#it takes time to relearn things when you’ve only been taught one thing your entire life

[ihhfhonao3]

Shoutout to people that take the time to explain discourse and new terms/ideas. I myself find that it’s hard for me to “just accept it” with certain things- I need an explanation on how it works. So shoutout to people explaining mspec lesbians, explaining disability pride, explaining cripplepunk and who can/can’t use the term, amongst other things. It means more to me (and probably others) than you know. It’s much more helpful than being yelled at and told I’m a terrible person just because I don’t understand. I like to understand. I can’t always, and I don’t always have to. But I like to. And you explaining helps me understand. Its very helpful and I thank you for it (and it makes me feel less stupid and angry. Which is always very good) :3

[ask-spider-man-61610]

The Infiltration: Part One of Three

To say that two shapeshifters stood in the basement laboratory of a government building wouldn't be quite accurate. One shapeshifter stood in the basement laboratory. The other could more honestly be described as meticulously sculpted into shape. The particles that made up his body were arranged into the shape of a standing man, held in place by static cling, but that wasn't really standing. It was a rough approximation of standing, just like everything about Flint Marko was a rough approximation of a human being. He'd long since gotten used to the fact, but that didn't make it any less unpleasant.

The other shapeshifter, Reed Richards, leaned against a table that was great for projecting holograms but terrible for holding papers or drinks. Fancy and impractical equipment like this was one of the Cape Code Authority's most well-known features.

A third man stood in this laboratory too, off to one side. He was, in a way, the exact opposite of a shapeshifter. More on him later.

"I've taken some time to look into your request," Richards said as he tapped a few icons on the tabletop. "Here's the basics of my thoughts so far. A shell to house your nervous system and respond to electrical signals."

There was a sound like sand sliding down a dune before Flint began to speak. It had taken him a long time to relearn how to talk after becoming the Sandman; even now, it took effort to hold the shape of those granular vocal cords as he spoke in a deep and raspy voice. "Yeah. Y'said that last time, Doc. What's changed?"

Richards, in response, pinched an image on the tabletop and widened it out, his fingers stretching like rubber bands to expand the picture further. He raised his arm--he seemed to ignore his joints, the entire limb bending like a garden hose--and flicked one finger up, and a hologram rose out of the table's display to cast a soft white glow over the room. The hologram looked like eggshells glued to an Erector set, arranged into the shape of a bipedal form that lay on the table as if it were a stretcher. "What's changed is that I've done some research into actually making that shell. Take a look, I've drafted up a basic schematic for what it'd look like."

"And you decided it'd look like a Phantom?"

Richards snorted, but ignored the question. "The outermost shell is solid-light holography," he continued, making a vague swiping gesture through the air above the image. The eggshell faded out, revealing the bare animatronic beneath, which (judging by the sculpted face made of sand) Flint found even less impressive. Frowning, Richards looked down at the hologram again and added, "We could, given some finagling, calibrate it to resemble an actual human. But generating these 3D models is a pain, so I didn't bother."

Perhaps a more critical mind would have asked why, if 3D models were such a pain, they bothered to use holograms at all instead of pen and paper. But Flint's mind had never been an especially critical one; he was in no way stupid, but for all his life had tended to take things as they came. Instead he asked, "Is that why it looks like a Phantom? 'Cuz you're just recycling a picture you already had?"

"Not letting that go, eh?" Richards replied, the ghost of a smirk on his face as he glanced up at the Sandman again. He waved his hand again, and the computer misinterpreted his gesture and deactivated the projection of the suit. Rolling his eyes, Richards reactivated the hologram and said, "No. Well, partially. It looks like a Phantom because that technology is what a lot of my idea is based on. You see, what you're asking for is very similar to how the technology works anyway--an artificial support structure for a unique nervous system. The only difference is that your nervous system is two gallons of granulated silica, whereas the Phantoms are currently working with--"

And here he stopped, falling silent and stoic. His eyes, suddenly devoid of their smiling crow's feet, glanced Flint's way before his disgusting elastic fingers returned to typing on the touchscreen between them. The pile of sand, insomuch as it could, looked confused.

"What?" he said, in a voice like a seashell crushed underfoot on a beach. "What're the Phantoms workin' with? I thought they were just robots."

This was a common misconception, and Richards, like most of the Cape Code Authority, had a vested interest in upholding it. "Phantoms" were the colloquial name for Perpetual Holographic Avatar/Nano-Tech Offensive Monsters. Bipedal, autonomous drones with light weaponry, they were the foot soldiers of the CCA, the beat cops, the cavalry when an agent wanted reinforcement. They had been in development since the War of the Worlds had brought the Chitauri and all their technology to Earth six years ago, and some of the core technology of the drones was better kept unknown. What Richards had said threatened to jeopardise that secrecy.

The third man in the room chose then to speak. Stepping forward, his black cloak obscuring the entirety of his six-foot-plus form, he spoke with a voice that was digitally altered to be an octave deeper. "They are robots," he said, his white face mask moving like genuine flesh. "Their processors have a unique method of operation, though. They have some of the most sophisticated A.I. in the world, and their microprocessors are similar enough to a human's that it won't require too much tinkering to render it compatible with your...situation."

This was Scrier--or rather, a Scrier; one of many--and he was a champion liar. Nobody quite knew when he had joined the CCA or what level he occupied, but the executives of the organization seemed to treat him as a special case. He never answered distress calls, except to break up protests and strikes. He had no patrol routes, no assigned partners, and the only training courses he attended were the ones he taught--the ones about corporate rights and the agency's responsibility to them. Agents weren't allowed to try and investigate Scrier's identity. For all they knew, he was an undercover boss trying to hear his subordinates' opinions on him.

This was true, but it was a little more specific than that.

"Yes!" Richards said, gesturing towards the man gratefully. "Thank you, Scrier. I didn't know how exactly to put that. Yes, Phantoms run on a very human-like system. In theory, adapting it to suit your nervous system should be far easier than trying to create something out of whole cloth."

"I thought you were like a super genius," Flint said, sounding a bit annoyed. "You've invented flying cars and indestructible fabrics that let you go to space. You have yer own interdimensional portal. Why is this taking so much thought? Why does this need to be made out of other stuff and spit and prayers?"

Richards gave him a blank glare for a few seconds before sighing. "Okay," he said, leaning on the table. "First of all, I am a genius. I'm one of the smartest people to ever live, but that doesn't mean I know everything. I have to research and experiment. Any innovation, even one from me, takes time." He waved his hand again and the hologram vanished. "Second of all, remember: I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart."

"You're doing this because that was my condition!" Flint shot back, and the pile of sand swelled slightly and grew almost half a foot. He raised his arms; granules fell from the sculptures and scattered across the floor. "That's what I said when I joined this stupid super-cop thing! I hate being the Sandman, Doc! You guys offered to give me this--this job of disrupting protests and taking down unregistered super-guys because your bosses told me you could make me...not."

He glanced down at his hands. And indeed hands they were; years of practice had let him sculpt the sand at the end of his arms into an incredibly realistic form, with perfectly jointed fingers. You could almost see what must have once been his fingerprints. But as he looked at them a small stream of sand fell from them to the ground.

"I'm not expectin' you to make me human again," he said. "But just...something that'll make me feel more human. Something that feels like a body." His features hardened again, sand dunes into sandstone. "If you're just half-assing that--if you're just giving me something that-that makes people treat me like a Phantom and that'll break in like a week--"

And here he stopped. There was more than just a salary that kept agents of the Cape Code Authority in line. You had a lot of wiggle room as a superhero registered under them: you could slack off on the job, you could issue arrests for what you were pretty sure was a crime, you could stop and frisk anyone you liked, you could be sure that the beatings you gave to unarmed suspects were graciously forgiven by your superiors. But one thing you couldn't do was leave. Quitting the CCA was a surefire way to bring the coworkers you had once trusted down on your head; no longer registered, you had no more immunity than a child experimenting with the most basic powers did. Nobody wanted to find themselves imprisoned in Complex 42--stranded inescapably in the Negative Zone, tortured by armed guards and experimented on to replicate your powers, only protected from the hostile, annihilating environment outside the prison by a few wafer-thin force fields. But that was exactly where Flint's line of thinking threatened to take him.

"...Forget it," he mumbled, defeated, and as he slumped down slightly his face and body lost much of its detail.

Richards stared across the table with an uncomfortable air. Glancing down at the table, he tapped a few keys on it and the hologram vanished. With one hand he pushed his glasses up, and then his arm stretched the five feet across the table and patted Flint's semblance of a shoulder.

"Look," he said. "I can't make any promises. You're...unprecedented, Marko. The only shapeshifter of your kind. I'm doing the best I can to help you. But if I can use technology we already have to do it, then I'm going to. You're not my only job in the CCA. But I'm working on it." He took his hand back, and then needed a second to brush off the sand that had come with it. "...It's getting late. We ought to call it a day, I need to head home."

"Have to convince Susan not to walk out on you again?" Scrier suggested, already heading for the door.

Reed just dragged his hand down his face, his features stretching in his grip, and didn't answer. His eyes were bagged and his posture tired. Instead he began to trudge towards the door, each leg bending like it was made of plasticine, and followed by an animate pile of sand.

The light of streetlights and storefront signs shone through the windows as the three of them stepped out of the laboratory. About ten feet away, a custodian looked up from the floor he was mopping and gave the trio a quizzical expression, but the only one who paid him any mind was Scrier, whose expression was hard to parse through the prosthetic mask. Richards and Flint just began to head the opposite direction down the hall.

"Hey! Scrier! Don't you have some skulking to do somewhere else?!" Flint called back.

As the door to the lab swung closed, the janitor adjusted his grip on the mop and looked back down at his work. Scrier, after a second more of staring, turned away and began to saunter off.

It was a long hallway. They kept walking for a good long while before they turned and were out of sight. And for all that time the janitor continued to mop and silently sweated, waiting for them to notice that the security cameras weren't moving like they usually did. Even when the three Cape Code Authority agents were gone, the custodian continued to work. He worked until the vibrations of their footsteps through the floor had faded into the background tremors of the environment. And even longer than that, until the buzz of spider-sense in the back of his mind had subsided slightly, no longer quite so focused on them.

[i-love-ninjago-kai]

Wait a sec while I ask you this-

So, your Kailor analysis was amazing (I don’t really ship it, but it was still awesome!) - so I was wondering if you could do a second part to it? Like, what the other ninja think about it - I know you’ve already mentioned that they just want them to kiss already, but would you mind going into a bit of depth on that? Like, do they try to set up dates or something (cough cough Lloyd ‘n’ Nya-). Thankyou so much!

- Submitted by @chaoscat211 -

Hi Friend, thank you so much! Sure thing :) 

This is long so I’ll eventually cut it off under a read more.

Yeah so… The ninja know Kai and Skylor have hang-ups, like, a lot. They’re complicated people, and it’s really really hard for the team to get the two to express how they’re really truly feeling.

If Kai is really really bothered by something, he closes up like a clam and even if he opens up for a second, his shell will snap closed again and you’ll end up with a broken finger.

Skylor is just… Hard to read, she’s spent her entire life putting up a front, and when she wants to hide what she’s feeling, she will do it with such practiced ease it’s like breathing for her. The only person who’s ever been able to truly, really see through it is, well… Kai.

But wow, it is so, so obvious how much they love each other, and it drives the team absolutely crazy. The way they say each other’s names like it’s a part of them, the admiration-filled glances when she visits for dinner, the way they flirt and sass each other with nothing more than a smirk and sometimes a chuckle.

And it’s not even that they just “make each other happy,” because that’s not all that a relationship is. They bring out something amazing in each other, and the team can see it. Kai opens up to her  in a way that he never has with them, Skylor shows another side besides the well trained, flirtatious cool persona that’s been beaten into her. 

They work together as if they have for decades. Fighting together is like a dance, it’s almost beautiful to watch them act as partners.

So it is even more frustrating to watch them hang back from truly going all in and just kissing already, just because they both had bad childhoods and don’t know how to deal with their problems. At least, that’s how Jay sees it.

He made a direct approach when he wanted to express his love to Nya, he asked her on a date, easy. Granted his low confidence did make him try to… Be anyone BUT Jay, but still, Nya knew he liked her.  AND GRANTED they ALSO did a dance in order REALLY be together, but that was more because outside forces were keeping them from truly being able to be together.

Skylor and Kai are just scared, which is stupid because Jay knows they’re absolutely smitten. He doesn’t know why Kai makes himself miserable by not making a move. Although he seems to have a habit of making himself miserable on purpose. 

He does what he does best, he teases and annoys Kai with whatever innuendo he can. EVENTUALLY one will work and Kai will get up the freaking nerve to sweep Skylor off her feet. He’s willing to be a martyr and take Kai’s (slightly terrifying) glares and threats if it means it’ll work. (It won’t)

Lloyd is young, and until recently, didn’t really understand the value of a romantic partner, and his experience with it so far has been less than savory. Even still, Lloyd likes Skylor, she’s smart and very good for Kai. Of course.. He hadn’t realized that the loving insults and nicknames they give each other was flirting until like, last week. So now whenever he hears them do it, his face turns red and he has to politely excuse himself. 

At least Nya and Jay, or Pixal and Zane know a thing or two about PDA. Skylor and Kai aren’t even dating and they look like they’re about to pounce on each other all the time.

Nya… Nya doesn’t know how she feels. On one hand she does really like Skylor,  their bond was strengthened during the time when she thought the ninja were dead, and it was good to have another girl who had lost someone she loved too. They had an understanding, and although she’s never said it out loud, Nya knows Skylor is absolutely in love with Kai.

And she knows how much Kai loves her, he’s never looked at anyone the way he looks at her. And oh my fsm, he has someone that he actually likes outside of the team and her, he really really needs that. Not only does he like her, he actually talks to her, holy crap, he opens up to her. He’s never done that with anyone.

Not even her. Not fully. I mean sure, she’s his sister, and he tells her mostly everything, but he’s also the one who raised her, and she knows that comes with a lot of secrets. She spied on him stressing over not having enough money for this month’s electric bill, in the middle of the night, only to give her lunch money the next day enough times to know that he doesn’t tell her everything that’s going on in his head.

And in a way, that scares her, because Kai has always been hers. The one constant in her life has always been Kai, and to think that soon enough… She won’t be his favorite girl anymore, soon enough Skylor will be the one who can read him from across a room, comfort him and calm him down. Soon enough it will be Skylor, and not her.

Which is terrifying. Don’t get confused… Nya doesn’t need Kai, not in a survival sense, she’s perfectly capable of functioning if he’s away. But… Kai has always been there, always, in her life of constant fluctuation and many many heartbreaks, Kai has always been there to catch her when she’s falling, always there to pull her out of the water when she’s drowning. 

And she won’t consider the possibility of him dying, nope, that’s too far, but the possibility that she’s not the center of his world anymore, and in a more childish sense, that he’s not going to be there to protect her every waking moment. It’s scary, and it sparks some jealousy in her.

Which makes her feel terrible. She doesn’t like the icky feeling that claws for attention when Kai comforts Skylor after a hard day at the restaurant, or when his first thought after a mission is to call her, instead of making dinner with Nya.

Because Kai isn’t hers, Kai never was hers. Her relationship is different. Kai may be Skylor’s, but Kai was never Nya’s. She rationalizes it and says that she feels this way because she wants to protect him. Nya knows that she’d never hurt Kai, but she can’t speak for Skylor, and she doesn’t want anyone to hurt Kai. He’s had enough pain, enough hardship for an entire lifetime, wrapped up into 19 years.

It’s just not what’s supposed to happen. He’s fought to hard to be hurt now.

So she’s torn. Because she absolutely wants them to be together, she wants them to make out and have all their cheesy romcom moments. But she’s scared she’s losing her brother, too, and she’s always had her brother to hold onto her.

Cole has tried many, many times to talk to Kai about Skylor. Cole is the oldest, and while Kai is the closest to him in age, they’re not in the same place. At least not in that area. Cole can see what good this would do for Kai. The way Kai is beaming and joyful in a way that he never is when he comes home from visiting Skylor proves that.

And Kai is usually nice to talk to, he’s mature where he needs to be and a good listener. Unless you try and get him to talk about his problems. Cole has never seen anyone’s expression darken and close up so quickly, and he’s seen people corrupted with evil before his very eyes.

It usually ends with Kai just making the excuse that he’s tired, since their long chats are almost always late at night. Otherwise he just shakes his head and leaves.

It would be rude if it came from anyone other than Kai. When it comes from Kai, it just makes Cole sad for him. Cole hasn’t had it easy, not at all. He’s died twice and he is not excited to make it three, but Cole at least knows when he needs to talk to someone. His mother taught him that, if he’s ever struggling, bottling is the worst thing he can do. And in his experience, she was right, so he tries to be honest about where he is with his friends, and it’s freeing.

But  this team is full of bottlers, and Kai is the worst of them. 

Zane… Zane isn’t really worried about it. He’s an android, and he’s got longevity, so he doesn’t really see the point in everyone being so frustrated with the unofficial couple. Things will work out.. In time. Kai and Skylor are not even whole themselves yet, how can they come together as an effective new body if they don’t even know themselves?

Zane had to relearn how to be independent, having becoming dependent on Pixal for support. Which, isn’t a complete problem, there’s nothing wrong with depending on people, that’s what a team is, but when you start taking more than you are giving, then  it becomes a problem.

So the two need to grow themselves a little more… And fsm knows Kai is afraid to grow.

This is uber duber long, so I’ll cut it here. Sorry for rambling!!! I hope this is close to what you wanted :) Thank you again sweetie!

[codythecheshirecat]

Is This The Start, Midpoint, or Finale? Chapter 4: Passing Time

Codywan Merman/Modern AU

Story Summary: Cody has spent the last several months recovering from a car crash that completely upturned his life. When spending a day on the St. Lawrence River, he finds something that should be impossible– a merman. An injured merman. And, well, there’s not much to do except bring him home and fix him up.

Read on AO3! https://archiveofourown.org/works/33756109/chapters/85388758

A week passes. They quickly make a schedule. Breakfast at nine, lunch at noon, dinner at six. Early on Cody has to run to the store to get things for Obi-Wan’s liquid diet-- he’s an omnivore too, so Cody doesn’t have to worry about finding replacements for meat, exactly. Which is good. They make an agreement about their respective recoveries, too; Obi-Wan won’t overexert himself so long as Cody doesn’t, they’ll take their medicines at the same times (dosages allowing, at least), and having someone to talk to makes it easier to ignore their respective pains and aches, anyway.

Two days into the week, Obi-Wan asks for some softer blankets. Cody doesn’t actually have any, so he runs to the store and buys some of the fuzziest throw blankets he can find. He buys some other things, too, just in case-- a pair of boxers, a single cotton shirt, a pair of mesh gym shorts, and a knee-length plaid skirt with an elastic waistband. He’s not entirely sure they’ll fit Obi-Wan, but he’s pretty good at eyeing sizes and it’s better to have them just in case he needs to cover up.

He gives the blankets to Obi-Wan, but keeps the clothes hidden for the time being. He also has to help Obi-Wan get situated with the blankets-- one to cover the couch (so Obi-Wan can lay on it rather than the couch, which he also calls scratchy) and one to cover him (despite Cody’s protests).

Obi-Wan finds himself enraptured with the TV. News, cartoons, soap operas, and everything in between. Cody supposes it must seem pretty strange; a box with hundreds, thousands of different stories to watch. They watch Jeopardy every night, and while Obi-Wan rarely knows the answers, he seems to enjoy it.

Cody also answers every question Obi-Wan has, and he has a lot. Sometimes he has a question about a word or phrase-- he hadn’t learned English in an academic setting, or even by being surrounded by English speakers. He’d had one person teach him what he knew, and so he has plenty of gaps in his knowledge. Sometimes Obi-Wan has questions about technology. Other times he has questions about animals. At one point they have a two hour discussion on American culture, with short interludes into other world cultures.

Another thing that takes up their time is the realization that Obi-Wan can’t read. He can read in his own language, sure, but the person that had taught him to speak English hadn’t taught him to read it. The English Alphabet is an utter mystery to him. So, Cody spends quite a bit of time teaching him the alphabet.

Despite all of their talking, though, Cody notices that Obi-Wan rarely talks about himself. He’ll reference things, sometimes, people, and Cody’s aware enough not to pry. If Obi-Wan doesn’t want to talk about his past, then he probably has a reason. Cody’s just happy he’s talking, honestly. It gives him someone to talk to, instead of wallowing in his own misery.

Another week passes. Kix stops by, checks up on them-- both of them, and Cody gets treated to a ten minute lecture on how to properly take care of himself so he heals correctly. Cody doesn’t tell him that Obi-Wan can’t walk so Cody has to help him get around when he has to use the bathroom. Obi-Wan also gets cleared to start eating real food, so long as they slowly reintroduce him.

One night while they’re eating dinner-- chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy-- Obi-Wan turns to him. “You never told me how you got hurt.”

Cody pauses, fork halfway to his mouth. He sets his fork back on his plate. He doesn’t look at Obi-Wan. “You didn’t tell me how you got hurt, either.”

Obi-Wan frowns. “Fair enough.” He goes back to eating.

Somehow, that only serves to make Cody feel worse. He sighs. “Car crash.” “Do those happen often?” Obi-Wan says.

Cody looks at him. There’s nothing but genuine curiosity on his face. “Yeah, but with the amount of people using cars it’s not unexpected, I guess. It’s not enough to make people think driving isn’t worth it.”

“I see.” Obi-Wan tilts his head. “I assume it was fairly bad, or recent, if you’re still recovering.”

Cody sniffs. “Both. I was in the hospital for a few months.”

“I’m terribly sorry.”

Cody leans over and sets his plate on the coffee table. He isn’t hungry anymore. “I’m fine. The others involved weren’t so lucky.”

Obi-Wan sucks in a breath. “Oh, dear. I shouldn’t- I shouldn’t have said anything. Pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Another look at Obi-Wan shows that his ears have turned red. He’s watching Cody with a devastated look on his face; a pursed mouth and wide, wide eyes. Cody sighs and shakes his head. “No, it’s alright. You didn’t know. I didn’t even know the others involved.”

“Still…” Obi-Wan says. He reaches out and wraps a hand around Cody’s wrist. “I understand. Sometimes… sometimes it’s hard being the survivor.”

***

“What books are those?”

Cody sits on the couch by Obi-Wan’s feet. “They’re kid’s books. When I was looking for my old wheelchair for you I found a whole bunch in the series in a box in the basement; I used to read them when I was a kid, same as most of my brothers. Rex must’ve kept them as we grew out of them.”

Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow. “You’re going to read a kid’s book?”

Cody shrugs, grinning. “I want to see if they’re any good now that I’m an adult. Probably not, but it’ll be funny to reread the books that used to terrify me as a kid and now realize that they’re incredibly ridiculous.”

He holds up the four in his hands so Obi-Wan can see the covers. “These were my favorites. Werewolf of Fever Swamp, Say Cheese and Die, A Night in Terror Tower, and Night of the Living Dummy.”

He lets Obi-Wan read them at his own pace. He’s learning quickly, quicker than children do, but then again, he is a full-grown adult. Obi-Wan hums. “So they’re supposed to be scary? And for children?”

“Yeah.�� Cody sets the books in his lap. “They aren’t that bad, or they wouldn’t have been marketed for kids. And honestly, they aren’t always scary-- I don’t think I was scared by Werewolf of Fever Swamp once. It was more of an adventure than anything else.”

“Intriguing.” Obi-Wan leans forward. “Could you read one to me?”

Cody grins, suddenly elated. “Which one?”

“Surprise me.”

Cody opens up Night of the Living Dummy and starts reading.

***

With a grunt, Cody sets Obi-Wan in the half-filled bathtub. He stands.

“Thank you, Cody.” Obi-Wan says. His face is pink.

Cody shrugs, his own face hot. “It’s no problem.”

“You’re always helping me get around, even with that wheelchair. It seems a tad unfair.” Obi-Wan runs a hand through the water. He sighs. “Oh, it’s nice to be in the water again.”

Cody rubs the back of his head. “Sorry your whole tail won’t fit.”

Obi-Wan smiles at him. It makes his stomach swoop. “Beggars can’t be choosers. I’ll deal.”

Cody steps back as Obi-Wan’s tail begins to transform. His legs morph together, become red, and grow-- and Obi-Wan’s long tail spreads across the tiny bathroom. Now that he’s able to get a better look at it, Cody decides that it’s definitely eel-like. There are rosettes of darker red patterned across it, with flecks of yellow here and there, too.

“I’ll leave you to it.” Cody says, catching himself staring. “Uh, I know you said you don’t need soap, but I put a washcloth over the faucet in case you wanted to scrub yourself down. To empty the tub all you have to do is flick the lever below the faucet. If you want to refill, just flick the lever again and twist the handle to the left. The further left you go, the warmer the water gets.”

“Thank you, Cody.”

Cody smiles. “Just call for me when you’re done.”

He steps around Obi-Wan’s tail and heads for the door where the wheelchair waits.

“Oh, Cody?”

He stops. “Yeah?” He turns to look at Obi-Wan.

“Ah… do you think you could teach me to walk? I hate making you carry me around.”

Oh. Huh. “Yeah, I can do that.”

***

Cody sits on the edge of the coffee table, facing Obi-Wan. “Are you ready?”

Obi-Wan nods, jaw set. “Yes.”

Cody leans forward. He tucks his arms under Obi-Wan’s and wraps them around his back. Obi-Wan grips Cody’s shoulders, and slowly, Cody stands, lifting Obi-Wan with him. For a few moments, they wobble as Cody supports the two of them. At least he’s wearing the skirt I bought him.

All in all, it’s probably not the best way to teach Obi-Wan to walk. But he doesn’t have all the equipment that his PT does, and Obi-Wan isn’t relearning to walk after an injury like most people do. Babies learn to walk from trial and error, so… Obi-Wan can do that too. Still, it’s a somewhat awkward position, and Cody won’t be able to hold them both upright forever. 

“Balance, Obi-Wan.” Cody says.

Obi-Wan snorts, tilting his head forward. His forehead almost touches Cody’s. “My knees do not want to cooperate, Cody.”

“They’re no different than your elbows.” Cody looks down. His feet are planted, firm, but Obi-Wan’s… he’s standing pigeon-toed on the balls of his feet, knees shaking like a scared cartoon character. Cody chuckles. “You’ve stood before.”

“That was weeks ago.” Obi-Wan says. “I was more injured, yes, but my legs had much more muscle than they do now.”

It’s true, but it’s not like Obi-Wan’s been doing nothing with his legs. He’s crawled several times, for various reasons mostly due to Cody not being around, and he hasn’t been immune to restless leg syndrome, either. But, well. Eventually Obi-Wan’s legs straighten out and his balance improves.

“Think you can take a few steps?” Cody asks him.

Obi-Wan huffs. “You’re doing all the hard work. Yes, I think I can manage a few steps.”

Cody grins. Obi-Wan does the same. Carefully, Cody maneuvers them around and takes a step back. Obi-Wan takes an uncoordinated step forward. Then they do it again, and again, and again. He takes another step back, and-- his leg locks up. He has a brief moment to think oh no, and his leg gives out. They collapse in a heap on the ground.

His head bounces (fairly lightly, in Cody’s opinion) off the floor. His back hurts, his leg hurts. Obi-Wan rolls off of him with a groan. Cody turns his head to look at him. “Are you alright,  Obi-Wan?”

Obi-Wan rubs his still-bandaged side. “Yes, I’m fine. I don’t think I reopened anything. Was that your leg?”

“Guess I overtaxed myself.” Cody sits up. He sighs. “You’d think that after all this time I wouldn’t still be having issues like that.”

“Recovery isn’t a straight line.” Obi-Wan says. “But, you know, that could have been worse. At least we didn’t fall onto the coffee table?” “That’s fair.” Cody says, and with another sigh, he flops back on the ground as dramatically as he can. “I think I’m just going to stay here for a minute.”

Obi-Wan snorts. “Well, allow me to join you.”

***

Cody rubs his eyes. He’s fucking exhausted; he’s been awake for far too long at this point and he’s still got several hours to go before he can sleep. And, of course, he’s driving, which really creates just a terrible situation. He rubs his eyes again.

Twenty more minutes and he’ll be home…

Cody snaps awake. Oh, thank god. His heart beats faster than is healthy, but he knows it’ll go away soon enough, as long as he doesn’t get caught up in a panic attack. He rolls out of bed. Somehow, it’s nine in the morning. He rarely sleeps this late, waking up around seven-thirty, eight o’clock. He may not be working right now, but that’s no excuse to be sleeping this late.

He makes his way into the living room. Unlike every other day before at this time, Obi-Wan isn’t on the couch. Hm. “Obi-Wan?”

“In here!” Obi-Wan shouts from the kitchen. His voice is strained. 

Cody walks into the kitchen. He finds, caught between amusement and trepidation, that Obi-Wan is holding himself up at the counter. The wheelchair is right behind him. Obi-Wan grins.

“...having fun?” Cody asks, walking over. He stops in front of the wheelchair.

“I’m making coffee.” He says pleasantly. “I only need one arm for that, so I can use my other to hold myself up. I was going to wake you.”

A smile stretches across Cody’s face, unbidden. “Thank you.” He puts a gentle hand on his shoulder. “But please, sit down before you fall.”

“I’m fine, Cody.”

“Get in the wheelchair. Please.”

Obi-Wan rolls his eyes and sighs. “Yes, alright. Help me?”

Cody guides him back into the wheelchair, and together they wait for the coffee to brew. Obi-Wan wheels himself to the fridge to get milk-- Cody prefers his coffee black, and Obi-Wan prefers tea, but when he does drink coffee, he uses a lot of milk. Coffee made, they retreat to the living room. Obi-Wan gets himself settled in his spot. Cody sits next to him and hands him his coffee.

“Perhaps I could start with the walker.” Obi-Wan says.

Cody gives him a look. “I think you have some time still. Your legs-”

“-my legs are in fine shape.” Obi-Wan protests.

“The muscles have atrophied. And your side still isn’t healed.”

“Cody.”

“Obi-Wan.” They stare at each other. “After Rex gets back, at least.”

“Well I didn’t mean tomorrow, Cody.” Obi-Wan huffs. He turns serious. “Cody.”

Cody raises an eyebrow. “I’m listening.”

“Thank you for being so kind to me. You had no reason to.” He sighs. “And you get nothing out of teaching me to walk, yet you’ve been supportive in every way.”

Cody gives him a gentle smile. “It hasn’t been a problem. You needed help, and I wasn’t going to turn my back. Besides,” he grins, “now I can focus on you instead of my own problems.”

“I’m glad I’ve been of help in that regard.” Obi-Wan says dryly. Without warning, he leans closer.

Cody swallows. “I was thinking. Rex should be home by the end of the week. I’ll have to introduce you. But before that, I really should go grocery shopping. Do you want to go with me?”

Obi-Wan blinks. A smile stretches across his face. “I would love to.”

***

“What is this?” Obi-Wan asks, pointing at a pear.

“That’s a pear. It’s a fruit, like apples.” Cody says. “I’ll get it for you, if you want to try it.”

“Oh, no, I was just curious as to what it was.”

Cody rolls his eyes. “If you say so.”

They move on to the meat section, Cody pushing the cart with Obi-Wan wheeling behind. Later, cashing out, Cody sees a singular pear sitting on the belt, and grins.

[revasserium]

the truth about forever (or what they tell you anyway)

mirio.  angst

the truth about forever is that it doesn’t exist, not in the way you think, not in the way you understand. it’s a kind of endlessness that’s incomprehensible to those who haven’t experienced first hand. and those who have usually do not get to tell the tale. because the inevitable comes rushing up, like the earth towards the sky (or perhaps the other way around), and sooner or later, there will be breaking. of some kind. of any kind. 

of that, you’re sure. 

“it’s not that bad,” he says, with his smile like sunshine. like sunshine, the kind that burns when you look too long, not because of it’s brightness, but because it’s trying so hard to be everything its not -- a promise to the world of something it’s already lost. 

it takes light seven seconds to travel from the sun to the earth; and by that time, the light is just a faint mockery of “what it once was. even seven minutes in the vacuum of space, full of darkness and bloated eternities, can be deadly. 

“isn’t it?” you ask, your eyes trained on your hands, palms up in your lap as you sit on his hospital bed. it’s sunset outside; it’s always sunset when you visit, and somehow, you think it’s fitting. to see him bathed in the orange light, blue eyes and summer smile, the kind that makes your heartache just looking at it. because he’s trying, you know he is, he’s trying because it’s the only thing he’s ever learned to do right. 

“it’s...” he takes a breath, tries to be brave, tries, tries, tries. 

but sometimes, even heroes falter. it’s because of the faltering that makes them heroes, makes them stronger. so you let him, reach out with palms up to try and catch the pieces. nevermind the bloodied wreck you’ll become, shards of shattered dreams slicing the skin of your hand till you are bloody palms and a heartbeat. but at least you still beat for him. 

“it’s okay,” you say, reaching out as he curls up, leans his face into your shoulder and cries, “it’s okay to not be okay.” 

he cries, because it’s something that doesn’t need to be taught, but does need to be relearned. he cries and learns, and cries some more. and you sit there and let him. you let him because someone has to -- and when the whole world calls you hero, someone has to be yours. and you suppose this has been your thing all along -- the becoming of necessity, the making real of things that people once dreamed. 

“i miss him,” he says, “i miss him so much already.” 

you nod, “i know, but he was smiling, wasn’t he?” 

mirio nods, sniffling as he wipes his nose with the back of his hand. you smile, reaching out to offer him a tissue. he accepts it with a watery smile and blows his nose hard. the sound reverberates around the hospital room, and then for a moment, the room is filled with nothing but you and him and the setting sun, splashing color across the wall in great chunks of orange and red. it glimmers off the ends of his hair, making it look like just-spun gold. something beautiful. something to be treasured. 

you reach out to run your fingers through it, smooth it down as he hiccups. 

you pull your fingers through it, like you’ve never seen anything so beautiful. 

“he was. but -- but i couldn’t do anything.” 

“i gave it my all, and i couldn’t --”

you shake your head, bring him down for a kiss that tastes like salt. he kisses you back like he’s got an entire ocean in his belly, the sandcastles on his tongue washed away by the sureness of your waves. he kisses you back like he wishes he could row out to sea and get lost there, keep going and never look back. 

“that’s what heroes are,” you say, “people who give it their all despite losing, and then wake up and do it again the next day,” you tug on a strand of his golden hair, “they’re the people who do it despite the fear, and in spite of it too.” 

he nods, still sniffling. 

“he told me he was proud of me.” 

you’ve never heard him sound so soft, his voice hushed enough to blend into the whispers of trees outside. so you’ve heard that trees are great storytellers; maybe one day, you and he will take a hike and all you’ll do is listen to the stories the leaves have to tell the branches. 

“he was right to be.” 

mirio lets out another choked sob, and then the sound morphs into a laugh. 

“you’re right. i... i think i did good.” 

it takes light seven seconds to travel from the sun to the face of the earth, so by the time we see it, feel it, that light’s no longer the light being emitted by the sun. it’s just the remnants of it, cast across the vast and unforgiving universe until it somehow hits us, or the space around us. 

you look at him, and think that there’s no tragedy greater than a hero’s smile. 

“i’ll just have to keep on doing good,” he says, wiping at his cheeks with his hand. 

“you will,” you say, though you know that it's only partly true. because maybe one day, eri will grow old enough to control her powers and be able to give mirio his powers back. but there’s no resurrecting the dead; there’s only prolonging the suffering of the living.

because you see, there’s no such thing as eternities, but living a life with a person-sized hole it in is probably the closest we’ll get. and only those who have experienced that will truly know the meaning of forever. 

will truly ever know how terrifying of a concept it is. 

how people spend their entire lives running the other way instead of turning to face it. 

mirio turns, his face dark against the backdrop of golden light. 

“i’ll never stop missing him, will i?” 

you shake your head. 

“no. probably not.” 

he lowers his head, looking at his own upturned palms in his lap. 

“that’s okay... that’s okay too, isn’t it?” 

you smile, you nod. you lean up to kiss him. 

and he kisses you back. 

“don’t ever leave me,” he says, pulling you close as you break apart for air. 

“i’m not planning on it.” you say, curling your arms around his middle. 

you lean back and smile, thinking to yourself that no one ever plans on leaving. until they do. and you’re not planning on it either, not if you had a choice. 

but sometimes, life chooses for you, and you don’t stand a chance at all. 

[kpop-forwhaat]

warm - hybrid! BTS au part 5

genre: hybrid! BTS, BTS AU, fluff, poly, (eventual) smut

Pairing: hybrid! BTS x hybrid! reader, poly

Warnings: angst, fluff, mentions of abuse, mentions of smut, smut

Summary: you stumbled into the backyard of an entire house of humans and hybrids, what could go wrong?

Author’s Note:

part one part two part three part four part five

It has been a week since you had officially become a member of the Kim-Jung family. Everything had settled into a nice routine, and everyone felt comfortable. Namjoon had been teaching you how to read and write, and you had caught on so well that he decided to teach you English here and there as well. You started bonding with the maknae line, really getting into video game arguments about who was the best at Mario Kart, while Jimin sat behind you and the youngest just yelling because he was losing. But on the bright side, you learned that you could use your body to distract them to pull through with a win. You shift slightly to lean your body on Jungkook’s shoulder, and then slowly transition to putting your head on his lap while angling your ass towards Taehyung, giving them both a show. They easily take the bait to look at your form, their arousal scent hitting you lightly. You take the chance to pass them both, and Jimin follows closely behind you. When you cross the line and the winner music begins to play, they snap out of their trance and start to complain. “You little brat” “You do this every time, you know what you’re doing to us”. You start to learn cooking with Jin as well, helping to come up with new and exciting dishes every night for dinner. You had really taken to decorating the food to making them look like 5 star dishes. After a while, Hoesok offered to start letting you come to his regular dance classes he teaches. He had seen you watching him while he was trying to think of choreography for the next recital for his students, and he saw you staring at the movements as if trying to memorize them yourself. When he asked if you wanted to try, you didn’t hesitate to join him on the back porch. You had a knack for more of a contemporary style, so sometimes you would attend a class with Jimin if he ever wanted to go. Yoongi helped you relearn piano. You caught on quickly the the things you had already learned, and even showed him a few of the classical pieces you had been taught. You bonded over the fact that you both could play complex pieces without hesitation, and he even asked for your help with composing a piece for one of Jin’s latest video games. Long story short, you had found your place among the rough. They all had their rough edges that were difficult to deal with. But accepting you into their family was a surprisingly smooth transition. ~ You could feel it, the heat starting to set in. Soon, your heat would hit you. You instinctively and unknowingly had started to eat more carbs and drinking more water in preparation of the next week. You had become more clingy towards the guys, even more so towards feline hybrids. You are a feline, so it felt instinctual to latch on to one of them for a prospective mate. You were sitting on the couch next to Jungkook, watching an action film when you started to sweat. You could feel how bloated your stomach felt, but you ignored it. You didn’t know how they would all react to your heat, they had said they all help each other with it, but you’re a girl. And you’ve never been with another hybrid before despite your natural latching to them.

The boiling under your skin intensifies when the rabbit hybrid pulls your legs atop his lap to get you to get comfortable on the couch.

“You seem to be on edge Y/N, do you want to lay down?” He asks, not taking his eyes off the tv.

You stare at him, at his clear skin. He has the most beautiful skin that pairs delectively with the dark brown of his hair. His dark floppy ears lay lazily on his head, twitching every time something explodes in the movie. His nose twitches ever so slightly while smelling a piece of broccoli before nibbling on it with his front teeth. His powerful jaw works to break apart the food, and you watch as he swallows. He doesn’t seem to know that you’re practically drooling over him.

You haven’t had any romantic affection pass between you and the others. Other than a few kisses to the head or the cheek, but nothing really considered as sexual. It’s a difficult topic for the boys, as they all want to be with you, but you haven’t shown any sign of wanting the same thing.

Jungkook keeps running his hand over your calf in an affectionate manner, and he doesn’t seem to feel your skin heat up under his touch.

Your purring draws his attention, and he shifts his head to see what caused the melodic sounds.

Your eyes are filled with a heat he hasn’t ever seen before, your lips red from being pulled between your teeth.

“Kookie”, you whine.

He gulps, becoming aware of how hot your body is. He remembers hearing some of the stories from the guys at Hobi’s dance class, about how females get clingy and physically hot before their heat. How they get hit with a lust that is insatiable for days. Then he connects the dots.

“Shit, you’re in heat.” When he says that, you let out a low whine and you shift to straddle his lap. When you get that close, he smells the heat. He smells the desire within your loins, and he lets out an uncharacteristic growl.

“Kookie, please. It’s starting to hurt.” You run your fingers through his hair, enjoying the contrast of his cool skin on yours. You lean in slightly, looking from his eyes to his lips.

“Do you want me to get someone-”

“No Kookie, I want you, please.” You moan, starting to press your heat into his already hard member. He lets out a whoosh of air, not believing what’s happening right now. He is having the first encounter with you while on your heat, and he doesn’t know exactly what to expect.

“Can I kiss you?” He asks, biting his lip. The way your lips are red and slightly swollen from your continuous assault on them.

You nod your head furiously and smash you lips into his. Jungkook immediately responds, wrapping his arms around your waist in an attempt to pull you closer to him. Jungkook can feel the heat of your skin sizzling against his, and it makes his brain turn to mush. He’s never felt this sort of power over heat, because he’s only been with his hyungs, and because they’re all males, their heat isn’t as powerful as this because they’re all males. But with a female, the natural mating cycle runs its course in making him harder than he ever has with the others.

Jungkook doesn’t know what to do. He’s never been with a female before, and you have parts that he’s never seen. Yeah, he’s seen porn but that’s different from the real deal. You can sense his hesitation and put his hands on your hips. and slide them towards your ass. He gets the message and begins to gently massage your ass, drawing whines from your mouth.

“Will you fuck me Kookie? Will you breed me?” Your hot mouth on his neck mumbles between kisses and he’s never been so turned on before. Your foul mouth pared with the assult on his neck as well as the scent of your heat is driving him crazy. This snaps something in him, and he picks you up and lays you out on the couch, inserting himself between your legs.

Jungkook takes control, placing kisses on whatever skin is showing. There’s not a lot of room to work with, so you decide to take off your large hoodie, leaving your top half bare and your bottom half in shorts.

Jungkook’s eyes widen, “fuck, you’re beautiful.” His mouth begins to drool with the need to lick at your sculpted chest. He does just that.

You let out a long moan when he begins to finally give you some relief. His hot mouth on your nipples sends shock waves throughout your body, causing a gush of wet to drip out your pussy. Jungkook smells it, and a low rumble goes through his chest which is very uncharacteristic of a bunny hybrid.

He sits up to look at you, his eyes half hooded. His pupils are blown out from lust, the sheer primal need to fuck the heat out of you. “Don’t worry babygirl, I’ll take care of you.”

“We’ll take care of you.”

You and Jungkook start at the new voice that has been added to the room. You both turn to look behind the couch to see a group of 3 other hybrids standing in the doorway leading to the living room where you and Jungkook are laying on the couch.

“Why do you get to have all the fun, Kookie?” Jimin pouts, his cat tail flicking mischievously behind him. On each flank is Namjoon and Taehyung, both looking equally as affected by your heat scent. Seeing their natural instincts to mate makes you let out a moan, and thoughts of being bred thoroughly by not only one hybrid, but four, makes a new gush of arousal to finally soak through what little area of your panties that hadn’t been affected yet.

“Do you like that idea, princess? To be filled by four hybrids, to be fucked into next week?” Namjoon purrs, slowly walking into the room and stands in front of you. He takes your mouth into a kiss while Jungkook continues his assault on your breasts. He starts kissing down your body, and reaches your shorts. He barely slips his fingers past the waistband of your shorts and you’re already bucking your hips.

Namjoon begins kissing down your jaw to your breasts, and Jungkook looks you in the eye while slowly pulling down your shorts and panties in one.

When you’re completely rid of the offending materials, your heat scent is fully released into the air. That scent paired with your arousal is addicting to the hybrids, and Yoongi can smell it from the basement of the house where his studio is. When he storms past Jin and Hoesok in the kitchen, they see his demeanor and it clicks, someone’s in heat.

When the three older men walk into the living room, they see you spread out on the couch, practically screaming while Jungkook licks up your center. Namjoon is spreading pretty purple bruises across your skin, and Taehyung and Jimin are sitting on the floor in front of you all. The two are engaged in a heated make out session, the scent of your heat affecting them as well.

Your eyes snap open when a finger is inserted into your weaping heat, your body naturally clenching around the digit. A strangled mewl slips past your red lips that are swollen from the hard kisses.

“Do you like that princess? Do you like it when little Kookie fingers your wet pussy? I bet you love it, you slut.” Namjoon smirks when you buck your hips at his words.

Yoongi walks over and leans over the back of the couch before casually slipping his hand down your pussy to grab some juices before rubbing your clit harshly. You let out a loud squeak at the new contact, and you open your eyes to view Yoongi biting his lip harsly.

“Of course she likes it Joonie, do you see how wet she is for everyone?” Yoongi drawls, a low growl rumbling in his chest.

Kookie inserts another finger into your dripping heat, and you maintain eye contact with Yoongi. Your moans get louder as you get closer to your release, and you weave your fingers through Jungkook’s soft hair. You scratch teasingly around the base of his ears, and he shivers at the touch.

“I-I’m gonna cum.” You moan out. “Please don’t stop, it feels so good.”

Jungkook and Yoongi quicken their fingers on your sensitive heat. The build up is slow, but when your orgasm finally hits you, juices squirt from your pussy as your vision goes white from the sheer pleasure you had been given.

“Fuck hyung, she squirted.” Kookie marvels, his shirt and chin covered in your arousal. You see through the white shirt to what lays underneath, and your mouth waters.

“Please Kookie, take off your clothes. I need you.”

While Kookie hurridly and sloppily takes off his clothes, you turn your head to the side and let out a loud groan. Taehyung and Jimin are on their knees in front of Hoesok, Jin, and Namjoon. The elder three have their hard cocks out, and they taunt the younger ones.

“I know that you guys want our cock, but have you been good enough for it?” Hoesok questions the whining hybrids on their knees, his cock twitching at the looks on their faces. THey haven’t even been touched yet but they look fucked out.

You’re brought back to Jungkook when Yoongi grabs your chin and forces you to look back at them. You take in with greedy eyes the glistening skin of Jungkook and Yoongi, both fully naked with cocks up in the air. They look like they have been kissing based on Yoongi’s swollen lips.

“You will pay attention to us, understand. Or you won’t get what you want.” His voice is dark, something you haven’t experienced yet. Your body reacts, sending shoots of pleasure throughout your core and you clench around nothing. Your pussy weeps for something to fill it, and you voice your needs.

“Please, fuck me. It’s starting to hurt, please.” You beg, sitting up on your knees. Your face is in line with Jungkook’s chest, as Yoongi is now behind Jungkook on the couch. Jungkook is leaned forward a bit, and you can now see why. Yoongi has him bent over, rubbing his ass, prepping him.

“Don’t worry kitten, he’ll fuck you good. I’ll make sure he breeds you, molly.” Yoongi growls lowly towards the end, using the term for female cats. The fact that he knows this turns you on even more.

Jungkook wimpers, the thought of finally slipping into your heat fills him. He grabs the base of his hard cock and begins to grind it up your slit. “So warm, mmm.”

“Please Kookie,” you bed, arching your back when the head hits your clit. You can feel the cramps now. You need to have a males release for you to cum and the heat to be sated for a minute. You shift your hips upwards in a plea for more friction, and Jungkook’s tip suddenly slips in your warm heat.

You both groan at the feeling. This feels different to Jungkook, a woman’s pussy is definitely a new feeling to each hyung’s perfect asses.

“You’re doing so well, Kookie. You’re giving this molly exactly what she craves, a fat cock rubbing at her pussy.” Yoongi coos, rubbing Jungkook’s back. Then he grabs Jungkook’s hips and helps push him all the way in.

A loud groan slips past your lips when you finally feel the burning stretch of Jungkook. You wrap your legs around his waist and grind you hot body on his length, making his cock throb even more.

You look over and see an absolute fuck fest. Jimin is on his hands and knees, getting it hard and fast by Hoesok, who is taking Namjoon’s length into his mouth. Taehyung is coaxing Seokjin to sit on him on the other coach, and Seokjin doesn’t need to be told twice.

Namjoon grabs Hoesok’s face and roughly fucks his throat. You can hear Hoesok’s chokes as his eyes begin to water.

Kookie begins to pick up the pace, causing you to moan even louder. “Fuck me Kookie”.

“Don’t worry babygirl, I’ll make sure he breeds you nice and good.” Yoongi insists, slowly bending Jungkook over even more. He grabs the lube from beside Hoesok and starts to lather himself up, and he groans when he finally gets some relief. He’s been watching you and Kookie this whole time, but now he’s going to fuck the maknae into you.

“Alright baby boy, this is going to pinch a little.” Yoongi kisses Jungkook’s shoulder, rubbing some lube on his hole. Jungkook shudders when Yoongi begins to rub the tip around his tight right and yelps when Yoongi begins to push through.

You lightly run your nails over Jungkook’s nipples, and he drops his head onto your chest. He starts panting when Yoongi bottoms out. You look at the older hybrid, his face scrunched up from the pleasure. His expression sends another wave of heat over you, and you send out more pheromones into the air.

You hear a collection intake of breath and you know everyone has smelt it. Growls rain in the room, and suddenly everyone starts to roughly fuck.

Jungkook starts thrusting, and when he reels back, Yoongi gives him a good thrust as well. “Look at you Kookie, taking a cock while getting your dick wet. You’re being so good,” Yoongi whispers into his ear, lightly nipping at the appendage.

Jungkook is starting to lose it. Your grip on his cock paired with the cock rubbing against his g-spot, he can’t hold on much longer.

“I-I’m gonna cum, hyung.” He mutters, picking up the pace in your heat. You mewl in response, lifting your hips to meet him half way. Your skin is on fire, and your orgasm has been building up slowly. You’re so close you can almost taste it.

Jungkook shudders and empties himself in you, Yoongi thrusting slowly to make sure he rides it out. You pout because you were so close, but you weren’t given your release.

When Jungkook pulls out, Yoongi does as well. He helps Jungkook lay on the third couch in the room, grabbing a blanket for the rabbit hybrid. The poor boy looks fucked out and ready to collapse.

You watch as Seokjin empties himself on his stomach, Taehyung still pounding mercilessly into him. Jimin looks equally fucked out as Jungkook, and goes to cuddle the younger boy on the couch. Namjoon quickly flips Hoesok onto his back and enters the human with a growl.

Your hand runs down your body slowly, over your pebbled nipples, over your sweaty stomach, and down to your heat. The contrast of your cold fingers on your heat sends another shoot of arousal through you, and through the other hybrids who aren’t passed out.

Yoongi whips around, growling when he seems your hand. “And what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He marches over and rips your hand away from you. With a gasp, he suddenly had you on your hands and knees. With no resistance, he slips right into your heat and bottoms out.

Your moans rain across the room. You lay your head on the back of the couch as Yoongi pounds you into the cushions.

“Who the hell do you think you are? Do you think you can just fuck yourself whenever you want? I don’t fucking think so. This pussy belongs to us, and I’m going to fuck it good.” Yoongi growls, grabbing onto your shoulders for more leverage.

The hot coil in your stomach begins to wind again, and it’s winding deliciously fast.

You feel a tap on your head, and you look up to see a hard cock in your line of vision. You look up and make eye contact with Taehyung. Your mouth opens on instinct, knowing what he wants.

Tae slips messily into your mouth. “Can I fuck your mouth, princess? I won’t go easy on you.” You give a simply nod and he grabs your face and proceeds to give Yoongi a run for his money with the fast pace he immediately sets.

Yoongi gathers your hair into his hand and pulls it back, forcing you to take Taehyung with all you got. “That’s right baby girl, you like having two cocks, don’t you? Feeling nice and full, being fucked from all angles.” Yoongi gives a harsh slap to your ass. You moan, causing Taehyung to stutter.

“Fuck hyung, do that again.” Another smack. “Oh god, I’m close.”

Yoongi reaches down and starts to play with your clit. “Baby girl, nows your chance. I need you to cum and milk my cock for all my seed. I know you want to be bred, so fucking cum.” He gives your clit a harsh slap, pushing you off the edge.

Taehyung comes with you, the vibrations of your moans becoming too much.

Yoongi drills into you, setting a faster pace. Both of his hands return to your hips to get a solid grip. His fingers dig into your sides, and his hips get sloppy. You start to whimper from the over sensitivity.

“Baby girl, I know you can take it. I’m almost there,” he mumbles. You hear loud releases behind you, and you know everyone else has finished. But all Yoongi is still going.

“Come on hyung, breed her. Give her your kittens.” Behind you is Namjoon, kissing Yoongi’a neck and encouraging him to finish. He knows you’re tired and you will need to eat and rest before your heat decides to come back again.

Hoesok comes over as well, muttering encouragements. “Give the molly your cock, make sure she remembers who fucked her this good.”

Yoongi growls, releasing his load. You grind softly against him to ride out his high.

Yoongi almost collapses, but Namjoon and Hoesok are there to catch him. While they’re helping him to sit on the couch, Jin is ready with a warm cloth to clean you up. After he’s finished, he hands you a blanket and helps you to the younger three who have moved to the floor. All three are passed out in a cuddle pile.

You walk on wobbly legs over to them. You look at Jin and give him a kiss on his lips, “thank you.”

He kisses your forehead with a bright smile and helps you lay down next to the younger hybrids. Jimin makes grabby hands and you lay next to him. Taehyung moves back so you can wedge between him, further pressing his back into Kookie.

Jimin wraps his arms around you, laying his head on your sweaty chest. Taehyung wraps his arms around both of you, placing a small kiss on the back of your neck. His hands run up and down Jimin’s arm, giving him comfort. You can feel Jungkook’s hand weave around Taehyung to play with your ears.

Soon, the others join the pile. Blankets and pillows are everywhere and you have no idea who is laying on your tail. But all you know is that you are safe. And you are warm.

[astreamofemotions]

Emotional & Physical Abuse In All Its Wretched Romanticism

“It’s funny how you just break down, waiting on some sign.”

-    Read My Mind, The Killers

There are certain things you do for love that end up making zero sense in the aftermath. You question how your mental stability collapsed to the point where you couldn’t identify the destruction you were churning in your own life. You couldn’t recognize the chaos for what it was.

Love makes you dumb. The influx of oxytocin and dopamine and serotonin render your prefrontal cortex silent and then out of nowhere you are completely devoid of all rationale. Gone are the good choices, the self-preservation and the need to be independent. You start thinking that this version of yourself is the true you. That this is what you’ve always been, instead of the shell of the person you’ve become due to your lack of logical thinking.

Emotional abuse happens over time. You may not see it at first glance, but dig a little deeper, remove a few layers of the precious exterior of a superficially perfect relationship, and it’s plain as day. You see it in the way they grip your arm just a little tighter every time you fight, you see it in the way they belittle you and patronize you about the smallest things, you feel it in the hatred behind their eyes when you’re in the middle of an argument. It starts small, negligible to the one who sees good in everyone else. They express their feelings about your friends, tell you how no one would ever have the mind to have your best interests at heart except them, that all your friends envy you and that all the guys in your life want to fuck you so you should cut them off without any explanation. You trust them, believe that they want the best for you and you think there’s logic behind their words. You think they would never want you to come to harm’s way, that everything they’re asking of you is purely borne out of selfless reasons and only driven by their urge to protect you.

You refuse to see the manipulation, their need to control every aspect of your life, every interaction, every syllable that comes out of your mouth.  

You start to feel the pressure at some point, the constant mind-numbing pressure of being played like a puppet. They’re so good at lying to you, at making you think you yourself are the root of all your pain, that you’re the one that caused all the upheaval inside your head. They never hold themselves accountable for the amount of chaos they contributed to that upheaval.

It turns really nasty really fast after you realize that they don’t really care for your feelings, that they merely want to make sure you don’t have anyone in your life left so you have no one else to turn to except for them. It’s a really shitty realization to have, but you need to do it. You need to face the facts.

They revel in your detached friendships and fuel the fire behind your hate. The hate they slowly cultivated in your heart and grew it like it was their own little greenhouse. They let you give in to your worst, they egg you on when you’re being a shitty person just because it serves their ulterior motives of completely isolating you from anyone who could have told you that what you were going through wasn’t normal, wasn’t in any way, the perfect picture you had inside your head.

Soon, their lies start to reveal themselves to you. People who covered for them are exposed and you start to realize that he was making a fool out of you with the rest of the world by his side. It’s yet another shitty realization, but it’s one you need to have in order to move on.

As months pass, you start to see this new violent streak in them. They use you as their punching bag when the rest of the world lets them down. You’re subjected to streams of verbal abuse at a time, enough to make you question everything you believed about them ever being a good person. You detach, isolate and slick back inside your shell once again. Then they crawl to you crying, saying they’re sorry and they regret all that they’ve said and it won’t happen ever again. You think it’ll be okay, it’ll get better, things take time to heal and people need time to change. You forgive them. And then it happens all over again next month. It’s the beginning of the end.

It starts getting real old real fast. The same vicious cycle repeats itself in an infinite loop. You try to escape, you try and try and try. And each time they come at you with a fresh set of tears, hitting all the emotional buttons that they know will convince you to stay. They’ll victimize themselves and paint you as the bad guy time and again just so you feel shitty enough about yourself to not go. To not make the choice to protect yourself and end the cycle of hateful words and endless tears, because you believe you don’t deserve it. You think staying will fix your problems, that maybe you can fix them. You ignore all the red flags screaming at you, ignore the logical part of your brain and give in to the weak-willed pathetic shell of the person you’ve become.

You subconsciously start expecting a huge red neon sign flashing on your forehead telling you to get the fuck away. But it never comes, so you never find the strength to do this for yourself. You weigh the pros and cons almost guiltily. You think a breakup will result in your entire world collapsing. Your lives are so intertwined you believe you can’t stand alone on your own two feet anymore because you’ve been relying on someone else for so long. You don’t believe you have what it takes, you think you won't survive the aftermath of the destruction.

-

The sign you were looking for? The one you hoped would finally push you off the precipice and force you to make the decision? It finally comes. It comes in the form of violent shoves on your shoulders and a punch to the head and a kick to your legs. It comes in the form of them throwing your phone into the ground, of eyes brimming with hate and allegations of things you didn’t do. It comes in roiling waves of rage and helplessness and fear. Your safety has been compromised and you push yourself to get up and face the music only to realize that you can’t breathe past the cries that wrack your lungs and bile that rises to your throat and tears that fall and fall and fall. You let the world wash over you and feel the seas churning inside your veins. Waves crash and mountains crumble and when the dust finally settles on whatever remains of your catastrophic world, the truth shines and blinds you to your knees.

-

You start coming into focus again, slow but steady. You’re doing it. You’re reconstructing your world out of the ashes on the asphalt and you’re doing a great job. You rebuild your broken friendships and smile a little easier. You feel the iron clad shackles on your wrists and ankles fall apart. And although there are nights where you feel the clutches of loneliness grasping at your soul, you get through them. You let your friends take care of you. You allow yourself the comfort of trusting others after being taught to do otherwise for so long. For the first time in years, you feel free. Alive. Electric. You think you’re capable again. You can appreciate beauty when you see it and let go of the ugly. You learn to love yourself for who you are instead of what others think of you. You learn to breathe and feel the air expand inside your chest. The memories come to haunt you at random moments of your day. You’ll sit and read a book and it hits you how you used to let someone torture and belittle you. How little they truly must have been to feel joy from an act like that. You shake and cringe away and will the memories to go away. You want to pretend it never happened because it’s easier to cope that way. You want to pretend you didn’t allow yourself to reach rock bottom. But that’s the thing with reaching your lowest, you learn to climb back up and the journey that guides you in this turbulent mountain shapes the way you perceive the world. You learn and relearn and rise until the wind against your skin feels like home. There’s nothing to do except to keep climbing. Once you reach the peak of the mountain, you’ll see the meadows and forests and rivers in all their glory and grandiosity. The world that was in shades of grey will look like an explosion of kaleidoscopic colours that will take your breath away. There will be nothing more beautiful. I promise you that day will come. My journey is filled with rocks and rubble but I march on. I hope one day, you can too.

[serpentsalazar-blog]

Would You Be-leaf it? || Eleonora and Salazar (flashback)

Eleonora and Salazar independently take trips into the Forbidden forest and have surprising re-introduction.

Perhaps...venturing into the Forbidden Forest the night after being Sorted wasn’t the first thing Eleonora should have done when it came to settling into the castle and her new surroundings. But it seemed like a wonderful place to discover potion ingredients, and her hunch had been correct. However...as the night darker and darker it also seemed like a wonderful place for less than friendly creatures to be lurking, but she hadn’t stumbled upon anything of that sort yet. Or at least— it hadn’t seemed that she had until the woman heard an ominous crack behind her, the unmistakable sound of a twing breaking underfoot or perhaps something even more worrying. Wordlessly she drew her wand and peered into the night, not foolish enough to call out into the night and invite danger in with her voice.

Salazar had missed the latest sorting. Regularly he’d have made an effort to welcome his prospective house members, however there had been a matter that needed attending to in the forest. Rumours of giant spiders amassing within the forest was something that he took seriously. There’d been far too many deaths that he’d been unable to do anything about in the last ten years and now that he was faced with a danger that he could make a difference with, he didn’t intend to leave any issues unchecked. Stepping into the forest, Salazar had travelled and communed with the spiders. The rumours had been unwarranted and as he was making his way back through the forest he’d had the misfortune of stepping on a twig which caused him to step back into a large muddy puddle. Muttering a curse underneath his breath he pulled his wand from the inside of his long duster and muttered a spell. “Lumos.” He raised his wand high, looking around himself and scrubbing the mud from the left leg of his trousers.

When Eleonora had heard the name Slytherin drifting around the school and during her Sorting, she hadn’t dared get her hopes up at first. It seemed far too funny of a trick that fate might play, but sooner rather than later the name Salazar was being paired along with it, and a tumult of emotions had burst forth. She’d gone looking for him. Of course she had. Eleonora would rather the two of them meet on her own terms rather than be caught by surprise. But it seemed that fate wasn’t done playing tricks. Instinctively, she blinked against the bright light of the wand, her eyes not yet used to the brightness of it as spots danced over her vision. Though at least she knew she had indeed met a wizard by the quiet voice and magic. “Hello?” she called out a little blindly, though she made sure her voice was firm as her eyes tried to adjust.

The voice that rang out through the night seemed familiar to say the very least, Salazar quite frankly had not been expecting any company and the noise alone was enough to make him gently flinch. Only for a moment and then he was whirling around, his coat fluttering with his movement, as he turned to face the sound of the noise he was struck by an oddly familiar face, one that he couldn’t quite place straight away. Lowering his wand in an attempt to not blind the newcomer, he examined her curiously. “Hello,” he replied simply, his words quiet in the silence of the Forbidden forest. Which was strange, considering it was a forest. You’d have at least expected leaves rustling in the wind. “What are you doing in the Forbidden forest in the middle of the night?” he asked concerned for what he assumed was a pupil. “It is known as the Forbidden Forest for a reason after all, it isn’t a great idea to wander through unaccompanied.” The irony of his own actions were obviously missed by himself.

The wand lowered, but Eleonora was still left with a little look of confusion on her features. His face...there was something in it that called her back to her childhood in Rome. It was a nostalgia that gripped her rather instantly and was impossible to ignore. Hope blossomed in her chest, though she tried to tamp it down a moment later. But it wasn’t entirely implausible. After all, she’d been told Salazar was here. Anticipation pooled in her stomach, along with nerves and excitement as she breathed out a questioning and not entirely certain, “Salazar?” It was as if...someone had taken the features of her childhood best friend and placed them over a man in his prime. “Is that you?” She forgot to wait for his answer, years of waiting and wondering what had happened to him getting the best of her as she launched herself towards him for a hug. Eleonora had always been impulsive and impatient in their youth, and though time had taught her more of their counterparts, now was not the moment to remember them.

Honestly, in the twenty or so years since he had lost his mother to the pyres of Rome, Salazar hadn’t gone a single day without thinking longingly about his once wife to be. “Ellie?” he asked as the realisation of who this was gripped him with a vice grip. Elation filled him and a broad grin crossed his lips. “Ellie is that really you?” he was assaulted by her hug and reciprocated her affection vigorously. Clinging to her for a moment, he held her in the air as all of the memories flooded back to him. The smell of her hair, the feeling of her slim frame in his arms, the memories of them exploring Rome together and getting into trouble for stealing sweet rolls from a bakery. It took him a moment before he could pull away from her and actually look at her. “What on Earth are you doing here?” he asked, trying not to laugh with joy before the seriousness of their surroundings really hit him and he asked the question again, with a sterner tone. “Seriously though, why the forbidden forest? Should you be out here in your condition? If something were to happen when you’re out here on your own then it could be very dangerous, this forest is filled with all manner of dark creature.”

For a moment, Eleonora remembered to be worried that he might not ever recognize her. After all, it’d been nearly twenty years for them, though she still remembered their golden childhood as if it were yesterday. Or at least...it had been golden until the end. The day Salazar left had been the day she’d decided to grow up, or rather the day she’d been made to. Her smile was wide and shining as he put her down...and down…and down. God, he’d gotten tall, hadn’t he? The realization immediately drew the question from her lips. “Who said you could get taller than me?” she immediately accused. Of course, being taller than her wasn’t particularly hard for anyone anymore. “Are you trying to blend in with the trees or something?” She didn’t bother to bite back her joyous laugh of excitement before saying, “I was invited. Apparently not by you,” she teased. It would have been impossible, any way. They’d lost touch ages ago. Another little smile returned to her lips as she rolled her eyes lightly, amused that so much had changed and yet...it seemed that not everything had. If anyone else had dared mention her ‘condition’, defensiveness would have been her first response, and in truth she kept the knowledge rather close to the chest these days. “We’ve only just reunited, and you’ve decided to lecture me already?” But her voice was tinged with fondness and amusement. “I was gathering potion ingredients. There’s some quite nice ones out here. As for my condition...well—” She’d only started getting stronger a month or two after Salazar had left. Though her self-invented potions were what really helped to make sure she didn’t run around having constant asthma attacks or bouts of passing out. “I’m not quite as fragile as I once was.”

As Salazar towered over her, he couldn’t help but smile gently at the distance that had apparently grown between them. He hoped that he’d be able to shorten it somehow, he wanted to get closer to her again. After all he’d never thought that he’d see his childhood companion ever again. “Well you weren’t there to stop me from getting bigger than you, otherwise I’m sure I’d still be a few inches shorter…” his smile remained fixed on his face despite his concern for her, he had never meant to lecture but it was difficult not to when he knew that she had gotten herself into sticky situations before, “Green was always my colour and these noble trees are a fine companion.” He was joking of course. His height hadn’t really developed until he’d turned fourteen, and then he’d woken up with most of his ankles sticking out of his trousers. “Had I been in contact with you then you’d have of course been invited,” he smiled and shrugged, “however I am glad to see that one of my fellow founders picked up a stray along the way. Who invited you?” he asked curiously. “Helga? Or was it Rowena?” Pausing for a second longer he sighed. “I’m not lecturing you, I’m just instructing you on how to remain safe, but my apologies, I teach so many youngsters nowadays that it is hard for me not to get into Professor Slytherin…” he paused, somehow shocked by what he’d just said. It had never been a sentence he’d seen himself speaking. “Not quite as fragile?” he asked with a beaming smile, “that is fantastic! We’ve got so much to speak about, its been too long since we were united and I want to know everything. How is the family? And Mateo?” he asked with a beaming smile, “What about your mother and father? I hope they’re well too. When did you arrive? I can’t believe I missed your sorting…” then it dawned upon him, “Which house were you placed in, if I may ask?”

Eleonora couldn’t stop watching him as he spoke, the surrealism built within the concept of their meeting hitting her once more. The Salazar of her memory being so vastly different, at least appearance wise, had her trying to relearn him already. “Oh, definitely. I would have made sure to sit on your head or something. Maybe leave in you in hot water for too long or something of that like. I’m not promising that I might not still try,” she said with some mischief crinkling the corners of her eyes. “Well you’ve basically turned into a tree,” she said with another look up and down him. The mention of not being in contact had a flicker of sadness passing through her, still remembering what it had been like on the day the owl had returned with her letter undelivered, how the last connection to her best friend had shattered so soundly. “Actually, it was Godric.” They hadn’t met under the happiest of circumstances though. Not in the least. “How did you come to know Godric, then? And Professor Salazar,” she said with a little snicker, finding the title rather amusing for her childhood friend. “Of course you’d grow up to be so respectable.” She rolled her eyes a little once more, finding his apology amusing as well. “I see you’re also still just as good at apologizing. It always did work nicely for getting us out of sticky situations.” The buns had been worth it, though. Eleonora’s sweet tooth was notorious. Once again she laughed in sheer happiness, joining her’s with his. “Mateo’s all grown up now. I think the last time you saw him he was still toddling around. He’s made quite a name for himself as an artist as well,” she finished with a prideful beam. Her little brother was an absolute apple of Eleonora’s eye. Mother and father are fine. Though they’re more than their fair share of bitter at times,” she said with a little laugh. They’d never been entirely happy with the path she’d chosen, nor how she’d never managed to marry after her and Salazar’s betrothal had fallen through. The rest of her family...Her grandmother and Eleonora had been close, but when it came their time to flee Rome, the old woman had demanded to stay behind much to Eleonora’s gross despair. The old woman had been born there, and she would die there before any witch burners smoked her out. And after Eleonora’s accident...her parents hadn’t been all that willing to argue extensively. The beginnings of a smirk came over her lips though before she answered, “What House do you think I’m in?” It’d taken the hat quite a while to decide between Salazar’s and Godric’s houses.

“It is not too late for you to sit on my face if that’s what you want,” Salazar replied with a loud chuckle before reaching back and brushing a stray hair out of his eyes, “but I don’t think it will do anything about my height, unfortunately I think that ship has well and truly sailed.” He raised an eyebrow and shrugged, “I’ll do my best to grow some leaves and bark for you.”  The revelation that it was Godric who had invited her caused him to pause, Godric and Eleonora were one of the few people he’d ever really got close to, and the fact that Godric and Eleonora knew one another was shocking. It really was a small world. Perhaps magic made it even smaller. “Well Godric always did have good taste …” he laughed and shrugged, “when I left Italy and returned to England, my father’s family estate was on the outskirts of a small village in West of the country. They hold grounds in the fens of Lincolnshire too, but I met Godric shortly after moving to the village and we became fast friends not long afterwards.” He paused, remembering the days spent with Clara and Godric with fondness. The day she had died, well it was comparable to his mother’s death. The only difference is that he only felt more helpless, somehow. “Someone had to clean up the messes that you made, I’d have liked if it weren’t me, but apparently there was no helping that.” The idea of Mateo as anything other than a toddler was surreal, he wasn’t sure that he knew how to truly cope with it. “An artist?” he asked interested, “has he joined you in my fine castle.” He paused for a moment and shrugged, “I’m pleased to know that everyone is well enough, after fleeing Rome … after what happened, I was convinced that something would happen to you or your family, something I couldn’t help with. Something outside of my control.”  He took a moment to look her up and down, trying to determine whether she had the ambition and resourcefulness to earn a place in his house. “I hope that you maybe were selected for Slytherin house, we would of course serve you the best.”

“I just might,” Eleonora retorted quickly without thinking. But once she’d actually processed his words, the faintest of blushes spread over her cheeks, realizing she’d heard a similar phrase and sentiment...elsewhere. Had he realized what he’d said? “I think you already have,” she said with a chuckle before plucking a stray and fallen leaf from his shoulder. But instead of discarding it, she stood on absolute tiptoe in an attempt to place it in his hair. It was strange to think that all this time...her and Salazar had only been a single connection away. And though she hadn’t kept up regular contact with Godric, it was jarring to think that one accidental mention of Salazar could have reunited the two of them years ago. “Apparently so, if he picked up both of us along the way.” Though...she supposed she had more picked up Godric. “And how was your time in England, then?” she asked in a softer voice, hoping that he’d gone on to live a happy and peaceful life. “Messes?” she repeated in joking indignation. “I think you mean fun that made you stop being such a stick in the mud every once in a while,” she teased. “Yes! An artist.” Once again her voice was proud, though it dropped into a little disappointment with her next words. “No— he’s actually in an artist’s commune right now. But I’m hoping I can convince him to join us here.” Eleonora bit down on her lip lightly as he mentioned being worried. His concern certainly hadn’t been...misplaced. “Ah- well-” she began a little uncertainty, not wanting to tarnish their reunion with sadness. “We did leave around a year after your own family did. The family fled to Spain.” A rather nasty run in with Muggles on Eleonora’s end had spurred the family into action, as nearly losing their daughter and one of their two prized children had opened their eyes to the true danger. But on to some much more amusing conversation, as some mischief entered her eyes once more. “I don’t know. Perhaps your family thought I was well enough to be a Slytherin, but your charming little hat thought otherwise.” Might as well broach the elephant of a subject of their past betrothal now, right? Would making a joke out of it smooth over any awkwardness? “And if I wasn’t in your House? What then?” Part of her wanted to torture him by withholding the knowledge for a moment.

Raising an eyebrow, a faint smirk darted across Salazar’s face and he chuckled. “I should be so lucky,” he replied quietly, taking a moment to appreciate the woman that she’d grown into. Dipping his head gently to allow her to place it atop him, he straightened up, feeling the leaf flutter in his hair before tumbling down to the forest floor in front of him. “I like to think that I acquired Godric, rather than the other way around.” He laughed gently and shrugged. “Although I am sure he’d say the exact opposite.” He paused for a moment, remembering Rome and the days that they’d spent together as friends and companions. “Lonely when I wasn’t with Godric, there weren’t many people who were bold enough to befriend a Slytherin, especially considering my uncles reputation in the village. However it was well enough. Different from Rome, I missed the fountains and cobblestones desperately.” He smirked gently, the smile darting across his face for the second time in seconds. “I’m pleased that he was able to find a calling that really mattered to him. Without something to motivate you, then I find it is difficult for anyone to truly expand upon their potential without a driving force behind.” Raising an eyebrow gently, he nodded in appreciation. “I’m sorry that you too were forced from Rome, the things that happened in that time were unspeakable and one of the reasons why this school is so important. We’ve got to educate the wizards, witches and wixes of this world to the dangers that exist in the muggle world. They have to know how to handle themselves.” He paused for a second and shrugged gently and smiled. “Perhaps the hat knew better than my parents, but that doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t have fit into the family just as well. I know that my mother was very fond of you before she passed. As for my father, he certainly believed you to be a suitable match and from him that is really saying something.” He paused and looked at her interestedly. “I don’t know Ellie, if it wasn’t me then perhaps you decided on Godric instead.”

Eleonora’s eyes widened a little in surprise, the redness of her cheeks only growing more pronounced at his words. For a girl that was shamelessly confident in most things, flirtation had never been her strong suit, though it was mostly blamed on lack of practice. After all— being elbow deep in someone’s chest cavity was hardly the time for such things. And she was more often healing and travelling than not. But this was...an entirely new side of Salazar. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see,” she managed to get out, feeling warm under his gaze. Then she grinned in achievement as he allowed the leaf to be placed into his hair. Eleonora was also glad to hear that he’d had a good friend along the way of his journey in Godric. “You do tend to attract the bold type.” An amused little joke about both her and the lion of a man. “And I’m sure the food was something to be missed as well,” she said before eyeing him with scrutiny. “Honestly, so tall, but where’s the rest of you?” Her hands patted his sides playfully. Of course, her words were biased, having adopted the trait her grandmother had always had of feeding those that were close to her heart to death. Once again she was grinning a little at his polished words. “You really haven’t lost your silver tongue, have you? Every word you say sounds like you planned it for some grand speech ages ago. Though of course you’re right about finding a calling,” she teased. Eleonora didn’t particularly want to linger on the subject of leaving Rome, though she was thankful for Salazar’s sympathy. “You’ve really done an amazing job with it, Sally. To build an entire school for those like us? It’s beautiful, really.” In an age old habit, she reached out to give his hand a light squeeze as he spoke of his family, though his hand was much bigger in her’s than it used to be. The last Salazar she had known, the one before he’d fled Rome had been stricken with grief for the loss of his mother. “And I was very fond of her,” she said softly before chuckling a little at the words of his father. “I wonder if he would have been so approving if he’d known how I’d grow to be. For the hat— I didn’t decide on anything.” Of course, she’d been partial to the two Houses who’s founders she knew, but ultimately it had been the hat’s decision. “But apparently it did see fit to place me in Godric’s house,” she finished with a revealing grin.

It felt strange for Salazar to see Eleonora like this. But despite all of the time that had separated them, he couldn’t help but feel comfortable in her presence. She had a certain edge to her that he missed in others. “Of course,” Salazar replied with the same smirk glittering across his jaw. He couldn’t help but smile. This was a good day, despite anything else that may happen he had been reunited with someone very important to her. “After my time in Rome with you, well let us just say that I had a need for excitement that few of my age were capable of filling. They had no ambition. No desire for life. But Godric, he’s different. An idealist and often a fool, but in the best possible way.” He smiled as he remembered the childhood that they had all shared. “My family had a fine chef,” Salazar replied with a shrug, “and Helga is a truly excellent cook, one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten she cooked.” He shrugged. The truth was that he occasionally skipped a meal or two, never deliberately of course. “I don’t know what you mean … unlike you I actually spent time with my studies, reading books and such. It’s given me such a sophisticated vocabulary I can’t help but speak like this. I’m sure you wouldn’t understand, if I remember correctly you never enjoyed reading.” He was of course teasing. He had no doubt that if she’d received an invitation from Godric there was either potential or existing talent. As a child she’d had no shortage of both, he could only imagine that it had increased over the years. “But when it comes to educating the next generation, I have no greater passion. Our youth -- which sadly isn’t you or I anymore -- they need to be prepared for the inevitable conflicts with the muggles.” He was far from convinced that peaceful co-existence was possible. There was so much brutality to what the muggles did not understand, so much pain and violence delivered to wizards, witches and wixes around Europe and even Asia. “When I came to that conclusion I realised that not educating those who had the ability to change the world was a responsibility that I could not shoulder. Those who have talent and the ambition to cause change should be equipped to do so.” He had to admit that he was somewhat surprised that she reached out and touched his hand, but it had such a reassuring nostalgia that he made no comment. Not wanting the brief contact to end. “We were all fond of her,” Salazar agreed, not one to dwell on the pain of the past. Raising an eyebrow gently, he smirked. “Good. You’ll fit right in with his lot.”

Eleonora held his gaze for a fraction of a second too long before getting a little flustered, something that she was not known to do. But she tried to brush past her silliness a moment later. It was simply strange, being reunited with her childhood best friend that had somehow turned into a man. She laughed at his description of Godric. At first, the only man she’d known when it came to him had been the broken one, the barely functioning one of having just lost the love of his life. She’d barely recognized the loud and jovial man that had greeted her at the castle, though she was far too happy to see that he’d gotten back to the man it seemed he’d always been. “I shudder to think how you might describe me when I’m not around,” she said with playfully narrowed eyes. “Of both your chef’s and Helga’s skills I have no doubt, it’s you that I question the ability of. When’s the last time you ate?” she prodded. Her head shook at his words, and she promptly raised a finger to poke him in the chest while she smiled and said, “Well excuse me for having a sense of adventure. I didn’t have an aversion to reading, it was simply that there were so many other things to be explored.” Said sense of adventure had usually landed them both in trouble when they’d been younger, and with Eleonora unable to rise from bed for a couple days after exerting herself too much. “My vocabulary is impeccable, thank you very much.” Of course, she was simply joking in return. “You are rather an old man now, aren’t you?” she teased, before squinting up at his head. “I think I even spot a few gray hairs. Though, of course, you’re right about prevention. The thought of children out there that are untrained and at people’s mercy is...disheartening.” Her smile dropped a few degrees, but returned in the form of a kinder one as he spoke of his mother once more. Giving his hand one more little squeeze, she remembered a moment later that perhaps she was stepping over some lines. Habit had returned all too readily, but she shouldn’t assume that Salazar was still in favor of such habits. So she loosened her grip on him before laughing once more. “Fit right in with his lot? And what exactly does that mean? After you’ve described him fondly as foolish?”

“And whom would I be describing you to?” Salazar asked curiously. “After all, until today I hadn’t any inkling that you had ever left Rome, let alone that you would be attending my school.” He shrugged her prodding finger away and laughed. “I am a big boy Ellie, don’t you worry, I can look after myself and that includes making my own dinner,” he replied with a shake of his head. He hadn’t missed someone checking up on him like Eleonora was apparently wont to do. Yet despite that, he couldn’t help smile at it. “It’s obviously matured with time.” He looked up into his eyebrows for a second before shrugging, he gingerly reached up and pat his hair reassuringly to make sure that it hadn’t disappeared in the moments since she had spoken. “I��m not going grey just yet. I’d be much more concerned if I was going bald. Either way, I have a full head of hair and plan to for a while longer, despite the incredible burden you all place on me.” He joked of course, there were few that he would act this way with. Eleonora and Godric being amongst them. To those who didn’t know him very well, he insisted on portraying himself with a certain air. His role within the castle required that he have dignity and respect. After all, if his students didn’t respect and trust him to do everything that he could in their interest, then how could they ever truly learn from him? The thought was banished from his mind as the conversation flowed ever onwards. “However, it is a necessary evil, and I would sacrifice all of my hair for this castle. Though let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”  He smiled a devious grin at her shocked reply and shrugged gently. “I don’t want to ruin the experience, so I won’t spoil anything. But I believe they will take good care of you. You’ll be in good stead. After all, it’s easy to make fools amongst friends.”

Eleonora shrugged, not particularly having gotten that far. “I don’t know. It was a tease, Salazar. Have you forgotten how to recognize them?” she joked once more, her tone light and easy. She pursed her lips a little, trying to decide if she was satisfied with his answer, but let it go for the moment. They had more important things to catch on up than her making sure he was feeding himself. A little amused laugh came from her as he put a hand to his head, as if he were truly concerned. But then she was once again giving mock offense at his words, as if mildly scandalized by them. “Burden? I don’t have any idea what you’re referring to. I’m a very calming presence. It’s part of my wonderful bedside manner.” Then she remembered he wouldn’t entirely understand that joke. “I continued down the path of Healing, by the way. So that’s why that is funny.” She grinned up at him, touching her own hair absentmindedly. “How noble of you. To sacrifice your greatest treasure for the good of the school. What a saint you’ve become.” His explanation of her new House was entirely unhelpful, though. “Why was I not surprised to hear that you’ve made your common room somewhere in the dungeons, though?”

“I recognised you didn’t I?” Salazar replies curiously, “And if I remember correctly you’re the queen of teases…” he smirked to himself as he remembered more adventures that they’d shared together in Rome. Eleonora had always found time to worry more about him than herself. A fact that amused him if he was perfectly honest. He’d once taken her on a tour of the city’s aqueducts, they had managed to last an hour before both falling in and escaping from the torrents of water that supplied the city with running and clean water. They’d eventually fished themselves out and made it home still damp from their brief swim. But Eleonora has been bedridden for days after her exertions and he had felt exceptionally guilty. Raising an eyebrow gently, Salazar smiled. “Why would you assume I was addressing you?” he asked with a laugh, “I am responsible for plenty of children and immature juveniles who require shepherding into reaching their true potential, however if you’re so concerned that I am talking about you then perhaps you should consider whether or not your protests are truly justified.” He smirked gently and laughed. “I’m pleased to learn you discovered a vocation to commit yourself to.” Laughing he tucked a stray hair behind his ear and shrugged thoughtfully. “My students wouldn’t agree with you that I’m saintlike.” He smiled at her question and shrugged. “I installed a large window in my dungeon, looks directly into the lake, on a fine summer's day the rays of light from the sun filter through the lake and cast a wonderful emerald shine against the world, but the dungeons are the safest part of the castle and they are hardly an uncomfortable setting. Not all of us can live in the highest heights of the heavens.”

Eleonora rolled her eyes at him, but it was accented with an amused grin. “Well as long as I’m the queen,” she said in amusement before adjusting one of the herbs in her potion ingredients basket, noticing it had been hanging rather precariously on the edge. “Hmm,” she hummed, as if she were truly looking for an answer to his question. “Perhaps— it was when you said ‘you all place on me’ when referring to the burdens on your shoulders,” she replied with her own little smirk. “So I’m perfectly happy with how justified my protests are, thank you very much.” It was nice, how easily they’d fallen back into the pattern of their friendship and the back and forth they’d always had. But she added on, “Thank you,” in a more sincere smile. “I’m glad as well. As glad as I am that you’ve found your own calling here.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners before she asked, “And what oppositions to they have to you sainthood? Is it the fact that you have nothing better to do than tease your old childhood friend mercilessly?” Eleonora’s lips quirked up into a smile as he mentioned a window, though. “A window in the dungeons,” she echoed, finding some hilarity in the concept, though she was certain the end product was lovely if Salazar had been behind it. She looked up into the moonlight bathing them for a moment before looking back over her shoulder to the castle, and then to Salazar once more. “So what else have I missed since we...last saw each other.” Eleonora didn’t particularly like highlighting the circumstances of their parting.

“Have your aspirations grown that much since we last held each other’s company?” Salazar asked amused, “No longer content to be a healer you now set your sights on establishing a monarchy with your name at the head?” Laughing a bright chuckle, Salazar teased the hairs at the end of his chin thoughtfully before shrugging. “The semantics or the matter are of little importance to me, I couldn’t tell any of my other students this out of concern for accusations of favouritism but I’ve never been more overjoyed to accept a student into my school. I’m sure Godric and the others are looking forward to seeing what you bring to the proverbial table. The suspense is palpable.” He paused and considered the notion of religion carefully. “I can make no promises as to the existence of a god, therefore to declare myself a saint and therefore vessel of a god that’s existence is contingent on belief would be foolish.” Not to mention that he didn’t come close to meeting the criteria that the Catholic Church held for cannonisation into sainthood. “However teasing you is a motive I could never deny.” He smiled gently at their reunion, refusing to allow it to be bitter sweet, despite the circumstances of their parting. “I travelled extensively, visiting three continents including Europe and experiencing some truly exhilarating people and events… such a gap in time spent together couldn’t possibly be succinctly summarised. What would you like to hear about?”

“Apparently not enough, or I would have been put into your House,” Eleonora said with a little chuckle. A part of her actually was disappointed that she wasn’t placed in Slytherin. It would have been nice to be close to her childhood friend. At the same time...it might have been strange to have him as a Head of House. Either way, she was simply ecstatic to be reunited. “But I wouldn’t mind a country to myself. Queen Eleonora has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?” Her grin was wide though as he spoke of what was to come with the school, as she was rather eager to see what the school also had to offer. Then a moment later she was having another second of surrealism, barely believing that she was actually here with Salazar and speaking with him as old friends. This time, she went in for a gentler hug than the one she’d attacked him with earlier, before saying with a bit of shyness. “I missed you.” Eleonora wasn’t used to admitting such things, but Salazar had always been much of an exception. She grinned a little at his rather serious answer concerning sainthood, shaking her head at his silliness for being so matter-of-fact. “I want to hear about everything,” she said without hesitation, and a wide grin on her lips. “You can tell me on the way back to the castle.”

[crowleplays]

Phobos Deimos

Basics

Name ► Phobos Deimos Nickname[s] ► Pho, PD, Cinders (she does not enjoy this one at all) Blood Color ► Yellow Age ► 14 sweeps Voiceclaim ► Angel Coulby D.O.B. ► March 20 Astrological Sign ► Pisces/Aries cusp Alignment ► Chaotic Neutral Gender ► Female Height ► 5’2” Weight ► 142 lbs Body Type ► Pear shaped, toned but still soft Orientation ► Pansexual but good luck getting her to open up romantically Occupation[s] ► Witch and owner of an occult shop, which sells items of varying magical legitimacy and safety Lusus ► Springbok Antelope Abilities Psionics ► Spiritual & Arcane Perception – Phobos is able to pick up on spiritual and arcane activity and energies, the latter of which she’s generally able to identify the type for. She’s also able to see most ghosts. Other Abilities ► Fire, Sand, Light, and Healing/Growth Magic – She’s a witch it’s her MO. Not obscenely powerful, but enough to be on par with a gifted psionic. Flight – She has wings structured like a hummingbird hawk moth’s, which allow her to fly for short amounts of time. Astral Projection – Her soul was jiggled a little loose during her near-death experience, so she’s able to tug it out and let it roam. The further distance she travels, the more it drains her, and while she’s able to perceive things on both ends if she wants to, it works better if she focuses on the projection fully and zones out physically. Strife Specibus ►  x2 Haladiekind – They are mainly her foci for magic, but can also be used for physical attacks. Doubled edged, double bladed daggers with a central grip and knuckle dusters on the outside. Pistolkind – Sometimes it’s better to not be flashy and just shoot a bitch. PC Info Trollian Handle ► reawakenedTheurgist Typing Quirk ► Replaces L’s with £, stutters when upset/scared/flustered/ect Example ► Tends t'speak with a regiona£ accent an' c£ips the endin' off certain words. I-I-If sh-sh-she's u-upset o-or s-s-s-scared sh-she s-s-stutters.

 ▼ Personality ▼ Formerly a very open, trusting, and bubbly individual, the past few sweeps haven’t been kind to the mindset that Phobos once held. She comes across very blunt, only dancing around her genuine opinions of people and what she thinks when she’s around someone she perceives to be a threat. Even then, she’s not above pushing her luck in certain situations, as should things turn violent she has a considerable amount of magic she can rely upon to take care of what faces her. Or, well, a decent amount of what faces her. At the end of the night, Phobos is focused on one thing and one thing only: survival. If she has to run to save her skin, she’ll do so, and unless someone has endeared themselves to her (or she is required to act otherwise), she’ll leave them behind in the dust. However when it comes to the fight vs flight ratio, Phobos is absolutely someone that will throw down first. Combat is something that she’s grown from hating to enjoying a lot, as it allows her not only to exercise but vent her emotions in a…”productive” manner.

That’s not to say she doesn’t care about other people, of course. She’s just very reluctant to allow herself to be open with people, especially considering the very recent mutation she’s had to hide. Anxiety over many of her past relationships failing also hasn’t helped at all, as she sees herself as an irresponsible and unhealthy individual to be quadrants with. Friends are a possibility, but Phobos requires a lot of reassurance and proof that someone is not only patient enough but can emotionally handle all the chaos that comes along with her life. If she doesn’t think the relationship will work out and could potentially hurt someone, she’s quick to say so and warn them of that fact. She struggles with not cutting people off out of fear of hurting them, often dropping contact with nothing but her first warning to go off of.

Should you ever gain her friendship, though, she’s incredibly nurturing and caring, as well as unshakably loyal once you’ve earned her faith. While she’s struggled with following it, Phobos is also fairly good at dispensing advice and can dip into more pale or ashen tendencies if she believes someone needs that. Of course this is paired with her regular amounts of cynicism and sarcasm; it’s recommended not to have too-thin skin around Phobos. She’ll compliment just as much as she’ll playfully rag on you, likely swearing up and down the entire Alternian language the whole way. She has a filter for this when she’s around children, as she was a teacher in her former life, but the moment she catches them swearing casually it’s gone. Her “old demeanor” is still very much present despite what she’d like to think or say, it’s just hidden behind a lot of walls, suspicions, and anxiety.

Most of what other people get to see, though, is the witch behind the counter of an occult shop. She really likes to play up the mystical aspect and spooky vibes of her job. Helps convince people to buy stuff and spreads the word to bring in more customers. Whether or not they believe her magic is real doesn’t matter; it sells when you make it flashy enough.

▼ Strengths VS Weaknesses ▼

Strengths ► Perceptive | Driven | Honest

Weaknesses ► Cynical | Stubborn | Flighty

 ▼ Likes ▼

✔ General “witchy” paraphernalia ✔ Relaxing near fireplaces ✔ Loose, comfy scarves ✔ Libraries ✔ Incense (Dragon’s Blood and Cedar are favorites) ✔ Bird watching ✔ Anything with an autumn aesthetic ✔ Handmade clothes ✔ Walks in the woods ✔ Honey candy ✔ Cats

 ▼ Dislikes ▼

✘ Subjugs ✘ Too much noise ✘ Sudden movements ✘ Being touched without warning ✘ “Unnatural” silence ✘ Uppity trolls ✘ Generally most trolls blue and above on principle ✘ Any kind of religious zealots or evangelists ✘ Dealing with her bosses ✘ Cheap liquor ✘ Centipedes, to the degree that she’ll panic and shoot at them

 ▼ Extra ▼

 ► While she’s far better at using her magic in combat than to heal, she’s recently been practicing to try and get better at it. It’s a skill she let atrophy after moving away from home, which she regrets doing now that she has to relearn what she was once really fucking good at.  ► She’s willing to tolerate most people if it benefits her, but highbloods will have a harder time gaining her trust.  ► She has a very hard time sleeping fully through the day, usually due to her psionics allowing her to see and hear ghosts.  ► Her wings are bound most of the time, though the way they’re structured allows her to lay them flat against her back naturally and prevents the binding from damaging them too much.  ► Flying takes a lot out of her. She’s only had her wings for 4 sweeps and they’ve only been fully grown for 2.  ► She’s more in-shape and toned than you’d expect for a lowblood. One of her old teachers was ex-fleet and made her do basic training exercises nightly, which is a routine she tries to keep up.  ► That being said, she has very little love for the fleet and is suspicious of anyone she finds bearing the emblem.  ► Before everything started to fall apart, she planned to dodge the draft with her ex-moirail and just travel through space with her.  ► Now she’s set up an occult shop and sells minor enchantments and crystals to goth kids and hipsters. Also some cursed items and magical advice. Really anything that’ll sell, honestly. She needs the money.  ► There’s always at least some kind of notebook on her. She’s very diligent about recording information that she feels is important. It also gives her a way to voice her thoughts without talking to anyone.  ► She grew up with very little exposure to modern Alternian technology for the most part, which has driven her to learn as much as she can about it. The prospect of technomancy fascinates her, though she’s not able to perform any herself.

▼ Quadrants ▼

 ► Moirail: N/A  ► Matesprit: N/A  ► Kismesis: N/A  ► Auspistice: N/A

▼ Other Relationships ▼

Eeleth Kuvlew [Pure Hope] ► Your ex-matesprit and the source of a never-ending flood of complicated emotions. You hurt him deeper than anyone ever could or has, which haunts you worse than any ghost. Recently, you spoke with him after a sweep of silence, though had your hands not been tied it would’ve been much sooner. Things are still complicated, and you doubt he’ll respond to any of your letters or online messages, but that won’t keep you from writing him about important things. You don’t want to give up talking to him.

Marcel Bradik [Lowered Humanity] ► Your other ex-matesprit, though one of a much shorter time. You don’t blame him for anything that happened; all of that was on you. He taught you a fair few things while you dated, the most important being how to shoot a gun and to carry one on you at all times. The thought has crossed your mind to try and seek him out, but you’ve decided against it due to the fact that he’s a shadowdropper and prone to having a temper. Best to let sleeping dogs lie.

[what-even-is-thiss]

As much as it hurts, it takes time for people to change.

We all want for everything to be okay right away. Some of us are transgender and want our pronouns to be used all the time right away. Some of us want to be in multiple romantic relationships at once. Some of us are asexual or aromantic and just want to be accepted as what we are. Some of us are gay, bi, or pan, and want people to understand that love is love. And there are hundreds more things I could think of.

But people don’t change overnight. Some people have had certain ideas drilled into their heads for decades. Ten, twenty, fifty, seventy years. A lot of people are trying to rearrange their entire way of thinking right now. Even in the nineties gay marriage wasn’t even on people’s minds for the most part. Some people are just now learning of the very existence of transgender people.

Here on Tumblr we exist in a bubble. A big gay bubble full of terminology and words we know by heart. A bubble where people know what asexuality is and that romantic and sexual attraction are different and same sex attraction isn’t all about sex and that a trans woman is a woman born with male anatomy and a trans man is a man born with female anatomy and that intersex people exist.

Not everyone knows of these things. My dad never explained to me what gay was because he didn’t know how to explain it without bringing up sex. He sees now that was wrong but in the 90s and early 2000s he didn’t know that. Nobody had given him the proper information. I had to explain to him when I was twelve why sex doesn’t have to be brought into the conversation and that bisexual people exist. Every time I explain things to him I can see the gears turning in his brain taking in that information, adjusting his entire worldview accordingly. He still gets confused about what a trans man is and what a trans woman is, but is trying his best to make the connection there.

I’ve met straight cisgender people who resist ideas that will change their entire worldview. These are the dangerous ones. And often they are the ones that aren’t willing to listen. However, I’ve also met straight cisgender people that attempt, however uneasily, to embrace these ideas. These are the friends that would stand up for me, and the relatives that worry about my safety but don’t want me to be unhappy. And I’ve met queer people that don’t know all the language either.

To us, this is all easy. All obvious. We’ve been here. We’ve found our answers or have been searching for them. We’ve been repressing and searching for answers and hurt time and time again. We’ve made language and created communities. Communities that sometimes fight, but for the most part band together. But not everyone has been searching for these answers and learning this language. We’ve made a beautiful thing that’s built on the backs of those who came before us. We stand on the shoulders of giants and in some cases on corpses. We have lost and fought to be ourselves.

But not everyone has seen it. For those who never had to search, it can be hard to find. They don’t know the questions to ask. They don’t know the language to use because they’ve never needed it. Privilege is having the ability to ignore something. It’s having blinders put on you by society, and often you don’t even know you’re wearing them. I have white privilege. Racism had to be pointed out to me because it does not affect me in a way that’s obvious to me and if I chose to I could ignore it. I choose not to ignore it because that’s the right thing to do, but I still sometimes have the blinders on without realizing it. There’s still new terms and language I know nothing about, and at least once a month an issue is brought to my attention that I knew nothing about before. This is also the reality for straight cisgender people, and in some cases, queer cisgender people or queer people that haven’t found the community yet.

You will meet in your life quite a few jerks. People that will try to make it about them. People that will misgender you on purpose, people that will insist you’re dirty or wrong, and people that just generally refuse to change their mindset. These people are not worthy of your patience.

But you will also meet in your life people that keep messing up but genuinely want to help. A person that keeps misgendering you on accident but is trying to rewire their brain to not do that. A guy that made a gay joke out of an old habit but then realizes afterwards that was a bad thing to do. An old person that thinks you’re referring to multiple people when you call someone “they” and just doesn’t know yet. An average person that doesn’t know what non binary is. Someone who associates polyamory with ownership of women and has never heard of it in a healthy context.

Sometimes being patient with people like that is hard. It might feel like they’re just trying to spite you, or that they’ll never get it, or that they secretly hate you. It can sometimes get frustrating and you may feel tempted to lash out. It can feel like they’re not trying. But this is new to them. There are a lot of people that don’t have to think about lgbtq+ issues 24/7. So they have to remind themselves to think about it. And the human brain is lazy. It likes to take shortcuts. So they’re probably going to fall back into their old habits several times before they actually fall into better habits.

I’m not advocating for just putting up with this. Definitely call them out on it. That’ll make things move along faster. Bring up transphobic, homophobic, biphobic, aphobic, etc. jokes. Correct misgendering and deadname usage. Point out to them that part of being a good ally is to educate yourself and they can google these things quite easily. But what I am saying is that sometimes we have to take a small step out of our cozy little gay bubble and realize what the rest of the world is seeing. Realize that sometimes well meaning people make mistakes, especially when they’re learning, and there isn’t always bad intentions there.

As a trans person fresh out of the closet, I have to remind myself of this on the daily. My family used She/her to refer to me for over 18 years. They were taught that there is no singular “they” and that people can only have one set of pronouns. They’re trying to relearn something right now. It’s like learning to walk on the right side of the road when you’ve always walked on the left, or learning to use a spoon with your non dominant hand. It’s totally doable, but it takes time. And my family knows that every “She” and “daughter” that refers to me cuts like a knife because I’ve told them so. They’re trying. They’re not making up excuses. They’re willing to learn. So when I get angry about it I force myself to step back for a moment. They mean well. They love me. My anger is valid, but they’re trying.

Your anger and frustration is valid, but sometimes you don’t need to act on it. There are other places to put your energy. The world is rearranging itself socially and there are people that are trying to help. If they’re willing to learn and they know they have no excuse and this isn’t about them, then at least try to keep that in mind.

[allenmendezsr]

Master Math & English. Easy Explanations. 1200p Poster!

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From Michael Milford, PhD

Dear Friend,

It’s a hard fact – math is an important life skill, but many people struggle with it. Most of the time, this isn’t their fault – math is quite challenging when it’s taught the way it is nowadays in schools, colleges, courses and textbooks. It’s even harder when you have to go back and relearn math as an adult.

But it doesn’t have to be like this

Imagine being able to really understand even the most challenging math topics. When you understand what you’re doing, math actually becomes enjoyable to do.

When you understand the key math concepts and ideas, you succeed in math exams because you can adapt and adjust to the problems in the exam being different to what you’ve done in practice.

On the other hand, if you just rote learn what your teacher, lecturer or textbook tells you, you’ll struggle to get a good grade. Memorizing topics may work in geography or history, but it sure doesn’t work in math.

Imagine the satisfaction you’d get from seeing your math abilities improving and your grades getting better and better.

Now you can get great grades and enjoy math because you actually understand it.

I’ve done a lot of the work for you. If you put in the effort to read the math tutorials I have prepared, you’ll be much better prepared to understand mathematical topics. Introducing…

gives you 900 pages jam packed full of easy to understand math tutorials to make math easy and interesting to learn.

Math Concepts Explained – Understand the Key Concepts and Ideas

Fully Worked Sample Questions – See How to Work Through Typical Questions

Handy Hints – Avoid Common Mistakes Without Ever Having to Make Them

These are electronic books (e-books) that you can download to your computer instantly. You can be reading them and using them in a few minutes from now.

Finding quality math tutorials isn’t easy. But the Complete School package is a proven package that thousands of people all around the world have already used to succeed at math. In fact:

Math tutorials can sometimes seem too formal and use awkward language. But Complete School is different – it uses everyday language that is both friendly and comfortable to read.

In fact, Complete School is based on years of one-on-one tutoring with students of all ages and abilities. It offers you exactly what was said in all those tutoring sessions, rather than formal textbook writing. But that’s only a tiny fraction of what this package can offer you –

Here’s a preview of what you’ll have with Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection, and how it stacks up against other products:

Feature

Complete School

Other Math Products

Written by someone young enough to remember exactly what it was like trying to succeed at math in school. I remember all the practical tips, tricks and advice that actually help students master math.

An informal, conversational teaching style – learning math is much easier when it’s like someone is talking you through it.

Written exclusively by an academic expert with extensive qualifications who obtained their PhD at the age of only 24 and who was also one of the top national students at school.

Priced for unbeatable value in these tough times at only $24.97

Proven unique math teaching techniques which have been used by more than 6000 students all around the world.

Printable math tutorials you don’t have to read off a computer screen – so less strain on eyes

So if you are looking for a collection of math tutorials to help improve your understanding of math and your grades, Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is your solution.

Best of all, since these are electronic files it only takes a few clicks before you can download the entire collection right to your computer. You can print exactly what tutorials you want, whenever you want.

Before you find out more about how others are finally understanding and mastering math with Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection – sign up to my free e-mail list and I will give you a FREE 34 page study ebook with notes on topics such as fractions, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, statistics, equations and many more.

Look at this extensive list of topics that are included in Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection:

Numbers

Mathematical relations

Operations

Simultaneous equations

Algebra

Rational numbers

Equations

Statistics

Inequations

Pythagoras’ Theorem

Indices and powers

Irrational numbers & surds

Basic geometry

Probability and set language

2D shapes

More algebra

3D solid shapes

Exponentials and indices

Basic interest

Budgeting

Bearings, azimuths, and symmetry

Shapes inside circles

Ratios

More 3D shapes and shape nets

Different forms of linear equations

Finding polynomial relationships

Trigonometry

Linear programming

Quadratic equations

More set theory

Volumes and areas of irregular shapes and solids

More probability

Trip graphs

Circle geometry

More Statistics

Similar figures and geometric constructions

Using and abusing statistical information

Locus and loci – paths things travel

Areas of composite shapes

Three-dimensional trigonometry problems

Volumes of composite solid shapes

Latitude and longitude

Working with errors and measurement

Proportional or direct relationships

Equations using box stories

Inverse relationships

Water flow graphs

Exponential graphs

Matrices

Finance and interest

Vectors

More simultaneous equations

Logic

Integration

Box and whisker plots

Numerical integration methods

Quadratic Equations

Probability

Turning recurring decimals into fractions

Solving dy/dx=ky

Logarithms

Hypothesis testing

Rates of change

Plotting graphs

Derivatives

The unit circle

Solving polynomial equations

General tips for maths tests

More triangles

Click Here to See a Numbers Sample

So as you can see, you don’t get a few measly lessons, you get 900 pages of easy-to-understand math tutorials. (Actually you get much much more – see below)

You’ll have fully explained tutorials, worked example questions and lots of handy hints for avoiding silly mistakes.

This is a comprehensive set of Math Tutorials for the Classroom or Home

Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is now being used by students of all ages around the world to learn those crucial math concepts.

They know, like you do, how important being able to understand and use math is for furthering your education and your status in life. 

Michael, student: “I have been struggling in maths all my life as I missed out on the basics in primary school as a result of changing schools. I would like to take this time just too sincerely thankyou for going out of your way to produce something (Complete School) that has and will help people, like myself, who have been struggling. You have given me new found energy to wake up in the morning and go to school and maths in particular. Thankyou.”

Tara, student: “Thankyou so much for showing me an easier way to understand Algebra and Trig, your book (Complete School) is easy to follow and explains what my teachers don’t, I was struggling to understand and asking my teachers got me no where, my mum got your CD and Book and now I have gone from a C+ to a A- for extended Maths. Even my Teachers are asking me about your book.!…a big Thankyou”

Teachers love Complete School too:

Rod, Upper Primary teacher:

…Although the package is aimed primarily at the High School student there are enough topics covered to be of great value to the Upper Primary sector.

One of the most pleasing aspects of the books is the spacious layout and larger font size used to make reading much easier.

The explanations and examples given are extremely easy to follow and should provide no difficulties for any student or adult wishing to extend their knowledge of Maths or English… I can say with certainty that anyone who purchases this package will not be disappointed. It is FANTASTIC.

Thankyou Michael.

More happy users of Complete School:

Belinda, student: “I recently purchased your book and absolutely love it. I don’t know what I would have done without it. I only wish that I had it last year in Year 11.”

Loana, parent: “Highly recommended, best gift any parent can give their kids…Excellent buy A++”

Adalberto: “Great product. My favorite subject. Easy download, will enjoy for a long time.”

Martie, parent: “Excellent product, very impressed, boys loving it”

Paula-Ann: “Just as advertised – a fantastic buy”

Sharryn: Kick ass product. Loved it!! Many Thanks you’re a champion!!!

Ian: Excellent! As described and making me use my brain again! Thankyou greatly

Siobhan: Over the Moon:o) all the Best with this,,Loved it:o) Best Buy Ever:o)))))

Andrew: Fantastic, a great aid for years to come, Thankyou!!!!!!

Sian: Fabulous. Makes learning easy.

Jenny: Your a legend, I’m telling everyone I know about your product.

You can’t get better opinions than the experiences of people who have used something for themselves. And these students, parents and teachers have been very glad they came across Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection. 

You can easily pay many hundreds of dollars for normal school textbooks over the years. If you were to try and buy textbooks covering all the topics covered in Complete School, you’d spend at least $500.

But in Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection everything is all in one place. Which means you don’t have to go searching each time you change topics or need to revise something. And it’s laid out logically in the order that students learn these topics, so it’s even easier to use.

That’s why Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is a great  value investment at $34.97 $24.97.

That’s a tiny fraction of what it’s really worth and of what you would have to pay to try and get help in any other way. Just to take two examples – software tutoring packages usually cost many hundreds of dollars, and one tutoring session a week can cost more than $1500 a year.

How can I make it so affordable? Simple – I have already paid off my costs selling these books in bookstores for many times the price, and because it’s cheap to deliver it to you online.

These are electronic books (e-books) that can be downloaded very quickly to your computer. You can be reading the tutorials and understanding math in as little as 5 minutes from now.

$34.97 $24.97 is nothing compared to what you get in these books, and compared to what you’d have to pay to even start trying to get math help in any other way.

And don’t worry – if for any reason you’re not happy with the content, you have a complete peace of mind money back guarantee.

Your satisfaction with Complete School is 100% Guaranteed!

Read about our IRONCLAD 7-day money back GUARANTEE!

7-day 100% Money Back Guarantee

I will personally guarantee that Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection will make understanding math easier than you’ll find anywhere else and is the best value math aid you can buy.

If you’re not complete satisfied with the incredible range of math tutorials in this package, contact me anytime (up to 7 days from the date of purchase) and I’ll refund 100% of your purchase price. No hard feelings, no explanations needed.

So, you see, ordering Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is completely risk-free.

Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection are Adobe PDF files. To view the PDF files on your computer all you need is the freely available Adobe Reader software, which can be found here.

Look at these great bonuses that you will also receive:

These bonuses are only available for a limited time and may be removed at any time.

Order NOW and you’ll also get these fabulous bonuses absolutely free:

You’ve probably never seen more math study notes crammed onto one poster in your entire life. The Megamath poster compresses the key concepts, ideas and formulae onto two sides of a poster which you can print out (best printed on A3 paper)

It even folds up nicely to fit in a pocket, which means you can take it anywhere.

You get detailed notes on 32 topics on the poster, including:

Algebra

Lines of Best Fit

Differentiation

Proportional or Direct Relationships

Trigonometry

Matrices

Integration

Logic

Perimeters of 2D Shapes

Fractions

Statistics

More Fractions and Decimals

Bearings and Azimuths

Vectors

Simultaneous Equations

Cosine and Sine Rule

More Statistics

Inverse Relationships

Even More Statistics

More Matrices

Quadratic Equations

More Logic

Errors and Measurement

Index and Log Laws

Finance

Circles

More Differentiation

Probability

More Integration

3D Solids

2D Shapes

Units

Not bad already. But that’s not all you get. Because if you order now, I’ll also throw in:

This package gives you more than 300 pages of free English tutorials. These tutorials explain how to write, read and speak English effectively and have been used by many students to improve their grades in English and Math. Understanding English also helps with reading and comprehending math questions.

With Complete School – The Easy to Understand English Tutorials Collection, you get –

Help with the parts of speech – Clauses, independent clauses, run on sentences, subordination, dependent clauses or subordinate clauses, noun dependent clauses, adjective dependent clauses, adverb dependent clauses, elliptical clauses, predicates, complete predicates, compound predicates, predicate adjectives, essential and nonessential clauses and much more.

Help with grammar – nouns, subjects, objects, pronouns, verbs, verb tenses, verb forms, moods and voices, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions and lists, prepositions and much more.

Help with sentences – types of sentences, sentence basics, writing sentences well and much more.

Help with political correctness, punctuation.

Help with building vocabulary.

Help with writing essays – analytical essays, expository essays, objective and subjective writing, structuring an essay, narrative essays and more.

Help with writing tone, describing things in detail, writer’s block, writing reviews, personal writing.

Help with storyboarding, dramatic performance and oral communication.

Help with poetry.

Tips on how to avoid plagiarism.

That’s a great set of free bonuses.

That’s why Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is such a great bargain at only $34.97 $24.97. Not only do you get a complete, easy to understand math tutorial collection, but you also get a free bonus poster packed with topics and a complete English tutorial collection with over 300 pages of tutorials.

This collection of math tutorials is unique and one of a kind. I have spent almost ten years developing this package and using feedback from thousands of students to improve it.

You can only get this product from me. It isn’t available in bookstores anymore because they have sold out of hardcopy books. Just imagine having this complete collection of easy to understand tutorials ready to be downloaded right away when you order.

A complete set of easy to understand math tutorials that you simply print and use.

Almost 900 pages of explanations, illustrations, fully worked questions and handy hints, so you’ll always be able to get help for that new math topic.

Print as many copies of what you need, from your printer, when you need them.

Remember the 2 bonuses that also give you a poster jam packed with study notes on 32 topics, and the complete English tutorials collection – great resources that will come in handy all the time.

Complete School will give you the chance to actually understand, enjoy and succeed at math.

Wishing you all the best,

Michael Milford, PhD

Academic, Tutor and Published Author

P.S. Remember, you’re getting hundreds of easy to understand tutorials on all the major topics for a tiny fraction of what it would cost you to get the same in normal textbooks, math tutoring, or math software packages. 

[mercy-thompson-fanfiction]

P&B #3

”Your wedding is tomorrow, you realize that?”  Kyle asked the blonde man that was sitting on his couch with a beer in hand.  It wasn’t the blonde man that should be sitting on the couch because it wasn’t the one that lived there. “And we don’t keep beer in the fridge.”  

“It’s in there now,”  Ben ignored the first question.  Instead he continued staring at a blank tv screen.  As Kyle approached, he realized his friend was struggling to control tremors in both of his hands.

“You need to call her.”  Warren’s voice was just forceful enough to make the other man turn around, appearing behind his mate.  Kyle made a noise to say he agreed.  “This is something you need to face once and for all, Ben.  You need to be honest with her, she can take it.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“We don’t know,”  Kyle sat on the edge of the couch and rested a hand on the taller man’s shoulder.  “You don’t talk about it much, but I wonder if we know more than she does.”

The silence was all the confirmation he needed.

“She’s your wife and your mate.” 
“That won’t matter,”  Ben disagreed, “Not when she knows the extent of the reasons this shouldn’t have happened.”

“She knows about the worst of you,”  Warren was trying to gently urge him the best way that he could, by pointing out the truth.  “She’s seen what you’re capable of.”  The former Brit had stayed with Kyle and Warren the first time it had happened that he had a very vivid dream about his first pack.  He had learned since to deal with it, even if he let slip and showed Porsche, but he would shy away from her.  

The day after one of those, he’d often put off coming home for as long as he could.

“Call her,”  Kyle gestured to the phone already on his lap.  “Tell her you’ll be there tomorrow.  It’s awkward for us if we show up without you.”

Ben’s gaze shifted to the cellphone.

Porsche knew the phone would ring before it did.  She didn’t know how she knew, because Ben had effectively kept her out for the whole of a week and a half.  Her father had taken to staying with her, because she’d cracked and needed to go back to her home (technically Ben’s as the apartment her father helped pay for was in Seattle).  Jumping to get her phone was the fastest he’d seen her move in days.  

He turned his head casually, though obviously listening in, as she paced the room.  Her heart rate had picked up, her hands weren’t shaking—he’d been concerned about that new development—her eyes brightened.  

“Porsche—“

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,”  She breathed out, “Oh my God, this was my fault.  I shouldn’t have pushed you into this.  I didn’t even really ask, I just kind of rushed you and it was wrong.  I’m sorry I fuck this up all the time.  It’s always me—“

“Will you shut up for five minutes?”  She stopped, he wasn’t angry though.  He sounded tired, but she could picture the lazy smile on his face and the amusement dancing in his eyes like it did every time she wouldn’t let him speak.  “Porsche, it’s not your fault.”

“I—“

“It’s not, and you need to stop blaming yourself,”  Now he was serious.  Her heart skipped a beat and her eyes caught her father’s hand twitch.  “I’m sorry.  I ran away, I run away every time.  If you didn’t push me a bit I wouldn’t do anything useful.  I don’t care that we got married,”  Her father shot her a questioning look and she smiled sheepishly.  “I wouldn’t have cared so much if you didn’t want to ever marry anyone in your life, either.”  Warren made a noise on his end as if he were clearing his throat.  “Maybe I’d have minded, but only because I knew it was something you wanted.”

“I know, but still—“ She protested.

“Shut up, please.  You’re seriously worse than anyone else in your family, even your father.”

“He’s here,”  She turned to face her father totally across the room.

“Well, I…fuck,” Ben spluttered. “Oh, crap, I didn’t mean…shit—“

“Stop, you’re going to give him angina.”  Porsche giggled despite the circumstance.  
 “I’m disappointed you weren’t more creative this time,”  Adam said casually, “This is my daughter you’re speaking to.”

“Sorry,” Ben shrugged.  Warren gave him a warning look and Kyle frowned, out of the loop entirely.  “Your wife’s put a mouth on her, though.  I wonder if she’s the one who taught her—“

“Ben,”  She whined, tugging at her hair.  Her father’s expression was unreadable. “Oh, now you’ve done it.”

Realization dawned on Kyle’s face as he listened to one side of the conversation and he couldn’t help but laugh.  

“I love you, ok?”  Ben hurried, realizing he’d have to finish this phone call before his alpha came back with something.  “I love you and I’m sorry that this one is on me.  I’ve fucked up, I’m fucked up, it’s very cliché.  I’m coming home, we can talk about—“

“No!” Kyle shouted, “It’s bad luck—“

“Can anyone let me finish a sentence?”  Ben snapped.  “I’m going home.  You want me out of your house anyways and my stuff for tomorrow is all there.”

Her heart beat faster if at all possible.  She had tried to give him the space he so clearly needed in order to sort out his head but it was killing her inside.  It slipped her mind sometimes, but Ben had been there through everything Porsche had ever needed him to be there for.  Even when he was actively avoiding her when she came back from Aspen Creek, he helped her against the wrath (that she invoked) of the New Jersey Devil. He had been the one to drop everything and practically lie his way out to New York City when she needed him.

He stayed with her that whole time.

Ben had been the person to hold her hand when her ticket into med school came (“it’s a big fucking envelope, you really think they give those if you didn’t get in?”). He encouraged her to go even though he knew she was distressed by the separation, even with it only being three days a week.  
 She didn’t need him anymore than she needed coffee in the morning—she could do without but life would be just that more unbearable.

Porsche was much more willing to give up coffee for her whole life if it meant she had Ben with her.

“Really?”  She asked him, trying not to get her hopes up.

“Give me a little bit.”  It was a promise and she bit her lip, nodding her head even though he couldn’t see.  The line went dead with her still gripping the phone tightly.

“I’m going to stay until he gets here.”  Her father told her, relaxing back onto the couch.  She knew he was more on edge after the phone call than he had been before and had the decency at least to look embarrassed. “Sometimes I think he’s forgotten you’re my daughter, but he says things like that and he knows full well.”

“I made him promise not to say anything stupid…” She sighed.

Her dad made a noise that she thought might be a snort but she didn’t care too much.  She had no doubt he’d have some serious words for Ben, but he also knew better than to share them now.  He sat in silence for a long while as she paced, thoughts flipping rapidly through her head.

“Do you know?”  Porsche asked him.  He had been Ben’s alpha for as long as he had been in the country.  “Any of it.”

Her father nodded. She already knew that though, he'd told her before. Adam had told his daughter she needed to hear it from the horse's mouth. That this was too important to convey as a third party.

"Understand something," He said suddenly. "You're my daughter and I shouldn't need to defend him for anything. He has worked the hardest I've ever seen him work when he's trying to make you happy. You don't remember him much from when you were younger and you didn't know him when he first came. He was aggressive but still fairly withdrawn. He was rude. The list I could write you is extensive.

"Most of all, he didn't know how to really care about something other than himself and the concept of pack. That began to change, he made friends and saw connections and similar things in other people.  When you were born, though, he still had some growing up to do. He grew up alongside you, if you'd like." He seemed to think for a moment. "In that way, his own attraction to you isn't that unexpected. He may have helped watch you but he was relearning as the time went on and you were learning for the first time. You were a peer."

She looked at him, thoroughly confused.

"He didn't grow up the same way you did.”

“I know that,” She bristled, “I’ve seen it.” 
“I think, given the circumstances, there’s a lot he’s chosen to keep and has successfully kept from you.”  Adam heard the car before she did and turned his head to the door.  “He’s almost back.”

“Thank you.”  She whispered, stopping entirely to look at him.  “For being here.”

He had an amused look on his face, there was nothing in the world that could keep him from his children when they needed him.  It was nice, though, to hear her voice her appreciation.  He stood up and hugged her.  

She had grown up in an interesting circumstance, but one that was nonetheless forgiving.  Touch was important, it was affectionate and safe (though she’d experienced it in other realms as well).  It was how she’d come to know love.  No one ever put her down as a baby.  If her mother did, it was to give her daughter time to breathe and settle in her own space.  Her dad would pick her right back up again as soon as he was home.  She grew up falling asleep on Kyle and Warren when they babysat, yanking on Ben’s hand when he wouldn’t pay attention—not that the last one had changed much.  When Honey had been more than a little cold when she was a mere infant, Porsche had found her way (though not of her own accord, obviously) into the woman’s arms and heart.  

She didn’t immediately step back when the door opened, her dad hadn’t let go and she was too tired to argue with whatever look he was casting over her shoulder at her mate.  She had a feeling it was angry and dangerous and she had to admit this time in her dad’s eyes it was justifiable.

“Get some sleep, both of you.”  He told her as he stepped back.  Ben didn’t look at his alpha as he brushed past and out the door.

“Hey…” Porsche fiddled with her fingers as she looked at him.  

“You look like shit.”  He mumbled.  She wasn’t surprised.  She had bags under her eyes and was too lazy to fix them with makeup, not that she bothered with makeup daily anyways.  

“Did you come here to offend me?”

“Yes.”  She snorted but had to smile at his sarcasm.  “I came to apologize.  I’m a grown man and I shouldn’t run away from problems.”

“Did Kyle teach you that?”  She crossed her arms.  “It sounds like him.”

“He might have suggested I try it.”  They stared at each other in silence for a moment.  “I’ve lied to you…about everything.”  This was news to her.  She was long enough a werewolf that she should catch lies, maybe not of omission but certainly one’s he’s uttered.  “You know what I did.  I didn’t lie about that.”

She nodded.

“But I’ve kept more from you than I should have and that’s my fault.”  His hands were fussing, but more frantically than her own.  “It’s the reason you don’t always understand when I’m upset and I know that.  It’s on me, not on you.

“And I know that it’s my fault you worry sometimes I’ll leave or that I’m not as interested as I say I am.”  He let out a breath.  “It’s not you, you haven’t done anything for me not to tell you.  I don’t talk about it.”

Porsche wanted to interrupt and knew it wasn’t the time.  She didn’t like seeing him upset and she needed to make him feel better.  He knew that and that he wouldn’t be able to hold back all his floodgates if he kept speaking.  Ben tried to hurry it along before she got bits and pieces that she didn’t need to see.  She could hear them.

“You were right.  The first night, when I had the nightmare…the first one you ever saw.”  She tried to think back to what had happened.  “You were right and wrong I guess…she was just as bad as he was.  She didn’t help.”

Realization dawned on her.  The first time she had ever walked in his nightmares was the first night they even had a mate bond.  Neither of them had known it would happen so when it did, he’d been startled into waking her up.  

He was momentarily surprised by her embrace and he didn’t immediately hug her back.  It took him almost a full minute to wrap his arms around her and press his lips to the top of her head.  He was deep in thought, almost in awe of the fact she hadn’t shied away from him.

“This is not the same thing,”  She whispered, listening to his heartbeat.  “I want you to understand that.  You in no way manipulated me or hurt me.”

He didn’t say anything.  

“I promise,”  She wasn’t lying.  “Ben, I had the biggest crush on you growing up.  That was my own fault, but you were there for everything.  You never once did anything,”  She chose her words carefully, “Inappropriate.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Neither do I,”  Porsche offered him a small smile, leaning back to catch his eyes.  “You think I’ve dated someone so seriously I’ve married them before?”

“I don’t know, you’re your father’s daughter.”  Ben tried to joke, though his anxiety was bleeding through his words.  “For all I know you’ve been married twice.”

“He’s heard you say enough dumb shit today, don’t mention Christy.”  Porsche didn’t particularly like her sister’s mother and it was nothing against her dad or Jesse or even for her own mom.  It was just a sickening feeling she got when she was around her.

Also because the woman had yelled at her brother when he was just a baby and Porsche had never forgiven her for it—not even when karma hid tuna in her car’s ventilation system.

Karma.

Not Porsche.

“You want children.”  

“I can’t have them,”  She reminded.

“You want to.”  Ben pressed.  “I can’t give you that, I can’t even promise it will ever be in the cards.”

“My uncle didn’t particularly want kids, but he’s got twins.”  She was of course referring to her uncle Charles Cornick who had, for his own reasons, had reservations about children.  

“I don’t want you to hold out for it.”  She cocked her head to the side and frowned.  “I’m serious, Porsche.”  She knew he was, his heart was racing.  “I can’t.  You need to really recognize that we might still be having this discussion after your brother father’s his seventh kid.”  She took a breath through her nose to keep from laughing at the thought of her brother and seven children.

“You really don’t get it, do you?”  It was his turn to frown at her.  “Children have never been in the cards for me, Ben.  It only upsets me because it upsets other people, and I know that sounds silly.  How does a young woman approach someone she might seriously consider marrying and say ‘oh but if you want biological kids, it might be super expensive or impossible’?  How do you bring it up?

“You didn’t care, from the first time I mentioned it.  You shrugged it off like it didn’t matter and that was fine.  I didn’t know you had your reasons, but it was so relieving to know it wouldn’t matter to someone.”

He was taken aback.

“You forget I’ve been a werewolf my whole life.  I grew up in this.  I’ve watched people try with everything and I’ve seen it ruin people.”  She squeezed his hand.  “So there, we’ve finally been honest with each other that this is something we can’t do.  Point blank, I don’t want this idea in your head anymore that I won’t be happy.  I just want you to be happy and safe, I didn’t mean to accidentally pressure you.”

“I married you for a reason.”  

“Yeah, it’d be nice if you remembered it for a change.”  She stuck her tongue out at him.  Ben made a face back, still slightly uncomfortable but much more relaxed than when he had arrived.  

“Maybe we should go to bed…we have a long day.”  He glanced nervously at the clock.  She kissed his cheek and nodded.  “I’m sorry that I’m not great with all of this.  I know I should be used to some of it by now.”

Porsche chose not to acknowledge it was her dad that had said it but she hadn’t ever really come to full understanding of what it meant until she heard it out of someone else’s mouth.

“You didn’t grow up in a family like mine, Ben.”  She offered.  “I mean we’re werewolves all of us so we’re a little overly affectionate, but still.  What happened aside, you weren’t treated the same way.  You started from scratch.”  His cheeks were flushed a little.  “You did a good job of it.”

They stayed there a little while longer, just looking at each other.  Finally, she turned towards the stairs, hoping he would follow.  Her heart dropped a little when she didn’t hear him move as she reached the first step.

“I need you to understand something else,”  Ben’s mouth was dry and he didn’t know why he hadn’t quit while he was ahead, but if he was going to take Kyle’s advice for real then he had to say it now else it would haunt him.  “I wanted to hurt them.”

“I know you did.”

“How can you be so calm about that?”  He pleaded her to react.  She faltered for a moment.

“I’m not saying what you did was ok,”  It wasn’t confusion in her voice, it was the dangerous sound of someone thinking an argument through.  “It will never be ok.  I’m not saying I understand, either, not completely.  Though, I wouldn’t have minded watching you rough New York up a bit.”  He knew exactly what moment she was referring to and he startled a little.  He hadn’t realized she had known he’d run into Bohdan a few times after she’d left the pack.  “I…You made a difficult choice and you’ve proven you’re stronger than all of it.  It’s not my place to forgive you, but I can’t condemn you.  You’ve never given me a reason to distrust you.”

[tessatechaitea]

Shade the Changing Girl #3

Synchronized Swimming would be more interesting if the routines were improvised.

Megan's messages to Teacup look like my Xbox received messages after playing Call of Duty.

Shade decides she needs to figure the whole Megan thing out if she's going to survive among the people Megan knew. So she climbs deep into her body's subconscious where Megan's memories still half-reside and begins rooting around in them for clues about the life she's going to have to try to lead. On her inner journey, Shade learns that her mom is a dope, her best friend is a dupe, her boyfriend sucks at grammar (but can identify Mars in the sky, so he's cool with me), and Megan herself has been a fucking jerk to Teacup. So she decides to check with her neighbor River to find out why Megan was so hated. River never knew Megan personally so it's okay if he helps her. He shows her a BookFace group full of the people she's bullied. It's so traumatic for her that she has a Madness Seizure. River begins to suspect she isn't Megan at all but Shade flees the scene because what else can you do when your innermost being is suddenly splattered all over a stranger's room? The next day, Shade decides to learn how to swim with the help of Megan's old boyfriend. It goes fantastically! I mean the part where she relearns how to swim goes fantastically. The part where she beats the shit out of Megan's old "friends" because they threaten to kick her off the swim team doesn't go that great. Meanwhile, the pink girl is still floating around observing the universe. The backup story is a Dial H for Hero story. A girl named Christy is working at some kind of Hard Rock Cafe but superhero themed. On the wall is the Dial H for Hero dial. When a customer begins attacking his girlfriend, Christy decides to use the dial! Probably because if she saves this woman, she'll get a B-I-G-T-I-P! And she does! Sort of!

She gets a kiss from...me?! Try to ignore the part where I'm killed!

Christy untransforms when the villain appears because this is one of those stories where the villains are caused by the heroes. Except that's not the point and I know it! That's just one of my issues with mainstream superhero comic books interfering with my ability to understand this story on the most basic of levels. I'm also disappointed that with all the words that only use letters in the word HERO which form the skeleton of this story, the writer forgot to use O-R-E-O. The Ranking! No change! A lot of the time, I give a comic book a "No Change!" rating simply because I don't want to have to adjust the sideboard rankings list. I'm not even sure where this comic book is placed on the rankings (or if it's even on there at all! I should probably check. No, no. If I check and it's not there, I'll have to add it which is more work (not much more work but still more!)). But I do like this book even if it probably wouldn't make the top of the To Read pile on the weeks it comes out.

[siliconwebx]

Learning How to Learn: the Key to Modern Success

Very few things in the modern world remain static. It used to be that you could learn a trade or skill and spend the next 20+ years doing more or less the same thing. It’s now rare to find jobs like that and the trend toward constant change (even within the same company or job) seems to be irreversible. Which makes learning how to learn and adapt perhaps the most important skill anyone can possess in this new world.

So important, that thinkers like the futurist Alvin Toffler put this skill on par with the importance of basic literacy, claiming, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

So let’s talk about self-education!

The Traditional Approach to Learning

Most of us probably had similar learning experiences during our formative years. In most cases, you had a teacher who gave a lecture, assigned homework, then tested you on what you learned.

On paper, this approach doesn’t sound too bad. However, several modern studies show lectures are not an effective teaching mechanism. That’s because they turn you into a passive listener, which means you don’t get to engage with the subject you’re studying.

A lot of people make up for this by studying on their own. However, the techniques we were taught to rely on, such as highlighting content and memorizing key information aren’t effective either.

To be fair, it’s entirely possible to learn about a subject using this approach. However, it mostly comes down to the effort you put into studying on your own. This means there’s a lot of room for improvement, which is where more modern approaches to learning come in.

A New Approach to Learning

The way you approach learning in school and in higher education can work, but it also assumes you have plenty of time to digest new information. Once you enter the workforce though, learning often takes a backseat to your day-to-day duties.

As such, you may need to rethink the way you approach learning if you want to continue improving your professional skill set. Instead of sticking to traditional methods, it makes more sense to try and optimize your learning process. We now know much more about how the brain works than we did previously, which means we can approach learning more efficiently.

In the next section, we’re going to discuss several learning techniques proven by research to be effective. We’ll talk about how and why they work, and help you put them into action so you can level up your learning skills.

4 Techniques You Can Harness to Improve the Learning Process

Before we get started, it’s important to understand that although these techniques have been proven to work, some of them might not be a good fit for you. Everyone is a bit different in the way they process information, so our recommendation is to try all of the methods we’ve showcased. Finally, make sure you get some decent rest in between study sessions!

1. Take Notes of Everything You Learn

Taking notes while you learn is easier than ever, thanks to portable devices (such as laptops and tablets). Some people go as far as to record lectures on their smartphones, which is excellent since you can listen back to them at any point.

Being able to take advantage of technology sounds excellent when you’re trying to learn a new subject. However, we’ve already talked about why traditional lectures don’t work. In short, they don’t enable you to engage with the subject you’re learning actively, so chances are you won’t retain as much information.

Curiously enough, the same happens when you take notes using laptops or other portable devices. Typing on a laptop tends to be much faster than taking notes by hand. The downside is this increase in typing efficiency means you’re more likely to transcribe what you hear verbatim.

Students who take notes by hand, on the other hand, usually have to be selective about what they write or use shorthands. These two simple tasks force you to engage with what you’re hearing and prioritize what you need to retain.

Taking notes by hand may sound anachronistic, but studies show a clear correlation between this and increased recall. With this in mind, here are a few tips to help you take notes more effectively:

Don’t try to write down everything you hear, and focus on the points you think are more important.

Develop a shorthand for recurring terms so you can write down more information.

Make an effort to write more notes for subjects you’re struggling with.

Naturally, writing stuff down alone isn’t enough to digest it fully. You’ll still need to review the information later on, and we’ll go over some techniques to do so better than rote memorization.

2. Don’t Try to Learn Everything All at Once

These days, everyone wants to boast about how many things they can do at once because we see multitasking as a positive thing. In a lot of cases, the same goes for learning even if we don’t realize it.

One example we see a lot is among people who are new to programming. They often try to learn multiple languages at once so they can make themselves more marketable, or tackle the kinds of projects they want.

In most cases, this approach fails them because they’re trying to take on too much at once. Research tells us that what we believe to be ‘multitasking’ doesn’t exist. Instead of tackling multiple tasks at once, what you really do is shift your attention rapidly between them. In other words, you’re taking on one thing at a time, only you’re not giving it the full attention it deserves.

We can extrapolate this knowledge to learning as well. There’s a learning model called the ‘four stages of competence’. It says that for every subject, you move linearly through four stages:

When you’re not aware of what you don’t know.

The point where you begin to grasp the extent of what you don’t understand.

When you first begin to be competent in the skill or task you’re learning.

The point where you understand something so well, you don’t need to think about its execution.

If we apply this model to the learning process, stage number four translates to mastery of a subject. However, to get there, you need to devote time to learning and practice. The more scattered your focus is, the more time it’ll take you to progress through the subject until you reach the point of competence.

One key advantage of trying to learn outside of school is you probably don’t have to juggle multiple subjects at once, as in college. This means during your free time, you can devote your full attention to learning one thing at a time, which should let you progress more rapidly.

3. Pretend You’re Teaching Someone Else

In software engineering, there’s a method of debugging called ‘rubber ducking’, which should be more than enough to catch your attention. Rubber duck debugging consists of trying to explain what your code does to an inanimate rubber duck. You can also try it with a real duck, although those are less likely to sit quietly while you talk about code.

The idea is that by trying to explain what each part of your code is supposed to do, you’ll be able to figure out more quickly why it isn’t working. It sounds ridiculous, but the thing is, actively trying to explain a subject forces you to put yourself in the perspective of someone who doesn’t understand it.

There’s a famous quote attributed to Einstein: “If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.” By teaching something, you’re forcing yourself to simplify each concept as much as possible. This, in turn, leads to a better understanding of the subject.

In practice, you don’t need a rubber duck to put this into action. A real person will also do, but the visual won’t be as funny. Regardless of who you try to teach, here are a few tips to ensure the process helps you as well:

Try to explain the subject as if that person didn’t know anything about it.

Pay attention to any questions they might have since it can help clear up doubts for you.

Take note of any sections you can’t explain to your satisfaction.

In our experience, you will run into parts of a subject you can’t explain well. The key is not to get frustrated, but to take note and brush up on those areas, which is something you can do using the next approach.

4. Test Yourself on What You’ve Learned

We’ve all been conditioned to fear tests. For most of our early lives, tests defined a lot of our learning experience. If you didn’t pass key tests, you could be held back, not get your degree, or get a talking-to from your parents.

The thing is, although our relationship with tests may be harmful, they are a useful learning tool. However, in the business world, no one will sit you down to take tests (unless you’re applying for a programming job).

What you can do is create your own tests instead. It may sound redundant, but think about it this way – the process of putting together a test for a subject forces you to consider what its most important aspects are. If you’re a teacher, you want to make sure your students fully understand what you taught them. However, you can’t ask them a thousand questions, so you need to be selective.

Just as taking notes by hand forces you to engage with a subject, the same goes for creating mock tests. Here’s how we recommend you approach this method:

Limit yourself to a standard number of questions, such as ten or 20.

Make sure your test covers all the most critical parts of the subject you’re trying to learn.

Have someone more experienced evaluate your questions to see if they’re challenging enough.

If you have a mentor, their help can be invaluable in this process. They can help make sure the questions you choose accurately reflect what you need to learn.

Once your test is ready, go through it and be honest about the things you can’t answer satisfactorily. Just as with rubber ducking, those are the areas you’ll need to brush up on.

Conclusion

It may sound redundant, but learning how to learn is key to your continued success. The days where a college education alone prepared you for everything you’d have to face in your career are over. Now, most of the industries we work in are undergoing rapid shifts thanks to technology. If you know how to adapt to those changes, you’ll come out on top.

As far as learning techniques go, you need to do away with memorization and try approaches that do work, such as:

Taking notes of everything you learn.

Not trying to learn everything all at once.

Pretend you’re teaching someone else.

Test yourself on what you’ve learned.

Are there any learning techniques that work particularly well for you? Share your experiences with us in the comments section below!

Article thumbnail image by Julia Tim / shutterstock.com.

The post Learning How to Learn: the Key to Modern Success appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

😉SiliconWebX | 🌐ElegantThemes

[allenmendezsr]

Master Math & English. Easy Explanations. 1200p Poster!

New Post has been published on https://autotraffixpro.app/allenmendezsr/master-math-english-easy-explanations-1200p-poster/

Master Math & English. Easy Explanations. 1200p Poster!

 Buy Now

    Click on the audio controls to learn more about Complete School

From Michael Milford, PhD

Dear Friend,

It’s a hard fact – math is an important life skill, but many people struggle with it. Most of the time, this isn’t their fault – math is quite challenging when it’s taught the way it is nowadays in schools, colleges, courses and textbooks. It’s even harder when you have to go back and relearn math as an adult.

But it doesn’t have to be like this

Imagine being able to really understand even the most challenging math topics. When you understand what you’re doing, math actually becomes enjoyable to do.

When you understand the key math concepts and ideas, you succeed in math exams because you can adapt and adjust to the problems in the exam being different to what you’ve done in practice.

On the other hand, if you just rote learn what your teacher, lecturer or textbook tells you, you’ll struggle to get a good grade. Memorizing topics may work in geography or history, but it sure doesn’t work in math.

Imagine the satisfaction you’d get from seeing your math abilities improving and your grades getting better and better.

Now you can get great grades and enjoy math because you actually understand it.

I’ve done a lot of the work for you. If you put in the effort to read the math tutorials I have prepared, you’ll be much better prepared to understand mathematical topics. Introducing…

gives you 900 pages jam packed full of easy to understand math tutorials to make math easy and interesting to learn.

Math Concepts Explained – Understand the Key Concepts and Ideas

Fully Worked Sample Questions – See How to Work Through Typical Questions

Handy Hints – Avoid Common Mistakes Without Ever Having to Make Them

These are electronic books (e-books) that you can download to your computer instantly. You can be reading them and using them in a few minutes from now.

Finding quality math tutorials isn’t easy. But the Complete School package is a proven package that thousands of people all around the world have already used to succeed at math. In fact:

Math tutorials can sometimes seem too formal and use awkward language. But Complete School is different – it uses everyday language that is both friendly and comfortable to read.

In fact, Complete School is based on years of one-on-one tutoring with students of all ages and abilities. It offers you exactly what was said in all those tutoring sessions, rather than formal textbook writing. But that’s only a tiny fraction of what this package can offer you –

Here’s a preview of what you’ll have with Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection, and how it stacks up against other products:

Feature

Complete School

Other Math Products

Written by someone young enough to remember exactly what it was like trying to succeed at math in school. I remember all the practical tips, tricks and advice that actually help students master math.

An informal, conversational teaching style – learning math is much easier when it’s like someone is talking you through it.

Written exclusively by an academic expert with extensive qualifications who obtained their PhD at the age of only 24 and who was also one of the top national students at school.

Priced for unbeatable value in these tough times at only $24.97

Proven unique math teaching techniques which have been used by more than 6000 students all around the world.

Printable math tutorials you don’t have to read off a computer screen – so less strain on eyes

So if you are looking for a collection of math tutorials to help improve your understanding of math and your grades, Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is your solution.

Best of all, since these are electronic files it only takes a few clicks before you can download the entire collection right to your computer. You can print exactly what tutorials you want, whenever you want.

Before you find out more about how others are finally understanding and mastering math with Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection – sign up to my free e-mail list and I will give you a FREE 34 page study ebook with notes on topics such as fractions, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, statistics, equations and many more.

Look at this extensive list of topics that are included in Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection:

Numbers

Mathematical relations

Operations

Simultaneous equations

Algebra

Rational numbers

Equations

Statistics

Inequations

Pythagoras’ Theorem

Indices and powers

Irrational numbers & surds

Basic geometry

Probability and set language

2D shapes

More algebra

3D solid shapes

Exponentials and indices

Basic interest

Budgeting

Bearings, azimuths, and symmetry

Shapes inside circles

Ratios

More 3D shapes and shape nets

Different forms of linear equations

Finding polynomial relationships

Trigonometry

Linear programming

Quadratic equations

More set theory

Volumes and areas of irregular shapes and solids

More probability

Trip graphs

Circle geometry

More Statistics

Similar figures and geometric constructions

Using and abusing statistical information

Locus and loci – paths things travel

Areas of composite shapes

Three-dimensional trigonometry problems

Volumes of composite solid shapes

Latitude and longitude

Working with errors and measurement

Proportional or direct relationships

Equations using box stories

Inverse relationships

Water flow graphs

Exponential graphs

Matrices

Finance and interest

Vectors

More simultaneous equations

Logic

Integration

Box and whisker plots

Numerical integration methods

Quadratic Equations

Probability

Turning recurring decimals into fractions

Solving dy/dx=ky

Logarithms

Hypothesis testing

Rates of change

Plotting graphs

Derivatives

The unit circle

Solving polynomial equations

General tips for maths tests

More triangles

Click Here to See a Numbers Sample

So as you can see, you don’t get a few measly lessons, you get 900 pages of easy-to-understand math tutorials. (Actually you get much much more – see below)

You’ll have fully explained tutorials, worked example questions and lots of handy hints for avoiding silly mistakes.

This is a comprehensive set of Math Tutorials for the Classroom or Home

Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is now being used by students of all ages around the world to learn those crucial math concepts.

They know, like you do, how important being able to understand and use math is for furthering your education and your status in life. 

Michael, student: “I have been struggling in maths all my life as I missed out on the basics in primary school as a result of changing schools. I would like to take this time just too sincerely thankyou for going out of your way to produce something (Complete School) that has and will help people, like myself, who have been struggling. You have given me new found energy to wake up in the morning and go to school and maths in particular. Thankyou.”

Tara, student: “Thankyou so much for showing me an easier way to understand Algebra and Trig, your book (Complete School) is easy to follow and explains what my teachers don’t, I was struggling to understand and asking my teachers got me no where, my mum got your CD and Book and now I have gone from a C+ to a A- for extended Maths. Even my Teachers are asking me about your book.!…a big Thankyou”

Teachers love Complete School too:

Rod, Upper Primary teacher:

…Although the package is aimed primarily at the High School student there are enough topics covered to be of great value to the Upper Primary sector.

One of the most pleasing aspects of the books is the spacious layout and larger font size used to make reading much easier.

The explanations and examples given are extremely easy to follow and should provide no difficulties for any student or adult wishing to extend their knowledge of Maths or English… I can say with certainty that anyone who purchases this package will not be disappointed. It is FANTASTIC.

Thankyou Michael.

More happy users of Complete School:

Belinda, student: “I recently purchased your book and absolutely love it. I don’t know what I would have done without it. I only wish that I had it last year in Year 11.”

Loana, parent: “Highly recommended, best gift any parent can give their kids…Excellent buy A++”

Adalberto: “Great product. My favorite subject. Easy download, will enjoy for a long time.”

Martie, parent: “Excellent product, very impressed, boys loving it”

Paula-Ann: “Just as advertised – a fantastic buy”

Sharryn: Kick ass product. Loved it!! Many Thanks you’re a champion!!!

Ian: Excellent! As described and making me use my brain again! Thankyou greatly

Siobhan: Over the Moon:o) all the Best with this,,Loved it:o) Best Buy Ever:o)))))

Andrew: Fantastic, a great aid for years to come, Thankyou!!!!!!

Sian: Fabulous. Makes learning easy.

Jenny: Your a legend, I’m telling everyone I know about your product.

You can’t get better opinions than the experiences of people who have used something for themselves. And these students, parents and teachers have been very glad they came across Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection. 

You can easily pay many hundreds of dollars for normal school textbooks over the years. If you were to try and buy textbooks covering all the topics covered in Complete School, you’d spend at least $500.

But in Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection everything is all in one place. Which means you don’t have to go searching each time you change topics or need to revise something. And it’s laid out logically in the order that students learn these topics, so it’s even easier to use.

That’s why Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is a great  value investment at $34.97 $24.97.

That’s a tiny fraction of what it’s really worth and of what you would have to pay to try and get help in any other way. Just to take two examples – software tutoring packages usually cost many hundreds of dollars, and one tutoring session a week can cost more than $1500 a year.

How can I make it so affordable? Simple – I have already paid off my costs selling these books in bookstores for many times the price, and because it’s cheap to deliver it to you online.

These are electronic books (e-books) that can be downloaded very quickly to your computer. You can be reading the tutorials and understanding math in as little as 5 minutes from now.

$34.97 $24.97 is nothing compared to what you get in these books, and compared to what you’d have to pay to even start trying to get math help in any other way.

And don’t worry – if for any reason you’re not happy with the content, you have a complete peace of mind money back guarantee.

Your satisfaction with Complete School is 100% Guaranteed!

Read about our IRONCLAD 7-day money back GUARANTEE!

7-day 100% Money Back Guarantee

I will personally guarantee that Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection will make understanding math easier than you’ll find anywhere else and is the best value math aid you can buy.

If you’re not complete satisfied with the incredible range of math tutorials in this package, contact me anytime (up to 7 days from the date of purchase) and I’ll refund 100% of your purchase price. No hard feelings, no explanations needed.

So, you see, ordering Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is completely risk-free.

Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection are Adobe PDF files. To view the PDF files on your computer all you need is the freely available Adobe Reader software, which can be found here.

Look at these great bonuses that you will also receive:

These bonuses are only available for a limited time and may be removed at any time.

Order NOW and you’ll also get these fabulous bonuses absolutely free:

You’ve probably never seen more math study notes crammed onto one poster in your entire life. The Megamath poster compresses the key concepts, ideas and formulae onto two sides of a poster which you can print out (best printed on A3 paper)

It even folds up nicely to fit in a pocket, which means you can take it anywhere.

You get detailed notes on 32 topics on the poster, including:

Algebra

Lines of Best Fit

Differentiation

Proportional or Direct Relationships

Trigonometry

Matrices

Integration

Logic

Perimeters of 2D Shapes

Fractions

Statistics

More Fractions and Decimals

Bearings and Azimuths

Vectors

Simultaneous Equations

Cosine and Sine Rule

More Statistics

Inverse Relationships

Even More Statistics

More Matrices

Quadratic Equations

More Logic

Errors and Measurement

Index and Log Laws

Finance

Circles

More Differentiation

Probability

More Integration

3D Solids

2D Shapes

Units

Not bad already. But that’s not all you get. Because if you order now, I’ll also throw in:

This package gives you more than 300 pages of free English tutorials. These tutorials explain how to write, read and speak English effectively and have been used by many students to improve their grades in English and Math. Understanding English also helps with reading and comprehending math questions.

With Complete School – The Easy to Understand English Tutorials Collection, you get –

Help with the parts of speech – Clauses, independent clauses, run on sentences, subordination, dependent clauses or subordinate clauses, noun dependent clauses, adjective dependent clauses, adverb dependent clauses, elliptical clauses, predicates, complete predicates, compound predicates, predicate adjectives, essential and nonessential clauses and much more.

Help with grammar – nouns, subjects, objects, pronouns, verbs, verb tenses, verb forms, moods and voices, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions and lists, prepositions and much more.

Help with sentences – types of sentences, sentence basics, writing sentences well and much more.

Help with political correctness, punctuation.

Help with building vocabulary.

Help with writing essays – analytical essays, expository essays, objective and subjective writing, structuring an essay, narrative essays and more.

Help with writing tone, describing things in detail, writer’s block, writing reviews, personal writing.

Help with storyboarding, dramatic performance and oral communication.

Help with poetry.

Tips on how to avoid plagiarism.

That’s a great set of free bonuses.

That’s why Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is such a great bargain at only $34.97 $24.97. Not only do you get a complete, easy to understand math tutorial collection, but you also get a free bonus poster packed with topics and a complete English tutorial collection with over 300 pages of tutorials.

This collection of math tutorials is unique and one of a kind. I have spent almost ten years developing this package and using feedback from thousands of students to improve it.

You can only get this product from me. It isn’t available in bookstores anymore because they have sold out of hardcopy books. Just imagine having this complete collection of easy to understand tutorials ready to be downloaded right away when you order.

A complete set of easy to understand math tutorials that you simply print and use.

Almost 900 pages of explanations, illustrations, fully worked questions and handy hints, so you’ll always be able to get help for that new math topic.

Print as many copies of what you need, from your printer, when you need them.

Remember the 2 bonuses that also give you a poster jam packed with study notes on 32 topics, and the complete English tutorials collection – great resources that will come in handy all the time.

Complete School will give you the chance to actually understand, enjoy and succeed at math.

Wishing you all the best,

Michael Milford, PhD

Academic, Tutor and Published Author

P.S. Remember, you’re getting hundreds of easy to understand tutorials on all the major topics for a tiny fraction of what it would cost you to get the same in normal textbooks, math tutoring, or math software packages. 

[allenmendezsr]

Master Math & English. Easy Explanations. 1200p Poster!

New Post has been published on https://autotraffixpro.app/allenmendezsr/master-math-english-easy-explanations-1200p-poster/

Master Math & English. Easy Explanations. 1200p Poster!

 Buy Now

    Click on the audio controls to learn more about Complete School

From Michael Milford, PhD

Dear Friend,

It’s a hard fact – math is an important life skill, but many people struggle with it. Most of the time, this isn’t their fault – math is quite challenging when it’s taught the way it is nowadays in schools, colleges, courses and textbooks. It’s even harder when you have to go back and relearn math as an adult.

But it doesn’t have to be like this

Imagine being able to really understand even the most challenging math topics. When you understand what you’re doing, math actually becomes enjoyable to do.

When you understand the key math concepts and ideas, you succeed in math exams because you can adapt and adjust to the problems in the exam being different to what you’ve done in practice.

On the other hand, if you just rote learn what your teacher, lecturer or textbook tells you, you’ll struggle to get a good grade. Memorizing topics may work in geography or history, but it sure doesn’t work in math.

Imagine the satisfaction you’d get from seeing your math abilities improving and your grades getting better and better.

Now you can get great grades and enjoy math because you actually understand it.

I’ve done a lot of the work for you. If you put in the effort to read the math tutorials I have prepared, you’ll be much better prepared to understand mathematical topics. Introducing…

gives you 900 pages jam packed full of easy to understand math tutorials to make math easy and interesting to learn.

Math Concepts Explained – Understand the Key Concepts and Ideas

Fully Worked Sample Questions – See How to Work Through Typical Questions

Handy Hints – Avoid Common Mistakes Without Ever Having to Make Them

These are electronic books (e-books) that you can download to your computer instantly. You can be reading them and using them in a few minutes from now.

Finding quality math tutorials isn’t easy. But the Complete School package is a proven package that thousands of people all around the world have already used to succeed at math. In fact:

Math tutorials can sometimes seem too formal and use awkward language. But Complete School is different – it uses everyday language that is both friendly and comfortable to read.

In fact, Complete School is based on years of one-on-one tutoring with students of all ages and abilities. It offers you exactly what was said in all those tutoring sessions, rather than formal textbook writing. But that’s only a tiny fraction of what this package can offer you –

Here’s a preview of what you’ll have with Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection, and how it stacks up against other products:

Feature

Complete School

Other Math Products

Written by someone young enough to remember exactly what it was like trying to succeed at math in school. I remember all the practical tips, tricks and advice that actually help students master math.

An informal, conversational teaching style – learning math is much easier when it’s like someone is talking you through it.

Written exclusively by an academic expert with extensive qualifications who obtained their PhD at the age of only 24 and who was also one of the top national students at school.

Priced for unbeatable value in these tough times at only $24.97

Proven unique math teaching techniques which have been used by more than 6000 students all around the world.

Printable math tutorials you don’t have to read off a computer screen – so less strain on eyes

So if you are looking for a collection of math tutorials to help improve your understanding of math and your grades, Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is your solution.

Best of all, since these are electronic files it only takes a few clicks before you can download the entire collection right to your computer. You can print exactly what tutorials you want, whenever you want.

Before you find out more about how others are finally understanding and mastering math with Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection – sign up to my free e-mail list and I will give you a FREE 34 page study ebook with notes on topics such as fractions, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, statistics, equations and many more.

Look at this extensive list of topics that are included in Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection:

Numbers

Mathematical relations

Operations

Simultaneous equations

Algebra

Rational numbers

Equations

Statistics

Inequations

Pythagoras’ Theorem

Indices and powers

Irrational numbers & surds

Basic geometry

Probability and set language

2D shapes

More algebra

3D solid shapes

Exponentials and indices

Basic interest

Budgeting

Bearings, azimuths, and symmetry

Shapes inside circles

Ratios

More 3D shapes and shape nets

Different forms of linear equations

Finding polynomial relationships

Trigonometry

Linear programming

Quadratic equations

More set theory

Volumes and areas of irregular shapes and solids

More probability

Trip graphs

Circle geometry

More Statistics

Similar figures and geometric constructions

Using and abusing statistical information

Locus and loci – paths things travel

Areas of composite shapes

Three-dimensional trigonometry problems

Volumes of composite solid shapes

Latitude and longitude

Working with errors and measurement

Proportional or direct relationships

Equations using box stories

Inverse relationships

Water flow graphs

Exponential graphs

Matrices

Finance and interest

Vectors

More simultaneous equations

Logic

Integration

Box and whisker plots

Numerical integration methods

Quadratic Equations

Probability

Turning recurring decimals into fractions

Solving dy/dx=ky

Logarithms

Hypothesis testing

Rates of change

Plotting graphs

Derivatives

The unit circle

Solving polynomial equations

General tips for maths tests

More triangles

Click Here to See a Numbers Sample

So as you can see, you don’t get a few measly lessons, you get 900 pages of easy-to-understand math tutorials. (Actually you get much much more – see below)

You’ll have fully explained tutorials, worked example questions and lots of handy hints for avoiding silly mistakes.

This is a comprehensive set of Math Tutorials for the Classroom or Home

Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is now being used by students of all ages around the world to learn those crucial math concepts.

They know, like you do, how important being able to understand and use math is for furthering your education and your status in life. 

Michael, student: “I have been struggling in maths all my life as I missed out on the basics in primary school as a result of changing schools. I would like to take this time just too sincerely thankyou for going out of your way to produce something (Complete School) that has and will help people, like myself, who have been struggling. You have given me new found energy to wake up in the morning and go to school and maths in particular. Thankyou.”

Tara, student: “Thankyou so much for showing me an easier way to understand Algebra and Trig, your book (Complete School) is easy to follow and explains what my teachers don’t, I was struggling to understand and asking my teachers got me no where, my mum got your CD and Book and now I have gone from a C+ to a A- for extended Maths. Even my Teachers are asking me about your book.!…a big Thankyou”

Teachers love Complete School too:

Rod, Upper Primary teacher:

…Although the package is aimed primarily at the High School student there are enough topics covered to be of great value to the Upper Primary sector.

One of the most pleasing aspects of the books is the spacious layout and larger font size used to make reading much easier.

The explanations and examples given are extremely easy to follow and should provide no difficulties for any student or adult wishing to extend their knowledge of Maths or English… I can say with certainty that anyone who purchases this package will not be disappointed. It is FANTASTIC.

Thankyou Michael.

More happy users of Complete School:

Belinda, student: “I recently purchased your book and absolutely love it. I don’t know what I would have done without it. I only wish that I had it last year in Year 11.”

Loana, parent: “Highly recommended, best gift any parent can give their kids…Excellent buy A++”

Adalberto: “Great product. My favorite subject. Easy download, will enjoy for a long time.”

Martie, parent: “Excellent product, very impressed, boys loving it”

Paula-Ann: “Just as advertised – a fantastic buy”

Sharryn: Kick ass product. Loved it!! Many Thanks you’re a champion!!!

Ian: Excellent! As described and making me use my brain again! Thankyou greatly

Siobhan: Over the Moon:o) all the Best with this,,Loved it:o) Best Buy Ever:o)))))

Andrew: Fantastic, a great aid for years to come, Thankyou!!!!!!

Sian: Fabulous. Makes learning easy.

Jenny: Your a legend, I’m telling everyone I know about your product.

You can’t get better opinions than the experiences of people who have used something for themselves. And these students, parents and teachers have been very glad they came across Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection. 

You can easily pay many hundreds of dollars for normal school textbooks over the years. If you were to try and buy textbooks covering all the topics covered in Complete School, you’d spend at least $500.

But in Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection everything is all in one place. Which means you don’t have to go searching each time you change topics or need to revise something. And it’s laid out logically in the order that students learn these topics, so it’s even easier to use.

That’s why Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is a great  value investment at $34.97 $24.97.

That’s a tiny fraction of what it’s really worth and of what you would have to pay to try and get help in any other way. Just to take two examples – software tutoring packages usually cost many hundreds of dollars, and one tutoring session a week can cost more than $1500 a year.

How can I make it so affordable? Simple – I have already paid off my costs selling these books in bookstores for many times the price, and because it’s cheap to deliver it to you online.

These are electronic books (e-books) that can be downloaded very quickly to your computer. You can be reading the tutorials and understanding math in as little as 5 minutes from now.

$34.97 $24.97 is nothing compared to what you get in these books, and compared to what you’d have to pay to even start trying to get math help in any other way.

And don’t worry – if for any reason you’re not happy with the content, you have a complete peace of mind money back guarantee.

Your satisfaction with Complete School is 100% Guaranteed!

Read about our IRONCLAD 7-day money back GUARANTEE!

7-day 100% Money Back Guarantee

I will personally guarantee that Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection will make understanding math easier than you’ll find anywhere else and is the best value math aid you can buy.

If you’re not complete satisfied with the incredible range of math tutorials in this package, contact me anytime (up to 7 days from the date of purchase) and I’ll refund 100% of your purchase price. No hard feelings, no explanations needed.

So, you see, ordering Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is completely risk-free.

Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection are Adobe PDF files. To view the PDF files on your computer all you need is the freely available Adobe Reader software, which can be found here.

Look at these great bonuses that you will also receive:

These bonuses are only available for a limited time and may be removed at any time.

Order NOW and you’ll also get these fabulous bonuses absolutely free:

You’ve probably never seen more math study notes crammed onto one poster in your entire life. The Megamath poster compresses the key concepts, ideas and formulae onto two sides of a poster which you can print out (best printed on A3 paper)

It even folds up nicely to fit in a pocket, which means you can take it anywhere.

You get detailed notes on 32 topics on the poster, including:

Algebra

Lines of Best Fit

Differentiation

Proportional or Direct Relationships

Trigonometry

Matrices

Integration

Logic

Perimeters of 2D Shapes

Fractions

Statistics

More Fractions and Decimals

Bearings and Azimuths

Vectors

Simultaneous Equations

Cosine and Sine Rule

More Statistics

Inverse Relationships

Even More Statistics

More Matrices

Quadratic Equations

More Logic

Errors and Measurement

Index and Log Laws

Finance

Circles

More Differentiation

Probability

More Integration

3D Solids

2D Shapes

Units

Not bad already. But that’s not all you get. Because if you order now, I’ll also throw in:

This package gives you more than 300 pages of free English tutorials. These tutorials explain how to write, read and speak English effectively and have been used by many students to improve their grades in English and Math. Understanding English also helps with reading and comprehending math questions.

With Complete School – The Easy to Understand English Tutorials Collection, you get –

Help with the parts of speech – Clauses, independent clauses, run on sentences, subordination, dependent clauses or subordinate clauses, noun dependent clauses, adjective dependent clauses, adverb dependent clauses, elliptical clauses, predicates, complete predicates, compound predicates, predicate adjectives, essential and nonessential clauses and much more.

Help with grammar – nouns, subjects, objects, pronouns, verbs, verb tenses, verb forms, moods and voices, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions and lists, prepositions and much more.

Help with sentences – types of sentences, sentence basics, writing sentences well and much more.

Help with political correctness, punctuation.

Help with building vocabulary.

Help with writing essays – analytical essays, expository essays, objective and subjective writing, structuring an essay, narrative essays and more.

Help with writing tone, describing things in detail, writer’s block, writing reviews, personal writing.

Help with storyboarding, dramatic performance and oral communication.

Help with poetry.

Tips on how to avoid plagiarism.

That’s a great set of free bonuses.

That’s why Complete School – The Easy to Understand Math Tutorials Collection is such a great bargain at only $34.97 $24.97. Not only do you get a complete, easy to understand math tutorial collection, but you also get a free bonus poster packed with topics and a complete English tutorial collection with over 300 pages of tutorials.

This collection of math tutorials is unique and one of a kind. I have spent almost ten years developing this package and using feedback from thousands of students to improve it.

You can only get this product from me. It isn’t available in bookstores anymore because they have sold out of hardcopy books. Just imagine having this complete collection of easy to understand tutorials ready to be downloaded right away when you order.

A complete set of easy to understand math tutorials that you simply print and use.

Almost 900 pages of explanations, illustrations, fully worked questions and handy hints, so you’ll always be able to get help for that new math topic.

Print as many copies of what you need, from your printer, when you need them.

Remember the 2 bonuses that also give you a poster jam packed with study notes on 32 topics, and the complete English tutorials collection – great resources that will come in handy all the time.

Complete School will give you the chance to actually understand, enjoy and succeed at math.

Wishing you all the best,

Michael Milford, PhD

Academic, Tutor and Published Author

P.S. Remember, you’re getting hundreds of easy to understand tutorials on all the major topics for a tiny fraction of what it would cost you to get the same in normal textbooks, math tutoring, or math software packages.