My First day in New York | Best way to travel in NY? How to find cheapest bus in USA? Places to Visit in New York

My First day in New York | Best way to travel in NY? How to find cheapest bus in USA? Places to Visit in New York

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FrUK FACE family Parent Trap AU, part 7! Part 1

So, Alfred and Matthew made a successful switcheroo and are now living with their other respective dads. The first few days for both of them just pass in a whirlwind of new experiences: new sights, new sounds, new smells, new surroundings. Alfred and Mattie struggle to take it all in, but in a good way. And, of course, at the centre of it all is Francis and Arthur. It’s tricky being around them because the twins want to get to know them so badly but they can’t act like it because that would be weird. Alfred in particular has to dash out of the house to go run around with Mr. Kumajiro a couple of times because the need was getting too much. Francis notices “Mattie” has become more energetic, but accepts Alfred’s excuse that he got really into sports at camp. It’s not such a stretch since Matthew has always been outdoorsy anyway and Francis puts it down to his little boy growing up. Wine, misty eyes, and a long purusing of their family photo album once Alfred has gone to bed that night. Francis may be a suburban dad now with a mortgage and PTA meetings, but he sees no point in life if one can’t be dramatic every once in a while ;)

Then, Summer is over, and the twins have to go back to school. Alfred to Matthew’s fancy private school, and Matthew to Alfred’s normal NYC public school. Alfred puts on his uniform (urgh, monkey suit! Didn’t his dad used to wear something like this?) and is surprised when Francis drives him to school rather than let him walk or get the bus. The school is pretty close, but Francis does it anyway. He’s chill about things like Alfred’s earring, but then pivots and is overprotective about stuff like Matthew getting to school alone. Weird. Meanwhile, Mattie braces himself for the journey on the subway. Arthur is generally stricter than Francis, but he trusts “Alfred” to make his own way to school right through the heart of New York? Weird.

School for both of them goes about as well as it could. Alfred has a lot of friends and Mattie is immediately swept up in their hustle and bustle. Acting up in class pains him, but he has to do it to maintain the illusion. Alfred isn’t a bad kid, but he is a loud and energetic one. Matthew does his best (cringing inside) but his teachers still comment on his good behaviour. Mattie is worried…until he goes home and sees how pleased Arthur is. The teacher messaged him and Arthur couldn’t be prouder “Alfred” is taking school more seriously. Mattie can’t feel too bad about it then. Not after seeing his dad smile. Until Arthur bakes them some cakes to celebrate.

It’s a curse, Mattie thinks to himself as he struggles to chew through the charcoal without his eyes watering. A satanic curse. It must be, eh?

Meanwhile, Alfred does his best to keep up his Mattie act in his new “ooh, la, la” (his words) private school environment. Matthew is a model student, behaviour wise, and warned Alfred that he can’t get in trouble even a little or people will suspect. This is not easy for Alfred. Even less because Matthew is also a loner, so he has noone to help distract him from the boredom. It’s not that the other kids dislike Matthew, rather they just don’t seem to notice him. The teachers appreciate how well behaved he is but they also tend to forget he exists. Again, extremely not easy for extroverted, vivacious Alfred. He can’t keep his exuberance fully under control and it’s a shocker moment for the class when their geography teacher has to tell Matthew Bonnefoy to pay attention for the first time ever(!) Haha, oops. At least they didn’t call Francis. Yet.

The twins have kept in contact and message each other frequently for hints and tips, and (in Alfred’s case) reminders about French vocabulary. They have a long talk about school after the first week and Mattie is irritated and stung when Alfred thoughtlessly comments on his lack of friends. Matthew snipes back about how happy Arthur was when the teacher complimented “Alfred” on his behaviour. Something which gets to Alfred more than he likes to admit. The boys end their talk early that night and both go to bed feeling ruffled.

The next morning when Matthew wakes up, he comes down to breakfast (🥲) as usual. Only to freeze in the kitchen doorway when he sees who’s making it. Arthur is sitting at the table, reading the paper news he still refuses to trade in for an app. At the stove, cooking omlettes that actually smell good, is:

“Buenos días, Al! You want two eggs or three?”

Mattie recognizes the handsone spaniard from the pictures Alfred showed him. His work trip done, Tony is back.

(Life has been busy so here’s a shorter update. Hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned for part 8 (´ε｀ )♡)

Chapter 5

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem Reader

Word Count: 6,200

Summary:  It's a Wednesday when the sky quite literally opens up above you. The Battle of New York rages around you, and the only thing that gets you through is the stranger standing next to you. Matthew Murdock is more than he seems, keeping you safe in a city that is literally crumbling around you, and even once the dust settles, his hand is the only thing you don't want to let go of.

Trigger warning: None really, just some references to violence

Chapter Index

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8

Thank you to @hellskitchens-whore, @lazyxsquirrel, @pokemonandcatsmostly, @infinityisbright, and @dorothleah for some of the ideas💜

When you were younger, still in the hormone-infused chaos they called high-school, your mother was diagnosed with cancer.

You spent countless hours by her side, accompanying her to chemo sessions after class, skipping school to take care of her when your father couldn't quite get away from work, staying up far too late to finish homework because your mother had a strict routine of meds and care she needed before she fell asleep. You rearranged your entire life to help her, and not once did you regret a single second.

And through every appointment, through every bad day your mother had, you stayed by her side and kept hope alive, naïve but exceedingly helpless as she wilted away in front of you, doing your best to ignore the rings around her eyes and gray hue that settled underneath her skin.

Her death hit you hard, in ways you were still trying to process, every day adding a brick to the foundation you’ve been trying to build back up since she left. Months of praying and taking care of her blew up in your face, all your hard work and missed classes tossed down a drain as she took her last breaths. You were there when she passed, her perpetually cold, dry hand in yours, your heart begging her to stay while your mouth told her it was okay for her to rest, desperate to give her a sense of peace in her final moments, even as you shattered from the inside out. 

You'd spent so much time hoping for a better outcome, selfish in your prayers to keep her with you, a naïve sense of achievement every time she finished a chemo round with a smile on her face. You know now that those smiles had been solely for you, solely for your comfort, and that she hid her pain from you as long as she could, fully aware that she was not going to live to see you go to your senior prom or graduate from high school.

Years later, the agony still hits you, still festers inside of you, lying in wait to remind you that life could be cruel and unforgiving. You hadn't been prepared for your mother's death, even though you had months to accept the possibility, and though you’ve tried to to push it away, sometimes it still feels like you're back there with her, holding her hand as she slowly fades away. 

The betrayal of your hope and prayers had left you feeling hollow, left you feeling bitter, the pain sharp and acidic. 

And while the shadowed pain of the past has little to do with whatever mess is currently feeding on the streets of New York City, finding the collapsed entrance to the subway station offers a similar feeling of betrayal and helplessness in the face of your dwindling chances of survival.

"Fuck," Matt swears as the entrance comes into your view, somehow aware of the situation before you can open your mouth to tell him . He runs over to the staircase that has all but disappeared in a pile of rubble, the brick and stone from a semi-collapsed building effectively sealing the entrance shut. A rock goes flying across the street, angrily kicked into the air by a dress shoe that has obviously seen better days. The man growls under his breath, shoulders stiff and face twisted in a snarl you’ve yet to see. He stands off to the side, and you watch as his hands clench in fists as he raises them to rest on his hips.

It claws at your throat, this surge of powerlessness, and you can do nothing more than bend over and place your hands on your knees, panting with adrenaline as it courses through your system, the feeling of barbed wire scraping along the walls of every vein. The adrenaline has been helpful thus far, pushing you despite the ache in various parts of your body, but now it chokes you, your lungs trying and almost failing to drag air in as you stare at the haven that’s simultaneously right before you and somehow still out of your reach.

Your torn hands reach up and pull at your hair, head tilting upwards as panic threatens to spill tears down your face. 

"We need–we need a new game plan," you tell him quietly once you've regained a semblance of composure, taking in the form of the man that stands a few feet away from you, his frame simultaneously defeated and agitated. You walk over to him on shaky legs, avoiding the stone that litters the sidewalk, and grab the hand that's resting on his hip as he tilts his head downward and continues to frown harshly at the cement he can’t see. At your touch, he snaps his head back up, and just like that, determination settles back on his face, and the expression helps you steel your nerves. “Let’s…let's get away from the street.” 

He gives a sharp nod, the motion almost mechanical, and without a word of protest, he lets you pull him quickly into the nearest alley that sits halfway down the block. It won’t offer a ton of shelter, the buildings are only a few stories on either side, but it’s worth the effort of movement if it means keeping you just slightly safer and out of view than being so close to the street. The jog is a short one, and your shoes clack loudly on the concrete with every step, but the sound barely registers over the noise of the city. Once you're deep enough into the alley, you drop his hand and lean against the brick. 

Matt stands on the opposite side of the alley as you, lithe and broad-shouldered, and lets his body fall back into it, resting against the brick wall of the building with a heavy groan. He crosses his arms over his chest and twists his face into a glare of frustration. A crash sounds from a few blocks away, and you can’t help but flinch even as you keep your eyes trained on him. 

“So what do we want to do?” you ask, cutting to the chase, knowing a decision needs to be made, and fast.  You watch as his head lulls against the wall behind him. “Either we find somewhere to stay inside–”

“No.”

“--or we find a new subway station, if that’s the route we want to go. I think there’s one around here somewhere, but I’m not exactly sure where. I do know that there’s one off of 57th, though.” 

“That’s six blocks from here,” he quickly objects with a subtle shake of his head, still frowning. “Would you be able to make it there in those shoes?”

Your chin lifts up, the motion somewhat defensive. “I’ve made it this far, haven’t I?”

Matt stands up straighter, something about your tone pulling him out of his head. “Of course,” he immediately agrees. “I didn’t mean—I just want to make sure you’ll be okay. Six blocks is normally nothing, but now we’re literally walking through a war zone. Things are bound to catch us off guard.”

“Right,” you mumble, because honestly, the shoes are a concern, and you can’t fault him for worrying about it. “But I’ll make it work, so don’t worry about me. Like I said, I’m not exactly sure where the nearest station is, and I don’t think wandering around looking for it is the best move. Do you?”

“No, you’re right,” he responds with a nod of his head. A brief ray of sunshine lights the alley, peeking out from the heavy dust and smoke littering the air of the city, and you catch a quick glimpse of the red tone that exists throughout his dark hair. “Normally I’d have a better idea of where one is based on…,” he inhales sharply, seemingly thinking about something before shaking his head abruptly and continuing, “based on the sounds and vibrations of the subways underneath the streets, but they’ve–they’ve stopped running.”  

“You can hear the subways underneath the street?” you ask incredulously. Your eyes widen drastically as you take in the new piece of information. Hearing something coming from a few blocks away was one thing, but hearing through layers of concrete and asphalt was completely different. 

How on Earth…?

The look on his face is slightly pained, as if he can’t decide if he should have told you or not, but he pushes forward anyway, the information already out there and not something he can retract. “Yes,” he says slowly, hesitantly, and again you get the feeling that he’s just given you a key or hint to whatever puzzle exists inside his mind. “But it’s not helpful right now. Not if they’re not running.”

“Jesus,” you say with a loud exhale, eyes still wide as you consider the way his body seems to be somehow defensive, as if nervous of what you’ll think and already pushing you away. “That’s amazing, and I–and I am interested in hearing more, but…it’s definitely not the right moment.”

“Not at all.” The grimace has shifted into a wry grin. 

“Great.” Your agreement is swift, acknowledging the quick awkwardness that had settled and washed away within the span of a quick second, before lifting yourself up from where you’re leaning against the scratchy brick wall. “You said after all this, so I’ll bombard you with questions after.”

“Yes. After.”

The confirmation sends a quick thrill down your spine, but you do your best to ignore it.

You don’t let the silence drift on, still needing to fill the space with a desperate plan for survival. “Anyway,” you begin as you begin pacing up and down the alley, just a few steps in each direction, “the station is off of 57th. I think it’s six blocks up and two blocks east, but hopefully getting further away from Stark Tower works in our favor. I don’t–-I wish I knew where the other ones are, but I think this might just be our best bet. We’ll just…have to make it work, I guess.”

Matt takes a deep breath, chest rising and falling as he considers the idea. His hands return to his hips, a position you’ve noticed he takes frequently when he’s thinking, the color of his shirt dirty beyond redemption. Your left hand throbs underneath the tie he had given you, the color a molted blue and black that’s been soaked with red.

Somehow, he’s able to track the way your left hand clenches slightly, and you wonder if he has a way to sense your grimace, too. “How’s the hand?”

“Sore,” you tell him honestly because there’s really no reason to hide the discomfort. “Throbbing, actually. Feels like it’s still bleeding.”

Matt winces. “It is.”

“Great,” you respond weakly, sucking in a breath, not bothering to question how he knows. You cradle your hand to your chest and glance down at it with a frown. “That’s…great. How’s the head?”

“I’ll live,” he says with a sigh, running a hand through his hair, carefully avoiding the side that’s been cut. The motion still appears to be agitated, but the look on his face no longer seems so severe, and it puts you more at ease. “‘Tis but a scratch. I’ve had worse.”

You can’t help the choked laugh that bursts out. “Did you–did you just quote Monty Python?”

For just a brief moment, something so fleeting you’re not sure if you saw it right, a wicked smile slides across his face. It’s gone before you’re able to capture the image in your head, but it was there. 

“You’re just a sarcastic little shit, aren’t you?” you ask rhetorically with a shake of your head, unable to hide the amusement despite the situation. “In the middle of a goddamn alien invasion and you’re cracking jokes.”

Matt gives a simple shrug of his shoulders, another small grin lighting his face before it changes into something more serious, head shifting slightly so that his left ear is more firmly aimed in the direction of the alley’s entrance. With a quiet and pronounced exhale, you turn your attention back to the matter at hand, letting go of the quick moment where Matt’s wicked smile had briefly distracted you from the city that reeked with terror.

As if on cue, a sound of a loud explosion soars across the buildings in midtown, and though it’s too far to feel the heat of the flames that have erupted, you immediately see the plume of smoke that begins drifting into the sky. It’s enough to draw the fear back in and under your skin.

“Right,” you say after a moment, clearing your throat loudly and stepping towards the entrance of the alley way. The thought of being open and on the street still makes you nervous, it has since you left the bookstore, but it’s not really something that can be helped at this point. “Are you ready?”

“Is this the part where you ask me to come with you if I want to live?”

“Jesus, Matt.”

“I’m starting to think that’s your standard response to things that scare or surprise you.”

There’s a strangled noise that starts in your throat and hisses out between your teeth as you swing your head to look at where he's standing just a few feet behind you. “I don’t—”

“As a Catholic, I feel like I should be offended,” he tells you with a quick upturn of his mouth as he steps up to your side. “But I suppose I’ll let it slide.”

You stare at him in surprise, unsure of where the attitude had suddenly come in. “How…gracious of you,” is all you can think of to say, mouth still gaping slightly. You’re fairly positive he’s joking, his sense of humor dry and sarcastic, but you’re still unsure. “I think we should…” Your voice trails off, and before you can start your train of thought again, there’s a large flash of light and the distant sound of roaring thunder. 

Jaw hanging open, you look up, eyes aimed far above the surrounding skyscrapers as what appears to be multiple flashes of lightning strike across a sky that’s darkened suddenly. It startles you, the image unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, multiple bolts streaking up towards the gaping hole in the sky. The things pouring from the open wound in the atmosphere are only stalled slightly, a few disappearing back into the hole, but nothing seems to change or ultimately slow their entrance into the space above New York.

The source of the lightning seems to be a building far off in the distance, because there’s no way it’s been caused by a storm, but it’s too far away and too far out of sight for you to tell exactly where it’s coming from. It rocks you to your core, the event yet another reminder that what’s happening is completely out of your control, just a helpless citizen forced to react to a situation that you never would have thought was possible in a million years.

 “What the hell?” you whisper, body frozen and eyes wide. While you had been staring up, Matt had appeared directly behind you, and you find yourself leaning slightly into him, your back to his chest, one of his hands on your hip as if in effort to keep you still and upright. You’re grateful for the support, feeling slightly woozy from the sight and a racing mind trying to make sense of it all.

“Was that lightning?” Matt asks incredulously, the voice in your ear rough and sounding increasingly alarmed. “I didn’t hear a storm come in, but I felt the electricity. I don’t understand.”

“There isn’t a storm,” you respond in confirmation. The small motion of you shaking your head brushes lightly against the man standing behind you, the sound of your hair sliding against the suit jacket miniscule. “The sky got slightly darker, but there aren’t even any clouds out right now.”

Matt shifts so that he comes to stand at your side instead, though his hand on your hip doesn’t entirely disappear. “It’s so fucking bizarre,” he says as tilts his head upwards, facing a sky that’s under such chaos you’re unsure how it’ll ever seem normal again. “Everything about this is so…”

“Yeah,” you whisper in quiet agreement, because even without the words being said explicitly, you know what he’s trying to say. Your eyes drift back down, grimacing again at the scene of the street and the subway entrance that’s been all but erased by fallen concrete. “We probably should–”

Matt’s face turns from puzzlement into something grim, the weight of the next stage of the journey sliding back into the front of his mind. “Right.”

“Is it safe to leave?”

He cocks his head and frowns in concentration, the image of his intense focus making you shiver slightly, curious about what it would feel like to have his complete laser-like focus on you instead. But before you think on it further, he nods. “It’s safe. Let’s go.”

You find yourself trailing behind him again, though this time he stays closer, and the pace the two of you keep is similar to the first time. Fast enough that the journey shouldn’t take too long should no interruptions come, but not so fast that you’re at a huge risk for falling. You’re relatively clumsy by nature, unfortunately, and while you’ve mastered the art of walking leisurely in heels, this faster pace is much more difficult. He’s still there to help you regain your balance should you stumble, and you’ve long since stopped flushing every time you do, simply clutching at his forearms briefly before continuing to move forward.

There’s no room for heated cheeks in the end of the world, especially for a man who can’t see them anyway.

Every street corner you step off of, every block you walk through, looks exactly the same as the ones stretching out behind you. Scorched concrete and compounded cars, shattered windows and crumbling brick, devoid of life with the exception of the two of you. At one point, you swear you see a few faces looking down at you from the third floor of a brownstone, but Matt pulls you along swiftly enough that you flash your eyes back down to watch each step you take carefully, if only to keep you from tripping.

Each step you take seems to burn more and more, even while the overall movements blend together in your journey to the subway station. The two of you stay as close to the sides of the  buildings as possible, if for nothing more than to be able to duck into a shop’s entrance should you need to. You’ve been keeping track of the street signs for obvious reasons, each green sign both taunting and encouraging you on, white lettering telling you you’re close while also reminding you just how far away you are. 

Something crashes into a building somewhere blocks behind you, but you hardly have time to react or process the sound. Your mind is still focused on your feet, still focused on the fact that you’re halfway between 54th and 55th and therefore only two blocks away from the station, when Matt lurches to a complete stop for the second time today. 

This time you’re unable to dip around him, having only been half a step behind him, and you crash straight into his back. His body doesn’t move an inch under the force alone, the collision of your body abrupt though otherwise unharmful. His form is seemingly glued and frozen to the ground, but he does shift slightly to help steady you. He lets go abruptly, hands falling limply to his sides, head turned to something across the street.

You move so that you’re in front of him, eyes drifting over his face in confusion. Just like before, his skin has lost most of its color, his black rectangular lenses and the blood on the side of his face a sharp, almost unwelcome contrast. His lips part as he takes in a deep breath, one that seems entirely too shaky for your liking.

“Matt?” you ask quietly, knowing he’ll hear the near whisper even above the sounds of the city. “What’s wrong? Do you hear something?”

He doesn’t answer your question, merely blurting out one of his own. “The building across the street. What–what does it look like?”

“What?”

“The building,” he repeats, the sound dry and in the beginning stages of something that’s bordering panic. “Is it—tell me what it looks like.”

Frowning, you turn so that you’re facing the street, even as you grab his hand and pull him closer to the building behind you, wanting to keep as close to the brick as possible and out of the way of something flying by. You’ve entered a block that seems to be made up of small shops and buildings that are only a few stories high, different from the towering office buildings that exist just a little further away. It’s an interesting little section of Hell’s Kitchen, seeming older than other parts of the neighborhood, but it’s no more or no less shaken up by the events of today.

Your eyes land on the building that sits directly across from you, taking in the fading paint and the cracked window. Eyeing the door that looks run down and its rusted hinges, you briefly think about what it might have looked like in its youth. It’s certainly nothing impressive as it is, and you wonder why it's caught his attention so suddenly, even if he’s unable to see it.

Your eyes drift back to Matt’s face. “You mean Fogwell’s?”

He nods, and the motion is so stiff, it’s almost like the muscles in his neck have lost the flexibility to move.

“I mean…it’s old,” you say honestly, turning your face back to the building, utterly bewildered at the conversation. “Could use some paint, but–”

“No, I mean…is it damaged? Still there, mostly intact? Or is it–” he asks, licking his lips, hands shaking at his side, his words rushed and seemingly difficult to force out, if the halting speech is anything to go by. Your mouth parts into an oh as you realize what he had been needing from you. “I can’t–I can’t be sure, and–”

“It’s fine, Matt,” you say gently, hating the look of panic that’s been crossing over his face, the expression pretty foreign on the man who has been practically dragging you to safety, spine made of steel and frame made of immovable stone. “There’s a crack in the window, and it looks like maybe a few bricks were knocked loose, but it’s there. Still standing.”

You’re unprepared for the way his body seems to sag in relief, and you let out a startled yelp as you wrap an arm around his shoulders. You push him into the wall you’ve been standing next to, hoping the brick will at least help you in your effort to keep him from tilting over. He lets the outside of the building keep him up, as you’d been hoping, resting his body weight against it and breathing harshly as his head tilts forward, mouth open as he takes in a gasping breath. 

Shifting so that you’re standing in front of him rather than off to the side, you step as close as possible without plastering yourself to him, hands bracing against his shoulders should he tip forward. It’s like the fight has temporarily drained out of his body, nothing left but torn ligaments and bone, a heavy frame without muscle to keep it standing.

A shaky hand comes up to your side, fingers ghosting over the fabric, before he’s got the silk of your blouse wrapped in his hand. The warmth of his palm by your hip is almost startling, because while it continues to be a bright and warm spring day, nothing will ever compare to the heat of someone else’s skin pressed against yours, even from over the fabric of your shirt.

“You okay?” you ask after a moment, your eyes trailing over his face as his head shifts so that it’s now resting against the wall behind him. He nods in answer, tongue once again running itself over his bottom lip briefly. “Do you need a few moments?”

Matt shakes his head slowly, and you don’t miss the way his hand further tightens around the fabric at your side. “We should keep moving.”

“Sure,” you agree quietly. “But if you need a minute to just…we can stay for a few, Matt. We can just slide a few feet to the left, there’s an awning we can hang under to keep us out of sight.”

The man in front of you doesn’t move an inch, other than to take a deep, shuddering breath. Making an executive decision, you pull away slightly, moving your arms down from his shoulders to his upper arms to help pull him with you as you slide the three feet between open sky and the dark green awning. 

He pants, though certainly not from physical exertion, and it makes you feel like whatever battle he’s fighting, or whatever he’s running from, solely exists in his mind, some sort of festering wound that’s been triggered by the block you’ve been walking down. You have a history of panic attacks, a history of your mind and body freezing to the point where no rational thought or movement can get out, so you’re well aware of what one feels like. You’re not necessarily used to seeing them on others, though, so it takes you a moment to figure out what’s going on.

The man has managed to keep himself together far better than you have since everything started, offering his hand and pulling you along like it had become his sole focus in life to keep you safe. You aren’t quite sure how to handle someone’s undivided attention, often shying away from the spotlight and those who might get too close, but even with all the chaos going on around you, there isn’t a doubt in your mind that he’s taken your life in his hand, as if getting you through this is just as important to him as his own fate.

His shoulders have hardly wavered since you met him, and you’re not entirely surprised that something has finally managed to knock him over, even if only for a few minutes. 

You’ve seen his anger and frustration and sadness, but you haven’t yet seen him mirror the same level of panic on his face that you know has been on yours the entire time. And while now certainly isn’t the best time to have a breakdown, exposed and on the sidewalk with nothing but cloth covering your heads, you don’t feel like it would be fair to ignore his panic when he has done nothing but try to soothe yours. He deserves every little piece of care and consideration he’s given you, and you want nothing more than to give it to him, regardless of how inconvenient. 

Reaching up, mind resolved, you brush a lock of dark hair off of his forehead, careful to avoid the small gash that hasn’t yet stopped bleeding completely. “Hey,” you say, trying to draw his attention to you, but you can tell easily it doesn’t really work. His head stays tilted down, mouth parted, as his hand shakes lightly at your hip. “Matt. Matt.”

He shakes his head, and through the dark lenses of his glasses, you can see his eyes darting around wildly. 

“Matt,” you try again as your hand trails down the side of his face. His skin is suddenly cool to the touch despite the heat outside, and you can’t help the way your eyes widen slightly in alarm. “The building is fine.” 

“You–you promise?” His voice sounds so broken, so child-like, that it unsettles you.

“I promise.” You slide a finger under his chin to raise it up, but the movement must startle him because he jerks his face to the side with a gasp. 

Unwilling to cause him any further distress, you bring your hand back down to his shoulder, hoping the pressure will both keep him standing while also grounding him. You’ve been through this before, a thousand different thoughts and fears racing through your mind, and sometimes the things that have brought you back are the most subtle ones. Wind on your face, a certain cloth or texture beneath your fingertips, really anything and everything to center your focus back to the present and out of your head.

Matt gradually pulls himself back together, and while in any other setting you may have wanted to give him more time to process, you know time is of the essence, so you don’t question or argue against his need to snap back. Whatever control he’s displayed since you met him creeps back into his features, but there’s a level of vulnerability that hadn’t been there before, one you get the impression he hasn’t shared with many others.

“You ok?” you ask quietly, watching as he slides back into himself more and more by the second, the panic slowly receding from his face and his breathing evening out. 

“I’m…fine,” he responds, his voice barely a whisper before he clears his throat. “I’m good.”

You can’t help the way your hand reaches back up to brush a piece of hair back, noting with satisfaction the way his skin has regained some of its heat and color. He doesn’t shift away from the movement, so you allow your hand to linger for a second before falling back down. 

You’re all too aware of how long panic can stick around, long after the physical symptoms have left, and you’re one hundred percent sure that whatever had just happened, whatever had left him so panicked, has a long history rooted somewhere inside his head.

“The building…does it mean something to you?”

The man nods reluctantly as he swallows. His head lifts so that it rests against the brick behind him, dark hair clashing with the red that’s been covered in a sheen of dust. “I…we should really get going, it’s not important.”

As if trying to prove his point about the building’s lack of value, he abruptly tries to push you back, ready to continue on with the trek up to 57th. The movement is gentle, despite its apparent urgency, but you press your hands back into his shoulders when he shifts to push off of the brick. Interestingly enough, he doesn’t really fight against you, simply allowing himself to fall back, as if he’s still struggling to regain some strength. 

“Seems to me that might be pretty important, though.”

The face he gives you is extremely pained, mouth twisted into a frown that looks like he’s almost pleading with you not to say anything more. But when you don’t move from in front of him, he all but wilts again with a sigh. “I used to spend a lot of time there,” he says quietly after a few moments of hesitation. “It was important to me, important to my dad. I’d hate for it to just be…gone.”

The pain of losing a parent is something you can relate to, and the sad tilt of your mouth relays the ache you feel inside, though it’s an image no one is around to see. It’s been years since you last saw your mother smile, last heard her voice, and the loss is something a person never really heals from, despite the amount of time that’s passed.

You know exactly why the potential loss of this building hit him the way it did.

“It’s one of the last things you have of him.” 

“...yeah.”

You twist your head to look back over your shoulder, eyeing the fading paint and the brick that has certainly seen better days. The building is in unassuming, almost an eyesore compared to the newer buildings on either side, but there’s a certain charm to it, despite the way its been run down by the decades it’s likely been there.

“I…with everything going on, I somehow skipped that we were going to run right by it,” Matt whispers, and you turn your head back around just in time for him to slide a hand down his face as he sighs in some sort of acceptance. “I’m glad to know it’s okay.”

You’re quiet for a moment before you open your mouth to respond. “When this is over, I’ll come back with you,” you tell him softly. You’re not quite sure what makes you offer it, nor are you sure why your hand lifts to his shoulder to rest gently on his cheek, but you refuse to resist both impulses. “When it’s all over, we’ll come back and I’ll describe every single brick for you.”

He stills.

Matt has barely moved since he collapsed against the wall in relief, just the slow instances of tangling his hand in your shirt and half-heartedly trying to continue the journey north, but somehow, this halting of movement is much more pronounced.

It seems like he isn’t breathing, the rise and fall of his chest stumbling to a stop, his eyes motionless and not flitting blindly over the street behind you. It’s dramatic, the stillness of his body, and it immediately makes you feel like you’ve overstepped.

You begin pulling back, eyes wide. “Sorry, we don’t have–”

“Yes.” The word is said so quietly, especially with the sounds of destruction and chaos in the background, but you feel like you hear all three letters said individually. “Yes. I’d…want that.”

“You’re…sure?”

“Yes,” he repeats, and you can’t describe how the brief moment of elation floods through you, because what is there to be elated about while the city that homes over a million people is destroyed around you? But it doesn’t stop you from having that moment, that one beautiful moment, or joy. He’s not saying yes to coming back here, or at least that’s not all he’s saying yes to. 

In some weird, twisted way, you get the impression that maybe he's saying yes to…you.

In what capacity, you're not sure, but the idea is out there in the open, now. It's not the right time to talk about it, not while it feels like New York is crumbling all around you, but it doesn't stop the savage uptick in your heart.

“Okay,” you say, clearing your throat and ruining the moment intentionally because you know it’s time to continue the movement to 57th. You’ve only a few blocks to go, but they still feel like an entire lifetime away. “We should get going. Are you ready?”

He nods his head, hands suddenly settling on both your hips and pushing you backwards gently as he completely lifts himself off of the brick. Once he’s up, he still doesn’t increase the distance between you, so you’re left staring up at him slightly as he settles back to his full height. 

Eyes trailing over the fact that’s slightly covered with dust and blood, you take a step back, watching as he rolls his neck. Something about his posture indicates that he’s ready to go, so you turn on your heel and start walking, knowing he’ll catch up and soon pass you. Before you can even make it three feet, Matt suddenly yanks you back, and with a surprised cry, you fall into him.

“Matt–”

“There’s someone in there,” is all he says as he steadies you, his head facing the buildings on the other side of the street, lips parted in confusion before settling in a hard line. “I can hear their heartbeat, they’re–they’re hurt.”

“Hear their heartbeat–”

And then Matt, who has hardly left your side since this all began, pushes you back against the wall and bolts across the street with nothing more than a “Stay there!” shouted over his shoulder. “I’ll be right back!”

Stunned, you stare at his back as he makes his way around the abandoned cars and random bricks and concrete that’s been thrown onto the asphalt.

Heartbeat? 

He can hear a heartbeat?

You’re frozen for just a few seconds longer, mind twisting this way and that, trying to take in, trying to understand this new tidbit of information he’s given you. But you don’t think there’s a way to even begin understanding what he’s said, not without a proper explanation on his end, so you rapidly shove it to the side.

“It’s…not the weirdest thing that’s happened today,” you say under your breath, and, as if on cue, a sudden ball of fire soars through the sky from a goddamn flying alien proves your point. The ground shudders and a not-so-distant building rumbles, the sound telling you that it’s just one or two fireballs away from crashing to the ground altogether.

The thought of being in or near a building when something falls is terrifying, the memory resurfacing of diving under the sink while the bookstore groaned around you, protected by nothing more than a slab of concrete and a hand covering your head. But the idea of not being at Matt’s side, the thought of going through any of this without him, is more terrifying, and so before he has even made it to the entrance of the Fogwell’s, you’re following behind him.

For Father's Day:

"The One Decent Thing I Ever Did"

This is a monograph from 2015, previously posted here some time ago, a tale of my maternal grandmother, a below-zero winter night, the New York City subway West Side express during post-9/11, that mentions my father only in passing... and it's about my father.

THE ONE DECENT THING I EVER DID.

I.

A long time ago, during a time of struggle, I did one decent thing:

I'd just gotten on the subway in Midtown Manhattan on a brutal winter night, the No. 2 uptown express, when a couple with a small child boarded the car I was riding.

They were having a very loud conversation with their child (about four years old, I think) who was crying or somehow behaving in a way that was "bad". The mother took the belt from her jeans and raised her arm to strike her child with it.

Don’t ask me why I did this, but I rose from my seat, grabbed the mother’s arm mid-swing, and said, “As long as I am on this train, you will not hit that child with that belt.” She and the child’s father were stunned into silence for a moment as I made my way back to my seat.

Immediately after I sat down, the mother and father began leveling all kinds of vitriol my way, calling me every name in the book, including all the variations of “faggot” in use at the time. I just sat there, smiled wide, laughed loud, and shined ‘em on:

“You can call me ‘faggot.’ You can call me anything you like. Because every minute you focus on me, you are not beating that child with that belt.”

The crowded train car fell silent.

II.

Yuletide, 1982. I was in the service in Germany and took leave to see my grandmother in Florida. My grandfather had passed away the previous March, and something told me to seize the chance to see Grandma while she was still with us. I was only 20, born late in life to my parents, and never got to know my grandparents in the way my older brothers did.

We were in my Grandma's airy, air-conditioned Fort Lauderdale kitchen having coffee one morning when the rest of the family had gone out for breakfast. “Would you like a little pick-me-up in your cup, dear?” I laughed. “No thanks, Gramma, it's a little early for me.” The joys of Florida.

I'd had a rough upbringing by any measure - my father was first-gen shanty Irish born in the early 1920's with a mean spirit and a violent edge, mother not Irish but still violent - but at age 20 I hadn't yet realized just how rough it had been.

“You know,” I said to Grandma, “Harold and Evelyn did the best they could. I mean, I turned out all right, right?”

Grandma leaned back in her chair, took a nice drag off one of her unfiltered Camels, and said in her declarative New England way the words that always meant Listen up, you're about to hear gospel truth:

“Well, I'll tell ya, Joe.” I was all ears.

She took another hit off of her cigarette. “I held my tongue. More than once, I held my tongue.

“But one day, your mother and father were in the front yard with your grandfather and me, and I walked up to your father and said, “Harold, I just want to tell you something. It takes a real man to beat a child with a belt.”

...Wow.

I only wish she hadn’t held her tongue!

I sipped my coffee, looked for palmetto bugs on the lanai. “Grandma,” I said, “I'm all right.”

She looked away, and I saw the colors of the rainbow in the prism of her pendant.

III.

What was I doing on the 2 train heading uptown in the bitter blistering freezing cold New York winter?

Heading “home” – that is, to one of the many rundown firetrap SRO hotels paid by the City of New York to house homeless people with HIV. The City's AIDS regulations set the policy: if you showed up at the HIV center at 30th and 8th before 7 PM on a given day, New York City was obliged to find you housing for the same night and for the next 30 days in a row at the very least.

Strange - in those days, New York would house you but not feed you, and San Francisco would feed you but not house you. Come to think of it, that's the way it is these days.

My dank, filthy, crawling with roaches and vermin crack-house "shelter" was way uptown, near 96th and Broadway. (I had always dreamed about making it to Broadway, ha ha.)

96th Street and Broadway stop was next. The train car was still silent as the parents sat sullenly and the child - Jesus, he can't be older than 3 or 4 years old, I thought - was staring at me, no expression on his little face, but eyes wide as saucers.

The train screeched to a stop. I got up and headed to the door, passing the couple with the small child and the loose belt. They were silent and did not regard me as I passed; the child, I think, might have glanced at me, but I’m not sure. I knew that after I got off the train, or after they got off the train, that poor kid was probably going to get beaten. Severely.

Out the door and onto the bone-chilling platform at 96th Street. A young woman who had witnessed the mother wield that belt came up to me and said, “I’m so glad you did that, I wanted to say something, but I was too…” Her voice trailed off as the pained look on her face finished her thought.

“I understand,” I said to her as our eyes met in that New York way of speaking the unspeakable, then made my way up the stairs into the below-zero winter breezes of the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

What the hell, I thought as I made my way out of the station, I had nothing to lose. Those were dark times, desperate days. I'm no angel. But just once, on that long-ago Number 2 train, I was granted the grace to do one decent thing.

Animal J. Smith San Francisco, California July 22, 2015 and June 18, 2023 v2.0

My maternal grandparents, Ed and Ethel (Schirmer) Olson, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, c. 1980

Oh My Love (Damien Karras x GN Reader Pt. 6)

(Pt. 5) (Pt.7)

“I'm a human first. Humans lie.”

I’m not ashamed of what I do and I have no reason to be.

“Which part were you lying about?”

Damien massages his jaw. Something passes over his face.

“I’m sorry you had to see that. And I’m sorry I reacted the way I did.”

Your brows pull together. “That’s it?”

“Is there something else?”

“You apologize to me and suddenly the problem is gone?”

“The problem is my own to carry. I did you wrong and I want to apologize. That’s it. There’s nothing else.”

You nod mutely and watch the horizon. “Alright, then.”

-

Rating: M

Author’s notes: no tws apply

What comes next?

More of the same. Fleeting glances, stolen moments that almost, almost end in contact. Laughter and information shared among friends. Friends.

Two weeks of this.

You're sitting in his residency room with Joe there as well. The three of you are studying- reading through different books on the psychology of religion, demonic cults, the works. You're reading for you, Damien's reading your notes from the Satanic ritual book you now refuse to touch, and Dyer is reading some long forgotten, translated tome about Judeo-Christian folklore. You all have been at it for hours. A half eaten pizza lies cold and forgotten on the cot next to Joe. You've taken up at the desk chair with your feet resting on the bed, and Damien has claimed the remaining chair in the corner. The window is cracked to allow the cigarette smoke to linger out and a radio is softly playing Pavarotti behind you.

All things considered, it's a perfect way to spend an evening.

At some point, Joe checks his watch. “Ah shit. I got to go. Dinner with a parisher and her husband. You two got it from here?”

“Not that we won't miss your genius contributions,” you mutter.

“‘Genius’ is the best you can do?”

“I'm tired.”

“Then go home.” Joseph puts on his coat and hat and bids you and Damien goodbye. Soon, you and Damien are alone.

The atmosphere instantly changes. The last time you two had been alone in here together you'd ended up sleeping next to each other. That isn't something you're looking to repeat tonight. You have class in the morning.

“Any closer?” Damien asks without looking up from the notes. You blow a raspberry.

“Maybe? I'm going cross eyed.”

A few minutes of silence. There's a soft singing that drifts in through the window. Craning your neck, you see a group of carolers across the street in front of a row of townhouses.

You'd almost forgotten that Christmas is in five days.

“Any plans for Christmas?” You ask and close your book.

“Visiting my mother in New York.” His eyes flick up to your face to gauge your reaction. “What about you?”

You shrug. “I don't know. Probably not. My aunt and uncle and I aren't exactly on speaking terms. I don't mind it. I've never minded being alone. But it'll…” your throat catches at the start of a truth you haven't spoken yet. “It'll be the first Christmas I have without them.”

Damien nods silently. You can feel the words before they escape his lips.

“You know-”

“No.”

He looks at you in shock. “What?”

“I know what you're going to ask. And the answer is no.”

“Well let's assume you're wrong about what I'm going to ask. Listen, I'm sure Mama wouldn't mind another guest. She makes enough food for ten people.”

“Damien.”

“All you'd have to put up with is my uncle pestering you with invasive questions.”

“I don't need you feeling sorry for me.”

“I don't feel sorry for you. I feel empathetic towards you. Isn't that okay?”

“I don't want to intrude.”

“You won't.”

Won't. Not wouldn't. He already anticipates you saying yes.

“You don't have a car,” you say, taking one last drag of your cigarette and blowing the smoke out the window. You smash it into an ashtray on Damien's desk.

“No. I take the subway.”

“To Manhattan?”

“Brooklyn.”

“Right.” You nod. “With your luggage?”

“Just a bag.”

“What if it gets stolen?”

“What if the subway crashes into a giant rat? Are you coming or not?”

You watch the carolers diligently and let your eyes glaze over. There's a couple walking past with their young son. For a moment, you've never existed. Your parents and William somehow survived. But Damien would be alone right now.

No, you think. He has Joe.

Well, he's not asking Joe to Christmas, is he?

You don't have anything else going on. No better excuses than saying that you're afraid of crossing a line.

You shrug. What the hell.

“Sure. Why not.”

You don't leave until early Christmas morning as Damien drew the short straw for midnight mass on Christmas Eve. You guzzle down coffee and watch as Damien leads the parish in classic songs and hymns. You sing along under your breath. You suddenly think that you haven't listened to your music in a while. It's always you in the back of the church, enjoying Betty's company, watching as Damien or Joe, but usually Damien, give their homilies.

Once mass dismisses, Damien slips on a coat and you grab your things.

“Ready?”

You nod and squeeze your eyes.

“Are you going to make it?”

You nod your head through a nod. “I'll make it.”

Damien leads you to the closest subway stop; you've only been there once and it was during daylight. The good news is that the station is sparse. The bad news is that it echoes with loneliness. What few people there are seem to stare at Damien.

You look over at him and notice a stoic discomfort on his face.

“You okay?”

“Yes.”

“They're…staring at you.”

“It's the collar,” he says. “They never expect to see us outside of churches. And if they do, they want help.”

You two have made it to the northbound train stop. You glance around at some homeless people that stare at the two of you unabashed.

“And what kind of help are they looking for?”

“You never know until they're asking.”

“And you're above it?”

The sleep is talking. His face sours.

“No. But it's hard to stop. It's hard to start afterwards.”

You nod but you don't fully understand. The train comes soon and you both board. It's nearly empty. Over your shoulder you spare one last look to the men and women that continue to stare as you depart. They never asked you for help, sure, but you never offered it.

What a lonely place the world can be.

You awaken to Damien lightly shaking your arm. The voice overhead announces your arrival in Manhattan. Damien stands and offers you a hand.

“Were you awake the whole time?”

“I take this commute a lot. Come on, the next train leaves soon.”

You shuffle to the next stop. Thank god you're tired and Damien is surefooted. If you had to be any more alert you may just be terrified of the subway stations. The barrenness, the desolation. The way bodies drift in and out of tunnels like ghosts. At some point you lean against Damien slightly as you two wait for the second train. You steal a glance upwards. The swinging florescent light overhead casts a halo around his dark curls. How badly you want to touch them.

He looks down at you and smiles. From here, you notice something different. He's taken his collar off.

For the sake of comfort you decide not to address it, though you doubt in your current state you'd be able to with tact anyway.

There's the second train, then the third and final. You sleep the whole way through. Damien has many sleepless nights. What's a few hours on the train?

Christmas morning in Brooklyn is just as bustling as you had expected. You'd been to New York once: Times Square with your parents and a young William. You had gone to see The Sound of Music on Broadway. There was some humor in that, or perhaps irony, that you were still too tired to find.

You follow closely behind Damien as he leads you to a narrow sidewalk that borders a brown-stone apartment. Down the street there are children playing in the snow.

You can't help but notice, and you've gleaned some of Damien's past before, that this is a poor neighborhood. That there are dripping water stains and holes in the plaster inside the front entryway. Damien takes you upstairs to the third floor. He knocks on a door and then opens it.

“Mama? I'm here.”

You follow him inside and close the door behind you.

“Dimmi?” A stout elderly woman crosses from the kitchen. She is much shorter than Damien but they share remarkable features.

“Geia sou, Mamá,” Damien says as he kisses his mother on her cheek. You stand awkwardly in the doorway until she notices you.

“O, kalesnéos!” She exclaims and walks towards you. “And what is your name?”

You tell her and she breaks into a smile. She turns back to Damien. “Poly elkystikós!”

“Mamá,” Damien says. He sounds exasperated. You start to remove your coat but he notices and helps you out of it, hanging it along with his on a nearby hook.

“What did she say?”

Damien clears his throat. “Just that she's happy to have someone else here.”

You hum. Elkystikós.

“John! O anipsiós sou eínai aftós,” Mrs. Karras calls from the kitchen. Then, “Kai éfere énan kalesméno.”

Out of an adjoining room comes a man a bit younger than Mrs. Karras, but not by much. He comes over and pulls Damien into a hug.

“Dimmi, Dimmi, Dimmi. Still not too good for us, eh? And who did you bring with you?”

Damien introduces you to his Uncle John. The man nods, though his eyes keep flitting between you and Damien.

“Ah, anyway. Your mother has been cooking all morning. Help me set the table.”

John totters away with Damien at his heels, but not before he can turn around and give you a reassuring smile. You return it and rub your hands together, trying to shake the morning's cold.

You decide to head for the kitchen as Damien and John get set up in the living room for the meal. Mrs. Karras is busy at work, toiling over two pots on the stove and something else in the oven. You're almost afraid to interrupt her work.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Karras?”

She smiles at you over her shoulder.

“Come in! Just finishing up.”

“Anything I can help with? I'm not great at cooking- I'd burn water if given the opportunity.”

“You can stir?”

You nod and take over one of the pots, stirring it with a wooden spoon. She doesn't talk to you, just hums a tune you don't recognize.

“What are you singing.”

“Ah, kalanta.”

“Kalanta?”

“Christmas carols.”

“Oh! Well it sounds lovely.”

Mrs. Karras smiles at you and continues her work. You don't mind the quiet. Greek music- kalantas play on a nearby radio. There's something peaceful about settling into the task at hand.

“Dimmi!” Mrs. Karras calls. Damien comes to the kitchen.

“Mamá?”

“Take the pork from the oven, parakaló.”

Damien does, pressing his back to your back to slip into the small kitchen. He carefully takes the pork shoulder from the oven and places it on a rack on the counter.

“Anything else, Mamá?”

“Óchi, Dimmi.”

Mrs. Karras looks to you and wipes her hands on her apron.

“Okay. Dinner is on.”

Damien was right: Mrs. Karras cooked enough for ten people.

The pork roast, spanakopita, roasted potatoes, and of course wine. You had no problem loading up your plate with food.

“So, how do you know Dimmi?” John asks between bites. It’s not as casual a question as you’d prefer. There’s some skepticism laced within.

“I work at Holy Trinity.”

John’s eyebrows raise. “A priest?”

“No,” you laugh. “No, not for me. I’m a graduate student. I help Trinity translate Latin texts.”

“Ah, is there good money in that?”

You feel Damien stiffen slightly next to you. His chewing slows.

“Well, it certainly pays at least. It’s a pretty good deal to be paid through a degree.”

John hums. “Well. Sounds like you’ll put your degree to use. Not everyone does.”

Damien sets down his fork and wipes his mouth, setting a steely gaze on his uncle.

“Siopí , John!”

John lifts his hand in defense. “What did I say wrong? If there’s nothing wrong with it, Damien should not mind me speaking the truth.”

The table grows quiet. You clear your throat.

“Damien does really important work at Trinity,” you say through a smile. “Certainly more important than mine.”

“Don’t do that,” Damien tilts his head towards you.

“Don’t do what?”

“Belittle your work just to come to my defense. I’m not ashamed of what I do and I have no reason to be.”

“No, your poor mother only has to walk three flights of stairs.”

“John!”

“Speak plainly, Uncle John.”

“All I am saying is that you have a degree and could be making more money in private practice.”

“And what is it you do?”

John sets his eyes on you. You don’t know what’s come over you but your heart is pulsing in your ears. Damien rests a hand on your forearm under the table.

Your sleeves are rolled up.

The barrier has been broken.

“Factory accident when I was 56. Now I survive off my military pension. And what is it you do? Translate a dead language? Did you parents pay for you to get a useless degree?”

“Se proeidipoió,” Damien says.

“John, will you stop!”

At the mention of your parents you feel tears well up and you hate them.

“Now we're crying. Yes, yes. Meanwhile those poorer off suffer. I am very sorry.”

John pushes his way from the table and steps out into the hall. Damien tries to move his hand to sit atop yours but immediately upon contact you jerk away. Through tears, you gather up empty plates.

“I'll uh, get these washed, Mrs. Karras.”

You stumble into the kitchen and set the dishes in the sink as gently as you can, which may in fact have been anything but gentle. Somewhere behind you, the window opens and shuts.

Mrs. Karras comes in and takes the sponge from your hands as you scrub furiously against a plate.

“Próseche. It’s good china.”

You laugh through tears at Mrs. Karras’s kind smile. She jerks her head to the window.

“Go check.”

You nod, wipe the tears from your face. Carefully you go to the window and climb out onto the fire escape. Damien is looking out onto the street, the setting sun casting a rainbow hue onto the snow banks. Cigarette smoke curls into the cold air.

You wrap your arms around yourself and approach him.

“Is this where you came to brood as a kid?”

It is strange to think you’re actually in Damien’s childhood home. You think to yourself that you’ll have to check the walls for portraits of a chubby baby when you get back inside.

“You shouldn't have done that.”

You freeze and any humor you are attempting falls from your face.

“Shouldn't have done what?”

“Defended me.”

You draw closer. “What was I supposed to do?”

“Let me handle it.”

“He was treating you like shit!”

“He's my family.”

Damien’s trying to keep calm, but he delivers an intensity to let you know to drop it . Of course, you don’t.

“So? What does that have to do anything?”

He flicks out his cigarette and steps to you.

“If we were having dinner with your family and the same thing happened, what would you say?”

Shit . You think of that exact situation: in Aunt Grace’s gilded dining room, clean holly and poinsettias decorating the walls. Clean candles, perfect turkey, your young cousins sitting in their velvet Christmas best. And none of them can even look at you.

“It wouldn't be the same thing. You know what they'd say and you know how I'd feel.”

He takes a moment to look into your eyes. His face softens. “Well, maybe it's the same for me.”

You stutter. “But, you said…”

“I'm a human first. Humans lie.”

I’m not ashamed of what I do and I have no reason to be.

“Which part were you lying about?”

Damien massages his jaw. Something passes over his face.

“I’m sorry you had to see that. And I’m sorry I reacted the way I did.”

Your brows pull together. “That’s it?”

“Is there something else?”

“You apologize to me and suddenly the problem is gone?”

“The problem is my own to carry. I did you wrong and I want to apologize. That’s it. There’s nothing else.”

You nod mutely and watch the horizon. “Alright, then.”

Damien’s eyes drop to the street below. “Snow’s really piled up down there.”

“When were you thinking of leaving?”

“Before the end of the day. Mama doesn’t have enough room for the four of us.”

You sneak a look to Damien. He notices.

“What?”

“Your mom made apple pie. She said it’s your favorite?”

Damien chuckles and hangs his head. Finally, a real reaction.

“She’s right. Alright, dessert.”

The four of you resign yourselves to a polite, if not tense dessert. By the end of it, you’re stuffed and listening to Mrs. Karras offers insight into Damien’s childhood. She walks you along the walls of the living room and shows you exactly what you wanted: chubby baby pictures of Damien. Then, Damien as a child in a school uniform. Then, Damien as a young adult, cheesing with a bloodied face and crooked nose, raising a trophy in the air.

“Holy…”

Damien comes up behind you. “Ah…didn’t think those were still here.”

“You were a boxer?”

“And a baseball player.”

“And a candlestick maker?”

“Alright, that’s enough out of you.”

“I don’t think it is.” Your eyes move to a photo of Damien in a graduation cap and gown. “Was this seminary or medical?”

Damien considers it for a moment. “Seminary…I think.”

“You don’t remember?”

“I must’ve been twenty or something, and after two graduations you start to forget them.”

“And yet…”

He eyes you warily. Maybe there’s humor there. Maybe there isn’t. “And yet?”

“Nothing,” you shake your head. “I think I was going to attempt a joke but my subconscious thought better of it.”

Damien lifts his sleeve and checks his watch. “Gee, it’s already half past seven. We ought to head out.”

Mrs. Karras poked her head around the corner. “No go! Door blocked.”

“What do you mean blocked?”

“The snow! It blocks the front door. Cannot go in or out. You must stay the night.”

“Mama,” Damien sighs. “We both have to work tomorrow.”

“See for yourself,” Mrs. Karras waves dismissively. “Don’t trust your Mama, Dimmi. Me hercule!”

Damien looks to you. “Let me go check.”

He leaves for a few minutes and you continue to browse the many photographs and trinkets around the apartment. Soon, Damien returns.

“Well, she was right. Completely blocked off. We’ll have to wait until they clear it in the morning.”

“Didn’t you say your mother doesn’t have enough beds? I don’t want to put her out. I can probably foot it to a hotel-”

“No, absolutely not. Especially in this weather and time of day. No, Uncle John takes the couch, you’ll have my bed and I’ll take the floor.”

You cross your arms. “Absolutely not! You’re old. Floor’s bad for your back. I’ll take the floor.”

He rolls his eyes. “‘Old’. Wisened.”

“Ancient.”

“Petulant.”

“Me?” You ask in mock offense. “Never.”

Mrs. Karras lights a fire and the four of you tune into the movie channel. It’s a Wonderful Life . The irony is not lost on either you or Damien. Each time a particular scene happens, you two share a knowing glance. An inside joke. A history.

Mrs. Karras goes to bed early and Uncle John needs the couch, so you and Damien sequester yourselves to his room. His childhood room. There, you see further proof of his life before priesthood. Secular books, boxing and baseball trophies, ribbons, medals. His bed is twin-size. Arguably big enough for two people, comfortably.

Damien lends you a spare set of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt promoting a local boxing ring. You test the size of the bed, scooching to the wall and making yourself as small as possible.

Damien has changed as well and is placing a single pillow and blanket on the floor.

“There’s room up here…” you mumble.

“There’s room down here, too.”

“Come up here or I’m coming down there.”

He doesn’t move.

“Fine.”

“If you’re not careful we’ll all start to think you just want to sleep next to me.”

“I want you to be comfortable.”

“I’m comfortable.”

You shift around. “I’m cold.”

“Put on a sweatshirt,” Damien mutters into his pillow.

“I’m lonely.”

“What else is new?”

“Ouch.”

Sleepiness begins to take you.

“Are you cold?” you ask. He doesn’t say anything. “There’s plenty more blankets.” You roll to the edge of the bed just enough to see Damien pulling the threadbare blanket tighter around himself.

He jumps when you toss the comforter on top of him. He’s right: there is more room on the floor. You flop a pillow onto his face for good measure and slink to the floor. With the now pile of blankets and pillows, you’re just as comfortable as before, and you notice Damien relaxing.

“Better?”

Damien hums. While you'd like to think you're approaching some friendly banter, you know you're both tired and decide not to push him. His back is to you and you figure that's a fine way to go to sleep.

And, at some point when you wake up in the middle of the night, Damien's turned to face you and you suddenly realize you've never seen him asleep, though he's seen you in that state. His mouth is parted slightly, his breathing soft, his face finally relaxed and looking at least ten years younger without the lines on his face being exaggerated by stress. You yearn to run your finger along his jagged features. To brush his soft hair away. To kiss him.

To what?????

You turn away abruptly and squeeze your eyes shut to block out the intrusive thought. No. No way.

You've gotten away with the ambiguity of it all until now. How could you let it happen?

But then, you remember. He has touched you. He touched you in the way you weren't supposed to. Innocuous, sure. But you both knew. You both know.

Maybe you're delusional. Maybe you're not. There's really only one way to find out.

Are you still accepting bingo cards? If so, here is my submission:

Debut: [N/A]

Page turner: Until The Sun Falls From The Sky - CoffeeAddict80 [Long but worth it]

Tissues: Love After Loss - JButler [Heart-wrenching series]

Unusual occupation: Precocious Princess - CoffeeAddict80 [Blaine is a Toy Company CEO]

Free choice: Swiper, No Swiping - Cerriddwen [Very cute AU series]

Summer: New Adventures Summer Camp - izwordsoup [Fun, fluffy story] 

Challenge: Christmas Crush - writing_everyday [Fun Advent story]

LOL: K.U.R.T. - quizasvivamos [This story is hysterical!]

Trope don’t usually read: Ebb & Flow - maanorchidee [Lots of video game references]

No - you're not too late - keep sending the cards to us! Thanks for your contribution, Anon. Find them all here. ~Jen

Details here: Klaineccfanficlibrary

2. Page turner: Until The Sun Falls From The Sky - CoffeeAddict80 @caramelcoffeeaddict

This one was already included this category on ao3

3. Tissues: Love After Loss - JButler

This one was already included in this category on a03

4. Unusual occupation: Precocious Princesses - CoffeeAddict80 @caramelcoffeeaddict

Based off a prompt found on tumblr – We’re coworkers and I overheard you complaining about how your ex was supposed to get a specific toy for your child’s birthday tomorrow but they completely forgot and you’ve been going crazy trying to find one - don’t ask why but I happen to have one I can give you

5. Free choice: Swiper, No Swiping - Cerriddwen @cerriddwenluna

Kurt’s flight back to New York has been delayed. To pass the time, he decides to browse Tinder and see what kind of men Columbus has to offer. There’s no harm in just looking, right?

6. Summer fic: New Adventures Summer Camp - izwordsoup @special-bc-ur-part-of-it

Kurt doesn't know why he agreed to be a camp counselor with Finn for the summer, he doesn't even like camping. In other words, Kurt is pretty sure this summer is going to suck. Enter cute fellow camp counselor Blaine Anderson.

7. Written for a Challenge: Christmas Crush - writing_everyday by @slipping-through-my-fingertips

Blaine tries his hand at Christmas magic to gain the attention of his crush.

8. Fic that made you laugh out loud K.U.R.T. by @quizasvivamos

But as Dr. Blaine Anderson was working tirelessly on his latest AI, he found himself falling victim to two devastating things: the virus and a forbidden love.

9. Trope don’t usually read: Ebb & Flow by maanorchidee @forabeatofadrum

Blaine Anderson is yet another anonymous New Yorker who's trying to get a job in the entertainment industry. His days are filled with auditions, bleak subway rides, piano lessons, and complaining about his annoying next-door-neighbour. But Blaine has a secret that he cannot share with his other friends: he dreams of playing competitive Splatoon 2. He already has a hard time justifying this music degree, so he doesn't need to add an interest in eSports to that. That's why the only person who knows about this, is yet another stranger on the internet named Kurt. The two met in an LGBT Splatoon 2 Discord and became fast friends. Little do they know that they also know each other offline.

Al Jazeera English: ‘The only way for us to survive’: The life of a New York City candy seller

New York City, United States – A clock on the electronic display flickers to noon above the bustling Times Square subway station in New York City. Amid the lunchtime crowd of commuters and tourists stands María, a 31-year-old single mother from Ecuador whose daily life revolves around this transit hub.

It is here, in the tunnels underneath the city, that María earns the money she needs to survive.

On her back is her two-year-old daughter, and in her hands is a colourful tray of candy, crammed with packages of M&Ms and Kit Kat chocolates and sticks of Trident gum.

From the Times Square station, María can hop on and off the Number 7 train, a popular link to the borough of Queens. As she walks from one carriage to the next, she repeats “candy” and “dollar” — two of the few words she knows in English — hoping to make a sale.

New York City is in the midst of an immigration crisis, with more than 113,300 asylum seekers arriving since 2022 — and too few shelters to house them. With the city’s immigration policies in the spotlight, María’s interactions with the public can be tense.

“People insult us or record us without authorisation, accusing us of importing bad habits and poverty from home,” María said. “They don’t understand our situation.”

María — who is using a pseudonym to protect her privacy — is part of a population of largely Ecuadorian candy sellers who make a living on the New York City subway system.

Peddling sweets is familiar work for María: It is the same job she used to do in her hometown in the province of Cotopaxi. But it is also a necessity. Without legal papers authorising her stay in the US, finding steady employment is difficult, seemingly impossible.

“It’s what my cousin and other women from Ecuador I know do because there are no job opportunities. It’s the only way for us to survive,” María explained.

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But each sale only nets her one dollar, maybe two. After working 13 hours straight, from 7am to 8pm, she might come home with $50 on a good day, $10 on a bad one.

A ‘third wave’ of Ecuadorian migration

By the end of September, the US Border Patrol had apprehended 117,487 Ecuadorians for the fiscal year 2023 — more than four times the previous year’s total.

Anthropologist Soledad Alvarez, a professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, considers this spike part of Ecuador’s third major “wave” of emigration since the 1980s.

She told Al Jazeera the current exodus began in 2014, “caused by the decline in oil prices”.

“Then the pandemic came and hit Ecuador severely,” she said. “Since then, this crisis has deepened under the administrations of Lenin Moreno and Guillermo Lasso, leading to substantial migration in recent years.”

The National Institute of Statistics and Censuses in Ecuador (INEC) reports that income poverty — defined as earnings of less than $89.29 per month — reached 27 percent in June. Extreme poverty, meanwhile, hit 10.8 percent.

Alvarez also points to the deteriorating security situation in Ecuador as a motivation for leaving.

Last year was the worst for criminal violence, with 25 homicides per 100,000 people. And in 2023, the situation escalated. The homicide rate in Ecuador is now the fourth highest in Latin America.

María witnessed many of her neighbours and acquaintances leaving as a result of the violence.

The tipping point for her was when the father of her child passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was alone, racking up debt, and what little she earned was sometimes stolen as the country’s crime rates ticked upwards.

“It’s not just jobs and food that we’re lacking. Ecuador has become extremely dangerous. We now live in constant fear,” María said.

She left Ecuador in the first week of April, travelling north through the Darién Gap, a dangerous stretch of jungle that connects South America to Central America. For two months, she walked and caught buses, spending $3,000 in expenses for the journey.

Risks to selling candy

Back home in Ecuador, María said selling candy was primarily women’s work. But in New York, she competes with men and even children on the subway platforms, hawking candy she bought at a wholesale store.

The presence of young children has sparked particular concern among the public. Some subway riders have taken to social media to vent their frustration.

“This is child exploitation and should be banned,” one user on TikTok said. Another called on law enforcement to intervene.

Under New York state law, child labour under age 14 is largely prohibited and can be regarded as abuse. But Alvarez, the anthropologist, said many new arrivals from Ecuador are unaware of the local laws.

Additionally, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) prohibits unauthorised commercial activity in the subway. Police can fine the candy sellers $50 if they catch them, so María is constantly on the lookout for their uniforms.

“We run away from the police when we see them. A ticket can cost what we earn in a day. Police also tell us that we can lose the custody of our children,” she said.

Gustavo Espinoza, a community organiser, explained to Al Jazeera that there are services and organisations working to educate new immigrants about the resources available to them.

However, those without legal immigration papers are often reluctant to seek assistance due to their fear of deportation, Espinoza said. They “live in constant fear”.

“There is evidently a barrier,” he explained. “There are organisations that want to help but they don’t reach the immigrants who need assistance but are afraid to ask or seek help.”

In August, New York City Mayor Eric Adams estimated the city could end up paying up to $12bn to support migrants over the next three years.

But advocates say those efforts are not enough to help migrants and asylum seekers like María, who rarely goes anywhere without her child.

Some are pushing for the New York State Senate to pass a 2023 bill that would offer universal childcare to all parents, regardless of immigration status. But that legislation is still pending.

For María and others, though, there seems to be no alternative but to carry on with their daily routines, children in tow.

María’s daughter rides on her back throughout the day: She only ever sets the two-year-old down briefly, keeping a watchful eye on the child. On top of her cargo of candy to sell, María carries around cookies and a bottle of milk to feed her child, who often dozes as her mother works.

“I can’t leave my daughter alone at home. Nobody will care for her,” María said.

Life, at least for the time being, means balancing both childcare and selling candy in the subway: “There’s no other option.”

Some angsty BAYVERSE TMNT

just a warning this will include violence and in this splinter was once human he taught Jae Lis mother Ninjutsu and she passed this teachings to her daughter

Rain pelted the few people walking down the streets of New York. Most people opted to stay indoors with weather like this. A young woman was walking down the street, the clicking of her short boot heels were dulled by the wet path. She made it to the onsen owned by her mother. She stepped in and pulled her hood down. She took her shoes off and hung her coat up. She made her way to the dojo where her ninjutsu teacher was patiently waiting.

"You are late, Min, you usually aren't this late"

The young woman bowed in apologies. She didn't really speak. Her father had taught her to be silent and let the adults speak. The teacher stood.

"apologies Yoshi sensei"

Splinter lifted her head up "Don't be afraid to speak my student soon you will be able to break free from your father and you shall be a great ninja" Min smiled and nodded.

Exactly 6 years later, when Min was 18, she met Raen Li. They got on so well and eventually they fell in love. Min got into an argument with her father and used her training to win a fight against him. Although it wasn't perfect and she walked away with multiple cuts and bruises she had broken free just as Splinter said.

At 20 years old Min and Raen married and Raen began his work as a scientist. He was working on genetic research when he was approached by Eric Sachs. He was interested in working with Raen to create a retro mutagen, and without thought Raen agreed. Around this time Raen and Min had a beautiful baby girl, Jae Li. Once Min was strong enough she taught her daughter all she knew about ninjutsu.

Min was unaware of the real goings on in her husbands lab. Aswell as practising the retro mutagen on turtles they used a human test subject aswell, Splinter. Min herself felt weak. She fell ill and was bed ridden. She felt her life was fulfilled, she had taught her daughter to defend herself and taught Jae her own native language which was Japanese.

The few times Raen came home, Jae always had her nose in a book of some sort. Weather it was manga, a science book or just a graphic novella. A year into research Raen wanted out of the project but he knew to much. He found the real reason for testing the mutagen and tried destroying the lab. Jae had gone to see her dad in the lab to ask some questions and rushed in when she saw the flames. Thinking of the animals she picked them up and took them outside. In an alleyway, a humanoid rat was taking the cover off of the sewer entrance. Jae tugged his clothes and held the turtles up to him.

"Keep them safe mister! They don't deserve to die in a fire!"

Splinter saw so much of Min in her eyes and nodded. After he was in the sewers Jae placed the cover back on, with a bit of struggle. She ran home to tell her mom to find her passed away in bed. Jae had lost both parents. She didn't want to go to an orphanage so she packed her stuff she knew she needed such as clothes, sanitary products, money etc. She took her mom's phone and called her grandmother. After hearing what happened her grandmother came and picked her up.

From being 7 Jae was raised by her grandmother. She was home schooled and regularly practised her ninjutsu. As she grew she found a passion, journalism, she started an apprenticeship with channel 6. Her grandmother was so proud of her for finding her passion and helped in anyway she could.

Jae Lis life, however was about to take a drastic turn. She had been wanting to work on the Foot Clan story for so long and yet she was always given the small story's, about celebrity work out coaches and the latest store opening. However one day, after hearing Eric Sachs speak, she and her co-worker, Vern were stuck in traffic. People were running from the subway and Jae hopped out of the can intrigued and tried asking people questions. She ran down to the subway despite Vern telling her no. She was grabbed by a foot soldier and thrown down with the other hostages. She took her phone out while the crazy lady yelled demands. She took a picture and the woman demanded she stand.

As she did the lights flickered out and a yell was heard

"ALL ABOARD!"

The voice laughed and Jae looked around confused. The flashes of light showed glimpses of what seemed to be mutant........turtles. Once the foot were tied up the lights flickered on to show the foot soldiers tied up and the crazy lady slouched on the floor. Jae rushed up to the surface and ran following the sound of voices. She climbed the fire escape reaching the top to see she wasn't dreaming. There were four mutant turtles!

She pulled out her phone and took a picture, the flash going off. She froze in fear as they spoke.

"what was that" one asked

"a camera flash" one replied.

"we know it's a camera flash, who's behind the camera flash"

"by my calculations it's a girl" the tallest spoke.

"are we gonna kill her?"

"WHAT!"

"with kindness buy her some flowers earn her trust-"

"I got this" a voice growled.

"raph no no"

A chain wrapped around Jaes waist and she was yanked over the wall onto the roof. She let out a groan and held her side. Just as she was about to stand one of the mutants landed infront of her.

"Gimme the camera" he growled and Jae looked up slowly the childish mutant imitated him "ooh look he's doing his batman voice!". He took a sai out and growled "if you don't gimme that camers ill-"

"ENOUGH" came a sharp yell and another mutant landed behind Jae on the wall "back off raph!"

The red masked one threw his hands up in defeat "and I only saw batman once!" He snapped at the childish one

"ma'am hello sorry my colleague here forgot to say please, so I'll you please hand over the camera" Jae back away and bumped into Mikey and shrieked

"woah hey just a mask see" as soon as he took the mask off she fainted. The purple cladded turtle sighed "oh I think that went well" as Jae came around and the turtles were grouped Infront of her

"why are we still here playing doctor" the red cladded one growled and the blue rolled his eyes "she may have a head injury". The childish one piped up "correction she's a hot chick who may have head injury which make sit our civic duty-"

"ma'am ma'am" the tall one snapped his fingers Infront of her face "do you know where you are do you know what city your in?"

"have you seen that video where the cat plays chopsticks with the chopsticks" the blue cladded one shoved the youngest one "can we be serious here!"

"guys please give her some room to breath" the tallest spoke and Jae stood slowly "w..what are you" blue looked at his brothers "well miss...we're ninjas*

"we're mutants" the red one spoke.

"technically we are turtles" the purple donned one spoke.

"oh and were teenagers" orange smiled

Jae shook her head "so your ninja mutant turtle teenagers-" the boys looked at her "well when you put it like that it sounds ridiculous" purple scoffed.

"she's looking at us like we're freaks bet that's why you took our picture show your friends" red snapped and orange piped up "dude that's good maybe she has hot friends!"

Red held up Jaes phone "looking for this" Jaes eyes widened "no no please don't break it" the phone was snatched by blue "how many times do I have to tell you we don't break things we fix them Donnie already wiped the phone genius problem solved moving on!" Red shoved blue "who put you in charge" blue glared "you know who did" he retorted.

Orange piped up "ohhh tension it's been like 30 whole minutes since you guys had this argument"

Purple tapped blue "Leonardo if we wanna make it home before sensei we have to hustle"

Jae looked down and whispered Leo's name he went up to her and passed her her phone "do not say word about this to anyone or we will find you Jae Min Li we are on the move Raphael" he looked at red and she muttered his name under her breath

Orange popped up "yeah we'll find you Li" he walked off before coming back "I'm sorry that was super creepy but we will find you"

The boys ran off and Jae ran after them pulling her phone out and took a picture as they jumped down. She looked at her phone unable to believe what she had just witnessed. She had to tell her boss, she had to prove they were real.

@thelaundrybitch @mysticboombox @the-ninja-in-blue @tmnt-babyyy @tmnteetlez @ali-simpp @raphaelsrightarm @raphsweapondealer @tmntxreader-fics @tmntlovers

Figured it was time for me to officially introduce my girl, Maggie! She was on my artfight line-up this year, but I’ve had her as an OC since 2012. I revamped her storyline a little for the Rise verse, but the beats are mostly the same. The events of her coming to the lair take place some time after the movie, when Leo and Donnie are 16, as she’s the same age.

Maggie is the first creation of Baron Draxum after rebuilding his lab from the Lou Jitsu incident.

As a sort of commission, Big Mama wanted a being capable of shapeshifting to spy on her enemies, but was inherently human in nature to be able to blend into that side of her hotel business without the need of a cloaking brooch.

Baron discovered Maggie while she was walking home from school one day, plucked her up off the street, and started to work, adding in different dna of camouflaging reptiles, amphibians, and cephalopods. The whole ordeal was incredibly traumatizing, so when she was handed over to Big Mama at the age of 11, she was basically a shell of a person, ripe for the programming. After 5 years of being Big Mama’s secret weapon, she’d had enough and broke free into the sewers, where she runs, quite literally, into Leonardo.

Now Maggie had actually known the turtles since she was 7. She’d been passing a park in the village with her mom, and saw a strange green boy in a blue bandana and jersey, trying to build a sand castle. She decided to help him, and they became fast friends. He was devastated when she went missing, and never stopped looking for her. A bit more on their shenaniganery to come.

After some interrogation to make sure she was in fact who she said she was, she moved I to the lair to protect her from Big Mama or anyone else who wished her harm. She becomes quite integral to the crew, becoming the “guy in the chair” while Donnie, goes on missions with his brothers.

Donnie takes a vested interest in her mutations and tries to unravel her genetic makeup to see what besides shape shifting she may be capable of.

She and Mikey share a deep love of art, and paint the lair in swathes of murals and graffiti. They once made a challenge to tag every available surface, and whoever got the most tags won pizza from the other person for a year. Maggie surprisingly won, using her camouflage to her advantage.

She and Raph are sparring buddies. Since she can shapeshift, they can go all out with each other without fear of serious injury. They also share a love of stuffed animals, and share a teddy bear town punch card.

She and Leo become a couple after the events of the movie, but the foundations of their relationship are there from moment one. He shows here every Lou jitsu movie, Jupiter Jim movie, and Disney Movie he can get his hands on, and it comes to be that “Tangled” is her favorite movie of all time. The lanterns scene brings her to tears. Leo decides in that moment that whenever fireworks or lanterns were involved in New York, Maggie HAD to go.

He once dragged the whole family to a rooftop near the Hudson on the Fourth of July, and didn’t tell Maggie why they were there. He put a pair of noise cancelling headphones on her just in time for the fireworks to start, and her eyes lit up brighter than the whole of Manhattan. That was when he realized he loved her, and maybe always had.

When time came that Maggie had been in the lair for several months, the boys decide to build her a room and an art studio in one of the old subway cars. They filled the space with hanging lantern lights, plush bean bag chairs, and a loft bed going between the two luggage racks. She came home to the lair from a pizza run to find the rooms, and could not stop crying and hugging and cheek kissing her friends, lingering a little longer on Leo.

I love my girl so much, and it’s a fantastic sandbox the rise creators have given us.

Edit: made a few changes to coincide with recent news and updated headcanon.

DEMS TO VOTERS: WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT CRIME?

Listen up, America. This election is about abortion!

Last week in New York City, career criminal Argenis Rivera punched a woman who was pushing her 2-year-old in a stroller, then began choking her, screaming that she was a “white bitch.” He let go only to attack another woman, sitting on a bench, reading -- apparently, also a “white bitch” -- until he was scared off by a man with two dogs who came to the women’s rescue. This happened at around 1 p.m. in Hudson River Park, a nice area.

     A few months earlier, Rivera had been arrested for punching a doorman in midtown Manhattan, the latest of about a dozen arrests. But under the law, he was immediately released.

     In February, Frank Abrokwa, 37, was arrested for the 45th time. (Thanks, U.S. immigration officials! Another job well done.) Among Abrokwa’s most recent arrests:

     -- On Jan. 7, he was arrested for hitting a 30-year-old man, a complete stranger, on a subway platform. Released without bail.

     -- On Feb. 5, he was arrested for punching a 53-year-old man, also a stranger, at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Released without bail.

     -- On Feb. 21, he was arrested for smashing his own feces into a woman’s face as she sat in a subway station. Released without bail.

     -- On Feb. 22 -- the very next day! -- he was arrested for shoplifting at a hardware store and threatening employees with a screwdriver. Released without bail. 

     All in all, New York’s no-bail law is working great! The law is called “no bail” but really means “no jail, not ever, no matter how many times you’re arrested.”

     How did such a dangerous policy become law? It seems that in 2020, Democrats finally gained total control of state government, the first time that's happened since World War II, except for a single year in 1964.

     And what was the first item on the Democrats' agenda, literally the moment after they were sworn in? Crack down on Wall Street? Fill potholes and creaking bridges?

     NO! They passed a law to ensure that no criminal ever spends a night in jail!

     True, a lot more people are getting raped, stabbed, slashed, mugged and shoved onto subway tracks on account of the no-bail law.   But for Democrats, protecting New Yorkers from violent attack is not the goal of law enforcement. The main objective of the criminal justice system is to ensure that it does not “worsen racial disparities,” as explained by The New York Times’ Mara Gay.

     The law certainly achieved that! “Black bodies” are being kept out of jail like nobody’s business. SUCCESS!

     As one of Rivera’s strangling victims exclaimed with relief, Thank God this black man was not already in jail when he attacked me. The possibility of my daughter growing up without a mother is a small price to pay to safeguard the self-esteem of any black person who happens to look up the racial composition of New York jails.

     No, actually, that wasn’t her response at all. She said, “I thought I was going to die ... I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t get out ... I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to leave. This doesn’t feel safe.”

     By now, the word is out that if you commit a crime in New York, NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO YOU.  Rivera told his strangling victims, "Call the cops, I don't care." During one of his assaults, Abrokwa also taunted his victim, saying, “Call the police.” After the feces attack, he posted on Facebook, “I’m not posting Bail. Never Been Up North Never Will.”

     Even if you’re caught dead-to-rights, at worst, maybe you’ll have to waste a couple hours of your afternoon getting arraigned. And then you’ll be right back on the street.

     But as the Times primly reminds us, people who are arrested are “presumed innocent until proven guilty.” 

     Liberals act as if we have absolutely no idea if the people the police arrest are guilty. Maybe he did it, maybe he didn’t. Who knows? I guess we’ll have to wait for the trial to see! 

     No, if the police make an arrest at all, they’re pretty sure the guy did it -- that crime as well as five others. The trial, if there is one, is merely to confirm that he did it, not discover whether he did it.

Share Unsafe

     Street muggings aren’t like murder investigations, requiring months of painstaking DNA analysis by forensic experts. If a criminal punches you and steals your purse, there isn’t going to be an “investigation.” The police either catch the guy, or they don’t.

     If they catch him, it’s usually because the perp is on camera. There are witnesses and people who recognize him -- his hat, his shirt, his face. Or he has the victim’s blood or property on him. Often, he’s still standing 20 yards away -- as with the attack in the park, when the victims and witnesses watched as the police arrested Rivera at a nearby bus stop.

 Democrats: You never know! Maybe he’s innocent!

     Another career criminal, Lamale McRae, shoved a stranger onto the subway tracks last week. He was quickly arrested thanks to the exceedingly clear photos of his face, build and clothing captured by subway cameras as he takes a running leap to push a man onto the tracks. When McRae was arrested a few days later, even a child could see that it was absolutely, 100%, positively the same guy. He was even wearing the same distinctive bright yellow sweatshirt.

     Articles about McRae’s arrest repeatedly refer to New York’s amazing facial recognition cameras as “controversial.” Huh. I wonder who they’re “controversial” with.

     Liberals think public safety should be like a sporting event: The Police v. The Criminals. Unless the guilty have a decent shot at getting away with it, where’s the fun? The rules have to be modified to make the game more thrilling. High-tech subway cameras are like spitballs. Hey, no fair! It’s cheating to have cameras.

     If that’s what you like, watch sports. But if you don’t want criminals controlling the streets, destroying neighborhoods and committing violent crimes in parks and subway stations, please vote Republican on Nov. 8.

     COPYRIGHT 2022 ANN COULTER

I finally watched The Defenders

So I've been trying to get through the defenders shows for a bit and I finally watched the entirety of The Defenders (the crossover show) and I was writing my reactions and some of these are pretty funny so im gonna put them here (a lot of them are about matt because he's easy to make fun of and a lot fo the Danny ones are bullying him because he's Danny)

Ok but the real question is: who’s stronger, jess or Luke?

I forget what an idiot season 2 matt is because im used to how much of a mess season 3 matt is

Yknow what this is exactly the shit Jess would get involved in, I’m honestly the most confused about how Luke gets involved

Oh my god Matthew, has a 10 minute conversation w Karen and IMMEDIATELY has to go to confessional

"forgive me father for I have sinned it's been 3 days since my last confession" MATtHEW

Did I know Elektra was coming back? Yes. Was I still like oh my god Elektra when she did? Also yes

Matty you cannot fight crime in your lawyer suit

It has been zero days since Matty’s last incident

Lmao foggy staging an intervention

Matt should under NO circumstances be jess’ lawyer, they would become friends and be HORRIBLE influences to each other, like the amount of chaos that duo would cause, we had better pray for New York

NO ONE is having Danny’s bs

Matt and Jessica r menaces to society

Jessica could’ve definitely made it as an actress

Matt is literally the only one who wears a costume, he’s so dramatic

Can’t believe it took them 3 episodes to meet

Matthew  (I should provide context but saying his name in a judgmental way always applies)

Its time like these that I remember Charlie Cox is British

So far this show has been everyone going “who the fuck are you and how do you know these things” at Matt and Matt just going “don’t worry about it, I just do”

Alexandra should have an accent

“The iron fist and his allies” Danny is their least important/useful member

“Scarf looked better, nice ears” “they’re horns” Jessica really destroyed him in 5 words

Go cry about it Danny

Jessica and Matt r a great duo, meanwhile Luke is having none of Danny 

Jessica googled matt lmao, Jessica and Matt r also best friends

Goddammit stick

Awww Danny still cares about Luke, how nice (honestly I love Danny and Lukes dynamic just a little)

“oUr SoLe FoCuS iS tO lOcAtE tHe SuBsTaNcE”

“His name is Mathew, and my name is Elektra Nachios and you work for me now” *cuts her head off* “any questions?” oh mYGOD

Lmao love the opening scene of episode 7 w the entire team passed out and stick dead with the great music playing in the background

God I love misty

Oh my god matt in an nypd tee shirt, he would have a heart attack if he knew

Matt is really going through it isn’t he (just constantly but in this show in particular he’s going through it a lot more than like everyone else)

“Matt you need to take a breath, you sound insane” when doesn’t he

“ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE” OH MY GOD “a witness? What you want me to describe how the scene sounded” I can’t he is SUCH

“There is no plan” “I can tell” Lmao 

Jessica just keeps destroying them all

Foggy thank you for being the only person with any common sense here

Misty needs to stop taking cases that will make or break her career 

These dumb idiots left ALL of their wallets?? Come on

I have never seen a subway THAT empty

Karen, matt does not go a single place he doesn’t want to

“Whatever this thing is, when it’s done, I tHiNk We’Ll GeT mAtT bAcK” yeah okay foggy (this is so funny when you’ve seen season 3 of daredevil)

“Wait a minute where’s the chic with the sword” misty never gets a break

LMAO MATT IN THE SUIT NEXT TO JESS AND LUKE IN NORMAL CLOTHES IS THE FUNNIEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN “There it is again”

This is such a trip, I looked away for two minutes and the next thing I know theres fire

“Lets go do something crazy” Luke that is exactly what you’ve been doing this entire time

“IF what Jessica says is true” Trish? Do you honestly think it isn’t?

“I’m glad you’re here” “…..what” “yknow under the circumstances im glad I found you” “im not hugging you” Lmao the dynamic between matt, Jessica, and Luke is brilliant

“I don’t want to fight you….. alone” *daredevil swings in* oh my god 10/10 this was so funny 

Mathew, I know you love her, but now is not the time

Omg Jessica also learned how to play nice

Of course matty had to go and have a building fall on him cause he was kissing a girl 

Foggy you cannot ACTUALLY believe matt is dead, you literally saw aliens come from the sky

7 Tips for Visiting the Largest Cities in the USA

A trip across the biggest cities in the USA is sure to be an exciting experience, full of vibrant urban energy, famous sites, and a variety of cultural experiences. Every city has its own distinct character and offers a wide range of activities to suit every choice and taste. These metropolises are enormous playgrounds for adventure, with the relaxing attitudes of Los Angeles and the flashing lights of New York City.

It's important to equip yourself with useful advice before embarking on this urban adventure to make the most of it and guarantee a smooth stay. It takes careful preparation, knowledge of regional traditions, and a willingness to stray from the well-travelled tourist routes to navigate these vast cities' diverse landscapes. This book will offer priceless tips on making the most of your trip, from using public transit to enjoying a variety of gastronomic experiences. So, buckle up and join us as we take a trip into the canter of the biggest cities in the USA, where we'll discover the secrets to an enlightening and unforgettable adventure.

Here are some tips for visiting the largest cities in the USA.

1. Planning Ahead for City Exploration: Give your trip some thought before hopping into the colourful turmoil of the biggest American cities. Decide on the neighbourhoods and main sites you want to see. Think about things like neighbourhood activities, weather, and transit alternatives. Numerous cities sell reduced city passes that allow access to a number of attractions and public transit, making the trip easier and more affordable.

 2. Using Public Transit: The vast metropolises of the United States of America frequently have sophisticated public transit networks. Learn the routes of the city's buses, subways, and commuter trains so that you can get around effectively. You may jump on and off of several kinds of transportation at your convenience using city cards or passes. To stay current on real-time transportation information, be sure you check the timetables and download the necessary applications.

3. Accepting Diversity in Culinary Adventures: The variety of cuisine available in big cities is one of the best things about traveling there. Every city presents a fusion of tastes that reflects the diversity of its cultures. Take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy regional specialties, from food trucks to elegant restaurants. Try some local delicacies and be adventurous; your taste buds will take you on a culinary adventure. Some examples of these specialties include bagels in New York, street tacos in Los Angeles, and deep-dish pizza in Chicago.

4. Acclimating to Local Etiquette and Norms: Every city has its own cadence, and a smooth experience depends on your knowledge of the norms and etiquette of the area. Observe and adjust to local customs and behaviours, such as tipping customs, expected public conduct, and queuing procedures. Respectful interactions with locals improve your vacation and help you develop a strong bond with the area.

5. Discovering Places Outside of Tourist Hotspots: Although famous sites are a must-see, don't stick to the tourist traps. Explore the neighbourhoods to get a true sense of the city. Talk to people, go to the local markets, and check out the parks where the locals congregate. This gives you a more sophisticated perspective of the city's culture and makes it possible for you to find undiscovered treasures that the guidebooks might not mention.

6. Weather-appropriate clothing: American cities have wildly different climates. Make sure you pack for the weather at your location by checking the forecast. Layers let you adapt to fluctuations in temperature throughout the day, so they're usually an excellent choice. It is important to wear comfortable shoes, particularly if you intend to explore the city on foot. If you want to stay hydrated, especially in warmer locations, think about bringing a reusable water bottle.

7. Maintaining Safety and Vigilance: Although big cities provide amazing experiences, it's important to maintain vigilance and put safety first. Pay attention to your possessions, particularly in busy places. Investigate safe neighbourhoods; stay away from strange places late at night. Get to know the emergency phone numbers and the fundamentals of the nearby medical institutions. If something doesn't seem right, follow your gut and get help.

Exploring the enormous landscapes and dynamic cultures of the biggest American cities is an experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression. When your urban trip comes to an end, consider the variety of experiences you had, from seeing famous sites to finding hidden treasures in nearby districts. The advice in this book is meant to improve your travel experience and make sure that your time in these vibrant cities is smooth and rewarding. Look at USA holiday packages from Dubai if you're looking for a hassle-free, well-planned adventure. These carefully chosen packages offer a customized way to take advantage of everything each city has to offer, in addition to streamlining the logistics of your trip. These packages provide a thorough look into the diverse fabric of American urban life, from the busy streets of New York to the relaxed charm of San Francisco. Take with you the dynamic energy, varied cuisines, and rich cultural diversity that characterize each place as you wave adieu to the city lights and skyscrapers. The biggest cities in the United States are poised to enthral and inspire you, regardless of your interests in the arts, delicious food, or historical sites. For a hassle-free and immersive experience with the unmatched attraction of these dynamic metropolitan environments, think about vacation packages to the USA from Dubai.

10 Best Beach Clubs New York (NY) (2023)

New York has no shortage of amazing beach clubs, but which are the best? Here is a list of the 10 best beach clubs in New York for 2023. The best beach clubs in New York (NY)! From the renowned Shore Club to the trendy Strand, these establishments will have you spending your days in the sand and your nights out enjoying the city's best nightlife. Beach clubs in New York offer various options for travelers, whether looking for a romantic getaway, a place to party, or a spot to relax and chill. Table of ContentsTop Categories of Beach Clubs in New York Overview 1- Beach Clubs in New York for Families: 2- Beach Clubs in Naples to Party: 3- Beach Clubs in Naples on a budget: 4- Luxury Beach Clubs in Naples: 5- Beach Clubs in Naples for Couples & Honeymoons: New York Quick Guide What are the best beach clubs in New York? 1. Silver Gull Beach Club 2.    Catalina Beach Club 3.    Clear Water Beach Club 4.    New York Beach Club & Restaurant 5.    Silver Point Beach Club 6.    Sunny Atlantic Beach Club 7.    Sun & Surf Beach Club 8.    Breezy Point Surf Club 9.    Sea Gate Beach & Cabana Club 10. Rockaway Beach Surf Club Tips for Enjoying Your Vacation in New York Getting Around the city: Booking the tickets: Pack your bag: Eating and Shopping: New York Travel Essentials Conclusion Top Categories of Beach Clubs in New York Overview There are dozens of beach clubs in New York, each with unique features and attractions. There are plenty of choices for families, partygoers, and budget-friendly travelers. 1- Beach Clubs in New York for Families: A family-friendly beach club located in Atlantic Beach, New York, Sunny Atlantic Beach Club is located in a coastal area. The club offers a wide range of amenities and activities for the whole family, such as swimming, sunbathing, and beach volleyball. (number 6 on the list below) 2- Beach Clubs in Naples to Party: New York Beach Club & Restaurant is a popular spot for locals and tourists in the heart of New York City. Beach volleyball, kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding are activities this beach club offers to its members. (number 4 on the list below) 3- Beach Clubs in Naples on a budget: There are only a select few private beach clubs in Nassau County, New York, and Sun & Surf Beach Club is one of them. Over 70 years have passed since the club was founded in 1948. It is an affordable and spacious beach getaway in the New York area. (number 7 on the list below) 4- Luxury Beach Clubs in Naples: Clear Water Beach Club is a secluded and exclusive destination in Atlantic Beach, New York. This beach club offers luxurious amenities and a private beach area, perfect for those seeking a more secluded beach experience. (number 3 on the list below) 5- Beach Clubs in Naples for Couples & Honeymoons: You won't regret staying at Silver Gull Beach Club if you want a romantic getaway. With its stunning white sand beaches and lush gardens, this is the perfect spot to take your loved one. (number 1 on the list below) New York Quick Guide Your transportation options in New York are an important consideration when planning your trip. New York is a popular destination for travelers looking for beautiful beaches, great weather, and various activities. Here's a quick guide to the city to help you plan your trip. Stay in the New York: - TBA Times Square - The Hotel at Fifth Avenue - Sonder at One Platt - M Social Hotel Times Square New York - Archer Hotel New York Getting Around - Buses, Trains, Taxi & Ferrys: Buses, trains, and subways provide public transportation throughout the city. Taxis and Ubers are also widely available, and ferries are a great option for those exploring the city's waterways. Car Rental: Discover Cars is a popular car rental company in New York. Their vehicle selection and prices are competitive. Bike Rentals: Bike Bookings offers bike rentals in New York, perfect for exploring the city's many parks and waterfront areas. Tours: Viator and Get Your Guide are popular tour companies in New York, offering a wide range of tours and activities, including walking, food, and boat tours. - NYC: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Experience Ticket - NYC: 1-Hour Cruise Around Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island - New York: CityPASS® to Save 40% at 5 Top Attractions - New York City: Manhattan Helicopter Tour - NYC: Empire State Building Tickets & Skip-the-Line What are the best beach clubs in New York? If you're looking for a summer vacation spot with plenty of activities to keep you busy, the best beach clubs in NY (New York) are worth checking out. From luxurious pools and stunning views to buzzing nightlife and delicious food, these establishments have something for everyone. So whether you're looking for a day of relaxation or an exciting night out, these 10 beach clubs NY (New York) are sure to please. - Silver Gull Beach Club - Catalina Beach Club - Clear Water Beach Club - New York Beach Club & Restaurant - Silver Point Beach Club - Sunny Atlantic Beach Club - Sun & Surf Beach Club - Breezy Point Surf Club - Sea Gate Beach & Cabana Club - Rockaway Beach Surf Club 1. Silver Gull Beach Club Breezy Point is home to Silver Gull Beach Club, one of New York City's hidden gems. This beach club offers a unique experience, with a vintage cabana culture reminiscent of 1950s Miami Beach. The cabanas at Silver Gull Beach Club are available for rent during the summer months, creating a seasonal community and a home away from home for many New York City residents. The club offers a variety of amenities, including a restaurant, bar, and swimming pool. It is a perfect spot for families, friends, and couples looking for a relaxing beach day while enjoying New York City's beauty. The cabanas are spacious, comfortable and well-maintained, perfect for those who want to escape the heat and noise of the city. The beach is clean, and the water is perfect for swimming and sunbathing. With its beautiful views and serene atmosphere, Silver Gull Beach Club is an ideal destination for a beach getaway in New York City. Address: 1 Beach 193rd St, Queens, NY 11697, United States Phone: +1 718-634-1500 Website: https://nysilvergull.com/ Email: [email protected] 2.    Catalina Beach Club Catalina Beach Club Resort is a luxurious destination in Daytona Beach, Florida. Known as the "World's Most Famous Beach," Catalina Beach Club offers stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean from its oceanfront suites. The resort features one, two and three-bedroom suites, all decorated in a nautical theme and offers a Jacuzzi tub. The suites have a balcony, perfect for enjoying the ocean views. The resort is located in the city's heart, just minutes from the Boardwalk & Pier, Daytona International Speedway, and the Volusia Mall. Shopping, dining, and entertainment are all nearby attractions and activities that guests can enjoy. Several amenities are available at the resort, such as a swimming pool, fitness center, and restaurant. Catalina Beach Club Resort is ideal for a luxurious beach getaway in Daytona Beach. Address: 2045 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach, NY 11509, United States Phone: +1 516-239-2150 Website: https://www.catalinabeachclub.com/ Email: [email protected] 3.    Clear Water Beach Club When you think of the best beaches in New York, Clearwater Beach Club is likely at the top of your list. Located in Atlantic Beach, Clearwater Beach Club is just a short drive from beautiful Long Beach and the vibrant city of New York. With breathtaking ocean views and a worldly art collection, Clearwater Beach Club is the perfect destination for a relaxing day at the beach. Luxury and sophistication are the highlights of Clearwater Beach Club. It is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing day at the beach while looking out at the Atlantic Ocean. The club also has a variety of facilities available, including a spa, a gym, and a pool. It's the perfect place to relax at the beach if you're looking for a relaxing day. Address: 1875 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach, NY 11509, United States Phone: +1 516-239-5511 Website: https://clearwaterbeachclub.com/ Email: [email protected] 4.    New York Beach Club & Restaurant New York Beach Club & Restaurant is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the beach. It is the perfect spot for a night out with friends after a day at the beach. The restaurant offers a wide variety of food and drink options, and there's no shortage of beach chairs and umbrellas for you. There's a kids' play area with a pool and a sandpit. The New York Beach Club & Restaurant is great to get away from it all. Friendly staff and breathtaking scenery make this a wonderful place to stay. Whether you're looking to relax in the sun or have a night out on the town, the New York Beach Club & Restaurant is the perfect destination. Address: 1751 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach, NY 11509, United States Phone: +1 516-371-0750 Website: https://newyorkbeachclub.com/ Email: [email protected] 5.    Silver Point Beach Club Silver Point Beach Club is one of the area's most popular beach clubs. One of the best beach clubs in the country has been around for over 80 years. In addition to swimming and surfing, the club offers beach relaxation. As well as a clubhouse, a restaurant, and a playground for children, there are a lot of amenities available. The club is also one of the largest and most affordable in the area. This means it is perfect for families who want to enjoy the beach without spending much money. Atlantic Beach's casinos and shopping are also nearby, as are many other attractions. Address: 2175-2199 Atlantic Blvd, Atlantic Beach, NY 11509, United States Phone: +1 516-239-4500 Website: http://silverpointclub.com/ Email: [email protected] 6.    Sunny Atlantic Beach Club Summer days at Sunny Atlantic Beach Club are perfect for spending time with family and friends! This iconic beach club offers stunning ocean views and delicious food, making it the perfect spot for a family vacation. There are many activities to enjoy at Sunny Atlantic Beach Club, from swimming and sunbathing to kayaking and fishing. And if you need a break from the sun, there's always something to do in the club's cozy lounges and bars. Pack your bags and join us at Sunny Atlantic Beach Club this summer – you won't regret it! Address: 2035 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach, NY 11509, United States Phone: +1 516-239-9090 Website: https://sunnyatlantic.com/ 7.    Sun & Surf Beach Club A premier beach club in Nassau County, New York, Sun & Surf Beach Club offers members privacy and luxury. The club has been serving the community since 1948. Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Nassau County families can easily reach it by car or train in 45 minutes. Families that return season after season are the best indicator of the club's timeless appeal. Over 50 acres of pristine beach area surround the Sun & Surf Beach Club. This club has it all: miles of beachfront and Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, bocce courts, playgrounds, and a kiddie pool. Swimming, sunbathing, and beach volleyball are some club activities for the whole family. Sun & Surf Beach Club is ideal for a private and family-friendly beach getaway in the New York area. Address: 2189 Atlantic Blvd, Atlantic Beach, NY 11509, United States Phone: +1 516-239-6700 Website: http://www.sunandsurfbeachclub.com/ Email: [email protected] 8.    Breezy Point Surf Club Breezy Point Surf Club is a welcoming and friendly beach in Breezy Point, New York. The club offers its members many amenities and activities, including a swimming pool, tennis court, and a restaurant. The club also has a private beach area, perfect for members looking for a more secluded beach experience. The club offers a variety of activities for the whole family, such as swimming, sunbathing, and beach volleyball. Breezy Point Surf Club is ideal for a fun-filled, family-friendly beach getaway in the New York area. The club's friendly and welcoming atmosphere makes it a perfect spot to relax and unwind while enjoying the beauty of the ocean. We look forward to welcoming you to Breezy Point Surf Club. Address: 1 Beach 227th St, Queens, NY 11697, United States Phone: +1 718-634-2500 Website: https://nybreezypoint.com/ Email: [email protected] 9.    Sea Gate Beach & Cabana Club Sea Gate Beach & Cabana Club is a private and secure beach club located in the south of Brooklyn, in the private neighborhood of Sea Gate. The club offers its members many amenities and activities, including a swimming pool, tennis court, and a restaurant. The club also has a private beach area, perfect for members looking for a more secluded beach experience. In addition to theme nights, the club offers daily kids' activities, making it a great place for a quick family getaway. Chairs, towels, and everything else are provided so that you can come and relax. With pool and beach lifeguards, it is a safe spot for families with kids. Sea Gate Beach & Cabana Club is ideal for a private and family-friendly beach getaway in the New York area. Address: 3700 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224, United States Phone: +1 718-372-4477 Website: http://www.seagatebeachclub.com/ Email: [email protected] 10. Rockaway Beach Surf Club Rockaway Beach Surf Club is the perfect place to enjoy a day of surfing, relaxing at the beach and enjoying some delicious food and drinks. Situated on the beautiful and vibrant Rockaway Beach, their club is the perfect place to kick back and enjoy the view. They have various activities and events to enjoy, including surfing lessons, yoga classes, movie nights and sporting events. It also hosts regular cultural events and festivals, such as concerts and art exhibitions, to promote the love of surfing and the local community. They are dedicated to conserving the environment and supporting our local neighborhood. It works hard to promote sustainable practices and support local initiatives like the Rockaway Beach Food Coalition and the Rockaway Beach Conservancy. Address: 302 Beach 87th St, Far Rockaway, NY 11693, United States Website: http://www.rockawaybeachsurfclub.com/ Tips for Enjoying Your Vacation in New York The popularity of New York among tourists worldwide cannot be denied. If you plan to visit New York, you should know what you will encounter in the city. All tourists want to enjoy their time in a city. New York is one of the most expensive cities, but you should remember this. It is only possible for some to visit the city, so it is better to plan. The city can be enjoyed without spending thousands of dollars. To enjoy the city, you are not required to spend thousands of dollars. You will likely like to visit some of the city's popular places and have a wonderful time. Before you begin your trip, it is very important to make a thorough plan. The city has many famous places, but remember to discover some new ones too. You should know the following things about New York: Getting Around the city: A visit to New York would only be complete with this tip. It is better to know the route you must follow to get to the different parts of the city. Also, you must know the different ways of getting to the city. Then you will only have to spend a little time getting to your destination. Booking the tickets: The price of your tickets shouldn't be too high. Two to three months in advance is the best time to book. Pack your bag: Be sure to pack all the necessary items in your bag. You should pack some clothes for the different weather conditions. You can also buy a waterproof jacket, a hat and warm clothes. Eating and Shopping: If you plan to visit the city for a day or two, you can have a good time by just eating and shopping. Although you won't need food, you should carry some snacks. You can even visit some of the popular restaurants in the city. You can also shop for some beautiful clothes and accessories. New York Travel Essentials Your time in New York should be well spent. That means planning your trip properly and having the essentials with you. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Flights & Hotels Accommodation: Check out the options on WayAway or Booking.com for flights and hotels accommodation. You can find great deals and many options on these websites. Airport & Hotel Transfers: Kwik Taxi offers reliable and efficient airport and hotel transfers in New York. The company offers a variety of safe and comfortable vehicles. Rental Services: Discover Cars is a popular car rental company in New York. Vehicles are available at competitive prices, and they offer a wide selection. Transport Services: Public transportation in the city includes buses, trains, and subways. Taxis and Ubers are also widely available, and ferries are a great option for those exploring the city's waterways. Attractions, Museums & Shows: New York attractions, museums, and shows can be found on Tiqets and TripAdvisor. Their website provides reviews, ratings, and a wide variety of options. Activities: Viator and Get Your Guide are popular tour companies in New York, offering a wide range of tours and activities, including walking tours, food tours, boat tours, and more. Several options are available to suit different budgets and tastes, as well as great deals and discounts. Some popular activities include visiting the Empire State Building, taking a cruise around Manhattan, visiting Central Park, and taking a bike tour. Conclusion The best Beach Clubs New York are worth checking out! Whether you're looking for a fun and relaxing day by the water or a more active experience, there's a club perfect for you. Read the full article

Metro 4 for 100

#Metro 4 for 100 for free

I wasn’t just hypnotized by the rhythmic movement of trains from station to station, I was completely absorbed in making them perfect." - IGN DemoYou can check out Mini Metro for yourself and play a game on the London map in the demo. "Mini Metro’s clean, stylish interface encourages me over and over again to make the trains run on time, and there’s a deeper amount of strategy to growing a sprawling metro system than meets the eye. If you love Mini Metro, check out the highway-planning follow up Mini Motorways! More from Dinosaur Polo ClubYou can find us on all the usual social media haunts like Facebook and Twitter.

Vast library of player-created maps for you to explore in Steam Workshop!.

Responsive soundtrack created by your metro system, engineered by Disasterpeace.

Acceso cerrado desde el 30 de julio hasta la primera quincena de septiembre, por obras de modernización de las instalaciones. If you think it's a keeper, save it, tweet it, show it off, or make it your desktop background! Acceso a línea 2 dirección Las Rosas y línea 4 dirección Argüelles.

Each game's map is a work of art, built by you in the classic abstract subway style of Harry Beck.

A strategy that proved successful last game may not help you in the next.

Random city growth, so each game plays out differently.

The trains pass every 2 to 15 minutes depending on the time of day. Budapest Metro opens every day at 4:30 am and runs until 11 pm. It connects the two main railway stations in the city: Keleti Railway Station and Kelenfld Railway Station.

Over two dozen real-world cities! Design subways for London, Paris, New York City, Osaka, Saint Petersburg, São Paulo, Istanbul, Auckland and many more! Each has a unique colour theme, set of obstacles, and pace. Line 4 (green line) Opened in 2014, the metro line 4 runs for 4 miles (7 kilometres).

Build your metro exactly how you want to with the all-new Creative mode.

#Metro 4 for 100 for free

I just missed having the Stylo 4 for free with port ins. Hopefully they will bring back POGO or something. Up to 60,000 miles 2 Up to 80,000 miles 5 Seller type. That deal brought so much customer traffic and was easier to sell to others. Three game modes: Normal for quick scored games, Endless for stress-free sandbox play, and Extreme for the ultimate challenge. Cute Teens, Hot Sexy Girls, Young Teen Babes, Porn Pics with Nude Teenie Girls Pictures of Hot Naked Women Browse through our far stretching nude girls pictures including varied categories as pierced, lesbian, Latina, Cosplay, Latex. METRO 25 11 45 8 75 41 100 10 200 10 400 6 600 4 800 9 CABRIOLET 1 MINI 76 STREETWISE 1 Show more options in Model Year.It doesn't though, aye? You just gotta play it. Compelling, constructive, hectic, relaxed gameplay.How long the city keeps moving is up to you. The new assets you earn every week will help immensely - as long as they're used wisely.Įventually your network will fail. You'll be constantly redesigning your lines to maximise efficiency. Metro Exodus is an epic, story-driven first person shooter from 4A Games that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created. The demands on your network are ever-increasing. Four lines of unlimited LTE at MetroPCS costs nearly half what you’d pay at Cricket (100 vs 180) yeah, you read that right. More stations are opening, and commuters are appearing faster. Each station can only hold a handful of waiting commuters so your subway network will need to be well-designed to avoid delays. Commuters travel along your lines to get around the city as fast as they can. Draw routes between these stations to connect them with subway lines. Before you go any further if you dont like spoilers, dont use this walk-through as it is unavoidable for me not to mention them. These fees and commissions do not influence the amount a customer pays.In Mini Metro, you take on the task of designing the subway layout for a rapidly expanding city. Auto Trader receives a fee from retailers advertising finance and may receive a commission from commercial partners for introducing customers to finance products. Representative finance examples are for illustrative purposes only. Auto Trader Limited is a credit broker and not a lender. Play Store logo hp-download-android-app hp-download-android-app hp-download-android-appĬopyright © Auto Trader Limited 2022.Auto Trader Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to consumer credit and insurance mediation activities.Help us improve our website Send feedback

An important Components Of Taxi Jfk To Nyco

“If it’s a small group (6 to 20 individuals),” nevertheless, “opt for $5 to $10 per person per journey or day.” Perkins believes that $3 for a half day, $5 for a full day is adequate. I like to recommend arriving early within the day, because it tends to get busy and some reveals can promote out shortly. Check out the city’s urbans parks or trip along the dedicated greenways. You can even try their sales space at South Avenue Seaport or Lincoln Center. New York Newark Liberty International Airport is situated roughly 3.Zero miles / 4.Eight kilometers northeast of Elizabeth and about 3.0 miles / 4.Eight kilometers south of Newark. MTA-operated methods, including the brand new York subway, started coming online at 9am, with service reaching a Sunday level - round 60 per cent of a standard weekday - by noon. You can even download an app, such as CityMapper, which can show you prepare schedules, any service interruptions, alternate routes (if mandatory), and which exit to take. At first, you want just a primary app that satisfies all the requirements of an online taxi service app. Doorstaff: $1-2 for getting a taxi. So, how do you plan on getting from JFK Airport to your hotel in Manhattan?

If you’re a foodie like me, consider taking fun Manhattan Meals & History Tour with an area guide. You’ll get a bird’s-eye view of recent York’s Manhattan island. If you wish to chill out and soak up all of the sights, then you’ll undoubtedly need to trip the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour. Free bus tour included with the new York Go - a $fifty nine worth! If you’re utilizing the brand new York Cross, you'll be able to rent bikes for free in Central Park - a $54.44 value! With the financial savings you gain from utilizing the brand new York Cross, you may put that further cash in the direction of a nice dinner, a fancy resort, and so on. As well as improbable deals on airport transfers, we may also carry you very good financial savings on both Airport Hotels and Airport Parking too at a variety of foremost UK, in addition to regional airports. As a way to get to the train, you first must take the EWR AirTrain to the Newark Liberty Airport Rail Station. Typically, there will probably be an immigration verify after security, however occasionally - like in Singapore - you’ll go through immigration first. One way I like to save lots of money is to get FREE gift playing cards from Swagbucks.

Should you resolve to splurge on one factor, THIS needs to be it! If you don’t live in a single of these states, one of the best ways to save lots of money on attractions is to try visiting on free days or using considered one of the next New York sightseeing passes. We predict not, but having a couple of airport choice for many major North American cities at the very least affords the consumer some alternative of their flying options. Twelfth. We will likely be flying into JFK, solely affordable airport. This may enable you to avoid wasting cash for other bills. In New York, the weather will possible start to taper off in the early-morning hours of Wednesday as the storm strikes north. Rush hour payment applies between the hours 2:00pm and 7:00pm Prices are topic to alter with out prior discover and could also be increased throughout holidays and particular events. Our beneficial shuttles cease and drop everybody off at their chosen vacation spot, so it could possibly be fast or take several hours. Organising either can be extremely easy: Take the modem/router machine out of the box, place it close to a window and plug it in.

Check out these TripAdvisor evaluations under. I discovered that using the move allowed me to check out more attractions. STEP 2: Download your cellular pass immediately using the brand new York Move app. taxi jfk to nyc - When you've got some extra cash to spend and need to create an unforgettable expertise, consider this helicopter tour. The FAA said a person at La Guardia tested optimistic, prompting the temporary shutdown of the tower that it stated should have minimal impact on flights. Don’t have an account yet? This spot could also be nice for a photo or to watch a Broadway show, however don’t eat right here. The cocktail - a blend of Don Julio 1942, La Copa sherry vermouth, Campari and Massenez Fraises De Bois - cost $a hundred and twenty (£85) but is available in a decanter that easily poured six drinks, making the cocktail a fantastic alternative if you’re sharing with associates. In this case, he’s making just $8.10 per hour. Every time I’m planning a trip, I like to do a little analysis to search out out the perfect places to eat, shop and sightsee on the vacation spot I’ll be visiting. Many new sections are opening, and outdated ones closing with a purpose to deliver out the better of LGA.

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In line with the final rating, nearly all of the priciest American airports are located close by major cities. Be aware--That is the quickest route; nevertheless, it's a two-lane road for the majority of the journey. Penn State followers have informed me tickets are simple to come by right in entrance of the stadium along Curtin Street. Additionally, a number of followers like to provide some good-nature ribbing to each other on recreation days. Alone, Brooklyn can be the fourth largest city in the United States and a go to can appear like a trip to the United Nations. How long wouldn't it take to go to the Carribean or somewhere like that? Go lower than 50 miles, then take the US-322/Mt. If you happen to waited and can't get any through Ticketmaster then it's a must to scalp. For most games, do not be stunned to have people invite you over for some food or a beer.

From what I may inform Pennsylvania means that you can resell tickets to football games over the Internet (in case you are instate) for whatever value the market will bear. March 14 was the opening day and officials proudly stated that over 10,000 fliers had gone by way of the gates. The airport has one passenger terminal, 4 runways, and a hundred and fifteen gates. By that point, dozens of foreign flights have been headed to JFK, making a shortage of gates and gridlock. In contrast to at JFK, there aren’t any connections on to the subway system from LaGuardia Airport; instead, there are 2 specific buses that can take you pick you up at one of two completely different subway stops from Manhattan to LaGuardia Airport, and which one you need relies on where you’re coming from in Manhattan. Not like the Taxi of Tomorrow, there is not exactly a winner coming from this event that'll present a ultimate design. There are many round vacationer areas. Along with the areas noted above, riders could take advantage of on-road parking along and near South Atherton Street, College Drive and Easterly Parkway and the fact that the three massive Downtown parking garages are within two blocks of the Schlow Library stop on the Downtown shuttle.

First, he seen there were tons of people who tipped 21% however very few who tipped 19%. A large portion of tippers fall into the 20, 25, or 30 % range because of the suggested tipping scale. So there isn't any have to name while you arrive in New York. You want superior planning. It is a department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (see beneath), and it is focused on the medieval artwork and architecture. To see the precise routing and particular cease places check the 2011 Game Day Shuttles schedule. The South Atherton shuttle run is sort of intensive and ends at Hills Buying Plaza and likewise a nearby street area and Easterly Elementary Faculty is a few half mile away from Hills Plaza however is walkable to a shuttle stop. Mexico is another choice for beaches as is South America. PSU permits season pass parkers the option to purchase a lot earlier. As nyc taxi service to jfk because it is not pouring rain this creates a much nicer atmosphere than compared to most different northeastern schools who heavily rely on paved parking tons. Okay you're a visiting fan, how do I get this pay as you go parking cross for $10?

This could be a pleasant choice for visiting followers. It is always most well-liked to purchase extras from fellow followers. Professional' scalpers and common fans are selling and shopping for tickets in that space. Tickets may be purchased on-line or when boarding. You'll be able to normally sign up for flight delay alerts as well. If you're willing to threat arrest the next techniques have served me well the place it is authorized. Properly from my experience you have to check Ticketmaster. It’s back to its typical 7 days a week schedule now, so I’ll simply need to go again to test that out. The market in plates has produced gridlock: Nobody gives the plates again to be reissued and utilized by a brand new technology of drivers. Moreover at the Ticketmaster webpage, PSU runs a secondary marketplace for ticket resell by season ticket holders. The linked article above stated they arrest between 50-one hundred folks each season. With that warning above (about arrest) in place if you still want to purchase tickets above face value the next methods often have labored for me in other states: I have always found one of the best spot to search out further tickets is on the tailgates.