#or just listening to it with the volume turned up and without any headphones compared to listening to it with wireless headphones

[sukirichi]

no guidance

pov: you ask your step-brother to guide you in your first time 

part of the everything step cest collab by @dilfhub​ thank you for everything! 💕

note. lol this rotted in my drafts for weeks but i finally finished it eeeee

cw. virginity loss, sexting, mild corruption themes, fingering, oral sex (f. receiving), possessive! akaashi-ni, slight dumbification, pseudo-incest (step siblings)

You knew better than to associate with the likes of Miya Atsumu. As if him being one of the most notorious fuckboys in campus wasn’t enough of a warning sign, his reputation was also infamous for being the “Virgin Killer.” In simpler terms, he took pride in corrupting the innocence of whoever was foolish enough to fall into his trap, and yet there you were, bottom lip caught between your teeth as you shamelessly sexted with him.

Unsurprisingly, he’s asking for nudes. Again.

It had been approximately three months since you passed notes with the said Miya twin (and of course you liked the worse of the pair) before your friendship escalated into something...more sexual. It was no secret Atsumu had a high sex drive, something you were still foreign with, so you weren’t really taken aback by his open vulgarity over his desire to fuck you.

The first month, you were nice enough to sent him a snap of your titties. Albeit still a little shy over not having sent anyone such an intimate photo before, you were beyond exhilarated.

The next, you sent him a booty pic. It wasn’t anything sexy since you were only in your campus hoodie, the door locked because you didn’t want your parents walking in on you trying to get a good angle of your rounded buttocks.

And just last week, you finally gained enough courage to take a photo of your glistening pussy, sent with a caption of ‘thinking of you...’

Now, you weren’t stupid despite your preference to act naive and innocent. You knew your actions would entice him to lead into something more, if his dick picks that show him already leaking weren’t enough of a telltale already. But as your phone pinged and his name flashed above your screen, the words, ‘meet you at Issei’s party this weekend? I think I’ve waited long enough’ loud and clear – your heart dropped into your chest.

Without another thought, you shut your phone off and rolled to your side.

The thing was, you’ve never really had sex. You couldn’t even be brave enough to lose your virginity to your hairbrush or to buy a dildo despite your friends’ insistence it was much better than an actual cock (quote unquote: both can make you orgasm, but the former didn’t come with toxic attitudes of horny college boys.)

Sure, you’ve watched porn, and you watched a lot – but nothing could compare to the actual experience of it. Your fingers could only get you so far.

Glancing at your phone that kept lighting up with texts from Atsumu, you felt something stir deep within your stomach. Curiosity? Arousal? Nervousness? Excitement? Perhaps all a mix of both. You’ve heard from all the girls Atsumu’s slept with that even though he meant bad news, his cock could be likened of that of  a blessing that converted them into ‘I hate him’ to ‘Gosh, I wanna fuck him again.’ Addicting, they called him, and now you were being offered a path to being on a path that most likely had no point of return.

You sighed.

The saner part of you warned you to stay away. There was no rush to lose your virginity now. Just because most of your friends had enough experience, it didn’t mean you had to be the same as them. After all, you came from quite...a strict household.

While everyone had been away from their parents and independently living in their dorms, you still stayed under the same roof as your father and step-mom, along with your older brother who was only a year ahead of you. Akaashi was a very sweet presence to have that you didn’t mind not experiencing that ‘youthful freedom’ too much, simply because your brother was a better company than whoever you could room with. He was kind, always ready to help, and you could confidently say you trusted him more than you did your closest friends.

Maybe that was the reason why you knocked at his room past midnight, shifting your weight from one foot to another. The faint sliver of light peeking from the cracks in his door told you he was probably still working on projects and the like, really not a good time to bother him, but you couldn’t hold on any longer.

At the back of your mind, this was the right thing. He was the right person.

“’Kaashi-nii...?” you knocked again, aware that he had a habit of listening to music on full volume while studying. “Are you there? Oh, were you studying, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to barge.”

Your brother stood in front of you, his headphones hung around his neck. He’d swung the door open to reveal that he was, indeed, previously hunched over his desk to work on something. Upon seeing the guilty expression on your face, Akaashi smiled at you in reassurance. “Hey, no, it’s fine,” he ushered you inside, setting you down at the edge of his bed while he sat across you in his swivelling chair. “Do you need help with homework again?”

“No...”

Turning away from him shyly, you opted to fiddle with your fingers as you stared at your lap. You had come here in a whim. You didn’t really think this through, and even though you’d been in his room a thousand times before, his dark blue sheets and tidy room that smelled sweetly of his detergent and vanilla cologne made you feel dizzy.

It didn’t help that he looked so mouth-watering in this light too.

Messy hair, long, slender fingers that absentmindedly spun a pen in those pretty hands of his, his dark eyes hazy and as welcoming as ever under the dim light of his desk lamp – how could you resist?

“What is it?” Akaashi quickly picked up on your silent worries. He’d always been observant, taking his role as your big brother seriously that he had attuned himself to sense even the slightest differences from you. Even though you’d only become family when you were already in middle school, it felt like you had known him for a much longer time than that, his warm hands rubbing soothing circles in your knees pulling the tension away from you.

“You know you can tell your brother everything, right? I’ll listen to you, you don’t need to feel scared or nervous.”

Guess it was now or never... “There’s this boy in my class...”

Akaashi’s eyes immediately darkened. All the warmth in his face disappeared, now replaced with a hardness you didn’t think was possible for such an understanding, patient guy like him. “Is he hurting you, forcing you to do something you don’t like?” his questions shot out one by one, and your eyes widened when he held you firmly by the shoulders. “Do I need to hurt someone?”

“No, no, it’s not like that!”

Your brother relaxed back in his chair. For a moment, your mind conjured up the dirtiest image of bouncing on his cock (and you know his cock is pretty after accidentally walking in on him changing clothes in high school) as he studied, but you quickly shook the thought away with a clear of your throat.

“What’s wrong then?”

You took a deep breath. “I just...I like him a lot and he asked me to have sex with him someday,” your words came out barely above a whisper, the courage seeping out of you until meeting Akaashi’s eyes felt impossible. “I said yes because of course I like him but...I’m afraid.”

“Hey,” Akaashi tilted your chin to look at him, his blue eyes pooling with worry and brotherly concern. “You know you don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

“I just don’t want to disappoint him. I-I’ve never done it before and I feel like I won’t make him feel good. That’s why I came here,” you peered at him under your lashes, tongue darting out to nervously lick at your lips that felt uncomfortably dry. “You told me I could ask you for help in anything and you’re my brother so I trust you a lot to guide me on this one.”

The silence in the room was suffocating.

You were so close to running out of his room and pretending you didn’t exist for the rest of your life because what the hell were you asking? He was your brother, he obviously didn’t see you as a woman. You bet in his eyes, you were nothing but a little sister, and there really was no stopping him from kicking you out of his room until – “You want me to be your first time?”

You looked up at him so fast you actually felt your neck ache from the sudden movement. Heat spread all over your body, especially to your core at the unreadable expression in his eyes, yet it wasn’t...bad. He wasn’t rejecting you.

“Yes, please.”

Akaashi nodded at your hushed words. Slapping his palms to his knees, he walked to his bedside table where he pulled out an inconspicuous bottle with some sort of liquid you weren’t familiar with.

“Okay. Nii-san will teach you everything, but first, I need to prep you.” Fuck, fuck, fuck, this was actually happening!

You could barely process the events that happened next as he discarded his shirt to the ground, exposing his toned upper body to you from years of playing volleyball. While you sat there frozen and with a frantic beating heart, your brother barely blinked an eye as he gestured for you to take your clothes off. Wordlessly, you pulled your top off and shimmied out of your underwear. Too shy upon being exposed to a male for the first time in your life, you immediately headed towards his bed and closed your eyes, breath heavy and laboured as you waited for his next movements.

Akaashi’s hand went up to your knee, and you flinched at the contact, relaxing only when his soothing smile greeted you. “Lean back for me. Just relax and loosen up, okay? I’m not going to hurt you, Nii-san will make you feel good.”

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you did as he told. You were still shy, but you were feeling a lot less nervous. His hypnotizing gestures of caressing your thighs made you sigh in contentment as your head hit the pillow, legs falling open like it was second nature to spread yourself to your brother.

The thought had you biting your lip.

Before you could think too much about it, you felt a cool liquid being spread all over your lips. You gasped and clutched on the sheets out of reflex, staring forward as your brother stared at you cautiously, his lube coated fingers experimentally rubbing circles over your pussy lips. It felt so lewd for him to touch you like that – those same hands that always held yours in your weakest moments – yet it felt so good; the strange sensation tightening your chest.

“I-it’s cold.”

“I’ll warm it up for you,” he reassured, “How far have you gone? Any prior sexual experience?” Akaashi then began to playfully roll your clit between his fingers, eliciting a high-pitched whimper from you. He grinned at your reaction – so vocal for him already – and he was determined to hear more of it. “Ever tried sucking someone off?”

“No, but I’ve watched a lot of porn.”

“Porn is different from actual sex, baby,” the nickname fell so effortlessly from his lips that you didn’t dare question it anymore. Not that you could anyway, because the tip of his finger was prodding against your hole that was embarrassingly clenching around nothing. “How about here? Have you tried masturbating?”

“Don’t ask me such embarrassing questions!”

“You’re spread open for me already, you don’t need to be embarrassed,” You covered your face with your hands to hide, but Akaashi pried them away, his grip on your wrist both demanding yet gentle. “Tell me so I know how many fingers I can put inside you. I need to stretch you out.”

“Just one.”

“Louder, baby.”

“Just one finger,” you blurted out, finding it harder and harder to breathe the more he glided his fingers between your slit. Fingering yourself couldn’t even compare to the beauty of having him do the same to you, your arousal only heightened by his dedicated stare at your shaven pussy. From below your bodies, his pants had begun to home a tent.

“Two hurts a little bit and ‘em too sore.”

“What a tight cunt,” he commented with a smirk. “I’ll have to take my time with you then,” You nodded gratefully, about to smile at him with hearts in your eyes when Akaashi slowly slid a finger in. Your moan came out breathless and muted as you stared at him, mouth open in a silent gasp. The intrusion wasn’t anything new but he expertly pumped his finger in and out of it that your walls fluttered around him, head thrown back for another broken moan as he slid another digit. The stretch felt fucking perfect – the slight sting more than welcome in your virgin cunt that was now being fucked by your brother.

“Shh, it’s okay, it’ll feel better soon. Just relax.”

Openly, your slight squeaks of pleasure had increased in volume. Akaashi fingered you until he was knuckle deep, his other palm flat on your abdomen. Had you been in a better state of mind that wasn’t previously clouded with pleasure, you would’ve been embarrassed at the loud sloppy sounds of your pussy, but you remained there with trembling thighs, your nails digging at his thigh as you stared at him wide-eyed.

“Feels good?”

“M-more,” you begged through gritted teeth, “Nii-san, more.”

“Not yet, baby, you’re still too tight,” Sooner than you’d like, Akaashi pulled his fingers out of you. Both of you gazed at the webs of arousal between his fingers; your face painted in shock while he smirked at it, chest swelling with pride. Then, his eyes slid over yours, hooking his hands under your knees before he settled between your thighs.

“Come here. I’m going to go down on you.”

“Nii-san, no!” your protests fell on deaf ears, almost as if he knew you didn’t really mean it. His ears knocked with your knees locked around him, and you shivered as you felt his hot breath right before your burning cunt. “It’s embarrassing...don’t want you looking at my kitty like that.”

“Your kitty is very pretty and Nii-san wants a taste of you,” he mumbles while pressing kisses all over your pelvic bone, his sticky fingers massaging your inner thighs into relaxation. Your head pressed back harder on the pillows at the sensation, the pleasure too immense and he was just starting. “Didn’t you say you want me to teach you everything? This is just a few lessons you have to learn so don’t be shy. I’m sure you taste heavenly,” Clenching your jaw from the overwhelming bursts of ecstasy, you failed to notice how he dipped his head further, tongue darting out to lick a flat stripe. Your eyes blew wide open as he torturously and slowly dipped his tongue from your hole, the wet and warm muscle licking all the way up from your slit until the clit. “See? I told you. Heavenly.”

“’Kaashi, ‘Kaashi, oh, oh!”

“You sound so pretty but don’t be too loud,” Somehow, he managed to raise his arms and placed a palm over your mouth. “We don’t want Mom and Dad to overhear.”

Your legs trembled around him until you nearly suffocated him, but how could you stop when he was rolling his tongue side to side, licking and cleaning up the previous wetness he’d pulled from you?

It was too much, too good, and soon you were moaning behind his palm as you came all over his face.

Akaashi greedily slurped up the juices that squirted all over his face, unbothered by the mess you’ve made. He didn’t stop until he was sure you were completely clean, and you were already on the brink of overstimulation when he locked his lips around yours, sucking whatever he could take. Unable to take it any longer, you pushed his head away and fell on your side in a desperate attempt to catch your breath, sending him a seductive glare, only to soften as you his lips, cheeks, and nose shining under the moonlight.

“Nii-san, your face—”

“It’s okay, I’ll clean up for later,” he shrugged it off and stepped out of his sweatpants, ripping a condom you didn’t even notice he had. You watched with baited breath as his cock sprung free, the tip red and glistening with pre-cum. Akaashi rolled the condom over his throbbing cock and situated himself before you, pumping his length a few times before aligning it with your hole, sending you one last look of approval.

“You ready for my cock now? This might hurt a little bit. You just need to relax and I’ll go slow, okay? Tell me if anything feels uncomfortable.”

Nodding, you made yourself comfortable and braced the sheets for preparation, wincing a little as he pushed the tip in. Akaashi felt you clamp down on him, his hips stilling just as he loomed over you, his arms resting beside your head. In this position, you could see each detail of him – the thickness of his lashes, the love blooming in his eyes, the sweat beading in his forehead and everything soft and slow written all over his face.

“Still okay? I can stop if you want.”

You shook your head and wrapped your legs around his waist to pull him closer. He raised a brow at your initiation, but you merely smiled at him to hide the mild discomfort. “I can take it, just keep going.”

A few minutes later and a hundred still good? later, Akaashi had slid himself in. He allowed you to get used inch by delicious inch until he was completely seated inside you, hip pressed to hip and his hand caressing your cheek. “You’ve done so well,” he praised, “How does having a cock stuffed in you feel?”

“S-so full,” you replied numbly, the feeling of him throbbing inside your heat so fucking delicious. “Love nii-san’s cock.”

“Yeah? I’ll give you more then,” he warned, and you knew you couldn’t go back anymore when he placed his palm flat beside your head. Akaashi began to move his hips, slowly at first to let you accommodate to his length which your pussy hugged greedily. You were moaning left and right and his groans above you was erotic enough to make you cum on the spot, the pleasure doubling as your pebbled nipples grazed his toned chest.

“Nii-san! So big!”

“I know, baby, you’ll get used to it, don’t worry. It’ll feel better soon,” he rasped, scowling when you raked your nails down his back, though not hard enough to draw blood. It would definitely leave a mark though, and the pain of it urged him to move his hips faster, the sound of skin slapping against skin echoing through his room that began to warm by each passing second. “Feel better?”

“Feels so good,” you cried around him, reaching up to bury your head in his neck and clinging to him like a koala. It did feel so good, so much so that you just might get addicted to this. “Love Nii-san’s cock.”

At your words, Akaashi’s patience that thinned a while ago completely broke.

His pace increased and he gripped your hips tightly, sitting back on his knees just to watch his cock slide in and out of you. The lube made sex feel a hundred times better from how easily he’s easily punching through your walls, the sight of you splayed out for him – hair strewn across the pillow, little whimpers leaving your lips, breasts bouncing right before his eyes and abused pussy lips hugging his shaft – it made him growl with possessiveness.

“This is how you should be fucked – you gotta be fucked right,” he announced, thumb coming down to rub your clit. As expected, you cried out and tightened around him.

He faltered for a moment at how tight you were, but he kept pushing, driving his cock in and out of you until he turned into you a sobbing, slobbery mess.

“You sure that boy of yours can make you feel this good?”

“N-no, Nii-san’s cock only!”

“That’s right, it’s just gotta be me, okay?” driving both his hands around your neck just to clench your airway as a warning, Akaashi fucked you harder than before. The sudden inability to not breathe made you impossibly tighter around him that you felt each ridge and vein kissing your bumpy walls. “Say it. Say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours, I’m Nii-san’s property!”

“I’m gonna mark you as mine, claim this pussy as Nii-san’s only, yeah? You want that?”

“Cum in me, ‘Kaashi, cum inside!” you prompted, and what good of a brother would he be if he didn’t grant his little sister’s wishes? Growling, Akaashi snapped his hips hard until the tip of his cock successfully kept repeating that sweet spot in you that you didn’t even know you had. You were crying, moaning, too fucked to respond as you came, and your lewd expression was all it took before he was releasing his cum inside the condom. “Kaashi, Kaashi, ah!”

Akaashi quickly pulled out his cock and took a minute to regain his breath, his head cradled on his hands at the earth-shattering orgasm you both had. Not a moment later, he’s tying his condom and throwing it to his bin, finding his way right beside you as you blinked sleepily at him.

“Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

“No, you were great. Just tired.”

“Do you want to sleep in my room tonight?”

You smiled at his concern, pulling him in closer for an embrace. He was warm and sweaty that it felt uncomfortable, but you wanted him beside you, and Akaashi began to caress your hipbones with so much tenderness. He knew he was a little rough for losing control like that.

“I’d love that, thank you,” you mumbled, more than ready to call it a night and sleep when his weight shifted off the bed. Akaashi rummaged through something in his drawers before he disappeared in the bathroom for a bit, coming back to spread your legs open once more. “Wh-what’re you doing?”

“It’s called aftercare. If your partner can’t provide this and pamper you, I suggest you break up with them,” he snickered, and you hissed at the sensitivity as he wiped away your cum with the towel. You soon relaxed, however, all thanks to Akaashi’s doting nature that you were falling asleep on his bed, allowing him to clean you up as he pleases. He set the towel aside and snuggled right next to you, his nose bumping your jaw to pull you away from dreamland for a little while. His previous sexual aura had now dimmed; his brotherly concern present again. “You still want to fuck your classmate?”

“Hmm...he’s really handsome, and I heard from the other girls he’s got a huge cock too,” you giggled, not really aware of your words as you said, “Probably even bigger than yours.”

Thinking that he might be offended, you almost apologized after a moment, but Akaashi only laughed as he hugged you tighter. “Size doesn’t matter. It’s who owns the cock and their talent in pleasuring their partner that matters,” he confidently stated, fingers running up and down your spine that brought chills down to your toes as he nibbled on your ear. “And I know I fucked you so good he can’t compare.”

[not-me-simping-for-blasty]

Silly Little Symphony - Bakugou Katsuki

Track 1: Paralyzer- Finger Eleven

—/—

Bakugou is not a fan of half-assing things.

He hates it, despises it actually. Bakugou feels like anything worth doing deserves 100% effort, and if you give it any less than that you might as well not even attempt it in the first place. That’s his motto and that’s what he sticks with and that’s what he’s doing right now, too. Obviously.

Except- why does it feel like he has to convince himself?

It’s like there’s this lingering feeling in his mind that he’s taking the easy way out. That he’s taking the cheater’s way out, but it’s- there’s just no other choice, alright?

Bakugou knows he’s a brave guy, knows that he could shred anything he set his sights on, but by that very same logic, he’s knows even more that he’s not a very soft guy. His feelings for you are his feelings, and yes he might acknowledge them, but that doesn’t mean he could ever communicate them delicately. Even when he runs fantasy scenarios in his head, the words still come out all wrong. They’re too loud and too brash and too forceful and you always end up offended.

Bakugou doesn’t want you to end up offended- at leasy more than you already have. So, he quickly decided on a different method of communication.

A playlist.

A playlist full of songs that convey what he’s been wanting to, but also sound angry and scary and tough- because he’s a tough guy who listens to nothing but rock and punk and metal, and has definitely has not searched up songs with your name in the title before, and has definitely not then added those songs to his library. Because that’s ridiculous and soft, and like determined before, Bakugou Katsuki is not soft.

What he actually is, is a guy with a playlist full of specially-curated songs. And a guy with absolutely no idea how to give them to you.

The thing is, he’s read manga and watched movies and read all sorts of articles about these types of confessions (not that he’d ever admit that), but none of those felt like him. He was not a smooth talker or a brazen flirt or even just a kind guy- no, Bakugou was mean and loud, and he knew full well that he’d much sooner be cast as the antagonist than the romantic lead.

So all of that was a problem, and then you also currently didn’t even like him. You made it very clear, though every sneer and comment and biting comeback, that only feeling you held for him was begrudging respect- and even that was only on the battlefield. Once he stepped out of the hero uniform than you were back to hating him, and he only made it worse with every childish insult he threw your way. Bakugou knew it was a stupid way to get your attention, but it was also the most efficient one; and he was a man of efficiency.

So that left him here- pining the same way he had been for weeks, staring down into a playlist full of songs he couldn’t figure out how to play for you.

He sneaks a look at you, red eyes just barely skimming over top of the bus seats. You’re sitting a few rows ahead, sharing a snack with Tsuyu.

Bakugou thinks you’re stupid. He thinks you’re stupid for eating junk food right before a day of training, and he thinks you’re stupid for choosing to sit all the way in front like a nerd, and most of all he thinks you’re stupid for sharing your snack with that damn frog face when he’s right there. And obviously much better in every comparable, concievable way. Obviously.

Bakugou presses his headphones more securely into ears, and slouches down deep into his seat. All he can see now is the back of the seat, and he thinks that’s a better alternative. At least it won’t piss him off- not like the sight of you, sitting up front and laughing where he can’t hear, will.

With a grunt, he hits shuffle on his playlist, turning the volume to max. He closes his eyes dropping his head against the window. Drum fills and a guitar riff flood his ears, and he’s relaxing a bit, sinking into the sound, and all is well and good until-

Well just look at that girl with the lights coming up in her eyes. She's got to be somebody's baby.

God dammit.

Fuck Phantom Planet. Bakugou thinks. Fuck them.

Then he’s growling as he hits the skip button, throwing his phone onto the seat next to him.

—/—

As it turns out, all Bakugou needed was to beat the ever-loving shit out of something.

Cracking his palms and shaking his limbs, Bakugou launches at another robot. He thinks the machines feel weak under his explosions, almost offensively feeble in their construction. Like all of U.A’s staff went braindead that morning- like they couldn’t even bother to cook him up a worthy opponent.

When Bakugou looks around, that’s clearly not a shared statement. There’s the usual standouts of course, stupid deku and stupid icyhot and even stupid dunce face is doing well for once, but the rest of them are average. Mediocre. Completely and utterly inferior to him- and then you enter.

Your quirk, blink, is a bit useless in this scenario, but you’re not letting that stop you. There’s purpose in your movements, quick and controlled actions as you strap your home-made bombs around the base of each robot’s leg. Machines don’t blink, so you’re shit out of luck for your main speed ability, but your training makes up the difference. With practiced ease you’ve darted out from beneath the robot’s feet, and then you’re hitting the detonate on your remote.

Bakugou thinks you look unreasonably fucking cool as you sprint away from the blast. So cool in fact, that he might even consider your tech explosions as cool as his quirk ones. Maybe.

Bakugou wipes his palms, muffling a yawn. He’d blown up all his assigned robots ages ago, and now was left kicking rocks and generally doing nothing.

This training was supposed to act as a benchmark test- the idea was to drop a similar opponent into the ring, one that emulated the entrance exam, to test how far everyone had come since the beginning of the semester. It could’ve been good in theory, but Bakugou thought it was just a waste of time. Robot’s were easy for him then and they sure as hell were easy for him now.

Still though, he was the first one to kill all his robots, so not all was lost. Bakugou still walked away a winner and that meant he was feeling much better than earlier.

Smirking with shameless pride, Bakugou saunted to the exit area. More students began to file in after him, and he kept mostly quiet, but he couldn’t keep his mouth shut when you walked past him.

“Fuckin’ fifth? With your overpowered-ass quirk?” He sneers, voice loud. “Waste of talent.”

Bakugou watches spin on your heels, watches your face melt into something deadly. You’re storming towards him, and he can’t even think past hoping you’d get a little closer.

“Robot’s don’t fucking blink, you jackass.” You’re red in the face and glaring, hands curling into fists at your sides. “You try getting. anything done without your quirk. Asshole.”

Then you’re stomping away, hardly giving him a second look as you cheer on your friends.

Bakugou can’t even begin to decipher what possessed him, to say those words, but he’s also not surprised. His words always come out wrong and he can’t say anything nice without wanting to scratch away his skin.

What he really wanted to say was that you were impressive even without your quirk. That you were admirably smart and tactical and well-prepared with your own bombs, and he thought that you looked really hot sprinting away from the wreckage- but that’s not what he said. Of course that’s not what he said.

Well, there goes his good mood. No amount of previous wins could ever distract him from how much of a loss that interaction was.

Eventually the rest of the class finishes, and then they’re all gathering breathless and tired back to the bus. Unfortunately, Kaminari fried himself completely and Mineta managed to break an ankle and that meant that they needed their own seats. That also meant that two people who had their own seats on the ride there, would now be sharing on the way back.

As shitty luck would have it, the class chose drawing straws as the deciding factor, and even worse than that, Bakugou got the shortest straw. The day was already shaping up to be pretty frustrating, but when you pulled the second-shortest straw it got even worse.

“We can always share instead, L/n!” Tsuyu’s says, hand on your shoulder and voice mediating. “Really. I don’t mind.”

Bakugou watched you sigh for a moment, and then you’re turning your head towards him. Your eyes meet his and Bakugou can’t help the smirk that rolls across his face- you’re looking at him and paying attention to him and even if it’s just you making a point he still likes that attention. He watches you squint your eyes at him in response, voice hard and steely as you speak to Tsuyu.

“No. It’s alright. We picked staws, and fair is fair.” Your squint morphs into a glare. “And besides, I’m not gonna let that smug bastard throw a fit into getting out of this.”

The statement should piss him off, and if anyone else said it it would’ve, but Bakugou finds it does the opposite. It just reaffirms how brave you are and how you’re not scared of him like everyone else is and how much he likes you for it- not that he’d ever tell you any of those things.

To save face, Bakugou instead pretends to be pissed about your words, his palms popping and crackling as he glares right back. He hopes it looks like a genuine threat and not a panic reaction, because really he just thinks you look so cool talking back to him directly like that and he definitely doesn’t know what to do with that. So instead he does what always works; what always makes him feel better when he gets a feeling too big to handle- he preps to blow shit up.

“Calm down, man. It’s just a seat.” Kirishima comes up behind him, pressing a water bottle into Bakugou’s crackling palms. “Here, take this and please don’t blow up the bus. Or L/n. That’d be so totally not heroic of you.”

“Shut the hell up.”

“No I’m serious, dude. Chill out, okay? L/n’s actually pretty nice once you get to know her.”

“I said, shut the hell up, Shitty Hair!” Bakugou barks, gritting his teeth.

Then he’s shoving his palms into his pockets, leaving Kirishima and the water behind, and stalking towards the bus before anyone else does. Bakugou figures that if he’s got to share a seat, then at least he’s going to be the one sat next to the window. He’ll make sure of it.

Still, there’s something sitting heavy in his stomach though- how does Kirishima know you’re nice?

The comment made his blood boil. Bakugou thinks it’s strange because usually he’s pretty tolerant of his friend, and even finds himself enjoying his company sometimes, but those words pissed Bakugou off. Pissed him off a lot.

”Wow, don’t look so goddamn thrilled.” You say sardonically, and Bakugou watches you drop into the seat next to him. “Might accidentally think you tolerate me, blasty.”

“Don’t fuckin’ call me that. Useless extra.”

Bakugou wants to smash his head into a wall- because why the fuck did he just say that?

Oh yeah, because apparently his jealousy was plastered all over his face, clear enough for you to comment on it. And even if you didn’t know that’s what the expression was, he’d still rather bite your head clean off than admit it was there in the first place.

“Yeah, whatever. I don’t want to fight.” You say, clenching your jaw as you settle back into the seat. “Look, it’ll be easier for both of us if we don’t talk, so I’ll just sit here and not bother you, alright?”

“Fine. Shut the hell up then.”

Once again, Bakugou wants to obliterate himself.

He doesn’t know why he can’t just tell you- why he can’t just say that he wants you to keep talking to him and that he wants you to keep snarking back at him. Why he can’t just say that he thinks your voice is one of the least grating ones in the whole class.

He thinks all of those things, but says none. Instead he keeps a fist clenched as his sides, scowling as he pulls out his headphones. He makes an intentional effort not to play your playlist and instead hits shuffle on all his music. He’d hoped that the loud drums and guitars would settle his emotions, but they didn’t. Nearly 10 minutes have passed and Bakugou’s as riled up as ever, but he’s also now completely convinced you’re trying to kill him.

You’re shifting in your seat, your arms extending out as you slip on your jacket. There’s little room, and every time you shuffle the sleeves to adjust them, you’re knocking your shoulders into his.

Then you stop.

You just stop and you go still and his skin isn’t tingling anymore and Bakugou is all kinds of pissed all over again. Because of you he’s nervous and flustered and you have the audacity to just sit there, unaffected. He has to snarl just to keep himself from blushing when he speaks.

“Why the fuck were you touching me?”

“It’s a small seat and I was putting on a jacket.” You reply, short and clipped. “I don’t know what you expect me to do about it.”

“Tch. Just don’t do it again. And shut up the fuck up already.”

“You- you talked to me first!”

“And? Who the fuck cares?” Bakugou grunts, turning the volume of his music up. “Now shut up.”

Jesus christ. Bakugou thinks to himself. Maybe I should just blow myself up for once.

Another few minutes pass, and Bakugou swears he’s really is dying. You’re still so close to him and he’s feeling very, very flustered, and while he doesn’t love the idea that you’re mad at him, he can’t say he hates the look on your face right now either. You’ve got your jaw clenched and your eyebrows set low and your hands are balled into fists as you steadfastly ignore him. Bakugou thinks you look scary- fucking terrifying.

He likes terrifying.

“Hey.” You suddenly nudge him with your shoulder, pointing to his earbuds. “I can hear it- your music. Turn it down.”

“Why the fuck would I do that?”

“Because that’s basic courtesy.”

“What the fuck makes you think I have that, hah?”

“Oh my god, you’re fucking impossible.” You rolls your eyes, heaving a frustrated sigh. “Listen, if you’re gonna keep it up that loud then at least skip that song. It’s shit.”

Bakugou glances down at his screen.

Fucking Nickleback.

Jesus, could his day get any worse?

“Shut the hell up.” He snaps, squinting his eyes. “What the fuck do you know about good music? You don’t know shit.”

“I know that song sucks, so skip it. If you’re gonna accost me with loud music at least make it good.” You bite back, and then Bakugou watches as your face melts into an easy smirk. “Unless... all your music is that terrible?”

“Sounds like you’re pickin’ a fuckin’ fight!”

“I am, you asshole!”

Bakugou doesn’t know when the two of you got so close, but now you’re only inches away. He’s got his palms up and you’ve got your lips pulled back into a snarl and suddenly the bus seat seems so much smaller. It’s so much smaller and all Bakugou can think about is the red in your cheeks and the fire in your eyes and how much he likes the sight of both.

“Just skip the song or turn it down.” You finally huff, falling back in your seat, and all Bakugou can think about is how that breathe would’ve been on his cheek if it was two seconds ago.

Bakugou is mad. He’s mad at you and your stupid witch powers that leave the air feeling cold and your stupid breaths that he can’t stop focusing on and your stupid comment. Your stupid comment that had his blood burning in his veins and irritation settling in his temple.

Bakugou listened to cool music, okay? Cool, loud music for cool, loud guys. You just insulted that, insulted him so this wasn’t just a means of confessing feelings anymore, it was a pride thing and that’s why he says what he said next. It’s definitely not because this was the golden chance he’d been waiting for.

“My music is fuckin’ good.” He growls, and then he’s yanking an earbud out and shoving it towards you. “I’ll fucking show you. Now shut up and listen.”

“So goddamn pushy, jesus.”

“You gonna fuckin’ take it or not?”

“Oh my god. Fine.”

Bakugou watches you fit the earbud into your ear, his mouth set into a determined line. He knew he’d fucked up every other part of this conversation, monumentally fucked them up even, but he wouldn’t mess this up. He was prepared and this was the chance he was waiting for. Only an absolute idiot could mess this up and Bakugou Katsuki was not an idiot.

So he plays the first song he’d added to your playlist. Paralyzer.

To his surprise, you start nodding your head almost immeadiately. You know this song. The drum fill starts and then you’re looking over at him, giving him the tiniest little smirk of approval.

“Not bad, blasty.”

“Fucking told ya.” He can’t help the pride that swells in him at your validation. It’s warm and heavy in his chest, nearly drawing a smile out of him- and then he remembers he’s supposed to be mad. “And I told you, don’t fucking call me that.”

“I’ll call you by your name when you call me by mine.”

“Wipe the smirk off your stupid fucking face,” Bakugou growls. “Or I’ll blast it off.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes! Fuckin’ try me, extra!”

“Okay.” You huff a laugh at him. “Don’t blink then. Champ.”

Then you’re raising your hand, shoving it in his face and snapping before he can stop you. Bakugou flinches out of reflex and by the time he’s opened his eyes, you’ve already used your super-speed ability.

You’re sitting back against the seat, calm and collected and smirking, with both of Bakugou’s earbuds in your ears. You’ve got his phone in your hand and he watches you twist the cord around your finger, cross your legs casually and he’s stunned. He’s pissed that you got the better of him, but he also just really thinks you’re hot when you’ve won. He watches in dazed silence as you turn up the volume on his phone to max.

Well I'm not paralyzed, but I seem to be struck by you. I want to make you move because you're standing still.

Bakugou decides two things in that moment: One, he fucking hates Finger Eleven. And two, he wants to blow the entire fucking bus to smithereens.

—/—

eee i hope u all enjoy, but especially u @bakugouswh0r3 and @definitelynottrin :))

[kbsd]

not sure if you’ve answered this before, but what’s your process look like when you make an amv? i’m just curious and in constant awe of ppl who can make videos like you do :)

hello all!!! i have answered this before and i have a vid help tag with other asks i’ve gotten about stuff like this! but i’ve gotten several more messages along these lines so i’m just going to answer a bunch of them together (under a cut since i love to ramble about editing lol). i do just wanna say i’m definitely not the authority on video editing and obv everyone has their own techniques!

edit: i just finished typing all this up and it’s SO long so sorry in advance LMAO god bless anyone who reads this entire thing

so i work in news tv and we have a very specific workflow for writing scripts, sourcing video, producing, and editing. i’ve just applied that to making amvs! for every video i make, i copy the song lyrics into a google doc and adjust them to match the song i’ve cut (i often will trim songs for time and/or content purposes). then i start planning! i’ll mark down what clip i want to use for each lyric next to that line, and any sound bites i want to use (with episode numbers!). i’ll color code between video and sound bites and lyrics, so my scripts end up looking something like this (for my honeybee amv):

doing the planning ahead of time makes everything much easier when it’s a video that spans the whole show or involves a lot of sourcing, like honeybee or sports analogies. that way when i get to the actual editing process, i already know what i’m going to do and have a game plan. for videos like happy ending or believe it or not, where i’m mainly just pulling from a few episodes, i can just plan it in my head as opposed to writing it all down, and produce as i edit. obviously i do make in-the-moment decisions while editing—sometimes a shot doesn’t work the way i thought it would, or i go where the video takes me—but planning ahead definitely helps. i know some people use spreadsheets as well, with columns for lyrics, video clips, and sound bites if applicable. once you find a system that works, it actually goes pretty quickly.

as for sourcing clips themselves/finding clips within episodes, i talked about that here and kind of here. the short version is that transcripts are a must, and the supernatural wiki is hugely helpful by cataloguing all the hugs, prayers, phone calls, etc. in the show. gifmakers that tag episode numbers on their posts are your friends. it gets easier the more video you make—that’s another huge reason i make the google docs for each video (even the ones i plan in my head, i end up going back and making a loose script with episode notes just for reference). if i can’t remember where something is but i know i used it in another video, i can easily reference past scripts!

i also cut all my videos in the same project in premiere pro, so i can flip between them easily. instead of checking a past script, i can just go to the video sequence itself and copy the clip i’m looking for! this was especially helpful when i match cut together the 5x18 and 4x22 wall slam shots for my bestie video, and then stole it from myself for honeybee hahaha. at any given time i have at least 8 sequences open:

because of the sheer volume of videos i make, it’s worth it for me to download the entire show—i have all 327 episodes in HD, plus deleted scenes. if you think you’re only going to make a few videos, i’d start with scene packs. you can usually just google “destiel [or whatever ship/character you’re looking for] scene packs” and there will be any number of ones you can download. if you need other specific scenes, you can always download/torrent individual episodes or screen record netflix (that’s what i did before i got HD download links). i’m happy to share my links if you DM, but be warned it’s a lot of disk space (about 500GB on my hard drive). someone also compiled every destiel scene, downloadable here.

having every episode already loaded in premiere for all my projects also makes it a lot easier to source clips. once i use a clip in a video, i’ll put a marker on the episode file, so that after a while i have most of the important scenes/lines marked to easily find them. to give you an idea, this is my episode file in premiere for 12x10 lily sunder has some regrets (markers at destiel scenes, the car fight, hot girl cas, etc.). markers are the green tabs along the bottom:

premiere also lets you color code and name markers, so ONE DAY i will go back and color code them all. the ones above are all the same color, but in a perfect world, i’d have a myraid—for destiel shots like hugs, touches, looks; for important pieces of dialogue; for action shots; etc. but for now this works ok for me, so that’s a project for another time!

between detailed scripts, one giant premiere project, markers, the wiki, and my own memory, i have so many points of reference that i can usually find any clip i need in about 2 minutes max. sound bites are often harder to start out, or tiny specific shots i haven’t used before, and that’s when i turn to tumblr gifsets or beloved mutuals to crowdsource. but if you’re as obsessive about marking/keeping neat scripts as i am, it gets easier and easier with every video you make. that’s part of why i’m able to cut videos together so quickly. (also i want to stress i do this for a living and have to produce/edit a new piece for my show every day so i’m used to it. and compared to constantly updating content/sources and news that changes every day, 327 highly documented episodes that never change are much easier to handle hahaha)

this is all great for me since i make so many videos and plan to continue doing so, but if you’re only making a few, this level of work isn’t worth it imo. really it’s all about developing a system that works for you. whatever you do with episodes/sourcing, though, i cannot recommend planning things out in a script ahead of time enough. 

everything i just mentioned is producing, though. for the editing process, i usually do it in this order:

music first. any parts i want to cut, i make sure it all sounds smooth

then soundbites. i usually try to weave them into the lyrics—i have characters talk in breaks between lines or instrumental sections as much as possible. i’ll sometimes go so far as looped/extending an intsrumental part to make room for the soundbite i want there lol. if i do have dialogue over a line, i do the sound mixing/levels at this point as well to make sure everything is audible/one doesn’t overpower the other. (also i always include the video that goes with these bites when i drop them in, and decide later if i want to show the character speaking or have other clips cover the dialogue)

once i have all the audio locked in, then i bring in all my other video clips. sometimes i edit completely chronologically, sometimes jumping from section to section—it depends on the song or how i’m feeling

double check sound mixing. i usually listen to my videos through a few times, with headphones and without to make sure it’ll sound good no matter how people watch it

once i have picture and audio lock, i go through and color correct my clips. i’m basic and just use lumetri color in premiere, and usually just play with brightness, saturation, temperature, and tint until i like it

render and export! :)

i always have several audio tracks, but i try to keep my video tracks condensed. i’ll drop clips on a V2 level, and edit a section there, and drop the whole chunk down to V1 so i know it’s finished. that way when i leave and come back i can know where i left off/what’s done/etc. to give you an idea, this is the timeline for my what the hell video:

i always render as H.264 with high bitrate, and make sure to check “render at maximum depth” and “use maximum render quality” for the best quality. i’m sorry, but i don’t know what the equivalent options are in final cut, imovie, kdenlive, etc. i post on youtube mostly so i don’t have to sacrifice quality, but usually just using a lower bitrate will get you under the tumblr file size limit and it’ll still look good.

as for the anon who asked about “polishing”: first of all, thank you!! second of all, it’s in the details. all of this is a matter of taste and my own insanity, but here are some little things i always try to do:

after i color correct, i blur out any credits from the starts of episodes. i use gaussian blur for this, but really any blur tool works

as much as possible, i avoid clips where we see a character’s mouth move but don’t hear the words. in tv/film we call it “lip flap” and i just think it looks messy. also i’m trained to avoid it at all costs at work hahaha. it’s more for serious videos that this matters a lot to me (e.g. i think i did a really good job eliminating lip flap in my happy ending amv)—for comedy videos i don’t sweat it as much

i put audio fades on the start and end of every single audio clip i use, even if i don’t think i need it, to make sure everything sounds smooth

i use markers for timing, especially in action-y videos like what the hell. i’ll put a marker on the clip i’m using at the exact moment a punch lands, and in the song on the beat. if i have the magnet/snap in timeline tool on i can just easily snap them together instead of having to spend time finagling it

this is such a small thing but i dip/cut to black for a tiny bit at the start and end of every video. this way if i post with tumblr video player, there’s black between the loops, and it gives you a beat before the video restarts. i do this even on videos i post on youtube, just because i think it looks nicer/more professional

this is 1,500 words so i’m going to stop myself before i pull something. if you have follow-up questions feel free to ask and i’ll continue to add them to the vid help tag, but any more questions about sourcing clips or my process in general i’ll just link this post going forward. anyone who made it this far, i am sending to a telepathic kiss. thank you for reading and happy editing!

[eunoiamaybe]

my “sort-of-complete” online classes and exams tips

This is a longer-than-usual post with tips for the 3 stages of online classes: focusing during an online class session, reviewing/studying for online classes, and preparing for online exams/ quizzes. So I decided to insert the “Read More” link to (a) not take up too much space on your dash, and (b) feel more confident in adding more tips as time goes on.

These are tips that I’ve compiled from my experience of taking online classes during my last 1.5 years at university. But having all of your courses moved online is so much more complicated. Since I’m currently doing an internship, I have tried my best to produce this post based on the comments of my friends IRL and on Tumblr (hence the “my”). However, I hope it can still be useful for you and many who were all abruptly put in this same situation.

So feel free to share your own tips and experience! I will probably go back to this once in a while to make some changes to it and add your tips. Good luck to everyone who is currently/ about to take online classes. You are almost there! 🍀 I believe in every single one of you!

~  Click away for them tips   ~

💻 DURING ONLINE CLASS SESSIONS:

- try to treat online classes the same as an in-person class, especially time-wise (set a specific time for each class and plan your own class schedule. even better, study for your classes at the same time they used to be held. this will create a sense of routine and trigger the brain's normal reactions to your usual class - which is to study)

- don’t be afraid to fix your plan/ schedule (aka don’t force yourself into one if it doesn’t work for you) (trials and errors, my friend. this applies to plans too. there’s no shame in not being able to keep up with the schedule you’ve made. if you’ve tried or if it hurts you mentally or physically, then that schedule is just not the one for you. everybody has their unique strengths and weaknesses. one’s perfect system might not suit another. finding a system that works for you takes time, patience, and courage. but it will be absolutely worth it)

- find a good spot with enough light and stable wifi (if you have multiple options, select the one that would make you most comfortable, most focused, and confident enough to take online tests/quizzes/exams at - create your “exam space” in advance to reduce the anxiety of tests and unfamiliarity)

- study at a desk, if possible (studying at a desk, with good posture, mimics the feeling of being in a classroom or the library. thus, it will create a sense of routine and help you focus better)  

- accommodate yourself (I’m all about making the best out of a bad situation, and this is one way to do it.  accommodate yourself, not just with comfort, but also with actual necessities that you cannot usually get in your usual classroom/library due to whatever reason. stress balls, stim toys, positivity cards, calming music/candles. comforting plushies. chewing gum. as long as it helps you focus better, it's on the table)

- get dressed (this will bring out that sense of structure and routine that you need. put on your normal outfits, uniforms and even perfume. trick your mind into being focused)

- minimize distractions (declutter your study space. put your phone out of reach. turn off notifications. close all other tabs on your browser. select non-distracting music/ sounds. don’t spam or pay attention to spams in your classes’ chatboxes. only bring along items that are absolutely vital to your focus)

- take notes, even if you can record your lessons and/or access the lessons later (it can either be digital notes or handwritten notes on paper - your call. this will force you to focus and prevent you from zoning out/ being distracted)

- be actively engaged in the lecture (if there are technical problems or if you have questions, chatbox away. this is also good practice for people with social anxiety too: the fact that you are in your home and behind the screen can make it easier for you to ask for help)

- if possible, put your teachers/profs on the big screen to create the illusion of being in a lecture (if your study spot has a TV/projector that can connect to your laptop and quality speakers, do it. it's more fun than you'd think. also super stimulating and kicks the boredom out of you too)

- if not, use headphones/ earphones (speakers can create a feeling of distance between the lecture and yourself. combined with unstable internet and/or monotonous voices of some instructors, this may result in your brain classifying your lecture as background noises and zone out. so use headphones or earphones with the appropriate volume for that optimal focus mode)

- give yourself breaks between classes (don't cram all your classes in one morning. but don't procrastinate either. time your breaks. look at something else besides a computer or phone screen while you’re on break too. maybe brew some tea/coffee for your next class or rearrange your notes from the previous one)

💻 REVIEWING FOR ONLINE CLASSES:

- make a schedule/ system - and be ready to change them (this is an elaboration of an earlier tip. your system doesn’t have to work perfectly right away. most of the time, you will have to make some kind of adjustments to it anyway. so take it easy. pay attention to how well you react/ adapt to the new schedule so that you can make necessary changes. and give yourself - especially your mind - some time to adapt to the schedule. don’t rush yourself or put too much pressure on being productive. remember to take care of your well-being too)

- it’s okay to give yourself some off-days (that’s the beauty of not having any physical or even abstract structure that forces you into an inescapable routine. Yes, I know this lack of structure sucks for a lot of us, especially for those who rely on external forces to keep themselves focused. But look on the bright side: now you don’t have to worry about missing classes or losing participation marks when you are unwell physically and mentally anymore)

- textbooks are your friends now (especially when your classes’ live-streams are just chaotic and hard to follow. or when the pre-recorded lectures aren’t loading properly and keeps lagging. practice speed reading. look for keywords and crucial information. take notes rather than highlighting everything. compare them to your lecture notes, your syllabus, or your friends’)

- take advantage of the online format’s availability + other resources (availability is here, baby! revisit lecture videos and podcasts as many times as you need to. check your email classes’ forums regularly for questions or announcements. re-listen to your lecture when you're cleaning or exercising. watch videos of Khan Academy or CrashCourse. look for online tutors. study at your own pace and in your own style. basically anything you wish you could do when your class was in-person)

- there’s no need to submit assignments early if it’s anxiety-inducing. but make a schedule/ tracking system/ set alarms to avoid forgetting to turn them in (take your time to double-check or edit your work - as long as the submission box is still open, of course. set aside about an hour or two before the deadline for submission to avoid any technical difficulties. and remember to start working on them early so that you don’t have to shorten that window of time and have more time for double-checking)

- don't be afraid to email the profs/teachers (if possible, compile your questions into a list. be as specific as you can about your concerns. put a subject for your email to reduces the chance of your email getting lost in your instructors' inbox.)

- reward yourself (don't stress yourself out by rewarding big accomplishments. reward small victories. reward baby steps. reward effort. you'll get things done eventually)

- take time to know your learning style (when are you most focused? do you like taking digital notes or do you prefer pen and paper? are you a visual or an auditory learner? do you like moving around while studying? what drinks or scents or sounds keep you going? you don't have to stick to your usual study methods or an online/paperless one now that you are studying in your own room)

- listen to your mind and body (it’s okay to feel a bit lost) (from my own experience, times that are without structure like nowadays is when most of us fall into this spiraling downfall of unhealthy sleep schedules, lethargy, and loss of purpose. so please take care of your mental and physical well-being during this very, very weird time. keep yourself active. re-ignite old interests/ hobbies. connect with people you love. give yourself some love)

- and more tips on productivity at home in my last post right here

💻 PREPARING FOR ONLINE EXAMS / QUIZZES:

- make a list of all the online exams and final assignment due dates (this will help you keep track of and stay on top of them due dates. from that list, trace backward to make a review or study plan to prepare for the tests and work on the assignments. if there are any time conflicts, especially for those who are now living in a different timezone from their schools or colleges, email the instructors to seek solutions or alternative options)

- again, find a good spot with good wifi, good lighting, and a desk (if possible, try to recreate your ideal exam environment as closely as you can while studying and reviewing for the exams. this can reduce the anxiety of tests and/or unfamiliarity)

- be prepared for technical difficulties (especially mentally, so that you don’t plan out a course of action to take if they ever arise. draft an email template. research in advance the contacts of people whom you can report to - IT personnel, your instructors, student office, etc.)

- bring everything you need to the exams - but no distractions (like mentioned earlier, if you need any special accommodations that are considered "unacceptable" in an in-person exam/quiz, now it's the time to bring them along - you’re in charge of your test space now, so make it as comfortable and accomodating as you want)

- plan your desk set-up prior to your exams (so many extra items. still so little desk space. therefore, plan ahead so your desk does not turn into a mess when you take your exams. plan where you want to put your notes, textbooks, calculators or scrap paper. think about how much use you’re gonna get out of each item and place them within or slightly-out-of reach accordingly. charge your laptop. sharpen your pencils. have your backup stationery handy. lay out everything you need onto your desk the night before your tests. this can create a feeling of preparedness and thus, reduce anxiety as well)

- make cheatsheets (the goals when making them are simple: (1) get you to rewrite your notes for that good memorization; (2) condense your information and find a connection between them for a thorough understanding of the materials; (3) reduce the time you use to flip through your notebooks or textbooks or google for information during the actual tests)

- time yourself with mock exams (if you are given mock exams to practice with, do them, with a timer. this will help you familiarize yourself with the stress of being timed, thus reducing your anxiety during the actual tests)

- get enough sleep and eat properly (even if the exams or quizzes are online, they are still, at their core, tests. and tests are always stressful and energy-consuming. so take care of both your physical and mental health, especially during the week leading up to your exams)

[alpaca-writes]

Mystics, Chapter 33

Synopsis: Arch becomes hired on at Mystics by the strange shopkeeper Lyrem Nomadus, and everything seems to be going well. In fact, their life nearly becomes perfection; no more bullies, better grades, and a lot less stress. Soon enough, however, Arch realizes that perhaps not everything is as perfect as it seems and that Lyrem has been hiding a very dark, and troubling secret…

taglist: @myst-in-the-mirror ​ & @livingforthewhump ​

CW: blood, organs exposed, bodily mutilation, torture, gore, not for the faint of heart..

-------------------------------------------

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

         From outside the dining hall, Arch was pacing and shaking their hands out of nervousness with a fresh apron on. They were about to remove Lyrem’s heart. Lyrem’s.

         They liked Lyrem. They understood that he was dead. Paimon had to remind them of that fact, since he seemed so alive in Paimon’s realm. The removal of his heart would be a symbolic gesture. Nothing more. The so-called demon compared it to a rite-of-passage, citing the history that Lyrem had with the removal of his father’s heart when he was first working with Paimon. It was just the natural way to do business in Paimon’s mind. Lyrem always knew this day would come. That knowledge comforted Arch to a certain extent, and explained why Lyrem wanted Arch to run. He had gotten cold feet about giving up his position and didn’t want to give his whole self to his work after all.

         Arch tried the door. It was still locked. Paimon said he would retrieve them when everything was ready but Arch just couldn’t seem to wait for much longer. They just wanted to get it all over with.

         Their fingers fiddled with the buttons on the discman, starting the Peasants, Pigs, and Astronauts album from the beginning. Finally, they heard Paimon clicking his hooves from down the hall. He held up a black blindfold.

         “Here?” Arch scrunched their face. “Now? I thought I’d be able to talk to Lyrem before we started”-

         Paimon spun them around and placed the cloth over their face.

         “Lyrem betrayed me by trying to take you away,” he replied, tying the knot tightly in the back. “And for that, he has lost the privilege of using his tongue for the next five minutes. Don’t worry, he’ll still be capable of speech after you’re finished with him. Alright.”

         He spun them around again, and prevented Arch from playing with the blindfold with a quick removal of their hand from their face. Paimon flicked his eyes nervously towards the door, and then looked back.

         “Now, timing is everything, sweet thing, so do whatever you need to, to remove his heart. There might be distractions, or you may get nervous, but as long as you do this, then you will never need to return to Earth the way you left it. You can be free to recreate yourself once again with Lyrem’s blessing and under my guidance.”

         Arch blinked beneath the blindfold, hearing the rush to his voice.

         “Are you nervous?” They inquired after a pause.

         “No. Not at all.”

         Arch didn’t believe that for a second. Their ability to detect bullshit was heightened at the placement of the blindfold. It bothered them that they could not see anymore.

         “Now, we’ll start the music first. You can put your headphones on,” Paimon briefly instructed. “Take your time to get started. Once the first incision is made, I’ll time your progress. Understand?”

         Arch nodded, placing the headphones over their ears. The speakers even without music were dense enough to prevent any sound from interfering. They pressed play.

         A hand gripped theirs- Paimon’s, leading them forward, straight through the door. There was a momentary pause where Arch didn’t move, because their leader had suddenly left them alone without direction. The hand returned, pressing their upper back and then they found themself at the end of the dining table as they bumped into it. Paimon took both of their hands in his and then allowed Arch to feel the two objects on the table. When their hands brushed over them, they knew immediately what they were.

         One was worn-out and almost warm to the touch, while the other was cold, and metallic and never seemed to age at all.

         Arch took their time, feeling both blade handles over completely. Paimon wanted them to choose. They were well practiced with the bowie.  It would be the obvious choice.

         Paimon watched on curiously as Arch made their decision. They placed the bowie down with a sigh, and picked up Lyrem’s jeweled blade instead. Arch nodded, indicating that they had made their decision. Paimon led Arch by the hand until they stood beside Arthur. Quickly, he helped them find their tools sitting on the table nearby. A bone saw, and clamp waiting to be used as well as a handy cloth to wipe any excess blood from their hands they didn’t want.

        When Arch was comfortable, Paimon left them there and took the other side of the table. He pulled a grin over the man who seemed to be realizing all too suddenly that Arch, really was going to start pulling him apart only because Paimon had told them to.

         “I thought I’d let you know, that I’ve decided what I want.” Paimon declared, unbuttoning Arthur’s shirt.

         “What are you talking about?” Arthur growled, enraged and equally humbled by the almost tender action that Paimon was performing on him.

         “For when I win this little bet.”

         “You won’t win.”

         “I will win,” Paimon argued, pulling Arthur’s shirt open and baring his chest. “And when I do, I’ll make sure that Arch eats your heart, fresh from your body. Raw and make you watch.”

         “They won’t”-

         “Ah, ah, ah. Are you really sure you want to make another bet on that?” Paimon shot his eyes up from Arthur to Arch and then back down again. They would likely start at any moment. Arthur fell silent.

         Paimon left the stage. His brow furrowed at the sight of Lyrem and Apollo’s arrival. They were now sitting in audience chairs that he had not set up for them with a look on their faces like they didn’t think they belonged either. Quite simply, Paimon didn’t summon them. Thinking it odd they would choose to be present for this moment, he glared at the two and made his approach.

        Creating two more small yellow programmes for the newest arrivals, he handed them out, hoping his startled demeanor was not noticeable. He ignored the uncomfortable itch to ask how they removed themselves from the basement and sat between them both. Neither of them looked happy to have found themselves there.

         “Glad you both could make opening night.” He grinned, patting both of them on the shoulder.

         Arthur’s head turned towards Lyrem, waiting for some indication that there might still be rescue- a plan, at least. Lyrem shook his head and his eyes cast downward, then back up as Charlotte was addressed by her little brother.

         “Char, turn away. Don’t… Don’t watch this. Please,” Arthur pleaded.

         Paimon sniffed and muttered, “it’s beginning so tragically. I was hoping for an opening number of some kind. You know, to lighten the mood.”

         Arch adjusted their stance over the body. No such opening number would spare the crowd from the hellish scene. Arch reached out a hand, feeling first the bare skin over a set of ribs, and then trailed their fingers higher until they found the right area. The knife came in close to Arthur’s chest and immediately, a loud shout filled with expletives ripped out of his throat as the blade started to dig into his flesh.

         Arch grunted, removing the blade and pulled the discman from the belt loop of their pants. They altered the volume buttons until they were satisfied.

         “No! No, Arch! Listen to me! Hear me!” Arthur shouted at them and tried his mightiest to lean up.

         Arch paid him no mind. The natural reactions like screaming were simply another distraction. They would do better if they spent ten seconds to up the volume instead of pausing every time Lyrem had something new to say. They returned the system to their hip, and continued.

         “Oh, see. I suppose there are some funnier parts,” Paimon mentioned off-hand and let out a quick breathy chuckle.

         Lyrem turned to him with a new and profound look in his eyes.

         “How can you find any humor in such gore?” he postulated rhetorically. “I am not a fan of Arthur myself, but this”-?

         “Is a masterpiece,” Paimon interrupted and then he hushed Lyrem with a finger to his lips. “Just allow it to happen.”

         Lyrem scanned the room for a timer, and he found one off to the side. A sandglass sitting on a wooden stool by the wall.

         Arch had finished the first cut, and the blood from the incision began to pool in the center of his chest. Arthur’s jaw had been fully clenched to prevent himself from screaming as the pain ripped through him. He didn’t want Charlotte to hear him. His tears were hot against the sides of his face as they pooled into two puddles near his ears on the wooden planks. He opened his eyes during the reprieve while Arch planned the spot for their next cut. He caught sight of Charlotte who was watching every moment with steadfast terror. Her eyes were wide, and her face shined under thick black lashes.

         He let out another howl as Arch found the proper point of incision and cut across. Again, they found the third incision point and finished the I shape that would soon be widened by the clamp to hold open the area for the saw to separate his breastbone. It had been two minutes. They worked quickly to adjust the metal bar to their desired length and then pulled the portions of flesh aside. They picked up the saw, giving it two quick whirs before carefully finding the correct spot to break him open without accidentally taking one of their own fingers off in the process.

         Calmly and quietly, they sang to themself as the saw whirred jaggedly through the bone until it was only their voice they heard in their mind:

         “-Are you glad to see how far you've come?

         You're a wizard in a blizzard-

         A mystical machine gun

         Bwow, wowowow, benerner! Bwow”-

         They felt a little silly mouthing the words and tune, but it was only Paimon and Lyrem. Surely, they would understand Arch’s need to keep calm as the guilt racked through them. The buzzing stopped, and Arch inserted the clamp forcefully. They pried open the chest cavity with a sharp crack. They leaned over their subject without any tools. They just wanted to feel around and yep, they found the heart and the aorta first in all that squishy, squelchy, softness. Arch wondered for a moment whether there would be any practical use in keeping the blood from shooting out when they remembered that they needed their knife to sever the many arteries and ventricles.

         Now, where did they leave the knife? They felt around the table with a bloody hand, brushing the top of Arthur’s arm. Arch got in a bit close and the man’s hand strained just far enough to take one of Arch’s small hands into his own. Arch paused.

It was just another distraction.

They pulled their hand away, but not before something tiny, metal, and attached to a chain had been placed in the palm of their hand.

The audience watched Arch stop suddenly. They felt the small gold crucifix and held it tight. A gleam of a single teardrop rolled down one cheek.

Paimon shifted to the end of his seat, watching the sandglass pouring out of time. There was perhaps one minute left. Not much more.

“What the hell are they doing?”

“Nothing,” Lyrem answered. He too was at a loss for as to why Arch had stopped, but recognized that Arthur must have been able to tip them off somehow throughout the ordeal. “And you can’t do anything about it, remember?” He quickly reminded Paimon. The god looked like he might just launch out of his seat and shut the whole performance down.

It was all a distraction.

Arch dropped the crucifix. There was no going back now. Definitely no going back. It was a trick. Their mom wasn’t with them. She was stuck in another realm. Thinking the little gold man ended up somewhere on the man’s stomach, it had actually fallen directly into the cavity they created. They found the knife stashed near the shoulder and got back to work with maybe thirty seconds left on the clock. They searched around for the bloody tubes connected through the heart again.

         Twenty seconds.

         They started with the aorta first and severed it cleanly at the top. An arc of red was released through the air that nearly hit them in the face.

         Fifteen seconds.

         Next, the right pulmonary vein, pulmonary artery, and superior vena cava. All severed and done. Inferior vena cava and then left ventricle on the bottom: severed- though the chain from their mother’s crucifix distracted them once more as they found it sitting in the midst of all the blood and gore.

         Ten seconds.

         Pulmonary vein on the left and the descending aorta- severed. Moving up again, their fingers found the heart slippery and difficult to grip the last of the veins and arteries that needed disconnecting. Arch grunted, trying to find the last step. Their fingers brushed the top of the left ventricle. A short strand-no several short strands of hair, or maybe fur, caused Arch to furrow their brows in confusion.

Just a distraction. It had to be.

        They followed the top of the ventricle, searching for it to lead them to where the blood was supposed to flow in from the rest of the body. They cupped their fingers underneath and gasped, pulling their hand out with sudden shock.

         “Ow! Fuck! What the hell was that?!”

         Paimon watched the timer run until not a single grain of sand was left on the top tier.

         Arthur cried with a silent relief and then stared down at his open body. He would have hurled on sight if he had anything to heave up, because he could feel something…

Something was moving inside of him.

         Inside.

         Inside of him.

         Slowly moving, up and down, covered in red, and sticking up like spikes with some grey underneath, and then came an unmistakable purring noise. They all heard it- except for Arch who hadn’t pulled off their headphones yet. They stood against the wall, knowing they had failed miserably and cradled their scratched hand. It was a deep one.

         Paimon strutted towards the table with an enraged announcement on the tip of his tongue:

         “It’s over! I’m sending you all back to the Labyrinth!”

         Charlotte turned toward Persephone who looked back in just as much concern and reminded herself of the deal they made. Arthur and Arch had been damaged beyond repair in one way or another.

         Paimon clapped his hands, expecting the action to produce an instant portal into his realm, and none came. Apollo also stood up, and walked toward the human on the table. Paimon tried to push him back into his seat, but was unsuccessful as Apollo tried to get a look at the interruption that had saved them all.  He smiled, looking down into the gaping hole and reached inside.

         Arthur grunted in pain as Apollo’s hand dug into him. Soon the Sun god’s arms were filled with the weight of a familiar family member. 

        “Arty, it’s been ages,” Apollo muttered, as the cat looked up to her brother with eyes of steel blue. “What were you doing inside of this human, huh?”

        Arch had finally had enough and ripped their blindfold down. They saw Apollo, holding a bloody Maleficent in his hands, Lyrem, frowning from the corner in confusion, their mother Charlotte and two strangers standing in a line on the opposite side of the table, and Paimon glaring, not at them, but everyone else in the room.

         Then they looked down. Instantly, Arch paled with the realization of what happened; who they had been mutilating for the last five minutes without mercy. They could hardly speak.

         “U-uncle Arty…”

         Arthur met their eyes weakly and breathed raggedly.

“Hey, kiddo.”

[bryan360]

Hey guys. You know something that I keep my wired/wireless headphones after my thoughts or using them was good, but thinking I could've testing them to see which of my headphone sets is better to hear in good quality; whether using the tablet to listen to music/videos through YouTube or playing games on my Nintendo Switch. So today, I'm showing off my three headphones to bring my thoughts of which one is better for it's audio quality to listen and some details that I happen to write down on from yesterday; just in case. It'll be for my P-Pal @murumokirby360 as I promised to since we talk through in message months ago. Hoping I can get it right to deliver this. Without further ado, let's get into my thoughts about my three headphones and it's audio quality.

Brookstone Wired Car Ear Headphones

This one I obtain back in Nov. 7th, 2017 is the most huge headphone that it created; if you counted the cat ear speakers reached on top and hard to get around while sitting the car seat in front. ^^* It's branded by Brookstone Store and to other products that I would check it out later. For it weight (that I look through Amazon.com's info) was 2.49 pounds and inches of 10.04 x 6.69 x 3.15. I don't know what is which of inches, but guessing it was like that. Also if I remember that it included the detachable mic to communicate to everyone, detachable cable to plug in as well, and turning on LED lights and speakers by buttons, but only will lasted up to 5 hours til it needs recharge again. Now for the audio quality that I tested out was pretty great actually when I turned up the volume high for my tablets and my Nintendo Switch. So when I checked on Amazon.com to look on more info. I discover for it's frequency response was 20Hz-20KHz, 32 Ohm impedance, and 40mm drivers. Whatever it was, it was a good one when I'm using this headphone that has a great audio quality and helps to block background noises from what family doing. The cat ear speakers work great as well that had a same frequency response numbers, but difference of 4 Ohm impedance and 32mm drivers.

JBL T450BT Wireless On-Ear Headphones

My first bluetooth wireless headphones that my mom give me since back in June 15th, 2018 really works of how it easy to flat folding to put on pocket on pants. It's a really fitting headphone that weights 5 ounces and inches of 1.81 x 8.54 x 7.17. The paddlings is soft yet small to compare from my Brookstone headphone. It's feels nice for my ears though while wearing it and listen to music about 11 hours til powered down; after that I had to charge it up for 1 to 2 hours with USB cable. Now for the audio quality with being good of 80 frequency response, 18,000 Hz and Impendance, and 16 ohms that I look through Amazon.com's info. The audio quality was good, but almost to blocking any background noises nonetheless.

Vivitar Lvl Up Pro Gaming Headset

Lasty since August 31st of this year, my mom give me a surprise gift for me that it'll do works on Nintendo Switch/Xbox One/PC as a gaming headset. I know about this third headphone gaming set that I already covered from my previous Tumblr Post (Link Here) However, I was curious about it's frequency response or it's weight that I tried to look up through Google searches, but hard to find. So I'm picking that it had almost weight and inches from my Brookstone Headphone, but at least lighter to carry around and while sitting in the front seat car. The sound quatily was good, but not enough to block off some background noises whether using my tablets or playing on my Nintendo Switch. On the upside, I happen to test the foldable mic part by going to mictests.com. (Link Here) It really works when I testing saying "Hello." Wonder if it works for my Brookstone headphone? I could saved it for another time soon.

Conclusion:

The results was good for my headphone's audio quality, but I'm definitely go for my Brookstone Headphone Set of how it handle well for it's frequency response, the padding design that fits my ears, and addition of cat ear speakers that it's good to use on parties, but not inside of familie's home sometimes. ^^* Although it had some misses like for example it supposed to light up LED Lights on four parts, but for mine was kinda broken that it now light up just one on the left side headphone. Bummer is that I didn't know how to fix it up....<=(

Nevertheless, I can still using my Brookstone Headphone for my tablets and Nintendo Switch as long if it last to hold; Otherwise I could get another one eventually. At least I got other two headphone that are still working to use, especially with my wireless bluetooth that I'm only to bring while sitting through my mom's car or at my program's bus. Hope you'll like my thoughts about my three headphones that I already test it out for it's audio quality and details. =)

@murumokirby360

[flattired]

(     JACOB ELORDI,   CIS  MAN,   HE / HIM     —     oh  gosh,  sorry  THOMAS  “TOMMY”  BARNETT !  i  didn't  see  you  there !  y'know,  i  can't  believe  you're  already  TWENTY FIVE  years  old;  seems  like  just  yesterday  you  were  tripping  over  yourself,  or  was  that  yesterday ?  just  kidding,  just  kidding  !  anyway,  i  hear  that  you've  been  here  since  1978,  or  so  you  think;  congratulations  !  at  least  that  shining  OBLIGING  personality  of  yours  hasn't  changed  a  bit,  especially  that  LOYAL  +  AMICABLE,  but  FOOLISH  +  RESTLESS  way  about  you.  look,  i  gotta  get  back  to  the  group,  but  i'll  see  you  around  !

        hello,  hello!  my  name  is  rion,  though  at  this  point  you  might  know  be  better  as  admin  jay  on  the  main!  i...  i  just  need  you  guys  to  know  how  absolutely  excited  i  am  that  you’re  all  here.  lilah  will  tell  you  that  basically  every  time  we  got  an  app  she  had  to  listen  to  me  say  holy  shit  again.  we  also  sent  each  other  the  paul  rudd  ‘  hey,  look  at  us  ’  video  a  lot.  it  just  really  means  the  world  to  us  that  you  guys  took  the  time  to  join  this  and  we  hope  you  enjoy  what  we  have  planned.  so  yeah!  mush  out  of  the  way,  let  me  introduce  you  to  the  sweet  but  easily  lead  astray,  tommy  barnett.

full  name :   thomas  barnett

age  upon  check  in :   twenty  five

gender  &  pronouns :   cis  man  &  he / him

trait :   obliging 

personality :   loyal,  amicable,  foolish,  restless

aesthetic :   survival  came  thanks  to  quick  hands,  the  ability  to  stay  upright  despite  the  strikes,  and  an  uncanny  ability  to  find  friends  in  high  places   (   just  like  you  were  taught   )   —   let  them  pull  you  up,  believe  that’s  what  they’re  doing,  and  repay  that  kindness  with  service.  a  well  worn  deck  of  cards  dictates  the  shape  of  your  back  pocket,  the  faces  of  queens  and  jacks  rubbed  soft  to  the  touch  by  your  left  thumb.  brother  was  a  soldier,  you  were  conscripted  to  a  different  brotherhood,  orange  prescription  bottles  standing  at  attention,  waiting  to  be  carried  off  by  you.  marked  body,  both  for  lust  and  anger.  low  expectations  allow  one  to  slip  through  life  unnoticed ;  that’s  an  asset,  not  a  concern.  just  keep  your  mouth  shut,  kid,  your  comforts  come  at  a  certain  price.

WHO  ARE  YOU ?

         tw.  parental  neglect,  toxic  relationships,  verbal  abuse,  drugs  /  drug  dealing

thomas  barnett  was  the  younger  of  two  sons  born  to  eliza  and  charles  barnett,  a  dysfunctional  couple  living  just  above  the  poverty  line.  tommy  grew  up  learning  how  to  avoid  their  often  explosive  arguments,  which  often  spilled  onto  those  around  them   (   skills  include:  knowing  which  way  you  could  walk  pass  the  kitchen  without  being  noticed,  which  window  opened  without  squeaking,  which  headphones  were  worth  saving  up  for  because  they  actually  blocked  sound  like  they  claimed   ).  thankfully,  tommy  was  not  alone  in  this,  he  had  james:  an  older  brother  who  faithfully  looked  after  him  in  ways  their  parents  never  did.  without  james,  it’s  unclear  where  tommy  would  be  now.

he  was  never  seen  as  the  smartest  child.  liked  by  teachers  when  he  was  young  for  being  kind  at  heart,  but  it  took  him  more  time  than  others  to  grasp  concepts  they  were  teaching.  he  struggled  to  pay  attention,  and  as  he  grew  older   kind   didn’t  seem  to  be  enough  anymore  when  compared  against  his  struggles  to  focus  or  retain.  he  skidded  by  in  school,  passing  by  the  skin  of  his  teeth,  his  parents  far  too  preoccupied  with  the  bills  they  couldn’t  pay  and  their  anger  with  each  other  to  notice  how  their  younger  son  was  struggling.  tommy  didn’t  care  enough  to  seek  out  help  on  his  own,  frustrated  with  the  way  academic  pursuits  made  him  feel,  and  while  james  was  doing  his  best,  there  was  only  so  much  he  could  do.

tommy  was  fifteen  when  james  was  conscripted,  and  suddenly  he  was  on  his  own.  that  buffer  between  him  and  his  parents  was  in  one  of  the  carolinas,  attending  basic,  and  tommy  was  forced  to  bare  the  brunt  of  their  anger  that  spilled  over.  they  used  him  as  a  tool  to  wound  each  other,   no  wonder  he’s  failing,  he’s  your  son,   but  tommy  was  the  one  who  ended  up  wearing  most  of  the  injuries.  yet,  it  would  not  be  the  last  time  would  become  a  weapon  for  someone  else.

he  would  find  new  excuses  to  spend  time  away  from  the  small  house  that  had  no  place  to  hide,  mostly  spending  time  at  various  friends’  houses,  but  when  a  teenage  boy  is  seeking  to  find  things  to  do  it  is  often  that  he’ll  find  himself  with  new  and  exciting  bad  habits.  he  started  smoking,  getting  into  fights  when  there  was  nothing  else  to  do,  and  eventually  helping  a  boy  named  davey  deal  drugs.

david,  davey  to  tommy    —    though  he  accepted  the  nickname  from  no  one  else,  was  the  other  constant  in  tommy’s  life  besides  james.  they  met  in  the  third  grade  and  davey  was  seemingly  everything  tommy  wasn’t.  people  thought  he  was  clever,  he  didn’t  worry  about  school,  and  as  far  as  tommy  could  tell,  davey  was  absolutely  loaded.  despite  the  differences,  they  were  fast  friends,  and  tommy  became  extremely  loyal  to  the  other  boy  over  the  years.  that’s  why,  when  davey  got  involved  in  some  things  that  were  less  than  legal,  tommy  found  himself  involved  as  well.

for  all  the  cleverness  davey  was  touted  to  have,  the  scheme  was  rather  simplistic.  maybe  that  was  the  genius  of  it  though.  davey’s  father  was  a  doctor,  a  psychiatrist  specifically,  and  apparently  it  was  easy  enough  to  pull  rx  pads  from  the  desk  within  their  home.  then  davey  would  fill  them  out  in  the  way  he  wanted  to,  forge  his  father’s  signature,  and  take  the  scripts  to  various  out  of  town  pharmacies  to  get  them  filled.  then  he,  with  the  help  of  tommy,  could  sell  them  at  a  premium.  

tommy  was  never  certain  why  davey  did  it,  but  for  tommy  it  was  about  achieving  a  bit  of  freedom,  independence.  the  deal  was  never  something  that  fits  who  he  was  at  heart,  especially  with  some  of  the  more  questionable  things  davey  did,  but  he  tried  not  to  think  about  that.  his  bartending  job  was  something  that  left  him  living  paycheck  to  paycheck,  but   this   ...   well,  it  let  him  move  out  of  his  parent’s  place,  and  it’s  the  first  time  he’s  just  had  cash  on  hand  without  having  to  think  about  it.  he  wouldn’t  like  to  admit  it,  but  there’s  also  something  about  the  excitement,  the  way  it  scratches  that  restless  itch  of  his,  that   (   in  addition  to  his  loyalty  to  davey   )   kept  him  in  the  game.

WHERE  &  WHEN  DID  YOU  CHECK  IN  ?

when  tommy  opened  the  door  to  his  room  the  next  morning  to  find  the  raven  house,  he  knew  instantly  something  had  changed.  it  wasn’t  hard  to  figure  out  considering  he  had  checked  into  a  motel  6  off  of  i - 95  the  night  before.  sure,  it  had  been  a  late  night  and  he  hadn’t  gotten  much  sleep,  but  when  you’re  expecting  to  step  out  onto  a  concrete  walkway   (   red  metal  railing  in  front  of  you,  a  half  empty  parking  lot  that  hosts  an  above  ground  pool  that  is  closed  for  the  season   )   and  are  instead  greeted  by  a  dark  hallway  and  someone  wearing  what   must   be  a  halloween  costume,  it  doesn’t  take  a  genius  to  tell  that  something  has  changed.  which  is  good,  considering  no  one  has  ever  accused  thomas  barnett  of  being  a  genius.  there  were  plenty  of  other  things  people  called  him,  and  he  tried  to  not  let  those  things  bother  him.

but  it  was  1978,  and  no  one  dressed  like  that  anymore.  at  least   ...   he  didn’t  think  anyone  did.

this  wasn’t  even  supposed  to  be  a  trip.  just  a  night  drive;  windows  down  in  his  car  and  recorded  cassettes  with  his  favorite  songs  playing  at  top  volume.  it  wasn’t  his  fault  he’d  lost  track  of  time  and  ended  up  further  from  home  than  he’d  planned.  now  he  was   ...   here,  wherever  here  was.  the  raven  house  didn’t  look  like  anything  he’d  ever  seen  before.  the  luxury  is  almost  off  putting  to  he  who  is  far  more  comfortable  in  dive  bars  and  parties  in  unfinished  basements.  it  reminded  him  of  davey’s  house,  almost,  a  place  that   (   despite  the  years  that  they  had  been  friends   )   tommy  never  felt  like  he  belonged  inside  of.

except,  this  was  even  nicer  than  that.

WHAT  WENT  WRONG  ?

        tw.  drugs  /  drug  dealing

a  flat  tire.

which  would  have  been   fine.   he  knew  how  to  change  a  flat  tire.  so  technically,  what  had  gone  wrong  was  that  he  also  got  a  flat  tire  three  months  before,  and  he’d  never  replaced  the  spare.

tommy  managed  to  pull  the  car  over,  and  upon  discovering  this  and  checking  the  time  on  the  car  radio,  he  decided  there  was  nothing  he  could  do  tonight.  a  neon  vacancy  sign  was  visible  from  where  he  was  standing,  and  he  was  sure  they  had  a  payphone  he  could  use  in  the  morning,  call  a friend  or  call  a  tow  truck.  it  would  be  fine  to  leave  the  car  here  until  then,  right?  of  course  it  would  be.

as  it  turned  out,  it  wouldn’t  really  matter.

there  was  a  bag  in  the  trunk,  something  inspired  both  by  his  occupation   (   occupation?  side  gig,  to  supplement  bartending,  to  help  out  his  friend...  it  was  just  pills   )   and  advice  from  his  older  brother.  james  had  seen  some  shit    —    or,  that’s  how  tommy  would  explain  it.  james  had  never  given  him  any  of  the  specifics,  so  he  had  none  to  pass  on.  inside  the  bag  were  the  essentials,  certainly  everything  he’d  need  for  a  one  night  stay  at  a  motel.  could  you  even  call  it  one  night  if  it  was  already  past  midnight?

WHY  WERE  YOU  BROUGHT  HERE  ?

it  might  be  easy  to  pin  tommy  as  the  extraverted  type,  but  the  truth  is  under  a  somewhat  loud  exterior,  there’s  a  kind  heart:  someone  who’s  loyal  and  easy  going  and  could  certainly  be  considered  obliging.  that’s  the  trait  that  brought  him  to  the  raven  house,  and  if  you  think  about  it  for  even  just  a  moment,  it’s  not  hard  to  see  why.  an  individual  who’s  never  a  leader,  always  the  support,  and  doesn’t  mind  it.  a  good  listener,  someone  who  will  do  anything  for  those  he  cares  for,  or  who’s  happy  just  to  play  the  music  a  little  louder  and  sing  along  with  you  if  that’s  what  you  need.  the  fights  he  used  to  get  into  were  just  something  to  do,  to  assuage  the  restles  spirit  that  needs  to  stay  occupied,  of  something  for  a  friend  wronged   (   though  this  definition  has  become  somewhat  muddled   ),  but  truthfully  he’s  good  natured  at  his  core.  he  knows  what  it  is  like  to  receive  help  when  you  need  it,  and  he’ll  return  that  favor  to  the  world  any  day.

WHICH  ITEM  IN  YOUR  POSSESSION  IS  THE  MOST  IMPORTANT  ?

it’s  just  a  deck  of  cards.  it’s  just  a  deck  of  cards  except  it  was  a  birthday  present  from  james.  it’s  just  a  deck  of  cards  but  they’ve  been  worn  soft  to  the  touch  by  the  repeated  pressure  of  being  rubbed  between  his  thumb  and  fingers.  he  used  to  do  card  tricks  with  them,  but  now  he’s  worried  they’ll tear.  a  new  deck  was  picked  up  in  the  lobby  convenience  store,  but  the  old  deck  is  important,  even  if  it  is  no  longer  useful.

   ...   WAS  THERE  ANYTHING  ELSE  ?

can  be  goaded  into  almost  anything  with  the  phrase   ‘   i  dare  you.   ’

is  the  guy  who  suggests  that  everyone  play  the  black  betty  game  at  parties,  and  feels  clever  when  he  explains  it.

will  kick  your  ass  at  a  game  of  quarters

was  an  obnoxious  car  signer.  his  ability  is  average,  the  issue  lies  in  his  inability  to  truly  focus  on  driving  at  the  same  time.

now  an  obnoxious  hotel  shower  singer.  my  apologies  to  whoever  has  the  room  next  to  him.

to  compound  that,  he  tends  to  keep  strange  hours.  time  isn’t  real  here,  but  his  body  is  still  on  the  schedule  of  his  bartending  job  and  mostly  nocturnal,  if  such  a  thing  is  possible  here.

has  argued  with  the  empty  other  side  of  the  bar  over  how  a  drink  is  made.

hates  the  feeling  of  being  cooped  up  here,  more  than  he  dislikes  the  issue  of  time.  he  used  to  drive  a  lot  and  has  replaced  that  by  wandering  the  floors  of  the  hotel.

[liloelsagranger]

Viridian Love Story - Chapter 2: I never asked for a rose (new fanfiction update)

Dear friends, I finally completed the second chapter of “Viridian Love Story”. Enjoy! Like, share, reblog and feel free to leave a review. Thanks to all my supportive readers. @jessicarocket @rocketshippingassbutt @masterstarpikachu @estrelarabyss @teamrocketshipping @teamrocketfanart @ndbernarts @thelovelyjessie @webelieveinlovepower @cat-0301 @chaosandhope @james-team-rocket @danadiversity @krazy-holly @keksrocket @tothestarsabove and everyone who keeps encouraging me to write down my thoughts and headcanons ;) Chapter 2: I never asked for a rose Misty looked up. He could read the uncertainty in her gaze. „Ash, is it you?“ she asked suspiciously, cleaving her way through the school desks. He nodded, a smile scurrying over his face. „Ash!“ Misty hastened her step, her heart beating faster. She fell happily around his neck. „It’s been so long,“ Ash wrapped an arm around her waist, carefully caressing her fiery red mane. Pikachu jumped on her shoulder, squeaking with joy. Ash held her tight, recollecting all the wonderful memories he owed her. „I missed you,“ she whispered so close to his ear, giving him goosebumps. He didn’t want to let go of her. Misty was alive and well, all his worries faded. There had been times when he couldn’t sleep at night, the uncertainty about his best friend’s whereabouts keeping him wide awake. „Where have you been?“ he asked her, loosening the embrace. She stared into his eyes, a wave of sadness overcoming her. She let go of him, taking a step back as if she tried to go a safe distance. „Ash, there’s something I need to tell you,“ she wanted to shape a long overdue statement. „I was worried sick,“ he didn’t want it to sound so reproachful, but his feelings overpowered him. „I know and I’m really sorry that I have broken off any contact. Believe me, it was anything but easy for me“, she replied agitatedly. „When the three of us said goodbye after a long adventurous journey, I turned home and...“ Misty couldn’t finish her sentence, from the corner of her eye she noticed someone observing them. „Ash!“ Serena, a grim and skeptical expression on her face, approached the two of them. The distance between Ash and Misty increased by one more piece. „Who’s that girl?“ Serena pointed at Misty, feeling a whiff of jealousy. Ash shielded his best friend. „Serena, this is Misty. We were inseparable. She and Brock joined me on my very first journey to become a Pokémon master. Misty, this is my girlfriend Serena, an aspiring showcase performer“, Ash tried to calm the waves, Serena was obviously out of sorts with Misty. Reluctantly, the two shook hands. Serena wrapped an arm around Ash in order to mark her territory. A kiss sealed their relationship, putting Misty in her place. Ash noticed Misty’s disappointment. She made herself smile, but her gaze spoke volumes. For the first time in his life, Ash felt a pulling in his chest at the sight of her. She was all grown up, beautiful, but something afflicted her and he wanted to find out what caused her so much distress. „Ehm,“ he searched desperatley for words. „Serena, I’ll see you later, okay?“ he playfully nudged her nose. „For all I care,“ she looked at them distrustfully and disappeared from the classroom without saying another word. Misty cocked an eyebrow. „Wow, nice choice, Ash! I didn’t know you had a girlfriend. I think there’s a lot to talk about,“ she winked at him, briefly squeezing his hand. More and more students entered the classroom, Ash and Misty also took a seat and welcomed their new teacher. Meanwhile, Team Rocket worked on an ingenious plan to infiltrate the university. „That’s impossible, Meowth!“ James vent his discomfort. „We’re no trained teachers, we’re going to embarrass us in front of the class.“ Jessie rolled her eyes at Meowth’s idea to fool the whole school. „Listen to me, you two dimwits! No need to worry. A seminar on poison type Pokémon is the best opportunity to creep in, looking for casual robberies and keep Giovanni up to date. All you have to do is standing in front of the class and talk about Arbok and Weezing. That shouldn’t be so hard, even two dorks like you should be able to entertain some freshmen for 45 minutes. Leave the rest to me,“ Meowth’s brain was working at full blast. „But what if they’re going to ask questions? Should we just stand there like two clueless question marks, counting the second until we’re saved by the bell?“ Jessie discovered more and more weak spots in this plan. Meowth rummaged around a bag. „Here“, he presented his team members with two tiny microphones. „I’ll whisper the answers in your ears“, proud of himself, he waited for appreciative praise. „No way! Déjà vu, Meowth. The last time you tried to help us out with answers, we made complete fools of ourselves. Even the smalles children laughed at us,“ Meowth flashed his eyes at James. The cat Pokémon was annoyed by their suspicion. „Times are changing, lavender lock! In a time of digital progress, I’ve adapted our equipment. Now, we’re online. It’s very easy: the kids ask you guys a question that will be transmitted directly to my headphones and I’m able to look up the answer in my huge database within a split second!“ Jessie and James were both wide-eyed. „So, you think it could actually work out?“ Jessie wondered. „We will possibly be successful?“ James added. „Trust me,“ Meowth grinned mischieviously. „All you have to do is to evaluate the position. Listen to the freshmen’s chats, find out if there is going to be a major event, an event where all Pokémon come together. Everything clear so far?“ His friends nodded approvingly. Their bags already packed, Jessie and James headed towards university. „Oh and before I forget, folks,“ an impish smile crossed Meowth’s face, „don’t get distracted by too many flirtations, haha“. Jessie blushed to the roots of her hair. Did Meowth smell the rat? After the first lesson, Misty and Ash decided to spend lunch time underneath an imposing oak in the middle of the university campus. It was good to spend some time in the shadows of the large branches above their heads, for the summer heat was unbearable. Only a few moments later, Brock joined his old friends, providing them with homemade rice balls. Misty felt completely contented. The food, the atmosphere and the company of the two boys reminded her of the good old times, when she was carefree and with a clear goal in mind. „I’m glad you’re back, Misty,“ Brock hugged her tight. They shared ideas and plans, compared their time tables and discovered that they would work together on multiple projects this year. Still, Ash had the feeling that something was bothering the once so though girl. He turned around, facing her directly. „Tell me, Misty. Where have you been all these years? What happened?“ he didn’t want to crowd her, but he missed her reckless attitude. This intimidated young lady was not the Misty he once knew. Misty sighed out loud. Ash noticed how uncomfortable she felt. Brock laid a hand on her shoulder. „It’s okay, we’re here to listen,“ he encouraged her to come out with the truth. „Well,“ it cost her a lot of effort, „at the time I turned home, I was eager to tell my parents and sisters all about my adventures, the fights, the friends I made and about my dream to become an expert for water type Pokémon, but as I entered our house, there was no one there. They had left. To this day, I don’t know where they are, why they abandoned me and why they didn’t even leave a message. I was all alone, left all to my own devices. I tried to search them out, I contacted Officer Jenny, they launched a giant search operation, but it did not yield. Neither the neighbours, nor the people in the nearby village who knew them very well, could help me out. Officer Jenny was then forced to turn to the Youth Welfare Office and they put me in an orphanage not far from home. It was terrible. At the age of sixteen, I bunked out of the orphanage, I made it through with odd jobs and lived hand to mouth. You can’t trust anyone these days, I made shady acquaintances, got into trouble until I decided to pull myself together and sign up for evening classes to catch up on my graduation. Luckily, my grades were excellent and I passed every single test with flying colors and now, I’m here“, a crooked grin graced her face. Ash and Brock’s jaws dropped. They’d have expected anything, an unfortunate romance, a change of residence, an exchange year, but this story hit them hard. What horrors did she suffer? How could she possibly survive all on her own with no helping hand and no friends? „Misty,“ Ash’s eyes shone dangerously. „I’m so sorry to hear that. Come here,“ he embraced her in his arms, pulled her tight and placed a kiss on her forehead. „Don’t you worry anymore. We’re here to support you, you’re not alone.“ He could hear her sob into his shirt, finally releasing her pent-up emotions. She pressed him even tighter. He had always been her safe haven. It broke Brock’s heart to see his friends so distraught and upset. Pulling an arm around each one of them, he asked them to make a pledge. „From this day on, we’ll avouch for each other, no matter what. We will care and support each other like we used to do when we were kids. We’ll stick together, through thick and thin and we’ll never let go of each other again. We used to fight for our rights, we used to stand up for our Pokémon and friends and Ash and I will do everything in our power to make you forget about your gruesome past.“ Ash nodded. „I second every single word!“ He wiped a tear from her cheek. That was strange, he wanted to hold her and protect her from the world. He wanted to erase the dire memories. Jessie was nervous. Not only because she wasn’t used to give lectures on various school subjects, but because James seemed to evade her. He was wearing a white chemise, a necktie and matching trousers. He looked absolutely breathtaking and she couldn’t deny that some naughty thoughts had crossed her mind. „You look good,“ she adjusted his tie. He smiled shyly, avoiding any eye contact. Jessie brushed his arm while reaching for her notes. A bunch of books piled up on the desk and Meowth had already sent them their teaching materials. The students entered the class room, were loud and noisy and Jessie became more and more queasy with every moment. They tried to snatch up fragments of conversations and found out that prom night would take place in a couple of weeks. There was enough time for preparations like fiddling with traps, inviting the Rocket grunts and explore the best locations to catch them all. „James,“ she whispered shortly before the lesson started. „What if we volunteer to organise prom night? It would be the perfect occasion to capture some Pokémon and deliver them to our boss,“ she suggested. „Absolutely, great idea, Jess!“ he winked at her. Jessie never had the chance to attend prom night, but maybe fate would give her a second chance. In her fantasy, she was dancing with James, spending the night underneath an illuminated pavilion, just like newly enamored teenagers. „Put those thoughts out of your mind, Jess! He’s not interested in you. It was a one-time slip!“ she scolded herself. James distributed the work orders and was astonishingly good with the students. He responded to their questions and concerns, dealt with the class clown, promised them exciting lessons and easy exams and had soon made himself a darling who reaped languishing glances from the young girls. He was what Jessie called a crush-teacher. He was handsome, good-looking and charming. The female students would lie at his feet. She was overcome by a slight wave of jealousy. The 45 minutes flew by and both had made a great first impression, even if Jessie had already reproved two ruffians, threatening to chop off their fingers if they would ever again pointing the loser hand gesture at James. After the class had left the room, Jessie let herself sink onto the desk. She was completely exhausted, it was more tiring than expected. James stood in front of her, gathering some paper shreds and pencils. Jessie wrapped her arms around his neck. „I’m so tired. Meowth got us into a pretty mess“, she rested her head on his chest. James recoiled, laughing mousy. „It was a good start, don’t you think?“ He turned around, staring into two demanding eyes. „What’s wrong, Jess?“ he asked her. „James, why are you constantly avoiding me? Did you forget about that night? About your words and kisses? About this special moment between us? Didn’t it mean anything to you? Were you just too drunk to think clearly? Was ist just a joke? Look, I never asked for something, but let’s get things straight“ she wanted answers. James sighed deeply. „No, Jess, I didn’t forget about that night. It was one of the most amazing experiences in my life“, he looked at the floor with embarrassment. She stood up walking towards him. „Then why are you acting so strange? Why are you fending off every single pass?“ He didn’t dare to look at her. „Because I don’t want to fall in love with you.“ To be continued...

[thatorangepegasi]

Windows 10 Troubleshooting

klicksafe for children

You can also specify a specific age for the app and media download. First, turn on the Activity Report option. This way you can receive a weekly notification of your activities in your email. Now that you've added your child's account to Windows Parental Control, you can easily adjust the settings. Simply re-enter the password and log in to the account to complete the setup. The design looks more adult, but does not allow tricks to bypass the volume limit. I agree to receive the newsletter and know that I can unsubscribe at any time. the instructions, software or other delivery parts, please contact our customer service. please follow the instructions in the guide to correcting installation errors.

When it comes to filtering websites, the special child protection packages as well as the Internet security suites do a pretty good job. In addition, the special products can be more precisely adapted to a child.

The best VPNs for Windows 10 (and the worst) including a practical setup guide

Mandatory cookies are essential for the operation of the site and therefore cannot be deactivated.

Monitor all details remotely via a device of your choice.

So it's over with two non-Microsoft products and we're with a Microsoft product, which in no way ensures a more comfortable - or safer - user experience. li>

Within the guarantee period, the point of sale will provide you with a comparable model, if this is available. li> ul> You can now enter your actions and events on klicksafe. The international Safer Internet Day 2020 takes place in February. Even minor differences in the fit of the headphones on the simulator can influence the result, just as moving the headphones slightly changes the sound. We have therefore been particularly careful to ensure that each pair of headphones fits well on the simulator. Based on our findings, the New York Times (parent company of Wirecutter) conducted its own tests on children's headphones, regulations and safety. If you're giving your kids access to a Windows system, take a step back and read this guide first. Without restrictions, your children can access inappropriate content on the web and also become dependent on the internet. Therefore, it is extremely important that you set up Windows Parental Control on your computer first. This reduced the ambient noise by -8.1 dB. The Fuhu Nabi headphones also reduced the ambient noise by -4.8 dB. (Both pairs are over-ear models.) The two in-ear models we tested were even better at blocking outside noise. The Etymotic ETY-Kids3 reduced ambient noise by -22.0 dB and the Puro IEM200 by -14.4 dB. Note that these results are only relevant for situations in which most of the noise is relatively low-frequency (for example, in a car or an aircraft cabin). With headphones, where we could measure 90 dBA or more in the music "real world" test, you should also be careful. • If your child is exposed to ambient noise of more than 70 dbA during the day, the remaining safe listening time is greatly reduced. However, keep in mind that some people are more prone to hearing loss than others. In addition, there is no good measurement option for this. The World Health Organization therefore recommends simply being generally careful. For a warranty exchange, please contact the dealer from whom you bought the defective device, as you have concluded a purchase contract with this dealer. The dealer will be happy to exchange or credit this device if there is a valid guarantee for this device.

[incandescent-creativity]

Drowning

A short story about mermaids

written for my CW class that I thought I’d share here.

Word Count: 2000+

…

The first time I met a mer, it came out of nowhere and nearly killed me.

I was just a kid. Playing on the rocks had been my favorite pastime ever since I learned to walk. The tidepools were always filled with interesting creatures to look at, and playing chicken with the waves that crashed up and over the rocks was fun, too.

The catch to playing chicken with the ocean, of course, is that sometimes the ocean catches you. Sometimes, waves roar over the side of the rock you’re playing on, slam into your gangly kid body, and cause you to slip and tumble head over heels into the water. And sometimes, you manage to fall right into a current that drags you away from the rocks you thought you could handle.

I was lucky enough to be that person at the ripe old age of ten.

Every ocean safety lesson my parents had ever drilled into me left my mind like water through a sieve. I started swimming against the current, but I couldn’t keep that kind of effort up for very long. Eventually, I gave up, and let myself float underneath the sun. If the current was going to take me away, the current was going to take me away. When I finally bobbed up and looked around, I was way too far from shore to ever swim back on my own.

Surprisingly, I don’t remember crying or feeling afraid. I had always thought the ocean was beautiful, and now I was in a position to see it from a new angle. The waves were tiny this far from shore, lapping at my neck. The blue of the water was much richer than I had ever seen it, and the loud beach we lived next to was quiet and peaceful from this distance.

I was still admiring the view when I was tugged down underneath the waves faster than I could ever take a deep breath.

Water flooded into my mouth and down my throat, salty and burning. I kicked, struggling to free my ankle from whatever mouth was sinking its teeth into it. Miraculously, it worked, and I peeked open one eye to look around as I swam for surface. What I saw froze my skinny arms and legs in place.

I was staring right into the face of a mer.

It had a mouthful of my blood and sharp teeth. The fins on its bald head had long, dark spines that floated gently with the dip and rise of the waves above us. And its skin was blue, with shimmering silver scales lining its muscular torso and biceps. The mer was deadly and beautiful, but the beauty wasn’t what stopped me from swimming away.

The eyes were what froze me in place. The pupils were just slits, like a snake’s eye. They were fixed on me like a predator that’s found its next meal. And they were silver. Not blue, or green, or brown. Silver.

Not a normal silver, either, but a reflective, hypnotizing color that matched its scales. Staring into them was addictive, and much more important than the stinging, burning pain in my eyes, throat, or ankle. Black spots started to cloud my vision as I stared into those eyes, but I couldn’t bring myself to swim away from them.

Those silver eyes were the last thing I saw before I finally lost consciousness, and I didn’t mind it that way.

...

...

I woke up in a hospital, vomiting seawater up through an already sore throat. It was a thoroughly unpleasant feeling that lingered for days as I healed. But the pain in my throat was nothing compared to my newly-stitched ankle. It stun with every heartbeat, and was bad enough that I cried myself to sleep that night.

But after that one bad night, I woke up determined to heal as quickly as I could. And I did. Even at ten years old, I was stubborn as hell. I went to every PT session without fail, until the twisted scars on my ankle barely affected my ability to walk. I would never win a marathon, of course, but I had always been more of a competitive swimmer anyway.

After that, life went back to normal. I went to school, I learned to surf, I made friends, normal teenager stuff. But my encounter with the mer was never far from my mind, to the point where every friend I had knew the story. The only way they knew how to shut me up was to suggest that I go to school to study them.

The night before I left for school, I had my second encounter.

The stress of making such a big decision meant I couldn’t sleep. Instead, I was in my bed, on my phone, listening to the crash of waves through my open window. When a gentle song floated through my window instead, I didn’t think twice. Something in me knew I had to meet that voice.

The memory of that chilly night is crystal clear. The stars were watching me make my way to the rocks with a cold, uninterested stare. The coastal breeze, the one that always smelled like salt and fish, was reaching to grab at the skin underneath my windbreaker. The only sound was the voice wavering through the night air, the one that was using the rumbling of the waves to keep the song on beat.

I remember following the singing to the tidepools. The closer I got, the better I could hear, and the quicker I realized that it wasn’t just one voice singing. There were tens of them, all of them emanating from the silhouetted figures lounging on the rocks.

I remember freezing in place, the terror in my heart drowning out their song. The silhouettes might look human, but each torso was attached to a tail. These were mer.

As soon as I made the connection, memories of that day came crashing back over me. The pain in my shredded ankle, the silver eyes, the taste of salt water, the burning in my throat. Eight years later, the memories were enough to make me gasp.

This was a mistake. I sucked in the gasp, and at least fifteen heads turned from looking up at the moon to over at me.

If I had had any doubts that these were mer, they were erased then and there. They had teeth poking out of their open mouths, and snake’s eyes that reflected the light of the moon back at me. Their song was cut off as they looked at me, and the silence was deafening. Even the ocean seemed to hold its breath, waves refusing to crash.

I remember meeting familiar silver eyes before I flung my body around and started scrambling away.

My heart was in my throat and its beat was in my ears, drowning out any other sounds. I didn't even know I was crying until I made it in the door, my scarred ankle throbbing in protest. And I also don’t know if the mer ever started singing again that night, because I shut my window. More than that—I also plugged in my headphones and volume turned up, and stayed that way until the morning.

…

...

My third encounter took about five months after my second, instead of the eight years between my childhood attack and leaving for college. I was home for the first time since going to school. Winter break was a full three weeks, and I was determined to see the mer again at least once in that time period.

The first week was pleasant home life. My parents produced a huge welcome-home feast for my first night back, and I got to play on the beach with people I hadn’t seen in months. Old neighbors and childhood friends showed up throughout the week, asking me how my inhumanities major was going and if I liked my new school.

But after that first week, I started getting restless. I would sit out on the beach until midnight every night, eyes straining for any sign of movement. The first three nights weren’t fruitful at all. I saw crabs, seagulls, sand crawlers, and even a shark fin or two, but I don’t have any real chances of seeing any mer until tonight: the fourth night.

There’s a full moon tonight, and I am probably more excited for a phase of the moon than I’ve ever been before. It’s been well documented that mer gather to sing under the full moon, and if it had happened once a few months ago, well… it could happen again.

I wait for three hours before I start to see movement.

Over the course of an hour, seventeen mers appear, one by one. I never see them crawl onto rocks; instead, a wave crashes over the rocks and when it recedes, there’s a mer sitting there. It’s kind of fascinating to watch, because there’s nothing to watch. You just blink, and all of a sudden the rocks are more crowded than you remember them being.

At midnight precisely, they begin to sing.

More memories take me by force: they sound just like they did five months ago, the first time I ever heard mersong. The song is no less entrancing now than it was then. It pulls me from the chair I’d been sitting in for hours, and I walk on stiff ankles toward the mer-infested rocks.

Just like last time, seventeen heads turn to me as soon as they hear me stumble on a rock. And just like last time, the song cuts off abruptly. The silver-eyed mer that rescued me nearly a decade ago is sitting close by, its silver scales bright in the moonlight.

Unlike last time, I am prepared for this.

I fall to my knees in the cold sand, right at the base of the rocks they are gathered on. I hold my hands out as they look down on me, and I speak in my best non-threatening voice.

“Hello,” I say. My voice was rusty from the three hours of silence I’d been sitting in, but I tried to keep it quiet and soothing. “Can you understand me?”

Time slows down as my question hangs in the air. I am all too aware of the importance of the moment. The intelligence of mers is only theoretical, based on the size of the cranial cavity. It’s generally agreed that they can communicate within their own species, but there are only hypotheses about whether or not they can speak our language.

The silver-eyed mer’s head tilts to the side, and time speeds up again. It nods slowly, and I go light headed with excitement. As far as I know, nobody has ever been this close to a mer and survived. The diagrams we have of their washed-up corpses don’t convey their beauty, only their danger.

But I’ve known the danger all my life. In childhood, I was told stories, cautionary tales meant to keep me from going to the ocean at night. And then there was that summer I nearly drowned. After that, I had my own scars to remind me of the well-established danger of merfolk. By now, I was ready for the beauty.

“Why do you persist?”

The mer’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. Her voice is light, and hisses around its teeth. The word “creature” doesn’t capture her anymore; she’s clearly intelligent and uncertain. The hunch in her blue shoulders and the prying tilt of her head tell me that much.

“Why do you persist?” she repeats.

Right. Conversation. “Persist? What do you mean?”

“Persist in meeting us. In meeting me.”

My first thought is to say “To study you,” but that doesn’t feel right. It’s probably offensive, and upon further thought, it’s not quite true. And if I don’t tell the truth, I’ll probably be ripped to pieces or dragged under the waves.

So, instead, I say, “When I was a child, you saved me from drowning. I thought you were going to eat me, and you could have. I was unconscious, and you had already bitten me.” I move to show off my ankle, and the movement produces a chorus of hisses and shrieks. But I keep my movements slow, and manage to show them my scars before sitting down on my knees again.

“But you didn’t eat me,” I continue, staring into the silver eyes that have haunted my days and nights. “Instead, you pulled me on shore. You rescued me.” I pause to see if she is understanding, but Silver’s gaze doesn’t change. “So, I guess I persist because I want to know.”

The fins at the end of her tail twitch, like she’s thinking. “Know what?” Silver asks.

“I just want to know,” I confess, aware that I sound desperate. “Who are you? What are you like? Why did you save me?” I cut myself off before eight year’s worth of questions spill out. “So, if you’ll let me,” I finish, “I’d like to know you.”

The other mers shift to look at Silver instead of staring at me. We’re all waiting for her decision, but I doubt that their hearts are pounding away like mine is.

After an eternity of waiting, the mer with blue skin, silver scales, and hypnotizing silver eyes extends a hand out to me. I take it, and she guides me to a safe spot where I can stand in waist deep water that doesn't even feel cold. The song starts again, and I am allowed to stand there until it is finished.

[rich791252183-blog]

What Is FLAC? FLAC Audio File Format Description

Though there a ton of different audio formats on the market, many media devices similar to iPods, smartphones and tablets, and desktop music gamers like Home windows Media Participant and iTunes are usually compatible with only a few specific ones. In the MP3 dialog box, choose the format settings for the final MP3 information. You may clip the source video file to get the part that you must convert to audio, www.audio-transcoder.com so you are able to make your individual ringtone or different needed music clips. The Free Audio Converter means that you can alter audio codec, audio bitrate, pattern charge, audio channel, audio monitor, audio volume, aac parameters, audio quality and select the converting begin and stop time. To listen to FLAC information on an iPhone or Android , set up the VLC app from iTunes or through Google Play The JetAudio app is one other FLAC player for Android. You possibly can select what pattern rate you want to use. forty four.1 kHz (or 44100 Hz) is the pattern fee utilized by audio CDs. Lower than that and you will start to hear the loss in quality. Launch Wondershare FLAC Converter on your Mac, then click the Add Recordsdata button on the upper left so as to add FLAC video that you just wish to convert to MP3. Or you can also straight drag and drop your desired FLAC audio to the FLAC to MP3 converter. You might need to convert a not often used file type to a more in style format, which might make it simpler to share with others, put it aside to a cellular system, or make it suitable with your media player. A codec is an algorithm of encoding and compressing knowledge into an audio format. For some file sorts there is a particular codec assigned. For example, the MP3 format always uses the MPEG Layer-3 codec while MP4 format can use a variety of various codecs. The program is transportable: it doesn't use system registry and all settings are saved in INI recordsdata. Thus, the program may be run from moveable devices comparable to pendrives, detachable drives. And no, MP3 -> FLAC is a pointless conversion. As an illustration, converting those YouTube clips from MP4 to MP3 reduced their sizes by about half (600MB vs. 300MB in the case of one file - a lot better suited to cellular units or uploading online), and among the downloads have been of the M4A file type, which couldn't be performed in Foobar 2000 without an add-on. quantity management rms normalization software Sound Amplifier & Normalizer CD gamers and different legacy audio players don't support Replay Gain metadata; auto stage edit mp4 wav normaliser. However, some lossy audio formats, are structured in a method that they encode the quantity of each compressed body in a stream, and tools equivalent to MP3Gain benefit from this to alter the volume of all frames in a stream, in a reversible manner, without including noise best free wave to flac convertor that fixes quality; Applicantion which cut back size of file for mobile how one can enhance cd quantity on ringtone wav sound editor flac leveling increase mp4 batch normalizer. free online audio quantity repair Free reduce flac file measurement downloads MP3Resizer. Increasing the loudness to match business CDs? the right way to increase quantity on music batch resize flac normalizer musikfiler.

To your audio file conversion wants, DBPowerAmp is among the best selections accessible. The software, appropriate with Windows XP and up (in addition to Mac OS X Mavericks or newer), can perform all kinds of file conversions, in addition to batch conversions (for multiple information at a time). This system is blissfully free of frustrating malware toolbars, even permitting for the addition of effects like quantity stage and normalization. Click button of "Add Files", then choose the files that you simply need to import to iTunes one after the other. It's also possible to select the whole folder by clicking "Add Folder" from the drop-down record. Sure, changing FLAC information to MP3 files is legal utilizing this software for private use. Legality only comes into question when users distribute or promote copyrighted information for personal achieve. Because of this, it's really useful transformed information only be used by the one converting. To transform a FLAC file to MP3 utilizing To MP3 Converter Free, simply select your vacation spot folder and drag the information over. If you want to batch convert folders or files, then you should buy an annual subscription ($7) that also lets you load tags and artwork from a network source, add fade in and fadeout, and trim silence earlier than and after songs. Free Video Converter for Mac is the free video and audio converter on Mac by Aiseesoft. It helps convert any video to audio like MP3, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, WMA, M4R, and so forth. Nonetheless it could convert audio recordsdata like FLAC to MP3, FLAC to WAV, and many others. This converter is very simple to use. Take the following steps to change FLAC to MP4 without spending a dime. No matter format you like to hearken to, from FLAC to MP3 to WAV, bear in mind - THERE IS A DISTINCTION. It is just inconceivable to tell this distinction if in case you have a mix of FLAC with a pair of hideous headphones, and even worse - a built-in stereo speaker.Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) is a codec for lossless audio compression. Grossly oversimplified, FLAC is just like MP3 , however lossless , that means that audio is compressed in FLAC with none loss in quality. This is just like how Zip works, except with FLAC you're going to get much better compression as a result of it is designed particularly for audio, and you can play again compressed FLAC information in your favourite player (or your car or house stereo, if supported) just like you would a lossy file.Whereas bodily discs are still fashionable, their usefulness will ultimately be eclipsed by the convenience of purely digital files: whether or not meaning streaming or software program information saved in your community or within the cloud. As a format FLAC will probably by no means be as in style a format as CD and DVD were in their heydays, but it surely's quickly grow to be the format of selection for individuals who care about sound high quality. Please guantee that your iTunes Converter is the newest version, or you can open the software and click on "Menu - Check for Updates" to verify and update to the latest version.Click on the "Convert" button to start conversion. After conversion, click on the "Output" button in the principle interface or proper click the file checklist and click on "Present in Finder" to find the output DRM-free audio. MP3 - MPEG Audio Layer III, or MP3 for brief, is the commonest lossy format around. A lot in order that it's turn into synonymous with downloaded music. MP3 is not essentially the most environment friendly format of all of them, but its undoubtedly probably the most effectively-supported, making it our first choice for lossy audio.

[rtsea65wy-blog]

American Lilgadgets children's headphones

The key reason for choosing this Lilgadgets children's headset in many children's headphones is that it is professional enough to use it and protect your child's hearing.

It does its homework to protect children's hearing and sets a maximum decibel limit that protects the child's fragile eardrum without damaging the child's hearing.

The ear pad and the headband are covered with a breathable mesh, which is more durable and non-slip, and does not cause pressure on the cervical vertebrae and ears, and is more reassuring when used. This safety is in line with American ASTM standards, and it also passes a number of international safety certifications to give children a super peace of mind.

The materials used are the safest, and there are no small parts. Even if you encounter a baby bite, you can rest assured that you put your headphones in your mouth.

The appearance of the metal texture is very foreign, integrated, full of texture, the sound quality of the studio level, the use of the feeling is superb, not leaking, will not affect the people next to it.

It also has a big advantage in Bluetooth wireless connectivity. I have compared many children's headphones on the market. They are basically wired. I don't want to take it seriously. He feels that it is inconvenient to use and says that he will be cordless. Lilgadgets is a wireless Bluetooth headset that is really convenient to use.

Of course, if you want to use the line link, it is ok. Especially if you want a family to listen to a song together, this headset has advanced serial technology, can be connected in series with any other headphones, the family can simultaneously enjoy a beautiful piece of music!

The materials and safety of Lilgadgets children's headphones are certified by many organizations around the world. Because the experience is good enough, many children and families in the United States use this children's headphones for their children.

The ear pads are soft and comfortable, and the sound quality is superb. The stereo effect of watching songs is especially good. I have compared thousands of headphones, and the sound quality of these children's headphones is not lost.

You may be wondering, is it necessary to give your child a dedicated child earphone? When a child is young, the demand for headphones is really small, but as the child grows up, it is necessary to have a dedicated child headset.

Let children use children's headphones, from the shape, sound quality, safety, protection of children's ears, the use of effects and other aspects of comprehensive considerations, and this Lilgadgets headset is a combination of children's headphones in all aspects of advantages.

The designer of Lilgadgets is a pair of parents from New York. When they chose headphones for two children, they found that there were only cheap children's headphones on the market. In order to let the children use safe, good sound quality, high quality, cool shape, but also protect the ears of children's ears, they have been improved and designed to create these Lilgadgets headphones.

The Lilgadgets headset is a 40mm FullSpectrum full spectrum drive unit that delivers high-definition surround sound from 20Hz to 20kHZ, restoring the original sound, allowing the child to listen to the studio-realistic sound and experience the brilliance of high-quality sound.

Lilgadgets headphones feature high sensitivity, low impedance, sound with ideal transients and dynamics, and a good resolution of the line and excellent balance.

A 360-degree noise-canceling microphone that provides high-definition voice calls is embedded in the headset, making it great for both listening and conversation.

This Lilgadgets headset takes into account the safety of your child and sets a maximum volume limit of 93 decibels.

In the environment of restaurants, high-speed rails, airplanes, etc., the noise decibels are higher than 85 decibels. If the highest decibel of the earphones is only 85 decibels, the environment is slightly noisy, and the children will not be able to hear clearly. So the maximum volume limit for Lilgadgets headphones is 93 decibels.

Everyone needs to pay attention when giving children a child. Don't throw your headphones to your child. Just use 1-2 hours and rest for ten minutes or more. When using it for a baby, try to control the volume first and give it to her.

The shape of the earphones is very cool, and the outer casing is made of metal, which makes people feel full of texture.

The cushion that comes into contact with the ear is an ultra-thick cushion designed with soft touch safety technology, which can protect the ear from development, prevent ear deformation, provide excellent comfort and good sealing, even if worn for a long time. Good cause of ear discomfort.

Soft touch breathable mesh also covers the entire headband

This not only ensures the breathability of the headband, but also does not sultry and uncomfortable when it is hot, and it is non-slip and durable. When using it, it can be adjusted according to the size of the head circumference. It can be used freely, don't worry about being panicked, don't worry. When the headset is used, it will suddenly drop. Even if the child is shaking his head and shaking his head, it doesn't matter if he jumps.

This material also makes the headset lighter and more comfortable while maintaining durability. The bare metal weight of the headset is only 143 grams, which can reduce the burden on the child's head and will not put pressure on the child's cervical spine.

The earphone is anti-cracking anti-breaking pc material. After multi-national safety certification, safety is guaranteed.

There are no small parts in the earphones, which can reduce the risk of accidental swallowing. Even if the baby accidentally puts a bite in his mouth, he does not have to worry about harm to the body.

The switch, volume control and jack connections of the headphones are at the bottom

First, confirm that the Bluetooth of the mobile phone or playback device is turned on, and then press power to turn on the headset. After booting, press and hold the power button. At the same time, observe the indicator light at the bottom of the headset. The indicator light will flash blue first, then it will continue to flash red. Continue to hold the power button, press the blue and red indicator light to continually shine, and then release the power sensor, indicating that the headset pairing is successful.

At this time, check the mobile phone or other playback devices, enter the Bluetooth through “Settings”, find “Untangled Pro”, click once, the indicator light at the bottom of the headset will jump blue, when the blue light continues to flash, and the “drop” sound is heard. Indicates that the connection is successful, and the sound in the mobile phone or playback device can be played through the headphones.

This is only required when the device is connected to Bluetooth for the first time. After the connection is successful, as long as the headset is turned on and the Bluetooth on the headset is turned on, the playback device and the headset can be automatically connected.

If you want to switch from one mobile phone to another, as long as the original mobile phone Bluetooth is selected to quit, the logged-in device can be connected by clicking the connection.

The first connection is a bit more troublesome, but after the first connection, it's very easy to use later.

Lilgadgets Bluetooth headset supports wireless function and also supports cable playback. The headset has its own audio cable, which can be directly used by plugging into the headset and device. You can switch the link method as you like.

Be careful not to insert the wrong plug when connecting the headphones. When you look closely, you will find that the headphones have two circular jacks. The functions of these two jacks are different. One side is AUX IN, this is the audio input interface, and the other side is Share Port, which is the sharing interface!

The Share Port is a sharing interface that allows the headset to connect to other headsets.

[lahmacunlushokolad-blog]

Choosing The Best Wireless Earbud Headphones

If you're looking for a set of wireless earbuds then you will find either of two differing types which are the Bluetooth version or perhaps wireless earbud headphones which use something known as Kleer. This Kleer technological innovation claims to be the superior model of wireless headphones as the quality of the audio is way better than the wireless bluetooth headphones. For those times you need high class sound then the Kleer earbuds is the choice you simply must make, having said that for those who have lots of Bluetooth gear then your less costly option would be the Bluetooth headphones as you'll be able to utilize these with all your other devices.

Wireless earbud headphones for television were initially created for people with hearing difficulties to assist them to watch their tv without having to increase the volume level to unacceptable degrees, which in turn would make trouble with their neighbors. Since then the wireless technological know-how has moved forward and wireless products are cheaper, so lots of people are using wireless earbuds for TV when they want to listen and watch something with other people in the same room who are watching or doing something else. Wireless headphones allow you to sit next to someone and not disturb them with any noise from your headphones.

Earbud headphones have become very popular with people who go to the fitness center, run, jog, or just exercise on a regular basis and wish to take their mind off doing exercise by listening to music. There are lots of sport headphones on the market and one of the most popular is the bluetooth sport headphones which do not require wires to attach them to the music player such as the MP3 or Ipod, the advantage of this is no wires to get tangled or in the way while you are working out.

If you want to compare a variety of models or brands, the best place to look is in an electronics store. You can do this online or by going to the nearest store. While you may not be able to try them on for fit, physical store locations may have a few different products set up, so you can get an idea of sound quality. You can also find several product choices in electronic departments of retail stores, or wherever cellular phone or mobile devices are sold.

[lolabean1998]

Ali-cat (Part 1)

Sweet pea fanfic 

The school was covered in graffiti, security checks at the door and gangs at every corner. Ali’s new school wasn’t looking very promising, she had just moved to Southside from her previous home in England, her Mum had been offered a job as a Lawyer in Riverdale and had spent all their money moving, so they could only afford a small house on the outskirts of Southside trailer park. Ali was an only child and with her father out of the picture it was just her and her mum. 

It was her first day at Southside high and she was already dreading it, rumours of a fight between the Northsiders and Southsiders had sent her stomach churning. She crept through the scanners avoiding all eye contact, her mousey brown hair tied in a loose scruffy bun and her already pale skin losing what little colour it had with every breath she took. This was the most terrifying school she had ever set eyes on, students taking drugs in broad daylight at school like it was no biggie. The heavily branded gang members grouped together at every turn made her thankful for all the martial arts classes she had taken back in England. Ali shuffled awkwardly towards her locker, her headphones in playing her favourite tunes from the recent chart toppers. ~If I avoid all forms of social interaction I’ll be grand~ she thought as she found her locker and attempted to unlock it but the lock was temperamental, her nerves already shaky she began to panic. Eventually punching her locker with frustration, it popped open pulling all attention to the new girl looking very nervous. ~Great now I look like a new chew toy for these thugs to throw around~ Ali thought as she shoved her unneeded books into her locker.

“Looks like fresh meat, 10 bucks says she doesn't last the day.” A pink haired girl commented from across the hall, a large leather jacket hung on her slim figure, a large double ended snake embossed proudly on the back. Her two accomplices smiling cruelly as they took her up on the bet. The one guy was short compared to the giant stood next to him, his dark eyes and tanned skin making him look very sharp but dangerous. The giant stood next to him was not only considerably taller but his black locks and threatening tattoo on his neck made him extremely intimidating, the dark angry look in his eyes only making things worse. Ali gulped as she watched from the corner of her eye, she had now become the days entertainment, great. She looked down at her timetable, turning up the volume for her headphones to drown out the sound of her future tormentors. English and Maths first, she heaved a sigh of relief as she made her way to her first class, zigging and zagging between her fellow students. 

“You must be the new girl, welcome to hell. Take a seat.” Her English teacher waved to the class before leaning back in their chair and going back to their newspaper.

“Thank you, If you could just give me the work for this week I’ll get on with it quietly on my own.” Ali smiled politely, her strong English countryside accent booming like a beacon as she spoke, she tried to hide it but there was no masking it. Her teacher looked up in surprise at her request but handed her a large textbook before waving her off like some kind of peasant. Ali found an empty seat by the window at the front of the class and decided to claim this as her own little corner, hoping that its ideal location for learning wouldn't cause too much trouble or draw any attention to her. She had just opened her textbook when the classroom door swung open and the three gangsters strode in laughing loudly, all three wearing matching snake branded leather jackets. Ali shuddered as they moved to the table next to her, sitting with there backs to her.

The morning had gone rather successfully, Ali had managed to gather her work for the week and begun working through it quietly on her own, so far only speaking to her teachers.

She wandered tentatively into the cafeteria, looking round at all the fenced off sections, she figured it was an attempt at lowering the potential for fights. Catching a glimpse of the food being served Ali decided against eating, instead she made her way out the cafeteria and towards the direction of the library. The next couple of days Ali managed to stay under the radar, spending her lunchtimes in the library studying and keeping her headphones in at all times. Gym class was easy to graze through, she changed out of her usual jeans and t-shirt into a pair of skimpy shorts and an old polo shirt in the girls changing room, which was empty except from the occasional group of JJ junky girls, and headed towards the small unloved track. After running laps for an hour she would have a quick shower before throwing her clothes back on and heading out. 

It was now over a week in and she had allowed herself to talk to a small group of kids that weren’t part of either of the gangs, instead grouping together for safety in numbers. Ali was sat in the cafeteria talking to her new friends about her obsessive need to constantly have her headphones in, laughing at there jokes about her accent. They began teasing her about how she would dance to herself during lesson whenever a good song came on.

“Yeah but I’ll bet you won’t dance on the table, 10 bucks says you’re too chicken.” One of the girls teased placing her bet on the table. Ali smirked, she wasn’t afraid to express herself, despite how she came across, she took the money before choosing her favourite song ‘Hey Mario’ and climbing onto the table. Singing along as the tunes played in her ears and dancing happily to the words. She was aware of the hundreds of pairs of eyes that had suddenly locked onto her sudden display but she ignored them and continued to dance until the song was over, bowing dramatically before climbing down and settling back in her seat. She glanced around the room and caught the tall dark haired boy she had seen on her first day staring at her, she watched curiously for a second when he caught her glance and locked eyes with her. She felt her stomach tie up in uneasy knots. He had been watching her for days now and had been watching her before her little performance. 

“He’s been checking you out for a while now Ali,” The ginger haired girl that had placed the Bet earlier commented. “He’s the top man for the serpents, scary kid too. Don’t think he knows what fear feels like.” Ali pulled her eyes back to her new friend, breaking eye contact with this dark and mysterious gangster making him smirk. 

“That’s not terrifying at all, every one is afraid of something.” Ali replied, glancing back one last time, there was something about him that Ali couldn’t help but want to know more. 

“Careful Ali, he goes through girls like fat kid does cake!” Her friend warned again, Ali smiled up at her green eyed friend picking up her sketch book.

“Come on Cas, You’re my model for the day and I want to get a good spot before the hooligans join us.” Ali grinned as the pair got to their feet, heading towards their art class.  They were just leaving the cafeteria when a tall, sickly looking boy grabbed Ali by the wrist pulling her to his side, Cas frozen in fear by the door.

“Well, if it isn’t the cute little English newbie, where’s the rush? come sit, join us hear for a bit...” The boy teased with a wicked grin pulling her close to his side. Ali smiled politely, pulling her limbs away from the creepy Ghoulie leaning on the table to face them all.

“With all do respect guys if I do decide to join a gang, it’s not going to be with some one who wears the logo of an angry shoe lace on their backs,” Ali gestured to the serpents still smiling sweetly to the group, “Or circus rejects such as yourselves. But thank you for the invitation it was very sweet.” She straightened up, giving the group an apologetic wave before heading off to save Cas from the panic attack she was about to have.

“Are you insane?” Cas hissed as they entered the art room, “That was the single most badass thing you could’ve done and also the dumbest. Your going to have both gangs on your back now!” Ali shrugged, setting up her canvas and pencils.

“Stop worrying and sit still, this has to be good for my portfolio.” She chirped, Cas sat cross legged on a table in front of her. “I’m sure they’ll get bored eventually, They don’t heckle you guys any more.” 

“Yes they do Ali, that's why we stick together, they only bother us when we’re on our own but they will always be recruiting.” Cas informed her oblivious friend. The door flew open as she finished and the group of Ghoulies Ali had spoken to earlier strolled arrogantly in. 

“You want to paint me next baby?” The creep from earlier sneered, sitting close to Cas and posing dramatically.

“Please let my friend go and leave us be.” Ali asked sweetly, trying to keep her relaxed and polite composure, but the Ghoulie ignored her request wrapping an arm around Cas’s waist. “Listen sweetheart, I really need you to let go of my friend, if you refuse I’ll be forced to cut your arm off with my scalpel and that could get very messy, since, I have no medical expertise.” She gave him a worried look picking up the scalpel from her sketch set.

“You threatening me baby?” He stood leaving Cas and making his way over to Ali, who was still the perfect embodiment of cool and collected. 

“Please don’t call me baby, I have mastered the art of walking and talking and not only can I use my cutlery without the need of assist but I am also very skilled in using chopsticks, all of which a baby would fail to do.” Ali informed him, her English accent growing thick with every word. “Now if you don't mind, I have a portfolio to finish and should you carry on, mugshots to draw up. I don’t think the sheriff is going to be too pleased to hear that his favourite sketch artist is being threatened, so if you please, the door is to your left.” Ali smiled politely, guiding her unwanted friends to the door, the groups faces dropped when she mentioned the Sheriff and left quietly, however Ali feared she had just jabbed the metaphorical Lion.

“Wait you know the Sheriff?” Cas asked scratching her head in confusion.

“Nope, never met him but they don't know that.” Ali laughed getting back to her canvas.

Ali was on her way home when she noticed a job advertisement in the window of a bar named the ‘Whyte Wyrm’, she knew they could use the extra cash so decided to go in and apply. She pushed open the heavy door and was greeted by a bar full of snake branded leather jackets, gulping hard she took a step inside and made her way calmly towards the barman who was stood talking to an older man with long combed back hair and a well grown beard. Ali stood politely by the bar waiting for them to finish their conversation, but they had soon fallen silent and were now staring at her in disbelief at the strange girl beside them.

“Hi I’m really sorry to interrupt but I noticed the job advertisement outside and I was hoping to apply. I’ve worked in a pub before, clearing tables, taking orders and making cocktails. I am still in school but I can work after school, on the weekends and of course full time during the holidays. if your worried about me listening to things I ought not too, I am more than happy to work with my headphones in and avoid all forms of social interaction, but I really need this job.” She introduced using her sweetest smile and best puppy dog eyes. “Please, I promise I won’t cause any trouble.” she gave her best innocent smile. The tall man stood next to her smiled, reaching out his hand for her to shake.

“What’s your name kid?” The man asked, giving her an impressed look.

“Oh right, Ali, my names Ali, I should’ve led with that.” She laughed nervously, shaking the guys hand and turning to the man behind the bar to shake his hand too.

“Well Ali, I’m Tall Boy and this here is Hog Eye, he runs the bar.” Tall boy smiled, “You’ve got gumption kid I’ll give you that, you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into?” he asked gesturing to the crowd of branded gang members.

“I believe I’ve just applied for a job as a waitress in what appears to be the main hub for a group of people sporting logos of angry shoelaces and going by the name of Serpents. Correct me if I'm wrong.” Ali gave a friendly laugh, combing her hand nervously through her long hair, Hog Eye and Tall Boy laughed at her honest answer.

“Close kid, maybe keep the angry shoelace comment to yourself though yeah. Take it you’re not scared of snakes then.” Hog Eye chuckled leaning on the bar.

“I’ll bare that in mind thank you and as for snakes, I see no reason to be afraid of something that can be defeated by tying it in a knot, besides they are too cute to be scary. If you were called the spiders however, I would be moving country and praying you didn't find me. Too many legs.” Ali gave a disgusted shiver at the thought. Tall boy and Hog Eye laughed at her response, giving each other a quick nod before Hog Eye handed her a short black apron. 

“You can start tomorrow I take it? 5- 9pm see how you manage that for a bit, I’ll give you time to adjust before piling on the Hours.” Hog Eye smiled giving her a friendly nod, Ali smiled accepting the apron.

“Thank you so much, you won’t regret it.” She thanked Hog Eye before heading towards the door.

“Oh and Kid, you may want to rethink your choice in clothing, try to blend in a bit.” Tall Boy called, she raised her thumb to acknowledge his advice before disappearing out the door.

“Hey mum, you’ll never guess what I got today!” Ali called throwing her shoes on the shoe rack by the door and dumping her school bag on the kitchen table.

“A boyfriend?!” Her mum guessed, standing up from looking wishfully into the oven at the lasagne she had just finished putting together. Ali raised her eyebrows giving her mum a stern glare before giggling.

“Try less optimism and more reality.” Ali joked pouring her and her mum a large glass of orange juice each.

“Ok, soo... a job?” her mum guessed, looking at her daughters proud face.

“Yep, working in a bar called the Whyte Wyrm. the spelling bugs me but it was the only place close by that was advertising. I start tomorrow at 5.” Ali reported taking a large sip of her drink. Her mums face dropped and Ali could’ve sworn her pale blonde hair turned a shade greyer. 

“That’s serpent central Ali, I hope you know what you’re doing. I’ve heard an awful lot of stories about those guys, If I think its getting out of hand you’re leaving immediately understand.” Her mum stressed giving her a worried stare, Ali smiled placing a comforting hand on her mums shoulder. 

“It’s ok mum, Hog Eye said that I can work with my headphones in and I don’t have to talk to any one besides him and Tall Boy.” Ali soothed sitting at the table and starting on her homework. Her mum shook her head at the ridiculous names these serpents gave themselves but she put her trust in the fact that Ali knew how to handle herself and usually survived throwing herself into situations like this.

“Ok if you say its safe I believe you. So what homework are we doing tonight?” Her mum asked sitting beside Ali to look at the text book she was now pouring over. Ali loved doing her homework with her mum, she made everything seem so simple and she had yet to come across something her mum didn't know.

Masterlist

[prettylittlesestras]

these are what they call hard feelings

“Ouch!” Beca yells as she’s jolted awake from a dead sleep by a magazine flying from across the room and landing on her face. She removes it and sits it down slowly on her nightstand without even opening her eyes, fighting the urge to launch it back where it came from. She rolls over and opens her eyes to see Amy frantically searching for something she must’ve lost in their mess of a room, tossing things from one side of the room to the other, and leaving a path of clothes, schoolwork, and empty Chinese takeout boxes all over the room like the aftermath of some sort of bedroom tornado.

“What the hell, Amy?” Beca is (justifiably) annoyed about being woken up by a flying book at ‘much-too-early o’clock’ on a Saturday morning. “What did you even lose, and do you really think throwing all of this crap from one place to another is going to help you find it?”

“I signed up to retake my stupid history midterm today, and I can’t find my notebook to take with me. I don’t know why they expect an Australian to learn American history, anyway. It’s ridiculous, really,” Amy mutters without looking up or stopping on her path of destruction.

Beca walks over to Amy’s desk and slides a heap of clothes off to the side to reveal the slender red notebook that had been ever-so-slightly poking out from the side of the pile. She throws it at Amy and hits her square on the back of the head, but the other girl doesn’t seem to mind. She runs the few steps over to Beca and squeezes her so hard that Beca’s seriously afraid her eyes might pop out of their sockets.

“Thanks, Mitchell, you’re a life saver,” Amy all but yells as she runs from the room and bounds down the stairs and out the door. Beca feels her stomach growl, so instead of trying to comprehend all that just happened in the first three and a half minutes of being awake, she heads downstairs to grab some breakfast. As she descends the staircase, she hears the other girls’ loud chatter in the kitchen, and she knows she’s in for a heck of a day if they’re this rowdy before 9am. She takes a deep breathe and blows it out slowly, readying herself for the copious amounts of human interaction she’s about to have to deal with.

As she enters the kitchen, she’s greeted with the sight of Chloe flipping pancakes on the griddle, Stacie taking a tray of bacon out of the oven, and Emily scrambling a pan of eggs over the stove. She’s surprised to see just the three other girls in the house considering the volume of the discussion she heard from the top of the stairs.

She sits down at the counter in her usual spot and notices the steaming mug (her favorite mug) full of coffee in front of her. She takes a long sip from the cup, careful not to burn herself, but eager to get the coffee into her system. Even after only one sip, she can feel the warm, caffeine-filled drink traveling through her body. Beca always compares the first sip of coffee in the morning to someone injecting liquid sunshine into her veins; it’s makes everything a little hotter, a little brighter, and just better in general.

She knows Chloe must’ve heard her coming down the stairs and filled her cup before her feet even touched the kitchen tiles, and for that she is eternally grateful. She’s also grateful for the fact that the girls are busy tending to the breakfast, unable to make conversation with Beca before she’s fully awake. Beca looks up to thank Chloe, but Chloe’s knowing eyes are already staring back at her. Their eye contact breaks when Chloe’s phone starts ringing in the living room. As she’s darting into the other room, she yells back, “don’t let my pancakes burn, Becs!”

Beca vacates her seat at the bar to stand behind the griddle. She’s never been much of a chef, but she doesn’t think preventing a pancake from burning should be all too difficult. As usual, she was wrong. When she starts to smell an acrid, burning smell emanating from the griddle, she flips the pancakes to find them burnt to a crisp. She decides to chuck them into the trashcan and ladle on some fresh batter before Chloe can notice.

Chloe returns and with her come those knowing eyes, not believing Beca’s tricks even for a moment. “Look, Becs. All you have to do is wait until you see those little bubbles in the batter,” she instructs as she steps up behind Beca and places her hand around the hand that Beca is using to grasp the spatula and guides the spatula under the pancake, tossing it into the air and letting it fall back onto the griddle, “and then flip.”

She releases Beca’s hand and walks away with a smug look on her face but not before giving her a firm, playful smack on her butt, blushing Beca’s cheeks instantly. She has to take a few deep breaths to calm herself but for a different reason than this morning. This time it’s because of some weird feeling that seems to have risen up into the pit of her stomach. Had she had the guts to call it what she knew it was, she would have called it a butterfly, but for now, it seems more like some kind of annoying little moth. At least that’s what she tells herself as she breathes deeply, in and out, trying to make whatever its go away.

After breakfast, Beca heads up to her room to work on a new mix for the Bellas. The only way she ever learned how to cope with the things she was struggling with growing up was to throw on a pair of headphones and drown out the world, and it seemed to work before, so why start trying something different now? She falls into her desk chair with a thud, begging for something to take her mind off of Chloe. She starts the music and lets her brain drift into auto-pilot, her fingers so familiar with the keys that she could mix in her sleep.

There’s always been something about Chloe. Something different. Beca’s always explained it away as her having a strong admiration for her best friend. She’s kind and strong and empathetic and beautiful and has the voice of an angel, but whatever. Anyone could see those things, and it would be dumb, stupid even, to not take note of them and admire them.

Sure, maybe she things did end with Jesse because she would rather hang out with Chloe than him, but that has more to do with what she realized were her lack of feelings for Jesse, not any sort of feelings for Chloe. And sure, maybe Chloe does flirt with her sometimes, and maybe it does give her the same sort of feeling she used to get in the beginning with Jesse. The same feeling she felt this morning. But Chloe could flirt with a rock wall and make it blush, and, after all, it still doesn’t mean anything.

When her mind snaps back into reality, she listens to what she’s mixed so far and deletes it without hesitation, the confused and panicked state of her brain not lending itself to free-flowing creativity. She decides to take a midday nap, sleep being the only truly effective way to turn her brain off. She climbs into bed and drifts off to sleep rather quickly, for the first time relieved that Amy woke her up unnecessarily early.

For the second time in one day, Beca is jolted from her sleep, awoken by another unidentified flying object hitting her in the face. It doesn’t take long to identify what the object is, one of Beca’s favorite shirts. But it isn’t Amy who woke her up this time, it’s Chloe.

“Wake up, sleepy head. I can’t host a party full of a capella nerds without my co-captain.” Chloe rummages through Beca’s closet until she finds a pair of black leather pants, rips them from their hanger, and throws those at her as well. Only when Beca starts to protest the flying clothes does she get a good look at Chloe. She’s wearing a blue flowing blouse and a tight black skirt. Whatever words were on their way out of Beca’s mouth fall to the floor (along with her jaw). She thinks she may have never seen someone so beautiful in her life. Actually, she feels her brain headed in that direction, so she stands, grabs her clothes, mumbles something incomprehensible, and heads to the bathroom, hoping her thoughts will vanish if she’s not looking at Chloe. They don’t. But she does compose herself enough to go back into her room, grab her shoes, and arrive downstairs just in time to see the first of the Trebles arriving.

The party goes on like a typical college party (with slightly more singing), and Beca is feeling a strong buzz when someone suggests playing truth or dare. Not being the kind of person who enjoys revealing personal details about herself to others, Beca would usually forego the game, but tonight she decides to participate. The Bellas and the Trebles gather around in a circle, some people on the couches and chairs, and others taking a seat on the floor. Most of the dares are pretty harmless. Someone dares Jessica to shotgun a beer, and she does so (surprisingly) with ease. Jesse dares Amy to drunk dial Bumper, and laughter takes over the room when she calls his cell phone and his mom answers. Things don’t take a turn for the serious until it’s Stacie’s turn.

“Okay, Becs, truth or dare?” Stacie asks with a sneaky smile.

Still not wanting to reveal any major truth about herself, Beca chooses ‘dare’.

“Okay. I dare you to kiss Chloe.” Stacie looks proud of herself for her dare, and Beca sets a mental reminder to punish her for this later. When Beca turns to Chloe who’s been sitting beside her the entire time, she raises her eyebrows and shrugs as if to say ‘I’m cool with this if you are.’

Beca leans in to kiss Chloe, and if it had been anyone else, it would have been a peck on the lips that she laughed about and never thought about again. But not this time. Their lips couldn’t have been in contact for more than one second, but sparks shoot through Beca’s lips like a shock of electricity. She can feel her cheeks turn red, and she’s embarrassed. She's embarrassed because everyone else in the house is staring at her and Chloe, hooping and hollering. She’s also embarrassed that that little kiss felt like no other kiss she’d ever experienced. Like electricity. Like pure energy. Like she wanted to do it again.

The game dies out after a few more rounds, and Beca is grateful for an escape. She heads to the kitchen and takes a shot of whiskey and then heads upstairs to her room with a beer. She opens her window and sits in the window sill to drink her beer, hoping that the cool air would help her cool off and the beer would help her forget. Neither is working, and with the shot of whiskey having pushed her further into tipsiness, Beca shuffles to her bed to sit down. She grabs her phone when she feels it buzz in her pocket.

Beale (12:33am): Where’d you run off to? I haven’t seen you in a while

Beca thinks about not responding, but the whiskey has other thoughts.

Beca (12:34am): jsut needed to cool off and get a break from the party. ill be down in a few

Beca hopes Chloe will forget about her and enjoy the party. She knows she can’t be around her right now. Not after one too many drinks. Not after that kiss. She won’t let herself do something stupid. Not after all this time of being careful to hide her feelings.

Beca chugs the rest of her beer and lies back onto her bed. She fishes her phone back out of her pocket and stares at the screen, her fingers moving without the consent of her brain.

Beca (12:41am): its liek even when im drunk i cant stop thinking about you

Beca has flashes of clarity, and she tells herself to stop, wills her fingers to halt, but ‘Drunk Beca’ takes over and sends the text anyway. Chloe responds surprisingly fast.

Beale (12:41am): I can't stop thinking about the kiss

‘Drunk Beca’ has a mind of her own, and no matter how hard and for how long Beca has tried to keep her feelings at bay, nothing seems to matter in this moment. The alcohol gives her enough confidence to send the riskiest text she’s ever sent, one that could reshape her relationship with her best friend in one of two ways: the way that Beca might actually possibly have wanted it to be all this time, the way that would fulfill those little thoughts and fantasies that she’s never let herself admit that she’s had about Chloe since that day at the activities fair, or the way that ends their friendship. The way that turns everything she’s ever had with her best friend upside down and sends their friendship to a screeching halt. But she doesn’t have the clarity to weigh the options, typing the text and sending it without hesitation.

Beca (12:42am): what if I found you and kissed ypu for real this time?

Beca gets up from her bed and heads toward her door, not waiting for Chloe’s response. She’s not drunk enough to not be scared of things going south after Chloe sees the text, so her first instinct is to flee the scene, but her brain stops when she opens the door.

As she flings the door open, she sees Chloe standing on the other side. Chloe rushes into the room, pushing the door closed with her foot as she grabs both sides of Beca’s face with her hands, their lips being drawn together like magnets. Their lips touch, and the electricity is back, shooting through Beca like lightning in a thunderstorm, starting at her lips and streaking its way through her body to the tips of her toes. They fall back onto the bed, their lips never losing contact. When they both need a break, their chests heaving from lack of oxygen, they lay there together. Not talking, not needing an explanation just yet. Just happy. They both drift off to sleep accidentally, and when Beca wakes up the next morning, she’s not scared. For the first time in what feels like forever, she feels lighter. Free. She looks over and sees Chloe still sleeping beside her and thinks maybe, just maybe, she could get used to this.

[coeurdastronaute]

Essays in Existentialism: Kiwi 2

previously on Kiwi

I know you play guitar, but if I were a drum, I’d let you bang me all night.

Lexa smiled to herself as she read the message. It was cute and it was really funny, though she wasn’t sure what it might mean, or if it was just a laugh for the stranger on the other end. Once more, to reacquaint herself, she looked through the pictures of the blonde with the terrible pick up line. Morning was there, and she didn’t mind it because she didn’t leave the bed. She had time to peruse someone’s manufactured self.

The first, the stranger was blowing a kiss at the camera, all squinted and adorable, with a kind of sultriness to her. She was all blonde hair and a square face. The next she was muddy from a marathon, smiling so wide her cheeks were tugging at her eyes, as she held a medal up, surrounded by a group of people dressed in a similar fashion. The last, she was at a bar and pouring shots, giving the camera a nice little wink.

All that Lexa could tell was that she was pure trouble, but by far the most interesting person she came across in her meandering around the app. No one gave her a good pick up line and looked like that in a sports bra. She should have deleted the app. Her sister would have told her to do that. Her manager would have told her to do that. But Lexa had a self-destructive streak that she often forgot she didn’t have full control of just yet.  

The radio thing was over, and so she should have turned off the app, or deleted it completely-- she knew that. Today, she had a full day of rehearsals and meetings. She didn’t have to respond to the wild child of a girl. The message came at three in the morning, and Lexa assumed it was with the help of a drink or two.

But she sure as hell did. Lexa had addictions. She had plenty of them. One of them was pretty girls who looked like they’d leave her with a hangover in her heart. And since she wasn’t allowed to partake of her other proclivities, she sure as hell messaged back.

I do play guitar, and I’d sure like to strum your g-string.

It was short, it was flirty, it was terrible and hopefully funny enough. Lexa was oddly rusty with the entirety of the whole thing. She was an amateur at online flirting and bad pick up lines, but it felt right. But as soon as she sent it, she felt the tinge of embarrassment that would follow her for possibly the rest of her life if no one answered.

With a sigh, Lexa finally opened her curtains and greeted the day.

“Strum your g-string,” Clarke read with a squint as she chuckled to herself.

The light of the day was squarely in the sky, and she was still tired and oddly smelling like stale beer despite her best efforts. Her bartender hours didn’t mesh so well with her passion projects, but still, she woke herself up around noon.

For some reason, before bed, she remembered perusing the stranger’s profile again, attempting to determine who would use such a terrible choice as a catfish. Clearly everyone would know Lexa Woods. Clearly, everyone would know it was not her. There certainly was just no possible way that she was flirting with that Lexa Woods.

Fresh out of those, but if you want, you can tickle my ivories anytime, girl.

Satisfied with herself, she smiled and let her phone fall to her chest as she dug the heel of her palm into her eyes and tried to find some kind of energy to confront the waiting day. Her upstairs neighbor was already vacuuming. Her downstairs neighbor was already listening to the news at an obscene volume. In reality, she’d never sleep again, she decided. But she could afford the shit hole on the fourth floor, and that was where she remained. Debt-free and comfortable enough, which was somewhat of a leg up on some of her former classmates who were neck deep in debt and brunching away the pain.

I have been known to finger more than a guitar. I’m Lexa, by the way.

To her credit, Clarke wasn’t sure why she found herself answering a fraud. Maybe it was stupid optimism. Maybe it was boredom. Maybe it was sleep deprivation. Maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t come close to getting laid in too long to admit. Either way, she thought it was a nice distraction from the tedium of her internship.

She thought over her response, carefully calculating it as she slid on old jeans and a shirt, brushed her teeth, grabbed her bag, and emerged into the world on her way to the studio. In just under ten minutes, she was rushing through the door and out into life, no time for much thought towards living.

It was getting complicated now that it wasn’t just pick up lines.

You’re Lexa Woods, and I’m Gwyneth Paltrow.

She didn’t mean to do it, but as she climbed down to her subway, Clarke slipped in her headphones and found herself playing a familiar song that dominated the radio recently-- one that she couldn’t escape, and oddly enough didn’t want to just yet. She hummed along and tucked into the book she borrowed from her neighbor as she slushed her way across town.

The internship was an accident, one that she still wasn’t certain how she got, though she was not looking any horses in the mouth. All she did was run around and get coffees for her boss, but sometimes, she got to watch him work, and that was more than enough. He also critiqued her work, from time to time. It was mostly negative, but she was still finding herself, he promised. She snorted at how real it was.

I’ve met her, and you look nothing like Gwyn. Though, I suppose your pictures could be a rouse to seduce a silly singer such as myself.

Clarke mulled as she handed out coffees. Her boss stole all of her attention as they began to pack up for a photoshoot at the park. She didn’t think about the stranger for at least fifteen minutes. Of course, she couldn’t really stop.

And Lexa Woods is really on Tinder. You didn’t steal those pictures?

“Tell me what lens you would use,” her boss interrupted. She shoved her phone into her pocket.

Clarke didn’t stop moving. She missed her friend’s texts about plans for that night. She tossed herself into her passion, excited to just be there, to soak up what she could, even half-exhausted from her long night at work and the night in front of her. For just a bit, she was eager to learn and become better.

She is, and she’s chatting you up. How am I doing so far? Should I tell you that I find you gorgeous or funny, first?

Once again, Clarke found herself putting headphones into her ear as she traversed the city toward job number three. She closed her eyes for a moment and let the chill of the window and the rocking of the cars rock her softly. This was sometimes all she got for a few days. She listened more intently than ever before to the words that came out over the thick guitar. For some reason, she almost believed she could hear something different in the voice.

You always start with gorgeous. Didn’t they teach you anything in rockstar school?

What if. What if, Clarke asked herself.

I don’t know if I’d call myself a rockstar. Just a musician is fine. What is it you do, gorgeous girl?

I’ll tell you about me when you prove your not a weird, middle-aged man.

That felt like enough of a challenge. Proud of herself, Clarke climbed the steps and emerged in the city, now without sunshine and effectively night. With a glance at her watch, she set off a little quicker toward the bar.

“Well, it was fun while it lasted,” Lexa sighed as she tossed her phone to the side and toyed with her guitar a little more.

All was quiet in her living room as she sat on the floor and tapped her pen against the notebook beside her. The only reason she had furniture was because her sister made her. She was more comfortable on the floor. She felt less distracted when she was uncomfortable.

But her sister got her way, and the apartment had furniture. It had a nice long sofa, which was Lexa’s only stipulation-- she had to fit on it. The kitchen was fully stocked and decked out in all manner of gadgets, though she stuck with avoiding an open flame to cook. There was art on the walls, somewhat. Mostly gig posters and pieces that the decorator swore were expensive. It wasn’t huge or grand or even luxurious, at least not comparably, but it was starting to feel like home, and as a creature of habit, Lexa was almost sad to leave it. She kept it spartan and simple because that helped keep her mind focused.

Unfortunately, that also meant she had nothing else to think about beside the girl on her phone. There was half a song she’d been toying with half-heartedly, but that wasn’t nearly as interesting, nor did it look half as good in a low-cut shirt.

She didn’t want to prove who she was to the stranger. She kind of liked the snark that came with thinking she was just someone else on the internet. It didn’t stop her though. With a stupid face, she snapped a picture and sent it.

Would you like one with a newspaper and the date as well?

It hadn’t been quick responses, and so she didn’t expect the noise on her phone so quickly, though she practically jumped at the chance to see the reply. For the entire day, she felt herself glancing more toward her phone than normal. Often, she forgot it or handed it off to Indra. She liked being present in the moment, and she liked proving that she was a hard worker, now. But for some reason, she was eager to check between every interview and during every spare moment. But that was fine. It was strictly because she hadn’t had sex in two months and she was a masochist.

Well fuck me. I just used terrible and gross pick up lines on Lexa Woods. If you need me, I’ll just be digging a hole to crawl into.

Lexa chuckled at the reply and did a little shimmy of victory, though for what, she wasn’t entirely sure just yet.

To be fair, mine were worse. It’s nice to meet you Clarke. I’m heading out of town for a bit, and I think I’m going to delete this app, but if you want to chat, here’s my number.

‘Heading out of town for a bit’ meant a small Australian tour.

Clarke stared at her phone as she scrolled through the Twitter feed, the most recent update a picture of a small suitcase and a guitar by a large door in what must be the singer’s apartment. It was captioned ‘homeward bound in a few hours.’

She alternated between googling the singer and trying to figure out if it was really her, and not a picture from somewhere that she missed, and the blank message with a rock stars phone number. As soon as the picture came through though, she knew she wouldn’t find it anywhere else-- it was her.

There was a video she watched of a live performance and swallowed. There couldn’t have been anymore more beautiful than Lexa with the guitar and the rolled up sleeves and the messy hair and the long necklace and the tattoo peaking out on her bicep and the way she closed her eyes and sang.

Clarke clicked around and saw more pictures, saw more stories. She never thought to think about Lexa Woods. She just knew her in general. Now she felt like a super stalker.

Her heart went a little numb though, when the next video to play was from a few days before at a local radio station where Lexa, sure enough, was on Tinder, fielding random girls with limited to no success. So she was on the app. That didn’t mean she was talking to Lexa Woods though.

If you’re Lexa Woods, post a picture on Twitter of you, with the name of your favorite president written on your hand, and a backwards hat, with your left eye closed.

Satisfied with it, she texted the stranger and went back to scrolling in the wee hours of her after-work haze. There was no real reason that a superstar would be messaging her, or keep messaging her. It didn’t make sense at all. It wasn’t what Clarke needed.

What she did need, however, was sleep. She needed to focus on her life and the internship that was running her ragged, combined with her own small photography business of stupid wedding pictures and, on her off days, bands and artists, coupled with two bartending jobs to pay the rent. Clarke could barely breathe, and she didn’t have time for a gross, elderly dude pretending to be someone else.

I’m currently somewhere over the Atlantic. Wasn’t I charming enough for you to believe me?

Clarke snorted.

They were pretty impressive lines.

How do I know you’re really the beautiful girl from the pictures?

She hadn’t expected that part. But Clarke couldn’t expect for her to prove it, and not herself. It all made sense, and so she snapped a picture. Actually, she snapped twelve, before deciding on one.

Wow. Yeah, you’re gorgeous. This is a problem.

You’re up next, hot stuff.

Can’t we just get to know each other?

I’ll keep it cool, but there’s no way I can take you seriously if I’m not sure who you are.

Dammit.

There was a kind of dread and hope that  happened at the same time. Clarke opened up Twitter on her phone and tugged down, refreshing it repeatedly. The more minutes that ticked by, the more convinced that she’d never hear from that number again. She hadn’t realized she’d hoped for it though.

About twenty minutes later, her phone buzzed, though she’d long since fallen asleep. Not even the vibration made her aware that things were happening.

There you go, princess.

Hi. I’m Clarke.

Lexa smiled to herself as she read the message when she woke. Something about being back home, and two oceans away from the stranger was oddly comforting. She didn’t mind the travel, and she certainly didn’t mind tugging herself away from the temptation.

Do you feel weird now, knowing it’s really me?

Her clock said it was just after ten, but she felt as if she’d been awake for years. Though she did nap on and off during the flight, something about waiting for a response kept her from an easy rest that normally came when she travelled. Hell, Lexa considered herself an expert on sleeping anywhere, anytime.

When she opened the curtains of her room, she saw Sydney in all of its sunshine and glory. It’d be hot and miserable out there, and she was ready for it. A year ago she wouldn’t have been excited to go running, but now she craved the hurt that came with it. It was a new addiction.

It definitely changes things a little. But who wouldn’t dream of being chatted up by you?

I should warn you-- I’m much better at this in person.

“Hey, Lex,” a knock at her door wiped away the smile and the apparent pacing she was doing, unable to keep still. “We’re going to grab some breakfast, want to come?”

“I’m going for a run,” she smiled as she opened the door. “Isn’t it just a great day?”

“Should I be worried?” Anya furrowed, balancing the baby on her hip. “You’re in a really good mood.”

“We’re home. I’m high on life. I’m about to go for a run, and then I’ll meet you for breakfast, okay?”

“You’re going to crash. You barely slept on the plane.”

I might hold you to that when you get back ;)

“I’ll be fine,” she shrugged and tugged on an old shirt and shoving her phone in a pocket. “I’m going to meet Gus downstairs.”

With a kiss of her nephew’s cheek and one for her sister, she made her way down the hall and toward her bodyguard in the lobby who got her into running.

I really hope you do.

Lexa was home and flirting with a girl on purpose, of her own volition, and not because it was expected or required. It was about making her own decisions, and ever since everything that her past few years were, she felt ridiculously good about such a simple decision.

Consider it a date then.

Should we get the first date questions out of the way then?

Clarke stopped right on the stairs as she climbed out from her subway ride. Done with her internship and on her way to a gig taking some pictures, she shivered slightly as the cold came down in a whipping wind from the street. People pushed past her and just two days ago she was a perfectly normal member of society.

With a shake of her head she made her way out into the world, adjusting the strap on her shoulder, the heavy bag carrying the precious camera supplies she’d saved and scraped everything she ever made, to own.

For a solid three hours, she was able to forget that there was a grammy-winner waiting for a reply.

Then what would we do on the first date?

There weren’t many nights that Clarke found herself without work. Her schedule was tight and she liked it like that. Kept her busy, kept her focused, kept her out of too much trouble, or at least the kind that she didn’t choose. She definitely chose a lot of it.

“I need to talk to you,” Clarke said as she reached over the bar and poured herself a drink, not bothering to wait for her best friend. “It’s urgent.”

“Everything okay?” Raven furrowed and watched the weird behavior.

There wasn’t enough time to answer and drink, so Clarke took a shot and let out a shaky breath. For some reason, she’d been holding it in like a secret, and it was too much. She couldn’t handle it. She wasn’t as cool or calm or collected as she originally intended.

After pouring herself another one, she locked eyes with her best friend and waited for the words to come, her jaw set tight and firm while she gripped the glass tightly.

“I’m currently flirting with Lexa Woods. Yes, that Lexa Woods. She has my phone number and we’ve been flirting, and she’s charming and hot and I am this close,” Clarke explained, holding up her fingers so that they were very close together, “From believing that this is something that could happen. That I get to hook up with the most gorgeous and talented girl on the planet. I need you to pinch me and break my phone, in that order.”

When she was done talking, Clarke tossed back the drink and hissed again, the liquor making its way deep into her belly, burning a hole right through her.

Despite the noise from the surrounding customers, despite the music playing and the day-to-day sounds of the bar, all she could hear was the thumping of the blood in her ears as the booze made her feel queasy. The booze and Lexa Woods.

“I need more of an explanation to go on than this,” Raven finally ventured, shaking her head. “I don’t think--”

“It’s her,” Clarke nodded, pulling out her phone and holding it up with the messages. “I made sure.”

She poured herself a generous drink once more while her friend leaned over the counter and read everything, her eyes growing wide when she got to the picture.

“What would we talk about on the first date,” Raven read, still amazed. “She answered, did you see it? Just your breakfast order. Damn. That’s good.”

“I am getting hit on by Lexa Woods,” Clarke repeated, pouring another. “Help me.”

To her credit, Raven looked back at the phone before taking the bottle away. She put the phone down in front of her friend, beside the glass of vodka and softened slightly. There was such a look of worry that she wasn’t sure how to convince Clarke that it was alright.

“Finn was a dick who cheated on you, left your bruised and fucked, and you need to get rid of him in your head. You have the chance to fuck Lexa Woods. What could make you forget someone else quicker?”

At first, she wanted to argue, but Clarke considered the words and snapped her mouth shut as she stared at her phone.

Promise me you won’t fall in love, or make me fall in love with you.

As soon as she sent it, she downed her drink and collapsed on the stool, letting her head toss back and forth in a wallowing and miserable state. Her friend just chuckled and patted her back as best she could from behind the bar.

I would never dream of it. You and me and absolutely no emotions. I get back the day after Christmas.

French toast and coffee with two creams and two sugars.

NEXT