#luke blessing us again with their genius ideas

[genshrineimpact]

Can you imagine during archon war we were like the most scariest, powerful god in it?

The Harbinger of Death, goddess of lost war, brutalz bloody battles, plaques and hunger (anything to do with war basically that happens during and after that's not glorified) so the archon war is causing them to become even more powerful.

Being known as merciless God who kills anyone in their way causes weaker god's to be terrified but at the same, some brave souls seek protection. And surprisingly they get it, because reader is a softie.

Morax in turn is desperate for some allies. Due to him gaining the geo gnosis, he put a massive cross on his back. He has guizhong and osail, but it's not enough to protect his people.

So he comes up with a plan to court the worst possible option - the most powerful bloody god that celestia was considering to become the god of death (because with amount of death in the war, death domain needed someone to look over it)

It doesn't help that he had a massive crush after meeting us on the battlefield and seeing how we help our wounded soldiers and being good leader and deity.

So starts the awkward tries of more rough around the edges, young and hormonal Morax to court us, while ozial and guizhong are trying to change his mind.

slfkslfks holy shit i- never thought about this concept but hhhhhhh

help this turned into a fic before i realized-

ps. not proofread, this is literally word vomit and i haven't reread it yet cause my lunch break's over lsdjflskd

⬙⤠ masterlist ⤝⬙

you're the god of war, known for your merciless nature and prowess in battle. you're offered the finest wine, battle armors of the fallen, the biggest livestock. each year a hunting competition is celebrated across your nation, with many people joining in to prove themselves to you, a chance for them to show their loyalty and perhaps be granted your blessings in return.

you feed from the hopelessness in your enemies' eyes, the tear of their battle wills, the blood spilled upon your people's weapons. you are the definition of fear and morbid, and your people hold an equal amount of respect and fear towards you. the gods fear you and scorn you but they're afraid to cross your path because they know you're perfectly capable to crush them under your feet if you so desire.

but what most fail to realize is that although you are the personification of ruin itself, you're secretly drawn to everything that's on the opposite spectrum of your nature, but you're so afraid to indulge yourself because what can your battle-scarred hands do besides destroying everything they touch? they don't realize that your fierceness stems from your wish to protect your people. they don't realize that you wish for a company, someone strong enough to stand by your side, someone who wouldn't crumble from your fierceness yet treasures your weaknesses, someone whom you can trust wholeheartedly without fearing that you might get stabbed on your back the moment you let your guard down. they don't realize that you despise having to enjoy the offerings alone....

enter rex lapis, god of contracts, whose prowess falls just a little short below you. but what rex lapis misses, he makes up with his wit and the companions who support him from behind the scenes. rex lapis, like the other gods, fear you and see you as a threat to their people, because in his eyes you're just this thirsty warmonger who thrives upon the deaths of the innocents.... or, well, that is, until he sees you personally mourning over the deaths of your people. immediately, he's intrigued. but he dares not to intrude on your moment of solitude, afraid that he would provoke you if you discover him seeing you in your most vulnerable state. the image stays at the back of his mind, and both guizhong and osial notice how he always fall silent whenever your name comes up.

it isn't until the archon war that he proposes an idea to make an alliance with you. obviously guizhong disagrees and starts listing off the cons of doing so, being his trusted strategist. osial thinks he's gone crazy, and he departs with a snarl and a disbelieving shake of head when the god of contracts tries to explain his reasons. guizhong tries to persuade him otherwise, because there are millions of ways that this could go wrong, and because she has tried to reach out to you in the past but was turned away. you clearly do not want to associate yourself with anyone in the first place. and rex lapis knows that his friend is, as always, correct - but his rational side wavers when he remembers the pained sobs that left your lips and the tears falling down your cheeks.

"nonetheless, we should still try. i have a hunch they will turn out to be different than the rumors."

guizhong starts re-explaining again from the top, and for once rex lapis does not listen.

the next time he dives into battle, the thought plagues his mind, alongside osial's betrayal. maybe that's why he was unable to realize that guizhong was in danger. why he was unable to react in time when his mind's eye connects the trajectory of the blade with the positions of his people. by the time he realizes what was going on, guizhong is already plummeting towards the ground, straight towards your troops' formation.

he's moving on pure instinct when he speeds over towards his friend, he knows it's utter foolishness to appear before the enemy's territory, especially in his frazzled state. he braces for enraged yells and blades sinking upon his skin, he prepares to retreat- and yet everything is silent with the exception of the sound of war in the background. he looks up and sees you, looking down at them with a stoic expression on your face, so different from his memory. the nefarious nicknames flash beyond his eyes, and he grips guizhong's body protectively, draconic eyes glaring up at you, a silent warning.

to his utter shock, your eyes soften. or perhaps it was just his imagination? because you've closed them before he could examine it further, and when you turn towards your generals, your voice is as authoritative and cold as ever, sending shivers down his spine.

but no, it must have not been a fever dream, because you're telling your troops to march forward and conduct themselves along with his troops. you tell them to protect his people and to fully assist his soldiers.

"why?" he asks, and his voice is soft and cracked against the deafening song of the battlegrounds, but still you turn towards him and watch as your gaze falls to the goddess of dust.

"she gave me a flower, once."

it's thousands of years later that rex lapis realizes, as he gazes upon you admiring the first glaze lily that your people managed to cultivate - perhaps it was that single sentence that finally broke the walls he's set around his heart. he casts a forlorn look towards the sea stretching beyond the harbor and the dust dancing in the air under the bright sun.

if only they could see him now. if only they could see you now.

"i told you they would be different from the rumors."

he winces when a speck of dust enters his eyes and chuckles when you start fussing over him, your touch gentle as you examine his teary eyes.

yes, very different indeed.

[pet-genius]

Below the cut, a new fic I am starting, not beta-read and barely anything, and I have no idea what the end game is except that I want it to be a Snily. If you read it, thank you and I hope you enjoy <3

Dumbledore

Dumbledore's chest tightened in desperation. The war was as good as lost, and nearly everyone around him had begun to lose hope. His own days were numbered, and if he could protect the school with his last breath, he would - but then what? Tom Riddle was a much younger man, and Dumbledore had good reason to suspect Tom would outlast even those yet unborn. He needed a way to get close to him, and he needed to be clever about it, send someone who could report on his weaknesses, yet who was expendable, given the nature of the task… there had to be something, some way in... “You know who tried to recruit us, Lily and I,” Dumbledore thought back to a brash seventeen-old James Potter bragging that “I would never, not for all the gold in Gringotts”. It was a shame, because the pair of them could have been infinitely more useful to the Order as spies than as wand fodder, sure to be killed before long. "We are your people! To the end!" James had reassured him then.

“How have I managed to miss every opportunity to get close to some one who could help me on the inside?” Dumbledore asked himself? House Slytherin had essentially devolved into a recruiting pool and Dumbledore spent his years raising students only to watch them die.

“My brother would surely not fail to comment on the irony,” he thought.

The thought of his brother put on him edge. “Well, if you're so Smart, Ab, what would you have done?”

“I would not have fallen for that cold blooded slime in the first place and I would not have then tried to make amends by trying to beat another and getting yet more children killed,” Aberforth said in his head, more jagged than his flesh and blood counterpart, who made up for a slow wit with a strong uppercut.

“Could you try to be more helpful?” He asked the imaginary Aberforth, angry at the real one. “For Salazar’s sake, Albus, you're a hundred years old, why can't you just think quietly?” He berated himself. Ah, to be blessed with a brilliant mind – few could argue with their imaginary brother while commenting on the fight in real time.

“So Voldemort tried to get his claws in 'em, you say? And they're loyal to you, you say? Doesn't take a genius, does it? Give them to him wrapped in a bow.” And Albus thought: “Aberforth, if you had let me get close enough to do it, I might have hugged you.”

James had the pedigree, Lily had a glowing recommendation from Professor Slughorn… Surely Voldemort would be pleased by having something he had been denied, and what different would it ultimately make if he is not?

Lucius

Lucius's fondness for the half-blood was genuine, no point pretending otherwise. There was something almost exotic about his ways, wide-eyed naivete and combined. with lust and hunger to make something of himself.

He was entertaining to keep around, but Lucius knew better than to forget the proper order of things: Friends are not blood, and should never be allowed to progress so far they would forget their gratitude.

It seemed a miscalculation to induct Snape into the fold so soon after he had graduated - but Lucius know Severus would never again be as lost and unknown as he had been just then, and this was the moment to make the move. With any luck, both Snape and the Dark Lord would remember Lucius’s role in brokering this unlikely connection. Snape could be trusted to, in any case, while Lucius would reap the rewards of his hard work... Credit attached itself so much more easily to names and faces like Lucius’s, after all.

And Shape delivered - producing potions and poisons in record time, studying the Dark Arts with voracious curiosity.

"I admit, Luke, you did well bringing him. Anyone would have thought to recruit a Dolohov, but a Snape - only you!" Cissy congratulated him. She had an air of elegance about her even when admitting to a mistake, and he adored her for it.

"I have always known whom to associate with, Dearest;” he replied. “But let us not forget who are our friends and who our family, hm?" His wife could not agree more. Family was where the fun and games had to stop. Let the half-blood hang before a hair fell off his true blood’s head. If only he could give Narcissa everything she wanted, everything she deserved. Lily

Ever since her graduation, Lily had been trying to combat a sense of unease. Mostly around the prospect of visiting her family - She felt loathe to admit to them that the wizarding world that lay beyond the castle's walls was not all wonder and a whimsy. Every problem that plagued the Muggle world, in fact, seemed to have a worse counterpart in the wizarding world, with one minor difference - she was the foreigner, the usurper and the threat.

She not like it. She did not want Petunia to know that. And she hated how James simply refused to understand it, she had harbored a fantasy that marrying him would help people see her in a different light, and then that if she joined the Order she would have a real chance. Now she found herself. out of ideas and with nowhere to go.

When Dumbledore’s Phoenix Patronus perched itself on her table and began to squawk about some important mission or the other, Lily almost hurtled a mug at it. James’s giddy excitement only annoyed her, as did the inevitable question - do you need a potion for cramps, Lily? Whatever else, she figured a mission would be a good way to work out her anger, in any case. Severus

Ever since Severus had "lost" Lily, his life had become immeasurably better. He had spent weeks alternating between tears and terror, rage and regret, the image of her backside going up the stairs drove him mad with remorse, to say nothing of what Potter’d done. But as he entered his sixth year, things suddenly changed: unfettered by his association with her, he felt emboldened to demonstrate the spell he had created and perfected, that she would have frowned on as "Dark Magic". Simple Muggle, he told himself - was there such a thing as “Dark Science” or “Dark Music”? Only Muggles thought like that. He resolved to never fear his own power again and never ever beg or apologize again. He and tasted enough humiliation for the rest of his life.

It had helped that the NEWT lessons attracted more studious, serious people, among whom he could find the space to shine. First impressions mattered, but so did last impressions, and Severus prepared to be at the top of the class, with many options to choose from, join the winning side, and blow with the wind that would devastate the world that had oppressed him.

Severus found an odd pleasure at seeing his spells used on others: Muggles like his father who deigned to control these who struck them as "evil". To laugh with the crowd as they hung in mid-air, to witness defeat and destruction from the outside. He loved being a Death Eater and he admired the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord spoke the truth where others lied, and gave Severus a place and a sense of power where others had mocked him. He inspired Severus dream up ever more creative ways to aid him in the grand cause: Abolish the Statute of Secrecy, and allow every being gifted with magic to practice their craft to the best of their ability. Any other vision stood in the way of progress.

James Potter would take to a distant memory, a funny joke, a puny obstacle on his way to the top and Lily – Lily might come to regret her choice, but it would make no difference to him. He would never look back. If anything, she has been a bigger obstacle to his ascent. His only regret was how long it had taken him to realize that.

Voldemort

"Brothers, Sisters," Lord Voldemort opened his speech, amusing himself with the notion that his audience comprised of people so thoroughly inbred they might as well be.

"We have another victory, two more liberated from prejudice and convention to join us, and what an unlikely pair of allies we have made!"

Whispers heard around the room, eager murmurs of curiosity. The Longbottoms? A Weasley? Someone foreign, perhaps?

As far as Lord Voldemort could hear, no one guessed the Potters, whom he coveted not least because Dumbledore wanted them. A score against his enemy and a shock that would confuse his followers, in one fell swoop.

He loved feeling the power he had over them, the power they had all given him. He looked at the crowd and watched them all assume the same pose and expression so that all distinguishing factors were erased and he no longer saw people, only conduits for power. He would force them to make room for the Muggle-born and he and he would make her show her gratitude by whatever means necessary.

“Please welcome James and Lily Potter,” he said quietly.

A stunned silence fell, and someone abortive claps faded. Neither the new recruits nor any of the old new knew what to do.

"You disappoint me,” Lord Voldemort said. Is this how we welcome guests?” Hesitant cheers broke out and grew, and no one noticed the lone young man at the back of the room who felt more shocked than anyone.

[phantom-curve]

45 from the prompt list please for juke, happy Birthday to you!!!

Thank you! I clearly have not tortured these two enough so please enjoy this angsty Juke whump that ultimately has a happy ending because what other type of ending is there?! Set in a post-canon AU where Julie brings the boys back to life.

#45: feeling their temperature

Julie had been learning a lot about how to deal with various phantom related issues in the last few months. She had learned that the boys needed constant touch and reassurance that they were somehow solid to her, mostly in the form of Luke pulling her into a hug at the end of practice or Reggie throwing himself on top of her while she was sprawled out on the couch doing homework or Alex’s fingers just gently running across the back of her shoulders or the skin of her elbow when she would walk past him at any given time. She had learned that Luke missed meatball subs more than anything, and that Reggie was still sad that that one pizza place on the pier had shut down, and Alex secretly wished he could eat cheese one last time despite the way it had always made him sick when he was alive. She had learned that in the aftermath of their literal magical hug the boys had started getting tired enough to occasionally sleep again and sometimes they didn’t quite phase through things the way they used to and for some reason their poofing had become a touch unreliable.

She was trying to roll with it as much as she could, which was actually a lot given she’d kinda just been rolling with it ever since they appeared in her mom’s studio and turned her life upside down in the best way. But something she hadn’t planned for was illness.

It didn’t make sense, after all. They were ghosts. There was no reason they should get sick, especially given the fact that they weren’t, ya know, real physical entities unless she was touching them. So, it didn’t make sense that they were able to get fevers or sore throats or be congested. She hadn’t planned for it, had written it off as a definite impossibility. Until Reggie half-poofed into her bedroom, flickering in and out slightly so she only caught every other word.

“Julie! ...quick...Luke...not...good...need...help...please!”

And she went immediately, racing down the steps and out the back door to the studio before Reggie had a chance to appear in her bedroom again.

The boys looked absolutely exhausted as she crashed into the studio, Reggie collapsed in one of the chairs breathing heavily and Alex pacing so fast she was sure he was going to wear a groove into the concrete floor. Luke was stretched out along the couch, his face red and sweaty, and he was the only one that looked unhappy at her arrival.

“Julie, thank God,” Alex breathed out, his steps slowing ever so slightly as he made eye contact. “Luke is...sick? Do ghosts get sick? Is that possible? I tried to poof up to you but...it wouldn’t work. Why wouldn’t it work? Reggie said he kept flickering? Did you understand him, or did he just disappear? Oh God, why doesn’t the afterlife come with rule books!?!”

Reggie, bless him, tried to fill in some of the gaps.

“I dunno how much I was actually able to say up there, but something is wrong with Luke. We’re pretty sure he’s sick.”

“Am not!” Luke tried to yell from his spot on the couch, but he barely managed to get the two words out before he was doubled over gasping for air. As if any of them were actually breathing.

“He’s been like this all day.”

It didn’t take a genius or supernatural expert to see that Luke was not his normal bouncy self. Julie approached him slowly, not wanting to make things worse but desperate to affirm for herself that he was still here with her and would be okay at the end of whatever this was. Obviously, none of them actually knew if he would be, but at least if she was touching him, she would have the physical reassurance of his presence. She lowered herself next to his head, resting on her knees beside the couch. He turned glassy eyes her way, groaning and twisting over on his side so he was as curled into her space as he could be while still on the couch.

“Luke...?”

She tried desperately to keep the fear from her voice. The last thing the boys needed was for her to lose it, but she wasn’t sure she managed it. Losing the boys, losing Luke, was her number one fear since she had realized how much they all meant to her. It was a fear that had become even more real when she had watched them be nearly jolted from existence thanks to Caleb, her touch somehow being the one thing that had managed to save them. As if spurred on by that memory, she reached out to let one hand trail across Luke’s forehead and down to rest against his cheek. His skin was like fire beneath her touch.

“You’re burning up. Have you been hot like this all day?”

One side of his mouth tipped up, a half-hearted smirk curving his lips.

“I’m always hot, Jules. Didn’t think you’d ever notice.”

It took everything in her not to roll her eyes. But then Luke gasped and coughed, the sound deep and throaty in a way she hadn’t experienced since the time Carlos got pneumonia when he was little. She fluttered her fingers above him, not sure where her touch would be helpful or comforting. Luke reached up to snag her hands within his own, pulling them close against his chest. Julie tried not to focus on the way his skin seemed to be boiling beneath her.

“That cough doesn’t sound good. Have you taken anything? Ibuprofen, Tylenol, ice cold water??”

She was grasping at straws here. Whatever was going on with Luke was completely out of her wheelhouse, but she would be damned if she let some weak human virus or bacterial infection be his downfall. She had saved him from a goddamn demon’s curse, she could save him from this.

“No, Julie, I’m fine. I swear.”

His promise was cut off by another hacking cough. Julie tried to pull her hands back, if only so that she could use them for something other than just grasping onto Luke’s, but his grip held firm.

“Luke,” she tried again, pushing the tears she felt clogging her throat back, “you’re not fine. Please, I just...I need...there has to be something I can do.”

Their eyes met and held. She watched the way the emotions swimming in the sea of Luke’s gaze shifted and changed. Felt it deep within her soul when he decided to give up the façade and let her in.

“I don’t...it doesn’t feel right, Jules. It’s not like I’m sick, not like...”

Not like when he was human. The words hung unspoken between them. Julie felt her heart dive straight into her toes.

“Can we just...can you just...hold me?”

Luke’s voice came out in broken starts and stops, like the request was being dragged from his bones in a last-ditch attempt at satisfying a final craving before the very end. Julie thought her heart might explode, especially when her eyes searched his face and found nothing but longing and love etched into the pained lines there. It hit her then. He didn’t think this was something survivable. He didn’t think he was going to come back from this. Luke was facing the end, the actual end, and he wanted her at his side and in his arms when he went to meet his maker. The very idea ripped her soul in two.

“No, no, no. No, Luke, no. This isn’t...you’re not...no. You don’t get to do this to me. Not now. Not after...no.”

Julie felt the tears well up and spill over, wet tracks inching down her cheeks in the worst kind of betrayal. Not after everything she had done to save him. Not after she realized she loved him. It wasn’t fair. Luke didn’t get to just leave her like this. She wouldn’t allow it. Luke’s own eyes flooded, the two of them so in tune that when she blinked again her tears traced down her face in the same pattern that his did.

“Julie...please...”

He was pulling on her then, using their conjoined hands and his superior upper body strength to drag her up and onto the couch. Julie did her best to wedge herself into the space beside him, but Luke was having none of that, dropping her hands so he could twist his fingertips into her belt loops and haul her body on top of his. It was the kind of intimate cuddling she had been dreaming about for months, even before she had been able to touch him. Her head was tucked securely beneath his chin, cheek resting above the space his heart had once occupied. His arms were locked around her waist, hands solid and reassuring against the small of her back. She let her hands slip past the worn cotton of his cut-up band tee to rest against his ribs, the tears flowing fast and hot from her eyes to soak the material beneath her head.

She wasn’t sure Luke would even notice the difference. His temperature had to be sky high, every inch of his body where it pressed against hers engulfed in flames. Without realizing it, she began to hum the chorus to Edge of Great. She had been using it recently as a way to hype herself up when she started doubting something, the song never failing to remind her of Luke’s unbreakable belief in her. She felt it when Luke smiled, his head leaning down to rest against her own, voice blending with hers in a perfect harmony.

“We were pretty great, huh?” Luke’s voice was hushed as his lips moved across her scalp. “The band...the boys...us. We went right over the edge together, didn’t we? We’re just one dream, away from who we’re meant to be.”

Julie lost the melody as her quiet cries shifted to sobs. This couldn’t be it. They hadn’t even achieved half of the things they were meant to. Luke’s hum picked up where hers had dropped off, shifting slowly into the bridge of Finally Free.

“You’ll always be a part of me. Now ‘til eternity.”

Luke’s words were quiet and soft, melodic, as if he was still following the lines of the song in his head. There was a kind of peace to them that Julie hadn’t heard before, not since that awful night where he had stood before her and said there was no music without her. Not since the last time he thought she was going to have to watch him die. Not since the last time he had tried to say goodbye.

She couldn’t let him go like this. She had to fight, somehow, some way, to keep him where he belonged, right here next to her. She didn’t know what was happening, didn’t know how to fix it, but she could give him this. She could tell him how much he meant to her. She could hope that it would maybe be enough. Just like last time.

“Luke...I can’t...I’m not...” Her chest constricted, cutting off her words. God, how did it already hurt so much? “I’m not ready to lose you. I can’t lose you. I love you.”

Luke convulsed slightly underneath her, the movement moving from the tip of his head all the way down to his toes. Julie hugged him close, terrified. She wasn’t sure if that type of reaction was a good thing or a bad thing, and she wasn’t fully ready to find out. Beneath her, Luke’s body began to rapidly cool. That had to be a bad sign, right? A fever like that wouldn’t just suddenly break, not unless...not unless...Julie couldn’t even make herself think it. She pulled herself tighter against Luke’s chest, leveraged every inch she could get against him as her hands flexed against his back. A strange noise sounded from deep within his chest.

“Luke? Please, Luke, no. Please don’t leave me.”

Julie clutched herself as close as possible, the feeling of Luke’s arms slackening on her back twisting her stomach. Her sobs were borderline uncontrollable now, breaths coming in painful gasps as she pushed her face deeper and deeper into the fabric of Luke’s shirt. I love you, I love you, I love you. Her mouth formed the words over and over again until she felt them stitch themselves into the lining of her soul.

The noise sounded again, louder this time, directly underneath the spot where her cheek rested against his left pectoral muscle. And then she heard it again, and again, and again, slowly repeating until it picked up a slight rhythm. Slow at first and then explosively fast all the sudden. It sounded...like a heartbeat.

“Luke, oh my God, Luke, please, please, oh my God, please.”

Julie had no idea what she was even pleading for. A sign, a glimmer of hope to hold on to, another miracle that would save the boy she loved and bring him back to her, fully this time. It was too much to ask for, right? Too much to put faith into. The sound, the heartbeat, within Luke’s chest began to echo even louder. Julie forced herself to be brave. Forced herself to lift her head and look at Luke’s face. She told herself she could handle it. She told herself she had to do it.

Luke’s eyes were open above her. He looked just as bewildered as she felt, but his eyes were open and she could see his nostrils flaring as he sucked in a breath, and she felt the lungs in his chest expand beneath her and he was alive. He had to be alive, right? That was the only explanation here.

“Julie...?”

“Are you...?”

“I feel...”

“Alive.”

They said it at the same time, voices blending together the same way they did on stage, perfectly matched as if the universe itself had made it so. Julie pressed one hand against his cheek, his normal temperature cheek, and the other against his chest, directly above his heart. She felt the steady thump of muscle against her palm, felt Luke’s lips stretch into the widest grin she had ever seen. His own arms tightened around her waist again, forcing her to collapse against him as he squeezed. His heartbeat, his heartbeat!, roared strong and steady beneath her. His lips were in her hair, the only part of him that was still hot, moving against her curls in a way she didn’t have to hear to understand. I love you, I love you, I love you. Tying them together, heart to heart, the knowledge of that truth undeniable and overwhelming. He was alive. He was alive. Luke was alive, at her side, alive alive alive.

“Hey guys?”

Reggie’s voice, strained and aching. Julie had forgotten about the other boys completely. She turned her head, new tears overflowing when she caught sight of them. They looked like Luke had when she entered the studio. But instead of feeling scared, an immense wave of relief crashed over her. She could do this. She loved them. She could bring them back. Julie disentangled herself from Luke, crossing the room to pull the other boys close. Luke followed, his arms encompassing hers, Reggie and Alex safe within a never-ending circle of love. They burned hot and quick, fevers rising and crashing in a wave faster than Luke’s, heartbeats returning just as swiftly. They all cried, limbs overlapping in a heap on the floor. And when Julie met Luke’s eyes above the backs of the other boys, a moment passed between them. A moment that promised a lifetime together, every day beginning and ending with love and them.

“Now that we’re alive again, can we please get something to eat?”

Luke pulled Reggie into a noogie, but Julie just laughed, her heart soaring high as she thought about the endless future stretched out in front of them. A lifetime of forevers, starting that very day.

[julie-and-the-phantoms-stan]

But What If They DIE!!!

Ok, so, @lambo1223 had a brilliant idea for a fic, and I imedietly volounteered to write it. So shout out to them for coming up with this genius concept.

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Julie has learned many things after she met Alex, Luke, and Reggie. That ghosts exist for one, that even though her mom was gone, it didn’t mean she should stop playing. And that you never know what trouble the boys might get into.

But even being aware the boys could get into any type of trouble, she was still surprised to find Reggie crying, and Luke angrily pacing around in the studio.

 “What happened!” Julie shouted worriedly, her mind immediately going to worse case scenarios. 

‘What if Caleb found them again? What if he put another stamp on them? What if the jolts are bak? I can’t lose them! Not after being so close to them having been gone forever! Not after everything we’ve been through!’

Then she realized, Alex seemed unusually calm. He even looked, annoyed? That was way out of character. What was going on?

“Alex? What’s happening?” Julie asked.

Alex sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “These two,” he said pointedly, referring to Luke and Reggie, “are being overdramatic.” Julie swears she hears him whisper under his breath “Seriously, how am I the emotional one?”

Julie feels puzzled, and her face contorts into one of confusion. “So it’s not anything serious?”

“Of course it’s serious! I can’t believe it! I just can’t believe it!” Luke explains angrily.

Reggie, who had currently been sitting on the couch, suddenly stands up and dramatically falls to his knees. “This has been a traumatizing experience. Traumatizing I tell you!”

Now Julie was even more confused, and she was starting to get frustrated. “Guys, what happened.” it wasn’t a question, she was demanding them to tell her.

“Oh, I’ll tell you what happened,” Luke states, irritation clear in his voice. “We were at the beach earlier. Do you know what they were hosting at the beach today?” he asks rhetorically.

“They were having a hotdog eating contest. Hotdogs. Hotdogs happen to be how we died!”

Julie looked up exasperated. Sometimes she didn’t know if these idiots were a blessing or a curse.

She looked back at Reggie and Luke, and slowly, as if talking to children, (she was) and exclaimed, “That’s why you guys are so upset?! Because of a hotdog eating contest?”

Reggie nodded from his spot on the floor, “Yes! Oh, the humanity!”

Alex just turned around, and softly thunked his head against the wall. “They’ve been like this all afternoon.”

Reggie stared at Alex looking betrayed, “We have a right to be like this? What if they die?”

Julie shook her head fondly. “They’re not going to die. For starters, they didn’t eat street dogs out of the back of a strange car that had the battery exposed, and right next to the toppings,” she says, emphasizing on their past stupidity.

The boys smiled sheepishly. “But Julie,” Luke began, “the audacity to do something like that right in front of us!”

Alex, being the only one of the boys to be sane at the moment, speaks up “Yeah, but they can’t see us, idiot. We’re ghosts.”

Luke mumbles under his breath, “It’s still rude.”

Julie rolled her eyes. Oh these boys, they were gonna be the death of her. But she wouldn’t trade them in for the world.

“Well, you poor ghosts,” she says sarcastically, as she walks over to them.

“How bout a hug to cheer you guys up?” she asks. The boys easily comply, and soon enough, they’re wrapped up in a group hug.

And that’s when Julie smacks Reggie and Luke on the head. “Ow! What was that for?” Reggie asks. “You idiots made me worry for no reason! I thought something bad had happened!”

Both boys mumbled apologies, but they all ended up in another group hug. And they stayed like that for a few more minutes, just reveling in the other’s embrace.

[notfeelingthyaster]

Imagine (based on the incomplete fanfic Son of the Underworld) (4/5) (Son of Hades! Percy AU)

Before you read it, check the masterpost - I continue into HOO. Check the warnings before proceeding :)) Good reading!

Percy stalls to see his father while he can. He doesn't want to see other demigods nor his mother until he is better. Until he can protect them. He won't see any of them die because of the gods again. But his father hurt him. So he stalls.

Eventually, he wanders to Persephone's garden. Ripe pomegranates tempt him, and he just wants to lay his head upon the soft grass and stay.

There's where the goddess of Spring finds him: basking in the beauty of her garden.

She smiles. That's not only her husband's bastard: that's Sally's son. And while Hades loved the woman, like he loved many, Kore adored her.

She wasn't Persephone or Proserpina with Sally. There was no destruction in their love. Kore smiles, and she remembers the fields of flowers they walked together.

Then, Perseus wakes up, and she is Persephone again. Kore is her past, her innocence that she gave up willingly when she followed her husband to the darkness.

"Lady Persephone" It's the first time he treats a god with true respect.

Persephone hesitates. He has green eyes - he is Hades' son but he is her champion, the closest she can have to a son after her mother cursed her with barrenness.

Perseus smiles.

"Call me Kore"

"My name is Kore, and I bring the spring"

They walk together. Plants turn to look at them, but Perseus doesn't leave a trail of death in his wake. He isn't his father. He is not a destroyer - he is a protector.

She talks to him. About the blessing she put on him, about the flowers she plants in her garden, about her childhood.

He talks back. He tells her about Sally, about the hobbit hole. Perseus tells her how he doesn't belong anywhere.

Kore shows him Gabe's statue. She kisses his forehead, and tells him he doesn't need to fear her touch - he can't hurt her.

They stick together for two weeks before crossing paths with Hades. The Underworld is vast, and Kore had many gardens to show him.

Stepmother and stepson walk barefoot and bare-chested throughout the trails of stone and grass and sleep under the shade of trees, the part of the land of the dead that was now full of life.

Kore shows him how to weave crowns of flowers and how to grow vines under his feet. She teaches him patience, and the flowers glow in his presence.

Persephone teaches him how to make the soil sing. She teaches him control, and the earth purrs under their fingertips.

Proserpina trains him to make the shadows obey. She teaches him resilience, and the darkness is his to command.

They go to the palace together, hand in hand. Percy doesn't question her many facades - he adapts to it. To her skin being green or brown or black, to her ever-changing eye color, to her hair made of vines.

He doesn't dare voice it - but he thinks her more beautiful than Aphrodite.

Perseus is happy here. He leaves his human clothes behind - there's no need for them - and put on togas and chitons.

He stands tall before his father, and the god apologizes with an ax made of stygian iron. Hades says it's a prize for his last three successful quests.

He doesn't let the grudge go, but accepts the bribe anyways.

They dine together. Perseus loves it here - but eventually, he has to go back to his mother and his human life.

His school has one more week of break, and he is spending it with his father. Persephone, Kore, and Proserpina taught him much - but only his father can hone him.

It's against the old laws for godly parents to spend time with their children - Hades is in his own dominion and he doesn't give a damn.

Hades teach him how to call for the Underworld. Teaches him how to curve metal around his arms like water, and teaches him politics the best he can in a week.

Perseus goes back home. He soothes his mother - who, swarmed by calls of Annabeth and Thalia and Chiron, is too worried - and tells her to not visit this year - he'll come home by himself at least once a month and will be spending the rest of his time in the Underworld.

He pleads for her to not tell anyone. Percy needs space.

Sally understands, kisses the crown of his head, and tells him to be safe. He bundles himself up in sweaters instead of togas, and go back to Yancy.

His grades continue to be awesome in Math and awful in English. He keeps getting tutored - and when he gets a B- in Language Arts, it's enough to boost his GPA for the scholarship in Phillip's Academy.

He goes back to the Underworld every weekend. Ghosts teach him how to kill best with his hammer and ax, and some say he would do better with a shield instead of with double weapons, but he doesn't care.

Percy gets muscle - he is a soon to be fourteen years old, and his godly blood helps. He fills his sweaters now, and his new roommate tells him that he looks like a bodyguard. A wall of intimidation - Perseus likes it.

He perfects shadow travel. He gets tired if he goes further than his mother's house and back, and more than one person is still a little off, but he is getting there. Blackjack helps a lot - he is like a shadow charger.

He bends metal and he tries to summon green fire - he only gets sparks, but it's okay - he'll get there.

He uses more white and stronger shades of green and blue - they remind him of Persephone.

Once, he takes his mom to see his stepmom - it's teary, and they spend the whole evening in each other's arms, talking. Mom tells him this goodbye is for real - she tells him she met someone new, and he rejoices.

He starts to differentiate Persephone from Kore and Proserpina - and they are all amazing in their own right.

He takes his finals earlier because of the scholarship. Percy finally says goodbye to Yancy Academy.

This summer, he doesn't go back to Camp - he has no reason to. Everyone is fine, he is not having nightmares, there have been no monster sightings nearby.

He spends half his time in the Underworld. The other half, he spends with Luke.

After two years of taking care of half his friends, it's time to care for the other side.

He doesn't meet Kronos - he doesn't want a master - but he sits down in San Francisco with Luke and Ethan and Alabaster, and they ignore the war that rages around them.

Ethan and Alabaster are dating - Percy is happy for them. They look at him and Luke, and they know Percy loves him.

But Luke is twenty to Percy's fourteen, and he tells himself it's just infatuation, a teacher's crush.

Percy bakes with his Mom and walks Blackjack, and spends most of his weeks with Persephone in new gardens everywhere - it's summer, her time with her mother - but his Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for his friends.

Luke asks him only once if he'll join them. Percy says someone has to protect Annabeth, and Luke is clearly incapable of doing it. They don't talk about it again.

Soon, it's September. He takes a road trip with his newly graduated Mom to see the school - and learns that his mother's new beau is a teacher named Paola Blofis.

In the freshman introduction he meets her - Rachel Elizabeth Dare. She sticks to him like glue.

She is a fiery little girl, and Perseus had crushes before - Annabeth, Luke - but he has never been flustered. It's funny for Rachel, seeing the solid wall of sophomore muscles in her front stutter like a middle schooler.

They become friends. He explains the vision to her - she barely believes him, until one day they're out on town and Percy has to kill three empousai. Blackjack shows - and Rachel makes fast friends with the hellhound.

He moves in with a boy named Matt Sloan, and they don't talk at all - they have their own space, and don't ask questions.

Percy keeps visiting the Underworld. He tries to keep contact with Luke - but the boy gets erratic and his humor floats between exhilaration and blind rage.

When Luke punches him in the face two months into the school year after he denies knowing where Annabeth lives, he says his goodbyes to Ethan and Alabaster and leaves.

Perseus worries for Rachel. She is fiery and strong - but she is not a fighter. He teaches her how to stab with a dagger - he has no idea if Celestial Bronze works for her, but the Minotaur horn should.

He is the only black freshman in the whole Academy.

But people don't mess with him nor with Rachel. Percy looks like he could break someone in half like a twig, he disappears for a number of hours for who knows where he is a math genius even though he barely studies. He was involved with shady things three years ago. He barely talks with anyone but the strange girl - and never smiles in public.

Racist people call him a thug and drug trafficker. Persephone gives him a very realistic cherry earring - and rumors grow.

Perseus has to deal with much worse. So he keeps his facade, and sits with the other people of color of this place: It's segregation all over again, and Rachel is the only one who ever approaches them.

And the fact there's only fifteen people of color in the whole Academy? It says a lot about this country.

There are three black boys (including him), four black girls, two desi girls, three boys of oriental descent (mixed Japanese, Korean and Chinese), one Native-American boy and two Latinos, one with a black mom and a Cuban dad and another with all grandparents from French Guyana.

Most of them have scholarships, and just some of the girls interact with the white people - and he with his constant redhead attachment - racism is in an all-time high for such a northern state.

Percy starts paying attention in other minorities - and is not surprised when he finds almost nothing in this nazi paradise. If there's anyone anything other than cis straight, they're in the closet.

He rarely sees any of the girls in the pants version of the uniform if it's not for sports. There are one or two rebels - but it's mostly emo rich kids with no significant problems.

Rachel tells him she's not sure if she likes boys or girls. Six months into their friendship, they kiss - It's weird and wet. They try again - it gets better.

Rachel is still not sure if she likes anything at all. Everyone thinks they're dating - they don't deny it.

Most of them are catholic or protestant, Jewish people live in silence, and there's not one Muslim person in this whole school.

It's 2007, but it feels like 1940. Percy is fourteen - fifteen next August - but he feels like a hundred.

He meets Demeter in the Underworld twice. He is not impressed, and really happy they didn't cross during summertime.

Demeter is like most gods, a super-powered being throwing a tantrum. She is not happy that Hades married her daughter - even though it has been a thousand years and she cursed their marriage with barrenness. She looks at Perseus once - and force-feeds cereal to him.

He hates cereal.

But she doesn't tell any of the other gods Perseus and his father are meeting - so props for her.

He ignores any Iris Messaging that doesn't come from Persephone or Hades. He has no idea what's happening with the war - and right now, he doesn't care.

Perseus receives two calls from Yancy saying that weird people were there, after him - he doesn't care.

He isn't having visions - so everyone is just fine. They'll deal.

His powers grow. Hellish fire, earth, stone, skeletons, metal, gems, shadows - he does it all. Some better than others, and he is always tired, but he is managing.

Rachel and he grow closer and closer. She meets Persephone once. He hasn't heard from Camp in a year and a half now. It's been six months since he talked to Luke.

Persephone and Rachel start weaning him off the gloves. He still uses his sweaters, but his hands are freer now. He has control, and his touch isn't poisonous - he isn't a bringer of death.

Percy has a vision of Luke talking to Kronos about preparing his body and the Labyrinth. He can't lose Luke for an all-powerful being.

A month before his finals, he finds the entrance to the Labyrinth. Persephone tells him about Ariadne - but he can't risk Rachel with Luke. Luke is unstable, he might kill her.

He passes all his classes. Some with A+, some with C-, but it's okay. He'll be on AP Maths next year. It's going to be just fine.

Perseus goes home - he hugs his mother, eats some cookies, packs a bag and goes to the Labyrinth - if anyone can navigate it, it's him - Percy Jackson, son of Hades.

He wanders. Perseus passes by Alcatraz - and there's nothing he hates more than people who can do something and do nothing, and he isn't powerful enough to free Briares alone. So he goes back to the Labyrinth.

Perseus meets Hermes. He has no idea what the god is trying to do. He pleads for Percy to save Luke, he tells him he'll find help in the way, and points him the direction to a place connected to the Titan's war effort.

He pays Geryon a lot of money. Perseus knows he is being double-crossed, but whatever - he has a Stygian Iron ax, a Warhammer, could win in a wrestling match against Eurytion - probably - and has a giant hellhound at his beck and call.

Perseus asks about Luke. They tell him what they can - or else, the basic of the basic. He learns Luke has an army, that he is marching to CHB and that he is recruiting.

Percy lies - he says he is after Luke to join him. No one doubts him - not Geryon, not Eurytion, not some of Luke's minions who are loitering there - after all, he is lying low since December of 2006 - and it's summer of 2008. He is fifteen in August - he was thirteen and a half when he left.

No one knows that he hasn't talked with Luke since November of 2007, except Ethan and Alabaster. And they're not here, so it doesn't matter.

Perseus is not vain - but he is a child of the Big Three, the oldest mortal one. He is realistic: They know who he is. They keep tabs on him.

He is in Triple G Ranch for two weeks - still trying to pry where the hell is Luke - when Annabeth, Nico, Grover, and a freaking cyclops appear from the same entrance he did.

Percy is not there when they come out - he is talking to a son of Morpheus about Alabaster.

He is having lunch - Sun Cows hamburgers, because he really couldn't care less - when Eurytion brings them in.

They don't recognize him at first - he has his back turned to them, he is taller and larger, his gloves are gone, and his hair is fuller. Persephone says he looks a lot like his father now.

"Long time, no see," He thinks Annabeth is going to punch him. She comes to hug him - but it's been a long time, and he is not ready for it yet, so she just sits near him.

She tells him that they looked everywhere for him, that their hope lied on Grover's empathy bond, that Percy didn't even know existed. Nico doesn't look at him - Perseus thinks he still blames him for Bianca's death.

Percy doesn't trust the cyclops. They tell him Tyson - because the monster has a name - is Thalia's brother. He can't judge much, because he has a hellhound, but he does it anyway.

And the fact that most cyclops answer to Poseidon? Explains a lot.

Grover is the one to kill Geryon this time - they don't clean any stables. Annabeth pleads Percy to come with them since they have the same mission.

Oh, how he missed the way she assumes.

"I'm not after Daedalus Workshop"

And she just keeps on assuming. She can't blame her - it's her mother's curse.

"Luke is alive" She tells him.

"I know, I'm here for him" It feels like a betrayal, but he lets them think what they will think.

Nico tries. It's cute - Percy thinks - how he starts by saying he doesn't blame Percy, and that the Camp misses him, but a second later is using his sister to try and guilt him into complying.

Grover asks him how could he, after everything Luke has done.

"He is my friend"

"So was I"

They think he is going to join Luke - he doesn't disagree. They barely know him anymore.

And he loves them, but Luke needs him.

They go back to the Labyrinth. Percy does too - alone. He follows a group of demigods to Antaeus' arena.

Luke isn't Luke anymore, not where it matters. He welcomes Percy with open arms - but he isn't the Luke that Percy loves.

He says that he has to prove himself. The son of Hermes caresses his cheek and calls him Perseus - Percy hates him.

Ethan and Alabaster are there too. They are never together - Ethan tells him he is afraid the monsters will discover they matter to each other.

Luke Castellan - Lucas Castellan, one of his oldest friends, his first mentor, his first love - makes him fight for his life. Against monsters, like the gods that he fights against do.

And Percy does. Percy kills cyclops, dracaenas, empousai, hellhounds - anything Luke throws at him. He is tired when he meets Annabeth again - her little quest has fallen into their hands.

Luke pits them against each other - and Percy hates him. Something festers inside him - this time, it's not guilt.

Annabeth cuts him - but he doesn't care. He wins quickly enough - and instead of killing her, helps the four of them escape.

"Why did you do it?!"

"I thought I could save him" He confides in her.

They sit somewhere in the mess that is the Labyrinth, and they talk. He tells her about the Underworld and Rachel - somehow avoiding any details about the nature of their relationship - and she tells him about Chris Rodriguez and Tyson, and he still doesn't like the cyclops - but what can he do.

Nico apologizes, but Percy's heart was made for holding grudges, and Nico's throat was full of pride. It doesn't seem like conciliation - but it feels like a start.

Nico tells him about Lotus Hotel. Tells him that he discovered that Hera killed his mother in 1942 - and Zeus hid him and Bianca from her ever since. He talks about meeting her in the Labyrinth - and the way he hates Hera but doesn't blame Percy anymore for Bianca - his sister made her own choices.

Annabeth says they have an automaton that can take them to Hephaestus Forge, but they were unable to follow it. She tells him that they need his help to navigate the Labyrinth.

He can only do so much. They go in circles for a while before they reach the Forge, and then they separate - Grover and Tyson go one way; Nico, Annabeth, and Percy go to Mt. Etna.

Everything goes the same - Percy is mildly resistant to flames - he has his own. The telekhines try to kill them.

Percy feels it in his gut - the strength of this mountain, the earth beneath him. He sends Annabeth and Nico away.

Annabeth kisses him. It's weird - he doesn't have anything with Rachel, not for real, and he has been tong-tied around Annabeth for a long time now - but it's still weird. He has just lost any hope on Luke, they're about to die, it's a very adrenaline-fueled situation.

Nico looks strangely forlorn, he notices, as the two of them leave. It's weird because they barely know each other and every single one of their interactions is filled with resentment.

He doesn't have time to think about it. Percy gives them fifteen minutes - and then the world explodes around him.

Being dead never hurt so much. He wakes up for a second - and there's a beautiful girl there. Oh, Persephone must be visiting him in Elysium.

He wakes up again - that girl is not Persephone. She tells him to rest - and rest he does.

Perseus wakes up in Ogygia. The first thing he notices is that his chest is almost bare - the only thing covering him at all is a loose chiton.

He panics until the girl touches him softly and tells him she is immortal - he can't hurt her. She tells him her name, and she tells him she can feel death in him - but also life.

He knows the story - he knows Calypso.

Calypso is a Titaness. She touches and touches and touches him - they roll in the soft grass and they play on the mud like kids.

Their connection is above Annabeth, Rachel, Grover, Charles, Clarisse, Connor - these are his friends, no matter how much time has passed, but he didn't trust him with touch - he thinks he should start to.

It's above Ethan, Alabaster, and Luke - these are also his friends, even if they betrayed him. It pains him to think of them, even if he understands somehow their motives.

Calypso teaches him to trust. It's a very difficult thing to teach to a son of Hades, but he is more open now - there are still grudges pressing at his heart, but he trusts now.

Hephaestus come, and he can't stay. He loves Calypso (although not in a romantic way), and he has stayed for a month.

She gives him moonshade and kisses his forehead. He can't take her now - but he'll be back for her, gods be damned.

He doesn't bother to cover up when he takes the raft - Perseus still hates the ocean, by the way.

Percy shows up at Camp Half-Blood with no sweaters, no gloves, no barriers. He knows which side of the war he is on, and it's time for him to trust.

Camp is empty. He sees smoke curling out of the amphitheater - and Perseus walks to it. It's a bit earlier for a bonfire, did someone die?

He fears it was Annabeth or Nico. Or both. Percy runs to the amphitheater.

There's a black burial shroud. Something is warm at the bottom of his stomach.

Nico is crying on Will Solace's shoulder. Clarisse and Connor are holding hands. Annabeth is sobbing. Charles is hugging her - and finishing a eulogy for him. Percy is in the door, semi-naked, and really confused.

"He was my mentee and an amazing friend to all of those who knew him. He was-" Charles doesn't finish it.

"Don't bother with my presence, continue please" And Percy chooses this moment to be cheeky.

Everyone gapes at him for a second. He is almost Charles height, he is as muscular as Clarisse, he is wearing only a chiton and his weapons. There's a flower crown in his head.

Then, he is tackled by a very furious Charles Beckendorf.

"TWO YEARS"

"NO PHONECALLS, NO LETTERS, NOT A GODDAMNED SMOKE SIGNAL"

"AND THEN YOU DIE"

"AND COME HERE WITH THAT CHEEK"

Percy has no sense of self-preservation.

"It was only a year and a half"

Clarisse punches his arm, and Connor slaps him upside the head. Nico looks like he is about to murder him.

"Where were you?" Asks Annabeth, but he just shakes his head. He is not ready to talk about Calypso.

Will Solace manhandles him to the infirmary - his touch still startles Percy. The boy didn't really talk with him since he was claimed, after the whole Golden Fleece situation.

The son of Apollo apologizes. Perseus is surprised it still hurts - but keeping grudges is his specialty.

People keep looking at his bare chest and the flower crown he doesn't get off the whole week he is in Camp. They tell him they didn't tell his mother - and for that, he is grateful.

They go back to the Labyrinth with Rachel, who looks really cool in gold. It's weird. It was pretty easy to convince her, but there's this tension between Annabeth, Rachel, and Nico that he doesn't care about right now, and doesn't want for it to inflict on his mission.

They're all teenagers - Nico is thirteen (or eighty, buy who is counting) and the rest of them are fourteen - Drama is expected, but not welcome.

He has no idea the reason for it either.

Perseus has his own drama going on - or at least, there's a lot of drama being directed at him - and he is still confused why.

Annabeth stole a kiss from him - big deal, if she didn't mention until now, he was not going to - and is now acting like a headless deer every time they talk.

He and Rachel kiss sometimes - but she said she was still confused about her sexuality. Percy researched a bit - he thinks she might be ace, but that's a realization she has to make herself.

Nico and he have a lot of bad blood between them and very few interactions to drawn upon. The boy is an oyster - but Percy thinks he might like Annabeth. He seems a little envious of Percy's arms - it's really strange the way he looks at them sometimes.

They get caught in Antaeus' arena again. This time, there's no chance they can escape - there's a dagger pressed very close to Rachel's throat.

Luke says his champion is back, full of mockery. Something rages inside of Percy - he hates the blonde, even if he also loves him more than he can explain.

Luke pits him against Ethan. Percy can't kill one of his best friends.

He does kill Antaeus though. The giant has a lot of power over the earth, but Percy sends him straight to the Underworld.

Perseus calls for Blackjack, Nico calls for his own hellhound (Perseus had no idea he had one), and then he shadow travels them as far as he can. They find Grover and Tyson - and Pan. Percy loves the feeling of life all around him this time because it reminds him of Persephone.

They eventually find Daedalus Workshop. Annabeth recognizes the man: she says he is Quintus, that his body is metal, that she has been dreaming about him.

Daedalus betrays them, the Workshop explodes, Rachel, Grover, Tyson, and Annabeth fly in mechanic wings. Nico flies without any help, and takes Percy with him - Percy thinks Zeus will be less prone to kill him if he is with his son.

He feels a little like a damsel in distress - and they have to land quickly, because Percy is twice Nico's weight, even if the boy says the wind drafts help.

Turns out Rachel is richer than Perseus' first thought. She basically clicks her fingers and they have a limo. It's weird, but he is grateful.

Percy kisses Rachel cheek and promises her that he'll call her if he survives - he knows her number by heart after a year of knowing her.

Annabeth and Nico keep being weird - he doesn't even try and understand anymore.

In the middle of battle preparations, he sends two Iris Messages - one for his mom, one for Persephone. They cry, but - for very different reasons - can't interfere.

Perseus thinks it's wrong the gods can't help with their battle. It's their war the demigods are fighting - this battle is in their name.

He uses his drachma in the bare privacy of the empty Cabin 11, the drachma, their drachma. He still has faith - the last summer, when they all held hands and walked in the suburbs of San Francisco, it's burning in his mind - in Luke, in his protection of other demigods. He wants to convince him that his enemies are the gods - CHB has only half-bloods, pawns, children.

The rainbow shows what it seems like a horror movie. Ethan pledges his loyalty to a golden sarcophagus. Luke isn't anywhere to be seen - and when he is, it's not Luke anymore. It's Kronos.

Kronos desecrated the body of his friend. Kronos took pieces of Ethan's and Alabaster's souls. Kronos is making children fight his battles, just like the gods. Kronos is going to kill his friends.

Percy knows, right there, that he has chosen the right side.

They draw their battle lines. Percy raises skeleton armies from all centuries and all sides - Clarisse helps. He gets extra happy when he raises his half-brother soldiers - and they have to answer to a black person.

The fist of Zeus opens - and hundreds of monsters come through. Percy is mounting Blackjack - the ground shakes and stone spikes kill the first round of empousai. People rally behind him.

Nico flies around, thunder brimming in his hands. Sometimes, a monster dies and there's no one there - it's either Annabeth or one of Hermes children able to run faster than the wind.

Tyson saves him from another cyclops - Percy thinks there's an exception for every rule.

Everyone on their side has earplugs made by Cabin 9 - they filter the dangerous sound waves the Apollo children are making. Dryads and naiads defend the forest together - The river nymphs protecting the trees from damage.

Both the Demeter's and the Dionysus' kids use vines to keep the monsters at bay - only a few can come at a time. The Aphrodite Cabin rallies together with the best strategy ever: The stronger lure the monsters with their mother's charm, and then make them turn around and impale themselves in the spears and daggers of those whose charms are weaker.

Not all undetermined children deserted - He sees Lou Ellen kill a monster with a burst of fire magic, most of her siblings right beside her. Clovis is half asleep - no monster can get within five meters of him without falling asleep.

Briares comes and fights alongside Tyson - and they kill Kampe. Grover screams - it's the worst thing Percy has ever felt, and he has seen his father's Helm.

The monsters flee. This time around they had more time to prepare - and more time to rally. Fewer people die. Some are inevitable: Castor is gone, killed by Ethan's hand - something in Percy is filled with guilt - If he had killed Ethan, Castor might be alive.

He would never be able to kill Ethan.

Lee Fletcher is not dead - but he is missing an arm now. He is in shock - but the Hephaestus Cabin is rallying around to build him one.

Quintus - Daedalus - is there. He should be dead - it's disgusting to be near him. Percy isn't good with the spirit/ghostly part of it - but he picks up the last of his energy and sends - banishes - Quintus to the Underworld.

Nico and Percy can now bond over having hellhounds - well, they could. But Percy is not staying. He just listened to the Prophecy. He still has one more year before he is sixteen, and he wants to live.

"You have a place in camp, you know" Nico says, but Perseus shakes his head.

"I have school"

Annabeth, Nico, Clarisse, everyone thinks he is joking. He is very much not. He stays for the burning of the shrouds, and leaves.

This summer, he was a leader. Perseus Jackson, son of Hades, it's the leader of Camp Half-Blood - and he'll lead them to victory when the time comes.

Until then, he has sophomore year, a summer road trip with Rachel, garden visits with Persephone, training with his father, and movie nights with his mom and Paola.

And, of course, now he has to come to Camp once a month so everyone knows he is alive. One would think you can't disappear for a year and a half without everyone on his ass about it.

His birthday is a blast. Charles, Connor, Nico, Annabeth, Grover, Tyson, Rachel, and even Travis, Will, Lou, and Silena are there.

Percy sees a hole that no one else does, one filled by Alabaster, Ethan and Calypso, and Luke - but he doesn't complain. Moonshade grows at his windowsill, and the others made their own choices.

Percy eats blue cake and wonders - Four years ago, he had no friends. Now, he has a dozen - a dozen people who care about him, who care about his well-being. A dozen people who touch him, because he doesn't have the plague.

He is a leader, and a friend, and a hero. And it's totally awesome.

[unusual-ly]

Cats Voice Cast

Thanks for replying to my post. I’m sorry I didn’t reply right away but after your response, I wanted to think over my dream cast for Cats and I’ve completed a full list. Let me know what you think.

Alonzo (Douglas Booth)

Bombulurina (Natalie Dormer)

Bustopher Jones (Brian Blessed)

Cassandra (Lashanna Lynch)

Coricopat (Noel Fielding)

Demeter (Gugu Mbatha-Raw)

Electra (Maisie Williams)

Etcetera (Jessie Cave)

Griddlebone (Hannah John-Kamen)

Grizabella (Julie Andrews)

Growltiger (Andy Serkis)

Gus (Bill Nighy)

Jellylorum (Celia Imrie)

Jemima (Francesca Hayward)

Jennyanydots (Julie Walters)

Macavity (Chiwetel Ejiofor)

Mungojerrie (Russell Brand)

Munkustrap (Luke Evans)

Mr. Mistoffelees (Tom Holland)

Old Deuteronomy (Ken Page)

Plato (Matthew Lewis)

Pouncival (Adam Brown)

Rumpleteazer (Jessie Buckley)

Rum Tum Tugger (Leslie Odom Jr.)

Skimbleshanks (David Tennant)

Tantomile (Suki Waterhouse)

Tumblebrutus (Dean-Charles Chapman)

Victoria (Jayne Wisener)

___________________________

@riddick13 Hi! You’ve once again managed to message me about this when I’m actually writing notes for my script! I admit some of these people I either don’t know much about or even don’t know at all so I’m taking a few minutes to go look them up 

So I already commented last time on Brian Blessed as Bustopher, Luke Evans and Munk, Tom Holland as Misto, and David Tennant as Skimble, and I’m glad you agree about Ken Page as Deuteronomy and Russell Brand as Mungo *^*

 I’m just gonna run through the other characters that I simply agree with, can definitely imagine it, sounds great in my head, I just don’t have any other comments beyond that: Alonzo, Bombalurina, Cassandra, Demeter, Electra, Etcetera, Griddlebone, Growltiger, Jellylorum, Macavity, Plato and Tantomile

I gasped when you said Noel Fielding for Coricopat! I absolutely love Noel and he could totally capture both his soft, mysterious side and his more... kitten-ish side. I think that’s also convinced me that Russell should be Mungo, just because I’d love a Goth Detectives reunion, and with them both playing the brothers of the twin pairs! And Julie Andrews as Grizabella!!! Absolutely genius!!! I know she doesn’t really sing anymore but we can dream!!!! Or someone else could always be Griza’s singing voice... But Julie has the perfect quality to her voice, and I do much prefer an older actress playing Grizabella. Leslie Odom Jr. as Tugger would sound so good but I have to say, I have no idea how he’d do with an English accent

I do think Andy Serkis would be great as Growltiger if he were his own character, but he is supposed to be a character played by Gus, at least going off the original musical. The way I’m planning my script project, using an idea from @theimpossiblescheme, it would actually be Asparagus Jr performing Growltiger’s part and I’m not sure Andy Serkis is quite right for how I’m imagining him, I’ll have to find someone... Also I would want Gus himself to sound more frail so idk if I could see Bill Nighy but that depends on how you want him to sound...? I’m also doing something different with Griddlebone’s character but the voice still suits her regardless

I have some mixed feelings about Francesca Hayward as Jemima, she does have such a beautiful voice that really suits the character, but I think I’d prefer someone a bit younger playing her. I imagine her with a teenaged voice tbh. Pouncival and Tumblebrutus sound younger in my head, too... And I headcanon Victoria as deaf and mute so I don’t have a dream cast for her and it feels a little weird to me to try and fit a voice to her at all so I don’t really have any comment there >.<

Clinging to Emma Thompson as Jennyanydots *^*

I’m completely agreeing with you on a lot of these, and the rest might not be my choice but I can definitely see where you’re coming from~! I’ll try and put my own list together at some point!! Thanks for sharing yours! ^^/

And I’m open to any suggestions for mine...!

[aviewfromtheclouds25]

Tell me your other theories on his return. I’m intrigued if you say it all fits together.

What’s you feelings on a reunion in the future? How would it happen?

Oh don’t be intrigued haha! That was really just in terms of the Luke aspect (because he has to have a bigger purpose, because otherwise his introduction and role in this storyline is such an utterly perplexing choice even for the current state of ED) and the timeframe, in that I expect Luke to have some knowledge which he’ll reveal eventually - not any time soon, because Aaron needs to spiral (and breakdown please) and he can’t even start that until he stops suppressing his feelings and distracting himself with Cain’s drama etc (all the while Vic and Luke will be progressing I imagine) - and this could help to change Robert’s sentence from murder to manslaughter, or even the original GBH with intent, and therefore shorten his sentence. So with time served, Robert could be out a fair bit sooner (how much, I don’t know) than the 14 years he was given… Which just helps me reaffirm to myself that half the reason they gave Robert the longer sentence in the first place (aside from the plot of tearing him away from Aaron obviously) is because ED are prepared to wait a few years to see if Ryan wants to return. With the potential of being able to change the charge and sentence, it means their options are relatively open for the time being to see how things develop both on and off screen. (If I’m wrong, just let me stay here please.)

I don’t have any fully-fledged theories yet, it’s a bit too soon for that! All I have at the mo are vague thoughts which aren’t that exciting… I’ve seen quite a bit of talk about “affair 2.0” but I have to admit I’m personally not interested in seeing that. Because 1) The drama and angst and intensity of the original affair just could never be emulated again, even by the very same and always amazing Ryan and Danny! 2) How would nobody pick up on it this time? 3) The whole point of everything that happened in 2017 and the creation of “Robron 2.0” was that their marriage has been built on far more solid foundations than those forged during their affair, and I would hate for all the progress they made together to be taken backwards. 4) It is madness to me that anyone could even contemplate that if Aaron is with another dude (if ahem), that he wouldn’t just drop him as quick as Alex the incompetent doc in that club. Regardless of whether he was prepared to take Robert back or not, if the love of his life has returned, I just don’t see any potential new guy sticking around. (Unless there’s a plot.) (I also say all of this in the hope that no new guy becomes serious or long-term.)

I’d like the reunion 3.0 to be dramatic and angsty, but at the same time I want it to be true to Robron and where they were in their life together before they were torn apart. I don’t know that I can really form any theories on what I expect to happen so soon after Robert’s gone (I love that he’s been gone a week and all we can all talk about is when he comes back haha), but I can offer you a vision of what I personally would quite like..? :P

So I have no clue on the timescale - I guess that depends on Ryan! :P I always thought Vic would be the natural choice (for the show, not me haha) to bring Robert home, but then @nooneelsecomesclose17’s post put the image of Jimmy greeting Robert outside that prison in my head and now I can’t unsee it (nor would I want to, it’s genius). So I’ve decided to tie that image to a long-held dream of mine…

So in this dream Aaron will have signed the divorce papers once he’s finished spiralling because we need wedding 3.0 obviously, but in his heart he still won’t have given up on being reunited with Robert some day. So I’d like him to spend much of the time Robert’s locked up doing things which remind him of Robert and help him feel closer to him - things like ripping people off, scamming them and trying to get his hands on Home Farm. Because my old dream which I think I’ve covered before (although probably just in my tags haha) was for Robron and the Kings to own Home Farm together; for it to become the hub of Home James once more, for the sheer comedy of having these two power couples and their chaotic families getting under each others’ feet, making it more relevant to the rest of the village than the house on the hill with its panto villains, and for it to actually become a home. So in terms of this new dream, I would have Aaron and Jimmy team up on this endeavour - and they’re actually the only ones left from that original portacabin quartet! So Aaron because he needs a goal and a focus and if it’s one in which he feels more connected to Robert then even better, and Jimmy because Nicola is always going to be up for improving their lot. I also quite like the idea of Aaron being able to do what Robert never could, and I have no idea who will be at Home Farm x amount of years down the line but if it was still the Tates (although could we at least get rid of Kim + co. and bring back Joe instead?) then I would be delighted to see the Kings take it all from them once more! :P

So I would have Aaron and Jimmy very close to achieving their goal by the time Robert is about to be released. And because Robert still hasn’t had any contact with his family and is nervous about how they’ll feel towards him, who does he contact? Jimmy! And Jimmy of course is a great oaf and would immediately let it slip to Aaron. And regardless of what’s passed, I think Aaron would have some understanding and empathy of how daunting and overwhelming it would be for Robert to return to the village after so long of complete isolation, from the world and from the people who are his world… So he and Jimmy would hatch a plan…

Cue Jimmy driving Robert back to the village, chewing his ear off or “pecking his head”, when they suddenly happen to “break down” in the lay-by… Robert would get out of the car to get away from Jimmy’s incessant talking and because it’s obviously a small confined space, but then he would realise where they actually were and become overwhelmed by that too - and since this is my dream world, they would treat us to another little montage of memories to come full circle from that too! :P Meanwhile, Jimmy would be “phoning for a mechanic” before joining Robert outside because he might be an oaf, but he cares… And then much quicker than it should be, Aaron of course turns up. So then he would step out of the car and we would get the delightful combination of intense Robron eye contact and a very obviously awkward Jimmy… And because it’s still my favourite thing, I would like a wordless embrace with alllll the emotions similar to when Aaron was released. At which point Jimmy would clumsily make himself scarce and drive off (in the vehicle which very obviously had not broken down, bless).

So then we’d be left with an awkward, tense Robron because neither of them know what happens next, only how good it feels to be even breathing the same air again… Perhaps at this stage Aaron would be in some kind of relationship (because he tried to convince himself he had to “move on” and because I might be able to accept it for a few weeks if I have the guarantee that Robert’s on his way home already :P), so we’d obviously get a conversation with a lot of callbacks and then Aaron would just dump that chestnut in there and we’d get something along the lines of; R: So why are you still here? A: You know. [But Robert doesn’t respond. Unsure of what Aaron is saying, he waits.] A: Because I love you, that’s why. I never stopped. And they can both be emotional, not knowing the next step, so Aaron could fill the silence with some quip about also needing to give Robert a lift home now Jimmy’s gone which Rob, bless him, wouldn’t even have noticed. And then Robert and I would both be left pondering what exactly Aaron means by “home”. But on the journey home, Robert will find his watch in the car (yeah, I’m really going with that old theme and sentiment of the cars here!)…

Beyond that I would have Aaron finish with this new dude and then for him to have a proper conversation with Robert about where they stand, once Robert’s started adjusting to the outside world again. And in this conversation we’d see that they’ve both been hardened by everything that’s happened since Robert went away, that Robert in particular has some issues he needs to work through before they even contemplate what the future might look like for them, but I’d want Aaron to tell Robert that line “I’ll wait for you. ‘Til you’re ready.“  And then I’d like them to embark on friendship…3.0?…with Aaron being supportive to Robert and helping him through the process of adjusting back into normality after x years of total isolation on that island. (The phrase "no man is an island” would definitely come into play with all of this, especially with Robert having cut all lines of communication.) And gradually they’d grow closer, and I’d be reliving the good old days of “It’s going to happen soon! It has to happen soon!” :P Meanwhile, Aaron and Jimmy would have one last big job to do to have the means to get Home Farm and naturally Aaron would have told Robert all about the scheme. So Robert would want in on this last stretch but Aaron would put his foot down, reminding Robert that if it all went wrong he’d end up back inside. But if Aaron’s getting mixed up with dodgy people and risking his life, there is absolutely no way Robert is going to listen to that of course. So he gets involved and the two of them help Jimmy escape before they themselves get stuck in some life-and-death situation and acknowledge that they absolutely cannot live without each other ever again. They both live, the dodgy people either get carted off to jail or die by their own ends (I have no specifics on the deadly situation, you know), and we get settled for wedding 3.0 and years more of Robron…

This is a ramble which serves absolutely no purpose except to distract me from the current Robert-less situation, so if you actually committed to reading all of this, I’m sorry haha!

[fraybaness]

allowed to feel

ao3

in which someone understands. | tw for mentions of violence and abuse

Maia's not used to seeing her out alone. She looks around for Jace or Luke or Simon or Izzy, even Magnus. But no - it's just Clary, hunched over an empty glass in the corner of the bar, staring off into space.

Maia walks over to her as casually as she can, trying to mask the fact that she's been staring. "Hey," she says cheerfully; Clary's head snaps up. "Need a refill?" Maia holds up her bottle of bourbon. Clary nods.

"The last guy gave me a virgin drink," Clary says with a smile. But it's a hollow smile, her mind clearly elsewhere. And it's hard to miss the bags under her eyes that concealer can't quite hide. She looks exhausted .

"That is because you're eighteen," Maia says as she fills a new glass up. "But I'll cut you some slack since you look like you need it." She places the drink in front of Clary. Clary mumbles a thanks and wraps her fingers around the glass, but doesn't drink. Maia frowns. "You okay?"

Clary looks up at her, for just a moment, and then back down again. But it's enough - enough for Maia to see a deep vulnerability in her eyes she hasn't seen there before.

But then it's gone and Clary smiles and says, "yeah. Thanks."

Clary is the type of person to wear her emotions on her sleeves, so Maia doesn't understand why she's trying so hard to hide them. It could be because they're not close. Then again, she clearly needs someone to vent to, and though Maia hates conforming to bartender stereotypes, she can’t deny that…well, she’s worried.

"You sure?" Maia asks, deciding that if Clary plays it off again, she's not going to push anymore. She can only do so much for people she barely hangs out with.

Clary opens her mouth, then closes it and swallows. "A lot has been happening."

Maia nods. She waits for Clary to go on.

Clary shakes her head and forces another smile, changing the subject. "You seen Luke around?"

Okay. So she doesn't wanna talk.

That shouldn't bother Maia half as much as it does.

"He's on a date," Maia says. "With your boyfriend's mom, actually."

Clary's wince is barely noticeable, and gone as fast as it came, but Maia catches it. She hadn't meant for the comment to actually upset Clary. It was supposed to get an eye roll in response, maybe a chuckle, if Maia was lucky. Not... this .

Maia puts down the bottle she's holding and leans closer to Clary across the counter. "Is Jace okay?" she asks. She hopes Jace's well-being is the only reason Clary reacted like that at his mention, because the alternative is so much worse.

The alternative might make Maia kill someone tonight.

"Yeah," Clary says in a small voice. "He...I don't know if Luke told you, but-"

"He was possessed by the Queen of Edom," Maia finishes for her. "Yeah, Simon told me."

Clary nods. "He's fine now. Unpossessed and everything, thanks to Magnus. He needs time to recover, though. He didn't take any time right after it happened."

"He'll be fine," Maia says reassuringly. "He has a supportive family-" she raises an eyebrow at Clary. "-a great girlfriend...and he's strong. He's got this."

Clary nods and thanks her again, but doesn't look much better. She lifts her glass and downs the whole thing in one go.

"Whoa!" Maia reaches out in time to take the empty glass from her. "Christ, okay, here," she fills a different cup with water and forces it into Clary's hands. "If I let you get drunk alone at a bar, your dad's gonna kill me."

Clary obediently drinks half the content of the glass and makes a face. "You look tired," she says abruptly with newfound bravado. Maia rolls her eyes.

"The Downworld has had things going on, too," she says simply. "And I'm not getting you another drink, lest you start saying everything that's on your mind."

That gets a genuine smile out of Clary. "I do that sober."

"True." Maia smirks. "But, hey, I've got Simon to talk to. Where are your Shadowhunter groupies?"

"At work," Clary says matter-of-factly. "Or, in Alec's case, at Magnus' place. So, you know, everything is normal."

"Except you're drinking alone."

Clary shrugs. "Needed to clear my head, I guess." She hesitates. "Hey, um...are you staying over at Simon's tonight?"

"No, why?"

"Well..." she shakes her head, as if ashamed of the idea. "I was gonna ask him to sleep over at his place. If that's okay with you, I mean."

“You have my blessing," Maia chuckles. She wishes Clary knew that just because they've both dated him, it doesn't mean Maia's going to be weird about her and Simon spending time together. She trusts Simon. She’s not going to prevent him from spending time with his best friend.

Clary breathes a sigh of relief and takes out her phone to type a text to Simon while Maia mixes a drink for another customer. When she returns to Clary, the other girl looks a little less anxious, but just as tired.

“You want something to eat?” Maia asks. Clary considers for a moment, then orders a plate of chips and retreats to a table in the back. That in itself would be fine, except two hours later, she’s still there.

“I can’t believe you still haven’t finished these,” Maia comments, sitting across from Clary and startling her. Her shift is over and Clary isn’t even halfway through the chips she’s bought. They’re very good chips. It’s ridiculous. “What’s going on with you?”

“Simon’s gonna be out late,” Clary says. “I’m just killing time.”

“Uh-huh,” Maia grabs a handful of chips and chews thoughtfully, studying Clary. “Any particular reason you don’t wanna go back to the Institute?”

Clary tenses, but forces a smile and shakes her head.

Maia hesitates. “Do you want me to call someone? Maybe Luke?” She asks; Clary shakes her head again. “How about Jace?”

Again, Clary’s reaction is worrying, to say the least: her shoulders hunch automatically and her bottom lip begins to quiver. She struggles to hide it, but the exhaustion must be catching up with her. Maia stands up.

“I have a key to Simon’s place,” she says quickly. “Come on, I’ll walk you.”

Clary nods wordlessly and follows her out of the Hunter’s Moon. Neither of them says anything as they walk down the busy streets towards Simon’s new apartment.

After about two blocks, Clary breaks down.

The sobs seem entirely involuntary and utterly draining. She collapses against the nearest wall. Her hands come up shakily to cover her face. Her phone drops to the ground at her feet, the edge of its casing chipping on the concrete. Maia can only stand there in stunned silence and watch as Clary curls in on herself on the dirty street corner and cries.

“Fuck,” Maia breathes, and crouches down in front of Clary. “Clary, are you…” She trails off, realizing are you okay? is a rather stupid question. “Hey, what is it? Are you hurt?”

Clary shakes her head. “I’m sorry,” she sobs. “I- I can’t-”

She starts to fumble around clumsily for the phone she’s dropped. Maia picks it up to hand it to her - it’s still vibrating. She glances at the caller ID.

“It’s…Jace,” Maia says. “Do you want me to…?”

Clary swallows thickly. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots and realize golden boy’s call is what triggered such an intense reaction in her. Maia rejects the call and helps Clary off the ground.

“I’m sorry,” Clary says again.

“Clary, did he hurt you?” Maia asks abruptly. Her voice is low and quiet and sure - she already knows the answer.

Clary begins to shake her head, but stops. " He didn't," she says shakily. "But...when I ent to confront him after I found out he was the Owl- I shouldn't have gone after him. It was stupid. I was just so shocked and scared and-" she cuts herself off with another involuntary sob.

Maia is suddenly overcome with the need to protect her. Whether it's because Clary's young or her friend or just another girl who didn't deserve the horrible things that have happened to her, she doesn't know, but it doesn't stop her wanting to skin the person who's hurt her alive.

Clary clears throat and goes on, "I fought the Owl and he won. And I tried to reach out to him, to get him to break free from Lilith's control. I- I told him I loved him...and he threw me off an eight-story building and shattered my spine."

She's not crying anymore. Not really. Her eyes are red and puffy and her jaw is still quivering, but instead of tears, there is a cold, resigned look in her eyes.

And Maia feels like throwing up.

"Are you-" she tries to speak - but there are really no words for this situation. "God, Clary, that's...are you okay? I mean, how-"

"Magnus," Clary says, and for some reason there is an edge of guilt to her tone. "And Simon, and Iratze , and some Shadowhunter medics. But mostly Magnus. Because all he does is walk around solving problems that I caused."

Maia swallows. "Clary, some guy breaking your spine isn't your fault."

"But everything else was."

Maia doesn't ask her to elaborate. Whatever it is, it doesn't feel like a conversation to be had tonight.

Instead, she changes the subject back. "You can't look at Jace the same way, can you?"

"No," Clary admits, her voice cracking. She leans back against the wall, the bone-deep tiredness she feels evident in her eyes. "No, and it's not fair because this wasn't his fault! But I can't- I don't want him to touch me. I don't want him to kiss me or say my name or tell me he's sorry or that he loves me. I can't stop thinking about how stupid I felt when I told him I loved him and he just laughed. I can't stop thinking about how much it hurt , how I couldn't move ... I just...I want things to go back to the way they were." Fresh tears fill her eyes and she shakes her head, trying to will them away.

Maia doesn't say anything for a long time. She doesn't know what Clary's feeling. She was never in that situation. And she's certainly never broken her back. But while it's a vastly different situation, she knows a thing or two about being left for dead by people who are supposed to love you.

"I know," she says quietly.

Clary looks at her, fresh horror on her face. "You do?"

"Yeah," Maia purses her lips. "My abusive ex is back in town. And I won't let him leave." Clary blinks and tilts her head like a confused puppy. Maia can't help but savour the affectionate thought as she continues to explain: "He was sent by this organization to help Simon with the Mark on his head and I won't let him leave until Simon's safe."

"He's a Downworlder?" Clary asks.

Maia nods. She doesn't want to go into detail. "Point is, sometimes people you're supposed to trust will hurt you. And it doesn't matter whether they meant to or not. Whatever you're feeling - anger or pain or whatever else - you're allowed to feel it."

Clary looks at her for a moment, letting the words sink in. Then she steps forward and hugs her.

Maia is stunned for a second, not having expected it, but it's not a bad feeling, being wrapped up in Clary Fairchild's arms (no - she's Clary Fray right now, no big intimidating Shadowhunter name attached to her, no legacy. Just a scared and angry teenage girl searching for any comfort she can find in a life that offers none.) She's small but muscular under her skin, her body running hot from all the crying as she presses her face into the crook of Maia's neck, wetting it with tears. Maia returns the hug, and feels instantly calmer and warmer, and they stand like that for a long time, reminding themselves and each other that they're not alone.

They're not alone.

[pamphletstoinspire]

Part - 2: Catholic Social Teaching Series: The Common Good, Part 1

Last time, in this space, we looked at the first pillar of Catholic social teaching: the dignity of the human person. This is a concept that is easily familiar to many Catholics, particularly since it undergirds the pro-life movement.

It lies at the root of the truth that human beings are human beings, not human doings; that their value does not depend on how much they can earn, nor on whether they are inside or outside the womb; nor on whether they are too old or sick to be “productive”; nor on whether they are innocent or guilty (since we are all the authors of the passion and death of the Son of God). Our rights and dignity proceed, as President John F. Kennedy put it, “not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.”

We also saw that the Church looks at us as persons — that is, as creatures in a familial relationship with one another — due to the fact that we are made in the image and likeness of a Trinitarian God who is himself a communion of Persons.

This brings us to the next pillar: the common good. The common good — like solidarity — is an aspect of Catholic social teaching that often affects the American ear in a profoundly different way than the phrase “dignity of the human person.”

Many fear that it is the Church’s trendy nod to Marxism, as though the Church pits the common good against the dignity of the human person, as the Marxist pits the rich against the poor or the U.S. Constitution pits the three branches of government against one another to maintain a “balance of power.”

But this is to radically misunderstand Catholic social teaching. As we noted last time, the American conception of the social order, while it draws on certain aspects of a Catholic anthropology, also veers from it.

Our culture tends to see selfishness and sin as the most basic reality and virtue as the mask. So it begins with selfish individuals in conflict as the basis for its politics. Selfish competition in the marketplace, in the state and among various races, classes and genders is seen as the most basic reality, and everything comes down to a perpetual struggle for power among sinners.

Catholic anthropology, by contrast, insists on the human person made in the image and likeness of God as the most basic reality and sin as the mask. So it begins with the following presupposition: Human persons are in the first instance created by God, and love of God and neighbor is the fundamental purpose of our existence. To be sure, sin (and concupiscence) is a reality. But it is not the fundamental reality.

Because of this, the four pillars of Catholic social teaching work in harmony, not against one another. They certainly take into account the fact of the Fall — without which there would be no need for Catholic social teaching (anymore than, say, the angels need instruction on how to love perfectly) — but they do not begin there, as our politics does.

Catholic social teaching starts with the fact of the human person created in the image and likeness of God and with our primordial common call to such goods as vocation, fruitfulness, work and worship. Think of the four pillars as four notes in a chord, not as warring political ideologies.

And so, when the Church speaks of the common good, she does not begin with the rights of the individual in conflict with the needs of the collective, but with the fact that because eachperson is made in the image and likeness of God, all persons are.

Therefore, the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church says:

“The principle of the common good, to which every aspect of social life must be related if it is to attain its fullest meaning, stems from the dignity, unity and equality of all people. According to its primary and broadly accepted sense, the common good indicates ‘the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and more easily.’”

Since human beings are made in the image and likeness of a Trinitarian God, the family — not the individual, state or corporation — is the living icon of God and the basic building block of civilization. No small part of Catholic social teaching can be summed up in the principle: “If it’s good for the family, it’s good.”

The Church has in view a common end: “a true worldwide cooperation for the common good of the whole of humanity and for future generations also.” Yet this common end is woven together by several necessary and intrinsically linked threads: the sanctity of life, the demand for a living wage, “respect for and the integral promotion of the person and his fundamental rights, commitment to peace, the organization of the state’s powers, a sound juridical system, the protection of the environment and the provision of essential services [such as] food, housing, work, education and access to culture, transportation, basic health care, the freedom of communication and expression and the protection of religious freedom.”

That said, the thing to remember is that building blocks are for building. The Church deeply respects the family and fights to protect it more than any other institution. But the paradox remains that the family, though necessary, is not sufficient for our flourishing as human beings.

The evidence for this is seen in the greatest family in history: the Holy Family. It is not a family simply ordered toward amassing its own good and then passing it on to the children, with no concern for the community.

On the contrary, the Holy Family’s purpose is about offering themselves entirely to the world. Mary and Joseph take seriously the fact that the prophets declare, on behalf of Israel and the whole world, “For to us a child is born” (Isaiah 9:6). This family offers itself and the fruit of Mary’s womb for the life of the world.

Not surprisingly, then, Jesus likewise treats the family as a building block, not as an end in itself. He subordinates it to the kingdom of God in emphatic terms, saying, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26).

His point, of course, is not that we should wish evil on the family, but that nothing, not even the family, comes before our fidelity to the kingdom of God.

In a related way, the Gospel tells us that Jesus was asked, “Who are my mother and my brethren?” And looking around at those who sat about him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brethren: Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:33-35).

Once again, the family is hailed as good, but its goodness lies not in being isolated from the community, but by its reaching fulfillment in the kingdom of God. The fruit of Mary’s womb calls us to a generous fruitfulness that will redound not only to our progeny, but to future generations throughout the world.

The mention of future generations ties together two ideas that most moderns seldom think to relate: material generosity and the fruitfulness of the marital act. That’s because our politics has unnaturally severed them.

Conservatism is typically associated with being “pro-life” in terms of procreation and liberalism with being free in terms of money. But in the biblical tradition, separating those ideas is absurd. Generation, generosity, generativity, genital, genealogy and genius (among others) all come from the Latin root gener, meaning “kin,” “clan,” “race” or “stock,” with the root Indo-European meaning of gen being “to beget.”

The connection is not far to seek. Generous persons are life-giving persons in the biblical tradition. They literally give life by begetting children, but also give life to others by recognizing their common humanity and supplying their needs. They further give life by tending the garden of creation and using their genius to create wealth by inventing new things or by husbanding (note that word) nature’s bounty provided by God. Such generosity is characteristic of the biblical saint: archetypally Abraham.

Abraham is particularly remembered in Scripture for his fruitfulness and generosity rooted in faith. God makes him the father of many nations, and his generosity toward those around him is seen constantly.

Indeed, the mark of his call is that his life-giving generosity will ultimately touch the whole planet, and “in you shall all the nations be blessed” (Galatians 3:8). He is generous even to the wicked, famously dickering with God in order to get him to spare the legendarily corrupt cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

This brings us to one of the core biblical insights about the use of our gifts, whether spiritual or material. What is true of Abraham is true of all his spiritual heirs: namely, that the Chosen People are chosen for the sake of the unchosen. Our gifts, whether in spiritual or material wealth, are given to us for the sake of those who do not have them — and those to whom much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48).

Indeed, as the Parable of the Talents makes clear, what we are given is expected back with interest. This is a particularly acute responsibility for those of us living in the wealth of the First World when the bottom billion of the world’s population is literally starving to death. We are Dives (the Rich Man). They are Lazarus. And we have the opportunity and responsibility to be Abraham.

As Pope Pius XI said:

“The distribution of created goods, which, as every discerning person knows, is laboring today under the gravest evils due to the huge disparity between the few exceedingly rich and the unnumbered propertyless, must be effectively called back to and brought into conformity with the norms of the common good, that is, social justice.”

This, of course, involves individual initiatives toward generosity and private charity, and the Church and her members are immense engines of such generosity, not only helping the desperate, but, just as important, carrying out the Compendium’s insistence that:

“By means of work and making use of the gift of intelligence, people are able to exercise dominion over the earth and make it a fitting home: ‘In this way, he makes part of the earth his own, precisely the part which he has acquired through work; this is the origin of individual property.’”

This suits the rugged individualist American ethos quite well. Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for the rest of his life. The Church is all for that. But, then, the Compendium turns to the task of the state, beyond the individual, in addressing the common good as well:

“The responsibility for attaining the common good, besides falling to individual persons, belongs also to the state, since the common good is the reason that the political authority exists. … The individual person, the family or intermediate groups are not able to achieve their full development by themselves for living a truly human life. Hence the necessity of political institutions, the purpose of which is to make available to persons the necessary material, cultural, moral and spiritual goods.”

This too is common sense. The myth that the individual or the family is sufficient to provide for themselves without any help from (or given to) the community is simply foreign to Church Tradition (and to experience and common sense).

In a thousand ways, we are dependent, for example, on an infrastructure maintained by the state, which supports us with everything from an interstate highway system to the Internet, from a police force to a system that defends the weak from the predatory, from a military that protects us from deadly threats to a meteorological surveillance system that warns us of tornadoes, as well as state agencies that work to make sure our food and medicines do not kill or cripple us.

And this is just scratching the surface of the tasks that the state, of necessity, must perform in serving the common good. Our freeway system is not maintained by small bands of local citizens patching potholes on Saturday afternoon. There is a state department for that purpose.

When Hitler declared war, he was not met by some boys from Brooklyn who grabbed their pistols and headed across the Atlantic in a dinghy. The state’s military answered the call.

Of course, being human creations, none of these things are flawless. But without them, a quick look at Somalia, or Tikrit, Iraq, shows what really doing away with the state looks like.

Indeed, St. Paul understood the state to be so vital in forming a more perfect union, establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare and securing the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity — that is, to maintaining the common good — that he told the Romans:

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore, one must be subject, not only to avoid God’s wrath, but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason, you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due” (Romans 13:1–7).

And Paul gives these instructions to the Christian community despite the fact that the Caesar of whom he wrote was Nero, the psychopath who would eventually cut off his head.

This does not, of course, mean that we are to simply knuckle under to every whim of Caesar. Indeed, thanks be to God, we live in a representative system of government where, at least in theory, we hire our Caesar by voting him into office. The task of civil authorities, according to the Compendium, is: “to interpret the common good of their country not only according to the guidelines of the majority, but also according to the effective good of all the members of the community, including the minority.” And when, as sometimes happens, Caesar enacts unjust laws, we have the right and obligation to resist him, since “an unjust law is no law at all,” according to St. Augustine.

No small part of why Caesar can go wrong is that he often forgets that man does not live on bread alone and tries to reduce the human person simply to a consumer and producer of material goods. The blunder of both consumerist capitalism and communism is the insistence that our highest good is merely material. But, in fact, our life begins and ends in Jesus, and he is our Supreme Good.

Scripture points to this in a curious, yet clear way. In the Old Testament, God commanded that Israel celebrate the sabbatical and jubilee years, which required fields to lie fallow, cancellation of debts and a general release of persons and goods — indicating that everyone in Israel has a right to the common goods of land God gave them. Israel never really observed this fully. But when Jesus, God made man, fulfills the Law and the prophets, he embarks on his mission by applying the image of the jubilee to himself (Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 61:1-2).

Jesus does not mean he is declaring a jubilee year to begin his ministry. He means he is the jubilee, just as he will later say he is the true Bread of Life, prefigured by the manna in the wilderness, and he is the true temple prefigured by the stone building in Jerusalem. What was seen in sign and shadow in the Old Covenant is now revealed in fullness in the Word made flesh.

And so the Church insists that, in the final analysis, every person has the right to know the truth, mercy and love revealed in Jesus Christ, the very embodiment of the common good. All of our other efforts to promote the common good must keep that fact in mind.

Having sketched this framework of the common good and placed it within our transcendent heavenly destiny in Christ, the Church then makes clear, “God gave the earth to the whole human race for the sustenance of all its members, without excluding or favoring anyone.” This is, of course, straight out of Genesis 1 and carries with it implications that are, at once, commonsensical and also very challenging — and none more so for Americans than the principle of the universal destination of goods.

The Compendium tells us, “The right to the common use of goods is the ‘first principle of the whole ethical and social order’ and ‘the characteristic principle of Christian social doctrine.’”

It is here that the American pulse often begins to quicken in fear and the suspicion that the Church is talking about some kind of communism. But this is not so. Communism is the theory that private property should be abolished and everything owned by the state. It is a utopian notion that, like many utopian notions, took a single idea from the Christian tradition and exalted it beyond all reason and sense, forgetting that, crippled by sin, we cannot do always what we do sometimes. The idea communism battened on was this: “Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32).

It’s a beautiful thing when this happens due to a spontaneous outpouring of self-donating love. But, as St. Luke will point out in the story of Ananias and Sapphira just a few sentences later, the serpent of greed and falsehood lurks even in the Church, and still more in the world, due to original sin. So communism was doomed, since a perfect sharing of everything in common is beyond our capacity this side of the eschaton. Communism’s attempt to make it happen through force could and did only end in epic slaughter, gulags, famines and a police state.

Only the Holy Spirit can make saints. Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot made only huge piles of corpses. The communist claim to abolish property and class merely wound up concentrating property and power in the hands of the communist rulers and robbing everybody else of the property that attends the dignity of the human person.

Yet, for a paradoxical reason, this is also why the Church is suspicious of unrestricted capitalism. Of which, more next time.

BY: MARK SHEA

From: https://www.pamphletstoinspire.com/

[takaraphoenix]

Review: 3x18 - The Beast Within

On the Lewis Siblings:

This might just be the first thing this half-season that makes me genuinely excited and also smile! I love Becky! I love her approach to things, I love that she is there again – this season, in particular, could not give less of a fuck about platonic relationships so like holy shit they remembered non-romantic relationships exist! I love her costume and her asking about a coffin. I love how she just does not give a fuck about the Shadow terminology and just has fun.

Protect Rebecca Lewis 2k19, she deserves it.

Seriously, Becky being introduced to this world, meeting Maia and reacting to everything. That's the joy and excitement that this show was somehow... missing. They could have had this with Simon, if they weren't too busy literally killing him off within the first few episodes already. Just, imagine how much lighter it could have been had he been allowed to stay mundane for a while before turning into a vampire – being exactly what is Becky this episode. The excitement, seeing the bright and amazing things about the Shadow World and thus also setting the tone for the audience who would be introduced to it through those eyes, because it's relatable. Instead we were introduced to it through the eyes of a newly turned vampire and a miserable new Shadowhunter and... that did set a certain tone in season 1 to the way I, as a newbie, was introduced to the world. This episode shows me how it could have been different and I really wish it were, because this is great.

Seriously, I am genuinely living for their interaction this episode, I would have watched a full 44 minutes on Becky meeting various Downworlders and learning stuff!

On Jace:

HE SNARKED. I feel like this is the first time in aaageees that he got to snark. Not to mention, him out with Clary and Isabelle was the absolute perfect opening thing after the Lewis siblings. I love it. This episode actually has me existed from the get-go! I need more Isabelle being a badass, Jace getting to snark. Ye—es.

Also, Jace hating Halloween is going to be a random fact I have to use somehow!

He also gets to talk to Alec again? Seriously, I pathetically love this. No, wait, it's super pathetic that they barely interact anymore. They're PARABATAI. Even if this show forgot. So just... seeing them stand together, talk together, even if they mount both other halves of their ships... It's good.

And they talk. Like, if they were girls I'd say they fail the Bechdel test, but at least they're talking even if all they talk about are their respective ships instead of, you know, their own life because people are actually people outside their relationships. But at least they're talking?

WINGS. WINGS WINGS WINGS WINGS WINGS. JACE WITH WINGS. WHITE BEAUTIFUL GORGEOUS WINGS. DID YOU SEE MY WINGED ANGEL? HE HAD WINGS! HE WAS SO GORGEOUS.

On Maia & Jordan:

Oh she's back! That's nice. But... if they put her with Jordan I will riot. She had such a powerful stance, they made a whole episode that was nearly completely about Maia digesting what happened with Jordan and tell him firmly she will never forgive him. Now they're best friends and clearly flirting and I don't like it. Could you maybe just give Bat actual screen-time with Maia, if you have this urge to ship her off with someone like she can't function as a character without a relationship.

Her making Jordan her Beta is really a bad idea and I like that Jordan is aware of that. I don't... I don't like where they're taking Maia with this. Growth and coming around on how much he changed is good, but it feels a lot like back-peddling on Maia's behalf. And it feels less natural and more like “We haven't developed her endgame love interest enough at this point so we go back to Jordan”.

On Alec & Isabelle:

He... needs to get off his high horse about the way he talks to people when he wants something. First Lorenzo, now Asmodeus. This angry accusatory way when both were bargains that Magnus willingly struck. Maybe try not to accuse them of stealing when they didn't steal anything? They made bargains. Maybe just... come at them with a better deal next time instead of trying to threaten your way out of every fucking situation. It's getting ridiculous. This isn't just some warlock, this is the fucking prince of hell. Why do you think that threatening him and accusing him of stealing will have any effect at all?

Seriously, for someone in a high-ranking, diplomatic position Alexander Lightwood sucks at actually handling anything of diplomatic delicacy with the needed attitude.

It genuinely is getting ridiculous that this is a fully staffed Institute, but in the end it will always be Alec-Jace-Izzy-Clary who do all the shit. Autopsy? Izzy. Weapon distribution? Izzy. Making a serum to severe the bond to Jonathan? Also Izzy. Genius or stand-in character...?

Also! Again, platonic relationship exploration by giving her a moment alone with Alec! (Granted, again, all they talk about is The Romantic Relationship, but oh well.)

On Luke & Clary:

LUKE IS BACK. And Luke is back to support Clary. Oh finally. This episode, they are seriously remembering that there are platonic relationships. Bless you, whoever did this, couldn't you have been around earlier and could you please stay to the end? I want the Clary-Luke bond.

Huh. So Clary is evil now. I really liked that scene where she had to choose a JC. I'm curious to see how evil!Clary will develop. It's going to be good though. Clary and Jonathan as an evil duo is going to be very interesting to watch, damn.

On Magnus & Maryse:

...The same as for Alec and Jace. If he were a woman him and Maryse would fail the Bechdel test, but at the very fucking least it's some platonic relationship exploration somehow. Whatever I may feel on the matter of Maryse, I'm glad they're making an effort to show them interact.

I would have 100% preferred Luke, who went from Shadowhunter to werewolf and had to adjust to that, or Raphael, who is even newer to being a mundane than Magnus, or Catarina, who is his best friend. Seriously there are many good platonic dynamics that keep being hinted at but never fully fleshed out in this fandom. But I gotta stop complaining so much, I guess. A little bit is better than nothing at all, huh.

TL;DR:

Honestly? This is the best episode of this half season so far. I really enjoyed it

They finally remembered there are platonic relationships! I AM LIVING FOR THIS!

Granted, they gotta learn that platonic relationships can interact without talking about romantic relationships, but baby steps so there is that!

[fraysbanes]

allowed to feel

Characters: Maia Roberts

Relationship: Clary Fray & Maia Roberts

Rating: T

Summary: Clary knew she was a goner from the moment Isabelle Lightwood stepped into her workshop. (Based on a tumblr prompt from anonymous: "Au where Clary's a closeted fashion designer and Izzy's her model")

Warnings: mentions of abuse and serious injuries

Maia's not used to seeing her out alone. She looks around for Jace or Luke or Simon or Izzy, even Magnus. But no - it's just Clary, hunched over an empty glass in the corner of the bar, staring off into space.

Maia walks over to her as casually as she can, trying to mask the fact that she's been staring. "Hey," she says cheerfully; Clary's head snaps up. "Need a refill?" Maia holds up her bottle of bourbon. Clary nods.

"The last guy gave me a virgin drink," Clary says with a smile. But it's a hollow smile, her mind clearly elsewhere. And it's hard to miss the bags under her eyes that concealer can't quite hide. She looks exhausted.

"That is because you're eighteen," Maia says as she fills a new glass up. "But I'll cut you some slack since you look like you need it." She places the drink in front of Clary. Clary mumbles a thanks and wraps her fingers around the glass, but doesn't drink. Maia frowns. "You okay?"

Clary looks up at her, for just a moment, and then back down again. But it's enough - enough for Maia to see a deep vulnerability in her eyes she hasn't seen there before.

But then it's gone and Clary smiles and says, "Yeah. Thanks."

Clary is the type of person to wear her emotions on her sleeves, so Maia doesn't understand why she's trying so hard to hide them. It could be because they're not close. Then again, she clearly needs someone to vent to, and though Maia hates conforming to bartender stereotypes, she can’t deny that…well, she’s worried.

"You sure?" Maia asks, deciding that if Clary plays it off again, she's not going to push anymore. She can only do so much for people she barely hangs out with.

Clary opens her mouth, then closes it and swallows. "A lot has been happening."

Maia nods. She waits for Clary to go on.

Clary shakes her head and forces another smile, changing the subject. "You seen Luke around?"

Okay. So she doesn't wanna talk.

That shouldn't bother Maia half as much as it does.

"He's on a date," Maia says. "With your boyfriend's mom, actually."

Clary's wince is barely noticeable, and gone as fast as it came, but Maia catches it. She hadn't meant for the comment to actually upset Clary. It was supposed to get an eye roll in response, maybe a chuckle, if Maia was lucky. Not...this.

Maia puts down the bottle she's holding and leans closer to Clary across the counter. "Is Jace okay?" she asks. She hopes Jace's well-being is the only reason Clary reacted like that at his mention, because the alternative is so much worse.

The alternative might make Maia kill someone tonight.

"Yeah," Clary says in a small voice. "He...I don't know if Luke told you, but-"

"He was possessed by the Queen of Edom," Maia finishes for her. "Yeah, Simon told me."

Clary nods. "He's fine now. Unpossessed and everything, thanks to Magnus. He needs time to recover, though. He didn't take any time right after it happened."

"He'll be fine," Maia says reassuringly. "He has a supportive family-" she raises an eyebrow at Clary. "-a great girlfriend...and he's strong. He's got this."

Clary nods and thanks her again, but doesn't look much better. She lifts her glass and downs the whole thing in one go.

"Whoa!" Maia reaches out in time to take the empty glass from her. "Christ, okay, here," she fills a different cup with water and forces it into Clary's hands. "If I let you get drunk alone at a bar, your dad's gonna kill me."

Clary obediently drinks half the content of the glass and makes a face. "You look tired," she says abruptly with newfound bravado. Maia rolls her eyes.

"The Downworld has had things going on, too," she says simply. "And I'm not getting you another drink, lest you start saying everything that's on your mind."

That gets a genuine smile out of Clary. "I do that sober."

"True." Maia smirks. "But, hey, I've got Simon to talk to. Where are your Shadowhunter groupies?"

"At work," Clary says matter-of-factly. "Or, in Alec's case, at Magnus' place. So, you know, everything is normal."

"Except you're drinking alone."

Clary shrugs. "Needed to clear my head, I guess." She hesitates. "Hey, um...are you staying over at Simon's tonight?"

"No, why?"

"Well..." she shakes her head, as if ashamed of the idea. "I was gonna ask him to sleep over at his place. If that's okay with you, I mean."

“You have my blessing," Maia chuckles. She wishes Clary knew that just because they've both dated him, it doesn't mean Maia's going to be weird about her and Simon spending time together. She trusts Simon. She’s not going to prevent him from spending time with his best friend.

Clary breathes a sigh of relief and takes out her phone to type a text to Simon while Maia mixes a drink for another customer. When she returns to Clary, the other girl looks a little less anxious, but just as tired.

“You want something to eat?” Maia asks. Clary considers for a moment, then orders a plate of chips and retreats to a table in the back. That in itself would be fine, except two hours later, she’s still there.

“I can’t believe you still haven’t finished these,” Maia comments, sitting across from Clary and startling her. Her shift is over and Clary isn’t even halfway through the chips she’s bought. They’re very good chips. It’s ridiculous. “What’s going on with you?”

“Simon’s gonna be out late,” Clary says. “I’m just killing time.”

“Uh-huh,” Maia grabs a handful of chips and chews thoughtfully, studying Clary. “Any particular reason you don’t wanna go back to the Institute?”

Clary tenses, but forces a smile and shakes her head.

Maia hesitates. “Do you want me to call someone? Maybe Luke?” She asks; Clary shakes her head again. “How about Jace?”

Again, Clary’s reaction is worrying, to say the least: her shoulders hunch automatically and her bottom lip begins to quiver. She struggles to hide it, but the exhaustion must be catching up with her. Maia stands up.

“I have a key to Simon’s place,” she says quickly. “Come on, I’ll walk you.”

Clary nods wordlessly and follows her out of the Hunter’s Moon. Neither of them says anything as they walk down the busy streets towards Simon’s new apartment.

After about two blocks, Clary breaks down.

The sobs seem entirely involuntary and utterly draining. She collapses against the nearest wall. Her hands come up shakily to cover her face. Her phone drops to the ground at her feet, the edge of its casing chipping on the concrete. Maia can only stand there in stunned silence and watch as Clary curls in on herself on the dirty street corner and cries.

“Fuck,” Maia breathes, and crouches down in front of Clary. “Clary, are you…” She trails off, realizing are you okay? is a rather stupid question. “Hey, what is it? Are you hurt?”

Clary shakes her head. “I’m sorry,” she sobs. “I- I can’t-”

She starts to fumble around clumsily for the phone she’s dropped. Maia picks it up to hand it to her - it’s still vibrating. She glances at the caller ID.

“It’s…Jace,” Maia says. “Do you want me to…?”

Clary swallows thickly. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots and realize golden boy’s call is what triggered such an intense reaction in her. Maia rejects the call and helps Clary off the ground.

“I’m sorry,” Clary says again.

“Clary, did he hurt you?” Maia asks abruptly. Her voice is low and quiet and sure - she already knows the answer.

Clary begins to shake her head, but stops. "He didn't," she says shakily. "But...when I went to confront him after I found out he was the Owl- I shouldn't have gone after him. It was stupid. I was just so shocked and scared and-" she cuts herself off with another involuntary sob.

Maia is suddenly overcome with the need to protect her. Whether it's because Clary's young or her friend or just another girl who didn't deserve the horrible things that have happened to her, she doesn't know, but it doesn't stop her wanting to skin the person who's hurt her alive.

Clary clears throat and goes on, "I fought the Owl and he won. And I tried to reach out to him, to get him to break free from Lilith's control. I- I told him I loved him...and he threw me off an eight-story building and shattered my spine."

She's not crying anymore. Not really. Her eyes are red and puffy and her jaw is still quivering, but instead of tears, there is a cold, resigned look in her eyes.

And Maia feels like throwing up.

"Are you-" she tries to speak - but there are really no words for this situation. "God, Clary, that's...are you okay? I mean, how-"

"Magnus," Clary says, and for some reason there is an edge of guilt to her tone. "And Simon, and Iratze, and some Shadowhunter medics. But mostly Magnus. Because all he does is walk around solving problems that I caused."

Maia swallows. "Clary, some guy breaking your spine isn't your fault."

"But everything else was."

Maia doesn't ask her to elaborate. Whatever it is, it doesn't feel like a conversation to be had tonight.

Instead, she changes the subject back. "You can't look at Jace the same way, can you?"

"No," Clary admits, her voice cracking. She leans back against the wall, the bone-deep tiredness she feels evident in her eyes. "No, and it's not fair because this wasn't his fault! But I can't- I don't want him to touch me. I don't want him to kiss me or say my name or tell me he's sorry or that he loves me. I can't stop thinking about how stupid I felt when I told him I loved him and he just laughed. I can't stop thinking about how much it hurt , how I couldn't move ... I just...I want things to go back to the way they were." Fresh tears fill her eyes and she shakes her head, trying to will them away.

Maia doesn't say anything for a long time. She doesn't know what Clary's feeling. She was never in that situation. And she's certainly never broken her back. But while it's a vastly different situation, she knows a thing or two about being left for dead by people who are supposed to love you.

"I know," she says quietly.

Clary looks at her, fresh horror on her face. "You do?"

"Yeah," Maia purses her lips. "My abusive ex is back in town. And I won't let him leave." Clary blinks and tilts her head like a confused puppy. Maia can't help but savour the affectionate thought as she continues to explain: "He was sent by this organization to help Simon with the Mark on his head and I won't let him leave until Simon's safe."

"He's a Downworlder?" Clary asks.

Maia nods. She doesn't want to go into detail. "Point is, sometimes people you're supposed to trust will hurt you. And it doesn't matter whether they meant to or not. Whatever you're feeling - anger or pain or whatever else - you're allowed to feel it."

Clary looks at her for a moment, letting the words sink in. Then she steps forward and hugs her.

Maia is stunned for a second, not having expected it, but it's not a bad feeling, being wrapped up in Clary Fairchild's arms (no - she's Clary Fray right now, no big intimidating Shadowhunter name attached to her, no legacy. Just a scared and angry teenage girl searching for any comfort she can find in a life that offers none.) She's small but muscular under her skin, her body running hot from all the crying as she presses her face into the crook of Maia's neck, wetting it with tears. Maia returns the hug, and feels instantly calmer and warmer, and they stand like that for a long time, reminding themselves and each other that they're not alone.

They're not alone.

[readingandreiding-blog]

Three days later

[Summary: Reid and reader are at a crossroads in their relationship, and have a huge fight. After some angst, fluff ensues.

AN: This is my first proper piece of fan fic. Do leave feedback. @reiding-and-writing, I hope you read this. <3 

“I don’t know why the hell I even try with you anymore.”

“You don’t mean that, Spencer. Where did that even come from?”

“Well, news flash, Y/N. That’s all I've been thinking of, since the last time I asked you to marry me. I’m not surprised you haven’t noticed. Just like how you fail to notice my heart breaking a little each time I bring up marriage and you shoot it down!”, Spencer wheezes a little as he finishes his rant. 

His words feel like they’re being carved into your skin. What began as a small disagreement had now blown into an argument you had no come back to. 

He has a point, you admit to yourself. Why did he have to hang around? Every time he brought up the topic of marriage, you refused. You told him you did not believe in the institution. You had seen your parents’ marriage crumble, had been the collateral damage to the battles they waged inside your broken family. You were certain marriages were destined to doom. 

“Well, do you have nothing to say?!”, Spencer’s voice shakes you out of your stupor. 

You open your mouth to respond, and realize telling him how much you loved him would not cut it. He had been through a lot last year, and with Diana’s situation worsening every day, he was constantly on edge. 

The phone rang suddenly, scaring you for a second, and distracting Spencer from his anger and resentment. He takes a deep breath and answers the phone, and you gather that there is a case somewhere. He finishes his call, and looks at you. 

“Just in time, eh, Y/N? Saved by the bell, quite literally. Well, you know what, you don’t have to respond right now. I doubt you even have a response. I will be gone for at least three days, so how about you think long and hard about this? When I come back, do let me know what you want to do with ‘us’. Whether you even really want an ‘us’, anymore.” 

He turns and walks into your bedroom, to gather his things, leaving you to your gloom. 

As he walks out of the apartment, you call out to him. “Spence. I love you.” 

He must have heard the urgency in your voice, as he turns and faces you. “I love you too, Y/N. I do. But I am tired, and I don’t want to go on like this. I’ll see you soon.”

He shuts the door gently, and the kindness in that gesture makes your heart ache. You walk into your room, feeling certain that it was now or never. The truth is, you had noticed Spencer’s pain. You had noticed the loneliness he was carrying with himself. You would go to any end, pay any price, to change it. And you knew what you had to do.

You had to put your plan into motion. You grab a change of clothes, your phone charger, car keys, and wallet, and walk out of the home you shared with Spencer.

Three days later. 

As he walks into the apartment he shared with Y/N, Spencer senses something is awry. It was too quiet, too dark. “Y/N, are you home?,” he calls out. 

Even as he asks, he knows no one is home. Spencer feels a sense of worry trickle through his body, as the events that took place three days ago flash into his mind. . 

Fear sits heavy at the bottom of his stomach as he dials Y/N’s number. Where was she? Normally she would have been home by this hour. He notices her overnight bag is gone. She wouldn’t skip a work day without good reason. 

“Hello, this is Y/N L/N, and I cannot come to the phone right now. Please leave a message, and I will call you back when I can. Thank you!” 

Y/N’s chirpy voicemail greeting sends a fresh jolt of guilt through him. 

“Y/N, I just got back from the case. Please call me as soon as you get this? I’m sorry we left things that way on Friday. Please, just call me? I love you.” 

Spencer ends the call, wondering whether he should call Y/N’s work place or Garcia. Garcia was one of her closest friends, and she would have spoken to Y/N over the weekend. Even if she hadn’t, she probably would help him track Y/N’s phone. 

Garcia picked up on the second ring, like she had known he would call. 

“Garcia! Have you spoken to Y/N?” 

“Oh hello to you too, pretty boy. Why are you asking me about Y/N?”

“Well...”, Spence stuttered a little, “.. we might have had a fight on Friday evening, just before we were called on to the case.”

“Uh huh. And?”

“And, erm.. I might have said some things I didn’t exactly mean. Well things I wanted to talk to her about anyway, but I shouldn’t have done so in an angry outburst.The point is, she isn’t home, she isn’t picking up her phone, and I haven’t spoken to her in the last three days. Her bag is missing, and it doesn’t look like anybody’s been home for the last few days..” He was beginning to ramble.

“"Ooookaay boy wonder. I hear you. Listen, I might have an idea of where she might be. But I cannot tell you. It is something you need to hear from her.”

Spencer grips the phone tight as he processes what Penelope just said. “You know where she is? Is she okay? Pen, ask her to come home. Or pick up the phone.”

“Spencer, you need to trust me, and you need to trust Y/N. She should be back home today. Talk to her yourself, alright?” 

You had gotten home late at night, and found Spence asleep in your bed. You quietly retreat to the kitchen.

You had picked up food from your favourite diner, their cherry pie being a weakness of Spencer’s. You were setting the table for dinner, like most nights you spent with him.

“Y/N, you’re home.” Looking up from the table, you spot Spencer watching you. The clattering noises must have woken him up.

“Hey genius. Stating the obvious now?” you smile, walking towards him. Spencer closes the distance between you, enveloping you in an embrace. You bury your face in his chest, arms tight around his waist.

“Y/N, I’m..”, Spence’s voice cracked with emotion. “Shhh. I know, darling. I know.” 

You lift your head up to look into his eyes, still in his arms. “I know what you said, and why you said those things. I have seen and felt your pain these past few months, so trust me, Spence, I know. But, sit down. We need to talk.”

“Y/N,” Spence calls, terrified. “Don’t leave me.” 

You can’t help but chuckle, as you lead him to a chair. He places you in his lap, and you stroke his cheek. 

“Spence. I meant it when I said I have been seeing your pain. But it took me a while to understand what could give you some respite. I hope you’ll forgive me for that.” 

His response was a fervent kiss. God, you had missed this. Fools indeed, for thinking you could live without each other.

“Y/N. When I came back to an empty apartment, I thought my anger had cost me our love. Can I ask, where were you? B-b-but, if you don’t want to tell me, I understand. Garcia assured me you were okay, and that’s all that matters.” He fell into his normal ramble, making you chuckle again. 

“Spence. I had to go to Boston.”

“Boston? Why? What is in Boston?” 

“Blake.”

“Blake?”

“Alex Blake.”

“Alex Blake?!”

“Spencer, are you really going to repeat everything I say?”

“Why did you have to go meet Blake?”

“To seek her blessings.”

“To seek her blessings?”

“Spencer, you’re repeating what I’m saying. Again. And yes. I had to go to Boston. To seek her blessings. So that I could do THIS.” With that, you got up from a shocked Spencer’s lap, and got down on one knee in front of him.

“DO WHAT?!”

“Spencer Walter Reid,” you say as you open a ring box. “With the blessings from all your family members, I finally get to ask you this. Will you give me the joy and honor of being your wife?” 

For once, Spencer was at a loss for words. Then, he managed to squeak. “Blessings from my family?”

You raise your eyebrows, as you realize you were going to have to ease him into this. 

“Yes, Spencer. Your family. Diana gave me her blessings without even having to ask for them. I began asking the rest of your family about two months ago. Derek hugged me and told me to make pretty ricky the happiest man alive. Rossi twirled me around his living room floor, all the while saying happy sounding things in Italian. He could’ve been talking about spaghetti for all I know, but I still take it we have his blessings. JJ said she couldn’t be happier, Will said a quick toast. Henry said he would wear his new tux to our wedding, and Michael drooled on me. I think that was his way of blessing us. Emily was sweet and gentle, and said it was about time. Penelope squealed for two minutes straight, then brought out a bedazzled wedding planning book. Luke clapped me on the back and said he would DJ at our wedding. God, I love that man, but I do not trust his choice of music. Tara told me and I quote, “Go get him girl!”. That left Blake.”

“You drove to Boston to ask Blake for what, my hand in marriage?!”

“Jeez Spence, an IQ of 187 and you still cannot wrap your head around this? Yes. I drove to Boston. Big whoop. If I was indeed doing this, I had to do things the right way now, didn’t I? She sends her love and blessings, by the way.”

“You asked Henry and Michael?!”

“Spencer. I was going to ask their godfather to marry me. Of course I needed their blessings.”

Spencer stayed silent, beginning to worry you.

“Spence, you still haven’t said anything. And don’t mind me, I am just standing here on one knee, no big deal.” You try to joke, but you worry if it was too late. 

Spence gently lifts you back up to his lap, holds you close and whispers, “If I said yes, do you promise to steal and hide Penelope’s bedazzled wedding book? It scares me a lot more than Luke’s music choice.” 

You giggle against his neck as you say, “Yes, Spencer. I will be your partner in that crime, and for every thing that follows.”

“It’s a yes, future Mrs.Reid. I will be your lawfully wedded husband forever.” He seals his promise with a passionate kiss. 

As you both emerge for breath, he asks, “Is that cherry pie I’m smelling?” 

“Yes. If you had said no to my proposal, I had plans to soak it in my tears and eat it by myself. But I guess we will share now?”

He smiles as he gets up to get the pie. He bends down and kisses your forehead, whispering afterwards, “Yes. Forever.” 

[go-redgirl]

AMERICAN WORKERS FIRST: President Trump URGENT Speech on Energy and Manu...

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INDIVIDUALS/COMMENTS/POSTS:

Elie Abi-lamah God Bless our President- Trump 2020 🗽

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REPLY Gladys Ucles 4 more years MR PRESIDENT  TRUMP!

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REPLY zory robles DONALD TRUMP THE GREATEST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY!🇺🇸❤❤❤4 MORE YEARS🎉🎉🎉🎉

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REPLY Steven Marks DONALD TRUMP IS THE BEST PRESIDENT EVER

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REPLY Christina Ho It's refreshing to see an American president that truly loves and cares about the American people.

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REPLY zory robles Not only our president he's so smart!❤ but he's so funny also😂

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REPLY Elie Abi-lamah Made in the USA 🇺🇸- TRUMP 2020 🗽

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James Wilson Plumbers, carpenters, iron workers ect. Real diversity that makes America great.

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REPLY Ben John The only thing I can say thank you Mr President Trump for your promise made promise kept

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REPLY Manuel G Chapa Jr BEST PRESIDENT EVER!!!! TEJANOS FOR TRUMP 2020!!!

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REPLY Just4Fun This man is keeping all of his presidential ideas... except we are still waiting for Hillary to go to jail.

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REPLY Luke Hubbard Vote democrap if you wanna lose your job and live of food stamps 🤣

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REPLY Bess Burkhardt Hi everyone! Check out the convention of states, Article 5 of the United States Constitution, We the People can take our power back!

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REPLY V N Trump 2020!!!

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James B Best president ever. Saving our country.

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REPLY Bess Burkhardt 💕💕💕🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸PRESIDENT DONALD J TRUMP🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💕💕💕 greatest man alive!

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REPLY Fredroks God chose well when he chose Trump as his instrument of righteousness to save the Republic!

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REPLY Bess Burkhardt 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💕💕💕Let's Help the GREATEST MAN alive! Convention of States!  We can help drain the swamp! He can't do everything alone. But he definitely has us all revved up to help!

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REPLY Elizabeth Fulkerson I love our President!!!!  Thank you, Lord for him and First Lady!

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REPLY Sassy Gil Watch #DemocratsInPanicMode

They'll say anything to make people listen to them. LoL

#WalkAway -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPLY Donald Klun JR. Great rally bossman...trump 2020

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REPLY Candace Weatherlow Make America proud again sounds multitudes better than KAG Mapa Mapa Mapa!

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REPLY Lala Lyons President is so charming down to earth Loves people.  💋💋💋💋

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REPLY Reel Venom God Bless President Trump from lake grove New York

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REPLY Rich How could anybody not believe that he truly loves this country and wants the best for every citizen.Id vote for him for him the rest of my life.Nobody will ever top President Trump KAG 2020

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REPLY Ted Gehly Q WWG1WGA American Patriot Here

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Steph Watson I'm loving it! Specially Ivanka.  2024! You go girl

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REPLY

dlhvac1 No more second amendment infringement

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Candace Weatherlow 3rd term trump dynasty! Mapa!

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REPLY Jimmaculate Such genius.  Personable.  Can build.  Gets things done.  Cares about everyone.

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brian deleon I hope Fredo is watching this speech and is taking it all in.  Thin Skin CNN!!! very sensitive, delicate and sensitive.  Trump 2020!!!!

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REPLY Just4Fun WE LOVE OUR PRESIDENT!!!

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REPLY William Morris Americas great Patriots are coming out in the open with a great President like Donald J. Trump.

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REPLY Michael Whaley Union worker and Trump supporter here! 🇺🇸💪

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REPLY Joe GOD’s Son Trump isn’t for 4 more years this man is for more at least for ever. Another person in the office will destroy all. Trump build demonrats destroy

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REPLY Lori Delia Wow! Pennsylvania is rocking! Thank you PA go red again in 2020 Trump all the way!❤️🇺🇸❤️

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REPLY Maurice Hodgdon Mr. President. We support you but southern WV still needs your help. We are continually left behind.

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REPLY Toxic Grunt I wonder if CNN & Fredo Cuomo will comment on this speach...

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REPLY Christopher Patitsas President Trump is amusing, playful,  optimistic and interesting to listen to. He is having fun being President. And he is the biggest promoter of America that has ever held the office of the President.

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REPLY Lala Lyons LOVE LOVE LOVE President Trump Gods Speed Sir🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 May God you safe and your family and the ppl that love and Respect him.  😇😇😇

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REPLY Robert balibrera This Is How We Do It. !!!!

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REPLY Christopher Headley The greatest one to date. Trump 20/20 And Beyond

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REPLY Candace Weatherlow Truth! All truth!

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REPLY Vigen Ghazarian god bless our President Trump..... President Trump 2020... must close the loopholes in our immigration laws and start mass deportation of ALL illegal aliens..... only then, we would ensure proper voting and take full control of the Congress (and our destiny).....

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REPLY Roseanna Martin President Trump the master business man !!  Trump 2020 MAGA KAG ...  God Bless and protect President Trump and his family !!

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REPLY William Brammer My man 20/20 yea

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REPLY Bess Burkhardt 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💕KAG💕🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

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REPLY CarolSue Me Hi Tom Fitton..I see you!

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REPLY Mark blankenship he's a funny guy

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REPLY Sandy Seas What's with the three folks to the right of POTUS? 2 men, one woman. Even when POTUS faced them, they didn't move. Look like they don't belong there! Plants?

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REPLY Dona Herndon God bless our President, Mr. Donald John Trump, the greatest President in the world.

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REPLY Adrian Larkins i thought  POTUS was on holiday. Some holiday!!

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REPLY KAREN G GRAY TRUMP, 2020!

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REPLY joey perez I just came back on to work in the Texas oil fields. Thank you president Trump for bringing it back!

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REPLY Katie Mynette I saw the President speak in Pennsylvania, and it was great? Katie Mynette.

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Richard Benitez In San Francisco once a huge project was started I’d watch in amazement how coordinated these gigantic cranes and machinery were operating . Trucks bearing pieces iron would be lined up for arrival... day after day... very complex... I’m totally stunned each time how quickly this buildings were put up.

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REPLY The Tinker Wait I thought that he went for a 10 days vacation?

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REPLY Miguel Tiempos The Greatest American President in History!!!

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REPLY Goat Goats second baaa!!!

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REPLY rolysantos Thank God for President Trump - He Gets things DONE! Thank God for the American Worker - They Get things DONE! God Save us from Hot Winded Politicians - They Do Nothing which is the same as destroying!

"A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things. " Proverbs 18:9 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPLY Thor Valhalla Is it just me, or do the two "people" (man and woman) to the rear of Trump's left shoulder, look pissed off? They must be DemoMarxists.

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REPLY Ed Thomsen Are those stoned face people in the background never trumpers or secret service??🤣😂😂😅😅😅🤣DAMN THEYRE KILLING THE MOOD 🤣😂😂😂😅😅😂

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REPLY Brenda Byerly Two people behind Pres. Trump on his right, wandering why they are  there.   Does not look like supporters  but likes the job. Feel sorry for them.  It could be worse. No jobs

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REPLY James Waite

Why is the unhappy lady on the left side and guy behind her there?

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Robert Ballard Trump is going to screw himself pushing unconstitutional gun laws,,, the exact opposite of what he promised

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REPLY Dana May I did not know all that.

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REPLY 123kkambiz President Trump the Great

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REPLY Candace Weatherlow Move shell!

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REPLY Louis John Best president ever maga

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REPLY Sandra Panarella You go pa president Trump your awesome trump2020usa USA USA 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸♥️♥️♥️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸♥️♥️♥️👊👊👊🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👊👊👊♥️♥️♥️👊👊United we stand👊👊👊♥️♥️♥️

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REPLY Louis John Trump 2020

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REPLY Kevin Falcao FACTS CHECKED?. Lets hear IF these are ACTUAL  facts. FIRST.

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REPLY Henk de Vries The woman on the left, is she ever gonna smile? What is she doing there?

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REPLY Sun shine God bless our President. But some of those people that are standing behind them especially that one broad to the left how miserable she is you got to know she's a Democrat. Not thankful not grateful one miserable bride. Look at him some of them clap and they're happy they have a job but look at the others they're downright miserable that's what being a Democrat does to you it feel tease your mind and you're just nothing but negative. But our president is positive. Thank God we have him because none of those people would be standing there and we wouldn't be watching this today if that old  Wicked  which Hillary  was in office.

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REPLY emya098 BPE! Now that we are energy independent & are getting many manufacturing back, can we please start manufacturing our own clothing? We need to bring the cotton mills back & with then we can start manufacturing our own clothing. Of course this means increasing the growth of cotton in our country. Are we all tired of "made in China" or "made in the Philippines or Indonesia" clothing & textiles & paying premium prices for inferior products? I'm tired of it. I know that this may not be a priority today, but can we make it a priority in the next 4 years?  And as a by product, regaining the manufacturing of the large equipment needed to run these industries, right down to the sewing machines used in our homes. Why are we not manufacturing these things? I love the big stuff, but what about the small stuff too? Trump 2020! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REPLY Peetzah_Playz ❤️❤️❤️❤️💕💕🤩🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

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REPLY TheInfinitequest TheInfi

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[growingupwithgod-blog]

WHEN YOU LOST HOPE AND WILL

Image by svetlana v-enko

(DREAMS & GOALS)

Ever since I was in grade 7, I had these ideas in my head on what I plan to do and what I want to do and every day I would think of it and make the steps on how I would do it. But, just recently, I lost the will to do the things I want to do. I had the steps, had the energy, had the resources but I just didn’t have the guts to do it. I had these negative thoughts in my head on the outcome because as you can see, I am on over thinker.

I always over think, from small to big ideas because I want to have a vision but as of the days ago, my mind was flooded with doubts and failure. Adding up to my misery is the constant bullying or teasing of people around me.

It felt like my mind was blank or empty and I have nothing else to do. Every day seemed the same as if the time isn’t moving forward. Every night, I would think deep but it feels useless because even though I would, I’d still be unproductive. It felt like something was missing.

Well, it’s embarrassing to admit but I didn’t directly go to Jesus for my problem. I thought it was just a simple problem so I didn’t bother him on asking what is wrong with me. Instead, I went to a stranger chat site and their I chatted with a guy who seemed to have solved my problem by asking me questions and boosting my esteem. He acted out like a counselor and he helped me a lot.

I kept repeating to him of how he really helped me and I told him “God Bless” and other statements that Implicates that I hope God would bless him or be with him. I don’t know though if he’s a believer but chances are he isn’t because he didn’t reply “God Bless you too” which the usual Christians I know would reply.

After our conversation, I prayed for a short time to the Lord on how thankful I am that my esteem was boosted and how happy I am to have chatted with a stranger who knows what he is doing and I also prayed for him. The next, day I seemed energize and I have this feeling of dedication to do what I want to do for the summer and one of it is this, my BLOG.

Another amazing thing though is how every devotional entry I have talks about my plans for this and my problem also relates to every topic that I read on my daily reading book. I thank God for helping me out and also thank him that I’ve met the guy. I felt like it was meant to happen and I know God wouldn’t let me be in trouble and will do anything to help me.

So I’ve mentioned that there were topics in my daily reading that I related, right? Well, I wanted to share it to guys so if any if you may lost the will to think creatively and be who you are, you can read these verses over and over again.

1.       DON’T BE AFRAID

Luke 12: 4-7

 “My friend, listen to me. Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t do any more than that. I will show you whom you should be afraid of. Be afraid of the one who has the authority to throw you into hell after you have been killed. Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? But God does not forget even one of them. In fact, he even counts every hair on your head! So don’t be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows”

 I am reminded of this that I must not be afraid. I shouldn’t let myself be affected with what other people may say nor may they do. I also must not be scared to fail or even be scared of thinking of it (remember I am an over-thinker). I just have to trust the Lord, the one who can throw anyone in hell.

 2.       GAIN STRENGTH FROM GOD

 Isaiah 40: 31

But those who trust in the Lord will receive new strength. They will fly as high as eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not grow weak.

Even the simple mind could get this verse and I think it fits for those who have grown weak when it comes to their will. I would like to suggest to you guys to read the Book of Nehemiah. In his story, there were many people who brought him down because he was building a wall for God’s people and because he trusted the Lord in his plan, the Lord helped him and protected his mind and life.

3.       OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

 2 Corinthians 2: 8-12

 We are pushed hard from all sides. But we are not beaten down. We are bewildered. But that doesn’t make us lose hope. Others make us suffer, But God does not desert us. We are knocked out. We always carry around the death of Jesus in our bodies. In that way, the life of Jesus can be shown in our bodies. We who are alive are always in danger of death because we are serving Jesus. This happens so that his life can also be shown in our earthly bodies. Death is at work in us. But life is at work in you.

 Challenges in our life are the few things that may lead us down and have no will. It’s because of the way we think or we maybe spiritually down. I think this helps to those who are facing their problems right now. To not give up, still keep on living and to continue on praying and trusting the Lord. I think challenges in life is normal for the Christians and I think we should all stick together and help one another, as well as strengthening our faith in God.

4.       PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

1 Corinthians 15: 58

My dear brothers and sisters, remain strong in the faith. Don’t let anything move you. Always give yourselves completely to the work of the Lord. Because you belong to the Lord, you know that your work is not worthless.

There’s a moment when we’re doing really, really great in our work but then just one day, we feel like stopping or quitting because we feel like it’s useless or we feel like lost interest --- this is what we call a “slump”. I’ve experience this dozens of times, from reading books which I always love to study hard to get be on top. This verse also reminds me of the Kdrama series “Weightlifting fairy Kim Bok Joo” wherein she experienced slumping and said she no longer wants to do weightlifting but after probably days or weeks, she went back weightlifting and fortunately, she was accepted in the National Team in Korea and even won in the Olympics----hard work paid off in the end. Whether it’s in reality or in a fictional series, that Slump exists but if ever we do experience it, let us remember this verse. Hard Work pays off but if you do it for God, it doesn’t only pay off but you’ll receive more. I remember working hard in school but this time, I gain my strength, knowledge and wisdom from God. If ever someone reads my brain, he or she may never identify as a smart person. Up until the end of my Junior high, I was on top but it’s all because of God. My hard work paid off so far but I received more. I did not only had the medal but I also gained skills, also had my realization in life, Develop other skills and discovered my talents. I am forever grateful of it and since I haven’t finish High School yet (co’z unfortunately, we still have two years in high school, here in the Philippines because of the K-12 program or system), I will still continue on working hard and relying on God.

My Message:

Don’t give up just because you have a slump or anybody is teasing you because you quit or they think you suck because you do not suck. If you quit then It must be because of a complex problem but if you’re just tired then don’t. I’ve quitted multiple times in a lot of things but I never used TIRING as an excuse and every day I would wish that I could turn back time and reset the moment wherein I quitted. Being a top student is like being an athlete, it also requires working hard, whether you’re a genius or not. For four years in Junior High, I’ve struggled maintaining my grades and there were a lot of times that I’d say I quit but the other part of my head would always win, saying to me that “why would I quit when I’m almost on my goal?” And so I stop thinking of quitting and instead I would think positively of the time ahead and where I could be going in the right path and so should you. I know you’re amazing, talented, Have a lot of skills and everything nice I could describe you but you shouldn’t let it go to waste. Work hard on it, challenge yourself, don’t listen to the negative comments and always TRUST IN THE LORD.

I suppose that’s all for now. To be honest, I still have a lot of verses in my sleeves that will help people who are in the verge of quitting or had already lost hope and the will to continue what good they’re doing. I’m hoping I could share more but I think this article or post is already too long, still, I may post the other verses on my next post. As of now, reflect on what had happened to you and talk to God, read the Bible and think positive. Also, I may not know your story but every one of us has some similarities despite our differences. I am just sharing to you guys what happened and what I did to overcome this problem. I hope I could help you so if you do, don’t hesitate to message me.

[movienewsemail-blog]

Movie News 07/17/17

Hello Everyone and welcome back to this week's edition of your Movie News Email.

Due to another "Technical Difficulty" (AHEM!!!), the news is coming out a day later.  Sorry for the inconvenience, and even though you probably know most of what we are going to go over, again, just act surprised when we get there.

This week, we rundown the top 5 box office movies, and we will see who won the number one spot.  Will it be "Spider-Man: Homecoming", or will "War For The Planet of the Apes" knock Spidey from the top spot. It's a battle royale between the two for supremacy at the box office. We also have some news to deliver, and we, sadly, say goodbye to a couple of greats.

It's the Movie News Email, and it begins....NOW!

First up we must go to our “In Memorium” segment.  This weekend we lost legendary director George Romero. George is best known for his “Night of the Living Dead”, and “Dawn of the Dead”.  Romero died from what is being called a brief but aggressive battle with Lung cancer.  He was 77. God Speed to the man who made zombies cool. Also lost to us this past weekend was Martin Landau.  Landau starred in the TV series "Mission: Impossible", and in the 70's starred in the Sci Fi show "Space: 1999". Martin died of "Unexpected Complications" at the young age of 89.  God Bless and Rest In Peace.

Now to the box office.

At number 5 this week, moving UP 3 places from number 8 is “The Big Sick”.  The romantic comedy starring Holly Hunter, Zoe Kazan, and Ray Romano took in 7.6 million dollars and knocked “Wonder Woman” out of the top 5. Falling one spot to number 4 is the action film “Baby Driver”.  The Kevin Spacey did a box office take of 8.75 million dollars. Coming in at number 3 with a weekend box office of just under 19 million dollars, is the hit animated film “Despicable Me 3”.  With this weekend, the Minions closes in on the 188 million dollar mark. Now to the top 2.  At number 2, falling out of the top spot, we have “Spider-Man: Homecoming”.  Now don’t feel too bad for the movie.  It pulled in another 45.2 million dollars and in just two weeks passed the 200 million mark. And our new number one movie, “War For The Planet of the Apes”.  Ceasar took the number one spot with 56.5 million dollars, and that makes it a close call with “Spider-Man”, as we thought it might be. But the Apes got it and congratulations to them.  Now it will be interesting to see who can take the top spot next weekend.

So what do we have coming out this coming weekend.

Well first up is Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Regina Hall get together to take a “Girl Trip”.  I suspect this will make the top 10, but with everything that’s out now, I don’t think it has the power to crack the top 5. The next two movies may, though I would suspect one of them won’t either. The one that I don’t think will make it, but should, is the Christopher Nolan film “Dunkirk”, which is the story of the battle between Allied forces and the Germans at Dunkirk, France during World War II. Previews for it look fantastic, but again, may not be strong enough to debut in the top 5. What I do think will be strong enough, and may actually turn out to be the next cult film is Luc Besson’s Sci Fi film “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”. Now I know one of our members will be seeing this one and I am hopeful of a review. But if anyone sees any of these films, please send me a review so I can add it to the News.  Thank you.

Now to the news.

In a major move, the BBC has announced today that Doctor Who will get it’s first female Doctor.  Jodie Whitaker will take over as the 13th Doctor after current Doctor, Peter Capaldi, enters the Tardis for the last time in the Christmas special.

At the Disney D23 Conference that went on this weekend, we got some new information about upcoming Disney movies. First up, it was announced that "Toy Story 4" will be released on June 21st of 2019. Also from Pixar we will see the return of The Incredibles.  Original cast members Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, and Samuel L. Jackson were on hand and will returns to reprise their roles.

Audiences were then treated to cast memebers of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, as the director Rian Johnson came out on stage along with Daisy Ridley, Gwendoline Christie, Benicio Del Toro and Laura Dern.  A Behind the Scenes clip followed thier panel. I have seen it, and it looks fantastic.  Go to youtube and search for "Star Wars:The Last Jedi Behind the Scenes" to watch the 3 minute clip. But rounding out the panel was the presentation for "Avengers: Infinity War".  All I can say is I sure wish I was there.  Here is how it went down. Kevin Feige, Marvel's genius Studio president, introduced Josh Brolin who will play Thanos, but then the others came walking out one by one, Dave Bautista (Drax), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Paul Bettany (Vision), Don Cheadle (War Machine), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch).  But that's not all-Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange) came out alone with Tom Holland (Spider-Man). But where were the Avengers?  Well fear not-Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk) and Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man) came out on stage followed by Joe Russo, one of the two directors. A teaser trailer was shown (Sorry, not available to us yet), and by that time, the crowd was in an uproar that was louder than a concert by AC/DC. (MAN-I WISH I WAS THERE)

Also in the news, we have learned that "Wonder Woman 2" will take place in the 1980's and the Amazon Princess will face off in Russia.  This places her smack dab in the middle of the cold war.  I kind of like this idea.  We got Wonder Woman in her first major adventure, we see her, now more experienced in "Batman V Superman", now we get to see a little bit of her in the middle of the two.  Now there is a rumor going around that Chris Pine will appear in the movie, reprising his role as Steve Trevor, so, of course, there are a plethora of explanations as to how this will occur.  But this could only be rumor brought on by fans, so take this one with a grain of salt. No word as to when production will begin, but you know we will tell you as soon as we find out.  (Can't wait)

In the world of Marvel, Sony announced 6 future dates for new Marvel related movies. Those dates are: June 7 2019 November 22 2019 March 13 2020 June 26 2020 October 2 2020 March 5 2021

Now they didn't announce what movies these dates relate to, but with San Diego Comic Con coming up, it is suspected that we will get those titles then.  Stay tuned.

We started getting TV teaser spots for the upcoming "Gifted" series. 

Samuel L. Jackson has been confirmed to be in the upcoming "Captain Marvel" film.  If you remember, at the end of "Captain America: Winter Soldier" Nick Fury went into seclusion.  This news might signal his return to active duty.

Bushmaster and Nightshade will make their debut appearances in season 2 of Netflix's "Luke Cage".  Mustafa Shakir will play Bushmaster, and Gabriel Dennis will play Nightshade.  Fans of the comics will know that Nightshade is Queen of the Werewolves, and Bushmaster is an antagonist that covets Luke's powers. And we have also learned that the premier episode of season 2 will be directed by Lucy Liu.  Definitely one to catch.

Oh, and rushing through last week's edition, I completely forgot to mention a little Easter Egg in "Spiderman: Homecoming".  In the movie (Spoiler Alert), Spiderman's A.I suit is named by Peter as "Karen".  Well, Karen is voiced by Jennifer Connelly.  Jennifer is married to Paul Bettany, who by the way voices "Jarvis" who is the A.I. voice of Iron Man's suit.  Just a cute little tidbit of information. There are other Easter Eggs in the movie, and maybe we will go over them next week when "Spider-Man: Homecoming" regains the number one spot.  (Don't believe me?  We'll see.)

OK, that should be enough for this week.  San Diego Comic Con kicks off with a Preview Night on Wednesday, and then the whole show goes into full gear Thursday through Sunday.  So we should have some really exciting news to deliver next week.  So, by all means, stay tuned.  And if anyone is planning on attending SDCC, Take me with you...please.

So join us next week for another edition of your Movie News Email.

Thank you for being here.  As always it's a blast, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

See you next week.

So until next time,        “Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars” - Kasey Kasum

Rocky