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ggukkieland · 3 years

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📕BTS Fic Reads - 2021 March pt. 1

I appreciate all these fics as they’ve provided me comfort, distraction, etc during these times. So thank you dear authors. Sending you love 💖

If you end up checking the fics in this list, please don’t forget to show appreciation by reblogging or giving positive feedback to these authors 🥰.

Note: if link doesn’t work, click on author and go to their masterlist

🥕 Ongoing - most recent chapter [as of date this list was posted] 🥕 Completed - completed one shots | series 🥕 S - smut | F - fluff | A - angst 🌷 with commentary on completed fics (if reading these help)

--- Some are new, some re-reads, while some are past reads that haven’t been reblogged yet. Mostly mature.

🥕[Ongoing Series] - Social Media AUs (SMAUs)

Catching Feelings @na-na-na-nanna - MYG | smau | Goblin!Yoongi, Fantasy, must kiss humans to gain human emotions | Crack, F, A, S [12/?]

Cursed @bloomsuga - KTH | smau with written parts | Supernatural AU, Witch!Taehyung, Cursed!Reader | Crack, F, S, slight A ! [3/?]

Just Facts @yoongiiverse - JJK | smau | Rich Idol!jungkook, Model Dancer!Reader, Enemies to Lovers | Crack, F [5/?]

Kinda Hot @kimnjss - KTH | smau with written parts | Campus Flirt!taehyung, Bestfriend!Reader, Bestfriend AU, College AU | S, F, A [15/?]

Made of Honor @suhdays - KTH | smau with written parts| best friend AU, made of honor!au (like the film) | F, A [18/?]

Best Man @yoontaethings - KTH | smau | enemies to lovers, player taehyung? | F, A, S (written) [6/?]

🥕[Ongoing Series]

🌹 Jungkook

Almost Home [reposted/revised] @angelguk - JJK | 27k+ | Single Dad AU, Nanny, slight Fake Dating | A, F [2/?]

Bands @xpeachesncream - JJK | 55.9K+ | Idol AU, Stripper AU | A, F, S [14/?]

Confident @h0neypjm - JJK | 13.1k | Fuckboy AU, Virgin!Reader | S, F, A ~ [2/?]

It’s a Heartbeat @inkofyoongi - JJK | 23k+ | Enemies to Lovers, College AU, their parents are dating, Jungkook is the South Korean Patrick Swayze and this will turn into a Dirty Dancing!AU nobody asked for 🤭 | A, F, S [1/?]

No Harm List @crazy4myself - JJK | 93.5k+ | Mafia AU, Gang AU, Slow Burn | A, F [10/?]

Normal Kind of Love @/yoontaethings - JJK | 2.5k+ | Actor AU, Exes AU, Enemies to Lovers | A (so far) [1/?]

Open When @iluv-hobi - JJK | drabble series, 2.6k | idol au, established relationship, epistolary | F ~ [2/?]

Picture Perfect @cosmoguk - JJK | 5k+ | parents AU, exes AU (divorced) | A, F | [1/?]

Sleepyhead series @jkstompers - JJK | 18.2k+ | College AU, Seatmates AU, Crush AU (lol is there such a thing) | F, S

Sleepyhead - “you fall asleep during class next to the uni heart throb jeon jungkook, will you fall in love as well?” 1.8wc

Just to Study - “your seat partner asks if you’re free after class, just to study.” 7.4wc

Passing Notes - “a year of crushing and jungkook’s finally asked you out on a proper date.” 9k wc

Supermodel @koogalore - JJK | 10K+ | Exes AU, infidelity AU, Jungkook is a jerk, Curvy!Reader, talks of body image | S, A [3/?]

The Realm @nottodayjjk - JJK | 3.5k+ | Mystery, Fantasy, OC wakes up in a dark place not knowing where she is, afterlife feels | A [3/?]

The Weeping @themfchase - JJK | 6k+ | Medieval, Dystopian, War, Fantasy AU, Romance, angels/demons | A [1/?]

Wasteland @iridescentjin - JJK | 4.5k+ | Sci-Fi AU, Post-Apocalyptic AU, isolation | A (so far) [1/?]

Your Love’s the Only Hoax I Believe In @sparklingchim - JJK | 12.7k+ | College AU, Fuckboy AU, FWB AU, Tutor AU, Unrequited Love | A, S [2/3]

🌹 Yoongi

Birthday Girl @btsarmy9593 - MYG | 22K+ | one night stand AU, Noona AU, Professor!Reader, Post Grad AU | F, S [5/?]

Daechwita @/jinings (temp deact) - MYG | 20k+ | servant!yoongi - king!yoongi, princess!reader, period drama, Historical AU | All that Yoongi knows is that King Park must be killed- he just didn’t plan falling in love with his daughter along the way. | A, F, eventual S [2/?]

Silent Dreams @starlightauroras-writes - MYG | 5.7k+ | Best Friend AU, sleeptalking OC while dreaming dirty thoughts about her best friend | S, F [1/?]

🌹 Multi/OT7

Holy Trinity @koyalov - JJK x KTH x PJM | 9k+ | FWB AU, infidelity AU (other woman), Rockstar AU, Band AU, Bestfriend!Jungkook, FWB with other maknaes (yes it’s complicated) | A, S [1/?]

Playmates @scribblemetae - OT7 | 22.6k+ | Idol AU, Sex Worker AU, Strangers to Lovers | S [2/?]

Roses @heejinnien - OT7 | 12.7k+ | Crime AU, Mystery, Horror, OC becomes target of the unsub | A [4/?]

by Author

Foxymoxy [AO3] - (JJK) been following this author since last year (A Sea of Indigo, Hybrid AU) and her fics are amazing. Currently subscribed to these three (out of four) fics which get updated weekly: 🌷

Meadow (Wolf, Shifter AU, Arranged Marriage)

Amended (Arranged Marriage, Fake Marriage, Police Office AU, Childhood Friends, Enemies to Lovers)

Lowlander (Fantasy AU, Enemies to Lovers, Fighter Jungkook)

@jimlingss Drabbles 2021

Three Peas in a Pod || Fluff || Namjoon || Single Dad!AU 🌷

Suspended, Seduced, Surprised! || Fluff || Jungkook || E2L

Lotus Blooms in Mud || Angst || Jimin || Historical!AU

Buttering Up || Fluff || Yoongi || Chef!AU

The Office Trip to Pound Town || Smut, Fluff || Taehyung 🌷

Snow White and the Park Ranger || Fluff || Seokjin 🌷

Humdrum Amore || Fluff || Hoseok 🌷

Awaken Again || Angst, Fluff || Namjoon || Sci-Fi!AU 🌷

The Soulmate Gift || Angst, Fluff || Yoongi || Soulmate!AU

Floof’s Tail || Fluff || Jimin || Hybrid!AU 🌷

Take What Isn’t Mine || Smut, Angst || Jungkook

Crocodile Tears || Fluff || Hoseok || Pirate!AU 🌷

🥕[Completed Fics/Series]

Namjoon

Little Red @/bloomsuga - one shot | 22.5k | Werewolf AU, got lost in the woods, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood | S, F, A

Pheromones @rmnamjoons - one shot | 17.5k | Spaceship Captain!Namjoon, Botanist!Reader, Sci Fi AU, Pining | S, F, A 🌷

Stuttering @moonlightchildz - one shot | 11.6k | Tutor AU, Underground Rapper, College AU, Secret Identity | F, S 🌷

There’s a Fly in My Soup @sahmfanficbts - drabble | 1.8k | Cafe Owner x Customer!Namjoon, Cafe AU, Strangers to Lovers, Crack | F, A (in form of one very stressed OC) 🌷

You’ve Got a Friend in Me @wwilloww - one shot | 3k | Bestfriend AU, Roommate AU, interesting idea to reduce stress levels | S 🌷

Seokjin

All I Ever Wanted @hayjeon - one shot | 10k | Teacher AU, Enemies to Lovers AU | F, S 🌷

Voicemail @joonary - one shot | 7k | College Podcast AU, Friends to Lovers, Pining, Bestfriend AU | F (💕fluffy day reblog) 🌷

What Made Us Feel Human @joonsgalaxy - drabble | 2.3k | Neighbor AU, thought neighbor’s noise is due to sex but it’s something else, Crack | F 🌷

Yoongi

Accidents @jungxk - drabble 2.4k | Dad AU, Comedy | F (💕fluffy day reblog)🌷

Are You Still With Him @/joonsgalaxy - drabble | 1.7k | Roommate AU, Producer AU, Friends to Lovers, secret pining, use of song lyrics in the fic | F (I really love how it made use of different song lyrics in the story) 🌷

Avec Mes Souvenirs @palpitate-hyperventilate - one shot | 3.5k | Nikita!AU, Assassin AU, Trainer Yoongi | A

Dad Yoongi + Pawful Experience by obiwrites (through reblogs of her old posts) - drabble | 2.1k | Husband AU, Dad AU, presence of Holly and one resistant Yoongi | F (ugh this is the cutest) 🌷

Earn It @sugasbabiie - one shot | 5k | College AU, Professor AU, PWP, PLOT TWIST! | S, A 🌷

Hidden Stars @jungblue - series [5/5] | 37.3k | Idol AU, Love Triangle, some reference to infidelity | A, F, S (a reblog of old faves) 🌷

In Character @kookingtae - one shot | 5.7k | Pornstar AU, “actor au where yoongi plays a burglar who breaks into your house and has his way with you.” | S 🌷

Listen Closely @avveh - one shot | 12.2k | Office AU, Coworker AU, accidently received a recording of Yoongi 🌶🥵💦 | S (reblog) 🌷

Love Language @gukslut - one shot | 5.3k | Established Relationship, use of the Love Language concept | A, S, F (reblog) 🌷

Overstayed Welcome @kaep-jjjang - one shot | 7k | secret crush on yoongi, yoongi to the rescue when a one night stand won’t leave, friends to lovers | S

Selfish @write-this-way-please - two shot [2/2, sort of discontinued] | 3.8k | Coffee Shop AU, kinda hated each other, then a bit of surprise by end of Part 1 | Part 2 feat Namjoon | S, A

Slip @kinglykook - one shot | 5.2k | Roommate AU, Enemies (kinda), OC slipped | S (a rediscovered fic 🤩) 🌷

Tsundere @dovechim - one shot | 11.2k | College AU, Resident Advisor | S, A (a reblog) 🌷

Hoseok

To The Beat of My Heart @jeonggukingdom - one shot | 7.2k | Dancer AU, use of mirror 🥵💦| S, pwp 🌷

Written on Our Veins @army-author - two shot [2/2] | 33.2k | Soulmate AU (💕heart day reblog) 🌷

This is Not a Love Story @sincerelyourfangirl - one shot | 8.7k | breakup au, infidelity, but happy ending for OC | A 🌷

Jimin

Cordially Jimin @kpopfanfictrash - one shot | 6.1k | Office AU, Epistolary (through correspondence), Humor | F (💕fluffy day reblog) 🌷

Saturday Mornings @craztextae - drabble | 2.2k | Pining AU, Strangers to Lovers(?), Plot Twist! | S 🌷

Girls Like You [Don’t] Run Around with Guys Like Me @ktheist - one shot | 4k | popular!reader x shy!jimin, Rich Kids AU, FWB AU, College AU, ends as CEO (PJM) and Racer (OC) | A, F

Taehyung

A Letter in Roses @artaefact - one shot | 8k | Husband AU, CEO AU, appearance of Yeontan | F, implied S

A Timely Malfunction @/joonsgalaxy - drabble | 2.9k | time travel, friends to lovers, prompt: “What? No, I never said that.” | F

College FWB Drabble + PDA + Miscomm @yukheii - drabble | FWB AU, College AU | F (seriously this is super cute) 🌷

Handsy @jinned - one shot | 3.7k | Roommate AU, Bestfriend AU, Childhood Friends AU, Pining | taehyung helps her during time of need | S, F 🌷

Hold Still @/joonsgalaxy - drabble | 2.1k | CEO AU, use of flashlight 🙈 | S, pwp ( I’ll Never look at flashlights 🔦 the same way again)

Not Even Close @lovetrivia - drabble | a powerful 600 wc | enemies to lovers, college au, hookups | S, pwp, A 🌷

Of Mages and Swords @masterninjacow - one shot | 40k | Fantasy AU, King Arthur AU, Royalty AU, Action, Romance | A, F 🌷 #holygrailfic

Potent But Not Real @whatifyoulivelikethat - one shot | 5k | Assassin AU, Office Worker Taehyung | S, A

Talk Slow @writtenwhalien - one shot | 6.4k | brother’s best friend, Exes AU, never have I ever game | A, S, F

The Temp @jkeuphoriadreamland - one shot | 8.2k | Enemies to Lover, CEO AU, Taehyung has arranged marriage with someone else (headed for divorce) | S, F 🌷

Jungkook

gets a separate post due to too many fic reblogs 😬 (see link below for PART 2)

I love to read so feel free to recommend a fic posted: 2021 March 24 link to other reading lists | Mar Part 2

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eds-zebra-warrior · 3 years

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2021 Ehlers Danlos Society Awareness Month (Day 3 Prompt: Symptoms)

Unbeknownst to most people in the community and even many in the medical community as most medical personnel never learned about EDS in school or if they have were only taught the very most basic information about it but Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is a systemic condition and predisposes those with it to over 250 other conditions so it's not unusual for someone with EDS to have 20, 30 or even more other conditions caused by it which are called comorbid conditions or comorbidities.

EDS is a genetic condition that affects the structure of connective tissue. There are multiple types of connective tissue but there are also multiple types of EDS so one or more types of connective tissue can be impacted. Connective tissue also makes up at least part of every part of the body so when your connective tissue is faulty and prone to damage that also means so is everywhere connective tissue is located including but not limited to the skin, cartilage, the brain, heart, lungs, GI system, liver, kidneys, bladder, Mesentery system which is the stringy organ that is around your abdominal organs that eases then and holds them in place, lymph nodes, lymph ducts, nerves, blood vessels, blood cells, nerves, bones, bone marrow, joints, tendons, ligaments, muscle sheathing, eyes, ears, nails, hair follicles, spinal cord, sweat glands, respiratory system etc. You name it, it contains connective tissue so anything can go wrong with any part of the body leaving many patients diagnosed with conditions such as conversion disorder, meaning that all of your symptoms are in your head and you're fine for years and more often, decades because we usually get diagnosed with a lot of these comorbidities before we finally find that one doctor who can put the pieces together and say, this isn't in your head, you have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and those other conditions are very real because EDS is what caused all of them.

Now that we have discussed comorbidities I have dealt with countless symptoms over my life. As a kid it started with chronic pain, migraine headaches, and issues resulting from a compromised immune system because I caught everything going around and usually more than once. I don't remember a holiday as a kid where I wasn't sick or hurt. I was extremely clumsy, unable to run correctly until high-school with the very extensive help of my gym teacher. I was always falling, rolling my ankle, and just in general looking awkward with my body movements. I had multiple gym teachers who would agree that there was something physically wrong with me long before I could get any doctors to listen to my mom or as an adult, myself. I had to take special reading and writing classes because even to this day I cannot hold a pencil well or write with control because my fingers are too hypermobile to control a pencil so my writing is often illegible. I had a very severe failure to thrive, also called juvenile dwarfism, not even growing an inch between the ages of 2 and 12. My parents were told when I was 2 years old that I would be 6’4’’because I was so tall as at one and two years old that people would criticize my mom for carrying me out in public thinking I was 4 or 5 years old when I was only a year or two years old. I was 3’2” from the age of 2 to the age of 12 and of course when I was 12 I was extremely short and was bullied for my size as well as my weight which increased due to inflammation from undiagnosed celiac disease. There were multiple incidences with medical personnel and social workers as a kid because I always had such severe bruising all over my body and they believed I was abused. I didn't lose my teeth, losing only one on my own and at the age of 8 my dentist began pulling out my teeth which left me with dental crowding and requiring braces which were removed prematurely. I dealt with Learning disabilities and have been in glasses since age 4. I would pass out all the time as a kid, starting at 8 years old.

Bullying was a huge issue for me as a kid because I was socially awkward showing signs of OCD as well as being more mature than my peers due to my medical experiences and history with my siblings that forced me to grow up more quickly. That combined with issues such as my clumsiness and height made me the perfect target for bullying. I got what I believe was my first Traumatic Brain Injury when I was 9 years old while hanging upside down on the monkey bars. My bully had another student who had Down Syndrome, climb to the top of the monkey bars and lift my legs so I fell off onto my head.

My second was in the 6th grade. The same bully would bully other kids to help her bully a bigger target of hers which was me. One day I was at my locker between classes. Our lockers were assigned in alphabetical order by last name, of course my bully's last name came right before mine so her locker was directly to the left of mine. My mom tried to get it changed but the school refused. She shoved me down between classes while I was exchanging my books and the two kids with the locker to the right of mine she had help her roll me onto my stomach on the ground, one sat on my butt and held my feet down, the other sat on my back and held my arms down under her feet. my bully yanked my head up so my forehead was on the floor of my locker and I was trying to get out so she had the girl on my back use one of her hands to hold my head down. My bully then kicked my locker door shut on my head over and over again and I went unconscious. There were two teachers in the hall at the time but they just waked into the classroom when it started. I woke up and the hall was empty. I went to the office and told them I needed them to call my mom, I needed to go home and explained what happened. They called my mom and instead of telling her the truth they told her she needed to pick me up because I was acting strange. She came and got me and found out what happened getting me treatment.

She then took me to the school a few days later since the doctor didn't want me to return for so long (I apologize I don't remember a lot from the two weeks following this so I'm going off what I was told so the exact time I was out of school, I believe was around two weeks but I'm not sure. Anyhow at the school, we met with the principal and office staff who denied any teachers were in the hall or that any of this happened. My mom demanded to see the recordings on the cameras as a hall came in at a T right behind my locker so that camera faced my locker as well as one at each end of the hall my locker was in. They tried to tell her all three cameras were broken. My mom wasn't buying it so they tried then saying the recordings were gone. they went round and round and the school flat out refused to show her the video. My mom demanded that the girl who did this be punished because she has been asking for the school to help me since I was in the first grade and this girl started bullying me but they always fail to do anything.

They tried to then give me an in school suspension which my mom refused to let them do. They still went behind her back when I returned and made me take peanut butter sandwiches to the kids in detention during my lunch as punishment because they were mad my mom came in to question the incident. They refused to punish my bully in any way and when my mom demanded to know why, they said her mom and grandmother graduated from the school so she has a lot of history with the school which years later we found out after me and 9 other kids that I know of and who knows how many others, ended up being pulled out of the same school because of her bullying that having history at the school actually turned out to mean, she was black and they would not punish her because of her color. At the end of the school year my mom pulled me out of the school not sure what to do since back then they didn't have any kind of free online schooling so pretty much everything costed money which is when my grandma stepped up and told my mom she would help because there was no way I would be going back to deal with more bullying.

I had a ton of intestinal issues having to start colonics at around 10 years old and get my first colonoscopy around the same time. As a teen I really went down hill, struggling to eat because I had very severe nausea and cramping pain upon eating which made many of my friends believe I was anorexic but I went years without being diagnosed with gastroparesis. I started having thyroid issues and finally diagnosed with food allergies at age 14, Chest pain, palpitations, arrhythmias and trouble breathing around age 15 and seizures and cardiac arrest events at age 17.

At age 19, right before starting college I lost the ability to walk with no reason why and was sent to physical therapy to learn to walk again. The hospital visits continued in college from the seizures, emergencies from my thyroid levels going sky high or bottoming out, I started having issues with low sugar, rectal bleeding and more GI and Muscular Skeletal issues that again came to the attention of a physical education professor I had in college. The cardiac arrests continued to happen and I got an emergency pacemaker put in at age 23. Also lost the ability to walk a second time and re learned during this time.

After graduating and starting working I really went down hill. My nerve pain got so bad I could hardly tolerate it and had a lot of issues with muscle spasticity. Passing out and dizzy spells got worse, seizure meds aren't working muscle weakness got again worse in my legs and I started literally wondering if I was dying, I had such severe fatigue that I slept every moment I wasn't working, bleed very badly during my period or with just mild trauma worrying my dentist so badly that he sent a letter to my doctor suggesting a possible bleeding disorder. I was going into shakes from low sugar and low sodium frequently but at the time had no idea why I would start shaking multiple times a day. Myoclonic epilepsy started and has progressively gotten worse, Dystonia started up, I started getting intestinal obstructions more often and more gastroparesis symptoms with the nausea and vomiting, sometimes cyclic vomiting. I developed a limp and went onto forearm crutches which eventually progressed to paralysis.

I have always had issues with dislocations of joints and spinal manifestations like scoliosis, Craniocervical and Atlantoaxial instability. I’m prone to non cancerous masses that could be cancerous one day including masses in my breasts, heals and between the vertebrates in my spine. My memory has deteriorated and I now have issues which I call temporary blindness when I turn my head a certain way which pinches my already compressed brainstem kinking it off so my vision is interrupted. With Systemic Mastocitosis I deal with allergic reaction type symptoms such as anaphylaxis, overproduction of mucus, coughing, hives, swelling, rashes, itching, hot flashes, flushing and more. I overheat and have hyperhidrosis. I have muscle spasms from the paralysis, dry mouth from the meds, in addition to the heart arrhythmias and trouble controlling my body temperature from the damage to my autonomic nervous system failure I have swelling of my abdomen, extreme thirst, bladder retention, abdominal cramping and more.

There are endless symptoms associated with EDS and it’s comorbidities which has a huge impact on your social life. You can't do the things you used to do and may come up with new hobbies and later deal with the grief associated with losing the ability to do those hobbies, in turn having to find new hobbies. You lose all or almost all of your friends because they don't like what you have become, the things you used to be able to do with them and no longer can, they don't understand if you need to cancel plans, when you lose the ability to drive they drop you cold because they don't want to pick you up many of us deal with the realization of how badly we wanted friends growing up due to our social awkwardness that resulted from our illness, time spent in the hospital, maturing more quickly, as well as the result of decades of medical abuse and neglect which in most of us has resulted in complex PTSD.

Almost all EDS patients are either on the Autism Spectrum, diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder which some associate with social awkwardness and also the intense need for us to please people meaning many EDS patients were known as extremely hard and dedicated workers when working or in school as well as very dedicated to friends and families. We basically give our friends the clothes off of our backs meaning that most of us unknowingly befriend people who use us and are in take take take relationships where we give everything we have into a friendship or relationship while the other person gives little back resulting in most of us losing all or almost every friend we had when we get sick and no longer have anything to give. When we are no longer able to do for others those people quickly jump ship leaving us with no friends. Most of us have this very similar personality type due to our history of growing up quickly along with the shared comorbidity of Autism, OCD, and Complex PTSD.

There are countless symptoms associated with EDS and they are different for each individual. Even in my case alone these are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to symptoms I have experienced alone so EDS isn't an easy condition to live with physically or emotionally and the diagnosis can be quite the pill to swallow with little understanding from friends, sometimes family or even the medical community.

#MyEDSChallenge #MyHSDChallenge

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thegeminisage · 4 years

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the south is like another country

i have an entire essay on how the current radicalism and steep political divide in this country can be traced directly back to the civil war - rural white southerners here playing the part pre-ww2 germany, the part of a resentful, conquered nation assimilated into the nation that conquered them, because if you think about it the south/the confederacy WAS its own nation for a time, that lost a very bloody war, and paid very steeply for it (not that slavers didn’t deserve every bit of misery the “carpetbaggers” threw at them), and the bitterness from that loss/the lost capital from having their slaves freed has been handed down through the generations, to people who now live in abject poverty while their livelihoods are destroyed by late stage capitalism, and their schools are so broke a lot of people here don’t even know how to read, and their towns are eaten alive with meth, and they’re still looked down upon by most of the country for being racist uneducated backwater hicks (to be clear, we should always look down on racism and racists, but it’s not making them any less bitter/ripe for being drawn into the cult of tr*mp’s america and f*cism).

but anyway this post isn’t about that! this post is about how when i go up north and i say “y’all it really is like i’m living in a different country” NOBODY BELIEVES ME. we speak the same language, we’re all americans, right? PFFFFFT. this amazon van thing just drives it home (pun intended). here’s a list of differences from the deep south* to the rest of the country*:

*the deep south here meaning the RURAL deep south. sorry to everyone who lives in cities/the suburbs and/or in border states like maryland and virginia. i’ve been to maryland and virginia and they are technically southern and some of this applies to them but it is not quite as extreme as it is here. the rest of the country includes the other states i’ve been to (california, washington state, new york, etc), which are in mostly every area except the midwest. i cannot personally vouch for the midwest. sorry, midwesterners! rural midwest probably has a lot of things in common with the deep south because rural life is different and also how easily people move around this country, but whatever

this is a long-ass post get ready

difference #1: DRIVING. driving & pedestrians are entirely different un rural areas vs urban areas. for starters, southern towns often do not even have sidewalks. this is because of 1. budget and 2. racism.

budget: rural towns are very spread out, and it costs major $$$ to put sidewalks in. it’s just not worth the trouble, financially, to put a sidewalk where only 12 people are ever going to use it, AND spend the money to maintain it. never gonna happen. racism: initially, suburbs especially in the south were seen as safe havens where people could get away from the stress of living in “urban” (re: integrated) areas. that the neighborhoods were only accessible by car and NOT by people who were too poor (black) to afford automobiles were just an added bonus.

as such, the first time i left the southeast, i was SHOCKED to see people walking and biking WITH (or indifferent to) the flow of traffic. down here we are taught that if you are walking along the road (or biking, because bikers get lumped in with pedestrians down here), it is very very very crucial that you walk against the flow of traffic, because you cannot expect drivers to see you and not mow you down. the onus is on YOU to get out of THEIR way. additionally, walking in knee-high grass along the side of the road sucks, and because there aren’t many people here, the roads are usually totally empty. so oftentimes pedestrians just straight up walk ON the road. and if you do that you absolutely have to be able to see a car coming from a long way away, because rural drivers on completely empty roads tend to take them at extremely high speeds just for fun. the people who live diagonally across from me have had to replace their mailbox four times because folks take that blind curve at 90mph. i had a cat get hit by a car on that road. (they all live indoors now.) i even witnessed a car accident happen there when i was just outside minding my own business. ever see a tire fly 12 feet into the air and come down into someone’s windshield? that’s what happens when you hit power line pole driving like that.

the first time i ever encountered one of those pedestrian crossing buttons was in california in the early 2010s. i had literally never seen one before because we simply don’t have them here. they’re not very self-explanatory if you have been jaywalking your whole entire life because all you’re taught to do is look both ways and make sure the street is empty before you cross. northern/urban roadways are made so that pedestrians and drivers can both get to where they’re going. in rural/southern areas pedestrians might as well not bother.

interestingly, while not an entirely southern problem, there’s a loose correlation between rural areas and more problems with drunk drivers.

on the driving side, driving in a city is batshit insane. it’s both faster and slower. there is NO space and you’re expected to go whenever you have so much as an inch to worm your way in. there’s more traffic, and the traffic totally dictates your speed. in the south you can change lanes if you want to drive faster or slower and weave around traffic or let it weave around you, but in a city there’s no other lane to change to and if you don’t drive at the speed of the people ahead of and behind you you will die. you turn fast, you brake fast, etc. whenever i come back from driving in a city the people who ride with me think i’m insane. you don’t PULL ONTO A ROAD if you can SEE ANOTHER CAR THERE, what the fuck? meanwhile i’m like “lol that is six miles of space i have plenty of time” and give everyone in my vicinity heart palpitations until i readjust.

tailgating in a rural area is something only assholes do (done by people on a two-lane road to encourage the person in front of them to go faster because the only other lane is for oncoming traffic), and if someone gets within one car length of me on a two-lane road i can very passively aggressively slow my vehicle to a crawl until they back the fuck off. in a city you’re lucky if you have a twelve inches between your bumper and the next car’s hood ornament.

difference #2: LANGUAGE. this is a small one, but the southern dialect combined with the lack of literacy means i am learning certain things late in life. phrases i have heard verbally with my ears but had never seen written out include: “chest of drawers” which i thought was “chester drawers” - “seven year itch” which i thought was “seven year each” - “albeit” which i thought was “i’ll be it.” i’ve made a deliberate effort to unlearn mine own accent/dialect but i run into weird shit all the time. remotes are mashers, shopping carts are buggies, you put stuff up instead of putting it away, i fix you a drink instead of pouring you one, we shoot the game instead of play it. my mom LITERALLY can’t understand me if i speak too quickly - she has to remind me all the time to slow down and put on my southern.

difference #3: TECHNOLOGY. issue of whether or not you personally have the creepy amazon vans aside, the rural south is behind the rest of the country on technology. things in cities are AUTOMATED. things like the little button you press to cross the street, tickets you take at parking garages, even the parking meters you find in cities, that’s just the beginning of it. one time i came across a little computer touch screen in a MCDONALDS where you put your order in. you didn’t even go up to the counter. you just put your order on the screen and swiped your card and then they got it ready for you and you never had to speak to a human person. self-checkouts, gas pumps where you can swipe your card and not go in and pay at first...the south got those YEARS behind everybody else. in the mid-2010s i went to DC and visited a target for maybe the 5th time ever and i was BAFFLED by the self-checkout. i had no idea how to use it! it was like less than ten years ago and i was IN MY TWENTIES and i had never seen one before! when we send a package we have to talk to a human person. when we order food we usually have to talk to a human person. apps for places like dominos and subway have not been in use here for very long. my county just got doordash LAST YEAR.

because i am 31, and because the south is so technologically behind, i am actually old enough to remember how when you used to go to a gas station an attendant would not only pump your gas but wash your windshield for you while you just SAT IN THE CAR. that seems like something from the 50s but it actually was a thing here in my childhood IN the 90s. i wish i was making this up.

difference #4: INFRASTRUCTURE. this sort of goes hand-in-hand w/ the last point because so much of our infrastructure is made of technology, and it’s also more of a rural/urban thing than a south/north thing. but just for fun here’s a non-exhaustive list of things i don’t have in my town:

starbucks* - the first time i went to a starbucks i was in my 20s

a public pool - we used to, but now the only pool here requires a YMCA membership. the only baseball diamond in this county is also at the Y.

walmart

in fact, ANYWHERE to buy clothes that is not a goodwill or other secondhand store. i cannot buy clothing unless i order it online or LEAVE MY TOWN. almost all of the clothing i own is from walmart because it’s one of the only places in my entire county where you can actually PURCHASE clothing.

grocery store chains? pffft. my town has two entire stores and both are small southern chains. i didn’t go into a publix for the first time until two years ago when i went to florida. i’ve NEVER entered a whole foods.

food delivery? yeah, no. like i said, we got doordash last year, but before that the only place you could get delivery from was a pizza chain. we only have two pizza places in my town that deliver, and one is a local place, not attached to any chain, so i can’t spend my loyalty points there. (it’s very expensive there too.) last year it was CLOSED for six months because the manager got caught dealing meth. every last one of the delivery drivers was trafficking it for him. they all got fired and had to restart from the ground up. for that short time, it was not possible to get any food delivered to your house whatsoever.

a hospital/ambulance services - if someone is sick, we have to take them to the hospital in laurens, the town next door (about 15-20 minutes by car). the town i live in lucky - we have our own police and fire departments. (acab but you know what i mean.) joanna is a smaller town next to mine that isn’t a real town - it’s been demoted to a census designated area because only 2000 people live there. if they have an emergency, they have to use OUR fire and police departments, and LAURENS’s ambulance/hospital system

after-school places kids can go to keep from getting into trouble. we have the Y, if you have money (no one here has money), and we have churches, but mostly schools can’t afford to run too many extracurriculars. there’s nothing to do here but church and meth.

food banks: zero. we have food DRIVES sometimes where people will come from further away and bring free food, but if you’re hungry, there’s nowhere you can go for help - you have to wait for help to come to you.

libraries: we don’t have our own library. we have a branch of the county library that’s physically located in our town. but we share books with the rest of the entire county, so everything is always checked out or at the other branch.

*we technically have a starbucks that’s in the local college campus, but only college students are allowed to be there. they’ll still serve people without a college ID because no one gives a fuck, but you can’t linger and loiter and hang out like you do in a normal starbucks. we also have one in the barnes and noble in greenville, which is about an hour away by car, but again, it’s a mini starbucks that serves a limited menu and none of that weird Starbucks Culture™

here’s a few things i don’t have in my ENTIRE COUNTY:

movie theaters - technically. we have a Historial™ one-screen theater in laurens that shows one movie for two weeks a month after it hits regular theaters and then switches to another, and if you miss it, too bad. this is a VERY recent addition - it wasn’t restores until i was in my 20s as a kid and a teenager i had to ride in a car an hour or more to go to the movies.

target. only commies and yankees have target. down here we do walmart.

malls

arcades

skate parks/skating rinks

bowling

museums

zoos/aquariums

campgrounds

fairs. our county fairground got razed a decade ago because there just werent enough people showing up to justify the expense. so no more fairs. you have to have people to fund things and down here there just aren’t enough people anywhere.

you get the idea. we don’t have entertainment. like i said, nothing to do but church and meth.

CLASSES FOR STUFF: knitting classes, dancing classes, driving classes? nope. gymnastics, karate dojos, golf, knitting groups, books clubs, cooking classes? [GAMESHOW BUZZER]. you can’t even hire a clown for a birthday party out here. we do have a shooting range. ONE. in the entire county. and a race track. and a rather infamous former kkk memorabilia store. they made a movie about that (serious tw for this trailer - they’ve got white hoods, burning crosses, pepper spray, the whole nine), which, yes, takes place in laurens, aka right next door to me. i used to walk by that place all the time when i was playing pokemon go. haven’t seen the movie but the shooting locations in the trailer make laurens look a lot bigger and prettier than it really is in real life - especially the racetrack, which, in the trailer, is actually PAVED. (this is inaccurate to real life.)

EDUCATION: lots of people can’t read. we have two schools for illiterate adults, one religious college, and one branch of one of the state colleges that has a skeleton staff and a fuck ton of computers (you basically just go there to distance learn/e-learn - if you want to take real classes from this college, you have to drive at least an hour.)

support groups/group therapy: almost none. we have al-anon and weight watchers, but that’s about it. there’s only half a dozen therapists in my entire county, and none that operate from my town. mental healthcare down here is bullshit.

on food: we don’t have many sit-down restaurants, where servers bring you your menu and your food. if you don’t count waffle houses, my town has 4. my county has 9. in and out, 5 guys, applebees, ruby tuesday, red lobster, olive garden, panda epxress? forget it. those places were and still are rare treats. i’ve only been to an olive garden twice. red lobster once. whenever i leave my county i BEG for chinese because there’s only two chinese restaurants in our entire county and one of them is crazy expensive and the other one sucks.

we also don’t have the more important stores you need to like, live. if we need to exchange our router at a charter store? yeah, we don’t have one. need to visit the sprint store to get your phone repaired? nuh-uh, we don’t have any phone stores either. my family recently switched to at&t because it was the only company that had a physical location in our county. before that, we had to drive an hour for even the smallest repair.

on a grimer note: we don’t have homeless shelters! homeless in laurens county? too bad for you. we do have homeless PEOPLE. they just have nowhere to go except the churches

hospitals? only kind of. like i said, our county has one, but it’s not equipped to take seriously sick people. when my mom had a heart attack she had to be driven straight to greenwood, which is 45 minutes away if you’re not in an ambulance. they obviously made it faster than that, but still. that was scary. it took them a long time to get here. i had a distant relative of mine die before the ambulance made it because they were SO far out in the sticks, even further than me.

we also don’t have any specialty stores. sporting goods, gamestops, shoe stores, florists, craft stores, bookstores, best buys...forget it. if you can’t buy it at walmart, you just can’t buy it. the exceptions: my TOWN has one jewelry store, two hardware stores, and two auto repair stores. my COUNTY has three clothing stores, none of which are in my town, one place that sells used TVs, and one movie rental place. thrilling, right? i can rent a movie if i drive out of town. (i know streaming killed the rental business, but we also only had two places when i was a kid, if you counted the rental section in the grocery store.)

so, yeah. i know the term “shithole” is really loaded these days, but rural areas are just plain less developed, and often in seriously poor repair because nobody fucking uses them. there USED to be more stuff here - my mom was on a bowling league, and as a kid i had a birthday party at a skating rink - but late stage capitalism and drugs destroyed it all. people ran out of money to do things like skate and bowl and so those places closed. the south is full of empty store fronts and deserted strip malls slowly being eaten by kudzu. my brother got out of this town and whenever he winds up back here (not often) he remarks on how completely and utterly dead everything feels. “my friends who live in greenwood now think they’re all rural,” he said once. “they complain constantly about how remote it is. but they have no idea. they wouldn’t make it five minutes out here.” greenwood has its own movie theater, mall, starbucks, homeless shelter, food bank, and hospital.

so, yeah! if you were wondering what rural white southerners are so fucking mad about, that’s part of it. propaganda and xenophobia and racism has their anger directed ENTIRELY at the wrong people, but it’s hard to argue that the anger itself isn’t just a little bit justified.

difference #5: CULTURE. specifically culture around food, and the culture around the civil war. i could write an entire other essay about the culture of the church being everything because the church IS the only semblance of infrastructure we have and this is why the south is so homophobic, but we’ll skip that for now.

food: this is a quickie, because i sort of touched on it already, but there are like, almost NO vegetarian options here. there’s very limited choices of cuisine. it’s ALL waffle house and soul food. we have a lot of mexican places because we’re physically close to the mexican border, but aside from that, forget finding like indian or thai or japanese or anything like that. no sushi. forget finding a menu that has meals that are halal or kosher. there’s just. no culture here. no variety. you know? like i said, our entire county doesn’t even hit double-digits for proper sit-down restaurants.

civil war: i’m not going to go into the big stuff since i sort of covered it at the top and also this post is getting way too long, but to other white rural southerners there is legitimate baggage around the fact that my mom married a yankee and that i am half-yankee. and he’s not even a real yankee! he was born up north but raised in southern florida. (florida is weird. the further south you go geographically, the less southern you are culturally.) yet: my family makes jokes that are sometimes not jokes about this. when i drop this information in casual conversation people get that look on their faces like: ah, that explains it. it being that i am not religious and don’t laugh at racist jokes and maybe i am queer?? (strangers tend to be unsure about this last part, even when i’m wearing rainbows.) it’s because i’m half-yank! that explains everything! the xenophobia is SO strong here that white people are even xenophobic at OTHER WHITE PEOPLE.

so in conclusion when i say the north is like another country, it’s because the people who raised me think of it like another country. and culturally! it is buck wild! the differences that there are! when i leave this town i feel like i step into fucking star trek! if you are not from the rural south, and you have never been to the rural south, please do not come here! i’ve been to a few different places now and this is definitely my least favorite one.

#personal #i guess #it's ok to rb if you want to though??? tbh i don't think most people will even get to the end lol #anyway here's my college lecture about the south it's not very good or college level actually lmao #this is AIRQUOTE FIELD STUDY AIRQUOTE #the experiences u have as a half-yank white person in the rural south are crazy #bc other white people think you're okay to listen to them say what they REALLY think #and then backtrack rapidly when they realize you aren't #now that i'm grown and woke i can't believe half-yankee is even a thing.#anyway this post brought to you by the maddening realization of how technologically far behind we are #WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE CREEPY AMAZON VANS #the automated package sending...what i wouldn't give not to have to talk to people to mail stuff #rip. :/

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robinskey · 4 years

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hi!! i love your fics sm! so could you do steve x fem! reader where reader is steve’s best friend/ crush and when the byers+el moves( and billy passing away) reader starts taking care of max and nancy(even if they are the same age) like they starts having girls night, hanging more and one day steve and dustin goes to reader’s house and they see them having fun and steve’s like “maybe i should ask her on a date” and dustin’s like “maybe?? no YOU should” please please please! thank you ❤️❤️❤️

Girls’ Night

A/N: Day 7 of my 12 Days of Ficmas! I really loved this request, but I hadn’t had a chance to write it until now. Thank you to the sweet (and very kind) anon who requested it. I appreciate you more than you know.

Warnings: language, fluff, slight angst

After the Byers family moved away, taking with them both Nancy’s boyfriend and Max’s best friend, you knew the girls needed a little extra love. After all, Max and El had grown inseparable over the past year or so, and Nancy spent virtually all her time with Jonathan. For days after their other halves’ departure, both Max and Nancy moped around, the ever-present spring in their steps completely vanished. After about a week of that, you couldn’t take it anymore. You half-asked, half-demanded that they come to your house for a sleepover. One fun-filled girls’ night quickly turned into a weekly ritual.

Occasionally, your best friend, Steve, would drop by. Oftentimes, he brought his sidekick, Dustin, in tow. He didn’t seem to quite understand the premise of a girls’ night. But even though you gave him a hard time about it, you didn’t mind the party crashers-as long as they gave you a little bit of forewarning. You weren’t exactly pleased the night that your doorbell rang in the middle of a skincare session, and you had to answer the door looking like an alien in your pale green face mask. You were incredibly embarrassed, but Steve and Dustin couldn’t stop laughing. You had to admit, it was cute at first; rather quickly, it got old. Eventually, Max suggested that, since they found it so funny, maybe they should get facials, too. The boys spent the next hour lying still on the couch while you smothered a sticky homemade concoction over their skin.

After that night, Steve always made sure to call in advance.

At least, he usually did. This particular night, however, it wasn’t until he and Dustin had arrived on your street that he realized that he’d forgotten. Steve parked the car on the side of the road and turned to his curly-haired little friend for advice.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how mad do you think Y/N will be if we show up unannounced?”

“I’d estimate around a -6,” Dustin answered, “on account of the fact that she’s in love with you.”

A small huff escaped Steve’s lips. “She is not,” he protested. “We’re just friends, Henderson. You know that.”

The smaller of the two boys rolled his eyes. “Yeah, just friends. But you both wish you were more.”

“God, Dustin, you get trick one girl into dating you, and suddenly you’re the love expert.”

“Yeah, you’re right, Steve. Suzie and I are coming up on our four-month anniversary soon, but you’re clearly the expert on relationships, since you’re practically married to the idea of being single and sad about it forever.”

“For god’s sake, Dustin, we’re just friends. Which is why I know she won’t murder me for crashing her sleepover again,” Steve said, popping open his car door and hopping out. Dustin followed suit.

“I know for certain that at least one of those statements is incorrect,” Dustin stated as the pair made their way across the lawn. Their shoes squished over the soft mud on the ground. The younger boy noticed his friend begin to slow down as they neared the front porch and gave him a gentle shove to encourage him onward.

As they neared the house, a faint humming grew louder and louder. Eventually, it evolved into a baseline and the voice of Cindy Lauper crooning “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” A thin set of curtains obscured the view into the living room, but Steve could still make out one three silhouettes. One, a slight figure that must have belonged to Nancy, sat on the floor, watching the other two spin in circles around the room. The taller of the two dancing shadows had something feathery draped across her shoulders-a boa, perhaps?-and the other wore some sort of fancy little tophat. All three girls’ giggles were loud enough to overpower the blaring music. Steve stood there, absolutely entranced, as your unmistakable silhouette twirled around behind the curtain.

“Maybe I should ask her on a date,” he murmured, barely aware of his own words.

“Maybe? No, you should, dude! That’s what I’ve been saying all along!” Dustin half-yelled.

That snapped Steve out of his hypnotized state. Panicked, he slapped a hand over Dustin’s big mouth. But the damage had already been done.

“Did you hear something?” a muffled voice asked from inside the house. The music ceased.

“Shit, should I get my dad’s gun? I don’t know how to work it, but you do, don’t you, Nance?” the boa-ed silhouette asked the seated girl.

“Oh, come on, guys. It was probably just a dog howling or something,” she answered.

“Some kind of dog that must have been,” the third girl said. Then, there were shuffling footsteps, a shadow growing larger, a tug at the curtain-and a freckled, judgemental face appearing behind the window. Her gaze flicked up and down the pair, still too stunned to move. “No dogs. Just a couple of dickheads,” she announced. Two more faces appeared above hers in the window moments later.

“Steve? Did you tell me you were planning on dropping by tonight? I don’t remember you saying anything about it,” you said, scrunching your brows together.

“Well…uh…not exactly, no,” he stammered. “Look I’m really sorry we scared you.”

“Yeah, I am, too. It would’ve been a shame if Nancy put a bullet through that pretty little forehead of yours, Harrington.”

Steve was too focused on the heart palpitations you induced by calling him “pretty” to acknowledge the death threat. Dustin, however, was no lovesick puppy (except when it came to Suzie-Poo, of course). To be perfectly honest, as sweet as you were, you scared him a little sometimes. So he tugged on Steve’s arm and tilted his head back toward the car.

“Maybe we should go, Steve. We don’t want to interrupt their night any more than we already have.”

The surprise in your eyes quickly morphed into a spark of realization, then a glimmer of mischief.

“Don’t go yet, boys. We were just about to start doing mani-pedis,” you said. “And I’m pretty sure your cuticles could use some work, Harrington.”

Steve, completely unaware of what any of that meant but excited to spend time with you, nodded eagerly, just as Dustin slammed his palm into his face.

General Taglist: @novaddictx @rexorangecouny @morganvanilla @anolddayslover @schwankyblock @anabundance0ffand0ms

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If you want to be added to the tag list for a specific character/my writing in general, leave a reply or send me a message! Thanks again for reading.

If you want to check out more of my writing, here’s my masterlist. :)

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington x you #stranger things #stranger things fanfi #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fanfic #dustin henderson #nancy wheeler #max mayfield

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dailyaudiobible · 3 years

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12/22/2020 DAB Transcript

Zechariah 2:1-3:10, Revelation 13:1-18, Psalms 141:1-10, Proverbs 30:18-20

Today is the 22nd day of December welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I'm Brian it is awesome to be here with you today it’s awesome to be here with you Christmas week. And, yeah, a couple days and we’ll be at Christmas day. So, we’re pressing into it, pressing into the season. I'm sure you are as well. And I pray that you are experiencing moments of Christmas joy, something that's been in a little short supply, maybe a lot short supply this year. But anyway, we have come to center ourselves in the Scriptures, to exhale all that's going on around us and just warm ourselves at the Global Campfire as we take the next step forward in the Scriptures. And we began the book of Zechariah yesterday and I mentioned then that Zechariah will take us all the way until a couple of days before the end of the year. Zechariah is the second to the last book in the Old Testament. And yesterday when we began Zechariah, we just gave some context and one of the pieces of context was that Zechariah contains eight different night visions and we will begin with the third one today. Zechariah chapters 2 and 2. And we’re reading from the New English Translation this week.

Commentary:

Okay, we were talking about this being Christmas week at the beginning today before we read the Scriptures. And, yeah, this is Christmas week. The day after tomorrow is Christmas eve if you can believe it. And, so, we’re in it and we’re trying to finalize and get everything together and figure out how we’re gonna do everything and…and we’re also likely to be around family, whether that is immediate family or we have extended family, whether we’re getting in a car and traveling, whether we’re gonna get on a plane and travel or whether that's gonna happen where people are traveling toward us. Likely, whether we’re having a very very large family gathering or whether it’s going to be really intimate we’re going to be together with…with our family and when that happens all kinds of really really wonderful, joyous things can happen. Hearts can be united…just the love for our family and the people that we grew up with or the people that we've known our whole lives, it just emerges and we…we feel that warm cozy spirit of Christmas but, you know, in that situation, it…it’s just warm and cozy and dry and one match thrown into the middle of that can just…it can just blow the whole thing up. Like one person who decides that they need to vent about their political views in the middle of all that or one person bringing up some kind of scorn or something from earlier years, any little thing can make a volatile situation explode. And it wasn't that long ago that we read the book of James or the letter of James, in which he talked about how we can bless people and curse people out of the same mouth and surely that's not right. And, so, right now is a good time to kind of put some of this that we've learned about our mouths and how powerful they are into our pocket and carry it around because usually when the volatile things happen they just…they happen randomly. I mean we know…we may know who’s the likely one to start something. Maybe we’re the likely one to start something. And maybe this year it should be a break for everybody. Maybe we should bite down on our tongue instead of waggin’ it. I mean because we can be the giver of joy. I mean, when we think about Christmas spirit and Christmas joy and we think about how it's affecting us, like are we feeling it? But the thing is, we can give it, we can build each other up instead of tearing each other down. And, so, we turn to the Psalms then today and we read these words, “O Lord place a guard on my mouth. Protect the opening of my lips. Do not let me have evil desires or participate in the sinful activities with men who behave wickedly.” We should put that in our pocket too as we go into these next few days and determine in advance, if somebody lights the match and throws it into the middle of everything that doesn't mean that it's compulsory that we participate. It can be a situation where our…our unwillingness to participate and amp things up is saying a lot without saying anything. If we find that our words that we have determined that we will only build up and not tear down, well that would be quite a Christmas gift to give and it would change the atmosphere. And we may not be able to stop the kinds of things that happened from happening, but we do have control over ourselves. And, so, let's just remember, yeah, it’s family, yeah, it's presents and gifts and festivities and Christmas music and lights and it's just wonderful but what we are honoring is the arrival of the presence of peace. And, so, if we’re not going to actively participate in peace on earth, especially at Christmas…well…there's a disconnect somewhere. Let’s put our faith into action in these coming days because these are days of great joy.

Prayer:

Father, we invite You into that. Joy…joy flows from You. And when we experience joy, we are becoming aware of Your presence. And this is a joyful time in the midst of a very trying season. And, so, may we experience Your joy and then in turn give Your joy, build one another up, not tear one another down. We pray the Psalm, “Lord place a guard on our mouths. Protect the opening of our lips. Don't let us have evil desires or participate in sinful activities.” Come Holy Spirit we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base, it's the website, its where you find out what's going on around here. You can find out what's going on around here using the Daily Audio Bible app just as well by pressing the Drawer icon in the upper left-hand corner.

Of course, we’re days away from Christmas. So, that's what's going on around here. So, check out the Christmas resources that are available, especially the musical ones. The Family Christmas album, which is an instrumental…just a beautifully contemplative album for the Christmas season, the kind of…it’s the kind of one that you want when you…when you're trying to wind down. You gotta a cup of cocoa or whatever, you got the lights on, maybe the Christmas lights and nothing else, maybe a fire in the fireplace. It's that kind of record. So, check that out. You can stream it on Spotify or Apple music or YouTube music or Google play, whatever, You can buy it there at the iTunes Store or wherever you get your music.

And the other…the other Christmas thing is “O Holy Night” that Jill and I put together a couple weeks ago in preparation…she's gonna sing virtually at a Christmas eve service this year. And, so, we’ll put links up to that on Christmas eve on our social media channels in case you don't have a candlelight service that you can attend. But she sang it with such heart and passion, and we were just…we were like wow, we should release this. And, so, we did, and you can stream that on Spotify or Apple music or wherever or buy that as well. Just look for Jill Parr and O Holy Night and you will find it. So, check those…check those out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible here in the waning days of the year, thank you humbly and truly from our hearts. Thank you for your partnership. I’ve said it…feels like I’ve said it like 360 times or whatever this year. We wouldn't be here if we weren’t in this together. That's a fact. And, so, we are profoundly grateful that we are moving through another year. And thank you for your partnership. So, there is a link on the homepage. If you’re using the app you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner, or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And as always if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app, which is the little red button at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Good morning Daily Audio Bible family this is June in Maryland I am calling to give a praise report. I am just praising God for bringing me through this year. This year started off really rough with some heart palpitations that had me out of work for almost 2 months and then I went back to be a Covid nurse and once I returned to my psych unit, I got Covid. All the while I was still trying to finish school which I did. I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in nursing on December 5th. So, I’m very thankful to be alive, to be able to breathe, and to have been able to complete this degree despite all of the obstacles and frustrations. So, yea God. Thank you, God. Nothing is possible without God but with God all things are possible. That’s all I have for today. I’ll call back another time. Love you all. Have a blessed day.

Hi this is Sarah from South of England this is my first prayer request and I really need prayer. How to make it brief? I have __. I’ve had a recent relapse after 20 years of…of pretty severely…being pretty severely affected and I just feel devastated because I…I’ve lost so much of what I could do, particularly…mainly with my arms and needing a lot more help. And it’s…it’s just complicated with social services and carers and things. And apart from that I…I can’t do the greater things that…that I most love, that I’ve always felt, you know, that what God made me for really. And I’m…I just really need companionship. It’s just not because of the Covid, but obviously that hasn’t helped. I’m single and I’m 52 and…and wondering if, you know, I’ll ever be able to…to find someone to share my life with. And even if I could socialize and…and have lots of friends, that would…that would…would be okay but I can’t do that. And…but I know that ultimately, I need God to be my everything…to not…to not demand that recovery is the only answer for me. But he can heal me as well. I know that. But just to find peace in him, to find my joy in him because I know he can bring joy no matter what’s happening to us and I need that, I need that desperately. I need to…to get back to that place of…of being at peace with him and trusting him no matter what my circumstances are. So, thank you.

Hi, my name is Jay I’m from Georgia from Rome Georgia. It happens that I lost my job this past Monday and I there’s an appeal process an appeal’s process that I’m undergoing and a few other things that might help but most of all I just want to come to the throne of grace, and I want to ask if all of you can help me pray that I get my job back. It’s hard. It’s a hard time because my…my husband is going to school right now and I was the one who supplied. But God supplies all my needs according to his riches in glory. And I would ask if you would stand with me in faith and ask that God would lead me and guide me. God bless you all.

Good morning DAB family this is Sally in Massachusetts. We’re in the midst of a beautiful snowstorm today. I had to chuckle Little Cherry when I heard you describe getting ready to go to the sunrise. It reminded me of the eight years I lived in Saskatchewan. Mighty cold but I loved it. I love the sunshine. And…and thankful. Lord I’m so thankful for our brothers and sisters scattered all over this world. It’s wonderful to hear from all the different states from…from places like New Zealand and Australia and Singapore and South Sudan and Germany and India and Eastern Canada and all the states that we hear from. Lord, we are so blessed to have You bring us into the family of God scattered over the world. We thank You so much for the DAB that brings us together. Lord I lift up Margo and her husband as they prepare to go back to Liberia. Please strengthen and guide them. Please provide their needs physically Lord, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, financially. Lord we just pray for the wisdom that he needs as he prepares information to be a better pilot and to care for his plane and pray for Margo Lord. Just guide her as she gains insights into being a better nurse. Oh God and we just thank You for the love for the lost, their desire Lord to make You known. We pray Jesus that You would just bless them and guide them. Thank You, once again great and holy God for all You’ve done and all You’re doing as You bless Your church around…

Hi DABbers, this is Alina Jesus Worshiper from Delray Beach. I’m actually calling with a praise report and I wanted to thank you so much for praying for me and my husband. More than a year ago my husband told me that he doesn’t want to be with me anymore and it was a mistake that we got married after like almost 10 years of marriage and it was really painful for me. All of this time we’re separated but together under one roof and I was praying for his salvation. And I’m not sure, I don’t think that salvation happened yet, but God is changing my husband’s heart. And recently my husband came back to me. He came back to be my husband and now he would like to have family and he would like to have kids and he talks about God all the time and I know that God is…God is calling him. And I’m just so excited to share this with you…this journey. God is so faithful to everybody who is struggling in their marriage. I’ve waited for one year to every relationship with my husband. It was so painful and with all this other things that people were talking and 2020 nothing was as hard as just being in the same house with somebody who says every day that he doesn’t love you anymore. But, you know, God is so faithful. God is so faithful. When I was struggling, and I was without my faith he was putting me up and Daily Audio Bible family helped me out so much being connected to the word every day. I want it or I don’t want it. It became my habit after like two years or so. So, I wanted to thank everybody for praying and I pray for you today in Jesus’ name to experience this, the same thing as I did. Amen.

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xseildnasterces · 4 years

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The end of 2019.

So that’s it. Here we are at the end of another year. I have so many unfinished blog posts from over the last couple of months and I hope I will get the chance to finish them soon but things are so busy at the moment and to be honest, I haven’t had the energy or motivation.

I have a lot to say about 2019, but that warrants a post of its own. For now, I just want to address my annual goals. I want to see which goals I set for myself this time last year have been achieved, which haven’t and then reflect on what goals I want to set for the coming year. 2020. Crazy. I really hope they are the roaring 2020s. I’d like some good things to happen. Perhaps to find myself and work out a lot of things causing my depression, anxiety and constant heartache.

Anyway, onto the goals of 2019 and here is exactly what I wrote this time last year:

1. LET PEOPLE GO. IF SOMEONE WALKS OUT OF MY LIFE FORGET THEM, or at least try to. E triggered this. I have tried so hard since she left but this year was a huge turning point for me. She had a baby, I had no idea, I tried to meet up on several occasions. I sent a card at Christmas and nothing. Not one thing, not one word, no thank you. Just nothing. I am over being pushed aside and walked over. I will not make contact with anyone this year if they do not also make an effort with me. People who are meant to be in your life will stay, and those who aren’t will disappear and were clearly a lesson or something else, but not everyone is meant to be in your life forever and I think that is something I need to learn to accept this year.

Did I accept this and forget people? Yes and no. I haven’t made any effort with E this year at all. She messaged me on my birthday which was actually a shock but then nothing. Am I over it? No, not fully. I miss her, I still have no idea what happened and when I see photos or she crosses my mind I feel sad that we are where we are. In terms of E, I think I have managed to accept it though. In terms of other people, oh hell no. I am trying my very best to accept it, but I just cannot. I cannot come to terms with the fact someone I want in my life might not meant to be. So no, I cannot accept this for everyone that walked out of my life in 2019 because there is one person who I don’t think I will ever be able to accept this about - and there is zero chance of ever moving on and forgetting them.

2. READ ONE BOOK A MONTH. Here I am again attempting to do the 12 books a year challenge. One per month for a whole year. I always start off well and start to dwindle and then fail when things get busy, but this year I want to do it once and for all. Third time lucky after all.

Complete fail. The exact same thing happened again. I started off amazingly, and then life got in the way and it came to a standstill. I have a book currently half-read sitting on a shelf and I’ve pretty much forgotten the first half of the book. This will certainly be my challenge again next year. I need to complete it. It has got to be done.

3. GET A NEW JOB (PREFERABLY IN AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION). This year my contract will inevitably end at the European Central Bank. It could be over at the end of February when my current contract ends, it could be over a few months later if I am lucky enough to be extended, or it could end in September – but whatever happens it will end this year. So, I hope that I manage to get another job for my current one ending. I know it won’t be an easy task but I will do my very best to get somewhere else I want to be.

Success! I got two job offers for two incredibly big international organisations. I accepted one and moved to Washington DC. Career-wise things went pretty well in 2019 and I am pretty proud of myself. I also got two other interviews, both for other international organisations which I didn’t go to because I’d already accepted my current job.

4. SLEEP EARLIER. Basically, get to bed earlier. When I first moved to Frankfurt I was getting into bed at around 10pm every single night. I slept better, I felt better and all around it was just better for my productivity and my body. I don’t want to set the goal of being in bed at 10pm every night because I know there is little chance of that happening. But for now, if I can be in bed before 11pm I’ll be pretty happy with myself.

Complete fail. I do try to be in bed at around 10 but I’m usually still awake during the earlier hours. So yes, I get into bed, but I don’t sleep. So not a success.

5. ORGANISE MY FINANCES. Before I moved abroad my finances were in excellent shape. I knew where everything was. Everything was saved in separate accounts for different things and they were all-round healthy and I knew what everything was for and where it was. Now, however, since moving abroad and being paid in another currency – it’s all over the place and I really want to make 2019 the year I get all of this sorted. I want the right savings in the right accounts and I want to know its safe, and correctly organised.

Nope. Another fail. It never happened. I had too much to do and started getting paid in yet another currency. My money is all over the place and needs sorting. Perhaps another goal for 2020.

6. USE MY PHONE LESS. I want to try and stop being tied to my phone all the time. I want to stop using my phone when I’m with other people, try to be more in the moment and enjoy the situation or surroundings that I am in and enjoy the company I hold rather than constantly scrolling and texting away. It’s rude and I hate it when other people do it, so I need to stop, or at least try anyway.

Achieved. Not completely through choice, but achieved non the less.

7. GET OUTDOORS MORE. I love being outside. I love hiking and I love nature and I want to make much more effort to get outside and walk and spend time in nature. I want to take photos of my adventures and I want to see new places and things. I want to stop spending all my time cooped up inside and actually spend my time doing something worth doing.

Yes. I’d say have achieved this. I spent a lot of time outside in 2019, from travelling to new places, spending time with friends, going on walks and reading outside. I had amazing weather in Frankfurt during the summer, spent almost a week in DC whilst attending my interview and spent every single day outside and also spent a lot of Autumn out in DC with H, F and M.

8. TACKLE MY ANXIETY. I have struggled with anxiety for probably longer than I realise. I think its always been there, from the smallest things when I was little when my dad would try and send me into the shop on my own and I would panic and not want to do it, to the big things like when I’ve had a panic attack from being in my old hometown city centre to heart palpitations for blood tests and other stressful situations. I don’t think I ever recognised it before I started having to take medication for depression but now I no longer take medication for this I have realised more and more just how bad my anxiety is, so one of my aims for this year is to try and combat or at least control it in some way or another.

I’m currently still tackling my anxiety. I don’t know if I will ever have fully tackled it, but I worked hard this year. I started taking medication, I saw a therapist once a week and I feel like talking about a lot of things, although somewhat uncomfortable for the most part... helped. Currently, my anxiety and panic attacks are better than they have been for a very long time. I haven’t yet got myself a therapist in DC but this is something I really need to do soon because otherwise, all the hard work of last year will come undone.

Usually, I always write 10 goals, but for some reason, I only have 8 for 2019. Here is to making goals for 2020 and hoping that I have more success than I appear to have done this year.

#goals #2019 #end of the year #reflection #thought #feeling #feelings #thoughts #journal #me #diary #personal #lifestyle blog #new #new year

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mathematicalghost · 5 years

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celeste, anxiety, and me

A couple of notable things happened this week:

I started 428 Shibuya Scramble on PC

I finally dusted off my Twitch account to stream for the first time in months

I finished Celeste

And, most frustratingly, I had an anxiety attack.

I don’t really talk about my anxiety all that much, or at least not nearly as much as I should. I got diagnosed with it in the height of my GCSE’s, so absolutely no prizes for guessing exactly what flared it up. I didn’t really do much about it in a medical sense - I never took medication, saw a therapist, or really had much interaction with a healthcare professional at all after a diagnoses. I just… lived with it. There were a whole list of very clear triggers for it, and I worked through them and figured out how to cope using mechanisms that were both good for me and uh, less good (if you’ve ever seen me at an all day event where I’m new to the building layout, I am almost definitely dehydrated). The laundry list got smaller, and I claimed I “stopped” having anxiety just before I went to university. Hrm. It didn’t quite work out that way.

Let me jump back to Celeste really quickly, because I’m not just unloading all my trauma onto an unsuspecting reader without a reason for it (I swear!). So, I really enjoyed Celeste - evident by the fact I bothered to actually finish it, a rare feat that is becoming increasingly less rare as my free time is now more predictable and less guilt-wracked from education. It took me a little under 18 hours to complete, although this doesn’t include any strawberry collecting, I don’t have all the B-sides (I haven’t played the B-sides levels yet either), the Crystal Hearts-based level is currently locked off to me, and includes the fact I made liberal use of the Assist Mode function. I’d imagine if you were any better at platformers than I am, it’d probably take 12 hours or so to do a single run, but equally if I went for an actual completion run I’d still have a good extra 30 hours left to me in this game. I’m still pretty new to short platformer games, spending my time caught up in RPGs that all my friends played and not realising how little I actually care for that style of gameplay, but Celeste was so addictive to me just because I could play in the stolen chunks of time I’d find on the bus to work. It definitely made me more alert when I’d get into the offices in the morning - nothing like a good bit of frustrating gameplay to get your brain going in the morning, I guess.

Celeste is such an easy game to recommend because there’s already so many people raving about it - I don’t need to rehash why the gameplay or music is so good when there's plenty of work out there already explaining it. I loved how the Strawberries held no actual mechanical weight to them other than “idk if you want to I guess”. I loved the mini rhythm levels to achieve the B-side cassettes. I loved the Assist Mode, where I could add an extra dash or switch on invincibility when my hand started to hurt and the thrill of the challenge was replaced by pure frustration. And, above all, it’s pinned by the most amazing story.

So, the basic premise is that Madeline decides to hike up Celeste Mountain. She’s not much of a mountain climber, or any kind of climber at all really, but the mountain calls to her in an inexplicable way. She has to prove herself, prove that she’s able to do something. Madeline is pretty open about the fact she has depression, and the Mountain exploits this to split the depression “Part of [Madeline]” into a ghoul. She looks like Madeline in every way except that she’s purple, floats, and is constantly trying to kill Madeline. At times, she’ll even sabotage Madeline’s relationship with other people, causing them to to turn on Madeline, too.

Part of what really struck me about Madeline’s story is the fact that the depression ghost didn’t actually hit her at first. She’s nervous, sure, but she actually gets part way up the summit before this ghost even appears. She doesn’t have her first panic attack until long after the ghost has established herself as a nuisance, and it crops up even when danger doesn’t seem to be around (such as at a campfire). It takes different forms at times, and affects people differently (Mr Oshiro and Theo both have times when their own demons affect them, and it’s not the same as Madeline’s ghoul). It mirrors my own experience with anxiety, especially as it moves to the final chapters.

So, back to me, I guess. If Madeline’s depression looks like a ghoul version of herself, floating menacingly and pushing through outbursts, then I’ve always described my anxiety as an overtired toddler. The main wave of anxiety has passed now (Anxiety attacks for me can last between three days and, during a particularly bad February of this year, three and a half weeks), but I think the main thing to trigger it was a stomach ache I had on Wednesday. If you’re thinking it doesn’t make sense, then try asking a screaming two year old why they’re crying and deciphering their nonsensical string of an answer. Maybe there was something deeper to the anxiety than a stomach ache, but that doesn’t mean I can articulate it to anybody else, least of all myself.

Anxiety attacks are slightly different to panic attacks in that they can last longer, and don’t always have an obvious external symptom like hyperventilating. For me, I was in a loop of nausea, irritability, fighting back the consistent urge to cry, and heart palpitations. I didn’t quite hyperventilate, but I was breathless at the height of it, manifesting as a cough as my body fought to breathe. All of these symptoms made me tired, which made me anxious, because I get anxious when I’m tired, which made me more tired, which made me anxious, and so on and so forth. Stomach pains and nausea make me anxious too, because I don’t know if I’ll be sick, which also in turn make me more anxious, and get me trapped into a building cycle of pure dread. Three and a half weeks of it wasn’t exactly the best way to spend my February of this year, and it certainly wasn’t my chosen method of experiencing the past week.

Madeline asks her ghoul at one point why she’s being attacked. Surely, if Madeline’s fear is that she’ll get hurt on the mountain, why is her ghoul trying to kill her? Much in the same way I wonder why I’m getting anxious over nausea if it’s only a symptom of the anxiety in the first place, the ghoul isn’t on the mountain to follow logical reasoning. Theo tells Madeline that she’ll only get hurt if she tries to help Mr Oshiro more, and that her existence on the mountain is already a proof of achievement. And yet, Madeline is determined to stay in the resort (to my Switch left joycon’s horror) to help him regardless of whether or not he is grateful. I do things to prove something to myself long after it’s necessary, even if I know I’ll pay the price with my mental health later. We do things that aren’t always objectively logical because ghouls, and toddlers, and crystals, and weird Mario-esque ghosts, aren’t always things you can objectively reason with.

Initially, Madeline tries to swallow her fears and just climb. To ignore the ghoul she saw in the cracked mirror. Further up Celeste Mountain, Madeline concludes that she needs to destroy her ghoul. She needs to get rid of the “Part of [Madeline]” that seeks to hurt her. Then later, finally, Madeline realises she needs to talk to the ghoul. To embrace it and utilise it.

I once was deep in an anxiety attack when I went to a fencing match. By mistake, I’d had too many coffees that morning and the combined caffeine and anxiety pretty much clipped me through the sky and into another plane of existence. We won the match, and in turn I figured out that if I move more in a match, I get more points. Was it healthy in the moment? Absolutely not. But I doubt jumping into an abyss and hoping your ghoul is going to throw you the rest of the way is that healthy either. But you can take from it and learn.

Ignoring my symptoms of anxiety didn’t help at all. Avoiding all sources of my triggers helped a little, but not that much either. Recognising when I’m having an anxiety attack, managing the symptoms, and letting it pass like a wave works so much better. It’s only my second anxiety attack of the year, but if I get a third one I know what I need to do to get through it.

I’m not going to climb a mountain to prove I can do this, but I’m glad I followed Madeline on her journey as she did.

#review #misc

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cptnsantiago · 5 years

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stars (they make me wonder where you are)

summary: Rosa doesn’t remember much - meetings with lawyers, Jake being buried next to Amy, Charles screaming in grief, Holt sobbing whilst holding Kevin. Rosa does remember moving into her two best friends apartment when she is appointed the guardian to their child.

read on ao3 / major character death

“Hey it’s me! Your daddy-o!” Jake’s hold on his phone is shaky, but his happiness evident. “So it’s November 23rd, 4:38 in the morning and your mom has been experiencing contractions for about 3 hours!”

Jake turns his phone slightly to include Amy in the frame, who looks uncomfortable but happy sitting up in their bed. “How are you feeling Ames!?”

“Well she’s definitely on her way.” Amy’s hands are resting low on her stomach, and she cringes with a smile as another contraction begins. “It’s really not that bad, you know since I can- ah!”

Amy breathes deeply for another 15 seconds before she relaxes. “You know because I can still talk during them.”

“Okay babe, whatever you say.”

CUT

“It’s your dad again with birth update!” Jake sighs happily, “It is 0700 and contractions are about 12 minutes apart so still too early to go to the hospital but we’re walking around the apartment trying to move it along.”

“Jake do you really need to this?” Amy whines, “We’ve had no sleep and I’m uncomfortable and in pain.”

The camera quickly faces the floor but doesn’t stop recording, “I thought it might be fun to look back one day, but I can stop if you want me to.”

There’s silence for a moment before Amy agrees to let him do it. “So how are you feeling Ames?”

“I feel like I need you to come out of me much quicker please.” Amy says directly into the camera, as if talking to her daughter.

CUT

Luna Santiago-Peralta is put in the care of Rosa Diaz when she is only 5 weeks old.

It was written in their will. If anything were to happen to them, the care of their daughter would be passed to her godmother.

Karen found her son peacefully asleep with Luna screaming in his arms, but he doesn’t respond. Jake is a heavy sleeper, but with the baby right in his arms he should at least stir. Karen then notices how pale and unmoving her son is.

She rushes to his side, take his cold wrist and checking for any sign for a pulse. Any sign of life. Her arms rush to grab her granddaughter as her chest constricts and her spare hand shakes as she goes to call someone - anyone .

It’s a blur of tears from there and she’s trying to calm down Luna but she is screaming like she’s never heard a baby scream before. It’s not long before Captain Holt appears with Rosa who both falter at the sight of Jake and Karen sobbing holding a screaming baby.

Rosa doesn’t remember much - meetings with lawyers, Jake being buried next to Amy, Charles screaming in grief, Holt sobbing whilst holding Kevin. Rosa does remember moving into her two best friends apartment when she is appointed the guardian to their child.

She feels her chest tighten at the sight of the photos of Jake and Amy scattered around the apartment, the die hard posters and knitted quilts made by Amy. “I don’t know how to do this, Luna. But I will do my best to make sure you know how much they love you.”

She remembers when she gets the call from Karen, telling her the autopsy revealed that Jake had died of broken heart syndrome. A real thing. Rosa had heard of it before - the stress of grief so bad for some that it affects the heart. In short, his death had been preventable, but no one could get Jake to talk to them.

The first time she ventures into Jake and Amy’s room, Luna is almost 3 months old. Rosa had taken to sleeping on the couch, too afraid to change anything about the apartment. Every single person that visits understands.

It’s when Gina suggests they finally move in together when she finally goes inside. “I want her to grow up here, like they intended.”

“I know.” Gina takes her hand, squeezing lightly. “There’s a spare room, so Iggy can have her own room. I know it’s going to be hard… But we can’t keep it all the same. They can’t expect that.”

“They would want us to make it our own.”

Gina has Iggy and Luna out for a walk, and so Rosa spends her time alone to empty out some of Jake and Amy’s things out of her (their) room. She is controlling her emotions better as of late, so clearing out Amy’s clothes and putting them away to be donated doesn’t make her cry.

Halfway through Jake’s clothing, she notices an envelope fall out. His messy handwriting looks shakier than she remembers, and it has two words. For Luna . Rosa’s hands begin shaking as she carefully rips the letter open.

Dear Luna,

I hope no one has to give you this letter. But as you know, your mom died shortly after you were born but she bled out too quickly during surgery and passed away.

Your birthday is simultaneously one of the brightest and darkest days I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been separated from your mom before. Undercover mission, Florida, prison. I hope I can make these stories lighthearted for you one day. Right now, I can’t see anything but darkness.

I don’t sleep, I can’t eat and I can’t even bring myself to talk. And I usually talk a lot. The only thing I can do is keep you alive. You are the only thing keeping my heart beating. I can feel my body giving out. I have heart palpitations and pains every day. I want to stay alive for you I do, my baby, but I don’t know how to survive without my Amy. She was everything to me, such a badass and so loving.

I want you to know that I love you more than anything in the world as well as your mom. If you are reading this and it means I’ve died - don’t think this means I love you any less. I love you so fucking much.

I’m sorry. I am really trying to keep myself moving, living. I don’t want you to grow up without your parents. You’ve already lost your mom and you don’t deserve to lose the both of us. I’m trying so hard and I love you so much. I’m so sorry if you can’t understand my pain and I’m sorry for bringing you this pain. I just need you to understand that we love you to the ends of this earth.

Forever your dad,

Jake.

Rosa is furious. Jake knew he was dying. He told no one. The tears are hot on her cheeks and she hears the front door open, the sound of Iggy telling a story to Luna echoing through the apartment.

Gina notices her girlfriend crying, and sends her daughter off to go play before joining Rosa in their bedroom. “Rosa, what’s wrong?” Gina’s wiping the tears off her cheeks, desperately searching her eyes.

“Jake fucking knew he was dying.” Rosa’s voice is strained, and Gina sees her knuckles go white as she grips the letter in her hand.

It doesn’t take Gina long to read the letter, and Rosa’s heart breaks all over again as she reads it and tears roll down her face. “He abandoned her, Gina, the last thing he ever wanted to do. That’s exactly what he did.” Rosa growls stomping to the other side of the room.

“No!” Gina scoffs, “There’s no way he really knew he was dying.”

“ I’m having heart palpitations and pains everyday ! He fucking knew and he told no one!” Rosa wants to scream, the grief and disbelief too overwhelming.

“Try to think how he was feeling! There was no way it was easy to lose his fucking wife right after they had a baby!”

“It’s not fair to Luna! His duty was to be there for his daughter, not to join his wife in the ground!” Rosa is breathing heavily, and she doesn’t think her heart could break any further.

“How would you feel if I died, Rosa?” Gina holds both of her arms still and their eyes connect, “I know I would feel like the world is ending. I would feel like I’m dying! I don’t think he genuinely thought he was about to die. I think he was just trying to get his feelings into words since he felt like he could talk to no one!”

“Luna can never find this.” Rosa shakes her head, wiping the remaining tears off her face.

“It’s for her. She has the right to read it when she’s old enough.”

This time it’s Amy holding the phone. “Hola mi amor, it’s your mama. It’s 9:15 and your dad has fallen asleep on me.” Amy quickly shows Jake snoring on her shoulder on the couch, “He thought we could pass time by rewatching Die Hard for the 1001st time and he passed out.”

Amy yawns, “I can’t really sleep when the contractions are just over 10 minutes apart but I try to close my eyes. I’m glad he can get some sleep since he’ll be driving.”

Jake’s eyes flutter open, and slowly he registers that she’s filming. “Oh update time! What time is it?”

“9:17 now.” Amy tells him, “I’ve already done the basic update.”

“Sorry that I fell asleep.” Jake yawns, stretching.

“I can forgive you but I’m not sure Bruce Willis will…”

“AMY HOW DARE YOU-”

CUT

They only have family over for Luna’s first birthday. Family being her grandparents and their squad. No one really knows how to go about the day. There’s a cake for Luna, and a framed photo of Jake and Amy at their wedding displayed next to it.

Luna is dressed in a dark blue dress with black tights and there’s a dark bow in her unruly curly hair. Rosa had tried to tame it for photos but the whole day was stressing her out so much that she has to stop in order to catch her breath.

Her smile is so bright and unknowing of the events that happened a year earlier. She waddles around the apartment and giggles when Victor makes silly noises.

Rosa has to wipe her eyes of the tears that escape when Luna waddles over yelling, “Mamamamamaa!”

She spots everyone at different points of the day crying. It’s all so fresh but their life has to move on so they can give Luna the best chance she can get. They take photos and sing happy birthday. Luna smashes into the cake and squeals as she throws it everywhere and puts very little into her mouth.

After giving her a bath and having her fall asleep in Gina’s arms, she’s finally in her cot. The adults all give toasts to Jake and Amy, and reminisce on their favourite memories. Gina holds her hand through it all, just as she had been all year.

From the moment Rosa had custody over Luna, she made sure every night she told a story about her parents. Whether it was about their relationship, or a individual story or a whole group story. Sometimes when she had to work late, Gina would take over but her stories always involved herself.

“Roro, can you tell me the dress story again?” Luna asks, crawling into her bed.

“Sure can,” Rosa turns on the bedside nightlight and sits on her bed. “Your mom just became a sergeant and she didn’t want to be judged for looking for a wedding dress, but I caught on, so I forced her to take a break to try on dresses.”

At 5 years old, she has told this story so many times already - it’s her favourite and still Luna takes her bunny and holds it close to her chest as she devotes all her attention to Rosa. “But then when she was wearing the dress, a bad guy was running from the law so your mom leaps over the couch and chases the bad guy down and leaps over all these obstacles - then finally, she tackles him down and takes the sash she’s wearing and restrains him.”

“And then you catch up with her and you’re like ‘damn sarge!’” Luna giggles, her eyes crinkling just like her mothers.

“What is the very important lesson from this?” Rosa asks.

“The lesson is that I should never care what other might think of me, and that women can do everything!” Luna repeats this confidently every time, yawning.

“You are so smart, I love you.” Rosa smooths the curly hair down as she kisses her forehead, “and so does Sergeant Bunny.”

“I love you mommy Roro.”

At 6 years old, Charles introduces Luna to her favourite movie - Zootopia. She has Sergeant Bunny near her at all times, as it was something her parents bought her when they found out about her. The few times they almost lost it are the few times Luna had real meltdowns.

Charles always makes sure that he babysits every few weeks so that Rosa and Gina can have a break. This particular night, Iggy is sleeping over at her friends so it’s just Charles and Luna. After they’ve eaten dinner and Luna is in her pyjamas, Charles puts on the movie. Anything to do with cops, she always pays intense attention to. She dances, her curls bounce and her smile is as wide as Jake’s and her eyes bright like Amy.

His heart physically hurts every time he thinks how much like Luna is like her parents. Her personality and looks. She takes games very seriously, when she’s interested in something her focus becomes so serious her eyebrow crinkle the same way Amy’s did.

“I want to be a police woman like mommy and you and grandpa Holt!” Her goofy smile fades slightly, “And like mama and daddy!”

“Yeah? Why do you want to be a police woman?” Charles asks, trying to keep his emotions intact.

“I wanna save the world and catch the bad guys!” Her smile returns quickly, “Mom says mama and daddy were real good superheros!”

“They were. Have you been told the story of the bet where their love story began?” Charles heart clenches again at how her eyes sparkle.

“YES! They bet who could arrest more baddies and daddy won so he took her on the worst date ever but it was really a good date!” Luna knows just about every story possible about her parents. She sits back down and continues to pay attention to the movie.

Once it’s finished, Charles notices that Luna has gone quiet which is very uncharacteristic of her (just like Jake). “Are you tired, Luna?”

“No.” Luna mumbles, “I wish I could meet my mama and daddy. My friends at school know their moms and dads.”

“Not everyone knows their mommies and daddies.” Charles assures her.

“There are others like me?” Luna’s eyes are desperate to know more.

“Niko doesn’t know his birth mommy. I raised him with Aunt Genny.”

“Really?” Her chin wobbles, “Does it ever make him sad?”

“Sometimes, but when that happens we just remind him how loved he is and that we’re here for him. The same goes for you Lulu.” Charles pulls her in for a hug, “Your mama and daddy loved you so much and are always in your heart.”

“Were they with me when I stole a cookie from the jar when I wasn’t supposed to?” A guilty grin forms on her face.

“Yes and they love you unconditionally. Your mama would tell you not to do it again, but then your daddy would sneak you another cookie.” Charles laughs softly, “For every moment you need them, they will be with you.”

“It is 10:49 and we are officially going to the hospital!” Jake jumps, giddy, “Care to tell us why?”

“Contractions are 7 minutes apart, much stronger and my water broke about 10 minutes ago.” Amy is panting as she walks up behind him, “I can’t wait to walk a few feet without being out of breath.”

“I never thought I would be more fit than Amy freakin’ Santiago!”

“I have a human baby in me I think that makes me more fit in every way possible.” Jake cracks up at this and Amy is poking her tongue out at him and he kisses her nose in response.

“You are completely right. I love you.”

CUT

Luna is 8 and a half when her moms finally get married. Rosa had proposed years earlier, but kept putting it off. She always said she wanted to focus on raising Luna well but always promised Gina that it would happen. They don’t begin planning until she asks them why they aren’t married like all the other parents of her friends.

“It’s complicated…” Rosa begins.

“Is it?” Gina rolls her eyes, “Let’s just do it. Nothing flashy.”

“But it’s your wedding it has to be flashy!” Rosa argues with a pout.

“You guys are all I need to have the perfect wedding.” Gina says with a soft smile, her eyes drifting to one of the pictures of Jake and Amy on their wedding day.

Rosa finally agrees to a simple wedding, and it’s only a month later and she’s braiding Luna’s hair getting her ready to be the flower girl. “Do you have a cool line to say mommy?” She asks as she hops off the stool.

“I don’t know if I can beat ‘your butt is da bomb’, but I can definitely try. I’m not as big of a dork as your parents were!” Rosa giggles, smoothing her own curls as she checks herself in the mirror.

“So not true! I hear you saying cute things to mom all the time!!” She squeals, “You are my everything Gina! What would I do without you my love!”

“You are a little rascal!” Rosa is smiling so wide she might entirely fall apart.

“I learn from the master, GINA LINETTI!” Luna puffs her chest and juts her chin up, pulling off a perfect Amy Santiago power pose.

“Can’t argue with that.”

In the end, Rosa can’t think of anything genius and hilarious to say to express how much she loves Gina. But she is able to show a whole different soft side that her family hasn’t seen before, and she believes that softness was brought out by none other than Luna.

“I can’t wait to spend every day for the rest of my life loving you. Loving you, Iggy and Luna.”

“Why haven’t we ever done a Halloween heist?” Luna asks, dropping her school bag on the floor as she enters their apartment.

“Hey Luna, my day was good. How are you?” Rosa raises her eyebrows at her, amused with the lack of greeting.

“Yeah yeah, I’m good now please answer my question.” She sits next to her mom at the table, determined to get the answer out of her.

“Um, well, it never felt right, without Jake and Amy.” Rosa looks down at her hands, “I had you to focus on, we all had families at this point and it hurt thinking of competing without them bickering.”

“I think we should start them again!” Luna tells her, bouncing in her seat. “I know everything about the past Halloween heists and I can fight to defend mama and dad’s titles! Everyone says I’m just like them so I think we can make it work!!”

“I don’t know, it’s a bit different for all of us.” Rosa tells her sternly, her tone warning her to drop it.

“They wouldn’t want you to stop enjoying that part of your life! It was tradition for 8 years! I think it’s a good way to honour their memory-”

“Drop it Luna!” She rarely raises her voice with Luna, only in moments like this where she is so like her parents and the stubbornness is overwhelming.

“NO! I DON’T WANT TO DROP IT!” Luna screams, her frown so deep and it looks like she’s about to have a meltdown.

“What is going on?” Gina rushes into the room, eyes concerned as she looks at her wife and Luna.

“I want to do a Halloween heist to defend my parents title!” Luna stands up and moves closer to Gina, “I think it’s a great idea to honour them but Rosa keeps saying no!”

“Excuse me?” Rosa falters at hearing her name.

“YOU AREN’T MY MOM! GINA ISN’T MY MOM!” Luna wipes the hot tears falling on her face, “I don’t know my mom and dad. I just want to know them but I can’t so I want to do this heist!”

Both Rosa and Gina are crying at this point, speechless at their daughters pain. No one speaks for what feels like hours, but Luna wipes her cheeks again. “Can I go see grandpa Holt?” She asks, her arms folding her and building up her walls. “I’ve got some hard math homework.”

“Baby, you can’t run away from your feelings.” Gina walks closer but Luna steps back, her arms tightening around herself.

“Please do I have permission to run away to grandpa Holt for a night?” Luna hiccups, avoiding all eye contact. Rosa makes the call and it’s not long before Holt is there, taking her bag with pyjamas and change of clothes for school the next day.

“I will make sure she goes to bed at the appropriate time and is at school on time.” Holt tells them with a nod of understanding.

“I love you Rosa and Gina.” Luna mumbles with a wave.

Luna remains silent whilst she completes her homework with Holt’s help, and throughout dinner where she barely eats her plain rice. They are watching Zootopia on the couch when Holt asks, “May I ask why you and Rosa fought?”

“No.” Luna’s eyebrows knit together, trying to focus on the movie in front of them.

“Talking about it tends to help you sort out your emotions.”

“Tell that to Rosa.” Luna still keeps her eyes on the television for a few moments. “I want to do a Halloween heist.”

“Oh…” Holt can feel her tense as his tone. “It’s been a long time.”

“I get that it makes everyone sad to do it without my mom and dad but… I don’t know them and I want to feel like I do. I know they loved me, I know they are with me always - it’s been drilled into me for forever but I still have no way of connecting to them. It’s not fair that you have so much with them and I get nothing!” Luna lets the tears fall freely again, her breath shaking as she speaks.

“It is completely unfair.” Holt agrees, his arm wrapping around her shoulder, “And I believe it would be a brilliant to begin the heists again.”

“Really?” Her eyes sparkle as she turns to him, “I was trying to tell mom that it would be a good way to honour them. And so that I can defend their titles!”

“It’s wonderful, and it will be hard for us but I think I can convince them as the only two time winner.”

“My dad is the only two time winner! Bill had the real belt at midnight so it means he won the heist! And also because that’s when he asked mama to marry him!!” Luna defends fiercely.

“I guess I can concede defeat after 12 years…” Holt chuckles, “You will do well at defending their title.”

Luna gives him a tight hug, “Thank you thank you thank you!”

Come Halloween, Luna is dressed as a mummy and is in the centre of the bullpen holding the statue at midnight. “I WIN! THE SANTIAGO-PERALTA LEGACY LIVES ON! SUCK IT!” She squeals, jumping on the spot.

The entire squad surrounds her and repeats, very happily, “Luna Santiago-Peralta is an amazing human slash genius!”

At that, Luna runs up to Rosa and wraps her in a tight hug. “I love you mom.”

“11:26 and we are settled in our room!” Jake voice is loud and unexpected since they are in a hospital. “Contractions are getting closer and more painful for your mom but she’s still on the no medication headset.”

In the background you can hear Amy groan and the camera suddenly faces up to the ceiling, but you can hear Jake coaching Amy through the contraction, telling her how amazing she’s doing and there’s still a short time until Jake picks up his phone again and begins talking again. “Luna, I’m going to take this moment to tell you how badass your mom is.

This wonderful woman here has just spent the past 9 or so months growing you - sacrificing her body and her sleep so that you can be as strong as you can be. I can’t express how much I admire her! She is the strongest woman I know and if you grow up to be like her I will be the proudest man on earth. Except love ninja turtles and Die Hard like me - then you can be the ultimate human slash genius- OH AMES, I can’t wait to introduce her to Halloween heists. This year we teamed up and your mom pretended to be in labour so we could steal the championship wand - Aunt Rosa ended up kicking our ass though. That’s a story for another time. Anything you want to add Amy?”

“Please don’t let her be obsessed with Die Hard, I will be outnumbered in movie nights!” Amy pouts, “I love you Luna, but please, I’ve heard enough about it to last me a lifetime.”

Amy is smiling at Jake, so he knows she doesn’t mean it. “She’s lying, she loves Die Hard as much as I do now!” His eyes are wide and he’s nodding with a silly grin on his face, “You can love whatever movies you want Luna, we will still love you the same!”

CUT

Luna convinces Iggy to let her watch Die Hard while their moms were out on date night.

“I’m all caught up on my homework for the next two weeks and I’ve finished my reading for the night, Iggy, please!” She whines on the couch, “It’s my dad's favourite movie but mom said I can’t watch it yet but I want to!”

“Ugh fine, don’t be such a big nerd about it.” She rolls her eyes before finding the movie on Netflix, “You’re only 14 so if I get in trouble you’re going down.”

“Yeah yeah whatever now be QUIET.” Luna sits on the edge of her seat as the movie begins, her attention devoted entirely to the screen. Two hours later and Luna is on the floor, right in front of the TV and looking gobsmacked. “That. Was. Awesome.”

“It’s not that great.” Iggy puts her book down to laugh at her little sister, “Don’t make me watch the next one please.”

“THERE’S ANOTHER ONE???”

“There are like 5, Loony.”

“THERE’S 5 MOVIES I HAVE SO MUCH TO CATCH UP ON!” Luna grabs the remote and clicks on the next one.

“I’m going to bed, have fun nerd.”

Gina and Rosa come home around 11 to find Luna fast asleep, snoring peacefully as explosions played in the background. “I’m having flashbacks to childhood.” Gina snorts, “I want to be mad that she didn’t listen but she is Jake’s kid.”

“Die Hard is in her blood.” Rosa laughs as she kneels next to Luna, “Hey baby.”

Luna’s eyes flutter open at the feeling of a hand brushing through her curls, but when realising it’s her mom her eyes widened and she sat up quickly. “Heeeeyyyy moms! How was your night? I don’t know what this violent movie is on my screen right now!” Rosa rolls her eyes at her daughter trying to deflect.

“You are so your dad,” Luna blushes and looks at her hands, “And you shouldn’t have watched it without permission but I understand why you did.”

“I’m sorry.” Luna shrugs, “I’ve got Harry Potter to connect with mama and I just wanted to see what dad was so obsessed with.”

“That’s completely understandable.” Gina wraps her up in a side hug, “He probably would have made you watch it much earlier even though it would have been so inappropriate.”

“I like to think Amy might have prevented it for a few years.” Rosa laughs, “She loved Die Hard too, I never heard her admit it out loud.”

“Do you miss them?” Luna asks quietly.

“Constantly. Especially when you make that face when you love something, it’s such an Amy expression and then you behave so much like Jake when you get focused. You’re a giant nerd like the both of them.” Gina tells her, a fond smile on her face.

“I’m always thinking of how they would love the cases I’m getting, and if I struggle I try to think like they would.” Rosa follows, “They’re always with us, especially in you.”

“Have you started planning your Quinceañera, my dear?” Camila asks at dinner one evening, months before her 15th birthday.

“Um, I don’t actually want to have one.” Luna frowns slightly, “They’re really backwards and all, and I know it’s a tradition but…”

“Oh…” Camila frowns, “I just thought… Do you want to see Amy’s photos?”

“Camila, if she doesn’t want to do it you need to respect that.” Rosa intervenes.

“No I would love to see the photos.” Luna brightens as her abuela take out a binder full of photos from Amy’s quinceañera. In the photos she can see how similar they look, except her own hair was more wild and curly like her dad. The dress she is wearing has a white sparkly bodice with soft pink tulle.

The photo with her abuelo, who had died when she was only 3 years old, is what she can’t take her eyes off. It’s during their father daughter dance, and she is beaming at whatever her father seems to be saying. She then closes her eyes, trying to imagine her quinceañera if her parents were still alive. What her father daughter dance might be like with her dad?

Luna says she doesn’t want to have a quinceañera because its old fashioned and lame - but the real reason is so much more. Rosa has been the greatest mother, as has Gina, and the entirety of her parents old squad - but she wants to have her parents there but they can’t . They’re gone forever, no matter how much people tell her they are always inside her.

“I still have her dress in the attic. Amy always told me she wanted her own daughter to wear it to her own quinceañera.” Camila says fondly.

“Really?” Luna has tears in her eyes, and she grips on her abuela’s hand.

“Yes, and I don’t want you to think I’m pressuring you to do it. It’s just an open suggestion.”

“Here we are, it’s 1:06 in the afternoon. Mom is a solid 7cm dilated and very very excited to get you out of her body!” Jake announces with a grin. He turns the camera around so that it shows Amy on her purple birthing ball. “When I say she’s excited I mean she’s desperate - but it’s the same sentiment.”

“Luna is very welcome to hurry up.” Amy groans, “She’s gonna see this video and think I hate her.”

“Noooo you’re just in pain, Ames. I’m sure our child isn’t a cold hearted snake!”

“I will love her even if she’s a bitch. I will have to reprimand her for it though.”

“Don’t be a bitch, dear Luna. Listen to your mother now!” This time when Amy groans again, Jake doesn’t drop his phone but moves to support her with her face still in frame.

There are tears rolling down her face as the peak of the contraction hits her, and her groan grows louder. She sniffles when it’s over, and Jake gets the both of them in frame again. “See your mom is a total badass. I love her so much.”

Amy grins down at her husband and chastely kisses him, “I love you so much.”

CUT

Every birthday they make sure to visit their graves. Since Luna could remember, she has always taken this time to update them on the major events in her life - when she lost her first tooth, her first straight A report card. This time she has her hair and makeup ready to go to her quinceañera but she didn’t get in her dress so that they could make the trip before her big party.

Rosa joins her for the first 10 minutes, but then goes to wait in the car so she can have her moment alone.

Amy Santiago-Peralta Jacob Santiago-Peralta

Sept. 17 1983 - Nov. 23 2022 June. 14 1981 - Jan. 1 2023

Daughter. Wife. Mother. Son. Husband. Father. Die Hard fanatic.

Luna sits on the grass and takes a deep breath. “Hi.

Sooo, I’m in high school now! So far so good, people aren’t so awful as movies depict it. So far I’m on track for having straight As this semester. Mo-Rosa says you guys would be so proud of that - that I’ve become a giant nerd like you two.

My best friend, her name is Lauren, really likes Die Hard like we do - obsessed with any old action movie really. I always make sure I tell her everything wrong with the way the women are treated and she calls me a nerd but in the way Gina does. So it sounds kind of mean but she has so much heart.

Um, I saw photos of you with bangs mom, so I got bangs. Oof it was a bad idea - but that’s because my hair is too curly I think. I also had my first kiss this year. It was weird, his name was Luke and he was okay but said he wasn’t that interested in me. I’m not too bothered by it but I feel like it’s something you tell your parents. I didn’t tell Rosa or Gina - I felt too uncomfortable.

Um, I miss you. Or the idea of you, since I don’t have any real memory of you. But it sucks that you aren’t here for my quinceañera - but I’m doing it for you mom, I got your dress altered to fit me and it looks great.

R-Rosa said she’s going to do the father daughter dance - because fuck gender roles right? Sorry, Rosa tells me not to swear and I definitely shouldn’t right in front of you. I just want you here.

I need to save my makeup, so I guess that’s it from me for now. But I hope you’re watching tonight, because it would make me really happy to know you’re there.”

Luna doesn’t say anything in the ride to the venue, only a vague nod if when her mom asks if she had a nice chat with them. Before either of them leaves the car, Rosa turns to her and takes her hand. “I’m so proud of you, Luna.” There are tears on her cheeks, and she doesn’t try to hide them. “I love you.”

“I love you mom.” Luna’s chin quivers intensely, but she doesn’t let herself cry - not yet.

She lasts a long without crying - she gets through hugs from her entire family and speeches. But then they announce it’s time for her dance with Rosa, and hear breath becomes shorter. When her mom wraps her arms around her, she can feel herself relax. They don’t have a proper dance ready, they just begin to sway.

We know full well there's just time

So is it wrong to dance this line?

If your heart was full of love

Could you give it up?

It doesn’t take long before her shoulders are quaking and Rosa’s grip tighten, Luna can hear her sniffling as well as the piano takes over.

'Cause what about, what about angels

They will come, they will go and make us special

Don't give me up

She can hear Rosa audibly crying as much as she is now, and not a moment later she feels her other moms hands wrapping around them. Then it’s uncle Charles, uncle Terry and grandpa Holt. Luna sways with them all, and she’s pretty sure everyone in the room is likely crying but in this moment she feels her parents more than ever.

She manages to look up at Rosa and whisper shakily, “They’re here.”

It's not about, not about angels

Angels

“It’s 5:30 in the evening and you have been here in the world for about an hour and a half now. Born at 4:06 to be exact and you weigh in at around 6 pounds and 19 inches long. Your mom is doing great, in pain but she’s such a champion. I will never stop telling you how powerful she is and if you ever disobey her I won’t stop her showing her wrath. Also because I’m terrified of it.”

Jake moves so that Amy and Luna appear in the frame with him, “Look at us - a happy little family!”

Amy’s face quickly scrunches up as she begins to cry. “We have a baby Jake!”

“What did you think you were growing in you for 9 months, Ames?” Jake laughs, joining her on the bed.

“Various fruits and vegetables of course!” She giggles, “I’m just so happy, babe.”

“Me too. I can’t wait to watch her grow up with you.”

Jake kisses her softly, stroking Luna’s head lightly before they both look at the camera like they’re taking a family photo.

END

Luna is 17 years old when she finds the video her dad made of the day she was born. She had been working on an entrance essay for college when she got bored and went looking at photos on her moms laptop. She had scrolled until until she saw a folder she had never seen before.

11/23/22

She opens it and sees photos she seen before - photos of her moments after she was born, screaming on her mother’s chest as her mother glows. Photos of her with Jake and photos with her with Amy - and then the both of them beaming as one of them holds her.

What she hasn’t seen before is the the 4 minute and 13 second video. Her heart pounds as her father’s goofy smile appears on screen.

Luna has been to therapy - parents dying hours and months after you are born can have a lasting affect - and she has worked through most of her emotions about not knowing them. She still has her moments of missing them intensely, and that usually falls on holidays or her birthday.

So she doesn’t really expect the flood of tears that break once she hears the line ‘ I will love her even if she’s a bitch. ’ She’s really laughing at her parents being weird but the tears don’t stop falling and her heart truly aches.

Of course she has seen an abundance of videos and photos of her parents of through their partnership, friendship and then relationship before. There was something completely groundbreaking seeing them talk about her and them moving with her there even if for a short time.

The video has been over for a few minutes, paused on them both looking at her with love written in their features. She still can’t stop her tears and it’s then that her mom shows up.

“Alright which little son of a bitch am I fighting?” She growls immediately, protective mode in full force. When she joins Luna on the couch and sees what she has open, she softens. “Talk to me, Luna.”

“I don’t know what to say that I haven’t said before.” Luna hiccups, shaking her head. “I have this moment with them, it’s all I have. I wish I had… a chance to… to have one conversation with them now. I want to hear them say they love me and that they’re proud. Everyone tells me they are but I want to hear it from them.

And you and Gina have been such great moms to me and I feel so bad for wanting them so badly. But I also know I have the right to feel like this and it all just hurts.”

“We would never feel like you don’t appreciate us because you want your parents. We want them back. But that doesn’t change my love for you either.” Rosa grips her hands tightly, “Your parents and you have changed my life like I never expected.”

The last thing Luna remembers is falling asleep with Rosa as she told her the best stories of her parents once again. Now she’s in what seems to be a park, surrounded by bright green trees and a lake in the corner. The sun is shining on the lake and she’s in such a deep trance that she doesn’t hear her name being called until there’s a hand on her shoulder and she jumps. Turning around, she stumbles a few steps back at the sight of her mother and her father close by - soft smiles on both their faces.

“Hi Luna.” Amy’s eyes seem to be filling with tears and her voice is cracking with emotion.

“Mom? Dad?” Luna has to take a few deep breaths as she tries to process what was seeing in front of her. “Is this some freaky Harry Potter resurrection stone dream shit?” She finally manages to get out, tears are leaking out of her parents eyes as they laugh.

“Probably. Ames, this is so cool right? It’s our baby.” Jake gestures at Luna, awe shining off him brighter than the sun.

A sob escapes as she jumps to embrace them and she doesn’t care if she’s dreaming because they feel so real in the moment. “I can’t believe this.”

Their arms are tightly wrapped around her and they spend what feels like eternity just holding each other and crying. “I’m so sorry, mi amor.” Amy pulls back and holds her at arms length to look into her eyes.

“Don’t be sorry! This wasn’t in your control.” Luna shakes her head, “I know you didn’t want to leave me.”

“It doesn’t change how bad we feel that you only got to know us through others.” Jake adds, “We love you so much, and we’ve always been with you.”

“I know that.” Luna nods fiercely, tears continuing to fall like a waterfall.

“We are so proud of the young woman you have become.” Amy tells her.

“Everyone tells me how much I’m like the both of you.” Luna beams, “They all did their part to tell me about you.”

“Did Charles cover the love story? I’d say he’s the best at telling it besides myself.” Jake quips, and she feels so enlightened. It’s everything she wants in a dream.

“He has made sure I know and that my expectations are at an extremely unrealistic level.” She replies, like they’ve joked around her whole life.

“Thank them for us.” Amy requests softly, “Everyone who has helped you - but especially Rosa. It was so much to ask but she raised you with no questions asked and we couldn’t be more thankful for that.”

“She’s been great to me.” Luna agrees, “I might not have had you but I was always loved.”

“A few more things, while we still have time. One; good job on defending us in the Halloween heist. Two; you rocked those bangs girl I don’t care what you say. Three; I’m so proud that you love Die Hard.” Jake is counting on his fingers, and he’s thinking of a fourth when Amy interrupts.

“Also you’ve been so good in school, and you’re so kind to your peers. Luna, we can’t possibly express how proud we are.”

Luna once again buries herself into a hug with the both of them, and they’re all mumbling how much they love each other. It’s warm and she’s never felt a happiness this intense.

The sun grows brighter and brighter until she opens her eyes and she’s back in her home, her head against Rosa’s legs and tears staining her cheeks. They’re gone again but she can still feel their arms and their love surrounding her.

They’re gone again, but she’s okay.

#peraltiago #peraltiago fic #writing #my fics #ANGSTTTTTT

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jesanopinion · 5 years

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30 things I've experienced at age 30.

It was a rollercoaster of a year, but everything that happened taught me something even if it didn't make it on this list.

1. It started on a sweet note, an entire lesbian bar sang happy birthday to me in French 🥰

2. Got my first tattoo.

3. Lost my grandpa. The toughest, strongest, kid at heart-est, gentleman I know.

4. Lots of home improvement projects from plumbing to electrical to woodworking to flooring, patchwork, and painting. (Feeling pretty confident about building my own tiny home someday)

5. Forced to be "man of the house" with all of the responsibilities but none of the power. You just have to learn as you go, try your best even if you're scared, and hope the people you protect feels safe and cared for.

6. Was misunderstood for something that was never my intention despite efforts in trying to respect and do exactly what was asked.

7. Bell's Palsy

8. Temporarily got back in touch with my artsy-fartsy, low budget, creative side for a special project.

9. Nearly broke my ribs falling out a tree. It was very badly bruised. All wounds heal with time... eventually.

10. Found my dad after 10 years of not being in each other's lives. He is dying and I feel like an asshole because I don't care.

11. Three mental breakdowns, an anxiety/panic attack, and the resurrection of my old friend depression. Did I mention, my self-esteem and confidence was at an all time low and I questioned my existence? Mental illness is real. Thankful for the supportive people in my life.

12. Went to my first therapy session ever. It wasn't Google, alcohol, my sister, or a friend. It was an actual professional. Not sure if I'll go back, that was three months ago.

13. Fostered a dog and ended up adopting her. Definitely the best thing I've done in a long time and the most adult thing I've ever done.

14. Bought a timeshare property.

15. Had ganglion cyst surgically removed from my hand because smashing a book on it wasn't working anymore. YouTube it, it's a real thing..

16. Was offer multiple job opportunities at the same time. This is the first time I had options. In new territories, kind of cool, not sure what to do.

17. Got my second tattoo.

18. Doctors finally heard my heart palpitations. EKG shows I have an extra heartbeat. They're thinking "possible anterior infarct". More tests to come.

19. Settled a three years old lawsuit.

20. Wasn't able to ignore my knee anymore and got an MRI. The doc said "it's not normal at all". Got a cortisone injection and gain 20% of pain-free life back. Which is awesome!

21. Upped my survival skills and learned how to scale and gut a fish. It's a lot of work. Gained new appreciation for people who cooks fresh fish.

22. Saved the house from two potential 🔥

23. Ambulance license expired. Kind of sad that chapter is officially closed.... for now.

24. Was definitely not the greatest person to be around. If I was around at all, I was often very cryptic because I couldn't or didn't know how express myself.

25. Humbly grateful for the handful of wonderful souls that showed me kindness, patience, and support. Especially those that didn't judge me.

26. Lots of good food, concerts, museums, and dog petting.

27. Realizing I am an adult-adult even though I don't feel like one at all.

28. Reminisced and sang childhood songs with my god-mom. I need to create and cherish more moments like these.

29. Said goodbye to a really awesome group of people that I ❤ like family.

30. Understanding the need to make better health decisions and challenging myself to make a change. Gonna try a year without drinking.

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impalaimagining · 6 years

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some stuff.

i really hate doing this. i really hate feeling like this. i really hate posting shit like this because it’s not why any of you are here. under a cut because it got much more wordy than i anticipated. i’m ranting about personal things, feel free to scroll by.

maybe you’ve noticed the lack of writing coming from this blog lately, maybe you’ve noticed the posts using humor to avoid dealing with the actual shit i’m dealing with. or maybe you haven’t, and that’s fine too.

it’s no excuse, i know everyone is doing it, but i’m working full time and it’s draining. i don’t sleep at night, i have to be out of bed by 5:15 every morning to be at work by 6. i have insomnia because i’m depressed, my depression gets worse because i have insomnia, etc., etc. about a week and a half ago, i started having weird heart palpitations and couldn’t breathe and i was dizzy every morning when i woke up. i had to call out of work twice because of all of this, and i was at risk of losing my job. i wasn’t fired, but i’m walking on eggshells.

the same day i started having the weird bodily stuff, my bank account was overdrafted almost $400 because my student loans started up again with essentially no warning from the loan company. thankfully i still had money in a different account to cover the difference and i got paid the next day. it’s situated, but i’m scared of how i’m going to continue to make this work for the next ten years until this shit is paid off.

i’m fairly certain i’m going to have a lot of trouble having kids. why is that important right now? my brother told my family a few weeks ago that his girlfriend is pregnant. he’s 3 years younger than me and i told him when he was 17, i want to be a mother before i become an aunt. not happening. my 17 year old cousin is also pregnant. none of them are ready to be parents and none of them are taking it seriously. i’d really like to give my brother the benefit of the doubt, because i know he’s scared and he came to me crying and hugging me because he was afraid i was going to hate him. i don’t. but this hurts a lot more than i’d like to allow myself to believe. it’s petty and stupid and selfish.

last night, my husband dropped a bomb on me and i don’t want to put it out there because i know people don’t share my views on the subject, but to make it short, i was lied to and disrespected by not only him, but by all of his friends and some of his family. i haven’t talked to him since i found out the truth last night. we’ve been sitting in the same room all day today and i’ve barely said five words to him. i hate it but i’m not apologizing for feeling the way i do.

my cousin/best friend is moving over 14 hours away at the end of this week. we had plans to spend a few days together before she left, and she cancelled them. i work every day this week, until the day after she leaves. i’m not going to be able to see her. she’s been less than 40 minutes away my entire life, and now she won’t be. my best friend from elementary school is moving 6 hours away the day after my cousin leaves. i feel so fucking alone and they’re not even gone yet. i’ve had the same group of friends since i was 12 years old and they’re scattering themselves all over the country. i’m all kinds of emotional and i feel like a fucking child for being so upset by this.

all of this shit is piling up and piling up and piling up and i’m so far from okay that it’s physically painful to function properly. i’m not myself, i have no motivation to do anything, and i can barely get out of bed in the morning, but i have to because of aforementioned reasons. i’m doing everything in my power to hold it together right now, and to push through this shit and channel it into writing.

thank you all for sticking around, for reading this if you’ve made it this far, and for supporting me regardless of the fact that i’ve done absolutely nothing to deserve it.

#not spn #personal #i don't know how to tag this #so let's go with #insomnia #depression #tw: depression #depression trigger #trigger warning: depression #i guess #pregnancy #tw: pregnancy #trigger warning: pregnancy #pregnancy trigger #i'm just trying to avoid backlash for not tagging properly #so if you need me to tag anything else #just anon me or whatever and i'll edit this post #sorry

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kazziemuse · 6 years

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Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie - Review!

My History with Hey Arnold!

Hey Arnold! It’s about time! Before I dive into the Jungle Movie itself, a note from history and the person writing this review. At the time of this writing, I am 29 years old. Yes, I am a late 80’s baby! And with that, I grew up in the 90’s…When we didn’t all have cell phones, the internet, online multiplayer gaming, and going outside to explore was daily life. What else was good about the 90’s? The cartoons…and, one specifically? Hey Arnold.

I remember at the time, Hey Arnold was a new thing in 1996. It would air during a two-hour time slot dedicated to after school cartoons called CITV. My Nan would pick me up from school at 3:00pm, and we would be home by 3:30pm, just missing the first cartoon. That was ok though, because beyond all else, my favorite by far was Hey Arnold. I used to sit with my Nan watching, and because Hey Arnold was SUCH a real-life show, it got my curiosity running wild. There was so much in this show that grabbed me, that taught me and that made me feel certain emotions for the first time. I would spend hours thinking about episodes and bugging my nan with questions about what we just saw. It must have driven her crazy.

In the many years that I watched CITV after school, not many cartoons from that time period stood out to me as well, apart from of course…Hey Arnold. And, I have fond memories of watching it with my Nan who, sadly passed away in the year 2000. I was 12 years old.

Hey Arnold “concluded” a few years later. And while I still loved the show, I was starting to move onto other things. Still waiting for TJM which, never came. In those early days of dial up internet, it was hard to find information if you didn’t know what you were doing. And thus, I entered my teenage years with the Hey Arnold book closed…But, for how long?

Fast forward to my early mid-twenties. OMG life, right? Real life? This sucks. Crisis after crisis…Let’s try and dive back into something that gave me some good feelings and thoughts. I know! I will dive back into some cartoons…Lets rewatch some childhood favorites, such as Recess and Hey Arnold.

Re-watching the Hey Arnold series as an adult was like watching a different show entirely. The emotion, the truth about how life can be so cruel, the real world problems these characters faced and most of all, Helga’s undying love for Arnold which of course, I shipped immediately. After finishing the Journal, I was devastated to find out the story of TJM being cancelled. I researched, signed the petitions and with little hope of Hey Arnold ever coming back…I counted my blessings and moved on into other fandoms, which would consume the next 5-6 years in terms of obsessions.

It wasn’t until about two years ago, I stumbled across the news that TJM would happen. And honestly? I was excited but not ecstatic. I had moved on and completely obsessed with other fandoms. More TJM information started to fly around, and I slowly started to become obsessed again. It’s only really in the last year or so, that I have re-watched the whole series, followed the news and subscribed to YouTubers. And with that, I’m hooked again.

Leading up to The Jungle Movie

So, with my history with Hey Arnold covered, was that really important? Yes! Because like many of fans, it’s a story of growing up with this show and how returning to the things you loved can bring back the same happiness. But now it’s time to dive into The Jungle Movie!

Where to begin? Craig gave us so much insight to this movie to get one internally screaming! But, at the same time, he didn’t reveal too much as to give us the whole plot. The balance was truly perfect. We would have the answers that we wanted. Where are his parents, and would Arnold and Helga ever be?

SDCC 2017. The first sneak peek is shown and boy! I remember that afternoon so well. My heart was skipping beats watching. Look at this! Look at the animation, how spot on the voices are, look at how true they are to the original characters. It felt like an absolute dream! No revival can be this good? Can it? The more and more footage and screenshots that got released…The more and more I got obsessed and excited. Honestly, at first I wasn’t too keen on Arnold and Helga’s animation. I felt at times it was too different from the main series, especially Helga. That point aside, we were still getting The Jungle Movie soon! And I’m sure it’s not going to ruin anything for me. Hell, it might even grow on me!

In the leading months and weeks to TJM being aired, it had become my main obsession again. Craig’s weekly to daily Instagram posts became something I kept checking my phone for; the previews got me running from my desk at work to a toilet, so I could watch and fangirl in private. This was amazing! I knew this ship would soon be canon! But also, we would find out the answer to the biggest Hey Arnold Mystery of all time: Arnold’s parents.

By now, I was part of Facebook groups, being as active as possible in YouTubers live streams, meeting other fans at ComicCon, and the best part…Making friends within the Hey Arnold community. I was so ready for The Jungle Movie.

The Jungle Movie

As a 10-year-old watching the show back in season 1, I would’ve had a glass of orange juice. Now, as a 29-year-old watching the premier of The Jungle Movie for the first time, I had a glass of wine in hand. The movie kicked off, and the palpitations in my heart were disturbing my comfort. But I didn’t care, Arnold was back on my screen for the first time in many years.

The first dream sequence was painful and emotional. He finds them, but they keep leaving him? This must be a huge fear for him. The wine is needed and straight away this film is grabbing me, it had my emotions from the first scene. Buckle up girl…It’s going to be a long night! Arnold subsequently wakes up, and the main plot of the film is evident. But, this is a cartoon! Cartoons are meant to be funny! Luckily, Hey Arnold has that balance of comedy and emotion, because here enters Grandpa and Grandma to smooth over that first hill of feels. The boarders haven’t changed apart from a slight change in voice, but nothing that’s upsetting. And a pig eating bacon? No I quite agree, that is not ok haha!

With Arnold meeting Gerald on his stoop with friendship thumb wiggle, accompanied by familiar backing of jazz music, it’s apparent that Hey Arnold has kept that original vibe. And I couldn't be more excited to see what was in store! Like bumping into Helga in the next scene. Classic! Helga’s introduction into the movie was our typical old Helga. Leaving her temporary home at the beeper emporium while arguing with her father Bob.

The Jungle Movie has aged with the current time in terms of technology. The characters are only a year older from the original series. Beepers (or, pagers as they are known here in the UK) are not a ‘thing’ anymore with the ever-growing cell phone industry. A small but clever gag was Phoebe explaining what a beeper actually was to our younger audience watching. On another note, Bob’s company is failing as beepers are now obsolete. You get what you deserve Bob!

We see our main characters bump into each other just like tradition. Helga’s behavior hasn’t changed (thankfully). She is still love struck, but quickly raising her defensive walls (shout out to Francesca Marie Smith for keeping her character so true). But one thing that really struck me about this encounter was Arnold. He was reacting to her differently as he would in the original series. Instead of his normal frustration at Helga scolding him, he just smiles, offers to help her up and laughs to her attempts to push him away. “Whatever you say, Helga” with an almost flirtatious look on his face. Wait WAIT, why is he acting like this? Is this a call back to him knowing her feelings after the confession at FTi? Very interesting!

We move onto what seemed like a classic episode of Hey Arnold. Arnold and Gerald working as a team to win a contest. Helga scheming to help then win in a hope to win his affection, and ultimately them winning leading onto the main plot of the movie. I thought this was an incredibly clever call back. It was like being back in that Hey Arnold magic. It felt so true and pure to the original series.

Arnold Shortman, A 10-year-old signing his passport and confirming a long term mystery of his surname. Which was right under our noses for the last 20 years. So, Mr. Shortman, you promised your Grandpa not to search for your long lost parents. Your grandma is hilariously dressed up as a Jungle explorer. Keeping her wacky antics is nothing but a pleasure to watch. Are you ready to go? What could possibly go wrong?

Olga is coming! What could possibly be worse for Helga? Again, the writing stays true to the original show. Helga living in Olga’s shadow and being neglected by her father in favor of Olga. Sad but true. I feel that the amount of neglect Helga experiences from her dysfunctional family reflects on the way she feels her emotions so strongly. She has a lot of love to give and just wants to be loved in return. She is so used to disappointment and neglect which is why she puts up her defensive walls and bullies people away. She doesn’t want to get hurt. The only thing she can express is anger. I feel that is why it is so difficult for her to show the real love filled Helga. She is expressing herself in the only way she knows possible that will keep her safe. But over time we see her brave enough to let her true self seep through…More on this later!

We see our favorite class of PS 118 saying goodbye to parents and loved ones. A huge call out to Mr. Simmons, who is saying goodbye to his gay partner. We don’t see LGBT awareness much in cartoons. As someone who is part of the LGBT community myself, I felt this was a very warming addition. Thank you Craig and team! On the subject of Mr. Simmons… How hilarious was he with his agenda? From the fictional city of Hillwood, to the fictional country of San Lorenzo, my friends, welcome to the jungle.

Here we are guys, after how many years, speculation and imagination…We are finally here with Arnold and his class in San Lorenzo! But remember to be at the docks at 3:00pm to catch the boat down river. Our captain is Eduardo; anything suspicious about him? Many of us from the get-go were suspicious about “Eduardo.” Now here he is, in front of us ready to pilot this boat, and straight away he is fixated on Arnold. And what the hell did he say about tuna anyway? (Yes, I know it was Fortune ;)) Sure, it COULD be his parent’s best friend. We don’t actually have any recent images of him and he may have aged…I mean…He seems friendly, welcoming and genuine. So far anyway, right? But we all know…this “Eduardo” fellow has a huge part to play and we all know it’s not going to be in Arnold’s favor.

It’s our PS118 students as funny as they were 15 year ago. And, I for one am so happy to see them keeping us entertained with their old antics. Arnold, however, is away from his friends and with “Eduardo,” speaking of his parents and hoping to find some answers. But remember, he promised not to go looking for them and Arnold is a boy of his word…right?

I felt Arnold was more out of character than anyone in this movie. But who can blame him? He has the opportunity that he has waited for his whole life: to find his missing parents. With such an opportunity, Arnold takes a risk under false assumptions, which inevitably leads himself and his friends to danger.

Speaking of Arnold being out of character and his development…something stuck out to me and few other fans about his behavior towards certain friends. We see Arnold obviously concerned for his friends’ safety and how he is struggling to keep composed after he is sworn to secrecy by “Eduardo.” Gerald, his best friend of whom Arnold never hides anything from, is the first to confront him. And to my shock, Arnold hides the truth even though Gerald is not oblivious to the fact something is going on…Arnold?

Instead, Arnold opens up to Helga…HELGA. And poor Helga…she has struck up the courage to finally (and again) confront Arnold about her feelings. Hoping that her efforts to get him there to San Lorenzo had nudged at his heart strings, Helga is frustrated when Arnold opens up about his fears of getting his friends in danger while he plans to look for his parents. Again, he opens up to Helga, and not Gerald. Is this maybe a sign of his feelings and trust in her?

We can understand Helga’s frustration and feels of rejection when Arnold dodges out again of her confession. Even though technically, they were having two completely separate conversations. Helga takes this as the last straw. To all of our gasps, she gives up all hope of Arnold retuning her feelings and destroys the most precious thing in her possession since day 1: her heart shaped locket of Arnold. Devastating right? Brainy?

The vibe of the movie is certainly starting to take a turn into unfamiliar territory. Craig Bartlett said, “Friendships will be tested,” and I guess, these are those tests. When you think things couldn't go anymore wrong for our gang, well…it does. They are attacked by river pirates. Eduardo, claiming Lasombra is behind the attack, tells Arnold to hide and forget about his friends…hmm…still trust him, Arnold? By this point, any trust I had in this guy was completely gone.

Epic sword battles, fights and rapids. Our PS 118 friends take the most dramatic journey of their lifetime. Clinging on for dear life, we are all on the edge of our seats hoping that no one falls overboard…Even Curly, who is having the time of his life up on the crows nest. After a rough ride, we end up ship wrecked. We can breathe a sigh of relief that no one is thrown overboard, apart from poor Eugene. But who didn’t see that one coming? But never fear, He’s ok! As he is his own lifeboat.

With some truths coming to light about Arnold being involved with why the attack happened, trust and friendships begin to suffer. It was heart breaking seeing Arnold being avoided by his friends…Only “Eduardo” there to help him up during their long-suffering hike to the safety of the camp. But for me, Rhonda absolutely stole the spotlight here… Come one, We are all Rhonda…taking selfies, refusal to part with one’s luggage and being absolutely traumatized at the thought of hiking through the jungle. Her reactions and deliverance had me laughing so hard. That is certainly something I would like to see more of in Hey Arnold future.

The montage of our PS 118 class traveling through the jungle was a chance to demonstrate some of our characters individually. It was fun to see Nadine having the time of her life collecting weird and wonderful bugs, Sid crying on the floor after the unfortunate demise of his beetle boots (good call back there), and Rhonda struggling to just do…well anything. These kids never fail to make me laugh, even today! They all have something special and individual about them.

We are about halfway through the movie now, and if you made it this far, thank you for sticking with me! Now, let’s move on to what we have suspected all along…“Eduardo,” right? Wrong…if you didn’t suspect something of this guy, then go back and watch again, because this guy had something about him from the get-go. Our “Eduardo” is actually none other than the film’s villain…Lasombra. DUN DUN DUNNNNNN.

We then learn the true intentions of the class trip to San Lorenzo. It was all a scheme conducted by Lasombra just to get Arnold there. Unfortunately for our football headed amigo…he’s already put a lot of his trust in this guy. And he was wrong to trust someone who won’t give out a Wi-Fi password.

As the story continues, I felt nothing but mixed emotions. I found myself laughing, and then soon wiping tears from my eyes. We have so many sad moments that tug at our heart strings. Helga’s monologues expressing her love for Arnold have always been some of the most rewarding scenes from the whole Hey Arnold series. The writing and deliverance from Francesca is nothing short of spectacular, and let’s face it. We’ve all been there! Arnold giving up whilst in-prisoned hit me so hard. His voice was full of regret and defeat. Arnold, the boy who is always so optimistic, has given up.

It takes Helga to talk him out of his depressive state, and to accept the challenges ahead of them. Helga is already sticking to her guns and coming out of her comfort zone to assist Arnold. Seeing her comforting him and really being there to offer her support, which Arnold accepts is just so heart-warming! A sign of things to come with these two? Maybe.

Secret pathways, using beepers to create a homing beacon, and a pig eating shrimp cocktail in first class? The only thing missing from this movie is violence…wait no, it’s got that as well. I was surprised to see such brutal deaths of Lasombra’s guards. Although it’s kept fairly ‘clean’ with no blood (thankfully), we do see a guy getting hit by multiple arrows, one guy plummet to his death, and another bunch of guys getting crushed by rocks. That’s quite a few on screen ‘implied’ deaths. Who said TJM had no action?

I doubt this movie could mess me up more than it already had, but boy was I wrong. The emotions were about to kick into overdrive, and I have only had 1/4 bottle of wine left by the time Arnold, Helga and Gerald had found the Green Eyes. The answers to all our questions of the past fifteen years were soon to be revealed. As a long time fan of the show, it was so special getting to see these mysterious beings for the first time. The way they acted, spoke, lived and looked was something one could only imagine for all this time. Not only were we about to get our answers, but so was Arnold.

The hidden city of the Green Eyes was absolutely spectacular. The animation and the amount of detail put into this habitat was an eye saw which dropped jaws. We soon learn of the heartbreak that happened to this society: the adults were all asleep…for the past nine years! While nine years of sleep sounds like a luxury to most of us, joking aside, for these kids they have been functioning on their own for all that time. We start to learn about the final moments recorded of Arnold’s parents: the murals. WOW, was this hard-hitting. It’s the first sign of his parents that this poor kid has had in years, and you can tell just how desperate he is for answers.

The final pieces of the puzzle were starting to fall in place. It was just down to Arnold to do that final act. The problem being, it’s still a puzzle. And Arnold has no idea what to do. Before he can even start to figure it out…yep, what we were all waiting for: Lasombra.

Now, how many of you expected a young chief to throw a blade at Lasombra…A BLADE. I mean how badass was that? Followed by our trio and gang of Green Eyes kicking the wind out of this guy, unfortunately he was armed with a sword, and no one wants to go up against that unarmed. So, we all know what’s going to happen now. Lasombra is going to take what he came for with Arnold in tow.

Dragging an unwilling Arnold by his side, Lasombra reaches the (classic) rickety old wooden footbridge with the certain death plunge below. As they cross, we see Helga and Gerald appear behind them. Despite Arnold’s warnings and pleads, Helga and Gerald continue without any considering for their own safety. I mean wow, this thing is hanging by a thread, and these two kids are attempting to cross just to save Arnold. Can we get a round of applause for completely bravery and loyalty here? But this is a cartoon, that bridge won’t snap right? RIGHT?

Arnold has a dilemma in front of him. He has to solve this puzzle fast before his friends plummet to their deaths. OK that’s cool…it’s not like I’m already on the edge of my seat or anything. Arnold faces the Corazón with his amulet in tow. Sweat pouring down his head and full of determination to save his friends, we see his green eye tracing the steps needed to unlock the treasure inside. Once unlocked, Arnold is pushed to aside and Lasombra looks directly at the heart of gold in all of its pure beauty. Unfortunately for him…he is not as pure and ends up with a poisonous dart in his forehead.

Screaming in pain and heading for the cliff edge which, he inevitably falls off, (yeah byeeeee). Arnold is finally free to help his friends who are still clinging on for dear life. Our hero slips, falls and only just manages to grab onto the same plank Gerald and Helga are clinging onto. Now, top up that glass of wine here guys, because this is where is I almost downed a whole glass. Arnold and Helga meet each others eyes and they just widen. You didn’t need any dialog to know what was going through their heads here. Arnold was finally seeing Helga for her true self, her bravery, her loyalty and that she really does love him. Here they are about to die, and all of this is too late to act upon. They just stare at one another waiting to die, talking only with their eyes. Would somebody please throw them a life line before I jump at my TV?

That life line is finally delivered from the REAL Eduardo, and I can finally breath. There is hope! One thing that grabbed me about what happens next, while Eduardo starts explaining what has happened and how he has been following them. Helga is taken in by the Corazón. Now, I remember back in The Journal, Miles stating to not to look directly into it because they say it’s too sacred. But yet here is our girl Helga…mesmerized and staring directly at it with her hands placed on her heart. No poisonous darts being fired at her. Yes…I was worried for a moment there.

Of course, Lasrombra isn’t dead and climbs his way back up the mountain to finish what he started. With the two fully grown adults getting into a fight over a mustache, pushed and thrown. Helga is the first to run in to assist dragging a bag to place over Lasrombra’s head and using her fist “Old Betsy” to smash him in the face a good few times. This girl is just outstanding and an overall badass. Unfortunately, we see the Corazón fall off the cliff edge to be lost(?). Lasombra finally meets his ends once the poison takes its final effect and he once again falls to his death. “He died like he lived, full of poison.” 10/10 for the sass there Eduardo.

From one heart wrenching scene to another. Now, with Eduardo in tow, he is able to translate the native Green Eye’s language. Once back at the hidden city, Arnold is finally told his parents are there, and that the Green eyes will take them to where they lie. Um, Excuse me? Where they LIE? Could that mean? No…you can’t do this to me…after all these years and the last hour of pure emotional feelings. You’re now going to tell me they are laying there peacefully? I honestly by this point was on invested into the story being told that I hadn’t put two and two together like most of you have already. Instead, I was off my sofa bitterly nose to my TV in suspense to finally find out what happened. As Arnold entered the room, seeing them there pale-faced, sleeping so peacefully hand in hand…I whispered no to myself while a stream of tears started running down my face. I was literally Arnold by this point. After all those years here they are…And here is Arnold seeing them for the first time.

“Are they-?” No, It’s the sleeping sickness. OF COURSE! Wait that means…they are alive? They are alive? I actually laughed as I let out a small laugh in relief. And no, I really didn’t catch on that they had caught the sleeping sickness, not in 15 years. As it was explained that the Corazón was the cure, my heart fell again. But no, it can’t end like this, There HAS to be a way right? Seeing Arnold crying over his parents’ lifeless bodies while Helga and Gerald look on in complete shock was heart breaking. But of course, our girl Helga has a solution.

I honestly didn’t know how Helga would fix this. They knew what they needed and what they had to do. But, they had lost the Corazón. When Helga approached Arnold with a possible solution, I fully expected her to hand him the Corazón. I thought maybe she had taken it while she was staring at it. That was the only thing my mind could muster in those few seconds. I never expected her to open out her hands and present Arnold her golden locket with his picture in. That object that has been a huge symbol of her life for so many years, she is sacrificing so much in that one moment. It’s not only her most precious possession, it’s her true identity. Everything she has kept hidden and inside for so long was out on offer to help Arnold.

This selfless act was causing more and more tears to flow from my eyes. I later thought about this more in depth and theorized the following: Helga mentions her locket is just gold plated and it’s not pure of heart. Now, how would Helga know the Corazón was a pure heart? And anything in its place would need to be pure? Because she stared into the Corazón and felt that pureness. This is why I think she didn’t get a poisonous dart shot at her. Because of that connection with pure hearts, and Helga’s heart is a pure as they get.

Helga doesn’t think highly enough of herself to feel that her locket will work. It takes Arnold to give her that push in confidence and guys, this couldn’t have been more cuter or tear jerking if they tried. “I think your heart is more pure than you know.” He finally understands her.

Pure hearts, loyalty, dedication, love, friendship, determination and Brainy being a saint in retrieving Helga’s locket got us to where we are now. We are about to witness what we have all wanted from Hey Arnold in so many years. Helga’s locket worked, and the cure rains down upon those in deep slumber. Butterflies start to flourish as the cure takes effect. Does that mean? Arnold runs to his parents’ chamber with the most dramatic heart sobbing music in the background. This was it, finally the moment we had all be waiting for, his parents…Arnold parents, of whom have been missing for nine years with no contact. In front of Arnold eyes, they wake from a deep slumber and the first thing they see is their baby. Hey, Arnold. His eyes replicate my own as he runs towards them. He did it, and I couldn’t be more happy even though I was a sobbing mess with no wine left.

The story was concluded. The mystery which lingered for over a decade was now solved. Arnold stood with his parents and celebrated along with the Green Eyes. Miles and Stella’s work was finally complete. It’s a sight we all wished we could see for so long. But our hero wasn’t there? And even after just being reunited with his parents, Arnold noticed Helga sneaking off. Helga was trying to retrieve her locket, which I thought was both a funny and sweet touch. Because after everything, that locket still symbolizes so much to her. After being interrupted by Arnold, Helga still tries to put on her tough girl front and hides her true self still, but Arnold is no longer blind to who Helga really is. With his words, we know that Arnold is seeing through her, seeing the real Helga and finally, after seeing her being so brave, loyal and willing to give up so much for him, he is ready to accept her love.

Even though Arnold didn’t outright say how he feels about Helga, I am a true believer of actions speak louder than words. We have seen how Arnold has acted towards Helga his entire movie. He silenced Helga, she literally had no come or no way out for the first time ever. His act of confirming how he feels about her is sweet beyond words. He takes her hands and offers her a mutual kiss like a true gentleman. The two of them share a moment with their lips locked, and it couldn’t be more beautiful. I was almost angry when Gerald walked interrupted the moment.

The adventure was over. Arnold wakes up in his bed and he is immediately concerned. Oh no you don’t, do not tell me that was all a dream. I am screaming profanity at my TV whilst a near identical scene is played from the beginning of the movie. Was that really all a dream? Please for the love of raspberries no. Please, please no. Arnold’s eyes widen and fill with tears when he thinks that it was indeed just a dream. But they wouldn’t do that to us…and in come Miles and Stella with breakfast for our forever moaning group of boarders. We have never seen Arnold so happy, Wide smiles and dancing on the spot at the sight of his parents back home. I must admit, I really did hold my breath for a second there!

Seeing Miles and Stella home and comforting Arnold is something I never thought I would see. And here it was. It was the sweetest conclusion and satisfying conclusion to the longest story. I would love to see them spend time together, but it’s the worst day of school. Repeating from one of the first scenes of the movie, we see Arnold and Gerald meeting Helga and Phoebe on the corner. But THIS time, things are a little different. There’s no classic bumping into one another. Gerald and Phoebe lead the way hand and hand leaving Arnold and Helga wondering if they should follow suite. While Arnold does attempt this making Helga (and all of us watching) swoon. Helga still ups her defenses and grabs her hand back. I can understand why people would questions her actions here, but I’m kind of happy they left that part of Helga in. This is still her character and she is not going to change overnight. She still keeps her guard up and she has a lot to learn in accepting Arnold’s effect in public. Still, the fact that she smiles as she walks off is a huge development. And don’t worry folks, Arnold isn’t put off by her…he runs after her with that same flirtatious smiley face.

A nice final touch is Arnold’s parents missing him and offering to walk him to school. That final look from Arnold as he enters his school with all his friends and Mr. Simmons declaring he still has a job after the jungle ordeal…that look in his eyes, looking back at his parents looking for him, waiting for him. And that smile knowing that they are never going to leave him again. THAT my friends is how you end a movie.

Conclusion

Nothing is perfect, but the Jungle Movie sure offers some closure. Every time I watch this film, I notice something new. The amount of detail in the background is admirable. They are like paintings. The texture, the colour, the ambience of them is just beautiful. The background animation of characters is incredibly detailed. Instead of just having a still image, I constantly found background characters to be animated and reacting, especially Helga.

The music in this film was gripping, and well suited for the story. A mixture of classic Hey Arnold style Jazz and hip-hop. South American Latin, full orchestral pieces. The emotion was most certainly intensified with the music backing. Hats off to Jim Lang. In cartoon revivals, one thing that is difficult to recreate are those voices. I can honestly say the returning cast and new cast did an absolute fantastic task of both recreating and advancing the characters. It was like watching an old and new show at the same time.

Overall, The Jungle Movie was everything an old school fan like myself could have hoped for. I am not only incredibly satisfied with what we have been given but, I am also thrilled for those who worked on this project for so many years. The creator, Craig Bartlett and his team and the fans who campaigned to make this happen. It’s a fine example of determination, love and appreciation for one another, which isn’t expressed much in today’s world. I am so happy with The Jungle Movie, and I finally have my closure from this epic story.

I can bet, if my Nan were still around today, she would be the one asking me all the questions. And, while I type up my final words, I feel a small part her sitting with me for the first time in many years.

#hey arnold #hey arnold tjm #hey arnold the jungle movie #hey arnold season 6 #arnold shortman #helga pataki #nickelodeon #craig bartlett #the jungle movie

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whimsically-ominously-auspice · 4 years

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youtube

They thought ole' Slick Willie was slick, well they don't see me a comin'!

-S.Leigh

Antron Brown and Mike Salinas:

Our rags to riches success stories.

In 2018 i began giving drivers $2 million per year to fix their personal assets and finances. Until 2022. They had to sign contracts promising to give awsy half of that fortune by 2026. $4M

In 2018 i began giving all mechanics, tuners, etc $1 million per year to fix their personal assets and finances. Until 2022. They had to sign contracts to give away half of that fortune by 2026. $2M

So as you read for Antron and his work crew he himself took time out of collecting to look over the smaller kids to make sure they were staying out of fights and behaving and the adults, too.

How Mike Salinas was actually only 12 years old being called an old man because he wanted just to collect cans.

You didn't read how the girls got mad the old man and the boys only picked up metal and left none for them and left all the trash. Erica. That mean ole girl she just didn't get it. Recycling woman! Sticking her nose and up at old man business.

"Well let's see how much Snoop will pay you to clean up the trash then. How much do you think you'll earn? Come along then. All you pretty nice girls, you too Erica. We gotta get you on the payroll"

Snoop worked the Snack Shack. When i asked for money for the kids and heard the cash register ding I pretend I didn't hear it. When i asked for some food and i didn't hear the tippy tap of them register keys, I pretend I heard. And slide a napkin across the counter. "Here's your paper money Snoop" he'd always laugh and giggle. No matter it was 150° in that Sugar Shack or 2 below zero.

I knew we had money from Michael Jackson and the CIA. I just had a role to play. For the adults that "bitch witch" for the kids, the momma.

He paid all them kids the same 10 cents to the girls per item and 5 cents to the boys.

Then always buffet and shopping sprees.

They all got $5 no matter how much they worked. Equal pay. Equal rights.

Antron Brown noticed. "I picked up more than them boys over there and they got the same. They were playing in the mud all day and lying and hey how come i get $5 each time i work no matter hiw much im workin? It rain. $5. It snow -- well it ain't snowed yet. But if it did $5. And if it's hot $5"

"Well you think you earn more than $5 you let me know and I'll pay you"

"He did today Snoop. He earned $20"

"I did not! I picked up 5 items because i knew i would get $5!!"

"Well I'll tell you what. I'll give you $40 because she knows you asked a very nice question nicely so that's $20 and then you went and been honest so that's $40. So how much you get?"

"$5 Every time i come down here! Boy I tell you what! I come down here a sweat. Work my poor soul to death and $5!!"

"Snoop i must tell you he's been telling on us what we been doin down here because he went home last weekend. And they telling him he ain't earned a fair wage per hour"

Snoops emotions went roller coaster. "Tell me the most important thing you said then say it again"

"He went home. The rest we will work on later not in front of the children"

"He went home then huh? He went home?! He WENT HOME!!!"

Antron on about his $5 suddenly stopped "huh. Yeah I did so? I like it, too! $5 that all I get for working down here! Slave labor by a black man and this ole white woman here!"

Man that boy hit super crazy on that roller coaster go button!! He flew out that suga shack like he was on a broom!

Picked that boy up by his armpits and set him on the counter. "Boy! Lookie here behind you. Look what you getting!"

"Yeah i know! $5 that all you get round here! Slave labor! You just trying to pay me the rest to shut me up!! Slave labor!!"

Snoop was lit on fire and that kid was building him a cross.

"BOY!! GIRL!!!! YOU BEEN TEACHING HIM TOO MUCH!!!"

I crossed my arms "i blame his parents" i leaned againat the wall. The sun was setting. The parents would be there soon. "Put Erica up on there."

"Oh. Boy! I am lit! Which one is Erica?!?"

"This one behind you. She's trying so hard not to be amused"

"Girl! Come here let me get at you. Here you take this one and this one. Sabrina Go get me a $5 out that drawer. Now Lookie see this here. You now say what he say. It say you get $10"

"Slave labor! We ain't free i get $10"

"$10!!! Im getting outta here!!" He jumped down.

"Boy what would happen I did that? You know how much she make? $10. You know how much i make $5. Because she smarter than me! She pay attention ans she make sure when i call you a niglet she always tell me you're an African King even when you're not around!! For all these kids out here!!"

"Now how can we all be kings?"

"You are. You're an independent contractor. You're a king of your own way. You desire more money then we will pay"

"And you're a Queen and you're pretty. No matter how i say all you pretty girls and Erica, too. I heard them other girls making fun of you the other day and you know what you say? Let's get to work. No time for fooling around we got to clean so we get paid. You know what i think of you? You're a Queen. A Queen of England. A Queen of America and a Queen of yourself. And you're pretty, too. And you know what? Dont let them boys be foolish saying that your work was no good because it ain't metal. Aint nothing wrong with metal and aint nothing wrong with picking up trash. And you know what i think of you? You're brave. You didn't run up and tell no one nothing. You stood up to those girls although i think your feelings were hurt. And it broke my heart and made me cry and I wasn't even called ugly. I had to come in here and hide so no one would see but Snoop. And I thought long and hard about an apology to you. But I decided it wasn't good enough. I deserved to be you for you. Stand up strong and proud no matter how i feel and get to work. So i decided the next day to tell those girls how I feel and you, too. And it didn't help. Not one iota. So i decided to try again on the advice of snoop. Not the next day but the same day. And i told the truth. I didn't say it was about you but i said one day not too long ago i did overheard someone say someone else wasn't too pretty and how it made me cry. And you all thought I was talking about myself. And I didn't know what to do or how to explain that it wasn't about me but about you. How i care more about you than I do me. And you know what all those adults out there call me? Witch Bitch. And i don't care. I get here and I get to work. But the difference between me and you little one is you're little and you got your whole life ahead of you and anyone call you ugly you punch them and you tell them to go find Sabrina and I'll deal with it. Okay?"

"Yeah because you tell me and us our feelings are important. You say and i quote "your feelings are important Erica and all you other girls too. Ever since that day i meant" and she hung her head.

And all them words i said. I felt like i said nothing at all. Not a dam word. Alex always did something when I needed strength so i did it.

I took my thumb and forefinger and pinched her chin and i tilted her head and raised her eyes to mine "and i love you"

A big ole grin spread across her face. Her eyes lit up and she said "i knew it!! I knew thats why we always come to this place!!!" And she swung her arm like a champ

Meanwhile Antron Brown was stomping the ground and saying "i knew it! I knew it too! An old white woman would love me!!"

"Well Antron! Of course i do!"

"Oh! I know! That's all i meant to say"

"Can i get down now? I think i see my parents"

"Your parents?!?! I didn't know you went home, too!"

"Tuesday! Yup that was me!"

She jumped down and i turned around and there was a crowd before me. All the NHRA we stole from that hadn't quit yet. All the ones we gave the stolen goods too. Parents. God. So so so many parents!

"Come on. Get with your kids. Come on now. Go home for once. All you. Except you Mike Salinas i need to ask you a question"

They did And he did.

I went in the kitchen to hide and cry.

"Sabrina. Now look what you did, you have gave Mike Salinas $13,000 in 6 months. What you got to say to?"

"I earned it"

"Mike i asked you One day why you pick up cans."

"To earn money"

"I told you another day i knew who won all the fights and if you laid down a bet I would make sure you won. And if you lost on my bad advice, i would pay you double. And there you went" it was so hard not to cry "and you looked and you looked at me and you told me it disgusted you and made you sick to your stomach to see grown men fighting"

"I know it did. I told you i just wanted to pick up cans and it was good clean fun"

I linked my arm in his "and you're right, you're $13,000 richer than you were before" we walked to the clubhouse

I could hear snoop Tele tell me "tell him! Tell him jt was you! Hes the one that started calling youba witch bitch!"

"Snoop i have something to confess to you about that."

"You know what Mike. I wanna find out if you made more money in good clean fun than you would gambling. Betting on those fights. We'll ask Snoop"

He didn't. He made 1/3 less.

So in the clubhouse office we found out. I laid on the floor straight on my stomach.

"She has a heart condition. Palpitations. Its the only thing that makes it feel better but medication which she refuses. Here. Take your pill"

"Oh! I forgot! Im only gonna lay down till it kicks in. Good clean cold floor"

I could feel Mike Salinas staring. I knew he Didn't know

"But she's a witch bitch. She changes my hair colors! I know it's her because I always hear her laughing. Me and the other guys been talking and they frel so too. Nothing good or nothing come out this place til you all arrived. I used to hate it and the other guys did too. We look like punk rockers we decided then we didn't mind and i tell you people quit messing with us. I guess they thought we were bad ass. So i heard these meaner looking boys out there talking how they would rape her and so i started calling hwr a witch bitch loud whenever they were around. Make them scared of her, too"

I was so proud of him.

"I know you two are here to be good. You call them little niglets or niggers and she corrects you. African Queens! And you tilt your head way back so the short kids can't see you. Im short, too. But not that short" finished Mike Salinas "you put on a gig out here and just to show them respect and role play. Knowing you got to show them how to treat each other and know right from wrong, I'm only 12 but I see that, too. I started crying when they first brought me metal because we're so poor i can barely eat much less run a car. And she would point to that little boy When i would get to thinking about how much money they helped me with and i looked at her I knew she had part of something to do with it. And that little boy. Oh!! When he would see me get to smiling he would hoot and hollar and jump up and down. He would get so happy. Makes me think one day i could get to racing which is my drreeeaam. Which I thought was never possible till now"

"Snoop. Double it" i said from the floor. I heard Snoop move a large stack of cash to the middle of the table.

"Is that for me... Or?

"If you want it

"Because" i sat up. Suddenly the room went black. "Are they still here or.. Where did every one Go?"

I saw snoop come at me on the floor his face close to mine then disappear. Over and over again.

My heart collapsed and I died. He was giving me mouth to mouth and CPR "Call the ambulance. Call 911. She keeps doing it. They keep trying to take her. Call 911 hurry please"

We bought that race track. We still own it. I am the sole owner.

These kids. I went to Armageddon and I said my job isn't done yet. You can't keep me here. You have until i arrive at the hospital to tell me what mess you've made. And why. Why am I here?

I had doubt in my failures.

They don't know shit.

...

So Antron Brown, Brittany Force, Mike Salinas, Erica, and more.

Steve Torrence. John Foce, pedragons, Jason line and Greg who got purple hair, too.

You are all our success stories.

We taught you everything we possibly could. Even unfair wages between men and woman later in days. Not one got kidnapped again.

Except like me, Mike Salinas lost all his memories.

He can't find it. But he wants it.

That race track. He needs it.

All those kids, too. We planted flowers and painted the building. Fixed bleachers, mowed grass.

So i give all you babies $4 million dollars to share to do what we did. Free safe babysitting. Teaching history and right from wrong.

And I'm gonna make sure all you niglets do it right so you know how to raise Kings and Queens.

And so I'm gonna make Snoop in charge again. He ain't too busy. Just protecting my life. Stopping human trafficking. Holding a music career. He's own 3 TV shows. He ain't too busy to run a Sugar Shack.

So I'm gonna give him $4 million dollars. And the Tree of Knowledge will give him $1 million dollars.

Cause them kids gonna need $5 for they slave labor!

They may be grown with kids of their own but they still our babies.

We already taught them to clean. Fix things up and make them pretty. So they will remember how to do so and spend the $4 million dollars on renovations. Keeping as much as the original or replacing it exactly as I bought it. So it's perfectly unchanged and can help them remember and heal all is lost from themselves.

And help heal all that is lost for others.

And give them more thwn they could ever dream of.

Candy! I know your makeup done washed off from all the love!

So, Chandler. How you loving it now?!?

You took over a few times because i had 3 heart attacks and so they at first all said I was busy and couldn't be there but my daughter could be instead.

So it's your home, too.

You're not too, busy, what? Writing books? Manuscripts. Stopping human trafficking. Being awesome on TV.

I know you have time to plant some daisies and lilies

So I give you $500,000 to pit toward what they need.

888-8.5 that's too hard.

So let's call it an even.

I have 879 million left.

But that's not all. My heart is still working! And im still on Earth. So. What say...

3milluon to buy supplies for go carts the kids put together and pine box cars and whatever need for speed things they can manage to handle on their own -- mostly

876.

Chantlily lace. What a pretty face! Oh baby! That's what i like!!

And of course use of the facility is always free. For eternity.

So original old school..

0 notes

starrywinters · 7 years

Text

Together — Hunger Games!AU w/ Park Woojin Fic

requested by anon!

genre: uh the genres of Hunger Games sort of? happy ending!(?)

Y/F/N = your first name

a really long fic?;;;

Waking up in the morning, you thought ‘Today is going to be a great day. It’s the day of the reaping.’ All you hoped was that your little sister, Yoona, wouldn’t get picked. She only has one entry, what are the chances.

Walking out of your house, you head straight to the woods to meet up with your best friend, Park Jihoon. Knowing your ways in and out of the woods that no one is supposed to be hunting in, you find Jihoon sitting on top of a hill. He’s holding what looks like a loaf of bread with an arrow stuck through it. You show him the cheese Yoona has prepared for you and feast on the meal you both made.

The both of you joke around about the Games and worry about who’d get picked, until Jihoon suggests running away and living in the woods together. You knew of his feelings for you, of course you did, but you couldn’t reciprocate it. Your heart has been snatched by the son of a baker, Park Woojin.

Park Woojin, the boy who saved your life when he found you starving behind the bakery and purposely burns two loaves of bread to give to the 11 year old you. It was love at first sight, but you don’t know if your feelings are reciprocated.

All you knew was that he showed up with a red handprint on his cheek, most likely from his mother.

The both of you don’t acknowledge each other at school the next day, or well, he doesn’t acknowledge you, that’s when you also find a hidden pathway to the woods where your dad and you used to spend time together. Now it becomes a hunting ground for Jihoon and you to hunt food for your families.

“Hey,” Jihoon speaks up, his voice bringing you out of your reverie. “It’s almost time for the reaping, let’s go.” And as you both begin to part directions, he tells you, “Wear something pretty, Y/N.”

The whole town is there, watching. The Mayor goes up first to make his speech, giving background as to how the Hunger Games began with the eradication of District 13.

On stage, the last survivor of the previous Games for District 12, Haymitch Abernathy, stands. Possibly drunk? And the bubbly Effie Trinket is the MC of sorts, her job is to pull out a name from both glass balls. One for the girls and one for the boys.

First up? The girls.

Every single person’s hearts out there in the crowd, palpitates furiously. Hoping and praying with all their might to not get chosen. Trinket sticks her hand into the glass ball, grabs onto a piece of paper. Her hand slowly pulls away and she looks at the paper she grabbed. A pause.

And a name is called, “Y/F/N. Y/F/N, please come up to the stage.”

All you could hear was the sound of your heart pounding against your chest wall. However, you were relieved Yoona didn’t get chosen, you wouldn’t be able to stand letting her die in the arena of bloodthirsty beings. Besides, you would’ve volunteered as tribute anyway, the outcome would still be the same.

Standing up on stage and looking out into the crowd, you see your mother. Crying. You see Yoona being held by Jihoon, her thrashing in his arms, crying at him to let go.

Smiling bitterly, you await the announcement of the boy tribute. ‘Who will be joining me in this terrible game the capitol finds enjoyable?’

Trinket sticks her hand into the second ball, lifting her hand out, she call out the name of someone you’ve stopped talking to a while ago. Someone who’d you have to choose later on, between letting him live or die.

“Park Woojin. Park Woojin, please come up to the stage.”

The boy who reminds you of hope. ‘The boy who saved me, who i’m thankful for, who i’m completely smitten with.’ How will you survive, knowing that he’s now your enemy?

You meet your head stylist, Lee Daehwi, who asks if you’re afraid of fire. Telling you he wants to set your outfit ON FIRE during your chariot ride to the stadium. Woojin shows up dressed identically. Inside the chariot, the both of you find each other making jokes about extinguishing one another. When it was time for District 12 to move, Daehwi lights both you and Woojin on fire. Fortunately, the plan worked and no one was burned alive.

The crowd loved the fire show and cheers, catching a rose thrown at you and blowing kisses, you found yourself holding hands with Woojin. You’ve noticed this before and it’s what caught your attention to him, but up-close, his snaggletooth made him look even cuter. And as if he knew that was what made your heart all fluttery, he looks into your eyes, smiles his smile and says, “Hey, you looked hot. You should wear flames more often.”

“Park Woojin, are you trying to flirt with me right now?” ‘Y/N, stop. You can’t fall for him even more. Nothing will end in your favor, you’re only going to end in heartbreak.’

“Well yes, no, maybe so? What do you think Miss Y/N?” And he smirks.

Smirking back at him, you tiptoe and lean closer to him, a whole zoo erupts in your stomach and you plant a kiss right at the corner of his lips. ‘Well two can play at that game.’

Timeskip to the next day.

Training is set to start today. Woojin once again shows up dressed in the same outfit as you. “Why are you copying me, Park?”

“It’s not my fault they want me to match you, or maybe you suggested that? Do you like me or something?”

‘What is this idiot-’

Training lasts over three days, consisting of the same routine. Learning how to start a fire and make shelters- basic survival skills. The second day, they find out a little girl (about the same age as Yoona) has been following you two. Your own personal shadow. That night, Woojin and you got closer, but it seemed like he still kept his distance. Or was it you that was keeping your distance? You didn’t know what to make of this situation, you wanted to move forward and strengthen the potential bond you can have with him, but you didn’t want to get hurt.

The third day is where you trained with the Gamemakers, with a bow and arrow. Let’s be real, you completely sucked at using it, but as you continued to fiddle around with it, you familiarized yourself with the weapon and skewers the practice dummy through the heart and hits multiple targets around the gym. The Gamemakers didn’t pay attention though, they were too busy with the buffet. Infuriated, you shoot an arrow, smack dab in the middle, and thanks them for their consideration then storms out.

Watching Woojin’s interview with Daniel, the host, after yours, you felt confuzzled. What are you supposed to do? Woojin, your long-time crush, literally just confessed his feelings for you on live tv!

You were happy he felt the same as you but you didn’t want to act upon your feelings and the news as you aren’t supposed to. Your relationship with him will not happen as you both are enemies. And there can only be one survivor left of the Hunger Games.

The night before the Games, you were restless. You couldn’t sleep so you decided to go up to the roof. Guess who else is there, Woojin. You two watched the festivities happening down on the ground. The celebrations mark the beginning of the Hunger Games.

You two sat shoulder to shoulder, enjoying the peaceful silence surrounding you (besides the festivity happening at the bottom). You can feel his hand inching closer to yours, should you make a move and show him his feelings are reciprocated?

‘Oh, to hell with it.’ Frustrated, you grab his hand and hold onto it for dear life. Looking into his eyes, “Woojin, I have something to tell you. I’ve actually liked you since the day you gave me the bread. At first I thought it was just a thankful feeling, but it wasn’t.” Looking desperately into his eyes, seeking for an answer, his eyes showing warmth and care, love.

“You heard my confession already but i’ll say it again, I’ve liked you since that day I gave you those two loaves of bread, and I hope you want to take this onto the next step. Because honestly I can’t wait.”

“What about the games? Only one of us can survive..”

“I have a plan for that.”

The day of the games.

Before having to be separated, you two met up to exchange some words.

“Be careful in there and stay safe, Woojin.”

“You too Y/N, let’s meet at the end.” Nodding your head, you walk off to your respective launch rooms.

Cinna repeats Haymitch’s advice, run and find water. He tells you his money’s on you and wishes you luck. And, with that, you’re launched into the stadium. The Hunger Games have begun.

Boom. Sounds of cannons going off almost every fifteen minutes, signaling the death of the players.

Snap! A snapped twig was heard below the tree you were hiding in. Bushes ruffled on the other side.

It was the Career Tributes, they killed a girl who was trying to build a fire to keep warm.

More cannons were being fired,

Killing people and watching people getting killed is never an easy sight to see, especially on an empty stomach too. The whole event is rigged. The capitol implants their own weapons to kill off tributes. 20 cannons have been fired. Four more districts.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. You really hoped Woojin survived.

Moving out to the pond, you waited and waited for what seemed like five hours but was only one. Woojin hasn’t shown up yet and you were worried. Your heart dropped to your stomach, you felt dizzy, and you felt numb. ‘What if he didn’t make it? What am I going to do now? We were supposed to survive, together.’ Tears were gathering in your eyes.

The sound of someone’s foot being dragged can be heard in the distance, startling you, you get ready to attack. A tuft of red hair can be seen, Woojin. But you were still cautious and stayed where you were at. “Y/N! Help me out, my leg’s been shot. IT ME WOOJIN.” ‘Why is he so loud wth??’

Full on sobbing, you run towards his direction, helping him walk. Consecutively whispering “We made it Woojin, we did it.”

“Yeah, Y/N. We did, we made it!” And he whispers comforting words to calm you down.

Next was the plan, which was to die together if they both survived ‘till the end since it’s either they both win or lose; everyone was waiting for one to make the first move to kill the other. hAH, like that’ll happen. You took out some red poisonous berries and hand a few to Woojin. He kisses you first and then pops a few berries into his mouth, you doing the same.

“WAIT. WAIT! STOOPP. Ladies and gentlemen, I present the victors of the 74th Hunger Games, Y/F/N and Park Woojin, tributes of district twelve!” And you two spit out the berries.

Smiling a cheeky smile, “Told you we’d win, together.” And he pulls you into a hug and kisses the top of your head.

unedited!

ok tbh with you guys, i’ve never read or watched the hunger games otl ikik im a disgrace omg kdsfnkdals iM SORRY;;;

so, i sincerely apologize if this sucks big time. TT^TT

i hope you like it? ♡

#wanna one #wanna one scenarios #wanna one fanfiction #wanna one imagines #park woojin #park woojin fanfiction #park woojin scenarios #park woojin imagines #pd101 #pd101 imagines #pd101 scenarios #pd101 fanfiction #wanna one request #request #hunger games au #this sucks so bad #im sorry #;-; sobs

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worldcakecakecake · 7 years

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Feliciano and the King of Hearts

Chosen by the gods as the Queen of Hearts from the moment of birth, we follow Feliciano’s story as he grows into royal life, learns to rule, go against age old customs, and his relationship with his husband to be, the King of Hearts.

Chapter 1 I Chapter 2 I Chapter 3 I Chapter 4 I Chapter 5 I Chapter 6I Chapter 7 I Chapter 8 I Chapter 9I Chapter 10 I Chapter 11I Chapter 12 I Chapter 13 I Chapter 14 I Chapter 15 I Chapter 16 I Chapter 17 I Chapter 18 I Chapter 19 I Chapter 20 I Chapter 21 I Chapter 22 I Chapter 23 I Chapter 24 I Chapter 25 I Chapter 26 I Chapter 27 I Chapter 28 I Chapter 29 I Chapter 30 I Chapter 31 I Chapter 32 I Chapter 33 I Chapter 34 I Chapter 35 I Chapter 36 I Chapter 37 I chapter 38 I Chapter 39 I Chapter 40 I Chapter 41 I Chapter 42

Chapter 43

I’ll journey and see beyond the lines of our kingdom…

The voice sang, with a smile, a so familiar smile.

No sun, no rain to go against my strength…

It continued with images of a known hero.

But I don’t need you to go so far…

The same marks seemed to palpitate in his mind.

And would you want me always by your side…

A shot, Feliciano didn’t know from what, but he could feel the boom strongly.

I only want your arms around me…

There was an embrace.

I will keep it all in my heart…

Those stars.

If you accept to be mine, my King…

Curls, familiar curls.

All will join in your defend…

huh?

So the heavens will bless in your rest our perfect peace…

Too sudden, too many images that he couldn’t even see properly in the blur, in the quickening, joining, blowing into his awake.

Feliciano’s eyes widened, he took a deep gasp and suddenly he was sitting, meeting with many eyes, all as startled as he.

“Feliciano!” Ludwig called…he was right beside him, with his hands tightly on his arms, relief and worry mixed in his eyes as he stared down to him, trying to calm him from this sudden awakening.

“Whe-where am I?” Feliciano quickly wondered, not recognizing this room at all.

“You’re in the Spadian castle, in your room of stay,” Arthur told, who was standing with a group at the end of the bed.

Feliciano gazed around the blue room, encrusted with golden and silver designs like growing fauna in the walls, matching along with the rich furniture and items that decorated to its splendor. He rested on the largeness of a matching bed to the setting, with a canopy and carved symbols of the Spades kingdom.

“Feliciano…do you remember anything that just happened?” A new strange man asked. It took a while for Feliciano to recognize him as the Jack of Spades, obvious in his wear, matching along with the descriptions of a youthful face, long black hair styled in a tail, slanted dark eyes that held so much curiosity and concern.

“About…about the wall right?” He imagined and they all nodded.

“Yes it’s…coming back now, I…did it right? Raised the entire wall like that?” He remembered the intensity that ran through his blood, the ultimate reach of power, how it all came so easy, only to crash down suddenly in a paining moment to his head…he suddenly remembered.

“Oh my Aces! I-I’m so, so, so sorry for destroying the wall like that! I didn’t mean to! It just suddenly happened! I-I’ll do what I can to help fix it, stay for more weeks here if I have to!” He quickly extended his arms to take a grasp of Alfred’s hands, who had been near the bed for Feliciano to quickly show his desperation.

“Feli, Feli, relax, the wall is doing fine! What you did only harmed it slightly. We have the funds and people to fix it no problem, besides, it’s better than having Khaos’s men destroy it completely,” Alfred assured with a gentle smile.

“Did they all leave? We’re they all captured?” He still wondered.

“There’s none of them left, you stopped them all, they’re either dead or in prison,” Mei told.

“Re-really?…I-I killed them?” The thought didn’t weight easily on his head.

“Feliciano, they’re Khaos, they were going to destroy the entire city and kill everybody in it, you don’t need to feel any kind of pity,” Lien said.

“They deserved it,” Lei added.

“It’s just…it’s just…” he gripped on the sheets, a lot of questions still lingering in his head.

He got rid of those men…just like that, in a matter of swings, of throws, of great release. Then he wondered what all of that was? Was that really something he could actually do normally? A hidden part of his power that he just decided to release for the first time in that attack? It suddenly made him feel fearful of the kind of mysteries he held that he still didn’t know, of what kind of intensities he could create, of where it came from, of why he had it…then there were those sudden images in his dream…the song.

“Feliciano, relax, you’ve done something incredible for this city,” Arthur interrupted, hoping to help with his easing.

“Crowds are constantly formed at the front of the castle with all kinds of gifts, we’ve even brought some up here,” Alfred pointed to the pile of flowers, cards and boxes, all so neat, so kind, Feliciano was overwhelmed.

“Alfred, Arthur and I will show our own gratitude by presenting all of you that helped with the invasion with special badges and honors. A great presentation will be done after we make our own Validity Spheres,” the Spadian Jack announced.

“Oh, thank you so much, Ludwig, I and the rest will feel so honored,” he excited.

“We are glad, and now that we know you have finally woken up, I must take my leave, I have to continue with other urgent business,” the jack bowed and made his way, followed by his brothers, sister and cousins, who all gave one last wave before they departed through the door.

“How long was I asleep?” Feliciano wondered.

“Just a day, you didn’t miss much,” Alfred let him know.

“Our best healers dealt with your injuries while you were resting. They’ll later come to continue, you still need a couple of more days before you’re all settled. Instead of the earlier decided three days, we thought it was best you stayed in the castle for six, so you could leave well on your journey to the Club kingdom,” Arthur told.

Feliciano gazed down to the bandages he had wrapped on him, mostly on the expanse of his shoulder and that area of his back where he had been affected by the explosion. He could finally move his arm although with some small waves of pain that wouldn’t let him turn it completely without straining more. He still felt tired, with great hunger and weakness, one that didn’t let him truly stand from his rest on the bed. Yes, he still needed more days of healing.

“Thank you, thank you so much,” Feliciano wished them dearly, gratitude that Alfred and Arthur though was too big after the way Feliciano dealt with saving their city. They should be the ones drowning him in all kinds of thanks.

“Only the best we can offer,” Arthur bowed.

“We’ll leave to give you both some time to rest and talk,” Alfred decided.

“If anything, don’t be afraid to send any of the servants to fetch us,” Arthur wished lastly before he took Alfred’s offered arm, wrapping himself sweetly around him before they headed out together.

It was nice to see them happy like this, proud of their love and union unlike the state they had been when they visited Berlin almost a year ago. When he turned his gaze towards Ludwig, he wished the same chance would be granted to them. Feliciano brought his hands to hold his dearly, so relieved, so great to have him by his side, he could almost lean and kiss him.

“Are you all right now?” Feliciano asked him. He remembered how he had been dealing with Khaos’s men himself, how they hurt him, cut him, even brought him to the ground about ready to crash his ribs.

Ludwig smiled, raising the sleeve of the jacket he wore to show his own bandages with special sealed marks which helped with more healing.

“I’m fine, my own wounds were manageable, it only took a couple of hours for the healers to deal with, unlike you, I should be the one asking you this question,” they both chuckled, their hands now united unto a mend, comforting and helpful.

“I’m going to be fine, I’m sure,” Feliciano assured with a smile, so warm, so beautiful, it spread its own joy to Ludwig, who grinned himself, both suddenly nervous for words when all their world at the moment was sharing that glow in their eyes. That lean once again…that chance for a new kind of meet, and after everything, yes, oh yes, Feliciano wanted it, oh he was there, so close, their breaths one. He wasn’t surprised anymore about how Ludwig would turn away, erase as always, pretend like that approach didn’t happen. By now Feliciano would just roll his eyes and simply settle, leaning back into his bed, prepared for the sudden change of air and topic that was to take place.

“Feliciano…” Ludwig began, “you were singing just now in your sleep.”

“I was?” He thought it was just something that he heard in his head, not something that he actually mumbled out.

“You were singing Romulus’s song, Accept to be mine, parts of it actually, and then you…sang these two lines I’ve never heard of before…”

Did he really…?

“What were they?” He wanted to be sure.

“You sang… All will join in your defend, and, so the heavens will bless in your rest our perfect peace…”

Feliciano had been questioning those parts himself as he dreamed it.

“Did you make that up?” Ludwig wondered.

“No…they just… appeared in my dream…kind of…out of nowhere. It was weird, I started seeing and feeling things too,” he recalled.

“What…exactly?” Ludwig leaned more curiously, expecting to hear, a tighter hold in their hands, begging even, it was sudden to Feliciano but he had no problem with telling.

“I really didn’t see anything to detail, everything was too blurry, but I heard…a woman singing, I saw this smile that kind of reminded me of mamma and hair just like hers too, I thought it was her for a moment but… it was still…different, and then I saw like…slashing swords, this…man…but it was too quick to really remember. I felt…agitation, I could hear explosions, I saw this…starry sky…a particular formation and then I felt like someone…hugging me, it…felt so real, so…unlikely for it to be a dream…” and he silenced as his mind really tried to fetch more about this, but nothing more was brought, he will have to deal with what he saw that moment.

Ludwig tried to piece together in his mind, but he did not come up with a bigger clue either, he just nodded.

Their moment was interrupted by the sudden opening of the door, a familiar little winged lion flying headfirst, cradling quickly in Feliciano’s lap excitedly.

“Pookie!” Feliciano cried, quickly taking him to grab, cuddle and embrace, the little lion nuzzling back and somehow trying to share the same wrap by raising his paws against Feliciano.

A group of white and blue robed figures entered as well. By their items Feliciano could tell they were the healers, who bowed to him, but not moving any closer yet.

“I have to go, better leave them with the healing, I’ll come back once they finish,”

“Okay.” They both nodded and had to painfully let go, Feliciano giving him one last smile before he was out the door.

As Ludwig walked on down the halls, deciding to get something for lunch, the same new phrases repeated on his head. All will join in your defend…so the heavens will bless in your rest our perfect peace…he kept connecting it to…could it make sense? But no, there was still-

“Hey!” He recognized Alfred’s calling, approaching him from a small room where he was sharing a snack with Arthur.

“Got some time to talk?” He wished.

“I believe so, Arthur won’t mind?”

“He has to prepare a meeting with the builders about fixing the wall, he was about to kick me out anyways,” he laughed, moving them along the hall, through impressive arches, paintings, columns and even craftily paned windows helping to relax their troubling minds. They reached a private area left deserted just for them, with no one to interfere in whatever conversation they brought up, solitude with not even the hurry of servants.

“So, Feliciano is really all right?” Alfred still worried.

“He has some troubles with his wound, but other than that he’s completely fine.” He decided not to tell him about the dream and the new phrases to the song he sang.

“I’m glad, would hate to see something happen to him, he’s a total sweetheart that didn’t deserve to go through this, but well…chosen by the gods as the Queen of Hearts, it’s not exactly a safe position, but what can we do?” Alfred shrugged.

“Indeed.”

Afterwards Ludwig silenced, his thoughts still puzzling, but Alfred didn’t know or understand and it was making the silence unsettling.

“So um…things have changed with you and Feli,” he had wanted to point out for a while, just the topic to have Ludwig’s head rising in attention.

“The last time we went to Berlin things seemed tense between you two, Arthur and I barely saw you together unless it was for royal business and you both seemed rather reluctant to actually be close. It was nothing like the two friends you were back when I used to visit Hearts as a kid. It was odd and worrying, and then hearing that he denied your marriage proposal…ouch.” He didn’t know if that was still something awkward to mention so he was a little hesitant to continue, but Ludwig didn’t say anything back.

“Which reminds me, sorry we couldn’t go to the engagement party,” he apologized.

“Don’t fret, you and Arthur were marrying and getting crowned in a couple of days, having you visit Hearts to then see a failed proposal would have just made you both more stressed. I sometimes wished I didn’t have so many guests that day, it only made the occurrence more embarrassing.” He still wanted to hide his face in shame every time he remembered it.

“But hey, like I said, things have changed, I mean, look at how protective you guys got with each other, Feli so much that he even raised and entire damn wall. You’re holding hands and he’s even smiling at you now, I’m sure by the time you two return to Berlin you’ll be asking again and I’m certain he’ll accept this time, and then Arthur, Yao and I have to start preparing bags for the ceremony,” Alfred was already planning and ecstatic, but it didn’t seem to spread to Ludwig, if anything it made him more somber.

“I…don’t know, to tell you the truth Alfred…I don’t even know if I’ll be returning to Berlin…”

Alfred stopped his moving steps all completely, turning to him, confused and incredulous, thinking he was exaggerating and only doubting when they had proven themselves more than capable during this entire journey. The reports of how it had been going were wild.

There was only the Club Kingdom left, how worst could things get?

“You’re starting to say bullshit, Ludwig. Really, don’t think like that, you’ll both be doing fine, there’s nothing to worry about. Now come on, my cooks make this cucumber sandwich that’s to die for, you must simply have a taste,” Alfred hurried them in the direction towards the lunch area, hoping it would be enough to distract Ludwig from these sudden dark thoughts.

It didn’t work…his mind was now plagued and a countdown seemed clearer with haunt.

Two more days of healing and Feliciano could finally stand from the bed, his movements good and his wounds slowly vanishing. He could wear that beautiful opened blue tailcoat with the silver buttons, a comfortable shirt below, comfortable pants along with his usual boots. When he had come down from the room, meeting with Arthur, the other couldn’t help but whistle, looking up and down in heavy intrigue.

“You’re looking handsome today,” he complimented, taking a sip from his tea as he worked on some contraption that he was asked to help fix.

“Thanks, thought I should look appropriate handing this in,” he showed a letter.

“Where are you going with that?”

“To the Luna Rani academy, I made a promise to a Viking boy that saved us back in Hearts to hand in his recommendation so he can study here,”

“A Viking boy?”

“Mhm, but he was not a lot like the rest, he really wanted to gain a more professional education with magic, he always wanted to go here, so after saving us, I thought this was the best I could do,” Feliciano hoped, holding dearly to the letter, jumping on his heals with excitement to go out into the city, Pookie on his shoulders as a guide and protector, just as ready and eager.

“Well then, I wish this boy luck, I’m sure he will be accepted if your story and what he handed to you is enough, I would be glad to have someone of his talent in the city.” Feliciano glided with more spirit, turning and about just ready to go…until he remembered…he didn’t know where the school was.

“Tell Lei to accompany you, he occasionally takes some courses there so he knows all the routes from the castle,” Arthur answered sensing his question.

“Oh, perfect, where is he?”

“Surely by the front of the castle, there’s a patch of land they sometimes go to train. As you’re making your way you’ll easily spot him.”

Feliciano nodded to him in thanks and quickly headed off down the halls to the exit. Of course, he would take his time with admiring the art and majesty of the interior architecture of this castle, tall, beautiful, in the expected blues and silvers, majesties that continued on through different halls that tempted him to escape. No, he had to do this, Emil was counting on him.

He found the doors of grandeur, leading himself out into the welcome of a city that he could finally admire without the worry of an invasion. Oh the Aces it was beautiful, in define structures, artistry, with a good mend of nature that had Feliciano’s breath taken as he took the first steps into the meet of this sun. He gazed upwards, the castle towering, as high and in a form that was indeed similar to Berlin’s, only that it didn’t count on the rest of a hill but its own structure of strength, with bridges to new towers and wings, in shine of blue and silver for the sun to lay its ray and shine it the more. He began to move backwards, lost in all its details, its design, its color, that he didn’t notice that he was reaching a group of stairs.

“Feli, I suggest you look out!” Lien had warned just in time for Feliciano to turn and spot that he was only centimeters from falling down.

“Ah, thanks,” he called out towards her.

She gave him a salute and continued with the training she was doing with the rest of the group he knew, as well as some other members he did not recognize, but he did recognize Lei.

“Oh, Lei! I need your help!” He called, rushing to him and interrupting whatever exercise he was trying to do. He explained the situation and Lei had no problem with halting his training for the day to take Feliciano across the city until they reached the academy. Using trains or simply walking, Lei made sure that they took a long route just to give Feliciano a chance to see more of the city.

Oh the buildings were wonderful, the nature added made one forget that it was divided from the forest with a wall, people making use of the day to do their chores, their activities, runs or leisure time in the blue and green grass, with picnics and games that Feliciano was tempted to join as he passed. It was also Feliciano’s chance to see all these machines that he was constantly told about when hearing about spades, like the automobiles, the elevators, fans, streetlights and steamboats upon the rivers. Unlike what Alfred and Arthur had told him, he did see the mix of magic, of wizard apprentices studying their books, of parents using it to help them better deal with their children, bakeries adding their touches and even the cleaning of the streets and walkways. He didn’t know if it was just that Alfred and Arthur had settled the differences of the kingdom and really tried to make a change or it was just how things had always been no matter the kind of restrictions and differences that might come.

They finally came before the building, a large structure standing quite imperially, towering pillars holding the massiveness of its marble, of its crystal dome, a square in front that matched its own grandness. Students already used the space for practice, for leisure, to run across as they made their ways, to either inside the building to reach their classes on time or just out to whatever parts of the city they needed to reach. Feliciano felt rather intimidated by it all, holding the letter much tighter, rather ignorant to all the stares he was given, all recognizing and widening their eyes in wonder. It had happened all throughout the city but Feliciano was too distracted to notice, not to mention he was with Lei, who would glare at anybody who dared come close. Feliciano was under enough stressed, he didn’t need people barging in, even if Feliciano wouldn’t mind. He loved meeting new people and any new chance was a great one, but he did need to focus on this.

They finally entered the building, its interior matching in magnificence. Corridors, balconies, heights, even different kinds of items were exhibited in countless amounts that made every corner a site to watch, something new to see and an array of activity that seemed endless. All kinds of students passed them by, from elves to even fairies, or humans just dealing with their dragons.

How amazing, how shinning, how could Lei just move about without faltering the slightest in wonder.

“Feliciano!” The very person called, pointing over to a roundabout desk they were nearing, basically where they should ask to know where Feliciano was supposed to hand in these things and who he was supposed to talk to. They spoke, filled in the necessary information and the girl behind the desk went off to inform the headmaster, advising that they stayed there while she announced the visit. Lei went off to sit on near chair while Feliciano continued with his gazing, landing on models of different kinds of creatures, explaining their anatomy and power, tapestry projects, magical orbs floating as a sort of decoration, enchanted plants and finally, right above the attending desk, something so large Feliciano was surprised he hadn’t noticed before. Handing from the height of the crystal dome, there was a transparent case only holding…part of a slab. It wasn’t half, it wasn’t a big part, no, there was only but just one corner of the entire case filled with only one single piece. It was pretty exaggerated to keep something so large to only fill in one corner. What kind of image was even in there? He extended his vision to take a better look, to see on it the image of a man, only part of it actually, not really offering anything else to give him more clue at what was this man’s purpose. It certainly didn’t seem Spadian, in fact it didn’t have any familiar symbols. Whatever there was, it was ruined, covered, scratched and broken. Really there was no evidence, no story, no light.

“Mr. Ulan will gladly see you, follow me this way please,” she returned, interrupting whatever questioning Feliciano was doing with this slab. He nodded and followed right behind her, deeper into the building, into the main stairs that lead the rising into the rest of the floors. Lei decided to stay behind, giving Feliciano a wave of luck, settling back into the chair ready for a small nap.

Feliciano followed the secretary until they reached a good height, and instead of taking the singular hall forward, she took out a pen, let it drop, and a blue portal was opened.

“Right this way, he’s already waiting for you,” she ushered.

She was used to this hesitation, to this testing as Feliciano dipped a hand trying to figure it out, rolling her eyes and having no other choice than to just push him inside. Suddenly he stumbled onto a shelve and book covered room, only but part of the office in glass windows showing to a greenhouse of all kinds of blue and purple fauna, right where the desk lay, where the figure of who he assumed was the headmaster sat.

“An honor to have the arising Queen of Hearts here,” he extended and welcomed, having a chair fly and push Feliciano onward until he was right in front, sitting in that very chair startled, Pookie as confused and trying to realize what was going on. It was surprise he had managed to keep his hold on Feliciano’s shoulder this entire time.

“An even bigger honor after you did to save our city, I give you gratitude for everyone here in the academy, you have no idea how much we appreciate it.” He was honest and truly thankful.

“I wouldn’t let such a beautiful and important city fall, and in the process I…learned about this power and used it to stop everything. I’m so glad it worked, but I still feel bad about all the damages I did to the wall,” Feliciano slumped with fault.

“Sacrifices, besides, it’s still standing as we all wanted, I’m sure the crown will give it the necessary attention to have it fixed quickly, nobody is truly mourning it. But enough of this, one of my secretaries said you have some things to give and tell me,” he was eager, leaning to be given and told.

“Ah yes of course!” He took out the envelope with everything, pushing it across the desk for Mr. Ulan to reach and grab, examining before he began to tear to look at all the contents.

“Back when Ludwig and I were starting our journey in Hearts, some Khaos’s men ambushed our train and captured us even as we escaped. A group of…joker Vikings-” he had to admit “-saved us and offered their flight boat to take us to the shores of the Arabic provinces in the Diamond Kingdom. In the crew there was a young boy named Emil, he saw us getting captured, found our location and helped our escape from our binds and the cave they had us in. If it wasn’t for his big role in the mission and his abilities, I’m afraid right now we would be in the clutches of Khaos himself. During our stay in their ship, I learned Emil was really well adept in magic, full of wonderful tricks and knowledge that need to be in a place as amazing as this, sadly his role as a joker has impended that, but as gratitude I promised to give him a reinstitution into the Hearts registry once I return to Berlin, as well as to bring these letters and papers of application to the Academy once I reach Washington. So please, I beg you, accept this boy for what he did and what he can do, as well as a kind of gratitude for what I did to save your city, please help to give him the future he wants and I know he can achieve.”

He truly hoped it had been enough, that Mr. Ulan could see the wanting enough in his eyes and how he couldn’t stop raising his hands together in a continuous prayer hoping for that acceptance. The man didn’t really show an exact expression to show his answer, just giving his attention to the papers, reading, giving a nod, a slight widening to his eyes but always staying stoic in his judging. He would question occasionally and Feliciano stayed there to give him all the necessary answers, a chat of dealings that went on for the hour. By the time they were done, Mr. Ulan opening up a new portal and joining the arising Queen in his outing, Feliciano still didn’t have a sure answer and he was eager, Mr. Ulan could easily tell.

“As for my decision, I’ll tell Mr. Bondevik first, he wrote an address I could send a message to, I’m sure he will let you know afterwards,” he smiled.

“But I won’t get any of these messages until I return to Berlin,” Feliciano disappointed.

“A little suspense then, gives you more anticipation for when you return.”

Feliciano sighed but had to accept, he would just have to wait then, but at least he did his part of the promise and that was enough for now. As he met with the large lobby of the academy, his eyes instantly set once again on the empty case, the one with the single piece, longing gazes in silence that Mr. Ulan couldn’t miss.

“Is something the matter, your highness?” He questioned.

Feliciano quickly pointed, “what is that?”

It took a while for Mr. Ulan to find the specific object and when he did he sighed sadly, but there was no problem with telling. “You do know that the Spade kingdom holds what was once the White kingdom?”

“Yes, it’s land to the northwest,” he remembered from his teachings.

“Indeed. After the war of the blackened decades, everything was left to ruin, nothing was recognizable and our ancestors could find nothing to keep, simply deciding to reconstruct and create new area for living and farming. That little slab piece was one of the only things we found surviving. We believe it once belonged to a very important mural in the kingdom, located right at the gates at what was once the castle of the capital. We have some writings that say people would travel great lengths just to see it, saying that the story was the most important in all the kingdoms, but the writings that specify in that tale are lost. Here in the academy we have concocted different theories, some think it might tell the story of Pisa, some say maybe Khaos, maybe one of the Aces, maybe all of them, maybe about the very creation of our world, but we can never know since the rest of the mural has not been found,” he drowned into a fault, into a miss, into the stress of a failed mission.

“Why keep such a big case for something so tiny though?”

“We keep hoping that we might one day find it and connect it together. There’s always excavations being done in that territory so we keep hoping, besides, it reminds us of the still mysteries of our world and how sometimes we only have tiny parts to something that is much larger than what we understand. We can never cease our search because someday we might have a complete picture.”

It was a good way to look at it, a good reminder to students who are always looking for new ways to use their magic, to use new spells, new inventions and new skills to fill in their own empty cases.

Feliciano wished Mr. Ulan goodbye as well as luck and belief in their search before he left the academy and back into the fray of the city with Lei.

#Feliciano and the King of Hearts #gerita #GerIta fanfiction #gerita fanfic #gerita fic

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miraculoustrashblogger · 7 years

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Season of Miracles Chapter 12

It’s the second last chapter! What’s this? A reveal? Romance? Alya freaking the fuck out? Ding ding ding!

Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 X 13

AO3

December 26th

Chat Noir leapt through the air, taking a somersaulting dive onto a roof, before leaping up again and vaulting over his baton to the next roof. The Eiffel tower was lit, as were the street lamps on the dark winter night.

He thought back to his day and chuckled.

He had begun the morning wondering if it had all been a dream. It seemed far too good to be true, but upon seeing the video frame his father had given him, alongside his gifts from his other friends, he knew there was no way it wasn't real.

That knowledge was compounded by the fact that when he went downstairs to eat breakfast, his father was sitting at the table reading the newspaper. Even better, he set the paper aside and the two chatted while they ate breakfast. Gabriel had decided to come to the photo shoot and spend the day with him, after all, and shortly after they ate, they were out the door.

Arriving at the studio, several usually quite amicable staff members seemed quite nervous. Adrien was used to having many of the same staff members in charge of wardrobe, makeup and lighting, so they had had a lot of time to get over the fact that his father was their boss, and treat him like a normal teen. Gabriel's presence clearly changed the atmosphere into one of efficient professionalism, much like the one Gabriel exuded most days.

Otherwise, the shoot went as normal, until after lunch break.

Gabriel was looking over the wardrobe collection for the shoot, when he noticed something.

“I do not recall approving these for the shoot.” He said, holding up two outfits, in their open garment bags.

One of the interns paled. “A-ah, that's mine, sir.”

“And what is it doing in the line-up here?” Gabriel asked coolly.

“I-I umm-- You see, I'm friends with the photographer, and it was a personal project I was doing, and he agreed to take photos when we were done today if I found someone to model them--”

“You designed these?”

“Yessir!” Her face couldn't seem to decide if it wanted to be ghost white or strawberry red.

“And you put them side by side with the garments for todays work, why?”

“T-there was no where else to hang them up...sir.”

“What if they had been mixed up with pieces for the shoot?” He asked sternly.

“I knew that was a possibility, but I made sure anyone who was handling the clothes knew they were mine. Including the supervisor, Yvonne.”

Gabriel looked around. “Yvonne!” When the woman came over to where he stood, he held up the garments to her. “What are these pieces here?” He asked her.

“They are Elise's.”

“So you are aware they were put side by side with the pieces for today?”

“She explained it to me before she hung them up. What her and the photographer do outside of company hours is their business, I saw no harm as long as everyone knew.” Elise had gone pale again, and even Yvonne seemed to be threatening to sweat under his scrutiny.

Gabriel pulled out the items from their bag and looked them over. He tugged gently at seams, examined stitches, and felt the fabric under his hands.

“Elise, what is this personal project of yours?” Gabriel raised a brow.

“Oh! Um.. I uh....” She turned beet red again.

“Spit it out.”

“I-I'mbuildingaportfolio!” She stammered.

“A portfolio?”

“Yes... I uh... was going to apply for full time work after my internship finished, and I wanted to show what I learned during my time with your company. My old portfolio has become a bit dated in styles, and I can sew a lot better now, so I was building up a collection, and wanted to show my work was good enough to be modeled too.” Her voice slowly dropped off in volume, until she was barely heard.

Gabriel pondered at the girl, who was now staring at the ground, her hands pulling at the hem of her blouse.

“Were going to apply to my company? Tell the truth.”

“Yes... among others.” She answered. “I wanted to keep my options open, as I figured not all of them would say yes to me.”

He examined the clothes again. It was a detailed dressy black vest with zippers and a forest green liner, paired with dress slacks and a light green button up. The buttons and zippers all matched--gold-- and the cuffs of the dress shirt matched the green liner of the vest.

“Adrien, go change into these.” He handed him the garment bags.

“Ah, sir!” Elise interrupted. Gabriel looked at her with one eyebrow raised. “It's just... only one of those will probably fit him. The blue one is meant for someone larger.”

“Ah. I see. What was the theme you were going for?”

“I was kind of thinking a pair of brothers, sir. We have a few male models here today, and I hoped that if I could find two that looked close enough, it would do. I mean, I knew it might not happen, so I was ready to work with what I had, so...”

Gabriel took back the outfits and examined the blue one.

“Familial bonds, yes? That was the theme you wanted for the photos?”

“Yessir.”

“Very well, I will wear it.” And he started over to the changing area.

Elise looked like she was about ready to faint.

Gabriel and Adrien ended up doing a series of photos together, wearing the matching outfits. The sky blue shirt and royal blue and silver accents of the vest suited Gabriel very well. The fits were close enough that it only required a little bit of tailoring, which Elise attended to quickly and skillfully.

When they finished the shoot, Gabriel returned the outfits to Elise, who seemed to have actually fainted somewhere during the process. She was fanning herself and had gone pale again, and Yvonne and another intern were puttering over her as she sat in a chair.

“May I please speak with Miss Elise alone please?” Yvonne and the intern seemed surprised, and after assurances that the girl was fine, they left.

“I should hope now that if anyone sees your portfolio and sees the faces of myself and my son, that it should earn you enough respect to get hired in any company you choose. I do hope, however, that you will choose mine. I would hate to lose such a talented employee.”

The girl was flustered and stammered out her thank you's and praises of his kindness.

As he walked away he gestured for Adrien to follow. They left the shoot and climbed into the car, before Gabriel spoke quietly. “That, Adrien, is how you build a team that is loyal. That girl will remember my actions for a long time to come, and even if one day she is my biggest competitor, I can trust she won't stab me in the back.” He looked down and smiled at his son.

Adrien grinned. “So you're telling me... be nice to people and they won't be jerks in return? I think I already knew that one.” He sassed.

Gabriel smirked, and then mussed up his son's hair.

As Chat Noir raced to his meeting place with Ladybug, his mind returned to the problem at hand. Marinette had most likely read his poem by now, and if she was half as smart as he thought she was, he was about to get scolded pretty badly. She had always been a stickler for secret identities, and he knew she would at least be a little mad that he figured her out and left clues about his. Of course, if she wasn't Ladybug... well, that was a whole new can of worms.

He landed on the roof right as Marinette-- Ladybug-- did.

“Good evening, Chat Noir.” She said nonchalantly.

He was suddenly really nervous. He was expecting a few different ways for this to go down, and for her to be nonchalant, it most likely meant he guessed wrong.

“H-H--” He cleared his throat. “Hey Ladybug!” He smiled.

There was the faintest trace of a smile on her lips, but it disappeared very quickly.

“Ready for patrol, Chaton?” She asked.

“Y-Yeah.” He gulped. “Let's go.” The pair, Ladybug leading slightly, ran to the edge of the roof, and vaulted off. Chat purposely fell behind a little, gauging every movement she made, looking for any hint that she knew. Please don't let me have been wrong. Please.

Despite his worry, watching her made his heart swell. Marinette or not, Ladybug was a beauty-- graceful and strong and breath-taking as she swung off streetlamps, hopped across roofs, and dived off of chimneys. The street lights reflected off of her hair, and sparkled in her eyes.

If he hadn't already been in love with her for the better part of a year, he probably would have fallen from this sight alone.

She completely ignored him as they scouted the city, apparently oblivious to his heart palpitations, keeping her eyes peeled for signs of trouble. Her lack of signal so far was making him anxious. Should he just rip off the band-aid and bring it up? Should he see if she was going to say anything?

He felt there was a pun in there somewhere, something involving Shrodinger's cat, but he couldn't quite figure out how to phrase it.

Finally, the heroes paused on the rooftop of Notre Dame cathedral to take a breather.

Ladybug stretched, looking out over the city. She walked to the edge and sat down, dangling her ankles off the side. She patted the space next to her, gesturing for him to come join her. He obliged.

“How was your Christmas, Chat?” She asked.

Was this an opening? An opportunity to ask her carefully, to open the box enough to peek at the cat and determine it's state?

“The best Christmas ever.” He answered honestly, smiling.

“Oh? Do tell.”

Was that a mischievous twinkle in her eye? No, must have been his imagination.

“I spent it with a very good friend of mine.” He thought for a moment. “She's probably the kindest person I've ever met. Stubborn too. I don't know how she managed it, but she actually got my father to spend Christmas with me. He hasn't done that in years. She's incredible.” He looked very deliberately at her.

Her face turned crimson, and he took it as a sign that maybe she knew more than she was letting on. Time to amp it up, then.

“Not only that, she's beautiful.” He stated, carefully turning his head away, pretending he wasn't talking about the girl next to him, but watched her every move still. “She lights up a room just by being in it, and really brings out the best in people.”

Ladybug was motionless, mouth slightly agape as she stared at him. He turned back to look.

“What's the matter Ladybug? Cat got your tongue?” He grinned. “Or is it jealousy?” He teased.

She shook her head. “Silly kitty. It just really sounds a lot like you love her.”

He looked at her, held her gaze for a few moments. He watched the night breeze brush her bangs across her forehead, watched the light twinkle in her beautiful blue eyes.

“I do.” He said softly.

A slight, sharp intake of breath from her, and he was paralyzed. The two stared at each other, locked in a moment, both too afraid to move, too enraptured to try. Time seemed to still, neither really sure how long they sat there, motionless, trapped in the moment. Finally, Ladybug spoke.

“I love you too, Adrien.” She breathed.

His eyes widened. It's her. It's really her. Marinette. She's Ladybug! His mind repeated over and over.

She said she loves me! It finally settled on.

His hand fumbled over to hers, he refused to break eye contact to look at what he was doing.

Taking it, he felt a lot of tension leave his body. Perhaps the worry of it not being real, the fear of waking up from this dream. But she was corporeal, she was physically there, and it was real, so very, very real. Adrien. She called him. Adrien. He was over the moon in excitement.

“Marinette.” He whispered, smiling.

She smiled back shyly.

She is so beautiful when she smiles. Her cheeks are so cute, and her eyes shine, and her lips...

Caught up in the thought of how soft and kissable her lips looked, and curiosity about her lipgloss flavour, Chat leaned in slowly, his eyes closing ever so slightly. She leaned in too, and the two hovered, centimeters apart. His free hand found it's way up to her cheek, caressing it gently.

“C-Can I-I...” He stammered. He breathed in, and tried again. “Can I kis—mmph!”

Ladybug's hands went to his face and pulled him, closing the distance between the two. Her passion triggered something in him, and once his lips began moving against hers, he was hard pressed to stop it-- not that he wanted to, really.

It turned out her lip gloss was cherry flavoured, and he smiled. He started humming the tune to “I Kissed A Girl” until Ladybug snorted and pushed him away.

“Way to ruin the moment, Chat.”

“I'd say it was worth it, but I'm really torn. I wasn't done yet.” He laughed.

She smirked and rolled her eyes. This time she leaned in slower, their kiss beginning slowly and gently. The glide of her sweet lips against his left him breathless, and when his tongue gently swept across her lips, she returned the motion with her own. His hands wandered down her arms while they kissed, to her waist, while one of hers buried itself in his hair, and the other rested on his chest.

After a few blissful minutes, they broke apart naturally.

“You know...” Ladybug said, reaching up to gently boop his nose. “I was going to try and make you sweat first. Pretend I didn't know anything. Kinda backfired on me though, what with you turning into such a sap.”

“Oh, you had me sweating, don't worry.” He chuckled, sitting upright now. “I wasn't even sure it was you, so your silence on it was super nerve-wracking.”

“Wait. You wrote me that poem, and you weren't even sure you were right?” She said, a little sharper than she intended.

“Uh... yeah.” He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Oh no, now I really wished I had dragged that out longer. It would have been proper revenge for risking your identity!” She playfully smacked his arm.

“To be fair, I was like, 95% sure. There was no solid evidence, but way too many coincidences at once.”

“Ninety-five percent sure... with no solid evidence.” She clucked her tongue. “Chat, you are clawsitively purr-paw-sterous.” She smirked.

“Hey, now. I was right and--- wait, did you just make a cat pun?”

“I made three, but who's counting?” She teased.

“I love you.” He swooned.

She snorted. “Love you too... you mangy cat.”

“I'm your mangy cat, lovebug. Long as you'll have me.”

“That's quite the commitment to make, seeing as I'm thinking forever.” She smiled, blushing deeply, looking off to the horizon.

He sat straighter, grinning from ear to ear. “Furr-ever sounds purr-fect, my Lady.”

“Is it really necessary to include more puns?”

“Part of the package, bugaboo. I wouldn't be me without my sense of humour.”

She hummed. “I guess you don't really need your Christmas gift then...”

He perked up. “What does my Christmas gift have to do with this?” He asked.

“Open it and find out.” She said, handing him a moderately sized package. Judging by the shape, size and weight, he was guessing it was a book of some kind.

“Where were you hiding this?” He asked skeptically.

“Just open it!”

“No seriously, this is the size of my computer tablet, where did you hide this, and how did I not notice until now?”

“Oh shush. You already know who I am under the mask, let me have some mystery, huh?” She rolled her eyes.

He grumbled under his breath about secret pocket dimensions as he unwrapped the gift. He had guessed right, it was a book. A joke book, titled “No Pun Intended”. His smile grew wider and wider.

“My Lady, here I thought you hated my puns, but you actually are supporting my habit? I'm shocked!”

“Maybe it was never the puns I disliked and more the timing of them.” She smirked.

He laughed. “Alright, alright. But you totally make puns during akuma attacks too!”

“Never!” She scoffed. “When have I ever done such a thing?” She gestured dramatically before breaking out in a grin. He smiled back at her.

“I have your gift here too.” He said, pulling out a small box.

It was a suspiciously shaped and sized box, and as Ladybug tensed up, Chat gestured for her to relax.

“I know what you're thinking, and I promise it's not that. I mean, it is that, but it's no-- you know what? Just open it.”

He handed her the box. She stared at it in her hands, and his tail twitched in impatience. She opened it cautiously, her eyes flicking to his hopeful and embarrassed expression, until she caught sight of the contents. It was a beautiful ring, with a round red ruby, nestled in between two emerald triangular jewels. It sort of resembled a rose with leaves, but the fact that it also looked kind of like a Ladybug on a leaf wasn't lost on her. The band was delicate and simple silver, shaped around the gems carefully.

“It's not an engagement ring. I may be incredibly socially awkward, but even I know it's way too early for that. It is a promise ring, though.” He rubbed the back of his neck. She looked up at him, her surprise and awe apparent. “I saw it and couldn't help but think of you, and when I began suspecting you were Marinette, and her-- your birthstone is a ruby...” She stared at it again, and her continued silence set him on edge. “I-If you don't like it, I can take it back and trade it for something else. Unless the fact that it's a ring is making you uncomfortable, in which case I totally understa--”

He was silenced by her finger on his lips.

“It's perfect, Adrien. I love it.” She smiled, and he relaxed. “But doesn't a promise ring require an actual promise to go with it?” She asked.

“Y-Yeah.” He stood up, pulling her to her feet too. He took the ring from her, and knelt on one knee. “I-- uhh... don't know if I'm actually supposed to go down on one knee for a promise ring or not, but I figure it wouldn't hurt, right?” She giggled, and he pressed on, clearing his throat. “Ladybug, since the day I met you, you have been the best part of every one of my days. I know I can trust and rely on you, and seeing you being the brave, compassionate, and brilliant person you are has made me want to be the best person I can be. I promise, for the rest of my lives, to protect you, to cherish you, and to always stand by you. I promise to be your friend, your partner, and your reason to smile each day.”

“I accept your promise, Chat Noir.” She smiled. “On one condition.”

His ears twitched in surprise. “What's that?”

“You accept my promise to do the exact same for you.”

He blushed, then grinned. “I accept your terms, my Lady.”

He put the ring on her left hand index finger, and sighed in relief when it was the right size. He had taken a guess-- if Alya had caught wind of him even breathing the words “ring” and “Marinette” in the same sentence, he's sure he would be deaf for a week.

As soon as the ring was on her finger all the way, she pulled him up into a kiss by his bell, and riding along her enthusiasm, he picked her up and spun her around. She squeaked into his lips, but it just made him laugh, and soon they were both giggling and holding each other, foreheads touching.

“I love you, Bugaboo.”

“I love you too, Minou.”

“THIS IS THE BIGGEST SCOOP OF THE CENTURY! LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR ARE ENGAGED! HOLY FUCK!” Both heros heads whipped around, finally spotting the source. Alya stood there, phone in hand, clad in pyjamas, and apparently still out of breath from running after them. “I PROBABLY JUST BROKE SEVERAL LAWS GETTING UP HERE BUT HOLY HELL WAS IT WORTH IT OH MY FUCKING GOD AND I GOT IT ON CAMERA!!!”

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other in shock, snorted and laughed, and started running for the edge of the roof together, holding hands. They leapt from the roof, Alya calling after them. As they leapt across the city, Chat spoke.

“How much trouble are we in?” He asked.

“I think we're okay.” Ladybug replied. “She called it an engagement ring, which means I don't think she was close enough to see the ring, hear names, or anything. She probably only caught the last little bit. We will see for sure when we see her next, no way she's keeping that to herself. We can do damage control from there.”

They paused on a roof. “Yeah, I think you're right. Do we let her believe that Ladybug and Chat Noir are engaged though?”

“Maybe we should let her believe it.” Ladybug suggested, smirking. “It is only a matter of time until it's true anyways, right?” She winked, before hopping off the roof.

Adrien stared after her, rooted to the spot. Only a matter of time...?

He started scrambling after her. “Ladybug! Wait up! What does that mean?!”

She just giggled and swung further away.

Marinette, you tease! (I think she just stole one of Chat’s remaining lives)

Alya did indeed break into a cathedral in the middle of the night in her pyjamas. Silly girl. Maybe she was hoping for some Christmas canoodling! (She certainly got her christmas wish!)

Stay tuned for the final installment of this fic! New Years!

#miraculous ladybug #mlb #MLB:SOM #season of miracles #redfox writes fanfic #adrienette #ladynoir #marichat #ladrien #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #alya cesaire #ladybug #chat noir

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