#how long before a country finally has the courage to do something?

[news4dzhozhar]

Israel holds female Palestinian rights lawyer without trial or charge

Ramallah, occupied West Bank – Two days before her arrest by the Israeli army, 28-year-old Palestinian human rights lawyer Diala Ayesh had been visiting Palestinian detainees in Israel’s Ofer Prison.

Little did she know that the next day, she would become one of the people she has spent her life’s work defending – a prisoner.

On January 17, Israeli forces arrested Ayesh at a checkpoint near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank at about 2pm. One week later, Israeli authorities issued an “administrative detention” order against her, meaning she will be held without trial or charge for four months.

News of Ayesh’s arrest spread quickly across the occupied West Bank. She has worked for years – often pro bono – defending Palestinian political detainees in both Israeli or Palestinian Authority (PA) prisons.

Her family are still in shock over her arrest.

“We feel that it is getting harder every day. The feeling of loss and of missing someone only increases – it doesn’t get easier,” her 26-year-old sister, Aseel, told Al Jazeera.

“Whenever I cry at night in bed, or feel like I miss her, I try to remember how extremely strong she is,” continued Aseel, sobbing. “We feel that we are the ones who are weak, and she is the strong one. We derive our strength from her.”

Targeted by Israel and the PA

Even while behind bars, Ayesh’s top concern is the other prisoners.

After October 7, when Israel launched its ongoing assault on the besieged Gaza Strip, Ayesh formed a volunteer collective of female lawyers to follow up on the unprecedented numbers of Palestinians being arrested by the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“She would train these female lawyers to conduct visits to the occupation’s Ofer prison, particularly amid this information blackout about prisoners,” Muhannad Karajeh, her former colleague and head of Lawyers for Justice, where she used to work, told Al Jazeera.

Ayesh and her team’s visits to these inmates in the only Israeli jail in the occupied West Bank were a small flash of hope as visits to prisoners in prisons in Israel were stopped after October 7.

“This group would act as the link between the prisoners and their families,” he continued.

A few weeks into her arrest, she told Aseel through her lawyer, to communicate with the families of the prisoners she had been following up with and to give them the latest updates on their sons, which she had written onto a notepad.

“She’s in prison, and we don’t know anything about her – whether she’s eating or not, sleeping or not, or what conditions she is being held in,” said Aseel. “Yet, all of her worries are to pass on a message from a male prisoner to his fiancee outside.

“That’s Diala for you.”

During her arrest, Ayesh was subjected to assault, threats, and insults by Israeli soldiers, according to the Addameer human rights organisation. She was transferred to Israel’s Hasharon Prison before being later taken to Damon Prison, where she is now being held.

Ayesh’s work as a human rights defender rose to the fore during her time at the Ramallah-based Lawyers for Justice, representing Palestinian political detainees in PA prisons. In July, she attended a session on behalf of the group at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

“She was like a power engine to her whole team and all the lawyers,” said Karajeh. “She has a big soul for volunteering, and people love her on the personal and professional level.”

Her efforts to monitor and document abuses against Palestinian detainees have made her a target for both the Israeli occupation and the PA.

During popular protests in the occupied West Bank against the killing of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat by PA forces in June 2021, Ayesh was “exposed to physical assault” by security officers, said Karajeh. She was among dozens of other women who were violated at the time.

Her family said, despite the difficulty of Ayesh’s arrest, they have been showered with love by people who came to support them.

“We were very shocked by how many people reached out to us after Diala was arrested,” said Aseel. “She is a social person, but it was so surprising to realise how many people were following her work.”

“This gave my parents a moral boost – it helped them to push forward and be patient,” she added.

Female prisoners

Tala Nasser, from the Addameer prisoners’ rights group, explained that Ayesh’s arrest comes amid a “violent mass arrest campaign” carried out by Israel since October 7.

The fact that the vast majority of the more than 6,900 Palestinians arrested in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7 have been transferred to administrative detention highlights the arbitrariness of Israel’s arrests, she said.

“This campaign includes activists, human rights defenders and political leaders,” Nassar told Al Jazeera, noting that it is “an attempt to silence them and prevent the exposure of the occupation’s crimes across the whole country”.

In December, Israeli forces also arrested political and civil society leader Khalida Jarrar, who was similarly transferred to administrative detention.

Despite releasing all but three Palestinian female detainees during the latest prisoner exchange with Hamas at the end of 2023, the Israeli army rearrested dozens. Some 80 female prisoners are being held today, all of whom are in the Damon Prison.

Among the 80 are dozens of women from the besieged Gaza Strip, but lawyers are forbidden from visiting them or knowing anything about them.

Several reports have emerged of female detainees from Gaza being physically beaten and abused, including an unknown number of them being held at Israeli military bases and not in prison.

Lawyers say conditions for all Palestinian detainees, including women, are unprecedentedly difficult. Eight Palestinian male prisoners have also died or were killed in Israeli custody since October 7, most of them in the days and weeks after their arrest.

Over the past few months, many videos have emerged of Israeli soldiers stripping, torturing and abusing male prisoners from both the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

“It is important to note that every female that is arrested is violated in one way or another,” said Nasser. “They are all facing threats, intensive strip searches, verbal assault and physical violence.”

[waayfo]

about you 1975 (zhongli)

There was something 'bout you that now I can't remember

You were sure, and very sure that it was the first time you two had met. In Liyue Harbor, which is busy as usual, you walk around just to enjoy the view. And that's where you met him.

He sat elegantly with a glass of tea in his hand. Sometimes he focuses on listening to iron tongue tian—which for you is very boring. His eyes seemed to be able to trap anyone who saw them because of its beauty. And to you, he is the definition of beauty (or maybe more than it). But most importantly, being around him makes you feel familiar. It's as if you knew him deeply and were always with him.

"Looks like something has caught your attention." The man said after taking a sip of his tea. You immediately feel embarrassed after being caught admiring him. "Ah, sorry for making you uncomfortable."

The man chuckled. "That's okay."

"I'm sorry but, have we met before?" Your curiosity can't stop you from asking. And you end up regretting asking because he'll definitely think you're really weird.

The man stared at the tea remaining in his glass, his eyes showing as if he was remembering a memory full of sadness. It took him some time to answer, "You can say that."

Obviously that makes you even more curious. "Huh?"

"You haven't changed." Now he looks at you with a smile. Not the smile he usually gives (how do you know this?), but a smile of relief as if he had been waiting for a long time.

"I... I don't understand."

"Sorry for confusing you. Come and take a seat. My name is Zhongli. And may i ask what's your name?"

"Y/n. It's nice to meet you, Zhongli."

"Nice to meet you too. That's a beautiful name." And once again, you feel deja vu.

Do you think I have forgotten? Do you think I have forgotten? Do you think I have forgotten About you?

The highest peak that is like a country above the clouds is where two people who occupy the highest position among humans meet. One, is famous for its cruelty and firmness in leading. One, is known for its curiosity and courage.

"Well, what do we have here? A visitor?" His voice was booming even though it didn't feel like it was in a closed room. Anyone who hears it will feel frightened in an instant. His figure sat in a chair around a table, with a cup of tea in his hand.

"This place is very beautiful. I've always been curious about what it would feel like to be above the clouds. Turns out this is what it feels like." The happy smile was clearly visible, and somehow he felt calm seeing it.

"You have great curiosity like people say."

"And you are as intimidating as people say." They both laughed.

"Well, come and take a seat. Even though I know that we know each other's names, what's wrong with introducing ourselves? My name is Morax. And may i ask your name?"

You smiled a little. "My name is y/n. It is an honor for me to meet you, Morax."

"It is an honor for me to meet you too, y/n. That's a beautiful name."

And when they met, people believed that they would be opposites and trigger another war. And in the end, even though their personalities are different, they are always together until the end.

I think about you (so don't let go) About you (so don't let go)

Thousands or even millions of spears decorated the dark sky which filled the fear of those who saw them.

He is angry. Morax was angry, that was all anyone knew. And everyone knows that anyone who makes him angry deserves to be punished by him.

And here he is, punishing someone with his spear. While he was hugging the body of someone who was almost helpless in his arms, he shed tears. For the first time, after going through thousands of battles, he shed tears just because he lost someone he loved.

And before the fragments of that person finally disappeared and left only dust and memories for those who knew, Morax made a promise;

"I will meet you again, even in a different body and in a different place. I will always find you. And when that happens, I will always protect you."

[originalwinnercheesecake]

Guess's on How Sasappis died.

Sasappis is the last ghost for us to learn his death. Sass is very private (undead) person, and we have been given no real/clear hints to his death. His ghost power (To enter into the dreams of the livings) could easily correlate to him being a story teller, and not necisarly "He died in his sleep, after catching a sever fever, that also caused him to have very strange dreams. Note I do not believe that Sass died of a fever. They would have incorporated some sign of it into his character. He would be more tired, feel more cold, possibly have a "unexplainable sweating problem". He also does not have any vibsiable gaping wounds, like Pete, Flower, or Stephanie, so that rules out death by attacker. So the question is how did Sass die

Now he could have died of some kind of sickness, but I do not think it is very likely. For one thing he is implied to have had a sudden death, just days before an important tribal ceremony he was planning/supposed to take part in. Correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't most sickness take a period of weeks, months, years to do him in. A second thing again he isn't really sickly in the the show. All the cholera ghosts are flushed and still hacking. Issac will sneeze and mention stomach pains. But Sass seems fine, so if he has any kind of sickness then he has been masking it for 500 years. That is really sad.

He also could have could died if he went walk in the woods one night and fell from a cliff or out of a tree... but if that happened well that is kinda anti-climactic for how long we had to wait. I would rate that on the same scale as Thorfinn dying because he went walking with his helmet, through a storm and was struck by lightening. It is just a case of him not being as careful as he should have been. Not nearly an impressive follow up to Alberta or Hetty's more recently revealed deaths.... But you could make it more sad. Sass and his crush Shiki are implied to have died in the same year. Sass says that when they were alive, he was ghosted by Shiki after gifting a freshly killed deer to her family, as a jester of love. What if that was because Shiki actually went missing (i.e. died) shortly after, and Sass went out to search for her?

Another death I have considered was a food related one. A detail of Sass's character is is the most in love with food smells (the closest they can come to eating) of all the ghosts. He hangs out in the kitchen whenever Jay is cooking, consistently begs Sam and Jay to cook more of his favorite smelling food: pepperoni pizza, and I am honestly half expecting him to move into the barn once Jay's restaurant opens... What if Sass's love of food is actually a hint at his death? Maybe he had an allergy and accidentally ate something he was not supposed to? Or, maybe he had diabetes or some other dietary need, a crop or the meat from a particular animal, and Sass died when it was wiped out or disappeared. With so many people in the U.S. having dietary issues, and the countries known love of food, I could see the show choosing to write an episode on dietary importance, and the need for people from all walks of life to have access to healthy food.

My finale theory is one I have actually gotten off Tumblr, from the people who are fans of both the CBS and BBC series. Some people are suggesting Sass got bit by a poison snake or something and died from the poison venom. The puncture marks are small enough for Sass to be able to conceal with his clothing. Apparently something of the similar nature happened to BBC's Kitty? And I actually know a really good way to blend that into Sass's personality and a possible reason for why he became a ghost. Sass as mentioned loves stories and is a gifted story teller. But also as mentioned he is very private person who gets nervous about speaking in front of crowds. A week before the tribes festival Sass's father gave him an eagle's feather, which was believed to help bring confidence and courage. But what if Sass was still nervous/afraid afterwards. What as the days got closer got more more nervous/afraid, until he decided to do something reckless and stupid, to prove to himself that he could be brave. Something like walking through a more dangerous (poison animal infested) part of valley, telling himself "If I can brave this I will have no reason to be afraid of anything anymore". While that would not be the most exciting death, it would be very tragic, and it could set up "Overcoming the fears he had as a living", all of them, as Sass's unfinished business. Essentially, he would need to become a more rounded and confident person. Note that seems to also be Pete's unfinished business. Sass and Pete are roommates, and we have had at least a few really nice episodes exploring their relationship. It would be really cool if that continued to him and Pete having to teach themselves the same thing, but in different ways.

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

Skeleton has to go on a trip. Once he arrives, he notices his suitcase is moving. His child didn't want him to go, so they literally threw all his stuff out and hid in his suitcase during the whole trip.

Undertale Sans - He's kinda happy he found the courage to clean his stuff when he arrived at the hotel because you would have stayed in there a very long time lol. He's not even mad, just in disbelief. He's not too sure what to do though. He can't really teleport you home, it's a country away from here. So... Uh... You're on vacation he guesses? Just never do that again. He could have paid for another ticket, you literally just had to talk to him. He's relieved his kid didn't get hurt.

Undertale Papyrus - What the hell?! It was a twenty hours long trip! You could have died or gotten injured or dehydrated or worse! What were you even thinking?! Papyrus is in dad mode, upset, lecturing his child for long minutes. He can't believe this happened. He's not even sure what to do about this. He can't go back, so the kid will have to stay, but still, there will be consequences. You're grounded as soon as he figures a way to send you back.

Underswap Sans - Oh, man, whyyyy. He escaped the house to have a nice weekend without being forced to be a dad and here he is, forced to be a father. He's exasperated and sends the kid back home on the next flight lol. It's his weekend, leave Dad alone. The kid isn't too happy about it, but, well, they don't really have the choice.

Underswap Papyrus - He's the worst dad ever. He's the worst dad that ever existed on Earth. How could he not notice his baby after so long?! He's horrified his child had to travel inside his suitcase just to not be separated from his dad. Honey won't stop hugging his baby and apologizing a million times.

Underfell Sans - So that's why his suitcase was so heavy. And he thought Edge put some more things for him... Wait. Where are his things? He looks at the kid, who very slowly goes back to hide in the suitcase and starts to close it lol. Red takes a deep breath. He swears he's going to send his kid back home inside the suitcase. It's too tempting right now.

Underfell Papyrus - You're really lucky you managed to open the suitcase. Because Edge saw something moving inside and he was about to pierce it with a dozen spears.... Dumb ways to die, you know. Edge is mad though. Not only you're grounded, but you're going to pay for all of the stuff you threw away to come with him. No more allowance before at least a year. Welp, you deserve it.

Horrortale Sans - The kid thinks it's starting to be long and eventually opens the suitcase to get some air... Only to find themselves in the middle of the airport, all alone. Yep. Oak completely forgot the suitcase... Good luck to get home now :')

Horrortale Papyrus - There's a long awkward silence as you just stare at each other for long minutes. Willow takes a deep breath, and tries his best to not just, you know, scream. He invites the kid to sit on his bed with a hand gesture. He stares at the wall for a long minute, then dramatically do a slow turn towards the child. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! HOW WAS IT EVEN A GOOD IDEA IN THE FIRST PLACE?!" There is going to be a lot of screaming in the hotel that day lol. You're going to be lectured to death after this. And grounded. And forced to do chores around the farm for an entire month. And sent back home.

Swapfell Sans - He was in his bed, finally relaxing after a whole day of traveling, happy. Then out of nowhere, his suitcase started to move on its own. Nox high pitch screams and blasts it, leaving barely two seconds for the kid to escape a terrible death. Nox stays eyes in eyes with his child, confused and in shock, before grabbing them to throw them behind him and blast the rest of the suitcase until it turns to dust. Just in case. He doesn't want any ghosts in his hotel room. Now that this very important matter is dealt with, can you explain why you're here when he's pretty sure he let you home??? He's too much of a softie to get mad at his child, but he still scolds them for doing something so stupid.

Swapfell Papyrus - Uh oh. His S/O is so going to kill him. That's it. He's in exile. He's never getting home ever again. Why would you even do this? No one does this! Ok, maybe he's not the best role model and he can guess where you got that idea, but still! Don't become like him! You're supposed to be his redemption arc, but now you're both villains! Welp. Time to prepare a list of random excuses to explain to his S/O what happened lol.

Fellswap Gold Sans - He opens the suitcase, sees the child, throws a water bottle in, closes the suitcase and puts a lock on it. He leaves you there for the night so you learn your damn lesson and he sends you back home on the first flight the next day. You can cry, he doesn't care. You did this to yourself.

Fellswap Gold Papyrus - Uh... Well, funny story. He was getting anxious about being all alone in a city he didn't know, and since there was no wardrobe in the room, he was about to hide in his suitcase to calm down. That's a very awkward moment. It takes a good two minutes for Coffee to realize his kid is here, and then to completely panic because what the hell does he do now??? There's only one bed. He doesn't want to be arrested for kidnapping his own child? There's no one with him to help, what does he do? No one told him this could happen! He calls his S/O for help eventually, once he calms down by crushing his kid into a hug to stop his panic attack.

[eustasskiddsprosthetic]

Here's a thought. What if growing up as a kid in an AU in a cold country, Luffy claims he has a big fluffy leopard friend called meow-meow who keeps him company and listens to him and his problems.

Yes, meow-meow is Law in his snow leopard form. Yes, I'm finally doing a childhood AU! I have so much lore for this. I'll share wips in due course.

Also, I caved and started writing SaboAce! Lots of ASL lore in this fic!

This is a long one, so strap iN!!

Despite being besties, Ace and Luffy weren't very close back in the day. That may be surprising to onlookers but it made sense then. Ace had a sort of inferiority complex over not being a 'legitimate' grandson and lashed out at Luffy over that.

Feeling lonely and bullied, Luffy ran away from home a lot. Not like Ace or even Garp cared. They had their own shit to worry about.

One day after a particularly bad argument, Luffy ran to the forest without even brining a weapon. It was dinner time. Ace ate all of his share of the porridge out of spite and Luffy furiously said that if Ace hated him that much, maybe it'll be better if Luffy just ran off and got himself killed.

Ace flipped him off and said that it didn't matter either way.

And here's Luffy, alone, cold and hungry in a place he doesn't even know. It's snowing now. People at school told him that it'll snow more nowadays and that he should stay inside. Did Luffy listen? No. Did Luffy want to listen? Nah.

Luffy was cold and shivered a lot by himself, that is, until a small snow leopard cub came towards him. He looked small and helpless but there's a fierceness in its eyes that scared Luffy. It looked like Ace's eyes.

"If you hit me, I'll eat you."

A growl.

Luffy frowned. He heard that even snow leopards have families. He wondered where this one was. Luffy wondered who's more violent—female or male ones. It didn't matter either way: Luffy would beat 'em up and eat 'em whole!

"Where's your friends? Don't you have any? Y-you can't eat me!"

Another growl.

Luffy looked around and he didn't sense anyone, or anything else there. If Luffy looked closer, he saw that he looked...

"Are you lonely?"

Silence. The little guy looked away, as if embarrassed. Luffy smiled for once and reached out to poke his nose. The guy sneezed. Ah. Luffy laughed for the first time in months, probably.

"You're like me, aren't you?" Luffy said softly. And then with the courage Luffy never had to face Ace, Luffy said, "You're like me! Let's be friends! Where do you live? I don't wanna go home. Ace's always mean to me."

And with the compassion Ace never had, the little guy agreed. He picked up Luffy's shivering body with his blunter teeth and took him back to his cave, a modest thing with a small fire and some fish. Luffy ate it and fell asleep quickly. The cub tried to wake Luffy up to chastise him but gave up quickly. He fell asleep too.

The next morning, Luffy was found by his home. Traitor! That cat told him he could stay! Anyways, that's one thing. The bigger problem is Ace was sitting there, right next to him.

"Ace...?"

Ace woke up at that. His bloodshot eyes made him look a bit insane like he's not really aware of what's going on. Ace sniffled.

"There's bear meat in the fridge. Cook it yourself." Luffy saw that Ace had scratch marks on his arms. Ace stood up and left before Luffy could ask more questions.

At least Ace didn't slam the door like he used to. Luffy was unsure whether to be relieved or afraid.

The next few days were tame. Ace was still quiet but he wasn't as angry at least. Ace even talked to Luffy about things he learnt in school and offered to teach him how to read. Ace was a good teacher, even if irritable and impatient. Luffy decided he need not be as afraid.

Alongside Ace being nicer to him, Luffy also snuck out to meet the cub more. To be fair, Ace knew but didn't say anything. With some heartache, he understood this sneaking out was something like payback so he let it be. But God Damn it, could Luffy be more subtle!

Picking flowers, catching frogs, hoarding pretty rocks. "Bro," Ace complained to his friend Sabo, "Is Luffy meeting up with a girlfriend-slash-boyfriend-slash-genderless-significant-other or a fucking cat in the woods?" Ace tried not to snicker when he finally 'caught' Luffy.

Understandably, Luffy got defensive.

"I'm hanging out with a friend and you aren't invited!" If anything, Ace seemed amused by that outburst. He smiled. Luffy saw why Ace kept getting girlfriends. Ace is quite handsome.

"Is it that cat?" Ace said. This is the first time Ace spoke to him in a not unkind way. Luffy unconsciously nodded. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead."

Luffy didn't know what to say. Ace said okay? For real? No catch?

"Introduce us some time. I need to thank him for saving your ass. He's the one who keeps bringing you back whenever something goes wrong. Tell him I said thanks. That's all."

"Ace-" Luffy looked like he'd cry when Ace pat his head and told him to come back in one piece.

"Have fun." Ace looked awkward as he finally said Luffy's name for the first time, "Luffy."

Luffy laughed and ran off. Oh boy did he have GREAT news to share with his new friend!! The cub tried his best to be pleased but he lost track somewhere and resorted to using his tail to stroke Luffy's face for the rest of the day. Luffy found it cute and ticklish.

Since that day, they meet up a lot, almost every day. Sometimes, they even meet at Luffy's house. It's on one such hang out that Ace formally admitted that he had a crush on someone.

Luffy was in the kitchen cutting meat and the cub was spread out on Ace's lap. Ace had so much fun stroking his fur that he simply blurted out, "I like Sabo. I wanna ask him out. What do you think?"

The cub looked up keenly. Ace supposed this one's probably smarter than Sabo but still pretty chill. Maybe Luffy was onto something for liking this one so much.

"Do you reckon I have a chance? Blink once for yes and twice for no."

He blinked twice easily. Ace punched him on the head. Luffy saw this violence and cried, hugging meow-meow protectively.

"Leave meow-meow alone! He didn't do anything wrong!"

"He said Sabo wouldn't go on a date with me!"

"Meow-meow doesn't know who Sabo is but he knows Sabo doesn't like bullies!" To prove a point, Luffy stuck his tongue out. "Bleh!"

Ace got mad and walked out. "Well, fine! I'll show you twerps what's up! I'll ask him out right now! Just you watch!"

Luffy and the cub cuddled on the couch when Ace came back a few hours later, hand-in-hand with a new fr-, no boyfriend called Sabo. Sabo seemed nice. He waved at Luffy and said meow-meow was cute. Luffy found it amusing that Ace looked shy but happy. Luffy had the feeling that Sabo would become someone important...

So, the routine nowadays is that Sabo would go over to study with Ace while Luffy would play with meow-meow in the living room. If it got too cold, everyone would gather around meow-meow for warmth.

It was wholesome and everyone gets closer or whatever. That is, until one day, Garp showed up after six months of being an MIA deadbeat. Imagine his surprise to find:

Ace and Luffy willingly sitting together.

A third blonde child resting on Ace's shoulder, contentedly reading a book full of words Garp didn't understand.

A fucking snow leopard sleeping on the living room floor

All three children lying back against said snow leopard.

Garp could either be calm and ask Ace what's going on or pretend nothing happened and make small talk. Instead, he pointed to Ace and the blonde child and said, "YOU TWO BETTER NOT BE UP TO NO GOOD!"

Luffy stood up first. "Nuh-uh! Ace and Sabo play with me and meow-meow! They're good boys! I like them!"

Ace look like he's going to cry at the sudden confession. Sabo woke up and quickly hugged Ace to comfort him. Garp got even more livid.

"Look at that. These kids are immoral nowadays. They're rushing things and doing things they shouldn't be doing!"

Luffy was about to stand up for them again but Ace told Luffy to sit back down. Sabo looked like he knew what's going to happen next.

"Shut up, you stupid old man. Sabo and I will fuck when we want to." Ace would flip Garp off but then a bushy white tail wrapped around his hand. What? Ace wasn't cold. Meow-meow had a habit of doing that whenever he thought anyone of the ASL trio was cold.

It seemed that Sabo was the only one who actually understood what meow-meow wanted to do.

"What do you even know? I haven't given any of you the talk!"

Ace was ready for this! "I know that either Sabo or I will get on top and from there we-" Meow-meow's tail went down, wrapped around Ace's hip and clutched. Since when was meow-meow this strong? Ace was more impressed than embarrassed. He cringed. Oh fuck, he's going through character development.

Garp merely laughed.

"Well! Looks like you can't do anything!" Garp said with triumph. Then, as suddenly as he came, he said he'd get some food and left them be.

Luffy wanted to scold meow-meow. Why did he hurt Ace so suddenly? Was meow-meow jealous? Meow-meow never looked like the type but then meow-meow looked so lonely. Luffy was upset that meow-meow never said anything. Was meow-meow making him choose between them? Why-

"Don't cry, Luffy," Sabo said. "Meow-meow's protecting Ace."

Luffy was dumbfounded.

"He's making sure that Ace doesn't run his mouth and get in trouble with Garp," Sabo said kindly. "He gets defensive over me and talks back to our teachers and gets in trouble even though he didn't do anything wrong."

"Is meow-meow making sure Ace doesn't get in trouble for protecting Sabo?"

"Yup!" Sabo gave Luffy a thumbs up as Ace groaned in pain. "Protect meow-meow too, okay, Luffy? Meow-meow loves you a lot."

"Uh-huh!"

As if he understood all that, meow-meow raised his tail and stroked Luffy's face, tickling him. Luffy started laughing. Luffy loved meow-meow too!

[posallys]

9!!!!! for percabeth ofc

it is definitely not less than 350 words, but that's a win for me given how little I've written of late. <3 send me a prompt!!! ________

9. "When was the last time you slept?"

“When was the last time you slept?”

Percy raises an eyebrow at her, his picture grainy through the shroud of mist in their room. 

She taps her fingers against her chin, shrugging at him. A few days, maybe. However long it’s been since they were woken up in the middle of the night to an IM from Grover, a too-quick explanation of a problem Zeus himself needed Percy to solve (at this point, Annabeth is beginning to think that Percy is just the only demigod who’s name he knows), and a sincere apology directed towards both of them, but the look attached to it was aimed more pointedly at Annabeth.

She hoped that her response—or lack thereof—didn’t give it away to him. But it did, of course, and his face falls quickly into an expression of concern. 

“Annabeth,” he says, his eyes searching hers. 

“Percy,” she says back, trying for something akin to teasing—he doesn’t laugh. She continues, “I’m fine, really.” 

It’s not that she hasn’t tried to sleep, but sleep hasn’t been coming to her easily. Quests are few and far between these days, now that they’ve finished school and the two of them have regular, normal jobs and get to act like regular, normal people—sometimes, Annabeth finds herself forgetting about the mythical world altogether, getting lost in the sort of mundanity they’ve found—but that feeling of simplicity never lasts. Just when she feels like it’s going to, without fail, some deity or another pops up requesting a service. 

(Annabeth is building up the courage to outright tell them no one of these days, but for now, it’s easier to say a begrudging yes.)

Percy gives her another look, and she thinks that if he looks at her like that for a moment longer she might start crying with frustration. 

“I’ve just had a lot on my mind with work, and you being halfway across the country being some gods’ bitch doesn’t exactly help,” she gets out.

That earns a small smile from him; the god in question is not lost on either of them. 

“I should be home soon,” he says. “Maybe another day or two.”

Annabeth closes her eyes, nodding. She really is tired, but every time she begins to doze, she’s greeted harshly with nightmares of encounters both passed and theoretical.  

“Annabeth?” He asks, and she blinks her tired eyes open. Percy purses his lips and reaches a hand out like he’s trying to touch her, but he pulls back before he can break the mist.

“We’re down for the night. I can stay on if you want to try to sleep?” He offers. 

It’s not really what she wants—she wants them both to never have to do another quest, wants him in their bed with his arm around her waist and his stomach pressed against her back, wants to feel the steady in and out of his breathing and not have to worry about waking up only to find out that something bad has happened. 

But it’s been days, and Annabeth’s sure that if she stays up any longer, her body will give out on her. So she nods at him and moves down to curl up on their bed. 

Percy starts telling her about the quest—she can tell he’s leaving some things out for her benefit, but she doesn’t have the energy to scold him for it. 

“Thankfully nothing too hard,” she hears when she’s almost asleep. She cracks her eyes open just a touch and sees him looking around at something outside of her view. “I’m going to try to be back by tomorrow.”

She hums in response, and she can hear Percy laugh softly on the other end, and then they’re both silent for a while.

Before she finally settles into sleep, she’s met with Percy’s voice once more. 

“Goodnight, Annabeth. I’ll see you soon.”

When she wakes up, it’s to sunlight streaming through the window and several missed alarm notifications on her phone, but there’s an arm around her waist and a nose nudging her neck, and she decides that whatever she was supposed to do today can wait another few hours. 

[19joo]

It took me a while (like, years haha) before gathering the courage to post this. I've been writing but I don't usually post them publicly. If anyone here has read til the end, please let me know how I did. >_<

Our Last Night

[MCxJake]

"Do you really have to go?", I asked Jake as he is preparing to leave our hideout and run from his pursuers.

He sat in the bed beside me, leaned in closer, and took my hands. "It's gonna be alright. I'll come back as soon as I can. Once we get this over and done with, I'm never leaving your side again. I promise." He gave me the most reassuring look he could. I can only do nothing else but sigh. I know him too well now to see the uncertainty he's trying to mask from his eyes.

We both knew at this point that a desirable outcome is far-fetched. Nevertheless, I chose to hold on. I needed to. Otherwise, I won't have any other reason to keep going.

It's not that I didn't see it coming. I just hope things had never gone to this. Now that Hannah is safe and sound, all that's left is Jake's freedom.

After the Duskwood ordeal, Jake told me everything I needed to know about him. Apparently, we live in the same country, which is currently being ruled by the most corrupt set of government officials. It all began with Jake discovering a sketchy deal between a certain governmemt official and a foreign pharmaceutical company, which turned out to be our country's president. One discovery led to another, and now their organization has obtained a concrete proof that this heck of a useless corrupt "leader" has manipulated the election results.

It was all going so well. Jake's discoveries has been made known to the public. People were enraged, and started demanding justice. However, this government is a difficult group to get involved with.

We are now fighting for our freedom, and we have never been this close. We worked so hard for this. I am willing to do anything, but losing Jake is just a price I just couldn't afford to pay.

Before meeting everyone, I was merely existing. I've been going through the motions for as long as I can remember. I waited everyday for my life to end, because I couldn't end it myself. My body felt like an empty shell moving on its own.

I remember just blankly staring at my bedroom ceiling, contemplating between getting out of bed or going back to sleep again. I reached to my phone and scrolled at the piling messages I haven't replied to in weeks when I received that text message from Thomas. I don't know what got to me, but the urge to reply at his message was strong. When I saw how desperate they were on trying to find Hannah, I decided to sign myself up. Better do something worthwhile for once in my life, I thought.

As we went further, I noticed things gradually changing. I couldn't point out exactly when, but days eventually stopped being as monotonous as they used to. For the first time in ages, I had something to look forward to. The hollow void inside me began to be filled up with a sense of purpose, most of which I can attribute to this hacker who, for some reason, I began trusting with my entire being despite not being able to know a lot about. I don't know how he did it. He is so enigmatic, yet familiar. Despite everything, I never really felt the need to know everything about him. That must have been me going crazy — but I didn't care. When it came to him, things need not to make sense as long as they felt right. I never connected with anyone else the way I did with him.

The day he went into hiding from his pursuers was the day I fully realized can't live again without him in my life. Right then and there, I was finally able to genuinely want something for myself. We could have stopped upon finding Hannah, but I want him to be something more than a stranger I met in the pursuit of trying to save another. I want to be by his side. At the back of my mind, I knew this madness would likely be the death of me, but I'd happily accept my fate if it meant I could be with him.

Damn it. I feel so powerless.

"Maybe this wouldn't have happened had I not been too greedy. Maybe this is me being punished for trying to get what I can't have." I sobbed. "It's not too late, Jake. We can still back out now." I pleaded.

"Don't be hard on yourself. I chose this. It's my fault you got into this mess. I know I might regret this, but I won't ever forgive myself for not even trying to fight for you — for us." His pleading eyes met mine as he pulled me into a tight hug. "Trust me, please?"

He kissed my hand. "Our time is running out. I have to go."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

[destieltaggedfic]

Hello! How are you?

Do you know some fics where Dean meets Cas in heaven and hey talk about the events of 18X15? I know this is pretty much every fic in fix-it, but I can't find ones that are really emotional.

Emotional you say? Well let's see what we can find. I've decided that these are all going to be true they're dead and in heaven fics. There are a lot where its an illusion or a dream that someone wakes up from, but I don't think that's what you're looking for. Feel free to send another ask if that IS what you're looking for.

Bravado – DracotheDeathEatingCupcake   Ao3

Set Post S15.  Its been centuries and Dean must be happy right? Because why would you feel anything other than happy in heaven?  But finally one day Cas answers his prayers and visits.  Dean has a lot that he has wanted to say to Cas.

Word Count: 14k                              Non-Graphic Sex

I Can't Be Wrong – pineapplesquad   Ao3

Set Post S15.  Even knowing what Cas told him in the dungeon, Dean doesn’t have the courage to say something to Cas in heaven because if he finds out Cas didn’t mean it like that Dean will be broken again.  Luckily the angel is brave enough for both of them.

Word Count: 5k                                 No Sex

A Hard-Won Peace – patheticfangirl   Ao3

Set Post S15.  Since he got to heaven Dean has been avoiding everyone, and that doesn’t change once Sam arrives.  The only person he really wants to see is Cas, but he’s avoiding him too because he doesn’t know how to deal with the confession before Cas’ death.  But he knows that he wants Cas with him forever so they slowly work things out.

Word Count: 29k                              Non-Graphic Sex

From the Land of Ice and Snow – bleuvelvet   Ao3

Set Post S15.  It doesn’t take Dean too long to realise that Cas is avoiding him in heaven, of course that just makes it a challenge and Dean is up for that.  While he’s looking Dean is hearing more about some glitches in the newly renovated heaven.

Word Count: 23k                              Non-Graphic Sex

no proof, one touch – TakeThisWaltz   Ao3

Set Post S15.  Not wanting to deal with the fallout of his pre-death confession, Cas avoids Dean when he gets to heaven.  He should have remembered just how stubborn Dean can be.

Word Count: 5k                                 No Sex

Wide-open country in my eyes – Anonymous   Ao3

Set Post S15.  In heaven angels don’t wear vessels and pop in to the human parts from time to time.  Dean doesn’t understand why he keeps seeing this one angel.  No one else understands why he can tell that it’s the same angel that it has been asking him questions, until Dean realises why he knows this particular angel. 

Word Count: 29k                              Graphic Sexual Acts

[void-imp]

Here's my Jeremy ramble, buckle up it's gonna be a long one

I was thinking about jeremy and how I feel like I haven't given him enough flaws, and I think I've figured out what to do. In the traditional, academical sense, Jeremy is not "smart". He's not dumb, far from it, but he was never the stereotypical booksmart kid who excelled in school. Math and physics are his biggest struggles, to the point he'd skip class as a teen. It was something so unlike him, someone who had been praised for being a good, dutiful kid who always did he right thing his whole life, but the fear of feeling stupid was greater than the fear of dissapointing his mom. Both, however, were ever-present. Languages were less of a hurdle, and those subjects that allowed or encouraged conversation, like social studies. Apart from having to memorize a bunch of dates, he enjoyed history too. Where he excels is when he gets to work with his hands. He's a great cook, an incredible artist, athletic, has a green thumb. These are his strengths but he's always felt like it pales in comparison to his mother's achievements. His mother, who came to the states and fought to make a life for herself here, who's incredibly clever, who went to college and became a doctor. Who raised him on her own while being a med student. He wants to live up to the expectations she has for him, to make her proud, and continously finds himself falling short. Some of this is partially resolved before Jeremy as we know him shows up in the story. On his last year of High School, he and his mother got in a fight. He'd finally gathered the courage to tell her his dreams of becoming a tattoo artist and she did not like the idea. Wanted him to go to college. Jeremy loves his mom more than anything, and defying her expectations was the scariest thing he's ever had to do. And in the same way, Alma loves her son most of everything in this world, and wanted what she thought was best for him but also wanted him to be happy. In Alma's mind Jeremy was still her baby, and the realization that he was almost fully grown up was like having a bucket of cold water emptied over her head. The little kid proudly showing off how he learned to tie his shoes was almost an adult, and was already becoming his own person. So she brokered a deal: if he tended to his studies, passed his finals and got an A in math, she would fully support him in becoming a tattoo artist. He studied hard, got help from his friends, and felt confident. When the day came, the culmination of all his hard work, the moment his hopes for the future rested on… he got a B. To say he was dissapointed would be an understatement. He was crushed. The feeling of being an utter failure was greater now than at any other point in his life. Pure dread pooled in his stomach at the thought of having to tell his mom, having to see the disappointment in her eyes. When he came home, his mom wasn't disappointed at all. She wrapped him in a hug and told him how proud she was of him, and he cried for what felt like hours. She made them a cup of tea, put on a movie, and they had a talk. She had seen his hard work and was still willing to support him, even if she would rather see him continue his education. He admitted he didn't feel fully ready, that he kinda wanted to go to community college first, and that's what he ended up doing. Now that he lives on the other side of the country, working as an apprentice at a tattoo studio, he's happy that he decided to wait those two years. He still sucks at math but he's more mature now, more grounded, and feel better suited to take on the challenges that await him now he's on his own.

[fangirlingfromdownunder]

23rd Day of Christmas

An Impromptu Mishap

Summary/Prompt: Part 3 to A Sweet Mishap.

Pairing - Jensen Ackles x Reader 

A/N: Merry Christmas Eve to those who -like me- are in countries where you’re celebrating today! This part’s not overly Christmassy, but I just wanted to write another part in this world. Will hopefully continue and expand on this series more in the new year. 

Christmas Masterlist | Masterlist

You and Jensen continue texting whenever you can around your busy schedules. You consider more than a few times over the weekend to throw caution to the wind and meet up with him in his hotel room or invite him to your apartment. But in the end, you stay strong, stick to your convictions, and text instead. You haven’t yet gotten the courage to call, but even if you had, he’s been pretty busy and the texts have been sporadic with replies coming in hours apart. He did say he had to work, so you figure he’s busy with auditions or meetings. 

One thing you did do is Google his name to find out what he’s starred in. His biggest project appears to be a horror show called “Supernatural”. You consider watching it just to see, but you don’t want to get a false idea of who he is, so you decide to stay blissfully ignorant and try to get to know him for who he is as a person instead. 

It’s almost dark when you finally strip off your apron and hang it on the hook in the staff room. You collect your phone and jacket from your locker and return to the dining area to leave. You check your notifications as you walk, not paying any attention to your surroundings as you’re a little disappointed at the lack of messages from Jensen. As you walk you run into something solid–or perhaps I should say, someone. 

You look up to apologise but you lose all words when you see who it is. You just smile in shock. Even with his cap and dark sunglasses, you committed his frame to memory.

“You really gotta stop running into me like this,” the man says with a laugh.

“Can I buy you a drink to make up for it?”

“As I recall that didn’t end well. Regardless, I can’t stay long, I do have a flight to catch. I just really wanted to see you again before I left.”

“You sure you can’t stay?”

“I’m sure. Someday. Let’s just promise to stay in touch.”

“I promise. At least just let me make you something for the road.”

“You look like you’ve already finished for the day. Go rest. You look exhausted. We’ll talk later.”

“Alright. Have a safe flight.”

He hugs you briefly and then disappears out onto the street and into a dark car. You smile at the whirlwind visit and then go back to your apartment. You throw a microwave dinner in to cook while you shower and change into your PJs. You’re not sure how long his flight will be but by the time you’re sitting on the couch with your dinner in your lap over an hour has passed since you saw him leave. Not knowing when he’ll see the message, you send a text anyway.

It was great to run into you again *literally*... I am sorry about that, I need to watch where I’m going Have a nice flight home or wherever you’re goingText me when you get there 

Not expecting a response until later, you put your phone to sleep and flick through the TV channels. To your surprise, Supernatural is airing. You have no idea what episode or season it is, or what they’re up to, but when Jensen’s face appears on the screen you’re unable to bring yourself to change the channel. Despite your desire to stay ignorant, you just can’t look away. You’re slightly unsettled when his character, who you’ve gathered is called Dean, slices off someone or something’s head. But even he makes that attractive. Every expression on his face has you even more engrossed. He tells the story so well even though you don’t really know what the full story is. His taller brother in the show is also incredibly attractive. The longer you watch, the more you find yourself not caring about the plot and just enjoying the eye candy instead. Part of you feels a little guilty for looking and thinking about Jensen like that when he seems like such a nice, genuine guy in real life. And he genuinely seems interested in pursuing a friendship — or hopefully more — with you in the future. 

Once the episode ends you force yourself to switch off the TV, clean up and go to bed; you have an early shift tomorrow. As you lay in bed, the images of Dean – or Jensen – flow through your head. Unable to sleep you decide to text him again.

I guess you’re still on your flight

Just wanted to let you know I saw you on TV tonight

Your show Supernatural was on when I was flicking through the channels

Can’t say as I picked up on a lot of the plot but I can see why the paparazzi follow you

Anyway, I’ll stop bombarding you now

Good night

You force yourself to switch your phone onto sleep mode and plug it in to charge. You lay in bed and let yourself relive your impromptu meeting until you finally fall asleep.

[valkieds]

Long AU ramblings....

Thinking about this little nagiiba au I have that I tried to write out a while back....

Essentially, it's a non-idol au where Nagisa and Ibara both attend the same private high school, but Ibara's a new transfer student and generally keeps to himself. But they connect through music, Nagisa who is classically trained in the violin and Ibara who picked up the guitar because one of the few nice older kids at the orphanage would play it for him from time to time. Even if Ibara has already garnered a bit of a negative reputation for having an improper upbringing and generally being rude, Nagisa enjoys the time they spend together and ignores any advising to avoid Ibara.

Over the course of the school year, they have fun, hanging out like regular teenagers do (arcade "dates," going to festivals together, unintentional sleepovers while the parental figures are away), trying to avoid the impending doom of college exams and the like... Because of the time he spent playing music with Ibara, Nagisa's gained a reignited passion for music and seeks to go to music school. Meanwhile, Ibara is being railroaded into business school.

When fall turns to winter, that's when they really start to realize the feelings they have for each other- Ibara in a quick abrupt "oh no oh no" gay panic way and Nagisa in the "I'm not sure how to express the way being around him makes me feel, but it's not a bad feeling" way. And they confess to each other on a snowy winter day before winter break!

They start going on proper dates, and Ibara even gains the courage to be the one to say "I love you" first. Of course, the impending doom of college isn't the impending doom for no reason. Nagisa applied to a number of music schools, including international ones. And now that it's spring, he's heard back from them, having been accepted by a music school in Europe. When Nagisa tells Ibara about it, he's so happy for him! Wow! That's so impressive Nagisa-san! Wait it's in Europe...? Ibara will spend the night looking up statistics about how likely long distance relationships are to succeed, which spirals into "how many 'first love' relationships succeed" and worrying about if Nagisa will find someone better and more in-line with the life he wants to live while at school. At the same time, Nagisa can tell that despite Ibara acting 100% on board with things, something seems off although he can't quite tell what.

It's just before graduation when Nagisa finally winds up confronting Ibara about what he's not telling him. If he's so bothered about something, he should say it, after all. But Ibara, running on "I can't get hurt by him finding someone better if we're simply not in a relationship" logic, fumbles his way through a break up and running away before Nagisa can get a chance to respond. A very bitter ending to Nagisa's high school life, although he doesn't have much time to spend dwelling on it with finals, graduation, and preparing to leave the country. Well, he'll dwell on it in his spare time considering he's tried texting and calling Ibara multiple times to no response (eventually getting a response in a "I think you have the wrong number, sir" way).

But fast forward a decade and Nagisa's become a celebrated violinist, performing concerts around the world. And he's currently about to perform in a Tokyo concert hall when he sees a rather familiar face taking his seat in the audience..... He honestly never thought he'd see Ibara again, and yet there Ibara is, watching him play.... Once the show ends, Nagisa is almost in a rush to have someone get Ibara and let him into the greenroom- he doesn't want Ibara to slip away again (even more than he thought he would have after all the emotions he had felt regarding their break up).

The conversation once they're alone together is awkward and a bit tense- Ibara hadn't been expecting Nagisa to notice him in the audience, let alone want to talk to him afterwards. They catch up a bit, Ibara now being the manager and president over multiple companies that were left behind to him as well as new companies he had formed after completing business school.

It's impossible to avoid the elephant in the room, though, and it's not long before Nagisa expresses the feelings he hadn't been able to share with Ibara since that day and Ibara explains his own side of things. Although Nagisa does understand Ibara and the stupid teenagerness of it all bit better now, he still needs Ibara to make things up to him if he ever wants full forgiveness...... by being his friend and actually communicating the next time things like that happen. They aren't immediately going to go back to being a couple, that sort of thing takes time and they certainly aren't the same people they were ten years prior but... it wouldn't hurt to try a little.

[underratedandoverit]

Maybe One Day You'll Become That Star (1/?)

Kip has never wanted anything more in his life than to study magic and become a real wizard, no matter what it takes, no matter the hurdles he has to overcome to achieve that dream. So when a chance to study under one of the most prestige wizards in the country rises, he's more than ready to jump on it. But could it be that there's something else he finds himself fascinated with, even more than the magic itself under the apprenticeship of this intriguingly odd wizard…?

Kip Sabian/Orange Cassidy (eventually). Slow romance. Modern with magic AU.

Kris Statlander makes a cameo in the first part, Chris Brookes is mentioned. Most likely we'll be seeing more of Best Friends and Penelope as well.

On AO3 here

I'm an absolute beginner with anything in the realm of even slight fantasy, so please bear with me while I try to learn how to do this. This concept was just too cute and too good to pass up, so I'm willing to try to get out of my comfort zone to create some more magical fluff. Hopefully this'll only be a few parter and it's not gonna suck complete ass ajsndjkas Also thank you @midnightpretenders0 for this idea and being the amazing moral support I needed to get to writing this, couldn't have done it without you 💜

@stormbornpirate

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

Clutching his belongings against his chest, Kip scanned the door standing almost threateningly in front of him. He had honestly lost track of time for how long he had been standing there, trying to build up courage to give the door a knock and get this over with. He was here by his own will, so why was this so hard to do? He was sure the people passing him by on the busy street were staring at this point, so many of them wondering what he was so nervous about, how long he had been there, what he was waiting for, even if they just observed him for barely a few seconds while walking by.

Kip wasn’t sure what kind of a reaction he was going to get, if he ever managed to get himself to go through with this in the first place. He wasn’t an expected guest in this place, he wasn’t going to be a customer, he wasn’t… Well, it was probably a shorter list to mention what he was. Or what he was hoping to be, hoping to become by coming here.

And Kip wasn’t sure if the great wizard that occupied this residence even wanted to have an apprentice, let alone someone like him.

Straightening his suit jacket, hoping that he looked much braver and put together than he actually was on the inside with his nerves going absolutely crazy, Kip finally reached a hand towards the door. The balled fist stopped inches away from the wooden surface though, making him second guess it once again. Was this the right move? Was this really what he wanted, what he was meant to do? He had already flubbed his chance once before, despite thinking he was ready for it, so what good would this do to him? What proof did he have that he was made for this, that someone like an actual wizard would even want to see him, let alone consider teaching him anything?

Kip pulled his hand back, pulling the notebook he was holding with the other hand even tighter against his chest. This was ridiculous. He had no idea why he had even listened to Chris about this. Sure the man knew how much Kip wanted to study magic, how much something like this meant to him, but to take his advice, advice from someone that had no idea how any of this actually worked. Sure as a performer Chris sometimes worked with wizards and magicians and what have you, but that didn’t mean he had an idea what actually studying under one would take. Or how that stuff would be approached. Or anything outside of how it all related to the show business.

It had been a mistake to listen to him in the first place, and yet somehow Kip had convinced himself to try out Chris’ stupid advice. And now he was here. Standing in front of a door leading to the residence of the greatest wizard, at least according to Chris, on this side of the country. Having no idea what to do or how to actually proceed with this plan that he didn’t really even have in the first place.

He tried to remember what Chris had said. “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” Kip had to admit, in that line of thinking he was right. The worst thing he could hear is ‘no’, or the door wouldn’t open up to him in the first place. He didn’t gain anything by not trying, that much was for sure.

But at the same time, he had already failed once before. How bad was it going to hurt the second time, especially if he went through so much extra effort for this? This wasn’t like the first time, this time he had no competition, and while this wasn’t a magical school of very high prestige that was extremely difficult to get into, this was something so much more, something much more personal, something ever more important to him. And while some people could claim that Kip had nothing to lose, he also had everything to gain from him. Which was maybe even scarier to him, if he was being honest.

Swallowing hard, Kip finally pushed the intruding thoughts aside, raising his hand up and knocking on the door. The sound wasn’t that loud, but it felt like it took over every other sound of the busy street behind him, swallowing him into the inevitable wait mode, just having Kip now stare at the door in anticipation, hoping that something, anything, would happen. The end result at this point was irrelevant, as long as someone would answer the knock and he would see at least a glimpse of another person at this point was all he cared about.

At least then he could convince himself that he tried, if nothing else.

Kip waited for a moment. Then another. A third. He was slowly starting to grow impatient, not really having prepared for this. Was the knock not loud enough? Would he be heard if he knocked again, or was he ignored on purpose and the second knock would just be seen as annoying and thus dooming him from any even minor amounts of success in this quest he had set himself on? Maybe there was just nobody home? Did he even have the right address, was he hundred percent sure someone lived here?

With one hand fidgeting with the corner of the cover of his notebook, Kip waited for a while longer. He didn’t hear any indications coming from inside that someone was even there. Maybe he had come here at the wrong time, the wrong day, or something.

Maybe this was a sign for him to give up on this crazy, silly dream of his finally. It seemed like the second disappointment had been inevitable, and while the saying was that third time was the charm, Kip wasn’t sure if he was able to handle this kind of disappointment after getting all of his hopes up one more time after all the efforts he had already gone through multiple times.

Finally letting out a breath he had been holding for a while, Kip leaned down, grabbing his little bag in his hand. He didn’t have a lot with him, he could find a place to crash before heading back home tomorrow. Traveling back home was a whole day's worth of struggle, but this was the best place he could have come, honestly. This is where Chris had directed him, saying this is where he could find the best wizard on this side of the country that could potentially help him, and yet…

Once again, Kip wasn’t sure why he had listened to him. Sure this was something he wanted, almost desperately so, but the amount of effort probably wasn’t worth it in the end. Trying to repair the damage he had done with the previous mess up wasn’t worth it. Traveling all this way just to knock on a door that wasn’t going to open for him wasn’t worth it.

Him trying so hard to convince himself that he was going to be a wizard wasn’t worth it, and it obviously wasn’t going to happen. And Kip just had to take the defeat and accept his fate finally.

As he turned on his heels to leave, Kip finally heard the lock on the door click. He froze in place as the wooden door opened with a soft creak, feeling the soft breeze of warm air rush outside through the doorway, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as it pushed past him. Kip could feel the eyes on his back, the air around him suddenly very expecting, waiting for him to turn around and face the fate that he came here to chase in the first place.

As much as he didn’t want to, this was the reason he was here now. This was the moment Kip had been waiting for. He straightened up a little, inhaling deeply before spinning around on his heels.

Kip wasn’t sure what he had expected, but getting face to face with a blond man roughly around his age, maybe slightly older, definitely wasn’t it. Kip had been expecting someone older, more magnificent, someone that actually looked like a wizard and definitely not… A man dressed mostly in denim wearing sunglasses on his face indoors.

…Fuck. Maybe he already had an apprentice.

Taking in another deep breath as he could feel the pair of eyes behind those sunglasses stare at him expectantly, Kip put on the most polite and friendly smile he possibly could, hoping that it didn’t look as fake as he felt it did in this situation. The blond didn’t seem to care as he just slowly, and surprisingly casually, leaned against the door frame, hands getting stuffed into the pockets of his jeans after brushing a few rogue coils of hair away from his face.

“You know the door was open, right? You didn’t need to knock. And we also have a doorbell.”

Kip wasn’t sure who this fellow was, but honestly he was slowly starting to irk him. The clearly carefree attitude, no respect for a proper attire for a man in his position – whatever that might have been, Kip knew denim was the wrong choice either way, especially compared to the effort he had put into picking out a suit for this very specific occasion – sunglasses indoors, among so many other things that were just wrong. He didn’t fit into this setting, inside this house, into the life Kip was envisioning for himself here instead. He–

“So did you actually need something or…?” Even his manner of speaking was so lazy that Kip had to hold himself back from snorting. They denied him a chance and a position in a prestigious dream school of his, but here was this dork living his dream instead. Absolutely ridiculous.

“Yes, actually.” Kip couldn’t help but to sound just a tad bit annoyed. As if he had gone all this way here to be treated like this, to be put in a position like this. With feelings like this. The blond just nodded at him, not asking any further questions. “Okay. Come in.”

Kip blinked at him a couple of times, slightly stunned. Was there really no vetting process in this place, anyone could just waltz in with whatever into the residence of a great wizard if they just said they had some business here? Maybe Chris had lied to him, to make fun of him, to lead him to a wild goose chase of a supposedly great teacher, only to land him in the house of some F grade street magician. Kip should have known, it was very on par with the kind of people Chris spent his time with anyways, it wouldn’t have surprised him if Chris would think this was what Kip wanted.

Still, something about this whole situation, this whole place, and especially this blond man that was now motioning him to follow him inside the building was intriguing to him. It was all so odd that it almost came full circle for him, that maybe there actually was something magical going on around here. After all, if everything was correct, this still was a residence of a rather magical man.

Kip nodded carefully, following the other man inside. The door slowly closed behind him, making Kip jump a little as he heard it click shut, eyes shooting over his shoulder towards it. He should have known; everything around here did feel magical now that he was inside, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise to him if the door was enchanted or something. And yet it still somehow caught him off guard. Eyes shooting back forward, Kip’s nervous hands were picking on the corners of his notebook again, trying to calm his nerves as he wasn’t really sure what to expect now that he was inside the place. The place he had dreamed for so long to be in.

As he took in his surroundings, it slowly dawned on him that the lower floor of the building seemed to be some sort of a magical shop. Long and tall shelves lined up most of the wall space, filled with books and familiar looking magical items and what Kip assumed to be enchanted tokens of all sorts, each set in their own shelves, sorted based on their different qualities. Few tables were set under the windows facing out to the street he had just been on, lined with various potions and elixirs that most seemed familiar to him, just the usual stuff. The storefront itself wasn’t anything special, Kip was assuming most of this was just a convenient side business on the side of actual magic that was performed here by the owner.

Speaking of which…

Kip looked around him, eyes landing on the blond who had moved to now sit behind the desk at the back of the store, checking over some books set on it. Maybe he was just a helping hand, Kip had hard time believing a hard practicing wizard, or even his apprentice, had a lot of time to keep up with a store of this size along with everything else. Kip breathed a sigh of relief, laughing in his mind at how silly he had been before. Of course this guy wasn’t going to be a practicing wizard, or even if he was, at least not an apprentice of any sort. Like, look at him. He looked like he could care less where he was or that he was surrounded by magical items from the floor to the ceiling on almost all sides, he was probably only in it for the money and nothing else. Kip knew his kind, the lazy type that barely cared about anything in this life. He probably didn’t even know what this store actually was about, he was just here because nobody else would hire him to do even the easiest jobs imaginable.

With a new found confidence and a smile climbing its way on his lips, Kip approached the desk with a slight spring in his step. The blond didn’t look up at him until Kip had actually stopped right in front of the desk, looming slightly over him as he got an expecting look back, still through the sunglasses. Kip wasn’t sure how he was able to see so well with those on indoors, the store was already very dim, only being lit up with a few candles and some of the natural sunlight that managed to make its way through the heavy curtains hanging by the windows. Even he had a hard time seeing at first, so Kip couldn’t even guess how it all looked through tinted lenses the blond was wearing.

“So were you looking for something specific that I could help you with?”

That he could help him with. Kip held back a snort, feeling almost insulted by the question. He might have failed in his life before, almost masterfully so if he was being honest, but even he didn’t need help when it came to magic from a man who clearly had no ambitions in such a field, or life in general. Lowering the notebook from his hand on the desk in front of him, Kip leaned one hand against the desk, leaning slightly over it towards the other man, who didn’t seem to mind this move from him at all as he just kept staring.

“Nothing you could help me with.” Kip watched as he nodded, but saw the slight, clearly confused tuck on the corner of the blond’s brow at his statement. “I’m here to see the great wizard that owns this place. So if you could get him for me, I would appreciate that.”

The man watched him quietly for a moment, Kip trying to keep up the confident exterior that he had finally found. He knew he was going to be fumbling over his words when he actually got face to face with the man he was here to meet, so this was the downtime before that he had to calm his nerves and try to keep himself collected, hoping to carry at least some of that feeling with him later. Kip knew exactly what he wanted, he knew what he was here for, and this was the time he was going to get it. He wasn’t going to lose anything by asking for this, it was a bigger loss if he now turned and walked away because he didn’t like the attitude this one single man that was standing in his way was giving to him.

And hell, if someone like this ignorant fool was able to be inside this building, handling this sort of business, there was nothing stopping an actual talented, passionate young lad like Kip himself from achieving that as well, and even more.

“…Okay,” the blond finally shrugged, standing up from the stool he had been sitting on. Kip watched him, the man just standing behind the desk for a moment before he sat back down. Kip furrowed his brows at him in confusion, the man responding by taking off his sunglasses, crossing his arms on the desk and leaning over them, never breaking eye contact with Kip as he did.

“How can I help you?”

Kip stared at him, not taking in this bit whatsoever. “Is… Is this a joke? Are you making fun of me?” The other man shook his head, the blue eyes still not looking away from Kip as he did. “I said I wanted to speak to the owner. Your boss.”

“Yeah, and I’m asking how I can help you.”

“This is ridiculous, what --”

Kip couldn’t finish his sentence as the front door was slammed open, making him jump a little. Both pairs of eyes shot towards it, a woman striding in the store through the now open doorway. She glanced around the place quickly, eyes landing on the two of them, her steps directing towards the desk. Kip took a hesitant step to the side as she didn’t seem to slow down at all, not even stopping to look him over as she slammed her hands on the desk, eyes locked on the blond sitting behind it.

“Cass! It worked! It’s perfect!” She pointed at her hair, Kip’s eyes traveling from the side of her excited face to the hair, seeing the shiny blue color on the whole left side of it framing her face. The blond behind the desk nodded, Kip seeing the first real smile crossing his lips since he had started interacting with him. It was brief, but continued all the way up to his eyes as he watched the excited woman talk to him, showing off her apparently new hair color. Kip couldn’t help but look on, almost mesmerized, at the sight of the odd duo continuing an equally odd interaction with one another.

“The boys didn’t think you could do it but look at this,” she stated, spinning a coil of her freshly colored blue hair around her finger, pulling it slightly away from her face to stare at it in clear awe. “They will be so jealous when they see this. Chuck is going to freak out for sure, it’s going to be amazing.”

The man chuckled, Kip’s eyes almost instinctively traveling back to him. He was fully smiling now, obviously comfortable around this odd woman who seemingly appeared out of nowhere, but who he clearly knew very well. He was listening to her go on and on about the hair, the extremely good quality of it, the magic tied to it; him just nodding along with a smile plastered all over his face, proud that someone appreciated the work that had been done.

Almost like she finally realized that Kip existed, the woman looked towards him as she finally quieted the gushing down a little bit, glancing him quickly up and down. “Sorry, did I interrupt something?”

“No, you’re good, Kris,” the blond shook his head before Kip had a chance to reply, gathering a glare from him. “Did you need more of the blend? I can make a few more.”

“Oh, yeah, if you could,” she smiled, turning back towards the man behind the desk. “I have a few other requests so I can come over tomorrow for them? I have a whole list of colors and placements I would like to try if you can make them.”

The blond chuckled, though Kip could have sworn he sounded slightly insulted at Kris’ words. “Of course I can. Just let me know what you need. I have some more of the blue from the last batch though so let me get that for you.”

She nodded, both her and Kip watching as the blond disappeared through the door behind the desk, which Kip assumed to be the storage room of the shop. As soon as the other man was away from his field of vision, Kip turned towards the woman, offering her a quick smile as he pointed at the blue streak in her hair.

“Could I, uh, see the hair?”

Kris beamed at him, handing the coil towards him enthusiastically, obviously being more than happy to show off this magical work that had been done. Kip examined the coils carefully, admiring the excellent craftsmanship that had taken place to produce such an incredible product, being nearly unrecognizable as a magical creation to the untrained eye. Which, of course he didn’t have, so it was easy for him to spot such a top notch enchanted creation.

“This is incredible,” he mumbled, observing the shiny color of the hair carefully as he turned it around in his hand. “The color is amazing, the shine makes it look so real, it’s almost indistinguishable from regular dye. Like this… This is art.”

“And lasts twice as long without a messy fade or destroying the hair,” the other man piped up as he walked back in, lowering a jar filled with something blue and slightly luminescent on the desk from his hands. Kip let the hair fall from his grasp as he straightened back up, watching as Kris reached for the jar, pulling it close to her chest as she continued to beam at both of them. “Also a custom made color. I can hook you up too if you need a refresher on that platinum of yours.”

Kip could feel a soft blush creeping on his cheeks, brushing a quick hand through his hair trying to rid of the nervous energy as the conversation had suddenly turned back to him. He knew it had been a while since he had his hair recolored, sure, but it wasn’t that bad, right? The roots couldn’t have been pushing out too badly already, he would have noticed that, being as particular about the way he looked on the outside as he was. “No need, I-I’m good.”

The blond shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He turned his attention back to Kris, sending her a little smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow for the rest then?”

“Yeah! I’ll stop by at some point, thanks Orange!”

She turned on her heels, with a nice spring in her step almost skipping her way back out of the store. Kip watched after her, his head slightly spinning at this odd interaction he had witnessed, before her last words slowly crept their way into his mind. Brows furrowing, he looked back towards the blond who had taken a seat behind the desk again, currently fitting the sunglasses back on his face before looking back up at Kip.

“Orange…?”

The man shrugged, running a lazy hand through his hair. “Yeah? That is my name.”

Orange… Orange. Why did such an odd name also sound so weirdly familiar to Kip? And more importantly, who the hell gets named after a color, let alone a fruit? At the same time?

“That is the name that’s on the mailbox outside. Orange Cassidy. Considering how long you were out there earlier I figured you would have seen it.”

No… No, that wasn’t it, there was some other context where Kip had heard such a weird name before. It was off the walls enough that he remembered it, not every day you met someone named after a fruit or a color. And yet, he was struggling to place it anywhere specific while trying to ignore the other man’s sassy remarks about his behavior from earlier.

“Anyways… You’ve been here for a while. Did you need help with something or…?”

Kip snapped back to the moment at hand, blinking blankly at the blond a couple of times before quickly nodding, as if he finally remembered again what his true mission here was. He couldn’t get derailed by minor details such as this, there was something much more important he was here for.

“Uh, yeah. I wanted to talk to your boss. The great wizard Orange--”

Before he could get the full name out of his mouth, Kip froze in place. All of a sudden everything made sense, the color flushing from his face as his eyes widened in horror as the realization was finally setting in. He could so vividly see the name Chris had scribbled down to his notebook for reference alongside the address where to find him, the one he deemed to be the best wizard he could find from a reasonable travel distance away.

And right next to the name, drawn the little orange fruit that Chris had thought at the time was such a funny little joke to make, considering the name.

…Oh no.

“I-I, uh, I… Um.”

The blond watched him patiently, clearly seeing Kip struggling to form words as the true nature of the situation was creeping up on him, how everything was slowly starting to make sense to him. The attitude he was getting back from the man with the sunglasses, the way he was dressed and yet handled the entire store, the whole exchange with Kris and the quality of the work done for her… Everything was falling into place, and the realization Kip was having as he was coming to terms with how he had acted earlier was catching up with him, having him finally face the consequences of it all, but especially his own actions up to this point.

Cassidy looked at him, just waiting. Watching him. Observing the nerves getting better of him as Kip fidgeted with his hands, wide eyes now shooting around the room, trying to find something interesting and calming enough to look at as he was trying to reassess the situation at hand. Situation that he had created himself, unintentionally it seemed, but it was still more or less Kip’s fault that he was in this predicament right now.

“So… Can I actually do anything for you or…?”

Kip tensed up immediately, wide eyes landing on the blond. He couldn’t read the expression behind the sunglasses, but the air was thick, filled with expectations Kip wasn’t sure he was going to be able to fill. He quickly glanced down at his feet, spotting the bag he had lowered there earlier, flicking the switch on in his brain. Reaching down for his belonging, Kip pulled the bag into his hands, eyes landing back on Cassidy again for a brief second one more time.

“Sorry, I-I gotta go.”

Turning on his heels Kip rushed out of the store, cheeks flushing red with embarrassment as he didn’t turn to look back to see if the blond was calling out after him or anything, he just pushed out the door as fast as possible.

Cassidy didn’t move from his spot, just stared blankly after the Brit as Kip was suddenly gone from his view. The silence fell back into the dim little shop as the door closed shut after him, leaving Cassidy alone there to ponder over what had just happened. He had to admit this wasn’t the first time, and probably wouldn’t be the last one either, when someone had made such a mistake, thinking he wasn’t who he really was. But there was something about the way this particular man had dealt with it all, probably the most disrespectful he had ever witnessed.

Slowly his eyes moved down to the desk in front of him, a brow slightly raising as he spotted the notebook that didn’t belong to him, the one thing Kip had left behind him in his rush to get out of the store and away from him as quickly as possible.

[belit0]

Killer - part 3 (TobiIzu)

Hashirama as a therapist… nope. part 2

"Izuna! Uchiha Izuna... I've heard so much about you, finally seeing you in person is great! Please come in, make yourself comfortable." The therapist greets him with much more energy than he would like, and now he understands why his Aniki told him to give him a chance before running off.

Just for him, he'll try.

The professional's house is genuinely beautiful, a building proper of people with money, and if the Uchiha had to bet, he would say Hashirama must have at least 4 properties in his name, about two cars, and some other luxuries in other countries.

He walks down a few corridors before arriving at the room his therapist uses as an office, walls adorned with expensive paintings and strange sculptures on overly colorful pedestals. "Your brother filled me in, at least superficially, but I expect to hear it from you. Something to drink? Coffee, water, gin?" he can't tell if the man is joking or not, with that overwhelmingly white smile plastered constantly on his face. Izuna assumes he must have cramped cheeks.

He nods in agreement, receiving a glass of room-temperature water with a strange taste, still not having uttered a word since arriving at the place, and sits down on the couch the professional indicates. A wonderful black and shiny real leather couch, with a blanket and everything to cover himself if he needs it. All he can think about is how Itachi must have had fun coming to a place like this and talking to such a guy.

He takes another sip of water, setting the glass down on a coffee table next to the sofa.

"So, Izuna! Tell me what brings you here." He chooses not to answer, figuring that if he remains silent for the entire session he can get away with Hashirama filling in the gaps with more questions he won't answer, but his soul falls at his feet upon realizing if he says nothing, he'll stare at him in silence until the hour his brother paid for is over.

After about ten minutes of staring at the floor and the room, scanning the place, and picking the skin off his fingernails while nervously tapping his foot against the floor, he finally gives in, "the room isn't bugged or anything? What about that?" There is a camera in one of the corners of the room, security system, with a red light that keeps flashing in his direction. He feels watched, monitored, the same feeling he can't seem to get out of his body since that night.

"Patient with pronounced paranoia," Hashirama seems to mutter to himself, but in a tone of voice too loud to intend for him not to hear it. He writes in his notebook as he glances at him cautiously, waiting for Izuna to step on the stick again, "Of course not, I work with a lot of cops every day, people who went through even worse things than you. The camera is for precaution, my own safety."

"Ha, I doubt that."

"What makes you think that?"

"Let's start with how the shot went out the butt of my own gun and sent me straight into a death trap?" The words come out in a trail of anxiety and desperation, as if they had long been stuck on the tip of his tongue without courage to utter them. Izuna never dared to speak of that night aloud, neither to the police nor to his brother, fearing that replaying it will make it real.

If he ignores it, he can pretend it didn't happen.

"Anger and resentment mixed with dissociations and metaphors." The therapist continues to write, one leg crossed over the other as if ignoring him. "Are you going to repeat everything you write down in your damn notebook? Are you making fun of me?"

"Oh no, just a bad habit, I always needed to write out loud, people at my college hated me for it."

"Are we here to talk about you or me?" The question is an attempt at defensive aggression, exposing him in the face of having to talk.

"Well, that's up to you, exactly. You don't seem open to talking about it, and I'm afraid if I push you you'll run out the door. Tell me, Izuna, what do you need?"

"What do I need?"

"You don't want to speak, you're angry, paranoid, shut down... you yourself should know better than anyone else what your head needs." The lightness of his words and the ease with which he reads him leads him to wonder how much information his Aniki revealed regarding his situation, or if the guy is genuinely good enough to notice his afflictions so easily.

There's something about the man that doesn't sit right with him, the same feeling he had that night before he walked through that motel door, the same instinct he ignored as it implored him to run and get the hell away from that shithole.

Hashirama's smile is haunting, too perfect to be real, and the questions he asks are too pointed, too unorthodox. Izuna never went to a psychologist, but from the experiences he's heard from different people, your therapist doesn't treat you this way.

"What happened that night, Izuna?" he asks dismissively, reducing the glimpse of his white teeth so as not to be so tetric while making the question.

"I was attacked, you should know."

"Who attacked you?"

"The white demon."

"Uh, I like that name. Tell me about him." He sets the notebook down on the coffee table in front of him, resting the pen he uses to write on it. He places each elbow on one of his knees, and rests his chin on his hands, leaning forward in a gesture of genuine interest for his response.

"I couldn't release details, they're part of a private, confidential investigation." The Uchiha feels trapped, cornered, sinking his back against the leather couch and begging for the fabric to swallow him up. Both hands clench the edge tightly, knuckles white, and he makes an enormous effort to keep his breathing calm.

"Come on, my friend! You couldn't guess the number of cops who passed by that same couch and said that same speech! Everything here is private, confidential, I'm as professional as you are, you're safe." A disturbing uneasiness creases his chest as he notices his mind relax, letting himself be carried away by the therapist's words and entering into his game.

Maybe talking about it isn't so bad, putting it into words can help make it go away. Maybe he is truly paranoid, feeling persecuted everywhere he goes. The messages he's been receiving on his phone don't help, nor does the fact that his attacker seems to have eyes everywhere.

"He...tricked me. I thought I had him, but I was following the steps he wanted me to follow." He confesses looking down at the floor, unable to hold the professional's gaze as he spontaneously opens his heart.

"What happened?"

"He took me wherever he wanted, and did whatever he wanted with me."

"Did you like it?"

" Excuse me?" He wants to believe he misheard the question, but the therapist's morbid grin on his face indicates otherwise. The query was as real as the pit forming in his stomach from discomfort, and all the walls he thought prudent to tear down rise back up with more force.

"I mean, my brother told me about it, he said you moaned like a bitch in heat when he was inside you, I just want to know if it was real or if he's bluffing." The darkness in his eyes denotes evil, and the fact that he gets up and walks to the door and opens it as well.

"Wha-a… my-y bro-other-"

"Brothers... yeah, it's crazy what one does for them, isn't it? Look how far I've gone for mine! A ruined career and a direct ticket to a country where I'm unimpeachable. It's not personal, Izuna, he just really likes you!" Hashirama watches him with demented eyes, and the Uchiha doesn't have time to react, to move, to try to run away.

The open door would give him a unique opportunity, but his body does not respond. Freedom is so close, yet he cannot reach it.

How did this happen? How can it be possible for him to show up for a therapy session with the man that the whole police headquarters seems to use for difficult cases only to have everything go to hell? Is it paranoia making him imagine things? Is it post-traumatic stress making him see situations that don't exist?

All his doubts become clear when his worst nightmare walks through the door.

Paralyzed with panic, all he can do is cry and scream incoherently when Tobirama walks in with a smirk on his face, pats his brother on the shoulder, and heads towards him.

“Long time no see, baby, missed me?”

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"IF YOU WERE AN ordinary person living in Canada in the winter of 1918– 19, you might well have thought that the world was coming down around your ears.

World War I had ended at 11 a.m. on Monday, November 11, 1918. Word of the armistice reached Canada in the early hours of the morning. As people heard of it, they spilled from their houses into the streets, some of them still in their pyjamas and nightgowns, congregating on street corners to toast the peace. After more than four years of war, there was a passion to celebrate. In Toronto, a pre-dawn procession of munitions workers, mainly women, paraded down Yonge Street, beating on pots and pans and blowing whistles. Towns and cities erupted in a noisy jubilee: sirens began wailing, factory whistles blew, church bells rang. Bonfires crackled on street corners and fireworks exploded. In the prairies, haystacks burned brightly in the fields. When daybreak came, work was forgotten as downtown thoroughfares filled with celebrants. Effigies of the German Kaiser were strung up and set ablaze. Civic officials hastily organized victory parades where Canadians expressed their relief that the war was finally over. Churches held special services of thanksgiving. The acting prime minister, William Thomas White (Prime Minister Robert Borden was already in England preparing for peace talks), dashed off a telegram to Arthur Currie, commander of the Canadian forces, commending their “courage, endurance, heroism and fortitude.”

But the euphoria did not last for long. Once the hangover of celebration wore off, Canadians woke up to the realization that there was no peace. Instead, everywhere in the world there seemed to be violence and turmoil: revolution in Germany and Hungary; civil war in Russia; uprisings in China and India; war in Afghanistan; general strikes in major cities across the United States. It was the Bolsheviks, people said; they seemed to be everywhere, overturning governments, seizing private property, and imposing their radical ideas. For some, these foreign “Reds” represented hope for a more just society; for others, they were a dangerous evil let loose to prey upon mankind.

If unrest was the rule around the world, why not in Canada? The war had left many Canadians disappointed and anxious about the future. The cost of living had been rising at three times the pace of wages. Working people found themselves poorer off than before the conflict began. As demobilized veterans returned home looking for jobs, a looming unemployment crisis threatened the economy. Returning soldiers were angry to find recent immigrants and people who had not put their lives at risk during the war occupying positions that they thought should belong to themselves.Conscription had opened an ugly division between French and English Canada. Under Borden’s Conservative government, political life seemed to have achieved unprecedented levels of corruption. The government and the press were engaged in a full-blown panic about the threat to the Canadian way of life posed by foreign agitators and labour radicals. Professor O.D. Skelton wrote in the Queen’s Quarterly:

The strain of war has produced a reckless and desperate temper. The world cannot be torn up by the roots for five years without destroying much of the old stability and acquiescence in the established order.

Canadians wondered what the war had been all about if the result was so much uncertainty, so much turmoil. They were proud of their country’s contribution to the conflict, but unsure about how to make it count for something. Surely more than 60,000 young Canadians had not given their lives just to preserve the status quo. The sacrifice seemed to demand a better way of doing things. A thirst for significant change cut across all stratas of society, from factory workers to farmers, from church ministers to returned soldiers to politicians. The federal cabinet minister Newton Rowell summed it up:

We cannot go back to old conditions, if we would, and we ought not to, even if we could.

But there was little agreement about what a new, improved Canada might look like. At a conference on reconstruction organized by the federal government in Ottawa, business leaders revealed their suspicion of even the most basic reforms, preferring instead a return to “normalcy,” by which they meant the way things had always been. That was the conservative, go-slow approach to post-war policy making: change if necessary but not necessarily change. What was the point of winning the war against Kaiserism, they wondered, if it led to Red revolution at home? More assertive voices for change emanated from the Protestant churches, which before the war had organized the Social Service Council to advocate for progressive social reform. The Council threw its support behind “industrial democracy” and a wide-ranging set of social welfare policies, including mothers’ allowances, unemployment insurance, and old-age pensions. The Methodists went farther still, calling for “nothing less than a complete social reconstruction” of postwar Canada.

Yet even this clarion call did not go far enough for political activists in the labour movement and the various socialist parties. They adopted the rhetoric of world revolution. Nothing would satisfy these radicals short of an overhaul of the structure of economic ownership in the country. “Are we in favour of a bloody revolution?” asked Calgary labour organizer Jean MacWilliams, appearing before a government commission in the spring of 1919. “Why any kind of revolution would be better than conditions as they are now.” In other words, what was the point of winning the war in Europe if it did not lead to revolution at home?"

- Daniel Francis, Seeing Reds: the Red Scare of 1918-1919, Canada’s First War on Terror. Arsenal Pulp Press, 2011. p. 9-12.

[blurglesmurfklaine]

Stick Season (10/14)

Summary: After Finn dies, Kurt leaves everything he knows behind without a trace. His hometown, his family, his boyfriend. When his dad has a medical scare, he returns to Lima, one year after breaking Blaine’s heart with no explanation.

A non-chronological series of one shots and drabbles set in this universe

Tropes/Genres: Angst, Reconciliation, Grief, Alcoholism, Mentions of Major Character Death, Mental Health

Track 9: Strawberry Wine // Day 10: Time In A Bottle

A/N: Trigger warning for description of a character having a panic attack

Words: 1094

They’re in Kurt’s car, the heater blasting, cutting through the freezing air as they pull up to the tall iron gates that Kurt’s only ever visited once.

He grips the wheel tight. “You… you don’t have to stay.”

After calling Blaine and meeting him at the Paper Tiger, they’d climbed in Kurt’s car to talk, but the only thing that had come out of his mouth was, “I need to go somewhere.”

“Then take me with you,” Blaine replied.

And so now, here they are.

Blaine doesn’t answer. He unbuckles his seatbelt and climbs out the car door. Kurt’s a bit hurt, but understands.

At least until Blaine walks forward towards the gate and pulls them open, as if saying, “After you.”

After Kurt drives through, Blaine re-enters the car, and they drive through the path of the cemetery all the way to the headstone with his brother’s name on it.

Kurt reaches into the back seat for something and pulls out a bottle of strawberry wine.

Blaine’s face is void of any judgment. “Do you… want to drink that?” he asks carefully.

Kurt considers lying for a moment, but doesn’t. “Yes. I always do, when I get… nervous.” He inhales purposefully, filling his lungs with courage. “But I won’t. It’s not for me. Finn brought me back a bottle after he went to that wine tasting. The day you and I had our first date. When he finally had some he said it was even better than beer, which, for Finn, was the highest of honors. Closest thing I have to a physical memory, I guess.”

“Just a little time in a bottle.”

Kurt's mouth twitches, and he nods.

The grass on the cemetery lawn is sharp, the blades of grass sharpened into icicles by the cold. They press into Kurt’s pants as he sits cross legged and places the bottle of wine next to Finn’s headstone.

It’s ages before either of them dares to break the silence.

“I’m still…” Kurt starts, but the words are trapped in his closing throat. He swallows them down, and Blaine grabs his hand, icy to the touch until Kurt wraps it in his free one. “I’m still figuring out how to grieve like a normal person.” It’s the first time he’s admitted it—to himself, to anyone.

“Carole. She. She couldn’t get out of bed for days. And I—I felt like a shark, I couldn’t stop baking, I couldn’t stop from keeping my hands busy and when that wasn’t enough I ran, I ran and ran thinking I could outrun this weight on my chest and now that I’ve run out of places to go it’s finally all caught up with me and it’s suffocating.” 

All this time, Kurt thought he’d been outrunning his pain, but that hasn’t been the case. He’s been carrying it with him all over the country, of course he’s winded. The exhaustion from hauling around the pain he’s caused by leaving his family, leaving Blaine, what he did to Finn—and the pain he’s been enduring by going through it all on his own—has finally caught up with him.

That’s why the air suddenly freezes in his windpipe.

He places a hand on his chest, willing his lungs to expand and draw in air. It’s no use. Each gasp of breath is superficial, and doing about as much good as inhaling underwater. When it rains, it pours, and Kurt’s allowing the tears that spring to his eyes to fall with reckless abandon.

“I’m so sorry,” he manages between jagged, shallow breaths, “I’m so fucking sorry.” He doesn’t even register anything else for a moment—can’t get himself to stop apologizing long enough to take a proper breath, to give the dark purple spots encroaching on his vision a moment to recede—until something cuts through.

“Hey, hey,” Blaine says, his voice soothing like a siren’s song. “It’s okay, you’re okay. What do you need?”

Therapy, probably.

“Just hold me,” Kurt begs, and Blaine readily obliges.

“What are three things you can see? You don’t have to answer out loud, but nod when you have them.”

Kurt’s shaking so hard he’s certain his bones are rattling, teeth chattering, heaven against Blaine’s warmth covering him like a blanket. He sees the grass, washed blue by the winter moonlight, the dusty gray clouds, blanketing the stars. He sees the bottle of wine he brought for Finn, leaned up against his headstone as the reflection of the moon shines off a corner. He sees Blaine’s arms around his torso.

Kurt nods, signaling he’s mentally listed all these things.

“Okay, two things you can hear.”

As Kurt’s breathing begins to regulate itself again, he listens for the sound of the wind whipping across the landscape, and Blaine’s voice. “I… I h-hear the wind. A-and yyyour voice,” he answers shakily this time.

“Good. You’re doing great. Last one, I promise. One thing you can feel.”

Just one? 

Kurt can feel Blaine’s arms wrapped tightly around him, anchoring him after spending an entire year alone, detached, and so, so lost. He feels the warmth radiating from Blaine’s chest, bright and sunny enough to keep the cold around them at bay. He feels the truth in the thought that if he were a formless shape and Blaine were an empty space, they’d fit, in any universe. He feels the security of a bond so strong it grabs him by the shoulders and says, I’m not going anywhere, and even though Kurt hasn’t done anything to earn that, he believes it. 

He feels safe. He feels connected.

He feels loved.

Without caring about his puffy eyes or red cheeks or the tear tracks on his face, Kurt reaches up a gloved hand to Blaine’s face and pulls their lips together.

Because the universe is kind and much more generous to Kurt than he deserves, Blaine doesn’t pull away. Instead, he places a hand behind Kurt’s neck and tugs and sucks in a long breath, as if frustrated at their skin for being the only boundary between their hearts, for not being closer. Their noses bump messily against one another as Kurt brings another hand up to Blaine’s beautiful, beautiful face and they fall backwards on the icy grass from the force of the kiss.

Kurt’s been in Lima for nearly two weeks now, but finally, he’s home.

There is still an ache in Kurt that needs to be sorted out and dealt with, but right now, he can’t help but be amazed at how even beyond the grave, Finn is still bringing them together.

[laslow]

After the long and treacherous travels across distant lands of different shapes and sizes to find her son from a different life- Olivia finally reaches her destination upon the gates of Garreg Mach. The snow flurries sprinkle the crowns of two, and Olivia couldn't help but smile quietly to herself of how thematic it would seem to finally greet her lost child on his birthday.

Where was his whereabouts? She couldn't be so entirely sure. First she and her partner ought to settle themselves right in, the formalities and rules to be followed and such. Olivia is reminded of Emmeryn's presence and sacrifice as she thinks about the backbone of the Academy- the arch bishop who has ambitions to unite these countries. Olivia learned a lot about Fodlan by their most unlikely tour guide, Henry.

The two were allowed to enter past the gates, and the dancer observes the merchants and artesians taking stock for the morning. All too shy to give them a simple wave of hello.

Olivia grips her cloak for support, hoping she would find the courage to greet Inigo and remind him that he isn't alone.

The hallways of the academy were grand and ornate, with banners and scarlet rugs for decor. There were plenty of students and faculty, conversing in groups as some make their way towards their destination.

Olivia started to wonder about the trail of possibilities, but all halts when she takes a glance of a familiar form from what feels from so long ago. Abruptly, she drops her satchel and comes running up the stairway, shouting out their name. " Inigo!" With once timid steps with their eyes averted - she kept her focus straight ahead. " Inigo! " She didn't know she had it in her to run as fast as she did, to wrap her arms to cling so fast in a room filled with people. Olivia usually would consider her actions before making them, but she was so happy to finally find what she was looking for. A family.

" My baby… Oh! Happy birthday! " There were dew drops spilling down her cheeks, but she wasn't afraid to look at him. As she tugs at his cheek.

The moment was spontaneous as it ended just as abrupt. There were people around these halls and a few students were curiously observing. Olivia had to pull herself away, rubbing her bicep to quell her anxiety.

"Um.. my apologies, I happened to get carried away in my excitement…. Oh! I do have a present for you though, where--" she looks for her satchel and realized she dropped it down the stairs.

Thankfully it wouldn't become lost, for Henry kept a watchful eye over it.

His birthday always brings with it mood swings.

Excitement, of course, for he's always loved celebrating another year of bringing smiles to those around him. (And the mere fact he's still alive is a bonus.) Melancholy follows close; for every joyous laugh, a pang of loneliness echoes in his heart. While the celebrations of his childhood are nothing more than a dim memory, he's never denied he's sentimental.

So he wanders the halls of the monastery with a fresh flower crown atop his head and a dazzling smile fixed firmly in place. He will not succumb to depression so early in the day if it's the last thing he does.

Laslow waves merrily at everyone he passes, social energy be damned. There'll be plenty of time to recover tonight when only the stars serve as his company. It's tradition, after all, performing Mother's dance today. Both versions if he can manage--some years are easier than others emotionally.

There's a distant thump that he pays no mind. Probably a merchant's bag of wares or some such. Laslow continues on his way, though the spring in his step has faded. Instinct, perhaps, alerting his senses that something has changed.

The voice calls. He stops short. It's a dream. Has to be; no way that today of all days, mom--

Her voice rings out loud and clear. Laslow pivots on his heels in time to throw his arms open wide. "Mother!" He staggers back a step as she crashes into him, wrapping his arms tight around his greatest hero.

Cool fingers pinch his rapidly flushing cheeks. But he ignores the rising flare of anxiety at so many pairs of eyes on them; so what if he's sniffling because his mother appeared out of the blue on his birthday?

Mom pulls away far too soon, a mirror of his own hidden embarrassment. "You're here," he says in elated disbelief, reaching for the hand rubbing circles in her arm, free hand rising to brush away the tears lining her cheeks. "It's alright, Mom. Wait, seriously? You didn't have to!"

He squeezes her hand once. "All I could ever want for my birthday is you and Father." Then the rest of her words register, and he sees a familiar figure scooping up the straps of a leather satchel.

Now his vision turns watery. "...You both came?"

[pt 2!]