#mantises go bananas for bananas

[spaghettificationandpretzels]

The Reaper and the Death Angel Part 21

Part 20

Series Masterlist

Contains: Fluff. Smut (oral sex F receiving, fingers, P in V, CONSENT, mild size kink) Major angst, major character death, sadness. Follows the plot of season 1 episode 12.

7.6K Words

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Is this the beginning of the end?

"Tiny humans and their parents at the door for you." You had spent the morning planning the day for Kenny and Ellie, other departments were happy to let you have full reign and let the kids participate in activities and help with various jobs.

"Thank you Travis, I'll be there right away." You got up, leaving your door open and went to the Lab's entrance to welcome them in.

"Hello, welcome to the Nothern California science and natural history museum. You guys get the fancy tour today while your parents do boring adult stuff. If you go inside, the second biggest office is mine, I'll be there after talking to your parents, cool?" They both nodded and ran in.

"Thank you for doing this, I was a little surprised when Ope mentioned your offer."

You waved your hand at Donna, "don't worry about it, the sole goal of these tours is to make more scientists. You'll be hearing about fossils for the next week without a break."

Opie laughed, "she's not lying, she showed something to Juice and now he has a rock collection."

Donna smiled and wrapped an arm around her husband, "we should get going, thank you again for doing all of this."

With one last friendly wave, they left.

You walked into your office, Ellie was looking intently over the small terrarium on your desk while Kenny looked over the mummy in a case in the middle of the room.

"Is this real?"

He sounded so curious, "Yep. This guy was the royal advisor of one of the pharaohs. It was actually the first mummy I worked on, when I started working here, the museum he was in sent him here as a thank you." His smile got big and Ellie went over to have a look.

"That's so cool."

Ellie tapped on her brother's shoulder and pointed to the terrarium, "is that funny flower looking thing a bug?" She didn't sound scared or grossed out.

"Yes, it's Hymenopus coronatus or the orchid mantis. Her name is Lilly." They both run over, Ellie pointing to the insect in the corner of the tank.

"Are they hard to look after?"

She had that tone of a child who wanted a pet, "a little, if you like praying mantises there are so many you can keep. I can show you when we go to the insect department if you like?" she nodded like a bobblehead, already half-way to the door.

The day had barely started and they were already ready to take something home.

****

"I know it's tough Donna, but I earn with the Club. I'm not your dad or your brother, I can't chop wood from six to six." They were sitting in a nice cafe at the outside table, the sun gently beating against the umbrella over their heads.

"You went to prison for five years for these guys and they haven't changed, what makes you think this time will be any different? I don't want you inside again." Opie thought about his answer.

"Things are changing Donna, Jax and the other guys want out of everything that's hurting us. Clay's hands are failing, it won't be long before Jax takes over." She didn't look convinced.

"I don't know if I can wait that long Ope. We have kids, they can't see you go back to jail." Opie knew she was right.

"They won't, ATF are going after dirt that doesn't exist. I promise Donna, nothing is going to happen to us."

****

"This soil is from just off the coast of the fertile crescent which is also called the cradle of civilisation. If you look at in under the microscope you can see all the cools things that make this dirt so special." The kids took turns and you could see the questions swirling in the minds

"Why are soils so different from place to place?"

You shot Kenny a smile, "that's a great question, it's because the soil is formed in different conditions. Soil is just stuff that's super-duper broken down and when that stuff is different, say oak leaves vs banana leaves, so is the soil"

Ellie looked up from the microscope, "what's the best soil?"

You ran over to grab a jar of black dirt, "this one, it's volcanic soil which grows some of the best and most expensive produce in the world. If you've ever had super fancy pizza, that's where the tomatoes for the sauce are grown." Their eyes went wide.

"Do you have that at the restaurant?"

You nodded, "can I have a slice for lunch?" H

e sounded so excited, "of course, our restaurant is really fancy, we have lots of authentic food."

"Shall we go see the bugs now?"

****

"I'm thinking about helping Gemma out with Abel's party. I'm hope you're right about all this Opie because I'm here and I'm going to stand by you." Opie breathed a sigh of relief, everyone was right when they told him Donna would come around.

"You have no idea how much that means to me to hear you say that. I promise I'm going to give you a wonderful life and once everything with the Club is sorted out, we'll never have to worry about money again."

****

"I think this would be the best one for you Phyllocrania paradoxa or the ghost mantis, they're pretty easy to take care of and they look super cool." They looked in the tank as the mantis moved like a leaf.

"What do they eat?"

You leaned over to pick up a jar of insects, "the little ones eat these tiny flies but the big ones eat lots of stuff." That fact didn't seem to worry either of them.

"Do you think mum and dad will let us keep one?"

You shrugged, "I'm not sure, we do have a program here where the museum will provide everything and even pay you a small amount as long as you log all your care. Maybe that will get them over the line but they still have the final say."

Their eyes went wide, it was clear that the moment you were out of earshot, they were going to plan a way to convince their parents to let them keep one.

"Lunch?" The bugs were forgotten and you and the kids wandered off to the cafe.

After a quick walk you arrived at the nice cafe on the second floor, "I get the employee discount so go crazy."

They looked over the menus, "I still want the fancy pizza."

While Kenny's mind was made up, Ellie was still deciding, "what's white cut chicken?"

"It's so so good, it's chicken that's been poached in some spices."

Ellie seemed interested, "can I get that?" You nodded and waved over the waiter.

"We'll get one traditional pizza, share size. White cut chicken, share size. and a greek salad, medium. Also, water and share plates, thank you." The waiter ran off and fifteen minutes later, the food was ready.

The food was good and the kids seemed to be enjoying themselves, "what are we doing after lunch?"

Kenny was starting to sound tired, "well I thought we could go to the cake shop near the world history exhibit and get dessert?"

****

"The kids aren't home we have the house to ourselves."

Donna stood up on tippy toes and kissed her husband, "I like the sound of that, if we go home now, we'll have plenty of time before we pick up the kids. I'm sure y/n wouldn't mind us being a little late."

****

"I think we're done for the day don't you?" They both yawned, it was late in the afternoon by the time you were done with all the activities. You had texted Donna and said that they could come and pick their kids up whenever. When they got to the lab, Kenny was asleep on the couch in your office and Ellie was halfway there, intent on finding a way to convince her parents to let her take a praying mantis home.

"I think they had fun today, but I may have unintentionally planted a seed and now they both want to keep a mantis as a pet. The museum will provide everything, plus money for the lights and around $20 every month you have the insect as well as $2.50 for every correct log. Is that something you would consider? They are very easy to look after."

Donna and Opie looked at each other and she smiled, "I guess Opie was right, if they can look after it by themselves, then I don't have a problem with it.

Opie shrugged his shoulders and nodded, "why not."

"Ok, you go break the news and I'll run to the Entomology department to get everything."

Kenny was rubbing his eyes, half asleep when you returned with the supplies, but they were both clearly excited. You placed the supplies on the desk and presented an eager Ellie the baby mantis, "you'll have to come up with a name."

You sat down with the kids and their parents to explain everything, by the time you were done, everyone was excited about their new project. Opie even took pictures to show the guys. You wished them well and they left with their arms full of items. Jax would be so happy to hear how the day went.

When you returned home, Jax was there, having a very worried conversation with Sam, "ummm, what's wrong?"

Jax stood up, walked up to you and put both his hands on your shoulder, "have ATF been around you at all today?"

You shook your head, "no, I spent the whole day with Kenny and Ellie. Plus, Holt barred them from coming in to talk to me about Club matters. What is going on Jackson?" He took a deep breath.

"Luann's been arrested. It looks like ATF is using RICO."

You were stunned, "so they arrested Luann, for what?"

Jax shrugged, "some bullshit drug charge." Stahls' thought process occurred to you in a wave of anger.

"She's using Luanne to get to Otto, if he doesn't know it's a RICO case, he'll give them something small that can't be prosecuted. What a terrible woman."

Jax nodded, "that's what we thought, Unser's getting me into the station to let her know. She'll tell Otto tomorrow; Stahl's letting them see each other."

You rubbed your face, "I think that's your best bet. There's something else, isn't there?"

Jax's head fell, "Clay's getting Opie to do Hefner." You walked over to the table and sat down next to Sam, Jax then sat next to you.

"All you can do is be there in case something goes wrong, will it be just you and Ope?"

Jax shook his head, "no, Bobby will be there too."

You put a hand on Jax's leg, "maybe we can get you, Ope and Sam to do it instead? I'm sure Clay won't balk at that."

Sam sighed, "I tried that, he wants me doing something else."

You stood up, walking over to the kitchen to look in the fridge, "I'll put in dinner, and we'll see if we can come up with some way to make sure this doesn't cause more problems."

****

Dinner netted no ideas, you had all settled on the best bet being Jax to go with them like he had planned. Jax left to talk to Luann, you and Sam had ordered a crib for when Abel and Jax stayed with you, so the two of you were in your room putting it together.

"You know if this goes wrong and ATF gets wind Ope going to be the first person Clay blames?" Sam was paying attention to putting the crib legs together but he nodded anyway.

"Yeah, I know. I have a terrible feeling that this is going to end bad." You built the rest of the crib in silence, you were worried that if you kept talking about it, the tenuous hold of your opinion on Clay would slip.

Jax returned late that night, looking tired, "what's this Darlin?" You got off the bed and gave him a quick peck, "I figured Abel would be staying here a fair bit and I thought having a crib here would make everyone's lives easier."

He smiled down at you, "I swear women, you're a saint."

You giggled and he walked away to have a shower before bed. You called after him as he went into the bathroom, "I'm about as far from sainthood as it comes my love."

He came out soon after, drying his hair on a towel. You were about to comment on his bare chest, still slightly damp but you were stopped by a yawn.

"Bed?" You nodded and Jax climbed into bed, pulling you into him so you were nestled into his side.

"Good night y/n, I love you." You popped up to kiss the tip of his nose.

"Good night Beloved."

****

When Jax woke up, you were already gone and there was a note on his bedside table.

Good morning beloved,

I've been called into work, something about ATF being pissed off at Holt and me, I'll be home at the normal time. Good luck today with everything, my thoughts are always with you.

All my love

y/n

Jax smiled to himself, there was something about facing the day when you were thinking of him that made it much better. He got up, ready to deal with the shit that Clay had forced them into. He had a few hours before the hit would happen, and he wasn't going to spend it worrying.

Sam was a the table when he came down, he slid a bowl in front of Jax without sparing him a glance, "I need to talk to you about a few things so you're going to sit there and listen, do you understand me?" Jax was taken aback but nodded.

"I know you love my sister, I can see it every time you look at her. But you're making a huge mistake not listening to her about Clay and Tig. She knows most people better than they know themselves, and she doesn't think highly of them. If they become a risk to you or me, or worse Abel, she will kill them and no one will suspect her, not even you. But, she's loves you as well, and if you tell her you've got it handled she'll leave it be."

Jax realised that a long time ago, somewhere between all the times he had watched you killed and when you held Abel that if anyone was a risk to his safety, they were dead.

"I know man, it scares me sometimes. I'll talk to her about it, she's never treated me like I couldn't handle my business but I get the feeling that it won't matter when it comes to the people she loves." Sam nodded.

"I'm glad you're finally getting it. My sister loves you, as long as you're together, you've got someone in your corner who will tear someone limb from limb to make you happy. Don't take that for granted." He realised what Sam was really saying was don't take my sister for granted. Jax promised himself the day you told him you loved him that he would spend the rest of his life making sure you knew how much he appreciated you.

****

Jax was waiting for Opie by the garage, once this hit was done they could deal with ATF and go back to the way life used to be. Opie turned up, looking well-rested and ready to go.

"Sleep well?"

Opie nodded, "yeah, your old lady was right, Donna came around ,the kids are happy. Everything's good." Jax smiled, he was beyond happy that his best friend had his life back on track.

"Well then, let's get this done.

****

You had arrived at the Clubhouse in the afternoon after work, hoping to see Jax before going back for the night shift you had been forced to do.

"Hello Darlin, what brings you by?"

You reached up and pecked the tip of his nose, "I wanted to see you." Jax smiled down at you, his hand moving to cup your face, "also, I've had to pick up a night shift so I'll be home at 5am tomorrow." He leaned in and kissed you, his plump lips soft against yours.

"Do you want to take a nap in the dorm?"

Something in his tone indicated he was suggesting more, "only if you're there too."

He sucked his bottom lip in his mouth, "sure Darlin."

You wandered to the dorm, Jax following close behind. When you got there, he closed the door behind you, looking less happy.

"What's wrong my love?"

He shook his head, "the hit went bad, Opie couldn't follow through."

You put a hand on his shoulder, "but it got done right?" He nodded.

"That's all that matters, did Clay tell you how the meeting with the Niners went?"

He gave a short nod, "yeah, apparently the Niners and the Mayans are good now, everyone's been pushing against the Aryans." You breathed a sigh of relief.

"At least that's a win, does that mean you have more business now?" He sat down on the bed, inviting you to sit on his lap, facing him.

"Yeah, they're fine with us selling to both of them. Can I run something by you?"

You nodded, "I think Clay was expecting the Niners to push back and pull something." You thought for a moment.

"I think you know your step-father, and I think you need to listen to what your instinct is telling you." Jax kissed you before tapping you to get off his lap. When you did, he got something out of the drawer.

"I've got something I want you to read."

He handed you the stack of papers and you looked it over, "your dad wrote this?"

He nodded, "ok, I'm a fast reader, I'll have my review by the time Abel gets home."

There was a knock at the door, "Jax you've got to hear this."

Juice sounded pretty happy, "yeah." The door opened and he stepped in.

"Otto just smashed Stahl's face in, ATF is gone."

You smiled at Juice, "what about Otto?"

He shot you a sad look, "what do you think." He left, closing the door behind him.

"Poor Otto, I'll have to go see him when he gets visitation back."

You yawned, and Jax pulled you into his arms while lying down, "you came in here for a nap, I'll wake you up in an hour so you can get ready to go back to work."

Sure enough, Jax was gently waking you in an hour and a half, "I sent Sam home to get you new scrubs so you could sleep a bit longer."

You reach up and put a tried hand on his face, "you are the best boyfriend ever."

He smiled at you, "I thought you were immune to my charm."

You press a fast, hard kiss to his lips, "you're insufferable Teller."

You got up slowly, Jax picking up your change of clothes, "here let me help." There was no lust in his eyes as he undressed and redressed you, his fingers drifting over your scars and tattoos.

His hand landed on the strange scar over your hip, "how did you get this one?"

You chuckled like you remembered a fond memory, "an IED went off and I had to crawl through a wadi to get to a guy who had lost his leg. Turns out hot metal really hurt when you cut yourself on it."

Jax pursued his lips and nodded, "you are such a badass, a sexy, smart, kind of scary badass. All of Abel's friends are going to be so jealous that he has such a cool mum."

You giggled, "hell yeah I'm going to be the cool mum, ask my brother how cool I was when we were kids." Jax smiled and then your words sunk in.

"I'm sorry you never got to be a kid."

You put both your hands on his face, "It's ok, it's got me here, didn't it?" Jax bent down and kissed you softly, his arms pulling you to him. When he pulled away, he was smiling again.

"Yeah it did, and I love you for who you are." You kissed him again, this one slightly heated.

"As much as I would like to stay and continue this, I have to go to work."

Jax shook his head, "I wish you didn't." you pressed your lips together in order to stop a giggle.

"Well, in the meantime. You should think about how you're going to collect on the bet I lost."

Jax smirked at you, all arrogance and charm, "oh, I can already think of a hundred ways for me to collect." He kissed you again and you parted his hand lingering in yours as you pulled away.

"I'm gunna stay at my place tonight, if you get off early will you come by?"

You nodded, "of course my love, it's only fair since you've spent so much time at my house." You walked out of the dorm, and after a quick search for Opie and a chat with the guys, you left.

You were halfway down the road when you saw the ATF vans, you pulled over and took about your phone, shooting a short text to Jax over anvil's encrypted messaging.

"ATF is on their way, there's lots of them."

You drove to work, hoping that this wasn't a sign of things to come.

****

You got to Jax's house at seven the following day, exhausted and hungry. Jax was already up, it looked like he hadn't slept. When you came in he looked at you like you were a breath of fresh air.

"What's wrong beloved?" he walked over and laid his hand on your shoulders.

"Bobby's been arrested and Opie was taken away by the feds, Clay and Tig think he's given everyone up." You stood there shocked.

"That's utterly absurd, Opie would never rat. They're probably just holding him for questioning. If the witness could only ID Bobby, they're going to try and get Ope too no matter what the evidence says. Has anyone spoken to you yet." Jax shook his head.

"I don't think they even knew I was there."

You sat down at the table, "Opie would never turn on the Club, I don't know what Clay's deal is but he's after blood." Jax sat down next to you, his hand falling over yours. You for a long moment before speaking.

"If you want to get him, Donna and the kids safe I can have them out of the state the moment he's out of holding. Billy won't ask any questions, he'll have new names and new lives within the day." Jax did his best to look neutral but his eyes were betraying the fact that he was considering it.

"Clay promised me he wouldn't do anything. Until he gives me a reason, I'm not going to do something that drastic."

You nodded softly, "that's fair, but it's there if you need it." Jax's thank you went unsaid but you could see it in his face. Putting his thoughts about his step-father and his Sergeant at Arms being traitors was too much to voice right now.

"You look tired, rough shift?"

You nodded, your shoulders slumping over, "it's a very long story."

Jax's hand moved up your arm, "I've got all the time in the world." You took a deep breath.

"Stahl has a vendetta, after I filed that complaint, she tried to question everyone else at the Lab and when they said the same things I did about the Club she lost it. She called in a favour and now we're doing active fieldwork. The museum pulled rank and we're still only working with vulnerable victims and I'll only have to travel the state but I'm back in the shit."

Jax looked so angry, "you're already busy, how are you going to find the time to do anything?"

"It will only make up twenty per cent of the work and our union put their foot down so I'll have more days off for mental health. I'll be doing more odd shifts and I might have to travel but it won't change that much, it's just that I'll be working with a lot of sad family members, which I hate." Jax shot you a systematic smile.

"I'm sorry, this is my fault."

You cut him off with a wave of your hand, "it would have happened no matter what, if she didn't use you, she would have used Sam."

He sighed, "we should head to bed for a few hours. We're not going to get anywhere on no sleep." You trudged off to the bathroom, having a quick shower before climbing into bed with Jax.

"Al least Abel gets home tomorrow."

He smiled at you, "yeah, he does."

*****

You both got up around mid-day, meandering to the kitchen to throw together some lunch, "we should really go out to the store and spend the rest of the day cooking some food for when Abel comes home. We're both going to be too busy to cook and I don't think Sam is going to be able to but Abel down for enough time to cook for us."

Jax laughed and grabbed your keys, "good idea Darlin."

You plucked the keys out of his hands, "just because we're fucking doesn't mean I'm going to let you drive my car."

He shot you a charming smile, "I bet I can make it worth you while."

You shook your head, "nope, no one gets to drive my car."

You drove to the supermarket and wrote a list for Jax, intent on splitting up to get everything done faster. As you walked around the shopping centre, you heard a familiar voice.

"Hey Mortia!" You spun around and your eyes landed on Derek, standing there with his hands on your hips. You tapped Jax and ran over to the man, pulling him into a hard embrace.

"It's so good to see you." Jax was smiling at the scene, you have briefly shown him a photo of the guys in your unit so he was excited me meet all your friends.

"Jackson, this is Derek Morgan, Derek, this is a wonderful partner Jackson Teller." Derek put his hand out which Jax accepted, the handshake was firm but warm.

"Y/n has told me so much about you, I'm glad to finally meet you."

Jax looked over at you and you put both hands in the air, "all good things, I promise.

Derek nodded, "yeah, she called you noble and we had a betting pool going the next day. Frank won."

You shook your head, "see Jax, Marines are worse than school girls." he laughed.

"I can see that." Derek helped you with your shopping, content to get your know Jax while you rabbeted off more about your friends. After you were done, he helped you load the car and gave Jax a hug before you drove home to start cooking.

"Your friends are really great."

The smile you gave him made his heart swell, "well they're your friends now too." His chest was filled with warmth, and when you stopped at a red light, he leaned over to kiss your cheek.

"They're all going to love you especially after Derek gets in everyone's ear." Jax nodded, more to himself than you. One of his biggest fears was that the guys in your unit would hate him because of the Club but that didn't seem to be the case.

"You have no idea who wonderful you are, do you?" You rolled your eyes at him but Jax meant what he said, other than his son, you were the best thing that ever happened to him.

****

You spent the afternoon cooking, Jax had to leave for chapel since Opie had gotten out of lock-up. He came home late enough that his dinner was almost cold.

"How did it go."

He gave you an unsure look, "Ope cleared everything up, we're all good now."

You breathed a sigh of relief, "oh thank God."

Jax sat down, practically inhaling his dinner. He pointed over to the containers, "is that all the food?"

You nodded, "yeah, it can't go into the freezer until it's cold."

After the dishes were done and you were both showered, you got into bed, Jax's mattress feeling very familiar, "did you use my mattress guy?"

He smiled, "hell yeah I did." You pulled him into a kiss and he responded in kind, deepening it while gently pushing you down onto the bed.

"I really want to go down on you, can I?"

It took you a few seconds for his words to register, "yes please." Jax smiled down at you like a predator about to catch a mouse in its jaws. He started kissing your neck, his teeth grazing over your skin. You put one finger up to pause him, then sat up to pull Jax's T-shirt off your body. He took in your naked skin, his eyes landing on your beasts.

"You are the most beautiful women I've ever laid my eyes on." he watched you give him a half smile, your eyes drifting down.

You were shy.

"Are you saying that to me, or my boobs?"

He chuckled, "both" you punched his arm playfully and then the air changed, Jax's eyes becoming hooded, his tongue darting out to lick his lips.

"If you keep being a brat, you're going to regret it."

You shook your head with a cheeky smile on your face, "sure Jax."

He closed the small distance, his lips landing on yours. Just as you got used to the kissing, his lips moved back to your neck. "Can I leave marks?" Your breath caught in your throat, you could feel the wetness building between your legs. Jax's mouth didn't get any harsher while he waited for your answer. You nodded and Jax pulled back, "I'm gonna need verbal consent gorgeous."

"Yes Jax, you can leave marks." You felt him suck on your neck, then move to another point and suck again. By the time he was done you must have had a line all the way down one side of your neck and along your collarbone.

By the time his lips met your stomach, you were already desperate. His fingers tapped your underpants in much the same way you did the other day. You nodded and he looked up at you with a soft expectant smile, "please Jax."

He pulled your underwear down, tossing them in the room somewhere. He kissed over your hips and down your legs, going down one then crossing to the other and, kissing up to your centre.

"Fuck you're wet." you felt the tip of his nose land on your mound and then his lips were moving over you. He brought his hand from your knee and used his thumb to spread your lips. When the cool air caused you to tense, Jax's other hand moved to hold your hips down. Just as you were about to ask him what he was doing, his lips met your skin.

You could feel his bread rub against you, the contrast between that and his soft lips made you feel overwhelmed, "oh my God, Jax please." Your hand went to his head to hold his face against you and you felt him chuckle. The hand that was holding you open moved and you felt two fingers slide inside you, they immediately moved to press along that rough spot inside you.

You tugged on his hair and the arm over your hips pushed just a little harder as you bucked into his mouth, "Jax…." You came before you could warn him, you were vaguely aware that you were making choked off moans and you could feel Jax smile against your skin.

He lifted his head and wiped his face on the back of his hand, "that was easy." Your hands reached out and landed on his chest, the look on your face made him pause.

"I want you inside me."

Jax took a deep breath, resting himself on top of you, "are you sure?"

You nodded emphatically, "yes I'm sure. I want you Jax." He smiled down at you, and he pressed a chaste kiss to your cheek.

"I can do that." He kissed you gently, as you got lost in it, you felt him line up. With one last soft nod, he slowly slid inside you. The breath fled your lungs and you buried your head in his neck. Jax hadn't moved and his fingers were trembling against your skin.

"You good?"

His voice was shaky, he heard you gasp before answering him, "I feel so full." Jax had to fight not to come right there, when he got his self-control back, he started to move slowly. His lips never left your skin, whether it was your lips or your neck, he was always touching you.

Jax reared up on his elbows, looking down at your face and your quickly moving torso. He had the sudden realisation that since the day he met you, he never saw you as small until now. As your body jolted gently with his thrusts and your legs wrapped around him, he was acutely aware of the size difference. It made him feel like a God, you always owned the space around you but now he was in it and it was turning you to mush.

The angle of one thrust caused a particularly desperate gasp and he proceeded to do it again. You were whimpering his name like a prayer and he felt your teeth meet his shoulder softly.

He sped up and it felt like he was in your stomach, "Jax please, I….." his index finger rubbed your clit in little circles and your climax took you by surprise. You gasped, your fingers digging into his back.

"Fuck, fuck." You felt warmth spread inside you and then he fell on top of you, his chest rising and falling rapidly against your chest.

"Thank you."

Jax grunted and gathered enough strength to put a hand around your jaw, "what did I say about that?"

You smiled at him, "I'm just being grateful." Jax softened, his lips gently slotting along yours.

You laid in his arms for a little while longer before he got up to get a cloth to clean you up. When he was done, he pulled you into his arms and put your head on his chest.

"I love you so much." you tilted your head and kissed his chin, "I love you too."

You felt a wave of exhaustion come over you, "good night beloved." He kissed your forehead.

"Good night y/n."

*****

Jax's alarm woke you up the next morning, "Good morning beloved, that is the most offensive sound I have ever heard."

He chuckled softly, "yeah well we can't all have fancy alarms that make bird sounds."

You grunted at him, "I'm getting you one."

You sat up, looking over at Jax excited, "Abel's coming home today."

Jax smiled at you, "I know, I can't wait. I think we should go as soon as we're allowed to."

You nodded happily, "good idea."

Jax rolled over to face you, "how are you feeling?"

He sounded slightly concerned, "great."

He was looking into your eyes for any hint of doubt, "you're not sore?"

You shook your head, "not even a little."

He ran his hand over your face, "good, because I really want a round two." He leaned in and kissed you, your hand moving to shove the covers down past his hips.

"Jax, you in here."

Gemma

"Yeah mum, I'll be out in a minute."

Jax got up and you got a good look at his back for the first time, "oh my God Jax, your back." He spun around trying to get a look before seeing it in the mirror. there were four, long but shallow fingernail marks down his back, "please put a shirt on."

He shrugged his shoulders, "only if you put a scarf on." You shot up and looked at your neck in the mirror, it looked like you had a run-in with a mutant leech.

"Ummmm, let's just go and face the music. I'm sure she's seen women come out of your dorm in all states before." He smiled at you and handed you the T-shirt you had discarded from last night.

When you walked out, Gemme was sitting at the table smoking. Jax walked up to her and pulled the cigarette from her mouth.

"The doctor said we can't smoke inside any building where Abel is staying overnight, sorry mum." She didn't look impressed but she accepted it, you never brought up that Jax was only smoking at work because you were worried he would feel like you were judging him.

"Busy night?" Neither of you said anything and Gemma smiled cheekily, "I don't want anymore grandchildren just yet."

You choked on your coffee, "I'm on birth control, don't worry." It was Jax's turn to choke. Gemma smiled again, putting her coffee down to give you a hug.

"Now Jax has to go to work and you're going to stay and help me get ready for Abel's party, Donna will be here soon." She kissed her son on the cheek and he went to the bedroom to get ready before leaving for the day.

Gemma went to her car and came back with bags of stuff, and you went to cover the marks on your neck. Donna showed up soon after, with a bag of blue decorations and a small cake.

"Come on ladies, we've got stuff to do."

*****

The day went well, you, Gemma and Donna got along like a house on fire. Donna spent a good part of the day talking about how much the kids loved the tour. They had called the mantis Persephone and Kenny took her to class or show and tell. By the time Jax was there to take you to get Abel, you had agreed to take both Kenny and Eillie's science classes on the full tour.

Jax stayed outside per his mother's request and you walked out to greet him, "how's it going?"

You booped him on the nose, "it's a surprise." The quick drive to the hospital was filled with excitement, when you got there, you practically ran inside.

The doctor was waiting for you with a pile of paperwork, "we just need to go over a few things and then he can go home." The doctor spoke to you in medical terms and you translated for Jax, every now and then he would ask a question and when the doctor smiled at his knowledge, he would look over at you, tilt his head and sing your praises about how you encouraged him to learn everything he could.

By the time that you were done, Jax was leaving with a book's worth of reading material and Abel in his arms, "hey little guy, we're braking you out of this place." He smiled at him and very gently you brushed the back of one of your fingers over his soft cheek.

"Is it bad that I want to squish his little face."

Jax chuckled and looked at you in agreement, "nah, it's really squishable." You giggled and leaned down to kiss the tip of his tiny nose, Abel tried his best to smile, probably because it tickled just a little.

"He is so ducking cute, I just can't."

Jax looked sideways at you, "ducking?"

You squinted your eyes at him, "I can't swear in front of a baby, you heathen." You walked into the elevator and Jax kissed your cheek.

By the time you got out to the car, Jax's smile had reached his ears.

"Home?"

You nodded, "yep, I'm sure Sam is already there so he can be selfish and have Abel all to himself before everyone else wants a go."

****

You were right, Sam was there waiting but so was everyone else. You could hear music playing through the front door and when you walked in there was ruckus applause. Sam walked up first, excitedly gesturing for Jax to hand Abel to him. Abel looked positively tiny in the huge man's arms.

"Hey kid, I know you're parents are pretty cool but your mum raised me so I'm cooler." Abel babbled and then handed him back to Jax, "he is the cutest baby I've ever seen and I've seen a lot of babies."

You smiled and shook your head, "I told you so."

Jax smiled back and kissed the side of your head, "yep, you did."

The night was really nice. Jax was a bit more anxious than you, worriedly standing by while people held his son.

"Jackson, my love. Abel will be fine, the more people he is exposed to the better his immune system will be."

Jax sipped his beer, "that's only because you harassed everyone to get their shots." You nodded hard, just once.

"Hell yeah I did, ain't no one giving my baby some preventable disease."

Jax giggled, "I love you so much."

You reached up and kissed his cheek, "I love you too."

At around nine thirty, Opie and Donna left, with Tig going soon after. You had a very strange feeling about all of it but Jax had reassured you that Clay didn't believe ATF's lie. About ten minutes later, your work phone rang, it was an EMT who had spent a lot of time training staff at the museum.

Donna was dead.

When you answered the phone, Jax saw your expression change and came running over to you, "what's wrong?"

You hung up the phone and leaned in close to Jax, "you need to get the guys, I've just been called to a crime scene, it's Donna."

You raced to the crime scene getting out and pulling the forensic kit out of your trunk, ducking under the yellow tape, you kneeled by her body. Jax came up behind you and you looked back at him. There was a commotion behind you and then Opie was kneeling beside you.

Opie was sobbing and holding his wife, when you looked over at Clay he had his head in his hands. The rest of the guys started to drive up, Tig's expression made it clear that something was a miss and you carefully palmed a gunshot residue test from your bag and put it in your pocket.

Jax gave Opie a moment to say goodbye and then Hale approached, "can you do these kinds of autopsies?"

Opie's expression was so pained, he was looking at you with such desperation on his face, "in extenuating circumstances yes. This counts." You waved over someone and then you walked over to Opie.

"Is that something that you want? If not, the coroner can be here in five minutes."

He could barely speak, "I don't want her with a stranger."

You put a hand on his arm, "once I'm done I'll come and see you right away, if that's something you want."

He nodded softly and you walked away, going to Tig, who looked extremely upset. You put your hand in your pocket and carefully hid the test in your palm. When you got up to him, you put your hand on his arm, "are you ok?"

He shook his head, "do you know what happened?"

You looked over his face, "no, but I've talked to Hale and I'll be looking over the truck when we find it. If there's any evidence, you guys will be the first to know."

You walked away, once you were out of eyeshot, you looked at the test in your hand.

It was blue.

Jax walked up to you, "how long will it take?"

It took you a while to reply, "I'll be home by four." When his eyes drifted to Clay, you shared a knowing look, "we really need to talk about some things when I get back."

****

You were done at two, leaving immediately after the paperwork was logged. Opie opened to door right as you knocked and you sat down on the couch.

"Did she…"

You waved your hand softly, "no, she wouldn't have even heard the gun shots."

He seemed so lost, "I don't know anymore yet, as soon as I get results back, you'll know." There was a silence and he fell into your arms, sobbing.

"I am so so sorry for your tragedy." He sat with you for a while, you talked about Donna and how much he loved her. Once his crying subsided, you walked him to his bedroom and left.

"If you ever want to talk about her, I'm here."

When you returned to Jax's house, he was awake on the rocking chair watching Abel.

"Hey."

He came up to you, dropping his forehead onto yours, "hey."

You looked up at him, unsure of how to continue and then you pulled a baggie out of your pocket.

"You're going to hate me for this. Tig left right after Donna and Opie did. At the crime scene, I did a GSR test on his clothes. Jax, it's blue, he shot a gun in the last few hours and his clothes were new." Jax didn't say anything, and his hand went to cradle the back of your head.

"I could never hate you y/n."

You sat down on the day lounge, "I'll destroy any evidence I find. This won't blowback on the Club and Opie won't hear my...our suspicion.

He took your hand and you walked into the bedroom, "let's deal with this in the morning, I need sleep." You climbed in bed with him, resting your head on his chest.

"I love you Jackson."

He gripped your hand in his, "I love you y/n."

Part 22

Well, that was rough, feedback is always appreciated.

[revretch]

Mantises love bananas. They also love honey, so I'd assumed that was just because they like the sugar boost. But then I got to thinking...

When wasps and bees are angry, they actually make a smell like bananas (to the point that smelling bananas will make them angry). And a wasp or bee getting eaten by a mantis probably isn't happy. On top of that, a ripe enough banana has a color and consistency not unlike the muscle and haemolymph inside an insect. So...

You're givin' 'em waspfruit.

[mj-spooks]

So, if Eliot is a ladybug, the mercenary of insects Unless you want like a hercules beetle or something. Sophie is the orchid mantis. Is Parker some kind of spider? I'm thinking of what kind of acrobat?

I’ll be honest, I totally picture Eliot as a Hercules beetle. Like when I was first trying to answer the anon that was my thought on that. But I’m also very very partial to Hercules beetles so maybe take that with a grain of salt.

And yeah I totally think Sophie is an orchid mantis. Also after I saw that post my husband just started calling out names of mantises for the to google (because I love them) and if I tried I bet I could pick a different mantis for all of them.

I can totally see Parker as a spider, and I love it. Nothing venomous enough to kill, but definitely something that looks like it is and scares the living bejeesus out of you. OH! Banana spiders. Banana spiders feel very Parker. Also I love Banana spiders.

I think Hardison is my favorite this go-around. Because Hardison? Is bed bugs. Teeny, terrible little monsters that wiggle their way into everything you own before you even realize it. By the time you know you have a problem, it’s too fucking late, my guy. They’re in. You’re doomed. You gotta get rid of everything. Because fuck you.

Nate... I’m gonna say Nate is some kinda colony bug, like a bee or an ant. Something that works best when it has a team to serve and a goal to accomplish. Once you take that away, man, it doesn’t know which way is up. You know the scene in A Bug’s Life where the leaf falls and the line of ants going to the colony is freaking out because they’re “lost”? That’s Nate and his alcoholism after his son dies.

[withinthescripts]

Season 2, Cassette 6: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (1978)

[tape recorder turns on]

Hello, this is Zoe Tremblay, lead curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Bienvenue, welcome to our museum. This audio guide for the exhibit “Small Items, Big Picture” features assorted works by celebrated artist Claudia Atieno.

Shortly before this exhibit opened to the public, news broke that her body was found, confirming her death after five years missing. Across the art world, we are saddened to learn confirmation of Atieno’s death, but content in finally confirming what we had long suspected.

Before the news, we had invited artist, art historian and friend of Atieno, Roimata Mangakāhia, to orate this cassette. It would have been understandable in her grief for Mangakāhia to decline to record this audio guide after finding out the details of her colleague’s death, but Mangakāhia agreed to uphold her obligation. We are blessed and pleased she could do so.

The exhibit begins in the Desmarais Pavilion, second level.

[bell chimes]

Claudia Atieno was one of our New World’s most respected artists. Since the Great Reckoning, no one else combined skill, macroscopic vision, and subtle political rhetoric quite like Atieno.

I would like to start this audio guide by saying she will be missed. She has been missed for many years, really, but the pain is greater than before. It is real now. I didn’t think… [crying] I really didn’t think…

But this is not important, my feelings are not relevant to this audio guide. We’re here simply to contemplate Claudia’s work.

Painting 1. “Mantis on Branch”.

Look first at the branch. Atieno has used shades of lavender and green in the wood. Long, meandering lines of light colors contrasting the dark grays of the branch itself. These lines, like two pastel rivers…

I had hoped her disappearance six years ago was an attempt to revitalize her career with new ideas, greater ambitions, I was wrong. She just died. She’s just been dead all this time. We all just die, I suppose. Why expect more?

In her final years, Claudia had grown more artistically prolific. But as the quantity of her art increased, so did the quality for subject matter plummet.

I was with her often, in what turned out to be the final years of her life. Do I wish I had known they would be her final years? Would I have changed the way I spoke to her? Would I have broached different subjects? I suppose there’s no way to be sure. [sighs] I suppose it’s pointless to relive it, over and over.

I talk to her a lot. Our discussions about artistic evolution went from lively to combative in those years. She became obsessed with tiny objects and figures, finding microscopic details interesting. Searching for possible hidden meanings in the repetition and mundanity of everyday life.

With the exception of the parties and happenings which were plentiful, it was a life mostly spent alone in her home in Cornwall. Her lovers, including Pavel Zubov and Cassandra Reza, visited during times of celebration and merrymaking, they did not live with her. I lived with her during the other times.

I alone kept her from being alone.

Look at the mantis’ face in this painting. It is difficult to see it directly, as the insect is slightly turned away. I would like to tell you this is meaningful, and if you find meaning here, good for you. Most likely Atieno simply painted a still insect that she saw in the garden, because she was trying to keep busy. And rather than change her position and perspective, rather than attempt to seek out meaning elsewhere, she simply painted what was in front of her.

How many mantises have you seen before? What makes them interesting?

[bell chimes]

Painting two, “Rubbish Number 3”.

This is a wastebin with paper in it. With an impasto technique, it’s difficult to discern exactly what these papers are, but they appear to be standard and unbound A3 pages. We can assume they were old files or notes. A crumbled page lies behind the bin. Look closely at the crumpled paper. Can you read what it says? No. No. you can’t.

[bell chimes]

Painting three, “Rubbish Number 7”.

This is a banana peel. Looking at the Spanish floor tiles, I imagine this was painted in her kitchen. Atieno was, generally speaking, a tidy person. So I guess this is ironic?

Yep, it’s a banana peel. Hmm. I have little else to add here.

[bell chimes]

Painting four, “Rubbish Number 15”.

The final known painting in her rubbish collection, this is a wrapped stack of discarded newspapers along a street corner. It’s clear that these are the Western Europa Times, London Edition, but the text on the front page is not clear. All you can make out are the words “200 million” and “population”, which would suggest these were from October 1971.

Atieno talked often of the days before the Great Reckoning. She was an infant when our population was nearly eradicated by the new weapons of a great war, and by the toxic air, which took almost as many lives as the godlike explosions throughout the 1920’s. After the foundation of the society, those born prior to the Reckoning were not granted indirect contact with family, but punitive action was rarely sought in those cases.

Occasionally, she received letters and voice recordings from her grandmother, Renee. It’s not clear how Renee knew where her grand daughter lived, or if these letters were monitored for content. Renee was not allowed to communicate familial love or give any indication about Atieno’s family, dead or alive. So she simply told her grand daughter about what life was like before the reckoning. Foods they ate, like wild birds or boar. Detailed descriptions of robes and headdresses popular in the previous century, and even recitations of poetry she learned in school.

With the loss of so many libraries and information centers during the reckoning, Renee wanted to convey, if not love for her last remaining grandchild, a written and oral history of facts and tales that might otherwise be lost.

Look again at the painting of the stack of newspapers. Atieno was acknowledging the renewal of human life on Earth, and its new roles and rules. The new culture the society has brung and will continue to bring. The power of information and its manipulation.

You are one of 200 million in the world. Does that make you special, or insignificant? Is it possible to be both?

Atieno was always excited about the New Renaissance. After the Reckoning, new artist with little history to direct them had to find new methods, new narratives. Art had been stilted and interrupted for so long. It had felt like a luxury the world could ill afford.

But by the early 1970’s, Atieno seemed to have grown weary. In this oil painting of hopeful news, we see gray twine holding together gray pages on gray pavement.

Look at the painting for a hint of color. [whispers] Oh find some color, you really need to find colors!

[bell chimes]

Painting five, “Needlework”.

This is not a painting, clearly, but an actual piece of needlework, the only known example of this medium by Atieno.

When I lived with her, I used needle craft such as cross stitch and knitting to pass the time. I was never much of a reader, and painting for me was more draining than it was for Atieno. She could paint for hours without much of a break, whereas I often had to stop after 45 minutes or so to clear my head.

During afternoon high tide, I would go cliff diving to refresh my body, to energize myself for the more intellectual and minimally physical tasks of painting or drawing in my notebook. The shock of cold water slapping my skin woke me to a world with no thoughts, only instincts. My muscles tensed at every leap, calmed at every splash, and my mind was full not of thoughts or ideas, but feathers.

Atieno did not care for the thrill of a plunge into the sea. Her thrills came from challenging the rigid regulations of the society through her artwork. I suspect she often tried to keep in touch with her sister. I have no proof of this, other than the society secretary of trade, Vishwati Ramados saying this to me. Ramados once pointed out a childhood drawing of two girls in a garden, quietly talking. Claudia in the background watching. “That’s not Claudia’s school,” Ramados said, “she didn’t go there, see her sister clearly drawn?” [scoffs] “How would you know her sister?” I asked. Ramados cocked her head and smiled, as if I had complimented her hair.

Additionally, Atieno was paranoid that she was being watched closely by people. Obviously politicians like Ramados, but others too. She welcomed the stateswomen offices and agents into her home regularly, entertaining them with wine, food, music, dance and stories of her youthful debauchery often to the point of absurdity. Maintaining these amicable relationships alleviated any accusations cast on her of sedition or slander. Plus, as long as she kept her message abstracted in symbols and metaphor, Atieno could always claim that her painting was nothing more than a pig on a roast, or a vivisected mouse, rather than a direct poke at a specific security chief or geneticist. Indeed, she did claim this. even I cannot say for certain what her political views truly were.

Needlework was a pastime I never taught Atieno, she never asked. But she would on occasion walk past me in the parlor or outside in the garden, stitching phrases or flowers onto a linen circle. I had no idea, until the Montreal Museum showed me this piece, that Atieno ever took an interest in needlepoint. And I can only assume she taught herself the technique. She had no books on the subject, so it’s likely she found some of my needlepoint projects and watched my movement to learn how to do it herself. I’m not sure why she never asked me directly. I’m not sure why she felt the need to take this from me.

Of course, as this is Atieno, she was better than I was, taking my passive pastime and improving it to the level of fine art. In this piece, a simple arrangement of yellow carnations, she has clearly dyed segments of the thread to create a depth of color.

Pay careful attention to the simple dots and marks of blues and pinks and greens in the leaves. Not unlike some of the blots of color used by the impressionists.

Think of a time in your life when you were outdone.

[bell chimes] [tape recorder turns off] [ads] [tape recorder turns on]

[bell chimes]

Painting six, “Housefly”.

Flies were common at the Cornwall house in summer. They gathered on bookshelves and around edges of doors and windows. Atieno strictly kept food out of all rooms except the kitchen and parlor, which is where she entertained, but this is not where the flies gathered. Even with the tightly sealed windows and doors that remained shut, the flies found their way into the home and could not escape. Atieno would often return from her visits to Africa or South America to a Cornwall home lined with dead flies, like spilled raisins, who had attempted to escape along window sills.

This painting is of a living fly, along the top of a leather-bound copy of Alexander Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo”. Atieno must have worked hard not to startle the fly away. There’s no existing photograph or sketch of this fly, so either she quietly and slowly painted, as a very patient fly quietly and slowly sat atop one of the few remaining copies of this French masterwork, or she painted the insect in great detail from memory.

[bell chimes]

Painting seven, “Darkened Room”.

This oil on canvas of an empty bedroom depicts a small unlit room the the very top of the house. When I lived with her, this was the room I slept in. I have a closer emotional tie to this painting than you could possibly have, dear listener. I can feel those cool cotton sheets, (--) [0:18:31] and billowy pillows under my head and across my body. Atieno tucked blankets tightly under mattresses, and the effect on the sleeping guest was not unlike a swaddled baby. Nights in Cornwall were cozy and nurturing, surrounded by ocean we could hear only cresting of the waves and the occasional birds and crickets through the cracked summer windows.

Daytimes could be different. While she adored throwing parties and filling the house with her eclectic collection of friends, Atieno sometimes grew tired of the guests with little warning. As I stayed with her for months at a time, I found I needed to escape her judgment and chiding some afternoons. She would want to work in the kitchen or on the patio or in the living room and my presence irritated her. She made this known with a curt “I need this area to work, find another place to do yours.” So I would paint in the bedroom, or sketch, or knit. Sometimes I would take the boat and head back to the mainland, go for walks in the rubble of nearby neighborhoods. Searching for old photographs of families, just to see what families used to look like. Wondering if my family was still alive and what it must have been like back in the times of fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters.

I know the final generation was full of violence and tribalism. A senseless conservatism of culture and values which led to war. But I still revel in how similar the awful purveyors of destruction looked just like us.

The few photos I found during my excursions into the rubble often showed two middle-aged humans with dead-eyed smiles and proper Sunday dress, standing behind two or three children, equally dressed and hiding their teeth behind stiff crescent lips. Sometimes the father would have his hand firmly on the oldest boy’s shoulders, holding him into place as if keeping a balloon from lifting out of gravity. The mother would sometimes have her hand on the daughter’s neck, as if she was holding a glass of water and not a small child. Sometimes in the ruins of these homes, I found pieces of ceramic lamps or shreds of sofa cushions. Sometimes I found saplings or vines growing through the twisted grids of stove top crates or out of bath pipes. It was not uncommon to find remnants of bodies too. Burned or brittle. And all but unrecognizable.

I suppose these findings would have made for good still life paintings, and with better foresight, I may have taken my brushes with me on these walks. But given the proliferation of destruction, still uncleaned by our tiny recovering population, I imagine every art student with an empty sketchbook has thought to capture the grisly aftermath of a global devastation. But art is often just record keeping, letting us know that an apple looked the same to Cézanne in 1895 as it does to a grocer in 1974. Or a dog in a 15th century tapestry has the same shape and size ratio to humans as one today, on St Catherine Street right here in Montreal.

When I did find photographs among the shells of former houses, I collected them in an album that I kept under Atieno’s guest bed, shown hre in this painting. Of course the guest room she has painted is uninhabited, ready for overnight guests. Even if its pristine neatness does not exactly welcome them.

In the open space next to the chest of drawers you see in her painting is where I set my easel. Mostly, my relationship with Claudia was positive, friendly. She was chatty during morning and afternoon tea and n the late evenings just before bed, but when she began to work, she disdained my presence. I have been critical of much of her work in this exhibit, and I hope the people of Montreal Museum of Fine Arts will not take offense. Claudia could create color and spectacle unlike anyone. Not only on the canvas but in social setting. She was not herself a rambunctious sort, but her demeanor brought out the wild side of so many. She quietly encouraged people to let go of inhibitions, while she displayed little of the same behavior. I always wanted more out of the work, and I hope you would have wanted the same.

We now know she’s dead, of course, so there’s not much that can be done at this point. Perhaps I should leave it be.

I loved her like a friend. Like a lover. Like a teacher. Like the sister the society won’t let me have.

The tide comes in and it goes out. You’re either there when you need to be or you’re not, time is impervious to critique. For all her supposed fighting against the new society, the society still is. Her most minor works hang on a wall in the former country of Canada- there should be more for her, for any of us.

[crying] I’m sorry. Montreal’s lovely. The Museum of Fine Arts is a real gem. Claudia… is lucky to have her work displayed. Let’s look at the final painting in this exhibit.

[bell chimes]

Painting eight, “Guests”.

Here Atieno depicts a party in the parlor. Look at the third guest from the right near the upper corner. That, I believe, is me. You can also see her former lovers, Pavel front and center and Chrisette just behind Pavel. Both are holding goblets of red wine and dancing, the wine spilling carelessly into the air, eternally aloft, never reaching the floor. [chuckles]

No musicians are shown here. Often guitarists and singers would perform next to the non-working fireplace and the piano. She rarely had anyone playing the piano, as if she felt it too stuffy. Also her record player was positioned on the bookshelf, but in this painting, its usual location is filled with books. She’s editing her life here, I believe, as in reality she had few books.

[scoffs] I’m not sure what the guests at this party are dancing to. Based on Pavel and Chrisette’s presence at the same party I was at, I place this painting as March 1972. Only days before the last time I saw her. This was the last moment any of these people would see Atieno.

Chrisette, Pavel. Deputy minister of culture, Sanjay Vishwanath. The woman who headed the childhood detachment and development program for the society. Those two men who claimed to be marketing manages for the World Bank, but were most definitely private investigators.

I was there, in Cornwall, on Claudia Atieno’s last day alive. [fights back tears] Last day seen alive. It was in March 31, 1972. I suppose there’s no way to know exactly when she died. I remember the evening clearly, I had returned from the cliff diving to return to a painting before the party. She was in the garden behind the house. Guests were just arriving. I don’t remember this party, I remember a-a-a quiet dinner.

The next day, or the day after, I can’t be sure… I, I left for Paris to visit friends or Amsterdam, was it? The Reichs Museum, I don’t know I can’t remember, it’s been so long. Oh, I really should know these things. It was Pavel who reported her missing to the police on April the 16, I don’t know why he came back to see her or why she let him. It’s strange to mourn someone who was never a regular presence in your life. My friendship ith Claudia was characterized by long absences. We were either together entirely, sharing food and shelter, work and leisure, sharing everything for months at a time, or we were wholly apart, with no contact a tall. Neither of us being much for letter-writing.

I’ve grown used to never seeing her these past few eyars, when there was still hope. So why now do I feel so broken? Why does it feel like she’s been pulled… so suddenly out of my life, when in reality she hasn’t been in it at all? [crying] I feel as bereft as I would if I’d been with her til yesterday. As if I would if she disappeared right from in front of me. Oh wait no, that’s not right, it was in autumn, she went missing in autumn. I’m sure of it.

[tape recorder turns off]

Within the Wires is written by Written by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson and Performed by Rima Te Wiata, with original music by Mary Epworth. Find more of Mary’s music at maryepworth.com. The voice of Zoe Tremblay was Kate Leth. Don’t forget to go check out the amazing new Within the Wires T-shirts and Claudia Atieno artprint at withinthewires.com

Within the Wires is a production of Night Vale Presents. Another of our podcasts I think you’d love is Welcome to Night Vale. Perhaps you’re already familiar with the strange desert town of Night Vale and this is just a reminder that we have over 100 episodes for you to hear, for free, wherever you get your podcasts. And if you haven’t listened to Welcome to Night Vale, go listen to episode 1, or any episode really, you’ll be caught up in no time, and see what you think. Hear? Hear what you think?

OK, our time is done. It’s you time now. Time to stop by the museum gift shop, grab yourself a souvenir book of paintings about [ineffective (hotel) coffee makers], pick up a poster featuring [your high school sweetheart], and buy a commemorative vase made out of [whatever it is they make vases out of. Wet sand? IDK man.]

[faeshiftersmore-archive]

Tagged by: @xircrocodile Tagging: I’ve seen this one going around before so not sure who hasn’t done it. If you want to go ahead and say I tagged you!

BOLD any which apply to your muse!

[ COLORS ]  red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green. magenta.

[ ELEMENTS ]  fire. ice. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops.

[ BODY ]  claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. canine. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. feathers. webs. eyes. hands. sweat. tears. feline. chubby-faced. curvy. short. tall. normal height. muscular. piercing. tattoos. dimples.

[ WEAPONS ] fists. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. legs/form. intelligence.

[ MATERIALS ]  gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. lace. leather. silk. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. carbonate. rubber. synthetics.

[ NATURE ]  grass. leaves. trees. bark. roses. daisies. tulips. lavender. lilies. petals. thorns. seeds. hay. sand. rocks. roots. flowers. ocean. river. meadow. desert. tundra. savanna. rainforest. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains. forest. fog.

[ ANIMALS ]  lions. wolves. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. spiders. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. cats. dogs. bunnies. praying mantises. crows. ravens. mice. lizards. frogs. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. crocodiles.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ]  sugar. salt. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. beer. eggnog. coffee. tea. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. cherry. strawberry. banana. watermelon. vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. desserts. chocolate. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. burgers. burritos. pizza. ambrosia. fruit salad.

[ HOBBIES ]  music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. fighting. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. electronics. technology. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer. phone. movies. theater. libraries. books. magazines. cds. records. vinyls. cassettes. piano. violin. guitar. electronic guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. bells. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. motorcycle riding. bicycle riding. eating. climbing. running. sleeping. fishing. pranking. banquets/parties. exploring. travelling.

[ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. sweater. cardigan. tunic. vest. dress shirt. boots. slippers. heels. leggings. trousers. jeans. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. braces. watches. glasses. sun glasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup. ribbons. suits.

[ MISC ]  balloons. bubbles. cityscape. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. fame. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs. pillows. blankets. independence. enthusiasm. smile. narcissism.

[puerlupum-moved]

Muse Aesthetics

BOLD any which apply to your muse! Remember to REPOST! Feel free to add to the list!

[ COLORS ] red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. plum. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green. lavender. copper. turquoise. amber. magenta. midnight. jade green. neon yellow. neon green. tan. [ ELEMENTS ] fire. ice. water. air. earth. metal. spirit. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops. plant life. [ BODY ] claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. pointed ears. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. canine. acne. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. fur. feathers. scales. webs. eyes. hands. tongue. sweat. tears. feline. chubby-faced. curvy. short. tall. busty. normal height. muscular. makeup. piercing. tattoos. dimples. plastic surgery. dyed hair. painted nails. amputation. prosthetic. [ WEAPONS ] fists. brass knuckles. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. claws. razors. fighting fans. [ MATERIALS ] gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. opal. topaz. jade. agate. bismuth. geodes. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. faux fur. lace. leather. silk. satin. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. granite. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. carbonate. rubber. synthetics. fool’s gold. fossils. sea glass. [ NATURE ] grass. leaves. pine trees. maple trees. palm trees. bark. roses. daisies. tulips. lavender. lilacs. lilies. hibiscus. plum blossoms. petals. thorns. seeds. vines. roots. hay. sand. rocks. roots. flowers. ocean. river. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. swamps. rainforest. petrichor. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains. shooting stars. rainbows. auroras. fjords. canyons. floods. droughts. thunderstorms. tornadoes. hurricanes. tsunamis. volcanoes. earthquakes. blizzards. meteors. constellations. comets. planets. seashells. driftwood. [ ANIMALS ] lions. tigers. bears. wolves. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. spiders. birds. cuckoos. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. zebras. giraffes. cats. dogs. bunnies. cows. pigs. goats. frogs. snails. praying mantises. butterflies. bees. wasps. crows. ravens. parrots. peacocks. mice. rats. hamsters. lizards. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. phoenix. dragons. foxes. llamas. camels. [FOODS/DRINKS ] sugar. salt. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. beer. coffee. tea. kombucha. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. lime. cherry. pineapple. strawberry. watermelon. bananas. mango. coconut. pomegranate. plum. vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. cakes. desserts. chocolate. vanilla. hazelnut. peppermint. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. popcorn. pretzels. soda. burgers. burritos. pizza. pasta. ambrosia. lasagna. peanut butter. curry. bacon. soup. cheese. avocado. pumpkin. [ HOBBIES ] music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. fighting. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. cosplay. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. electronics. technology. blogging. vlogging. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer. phone. movies. theater. libraries. books. magazines. cds. records. vinyls. cassettes. piano. violin. guitar. electronic guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. bells. sitar. keyboard. drums. percussion. marching band. drama. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. motorcycle riding. eating. climbing. running. partying. horseback riding. archery. [ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. tunic. vest. blazer. shirt. boots. sneakers. slip-ons. sandals. heels. ballet shoes. leggings. trousers. jeans. shorts. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. choker. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. braces. tie. watches. glasses. sun glasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup. bowties. canes. bows. barefoot. [ MUSIC ] rock. pop. jazz. rap. r&b. hip-hop. funk. alternative. classical. trance. dubstep. edm. ebm. hardstyle. blues. latin. k-pop. j-pop. ambient. new age. metal. world fusion. dancehall. reggae. soca. punk. ska. singer-songwriter. folk. country. bluegrass. swing. opera. show tunes. a capella. minimalist. avant-garde. new wave. disco. baroque. symphonic metal. soundtrack. vaporwave. glitch. house. chillout. psychedelic rock. post-rock. cabaret. trip-hop. easy listening. trap. nightcore. indie. grunge. contemporary. black metal. metalcore. emo. screamo. rockabilly. parody. industrial. electro pop

[ MISC ] balloons. bubbles. fireworks. reflections. cityscape. cathedral. mosque. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. partner. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs. kisses. lies. angels. demons. fairies. elves. gnomes.

Tagging: anyone go for it

[seven-re]

What are your muse’s aesthetics?

Before going on with this I decided to go for the easy and do my self insert here. Lazy AF.

BOLD any which apply to your muse! Remember to REPOST! Feel free to add to the list!

[ COLORS ] red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green. lavender. copper. turquoise. amber. chestnut. magenta. midnight. jade green. neon yellow. neon green. tan. army green.

[ ELEMENTS ] fire. ice. water. air. earth. metal. spirit. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops. thunder.

[ BODY ] claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. canine. acne. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. fur. feathers. scales. webs. eyes. hands. tongue. sweat. tears. feline. chubby-faced. curvy. short. tall. busty. normal height. muscular. makeup. piercing. tattoos. dimples. plastic surgery. dyed hair. painted nails. amputation. short hair. long hair. back. neck. shoulders. moles.

[ WEAPONS ] fists. brass knuckles. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. baseball bats. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. claws. razors. fighting fans. wrist wraps. whip.

[ MATERIALS ] gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. opal. topaz. jade. agate. bismuth. geodes. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. faux fur. lace. leather. silk. satin. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. granite. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. carbonate. rubber. synthetics. fool’s gold. fossils. sea glass.

[ NATURE ] grass. leaves. pine trees. maple trees. palm trees. bark. roses. daisies. carnation. sunflower. tulips. dandelions. lavender. lilies. hibiscus. petals. thorns. seeds. vines. roots. hay. sand. rocks. roots. flowers. ocean. river. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. swamps. rainforest. petrichor. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains. shooting stars. rainbows. snow. auroras. fjords. canyons. floods. droughts. thunderstorms. tornadoes. hurricanes. tsunamis. volcanoes. earthquakes. blizzards. meteors. constellations. comets. planets. seashells. driftwood.

[ ANIMALS ] lions. tigers. bears. wolves. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. spiders. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. zebras. giraffes. cats. dogs. bunnies. cows. pigs. goats. frogs. snails. praying mantises. butterflies. bees. wasps. crows. ravens. parrots. peacocks. mice. rats. hamsters. lizards. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. phoenix. dragons. foxes. llamas. camels. bats.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ] sugar. salt. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. beer. coffee. tea. kombucha. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. lime. cherry. pineapple. strawberry. watermelon. bananas. mango. coconut. pomegranate. vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. cakes. desserts. chocolate. vanilla. hazelnut. peppermint. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. popcorn. pretzels. soda. burgers. burritos. pizza. pasta. ambrosia. lasagna. peanut butter. protein bars. curry. bacon. soup. cheese. avocado.

[ HOBBIES ] music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. fighting. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. cosplay. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. electronics. technology. blogging. vlogging. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer. phone. movies. theater. libraries. books. magazines. cds. records. vinyls. cassettes. piano. violin. guitar. electronic guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. bells. sitar. keyboard. drums. percussion. marching band. drama. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. working out. motorcycle riding. eating. climbing. running. partying. sunbathing. hiking.

[ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. tunic. vest. blazer. shirt. boots. sneakers. slip-ons. sandals. heels. oxfords. leggings. trousers. jeans. shorts. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. brocade. cloaks. leather jackets. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. tie. watches. glasses. sunglasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup. bowties. canes. crop tops. sportswear. choker.

[ MUSIC ] rock. pop. jazz. rap. r&b. hip-hop. funk. alternative. classical. trance. dubstep. edm. ebm. hardstyle. blues. latin. k-pop. j-pop. ambient. new age. metal. world fusion. dancehall. reggae. soca. punk. ska. singer-songwriter. folk. country. bluegrass. swing. big band. opera. show tunes. a capella. minimalist. avant-garde. new wave. disco. baroque. symphonic metal. soundtrack. vaporwave. glitch. house. chillout. psychedelic rock. post-rock. cabaret. trip-hop. easy listening. trap. nightcore. indie. grunge. contemporary. black metal. metalcore. emo. screamo. rockabilly. parody. industrial. waltz. tango.

[ MISC ] balloons. bubbles. fireworks. reflections. cityscape. cathedral. mosque. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. perseverance. loneliness. hate. vengeance. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. partner. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs. kisses. lies. angels. demons. fairies. elves. gnomes. sadism. masochism. slaves. dominance. submission. blood. scent. mistakes.

Tagged by: @diabolik-bagatelle

Tags: @akumusan @orenkami @himetsukichii + if you like to do it :D

[scarfmom]

Banana Runts and Insecurities

We saw La La Land with mom in law for her birthday and my preggo ass only wanted some damn Runts candy. Been craving Runts all week. They didn't have any at Safeway so I thought I'd get them at the movies... but they didn't have any at concessions! But I found a candy machine in the hall that did have Runts! So I made an extra trip to the bathroom to pump some quarters in it... and I got 0 bananas. None. I mean COME ON. And I ate a few of Will's Sour Patch Kids during the movie but- I kid you not- ONLY got green ones. There were none left except green ones. I don't want to over-sugar the baby but it's hard when the candy you DO eat doesn't fulfill your cravings! I still really need some fucking banana Runts. Eating a few real kiwis now to make up for it. I imagine the baby in there being sad because I'm not feeding it well or feeding it garbage junk food and it makes me so sad! Will hasn't been cooking much lately because we're tired after work and the kitchen is still in mouse-infestation mode (covered in flour to track footprints. None so far, I think we caught them all) and not safe to use yet til we bleach all the pooped-upon surfaces. Anyway I feel like I'm failing to supply baby with all the stuff it needs and I keep feeling like it's one of our pet fish or mantises, where it might just up and die randomly because I don't fully understand how to do this. It's going to be a huge relief to see the ultrasounds on Thursday and find out how it's doing in there!

[safehavens]

MUSE AESTHETICS

BOLD any which apply to your muse! Remember to REPOST! Feel free to add to the list!

[ COLORS ] red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green. lavender. copper. turquoise. amber. chestnut. magenta. midnight. jade green. neon yellow. neon green. tan. army green.

[ ELEMENTS ] fire. ice. water. air. earth. metal. spirit. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops. thunder.

[ BODY ] claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises.canine. acne. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. fur. feathers. scales. webs. eyes. hands. tongue. sweat. tears. feline. chubby-faced. curvy. short. tall. busty. normal height. muscular. makeup. piercing. tattoos. dimples. plastic surgery. dyed hair. painted nails. amputation. short hair. long hair. back. neck. shoulders. moles.

[ WEAPONS ] fists. brass knuckles. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. baseball bats. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. claws. razors. fighting fans. wrist wraps. whip.

[ MATERIALS ] gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. opal. topaz. jade. agate. bismuth. geodes. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. faux fur. lace. leather. silk. satin. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. granite. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. carbonate. rubber. synthetics. fool’s gold. fossils. sea glass.

[ NATURE ] grass. leaves. pine trees. maple trees. palm trees. bark. roses. daisies. carnation. sunflower. tulips. dandelions. lavender. lilies. hibiscus. petals. thorns. seeds. vines. roots. hay. sand. rocks. roots. flowers. ocean. river. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. swamps. rainforest. petrichor. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains. shooting stars. rainbows. snow. auroras. fjords. canyons. floods. droughts. thunderstorms. tornadoes. hurricanes. tsunamis. volcanoes. earthquakes. blizzards. meteors. constellations. comets. planets. seashells. driftwood.

[ ANIMALS ] lions. tigers. bears. wolves. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. spiders. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. zebras. giraffes. cats. dogs. bunnies. cows. pigs. goats. frogs. snails. praying mantises. butterflies. bees. wasps. crows. ravens. parrots. peacocks. mice. rats. hamsters. lizards. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. phoenix. dragons. foxes. llamas. camels. bats.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ] sugar. salt. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. beer.coffee. tea. kombucha. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. lime. cherry. pineapple. strawberry. watermelon. bananas. mango. coconut. pomegranate. vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. cakes. desserts. chocolate. vanilla. hazelnut. peppermint. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. popcorn. pretzels. soda. burgers. burritos. pizza. pasta. ambrosia. lasagna. peanut butter. protein bars. curry. bacon. soup. cheese. avocado.

[ HOBBIES ] music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching.fighting. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. cosplay. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. electronics. technology. blogging. vlogging. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer. phone. movies. theater. libraries. books. magazines. cds. records. vinyls. cassettes. piano. violin. guitar. electronic guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. bells. sitar. keyboard. drums. percussion. marching band. drama. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. working out. motorcycle riding. eating. climbing. running. partying. sunbathing. hiking.

[ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. tunic. vest. blazer. shirt. boots. sneakers. slip-ons. sandals. heels. oxfords. leggings. trousers. jeans. shorts. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. brocade. cloaks. leather jackets. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. tie. watches. glasses. sunglasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup. bowties. canes. crop tops. sportswear. choker.

[ MUSIC ] rock. pop. jazz. rap. r&b. hip-hop. funk. alternative. classical. trance. dubstep. edm. ebm. hardstyle. blues. latin. k-pop. j-pop. ambient. new age. metal. world fusion. dancehall. reggae. soca. punk. ska. singer-songwriter. folk. country. bluegrass. swing. big band. opera. show tunes. a capella. minimalist. avant-garde. new wave. disco. baroque. pop punk. symphonic metal. soundtrack. vaporwave. glitch. house. chillout. psychedelic rock. post-rock. cabaret. trip-hop. easy listening. trap. nightcore. indie. grunge. contemporary. black metal. metalcore. emo. screamo. rockabilly. parody. industrial. waltz. tango.

[ MISC ] balloons. bubbles. fireworks. reflections. cityscape. cathedral. mosque. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. perseverance. loneliness. hate. vengeance. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. partner. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs. kisses. lies. angels.demons. fairies. elves. gnomes. sadism. masochism. slaves. dominance. submission. blood. scent. mistakes.

Tagged by: no one tbh i just wanted to do it!

Tags: if you wanna go ahead!

[bimbodile]

Tagged by @bastardchildofbritain

Rules: Answer 18 questions and tag amazing followers you would like to get to know better.

Name: Mercy

Nickname: I don’t really have any but someone at work has started calling me “Merc” and then my boss keeps calling me “Mercer” not as a nickname but because he can’t get my name right

Birth date: September 1

Height: aroud 5′6″-5′7″

Ethnicity: Non-hispanic caucasian, of Irish and English descent with a chunk of unexpressed Native American.

Orientation: Lesbian, probably.

Favourite fruit: Raspberries, Bananas.

Favourite season: Winter when I can afford warm things, then summer when not crippled by dysphoria

Favourite book: The Stand

Favoirite flower: Anything that falls inside a pastel color spectrum

Favourite scent: My nose is depressingly ineffective.

Favourite animal: SPOTTED HYENAS!!! OWLS!! TIGERS!! OPOSSUMS!! SHARKS!! BATS!! GIANT STICK BUGS!! PRAYING MANTISES!!

Favourite beverages: Coffee and coffee-based lifeforms 

Average hours of sleep: Probably about 7-8, but broken up and unrestful tbh

Favourite fictional characters: Jolyne Kujo, Foo Fighters, Matoi Ryuko, Korra, Arya Stark, The Kid & Rucks & Zia, Kitiara Uth Matar, Tasslehoff Burrfoot, Mamimi Samejima, Sawa Nakamura, Yukako Yamagishi, Trish Una, Hot Pants, Darth Traya, Undyne, and on and on

Number of blankets: It’ll go from 1-3 depending on the temperature.

Dream trip: I want to go back to Hawaii, Washington, and Japan

I tag: @rosestress @carnist @joestar-family-values @thunderstruckfeathers