#what services were those regina!! what services were those!!

[itwasmagic]

ENDLESS SWAN QUEEN GIFS: 67/∞ » you’re sure you don’t want me to take the place apart? reblogs are encouraged!

[factsinallcaps]

I have to know-- what's ur opinion on this

LOOK, I'M JUST GOING TO, RIGHT HERE, ANSWER THE MANY, MANY "BUT COULD YOU PRONOUNCE THIS A CERTAIN WAY IF YOU PRONOUNCED ALL THE LETTERS DIFFERENT THAN THEY SHOULD BE PRONOUNCED" MESSAGES I'VE BEEN GETTING

THE ANSWER IS NO, YOU CANNOT TAKE LETTERS-AS-USED-IN-ONE-WORD AND TRANSPLANT THEM TO PLACES IN OTHER WORDS AND EXPECT THEM TO BEHAVE THE SAME. THE W IN "ANSWER" IS THE SAME W THAT'S IN "WALL." THE "H" IN "GHOST" IS THE SAME ONE THAT'S IN "HELP." "T" IN "LISTEN" IS THE SAME ONE THAT'S IN "TANK," AND THE EXTRA "A" IN "AARDVARK" IS NO MORE SILENT THAN THE SECOND "O" IN "DOOR." TWO A'S IN A ROW MAKES A DIFFERENT SOUND THAN ONE A IN A ROW.

THE REALITY IS, IF YOU TOOK THOSE LETTERS OUT OF THOSE WORDS, AND PUT THEM TOGETHER AGAIN TO SPELL "WHAT," THEY WOULDN'T BE SILENT ANYMORE, BECAUSE THEIR PRONUNCIATION, OR LACK THEREOF, IS BASED ON THE CONTEXT OF WHERE THEY FALL IN THE WORD, AND WHAT THEIR ETYMOLOGY IS. IF YOU TOOK ALL THOSE LETTERS AND REASSEMBLED THEM INTO "WHAT," IT WOULD BE PRONOUNCED LIKE "WHAT."

A LOT OF PEOPLE KEEP ASKING THESE QUESTIONS BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF WHETHER IT'S "VALID" TO PRONOUNCE CERTAIN LETTERS SPECIFIC WAYS, BASED ON THE FACT THAT THEY'RE PRONOUNCED THAT WAY IN CERTAIN WORDS. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THEM, LETTERS HAVE NO INHERENT PRONUNCIATION WHATSOEVER. THEY'RE PRONOUNCED THE WAY WE PRONOUNCE THEM BECAUSE OF A COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT BY SPEAKERS OF ANY GIVEN LANGUAGE TO PRONOUNCE THE LETTERS USED IN THAT LANGUAGE'S ALPHABET IN MUTUALLY AGREED-UPON WAYS.

SOMETIMES THERE'S SPECIAL-USE CASES THAT COME FROM A WORD'S ROOT LANGUAGE-- FOR INSTANCE, "J" IS PRONOUNCED DIFFERENTLY IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH. THE WORD "FAJITA" EXISTS IN ENGLISH, AS IN ITS ORIGINAL SPANISH, AND THE J IS STILL PRONOUNCED THE SAME WAY AS IT WAS IN SPANISH

AND, CRUCIALLY, THERE IS ALREADY A MARGIN-OF-ERROR IN WHAT WE ALLOW RE: PRONUNCIATION. THIS IS HOW DIFFERENT DIALECTS AND ACCENTS FORM. MY APPALACHIAN COUSINS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN THOUGH I'M SAYING "WIN-DOH" AND THEY'RE SAYING "WIN-DER," WE'RE BOTH SAYING THE SAME WORD: "WINDOW," BECAUSE -OW AT THE END OF A WORD IS PRONOUNCED DIFFERENTLY IN MY ACCENT AND THEIRS. WHEN SOMEBODY WALKS UP TO ME AND SAYS "LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION" BUT THEY PRONOUNCE IT LIKE "AXE," I KNOW WHAT WORD THEY'RE USING.

I'VE MET PEOPLE NAMED, FOR INSTANCE, ROXHINA AND UXHINE, PRONOUNCED IDENTICALLY TO THE ENGLISH NAMES "REGINA" AND "EUGENE," BECAUSE IN THEIR FAMILY'S LANGUAGE, THOSE LETTERS WERE PRONOUNCED DIFFERENTLY.

I HAVE ALSO SEEN PEOPLE SPELL THINGS INCORRECTLY, IF SERVICEABLY, IN WAYS THAT IT'S EASY TO LET SLIDE BECAUSE IT'S CLEAR THEY WERE GOOD-FAITH EFFORTS TO COMMUNICATE THE MEANING OF THE WORD-- FOR INSTANCE, IN A BAR I SOMETIMES WORK AT, THERE IS A BOX LABELED "CHAMPAIGN GLASSES." THAT'S NOT THE CORRECT SPELLING, BUT ANYBODY WHO KNOWS HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE WORD "CHAMPAGNE" IS GOING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LABEL MEANS. THAT'S ALL LANGUAGE IS-- A GOOD-FAITH EFFORT TO CONVEY MEANING BASED ON A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WORDS MEAN AND HOW THEY ARE CONSTRUCTED.

ALL OF THIS WAS VERY EASY FOR ME TO ACCEPT! BUT IF SOMEONE FROM APPALACHIA, WHO SPEAKS THE SAME LANGUAGE AS ME, WROTE THE WORD "XHOWL" ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND EXPECTED ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT MEANT "GIRL," BECAUSE IN ALBANIAN "XH" IS PRONOUNCED "G" AND IN APPALACHIA "OW" IS SOMETIMES PRONOUNCED "ER," I WOULD NOT FEEL LIKE THEY HAD MADE A GOOD-FAITH EFFORT TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE THE WORD "GIRL."

SO MY ULTIMATE ANSWER HERE IS THAT I DISAPPROVE OF ATTEMPTS TO FIND ESOTERIC WAYS TO PRONOUNCE LETTERS OR SPELL WORDS THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE THAT GOOD-FAITH EFFORT. WHETHER IT'S "YOU CAN SPELL FISH AS GHOTI, AS LONG AS YOU SAY ALL THE LETTERS WRONG," OR "YOU CAN PRONOUNCE 'WHAT' SILENTLY IF YOU DON'T SAY ANY OF THE LETTERS" I AM GENERALLY NOT IN FAVOR OF THESE FAKE-DEEP, DESPERATE-TO-BE-CLEVER ATTEMPTS AT SAYING "YOU KNOW, IF YOU DISRESPECT THE LISTENER AND/OR READER'S GOOD-FAITH EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND YOU BY MAKING AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO BE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, THEN ENGLISH HAS NO RULES!"

IF ANYONE IS INTENDING TO SEND ME A "WHAT ABOUT--" SORT OF MESSAGE TO THIS, REFER BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS POST AND THEN KEEP READING UNTIL YOU DON'T SEND THAT MESSAGE.

TL;DR - ANYONE WHO SAYS SHIT LIKE THIS WAS ALREADY MOCKED IN THIS COMEDY SKETCH AND I ROUGHLY AGREE WITH MESSRS. FRY AND LAURIE

[horseshoegirl]

Damn Those Dog Tags - Part 4: Long Cool Woman In a Black Dress

AN: I won my battle with writer's block! (Thank you, @tinytotontheoversizedpony!)

It's a little self-fulling to use this song as a fic title, but hey, it fits the vibe.

I think you're going to like this one 👀💛

______________________________________________________________

❗️18+, strong language, alcohol mentions, sexual themes, godmother reader/original female character, Original child character.

#4.7K Words

Part 3 | Masterlist | Part 5

Fridays seemed to be the worst day of the week. That was your current mood as you smoothed down the corners of your dress and straightened your leather jacket, making your way up the steps of the Child Protective Services building. 

They told you they wanted to meet to review some information, whatever the hell that meant. With the paperwork, or there was a stipulation in Ridley’s Will or worse, someone wanted to take her away from you. The nerves in the pit of your stomach were on fire with the idea something was wrong.  

And you received the request on one of the few days you could actually pick Sadie up from school. The minute you hung up your phone and pressed the edge of it to your forehead, you thumped lightly against your skin, thinking it would will away the uneasiness settling in your stomach. 

“Ah, pity, I was hoping Bradley was picking Sadie up today.” 

‘Oh, please tell me you didn’t, Bradley, ’ you thought upon hearing that voice. Forcing a smile, which you were sure looked more like a grimace, you turned to face what you believed to be the Regina George of all elementary school moms. 

“Hello, Courtney.” 

Courtney Slack, the one mom in the school who made it her business to know everyone’s business. A blonde bombshell always dressed to the nines, who always had a comment, a thing or a statement to say about everyone and everything thing. The leader of the PTA association and the mom of the girl who bullied Sadie on her first day of school. 

You’d be having words with Bradley the next time you saw him. 

“Still single, I see?” she snarked. “Shame Sadie doesn’t have a strong father figure to look up to.” 

Oh, you’d already be thrashing her into the pavement if you were a violent person. You were about to make a remark about Sadie’s numerous Uncles who literally risked their lives to make sure someone like her could live out her days being a bitch, before someone came up beside you. 

“Still sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, Courtney?” Alyssa suddenly pipped up next to you. Alyssa, a single mother of a boy named Will around Sadie’s age, was one of the first people to introduce herself when Sadie first arrived at the school. Sadie instantly took a liking to Will, and you liked Alyssa the second you met her. 

She was uncaring of what people thought of her, pulling up in punky Doc Martins and patched-up jean jackets to student-teacher conferences and school events. She saved you from what you both liked to call Courtney’s group, the “Vanderpump Vulture Moms,” on your first school bake sale, Bob and Nat helping you stay up late one night to frost the hell out of a few dozen cupcakes. 

“Can’t I take an interest in who my children go to school with?” 

“Well, it looks like you need to go collect your spawn,” She coughed, “I mean, child from the playground. I believe he’s interested in shoving a stone up a kid’s nose.” 

Failing miserably to hold in your snickers at the look on Courtney’s face, you watched as she turned frantically to find her son before calling his name and running off in hysterics. Alyssa gave in first, barely hanging on to her resolve and toppling over in laughter. You couldn’t help but join her, lulling your nerves for a moment with being able to laugh. 

After a few seconds, she touched your shoulder, “I heard your phone call. I’m sure it’s nothing, maybe a follow-up to ensure everything is okay.” 

You shook your head, looking at the kids exiting the recess doors. 

“I just got her. It could be anything from a check-in to a notice of whatever they want to do with her. Rarely do they care about the kids.” 

You spied Sadie’s lime green backpack amongst the crowd. Will was not far behind as they searched for the pair of you. They liked to race each other out the door to see who could get to you first. When she did reach you, she almost always knocked you flat onto the pavement, hugging you. You eagerly returned her hug but frowned when she kept burying her head into your stomach when you went to pull back.

“What’s wrong, Bug?” 

“We have a surprise project due on Monday,” Will sighed next to you. Sadie pulled back, nodding at him, clearly upset at the thought she might have to do homework over a weekend. 

“We’re going to miss our last hike, Aunt Liz,” She pouted. 

This weekend was your last chance for a hike until the Spring. While Miramar didn’t really see snow, the weather had started turning slightly cooler. Soon enough, the bugs wouldn’t be out for Sadie to find. With the unexpected visit to CPS, she would no doubt have to miss it. 

“And my hockey game,” Will echoed, dropping his head with a frown.  

Alyssa ruffled Will’s hair, smiling down at Sadie. “Why don’t you come over tomorrow after school? You can set up at the dining table and do your project with pizza.” 

You gave Alyssa a grateful look, mouthing ‘Thank you’ as Sadie and Will excitedly started planning how they would tackle their assignment so they could do their respective activities. 

Alyssa shrugged, waving her hand. “Go figure out what they want, and don’t worry about her. We’ll ensure that assignment gets done for your hike and Will’s Hockey Game.”

So, while Sadie worked over at Will and Alyssa’s to finish her project, you tried to calm your nerves as you waited at the reception desk to check in for the appointment. 

They made you wait for what you thought was hours, but it couldn’t have been more than 15 minutes. You did everything from bouncing your leg to circling your thumbs to scrolling aimlessly on your phone until they finally called your name.

You were ushered into a stuffy office room, papers hazardously placed in manila file folders strung across the room. An older woman, Mrs. Kirkland, from her nameplate, had several precariously stacked on top of one another on her desk. She reminded you of your old high school librarian, peering at you over the top rim of her glasses when you coughed under your breath to get her attention. 

“Ms. Beck,” she gestured to the fold-out chair in front of her. You quickly removed your jacket, hooking it on the back of the chair before sitting down.  

She smiled at you before glancing at her laptop, asking, “How’s Sadie doing?” 

“Better. She’s adjusting well to her new school and seems to love science.” 

“That’s wonderful,” She didn’t bother looking up as she spoke, typing something away at her computer. You watched her type, suddenly meeting her eyes as she peered up at you, looking up and down your body before inquiring, “And yourself?” 

“It’s been hard without my sister, but my friends have supported me.” 

“Hmm,” she replied. “No man in your life?” 

Ugh, why did every older woman you meet like to comment on the fact that you were still single? 

“Just the two of us, I’m afraid,” you smiled politely. “What is it you wanted to speak about?” 

“Right,” she said, reaching down into her file cabinet to pull out a small folder. “A request was made to look into Sadie’s file.” 

The ball forming in your throat for the past twenty-four hours dropped into your stomach. “What does that mean?” 

“Well, our review process covers everything from the legitimacy of her birth mother’s Will to the handover of her guardianship. We have no complaints against you as her guardian, and we have on record you cared for Sadie greatly while you lived with your sister.” 

You swallowed hard. “Yes, that’s correct.” 

“So, this is just to ensure everything is in order and nothing was missed. Generally, the process takes a few weeks, but upon looking at this, I suspect our auditors won’t find anything out of place.” 

“Why would someone request this? Is it something internal you guys do?” 

Ms. Kirkland shuffled a few papers in her hand, reading what was on the page before replying, “I’m afraid this was external. Your sister was very thorough with her paperwork, so we did not need to do an internal review.” 

Everything about this was odd. You had no family left. What was the point of making sure her paperwork was in order? Ridley always wanted Sadie with you and nobody at the time, and after her death, wanted to challenge it. 

“I’m assuming you cannot tell me who requested you look into her file?”

“I’m afraid I cannot say who, only that the request came in two weeks ago.” 

Ridley’s townhouse sold two weeks ago, you thought. This was screaming more was going on than just a simple review. 

“As we have no more concerns, you are free to go. We just needed to inform you of the request.” 

Resisting the urge to roll your eyes, you dug your nails into your legs instead, reaching to grab your bag off the floor. “And you couldn’t have explained this over a phone call?” 

“I’m afraid it’s our policy to do these things in person to avoid miscommunication.” 

You sighed, standing up and grabbing your jacket from the back of your chair. “Can you let me know when this is resolved?” 

“Of course.” 

You resisted the urge to slam the door as you exited the office and the building. While you knew deep down they wouldn’t find anything wrong with the paperwork or Ridley’s Will, you were still worried about who exactly put in the request.

Even with the anxiety racing through your veins as you raced back down the front steps to your car, eager to escape the miserable place, you couldn’t help but grumble out, “Policy, my ass.”

_______

Seeing you at the Hard Deck outside of work, unless you were with one of the Daggers, was unusual. But your nerves were on fire, you were dying for a drink, and you desperately wanted to confide in Penny. 

It wasn’t as busy as it should have been for a Friday after four, but the music playing from the Jukebox did wonders for the atmosphere.  You spied Jake and Coyote at the back by the dartboard in their service khakis as soon as you walked in, Coyote attempting to throw a few darts while Jake was off to the side chatting with a brunette in just too tight of a light blue dress.

You couldn’t fault her for the blush staining her cheeks as she peered up at him. Jake used his looks to his advantage to get what he wanted. Arms flexed, cocky smirk, getting up and close into her personal space. She was buying it, given how close she angled herself toward him. 

Women really did fall into the palm of his hand, you thought.  

She embodied everything you figured you weren’t. The type to have it all figured out, not juggling school events, sports games, and pick-up times. She didn’t have long nights closing at the bar or trying to find someone to watch Sadie every week. Not that you would trade it for anything in the world. 

She was the type you’d imagine someone like Jake would finally end up with. Even if he was chatting her up to be the next name on his bedpost, you struggled to force out the idea that they looked good standing next to each other. Hot people went out with hot people, right?

You didn’t know whether you wanted to roll your eyes or pay attention to the ache in your chest. 

Penny smiled as you sat down but frowned upon seeing your face. 

“Can I get a glass of Whiskey, Penny? Neat, please.” 

She eyed you concerned, reaching down to grab a bottle of Jack Daniels and a glass. “You're not one to pop by for a drink?” 

“Somebody requested Sadie’s file to be looked into at CPS.” You threaded your fingers through your hair, locking them behind your head as you rest your elbows on the bar. 

Penny widened her eyes, placing the glass down in front of you. “Please tell me she’s staying with you?” 

You looked up and nodded. “I’m fine. They needed to notify me it happened.” 

“Can they tell you who?” 

“Nope,” you replied curtly before reaching for the glass and bringing it to your lips. The liquid burned, and you resisted the urge to cough. 

“I bet it's the school. Or one of the parents at the school.” 

Courtney’s face briefly popped into your head at Penny’s words, but you quickly shot it down. While she might be horrible, she wasn’t capable or invested in causing trouble. You shrugged. 

“Or Sadie’s bio Dad?” 

You frowned. Ridley always admitted getting involved with Tyler was a terrible idea, save for gifting her Sadie. He was, for all pretense, a dick. You had yet to meet someone who was his equal. From the stories you heard about how he was before they became a permanent team, not even Jake could top this guy’s attitude on a bad day. Tyler was pure malice. 

He wanted nothing to do with Sadie the moment Ridley found out. She had ensured you were listed as Sadie’s guardian the moment she was born, Tyler and his family written out of any responsibility or entitlements. You wouldn’t be surprised to learn if they tried to buy her off to save Tyler’s chances of making a career in Football, not that he really had any. 

“He wanted nothing to do with her when Ridley was pregnant, and I doubt Cathy and Dean want to be caring grandparents this late in the game.” 

They were some of the worst people in the world. You could gratefully count the number of times you had to deal with them on one hand. Sadie would never have to, not if you had your way. 

“Either way, I don’t think he’d get anywhere near Sadie if he wanted to.” 

Penny smiled fondly. “Bradley would be first in line to throw a punch.” 

You shook your head. “Don’t forget about Nat.” 

“I think Pete might try to get one in too.” 

You giggled with Penny at the thought. Mav would go to bat for Sadie in a heartbeat. 

“Lizzie!” 

You turned around on your bar stool to see Coyote waving you over, the leggy brunette gone, and Jake taking Javy’s place throwing darts. 

“Be careful with those two,” Penny said with a smirk, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

Resisting the urge to frown, you simply picked up your drink while standing up, throwing over your shoulder, “You know I can take care of myself.”

________

“Yo, there’s Lizzie,” Coyote said, tapping Jake’s arm while watching you enter the Hard Deck and walk towards an empty stool. Jake turned his head in the middle of his conversation at the mention of your name, catching the side of your face as you greeted Penny.

The two of you had finished the dishes discussing your shared taste in music that night. You credited Ridley as the one who got you into 80s music - telling him the Jean Jacket had been hers, sharing how the three of you got lost coming home from a hike while she was visiting with Sadie, stumbling into that thrift store hoping for directions. He could recall you laughing when you told him she freaked out so hard in the store the owner practically gave it to her for free. 

While he’d never get the chance to, he wished he could thank Ridley for finding that Jacket. You didn’t judge him for his call-sign story as he suspected you would. Instead, you listened. You emphasized. You gave him credit for trying. And as everyone went to leave, you didn’t protest hugging him goodbye like everyone else. 

Deep down, a part of him was grateful you gave him a clean state. 

When the woman he had been talking to realized his attention had been drawn elsewhere, she scoffed and quickly returned to her friends after he didn't continue the conversation. He didn’t seem to care, wandering over to where Javy had resumed his stance.  

“What’s she doing here on her day off?” Coyote placed the darts into Jake’s hand, not removing his eyes from you. 

“She doesn’t normally come here on a day off?” Jake asked, starting to line up a shot. 

“Not unless she’s with one of us. Maybe she has a date.” 

Coyote took a swig of his beer, missing the way Jake dropped his hand and spun his head, eyes tracking the bar to see if anyone was joining you. But you were bowing your head, on the verge of pulling out your hair, staring at the top of the bar before replying to whatever Penny asked.

“What did you guys talk about that night?” 

Jake turned back to Coyote, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head while he raised his hand again. “Nothing I haven’t told you before.” 

Jake let the dart go, watching as it landed just above the center mark. “She thanked me for the flowers, for helping Sadie, and then we did the dishes.” 

“Just like that?” Javy questioned. “So you didn’t pull any of your insensitive shit around her?” 

“I wasn’t going to make her call me out twice. Not since you left me to deal with Phoneix and Rooster chewing out my ass.” He threw another dart, this one striking just above the last one. 

Coyote ignored the dig, watching him throw two more before asking, “So the flowers were..” 

“An apology, nothing more.” 

Javy eyed Jake skeptically, “And why do you suddenly care about saying sorry to someone you hardly know?” 

“Hey, I happen to like Sadie and Liz. And if the Daggers are spending Saturday nights over there, I’d like to improve my chances of being invited back.” 

Javy went to collect the darts from the board before turning around to stand in front of Jake, proceeding to square him up. 

“Be careful with her, Jake,” he said, placing the darts into his hand. “I’m not like the others, but you cannot fuck with Lizzie. She might put on a big show, but she’s more fragile than she looks. And Sadie’s a part of the equation too.” 

Jake regarded him briefly, thinking about the note Sadie gave him that he tucked into his wallet, before finally answering, “She told me she wasn’t interested in that.”

“Interested in a tumble in the sheets or being your friend?” 

“Shut up. I just want to be there for her and Sadie.” 

“Oh, so you wouldn’t mind if I called her over here to join us then?” 

“Javy!” Jake reached for Coyote’s arm, failing to stop him from lifting his hand. 

“Lizzie!” 

Jake grimaced as Coyote waved at you, quickly reaching up to throw another dart, this time half in frustration. It landed next to the metal circle encasing the center dot. 

You called out to greet them, and Jake couldn’t help but take note of how your dress lightly swayed as you maneuvered yourself between pulled-out chairs to get to them, leather jacket zipper straps swinging as you walked, and a pair of brown aviators dangling from where you had hooked them between your breasts.

He caught a glimpse of Penny’s glaring stare from behind you, and his conversation with her the week before meeting you played in his head. 

“She’s off limits, Hangman.” She had said as she thumped his beer bottle onto the bar. “You don’t go anywhere near this one, and I don’t care how many people you’ve helped throw out of this bar. I’ll never welcome you back, so help me. Not her.” 

The second it appeared you would look back up, he turned to throw another dart, this time Coyote holding up his hand to block his view. You watched Jake land the dart directly in the middle, slightly impressed. 

“So, this is your party trick?” you announced with a grin.

Coyote wolf-whistled as he approached you, holding out his hand to spin you in a circle, your dress swirling as you laughed. “You clean up nice, Lizzie. You meeting some special?”

Jake’s hand wobbled as he threw another dart, this time hitting the outer rim. 

“What? Oh no, I had a meeting with CPS.” 

Jake’s ears picked up at the statement, dropping his hand heavily to face you. “Is she okay? Are they threatening to take her away from you?” 

You shook your head, warmth spreading in your chest at his concern.  “It was harmless. They just wanted to pass along some information.” 

Jake turned to Coyote as you suddenly stepped towards the dartboard, seemingly interested in his score and leaving no room to continue the conversation.  Coyote looked at you with concern before glancing back at Jake, shaking his head. 

“You know how to throw?” Jake asked, not taking his eyes off Javy and tilting his head toward Penny. Javy nodded, quickly approaching the bar to see if Penny knew anything. 

“Oh, believe me, sharp objects and I do not mix,” you remarked, looking at his score before passing him as he went to collect the darts. You lent against the nearby pillar, pressing your glass to your chest. 

“You can’t be that bad,” he glanced over his shoulder, pulling the last dart from the board. 

“You’ve clearly never seen me on a good day. I’m a natural klutz,” you said, sipping your drink. Jake moved away from the board only to stop in front of you, holding out the darts in his hand.

 “Prove it.” 

You looked down, apprehensive of grabbing them. You accidentally drew blood the last time you threw a dart in Penny’s bar. You still felt horrible thinking about it, managing to skim an Admiral’s forehead. To this day, you swore you’d never touch the things again. 

But then you took in Jake’s face, amused and assured, as if you were just being modest about being a bad shot. He clearly wasn’t going to let it go, shoving his hand out again to emphasize he was dead serious.

“I warned you,” you offered, placing your glass next to his bottle on a side table, shedding your jacket and glasses before grabbing a dart from his hand. 

You attempted to line yourself up with the center of the dartboard. At first, you stood sideways, cocking your arm back several times in an attempt to let the dart go. The angle felt too awkward, and your hand started to cramp from how long you took. Then you completely turned to face it, fiddling with your grip while trying to fix your eyes between either the dart or the board. 

You managed to fake out three throws before deciding to give up.

Sighing, you dropped your hand, “Jake, I’m going to hurt someone if I throw this damn thing.” 

Jake tried to hold in his laughter, watching you struggle while leaning against the same pillar. He pushed himself off, uncrossing his arms before gently reaching for your wrist.

You looked at him, unsure, taking a step back,  “What are you doing?” 

Jake shook his head, reaching out again for your wrist. “Just trust me.”

You let Jake bring your hand up. His whole hand, warm and rough, engulfed yours as he positioned it where he wanted. You sucked in a breath through your teeth when you felt his fingers, barely grasping at your hip bone, pull you closer to him.

“Loosen your hand,” he squeezed, forcing you to attempt to calm the tension in your wrist. It was hard when you could only concentrate on the feeling of his chest lightly bumping your back. With each touch, you could feel yourself resisting the urge to lurch forward with a shiver racing up your spine. 

“Relax your shoulders.” He spoke, before tapping the heel of your boot with the top of his, making you take a step forward a bit. You gulped when you heard him say, “Widen your legs.” 

You breathed in through your mouth, forcing the exhale to drag your shoulders down. It was a few seconds before he murmured, “Close your eyes.” 

“Jake,” you warned. 

“There’s nobody around. I won’t let you hurt someone.” 

You sighed, closing your eyes and dropping your head slightly. Jake moved your hand again, softly squeezing once more. The hairs on the back of your neck stood up as you felt the heat of his breath travelling towards the left side of your jaw. 

“Throw it,’ he rasped into your ear. 

Jake loosened his hold on your wrist, feeling his calloused fingers trailing down your arm before lifting them off. The second his hand left your skin, you flicked your wrist forward as if his touch burned you. You refused to open your eyes, scared you might have hit someone or something old and well past its years on the wall. 

“Look.” 

You sharply breathed through your nose before opening your eyes to glance at the board. 

The dart had managed to hit the center. You couldn’t help but smile. 

“How’s that?” he squeezed your hip. “Not as bad as you thought.” 

“No blood is a first,” you said, proud of yourself. 

Turning around to thank him, the words died on your lips as you felt his breath warm your face. Jake had yet to let you go, his hand still clutching your waist and his nose a few inches from grazing yours. 

The decision you made, standing in your front yard last Saturday while face to face with Jake, about never putting yourself in a position where he could break your heart, was far from your mind. You took in everything about him. His sandy hair, his jawline, his eyes which then met yours. 

Jake’s stare brought you back to standing with him in your kitchen, washing dishes, and seeing his soft smile for the first time. Facing off in your backyard to guess music, him twirling one of Sadie’s pencils in his hand while helping her with homework, handing her the yellow tulip in your hallway. 

Jake could no longer hear the chants of Penny and the rest of the Daggers saying to leave you alone in his head. They were being replaced with the pump of his heart, a feeling he only experienced while pulling Gs. And then your eyes, wide and bright, drew him in. 

They were kind and soft. The type to have experienced laughter and the type of smiles that would make someone’s face hurt. You were looking at him like he was more than the metal wings pinned to his shirt. More than the good-looking pilot from Texas. More than just Hangman. 

His eyes dropped to your lips, feeling your warm breath on his and noticing the subtle scent of the Whiskey you had slipped prior. Could he still taste it, he thought, if he just tilted his head a little further down? 

And then the barbell rang. 

Three times. 

Jake immediately stepped back, head turning towards the bar with the healthy fear Penny had rung the bell for getting too close to you. But she and Coyote were standing off with some unlucky guy whose face had turned beat red at the bar. He had no cell phone, so either he disrespected the Navy or a lady and was not pleased about buying a round. 

He squeezed your waist, winking at you with a grin, before letting go to join Coyote at the bar. You bit your lip, watching him pat the man on his shoulder before hooking his arm under his, easily carrying him off to the side door with Javy. 

“You okay, Liz?” Penny called out, your eyes snapping to her as she raised an eyebrow.

Despite not knowing what the frick just happened, you called back, “Yeah, I think so,” while gripping the corner of the pillar with one hand. 

If she asked you why your legs were wobbling, you'd blame the whiskey.

Tags:

@blue-aconite @tinytotontheoversizedpony @djs8891 @caitsymichelle13 @startrekfangirl2233 @emorychase @ereardon

@dempy @shanimallina87 @teacupsandtopgun @daggerspare-standingby @phantomxoxo @formulapierre @eli2447

@fulla02 @blckgrl-sunflower

Please let me know if I missed you or if you want to be added!

Might be a little bit before Part 5, as I suddenly got swarmed with work stuff before my work conference at the end of March, but I will try my best!

Wickett ;)

[rumbelleshowdown]

Author: Ace of Hearts

Prompts: Cupcake isn’t a cake. “You drink too much.” Lightening, danger, jealousy, lust.

Group: G

-

In the Dark

“Now, now, gentlemen. I think you’ll find that Miss French is with me.” 

A well-dressed man with uncommonly long hair stepped out of the shadows, a cane in his hand. Belle’s heart skipped a beat in her chest, equal parts fear and relief. 

“M-Mr. Gold,” one of the men stuttered. “We didn’t—I didn’t—“ 

“Well, I should hope not,” came the reply, a hint of malice lurking in the otherwise amiable tone. “Let’s not make your crimes any worse than they are, shall we?” Gold rested both hands on his cane and leaned forward slightly. “Leave,” he commanded. “Now.”

The men fled. Belle could hear them cursing and tripping in the dark, all but falling over themselves in their haste to get away. A car engine started and then faded away. 

“Thank you,” she said, suddenly quite alone in the dark with the most feared man in town. “I, uh. Thank you.” 

“Of course.” The man in question stepped forward, further into the circle of light cast by the lone working lamppost outside Storybrooke’s only bar, The Rabbit Hole. 

Belle had been leaving the bar after a rather disappointing night out when two men had appeared from a nearby parked car. Evidentially they had been waiting for her or someone like her, someone leaving the bar alone, because they had sauntered up to her in unison and begun to smile the slow smiles of men who had seen something they wanted and felt sure they would get it. The taller of the two men, a dark-haired brute who Belle vaguely recognized as a frequent patron of her father’s shop, had been just about to give up on his attempts to coax her into the parked car and instead started to reach for her to drag her there himself when Mr. Gold had made his appearance. 

In the better light, Belle noticed that not only were there some streaks of gray in his hair, but the man was quietly handsome, with expressive brown eyes and a slight build that complemented his finely tailored suit. She had seen him from a distance before, usually when he came to pick up the rent on her father’s flower shop, but she had never before had the occasion to admire him up close. 

“Are you alright?” Gold asked her, glancing hesitantly in her direction. His eyes kept flickering back to the direction the men had gone, as if making sure they weren’t coming back. 

“Yes,” Belle said automatically. “I’m fine.” Then she bit her lip and glanced back at him, suddenly aware of the cold and the dark. “Actually, I’ve been better,” she admitted. “But thank you for stepping in. I haven’t had cause to use what I’ve learned in my self-defense classes yet, and I’d prefer not to if I can help it.” 

Gold briefly looked at her face and nodded. “I am happy to be of service,” he said, “although I don’t doubt you’re more than a match for those two, in the brains department if nothing else.” 

Belle felt a smile cross her face despite herself. “Why, thank you, Mr. Gold.” 

He hesitated a moment and then said, “Robert. Robert Gold. If you would.” 

Belle blinked in surprise before bursting into a real and genuine smile. “Robert Gold,” she said experimentally. “I don’t suppose I could trouble you to walk me home. I live over the library now.” 

He inclined his head, and Belle thought she saw something like amusement catch in his eyes. “Ah, yes,” he said. “The one place in town I don’t collect rent on. I would be honored to walk you there, although I’ll warn you, your landlady doesn’t like me.” 

Belle laughed, and Robert looked surprised, followed by pleased. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m quite sure Regina doesn’t like me either.” 

“It’s good to have something in common,” Robert quipped, stepping forward to stand at Belle’s side. The two began to head in the direction of Belle’s apartment, doing their best to move from streetlight to streetlight so as not to be caught off guard again. 

“May I ask what the occasion was for you to have frequented that particular establishment?” Robert said mildly. It was clear he felt some distaste toward The Rabbit Hole, but was trying to be polite. 

“It’s my birthday,” Belle said sheepishly. “Or it was, anyway. It’s past midnight now, I suppose. I, um, didn’t really have any other ideas how to celebrate.” 

Robert’s expression turned sharp. “Your friends and family had nothing to contribute?” 

Belle looked away. “My father has been quite mad at me since I moved out. As for friends, well…” 

Belle wasn’t sure how to explain that she was between friends at the moment, nor that she considered the copy of Her Handsome Hero she had received from her mother on her tenth birthday to be her longest and best relationship. 

Thankfully, Robert did not press her. 

“I see,” he said, his cane continuing to press even spaced clicks on the pavement. “I suppose now would be a good time to disclose that I was in the area because I am attempting to foreclose that establishment.” 

Belle gasped. “You’re what?” 

“I hope you don’t mind,” he said apologetically, ducking his head. “In addition to being a rather disreputable business and a poor employer, The Rabbit Hole has been quite lax in paying its dues.” 

Belle shook off her shock. “No, I don’t mind,” she said. “To be honest, their beer isn’t very good, not to mention the ambiance. I just wasn’t expecting anyone to do anything about it. Every building and business has stayed the same here as long as I can remember. I think change would be good.” 

“I’m glad we agree, Miss French.” He looked at her, the corner of his lip quirked upward. 

“Belle,” she corrected. “Call me Belle.” 

“As you wish.” 

They arrived at Belle’s apartment, drawing up short near the stairs. 

“Come in,” Belle blurted out. “Have some birthday cake.” She flushed with embarrassment, but continued to look at Robert expectantly. 

“I—“ He hesitated, and Belle’s heart sank, before nodding and gesturing toward the stairs. “After you.” 

She struggled to contain her grin as she ascended the stairs two at a time and unlocked the door to her apartment. Robert followed at a more reserved pace, but by the time she’d gotten the door open, he had caught up with her, and she beckoned him inside her home. 

It was not a large apartment by any means, but it was far and away an improvement from living at her father’s house. The door opened directly to the living room adjoined by the kitchen, with only three doors leading elsewhere in the apartment—one to the bathroom, one to the bedroom, and one to a linen closet. Belle kicked off her shoes and headed into the kitchen. A tray of cupcakes rested under cellophane on top of the stove. 

Robert followed her after a moment, still wearing his shoes and suit jacket. 

“You said birthday cake,” he noted. “A cupcake isn’t a cake. Not a proper one, anyway.” 

Belle shrugged. “I wasn’t going to eat a whole cake by myself, so I made cupcakes. I think they turned out well. You should try one.” 

She peeled off the cellophane and withdrew a chocolate cupcake with messy blue frosting. Robert accepted it gingerly. 

His eyebrows rose as he tasted it. “Cinnamon whiskey?” he said, a question in his voice. “I’m beginning to think you drink too much.” His tone was mostly teasing, but there was concern there too. 

Belle swatted at his shoulder gently. “Not that much,” she chided, taking a cupcake for herself. “I just have a lot of time to myself.” 

“I know how that feels,” he replied, staring into the whiskey-infused cupcake. He set it down carefully on the countertop and cleared his throat. “Belle…I hope I am not misinterpreting your intentions. It is late, and I know you to be very kind, even to those who don’t deserve it, so I don’t doubt the possibility that I have misunderstood entirely, but please, may I kiss you?” 

Belle beamed, her heart warm and bursting. “Please do. In fact, I’d hoped you would.” She put aside her cupcake and stepped closer, draping her arms around his neck. An astonished smile crossed his face, lightening the cramped and dreary kitchen. 

He placed his hands on her waist and kissed her softly, flooding her chest with something light and airy, before she tangled her hands in his hair and pulled him into her. He growled low in his throat, tugging more insistently at her lips, and lust coiled around Belle’s heart. 

“Hey,” she whispered in his ear, “you’ll stay the night, won’t you?” 

Robert trailed a row of kisses along her jaw before rising to her gaze, brown eyes blown wide. “Yes, of course,” he answered, and Belle pulled him back in. 

-

[thebetterluthor]

List of things that didn't make sense during the First Dark Curse

I'll be adding to this list as more questions come to me, but for now:

Why didn't Regina leave Storybrooke after she adopted Henry? Obviously he was growing when everyone else wasn't so eventually he'd figure it out. Regina didn't really have magic in Storybrooke so it wouldn't make much of a difference to leave. She had a ton of money. Why not move to a regular small town, where she'd never be found and the curse would never break? Or move to Europe or anywhere else really?? If Henry hadn't been stuck reliving the same day, he'd never have felt like the odd one out, would have no reason to believe in a curse, and good luck to Emma finding a reason to go to Storybrooke.

While everyone was stuck reliving the same day, were they able to watch TV/listen to the radio? Was that taken into account from the curse and the radio was just replaying the same day in the 80s for 28 years?

If everyone was reliving the same day, why did Regina bother going to work? Couldn't she take that day as a holiday, or as a sick day, or straight up pretend to be out of town and just... never show up to work?

Did 21st century technology completely freak everyone out once they could get it? Imagine going from brick phones to iphone 6 in 1 day...

How did they get their stuff fixed? How did they get car parts, or new fridges, etc, if nobody could get in or out?

If someone got sick, did the sickness restart or reset at the end of the day?

If someone got an injury, how was it explained the next day, if it didn't magically heal itself?

What was the punishment, really, of Snow White during the curse? Sure her husband was in a coma, but that wasn't a result of the curse. Neither was the fact that she'd sent her daughter away via magical tree. All the curse did to Snow White was turn her into a teacher, who could afford to live by herself, and was stuck with an unfortunate wardrobe.

Given that Hansel and Gretel's dad *had* abandoned them in the woods, willingly or unwillingly, was it really a punishment that they weren't reunited during the curse? I mean, in the real world social services *would* have taken those kids away, so...

Also, since the curse kept them all frozen in time reliving the same day, was it really that Regina took away the happy endings, or just paused everybody's lives? I mean, it's not like they were wasting away for 28 years only to find out then that they'd spent their entire lives without realizing it. Everybody literally woke up to exactly how they were before, except now they had electricity and running water.

If Henry really thought Regina was the fairytale Evil Queen, how did he go up against her, and at the same time live with her in the same house, at the age of 10? Can you imagine a 10 year old finding out they're living in the same house with the thing that goes bump in the night, and what they decide to do with that information is to give her lip and break her house rules???? Like, he either didn't really believe Regina to be evil, or he was just so certain in her love for him that he wasn't afraid of her. Either way, are those really the signs of a broken relationship/an evil character?

[konako]

Regina enters the diner. She sits down and puts a plate on the counter. Granny looks at her. "This isn't a bring your own food establishment." Regina smiles back. If there is one thing she can appreciate it is Granny's biting comments. "Don't worry, those are dog biscuits. To bribe Pongo. I'll take a coffee, please." Granny doesn't answer. She knows about the way Regina tries. She knows she has weekly appointments across the street with Dr Hopper. Granny remembers when those visits were for Henry and how that lead to a weekly meal in this diner. What a weird change. But for the sake of this weird family, Granny hopes for the best.

Granny turns around and sees Ruby coming from the kitchen. "A coffee for the mayor." "Sure." She goes over the coffee pot and pours a mug. "Here you go." Ruby smiles at Regina. Genuine, not customer service. Because she too is aware what Regina's next appointment will be and she has heard from Snow that things are going well. "Should I have the double cheeseburger and milkshake to go ready in an hour? Or do we pretend that isn't your usual routine?"

Regina almost coughs up the coffee. Granny's bluntness is one thing, but to be put on the spot by Ruby Lucas? Like this? Instead of answering she squints. "I'll take that as a yes." The other thing Ruby takes is a biscuit right off that plate. Regina opens her mouth to say something, but Ruby is so fast in taking a bite, she keeps quiet. "Oh, this is good. More savory than sweet." She munches on. "A bit unexpected, but yes, good."

Regina finishes her coffee and grabs the plate as she stands up. "Thank you for the taste test. Now I'm sure Pongo will enjoy his treat."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mariacallous]

International law prohibits participants in armed conflicts from taking civilians captive. Nonetheless, abducting civilians and holding them prisoner has become one of the hallmarks of Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to human rights workers. In occupied territories, Russian forces often imprison people who have no links to the Ukrainian military at all. Some of the victims are charged with official crimes, while others are told they’re being held captive for “resisting the special military operation,” despite the fact that no such offense exists in Russia’s Criminal Code. The independent outlet Verstka Media carefully examined Russia’s practice of imprisoning civilians, both in the current war and during past conflicts. In English, Meduza is publishing an abridged version of their report.

‘They took males who could hold weapons’

Nineteen-year-old law student Nikita Shkryabin was taken captive in his home village near Kharkiv on March 29, 2022. According to his mother, Tatyana Shkryabina, Nikita left the house one day and never returned. The family’s neighbors later told Tatyana that they saw Russian soldiers put him in a vehicle and drive off.

“As far as I know, they were arresting males who could hold weapons and taking them to Russia,” said Leonid Solovyov, Nikita’s lawyer in Russia. “Since then, [Nikita’s family] hasn’t had any contact with him. No legal case against him has been opened. They’re holding him on the grounds that he ‘opposed the special military operation,’ but they haven’t pressed any charges.”

According to Tatyana Shkryabina, her son has no combat or military experience. “What kind of resistance could he put up if he didn’t have any military equipment? My son is a civilian and doesn’t have ties to any [military] formation. He’s still enrolled in the [law] institute.”

Tatyana says the last update she received about her son’s condition came from Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova in May 2022. A letter from Moskalkova said that Nikita was located on Russian territory and that his condition was “satisfactory.”

Solovyov’s requests to visit his client have been denied. In a written response, the Russian Defense Ministry said that “necessary investigation procedures regarding N. Shkryabin are currently ongoing, and requests for personal visits cannot be considered until they are completed.” Nikita’s exact location is unknown.

‘A form of torture’

International law prohibits the imprisonment of civilians who aren’t involved in military service at the time of their capture. But human rights advocates say the capture of civilians has been a defining aspect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk, the head of the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties and a 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, told Verstka Media that, in the year after February 24, her organization received requests from 915 people whose civilian relatives have been taken captive by Russian forces. Ukrainian lawyers have been working together with colleagues inside Russia to locate the prisoners and help relatives contact the Russian authorities.

“Among the detainees, there have been 118 women and 797 men,” said Matviichuk. “Out of those, 306 people have been released, while 594 remain in captivity. In terms of the regional breakdown, we’ve received requests from the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Odessa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Chernihiv regions, as well as from Crimea.”

Russian human rights lawyer Roman Kiselyov told Verstka Media that he and his colleagues are currently working on roughly 70 cases of Ukrainian civilians taken captive by Russia.

“On Russian territory, we’re able to send a lawyer physically to the site and get in touch with the authorities promptly,” said Kiselyov. “On all Ukrainian territory, we’re unable to work physically on the ground, which is a fundamental issue for us. We only work there with Ukraine’s permission. We don’t currently have that permission, so all of our advocacy work there consists of correspondence with the current authorities.”

According to Kiselyov, Russian forces have shown a willingness to take captive anybody they suspect of having ties to the Ukrainian military or even a sense of loyalty to the Ukrainian authorities. The military typically holds its civilian captives in prisons or pretrial detention centers.

Even if the Russian Defense Ministry views civilians as military personnel, the Third Geneva Convention, which outlines the rights of POWs, still makes it illegal to hold these prisoners in penitentiaries.

“They’re supposed to be given the right to correspond [with people on the outside] and to receive packages. [The administrators] of the detainment sites are supposed to notify the people’s home countries [of their location],” said Kiselyov. “In addition, prisoners are supposed to receive rations and to have a fairly high level of autonomy from the institution’s administration. They shouldn’t be made to wear prison uniforms. But in reality, as our surveys indicate, they’re being held in conditions far worse than those of regular prisoners. They’re not being allowed anything. We consider this treatment to be a form of torture.”

“Separately, I should mention the cruelty and torture to which [captive] civilians are subjected,” said Oleksandra Matviichuk.

Unfortunately, this [cruel treatment] is a widespread practice. I remember one case from our database. A civilian who was taken captive during the first stage of the offensive in February–March had his blood forcibly taken so that it could be transfused to Russian soldiers. There was a doctor present. The man later told our lawyer that they continued taking his blood until he started to lose consciousness. Only then did the doctor stop the process.

Types of prisoners

To get a better understanding of Russia’s systematic imprisonment of Ukrainian civilians, human rights lawyers have divided the prisoners into several categories:

1. Civilians taken captive for ‘resisting the special military operation’

The first category includes civilians who have never served in the army or had any ties to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Russian authorities accuse these people of “opposing the special military operation” and essentially equate them with soldiers.

“This is a kind of new status that, on the one hand, doesn’t exist in [Russian] law, but, on the other hand, is constantly mentioned in Defense Ministry documents related to these cases,” said Roman Kiselyov. “It’s important to note that this is the same status given to Ukrainian soldiers; they’re also recorded as ‘detained for opposing the special military operation.’”

Some Ukrainians, such as Nikita Shkryabin, have been taken captive in their home villages during periods of Russian occupation. Others have been detained while undergoing “filtration” at the Russian border. For example, 24-year-old Ivan Gonchar disappeared at a border checkpoint in Russia’s Rostov region after escaping shell-battered Mariupol with his parents and girlfriend. After months without answers, his mother learned in November that Ivan is being held captive in Russia for “opposing the special military operation.”

2. Civilians charged under Russia’s Criminal Code

The second category consists of prisoners who have officially been charged with felony offenses.

Matvey (name changed), a 19-year-old Kherson resident, was first taken captive in the summer of 2022, when the city was under Russian occupation. Like Nikita Shkryabin, Matvey left his house one day and never returned. His relatives later learned that he was been held on suspicion of treason in the occupied part of the Kherson region. Several weeks later, his charges were reclassified as espionage.

In October — six months after Matvey’s initial capture — human rights activists learned that Matvey’s case was now classified under “reasonable suspicion” of murder. The occupation authorities have refused to grant Matvey access to a lawyer, citing the fact that there’s currently no bar association in the occupied region.

According to lawyer Roman Kiselyov, Matvey is far from the only prisoner in this situation; all of the incarcerated civilians in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, he said, are essentially in a “legal vacuum.”

“For example, we have a priest from the Kherson region who was detained in November,” he said. “We know where he’s being held. We call them, and we’re told, ‘Yes, we have him, but we’ll release him [only] after we finish investigating.’ We write to the [Russian] Defense Ministry, and they say that they don’t know who the person is. Those are the prevailing conditions in these two regions.”

3. Former military servicemen

Another common reason Russian forces cite when taking civilians captive is past military experience. This is illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

“I have one such case. [It involves] a former dog handler for the Azov Regiment — emphasis on ‘former,’” said Roman Kiselyov:

He left the regiment in 2019. But evidently, they had lists [of former personnel], or they broke him [and got him to confess], and on those grounds, they’ve opened a criminal case against him for participating in the activity of a terrorist organization. They finished their investigation, sent the case to the “DNR Supreme Court” for trial, but the court hasn’t done anything yet. We’re waiting. The period of detention there is a year and a half, so we might be waiting for a long time.

Thirty-year-old Dmytro Lisovets, a former member of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, is in a similar situation. He was taken captive on April 2 at a “filtration” center while escaping war-torn Mariupol. He’s now facing life in prison and is currently awaiting trial.

4. Civilian ‘POWs’

In some cases, Russian security officials end criminal proceedings against incarcerated civilians and declare them to be prisoners of war. The practice is most widespread in the Donetsk region, according to Roman Kiselyov.

“There, unlike in Russia proper, they have their own rules regarding prisoners of war,” he said.

They have a so-called resolution on prisoners called the “State Defense Committee.” It’s classified; the text isn’t [publicly] available anywhere. But they quote parts of it in written communications sometimes. We know that this is the resolution that introduces the term “prisoners.” One of the letters from the Donetsk prosecutor’s office, citing the resolution, said that the status is given for 10 years. From that, we know that these people will be incarcerated until they’re exchanged or until they’re liberated.

According to Kiselyov, the status is given both to soldiers and to civilians, like the charge of “opposing the special military operation” is elsewhere.

“As far as we understand, there are many prisoners in the ‘DNR’ that the Russian authorities don’t know about,” said Kiselyov. “Nonetheless, civilians are effectively being held as prisoners of war in Russia; the annexation happened, so they can’t say that these are prisoners being held in a different country.”

5. Missing persons

The last category consists of people who were captured by Russian soldiers in front of eyewitnesses and taken to Russian territory, but whose capture or incarceration has never been confirmed by Russian officials.

“Literally yesterday, we received an answer regarding one of these people,” said Roman Kiselyov:

He was taken from a village in the Kharkiv region; there were witnesses. Then other witnesses in Strilecha, which is also in the Kharkiv region, saw him being taken towards [Russia’s] Belgorod region. But what happened after that is unclear. And now we’ve gotten an answer from the Defense Ministry that says they have no record of this person. For some reason, some people either aren’t mentioned in their databases, or they’re hiding them from us.

‘Nobody is safe’

The practice of taking civilians captive is nothing new for the Russian army. According to Oleksandra Matviichuk, Russia began taking civilians hostage as a way to blackmail Ukraine all the way back in 2014.

“The whole time, Russia has put forth political demands for exchanging these people,” Matviichuk said. “It held them as hostages and blackmailed Ukraine in order to exchange people for geopolitical concessions. This applies to Crimea, and to amnesty for war criminals, and to amending the Constitution, federalization [and so on]. It clearly showed that Russia uses civilians as hostages to achieve its aims.”

The Russian army took civilians captive even before the conflict in Ukraine that began in 2014. According to Vladimir Malykhin, a human rights advocate who works for the Memorial Human Rights Center, Russian security forces would detain anybody they suspected of having ties to militants in both the First and Second Chechen Wars. They also created a system of “filtration points” and illegal prisons.

“The feds tried to use civilians in exchanges for POWs captured by [Chechen] militants,” said Vladimir Malykhin. “Especially during the First Chechen War, when the militants had quite a few Russian POWs. The militants realized [what the Russians were doing], and they sometimes refused to trade POWs for civilians, though not always.”

According to Malykhin’s colleague, Memorial head Alexander Cherkasov, it wasn’t rare for civilian prisoners in Russian filtration centers and illegal prisoners to face torture (and not always for the purpose of extracting confessions).

“I can give you a specific example,” said Cherkasov:

Our colleague Natasha Estemirova, journalist Anna Politkovskaya, and lawyer Stanislav Markelov all helped investigate this case. It concerned the disappearance of 20-year-old Zelimkhan Murdalov on January 2, 2001. He was arrested by Russian police officers and military officers, who then proceeded to beat him for several hours before making him serve as an informant. The following morning, the officers took him away to an unknown location, still alive, and no body was found afterward. The person arrested in this counterterrorist operation didn’t commit any [crimes]. He wasn’t even suspected of anything; the cops, high on their own impunity, wanted to recruit him.

Memorial estimates that the number of people who disappeared in Chechnya from 1999 to 2009 is between 3,000 and 5,000. It’s unclear how many of these cases involved criminal charges, and it’s unknown how many of these missing persons were killed.

“Our Ukrainian colleagues are also currently saying that there’s a huge gap between the number of POWs and the number of people who disappeared,” said Cherkasov:

The question is what happened to them. With the Chechen experience in mind, there’s reason to expect the worst. After all, the Chechens preferred to believe that the people who disappeared were being held in secret prisons somewhere, in camps on Russian territory. That wasn’t quite the case. In the late spring and early summer of 2000, a system of forced disappearance, of imprisonment in secret prisons, began operating, but in reality, these [prisons] were pits in Khankala from which people would disappear altogether; they were killed.

According to Matviichuk, Russia’s system of secret illegal prisons in Ukraine’s occupied territories is operating in full force too. Human rights advocates have discovered them in apartments, basements, and police stations in territories that have been liberated by the Ukrainian military after periods of Russian occupation.

“These kinds of detention facilities are used not only to destroy the active minority from the artistic community, volunteers, journalists, civil activists, or people who simply ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. They’re also part of [Russia’s] policy of terror, in order to maintain control,” said Matviichuk. “In these conditions, nobody is safe. Combined with fear, it’s a way to maintain control and to overcome even non-violent resistance among the populations of occupied territories. It’s an organized and systemic problem.”

[ejbarnes]

Two films to watch back-to-back before Black History Month is over

My partner and I have been watching movies every Friday night, taking turns choosing (or giving each other a short list that the other person picks from). We either stream from a non-subscription service (such as Vudu or Kanopy) or borrow DVDs from our public library.

As February is Black History Month -- despite Black history being inextricable from American history, and vice versa -- our February selections focused (sometimes distantly) on Black (mostly African-American) history.

After Devil in a Blue Dress (fiction, set in post-WWII LA), selections from a DVD set of early-20th-century African-American cinema (including features by Oscar Micheaux and shorts by Zora Neale Hurston), and Belle (very loosely based on a true story of a Black Englishwoman), we rounded out the month with two films whose makers wound up in court. In my opinion, these films should be seen together, because while the topic is the same, their treatment is complementary.

My Nappy Roots: A Journey Through Black Hair-itage (2008) (33m) is a half-hour documentary by Regina Kimbell. She interviews Black historians and literary figures, describing the historical background and social forces influencing how Black Americans deal with their hair in a white-dominated society. The common question answered by many of the interviewees: What does the (usually insulting) word "nappy" (as applied to hair) mean to you? (Note: One commentator remarks, incorrectly, that Black people in America are the only people who have had to deal with the political implications of hairstyles. While certainly this became a fraught issue for Black Americans in the 1960s and '70s, with the height of the "Afro" era, Scottish writer Charles Mackay, in his 1841 book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, has an entire chapter on the "Influence of Politics and Religion on the Hair and Beard.")

My Nappy Roots is interesting and informative. Photographs and engravings of African women with elaborate traditional hairstyles are shown. The film even mentions Madam C. J. Walker's lesser-known but influential mentor (and later rival) Annie Malone. Unfortunately, there were no DVDs of My Nappy Roots available in our library system, and the only place we could stream it was on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/156916436

By contrast, Good Hair (2009) (96m) is a feature-length film narrated by star comedian Chris Rock. Since Rock's film came so close on the heels of Kimbell's, she sued him for stealing her idea after she had shown him her film. Rock claims in his own film that his inspiration was hearing his little daughter ask him, "Daddy, why don't I have good hair?" Kimbell's suit failed in keeping Good Hair from wide release.

Some have said that Rock's treatment of the topic, though longer, is more superficial. I would argue, however, that they are different -- that they cover some of the same territory, but with different enough approaches that they are both worth watching.

Rock's Hollywood connections and HBO backing definitely lead to more razzle-dazzle: While Kimbell interviews Black scholars and journalists, Rock mostly interviews Black celebrities and businesspeople. The only person to appear in both films is A'lelia Bundles. I would argue that while Kimbell goes into more depth on the why, Rock goes into more depth on the how.

Both films cover the dangers of harsh chemical straighteners, but only Rock interviews beauty-parlor clients -- including, horrifyingly, those bringing in their small children for their first "perm". Both films mention braiding and the time and expense involved (although neither does much if anything with the braiding option of having artificial braids sewn to short-cropped natural hair). Rock also takes a deep dive into the "weave" -- the practice of having long, straight hair extensions woven to the scalp. He even goes to India to visit the source of most of the natural hair used in these extensions.

I think Rock spent too much time on the Black-haircare convention in Atlanta, particularly the competition between "star" hairdressers. While I was interested to learn how big this convention was, and how much of the Black-hair-product industry is owned by non-Black owners (particularly Asians), some of the interactions with Asian businesspeople were awkward without being revelatory in the muckraking-journalism tradition; comedian Rock was simply going for the laughs. Since the film is so close to 90 minutes, I have to wonder if the inclusion of the showbiz "final competition" at the convention was to fill up the minutes.

Rock interviewed one actress who had shaved her head because she had suffered from alopecia. This is quite a common problem -- it's something that happened to my own congresswoman, Ayanna Pressley. It also happened to Jada Pinkett-Smith; Rock's making of a film about the vicissitudes of Black hair care, including interviewing an alopecia sufferer, casts a curious light on his poking fun at Pinkett-Smith at a recent Oscars ceremony (incurring the wrath of her husband). All that I can guess is that he misjudged how well she would take the joke.

Unlike My Nappy Roots, Good Hair can be streamed on Vudu or Kanopy; it's also available on DVD, which is how we saw it (on a copy borrowed from our public library). I would recommend seeing both these films -- back-to-back if possible, preferably with the more deeply historical and political My Nappy Roots first. It takes only a little over 2 hours in all to do so.

[farewellfuneralsau]

Farewell Funerals in Succession

The heirs to media mogul Waystar Royco bid their father farewell in this week's episode of Succession. A cavalcade of characters showed up for the funeral at New York City's St. Ignatius Loyola church, including Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin), Shiv, and Connor.

Jeremy Strong's performance as Logan was exceptional, hitting the right notes of lows and highs. Here's a look back at his process leading up to the funeral and on the day itself. To know more about Farewell Funerals in Logan, visit the Farewell Funerals website or call 0404660974.

When someone passes away, the family must make a number of decisions that can be emotionally challenging. This is why pre-planning can help families avoid the burden of decision-making during a stressful time and ensure that their loved one’s wishes are fulfilled.

Funerals are recognized rituals for the finality of death and provide a space for surviving family and friends to begin their healing journey. They can also be a place to honor the deceased’s life and legacy.

In the penultimate episode of Succession, the opulent HBO drama bid farewell to its beloved patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox). The episode featured one of the series’ most memorable—and cringe-worthy—funeral scenes, as Kendall, Roman, Shiv, and Connor gave their eulogies in front of the gathered crowd. But not all of the eulogies were created equal. We graded the best and worst. Read more about this episode here.

Funerals can be overwhelming for those left behind, especially if they have to focus on planning and handling the details of their loved one's memorial service. That's why it's important to pre-plan, so the family members have peace of mind that their loved one's final wishes are taken care of and they can mourn without all the extra stress.

Logan Roy (Hugh Jackman) makes a surprise appearance at ATN, giving a saber-rattling speech in which he threatens to vanquish his rivals and reduce them to "f-jam smears on the highway." The episode's hauntingly ominous score by Nicholas Britell signals that things are about to go downhill quickly.

Back at Colvin Funeral Home, Regina Logan (Regina Benz), a licensed embalmer and funeral director, is busy prepping the body of Ewan Logan (James Cromwell). She had moved to Fayetteville to follow her son into the military, but her work in the industry keeps her here. Logan has embalmed more than 2,000 people in her two decades of experience, and she knows that proper preparation is the key to a successful outcome for every family.

Hundreds of people filed into the funeral home to pay their last respects -- or in many cases, their first. Lizzy Shelley touched countless lives in her short life, and she made an indelible mark on the community.

It's the penultimate episode of Succession and it's time for the Roys to say goodbye to their dearly departed father Logan (Brian Cox). And what better day to do so than the day after a gruelling election night?

Of course, that doesn't stop the siblings from going on a bit of an ego trip. Bonus heinousness points go to Roman (Kieran Culkin) for following Shiv's (Sarah Snook) pregnancy announcement with an all-too-on-brand joke about breastfeeding and masturbation. It's a good thing Logan wasn't there to hear it.

In the rarefied world of Succession, hardly a scene passes without a mention of money. Often, the sums are quite large. Connor torchers $100 million in his ill-fated presidential campaign, and the Roy siblings outmatch Logan in a bidding war for Pierce Global Media by offering $10 billion (which Logan gleefully chides them for "saying the biggest number, you fucking morons").

But when it comes to the funeral of Logan Roy — the father of Kendall, Shiv, Roman and Connor — it's a much more sombre affair. To know more about Farewell Funerals in Logan, visit the Farewell Funerals website or call 0404660974.

Even so, the scheming continues. Kendall tries to curry favor with Logan's widow Marcia, making an off-color remark about wanting to bed her. Roman encourages Kendall to use the occasion to curry favor with Mencken, while Greg greets Matsson and asks him to introduce him to Mencken. And despite the sombre atmosphere, the funeral mass itself is tumultuous. It's a moment that both Logan haters and fans alike will find hard to shake.

[dimeremantiro]

⭐️

I can't imagine any of my muses not being interacteable with Rhae! Even those who I have not very developed HOTD verses for are feasible.

Regina -> I can't not see a female warrior not enthrancing Rhaenyra. I can imagine us keeping the idea of her being with Rolland the same, except maybe they fought in the stepstones?

Fiona -> Would work even better, Valyrian head of a family. I think she'd try to claim a dragon, which I don't think she'd be allowed to: She's not a dragonseed, her lineage is undisputable. That could maybe be a fun betrayal.

Jennifer -> Lady-in-waiting, I think she'd be good at it. She'd also be easy to extort, because while she isn't brainless or that fearless she is resourceless..

Celeste -> See this is interesting because I can't see any Targ raising her so high, but she could have been raised by some other noble, or perhaps being a Lyseny who got caught with the Dance. She has white hair, and maybe so does her daughter? If Rhaenyra wants to use Celeste's baby as a double, what could she even do. I can see Daemon harrassing her and who knows how Rhaenyra would take it.

Alucarda -> Only person on my muse list who I legitimately see claiming a Dragon. Comes with Justine, they're a set that I can't separate. I guess if she has a dragon she can ask for a place for Justine at court as a small concession.

Justine -> I don't know but she's too good a person. Wait can she fly in this AU? That could be interesting. She's an orphan noble, too. Maybe a hostage? She could teach Rhae's younger sons about the Faith of the Seven? Again, I can also see Daemon harrassing her. Which would be dumb as shit if her girlfriend has a dragon. Double stupid if Alucarda is still a witch.

Andreas -> Andreas becomes a rather famous artist! He has an apprentice named Gaspar he'd do anything for when he establishes a name for himself, however, I think it'd be fun if this was when he was starting. He was a limner (Which I think he enjoyed more tbh and he would've continued doing that more were it not for the printing press, which in ASOIAF is far far from even existing. In case you don't know what it is, a limner transcribes manuscripts and does all those little medieval decorations and drawings around the pages) And since Rhaenyra mistrusts Maesters, I think she'd like employing his services. Limners are not a thing in Westeros so I guess he could be Bravosi? He's also from a middle class family which I don't think Rhaenyra would be able to even conceptualize lol.

Miss Kirkstein -> Another artist! This time she's also a tutor, which I don't know Rhaenyra would employ (In the cases above it's because Justine comes by the hand of a dragonseed or because Limners are not a thing in Westeros) however, if Rhaenyra knew of the magical properties of Miss Kirkstein's master artwork, she would want one for herself? In her case I think it'd need more plotting but it could be fun. I see Miss Kirkstein as being the orphan child of artists who became the ward of a noble, that may be what takes her to court? This adds the posibility of Rhaenyra and her being friends in their youth!

[primewritessmut]

3, 27, and 29 for ao3 wrapped? thanks for your services in 2023 prime i’m super excited for what you’re cooking in 2024

Hiiiii! Thank you for reading my work (which I assume you do) and begin excited for more things. It's still unreal to me that people read what I write so ❤️❤️

3. What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

Definitely Songs for the Zombie Apocalypse. There were so many goals I had behind that work outside of whatever the plot turned out to be and to have it finished and to love the way it turned out is just... it's good.

I fully understand why it is (probably) my least read Spideypool work and I know that people are going to be pissed about the ending but it's exactly what I set out to write at the beginning of the year and I'm so so proud of it.

27. What do you listen to while writing?

Oh my god. It is a joke/known truth within my writing circle that I am not a musically motivated neurodivergent. I honestly tend to write in silence (my brain is loud enough, thank you very much) but, when I do listen because there are other, more annoying noises, competing, it's usually something like medieval lofi or white noise.

It can't be songs that I know or recognize (so not orchestral versions of childhood favorites or 90s lofi or the soundtrack of The Nutcracker) otherwise my brain will get snagged on the song and not the writing.

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

To be honest, I have no idea. I write so much (like too much really) that there's no way for me to remember a particular line or passage that stood out to me. I really should have a side doc to dump in the things I'm really proud of, but then that would get hugely long and unwieldy and, I don't know. I'm usually most enamored by whatever I've written that day because I, of course, think I'm witty and hilarious.

So instead, I'm just going to share some passages I wrote today since... yeah, those are currently my favorite, I guess.

His hands are free, mostly because he’s in a fucking library and doesn’t anticipate having to fight off any irate librarians. There’s no way they could know about how big his late fee is at the Regina Public Library. Right? (Chapter 29 of A Particular Set of Skills)

Usually, he’s so careful about what he says, threading the smallest of needles with his words and using them to sew the world into the shape he wants. But he hadn’t meant to say that. (Chapter 5 of He Speaks Daggers)

The man leans back and gives Mobius a smile, all teeth and charm. He’s always thought there was an implied threat to bite hidden inside that smile, but also the promise that you might just like it. (Lokius AU WIP)

[booksandwords]

The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son On Life, Love, and Loss by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt

Read time: 3 Days Rating: n/a

This is a book I abandoned. I stopped reading on page 110 (start of section III)

Warnings: mentions of death and suicide

This is a long series of emails between the then 91-year-old Gloria Vanderbilt and her youngest son Anderson Cooper. I really wanted to finish this but it's not going to happen because I time constraints. I really hope to come back to this one day. It is beautifully written you see glimpses of the world that Gloria came from, that old old money, and how that shaped her. You can see how Gloria became of the strongest women, she had so many strong women in her life, and in her family tree. But you see all the pain too. Especially when she talks about Carter's death, about watching him jump (and I didn't even get to the strongest of that I don't think).

I want to add some notes here, comments and quotes that I liked.

"Even as an adult, I found there was still much I didn't know her—experiences she'd had, lessons she'd learned that she hadn't passed on. In many cases, because I hadn't asked. There was also much she didn't know about me. When we're young we all waste so much time being reserved or embarrassed with our parents, resenting them or wishing they and we were entirely different people. — There are undeniable truths here, there are circumstances in which your mental health demands just burning those bridges and moving on. But for most of us, the stories of our relatives are important parts of ours that cannot be denied. I was watching my mother and aunt get brand new information about their mother's upbringing, just because I was in the room and asking questions. (Anderson, p.6)

"As a child, you generally aren't aware that your family is different from any other. You have no frame of reference. It is only later that you learn your upbringing was not the same as everybody else's." —This is just one of those quotes I adore for those of us raised in not fantastic childhood homes it helps make sense of the situation we lived through. And remind us that we couldn't know. (Gloria, p21)

"Naney offered me this sense of security as well, but in a much different way; incapable of holding back the extravagance of her affection, she demonstrated it by showering me with love, and chattering away. Her voice sounded like the tweeting of birds mingled with castanets." —This is Gloria about her maternal grandmother Laura Delphine Kilpatrick Morgan. Naney was a terrifying woman, intelligent and a strategist, that she idolised Napoleon just works. Laura and a nanny 'Dodo' were the main people who raised her up until the chaotic court case that made her famous at 10. (Gloria, p.31)

Reading Anderson Cooper talk about his childhood is an insight as to why he is how he is.

"That I have the name Vanderbilt has always felt like a huge mistake. I felt I was an imposter, a changeling, perhaps switched at both, intruding under false pretences. For me, this feeling has never gone away." —I really like this sentiment. She is not the only one I've ever heard express it, but this is one of the best analogies. (Gloria, p.38)

Gloria and Anderson discussing sexuality is something I didn't know I needed. Homosexuality has been a complicated thing in Gloria's life.

"Mary Magdalene was the star as far as I was concerned—naughty and beautiful? What better combination?" —I mean this is kinda funny. Gloria is a bit of a feminist whether she uses that term or not. (Gloria, p.105)

I found Gloria Vanderbilt talking about religion interesting. She was raised Catholic (but agnostic later in life). Her Saint names are Regina and Francesa. Regina was to honour her father but Regina is the patron saint of torture victims, poor people, and shepherdesses. Francesca (aka St Frances of Rome) is the patron saint of the Oblates (a person dedicated to God or God's service) and vehicle drivers. I'm fascinated by Saint name choices despite being agnostic, but how many kids would look at the patronages of the name they choose? Though what was great was reading Anderson vehemently (as much as possible) with her on this one topic.

On the font and formatting. There are three fonts used, one for Gloria, one for Anderson and one for the requisite background information. It makes figuring out who is speaking when very easy, though the tones used are also great indicators of that. Gloria Vanderbilt has an old and thoughtful voice of story and wisdom. Anderson Cooper has a questioning, reporter's voice, there is such warmth and love for his mother there. He is not doing this for his profession he is doing this for family, the reporter's voice kinda shows in that he comes from knowing what to ask, what string to pull when (like if I had to guess Carter) The background information (written by Cooper) is as neutral as possible and doesn't make assumptions as to a readers age or knowledge of the Vanderbilt name/legacy. In an aside, be still my heart... deckled edging. It is such a nice touch and it is one of my favourite style choices in publishing.

Something about it suits this particular book. Despite not finishing this, I really recommend it. It is a wonderful way for a family to share their story. More specifically for a mother to share her own story with her youngest son. If it leads to one family sitting down and having a proper conversation, putting aside minor issues, and learning histories and truths, it has done its job.

[12freddofrogs]

Yep. It’s been almost a week now, and I am still thinking about all the implications of August’s backstory that have been revealed, implications that I don’t think Once Upon A Time is actually going to touch on.

He was seven years old. At a guess, actually. Did the Blue Fairy tell him he was? Did Geppetto intentionally carve a child to be seven – no, six years old? Did they just judge based on his height and maturity level how old he probably was and went from there? Pinocchio may have been younger. Probably older.

He was seven years old and alone in a new world. And unlike everyone else, he did not get any new memories.

Everyone in Storybrooke was given fake memories about who they were, were told that this is where they had always been. I assume even Regina got fake memories so she could understand what everyone else thought, and also understand what a car is, although she knew her memories were faked. Perhaps if we got a flashback to just as the curse was enacted, they would be more confused about the world around them, but at the same time everyone was equally confused.

August had a seven year old’s maturity, and could only have existed for a year or two prior to that (and I refuse to accept that the whale and everything else happened when he was five, so let’s say Geppetto just underestimated his age), and was left holding a newborn.

His name was Pinocchio. He didn’t get a new name when entering the world, he kept his old one. When the people at the diner called the police and the social workers about two very small children, lost and alone, he told them that his name was Pinocchio. That is a name that has implications. At best, it meant his parents liked the fairytale.

How long did it take before he found out that everyone already knew his name? Did the police woman say, “Like the puppet?” or was it not until he got to the foster home?

Did the first social worker, in those first few days before they found an emergency placement (because babies are hard to place and the seven year old refuses to be separated, and despite what Emma thought about Hansel and Gretel social services actually will do their best to keep siblings together), figure that little Pinocchio might like the fairytale he was named after and put the Disney movie on?  Hopefully, they didn’t have the DVD immediately available, and Pinocchio had already been exposed to the concept of a TV show first, because if the first movie he ever watched was his own life that would entirely break his idea of what TV was.

Pinocchio was a real boy. He’d be annoyed if someone made a reference to a puppet, and overall everyone’s main priority is making sure he and the baby are taken care of. So it wasn’t actually immediate that people realised little Pinocchio genuinely believed he used to be a puppet. The poor kid. Something must have happened to him that was so bad it broke him, that he completely repressed his real memories of how he came to be beside that highway and decided he was actually his favourite Disney movie.

The kid desperately needs therapy.

Pinocchio ran away.

He got caught again, only a few weeks later, but the old foster parents didn’t want any of the children who had left. He was too ashamed to ask for Emma, but the new foster parents weren’t prepared for an infant anyway. These parents were nicer, though. Still didn’t let him play with tools, but they let him play with Lego and they were building blocks that felt kind of like being back at his father’s workshop.

He was eight years old. He couldn’t take care of a baby, couldn’t take care of himself.

He went to therapy. People asked him why he thought he was Pinocchio, and he answered about his father and the Blue Fairy. He talked about the Evil Queen and her curse, but he didn’t really know the full details of it.

Some of the therapists indulged it, asked questions about the Enchanted Forest. Most of them didn’t, overworked and underpaid and part of social services, and told him – only sometimes gently – that magic wasn’t real. His father wasn’t Geppetto, he never spoke to a cricket or a fox or a cat, never was swallowed by a whale or almost turned into a donkey. One of the therapists got deeply interested when he mentioned being held in a cage, but she seemed to pull back a little when Pinocchio mentioned that Stromboni had threatened to cut him into firewood.

He was nine years old, ten years old, eleven. He’d worked out what a movie was, understood that most of them weren’t real. Some of the stories were familiar – he’d met Cinderella, had helped carve toys for her unborn child; Snow White once found him sneaking cookies from her kitchen and had distracted the chef so he wouldn’t be caught; Red Riding Hood had to babysit him once when his father and Jiminy had been called away. But the stories weren’t real, were they? He was on medications and therapy and was told day in and day out that fairies weren’t real.

How long did it take before a child, entirely alone in a different world and without any proof of his own, started to believe them?

He tried to check in on Emma as a teenager, but she’d been moved through too many other homes by then. Maybe he could have looked harder. He didn't.

He changed his name when he was ten years old, tired of everyone reacting to the word Pinocchio. He changed it again at eleven, and at twelve. He picked August Wood at fourteen, changed it again and then eventually came back.

He snuck out of curfew with no conscience on his shoulder. He took woodworking in school, got a job in fast foot specifically so he could afford to take weekly classes at the centre across the road.  

He spent his second pay cheque on a marionette puppet on a whim. It was plastic, not wood. He’d had the idea of learning to move it, but it creeped him out for reasons he couldn’t answer. He wanted to ask it questions, but the puppet never replied.

As a kid, Pinocchio had been aware that the puppets in his father’s workshop weren’t alive, in the puppet show with Stromboli. It had always given him an undefinable feeling that he’d never managed to articulate anyway, watching those faces stare down at him.

August kept the puppet locked in his closet.

He got his first girlfriend at fifteen years old. They dated for a few months, and it went well, until in a moment of vulnerability he confessed that as a kid he had been convinced he was actually Pinocchio. She had thought it was cute until she realised that part of him, buried deep, still kind of believed it.

August grew out of the foster care system. He made a half-hearted attempt to track Emma down, but she wouldn’t have recognised him. He wasn’t even sure if she was real, either, but the baby on the side of the highway, at least, he found articles on. He could confirm she was real. He remembered her mother, and couldn’t quite picture Snow White as anything but the Disney princess.

He went out on adventures. He went out whale watching, and tried to convince himself that the panic attack was seasickness. He got a cat that he named Figaro. He went to Disneyland and, twenty years old, cried on the Pinocchio ride as they went through his own childhood, through a movie that he had seen a thousand times. He went on it three more times that day.

It was a game to go to every Disneyland park in the world, now, so he did it. He liked travel, liked to see the world. Every single time, though, no matter who else he went with or the amount of rollercoasters they went on, he’d regularly touch at his ears, checking that they weren’t growing into donkey ears.

August said that he was a writer. That could have just been a cover, a reason for why he was there. I’d like to think it was real. He wrote poems about growing up differently, poems people assumed were metaphors about being carved out of wood.

He had a couple of kid’s books, aged ten and under, that actually sold okay. They weren’t about Pinocchio, but they were about kids who travelled from a magical world into the real world, and had to learn how to survive. That series ended with the kids getting back home, however, having saved the day.

He tried to look for his real parents, the ones who actually existed, not Geppetto. Maybe the image in his head of a kindly old man really was his father. Real people in real life knew how to carve.

If Geppetto didn't exist, that meant he'd never broken his promise, right?

August, Pinocchio, was a child left alone in a world that told him his memories couldn’t be real. He learned to lie about them, keep himself away from questions, cut down his childhood into the parts that people believed, about carving toys and playing games. Part of him genuinely stopped believing, and part of him just learned to lie.

And then one morning, in Phuket, Pinocchio woke at 8.15 am to find that three of his toes had turned back to wood. The doctors couldn’t even see it, but an X-ray revealed something was very, very wrong. His toes looked normal to the naked eye, but there didn’t seem to be any bones in there. He got sent for more tests.

August didn’t take them. He fled the hospital instead. He returned to his hotel room, panicked but not actually being chased, and threw his medication in the bin.

It was real. He was really Pinocchio.

Be honest, brave, and unselfish and you will always be a real boy.

He’d broken the Blue Fairy’s promise, and the spell was breaking.

It took over a day for August to realise the real problem.

He couldn’t move his toes.  

Geppetto was a master craftsman, and had put all his effort into it. Pinocchio had been carved with fully articulated joints, including the ones under his shoes. The toes still bent when August picked them up by hand, but he couldn’t move them consciously.

He stabbed his foot with a knife, peeled off chips of wood.

It was years ago, but August remembered that in the Enchanted Forest, he had felt pain. Not in the same way as he had as a real boy, but he felt it. He used to be able to feel things through his wood.

Magic didn’t work in this land, though. He wasn’t turning back into an enchanted puppet. Just a puppet. An actual, lifeless piece of wood. Piece by piece, his body was breaking down.

Storybrooke wasn’t that well hidden, honestly. It was easy to find once you knew what to look for.

He recognised people. He saw Geppetto walking down the street and froze. He actually didn’t recognise Archie until they’d already started up a conversation in Granny’s diner and nearly choked on his lunch. He worked out who the Blue Fairy was, and went to ask her for advice.

He hadn’t known what Emma grew up to look like, but he’d recognised her anyway from the moment he walked in.

-------- I mean, I'm only a single season in, but even if his backstory is given more detail, they're not going to actually explain every day of those twenty-eight years. He's been existing in the real world without the Enchanted Forest. Regardless of what else we find out about him, OUAT is probably not going to say that he didn't go to every Disneyland.

[college-girl199328]

Poilievre laces into Trudeau, saying 'everything feels broken' | CTV News

On Friday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre reiterated his belief that "everything feels broken" in Canada, slamming Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for suggesting otherwise.

Poilievre asked Tory MPs at the start of a two-day caucus retreat to plan their priorities for when the House of Commons resumes sitting next week: "What's happening in our country?"

His speech was a scathing critique of Trudeau's nearly eight years in power, listing the ways he believes Canadians are suffering, from high grocery prices to out-of-control crime, as well as areas where he believes the government is failing. As an example, he pointed to the recent holiday travel chaos.

He cited Trudeau's remarks last month at the annual Liberal holiday party, in which the prime minister responded to the Conservative leader's message by telling his own supporters, "Canada is not broken."

Poilievre claimed Trudeau is blind to how much people are suffering and that their problems are solely Trudeau's fault. He then suggested that if Trudeau is unwilling to address the country's problems, he should "get out of the way and allow someone lead to do so." His caucus applauded when he made that remark.

Trudeau, for his part, said on his way into the Liberal caucus meeting that Poilievre was exacerbating people's rage rather than "offering them solutions."

Poilievre's speech focused on crime, claiming that cities are becoming "crime zones" under Trudeau's watch and accusing him of failing to take the necessary steps to reduce violence.

Poilievre cited Toronto as an example, citing a recent string of violent incidents on the city's transit system. According to a Statistics Canada report published in November, the country's homicide rate increased for the third consecutive year, with cities such as Winnipeg and Regina having the highest rates per capita. After five years of increases, the crime severity index fell in 2021 and 2020.

Poilievre returns from a campaign-like tour of Quebec, northern Ontario, Winnipeg, and Vancouver ahead of the upcoming parliamentary session, his second since taking over the party's leadership last fall.

And, if his first few months in charge were spent settling into the office, he's now well on his way to managing a 116-person caucus. That is not without complications. The party whip informed MPs this week that they were to lead by example in fiscal responsibility by discontinuing the practice of having taxpayers pay for home internet services, as directed by Poilievre.

The House of Commons allows members to be reimbursed for these costs through their office budgets, but the Conservatives have asked their MPs and staff to stop. According to emails obtained by The Canadian Press, several rural MPs expressed their displeasure, requesting that the office delay making a policy change until the caucus met Friday to discuss it. That did not happen in the end.

When asked about those concerns, Poilievre's spokesman Sebastian Skamski referred to a previous statement issued by chief Opposition whip Kerry-Lynne Findlay, who stated that the change was made due to the high cost of living.

Poilievre has also issued a number of policy statements in the last week, including an announcement that he would hold consultations with First Nations about increasing their access to revenue from resources developed on their land.

[ocnews]

Orange County declares health emergency as RSV surges; cases also rising in L.A.

Rapidly spreading viral infections have pushed pediatric hospitalizations and daily emergency room visits to record levels in Orange County, prompting officials to declare a health emergency.

The county, like the rest of California, is facing a viral triple whammy: continued circulation of the coronavirus, seasonal rise of the flu and heightened spread of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, a respiratory illness that can be dangerous for small children.

Children’s hospitals can quickly become strained when viruses surge because relatively few beds are available to begin with. Orange County, for instance, has only two hospitals dedicated to caring for children, and both “have been operating at or beyond their capacity to care for pediatric [patients] with respiratory illness,” county health officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said Tuesday.

Issuing an emergency declaration — which Chinsio-Kwong did late Monday — offers the government the ability to require hospitals that don’t typically treat children “to care for them if and when we need it,” she said. That flexibility could prove useful in the months ahead, when many officials expect both the coronavirus and influenza to become more active.

“I’m concerned with what the future holds,” Chinsio-Kwong said. Should flu and RSV cases surge simultaneously, “we’re in trouble. And typically those two viruses do affect our younger kids. And there’s only so many beds that a pediatric hospital has to care for the very sick.”

CALIFORNIA

RSV is on the rise. How to recognize it and treat the symptoms

Nov. 1, 2022

Children’s Health of Orange County, which operates a primary hospital in Orange and a smaller facility in Mission Viejo, is seeing “unprecedented volumes,” both in inpatient units and the emergency room, for all reasons, according to Melanie Patterson, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer.

At the CHOC hospital in Orange, more than 400 pediatric patients are being seen each day in the emergency room. About 15% of children seen in the ER are admitted.

On Tuesday, there were 285 admitted patients at the 334-bed CHOC hospitalin Orange; one year ago, there were 188.

“So that is a gigantic surge for us,” Patterson said.

At CHOC’s 54-bed Mission Viejo hospital, there were 43 admitted patients Tuesday, up from 28 on the same day a year ago.

Other California hospitals also are reporting that an early-season RSV surge is worsening. Dr. Daisy Dodd, a pediatric infectious disease specialist for Kaiser Permanente in Orange County, said the “influx has been significant, and it has been much sooner” than typical, although the healthcare system continues to be able to meet demand.

CALIFORNIA

California sees increase in RSV, a respiratory illness that can be dangerous for babies

Oct. 25, 2022

So far, Los Angeles County public health officials said they haven’t seen any major increases in pediatric hospital bed occupancy.

Still, individual hospitals report being very busy. Dr. James Stein, chief medical officer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, said in a statement that the facility is able to admit children from its emergency room. But the ER is so busy, and its available capacity so stretched, that CHLA cannot always accept transfers from other hospitals.

Children are increasingly testing positive for RSV at the L.A. hospital, with a positivity rate of 38%, up from 31% the prior week. Both figures exceed the peak during all of last winter, which was 24%, according to Marisa Glucoft, the hospital’s executive director for quality and safety.

Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of the L.A. County Department of Health Services, said many hospitals don’t have large numbers of pediatric beds, meaning that even small increases can have a major impact.

For example, if a hospital has 12 pediatric ICU beds and six are already occupied, she said, “you can really pretty quickly get up to 100% capacity just by admitting six patients. And then, depending on what their turnover is and how long they’re in the hospital, you can see how very quickly you run into a difficult situation.”

“Thankfully, right now we don’t have a serious problem, but realize how quickly it can change,” she told the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

RSV is highly transmissible, but for otherwise generally healthy adults and older children, it is more of a nuisance than a serious threat. However, babies are particularly vulnerable because the virus attacks the very small airways that lead to their lungs, causing them to become inflamed.

Substantial mucus production can block airways. While adults and older children can simply cough it up, babies may need extra help breathing. Those at highest risk are newborns and infants in their first year of life, especially those under 6 months.

Premature infants, babies with underlying cardiac disease or chronic lung problems, and children with weakened immune systems are at higher risk, too, as are the elderly.

SCIENCE & MEDICINE

Strong RSV vaccine data lifts hopes of protecting newborns and the elderly

Nov. 1, 2022

Specific warning signs that a baby needs urgent medical attention include:

breathing faster than normal, with their chest drawing inward and their nostrils flaring

dehydration, including to the point of crying but shedding no tears

not producing a wet diaper within seven or eight hours

refusing to feed

turning blue around the mouth because of a lack of oxygen

For children ages 3 or 4, warning signs could include wheezing and breathing rapidly. Severely ill children may need oxygen or other support at a hospital to help them breathe, including being placed on a ventilator.

“It’s not just the little kids. We have 5-, 6-year-old kids in the hospital right now,” Dodd said.

Annually, an estimated 58,000 children under age 5 are hospitalized with RSV nationally, leading to 100 to 500 deaths. Among those 65 and older, an estimated 177,000 are hospitalized a year, with 14,000 deaths.

“Our best shot at protecting ourselves and our children from respiratory illnesses continues to be the same things we practiced throughout the pandemic, including the use of masks when indoors around others and staying home when you are sick,” Chinsio-Kwong said.

CALIFORNIA

New Omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 make gains as BA.5 fades

Nov. 1, 2022

RSV is hitting many parts of the nation particularly hard, possibly because transmission has been relatively dormant for the last two years and there are many young children who have little immunity to the virus. Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House’s COVID-19 response coordinator, estimated last week that about 90% of kids end up contracting RSV at least once by the time they’re 2 years old. But “because of the pandemic, some of the kind of standard patterns have been disrupted, so we’re seeing a lot of RSV at once,” he said.

The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for RSV in L.A. County is also at its highest level for the last five years. About 12% of specimens are testing positive for RSV, up from around 6% to 7% last October and less than 1% during the prior three Octobers.

Among children younger than 5, 7% of ER visits are related to RSV or acute bronchiolitis, a swelling of the airways that is typically caused by RSV. That’s higher than at any point in the last three years.

“As with the flu, we cannot predict whether this is an early peak or start to a severe season. But we do know that RSV activity is unusually high for this time of year and warrants caution,” Ferrer said.

CALIFORNIA

Southern California braces for difficult flu season as cases rise after COVID lull

Oct. 24, 2022

A “triple whammy of all three viruses circulating at the same time could lead to strains on the already overburdened medical system,” San Diego County health officials wrote in a statement late last week.

“As we see a sharp increase of flu and RSV cases, I am urging San Diegans to do their part to prevent the spread of illnesses,” said county Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten. “While there’s no vaccine for RSV, ample vaccinations are available for the flu and COVID-19.”

In both cases, Wooten noted that the vaccines “take two weeks to become fully effective, so people should get both shots as soon as possible.”

[starshine-hockey-girl]

See You Again- Tyler Seguin Stand Alone

Summary- When Addy meets Tyler through mutual friends, it's attraction at first sight. Tyler, however, cannot shake the sense of deja vu.

Word Count- 10.5K (sorry)

Warnings- alcohol use, public sex, SMUT, discussion of slut shaming

@fallinallincurls @newlibrary @penstxgal1968 @princessphilly @laurenairay @mattyseggy1991 @horsesandhockeyplayers

August 2022

Addy checked her reflection in the mirror and adjusted her top as she listened to her friend, Gina, go over the details for the evening. She was half-listening, as usual, when Gina mentioned that Tom may have a friend drop by the bar. "Wait, what?" she whined, "Gina, this isn't a set-up, right?"

"No, Addy, I swear-I don't even know the guy's name," Gina responded. "Show me what you're going to wear."

Addy sent the snap.

"No, absolutely not," Gina chided, "Let go of the athleisure wear. Wear a skirt at least."

Addy rolled her eyes, "I will compromise on a nice pair of shorts and crop top. It’s hotter than hell."

LATER THAT EVENING- INWOOD TAVERN-DALLAS

Addy walked up to the bar and leaned up against it. "Hey," she called to the seasoned blonde bartender, "Can I get a drink?" She was casually dressed in a matching black gingham crop top and shorts. A diamond pendant adorned her neck. Her curly brown hair had been tossed in a loosely styled up-do to keep it off her neck. The August Texas heat was still oppressive at night and Addy’s focus was remaining as cool as possible.

The muscular man standing next to her laughed, "Good luck with that. I've been trying to get a beer for ten minutes."

Addy glanced at him before turning back to the bartender, "It's the watch. She hates flashy watches."

Tyler looked down at his watch then back at the petite brunette by his side. "Isn't that some sort of watch discrimination. What did my watch ever do to her?"

Addy turned to face him. She took note of the fitted t-shirt and casual shorts he wore. His brown hair was slicked back and his arms were covered in tattoos. The neatly trimmed beard completed the frat boy look. "It's not the watch, but the wearer. Usually those watches come attached to annoying frat boys who demand immediate service and leave shitty tips."

Tyler's eyebrows raised, "Definitely not a frat boy."

"Well, if you look like a frat boy, dress like a frat boy, you can't be shocked if she treats you well- like a frat boy." she teased. "Let me guess," she continued, "you also flashed a black AMEX to start a tab."

His eyes narrowed slightly, "And?"

She smiled, "It completed the 'I am going to be asshole' vibe thing you got going on. What are you drinking 'Mr. I am not a frat boy'?"

"At this point I will take any cold beer," he said in confusion.

Addy yelled again, "Tess, give me my usual and the poor man a beer. Put it on my tab."

Tess nodded and poured the drinks. When she sat down the drinks, she eyed Tyler suspiciously, "You vouching for him?"

Addy turned and gave Tyler the full body scan, "Yes, at least temporarily. Don't fuck it up, okay?"

"Tyler, by the way," he said casually.

"Oh and the asshole trifecta is complete," she winked as she took her drink.

They sat in an amenable silence before Tyler cleared his throat, "So are you meeting friends here or do you just like drinking alone in dive bars?"

"Meeting friends for drinks. You?" She turned to him.

"Same," he craned his head toward the door which just opened.

"Addy!" Gina called as she walked into the dimly lit bar, "Why do you always pick the grungiest bar in town to meet?"

Addy turned with a smile, "Don't knock the bar. You'll piss off Tess."

Tyler interjected, "Yeah, you don’t want to don't piss her off."

Gina raised an eyebrow towards Addy. She was greeted with a shoulder shrug.The duo greeted each other with a hug. Gina looked around the bar that looked like not a thing had been changed in at least forty years.

"So making friends already?" Regina asked jovially.

"Gina, this is “not a frat boy” Tyler. Tyler, this is Gina," Addy answered.

Tyler stretched his hand out, "Pleasure."

"Seggy," Tom called from the door.

Tyler turned, "Monty!"

The two embraced in a bro hug. "I see that you have met my fiance, Gina, and this is her friend, Addy," Tom declared.

Tyler touched Addy on the arm, "You ready for another round?"

"Sure, tell Tess to add it to my tab," she called as they moved over to the well-worn couch. He gave her body an appreciative glance as he returned with the drinks, "I tried to open my own tab, but she wouldn't do it. Strangest bartender ever."

She scooted over to make room for him. Quickly they were engrossed in conversation about Addy's job as an event planner. She casually asked Tyler about his job and he blinked slowly. "You're kidding, right?" he laughed.

"Kidding about what?" she smiled.

"I play hockey- for the Dallas Stars…" he stammered.

"Oh, I don't follow hockey too closely. I mean- I am aware of them as a team, but not the individual players," she explained.

There was an awkward pause as Tyler contemplated her words. It wasn't the fact that she was unaware of who he was, it was that she seemed thoroughly unaffected by the knowledge. Tyler came to the realization that he was staring at her face. It wasn't a particularly gorgeous face, but was naturally pretty. Her presence felt comfortable and oddly familiar. She snapped her fingers to get him out of his trance. "Hey, Not-Frat-Boy, we are going to play pool. Do you want co-ed or men against women?"

Tyler thought quickly, "Co-ed,"

Addy poked him playfully in the chest, "Try to keep up with me, okay?

Tom and Tyler played a quick game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" to determine who would break. Addy gave Tyler a wink and a smile when he won.

He made a grand gesture of bending over and bowing and indicating she should take the first shot. He walked to the opposite end of the table as she took her stick, leaned over and took the break shot. He licked his lips unconsciously as he was given a clear view of her cleavage. As the balls spread across the table, she blew him a flirtatious kiss as two balls sank. Tyler smiled when she did not sink another ball with her second shot. He stood behind her as she waited for Tom to take his shot. He whispered in her ear, "He's a great attorney, but a horrible shot." Addy felt the hairs on her arm stand up as his breath hit her neck. She shifted her weight back and forth and turned to look at him. She stared momentarily. Her gaze went to his lips. She blinked and willed her heart to stop racing. She thought of what his beard would feel like if he kissed her.

"Seggy, you're up" Tom laughed as Tyler stood, leaning on his stick, staring at Addy's neck. He imagined his mouth on the where the smooth skin of her neck met her shoulder, sucking softly.

"Snap out of it," he murmured to himself before leaning up his shot. When Addy walked away to the jukebox, the movement of her hips distracted him and the shot fizzled.

He walked up behind her and leaned over her shoulder as she made her selections. "Going old school, huh?" he joked as she made her selections.

"Can't go wrong with some Miley, " she said, laughing as the song began. "This brings back some memories." Tyler watched as she danced around the pool table between her shots, sinking a ball with each stroke as she mouthed the words.

Tyler had a memory emerge from the depths of his brain. It was fuzzy but he could feel his body respond- pulse quickened, heart rate elevated and breath slightly shallow. He was kissing a girl. She smelled like flowers and wore what he assumed was a cubic zirconia pendant around her necklace. It fell delicately on her clavicle . When they paused for breath, she smiled at him.

"Tyler," he thought he heard as he struggled to place the memory "Tyler, it's your shot."

"Huh?" He said- momentarily confused as Tom directed him to the pool table. “Oh, yeah,” he blushed.

Gina and Tom giggled as they watched Addy and Tyler get sucked into their own heads as they stared at each other, tanking their pool game. Tyler snapped out of his thoughts. He took another bad shot and promptly sunk the cue ball.

"Who wants another round?" they called as they left Addy and Tyler in the pool room, without waiting for a response.

Tyler walked up to Addy and took the stick from her hand, “Sorry about that. Normally I am much better at pool. Guess I got a little distracted.”

Addy felt her face flush and started to fan herself with her hand,"Did it get hot in here? I need some air." She turned and walked to the exit to the small patio. She pushed the door open and took a deep breath. She paced the length of the patio and ran her fingers through her hair. The desire to take Tyler's face between her hands and kiss him overwhelmed her. She was then struck by the sense of deja vu. When he emerged from the bar carrying drinks, he stopped short when she turned to face him. She stood with one hip popped up and both hands on her hips. He crossed the patio to where she stood. Her expression was almost defiant. "Are you going to kiss me or what?" she declared. When he hesitated, she took a step toward him, took his face in her hands and kissed him hard.

Tyler felt the memory come back into complete focus and the realization hit him. He stopped the kiss and asked breathlessly, "Is Addy a nickname or something?"

"Short for Addison," she replied.

His eyes opened wider, "Have you ever been to Toronto?"

"Yeah, when I was 15." she stammered.

He pressed, "Maybe to an amusement park named Canada's Wonderland?

She stepped back, "Yeah"

He stepped forward "Spend time with a hockey team there?"

She looked at him, "Yeah, with a boy named….."

Her hand went to her mouth, "Nooooo"

He nodded his head up and down.

She gasped, "You're Tyler from Toronto? No fucking way!"

He smiled, "Yep-all grown up"

She squatted low and looked up at him before crossing to him, "Kiss me again."

He did and the memory came flooding back to her. Their bodies crashed together as they kissed, the muscle memory of their first make out session came back and he pushed her against the wall. “Addison from Dallas," he moaned, "I finally found you."

SUMMER 2007

Addison stood next to her friend, Juliana, in line to the Drop Tower. Juliana eyed the ride nervously as the line inched toward the loading zone. In front of them a group of ten players from a hockey team stood and joked loudly. They were enjoying a celebratory trip to the amusement park in honor of their recent championship victory. Juliana and Addison were at the front of the group from the Prestonwood Christian Academy choir. The two girls had become fast friends during Juliana’s year of study abroad in Dallas. They bonded over boys, hockey and mocking the popular girls in their class.

Juliana poked Addison in the ribs and nodded towards the tall blonde with a goofy grin on her face. Addison looked up at him and shook her head softly. Of course Juliana set her eyes on the tallest person she could find. The girl definitely had a type-tall, blonde and cute. The line inched forward and Addison locked eyes with the lanky brunette standing next to the blonde. He gave a shy smile before turning away. The blonde noticed and gave him a shove back into Addison. “Make a move Shy Ty,” the Big Rig joked.

"I'm…I'm sorry," Tyler stammered softly before he turned and slammed the blonde on the arm.

Addison gave him a smile and mouthed, “It’s okay,” before turning to Juliana.

The group landed at the loading zone together. The ride attendant shouted at the group of teens, "You four- stand here." Juliana and Addison stood in their assigned circle with Jamie and Tyler. Juliana looked up at the ride, "Addison, if I die in Canada, my mom is going to kill you."

The blonde looked down at the diminutive girl with jet black hair and laughed, "Where are you from?"

Julia smiled broadly, "Originally from Brazil, but we’re from Dallas. I'm Juliana and this is Addison. Are you from Toronto?"

"I'm Jamie and this is Seggy," the blonde elbowed Tyler in the ribs, "We're from Brampton, outside of Toronto."

"It's actually Tyler," he corrected. He looked Addison in the face and she smiled at him. He felt his stomach flip flop.

"Tell me Tyler- are you a wimp? she teased.

He looked confused, "Uhhhhh, what do you mean?"

"I mean can you handle these rides?" she laughed, "I am stuck with Wimpy McGee."

"Yeah, I can handle these rides," he grinned.

"Good," she exclaimed as the attendant directed them to the car. "Sit next to me so I don't have to hear her scream."

Tyler's eyebrows raised, "Okay." He watched her hop into her seat and start swinging her legs back and forth playfully.

After they were harnessed in, she gave him a big grin right before the ride took off, “Here we go, Tyler.” Addison laughed as the car ascended two hundred feet in the air and nervousness spread across Tyler's face, "I thought you said you weren't a wimp?"

"I'm not- I swear," he whined.

"Need to hold my hand?" she said softly and held out her hand to him.

"Yeah," he grabbed it right before the car dropped twenty one stories in a free fall.

Addison reluctantly let go of his hand when the ride attendant came to unharness them. She jumped off the ride and waited for Tyler. When he walked up with a sheepish grin, "I swear I am not a wimp on the other rides. The height on this one gets me."

Addison leaned in and whispered, "Your secret is safe with me." She looked over to Julia who was engrossed in conversation with Jamie. "I guess we are officially ride-buddies now,” she joked as she tilted her head toward Jamie and Juliana who were shamelessly flirting with each other. Addison rolled her eyes as Jamie directed the group towards the Klockwerks ride. “That’s not that scary, dude,” Addison stated once they arrived. Both Tyler and Jamie positioned themselves to be in the inside car position. As the ride began to spin, the force of the ride pulled Juliana and Addison into their sides. Jamie artfully put his arm around Juliana and pulled her tighter. Tyler sat stiffly beside Addison as the speed increased. Eventually she put her hand on his thigh and pushed to create some separation. Tyler’s eyes flashed down to Addison’s hand and then shut tightly. He thought to himself, “For the love of God, stay down, stay down,” as he willed himself not to feel any effects of Addison’s physical proximity. He said a silent prayer of thanksgiving as they exited the ride without an erection popping up.

The group flip-flopped between Team Scaredy-Cat and Team Dare-Devil deciding on which rides to ride. With each one, Addison and Tyler stood closer and closer together in line. He passionately argued that Texas didn't have actual hockey. She questioned "Oh yeah, when is the last time the Leafs have won a cup? The Stars?" Tyler objected and Addison hit him with, "Did the Leafs even make the playoffs this year? The Stars made it.” Tyler rolled his eyes and Addison playfully poked his chest. "Admit defeat," she chided as he smiled down at her, “I’m going to make you a Stars fan if it’s the last thing I do.

He bent down and laughed, “It will be a cold day in hell before I root for the Dallas Stars.” Addison blinked as his face was inches from hers. Thankfully the ride attendant ushered them to the ride.

Somewhere between the Go-Kart Racing ride and Behemoth roller coaster, Tyler made his move and went for the hand grab. Addison simply looked down at their joined hands and back up at Tyler and smiled. Tyler’s inner dialogue of “Stay Cool, be calm- it’s just a girl. Holy shit- it’s a girl and she is letting me hold her hand” simmered under the surface.

When the foursome turned the corner and Juliana saw the tall roller coaster, she simply said, “Nope, nope, nope- I am not riding that, Miss Addison.” Jamie saw his opportunity and took it, “We can go do the swings again. You liked those.” The swings were on the other side of the park and would give him a solid hour of alone time with Juliana. Tyler also did the mental math and glanced at Addison to gauge her reaction.

Addison shrugged her shoulders and pulled Tyler towards the roller coaster. “Y’all have fun. We’ll meet you at the food court in an hour,” she called back to her friend, Juliana, who stood in a bundle of excitement and nerves. Addison turned abruptly and yelled to Juliana, “Don’t forget your PCA character!” When Juliana’s mouth dropped open, Addison laughed, “Bye!” She pulled Tyler with such force that he could barely keep up. “Come on Tyler, there’s barely any line!” she screamed as she ran in front of him. She dropped his hand as they raced up the steps. Tyler slowed his pace slightly when he realized letting her pass allowed him to watch her ass as she climbed.

When they reached the top of the stairs, they were greeted by a ride attendant. “The ride’s not quite open yet,” the young man said, “How did you get up here?” In their excitement, Tyler and Addison had missed the sign that the ride was temporarily closed. Todd, the attendant looked around, “I should send you back down to wait, but we’ll open it up in about fifteen minutes. If you promise to not bother anything, I’ll let you stay up here.”

They looked at each other and smiled, then looked at Todd, “We won’t touch anything.”

Addison squealed once Todd left. She looked at Tyler who nodded. They both spoke at once

Addison- “We get dibs on the front seat.”

Tyler- “We get to be alone for fifteen minutes”

Addison laughed while Tyler blushed, “Well, there’s that too- added bonus” They looked around the ride loading area before Addison pulled out her iTouch. Tyler watched in silence as she pushed buttons. “You like to dance, Tyler?” she asked as music started playing. Miley Cyrus - See you again - With Lyrics The music started and she started to dance. A wide grin spread across his face as she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards him. “What? Hockey boys don’t dance?” she teased. “You know there isn’t anyone here. You can risk looking stupid and dance.” She dropped his hand and started dancing and singing. “I've got a way of knowin' when somethin' is right. I feel like I must have known you in another life. 'Cause I felt this deep connection when you looked in my eyes. Now I can't wait to see you again” Addison reached for his hand again and he readily took it. He sang with her, “The last time I freaked out, I just kept lookin' down. I st-st-stuttered when you asked me what I'm thinkin' 'bout. Felt like I couldn't breathe, you asked what's wrong with me. My best friend Lesley said, "Oh she's just being Miley" Tyler twirled her around the loading area with ease. When the song stopped he pulled her back and she crashed into his chest. Their faces were inches from each other. Their combined heart rates were off the charts and their chests heaved to settle their breathing.

Addison looked into Tyler’s eyes and willed his lips to move closer. They didn’t budge. He pushed a strand of hair that had crossed over into her eyes back. Internally, the lyrics of “Kiss the Girl” raced into his thoughts, “Yes, you want her. Look at her, you know you do. Possible she wants you too. There is one way to ask her. It don't take a word. Not a single word. Go on and kiss the girl” The mental image of the small, red crab singing and dancing raced front and center of his mind. Tyler laughed at the absurdity of it. Addison flinched ever so slightly and pulled back. Tyler knew immediately that he had blown his shot.

Addison dropped his hands and walked over the far wall where the loading zone to the front car was located. She placed her back against the wall and slowly slid down to sit. She didn’t look up when she felt Tyler approach and sit next to her. They didn’t speak for a long time. Tyler checked his watch, “They should be opening it up soon.” Addison nodded in affirmation. He moved his hand to the outside of his thigh and she felt it graze her skin. She glanced down and then back at his face. She smiled and grabbed his hand. Their fingers intertwined together. Addison moved slightly to her left and rested her head on his shoulder.

She fumbled for words, “Fun fact- we are both named after cities in Texas.” He laughed and said, “What?”

“Yep, there is a Tyler, Texas and an Addison, Texas too,” she said quietly, “They are not very close together.”

“That’s too bad,” he replied. She squeezed his hand and he swore that he felt butterflies in stomach. “So tell me about Dallas.”

He looked at her as her face lit up and she started chattering away. The sound of the slow drawl of her voice hypnotized him. Suddenly the idea of Dallas, Texas, was the most fascinating subject on earth. She rambled until they noticed that the loading area had filled with other riders. Tyler frowned as she stopped talking and stood up to climb into the front roller coaster car. She held out her hand and he took it. The smile returned to his face. “Maybe I’ll go to Dallas one day,”

She turned to laugh, “Maybe you’ll play for the Stars one day. I mean you should dream big,Tyler.”

Once they were both securely harnessed for the ride, Tyler grabbed her hand again. She looked at him through her eyelashes and then looked away. Addison was unsure if it was the thrill of the ride that made her heart race or the thrill of the boy next to her. As the clickety-clack of the roller coaster filled the air, she summoned her courage while the car moved higher and higher on top of the hill. She turned to Tyler right before the car went over the summit, “Are you going to kiss me or what?” Tyler turned to her with a surprised look before they fell into the freefall.

When the car came to a complete stop, both of them scrambled to get out of the car, for very different reasons. Addison ran past the crowd that made it to the exit before her. Tyler followed behind her. They raced down the steps and Tyler called her name, “Addison- wait up!” She had no intention of waiting for him. The look of shock when she asked him about kissing her had said everything she needed to know. She thought to herself, “It’s almost four now. I just have to find a place to hang out until we leave at nine. No biggie.”

Addison was completely lost in thoughts when she felt his hand on her arm, pulling her to a stop. He grabbed her hand and held it as he guided her past the ride exit. Tyler pulled her into a corner by the restroom. “Why are you running away from me?” he said breathlessly, “Is this about your question?”

Her eyes flashed up and then down and she nodded her head yes.

Tyler groaned loudly and bent over, putting his hands on his knees, “Girls are weird.”

He stood and crossed to her, “I do want to kiss you. It’s just that….. that” He hesitated before he sputtered, “I’ve never kissed a girl. I don’t know how.” He blushed as she smiled and laughed, “Don’t laugh at me, Addison.” She walked to him, put her hand on his neck and pulled his head so she could reach his face. She smiled and kissed him.

Her lips pressed against his and she sensed his tenson and hesitation. After a beat, she felt them relax and return the kiss. Their lips separated and then came back together. There was an awkward dance of head tilts, noses that collided and teeth clashing together. Each kiss became more intentional, more passionate and more intense. They found their rhythm of a series of kisses followed by a pause for two breaths and another series of kisses.

“Get it Seggy,” a loud voice called out. One of Tyler’s teammates stood at a distance, holding the hand of Reagan, a girl from Addison's choir. It seemed like international romance had blossomed for multiple couples.

Tyler broke the kiss and looked up. He smiled at his teammate before he looked at Addison. He searched her face for a sign of how to proceed. She grinned and rested her forehead against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as she whispered, “Tell me when they leave.”

He whispered, “They’re gone.” as the duo turned the corner. She looked up at him with a goofy grin that he returned. “Ummm, we should probably go find Big Rig and Juliana,” he pushed her hair away from her face, “It’s time to meet up with them and I am starving.”

“Big Rig?” she questioned.

“Jamie,” he smiled, “We call him Big Rig because well, he is big and built like a Mack truck.”

“So you don’t want to talk about what just happened?” she asked.

“Do we need to talk about it?” he asked in return.

“Did you like it?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he replied breathlessly.

“Me too,” she blushed.

“Let’s walk there. Maybe we’ll beat them to the poutine shop and we can do it again,” he spoke as he took her hand to guide her. He laughed when she questioned what the hell poutine was. Given the unspoken enticement of potential kisses, Tyler and Addison made it to the meeting place early. They were taking a post-kiss breath when Jamie and Juliana walked up, holding hands. The two sets of friends exchanged knowing looks before joining the line. Tyler stood behind Addison as she looked at the menu. He leaned over her shoulder, “You don’t have poutine in Dallas? That might be a dealbreaker.”

She turned to look at him, “No poutine, but we have nachos and tacos al pastor which makes up for it.” She ordered her food and dug in her pocket for her money. She picked up each coin and bill and examined it closely in confusion. Tyler resisted the temptation to laugh and quickly ordered his poutine while she searched for the right denomination. He handed his debit card to the cashier to pay. Her head swiveled around, “You didn’t have to pay for my food. I have money.”

“Clearly, you do. You don’t know which is which, but you have money,” he mocked.

“It’s not my fault y’all have funny colored money,” she pouted

“You’re cute when you pout,” he laughed as he guided her to the waiting area. Addison smiled and blushed as he snuck a kiss on the cheek while they waited. Tyler took her reaction as a sign and went in for a full kiss.

The foursome found a table. Juliana began talking animatedly about the swings and the attractions they saw on their walk. Jamie rolled his eyes when she described him being scrunched up in the swing before they were lifted into the air. “So how was the roller coaster?” the brown eyed girl asked. Addison and Tyler shared a shy glance before answering, “Fine. It was fine.” Juliana looked at both of them before exclaiming, “Fine, keep your secrets.”

Addison threw a french fry at her friend. “The ride was closed for repair, then it opened. We rode it. It went fast. We walked here. Exciting times!” She also gave her a look that said that she would give a better explanation later. Tyler and Jamie looked at each other and shrugged. "Are we doing more rides or what?" Addison asked as she picked at her poutine.

"There's always the theater show," Jamie suggested coolly.

Tyler looked confused, "Why would we do that? It's lame." Jamie stared at him in disbelief until he added, "Wait, there is a new show this year. Gotta check it out. It will be good to get out of the heat."

On the short walk to the theater, Juliana grabbed Addison's arm and whispered in her ear, "So what happened?"

Addison looked back at Tyler who was not so subtly staring at her ass. "So we kissed- a lot, which was good. Reagan saw us though," she said quietly.

"Oh shit," Juliana muttered. Reagan was a known gossip who played fast and loose with facts.

"How bad can it be?" She smiled, "It was just kisses. There wasn't even a tongue involved."

"Oh, I got tongue- lots and lots of tongue," the Brazilian beauty giggled. The two spoke in hushed whispers as they continued to walk.

Tyler walked behind them and strained to hear what was being said. He was certain that he was at least partially the subject of conversation and wanted to hear Addison’s opinion of their stunted make-out sessions. Jamie tapped him lightly on the arm and raised his eyebrows, "So…." Tyler nodded yes and smiled. "Me too," the blonde replied with the goofiest of grins, "Me too."

Tyler sped up and grabbed Addison's hand casually, "Hey, my ears were burning. Were you discussing my future NHL career or were you discussing my other skills?"

Addison gave him the side eye, "Tap the brakes there, dude. You don’t go from 'I don't know how to kiss a girl' to bragging about your skills in less than an hour, mmkay?" Tyler looked dejected. She continued, "I will admit that you do seem to have a certain natural skill set in that area. Since that was literally my first real kiss, I would offer that maybe we are both bad at it but don't know any better."

"Wait, that was your first kiss?" Tyler whispered, "but you kissed me like you had kissed a ton of guys. You kissed well for a first timer."

"Well, I wanted to kiss you and you weren't taking your shot so I took matters in my own hands,” Addison shrugged her shoulders. “You were pretty good yourself."

"Do you want to do it again," he nudged her as they walked.

"Yes, which is why I am letting you take me to this lame show in a darkened theater," she teased. His jaw dropped slightly. "You're cute, but the two of you weren't subtle. If you want to kiss me, just ask."

They walked the rest of the way in silence, holding hands. As the group walked into the dimly lit theater, they split up and went to opposite sides of the back row. The row was essentially a carpeted bench attached to a carpeted wall. Addison grabbed the spot nearest the right wall.

Tyler sat next to her and tapped his leg nervously while they waited for the show to begin. She placed her hand on his thigh. He stared at her hand resting casually on his leg, oblivious to the effect it was having on him. "Do you always get this nervous around girls or is it just me?" she joked. He looked down and didn't respond. "I am normally nervous around boys, but not you," she started to ramble, "Maybe I am a little nervous. They have a place like this at Six Flags. It's called the Southern Palace. Now I know why my brother also sat in the back with his girlfriend. I never understood before, but it makes sense now."

Tyler pulled her to his body and kissed her. She was mid-word as his lips met hers. When his tongue slid into her mouth, there was a moment of mutual confusion before instinct kicked into gear. Addison wasn't sure if this was reality or a dream, but she decided to savor the moment. She knew that this was one of those life moments that would be forever etched in her memory.

Tyler's eyes remained partly open as they kissed. He glanced at her in amazement every time they came up for air. They were both twisted towards each other at an awkward angle. Addison moved so that her back leaned against the far wall and swung her legs over Tyler’s legs. Both fumbled with where to put their hands. One of Tyler’s hands landed on her right hip while the other cradled her head. He murmured in her ear, “Is it okay to touch you like this?” He felt her head nod yes. Addison’s hands traveled up his arms and back down again. Each pause for air was marked by a smile or giggle. Tyler had long given up trying to control the raging erection that pressed against his shorts. He gasped when her hands slid under his shirt which added to the ever growing bulge in his lap.

“You can touch them if you want,” she whispered.

“Them?” he asked, knowing what he hoped she meant, but waited for confirmation.

“My boobs- you can touch my boobs,” she whispered as her hands roamed his chest.

His hand tentatively touched her right breast then he chuckled in her ear, “I’m touching your boob. I’m actually touching a boob.” It was a flurry of gropes and touches with a steady stream of hard and soft kisses. His hips twisted slightly and his hard-on pressed into her left thigh. Addison looked at the source and her eyes widened. “Is that a…..,” she gasped. He froze in place, unsure of what to do. “Did I do that? What does it feel like? Does it hurt?” she rambled on until he shut her up with a kiss

“You have to stop talking about it,” he moaned, “You are making it worse.”

Her face scrunched up, “Do we need to stop? Did I do something wrong?”

“We should stop- sorry,” he sat up and sighed deeply. “Fuck,” he groaned softly. He moved away from Addison and leaned forward in an effort to conceal the evidence. She inched towards him and put her head on his shoulder.

“What do you normally do when this happens?” she asked softly.

“Depends,” he answered bashfully, looking around at the rest of the crowd that was absorbed in the show. “If I am in a crowd, I try to think about stinky hockey gear or skating drills. If I am alone, I …..take care of it”

“Oh, you jack off?” she answered, “Do you think that the stinky hockey gear thing will work?”

“Not with you sitting there- smelling like flowers and your lips looking like that,” he whispered.

“Okay then, I guess we go with plan B then,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Can I touch it?” she asked as her hand moved towards it.

“Addison!” he hissed. Her hand landed firmly on his crotch. “Holy shit…. Holy shit,” he panted, “You’re touching it.” She started rubbing her palm up and down. He watched in amazement and then looked back at her face. His hips rocked softly, “That’s good. Yeah like that” Her eyes were wide with wonder and a smile spread across her face.

“Can I see it?” she asked, “Really touch it?”

Tyler’s head swiveled around. Again nobody was paying attention to them. He was pretty sure that he was about to be woken up by the sound of his mom screaming his name to get his ass out of bed for hockey practice. There was no way this was actually happening. He nodded yes and unbuttoned his shorts and freed the erection from the confines of his boxers. The tip glistened with precum. Her eyes went to it and then looked at Tyler’s face. “Okay,” she said, “Tell me what to do.”

Her fingers went to the top and played with the slickness. Her fingers rubbed in a circular motion. He grabbed her hand and placed it on the shaft. “Rub it up and down,” he grunted softly. Her hand touched the tip. Her fingers toying it while she stared at it. “Addison,” he moaned, “rub it-please.” She snapped out of her daze and started rubbing. She wrapped her hand around the shaft and moved it up and down, using the precum as a lube. “Oh God, oh God” his hips bucked quickly, “A little faster, a little harder.” She followed his instructions. His head tilted back and his eyes closed, “Oh, oh, oh.” Addison watched as he came into her hand. She continued to pump slowly until he told her to stop. She looked at her hand and then rubbed it on the carpeted bench. He adjusted himself back into his shorts quickly. Neither of them spoke for a minute and Tyler stared ahead.

“So, is it usually over that quick?” she asked.

“No,” he blushed, “You're the first non-male hand to touch it. Usually it takes me longer.”

“But you liked it?” she asked.

“Oh yeah,” he grinned.

“Can I make a suggestion?” she poked his ribs.

“Sure,” his eyebrows raised.

“When you give the explanation to anyone about why things earlier ended so quickly, just say it was the first hand that wasn’t yours. When you said the first non-male hand to touch it, it sort implied that there have been all sorts of male hands touching it. I mean not my business, but it does invoke images of locker room circle jerks.”

Tyler laughed out loud- loud enough to gather the attention of Jamie and Juliana

“Okay, MY hand. The first person other than ME to touch it,” he smirked. “You’re a brat, you know that? A very pretty brat, but a brat.”

“Can we kiss again?” she deflected.

“I think that we should skip that,” he grinned, “It might pop up again.”

“Can I put my head on your shoulder until the show is over?” she questioned.

“Yeah, I would like that,” he answered and he grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. They sat in silence for the reminder of the show.

When the show ended, Tyler stood up slowly and held out his hand to Addison. They walked out into the night air. Tyler’s phone rang as they walked out of the theater. He answered, “Hi Mom. I thought you said you were coming at nine. It’s only seven thirty now. I know.” Addison pretended to study the show poster on the wall outside the theater. She listened intently as the conversation continued. “I will be at the gate in fifteen minutes. Wait, just a second.” Tyler called to Jamie, “Hey Big Rig, do you need a ride home?” Jamie shook his head not and tossed Juliana’s hair. “Okay, I will see you in fifteen minutes. Bye Mom,” he said finally. He lowered his voice, “Love you too.”

Addison looked at Tyler and then back at Juliana and Jamie. “So you have to leave now? Your mom is picking you up?” she asked. He nodded yes. “Oh,” she replied quietly. She silently cursed herself for not thinking about the outcome of the day. Of course, it would come to an end and she was a fool for not having thought about it. “We don’t meet for the bus back to the hotel until nine PM, but I could walk with you to the front gate. I mean if you wanted,” she looked up and saw him staring at her face. He held out his hand and she took it with a smile. She called out to Juliana, “I will call you after Tyler leaves so I can find you.”

“How much longer are you in Canada?” he asked as they walked through the park.

“We leave tomorrow afternoon,” she sighed.

“I have practice tomorrow morning,” he stated as if there were any real opportunity for them to meet again before Addison left. Today would be their first and last day together. Addison felt numb about the prospect of never seeing Tyler again.

Internally Tyler was having a similar, yet far less nuanced thought process. Part of him was still in disbelief at how the day unfolded. He would never fantasize about meeting a girl like Addison and her finding him interesting enough to kiss.

As they approached the gate, reality set in for both of them. Addison spied a photo booth set among carts selling souvenirs. “Should we take pictures?” she asked. We can use up the rest of my Canadian cash.” Tyler helped her figure out the right coins and hopped into the photo booth. Addison sat on his lap and they smiled into the camera.

“Okay, silly face for pose two,” she instructed

“Kisses,” Tyler requested for pose three.

“Smile again,” she suggested for pose four. Addison looked at the camera while Tyler stared at Addison’s face. When the pictures came out of the machine, they each took a set.

“So,” he said quietly, “Should I give you my phone number or something?”

Addison studied his face, “No, I don’t think so.”

His head snapped upward, “No? Why not?”

They stopped just short of the exit gate. She looked around at the people milling about. Addison took a deep breath, “Have you seen that movie, Serendipity? It’s a chick flick.” He shook his head no. “I figured. In the movie, a girl meets a guy and they have a fantastic day together. At the end of the day, he asks for her phone number and she says no. She writes it in a book and leaves it on a bench.She tells him that if it’s fate that they meet again, it will happen.”

Tyler listened for her to continue. “I would rather leave it like that than give you my number. You’ll probably text or call a few times, but life will get in the way- hockey practices for you and choir stuff for me. I would rather have a perfect day to remember. If we are meant to meet again, we will.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. She nodded her head yes.

“Tyler,” a young blonde called from just outside the gate, “Mom’s waiting for you.”

“Okay Candace, I’m coming,” he called to her. “So this is it then I guess,” he said as he held Addison’s hands.

“Hold on,” She ran to the exit, got her hand stamped and ran back to Tyler. “I will walk you all the way out,” she proclaimed.

Together they walked through the exit hand in hand. Jackie Seguin stood waiting by the car. Her eyes widened at the sight of Tyler walking towards holding a girl’s hand. “Mom, this is Addison. She’s from Dallas,” he said calmly. “Addison, this is my mom.” He turned and gave her a hug. He whispered, “So I guess this bye, huh?”

“Yeah, this is bye,” Addison agreed. As he walked to the car, she called, “Tyler- don’t forget to find me when you come play for Dallas. You’ll look good in green.” He flashed a smile, “Will do.”

Addison waved and walked to the bench outside of the park. Tyler started to get in the car before he turned around and looked at her sitting on the bench. He sprinted towards her and she stood up. He grabbed her face and kissed her. For a moment time stopped as they stood next to the bench, glued together. No one else existed. His mom and sisters were watching from the curb, their jaws dropped in shock. For a moment, there was no risk of their hearts breaking. And for Tyler, it was if he had been a ladies man all along.

“Okay,” he breathed finally, “I have to go or my mom is going to kill me. You’re right. Let’s just leave it as the perfect day and I will find you when I come to Dallas. Deal?”

“Deal,” she smiled.

2022

Addy felt Tyler's weight pressed against her body as she pulled him tighter to it. Her body pulsated as his mouth grazed over her bare shoulders. Her mind, however, raced with thoughts. Her Tyler from Toronto had turned into Tyler-Fucking-Seguin, noted himbo and hockey whore. She had lied to him earlier. As a single woman in Dallas, you didn't have to follow hockey to know what a playboy Tyler had turned into so she knew exactly who he was when he introduced himself. She gathered her thoughts to assess the situation. She was currently making out with the NHL superstar and about to cross the line into dry humping.

"We need to stop or we'll have a repeat of last time," he moaned. "We could stop or we could relocate to some place more private," he added eagerly. “We aren't far from my house. We can order some food and hangout."

"Tyler, we’re thirty. Let's not pretend. We are not going to ‘hang out,’" she responded. "You get an Uber. I will pay the tab."

When they went back into the tavern, Gina and Tom were playing darts. Tyler focused on his phone, ordered the Uber and looked up to see they were staring at them with bemused grins on their faces. Addy didn't make eye contact as she walked to the bar. "Tess, I need to close out my tab" she said as Tyler reached for his wallet. "Put it away, Tyler. I still owe you for my poutine." She swatted his hand away.

Tess looked up and smiled, "That'll be eight bucks, Adorable Addy."

Tyler interjected, "Eight dollars for all of it? I am coming here all the time."

Tess turned and pressed her lips together, "It's eight dollars for her. You get the Addy discount because she vouched for you. Otherwise, you would be sliding over that C-note you carry for emergencies."

Tyler pretended to be offended, "Why do you hate me?"

"You rich white boys get on my last nerves," she laughed, "but if she vouches for you, you must be good people."

Addy slapped down twenty dollars and turned to Tyler. "Let me go say my goodbyes and I'll wait for you outside," she said softly.

He pulled her to his body, "We're thirty. We don't need to pretend to leave separately."

"Says you- you won't have any consequences if people know," she pushed away and walked to her friend, "I'm heading out. Y'all have a good night." When Gina stood up, Addy whispered, "I'll text in the morning." Gina's eyebrows raised at the deviation from their standard routine. Addy shrugged her shoulders, "Not going straight home. Might be late." Gina simply nodded her head.

Tyler simply nodded his head at Tom, "Tuesday at 1? Text me the course." He placed his hand on Addy's back and followed her out of the tavern. When they arrived at the Uber, he opened the door and motioned for her to slide in first. Her leg bounced nervously as they drove off. He placed his hand on her thigh and smiled at her, "Are you always this nervous around men or is it just me?"

"It's just you," she grinned, "What about you?"

"Too early to tell," he explained, "I thought I would be less nervous this time."

"You thought about me? About meeting me again?" she asked softly.

"All the time- especially when I got traded to Dallas," he replied, suddenly serious. Both of them got quiet, not sure what to say.

When they arrived at Tyler's house, he tried to study her face. Two thoughts emerged in his brain. First, why was he so eager to bring her to his house? It wasn't his usual MO. He usually went to other women's homes which allowed for quick exits. However, that felt unnecessary with Addison. Second, why did he feel the need to impress her? Tyler had become extremely confident. Maybe too confident, he considered, but suddenly he felt unsure and shy.

Addy tried to keep her face neutral as they walked into his large home. It was everything you would expect from a professional athlete, yet somehow felt cozy and warm. He went to check on the dogs and let them out of their crates. Marshall, Cash and Gerry sniffed Addy with mild curiosity as Tyler introduced her to them. "Boys, this is Addison," he said brightly, “Dad knew her a long time ago.”

'It's actually Addy now," she said as patted Gerry's head, "I haven't been Addison in fifteen years."

Tyler turned his head, "Why?"

She stood back up and walked away from him. He watched her intently.

"Why are you no longer Addison?" he asked. He did the mental math in his head, "What happened fifteen years ago?"

"You" she whispered to herself and turned around, "It's been a long time, Tyler. It doesn't matter now."

"I think it does matter, Addison," he stepped towards her, "Tell me."

"Just drop it," she pleaded and looked down.

"No," he answered, "Does it have anything to do with why you don't follow the Stars? Or why the name Tyler completed the asshole trifecta? What happened? I thought we were good when we said bye." He crossed to her and lifted her chin to look into her eyes.

"Addison became Easy A," she yelled.

Tyler took a step back, “Easy A? What does that mean?”

Addy crossed her arms, “What? You didn’t hear? I mean our exploits were legendary at PCA. LE-GEND-ARY.”

“Addison, what are you talking about?” he asked with the confusion showing on his face.

“I’m talking about the fact that you didn’t keep your damn mouth shut about what we did in the back of the theater, more specifically what I did.” she put her hands and pushed him away from her.

“Addison, WHAT-IN-THE-FUCK are you talking about?” he bellowed.

“My name is Addy now, dammit.” she hissed as walked past him. “Thanks to your big mouth I was labeled a slut. Addison is the easy A and the easy lay. There was also 'If you want to have some fun, be sure to call Addison.' You on the other hand? I bet you were hailed as a stud with your conquest. I became a social pariah after my behavior was found to be unladylike and unbecoming. I lost my spot in choir and most of my friends."

"You think I told someone about it?" he protested. "I never told anyone what happened in the theater. Big Rig knew that we made out, but I never told anyone else."

"How did people in Dallas find out?" he added. "The guys teased me in the locker room, but it wasn't that big of a deal."

"It wasn’t a big deal FOR YOU. What did they say in the locker room,Tyler?" she challenged, "What did they say?"

"Seggy shot and he scored," he said quietly, "I didn't think it was a big deal. I mean you were in a different country."

"And you didn't correct them? You didn't think to question why they said that? I mean if you didn't say anything to anyone, how did they get that impression that we fucked? I mean, as long as you looked good it didn't matter, right?" she peppered him with questions.

"I didn't think it went beyond the locker room. If I had known it was spread around Dallas, I would have said something. I didn't know. I SWEAR I didn't know.," Tyler argued. "Addison, you have to believe me. I would have never done anything to fuck up that day." There was a sincerity and tenderness in his voice that she paused and looked at him. She walked around the living room as he watched. She stopped when a framed picture caught her attention. There in a simple black frame was the photo strip they took in the photo booth.

"You kept them? After all this time?" She turned to him with a questioning look. "Why?"

Tyler looked down and didn't answer at first. He took a slow lap around the living room and stood in front of her. "Because you were the first and probably only girl/woman who liked me for me. You believed in me and you trusted me. It was the only tangible thing I had that you were real," he declared.

"You really didn't tell anyone" she whispered.

"I didn't tell anyone- I swear," Tyler inched closer to her.

"Swear on your dick," she held her hand out against his chest.

"Swear on your dick." she smiled, "if you are lying, may you never get another erection again."

"I swear on my dick I told no one," he stepped forward.

She stepped to him and he asked "They called you a slut?" She nodded her head yes. "I'm sorry, Addison. I didn't know. Fuck, I didn't know." He grabbed and pulled her to his chest. "It was the perfect day for me. One of the top five days of my life. I feel awful it got fucked up for you."

He held her tight and swayed slowly as she rested her head against his chest. "It really was a great day, wasn't it?" she looked up and smiled. "I can't believe it's really you-Tyler from Toronto."

"Technically, Brampton- but close enough," he sassed.

She covered his mouth with a kiss. Tyler responded and started to walk her back towards the couch. He gently guided her until they were both on the couch. The weight of his body rested on her as they kissed.

"One day you'll actually let me make the first move" he murmured in her ear.

"No one is stopping you now," she remarked, "Aren't you some sort of hockey sex god? Surely, you have some moves you’ve developed."

"Oh, I have moves now," he said as he slid his hand under her shirt.

"Then show me," she purred.

"Sit up," he ordered.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Please?"

She sat up and he removed her shirt. His hands went to her bra and tugged it down. His mouth went to her nipple and teased it with his teeth before drawing a circle with this tongue. Their eyes met as his tongue flicked softly. His mouth moved down her stomach. Addison placed her hand on his head as it inched lower. "Tyler," she moaned. He smiled against her skin as his finger gripped her shorts and panties. He tugged at them and she lifted her hips to allow him to pull them down. He tossed them to the side. His lips went to her hips and began to trail down. His tongue glided along the curve of her thigh. She sat up on her elbows, "Wait, wait, wait." His head shot up. "Take your clothes off. I want to see you," she implored.

He sat up and peeled off his shirt. Addison gasped as she studied his chest. His arms and chest were covered with tattoos and she felt the urge to touch them. He stood up and removed his shorts and boxers. He smiled shyly as he moved back to her. "You're bigger than I remembered," she commented.

He looked down and grinned up at her. Addison rolled her eyes, "Not your damn cock- the rest of you. You're more muscular-larger. You look different than the picture I had in my mind all these years.”

“Is that good or bad?” he asked in a moment of doubt.

“Not either good or bad. I liked fifteen year old Tyler’s body and I like thirty year old Tyler’s body. They are just different, both hotter than hell in their own ways.” she answered

“You look the same, Addison. I can't believe I didn't know it was you right away. I guess I had given up hope of finding you.” Tyler said as he moved back to her. “You have the same gorgeous eyes and the same smile that makes my heart skip a beat. You look more amazing naked than I dreamed.” He began to kiss her neck and make his way down her torso, kissing her softly as she writhed. “You’re here and you’re naked,” he said with wonder, “I can’t believe it.” When his mouth made contact with her waiting sex, Addison’s back arched off the couch. “TYLER!!!” she panted as his tongue explored.

He looked up and smirked, “Told you that I have moves.”

She sat up on her elbows, “It’s a decent start, but let’s see how you finish.”

“Still a brat, I see,” he shook his head. He began fucking her with his mouth again. It was a flurry of licks, sucks, and soft bites. Addison felt the thrill from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Each movement elicited a moan or whimper. He had dreamed of this moment for almost half of his life. He wanted to bring her to peak and he was entirely focused. When she was able to speak, Addison would call his name. It was music to Tyler’s ears. She wove her fingers through his hair and tugged to pull him closer as her hips rocked against his face. “So close, so close,” she yelped as she felt herself submit to the pleasure. Her orgasm was loud, intense and long. She rode the wave of little aftershocks and Tyler licked her juices that flowed freely.

He slowly and gently kissed his way up her body. She trembled ever-so-slightly with each touch. There was a tenderness to his touch which was not present with the other women he had been with. She continued to run her fingers through his curls.

“Your hair is different, right? It wasn’t curly last time?” she spoke softly. Her heart raced still and a thousand thoughts raced through her mind.

“Yeah, it turned curly sometime in my early twenties- not sure why,” he grinned. When he made his way to her neck, “Are you good? You liked it?”

“Oh yeah, that move was ummmmm, impressive,” she sighed.

“I have another move if you want to see it,” he nibbled her ear.

“Does it involve my long time friend?” she joked as her hand went to his cock. She stroked it casually and Tyler groaned. “It feels the same. I am glad it didn’t change.”

Tyler sat up before leaning off the couch. He grabbed his wallet out of shorts. He opened it deftly and retrieved the condom. Addison bit her lip and closed her eyes. It was a reminder that this was no longer Shy Ty, but a man who was seasoned with hook-ups. She wasn’t sure how that reality made her feel and she tried to push the thought from her mind. He looked at her as he ripped the package. “Hey,” he said softly, “Do you want to stop? We don’t have to…….” She opened her eyes and stared at him. She sat up and straddled his thighs wordlessly. Her hand went to his cheek and she caressed it. He returned the gesture. “Seriously, we can stop. I understand.” She searched his eyes, lost in her thoughts. He smiled sweetly and she saw him staring back at her. Not the NHL superstar, but the sweet boy from Toronto who she fell in love with. It might have been short-lived, but she was sure that it was love. She was also sure that it was returned.

“Hi,” she whispered.

“Hi,” he whispered in return.

“I missed you. I missed you so much,” she said as she kissed him gently.

“Me too-more than you know,” he kissed in return.

“I’m ready now,” she leaned and pulled him with her.

“Really? No pressure,” he said as he rolled on the condom.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she responded.

They both gasped as he slid into her warmth. It was a new and exciting sensation, yet somehow felt entirely familiar. The pace was slow and methodical at first as they explored to find the best angle and pressure for their mutual pleasure. There was muted conversation about hand placement on top of her clit- “A little to the left- yeah, right there” Tyler’s mind exploded with a hundred different thoughts, but the most pressing was that he was determined not to cum until she had again. The speed and the intensity of thrusting increased. Their mouths devoured each other as they fucked. Her legs wrapped around him and she used her muscles to clench down around his rock hard cock. “I’m going to cum, I’m going to cum,” they panted in unison. Addison exploded first with Tyler finishing just afterwards.

Tyler rested his body on top of hers in exhaustion. He was far more spent than his actions required. “Addison, that was…..” his voice trailed off. “Shit, can I still call you Addison?” he asked. She nodded yes as he showered her neck and face with kisses. “I don’t want to move. Stay here all night?” he moaned.

“You want me to stay all night with you?” she asked. She was pretty sure that was a deviation from his standard operating method.

“Let’s start with one night,” he said as he looked into her eyes.

“Okay, but I’m too old to sleep on the couch when I know that there has to be a bed somewhere in this house,” she teased. They sat up slowly and gathered their clothes from the floor. She followed him up the stairs and into the main bedroom. The bed was large and fitted with luxurious sheets. She put her things on the bench at the end of the bed. She glanced at her phone and smiled. Gina had sent a funny meme. Juliana had responded to her text. When she put her phone down, she looked up to him staring at her.

“Why are you smiling?” he asked.

“Just a text from Juliana,” she answered, “Remember her? I told her that I was with you tonight.”

“Of course, I remember her. Is she in Brazil or Dallas these days?” he inquired.

“Neither- she moved to Dallas after college, but just got a job in Seattle,” Addison answered.

“Huh, I’ll have to let Big Rig know,” he smiled.

“Where is he these days?” she quizzed.

“You really haven’t been paying attention. He was drafted by Dallas, but now he is in Seattle now.”

“You’re kidding me,” she laughed.

“Nope and he’s single,” Tyler smiled, “Not that I would try to set him up with any one.”

“Of course,” she giggled, “It would break bro code or something. Do you have a shirt I can throw on to sleep?” she asked. He threw the shirt in his hand to her. She caught it in her hands and brought it to her nose to smell. “I’m pretty sure that you’re never getting this shirt back,” she smiled as she inhaled.

“Oh really? Why is that?” he laughed.

She blushed as she put it over her head, “No reason.”

“No- tell me,” he pleaded as they climbed onto the bed.

“I want a memento from tonight,” she sighed.

He rolled over into his side and looked at her, “Why would you need a memento? What do you think is going to happen tomorrow morning?

She rolled to face him and shrugged.

He inched forward and kissed her, “If you think I am going to let you get away from me again, you are sadly mistaken, Addison from Dallas.

She smiled, “Is that so Tyler from Toronto?”

“Yes,” he pulled her close to rest on his chest, “I have big plans for us tomorrow.”

“You do?” she questioned as fingers traced his tattoos.

“A full day at Six Flags to relive our first day together,” he laughed, “Complete with a show at the Southern Palace.”

“Don’t think I am a girl who gives handjobs in darkened theaters these days,” she retorted.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I am classy. I only give blowjobs now.” she laughed.

“Is that a deal?” he asked.

“Deal!” she said as she kissed his chest.