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xdjville · 7 months

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wayv and their own love languages

pairing: wayv x gn!reader

cw: mentions of sex in winwin's (only in words, no descriptions), yangyang (half)jokingly being a hater in xiaojun's, proof read but i'm tired

author's note: i had to physically stop myself from getting carried away with kun's so it wouldn't end up twice as long as the others man i love him

#kun

quality time

if it wasn't for kun being so busy, he would literally be glued to you at the hip. only with you around he's able to truly relax, you're like a power outlet that he can use to charge his battery. what you're doing doesn't really matter to him that much, he will enjoy anything as long as you're there, but the slow, quiet moments when you're both in your own worlds have to be the ones he cherishes the most. of course, he loves going out with you and having a blast too, but something about those occasions brings him a sense of domesticity and really lets him unwind. like when you're both in his studio - him at the desk, composing or working on lyrics, while you're on the couch in the back with your laptop, focused on your own tasks, the silence being broken only the few times that kun asks about your opinion on whatever he came up with, or when you stand up to get a drink and place a kiss on his cheek as you walk by. or it could be him cooking dinner for the two of you, showing off his skills as you sit on the counter, humming quietly to his playlist playing in the background. every now and then he'd turn around to give you a piece of the food he's making for a taste test, repaying each good idea of how to improve the dish with a kiss.

#ten

thinking about you

ten is pretty much thinking about you every second that he's awake (and sometimes in his dreams, too), he's never not thinking about you. he often gets reminded of you by random things, whether because he thinks there's a visual resemblance (he then usually sends you a photo and a "you lol"), because it's something you like, or because it's somehow connected to a shared memory of yours. he brings you up in conversations a lot too, to the point where some of his friends seem to know you quite well without having actually met you. when he's travelling, he always takes many photos to send you along with voice messages about how his day went, and buys souvenirs or little trinkets to gift you when he's back. on the rare occasion when he's grocery shopping on his own, he makes it his mission to find all of your favorite snacks, which more often than not gets him distracted from the list you had put together for him, so you end up with a bunch of candy and no dinner (which is exactly why him shopping alone is a rare occurance). he also really likes putting together playlists with songs that remind him of you, some of them he'll send and give you access to, but there's also a few he made private which he listens to on days when the longing feels worse than usual.

#winwin

"i love you"

to most, it might seem like not that big of a deal, but to winwin those three words hold more meaning than all other existing ones combined. a meaning that's so important and valuable, binding even, that he uses them carefully and scarcelly in order to not abuse them. for most of his life they were reserved only for the closest family members, then, although in a different sense, also for his fans. saying them romantically for the first time was a whole new sesantion to him, and to be honest it still feels a bit foreign and uncomfortable. not because he doesn't love you, that he sure does and he makes sure to show that in other ways, but actually saying it out loud just makes him feel so bare and out in the open. hence his "i love you"s are usually muttered into the crook of your neck when you're pressed together after making love, breathed against your lips when he breaks the kiss only for a second so you can't see his face gaining more color than it already had, or whispered into your ear as he gently strokes the back of your head, your tears soaking into his sweater.

#xiaojun

sharing

xiaojun doesn't really do this purposefully, as a way to show his affection, it's just that the concept of "mine" and "yours" genuinely doesn't exist in his mind when it comes to you. want a bite of his food? it's yours as much as it's his. out of moisturiser? you probably use the same brand anyways. really like that one hoodie of his? might as well have been yours in the first place. he never expects the same behavior in return, he's totally fine if you value your privacy and he makes sure that you understand each other's boundaries, but he never lets go of that "what's mine is yours" mindset either way. xiaojun really enjoys showing you off ("shoving your relationship into people's faces", as one german boy likes to call it), so you wearing his clothes or jewelry is his absolute favorite thing ever. he then stares at you with heart-shaped, sparkly eyes, a wide, lovesick grin on his face, and the tips of his ears burning red (to the german boy's disgust).

#hendery

being vulnerable with you

very few people get to see the other side of hendery than the cheerful, quirky self that he usually is. the side that's exhausted and afraid, that pains and ugly cries. a lot of doors have to opened to reach it, but he trusts you more than anything and anyone, ever. he doesn't think he could be any more real and unfiltered as he is with you, it's almost like it's more comfortable than when he's all alone. when you're there, he can just let everything go and express his feelings in a way that's most true to himself, without faking or conceiling anything. all those nights he spent crying because of his past, present, and future, because of his fears and scars and sorrows, you've been there for him. and although in the morning when you're tangled in your sheets with puffy faces and dry skin either of you knows better than to mention whatever was said that night, he's truly, deeply grateful, and each time he makes a promise to himself that one day he'll tell you that.

#yangyang

kissing

yangyang's nothing if not a kiss person. it's his favorite thing in the whole world, to be able to just connect your lips until he forgets his own name because yours is all he can think about. little pecks, french kisses, make out sessions, spiderman kisses - you name it, he loves all of them and they're all his favorites, as long as it's you who's on the other end. you often try to push him away because you just ate something with garlic, or because you have yet to brush your teeth in the morning, but none of that really matters to him. in fact, he cherishes every sensation that comes with it, be it a taste of what you ate, the feeling of your dry lips when you forget to put on chapstick, or a string of saliva that keeps you connected after you pull away - god, that one makes him go weak in the knees. he especially likes when you take the initiative, it makes him feel loved and all warm inside (he would never admit that though). and if you lead the kiss, maybe a bit riled up from something happening at work or because you've missed him? oh, he's a goner.

#taglist ➼♡ @bambisnc

©xdjville

#nct imagines #nct reactions #kpop imagines #kpop reactions #wayv imagines #wayv reactions #kpop scenarios #wayv fic #wayv fanfic #wayv x reader #wayv scenarios #nct fic #nct fanfic #nct scenarios #nct x reader #nct fluff #wayv fluff

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mariacallous · 3 months

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A new report by environmental groups lays out a case for banning deep sea mining—and explains why the real solution to humanity’s energy crisis might just be sitting in the trash.

Deep sea mining is the pursuit of rare, valuable minerals that lie undisturbed upon the ocean floor—metals like nickel, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements. These so-called critical minerals are instrumental in the manufacture of everything from electric vehicle batteries and MRI machines to laptops and disposable vape cartridges—including, crucially, much of what’s needed to transition away from fossil fuels. Political leaders and the companies eager to dredge up critical minerals from the seafloor tend to focus on the feel-good, climate-friendly uses of the minerals, like EV batteries and solar panels. They’ll proclaim that the metals on the deep seafloor are an abundant resource that could help usher in a new golden age of renewable energy technology.

But deep sea mining has also been roundly criticized by environmentalists and scientists, who caution that the practice (which has not yet kicked off in earnest) could create a uniquely terrible environmental travesty and annihilate one of the most remote and least understood ecosystems on the planet.

There has been a wave of backlash from environmentalists, scientists, and even comedians like John Oliver, who devoted a recent segment of Last Week Tonight to lambasting deep sea mining. Some companies that use these materials in their products—Volvo, Volkswagen, BMW, and Rivian among them—have come out against deep sea mining and pledged not to use any metals that come from those abyssal operations. (Some prominent companies have done the exact opposite; last week, Tesla shareholders voted against a moratorium on using minerals sourced from deep sea mining.)

Even if you can wave away that ecological threat, mining the sea might simply be wholly unnecessary if the goal is to bring about a new era of global renewable energy. A new report, aptly titled “We Don’t Need Deep-Sea Mining,” aims to lay out why.

The report is a collaboration between the advocacy group US PIRG, Environment America Policy Center, and the nonprofit think tank Frontier Group. Nathan Proctor, senior director of the Campaign for the Right to Repair at PIRG and one of the authors of the new report, says the solution to sourcing these materials should be blindingly obvious. There are critical minerals all around us that don’t require diving deep into the sea. You’re probably holding some right now—they’re in nearly all our devices, including the billions of pounds of them sitting in the dump.

The secret to saving the deep sea, Proctor says, is to prioritize systems that focus on the materials we already have—establishing right to repair laws, improving recycling capabilities, and rethinking how we use tech after the end of its useful life cycle. These are all systems we have in place now that don’t require tearing up new lands thousands of feet below the ocean.

“We don't need to mine the deep sea,” Proctor reiterates. “It's about the dumbest way to get these materials. There's way better ways to address the needs for those metals like cobalt, nickel, copper, and the rest.”

Into the Abyss

Schemes for delving into the deep ocean have been on the boards for years. While the practice is not currently underway, mining companies are getting ready to dive in as soon as they can.

In January 2024, the Norwegian Parliament opened up its waters to companies looking to mine resources. The Metals Company is a Canadian mining operation that has been at the forefront of attempts to mine in the Pacific Ocean’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ)—an area of seabed that spans 3,100 miles between Mexico and Hawaii.

The proposed mining in the CCZ has gotten the most attention lately because the Metals Company secured rights to access key areas of the CCZ for mining in 2022, and its efforts are ramping up. The process involves gathering critical minerals from small rock-like formations called polymetallic nodules. Billions of these nodules rest along the seabed, seemingly sitting there ripe for the taking (if you can get down to them). The plan—one put forth by several mining companies, anyway—is to scrape the ocean floor with deep sea trawling systems and bring these nodules to the surface, where they can be broken down to extract the shiny special metals inside. Environmentalists say this poses a host of ecological problems for everything that lives in the vicinity.

Gerard Barron, the CEO of the Metals Company, contends that his efforts are misunderstood by activists and the media (especially, say, John Oliver).

“We're committed to circularity,” Barron says. “We have to drive towards circularity. We have to stop extracting from our planet. But the question is, how can you recycle what you don’t have?”

Both Barron and the authors of the activist report acknowledge that there aren’t perfect means of resource extraction anywhere—and there’s always going to be some environmental toll. Barron argues that it is better for this toll to play out in one of the most remote parts of the ocean.

“No matter what, you will be disrupting an ecosystem,” says Kelsey Lamp, ocean campaign director with the Environment America Research and Policy Center and an author of the report. “This is an ecosystem that evolved over millions of years without light, without human noise, and with incredibly clear water. If you disrupt it, the likelihood of it coming back is pretty low.”

For many of the life-forms down in the great deep, the nodules are the ecosystem. Removing the nodules from the seabed would remove all the life attached to them.

“This is a very disruptive process with ecosystems that may never recover,” says Tony Dutzik, associate director and senior policy analyst at the nonprofit think tank Frontier Group and another author of the report. “This is a great wilderness that is linked to the health of the ocean at large and that has wonders that we’re barely even beginning to recognize what they are.”

Barron counters that the life in the abyssal zone is less abundant than in an ecosystem like rainforests in Indonesia, where a great deal of nickel mines operate—although scientists discovered 5,000 new species in the CCZ in 2023 alone. He considers that the lesser of two evils.

“At the end of the day, it's not that easy,” You can't just say no to something. If you say no to this, you're saying yes to something else.”

The Circular Economy

Barron and others make the case that this ecosystem disruption is the only way to access the minerals needed to fuel the clean-tech revolution, and is therefore worth the cost in the long run. But Proctor and the others behind the report aren't convinced. They say that without fully investing in a circular economy that thinks more carefully about the resources we use, we will continue to burn through the minerals needed for renewable tech the same way we've burned through fossil fuels.

“I just had this initial reaction when I heard about deep sea mining,” Proctor says. “Like, ‘Oh, really? You want to strip mine the ocean floor to build electronic devices that manufacturers say we should all throw away?’”

While mining companies may wax poetic about using critical minerals for building clean tech, there's no guarantee that's where the minerals will actually wind up. They are also commonly used in much more consumer-facing devices, like phones, laptops, headphones, and those aforementioned disposable vape cartridges. Many of these devices are not designed to be long lasting, or repairable. In many cases, big companies like Apple and Microsoft have actively lobbied to make repairing their devices more difficult, all but guaranteeing more of them will end up in the landfill.

“I spend every day throwing my hands up in frustration by just how much disposable, unfixable, ridiculous electronics are being shoveled on people with active measures to prevent them from being able to reuse them,” Proctor says. “If these are really critical materials, why are they ending up in stuff that we're told is instantly trash?”

The report aims to position critical minerals in products and e-waste as an “abundant domestic resource.” The way to tap into that is to recommit to the old mantra of reduce, reuse, recycle—with a couple of additions. The report adds the concept of repairing and reimagining products to the list, calling them the five Rs. It calls for making active efforts to extend product lifetimes and invest in “second life” opportunities for tech like solar panels and battery recycling that have reached the end of their useful lifespan. (EV batteries used to be difficult to recycle, but more cutting-edge battery materials can often work just as well as new ones, if you recycle them right.)

Treasures in the Trash

The problem is thinking of these deep sea rocks in the same framework of fossil fuels. What may seem like an abundant resource now is going to feel much more finite later.

“There is a little bit of the irony, right, that we think it's easier to go out and mine and potentially destroy one of the most mysterious remote wildernesses left on this planet just to get more of the metals we're throwing in the trash every day,” Lamp says.

And in the trash is where the resources remain. Electronics manufacturing is growing five times faster than e-waste recycling, so without investment to disassemble those products for their critical bits, all the metals will go to waste. Like deep sea mining, the infrastructure needed to make this a worthwhile path forward will be tremendous, but committing to it means sourcing critical minerals from places nearby, and reducing some waste in the process.

Barron says he isn't convinced these efforts will be enough. “We need to do all of that,” Barron says, “You know, it's not one or the other. We have to do all of that, but what we have to do is slow down destroying those tropical rainforests.” He adds, “If you take a vote against ocean metals, it is a vote for something else. And that something else is what we’ve got right now.”

Proctor argues that commonsense measures, implemented broadly and forcefully across society to further the goal of creating a circular economy, including energy transition minerals, will ultimately reduce the need for all forms of extraction, including land and deep-sea mining.

“We built this system that knows how to do one thing, which is take stuff out of the earth, put it into products and sell them, and then plug our ears and forget that they exist,” Proctor says. “That’s not the reality we live in. The sooner that we can disentangle that kind of paradigm from the way we think about consumption and industrial policy the better, because we're going to kill everybody with that kind of thinking.”

Just like mining the deep sea, investing in a circular economy is not going to be an easy task. There is an allure of deep sea mining when it is presented as a one-stop shop for all the materials needed for the great energy transition. But as the authors of the report contend, the idea of exploiting a vast deposit of resources is the same relationship society has had with fossil fuels—they’re seemingly abundant resources ripe for the picking, but also they are ultimately finite.

“If we treat these things as disposable, as we have, we’re going to need to continually refill that bucket,” Dutzik says. “If we can build an economy in which we’re getting the most out of every bit of what we mine, reusing things when we can, and then recycling the material at the end of their lives, we can get off of that infinite extraction treadmill that we’ve been on for a really long time.”

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techtimechronicles24 · 5 months

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🇺🇸 Step back in time to 1986 and witness the dawn of a revolutionary device—the IBM PC Convertible. As one of the earliest portable computers, the PC Convertible marked a significant milestone in the evolution of American personal computing, offering newfound mobility and versatility to professionals and enthusiasts alike.

💻 The IBM PC Convertible represented IBM's inaugural foray into creating a portable version of its iconic PC line. It was the first laptop-style computer following the luggable IBM Portable, and notably introduced the 3½-inch floppy disk format to the IBM product line. Featuring a clamshell design this groundbreaking device set the stage for future generations of laptops. Its compact form factor and relatively lightweight made it a practical choice for on-the-go computing—a novel concept at the time.

⌨️ Unlike earlier portable computers that required external keyboards, the PC Convertible boasted a built-in keyboard, enhancing its usability and convenience.

👉 The PC Convertible came in three models: PC Convertible, PC Convertible Model 2, and Model 3. The latter two were released in October 1987 and are primarily distinguished by their LCD panels. The original Convertible used a non-backlit panel, which was considered difficult to read. The Model 2 lacked a backlight as well but upgraded to an improved supertwist panel, while the Model 3 included a backlight.

🖥️ Equipped with an innovative flip-up monochrome, CGA-compatible LCD screen, the PC Convertible offered a crisp display for viewing documents and running applications—a revolutionary feature for its time.

💾 Powered by an Intel 80C88 CPU, the PC Convertible came with built-in storage options, including 256 KB of RAM (expandable to 640 KB) and dual 720 KB 3.5-inch floppy drives, enabling users to store and access data with ease. It also featured serial and parallel ports for connecting peripherals.

🔋 Despite its modest battery life by today's standards, the PC Convertible offered respectable uptime, allowing users to work on the go without being tethered to a power source. Weighing just over 12 pounds and featuring a built-in carrying handle, the PC Convertible's battery was rated for 10 hours.

🌟 The IBM PC Convertible was succeeded in 1991 by the PS/2 L40 SX, and in Japan by the IBM Personal System/55note, the predecessor to the ThinkPad. The IBM PC Convertible left an indelible mark on the history of computing, paving the way for the modern laptops we use today. Its innovative design and practical features demonstrated the potential of portable computing, inspiring subsequent advancements in mobile technology.

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thatonesillyducko · 2 months

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𝕱𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝕲𝖔𝖑𝖉 𝖙𝖔 𝕬𝖘𝖍

Characters included: Jemíma Ámbar del Mar Hernández (OC) (Teen), Brenda María del Martinéz de Hernández (Mother of Jemíma and Javíer). Brief mention:Javíer Alvarez Hernández (Little brother of Jemíma and youngest son of Brenda)

Warnings!: Angst, canon reality scene, depressive and war related topics

Note: I died writing this, 2 mugs of coffee and in and out battery charge of laptop. This fic is related on my Jemíma lore. As I'm currently working on her long ass biography. I thought of writing a... fic about it, perhaps to improve the lore of her life before? Another thing... This is a long paragraph as per my knowledge lmao-- Enjoy reading!

.𖥔 ݁ ˖༘⋆𐦍⊹₊ ⋆｡˚⊹ ࣪ ˖ ꒰ঌ ♡ ໒꒱ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ .𖥔 ݁ ˖༘⋆𐦍⊹₊ ⋆｡˚⊹ ࣪ ˖ ꒰ঌ ♡ ໒꒱ ⊹ ࣪ ˖.𖥔 ݁ ˖༘

It's frustrating having to deal with a difficult change in your appearance, especially when it involves your hair. Maybe you're feeling stuck with a look that doesn't align with your desired image, or perhaps your hair is going through a period of change, and the outcome isn't living up to your expectations. This situation can feel quite dreadful and uncomfortable, as your hair serves as an essential part of your identity. To feel like it's not turning out as planned can be disheartening, leading to a sense of disappointment and dissatisfaction. But in this case, it's a lot different story...

The woman gently combed through Jemíma's locks, taking a strand of her hair between her fingers before twisting the brush around. The smell of hair dye lingered heavily in the air. Brenda continued to hum along to some Latin music in the background, glancing at Jemíma's distressed and solemn expression in the mirror. Brenda's hands trembled as she applied the dark-brown hair colour

"Be still, mi hija." She murmured as she carefully continued the dyeing, her own heart breaking at the sight of her daughter's sorrow. The heavy silence in the room was filled only by Jemíma's soft sobs, the gentle sound of the hair dye being applied and low volumed Latin music playing. Brenda's fingers ached from the constant effort needed to keep her hands from trembling, and her own heart ached for her daughter. This was no way for a child to grow up - in constant fear, hiding from the evils that stalked them outside.

Brenda gently wiped away a stray tear from Jemíma's cheek, her voice soft and soothing.

"It will be alright, Jemí. I promise."

Jemíma hesitantly questioned, her voice laced with a mixture of fear and confusion. "Mum, why are you dyeing my hair anyways?" she asked, her tone wavering with a hint of trepidation. The 16-year-old girl fidgeted nervously in her seat, a whimper escaping her lips as she looked up at her mother's steady hands holding the bottle of hair dye.

Brenda paused, her eyes tearing up again as she looked at her daughter. How could she explain the horrors of the current situation to a girl still so young?

"Mija, you… You can't look like you anymore. There are bad people out there, and they…" She took a shuddering breath, trying to keep her own fear and despair from showing in her voice.

Jemíma's words were tinged with confusion, her brow furrowing as she spoke, "But you're blonde too, a white Colombian…?" There was a hint of doubt in her voice as she struggled to understand her mother's decision. Her hands fidgeted nervously in her lap, her eyes fixed on her mother's hands as they held the bottle of hair dye.

"They want to hurt us. They can't know who you are. Do you understand?" How could she explain the horrific reality of the world they lived in to a 16-year-old girl, her own daughter? She paused for a moment, struggling to find the right words. "We live in dangerous times. It's not safe for you to look like yourself anymore. The gangs, they're… they're looking for girls like you."

Tears welled up in Jemíma's eyes, her young mind barely grasping the severity of the situation. She looked up at her mother pleadingly.

"I don't understand, Mamá... Why do they want girls like me?"

Brenda's heart shattered a little more as she looked into her daughter's wide, innocent eyes. How could she explain the unspeakable horrors that lay beyond their front door?

"There are... many terrible people out there. And they do terrible things to girls like you. We cannot let them find you. That's why we must hide, mi amor." Brenda knew it was the truth as much as she hated to say it. Jemíma's blonde hair and pretty innocent appearance made her an easy target for the drug lords and gangs that terrorized their city. Dyeing her hair was the only way to keep her safe. She gently brushed her daughter's newly dyed hair, her heart breaking as she looked into the girl's wide, frightened eyes.

"I know it's not fair. But we have to do this to keep you safe. Do you understand?"

Jemíma looked up at her mother, her eyes still watery, staring at the mirror reflection her newly darkened hair, a look of confusion and sadness on her face. It felt wrong, unnatural. She didn't want to change; she didn't want any of this. Why couldn't life just be normal...Her small hands touched her newly darkened locks, her tears stopping as she studied her reflection with a mixture of confusion and resignation.

"But I liked being blonde…" She whispered; her voice barely audible over the distant, ever-present sounds of soft Latin music.

Brenda's heart ached at the pain in her daughter's voice, but she knew she had to answer honestly - there was no point in trying to sweeten the truth.

"Mi cariña," she said softly, her hand gentle as she brushed away tears from Jemíma's cheeks, "We must blend in, we must be careful. Your blonde hair makes you stand out, we can't take any risks. You understand, don't you?"

As much as she hated to say it, Brenda knew it was the truth. Jemima's blonde hair and tan skin made her an easy target for the drug lords and gangs that terrorized their city. Dyeing her hair was the only way to keep her safe. Brenda knelt down in front of her daughter, taking her small hands in hers. Her own hands trembled slightly as she stared into Jemima's eyes, tears now streaming down her own face.

"I will do everything I can to protect you, mi hija. But… these people, they don't care about the lives they destroy. I can't promise they won't try to hurt you if they find you. That's why we must be careful, mi amor. That's why we have to hide."

Brenda tried to force a smile as she dried Jemima's hair, but it faltered at the sight of her daughter's tear-streaked face. How could she protect her from this hellish world they lived in? But it also felt like a betrayal, a transformation that stripped away an innocence that could never be returned.

"We'll get through this, you and I. Together. One day, mi hija. One day, we'll be free of this madness. I promise."

Brenda nodded in acknowledgment, a small frown of worry creasing her forehead. After a moment, she broke the silence again.

"And you remember the rules, right, cariña? Don't go out alone, don't accept rides from strangers, and if someone makes you uncomfortable or scares you, you come straight home. Understood?" Jemíma responded with a nod of thanks, "Mhm, gracias. Mamá" She chimed in, the casual tone of her voice seemed to imply that the danger was not as concerning to her as it probably should. "Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself."

Brenda let out a soft sigh of relief, a small smile forming on her lips. She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Jemíma's forehead, her voice soft and loving. "De nada, mi vida. I just want to keep you safe. Never forget that, okay? You're my everything, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

She changed the subject slightly, speaking in a more lighthearted tone. "Now that I'm done, what do you want for dinner? I can make your favourite tonight… Tacos? Or anything you want, cariño."

"I was thinking.. your homemade one-pot rice and chicken dish. The aroma of sautéed chicken combined with flavourful seasonings and fluffy rice would hit the spot right now." Jemíma loved her mother's cooking skills, wishing that she could learn from her as well, maybe one day. The fragrance of the spices, the tenderness of the chicken, all brought together in a single satisfying meal. It's a classic and yet each time it's made, it feels like a new and delightful experience. Brenda's face instantly brightened at Jemíma's request, and a warm smile spread across her lips.

"You're in luck, querida. I just bought everything I need for that dish this morning. It's one of my personal favorites as well. I'll get started on it as soon as I clean up the things. Just give me a few more minutes, alright?"

Jemima quickly glanced at the clock, realizing it was already 5 PM. Her face immediately morphed into an expression of slight alarm.

"Oh no, I completely forgot that it was Javíer's football match day!" she exclaimed. "Do you mind if I quickly go and pick him up from school?"

Brenda paused for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty passing over her face. Concern etched her features as she looked at her daughter, considering the situation carefully. After a few moments, she spoke her mind.

"Javíer's match… Are you sure that's a good idea right now? With all that's going on, I don't know if it's safe for you to be out and about…"

Brenda nodded slowly, her expression a mix of worry and resignation. She knew that Jemíma was right; Javíer was just a child.

"I understand, Jemí. Just promise me you'll be careful, okay? Keep your head down, don't talk to strangers, and come straight home after you pick him up. And no loitering, you hear me?"

Brenda gave a small chuckle in response, a smile on her face. She reached out and gently patted Jemíma's hand.

"I know I can trust you, mija. You're a smart girl. But I'm your mother. Mother's worry, it's what we do. Just be careful out there, alright? And if anything feels wrong, call me immediately, okay?"

Jemíma smiled at her mother's words, her heart eased slightly by the reassurance."I will, Mamá. I promise. I'll be careful, and if something doesn't feel right, I'll call you right away."

Brenda nodded, satisfied with her daughter's response. "That's my girl. I just want you to be safe, you know? It's a dangerous world out there."

Jemíma smiled, feeling a pang of guilt for the worry she was causing her mother. "I know, I understand. But I'll be okay. I'm a capable person. I know how to take care of myself."

Brenda sighed and gave a small smile. "I know you are, sweetie. I just can't help but worry. It's a mother's job. But I trust you. Just promise me you'll be careful, alright?"

Jemíma nodded, a sense of determination in her eyes. "I promise, Mamá. I'll be careful. I won't take unnecessary risks, and I'll pay attention to my surroundings. I'll be careful and call you if anything seems off."

Later on, Jemíma got dressed in her favorite blue-white striped shirt, black leggings, and a dark green jacket. After putting on her shoes, she headed downstairs, ready to pick up her younger brother, Javíer, from school. Brenda observed as Jemíma prepared to leave, her motherly instincts still on high alert. She walked closer to Jemíma and placed a hand on her shoulder, her voice gentle but firm.

"Remember, be careful. Stay in public areas, and don't linger. Pick up Javíer and come straight home, understood? No detours or chatting with strangers."

“You can count on me, Mamá. Love you!” She gave a cheek kiss on mother’s cheek, as she proceeds to leave the house, closing the main door behind and walked heading towards the school. Brenda watched Jemíma leave, a hint of worry in her eyes. She let out a small sigh, knowing that she couldn't keep her daughter locked away forever, but still concerned for her safety.

As Jemíma made her way to the school, the neighborhood was unusually quiet. The once vibrant and bustling streets had a different feeling to them, almost eerily quiet. As Jemíma approached the school, she noticed a few unfamiliar faces lingering near the entrance. Some of them seemed to be loitering around, with a disinterested or even hostile expression on their faces. Jemíma couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy as she approached, instinctively adjusting her jacket to cover her now brunette hair a bit more.

Jemíma gulped, a breath caught her in her throat, feeling an eerie tension in her body. She took a deep breath and walked slowly towards the main gate of the school to enter in, one of the men loitering nearby leaned against the wall, his gaze following her movements with a cold, unblinking stare. It was clear he was sizing her up, taking in her appearance. He muttered something under his breath in a low voice, causing a few of the others to exchange looks and smirk. Jemíma passed through the halls of the school, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Every now and then, she'd catch glimpses of the same men from outside, standing at various points inside the school, their presence a constant reminder of the eerie atmosphere.

When she finally reached the soccer field, the game was already in progress. Javíer was one of the players darting across the field, his focus entirely on the game.She stood near the sidelines, trying to watch the game while still keeping an eye out for the strange men. The tension in the air was palpable, and even the other parents and spectators seemed a bit on edge. But despite the unsettling situation, Jemíma couldn't help but feel a sense of relief upon seeing Javíer engaged in the soccer game. One student, known as a bully, kicked Javíer on purpose to make him fall on the grass.The bully's dirty play caused Javíer to stumble and fall hard onto the grass, wincing in pain. The game momentarily stopped as the coach rushed over to check on him. Jemíma's heart skipped a beat as she saw her little brother in distress, and an immediate protective instinct welled up within her. She clenched her fists, a mix of anger and worry on her face.

The bully snickered at Javíer on the ground, clearly enjoying the scene he had caused. The other players looked on, some with a hint of annoyance, while others seemed entertained by the spectacle. The tension in the air thickened as the coach helped Javíer up, checking him for any serious injuries. Jemíma grit her teeth, her protective instincts flaring. She cast a disapproving glare towards the bully, her eyes narrowing with annoyance. It took all her restraint to keep from marching over there and giving him a piece of her mind. But she knew she had to be careful in her actions, for Javíer's sake as well as her own.

The coach, after assessing Javíer's condition, called a brief time-out. He pulled Javíer aside and spoke to him, while the other players dispersed to the sidelines for water breaks. Javíer, still a bit shaken, looked around and spotted Jemíma. He smiled weakly and made his way towards her, a slight limp in his step from the bully's kick.

Javíer's frown slowly turned into a small smile as he listened to Jemíma. He was clearly glad to see her, and her kind words helped to lift his spirits a bit. The mention of his soccer skills, although slightly off-topic, also brought a hint of pride to his expression. He winced a bit as he moved his leg, but he tried to ignore the lingering pain.The time-out period ended, and the game resumed. The bully glanced over at Jemíma and Javíer, a subtle smirk on his face. He seemed pleased with the impact he had on Javíer, relishing in the fact that he had disrupted his game.

The game continued, but Jemíma's mind was fixated on the bully. Her annoyance and protectiveness towards her little brother only grew as she observed his smug expression and the way he continued to target Javíer during the game. The bully's actions became more aggressive as the game progressed. He pushed and elbowed Javíer whenever the opportunity arose, and he laughed whenever Javíer fell or missed a pass. The coach didn’t seem to notice, or at least didn’t intervene yet.Suddenly, Javíer then kicked him back, the bully responded that don't ever do that again or tomorrow morning, he’ll be dismembered in different bags, and going to end up in the trunk of a car. Jemíma noticed her brother and the bully fighting, resulting in a gathering. The game came to an abrupt halt when the bully and Javíer started fighting, their fists flying at each other. The coach rushed over, trying to break up the altercation while the other players and spectators gathered around, some cheering them on, others watching with a mixture of shock and amusement.

Jemíma watched the scene unfold, her protective instincts flaring to new heights. The threat the bully had made about dismembering Javíer sent a shiver down her spine, and she stepped closer, ready to intervene if necessary. The coach and a few other adult spectators struggled to separate the fighting boys. The bully's friends shouted encouragement, spurring him on to continue the fight. Javíer, despite being smaller, fought back bravely, fuelled by a mix of anger and fear. The tension in the air was palpable, and the crowd around them grew larger as more people heard the commotion. Jemíma, trying her best to stay in control, pushed her way through the crowd, determined to reach her brother. The men she had noticed loitering around the school earlier had now approached the scene, and their cold, calculating gazes sent a chill down her spine. It was clear they were affiliated with the bully somehow. Jemima became enraged that this fucking conflict was even affecting not only teens but young children too atleast aged between 9 and 11. She pulled Javíer away from the chaotic scene, her heart racing with anger and concern. She pushed through the crowd and hurried out of the school gate, her pace quick and determined.

As they exited, she scanned the surroundings warily, mindful of the men who had been lurking earlier. The cold, menacing atmosphere still hung in the air, but she didn’t stop until they were a safe distance away from the school. Javíer, his adrenaline subsiding, looked up at his sister with a mix of worry and apology in his eyes. He obviously felt bad for the fight, but also scared by the bully’s threat.

Jemíma didn’t say anything at first, her mind still reeling from the events that had just unfolded. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself before speaking."Javíer…" Jemíma said in a measured tone, her eyes meeting her brother's concerned gaze. "What the hell was that all about? That bully… the things he said… What was he talking about, saying he would dismember you and put you in a car trunk?"

Javíer swallowed hard, his young face visibly paler. He fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, his voice shaky as he spoke. "I-I don’t know, Jemíma… He’s always been mean to me, ever since I started playing soccer… But today, he was acting crazier than usual. He’s always throwing threats and stuff, but this time, it felt different…"

Jemíma frowned, her concern growing. She knelt down so she was eye-level with her brother, her voice softening, but still carrying a hint of anger and worry.

"Javíer… I want you to promise me, from now on, you’ll tell me if that bully bothers you. I don’t care if you think I’ll get angry or anything, I need to know. Okay? Promise me you’ll tell me if he hurts you, or threatens you, or says something like that again."

Javíer nodded, a mixture of fear and hesitation in his eyes.

"Si, I promise… I won’t keep it to myself again. I’m sorry for not telling you before, Jemíma. I… I was scared…"

Jemíma took a deep breath, her anger and worry slowly being replaced by a sense of protectiveness. She gently ruffled Javíer’s hair, a strained smile on her face."It’s okay, hermano. You don’t have to apologize. I’m just glad you’re okay. But now we have to figure out what to do about this bully situation. That threat he made… it’s serious. We can’t just ignore it."

Javíer nodded, his gaze dropping to the ground. He looked tired and drained from the ordeal. The realization of the seriousness of the situation seemed to weigh heavy on him.

He looked back up at Jemíma, his voice shaky. "What are we gonna do, Jemíma? What if he really does something… what if he really hurts me?"

Jemíma’s heart sank at her brother’s words. She hated seeing the fear in his eyes, her protective instincts soaring even higher. She took a moment to think, her expression serious before responding.

"We’re going to make sure he doesn’t hurt you, hermano. I won’t let that happen, no matter what. I’ll talk to the coach and the school officials. They have to know what’s going on and deal with the bully…"

Javíer’s eyes seemed to light up at Jemíma's words, a mixture of hope and relief in them. Despite the fear he was feeling, he trusted his older sister implicitly. "You really think they’ll do something? I’m worried they might not care or something… I’m worried they might not--.."

Jemíma sighed, a mix of determination and frustration in her voice. "I’m going to make sure they do something this time. We have to be persistent. If they don’t listen, we’ll go to the principal, the school board, anyone we need to…"

She paused for a moment, her eyes hardening. "And if all else fails, we’ll tell mamá." The mention of their mother seemed to have a profound effect on Javíer. His eyes widened slightly, and he swallowed hard.

"Do we have to tell mamá? She’ll get really worried, and she might not let me play soccer anymore…"

Jemíma thought for a moment, her expression soft but firm.

"Normally, I’d say no, we shouldn’t worry her unnecessarily, but this isn't something we can just brush under the rug. This is serious, hermano, and she should know. It concerns you, and your safety is important. I understand you’re afraid she might not let you play soccer, but I don’t think that’s the biggest concern right now, honestly…"

Javíer was quiet for a few moments, seeming to accept the gravity of the situation. After a few seconds, he nodded.

"You’re right… We should tell mamá. I just hope she won’t be too mad. And I still want to play soccer…"

Jemíma placed a comforting hand on Javíer’s shoulder, her gaze unwavering.

"I’m sure mamá will understand. She’ll support you. And we won’t stop you from playing soccer if it’s what you love. We’ll just make sure there’s a solution to deal with that bully."

She paused for a moment, looking around, noticing the time.

"Come on. We need to get home before mamá starts to worry."

Javíer nodded silently, falling in step beside his sister as they began the walk home. The incident at the school field was still on his mind, the threats and the fight replaying in his thoughts. He glanced up at Jemíma, feeling grateful yet anxious.

"I’m glad I have you, Jemíma… You always look out for me."

Jemíma smiled softly at her little brother, her expression a mix of love and protection. She bumped his shoulder gently.

"You’re my little brother, hermano. It’s my job to look out for you. We’re siblings, you and me. We’ll face whatever comes our way, together. Okay?"

Javíer nodded, feeling a bit more comforted by his sister’s words. He felt safe and reassured, knowing that Jemíma had his back.

As they continued walking, the journey home was filled with the typical sights and sounds of the neighborhood. Kids playing in the streets, dogs barking, and the occasional car passing by. But there was also an underlying tension. Jemíma kept an eye out, her protective instincts on high alert. She was aware of the men loitering around the school earlier, and their presence added a layer of unease to their journey.

#cod oc #cod original character #Jemíma #fanfic #writers on tumblr #shani's literature corner #oc lore

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meshconcept01 · 1 month

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Foldables phones are here to stay for a fact.

I'd call it, the novelty addition of smartphone technology.

You can tell by the higher spectrum at which smartphone brands are beginning to adapt to the trend, offering a wider range of user choices, now it's up to the user to choose which of these foldable devices stand out and bends in best to their lifestyle and routines.

The functionality of foldables continually improve in every generation and series and the Honor V3 will no doubt, be a reflection of that statement.

While I stay cosy in my bed sheets and await the launch of the Honor V3 in September, I have some expectations.

New foldables like this always puts me on the edge of of "seeing how these things work!", The major cutting edge differences and what sets it apart from the previous generation and outclasses it from the predecessor.

MY SOLID EXPECTATIONS OF HONOR V3 ⤵️

BUILD QUALITY: if among the reasons I'm choosing a foldable, one is most likely to avoid the weight burden, I could have gone for a tablet but I choose a foldable to avoid the heft, build quality has the proficiency to attract the "entertainment circle" customers, they are just as concerned about the build as the performance, a game and movie lover wouldn't want to feel stressed holding their foldable for as long as the entertainment takes them.

A non slippery build material is as important as the phone condition itself, this foldable will go through a lot of chronicles in our daily lives and it's important the manufacturers are conscious about the quality of build.

DURABILITY/SPOTLESS CREASE: If a phone is rated IP68, you'd be tempted to plunge it into water or just be in a weather condition that provokes that aspect of the device.

If the Honor V3 can boast a flexible hinge technology, it definitely would awake that hunger in me to keep closing and opening as many times as I can to verify the feature of the foldable to see if the crease is feelable or truly spotless and non fragile.

Durability shouldn't be overlooked because anyone buying a foldable first thought of the form factor, this should be among the "A" features and should never for any reason be compromised by manufacturing material (bad crease) or substandard engineering.

LEVEL UP MULTITASKING GAME (Split screen function and a lot of others): I want to easily multitask and handle everything seamlessly, I felt my traditional 6.7 aspect ratio smartphone screen tried it's best but just isn't enough, I can't have myself carrying a laptop, I want something I can always carry and lift around buses, lunch breaks and at my easiest convenience no matter where I find myself, I consider a foldable and i expect the Multitasking function to meet up to standard.

The transition between apps and multi screen interface should be smooth and lag free on a much spacious display with thin bezels, it's a disaster if the bezels gets to big and ruin the intent of the unfolded screen ratio in the first place.

BIG BATTERY: Gamers, Creative enthusiasts, multitaskers can be heavy users according to their active work flow, a lasting battery and speedy charging should be considered in the Honor V3 foldable.

Everything could be great but an epileptic battery life can be a kill joy to experiences and shrink productivity with it.

#HONORMagicV3

#foldable #smartphone #honor #HONORMagicV3

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innocent-diamond-2090110 · 4 months

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Hey! Any updates on if your replacement laptop battery met your standards? And take a look at this!

https://newatlas.com/laptops/sightful-spacetop-g1/

Hi there! Unfortunately, the battery only gave me at most 1 additional hour of battery life, so I ended up buying a new 2-in-1 laptop instead. As for the AR laptop, I think it'll be useful for a specific subset of people. (Sword Art Online, anyone?) I'm personally not at that stage yet because since I'm not in front of a computer all day at home or at work. Otherwise, give the company more time to improve based on constructive criticism!

youtube

(How exactly will bespectacled people wear the AR goggles over their prescription eyeglasses? First person to mind was Wonwoo. XD)

#2024-06-09 #you ask i answer #news articles #spacetop g1 #AR laptop

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matt3470srandomthoughts · 2 years

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Nostalgia

One of the things I've been feeling a lot recently is nostalgia, I have a love-hate relationship with the feeling. On one hand you smile remembering good times but on the other you get sad you can never re-experience that ever again. That's why I try to enjoy so many things in the moment now. But anyway, it's been on my mind a lot. I recently watched a video about a design language called "Frutiger Aero" (video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL7kTMtvebQ) and this is what I grew up with. Skeuomorphism was rampant during these years, which is considered to be a key part of the design language. This design langauge in operating systems such as Windows 7 and Mac OS X Snow Leopard. These are my personal favorites not just because of nostalgia, but I feel these systems were really refined and looked really clean. It also just felt like you were in a different world, especially with some of those wallpapers. I remember as a kid I would just go through the wallpapers on Windows 7 and imagine the kind of worlds they were in. Truly a magical time. Also around this time, I was first exposed to the iPhone, namely the 4. I was too young to care about "antenna gate" and I thought a touchscreen phone was just so incredible. iOS 4 through 6 were definitely the most nostalgic for me. I remember iOS 5 on my sister's iPod Touch 4, another super nostalgic piece of tech for me. She really liked Owl City, and I would then come to listen to a lot of their stuff too. My favorites were Fireflies and then Peppermint Winter, a song I've been listening to a lot recently, with it being Christmas and all.

Enough about tech, another thing I'm super nostalgic for is TV channels back in the early 2010s. You see back then cable was actually worth watching I feel like, and definitely peaked then until Netflix took over in the mid 2010s. I also miss old Netflix from 2011. It was reasonably priced, no ads and had a good library. As far as TV networks go, I would mainly watch Cartoon Network, Nick and PBS Kids. CN was going through a huge renaissance, with tons of new shows, that are super nostalgic to me now, something I like to dub the "Check It Renaissance" referring to CN's branding at the time. A kind of weird interest of mine is channel idents or bumpers that air between programming and commercials. Check it 1.0 from CN (2010-2013) is by far the most nostalgic for me, with cool flipnote like bumpers, catchy music, and skeuomorphism galore. But PBS Kids' bumpers from around the time (and PBS Kids Go's) are also super nostalgic for me. Nickelodeon's branding was already bland af and hasn't really improved since. But I loved spongebob, drake and josh, and icarly as a kid so I would watch it frequently. I think it was just such a good time for me simply because I was a young kid. I wasn't quite aware of what happened in the world, I just enjoyed life, played with friends, and quite a few family members who are unfortunately deceased now were alive and doing very well then. I think people weren't quite as addicted to the internet back then as a lot of us are now, obviously the internet has done a lot of good over the years, getting us through a pandemic and all, but it definitely has its downsides. I just feel like back then people would only pull their phone out if they had a call, or to show it to friends/family because it was such a novelty then. I miss when technology was advancing so fast, everything new was so cool. Each new iphone was a huge improvement over the previous, while now it feels like the only thing that really improves is the battery. The iPad was first introduced in 2010, quad core processors became standard back then too in desktops and high end laptops... and desktops nowadays are STILL shipping with quad cores. I'm not saying there's been no improvements to tech- that is incredibly untrue. VR has matured a ton since the clunky Oculus DK1 from 2013, 100 core processors are now a thing apparently, Apple's M1 and M2 processors have been able to accomplish things unimaginable back in 2010, and tons of discoveries with technology has been discovered to help the medical field and such. I guess I'm just not a young kid who thinks every new piece of technology is the coolest thing ever haha.

In conclusion, I love the late 2000s/early 2010s, it was just a truly special and incredible couple of years for me. Hopefully one day things like the design language from then will make a comeback or something. Anyway, hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve. Happy Holidays :)

#nostalgia #frutiger aero #cartoon network #technology #ipod touch #skeuomorphism #iphone #windows 7 #mac os x

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mikebarrellcollections · 7 months

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Wireless Keyboards are good?

In today's fast-paced digital world, efficiency and convenience are paramount. As technology continues to evolve, so do the tools we use to interact with it. One such tool that has seen significant advancements in recent years is the humble keyboard. While traditional wired keyboards have been the standard for decades, wireless keyboards are gaining popularity for their flexibility, mobility, and overall user experience.

Wireless keyboards, as the name suggests, operate without the need for physical cables connecting them to a computer or other devices. Instead, they utilize wireless technologies such as Bluetooth or RF (radio frequency) to communicate with the device they are paired with. This simple yet powerful innovation has revolutionized the way we interact with our computers, tablets, and even smartphones. Here are several reasons why wireless keyboards are a good choice for modern users:

Enhanced Mobility:

Perhaps the most obvious advantage of wireless keyboards is their freedom of movement. Without being tethered to a device by a cable, users can position their keyboard wherever they find most comfortable, whether it's on a desk, in their lap, or even across the room. This flexibility is especially beneficial for those who frequently switch between devices or work in unconventional settings.

Clean and Clutter-Free Setup:

Say goodbye to tangled cables cluttering your workspace. Wireless keyboards eliminate the need for unsightly wires, creating a cleaner and more organized environment. This not only improves the aesthetic appeal of your workspace but also reduces the risk of accidents such as tripping over cables or inadvertently pulling devices off the desk.

Versatility:

Wireless keyboards are compatible with a wide range of devices, including desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. This versatility allows users to easily switch between devices without having to invest in multiple keyboards or adapters. Whether you're typing up a document on your computer or responding to emails on your tablet, a wireless keyboard provides a seamless typing experience across all your devices.

Easy Setup and Installation:

Setting up a wireless keyboard is a breeze. Most modern devices feature plug-and-play functionality, meaning they can be paired with your device with just the push of a button. There's no need to fuss with drivers or software installations—simply turn on your keyboard, pair it with your device, and you're ready to start typing. A few keyboards accompany extra elements or adjustable settings. If you lost a dongle you can check how to do pairing without a dongle.

Compact and Portable:

Many wireless keyboards are designed to be slim and lightweight, making them ideal for users on the go. Whether you're a frequent traveler or simply prefer to work in different locations throughout the day, a wireless keyboard can easily slip into your bag or backpack, allowing you to take your productivity with you wherever you go.

Improved Ergonomics:

Some wireless keyboards are ergonomically designed to provide greater comfort during extended typing sessions. Features such as split key layouts, adjustable tilt angles, and wrist rests can help reduce strain and fatigue, promoting healthier typing habits in the long run.

Customization Options:

Many wireless keyboards offer customizable features such as programmable keys, backlighting, and multimedia controls, allowing users to tailor their typing experience to suit their individual preferences and workflow.

While wireless keyboards offer numerous advantages, it's important to consider potential drawbacks as well. Battery life, connectivity issues, and compatibility concerns are factors that users should be mindful of when choosing a wireless keyboard. Additionally, some users may prefer the tactile feedback and reliability of traditional mechanical keyboards.

In conclusion, wireless keyboards are an excellent choice for users seeking convenience, flexibility, and enhanced productivity in their computing experience. With their wireless connectivity, sleek design, and versatile functionality, wireless keyboards are well-suited to meet the demands of today's modern lifestyles. Whether you're a busy professional, a student on the go, or simply someone who values simplicity and ease of use, a wireless keyboard is sure to enhance your typing experience.

#keyboard #wirelesskeyboard #technology

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sensesdialed · 1 year

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YOUR MUSE'S INVENTORY. [original meme from @treasurechestrpmemes.]

rules: list the things your muse carries in their pockets or bags in their every day life. ( optional: explain their significance. ) repost, don’t reblog.

POCKETS.

phone. simple case, CRACKED to hell and back, screen protector prevents it from falling apart but the vigilante lifestyle still hasn't done it much favors. always running out of battery, with how often he forgets to charge it and his hectic schedule.

tangled earbuds. still kicking despite looking as if they're falling apart. wire frayed at the edges, always tangles up in his pockets. used to listen to music on the go or as an alternative for when he doesn't have his noise cancelling headphones.

apartment key. regular key ( to apartment 4b ), kept on a small keychain with a couple local rewards/punch cards and a little spidey keychan.

student id. attends empire state university, not the BEST photo of him ( out of the suit, he's always been better behind the camera ), but it's an id, what can he do?

wallet. he's had it for years, doesn't hold much— just his card, some cash, his daily bugle employee i.d., and a small photo of himself, ben, and may that he's kept on him since it was one of the few he could save.

a few old receipts. lost in his pockets, he doesn't remember them until they fall out in the laundry, mostly for the café he frequents ( the one where mj works and spends time with ned when they aren't at college... )

BAG. — simple backpack, but with a good amount of space and pockets. tends not to customize it because of his tendency to LOSE backpacks in the past ( he tries to be more careful about it these days ), but he can't help adding a couple pins as he gets some.

web-shooters. if not already around his wrists, they are always easy to access— in case of emergency!

suit and mask. shoved at the bottom of his bag usually, it's more difficult to remove. though, he always sneaks off to a secluded place to do so. tries his best to carry it on him at most times... again, in case of emergency.

laptop. a little battered, but otherwise intact and functioning fine. covered in stickers from over the years. usually brought with charger.

flash drive. "it's for schoolwork," he says, like a liar. instead, it contains any spider-man related files he is sure to store in a safe space. suit and equipment blueprints, upgrade ideas, prototype logs, collected files on certain opponents, anything he needs to work on improving spidey things.

noise-cancelling headphones. for sensory overloads, though he likes to use them to do things like study or listen to music as well.

spare snacks. nothing fancy, usually just a bag of chips or a granola bar when he remembers to throw them in— a good emergency option for when he FORGETS to eat and his enhanced metabolism gets to him.

web fluid. although he keeps a few cartridges attached to his person, he keeps at least one spare jar in his bag at all times in case of quick refills before or after patrols.

textbooks / calculator. carried only on needed class days. the calculator is the one he's had since high school ( with pencil doodles on the inside of the cover, courtesy of mj ), and the physical textbooks are usually rented unless he's really into the subject.

camera. dslr, used primarily for his photography job at the bugle ( his photos often ending up in jameson's recorded content / social media ) but also hobby purposes that peter gets back into when he very sparingly has the time.

tagged: @cybersbyte, thank u! <;3 tagging: @cureruin , @deathsbecome , @mu1tiverse ( your choice! ), @gateway31 , @twntyninenine , @luxcruor ( gwen! ), @sparkveins, @publicabsent & whoever wants to!

#LOVE THIS ACTUALLY love character inventory hcs...#yes i sprinkle msm influences into college verse a lot i cannot Help It...#🕸 ❝ i’m coming up it might be my calling ❞ → headcanons #dash games.

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belethlegwen · 2 years

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The Faerie Spell - Chp 7

Chapter One: Click Here

Previous Chapter: Click Here

Story Directory: Click Here

Words: 6061

Summary: Daphne decides to take back some of her own agency after the awkward-as-hell movie night, learning that she can get away with keeping her curse-bullshit bouts a secret under certain conditions. It makes her feel good enough that she starts to finally start breaking away from her friends a bit, making more decisions for herself and even deciding to treat herself a little!

But...

Content Warning: Violence, bodily harm, fear

Since the movie-night, like I mentioned, there had been three episodes. The first one didn’t even last until morning, which made things a bit awkward. Waking up to cold chills and wondering how long it had been, scrambling with whatever I could remember to grab out to the top of the desk. I made it, but it did make me move the bed from the second floor/loft of the ‘beach bungalow’ to the ground floor.

I fell into my real bed, barely blinked my damn eyes and the sun was up before I could fully form the question of what that stupid winged bastard was getting up to at my height in the middle of the night on a Friday. Sheri had helpfully informed me at the kitchen table that I looked like shit, but it being Saturday, I just took a morning shower and went right back to nap until lunch. It, admittedly, wasn’t a huge help to my energy or my mood.

The second one had happened on Tuesday, around 10:30 or so in the morning. I was mid-zoom call with my team lead and some of my other coworkers when the feeling came over me and I managed to zonk the laptop down with me in what I personally believe was my smoothest move yet. Only one of them had even noticed something happened, and that was more because the warm waves make me sweaty-- whether from anxiety or because they’re actually that warm, I haven’t actually bothered to check-- and a little nauseous. I had almost passed it off completely, but because I hadn’t been charging the laptop all morning the battery died just a bit past lunch and I had to take a sick day for the latter half.

I had been getting warned about taking those, but I had looked at the health coverage and poured over some of the language with a personal caseworker after my accident, and ‘illnesses and afflictions’ such as mine were covered.

…Well, supposed to be, but it was still a weekly game of email-tag with HR and management to get the sick days applied properly and compensated for according to the contract, etcetera etcetera, blahblahblah.

I had forgotten that day who was free and who wasn’t, and I didn’t want to give Sheridan an excuse to dodge out of work early or something, so I just… wandered. I got into the cupboard I had been testing, I checked my new elastic-ladder situation, and realized what was so good about sunbeams. As a heads up: Giant cheetos are more trouble than they’re worth, but there’s something about giant breakfast cereal if you can get to it that really really hits.

I was honestly about to start heading back to where my phone was sitting on the desk in my room, ready to alert them that it had happened before Sheridan may have shown up and found me, when the cold chills hit and I was standing normal-sized in the hall again. Being self-sufficient felt good. Really good, honestly, and being able to just spend time by myself and do things on my own helped me plan out some things I could do to make everything easier to just… stay self-sufficient.

Mostly it involved getting a lot of things for my room. I started taking little notes in a diary, started bringing a bag full of some essentials with me from room to room so that if it hit again I’d be able to-- hopefully-- grab it before I zonked. ALWAYS making sure my phone was going in a pocket of some kind instead of being laid somewhere was a tricky one, but I had been getting better at it! By the time the next bout hit, I had improved a bunch of little, like… quality of life things for myself in terms of mobility, keeping things kind of concentrated to certain areas, that sort of deal.

I got a little bit sour that nobody noticed them before I zonked or whatever. No one seemed to care about my stupid curse or how I was actually dealing with it outside of making dumb jokes, so nobody noticed that the bookshelf dollhouse set up had gotten a little pimped out, that I had made some extra additions for like, comfort. Closest we came was when Gem popped in for dinner with us one night and she noted that I had some scraps of fabric and stuff around, things like hacky sacks or a scrap of old memory-foam from a pillow I was replacing that I had wrapped some cloth around, wondering why I wasn’t ordering more doll furniture.

I told her this was just basic stuff to ‘tide me over’ until an order came in. She had been excited about that, even though I didn’t honestly believe it was that convincing of a lie. It still wasn’t probably going to be comfortable but it was better than a lot of the doll-intended trash I had already wound up with.

I had… almost forgotten about the Gem shit entirely by this point. There were moments when it would hit again, but honestly? In my newfound independence, it didn’t bother me nearly as much and I had no interest in wanting to talk to anyone about it. Why bring it up? I was actively making it not-a-problem and that felt so good, oh my god.

The latest bout, the one that ended this morning, happened at 10:30-ish again on Tuesday, and I was sincerely hoping that whatever this bastard was up to would last the same length of time as it did the last time, but by 4:30 I was left with no real choice but to warn everybody before Sheri came home and just found me. I had gotten through the entire workday with no one noticing that my background was uh… well, bigger, but I tended to keep to a pretty vague section of my desk while on the zoom calls and such anyway, so I suppose it wouldn’t have been extremely noticeable.

Once Sheridan made it back and settled in for the night, I messaged Cal and had them come over to hang out with me in my room and even convinced them to sleep over just to get Gem off my back. We didn’t talk about the incident, but Cal and I did have a conversation about how kind of pushy Gem was about babysitting me and taking me for sleepovers when this shit happened, even when it was blatantly impractical like it was that night: she had work the next morning! Was I just going to hang out on a table in her house for 8 hours? Was I supposed to break my way out of there if the curse un-zonked me mid-way through the day? God girl, just let me sleep in my own house.

“Listen,” Cal had said as they spread out on my bed, causing the pillow I was sitting on to almost toss me into the air as their head landed on it with some force next to me. “I can’t blame her too much, you’re pretty cute like this.”

“Ugh,” I had grunted, reaching for the strap of my bag and hauling back up beside me to avoid it getting crushed, sending off my sick-leave request on my phone. “That’s the last thing I wanna hear. I just wish people would give me a fuckin’ break when I’m like this.”

“It takes you like, four years to get to a bathroom at this size, girl,” they had drawled, yawning, their hand almost hitting me as it moved to flop on the other side of me. “Only so much of a break you can get.”

“You know I’ve like, dealt with that at least a little, right?” I had asked pointedly, turning to stare at the side of their face, but it was useless. As they scoffed and made some kind of comment that unless we put litter boxes in every room ‘it wouldn’t matter’, I decided to not let them in on the details of my creative engineering.

I also decided, once again, to not complain about how touchy Gem was when Cal’s finger started to bump into me idly and repeatedly while we talked. What right did I have to complain about Gem’s handsy-ness when I was constantly smacking at Cal’s stupid fingers?

One thing I was grateful to Cal for, though, was that when I told them I could handle myself and would message them if anything went wrong, they believed me enough to head out to work the next morning without trying to call in Mak or Gem. Even agreed to send a dummy-message in the afternoon that they were heading home so it looked like I’d only be home alone for maybe an hour before Sheri got back. Sheri had even made sure Hannibal wasn’t going to do his morning run, though it was pretty unnecessary. One of my quality-of-life upgrades I finally caved to was a couple of sets of earplugs.

I had run clean out of those USB-charger battery packs by the time me and Sheri had finished dinner, so she had suggested we just watch TV together while I gave my phone a break. It was honestly a nice night, like I had said; she was pretty good about listening to me when I said it’s easier for me to watch from the back of the couch, or at least the armrest, and aside from the quick warnings before being grabbed and moved everywhere she was alright to get along with.

The rest of the group chat… not so much. When I mentioned my phone was dying, Gem told me she was absolutely going to take the time off of work tomorrow and come get me so someone was ‘actually taking care of me’ while I was still zonked, Mak asked me why I didn’t just keep all of my old phones charged as back-ups because they don’t need SIM cards to use the WiFi and I was going to be home all the time anyway, Cal saying instead that they’d call in for their shift tomorrow afternoon if I was still zonked and come hang with me at my place, which just started an argument with Gem…

When I was grabbing my bag and everything just a bit before 5am and sleepily dragging my ass out of the bungalow, I can not begin to express how god-damn relieved I was. I plugged my phone in and sent off a message to the chat that I was big again, everything was fine, and then just collapsed for a few more hours of sleep. By 7, everyone had seen and was… well, they all said they were happy to hear, but I was getting more and more suspicious of Gem’s level of honesty.

So, I hope that’s a pretty clear explanation of why I decided, at around 9am, to drive myself into town to run some very minor, personal errands and just enjoy myself without letting anyone know.

Like, the house-keeping was done and getting done! I plugged in all of my chargers at home, phone was back to full charge by the time I was up, set up my laptop to charge… My sick-leave was still in place, though I had told the crew that I was thinking of letting them know that I was good to work again when I first was re-embiggened or whatever before dawn. I decided against it because after Sheridan had left for work it just kind of hit me that… I missed doing shit on my own.

It hit me that I hated the idea of trying to ask if one of them could schedule some time with me to get my haircut, or that the only one who ever really seemed down for a nice coffee-and-chat like I used to have was Gem because everyone else was busy or was worried I’d zonk or something.

I also, also… kind of wanted to try out some of the other magic shops around town. I had been doing research, but every time I brought it up around the gang, they all got really squirrelly about it; even Gem, who was always saying she knew someone or knew someone who knew someone who was in the magic underground scene or what-have-you. Like, we were all super ignorant about magic stuff, me and Cal almost especially because of our, uh…

Well lets just say that our respective upbringings required a lot of very intense unlearning in order for Cal to be able to be themself, and for me to just… get along with other people, especially people like Cal.

We don’t go home to visit family often, is what I’m saying. If my family knew I had been cursed by magic they would probably say it was because I was ‘giving into sinful urges’ or something. Then they’d ask if I had a boyfriend yet. You know how that shit gets.

I won’t lie, I had been putting off showing my face around like… known magic gigs since the Witch had flipped her lid at me, but I figured if I just went in and asked, and just didn’t tell them I was cursed or whatever maybe they wouldn’t like… try to read it or whatever the fuck that sour old bitch did that told her I was somehow in cahoots with a Faerie. My real issue was that no one else was going to do it for me though, so I figured just… nosing around for new charms wouldn’t kill me?

I mean, I was at no risk. I had gotten a minimum of almost four days between bouts at the shortest since this had all started, and it ended this morning. All I wanted was to feel normal, and I had already proven to myself in at least a dozen ways that I can handle myself way better than the others wanted to believe. So… I drove into town, parked the car at my workplace lot because I still had my pass and it was pretty close to everything I wanted to do, and then walked into a salon to get my hair finally dealt with.

I kept it long enough that I could just keep it in a bun, hopefully no one would notice immediately, but I figured, hey! If I can go a few days without anyone figuring it out, I could let Cal in on the secret. They could appreciate a good bit of friendly espionage like that, we always liked doing that kind of thing.

God, it was so nice to just… sit in a chair and chat with a hair stylist again. It was nice to just be out, with people I didn’t know, just acting like a person again! I went window shopping, I stopped into a little cafe I had never been in before and got myself this neat little herb-and-cheese danish thing and a really really fancy coffee from them-- literally just told them what my favourite flavours were, said I wanted something hot and fancy, and the barista looked like they could die they were so happy to build me something custom. They even wrote it down after I tried it and loved it in case I wanted to order it again!

I was just wandering around the downtown area, bopping along to tunes and taking a ton of pictures of things that I never realized I missed so much. I was waving to people, saying hi and smiling…

Did you ever notice that you used to be someone, and that you just… hadn’t been that person in a while? It was weird. It was so weird to become that person again so naturally, so easily, and see how badly I had missed it. Even before the stupid curse I just hadn’t been doing much of any kind of socializing outside of the crew because I was just so busy all the time with work, and I mean, after the bullshit with my ex it wasn’t like I was trying to hit the town and find a new mistake to make, so…

I had been bringing up Google maps so much to find out where anything I might wanna visit might be that my phone was already on half-charge, so it was going to be a pretty short trip out into the real world. I wasn’t too upset, honestly my anxiety was high enough in the car originally that I was thinking I’d just do the haircut and get back home ASAP, but once the sunlight and fresh air hit me… damn I really did love it.

My legs also felt they could walk me clear out of town and back if I wanted, too, which was a fun little benefit. Walking to the nearest charm shop and then back to the car would be easy, and I still had like half of my very-fancy-coffee drink with me to keep me company.

I was already making plans to come back tomorrow, my eyes looking at a gorgeous little outdoor seating area outside a restaurant, a little wrought-iron fence and some bushes, under the sidewalk trees. There were a few couples, some loners, and even a couple of moms with their below-school-aged kids with them enjoying an early lunch, and it just looked so wonderful. I stopped at the little wooden sign with today’s specials on it, trying to glance around the area to see if there was a waiter or someone I could ask about seeing a full menu, when I felt the sun break through the trees.

God, what a beautiful day. Why didn’t I do this more? Why did I just let myself be scared, let my friends try to run my life like I needed to be wrapped in bubble wrap all the time? What was so terrifying about being out here on such a gorgeous day?

The alarm on my phone started to go off, reminding me that if I had been at work, there was a zoom meeting due about one of my team’s projects happening in a half hour. It was loud and obnoxious, and I felt myself flush at the embarrassment of having some random video-game noise from the 90s start blasting out in the middle of such a nice public spot. I heard high-pitched, squealy giggles as I pulled it out of my pocket and hit the shut-off button, sighing.

Then I caught my reflection on the screen as it changed back to black.

I caught the look of myself, sweat beading on my head, and realized that the sun had never broken through the trees around me.

“That fucker--” I managed, somewhere between panic and rage, before the rush of air and massive bout of nausea sent me to my knees instantly on the extremely rough concrete. My coffee spilling on the ground as I slammed the paper cup against it.

I vomited. I couldn’t help it. I vomited and scrambled to my feet as fast as possible, ready to start screaming if anything came near-- the three times this had happened outdoors, the massive feeling of being so exposed so suddenly, with no walls and no ceiling, had hit like a ton of bricks and this was absolutely no different. At least there weren’t any pigeons around this time, I guess.

To my left was the wrought-iron fence and the side of one of the bushes that decorated it. The folding menu-sign with the specials chalked up on it was just slightly further, and was also likely to get too many eyes. I darted, running sloppily toward the fence and the bush instead, my hand diving into the pocket with my stones in it and hauling them out.

I could barely keep myself upright; between the nausea and the panic, I was barely breathing around my heart feeling like it was literally sitting at the back of my god damn tongue. I was swearing, that was the only way I could think to get air out of me between terrified gulps of air. Between my shaking hands, I was able to finally grab the stone that had the minor-invisibility charm and after stammering twice, activated it. That helped, a little. It would at least keep the birds from finding me if there were any bumming around the restaurant tables looking for scraps.

The charm was basically one of those that kept eyes from landing on you if someone wasn’t specifically looking for you, or you weren’t drawing specific attention to yourself. I never had to use it much between never leaving the house and always winding up in a pocket or a purse when I did and zonked, but that just made me happier knowing that it had a lot of charge.

My mind was racing as I slipped it back into my pocket and moved to the next stone. I had nothing with me, nothing but the stones which were always in my pockets out of habit, my phone, and my wallet which was useless at this size. My bag was at home, but even if I had it all of the chargers were out and plugged in, the only thing in it now was a chocolate bar, spare pajamas and earplugs. I was going to need to tell someone that I had left the house, that I was basically somewhere downtown, try and send the geolocation and just… hunker down and hope nothing ate me until they got here. It was going to have to be Cal. Their shift wasn’t until later in the afternoon, they might not have left yet… they might not be awake but they’d be my safest bet with the least amount of yelling, at least immediately.

Next charm I wanted to use was the protection stone, it helped with bumps and falls, and even helped-- at least a little-- with the crew grabbing me if they were a little more rough about swinging me around. It was like magic padding. I was going to need it if I was going to be trying to climb things out in the wild and hiding under stuff, waiting for Cal to come get me. Massive feet were stomping past on the sidewalk between the little fenced-off garden eating area and the actual wall of businesses that seemed like they were towering skyscrapers blocks away from this height, and I wanted to puke all over again at how heavy they felt even on the concrete. My stomach churned and I couldn’t bring myself to get the spell-word out while I was gagging over the thought that maybe I’d need to find someone, a stranger, to try and talk to to keep me safe until I could get rescued by one of the gang.

I had just gotten the shield spell activated, shoving it back into my pocket with the unactivated speaking-stone as I was determined to not talk to anyone, to not draw any attention to myself whatsoever while I was like this, waiting for my blood to heat up and un-curdle again, when suddenly everything around my chest went tight.

Bone-crushingly tight.

My eyes dropped down from the roofs of the buildings instantly to see fingers across my front as my feet were yanked into the air, kicking and flailing as my lower half was completely free-- dangling with a thumb pressing painfully into my back.

I screamed.

I screamed, and whatever was behind me let out a squealing screech of delight so loud I went temporarily deaf in both ears.

I was being flung around, up and down in wide arcs as the squealing noise continued, barely fading back in as my hearing came back and was blasted away again by another insane bout of noise. The grip tightened again and the fingers shifted up against my neck as I almost slipped in another wild shake. My vision was nothing but colors and stars, the stone keeping my bones from breaking but everything still hurt.

My only reaction was to throw my face forward and bite, and bite hard.

The reaction was instant. The fucker screamed so loud every bone in my body vibrated to the point I was worried my joints would just fall apart, and my eyes shook-- not that they were any good to me in the moment before that-- but my body hit the ground from what felt like falling off the roof of a house, and I had no time to actually care about how badly I might be hurt. Feet and hands pushed me off of the ground and I scrambled as fast I could manage, practically on all fours for the first half of it, running toward the safety of the bush.

My eyes glanced behind as my hearing started to come back through the most intense ringing I’d ever had, my whole head throbbing-- my whole body throbbing-- and saw the frankly massive child clutching it’s finger while it wailed, tears streaking down it’s face as its mother swept in like a moving building to see what had happened. I turned back to the bush and dove into the leaves and branches, the bluntly-cut ends of wood jabbing into my body as I tried desperately to scratch my way inside to almost no effect.

I tasted blood. I had no idea if it was mine, or if I had managed to actually hurt the kid.

How the fuck could this happen?! I had the stone activated, the kid shouldn’t have fucking seen me, shouldn’t have even noticed me after it was on. God, unless the kid had heard my phone going off and was already watching when it all happened… fuck.

There was a searing pain against my leg that I finally clued into as air was finally going back in and out of my lungs, my stupid battered body trying to wriggle around this bush to get completely out of the child’s view, but from the stupid babbling it was making I was terrified-- I knew it was going to try and come back and look for me. The searing pain was literally that-- searing. The protection stone was so hot I almost thought it might be burning me, it must not be meant to work that hard, that fast.

It was cooling, at least, but still-- now I was terrified of how much of it’s charge that stupid kid had used trying to fling me around like garbage. My chest was heaving, and all my brain kept telling me to do was run, and run as far as I could. A gap finally opened in the overly-manicured branches, a tight tunnel of sharp and poking twigs twisted around that looked like they came out the other side near the bottom of one of the street-side trash cans. I might be able to fit under that, if I could get there fast enough.

The thumping and rumbling of footsteps all around me-- someone was dragging their steel chair across the bricks just alongside the stupid topiary-divider I was trying to scramble my way through like a rat and it cut through the other ringing in my ears like something was jamming dentistry tools inside my skull-- was enough to make me want to vomit again. I was doing a good job at holding that back until I finally broke free of the bush and moved to make a dart for the cover of the trashcan, my sleeve snagged on one of the jagged-cut branches I had pushed past.

“Come on just let me go!” I screamed, turning to yank at it before a rush of air caused me to yell again, ducking and pressing myself back into the greenery while another insane amount of noise rocked my world so hard it knocked the wind out of me.

“Fuckin’ hell, you can’t aim for shit,” a booming voice laughed mockingly as another voice so deep I felt my ribcage vibrate swore back at him. I had almost been crushed by an empty glass bottle, and my thoughts that I was ‘soooooo lucky’ it hadn’t shattered evaporated into my panicked grunting and yelling as I tried to claw my way back into the bush, legs and feet suddenly stepping around the corner and a colossal hand practically slammed down on top of the bottle to grab it.

The leaves and whole bush shifted as the towering body crashed into it sideways, and I shut my eyes, forcing my body as much as I physically could back against the blunt and jabbing ends of the branches that were refusing me entry back into the cover and safety of the stupid plant. The two gigantic idiots were getting into a shoving-match and I was maybe seconds away from getting stepped on, my teeth gritting through the ringing, the pounding, the throbbing of every single part of my head and a significant amount of my body.

“Fuck off ya moron,” one of them shouted and as quickly as they had been there they were gone, their footsteps thudding further and further away as they kept bantering in their rumbling voices. My eyes opened again and I gasped for air.

I hate this. Why did I fucking do this? It wasn’t worth it.

The thought of that massive, unknown hand grabbing me instead of that bottle pushed me over the edge, and I hurled up what little was left in my guts into the bushes again. That fancy coffee probably wasn’t a huge help to my nerves right now, but I was still sad to feel like it had all gone to waste, especially with the thought that I was never going to be able to get one again.

Someone was getting up from a seat in the restaurant area-- god how huge was this place?! It felt like I had been running for miles, for fuck’s sake! As their chair scraped across the ground again I saw them gathering up their trash and turning in my direction, my body scrambling on some primal urge to get out of any potential line of sight. I had no trust now that the stupid invisibility stone was working, or had ever worked. My eyes closed again out of some childish fucking instinct to believe that if I couldn’t see them, they couldn’t see me, and I just had to tremble and try not pathetically cry as their steps got closer and closer and I heard the ridiculous amount of noise of them tossing their garbage away.

Their movements had stopped. Nothing was happening. I had to have been spotted, I must’ve been-- I could hardly hear anything over the sounds of my own breathing now turning into panicked whimpers as I could practically feel them crouching low, staring at me, reaching a hand toward my body to grab me and haul me into the air. I bit my lip so hard I was sure I was bleeding as I imagined that child again, thrashing me around and throwing me through the air.

Then, with a massive wave of relief, they were thumping and stomping away, their voice rumbling into me as they spoke something into their phone, a buzzing conversation coming through the earpiece somewhere high, high above me.

I untangled myself from the bush and lined up alongside it, crouching low. I was so dizzy… would the stone protect me from a concussion? I really should’ve gotten more details about the charms, but I was so nervous about being in there and-- fuck, there’s no time to think about this.

The store directly across from me-- was it the restaurant? Was it another store entirely? How far had I been thrown or flung or whatever had happened? How far had I run? It didn’t matter-- it had a slight outcropping of its brick face, where the main window was, and it left a little protected overhang above the street at least twice my height by the looks of it. There was some garbage that had been blown underneath and seemed pretty well protected from sight and everything else. I get there, I duck and cover and hide.

I was finally hauling my phone out of my pocket to send a geo-lock to Cal, when the massive bush behind me started to shake, the voice of the child and its mom having gotten closer. Was the kid still looking for me? Was the mom looking for whatever rat or bug just bit their kid? I bolted, it was the only move I could really make. They wouldn’t see me over there, they wouldn’t be able to catch me.

I was so preoccupied with them, that I was blasting my way across the gargantuanly-wide sidewalk before I realized that I didn’t account for traffic. A foot slammed down to my left about 20 feet away--to me--, not close enough to worry about but heavy enough to shake me and cause me to yell as I kept running, weaving uselessly… No one lifts their feet enough to miss me, everybody is always nearly scuffing their shoes. I’m constantly at risk of getting bodied by hovering cars and I never noticed before now.

I couldn’t bring my eyes to move anywhere but my goal, even though I knew I was basically running across a 12-lane highway or something stupid. They were all moving so fast, all I had to do was get across this stupid sidewalk, under that ledge, and I’d be fine. Nothing would be able to hit me there, nothing could fall on me… that was it, that’s where I had to go.

I felt a foot land so close behind me I almost stumbled, my hands falling forward to push myself off the pavement and try to fling me forwards, my phone bonking off of the pavement in its case and I didn’t even care as I just held it tighter and kept running. I was so fucking close.

There was a rush of air and, on its own, my head turned to see a foot slam down with such force I felt almost like I was sent hovering from the shock it sent through the pavement. The motion of what it was attached to was so much faster, the shape so different-- I never thought of what someone would even look like while they were running from down here, when they were damn-near 60 feet tall or something.

There was nothing I could do.

My own stride had me lined up directly in the path.

The top of their shoe, the rubber-cased toe, the laces… it smashed into me and knocked every ounce of breath I may have ever taken out of my lungs, and I was pressed into it so hard I thought I’d become a part of it.

Until, suddenly…

…I wasn’t.

My arms uselessly tried to grip it, beyond the last second, noticing too late what was happening as the shoe started to lower out from under me but I was still going, arcing through the air. The stone in my pocket really, honestly felt like it was burning this time, and as I sailed through some kind of railing, the ground dropped out from under me. Now, instead of being maybe 10-15 feet in the air, I was probably 40 or more over the concrete stairwell I had flown into, rapidly descending.

I’m sure I was screaming. I must’ve been, because some kind of noise in me stopped as my back slammed into stone and I felt the hot rock in my pocket shatter against me like it had exploded, the only thing keeping it from flying out like shrapnel being the lining and my jeans.

It was like a stupid movie, everything in slow motion as I was plastered against that wall, gravity slowly pulling my limp body forward. As my eyes landed hazily on the ground below, bare concrete surrounded by trash bags and garbage, my phone fell out of my hand.

The last thing I thought before everything went black was:

Will my body stay this small once I’m dead? Will they ever find it?

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Next Chapter: Click Here

#Daphne's Curse #The Faerie Spell #whump #Listen #LISTEN #I do legitimately feel terrible for what this poor girl is going through #It's been rough time after rough time and every time she thinks things are looking up... well #Worried I should be tagging this story as whump but hhhhhhh #Not sure how I feel on that but I'll do it anyway so:#Things are going to get better for her in the future #I know it to be true #But we're going about that a little differently than we have been so there'll maybe be a bit of a hiatus #It's also the Christmas rush and my job is insane (as many are this time of year)#g/t #giant/tiny #gt #giant tiny #g/t writing #g/t story #giant/tiny writing #giant/tiny story #g/t author #gtauthor #God if Daphne ever gets her hands on that faerie it's gonna be a bad time for the bastard #I promise you all that Daphne will be getting the comfort she deserves and has deserved and needed this entire time #It is coming #Love you all #thank you so much for reading #Sorry about the 100000 tags I don't even know if folks read these if they ain't on reblogs but #here we are

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