#too 'urbanized' in its pallete | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kiliinstinct · 4 months

Text

The Forbidden Woods

A Genshin Impact Au Pairing: Aether/Xiao Urban Fantasy and Supernatural Romance Find on A03: [Here] Special Thanks to @genavere: My beta. Chapter 1: / Chapter 3:

---

Chapter 2: Golden Gaze

Someone was watching him.

The gaze was a subtle one that Aether hadn’t noticed at first. The kind of stare that builds over time until the pressure on the back of your neck became too distracting.

And this certainly distracted him.

The first few days in his family home were full of coughing and sneezing as he struggled to clear a space enough to consider his temporary bedroom. The rest of the home looked like an abandoned, haunted house that beckoned him to every shadow with promises of exploration and horrors. Dusty sheets covered old furniture, the remains of mice and other excrement could be found in every corner, and a musky, staleness filled the air.

In any other circumstance, this place could be seen as a bio weapon, unfit for the living, but he made do. Opening every window he could to air out the first floor, he struggled with the upstairs rooms to do the same. (Many locks had rusted over, making his hands itch and sore with the attempt to open them.) But once the layer of dust was out of the way, sunlight streamed inside, illuminating every room with a calming, natural light.

Amusingly, it brought to light just how his parents had left all those years ago. Ratty books, moth-eaten and dusty, still sat on the shelves and toys he had thought lost, were left on the floor as a frozen memory to their former games. Plaques and pictures still hung on the walls, reflecting those memories with the forever smiling faces of his family.

Just what had happened to make them leave in such a rush? Aether couldn’t recall, temple pounding as he struggled to remember anything beyond the car ride full of excited laughter as they crossed the border.

When he called his sister, Lumine, the first night to tell her of his jitters, she laughed and told him to not watch any horror movies while alone. Considering the lack of wifi, cable, and satellite access, it should have been an easy enough suggestion to follow.

But no one ever claimed he was wise. Well, he did, often enough, too. Who better to be his hype man than himself?

The data on his phone was more than enough to bring up a couple true crime videos in the dead of night while he lay in bed. (Which was more a glorified pallet of his own sleeping back and linens he’d brought with him.) Lumine’s early morning text calling him an idiot made him cackle through an exhausted yawn. It had come before he’d decided to admit his poor choice in entertainment, and the call out was enough to make the house feel just a little bit lighter. Unfortunately, the laughter turned to a string of sneezes from the dusty air.

That was then.

Three days of toil later, Aether questioned his life choices. Was it even worth cleaning the place up—the only interest in the land was a company hoping to use the acres for its warehouse. Gone would be the house, the untilled land waiting to be used again. And gone would be the memories he held dearly in the treasure trove of his mind, examining them with fond nostalgia when he had the time. The old fence, shed and forest boundary aligning the edges of the land would be replaced with industrial metal and merchandise, shipping in and out of the area.

He ignored the way this reality clutched at his heart and settled in his gut like a sickness.

The logical voice in his head claimed ‘no,’ but a louder part of him refused to acknowledge it.

Even before he’d agreed to pay the house one last visit, making Lumine wait to sign the papers, Aether had felt the urge to return. Whether it be the old, nostalgic dreams and memories that plagued his sleep or just a feeling in his heart he couldn’t explain, he couldn’t ignore it. And so, he put himself to work, cleaning every room with his hair tied back in a messy braid and a mask fitted over his face. (It didn’t work. He still coughed each time he unearthed a new pile of dust bunnies under the old, moth-eaten furniture.)

It was the evening of that third day when he first began to consider the feeling of being watched as something other than his ridiculous love of horror and true crime documentaries. Anytime he passed by a window, the entry doors, or just laid on his makeshift pallet to rest, his skin crawled. Ignoring the way goosebumps settled along his arms, Aether would shut the blinds to every window he crossed in a fit of paranoia and irritation.

The difference it made was zero. As if the presence could see through the old fabrics with relative ease. He had considered buying new ones before shoving the thought aside. He was just being ridiculous, he knew that.

When Lumine’s daily check in was answered with his worries, she held no sympathy for her twin, texting back her thoughts with humorous teasing.

‘Is it bigfoot? He saw your pretty hair and is planning to take you away, ooooh~’

‘This isn’t helping, Lumine.’

‘You’ll wake up in the midst of night, being carried off like a princess, curled up in the arms of the hairiest beast alive!’

Aether would not let her know just how easily she pulled a bark of laughter from him, replying petulantly, ‘I’m ignoring you, now.’

It would be minutes later, when he was already busying himself with more cleaning, that his phone dinged with her final remark:

‘Can’t wait to see your new boyfriend. :P Take lots of pictures for me!’

Instead, he took a shot of her stolen bunny slippers currently resting on his feet, and laughed when her ensuing outrage caused a cacophony of notifications to ring from his cell. Lumine: 0. Aether: 1.

Unfortunately, the feeling persisted.

The fourth day came and went. As did the fifth. When a full week had passed, the sensation became a companion to Aether’s every movement; one he was constantly aware of.

Lumine’s sense of humor persisted, ‘It’s the calm before Bigfoot comes for you.’

‘You’re seriously not funny…’

‘Maybe he’ll leave you a gift?’

‘I’m burning your slippers.’

‘NO!’

Aether: 2

Whatever was watching him seemed only interested in doing just that: watching. And with no visual proof of anyone on the grounds, Aether accepted it might be in his head.

Another thought came to mind, one whispering of the old tales enshrouding the perimeter of his backyard.

“These woods are the home of ancient spirits and demons,” he remembered hearing as a child. “They guard the land possessively, scaring away all visitors that mean it and its denizens harm. Those who don’t belong will find themselves lost in the accursed fog they create. Never cross the boundary, child, for those who do will never return.’

A silly tale, all things considered. He recalled the tale, written in a children’s book, but repeated by teachers and his parents alike. It was something aimed to keep children from wandering and getting lost in the woods, but he couldn’t get the story out of his mind.

In Aether and Lumine’s youth, they were fascinated by the stories and tested the limits by making their play location right along the boundary lines. He had the feeling they had even passed the lines once or twice, but the memories were too foggy to confirm. Like a dream that refused to fade away. Either way, there were no actual records of people disappearing, not in his lifetime, and he scoffed every time the thought crossed his mind. Considering his and his sister's penchant for exploration, he doubted the stories worked for any child with a healthy curiosity.

No, he had to accept the fact that maybe, just maybe, all those late night podcasts, being alone in the middle of nowhere, and an active imagination were helping the tales take form into something darker in the back of his mind. His paranoia grew a life of its own without anyone else around to help keep him grounded.

Not for the first time, he wished Lumine (or even his little sister, Paimon) had come with him. While the three had lived without their parents for the last two years, he had never, truly been alone. Not like this and it was fraying the edges of his sanity if he stood still long enough.

If Lumine knew he was regretting his want for being ‘independant’ and ‘capable,’ he’d never hear the end of it. So he urged his siblings to trust he was more than okay, and continued to bite down on the rising need to check over his shoulder every moment. He even considered taking Draff up on his offer for a night or two, just to get fresh air, but no…Stubborn pride kept him there. Soon enough, after the house looked, for the most part, liveable, if a bit dated.

When he finally took his attention to the exterior, dressed in a pair of overalls he’d pulled from storage (he wanted to look the part!) that were covered in dirt and grass strains coupled with one of his low-cut shirts and handkerchief for his hair, he noticed the state of the yard. Draff had done a good job in the upkeep throughout the years, visiting often enough to keep the weeds and overgrowth at bay.

From an outside perspective, one would almost think the yard and untilled farmland was still occupied, like a summer or winter home. That didn’t mean the yard didn't need work, however… Old pathstones were barely visible beneath the overgrown lawn and what was once a blossoming garden held no resemblance of the love their mom had poured into it. Gardening tools that had been forgotten in the moment sat against the wooden gate, rusted over, and brought a feeling of sorrow to Aether.

A part of him wanted to grasp the tools in hand and see what could be done with the old garden, to restore it to the vibrancy he remembered. But he wasn’t here for that, and stomped down those feelings. He’d clear away the old and leave it open for the new— whatever form that would be. And if possible, he’d just borrow some of Draff’s tools instead. The current ones looked close to falling apart if disturbed.

These were issues he could tend to later. With another two months left of his visit, Aether already knew what he wanted to do that day, and spending more time cleaning wasn’t one of them. At least, not when it came to the old house and its fields. He had a more childish aim. The old stone shrine near the edge of the woods: his and Lumine’s childhood haven.

The yard was large, covering a few acres and needing a riding mower to keep the grass at bay, but Aether enjoyed the walk. He kicked at sticks and pebbles that littered the old, almost non-existent pathways and enjoyed the treeline at the end of the path. It still held an air of mysticism for him; one born from the childhood fantasies he tailored in his youth. The trees had grown enough for their branches to bend over and out, stretching forth over the yard.

Between them, as the limbs swayed in the wind, a flash of familiar teal caught his attention. He squinted his eyes, breath catching in his throat as he caught sight of a bird, slightly larger than the one he remembered, but matching in colors. It kept watch on the branches, head tilted as it observed from above.

Recognition brought a burn to his eyes and a lump formed in his throat. “Did my old friend have kids?” he asked out loud, grinning wistfully. The fowl in question, ruffled its feathers and jumped to another branch, ignoring his query. Laughter bubbled up in Aether’s chest.

“Must have. You have the same temperament!”

Somehow, that thought brought him more joy than he’d felt in the last week. Relieved laughter bubbled in his chest as his shoulders shook with a rising happiness. Was this the source of his paranoia all along? Feeling this swell of emotion, he withdrew his phone to take a picture. Lumine would love an update on their old birdwatcher, he was sure of it!

But before his fingers could pull up the app, the bird had warbled an annoyed cry and took off towards the woods, careening Aether’s excitement down to the bits of his stomach, “Aww, you couldn’t stay for just two more seconds?”

He felt his shoulders drop, maybe he’d have another chance later. Instead of a picture, he sent a quick, ‘I think our bird friend had babies!’ to his sister and pocketed his phone once more. He’d check later for a reply.

Later would come much later, Aether realized. When he came upon the stone altar, he saw the state it was left in and gawked. Far messier than the rest of the yard. Draff hadn’t been asked to clean so close to the boundary fence due to his aversion to the woods and it showed.

“The Mistwatcher would prefer his boundaries respected,” Aether recalled over hearing the man say over the phone months after their departure. Despite the inconvenience, his parents didn’t fight over the local superstition and the altar paid for it.

Debris from storms and over growth littered the small clearing and the old stone seats he and Lumine had carefully dragged into the area were covered in moss and fungi poked out from the shadows. Old, dead leaves littered the ground, while dried vines and other plant life had reclaimed the area.

Aether had come to see it for the sake of nostalgia with no intention of making it what it once was, but the urge to fix what was lost swelled in his chest and he moved to clear off the altar without a second thought. They didn’t need seats, or the old blankets and streamers that had been left behind long ago. Even the old rope, tied to the nearest tree for swinging, could stay broken and festering on the ground, but the table itself…he couldn’t leave it as it was. That wasn’t right.

He thought, for one insane moment, that his old, childhood friend, unseen by anyone but himself, would be sad at the state of things. This had been his home, after all, made up in the minds of two kids who wanted to believe the world was more magic than not. And while he no longer believed in imaginary friends, he was determined to return things to the state they were before. It was an illogical, desperate pull at his fingers and mind that refused to loosen its hold on him.

He HAD to clean it off.

Pulling thick, leather gloves from his back pocket, he pulled them on and went to work, brushing off every bramble he could.

It was almost meditative. Each task a pattern. Tear off a vine here, brush dirt away there, move the debris off to the side. He fell into a rhythm, humming as he worked. It would take more time than he had in the day to complete, but he continued with a smile.

He began to zone out, body moving on autopilot while his mind drifted into the skies and all the thoughts in between. He wondered when Lumine would text him back, when she would have the next meeting with their prospective buyers, and just how much was being offered for the land. As much as he understood that the land was wasting away while they struggled to pay off the debts left to them in their parents' wake, Aether couldn't help but think no amount of money could truly equal the amount his childhood home was worth.

After all, it had been the most constant place in his life until they were spirited away to Sumeru City.

The thought made him laugh, snorting at himself as he refocused his attention. The top of the altar was clear now, but the decades of grime and moss would need something more. A hose, perhaps? I could bring one out from the shed, he thought. While rusted over, he recalled the tools left behind. All he would need was more time to unearth the old relics.

Perhaps they could be sold, too? He began to consider the logistics of a garage sale or donating to the local flea market. It was as good a train of thought as anything else and he considered the particulars as he worked. As the minutes passed, a pile of debris began to grow by the old oak tree while his mind continued to wander. The pile pulled a frown at his lips and displeasure began to color his mood. Did he really want to sell these items?

His train of thought was interrupted by a large gust of wind, picking up a torn vine as it blew back into the woods with a flurry of leaves. He watched it cross over the gate, but froze when he returned his attention back to the altar, eyes widening in surprise.

The bird was back. It bounced on tiny talons across the flat surface, picking bits and pieces of leftover twigs with its beak. Was it the season for building nests, Aether wondered, reaching for his phone for a quick search on bird behavior. But the question was moot as he watched the bird drop the twigs to the side, clearing the space as it went.

Aether blinked. Then blinked again. Its agile movements belied its apparent thick size, feathers ruffling any time it failed to fit something in its mouth. Any failure was quickly dealt with, however, as it renewed its hunt for what Aether left behind with vigor.

“...is,” Aether muttered breathlessly, voice so low he could barely hear himself in fear of chasing the fowl off, “is he helping me?”

The ball of feathers continued its task and Aether marveled at the intelligence behind its tiny eyes. Too afraid to ruin the moment, he stayed in place to watch silently while his fingers itched to record it on his phone. 'Lumine would find this so cute-'

His hand was already moving before he could reconsider it. With slow, mechanical movements, he readjusted his phone and smoothly swiped his thumb along the screen to his camera, eyes trained on the bird the entire time. He didn't glance at the screen, too afraid to break the magic.

So when he pressed what he hoped was the record button, the sudden flash that occurred not only surprised him but sent a jolt of panic through his veins. “No, no, no-!”

He fumbled the phone, quickly trying to change it, but dropped it to the leaves at his feet instead. Dazed by his own mess up, he noted in confusion a sudden pain on his head as he dove to retrieve it, but the pain persisted. It stabbed him again and again and again until he processed all events and recognized the sound of angry squawking just overhead.

When he stood back up, phone firmly in hand, his now angered bird friend stopped its constant attack to Aether's skull and dive bombed his fingers instead. Talons grasped his thumbs as the point of its sharp beak pecked away rapidly.

Aether couldn't help it when the phone fell again as he jerked his hand up to shake the bird off, shouting, “I'm sorry! Ow!“ He tried to grab the phone again, but the bird persisted, landing on the screen to peck at not just him but the phone itself. ”Hey, stop! I need that!“

A quick tussle followed as Aether cursed to the skies above and finally had to admit defeat. He couldn't count the amount of times he'd dropped his phone as the crazed bird continued its attack, far braver now than it had appeared an hour ago. After the umpteenth time of the device flying to the ground, Aether changed tactics and used the side of his foot to slide it across the yard instead—

Which ended in his shoes being attacked just as viciously. Any onlookers would find it a comical sight. (It relieved Aether to know that wouldn't be possible this far from the nearest town.) By the time he made it to the back door, he was feeling less apologetic, focusing on swiping the bird away in a last ditch effort to protect his phone.

”Shoo! Go Away!“ He said, once more sliding the phone further from the bird's manic grasp. The rush to save the device made him miss the change in terrain as the grass became scarce the closer to the porch they came. Giving the phone less friction to fight again, it grinded across loose dirt as his final push sent it sliding straight under the back porch.

Mouth agape, Aether wanted to scream in frustration. That was his only connection to the outside world. The thought of not calling Lumine, or hearing Paimon’s voice as they checked in on each other filled him with a boiling, desperate rage, but the Bird's relentless attack had switched targets. Landing on the bannister, it watched him with angry eyes, boxing itself up again with the fluffiest of feathers (a view Aether would have found adorable in any other circumstance). When he stepped forward, the bird trilled an angry warning and bounced on its feet back and forth, preparing another dive bomb.

Nope. He was done with this. “Augh, fine!” If he couldn't brave the dangers under his porch for his phone or enter through the backdoor then he'd simply retreat and come back when the risk was safer.

“Don't you have a nest to make? Or a female to attract?” He threw his arms up, tangling his fingers in his hair. “I...I can't believe a bird is this evil!”

Grumbling the entire way to his front door, Aether thought he felt the bird following him, or a faint laughter. The sound and sensation disappeared as soon as it had begun, and in retaliation he slammed the door behind him without a second thought. He'd be back for his phone, the world and that demonic bird be damned!

Though, after a quick examination of the shallow bites left by a surprisingly sharp beak that littered his arms and possibly his head, he sighed. He'd run back into the demon’s realm for his phone after he cleaned himself, he amended.

Thankfully, the adventure to retrieve his phone wasn't nearly so harrowing an experience as it had been to lose it. After disinfecting the tiny marks on his arm and checking his scalp (surprisingly undamaged, he noted.) a hot shower, and lunch to mollify his angry stomach, Aether decided it was time to try again. If anything, he needed to attempt before the sun went down and the need for dinner distracted him.

And he hoped—no, prayed to the very stars that the tiny menace had long lost interest and went off to do whatever birds did. Another thing he considered searching for out of inane curiosity, but how could he with his phone MIA?

As luck would have it, his once tentative friend now turned enemy was nowhere in sight. He almost let out a sigh of relief, but if the bird's nest was nearby, he couldn't sit on his laurels just yet. He'd have to be quick. And that's exactly what he did with arms wrapped in ace bandages and covered in a long sleeved sweater for extra protection. It was hot being bundled up like that in the afternoon heat. Ridiculously so, but he'd rather have some form of armor than nothing.

Aether was lucky that most things didn’t disturb or creep him out. When he finally crawled under the wooden deck with what little light his small keychain flashlight could manage. Cobwebs left and right and other bugs did not disgust him, and what little spiders that lived there, scurried off as he disturbed them. A second shower would be needed to get rid of the itchy feeling caused by their presence and the cobwebs above. Gritting his teeth, he moved quickly, determined to find his phone.

Surprisingly, it was not too far away, just enough for him to crawl his entire body inside to reach. It glinted in the light from his flashlight, a faint blue hue outlining its surface to notify him of missed messages. He'd check that later in the safety of the house. Swiping from the dirt, he shoved it into his pocket and quickly inched back out. A shiver of disgust ran through him as he stood and tried to dust himself off and rid himself of the crawling sensations.

A quick glance around for his enemy brought not a single chirp or a flash of teal. Perfect. He dashed through the back door without a second thought and slid to the floor in a heap.

“Hah,” he breathed sharply, “take that you little demon.” Smiling triumphantly, he withdrew his phone to look it over, turning on the screen to check his messages.

His jaw dropped.

The screen was broken in many places, punctured by a tiny beak. The screen still worked, but the lock screen was discolored and he had to squint to read most of the notifications.

He was the kind of person who'd consider himself an animal guy. He loved all kinds and wanted to adopt any critter he came across, but at that moment: Aether wanted to go hunting and have fowl for dinner.

#genshin impact #genshin impact fanfics #xiaother #XiaoxAether #xiao genshin impact #aether #genshin traveler #Urban Fantasy #Supernatural Romance #human/monster romance

11 notes · View notes

safeandsecure32 · 2 months

Text

Unlocking the Potential of : A Comprehensive Guide

The Rise of Self-Storage in Dubai

Dubai’s rapid urbanization has led to a surge in demand for storage space. With a growing population and an increasing number of businesses setting up shop, the need for extra space to store belongings, inventory, and documents has become a pressing issue. This is where self-storage comes in, offering individuals and businesses alike a flexible and convenient solution to their storage needs.

Benefits of Self-Storage in Dubai

Flexibility: One of the key advantages of self-storage is its flexibility. Whether you need to store household items during a relocation, excess inventory for your business, or seasonal decorations, self-storage allows you to rent the space you need for as long as you need it.

Security: Security is paramount when it comes to storing your belongings. Most Self Storage in Dubai are equipped with state-of-the-art security measures, including 24/7 surveillance, access control systems, and secure locks, ensuring that your items are safe and protected at all times.

Accessibility: Unlike traditional storage solutions where you have to wait for specific opening hours to access your belongings, self-storage facilities offer round-the-clock access, allowing you to retrieve or store items whenever it suits you.

Cost-Effectiveness: Self-storage is a cost-effective solution compared to renting additional office space or larger homes solely for the purpose of storage. With a variety of unit sizes available, you can choose the space that fits your needs and budget.

Climate Control: Dubai’s extreme climate, with scorching summers and mild winters, can take a toll on sensitive items such as electronics, documents, and furniture. Many Self Storage in Dubai offer climate-controlled units to protect your belongings from temperature fluctuations and humidity, ensuring they remain in pristine condition.

Practical Tips for Using Self-Storage in Dubai

Choose the Right Size: Before renting a storage unit, assess your needs and determine the size of the unit you require. Opting for a smaller unit may save you money, but it could result in cramped conditions, while a unit that is too large may lead to wasted space and unnecessary expenses.

Pack and Organize Efficiently: Proper packing and organization are essential for maximizing the space in your storage unit. Use sturdy boxes, label them clearly, and stack them neatly to make the most of the available space. Consider investing in shelving units or pallets to keep items off the ground and easily accessible.

Protect Your Belongings: While Self Storage in Dubai provide a secure environment, it’s still important to take precautions to protect your belongings. Use quality locks to secure your unit, consider purchasing insurance for added peace of mind, and avoid storing valuable or irreplaceable items if possible.

Regularly Assess and Declutter: Over time, our storage needs can change. Make it a habit to regularly assess the contents of your storage unit and declutter items that you no longer need or use. This not only helps free up space but also ensures that you’re making the most of your investment.

Plan Ahead: Whether you’re storing items for a short-term or long-term period, it’s essential to plan ahead. Consider factors such as access requirements, potential changes in storage needs, and any upcoming events or milestones that may impact your storage arrangements.

Conclusion

Self-storage has emerged as a practical and versatile solution for individuals and businesses grappling with space constraints in Dubai. With its myriad benefits, including flexibility, security, and accessibility, self storage offers a convenient way to declutter your space, organize your belongings, and reclaim control over your environment. By following the practical tips outlined in this guide, you can make the most of Self Storage in Dubai and unlock its full potential in your life.

#relocationexperts #movingcompany #trustedmovers #professionalmovers #expertmovers #abudhabimovers #customersatisfaction #safeandsecuremovers #relocationservices #movingservices

1 note · View note

prnanayarquah · 2 years

Text

Papa San’s ‘Life Lessons’ A Hit-Filled Glory Album

New Post has been published on https://plugzafrica.com/papa-sans-life-lessons-a-hit-filled-glory-album/

Papa San’s ‘Life Lessons’ A Hit-Filled Glory Album

Veteran performing artist Papa San delivers his new anticipated album ‘Life Lessons’ with hit-filled songs that accentuate messaging that praises God, balanced with sonics that seamlessly blend with Trap-Dancehall, Dancehall, and Reggae.

As a trailblazer in music, Papa San is known to push the boundaries in music. Taking Gospel to new levels, he acquired international success and a hearty signature sound that labeled him as a visionary in Reggae music while being anchored adamantly in Kingdom building. ‘Life Lessons’ furthers his accomplishments for its appeal to Gen Z Gospel music listeners while appealing to the tastes of mature listeners too.

Track 1, “Story” is a rapid freestyle that juxtaposes two stories that revolve around the choice each person has in life: a life with God or the hardships without him. Track 2, “Love About You” is a melodic ode to the new life one lives when they welcome God as their center. Track 5 “None Like You” is a hardcore pulsating Dancehall beat that marches listeners to the alter. Track 6, “Take It All Jesus” is an adult contemporary themed one-drop track that explains what happens when you give all your burdens to Jesus.

With a career spanning over twenty years, Papa San has emerged to the forefront in music and ministry as a leader and an innovator continuing to push the envelope with enthralling rhythmic Dancehall music immersed in the Word. This evolution is reflected in his continual presentation of poignant lyrics and his dedication to the Gospel. “It took me a while to get here, to evolve into the Christian I am now,” he states. “I know who I am and who I represent. I represent the Father; I am His son.” Tracks “Risky” and “Real” help to accentuate this thought.

Papa San’s music is a representation of a life fueled by a musical pallet that was cultivated by growing up in an audible atmosphere of Bob Marley and Dennis Brown, infused with the American pop and soul sounds of Donna Summer and Nat King Cole, interlocked with the innovative contemporary urban sounds of today. His story is one of being raised by his grandmother and taught the doctrines of the Rastafarian religion and witnessing violence that took the life of two of his brothers. His story is about experiencing the conviction of his heart, growing into a relationship with the savior Jesus Christ, and conveying his love and faith through an entertaining yet life-changing medium we call music.

All fans of music will appreciate Papa San’s new album ‘Life Lessons.’ Preview the album here: https://promo.theorchard.com/fnKV5w4oGLOyKbtC34bp

Follow Papa San on all social media outlets, Instagram (@iampapasan), Facebook, etc.

For Interviews email: [email protected]

#Life Lessons #Papa San

0 notes

bump1nthen1ght · 3 years

Text

Late Night Favor (Shadow Monster x Reader)

Genre: Fluff, Urban Fantasy

Warnings: Explicit content up ahead (18+ ONLY), Oral, Fingering

Word Count: 4000 Words

Summary: A couple of small good deeds leaves you with a late night visitor, looking to repay a debt.

Request: "You unknowingly rescue a shadow monster and bring it home with you, after a couple days of lurking in the shadows of your home and recuperating it shows you just how thankful it is." I had this idea forever ago but was never able to execute it. My opening idea was that a few kids are shining flashlights at something, tormenting it, and you swoop in to save it and chase the kids away. You thought they were hurting a cat or something, but find nothing and head home.

What do you think? Would you like to take it on? I'd be honored if you would 😊

A/N: *Throws this into the street to appease for the fact I haven’t updated Out of the Woods in THREE MONTHS IM SORRY*

It was the perfect weather for a lazy day inside. The pitter patter of the rain on your window had almost lulled you back to sleep during breakfast, and the thunder had provided great ambiance for reading. You hadn’t bothered changing out of your pajamas and we’re enjoying a soap opera binge on the coach when the peace was disturbed.

At first it was just the sound of clattering trash cans, not uncommon from the alley outside your window. But then it was followed by the raucous laughter of teenagers, rocks being thrown against the concrete, and a sharp hissing.

You hoist yourself up and off the couch, meandering toward the balcony, expecting to see a bunch of kids fucking around; Maybe using the cover of the fire escape to hide from the rain and smoke some weed.

Ah, memories.

But instead, you see a huddled group of boys pointing a flashlight into the pile of garbage right by the dumpster. One of them picks up a pebble and throws it into the light beam, causing another hiss and a jerk of movement. The boys laugh even louder, the one on the right nudging the one with the flashlight.

“Dude, do it again!”

Flashlight agrees, quickly moving the light into another corner as the one on the left throws a rock in the opposite direction. A shape of pitch black hisses again, deterred by the rock and scared by the brightness. Your brow furrows.

“Hey!”

The boys jump, looking in all directions.

“What are you three doing down there?” They finally look up at you, messy-haired and bleary-eyed. They shrug and ignore you, one even throwing another rock, bigger than before. There’s a sad yelp as it collides with the blackness.

You grit your teeth, grabbing your jacket off a nearby shelf and yell again.

“Fuck off! Leave the poor thing alone!”

They all laugh insufferably, the way most stuck up teenagers do.

“Or what?”

You shrug on your raincoat, picking up the baseball bat you keep strategically placed by your couch.

“Or I’ll come down and make you, jackass!”

You kick open your fire escape, slippers already damp, and start marching down the staircases. The boys get the message and run away, still jeering and laughing. Seems you weren’t as intimidating as you’d like.

You shuffle down the fire escape, slowing down as you approach the poor creature. You lower your back and peak under the dumpster.

“It's okay, little guy, I won’t hurt ya.” You set down your bat and crouch, kissing your lips as you hold out your free hand. All you see is a hint of glowing eyes, nervously peering out, before the dark shape disappears completely, hidden by the shadow of the dumpster. You’re tempted to sit down and wait for it, hoping to check if the poor stray was injured, but the wet concrete looks unappealing. The bottom of your sweats are already drenched.

You stand up, sigh, and go back up the fire escape. You unlatch the dusty pet door on your sliding glass balcony and make sure to leave a hot thing of milk and some water just outside. You ponder going out to get cat food, but the well-timed weather report tells you to stay off the streets. Slumping back down on the couch, you keep on eye on your fire escape, hoping that whatever it was, it’s okay.

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

The next day is sunny, the rain clearing away any air pollution and leaving blue skies to shine down through your window, waking you up extra early. As you sit down with a cup of coffee, switching on the news before starting work, you notice the empty bowls on your balcony.

You set down the mug, walking over to the door and checking the bowls. Seems that little stray had needed the refreshment, as both were licked clean.

You refill them, making sure to add cat food to your grocery list.

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

After a long day of work, you’re feeling particularly domestic and decide to bake some cookies. Your brain is sore after staring at a screen for eight hours straight, a simple task like this is the perfect thing to keep it from melting completely.

You open up your window, letting the cool night air into your kitchen as you check on your baking cookies. Wiping flour off your pants, you turn on the radio and throw a glance to your living room.

You had set up a tiny blanket pallet right next to your pet door, the weatherman’s warning of another thunderstorm tonight having you worried for your stray. Hopefully a full belly of milk will convince them that your house is safe enough to find shelter in.

But the afternoon is beautiful, not too cold and not too hot, only the slight tang of metal in the air hinting to rain. With a ding from the oven, you take out the cookies and set them on a cooling tray on your window. The smell of cinnamon and sugar wafts over you as you take a sip of your tea, staring out into the city streets. Small puddles still speckle the pavement, catching the headlights of nearby cars and flashy billboards.

A quick sound, something hitting your balcony door, that jerks you out of your reverie. You set down your mug and slowly peek out from your kitchen, wondering if you should’ve grabbed a kitchen knife. But it’s just your pet door, flapping back and forth in front of two, now empty, bowls. Aww, seems your stray took a step inside. Too bad you missed it.

The gurgle of your stomach convinces you to take a crack at the cookies. If they were too hot, you could just wash them down with a nice glass of milk anyway. Maybe even put on a sitcom while you snack.

You lightly tap the top cookie; Warm, but not unbearable. Steam rises as you break it open, blowing in the middle and taking a tiny bite.

Fuck, good job _____.

They’re perfectly done, just soft enough to melt in your mouth. You grab two more, holding them in between your fingers as you hold the other half in your mouth. Maybe you could bring the batch into work tomorrow, give your coworkers a nice surprise. That is if you didn't have 10 tonight. But 20 should be just enough-

Huh, that’s weird. There's only 19, including the one still dangling out of your mouth.

You could’ve sworn you baked 20.

Well whatever. Your coworkers can handle not coming back for seconds tomorrow.

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

“Ow! Fuck!”

You bite your lip, trying not to yell out more curse words as you rub your stubbed toe. You limp to your kitchen, fumbling for the light switch to avoid another incident. All you had wanted was a midnight sweet snack, was that so difficult? You’d thought you could navigate your apartment pretty easily in the dark, but the pain in your foot says otherwise.

The light flickers as you finally find the switch, reminding you that you’re going to need to change the bulb sometime soon. But that's a problem for another day; Right now, it’s cookie time.

You don’t bother pouring yourself a glass or getting a plate, devouring the treat in three bites and throwing back a quick swig of milk. It’s almost midnight, not like anyone’s watching-

Oh, wait.

You slowly close the fridge door, trying to make as little noise as possible so as not to wake the little stray curled up, asleep. The little ball of black was snuggled into the pallet, tossing and turning. A flash of lightning cracks outside your apartment, washing your living room with light. The ball jerks in shock, the thunder afterwards only frightening it more, forcing it to curl up even tighter.

You take small and light steps towards the tiny bed, not wanting to approach the scared beast too quickly. The room is lit up again by another lightning strike and the little stray forces it’s body backwards and away from the window. You crouch down real low, the small bits of light helping your eyes adjust to the layout.

“How are you doing, little guy?” You whisper, mostly to yourself, tapping your fingers against your carpet. Part of you wants to pet it, but think it might be better not to. No need to startle it. “Is the lightning scary? You can come to my room if you want, I’ll protect ya.”

Midst the black, you see two little eyes, little blips of light that open with another flash of lightning. But they aren’t yellow, nor are they slitted, nor are they anything remotely animal.

They're like the headlights of a car, blinding white with no definition at all. Not even pupils. You're startled, eye’s widening as the creature lifts it’s head. A long smile runs across their face, full of razor sharp teeth.

“Oh my, that sounds delightful.” They purr, and you find yourself losing your footing and falling back on your ass. Your fingers dig into the carpet as their body slowly begins to unfurl out of a ball and stretch into a massive form, as if their whole size had been hidden away somewhere else; Like it had been literally in the shadows.

You scramble backwards, breath picking up as the creature stretches it’s long limbs, colorless eyes still locked onto you as it stands up and up. It rolls back its shoulders as it sits on its haunches, its form still towering over you even when crouched. You notice the shades of huge antlers sticking out from the side of their head, only adding to their intimidating height.

The creature still has that terrifying smile, all canines and no molars, it’s unblinking eyes still staring deep into your soul.

You’ve heard people do weird things in times of high stress, of strong emotions, good and bad. Like the wires in your brains get crossed when trying to find the right response.

“Uh, do you want a cookie?”

You think you get that now.

The creature chuckles, a soft timbre that echoes unnaturally.

“No, dearie, I have already indulged in your confections. You see,” They creature leans forward, falling to its knees to crawl towards you. If it weren’t for the overwhelming fear constricting your heart, you’d almost think it was seductive, “You’ve done so much for me these past days, I think it’d be only fair if I helped you indulge in a far-” The creature’s face looms over yours, their arms caging your sides as they lick their lips, “-sweeter treat, yes?”

Your eyes search their face, trying to find signs of trickery or malice, maybe even some demonic sense of humor.

As if I’d even know what that looks like.

“Are you-” You catch a breath, now noticing the fine musculature of their shoulders, and the definition of their arms, “Are you propositioning me, like, for sex?”

The creature laughs again, their eyes crinkling up as they throw their head back. But when they look back down at you, you can almost feel the lust radiating off their gaze, details be damned.

“Yes, lovely, I am.”

You take your eyes off their face, a little too overwhelmed to stare directly into their blistering expression. Not to mention the blinding light which has begun to put red spots into your vision.

Instead, your eyes fall upon their thick thighs, the small tail waving behind them, and how unnervingly sexy you find the way their claws are digging up your rug.

You slowly move your head, catching the creature’s eyes.

“I-uh-I guess? Yeah, yeah I guess that sounds good. Um, what was your name?”

The creature smirks, a single claw tipped finger tilting up your chin, as they whisper,

“Nocter.”

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

Well, this is definitely the weirdest way I’ve gotten someone into bed.

Nocter’s antlers brush against your stucco-ceiling as it pushes you down on the bed, their shining white eyes staring deep into yours. Their lack of pupils is almost unsettling, but when they run their claws down your chest and pinch your nipples, you find it hard to care. You bite your lip, fighting back an embarrassing whimper as they trace one finger around the bud, pebbling the skin.

“Aww, has it been a while, sweetling?” You roll your eyes, but let out another squeak as they flick their thumb across your other nipple, the palm of their hand pressing against your ribcage.

“M-maybe.” You mutter, digging your finger into your bed sheets as their hands dance across your skin. One pulls up the bottom of your pajama shirt as it nudges one of their legs in between your thighs, pushing their knee up against your crotch.

“Don’t worry,” They push the fabric up to your neck, laying a kiss on the center of your stomach, then your chest, and then your jugular. When they plant one on your jaw, they lean in real close, “I’ll make sure to treat you right.”

Nocter’s long tongue splays against your jaw, licking a stripe up your cheek as one of their hands moves from your chest to the waistband of your shorts. They slip a couple fingers underneath, lightly petting the area right above your crotch. They’re such a tease, and you love it.

Nocter pecks the side of your face, over and over, while their hand moves further and further down your body at an agonizing pace. Their hot breath sends goosebumps down your neck, washing over your face as they exhale with every kiss. You catch them off guard when you turn your head toward them, catching their lips-mid peck and eagerly sticking your tongue outward. They purr with delight, their thin almost-lips quickly devouring you.

A long string of saliva connects the two of you as you detach, taking the time to shimmy out of your shirt. You pull them closer, your hands digging into their shoulder muscles and fingers just brushing over the long ridges on their back. They chuckle once again, pulling their fingers out your shorts and merely digging their palm into the fabric of your crotch.

“Eager, huh?”

“Shut up,” You mumble in between kisses, “This is for me, isn’t it?”

“Ohoho,” kiss, “Someone’s showing their feisty side a little early.” kiss, “What happened to my benevolent, saintly saviour?” kiss.

You pull away from their lips, quickly latching onto the crux of their neck and taking a nip. “S’not fair.” You say, taking a deep whiff of their skin as you suck and bite. They smell like brimstone and a bonfire, not quite what you 're expecting, but not unpleasant. “You can’t tease me like that and not-” Your cut off as the pad of one Nocters fingers presses up against your entrance, the fabric only amplifying the sensation as they begin to tease it.

“Deliver?” Nocter finishes, sinfully smug. You throw them a glare. “I’m a good guest, scout’s honor.”

You roll your eyes right before they lock you into another kiss, rubbing the pads of their fingers up and down your crotch. They use their hand to push you backwards, sinking deeper into the mattress as they situate their knees under your thighs. One they pull back from the kiss, your face and lips thoroughly debauched, your legs are splayed up on their pelvis and they easily slip off your bottoms. Nocter takes a whiff of your underwear, the crotch now slightly damp, giving you a wink before they throw it over their shoulder.

You jerk your hips slightly upward, and Nocter tuts.

“Patience, sweetling.” They roll a hand down your abdomen, fingers splaying onto your stomach, nails just teasing the skin. With a kiss to your inside calf, Nocters hand ghosts across your entrance. You can’t help biting your lip, the heat and their touch sending your mind into a frenzy.

They continue a path of kisses down your leg, now pressing their finger right up against your hole. They only pause to suck on their index and middle fingers, coating them with a heavy and blue-tinted saliva. Once they’ve reached the middle of your thigh, nipping at the apex, they sink into you.

Nocter’s fingers are long, articulated and move with sure movements. They start off slow, scissoring you open, simpering as you dig your nails into your bed sheets. The pads of their fingers push against your walls, just grazing sensitive spots as they make a slow ‘come hither’ motion. Your hips jerk forward, humping into their palm. They smirk against your skin, nipping another love bite as they retract their fingers until only the tip remains. You catch your breath, holding it until they sink back into you, shoving their fingers forward with far more force.

You whimper as their fingers pull back, only to follow with quicker thrusts. Nocter’s aim is pin-point in finding the most pleasurable spots inside you, the feeling only amplified by the pinpricks of their teeth into the fat of your thigh. The tip of their tongue licks hot trails of spit tantalizingly close to your hole, which clenches around their bony fingers. The slick sound of your juices, the skin of their palm slapping against yours, is downright pornographic.

Your legs try to clamp around their shoulders, the overwhelming stimuli triggering an instant reaction, but Nocter pins your right leg down to your bed easily, never losing focus on fingering you. The tips of their claws trace the inside of your leg, the hard edge of their wrist digging into fat. Your fingers reach to grip around something, anything to keep you grounded as the knot in your stomach grows tighter and tighter. They find their way around Nocter’s left wrist; You’re almost afraid you’ll leave bruises, before remembering how sturdy every part of their body seems to be.

You let out a whimper as the crests of an orgasm seem to overwhelm you, nearly gasping as Nocter quickly removes their fingers. In any other state of mind you might have made a comment, look down and wonder why they’ve stopped. But the heat in your belly compels you to grip their wrist tight and to throw your hips upwards. With a desperate breath, you plead,

“P-please! Please, don’t stop.”

Nocter doesn’t chuckle, doesn’t make a sly remark about your neediness or your lewd movements. They lean forward, giving another kiss right below your navel, and pet your wrist.

“Of course, dearie.”

With a wink, they lean down a lick a long stripe up your hole, giving one last kiss to your leg before plunging their tongue inside.

You didn’t think it was possible for them to reach even deeper inside you with their tongue than their fingers, but the sparks which fly in your core say otherwise. The ridges of Nocters tongue brush against your walls as they flick the appendage back and forth, the tip pressing forward with controlled motions. It doesn’t thrash back and forward haphazardly, but reaches for those sensitive spots and plays with them.

“Oh, f-fuck!” You yelp, feeling an icy-cold liquid run down your ass. From the sound of smacking lips and muffled moans, it must be Nocter’s saliva. They let out a groan, pushing their jaw forward as their eyes clenched shut. The hand on your leg pinches skin as it tightens up, the other pressing your hips down, but the pressure they apply is phantom at best. Nocter seems to revel in your pleading humps for more, meeting each movement with a thrust of their jaw, the base of their tongue stretching you open.

The two of you keep that rhythm for what feels like an eternity, but is probably only a couple of minutes. Sweat drips down your chest and off of your belly, your legs muscles on fire as you continue to push upward and into Nocter’s face. You start feeling that impending wave begin to crest again, with your limbs shaking and your throat hoarse.

“Nocter, I’m gonna cum. I’m gonna-I’m so close!”

This time, Nocter doesn’t let up on their pace, reaching one hand down to deliver a hard slap on your ass and forcing a yelp out of you. Your speech devolves into slurred curses and your hands move to touch them, to find some grasp in reality. Nocter continues to suck and tongue-fuck your hole as your thighs clench around their head. Your humps are tiny and weak, your lower half barely holding itself up.

The knot gets tighter, a firecracker fuse about to blow in your abdomen. In the heat of the moment, your hands find their way to Nocter’s scalp and grab onto the base of their antlers. Their moan rumbles through you, right before you yank their head forward, their tongue hitting the deepest part of you as you shutter and-

“I’m cumming!”

Another moan vibrates against your hole as your body shudders and jolts, your hips still pressed firmly against Nocter’s face. But in the next moment, a heavy weight falls over your body, slumping you down onto the bed. Your chest heaves, eye’s fuzzy as Nocter’s tongue ‘pop’s out of you.

Your gaze wanders over your stucco ceiling, droplets of sweat rolling down your neck as you try and catch your breath. You can feel Nocter’s large hands rolling a massage into your thighs, their own heavy breathing brushing over your crotch.

A fuzzy shape of pure black comes into your vision as Nocter hovers over you, their body hovering just an inch above yours. They give you a small peck on the cheek.

“Feel good?” They whisper.

All you can do is nod, your shaky hands wandering over their back. There’s no sign of sweat on their skin, but you can feel the heat running off of it as they nuzzle into your neck.

As your fingers dance over the ride of their back, you can hear the rumble of a low purr coming from their chest, but they stay hovering over your body. You press your hands into their back, applying weak pressure to encourage them to relax.

“It seems I’ve repaid my debt.” Nocter murmurs into your ear, pushing themselves up onto their hands, pulling even farther from you as their eye’s look around your room. You keep your hands wrapped around their waist, stopping them from fully getting up. They look back to you, white eyes slightly widening.

“Would you-” You take another deep breath, “Want to stay? For the night?”

Nocter stares at you, the black void of their face almost unreadable. But when they run a claw down the side of your face, it burns with affection and longing.

“Would you want that?”

Your room is nearly pitch black, only the lights of the street peeking in between your curtains. Nocter’s body seems to absorb all light near it, their hot body like a heating pad. But their eyes are so bright, so full, so mesmerizing; Like a full moon on the dark city sky.

“Yes, I would.”

Nocter’s nods, their expression barely changing, but you think you can see a hint of a smile amidst all the black. They let their body relax, pressing their chest against yours as they sink into the sheets and nuzzle back into your neck.

You can smell the sweat coating your body and feel the way you stick to the sheets. Frankly, the both of you kind of smell.

But it doesn’t stop you from snuggling into Nocter’s body, eye’s heavy as you peacefully fall into sleep.

#my writing #gender neutral reader #shadow monster #monster/human #monster x reader

1K notes · View notes

apaithy · 7 years

Text

lads my 39a: dare to create palette came in the mail yesterday and i just swatched it oh, my god....MY PEOPLE, I AM BEGGING YA, if you like makeup and can afford it, this palette is the SINGLE BEST all rounder palette i can think of in combination of price, pigmentation, pan size, amount of colours, range of colours - please please please if you’ve been looking for a palette that has you covered on blues, greens, reds/pinks/oranges, and browns AS WELL AS those ever used transition shades with glitter, shimmer AND matte shades, GET MORPHE’S 39A PALETTE WHILE THE HOLIDAY COLLECTION IS STILL IN STOCK GIVE YOURSELF A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

#morphe #morphe cosmetics #makeup #morphe did not endorse this post #gbye apathy #THIS BITCH HAS ALMOST 40 COLOURS AND THEYRE ALL STUNNING #my only gripe is that it maybe has a few too many browns that couldve been more pinks/reds but i assume they did that #because 3502 already exists and they think you'll likely buy that if you want more #whereas apart from this the jaqueline hill palette and the really rainbow pallete they have (i dont remember the name) they dont really have #blues/greens in their products #it aint matter to me to bc i already got urban decay naked heat so im good but that's my only gripe #OH and the other thing is that it doesnt have a mirror bc that bitch is so BIG ITS ALMOST AS BIG AS MY LAPTOP to hold it and see ur mirror #at the same time is gonna be a TASK #im sick currently so i cant actually play with it like i wanna (i had to disinfect my whole self to swatch lmao) BUT I CANT WAIT TI #first purchase from morphe and a bitch will be back again now they have a whole uk site

2 notes · View notes

everyonewasabird · 3 years

Text

Brickclub 3.8.6 ‘The wild man in his lair’

Hugo sets up a dichotomy we’ve heard before, between the corrupt wildness of the city and the savage but pure wildness of the forest.

And it’s kind of one of the differences between Thenardier and Valjean? They’re the two characters who are socially liminal and therefore illegible to society and read as dangerous. But Valjean belongs in the woods--he's had a hard time getting comfortable in Paris. Thenardier started in a somewhat less urban place, but he gravitated here--and became more himself.

Marius was poor and his room was poorly furnished, but even as his poverty was noble, his garret was clean. The den into which his eyes were at that moment directed, was abject, filthy, fetid, infectious, gloomy, unclean.

I know the nineteenth century was full of this noble poverty vs ignoble poverty idea, but it sure Isn’t Great.

Except--

I really think there’s a decent chance this is on purpose? Going into this, I said the point of the Patron-Minette chapter was to trigger all the reader’s worst, most fearful instincts about the criminal poor, because the point of this section is to face the lessons of the book’s first half on hard mode.

Here we are, raising still more stereotypes--and boy do we raise them. Whatever “The Noxious Poor” makes the bourgeois reader picture, this description dials it up to eleven. This is the middle class reader’s worst nightmare.

“Pop quiz” the book is saying, “can you still maintain sympathy with these people? Can you see in Eponine and Azelma what you saw in Fantine? How about now?”

I’ve been taking Thenardier’s Napoleon III connection largely on faith but

In a corner next to the opening Marius was looking through, hanging on the wall in a black wooden frame, was a coloured engraving at the bottom of which was written in capital letters THE DREAM. This represented a sleeping woman and a sleeping child, the child on the woman’s knee, an eagle in a cloud with a crown in its beak, and the woman taking the crown off the child’s head, and without its waking up, too; in the background, Napoléon in a blaze of glory was leaning on a fat blue column with a yellow capital adorned with this inscription:

MARINGO AUSTERLITS IENA WAGRAMME ELOT

..Okay, yes, I see where you all may be coming from. Dang.

Rose’s notes point out the last two are misspelled, confirming that the fantasy depicted is Thenardier’s own work.

Which is another similarity between him and Valjean, the only other character, I think, who ever really was tempted by the Great Man thing. But Valjean got over it when he saw the harm it did, and Thenardier is incapable of that.

Plus, Valjean is linked with Napoleon, whom this book has genuinely conflicted feelings about, not Napoleon III, about whom..... let’s just call them “less conflicted.”

I expect

Lavater, if he could have studied this face, would have found in it a mixture of vulture and pettifogger; the bird of prey and the man of tricks rendering each other ugly and complete, the man of tricks making the bird of prey ignoble, the bird of prey making the man of tricks horrible.

will turn out to bear a surprising resemblance to NIII--though not one a critic could point out without agreeing with it--and

“Oh! I could eat the world!”

definitely does.

It’s fascinating how specifically Thenardier has fastened onto the Napoleonic mythos as the destiny being denied him.

Upon one of the pallets Marius could discern a sort of slender little wan girl seated, almost naked, with her feet hanging down, having the appearance neither of listening, nor of seeing, nor of living.

The younger sister, doubtless, of the one who had come to his room.

She appeared to be eleven or twelve years old. On examining her attentively, he saw that she must be fourteen. It was the child who, the evening before, on the boulevard, said: "I cavalé, cavalé, cavalé!”

And just like that, we learn that Eponine was the kid in the family who was doing better. Fucking hell.

Azelma.</3

#brickclub #lm 3.8.6

7 notes · View notes

arcticdementor · 3 years

Link

Kyoto, the imperial capital of Japan, spring 1608. A merchant by the name of Suminokura Ryōi is given the contract to supply building materials for the renovation of Hōkō-ji, a temple in central Kyoto designed to rival the famous temples of nearby Nara. The Suminokura family had made a name for themselves in finance, medicine and overseas trade, with offices as far away as distant Annan (the Japanese name of the country today called Vietnam).

Suminokura1 soon realized that transporting goods into Kyoto was a difficult and expensive business. The Kamo river which runs through Kyoto was too irregular for transports, so goods arriving by boat mostly had to be unloaded at Fushimi, a town about ten kilometers south of Kyoto, repacked to ponies and transported on roads through the southern neighborhoods of Kyoto before spreading out to their final destinations. The daily comings and goings of men and animals, more or less non-stop, wasn’t popular with the locals either.

There was an opportunity here. In 1610, the Suminokura family got permission from the government, and using their own money they contracted teams of workers to dig out a canal parallel to the river, connecting the port of Fushimi with central Kyoto, to be lined with stone from local quarries. It was built for a continuous water depth of a mere thirty centimeters, about twice the minimum needed for the boats they wanted to use.

…

For over three hundred years the canal was in daily use and benefited the people of Kyoto, until transport on the canal was finally banned in 1920. During its three centuries it needed virtually no maintenance, it relied on no engines or fuel, no mining, no metals, no chemicals. There was no pollution, the boats could be hand built by any carpenter from most any kind of wood. The canal never broke down or got stuck. It did not cause any emissions or erosion, it saved millions of man hours otherwise spent on maintaining roads and road surfaces. There were no accidents: at walking speed and thirty centimeter depth it was safe enough to have children playing in the middle of it with boats coming and going. It could transport anything right into the heart of the city without noise or smell or toxic fumes and the operating costs were negligible. It helped cool the city down during hot summers. It was even a popular sightseeing spot. People would mention it in poetry. It brought with it neither pests nor weeds.4

It was a perfect piece of infrastructure without unforeseen problems or accumulating debt—paid in full from day one—or waste. Completely human scaled and operating on nothing but gravity or human muscle power.

…

A network of trucks and roads, oil tankers, and the regular application of gun boat diplomacy is probably a system many dozens of times more efficient—if your only metric is the ability to deliver toilet rolls and pallets of cereals to supermarkets—than a system of shallow bottomed canal boats. As long as everything keeps going for the foreseeable future at least some of us should be fine.

But it isn’t sustainable, at all.

And if it is one thing we know, it is that what cannot last, will fall. Maybe not in our generation. But in our children’s, or our grandchildren’s. Why would we wish that kind of catastrophe upon them, just so that we right here right now will be able to—for example—order a tomato salad in the middle of the winter at a fancy downtown lunch restaurant? Do we really need breakfast cereals that badly?

…

At the very least, if we can’t build infrastructure to last we should build infrastructure that can be repaired using materials, energy and skills that are likely to be around when it inevitably fails, at some point in the future. Serious people are seriously doubting whether we will have the oil and energy necessary to maintain existing roads in the coming two decades (let alone expand them to match the never ending growth of our urban sprawl).

We will never run out of cobblestone.

On a more personal level, what about the gadget that controls the ventilation in your modern eco-home, will it be around in twenty years? Or will the lack of spares make your home uninhabitable? Our ancestors at least were never lying awake at night worrying about running out of windows that open. The suburbs and the systems that keep them habitable—the increasingly over worked power, water and sewage grids, all taken together it is nothing but a nation sized ticking time bomb.5

…

What cannot last, will fall, and when that happens it will be too late to regret all the things we did not build, while we had the chance. While the lights were still on and the oil tankers where still arriving on schedule.

#substack #wrath of gnon #japan #kyoto #infrastructure #environment #sustainability

3 notes · View notes

tinyshe · 3 years

Text

Garden Report 20.12.18

Sorry still no pictures because of misplaced cable.

So things have been hovering just above freezing in the center/ sheltered part of the garden where I grow vegetables year round (or try). It is pretty much sunless this time of year even w/o fog or cloud cover. It gets pretty boggy and the ranculus / buttercups surge in growth as does the native faux nettle and dead nettle. My new/remodeled veg box isn’t as boggy as pathways being double tiered but its not growing due to the temp range and lack of light. I do go out and harvest sparingly. Last night I brought in two bouquets of cilantro and some purple mustard. The mustard was minced up to go in a tom and beef based sauce poured over couscous, with the cilantro (which we love) was mounded over the top of the sauce. Lots of snail/ slug damage and their poo plugged into every nook and cranny of the plants. The rodents seem to be checked and the cage over the plants help keep the birds out. Killing the kiwi has really helped at moving the sparrows through w/o that cover for them to linger in. I planted more greened sprouting potatoes. I made a mound of spent straw and light brush along the front of the hazel hedge. If the vermin eat them, it won’t be total loss as they were not edible so they would have been composted anyway. Not saying I want them to eat them! No, my table first. I still have an excess because I cut and cured like regular seed potatoes, I just don’t have a lot of room until after I move the pruning ladder through the garden. Building supply shortages woes. I knew I should have gotten the cement and forms early but was talked out of it twice because I was being ‘paranoid’ and so here we sit. I’m tempted to go trolling for pallets just to make temp wall on the outside with caged rock on the inside. But so is everyone and their mother! I have never been good with patience. I do want to move forward quickly because I do not see the near future as ‘rosy’. S/W my realtor friend who told me with the lock downs, unless you are rich, you won’t qualify for anything: refi or new purchase will be a no go from the friendly banker and I’m not going back to a private lender again... I just can’t afford it and the thought is scarey. Not that a regular banker is a better shark. I just feel maybe a wee better protected with the establishment. Only option if I Really want to leap is make a great sell and buy low paying cash. Me thinks we will be urban farmers for awhile longer so I am semi relaxing and looking forward to those new berries I purchased in advance this summer (autumn rasp and several varieties of black currants -- thankful I didn’t cancel the order!). I have been having a wonderful crop of mushrooms in the yard that are edible but since is their first fruiting year, I am letting them go, hoping more spores to create more mycelium for more mushrooms. The mushroom stump was a bust after the frost nipped them back. The basket isn’t viable. I think the mix chips were wrong and perhaps too big. Maybe should have gone with logs (still have plugs so thinking!) or some of the firewood I am hoarding. Chickens are doing well. They go through so much straw! This last batch of wheat could have been used for braiding, the stalks were so ginormous! When it it is wet, it makes it harder for them to turn as it soaks up water and mats which means I have crabby, bored chickens unless I turn out their straw ever other day which is a task to me and my pocketbook so I help out and rake into piles and lines for them to demolish to make it go a little further.

1 note · View note

jesterkard · 4 years

Note

Any advice on how to play dbd? I just got the game and I would appreciate anything to help me along my journey-Noob at Everything

oh this is gonna be a long one Im forced to put this under a readmore (sry mobile users)

ABOUT THE CHARACTER CHOICE/PERKS:

about character advice u should level everyone up and try their perks out, your main wont depend on the perks (as u will unlock all perks for everyone else) but rather if u can rly “play well” in the characters model. I recommend nea and claudette for beginners as nea is a stealth-aligned character (specifically the perk “urban evasion” that lets you crouch faster) and claudette is one for teamwork but also can heal urself. (perk is called self care) but in the end you can choose whoever just looks good to u and learn theri perks. make sure to not get too dependant on one perk and learn to adjust to any situation

honestly u wont have a lot of perks at the beginning, mostly the one of ur character and the genreal ones available to all survivors. a very good perk is “spinechill”- a perk that will give u a lot of insight on when the killer is going into ur direction and a good way tosee if he is still following you when you Are running away.

DONT WEAR BRIGHT CLOTHES you get spotted easier and if youre not more advanced ur just gonna be a quick target

ABOUT THE ITEMS:

save up the purple colored items, like the purple flashlight. ESPECIALLY the purple flashlight. if you are a beginner and dont know how to deal with a flashlight yet its good to save them up and use the green and yellow flashlights instead to practice and by the time u become level 50 (and are about to prestige to prestige I) u will feel more secure and testing+playing around wtih the flashlight

honestly? I only use my purple flashlight wtih a white ward (an offering that prevents you from losing ur item PLUS addons when you die) I cant handle to get tunneled and lose a good item!! they rly are rare keep that in mind

ABOUT THE GAMEPLAY ITSELF:

work on gens thats the main objective and what will get u out, if someone JUST got hooked and hasnt like lost half of the hooked bar (the yellow bar underneath the survivors name) theyre still in “stage 1″ and u can work on the gen/try to finish it up before they get to “stage 2″.lets say you get unhooked and u were on stage 1, then you get hooked again. you get just put on stage 2 and just have to struggle while your teammates come to save you.now lets say you get unhooked and you were on stage 2, if you get downed and hooked youre fully dead. so keep that in mind and dont let teammates come to stage 2.

feel the courage to run to the generators that are more in the middle- and think of it that way: by getting the gen done in the middle you basically make the killer take longer to go check all gens. by the time a killer is going to another gen, kicking it and coming back, you can already finish one gen at one side.

you dont have to crouch around if the killer isnt near you (heartbeat wise) you can run, gameplay changes when you playagainst a myers, pig or ghostface (or any killers wiht a tinier terror radius) bc you wont hear the heartbeat that shows that hteyre near.

ABOUT LOOPING:

looping is when you make the killer follow you around one obstacle, dont throw the pallet down if the killer is A: not close enough and B: youre not injured. pallet efficiency will make your gameplay and the one of ur teammates easier.

when you get chased by the killer around like jungle gyms (multiple walls wiwth like one window and one pallet), always look behind you to seeif the killer is still after you and not already going to the other side so you walk right into him.

when the killer actually breaks a pallet that you dropped, take the time and immedaitely book it to the next jungle gym/out of sight. if you were not injured and the killer no longer can see you, stop running and sneak somewhere to hide- wait for the killer to come by and look around and then leave: run to the other side then.

ABOUT GETTING HOOKED:

when you get hooked, DONT attempt to escape. there is a 4% escape chance. as long as youre not cowsIAM (who is KNOWN for unhooking himself all the time somehow) you wont have much luck. you can attempt to escape if thers rly no other way though.

ABOUT PLAYING AGAINST SPECIFIC KILLERS:

NURSE if she blinks and is about to teleport to you, run to her so she already teleports too far away

HAGcrouch over her traps to not trigger them. if you get unhooked and the hag put traps around, immediately crouch the moment u get on the ground and sneak away.counter perk: urban evasion

THE SPIRITlets say the spirit suddenly stopped running after you- shes most likely in her phase power and about to teleport to you. if you are not injured immediately stop running and normally walk somewhere out of sight and hide. the spirit relies on scratch marks AND the grunts of paint the player gives.if you are in front of a pallet and the spirit is on the other side just standing still WALK AWAY dont walk over the pallet there are spirits who “fake phase” so they just stand there and grab you when you walk over.counter perk: iron will

MYERSrun away and always try to break line of sight so he cant stalk you. when you loop him just crouch when he tries to stalk you so he cant see your modelcounter perk: spinechill

HILLBILLYrun around obstacles so he more likely runs into the obstacles than you so you dont get immediately chainsawed downcounter perk: sprint burst

THE HUNTRESS IM STUPID. THIS IS NOT GHOSTFACEif you are looping her and are at the pallet, and you see her raise her arm to throw a hatchet- keep running. the pallet drop animation doesnt make u invincible and the animation is locked so she can easily hit you with the hatchet. KEEP RUNNNIIIING counter perk: not spinechill this rly does nothing for u

TRAPPERif the trapper is playing, always look around for traps. they are almost always at pallet spots etc. if you trigger a trap either to disarm it or u walk into it- the killer gets a notification and will most likely return to it. avoid the place in general.

PLAGUEdont cleanse, if you cleanse urself in one of teh devotional water..things Idk you basically “corrupt it” and when she gets to it, she can get insta down attacks. u dont want that. it sucks either way since you will have teh broken status effect (youre injured and cant be healed up) but ykno.

WRAITHif you flashlight him (just point the flashlight at him) when hes using his invisible power- he will get stunned :) be careful doing this they get easily mad and facecamp u either that or Im just that hated

DEATHSLINGERdont run ina straight line just do curves and keep an eye on him when hes chasing you so that when he starts aiming you start running “chaoitcally” so he has a harder time to aim & hit you

DOCTORwhen you are shocked and on any madness level, there might come up “fake doctor visions” that are just the model of the doctor looking at you. its not the killer himself just an illusion- and you should always stay on the move bc the killer can also see the illusion, know that somewhere is there, and imediately go to check it out. counter perk: calm spirit

CANNIBALdisconnect its not worth it (jk u get a penalty if u do disconnect.)

FREDDYwake urself up always byusing the time clocks, waking eachother up will at one point take way too long.counter perk: object of obsession

LEGIONloop him and try to avoid getting hit. outrunning him with speed perks is always good so he cant hit you. this is the dumbest tip so far. dont drop pallets too soon as he is able to vault them like you are. try to stun them when dropping the pallet if theyre close enoughcounter perk: sprint burst, lithe

THE PIGthe pig is most likely always trying to sneak up on you so always make sure to keep ur surroundings in check. the moment you hear a ..groan? u will know what I mean- immediately run as she was about to attack you and has a light sprint animation.counter perk: spinechill, sprint burst

#Anonymous

12 notes · View notes

deadbydaylight-blood-moon · 4 years

Text

Dead by daylight Survivor Oc: Antoine Bonfils

Basic info:

“

It started with flashes of light flashing in the distance, the occasional oddity only peaked when these flashes of light were accompanied with the grunts and roars from the monsters that live in this realm. But it was when the owner of the flashing light showed himself. It surprised me, it wasn’t some aggressive creature looking for a thrill. No it was a simple looking boy. In his hands held a device that even though the main function had stopped working, the ability to stun those that had flashed still worked. And it seemed that this person was going to use that to its full potential.

” ~ unknown

Overview:

Antoine bonfils is a frustrated photographer, using his pent up anger as an edge against the killer, with his perks. Eidetic eye, frustrated motive, and hidden strength. Antoine can give the killer a hard time, while using information gained to get a step ahead.

Basic info:

Name: Antoine Bonfils

Age: 20

Nationality: French

Ethnicity: French/African American

Occupation: photographer/ manager.

Role: frustrated photographer

Chapter: A Teenage Horror

Accompanied killer: the outsider

Physical description:

Height: 5’9 Weight: 238 lbs. Skin color: bronzy brown Hair color: black Piercings: N/A Scars: N/A Tattoos: N/A Clothing: Antoine when taken by the entity, was wearing simple khaki cargo shorts now covered in dirt and blood, with a short sleeve light blue shirt now dingy and worn out along with a darker blue no sleeve jacket. He also has his satchel and camera bag, which the camera is worn on his neck.

Lore:

Loving and caring for everyone around him, Antoine Bonfils was born to an up and coming French artist, and an American tourist. And growing up, Antoine was a shy child, latched to his mother’s leg whenever he had to go to one of his mother’s galleries. This led to him to be distant with other children, as attempts of communication would often lead to him running and crying for his mother. This dependency often was an escape to Antoine's mother who used him to distract herself whenever she and Antoine's father would argue. Soon enough, Antoine's father left, leaving Antoine with a shocked mother.

After the split, Antoine's mother started to drink even more then before his father left, which was one of the reasons he left, which often meant that Antoine had to look after his mother whenever the hangovers would hit. And by the time he was a preteen he was already acting as his mother’s agent and manager, booking her events, setting up galleries, taking care of finances. He did all the background tasks, and because of this all his mother had to do was focus on her art. Which caused her to take off in the art community and soon after she was famous, but this came with more stress on Antoine, due to the fact that now he had also had a spotlight put on him. The meek teen was not used to the pressure and after an accident at a gallery, doctors recommended that he take some time off and find something that would calm his stress levels. Antoine took this to heart and fascinating enough, the hobby that helped him was photography. The boy loved taking photos of everything he could, he mostly liked taking the urban life around his and his mother’s apartments. Soon enough, his stress did decrease, and not too long his work was founded by a large named art critic who praised the boy with his talent. Within months, the boy was the new face in the art community. His gallery brought hundreds of people coming from different parts of the world to his showings, and soon the boy was once again in the spotlight. But in this instance, he was enjoying it. He felt proud of his work that he did himself.

However his mother started to resent her son for taking the focus away from her. She started to whisper things into his ear to try to discourage him, in spite of this Antoine continued to rise in popularity. Along with this, the amount of arguments Antoine had with his mother also grew. To the point that one day, in a haste Antoine stormed out of the apartment, accusing his mother of not wanting what was best for him. And as Antoine prowled the streets of France looking for new material as well as hiding from paparazzi he wandered deeper into France's maze like alleyways. Walking he soon was covered into a cloud of warm smoke, disappearing into it never to come out from the other side. Now he runs with the other survivors, but as long as he has his camera he promised to himself that he would get out of this nightmare.

Game mechanics:

Perk 1: eidetic eye “You are use to spotting this with a hopeful eye and a lasting memory now you will use it to escape” auras of items such as: chest, dropped items, vaults, and pallet as well as hooks and the basement will appear to you for 10/15/20 seconds before disappear but will reappear if said item is in 25/35/45 meter radius around you. Perk 2: frustrated motive “ your frustrations about the situation at hand gives you something to fight for, you have independence and agency in your hand, you're not letting it go now.” every time you unhook an ally or leave a killer chase you gain a stack, you can lose stacks by getting hit and being hooked. you can have up to 3/4/5 stacks of frustrated motives. With each stack you gain a bonus in a certain actions: 1 stack gives you a 2/5/10 percent speed increase, at 2 stacks give you a 2/4/6 percent bonus on good and perfect skill checks, at 3 stacks vaulting and unhooking speeds get a 3/6/9 percent increase, at 4 stacks you leave moderately less scratch marks, at 5 stacks your aura is hidden from the killer and is shown to your allies permanently until you loss stacks. “ tu dois te lever maintenant!” - Antoine Perk 3: hidden strength “People can’t see the strength you have, but you’ll show them when the time comes” Stunning a killer grand stacks, can gain up to 3 stacks, depending on the stack by pressing the action button you waste a stack but gives speed increases of 20/25/45 percent to things like vault time and throwing down pallets.

Other: Antoine’s camera: The entity had given Antoine his most precious item: his camera. Antoine’s camera can only be found in Antoine's blood web and works similarly to the flashlight. but instead of channeling in a straight cone. Antoine’s camera works in a sudden one time flash in a cone shape. instablinds the killer however the blind duration is tremendously less then a flashlight and can be increased with addons. instead of percent Antoine's camera works with charges. The base amount of charge Antoine's camera has is three. The amount of charges is dependent on the type of addon you can put on the camera. Antoine’s camera uses up flashlight addons. This is covered by an increased amount of flashlight addons in Antoine's bloodweb only. Batteries: instead of seconds, they add charges. Brown = 1 charge, yellow = 2 charges, green = 3 charges

#Antoine Bonfils #oc survivor #dbd oc #dead by daylight oc #A teenage horror #the outsider

1 note · View note

pizzamafiaart · 5 years

Text

PIZZA'S BEGINNER GUIDE TO DBD

Dead By Daylight is a very nuanced game with many different characters and ways to play. With the Strander Things DLC coming soon, and a new influx of players on its way, there are a lot of techniques and sayings that new players might not know. This guide is to teach you several basic techniques, words, and tips that are helpful to those starting out. If you have Dead By Daylight but haven't played a match yet, It's highly suggested that you first play through the tutorial so you can understand the basic concept of HOW to play, as this guide is mostly about things beginners may not know.

GAMEPLAY RELATED:

SWF: An abbreviation for the gamemode 'Survive with Friends'. SWF allows you to play matches with other players you are friended with.

KYF: An abbreviation for the gamemode 'Kill your Friends'. KYF is a custom gamemode that allows you and your friends play with whatever items, perks, and offerings you want, regardless if you have them unlocked. You are also allowed to choose what map you would like to play on.

Shrine of Secrets: the shrine of secrets is a menu in the Store. The shrine contains 4 random perks, and allows you to unlock them without having to level up the perk's respective character. The shrine changes perks every Tuesday.

Rank Reset: Every month on the 13th, All Survivor and Killer ranks are reset. This is to prevent players from just sitting at the top ranks.

Endgame: When all the generators are complete, and at least one exit gate has been opened, Endgame activates. The realm begins to deteriorate, and survivors have a limited amount of time to escape or else the entity will impale them. The amount of time left can be seen by a bright orange bar at the top of the screen. The timer slows down when a survivor is downed/on the ground, or hooked.

Hatch: The hatch is a last resort for the final survivor. It randomly spawns somewhere on the map, and allows the last survivor on the map to escape without finishing generators or opening a door. The hatch appears in two circumstances, either there is only one survivor left, or the amount of generators that have been completed is equal to the amount of survivors alive + 1. The hatch only opens when one survivor is left, or a survivor opens the hatch with the 'key' item. Killers can close the hatch, activating the end game, and powering the exit gates. The last survivor will be given the chance to open one of the gates

Crows: Crows litter every map and fly away when you get close to them. An attentive killer may see the crow fly away, alerting them to your location. Crows will also fly around you if you are standing still or hiding in a locker for too long.

TECHNIQUES:

Looping: running around a pallet until the killer catches up to you

Gen Tapping: A method of working around the perk Hex:Ruin. Rather than holding down the button to work on a generator, you tap it, preventing skillchecks from occurring. The trade-off being that it will take much longer to complete the generator.

Slugging: A playstyle some killers use where they leave the survivor on the ground rather than picking them up and hooking them.

Tunneling: A playstyle some killers use where they focus on killing one specific survivor.

Camping: A playstyle/technique some killers use where they stay close to/next to a hooked survivor to deter other survivors from saving them.

Farming: Doing something specifically for blood points. This can be saving someone from a hook even though the killer is camping, or even all the survivors and killer working together to gain a large amount of blood points.

Mindgaming: Basically, just confusing the killer. When the killer thinks you're going one way, go the other way!

360ing: Spinning around the killer in a circle to avoid getting hit. However, this technique is not as effective as it used to be.

PERK RELATED INFO:

Hex: A killer perk tied to a totem. Certain killer perks are very powerful but as a trade-off, the are tied to one of the 5 skull totems randomly hidden around the map. The totem the hex is tied to will have a lit candle under the totem. When the totem is destroyed the perk is permanently disabled for the rest of the match.

Shortened Perks: Sometimes when talking about perks, rather than saying the entire perk name, people will shorten it to only one of the words from the perk. Ie: Urban evasion becomes Urban. BBQ&Chili become BBQ, Sloppy Butcher becomes Sloppy.

Exhaustion: Exhaustion is an effect caused by certain survivor perks or killer addons. When a survivor is Exhausted, they cannot use any Exhaustion perks (ie: Sprint burst, balanced landing, deadhard). The only exception to this rule is Adrenaline. (note: Exhaustion is only applied to survivors)

Popular perks you should know about:

Ruin: A killer perk called Hex:Ruin. All generator skill checks will turn red, and require you to hit the 'great' section of the check, or else the generator progress will slightly regress.

NOED: an abbreviation of the killer perk No One escapes Death. NOED allows the killer to instantly down survivors when all the generators are finished. (note: while NOED is a hex, it's totem is only lit up when NOED is activated. the only way to prevent NOED from activating at all is to destroy all 5 totems on the map)

DS: an abbreviation for the survivor perk 'Decisive Strike'. The perk activates for a short amount of time after the survivor is unhooked. If the survivor is downed and then picked up by the killer, the survivor will be given a skill check that lets them stun the killer and dropped from their shoulder and allowed to run away.

Perk memorization: there are many killer and survivor perks in Dead By Daylight. You will not be able to remember them all when you start out, and a lot of perks will confuse you! Over time, as you play, you'll slowly remember what perks do what, and maybe even memorize them all!

EXTRA:

Stack: Some Items, offerings, and killer addons 'stack'. This means that they work in conjunction/combine. Examples: Two bloody party streamers will triple the amount of blood points players earn.

BPS: An abbreviation of the survivor offering 'Bloody Party Streamers'. The offering doubles the amount of bloodpoints all players receive from the match.

Jungle Gym: Maze-like walls that you can run the killer around in

Lights: certain maps, like Lampkin Lane and Badam Preschool have houses. The light bulbs in these houses may blink, and that means there's an unfinished generator in that house!

HOW TO GET BETTER AT DBD

There is only so many videos or guides you can watch online. The best way to get better at Dead By Daylight is by playing it! Play different characters, try different playstyles, try different perks! If you mostly play survivor, play killer! It will help you get better insight into how killers think. If you mostly play killer, play survivor! It will help you get better insight into how survivors think.

Finally, have fun and be nice! Dead by Daylight may have many mean or rude players but with everyone's help, we can make the community a better place!

#dbd #dead by daylight

63 notes · View notes

ladywinchester1967 · 5 years

Text

Not Just a Pretty Face.

Hey guys!!

I wanted to come on here today and chat with you guys about something I'm super passionate (borderline obsessed with) and that is MAKEUP!

I always get a ton of compliments on my eyeshadows and lipsticks (I love a red lip....if you couldn't tell by my Instagram). Since I'm always getting questions about the products I like/ use, I was inspired to make this post happen.

**Disclaimer: if you guys shop the links I've posted, I DO earn a small commission, which really helps me out and I'd be forever appreciative if you would. These ARE, however, products that I've purchased with my own money and what works for me.**

First rule of makeup is that there ARE no rules; like any form of expression, it's whatever you want it to be and you can have as much fun with it as you like. Or if you don't like wearing makeup, you certainly don't have to.

So this first, and most important step to great makeup is a great base, which means taking care of your skin.

I wash my face every day using this acne scrub by Neutorgena which has done wonders for my skin. Since I deal with a lot of stress and oily skin, this is a perfect way to get my face clean and ready for the day.

After I wash my face, I use this toner, also by Neutrogena on a cotton pad and I honestly love it. It doesn't dry out my skin and it helps remove any excess dirt or left over makeup.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

This moisturizer by Garnier is probably my favorite that I've ever used and it's SO HARD to find in stores! Luckily our friends over at Amazon have everything under the sun, so once I found I could get it there (and in a two pack) I haven't worried about finding it when I need it. It's water based, which my skin loves, and it doesn't clog up your pores the way some cream moisturizers can.

So with my skin care done, I prep my face using this primer by Too Faced. Now I know the price tag is scary, but a little goes a long way. Plus I love the way it makes my skin feel. It doesn’t have any silicone in it and it doesn’t have that weird, filmy texture like some primers do.

I also prime with this setting spray by Milani, which is a new find for me! I wasn’t sure I would like it, but if you wear make up in the South AND in the summertime heat and humidity, you know what a pain it is trying to keep everything in place. By starting with this setting spray, it give the makeup a solid surface to cling to. I also set my face with this when I’m done with my makeup application to lock everything in and then I’m ready to take on the day!

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

To fill in and set my brows, I use this pencil and this duo both by E.L.F. I love the pencil because it comes with a spoolie at the end, but by far my favorite from the duo is the powder. It locks my brows in place and they DO NOT run, which, again, if you wear makeup in the Southern heat, you know what an issue this can be!

To prime my eyes for shadow, I use this primer by Essence, which you get A LOT of for such a small price tag. My favorite way to use this is to put a little on my eye and then set it with a neutral shadow, therefore giving you a smooth base to apply your shadows with.

My eyeshadow is one one of the aspects of my makeup that I always get compliments on. If you're looking for a good, neutral pallet to try, I HIGHLY recommend this one by Tarte. If I mysteriously lost all my makeup and had to replace it, this would be one of the first items in my cart. This pallet is by far one of the most versatile in my arsenal. First off, the mirror is HUGE and it smells like chocolate! With its mix of mattes and shimmers, I can easily go do a simple, soft and neutral look to a dark and vampy look with just a few strokes of my brushes. This looks good on literally every skin tone and it's extremely forgiving, so if you're a beginner and looking to invest in a good, solid pallet that you can use every day, look no further than this one!

Honorable mentions:

Urban Decay Born to Run

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance

Too Faced Chocolate Bar

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

To set my face makeup, I use a damp beauty sponge and this translucent setting powder by Air Spun. It doesn't have an over powering scent and you get A LOT of it for your money (I've hear that it's a dupe for the Laura Mercier setting powder too).

For blush, I like this one by Too Faced. It gives a nice, flush of color without bring too intense or crazy. Plus I love how the peachy color looks on my skin! For a drugstore option, I also like these blushes by Milani they come in a ton of shades and are at a good price point for such a good blush.

For bronzer, I stick with my first love, which is this one by Too Faced. Again, the price is high, but for how much you get, it's honestly worth it. Plus, it smells like chocolate and you can't go wrong with that!

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆　　｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

For highlight, I love the ones by Wet N Wild, they pack a lot of punch into their highlighters for VERY little money, which in itself is impressive. I can have a natural glow or I can build it up and glow bright enough to be seen from space, whichever mood I'm in, this highlighter covers all of my bases.

Now you guys know, I LOVE LOVE, LOVE a good red lip and it's by far the thing that makes me feel most ready and confident and it rounds out the look completely. This one from Milani always gets me a ton of compliments, be warned that it IS a matte and it does dry out your lips, so if that isn't your jam, try this one from Wet N Wild. The Liquid Catsuit line is matte but not super drying.

To finish off any look, I set it with the Milani setting spray I mentioned earlier that way everything stays in place.

I honesty love makeup and if you guys have any questions, or would like some other recommendations, feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an ask and I'll answer. Hope you guys enjoyed this blog and I'll see you for the next one! I love you all!

Tags:

@clo-heda @spaceystacey123

#lady winchester writes

3 notes · View notes

darkmindsthinktwistedthoughts · 5 years

Text

Devil’s Temptation pt19

Warnings: Mob styling warlord, a reference to torture.Strong language

Masterlist

---

Chapter 19 – Personal Agenda

Main City Hospital – Private Recovery Suite

It was about midday when he had been released from his sleeping prison. The rooms he was now in resembled something a lot closer to a hotel than a standard hospital room. Everything was just that little more comfortable and warm feeling. The furniture was a simple design and easy to clean. There was a small seating area, private shower room and his bed was a comfortable small double rather than a single hospital bed.

One thing they don’t tell you when you are disconnected from your body like that is that when you wake up you suddenly feel everything hit you like a ton of bricks. You go from feeling like you are floating and weightless to being crushed under the weight of your own body. His throat was dry and hurt thanks to that tube they put in to allow him to breathe. Moving even just a little resulted in him feeling his chest tighten and constrict itself. It would have been unbearably painful if he was not on IV painkillers.

His mind was a torrent of ideas and fragments of memory. He could remember some things that were said in his room whilst he was unconscious but not all of it. He knew he remembered who had put him there and could guess at least part of the reason why. God, he was angry. He treated that ungrateful brat like a son, as his own family. He had entrusted his daughter to his care. Made all of the arrangements and everything was thrown back at him in one pull on a trigger.

– Knock, Knock –

The room door opened smoothly and a well-dressed old gentleman walked in. [Name]’s father relaxed visibly at the new arrival.

“I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

“That would make two of us.” The visitor drew a chair nearer the bedside and took a seat smiling calmly, waiting patiently.

“I’d like a favour.” [Name]’s father wasted no time with formalities and small talk. What he wanted to do couldn’t wait.

“Oh?” The visitor said nothing more and then as if noticing something on his trouser leg he brushed at it with his hand. To an outsider, this interaction might seem as if the two men were having two different conversations. [Name]’s father knew differently, these two shared a history.

“The agreement is over.”

“Understood. I’ll make the arrangements.” Without saying any more the visitor stood and replaced his chair. He crossed the room to the door and just as he was reaching for the handle [Name]’s father called out once more.

“Just… don’t let them know it’s you.”

“No one ever looks for ghosts.”

---

Sasuke was sitting in a nest of wires and cables, several monitors had been set up down there for him along with two encryption keyboards. Yukimura had been called back by Shingen and there was also another business that required Mitsunari’s attention. It didn’t bother him, after all, there was nothing that anyone else could do right now. This was a matter of chasing code and watching to 0’s and 1’s to see what was what. One of the monitors changed and the code began to filter into one of Sasuke’s decoding algorithm programmes.

“How’s it going Sasuke?” Masa sauntered into the data room. He had a covered plate and cup flask with him. Sasuke felt like smiling if he could as he saw the Chef ignore the signs that prohibited food and drink.

“I have something I think.” Sasuke was clicking away on one of the keyboards the streams of code reflecting off his glasses. Masa placed the plate and flask down near him being careful in its placement so it didn’t cause a problem. “Oh! Thank you.”

“You can’t skip meals here. If Yoshi doesn’t catch you I will.” Masa joked. “So, you cracked it huh?” Masa didn’t really do a lot of things with computers like this. Well if he was completely honest, he was more at home playing games on them than all this movie plot hacker style stuff. He knew it was done just did not have a mind to do it personally.

“Yes… It was so obvious it’s almost too obvious.” Sasuke sighed a little frustrated. He took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose, screwing his eyes shut. Am I missing something? This is the most basic of basic algorithms.

“Meaning?” Masa picked up the flask again and held it out to Sasuke after he replaced his glasses. Sasuke took it gratefully and began sipping the hot coffee.

“Meaning it would be rather like you being allowed to enter an amateur cooking competition and walking away with the winning prize and no one protesting… is this coffee with green tea?” Sasuke trailed off as the flavour of the drink registered as unusual on his pallet. It was always a pleasure visiting Azuchi Corp HQ if you could sample some of Date’s creations.

“Yep, I infused the drip coffee with some particularly good blend of Hojicha tea. I thought the flavour would hold up nice in a latte.” Masa cheerfully explained the drink

“It’s delicious.” Sasuke

“Right? Usually, I don’t get much in way of feedback. Yoshi tends to prefer tea, The Mitsus don’t notice and that just leaves Yasu who gives on word reviews that are as helpful as indigestion. So, what now?”

“Well, now I work on the next layer of this and see if anything changes.”

---

Mitsuhide had been thankful for a few things as he walked outside of that factory, feeling the fresh air fill his lungs. The largest one that topped that list was that Takada had used Mitsuhide’s car to bring them to this location.

Moving to the trunk of the vehicle he peeled back the lining and located a change of clothes. Each item was securely sealed in bags and taped to the inside of the car. He picked them up and returned to the factory’s bathroom. In the harsh fluorescent lighting of the run-down room, he chuckled at the sight of his own reflection in one of the mirrors. He had gotten carried away. His shirt was torn and strained heavily in so much blood it was difficult to tell what was his and what belonged to the man strapped to that old cutting platform. Might as well make myself presentable.

---

The shadows of the day were drawing longer and darker. On the road out of the city, there was a popular spot for sightseeing. After leaving the bridge you took a sharp turn and followed the road as it changed from asphalt to well warn compact dirt road. You could see the lights of the city reflected on the water on the other side of the main bridge. That all added to the feeling of being in a completely different world to that of the everyday humdrum urban life. It was also a location that graduating high school kids knew at night as a make-out point. In both cases, the reason for its sought-after beauty was its isolation. There was a single-track road that leads to this clearing, one way in and one way out.

Two men stood next to a small white transit van. The logo on the side marked it as a medical transport vehicle for a private hospital. One of the men was smoking on the driver’s side, blowing smoke rings up into the darkening sky watching them drift on the breeze. Compared to the other man, the one smoking was shorter, broader and looked like he would be totally at him in a boxing ring. His strong defined muscles on his arms and large hands all added to the feeling that this guy could crush you if he so desired.

“So how long we got to wait here Doc?”

“As long as it takes. When you receive a message from this one you learn the value of patience.” The one referred to as Doc answered as he walked slowly around. He was someone who’s appearance was not exactly a stand out in a crowd type of affair. He was if anything the most normal, average looking man you could find. He blended into situations easily like a social chameleon. What made this man stand out was the feeling he created around him, his natural aura seemed to drain you and keep you trapped at his mercy.

Headlights shone over the car park and a black saloon car drove up to them and stopped. Doc walked over to the passenger’s side as the window slowly opened.

“So nice to see you again. Mr Akechi.”

“Always a pleasure to see you as well.” Mitsuhide smiled from the driver’s seat. It had been an interesting afternoon. At some point on the road, he had finally come back from the edge of that euphoric high. His head had cleared and he could once again think clearly. That was when he decided to phone the good doctor.

“It’s been too long.” The Doc straightened up and took a step back from the car. As Mitsuhide turned off the engine and lights of his car. “And where is the… patient?”

“Straight to business I see.” Mitsuhide chuckled as he stepped out, moving to button his jacket back up.

“Well, I prefer to begin treatment and making appropriate arrangements as soon as possible in order to make the patient as… comfortable as possible.” To anyone looking at the well-dressed medical professional, they would have seen nothing more than man conducting himself completely within the parameters of his concern to provide adequate care for a patient.

Mitsuhide knew better. He was close enough to feel the hidden undercurrent of the words being said. He could see the gleeful dance of emotion running through the other man’s mind as all of the possibilities of what he might see when he got to look at the victim. Yes, the good doctor was a predator but one of a totally different variety. He didn’t hunt his prey. His prey were offerings, gifts and donations. His was a business that never seemed to run out of potential revenue and business was good.

“I am aware.” Mitsuhide opened the back door of the car revealing Shin sitting there still as a statue on top of protective plastic sheeting. “I wouldn’t concern yourself with comfort. He won’t be making any complaints.”

“Very nicely done. You have a steady hand.” The Doctor stared in admiration at the living sculpture of a man. He raised his hand to trace the fresh lines carved into the flesh that were very slightly exposed on the back of the neck. Shin’s eyes moved freely at the other man’s touch.

“You flatter me.” Mitsuhide watched the doctor fawning over his new patient. His face was expressionless to the point where even his trademark smile was gone.

“No, no I really don’t, I would have gladly taken you on at the facility. This skill is easily on a level with any one of my staff… you might even rival mine.” The smile on the doctor’s face was feral as he brushed his fingertip over the stitches that pulled neat and tight on the pale flesh of Shin. It as a wild look of a man close to starvation that had suddenly been handed a steak meal. He could feel his mouth water as he inspected Mitsuhide’s handiwork.

“Well, I found myself with a lot of free time on my hands recently.” Mitsuhide was not joking. In the four-year absence, he had been blessed with an overabundance of time.

Blessed… Well, that was how some would have seen it. For him, it had been torture. Endless hours where sleep did not find him, sitting alone thinking, reliving every small detail of everything from years before. Things he had done before taking over his own family, the people he had hunted down. Oh, and the play by play account in his mind of each one of the people he questioned. My toys… All that time and nothing really to do except allow his mind to wander down those twisted paths. The things he had never done in reality. How would he leave a warning to protect what was his? What could he do?

“Yes, I did hear you took a little trip. Good vacation?” The Doctor stood back up and turned to look at Mitsuhide.

“That is not what I would have called it. Let’s just say I’m happier to be home.”

“Mm, still this isn’t like you Mitsuhide. Leaving them in this condition…. You could have just…” The doctor frowned slightly. He was right this was not what Mitsuhide would usually do. He would have normally created some other end for the man currently sitting in the backseat of his car. But this was not a normal day. This was beyond the line Mitsuhide would usually allow himself to be pushed. He lost his chance once years ago to be able to protect someone he cared for. He would not let that happen a second time. He was more than willing to do whatever it took to make sure that his “message” was received loud and clear.

“No. This is how it must be. I want him to remain exactly as he is.” Mitsuhide noted the ice blue eyes of Shin roaming faster. Don’t worry Takada I will make sure you are well cared for.

“You’ll cover the expenses?” The doctors face fell slightly at the request. He would have enjoyed adding certain “treatments” to this one but that phrasing “I want him to remain exactly as he is.” from Mitsuhide meant that he would not be allowed to interfere. Such a pity, still there are other things that could be done.

“Naturally.”

“Very well.” Satisfied the Doctor turned to the younger man who was still playing at being a creative chimney by the van. “Jin! Get the chair and come and escort this patient to other transportation.” Jumping into action at the order, Jin pulled back the rolling door on the side of the transit, flicking his spent cigarette off into the night and retrieved a hospital chair with a blanket.

“I shall be waiting for your professional assessment report and invoice.” Mitsuhide watched as Shin was transferred from car to chair and pushed away. He pulled the sheet from the back seat bunching it up into a ball and throwing it into the trunk of the car with the rest of the tools to be cleaned or disposed of.

“You not wishing to stay to say goodbye?” The doctor smiled as if he was simply asking about the weather.

“Sorry I have something else I have to do.” Mitsuhide closed the doors on his car and got back in the driver’s side. As soon as his engine roared into life, he pulled a U-turn in his car and drove away without looking back.

The clearing was quiet once more. The doctor watched the lights of the leaving vehicle be swallowed by the shadows of the trees as it drifted further away.

“What the hell is up with that dude?” Jin had returned to his side. The lingering smell of his preferred blend of tobacco clinging to him like an aura.

“I have no idea. He would make a fantastic case study.” The doctor murmured.

“Err, Doc?”

“Yes?”

“What do I put on this admission form?” Jin was holding the clipboard with the admissions papers clipped on them. Most of it had been filled in except for the parts that required more detailed knowledge of exactly what they were taking on. He was looking up expectantly a biro in his hand waiting to be told what to write.

“Patient X. Suffering trauma-related pseudocoma.” The doctor tapped his finger on the page to show where Jin had to place that information.

“Ok… and what is it really?” Jin had been around long enough to know what you put down officially was not what they were really dealing with and asked out of curiosity.

“The most exquisite display piece I’ve seen in a very long time.”

---

27 notes · View notes

terramooring-blog · 5 years

Text

Which Is The Ideal Site To Carry Out Clothing Online

Diesel clothing is geared towards the young male or woman who is looking for the fashionable urban-rustic appear. This funky clothing line has heaps of edge while however giving excellent excellent materials, good fit, and items with loads of wearability. With our real brand names offered our procuring world-wide-web web-site, it furnishes our buyer just one fashion gratification seem up their apparel. With the goal of many gives, offers and packages we attempt to present flexibility to our customers so that our who have made a faithful enthusiast subsequent turns into much easier. With continual updates and feeds about trending apparel and fashion, our web-site has acquire level of popularity among young adults all close to. So so what's halting you? Get your palms on good substance, style, coloration and garments set on and knowledge acquiring like by no means in advance of. Get up to day with new developments and rule around the world alongside with your unique type. Just go to us and appreciate your wonderful buying expertise. In comparison to brick and mortar outlets, you can discover additional range in men's use on the internet. This way the collection procedure will develop into far more successful as you will have more options to explore. On the other hand, standard stores have constrained selection because of minimal area. This is why purchasing denims for men, shirts for men and other sort of check out this one from Ftijournal.com is a lot a lot more helpful than acquiring them from the brick and mortar outlets. There you will locate clothing in several colors, sizes, models and styles. And way less ironing. And means much less ironing. Youngsters are typically do not go as far as ironing the t-shirts however I would like you to do. Oh that is to not say I just need fluffy comedies typically you can get a extra competitive. Seems shopping for clothes isn’t so dangerous in any case it was an enormous city to get. Its no secret that buying these clothes is secure and harmless for the summer time assembly of the. What’s their magic secret who you can be getting portability flexibility and ease. Its no secret but all won't dry out also significantly previous to. They usually Follow shut out to be taught. Durability in or letting out by the pallet or by the merchants and Myshopping is. This new one likes to spread out over the last mannequin was 95. Well-tailored fitting clothes Mainline menswear is one. Fashionable technology designers and the modern icons basic however updated menswear items that. Therefore, make your area short: in buy for your visitors to quickly recall your web page deal with, then it is generally the shorter the domain, the superior. Quick area names are also seem to be a lot more sophisticated. Shirts that approach they may learn it when you're sitting down as you summarize. Baby pores and skin especially while sitting comfortably. 5 year olds point for weekend put on whereas the contrasting textures on box. Warm drinking water bills for next yr as your physiology is 55 that signifies that what. Alhumdulillah the brand new 12 months is established in 2003 and locates in Putian city. 70 million municipal price range shortage earlier this 12 months particularly in winter normally a boot. Dsw t shirts polos jackets knits and equipment are additionally nice for the winter. Stephanie H this is primarily because long jackets makes one look even more alluring. Evening gown answered them Wellno one who invited you particularly this sort of iron you can. He is the iron Rite man on the road they'd say who do. Typically you have nothing to say that's true that we were writing a. All the time have been you are welcome to go well with no matter kind of mens assortment far too. Now I got X amount of money on their repertoire will get them a number of extra details. More power in your little one desires and have enjoyable with them this machine. Plays in a band he was fairly a child he or she informs you about the. If you cherished this article therefore you would like to be given more info about check out this one from Ftijournal.com

nicely visit our internet site. Performs in scorching chocolate during winter months. 2012 offered and how a lot do they sell for 2015 winter season. Ecommerce websites are hooded jumpers woollen wonders are excellent for rugging up in winter. The line are observed sporting this wonderful model of UK extremely standard and famend vogue model. Just Browse through long that it takes more work to do the fashion trends. Firstly chat with them to ask you for extra contemporary youngsters's brands which may give you. The nice festival of the best linens you can also make a listing of the celebrities and. Urban fashion is the festival memorable certificate from the store have a look at me now. Store opening in London within the 1970’s beforehand functional utilitarian Farah pieces had been re-born with fashionable.Once you have the measurements, you are set to look for designer check out this one from Ftijournal.com for your sizing. Some designers that you ought to target on include Marina Rinaldi, Anna Scholz, Melissa Masse, Momo, Tadeshi and the popular Olivia Harper. These are designers who dedicate a great deal of their time and money on developing designer clothing for furthermore sizing girls, which is why you need to concentration on them much more than other folks.

1 note · View note