#isa hardy

[butterfly-latte]

Realizing that since I redraw Isa in her civilian form, I should also draw Pearl Heart!

Once again, Isa/Pearl Heart is a @magicalwarriordiamondheart OC.

[condraws]

more gal - her lifelines name is hanging_w_my_gnomies, but you can call her isabelle. she sells feet pics.

chains (first pic) belongs to @/armadilloroll

[nouvellevqgue]

LE TEMPS DE L'AMOUR!

pairing: charles leclerc x reader

summary: where he spoil his girlfriend of anything aside from love on the special day of the week.

a/n: it supposed to be posted yesterday, but since my ethernet is kinda bloopy, and it erases my draft for this too, so i had to make it twice. but anyway i hope you enjoyed it!

vday series masterlist

now playing: françoise hardy — le temps de l'amour

yourusername added a photo to their story! 29m

seen by charles_leclerc, taylorhill, and 749,681 others

charles_leclerc

liked by damianodavid, and 750,368 others

charles_leclerc Flower girl 💐

view all 2,324 comments

yourusername oh i'm literally feeling so spoiled with this, thank you, cha🫶🏻 ilysm

username She's looking so smol like that 🤏

username ah to be posted by charles is gonna be my dream forever

username she's so lucky

username Why am I visiting his account on this type of day😭😭

username when will i find this man in my life

danielricciardo Tell me the location, I'm omw

   ⤷ charles_leclerc Buying for Heidi, I see.

   ⤷ danielricciardo No, it's for Max

   ⤷ username WAKE UP MAXIEL NATION

   ⤷ username what the—

yourusername

liked by gracieabrams, and 950,824 others

yourusername don't u love it when your boyfriend does 🤨

view all 8,572 comments

oliviarodrigo SO CUTE????

username we're coming back again with paparazzi y/n

username AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH

   ⤷ username so #real

username They're on a mission on driving people crazy on this type of month

username idk whose dog but OMG SO CUTE

landonorris okay then valentine family.

   ⤷ maxfewtrell Alright, let's go home, Grandpa

   ⤷ username GRANDPA😭😭😭

username Since when did his side profile become this attractive??????

   ⤷ maxverstappen1 Since then

   ⤷ danielricciardo It's no surprise that you're here, but commenting about Charles?! 😔

   ⤷ yourusername omg max look what did u do to my man danny

yourusername

liked by haileestainfeld, and 646,444 others

yourusername 🩷

view all 4,719 comments

charles_leclerc I hope you liked it, sweetie

   ⤷ yourusername LIKED?? I LOVED IT!!!!!

jennierubyjane You're an angel

username she's feeding us for this entire time is soo good i love it

username That massive heart ice cream looks really deli shoes

isahernaez The prettiest woman! 😍

   ⤷ yourusername you melt me like this ice cream on a hot summer sun

   ⤷ isahernaez 😚

   ⤷ charles_leclerc Whys betrayal always starts from Instagram?

   ⤷ username charles drama king is back again

lilymhe You didn't share the ice cream with me... 💔😔

radvxz You're gorgeous gorgeous

username i feel like charles should make a jpg account for his and y/n moments

   ⤷ maxverstappen1 And not for me?

this comment has been deleted

   ⤷ username wait i feel like seeing max's comment here

   ⤷ username dig more, i think it's probably buried along with other comments

   ⤷ username no he's replying to me and then the next second i check it, it's gone

   ⤷ danielricciardo You need to check it deeper.

username make up tut next time queen

yourusername

liked by franciscac.gomes, and 647,581 others

yourusername is this a bribe?

view all 2,763 comments

pierregasly Yes and stay away from it

username WITH A DOLLAR ON THE DOOR HANDLE I'M CRYING 😭😭😭😭😭

username the dollar is so random

   ⤷ username that's not a dollar, that's a coupon

username isa's comment is definitely brewed something in him

username the way that he immediately got her a bouquet is so funny to me

nicolezefanya I can literally hear what is he going to say to you

username i just know that was charles just based off his weird standing posture

   ⤷ username and his odd fashion too

   ⤷ maxverstappen1 We're kinda matching in that way, don't you guys think?

   ⤷ danielricciardo WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS ENDED UP IN CHARLES RELATED COMMENTS????

   ⤷ jackdoohan Someone's jealooouusssss

yourusername

liked by carlossainz55, and 792,480 others

yourusername happy valentine's day from me and my best boyfriend in the whole wide world<33 love you alllllll

view all 4,618 comments

pierregasly You didn't stay away, did you?

   ⤷ yourusername nope, not even a bit

username 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

lailahasanovic this absolutely warms my heart

username ‘will you be my valentine’ RIP MY ASS

username I would launch myself up to him too if my boyfriend is him

joris__trouche Congrats to you, Lovebirds!

   ⤷ username based on the shakiness, i know it's joris who took this one

username somebody push me off a cliff😭😭😭

username they really hate seeing us free

username we're literally got drunk in this valentine day posts💀

username i feel like this truly is a revenge for isa's comment😭 poor her...

maxverstappen1 THAT SHOULD BE ME

   ⤷ danielricciardo And that also should be me who you wanted

2 comments has been deleted

username NONONO I SWEAR I SEE DANIEL AND MAX FIGHTING

   ⤷ username alright let's drink your pills granny

danielricciardo You guys are so cute!

   ⤷ yourusername how is it going with the man?

   ⤷ danielricciardo Still trying, but I got it

   ⤷ yourusername you better be

TWITTER, AROUND 4 HOURS AFTER THE POST:

charles_leclerc

liked by sabrinacarpenter, and 1,469,835 others

charles_leclerc My Valentine's day with you are always been the best, I love you❤️ yourusername

view all 3,621 comments

username she's so stunning, no wonder he pulled her

   ⤷ username leclerc siblings are never pulled a bad one. they definitely has a quite similar taste in woman

yourusername you're the sweetest! i love love love love love you so much❤️❤️

username she look so good! what type of dress is that??

livkatecooke STUNNING!!!!

estebanocon That cake is looking so delicious

landonorris you guys suited valentine's day, ngl

username PARENTS 😍

danielricciardo We should do a double date!

   ⤷ yourusername have you get along with him?

   ⤷ danielricciardo I definitely have 😄😄

   ⤷ charles_leclerc I have a bad feelings about this.

anadearmas 🫶🏻🫶🏻

dovecameron I love love her fits so much

[fatalemuse]

◞ ♡  what’s in a name? : strength.

below the cut are 50 names that mean strength in their native languages. i decided not to separate this list by masculine and feminine. feel free to use these names as you’d like. this is part two of my what’s in a name series. if you found this helpful, please like and/or reblog! PT. ONE - beauty.

aaron ( hebrew )

adira ( hebrew )

aila ( gaelic, finnish )

andre ( french, portuguese )

andreas / andrea / anders ( greek, scandinavian )

andrew / drew / dree ( greek )

angus ( celtic )

audrey / audra ( english, lithuanian, german )

aziz ( arabic )

bali ( sanskrit )

barrett ( english )

bernard / bernadette ( french, german )

brian ( celtic )

brianna / bree / briella ( celtic, hebrew, italian )

bridget / brigid ( gaelic )

brycin ( celtic )

chasin ( hebrew )

dustin ( english, scandinavian, norse )

ebba ( german )

ekon ( nigerian )

ethan / etan / etana ( hebrew )

everett / everette ( german, english )

fort ( french )

gabriella / gabriel / gavi ( spanish, italian, hebrew )

gerard ( german, french )

gesine ( german )

griffin / griffith ( welsh )

hardy ( german, french, english )

imala ( ** this name has Indigenous / Native American roots, however there are no reliable sources for the tribe of origin. )

imiza ( german, english )

isa ( arabic )

kenji ( japanese )

kwan ( korean, chinese )

lenna ( german )

liam ( gaelic, german )

limbani ( chewa )

malin ( swedish )

marcella ( latin, italian )

matilda ( german )

mika ( hungarian, japanese, russian )

millicent ( french )

montgomery ( french )

oscar ( gaelic )

oz ( hebrew )

philomena ( greek )

rainey ( gaelic )

takeshi ( japanese )

valencia / valens / valentina ( latin )

valerian / valerie ( latin )

zale ( greek )

** If anyone is aware of a reliable source on the origins of this name, please let me know. I’d be happy to credit you.

[tuulikki]

Germanic Names

No reason. I just like names.

Alard (m) Related to "Adalhard": adal ("noble"), hart ("brave, hardy")

Aldwin (m) Literally "old friend", which is a great way to ensure the named person will have a long-term homoerotic relationship with someone who may also become a sexy nemesis

Alfric (m) ELF KING

Anzo (m) From a Germanic root meaning "giant." Giant what? 👀

Ascelin (m) From a diminutive nickname that means "ash tree"

Aveza (f) Germanic version of avis, "bird"

Badulf (m) BATTLE WOLF, thank you Germanic names

Bernard (m) BEAR + HARD (as in "hardy", so "tough bear")

Bertram (m) Bright raven

Elfreda, Elfreida (f) Elf strength 💪💪💪

Frida (f) Peace

Godfrey (m) Peace of god

Isa (f) Ice

Leofflæd (f) Beloved beauty

Rainard (m) ~"Bravely advised" (but also Reynard the Fox, obvs)

Rudolf, Rolf, Hrolf, Rudy (m) Famous wolf

Sæwine (m) Sea friend

Saxa (f) Knife, by way of "Saxon" = saxe

Shirley (f) Bright clearing in the woodlands

Solja (f) Buttercup (pronounced sol-ya)

Sunniva (f) Sun's gift

Valdis (f) Goddess of the slain

Vigdis (f) War goddess

[ofmiceandwomen]

Tagged by @cadmusfly. Of course you can tag me. I welcome any distraction these days because I’m fed up with my work)

Last song: Liar (The Arcadian Wild)

All have been led astray. We’ve all fallen short in some way. Please understand I’m ashamed. and I beg of you, please find your grace.

‘Cause I’m not in a right state of mind. I just wish I had strength to admit it.

My stubbornness will put up a fight, but I don’t deserve to win it.

I’m left in the dark pondering my mistakes, but in the light I swear I will deny it all.

Currently watching:

The last thing I watched was probably Hazbin Hotel. It was an insane ride and I really enjoyed it!

Three ships:

Okay. It’s hard to pick three because I have so many

Russingon (the Silm) - because that’s the one I’m willing to die for

Admiral Nelson/Captain Hardy (dead problematic Brits edition) - my new discovery and I’m all here for it and maybe I will go to hell for all the historical rpf but whatever! Don’t tell me there is a heterosexual explanation for “Kiss me Hardy!”

The last one goes to Lord Asriel Belacqua x Major John Parry from His Dark Materials and it’s an absolute rare pair

My favourite colours:

Burgundy, red, dark blue, dark green

First ship:

I believe it was actually Morgoth/Sauron or Glorthelion? (The Silm has been with me for 13 years now)

Currently consuming:

I just had chicken wrap with herbs and vegetables in the museum bistro

Last movie seen:

I believe it was The Night House (2020). It was pretty fucked up but I enjoyed the plot and the twists. Didn’t manage to get me scared though.

Relationship status:

I have been in a happy relationship for 6 years and it means everything to me.

Currently working on:

My goddamn thesis in order to get this bloody degree. I hate it, because I’m not much of a writer. I’m out of the words and out of energy.

Thank you!

This was fun.

Now, the dreaded part: tagging!

I tag @thisisnoplaceofhonour @the-symphony-of-lydia-brown @lymira @mersilisk @im-not-a-ghost-i-swear @isa-ko

And of course anyone who wants to do this!

[pinkprettycure]

no clue if youve been asked this before but is it legal to make mwdh ocs

its totally legal there are in fact already some out there, watching. waiting

[xionshadow]

For the character ask:

Roxas!

YESSSS!!!

First Impression: "Who the fuck is this funky lil boy and what does he have to do with Sora?" Straight up, I was so confused and all I knew was he was this character who Sora insisted he has a heart and later Questions Riku while my boy is trying to wake him up from the Coma. Maybe KH3D wasn't the best game to start with, but hey, it's not like I picked up the game cuz of the plot.

Impression now: He needs to be enrolled in a local highschool or get proper Keyblade training. Oh and therapy. He needs a lot of therapy. But on the good side... He's got all of his friends back. And a new dad! I'd say the mild genuinely confusing and slightly disturbing deal with Ventus will eventually need to be sorted out. Or Roxas decided to cut his hair different/dye it.

Favorite Moment: Falling from the sky and ready to take our Saix with two Keyblade in KH3. The ENERGY. I was also very happy to see him.

Idea for Story: Roxas, Axel, Isa, and Xion should all go on a lil errand run. Like KH V cast style. Completely removed from plot if need be. They just... Get to vibe, murder heartless, and everyone benefits from character development.

Unpopular opinion: He's actually really fucking chill? Like your average angsty teen with half decent parents and trauma chill. He's not a bucket full of salt despite all the sea salt ice cream he eats. He eats so much sea salt ice cream because he's salt deficient. KH2's prolog isn't how he always is. It's him in distress. He's actually just a normal teen more miffed about how fucked up his life is.

Favorite Relationship: Okay so my favorite ship with him has changed. Currently my favorite friendship pairing with him is Axel and Xion. They are just a very sweet Trio. Now more of a gang with the edition of the twilight kids and Isa. My favorite ship tho is Hayrox. Idk just... Hayner and Roxas got some volatile boyfriend's vibes. They are so sweet and then they almost break up cuz of a minor misunderstanding. Although Vanitas/Roxas got me by the heart cuz of how... Amusing it all can be.

Favorite Headcanon: He goes feral on the behalf of his friends at any point in time. And he has never experienced a brain freeze in recent memory due to the replica body being pretty hardy.

[omegahs]

#OMEGAHS. independent, private & selective multifandom multimuse written by nan (22, she/her). rules. muses listed below. affiliated with @fals3nd and @homebehind. fantasy specific multi sideblog @faet0ld.

VIDEO GAMES

commander eva shepard. mass effect, paragon, canon divergent. fc: kyl.ie bun.bury.

let'yana calirix. mass effect, original ardat - yakshi character.

kat / courier six. fallout: new vegas. canon divergent. fc: au.brey pla.za

isabel "isa" / the lone wanderer. fallout 3. canon divergent. fc: mar.isa dav.ila

frank hardy. based on her interactive's nancy drew games, some inspiration taken from the books. fc: chr.istopher bri.ney

joe hardy. based on her interactive's nancy drew games, some inspiration taken from the books. fc: ga.vin casa.legno

tara wylde. wylde flowers. fc: pris.cilla quin.tana.

laura abrams. stardew valley farmer. fc: kate sie.gel.

TELEVISION

sybil crawley. downton abbey. canon divergent. fc: jess.ica bro.wn find.lay

the artificer. doctor who original timelord oc. affiliated with @fals3nd's captain. fc(s): emi.lia clar.ke, av.an jog.ia, oli.via coo.ke, za.we ash.ton.

rose tyler. doctor who, headcanon based. fc: bil.lie pi.per

donna noble. doctor who, headcanon based. fc: cat.herine ta.te

amelia pond. doctor who, headcanon based & canon divergent. fc: ka.ren gil.lan.

cora hale. teen wolf, headcanon based & canon divergent. fc: adel.aide kan.e

LITERATURE

amy march. little women, book & 2017 miniseries based. heavily critical of the 2019 film. fc: kathr.yn new.ton.

blue sargent. the raven cycle. fc: ta.ylor rus.sell.

[god-whispers]

mar 6

the road to emmaus

"but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." isa 40:31

as a butterfly soared overhead, one caterpillar said to the other, “you'll never get me up in one of those things." yet for every caterpillar the time comes when the urge to eat and grow subsides and he instinctively begins to form a chrysalis around himself.  the chrysalis hardens and you'd think for all the world that the caterpillar is dead.

but one spring morning the life inside the chrysalis begins to writhe, the top cracks open, and a beautifully-formed butterfly emerges.  for hours it will stand stretching and drying its wings, moving them slowly up and down, up and down.  and then, before you know it, the butterfly glides aloft, effortlessly riding the currents of the air, alighting on flower after gorgeous flower, as if to show off its vivid colors to the bright blossoms.

somehow, the miracle of the butterfly never loses its fascination for us.  perhaps because the butterfly is a living parable of the promise of resurrection.  resurrection sunday approaches soon.  the world would call it easter.  however it may be referred to, it holds in itself a promise of life to come.  a beauty one can hardy imagine.  a life unsoiled by sin.

what do we christians say in the face of death?  there are many mysteries.  though some have ventured there and come back to report, we only have their word.  is it true or imaginary?  but two things we know for sure.  first, death is an enemy; a defeated enemy.  away with the sentimentality that vainly seeks to disguise death's insult!  death hurts.  it hurts in the dying and it hurts those we leave behind.

but second, and more important, Jesus' resurrection from the grave is God's proof to us that death is not the end.  the empty tomb and Jesus' Spirit within us testify that this glorious morning represents God's triumph over death.  and ultimately, Jesus promised, God will raise from the dead all who believe in His Son.

i don’t know which door i shall meet my Lord through (rapture or death), but i know what’s on the other side of that door.  at times when i try to contemplate it, it almost takes my breath away.  o Lord, "what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? psa 8:4

we are all on the road to emmaus; on a pilgrimmage from here to there; from here to home.  Jesus is traveling that road with us, opening more truth up to us with each step we take forward.  we are not alone.  Jesus Himself is opening up the scriptures and instructing us as we go; not man's way - God's way.  "there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." prov 14:12

like the caterpillar, we may find it hard to believe we will ever soar in the heavens.  but with God’s very breath doing the blowing, how can we do anything but soar?  “whom have i in heaven but You?  and there is none upon earth that i desire besides You.” psa 73:25  when we begin to truly say that and really mean it, perhaps our pilgrimage is nearing an end.  perhaps we are beginning, just beginning to emerge from these bodily shells that encase us.  all self desire has been crucified with Christ and God is all in all.

just a closing note here.  the celebration of purim begins at sundown tonight.  some are speculating it might be the rapture.  a few bible translations render esther 9:30 as saying peace and safety (which a majority render as peace and truth).  they then tie this to 1 thess 5:3 which says peace and safety comes before destruction, ere, the rapture.  i do not argue against any speculation, only predictions.  all i can say is, "come Lord Jesus.  my heart is at peace with You."  are you ready if He should come?

[gustavojshafer]

How to Protect Your Trees From Sunscald This Winter

How to Spot and Avoid Sun Scald and Winter Burn

Winter in Minnesota presents numerous challenges to trees and shrubs. Extreme cold, dry winds, and even the sun Bright, sunny days can be just as dangerous to some plants as rain. The most common problems we see later in the winter are sun scald and winter burn. Both of these issues are best addressed with an ounce of prevention, as there is little we can do once the damage has occurred.

Sun Scald Explanation

Sun scald is caused by solar heating on the trunks of trees, particularly on the southwest side. Consider it similar to sunburn on the trunk: the sun heats up the bark with direct sunlight and reflected light from nearby snow, windows, or light-colored surfaces. This heating causes the bark to warm above freezing, causing it to awaken and break dormancy. The process of bark hardening and dormancy is slow and cannot occur in time for the inevitable re-freeze that occurs the following evening. The newly awakened bark cells freeze and rupture, resulting in a sunken area of dead bark.

The tree will attempt to seal over the damaged area from the still-alive edges the following spring. The photo above depicts woundwood growing from the edges in an attempt to cover the wound. If the wound is small and the tree can seal it quickly, it may be hidden and never cause another problem. More likely, a frost crack will form, or the tree will struggle to move enough water, nutrients, and photosynthates, and will begin to decline.

Sun Scald Prevention

The best way to avoid sun scald is to keep the sun from heating up the bark to the point of breaking dormancy, and there are several ways to do so. The most common method is to wrap the trunk in white paper to reflect light away from it. The wrap should be applied after the leaves have fallen in the fall and removed in the spring when the buds begin to open. To avoid the hassle of wrapping and unwrapping every winter, orchards and other areas where trees are grown as a crop rather than for aesthetic reasons will frequently simply paint the trunks white. Another inventive idea is to plant something near the trunk of a tree to provide winter shade.

Winter Burn Explanation

The warm, late winter sun can also cause winter burn or winter desiccation in evergreens (drying out). The sun, like it does with sun scald, can warm up the leaves or needles of evergreens to the point where they begin to photosynthesize. In basic plant biology, leaves use water, nutrients, CO2, and sunlight to produce food. If the roots are unable to absorb water from the frozen ground, the system fails. As photosynthesizing continues, the needles/leaves begin to dry out (desiccate), which can result in browning and needle/leaf death. The wind also plays a role, as a dry breeze causes the leaves to dry out even faster.

Winter Burn Prevention

To deal with the risk of winter burn, some plants have adapted by withdrawing chlorophyll into brown branches during the winter to prevent photosynthesizing entirely. As the other pigments (anthocyanins and carotenoids) remain in place, the needles or leaves often take on a purplish color. The small volunteer junipers that sprout up along fence lines in the Great Plains are a great example of this; their rusty purple color is easily visible from highways in Nebraska and Kansas.

We must provide some protection for plants that lack this adaptation. Wrapping them in burlap can help to block the wind and reduce the amount of sunlight that hits the leaves. Burlap should be applied in the fall and removed in the spring, just like trunk wrapping for sun scald. Planting more hardy varieties or placing sensitive plants in sheltered areas is the best prevention.

No tree problem is ever completely avoidable, but sun scald and winter burn can both be significantly reduced with minimal effort. Vineland’s ISA Certified Arborists and ISA Board Certified Master Arborists can offer advice and planning to help mitigate the damage caused by our winters. If you require hands-on assistance, we would be happy to refer you to one of our reliable landscape maintenance partners.

Source link

source https://sunshinecoasttreeloppers.com.au/how-to-protect-your-trees-from-sunscald-this-winter/ source https://sunshinecoasttreeloppers.tumblr.com/post/694625824951992320

[writemarcus]

2022 Downtown Urban Arts Festival Announces 20th Anniversary Line-Up

The festival, which has previously presented new works by Dominique Morisseau, Martyna Majok, and more, will take the stage at Off-Broadway's Theatre Row.

BY LEAH PUTNAM

MAY 04, 2022

Downtown Urban Arts Festival will celebrate its 20th Anniversary at Theatre Row with a series of new works June 1–25, including four full-length plays and 12 one acts in addition to an extended engagement of James Earl Hardy’s B-Boy Blues The Play.

Based on Hardy's novel series telling a gay hip-hop love story, B-Boy Blues The Play will be directed by Stanley Bennett Clay and is set to run June 3–25.

The line-up also includes Phantasmagoria by Alethea Harnish June 8, which follows a young woman as she forsakes home, family, and faith during a university-sanctioned quarantine; Alano P. Baez's Soul Survivor June 15, a play about a imprisoned man contemplating his life, Sam Cooke, and the history of Black oppression in America while awaiting execution; For Colored Boyz on the verge of a nervous breakdown/ when freedom aint enuff by Bryan-Keyth Wilson June 18, exploring a Black man's perspective; and The Pride by Joy June 25, which looks in on the Baker family and their home where God is first and women are kings.

One acts announced for the first half of the festival include Marcus Harmon's 20th Anniversary, about two firefighters 20 years after 9/11, and Cris Eli Blak's The Hard Knock Lyfe, about a rapper diagnosed with AIDS, to be presented June 1; Socky Tells All by Rollin Jewett, following young mental institution patient Andy, and The Palmist by Sheila Duane, which asks if fortune tellers can see the dark corners of a person's mind, set for June 2; and Marcus Scott's Forever and a Day, following a young boy genius trying to combat violence against young Black people, and Jennifer Cendana Armas' The Love Not Together, following the struggle to make love work, to be performed June 9.

Following in the second half of the month, one act performances will include Run by Elle, a contemporary opera about a woman awakening post-revelation, and Adulting by Amira Mustapha, which follows 30-something Muslim Miriam and her friend Liz through the process of coping, both presented June 16; Zoe Howard's Midnight Mirage, featuring two strangers connecting on a subway platform as time warps around them, and Christin Eve Cato's The Good Cop, which presents civil rights journalist Anita's journey to break the blue wall of silence, presented June 22; and A Shot Rang Out by Michael Hagins, about a white police officer trapped during a protest with a scared Black teen and a disgruntled schoolteacher, and Stoop by Isa Guzman, a play about generational differences and coming out as Transgender within a predominantly Latino community, presented June 23.

In its two-decade history, DUAF has presented nearly 300 new plays by over 200 emerging and established playwrights including Dominique Morisseau, Martyna Majok, Nelson Diaz-Marcano, Carl Hancock Rux, Craig MuMs Grant, and Ming Peiffer.

Tickets and information are available at duafnyc.com.

[c-rose2081]

would mira ever try to use luisa overworking herself and not getting babied for it as a reason why she shouldn't either? like if luisa can spend all day putting away donkeys and rerouting rivers and moving churches, why can't mira get a few cuts and scrapes without being held down?

Probably. Mira always uses the “but Luisa…” or “but Isa…” excuses on her mom. It doesn’t usually work, but she can try. She also knows she’s pint sized and Luisa could kick her over the mountains if she tried, and that if she ever stepped foot near a donkey her mom might go into cardiac arrest.

The family doesn’t always admit it, but they do baby Mira a lot because of how small she is, not realizing she’s small but also hardy as heck.

[sanghyukstattoos]

Orchids

Characters: Rowoon I Kim Seokwoo x Reader x Hwiyoung I Kim Youngkyun

Genre: Mafia au- Smut-smut// threesome, protected sex, wet dream, reader is roughly handled but there is no underlying aggression, degrading term (used once), humiliation, vaginal sex, spanking, blowjob, cock-warming, power dynamics on a scale

Genre: Mafia au- Action// Honestly, some of it is playful but much of it is not

Word count: 5.9k

Summary: In imminent danger, your safety leads to Kyun and Seokwoo’s relief and the hindrances that once filled the day slowly disappear into the night.

A/N: Find more works here!

Blankness had long enveloped your thoughts. Like the night that was dark, bordering on the eerily hoots of owl and fluttering of pigeon’s wings, there were very few things to think about apart from the three women on the floor. They had been sent to protect you, a ritual that your team initiated when any of them were on a mission. you briefly recognised the faces that from the living room and kitchen would be transported elsewhere. 

Zuho, unable to reach you, had sent a letter through Seokwoo who relayed the men that would stay with you. You huffed, pulling out a cigarette only to huff and discard it on the decorator table. This had never usually been the case,  unfortunately meeting your own prediction that the fact that there was no informal label for female bodyguards would cause a great deal of trouble for anyone who encountered it. 

Taeyang and Althea replaced the previous two members whose unfortunate deaths spurned a distraught Zuho to let you take action on how to handle the matter. As great as the damage was, you remained calm, picking the top of Seokwoo’s office for the extra firepower. As you disabled the metal knives in the kitchen, each having a replacement with plastic that could barely cut bread, you cautiously made your way from the kitchen, thinking back to the time you suggested the idea of bodyguards. 

When the safe house was bombarded with external knives and guns, the assistance proved to be useful. Zuho was the head that no one knew about, leading lower-level employees to believe that he was just like them. And he was believable at it too, sharing his struggles of working for a company he did not like and going out for drinks with them. It was a nervously laughable matter for Youngbin who acted as the primary CEO, face of this company, in all the newspapers, cameras and action. 

Over many layers of employees, three groups existed, acting as board members for the company. They were told that they were one among three but their existence was unknown even between the groups and meetings to find out such information was prohibited as such, possibly punishable by isolation. There was also thought to be a hierarchy of the groups, or as who was preferred by Zuho. In succession of leadership, your group was second closest, seeing the light of day to be blinded by money, power and greed one more than the group behind you. 

 You, Seokwoo, Isa, Taeyang, Althea and Youngkyun formed the group, age difference one more than the number of queens in a deck of cards. There was also one seat still remaining for this newly formed group of four years, leaving nothing but hope that they would be of the same standard as all the recruits in the company. Their process unearthed your fears (one among many other things) in their search for ‘hardy’ personalities. Those that passed were reinforced of the strength they contained. 

You heaved, hands dragging the unconscious women to an empty, furnished room. You did not look at their faces, feeling apologetic in words that you could only tell them after bandaging their wounds and feeding them food. You almost stressed when you realised that you would also have to deal with Kyun and Seokwoo’s anger. Leaving the door closed but not locked, you dismissed the matter, leaving it to be dealt with when it happened. 

As you sat in Kyun’s office, you admired the room as it was still, no awareness to the next visitor that it had been occupied in the last five minutes. There were no used cups or books with highlighted words laying around. Books were neatly stacked and chairs were in place, laptop in the safe upstairs as you traced the wood of his desk, not feeling a speck of dust. Too many things had happened in this room for you to sit nervously, pondering over who would enter the room next, hot on each other’s trail to minimise the life forces in this house. 

Faintly, you wondered about their project, liking it when they coordinated from the office. Taking off most of your gear, you placed them in the false safe under the desk, only leaving your gun in its holster, strapped to your chest. The room was soundproof and you laid back on his desk, settling in the peace of absolutely no noise. Your mistakes could cost a heavy debt for the team and you were acutely aware that this could be the case with any member, you thought while clutching your gun. 

Sounds of the rustling of organised footsteps along the carpeted floor echoed in your mind, followed by the hurried whispers and soon images of armed individuals with the intent to harm at first sight. Deceiving knocks on the door that never came disrupted the silence as you opened your eyes in a flash, tightening your grip on the gun. You lifted your head, making contact with embroidered flowers on a black basket that contained knives if opened properly 

You rehearsed the method, breathing unevenly to calm yourself. Distracting yourself by concentrating on reading the titles of the books on the shelf, you were able to brush away your alarming thoughts, slowly. Then came the time when you slumped, letting your body drain itself of the pent up energy, closing your eyes until sleep overcame you.

Cold sweat lined your temples when you were confronted with your past missions, confusing your body with the emotions, some repressed while others were expressed. Till the dreams passed, you were uneasy, uncomfortable, until you began to dream of Kyun and Seokwoo lustfully, hungrily groping your body. One thrusted into you to greedily feel you around him while the other one jerked himself off at the sight. 

The visuals were elaborate and as you woke up with stained panties, startled as pieces of it began to fade away faster than you could hold onto them. Blinking away the sleepiness, you were forced to scramble and jump behind the desk pointing your gun at the door when it flew open, Seokwoo and Kyun threaded in with knees bent and ready to fire. The three of you sighed in relief, taking a moment to stutteringly breathe. You came out from behind the desk, holstering your gun and removing the gear altogether, discarding it on the table.

Seokwoo’s shoes thudded as he walked towards you as you got off the table and he embraced you, surprisingly enough to temporarily freeze. Concern was etched in his eyes as he didn’t let go, hastily pressing a kiss to your lips. He felt relaxed now, at peace since seeing that you were not hurt was calming, carrying the tension he felt away with the wind. He whispered into your ear about how worried the both of them were and he released a sigh, squeezing his eyes shut tight from the panic he had felt. 

You wrapped your arms around him, uncomfortable with the wet feeling in between your legs, but there was no reason that succeeded the importance of the situation at hand. The buttons on Seokwoo’s dark grey, silk waistcoat touched your frame, his eagerness to have you in his arms overcoming him.

However, Kyun was not so patient as he angrily huffed and tossed his briefcase onto a chair. The noise echoed in the otherwise silent room, Seokwoo squeezing your hand comfortingly as he stepped away, leaning against the bookcase. Kyun grasped your arms, hands wandering to your waist to gently hold the sides. His entire demeanour was misleading, making you think that he was softer than the annoyance he held back. 

‘‘You don’t have to- I’m fine okay?’‘ you gently spoke, in line with his mannerisms but perhaps a direct contrast to the fiery anger that laid beneath. Kyun was not satisfied with this, wearing annoyance like a second skin and body tilted towards Seokwoo in question. ‘’What were you thinking?’’ Kyun asked you. 

You did not wait, calmly responding, ‘’I know that you were worried, and so was I. But, it would have been useful if you had given me a heads-up that the individuals were women not men.’’, momentarily glancing at Seokwoo in reference to the words that came from his mouth.  

Your pace was slow and you pronounced each word with care, emphasising your reading onto his reading of the situation. You encouraged him to stop when you felt as if he was about to delve into a flawed argument, continuing, ‘’Look, this’’, motioning to the three of you. ‘’was a moment of miscommunication. And it almost cost us but we can prevent this next time.’’. Fighting an oncoming headache, you almost sighed when Kyun tightly hugged you. 

He pressed his body to yours, nudging your thighs apart as he stood in between them, the soft material of his suit smelling like the homely smell of blood and sweat. ‘’I know it isn’t.’’ he began, increasing in pace as he whispered, ‘’And I’m sorry- it’s just that, I-’’. You nodded, humming a ‘’I know’’ which interlaced with his, ‘’I was worried’’. 

This was it, you thought. This was all the times you looked at Kyun and thought of how much you loved him. The confession was sporadic for each one of them but the grasping of the face and kissing those lips were spontaneous, a routine you could see yourself growing to love everyday.  

As he grasped your hands, you leaned in to meet his lips, hearing your own heart beating. Dismissing the sound, you pulled your concentration on him, tracing his beautiful face, losing the previous scenario from thought. At these points, the meaning of your memories always intensified. He slid his hands over your top, laying his palms flat. 

Sliding your hand over the material of his suit, you gasped at the ache in between your legs. You were growing more aroused, stickiness adding to stickiness, the throbbing leaving you with the sensual impulse to satisfy the ache. 

Kyun’s tensed shoulders relaxed, his lips lingering over yours. You held your breath in anticipation, stilling for seconds as he came to understand the atmosphere you had already divulged into. He need-fully took in your appearance, gently lifting your top at the edges which went unnoticed by you. 

Your breath hitched when he grasped the back of your neck and connected your foreheads, noses lightly touching. He lingered his lips right above yours, the small space of air teasing your lips that parted open as a welcome for his. You chuckled, running a thumb over his cheek, sliding forward so that when you let out a last chuckle, he was lost in trying to capture your lips.

You menacingly peered at him, not bothering to answer the question in Seokwoo’s eyes as he got off the bookshelf. Your legs that dangled off the table, caught onto Kyun’s waist, your hands pushing you back as you kicked him. He grunted, stumbling back at the force, gripping the air behind when his legs found solace in lying flat on the ground. 

He narrowed his eyes, a giggle escaping you when he grabbed your ankles before they could flee his reach and pulled you forward. His grip on your legs tightened, you all the while glaring at him, cautious of Seokwoo at the side whose eyes were fixated in you. Drawing your arm back, you twisted your torso, swinging your fist at Kyun’s face. Almost landing a punch, Seokwoo grasped your hand, leaving you in place and poised for a second.

He collected your wrists, roughly pressing them above your head. They were pinned to the table, surprise strangled in your throat as his knees collided with the solidity of the table. His suit stretched at the edges as he leaned in to smile. 

You growled, bringing your head up and connecting it against his nose as hard as you could. By diverting all your energy to your neck, your legs went limp in Kyun’s arms, alarming him.

Seokwoo’s head flew back, expression of pain as he sniffed, trying to grasp if he was bleeding. ‘’Was that necessary?’’ he questioned, huffing at the smile that graced your face. Your nodding was cut off when he connected your lips, the softness a contrast to how abruptly he did it. 

You moaned against him, wanting him to let go of your hands that ached with the manner in which they had been pinned to the table. Its coldness that slid up your arms, causing you to shiver and allow goosebumps to line your hands. You opened your mouth to him, his tongue sliding in and moving against your wet muscle, another hand cupping your throat. 

Arousal had wet the inside of your underwear and Kyun who was excited at the sight, spread your compliant legs. He teasingly ran a thumb over your centre, almost feeling the sticky liquids line your folds and panties. Kyun was enticed, his own trousers feeling uncomfortable. 

He tugged at the hem of your joggers, pulling them down to reveal your lace underwear. The second thing he noticed were the stains, biting his lips in promise. Arousal rushed his centre, epitomising how his length grew, erected at the sight of Seokwoo passionately kissing you and your own masturbation in your underwear. 

He gulped at the sight, paused as thoughts of your touching yourself flooded his mind. His hand lingered in mid-air, your cries getting louder as you neared your release, kicking the covers off as it got warmer after having used the most appealing toy to you to insert into your hole and stimulate yourself. 

He groaned, stroking himself over his suit trousers, palmed himself at the visuals that delightfully swirled in his head. As Seokwoo completely pinned you down and released all his energy into kisses, Kyun’s fingers delicately trailed your ankles, fluttering around the skin teasingly and slowly spreading your legs. 

He hooked his fingers into the hems of your underwear, tearing the material apart. Miniscule fibres filled the air as he placed a finger to your core, seeing you jerk in response to the touch of his cold fingers. 

Two digits in his mouth, he mustered all the saliva he could, swirling the wetness around his fingers. Lips parted, a trail of saliva disconnected at the increasing distance between his mouth and your entrance. Probing at it, you threw your head back and gasped, your warm cunt pulsing around the thickness of his two digits. 

Seokwoo laid two opposing fingers on either side of your throat, giving you a mockingly encouraging nod to look at him. You hummed, eyes wide and in curious belief of what Kyun was about to do. He made a scissoring motion with his fingers, rubbing your clit. The pleasure of his hands were taken away when he unbuttoned himself, sliding his zipper down to reveal his length that was uncomfortable with the fabric that concealed it.

He pumped himself with the precum that flowed from the tip, slowly rubbing the tip against your folds. You whined into Seokwoo’s demanding kisses, small laughs escaping him at how wet you must have been at the moment. Seokwoo pressed himself against you when you began to whine, holding onto him as Kyun slid his cock into you, earning a groan from you. Your entrance was wet, fluid covering and when he slid in, he was met with a warmth and ease that allowed him to easily thrust into you. 

He heavily moaned, rough thrusts culminating from the stress he felt earlier, pouring it out and turning into heat as he held your legs apart, your release soaking his cock in your juices. You were aroused, hungrily moaning for more when Kyun slid into you and Seokwoo groped your breasts, feeling the soft skin mould to his desire. 

Leaning over you, Seokwoo took his hard cock out of his trousers and pumped himself, tapping the hardness at your lips. Beads of precum flowed from his tip, using it to lube his cock that he slid into your mouth. Gripping your hair in one hand, Seokwoo slightly adjusted himself, grinning as you opened your mouth. 

Swallowing the tip, he gently entered your mouth, hearing you gag, coarse tears staining your eyelashes wet. He paused, only continuing when you hummed, sending vibrations up his cock, his breaths getting heavier. 

From his grip on your hair, he used your mouth to pleasure him, bobbing your head up and down his cock. His back was neutral, your neck off the table and mouth being used to pleasure Seokwoo who gasped, leaning on the table for support. 

You were quick in wrapping your legs around Kyun, wanting the friction that he had created, satiating the beauty of the wetness in between your legs with his cock. He greedily groaned as you were helpless on the table, feebly moaning in desire and turning breathless as his grasp around your throat tightened, making it a struggle for you to breathe. You swallowed air but then it got harder, your voice coarse in its delivery to Kyun who chuckled at your pitiful state.

You wanted more. You wanted him to punish you, roughly fuck you and fill you up but the thing is, you could not demand and hence, you did not know what to expect. They were both unpredictable, Kyun, who could be caring but a maniac in his actions while Seokwoo’s looks deceived enough to make you believe that he was being nice when he truly wasn’t. 

Seokwoo’s hand never left your throat while Kyun’s fingernails dug into your thighs as he bought you forward, roughly fucking into you. You heaved when Seokwoo left his grip on your neck, allowing you to take in a gracious amount of air. The slapping of his cock against your face could be heard amidst the wet noises of Kyun’s pounding into you.

The table shook with the rough movements, Kyun’s moans filling the air and the heat of the table, hot against your bare back. Kyun had left your clit bare, aching to be touched, his focus completely pulled on the way your pussy swallowed his cock, stretching open. The sounds of your needy moans and desperate pleas could be heard against Seokwoo’s cock. 

Seokwoo dove into this change in persona, seeing you being used as you allowed him to use you for himself. Hands left to fumble for no purchase on the table, you could not move an inch, hollowing your cheeks the best you could to suck Seokwoo off. 

You whined, pleading Seokwoo with your pouty eyes to which he shook his head, whispering, ‘’Don’t complain’’. Sucking his upper lip in, he looked back at Kyun whose concentration was broken, nodding at his colleague. Pulling out of you, Kyun tossed you over, your gasp of surprise heightening as he entered you from behind, thrusting his cock into you, setting a fast pace. You got on your palms and knees, Seokwoo once more fisting your hair and peering at you with eager eyes.

The force of Kyun’s thrusts grew sloppy but still allowed for your head to bob up and down Seokwoo’s length. They could feel their releases nearing, knowing that after such pauses and emotional tension, they would release hard. Kyun would cream your walls with his thick fluids. You cried out, loudly moaning and meeting Seokwoo’s eyes who was lovingly watching the way your body moved, breasts wanting to be touched but whole-heartedly forgotten in the moment. 

Kyun didn’t have any intentions for you to release. It had been in his mind from the time he had started pounding into you. He continued filling you up, letting you relax in the way he held your waist, the ache of your back and arms pushed aside. Then he pulled out, setting your release a few steps back as your stunned self froze. 

The wetness was still present inside and outside, your pussy clenching around air. Your legs began trembling when he stopped the flow of his hips that had previously repeatedly snapped against yours. You looked at him from your position, turning over to meet his eyes and for a moment, reminiscing the pleasure you could have had. 

You were holding yourself up by your arms, legs spread, as if waiting for him to re-enter you and fill you up. Seokwoo tugged your head down his length, your gag reflex in a training to be gone. You brought a hand up to stroke his balls, wobbling on your remaining hand. 

Kyun did not take very long to release. After pumping himself, sweat excitedly dripping down his temples, he grabbed your legs, bringing you forward and penetrated your entrance. You cried out as in a thrust, he filled you till your cervix, releasing the contents of his liquid into you and groaning in relief.

You squealed at the feeling, releasing tears as his hot liquids filled you up. You were in a daze, not having recovered from any of the events yet feeling like you were catching up with all of them in real-time. 

You were roughly brought down on Seokwoo’s cock, doing your best to keep up with his hand. After moments of heavy breathing, you moaned from the pain in your scalp, flinching as Seokwoo pulled out and pumped himself over your face and breasts.

Kyun stood there breathless, swiftly hauling you off the table and bringing you in front of the mirror as he regained his breath. You were taken to the large, rectangle shaped mirror in his office that was close to the door. Your scalp ached, yet had no time to feel relieved as Kyun fisted your hair, thrusting you forward, your yelp evident in the quiet room. 

Seokwoo tapped your ass, brushing your cunt as he went lower. You were prompted to look at yourself in the mirror, still confused as you glanced at Kyun. Seokwoo embraced you from behind, parting your legs. You could see your form in the mirror, Kyun’s release slowly dripping down the inner of your thighs, staining the skin as they went along. 

Your face heated up at the sight but you were aroused nonetheless, Seokwoo’s grip on your thighs making it unable for you to close them. His hands wandered throughout your body, tracing your figure for example, the curve of your breasts, your stomach, thighs, touch fluttering to the point where you felt tickled. 

Your breath hitched when Kyun lazily bumped you forward, stating as a matter of fact, ‘’Look’’, encouraging you, ‘’Such a slut’’. You swallowed a bout of saliva, immediately breathily moaning as Seokwoo probed your entrance, your legs bending at the stimulation. 

To Seokwoo, Kyun was distinctly rough with you as compared to any non-sexual situation where the power dynamics were almost reversed. He studied your boundaries, completely overpowering you. The basic point of measuring when you submitted was the way you would look at him. You would not hide it, letting him take full control when you were ready. 

To Kyun, Seokwoo was caring, although never explicitly telling you how much, he routinely made a point to show. There was no confusion in his gentleness with you and as far as moments after confessions went, he was not a hypocrite. He eagerly held your throat, his breath fanning against your neck. It trailed here and there, tickling you. The result was an acute awareness of your own arousal, the unmistakable throbbing of your sex. 

The swell of his cock rubbed against your bare ass and you bit your lip at the feeling, scrunching your face with the release of a breathy moan. He caressed the curve of your ass, groping the pretty flesh in his hands, smooth skin touching yours that felt like a subtle predictor of his future behaviour. 

He leaned down and whispered into your ear, asking, ‘’Would you be okay if we had sex right now?’’. You rose to meet his eyes, nodding in curiousness. The reflection of the outside lights flashed in your eyes, revealing a desiring glint. 

In response, he hummed, taking in a sharp breath before playfully smiling and saying, ‘’We won’t have sex then, get on the table’’, leaving you admittedly bittersweet. Kyun laughed in the background questioning, ‘’Why did you ask her then?’’. 

Seokwoo bent you over the table, landing a harsh smack to the curve of your ass, the skin turning pink. You cried out in surprise, hands clenching over the flat surface of the table. As he landed two more to the same cheek, you breathlessly gasped, darting your eyes to places that seemed beyond your vision, promptly shutting your eyes as bright jewels of light in the distance struck your vision, white momentarily shining in the depths of your eyes. 

Stick excess pooled in between your legs, gathering friction from the way your legs were stuck together, creating friction. He caressed the slightly bruised cheek, aroused at the sight in front of him. You were holding yourself by the palms, wondering how you got yourself into this position. 

Kyun and Seokwoo were different, in their approach to each other and to you. Everyone was far too lost to realise that this situation, under different reactions, could have played out differently. Thinking that it was not too late, you turned around, flinching as you settled on the soreness of your ass.

Missing the swat of Seokwoo’s hand, he made a swipe at the air causing him to take a step back, pursing his lips in question. You peered at Seokwoo, almost pushing him to let you momentarily take control. The encouragement worked due to his delayed reaction, his eyebrows raised and hands on hips. 

Kyun chuckled as you spread your legs, licking your lower lip, softly biting the skin. Your fingers trailed along the length of your torso, a smile lingering as you twirled around your clit, gasping at the pleasuring sensation. Your legs trembled, lacking the energy to keep up unlike your own deprived- of- release sex. 

A jolt ran through your body when you touched yourself, asking Seok, ‘‘I didn’t do it like this when I touched myself earlier.’‘, nodding as you motioned to your fingers. Kyun smirked at this play, thinking, she submitted to me but she won’t do it for Seok, chuckling at any of your least-favourable probable outcomes. 

The innocence present in your hands caused both of them to relax until you entered your cunt, feeling the mixed juices coat your digits. You brought yourself back to where Kyun had left you earlier, all in a matter of concentrating. Your eyes glossed over as your vision blurred, losing yourself in the pleasure you created.

Seokwoo genuinely laughed at your ministrations, enjoying the sight of you touching yourself. However, Seok didn’t look at Kyun to make a decision together. He grabbed your hand, not giving you a chance to collect yourself. Your hands were taken away from your cunt, stopping your pleasure in its tracks for almost the third time today.

You yelped in surprise as you felt yourself slide off the table and onto your legs that wobbled on the way to the bedroom. A sigh of frustration escaped you, swallowing it as Seokwoo looked at you with a definite look of irritation. You looked back at Kyun who was following you too, shrugging as you reflected his sly smile. 

Seok’s steps were quick, shoes clicking against the wooden floor as the door to your bedroom flew open, slamming into the wall. Your eyes widened at the sound, heart excitedly racing with other priorities before Seok threw you onto the bed, sheets flying upon your harsh contact with them. You stared at him through your eyelashes, his figure towering over yours when he removed his boxers, revealing his length. 

It slapped his stomach once again, his gaze never leaving you. You were about to ask if he was being indecisive after directly telling you that you couldn’t have him but it was all play. Unless he did something, you had no idea if his words were true. He asked, ‘’Where is the toy you used?’’, causing you to tilt your head to the side, squint in confusion. You parted your lips in an excuse as he sat in between your legs that were on either side of his waist. 

You knew that he was onto you as he always was, not your issue that they had jumped to the first conclusion they could think of. You shrugged, smile toying at your lips when he penetrated your entrance, leaving you to collapse into the sheets, trying to accommodate his length. You threw your head back, back arching at the penetration. 

He stilled once the bass of his cock touched your cervix, grunting as he felt your juices warmly wrap around his cock. He snugly settled into you, getting comfortable. Lingering over you, he gently said, ‘’I want to humiliate you’’, a beautiful, genuine smile gracing him. 

‘’When we came back’’ he immediately started, pausing till he continued, ‘’It looked like you were sleeping’’, slowly moving in you, pace slow. You breathed heavily, having held back so many times, similar to Seok who was close too. This was a nostalgic reminder to see who would release first, with or without foul play. 

‘’Yet you were wet, like you released.’’, you hummed, gripping his shoulders as he began to touch your sweet spot, drawing moans from you. He stared into you, continuing, ‘’I have never known you to masturbate in Kyun’s office, with or without a toy’’, opening to one other possibility. 

You licked your lips, prompting a thrust from Seok, causing you to grip the sheets. ‘’So, while relaxing in his office, you went off to sleep and untimely had a wet dream’’ he finalised, his proudness of his revelation showing through his pleased grin. 

Heat flushed your heated face, earlier frustration peeking as you dismissed his statement, ‘’Fine, yes, it happened. What is the problem?’’. He heartily laughed, slowly thrusting into your cunt as he looked at Kyun’s twinkling eyes who was impressed by his colleague noticing things that even he had not paid attention to. 

Leaning against the table, Kyun stroked his cock, body warm from head to toe. Seokwoo fell to his side, pulling you with him. The invitation to Kyun was inevitable as he pulled out a condom and lubricant. Settling behind you, he cleared the hair from your neck, pressing soft kisses. One lingered the longest as he popped it open, gently probing your hole. 

You held onto Seokwoo, initially jolting at the sensation Kyun caused, scrunching your eyes. Seokwoo repeatedly whispered phrases of praise to you, caressing your breasts as you clenched around him. His pace never increased no matter how annoyed you seemed when you asked him to speed the fuck up. All he did was giggle and say no, much to your dismay. 

Your release was imminent for you but never to come. Delayed for as long as possible, Seokwoo held onto you, feeling his own release near while Kyun prepared you for as long, probing your entrance twice and thrice till he could seat inside you. Hands roaming your torso, he wandered without moving, grasping the heat you were offering him. Teasing your clit, you frustratingly laughed, whining and finding satisfaction in Seok’s heat. 

The end was the same, except it wasn’t the end for the bigger picture. Seokwoo pulled out, pumping himself till he came, doing so inside you. You ground your hips against his, friction not enough to satisfy you. Seokwoo stayed inside you, relaxing his tense and sweaty body, on the soft covers. 

‘‘It feels nice this way’‘ Seokwoo spoke up, motioning to the position the three of you were in. Kyun laughed, agreeing as you joined in, chuckling. It did lead you to ask, ‘‘So when- when will I be able to release?’‘, clenching around Seokwoo as you did. He hummed, smiling, teasingly shrugging, replying with a playful hint in his voice, ‘‘I don’t know’‘. 

You held back a laugh, rolling your eyes and shrugging away, barely turning away from Seokwoo before he pulled you back into his arms. Pressing a kiss to the crown of your head, he stated, ‘’That is a good take on it’’ causing you to push him away with a discontented look.  

‘‘Kyun hasn’t said anything’‘ you suddenly whispered and Seokwoo looked over, smiling as he nodded towards a naked Kyun who was already sleeping. You patted his ass, running a thumb over it while giggling with Seokwoo. Kyun was knocked out, the cuteness of his very soft snores adding to his peaceful state of slumber. 

‘‘He must be tired’‘ you whispered, Seokwoo agreeing to your words, replying, ‘‘He did stress a lot’‘. You chatted away with Seok, temporarily forgetting about your situation, the two of you giggling in the silence, trying not to wake Kyun up with your laughs. 

About six hours into your sleep, you got a phone call that first woke up Seok. He shook you out of your sleep, handing your phone to you. You groggily picked up the phone, taking in deep breaths to calm the fast beating of your heart you always felt no matter who woke you up, when or where. Seok hugged your form, hiding in the crook of your neck and going back to sleep, hoping that whatever it is, it was not important. 

Kyun had woken up sometime earlier, gesturing in question to the phone in your hand. You shrugged, hearing Zuho hurriedly say, ‘’We have a situation. Gather the team, you will be briefed when I’m on the ground’’. Kyun had finished taking a shower, seemingly relaxed but nervously glancing at you. 

Zuho cut the call and you quickly woke Seokwoo up, motioning Kyun to get changed. Both asked why but you had no answer, directing Kyun to get your weapons ready. Grabbing Seokwoo’s hand, you tugged his sleepy self along to the shower for a quick scrub. 

On the way, you told Kyun to contact Taeyang and that he would wake up Althea and in turn, you would contact Isa. Stepping into the shower, Seokwoo started the water, drizzling it over you. You moved quickly as you picked up the phone, rushing your call with Isa to pick up the rest of her newly developed ammunition and to inform you of when she reached. 

Three vehicles arrived at the scene, brakes pumped and six individuals rushing out. The uniforms you wore would conceal your identity, allowing the six of you to act as six and as one too. Your red badges to identify your group were stripped off and handed to you who gave the responsibility of keeping them safe to Althea. 

There was time to only prioritise the safety of your team members and whatever the mission from Zuho was. The six of you stood in a circle, clouds of light grey amidst the rising dark blue turning lighter surrounding you. They were attentive to your calm voice as you handed them instructions, weapons in hands. ‘’We split up into teams of two.’’, motioning to Isa and Taeyang, ‘’are with me. The rest of you cover the back. At 4:15, we will meet in the Quilon. We’ll go from there.’’

They nodded, dispersing after bumping shoulders with your final words, ‘’Let’s do this safely’’. It always made you chuckle, having been the first thing you said in nervousness as their unofficial leader, hearing them laugh and tell you that they had your back, no matter what mission you all were on. You guessed that these wars united your team.

[lawrenceop]

HOMILY for the 29th Sunday per annum (B)

Isa 53:10-11; Ps 32; Heb 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45

“As for seats at my right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted.” (Mk 10:40) These places on the right and on the left of Christ are places of authority, of influence and power because from here one can whisper into the ear of the ruler, or hear what is said to him. So, when James and John approach Jesus they have this worldly grandeur and power in mind, and they recognise, therefore the kingship and authority of Jesus. Understandably, from a human point of view, they want some of the Lord’s reflected glory to benefit them.

But heaven’s perspective is nothing like our human perspective, mainly because we see things in myopic ways; we’re limited by the horizons of our short lives, and blinkered by what we think will make this life physically better and easier, whether it’s money or comforts or influence or status or power. Hence, as Jesus says, among the powerful of this world, “great men make their authority felt.” But as Jesus says to the Governor of Judea, “my kingdom is not of this world.” Christ’s kingdom is spiritual, and his realm is the human heart, and how we relate to one another in friendship and in love, and most importantly, how we relate to God. Hence Pope Pius XI said that Christ’s “kingdom is spiritual and is concerned with spiritual things… It demands of its subjects a spirit of detachment from riches and earthly things, and a spirit of gentleness. They must hunger and thirst after justice, and more than this, they must deny themselves and carry the cross.”

The Lord, therefore, seeks to teach his apostles, his band of Twelve, the attitudes that the subjects of his kingdom must have. Thus he taught all his disciples: “Blessed are the poor in spirit… blessed are the meek… blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… blessed are the merciful”, and so on. (cf Mt 5:1-12) Patiently, gently, but firmly, the Lord leads his followers down the path of the beatitudes, and he’s been doing this since the time of the apostles, since even before James and John approached him with their audacious, slightly fool-hardy request.

And so too in our time, in our day, and in our lives, the Lord lovingly, mercifully but insistently has to teach us the same lesson: “anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all.” (Mk 10:43) Greatness and primacy is found in powerlessness, in servitude, and any one looking for worldly benefits who has reflected on this and taken it seriously might well find election to any position of authority in the Church somewhat unattractive. Indeed, if anyone hankers after ecclesiastical influence, then he clearly does not understand what authority in the Church is about! Thus St Thomas Aquinas says: “to desire the primacy of honour is vanity. For primacy seeks one that shuns it, and abhors one that desires it.”

Certainly, since taking up the responsibility of prior, I’ve found that the perks and the salary have multiplied a hundredfold, by which I mean a hundred times zero is still zero! But, seriously, though, if I do this right, by God’s grace, then there should be an increase in spiritual riches, namely in love. Thus the Rule of St Augustine, to which I am bound in obedience, reminds me: “regard yourself to be fortunate as one who serves in love, not as one who exercises authority… but in fear before God, you shall lie prostrate beneath the feet” of the brethren! The Christian who is elected to authority, therefore, is the one chosen by Providence to carry the cross. And this shall be to one’s spiritual benefit, it can lead to salvation, because, as Jesus said: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Mt 16:24)

James and John would eventually learn the lesson of true charity, but in two different ways. St James, the son of Zebedee would become the first of the apostles to be martyred: he was executed by Herod Agrippa I, around 44 AD, and so he learnt the lesson of greatness in Christ’s kingdom, which comes not by power or military triumph or earthly riches but by the utter powerlessness of being condemned, like a slave, to death by the rulers of this world just as Christ had been. But St John the son of Zebedee doesn’t die as a martyr - indeed, he is the only apostle not to have been martyred. Rather, he, the apostle of charity, learns the way of love by how he lives rather than how he dies. So he writes: “I beg you, lady, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we follow his commandments; this is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you follow love.” (2 Jn 1:5-6) So, either way, greatness in Christ’s kingdom comes from following Christ, following the way of love right to the end, either dying for one’s friends as the martyrs do, or dying to oneself, and so loving others willingly, sacrificially, selflessly.

If priors and parish priests have to learn this the latter way from the people they serve – unless of course my brothers or one of my parishioners decided they’ve had enough and try to poison me! – then so too do husbands and wives – they sanctify each other, becoming the wood of the Cross on which the other is crucified! And mothers and fathers learn the crucial way of love from their children. And most of us, in our daily lives, will have to undergo a gradual martyrdom, each day dying to ourselves so as to live for Christ, giving up the ways of the world so as to bear witness to God’s mercy and justice and love. One such person, for example, a public servant, the right honourable Member of Parliament for Southend West, a Catholic like us, literally died to himself and served Christ, giving his life for others just a few days ago, killed while serving his constituents.

It is those who die with Christ, therefore; those who follow Christ to the end, who can be expected to reign with him. Who, then, shall have those places to the left and right of Christ? To whom have they been allocated? Some might say, St Peter and St Paul, the “Princes of the Apostles” as they are termed. Or others might say, Our Lady and St John the Baptist, for both were born without sin, and so we often see them shown to right and left of Christ in sacred art and icons. But the answer, surely, is found later on in St Mark’s Gospel. In chapter 15, we read: “And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.” (v27) For James and John had asked to “sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory” (Mk 10:37), and of course, as St John’s Gospel reveals, Christ’s crucifixion is the hour of his glory. (cf Jn 12:23) So, here, at his crucifixion, Christ reveals his glory, he reveals the unfathomable depths of God’s love and mercy for sinful humanity. Indeed, with the title over his head, and crowned with thorns, the Cross becomes Christ’s Throne and Judgement Seat, and it is from here that he reigns as the universal king of love. Hence, to right and left of the king in glory are the two to whom God’s Providence has allotted a place: the two robbers, St Dismas who repented and turned to Christ for mercy, and the other who mocked and distrusted him, whom tradition calls Gestas.

Why do they have these places of honour and influence? Perhaps because the Lord wants them to influence us, to teach us the most important lessons of all, that we will follow the example of Dismas the so-called ‘good thief’ on the right, and avoid the example of the bad thief on the left. For St Dismas teaches us that it is never too late to abandon oneself to God’s love and mercy; never too late to repent and turn to Christ; never too late to become a disciple, a true follower of Christ, even at the moment of death. So, Christ’s kingdom, as Pope Pius XI said, is one which human beings “prepare to enter by penance, and cannot actually enter except by faith and by baptism.” St Dismas therefore shows repentance, and has faith in Christ as Saviour, and thus he receives baptism by desire, a genuine love for Christ and for his kingdom.

Therefore, in the Church today the Lord still asks these questions: “Can you drink the cup that I must drink, or be baptised with the baptism with which I must be baptised?” To those who ask for Baptism, or to those who come forward for Holy Communion, are we aware of the demands of following Christ? Do we know what these actions require of us? They make us subjects of Christ the King who “did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:45) So, which side of the Cross will you choose: left with Gestas, or right with St Dismas?