#home moving services in Kent

[vansandhands]

Guide on Moving House With Pets

Website: www.vansandhands.com

Moving homes with pets can be confusing and anxiety-inducing for pets. To ensure a smooth transition, it is essential to visit your current veterinarian, arrange a separate room or space for pets, and consider other options like hiring a pet sitter or booking a kennel or cattery. Ensure your pet is tethered securely in your vehicle and has all necessary vaccinations.

 Read Top Tips for Moving Homes with Pets in the UK, to learn more.

Take a stroll around your new neighborhood in the days leading up to the move to help them adjust to new situations. Let home moving services in London know about any pets moving with you upfront, especially if you are transporting exotic species like tropical fish, reptiles, or amphibians.

On D-day, use pheromone diffusers to help pets relax and avoid anxiety. Regularly check in with your pet, lock any doors and windows behind you, and provide them with clean water and toys to keep them occupied. Plan meals carefully, avoiding feeding your pets two hours before the move to prevent travel sickness.

To move homes with pets in the UK, it’s essential to stay at home for the first few days, update their details, be patient, and ensure each room is secure. Keep cats indoors for a week, and alert former neighbors about the move if they see them. If your pet exhibits signs of sadness or depression, seek expert assistance. Be gentle with your pet and don’t panic!

[blue-bujo]

Bowled Over (Roy Kent x Reader): Chapter One

You work at a bowling alley and a young girl named Phoebe has a birthday party there. You catch her uncle's eye.

Roy Kent x female reader

Will try to update roughly every two weeks

Chapter One: The Other Beautiful Game

Words: 1.9K

Content: Kent-level language (you know what you're in for)

Cricket. Polo. The real football.

There were many popular sports in England, but the downfall of all of those was the fact that they were all at the mercy of the weather. That was why, in your humble opinion, the best sport in the world was bowling.

You were fully aware that the rest of the world definitely didn’t consider it a real sport, and that was fine. But to you, it was the best. No other sport could be enjoyed by 4 year olds and 94 year olds at the same time, all while having full access to a pitcher of beer and never being rained out. Nor did any other sport create friendships so instantly while in good natured competition. It certainly had for you.

You, the army brat, who had moved every year and always ended up being the new kid with the accent different from everyone else’s, had always found common ground in whatever bowling alley had been closest to base. Bowling was its own language, its own gateway into other people’s lives. When you’d finally stayed somewhere for more than two years when you were in high school, you’d made yourself a fixture at the lanes. You stayed in England for college – no, university – and worked your way through every beer league and youth camp you could. The bowling alley was your home, and you ended up staying even after your father retired from the army and returned to his hometown with your mother. Your place was here, behind the counter and coaching leagues.

It was a shallowly connected life. You had a few friends from your own league, as well as your coworkers, and some regulars that you absolutely loved, but mainly, you saw people for five minutes while they paid and figured out which size their rental shoes needed to be before they went to the lanes and you watched from a distance, telling yourself that it was fine.

One day, and especially lonely one, you were scheduled to work a children’s party. You were slightly hung over from the pitcher you’d shared at your league the night prior, and weren’t looking forward to all of the noise that children would inevitably cause. Taking a preemptive Excedrin, you pulled up your hair and braced for the worst.

The birthday child was a blonde girl who was all smiles, leading seven little friends and their adults behind them. You plastered on your best customer service smile and got through the chaos of check in, shoes, snack bar follow up, and lane assignments, then collapsed in your chair to stare into space for a while, until someone needed you.

The respite was brutally short.

You didn’t notice at first, but eventually you realized that you had somebody standing at the side of the counter. It was because of his shirt. Anywhere else, it would have stood out obnoxiously, but the red, orange, and yellow tie dye blended into the colorful walls. You turned quickly once you realized he was there.

“Sorry, I zoned out,” you blurted. “How can I help you, sir?”

The man – you recognized him from somewhere, you realized, but you couldn’t place where – startled at how quickly you acknowledged him. He had very expressive eyebrows, which shot up his forehead in surprise. He pointed at the lanes where the blonde girl’s group was bowling and grunted, “One of the little shits that my niece is friends with threw a ball right after another kid and hit the thing that pushes the pins out of the way, and now it won’t go back up. Can you fix it so their days won’t be ruined?”

You couldn’t tell if her was mad at the lane or at you; it seemed like he was angry in general, judging by the deep creases between his eyebrows. Best to take a cautious approach with him.

“I can’t fix it, but I can call the tech. Just a second.” You grabbed the intercom, but didn’t click it on. “It’s the gate on 15, yeah?”

“The what?”

“The black sweepy thing, on Lane 15?”

“Oh. Yeah.”

Quickly, you called out, “Pete, I need a gate reset on Lane 15, please” over the speakers. Then you turned back to the tie dye man.

“Cheers,” he said. “Phoebe will be happy now.”

“That’s your niece? The blonde girl?”

He nodded. “Yep, that idiot.” He smiled and waved toward Phoebe, who was trying to get his attention. “She made me this shirt. I wouldn’t have picked it, but she made it, so I wear it to all her things.”

“It’s a good look. Matches the décor here,” you teased. “I almost didn’t see you, and you were right in front of me.”

A grunt was the only response you got. Fearing you’d been rude, you cleared your throat and continued. “Well. I’ll be here for the rest of the day, if you guys need anything else. You know where to find me.”

Another grunt, and eyebrow guy was gone, leaving you to put your head on the counter in embarrassment. That was so awkward!

You stewed in your awkwardness for another half an hour; nobody else came in to distract you. Distraction didn’t come until you got a call from the snack bar, signaling that they needed you to run the pizza to Phoebe’s group. Inwardly groaning, you picked up the tray and a stack of plates, and expertly balanced them as you walked to Lane 15. Phoebe and her friends were excited to see you, and their enthusiasm evaporated some of your self-pity. These seemed to be good kids.

“Okay,” you said, putting your hands on your hips and leaning down conspiratorially, “I only have two rules for you. Rule Number One: No pizza or drinks on the approach. Rule Number Two: I don’t want to see any pizza fingers in those balls, because someone will have to clean them.” You pointed at yourself as you said “someone,” which made all the kids laugh. “And Rule Number Three-”

“You said there were only two!” interrupted a young boy. Tie dye guy glared at him.

“Well, I lied,” you shrugged. That got a laugh from everybody. “Rule Number Three: Help Phoebe have a happy birthday!”

All of the kids cheered. Satisfied, you walked over to their grown-ups. “If you guys need anything, I’m Splits.” You tapped your nametag, bearing the kitschy bowling nickname that the manager had made you pick. “I’ll be at the counter.”

Your nickname drew a few chuckles and sympathetic smiles. One of the younger adults, who you also recognized in addition Phoebe's uncle, fixed you with a flirty look.

“Do they call yah that because you can do the splits, or…?”

“No, because I leave plenty on the lanes.”

He looked like he was trying to come up with another quip, but Phoebe’s uncle elbowed him in the ribs. “Shut up, Jamie. Not everyone loves you.”

Jamie, unperturbed, elbowed him back. “Whatever, Coach. It was worth trying. Sorry, Splits.”

You realized where you had seen him before. AFC Richmond was the local football club, and the young man was none other than Jamie Tartt. And now that you had figured out who he was, you had to ask, no matter how much it pained you…

“Can I get a quick photo? The owner likes us to whenever we have a celebrity guest.”

Jamie’s chest puffed out before he looked at tie dye man; you got the feeling his coach had lectured him before about showboating. “Sure, yeah, if that’s how it’s done here.” He checked his hair and grabbed a bowling ball. “Where do you want meh?”

“Uncle Roy should be in the picture, too!” piped Phoebe, shooting her uncle a pout. “He’s more famous that Jamie!”

The man you’d talked to at the counter, who you recognized but didn’t know where from, was named Roy? And Jamie had called him “coach?” Was he Roy Kent? How had you not realized?

It had to be the tie dye. Had to be.

“Fuck no, I’m not getting in a picture with that prick.”

“Please, Uncle Roy?” pleaded Phoebe. “It is my birthday.”

A grunt. You were beginning to think that they were his primary language, in combination with swearing. Roy Kent stood up, rolled his eyes, and got next to Jamie Tartt, glowering.

You reached into your back pocket and took out your phone to check how things looked. Bowling alley lighting was never great, but it was especially bad today. Jamie popped, because of course he did, but Roy melted into the wall, his obnoxious shirt effectively camouflaging him.

Thinking quickly, you went to the racks, grabbed a bright blue bowling ball, and brought it to Roy. He just stared at it.

“And what am I supposed to do with this? Throw a fucking strike on camera?”

“No, I just need you to hold it,” you huffed. “The camera can’t see you; your shirt blends in too much. Just take this, please, and this can be over.”

Without giving him a choice, you pushed the bowling ball against his arm. He took it awkwardly, his fingers brushing yours. You thought he shrank into his shoulders after that, but it could have just been him settling the weight of the ball, so you couldn’t be sure.

You took the picture and sent it to your manager, who started freaking out and texting a sentence at a time, but you retreated back to your counter after that. The rest of the afternoon went quietly. Phoebe’s party ended, and you watched as Roy and Jamie gathered all of the kids’ rental shoes and brought them up to you to return.

Sorry for flirting with yah earlier,” said Jamie, dumping an armful of footwear. “Old habits and all that.”

“It’s no problem,” you replied.

He gave you a wink and sauntered off. Then Roy deposited all of the shoes he was carrying.

“Thanks for being cool. Phoebe enjoyed it.”

“My pleasure. Sorry for the picture.”

“It happens. People are weird about fame.”

“Sorry all the same. Hopefully it wasn’t too awkward.”

Roy Kent wouldn’t look at you, and instead focused on a spot on the counter. Then he gave a last grunt and walked away, sticking out a hand to hold Phoebe’s. You watched them leave before grabbing a bottle of disinfectant to spray down the shoes. As you did, you mused that, for being a football manager and a player before that, Roy Kent was really awkward when it came to being recognized.

The sound of running feet tore your attention away from your thoughts. You looked up, ready to shout at some kids for horseplay, but it was Phoebe, running back to the lanes and grabbing a jumper that she had left. Then she jogged back to the desk, stopping on the way out.

“I had a really fun time,” she said.

“I’m glad,” you replied warmly. “I hope to see you come back.”

Phoebe smiled. “I think I will. I overheard Uncle Roy telling Jamie that he shouldn’t call strangers ‘fit,’ even if they are, and I think they were talking about you. Bye!”

She pranced off to rejoin her uncle where he was waiting for her at the exit, taking his hand once more. You could see them talking, and something she said made him look up abashedly at you. He held your gaze for just a moment, then threw Phoebe over his shoulder and stomped away. You had the rest of the night to ponder the fact that Jamie Tartt and maybe Roy Kent had considered you attractive. It made up for the awkwardness of the photo. Almost.

[ladylaviniya]

Lassoed In Love

Chapter 2 || Masterlist || Chapter 4

Chapter Summary: Clark drives you home and reveals a dark detail about himself. You have to wonder if it's true...you get hints about how nosey and prejudice the town can be.

Pairing: Farmer!Clark Kent X Teacher!reader

Chapter Warnings: 18+ Dead Dove Do Not Eat, (No Sex In This Chapter), Slowburn, Mentions of Rape, Mentions of Prison Conviction, Violation of Privacy, Debating Parenting.

Word Count: 3k

Author Notes: Sorry for publishing almost 2hrs late. I have been battling a bad case of influenza and just woke up. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also, please remember this is a purely fictional story. I like to specify that it's important to believe and trust people who claim to be victims of abuse, just because someone treats you kindly doesn't mean they don't have the potential to harm you too. If anyone tells you they've raped someone or done time for rape even if they weren't guilty, always stay vigilant! Stay safe! Preferably stay away! Lassoed in Love is specifically fiction and Clark Kent's accused convictions are false.

Inspiring Song: "Monster" by Imagine Dragons

“Can you be at my house at six thirty? Or would you rather I come here? I am unsure how late the bus runs or if there’s a taxi service in Smallville.”

You both moved to leave her room, walking down the hall, back to the living room, near the kitchen.

“I’ll come to your house,” Lara suggested, “You’re near the town right? I might need to...I reckon dad’s getting no where with your car. I can see him out there shaking his head.”

Veering into the kitchen, you went to wash your hands in the sink, the blood that had dried over them washed clean away in the soap suds.

“Do you know where Ms. Gwendolyn-Lee lived?”

She thought for a moment, “Oh yea...wait...you look like her a bit.”

“She was my great great aunt. I inherited the house,” You peered out the kitchen window, “Shouldn’t your father be back by now?”

She grit her teeth and sucked in a breath, she stood briefly out of the kitchen to look at the mesh fly screen door. She popped her head back into the kitchen and said calmly, “Here he comes now.”

As he trudged up to the porch, he carefully stomped his muddy boots, scraping off the excess dirt before he swung open the door. His deep navy gaze swept over his daughter, then turned towards you. His eyes widened subtly as he took in the sight of his old flannel shirt on your body, but he refrained from making any comment about it.

“Get your things together,” he instructed. “I managed to hook your car up, got it out of the gulley, but I doubt there’s much to be done, I might suggest it’s scrap metal now.”

His dark face was expressionless, as usual, but you sensed that he’d made up his mind and wouldn’t budge.

Clark looked at his daughter. “Have you said what you wanted to her?”

You nodded and looked to Lara.

“Yes, she did.” Lara met her father’s eyes squarely. “She’s going to tutor me. I’m going to try to get into the military, take a ASVAB test and apply to be a diesel mechanic or even engineer.”

His eyes widened again. Lara appeared nervous with the way her hands balled and unfurled at her sides.

“It’s your choice. Just be sure you’re confident, knowing what you’ll be getting into.”

“I have to try.”

Clark nodded once, his firm gaze indicating the conversation had ended there. You turned to bid farewell to Lara, your gesture was met with her shy wave back. Following her father out onto the dirt path lining the side of the road, you couldn’t help but acknowledge the hint of concern in his words.

There, just off the path stood your car, hooked onto a tow bar at the back of his rusty blue truck, your cars crushed bonnet bearing testament to your recent misadventure.

He had done so much for you, rescuing you from a potentially hazardous situation, providing comfort, and now, he was even helping to tow your car. Additionally, he had kissed you in a manner that left your senses reeling. You couldn’t help but acknowledge that Clark was indeed a formidable individual.

Your cheeks grew hot as you recalled the memory of those searing kisses, their fiery intensity still lingering in your memory. Never in your life had you been so forward with a man, and the thought of your unconventional actions left you feeling both mortified as equally aroused.

You hastily clambered into the passenger seat of the pickup truck, your movements lacking any semblance of grace as you tried to maintain a proper, respectable demeanor. You fidgeted with your hands, clasping them primly in your lap, while your feet remained side-by-side, neatly placed on the floorboard. When Clark rejoined you in the vehicle and settled into the driver’s seat, you bit your lip, but his gaze didn’t so much as flicker in your direction, leaving you to grapple with your own embarrassment.

He casted a sardonic look after turning on the engine. “I can’t just drop you off at some random house lady. Where do you live?”

You realised sheepishly that you had been lost in the memory of Clark’s intimate kisses. You found yourself acutely aware of every movement, as the strong muscular expanse of his thigh shifted against yours, the heat of his skin palpable even through the thick denim of his well-worn jeans. Your noted that you were sitting in the middle of the seat, with very little space between you, it made you feel strangely constricted and breathless. The proximity to him was both overwhelming and exhilarating.

“Down Crow Street first house on the right,” you said hastily, and slid over by the window.

“Ms. Gwendolyn-Lees house?” he murmured.

You nodded.

Clark couldn’t deny that he relished the feeling of your presence beside him, the way your body gently brushed against his arm and leg with every gear change. However, despite the undeniable attraction and comfort he found in your proximity, he didn’t verbalize his appreciation. He acknowledged that things had spiralled out of control earlier, but he made a conscious choice to prevent any further escalation. At present, Lara’s situation occupied his thoughts, and her well-being overshadowed any personal desires or distractions, even for your warm body into his arms.

Clark’s voice dropped to a low, velvety tone that sent a chilling shiver down your spine, as you could discern the undercurrent of menace in his words. He continued, “The Army... it’s a tough climb for a girl, regardless of how much they claim to be feminist-friendly these days. There are those waiting to step on her toes and push her around at every opportunity. I don’t want Lara to getting hurt because you want to play miss goody-two-shoes.”

His eyes may have been solidly on the road, but you could see how they were filled with anguish, confusion and fear all at once. He chewed his pink lips and whispered something under his breath. He was fearsomely protective of his daughter even from you.

Clark’s attempt to intimidate you fell flat as you defiantly turned to face him, your eyes ablaze with defiance. You matched his intense gaze with unwavering determination and challenged his accusations with a spirited fervour.

“Mr. Kent,” you asserted with a resolute lift of your chin, “I never promised Lara that she would be guaranteed a military career upon completion of her studies. She fully acknowledged that fact. However, her academic standing should be more than sufficient for consideration, provided she enrols back into school to earn her diploma and fulfil the necessary credit requirements. That is the offer I made to her: a chance.”

His hands tightened on the wheel.

“And if she doesn’t make it? If she fails?”

“She wants to fix automobiles, Mr. Kent. Even if she isn’t accepted, at least she’ll know she tried, and she’ll have a decent qualifying diploma for the future.”

“So she can do exactly what she would have done without the diploma. You know what I call that? Fancy toilet paper.”

You rolled your eyes and gagged, “Mr. Kent, I believe you may be undermining your daughter’s true potential. She has demonstrated remarkable intellect and maturity for her age. On Monday, I plan to reach out to my network of contacts within the military community for further information on the necessary qualifications and requirements, including AFQT score prerequisites.” You held up a finger and wagged it a little, “Rest assured that I am fully committed to exploring every possible avenue to help your daughter achieve her aspirations.”

Wagging your finger at him? Oh, if you were his women, oh how he would’ve pulled over and belted and fucked you on the bonnet of his pick up, stark and cold in the middle of the afternoon.

He swallowed hard, trying to fight the sudden hard on growing in his jeans. He needed to scare you away. He couldn’t let himself see you again, even if it ruined Lara’s chances.

“The people in town won’t appreciate you tutoring her. They’ll gossip.”

You snorted, gossip? Why should you even care? “Why? Because their incompetence allowed a high achieving student to sliip through their fingers? Just let me handle them, Mr. Kent.”

He sighed long and hard, shaking his head a little. He pursed his lips and fell silent.

With the journey nearing its end, the dirt path road stretched out in front of you, its length having seemed endless moments ago. Clark remained silent as he navigated the remainder of the route, leaving you no choice but to respect the silence that enveloped the vehicle. Your mind raced with thoughts and emotions, a myriad of unresolved issues swirling in the wake of his words. The old house where you resided materialized on the horizon. As the vehicle rolled to a halt, its engine purring to a standstill, the silence persisted, the air thick with unspoken tension and lingering questions.

He quickly turned off his engine and looked up the road at the other houses in the neighbourhood, praying no one would see you both. His hands were still clenching the steering wheel. A deep worrisome sigh left his lips, he broke the silence with a calm warning, “It’s not just about Lara. If you want to ensure your own well-being, I suggest you refrain from speaking to anyone about our encounter. I’ll take the liberty of transporting your car to Frank’s auto repair, see what he can do. However, it would be wise to resist the urge to tell anyone about this, us, meeting.”

“Why?” You said in disbelief.

Clark faced you fully and leant forward slightly as if he was about to tell you a hilariously dirty joke...he smile and said a little too whimsically, “Because lady, I’m an ex-con. I did time for rape.”

The thumping jump your body made against his door while you scrambled for the car handle latch was obvious. He continued to sinister smirk, his brows raised as he waved you goodbye. Your throat felt impossibly dry. Your mind a tad dizzy.

You left the vehicle without uttering a word in response to his bold statement, silently cursing yourself afterward for your lack of a fitting comeback. His words had struck you to your core, leaving you momentarily stunned and unable to react. Rape! The very thought filled you with a deep sense of revulsion and disbelief. Your mind couldn’t help but dwell on the fact that you had kissed him, and the realization left you feeling shaken to the core. Finally, you hastily bid him farewell and informed him that Lara would be arriving at three thirty on Monday, before hastily disappearing into the house. You tried not to feel guilty when you made sure to lock the door behind you. He had helped you after all. He had pulled you out of your own car....but he had also indulged and kissed you. If Lara had not come...would he have....

As the hour ticked by, reality gradually sank in, and you found yourself standing alone in the antiquated kitchen, observing your cat Oz devouring his wet and dry food with relish from its gleaming silver bowl. You couldn’t help but reflect on the man and his outlandish claim, feeling a surge of defiance rising within you. You scoffed outwardly, muttering to yourself, “What complete nonsense! If that man is truly a rapist, I swear I’ll...I’ll...roast you for Thanksgiving, Oz.”

The ginger feline looked remarkably unconcerned. After all, he was just a lazy fat cat. Did he even know what thanksgiving was? You appreciated his lack of reaction, as if it confirmed your judgement being almighty and wise.

The realization that Clark had not unequivocally confessed to rape gave you pause. He had stated that he had served time in prison for rape, a revelation that seemed to open the door to a myriad of ambiguities. The perplexity deepened as you recalled Lara’s accounts of her outcasted and ignored existence. This notion puzzled you as to why Clark would have been granted custody of his daughter if the charges held any truth. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the matter, one thing was certain: your instincts whispered vehemently that Clark was innocent.

The man who had saved you from a life-threatening situation, gently cleansing your wounds with his tender touch and soothing your aching head with the coolness of an ice pack, had also bestowed upon you a kiss filled with a warmth that seeped into your very being. His actions stood in stark contrast to those of a man capable of causing harm to a woman. It was he who had halted the tender exchange of kisses between you, even as you had willingly surrendered yourself to his embrace.

It seemed utterly ridiculous to even entertain the notion that he could be a rapist. True, it may not have taken much restraint on his part to halt the intimate exchange of kisses, given that you weren’t considered conventionally attractive and your inexperience. Yet, as you pondered the matter further, you couldn’t shake the memory of the undeniable physical response of his erection you had felt, a reaction which spoke volumes in its own right. Perhaps he’d simply been deprived of physical outlets for some time and you had unwittingly provided an opportunity, but there was still no hint of violence in his touch.

Perhaps Clark Kent was already aroused and you had unwittingly ignited a flame within him, to you his spark that lit up his desire would remain a mystery to you. Nevertheless, you couldn’t dispute the fact that he had not abused his position or forcibly taken advantage of you. Except...What if he had?

As your heart raced with a powerful, rhythmic beat, an intense warmth pervaded your being. A throbbing, insistent ache manifested deep within you, causing your inner muscles to contract involuntarily. Without even thinking, your hand instinctively sought temporary relief under your skirt before, startled by your own actions, you pulled it away abruptly.

What if, instead of merely halting the kisses, he had taken the initiative to touch, cup, and caress you with his hands and mouth? The mere thought of this sent shivers of desire through you, leaving you feeling as if you were melting in response. Your mind raced with fantasies of his touch, and you found yourself involuntarily pressing your thighs together, desperate for relief from the profound ache that consumed you. A low, involuntary whimper escaped from your lips, startling the cat resting nearby.

The question loomed in the air: would you have actually tried to halt his advances? Could you have summoned the strength to resist the allure of his touch? Or would you now be standing there, your body quivering with excitement as memories of shared passion consumed you instead of simply imagining it? Your body hummed with anticipation, stirred not from a place of true understanding but from the awakening of primal desires.

The intensity of the passion you had experienced had been utterly foreign to you, vastly different from the joyful hum in your bones you held for knowledge and teaching. Discovering that your body was capable of such powerful sensations was a harrowing realization, as you had long believed that you were not one to experience such grand arousal like others bragged about in your age group. You weren’t some kitten in heat, no, you were like a forest fire ready to burn the earth in pursue if the same touch Clark Kent had done to you. Now, your own flesh seemed to whisper secrets that left you feeling betrayed, and your thoughts and emotions danced to an unfamiliar tune. It was as if your very being had been transformed into something unfamiliar and intoxicating. Something wickedly beautiful.

In that moment, it became undeniable. Lust had consumed your very being, a sensation ignited by none other than Clark Kent himself. This realization was both marvellous and mortifying. The potency of your feelings was overwhelming, leaving you both astounded and humiliated by the depth of your desire.

On Monday, you made a hasty lunch break phone call to an old college friend who served in the air force to inquire about the process of making sure Lara’s studies would count towards her diploma. Despite your qualifications, there were still numerous forms to fill out before she could earn the necessary credits via private tutoring. You placed the call from the ancient pay phone in the underused teacher’s lounge, a cramped space that only held three chairs, a table, a mini-fridge, and a coffee maker. Surprisingly, Lana Lang, the eighth grade teacher, popped into the room as you were talking.

“Y/N, are you feeling ill or anything?”

“No, I’m alright.” You stood, “I was making a call.”

“Oh. I just wondered. You’d been in here alone for a while, and I thought you might not be feeling up to hall duty soon.... Who were you calling?”

The query had been posed without a trace of hesitation, reflecting the unfiltered openness characteristic of Smallville’s close-knit community. Lana, a local who had grown up in the heart of the town, had once held the title of prom queen. In this close-knit environment, secrets rarely remained hidden for long, and the exchange of personal information was a common occurrence. You felt unperturbed by Lana’s unabashed curiosity, as you were already accustomed to such directness within the confines of this intimate community, where small towns functioned as extended families. At first you found such things rude and personally invasive.

“An old college friend. I needed some information on teaching requirements.”

Lana’s expression turned to one of alarm as she spoke, “Are you questioning your qualifications? The school board will be absolutely distraught if there’s an issue. You have no idea how difficult it is to find a teacher with the proper credentials willing to move to such a small town. They were at the brink of panic before you agreed to take the job. Without your arrival, the children would be forced to commute over sixty miles each day just to receive an education.”

Or attend homeschooling like Lara Kent.

TO BE CONTINUED....

“Actually, it’s not that,” you quickly explained, seizing the opportunity to delve into your intentions. “I’ve been contemplating the idea of initiating private tutoring, as I believe it might benefit the children.” You deliberately refrained from mentioning Lara Kent, respecting her father’s request for discretion. Relief washed over Lana’s face as she concluded that the situation wasn’t dire.

“Thank goodness it isn’t bad news,” she sighed, waving goodbye and offering a smile before withdrawing her head from the room, her curiosity sufficiently quelled.

You sincerely hoped that Lana wouldn’t mention your plan to Beryl Braverman, the third-to-fifth grade teacher, but you couldn’t deny that the likelihood of secrecy was slim. Information had an uncanny way of propagating swiftly in Smallville, leaving little room for concealment. Lana exuded warmth and humor in her teachings, mirroring your laidback approach. However, Beryl’s strict demeanor and abruptness with students left you feeling unsettled. You had overheard rumblings about Beryl considering an early retirement. Despite her shortcomings, her departure would undeniably upset the local board, as Lana had previously pointed out - it was almost impossible to encourage new teachers to move to Smallville.

    HELPLINES:

If you are a victim of sexual abuse, assault or domestic violence or know someone who is please reach out to these links that share helpline services, phone numbers or emails. Consent and respect is important in every relationship whether between friends, family or even strangers.

Australian Helpline Services

UK Helpline Services

American Helpline Services

India Helpline Services.

[whimsysgeekery]

Come one, come all ye dice goblins! ✨

A week or so ago I hosted an online RPG week (you may have seen the blazed post...), and I bought too many sets of dice to giveaway during it. Which means I have two extra sets to giveaway!

Fill out the entry form before September 22nd at 11:59pm to enter!

Enter at https://dice.geekgirlre.com

Official Rules at https://rules.geekgirlre.com

Why should you trust this random Tumblr user with the information on the form? Because I'm a licensed real estate agent which means you can complain to my broker or the WA DOL if I fuck it up.

Dice Giveaway Sponsored by:

Lindsey Dwyer, REALTOR® The Geek Girl Real Estate Broker 253-376-5228 Lindsey@GeekGirlRE.com Keller Williams Realty Mountains to Sound 15215 SE 272nd St, Ste 202 Kent, WA 98042 Each office is independently owned and operated.

Prizes Sponsored in Part by:

Chris de Leon, Loan Consultant (206) 351-5757 chris.deleon@newrez.com Caliber Home Loans - NewRez 821 Hiawatha Pl S #D Seattle, WA 98144 NMLS #1271735 & NMLS #3013

If you saw the previous blazed post with Chris' information as being at Hometown Lenders, that was true at the time! He has now moved to Caliber Home Loans (NewRez) in order to provide an even greater level of service to his clients!

[simshousewindsor]

CORONATION PART 5: THE FINALE

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: And so, as her father and his father before him did, Her Majesty now moves in her procession down the length of this abbey, in her beautiful gown with its long purple train. And she wears, as we see her now, the Imperial State Crown. In her hands, the scepter and the rod. The signs, that in her hands, justice and mercy are never to be separated.

Shon Gableton [SNN]: Exiting the abbey for the first time, The Queen and Prince consort greet the awaiting photographers and sims.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: History has been written and sung here today, in this warm and beautiful old building, where it has been written and sung for many hundred of years.

Shon Gableton [SNN]: Yes, but never before have we witnessed the crowning of the sovereign, or so many shared in her dedication, in this abbey church!

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: Her Majesty will hand the orb and scepter to a waiting footman before returning entering the 136-year-old Gold State coach.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: The ride back to the palace should be far more comfortable for Her Majesty than the journey here.

Shon Gableton [SNN]: I can't believe they fit her large train inside.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: Queen Katherine I and Prince Rainier are formally crowned and will now depart the abbey.

(crowd cheering)

Shon Gableton [SNN]: The crowd is going wild, Cameron! Her Majesty is very beloved by her sims.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: Indeed.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: We have thoroughly enjoyed watching the coronation of Queen Katherine I! We will be following Her Majesty's procession back to the palace where the entire royal family is expected to appear on the balcony. In the meantime, wow!

Shon Gableton [SNN]: Wow is right, Cameron! Can we talk about Prince Rainier! The first prince consort crowned, and he didn't kneel!

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: That was the biggest shock. I guess the monarchy is trying to appeal to the younger generation and eliminate many of those unsavory traditions.

Shon Gableton [SNN]: Crowds have lined Parliament Square Street as Her Majesty's procession passes.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: You can even see a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess of Kent!

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: The procession is moving at a walking pace with four Windsor Greys pulling the Queens coach.

Shon Gableton [SNN]: Are those royal guards following the state coach?

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: They are the Queens Guards. I believe a total of twenty-four are amongst today's procession guarding Her Majesty.

Shon Gableton [SNN]: Such splendor!

Shon Gableton [SNN]: Oh! The Duke and Duchess of Kent!

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: Their Royal Highnesses are first behind the Queen.

Shon Gableton [SNN]: The Duke removed his hat!

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: The procession is rounding Memorial Arch and will soon be at The Mall.

Shon Gableton [SNN]: Yes. Her Majesty is almost home. As the procession enters The Mall, we get a glimpse of the Grenadier Guards who have just joined the final leg of the procession.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: Upon returning to Buckingsim Palace, Their Majesties will receive a Royal Salute from the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Armed Forces who have been on parade all day. The Royal Salute will be followed by three cheers from the assembled service personnel, as a tribute from the Armed Forces on parade to The Queen and The Prince Consort on the day of Their Majesties’ Coronation.

Shon Gableton [SNN]: Just behind the Duke and Duchess of Kent are the Earl and Countess of Boykins.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: The Duke appears to have put his hat back on. The wind must have calmed down more!

Shon Gableton [SNN]: I just love his hat!

Shon Gableton [SNN]: The Earl and Countess appear to have had a lovely coronation. Boykins House will be issuing an announcement in the coming days. Royal insiders speculate Their Royal Highnesses are announcing a tour.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: So much to look forward to this year, Shon!

Shon Gableton [SNN]: As Queen Katherine enters the gates of Buckingsim Palace, we now look forward to the start of a glorious reign.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: We do, indeed! Other members of the royal family arrived by car and will be making an appearance on the balcony with Her Majesty shortly. It's been a magnificent Coronation Day!

Shon Gableton [SNN]: It has, Cameron! I can't believe it's over.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: Almost over! For me, the cherry on top of the cake is going to be the balcony wave! Coronation Day won't feel complete until Her Majesty greets her subjects from the palace!

Shon Gableton [SNN]: We'll be right back, after this commercial break, for the final moments of The Coronation of Queen Katherine I.

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: The Windenburg Royal Family appear on the balcony, with Her Majesty Queen Katherine I, as chants of "Hoorah, Hoorah!", "Long Live The Queen!" and choruses of 🎶God Save the Queen🎶 ring on.

Shon Gableton [SNN]: From us here at SNN, thank you for watching the Coronation of Queen Katherine I!

Cameron Dorly [SNN]: Long Live Queen Katherine I!

Previous | Beginning | Next - continue Heir Ascent (story)

Previous | Beginning | Next - continue Consort Redemption (story)

Previous | Beginning | Next - continue Second Place Countess (story)

[youngmasterwisdomperson]

I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes for a legitimately helpful superhero who isn’t just a cop with superpowers and even less accountability for their violent actions, and I think it largely comes down to whether I would consider their approach to hero work as more like that of a firefighter or, well, a cop. Because the stereotypical thing for a superhero to do is like, fight criminals, stop muggers, foil bank robberies, that sort of thing, but not a lot of superhero media acknowledges that crimes are largely just symptoms of large-scale socioeconomic and political issues.

I mean, sure, if you’re bullet proof or whatever and there’s someone who’s about to get shot, then by all means stop the guy with the gun. But crime fighting in my opinion shouldn’t be the main focus of any superhero. A great superhero only fights crime in the sense that a fireman might “fight” things like arson and building code violations. The primary goal of a superhero should always be to protect people from danger and take steps to ensure any given disaster doesn’t happen again, or if it does happen again, to ensure that they’ll be more prepared for it the next time around. A great superhero should be fighting to create a world that doesn’t need them anymore.

Well-written interpretations of Superman are especially good at this actually, with a very recent example in the form of the show My Adventures With Superman. This Superman’s goal is never once to fight the bad guys just for the sake of it or because they’re committing crimes and he thinks they ought to be put in jail or anything. In fact, I’m struggling to think of any example in that show where Clark’s motivation in a fight against the villain of the week was anything other than to get civilians out of harm’s way and then save the human bad guys from themselves. This Clark doesn’t want to hurt or imprison anyone! He’s extremely aware of his overwhelming strength and power and capacity to break things by accident, having grown up in a world that may as well have been made of cardboard, and when we see Supes out and about doing casual Superman things, the help he provides is almost never about catching criminals. Most of the time, he’s rescuing cats from trees, helping lost children find their parents, saving people from getting hit by cars, stopping bridges from collapsing, catching people who fall from high places, rescuing people from burning buildings, that sort of thing. This superman is a firefighter type to his very core.

Even when he defeats Dr. Ivo, a man who Clark has been shown to despise for the ways he’s been using his wealth to uproot people from their homes (and for the way he treats women), he doesn’t turn him in to the police. Instead, he notes his state of critical health as a result of the side affects of the Parasite suit, and brings him to the nearest ambulance. Even objectively horrible people who have done terrible things aren’t exempt from Clark’s desire to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Fighting supervillains was never about fighting evil for him. The goal was always to bring people to safety first and foremost, then to de-escalate the situation, neutralizing the source of the threat without causing anyone unnecessary harm. That is what Superman is all about.

Moving away from MAwS for the moment and into the characterization of Superman as a whole, I think that all too often Superman writers who don’t understand the point of the character undersell the importance of Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter in the ways Supes goes about helping make the world a better place. Far too often in media, superheroes serve only as defenders of an imperfect status quo. They prevent the villains from bringing about whatever change they have in mind that would make the world worse, but more and more often as of late supervillains have been written with pseudo-sympathetic goals and motivations. They’ll pay lip-service to real-world systematic problems and social issues, then proceed to immediately undermine the validity of their stated mission by attempting to fulfill their alleged motives through needlessly ruthless, violent and authoritarian means, which only serves to imply to the audience that any sort of societal change will only make things worse, and that the status quo is the best we can possibly hope for. A bad superman writer will have Superman help the world by punching bad guys really hard. A good superman writer will have him focus on protecting people and saving those in peril instead. But a great superman writer knows that Superman alone is not enough.

Saving people, while noble and righteous and something Supes alone could do to such an effective degree, is ultimately just a patch job. A great Superman fights for a world that no longer needs his help, and Clark Kent is a big part about how he does that. Systematic problems can’t be punched, and bulletproof skin can’t save people from it. Superman can’t encase police brutality in a block of ice, or cut systemic racism to bits with his laser eyes. The tools Superman uses to protect people in a direct, physical sense are therefore not the powers he needs to create real positive change. No, the only thing that can overcome that sort of monster is the spread of information. More specifically, the truth. That’s why out of all of Superman’s abilities, it’s his super hearing and X-Ray vision that offer him the greatest amount of power to enact positive change, because while both of those have their uses as the Man of Steel, they’re actually infinitely more useful to mild-mannered newspaper reporter Clark Kent.

Superman can take on pretty much any physical threat, which is why his greatest foes are always those who threaten the world with problems he can’t punch. Picture in your mind, if you will, Superman’s arch-nemesis. I don’t even have to say his name, do I? Sure, you might debate for a split second the importance of the more direct threats like Braniac, Doomsday, and Zod, but everyone knows who Superman’s true nemesis is, and it isn’t any of them. It isn’t anyone with special powers or the innate capacity to level entire cities, but instead Lex. Fucking. Luther. A human man. A rich CEO, a politician. The living personification of the problems Superman can’t punch. That’s why Clark Kent is so important. Because he’s a reporter for the daily planet. It’s his job to chase leads, seek out the truth and expose it to the world. And Clark hears everything. He knows how severely corrupt the police are, because he can hear them from his office. He knows how awful the prison system is, because he can see what goes on in there through multiple layers of concrete walls.

True, he has to hide his identity as Superman and thus can’t just tell his coworkers everything he sees and hears. And even if he could tell them, it would all amount to little more than hearsay. But Clark Kent can also just follow up on “anonymous tips,” or leave hints of a big story for his coworkers to find and sniff out for themselves. Honestly, being Clark Kent must take infinitely more restraint for Supes than being the Man of Steel, because if he follows up on too many tips or knows too well where to look for leads on too many scandals, he’ll draw too much attention to himself and lose his edge against the bad guys. Hell, even with ample amount of subtlety and restraint I wouldn’t be surprised if Clark came to earn something of a reputation around the office as the “spiders georg” of police corruption and political scandals. And all that on top of that one really good tumblr post about Clark cracking down on lead pipes in Metropolis. Like this man must be a journalism machine, the whistleblower to end all whistleblowers! Superman may be able to save the world, but Clark Kent is the one who can actually change it for the better.

Not to say Superman wouldn’t publicly speak out about these things as well of course. Save enough families from burning buildings and people are bound to start caring about what you have to say sooner or later. And what are the police going to do about it if fucking Superman calls them out? Shoot the man of steel? Arrest a guy who can melt through concrete just by looking at it? Call the fucking military to deal with a man who spends his time rescuing cats from trees and helping old ladies across the street? Superman represents everything that cops want us to think they are, and logically speaking he would fucking despise them. Because Superman stands for Truth and Justice. And all cops are bastards. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[lolahaurisfw]

˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ : Stardew Valley - Polyam Fam:;

Part 1/3: Demetrius x MILF! Reader, Robin & Reader.

Contains: F/M, Poly Relationships, Family Fluff, HC's, Pregnancy, Clingy! Shy! Teen Girl From Previous Relationship, Dad Isn't In The Picture, Curious! Toddler Boys w/ Your Current Mans.

A/N: TYSM for this request! It turned out way longer than i thought it would. So I'll be posting all three separately so you don't have to wait for them to all be done before i publish. 😭

~

・❥・Family Life!

What a blended family you have! 🙀 So many kids from so many different pairings, it was hard for your oldest child to get used to at first. She's usually very clingy, definitely a "mama's girl", so she was uneasy at the idea of you having so many other people to take your attention away from her.

Plus, now she had to meet and join a whole new family. She was worried they wouldn't like each other.

But eventually it all worked out when they finally started talking!

Maru was the easiest to meet, she's very friendly, not much older than her, and loves meeting new people.

Robin was also so kind, she's truly so motherly, never wanting anyone to feel left out.

Demetrius took some getting used to, he's never exactly sure how to parent a child who isn't technically his, he fears overstepping or coming off like he's trying to force himself into their life. Which in turn makes him seem like he doesn't care, but he does! He's just not sure how to deal with these types of dynamics yet.

But they became close in time, he was just the father figure your daughter needed! He was always conscious about his mistakes with raising Sebastian, and he made sure to try and not repeat it with her.

Sebastian was the toughest nut to crack. He'd never been a people-person, and he couldn't help but feel a little more isolated when more people joined the family, putting even less attention onto him.

But when he realized your daughter was an introvert like him, and also didn't have her father around, he felt guilty for excluding her, obviously knowing how bad that feels. So, he eventually opened up and started to hang out with her and Maru every once in a while.

Sometimes your daughter would actually join Maru & Demetrius in the lab, learn woodworking from Robin, or play boardgames with Sebastian, Sam, and Abigail!

You and Robin also developed a close relationship! It was awkward for you at first, since y'know, you're dating her husband and now sharing a bed with them. But she never let you feel uncomfortable around her!

Any worries that jealousy or resentment could be brewing between you two were soon gone when you realized she truly loved your company. Maybe she even had a crush on you herself. 🤭

You, Robin, Maru and your daughter actually started having "girl's nights" every Sunday 28th. Which usually entailed going to dinner at the saloon, then the movies, and then having dessert & playing a board game before bed.

And in turn, that forced Seb and Demetrius to have a father-son day! Usually they'd go to Ginger Island and meet up with Sam and Kent, then hit up the saloon for dinner before going home to meet you guys for the board game.

Overall the moving-in stage of the relationship was awkward at first, but now everyone is closer than ever.

...

Especially since you soon got pregnant with twins!!!

Seb and your daughter were first scared at the thought of more siblings, knowing it would change the dynamic even more.

(But as soon as your boys were born, they loved them right away hehe.)

Everyone was soo ecstatic when you got pregnant.

It'd been a long time since anyone in the valley had had any babies, so nobody could wait to meet them!

Robin and Demetrius were so sweet and helpful.

Demetrius made sure you had a well balanced diet and kept up with some light exercise.

He would also regularly lift things for you, not wanting you to hurt your back.

Just lots of acts of service!

Like: cooking more often, carrying groceries, making sure you're taking your vitamins or medications, leg & foot massages, helping you shower or dress as the pregnancy progressed, etc... etc...

He always made sure to go to EVERY doctor appointment you made, even if it wasn't for anything baby related lol.

He listened to all of Harvey's recommendations, and made sure you listened too haha. He wouldn't let you farm, mine, drink energy tonics, or eat fish or deli meat.

And if you had any pets before you moved in, he'll be in charge of cleaning up after them now.

He's a bit overbearing and smart, but you knew what you were signing up for. 🤭

Robin is of course by your side too! Esp later in you're pregnancy, always checking in with you and seeing how your feeling.

Caroline and Jodi couldn't wait to be aunts again as well!

Overall, your pregnancy was great! You had so much love and support from your family and everyone in the valley!

...

Once your twin boys were born, things definitely changed, but not in a bad way!

On one hand you were very tired, even with the help of others, the boys were never easy to handle. (That was especially true as they became able to walk.)

But on the other, you loved being a mom again, and you enjoyed being able to spend some extra time with Demetrius.

He never neglected Robin or the other kids though, instead, he took some time off of work and focused on being more family-oriented.

He's such a good dad too. He'd forgotten how much fun it is to play with and talk to babies.

I think he'd be a good (temporary) house-husband too! Since Robin had to look after your farm for you, and the older kids all had jobs, it was up to him to keep up with most of the house.

But as long as you were clear and specific about what needed to be done, he was happy to help!

Everyone was also a bit more clingy with you post-partum, they just couldn't help but wanna be around the new cute babies!!

But you didn't mind, it was nice to have a lot of people available to hold the babies or help you with tasks when you were tired.

It was also sooo adorable seeing your daughter get to know her new brothers!

And things only became more fun as the boys became toddlers, they for sure inherited their dads curious, knowledge-hungry nature. 🤭 Always on the move and trying to escape your arms to go explore.

They love spending time outside with you and Demetrius!

Even though they're only just now speaking sentences, Demetrius LOVES teaching them about the local flora and fauna as if they understand what he's saying. 😭

It's actually so sweet though, you'll be walking your mischievous little ones on a backpack leash through the trail behind your farm, and Demetrius will see some forage or an artifact spot or smth, and he'll immediately stop and pick it up, holding it up to the boys' faces and start telling them all about it.

Meanwhile they're just trying to grab it so they can either throw it or try to it eat. 😭

But you can't help but watch with hearts in your eyes, seeing 3 of the most important boys in your life have so much fun together. <3

[2braincellslz]

Caffeine

Plot: on out reach day, tyler gets really badly affected by the comments and weird looks. (Y/n) comforts him.

Warning: people being dicks and looking down on Tyler.

School wasn't… awful. Nevermore made at least a little bit enjoyable. There was always something happening or something to look forward to. Whether it was the poe cup or a Rave-in or something going on with wednesday. 

After everything that happened with the Hyde and Ms. Thornhill and the pilgrims, life seemed to slow down. Being at home was much less exciting than what happened. Going back to school wasn't even as interesting. The only real interesting thing was that Hyde (or Tyler) had broken free. 

It became a big hunt for the whole town but the longer and longer the normies were hunting the more and more guilt the kids and nevermore felt. 

Tyler wasn't in control. Tyler was being manipulated. He didn't deserve what happened. He dosnt describe what is happening now. 

Groups of kids (with the permission of the school) went out in search. After about three weeks, they found the poor blond, cold, alone, and practically starving.

They took him back, dressed up, and fixed him up. But then came the hard question, what to do with him? God knows that normies wouldn't accept him back into the town nor his dad. They couldn't just stick him back in the forest to be hunted. 

The student body (basically just the nightshades) along with the teachers and the new principal pondered long and hard on these questions. They were just going in circles at this point.

Till (Y/n) stopped it with a simple “What if he just stays at Nevermore as a student?”

“What?” Bianca asked, leaning forward over the table.

“He is one of us, technically, I could keep an eye on him. Keep him calm.” 

“It would be better than letting him run free.” one of the teachers piped up.

“Do we tell people?” Enid asked, leaning in to Ajax.

“I feel as if we should.” The new principal, Mr. Snow, added.

“This… this could… ugh.” Bianca sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Well, if (Y/n) is going to be the one keeping an eye on the hyde then it's probably best if they share a room.”

And so it happened, Tyler was moved into (y/n)’s room, became a student, and practically became best friends with (y/n) overnight. 

Waking up with a new roommate was a tad odd. (y/n) had become used to the day to day with Kent. One of the biggest differences was there weren't as many hair products. Like… a lot less. Another big difference was that (Y/n) didn't have a crush on Kent.

Curse (y/n)’s big mouth. 

When did (Y/n)’s crush on the local barista strat? A while ago. Before Wednesday. Now (y/n) was sharing a room and spending basically all his time with him. (y/n) didn't know if this was a blessing or a curse. 

Another big difference was the eyes. People were always staring. Whether it be at Tyler or (y/n). People stared at Tyler for obvious reasons while people stared at (y/n) because… well…

It didn't matter. All that mattered was that the people who had a heart, or at least half of one, tried their best to push Tyler to become an active member of the school and the community outside of the Nevermore walls. 

Speaking of being a part of the community outside of school, it was proving to be exceedingly difficult. 

Outreach day was the real problem.

Tyler and (y/n) were both assigned to work the coffee shop, not exactly the best idea with all the foot traffic, but they were there.

“(y/n).” Tyler mumbled, grabbing the others' attention.

“Hm? What's up? What happened?” 

“One o’clock.” 

(Y/n) looked up from the cup of coffee he was working on when his eyes landed on the sheriff walking through the doors, and today was going so well.

(Y/n) watched as Tylers (ex) Dad glanced around the shop and then stopped at you.

“Slip in the back, I'll handle this.” (y/n) looked back over but Tyler was way ahead of him.

“(l/n)” (y/n)’s attention was drawn back to the sheriff. He put on his best customer service smile and voice.

“Hey, mr. sheriff sir. How can I help you?” 

“Outreach day, huh?” 

“Yes, sir.”

“Where's Tyler?” Wow, really no beating around the bush.

“I don't think they gave him a job, with all that happened, Y’know?” (y/n) lied through his teeth.

“I heard from Mr. Snow that you had volunteered to keep an eye on.” 

(y/n) only gave the sheriff a simple nod.

“Hm.” the sheriff gave (y/n) the quick once over. “Alright. Tall black coffee.”

(y/n) whipped up his drink as quickly as possible. Thank god he didn't decide to stick around to enjoy his drink. The tension in the air was so thick that you could cut it with a knife.

Other people came and went through the coffee shop. Some couples and kids with their friends. Familys. Singles. Kids from Nevermore that got a break. 

What there was plenty of was staring. After a while, the staring at school seemed to slow down. (y/n) almost forgot the feeling of judging eyes. 

(y/n) couldn't blame them though. It was weird seeing a guy that you knew caused too much pain just working a normal after school job. Tyler was definitely being affected by it. (y/n) could hear the comments that were whispered a little too loud to not be heard. Tylers face would twist it something of discomfort but like he was trying to hide it. 

Reassuring comments where passed from (y/n) to Tyler every now and again when the traffic in to the store slowed down.

Something liked “they dont mean it.” “dont listen to them.” “they dont know you. The you now.” but it didnt seem to help. Tyler would just humm in acknowledgment and move on to the next thing that he had to do.

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

The rest of the day didnt go as smooth as (y/n) would have hoped, ethier. 

When the pait finally where allowed to crash back in to their dorm, the usaly nightly conversation or movie or game didnt happen, it didnt seem like tyler was in the mood but that wouldnt stop (y/n) from trying to get something out of him.

(y/n) sat next to Tyler on his bed as he was pulling his shoes off.

“How are you feeling?” (y/n).

Tyler shook his head, sighing.

“Its better if you talk about it, Man.”

“I know you herd what they where saying about me.” tyler didnt mean it but there was a bit of a bite to his words.

“They dont know the you now. They cant accept people can change.” (y/n) said softly, taking Tylers hand in his.

“They still ment it.” Tyler kept his head hung, not sarong to look at his friend. “I still did thoes things.”

“But you are working on yourself. You are getting better.” (y/n) layed his head on Tylers shoulder.

No one was ever going to forget the things the hyde did but Tyler wasnt the hyde. He was trying to get better. Trying to control the hyde. 

“Thats all anyone could ever ask.” (y/n) said, barley above a whisper. 

“I shouldnt have trusted her.”

“You didnt know her intentions. No one can blame you for wanting a mother.” 

“I should have tried to fight back harder.” 

“You tired your best.”

“I should have told someone.”

“She wouldnt have let you.”

“I wish i could fix everything i did.”

“You are getting better, Tyler.” (y/n) rubbed his thumb over the top of Tylers knuckles. “You wernt in controle and you are getting better.” 

A gentle silence fell over the room and the two shared the domestic moment. They had never really been this close before. Never really talked to eachother this gently before. 

It was…

Comforting. 

“You are too nice to me.” (y/n) could here the smile building in Tylers voice.

Tyler layed his head on top of (y/n)’s. (y/n) let his eyes close, just enjoying the moment. 

“Do you want to go to the Rave-in with me?” (y/n) asked softly, his voice barley above a whisper. 

Tyler chuckled softly. “Sure. wear something pretty.”

“I will.” (y/n) promised. 

[sapphicbookclub]

Reclaiming Love by Amanda Radley

Sarah Campbell told one tiny white lie.

The tech giant she works for moves her to a small Scottish island for six months to work on a classified project. She can’t tell anyone why she’s leaving, and lying to placate her overprotective mother is the only choice. Sarah’s fallen in love, she’s moving in with her girlfriend, she couldn’t be happier… She can pretend her dream woman exists for six months, right?

Sarah’s a tech genius and she’s better at firewalls than real walls. She arrives at the run-down cottage assigned by her employer and quickly discovers she needs help. Pippa Kent is a semi-retired structural engineer who’s done with love. She fills all her free time running a handywoman service on the island. When Sarah calls Pippa out for the most basic repairs, Pippa can’t help but wonder—often out loud—how anyone can be so inept at home maintenance.

Then Sarah’s mother suddenly decides to visit and meet her daughter’s wonderful new partner. With little option, Sarah begs Pippa to be her fake girlfriend. Only the more time they spend faking it, the less pretend it feels.

Genres: contemporary, romance

Get the book from Blackwell's with free worldwide shipping here!

[bluejaysandblackbats]

In The Soup

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam, Superfam

Summary: Jason Lives AU where he and Superboy become friends, despite Bruce's disapproval of Superboy. (ft. Jason's service dog, Gromit)

Chapters: 7/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Barbara Gordon, Conner Kent, Roxy Leech, Rex Leech

Relationships: TBA

Additional Tag: Jason Todd Lives, Jason Todd Has Chronic Pain, Jason Todd Has PTSD, Conner Kent is Superboy, Good Friend Jason Todd, Protective Jason Todd, Overprotective Bruce Wayne, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Disabled Characters, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne Get Along, Good Parent Bruce Wayne, Developing Friendships, Sneaking Around, Disguise, Fluff and Humor, Secret Messages, Hiding in Plain Sight

Chapter Seven: Field Trip

Conner followed Jason around the museum and couldn’t help but smile at Jason’s childlike wonder. “This is cat’s eye prehnite… I remember when they added it to the exhibit because Catwoman broke in and tried to steal it,” Jason declared, “It usually wouldn’t be worth much monetarily speaking because it’s only a semi-precious stone… But cat’s eye prehnite is extremely rare and at nearly five carats-. Oh! It used to belong to an heiress who mysteriously disappeared in 1923 while visiting her paternal grandmother. Legend says the prehnite jewel was the key to an even greater fortune, but nobody can figure it out.”

Hearing Jason gush about history, value, and legends was more amusing than the exhibits. Someone tried to push past Jason by moving his chair.

“Hey, you ever heard of saying excuse me, chump?” Conner snapped.

The guy gave him the finger, and Conner advanced forward. Jason grabbed his wrist. “Conner, it’s okay—.”

“It’s not okay. It’s rude. You don’t just—. Sorry, you were talking about the prehnite,” Conner whispered. He took a breath, and Jason smiled.

“Thanks for speaking up, but I get treated like this all the time… And I don’t like to make a scene when I speak up for myself,” Jason sweetly corrected him. Conner bowed his head as his cheeks heated up. “Still, I’m grateful that you spoke up for me.”

“Anytime… Um… You were talking about the rocks,” Conner replied, gesturing toward a dagger.

“Typical Gotham cult story. It’s an ornate dagger with a ceramic handle, one blue diamond with a Marquise cut,” Jason described, “The noteworthy thing about the story is that one of Bruce’s—. My dad’s relatives on his mother’s side… His great-grandfather’s niece got involved with a cult that convinced her that Gotham’s most elite families owed a sacrifice to ensure the success of future generations. She tried to kill her three-year-old son to ensure her daughter's success from a previous marriage, but she said she was overcome by a mysterious force and turned the knife on herself. She survived, but no one ever saw her again…

“However, I did some deep diving and found a book. The author claims it was a work of fiction, but the book’s events resembled the cult’s killings in perfect detail despite the killings happening ninety years before her birth. She was a little older than my dad’s mom.”

“Your grandma?” Conner asked.

“Not really… I didn’t know Martha, and I was adopted way after she died,” Jason replied, “My grandma’s in prison.”

“For what?” Conner questioned as Jason led him to the next exhibit.

“Child endangerment, among a laundry list of other things,” Jason replied casually.

“The botanical gardens,” Jason smiled, “It’s my second favorite exhibit.”

“How do you know so much about everything in this museum? It’s like you know a fun fact about everything here,” Conner chuckled, “It’s cool.”

“Wow, um-.” Jason’s cheeks went rosy, adding color to his near-alabaster face. “Um… I used to come here a lot… And I’ve been on the virtual tour over a hundred and twenty times.”

“Why?” Conner questioned. The question was innocent enough, but the tightness in Jason’s chest said otherwise.

“I was in the hospital a lot, and when I got out of the hospital, I was stuck at home in a body cast,” Jason answered, “This is my first full week of being out and about again.” Conner frowned and kicked at the air.

“So, you must be thrilled to be outside again… I mean—. Sorry, that was dumb. I’m glad we got to spend time together,” Conner stumbled over his words. “I should stop talking.”

Jason giggled. “No, keep talking. I needed the laugh,” Jason joked.

Jason didn’t want to say it aloud, but it was exciting to be outside again. It was strange to have a free range of Gotham after everything. He thought Bruce would never let him leave the manor again. His phone vibrated, reminding him to take his medication. “Wanna grab a bite to eat?” Jason questioned. “My treat.”

Conner nodded. They left the museum and walked down the street. They ordered fries and a malt. Conner dipped his fries in his shake while Jason took his medication. “Conner, can I ask you a personal question?” Jason innocently asked as he drank milk before spooning his malt out of the cup.

“Go ahead,” Conner replied.

Jason glanced at Conner and cocked his head. “What’s the deal with the stunts? What do you get for doing all that?” Jason questioned.

“Mostly flack. I get a cut from whatever merch my manager can sell, and I get to travel around,” Conner answered, “And it’s supposed to get my image out there and help me gain the people’s trust.”

“You recited that line perfectly, but I call bull. Stunts aren’t gonna help you gain squat. You look like an overconfident carnival attraction. They’re robbing you of your personhood by making you act like a circus clown for change,” Jason replied. He didn’t mean to be harsh, but Jason hated people taking advantage of Conner.

“Do you think I’m a showboat?” Conner questioned. He bowed his head out of shame and refused to meet eyes with Jason.

Jason rushed to swallow his malt and fries because he didn’t want Conner upset. “Mmph… No. You helped me and didn’t tell anyone, even though it would’ve boosted your image. Then you ensured I got home safe because you were worried about me. You’re a good person, Conner,” Jason reassured him.

“How do I get other people to believe that?” Conner questioned.

“Okay, I’m no manager, but I know PR. Try to back off from the press. They can twist your words any way they want. The less you say, the better… No more stunts. Only show up when you’re actually needed, and don’t make a mess. If you do, people love a good clean-up job. Don’t be performative… Be personal. Pay attention to what the city needs and become that,” Jason advised, “ It's a slow process, but people will like you if you're real with them. You've got the big 'S', but what are you gonna do to carry its legacy?"

"But, I wanna make it my own. I don't even want people to treat me like the next Superman… I barely know the guy", "Conner replied.

"You don't? I figured the big guy would have you on speed dial," Jason mumbled in shock.

"Nah, we try to stay out of each other's way. It's weird between us," Conner replied.

Jason frowned. "So, you don't have any adults in your life? And no, your manager doesn't count," Jason muttered. Conner shook his head and took a spoonful of Jason's malt. "Give me a spoonful of your peanut butter." Conner grinned. Jason made Conner feel normal, and Conner made Jason feel the same way. They were just two teenage boys when they were together and nothing else. It felt good to forget. Even if it was only for a while.

[vansandhands]

Tips for a Hassle-Free Move

Moving is rarely anyone's favourite activity. Even if it's a change for the best, it's regarded to be one of the most stressful events you might encounter in life. The moving house checklist has a list of things to do when moving house which might seem overwhelming, whether you move frequently or this is your first time. Moving is a time-consuming process, but we've broken it down into 10 easy tips for moving into a new home to make the move easier.

Website: www.vansandhands.com

The most important details to consider when setting the moving date, cleaning and organizing your space, getting quotes and hiring a moving company, contacting your utility supplier, and labeling and packing the boxes are: setting the moving date, cleaning and organizing your space, getting quotes and hiring a moving company, contacting your utility supplier, and labeling and packing the boxes. It is important to reserve the needed day off from work and make plans for the care of young children and pets.

Additionally, getting a written quotation from the moving company is important if the current one has expired. Finally, it is important to contact your utility supplier to tell them you are relocating up to a month in advance. The most important details to consider when relocating are to inform people of your upcoming move, know where all the necessary components are in your new home, clean your new residence, open the boxes roomwise, and purchase essentials for your new house.

It is important to inform everyone on your moving house checklist that you are relocating to prevent unpaid payments, gaps in service, and possibly identity theft. Additionally, it is important to know where all the necessary components are located in your new home, such as the stopcock or fuse box. Finally, cleaning your new residence before settling in and unpacking is important, as scheduling a cleaning team to come in before the removal company does, and opening the boxes roomwise.

These tips will help you move into a new home when you prepare to move the next time. Check out our Moving House Checklist for a hassle-free move.

[rotinthedark]

Thinking about what's keeping Sebastian in town besides the fact that moving to and living in the city is hella expensive and freelance work is unstable.

I think it's rly his sense of responsibility to his friends.

It's not a secret to anyone that he's the most mature of the three. He carries the brain cell. He thinks ahead and looks out for them. He picks them up when they're down and tends to them whenever they get hurt. His love language is Acts of Service for a reason. Caring for people in his circle makes him feel needed and wanted, which he craves with how his home environment deprives him of that.

Abby needs him to keep her from doing anything rash or impulsive. Make sure she doesn't hurt herself practicing her swordsmanship, and that she doesn't kill her parents in an argument. Doesn't do anything to threaten or sabotage her online schooling. Keeps her on track and gives her an ear whenever her own parents neglect/don't understand her.

Sam needs him even more. Kent has been away at war for years, with no guarantee that he'll return (since I set my default as pre-return unless stated otherwise). Jodi is essentially operating as a single parent of a new adult and small child. Sebastian helps her and Sam out so much, their house is practically his second home. He watches Vincent when he has time, he fully engages with Sam's band, tries to keep Sam's spirits up through his shitty Joja job and the bad way that his family is currently in. Not to mention that I'm sure Sebastian helps out financially when he can, too, since it's not a stretch to think money is probably tight with Kent gone.

He wants to move to Zuzu City. He's convinced its his only way out of his home. Yet, a part of him worries about abandoning his best friends. He'd still try to maintain their connection online and join in band gigs in the city, but he'd be losing that in-person aspect of it. He wouldn't be there every time one or both of them needed help.

It's a difficult thing to reconcile, which only makes the difficulty to save up the money he needs worse. The longer it takes, the more conflicted and guilty he feels.

[norirosewrites]

Horror Film Review: The Babadook

Subgenre: Psychological horror Gore Level: Minimal

“If it’s in a word, or it's in a look…YOU CAN’T GET RID OF THE BABADOOK!”

Yes, that Mr. Babadook, queer icon who brought us memes such as these:

The Babadook is a 2014 Australian psychological horror film written and directed by Jennifer Kent and starring Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman. As I’ve previously written, I have an interest in horror films that explore the complexities of family dynamics and parent-child relationships. After the letdown that was The Twin, I decided to keep my expectations minimal when I sat down to watch The Babadook. Little did I expect to be completely blown out of the water. (Or rather drenched in it, since I was reduced to a blubbering pile of mush at the end of the film.)

In a Nutshell (Spoilers): Amelia is a widowed single mother struggling to raise her six year old son Samuel. When Samual was born, Amelia’s husband Oskar was tragically killed in a car accident en route to the hospital. Amelia receives minimal emotional support from her sister Claire, and her only friend is her and Samuel’s elderly neighbor Ms. Roach. Samuel suffers from insomnia and becomes preoccupied with an imaginary monster, building makeshift weapons in an attempt to protect himself and his mother. Amelia is forced to pull him out of school when he brings a weapon to class and injures another student. One night, Sam asks his mother to read a pop-up book that mysteriously appears on their shelf called Mister Babadook that describes a humanoid monster with taloned fingers and a top hat that torments its victims once they “let him in.” Sam becomes convinced that the Babadook is real. Disturbed, Amelia rips the book into shreds and throws it in the trash collection bin.

Before long, strange things begin to occur in their home: doors open and close at random, Amelia and Sam hear bizarre noises, Amelia finds glass shards in their dinner and an apparent cockroach infestation in the wall behind the fridge that vanishes when social services workers come to check on Sam. Amelia blames Sam for these goings-on, but he insists that it’s the Babadook at work. The two of them attend Sam’s cousin Ruby’s birthday party, where Claire admits that she cannot stand to be around Sam and insists that it’s time for Amelia to move on from Oskar’s death. Ruby bullies and demeans Sam for not having a father. Out of anger, Sam pushes her out of her treehouse, causing her to break her nose. On the way home, Sam envisions the Babadook in their car and begins screaming hysterically, begging his mother “don’t let it in,” and suffers a seizure. Amelia takes him to a pediatrician who puts them on a waitlist for a child psychiatrist and prescribes a short course of sedatives to help him sleep.

The following morning, Amelia finds the Mister Babadook pop-up book on the front porch, reassembled and containing new, graphic images of her killing Sam, their dog Bugsy, and then herself, with a warning that the more she denies the Babadook’s existence, the stronger it will get. She burns the book and tries to report the stalking to the police after receiving an unsettling phone call, but has no evidence to present and leaves when she sees the Babadook’s suit assembled on the wall of the station. Later that night, Amelia sees the Babadook open her bedroom door and crawl up the ceiling before diving down and attacking her, prompting her to leave the lights and the TV on all night.

Amelia grows more and more isolated and erratic. She shouts at and demeans Samuel constantly and displays violent behavior by cutting the phone line with a knife and then aggressively waving it at him. She has more visions of the Babadook and hallucinations where she sees herself murdering Sam. Finally, she sees an apparition of Oskar, who promises to return to her if she “brings the boy” to him. The Babadook possesses her, causing her to break Bugsy’s neck and attempt to kill Samuel. Sam succeeds in luring her to the basement and knocks her unconscious with his homemade weapons and booby traps. She awakens tied up on the floor with Sam cowering nearby. She tries to strangle him, but he manages to lovingly caress her face, causing her to expel the Babadook. However, he reminds her “you can’t get rid of the Babadook '' before an invisible force pulls him upstairs to Ameila’s bedroom. She is able to rescue Sam, but must confront the memory of her husband’s violent death. Enraged, she screams at the Babadook, causing it to flee to the basement.

With the ordeal finally over, Amelia becomes loving and attentive towards Sam. The two of them gather worms in a bowl from the garden and Amelia takes it to the basement to “feed” the Babadook. The Babadook becomes agitated, but she manages to soothe it. It retreats into the shadows with the worms. Amelia returns to the garden with Sam, and the two celebrate his birthday together.

The WOW:

– You know how sometimes a piece of media will beat you over the head with the themes it’s trying to address? Yeah, The Babadook doesn’t do that, which is what makes this film work so well. It’s pretty apparent that the film grapples with trauma and grief, but it manages to do this without being on the nose: Sam celebrates his birthday with his cousin Ruby, who is close in age, because Amelia can’t stand to be reminded that his birthday is the same day that her husband died. However it’s left up to the audience to ascertain this through subtext. She doesn’t want Sam going through his father’s things in the basement, to which he replies “he’s my father, you don’t own him,” reminding his mother in his childlike way that his father’s death has left a hole in his life, too. It also portrays how children can become parentified when parents don’t address their own issues in a stark but deeply moving way: Sam tells his mother “I promise to protect you if you promise to protect me.” When Amelia is possessed and rampaging, he says “I just want you to be happy.” And even when she attempts to kill him, he tells her “I know you don’t love me. The Babadook won’t let you. But I love you, Mum. And I always will.” Even after Amelia is freed from the Babadook’s possession, it is Sam who reminds her that she was the one who let it in, and it’s her responsibility to get it out – which can only be done by finally confronting the reality of her loss. While the film doesn’t shy away from the use of the Babadook as a metaphor for trauma and what happens when it is left unaddressed, it’s careful to do this in a way that is tightly woven into the plot of the story instead of getting sidetracked with superfluous details or dialogue (it shows rather than tells, essentially).

– The stop motion and time skip effects were not only visually stunning; they were also employed in such a way that the startling, jarring moments when the Babadook makes itself known reminded me of the way that trauma can manifest out of nowhere when we’re triggered: one minute you’re going about your day, and then something unexpected may happen that puts you right back in that dark place you don’t want to be. It was another subtle but impactful way that the film invites the viewer to think about the nature of trauma without being overt. (Plus, what horror fan doesn’t love some creepy stop motion animation?)

– I appreciated that Amelia’s character was handled with a lot of sensitivity and care even in her ugliest moments. The way she interacts with the residents of the nursing home where she works shows that she is a caring person, and while Samuel exhausts and frustrates her, it is also clear that she loves her son, however imperfectly: early in the film she stands up for him, telling the school officials that he needs understanding instead of a classroom monitor and insists that they call him by his name instead of just “the boy.”  But one can be a caring person and a loving parent and also a flawed human who desperately wants time alone, peace, quiet, and adult companionship. There is a scene at the beginning of the film where Sam climbs in bed with her and begs his mother to read the same picture book twice before he falls asleep, which she obliges; after Sam falls asleep, Amelia scoots away to the far side of the bed to avoid him. It’s subtle, but there is so much emotion at the core of the small movement; it is possible to love a child and also need a break from them, especially when one is caring for a tiny human all on their own. The scene captures this in a very non-judgemental way and allows the viewer to build sympathy toward Amelia’s character early on to provide a strong foundation for the rest of the plot.

– The acting was phenomenal, especially from such a young actor on the part of Noah Wiseman. I wanted to reach through the screen to give Sam a giant hug, and I wanted to tell Amelia “You’re doing your best, friend.” (And I really wanted to give Claire a piece of my mind.)

The Meh:

– To be honest, I don’t have too much in the way of critique for this film; I genuinely feel that it’s one of the most well put together movies I’ve ever seen, from the screenplay to the acting to the effects. The only thing I would say slightly pulled me out of the story is a scene where Amelia fibs to a coworker who offers to take over her shift for the day that Sam is ill (in reality, he is being supervised by his aunt Claire after being pulled out of school) and decides to take an afternoon off for herself – which I cannot blame her for in the least. However, there is a shot of her eating ice cream watching passersby on a  couch. I felt a bit disoriented – is she eating ice cream in the middle of a department or furniture store? Why is there a random couch in the middle of a public walkway? I was really rather confused. However, of all the things that could go wrong in a film, this was pretty inconsequential. 😂

Final Thoughts:

I am childfree by choice, but all of my fellow Millennial family members and several of my closest friends do have children. I see both the joys and the struggles of parenthood that they experience and know that even when you have all of the support in the world, parenthood is not easy or even fun most of the time – and that even parents who love their children can have days when they question or even regret the choice to become parents. The Babadook is not the only film to address this, but I think it offers a starkly honest look at the trials of parenthood and motherhood in particular, and the circumstances that can tragically lead to child abuse or neglect. In a way, the Babadook isn’t really evil – it forces Amelia to “see what’s underneath” and confront the trauma that is keeping her trapped in her grief, unable to give her full love and care to her son. Confronting trauma, as well as our own mistakes that we may have made in response to trauma, is never easy or pleasant and it’s often a painful, terrifying process. But it’s also the only way we can heal and move forward into a better life for ourselves and our loved ones.

The ending reminds me of the lyrics to Hozier’s “Arsonist’s Lullaby” – “all you have is your fire/and the place you need to reach/don’t you ever tame your demons/but always keep them on a leash.” I interpret the fact that Ameila and Sam continue to “feed” the Babadook reflects that sometimes we do have to keep tending to the damage done by severe trauma – like therapy, medication if necessary, self-care, and learning to recognize and respond to potential triggers before they become problematic – especially in the way that Amelia comforts the Babadook when she feeds it. There is a certain beauty in that: for all the darkness life can hurl at us, people are capable of overcoming even the most unspeakable tragedies and change in the most transformative ways. You can’t get rid of the Babadook, but you can learn to make friends with it, if only you’re brave enough to face what lies in the shadows.

[redundant2]

Random British Royal tidbits

I'm reading "The Vanity Fair Diaries" by Tina Brown and came across this tidbit:

Monday May 26, 1986

"We had lunch with the preposterous Princess Michael of Kent, who looked about fifteen hands high in an orange silk wrap dress. She has developed a mad, false laugh and a new Lady Bracknell voice for dealing with inferiors. "Row-eena," she gushed at the cowed debutante she totes around as her "lady in waiting." "where is the Dom Perignon? It was sitting outside but those fooooools have taken it away! Find it!" (Mad false laugh.) "Isn't the service quite diabolical? Do shut the kitchen door, Rowena. I hate to stare into a kitchen!"

From The Vanity Fair Diaries by Tina Brown, p. 199

Princess Michael of Kent, nee' Baroness Marie-Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz, would have been 41 at the time of this lunch. She was born in the German-occupied Sudetenland in what is now the Czech Republic. Her father, Baron Günther Hubertus von Reibnitz, was a descendant of the ancient Reibnitz family, Silesian landowners, who trace their ancestry back to 1288. He was a Nazi party member and a SS calvary officer during WWII.

Princess Michael's mother was Countess Maria Anna Carolina Franziska Walburga Bernadette Szapary von Muraszombath, Szechysziget und Szapar.  The House of Szapáry is an old and important Hungarian noble family. Members of this family held the title of Imperial Count granted to them on 28 December 1722 by Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor.

Princess Michael's parents divorced n 1948 and she with her mother and eldest brother moved to Rose Bay, Australia. In the early 1960s, she lived with her father on his farm in Mozambique.  She then went from Vienna to London to study History of Fine and Decorative Art at the Victoria and Albert Museum.  

She first married an English banker in 1971, but divorced in 1977. Once month after her marriage was annulled by the Pope, she married Prince Michael of Kent, Queen Elizabeth II's first cousin. She has said that Lord Mountbatten played matchmaker.

The lady-in-waiting mentioned in the excerpt is The Hon. Rowena Hawke Leatham Sanders, daughter of the 9th Baron Hawke of Towton.

The Baron of Towton peerage title was created on 20 May 1776 for the admiral Sir Edward Hawke (of Scarthingwell Hall in the parish of Towton), responsible for a blockade of all French merchant shipping and the grounding of six French ships, and scattering of the rest, at the Battle of Quiberon Bay.  

Rowena Hawke's sister, Annabel, pictured above.

Rowena's father, Bladen Wilmer Hawke, 9th Baron of Towton, above. He served as a Lord-in-waiting (government whip in the House of Lords from 1953 to 1957 in the Conservative administrations of Churchill, Eden and MacMillan.  

Another of Rowena's sisters, Lavinia, married Nicholas MacLean-Bristol. She became a Justice of the Peace and lives in 15th century Old Breachacha Castle on the Isle of Coll in Scotland. This tower fortress was the stronghold of the MacLean clan. The Isle of Coll was granted to the MacLeans in 1431. There is also a new "castle" on this island, built in 1750, which is available to rent for just £1500 for a party of two for one week.

Rowena lives at Hankerton Priory, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, and borrowed a page from her sister's notebook, as her home is also available as an Air BNB rental - hosted by Rowena! Perhaps she will tell you stories about her days with Princess Michael if you stay with her?

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2777181?source_impression_id=p3_1676477115_Gba9bnmOeznlt0af

[forensicated]

Smiffina Episodes - Episode 287

Again, not a Smiffina episode but something huge that affects both of them is about to happen very soon so they still need covering as it contains background info.

Neil can't believe what Andrea has told him. He claims that he's fallen for someone who doesn't exist and that he's about to be the next headline because of it, with Andrea claiming she'd never do that to him. He asks her if she's ever used any of the information that he'd given her - she can't answer him. He can't trust her, despite his feelings. Andrea tells him that he has a story that will benefit Sun Hill and that in doing so the paper won't run the story about her undercover identity so she an leave without anyone knowing the truth. "Except I do." Neil swallowed, saying the next move is damage limitation... they tell Adam. Andrea claims there's another way, that keeps them together too. Neil refuses and Andrea tells him to do what he thinks he has to, leaving his office. Andrea is horrified to see him go through to Adam's office.

Colin lingers in Custody, watching Tony and Reg dealing with a rough arrest. He smirks and watches everything, with Smithy reminding him he's only a PCSO and not 'a proper copper' and sends him home.

A nervous Andrea arrives the next day, unsure if she still has a job. She's confused when Adam calls her 'PC Dunbar'. June finds her and tells her that DI Manson has asked for her to be seconded to CID for the day. She's surprised, but happy - and hurries upstairs. Neil is in robot mode, telling her to and in her notice at the end o the day. He refuses to allow her exposure to derail the serial rapist case and has invented some work for her to do in BIU so she isn't involved in 'proper police work'. Andrea begs him to reconsider, telling him they can still be together without it ruining his career. He won't listen and storms out the station to head to court.

On her way to BIU, Smithy is accosted by Andrea who tells him that they have a new area of investigation now they know that he is June's son. Smithy tells her to drop it as it risks his and Gina's job. She tells him she'll be careful and that she's going to dig into the Kent family who adopted him. "I told you yesterday that this is getting way out of hand. Why are you behaving like this?" Smithy asks. "Because too much depends on it!"

Colin is first on the scene just before Gabriel and Reg to a call at a garage where Colin used to work and where his friend is racially abusing an Asian customer. It's clear Colin is amused by the chaos and that he agrees with what his friend is saying. He's not impressed when his friend is arrested for damaging the customers car and the racial abuse. Reg reports this to Smithy and tells him it wasn't Colin who called it in but the gentleman being abused. He also tells him that the gentleman told him that Colin displayed a racist attitude - that Reg says he didn't see - but he did see Colin amused by it all.

Smithy finds Andrea digging into the Kent family. What a surprise, Gabriel's brother (or rather, Gabriel himself, but Smithy nor Andrea know this yet) has a full article where the headline mentions 'adopted son Gabriel Kent'. Quite impressive considering that Andrea's search term is just 'Gabriel Kent' with no keywords or narrowing down. She tells Smithy that Gabriel's brother (aka: Gabriel himself) was in the navy and he served in the Gulf. Jason Hardy - aka the sniper - also spent time in the Gulf with the special boat service.

She suggests that Gabriel knew the sniper through his brothers link. Smithy says it's no proof and MIT wouldn't be interested. He tells her to let it go. Instead she rings Bruce and asks him to look into it. Bruce gives her the number of a contact, claiming that if he can't help her, noone can. He tells her that her expose is ready - she hasn't got long for her big 'splash'.

In interview, Reg tells the man that Colin has it recorded in his record book that it was him who started being racist. He refutes it and claims that Colin laughed at him and didn't stop the abuse or help him. In another interview room, Smithy is interviewing the man arrested. He lets on the he knows Colin - he's even one of his referees on his PCSO form. Neither June nor Smithy believe Colin's claim that it was the customer who started it all. June says the garage owner could have leant on him and that he could still be worth keeping. Smithy disagrees, thinking he's inherently racist.

Bruce's contact is definitely no Bruce fan, Andrea reassures him that the story is her own and that it's her ticket away from Bruce's paper. She tries to sweet talk him and ask him and asks for his help and she claims that it's public interest for the story to get out. She admits she has her own reasons, but it's a story that needs to be told so the man can be locked up before he does anymore harm. The contact goes to make a telephone call and tells Andrea she's struck Gold. Kent and Hardy did a tour of the Gulf at the same time. There was an incident where innocents were targeted and the two were not happy with how it was handled officially so they dished out their own justice. There's apparently a photograph that backs it up...

Smithy questions Colin about what really happened, telling him they know that he's a friend of the garage manager AND that he was called personally on his mobile rather than it being an official call until the customer rang it in. Colin tells Smithy he thought he could handle it and that was why he didn't ring it in. He also claims that the racism was both ways and the customer started it. He tells Colin that it doesn't matter if it's his grandma, he is to be neutral at all times and that if he catches even a sniff of anything racist coming from him, he is out of the station. He walks off before he can answer Smithy. Luckily for him Andrea is in the doorway waiting for Smithy so Smithy cannot continue the matter with him.

Andrea tells him she's done it - she's found the link and will have evidence by lunchtime the next day and that Gabriel will not wriggle out of it this time. She goes to see Neil straight after, she tells him that she's nailed a much bigger story and that it's going to be the front page - she just needs 24 more hours. She claims they're off the hook as long as he can give her it and that they can be together. "By lunchtime tomorrow, all our worries will be over."

Neil doesn't know what to believe but he softens and allows her the 24 hours. She tells him she's booked a hotel - and he agrees to go with her. Unfortunately Bruce has jumped the shark and gives Jack and Adam a copy of the next days headline...

...after telling them that Andrea was called to give evidence in the Alan Kennedy trial.

[catierambles]

Public Relations Ch.6

Pairing: Clark Kent/Superman x Charlotte Danvers (OFC)

WC 1239

Warnings: None

@kingliam2019 , @greensleeves888 , @peaches1958

Oddly enough, there were no pictures of the two of them the next morning either in print or online. Probably because the guy had shoved Clark and he could press charges for assault if he so chose if the pictures were printed. Charlotte prepared for the meeting with her Acquisitions department, Melissa making sure the mini fridge was stocked with water as Charlotte went over the proposal ahead of time to familiarize herself with the basics. It was solid enough, but she still had questions to which she knew they had the answers.

“Charlie,” She looked up at Melissa’s voice through the phone, “Mr. Daniels from Acquisitions is here for your meeting.”

“Send him in, Mel.” Charlotte said and looked over as the door swung open. “Jeff, thanks for looking into this for me.”

“No problem at all.” Jeff said, “May I ask why you want to acquire The Daily Planet?”

“We’re not in the communications business and I thought it would be good to branch out a bit.” She said and he gave her a look. “Besides, as far as I can tell, nothing is being done with it and I see the potential for growth.”

“It’s not to annoy Bruce Wayne?”

“Not entirely, although that is a pleasant side effect.” She said with a toothy grin and he snorted, shaking his head. “What did Wayne Enterprises say when you reached out?”

“They’re willing to give it up.” Jeff said simply, “But they want something in return.”

“Of course they do.” She said with a shrug, “They say what?”

“The wind farm in the Adirondacks.” He said, “They’re looking to go deeper into clean energy.”

“Yeah, they’ve been eyeing that one for a while now.” She said, “How’s it pan out?”

“I looked over the earnings reports for the last two years from The Daily Planet and the farm and they’re…roughly the same? Not exact because of fluctuations and differences in the market, but not too far off to where we’d take a significant hit.” Jeff said and she sighed, swiveling back and forth in her chair. “However, I share your assessment of potential in The Daily Planet. Physical print has been slowly but steadily dying the more people move online and while the Planet does have a website, it’s barebones and hardly maintained, more a backup than anything else.”

“Okay, what’re you thinking?”

“I’m thinking we get a social media team in there, as well as a web development team. Strip the website down to its foundation and redo it. We also work on their social media presence, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, that kind of thing. Podcasts that are live-streamed, uploaded to their website, as well as put on podcast hosting services would go a long way. Put in place some kind of subscription service that takes the place of, or adds to, their newspaper home delivery service.”

“Podcasts of what?”

“Live interviews and discussions of current events.” Jeff said, “It would also cut down on their overhead as they wouldn’t have to wait for it to come out in print and spend the resources on that. Many people, myself included, like to listen to their news in audio form while doing something else rather than reading it. Not saying we get rid of their physical print altogether, just narrow the scope a bit.”

“Yeah, I have the Armageddon Update playing in the garage while I work on my cars.”

“Christopher Titus, really?”

“I like his comedy specials.” She said with a shrug. “What kind of growth are we looking at here?”

“Get the right person in front of the camera and behind the mic, either from in-house or outside, and we could see significant growth. The Daily Planet already has a fantastic reputation for integrity, we just need to capitalize on that and dropkick them into current times.” Jeff said and she put her hands on the top of her head, swinging back and forth in her chair as she ran the numbers in her head and thought about potential paths.

“I like it.” She said, “Do it. Work with Legal and the FCC. Start the process of swapping over ownership of the wind farm with the stipulation that they’re not going to go in and clean house. We don’t need any casualties here.”

“You got it.”

“Thanks, Jeff.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He said, “Of course, we wouldn’t do all this restructuring of the Planet until the ink is dry.”

“Oh, of course.” Charlotte said, “And talks of it doesn’t leave this office. Don’t need Bruce catching wind of it, backing out of the deal, and doing it himself.”

“Oh, absolutely.” Jeff said.

“Okay, get on it. Let me know if you need anything.” Charlotte said and he gave her a brief salute, leaving her office. Reaching over, she pressed the button on her phone. “Mel, I’m thinking sushi for lunch, you want anything?”

“Oh, I’m craving eel.”

“One unagi don, you got it.”

“Thanks, Charlie.”

“No problem.”

“Oh, the shipping company from Berlin called while you were talking to Mr. Daniels. You should be getting delivery in the next couple of weeks, but they’ll let us know if there are any delays.”

“Fantastic, thank you.”

“What is it with you and muscle cars?”

“I just think they’re pretty and they give me the happy tingles.”

“Yeah, I bet they do with the engines you put in them.” Melissa said and Charlotte cackled. “Also, Clark is basically a muscle car in human form, so that makes sense too.”

“Nah, he’s more a classic pickup truck.” She said, “Although he does like taking the Shelby out for a spin whenever he comes over.” She paused for a moment, thinking something over. “Hey, Mel, can you see if you can track down a 1954 Ford F100? The condition doesn’t matter, I’m going to fiddle with it anyway.”

“Not your usual flavor. Thinking about a present?”

“I’m flip-flopping the idea around.”

“Yeah, I’ll get on it. There’s bound to be one somewhere.”

“Thanks, doll. I’ll let you know when I order lunch.” She said and picked up her phone, bringing up the texts between her and Clark, typing in a message, and hitting send.

When’s your birthday?

June 18th why?

No reason ;)

Charlie.

Shush.

When’s yours?

July 10th

Marking it down. Dinner tonight?

Yeah, order in or go out?

I thought I’d make you something

That made a slow smile pull at her lips.

Oh yeah?

Yeah

My kitchen or yours?

Yours is better kitted out than mine

Thinking about it, she’s never actually been to Clark’s apartment in Metropolis, although he has mentioned it. Conversation for another time.

Let me know what you need and I’ll get it delivered.

Rather it be a surprise. I’ll be over at around 6 to get a jump on it?

Sounds good to me. I’ll send you the code for the spare key lock box so you can get in if I’m not home yet.

Thank you 🙂

They texted off and on for the rest of the day, although he refused to say what he was making her no matter how many times she asked and she found herself looking forward to it. Charlotte didn’t often have time to make food, opting instead to order in, so this was a rare treat for her. And the fact that Clark wanted to cook her something himself was just adorable in and of its own.