#last clam shell station

[andrazblaznik]

Last Shell Clam Shell Station, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

[cowgurrrl]

Smoke Signals

Pairing: Joel Miller x fem!reader (except this is all backstory)

Summary: “My rot is as hungry as me. & when God asks me about love, I always respond with cruelty.” - Yves Olade, from Belovéd [3.5k]

Warnings: major character death, typical tlou stuff

October 2007

Adam becomes a permanent fixture in your home after that day. You don't know why that conversation in the bathroom suddenly made things click, but they did. He officially moves in. Jane crawls into bed with you two more and more, starting tickle fights before sunrise. He learns to give you space, and you learn to be less afraid of showing him affection, squeezing his shoulder when you walk behind him, or kissing him before you leave for the day. Sometimes, when you know you have a big drop coming in, you ask him to go with you. He starts to get good at mapping routes and holding his own. You teach him how to shoot efficiently and scavenge for bullets. He teaches you how to find blueberries outside the walls. He even helps you bake a cake for Jane's ninth birthday. It's nice. 

There's still a lot you haven't talked about, and there are a million things you're unsure if you'll ever tell him, but it's okay. He's patient with you. He tells you he understands and isn't fazed whenever you clam up or revert to your anger and silence. "I'll wait," he often says. Normally, after he butters you up like that, you're able to open up just enough, but the lingering thought that he's too good, too whole, too perfect to be with you doesn't budge. You don't know if it'll ever go away. Maybe that's why you try to show him how much you like having him around. Maybe it's why you hide how your body flinches when he hugs you from behind. Maybe that's why you asked him to come on this drop with you.

The leaves are just starting to turn, and the dead ones crunch under your feet. An icy chill stings in the air, winter threatening you with the promise of an especially hard freeze. Whatever wild animals still in the area are desperately searching for enough food to last them through hibernation. You feel the same way as you and Adam trek towards the Shell station. Work gets sparse once it gets cold. People don't want to get caught out in a blizzard or stuck somewhere they don't recognize without rations. You're lucky if you get more than two shipments in before the ground thaws again. Winter is when you get dangerous. Jane needs a better jacket, her old one too small and not thick enough to protect her from the bitter winds, and the three of you need food. 

You've been picking up whatever jobs Lee could get you to fill the worrisome gap in your brain. Sometimes it's just dealing pills and working over addicts. Sometimes it's helping Lee move weapons between Areas. And sometimes, it’s a bullet fired from a rooftop or a conveniently placed knife amid the crowd, the poor sucker bleeding out on the ground before you can even turn the corner. You've gotten good at making things like that look like a freak accident or a rogue Firefly. Adam still doesn't know about the hit jobs, and he never will.

"Who are we meeting this time?" He asks once you're far enough out from the QZ. You glance around to ensure no one is tracking you or can hear you before answering him.

"Catherine and her crew. They said they had a lot of really good stuff come in recently."

"More pills?" He jokes, and you bump him with your shoulder. 

"A few, but Lee made it sound like they had stuff that's really hard to come by. Might even have some chicken for us," you say, making him groan at just the thought of a chicken breast. You laugh and look at him. "Don't get your hopes up on me just yet, Lowery. We don't know anything for sure." 

"You gonna let me make you a nice dinner if that is what it is?" He asks, a big smile pulling on his lips. The autumn sunshine illuminates his eyes beautifully, and the cold air tosses his hair over his forehead. You smile back before looking down at your shoes to hide the blush creeping up your cheeks.

"I don't know. What are you gonna ask for in return?"

"Just a million dollars and mind-blowing sex." 

"Are you saying I don't always give you mind-blowing sex?" You tease, and he laughs. He throws an arm around you, pulls you close until you're tucked into his side, and kisses your temple. You lean into him and let him take some of your weight, relishing in his warm body next to yours.

"I would never say such a thing." He mumbles against you, and you laugh. 

"That's what I thought," you say as the old gas station comes into view. You pull your gun from your waistband and take half a step away from Adam. He gives you a confused look, worry running across his features, and you shake your head. "I left some stuff in a cache out here a few months ago, and I need to get it out and take it to Lee's before it gets too cold." You answer the unspoken question, and he nods before pulling his own gun. 

"I'll cover you." He says, and you ignore the urge to fight with him. As you get closer and closer, your eyes bounce around, searching the area for any threats. The Raider attack from a couple years ago is still fresh in your mind. You refuse to let anything like that happen again. 

You enter the building through the backdoor, shimmying it open as quietly as possible before walking through the empty aisles. Upon first glance, you wouldn't see anything worth taking from here. All the food is either expired or gone. The fridges haven't worked in years, and whatever money may be left in the cash register isn't even the currency you use anymore. That's why you decided to keep a stash in the old beer fridge that takes up most of the drink section. Even if someone wandered in there, they wouldn't be able to spot the rickety board hidden behind sour cases of old alcohol. 

"Can you cover me from out here?" You ask, turning to face Adam as you stand in the threshold of the beer fridge. He pouts for just a second before nodding. 

"Be quick." 

"Always." You say as you peck his lips and disappear into the fridge. You turn on your flashlight to get a better look around and quickly find the loose wood hiding your stuff. As you load ammunition and a spare gun into your backpack, something makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. You feel like you're being watched, but you can't tell by what. You glance over your shoulder to see if maybe Adam is watching you through the glass of the door but see his back as he wanders up and down the aisles of the gas station. You're about to call yourself paranoid when you turn back to your cache and your flashlight catches on a pair of yellow eyes. 

You scream as the Infected launches at you. You're too slow to fire a bullet, and your gun skidders out of your grasp as the Infected claws at your face. You step back to try to get away until the door opens under your shared weight, and you topple over. The wind gets knocked out of you when your back hits the floor with a devastating wheeze, and you see stars. She screeches in your face, tendrils pointing at you as you try to get the upper hand despite the lack of oxygen in your body. Then, in a split second, the Infected is thrown off you, and you scramble away to see Adam wrestling with her. He has her pinned against the wall, but she pushes him back when he tries to pull back enough to fire his gun. 

You rush toward your gun lying in the middle of the room as the Infected wails behind you, hopefully losing the fight with Adam. The second your fingers graze the metal, you turn and try to track her movements with a watchful eye so you don't hit Adam. When she rears her head back, you take the chance to fire. The bullet hits her in the chest, and she falls to the ground, bleeding out for about ten seconds before she stops breathing. Her blood bubbles in her throat, but you can't hear the sound of it pooling in her mouth.

You can't hear anything over the thumping of your own heart. That was the closest you've gotten to an Infected since Outbreak Day. Normally, you can hear or spot them while they're still far away and put them out of their misery without ever getting close to them. You rest against a broken fridge and bury your head in your hands as you try to take deep breaths. Those dead eyes always make you queasy. You're not really sure why. You just know every time you get too close, the lack of life behind the Infected's eyes makes you want to throw up. Maybe it's the idea of being half-alive and being forced to drag your dead weight forward until someone does you the service of putting a bullet between your eyes. Maybe it’s the memories from that first night and seeing them so up close, so fresh into their sickness, constantly replaying and making your blood go cold. You vaguely register Adam calling your name, but you don't look up until your breathing evens out. When you meet his gaze, there are tears in his eyes. 

At first, you don't understand why. You think maybe seeing you upset made him upset, or the wave of emotions accompanying the dying of adrenaline is hitting him early. Then you see the teeth marks on his skin. You find your feet and try to rush over to him, but he takes several steps back, keeping the distance between you. You must look as hurt as you feel because he has to look away from you. 

"Adam, please let me help." You beg, and he shakes his head as he covers the bite mark with a shaky hand.

"You can't help me." He's getting panicky. You can hear it in his voice. You take another step toward him, and he jerks away until his back hits the wall. He cries when you try to get closer to him, dodging a flailing hand trying to push you away.

"I'm not scared of you," you say. His blood is spilling from between his fingers at how hard he's gripping his skin, and you have to pry his hand away before he makes it worse. He's trembling from fear or the infection flowing through his veins. Either way, you don't flinch. "Hey, look at me," you urge, grabbing his face with your free hand and making him look you in the eyes. "You're okay. We can fix this. It's okay. You're gonna be okay, but you have to let me help."

"You need to leave. You need to go back to the QZ and leave me here." He says, his voice thick with tears. 

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Jesus Christ, can you not be so fucking stubborn for once in your life and listen to me?" He yells. The sudden change in volume makes you jump. Immediately, he looks like he regrets it. He only yells when he's scared. It's something you've learned about him in this past few years. Most of your arguments have happened as a result of you being late coming home or showing up bloody and bruised with an explanation you don't want Jane to hear. Still, he's never shouted in your face the way he just did. "It's over." He whispers, his defeat rattling in your bones. He's the hopeful one. He's the optimist, not you. He's careful. You're not. It's supposed to be you.

"No. We can figure this out." You try, but even you can hear the doubt in your voice. 

"How?"

"I don't know yet, but you're gonna be okay," you say. "We can take you back to May or even the Fireflies. They're looking for a cure, right? Maybe they could help. It's worth a shot," Adam says your name as you ramble, but you don't acknowledge it. "Or we can find a way to stop the infection from spreading. We have time. We could do it." 

"It's been years. If there was a cure, they would've found it by now." 

"You don't know that." 

"Give me a break," he says as he takes his backpack off and tosses it to the floor. "I'm not coming home." 

"You're just gonna give up?" You ask.

"Yes."

"That's not fair."

"To who?"

"To me."

"Don't do that. Not now." He says, and you throw your arms up in defeat.

"What do you want me to do, Adam?" You ask, tears pricking behind your eyes. He pulls his gun from his waistband and presses it into your hand. You shake your head and try to wiggle out of his grip, but he's too strong. "No."

"Do you care about me?" 

"Stop."

"Do you care about me?" He asks again slowly and intentionally. You meet his watery eyes and take a shaky breath.

"Of course I do." You answer. He swallows thickly and lets go of your hand, leaving the gun's grip in your palm.  

"Then, you take my backpack and my gun, and you shoot me,"

"No."

"And you go back to the QZ, and you tell Lee we got attacked by Raiders, and I didn't make it. You move on, and you keep Jane alive, okay?"

"I'm not going home without you," you say. "And I'm not shooting you."

"I will not turn into one of those things!" He shouts.

"I'm not killing you! I won't do it, okay?" You shout back, stunning him into silence. You angrily wipe at the tears falling down your cheeks and put his gun on the ground between you two. "I can kill anyone else, just not you. Not my family. I'm sorry. I know you think it's humane or whatever, but I can't be the one to do it," you say. The sad look in his eyes could suffocate you. "I only got four years with you, and even then, I didn't do it right. I want a do-over." 

"You did what you thought was right. I don't blame you for anything."

"I do." The confession shakes you to your core as it echoes around you. His shoulders drop just a little, and he walks over to you. 

"You didn't do anything wrong. Not then and not now. You and Jane gave me some of the best years of my life, and I'm sorry I can't spend more time with you," he says, and you cry more as your hands find his, and you squeeze. He's still here, you think. He's still him. "But you can't stay, and I can't go." Out of every horrible possibility you could ever conjure in your mind, this was never one of them. Him dying before you never even crossed your mind because it seemed so ludicrous. You're the one killing people and getting people hooked on drugs only you have access to for job stability. You're the one who's fucked over more people than you can count. You're the one who's broken and undeserving. You're supposed to die before him.

"What are we gonna do?" You ask, and he swallows thickly. 

"I've never been able to tell you what to do. We both know that." 

"What do you want to do?" 

"I want..." he takes a deep breath and squeezes your hands. "I want to spend whatever sane time I have left with you, and then when it's time, I want you to leave me here, and I will do what I need to do," the thought of him dying alone makes your chest tighten. He leans in to kiss your forehead but stops short, both of your eyes finding the bite mark on his arm. "This is okay. It's what I want. I get to leave knowing you're safe. There's nothing more I could ask for." 

"Can I," you hiccup, trying to compose yourself. "Can I bury you?" 

"I have a feeling there's a reason we burn Infected bodies. I don't want to make anything worse by being buried." 

"So, what? I'm just supposed to leave you here?" You ask, and he shakes his head, but you both know there's no other answer. Technically, he's right. There are theories that Infected bodies expel the Cordyceps or find a way to communicate with other Infected underground. You don't know if you believe that, but you're not sure you believe in anything anymore.

 "Maybe we can have a funeral. Just the two of us. That way, it doesn't feel so bad. Think of this as like... a mausoleum or something," he says. "Besides, it could be kinda fun. How many people get to attend their own funeral?" He asks, a sad smile on his face, and you chuckle despite yourself. "Will you eulogize me, sweetheart?" 

You nod. Slowly, the two of you walk over to the wall opposite the dead Infected and sit beside each other, your hold on him never breaking. He uses his free hand to wipe your tears away, and you try to memorize his fingerprints. You can already see his bite mark getting spiny and raised. You can feel him slipping away from you. 

"Adam Lowery," you start, staring into his beautiful eyes. "Was the best man I've ever known. He was kind and gentle when it mattered most, and he always got this cute dimple in his cheeks when he smiled real wide," you dig your finger into his cheek and feel the divot form as he smiles. "He was so beautiful, and not just because of his swoopy hair or rugged good looks."

"Alright." He rolls his eyes at your compliments even though it was his idea to do the eulogy. 

"He was beautiful because of how he treated others," you pull him back on track, and tears threaten your waterline again. "For so long, I thought people like him wanted something for their good deeds, but he never did. He only ever wanted to be the light in this dark world, and he did such a good job. He was my light," your voice catches in your throat. "He helped me learn to dance in the kitchen again, take days off, and not take things so seriously. He showed me that life could be beautiful again, and even though it took me so long to realize it, I will never be able to repay him for that,"

"I will never be able to apologize enough for what I did wrong, and I will never find someone quite like him, but I think that's okay. People like Adam Lowery are once in a lifetime, and I'm so grateful he found me in this one," you stare at him as you say the words so he can feel how real they are. This is the closest you've ever gotten to a marriage vow. "Just... promise to find me in the next one, okay?" You ask, and he nods. 

"I promise." He whispers, squeezing your hand. 

"I…" You try to finish the sentence, but an invisible vice grip in your stomach stops you. You want to be able to say it. You want him to hear it for once, but he shushes you gently. 

"I know," he breathes, touching his forehead to yours. "Me too." 

Neither of you says much after that. You just hold him and trace the curve of his skin, the angle of his jaw, and the curl of his eyelashes. It feels like studying a portrait so you don't forget all the details before you can tell someone about it. You listen to his heartbeat, and he listens to yours. The sun sets and rises over you, but you don't sleep. The least you can do is stay with him until the very end, and you do.

A glaze comes over his eyes before the sun can even finish breaching the horizon. You pretend not to recognize it, and he pretends not to be fighting the infection taking over his brain. You won't kill him, but you also won't let yourself get infected. He knows that. You don't reach for your gun when he starts groaning and swaying back and forth. He's the one who has to push you out of the gas station and into the freezing morning. You kick and scream the whole way, but unbearable silence fills the air the second you're on the other side of the door. You jump when the gunshot rings out a few seconds later. 

Then, like the world is laughing at you, the birds return to chirping, and the clouds continue moving across the sky. Adam is dead, and a piece of you died with him, and the world didn't stop spinning no matter how much you wanted it to. Jane still needs you. You're all she has left, and she’s been with Mrs. Carmichael for God knows how many hours. You have to go home to her. You have to tell her why Adam isn’t with you. On wobbly legs, you stand and rest your hand on the door Adam slammed in your face in the same way a widow traces their partner's name on a headstone. 

And you walk away.

[lastconcourse]

Halloween: Basement, bedroom:

half-overcast sky, windows somewhat alight with sun

an alive white Stove rolls in: Its burners lift and drift to its low sides,

mount, uncoil and re-wrap to make four wheel-rims.

Rain on a skylight glass: the wet window is a scalp

Gypsum boxes and corners are the walls of a skull.

Wheelstove: I miss cooking you lunch,

your basement was our rib cage

….my hands feel useless…

I can’t find our lungs.

A clothing rack on tank treads drives in. It stops, and speaks:

“You never want to wear the gifts I get you”

A microwave turns into a gondola on a burlap airship. It hovers and replies:

“I made him dinner; he won’t even touch one plate of what’s leftover….

So ungrateful.”

Hallway more brightly lit;

new knowing of losses+Time’s flight

Thinking forwards from the dirt diamond by a gas station

craftsman siding is the skin on timber cheekbones.

Wheelstove: Make my longing travel:

from low in the angry left corner, toward far up as a balloon fish in the top right sky.

As for now;

I just was, and will again be alone,

cooking a memory in our rib cage.

A disk of dim sunlight on my Autumn;

the cloudcast sky; a gray crystal dome

is a VTOL craft with a gantry

and two large parenthesis for clamps

and it floats over the proscenium arch,

its steel propellers turning through noonlight rain:

That’s the Sunlightfog arriving.

Bed frame is the rib bones; window drapes the torso skin

The fogged window is an unclean jacket

Wheelstove: soul + pictures encased are

shot out the bell of a glass musket into ↑ orbit ←

That for them. But for me? Should I, that? should I even think

that I in the Heavens should forgiven be? I look out the window—

Sunlightfog: I’m ease of mind. I’m peace which drifts foreverywhere

Wheelstove: One who can’t be killed?

***

Seven years back, one side of the mattress burned

and the burnt leftovers froze.

Now three ungloved hands pick up

pieces; of the crumblechank of ice + crumble of roasted wool

,and unload them in a trough of carbon fluid, at downstage middle;

brown flurry, slowly drips through a factory.

Now the stove acts by remembering:

one cold hand flips a toggle on the console of the Anatomy-Arranger:

Sheetfoam+ash+springs melt, flow, harden into beams

and are welded bolted and wrenched together as bones, with muscle,

and drinking-straw tendons.

***

A robotic duck with a chainsaw head walks in and fells an oak tree,

The tree trunk is stripped barkless, halved, and carved into a duo of legs that stomp on the porch.

A soda can opens like a barnacle, and tapemeasure-tendrils wave out.

Clotherack:

“that was the last drink, I am so thirsty, you couldn’t save some for me?”

A suitcase opens like a clam. A tongue made out of an exercise band ejects a greasy steel block which goes high to the left, and impacts the airship: Now the Airship bursts and crashes to the floor.

Microwareship:

“I am….popped”

Car Keys+Diploma+Portrait+Toolbox+Keycard+Tombstone

personal items are all melted/mixed→crumpled→flooded with Sunlight,

poured in a bubble-shell which is then released to swim upward; so

records of identity become a jellyfish big as the day sky

over the big stage floor: ↓

Rusted Keys+ID photo+Birth Certificate+Razor+Backpack+Shoes ↓

Rustad Keyis ID Phorta Binth Certofecate Razop Bapacker Shoesar ↓

Ruystald Keyris g’ID Phortans bingth Cero’fecalle ba’padder Sho-seart ↓

cruystald kteynris ogi-Ortans Bwingths cepro’fepelle bar-pudder s-Hseart ↓

cruystal k-Tenrils oi-orgtans Wingths ePro’fepeller baRudder H’seart

Crystal Tendril Organs Wings Propeller Rudder Heart

↓

This Soul-Shield/Heaven-Enterer is now

Shot through a green glass pistol from the past, through Earth’s present orbit, then past Time itself.

[robert-sims]

Channel Coastal Vibes with UMODE Handmade Puka Shell Necklace Set

Introduction:

UMODE is a company that specializes in the design and manufacturing of various types of bags, including handbags, backpacks, tote bags, and more. They offer a range of styles and designs to meet different fashion preferences and customer needs.

Hot Product

UMODE 3Pcs Handmade Puka Shell Necklace for Men Women, Summer Beach Natural Seashell Surfer Necklace Set

REAL SEASHELL NECKLACE: Genuine white clam chips and coconut beads from the Philippines brust out tropical beachy vibes. Unlike plastic things, authentic seashell necklace feels a bit weighty and fairly durable, natural coconut wood will not irritate skin, safe to wear for men women.

CLASSICE HAWAIINA STYLES: The puka shell necklace set include 3 pieces: one is totally white, another features black coconut stations at white shells, and the last one features white seashell stations at black coconut, which are among the most popular Hawaiian styles. They are classic, never outdated, and easy to match, such perfect summer, beach, surfer and leisure accessories for all ages, including unisex adluts, teens and seniors. A never-wrong jewelry option!

RELIABLE HANDMADE CRAFTS: The beaded surfer necklaces are totally made by hand, each puka shell and coconut bead are specially selected to meet superior quality, pliable and tough stainless steel thread is easy to bend while wearing; and the lobster clasp is real white gold plated that’s hard to tarnish. It’s the thoughtful details that make us different and make you distinctive!

A Review Of  UMODE

I had a set of resistance bands I purchased a few months back and while they do the job, they were a bit too thick and busy to easily carry. These resistance bands are light but very strong and can really take a good stretch! The baggie it comes with fits everything well and it’s very easy carry. The entire inner sider of the bands are non-slip and don’t pull the skin. I’ll definitely be using these from now on

Natural Beauty: Each seashell in this necklace set is hand-selected for its unique shape, size, and color variations, ensuring that every piece is one-of-a-kind. Embrace the imperfections and natural beauty of the shells, which serve as a reminder of the ocean’s timeless allure.

Adjustable Length: Whether you prefer a choker-style necklace or a longer pendant, UMODE’s Puka Shell Necklaces offer adjustable lengths to suit your personal preference. Simply adjust the length using the sturdy clasp closure for a comfortable and customized fit.

Gift of Summer: Share the spirit of summer with friends and family by gifting them UMODE’s Handmade Puka Shell Necklace Set. Perfect for birthdays, holidays, or any occasion that calls for a touch of seaside charm, these necklaces are sure to be a hit with beach lovers and free spirits alike.

[b-ritney]

I had 2 dreams last night that I believe are worth sharing b there is def something wrong with me lmao

The first one went like this:

I was left alone at a beach house in a bustling little town.. I explored the house for a while but decided to go outside and look for shells well I found a bunch of extraordinarily colored clams and went to grab them to look at but put them back bc I knew they were still alive. Well they got mad and a few of them started chasing me and then all of them started chasing me and then more came from out of nowhere and I was being chased by a legion of angry clams..... then it goes blank idk lmao

The second dream:

I was with my friend out in the middle of nowhere and we came upon this really busy gas station that I guess is the last good one before you really hit the open road. Well we stopped there and went inside and as soon as we came in the owner said, "Oh good" and threw us uniforms and made us work... well we started laughing in disbelief bc what the hell lmao but he was really serious... sooo we started working but decided to start fucking around with customers and acting dumb bc we didn't want to be there. THIS IS WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING

A group of 3 cyclist in full cycling leotards and helmets ride their bikes up to the side of the building and get off to come inside for something.. well one of them looked really familiar and I looked at my friend and said "hey I know him" and she goes "yeah me too" then the guy unzips the top half of his outfit to cool off and I realize it's Jamie Campbell Bower lmao.... BUT to be inconspicuous he has covered his tattoo's and drawn over them... more specifically the heart on his chest he covered and then drew a heart with a smiley face in it... lmao anyway I say to my friend audibly "OMG it's Jamie Bower" and his friends start looking around panicked bc lol they've been caught, so one guy goes "hey we want 3 hunny buns" and I was like "you can have them I dont know what the hell Im doing back here so just take them." well he ends up paying anyway and Jamie is just looking at me and my friend the whole time... well someone else in the building must have recognized him and put it online bc a swarm of teenage girls shows up and Jaime runs for the hills.... Literally... and SOME HOW... he get's a microphone and speaker and sets up a meet and greet on the hill outside the gas station and me and my friend get special treatment for some reason he said... I can't remember why lmao... that's it bahahahaha

[northernprairieautosales]

Pack the Car and Check Out These 5 Great Local Parks Near Wolf Point MT

There are a number of reasons to visit the parks near Wolf Point, MT. This article will cover some of the most popular and unique ones. Whether you’re interested in history, wildlife, or outdoor adventure, these areas are sure to please all you’re adventurous needs.

1. Last Chance Gulch

If you want to see grizzly bears and wolves in their natural habitat, you can watch them play, eat, and listen to their howls. There are also a few different golf courses in the area, and there are several other attractions to enjoy. The last few years have brought many visitors to this area, making it one of the most popular locations.

2. Gates of the Mountains Historic Site

The Gates of the Mountains Wilderness is a national park in Montana and was established by an act of Congress in 1964. The Meriwether Picnic Site is a popular destination within this park. It is named after Meriwether Lewis, the famous explorer who crossed the continent. Visitors to this park can enjoy hiking, skiing, and horseback riding.

3. Nellie’s Park

Located on Highway #2, Nellie’s Park offers covered picnic tables, which can be great for enjoying the sunshine. The park was named after Nellie Montgomery, a local resident who lived across the street from the park. She took care of the trees that adorned the park, and the city council decided to honor her in the park. While it might not seem like it, Nellie’s Park is a great place to take your kids or friends.

4. Mobash Skatepark

The Mobash Skatepark a large park located downtown is one of Montana’s best. Opened in 2006, this park features multiple bowls, steel coping, clam shells, manual pads, and rails. In addition to skateboarding, the park also offers a variety of other recreational activities. Upon its grand opening, Tony Hawk gave it his seal of approval. The park is lit throughout the night and open year-round. Helmets are required, so be sure to wear yours when skating at this park.

5. Holter Lake Campground

If you’re planning a family vacation in the area, you might want to stop at Holter Lake Campground. This park has a large concrete boat launch for overnight or day-use use and fish cleaning stations. There are also potable water and garbage dumpsters on site, so you can take care of your belongings without worrying about having no running water. Additionally, the tent areas each have a fire ring and a grill grate. Exploring a local park in Wolf Point with a car like the 2022 Wagoneer Series 1 4×4 will be sure to upgrade your trip. It features an automatic full-time four-wheel drive, trailer wiring harness, and permanent locking hubs, making this vehicle the perfect choice. We would be delighted for you to stop by Northern Prairie Auto Sales in Wolf Point to show you the variety of new and used cars we have available.

[sweetchup]

Bi•valve

Noun

an aquatic mollusk that has a compressed body enclosed within a hinged shell, such as oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops.

AKA

The Most Common Seashell in the Ocean

————————

Vol. 2: Into the Deep // Ch. 7

Type: Poseidon x reader

Word Count: 3,000+

Masterlist

————————

A loud creak fills the night air as you make your way through the empty halls. You feel yourself freeze for a second, holding your breath as you listen for any signs of movement. For any signs that someone else would be in the halls as well. Thankfully no one was actually there and, once you deem it is safe to continue, you round the corner to the staircase.

Tonight marks your third day staying here. Well, technically five days but you don’t count the two you were unconscious. Even though you had asked, as well as begged, Marine to take you to see Triton on that first day he wouldn’t allow it.

“My Lady, You must stay in bed! You are still injured!”

“Please, My Lady! Master Triton is fine.”

“Lord Poseidon would behead me if he saw you up already!”

Which has led you to this. Sneaking out at the bleak of midnight to make your way to Triton’s Manor. Thankfully, yet also not, Poseidon doesn’t station knights in the Manors so you could easily make your way through the halls.

Sorry about this Marine…

You felt bad about tricking Marine like this—You could already imagine the heart attack the poor fish would get once it realized you had disappeared—But you couldn’t stay in that room for one more moment. All day, every day, for the past three days it was all about Poseidon’s and your’s picture perfect fairy tale love story.

Apparently, all of the servants, and you meant all, believed that you had stolen their dear lord’s heart and to protect you from the wicked Amphitrite he allowed you to take care of his son. So when Marissa—who was apparently Triton’s aunt on Amphrite’s side—tried to attack you, Poseidon was so worried about your safety that he made you stay in his kingdom instead. They said it was the love story of the millennium…

Honestly, they couldn’t have gotten more off from what really happened.

“Finally…” You gasp out as you see the exit in sight. Traveling across the vacant grand entrance, you stand in front of the cold stone door. It’s pure size and golden details makes you pause from grabbing onto its handle.

You can do this…

Taking a deep breath, you finally grasp the metal handle and give it a pull.

“It weighs so much…” You mumble to yourself as you put your whole body weight behind your next tug. No wonder Triton was so strong, these doors were no joke. If it weren’t for the fact you were underwater and it made things lighter, you, in no way, would be able to open this door.

If only that magical shield, or whatever it’s called, that was around the whole palace area wasn’t in place. That stupid thing that actually allowed gravity and no magic spells inside its area. You could have just swam out an open window instead of going through all this trouble.

But, what can you do... It’s not like you could actually boss Poseidon around. You were sure that you were on the last straw with that guy.

“Woah…” You gasp out as you peeked outside from the open door that was now wide enough to be able to slip outside.

Due to Atlantis—where Poseidon’s Castle was located—being on the ocean floor, the moon was able to shine down far enough. Leaving the place often dark with only lanterns or other god made items for light. Well, that’s based on what you saw from inside the manor.

Outside was a totally different story.

Angular fish, Jellyfish, Squids, Luminous Shrimps. All of them covered the night sea in a blurry of glowful colors in front of you. It looked like billions of stars in the night sky. Except for the fact they were actually closer to you.

“A Human…?” A squeaky voice calls out. Startled, you look around in confusion and it takes you a moment to realize that one of the Luminous Shrimp was calling out to you. As you raise your hand for it to latch onto your finger, making you let out a small giggle from its front antenna tickling at your skin, it gains the attention of the rest of the swarm of shrimp that were swimming nearby.

“A Human?”

“It really is.”

“Is she Lord Poseidon’s new bride?”

“What was her name again?”

“(Y/n)? Right?”

“(Y/n).” All the shrimp begin to chant as they swim over and tickle at your skin.

“H-hey!” You giggle out, twitching and wrinkling at the strange feeling. Your stomach beginning to hurt as the small giggles turn to full scale laughter. “That tickles..!”

The shrimp continue to tickle you for a couple of more moments—along with chanting words of praises for their ‘new lady’—before suddenly swimming off in a hurry.

“H-Hey where are you running off—“ Your voice pauses as your back suddenly hits something hard. “Wh—..”

As you spin your head around to take a look at what you had bumped into, you freeze on the spot. Oh what good luck you seem to have…

“P-Poseidon…”

At the call of his name, you see the said Sea God’s eyebrow twitch slightly under the light glow of the sea creatures. Ah. You forgot you weren’t supposed to address Gods so casually. Especially him.

“I-I mean, Good Evening Lord Poseidon…”

The cold look on the God’s face doesn’t change as he continues to stare daggers down at you but it at least seems less menacing now. Perhaps it was your internal survival instincts thanking you for avoiding death once again.

.

..

…

Ah, this is awkward.

“M-May I help you, Lord?” You ask Poseidon as he continues to stare at you. You were hoping for some sort of response or answer to make the atmosphere less awkward but all you got was a scoff in response. The only thing out of said exchange that didn’t make you angry was how he drifted his gaze away from you and onto the floating sea creatures instead. Just thankful to get his piercing gaze off of you.

What was this guy’s deal?

Not wanting to spend another moment with the rude fish god, you turn and walk away. As your feet tread the last couple of steps of the stone stairs and onto the path, you find yourself looking at the sea grass that stood just yonder of it.

This must have been the area that was originally meant to be used as that ginormous garden as, compared to the rest of the surrounding area, the sea grass stretched out for yards in front of you. Honestly, you guessed two whole soccer fields could squeeze inside the vast circular field in front of you.

Actually, as you stared at the sea grass that seemed to dance in the tide of the sea, you wondered if it was anything like normal grass.

“Ah!” You can’t help but let out as you place one bare foot onto the field. It was soft, extremely soft. You would even compare it to the feeling of silk with its smooth and chill-like feeling.

“Human…”

At the call you tilt your head upwards to come face to face with a giant jellyfish. When did that get there? Also, why did it come down in the first place? The rest of the jellyfish were drifting much higher up. About roof height even.

“Human…” The jellyfish calls again, this time stretching one of its tentacles out towards you. Its smooth purple like texture makes you entranced by it. Ah, was it asking you to shake its hand?

“H-Hello—“

Just as you stretch your hand out to clasp the jellyfish’s, a hand on your wrist stops you. Instantly, you freeze as you recognize the green glove that was attached. Oh god, what did you do this time?

“L-Lord Poseidon-n I wasn-n’t— Gah!”

Instantly your head flies upwards back to the jellyfish as you hear its screeching. Poseidon’s other hand was holding the jellyfish head in a death-like grip. Based on the veins popping out from his arm it was like he was trying to squeeze the jellyfish into mush.

“Lord Po—“ You are cut off as Poseidon’s chilling voice resounds out next to your ear.

“You weren’t trying to do what?” You feel yourself calming down slightly as you realize he wasn’t addressing you. Though it wasn’t by much as you were still pressed against the strong god as he berated the jellyfish in front of you, “Insolent creature. Know your place.”

“I-It was only trying to shake my hand!” You shout out as you turn your gaze up to the god. His chilling blue eyes almost making you want to back down if it wasn’t for the fact you knew you couldn’t. It wasn’t right of him to punish a poor creature that just wanted to greet you.

“Shake your hand?” Poseidon chillingly repeats, a small chuckle laced in at the end as if he finds the situation to be humorous. Slightly, the god tilts his head down. Just close enough to whisper in your ear, “Human. Open those pathetic eyes of yours and take a hard look at my hand.”

Although you were taken aback by Poseidon’s harsh words, you still turn your gaze to look at his hand. Oh. Although his hand was mostly covered by his glove, you could still see the searing red bumps and lashes that decorated across his fingertips.

“Not only that.” Poseidon whispers again, making you jump slightly, “This jellyfish is deadly poisonous for humans.”

“Lord Poseidon-n. I beg for your forgiveness. I only did this because Lady Am—“

“Shut up.” You wince and shut your eyes close as Poseidon encloses his grip on the jellyfish. Crushing its head in a grueling squish. Even though you saw Marissa decapitated less than a week ago, you still find yourself shaking out in fear. Unable to find it in you to open your eyes.

“Tch. Pathetic…”

At first you thought Poseidon was addressing the now deceased jellyfish but you soon find out he wasn’t. Letting out a small squeak, your eyes fly open instantly as Poseidon hauls you up into his arms. Though, you soon regret that decision as your gaze locks instantly onto the corpse of the jellyfish.

Shutting your eyes once again, you shakily lean against Poseidon as you attempt to dull the sickly feeling settling in your stomach. Not even bothering to  question or ask where he could possibly be taking you.

It is only when you hear the loud squeak of a door being open that you open your eyes. Looking over Poseidon's shoulder as he ventures further into the building, you try to find out where you were. From what you could see, it definitely wasn’t your Manor as the halls were far too grand. With floor to ceiling grand windows, marble floors, and intricate works of art, it left you speechless.

It is only when your gaze locks with one of the many photos on the walls that you finally realize where you were.

“Are we in Triton’s Manor?”

Poseidon doesn’t give you a response but you pass by more photos and paintings of Triton, you knew your assumptions were correct.

But,…

Pressing a hand on Poseidon’s chest you lean backwards to stare at the god. His eyes continue to face forward, seeming to stare right through your torso that stood in front of him as he doesn’t even bother to gaze up at you, “Poseidon… Why are you helping me?”

Once again, Poseidon doesn’t respond, only giving you a small glance upwards as so to give a glare to show his distaste in how you did not address him properly. You swore this guy changed his mind so much it was giving you whiplash. He decides at one point to full on ignore you and the next to save you from impending danger.

“I thought you wanted me dead.”

This time Poseidon actually reacts as he pauses in his movement and his eyes turn to gaze up at you. Their cold glory makes you flinch at his emotionless gaze.

How did Triton come from this man…

“You wanted to kill me as you dragged me underwater with Triton, right?”

A long pause fills the air before Poseidon finally responds.

“I do.”

You feel the need to flinch under the harshness of his words but don’t. You knew you couldn’t. He wasn’t saying ‘I do’ because he wanted to kill you in the past. No. He would have said ‘I did’ if that was the case. Even as he saved you from the jellyfish. Even as he was currently holding you in his arms, Poseidon still wanted to kill you. He still had the desire to.

But…

Why are you still alive then?

“Stop thinking.” Poseidon coldly orders as his eyebrows twitch lightly in annoyance. As if he knew what you were thinking, he continued to answer. “You are alive because you need to be. When you aren’t worthy to me anymore, I’ll throw you away. It’s as simple as that.”

Poseidon continues to stare up at you, seeming to wait for any more peeps out of you before venturing on. He grunts a little as you fall back in his arms, your chin resting on his shoulder as you look around at the items that decorate the halls. The warmth leaking from your body through your nightwear makes him freeze slightly but he doesn’t say anything. Choosing for once not to voice his disgust outloud and instead looking at the items that decorate the halls as well.

Soft…

Poseidon’s fingers twitch slightly as he accidentally graces your warm skin that was hidden under the shirt of your nightwear.

Stupid…

His mind instantly ridiculed and pummeled down the disgusting thoughts that clogged his mind. Especially over the fact that he, of all gods, shouldn’t be intrigued over the softness and warmth of a human.

“Tch. We are here.” Poseidon grumbles out as he finally rounds the corner and opens the door to Triton’s room.

Yet, even though Poseidon thought it would all be over if he reaches Triton’s room and places you down, he comes face to face with another problem.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Poseidon snapped out. Even though you came all this way, and caused a lot of bothersome troubles in the process, you only leave his side for a second to check up on Triton before coming right back. Did you not care about his s—

Instantly, Poseidon stomps that thought out of his mind.

“Your wounds. You’ll need help patching them up.” You bluntly told the god. Even though you had flinched at his outburst seconds earlier, you still reach forward to grab his hand. Did you want him to kill you?

Poseidon retracts his hand and glares down at you.

“I do not need your help.”

“Bu—“

“Gods… have no need for armies. No need for betrayal. No need for support. Such are the gods. Ever since the beginning, we have been the perfect beings. I. Especially. Do. Not. Need. A. Human’s. Help.”

After Poseidon’s speech, there's a long pause. Out of the corner of his eye, Poseidon watches you walk away and believes you gave up. That is until he sees you drag a chair over near him, patting the seat in a gesture to get him to sit down that makes his nose wrinkle up in disgust.

“I—“

“It’s my fault.” You state, cutting Poseidon off as you stare back at him. Your sharp fiery gaze unwavering as they stare back into his cold emotionless ones. “You don’t need my help since you are perfect but… it’s my fault. So I owe you one. So give me your hand so we are even. If Gods have no need for support then they have no need for favors as well. Right—“

“Shut up.” Poseidon barks out coldly. Giving you a harsh glare before, surprisingly, sitting down in the chair. For a second, Poseidon feels his hand twitch as he sees the surprised look on your face, wanting to wipe that fowl look off your face but stops himself as you kneel down to examine his hand.

I’m getting too worked up from a stupid mortal, Poseidon thinks as he turns his gaze up to the ceiling as you pull off his glove. Seeming to begin to treat his wounds.

Stupid…

Poseidon feels himself grit his teeth as your hands softly graze up and down his. Examining it to see what must be done to treat the many wounds. He wonders if this was how you treat Triton’s woun— Stop. So carefully and—

“Stop.” Poseidon bellows as he pulls his hand away from your grasp. This was idiotic. What in the world was going on with him?

It’s just like the time when Triton was born.

Stop.

How warm he felt inside seeing—

STOP.

“Hey. I need to—“ As you grasp onto Poseidon’s hand once more, he instantly grabs the front of your shirt and throws you across the room. Thankfully you landed safely on Triton’s bed, only the wind knocked out of you but…

“M-Mom?”

My, I’ve never seen a look like that.

Poseidon feels his body freeze as his gaze comes in contact with Triton’s. The boy that was once peacefully sleeping now wide awake as he takes in the scene in front of him.

Hmmm… You sure secretly spoil a child you don’t care about.

“F-Father?” Poseidon feels his hand balls into fists as Triton calls that title towards him.

I know you won’t divorce me unless you want something to happen to your precious so—

The loud slamming of a door cuts Poseidon’s thoughts off and he finds himself out in the hallway.

Stupid…

All of this, everything, was stupid.

A perfect being. He was a perfect being. Gods have no need for armies. No need for betrayal. No need for support. Such are the gods. Ever since the beginning, we have been the perfect beings. We have no need for the herd... no need for scheming... and no need for support.

Such… are the gods.

Author Note: Oooo a lot happened this chapter. Especially a lot with Poseidon’s character. Feel free to discuss what you thought about this chapter and Poseidon’s inner monologue. I would love to hear about your opinion or answer any questions if you are confused on some parts.

Taglist: @angeli-fucking-cat @marixxhq @sproutcorner @orophaea @anime-lover-forever-1127 @fortuna-stella @icy-spicy

[humansofnewyork]

“It drove my mom mental. The minute I got home, I was right in front of the computer. But video games were the only place I fit in. I was never very popular in school, even though I wanted to be. But things were different online. People respected the way I played. Back then it was mostly Warcraft III, and I was good at it. I wasn’t ranked at the top or anything, but I had over 1800 wins. Most people didn’t even believe I was a girl. One night I was randomly paired with a player named SirFishingKill, and we stomped the other team. We overran their bases with a giant army of crypt fiends and frost wyrms. Then we played another game. And another. Until before long we were playing almost every night. Our conversations were mainly about strategy, but gradually we learned more about each other. His name was Patrick. He was eighteen. And he only lived a few hours away in Toronto. During one of our talks I asked if he wanted to meet. At first he was reluctant because I don’t think he believed I was a girl. But when I visited Toronto with a group of friends, he agreed to meet us at Union Station. I had no idea what he looked like. I just knew he had blonde hair and blue eyes. So when I finally found him, I kinda clammed up. It was like: ‘Oh my God, this guy is cute.’ We spent hours walking around the city. We went to the top of the CN tower. And after that day, our conversations became much more frequent. We’d have these long MSN chats every night. I’d rush to my computer the moment I got home. It felt nice. To get to talk to someone. Even if it was about my stupid day. Patrick was the first boyfriend I’d ever had, even if our relationship was mostly online. He broke me out of my shell. I wasn’t the girl who stared at her shoes anymore. Somebody cared what I had to say. The relationship only lasted seven months. We were so young, and there was no way long distance would work. But my new sense of confidence stayed with me. And several years later, when we reconnected as adults, everything just clicked. We got married in 2017. It wasn’t a total gamer wedding. Nobody dressed like elves or anything. But we did play some World of Warcraft tavern music at the reception.”

[chokemeanakin]

Give Me Love

Chapter Two

Wc: 1.5k

MASTERLIST

Since then, you had made a considerably stronger effort to get over your intimidation of Anakin. It was hard to accept that the man could turn you into such a sensitive little girl so easily. Your childhood shyness came back full-force around him. You could flirt and tease and play with any guy, but the minute he so much as looked in your direction, you froze. Clammed up. Lost all thoughts that might have been formed in your head, and stood there like a cadaver. Brain dead.

You hated the reasoning for it even more. You were demoted to a shell of a human being around him because he was pretty? How pathetic of you.

That wasn’t the only reason. Yes, you had always thought he was beautiful in ways you’d never seen before and know you will never see in anyone else. But that first night walking home with him cemented your feelings even more-- he was charming, and funny, and sweet, and ambitious-- and so so intelligent.

He had walked with his hands clasped behind his back like a prince, gloved arm in his flesh hand, guiding you leisurely through the streets as he waited for your shorter legs to keep up. He had smiled at your attempts at conversation, and inquired about your training as a field nurse at the Temple medbay. As if he really cared. He even pretended not to notice the goo-goo eyes you had shot him for a fleeting second, when you finally mustered the courage to look him in the face as you bid goodnight.

He was so handsome. Such a gentleman. So sweet and caring and brave. And strong and determined and on and on and on. He was everything. And that’s why your existence crumbled around him, because you felt like anything you did might annoy him, gross him out, make him detest you. Your self-esteem was never perfect, but around him it tanked. The thought of him dreading your presence scared you into motion, fleeing before he could realize how ugly, or annoying, or terrible you might be.

You knew it confused Ahsoka. She’d seen you play guys until their jaws were on the floor, whining and drooling after you like dogs. But as soon as her Master’s voice came over her com? You were a shaking, whimpering mess.

Her little plan had worked though. Soon, you were risking a quiet, “Hello, General Skywalker,” as she urged you to greet him over the com. You had twisted your hands together so hard the joints in your fingers popped, forehead breaking out with a slight sweat. But you had addressed him directly, even if it was over com. Baby steps, Ahsoka commended you.

And then, you had agreed to walk her to the starfighter hangars one afternoon-- a place he was notorious for hanging out, and one you had adamantly refused even stepping in the direction of. When you got there, he was, of course, under his yellow Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor, tweaking something with a wrench in one hand and a blowtorch in the other.

“Say hello,” Ahsoka had grit through her teeth, jabbing you in the ribs with her elbow. You winced and rubbed the spot, freezing in place as Anakin rolled out from under the starfighter and lifted his goggles onto his forehead. It pushed his bangs up, the curls sticking up cutely, making your heart skip a beat.

“Thanks for walking me, Y/n,” the Togruta padawan stressed your name pointedly.

“Uh… you’re welcome, Ahsoka.” You flinched as she raised her eyebrows, shifting your gaze to the man beside her. “Hi, Anakin.”

“Hey, Y/n,” his answering smile was blinding. Your veins filled with lava. Hearing your name formed from his sultry voice, dripping off his lips like honey, dancing across the room and tickling your ears with butterfly wings… it felt more like a blessing than a greeting.

It got easier with time. Baby steps was right. Soon, you weren’t turning on your heel as soon as you saw him walking down the same hallway, instead passing him quickly and returning his casual head-nod. If he caught sight of you in the mess hall, he’d wave and offer a small smile, a gesture which you returned. You had even managed to get that awful stutter under control, able to form words around him like you weren’t a newborn baby.

Ahsoka was proud.

And then. And then. And then.

He had snuck up behind you one day as you were cleaning up your station in the medbay. You had been switching gauze pads, removing stitches, and setting bones from clones and Jedi all day until the last patient came in, a clone bleeding from a slashed artery in his thigh where a bounty hunter had stuck him with a knife. He was lucky he got to you in time, or he surely would have bled to death. You managed to staunch the spurting flow of blood enough for him to be prepped and brought in for surgery, and then your shift was over. You were scrubbing the tiles clean of the results, scrubs absolutely drenched in blood, when Anakin knocked on the doorframe.

“Hard day?” he’d asked, eyes sweeping over the gory mess of the usually stark-white room.

“Quite typical, actually,” you grimaced, mind still reeling from the adrenaline. You guessed that’s why you had the confidence to actually speak to Anakin right now, as well as look at him without falling to your knees. Well-- you were already on your knees, so all you had to battle with was the flurry of butterfly wings in the pit of your stomach.

“Did he live?” Anakin walked a couple steps into the room, arms crossed, avoiding patches of dried blood on the tile.

“He’s in surgery, but he’ll pull through. Amazing, considering how much blood he lost.”

“I can see.”

You scrubbed away at the tile for a moment, strangely unbothered that he was seeing you covered in bodily fluids. You were most comfortable when you were in your element, and well, here you were-- quite literally in your element.

“Can… I help you with anything?” your heart lurched as you questioned him for the first time. Demanded his attention for the first time. Braced yourself for those heavy eyes to land on you and squeeze the breath from your lungs.

But if he was hurt… well… it was your job to fix it. Stupidly-strong crush or not.

“You can, actually.” He stood over you, looking down with a small tilt to the corner of his mouth. A flush rose to your cheeks as your eyes sifted over his body, looking for any wounds that might be visible.

“Nothing like that,” he shook his head, and then knelt beside you as he realized you weren’t going to stand. He reached into the soapy bucket beside you and grabbed a sponge, helping you scrub the floor clean of blood. “I was wondering… Obi-Wan and a few others from the Council have tickets to go to the Opera tomorrow eveing. They want me to go with them, but…”

You chanced a look at him, and he was wincing. “Well, let’s just say the Opera’s not a very entertaining place to be on a Friday night.”

You laughed lightly, nodding in agreement. The Opera was such a prized part of being on Coruscant, where all the wealthy and important people go to watch a swirling ball of light for hours. You never understood the novelty of it, but you found that everyone was afraid to call it out on its blatant dryness.

“So…?” you mused, dipping your sponge back in the bucket to get more water.

“So, I was thinking you could put me in for a checkup at that time just so that I’d have an excuse to bail.”

“You want me to give you a checkup?”

“Not actually,” he squeezed pink, soapy water into the bucket. “Just schedule one, so I can take the card and show it to them and then not have to go to the Opera. And to pay you back, I’ll take you to Dex’s for that breakfast-dinner you, Sabè, and Ahsoka do every week. Since you’ll be missing it to help me, and all.”

Your head rushed with blood, swimming as you took in his words. He wanted to take you to dinner?

No, he wanted you to help him. But… he didn’t have to pay you back. He wanted to do that. He was also waiting for your answer, so you got your wits together and accepted, eyes locked onto your scrubbing sponge as you replied,

“I think I can do that. As long as you show up here at exactly 8pm, cause that’s when my shift ends and there’s a 5 minute break as night shift takes over. I’ll let you in, and then we can sneak out the back.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Anakin flashed a dazzling smile at you, and for the first time, you were able to meet his shining eyes straight on and smile back.

Taglist:

@a-sterism @artiza-n @monamourani @anakinlove @haydens-moles @anakinswhore @ani-skyvvalker @sarahb1024 @anakinsbestgirl (why don’t they tag 😔)

Join the taglist!

[sugarmaplewings-fics]

The Price of Being A Hero

Pairing: Tamaki Amajiki x reader

Warnings: None really

A/N:

Could this be . . . angst? On my blog? Nah, I already did some/have been doing some, but I got this request a long time ago and finally finished it nearly a month later. Then took another month putting it through my system before I was able to post it . . . .

Yeah I have no excuse.

Huge thank you (and also sorry) to @why-am-i-here-please-help-me​​ for requesting!

Enjoy!

-Sugar

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

When you’re a hero, fighting is a part of your job. It was an unspoken fact that every day, when you went out on patrol, you put your life on the line for your city.

Tamaki knew this, and so did you. It was what you had trained for since high school, and simply a small downside to your dream. A dream that you were now able to live every day of your life.

Today was a day as any other; you were wandering your route with your boyfriend, Tamaki, ensuring the sector of the city was safe. You made idle conversation with him, the sounds of your moving and shifting costumes quietly accompanying your voices.

This was how the two of you had met, and over the past few years, you’d only grown closer with each other.

The both of you rounded a corner, amiably discussing plans for a day off when someone ran up to you.

“Heroes! Thank goodness.” The man must have been about ten years older than the you, and looked distressed and out of breath.

“What is it?” you asked.

“That guy over there just blew up the bank!” The citizen pointed behind him and took off running again, along with a small crowd of other people trying to get away from the chaos.

Sure enough, when you looked a little further ahead, you saw smoke pouring out of the windows from a building. You and Tamaki ran towards it, eyes scanning for a possible culprit. It wasn’t difficult to spot him, seeing as he was the only one moving in the opposite direction of the crowd. Also, he had a large bag of cash gripped in one hand.

You commenced in pursuit, hoping he wouldn’t catch on to you and your boyfriend coming up fast after him. Unfortunately, he happened to glance behind himself, immediately picking up his pace at the sight of two heroes with their focuses trained on him.

He began weaving through pedestrians and hopping over cars, attempting to shake both you and Tamaki from his tail. You, however, happened to work very well as a team together. You were the faster of your pair, so Tamaki allowed you to go ahead.

Without the villain noticing, you cut him off, skidding to a halt in front of him as Tamaki came up from behind. In a last minute effort, your culprit turned and ducked into an alley. The two of you followed him into the narrow space, noticing that within a few meters, it dead ended.

It was as if both you and Tamaki had the same thought: Got him.

The villain took one look at the wall before him, whirling around to face the two heroes who had cornered him.

“A bank? Seriously?” you mocked, knowing that he was captured. “At least try to be more original.” You sauntered closer to him, mind intent on the best way to secure the man so you could drag him back to your hero station for Fatgum and the police to deal with. “You’re coming with us.”

“I don’t think so.” The man sneered at you.

You glanced up, reminding yourself that you had to be wary of his quirk, especially since there weren’t any physical signs to clue you in as to what it might be. That civilian guy had said he had bombed the bank? Maybe it was something explosive like that Ground Zero’s quirk. His friend, Red Riot, never quite shut up about him.

Just as you began to ready your own quirk for defense, the villain before you dropped his bag. You watched as his hand transformed into a single, long katana sword, silvery and serrated. Swift as lightning, he brought it down on you, slicing from just above your collarbone to your shoulder.

Tamaki witnessed the glinting flash of the villain’s sword cut you in slow motion. He hadn’t had enough time to react. You had been too far away.

Rage began to leak into Tamaki’s nerves. How dare he? It was a hero’s duty to safely capture and secure villains with minimal damage, but for the villains themselves, there were no rules. No regulations other than their own fleeting morals in the heat of a moment. And many of them had no objection to murdering a hero in cold blood. This was the risk you took every day, and this was the horrific price of justice.

Less than a second after the man’s sword came into contact with you, Tamaki raised his hand and activated his quirk, turning each of his fingers into long, red octopus arms. He sent two towards the villain, but the man was ready, slashing at the appendages with his saber-hand. 

Tamaki’s world felt like it was shattering around him, time slowing as the metal blade sliced towards his writhing tentacles. You were everything to him, but now, because of this man, this man, you were hurt. You were suffering, and it had been all Tamaki’s fault for not stopping you from getting any closer. It should be him bleeding to death on the ground, never you.

Tamaki sent a third appendage, this one lower, at the villain’s legs. He dragged the man towards him and away from you, wrapping a shell-enforced tentacle around his manifested weapon.

You were always so cocky, too cocky for Tamaki’s comfort. The minute you felt like you were in control of a situation, you tended to exercise it, finding satisfaction in the defeat of law-breakers. Tamaki had brought it up only twice, but he guessed that it wasn’t enough to have made you stop. It wasn’t as though anything had ever come by it. Until now. And now you were both paying the price of actions already done.

Just as Tamaki pulled him within a foot of his body, the villain morphed his left hand into a second sword, slicing off the tentacle that had captured him. He took the moment of Tamaki’s wince of pain to stagger to his feet and try to bolt past him, only to be grabbed once more around his entire body. 

All Tamaki could do was ensure that you would be avenged. This man would pay for his actions against you. The only thing Tamaki could do for now was to capture him. Maybe there was still a glimmer of hope for you. Maybe the ambulance would be fast, and you would live. This man was the only thing standing in the way of that.

Tamaki pulled him in, clocking him over the head with a hard clam shell manifested on his other hand, making sure the villain slumped completely forward, solidifying his defeat.

The hero double checked that he was out cold, noting how his body had gone completely limp. Next he whirled around, ready to help you, prepared for the worst.

Except, you weren’t on the ground. You weren’t even bleeding. Your costume was torn, yes, but otherwise, you looked perfectly fine.

“Wow,” you said, removing the hand that was holding up an edge of your costume to clap. “I’ve never seen you take down a villain like that before. You made it look so easy! Your form was perfect and everything. I really—”

Tamaki cut you off, running full throttle towards you and crushing you in a hug. “You’re alright!” he said, feeling pent up tears begin to spill a little from his eyes. “You’re here, you’re okay.” Tamaki continued to whisper these words for a few moments, solidifying to himself that you weren’t lost, and were instead in his arms. Right where you belonged.

“Hey,” you said, beginning to rub at his back. His hero cape creased and smoothed with the circular motions of your hand. He noticed you were shaking a little, and that only made him hold you tighter. “Don’t you remember?” you asked gently. “My quirk?”

Your quirk . . . that had been one of the last things on Tamaki’s mind. “What about it?”

“Metal can’t hurt me,” you explained. “I can get cut, but I heal really fast. It’s kind of a weird and random side effect to the other, more hero-ey aspect, but that’s just something I can do.”

Now that you said it, Tamaki did remember you mentioning that part of your power before.

“It’s alright now,” you said, pulling back so you could place a kiss on Tamaki’s forehead, which had grown damp with cold sweat.

“Don’t ever do that again,” Tamaki said, brow furrowing with his seriousness. You placed a hand on his cheek to brush away the small tear streak that had briefly run down his face. “I want you to promise me.”

“I will.” You averted your gaze, feeling foolish and slightly ashamed of your actions. If the villain had had any other, more dangerous quirk, you could very well have been dead right now.

Tamaki placed his hand over yours, tilting your chin with his opposite so you could once again meet his eyes. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”

“Me too.”

The sound of a car pulling up a few feet away from you caught your attention. A few policemen stepped out, looking from the passed out man on the ground to your hunched figures further back in the alley.

“This the bank robber?” one of them called over to you.

You pulled apart, walking up to the men and woman dressed in blue. “Yeah.”

Tamaki let you deal with everything, just as he always did. He watched from a safe distance away as you made your statements, gave your report, and even greeted a passing journalist. 

Tamaki wanted to get going. Where there was one reporter, there would inevitably be a swarm, no matter how small the crime. Besides, he had something more important on his mind that he needed to do.

As if half reading his mind, you began to say your farewells to the policemen, making sure the villain was safely secured in the car. You came back and collected Tamaki, going about what you had been doing a few minutes prior.

“Well,” you said, looking down at your costume in dismay. It looked almost like some kind of cutoff, an almost straight line running just beneath and nearly parallel to your collarbones. “Guess I’ll have to pull out my spare. We should probably head back. A hero’s got to look their best, you know.”

Tamaki nodded and entwined his fingers in yours, happier than ever at the warm feeling.

You looped around the block in the direction of Fatgum’s agency. It wasn’t too far from where you were now.

You began to lapse back into light chatter with Tamaki at your side. It was clear you were still a bit shaken from what you’d just been through, but Tamaki was glad to see you weren’t taking it too harshly.

Even so, Tamaki was forever grateful to whatever divine beings may be watching over you. He couldn’t imagine what his life would be like without you. You were his sunshine, the one person who could light up his whole world no matter what. Keeping you safe at his side was what he intended to do for as long as he could, and there was nothing that would stop him from doing so.

The small ring box dutifully waiting in the darkness of his back pocket was enough to prove that.

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

Author’s Note:

At first I was going to rewrite this one because I hated it, but then I let it sit in my WIPs for a while and finally decided to just finish it as it was. I think it turned out ok, and I hope it was what you were thinking of when you requested! Sorry it took me like 2-3 months to do. I don’t really have any excuses, but thank you for being patient!

Love you!

-Sugar 

Taglist: @basicaegyo​ @iiminibattlehero​ @katsugay​ @nabo39​ @pyrofanatic​​ @sendhelpimstupid​ @sokkasangel​ @xoxopam4​​

[ahsokasanity]

In case you missed Chapter One of A Court of Shadow and Ribbons

Chapter Two

At Vallahan, the sun was bright and the snow was lighter. Azriel shielded his eyes from the glare as he spiralled down toward the veranda of Mor’s estate. One that he had been shown once and never been invited back to. He always had found that weird. Mor loved it here, but maybe it was that quiet and that isolation that made her keep it to herself.

There was no sign of habitation, but the house was not closed up and the horses were close to the stables, a small group of four eating hay from a rack and stomping on the brown remnants of last night’s eddies of frozen moisture. Azriel headed that way.

He heard the sound of hooves and realised that the horses had stopped eating and were staring, ears up across toward the ocean. Grey chop was crested by white caps signalling the dangerous swells and even more frightening shoreline surrounding this haven of The Morrigan. In the distance he could make out three riders, the middle so obviously Mor with her blonde hair caught in movement and shimmering to her waist. At last he could hear her laughter and noted the males with her. One was Lucien, the other he wasn’t sure of.

He cursed under his breath. Not the quiet getaway he was hoping for, and the one person that he was not prepared to play courtier with today. He winnowed back to the veranda and sat in the corner most chair hidden amongst his own and the house’s shadows.

 “If you think that I didn’t see you slinking here Az, you do not know me well” Mor peeked out of the door to the living room a little while later. Azriel shrugged but rose to greet her. It was unusual for Azriel to hug Mor when they were not in company but he did and she sucked in a comment as he released her and took her elbow to lead her to the other chair. She sat, back to the afternoon sun and legs crossed, looking for all the world like a woman at ease. She was not. Az was not himself today so nor could she be.

Together they had been spies, they had been political pawns, they had been sparring partners and determined allies. Today felt different. Azriel was different.

“How are you?” She asked tentatively

“Fine” he replied, “and you?”

Mor inwardly shrugged, so it was to be that kind of conversation was it?

“I’m good, is everything OK, Feyre, the baby, the rest of them?”

“Yep” Azriel’s reply was clipped. Something was really eating him.

This scenario was all too strange. Mor was entirely accustomed to a silent Az, a fighting Az, even a furious Az, but not this. This shell of her friend.

She figured pushing forward was the only option, even without Cassian here as her buffer.

“Well, I had a nice ride along the shore with Lucien and Prince Thedren, we might be getting closer to that treaty, but it’s taking so long”

“Did you ever think that we might be closer than we are Mor” Azriel’s question ripped the air from her lungs. He stared at her and she’d seen that look before. Blurred memories of when he’d had to torture information from an enemy and time was short and he hated himself for what he was doing.

“Yes, no….. I don’t know” She blurted out. “What do you want to know” she spoke low and quiet, her knee caps began to jump around and her vision blurred for a moment. Did he know about her, had he found out from Feyre? Did his spies finally report something that would lead him to the truth of her?

“I want to know… I want to know. No, I don’t really” He clammed up then and turned his head away from her.

It broke her heart and she knew what he wanted. He wanted what she wanted; only not with him, not with any male.

“I love you Azriel” she said it so quietly that Az didn’t turn, he didn’t acknowledge the statement. She said it a little louder

“I love you Az and that’s why I should have told you this a long time ago” He seemed to be listening now.

Mor threw herself at his feet and took his hand in both of hers and looked at him directly

“I have taken many years to come to terms with this and I don’t think that I’m ready for everyone to know, but I’m not…. I can’t” She shook her head and went to release his hand. Azriel held on and put his other hand over hers

“Tell me. Please Mor, I need to know”

“I don’t want to be with a male, mated to a male. I love you, and Rhysand and Cassian, but I’m not put together that way” She dropped her eyes and wilted. Her riding skirts spread out around her feet and her blue scarf made the tears in her eyes gleam like jewels.

“I’m so sorry for the months, the months and years that I knew I had to tell you and was too scared. I’ve hated myself for every torn look and every unspoken word between us. For the stupid thing that I did with Cassian, even though it led to us all being together. I’m so sorry Az”

All he did was gather her up onto his lap and wrap his arms around her, sigh into her side and mumble

“It’s OK, it’s OK”

She wept then. The unimaginable forgiveness from her friend, her brother and the releasing of that truth that she always tried to outrun. Rhys saw it. That’s why he stationed her away from the family, to give her room. Room to be, room to grow. She was just realising now that she didn’t need to hide from them in her own space. She could have that and be what she needed to be. Just maybe not all at once.

                                                                       *

Azriel was not sure for how long they sat there, breathing together and holding tight. He knew when he let go, he would be letting go of more than her presence. He would be surrendering the dream. The future of he and Mor mated and a family, fathering her children and watching them grow with their closest friends. He was letting go of decades, a century of never looking around himself to see what could be his life, to see who could be his family. Letting it all go.

He thought for a moment of Elain. Rhys’s warning ringing clearly in his head. He stopped it. No, not one more unattainable female. He was going to be brave. As brave as Mor was in relinquishing her secret to him. He was going to let the world show him where he should be, instead of fighting against the tide always to stay where he should not.

                                                                       *

“Oh, thank the cauldron you did not present yourself to us this afternoon. Lucien is so touchy when it comes to you and Elain, and I would have known something was up. I would have stumbled into some no-man’s land of conversation. You know how my open mouth gets me into trouble sometimes” Her eyes sparkled

They were inside now with the fire blazing and wine in their hands. Azriel was reclined in an armchair and Mor on the lounge with her legs tucked up under her. She had changed into house sweats and her face shone with love and with relaxation. Azriel found that the sight of her just pleased him. Filled his chest with happiness. There was no want, no tug, no hunger for intimacy. She was Mor. His Mor and their Mor and herself, and she was happy. He smiled at her and her face lit up as she watched his shadows dance in the fire’s light.

 “Yes, well. Ryhs probably had the right tack. We need Lucien and more than that we need Elain happy. Starting a blood feud with the Autumn – and Dawn courts for that matter….” Mor gasped

“You know it too”

“What?” Azriel tried to look innocent

“You are a shit liar Az and you know full well that I’m talking about Lucien and the Dawn court – yes. I know that he’s Hellion’s son just as well and probably for as long as you have”

Azriel relaxed and realised his slip up. So very unusual of him. Mor’s mood and the wine and some sense of release had him relaxing too much.

“Well, anyway, we can’t afford it. You know that I want Elain to be happy, but this bond has to be sorted out one way or another. She can’t live like this and I know that I cannot. So, what never started is over and I am OK with that”

Azriel shifted his wings and yawned

“I have NEVER seen you do that Az, not ever in four hundred years” She patted the lounge next to her. “Come over here and get your body horizontal and your wings out of your way, you look like you need a proper sleep” Azriel hesitated then stood, but he didn’t sit next to her, he took her hand and indicated the bedroom

“If I’m going to be your friend and not your anything else for the rest of time, I think that you can give me one night”

Mor stood and followed him down the hall and into her room with it’s massive bed and cream throw rugs and squishy mattress that she loved.

“I might want more than one night Az, you know I’ve heard the girls from the Sidra Salvation fighting over you”

He smiled back at her and gave her hand a tug

“Maybe they were fighting over you”

She laughed so joyously that he grinned and pulled her onto the bed beside him. She was still laughing as he kissed her knuckles and spread his wings behind him to keep them from being crushed

Mor was so happy, she couldn’t believe that they had both let this tension run on for all time. He was her friend and she was his and she didn’t ever have to be scared for him, scared of hurting him, again.

“Well, now that we’re here I might as well tell you about Gwyn” Azriel spoke into the pillow under his head without making eye contact with Mor. She smirked and squeezed his hand

“Tell me everything”

Chapter Three

[stingray-stories]

Day 24 7/21/2021

Helllllllo friends!

Today was soooooo fun. Maybe my favorite day yet. Which is saying a lot since most my days here have been amazing. Hopefully I can paint a nice picture for you. It began with a nice cozy sleep. In the morning, I didn’t workout to give myself a nice break and some more sleepies. I had a nice yummy breakfast and then met up with the Cocos crew to get ready for our visit to the refuge (specifically the East-West causeway) to do a bird count. I threw on my biosecurity outfit and hopped in the Guardian mask free with the Cocos (their quarantine is over yay!). When we got to the East-West causeway, we waded through the water to get to the very thin strip of land (previously a road built in the 40s) where we started our count. I wasn’t much help since this was my first go at it, but our job is to count active nests and determine varying stages of the bird babies. The Cocos crew are experts so I listened, enjoyed the scenery, and took wayyyy too many pictures. It was so much fun seeing all the different stages of the babies. Little eggy eggs that had been recently laid, naked little dinosaurs, fluffer nutters, awkward little fluffy and nudey mixes, grumpy-potamus looking ones, and full grown cuties that are not quite ready for flight (as you may have noticed I have become very well versed in the technical descriptions used during bird counts ;)). Overall we saw red-footed booby babies, masked booby babies, brown booby babies, frigate bird babies, and red tailed tropicbird babies (at a certain stage they call them chocolate chips eeeee so cute). We also saw lots of crabs and a baby black-tip shark do do do do. My favorite little baby was this super awkward brown booby who had a bunch of fluff around it’s neck and on its hips making him like quite the distinguished little gentleman. Honestly there were so many cuties it’s very hard to choose my favorite. After a lovely morning, we headed back to shore, I changed into my regular clothes, and then tried to help with the last little bit of community day. While we were out on the refuge, the rest of the crew was doing odd jobs around the station for community day so I missed most of the grunt work while I ooed and awed at little baby birds. I’m not complaining at all!

In the afternoon, Ben, Mollie (one of our fabulous chefs), and I had an early lunch so that we could go out and help Hank and our CMO (chief marine officer), another Ben, document the installation of new snorkel buoys and some smart satellite buoys. In a nut shell, we got to snorkel and take pictures of them working underwater. It was SO much fun. The first site we stopped at was the Rubble Pile (marked as a dead squirrel on the map hehe) where they installed a new buoy since the old one was not in great shape to anchor up to. To do this, they brought new chain and fed it through the a cement block about 15 feet down and then they connected the float buoys which sit 5 or so feet in the water column and then the surface buoy which is what we snag and link the boat to when we are snorkeling. Mollie and Ben were taking photos of the whole process while I watched and explored the reef. I saw a very calm and chill turtle swim by, some curious snappers, and a huge crown of thorn sea star which was cool to see but also a bummer since they can cause damage to the reef. Next, we headed to Tortagonia (or tortellini or tortilla) to set up a satellite buoy. At the sites where we set up the satellite buoys, there were previously established concrete blocks with a small submerged yellow marker that we had to find at the surface. We had rough coordinates and Hank knew where they were generally located so it wasn’t too tough. I also didn’t mind hanging out in the boat and enjoying the views. The weather today was spectacular. Not too much sun but just enough to keep you comfortable while snorkeling (I get chilly swimming after awhile even though the water here is usually a balmy 80 degrees depending on where you are). The water was also soooo clear it was like we were in an aquarium. So visibility was pasta primavera aka primo aka perfect aka amaza! I saw a ton of giant clams and lots of fishies like the humbug dascyllus (my current favorite), bigeye emperor, and yellowmargin triggerfish (or peach face). After Tortagonia, we stopped at station to grab some things and then we headed back out to North coral gardens and Barren islet to explore and install another satellite buoy. This is my new favorite part of the atoll. There’s soooo much to see in the water. It’s really shallow and there’s tons of coral covering the sea floor. It’s like a carpet of coral. Blue, green, pink, yellow, and brown. It reminds me of this toy I used to play with as a kid called Aqua Sand. It was like a drip castle underwater but with colored sand. The magical part of it was when you took it out of the water it was dry! Anyway it looks just like that. It’s soooo amazing. There were also tons of fishies swimming about. We swam to Barren and climbed up onto the coral rubble which is moved and shaped by the waves. It’s similar to the Rubble Pile, but there’s a lot more land and a lot more wave action coming in from the Pacific. At the end of Barren, there are two decoy bird colonies. These areas of Barren are the only parts we are allowed to access. They are technically apart of the refuge but we don’t have to worry about biosecurity since there’s not much there but rubble. The south western parts of the islet have more going on, but we can’t venture there due to unexplored ordinances from WW2 times. In the parts we could access, we walked around and did some exploring, but not with our fair share of difficulty. I mentioned that the end of Barren is coral rubble and only 2 out of the 5 of us brought shoes. “Lucky” for us there was a fair amount of trash that had washed up on shore which included many random shoes. I found a croc flip flop and a platform flip flop. Mollie also found a kid sized croc flip flop so we ended up passing the shoes around so we wouldn’t struggle too much on all the dead coral.

Overall, the whole experience was insane. The waves crash there in all different directions creating these crazy patterns in the rubble. It looks like aliens in a cornfield type of thing. The best part of it was standing at the end and watching the waves go all over the place. It’s just the big ol Pacific out there and it’s very powerful. Hopefully I can post of video of it because it’s very hard to explain how crazy it looks.

After hanging there for awhile, we headed back and stopped to fix another buoy by the North-South causeway. We got back to station pretty late but it was a fantastic day. So much fun on the boat! Once we got back to shore, we had some leftovers, I rinsed off, and then headed to bed. I was soooo tired after such an incredible day! Woweeeee!

Pictures will be a separate post. I got lots!

[writtenfan]

A Lost Sense of “Face”

- Spending some time alone ends up with you seeing him without his mask for the first time...in a long time... -

Darth Vader X Reader

“Come with me to my quarters.”

This was the simple phrase that often left you two sitting together silently, in the locked room of his chambers.

A huge glowing tube with wires floating in liquid placed in the middle of the huge dimly lit room.  A lone couch and a bed to the left he had placed in there haphazardly recently to make him, “feel more human.” As he had told you in comfort.

Then there was a still arm that wrapped itself lovingly around your back. A hesitant hand firmly grasping your shoulder. He obvious self-loathing and discontent at his lack of ability to truly feel your skin against his.

Which resulted in fits of anger. 

Broken objects. Having to leave for both your sanity. Yes, this was the rounds you both went through in order to be together...

He often felt this intense desire to be near you but when he had the chance he would then realize once again that things between you both would only end in pain and frustration. 

That you couldn’t even hold each other normally anymore. This conclusion and longing made him lash out, not at you. But at his surroundings. 

His saber would be drawn, the fiery red blinding you as you call out to him, only resulting with him having to call upon the repair droids to replace the couch or repair a wall or floor for the 15th time.

But in the time before the storm, you would listen to his breathing. Often resting your head against softish spot the crook of his shoulder. Where he often sat stiffly and uncomfortable as he got used to your touch. 

His head either facing blankly ahead or slightly cocked to your face as his thumb rubbed roughly but soothingly against the shoulder that was not already against his body.

His chest and waist were surprisingly comforting, you could barely feel him underneath it. You felt his chest rise and fall in tune with his breathing and often placed a hand on his side always making sure to avoid touching the lights that were on his chest although he reassured you, that placing a hand on it wouldn’t do anything to him as they weren’t buttons, just indicators, 

...as that would be unwise in a skirmish. 

But you were hesitant none-the-less.

The texture of his armor was so warm, rough, and thick as you slid your fingers against him. This made his breathing shakier and louder, which often sped up the time it would take for him to get angry.

So you didn’t do this often…

But these times between you both were sacred and was just becoming a ritual. 

 The other people in ranks aboard the ship expected, as you were his apprentice, that these private moments between you two were normal. But not like this.

“You will get nothing but pain from loving me”.

He had told you one night as you sat together staring at the pod in the middle of the room.

“That isn’t true…” you respond automatically, rubbing his side reassuringly as you closed your eyes.

“You can’t expect anything more than this, or you will be let down”.

“This is just fine. I’m happy just to be by your side.”

His breathing quickened which you tried to soothe with your touch, in an attempt to prevent him from going “sith-shit”

“We do nothing but hinder each other’s goals and pursuits of power. We can’t keep being together like this.”

“With passion, comes strength. This is a passion, don’t let this become your weakness.” You say soothingly resting your head against the hard plate around his neck.

“Although passion is strength, you also make me weak by giving me fear. If I cannot let your fight and you distract me…. then you become useless…which will result with you will be disposed of... by my master.”

“Then keep training me to be strong so you won’t have to worry.” You mumble as you tire with the constant depressing thoughts of future possibilities.

His hand drops from your shoulder and clenches next to you.

“That is the problem (y/n). I won’t stop worrying. I don’t want you getting hurt which means avoiding all situations where you could.”

“Calm down”. You say wrapping your arm around him pressing your lips against his shoulder. “Please stop tormenting yourself with the ifs and just stay here with me…leave your head and be here with me Vader. That is all I ask…in this moment. Just breathe.”

His voice quiets, his breathing becomes smoother and long. His arm slowly finding its way back up to your shoulder which presses you against him tightly.

He cocks his head down towards you and watched your head rest against him, your (h/c) hair on your head, your lips still and calm, your expression without worry, without strife. This was something he wanted to last. He did not want the dark…or light side to ever tear and fray your “face”...He didn’t want you involved period. But they noticed your strength and therefore you had to fight. Or be eliminated. You were both trapped.

He looked down at his free hand and raised it in front of him, flexing his hand.

In your own respective ways.

He looked back down at you, taking that free hand and placing it as gently as he could against the side of your face, using his thumb to crane it towards him, which made you open up your (e/c) eyes with a small smile on your face. 

Soothing him greatly.

He leaned down. 

This surprised you making your eyes widen, but you didn’t move as he hovered his masked face inches from yours, the intensity of his breathing louder up close, a warm gentle breath you felt slightly on your skin.  

Saying nothing, he continued to lean down yet more to the side of your face, near your ear he pressed the side of his mask against your cheek moving his hand so he could press you against him further.

He held you there for what seemed like hours. It was slightly uncomfortable, but you endured because you felt his heart and mind at peace and this cohesion was rare.

You tried to wrap your arms around him, underneath his cloak, unable to fully hold him but enough to feel warm.

“Come with me.”

You hear him say as softly as you ever heard him speak before.

As he pulled away and rose to guide you with him towards the door.

Before opening the door, he took his hand from your back and assumed the professional stance of a Sith Lord walking with their apprentice.

The door opened, and the Stormtroopers stationed outside your door held a salute as you both passed and you followed Vader further down the hall, reaching one of the final rooms to the left. He pushed a few buttons on a keypad and the door slid opened revealing a dark chamber who’s only blinding white light came from a clam-shell type chair in the middle of the room.

He walked inside and without hesitation got onto the clam-shaped platform and sat in the chair.

“Stand there. When this opens again you will once again see the man you love. But he will not be what you remember, knowing this, will you stay?”

Knowing the obvious reason he wouldn’t look as you would remember you nodded. Your heartbeat rose but out of adrenaline and eagerness and not fear. You always wanted to see his face, after learning who he once was. Despite what had been done to him.

“Very well” 

he responded curtly, and with a click of a button on his armchair the pod closes, and you hear mechanical whirling from inside.

After a few long minutes of waiting, it releases some compressed air that blasted out like steam and opens slowly. The black of his legs, his chest, the buttons, his neck and then….and then...

“Anaki-” Youb shake your head and clear your voice so that is slightly louder. “Vader…” you sigh softly… In a saddened but loving gaze.

You find yourself walking towards him without a hold and he looks at you with tired, palish torn skinned glowing yellow eyes.

His gaze is a solemn yet, reading every expression you gave him.

You’re a few inches from where he sat, still standing on the outside of the pod, clutching its outer rim.

He continues to study your face, his expression now showing a hint of self-loathing.

“I’m… angered by what he did to you…” you managed to say, clutching the rim even harder, a tear slowly running down your face. 

“But my love for you hasn’t changed. You... are you…”

You reach out slowly, but he recoils unexpectantly and you stop yourself, forcing your hand back down. 

“I still love you…Vader…” 

“I don’t care about the mask or what underneath it, only that it keeps your alive”.

His eyes stare into yours his expression, unshifting…you can still make out the Sith apprentice you once knew on his face. Yet the scars and burning and flesh that was mangled still made it hard to see him as he once was…you saw him still as someone you cared deeply for.

“y/n…” his voice was low and raspy almost like a whisper.

This was all he said as you stepped carefully into the chamber and raised his free hand off the armrest, sat down and placed his hand in yours on your lap.  Which he responded by taking hold of yours and holding it tight as you both closed your eyes and just… breathed.

[lorem-text]

Good evening, Night Owls.

Tonight’s show will start with a 15 minute delay due to technical issues. Apparently, some of the microphones over at the station hadn’t been replaced after the incident a few nights ago, so Maria and John are currently waiting outside until the maintenance crew gives them the ok. Loki is also with them and will be joining them on the show.

In other news, the office is quiet now. Maria, John and Loki are at the radio station, Orion is outside taking measurements of the perimetre, and I…am alone.

I’ve been feeling a little emotional tonight. Homesick, even, so while you wait for tonight’s show to start, I’d like to tell you a tale.

The tale of a man named Dmitri. 

When I was a child, my mother and I would travel to Greece every year to spend our summer vacation in a small island named Skiathos. For the first few years, I didn’t mind that we were alone; I was too young and too busy exploring every nook and cranny of the beach by out hotel to care. But as the years passed, there were fewer and fewer nooks and crannies left to explore unti eventually there were none.  I was 10 when that happened. That was the first summer I complained to my mother about not having anyone to play with. Fortunately, that was near the end of that year’s vacation, so my mother told me to be patient and that we would return home soon. She also told me that next year, I would find a friend. Someone to play with so I wouldn’t be bored. I had never seen her so confident about something up to that point, and I don’t think I have since…

As it turned out, she had every right to be confident, for it was while walking around the beach the following year that I met him; Dmitri.

He was my age, 11 at the time, and he lived at the lighthouse overseeing the beach with his father, but his father wouldn’t let him wander off so at night he’d sneak out and look for seashells on the beach. The two of us quickly became iseperable, and made a vow to meet at that beach every summer. And so it was that every summer since, I’d spend my nights at that beach with Dmitri, looking for shells by the sea. 

In a sense, we grew up together, and by the time we turned 18 he trusted me enough to let me give him a tattoo, so long as he got to give me one in return. He decided on three swallows on the back of my left shoulder because, like a swallow, I’d leave every year but always return the next and for him, I chose a pearl clam, because it was unique and rare, like him.

The last time I saw Dmitri was three years ago. That was also the last summer we spent together.

Like every year before that, when summer rolled around, I booked a room at the same hotel in Skiathos. My mother was busy with her new job, so I went alone. For the first few weeks, every night I’d go to that beach and Dmitri would be waiting for me, having already put aside some seashells. But one night, he was late…so I decided to go to the lighthouse and surprise him. Unfortunately, the pier connecting the lighthouse to the shore had fallen appart a few months past and hadn’t been replaced yet, and there were no boats on the beach that I could borrow. So I decided to swim. It wasn’t far, and I’d swam way further than that before, so I figured I’d be fine. And I was…at first.

The water near the shore was lukewarm from the summer heat and crystal clear, but as I got closer to the lighthouse, it became ever so slightly colder and dimmer…until suddenly, like a sudden drop, the water turned ice cold and pitch black. I tried to swim back, but my body felt heavy and slow, like the water was weighing me down, pushing and pulling me towards the depths. I couldn’t breathe. There was water in my lungs and everything around me was dark, as if the moon and stars had vanished and left me there to drown in some endless void…and for a moment, I really thought I would…

But then…in the distance, I saw him; Dmitri. He swam towards me and it was like the shadows parted for him because at that moment he was the only thing I could see…as if the moon itself had lent him its light… When he reached me, Dmitri pulled me to the surface and out of the water, laying me down on the steps of the lighthouse and he…kissed me. Or, rather, that’s what my half-drowned mind thought his attempt at CPR was at the time.  I don’t remember much after that, but I woke up the next day in my hotel room with a pair of dry clothes on the bedside table. On top of the clothes was a hastily written note, wishing me a good morning, and a single fawless pearl clam…

The rest of the summer went by without incident. I would spend my mornings wandering around the island and my nights collecting seashells with Dmitri by the sea. He never brought up what had happened so I didn’t either. I did buy him dinner at some point as a sort of silent ‘thank you’ but beyond that, everything was back to normal.

That is, until the last day of summer vacation.

Every year, on my last night on the island, Dmitri would walk with me to the docks and we’d hug and make a promise to meet again at the beach next year. This time, however, the hug lasted longer than usual, and when we parted he gave me a nostalgic smile. The word saudade comes to mind. He told me that I was the closest friend he’d ever had; said to remember that no matter what…and he said he’d miss me.  I’d miss him too, I said, but I would be back next year, and the year after, and maybe I could even visit sooner if I had a free week…but he shook his head and, with an amused but still nostalgic smile, again said he’d miss me.

I wanted to stay longer. Ask him what he meant, why he was looking at me like that, and if it had something to do with that night, but there was one prolonged blast of sound from my ship, signaling its prompt departure. Dmitri pulled me in for one last hug, kissed my forehead and send me off. It wasn’t until I had gotten home that I noticed…the pearl clam from the hotel was in my coat’s pocket, but I didn’t remember taking it.

The following year, I went back to the island and found out that the lighthouse had been destroyed a few weeks prior after a freak storm. The hotel I always stayed at was still intact, and the beach was the same, but the lighthouse was gone…and so was Dmitri.

I tried again the next summer, and the summer after that, but to no avail. I don’t think I will be going back this year. But wherever Dmitri may be, I miss him, and I hope he’s doing well…

Anyway, that’s it for tonight. I can see Orion walking back to the office, so my time in unexpectedly emotional isolation is over for now.

Goodnight, Night Owls. Stay safe.

~Eliot

[sweetchup]

Bi•valve

Noun

an aquatic mollusk that has a compressed body enclosed within a hinged shell, such as oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops.

AKA

The Most Common Seashell in the Ocean

————————

Vol. 1: Just Keep Swimming // Ch.1

Type: Poseidon x reader

Word Count: 1,800+

Masterlist

————————

“Ok… ok… is there anyway you could—… no? Wait please don’t—…” You let out a sigh as the other side of the phone line goes dead. “Another miss…”

You crumple to the floor of your bedroom in a heap. The storm was still in full swing outside even though hours had gone by and it was now dark. It seemed the storm had caused quite the ruckus in Athens—the capital where you were staying at—and most emergency services were busy.

They even ignored you at the police station you went to earlier, though it likely didn’t help your situation that you couldn’t even speak their native language of Greek…

—.—.—

“No, no. Lost. Child. Not mine.” You explained once more to the officer in front of you, the only one in this place that knew of the slightest hint of english.

The officer only shakes his head once more at you before walking away, turning his attention to the other patrons here that needed help. You wished it was just that they didn’t understand you—that they didn’t understand that you had found a lost boy struggling at sea—but it was slowly becoming clear that they just didn’t believe you.

Tan skin. Brown hair. Brown or green eyes. That was what the average greek boy here looked like. A big contrast from Triton, the pale skinned blonde haired blue eyed boy who you were currently holding in your arms. They just simply didn’t believe that he was a Greek child that had gotten washed away at sea during the storm.

It also didn’t help that no one had called in a lost child that had a similar description to Triton. And, with no other option and too much to do, the police just chose to ignore the glaring problem right in front of them.

“Miss (Y-y/n)?”

At Triton’s call, you looked down at the boy and realize that the more that you look at him, the stranger he gets. Soaked from the rain and sea, you would have expected him to be shivering like a leaf but he was as still as stone. As if he couldn’t even feel how cold his skin was right now. As if he was used to being soaked with the coldest depths of the ocean.

“Miss (Y/n)?” Triton calls again, snapping you out of your thoughts.

“Ah, sorry, I spaced out. Yes?”

“I-I…” You watch patiently as the boy begins twiddling with his thumbs. As if he wanted to tell you something but was quite embarrassed to be so.

“Is something wrong, Triton?”

“N-no!” The boy shouts out, the loudest you’ve heard him speak so far, before instantly realizing his tone and caving in on himself. His shoulder and back slumping forward as if to hide himself from your sight.

“It’s alright. You can tell me, I don’t mind.” You reassure the boy. You can’t help but sincerely wonder what happened to him. What happened to the little boy, who looked no older than 10, that made him so scared and skittish? And you doubted that getting lost at sea is what caused it.

“I…”

A loud growl cuts off Triton and not the animal kind either.

“Oh… are you perhaps hungry, Triton?” You ask the boy as he bashfully ducks his head into your shoulder out of embarrassment.

“Y-yes.”

You can’t help but let out a small chuckle at Triton’s antics. Even though he was quite strange, he was still a cute child at heart.

“Well let’s go grab something to eat. It seems there’s no one to help us here anyway.”

—.—.—

As you reminisce about Triton—who you soon find out after that is a lover of raw fish, extremely strange if you had to say so for yourself—you can’t help but wonder where he went.

After you took him back to your place, a small, only two rooms, one bath apartment you rent near campus, you allowed him to take a shower and borrow some of your clothes. He should still be sitting in the living room watching some cartoons and eating after you left him to take a shower and make a couple of phone calls, all unsuccessful by the way, but it had been well over an hour. You wonder if he could have perhaps gotten bored by now.

Deciding it wouldn’t hurt to check up on the boy, you sit up from your spot on the floor and make your way out of your bedroom.

“Triton, is every—“

You stop mid sentence as you take in the scene in front of you. Water…. Water was floating. Triton was floating as well.

It was hard for your brain to rack around what you were seeing. Triton, the strange boy that you had saved from the sea, was floating in your living room on top of a bubble of water. He didn’t seem surprised in any way either as he was in the middle of playing with some tiny bubbles of water himself. Separating and un-separating them at will.

“T-Triton?” You call out again, this time catching the boy’s attention. His face turned to one of surprise and shock as he released the bubbles of water allowing it and him to crash to the floor. Even though your living room floor was now soaking wet, that was the least of your worries.

“M-Miss (Y-y/n), how long were you…?” Triton’s voice trails off as he realizes the question was not needed, you had already seen enough. He begins to pale at all the possibilities. Even though he was in fact a god and could not be hurt by human weapons, there were still many things that could happen to him. He was still a child after all, no were near his mother’s and father’s level of strength.

“Triton…” Your voice calls out again causing Triton to flinch as you draw closer to him, “Are…are you okay?”

Triton, whose gaze was locked at the floor, turned his head upwards in surprise to look at you. Your gaze was not one of disgust or anger. No. Nor was it cold, a gaze he had come to know that his father often wore, or of disappointment, a look his mother often glared at him with. No. Your gaze was kind. Sure, it looked confused but it was also filled with warmth out of concern for him.

Triton felt the hot bubbling feeling of tears in his eyes. He would normally try to hold it in, forcibly stop himself from crying as he knew if his mother found out she would surely beat him. But, he didn’t.

He let the tears spill out. Tears that felt hot against his cold marble skin. Marble skin that was an aching reminder that he was a god, a perfect being. That he shouldn’t be feebly crying in front of a human like this.

Yet, as you wrap your warm arms around his shaking form, he finds himself not minding his warm tears. Warmth reminds him of you, the only one who dared to comfort him. Not his father, nor his uncles and cousins, or the servants, and never, never, his mother.

Triton finds himself crying again. Instead of out of fear, it is out of misery this time. He wished he wasn’t a god, he wished he didn’t eventually have to go back to his terrible mother, he wished that his father would pay more attention to him and show him something… anything. He wished he could just stay like this in your arms. A stranger that was more of a mother to him in less than a few hours, than his own mother was in his hundreds of years of existence.

“It’s okay, Triton. Everything will be okay. I’m not angry.”

Triton couldn’t help but think how he never doubted you in the first place.

—.—.—

As you run your hands through the Triton's hair, who was curled up on your lap, you think about what he had told you.

“So you’re a god…The son of Poseidon and Amphitrite…”

“Yeah…” Triton whispers out, his voice slightly strained from all the crying he had done.

A god. Triton was a mighty Greek god. Even though you couldn’t wrap your head around the situation, you knew you had to. Especially after all that has happened up til now and if you were—

“Are…are you angry?”

You pause for a second, shocked slightly at what Triton had muttered out, before finally answering, “I’m not. Not at all. I just…”

You wondered how you should phrase it.

“… I don’t know how to get you home, Triton.”

The silence is overwhelming after. You didn’t know if you should have told the young boy that but it also wasn’t right to lie to him. You feel Triton shift under your arms and you loosen your grip as he slowly sits up.

“I…” Triton starts before pausing. His gaze shifts from his hands to your eyes, the first time the boy had ever locked eyes with you since you saved him. It reminded you how icy blue his eyes were, a blue that you now realize is not possible for a human to obtain. At least not naturally. A firm reminder that Triton wasn’t one, he was a god. “I… I don’t want to return home.”

“What…” You say startled, “Ok, then how about one of your uncles or—“

“No. I…I want to stay here. With you Miss (y/n).”

Stay here… with you. You didn’t know what to think. You were a struggling college student who spent hours upon hours studying every day. Could you even take care of a child, nevertheless a god? What about his mother, who Triton explained was a horrible being? Or his father, the king of the sea? Could you protect Triton from them? From a god, a being so much stronger and powerful than you?

“I…” You started before abruptly stopping. You wanted to protect Triton, help him. You had to find a way. You couldn’t abandon the child before you like this. Not after hearing his anguished cries for the last hour. As you held him, you felt as if he was made of glass. Like if you even squeezed him too tightly he would shatter into a million pieces in your arms.

“I…I can’t assure anything, I am just a human after all. But you can stay here for as long as you want Triton.”

As you watch the young boy before you smile and collapse in your arms, it was then that your mind had decided. You would protect Triton for as long as you could,

…no matter the cost.

Author Note: Oooo things are heating up. It seems Triton and Zeus have opposite plans for the reader and that could spell trouble. Hehehe. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, I am immensely thankful for all the support that got shown on my prologue chapter of this series. Please contunie to give your support and tell me your opinions about my work. It really does help as it shows what I can improve on in future chapters and works. Till next time 💕💕

Taglist: @angeli-fucking-cat @marixxhq

[y4s2-20192020]

High-Density Housing : ‘Algee-Culture’

In the near future where sea level is expected to rise about 6 feet by the year 2050. It would directly impact the freshwater bodies as water sources are contaminated and would be non-consumable. Low land and coastal communities will take a critical hit, the land will be lost, adaptation and changes need to be made. With the seawater pushing into the land, eutrophication will most likely occur and is certainly one of the major consequences of rising sea levels. ‘Algee-culture’ is a self-sustaining community with low waste, low carbon, and energy-efficient design that value and learn from the surrounding context, found the solution from the problem itself. It is the self-reliance seaside community that produces their own eco-system to cultivate the resources produces bio-plastic, harness from algae and utilize them to its potential, and eventually full fill the objective of the sustainable future through the slogan ‘what is taken is never lost’.

Link to full resolution

The site chosen for this scenario is the Bang Pu Fisherman village located in Prachuap Khiri Khan province just below Huahin. This location is very vulnerable to the changing sea level and eutrophication as it is:

1. Located next to the sea

2. Land elevation is below 100cm

3. The point where freshwater and saltwater meets

4. Enriched with nutrients and fertilizer from surrounding agriculture and aquaculture farms.

5. The economy of this community relies upon water and sea.

These stated factors are the contributing causes that accelerate the rate of eutrophication.

As the site is located next to the sea, there are resorts, restaurants, dry seafood stores, tourist spots, boat services,  fish-shrimp-clams-crab farms, and salt farms. With the mentioned plausible scenario, the land would be lost and some of the business and occupation will take a significant hit and will have to adapt or change. Therefore, some part of the land would possibly be converted to suit with the condition (ie., algae farm).

In order to design this alga culture community, there are several issues to be considered such as the routine of the people, the inflow of saltwater, landscape, tidal fluctuation, and time. We know that fishermen used the tidal effect(high/low) to identify the time they left the shore for the fishes and back. However, in this case, tides could be used to direct or shape the way people live and also identify the specific programs and activities during that particular time of the day/season.

To control the rate of eutrophication, first, the barricade is installed to control the mixing of the fresh and saltwater and only allows the salt water to flow in only during the time of high tide. It also helps in preventing the inner land from further damage from rising sea levels. Here, the new landscape is made through the process of cut and fill to create the buffer zone.

Link to full resolution

There are a long list of  benefits of algae but this scenario is focused on the production of bioplastic and other related benefits during its cycle such as water treatment, air cleaner, fertilizer and food for aquatic animals 

Link to full resolution

Link to full resolution

The main building is inspired by the terraced landscape. In front of the accommodation units are the extended garden space that grows algae and water plants for filtration purposes as these plants are used to treat water step by step for household consumption (grey water) which gets stored in the tank below. These steps of phytofiltration(filter using water plants) help to minimize the uses of energy in further steps of filtering water for consumption. 

Link to full resolution

Some parts of this building are installed with the floating mechanism that moves up and down during the day. It acts as the indicator of time and activities as some of the spaces are operated via this system. 

Link to full resolution

Link to full resolution

Some parts of buildings are meant to be fixed and allow water to rise over The two sides of buildings have two connecting thresholds, with one appearing only at the time of low tide( in the evening and early morning) and serve as a public space for people to come and hang out. The other connection is via the central building which is the local market for the community and below that is the main water filter station.

Link to full resolution

Link to full resolution

Link to full resolution

Link to full resolution

There are 3 types of units that vary in size depending on the members and expansion in the future. The main building consists of 2 types: The 4-6 ppl units are on the 1st and 2nd floor and the 2-3 ppl unit is on the 3rd floor. The placement of the program in the interior was designed based on function and water used. Allocating rooms that use water at one corner of the unit. 

Behind the buildings are spaces to park their boat and opposite to the main building are the other types of units which are more informal and more flexible in terms of size and programs as this space is free for people to improvise and adapt the space for their own purposes. This part is more of an industrial part of the community. These structures will be built over time as the community starts to expand.

In the process, these structure frames will be lying on water and serve as the algae growing plot. As the algae grow, each layer is rotated vertically to become the drying frame for the algae to turn into bioplastic and then become the building materials such as partitions, walls panels, tiles, layer coating, and other products. 

This process is repeatable and similarly, the drying structures are also installed on the main building rooftop. Initially, these frames are folded and during the drying process, the structure will be pulled up to create an angle for direct sunlight. Thus, create the shaded space below that can be utilized for other purposes.

Link to full resolution

These bio-plastic sheets last for 6-8 months and need to be replaced. But it could be strengthened by the additional coating layer made from crushed sea animal shells(Crab, clam, shrimp, fish scales) which are available in plenty. There are cages installed under the main building and also on its opposite side. These cages are in water and will appear during the low tide. It is a place to throw bioplastic and let it decompose and serve as a food source for aquatic animals. During low tide, when the cage appears above water again it will most likely have fishes, crabs, shrimp, and clams in it which become the free food for the community. And again these animal shells are not thrown away as waste but get recycled to become a coating element for other uses. 

Therefore, this ‘Algee-culture’ is a self-sustaining community with low waste, low carbon, and energy-efficient design that value and learn from the surrounding context, found the solution from the problem itself and utilize them to its potential and full fill the objective of the sustainable future through the slogan ‘what is taken is never lost’