavens; what the hell is wrong with you?! You knew that this morning was going too smooth for everything to be okay! How did you not put your phone on the charger-

“Baby, you okay?”

You snapped your head towards Junichiro, who was rubbing his eyes, bed head all over the place.

“Junichiro, this is an emergency!”

That seem to wipe all the sleepiness out of eyes, body now alert and tense. “W-what’s wrong?! Are you hurt?! Did someone try to attack you?! Where is Naomi, is she oka-”

“I don’t have time everyone’s okay! I’m running late AGAIN!”

“That’s it?”

“Junichiro this is SERIOUS! I could lose my job if I don’t make it”, you grasped his phone and felt your blood pressure rise even more “in the next 20 minutes!” Walking to your building took atleast 15 minutes, which meant that you only have 5 minutes to rush. You haven’t put on your uniform yet, your phone needed some juice, you couldn’t find your ID to get inside the building, you didn’t even have the chance to cook breakfast-

“Okay, don’t worry! Get dressed, I’ll handle everything else!” With a determined look, he shot out of bed and into the kitchen. You pretty much fast forward through everything; uniform all wrinkled, name tag upside down, and you’re pretty sure that even your underwear is inside out. At this point, you didn’t care; you won’t even be able to wear this uniform if you don’t leave ASAP.

With the clock ticking down, you began to practically run out of the apartment. You did a mental check; keys, phone with only 10% battery (bless Juni for charging it while you’re running like a track star), quick breakfast that you can eat for lunch. Okay, if you sprint to work, you should make it before your boss finishes filing out your pink slip-

“Wait! Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Oh yeah! You almost missed out on one of the best parts of your day.

You nearly tackled into him, slamming your lips onto his. It would have gotten more passionate if not for the time restraint, but you have no room for protest (and you’re not really upset, the only complaint being that it should be longer and many more). You pull back, give him a quick “love you and be safe” and go back to bursting out of the apartment when he held onto your waist with one hand, the other hand dangling your mini wallet with the ID you desperately need to get in.

“I meant this, but t-thanks.”

Oh.

You could see how red he’s turning, and you would have teased him a little about it, but you just didn’t have the time. And you were somewhat grateful too because you didn’t want him to see how flustered you were getting either.

You seized the wallet, gave him a quick peck (missing the soft smile that he gave you), and went back to running out the door. You yelled out a promise that you’ll text him when you get there, and for him and Naomi to have a good day.

You made within a literal minute, huffing and panting as you sat at the desk. When it was lunch time, you opened up the mini breakfast that he packed and saw that he made your food in shapes of stars and cute mini bears that melted your heart.

You are definitely going to make it up to him for this, no questions asked. He’s beyond boyfriend material at this point.

Not only that, a little note was taped on top of the container.

‘Have a great day at work! You’re one of the best things to ever happen in my life, don’t forget that. Love you’

-Juni

You don’t know where you would be at without Junichiro, and you didn’t want to imagine how life would be without him.

[naturedust]

The Arcana characters during the Covid-19 pandemic: Part 1 (Asra, Julian, Valerius)

hi everyone! i felt really happy whilst writing this. in each set of headcanons, the apprentice lives with that character! i don’t specify if there’s anything romantic or sexual going on between them though. this is VERY detailed, i’m still writing out muriel, nadia, portia, and lucio’s headcanons so they’ll come in part 2 <3 i hope you enjoy!! AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27529276/chapters/67324228

Asra

asra hosts weekly magic workshops (covering very very basic magic) with the apprentice over microsoft teams 💻 each workshop has a small fee, with all proceeds going to local vesuvian charities like mask suppliers, and food banks (who he tries to donate extra food to every week) supporting the poorest amongst their population. it was the apprentice who first suggested he do this, on a day he was feeling really afraid in the face of the pandemic.

i think he has days when he feels really helpless and trapped – and it runs a little deeper than cabin fever and restlessness. other than the pain he’d experience if he lost the apprentice again, being unable to do things freely is the worst situation he can think of... as much as asra prioritises the apprentice’s mental health, he doesn’t practice emotional expression a lot. he truly strives to be there for the apprentice and even when he remembers how they suffered after coming back...asra only cries silently at night when they are asleep – when he knows they can’t hear him. 

that’s part of the reason why he’s always seemed so mysterious in the game — growing up without his parents meant that he learnt to push down his fear and put on a brave face... and one of the reasons why he goes on trips without much explanation is to escape reality for a bit. he lets his vulnerability show only on the worst of days (like the day the apprentice died). on days where asra feels really afraid of the world and defeated, the apprentice takes over his shop duties and brews much more lapsang souchong than usual to comfort him. so much that even passerbys outside the shop are caught in the smokiness of it! unlike the red plague, every community in the world is affected, and there is nowhere for asra to escape to. this includes nopal. after vesuvia’s Covid-19 situation gets better though, he and the apprentice stay there sometimes as a mini vacation of sorts and it brings him peace 🏜

asra’s leading an effort to make high quality masks more accessible to vesuvians. in fact, that local mask provider i mentioned earlier is his initiative. he set it up after seeing people buy all the beaked plague doctor masks (the PPE of vesuvia) that actual working doctors need access to. he would never admit it but, when asra thinks about the doctors, julian is the first who comes to mind. anyways, the masks asra designs are stunning. he spends tireless nights testing their 3-ply efficacy, and they aren’t just plain blue or white – there are intricate details imprinted on them through his magic 🔮 

i think asra would also be really into coming up with new herbal concoctions for customers, after he notices how tired people look from being indoors all day – for example, he’s developed an immune system-boosting drink that’s a gorgeous swirly purple colour 🍶 it’s similar to traditional chinese medicine. also he only uses ethically sourced, 100% local herbs (by local, i mean from nopal and the tarske forest, where muriel helps him collect wildflowers and herbs!!)  🌿 he uses spells to counter the toxicity of his favourite belladonna flower and it becomes a superfood staple of his concoctions

he goes out every couple of days just to gather herbs and ingredients for aforementioned concoctions, always prioritising the ones he makes for the apprentice and always making those sweeter, taking more time to create colourful depths in them that resemble galaxies. asra also makes particular effort to bring back a wide range of fruits from his local trips as it always cheers the apprentice up 🍈

asra invents the most effective, affordable, environmentally-friendly, non-toxic and skin-friendly hand sanitiser and because this magician is the sweetest person ever and cares much more about people’s lives than making a profit during the pandemic, he shares the recipe online for free & magicians all around the world recreate the hand sanitiser for their local neighbourhoods. he’s since been featured in a couple of “Top 10 People You Should Follow” lists in business magazines and there’s an online petition with over 200k signatures calling for his nobel prize nomination lol. asra insists he doesn’t care about fame but when the apprentice laughs about these recognitions, they always notice asra’s eyes crinkling

asra would also become a lot more active on his youtube channel. that’s right, he’s always had a youtube channel, he’s just had a million hiatuses because of all his adventures. he has around 20,000 subscribers (and a similar amount on instagram...his feed is colourful and full of pictures depicting his travels, the shop, and above all, the apprentice). since he’s decided to stay at the shop with the apprentice – who is actually a little more vulnerable than others to viruses, because of their “reborn” form – he has the time to post weekly videos again. i think asra wouldn’t want to show his face in any of the videos, and not on his instagram either... and it’s got nothing to do with his self-esteem – he just wants the focus to be on what he’s doing rather than how he looks. the videos vary from very domestic vlogs with titles like “what two magicians do in a day” to packed af guides like “🐍 SPELLS TO REFINE AT HOME 🐍” & “crystals that can calm you during these times” and his wildly popular “carving crystals i mined: in real time” ⏳ the apprentice is a permanent fixture in all of them <3 viewers always assume they’re together and whether they are or not...that’s for you to think about ;)

asra is big on healing crystals and gemstones. like really, really big on them. he always makes sure to inform his customers and audiences that they are alternatives and not substitutes, and that sicknesses need real medicine & they can’t just wear a crystal in place of a mask (bc that’s happened before and he felt so guilty for carving and selling the crystal in question) what’s strange is, even though he usually sources his crystals from other countries during his travels, there seem to more than ever all around the shop and the apartment upstairs..

when the apprentice asks about it, it turns out that asra goes mining alone in nopal! he doesn’t really like to mine the actual desert as he’s only ever dug up gold and silver there. one time, he accidentally stumbled upon a cave at the edge of nopal and – ever the curious wandering magician – he ventured deep within it and found amazing crystals and gemstones everywhere 💎 he never mentioned it to the apprentice because he always thought it was too dangerous for them to go, until they remind him it’s dangerous for him too. from that day onwards they go looking for crystals every weekend together :’)

if asra was living alone, he would be fine with just wearing a mask to go outside. but since he lives with the apprentice – and especially after what happened during the red plague – he’s not risking ANYTHING. he wears aviator goggles and eco-vinyl gloves when he’s in the market, just to be extra safe, though when he’s out foraging he takes off his mask because there’s usually no one else there & it’s way too humid. the apprentice likes to make fun of how steampunk he looks & the way the big goggles make his hair extra poofy  🤍 

Julian

julian is on the frontlines of the vesuvian pandemic response. with his experience as a doctor – specifically, a frontline doctor during the red plague who discovered the cure (!!!) – he is revered by new doctors and nurses, most of whom are volunteers. when the pandemic first begins, there aren’t formal hospitals or medical schools set up in vesuvia, so he has to make do by reopening his clinic in the centre city, as an alternative to valdemar’s one in the palace – which, quite frankly is the stuff of nightmares for most of the population

as you know, julian is universally loved by the vesuvian people... so the waiting list of the hospital branch he works at is ALWAYS full. patients always report how gentle and attentive he is and how comforted they feel in his presence. even though he has to wear a hazmat suit and the plague doctor beak mask, he is known for visiting the most severely affect Covid-19 patients and holding their hands in their last moments.

the apprentice brings different flowers to put inside his beak mask every day (this is a headcanon that i’m pretty sure originated from the writer telanaris on AO3!!) to give julian some small comfort amongst all the death and suffering he’s witness to every day. they go out to the tarske forest or even to nopal with asra, or sometimes alone. because julian mentioned wolfsbane was his favourite flower once, the apprentice picked some without knowing that they’re poisonous. long story short, they blacked out and woke up in his clinic with an extremely worried julian nearly in tears launching into a self-blame monologue, about to black out himself from staying by their side the whole night

i also think julian would be featured in the news a lot and sometimes pretty randomly. he gives official weekly Covid-19 updates on the main vesuvian tv news channel – though the apprentice stands in for him after the first two weeks (he tries very hard to refuse their help because he doesn’t want to burden them, even though they assure him they actually want to relieve him of at least one of his burdens since he’s a full-time pandemic doctor – and because he almost fainted from exhaustion the second time. the apprentice kindly, but sternly asks him to take care of himself too, as he does everyone else)

he would just be on the news in general too...his random acts of kindness would go viral on social media – “Vesuvian Doctor Helps Elderly In Race for Toilet Paper.” ❤️ “Local Doctor Delivers Groceries for Struggling Families.” and his “grandmothers” in nevivon always get excited when they see him on the news and send letters to congratulate him (much to his embarrassment). julian would also go viral on twitter. one photo of him has 100k retweets: “oh my fcking god i just rounded the corner and there’s this really fucking t a l l man handing out free bottles of sanitiser. i don’t need to see him under his plague beak to know he’s hot af HELP” and the apprentice would retweet it saying “so proud of my bf” and the internet would go wild over this comment. it’s up to you to decide if they’re actually together or not hehe bc who knows the apprentice might’ve meant best friend 🤷🏻‍♀️

he sets up a youtube channel with no profile picture or description to upload a single video... “How to PROPERLY use hand sanitiser!” and all the comments are just about his looks and voice 😚 it reaches cities outside of vesuvia and because the hand sanitiser in the video is locally made (by asra!) it quickly becomes sold out by either those who don’t know how to do magic or people without access to the products being replicated by other magicians... because a lot of them actually marked up the price :(  + even communities that are afraid of magic buy it because asra’s detailed method and julian’s instructive marketing combined are that effective. a power couple... in another life, perhaps 💫

julian would then be invited to do a city-sponsored video guide on how to wash your hands (the idea is helmed by nadia, of course, who recognises the usefulness of his newfound fame). not only would he be extremely exhausted from full-day shifts, he’d also be overthinking to the point of hyperventilation before filming starts – but he surprises the apprentice with how professional and clear he is in the videos. a true thespian at heart, instead of happy birthday, he improvises on set and sings an old tune from nevivon instead as he washes his hands for 20 seconds 🌊 lemme just say...his hands also go viral lol. also, julian could be a tik tok star if he wanted to. he’s certainly got the moves for it, and can easily achieve the e-boy vibe – plus, he’s gone viral on there several times already!

even though julian doesn’t seem to care when he’s in danger, he’s very meticulous when it comes to the apprentice’s safety. living through his second pandemic and working with patients first hand means that he is very aware of how severe the situation is. every morning he prepares a 99:1 water:bleach ratio spray to spray his shoes when he comes home. he refuses to even touch the apprentice (for fear of passing on anything from the clinic) before he’s taken off his mask, thrown it away safely – then showering and washing his hair thoroughly.

having grown up in nevivon, i like to think that julian is really environmentally conscious, especially with regards to the sea. he used to go diving in the sea to retrieve trash, and as a young man he made a habit of going to the docks every weekend to remove plastic containers and wires from around the necks of salt seals 🌫. so, no matter how tired he is, when he comes home to the apprentice, julian never forgets to snip the ear loops of his surgical masks in half, as he knows sea creatures can get caught up in them. i’m sure he makes a second youtube video at some point to talk about this issue. tldr julian is an environmental activist <3

Valerius

so it’s been a long while since valerius was freed from you-know-who. his personality has definitely changed a lot since then... he’s back to his old and real self (which we never really saw in the game) 🌄 he works side by side with nadia now, not only as colleagues but also genuine friends, and he oversees the health department. he sets up dozens of hospitals and more general clinics in and out of vesuvia, consulting experienced doctors in vesuvia like julian as well as officials from neighbouring countries and states. as a side note, valerius is actually a very humble person and the most attentive listener you will ever meet. people from neighbouring governments & royal households admire him immensely as a result <3

out of everyone, i think valerius would be the most careful during the pandemic. during the red plague he witnessed lucio’s illness up close and it’s had a profound impact on him. he worries about the apprentice, a lot. more than anyone who knows him expects him to. he’s always the first to notice and remind them if their mask is falling down their nose, or if they’re about to rub their eyes with unwashed hands. you will never catch him forgetting to wear a mask or touching his face at all when he’s outside. he takes the time to use disinfectant wipes to clean everything he brings back home one by one, and though valerius is adamant it’s not the apprentice’s responsibility (because most of the things are usually files from the palace he has to go through before the next morning or things he brings back from the market) the apprentice always insists they want to help out :’) so it becomes a nice daily evening ritual, sitting together on the floor after returning from the palace, cleaning their things in silence together 💜

speaking of things he buys, valerius loves the marketplace. he discovers it one day by accident when looking for a bouquet of 🌹 red roses 🌹 to bring back for the apprentice, who was particularly upset that day after helping valerius out at the new hospitals and not being able to help any of the patients as much as they would have liked with their magic. when valerius stumbles across the marketplace, he is absolutely amazed by the colours and smells that surround him. he spends a lot of his free time and lunch hours looking through jewellery stalls – especially hairpins and hair sticks. 

anyone looking at him would be able to see how much care valerius puts into maintaining his hair. because he washes his hair every day (to avoid bringing any Covid-19 related germs into bed), and because being free from you-know-who has made him a lot more open to magic... not to mention because he actually lives with the apprentice now 💜 i think valerius would also consult asra about magical hair masks and conditioners, to keep his very long and thick hair healthy and soft, despite washing it every day.

he knows from accidentally overhearing asra a long time ago that the apprentice loves pumpkin bread, so he asks around for hours until he finally finds the baker’s stall 🍞 it takes hours because valerius is really bad with directions and gets lost a few times... it doesn’t help that he’s distracted by all the different foods and jewellery that he’s never seen before (he picks up a nice ring for the apprentice, and yes he’s so attentive and familiar with jewellery that he guesses their ring band size correctly). from that day onwards, once or twice a week, he wakes up a little earlier than usual to sneak out of his estate and buy the bread, so that the apprentice can enjoy it – freshly made, warm, and their favourite – for breakfast 🥣

yes, he has an estate (this mr. darcy-like headcanon is from jane_ways on AO3!!) and he treats his household employees very well, offering paid leave for all of them so that they can stay with their own families. in their absence, he proves to be an incredible cook, albeit a little rusty because he hasn’t cooked anything substantial since being under you-know-who’s influence and because he’s been too busy at the palace to eat anything that isn’t catered. 

due to social distancing, the apprentice and him eat in a lot more – valerius is very ambitious and soon moves past making homemade dishes... he cooks blown out, elaborate dinners and prepares creative and (visually) beautiful packed lunches to bring to work 🍴 whenever the apprentice has to work late he brings them dinners inspired by the colours of the shop that day – he is hesitant to admit it, at first, but he’s always admired the crystals there, and he is often inspired by them in his food presentations. asra is ever perceptive and gifts him a few (polished amethyst because he used to be an insomniac, black tourmaline and selenite to keep you-know-who at bay 💎) soon after the apprentice frees him from the curse

i really see valerius as someone who against all expectations is really into hands-on work like welding and carving – things that can get messy. he’s slowly trying to get rid of it, but since he first started working at the palace he’s maintained a very prim and posh appearance. he really loves to weld jewellery like rings and earrings. before the pandemic began, he took a few classes in the marketplace – classes which are on hiatus now, of course. he's set up a little studio in his estate and wears a blacksmith’s apron and goggles and everything. it’s honestly quite the sight. whenever the apprentice is working longer hours at the shop making potions with asra, he goes into the studio to continue his projects. some of the ones he’s proudest of are: the pure-silver wine rack, the gold headbands and rings he makes for himself – and then for the apprentice too when they keep “borrowing” his – and his favourite of all is his first ever project: the cast iron skillet that took him over a week to weld. he hand engraved the apprentice and his initials onto its handle <3  you don't need to read any of this as a romantic gesture, because friends can definitely do the same!

i like to think that prakra managed the pandemic especially well, and that valerius sits down to have zoom calls with queen nasrin to discuss ways the two places can collaborate and help each other 👑 she becomes his mentor of sorts, as he’s still relatively young and inexperienced when it comes to governing a city-state like vesuvia. when nasrin visited nadia before at the palace, she was not a fan of valerius at all and was just as wary of him as nadia was. however she becomes very fond of him as a result of their collaboration, and even starts to see him as a son ❕ other than the apprentice, nasrin would be the second person valerius talks the most freely with. initially he is very reluctant to share anything about his life, let alone his past before landing the consul job – but he eventually opens up and nasrin plays a role in helping him move past his failures (his eyes are opened after the apprentice frees him, and he feels immense shame from how he didn’t lead vesuvia very successfully in nadia’s absence)

[cuzloki]

I wanted to write something different. So this is kinda different from my other stuff. If you guys like it let,e know and I’ll right more. If you have critiques let me know. Also I know spelling and grammar is not my strong suit so don’t be to hard on me haha. I hope you enjoy reading. ❤️

Everyone has their horror stories about their time in jail.....I mean school, but mine is a bit different. It's not about what was said to me it was about what wasn't said. I was ignored. Cast out by the popular crew and when I was talked to I was treated like a gazelle that had been accidentally put in the lion pen. But what people didn't know was that I have a secret. I'm a werewolf, an alpha werewolf. My best friend Ashton and my boyfriend Robbie are as well. I was born an alpha werewolf. Ashton and I have been friends since we were 2 and let's just say I went through a biting faze at around 4 that turned him into my omega. Then when I was 16, I met Robbie. I was with him for 2 years before I told him about me being a werewolf. Let's just say the idea of being just like me was everything to him. So now there is my little mini pack of 3, including me.

I am a tall blonde with hazel eyes. I'm not the skinniest thing but more muscular. I'm very shy but once you get to know me I can be quite the spit fire. Ashton is tall and muscular with the brightest smile you’ll ever see. He has the deepest green eyes that turn hazel in the right light. His hair is naturally brown but it's dyed black and brushed to the side currently. Robbie is a tall British boy with greenish-blue eyes that you could get lost in. He has brown hair that most of the time is just brushed and left to do its own thing.

My wolf is a jet black wolf with red eyes signifying the alpha gene. There is a little white patch on my wolfs chest that is white as snow. Ash’s wolf is white with glowing green eyes, which signifies his ability of telekinesis. He can control people and link people together so they can communicate through their minds. Robbie's wolf is jet black like mine with bright blue eyes, signifying his ability to do magic. He has a gene that was unknown to him from a warlock way back in his family tree. So technically he's a hybrid werewolf and warlock.

I get out of my car with a bag of groceries and start walking up the path to my house. It had a farmers porch around the front and is painted egg shell blue. The shingles on the roof are grey with specks of black freckled through them. The two story house stood at the edge of the forest on a dead end street where it is the only house. As my boots clicked on the stone walkway, the door to my house flew open " Hello love., let me grab that for you!" Robbie smiled at me fro. The door and put his hand into the air as a blue glow enveloped my grocery bag and floated towards Robbie. The bag landed I. His arms and he smiled at me as I continued walking up the path with a smirk on my face. "Well, wasn't that just magical." I say sarcastically as Robbie and I walk into the house, him still gripping the bag tightly and let out a little laugh .

We walk into the kitchen after walking through the hall entry way. The grey wash wood floor shined and the grey granite cabin area and stainless steel appliances sparkled as I walked in. "Surprise! I cleaned!" Robbie exclaimed as he set the grocery bag down on the counter and starting taking the various food items out. " You cleaned or you "cleaned" I said with air quotes and he looks over at me biting his lip. "Can't I just get credit for cleaning the place" he laughs as he walks over to me and loops his arms around my waist. "Hmm. Using your magic to get brownie points. I don't know if that's quite fair, Mr.Kay." I giggle as I wrap my arms around his neck. "Oh, you want to talk about fair! How about you making me do the dishes and the laundry?" He smirked as I started to laugh "That wasn't a werewolf thing that was a "I'm your girlfriend so do it" it. There is a difference!" Robbie threw his hands up in surrender and they landed on my hips. He brushed his lips against mine briefly and I pulled him in again to deepen the kiss. Let's just say the kiss was turning more into a make out session when there was a very loud knock on the door and yelling "Can you guys stop and just let me in!" Ashton. "He chooses now to show up on time." Robbie groans as I kiss Robbie one more time and walk to the door. I opened the door and there was look his brown eyes and newly dyed black hair. "Times like these I really hate my werewolf hearing." He mumbled as he walked past me into the house and I closed the door.

The three of us went into the living room and started talking about wolf stuff when I brought up the topic on everyone's mind. The pack. "So I found some more people for our pack boys." I looked at them both. "They are all the big show offs of high school. No one tells them what to do. Until now." I smirk and grab a chip from a nearby bag. "Why do you have to turn out of vengeance? Isn't that gonna backfire?" Ashton says and leans forward in his seat. "No it's gonna make a good pack. Strong obedient wolves that were never told what to do now have a purpose." I say as I look at Robbie "I say alpha picks her omegas. If she wants them, Ash, let her." Robbie stood up for me. I smiled at him and he smiled back. "Ok fine, not like it's my choice.When is this happening?" Ashton asks with his head in his hands. "Tonight’s football practice ends in 20 minutes." I smile as I stand up and grab the bag of chips, heading towards the kitchen. I rolled up the chip bag and placed them in the cabinet when I reached the kitchen. "Let's go boys!" I call as I head outside soon to be joined by my pack of two, soon to be more.

"GO BULLFROGS!" The team shouts as the huddle breaks signaling the end of practice. Robbie, Ash and I sit in the woods watching in wolf form. Robbie and is black fur hiding us from view and Ashton’s white fur blended with the green leaves, no one saw us. A group of 6 boys broke of from the rest of the football team and starting walking along side the woods. I looked at Ashton signaling him to use his powers to bring them into the woods. All the boys were pretty tall except 2 that were rather short. I see the piercing eyes of the boys that made my school life hell not because of what they said but the looks I was given and the lack of things they said. They come into the clearing we were sitting in and I had Robbie to my left and Ashton to my right. The boys froze unable to move or talk thanks to Ashton. All us wolves were mind-linked together so I introduced the great 6. First was Matt. The star of the football team and liked by everyone. A massive jerk but he has puppy dog brown eyes that make every girl weak in the knees. Next is Jack with his blue eyes. He was my crush back years ago and he broke my heart by simply saying no thank you when I said I liked him. Then there was Mike,Jacks best friend, he was nice but he always had that attitude like he was better than everyone else. Finally there was Dylan my first Love, even if he didn't know it. Then Nick who was a crush and I best friend to me at some point. Lastly there was John. He had been my crush in 4th grade and we haven't really talked since. I walked towards the boys , fear clear in their eyes. I shifted back into my human form, my red eyes still glowing. "Hello Boys. Long time no see" I say as I walk towards them. Still under Ashton’s control, they stood in shock and just stared at me. "I know you must be so confused right now. Thinking why us what did we do to deserve this!" I dramatically throw my arms in the air. I laughed as I looked over at one boy in particular. Jack. I walk up to Jack and grabbed his arm. "Interesting what you get yourself into, isn't it?" My eyes started to glow red as I open my mouth and bite down hard on Jack's arm. More than necessary I might add. I feel a hand on my shoulder pulling me back. It was Robbie. "Enough." I let go of Jack’s arm and blood dripped down my face. I use my werewolf speed to run down the line and bite the rest of the boys on the arm then take off, leaving the boys.

After about 20 minutes, Robbie and Ashton returned to my house to find me curled up in a ball on the couch. "I got a little carried away. " I say as I look at Robbie and Ashton. "He hurt you, I get it." Robbie said and Ashton nodded. "Let's call these boys shall we." I say as I got up and went out onto my deck. I howled ,loud ,turning my eyes red. I heard howls in return and knew they were on their way. Within 20 minutes 6 huge wolves stood in front of me. 4 grey and 2 tan. "Let's not be animals, boys" I say as I look at each one of them. Screams filled the air along with cracks and cries as they all turned human again. My howl triggered their first transformation and it hurts bad for the first month or so. The boys were in heaps on the ground. "Why" I knew that cocky voice. Matt. "Why?! Because I could, because I can. Because all the shit you guys put me through I thought I'd repay the favor. Plus I needed more wolves. Let me introduce my beta, Robbie" I pointed to Robbie "and my newly ranked up delta, Ashton"

[thecomicsnexus]

Aquaman #1-5. June-October, 1989. By Keith Giggen, Robert Loren Fleming, Curt Swan and Al Vey.

After having been away for several months, Aquaman returns home to Atlantis. Nearing the capital city of Poseidonis, he finds several dead sentries at an outpost. He also discovers remains of a species of jellyfish that he has never encountered before.

Investigating further, Aquaman draws close to the domed city. He is horrified to find that some mysterious invasion force has taken control of the city and have been using Atlanteans as slave labor. He also discovers that these workers are also dismantling a salt processing plant - one of Atlantis' chief exports. Some nearby guards spot Aquaman and recognizing his costume as an old Atlantean prison uniform, mistake him for an escaped prisoner. They capture him and take him to the Aquarium prison facility.

There, Aquaman mingles with the other prisoners who tell him of the mysterious invaders that laid siege to the city when they were at their most vulnerable. Nobody has ever seen what these invaders look like, but the prisoners know that they have rounded up nomadic tribes of Atlanteans from the surrounding regions and pressed them into service. Even now, Atlantean loyalists are forming a resistance to take back the city.

At the Atlantean Royal Palace, members of the invasion force reveal their true visage: sentient giant jellyfish. Their plan is to insure the genetic purity of the sea by eradicating all Atlanteans.

Meanwhile, at the AHARD-1 hospice center, Mera, former queen of Atlantis, has been languishing away in a locked room reserved for mental patients. Some strange insight flashes into her mind, and she suddenly springs to the door and begins pounding her fists while shouting "He's back! He's back!"

Back at the Aquarium, one of the prisoners decides that if he were to kill Aquaman, then he would have bargaining power with the invaders. He ambushes Aquaman and the two begin fighting. One of the other prisoners, a resistance fighter named Jared, comes to Aquaman's aid just as he finishes off his attacker. Jared tells Aquaman their plans for the resistance.

From one of the parapets of the Aquarium Prison, Aquaman and a young resistance fighter secretly watch an Atlantean transport line going back and forth to the prison. After hearing an explosion in the distance, Aquaman takes to one of the secret channels that runs beneath the facility. He returns to the prison block just in time for a routine inspection. Later, the Atlantean, Jared, and he go over battle strategies and memorize a map of the entire prison layout.

Some time later, members of the outside resistance movement detonates a bomb near the Atlantean Royal Palace. The invaders, concealed in their metal shells question their guards about the explosion. Aquaman knows that the young boy he met earlier is involved in the attack and wants to help him. The other inmates restrain him, citing that he risks everything should he leave now.

The Jellyfish invaders meanwhile, track down the boy responsible for the attack and have him executed. To send a message to the resistance, they rig a prisoner transport ship to explode and send it to Aquarium. Aquaman tries to prevent the attack, but he is too late. The ship blows up, killing hundreds of prisoners.

After much consideration, Aquaman determines that the invading force is actually a species of sentient jellyfish. He withdraws the sample he collected earlier and analyzes it. Now knowing what he's up against, he knows how to combat it. He rallies the other inmates together and tells them that they are going to bring the fight directly to the invaders.

The Atlantean drones report in to their jellyfish masters. They indicate that there has been a substantial increase in resistance activity and there is definite cause for concern. There is also news that Mera has escaped confinement at the hospice center.

Meanwhile, Aquaman rallies the Atlantean prisoners together and they escape the Aquarium via secret aqueducts. They plant canisters of poison gas beneath and around the Atlantean Royal Palace and wait for the proper time to set them off.

As Aquaman inspects the target areas, he finally comes across his wife Mera. Mera is insane with rage, and still blames Aquaman for the death of their son. She creates hard-water daggers and begins hurling them at Aquaman. Aquaman has no desire to fight his wife, and goes to great length to avoid her attacks.

The resistance fighters activate the gas canisters and the poison fills the royal palace, killing the jellyfish present. This is their first true victory against the alien invaders, but there are many more to deal with. Hope grows within their hearts, for now at least, they stand a chance of fighting back.

Back at the palace, Mera continues her attack against Aquaman. Aquaman assumes a defensive posture and judo-flips Mera backwards, accidentally impaling her upon an sharpened piece of metal. He looks on in horror as his wife lies dead before him.

While the war rages on, Aquaman is tasked with the solemn duty of burying his wife, Mera. One of the hospital staff members tries to console him, but he just wants to be left alone. Staring down at his wife's coffin, he silently apologizes for everything that has happened. Suddenly, the coffin lid springs open and Mera emerges, angry and very much alive.

Meanwhile the jellyfish invaders have abandoned the city to escape the poison gas. They take up position outside the perimeter of the dome for all to sea. The leaders of the invasion instruct their Atlantean drones to completely seal the city off, blockading them from their food and supply lines. If they cannot defeat the insurrectionists by force, then they will starve them out.

Resistance fighters man battlements throughout the city. Now that they have taken back Poseidonis, they will fight tooth and nail to keep it.

At the Atlantean Royal Palace, Aquaman is startled to see Mera attacking him anew. She reveals that her physiology is different from that of an Atlantean, and as such, her vital organs are not located in the same areas as a normal person. She still blames Aquaman for the death of her son and states that if he had been sired by a real man, then he might still be alive. Having virtually torn Aquaman's heart out, Mera decides to leave this world forever. She opens a spatial aperture and returns to her native Dimension Aqua.

Aquaman has little time to grieve however, he still has a war to fight. He consults with the Atlantean general and receives an update on the current situation. After taking some time to reflect on the situation, Aquaman divines a plan to fight back.

The invaders' drone soldiers maintain the perimeter around Poseidonis, blockading the resistance from food and supplies. The resistance soldiers push the line, but are quickly repelled. The giant jellyfish send orders to take out the resistance fighters strongest warriors in order to lower morale.

The Atlantean general leading the resistance is determined to continue making surgical strikes to leave the city, even though such a strategy is veritable suicide. His officers question the man's judgment, but he retorts, citing that they have no alternative.

The AHARD-1 health facility has been turned into a triage unit. The walls are packed with wounded soldiers and there appears to be no end in sight. The hospital is severely understaffed and they do not have the resources to care for so many.

Aquaman swims to the uppermost spire of the Atlantean Royal Palace. He knows now that the Atlanteans cannot take back their lands on their own. Pushing himself harder than he ever has before, he broadcasts a telepathic summons to every fish, cephalopod and marine mammal that he can find. A gam of whales storms the perimeter and smashes into the opposing armies, overturning tanks and battleships. 

Sharks and electric eels go directly after the soldiers and the seas turn into a cloud of red blood. Most of the jellyfish invaders are killed, but three of them choose discretion as the better part of valor and flee. Aquaman's telepathic commands overtax him and he collapses from the spire. The Atlantean loyalists catch him and praise his efforts. Their king has returned. When Aquaman comes to however, he tells them that he has no desire to resume his position as king. His duties are more broad than that, and that Atlantis now belongs to the Atlanteans.

Aquaman leaves and explores the depths of his true home - the oceans of Earth.

From DC Wikia

These mini-series spun off “the legend of Aquaman” special by the same creative team, so, if you are expecting an origin story, this is the wrong place. However, the story could be considered essential to understand the post-crisis version of Aquaman and what differentiates him from other heroes.

While Batman fights for Justice, Superman fights for hope and Wonder Woman fights for peace, Aquaman fights for his people, his ocean and its relations with the surface. At least in this version.

And what better way of explaining all this than using parallels to World War II and the colonization of (South) America.

The first issue felt like another “Aquaman comes home and finds a new dictator” kind of story, but on the second issue I really got into it. And the reason is that horrific moment when Aquaman realizes they are killing their own people, just for not being properly lead.

And that is why his role is important in this story. Atlanteans can go to war anytime, but they cannot win without someone to lead them.

Now, compared to the bronze age stories, this is a good one. Mera is not doing great here as she has gone a bit insane since the death of Aquababy. Despite this, her leaving our plane of existence inspires Aquaman to assume his responsibilities. (But not entirely). I think it was a mistake keeping Aquababy in continuity after Crisis.

The ending is flawed. Aquaman should have stayed in Atlantis as a king, after all, that is what Mera and all the deceased pretty much taught him through the series. So it makes little sense for him to abandon Atlantis again (Especially considering that he wasn’t involved in anything else in the DC Universe at the time, apart from random cameos here and there).

The art is stunning. Curt Swan’s art may look a bit dated, but it’s still very detailed and human. There are a couple of contribution that I think helped a lot. Giffen breakdowns (I am going to assume he did that), and Al Vey’s inks. At simple sight the issue looks like it is a pre-crisis story, but once you read it, you know it’s from the late eighties.

I give the mini-series a score of 7.73.

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers #186: Nights of Wundagore!

August, 1979

And yet this issue features exactly zero Wundagore Knights. Missed opportunity is all I’m saying.

Also, we’re back to faces of varying degrees of pissed off and indifferent on the cover.

AND. WE LOST MINI-VISION WHO WAS ALWAYS IN THE LOGO! I didn’t notice but last issue didn’t have mini-Vision! Whether standing and pouting or phasing through the A and also pouting he’s been with us since... ISSUE 93!

CHANGE IS BAD!

Also bad is Wanda’s expression on the cover. This is nitpicky but the terror gape doesn’t work for her. I accept that she’ll end up in distress quite a lot and some of that distress will be for dumb reasons like Sentinels wanting to use her womb to kill all life on Earth.

But I think an expression like ‘fuck you and your wi-fi shirt’ would be more fitting. Its certainly more fitting to how she handles it within the comic. Which we’ll get to. As soon as I stop complaining.

...

So last time: after a mentally dubious old man entered their lives and tried to kidnap them by stuffing their souls into puppets, Wanda and Pietro (aka Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver) decided to willingly go with this attempted kidnapper back to Europe to find out if he’s their real dad or whatever. They thought their real dad was the Whizzer but if your dad called himself the Whizzer wouldn’t you entertain possibilities?

Shortly after arriving, Wanda was convinced by Modred, the Wi-Fi Wizard (not his real title) to come with him up a spooky mountain. He offered no reason for this so she followed him anyway. Inevitably, it turned out he had sinister motives and shot her in the back.

The following morning, Quicksilver went looking for Wanda but then fell down a mountain after bonking off an energy shield. It was, perhaps unintentionally, hilarious. He was rescued by Bova, the cow-woman nursemaid who helped birth him.

On the Avengers side of this Avengers book, through a sequence of events that were partially but not entirely Hawkeye’s fault, the Avengers lost their special government privileges and times were tough for a while. They finally managed to get them back but in exchange had to suffer the SJW agenda of Agent Henry Peter Gyrich who thinks that the Avengers should have an African-American on the roster. THE FIEND. The takeaway from this is that the Avengers are under the thumb of Gyrich and also Falcon is on the team. Yay, Falcon!

And now: “The most bizarre Avengers epic ever told!”

Which. I’m just going to go right ahead and state for the record. Unless it has someone marry a tree, second-place is the best it can get. I don’t care how much baby fraud is involved.

So. Quicksilver wakes up in the cabin of Bova who makes him some milk soup to help restore his strength.

I don’t want to know the level of making it involved. And damn you Mark Gruenwald, Steven Grant, and David Michelinie for specifically making it milk soup, thus raising the question.

Anyway. Some hot soup. He’ll need it to endure THREE PAGES OF EXPOSITION AND RETCON.

Bova is dropping some backstory truth bombs.

Starting with her own backstory. She was once a simple cow but then the High Evolutionary turned her into a cow woman because he was going to make a lot of genetically engineered animal human babies and as a busy science guy he wasn’t going to be raising these babies himself.

During a period while he was busy making anthropomorphic animals and perhaps causing Jessica Drew’s origin story, a pregnant refugee named Magda came to Wundagore.

She was fleeing a megalomaniac husband with strange powers and dreams of world conquest. Afraid that his madness would corrupt the children, she fled before he even found out she was pregnant.

Oh and lets not be vague, although the comic is.

MAGNETO MASTER OF MAGNET is Quicksilver’s new daddy.

Although since Bova herself never found that out neither does Quicksilver here.

Anyway, since Bova was in charge of all babies she made an executive decision to extend asylum to Magda. The High Evolutionary was busy doing science stuff with Jonathan Drew in the towers of Wundagore. He won’t mind.

Bova and Magda became close over the weeks so that when it came time to cow midwife for Magda “it was more privilege than duty.”

Weirdly, Wanda was a glowing baby, thus heralding the beginning of Quirks and the hero society!

No, no.

But it was a weird portent. Baby Wanda glowed just as the mountain was doing so. That probably bodes.

Oh, and then Magda died.

Not in childbirth, as you might suspect. No, she just packed up and wandered off into the snow to die some days after giving birth.

Because if she were alive Magneto might find her and find out that he had children.

Wait a damn minute.

Two kids. Evil dad. Mom dies. ... Did George Lucas rip off this story when making Revenge of the Sith?

I don’t think we can prove he didn’t.

Anyway. I GUESS Magda just assumed that Bova would take care of her children forever?

Joke’s on her.

Bova immediately goes to the High Evolutionary like ‘I have these two extra babies, what do?’

(Also weird bit of continuity here: the High Evolutionary is remarked as looking weary from some great conflict at this point in the story. Apparently during Magda’s stay in Wundagore, the High Evolutionary had been busy battling the demon Chthon alongside his Knights of Wundagore, eventually banishing the demon with the power of SCIENCE and ABOMINATIONS AGAINST NATURE. Of course this all happened because some jerk werewolf who killed Jessica Drew’s mom tried to use the Darkhold to cure his lycanthropy. What a jerk.)

Anyway, despite being tired from kicking demon ass, the High Evolutionary decided to help deal with all these extra babies. As long as he can do it in the laziest way possible that doesn’t involve child-endangerment.

So the High Evolutionary summoned Robert and Madeline Frank (the Whizzer and Miss America) who were visiting Transia while Madeline was pregnant.

Transia has unexpectedly high traffic for such a tiny Balkan nation.

The plan was that Bova would just sort of. Give the Franks two extra babies after Madeline gave birth. And. Hope she didn’t notice that two of these babies are several days old instead of newborns and also don’t question giving birth to triplets.

This is a good plan.

Unfortunately, radiation makes fools of us all. Remember how that was a thing that Madeline had accidentally been exposed to a ludicrous amount of radiation?

Her baby was born deformed and stillborn. And Madeline herself died shortly after birth.

Bova tried to make lemonade out of the situation by offering two healthy suspiciously not newborn babies to Robert Frank but as discussed in the previous and now fake origin for Wanda and Pietro, Robert Frank (aka the Whizzer) is really bad at dealing with grief.

He ran the fuck away, leaving behind two babies with a bemused cow-woman midwife.

So the High Evolutionary decided to get EVEN LAZIER (but still with zero child endangerment).

Forget shenanigans and baby shell games.

The High Evolutionary just went to a Roma (and no, not the word used) tribe camped nearby, went up to Django and Marya Maximoff and yelled HEY DO YOU WANT SOME FREE BABIES??

Since the Maximoffs had recently lost their own children Ana and Mateo they responded most logically to this floating, glowing, shouting pink armor man and accepted these free babies.

And that is the completely straightforward and completely accurate backstory for Wanda and Pietro that explains why they had memories of growing up in a Roma tribe, why the Whizzer thought that they were his kids, and why their secret parentage is much more exploitable for drama.

And now that everything is straight I’m sure this story will never change again or get more complicated.

Despite how simple this explanation is, Pietro finds it all hard to remember. Bova attributes that to the trauma of loss, believing his foster parents had died. Then again, the multiple concussions he must have suffered in the course of his superheroic career constantly running headfirst into stuff may have played a part.

Quicksilver brings up that despite all this explanation he still doesn’t know who his dad is.

Bova: “Then take my word that you know enough! Please!”

More importantly, Bova tells him to get his sister and then get the hell away from Wundagore. There’s danger afoot. Ahoof? No, she has hands and apparently feet. Afoot.

But when she learns that Wanda had disappeared, Bova fears that its already too late.

AND FINALLY after all that exposition and retcons (which don’t get me wrong, I loved. I don’t think its good storytelling, I think its a spaghetti nonsense, but its entertaining nonsense and that’s what matters to me) we finally get back to what Wanda is up to.

She was on the cover for pete’s sake!

Anyway, she’s jesusing over the altar and Darkhold, just as is suggested on the cover.

Modred, the Wi-Fi Wizard, reveals some choice deets about his own motivation and backstory.

Apparently he used to combat the Darkhold’s efforts to hold sway over the Earth but after battling Chthon in Marvel Chillers #2, Modred realized that the demon was an agent of destiny and dangit it was Modred’s destiny to help him achieve a new world order!

Modred, you suggestible fool, thinks Wanda, more or less.

Idiot or no, Modred’s magic is far stronger than Wanda’s barely trained efforts. She couldn’t even weaken his Bind Person spell with her level.

But she can cheat.

She uses her mutant probability altering powers to just sorta create a probability where the Hold Person spell just turns off.

To Modred’s irritation, she jumps off the floating Darkhold as she escapes the spell. Rude, Wanda.

Even though ‘the master’ has said she is not to be killed, nobody said anything about “the administration of discipline!” Which thankfully takes the form of magic bolts.

Wanda is able to hold him off with her own magic bolts but he’s still far stronger than her. That didn’t change just because I hit enter several times.

Even using her mutant power to create a sphere to repulse his bolts is for naught.

As her defenses fall, she begs Modred to stop.

Scarlet Witch: “A-all right! I believe you! J-just stop! Please -- stop!”

Modred: “Thou dost... yield? Verily, I be disappointed. I would have thought thou to be a more determined opponent.”

Scarlet Witch: “I am, Modred. I just realized that I can’t fight you on your level. But there are other levels. Like, for instance, what the mortals of this world call -- a roundhouse left!”

PAWNCH!

I gotta say. I love the trope of someone winning a magic duel by decking the other person in the face.

Unfortunately (for Wanda’s own peace of mind), she’s too good at punching. And punched Modred right off the damn mountain.

She laments having killed a person, even if millions of lives were saved by foiling the plans of Modred’s master.

And then Modred shoots her in the back. AGAIN.

He’s such a dick.

Modred rants at the unconscious witch that she was chosen at birth to be a vessel for his master’s second coming and the time of that rising is now.

Dammit Modred!

Later and also elsewhere, Quicksilver prepares to set back out.

He thanks Bova for the truth bombs and for fixing his costume. But now he must find Wanda before-

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

GIANT SKY FACE

Ahem. Wanda is now an angry sky face. Or perhaps the entity now piloting Wanda.

She says she should kill him but she still has some human compassion from the previous owner.

So instead Possessed!Wanda just fires some warning eye lighting at Quicksilver telling him to gtfo or die.

Quicksilver wants to or die but Bova convinces him to go get outside help instead. Reluctantly, Quicksilver bows down to this ‘bovine logic.’

And yes the comic actually calls it that. How does bovine logic differ from people logic? Well in this case, the cow is smarter than the Quicksilver. Less impetuous anyway.

So Quicksilver runs down the mountain which is a lot less painful than falling down it but unexpectedly runs into Django Maximoff, the possibly dementia suffering old man who is Quicksilver’s foster father and really more of a father than Magneto ever was.

Honestly, its been changed so much that I don’t actually care about the Maximoff’s parentage. I’ve enjoyed Dadneto material, like him showing up for the most awkward thanksgiving dinner ever in the Vision and Scarlet Witch miniseries (the very same one where she gets magic pregnant). Him confessing to Finesse in Avengers Academy that the murder robots he used to send to murder Quicksilver for training reasons were actually programmed to take it easy on him. There’s good Dadneto material. I do get annoyed that Django gets brushed aside.

He’s the one who actually raised the twins but he’s not considered their ‘real’ dad because he doesn’t share DNA with them except I think the most recent retcon made it that he was the biological father but my point still stands.

Dadneto is fine. But remember Django Maximoff who did the hard parenting work that Magneto didn’t.

And let’s also remember Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru, and Bail Organa. Who raised another set of important twins from a big, menacing villain.

But I digress.

Anyway, Django went looking for Quicksilver but decided to tarry in the forest. He’s always loved this forest. Its where he fled to when those villagers burned down his camp. He’s always felt safe here.

Cue the irony.

As the forest becomes animate almost, but not quite, entirely unlike Evil Dead, and captures Quicksilver and Django.

Quicksilver does the thing that speedsters do when bound. Vibrates super fast until the binding breaks.

He then runs around in a circle punching wood until Django is free, although the old man does complain that Quicksilver shouldn’t harm the wood. “It’s special! And it was so friendly before I... I don’t understand.”

Quicksilver ignores this and NYOOMS away with Django in his arms.

And then nature loses its shit. Or maybe Possessed!Wanda loses her shit on nature’s behalf.

There’s suddenly

STORMS. With LIGHTNING and a rain of fire and rocks and is Wundagore actually a volcano how does it just rain fire and rocks??

Oh there’s also earthquakes that open chasms that try to swallow up Quicksilver but he NYOOMS through all these dangers to arrive back at the village.

The post office has the only phone in town so Quicksilver pamb pambs on the door and asks to use it to make an emergency call to--

THE AVENGERS!

Remember, this is an Avengers book. Guest-starring the Avengers.

Broodmeister Vision is on monitor duty so he intercepts the call.

Elsewhere in the mansion, the Avengers are eating dinner and talking about Iron Man while he’s not there.

Demon in a Bottle is still concurrent and we’ve reached the part of the story where an armor malfunction caused Iron Man to accidentally manslaughter a foreign ambassador.

Needless to say, this caused a big stink and he’s currently under investigation until it can be proven that it was a malfunction.

While he’s gone, Captain America is acting chairman.

That’s why he gets to sit at the head of the table. Being chairman comes with perks.

Also, a sort of weird details is that if they have them, the Avengers take off their gloves to eat. I don’t know if that is weird. I don’t wear gloves constantly. But it looks weird. Without her gloves, Ms Marvel looks even more like she’s just wearing a swimsuit everywhere.

Anyway, Vision ghosts through the wall and tells them to belay that meal, there’s grave danger ahoof!

Vision: “Quicksilver just called, saying that Wanda has been possessed by some preternatural power -- causing her to wreak elemental destruction over an area of miles!”

Captain America orders everyone to doubletime to the Quinjet hanger but he gets countermanded.

By Agent Henry Peter Gyrich.

Who offers the reasons that 1) Quicksilver is not an active Avenger so they’re not obligated to give him the time of day, 2) there’s no proof that whatever is going on in Bulgaria is a threat to US security, and 3) come on guys, don’t just be flying where you like we don’t need another international incident like the one Iron Man caused. No, not killing the ambassador. ANOTHER international incident. The man is rolling in them.

Cap has had enough and stalks off to make a phone call.

And just one panel of Beast making implied threats towards Gyrich later, the agent receives a phone call.

He yells into the receiver that he’s not to be disturbed but WHOOPS just yelled at his boss.

Agent Henry Peter Gyrich: “That was the *ahem* Commander-in-Chief. He’s requested that the Avengers leave on a, uh, ‘good-will tour’ or Bulgaria. Right away. you can wipe that smirk off your face now, captain.”

It is quite an impressive smirk.

And wow. To think that Cap could just go over Gyrich’s head like that by calling Jimmy Carter.

I can only speculate that he didn’t do it until now because Gyrich was an asshole but had a point.

Anyway, Gyrich is still an asshole.

Out of spite or assholishness or spiteful assholishness, he demands that Vision stay at the mansion.

Because he is on the duty roster for monitor duty and per regulations someone must be on monitor duty at all times.

(I refuse to believe that this regulation is ever actually obeyed. The Avengers almost never leave someone at home)

Vision takes issue with this and offers to introduce Gyrich to punches but Cap stops him.

One punch and they could lose all those privileges that they’ve worked so hard off-panel to get back! And apparently Cap only has so many favors to call in with Jimmy Carter!

But he promises that the Avengers will find Wanda and take care of her.

Vision agrees but darkly promises that this matter will be settled.

And then he tries to take over the world. Well, not for years and under the influence of an alien supercomputer and probably not directly related to this. But I imagine that once he had taken over the government, he would have had Gyrich reassigned to Antarctica.

Meanwhile, six time zones away in Transia, Quicksilver worries that due to a bad connection the Avengers may not have understood his message.

And then he explodes.

Because Possessed!Wanda has found them.

Chthon!Wanda: “No, you old fool! For at least, I’ve purged this vessel of its last taint of humanity, it’s last wisp of soul! There is no Ana Maximoff! There is not Wanda Frank! Now, there is only... CHTHON!”

And Wanda has a new evil and thus sexy costume. Its actually kind of stylish.

Although one must wonder why a being like Chthon would even dress his host body up in an evil, sexy outfit. Maybe even demons are bound by the tropes of the genre.

Also, dammit Chthon! Bova just sewed up Quicksilver’s outfit and here you are blowing it to tatters again!

Have you no respect for the bovine logic of the cow-woman midwife!

You truly are heinous!

Next time: The call of the mountain THING!

Damn. That’s a great title.

Follow @essential-avengers. Its the dedicated sideblog for this series. Its... eventually going to be caught up.

[fendor]

Miss Knotwise

Tobias and Rosa Knotwise, deciding that their passion and talents for research in herbology and alchemy were wasted among the generally well-cultivated fields and unambitious neighbors of their homeland of the Foloi Fields, as well as seeing a need to flee after (mostly) accidentally poisoning some of said neighbors with an experimental brew, set off for a journey of adventure and discovery among the exotic flora and fauna of the Silverthorn Jungle at the southern end of the eastern continent.  Making there new home along the banks of the Silversong River near the base of the Thornspire, they built a comfortable cottage with a well-tended garden of foodstuffs from home, a large green house to cultivate interesting specimen from the surrounding jungle, and a detached (for safety sake) alchemical and apothecarial laboratory.  They lived a contented life, studying and experimenting with the various plants of the jungle, developed a reasonably good relationship with the Goblins of Nott's Landing with whom they would trade, and eventually gave birth to a daughter, you.

Growing up, your parents, while being loving and nurturing, allowed you a lot of freedom to be and do your own thing, though, of course, you spent time learning some of their passions ("No child of mine is going to be ignorant in the healing arts." "A good homecooked meal is the best way to make people happy, even if that people is just you.")  and how to defend yourself ("A good blade can get you through rough vegetation, or someone tries to rough you up."  "A short bow, for when you really need to stab someone across the room.").  However, you were always more interested in wandering the jungle and befriending nature spirits (who began to follow you around, a swarm of little green fairy-lights fascinated by this wild child) and the local wildlife, especially the, to you, large lizard creatures.  

A pack of Compsognathus, bipedal carnivores about the same height as a fully grown halfling, had claimed a section of jungle north of your home as their hunting grounds.  You had spent weeks trying to get them to trust you, bringing treats and soothing words.  As you were making your way home one evening, you heard a terrible roar.  Making your way towards the noise, you see that a adolescent thunder lizard had seemingly cornered a young male compy.  Quickly drawing your bow, you fire an arrow into the corner of its mouth as it lunged for its prey, making it jerk its head in pain, allowing you to slip in and stand between it and the smaller lizard.  Screaming defiance up at the T-Rex three times your height, you loose another arrow, this time directly into its eye, causing it to rear back in pain, before withdrawing to seek easier hunts elsewhere.  

As you stood there, buzzing with adrenaline and trying to catch your breath, you felt a gentle nudging at your side.  Turning to see what it is, the lizard nuzzles against you and gently licks your face in thanks for saving his life.  He followed you home that night, and has followed you everywhere since.  

Now grown to young adulthood, your wanderlust is no longer satisfied with your jungle home.  So, with a tearful but understanding goodbye from your parents, you mounted up on your compy friend, and, surrounded by a pack of mini-compies (the physical form that your befriended swarm of nature spirits has taken since the night of the T-Rex), made your way to the city of Nott's Landing to seek your fortune.  You were in town just a few days before you got a job offer from a Tabaxi sea captain who was fascinated by your horde of lizards.  

You now find yourself sailing the seas aboard the Quirky Thing under Captain Feather in the Wind, cooking the meals and looking after the ship's hawkstriders. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mark of Healing Halfling, Outlander-ish Background, Lizard Mistress Ranger

ASI:  Dexterity +2, Wisdom +1 Size:  Small Speed: 25 feet Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons Tool Proficiency:  Alchemist's supplies, Cook's utensils, Herbalism kit, CHOICE of one musical instrument Saving Throw Proficiency:  Strength, Dexterity Skill Proficiency:  Animal Handling, Athletics, Nature, Perception, Stealth, Survival (CHOICE of one of these for expertise) Languages:  Common, Halfling, Goblin, CHOICE of two additional

ABILITIES Lucky:   When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die. You must use the new result, even if it is a 1. Brave:   You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. Nimble:   You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours. Medical Intuition:   Whenever you roll a Wisdom (Medicine) check or an ability check involving an Herbalism Kit, roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the total ability check. Healing Touch:   You can cast the Cure Wounds spell with this trait. Beginning at 3rd level, you can also cast the Lesser Restoration spell with this trait. Once you cast either spell with this trait, you can't cast that spell again until you finish a long rest. Favored Foe:   When you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can call on your mystical bond with nature to mark the target as your favored enemy for 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The first time on each of your turns that you hit the favored enemy and deal damage to it, including when you mark it, you increase that damage by 1d4. You can use this feature to mark a favored enemy a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. This feature's extra damage increases when you reach certain levels in this class: to 1d6 at 6th level and to 1d8 at 14th level.

Canny Explorer: Choose one of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make using the chosen skill. You can also speak, read, and write 2 additional languages of your choice. (these are already listed as CHOICEs above) Archery Fighting Style: You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons. Spellcasting: You can cast spells using your Wisdom.  Isn't that awesome?  (I'm not copying the spellcasting bit from the PHB). Spellcasting Focus: You can use a druidic focus for the material components of a spell that do not have a gold cost. Spells of the Mark Expanded Spell List (from Race): On top of the regular Ranger spells, you can also choose from the following when level appropriate: 1st level spell:  Healing Word 2nd level spell:  Prayer of Healing 3rd level spell:  Aura of Vitality, Mass Healing Word 4th level spell:  Aura of Purity, Aura of Life Primal Awareness: You can focus your awareness through the interconnections of nature: you learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class if you don't already know them, as shown in the Primal Awareness Spells table. These spells don't count against the number of ranger spells you know. Ranger level 3:  Speak with Animals Ranger level 5:  Beast Sense Ranger level 9:  Speak with Plants Ranger level 13:  Locate Creature Ranger level 17:  Commune with Nature You can cast each of these spells once without expending a spell slot. Once you cast a spell in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Ranger Conclave (Lizard Mistress): At 3rd level, you choose to emulate the ideals and training of a ranger conclave. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level. Gathered Swarm: A swarm of intangible nature spirits has bonded itself to you and can assist you in battle.  Until you die, this swarm remains in your space, crawling on you or skittering around you within your space.  These spirits have taken on the form of miniature Compsognathus, only a few inches in height. Once on each of your turns, you can cause the swarm to assist you in one of the following ways, immediately after you hit a creature with an attack: The attack's target takes 1d6 piercing damage from the swarm. The attack's target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be moved by the swarm up to 15 feet horizontally in a direction of your choice. You are moved by the swarm 5 feet horizontally in a direction of your choice. Swarmkeeper Magic: Also at 3rd level, you learn the Mage Hand cantrip if you don't already know it. When you cast it, the hand takes the form of your swarming nature spirits. You also learn an additional spell of 1st level or higher when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Swarmkeeper Spells table. Each spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of ranger spells you know. Ranger level 3:  Faerie Fire, Mage Hand Ranger level 5:  Web Ranger level 9:  Gaseous Form Ranger level 13:  Arcane Eye Ranger level 17:  Insect Plague Animal Companion: At 3rd level, you learn to use your magic to create a powerful bond with a creature of the natural world. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 50 gp worth of rare herbs and fine food, you call forth an animal from the wilderness to serve as your faithful companion. You normally select your companion from among the following animals: an ape, a black bear, a boar, a giant badger, a giant weasel, a mule, a panther, or a wolf. However, your DM might pick one of these animals for you, based on the surrounding terrain and on what types of creatures would logically be present in the area. At the end of the 8 hours, your animal companion appears and gains all the benefits of your Companion’s Bond ability. You can have only one animal companion at a time. If your animal companion is ever slain, the magical bond you share allows you to return it to life. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 25 gp worth of rare herbs and fine food, you call forth your companion’s spirit and use your magic to create a new body for it. You can return an animal companion to life in this manner even if you do not possess any part of its body. If you use this ability to return a former animal companion to life while you have a current animal companion, your current companion leaves you and is replaced by the restored companion. Companion's Bond Your animal companion gains a variety of benefits while it is linked to you. The animal companion loses its Multiattack action, if it has one. The companion obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own. When using your Natural Explorer feature, you and your animal companion can both move stealthily at a normal pace. Your animal companion has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your companion uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, an animal companion also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC and to its damage rolls. Your animal companion gains proficiency in two skills of your choice. It also becomes proficient with all saving throws. For each level you gain after 3rd, your animal companion gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly. Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your companion’s abilities also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.

[daphnewritings]

Chapter 4: Asphodel & Wormwood

Summary: It’s Friday and they’re in Potions

Warnings: Snape bullying children because he’s a piece of shit

Word Count: 2.3k

- Chapter 3 / Chapter 5 - 

By the end of his first week at Hogwarts, Draco had decided that it wasn’t so much that he didn’t like Harry Potter. He loathed him.

He couldn’t go anywhere in the whole school without hearing his name. Even the professors weren’t above the gossip. Just the day before, he’d heard Flitwick, the Charms professor talking to Sprout about how Potter had set fire to a feather in his class and, “isn’t that just so charming?” He hadn’t even intended to make the pun, Draco was sure of it.

When the sun rose on Friday morning, Draco was tempted to smother himself with his own pillow. He had a modicum amount of respect for Professor Snape, and he didn’t want it to be ruined today when the Slytherins shared their first potions class with the Gryffindors.

Suddenly, Draco’s pillow was yanked from his arms only to be used as a weapon against him as Blaise slapped it back down across his face, “Wake up, you lazy ass, or you’ll miss breakfast.”

Draco grabbed the pillow back and hugged it to him so Blaise would stop hitting him with it. Then he promptly sat up, pressed his face to it, and yelled, “I can’t take it anymore!” Although it was slightly muffled, Draco looked up at Blaise to see if his mini breakdown had gotten any reaction. Beyond a slightly arched brow, Blaise obviously didn’t care more than he did during any of the other occasions this week when Draco had whined about how annoying Potter’s very existence was.

Rolling to his left, he stood up and then flopped down onto Theo’s bed dramatically. Looking up at him, Draco puffed out his bottom lip and pouted, “Theo, be a dear and kill me before I have to step into a room with him.”

“Him who?” Theo asked absently from where he sat crisscross by Draco’s head. He was clutching what was supposed to be a neatly tied tie around his neck. Instead, it just looked like a massive knot.

“Don’t get him started,” Blaise said.

Rolling onto his side and propping his head on his fist, Draco said, “Now there’s no need to be short Blaise.”

Blaise glared at him and Draco just smiled smugly. He rolled over onto his back again, practically right into Theo’s lap. “And I’m talking about The Boy Who Lived of course. Don’t you know? Everyone in this damn castle won’t shut up about him.”

Theo sighed heavily, “Oh, I thought you might’ve finally moved on to someone else to obsess over.”

Draco sat up at top speed, his hand pressing to his chest in offense. “I am not obsessed.” Blaise snorted and Draco whipped his head around to glare at him. “I’m not!”

“Sure mate, whatever you say,” Blaise called over his shoulder as he crossed the room to the door and pulled it open. Standing on the other side was Pansy, her fist raised to knock. Draco had been forced to have a very serious talk with her about boundaries and manners after she’d accidentally walked in on him changing a few days ago. He was relieved to see that at least she was stopping to knock first before she busted into their room.

Pansy breezed past Blaise without sparing him a glance and walked over to Theo’s bed to deftly pull his tie into a more presentable knot. Draco then swatted her hands away and retied the entire thing himself. This had become their morning routine starting the first day when said incident of her walking in on him changing had happened. “Do you know what class we’re up for today?”

Pansy rolled her eyes and sat down on Draco’s bed, which he had still yet to make. “Yes, Draco, everyone and their bloody grandmother knows what class we have today and who is going to be in it thanks to you and your endless complaining.”

“You cannot tell me that you aren’t the least bit annoyed by Potter.”

“Actually, I can,” she sniped.

Draco huffed and went to lay his head back down in Theo’s lap, but he was shoved back up by Theo. “Oh no, I am not missing breakfast just so you aren’t left alone while you sulk,” Theo said as he pushed Draco off his bed altogether. Draco looked down his nose at him as Theo stood up and started going through his drawers, pulling out his sweater vest and his robe. Kicking his drawers closed with a stockinged foot, Theo laced up his boots swiftly and turned to Pansy. “Fancy some toast, my dear?” he said in an overly pompous voice.

Pansy leaped up from Draco’s bed and looped her arm through his, “I’d be delighted to, sweetheart.”

Realizing he was indeed going to be left alone, Draco said, “Wait!” They both turned to him with arched brows and watched as he scrambled around his bed, yanking the sheets into place and then flew to his own bureau to start pulling out his school outfit. Realizing they were still watching him as he pulled his shirt off, he said, scandalized, “Well, turn around! This isn’t a show!” They both giggled, but he ignored them as he hastily got dressed.

Pulling his sweater vest over his head, he slipped into his leather boots as Pansy said, “Can we look now, Draco? Or are you still making sure you’re all laced up, you bloody prude?” Draco scoffed in answer as he poured some hair gel into his hands and walked over to the sinks in the middle of the room.

He heard the sound of shuffling feet as his friends pivoted. When Pansy saw what he was doing, she exclaimed, “Draco, I’m not missing breakfast just so you can make sure your hair is perfectly slicked back!” then she pulled Theo with her to the door. Draco merely smirked at himself in the mirror as he ran his hands through his hair, pushing it back from his face. Once he was satisfied that not a hair was out of place, he washed his hands off and followed his two friends out the door.

>< 

After a breakfast of muffins and tea, Draco led his pack of friends down to the dungeon where Potions was held. He would never admit this to anyone, and least of all to himself, but he was actually interested to see Potter again. This was the only class they shared together apparently, much to Draco’s hidden chagrin and outward relief.

I just want to see if there’s anything to Father’s theories, he told himself. Yes, that was it. He heaved open the dark wooden door and stepped into the dimly lit room. There were jars upon jars of floating things lining one wall and dried ingredients lining the other.

A few Gryffindors were already seated around the various scarred wooden tables spaced throughout the room. Draco chose one of two that were at the front of the room and hung his bag off the back of a chair. Crabbe and Goyle took the ends of the square table respectively, and Blaise regally reclined across from Draco in his own chair. Pansy, with Theo trailing behind her, chose the table behind Draco with a huff, obviously annoyed at being excluded from his table by the ever present forms of Crabbe and Goyle.

Draco turned in his seat with a simpering smile. “Now Pansy, you must realize that-” but his mind went blank due to the fact that Potter and the Weasel had walked through the door. They locked eyes across the room and Draco sneered.

Turning to see what had caught Draco’s attention, Pansy mumbled, “Here we go.” Then she started pulling supplies out of her own bag, which lay in a heap on the floor, ignoring the metaphorical daggers being shot across the room between the two boys.

Potter and Weasley took up at the table in the second row from Snape’s desk, diagonally across from Draco’s own. The other table in the front of the room had been taken up by a group of Gryffindor girls, one of which being the curly haired girl that had brushed Draco aside on the train. Of course she’d turn out to be a Gryffindor, he thought.

Then Snape finally entered the classroom, his black robes billowing behind him. Beginning the class in the same fashion as every other professor had that week, he started taking roll. After calling on “Parvati Patil”, Snape paused and said slowly, “Ah, yes. Harry Potter. Our new… celebrity.”

Draco’s mouth nearly popped open in surprise at the sheer amount of venom in Snape’s voice. He heard both Crabbe and Goyle’s smothered sniggers as Snape continued on with the rest of the list of names.

Finally, he waved his wand over the parchment and vanished it wordlessly. Snape stepped out from behind his raised desk and clasped his hands behind his back. “You are here to learn the precise art of potion-making”, he began, his voice quiet, “Since there is no foolish wand waving, I don’t expect all of you to think of this as true magic, nor do I expect all of you to fully appreciate the subtle power of the liquids that you will make during your time in this class. But, if you are intelligent enough to follow the instructions I give you while you are within this room, I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death.” The class was silent, hanging off of Snape’s every word as he drew himself up in front of Draco’s table. “That is, if you aren’t like the usual collection of idiots that I typically teach every year.”

Snape’s dark eyes met Draco’s and Draco could’ve sworn that the corner of his lips twitched up in a slight smile before he smoothly shifted his gaze away from Draco’s and said loudly, “Potter, what would I get if I added powdered root of the asphodel tree to an infusion of wormwood?”

Draco looked over his shoulder at Potter, watching him look at the Weasel with a confused expression on his face. The girl with the bushy hair’s hand shot up as Potter said, “I don’t know, sir.”

Snape’s lip curled in a sneer, “Interesting.”

He swept back towards his desk. “Shall we try again? Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar Potter?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

“Didn’t think to crack open a book before coming here, Potter?” Draco was having to bite the inside of his cheeks to keep his unexpected laughter to himself. He’d thought Snape would treat Potter differently, give him special treatment, but this was something else. Snape wasn’t just resentful towards Potter. He was downright nasty.

Malfoy loved it.

Meanwhile, Crabbe and Goyle were both rocking back and forth with their own suppressed laughter. Blaise just pulled his full bottom lip between his teeth, his eyes glued to the ceiling as he tried to stop laughter borne tears from escaping down his dark cheeks.

“Let’s try once more Potter. What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?”

Draco looked over his shoulder at Potter again and saw that he was now glaring defiantly up at Snape. “I don’t know sir, but I think Hermione clearly does. Why don’t you ask her?” A few people chuckled and Draco noticed that the curly haired girl was indeed standing up, her hand still thrust in the air.

“Sit down,” Snape told her, and the chuckling stopped. He circled around to Potter’s table and towered over him, his hands still clasped behind his back. “For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is called the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and will save you from most known poisons. Monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant which also happens to go by a third name, aconite.” Snape turned in a swirl of black robes and snapped, “Well? Why aren’t you all writing this down?”

Amongst the sudden flurry of sound as the other students pulled out their parchment and quills, Draco heard Snape say softly, the acidity in his voice prevalent, “Clearly fame isn’t everything.” Snape then stalked back to his desk, calling over his shoulder, “And a point will be taken from Gryffindor, Potter, for your cheek.” Draco whistled softly under his breath as he turned to face forward, quill and parchment in hand.

In the span of those few minutes that Snape had been ripping into Potter, Draco had decided that Potions was now his favorite class.

The class only continued to get better as Snape continuously praised Draco for how well he was brewing the simple boil curing solution and vilify nearly everyone else. Towards the end of class, as they were adding the last few ingredients, a large cloud of noxious green smoke suddenly filled right side of the dungeon around Potter’s table and Draco could barely contain his glee.

Longbottom, who was also seated at Potter’s table, had done something truly ghastly to his potion that was making it melt straight through his cauldron and onto the stone floor. As it spread across the floor, Draco swooped down and snatched up Pansy’s bag before climbing up onto his table. She looked at him gratefully as she leaped up onto her own table, the potion hissing as it passed underneath them.

Snape cleared the potion off the floor and started snarling at Potter again after he sent Longbottom and a smaller, sandy haired Gryffindor boy who had been his partner up to the hospital wing. The verbal altercation resulted in another point lost from Gryffindor and Draco leaving the room in significantly higher spirits than when he’d walked in.

< Chapter 3 / Chapter 5 >

[lukasusqo936-blog]

10 Graphiques Inspirants à Propos De Artisan Serrurier

Occasionally we think about a locksmith when we want to get into a car or home that's secured accidently by ourselves. Locksmith is thought of as a noble profession about safety & security of homes, vehicles, and door locks etc.. It adds to our frustration when somebody locks himself out of home or car particularly if he is not alone and with friends or family. When accidental locking occurs, unlocking the doors, homes, vehicles are extremely important services provided by shared locksmiths, so in the event of locking situation we should call an experienced locksmith and ought not to violate any window or to try by ourselves to unlock car doors by force, it can lead to damage to our body as well as to valuable assets.

On many occasions we must replace our locks whether it is home, home or vehicle. Lock Replacement and New Lock Setup are also services which are given by locksmiths. Whenever someone leaves a workplace or lease a new home or purchase a secondhand car, we need to replace locks immediately. It is very important for safety of our.

The rapid advances in technology lately have also resulted in the evolution of high security biometric and digital locks. Often however, the only difference between the digital locks along with the normal deadbolt lock would be the port i.e. one utilizes a finger print reader, card reader or demands the keying from a safety code while the other needs a key. The inherent mechanical element is frequently the same.

However, as any locksmith will inform you, long-throw deadbolt locks aren't the only type of lock that can qualify as high security. In fact, long-throw deadbolt locks, although better than locks so far as security is concerned, don't have their own points of weakness. To circumvent this, multi-point high security locks have been developed that include this deadlock bolt at the middle edge of the door as well as hook bolts at the top and bottom of the door.

Car lock technology has also now many improvements and keyless entry is now the norm for many motorists. The operator presses a button on the remote controller that sends a radio frequency signal to a monitor in your vehicle. When the monitor receives the signal it supplies power to the actuator, which is a small electric motor. The actuator pushes a pole up the latch which unlocks the door. Some vehicles are using the same technology as well as more progress biometric technologies to engage the ignition lock.

Strictly speaking, there is really no standard definition for a top security lock aside from the fact that it reduces the chances of a powerful break-in compared to other types of locks. From time to time, the material used to generate the lock is a significant element. Could it resist an attempt to saw it off using a hacksaw? However, there are certain forms of locks whose inherent design makes them high security almost by default. A fantastic example of a top safety lock layout would be the long-throw deadbolt lock. This is much more so when one contrasts it into short-throw deadbolt locks or other sorts of locks such as the spring bolt .

We need an extra key for a lock in number of situations and in this case we need to makes sure we are using a reputable locksmith. We should not give our keys to anybody else as when somebody with an excess key to our house it will be simple for them to visit while we're away. Locksmith may produce a key for a lock which does not have any key at all. There are certain situations in which we need more locks within our home and office and more than one keys of our auto. At that situation locksmith can re-key aged locks to save you the prices of replacement. Additional locksmith services include installing lock on a back pack, locker, discard, or other important location.

To get a deadbolt lock to be considered a high security lock, the throw must be at least one inch long. A door with a short-throw deadbolt is simpler to force open with absolute force. Added security on a long-throw deadbolt lock can be achieved using a strike box in addition to the strike plate. The length of screws used to repair the strike box and hit plate on the door frame does issue. Utilizing longer screws further increases immunity to a forced break in. Finally, the use of mini rolling steel pins within the deadbolt ensures that one cannot viewed through the bolt. Any effort to do this is made extremely difficult as a result of rolling pins which roll the lock with each sawing motion.

[serensama]

To Date #4

JUMIN DADDY SHOW US YOUR DATING SKILLS DATING APTITUDE AND KNOWLEDGE: >100 ACTUAL DATING PRACTICAL SKILLS: < 0

Jumin:

-       Jumin has never, ever planned a date before.

-       That did not mean however that he was not willing to learn

-       He read up books about how to date, the rules, the etiquette… however he thought that MC may find that approach too stifling and decided to watch instructional/inspirational videos that the women in his office recommended…

-       … like The Notebook, Pretty woman, 50 first dates…

-       Jumin baby we gotta get you out more

-       Until finally he knew what he would do, he was going to buy MC a cocktail dress to wear, take her to Tokyo on his private jet and have the top sushi chef in the world prepare a world class meal for them.

-       You know, something simple.

-       T_T … seriously

-       Jumin sent over a rack of designer clothes he believed would be to MC’s taste and allowed her free reign; some things were nicer as a surprise. (He did however put his favourite purple ensemble to the front of the rack… you know… just in case)

-       A stretch limo was sent to pick her up at 5pm on the dot precisely to arrive at the airport by 530pm, take off at 6pm.

-       Jumin was finishing off the last of his paperwork at 520pm when he heard the sound of high heels clicking against the metal ladder. Turning his head out he saw MC beaming at him and while he was ecstatic to see his love, he had planned the date for a reason. He did not want her to see him working, to give the impression that work was more important than her or their relationship.

-       Walking in he noticed that she chose the white dress.

-       …He wasn’t disappointed…

-       He wasn’t…

-       Though really looking at the dress on her… he really wasn’t mad at it. Though more casual than the rest of the gowns, it had a certain… virginal… quality… which Jumin Han did not realise he was into. A lot.

-       Proud AF when she started gushing about how massive his jet was and how beautiful and sleek the design was…

-       DON’T THINK OF THE VIRGINAL DRESS JUMIN

-       Shit. Don’t think about virgins

-       SHIT. Just don’t think

-       By 6:05pm he had one of the flight attendants ask why they hadn’t taken off yet, their reservation was for 9:00pm and if they left any later they would not make it in time. The attendant came back bowing profusely saying there seemed to be something wrong with the engine and they were fixing it as soon as possible.

-       Jumin, was now severely flustered but still managed to look cooler than snow, apologised to MC about the hold up and would strive to do better in the future.

-       MC smiles and pats Jumin’s hand, trying to tell him that there was no need to apologise that she was just happy to be able to spend time with him.

-       By 730pm the engineers and pilot were inside the cabin prostrating themselves in front of Jumin.

-       “Do not apologise to me- it is MC that your incompetence has failed today. Apologise to her,” he drawled as the people quickly bowed to her.

-       Standing up absolutely mortified MC bowed back to them, “No, no, it’s fine honestly! Please stop, please… stop! Jumin! Make them stop!”

       “Have they apologised to your satisfaction my love?”

       “Yes, Yes more than enough!”

       “Enough. Leave.”

-       Knowing that Jumin hadn’t meant to be so abrupt with his staff, that he was just stressed and disappointed that his first date with her had gone so horribly awry, MC quickly forgave his melancholy.

-       “I’m afraid I too must apologise MC- if I had remembered to ask the crew to triple check the jet before planning this date we would not have to reschedule. I am terribly sorry for-”

-       “Why do we have to reschedule?”

-       “The plans have been altered too much to continue?” he asked more than stated, scratching his cheek thoughtfully with his index finger.

-       “Nonsense Jumin. Leave it to me!”

-       “But… wait… MC…”

-       “Nope. We’re going to have our first date tonight Jumin! You went through so much trouble, there’s no way we’re not doing something!”

-       MC ran towards the back of the plane to speak to the attendants, engineers and chefs.

-       Rushing around with his employees MC quickly turned the cabin into a lush den with pillows and blankets spread all over the floor. The chefs had prepared a sumptuous feast with the ingredients aboard the plane… the engineers fashioned a small projector for her phone…

-       Jumin watched his girlfriend… well technically fiancé… create an impromptu date for them. He knew there was as reason he loved her so much.

-       MR HAN WAS IMPRESSED… and slightly aroused.

-       “There! Our very own private airline cinema!”

-       “…You know that’s not a bad idea if marketed well enough MC”

-       “Shush the movie is starting… pass the brie please.”

-       Leaning against their wall of pillows Jumin opens up his arms to allow MC to snuggle into him as they watched MC’s favourite movie.

-       “It’s quite obvious that that man was her fiancé from before. MC- if I grew a tiny moustache, wore a billowy shirt, tight black pants and a bandana you’d still be able to recognise me, right?”

-       MC was extra quiet as she pondered that

-       “MC!”

-       “Sorry Jumin I was just thinking of you in Wesley’s outfit and was having a mini stroke. You’d look amazing in those pants.”

-       Feigning indignation Jumin dived for MC as he prodded and poked at her neck and ribs- quickly realising that she’s ticklish

-       Movie night quickly deteriorated into a full-blown tickle war- (MC lost terribly)

-       Lying flushed and giggling on the floor as she looked up at Jumin who was beaming down at her, she reached up to touch his cheek and his heart, “Thank you for an amazing first date Jumin,” before bringing him down to meet her lips.

-       The staff may have accidentally walked in on the two making out on the floor. May have also backed out of the room as if their lives depended on it.

-       Don’t startle the mating pair… the male of the species gets very aggressive and fire-y when startled

-       The staff also may or may not have placed bets to see if their boss would actually make a move on MC that night in the plane… let’s just say that the attendants made a pretty buck whereas the pilots … not so much.

-       Jumin had initially planned to join the mile-high club during their honeymoon… but maybe they could join it earlier… or at the very least the broken and stranded plane club. That could be a thing. Should totally be a thing.  

-       However, MC quickly put that notion to rest by sitting back up and putting on another movie, but this time she was the one who opened her arms for Jumin to snuggle into her. Unsure of how to do that without looking like a lecher who aimed literally head first into her breasts, he waited until MC guided him to rest his head against her chest, in the same position she was in within his arms.

-       He is surprised by how much he loves being held in this way, as if he could completely leave everything to MC and she would be able to take care of it, of him.

-       MC’s fingers threaded through his soft ebony hair as he released all the tension that had built up in his body, becoming one giant relaxed Jumin puddle of goo.  

-       Lost in the feeling of being so close to MC, Jumin didn’t realise that it was well past 2am until he sees his staff leaning against the walls yawning. Standing up he bows and apologises for not adhering to the schedule as planned, promising that they would all be handsomely paid for their extra time.

-       MC was already starting to fold up the blankets and pack away the uneaten food when Jumin came back into the cabin.

-       “Hey honey thanks again for an amazing night-”

-       “Sleep with me”

-       EXCUSE ME

-       “I said sleep with me”

-       YES I HEARD YOU, YOU CRAZY SOB

-       “I’ve never been fond of sleeping in my plane when I travelled. It was a necessity for business nothing more… but I find myself wanting to spend the night here… with you… just lying on the floor surrounded by pillows and you… to create memories with you in them that I can remember when I’m on here alone.”

-       Well then… how could she refuse?

-       Laying out the blankets and pillows to form their own little plane fort against the world, Jumin turned to face MC who was smiling dreamily at him

-       “You ever think this is how your first date with me would be Jumin?”

-       “Truthfully I never pictured dating you, all I ever saw was us already married and living out our daily lives”         “… And… and this made you happy?”

        “Of course. It’s about me and you, forever just being together. What’s there to be unhappy about?”

-       He could feel her smile against his lips as she pressed another kiss to his mouth, absolutely melting at the brutal honestly this man delivered his most heartfelt confessions to her- as if they were just facts you could find in any book. That was just how he felt and he had no shame in saying it.

-       “I love you Jumin”

-       “I love you MC”

-       “… and I am happy”

-       Securing the blankets around them as he folded his arms around her, forming her favourite pillow, Jumin smiled as he whispered, “… Then I am happy MC.”

-       And though his back would scream at him tomorrow for deciding to sleep on the floor, waking up to see his fiancé sprawled out and breathing softly beside him without a worry in the world, made the pain more than worth it.

-       Wait… did MC drool on his shirt…

-       Still worth it.

[brooksifbd793-blog]

Comment Gagner Gros Dans L'industrie Serrurier

24 hour emergency locksmith services are provided by different firms in US. On several occasions we must replace our locks whether it's home, home or automobile. Lock Replacement and New Lock Setup will also be services that are given by locksmiths. Whenever someone leaves an office or lease a new home or purchase a used car, we will need to replace locks immediately. It is essential for security of our.

Strictly speaking, there's really no standard definition for a high security lock aside from the fact that it reduces the chances of a successful break-in when compared to other types of locks. From time to time, the material used to make the lock is an important factor. Can it withstand an effort to saw it off with a hacksaw? However, there are particular forms of locks whose underlying design creates them high security almost by default. A fantastic example of a high security lock layout is the long-throw deadbolt lock. This is much more so when one contrasts it into short-throw deadbolt locks or other types of locks such as the spring bolt lock. Little wonder that many locksmiths would not hesitate to urge a deadbolt lock for anybody searching for a high security lock.

We are in need of an additional key for a lock in number of scenarios and in that case we will need to makes sure that we are using a respectable locksmith. We should not give our keys to anybody else as when someone with an extra key to our house it will be simple for them to see while we are off. Locksmith can produce a key for a lock that does not have any key in any respect. There are certain situations where we need more locks in our home and workplace and more than one keys of the automobile. At that case locksmith can re-key old locks to help save you the costs of replacement. Other locksmith services include installing lock onto a back pack, locker, discard, or other important location.

The rapid improvements in technology lately also have led to the development of high security digital and biometric locks. Often however, the sole difference between the electronic locks along with the ordinary deadbolt lock would be that the port i.e. one utilizes a finger print reader, card reader or requires the keying in of a security code while another needs a secret. The inherent mechanical element is often exactly the same.

But as some other locksmith will tell you, long-throw deadbolt locks aren't the only type of lock that may qualify as large security. In fact, long-throw deadbolt locks, even though greater than locks as far as safety is concerned, do have their own points of weakness. As an example, if the deadbolt is fitted midway between the top and the base of the doorway, a burglar can still pry the door open by using sufficient pressure on the top or bottom part of the door. To prevent this, multi-point high security locks are developed that consist of the deadlock bolt at the centre edge of the doorway as well as hook bolts in the top and bottom of the doorway.

Sometimes we consider a locksmith once we want to get into a vehicle or house which is locked accidently by ourselves. It adds to our frustration if someone locks himself from home or car especially when he is not alone and with friends or family. After when accidental locking happens, unlocking the doors, houses, vehicles are very important services provided by common locksmiths, so in the event of locking situation we ought to call an experienced locksmith and ought not to break any window or to try by ourselves to unlock car doors by force, it can lead to damage to our body as well as to valuable assets.

To get a deadbolt lock to be considered a high security lock, the toss must be at least one inch long. A doorway with a short-throw deadbolt is easier to force open using absolute force. The duration of screws used to repair the strike box and hit plate onto the door frame does issue. Using longer screws further raises immunity to a forced break in. Last, the use of mini rolling steel pins within the toaster ensures that one cannot viewed through the bolt. Any attempt to do this is made extremely difficult as a result of rolling pins that roll the lock with each sawing motion.

Automobile lock technology has also now many improvements and keyless entry is now the norm for many motorists. The operator presses a button on the remote control which sends a radio frequency signal to a track in your car. The actuator drives a rod up the knob that unlocks the door. The procedure operates in reverse to lock the vehicle door. Some vehicles are using the same technology and even more progress biometric technologies to engage the ignition lock.