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mahizli · 3 years

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Mission Completed (Artoo & Obi-Wan, 21 BBY)

Art by Nellie Peckham-Cooper - and a late merry Christmas to all of you :)!! I hope you enjoyed those few days and found time to rest. Thanks to all of you reading out there, much love, Meysun.

Part 16 of ‘Sparks of Hope: A Star-Wars Advent Calendar’.

***

Bip-doo-squee.

R2-D2 swayed happily on his two short legs and emitted a few rapid light blinks towards SO-K, who beamed at him.

“Look at that, Master. He really enjoyed it!”

ANI/kin had that small, short laugh R2 could have recognized even without a photoreceptor and patted his round head.

“Artoo is a surprisingly neat Astromech. Of course he enjoys being cleaned – just like you, Master.”

Brown-and-cream OB-1 just huffed at that and R2 bleep-yupped right back at him, because that humanoid could be as fussy as 3PO whenever something was not right with his armour/clothes/boots/hair.

“I don’t enjoy being cleaned, per se”, OB-1 replied, grey eyes resting thoughtfully on R2. “Rather being clean.”

Wheeeez-same, in R2’s point of view he had no qualms to share, making SO-K laugh heartily.

“He’s not wrong, Master Obi-Wan. He thinks you are splitting hairs.”

Uh-uh, R2 emitted, somewhat perplexed, because OB-1’s hair looked just fine. Well, sweaty, messy and full of the sand SO-K had finally scrubbed out of his circuits – but certainly not split.

“It’s a phrase, Artoo”, ANI/kin supplied. “It means he is playing with words.”

Bleep-doo-whirrrr-bip-do.

OB-1 sighed, and once more R2 wondered how it could be that ANI had no difficulties whatsoever to translate his sounds, while someone as gifted with languages as OB-1 never seemed to understand a single bleep.

“Mhm, Artoo. That’s what negotiators do indeed.”

R2 swayed proudly once more, but OB-1 rubbed his face, smearing red sand on his forehead, blinking tiredly.

“I do not feel like we negotiated much, here. It just felt like an endless chase consisting of lightsaber fights, explosions, and improvising.”

“Oh, come on, Master, where’s your sense of fun?”, ANI shot at him, poking him in the ribs and rubbing a large hand through his mop of hair, causing some sand to fall on the cream fabric shielding OB-1’s shoulders.

“Buried under copper sand”, OB-1 answered, making SO-K snort.

“I think Master Kenobi is worn out by your antics, Master”, she observed, fondly rubbing R2’s head. “I think he’d like for things to go by the plan at least once, am I wrong, Master Kenobi?”

“Never, my dear”, OB-1 answered, shaking his head. “Fortunately, I let go of those dreams long ago. And now, if you would excuse me, I have a reputation of a fussy Master to uphold – so I might as well try the sonics.”

He soon glided out of the cockpit, leaving SO-K and ANI bickering, as usual.

“My antics, seriously, Snips? You triggered the first explosion, or am I wrong?”

“And who decided that Master Obi-Wan was taking too long and chose to barge in, destroying half the ceiling, Skyguy?”

“Hey, he was in trouble, as kriffing usual!”

“Maybe, but sometimes you forget that Master Kenobi…”

A soft voice echoed from behind the small ship, annoyance and fondness clearly fighting for dominion.

“… can hear you perfectly, despite the sonic.”

Bleep-whirr-boom, R2 quipped, and ANI gave him a soft tap on the leg.

“No need to sound so smug, Artoo. Now close that door for us, so that we can go on arguing in peace.”

R2 promptly obeyed, ever happy to oblige, but when he turned around, he was surprised to find a somewhat pensive expression on ANI’s face.

“You really think he was displeased with us, Snips?”

SO-K let herself fall into one of the cockpit’s seats, allowing her legs to bounce up in the air once, before she leaned back, hands gracefully cradling the armrests. She took her time answering, small face frowning slightly, and R2 rolled up to her, gently bleeping encouragements.

“No”, SO-K answered. “He gets all tight and narrow in the Force, whenever he’s upset with us. And it never lasts. I think… I think he’s just tired. But it’s hard to tell, with Master Kenobi. His shields are just so kriffing strong.”

“Language, Snips.”, ANI quipped, almost mechanically, sliding into the other seat. “He feels a bit off, is all…”

R2 wheez-sighed. Sometimes humanoids were just so slow.

Bleep. Whirr. Tap.

When he finally got ANI’s attention, he turned on his holoprojector, and the thin, graceful silhouette of a light-haired woman filled the space between them, slowly pirouetting like a dancer as the silvery projection spun.

“Wait… Isn’t that Duchess S-“

“Shh, Snips. Artoo, turn it off. And thanks for the input, buddy.”

R2 promptly sucked the image back inside his memory, while ANI tapped the back of his mechanic knuckle against his teeth.

“They were involved, no matter what he says. That much is clear. But Master Obi-Wan would never let that come between him and the Jedi, Snips. Still… it has just been two weeks since she headed back. I guess that’s why he feels so strange.”

“Poor Master Obi-Wan”, SO-K sighed. “She’s so cool and calm and icy. No wonder shouts and explosions and fights feel a bit much, right now. But what can we do, Master?”

“Well… I guess we just… let him be?”

ANI’s face was somewhat sheepish, and SO-K sighed.

“Oh come on, Master! He needs to feel we care! Is that really all you can think of? Come here, Artoo. Good boy. Sweetie.”

R2 whir-purred, small head spinning in adoration, because SO-K was always so nice him, just like Pod-ME. Sometimes she even reminded him of her.

“Listen to me, Artoo. You are going to wheel yourself right into Master Obi-Wan’s room. And then – open that little compartment of yours, that’s a good boy. Here. You give him that ration bar. And you make sure he makes himself a cup of tea. Here’s a teabag. Master Luminara told me once he likes that brand, so I packed some.”

“Well, aren’t you a sneaky little… And what did you pack for me, Snips?!”

“Oh, come on, Master! What about rations, and spare cables for your hand? Oh, and let’s not forget those woollen socks you are always so enthusiastic about? Should I go on, Skyguy?”

R2 did not wait to hear the end of their twenty-second argument of the day, and promptly wheeled himself away, because SO-K had given him a mission, and R2 loved missions.

The door towards OB-1’s room was slightly ajar, but when R2 peered inside using his periscope, OB-1 had already slipped into clean clothes and was busy folding the sandy ones into a small, neat pile.

Blee-whizz-in?

“You do know that I have trouble understanding you, little one?”, OB-1 sighed, but his eyes were kind and R2 gently swayed towards his hip, rubbing his head against his thigh.

“I don’t like droids, you know. They make me uncomfortable”, OB-1 went on, yet his hand found R2’s head, rubbing him exactly where one of his connexions’ always sparked, making him wheeze gently with delight.

“You, however, are something else”, OB-1 added, and R2 opened his compartment, handing him the ration bar, watching his clear eyes soften even more.

Doo-be-tea.

One of his mechanic arms slowly unfolded and R2 flipped the switch of the small kettle, placing the teabag carefully in the lonely cup stored beneath.

“I see. And I’d better follow your instructions, I presume?”

Bleep.

R2 liked cream-and-brown OB-1, even though he was not especially droid-friendly. One could understand, after all. That circuit-coughing GRIEVOUS was not a nice one to be around, and neither were most of his troops.

So he gently whirred, and tapped OB-1’s hip, until his friend caved in, sitting on the narrow cot, unwrapping the ration bar and folding his hands around the cup, closing his eyes, allowing his shoulders to slump.

And then, R2 left, happily. Letting out two chirping sound that could be translated as “Mission Completed”.

#star wars #the clone wars #fanfiction #r2d2 #artoo #obi-wan kenobi #anakin skywalker #ahsoka tano #fluff #comfort #artoo is the best #sweet lineage feels #merry christmas

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potteryclaylover · 3 years

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Life Lessons I Learnt From Seagulls

Seagulls are the most inspirational creatures in my opinion. If I owned a sporting team of any sort, a seagull would be my mascot. Why? They’re the perfect combination of beauty, strong-will, friendliness and confidence. Though i personally never watched any seagull bird from close , but i love to watch bird from distance because i dont want to disturb their peace. But it always feel me with positive when i see group of birds eating , flying and all their activity. It is best therapy for me and its from very earlier .

Who of us has not wondered, at some point in life, if we really are living to our fullest potential? That we are really experiencing all that we are capable of experiencing?Every human being has been given the capacity to live abundantly, without boundaries. But the scope of this freedom is too large for most of us. We cringe from the vastness of all that is possible. We prefer to hide behind artificial limitations instead.

We hear of the frog in the pond that steadfastly refuses to believe that there were limitless oceans out there. For him, his pond is all that there is in the world. We also hear of the worm in the apple who believes that the whole world is its apple, nothing more.

Some of you may be familiar with the famous book Jonathon Livingston Seagull written by Richard Bach. A tale about a seagull who has dreams of being a better version of himself and flying higher and faster than any gull has ever dared before. Cast out by the flock for being different he goes off on his spiritual quest to discover his full potential. Does any of this resonate with you by any chance?

In real life many people hate seagulls. Maybe you do too. Are they the thugs of the bird world? Pests to be poisoned and driven out? Let’s be honest they have a terrible reputation because they are noisy and fearless they can appear aggressive and given the chance they will steal your food.

This little ode to seagulls may seem peculiar to you but as a result of long hours of observing them for days, I realized that inspiration can come from the simplest of things.

Have you ever heard of the expression ‘thinking out of the box?’ It means going beyond the accepted limits of imagination and daring to explore new possibilities. Jonathan Livingston Seagull was such an out-of-the-box thinker.

He discovered that for those who dare to dream, even the sky is not the limit. Jonathan lived as all seagulls do – in a flock. This flock was quite unremarkable. Seagulls are basically scavengers that inhabit the seashore, feeding off the debris that the sea throws out. Like all other seagulls, the members of this flock fed, bred and flew south in the cold winter months.

My love for these tiny birdies increased many folds when they actually taught me some valuable life lessons.

1. Don’t be afraid to stand against the wind

Look at this little fellow. He’s tiny and the wind that day was so strong even I was having trouble standing. He could just turn around and fly in the direction of the wind. But he stood his ground accepting the challenge.

Lesson: No matter how much friction you’re facing in being different or being yourself, don’t let it make you turn around in the direction of the wind.

2. Sometimes it’s good to go with the flow

If someone knows how to chill and take it easy, its the seagulls. They’ve taught me to not ALWAYS take life so seriously. That we can’t control each and every aspect of it. Sometimes you just have to let life unfold itself. See where the current takes you.

After all what’s the fun in knowing it all?

3. Evolve with your life situations

Seagulls are the masters of improvising and adapting to their circumstances. They can swim, fly or walk around depending on their need. We as humans have to realize that we are more equipped than a seagull. We have better means, internal and external, to adhere to our circumstances. We just need to be as strong-willed and easy going as a seagull.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a simple story with a profound message.

The message is that we can all be so much more than we believe, or are given to believe. That God – or fortune, if you wish – is on the side of the bold, the adventurous and the free in spirit.

But Jonathan sensed, in the core of his being, that there could be more to life. Much more.

4. Never be afraid to ask for your right

Anyone who has had a meal by the beach knows that the seagulls will come flocking around for their share. They are not afraid to ask for it. They’ll stand by staring at you persistently until you go, ‘oh well alright, have a chip.’

Deep in its communal heart, the flock knew that it was living below its full potential. It consoled itself with a vaguely remembered Promise, passed down various generations of seagulls. That Promise spoke of a Great Seagull – a supernaturally gifted bird that would come and deliver it from the chains of self-imposed mediocrity.

The Great Seagull was supposed to have secrets of limitless flight and a superior existence.

That discovering the Great Seagull’s secrets could have been the result of diligent effort and seeking did not occur to these seagulls. They preferred to put the responsibility of their future on a Being which they did not understand and did not try to emulate. The Great Seagull, however, did not come.

But maybe – just maybe – every seagull in that flock sometimes wondered if it was they were missing the point of this legend …

Jonathan had heard of the Great Seagull, of course. It meant nothing to him, but there was a question that did haunt him – the question that haunts us all when we have nothing to distract ourselves with. The question we ask ourselves when, for some reason or the other, we find ourselves sleepless at night.

Can I fly higher? Can I fly farther? Is there more?

The flock asked itself no such questions. The mundane preoccupations of life had them too much in thrall to consider deeper questions. But Jonathan knew that he could drink deeper of life than they did.

One day, he announced that he intended to fly higher and further than any seagull before him. The effect of his words on the flock was interesting, to say the least:

“Seagulls are not meant to fly higher than this,” is what they said. “What makes you think you’re different from us?”

That is the persistence and determination you and I need in your daily life. Ask for that promotion at work. Ask for the love and attention in a relationship. You deserve it.

5. It’s your character that makes you beautiful

Seagulls are not camera shy and are always ready to strike a pose. The poker face is their favourite. There are thousands of exquisite birds in the world but what made me fall in love with seagulls is their character. Sure they are nice to look at but it’s their confidence, strength and playful persona that makes them beautiful.

Jonathan’s answer was that he was not content with mediocrity, especially if he knew that he could attain greater heights. The rest of the flock became very angry with him – they called him a dreamer who did not know the realities of life. When he insisted on pursuing his vision, they cast him out of the flock.

Doesn’t this ring a bell in most of our minds? Doesn’t it remind us of times when we have been told – or even told ourselves – that we should realize our limits? Well, who sets those limits?

The human being has limited capabilities – but then, we only think of the capabilities we have actually demonstrated. We never think of the possibility of hidden capabilities that never see the light of day because they are not called upon.

Have you never heard of the true-life stories of people who overcame impossible odds – achieved impossible tasks – when they stopped relying solely on what they knew about themselves?

Jonathan Livingston Seagull, that anonymous bird in an anonymous flock, decided that he wanted to claim the Promise now. He wanted the power to fly higher than he had ever flown, to see sights he had never seen.

He decided that if the Great Seagull was real enough and powerful enough, it would help him achieve these goals in the Here and Now. Not in some vaguely conceived Hereafter, but in real time. In this present lifetime.

Did he turn to the Great Seagull in prayer? Or did he just draw inspiration from the fact that such a Seagull could and did exist? Richard Bach’s book remains silent on this issue. But from the moment Jonathan decided to claim the Promise, his life changed drastically.

Are you now waiting for the part where Jonathan was suddenly given miraculous spiritual and physical powers to make his dreams of impossible flight come true? Sorry, that is not what happened…

Instead, Jonathan’s belief in the Promise convinced him that the power to achieve his dream would be given to him if he put in diligent effort. He was a changed bird – he suddenly felt that he was no longer alone. And so he practiced flying higher. It was a painstaking process, but something had changed.

He no longer despaired when he considered his feeble seagull wings. He no longer doubted when he considered the fact that no seagull had ever flown as high as he wanted to fly.

This new-found assurance was not what is commonly known as ‘self-confidence’. It was confidence in something beyond him – a Higher Power, if you will. He called it the Great Seagull. Some call it God. But whatever we call it, it is a Power outside of ourselves. We cannot generate it, but we can still claim it.

And guess what? Jonathan Livingston Seagull soared. He eventually flew higher than any seagull ever had. And he finally met the Great Seagull.

Yes, he actually met the legendary Being. He basked in its approval and was given the power and privilege to lead others from the barren, empty path of self-effort to a mind-bogglingly rewarding partnership with Something Better.

I have a feeling that the human version of seagulls would have an amazing sense of humour as well.

Lesson learnt: Put your self out there. Have enough self-confidence to know and exhibit your good qualities and know that you’re beautiful just the way you are.

#Seagull Seagullbird Seagulllifeinspiration Life Lifeinspiration Thinkoutofbox selfconfidence achivement Success Happy Soulfullife

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tinalostgirl · 4 years

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AshTina | Will You Marry Me?

Who: Tina Cohen-Chang and Asher Karofsky ( @asherkarofsky )

What: Bingo - Give Flowers to Someone Pretty + Propose to Someone

Where: Courtyard

When: Monday morning 9.7.20

Asher clutched the bunch of flowers tight to his chest as he walked around campus. He was so damn nervous. He'd never done something romantic. And this wasn't something really real. It was a game. He was afraid that whoever he picked would either slap him or think he was ready to get married. He saw the girl walking toward him, face smily and open and truly pretty with sparkling eyes. He took a deep breath stood up tall and walked straight to her. He had some words planned, but all came out was. "Umm pretty for a... I mean... these are for you 'cuz you're real pretty."

Tina was on alert all week, knowing that people were doing weird and crazy things for thing Bingo event. Enter Asher, an obviously shy and soft spoken kid coming at her with flowers. She knew it had to be Bingo cause everything about her screamed gay and the poor boy looked like he was extremely uncomfortable. But honestly, even if this wasn't for an event, she still would have found this exchange alluring. He was adorably out of his element and that made him extremely approachable. She smiled as he handed her the flowers, but didn't take them right away. "This is for Bingo isn't it?" She asked with a laugh. "Blink once if it is and twice if it isn't." She stepped forward and took a very close look at his eyes.

He blinked once without even processing that she was joking. Up close she was even prettier than far away. Something danced in her eyes and the corners of her lips turned up revealing slight curving dimples. She also did not seem like she was going to slap him that was a plus, though he did get nervous when she looked at him slow closely. He was a grown damn man who got nervous when girls got too close. Well, boys too, though that wasn't something he was thinking about. "Ahhhh...."

When it was clear the joke went over his head, Tina stepped back a little and broadened her smile. "I'm just joking, kid. Relax." Tina took the flowers and pressed her nose into them, taking in the floral scent. "I mean, I was mostly kidding about the blinking, but this is for Bingo, isn't it?" She continued to smell the flowers, giving herself something to do while he composed himself. "Was the square give flowers to a lesbian or something like that? Oh no wait, you said I was pretty. Aww, you think I'm pretty."

It seemed strange to have someone clearly younger than him and probably half his size call him kid, but damn if it wasn't right. In this situation he was the kid. He nodded dumbly before finally getting his brain to kickstart. "Yeah. Bingo." His eyes went wide when she said lesbian. Had he insulted her by doing something romanticish. He'd never met any lesbians. Of course the thing was that in the circles he'd been in and the jobs he'd taken he'd been surrounded by butch lesbians and just simply been to dense to pick up on it. "Yeah f..flowers to someone pretty." He nodded. "'Course. You are." That seemed objectively true.

The compliment was delivered in such a way that made the fact that she was pretty seem like common knowledge, like it was irrefutable and she liked that. It made her smile grow and her stomach flip. He was sweet. "Well thank you for the compliment, stranger. And I'd say you did what you came to do, one more square for you." Tina paused for a second and pulled out her phone, taking a peak at her own bingo card. "You got a name? Maybe you can help me out with mine, too."

"Oh... oh yeah. Sorry. I'm Karofsky." In the world he'd been living in people lived by last names in a supremely impersonal way. "Asher. Ash." He rolled his eyes at himself. He was ridiculous. "Sure ma'am. I'll help ya anyway I can." As soon as the words passed his lips he realized that some of those cards were pretty damn heavy duty. Was he going to be losing his virginity right here and now? He gulped audibly.

"I like Ash. I'm Tina. Hey." Tina gave an awkward little wave, trying to match some of his energy to see if that would make him a little more comfortable. He seemed way in over his head and she appreciated that. "Ma'am, that's weird. But I kinda like it? It's super chivalrous sounding." Tina was getting off topic again and had to force herself to look down at her phone again. "What was I looking for? Oh right. Bingo." She scrolled some more then read over her card, a mischievous grin spreading across her lips. Tina searched her pockets for something before finally pulling out a straw wrapping from her back pocket. "What's your favorite romantic song, Ashy-poo?"

The small wave was pretty damn adorable and he couldn't help but huff out a little laugh and relax a bit. "Yeah, some of y'all here don't like it. Don't mean harm. Found you can take the boy outta the South. Little harder to take the South outta the boy." His eyes went wide at the sudden change in her demeanor and the nickname. "I... oh... I.. what?" His brow creased as he tried to catch up. "Umm You Belong to Me by Miss Patsy Cline." He'd sat in many a diner while on the road or working in some dusty town listening to scratchy records of Patsy Cline singing about love and wishing he could find some for himself.

Tina relaxed a little too, glad that she was able to make him laugh. The way he talked kind of reminded her of Jo and it automatically made her affectionate towards him. Tina could sense that she was moving to fast for him, but sometimes she was moving to fast for even herself and she couldn't help it. She just hoped she didn't lose him before they finished this exchange. She changed screens on her phone to open Apple Music and searched for the song he had just gave her. Then she turned it up and put it in her back pocket before tying the straw paper into a small little neat circle. Once the song hit the chorus, there was a nice little crowd that circulated around them. Tina straightened her clothes then got down on one knee. "Asher Karofsky. It would make me the happiest girl in the planet if you married me." She held out the make shift ring and held his gaze, blinking once to let him know it was a bingo card request. "What do you say?"

She turned the song on and it filled the air. It also slowly drew a small crowd around them. He panicked a bit at first thinking that perhaps she had really gotten the wrong idea about the flowers, but his logic, which usually lagged way behind his emotions finally caught up. She had asked him to help her with one of her squares. This obviously had something to do with that. He watched her every motion, eyes widening humorously large when she went down on one knee. This was the thing he pictured himself doing some day in the hopefully not to distant future. He let go of his awkward worries and smiled, easing into the playfulness of it all. He blinked back and smiled. "Yes! How could I say anything but yes darlin'." He lowered his finger and did his best to ease the way of the paper around his finger.

Tina was glad that he caught on before she had to break character and intervene. It was a lot more fun this way, just playing off of each other and improvising. It made her miss acting and performing that way. But this was a nice substitute. At his answer, there was a genuine grin that spread across her face. When he lowered his finger, she pushed the paper completely onto his hand, then added to the moment by pulling his hand in to kiss the back of it. "You've just made me the happiest woman on Earth." Pushing it even farther, she took his hand in her as she stood up and raised their combined hands between them. "He said yes!" The crowd cheered and she turned to flash him a smile. "How does it feel, Mr. Cohen-Chang?"

It was eye-opening to see all of this play out from a perspective opposite from his expectations. He lived in an old fashioned world where the man got on his knee and asked the woman to marry him. He knew of course that part of being here was going to be pushing outside of those perspectives. He helped her up and even pulled her closer to his side. He didn't have to fake the pink tinge on his cheeks. But it probably did help sell the act. He laughed as the crowd cheered. He hadn't played like this... well since he was a boy. "Like the luckiest man in the world Mrs. Cohen-Chang." He leaned down and kissed her cheek without thinking, pulling back with a surprised look, the sorry already on his lips, but not wanting to ruin the act.

This was totally and completely unexpected, but probably the most fun she was able to have with this event. She was just glad that some people were still willing to joke and play with her. It was the break from all the seriousness she needed. When he pulled her to his side and kissed her cheek, she yelped but then turned to give him a kiss on the cheek as well. "I hope you know this means we're stuck for life. No divorces in this universe. You're a Cohen-Chang forever." It was all said in jest, but what she really meant was that he probably made a friend for life. And if not a friend, at least a friendly acquaintance. "Thanks for approaching me, kid. And thanks for playing along."

When she kissed his cheek, he knew it was still alright. Still fun. This was maybe just what he needed to dive into this thing. He laughed. "No divorces. Got it. Proud to be an official Cohen-Chang." There was that kid again. This time he laughed. "Glad we could help each other. Hope you like the flowers." He knew this good experience would stay with him. He hoped not divorcing meant that he'd really made another new friend. When they waved goodbye, it was with happy feelings.

#bingo20 #( bingo 2020 )#asher #para: asher #para: will you marry me?

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manggojooz · 5 years

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Bad Timing (Part 4)

Prompt: do you know why you are unhappy? Because there is a gap between what you want and the reality.

pairing: Taehyung x reader

word count: 1.6k

genre: angst

warnings: rescue dogs; adoption

You thought the gap between what you wanted and what the reality was, is him. It was not, the gap was you.

Having made up your mind to remain a friend to Taehyung, you expended a lot of effort in the week following the ‘cinema incident’ making sure that you followed through. When he texted you to ask if you were ok, you responded in the most cavalier way you could think of. Seeing him around school, you would always endeavour to put on your most natural smile before walking past him as per usual. It would be a lie to say that it was not difficult on you; every time you reminded yourself to treat him just like you would treat a friend, you felt as if there were little pins pricking at your heart.

You could hear his voice, smell his scent and occasionally sense him looking at you, but you would do your utmost best to block out all of it and continue with your normal school life. There were a couple of times you contemplated explaining to him what had happened at the cinema. However, you had yet to come up with a good enough cover for what happened and the longer it took the harder it became for you to talk about it.

Jimin had come over to your table during lunch time on Monday to ask your gang whether any of you wanted to go watch their concert the coming Sunday. “Wouldn’t it be weird to reject a friendly request to attend a concert? What was there to avoid? Just go”, you thought to yourself right before you agreed to attend the concert. You were very mindful again, making sure to say it the most commonplace tone you could muster, since Taehyung also came over to your table.

On hindsight, Taehyung had once asked if you were interested in hip hop dances while you two were walking some of the dogs at the shelter and he broke out into a funky moonwalk to your amusement. Your appreciation for the performing arts was probably limited to listening to your favourite bands and it didn’t seem to surprise to Taehyung either when you said "Not sure if I would be able to appreciate those moves”, you said while laughing at his improvised performance.

“Don’t you watch the idols on TV? Or do you happen to belong to a different generation, maybe you would prefer trot music?”, he asked rather cheekily.

“Of course I watch the idols on TV, but I watch them for the pretty boys they are”, you were up to the challenge in terms of cheekiness, “anyway, I prefer the singing bits over the dancing parts.”

Come to think of it, he didn’t mention anything about the concert. Did he not think that you may have wanted to go? Did he not want you to go?

Taehyung was unusually distant throughout the rest of the week, he hardly messaged you. Ironically, your new resolution to maintain a friendly distance made you more conscious about this. You weren’t sure if this was because of what happened on Saturday and you were wary even to ask him whether he was coming to the shelter with you this Friday. Eventually, you decided to just see if he would turn up at the school gate, where you two would meet up, at the usual time.

He didn’t turn up at the usual time and although this could be the epitome of a worthless dilemma, you had a tough time deciding whether to just go off or to send him a message to ask if he was coming today. Guess he wanted to see Lula off that day after all because he did end up running to the school gate ten minutes late.

As you watched Lula leave with her new owner, Suzy, you blinked away the tears that had welled up in your eyes. You wanted to be happy that Lula found a new home, but at the same time you couldn’t shake off your worries. Similarly, Lula was very dependent on you and for that matter, Taehyung too, probably because the both of you were the first to take care of her when she was brought to the shelter.

Nevertheless, she was special to you, painfully special because she reminded you of Snowy, who was once your beloved friend, and whom you will forever feel a sense of guilt and sorrow towards. This would explain why you had insisted that Lula's new collar would have both Suzy’s contact number and yours on it, at least for the first year after her adoption.

Compounding the seriousness of the events of that day, Taehyung was very quiet when you two were leaving the shelter, so quiet that you felt a need to say something before you were breathless from the intensity of the silence between you two. You came up with the most reasonable thing you thought you could ask at that point, which was whether he was going back for dance practice. The conversation somehow led to you fretting that he’d go to practice hungry and you wanted to get him dinner from somewhere. Taehyung was still staring down at you intensely during the conversation without saying much. All you wanted to do was avoid any chance that he might see through your act of friendliness so you quickly evaded such a possibility by asking if Jimin, who was waiting for Taehyung, may need some sustenance as well.

“It’s ok, you don’t have to. Jimin isn’t the only one waiting, Hyejin, Soohyun and the rest will be there too. We usually grab supper after practice anyway”, Taehyung said.

Right. That was stupid of you to ask, why were you trying to intrude into their routine... you don’t even belong there.

“But if you want to come and watch us practice, I think Jimin will be more than happy”, he continued.

What was that? “Huh, why would he be...”, you blurted out a reaction but was quickly cut off by Taehyung continuing his speech.

“Since you agreed to come to the concert for him, right... I will make sure he gets your friends and you some good seats. He's the guy in charge of our club anyway.”

That was not why you agreed to go, but you were in no position to clarify it without risking letting Taehyung know that you wanted to go because of him. You were looking away from Taehyung in hopes that he will not catch the disappointment in your eyes – the disappointment that at no point Taehyung even considered that you wanted to go so that maybe you could understand him a little more, maybe you could get closer to him a little more.

“I think I’ll go off first, all the best at practice...”, you felt like your efforts throughout the week at persuading yourself to remain a good friend might crumble at any moment now. “See you all on Sunday then”, you looked at him briefly, not sure what you were searching for in his eyes. As quickly as the crisis came, you made up the decision to retreat before further damage could be caused.

As you walked away from the school gate which Taehyung has probably entered right now, you were once again left wondering how long more you could keep up the pretence.

That Friday also marked the start of a short school break. And then, the day of the concert came.

Watching Taehyung perform on stage with his dance club friends made you realise why you had kept your distance from the popular kids in school in the first place. The people below the stage swooning at the people on stage, the people on the stage enjoying the affection. That was the life of the popular kids – a life that attracted attention and interest, a life that was mutual between the object and the subject. They knew they were popular, they knew others loved them and they were able to love themselves.

You, on the other hand, believed that unwanted attention and interest are burdensome. You were outgoing by choice, but you were hesitant often, being wary of other’s judgments.

Maybe this was the paradox of your life, you kept up a constant pretence that you were happy, that you were alright, that you were just like everyone else. But you were still unhappy. Because you were not alright, because you had sadness and you had fears, and because you were incapable of showing it to anyone else.

At the root of it all, perhaps it was because you had convinced yourself that you were ultimately alone, that if the rain came falling down on you, nobody would be willing to stand in it with you.

You looked up at the concert banner with huge bold words, “Love Yourself: Chapter 1”, the title of the concert.

You were not sad because you fell in love with a dandelion. You were not sad because the dandelion did not love you. You were sad because you hoped that the dandelion would love you, but in reality, even you could not love yourself.

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xiezuo · 6 years

Note

Me again. Bts members' sexual kinks?

Masterpost | Rules | WIPs

Disclaimer : This is a friendly reminder that none of these headcanons are facts. They’re only my opinion and I could be completely wrong about them.

NSFW under the cut

Kim Seokjin | Jin (BTS)

I know a lot of people see Jin as a vanilla man

And I can see why

To me he’s definitely the least kinky in BTS for sure (it’s either him or Jeongguk) but I don’t think he’s 100% vanilla

I feel like he could dabble a little in the dom/sub side of BDSM, especially if he’s frustrated

If you’re acting like a brat and tease him in public I can definitely see him wanting to teach you a lesson

Will make you call him sir/oppa, not really sure about daddy but maybe that too

Yeah Jin is definitely more on the dom side

He likes being the one in control and the one on top

He’ll tell you what to do and praise you if you obey him

I feel like his way of punishing you as more to do with teasing and denying your orgasm rather than something physical like spanking

He’ll make you pleasure him first, whether it’s by giving him a blowjob/handjob or performing a striptease for him

He’ll make you beg for his cock

He won’t totally degrade and humiliate you but he’ll call you his little slut when you beg

And he’ll really make you beg for it like

You’ll be on your knees in front of him and he’s holding his cock in front of you

He’ll graze the tip across your lips and maybe even lightly tap it against your cheek

“Tell me how much you want oppa’s cock in your pretty little slut mouth”

If you really, really pissed him off and he’s borderline hate-fucking you or if you’ve been especially naughty (one example would be to get him hard in public), he’ll chase his own orgasm

He’ll cum all over your stomach or your back depending on your position —but never inside— and leave you gaping around nothing and then leave you to take care of your needs alone

But whenever he does that he always comes back about ten minutes later, much calmer, for a second round, and this time he’s gonna be more thoughtful

It’s not a kink but I’m pretty sure Jin’s dick is big

Like both girth-wise and length-wise

It’s not exactly a monster but it’s hard to take it without prep and he knows that

So even if he’s in a hurry he’s always gonna take time to stretch you out and make sure you’re lubricated enough to take him

Jin’s kinks really do focus more on dominating you than anything else tbh

The most he’ll do is probably choking if he knows you’re into that

If not then spanking is the next option

Min Yoongi | Suga (BTS)

One of the kinkiest for sure

A pure dom 98% of the time, he likes the control he can have over you, but if he’s feeling down or really stressed he appreciates it if you take care of him

He’s kind of sadist in bed, if you’re into that then he’ll have no problem being really rough with you

Really puts his tongue technology to use if you know what I mean

Seriously though, his tongue works wonders

He can make you cum in just over a minute with it and he loves going down on you

Seeing you squirming underneath him completely at his mercy really gets him going

Doesn’t really like using toys on you for that reason, he can achieve better results quicker by himself

He loves it when you ride him, but this little fucker toys with you a lot —he’ll make you believe you’re in control and the second you let your guard down, he takes control again

Loves using blindfolds and restraints on you, like I said, he likes having complete control and knowing he can get you in such a state of arousal and bliss is an amazing feeling

Prefers taking you from behind, it gives him a better angle to hit all the right spots

Really prides himself in making you cum multiple times before him but ultimately chases his own orgasm more than anything else

A master dirty talker

Probably inyo degradation and humiliation, if you give him a green flag he won’t hold back

Wants you to call him oppa, daddy, sir, master, any honorific that puts him into a position of power over you, you name it

Has a weird way of praising you in which he’ll tell you how good you are but still call you degrading names like slut, whore, etc.

Spanks you while fucking you

Into hair pulling

Loves it when you scratch his back

He’s really into marking you anyway he can, whether it’s by biting or sucking on your skin until a bruise appears, having his hand printed out on your ass while he spanks you, holding you so tightly his grip causes more bruises to form, and cum marking

His favourite place to cum is either all over your face or on your pussy, especially the latter because to him it means he’s claiming it as his and his alone

Despite all of that, I can see him being a very passionate lovemaker as well

If he’s feeling particularly sappy or you’ve had a bad day, he’ll take his time with you and actually make love to you

No matter what happens, he takes really good care of you, especially afterwards, to make sure you’re okay and he holding you close until you fall asleep or have to get up

Jung Hoseok | J-Hope (BTS)

Very open to trying out new things to spice things up

A switch but a very very bratty sub, he won’t give in easily

Very energetic and powerful, he can last a really long time

I see him as very shy at the beginning but after you have sex a couple times, it just gets easier to get him into the mood

Will rarely initiate anything but unless he really can’t right now he’ll never turn you down

A grade A tease, he loves going down on you and eating you out until you cry

Not really a pet name kind of guy, to him the hotest thing you can call him is by his name, especially if you’re moaning it into his ear, but he will call you baby or princess, princess being his favourite

Loves using toys on you to make you squirm

I feel like he likes to take his time and he has a lot of self-control so he doesn’t mind spending a lot of time on you

Hoseok likes it rough, he will pound into you at an incredible speed and his thrusts are strong, deep and calculated

Probably has every single sweet spot of yours engraved into his memory and will use this knowledge against you

Breath play is probably one of his biggest kinks if it’s not his biggest, and it goes for both giving and receiving

I’m not saying he’s a fuckboy because to me he’s literally the furthest thing away from that but to him, sex is more about having fun and letting out his stress and frustrations rather than a bonding experience between the two of you

So he rarely gets romantic in bed unless there’s a special occasion to celebrate

Prefers to fuck you on a bed but if you can’t make it there he has no problem improvising and having his way with you backstage in a broom closet

Loves to tease you in public by sliding his hand up your thigh and getting too close to your crotch for your liking

Highkey loves it if you tease him back but will pretend he hates it. You take it as encouragement to keep going

But teasing is the only thing he’ll do in public

I feel like he’d get embarrassed really quickly if you’re having sex at the dorms and he knows the others can hear you, so usually he goes to your place or he makes sure you two aren’t making any noise

Which in his case is pretty difficult because he’s quite vocal in bed

Not saying he’s a screamer, it’s not that bad, but he doesn’t hold back from moaning when it feels really good

He’ll also ask you if you like what he’s doing but sometimes gets cocky and teases you about how much you seem to enjoy what he’s doing

Sex with him is always really fun and more often than not it leaves you walking like a cowboy for a few hours

Likes to cuddle afterwards

Kim Namjoon | RM (BTS)

This is pretty much already a given since he basically admitted this already but Namjoon has a daddy kink for sure

He is a strict dom, there’s no way anyone can manage to dominate him

Really into sexting and phone/Skype sex when he’s away or when he’s busy

Buys sexy lingerie for you, white being his favourite colour, and he loves it when you take cute/sexy pictures in it to send to him either to give him some jerk off material or to give him a sneak peek of what’s waiting for him at home

Loves taking care of his baby girl but he’s more of a receiver than a giver when it comes to oral

He keeps it for special occasions like anniversaries or when you’ve been really good to him the entire day

Loves it when you submit to him immediately but really doesn’t mind you being bratty from time to time to give him a challenge

Probably makes you give him strip-teases/lap dances when he feels like taking his time with you

If you’re wearing a choker he’ll make you keep it while you have sex

Most likely the type to buy you one with a little medallion that has his name on it

Calls you baby girl, sweetheart, princess, or any cute pet name he can find to show you how much he cares about you

Will sometimes call you down to his studio to “help him relax” when he’s feeling particularly stressed or tense

In fact you guys fucked more in his studio than you did in an actual bed

Prefers to take you from behind, it gives him a better angle to hit all of your sweet spots and allows him better control

Loves to cum on your face and chest

Not really a “making love” type of guy either, if he wants to be romantic he’ll find other ways but sex isn’t one of those options

I have a feeling Namjoon has the biggest dick in all of BTS

And he uses that to punish you if you’ve been really, really naughty to him

Let me explain : he will prep you enough so that it doesn’t hurt too much but he will not let you time to adjust to his size before he starts pounding into you —it doesn’t hurt but it’s definitelt uncomfortable at first, but he’ll make sure you’re okay to avoid accidentally hurting you

Doesn’t go all in with the aftercare, but he’ll clean you up and stay with you afterwards at least until you fall asleep if he really has to go back to work

He’s not exactly super kinky and doesn’t venture in other branches of BDSM aside from dom/sub, but he’s not soft either

His goal is to make you cum at least once before he does

It would be a huge blow to his ego if he doesn’t manage to

Dirty talks to you in both korean and english

Doesn’t give a fuck if people can hear you and wouldn’t even be phased if someone accidentally walked in on you two, he’d just tell them to leave because he’s busy

Park Jimin (BTS)

100% a sub I will fight anyone on this

Everything about Jimin screams baby boy to me

So to get the full effect in bed with him, you have to be a dom

If not, sex is gonna be really vanilla because I feel like just the thought of being a dom makes him uncomfortable, he’s not cut for that role

He’s not opposed to trying though, but I really do see him as a strict sub

He has such a praise kink too, a slut for compliments

Highkey one of the kinkiest members of BTS ngl

Would even be down for pegging if you’re into that, but he has to be in the right mood and has to be in complete trust with you

Tie him up, blindfold him, deny his orgasms all you want

He whines about it but he loves it

I feel like sometimes he’ll act like a real brat just to get on your nerves and push your buttons

But talk to him in a certain tone and call him baby and he goes back into subspace real quick

I feel like depending on the scenario he could be into roleplay

One of his favourite things to do with you is cock warming, it makes him feel closer to you, but will eventually grow impatient and try to move after a while

Will most likely send you dick pics when he’s horny but he always makes sure you’re okay with that first

He preps you for it, it’s never unsollicited even if you don’t really ask for them (you’re still happy to get them)

Very vocal about his needs, if he’s horny then he does absolutely nothing to hide it

Calls you noona in bed, even if you’re younger than him

Loves to be reminded that he’s yours, whether it’s with you marking his body with hickeys (as long as they’re easy to cover up) or giving him a collar/choker with your name on it

Really into breath play, either it’s with your hands or you pulling on his choker, it makes him cum in 0.2 seconds

Becomes an immediate mess if you go down on him, to him it’s the hottest thing you can do and he doesn’t last very long if you do that

He’s quite embarrassed about it and everytime it happens, he’s gonna go down on you until he can get it up again

Actually he really likes going down on you, pleasing you is his number one priority

Which is why he’d be open about trying out pretty much anything you might be into as long as it’s not super gross or doesn’t cause any permanent marks/injuries

You getting off is what gets him off

But the fact that he can come undone so easily when you go down on him gave you the idea of using cockrings on him and those are the death of him

He has such a love-hate relationship with those and it makes him go absolutely crazy

Becomes very affectionate after sex and loves to snuggle up to you and nuzzle his face in the crook of your neck

Jimin is basically a 180 to the way he acts with you in public, because I feel like he can act borderline playboy with you when you’re not in bed and by that I mean he has no problem openly flirting with you in front of everyone and being a tease

But in bed it’s all about you being the one in charge and making the decisions

Kim Taehyung | V (BTS)

I see Taehyung as a switch but in a strange kind of way

Taehyung is very traditional and that’s why I feel like if he’s with a girl, he’s gonna want to be the one on top at all times

If he’s with a guy then it’s going to depend on the guy, he could go from full dom to switch to full sub

But since I’ve been an ass assuming all of them were straight so far I’m gonna continue down that way but if anyone wants to request BTS with a male s/o I’m not opposed to it

Now that’s someone who could send you dick pics/nudes at random times without warning if you’re in a relationship with him

Most of the time he does it to be a little shit and not even because he’s horny

Lowkey a freak in bed not gonna lie, probably has a lot of unusual kinks

Loves playing hard to get —he knows exactly when you’re horny but he’s gonna pretend he’s completely oblivious to it until you straight up ask him to fuck you, even if you shove your hand down his pants he’s gonna remain unmoving

He’s a little shit in bed, he makes you beg for him to touch you

If he’s feeling like teasing you even more, he’s gonna force you to keep your hands above your head at all times and will stop all movement if you disobey him

If you act up on his authority, you can bet your ass he’s going to punish you for it

Whether it’d be by spanking you or denying as many orgasms as he can

Wants you to call him oppa, doesn’t matter if you’re older or younger than him

It’s such a huge ego boost for him if you can cum from just his cock

Taehyung will probably bend you over in so many ways, he changes the position often, so you better start getting into yoga because you’re gonna have to be flexible lmao

Loves teasing but absolutely hates foreplay, it’s a cognitive dissonance but that’s the way Taehyung’s cock brain works

Will whisper the filthiest things to you when you’re out in public just to get you worked up

Hands down the BTS member with the highest libido, if it were just for him he’d have sex with you 5 times a day

Really open to trying new things too and always looking for ways to improve your sex life

Prefers to cum inside and condoms are the bane of his existence, trust me, he’s gonna drop them fast once you both get tested and you’re on birth control

I lowkey see him having some type of impregnation kink, not that he absolutely wants to get you pregnant but the thought of it is really hot to him for some reason

Has absolutely no shame and —this might sound kind of gross to some of you and I apologize in advance to all the Taehyung stans I might offend—but if he never cums on your stomach for a change, he’s gonna clean it off (or partly clean it off) with his tongue

I highkey think Taehyung is the kinkiest in all of BTS but this post is already too long so I’m going to stop there, but I have another Taehyung post in the works so I’ll continue it there

Jeon Jeongguk | Jungkook (BTS)

Jeongguk is also a switch, but just like Taehyung, it’s a little different than what we usually think of switches

He adapts to his partner meaning if you’re a strict sub, he won’t mind always being the dominant one

And if you’re a strict dom, he won’t mind always being the submissive one

And if you’re also a switch then he’ll switch too depending on your mood

Jeongguk is really competitive so I feel like he’ll find a way to turn sex into a competition

Or bet sex when you challenge him at something

Dom!Jeongguk likes it rough, his thrusts are deep and powerful and sure to leave you sore for a couple of days

Grips your waist and thighs so hard it leaves bruises in the shape of his hands

But just like Hoseok, he would rather have you call him by his name than oppa, daddy, sir, etc. Actually he’d be freaked out by it, so just stick to his name or something close to it like Kook/Kookie

But when he’s into subspace he loves being called “baby”

He’s not the type to go down on you very often, he keeps that for special occasions, but when he does it it’s mind blowing

Loves when you go down on him but only asks you to do that when he’s feeling especially dominant, usually he just leaves that decision up to you

Prefers cumming on your stomach, it’s a mess to clean up but the sight is just amazing to him

Sub!Jeongguk is kind of a brat and he loves teasing you and defying your authority

But when you finally get him to submit, you can do a lot of things to him

He wouldn’t like being completely restrained but if you just tie his hands together or tell him to keep them over his head he’ll happily comply

Whether dom or sub Jeongguk isn’t a really kinky person per se

He’s more into rough sex and pinning/light restraints than anything else

And I feel like it would take some time to get him to open up to new things

Like at the beginning of the relationship he’s almost strictly vanilla

But you’ll notice that he has a hard time keeping a slow and sensual pace so when you tell him he can go harder, he won’t hesitate to do it

Has a fixation with your legs and especially your thighs and he loves marking them

He always leaves multiple hickeys on the soft flesh of your inner thigh which makes it hard for you to walk the next day because everytime your thighs brush together it hurts

But you love it

Actually unless you’re the one on top, you’re always sore the next day without fail

And it hurts from your waist to your knees like you had some really intense workout the day before which, well, you kinda did

At first, having sex while anyone was at the dorms was a strict no

But now he lowkey loves knowing that his hyungs can potentially hear how good he’s fucking you

Especially loves it when you wear one of his shirts after sex but it also makes him want to rip it off and go at it again

Really into thigh riding, just the sight of you coming undone on his thigh drives him crazy

If he’s in a rush I can see him really being into dry humping

He’s a really fast learner so while you’ll have to guide him the first few times, when you both grow more comfortable with each other he’ll be able to make you cum each time without fail

This is a random one but I feel like he went to see Namjoon after your first time to tell him about how it went just because it made him so happy and he felt the need to share it with someone

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thespookydoor · 6 years

Text

Journey Into Darkness 2

This was a dream I had earlier one summer, and back then it lingered with me a lot, just because of all the creepy and disturbing things it alluded to, and that feeling I’ve had several times in my life, as if I had taken a brief, but eventful, jaunt through someone else’s nightmare: …It starts out innocently enough, with me hanging out with some old friends at some mall or entertainment district. We’re at some weirdly-arranged, multi-level theater, having just finished watching one movie, and trying to decide what to see next. Hallways, ramps and stairways, interspersed with displays and animatronic cartoon animals, even a video arcade, like some children’s theme park, with only vague signs pointing the way, and somehow I get separated from everyone else, despite having just boasted of knowing my way around the place better than any of the others. After going up a couple flights of stairs, I find myself at this closed-up gift shop. It’s dark, and everything’s turned off, an entire inventory of items gathering dust on the shelves, yet for some reason, the door is wide open, so I wander in, most likely drawn by my own curiosity. It appeared to have been connected in some way with the theater and the other stuff, yet something about its atmosphere goes from forlorn to unsettling the farther back I explore. It’s not just that everything’s dusty and neglected, it’s a feeling of walking through some predator’s territory and into its lair. At first, it would be hard to describe, as there are no outward signs, just the sense of the place somehow becoming seedier, weedier, a vibe hinting at a history of decadence that feels jarringly out of place with what a kiddy-themed store is supposed to be about. It’s in the dingy back rooms that things take a turn for the ugly, starting with a desk calendar. You know the type— scantily clad girls, usually posing on or in front of cars— commonplace among auto mechanics, plumbers and other mostly middle-age male occupations, only the bound poses displayed in these ones would surely never pass muster with even the most lax “family friendly” workplace. Looking for all the world as if sicko decided to make a bunch of concentration camp victims pose for these ones. Followed by stuffed mascot animals hanging from nooses, or dismembered and lying in piles of their own stuffing in the corners, broken bottles, and mysterious dark stains my eyes refuse to linger on. By now, I’m not even sure why I’m venturing further into this den of depravity whose demented history already seems to be seeping into my mind, as if every corner of this place is desperately screaming of the wrongness visited upon it, both as a warning, and, I think, a cry for help of sorts. The shop itself is on the second or third storey of the place, with a big bank of windows overlooking the interior of what looks like some kind of museum or gallery, with various displays spread across the floor. There is an open stairway leading up, with both the beginning and the first landing marked with “CLOSED” signs hanging on chains across the steps, but hearing a commotion upstairs, I skip over them and go up. Above the shop, I find what seems to be a combination of business offices and personal quarters, all of it occupied by a group of sinister men in business suits, who appear to be having some sort of secret “party” here, unbeknownst to the rest of the mall/park proper. All around this level, I see evidence of drugs, torture, and other mayhem that I somehow already know has been concealed from the public here for a long time, almost certainly by someone on the inside of this company. With a strong hint of “No Witnesses” by the end of each gathering. I don’t know how else to describe these Bad Business men as anything less than slimy, degenerate Good Ol’ Boy types, and somehow their “guests of honor” have gotten out of their rooms, a group of young women who look like they seriously want to be anywhere else right about now, and are being chased around by their “hosts” with a total lack of festive pretense. The next part is a blur of violence, blocking doors, using objects as improvised weapons, and just generally taking the fight back to these monsters any which way I can. Holding them off by any means I can muster, hoping any of the captives might escape from this splintering of separate, desperate struggles throughout the level. At this point, the camera changes focus, following a young woman as she makes it to the stairs I came up earlier, one of the Good Ol’ Boys in hot pursuit, cussing and screaming that she can’t be allowed to get out, no matter what. But she completely eludes him by jumping off the landing and onto a bi-plane hanging on display in the gallery floor below, dropping onto a car display, then to the floor, making it to the entrance before her pursuer can get very far past the stairs. She then runs down the street, the other guy quickly giving up the pursuit once she got outside, apparently not wanting to draw attention to himself. From the there, the dream skips a bit, and when she turns up again, she’s working an under-the-table job as a bike messenger. Hair dyed, bike helmet, dark glasses. Not wanting to go back to her family or friends, for fear of some apparently very scary folks going to very scary lengths to keep their dirty secrets. Too afraid of going to the authorities against some very powerful and entrenched people without any proof. At one point, she meets an older lady, a friend of the family, who recognizes her, and she very curtly tries to cut the conversation short at every turn, even as the lady keeps asking her if she needs help, desperate to not have anyone she cares about possibly be seen with her, such are the kind of predators she’s hiding from. She finally loses the other lady, heading back out onto the street to continue what amounts to a ceaseless flight, never staying in the same place for long, when things take a turn for the worst. And the weird. It’s creepy, trying to describe what she runs into, so perhaps it’s best to simply go for the direct approach. Having passed into a run-down neighborhood, after dark, she spots two figures sitting on a park bench, sharing a 40 ounce brown bag of something. The first is troubling, yet hardly out of place in this setting, a very shifty police officer, whose reputation is surely as tarnished as his badge, and feels like bad news at first sight. Yet it’s the second figure that quickly grabs her attention, as he seems completely out of place anywhere humans claim to be even remotely civilized. Tattered, rotting dress suit, on a lanky scarecrow frame, claw-like hands… And a big, squat pumpkin head. His face a blazing, flickering— and, most unsettling of all, animated— Jack-O-Lantern, moving and shifting like some warped animatronic come to life. Although I pick up no specific details of their conversation, the two of them seem to a be having a crass, callous laugh about something, I suspect, past exploits above that closed-down gift shop, as if the atrocities there were their chief form of amusement, while the girl tries to walk away as if she hadn’t see him. But he has, and calls out to her, gesturing for the crooked cop to scoot over and let her sit between them, making it more than obvious that he knows who she is. When she backs away, he laughs, telling her something along the lines of “We’re not gonna do anything to you here,” but she still wisely keeps her distance even as he talks and acts like her experience in that building was a fun getaway or something. During this brief exchange, he seems to make no great secret that he’s the one who organized the “parties” up in that building, apparently finding no shortage of sleazy characters willing to pay for his services, and that the company that runs the place is too scared to confront him directly about any of it. As if he is not only above the law, but as if he is somehow beyond the reach of any of its agents, as well, speaking openly of matters most criminals who’ve done only a slice of his deeds would dare to say aloud at risk of being recorded. Yet still suggesting that she’s a “loose end” his boys need to tie up, lest things get complicated. After that tense confrontation, the girl flees again, the monstrous creature on the bench laughing at her in the distance, assuring her in an encouraging tone that she can only run so far… …That’s the last part I remember before I woke up. I’m not sure what lingers with me more, that creepy abandoned store, with all its sordid goings-on, or the creature on that bench, as he seemed to be a being of unfathomable depravity, a sadistic mind so warped, it has passed the limits of even the most demented human beings. There were depths of insanity flickering inside that pumpkin head that seemed to burn away at the minds of anyone who looked upon that fiery visage for very long. The whole thing felt skewed, as if I was being exposed to someone else’s fears, dreads, and terrors. More than anything, a sense of relief that he himself wasn’t present at the time when I helped that girl escape, because that wasn’t one of those dreams where I have super-powers and could bash that pumpkin skull of his in like someone should have done to him a long time ago, it was one of those rough, desperate, visceral dreams, where, rather than an action-adventure mode, here I was fighting for my own life right alongside those captives. Weirdly enough, I wasn’t terribly worried for myself after I woke up, and seeing as how I’m still alive and awake and dreaming about other things in the meantime, I think it’s safe to say that I managed to escape from the whole mess okay on my end. Still, I’m haunted by the inconclusive ending, and the feeling that whatever was going on in that twisted place continues unchallenged, while she decides what to do next. Although the whole bicycle messenger thing reminded me a little of Witch Hunter Robin, as for the girl herself, I can’t help thinking of Heather from Silent Hill 3, especially that feeling of being stuck with that no-win choice between running from the past forever, or risking everything to take back her life. -11/23/10

#jack o lantern #witch hunter robin #silent hill 3 #good ol boys #run for your life #theme park #bike messenger #heather morris #cheryl mason #sick and wrong #journey into darkness #biplane #someone else's nightmare #nightmare #someone else's fear #nightmares and dreamscapes #silent hill

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suzannemcappsca · 7 years

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ICC Mediation Competition 2017: in conversation with the finalists

Bill Marsh (Editor) and Anna Howard (Associate Editor)

I (Bill) remember doing my first commercial mediation. I was 29, and in the presence of the four parties and their advisers I felt even younger. It was not lost on me that (as Suzanne Rab recently noted in Do You Need Grey Hairs to Mediate?) people expected someone older to walk into the room.

Fast forward 26 years to today and I find myself judging and mediating at the annual ICC Mediation Competition in Paris, sporting my own grey hair, surrounded by those in their early twenties, and feeling very old!

This year there were 65 university teams from 33 countries, joined by over one hundred professional mediators, many of us being ICC competition “junkies” who return each year.

Leaving aside the buzz of the competition and catching up with fellow mediators from all over, what is so deeply satisfying is to see an understanding of mediation being ingrained at university level, together with the commitment to a different way of doing conflict which accompanies it. Even more so, perhaps, is to watch the “light-bulb moments” which students experience as they pit their very considerable wits against contemporaries from around the world, display remarkable skill and judgment, and experience some of the fundamental truths about how it all works.

Anna’s interviews below remind me of what a privilege that is.

This year the two universities in the final were newcomers to the competition and, more surprisingly, neither team had a coach. After catching up on much-needed sleep, the two finalist teams spoke with me (Anna) about their experience. Daniel Winer and Rachel Rhodes from College of Law and Business (Israel) won the competition and second place went to Bernard Fernandes and Sidney Cardoso from V.M. Salgaocar College of Law Goa, Goa University (India). While speaking with Daniel, Rachel, Bernard and Sidney, I very quickly became aware of their infectious enthusiasm for mediation and their sincere gratitude for all they learnt during the competition. Over to Daniel, Rachel, Bernard and Sidney…

What was the most memorable piece of advice you were given during the competition?

Daniel & Rachel: The feedback that we received from the judges and the mediators was incredible and really helped to guide us throughout the competition. What we took away from the all the advice we were given was the importance of really listening, both to your team and to the other side, and of having an awareness of the situation before you. What was needed was a balance between knowing your goals and your roots but being flexible, aware and truly hearing what the other side was saying.

Bernard & Sidney: We cannot isolate one particular piece of advice. The advice from the judges was incredibly helpful. In addition to the feedback which we received at the end of the mediation, we made it a point to speak to each judge after the session to get additional feedback. We changed our approach to incorporate the judges’ advice.

A piece of advice which we found particularly helpful was that you do not always have to be collaborative: show strength in your case and don’t be scared to make the other side aware of your BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement) if need be. There was one mediator whose advice was “I am not here to see you collaborate; get some blood on the table.” Put another way, we were being advised to keep the negotiation realistic.

What did you learn from the other teams which participated in the competition?

Daniel & Rachel: Most of the other teams were exceptionally well prepared, perhaps too well prepared. By this we mean that some teams appeared to have a set game plan for the negotiation which meant that at times they were not open to listening to the other party.

Bernard & Sidney: We found that the teams were very prepared and some came to the negotiation with a set plan, particularly in the first four rounds as the problems had been sent to the teams in advance of the competition. We quickly learnt the importance of improvising. Particularly in the preliminary rounds you have to be prepared to be flexible.

What was the key to your success in the competition?

Daniel & Rachel: What clearly stands out for us is the dynamic between us. We feel very comfortable with one another and there is a firm undercurrent of trust between us. A connection between the party playing the lawyer and the party playing the client makes it easier for you to come across as a strong team and to reach an agreement with the other side.

We would recommend that over and above knowing the case and mediation methods, it’s essential to work as a team. For some teams there were, at times, moments of friction when both members of the team wanted to speak.

Bernard & Sidney: We tried to incorporate the judges’ and mediators’ advice as much as possible and we kept learning throughout the rounds. Their advice helped us to grow throughout the competition. We received advice about how to negotiate depending on the nationality of the other party and used that advice to tailor our approach to the particular party.

What were the particular challenges of negotiating with people from very different cultures and backgrounds? How were you able to respond to these?

Daniel & Rachel: Clear cultural differences were easily apparent. At the risk of over-generalisation, teams from certain countries were more open and friendly while others were a little more stern and disciplined. As in real life, for certain combinations of cultures there was a greater chance of chemistry than for others. When two people from different cultures look at a case, cultural differences can lead them to draw different interpretations from the same set of facts. What we really tried to do was to understand the other party, to really understand where they were coming from and to truly listen.

We’d like to add that we initially thought that, on occasion, language might be an issue. This was not the case at all. Many of the teams came from countries where English is not the native language. We were astounded by the very high level of English across the teams.

Bernard & Sidney: This question brings to mind a mediation in which the cultural differences meant that the message which we were seeking to convey was not being understood by the other party. We tried to be clear but continued to experience difficulties. We therefore used the mediator to help us to convey the information to the other side so that it would be understood by the other side.

What has the competition taught you about mediation itself?

Daniel & Rachel: To be honest, we’re not sure that we took mediation that seriously before the competition. If you could have sat down and resolved an issue, then surely you’d have done that. And we’ll also admit to thinking that mediators were not something special. We’ve changed our view: the competition taught us that mediation is an incredible tool. After seeing mediators in action we have full faith and confidence in the mediation process and mediators.

Bernard & Sidney: We learnt a lot from seeing the mediators in action. We noticed that the mediators intervened at exactly the right time. And whenever the parties needed help, the mediators knew how to help them.

Do you think your experience in the competition will have an impact on your future career? If so, what might this impact be?

Daniel & Rachel: Without a doubt. We are seriously considering incorporating mediation into our future careers. We would like to practise international commercial law and pursue an ADR route within that. We think that parties will increasingly turn to ADR methods and this is where the future of dispute resolution lies.

Bernard & Sidney: In India, litigation is preferred over mediation and negotiation. People in India love to litigate and most are unaware of mediation. Our professors have mentioned that reaching the final of the competition puts us in a good position to spread the word about mediation and negotiation. Our achievement will also add to our credibility if we choose to pursue a career in mediation in the future.

Is there any advice which you would give to future participants in the competition?

Daniel & Rachel: In our law studies the focus seems to be on attaining knowledge disconnected to emotion. No one mentions the feelings of the parties – there are no psychology modules in law courses. With mediation you have to be emotionally sensitive to the case. Over and above learning the different methods of negotiation and mediation, try to be more sensitive to the emotional aspects, to the needs of your client and the other side. And, of course, study hard.

Bernard & Sidney: Our key piece of advice would be to listen to the judges. Also learn to really listen to the other side, use active listening. And be prepared to improvise. Finally, have fun. One piece of advice we received was “If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right.”

Is there anything else which you would like to add about your recent experience in the ICC competition?

Daniel & Rachel: The experience was life-changing. It has, for us, opened up the world of ADR. It has made us believe in mediation, not from reading about it in a book but from seeing it in action and meeting leading mediators from all over the world. There was an exceptionally broad pool of talented mediators at the event from whom we learnt so much.

It was wonderful to see hundreds of people, disconnected from the politics we often see in international arenas, enjoying themselves and learning from one another. There were many good hearts and open minds there. We have come away inspired.

Bernard & Sidney: We would like to say thank you to the ICC competition’s organising team. It takes a lot of work to get the competition up and running. Thank you to the team for all the experiences we had and for the memories. We would also like to thank the mediation experts from all over the world who came to the competition. It was a wonderful opportunity to go beyond theory and to learn about mediation from those who conduct mediations.

What I (Bill) love most about these interviews is the willingness to learn displayed by Daniel, Rachel, Bernard and Sidney – and in truth by all the participants I meet at the competition each year. If you are a competitor, thank you. If you are a mediator, please find ways to pass your stuff on to the next generation.