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#saw heavy cream for $9 dollars
lsuyia · 6 months
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𝑭𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒃𝒐𝒚
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Miles morales x blk!fem!reader
You and your best friend miles, have been friends for a long ass time.. Basically his mom knows your mom very well and they always ship you too together.. You got tired of his constant teasing and flirting when he was always with different girl almost everyday.. It was time to end this charade once and for all.
warnings- miles being an ass and use of the n word
based off this song
IK it seems like miles is kinda a asshole in this one BUT IT ADDS TO THE PLOT A LIL BARE WITH ME GUYS.. PROLLY GON MAKE THIS A LIL MINI SERIES LMAOO
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You loved miles and miles loved you! platonically… This amount of teasing this lanky boy made you go through was annoying.. but you secretly liked it. I mean not that you could ever let him know that? Right?
It was finally saturday, of all the days of the week Saturday was your favorite.. It was that one day were the birds were singinging like in a disney movie. more like cars honking out side. You lay in bed for longer just to reminisce in the sleepiness before your phone started to ring and the words ‘hood rat’ popped up requesting a Facetime. Miles requesting for a facetime at damn near 9 am? oh hell no
Since you were an actual good person you decided to answer “Hey mami?” he said his voice slightly deepened from his sleep. goddamn he sounded so fine.. never mind that... “What you want miles,” You said in an annoyed tone with your voice slightly deepened. “Nun, Just chillin'.. I was thinking about you so I called..” Miles called because he was thinking about you?!? YOU?!? of all his little rachet girlfriends you?? There is no way.. “yeah yeah... Why you ain't just call one of ya lil lace-front girlfriends?” You said still lying in bed with your feet kicking above you... Slightly biting your lip. He smacks his teeth “Mami.. you know it's not like that..” He said slightly saddened. You liked Miles as your best friend..but you didn't want him to see anyone else.
Sometimes you hated how everywhere you went with him he was just overly friendly with every girl he went around. Every time you saw him it would make your heart feel heavy. So you just had to think about the moments you would have with him, trying to make them concur with your feelings. “yeah yeah I gotta go I'm going to work today” Before he could say a word you hung up on him
Sometimes you felt like Miles would be flirting with you just to play with your feelings but you decided to just try and make it last what you felt for him.
After laying in your bed with like 12-13 texts from miles away, you decided to d to leave him on read. Just to see what would happen..
After looking at his text and text and not responding to him you decided to get ready for work. You had a little job at the window of the fast food place round the corner that you just worked at just to make ends meet. You finally got there in your black pants and oversized shirt with the company logo on it as you were in the window just chilling on your phone until you heard a “MAMI!”
damn. you already knew who the fuck it was.. it was Miles's ass in his beat-up ass car and smoggy ass smile. “what you want Miles” You said annoyed and with an obvious attitude. “lemme get yo number real quick.” “stop playing at my window, Miles. You already got my number” Every other day Miles would play this stupid little game with you asking for your number when he knew he already had it.
Sometimes you wondered about him.. “I'm joking mami lemme get a vanilla ice cream with a side of you.”
You rolled your eyes at him before yelling in the back “VANILLA ICE CREAM” and handing it over to him. “uh im missing sum mami?” you looked at him with disgust. “I told yo ass to stop playing at my window miles” he rolled his eyes before throwing 5 dollars in your face that barely landed in the window and driving off leaving a trail of dust behind him.
Damn you were tired of him.. Sometimes you wondered why you even liked him. Suddenly the boss called you into his office wondering why that same boy would always be at the window when you were working.. Of course, you had to explain the whole situation “Yeah you’re fired,you can't be bringing all that around here..” Your boss said calmly.
Damn this nigga got you fired on your first day back at your job?
The only words that pounded into your brain, right at the back of your skull were “Fuck you, Spider-boy”
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shannygoatgruff · 3 years
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Only Fan(s) - A Thriller
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Genre: Thriller
Pairing: Modern Ivar/OC
Warning: Language, sex, stalking, obsession, kidnapping, sexual assault
Rating: MA+18
Summary: Sometimes OnlyFans subscribers want a little more than internet pictures. Sometimes they want to be your ONLY fan…
Header by: @flowers-in-your-hayr
Thanks to @xbellaxcarolinax for being my beta.
Disclaimer: This story will deal with some topics that might be a little uncomfortable for some people. As always, I’ll try to tackle the hard stuff as tactfully as possible.
a/n: I wrote this months ago and let it sit on the shelf. I’m finally ready to dust it off and give it another go...so let’s see what it do...
Part iii - Trifecta
Torren Sykes hadn’t lived what anyone would consider an exciting life. In fact, in her twenty-three years, she had only just left her mom’s double-wide trailer in East Bumble Fuck less than a year ago. Not quite 365 days later, she still didn’t have a pot to piss in, nor a window to throw it out of.
Truthfully, she usually didn’t know where she would be getting her next meal - that sort of thing wasn’t really a big deal to her. She actually liked the mystery of it all. There was something undeniably sexy about not knowing what the day would bring - who she would run into, or have to take something off of to survive. If someone else had to get hurt so she could make it through another day, such was life. She’d won. Those other people just needed to be better at playing the fucking game, plain and simple. 
Besides, pulling a caper or two kept her on her toes. She learned how to pull off the best of them from her mother. It’s not like adulting was one of Leslie’s strong suits. 
If only her mother had been more like her Me-Maw, now that woman was a saint. For reasons that Torren never cared to ask, she lived with her Me-Maw until she was five years old.  Leslie would periodically visit her to drop off the obligatory present on Christmas or her birthday if that bitch remembered. Not that they were ever good presents – just some cheap ass, unwrapped items she happened to pick up at the dollar store. Torren couldn't remember a gift that she had received wasn't still in the plastic bag with the receipt in it.
Cheap, whore.
Just once she would have liked a real baby doll from Toys-R-Us, instead of those cheap, hard, plastic dolls that the hand molds weren't cut out evenly, and the jagged edges cut the shit out of her face when she tried to sleep with it. But, that was Leslie. Torren didn't choose her; Leslie sure as shit didn't choose her daughter.
It became painfully clear to Torren that her mother didn’t want anything to do with her after her Me-Maw died. Unfortunately, she found herself as her mother’s unwitting roommate at a very young age, forcing the girl to spend a lot of time alone. 
By the time she turned nine, Torren was convinced that her mother was a prostitute and she was a trick baby. It was the only explanation she could come up with seeing as how her mother never worked but always had enough money to pay the rent, keep the lights on, and have plenty of booze, chips, and hot dogs in the fridge. 
Not that Torren had many other life experiences with a working parent to compare her situation to, but it just seemed pretty fucking difficult to have a job if one were passed out drunk all the fucking time. Besides, who had time to work when during your waking hours you were spending them with one of your many, many boyfriends? 
Torren used to wonder if one of the multitudes of men that would traipse in and out of that trailer were her father - but the more she got to know what type of person Leslie was, the more she realized that whoever that guy was, had gotten the hell out of dodge. 
Lucky son-of-a-bitch. 
But for all of Leslie’s flaws, she did manage to impart her three philosophies of life onto her daughter - the three things that Torren still lived by to this day. It was the least she could do. God knows that whore sure as fuck didn’t do anything else for her.
Mama’s Life Lessons #1 - There is no such thing as too much black eyeliner
As trivial as it sounded, it proved to be a precious lesson. Shortly after she had moved into the trailer, Leslie had forced Torren to sit on the bed and watch as she got ready for another one of her "dates". She had told the little girl that beautiful eyes were the one good gene that ran in their family. “You got to learn how to work ‘em,” Leslie exhaled a long plume of smoke at her reflection in the vanity mirror, “You listenin'? This's important. This right here," she held up the black liner pencil, “is gonna be your best friend.”
Of course, Torren had no idea what she meant. How was a pencil going to her friend? She didn’t really care so much as what her mother was saying to her at the moment, it was more of the fact that she was actually talking to her that made Torren hang on to every word. 
That’s why she picked up the black liner pencil from her mother's cluttered vanity table and leaned over to look in the mirror. She tried tracing her bottom lid, the way her mother had done, but at six it was a little easier said than done. She had just learned how to color inside the lines with a fat crayon; mastering the art of applying liner would have to wait a few more years. 
Leslie, however, was not willing to wait that long, "What the hell's amatta wit'chu, Dumbass? You doin' it all wrong," she said snatching the pencil from the girl's hand. Grabbing Torren roughly by the chin she said, "Gotta teach you every goddamn thing. Hold still." She mumbled more curses and said something about her good-for-nothing mother not teaching her brat anything useful.
By the time she had finished cursing her name, Leslie roughly turned her daughter's head toward the mirror, "Yeah you got those eyes. Now, learn to use ‘em.” Leslie dropped the pencil onto the vanity before picking up her drink and shooing Torren away. 
That was the day that Drew Watkins bought her an ice cream. It had to be the eyeliner. It was a true fact, not just another one of her mother's drunken theories. Eyeliner and her eyes...she didn’t know how she used them, but they worked.
From that day on Torren opted to never step foot outside without heavy black liner again. 
Mama’s Life Lessons #2 - As long as there are men around that want to fuck you, you will never need to work
It wasn’t like she going to go out and get a real job. She wasn’t raised with much of a work ethic. She was too young to remember if her Me-Maw worked and what she gathered from her mother was that there would always be men around to take care of her. 
Leslie told her that she didn’t need to work because working a man was a full-time job. If she were doing that right, she wouldn’t have time for a fucking 9-5. It didn’t matter if he was in a relationship, gay, or the fucking Pope. As long as he a dick and she could bend over, and her eyes were done, her rent was as good as paid. 
If she wanted more than just the basic bills paid, she would have to rethink what all she was willing to do - but just make sure she didn’t do too much otherwise she couldn’t guarantee a steady paycheck every week.
This sage advice didn’t make much sense to 8-year-old Torren, but as the years progressed she started to work it into one of her life’s mottos. She would never want for anything. She could always rely on the kindness of strangers and when that got to be too boring, she could always take it, just to spice things up a bit.  
Mama’s Life Lessons #3 - If you want something do whatever it takes to make sure you get it
As a child that grew up with the television as a babysitter, Torren Sykes knew that she was destined to love Ivar “Lothbrok” Ragnarsson since she was a little girl. Ever since that day she turned on the TV and saw this adorable blue-eyed boy drawing Mickey Mouse ears saying, “I’m Ivar Lothbrok and you’re watching the Disney Channel,” she knew that he had to be hers. 
He was co-starring on a show called The Baker Boys, about three foster kids, who had come to live with a family that owned a bakery. Ivar’s character was named Simon Baker - a mischievous kid that lived with his grandmother until she died and never felt like he fit in with this cookie-cutter family. 
His life was just like hers - minus the cookie-cutter family that loved him and all. She was actually with more of an alcoholic whore that didn’t give a shit if she lived or died, and not pulling stunts in a bakery with flour and messing up orders like him, but she still saw them as kindred spirits. 
When the show got canceled she was devastated. How dare the world try to keep her from her man? Didn’t they understand this was love? Didn’t those people at Disneyland know that he was the only person in the world that understood her?
As if on queue, she happened to find the Season 2 DVD box-set at the library one afternoon. Her mother had kicked her out of the trailer because she had a date and couldn’t have the dumbass child around fucking things up for her. Torren had nothing else to do - at 11-years-old, she had no money, and nowhere to go. At least the library was air-conditioned. 
She wanted that box-set. Slipping it into her backpack unnoticed was the easy part. Trying to get it past the alarms would be harder. She watched for a while, paying particular attention to the way the check-out system worked. 
When the librarians changed shifts, she let a smile cross her lips as she picked a few random books from the shelves. 
Her beautiful eyes went as big as saucers when the alarm buzzed, and the young male librarian looked down at her, still clutching the large reference book to her check. Carefully she had stepped across to the other side of the alarm sensor waiting to collect the books she was checking out.
“I’m sorry, you can’t check out reference books,” the young man said, blinking his hazel eyes at Torren, the corner of his lip tugging into a smile.
She let a pout fall on her lips as she lowered her large eyes down to the book in her arms, “Oh...sorry.” She handed the book back, “I didn’t realize I still had it.” And like that, she walked out of the library with her prize.
She had stolen for Ivar...now if that wasn’t love what was?
The only thing that had threatened their love through the years is when Ivar got married. It damn near broke Torren’s heart. How could he be so cruel? She didn’t give a fuck that the marriage was short-lived. She even understood why he had to do it. He had gotten that bitch pregnant, and he didn’t have much choice. But, he cut her deep. 
Didn’t he know how much she loved him? Didn’t he know that she stuck by him when he had joined 6cess and had seen him in concert 3 times? She still had the autographed photo of the two of them from the signing at Spring Hills Mall - when she was wearing that blue midriff cardigan and ripped jeans and he had his arm around her. That shirt brought out the color in his eyes. She even wore Happy, which he said was his favorite perfume. She thought it smelled like Comet, but she stole a bottle of it from Macy’s right before the photo-op to smell good for him. 
And he went and pulled this shit?
Besides, Johnny Law said that she was still too young for him and that he could get arrested for being with her. She knew that he had to pretend to have a normal life so that no one would know about their love affair. She was just understanding like that. It gave her time to grow up a little more so that when they could he be together, the law wouldn't be standing in their way. She really didn't give a fuck, but she suspected he did. Why else hadn't he come for her?
Torren didn’t even like their music. She wasn’t a boyband kind of girl, but for him, she would make the exception. She was more of the gangsta rap or heavy metal type girl. But if Ivar was serenading her, she’d listen to sappy, wrist-slitting, emo, shit rock all fucking day long, because she loved him. 
She hated that he had gotten that whore pregnant, too. She understood that he had to pretend that they had a normal marriage. She knew that when he was fucking that bitch, he was really imagining it was her. The years apart had made him a master at hiding his true feelings for her. He couldn't give anyone cause for suspicion. If he let on the truth he could risk losing everything…his house, cars, job, and his kid. That whore was trying to keep them apart. But, she was just a small obstacle that posed no real threat to Torren.
She did not doubt that she would be his daughter's new mommy. The kid would probably be sad at first that she wouldn't be with that other woman like Torren had been when her grandmother died. But, the kid would get used to it. Torren was going to be a whole hell of a lot better at being a mom than her piece of shit mother was to her. That was for damn sure. She was going to teach her stepdaughter all about eyeliner, and how to dye her hair. 
She was going to teach her what party clothes every woman should have in her wardrobe and how to get a man to do whatever she wanted by just batting her eyes at him. She would even share her secrets on what pills to mix and what dosages to give for submission, making a man catatonic, and if she was really good, she'd teach what to put in a drink to kill someone. Hell, she even planned on giving the child her most discrete drug contacts. That would of course have to wait until she was older – at least 13. She was going to be such a good mommy. 
Ivar's daughter was going to love Torren as much as Torren loved him. They were going to be the perfect family.
Torren was as hopelessly devoted to Ivar as he was to her. He had waited for her to become legal. Just months before she was old enough to legally consent to sex, and get married without parental permission, his marriage started falling apart. She knew that Ivar was trying to make a clean break from his wife, and get his daughter used to the idea of them being apart before he could come home to her. 
Torren had been thoughtful and respectful enough to give him that space to make sure everything was right before she stepped into the role of the new Mrs. Lothbrok. He had to test the waters, make sure that she still wanted him as much as he wanted her. He had to get back into the swing of things…have sex constantly to make sure he could keep up with her. She knew that "the prude" wasn't doing it nearly as often as he needed to - why else would he have an Only Fans page?
Torren was the only one that could feed his appetite, and he hers.
Now, they were both finally ready. She was mature and developed. She knew what she needed, and it was him. He had his fun before her, but now he was auditioning again and getting everything back on track for them. He had a great relationship with his daughter and his dumb ass ex-wife finally understood that their relationship was a fling that went too far.
His face told her everything that her heart already knew. He loved her. 
Why else would be looking at her like that? She could feel herself blush when he smiled on Instagram like that into them. Then he gave her that smile. That was her smile; the one that he reserved for her during their private times. Yet, there he was doing it in front of an audience of millions, and he didn't care who saw it. He had to let her know that it was time for her to come home. It was like a sleeper cell being awakened.
She didn't have a choice. She did what any other woman in her position would do. She packed a bag, threw it in the car she stole a few days before and drove. Armed with her trifecta of knowledge and determination, she prepared to face the obstacles that were bound to get in her way. There was nothing that was going to stop her from getting her man.
Nothing.
Part ii || Part iv
Tags: @ideagarden-blog1​  @youbloodymadgenius​ @xbellaxcarolinax​ @a-mess-of-fandoms​ @didiintheblog​ @conaionaru​ @peachyboneless​ @flowers-in-your-hayr @heavenly1927​ @zuxiezendler @waiting4inspiration​ @saldelys @didiintheblog​  @revolution-starter​
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50 Headcanons Challenge
Favorite food is raw cucumbers.
As a little kid her school had a little orchestra music group and she was in it, and she played the drums.  She has a really good sense of rhythm.
Her favorite insect is the humble firefly but she also likes purple emperor butterflies, yellow potato beetles, and bell crickets.
She secretly assigns a bug to any person she gets to know.  This is a list that I have somewhere if anyone wants it.
Grew up in a very small village called Bimisari which is a few miles from the ocean, but it sits on a massive lake and has many ponds and swamps.
Nomiko’s green hair was black and fluffy until her quirk manifested.  Now it has the green color and a texture similar to pine needles.
Her best subject in school is probably science.  She has a pretty good memory so she’s able to remember elements and formulas and things like that.
She’s never had a pet, but cats used to hang out around her family’s bait shop and she named all of them and would secretly five them fish.
Nomiko cannot swim.  It not only effectively turns off her quirk, but if the water is cold, it makes her feel sick and heavy and tired.  This is a shame, because she loves going out on boats to  fish.
Nomiko has a sort of earthy smell that follows her and doesn’t go away.  No matter how much she bathes or washes her hair it doesn’t go away.  
On that note she can’t shower as often as most people.  She sort of spot cleans herself, but she can’t fully soak herself that often, because it takes so long for her to dry off and it makes her feel yucky.
Nomiko loves sugary beverages, the sweeter the better!
She’d probably say that Itoshi and Fukumi are her best friends.  She’s never been able to quantify that sort of relationship before meeting them.
Nomiko can and will eat just about anything without much complaint.  She will even eat spoiled food, much to the horror of people around her.
Her room is sparsely furnished.  It features some curtains that Itoshi made her and some string lights Fukumi gave to her.
As far as clothes go, she only has about 6 shirts, two pairs of jeans, two pairs of overalls, and three pairs of shorts.  And probably two pairs of shoes.  She just?? Doesn’t care about how she looks and she just doesn’t have a lot of clothes.
Her favorite kind of weather is very warm, and humid.
She keeps her room pretty humid.  She has two humidifiers that are usually going.
When she gets really excited, she chirps like a cricket!
She doesn’t smile with her teeth very much, because she is self conscious about not having the best teeth.
She has been known to put caffeine shots into her beverages, or mix energy drinks into other things.
Nomiko has always wanted siblings so she could have had someone to spend time with as a kid.  As she’s gotten older she’s glad she didn’t have any.  It could have made things so much worse.
She is surprisingly flexible.
She can use her quirk to fly around.  She has to be at least 50% swarmed to go airborne.
Her clothing cannot be swarmed with her, so her hero costume has a similar composition to Mirio’s in that it’s made with her own dna in mind.  
Related to the previous HC, Nomiko often will remain mostly in swarm after class until she can get somewhere where she can get her clothes back on.
Nomiko’s birthday is March 20th.
Nomiko is currently around 4′8/4′9, and she will never be taller than five feet tall.  She might level out at 4′10.  Maybe.
She doesn’t really take insults about her height or even her appearance all that hard.  If you call her a pest, however, she will take your teeth out.
As a kid Nomiko was made fun of for being poor and being dirty all the time.  Rather than proving people wrong, she just ended up leaning into it.
She is capable of bringing new bugs into her swarm if she can either learn enough about them, or if she physically gets her hands on one. 
Nomiko often makes fireflies appear around her when she’s in the dark.
If you spray her with bug spray, she may have a severe allergic reaction.  Too much could literally kill her though.
She gets a little bothered when people swat bugs or crushes them.  It makes her feel kind of sick to see
She’ll do a lot of crazy shit for a dollar..
Up until being at UA, she’d never really been to a doctor before?  Like when she first got there and got something like a physical done she has no recorded medical history before the age of 15 apart from her birth certificate.
Cigarette smoke makes her feel physically ill.
The little moths that flit around her head are often colored in ways to shoe her emotions.  Bright white ones are fear, light gray are neutral, yellow is happy, green means sick, and blue is sad.  Wasps and bees show up for anger.
Nomiko used to spend hours in the ponds and lakes in her village hunting leeches for her dad’s bait shop.
Nomiko cant enjoy really cold foods or drinks, she’s very sensitive to the cold.  Her favorite way to eat ice cream is with hot fudge.
In her room the only bed stuff she has is one pillow, a fitted sheet, one blanket, and a quilt Itoshi made her for Christmas.
Nomiko has insomnia but she manages it pretty well because even if she isn’t asleep she is very good at just laying still with her eyes closed.  Is that sad?
Nomiko can catch fish without a pole.  She can catch them with her bare hands, or just by holding a fishing line in water.
She has a song that she sings to herself when she’s sad or scared.  The song is “I Walk The Line” by Johnny Cash, but the thing is she does not know the words.  She doesn’t even really know how she knows it.
As an adult, Nomiko works with the commission as little as possible.  She’s legally allowed to practice as a hero but she does not answer to them.  She also refuses to talk to press. (She REALLY leaned into being like Aizawa.)
Nomiko collects loose change in a big jar that she keeps under her bed.  She’s usually looking at the ground when she’s out in the world so as a result she finds a lot of opportunities to find change.
Nomiko is always available to remove bugs from dorm rooms or shared spaces.  She gets it, not everyone loves bugs. However it pisses her off to be pulled from bed at 2 am because there’s a spider in the bathroom.
Discovered her hive mind ability after a frog ate one of her bugs when she was nine and the frog followed her all the way home.
Doesn’t really get scared at horror movies.  They got built up for her since she never saw them as a kid but she was pretty un-spooked. 
 She thinks green tea anything... is very yucky.  It tastes like grass.
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piermanwalter · 4 years
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I had a dream that I got myself a shapeshifting Nicki Minaj makeup set as a birthday present. I just got home from a long trip and impulse-purchased the makeup set at an airport duty-free shop. It was pitch black outside and felt very late at 9:30 like when you are a little kid and feel 9:30 is late. When your time is controlled by someone else, staying up late feels like a luxury. I’m not sure how old I was in my dream, since I travelled alone but still felt as though someone set a bedtime for me. 
The makeup set was a mystery box from the newly released “Nicki Siren” collection, which was mostly mermaid and sea-themed clothes and accessories. It cost 900 dollars, but the crushing sadness of being stuck in an extended layover on my birthday and the Fear of Missing Out since it was the last Nicki Siren set in the store compelled me to buy it. It was the volume of a shoebox. Top-down, it was square and slightly taller than it was wide. I opened it in my bedroom. The cardboard box was white with dark blue gouache-like writing and the front of the box had Nicki’s face in the corner wearing a pearl and seashell studded tiara and a teal wig with a surprised expression. The overall mood was bright, fun, and unusually unsexy. 
Inside the box was a teal plastic cube with gold accents. Inside the cube was custom light blue bubble wrap flecked with gold glitter. Under the bubble wrap was a 30-inch gold chain necklace with pearls at 3-inch intervals and two huge clamshells hanging off it. The clasp of the necklace had an 8-cm long flat silver pendant in the shape of a fan coral on it, studded on one side with tiny white crystals. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t a real chain and instead gold beads fit together like a chain strung onto braided teal leather. The information packet in the box under the cube said the beads were 20-ct gold-plated sterling silver, the clasp pendant was cubic zirconia and platinum-plated sterling silver, and the pearls were cultured. 
Despite being quahog type clams, the clamshells had the color and texture of a teal turbo snail shell. This is biologically impossible and I assumed the shells were fake or some weird manufacturing technique was used. Luckily, the shells could be removed from the necklace. which made it much more wearable. I was worried about the shell toggles being right on the pearls, since pearls are fragile, but the pearls were extremely slippery and couldn’t be scratched. I spun the clamshells around the pearls until I got bored. The shells were hinged containers. The smaller clamshell I could close my hand around and had 13 loose non-slippery pearls in it, while the big clamshell was the volume of two double cheeseburgers, extremely heavy, made sloshing noises when shook, but couldn’t be opened. 
The giant clamshell also had a big rectangular magenta sticker on it, which looked very good against the teal shell. Peeling the sticker off, there was product and copyright information printed directly onto the shell, which was ugly as hell and the opposite of normal giant stickers.
When I gave up on opening the giant clamshell, I noticed the necklace chain had grown a cigar-like steel tube around one of the pearls. The tube unrolled into a 3-inch-long hamsa charm with a cloisonne enamel design of white birds flying over fields and forests on it. I went downstairs to get a string and a chair. When I hung the hamsa on the ceiling fan in my bedroom, it started bending again and the birds had left the forest and were now flying over the sea. Although the design changed, I never saw the birds or the hamsa move.
After I got down from the ceiling fan, the pearls were sprouting like seeds, growing into cubic zirconia pavé coral like the one on the clasp. Unlike the hamsa I could see them grow and change in real time. As an experiment, I pinched one of the sprouts until it broke. The broken sprout withered until it disappeared and instead of faceted gems set in perfect prongs, the pearl started producing cloudy industrial accident crystals and twisted wires, before slorping it all back into itself and turning black. 
I felt bad about that and grated a block of parmesan over the pearls to atone. I had to clean cheese out of the prongs afterwards but it felt like the right thing to do. I noticed the coral was “eating” the cheese calcium crystals and growing little pearls so I put them back into the cheese and by the time all the parmesan disappeared, they were twice as big as the original with a seed pearl at every place the coral branched. When the coral pendants stopped growing, the pearl “eggshells” crumbled into powder and flowed back into the little clamshell, which grew a mirror and became a highlight powder compact. 
I looked back in the box and found a little redwood box taking up the remaining space. In the wood box were sheets of stickers made of dyed suede leather, more cubic zirconia, and metal foil. I put some on my phone case and decided to cover the product information on the giant shell with stickers because it looked so bad. This caused the big shell to open. In the shell was a bottle of “Cali Coast” Nicki Siren perfume, a mini lip palette, a mini eyeshadow palette, three tubes of mascara, a teal lipstick, a magenta lipstick, and a sea salt bath bomb. There was a dent in the shell the exact size of the stunted black pearl so I put it in and closed the case. When I opened it again, the black pearl turned into a pearl-handled powder brush.
I looked up the makeup set on the internet and there was a #NickiSirenChallenge on instagram where people bragged/commiserated about what they got. Always, the pendant on the clasp was some kind of immobile sea animal like an anemone or sea pen or sea star and there were always two teal turbo-patterned bivalve containers, like scallops or oysters, one big and one small. The necklace also varied from choker to floor-length, some with real chains, some beads set with larimar cabochons, some with solid gold chains, some with no metal and all natural pearls. Instead of stickers, some people got sample-size vials of different perfumes, keychains, silk scarves, or vouchers for free Nicki Siren clothes. One in 150 makeup sets had clasp pendants with real diamonds and solid platinum. 
To open the big case, you must cover it in stickers, put a key on the keychain, wear the scarf, or redeem the vouchers, depending on what you got. The big case always contained normal makeup and the little case contained 5-30 pearls which turned into different things depending on how you treated them, usually more makeup if you broke them, jewels if you didn’t. It was discovered breaking pearls before they sprouted turned them into applicable products like face creams or nail polish remover. Breaking pearls after they sprouted turns them into tools like nail files or lash curlers. Naturally people cared more about the pearls than the makeup even though it’s technically a makeup set. 
The little case could turn into anything with a hinge, usually corresponding to what the pearls turned into, like my compact and brush. Most people got jewellery boxes but some people got phone cases. 
There was a small chance of getting a bonus animated lucky charm. Someone got a clear resin horseshoe with a functioning ecosystem of malachite seaweed and peanut-sized copper sea urchins in it. Someone else got a palm-sized glass nazar which changed eye patterns before fading to a solid blue disc, then a brass goldfish would jump out of the center of the disc (not literally, it was a flat sheet of brass embedded in the surface which was etched using perspective to make it look as though it were leaping out of the nazar) before falling down, creating ripples that looked like an eye again. Another person got a blue faience ceramic Egyptian fish amulet that changed poses like it was swimming and sometimes moves to different rooms by itself. There were only 20 lucky charms in the world.
In one video, a pole dancer did a routine to Nicki Minaj songs and opened the box on stage. She got vouchers for a cameo in a music video and an entire free outfit. When she pulled the necklace out of the box, the strands of pearls just kept coming and when she turned the box upside down, the stage was engulfed in pearls like a giant shimmering mop.
In another video, someone poured Veuve Cliquot champagne on their case pearls and they hatched into huge round life-size faceted topaz sea apples encircled with braided gold wire instead tube feet, sprays of diamond-tipped gold as feeding tentacles.
Someone was able to score a rare full size Nicki Siren SuperBase foundation tube and she made a video where she applied the foundation, then complained it didn’t match her skin tone. The foundation immediately darkened to match. Later she made another video proving SuperBase foundation was like holy water because it could be refilled with different foundation but still be the same no matter how diluted it gets. SuperBase was the only product that behaves like this.
Someone ran over a case pearl with a Ferrari and it exploded into an 80-piece skincare set. 
I felt bad because aside from the hamsa, I got the second cheapest versions of everything. But as I scrolled through instagram, I became grateful that I didn’t incur Nicki’s wrath. 
Someone bought ten Nicki Siren sets and when she opened one, the stickers were paper, the necklace chain was that weird golden alloy that turns your skin green, the clasp pendant was a lead picoroco barnacle with a giant chunk of plastic for its beak, the small cockle had two pearls in it which turned into another lead barnacle and a sea salt bath bomb, and the big cockle had 8 sea salt bath bombs in it. When she tried to open the other boxes, there were more boxes inside and the boxes grew as though they were being put into more layers of boxes. She resold a box to someone else and in it was one of the rare larimar necklaces and a plate-sized bronze disc with the face of Medusa molded on one side and a shifting mosaic of an ancient Greek harbor on the other side. Consumed by greed, she kept opening the boxes until they were the size of refrigerators. Nine boxes in her garage, she now parks outside. She makes increasingly desperate unboxing videos and with every update her comments are filled with “i can buy a box for $3k dm me i’m serious” and “Ma’am. Please give up.” and “pouring out my superbass foundation for u when u cant fit in ur house ne more LMAO”.
Someone smashed open her big shell instead of opening it properly and it was filled with moths which followed her around eating her clothes. 
An influencer who infamously bugged Nicki into giving her a free set for promotion was crying next to a 10-foot-wide crater in her house because she broke all the sprouting pearls in her little mussel case and the pearls became so heavy they broke the table, broke through the second floor, broke through the first floor, broke through the foundation, and sank into the earth. Then the little mussel turned into a 2001 flip phone and Nicki called her through it and said she was a “fake-ass copy-ass jealous-ass bitch”. She still wore Nicki Siren eyeshadow in the video.
Someone lied about getting a lucky charm for clout and it turned out she strung sea-themed Pandora beads on a mass-produced dreamcatcher. After she redeemed her voucher for a silk dress, when her big freshwater oyster case opened, there were 8 sea salt bath bombs in it and also moths. The moths ate her new dress.
There was a news article about the finder of the resin sea urchin horseshoe being banned from casinos because it increased his luck in gambling but most importantly made his bets on horse races always win. Since the hamsa is a hand, I assumed it would make me unbeatable in card games. 
There was also a news article about German material engineers trying to get as many Nicki Siren pearls as possible to study their previously unseen anti-friction properties. 
Not to be one-upped, Megan Thee Stallion announced the “Hot Girl Eternity” line of hoodies, t-shirts, and booty shorts which will allow the wearer to be immune to fire, heat, and radiation (hoodies), conjure flames (t-shirts), and absorb power from things they burn to add to their own lifespan (shorts). Even though they have yet to be released, it’s already impossible to get Hot Girl Eternity hoodies because they have all been preordered by hazard area workers and x-ray technicians and also stans. 
I think in my dream all rappers are powerful enchanters because that makes the most sense given everything that happened. 
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imagineredwood · 4 years
Text
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Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4   Part 5    Part 6    Part 7    Part 8   Part 9       Part 10
Pairing: EZ Reyes x Camila (OC)
Warnings: None
Word count: 2.4k
***I know y’all been wanting EZ x Cam smut. I promise I will deliver 😂Soon. We gotta shake some shit up first though.***
“Where are we going?”
Camila questioned EZ once more with a smile, her hand holding onto his as they walked. He grinned and looked over at her, leaning down for a kiss as he relented.
“I’m taking you for ice cream.”
Once her lips were off his, she smiled again and squeezed his hand.
“Do you remember my favorite flavor?”
EZ looked down at her with an incredulous look, pointing at his forehead with his index finger.
“Do I remember? I remember everything.”
Camila nodded and looked forward again, walking along the sidewalk with him.
“I forgot about that.”
They walked quietly then, not speaking again until they were in the parlor, EZ stepping up to the counter as the middle-aged redheaded woman smiled.
“What can I get you two lovebirds?”
EZ pointed over at Camila with his thumb.
“She’ll have strawberry on a cake cone, rainbow sprinkles.”
The woman nodded as she looked at Camila and then looked back at EZ.
“And what can I get for you, cutie?”
EZ looked over the board for a moment more, his hand griping at the hair on his chin before he looked back down at her.
“Rocky road in a cup.”
“You got it.”
The woman turned around and began making up the orders, EZ turning to find Camila looking at the various posters on the wall, Elvis and Marilyn Monroe plastered everywhere. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist, hands against her tummy as he rested his chin on her shoulder. She relaxed into his grip and tilted her head slightly, her temple resting against his.
“Thanks for taking me out again, Ezekiel.”
EZ hugged her tighter and pressed his cheek into hers, giving a sigh.
“I wish I could do it more often. Shit with the club takes my attention away from you.”
Camila shook her head at that, turning in his arms.
“You were with the club before you were with me. If they need you, they need you.”
EZ looked down at her silently, wondering how with all of the bad shit he had done in his life, from killing an innocent man to taking a deal with the DEA  to betraying both his brother and club and getting his father caught up in the mix, he had managed to get someone that was so patient and when it came to him and his life. He reached up and placed his hand on her cheek, his thumb running over her plump and pink bottom lip, pulling it down slightly before letting it pop back into place. There was the sound of someone clearing their throat and they both jumped slightly, pulling away from each other to find the woman standing with both the cone and cup of ice cream in her hands, a smirk on her face.
“Nothing like young love.”
EZ took the ice cream from her with a bashful smile and turned back to Camila, both walking to the corner of the empty ice cream parlor, sitting in the vintage chairs.  
EZ waited for Camila to sit down before he handed her the ice cream and sat down himself. They sat and talked and ate, laughing and telling each other about their week freely. She told him about the shipment of new releases she had gotten at the bookstore and he told her about the 12 round game of rock paper scissors Angel and Coco had played about who was going to have to pay for the pizza they ordered last night for dinner. They talked amongst themselves, their ice cream long gone and the clock hands slowly ticking as they simply enjoyed each other’s company.
Soon enough, Camila looked down at her watch and placed her hands on the tops of her thighs.
“We better get going. We’ve been here for an hour now.”
The two stood and pushed their chairs in, EZ throwing a ten-dollar bill on the counter as they walked out. The woman waved at them as they left and EZ held the door open for Camila to step out. He followed behind her and took her hand in his as they started to walk back to the carniceria. Along the way, EZ’s observant nature noticed a car parked along the street and he narrowed his eyes, trying to see who it was that was sitting in the driver’s seat. He didn’t have to wait long though as Kevin stepped out, closing the door behind him and then strolling over, EZ’s jaw tensing. His grip on Camila tightened involuntarily and he pushed her to walk a little faster, his hand now on the small of her back. She looked up at him confused before she noticed Kevin, a look of frustration flashing across her face along with what looked to EZ like anger.
“Everything’s fine. Just go inside with Pop.”
The two made it to the front door of the carniceria before KJ did and Camila walked in, EZ staying right outside of the door, arms crossed in front of him. Inside, Felipe was already standing with a hand on Camila’s shoulder and she couldn’t tell if he was doing it to offer her comfort or to keep her inside. She looked on as EZ and Kevin spoke, a growing tension clearly visible in EZ’s shoulders the longer the conversation went on.
“He doesn’t quit does he.”
Felipe shook his head quietly, turning to Camila and gently pulling her to sit down as the two men walked inside. EZ was clearly pissed when he turned toward Camila, but he willed his jaw to loosen some before he spoke to her.
“I think you should head out. I’ll see you later.”
Camila’s eyebrows furrowed as she listened to his words. He was short and there wasn’t the same warmth that his voice usually held when he spoke to her. She knew he was angry, she could read it on him like it was written across his forehead, but she didn’t get why his brevity would be directed at her, or why she would need to leave so that he could talk to the man that everyone apparently should be avoiding. It didn’t make sense to her, but she left it alone, nodding and not saying anything for the time being. She took a step to the right and walked past EZ, his eyes flashing towards her once before looking back at Kevin. Felipe followed her out to the door, and she turned back toward him momentarily, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Felipe took the opportunity to speak to her, knowing that only she would be able to hear.
“Everything is fine, mija. No te preocupes.”
Camila nodded and pushed a smile before walking out of the shop entirely and making her way to her car. She wasn’t sure what was going on and she had a feeling that she wouldn’t be finding out the truth anytime soon.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sound of a bike let her know that EZ was there way before he actually pulled into her driveway. She pulled the yellow blanket off her lap and stood from the couch, walking up to the front door, taking a glance at the clock on the stove. It was now 11:30 PM, nearly 3 hours after she had left the carniceria to let EZ talk. If she was being honest, she had started to think that perhaps he had just forgotten he said he would see her later. Pulling open her front door, she saw him pull the key from the bike and hop off, hanging the helmet from the handlebar.
He looked up to see her standing at the door, arms crossed as she leaned against the frame. He started walking up the driveway and now looking at her attire, he took in the sight of her. Boy shorts that showed more leg than he had seen from her before, a tank top and house slippers, her hair pulled into a messy bun at the top of her head.  Tendrils of dark hair hung down around her ears and at the nape of her neck. Her eyes looked heavy and he pulled out his phone to check the time, wincing when he saw how much time had gotten away from him. He slipped his phone back into his kutte and jogged up the last few steps to where she stood, a soft and apologetic smile coming to his face.
“Sorry, querida. I didn’t realize what time it was.”
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, noticing immediately that she wasn’t as receptive as she normally was. Pulling away, he looked at her, her hand coming to rest on his cheek.
“Are you ok?”
He saw her searching his eyes and he knew there was a lot hidden behind that question.
She knew. She knew that there was something she didn’t know, something that he wasn’t telling her, and she wanted to know if there was a problem. Even still she didn’t ask, didn’t question, didn’t demand answers. Not yet at least. She just wanted to know that he was alright and that in itself made him feel a little better about the night’s events.
“I’m fine, Cam. I promise.”
Her eyes stayed trained on his and he had to look away briefly, the feeling of her trying to read him almost palpable. After a moment, she pulled her hand away and stepped back, opening the door to let him into her home.
It looked different now at this time. Most of the lights were off except the ones in the kitchen and hallway, candles burning in random parts of the living room, a light yellow blanket strewn across the couch where he was sure she was probably laying half asleep before he pulled up. EZ stepped further into the house and waited for her as she turned to lock the door behind him. When she faced him again, he grabbed onto her hand and pulled her towards her own couch to sit with him. She didn’t take much convincing, following him and sitting down beside him, hand resting gently on his thigh.
“Your dad ok?”
EZ nodded and tossed an arm around her, reminiscent of how they had been the last time they sat together on the couch like this. She cuddled into him further and blew out a breath, closing her eyes. There was so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted to ask, but she didn’t want to make him feel as if she didn’t know how to mind her business. Her ability to read people had always been one of her most important qualities because no matter how hard people tried to hide, she could always tell if there were secrets hiding in their eyes and in time, all things come to light. The couple sat there quietly for a bit before Camila spoke.
“I know we’re still pretty new, still figuring each other out, trying to navigate each other’s lives, but I just want to make sure everything is ok, Ezekiel. You don’t have to tell me the details.”
She left it at that, affirming EZ’s suspicions from earlier. She was completely aware that something wasn’t right, that there was trouble brewing, and EZ thought back to his father’s words.
‘She’s not the type of woman to push and be nosey, but she isn’t the type to sit around in the dark either.’
He was right, as per usual, and EZ swallowed.
“The whole thing is…a mess. It’s a mess that I don’t want you caught up in. It’s my mess. My problem, not yours. You’re one of the first positive things I’ve had happen to me in a while. I want to keep it that way.”
He wasn’t being direct, he was, in fact, being impossibly vague and yet, Camila understood then that whatever the issue was, it was bigger than just them. It was complicated and serious and something that had the potential to disrupt the balance if she were to find out and more so if it were to come out. Camila could see that now and she nodded, pulling away from EZ to grab her yellow blanket again and cuddle back into his side, wrapping the two of them up in the plush fabric.
 ~~~~~~~~~~ 
Camila looked up from the paperwork in front of her when the bell attached to the library door jingled as someone was coming in. She saw a blonde woman standing there, blue eyes and designer clothes as she walked into the bookstore, a man with dark braids walking in behind her. They both exuded an expensive air and Camila stood from her chair, drawing the attention of both new customers.
“Good morning. Is there anything I can help you find?”
The man in the back didn’t pay much attention to her, simply scanning around the store, his head always on the swivel, observing everything. The woman however was focused on Camila, an unreadable look on her face before she gave a smile and pointed over to the café side.
“Are they closed?”
Camila shook her head, motioning to the nearly empty store.
“No, they’re open, they’re just in the back getting everything ready for the day.”
Camila walked over and called out to the baristas over the counter, the two young women that worked the mornings stepping out and smiling at the woman, beginning to take her order. Walking back to the bookstore desk, Camila noticed the man still hadn’t moved, still standing in that same spot where he had been. She looked away before she could catch his attention and sat back down in the chair, continuing with her inventory list. Once the blonde woman was finished with her order, she went and sat at a table to wait, looking over at Camila once more. Camila could feel her eyes on her and stayed looking down as she tried to remember where she had seen the woman before. She looked slightly familiar and Camila couldn’t figure out how or from where. She sat there looking down at the list pretending to read, but her eyes were in the same spot, her wracking her memory to try and remember where she may have seen the woman from. Coming up blank, she left it alone, figuring it must’ve not have been from anything important. She zoned out on her surroundings then, focusing on the tallies on the paper and making sure the serial numbers matched, not paying much mind when she heard the barista call out the order of a caramel macchiato for Emily.
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iatasbcl · 5 years
Text
You Were Born
Pairing: Deviant!Connor x Reader
Summary: It’s Connor’s birthday and the two of you take a trip down memory lane.
A/N: I didn’t feel motivated enough to write on the 15th so here is a late birthday fic for my boy!! Prepare yourself for some tooth-rooting fluff and shitty references, Enjoy!
W.C: 2K? I think
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Monday, August 15, 2039
The first thing Connor noticed was how abnormal the silence surrounding the Andersson household was. His home wasn’t one known for quietness nor peacefulness, it disconcerted him how he couldn’t even hear Sumo’s familiar barking that he heard every time he came back from work. The lights were out too.
The atmosphere sent him spiraling into the worst possibilities, was everyone attacked? Were you hurt?
The thoughts terrified him, but he moved towards the door nonetheless, he knocked once, twice, thrice. He touched the doorknob and it turned with ease, the door let out long creaks as he tried his best to look in the dark, he, unfortunately, was not equipped with night-vision optical units.
Something was wrong, something was wrong, something was wrong —
“Surprise!”
As soon as the word hit him, the lights were on and his eyes immediately adjusted. The inner decor was covered with birthday decorations, a big ‘HAPPY ACTIVATIᵛᵃᵗᶦᵒⁿ ᵈᵃʸ’ sign hung between the living room and the kitchen. It was your font; you probably didn’t take the size of the banner into account.
Most of the people he knew were there; Hank, Sumo, Nines, his friends from Jericho, and even Gavin. And you, who was smiling at him with the adorable smile he loved so much.
You closed in on him and pulled him into a tight hug, your lips pecked his cheek and you whispered, “Happy birthday.” Into his ear.
The party wasn’t over the top, as most of the people here were exhausted from another tiring Monday.
“It was ____’s idea.” Said Hank with some blue whipped cream covering his mustache, “They managed to gather everyone today, took a whole lot of convincing bring that rat-man.” Connor now knew that was Gavin’s nickname.
He appreciated it, you gathered everyone he loved in one room for him on a weekday, nonetheless. You and Hank made him cake shaped like a cartoonish robot with blue frosting, it was a bit messy, but it looked perfect to him. He appreciated the sentiment behind it even though he couldn’t taste it.
“Then I yelled ‘Fuck da police’” Said a weirdly drunk Gavin, Connor wondered where he got enough booze to become this intoxicated. He locked everything away for Hank’s sake.
“Detective, you work for the police.” Was Nines’ coolly response.
“Yeah… Fuck ‘em.”
“Nice,” You interjected, taking a sip of your drink “So, you’re saying where you were 15 you stole a car, crashed it, stole another car and yelled ‘fuck da police’ in the face of the office that was arresting you?”
“Yeah… it was awesome” He slurred.
“I feel like I should be surprised but I’m not.” You nodded to yourself.
“Hey, Markus?” Connor noticed the alcohol in your body slightly increased as you swayed next to him, “Is it true? Is Warren an android?”
Markus blinked at your sudden question; Connor gave him an apologetic smile.
“I can’t confirm nor deny that.” He chuckled.
“That’s a yes, Gavin you own me 20 dollars.” You ran to where the said man was.
Everyone had left as it got late, Nines accompanied Gavin to his home, Markus and the rest of Jericho went to the airport to catch their flight and a rather tired Hank retreated to his room.
It was just the two of you know, he did what you advised him to do if you slipped and drank too much. He made you coffee and gave you water, it didn’t take that long for you to begin to sober up.
“I am dating a one-year-old.” You muttered to yourself, sobering you liked questioning your life choices.
“I am technically designed to be in my late twenties or early thirties.” He corrected and you groaned, “Yeah, yeah.”
For the first time in the last hours, it was quiet. But this felt pleasant.
“Do you… wanna open your presents?”
Presents were a common part of birthday parties, given in celebration of the person’s birthday. He did receive gifts and cards from the attendees that he was curious to see.
And so, he did. He and you sat next to each other on the comfy couch and began to open the gifts.
The first one was a physical copy of the book ‘I, Robot’ by Isaac Asimov. He was surprised to see it was from Gavin, of all people. “Aw, he really loves that book,” you said, “Do you think you noticed you reading a lot in the precinct?”
Reading was another hobby he picked up, he enjoyed how relaxing it was.
The second one was from Nines, it was a mug with a Saint Bernard on it, it looked just liked Sumo. He smiled; he was going to use it for his thirium.
You were smiling too, like you felt happy for how loved he felt right now.
The third one was from Markus; it was a portrait of him. His Art always managed to take Connor’s breath away. “Damn, we gotta hang that over the fireplace.”
North gave him a custom-made knife; Josh wrote a birthday card that thanked him for his help with their cause and Simon gifted him a little cactus.
Hank’s gift would’ve knocked the air out of his lungs if he had to breath. Most wouldn’t call it a spectacular gift, but it meant a lot to Connor. It was an antique coin, similar to his dear one he lost a while ago. He flicked it into his other hand, testing the waters as they say. He knew how Hank found his habit irritating and yet he got him a new coin, a beautiful one too.
“Okay, show off. C’mon open mine.” You ushered and he noticed how you started to look anxious, “Are you alright?”
“Yes, of course, just open the thing.” You pushed the wrapped box towards him, and he nodded.
It was a scrapbook, made of polaroid pictures of him and the people around you. The first page was from the first time you met, the Carlos Ortiz crime scene. He remembered how Hank scolded you for taking a picture of this piece of shit instead of working. You did not care at all.
Friday, November 5, 2038
-Welcome to the team, Mr. the android sent by cyberlife
The next page included a picture of him and Hank in the car while you drove to Kamski’s place, he remembered it being rather… dull. You didn’t talk much nor did Hank.
Tuesday, November 9, 2038
-Going to visit Mr. I live in the mountains while the whole world burns, this should be great. Also, Connor is listening to heavy metal lol
He did mean it when he said he would like to listen to music, heavy metal has been one of his favorite genres ever since. His grin only grew wider when he saw the next picture. It was taken in Hank’s house, a shot of the TV displayed him standing behind Markus and the thousands of androids in front of them.
Friday, November 12, 2038
-This dork literally joined a revolution and won… what a power move
also hank is tearing up but he threatened to break my camera if I took a photo ):
“Hank cried?” He asked and you immediately nodded, “I told you he’s a softie… he was happy you were alright.” Right, he was almost killed beforehand by his ‘evil twin’ as you said, it made sense for him to worry.
He flipped the page and a wave of happier memories hit him. Things were still hectic since the revolution ‘ended’. Many evacuated the city despite the peaceful approach that Markus took, their fear was irrational yet understandable. This meant most of the resident of Detroit were androids.
It wasn’t bad but the evacuation only meant many humans still refused to acknowledge the fact that androids were alive and in time would be their equals in the eyes of law. It lowered his spirit a bit.
Hank wasn’t having it, at all. He decided to take out the old Christmas decorations he had and invited you over to help decorate the house. It wasn’t even December, yet you rushed here.
This one was of Hank scolding him and his counterpart while they tried to put the star on the tree.
Monday, November 29, 2038
-Life is great, Connor and Nines just tried to put Sumo on the amazing (decorated by me) Christmas tree
Androids really are superior to us
He chuckled at your comment and continued. The photo was of him in a ‘casual’ suit that hank gave him. It was your first date since you asked him out. You were going to watch movies at your place.
Tuesday, February 14, 2039
-Taking this one because Connor looks nervous… and cute.
You snickered, “Do you remember how nervous you were? It was so adorable.” He shook his head, “Yes, my stress level was a bit high. You failed to mention the date would be in your apartment and not out before I borrowed this from Hank. I didn’t want him to feel bad about it and I ended up looking overdressed.”
You chuckled, again. “Well, you still looked perfect.” Your loved complimenting him and it always made his face heat up, he bit his lip and proceeded.
The next one was of him standing in Hank’s bathroom with his LED gone for the first time since his activation, it took a lot of courage to be able to let go of what he was made for, be it that little spinning device. You and Hank were with him every step of the way.
Sunday, April 3, 2039 -My boy is accepting himself
He teared up a bit, the support he got from you and the others was heart-warming, to say the least. He held your hand and gave it a quick peck.
The following one featured a hug between him and Hank. He had received gifts from both Connor and Nines, the former gave him a card with a heartfelt message while the latter gave him one that simply said, ‘You are an efficient parental figure.’ It was impressive since it came from Nines, who still struggled with his lack of a social program.
Saturday, June 19, 2039
-Father’s Day with our fav grumpy old man.
After that was him in shorts and a tank top from last month. He stood next to Sumo with a box of fireworks in his hands. He didn’t participate with the celebration since he wanted to make sure Sumo would be okay, you stayed with him.
Monday, July 4, 2039
-Happy 4th of July! Connor, your legs were made for these shorts- god bless Cyberlife.
That night did end up being… Interesting because of his choice in clothing. He did end up wearing them a bit more since then.
He flipped the page and realized the rest of them were empty. “I didn’t realize this was why you insisted on taking pictures of me with your polaroid camera.” You shrugged.
“It wasn’t in the beginning but… I wanted to capture those moments you know? Keep them with us forever.” You moved closer and snuggled with him, “You can fill it up if you want. I know you can see any memory you want anytime but… I guess this is just a sappy way of doing it.”
“No,” he interjected, “I appreciate your gift and the meaning behind it. I also wish to have many more pleasant memories with you and those around us.” You hummed with a smile then yawned. You put your head against his shoulder and soon drifted off.
He noticed your Camera on the table next to him, how convenient. He slowly reached for it and used it to take a picture of the two of you. You looked breath-taking to him, with your peaceful face and soft snoring.
Something about this felt… right. He felt like he finally belonged. Like he found his place, his family, his love. This was ‘it’ as some would say.
Monday, August 15, 2039 -I am happy.
249 notes · View notes
maatryoshkaa · 5 years
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Bet | Seo Changbin
Summary: as a JYP intern, your one goal had been to avoid developing feelings for the idols you worked with. Unfortunately, upon noticing your feelings for a certain “dark” rapper, the rest of stray kids have made it their mission to make your relationship happen.
Genre: fluff, infinitesimal amount of angst
Word Count: 2.9k
Features: Stray Kids, JY-Papi
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It had been nearly half a year of floating around various entertainment companies and internships until you’d finally hit the jackpot and landed an offer at JYP Entertainment.
As it turns out, one of their monster rookie groups, Stray Kids, had just had one of their most busy, successful comebacks, and their management needed as many hands on deck as possible.
Before you knew it, you were transferred to their department and assigned as one of their full-time personal assistants.
At first, it was a hectic whirlwind of tasks thrown at you -- suddenly, there were 9 orders of drinks to memorize in the morning, numerous meal deliveries to manage, supplies to organize in the studio, and cleaning up the dance practice room every day.
Honestly, your back and soul would have broken within the first week if the boys hadn’t been so sweet and easy to be around.
Lots of the full-time assistants already held positions in other departments, so they only dropped in for a couple of brief shifts a day.
This lead to you staying with them from 6am, when you’d bring them their schedule, until the unearthly hours of the morning when members (mostly Bang Chan, cough cough) worked late.
With you eating meals with them and accompanying them to all their practices, shows and promotions, your relationship began to feel more like close friends instead of idols and their personal assistant.
Even so, you were surprisingly adept at your job, winning a shower of praises from the members and higher-ups alike.
You’d always had a knack for noticing small details about people:
You were able to remember how Jeongin ran better on juice or fruit tea better than coffee, because he found the taste unpleasant,
And how Jisung likes his coffee made basically like ice cream, loaded with 3 creams and 3 sugars,
And that Chan prefers to make his coffee himself, because he feels bad that you often have to stay up till 3 am waiting on him to finally wrap up work.
Nevertheless, after all the late nights and misadventures you had taking care of Stray Kids, you’d be lying if you said someone didn’t make your heart beat a little faster than it was supposed to, even though you’d pledged to yourself over and over again not to fall for the idols you worked with.
But maybe, just maybe -- you had a teeny, tiny crush on Seo Changbin.
Sure, just the sound of his name was enough to set butterflies free in your stomach, and you laughed a little harder at his bad jokes than everyone else, and you put a little more care making his coffee than everyone else,
And maybe you were kind of in love with his cheeky smile, and how he’d go from dark, brooding rapper-producer to 5’5 ball of aegyo in a matter of seconds, and how when he was focused writing his lyrics, he looked so good--
Damn it.
Still, you thought you’d been pretty damn subtle about your feelings, but little did you know
Not even a month into your internship, Stray Kids (minus Changbin, who they’d made wash the dishes) had a mini meeting after dinner one evening.
After casting a quick backwards look to the kitchen, where the rapper was grumbling about how he was the only one who they ever bullied, Chan brought up the million-dollar question:
“So how much are y’all willing to bet that Changbin and our new assistant are gonna end up together?”
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There were snickers, and murmured responses of “20 bucks” and “one fried chicken” and “my cats”, but a hum of conversation starts, some of the member dead set on the fact that your relationship was inevitable, while others admitted that though you were cute, Changbin would be too much of a pussy shy to follow through.
By the time Changbin came back, the bet had been made: Minho, Jisung, Chan, Hyunjin and Woojin were Team ready to risk it all for the two of you to end up together, while Jeongin, Seungmin, and Felix were team y’all cute but changbin’s a pussy.
It started off with little bets, like Minho nudging Jeongin and whispering, “bet you a banana milk that y/n’ll say hi to Changbin first today,” but quickly grows competitive
Eventually Team Jeongin, Seungmin and Felix cave in and the bet turns into a matter of which one of you will make the first move.
And suddenly, you’ve gained 8 wingmen.
It started off subtle: whenever you visited 3racha during their producing and recording sessions, Chan and Jisung would always manage to find some excuse to leave you alone with Changbin.
“Hey guys, you need anything?” You’d enter the room, handing them coffee.
“Oh, no, it’s alright! Ah, actually, Jisung -- weren’t we supposed to meet JYP for something today? We should probably get going --” Chan would get up from the computer desk, promptly swinging Jisung out of there and leaving a bewildered Changbin staring at them through the recording window.
At the practice room, Hyunjin would always spot you outside, bringing lunch deliveries from the parking lot, and would make a beeline for Changbin.
“Hyung, I just saw y/n in the parking lot...looks like she’s having a lot of trouble carrying heavy stuff in.”
Cue Changbin bolting out of the building to help a pleasantly surprised you carry the food back into the building as Hyunjin watched smugly through the mirror and patted himself on the back.
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You also noticed them asking you to help out with the dishes a lot more, leaving you and the rapper together nearly every evening. There were always a mountain of washing to do, but you and Changbin didn’t really mind, somehow turning the chore into a fun time as long as you two were together.
You were kind of suspicious of the boys’ intentions, but didn’t really think anything of it until Felix began to contribute his part of the bet.
You two had always been close and honest with each other, but boy was this kid bad at being subtle
“Oh, that’s cute!” You’d exclaim, pointing at a fat plushie.
“Sure is. Hey, you know what else is cute? Changbin, right?”
Or
“It’s so sweet,” you’d remark after drinking the milk tea he prepared for you.
Cue a wiggling of his eyebrows as he’d reply, “Really sweet, just like this guy I know. Changbin.”
And, one fateful day, when he was giving you one of his infamous massages after a particularly grueling day at work,
“Ahh, that feels so good,” you sighed in relief as the tension left your shoulders.
“Mhm. You know who else could make you feel super good? Chang--” “FELIX!”
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You finally confronted him, demanding why he always brought the rapper into unnecessary conversations, and so Felix ended up telling you everything: about how they knew you liked him, and the bets that had been going on between the members for the last seven months.
You could feel your heart sinking deeper into the pit of your stomach with every word Felix said.
Originally, you’d thought you could peacefully finish up your year-long internship, happy just to be around Changbin, quietly milling over your crush for him at a safe distance.
It would be painful, sure, but not as painful as it would be had he found out about your crush on him and had to reject you.
You knew there was no way he would ever like you, he was a busy member of one of the hottest groups in Korea, talented and destined for success. You? You shook your head. You were just an intern, not even a worker, helping them along a small portion of their career.
Now that you knew all the members knew, it began to make you wonder just obvious you had been, and a great shame washed over you.
You were devastated.
Determined to divert your focus strictly back to work, you distanced yourself from him, carefully keeping the boundaries between professionalism and friendship as you continued carrying out your assigned duties. Anyways, it wasn’t as if Changbin would notice.
Changbin noticed.
He noticed, and quite honestly, it put a heavy damper on his mood.
You’d always been the brightest part of his day, there to cheer him on or calm him down, ready to share the burden even though you didn’t have to.
Now, all he saw of you were glimpses of your resigned face when you passed him his drink, cleaned the studio, and brought in the meals.
He missed you.
And it showed in the way his energy decreased, the rest of 3racha dumbfounded when Changbin ended up working later than Chan because he had no motivation to finish the tracks; his mind was filled with worries and thoughts of you.
Changbin missed you.
He’d found himself falling, falling hard for you ever since you’d brought him his first caramel macchiato, taking the time to listen to his worries about the recordings and offer warm, sincere encouragement.
Changbin found himself lost in the way your mouth crinkled trying to suppress a laugh at his bad aegyo, the way your eyes would betray you first, creasing into twinkling half-moons when you finally smiled.
He liked the sound of your voice, how hearing it could soothe the deepest aches in his bones from working all day and jolt him awake at the same time, a thrum of buzzing energy restored in his veins.
He liked you, everything there possibly was to love about you, the way your hair fell against your cheek when you looked over at him, your focused expression while you worked, the warmth of your hand brushing his as you handed him his 3 am shot of caffeine--
Fuck.
Changbin caught himself, running a hand through his hair. How did he let himself get in so deep? After all, you were the new intern, popular with new workers and upper-class managers alike. You clearly had a bright future ahead of you -- smart, beautiful, and resourceful, he wouldn’t be surprised if you claimed the CEO position within five years. So why on Earth would y/n l/n bother to get all tangled up with a mere idol like him?
He only barely managed to resurface from his thoughts, bringing himself back to the blank track he’d been staring at passive-aggressively for the last three hours.
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Meanwhile, the eight other members have noticed this change in you and Changbin’s dynamic the past couple of weeks, and were dumbfounded.
“Yeah, I might’ve...told her about the bet,” Felix mumbled in the dorms after Chan had mentioned it in passing. When the other members had begun protesting, he added defensively, “What? I didn’t know it’d make them hate each other!”
“Bro, can you imagine how embarrassed she must’ve felt?” Chan groaned. “So she’s distancing herself from him now, and Changbin’s walking around like JYP made him the main vocal or something.”
Realizing that Changbin was likely still at the studio, and that you were probably still cleaning up the practice rooms, the boys decided that desperate times called for desperate measures.
At a quarter to 1 AM, two buzzes made you jump as you locked up the dance practice room for the night. Pulling out your phone, you saw two texts from Woojin.
Two New Messages
Hey! Changbin’s been pretty stressed about the new album recently, and he’s been staying at the studio till dawn.
The cafe’s closed, so could you make him some coffee from the cafeteria?
The image of sleep-deprived Changbin forced to work overtime was enough to make you shove down your sleepiness, rushing to whip up a fresh, hot brew of coffee with two shots of espresso and sugar, just how you knew he liked it.
Still, you were cautious as you knocked on the studio door, trying to make your heartbeat shut up. Calm down. This was nothing. He was just one of the people you worked with, and you just had to give him the coffee and go.
Just give him the coffee and go, y/n.
You entered after hearing his “yeah, come in,” voice hoarse and low from sleepiness and stress, and saw him slumped in his chair, eyes ringed with sleep circles and shoulders tense.
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“Bin--Changbin. Drink some, you need the energy.”
He looked over at you, eyes barely concealing a million different emotions, but he silently took the coffee, drinking slowly.
You turned to leave, chest feeling hollow, until you felt a cool hand, warmed only temporarily by the hot coffee, on yours.
“Would you--can you please...stay?”
And something in the way he sounded so small, so vulnerable, something in the way his hand on your skin made your heart flutter involuntarily, made you pull up the chair next to him and gently ask to listen to what he’d been working on.
All the tension and confusion from the last few weeks of distance seemed to melt away, the dim studio and the moonlight filtering through the thin curtains offering a soft sense of peace.
You gave him suggestions, made jokes, cheered him on even after the last drop of caffeine had been consumed, and Changbin managed to finish the demo of the song in one sitting.
And it sounded amazing.
The clock strikes three, Changbin let out a relieved groan as he exports the file, and as he looked over at you, he swore that you were the single most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
Unwilling to head off to bed just yet, you two graduated towards the sofa by the window, and, feeling bold on the waning spikes of caffeine and accomplishment, Changbin asked you for a massage.
Hands shaky at first, you turned him around, and gently smoothed your fingers over his back before pressing concentrated circles into the knots you found. He’d lost weight, but put on muscle, you noted -- as if he had been missing meals, yet overworking his body, and you felt a pang of guilt -- had you really been ignoring him so much that you didn’t even bother to check if he was eating?
After a few moments of silence, he said, 
“We haven’t done this in a while, huh?”
You nodded absently.
“Remember I am You promotions? You’d always stay up with me when JYP needed me to change the tracks last minute, even when I’d go ‘til the next morning…” 
He trailed off, lost and basking in the warmth and comfort of your body close to his for the first time in weeks.
Too soon, you finished the massage, avoiding his gaze, but before you could pull away you felt his arms envelop you, pulling you close, and he smelled like coffee and lemons and felt warm and right.
He was holding you as if he might break if he let go, his breathing uneven in your ear as you feel his erratic heartbeat through his thin shirt.
“Changbin, I--” 
You couldn’t find the right words. 
I like you, so so much, but I’m also so, so afraid to. I’m afraid, you won’t like me, you shouldn’t like me, and definitely not good enough for you and this whole thing is just ridiculous to even consider--
Judging by Changbin’s dumbfounded expression when he pulled away to look you in the eyes, you realized that you might have just rambled all of that out loud.
“Are you kidding, y/n? I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you.” He peered at you. “Is that why you’ve been avoiding me?”
You nodded, now clamping your mouth shut for fear of more word vomit spilling out of your tired mouth.
Changbin sighed, shaking his head before looking back up at you. 
“Dummy, I like you, too. I thought that was obvious.”
Now your mouth dropped open, opening and closing dumbly as he looked up at you with an equally stupid smile, and you remembered one thing.
“You know, apparently all our friends have a bet going that we’re going to end up together,” you breathed, still unable to fathom what he’d just said.
“Yeah?” Changbin replied, voice soft. “Well, I guess they won.”
The next thing you knew, all you could feel were Changbin’s lips were on yours, tasting of sweet caffeine, and the cool moonlight pressing stars behind your eyelids. He laced a hand with yours, the other finding the small of your back and pulling you even closer into him as you reached up to gently touch his chest.
Afterwards was a blur, the dim room now filled with your dazed, heavy breathing as Changbin pulled the throw blanket they used for late nights in the winter over the you, both of you too happy and exhausted to say anything else before falling into a deep, peaceful sleep.
The first person to find you two in the morning is none other than JYP himself, entering the studio with a 
“Changbin, you should get some re--oh.” 
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And promptly closing the door.
Honestly he saw this coming, and was lowkey betting on it himself.
Changbin has you in his arms, hugging you from behind, your head tucked comfortably in his chest and his chin buried in the crook of your neck.
The blanket was still snug around both of you, sunlight pouring from the window and warming the smiles on your sleeping faces.
Bonus
When you two finally sucked it up and walked into the practice room hand-in-hand, the boys burst into an uproar of relieved cheering
“Oh my gosh, finally,” Hyunjin groaned. “So who confessed first? Tell me it wasn’t you, y/n, please.”
“No, say it’s you,” Jeongin pleaded. “Minho-hyung said he’d give me his cats if it wasn’t Changbin.”
“Why don’t we call off the bet,” Chan suggested, sensing that his family was about to rip itself apart, “and just make Changbin treat all of us?”
A unanimous sound of approval drowned out Changbin’s sound of protest, and it was off to the barbeque you went.
Bonus Bonus
JYP sat at his desk, reading over Twice’s sales reports when his assistant burst into the room.
“Boss, um...I know this might be shocking to hear, but the new intern seems to be dating Seo Changbin.”
Without looking up, the CEO replied, “Mhm. I see them asleep together in the studio every morning after my morning jog; it’s about time. I’m not stupid.”
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imitheous · 4 years
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Su Corazón Amoroso se Enfrió - Miranda
Miranda was 9 when she landed the lead role in her elementary school play. It was her first time ever auditioning, so she was thrilled when she saw the cast list. She begged her teacher to let her have a copy to show her mom, and the teacher happily handed her a printed copy to bring home. When Rosa picked her up from school that day, Miranda had a bright grin on her face, shrieking in excitement as her Nanny rejoiced, even stopping to get some ice cream as a reward - “As long as you don’t tell your mother.”
Her mom had been home the past two days now due to a sickness, but that hadn’t stopped her from locking herself in her home office and working all day. Miranda had barely seen her, only a quick stop to grab some dinner, so she was very excited to see her mom in the kitchen when they got home, one large ice cream cone later. She released Rosa’s hand, running as fast as her little legs could take her towards the older woman. “Mommy, look! Look what I did!” She could see her mom’s face morph to mild annoyance at her interruption of her work, and the smile had already started to die out on the young girl’s face before any words could come out. ""Ahora no, Miranda. Estoy demasiado ocupado para lidiar con esto, tal vez más tarde."" Miranda’s smile turned into a sad pout, but she didn’t give up, continuing to walk towards her , the paper still clutched tightly in her hand. “Pero mami, tengo la delantera en-” 
“¡Miranda, me resbala!”  That stopped Miranda in her tracks, and tears immediately started pooling in her eyes. Knowing that her mom would only snap again if she saw the tears, the little girl finally gave in and ran to her room, slamming the door behind her. She flopped onto the bed, letting the tears out as she crumpled the paper in her hands, and threw it away from her as she turned to face the wall, the lead role meant a lot less to her now then it did ten minutes ago. She thought that her mom would be proud of her, that her mother would care, but that didn’t seem to be the case. It caused a crack in her heart, not enough to fully break it, but enough that it left her pulling the sheets over her head as she sobbed. 
 Miranda learned a lesson that day, and the next time there was something she was proud of, she told Rosa, and Rosa only. Her mother didn’t care, and that was something she made very clear. She tried to form a thick skin from that point on, but it still managed to crack, her desire and longing for her mother’s love lead Miranda to just keep trying to let herself in, only to be shoved back out every time. 
The final straw was her eighth grade graduation, a day that left Miranda scared, but excited of what her next adventure was. Rosa spent all day with her, curling her hair just the way the thirteen year old liked it, and letting her twirl around in her dress as much as she wanted until they needed to leave for the ceremony. Her mother didn’t go with them, still locked away in her office, throwing out an “I’ll meet you there.” that neither Nanny or daughter believed.
Standing on the stage of her school, she looked out into the crowd, seeing Rosa’s bright and loving smiling face, but still found herself searching for her mother’s face. Would she be smiling, proud of her only child? Should she be scowling at being pulled away from her work? She wasn’t sure what she was going to find, but it felt like someone had dumped a bucket full of cold water on her head when she realized her mother wasn’t even there. Her steps back to her seat were quick, but heavy, and it felt like it was the final crack her heart needed to shatter, but she held back the tears, held her chin a little higher, and pushed on. She refused to turn back, to keep searching for someone that didn’t love her the way that Miranda wanted her to, so she didn’t even notice when her mother walked in and stood in the back, only to leave before the ceremony had even finished. 
That day Miranda swore that it would be the last time she would cry over her mother.
 ~ ~ ~
At fifteen years old, Miranda pulled her headphones out with the faint sound of the front door closing. She paused the music and stayed silent, listening for any sounds of someone walking through the condo. After two minutes of silence, she let out an aggravated sigh, putting her headphones back in, letting the loud beat of her playlist fill her head until she felt like her whole body was pulsing along with the song. It made the place feel less alone and empty. 
Sitting on the kitchen island was a piece of paper, with a quick note scribbled onto it, 
 Miranda,
Dejando la ciudad para filmar, Rosa vendrá por la mañana a limpiar. 
 - Mom 
 No say on just how long she was going to be gone, but there never was, and Miranda knew that she would later find out that a couple hundred dollars had been left in her bank account. A spike of anger and annoyance raced through her, and she snatched the paper off the counter, slamming drawers open and closed until she had a thick black marker in her hand. She pushed the marker against the note as hard as she could, the force relieving a bit of the tension that had grown in her body. When she was done, she took off towards the back of the condo, throwing open the door to her bedroom and headed straight to her desk, sifting through everything that had built up over the years. Buried in the bottom of one of her drawers was a small collection of lighters. She wasn’t sure where they had all come from, but every time she went to the store with Rosa, she ended up adding another one to the collection. 
 Picking one at random, she clutched it in her hand and stormed back out of her room and outside onto her balcony. Leaning against the railing, she stared at the note in her hands as her hand flicked the lighter to life, and let the flame dance along the bottom of the page. Quickly, it caught fire, and it started to turn as black as the marker that stained the paper. She held it over the edge of the railing, watching as the paper curled and broke up in her hands, slowly creeping up towards where she had wrote I DON’T FUCKING CARE in block letters, and once they were eaten away by flame, she released it and walked back inside, letting the ash rain down over the street below her.
The girl who used to desire her mother’s love so desperately was gone, replaced by a young teenager who's loving heart had grown cold.
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fresh-outta-jams · 5 years
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Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Part 12
Namjoon x Reader Author: Admin Mo Summary: You’re in college when your soulmate tattoo shows up, an address. You figure it couldn’t hurt to send a letter, right? Note: I’m so excitedddddddd oof here we go, y’all. Warnings: Some swears, soulmate fluff. Word Count: 3.5k
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, Epilogue
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Nervous didn’t even begin to cover the emotions coursing through Namjoon’s body. He was terrified, excited, elated to be getting on the plane, and as soon as he sat down, it all sank in. The next time he got out of this plane, he would be in your state, and then soon after, in a car on the way to your school, and then even sooner after that, he’d have you in his arms, smothering you with kisses and affection. God, it was almost enough to make him pass out.
It had been a while since he’d flown somewhere alone, Namjoon reminisced. He missed the chatter and laughter of his brothers, filling the plane. Instead, sitting in First Class alone, he had to turn to his phone and computer for entertainment. He’d told you a few hours ago that he’d broken his phone, another lie, and that he wouldn’t have it for the rest of the day until it got fixed, so the two of you wouldn’t be able to FaceTime. And, if the problem arose, he’d lie to you about his webcam being dysfunctional too. It was a fourteen-hour flight and you couldn’t have any idea he was on the way, if he wanted the surprise to pay off.
Lily and Grace had offered to keep an eye on you, making sure you stayed at the library, which was where he planned to meet up with them, and therefore, you, when the time came. God, thinking about it made his heart race.
After this flight, he’d be with you. After this flight...He’d. Be. With. You. It was going to drive him mad. Figuring his best bet to pass the time was sleeping, Namjoon lowered his seat and pulled his Koya sleeping mask down over his eyes, his headphones playing something soft and romantic. He had no idea how he would ever be able to sleep when something so exciting was waiting on the other end of that dreamy tunnel for him, but he figured he’d have to if he didn’t want the minutes to crawl by.
So, he let his breaths slow, and he let the music carry him off to a happy place filled with coffee shops and a girl with pink hair and a camera.
***
You were decidedly itchy. No, maybe itchy wasn’t quite the right word. You were antsy, more like it. It was seven. You’d just woken up from a very odd dream about an airplane, which you’d written off as anxiety about your upcoming first flight.
Today was Monday, the first day of exam week, which certainly contributed to your itchiness. And once you unlocked your phone to scroll through the night’s notifications, you got some more answers as to exactly why something felt off.
Unknown Number: Hey jagiya! It’s Namjoon! Your clumsy boyfriend dropped his phone, so I won’t be able to text or call you today. I’m sending this from Hobi’s phone. I just wanted to let you know that I love you so much and I’ll talk to you tomorrow! Have a good day studying for your exams. I know you’ll do well! Fighting!
It was sweet, very sweet. How thoughtful of him, to send you a message instead of leaving you to wonder if your amazing wonderful boyfriend was ignoring you. But that was what Namjoon was: thoughtful. And yet, something still felt off about it, yet you couldn’t put your finger on it.
So, you sat up, stretched, hung your sleeping mask on its designated Command hook, and started down your ladder to begin one very uneventful day of studying.
***
You were a strong believer in study breaks. Cramming without stop always made you more frustrated than anything else. So, every couple of hours, you took a thirty-minute break to talk to the other two friends who had come to cram with you. Well, at the moment, it was one. Lily was taking her Psychology exam, so that left you with Grace, who had her nose in her American History book, jotting notes down in her red, white, and blue notebook.
When she looked up, and caught your gaze, she set down her textbook and smiled, stretching. “Break time already?”
“Yeah, it’s like three.”
“Holy shit that went by fast.” She checked the time on her phone only to find that what you’d told her was accurate. And also, she’d received a DM from your soulmate, the one person you could not know she was messaging. She snatched up her phone as quickly as she could.
Your eyes narrowed suspiciously, that sinking feeling you’d been harboring since this morning returning in full force. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing!” She blurted too quickly, clearing out her notifications, and with them, any remains of Namjoon’s message. “No, I just, uh, my professor emailed me a study guide and I really needed it.”
“Oh, that’s good…” You nodded, attempting to take a sip from your now-empty glass of tea. Luckily for you, you’d been saving up your meal dollars, so you had enough money for all the tea you could ever drink...and then some. And, in addition, you had to spend all of them before the school year ended, so you figured you may as well use them.
Standing up from the table, you grabbed your empty cup and tossed it in the trash, walking up the stairs to get another one from the tea place on the second floor. While you were gone, Grace unlocked her phone and opened Twitter. It was Namjoon, of course, messaging in the group chat he’d started with Grace and Lily.
RM_fan_94: Around five or six hours left on my flight. How are things going? Is she okay?
GracieGirl: She’s fine, Namjoon. She has consumed around six cups of tea since we’ve been here, tho. Your girl has a problem…
RM_fan_94: She sounds like me with coffee haha
RM_fan_94: Do either of you have tips for when I get there?
GracieGirl: I’m going to send you navigation from the entrance of the school to the library, but besides that, it should be fine. We’re sitting in this little area on the bottom floor.
GracieGirl: It’s her favorite spot, so there’s no way we’re moving.
GracieGirl: Plus, this place is full bc of exams, so we couldn’t really move if we tried.
GracieGirl: Once you get here, go through the door on the front of the building (facing the giant bird statue) and go down the stairs. It’s basically impossible to miss her. She has hot pink hair.
GracieGirl: Also, she’s wearing a BTS shirt.
RM_fan_94: Awwwwww that’s my girl.
Lilyyyy: Exam is FINISHED!! Operation Babysit (Y/N) Commences!
RM_fan_94: I hope you did well!
Lilyyyy: Omg where did she find you? You’re so perfect?? And sweet?? Did she make you in a lab??
RM_fan_94: Probably haha omg. But no, after many debates over the topic, I’ve concluded that she is the perfect one in this relationship. I’m just her hype man.
GracieGirl: Oooookay, Mr. Superstar, whatever you say.
Lilyyyy: Y’all are cute as fuck. I can’t wait for tonight!!!
Namjoon paused for a while before he typed out his next message, sighing to himself as he laid his head back against the seat again.
RM_fan_94: Me either…
***
You sat at the table, drilling film terms until your head started buzzing.You had watched your project so many times, you couldn’t stare at the editing program for another second, or you were sure you would go insane. So, instead, you were studying for your Film Analysis class, reteaching yourself about motifs and mise-en-scene and all of the other terms from the beginning of the semester that had been buried by all of the new things you’d learned thus far.
You still felt itchy. Maybe moreso now than when you had woken up, but itchy nonetheless. It was an odd feeling, like something was hanging over your head, something real and heavy and dropping fast. And yet, the more you thought about it, the less it made sense. Nothing was happening. You were fine. Everything was fine. It was just stress. Yes, of course, that’s what it was. Stress. Logical.
The only thing hanging over your head was your exams and the upcoming flight to Korea. That’s all it was, and it made perfect sense.
You sighed and checked the time on your phone. It was six, and you were hungry. You’d had a muffin for brunch and nothing since then. Time for a break, then. You got up and both Grace and Lily looked, wide-eyed.
“Where are you going?” Lily blurted when she saw you grab your keys.
“I’m hungry.”
“Oh. Gotcha. I’ll come with.” Lily offered, picking up her keys too. “If we take the tunnels, we don’t even have to go outside.”
“That is a good point.” You agreed, waving to Grace, the appointed guardian of your things for the time-being, seeing as she had grabbed food thirty minutes ago while you and Lily were busy working.
The two of you walked through the library and through the tunnels that connected the learning center to the building next to it, where there was a selection of fast food places. You got in line at the sandwich place and scrolled through Twitter, your thumb moving to send something funny to Namjoon until you remembered, stopping in place, that Namjoon’s phone was broken.
Your heart sank a little, but you saved the link so you could send it to him later.
“You okay?” Lily nudged your arm and you nodded. “Something wrong?”
“Namjoon broke his phone, so I can’t talk to him…” You sighed. “But I’m glad he told me. Is it weird I miss him? Also, I’m itchy.”
“You’re...itchy?” Lily giggled. “You might want to get a cream for that, sweetie, I don’t know what else to tell you.”
“I know, it’s weird.” You agreed, laughing with her. “I don’t know. I guess it’s just nerves from...everything, you know?”
“Yeah, I think I kind of get that.” Lily nodded. It was a good thing you were busy with your phone or you definitely would have noticed the knowing smile blooming across her features. If only you knew what was in store for you in two short hours…
***
When Namjoon got off the plane, he was shaking. Every part of him, trembling in anticipation. He fumbled with his suitcase, struggling to get it out of the luggage check without dropping it. His heart raced. He was here, like twenty minutes from your school, and as soon as his Uber texted him, he’d be on his way.
Namjoon reached into his pocket to check the time. It was around eight, so according to your friends, you’d still be in the library by now, but he figured he’d better send a heads-up just in case. His fingers were shaking almost too much to punch in the message, but somehow, he managed, pressing send after reading over it once or twice.
RM_fan_94: Just landed. Uber should be here soon. I’ll be there twenty minutes after that. Keep her busy.
His face was flushed, heart pounding, banging against his ribcage in hopes to escape and run down the street to find you. God, you were so close. You two had never been this close. There had almost always been an ocean between you, at least, since you’d started communicating. And now, all that was standing in his way was a car ride. Namjoon almost couldn’t stand it.
So, nervous as all hell, Namjoon started pacing in the lobby of the airport until he finally got the notification and went sprinting for the front doors and into the van of his Uber driver.
Every atom in his body was buzzing, buzzing, buzzing and burning as he got closer and closer to the gates of your college. He read the signs on the side of the road. Twenty miles turned to ten, which turned to five. Namjoon felt dizzy, suffocated by his rapidly-approaching destiny. He was sprinting towards it, now, a handful of miles standing between him and the love of his life.
In the passing streetlights, Namjoon could make out the lettering on his wrist. The tattoo that had started this all. He remembered his excitement the moment his fingers brushed against your first letter and the words tingled into existence on his skin. He remembered when all he had to go on was a name and the fact that you were from the States. He remembered the overwhelming joy that washed over him when you sent him the first picture of you, dressed up as Wonder Woman and smiling like you didn’t have a care in the world. He remembered your first phone call, the way his veins pulsed when he finally heard your voice.
All of it was coming to a peak, now. The precipice. This was the beginning of something very new, something uncharted for himself and the rest of the members in BTS.
Without warning, his Uber driver reached the traffic light to turn onto campus. It flicked from red to green, and he drove across the halted lanes of opposite traffic, under the giant arch that marked the beginning of your school. This was it. There was no going back now.
***
Something was wrong with Lily and Grace. They were acting weird. Both of them had gotten a notification from some mysterious group chat, and now neither of them could look you in the eye. It was odd, to say the very least.
“Everything okay?”
“Yep! Just peachy!” Grace lied through her teeth, beaming at you innocently. Something very, very strange was afoot, but you were too burned-out to attempt to get to the bottom of it.
So, seeing as your drink was empty once again, you stood up and began the trek to the tea store up the stairs.
“Where are you going?” Lily asked, almost shooting up out of her seat.
“I need more tea.” You shrugged, looking from Lily to Grace. “I’ll be back in like five minutes tops.”
“Okay.” Lily nodded, walking to the bathroom to cover up the fact that she’d shot up so fast to attempt to stop you.
Shaking your head at the strange behavior, you finished walking up the steps and stood in line at the tea store, ordering yet another iced drink. By this time, the barista didn’t even need to ask. It only took him a few minutes to get your drink to you and then you were on your way back down the stairs to the table. You were sitting down when your phone rang with a call...from Namjoon. Your eyebrows furrowed until you realized it was like ten in the morning in Korea, so his phone must have gotten fixed.
Brightening immediately, you picked up.
“Hey babe! Did you get your phone fixed?”
“I did…” His voice sounded weird. You could hear his tone and his breath shaking with each word. “Good thing, too…”
“Joon, is everything okay?”
“Great, baby, everything is great. Super, super great. I just...God…” And then he hung up, his connection cutting out, assumably. Your eyebrows furrowed, waiting for him to call back, like he usually did when your Skype calls cut out, but he didn’t.
“Something wrong?” Lily asked, almost unable to hide the grin on her face. Grace subtly held her phone, obviously recording. She had been since you got back with your tea. And yet, your head was buzzing too much for you to notice.
“I think his phone cut out.” You said softly, staring at the screen as you contemplated calling him back. You waited for a few more seconds before you noticed someone standing at the bottom of the steps. He was tall, his long frame dressed in an oversized black shirt and ripped jeans, tufts of pink hair sticking down out of his black baseball cap.
Maybe it was the pink hair that caused you to look back down at your work for a split second before your heart lurched and you did a double-take. You studied him, frozen and wide-eyed. You urged your legs to get up so you could get a closer look, but they weren’t listening.
You put your hands on the table, pushing yourself to a standing position as Lily and Grace giggled. Your legs wobbled with each slow step over to him. He was frozen, too, an amused grin on his face as he watched the wheels turn in your head, dimples on full display.
“N-Namjoon?” You whispered, tears fogging up your vision. You covered your mouth with your hands, taking a step forward and then a little step back, still unsure if this was actually happening or if it was some cruel hallucination, cooked up by twelve hours of staring at a book and taking notes.
“It’s just me, baby.” He reassured softly. “I’m right here.”
That was all the reassurance you needed. He set down his duffle bag and opened his arms, waiting for your legs to finally get the message from your brain. Eventually, they did, and you broke into a run, closing the distance between you until you were jumping into his arms, legs wrapped tight around his hips. One of his large hands came to rest under your thigh, and the other fastened around your back, rubbing comforting circles as your floodgates finally opened, a cascade of tears following.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” He tried to hush your sobs, but he realized after a few seconds that he was crying too.
“How did you get here?” You croaked. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to come surprise my girl.” He chuckled softly, happy tears rolling down his cheeks. “I knew you’d need a little pick-me-up for exam week.”
“So you just came at the drop of a hat?”
“This has been planned for months, baby. It’s all worked out, I promise.” Namjoon was still holding you, your legs firmly gripping his waist, but he pulled away to look at you up close. You were the most beautiful person he’d ever seen, even with trails of black mascara running down your cheeks. “God, you’re so beautiful.”
“I look like a mess.” You shook your head, chuckling at how much of a disaster you probably looked on today of all days. Of course on the one day that mattered, you looked like you’d just been hit by the bus.
“Baby, you’re the most beautiful person on the planet.” Namjoon pressed a long kiss to your forehead, closing his eyes before murmuring, “You look perfect, always. I love you, jagiya.”
“I love you too.” You took a moment there to look at him, to really look at this man who held the other half of your soul in his heart. You raised your hands to his cheeks and gave his dimples a pinch, earning a laugh from him. “You’re real…”
“Weird, isn’t it?” He raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t count how many times he’d heard that from ARMYs all over the world. Although, it was never as tender or careful as this statement.
“Mmhmm.” You hummed, studying his features up close, squishing his dimpled cheeks together. “Joonie?”
“What?”
Your eyes lingered on the pillows of his plush lips. They were calling to you. “I want to kiss you.”
“Then kiss me.” He replied, leaning in slowly to meet you in the middle. It was electric, sparks flying the moment your lips melted against his larger, warmer ones. You almost forgot you were in public until you heard cheers from all of the other brain-dead students flooding the library currently. Blushing, you reluctantly pulled away from Namjoon, finally unwrapping your legs from his hips and settling yourself back on the floor.
“Was it worth the wait?” You whispered, taking his hand and leading him back over to where your grinning friends had pulled up a fourth chair.
“I would wait a hundred years for you if I had to.”
“You’re cheesy.” You scrunched your nose and looked up at him. You knew all along that he would tower over you, but up close it was entirely different. Namjoon seemed to notice too, as he looked down on you gingerly. He leaned forward and pressed another lingering kiss to your forehead, pulling you against his chest.
“So are you.”
“That’s fair.” You giggled into the fabric of his shirt before finally sitting down with him. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of you no matter how hard he tried. But eventually, he did turn to give his thanks to Lily and Grace.
“Thank you, ladies. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Don’t mention it.” Grace smiled. Lily nodded in agreement.
You, however, looked between the three of them with wide eyes. “You knew???”
“Explains a lot, doesn’t it?” Lily chuckled, shrugging as she got back to her studying.
“Congratulations, you two.” Gace bidded before slipping her headphones back over her ears.
Namjoon took your hand in his own, scooching his chair closer to yours. He studied your little fingers with a smile before bringing your hand to his lips and kissing it. This, he imagined, was what the rest of your little forever looked like, and he wouldn’t have it any other way...
Tagged: @iie-wakarimasen , @ffantasylandd, @jooniefluff, @chimchimsauce, @mrs-saeyoung-choi, @theprinceoftheundead, @angyexoxo, @copenhagenspirit, @lovelylittlekittn, @lilgaga98, @iminlovewjjk, @feed-my-geek-soul, @loveandwitch, @recoveringflowerchild, @demonic-meatball, @maddieisaacs, @scissorsandtonfas, @carirosesg, @backtonormalthings, @local-mochi, @faliwi, @spoopyela, @nanie5, @ingenu--e, @undiscovered1personality, @andalos, @calspixie, @filtermono, @huhuehuey, @mikey-girl12, @lilliaflurr, @hypophrenium, @sitkafay, @spiicyari, @andeerwilson, @btswerewolfaus, @oyasumi7, @mycurrentusernameisalreadytaken, @gangstavixsta
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kaialone · 6 years
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Yokai Watch Busters 2 Translation
(Masterpost for my Yokai Watch translations can be found here)
This will contain major spoilers for Yokai Watch Busters 2, specifically Chapter 10, so proceed with caution.
With that being said, this will be a translation of the game’s ending and post-credits scene.
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These are the final main story cutscenes in the game, pre- and post-credits. They occur right after the ones I translated here, so check these for context.
Of course there is a playable epilouge in the form of Chapter 11, but this is it for the actual main story.
Bolded is the original Japanese; for reference and in case someone who is better at Japanese reads this, and feels like correcting something.
Bolded and italicized is my translation.
(Number) Indicates I got a specific comment to make on that part in the translation notes.
Please keep in mind that I’m a beginner when it comes to Japanese, so it’s possible that I make mistakes, too.
Discovering the Treasure Chamber:
Indy Jaws: なんだ… この部屋は… 外に出ないのか? What the... this room... it doesn't lead outside?
Dandory: あっ! 見ろ!! Ah! Look!!
Indy Jaws: すごい…!! お宝の山だ!! Incredible...!! It's a mountain of treasure!!
Dandory: ハハ… 海賊ビリーが集めていたってやつだ こんなところに隠していたのか…!! Haha... so the stuff that the pirate Billy gathered was hidden in here...!!
Toranka: おどろいたね アタシも盗賊稼業は長いけど こんな財宝は なかなか見れないよ!! Now that's a surpise. I've been workin' as a thief for a long time, an' even I hardly get to see treasures like this!!
Whisper: うっひょ〜!! 最高でうぃす〜! 自撮りを オシラセッターにアップです! Eeee!! This is the best, whis! I'm posting a selfie on Oshirasetter! (1)
Toranka: ひ… ひどいゆれだね!! こりゃ 危ないよ! E... Everything’s shaking like crazy! This is dangerous!
Dandory: おい見ろ! 扉への足場がくずれるぞ! Hey, look! The scaffolding by the door is going to collapse!
-
Dandory: ヤバいぜ! みんな逃げろ!! This is bad! Everyone, run!!
Whisper: え!? で でも! お宝を目の前にして… Huh!? B-but! The treausre is right in front of us...
Spatto: お宝なんてどうでもいいだろ! 早くしろ!! Who cares about some treasure!? Hurry it up!!
Whisper: 盗賊のクセに お宝がどうでもいいって!! You're a thief, and yet you're saying "who cares about treasure"?!
Zom B Chopper: そうだ! カネより命だ! お前ら 命を大切にしろ! That's right! Life is more important than money! You got to treasure your lives!
Jibanyan: ゾンビに命の尊さを教えられたニャン! よし… みんな! 早く逃げるニャ〜ン!! A zombie just told us about the value of life, nyan! Alright... Guys! Let's hurry and get outta here, nyaaan!!
Indy Jaws: そうだ! 逃げろ〜っ!! That's right! Run!!
Whisper: で でも… B-but...
Whisper: ひええええ! お助けでうぃっすぅぅ!! Eeeeek! Please, save meeeee!!
Note:
Oshirasetter is an app that yōkai use in order to exchange information. Its name is derived from お知らせ/oshirase, which means notification or news. It also acts as a bit of a reference to Twitter.
--
Back Outside:
Zom B Chopper: 揺れがおさまったな…。 The shaking stopped...
Jibanyan: はあ〜 けど扉がくずれちゃったニャン… *Sigh* But, the door crumbled, nyan...
Dandory: ああ… 取りには戻れそうにないな。 Yeah... Looks like we won't be going back in.
Whisper: はあ 残念ですねえ… とってもとっても がんばったのにぃ〜!! *Sigh* What a shame... Even though we tried so very hard!!
Whisper: …ん? それはそうと コマさん さっきから何をガジガジしてるんでうぃす? ...Hm? By the way, Komasan, what's that you've been gnawing on, whis?
Komasan: ソフトクリームズラ! でも重くてカタくて ぜんぜん食べられないズラ…。 Soft cream! But it's heavy an' hard so I can't really eat it...
Whisper: そうですか〜 大変ですねぇ。 ソフトクリームが重くてカタくて金ピカで… I see... Sorry to hear that. Soft cream that is heavy and hard, and glittering like gold...
Whisper: ってそれえええぇっ!! それ「黄金」ですよぉぉぉ〜!! ...Wait, whaaaaaat!? That is "gold"...!!
Indy Jaws: ええーっ!? Whaaat!?
Komasan: さっきひろったズラ〜 でも食べられないなら いらねぇズラ…。 I picked it up earlier. But if I can't eat it, I dun want it...
Whisper: 黄金のソフトクリームでうぃす〜!! 1億円の価値はありますよ〜! ぜったい! It's a golden soft cream, whis!! It must be worth 100 million yen! It has to be!
Indy Jaws: や… やった… つにやったぞ! 本当に お宝発見だ〜!! We... We did it... We finally did it! We really discovered treasure!!
Jibanyan: これで家賃が はらえるニャ〜ン! With this we can pay our rent, nyan!
Dandory: ハハハ… やったじゃないかバスターズ! それは お前たちのものだ! Hahaha... You really did it, Busters! This one's yours!
Jibanyan: やったニャ〜ン! Hooray, nyaan!
--
Turning the Final Wind-Up Key:
Jibanyan: ひ…光がまぶしいニャ〜ン! T... The light is so bright, nyaan!
Komasan: ひさしぶりに お空を見たズラ やっぱりお空はいいズラ〜。 It's been a while since we saw the sky. The sky's really nice, actually~
-
Indy Jaws: さあ… Now...
Indy Jaws: 最後のねじまきを回すんだ……。 Turn the final wind-up key...
-
Jibanyan: ニャニャ… Nyanya...
Jibanyan: ニャンじゃこりゃああああ! What the heck is this!?
Dandory: ここからじゃ全部は見えないが あれはマストに… オールに…。 I can't see everything from here, but that's a mast... and oars...
Tanto: も もしかして これって… ……船かよぉ!? I-Is this actually... ...a ship!?
Dandory: 船だ!し 島が巨大な船になったんだ!! It is a ship! T-the island turned into a giant ship!
-
Indy Jaws: 欲望にとりつかれ ダンジョンに消えた あわれな海賊 さすらいのビリー… Wandering Billy was a pitiful pirate who became inspirited by desire and disappeared into the dungeons... (1)
Indy Jaws: …かと思っていたが! ...That's what we thought!
Indy Jaws: もしかしたら… ハハハ But could it be...? Hahaha.
Indy Jaws: 本当はこの島を船にして 世界中の海を かけめぐるつまりだったのかもな…!! Maybe he was actually turning the island into a ship to travel the oceans of the world...!!
Jibanyan: そうニャン! きっときっと…! Yeah, nyan! That must be it...!
Jibanyan: そうに決まってるニャン! It has to be, nyan!
Note:
What I translated as inspirited is 取りつかれ/toritsukare in Japanese, which can translate to “possessed”, “obssessed with”, and it is what adapted as “inspirited” in the English versions of the games, and I thought it fit okay here.
--
Post Credits:
Nazotoki: ほう… これが連絡があった 「黄金のソフトクリーム」で? Oho... So this is the "Golden Soft Cream" you contacted me about? (1)
Nazotoki: 話が本当なら 1億円の価値はじゅうぶんありますが… If what you said is true, it should be enough to be worth 100 million yen... (2)
Nazotoki: では 鑑定させていただきます!! Now then, allow me to appraise it!!
Whisper: はあ これでようやく…。 *Sigh* Finally...
Jibanyan: ドキドキするニャン…。 My heart is pounding, nyan...
Nazotoki: …鑑定できました! ...I have appraised it!
Nazotoki: いや〜 技巧的 造形的に価値があるばかりでなく… Goodness, not only is it excellently polished and modelled... (3)
Nazotoki: 「ソフトクリーム歴史」を塗り替える 素晴らしい発見! It is is a splendid discovery that will repaint the "History of Soft Cream"!
Nazotoki: イイ仕事してますね〜! Good job~!
Whisper: ゴクリ… ってことは!? *Gulp*... And that means!?
Nazotoki: 買い取り金額は ズバリ…! The selling price should be precisely...!
Nazotoki: 1億円です!! 100 million yen!!
Jibanyan: や… We...
Jibanyan: やったニャ〜ン!! We did it, nyaan!!
Whisper: うおおっ! ピタリ賞でうぃす! 私の目利きも なかなかのもんでしょ!? Whooaahh! Clean sweep, whis! My judgement isn't bad either, no!?
Nazotoki: なんですが… But what's this...?
Whisper: …うぃす? ...Whis?
Jibanyan: ニャニャ…? Nyanya...?
Nazotoki: ここにホラ 見えます? ちょっとだけ 「ガジガジかんだような傷」がありまして… Look here, do you see? There are some slight "gnawing marks"...
Nazotoki: おしい! これがなきゃカンペキなのに〜! すいませんが それだけ差し引いて… A pity! If it wasn't for this, it'd have been perfect! My apologies, but I have to deduct some for this...
Nazotoki: ズバリ! 9999万9900円! It is precisely 99 million 99 thousand and 9 hundred yen!
Nazotoki: 「100円」だけ引かせていただきますね! I shall only deduct "100 yen"! (4)
Jibanyan: コ… コ… Ko... Ko...
Whisper: コ…コマさぁ〜んッ! Ko... Komasaaaaaaan!
Komasan: ホ… ホメすぎズラよ〜…! Ya... Y’all're flatterin' me...~!
Komasan: オラ こーゆーとき… どんな顔していいか わけんねぇズラ〜…。 I dun' even know... what I gotta say at a time like this...~ (5)
Whisper: 1ミリも ホメられてないんですけど! どこを どう間違ってそうなるんです!? We're not flattering you in the slighest! Did you misunderstand something at some point!?
Honebijin: ……ふう ということらしいですが 良かったじゃないですか ほぼ満額です。 ...Hmph, be that as it may, this is good, is it not? It is almost all of it.
Honebijin: ってことで With that said...
Honebijin: あと100円 払ってもらえますよね? You can pay 100 more yen, no?
Honebijin: 100円ですよ? 100円! いくらなんでも そのくらいあるでしょ〜? It is 100 yen? 100 yen! You should have at least this much, no~?
Whisper: ちょ… ちょっと待ってください! P... Please wait a moment!
Whisper: 基地に帰ってくるだけで 私たち スッカラカンなんです…! We've only just returned to the base, we are flat broke...!
Whisper: 100円どころか…! もう 3日も食べてないでうぃす! Forget 100 yen...! We haven't even eaten in 3 days, whis!
Whisper: 心広〜い 大家さんだったら〜 そのくらい見逃して… ね? ね? A so very generous landlady such as yourself wouldn't be missing that much... right? Right?
Jibanyan: ぐぬぬ… なんニャン なんニャン! Grrrr... What the heck, nyan, what the heck!
Jibanyan: たかが100円ぼっちで ガタガタぬかすんじゃないニャン! Don't keep rattling on about just some measly 100 yen, nyan! (6)
Jibanyan: こんなはした金 オレっちたちが出世したら 100万倍にして… We can pay back that kinda cash 100 million times once we... (7)
Whisper: いや〜〜っ!! もーそれはコリゴリでうぃす〜っ!! Noooo!! Enough of this already!!
Captain Bully: み… みんなジバニャンを止めろ〜〜っ!! E... Everyone, stop Jibanyan!! (8)
Notes:
Nazotoki is known as Professor Plumage in English.
One hundred million yen are roughly nine hundred thousand U.S. dollars. 
“Polished” in this case refers to polish in the sense of refinement of a work, not the act of polishing something to make it shiny.
One hundred yen are roughly one U.S. dollar.
What he says actually translates more to something like: “I don’t know what kinda face I should make”, but it has the same basic meaning, he is flustered and doesn’t know how to react.
This might be a bit of a pun, where Jibanyan uses ガタガタ/gatagata in Japanese, which is a rattling noise, but can also refer to “complaining”.
Because of differences between the Japanese and English languages, I had to assume something about the missing parts here, and rewrite the sentence a little, as it is cut off. Literally it would translate to something like: “Once we make it big, we can *missing part* that kinda cash 100 million times“
Captain Bully is literally called ブリー隊長/Burī-taichō in Japanese, and Sergeant Burly in English.
--
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allenmendezsr · 4 years
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My aching swollen leg and the hassle of not being able to stand long hours were too much to bear with
I had my surgery done on December 2008. However, 6 months onwards, I found that the recovery was somewhat painful and slow.
I wasn’t able to walk properly without pain, let alone to stand still and I constantly felt like fainting until 3 weeks later. The aching and heaviness in my leg, sometimes with swelling were simply too much to bear with and even worst than before I had the surgery.
I found that my appetite was decreased significantly while even taking pain killers did not manage my pain well enough.
I was literally bed ridden and nauseas and I finally suffered from postural hypertension because of lowering blood pressure.
Again, 5 months on, even though my veins were still visible on my leg, I constantly felt deep tissue nerve pain when I tried to exercise.
I was pretty upset that I was unable to use the gym membership and at times felt very depressed over the length of recovery, after all the time and money were spent on the surgery alone.
It was at this time I realized that not only the surgery failed to cure my varicose veins but it brought in lots of unnecessary pain and suffering to me.
My suffering from my varicose veins on my legs was already too much to bear with and I just couldn’t take it anymore.
It was an awful experience to go though.
Then I began my search over the Internet at every available moment looking for some sort of help or effective treatments for my varicose problems.
I found a large number of interesting health related sites and forums with people from around the world suffering from similar varicose problems as mine.
From there I met lots of people offering FREE information of everything on varicose veins such as how to prevent discomfort, burning pain, bulding, itchiness as well as many other tips on skin conditions like discoloration, peeling skin, ulcers and etc.
I Dig Though *Every Imaginable Forum Posts* And Sites There Is To Find Anything About Healing Varicose Veins And Spent Countless Hours Finding Out What’s Working And What’s Not.
I Ordered Access To Websites. I Got List of Possible Cures for My Predicament Which Basically Told Me to Sit All Day Long and Use Some Stupid Stockings to Cover Up My Legs!
As much as I appreciate all the advice given by these people who called themselves “experts”, sadly, I didn’t find anything that actually worked. I did try every single one of those “methods”, if not, most of them, but I just couldn’t get rid of those veins off my leg.
Here are the problems I encountered while searching for the free varicose cure online
Problem #1: Those free advice as advocated by some “experts” in the forums are just basically another free varicose vein information obtained from somewhere else. These people are just looking for fast ways to gain reputation.
They probably never suffered from varicose vein problems and don’t even bother to at least try out some of the methods to prove that they work in treating varicose veins.
Problem #2: Those ads as advertised by some companies claiming to treat varicose veins or spider veins are nothing more than clinics trying to sell their surgery packages costing thousands of dollars!.
Surprisingly, the surgeon who failed to treat my condition successfully happened to be one of those advertisers.
If you look at their websites properly, they often ask you to contact them for more details, at times offering you FREE brochures. When you do what they tell you, that’s when you present an opportunity for them to bombard you with their crazy marketing offers.
Worst still, some of your information could potentially BE SOLD as leads to some organizations. 
And after literally 11 months of trial and error into natural treatment and home remedies for my varicose veins, I finally found and used several methods which have successfully helped me to remove those ugly veins off my leg.
I have yet to see them popping up again ever since, even until now.
In fact, the benefits I received from using these natural ways of treatment FAR outweigh the benefits I received from those popular brand products sold online.
Even better still, I didn’t have to go through the complications again arising from my first surgery on varicose veins.
My name is Shirley Decker. I am a 49 year old and have been suffering from my varicose problems for almost 6 years. I would like to thank Diane for helping my problems with her excellent guide on curing varicose veins.
During my earlier forties, I used to have big bulging veins on my legs with dark stained and discolored swollen ankles. Due to my workday schedules, my legs were easily tired and ached all the time.
I couldn’t participate in any outdoor activities and most of the time I just couldn’t sleep well due to the discomfort of the veins. I used to think that hiding my legs with long pants as well as support stockings would get rid of the problems away. But they never did.
My aching has become a throbbing that was too intense for me to ignore. I finally looked up high and low for home remedies to help my problems. Any surgery was out of the equation because I was broke and had heard about the horror stories associated with bad complications arising from those surgeries.
Later when I found out about Diane’s guide on varicose veins, I immediately bought her book and followed all her steps to a tee. I was skeptical at first but was later surprised by the practically and effectiveness of the home remedies she recommended and taught.
Today both of my legs are almost ache free. I can now work and exercise whenever I want to. But the best of all, I get to wear my shorts. All these would not be possible without Diane’s effort in coming up with the excellent guide.
I highly recommend this guide to anyone who is seeking alternative cure to the varicose veins problems
God bless,
Shirley Minneapolis, MN
My report How To Get Rid Of Varicose Veins Naturally is the key to giving your leg and skin a fresh and youthful look you’ve ever imagined possible.
I don’t give you every single natural treatment available to help your varicose veins. I tried some of them and it didn’t work for me.
Some natural cures I used worked effectively but only to find those veins popping up again some time later.
So I can only give you the treatment methods which I’ve used personally that brought me the results I wanted.
There weren’t any risky methods (all of the natural methods are safe) or any dangerous side effects. The only side effects I saw was not seeing my varicose veins popping up again, period.
Yes, this report is short and but it’s concise and cuts to the chase without boring you with introductory fluffs and medical jargon
I don’t give you any fluff information like introduction to varicose, where to buy some fancy creams or compression support stockings from Amazon.
But more importantly, this report shows you can still have alternative varicose treatments and you can finally say goodbye to all those bulging veins crawling on your legs
And in case you are wondering, the methods I’ve used and listed in the report was tested and compiled throughout year 2009 and 2010.
So it’s fresh and completely valid and unlike others, it’s not one of those hastily produced and written by some ghostwriters
Here are some sneak previews on what you’ll find in this report
At first I had sclerotherapy to remove my spider veins from my legs but it didn’t help me much other than spending a bomb on that sort of treatment.
Furthermore, I used to have this large red spot on my ankle area where if I press on that area the red spot will disappear, then it will come back. It seemed like blood under the skin.
Then I was one of the fortunate ones who were given a chance to review a copy of Diane’s guide on varicose vein removal secrets.  Well you know what, after a few weeks trying out her guide and with her help in clarifying certain issues, I saw some improvement on my legs
Nowadays I don’t see any large red spots on my ankle area anymore. And I don’t even have to waste money on other treatments which may not work effectively for me.
To be frank, when you invest in this course and when used properly it will definitely change your life as much as it has changed mine. Getting rid of varicose veins now is no longer a myth.
My appreciation goes to Diane for writing this guide
Pamela Price NC
But this ISN’T just a bunch of happy hype with no downside.
Not every one of these natural methods might work on every varicose condition.
For example, some homeopathic remedies might not work on everyone. There are certain amount of herbs intake which you need that are depending on your situation.
The reality is you might not get 100% varicose-free results for every one of the methods which happened to worked for me. And I certainly don’t advocate that you can.
I tell you this to keep you level headed about what I’m offering.
All my alternative home remedy methods described in the report do work to some degree.
They’ve worked successfully to cure my varicose problems which have plagued me for almost 10 years!
But you have to put in some effort to make them work for your specific varicose veins situation.
It was my continuous desire to improve my situation that helped me cure my varicose veins successfully. As long as you understand where I’m coming from you’ll do well.
But if you are lazy, and you want fast results with no work, then please don’t order my information.
I say practical because all the methods described are easy to follow and will not involve significant time as well as money to you
Since I don’t believe in selling half-baked information, if there’s any natural method of curing varicose veins that was not proven to work effectively or deemed unsafe I don’t describe about it.
This report is the product of my own extensive research as well as trial and errors.
And since I was able to get rid of those veins off my legs and constantly on the look out for ways to prevent them from popping out again, I have just as much as a vested interest in this information as you do.
One of the biggest problems I frequently encounter in my quest for information regarding varicose veins treatment is the tremendous amount of misinformation that exists, especially among the general websites you can find online.
Sadly, I was one of the many people who are completely unaware of the natural and safe techniques one can learn to get rid of the varicose veins for good.
I constantly read about how some ‘experts’ found online are advocating the idea that they will just have to live with their vein problems, or that all they can do is to wear compression stockings, or that their only option is to have one of those painful, traumatic vein-stripping medical procedures that many of the doctors have been telling us.
Now I’m not against these procedures but c’mon these are already considered to be obsolete. Unfortunately, some of my other friends having the same varicose problems are still hearing these same old comments even from their family physicians. None of these things could be further from the truth.
Diane Thompson from this site has done an exceptional job of displacing these false notions about varicose veins and how normal people like you and me have the chance to get rid of varicose veins for good using everyday natural methods which are available to us for free.
Varicose Veins Removal Secrets is very clear, concise, understandable, and enjoyable to read.
It promises to be an outstanding learning resource for anyone seeking valuable and safe alternative means to permanently remove varicose veins from their life.
Stephanie E. Toronto, ON
In Varicose Vein Removal Secrets, Diane Thompson describes varicose veins natural treatment methods in a straightforward, easy-to-understand manner. This guide will serve as a valuable resource for anyone wishing to make their life free from the agony of varicose veins. It will also serve as an ideal reference guide for anyone seeking alternative solutions to varicose treatments other than the conventional medical approach.
Jena Addison Toronto, ON
Can varicose veins come back after treatment? In many cases varicose veins do come back, even after surgery has been done (just like in my case). Unlike surgery, natural home remedies and herbs are used to tackle the root cause of the varicose veins. Hence, in natural healing methods, you often see long term effects in preventing varicose veins from coming back again.     Why can’t I go for laser removal or stripping procedures? Varicose veins are problems which can be treated by laser veins removal but the disorder CANNOT be permanently cured.
Any surgery does not remove the original tendency of a patient to develop the varicose veins because the root cause of varicose problem was not addressed in the first place by modern treatment.
That’s why you’ll see many patients need to return for maintenance (me being one of them in the old days) after their initial treatment was completed, thus spending yet another bundle of cash on further sessions.
    Can your methods applicable to pregnant mothers? All the methods described in the report are safe and they are naturally. But just to be sure you should always consult your physician or obstetrician beforehand     What will happen to me if I don’t go for any treatment at all? Varicose veins are serious issues and need to be taken care of.
Unlike spider veins, untreated varicose veins can leave behind blood clots which are formed in the veins themselves which can become mobile and move up to the lungs or heart, therefore causing death at times.
And it could happen to you if left untreated!
“This guide is truly life changing …. “
I’ve been having varicose veins since I was in my early teens, so you can understand the severity of my problem.
Bumping on my legs as well as having my kids leaning on them is excruciating. I can’t even sleep property having both my legs on top each other due to the discomfort and pain. Forget about some stupid stockings that don’t work. Getting surgery done is simple out of the question
Now after weeks of trying out the methods in Diane’s guide, I finally found hope in curing my problems. The pain is almost non-existent! I have been sleeping normally eversince and have yet to experience any constant “bruising pain” which was common back in those days.
I simple love the yoga techniques as taught by Diane in the book. The techniques were so effective and relaxing to my veins. I’m now even considered a yoga expert by my family 🙂
The home remedies like the special juices she recommended were just so simple and easy to prepare. I never knew why I never thought anything about that in the first place.
This guide is truly a life changing. Thanks Diane!
Serena Schneider SPRINGKELL,UK
For a simple guide Diane has put together, this packs a wallop of information. I’m actually working in the medical field and have been actively searching for answers to my questions about varicose and spider veins for a long time.
I was pretty surprised to learn that most of the doctors and nurses I work with were as ignorant as I was!.  Even though there was a medical library which I have access to, but most of the time I ended up with medical texts the size of phone books that are often filled with medical jargon.
Being someone in the medical field for quite some time, I understand the jaron but I really didn’t want to wade through it to get the information I needed about varicose veins treatment.
Then luckily I found Diane’s site which offers her own guide about some of the many ways which we can do to get rid of varicose veins naturally. What I like about this guide is that the author did tons of research but boiled it down to a “cut-to-the-chase” primer.
Thank you Diane and her wonderful team for writing this guide. I can’t tell you enough what a difference it’s made for me.
Amanda Hamilton UK
As someone with long-standing spider veins, I’ve had many varicose questions for years that even my doctor couldn’t answer. This guide answers them all, and it’s so easy to understand. I like the guide’s positive ways of presenting the methods I can learn to help prevent spider veins naturally without resorting to any expensive or risky treatments.
Patricia Hauk Magnolia, OH
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NOW – INSTANT ACCESS
Other sites you find online never really state clearly the actual cost of treatment for signing up treatment packages with them.
They may give you free assessment and consultation instead. That’s because the cost varies from one another and may rake up to US3000 per treatment on ONE leg! (No wonder they rather want you to call in than simply placing the price tag on their website)
Some sites even sell you obscure never heard before products or creams which simply act as masking to your skin. They NEVER really cure the root cause of your varicose veins.
Simply hiding away your skin is never a solution for your varicose problems
My experience with Diane’s Varicose Veins Secrets has been very rewarding. The results from applying some of the techniques Diane taught me have given my legs a second chance to be pain free and look great.
Thanks for her brilliant research and easy to understand solutions which simply worked for me quite well.
You see, when I was in my mid forties, my legs were having those big bulging veins and dark stained discolored swollen ankles. Most of the time my legs were very tied and ached throughout the workday. Initially I just thought that wearing long pants would hide the bulging veins and the aches were to be ensured with support stockings and a little aspiring. And boy I was totally wrong.
The situation was quite unbearable until one of my friends introduced me to Diane’s website about natural vein removal techniques. I got myself a copy of the ebook and learnt up all she had to tell about treating my conditions naturally.
Today, both of my legs are virtually ache free. I’m able to work and exercise confidently.
Best of all I wear shorts and swim trunks whenever I like!
Thanks to Diane for coming up with this excellent guide.
Peggy Bensalem, PA
For US27 you’ll get the safe and proven natural healing methods which I’ve used personally to help me get rid of the veins.
There are no drugs, no needles, no injections or any illegal substance used in the methods.
And you have my personal guarantee that you will benefit from these healing methods or your money will be promptly returned
60 Days , NO-RISK, UNCONDITIONAL 100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!
Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Scrutinize the varicose program closely. Examine it. Test it for up to 8 weeks. Use the program to the max.
You will be thrilled with your results, or I want you to simply write and tell me, and I’ll send you a prompt and courteous, no hassles, no questions asked, 100% refund.
Bonus#1: The Stretch Marks Solution
In this report you’ll learn the secrets of how you can remove your stretch marks naturally and permanently.
You will find:
    Bonus#2: Skin Rules:Secrets to Total Flawless Skin
Let’s accept the fact: many of us wanted to have a fresh, good looking skin.  However, we tend to ignore what is actually right or wrong for our skin and buy some beauty products that just worsen whatever skin imperfections we have as it turns out in the end.  So, now is the time for change. 
Here are some of the techniques you’ll learn
    Bonus#3: Breaking Out: Guide To Acne Free Living
Chances are pretty good that you’ve been lied to about what acne is, what causes it, and how to make it go away.
In this guide you’ll uncover
    Bonus#4: Wrinkle Miracles:Wrinkle Reduction & Skin Rejuvenation Secrets
Wrinkle Reduction And Skin Rejuvenation.pdf
Many people do not know the secrets of how to keep their skin looking youthful, fortunately for you this guide will get you on the right track.
You’ll learn
You can use VISA, MASTERCARD, DISCOVER, and AMERICAN EXPRESS to order via the link below.
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I will NOT have any access to your credit card information except only receiving notice that you’ve made the order
Once your payment has been processed successfully, you will be given an immediate access to a page where you can download the report to your computer.
100% Safe and Secure. All orders are processed by Clickbank, a legitimate third party payment processing company which handles your payment securely.
You’ll get immediate access to the report. No waiting! PLUS….Free updates for 1 full year. 
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Your payment is processed via Paypal & Clicbank order system which are the most secure and trustworthy online method of payment worldwide and I will not have any access to your credit card details
Do yourself a favour now and don’t procrastinate. Varicose Veins Secrets ™ may be your first and only chance to gain your freedom from ever worrying about those ugly looking veins, again.
Remember, you will have a full 60 days to review and inspect this program put the methods to test and see how it works for you.
With my iron clad guarantee 100% refund guarantee, there will be no risk on your part. To be frank with you, you have nothing to lose by at least trying out the varicose remedies, so click on the order link today!
Warm regards,
PS – Just in case when you are nervous about ordering from somebody you don’t know, I want to reassure you that you are not dealing with some fly-by-nighter.
I’m simply a mother who used to suffer from agony of having severe varicose veins but has since found effective cure via natural treatments.
I once suffered from having the miserable pain caused by these veins but had no one to turn to and I completely understand how frustrating it can be to maintain your normal lifestyle. I know that what I’m selling here will help you tremendously
And if this report doesn’t (in which I really doubt) then you can ask for your money back within 60 days of purchase and get it with absolutely no hassles.
It is my hope that my honesty will make you feel better about placing your order from me.
If you have any additional questions which I have yet to addressed, please don’t hesitate to email me. I will reply to you within 24 hours.
God bless and good luck!. Click here to download now
I’m one of those who have read many books and bought many guides out there on the Internet to find any sort of natural treatment and cure for my varicose veins. I even tried many of the stuff which they recommend but found no apparent results, until I found out about Diane Thompson’s varicose veins removal secrets
With clear guidance and great useful tips along  the way, Diane’s guide has never failed me in helping me to get the kind of removal results which many people have considered a miracle to get.
I highly recommend this guide to anyone seeking most effective methods to help them improve their varicose veins problems without resorting to any expensive or risky surgeries.
Becky C. Donovan Saint Louis, MO
I’m one of the unfortunate ones who have been having this spider vaines which are tiny veins with reddish color, purple and blueish. Most of the time my leg hurt real bad and they are very sensible.
I always wanted to know if these tiny veins are curable and that they can be removed without resorting to one of those risky yet expensive medical treatments often advertised in the newspapers.
After searching in Google I finally found your site and after downloaded your guide I immediately put into practice all the steps required to treat my veins naturally.
The results have been really fantastic  and I’m beginning to see some improvement over the color of the veins after couple of weeks of trying. I’m still trying out some of the natural ways to help my varicose veins and hopefully things will be better in the coming weeks.
Thanks for your help Diane!
Nancy Rodgers Butler, PA
Diane,
I’m impressed with one of your methods in helping to relieve the pain caused by varicose veins. I’ve never thought that such simple stuff can do wonder for my situation. You see, I have been having these very painful veins in the bend of my left knee. It normally doesn’t hurt much unless I do a lot of stairs and activity.
Even though I’m overweight but I’ve been working religiously on loosing it. I can hardly walk whenever I carry some weight and it is so painful in my left leg that I can hardly bear with it. When I go to my bed  my leg normally aches terribly and I can’t even sleep.
Now that my pain has been greatly reduced without taking any of those pain killers, I’ve begun to enjoy my night sleep more than ever.
I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve put together in your guide. I’ll definitely gonna spread the news about your guide on varicose veins.
Shirlene R. Robert Whitman, NE
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NOW – INSTANT ACCESS
©2009-2015 VaricoseVeinCures.com 
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cc-kouga-blog · 6 years
Text
These Are The Days 4/9
For @quietrook
Adam got swept into Orientation Days so it was two days later that he found the box shoved under his bed. He thought it was an empty one he forgot to put away, but as he pulled it out, he noticed that it was heavy. Adam gasped in delighted surprise when he saw the contents of the box. He took them out and marveled at each one.
A metal pencil case which contained mechanical pencils, pens and highlighters of all colors. A white mug with a raven in flight printed on the side. Stack of notebooks and writing pads. The toy car from Ronan’s bedroom. Several jars of the hand cream Ronan dreamt up for him. A photo album which he set aside to look at later. A leather messenger bag. A gray zip up hoodie. A set of deep green bed linens with a matching quilt that smelled like forest after the rain. And at the very bottom, a black box with a note attached on the lid.
Adam opened the note and grinned as he read it.
‘Something to help you sleep. I know you’re not gonna get much of it since you’ll be up all night doing shit.’
Adam lifted the lid and laughed. Inside, were Ronan’s sleep shirts. He took one out and brought it to his face. It smelled like Ronan and Adam had to fight back the tears prickling at his eyes. He shrugged out of his shirt and put on one of Ronan’s instead. He grabbed the photo album and started to look through them.
The first page only had a picture of a forest. It took Adam a while to recognize it as the forest surrounding The Barns. It was a reminiscence of Cabeswater and it gave Adam a twinge of loss. The next page had a group pic of the five of them. Adam couldn’t remember when the pic was taken, but in there Gansey had one arm slung around Blue’s shoulder while Henry clung to the other. The three of them were sporting cheerful smile and facing the camera. Ronan were standing next to Blue with his arms crossed over his chest. He was scowling at something off camera. And next to Ronan was Adam.
Oh.
Adam had to take a deep breath as he saw himself. He was looking at Ronan with an expression he didn’t think he could make. He had a soft smile on his face and there was no mistaking the adoration in his eyes. Adam looked at Ronan as if he hung the moon. Honestly, it was embarrassing to look at, but Ronan looked at him the exact same way, so Adam guessed they were even.
The next page finally made Adam shed a tear. It was an old and faded picture of Noah, taken when he was still alive and vibrant and more. Noah was wearing his Aglionby uniform and for once it was unwrinkled. There was no smudge on his face. His eyes still held youthful innocence and his smile was a happy one. This was Noah before.
Adam ran his fingertips across Noah’s face. ‘Remembered’ he thought hard, hoping it would somehow reach Noah.
The following pages were full of faces Adam held dear. Opal, Ronan and Chainsaw in front of the Barns. Blue with her hair clips and colorful skirt. Gansey reading a book. Henry wearing a Madonna shirt. More pictures of Opal and Chainsaw, more pictures of Ronan, there was even one where he was sleeping, his mouth slightly open, face relaxed. More pictures of the gang doing various things with various expressions. A laughing Blue, a scowling Gansey, a pensive Henry, a pouting Opal, a flying Chainsaw and a smiling Ronan. Pictures of the Fox Way ladies, of Matthew grinning while holding a sign ‘You’re the best Adam!!’ with Declan in the background talking on the phone.
There were pictures of Nino’s, Boyd’s, Aglionby Academy, 300 Fox Way, Monmouth and St. Agnes. Pictures of the abandoned parking lot where Ronan and Adam pulled their reckless stunts, the Dollar City where they did their groceries, the gas station, the stretch of dirt road where Ronan taught Adam how to drive stick. There was a picture of the Hondayota parked between the Pig and the BMW. A picture of a moving dolly and a shopping cart. And on the last page was the picture of Henrietta’s welcome sign side by side with a picture of Widener Library. Underneath both, Ronan had written; ‘What matters isn’t where you’re from. It’s where you’re going.’
Adam closed the album and held it close to his heart. Inside this album were Adam’s home and family. Inside this album were all of the good memories he had of Henrietta. Above all that, it was something Ronan did for him. He imagined Ronan running around Henrietta, collecting pictures and taking some of his own. He might have even dreamt up some of them. In that moment, Adam Parrish realized that the one standing at the centre stage of Ronan’s attention was himself. This was what it felt like to be the object of Ronan’s affection. Such gentle devotion and selfless loyalty.
Adam picked up his phone and send a single text to Ronan.
‘Thx for the box. Loved it.’
Adam didn’t wait for a reply. He put away everything that was inside the box then went to sleep surrounded by Ronan’s smell and happy memories. When he woke up in the morning, there was a text waiting for him. He opened it and smiled. It was a selfie of Ronan in bed, wearing Adam’s shirt. His visible hand had the middle finger raised.
‘Whatever Parrish.’
As it turned out, apart from the photo album, everything else were dream things. The pencil never ran out of lead, the pens and highlighters never ran out of ink. The notebooks and writing pads were stain resistant, Adam once spilled coffee over his notes and had three seconds of panic before realizing that they were as pristine as before. The messenger bag never got full no matter how many books Adam shoved inside, but it still got heavy so Adam tried no to carry too many. The mug kept whatever liquid inside warm throughout the day, which was very convenient during the cold days. The hoodie kept him warm even in the middle of winter, same with the quilt. And the shirts never lost their Ronan’s smell.
It might not look like much, but Ronan’s dream things made Adam’s college life so much easier.
***
The first month after Adam left for college, Ronan spent most of his time dreaming up new Cabeswater. It was still a seedling, not big enough to really be anything. Ronan refrained from pulling it out of his dreams. He didn’t want to rush either, he wanted it to be better and safer than the previous one.
But he couldn’t spend all his time dreaming and since he was already living in a farm, he decided to look into the farming business. In some ways, it was easy enough. He had the land and the funds. In other ways, it was complicated. He had no real knowledge of how to properly run a farm.
So between late night Skype calls with Adam, dreaming a new Cabeswater and teaching Opal the English language, Ronan signed up for an online Farmer’s Academy. He did well enough, since he could learn at his own leisure. There wasn’t any boring classroom where he had to sit and listen to the teacher drone on and on about topics that didn’t interest him. It was another plus that he could do it while lounging shirtless on his comfy couch with a bottle of cold beer within reach.
He had a plan to start a farm and Adam was enthusiastically supportive. Ronan knew that Adam was honestly excited for him, because few days after he brought it up, his boyfriend sent him a reading list suggestion and links to some online resources.
‘Nerd.’ He texted.
‘Farmer boy.’ Adam replied.
***
Adam was qualified for the need based financial aid that Harvard offered and it reduced his tuition greatly. He didn’t have to pick up three jobs just to get by. He still needed income though, so he picked up a part time job at the library and another at a small café not far from campus. Once or twice, he helped his entryway buddies who had car trouble. Words got around and Adam found himself to be the go to guy whenever a car emergency cropped up on campus. He declined monetary payment, but happy to accept book store coupons or box of pizza. One of the student he helped hooked him up with her uncle who owned an auto shop where Adam was able to pick up some shifts on the weekend.
His jobs took most of his free time, but he still had some left for social life. Sometimes he hung around the common room with his dorm mates or played frisbee on the quad. Sometimes he went out to watch movies with his new friends. Mostly, he stayed in his room to Skype with Ronan and Opal.
On one outing with his friends, they went to a hole in the wall burger joint. It was situated between a video game store and a tiny shop that sold candles and incenses. Adam felt a gentle tug in his belly when he passed the candle shop. Out of curiosity, Adam followed it all the way to the back of the shop. He ended up in front of a shelf full of small jars, delicate glass bottles and other trinkets.
On the middle row, was a deck of Tarot cards. A rising tide of nostalgia washed over Adam. Memories of Persephone’s wild hair and soft voice filled his mind. With trembling fingers, Adam touched the deck.
There was a spark.
Without hesitation, Adam picked up the deck and brought it up front to pay. The man behind the register was slightly older than Adam. His whiskey brown eyes widened slightly as he took in Adam.
“You have the spark.” He smiled knowingly as he rang up Adam’s purchase.
Something in the man’s demeanor told Adam that this man familiar with magic.
“Uh, yeah.” Adam replied as he paid, not entirely comfortable with the admission.
The man took out a black velvet pouch from a drawer and gently slide Adam’s deck inside. He put the velvet pouch, a small candle and a business card inside a paper bag.
“The candle’s on the house. It’s great for calm and concentration.” He nodded sagely to Adam.
“Thanks.” Adam took the bag and his change.
“Thanks for your patronage.” The man grinned.
“Anytime.” Adam half smiled and exited the shop.
When he got back to his room, he took out the velvet pouch and just held it in his palm. He had returned Persephone’s deck to Maura and Calla, thinking that it was of no use to him anymore. But this deck. It had felt right in his hands. Like it was meant to be handled by his bony fingers.
Adam took the deck out and went through the cards carefully. The back of the card was a deep emerald green. The illustrations weren’t elaborate, only minimal drawings, clean lines and neat fonts. There weren’t many colors either, only varying shades of green and brown.
This deck was simple, Adam could get on board with that. He concentrated for a moment, focusing on a question, then he shuffled the card and fanned them out. He let his right hand hovered the spread and deftly pulled out three cards that felt right.
He turned them, one by one. The Fool, The Magician and The Lovers.
Adam smiled and packed up the deck. It seemed like he still had a touch of magic left in him.
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Taking A Bite Out of The Big Apple
I have never been a city person. As a kid the tall structures and heavy population made me anxious and I always preferred the countryside. I was intimidated by the honking of the cars throughout the night, the narrow sidewalks filled with people, the dozens of different scents from the restaurants that lined the streets, and the sounds of various street performers. Going to the city was a sensory overload for me and I often left a little bit spooked.
My recent trip to New York City, however, changed my mind. NYC is an excellent place to travel to and there are activities and beautiful spots that are always within walking distance of you. I am fortunate enough to have friends who share a passion for travel and adventure, but as college students we often find ourselves limited by money. We found plenty of activities to do to fill our three days in the city without spending hundreds of dollars. NYC is an enormous city and I only got to experience some of it,  but based off of what I saw, the Big Apple is a place you should add to your bucket list. Below I have outlined the highlights of my trip, and things you should know before you take on the city.
JERSEY CITY
We started our journey in Jersey City which is where we stayed overnight. After sleeping two nights in this city, I realized it is a great place to both escape and experience NYC. Many younger people who work in Manhattan often stay in Jersey City because of cheaper rents. Just across the street from the apartment complex we were staying at was a beautiful view of the city. The streets in Jersey City were a lot quieter, and only a trolley would pass every once in a while. In comparison to NYC's crowded sidewalks, Jersey City is a lot quieter. Those individuals who are out seem to be heading to the subway to get to the city and are not looking to walk around. NYC is just a short subway or ferry ride away, so if you need to escape the busy city life at night, Jersey City is right next door.
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TRANSPORTATION
During our trip we only took the subway and walked in order to save as much money as possible. The subways were usually very crowded and at one point we had to run along the platform to find a car that the three of us could fit into (we made it though!). The subways were fairly affordable but after going back and forth to Jersey City every day and other locations in NYC, the costs added up. A one-way fare from Jersey City to Manhattan is $2.75. We bought our tickets at the station's PATH vending machine with both cash and cards and only ran into trouble when one of the vending machines didn't work (to learn more about the PATH fares click  here). The subways are very clean and efficient and we took one in every day from Jersey City to  The Oculus. The Oculus houses the World Trade Center Transportation Hub in Manhattan for the PATH system. The Oculus is located right next to the 9/11 Memorial, and subways depart from and arrive at The Oculus from multiple locations. Of course in the city in addition to the subway there are taxis, Ubers, and Lyfts, but we opted to walk instead.
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THE MOST ICONIC SPOTS
THE OCULUS
Opened in 2016, The Oculus has the most interesting architecture I have seen. The Oculus is located in lower Manhattan next to the 9/11 Memorial and serves as a hub for Manhattan. I took the subway into The Oculus from Jersey City every morning and departed from there every night, so I got to experience a lot of the cool features that the building has. The subway ride between the two cities took around 7 minutes and flew by. It is a very open concept with beautiful lighting at night. It is entirely white which felt like the train station straight out of the last Harry Potter movie. The Oculus has a variety of small stores for visitors to go to. For the most part, my experience with the building was getting in and out so I didn't get the chance to shop, but I did take the stairs to the top level of the structure which provides a very beautiful view of the building's entirety. From the outside, the building looks even more unique as it contrasts against the black, tall buildings that surround it.
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BROOKLYN BRIDGE
At over 1.1 miles long, the bridge makes an excellent walk with a view on both sides of the city as it leaves Manhattan and crosses over the East River to Brooklyn. The bridge is typically very crowded as it is a tourist attraction, so be aware that there will be people on either side of you at almost all times. Don't be like me and wear heels to walk across this bridge, as you will be much more comfortable in sneakers or tennis shoes. There is the option to bike across the bridge as well but it may be difficult considering the amount of people walking on the bridge.  Make sure to bring your camera because along the bridge are some beautiful views - you can even see the Statue of Liberty if you look closely (it looks tiny from the bridge). While walking the bridge you'll see almost everyone stopping for photos and climbing (safely) on the rails to get the best pictures. Just be aware of your surroundings so that you do not bump into anyone!
Once off the bridge there are plenty of spots that make for excellent views from afar -- all you have to do is walk around! We found  Soho House, a tall brick building near Main Street Park, where we climbed to the top floor where we discovered an outdoor space with beautiful brick arcs that framed the bridge perfectly. In front of the house is a picture-perfect walkway with a stunning view of Brooklyn Bridge on the water - a great spot for photos without crowds of people in the background. There are various parks surrounding the bridge such as Main Street Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park that have carousels and gorgeous views of the city and bridge.
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STATUE OF LIBERTY
I did not get the chance to actually go to the Statue of Liberty, but while crossing the Brooklyn Bridge I was able to see it. I used my camera to zoom in on the statue to get a better view and I was able to take the photo below. Next time I go to NYC I will be sure to visit the statue as it holds such historical significance for our country.
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DUMBO
One of the best photo spots for the Brooklyn Bridge is at a place called Dumbo; and no, it has nothing to do with the elephant that can fly from Disney. Dumbo is actually short for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass" - cool, right! Dumbo is located in Brooklyn, and the iconic photo spot is located at the intersection of Washington and Front Streets. Influencers, bloggers, and tourists all love this spot for the perfect framing of the bridge between two brick buildings. Your photo may not come out picture perfect as there are crowds of people and cars, but it still is a great spot to see.
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ROCKEFELLER CENTER
I visited New York City right after Christmas which was the perfect time to visit the Rockefeller Center. Rockefeller Center is located in Midtown Manhattan and has many places to shop, eat, and see the city. Because of the time of year, the center was packed with people almost everywhere. The Christmas tree is bigger than any Christmas tree I have seen before - It's hard to miss! Additionally, right near St. Patrick's Cathedral there was a light show that lasted only a few minutes but went along to different songs. We grabbed Ben & Jerry's ice cream at a complex located right next to the tree for a yummy desert before we headed back to Jersey City.
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ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL
I was astounded when I first saw this cathedral because the beautiful architecture and color stood out in the midst of black skyscrapers and the dark sky. St. Patrick's Cathedral is one of the most interesting buildings I have seen and I was only able to experience it from the outside. The white, rigid structure has beautiful sculptings and patterns within the windows, and archways exaggerated the older yet polished exterior. The cathedral is very long and its brilliant design is not just visible in the front. I was able to walk along the outside of the cathedral and though I did not get the chance to go inside I can only imagine that the inside matches the beauty of the outside.
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TIMES SQUARE
Despite only experiencing Times Square from afar, I could tell that it was a hub of the city. Times Square is only an 8 minute walk from the Rockefeller Center and even from afar you can see that people are crowded everywhere. Electronic billboards and neon signs lined the streets making for some great photographs. We didn't go to the center of Times Square, but I was able to experience it at a glimpse at the intersection of W 49 St. and Broadway. I plan to return to Times Square in the future in order to truly experience the beauty of all of the buildings and shops that surround the area.
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FOOD
CHICONNIS
Located right off of the Brooklyn Bridge and outside of Main Street Park in Brooklyn sits  Cecconi, a higher-end restaurant that has a beautiful view. The interior of the restaurant is extremely luxurious with white brick walls, different colored comfortable seating, and beautiful art that lines the walls. We were given the brunch menu and I decided to go out of my comfort zone and try something new. I ordered the eggplant parmigiana which was delicious, but also super filling - I couldn't finish it! I also decided to treat myself and get a juice as well (which was on the pricier side), but the customer service that came along with it was excellent. A waiter came out with a glass and opened the juice and poured it in for me, and gave me the rest in the bottle for later. I got the watermelon juice which had a very strong gingery taste which I could only drink a little at a time, but for experienced juice-drinkers (if that is a thing!) I think this juice would be delicious. I am not a coffee drinker, but my friends absolutely adored their lattes, and they even came with a little biscuit on the side. Overall, this restaurant had great customer service once we sat down and our food was made swiftly. The only issue we had was our wait time even after making a reservation; the restaurant was incredibly busy when we went and even though we made a reservation we had to wait around a half hour to be seated. I think the food and quality customer service made up for it though! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone for a nice meal in a beautiful spot as long as they make a reservation ahead of time.
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THE STANDARD GRILL
The Standard Grill is attached to The Standard hotel in the Meatpacking District which is located in the west side of Manhattan. We went to the grill for brunch and we were met with a surprisingly extensive menu which can be seen  here. We struggled to pick our food with so many delicious options, but we were able to make some good choices in the end. While we were waiting for our food we were able to admire the beautiful space that let in a lot of natural light and was lined with green plants that made the atmosphere welcoming and comfortable. I got the Smoked Salmon Platter which was TO DIE FOR. The food was so yummy that we couldn't fit in room for dessert. My platter was arranged very nicely as I was able to construct my own sandwich, and the customer service was excellent as well. In the downstairs of the grill (where the bathrooms are) there was a small photo booth that we felt like we had to take advantage of and we were even sent a digital copy afterwards. I'm no restaurant connoisseur, but this restaurant was a little more on the pricey side for a brunch meal, but the quality of the food definitely lines up with the price - you get what you pay for! The grill wasn't nearly as popular as the Cecconi restaurant so we had no wait time at all which was a huge plus especially after walking a few miles through the city and wanting to sit down.
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PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
ROOFTOP VIEW 
While walking around the Meatpacking District, we stumbled upon this perfect rooftop view located in Restoration Hardware, an interior design store. We walked through the store and saw some stunning furniture (which we definitely couldn't afford) and we climbed the stairs to the top level where there are sliders that open up to an open view. We weren't even sure if the sliders opened, but we decided to give it a try. No one else was on the overlook giving us the freedom to enjoy the view and take photos on our own. This store was a great place for some classic city photos without the crowds. Remember to keep your eyes open for spots like these when you're exploring the city, you never know what you will find!
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COLORED WALLS
During my visit we stumbled upon a bunch of very artistic walls located outside of The Oculus that made for some excellent photos. There were neon colors, different patterns, black and white, and overall a great place to snap some pics with a cool backdrop. These walls were a part of The Reflection Project by Yoko Ono in which the walls aim to invite people off of the streets to engage with their "personal reflection."
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WALKING
Because we wanted to save some money, we walked almost everywhere through the city. Every day we walked at least 5 miles (one day we walked 7!) which was totally worth the sore feet. If you choose to walk, make sure you dress comfortably with sneakers that can help you get to your destination painlessly. We got to see the city from the ground level and walking allowed us to find some great photo spots along the way. During our stay we totally lucked out with the weather being almost 50° every day which made my experience so much better. Traveling on your own two feet gives you the ability to adventure a little bit and go off the roads to find some pretty unique spots. Now, you don't have to walk 5 miles, but make sure to walk around when you're in the city to find some great places for pictures with stunning views.
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CONCLUSION
New York City definitely surprised me. I was able to walk throughout the city freely and I saw some pretty amazing art, views, and architecture all the while getting some great exercise. The child who was once scared of skyscrapers and crowds had disappeared. I found myself in the crowds looking at all of the families trying to scramble together and take a picture, couples that were hugging underneath the christmas tree, and photographers yelling out to strangers trying to take their photos. I was able to see all different types of people and rather than anxiously pushing through crowds to get some fresh air as I had when I was a kid, I took a step back and observed my surroundings. Instead of getting dizzy looking at tall buildings, I glanced inside the windows and saw beautifully arranged apartments, people partying, and individuals looking out telescopes. As a photographer I found the city to be photographable at almost any location, but I realized the importance of retracting my eye from the viewfinder of my camera and taking in the city life. Being with my two best friends made this adventure infinitely better as I had people I could trust and make memories with for the duration of my stay. I highly recommend traveling to NYC to experience the stunning architecture, unexpected discoveries, and delicious food. Now go find some friends and schedule a trip to NYC!
for more content visit: https://kyliebreenphotography.com/2020/04/18/taking-a-bite-out-of-the-big-apple/
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themousai · 4 years
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Top 10 Albums of the Decade: Nic Martin
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Nightmare Avenged Sevenfold
[2010]
This is a fitting album to start with; I will probably always pin my decision to pursue music as a career on Avenged Sevenfold. 14-year-old me was absolutely crushed by the tragic death of drummer Jimmy Sullivan in 2009, but truly believed in the band’s decision to carry on, full speed ahead, and manifest Sullivan’s vision that he never got to complete; being 2010’s Nightmare.
While I personally never cared for the title track/lead single, it was cathartic and honest tracks like Victim and Tonight The World Dies that really showed me a new and important layer to the band I was already so inspired by. We still had the A7X that has gone on to, frankly, dominate the world stage - the relentless Danger Line and prog-epic-closer Save Me were reminders that these California boys were on to something huge, and they knew it.
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Teenage Dream  Katy Perry
[2010]
Admittedly: I came to listen to Katy Perry because I had a mad celeb-crush on her in this era. This album is a surprisingly diverse collection of legitimately well written pop songs, front-to-back. Obviously it has the singles we’re all numb to these days (I’m pretty sure California Gurls and Firework were enforced listening for every Jayjay’s across the country), but I found myself using songs like Circle The Drain and Hummingbird Heartbeat as an excuse to enjoy the undeniable pleasure of great pop melodies. 
I guess I just feel like this was one of those “cut-above” mega-pop albums, alongside T-Swift’s 1989 and Bieber’s Purpose, I guess I just never saw either of them shooting whipped cream from their chest.
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There Is A Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let’s Keep It A Secret  Bring Me The Horizon
[2010]
I rarely hear people cite this as their favourite Bring Me album; never disregarded, but never the top of many lists; yet you Tumblr-Millennials out there would be lying if you said you never reblogged a grainy photo of a bedroom strewn with fairy-lights and band posters with lyrics from It Never Ends or Blessed With A Curse edited over it. I have no issue in saying that the quality of Oli Sykes’ voice was at a low point for this release, but I will always defend the telling depth and emotion that’s explored in the lyrics and structure of each song.
A dark and pummelling metalcore offering in a general sense, it’s Bring Me’s signature unapologetic approach to the point of difference they’re always pursuing – especially on tracks like Blacklist, the transition between the second half of Fuck into Don’t Go, and the catastrophic closer The Fox and the Wolf – that ensured I would keep tabs on this band’s evolution throughout the decade.
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Periphery II: This Time It’s Personal Periphery
[2012]
I have a tattoo dedicated to this album and how much this band + album changed my perception of music, especially heavy metal. With that considered, I struggle to find a way to describe this album in way that isn’t simply “If you like metal, go and listen to this album” because there is bound to be something within this gem that will scratch an itch you didn’t know you had.
No one else sounded quite like this, and no one really has since. Whatever, djent. This album absolutely rips. Spencer Sotelo’s vocals are inhuman (not pitch-corrected on this album, noteworthy), and it contains multiple personal-favourite guitar solos ever, ever (Luck As A Constant and Mile Zero). Listen to the whole damn thing, but check out Muramasa, Facepalm Mute, Scarlet, or Ragnarok if you need convincing.
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Parallax II: Future Sequence  Between The Buried And Me
[2012]
“Goodbye To Everything”. One hell of an alluring motif, no? There is a LOT to unpack on this album, and if you struggle to resonate with musical journeys that take you across the galaxy and back 10+ minutes at a time, then it’ll take a while to sink your teeth into Future Sequence to the depth that it deserves to be appreciated at. The technicality and intricacy of the music accurately reflects the complexity of the lyrical narrative, only made even less-accessible by Tommy Giles Rogers’ ambiguous, cryptically simple/broad verses. 
As necessary as the shorter breather tracks/interludes are, the highlights on this release are the lengthier pieces that all take you on a true journey, taking its time to set each scene and its mood. Lay Your Ghosts To Rest and Telos are integral tracks that really take you to a new dimension and show you every nook and cranny of it; and the final 18 minutes of Silent Flight Parliament & Goodbye To Everything (Reprise) has got to be the single most epic metal album closer this decade; a claim I’m open to having challenged. 
Make no mistake, this is literally a 72 minute melting pot of progressive rock and technical death metal, with hearty sides of wack synths and lush orchestration, atmosphere that shifts from grand to crushing, and cheeky passages that skim from surf-rock to noodly jazz.
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Altered State  TesseracT
[2013]
My uncle introduced me to TesseracT’s first album One in 2012, which immediately cemented the band as one of my favourites. But 2013’s Altered State is one of those “perfectly aligned” albums for me: it was exactly what I needed to hear right when it was announced and released. It’s the only album to feature vocalist Ashe O’Hara (who now sings for Voices In The Fuselage) and is widely considered their crown jewel – although I firmly stand by the sentiment that TesseracT are incapable of writing a song that isn’t stunningly incredible.
The album is 10 tracks split into four “suites”: Of Matter, Of Mind, Of Reality, and Of Energy; so it was a daunting thought to try and absorb the entire thing in that way during my first listen. This is one of those albums that you know how incredible it is, but it’s not until you find yourself going back to it again and again over the years that you get to truly appreciate how perfectly executed the entire 50 minutes really is. The effortlessly impossible, extended rhythmic passages in Eclipse and Singularity; the sound of a heart exploding in Resist; the GOD DAMN SAXOPHONE in Calabi-Yau and Embers, it’s ALL there to make one of the most remarkable progressive metal albums ever; and they did it without a single scream or sub-drop.
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To Pimp A Butterfly Kendrick Lamar
[2015]
I have no shame in announcing that hip-hop is a genre I forced myself to like. My brother had a soft spot for it growing up, and a lot of people in my school liked it; so, while I was familiar, I hadn’t found the album ‘for me’. good kid, m.A.A.d City showed me who Kendrick Lamar was and that – like pretty much every other teenager in 2012 – I quite liked his songs. The Blacker The Berry will never not-give me the same goosebumps I got upon first hearing it. I remember seeing the announcement that To Pimp A Butterfly had just been released hours earlier on iTunes, it was probably the first album I ever purchased online that wasn’t anything close to rock or metal, and – once again – I have no shame in admitting that the artwork was a big reason for why I was so immediately drawn to wanting to hear it.
Man, as I sit here listening to the intro to u at 12:30am, driving the entire album into one of its many, many dark and completely out-the-gate corners, I’m reminded that this album was so damn ahead of its time. Kendrick is unpacking SO much. He sits you down and pours you a drink as Wesley’s Theory lulls you in with its sexy groove and upbeat formalities, and he continues to tell you EXACTLY what the fuck is up, and he does it with pure, unapologetic class. The music on this album is just… it literally leaves me speechless nearly 5 years on: there are moments where it feels like the speakers couldn’t possibly handle another layer of jazzy instrumentation or lush, effect-laden basslines. But it’s when you take that, then add Kendrick’s stories, and that’s why this album transcends beyond most other hip-hop/rap releases; listen to How Much A Dollar Cost? or Mortal Man and tell me that he doesn’t have SO much to say that the already-limitless musical landscape can barely contain him.
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131 Emarosa
[2016]
Something I had to keep remembering as I considered my list and wrote about each album is that we were asked to talk about albums that were important to us and our lives on a personal level. So, although Emarosa have multiple FANTASTIC albums, 131 was an album that found me and reached out to pull me out of a dark place in my life. Bradley Walden had already proved that he was a beautiful vocalist with a gorgeous voice on 2014’s Versus, but 131 feels so honest and more real in comparison. 
This album doesn’t try to be anything more or less than what it is: a collection of meaning rock songs about life and the more personal, intricate emotions and tribulations that most people endure. Songs like Sure and Cloud 9 draw you in with their ear-worm choruses, but they keep you around with the heartfelt stories being told, all of a sudden you’re lying on your kitchen floor with tears streaming down your face wailing to the climax of Never while you think about your bb. This album helped me understand and forgive myself, I hope it can help you too.
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Clairvoyant  The Contortionist
[2017]
“Wow, Nic put Clairvoyant in his ‘Albums of the Decade’ list? What a genuine surprise…”
Anyone who knows me is probably sick of just how frequently and in-depth I talk about this album. The Contortionist were that band that all my favourite bands loved but I never got around to checking out. That was until my friend Declan showed me Return To Earth, which would easily make my top singles of the decade, too. It’s a perfect representation of the entire album: melancholic, intense, epic, and worth being patient with as it pulls you in with its devastating themes of addiction and loss. Vocalist Michael Lessard has said the album’s lyrics were written as the darker extension of 2014’s critically acclaimed Language; the general story revolves around his close friend’s untimely overdose due to his struggles after losing his mother, with Clairvoyant taking a more subdued, less metaphorical look at the despair his friend endured.
While this album does have its hookier and more upbeat moments - found in Reimagined and the title track – it’s the way these sections are woven into a much bigger picture that really turns every track into one 54 minute journey that you’d be remiss to not repeat a few times on a road trip or during a rainy day in. A personal highlight for me is the closing track Monochrome (Pensive), particularly after having listened to the entire album from the beginning first. As one of the most heart-crushing and honest moments lyrically, the song is ultimately an indescribable piece of art: catastrophically grand, breath-takingly emotional, this album is one of my most highly recommended ever.
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Sundowning Sleep Token
2019
My most treasured musical discovery this year; I heard a 7-second-long snippet of Sleep Token’s 2017 single Calcutta on another artist’s Instagram story and was shocked: were you even allowed to pair a voice as lush as Vessel’s with a musical landscape that ultimately builds into a down-tuned breakdown? I was hooked, I needed more than the minimal offerings (heh) that were available – though EVERY song leading up to Sundowning is absolutely stunning in their own rights.
All of a sudden, The Night Does Not Belong To God appears on YouTube as I check my phone early one Thursday morning: fantastic, a new single. Two weeks later, to the day: The Offering makes itself known and has since dominated the band’s ‘popular songs’ on all streaming platforms. Another exact fortnight later, Levitate is an unexpected, yet welcome change of pace as a tender piano ballad topped with Sleep Token’s signature grand-finale-breakdown that can only be described as a wrecking ball levelling everything that was so intricately crafted in the 3-4 minutes prior. A pattern was emerging, and I was HERE for it. Sundowning revealed itself as 12 tracks, each carefully composed but linked together with an emotional lyrical thread, as well as aligned graphics/videos and even merch released with each track. As a working musician, this marketing approach completely blew me away, but when the music being pushed is this boundless, this forward-thinking, this calculated yet so naturally flowing, it gives me hope for the future of heavy music.
Every song is worth giving equal time and attention to, the band knows this and that’s why they released it that way. There are no two songs that sound like each other, but there certainly are various, vivid shades to Sleep. From the brutally thick ending to Higher or Gods, to the cheekily obscure, trap-versed banger Dark Signs, to the gorgeously progressive epics Say That You Will and Blood Sport; this album is one that anyone who considers themselves a fan of music needs to check out. This is what the future of music sounds like.
Listen to our decade wrapped over on Spotify!
Written by Nic Martin / Devilskin + Seas Of Conflict
[more decade round ups here]
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intimatevoid · 6 years
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yet another one stolen from @littledonkeyburrito
1. Where is your cell phone right now? On my desk in front of me
2. How many pictures of yourself do you have on your phone? A few, I usually take selfies in groups of several but I haven’t taken any in a while.
3. What song did you listen to the most this summer? I think I was on a heavy She kick last summer so it was probably either Electric Girl or Chiptune Memories.
4. Describe your hands. They’re pretty handy.
5. Have you ever been chased by an animal? (If so, which one) I don’t think so tbh.
6. How many people in your family have blue eyes? I don’t actually know. My mum and I do, and at least one of my brothers does as well, but most of my family got my dad’s brown eyes.
7. What’s the longest you’ve ever been on an airplane? Just a couple of hours, on a flight from Brisbane to Sydney.
8. How did you get one of your scars? I jumped off the top bunk as a kid and smashed my forehead on a chest of drawers.
9. How did you celebrate your last birthday? Ash took me out to Ichi, a Japanese restaurant I like. The manager gave me a free ice-cream for dessert.
10. How did you get the shirt you’re wearing? I’m not wearing a shirt right now.
11. How old will you be at your next birthday? 26.
12. What did you do last weekend? Maybe played video games but otherwise literally nothing.
13. What did you have for breakfast? I haven’t eaten breakfast yet.
14. Have you ever been out of the country? Nope.
15. Have you ever had sex on the beach? Hell no
16. Have you ever dated someone younger than you? I have not!
17. Who was the last person you saw? Ash, when I went to ask them what we did on my last birthday, since I have an awful memory.
18. Who was the last person you messaged? That would be Chloe.
19. Where does your best friend live? One in Sydney, the other in Manitoba.
20. Where did you last go? Just aldi, I think
21. Where do you go to school? I don’t, thank fuck.
22. Would you ever get back together with any of your ex’s if they asked you? Nah. There was a good reason behind all of my breakups.
23. Who was the last person you sat next to? Ash, in the car.
24. Do you have any friends that you’ve known for 10 years or more? A couple, though I’m not really close to them and would hardly call any of them “friends” anymore.
25. When was the last time you ate chips? Yesterday!
26. How many people have you kissed in this month? Just one.
27. Do you know what you are going to wear tomorrow? I do, in fact, since I have to pack it today .
28. What are you doing tomorrow? Leaving Ruin’s place (where I am going today) and heading to Dakota’s.
29. What color are your socks? I’m not wearing socks, but I don’t own any socks that aren’t black anyway
30. Last thing you got in the mail? Ash’s birthday present ^_^
31. Who were you with Friday night? Mark was in town, so I was with him and Ash.
32. How long does it take you to get ready to go out? Up to an hour depending on whether I need to shave or not.
33. Where’s the closest hoodie to you right now? It’s behind me, lying on my bed.
34. Do you prefer to take your showers at night or in the morning? Depends. In summer, a cool or cold shower shortly before bed, so I don’t sweat too much during the night. In winter, a hot one in the mornings.
35. Think back to June. Were you in a relationship? Yup! Two, actually, at least for the first half of it.
36. Who was the last person to be in your bedroom? ash lol
yeah in case it wasn’t obvious I don’t really see many other people besides my partner
37. Have you ever eaten an uncooked cookie? Do you mean… cookie dough?
38. Is there a place that you wish you could visit? Domestically there’s Sydney and Melbourne. Internationally there’s Japan, Canada, and New Zealand.
39. Do you believe that this weekend will be a good one for you? I think it’ll be pretty standard and dull, albeit slightly hung over from that night at Dakota’s.
40. Have you ever fallen asleep on someone? I have~
41. Are all of your friends in relationships? Most of my friends are not.
42. Would you ever eat a bug for 1000 dollars? I would eat many bugs and then never have to worry about money again. Fried crickets are apparently quite tasty.
43. What’s going on with you and the last person you messaged? We are besties ^_^
44. Is your cell phone usually on vibrate or is the ringtone usually on? Usually vibrate, but I’m trying to remember to put it on ringtone more often.
45. Do you sext? It’s really not my thing. I mean if we’re going to do something like that then we might as well just meet so we can fool around properly.
46. Where are your biological parents? Down in Tasmania, and good riddance.
47. Would you take $40,000 or a brand new car? Assuming the value of the car was also $40K, I would take the money, no question. Could buy a cheap car with a fraction of that. But if it was a VERY expensive car, I would take that instead and sell it immediately.
48. Did the last person you message, message you back? She did.
49. Tell me about the last conversation you had with the opposite sex. I saw Ev yesterday, we talked about D&D stuff.
50. What is something you always have with you? Internal organs
51. Are you thirsty? In both senses of the word, yes.
52. What room are you in? Bedroom, thought I really ought to be in my kitchen making some breakfast.
53. Rice or beans? Rice ^_^
54. Last pair of shoes you wore? I was trying on my nice platform hells that I wanna show Ruin tonight, making sure they weren’t too tight or anything, since I haven’t worn them in ages.
55. Do your parents swear? They like to pretend they don’t.
56. Are you comfortable doing things on your own or do you prefer to have company? I prefer company when I’m not at home.
57. Do you think travelling is something that every young person should do to gain life experience? I don’t know. I’ve never been able to afford to travel.
58. Do you have a certain color grape you like the most? I like green ones ^_^
59. If you could kiss someone right now, who would it be? I’m not too fussy, anyone off the shortlist
60. Would you rather go to a party or go on a quiet date? Depends on who the party and the date are each with. I like both, depending on the people.
61. Type in “[your name] needs” in the Google search: Anna needs to pee Reaction: But I already did that this morning!
62. Type in “[your name] wants” in the Google search: Anna wants the d Reaction: Not right now, thank you XD
63. Type in “[your name] is” in the Google search: Anna is pregnant Reaction: Somehow I feel like that’s not going to happen any time soon.
64. Type in “[your name] looks like” in Google search: Anna looks like Elsa Reaction: Yup, because Disney’s incapable of giving their female characters more than one god damned face
65. Type in “[your name] does” in Google search: Anna does makeup Reaction: Sometimes, when I feel like it. I probably will today.
66. Type in “[your name] hates” in Google search: Anna hates Elsa Reaction: Fuckin Frozen again
67. Type in “[your name] goes” or “..has gone” in Google search: Anna goes to Elsa's castle Reaction: I swear to god
68. Type in “[your name] loves” in Google search: Anna loves Elsa Reaction: sighhhhhhh
69. Type in “[your name] makes” in Google search: Anna makes cake Reaction: I haven’t made cake in too long ;w;
70. When was the last time you wore a Band-Aid and why? A couple of days ago, when I sliced my thumb open.
71. A trip to California, the Bahamas, New York, Wisconsin, Utah, or Canada? Canada for sure.
72. Whose house were you at last, besides your own? Annika’s, I believe. But that would have been AGES ago. 73. Any big plans for this summer? Literally none lmao 74. Who was the last person you were in a vehicle with other than family? Counting Ash and the polycule as family? Probably Ruin tbh 75. What’s something you need to get done soon? I need to put some clothes on and have breakfast and go get ready for this afternoon’s trip. 76. Is your best friend awake right now? She probably is, though she’s not online right now. 77. If I came to your house, could I find any kind of chocolate? Alas, you would not. 78. What size bed do you have? Just a double. There isn’t room for anything bigger in my teeny tiny room. 79. Who was the last person to upload a picture with you in it? Ash probably 80. Have you ever held a snake? Yes, but it was too long ago and I wanna hold one again :c 81. Do you ever wear sleep masks when you sleep or shower caps when you shower? Nope but I need a shower cap tbh 82. Would you rather go to a beach, an amusement park, or a water park? Beach, I think. 83. Have you ever kissed under water? Nah. 84. Have you kissed anyone whose name starts with a M? Yeah 85. Camping with a ton of friends or hotel with a few friends? I’ve never done either, but both sound hella fun. 86. Do you have alcohol in your house? Not a drop.
87. Do you have anything to pay off? I don’t think so? 88. What are you listening to? Babymetal. They’ve really come into their own with their latest album. 89. Where did you first hear this song? Youtube, it just came up in a generated playlist.
Last 10 people in your Facebook messages inbox: I’m merging Telegram because I use it more, and excluding group chats
1. Chloe 2. Maddie 3. Ruin 4. Sage 5. Ash 6. Dakota 7. Bixbi 8. Kathryn 9. Mark 10. Jill
How long have you known 1? Almost nine years.
When did you meet 2? A couple of months ago.
When was the last time you saw 3? I think it was a couple of months ago? But I’ll be seeing them again today anyway
Have you and 4 ever gotten into trouble together before? Hoo boy, have we ever.
How old is 5? 35.
Have you ever taken a shower at 6’s house? I have not!
Have you ever taken a dump at 7’s house? I’ve never been to their house, unfortunately.
Have you ever thought about going out with 8? We actually met on a dating site! But we realised we would make better friends and that’s going well.
What about 9? Lord no.
Would you ever go out with 10 or ask 10 out? I sure would ^_^
What’s the best memory you have had with 1? We’ve had some truly excellent conversations. Like, really good ones.
What’s 2′s lastname? Blackman
Would you ever take a bullet for 3? I wouldn’t be able to answer that unless I was in the situation. Unfortunately I tend to freeze.
What would you do if 4 died? I would be pretty god damn fucking upset.
What would you do if you found out 5 killed someone that you were related to? I would ask them what the hell that was about.
Would you take care of 6 if they were sick? Of course <3
Would you kill 7 if it was the only way for your other friends to survive? Sorry babe ^^; In my defence, literally all of the other people on this list would also be killed as well if it was the same situation.
Has 8 ever cooked for you? Negatory. I’ve not been to her house before.
How many times have you and 9 fought? Never?
Have you and 10 ever cried together? I think we might have once before.
Have you and 1 ever kissed? No ;n;
Do you ever dream of 2? Nope.
Is 3 a boy? Negative.
Does 4 have any kids? Nope.
Do you want to marry 5? I love them to bits and I want to stay with them, but nope, marriage is not for us.
Are 4 and 5 friends? They know each other and are friendly acquaintances, I think?
Who is 6 going out with? I can’t remember their name but they are really cute Is 7 a boy or girl? No. What would you think if 8 became your stepsibling? She would be a pretty cool stepsister.
What is a random fact about #10? We actually met like six years ago, before I transitioned, and then met again afterwards to become proper friends. If #3 said they were in love with you, what would you say? Considering that we’ve already talked about dating and decided it wasn’t for us, I would ask them what was going on. XD Is #4 hott? They’re smokin’ ^_^ Who is #5 best friends with? Me I think XD Does #6 have good fashion sense? Oh yes, they have the BEST taste. Is #7 single? I... don’t actually know! I know Bix talks about a couple of people a lot but I don’t know if they’re actually dating or not. Would #8 and #9 make a cute couple? A lesbian and a het dude? Yeah no I don’t see that happening.
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laraimaustria · 7 years
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How the $%&@ Do Czech Crowns Work?: Weekend in Prague
I just got back from our weekend trip to Prague! For some reason I always wanted to go to Prague, so I was really looking forward to our weekend learning about and exploring the city. We left for Prague by bus around 8:30 in the morning. Buses here are not like buses in America, aka not gross. The bus was a double decker and the seats were pretty comfy, plus there was a bathroom on board. I was pleased to discover how not terrible the bus ride was because I will be spending 17 hours on one this Friday when Courtney and I go to Paris. But that’ll be another post. :). The weather forecast predicted rain, but when we arrived around 2:00 in the afternoon it was all sunshine. The hotel was a short walk from the bus station, and honestly it was pretty much the classic hostel experience, as in kind of sticky and way too little personal space. But we weren’t in the hotel for long as we left right away to go on our first tour of the Old Town.  First we stopped in  Wenceslaus Square, where we saw the outside of the National Museum (unfortunately covered in scaffolding) and saw a memorial for two students who set themselves on fire in protest of the communist regime. Hearing the professor who acted as our guide talk about life behind the Iron Curtain was interesting. It’s hard to believe that former communist countries had a vastly different standard of living and experience of government, and I can’t really imagine having something like the Cold War as a constant looming threat. Prague definitely seems like any other Western industrial town now, but every once in a while we saw something a little more run-down and were reminded that not too long ago the situation here was very different.  After leaving the square we stopped in a market and all tried some Trdelník. (Don’t ask me to pronounce it). Oh how do I describe this dessert. Basically they take a long piece of dough, wrap it around a spit and then cook it over a grill until it gets crispy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside. Then they roll it in sugar and slide it off the spit so that it stays in a cylindrical sprial shape. After this you can eat your dough cone plain or get it filled with chocolate, cream, or even ice cream. I’m not kidding when I say that this is probably one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. Dare I say better than churros? We ate one all three days and I don’t regret it at all.  Old Town Prague is OLD. Most European cities have districts where the old buildings have been preserved, but entering old town Prague feels like stepping straight into the Middle Ages or the Renaissance. There are old Gothic towers and cobblestone side streets everywhere, and it would have been perfect despite all the tourists. Millions and millions of tourists, all trying to get the perfect shot of the famous buildings and crowding around the famous Astronomical Clock (which was pretty cool.) After the tour we were free to eat wherever we wanted for dinner, so we decided to eat some authentic Czech food. Czech food is HEAVY. We had pork with red and white cabbage and two kinds of dumplings, along with some Czech beer. Czech beer is supposed to be some of the best in the world but I’m sorry, it all just tastes like wheat that’s been urinated on. Is everyone just pretending to like beer? Can we stop? There are many many better drinks that don’t taste like yeasty trash water. We were all pretty tired after eating the heavy food and walking around all day, so we just headed back to the hotel for some rest.  After a pretty nice free breakfast in the hotel Saturday morning we set out for our second tour of the lesser part of the city across the Moldau river. To do this we walked across the famous Charles Bridge, which has been standing since medieval times. This was one of my favorite parts of the weekend, walking across this huge old bridge with the sun shining on the river and a view of all the old buildings on either side. Again, there were thousands of tourists, but it was still really cool. On the other side of the river we walked past the Lennon Wall, which is a wall dedicated to John Lennon (I guess he visited Prague during the communist times) and is covered in graffiti, mostly created as political protests or statements. Then we saw the baroque church of St. Nicholas, which again would have been one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been in if not for all the scaffolding in side. I’m not kidding when I say almost every old building was under restoration and was at least partially covered by scaffolding. The exception to this was St. Vitus cathedral, and the inside literally took my breath away. All around the cathedral were the most beautiful stained glass windows and high vaulted ceilings. The time it must have taken the medieval architects to build this massive church is astounding. I got some good pictures on my phone, but they would have been even better if my CAMERA BATTERY hadn’t DIED. Guess who forgot to bring the charger? After touring the cathedral and less impressive palace, we separated again until it was time to meet up for the Laterna Magica show, a famous form of Czech theater. The show was a combination of dance, pantomine, and film projections onto a background screen. It was....odd, and kind of like something out of a Tim Burton film, but still very entertaining and interesting to watch. 
After the show we got some dinner and Courtney, Justine, and I tried to go to one of the biggest night clubs in Europe. There are five stories to the club, all with different themed music. It probably would have been really cool, if we had shown up after 11:00 pm with enough money to actually buy more than one drink. The thing about the Czech Republic is that they don’t use the Euro, they use crowns, but everyone accepts Euros anyway. The problem is a lot of the time they’ll give you change in crowns. One US Dollar is equal to about 25 Czech crowns. It was super disorienting to see food that cost 179 and remember that this is actually a pretty reasonable price. But anyway, we didn’t want to end up with a bunch of crowns that become useless after you leave the Czech Republic (the conversion is so weird that you won’t get very much converting them back to Euros) so we were very hesitant to spend our cash. Besides, we didn’t want to stay out too late because we had another tour today at 9:30am. 
This morning we toured the old Jewish quarter of Prague, which was the Jewish ghetto during WWII, but also the Jewish part of town long before that as well. It was nice to see different synagogues through different time periods, as well as a graveyard that hasn’t been used since the 1700′s. However, the whole experience was a little eerie because in one of the synagogues they had the names of every Czech who died in the Holocaust, as well as a collection of pictures made by children in one of the concentration camps. So while touring these beautiful buildings you know that so many of the people who lived here died in the most terrible way. The synagogues, however, truly were lovely, especially the Spanish synagogue which was my favorite. We didn’t really have enough time to go to a museum or anything after our tour, so we went back to the food market, got some very yummy and very garlicky noodles, our last dough cone, and then relaxed in a coffee shop until it was time to get back on the bus. All in all I would say that Prague is a stunning city, and I’m so glad that I got to go and see it. It’s interesting because on the way back to my host’s house all I could think was how comfortable Vienna seems now, how familiar, and how I was even a little relieved to see signs in German again. I guess it’s good that I’m so comfortable in Vienna, it’s nice to have an anchor when you’re spending four months on a continent with hundreds of languages and money that makes your brain hurt. Also: dough cones are the best and it’s a crime that they aren’t on every street corner in the United States. 
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