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#cornell chimes
crash-hawk · 2 years
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Life on the line, winner take all, ready or not, let’s begin...
In honor of the one-year anniversary of Third Life (hi!!!  I’m not okay!!!), have a Tumblr re-release of what I consider to be one of the finest one-shots I have ever written for any fandom. 
(Inspired by thcscus’s Aerie series, this fic is part of the Kaleidoscope AU, and can be read totally blind/as a standalone.  That said, I highly recommend checking out the rest of the series!  My co-authors are extremely cool and epic.) AO3 link can be found HERE for those who prefer!
Three
  If you come inside, things will not be the same
  When you return to the light
  And if you think you’ve won, you never saw me change
  The game that we have been playing…
  - Chris Cornell , “You Know My Name” ---------------------------------------------------------------
“So what do you do?” asks the young girl with the flower braided into her rust-red hair.  
There are twenty or more of them gathered around the huge campfire that’s been set up on the beach--not everyone who calls the island village their home, but a goodly number of them, ranging the entire gamut from masters and journeymen to the greenest of the new apprentices.  The young girl who’d spoken up is one of the latter, a bright-eyed young thing who’d come to learn architecture and botany, and who watches the two guests who’ve come to join their nightly get-together with eager curiosity.
The guest in question doesn’t appear to really hear her, looking over his shoulder back toward the lights of the village.  “Where in the hell did George get off to?” he wonders, a trifle irritably.
“He’s still off with Pearl, I think,” answers one of the others, smiling.  “Relax.  He’s not going to vanish or be eaten by monsters or fall off a cliff, not around here, I promise.”
Of all of them, he has been here the longest, long enough to remember when the island was nothing but empty plains and gnarled cypress trees and the occasional massive old oak.  They had been three when they’d first come, much like these three who’ve come to visit today, laughing as they’d sized up their new refuge and laid the foundations of their first homes.  One is gone, now, old age having claimed him decades ago, but pieces of his spirit are still scattered about the village: the great snarling beast of a tree, meant as a prank, that he’d loved so much he’d made a home of it; the wind-powered music machines that still play to this day; the old underground farm that still produces far too many potatoes for the village to eat, even at full capacity, but that no one has the heart or the inclination to replant with something else.
His wings are tucked safely out of sight tonight, out of an abundance of caution, although he’s certain his guests know they’re there.  He knows well enough what his guests are, and vice versa--but while he trusts Pearl’s quiet, gentle spirit-brother, god of the green places, so much like his old friend that his heart aches, he is not so certain about the other two.
“Oh, yes, he’s perfectly safe,” chimes another from beside him.  “Pearl’s night vision is  a-mayzin’,  she’ll spot any dangers a mile away, and I’m sure Grian’s cleaned up all of the traps...you  did  clean up all of the traps before company came over, right?”
“Traps?” queries one of the guests, eyebrows arching high over eyes as black as his hair.
“Shut it,” Grian hisses, elbowing his oldest friend so hard in the ribs that he doubles over, laughing and coughing at the same time.  “Don’t listen to him. There are no traps.  Why would there be traps?  We absolutely, positively do not build, lay, or arm traps anywhere in this village. In fact, trap-laying is punishable by summary banishment.  It’s in the village charter.”
That gets everyone laughing, residents and guests alike, and Grian relaxes a little.  He’s being paranoid, he knows, but he can’t help it.  It’s rare enough that visitors ever find their way to their place of safety...never mind visitors like these.
“I think the young lady was asking you a question,” says another of the trade masters, a genial man in black and gold with unruly reddish-brown hair who sits right beside the newcomers, tinkering with what appears to be an ornate clock.  Much like said newcomers and a few of his fellow villagers, his youthful face belies his true nature.
“Hm? Oh, you mean me?” asks the first of the two guests, the one who’d introduced himself earlier as Dream.
The red-haired girl smiles, nodding.  “It wasn’t terribly important.  I was just asking what you do.”
Dream smiles, shrugging a little.  “Oh, nothing very impressive.  Nothing like you all do here.  This place is really something else.”
Grian’s friend grins, twisting the old scars marring one side of his face.  “Flattery will get you everywhere, good sir.”  
That earns a snort and an eyeroll from Dream’s black-haired companion.   “He’s fishing.  His ego is the size of that bloody huge pile of rocks over there.  Why the hell is there a bloody huge pile of rocks over there, by the way?  I’ve seen castles that were smaller.”
“Are you insulting my bloody huge pile of rocks, Sir...Sapnap, wasn’t it?” Scar rumbles, mock-threateningly.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, and don’t call me Sir,” Sapnap retorts.  
“Did you build any of these?” Dream asks, still smiling at the redheaded girl.   Grian feels oddly disquieted, seeing that smile, but he keeps it off of his face.  Gods are proud, prickly creatures--he ought to know--and their village holds guest right sacred.  He won’t insult them.  
“Oh, no,” she denies with a giggle.  “I’ve only just got here.  But I’m designing a greenhouse.  As soon as Pearl approves of my blueprints, I’m going to start building it.  I’m Gem, by the way.”
“A lovely name.  Anyway, to answer your question, Gem, I write stories.”
“Yeah?” queries a wide-eyed, dark-skinned young man in a fuzzy green wool tunic, absently handing tools to the one working on the clock without bothering to look at them.  “Any good ones?”
“Well, I don’t know about  good,” Dream demurs, holding up his hands.  “I’ve written a lot of them, though, so one or two are bound to be, statistically speaking.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Sapnap mutters, annoyed.  “There are cathedral windows less transparent than you.  Tell the children a bedtime story and be done with it.  I’m going to go see if there’s anything worth hunting around here.”  He gets up, shaking sand out of his white cloak, and stalks off down the beach toward the nearest clump of trees.
Grian and Scar exchange glances, nonplussed, but Dream simply waves it off.   “Don’t pay any attention to him.  He has a short attention span and gets cranky when he’s bored.”  He smiles again, glancing around the fire before his gaze comes to rest squarely on the two of them.  “That being said... would  you like to hear one?  I promise it’ll be a good one.”
The villagers all voice their enthusiastic assent, and Scar shrugs.  “Sure, why the hell not.”
“Well...as long as it’s not a long one,” Grian acquiesces, not knowing why he feels so uneasy at the idea.  “It’s getting on midnight.”
“That’s the best time for stories,” Dream suggests with a grin.  “But don’t worry, it’s not a long one.  I’ll be done well before the moon touches the water, you have my word.”
“Alright, then,” Grian says, summoning a smile of his own and lowering himself to sit down cross-legged on the sand beside the others.  “Lay it on us.  And if Scar interrupts, you have my permission to throw rocks at him.”
“I,” Scar protests archly, “would never.”
“He would,” Impulse whispers theatrically in Dream’s ear.
Dream laughs.  “Don’t worry, I’m not overly concerned about that.  Besides, I think you’ll like this one.  I think you’ll like it just fine.”
A sudden gust of wind whips through, sending sparks spiraling up toward the stars, and Grian tells himself that it’s only the chill that it brings with it that makes him shiver.
Only that, and nothing more. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
“In the beginning,” Dream starts, “There was nothing but nothing.  A great Void, timeless and lightless and endless.  And then there was a flash, and nothing became something.  And that something resolved itself into  everything, into dust and stars and light and worlds...and stories.  The stories were here first, but they needed people to tell them.  And so the gods were formed.
“The gods all had their own stories that they presided over, their own domains.  Each had their part to play, working together in harmony.  But stories aren’t much good without an audience, either, and so mortals came next.  Their lives were short, trifling things, but they devoured the stories the gods told and passed them along, and together with the gods they created whole worlds.
“But the Universe had made a mistake: in creating the gods to write and to tell the stories, and the mortals to listen and pass them along, it had given them the freedom to do with them what they would.  The harmony began to fall apart.  Gods decided they weren’t satisfied with their own domains and looked to others.  The humans defied the gods and claimed that they should have control of their own stories, as if the stories were ever theirs to begin with.  They fell to squabbling, and war and chaos and tragedy followed, so much that they became the rule of the world.  And the God of Stories watched it all, and grew angry.
“Some particularly defiant gods caught his eye.  The God of the Stars, who abandoned his post to live among the humans, idling away the years in disguise as a king and holding grand tournaments that drew thousands to play and fight in frivolous games.  He took up with a mortal lover who caught his eye in one of these tournaments, uncaring that he was setting them both up for heartbreak.  The God of Sorcery, who perverted his art to grant immortality to his favorite and sold the secrets of enchantment to any mortal who came to him.  The Goddess of Decay and Rot, who thought to create instead.”
Dream pauses, as if for effect, gazing about at his audience, all of whom sit listening rapt, without a single interruption.  A slow smile spreads on his face at the sight.
“The God of Stories’ greatest ire was reserved for those who thought themselves above it all, who thought to separate themselves from all the chaos and turmoil of the outside world, as if they themselves weren’t a party to it: the twin Gods of Science and Invention, who taught secrets to the mortals that they were never meant to know; the God of Time and Travel, who helped the mortals find paths that they should never have found, and his friend the God of Calculation, who saw the rules of mass and motion, only to break them in ways the Universe never intended.  Worst of all, though, were the two tricksters: the one who cheated his way out from under the Angel of Death again and again and rooked the gullible with promises of commerce, and his constant companion, he who stole fire from the sun and made it his own and granted himself the power of flight, a power the Universe had reserved only for one.”
Grian’s eyes suddenly widen, trance broken, hackles raised.  He can feel every feather on his hidden wings lifting, puffing out as if in response to danger.  And there  is  danger here, Grian knows, every instinct screaming...yet he can’t move.
“Together, they and their mortal favorites created their own false world in microcosm, a place they believed was safe, where they could live and create and make their own rules, where they could teach the mortals how to become the authors of their own stories.  The God of Stories was very angry when he saw it, and set out to teach them a lesson.”
Grian can feel electricity crawling along his skin, crackling between the barbs of his feathers--his suddenly very  visible  feathers.  
“What are you doing,” he whispers, his voice little more than a husky croak.
Dream blinks.  “Telling a story, just as you asked.  Just as you all asked.”
With a tremendous effort, Grian manages to turn his head to look at Scar, who sits frozen beside him, eyes round and glassy.  Impulse, too, stares back at them from across the fire, still as stone.  All of the others’ eyes remain on Dream, transfixed, lost in the tale.
“So the God of Stories came up with a plan: he would weave a world for these renegades, these shirkers and usurpers.  A small world, with enchanted glass walls that no god or man could pass.  He would set them down in this world, along with those mortals they loved the best, and there they would play a game.”
Dream’s words echo from the waves, vibrating along Grian’s bones.  He can feel the world begin to shift and twist around him, the air encircling the captive audience by the campfire shimmering like a mirage.  Worse than that is the feeling of being trapped, pinioned, fixed in place when every atom of him is screaming to take to the skies.
“Stop it!!”
“Stop it?  Oh, come on, now, we’ve only just gotten to the good part!”  Dream grins, his eyes flashing green in the flickering light of the campfire.  
“Each of the players in this game would be granted three lives.  They would live in their glass box, free to make whatever they could of their little world...and each death, accidental or on purpose, would take a piece of their soul.  Each time they came back, they would come back a little less, stripped down closer and closer to base instinct, to kill or be killed.  Friendly pranks would turn deadly, alliances would turn into warring factions, lovers would watch one another die and burn the world to avenge them, until only one remained in the end.
“And when that one finally gave in to despair, left alone with the blood of his friends still dripping from his hands, the God of Stories would send them all back to their little haven--but wiser than when they left.  They would know that there was no true escape from chaos, that war and turmoil were inevitable as the tides, there was no love that would not end in loss.  They would look at their closest friends and know that they were one string’s pull away from tearing each other apart, that bloodlust lies just beneath the surface, waiting for the right motivation.  They could continue to build, to invent, to teach their little apprentices, and when the apprentices left to return to the wider world, the creations they brought with them would break armies and bring nations to their knees.”
“You’re wrong…” Scar grates out from beside Grian, and he feels a burst of fierce pride in his friend break through the leaden terror weighting him in place.  “You...can’t make us…”
“Oh, I can.  I absolutely can.  Don’t worry, though, it’s only a story.  You’ll wake up and it’ll be like it never happened.”  The Green God’s eyes glow brighter, until they’re almost too bright to look at, until they’re all Grian can see.   The eyes, and the smile.  “Well,  almost .”
“...how does it end?” a slurred, drugged voice asks from somewhere Grian can’t move enough to see.  Gem, the young apprentice girl, he thinks.  “...the game...who wins…?”
There’s a low murmur from around the campfire, a rustling susurration as the others join the chorus, hypnotized children waiting on bated breath for the storyteller to bring their tale to a close.
The Green God cocks his head to the side, as if pondering.  “Well, I could write the ending now, I suppose...but the fact is I won’t know until it happens, and it’s so much more fun to watch it unfold unspoiled.  After all, what audience doesn’t love a cliffhanger?” I won’t, Grian wants to scream, but the world is dissolving around him, the cold darkness of the Void slipping through his feathers as he falls. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Gods and humans in order of appearance in Dream's tale: Scott Smajor Jimmy Solidarity Rendog Martyn Littlewood ZombieCleo TangoTek ImpulseSV BdoubleO100 EthosLab Scar Grian
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luckyluan · 1 month
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The Conference.
JAN 22, 2024 - 9:53PM 
“You sit before me asking for more grace.” Darrell Darlow’s velvety voice boomed. “As if I have not extended the modicum.” 
The professors around the table sat incredibly still as Professor Darlow’s voice bounced off the walls. He sat with nimble fingers laced together. A gold watch with seven hands peaked and gleamed from his right wrist and his fitted white sweater covered his thin frame up to his Adam's apple. A smirk lay on his full lips as he coldly regarded the frumpy woman--Santana Lillian--sitting swaddled in an oversized gray sweater across the table. Her puffy face shone a bright red as she blinked back her tears.
“No.” said Professor Darlow. “No. Your daughter cannot accomplish the simplest of the sonoric arts. She struggles humming spells what makes you think she can sing them? We are well passed the time for grace. She will never learn if she never practices. The more you intervene, the more you keep her from her accountability. Her grades will stand. She will repeat her second year here at Brimmens.” 
“But she’s an honor roll student! She’s always been an honor roll student, Professor Darlow. This will destroy her chances of matriculation!” Santana squawked.
“She should’ve thought about that when she was not doing my simple, and fairly assigned, work.” Professor Darlow murmured.  
He sat forward as his mystic voice sent tremors through the lights above them. The wood of the table cracked in a straight line stretching from his arms to the stack of papers sitting in front of Santanna. 
“Are you sure there is nothing to do, Darrell?” Professor Cornell asked quietly. 
“I am certain, Aspen." Professor Darlow stated. "Lauryn Lillian needs to learn some accountability...as does her mother. Good day.”  
Professor Darlow hummed a low line and the crack in the oak table sealed itself shut. The table now lay flush as if no magic had been cast. Professor Darlow pushed his plush beige chair away from the table, grabbed his ornate binder, and pushed out of the stained glass door of the conference room. 
“Who wants tea?” Professor Cornell chimed. 
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krispyweiss · 11 months
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Quarter Notes: Blurbs & Briefs from Sound Bites
- In this issue: Kurt Vile and the Violators; Dead & Company; Neil Young; and Smashing Pumpkins
VIOLATORS’ ROB LAAKSO DIES AT 44: Rob Laakso, guitarist and keyboard player for Kurt Vile and the Violators, has died from cancer at age 44, NME reports.
GOD SAVE THE CHILD THAT RINGS THAT BELL: The Cornell chimes masters will play a concert of Grateful Dead music starting at 6 p.m. May 8 in the run up to Dead & Company’s concert at the university’s Barton Hall.
NEIL YOUNG TO TOUR?: Neil Young said his recent return to the stage for Stephen Stills’ autism benefit and Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday “made me want to play more,” in a note on his website.
“Maybe July,” said Young, who hadn’t performed since 2019
A SMASHING CHRISTMAS: Smashing Pumpkins have recorded a Christmas album, NME reports; no mention of a title or release date.
5/7/23
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tumsozluk · 2 years
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Student debuts Cornell Chimes on TikTok
Student debuts Cornell Chimes on TikTok
Even before she applied to Cornell University, Chenchen Lu ’23 cornell chime By the sheer scale of the instruments that command the entire Ithaca campus as an audience. Now a chime master, Lu has significantly expanded his audience by bringing his chime performances to TikTok, amassing over 140,000 followers last year. “I didn’t expect so many people to be interested in bells and this kind of…
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usaplacesandspaces · 2 years
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Illinois
PAbingdon
• Big Daddy Totem Pole
Addison 
• Nike Park
Aledo 
Altamont
• On the Rox Pub and Grub
Alto Pass
• Bald Knob Cross of Peace
Alton
• Alton Military Prison, National Register of Historic Places
• Alton Museum of History & Art, Inc.
• Lincoln/Douglas Square
• Miles Davis statue
• Piasa Bird 
• Robert Wadlow Statue
• The Soul Asylum
Arcola
• Arcola chamber of commerce 
• A Walk Through Time, featuring Raggedy Ann and Andy
• Hippie Memorial
• Illinois Central Railroad Depot
• Johnny Gruelle Monument, creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy
Aroma Park 
Ashmore 
Atlanta 
• American Giants Museum 
• Atlanta's Bunyon Giant
• J. H. Hawes Grain Elevator Historic Site
• Mattingly Automotive
• Smiley Face 
Auborn
• Illinois Brick Road
Aurora
• Aurora University
• Bedrosian Plaza
• City of Aurora- Phillips Park Zoo
• Dunham Hall,
• Grand Dental - Aurora
• Hollywood Casino Aurora 
• Philips Park Zoo
• Swimming Stones Sculpture
Barrington
• Langendorf Park
Batavia 
• Batavia Depot Museum
• Depot Pond
• Fabyan Forest Preserve
• Fabyan Windmill
• Fermilab
Lemont
• Argonne National Laboratory
• Argonne Research Library
Batchtown
Belleville
• National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows 
Belvidere
• Boone County museum of History 
• Highland Garden of Memories 
Benton
• Benton, George Harrison Mural
• Benton IL, Historic Jail Museum
• Franklin County Garage Museum
• Louise Harrison-Caldwell House - Beatles Historic Site
Benville
Berwyn
• Cigars and Stripes BBQ Lounge
• Paisans Pizzeria
• Worlds Largest Laundromat 
Bloomington 
• Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts
• Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal
• Embark Tree Removal
• Evergreen Memorial Cemetery
• McLean County Museum of History
• McPherson Theatre
• Miller Park
• Miller Park War Memorial
• Miller Park Zoo
• Nord Animal Hospital
• Prairie Aviation Museum
• Steel And Bedrock House
Blue Island
Bourbonnais
* Childrens Memorial Park
* Exploration Park
Braidwood
Braidwood Zoo
Polk-A-Dot Drive In
Breese
Broadwell
• Pig Hip restaurant Memorial
Brookfield
• Brookfield family restaurant
• Brookfield Zoo
Brownstown 
Brussels 
• Brussels Village Jail
Buncombe 
Bunker Hill
• Lincoln statue Bunker Hill
Burbank
• Haunted Trails Family Entertainment Center (Burbank)
Burr Ridge 
• Burr Ridge Veterans Memorial
Cahokia
• Greater St. Louis Air and Space Museum
Cairo
• Fort Defiance State Park
Calumet City
• Calumet City Yellow Smiley Face Water Tower
Cambridge 
• Rosedale Cemetery
Carbondale
• Jeremy "Boo" Rochman Memorial Park
• R. Buckminster Fuller and Anne Hewlett Dome Home
• Saluki Stadium
• Southern Illinois University 
Carmi
• Little Giant Grocery
Carol Stream
• Augustino's Rock and Roll Deli and Grill
Carthage
• Kibbe Hancock Heritage Museum
Casey
• Big Bookworm
• Big Cactus
• Big Nail Puzzle
• Big Pencil
• Big Yardstick
• Casey Country Club
• Cilantros Grill & Cantina
• JJET Rental Sales & Service
• Largest Bird Cage
• Wildflour Bakery & Candy Co
• World's Largest Pitchfork
• Worlds Largest Golf Tee
• World's Largest Key
• World's Largest Knitting Needles and Crochet Hook
• World's Largest Mailbox
• World's Largest Rocking Chair
• World's Largest Swizzle Spoon
• World's Largest Teeter Toter
• World's Largest Wind Chime
• World's Largest Wooden Shoes
Cave-In-Rock 
• Cave-in-Rock State Park
Centralia
• Centralia Carillon
• Centralia Area Historical Museum
Champaign 
• Curtis Orchard & Pumpkin Patch
• Kraft 
• Virginia Theatre
Charleston
• Grace the Shark
• Morton Park
Chatsworth 
Chenoa
Cherry
• Cherry Miner's Cemetery
Chester
• Reids' Harvest House
• Spinach Can Collectibles
• Statue of Alice the Goon
• Statue of Bluto
• Statue of Castor Oyl and Bernice the Whiffle Hen
• Statue of Cole Oyl
• Statue of Olive Oyl/Swee'Pea/Jeep
• Statue of Popeye
• Statue of Sea Hag and Bernard the Vulture
• Statue of Stinger the Yellow Jacket
• Statue of Wimpy
Chesterville
• Chesterville Cemetery
Chestnut 
Cicero 
• Henry's Drive-In
Collinsville 
• Worlds Largest Catsup Bottle
Cornell
• Friendship Shoe Fence
Covell
• Charles Lindbergh Crash Site #2
Crestwood
• Nike Missile Site C-44
Crystal Lake
• The Greenhouse of Crystal Lake
Cullom 
Danville
• Danville Area Visitors Bureau
• Lindley Sign Post Forest
• Temple Plaza
Darien
• National Shrine of St. Therese
DeKalb 
• Ellwood House Museum
• Northern Illinois University
Decatur 
• Chevrolet Hall of Fame Museum
• Wild Dog Saloon
Des Plaines
• Golf Center Des Plaines
• The Choo Choo
• Square Deal Shoe Store
Diamond 
• Diamond Mine Disaster Monument
Dixon 
• John Deere Historic Site
• Lowell Park
• Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home
• Veterans Memorial Park
• Wings of Peace and Freedom Park
Downers Grove 
Durand 
• A. C. McCartney Equipment
Dwight
• Amblers Texaco Gas Station
• Cardiff Town State Historic Site
East Moline 
• John Deere Harvester Works
East Peoria
• Carl's Bakery & Restaurant
• Last Harvest Ministries
• Twistee Treat
Edwardsville 
• Buckminster Fuller Dome
• Center for Spirituality and Sustainability
• Madison County Historical Museum
• Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Effingham 
• The Cross at the Crossroads
• Merz Heating & Air Conditioning
• Mid America Motorworks
• My Garage Museum and Store 
Elburn
• Larsons Light Show
Eldorado 
• Big John's
Eldred 
Elizabeth 
• Cajun Jack's Bar & Grill
Elk Grove Village
• Busse Woods 
• Ned Brown Meadow 
Ellsworth
• Twin Groves Wind Farm
Elmwood Park
• World’s Largest Radio Flyer Wagon
Elsworth 
• Ellsworth water tower/Baseball
Elwood
• Midewin Iron Bridge Trailhead
Dawson Township 
• Ellsworth water tower/Baseball
Eureka
• Eureka College
• Ronald Reagan Museum
• Section of the Berlin Wall
Evanston
• American Toby Jug Museum
Findlay
• Goat Tower Farm
Forest Park
• Little Teeth Big Smiles Children's Dentistry
• Woodlawn Funeral Home & Memorial Park
Forrest
Jerry’s Hat Museum
Wabash Railroad Model Train Museum 
Jackson Township
• Midewin Iron Bridge Trailhead
Leyden Township
• World’s Largest Radio Flyer Wagon
Windsor
• Goat Tower Farm
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Gravity Falls Theme by chenchen
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wenxuanq · 6 years
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Cornell chimes have been the beckoning beacon for alums for centuries. I am fascinated with the silhouettes of various towers, chapels, and halls in all sorts of weather. Pic features campus halls in the tranquility of dawn as well as before the brewing storms. @cornelluniversity @cornellstudentlife @ithacasunsets @adventure.ithaca @archdigest . . . . . #cornell #unversity #campus #tour #sightseeing #ithaca #newyork #america #architecture #photography #tower #hall #chapel #bell #chime #nature #scene #photooftheday #contrast #weather #storm #dawn #outdoors #travelblogger #instagood #康奈爾大學 #美國 (at Cornell University) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnKYABPng0o/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=smn4dx2o7qhw
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multiharlot · 2 years
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sick twisted fantasy // matthew murdock x fem!reader
summary: you finally meet foggy and karen, and karen has her reservations about your guys’ relationship 
warnings: age gap (reader is 22 and matt is 32) insecure reader, matt getting a teensie bit upset, very long post so i split it up into two!
masterlist || part 2
ps this is in no way to hate on karen but sometimes her judgements can be a bit harsh.
you and matt walked hand and hand down the hallway of his office building as you sipped slowly on your coffee. 
“feeling okay?” matt asks, hearing how your heart pounded in your chest. 
“just nervous.” you sigh. 
you had been up a majority of the night preparing for your grad school admissions interview. you had just recently graduated from cornell university with a degree in neuropsychology, and you planned on going for your masters, then your phd. and how today went essentially determined how the rest of your life went.
“hey, it’s gonna be fine. you’re gonna do great. i’m just gonna go and grab some papers and then we’ll head out.” he quickly reassures, stopping in front of the door. 
“you don’t have to come with me, you know. it’s just a 20 minute drive. i’ll just go and come back. you can work on the case here and i can come back when i’m done. i’ll be an hour tops.” you quickly say. 
“i-” matt is quickly interrupted by the door being thrown open, and you’re facing who you can only assume is foggy nelson, your boyfriends best friend.
“well hello. foggy nelson, and you are?” foggy greets, a smirk on his face.
“foggy, y/n. y/n, meet foggy.” matt introduces us, and you smile at him, sticking your hand out. 
foggy slaps your hand out the way and pulls you into a hug.
“good to finally meet the person who’s cured our mr. grumpy pants over there.”
and you smile, wrapping your arms back around him.
“i’m excited to finally meet the famous foggy nelson.” you smile, and he pulls away from you. 
“well come in lovebirds!” he says, stepping aside.
matt places his hand on your lower back, guiding you into their law office. you look down at the ground and tuck your hair behind your ears and look back up to see karen standing awkwardly by foggy’s office door.
“uhh...hi. i’m karen.” she smiles, sticking her hand out to you.
you gladly take her hand, shaking it a few times before letting go.
“y/n.” you smile.
“matt’s girlfriend.” she says, almost as if she’s fact checking it.
you just nod awkwardly, and fidget with the file in your hands. 
“oh, did you go to columbia?”
“no. but she will in the fall.” matt chimes in, a proud smile on his face as he places a gentle kiss on your cheek.
karen stand there, her mouth slightly agape, unsure of what to say.
“i-i’m applying for a graduate program. i have my admissions interview today” you nod, shifting nervously on your heels. 
“ahh. what’s your poison?” foggy asks, suddenly appearing as he grabs the folder from your hand and leans against the desk beside you.
he opens it and looks over the paperwork inside.
“neuropsych. got my bachelors a couple weeks ago, now i’m going for the masters.” you sigh, you fidget nervously.
“neuropsych. fancy. hey, maybe you can pay our bills.” foggy jokes and you smile.
“i do have a couple extra chickens roaming around if you’d like?” you chuckle, and foggy lets out a loud laugh, tossing his head back. 
“how old are you?”
all of our head snap towards karen who just stares at you.
“karen-” matt starts, and you just shake your head, placing a hand on his chest to stop him, giving her a small smile.
“i’m 22.” 
“oh!” she exclaims, her eyebrows raised.
you simply clear your throat, looking over at the clock on the wall. 
“oh, i gotta go if i’m gonna make it on time.”
“let’s-”
“no. it’s okay. i’ll be there and back in an hour and half at most. just stay here. work on the case. or work on whatever you need. i know you have things you need to get done. it was great to meet you guys!” you say, giving matt a quick kiss and foggy was quick to hand you back your folder.
“you’re gonna do great.” matt smiles, holding his face in your hands.
“let’s hope.” you mumble.
you quickly rush out of the office and down the hall. once matt heard the elevator doors close, he turns to foggy and karen.
“wasn’t how i planned for you guys to meet. but i’m glad you did.” he smiles, shrugging slightly.
“i liked her. she seems good.” foggy smiles, feeling a growing fondness for you and how happy you made his best friend. 
“yeah.” karen nods, agreeing but not wanting to push the conversation any further.
matt could sense that something was up, but chose to ignore it as they all sat down around matt’s desk to work on their current case. they worked in remote silence, and foggy didn’t need matt’s super senses to be able to tell that something was up with karen. finally, after an hour of awkward tensions, matt let out a long sigh.
“okay, what is it?”
karen looked up, her eyebrows furrowed.
“what? nothing.”
“it’s clearly something.” foggy says, flipping the files closed and bringing his full attention to his friend.
karen pauses for a moment, before letting out a sigh. 
“she’s a kid, matt.”
“okay. first of all, she’s 22 years old. she’s an adult-”
“but she’s still a kid! she’s still in that phase of her life where she’s going to make mistakes and bad choices-”
“is that supposed to mean something, karen?”
“no, god no, matt i just...you couldn’t have picked someone a little older?”
“who like you?” matt chuckles dryly.
foggy sunk deeply back into his seat, unsure of where his place was, or even if he had one right now.
“that’s not what i’m trying to say.” she argues.
“then what are you trying to say?”
“she’s still in college for christs’ sake matt! she’s still a kid. she’s still growing and figuring out who she is! two years ago, she couldn’t drink alcohol and you were starting a law firm with your best friend and fighting crime out in the streets of new york! that’s not the least bit weird to you? i can’t help but look at this like it’s some...sick twisted fantasy of yours.”
foggy’s mouth drops open and matt just scoffed, shaking his head, so taken over by the anger and betrayal that he was feeling he hadn’t heard you walk up to the door of the office, now frozen in front of the door, just listening. 
“the upsetting fact that you think so little of me aside. i love her. i’m in love with her. nothing else matters. there’s nothing wrong with it. she’s an adult, and she knows how to make her own choices. she’s smart, and she’s intelligent, and she’s far more mature about this than you are. we are two consenting adults who love each other. foggy has no problem with it. maggie has no problem with it. the law has no problem with it. nobody has a problem with it other than you, karen.”
you hadn’t even noticed that you begun to cry until your body had forced you to sniffle, almost like a reflex. matt’s head snapped up and panic flooded through his body.
“shit.” he mumbled, rushing past karen and foggy and towards the front door where you stood, frozen in place, looking up at him. 
“hi.” you squeak out, your purse clutched in your hand. 
foggy and karen heard you at the door, and panic flooded their bodies. foggy immediately filled with worry for his friend and the girl he loved. matt just stands there listening to the sound of your uneven heart beat and the cracks in your voice, breaking his heart. he crumbled at the sound of you.
“sweetheart i-”
“no. it’s...it’s fine. i get it. i...i have to go home, actually. i’ll...call you.” you turn away and matt quickly reached out and grabbed your wrist.
“y/n wait-”
“let me go, matt. please. i just need some space right now.” you say, the tears streaming down your face. 
matt didn’t know what to do. every ounce of his body was begging his mind to not let go. to not let you walk out of this building without him. but he did.
“i’m sorry.” he says softly and he slowly drops his hand from your wrist.
“i know.” you nod, looking at his fallen face for just a moment before walking out and into the elevator, back to your car that was parked on the sidewalk. 
you sat in the driver’s seat for a moment before letting out a sob. karen’s reaction to you and your relationship is exactly what you were afraid of. you were afraid of the doubt it’d place in matt’s head. you were afraid that maybe she could convince him that what was happening between the two of you was, in fact, wrong. you were terrified of it happening, and then it did. as you fumbled with your car keys, matt slumped against the wall, hearing your muffled cries from your car, his heart falling apart at the sound of you struggling to breath and you shakily placed the key into the ignition. 
“matt i-” karen began, but matt held his hand up. 
“just...don’t. you have your opinion. you spoke your mind. i get it, you don’t approve of my relationship. but...she’s the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. you of all people should be able to see that, but i guess not.” matt chuckles dryly, running his hand over his face and letting out a breath. 
“matt it’s not like she knew that y/n was standing outside listening.” foggy sighs.
“so you’re taking her side!?” matt shouts, eyebrows furrowing as he pushes himself off the wall.
“no! you can be upset with karen for what she said all you want! but she didn’t intend for y/n to hear any of it. this wasn’t some well timed out master plan. it really sucks, and i really am sorry that she heard it, but you can’t be upset with karen for y/n overhearing. that being said, karen, they’re adults. they’re both grown. some people are forced to grow up quickly and some people are just mature enough to handle an age difference in their relationship. there’s nothing wrong with their relationship, and i really hoped that you thought more of matt than you clearly do.”
“i do think more of you than that. i’m sorry. i just...she’s young and i don’t want you to get hurt because she decides she wants something different in a year or two.” karen sighs.
“she won’t. she’s too stubborn to change her mind once it’s made up.” matt say, a small smile gracing his lips. 
there’s a silent pause before karen speaks up again.
“i’m sorry, matt.”
“i know, karen. i know.” matt sighs, closing his eyes, anxiously waiting for his phone to vibrate in his pocket. 
for the robotic spoken voice to speak out your name. but it wouldn’t. not right now, anyways. not while you were parked outside of your apartment complex, tears still coating your face. you hadn’t been paying attention to your surroundings, which is why when your best friend, leanne, knocked on your window, you jumped so high you’d hit your head on the roof of your car. she covered her mouth in shock, and also in attempt to hide her laughter. 
“are you okay?” she asks, opening your car door for you, a small chuckle leaving her lips. 
“physically, yes. mentally and emotionally? probably not.” you sigh, grabbing your things and exiting your car. 
you hit the lock button on your keys almost immediately after she shuts the door. 
“what happened? interview not go well?” she asks, her eyebrows furrowing in concern.
she loops her arm into yours as you make your way towards the elevator. 
“i met matt’s friends today.” you say, pressing the button to your floor and watching the doors of the elevator slowly close. 
“oh?”
“yeah.”
“and i’m guessing it didn’t go well?” she questions.
“it went fine.”
“i’m confused. then what’s wrong?”
“it went fine until i left.”
“oh...that’s...what happened?”
“foggy was lovely. and karen was...reserved. but she apparently has a big problem with the age gap between matt and i. she called our relationship a sick and twisted fantasy. that sentence is lacking a bit of context, but it was still said.” you recalled, your throat closing as the tears pooled in your already burning eyes. 
the elevator door dinged, and as it opened, leanne had spoken up.
“if she wants to see sick and twisted fantasy, i can show her sick and twisted fantasy.” she scoffs, her feet stomping down the hallway. 
you two has recently gotten an apartment together after moving out of your shared dorm at cornell. it was decently sized, and you two had gotten a cut on the rent, courtesy of the landlord who happened to be a cornell alumni. 
anything for a fellow cornell bear!
“karen is the one matt dated for a while a few years ago, right?”
“right.” you sighed, pulling your apartment key out from the ring and unlocking the front door. 
leanne just nodded her head, unlinking your arms and placing her things on the bench in the hallway. 
“wanna go bar hopping?”
you let out a snort as you hung up your jacket on the coat rack. 
“bar hopping?”
“yeah. bar hopping. you could use a drink, and i could use a night out.”
“you went out last night.”
“and i’d like another one.” she shrugged.
you just smiled and shook your head. 
“as long as we can go to-”
“the press lounge? of course. and yes, we’ll skip josie’s.”
“you know me so well.” you smiled, and she nodded. 
“i know.”
meanwhile, foggy was pleading with matt as he followed him into his apartment.
“please, matt. i hardly ever ask you for anything! just please come with me. i’ll be all alone if you don’t go!”
“you won’t be alone, you’ll have marci.” matt chuckles, throwing off his jacket.
“she’ll be busy meeting fancy business people. plus, she told me to bring you! just...please?”
matt sighs, feeling obligated to oblige.
“fine, but if she calls-”
“gone. no questions asked. i totally understand.” foggy nods.
“where are we going?” matt asks, putting his jacket back on.
“the press lounge.”
matt stopped for a moment, his hand lingering along the lapel of his blazer. he knew it was your favorite bar. you loved the view, not that it made any difference to him, but he always indulged you. loving to listen to your voice as you’d explain the view and the stars in the sky which always led to a rant about how much you hated the light pollution in the city which always led to an alcohol induced tweet about how our society needed to do more to protect the environment. which was always deleted the following morning.
“everything okay?” foggy asks, matt cleared his throat and nodded.
“yeah, let’s go.”
the entire way there, matt was silently hoping that you’d decided to go out for a drink at your favorite bar. that you’d be there. and he’d be able to find you in the crowd, tell you how much he loved you and how nothing or no one could ever change his mind. he wouldn’t have to wait for your call. he could just tell you. because the fear of losing you was draining him of every other emotion he had. you were all he could think about. and he was all you could think about.
part 2
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dumbnbroody · 2 years
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Recruitment
continued thread with @cornelthecursed
Angel whirls around, the LEDs in her mask blinking wildly to scan Cornel. Once the biometric scans come through, her brows furrow in confusion. None of this made any sense, but Norse gods were confirmed to exist years ago--who is she to judge? She heaves herself to stand, her hands braced on her knees as she glances down as casually as she can at her gauntlet. Out of juice, shit. Okay, talk yourself out of this, you can easily motormouth your way out of SHIELD captivity. Angel subtly backs towards the exit, slipping a flash disk into her palm with a frown, her eyes darting over her assailant’s form. He’s definitely more humanoid than she was expecting, and foreign. He’s being so casual for someone who just sprinted up 80 flights of stairs, there’s no way he isn’t advanced. How desperate was SHIELD to bring her in? They had Stark on their payroll, they don’t need another engineer.
“Huh, you’re quick. What’s your deal? Super soldier serum? Ancient god? Steroids?” She quips, tilting her head to the side. Her voice comes out tinny, robotic through her mask- the last thing Angel would need is someone recognizing her because of her motormouth. She lets out a breath before readying the flash disk, glaring at him from behind her mask. “This has been fun and all, but I really should dash. It’s no use chasing me anymore, I was just saving up energy to really slip off.” “Your power core is currently at 0%.” Angel’s shoulders slump at her suit chiming in, looking down at her gauntlet in exasperation.  
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4birds-of-a-feather · 3 years
Text
Chapter 27 - Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight (when it’s exactly twelve o’clock that night) [part 3]
Birds Of a Feather
(In the previous chapters: after a wild match of a new game called I Have a Ball, the gang can finally start the party; among the guests there are Chris and Matt of Soundgarden, Layne and his girlfriend Demri and a couple of Mudhoney guys; to avoid an embarrassing situation, Sara suggests a game of Never Have I Ever which, despite Stone’s objection, is endorsed by several guests: now they can finally get to the heart of the party)
At this point the guests had basically split in three groups: some of them were stuffing their faces in the kitchen, others were dancing and listening to the music and some were taking their seats in a circle in the middle of the living room to play the game. “I can’t believe I’m doing this!” whined Stone as he sat down on the carpet “What did you plan for midnight? Musical chairs or broom dance?” “Stop complaining Gossard, nobody forces you to play if you don’t want to!” Cornell retorted to him and then went on “And actually I planned something great for midnight… you’ll see” “Should we be scared?” Layla wondered aloud as she noticed the devilish grin on Chris’s face. “Not much more than usual” Mike shrugged as he sat on the couch between her and Lukin. “Anyway, there’s no children games or grown up games: a game is a game, then it depends on how you play it” the girl explained then turned around immediately when she heard someone beside her open his mouth. “Yeeeah, and it depends on how much play you get” Elias spoke like he came out of thin air. “Elias?? Where have you been?” “When you grow up, I’ll tell you all about it, my darling one” the guy gave her a blatant wink “Let’s just say that it involved physical activity with a blonde bombshell…” “I didn’t know that indoor plants could be blondes...” “What do you mean, Mr. Cameron?” “I mean that, apparently, you have a thing for ficus plants and you also find ‘em incredibly blonde; I saw you sprawled between them half an hour ago, but I never took you for a-fuck, what’s the name?” “... Dendrophiliac?”  “Yes, exactly! Thanks, Layla, you’re an angel” the drummer flashed at Layla one of his sunny grins, while Elias began to whine. “Matt, what a low blow! I expected that from everybody in this room – except you and Ed, and look where my admiration for you has led me!” “... What kind of hippie freak are you, O’Reilly? Hell, going at it with a vegetable?! And it wasn’t even a carrot or a pickle, what is your damag-” Jeff had looked at him all perplexed, but he was fortunately interrupted by loud coughs made by Layla. “Soooo, everybody here knows the rules?” the girl asked, but was met by skeptical looks “Jeez, what kind of adolescence did y’all have?” “One that didn’t include fun, apparently” Elias shrugged, still licking his wounds after his previous skirmish with Matt. “Ok, I get it: first of all, grab the poison of your choice” and, as she said it, she filled herself a glass of tequila that had been previously hoarded in the middle of the circle with many other kinds of booze. Soon after Sara had shrugged and grabbed a bottle of beer, while Demri helped herself to a glass of sangria and then, one by one, everybody followed their example and was having something alcoholic clenched in their hands. “Very good” Layla cleared her throat “One by one, each one of us begins their sentence with ‘Never have I ever’ and then proceeds to say something they have never done; if you did the thing that has just been said, you have to take a sip of your drink” “Milady, you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention” Lukin declared, a hand upon his heart. “Now, this is the most important rule, so pay attention: you have to remember that the winners are the ones who have their glasses at their fullest” “... Layla, are you telling us that having a life as interesting as a sloth’s is the key to success?” Cornell scratched his temple, glancing at her in a perplexed way.  “I think she is” “Well, I have a question” Stone, unexpectedly, raised his hand “You talked about glasses, but many of us have chosen bottles, so it would take ‘em more time to empty that instead of a glass, right? Doesn’t that sound like a huge advantage to any of you?” “... he’s right, they have more booze to drink, that’s unfair!” Mike chimed in, pouting and waving his glass of whiskey in the face of everybody. “That’s not what I meant, Cready, lemm-” “But you can always grab another glass after you emptied the first, man! That’s what I’m gonna do” Lukin patted Mike on the shoulder, showing him his own glass of gin, and the guitarist returned to being his usual cheerful self. “Ok, so, who starts?” Layla asked, rolling her eyes. “Well, since you suggested the game in the first place, it’s only fair that you’re the one who goes first” Eddie answered gently. <The fact I’m also eager to know the things you did and didn’t do has got nothing to do with it, of course> “Oh, ok so ne-” the girl was answering but was immediately cut off by Stone. “Err-Ed, it was actually Sara who suggested it. Or the mysterious person she heard it from” “Huh? Oh yeah, you’re right, you go first, Sara” the singer admitted and mentally counted how many rounds were there before Layla’s turn. “Yeah, Sara, you can start” Layla winked at her friend and everybody else agreed but someone else chimed in again. “I have an idea. Why don’t we all drink a glass of something and the one who empties it faster starts?” McCready suggested.  “That’s what I call starting with a boom, I’m in, man! So 3… 2… 1-” Lukin immediately went along with him and brought his glass close to his mouth. “Nuh-huh, we’re gonna take it slow, it’s less funny if we all get drunk before the start” Layla innocently explained. “Now that’s not exactly true, miss” Lukin addressed the girl in a contrived way. “Everybody shut up! Sara will begin, end of the story” Stone took over and everybody simply agreed without further questioning. <Haha, I got the power> “Well, well, well” Sara tapped the bottle of beer against her lips “Never have I ever…” she stopped and looked Jeff directly in the eye “... got a love letter” Layla promptly gulped a sip of tequila, leaving Ed lost in his thoughts: he couldn’t believe that the Boston piece of shit could be able to make such a significant gesture. “Mikey, what the fuck are you doin’?” “Taking a sip, obviously” “... who wrote you a love letter? When did that happen?!” “My love life isn’t any concern of yours, Stoney” and, that said, McCready finally drank a bit of his whiskey, then turned to a pouty Lukin “Dude, why that sad face??” “...”  Lukin didn’t open his mouth because he was already near the stage of an alcohol-fueled coma, but Mike perceived his silence as a sign of possible discomfort and shame. “Don’t tell me that nobody ever wrote you a love letter!” he added, shocked “That is outrageous! But you don’t have to cry about it, if you want I’ll write you one” “... Elias, put that glass down; nobody’s gonna believe you” Stone changed his victim, who rolled his eyes but did as he had said. In the middle of all that noise, Demri and Layne shared a glance full of complicity and drank almost at the same time, while Chris and Matt clinked their glasses and unironically did the same. “Nobody specified if it had to be sincere or a bet would suffice as well, so…” Cornell smirked, then looked at Eddie, who hadn’t moved a muscle “Ed, you’re not drinking?” “Yeah, I-I’m usually the one who writes ‘em” the singer let out a nervous chuckle, then turned to the girl who was sitting next to him and that was muttering something under her breath “Everything ok, Sara?” The young woman’s gaze at Jeff was literal lava, ready to boil all over him. “That piece of shit… he doesn’t even have the balls to admit it, fuckin’ unbelievable” she snorted, then added in a loud voice “Somebody in this room is so full of shit it’s not even funny” When Jeff gave her a perplexed glance, she went on: “Yeah, I’m talking about you” “Man, what does she mean with that?” Elias went near the bassist in order to satisfy his curiosity, but the guy just shrugged. “She must have forgotten to take her medicine, you’ll get used to it” Jeff reassured him as he kept eye contact with Sara. <So what? Only because I’m lucky with girls, it doesn’t mean I gotta receive stupid love letters every day… And since when is this any of her business? Is she jealous? She fuckin’ hates me, how can she be jealous? And why does she fucking hate me anyway? Can’t we just have fun without problems for once?> Seeing the vein pulsing on her temple, Eddie put a hand on the girl’s arm: “Don’t mind him, you know how he is” he paused a second, then beamed with enthusiasm “Now it’s my turn!” “Who said that?” Stone asked after gazing from Sara to Jeff during their exchange like the spectator of a tennis match. “Well, we’re following the order…” Eddie explained pointing at Sara sitting next to him, then at himself, then towards Lukin and the other people sitting on the couch. “Who decided it’s counterclockwise?” Mike wondered. “How can you say cun- cou- caunt- county- oh fuck, how can you say that fuckin’ word when drunk?” Lukin tried to make a point. “Sadly not drunk enough, my friend” Mike wiped invisible tears from under his eyes while the bass player patted him on the leg. “Who cares if it’s clockwise or not, let’s go on!” Jeff huffed at Stone and flailed his arms, anxious to go on with the game, mostly to shift the attention on something else. “So – cough, cough! – can I?” Eddie hesitantly demanded. “Yeah, sure!” everybody prompted him to go on. “Ok so… uhm… never have I ever… got back with an ex” he said looking intently at the carpet beneath his feet. Some people drank, some people didn’t. Mike drank from his glass as Layla left hers untouched and gave him a puzzled look.  “Really, Mike?”  “What can I say? The soul is willing but the flesh is weak”  Layla nodded embarrassed and when she looked at Eddie, he looked down again pretending not to be staring at her, now acting preoccupied with his fingernails. <So she didn’t. But she wanted to. Does she still? She would be back with him already if it  wasn’t for the snow. It’s just a matter of time anyway… Shit, I should have asked ‘Never have I ever WANTED to get back with an ex’. I’ll wait for my next round... Will it be too obvious?> “Guess it’s my turn now” Lukin shrugged then stood up from the couch for no reason. “You don’t have to stand up to say the thing, Matt” McCready reminded him but he acted like he didn’t hear him. “Never have I ever… lied to a friend to avoid a greater evil” he stated then plopped back down on the couch with a burp. “Wait... this is a normal question” Jeff frowned as he, like everybody else, was expecting some senseless stuff. “Isn’t it alright?” Lukin asked and was about to stand up again, not without any effort, but Layla promptly pulled him down right away. “It’s alright, Matt, the question is perfect” she said and proceeded to drink from her glass. Steve, who hadn’t drunk in the first two rounds, did the same, just like Sara, Mike and literally everybody else. “Mikey, you basically did everything” Layne joked. <Yeah, finally something I actually did for real> the guitarist pondered and smiled. “Well, once I said I had troubles at home with my family and couldn’t make it to rehearsal. But I actually went to a party and got shitfaced” “YOU DID WHAT?” Stone and Jeff attacked him almost at the same time while the others just laughed. “You liar! And I was even worried about you” Stone shook his head. “You were worried only because you had paid to book the practising space in advance!” the other guitarist retorted, sticking his tongue out at him. “Do it again and I’ll bust your head wide open” Ament threatened pointing his finger at him. “You’re one to talk! Did you forget when you came late to soundcheck at the Off Ramp and said it was because of a jammed brake pad in your truck you had to check?” Mikey ironically asked “But what you actually had to check out was instead that girl from 7-Eleven?”  “YOU WHAT? GUYS, I’M SERIOUSLY DISAPPOINTED” Stone folded his arms and gave them both a scolding look. “Well yeah, I can understand Mike, but I thought you were more focused on art, honestly” Eddie chimed in with a shitty grin on his face. “Huh, not you too, please!” “What does it mean you can understand me? I’m focused on my art too” the guitarist acted offended “Sometimes you just need a break, you know?” “Come on, give Jeff a break! And you’re right Mike, don’t listen to them! It’s your turn now” Layla tried to bring peace in the gang and asked him to go on with the game. “Thank you, Four Eyes! It’s your turn, Judas” Jeff looked up at the girl, then stared at Mike with narrowed eyes. “Ok, so… uhm… never have I ever flown on a dragon” he said as he brought up his glass as if he was making a toast.  “Hahaha, shut up! That’s not valid, man” Elias blurted out laughing at the guitarist’s face, just like anybody else in the circle. “Why not? You shut up” “Err, Mikey, actually… I think Elias is right in this particular circumstance: you can’t make unreal statements” Layla scratched her head and tried to convince him without irritating him. “Oh sorry, Miss Boulais, I didn’t know this rule. I’ll come up with something else” McCready reassured her and Layla sighed with relief “Never have I ever… been to Mongolia” Everybody giggled and Layla facepalmed. Of course nobody drank. “Mike, the aim of the game is not drinking, you know that, right?” Layla whispered into his ear. “Don’t worry, I’ve got my strategy!” he winked at her and then asked the group before taking the umpteenth sip “So? Nobody? Ok, looks like I gotta drink then” “You seem to ignore other rules too though, did you know that?” Lukin broke the silence right when Layla was thinking about her statement. “Which rules?”  “Once you said your Never have I ever, you can’t actually change it… unless you take a penalty” Matt went on to explain and for a moment Eddie detached from the situation and observed the scene as an external spectator. <Two drunk grown men debating about the rules of Never have I ever, and it’s not even midnight> “He had to change it because it wasn’t valid, not because he wanted to change it himself” Chris pointed out. “Right, Chris, thank you! I love you man, did I ever tell you? Oh, and what was this penalty supposed to be anyway?” “Easy. You had to drink all player’s cups. But since you didn’t want to change it yourself…” Lukin shrugged and Mike suddenly sat straight up on the couch. “OH, BUT I WANTED TO!” “Haha, but you just said-” Layne chuckled at him while Demri muttered to herself she was expecting this comeback. “FORGET WHAT I SAID” “But Chris just said-” Cameron wanted to join in the fun too. “FORGET WHAT HE SAID, FUCK CHRIS, OK??”  “And he said he loved me!” Chris pretended to cry on his drummer’s shoulder and Matt patted his head. “Stop being an animal, Cready, and let Layla speak. It’s her turn” Gossard reproached him and Mike sulked like a child. “Ok so… mmm…” Layla collected her thoughts and then spoke in one single breath “Never have I ever led anyone to believe I liked them whereas I actually had a crush on their best friend and so was just leading this person on to get to their friend”  “This is… very specific, El” Sara squinted at her, trying to understand what her friend was up to. “It’s just an average game question” Layla shrugged but didn’t convince the other girl. <She’s a worse liar than Mike> Only Stone and Jeff drank, therefore getting a reproach from Layla herself. Ed didn’t drink and this was a sort of answer to Layla’s little suspects about him and her roommate. She smiled at him but was almost more shocked about someone else not drinking. “... Mike?” “Yes, babe?” “You didn’t drink” “Sure I didn’t. I’d never be such a jerk to a woman!” he replied with a disgusted face making everybody laugh, whereas Layla beamed and kissed him on the cheek. “Your kindness is stronger than your thirst, I’m impressed” “My turn now!” Elias yelled and everyone focused on him “Never have I ever… thought a friend’s mom, ehm, a friend’s parent was hot”  “Wow, a dirty question, who would have thought!” Sara rolled her eyes but also drank soon after.  “What??” her roommate was sincerely surprised.  “Well, that was really unexpected… color me impressed!” Steve grinned at her, raising his glass high in her honor. “Some dads are really something else, you can’t deny that” Sara justified herself and high fived Demri, who had just taken a sip as well “Let’s just say that this particular man made me re-evaluate the role of hideous Speedo swimsuits in society” “Amen, sister” Demri let out a loud cheer and patted her on the shoulder. “Are you really drinking?” Cameron gave Cornell a weird look. “Don’t you remember the story about Kevin’s mom?” the singer clarified. “Haha right, I forgot”  Mike drank but nobody was surprised. “Oh for fuck’s sake, Jeffrey!” Stone reacted sadly at Ament drinking from his cup. “You’re such a bigot” the bass player grinned broadly. “I’ll never let you anywhere near my house and my mother again”  “It’s not your mom that I find hot, don’t worry” Jeff tried to reassure him but got an unexpected reaction. “Why? What’s wrong with my mom?” “N-nothing, it’s just-”  “So you think my mom is ugly?”  “Not at all, Mary Carolyn is such a nice woman”  “Oh, so now you’re on a first name basis! Do you think you have a connection or something?” “No, you just said that-” “Keep your dirty hands off my mother!” “You’re all making it up. I only meant that-” “Jeff, you’re stuck in a vicious circle. The only way out is to drop the subject and make your Never have I ever statement, since it’s your turn. Trust me” Steve gave precious advice to Jeff, who nodded and focused on what to say.  “Never have I ever burnt bridges with somebody without any reason and without giving them the chance to explain themselves” “... Damn, Ames, you take no prisoners” Chris let out a low whistle, and the bassist shrugged, waiting for the inevitable glasses raised, but they never came. “Fancini, you ain’t thirsty?” he raised an eyebrow and received a middle finger as a reply. <Yeah, there was absolutely no fuckin’ need to hear ya explaining why the fuck you acted like an utter piece of shit – the reasons were all there, so you can put this bottle up your ass!> the girl thought, trying to ignore him. “Seems like nobody’s gonna drink this round, so… BOTTOMS UP!” Layne clapped his hands while Jeff stood up and emptied his cup. “I swear I wanted to say the exact same thing, I had it on the tip of my tongue!” Mike whined – he hadn’t taken a sip because he hadn’t totally understood what the hell his bandmate had said, but if that question had allowed him to gulp down his drink, then he was sure that it had to be something brilliant. “Well… seems like it’s your turn, Stoney!” Layla chirped, a bit in high spirits but with her hands steady, now intent on refilling Ament’s glass.  “Never have I ever avoided to face something important until the problems became bigger and uglier, so I regretted not doing anything about it before” Stone laid it out as simple as that without losing the smirk on his face, looking left and right at the bunch of friends. <That was pretty easy…> Gossard thought <This is not a New Year’s party, it’s a reunion of the Unfinished Business Club... Well, am I the one to talk?> When Stone and Layla made eye contact, the girl thought the question was directed right at her. Everybody knew about her ex boyfriend by now. What they didn’t know was that their relationship was over before the “Eddiegate” and way before she put an actual end to that. She’d always been aware that things weren’t good, that she was just too attached and insecure to let him go. <I chose an allegedly perfect boyfriend who was never actually there over dealing with actual people and the whole process of getting to know each other. I was so scared, and still am, that I’d rather not risk it and preferred a relationship that didn’t make sense anymore> At the same time Layla instinctively looked at her left towards Eddie and stole a quick glance of him knitting his eyebrows as if he was pondering something. He didn’t seem someone who would avoid obstacles to her, she couldn’t imagine him running away from problems, she liked him for being honest and straightforward. <Yeah, I do like him> she said as she figured out she had two reasons to drink and took a sip from her cup. As Stone spoke, for some reason Eddie’s mind immediately went to the mixtape he had sent over to them a few months earlier. All his feelings about his family, his mom, his dad, his stepdad, everything he had kept bottled up for so long and suddenly came out all at once. At times he thought it was too bad or too late, some other times he even believed there was still hope for him. It was always either black or white for him, nothing in between. And he started to think that maybe if he had addressed his issues before, his life wouldn’t be the rollercoaster of emotions it was.  <Thinking about roller coasters…> he said to himself as he looked towards the right and saw Layla drinking. Eddie saw the situation very clear for a minute. How could he blame her for trying to get in touch with her boyfriend again, when he did absolutely nothing about her in the meantime? He had never told her anything or asked her out, except for the failed attempt to go to the movies with her alone. Was it too late for that too or was there any hope left? In doubt, he drank from his glass too. Next to Stone, Jeff had let out a huge sigh and rolled his eyes: leave it to his best friend to pour some lemon and salt over the wound, then worsen the situation by twisting a rusted knife inside of it and letting it fester. He suddenly felt a great wave of fatigue washing all over him, and pinched the bridge of his nose because he had the feeling that a headache was behind the corner; it didn’t matter how many miles he had tried to put between himself and the first half of that particular year they were about to say goodbye to: the past had its ways to come back and bite you in the ass, and his nights spent by mulling over years and years of regrets and lost chances could prove it. Just thinking about Andy was still able to give him nausea, because his mind inevitably drifted to the last time he had seen him – hooked up to the machines, an unrecognizable empty shell where once had stood a bright young man, full of hopes and dreams bigger than his own life. Andy’s addiction had always been the notorious elephant in the room: everybody knew it was there, but nobody acknowledged its existence. They had tried to make him understand how serious his situation was – how jeopardizing it would have been for their careers – and, for a while, it had seemed to work: he had been sober for a few months and was positive about their future, confident about their imminent success. In the morning of that goddamn day he was supposed to go to the gym with him, but instead had called him to say that he didn’t feel good; his voice had been kinda scratchy, but Jeff had thought nothing of it – he was sick and didn’t need a nanny around, the day after he would have been good as new, that’s what he had told himself… that’s also what he had repeated to himself when he had stepped inside the hospital that same evening, cursing himself because he should have understood that something was wrong in his voice and it hadn’t been the sickness talking, but the heroin. He had also cursed Andy for throwing their jobs out the window, then cursed again himself for being a shitty human being who in that moment could only think of financial stability and not the fact that his friend wasn’t there anymore and that the lifeless corpse lying on the bed was a reminder of how nobody – not even the brightest fellows – in the end can save themselves. Now his thoughts drifted to the last New Year’s Eve party he had attended, where Andy had been gushing nonstop over The Miracle by Queen: he had been sober for a while and his eyes were literally sparkling while he talked about the English band’s latest single and eponymous album. Nobody could compete with the level of enthusiasm that Andy always showed when he talked about Queen – nobody, except maybe one person. Jeff raised his head and looked in front of him, where a pale-faced Sara was sitting with her legs crossed: even from his place he could see how in this moment her dark lipstick and metallic eyeshadow stood out on her face. <Avoided to face something important until the problems became bigger and uglier… regretted not doing anything about it before…> Stone had been a direct witness of how messed up he had become five years before, when he had spent a whole week being dead worried and then it had only taken Sara a few minutes to make his world crumble around him, but he didn’t think his friend would be capable of using that piece of information to gain some advantage in a stupid game… right? Unless Stone had suddenly developed some serious telepathic skills, it would have been simply impossible: after all, it was a conclusion he had come to just in the last few weeks, so the deliberate jab at him had to be ruled out. After more than five years, Jeff had finally convinced himself that yes, that infamous day he could have indeed done something more; he could have persisted, insisted to talk to her and demanded some explanations after she had told him to leave her alone forever because, apparently, he had ruined her life and there was nothing he could do to fix it. She had clearly been in distress and he had obviously noticed it but, foolish as he was, he had preferred to indulge her instead of pushing the subject further on and trying to understand how he could help her. Sara had always been a reserved person – one could say that she resembled a vault – but maybe, with the right words and intentions, he would have been able to breach her notorious armor of stubbornness and pride, and she wouldn’t have disappeared for so many years, or at least they wouldn’t have been in those horrible terms. Maybe. He let out a sigh and drank from his glass and, in that exact moment, the girl fixed her gaze on him and noticed that he was already staring at her; she wrinkled her nose and turned her face away, as to avoid his inquisitive gaze: the last thing she needed was someone trying to understand what was going on in her mind. <Fuckin’ Gossrad and his disturbed competitiveness…> He was referring to that goddamn July of 1985, she was sure of it; he hadn’t been there when the outburst had taken place but he surely had comforted Jeff after it: that’s how those two rolled, talking shit about each other but always rushing to the aid of the other one whenever something – someone – terrible had happened to him. And that’s what she had been for Jeff: something terrible – something terribly weird, irritating, plain stupid like only a teenager can be; something to laugh about with his friends, to parade around like a shitty trophy, to forget as soon as the game had ceased to be funny, along with his old fake-ass personality and behavior, and never again to be talked about. It didn’t matter if her heart clenched whenever he laughed because he still got wrinkles around the corners of his eyes, like he used to do… she had to bury that annoying buzz deeper, alongside their old selves – fake or not – that they had so meticulously killed.  No laughter or smile could carry the same meaning of five years before. She couldn’t be fooled: she was the first one whose eyes couldn’t smile anymore, no matter how broad the grins she displayed were. She also couldn’t care less if anybody – her aunt Liliana, Leo, even Eddie – told her that she needed help, that she couldn’t go on like this, always internalizing, always stifling what she really felt, always thinking she had to face everything on her own… they could keep on babbling, she was still the one who in the end got to make the decisions. <Ok, my whole life has been a perpetual avoidance of every fuckin’ problem until it has all become a majestic mess, and there isn’t a single day that passes without me thinking I could have done something better with my life… so what? Does this give everybody the right to tell me how I should or should not live? Don’t think so> The girl finally ended her internal monologue with a scoff and emptied her glass, without the slightest intention of making eye contact with anybody. 
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rioskingdom · 4 years
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Amor Pasado
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Chapter 2
My alarm rang, waking me up from my very pleasant Oscar dream that I'm not admitting to anyone. As my eyes adjusted to the lighting in my room, I noticed the three teens staring at me.
I yelled, sitting up from my bed covering my body. "first of all, you're in a tank top relax, and second of all, you were dreaming of oscar," Ruby wiggled his eyebrows, which earned him a hard smack of the pillow to his face.
"Que diablos quieren?" You mumbled, rubbing your sleepy eyes. From one day to the next they had forgiven Cesar, and then things went quiet. Now Monse, Jamal and Ruby were watching me in my sleep.
"You're gonna help us, take Cesar out of the gang," Monse added.
"are you out of your mind, if he's been jumped in its too late," I knew enough about gangs to know its almost impossible to leave once your inside, and there's no way I'm going to go behind gang's back.
"Come on Carmen, you've known Oscar the longest and clearly you want to talk to him," I groaned, falling back into the bed.
"First of all, if word gets out that I had a dream about Oscar, I'll make all your lives a living hell," I threatened, making all their head move in unison.
"Second of all, just because I knew Oscar before doesn't mean he wants anything to do with me now," Once he joined the gang the dork that I use to know is gone.
"Come on Carmen, please," Ruby pleaded, but I shoved him away, walking to the drawer to grab some clothes.
"You're on your own guys,"
====
Monse pulled me into the group as I walked past them in school. "The longer we wait, the deeper Cesar's in." I turned to Monse, keeping my comment to myself. Monse was talking about being interested in a person. "Right now he's got no responsibilities," I felt guilty for Cesar, he had no reason to join the gang as his brother did.
"We got to get him out before he puts in work." I spotted Cesar coming from the stairs, giving Monse a nudge, but she didn't notice.
"Who's putting in work? You still with that?" Cesar surprised the guys.
"No," Monse and I said at the same time.
"With what?" Ruby sputtered. Cesar smirked, draping his arm across Jamal.
"Jamal?" Jamal couldn't even hold on for a second before he immediately blurted out.
"We're still with it," Jamal gave in apologizing immediately after.
"This isn't funny anymore," he got in front of us, stopping our walk.
"Trying to reason with my brother's dumb, Carmen you should know better, you know my brother," He had a point Oscar was stubborn.
"You gotta promise you're gonna drop it," Monse didn't make any eye contact with him.
"You're overreacting..." Cesar's face shifted, with fear in his eyes. Scared of his own brother?
"Especially you. Promise." she nodded her head.
"I promise," she promised, now that was a lie. We waited till Cesar was out of earshot. I went in front of the team, stopping them.
"I am not gonna talk to Oscar alone, you three decide who will talk to him and I'll go to stop him if he tries killing you," A girl from my class called me out from across the hall. "I have to go, let me know what we're doing," I left the team deciding who was gonna talk to Oscar.
====
I opened the door to the house, as Ruby shouted, "This is reverse sexism!" I came inside, dropping my bag off. A girl came behind Ruby, rubbing her hands on her skirt.
"I can sleep on the couch," She apologized. Ruby stood up straight as he heard her voice, slowly turning to face her. I asked my mom what was happening.
"I told Ruby that he has to sleep with the twins, while you and Olivia sleep in the room," giving me a quick rehash on who she was. I walked up to Olivia, nudging Ruby as I walked past him, giving her a hug. "welcome to the family, ignore Ruby,"
"Ruben. I go by Ruben,"
"Since when?" I chimed in.
Once Ruby finally gave up, I took Olivia into the room. "If you need anything, I'm literally a bed away," I grabbed my bag, taking out my binder to start on my math homework.
"Hey, your mom told me you're a writer," I grinned, nodding my head. There goes mami talking about her kids.
"Yeah, I went to Gardenfields from my freshman year to junior year," I spent most of my days in that school, the only times I came home were for Christmas and Thanksgiving. In Gardenfields, your best bet to stay up with GPA was to spend your summer in the writing camps. Catch up on assignments, and work on your story manuscripts.
"why'd you leave?" shrugging my shoulder, I set my book down onto my desk. Knowing not to press into the topic, she changed the subject.
===
Ruby and I were heading out when Mami stopped me, "Mija can you come here for a second," I hurried Ruby along.
"Spooky is gonna kill me without you," Ruby pleaded, fear written all over his eyes.
"He's not killing you in the 5 minutes I'll be running behind," I rolled my eyes, nudging him to move forward as I walked to mami.
"Victoria left you a message," why is she calling. I wanted nothing to do with her, not anymore. My phone vibrated with a message.
"delete it," I checked it, seeing it was Ruby having a near panic attack with talking to Spooky.
"What did happen with you girls, she made you so happy, and I know it wasn't easy telling us about her," I should go, Ruby might get himself killed.
"We just didn't click mami," I closed my eyes, releasing a breath I was holding. "I have to go, I uhm have to talk to my counselor about Cornell."
"Okay okay, I leave you alone about it," She came up to me, giving me a kiss on the forehead. I left going to Oscar's.
"Its time to give Cesars his wings," I walked over, hearing the end of the conversation. "By the way hows your sister?”
"Yeah she's good, you know bossy as always," Ruby puffed the smoke of the cigarette, having a cough attack. Once I got alone with him, Im gonna kill him. I could hear Oscars laugh coming from behind the fence. Ruby walked to the front of the house, jumping when he saw me waiting.
"Should I kill you for smoking or for calling me bossy," I threatened him.
"I’m too pretty to be killed," Ruby dodged my hand as he ran away. I'd get him at home.
"there's my girl," Oscar called out, turning me around. God, he was handsome. His tattoos, he got muscles, he was no longer the skinny 16 year old, and I was no longer the nerdy 14 year old. I walked away from the fence, walking towards the tattooed man.
"Last time I checked, I was no one's girl," I joked around, walking up to him.
"Right, Right," He took another puff of the smoke, offering to me. I politely declined, crossing my arms. Might as well rip the band-aid now.
"I know you probably had a reason for joining and I won't bother you about it but why make Cesar join?" like I said, Oscar was smart, he probably had a good reason for joining, but why drag Cesar into everything.
"Cuchillos wanted it, not me," he snapped. I took a step back from his lashing. He apologized, throwing the cigarette into the ground.
"why keep it to yourself?" He licked his lip, shrugging his shoulders.
"It's better that way," We walked inside the garage, seeing the car.
"I can't believe you kept the car," I giggled, looking at the red Chevy Impala. When we were little Oscar and I would get in the car, pretending to drive it even if none of us could reach the gas pedal at the time.
"What do you mean, this sexy thing its been in the family since '69, gotta keep this baby spinning smoothly," he tapped on the car, grabbing the wrench, opening the hood.
I walked to the edge of the garage, hopping onto the table. "whatever you say hermanito," Oscar's face turned to a scowl.
"Dont call me that," He responded, continuing leaning down to face the hood. I raised my eyebrow.
"why not, you call me hermanita?" my feet remained dangling since the table was pretty high up. He started fixing up the hood, giving me glances.
"I never thought of you as a sister," he looked back down, leaving me confused.
"then why did you tell me that at the beach that day?" he shifted his body to look at me.
"had to make you leave somehow," I fell flustered, thinking about that night. How upset I was that the guy I was into had called me his sister.
"what's that supposed to mean," I asked him.
Oscar stood up, sauntering towards me. He moved to stand between my legs, resting one of his hands against the table. "Oscar?" He stayed quiet, as he inched closer. My lips parting as Oscar slowly moved his face closer.
His hand moved beside me, going around my waist. I heard the toolbox move as a pair of pliers came into my field of vision. "needed pliers," He smirked, walking back to the car, leaning his arms on the edge of the hood, continuing his focus on the car.
It took me a second to fix my composure before I could comment back. "right I knew that," I got down from the table, walking to the car. I looked at my phone, seeing another message from Ruby.
are you still talking to Spooky?
"Why do you let people call you Spooky?" He grinned, checking the engine.
"People take you seriously when they're scared of you," What a horrible way to live life.
"You’re not scary to me," I responded.
"oh really," He stood up again, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
"Nope," I told him, popping the p. I leaned closer, just as our lips brushed together he pulled away, going to the other side. He managed to not make any eye contact as he went back inside the house. I stayed outside, confused about what the hell just happened.
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queensdivas · 4 years
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Garden Party. A Gwil Short
You can thank @filmslutt​ for that cute little moodboard you see below! I asked her to send me a request because I was super bored and then this came up! Don’t ask me how I got this from that from I think it’s sort of cute in a sense. 
I hope everyone is doing okay with what’s going on in the world. Please be careful and just enjoy the fact that we live in the same Universe that the Bohrap boys live in. 
Love you all and enjoy!
Masterlist
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I’d say the best advantage of living on an island far up north would be the smell of the North Atlantic Ocean. The people are so friendly, the food is all home cooked and fresh, and it’s super quiet. The worst thing? When you finally head to civilization for a week to spend with your family ya meet a really great guy and now he’s wanting to bring his friends up to meet me! Not that I haven’t met them over facetime and of course I said yes because he wouldn’t stop talking about them and how great they are! I’ve also seen their instagrams, they’re definitely super close with one another!
So. I thought it would be fun if I had a garden party! I’ve busted my butt through the entire summer with the help of Gwil who kept making time out of his super busy schedule to help me with my gardening. Our Scots Bluebell turned out beautifully all around the house, of course the thistles turned out gorgeous. The bellheathers turned a bright purple, my jacobite roses bloomed of course, and finally my dwarf cornel though taking a little longer than usual, turned out great! 
Alright it’s 1:10 and Gwil just told me he just picked them up from the airport. He said there’s going to be a total of eight people he’s bringing tonight. Luckily I’ve got enough room in my big old house to fit everyone. The last ferry usually leaves around eight and driving here around night isn’t always the best. I’ve got plenty of bunkbeds and single beds. 
For an appetizer I’m starting with Partan Bree (which is crab bisque), then two main cuisines of Bangers and Mash along with the second cuisine of course mini scottish pies. And for dessert it’s Cranachan!
One knock came from the back door as it opened for my friend to come and give me a hand with the cooking. You think I would do this all by myself? Of course not. Look, I love multitasking, but when it comes to cooking I’d like to make sure everything is cooked well. 
“How much time do we have Maisy?” Bonnie asked as she carried in some of the groceries I asked her to buy. Of course I invited my best friend. Though he’s met her multiple times when he drove up here, just didn’t want to be alone when they all come up here. 
“Inverness Airport is where everyone is meeting so we got about five hours. I have to start taking apart the crab if you want to start getting the mash ready.” Bonnie nodded as she walked behind the counter. 
“So who's all coming to this party?” Bonnie asked as I started cutting the skin off the crab. 
“Gwil of course. Joe, Ben and his girl sadly can’t remember her name. Rami and Lucy, and another couple Allen and his wife Jessica.” Finishing the first crap as I moved onto the next one. 
“Holy Hell. Didn’t realize you were feeding’ the masses today!” Bonnie laughed as she began peeling the potatoes. 
“Neither did I until a few days ago when he told me they were out and about. But oh well.” I laughed as I stopped peeling for a second to turn on the TV. 
“What are we feeling Bonnie?” I asked her as I scrolled down to the apps. 
“Have you watched Rosemary's baby?” For some odd reason whenever Bonnie and I cook, we just love watching scary movies. Don’t ask me why because we just do! 
“I’ve heard it’s freaky so yes. Hulu?” 
“Netflix.” I nodded as I opened netflix then got the movie started. 
I finished peeling the last crab as the pile of crab meat was sitting there ready to become some delicious bisque. We started watching the movie while beginning to cut up the crab shells. Bonnie and I kept stopping once every few minutes to watch the movie because it’s just so bizzare. Who names their kid Guy? Imagine growing up with your first name being Guy! No offense to those named Guy, but what a poor kid! 
“From the way Guy’s attitude. She blames it on being an actor, but I think that’s just him being an ass hole.” I pointed out as I placed the crab skins apart of the meat to start cutting them apart. 
“So not ALL actors are self entiled ass holes?” 
“Cheeky bitch.” I tossed a piece of crab skin at her as she darted a piece of skinned potato at me. 
“Gwil is much calmer and knows how the industry works. Oh my god her hair!” I got distracted at how big the top of random chicks hair was! It’s all shoved on top! 
“It looks like a popcorn kernel! Oh she’s dead..” We both stopped to start watching again as the old couple came into the scene. They’re like the old version of Barbie and Ken with the amount of pink they were wearing! My phone ringing broke my train of thought as I put down the knife. Why is Gwil trying to facetime me if he’s driving? I placed my phone against the mixing bowl and answered the call. 
“Is that crab?” He asked as I held the crab's dead claw in front of the camera. 
“Why are you holding a crabs claw? Oh my god does Gwil enjoy nipple clamps? Ben owes me money if this is true!” Joe chimed in as I smirked at the camera. When Gwil and Joe were in the Swiss Alps in that golf tournament, he facetimed me during the golf tournament with them driving around the golf course, while singing Material Girl. It Was a sight. 
“No he isn’t into nipple clamps Joe.” I heard him groan as he aimed the phone over to Gwil who was trying to focus on driving, but kept looking out of the corner of his eye towards the phone. 
“What’s for dinner?” He asked as I went back to cutting up the crab skin. 
“For as many people you’re dragging up here, we’re having Partan Bree, Bangers and Mash, Mini Pies, and for dessert you’ll be eating Cranachan!” I smiled as I heard a bunch of moaning for food in his car. 
“Gwil when were you going to tell us she was going to fatten us up!” Lucy giggled as I kept smiling at Gwil. 
“You guys just left the airport?” I asked them as I finished cutting the skin. 
“Yeah we should be up there in about four hours Maisy. Miss you biscuit.” He started to blush as everyone in the car was beginning to awww and chuckle. 
“Miss you too marmalade . Don’t worry I won't embarrass you in front of your friends quite yet. Until you get up here at least. Now let me cook so I can feed everyone!” I told him as he looked away from the road for a second. 
“Okay Maisy. Love you.” 
“Love you to Gwil. Drive safely please!” I sent him a kiss but I heard a certain someone scoff. 
“Wow you’re not gonna say goodbye to me?” The camera turned to Joe as he was making a very large pouty face. 
“Sorry Joe. Goodbye Joe and please make sure my marmalade drives safety.”
“Much better. Bye Maisy!” Joe waved as he hung up the phone as I got back to it. 
“Biscuit? Marmalade? Where the hell do you guys come up with this stuff?” She asked as I shook my head. 
“Super long story. Sort of what happened when we went to that castle in Tain with biscuits and marmalade. Long but funny.” Bonnie nodded as I got a picture from Gwil. It was a self with everyone in the car. Bonnie looked over at Joe and smiled. 
“That Joe guy is kind of cute.” Bonnie commented as she finished peeling all the potatoes. 
“Maybe he’s single.” I commented as I placed the shells into the oven. 
*Four Hours Later*
Bonnie brought out the last chair from the house as I flung the pure white embroidered tablecloth onto the long table. I want to make sure everyone has some space to eat and relax because it gets a little nipply here at nights, being up here on Orkney Island kind of comes with the package. But I love it up here! 
I walked over to the small shed with my boxes full of packed fairy lights so I could hang around the tree branches. We dragged the old dining room table out of the house and put it under the tree. Luckily we’ve got a warm evening with our usual nice breeze. 
“Hey Bonnie! Can you double check the pies for me?” I asked her as I grabbed one of the chairs to stand up on to hang the lights. 
“Maisy! Do we want music playing in the background for tonight?” Reaching up to wrap the first strand on the closest branch. 
“Ummm. Throw on my Harmonium record would ya?” Weird yes. But their music is just so relaxing and perfect for some really good cleaning and cooking music. For the record the movie took a really dark turn real quick and was so weird. But I would definitely watch it again because it went from oh shit to HOLY SHIT! In a span of twenty minutes!
“Reach you!” I had to balance myself on one foot as I got the strand on the tiny little branch. 
“Gotcha!” I cheered as I kept going with the rest of the lights. 
“MAISY!” She screamed from the kitchen as she hung up the next part of the strand. 
“WHAT!”
“WHAT WINE DO WE WANT?” Wine? WINE!? YOU DON’T HAVE WINE WITH SAUSAGE AND MASH! 
“Bonnie! You know better than that! We have all throughout the entire dinner! I got a few bottles in the cellar of that 90 Shilling down there. But just in case they want wine, grab a bottle of Gavi Di Gavi that I have down there, I think it’s been aged for a little while so it should go good with the Bartan Bree at least.” She turned around to go back inside, but then turned back around to stand in the doorway. 
“Pies are almost done, the soup is hot and ready, also they’re here.” Okay good pies are ready AND GWILS HERE!? SHIT! I climbed down from the chair as I fixed my necklace and let my hair down from my clip. 
I began walking towards the side gate but stopped at the back porch to flip on the backyard lights. The fairy lights I hung from the tree lit the table nicely along with the candles that are soon to be lit. I took one last glance down at myself to see that my floral dress was laying nicely, booties were tied and my necklace was fixed. 
Alright. Here we go! 
Opening the side gate as I heard all of them talking amongst each other as they were walking up to the front door. Gwil looked absolutely stunning in his dark green button up, black pants, oh and those dark brown loafers. A beautiful snack! They were walking up to the front door as I walked all the way around front. 
“Well well well. Look at this merry band coming onto my porch.” They all turned towards me as Gwil smiled. He walked down from the front porch to scoop me up in his arms to do a quick spin. Then a quick peck as it’s rude to kiss multiple times in front of your guest. 
“And these are for you?” He stuck a small bouquet of lilies and lavenders. 
“Thank you biscuit.” One quick peck as he placed his arm around my shoulder as we began walking towards the crowd. 
“Those who haven’t had the chance to meet her. This is Maisy Kerr. You already know Joe of course.” I smiled as Joe walked over to give me a quick hug. 
“I know I should be all nice and not rude, but where is your bathroom?” He was trying not to do a pee dance as I also tried not to laugh. 
“Upstairs, second door on the left.” 
“Oh my god thank you!” He rushed inside as I motioned for everyone else to follow inside. Gwil stopped for a moment to sneak in a few more kisses which made me giggle. 
“I’ve missed you so much Maisy! I hope you don’t mind, after I drive them back down to the airport if I stay with you for a few days? London and Bristol have gotten a little old without you and this place is just relaxing.” Not being sarcastic at all, but I love it when he just comes up and stays. 
“You can literally come over whenever you feel like honey. We’ll talk about it after dinner, and have to go meet everyone.” I placed a soft peck on his cheek then walked past him, but then gave his butt a little slap. God I love that tooshie. 
Everyone was standing around the hallway as we walked in then shutting the door. 
“Shoes on our off?” One of them asked as I locked the door. 
“Either or. We’ll be eating outside this evening and having a bonfire, so I would leave them on.” How can you not have an outdoor dinner without a bonfire. Wouldn’t make much sense if we didn’t have one. 
“Maisy this is a lovely home. I’m Lucy by the way.” Oh my god she’s an adorable woman holy crap!
“Lovely to meet you Lucy and thank you. Has been with my family for generations.” Everyone made it outside as Bonnie was tossing a bunch of kindling wood into the fire pit. 
“Aye welcome! The name Bonnie! Hi Gwil!” She waved as Gwil waved back. 
“Please make yourself comfortable and I’ll start bringing out the food in a few moments.” I turned back into the house as Bonnie scurried over to help me. Which then Gwil decided to come inside and join us. 
“How have ya been Gwil.” She got into the fridge to pull out a few bottles of the yale and wine. 
“Oh fine Bonnie. Just been busy with work.” He told her as I gave the bisque one last stir as I heard Joe coming down the stairs. He stopped in the doorway to look at Bonnie for a quick second. 
“Bonnie this is Joe Mazzello. Joe, this is Bonnie Geddes.” They approached each other and shook each other's hand. 
“Mind giving me a hand Gwil.” I pointed to where the bowls were as he began pulling them out. 
“Bonnie, would you mind taking the wine and ale outside. Also light the candles please?” Bonnie snapped away from Joe as she started to take them outside. Joe of course helped her due to the fact that he was already hooked on her. 
“Well that was quick.” He commented as we both high fived each other. I began pouring the bisque into the bowl as he took the ones with the full ones outside. 
I grabbed the last two bowls as everyone was sitting already and opened the wine and ale. There were two empty chairs that sat across from Bonnie and Joe, Ben was sitting next to her and his girlfriend. Allen sat on the end of the table with his wife on his left, then Rami sitting next to his wife, and Lucy sitting by the empty chair. 
I placed Gwils and bowls at the table. He grabbed his from my hand as I sat down in my chair. Pulling my chair in as everyone was continuing to talk. 
“Ben, that's nasty.” Lucy told Ben as he was finishing his cigarette. 
“Just a hobby Lucy. I don’t do it every day, just every other other day.” He put out the cigarette as he wrapped his arm around his lady friend. 
“Ah Maisy this is Ben and his gal pal Olivia Cooke.” She smiled as I waved over to her. 
“Oh and that’s Allen and his wife Jessica. And of course Rami and Lucy down at the end.” 
“Please dig in everyone.” I stood up as I began unscrewing the cork off the wine bottle. It’s a little stuck! Crap! 
“Gwil hold the bottle.” I asked him as he held the base of the bottle as I tried to pull the cork off. 
“It’s not wanting to come out!” I laughed as I kept trying to pull. I finally got it to pop and the cork flew across the lawn. 
“Perfect.” 
“So tell me Maisy. What exactly do you do?” Rami asked as I began filling up my glass. 
“I own the Wetdrumstick Pub here on Finstown and then a pub called Misty Maid in Kirkwall. Well to be fair it’s been in my family for the longest of times, now I just took them over until the next person comes along.” I told Rami as I passed the bottle to Gwil then sitting back down. 
“And I’m just gonna assume that you are all actors along with Gwil here?” Bonnie asked as I took a sip of my wine. They all laughed at each other as I shrugged to Bonnie. 
“And what about you Bonnie?” Joe looked to Bonnie as she took a drink of her ale. 
“A fisherman..er women. Following the dreams of a Scottslady.” She laughed as Joe nodded his head. 
“Maisy this bisque is delicious! What recipe is this?” Jessica asked as I put down my spoon. 
“I’ll have to find it somewhere or write it down for ya.” 
“Does this have milk in it?”” Joe asked as I nodded. He leaned back in his chair as Bonnie looked at him in confusion. 
“Allergic to dairy?” Bonnie asked him as they began their conversation. I turned to Gwil as he had my arm wrapped around my chair. 
“You shaved? Why?” I just realized he didn’t have that gorgeous stubble. Not that he doesn’t look handsome without it cause my god. But it’s always good to add a little extra garlic powder to your spaghetti sauce. 
“It was for the show because apparently Russian men didn’t have facial hair besides the really crazy ones.” Fair enough. 
“Hey listen since you’re staying here for a few days. Would you mind if we went into Thurso and stopped by my favorite bakery? I’ve been craving some of Mr. Monks Bahulu?” 
“Of course. Not checking into the pubs?” 
“I will before we head into Thurso. Only if you don’t mind...biscuit.” He grabbed my right hand to give it a soft kiss. 
“Not at all. Anytime with you is perfect.” We chowed down on the bisque then onto the sausage and mash, then the mini pies. Everyone was reminiscing on old jobs, catching up, and even future productions. I think it’s pretty cool that Rami is playing a Bond villain in the next big Bond movie. Is there a new bond or no? Or is it that one dude, I haven’t been to the movies in a while so I’m not sure whose who anymore. 
“Who's ready for dessert. And does anyone want coffee or tea?” I think I officially stuffed their faces and stomachs nicely. 
“Coffee for me Lucy?” Rami asked as she took a sip of her wine. 
“Coffee please.” 
“Two coffees.” Allen added as I looked over at Bonnie and Joe. 
“So probably just a bunch of coffee then.” They were off in their own world anyhow. 
Gwil and I walked inside the house as I reached into the fridge to pull out the dessert. He looked underneath the foil as I slid over and hid it from him. 
“Help me with the coffee and you’ll get a nice slice for yourself.” I told him as I grabbed my shredded coffee beans to start making the coffee. Gwil snuck up behind me as he wrapped himself around the back of me. His lips began pecking the side of my neck as I began giggling a little bit. 
“Gwil...hehe..Stop. You’re distracting me.” His lips stopped traveling along my neck as I spun around to face him. A large smile was on his face as I placed my hands on his cheeks, then squishing them together. 
“You come up here so much you might as well just move in.” I told him with his cheeks still pushed together. He mumbled something as I let go to work on the coffee. I should have enough mugs for everyone, should probably pop onto Etsy and get some more if I can. 
“So is that a no?” Ten cups of coffee? That should do it. 
“What’s a no? Did you not want coffee cause I have plenty of tea.” I began filling the coffee pot with the hot water as 
“What if I moved in here with you? I know it would be a hassle for work at first and I would be in London or a few days out of the week. But what if I did move in with you?” The hot water began spilling over the pot as I almost dropped it in the sink. Move in? Wait what? What? WHAT!? Move in? Who on earth would want to move in with me? I live so far up north! It’s a super damp winter! No one wants to live in a super damp winter! 
“I’ll take your silence as a no. Too soon I guess.” Well it’s a super damp winter and I’m only available in certain times because I have two pubs to run and barely have the time to see him or anything. Wait he’s an actor! We hardly see each other in the first place because he’s busy traveling the world already!
“I’ll get a key made for ya as soon as I..Gwil?” When I turned around, he was already outside with the dessert with him. Ah crap! I walked out into the doorway as everyone was digging into the dessert. His head popped up with a little disappointment as I shot him a smile. Should be able to get it made in a few days or so, with him staying there it should be rather easy to give him a copy of the key. Not that I ever lock my door because everyone knows not to come on my property. 
“Coffee will be out in just a few moments everyone.”
I think living with him would be rather fun. 
Taglist:
@leah-halliwell92​ @jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels​ @bonafiderocketqueen​ @dancingcoolcat​ @yourlocalmusicalprostitute​ @johndeaconshands​
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lornaslibrary · 4 years
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Witches, Werewolves, and Vampires
Last week I asked you to recommend books on the subject of witches, werewolves, and vampires. Here are all of the books that were recommended!!
Bold = the books I’ve read * = the books I personally would recommend + = want to read/on my TBR
Witches
Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha #1), by Tomi Adeyemi +
Undead Girl Gang, by Lily Anderson
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill
Chime, by Franny Billingsley
The Witch’s Daughter (The Witch’s Daughter #1), by Paula Brackston
The Gemma Doyle Trilogy, by Libba Bray
The Lost Coast, by Amy Rose Capetta +
The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch #1), by Rin Chupeco +
The Binding, by Bridget Collins
Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas #1), by Zoraida Córdova +
Witches of Lychford (Lychford #1), by Paul Cornell  
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1), by Cassandra Clare
The Witches, by Peter Curtis
The Witches, by Roald Dahl
Truthwitch (The Witchlands #1), by Susan Dennard
The Wicked Deep, by Shea Ernshaw +
Bitter Greens, by Kate Forsyth
Wise Child (Doran #1), by Monica Furlong
Coraline, by Neil Gaiman +
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman +
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman +
Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1), by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Hex Life: Wicked New Tales of Witchery, by Christopher Golden
A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1), by Deborah Harkness
Chocolat (Chocolat #1), by Joanne Harris
Practical Magic, by Alice Hoffman
Born At Midnight (Shadow Falls #1), by CC Hunter
Sanctuary,  by V.V. James
Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle #1), by Dianne Wynne Jones
Literary Witches: A Celebration of Magical Women Writers, by Taisia Kitaiskaia  
Summer of Salt, by Katrina Leno
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (Necromancer #1), by Lish McBride
When the Moon Was Ours, by Anna-Marie McLemore *
Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
Circe, by Madelline Miller
Witch Hunt, by Syd Moore
A Secret History of Witches, by Louisa Morgan
The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern +
The Worst Witch (Worst Witch #1), by Jill Murphy
Akata Witch (Akata Witch #1), by Nnedi Okorafor
Wyrd Sisters (Discworld #6, Witches #2), by Terry Pratchett
The Wee Free Men (Discworld #30, Tiffany Aching #1), by Terry Pratchett
Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1), by Morgan Rhodes
The Witching Hour (Lives of the Mayfair Witches #1), by Anne Rice
Carry On (Simon Snow #1), by Rainbow Rowell
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter #1), by J.K. Rowling *
A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1), by V.E. Schwab *
Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft, by Tess Sharpe
Secret Vampire (Night World #1), by LJ Smith
A Curse of Ash and Embers (Tales of the Blackbone Witches #1), by Jo Spurrier
These Witches Don’t Burn (These Witches Don’t Burn #1), by Isabel Sterling +
The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1), by Maggie Stiefvater
When My Heart Was Wicked, by Tricia Stirling
Cirkeln (Engelsfors #1), by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergmark Elfgren
Book of Shadows (Sweep #1), by Cate Tiernan
The Price Guide to the Occult, by Leslye Walton
The Babysitters Coven, by Kate Williams
Sorcery & Cecelia: or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Castle Hangnail, by Ursula Vernon
Werewolves
Bitten (Otherworld #1), by Kelley Armstrong
Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate #1), by Gail Carriger +
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1), by Cassandra Clare
Silver in the Blood, by Jessica Day George
Fateful, by Claudia Gray
The Silvered, by Tanya Huff
Born At Midnight (Shadow Falls #1), by CC Hunter
Cycle of the Werewolf, by Stephen King *
Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause
Hemlock (Hemlock #1), by Kathleen Peacock
Red Moon, by Benjamin Percy
The Fifth Elephant (Discworld #24), by Terry Pratchett
Secret Vampire (Night World #1), by LJ Smith
Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls #1), by Maggie Stiefvater
Vampires
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, by Holly Black *
Eighth Grade Bites (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #1), by Heather Brewer
Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate #1), by Gail Carriger +
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1), by Cassandra Clare
The Passage (The Passage #1), by Justin Cronin *
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman +
Evernight (Evernight #1), by Claudia Gray
The Radleys, by Matt Haig
A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1), by Deborah Harkness
My Blood Approves (My Blood Approves #1), by Amanda Hocking
RoseBlood, by A.G. Howard
Bunnicula (Bunnicula #1), by Deborah and James Howe
Blood Price (Vicki Nelson #1), by Tanya Huff
Born At Midnight (Shadow Falls #1), by CC Hunter
The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1), by Julie Kagawa
‘Salem’s Lot, by Stephen King *
The Silver Kiss, by Annette Curtis Klause
The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova
Let the Right One In, by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1), by Richelle Mead
Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
Anno Dracula (Anno Dracula #1), byKim Newman
Carpe Jugulum (Discworld #23), by Terry Pratchett
Interview with a Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles #1), by Anne Rice +
Night Owls (Night Owls #1), by Lauren M. Roy
Strange Practice ( Dr.Greta Helsing #1), by Vivian Shaw
Tantalize (Tantalize #1), by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Secret Vampire (Night World #1), by LJ Smith
Dracula, by Bram Stoker *
Dracul, by Dacre Stoker and J.D Barker *
If you recommended books but don���t see your recommendations here, feel free to message me to let me know I missed your response
Other Chain Recs Masterposts
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AAS NOVA An Update on the Mysterious Flashes of FRB 180916 By Susanna Kohler Earlier this year, we gained new insight into the origins of fast radio bursts (FRBs) when FRB 180916 became the first of these strange sources observed to exhibit repeated bursts in a periodic pattern. Now, we’re taking a look at four recent studies detailing some of the latest observations and theories of FRB 180916 — and what this tells us about the population of FRBs as a whole. What Do We Already Know About FRB 180916? FRBs are incredibly energetic bursts of radio waves that last just a few milliseconds and originate from extragalactic sources. We’ve detected more than 100 of them, and this number is growing rapidly. Yet despite these observations, we still don’t know what causes FRBs — though we have dozens of theories. The majority of the FRBs we’ve detected are one-off events, but a growing number have been observed to flash repeatedly — usually in a wildly unpredictable fashion. Recently, however, the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) radio telescope announced the first detection of a periodic pattern in one repeating FRB’s bursts. The intriguing source is FRB 180916, a repeating FRB that’s under 500 million light-years away. CHIME’s recent observations of FRB 180916 indicate that its activity is modulated by a 16.35-day period: its bursts fall within an active window of about 5 days, and then the source is quiet for about 11 days before restarting activity. This new information is helping scientists narrow the possible explanations of what causes FRBs — but other recent observations have provided additional insight. New Clues from Multiple Telescopes In two new studies led by Maura Pilia (INAF Cagliari Observatory, Italy) and Pragya Chawla (McGill University, Canada), independent teams have now detected the lowest-frequency observations of radio bursts from FRB 180916 — or, indeed, of any FRB — yet. Pilia and collaborators observed three bursts at 328 MHz using the Sardinia Radio Telescope in Italy, and Chawla and collaborators observed seven bursts in the 300–400 MHz frequency band using the Green Bank Telescope in Virginia. These observations tell us two main things: 1. The environment surrounding the source of the bursts doesn’t significantly affect the emission we see. 2. The lower-energy cutoff for the emission from FRB 180916’s bursting mechanism is lower than we thought it was — if there is even a cutoff at all! These clues work to constrain the possible models of FRB sources — for instance, rendering the models that predict dense environments around the source, such as young supernova remnants, unlikely. Some models still seem highly plausible, however — and highly magnetized neutron stars are looking especially appealing. Analyzing a Plausible Explanation Two independent theoretical studies — one by J.J. Zanazzi (CITA, University of Toronto) and Dong Lai (Cornell University and UC Berkeley), and the other by a team of researchers led by Yuri Levin (Columbia University, Flatiron Institute; Monash University, Australia) — recently focused on the picture of a lone, spinning neutron star threaded with a strong magnetic field. Both studies demonstrate that such a magnetar can become deformed by its internal magnetic field, causing it to wobble as it rotates, precessing around its rotational axis. As this hyperactive star releases magnetic flares, we then see those bursts only periodically as the precession of the star brings them into and out of our view. This picture is consistent with the periodic radio emission we’ve detected thus far. What’s more, we may be able to test this theory soon, since magnetized neutron stars are expected to gradually spin slower over their lifetimes. If such an object is the source of FRB 180916, then we’d expect to see a detectable increase in the periodic modulation of the bursts within a year. There’s still work to do, but with growing observations — and the possibility now of exploring at even lower frequencies — it’s exciting to watch our progress toward an explanation for these mysterious bursts! Citation “Detection of Repeating FRB 180916.J0158+65 Down to Frequencies of 300 MHz,” P. Chawla et al 2020 ApJL 896 L41. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ab96bf “The Lowest-frequency Fast Radio Bursts: Sardinia Radio Telescope Detection of the Periodic FRB 180916 at 328 MHz,” M. Pilia et al 2020 ApJL 896 L40. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ab96c0 “Periodic Fast Radio Bursts with Neutron Star Free Precession,” J. J. Zanazzi and Dong Lai 2020 ApJL 892 L15. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ab7cdd “Precessing Flaring Magnetar as a Source of Repeating FRB 180916.J0158+65,” Yuri Levin et al 2020 ApJL 895 L30. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ab8c4c TOP IMAGE....Artist's conception of the localization of a fast radio burst to its host galaxy. [Danielle Futselaar] CENTRE IMAGE....The location of FRB 180916 is in a galaxy’s spiral arm, marked with a green circle in this image from the Gemini-North telescope. [NSF’s Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory/Gemini Observatory/AURA] LOWER IMAGE....A profile of one of the bursts from FRB 180916 detected by the Sardinia Radio Telescope. [Adapted from Pilia et al. 2020] BOTTOM IMAGE....Schematic showing how a precession-driven wobble of a magnetar can lead to magnetic flares that move in and out of our line of sight. [Levin et al. 2020]
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inkblotsonmyhands · 4 years
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A Second Chance
This idea came to me in a dream and I thought, why not post it to tumblr. Really more so I don’t lose the story, having all my work nearly organised in a blog seems like a good idea. If anyone actually reads this-I apologize for all the clichés  .
Wordcount: 2.6k 
Here we go.
A Second Chance
 When you step outside close to midnight for an angsty stroll, you don’t expect the primary source of said angst to appear right in front of you.  
Yet there she is. Carrie Miller is walking down the road, accompanied by Sam Bennett. Towards me. I can already predict this isn’t going to go well. Every time I even attempt to talk to her, I end up stumbling over all my words and sounding like a complete loser. Sam’s presence is only going to make things worse.
“Ash!”
Sam knows my name? Wow. Who knew. I guess it’s too late to hide now. I make my way towards them.
Sam slaps my arm in greeting. I will never truly understand this element of bro-culture. “Didn’t expect to see you again today. How’s it hangin’, man?”
Again? I guess we saw each other at school, but is it really called ‘seeing’ someone if you pass them in the hallway while they keep their head down and avoid eye contact?
Oh, crap, I’m supposed to be replying to him. “I’m alri—“
A thud sounds somewhere. We all turn to stare at the hedge next to us. It seemed to have come from there.
Sam looks at both of us. “I’m not the only one who heard that, am I?”
We shake our heads. He shivers, rather exaggeratedly. “I’m just real spooked tonight. Everything feels creepy. Anyway,” he turns to Carrie, “Do you know Ash here?”
“You sit next to me in Geography, don’t you?”
The amount of joy I get at my crush knowing I exist is testament to how terrible I am at interacting with her on a daily basis.
“Uh, yeah, I do.”
There we go, that wasn’t completely horrible.
She smiles. Maybe she can tell how nervous I am. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.
Sam looks between me and Carrie before suddenly lighting up with a huge grin. Oh no. I’m not that obvious, he can’t possibly know, oh god, what’s he gonna do?
“Well, my curfew’s at midnight and my dad would kill me if I was even a second late, sooo… I gotta get going.” He smirks at me. “See ya later, kids.” He gives a friendly wave before heading off. I weakly wave back. I didn’t expect the school jock to be that… nice. Huh.
Carrie has started walking again, back the way I came. I hasten to join her. A loud rustling noise comes from that hedge near us, and we exchange a vaguely concerned glance.
“So, how do you know Sam Bennett?” Make casual conversation, Ash. You can do this.
“I don’t really know him at all, to be honest.” She fiddles with the bracelets on her wrists. “I just ran into him a while ago, and we were going in the same direction so we started walking together. How do you know him? You don’t seem like the type to know Sam.”
I frown. Not the type to know Sam? So she knows I’m a massive loser. Well. Isn’t that nice to hear.
“I actually-“
She cuts me off, talking rapidly. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, that didn’t come out right. It’s not that you’re boring or anything, just,” she lets out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head and chuckling derisively. “You know, Sam is popular and all and, oh god, I’m making this worse for myself. I’m sorry. I’ll just stop talking.”
I can’t help but smile a little.
“I get it, I’m not the most popular guy,” biggest understatement of the year, “You wouldn’t expect me to know the ‘cool kids’.” I do finger quotes around the words.
“No!” She exclaims. “I didn’t mean it like that, I just-“
“Oh, come off it.” I grin, with a burst of confidence. “You totally meant it like that.”
She shoves my arm. “Shut up!”
This must be the best conversation I’ve ever had with her. I might have even actually managed to flirt a little. And, was I dreaming, or did she flirt back?
There’s something magical about this night. Crickets are chirping, the full moon is shining in the sky. The atmosphere is rather romantic. I glance at her. We’ve descended into a companionable silence as we walk. Maybe now is when I can finally tell her how I feel. It feels easier here, at night, with no one around to see me and judge me for all my failures.
“Carrie,” I gently touch her arm. I can do this. “I wanted to tell you something.”
She looks up at me, expectant.
Distantly, a clock starts chiming somewhere. It’s midnight.
“Oh!” Her head snaps away suddenly. “I didn’t realize how late it was!” She looks apologetic. “Tell me tomorrow, in geography, yeah?” And then she’s crossing the street and walking away, before I can really register what happened. She rounds a corner and that’s it. She’s gone.
And I’m alone in the middle of the street.
So much for romantic.
I kick a rock on the ground and watch it roll away. “Good job there, Ash.” I mutter. I turn around and start walking away from my house again. So much for releasing any of that angst, now I’m feeling almost worse than when I started. Why didn’t I stop her there? If only, when she turned, I had said no, stop, wait. I need to say this, now.
“But I didn’t, did I?” I whisper under my breath. “Ash Cornell, failure extraordinaire. Always needs more time. Always needs a second chance.” I look up at the moon and stars. They’re very bright tonight. “I just need a second chance.”
  A wave of nausea hits me. I stumble, halting in my tracks. I feel dizzy. Everything seems to be spinning. My ears are ringing. What’s happening? The world is spinning so fast that the only thing I can really see is the moon above me. The ringing is getting louder. What the hell? I’m losing it. That must be it. I’m completely losing it.
  And then, as suddenly as that burst of dizziness hit, it’s gone, and I’m standing on the same empty street. It seems almost... noisier than it was before though. Maybe the ringing in my ears hasn’t completely faded away. I feel disoriented.
A car comes zooming down the road, and I hastily jump out of the way, stumbling onto the sidewalk.
“Watch it, kid!” the driver yells.
I shake my head, snapping back to reality. Boy, was that a wakeup call. Okay. I had stepped out for a walk, and I intend to finish that walk. I stride briskly down the road, doing my best to just forget what happened so far tonight. It’s alright. Just take a turn around the Center and then head back home. You didn’t meet Carrie at all. That was just a bad dream.
Up ahead is what we call ‘The Center’, basically a mall and a cinema. I actually live quite close to it, which would be useful if I had any social life at all.
I keep my head down as I walk. I don’t want to run into anyone else tonight. One awkward conversation is enough, thank you very much.
Of course the instant I think that, I slam into someone and nearly fall over.
An arm grabs me and pulls me up before I butt-plant into the concrete.
“Whoa, you okay there, dude? Sorry ‘bout that.” Sam Bennett is looking down at me.
“Uh, it’s okay, no worries.” I manage to stammer out.
“Hey, you go to Pioneer High, don’t you?” he asks. “Austin, is it?”
Didn’t he know my name like twenty minutes ago? This is weird.
“Ashton, actually. Or just Ash.”
“Ah, got ya. You going to see the new Dr. Sleep movie, bro?” he pushes his blonde curls off his forehead. “Man, it was terrifying. I was real pissed at my dad for not letting me go to the midnight show with my basketball team, but man,” he chuckles. “It’s probably better they weren’t there with me, I screamed like a girl at some parts.”
I laugh along with him, because it seems like the polite thing to do, but something in his story throws me off.
“Didn’t let you see the midnight show? Isn’t it like, past midnight?”
“Woah, I would hope not!” He pulls out his phone, glances at the screen, and shows it to me. 11:17 pm. “My dad woulda whooped me if it were past midnight, that’s my curfew.”
His phone says it’s 11:17, and there’s no reason for that to be wrong. But… I’m pretty certain I left home around 11:30, and the clock chimed 12 not too long ago, and didn’t Sam say he had to run because it was nearly midnight when I last met him?
My confusion must be showing on my face. Sam lightly slaps my arm to get my attention.
“You seem to have messed up the time there, pal. How could you think it’s past midnight? You’re like an hour off.”
I shrug, still rather puzzled. He laughs again.
“I’d better get going, then. You said you’re headed to see the movie?”
Oh, I just realized I never really answered his question.
“No, just taking a walk.”
“Ah, enjoy your walk, then. That movie fucked me up, I’m almost afraid to walk home in the dark now.” He chuckles, and I join him, again, because it feels polite. He raises an arm in farewell before walking away.
My mind is reeling though. I was thinking it was a little past midnight, but it’s actually a little past 11 pm. And what had Sam said? ‘You’re like an hour off.’
An hour off.
Did I- no, that isn’t possible.
But then… what was that strange nausea I felt earlier? Something isn’t right. It seems preposterous, but it feels like…like I…
Went back in time?
No. No way.
But… maybe?
I turn around. I can still see Sam’s retreating figure.
Well. Only one way to find out.
I follow him.
   Following someone isn’t as exciting or stealthy as I expected it to be. Really, I’m just… trailing after him while maintaining a decent distance so he won’t hear my footsteps. He puts in some earphones, which only makes my job easier. I’ve gotten quite relaxed when Carrie emerges out of an alley between me and Sam.
Naturally my instinctual reaction to seeing her is diving behind a trash can, making it rattle loudly. Sam jumps and turns abruptly. I desperately hope I’m well hidden else this is going to be very embarrassing.
I can hear their voices. They’re talking to each other. I seize the opportunity to risk peeking out from my hiding place. They’re not facing me anymore. I need to be closer to hear them.
I begin to inch forward, pushing the bin in front of me. I briefly pause to reflect on the fact that I am literally crouched behind a trash can, attempting to sneakily spy on a conversation. Well Ash, there’s the exciting stealth you were hoping for.
“…walking with me, if you’re going this way?” I can make out Sam’s voice. “I feel like this night is noisier than usual and I am fucking terrified.”
Carrie laughs. She has a nice laugh. “Sure, no problem. My parents would probably feel better about me being out so late if they know someone walked me home.”
I can hear their footsteps now, getting fainter as they walk away. I wait until I think they’re far enough, before slowly getting up and beginning to follow them again.
Alright, Ash. This is where all those hours of Assassin’s Creed pay off.
I follow them carefully, pressing up against walls as far as possible. I move a little closer so I can vaguely hear them. They seem to be chatting about school.
It’s been a weird enough night. I’m not entirely sure whether or not I actually went back in time though, or if this was just some crazy flight of imagination. I wouldn’t put it past myself. I do do weird things in an attempt to make my life more interesting. Exhibit A, sneaking behind two of my classmates when I could probably just go over and talk to them.
That’s when I see what’s undoubtedly the strangest thing I’ve seen tonight. Scratch that, this is the strangest thing I’ve seen ever.  
It’s me.
Walking towards Carrie and Sam.
I dive behind the elaborate hedge along the front of somebody’s house. Hopefully the homeowners aren’t awake to see the teenaged guy jumping behind their hedge to hide from two other teenagers... and himself.
This move, however, places me almost right next to Carrie, Sam, and… me. We’re just separated by a hedge. God, this is weird. I can hear us quite clearly.
“…not the only one that heard that, am I?” That’s Sam’s voice. Oh, right, the mysterious thud we heard. What the hell, that thud was me, diving behind a hedge? Looks like I definitely time travelled then, somehow. I give up trying to figure out what is actually happening here.
Sam’s speaking again. “I’m just real spooked tonight. Everything feels creepy. Anyway, do you know Ash here?”
Right, he asked that to Carrie.
“You sit next to me in Geography, don’t you?”
“Uh, yeah, I do.”
And there’s me. Wow, I couldn’t possibly sound any more insecure.
I mostly tune out the rest of their conversation and try my best to remain quiet. At one point I lean too heavily on and nearly fall through the hedge. I know how this goes. Sam leaves after saying he has to get home before curfew. Carrie and I make awkward small talk. I attempt to confess how I feel, and fail completely. She walks away. I wish for a second chance.
A second chance.
My eyes widen. That’s what all this is, isn’t it? A second chance.
I can’t hear us very clearly anymore. Carrie and I have walked some distance away. We’re still talking. I peek above the bushes to watch. I can see myself lightly touch Carrie’s arm. This is it. I’m going to attempt to do it.
The clock strikes midnight. Carrie apologizes before turning to leave and crossing the road. I watch carefully as the other me slowly fades away, until there’s no one there.
Now is my moment. You can do this, Ashton Cornell.
I spring up from behind the bushes and rush onto the street.
“Carrie!”
She turns around, looking at me with a puzzled expression. I walk up to her and take her hands in mine. I look at my feet and take a deep breath.
“This can’t really wait till geography class,” I glance at her. She has an encouraging smile on her face. I breathe in again.
“Carrie, I-I like you. I have for a while now.”
I risk a glance at her again. She’s smiling even wider.
“I know.”
“You know?!”
She laughs. “You aren’t the most subtle, Ash.”
Wow. I guess it’s time to go die of embarrassment, then.
She prods my foot with her toe, making me look at her again.
“Don’t you want to ask me something, then?”
Ask her something? What would I want to ask her? I already told her how I feel; the only thing left to ask is-oh. Oh.
I look at her with wide eyes. She nods gently.
“Uhm, Carrie,” I stand up straighter, squeezing her hands. “Would you like to go out with me sometime?”
She reaches up and kisses my cheek. I just stare at her in shock.
“I’d love to.”
I smile widely, and I can’t help but laugh, and then she’s laughing too, and then we’re just a boy and a girl, holding hands and laughing under a full moon.
I look up at the sky, still grinning. The stars seem to wink down at me. I wink back. I don’t really know what happened, but I’ll keep their secret.
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themenof--marvel · 5 years
Text
For Those We’ve Lost (Chapter 1)
Summary: It’s been more than a decade since Tony Stark and his daughter have made eye contact, or any contact for that matter. With the ever-looming threat of disaster and loss haunting Tony, and with the new Avengers Headquarters completed, maybe there was a chance for him to find a sliver of happiness in his lost family. After living in the shadows for so long, will his estranged daughter be willing to reunite? Will she even have a choice when she’s thrown into the chaotic world of the Avengers? Perhaps they both stand to gain more from this overdue reunion.
Warnings: none  
**Non-canon storyline**
--
Tony’s POV
Another year, another idea brought to life. As Tony stood at the forefront of the new, official Avengers Headquarters, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of accomplishment wash over him. Behind him, his trusted assistant Happy stood taking in the completed building.  
“It looks great, Tony,” Happy said, causing his boss to nod in agreement.  
“The others should be coming up later today to do a walk-through,” Tony noted, more to himself than Happy.
The Avengers HQ was surely a sight to behold. There were numerous training facilities, inclusive of simulator field training and outdoor sites. There were more than enough bedrooms, above and below the ground floor, to house the current and future team members. If there was one petty regret Tony had was that he wanted to put a Stark sign at the front just a little higher and bigger than the Avengers sign. That was just him letting his ego get the better of him.
Just as he stood there, taking in the unoccupied land, he felt as though there was something missing. The building was built precisely to the last centimeter but mentally, there was something not quite complete with him.  
Just as he pictured the Avengers members strolling through the corridors of the building, he couldn’t help but wonder what it would look like if his own family had taken over, mini-Starks’ laughter echoing through the rooms and bouncing off the concrete walls.  
It wasn’t as though he and Pepper never discussed having children; it just seemed pointless as this point. After everything he has seen and battled, bringing children into the mix was just an utterly disastrous idea.  
Of course, Pepper never failed to remind him about that child, the one no media mogul could manage to find out about. The child he sent away just before the Iron Man idea fostered in his mind. It had been a little more than a decade by now, and he made it a point to avoid all forms of communication with the child, for her own sake. After so long, Tony had great difficulty picturing his own child; it was as though she was a distant memory that may or may not have been real. The only connection he had with the child was covering those boarding school fees. After she graduated, however, those payments ceased. Pepper tried to remind him to get in contact with her, but he shut down any mention of her, trying to bury his own guilt.
Perhaps, with enough lost time, and greater security abilities, they could reunite. With this new building and with the team coming together at last, he could introduce his daughter. Even if he couldn’t protect her, perhaps they would.  
The best way to get everyone involved? A party. That was always his go-to answer for everything. A housewarming party for the Avengers and his hidden family.  
“Happy?” Tony called out.  
“Yes, boss?” Happy responded.
Tony jumped slightly, surprised that Happy was still shadowing him.  
“Do you still keep tabs on Y/N?”
Happy’s mouth went dry; he couldn’t remember the last time he had heard that name in Tony’s voice. “Yes, Tony.”
“Good. I’m going to have a housewarming party here tomorrow night. Make sure Y/N knows, and that she comes.”
“Right away,” Happy managed, turning away from Tony and juggling his thoughts to find the best way to phrase the offer to the other Stark. How does one even tell a now-grown woman that her estranged father has invited her to a party to reunite and socialize? An immediate headache surrounded Happy as he unlocked his phone to check for the young Stark’s last known address.
-
Y/N’s POV
Another day, another assignment with a very desirous payment offer. Y/N stared at her desktop screen, with a subtle smirk forming at the left corner of her mouth. The room around her was still dark from the unopened curtains, but that never really bothered her.  
With Joan Jet’s ‘Bad Reputation’ blaring from the external speakers, she settled in for the day. From the kitchenette, the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the room, waking her up immediately. Some people did cocaine and acid, she had her coffee.  
At 22, Y/N Stark made her living off taking tech jobs from the Dark Web. After boarding school, where she was introduced to the wondrous world of hacking and cloaking, she was hooked. She started taking jobs in her senior year and made enough money to finance her University choice, Cornell University. She didn’t even need her father’s funding once she left boarding school; she was self-made hacker in every sense of the word.  
Of course, she knew who her father was, but she no longer cared. Once she accepted that her father was never coming back for her, she transferred all of that anger and frustration into learning the intricacies of hacking and technical security. There was no one who could find her unless she let them.  
As Y/N was about to send a response to her latest offer, her phone chimed next to her computer. She paused mid-sentence and grasped the phone. It was rare that she would get a notification that wasn’t related to a job; not many people had her contact information. She was quite good at keeping herself hidden from the outside world.  
“You still in that shoddy apartment building, kid?” the text read. It was Happy, her father’s assistant and chauffeur. Happy was the one person that she felt comfortable with leaving her information. Not only was he her sole connection to her father, but he was pretty helpful over the years. She sent him home appliances when he got married and often gifted him Starbucks vouchers for his birthday. Their relationship was content and they never argued. The topic of her father never came up and to her that was the greatest benefit of their relationship.
She sent a quick confirmation reply and waited.  
“I’m sending you an address. Come by tomorrow around 7 PM. Wear a dress of something.”
In the next message, Happy sent co-ordinates. She quickly transferred the co-ordinates into a tracking site, but it just showed empty land on the outskirts of Upper New York. What the hell? There had to be more to this. With a little more digging, including hacking into Happy’s car camera, she was soon staring at the newly built headquarters.
“Hell no,” she muttered, staring at the Avengers sign on the front of the building.  
This was it? Happy wanted her to go there? No doubt she would have to face her father, if she could even recognize him outside of the media’s pictures that plagued the news every other week.  
There was no way she was going to go there, no way in hell.
As though reading her mind, another text came in from Happy.  
“What do you have to lose?”  
She leaned back into her chair. Her mind answered automatically: nothing, and she knew it. Everything she had now, she had given herself. She wasn’t in the most high-class building, but it was private and the landlord gave her her space. Despite being a loner, she was content with her life. If she lost something, she could easily get it back. So, what did she have to lose? Absolutely nothing.  
Dammit, now she needed to get a dress.  
-
A/N: Hey! This is a new story I’ve been working on. Let me know how you think it’s going so far :) 
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