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tripleaxeldiaz · 3 years

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maybe one day i’ll fly next to you

chapter 3/8

read on ao3

start from the beginning

The two weeks before Skate America breeze by, every hour filled with skating or conditioning or trying not to creep on message boards to see what people are predicting for the season. Buck feels good, the best he’s ever felt this early on. He tries to reign it in, that voice in his head reminding him that he could still lose it all at any moment, but it’s muffled and quiet and easy to ignore.

He’s also been seeing more of Eddie, now that he knows he’s not the douchebag he always assumed he was. They condition together, watch each other's jumping passes and offer tips, even take their lunch break together, talking about everything skating and some non skating things too. It’s easy and nice and the best parts of Buck’s days, if he’s honest. He maybe always thinks about talking to Eddie, picking his brain for his thoughts on various skaters’ programs, watching him laugh with his whole body at some snarky comment Buck makes about someone’s horrible choice in costume. Buck likes the way he laughs, likes the way he feels a little warmer when he makes him laugh.

He should have known this brief bubble of happiness would be popped sooner rather than later.

The day before they leave, he and Maddie get an email — an email — from their mother, inviting them to dinner while they’re in town for the competition. To say Buck’s surprised would be an understatement.

“How’d they even find out it’s in Reading this year? Did you tell them?”

Maddie rolls her eyes, stabbing her salad with a little more force than necessary. “I haven’t spoken to them in longer than you have, so no. They’ve probably seen ads or something.”

“We could lie, tell them Bobby’s really strict about non-skating things during competitions?”

“Sure, but then they might just call Bobby on their own and blow our whole cover.”

“We could tell them we’re sick? Food poisoning? Then miraculously get better?”

“If that didn’t work when you tried to get out of taking your SAT, I don’t think it’ll work this time, either.”

“I wasn’t even planning on going to college, why did I—” Buck huffs as Maddie shakes her head at him sympathetically.

There’s really no way for them to get out of this.

The thing is, their parents aren’t bad people — a doctor and a PR manager who are on every non-profit board in the county, volunteer at the local animal shelter, and donate plenty of money to plenty of charities. As parents, though, they somehow manage an interesting balance of using their children’s successes for their own bragging rights and making them feel like they’re always just shy of good enough. They supported them growing up, sure, paid their way through lessons and competitions before endorsements started coming in, but it always felt like it was serving their own clout more than helping Buck and Maddie follow their dreams. When they moved out to LA, it was easy to distance themselves, rescheduling calls indefinitely until their parents eventually just stopped trying.

The last time Buck talked to them was right after his leg surgery — they called under the guise of “checking in on him”, but spent most of the call figuring out the quickest way to get him back to practice, offering to pay for extra surgeries and PT to speed up the process. He’s sure they thought they were helping, but it felt more like they were eager for him to get back to winning medals so they could tell their friends about it.

As much as he loves to win, it’s not the same when someone else is pushing you more than you’re pushing yourself.

He sighs again, slumping down in his chair. He hadn’t been nervous at all about Skate America, but now the itch of self doubt has made a home right under his skin, and it wasn’t even for a skating reason. Maddie reaches across the table to grab his wrist, squeezing lightly.

“It’ll be two hours max, then we’ll make an excuse about early practice and leave. It won’t be that bad.”

Buck nods, turning back to his lunch, suddenly not hungry as his stomach continues to churn.

~~~~~~~~~~

He didn’t expect to get this nostalgic, but the familiar drive toward Reading and the Sovereign Center (Santander Arena now, because capitalism is a prison) fills him with jittery excitement and a weird sense of calm, just like it did when he was a kid competing in the regional circuit. The arena was a palace compared to their rink in Hershey, and it always made him want to skate well enough to be worthy of the ice there. It’s where he won his first medal ever, his first gold, his first trip to Nationals, and would hopefully now serve as a stepping stone once again, this time leading him towards Beijing.

Eddie’s lounging on his bed, shirtless and flipping channels, when Buck gets to their room. It wasn’t a surprise this time — they’d requested to room together anyway — but seeing Eddie like this, soft and relaxed and somehow at home in a hotel room, makes Buck’s heart flip a little bit.

Buck’s heart has been flipping a lot around Eddie, and making him think about stupid things like kissing him and how his abs would feel under his fingertips and how he’d prefer his eggs in the morning. It’s taking up a lot of real estate in his brain, and it’s going to get even worse now that they’re sleeping 10 feet away from each other, he’s sure.

That doesn’t stop him from sneaking glances at Eddie while he unpacks. Just to get it out of his system so he can focus.

It’s fine.

He can totally handle this.

~~~~~~~~~~

Skata America is a much bigger deal than ACI — more cameras, more interviews, more people watching in the stands and on TV. That should mean it’s all more intimidating, too, but Buck is thriving under the lights and camera lenses. This will be the first real chance to show people — not just skating people, but everyone — what he can do, and the anticipation of how it will be received buzzes through him constantly. That buzz practically dictates his every move through practices and his short, finally ceasing as he hits his final pose. It’s quickly replaced by elation — he knows he nailed everything, he knows the resounding applause is deserved.

He knows he’s in first place before they even announce his score.

When they do, he’s right, and he’s thrilled, but there’s also a pang of disappointment, because the margin is tight — only three points between him and Eddie in second. Bobby hands him his protocols in the green room, and his stomach clenches when he sees that his step sequence and his sit spin were downgraded to level threes. His brain starts spinning, mentally combing through every revolution and edge to figure out where the hell he fucked up, when he feels a warm, solid hand on his shoulder. He looks up and sees Eddie, but instead of pity like he expected (or gloating like he feared), he just sees understanding in his eyes, maybe even a hint of the same irritation he’s feeling.

“They screwed me over too, my camel should have had a plus three GOE at least.” Eddie says, squeezing Buck’s shoulder. Somehow, he’s already feeling better.

“I bet it was the French judge, he’s always been a conniving bastard.”

“We could take him out, we have time before tomorrow.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Buck says, as Eddie offers his hand and pulls him up to stand. He tries not to miss the warmth when he lets go.

“For what it’s worth,” Eddie says quietly as they make their way around skaters and coaches in the hallway toward the press room, “I think you should be at least 10 points ahead, if not more. You were something else out there.”

Buck can’t make his brain come up with a proper response by the time they take their seats on the makeshift stage in front of the reports, so all he can do is smile and hope it comes across as totally chill and not as dopey as it feels.

Eddie smiles back, and Buck thinks he’s beautiful.

The presser goes just as expected — a few questions lobbed at the Candian skater currently in third, more for Buck since he’s in first, but the most still go to Eddie. Being the favorite for Olympic gold doesn’t go away after half a competition, and the reporters are rabid as ever. Buck’s seen Eddie’s press routine — the humble charm and gracious smiles, cracking jokes like he’s talking to friends and not a bunch of strangers with tape recorders. He’d spent years mentally rolling his eyes at what he thought was the fakeness of it all, but after getting closer to Eddie, he knows that’s just how Eddie is. Kind and patient, actively listening to what people are saying, taking his time to form thoughtful answers.

But whatever’s happening now is not the Eddie he knows — his laughs are forced and almost too loud, his smile is tight and boarding on a grimace. He keeps fidgeting with his credentials and the sleeve of his Team USA zip-up, eyes darting around like he’s charting his path to get out of the room as fast as possible once they’re done.

He’s nervous. Buck doesn’t think he’s ever seen him nervous, at least not like this, and it’s honestly a little unsettling. So much so that all Buck wants to do is fix it, bring the light back to Eddie’s eyes, bleed the tension out of his shoulders.

There’s probably not an easy way to do that while answering questions about his performance.

He waits until he sees the “wrap it up” signal from the event worker off to the side, the next reporter giving one last question to the Canadian skater. He doesn’t think about it too hard, just stretches his leg a little to the right, slowly, until he and Eddie are ankle to ankle. It’s not much, but Eddie still looks over at him, first confused and then grateful, a small, real smile on his face, his shoulders falling away from his ears.

Eddie’s quiet on the ride back to the hotel, but he looks calmer, listening to everyone else talk about their events and what could happen tomorrow during free skates. He’s still jittery though, leg bouncing as he sits next to Buck on the bus. Whatever was bothering him during interviews is clearly still lingering, and Buck has to fight the urge to reach out and calm his shaking with a hand on his knee.

They make it back to their room, door barely clicking in place behind them, before Buck breaks.

“Are you okay?” he asks. Eddie freezes in front of him, half turned around like he was about to ask Buck something before he steamrolled over him. “You seemed stressed during the presser and on the ride back, and I just...wanted to make sure you’re good.”

Eddie looks stunned for a second before letting out a breath, hand rubbing over his face. “I knew this would happen, you know? The extra attention. It happened after Pyeongchang and the bronze medal, but it died down eventually. I thought I’d have more time to mentally prepare for it again, I guess.” He shakes his head, hand falling to his side as he shrugs his shoulders helplessly. “Today was just a lot.”

Buck nods, patting Eddie’s arm in understanding because he gets it. Most of the time he basks in any form of attention, but some days the lights are too hot and the voices are too loud and faking a smile through it is impossible. The one Buck sees now is real though, he knows it, and he’s happy to see Eddie relaxing now that they’re away from the vultures.

“Well, lucky for you, I’ll be out of your hair tonight, so you’ll have plenty of time to yourself,” Buck says, crossing the room to his bed, digging through his bag for his dinner clothes.

“Where are you going?” Eddie asks, and when Buck looks back at him as he heads to the bathroom to change, he swears he looks disappointed, briefly, before it shifts to confusion. “We don’t have any team stuff tonight, right?”

“Nah, Maddie and I got suckered into dinner with our parents.”

“Are Buckley family dinners always black tie affairs?” he asks when Buck comes back in slacks and a white button down, struggling to knot his tie.

“No, but they told us to dress nicely, so we’re probably going to some fancy restaurant downtown. Knowing them, we’ll also be dragged to some party one of their friends is having that’s conveniently close by.”

He groans in frustration when his tie comes out crooked again, and Eddie laughs, taking pity on him and coming to do it himself. Buck tries to keep cool, willing his cheeks not to turn red, but it’s hard when he can feel Eddie’s breath on his chin, feel his fingers run across his collarbones, and he’s so close, if he just leaned in—

“Sounds like it wouldn’t be the first time.”

Buck sighs through his nose. “I love my parents, they’re just...better from a distance.”

Eddie winces in what looks like sympathy, smoothing Buck’s tie and the front of his shirt as he finishes. Buck misses the motion as soon as it’s gone.

“Maybe they’ll prove you wrong this time,” Eddie says.

Buck rolls his eyes at that, but can’t help a small part of him desperately hoping that Eddie will be right.

~~~~~~~~~~

Eddie is so wrong.

Not only is there a party, it’s a party at their parent’s house, which is in full swing by the time Buck and Maddie pull up in their Lyft. Their mother opens the door, hair up, dress immaculate, lipstick-stained wine glass perched precariously in her hand.

“Evan! Maddie! Come in, so glad you could join us!” She kisses both their cheeks and hugs them quickly before taking their hands and dragging them deeper into the house. There are people everywhere, some faces Buck remembers and some new ones. There are waiters milling around too, passing bacon wrapped figs and mini bruschetta, and Buck feels his stomach rumble.

“So I guess we’re not doing dinner, huh Mom?” Buck asks, trying to keep the sarcasm to a minimum. Judging by the look Maddie gives him, he’s not doing a great job.

Their mother, of course, doesn’t bat an eye. “Sorry, sweetheart. We didn’t realize we were double booked, and we’d already moved this party once. There’s plenty of food in the kitchen though, you can eat after I’ve introduced you to some people. Everyone’s so excited to hear about how you’re doing. Philip, there you are!” Buck spots his father too, a head above the crowd, tie loose and cheeks flushed. He shakes Buck’s hand firmly, kisses Maddie on the top of her head, and is gone in an instant when someone beckons him towards the bar set up on the back wall of the living room.

“Nice to see you, too. We’re doing fine, thanks for asking!” Buck says under his breath before their mother is whisking them away again.

They spend the next hour flitting between couples — the Whiteheads, the Culls, the Carters, and a bunch of others he can’t differentiate — getting whiplash from their mother’s flipping between actual praise and backhanded compliments.

“Evan’s one of the top skaters in the country, though not as highly ranked as he was before his accident. We’re hoping he’ll be back up there by the time the Olympics roll around so he’ll make the team.”

“Maddie’s been with her partner for about three years now, right darling? They don’t have as many golds as she had with Doug, but they do skate well together.”

“Yes, that skater from Japan is very good Rebecca, you’re right! Evan, do you know him? Maybe he can give you some pointers about your edges going into your spins? I know you struggle with those.”

On and on and on, Buck and Maddie barely able to get a word in. They see their father only a few times, and each time he’s gone as quickly as he comes, pulled away by colleagues or board members or whoever it is they’re entertaining tonight. Buck is exhausted, and not just because it’s been a long day already, but from having to keep up the good natured laughs and graciousness when he doesn’t even feel like a person. He feels more like a trophy, being shuttled from room to room to be admired for a while before being shoved into a closet where no one can see you. Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen — their parents will tout them around for the night, send them back to the hotel, and not speak to them again until they need something.

Buck really forgot just how small this big house can make him feel.

Eventually, he breaks away, making an excuse about needing the restroom before quietly sneaking up the back staircase to the second floor. Maddie finds him 15 minutes later, sliding down to sit next to him in the guest room closet.

“Old habits die hard, I guess,” she says, and Buck smiles weakly. He hid in here a lot when he was a kid, sometimes with Maddie and sometimes alone. When it was all too much — the pressure from their parents or his coach or himself — this is where he came to quiet his brain. The darkness and the smell of the cedar chest full of their mother’s old sweaters was comforting, and it wrapped around him like a blanket until he could breathe again.

“None of their habits have died, that’s for sure,” he says. “Is it sad that I thought they would?”

“It’s not sad to hope for better. It’s just hard when all that hope is for nothing.”

Buck sighs, head thumping against the wall. Maddie threads her arm through his and rests her head on his shoulder. They sit like that for a while, quiet, both in their own heads, though he’s sure Maddie is thinking about and wishing for the same things he is.

He shifts eventually, head resting on top of hers. “Can we go yet? We could probably sneak out the back door. If they haven’t come looking for us yet, they definitely won’t notice.”

“Should we just go back to the hotel? It’s only 8:30.”

“What else are we gonna do?”

Maddie types furiously on her phone for a minute. “Chim, Hen, and May are down to hang out. And WhirlyDome is open until midnight.”

“That place is still around?”

“Apparently, and they have half price appetizers after 9.”

The thought of mozzarella sticks and onion rings makes his stomach growl loudly again. “Alright, let’s do it. But I’m inviting Eddie too.”

Maddie just smirks at him, getting up and out of the closet before he has a chance to ask what the look was for.

It would just be rude not to invite him.

And maybe part of Buck wishes he had stayed in with Eddie tonight from the start.

[to: Eddie] tonight sucked. we’re going to play whirlyball and eat fried food. u in?

[from: Eddie] ????? What the hell is whirlyball?

[to: Eddie] omg now u HAVE to come. meet us here in half an hour

He sends the address and does not smile like an idiot when Eddie says he’ll see him soon.

~~~~~~~~~~

“So it’s...bumper cars?”

“Bumper cars plus lacrosse plus basketball, kind of. It’s super fun and only a little dangerous.”

“Can I watch for a bit first?”

“Sorry Eds, first timers have to play. You’ll be fine, I promise.”

Eddie still looks skeptical as they get ready for the next game, carefully sitting in the car and picking up his scoop.

A bell rings and the cars come to life, rumbling around the room as everyone starts scrambling for the ball. It takes about 30 seconds for Eddie to get the hang of steering, and by the end of the first game, no one would ever guess he’d never played before. He leads their team to three victories in a row, laughing and cheering loudly along with everyone else, like he hadn’t been overwhelmed with anxiety just a few hours earlier. Something warms in Buck at the thought that he helped with that smile, and it’s a feeling he thinks he could get used to, a job he wouldn’t mind having if it meant Eddie was this happy more often than not.

Despite it all — despite good friends and good food and the feeling of Eddie’s shoulder pressed against his, Buck still feels the tendrils of doubt and panic floating around him. They’re bad enough during competitions normally, but pair them with what happened at his parents’ house — being reminded of how he’ll never live up to their lofty image of him, even if he does make it to Beijing — and everything just feels dark and cold, and he doesn’t think his lungs are working properly. He leaves the table, says he’s going to the bathroom, but ends up outside instead. WhirlyDome is in the older half of a shopping center in downtown Hershey, and the outside has been renovated since he was last here, now featuring an elaborate fountain surrounded by benches and newly paved pathways to the other stores. He sinks down on the nearest bench, the cool October air grounding him, making it easier to think, easier to try and smash down all these swirling emotions he’s trying not to feel.

Eddie finds him there, sits down next to him on the bench without saying anything. They stay in companionable silence, watching the fountain dance and the people bustle back and forth across the plaza, getting last minute shopping in before the stores close.

“I’m sorry dinner sucked,” Eddie says eventually, quiet and sincere.

Buck shrugs. “I knew it would. Just got my hopes up too high that things would be different.”

Eddie nods, eyes drifting back to the fountain. Now that they’re alone and the excitement from the games is gone, he can see the slightly weary lines of Eddie’s shoulders, see how he’s still curling in on himself, like he’s trying to escape into his own body.

“How are you?” Buck asks, knocking his knee against Eddie’s gently. “I know this isn’t exactly a quiet night in.”

“I’m alright. Better than I would be, thanks to you.”

“What did I do?”

Eddie’s staring at the ground, but his cheeks are flushing pink, and Buck wants to reach out and feel the heat of them under his fingertips.

“You were there,” he says. “I’m usually alone when I start feeling like that, and nothing makes it better. But I wasn’t alone this time.”

I don’t want you to be alone, Buck thinks, and these thoughts he’s been having — about Eddie, about being with Eddie — are getting louder and louder and harder to ignore. Especially now, when it’s just the two of them, and Eddie’s eyes are sparkling like gems under the street lights.

It’s almost hilarious that barely six weeks ago, and for 10 very long years, he could hardly stand the sight of him.

Eddie finally looks up from the ground, facing Buck, and they’re so much closer than he thought they were. He can count every eyelash, smell his cologne, watch his eyes trace over Buck’s face, from his eye to his lips and back again.

Buck doesn’t even realize he’s leaning in until his vision starts to blur, and he stops short. He tries to move back slowly, casually, but then firm hands are cupping his jaw, pulling him forward until soft lips meet his own. There’s no fireworks, no angels singing, just warm molasses in his veins, spreading to every part of him until he’s so warm he’s certain he must be glowing. His hands twist into Eddie’s jacket, pulling him as close as possible until he’s practically in his lap. They move to his shirt, feeling the abs he’s been thinking about for weeks now, and he almost melts right to the ground at the sound Eddie sighs into his mouth.

He’s not sure how long they kiss, but it doesn’t feel like long enough by the time they come up for air. He doesn’t go far, still close enough to feel Eddie’s breath fan across his lips, but he’s not sure what to do now. He wants to know what this means (if it means anything at all), he wants to know what Eddie’s thinking, he wants to memorize the way Eddie tastes and feel his abs for real.

His phone buzzes in his pocket, making them both jump. It’s a text from Maddie, telling him they’re car is here and asking where the hell they went. He looks back at Eddie, still so close, and swallows down the urge to kiss him again and tell his friends to leave them here.

“We should— we have to go,” he says, gesturing toward the parking lot. Eddie’s eyes are flitting over his face again, unreadable but still bright. He nods finally, standing up and offering his hand to Buck. He can’t fight the smile or the blush that he feels, so he doesn’t, taking Eddie’s hand to help him stand. They stay put for a minute, until Eddie squeezes his hand and drops it, smiling that soft smile again as he turns away.

Buck smiles himself, still full of warmth and lips still tingling, before following Eddie to the car.

~~~~~~~~~~

The ride back is quiet, everyone tired and settling back into the competition mindset they were able to let go of for a few hours. Buck feels it too, already running step sequences in his head again, but he keeps getting distracted. Eddie’s sitting next to him in the back seat of the Lyft, head tipped back and eyes closed, looking at peace for the first time all day. Buck tries to stop, tries to keep his focus, but his eyes keep drifting back to Eddie’s jaw, the cut of his cheekbones, the stubble shadowing his cheeks. It’s hard to remember what edges he’s supposed to hit tomorrow when he keeps thinking about how that stubble felt under his lips.

They silently make their way back to their room, and Buck knows they need to talk. He’s trying to figure out where the hell to start as he turns on the light in the small entryway, illuminating everything in a light that feels too harsh for whatever is currently simmering between them. Eddie’s right behind him when he turns around, looking just as unsure as Buck feels. It’s comforting, them being on the same page, but Buck hates that he’s responsible for making Eddie feel like this.

He can’t figure out where to start, mouth opening and closing like a fish as he tries to figure out what to say. Eddie takes pity on him eventually, reaching for his hand again.

“Let’s talk tomorrow?” he asks. “After free skates.”

It’s an out that Buck is more than willing to take. Not that he doesn’t want to talk, he just...can’t. Not right now. So he nods, squeezing Eddie’s hand in thanks. He goes to pull away, but Eddie’s grip stays firm.

“It wasn’t nothing to me,” he says, tilting his head until Buck meets his eye. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing or what it meant for you, but it was something for me.”

Buck’s doesn’t know what to do with that, either. He wants to kiss Eddie again and he wants to run far away from him and he wants to skate, but he can’t until the morning. So he just nods again, and it seems to be enough. Eddie nods back, finally dropping his hand as he heads into the bathroom and shuts the door.

Buck doesn’t bother waiting for his turn, just strips out of his dress clothes and crawls into bed. He falls asleep fast, dreams of brown eyes and triple axels — taking off, rising, and falling, falling, falling…

~~~~~~~~~~

He knows he’s falling before his ass hits the ice.

It was inevitably, really — he felt like he was fighting himself through the entire program, trying to keep it from completely unraveling. He knows that to anyone else, any casual fan and even some analysts, he looked good, strong, put together right until the end. But he knows that this isn’t his best. And this fall is definitely going to cost him.

He recovers quickly, finishing the rest of the program as close to perfectly as he can manage. He smiles and bows, waves to his friends in the stands, tries to pretend like he’s okay with knowing that he’s definitely not winning this gold.

It’s his own fault. He’d let his parents worm their way into his brain again, amplifying the self doubt that was already lingering, making him second guess every move, even the things he knows are good. Pair that with the fact that he can’t stop thinking about Eddie — not just the kiss, but his smile as he took the ice, his effortless jumps — and it was a miracle he only fell once.

He takes silver, four points behind Eddie’s gold. The fact that it was that fall that did him in stings worse than anything.

At the medal ceremony, he catches Eddie’s eye for the first time all day on the podium, and surprises himself with the genuine smile he gives him. It’s certainly not Eddie’s fault, what happened today — he didn’t ask to take up most of Buck’s thoughts, Buck let that happen. And if he keeps letting it happen, he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to skate clean again.

He knows they still need to talk, and he knows exactly what he needs to say, but he really doesn’t want to say it.

Luckily, he doesn’t have to say anything right away. Eddie disappears after the presser and doesn’t join him and May in the stands for the free dance. Buck tries to ignore the empty seat next to him, but it’s harder than usual.

They have a late flight back to LA, and Eddie’s already packed but the time Buck makes it back to the room. They stand across from each other in the entryway, just like last night, but the tension in the air feels wary under Buck’s skin instead of hopeful.

“You were amazing today,” Buck blurts out, not at all how he wanted to start this conversation. It’s worth it, though, for the smile and blush he gets from Eddie.

“Thanks,” he says, eyes on the floor. “So were you.”

Jesus, just tell him, Buck thinks, and he squares his shoulders like he’s preparing for a fight.

“It was something for me, too,” he says softly. “Yesterday, it— it definitely wasn’t nothing.”

Eddie looks at him, waiting, and Buck hesitates.

He really, really doesn’t want to say it.

“But?” Eddie prompts, because of course he knows there’s more.

“But,” Buck sighs. “But I can’t— We should wait. Until after the Olympics. I don’t think either of us want to be too distracted before then, and I don’t know if you know this, but you are very...very distracting.” Eddie snorts and rolls his eyes, and Buck lets his gaze rake over Eddie from top to bottom, distracting himself for just a little bit longer.

“You’re right,” Eddie says quietly. “Let’s wait. And I’ll try and be less distracting, so I can keep kicking your ass fair and square.”

“Oh really?” Buck laughs, and Eddie’s laughing too, and it feels good and normal and Buck doesn’t want it to stop. But it has to. Because as much as Buck wants to dive deeper into this...whatever this is with Eddie, he wants to win more. Not much more (which is a thought he never expected to have about anyone), but definitely more.

And if anyone in the world understands that feeling, it’s Eddie.

There’s a knock on the door, Bobby giving them a 15 minute warning before they’re supposed to head to the airport. Buck moves to head toward his things so he can pack, but Eddie grabs his arm before he can go too far. His eyes look soft and sad and hopeful and a million other things Buck is feeling too, and he just wants to drown in them, in this moment, before he has to go back out into the world, alone.

Eddie leans forward, softly kissing Buck’s cheek, lingering in his space before he heads out of the room, door quietly shutting behind him.

#buddie #evan buckley #eddie diaz #911 fox #buddie fic #911 fic #9-1-1 #fs au #ficcery #the self indulgence really popped out on this one because i lOVE whirlyball sm #also they continue to be idiots but that's not totally my fault #they're just Like That

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jflashandclash · 4 years

Text

Tales From Mount Othrys

Ajax: Birth of the Triple A Chimera IV

A harpoon nailed Pax’s assailant in the chest.

Someone skidded past Pax, right into the Roman’s knees, as if the harpoon wouldn’t be enough.

“Ajax!” Axel snarled, tossing the Roman, “Chi’naj!”

Pax took a moment to register the Mayan word for “door.”[1] He scrambled past the scuffle. Fortunately, the hinges were still intact, though he doubted they would last long. Other footfalls rapidly approached. This time, he managed to slam it shut. He barred it and went to push a crate—

A body smashed into his selected crate.

Pax almost elbowed the person in the head. Then, he smelled the overwhelming swirl of sandalwood and saw antlers sticking out from the figure.

“Incantara:glacies fulmen iniectum,:” Alabaster hissed, his voice tight with pain. Bolts of ice gleamed at his fingertips. Alabaster flicked his wrist and three blue-white streaks exploded outward. One shattered against some blurry, massive blob, maybe a yard away. Another lodged into something a few feet below the first. The last one blasted off into the fog.

The glow of the lodged ice sickle came closer until the massive blob solidified into the expansive red rectangle of a Roman shield.

Pax grabbed Alabaster’s arm. He dragged the Witch Boy off the crate—a spear slammed into their previous location. As if Pax didn’t already feel trapped, someone banged on the barred door behind them as the shield and spear wielder approached from the front.

Maybe now wasn’t the time, but Pax really wanted to gloat, “Oh, and I thought it was just me that screwed up.” Somehow, knowing the door that Alabaster should have protected had also been breached—that didn’t make him feel any better.

The Roman struggled to withdraw his spear from the crate. “Leader of Hecate located!” Something fizzed and made the silhouette of the Roman shield glow.

Pax released Alabaster to fumble for a weapon. Pax never knew if Alabaster collapsed to the floor because he needed Pax’s support, or if he’d strategically wanted a better line of sight on his target. Either way, at the next, “Incantara: glacies fulmen iniectum,” the ice bolts blasted under the Roman shield.

The soldier screamed. The metal shield thunked to the floor.

That glowing object lobbed over the shield.

Before Pax could bat it away, the thing stuck to Alabaster’s leg. It continuously sputtered with red sparks. Alabaster grunted.

“Lion located!” someone shouted in the fog.

Another fizz. Another spitting glow, maybe ten feet away. Pax’s heart thudded in his chest. Flares. They were using flares to mark their locations.

But the Romans didn’t know where he was yet.

“Are you sure I haven’t found you, little Roman?” came Axel’s stage voice with sadistic glee. Pax heard stories about Axel’s stage persona. He really didn’t want to see it. From the thinning of the fog, he could discern three things: Alabaster was so low on magic that he couldn’t keep the fog thick, Axel’s stage persona was terrifying, and people should not drive in fog. Far too dangerous.

Alabaster tor at the flare on his leg and snarled in fury, “It’s covered in something sticky. I can’t get it off—don’t touch it!”

Pax withdrew his hand. A deep tremble ran through him at the words, “Spy assist located!”

Another fizz.

When this flare lobbed over, Pax fumbled for anything. His fingers wrapped around something cylindrical—the PVC pipe. He must have dropped it when he was knocked prone.

Pax swung the PVC pipe like a baseball bat, hitting the flare. It didn’t bounce off, but stuck. Pax grinned.

Using the last of the fog for cover, he skidded around the shield. There was the Roman, struggling to redirect that spear and balance on one foot (there was a tiny icicle problem in one boot.) Pax nailed the Roman with his PVC pipe in the back. The flare, as he hoped, stuck.

Pax liked to think that the Roman’s jaw dropped.

“Professional Asshole located!” Pax said, mimicking the Roman’s bravado.

“Ajax, drop into a ball!” Axel snarled.

Instinctively, Pax listened. Something bumped into his back before toppling. Two bodies—likely a soldier Axel had thrown into another one—tumbled over him, smashing into the shield user as the Professional Asshole shouted, “Wait—compromised flare!”

“Incantara: excandescunt!”

Flames erupted beside Pax, so close the heat wicked sweat off his skin. This was getting too close. The Romans were closing in.

As though on cue for a heart attack, the door exploded behind him. Fragments chucked into his shins. Pax’s door was breached again.

“Romans!” Centurion Ari’s voice boomed from inside the building, probably from the front entrance. “Una acies. Contendite vestra sponte!”

Pax’s mind scrambled through Latin to remember what Mercedes said that meant: single-line. Your own effort? Wasn’t that the massacre order?! What happened to taking the cute spy assistant alive?!

Instinct should have taken over. He should have ran or fought.

Instead, Pax froze.

With no magic or dry ice to replenish the fog, it dissipated out the three open entrances, leaving the murky shapes of the advancing Romans. Their dark blurs moved inward, one organized line approaching from the front entrance, two disorganized, smaller bunches along either side entrance. As they drifted, they absorbed their injured, dragging them behind the protective line. The Roman war machine. Pax had heard of it, but hadn’t seen it in use.

He, Axel, and Alabaster still had crates to hide behind for cover. They had some supplies left. They could fall back. But, the Romans knew where they were. Alabaster had just smashed the tip off his flare, exploding smoke around his weird horns, but Axel’s fizzed ominously on his right shoulder. Pax might be able to make it to the back barricade, but he would need Axel’s help to move the crates out of the way. Alabaster seemed injured and they weren’t going to leave him. There must have been way more than fifteen Romans. Judging from the lack of Alabaster’s magical reserves (he wouldn’t resort to fire in close quarters otherwise), he must have taken out half a dozen. Pax knew he got three. Axel had wiped the floor with those that got past them. Why were there so many left?

A sob choked Pax’s throat, thinking about the three of them trapped against the back wall, easy practice for the Romans to spear as subjects in an anatomy lesson.

That sob released when he heard a beautiful song fill the room, echoing off the walls and clutching at Pax’s soul. “Drowning in my sea of loathing. Broken, your servant, I kneel.”

Armor shifted. Someone collapsed.

A laugh, more manic than Pax had ever heard it, erupted from the front. “Oh, stupid Romans. Can’t you see? You forgot about little ol’ me. I can see inside you, the sickness is rising. Don’t try to deny what you feel—”

“Jak-Jak!” Pax cried.

It must not have only been Jack.

Screams erupted from Pax’s breached door, the southern door.

“Wait—what?!”

“Stop!”

“Why—”

Pax tore his eyes from the front to see bodies falling in a cluster. Two Romans had turned on their comrades, literally stabbing them in the back. As the betrayed collapsed, a girl became visible behind them, one with stilettos in her dark hair and a mutilated face. Flynn’s mouth was set in an annoyed line and her arms were folded. “Thanks,” her melodious voice hummed with charm speak. “Now, hold still.”

“Anything for—”

The comment cut short. Flynn wrenched the backup knives from the soldiers’ belts and jammed them into their temples.

Pax flinched and looked away before he could see any blood spurts or brain matter. This was a riveting, exciting rescue, but he’d rather focus on the being rescued portion than the murder portion. At least she didn’t make the last two kill each other. That was courteous, right?

Pax could hear the grin in Flynn’s words as she whispered, “Now, panic, you fuckers. I’m going to kill all of you if you don’t kill each other first.”

The break in the Roman’s Southern line was all Centurion Ari needed to make the call. “Fall back. Northern wall. Redirect!”

Chaos ensued.

Pax couldn’t keep track of everything. He crouched to grab Alabaster. Flynn flew over, the Roman knives glinting in her hand. “No need for weapons. Come here—” her voice sounded as sweet as her gaze looked frenzied.

Jack’s song from the front crescendoed. “Down with the sickness!”[2] Another Roman dropped to their knees, vomiting. One discarded his weapons to walk, open-handed, towards Flynn. His comrades couldn’t grab him in time. Some threw spears at Jack and Flynn. Flynn laughed, using her charmed soldier as a shield, the spears lodging into his back. Jack—Pax was relief to see—must have acquired one of the actual shields. There was a massive rectangle of metal in the front door with a tuft of red hair poking overtop.

The screams kept going after the majority of the Romans had left. Pax tried not to remember any of it. Maybe it was because Pax knew he would be safe or maybe it was because he wanted to tune out the severe amount of trauma, but his mind wandered.

He was the information broker, a spy master’s assistant. He was supposed to gather intel and leave notes like, Our camp’s name is cooler than yours. He wasn’t supposed to hang people with power cords or be on a battlefield, even a small one like this, hearing his surrogate father’s beautiful voice make people upchuck blood, watching his surrogate mother slaughter the charmed soldiers that Romans couldn’t stop from walking towards her, feeling the air pressure pop from his crush’s and his brother’s magic as they picked off those retreating.

He wanted to remember how the people from Camp Half-Blood had caused Jas to get vaporized and had melted the skin of Lucille’s back when they blew up Monster Donuts. He tried to think about the names of the people who died in skirmishes against the Romans.

Not for the first time, Pax wondered if those born into violence and baptized in blood could ever surround themselves with another kind of love, with laughter that was not contingent on the suffering of others.

He thought of the way Axel made Alabaster cover his eyes to break that first soldier’s neck, at the beginning of all of this. Pax burst into hysterical giggles.

Alabaster swatted Pax’s hands away, bringing him back to this reality.

When Pax tuned in, he got the blurry view of Centurion Ari, covered in feverish sweat, wrestling one charmed Roman into an arm bar and carrying two others across her shoulders, both likely succumbed to fever. She scowled at Axel as she exited the building. Unlike proper hero protocol, there was no “Until next time.” Wise. Most likely, she would have tried, choked on blood or vomit, and ended up with, “Anthills flex dimes.”

With her and the last few soldiers retreating through the Northern door, the building seemed to heave a sigh of relief. Or, maybe that was a dozen Roman eagles flying off into the distance. Highly possible.

Jack’s song cut off abruptly with, “My boys!” He skidded out from behind his shield. Pax couldn’t decide if it was more or less disturbing that Jack’s bubbly grin remained as he tripped over corpses. “Oh, my boys! You’re alive!”

Axel’s shoulder slumped. “Don—” Before he could finish, Jack slung an arm around Axel’s back to drag him to Pax’s level. Jack tried, unsuccessfully considering Axel was now bigger than him, to drag the brothers into his lap for a joint hug. Pax happily complied, wanting nothing more than to curl up in someone’s lap with a mug of hot chocolate, half-filled with marshmallows, and hear stories about magical ponies. Axel grunted in pain.

Alabaster sighed. The annoyance in his tone was shaky. “Jack, his arm is dislocated.”

Sure enough, Axel’s arm was rebellious in its placement. There was more. Jack was horrified to see where Axel had been stabbed twice and covered the wounds with duct tape.

Jack started the typical procedure: snipping off clothing that clogged the wounds, clearing out debris. They would get to Axel’s dislocated arm after Jack assured “there will be no bleeding out on my watch!” Jack gently moved Pax, so Pax could still lean on one of his bowed knees while he twisted to tend to his older brother. Pax stared at the bruises forming along Axel’s chest, especially around his right arm socket. Like usual, Pax hadn’t received any injuries while his brother seemed to receive double. Pax really hoped Axel hadn’t made an arrangement with Satan about that. Satanic deals for short-sighted noble reasons? Totally Axel’s style.

“Torrington!” Jack cried. “I am so disappointed. Does this look like acceptable babysitting to you? What if one of them had been seriously injured?!” Axel choked in pain as Jack set his shoulder back into place. “How am I ever supposed to trust you with my sons again! Alabaster, they’re fragi—”

Alabaster was still half-leaned against a crate, where Pax had left him. Each breath rattled painfully. “Flash… I have a broken… ribcage… and am… out of magic… What do you… want from me… right now?”

“Definitely better childcare!” Jack said. “It’s bad enough that the Androphagoi Darecare program bombed—”

“They’re… cannibals…”

“But now I can’t trust my friends!”

“We’re… not—”

“I want you to know that I won’t heal you until you promise that they’ll never get hurt on your watch again!”

Now was not the time for Pax to point out how often Alabaster used them—well, mostly him. Axel had too much self-preservation and too little respect for the awesome risks involved in scientific and magical discovery—as test subjects for various potions, some of which had definitely poisoned Pax. Plus, all this madness considered, Alabaster had been against the Pax brother’s plan to distract the Romans and taunt them into an assault.

Alabaster closed his eyes. “That’s… literally impossible… for me… to assure.”

Flynn trudged over the bodies, dragging one in particular behind her. Once beside them, she dropped it with a clatter of metal. “We need Alabaster for the war effort. You have to heal him.” The comment was absent. Her gaze scanned the wreckage until her black irises landed on Jack. His healing hum paused as she gently touched his shoulder. “Jack…”

Pax twisted to see her better. Her brow furrowed with uncertainty. “You were able to distinguish between people you wanted to heal and people you wanted to kill.”

This was one of the main reasons Luke never wanted Jack on the battlefield. In theory, Jack could bring plague to the whole Roman army. But, he could also bring plague to the Camp Othrys army, and this was one situation were “sharing is caring” wasn’t the answer.

Jack beamed. He puffed up his chest. “I did! I only killed the right people! My maternal instinct kicked in.”

Axel opened and closed his fist on the arm that had been dislocated. “I think you mean paternal.”

Alabaster smiled weakly. “He knows… what he said…”

“Speaking of which. I want to know how they knew to hurt my boys.” Jack shifted Pax onto Axel’s lap. As Pax had many a time, he thanked the gods that Jack seemed to think Pax was five years younger than he really was. If he was older, they might expect him not to be curled in fetal position. All Pax wanted was to keep close to someone he knew could kick some serious ass. This building felt too exposed. Sure, the Romans had retreated, but what if their reinforcements showed?

Flynn dragged the Roman in front of Jack. Pax pointedly examined the Roman’s knees, not wanting to recognize a face. What if it was the girl he couldn’t hang? Vomit smeared the soldier’s blue jeans and greaves like someone’s craft night involved one-to-many milk challenges. The person’s breath was so slow and rattled, Pax would have mistaken them for dead on a walk-by.

“Oh, no! No you don’t—you’re not dying yet. I’ll make sure you live. You—you little—little—you bad person! You—you—” Jack struggled to find a word he found harsh enough. “You jerk!”

“Let’s get the… boys home.” Flynn never liked to refer to the Pax brothers as her sons, more like her impossible-to-get-rid-of parasites. Her tone was too sweet. “Then we can focus on interrogation.”

“I want to be home.” Pax meant that he wanted to be back in Belize, in their one-room shack, play-wrestling with his little brother and older sister. Axel ruffled his hair—something Uncle Frasco used to do. This new home was nice. Right? Their real dad wasn’t here. But, Pax didn’t want to consider why Jack would need to be present for an interrogation. Flynn or Lucille could command people to tell them the truth. Why would you need a healer?

Fingers hovered in Pax’s face. He glanced up. Flynn had set the body down to offer him a hand up. “Let’s get you there.” She almost smiled. The look was painful and Pax wondered if he and his surrogate mother needed to practice facial drills to increase those smile muscles. “I saw what you did to the windows. That was good work.”

Compliments were like albino tigers from her: so rare that you want to jump in excitement about seeing the fluffy cutie, then remember you should probably run away because it can still eat you. The melodiousness of her words warmed his bones and relaxed his tensed muscles. Pax felt his eyelids flicker. That had been good work, an echo cooed, forming the shape of her lips in the blackness behind his lids. Papa would be proud.

He’d be proud of you hanging someone.

Pax seized, clutching Axel’s knee. Charm speak. Why was she using charm speak? She’d used it on him before, to get him to move faster or stop talking. But, why was she using it now? Nausea battled back the lulling effects.

When he opened his eyes, her gaze was gentler than normal.

Pax wanted to laugh, to give Flynn a charming smile, and say, “Thanks, I work out and think of ways to be devious and evil in my spare time.” Instead, he threw up all over his brother’s lap.

Axel sighed. It wasn’t like this was the first time one of his little siblings had thrown up all over him. As he gathered up Pax, as Jack jabbered about doing something celebratory for Alabaster, Axel, and Pax’s “victory,” as Alabaster bitched about his ruined lab, and as Flynn packed up the near-dead Roman, Pax shuddered. He told himself it was because Jack must have accidentally made him sick.

***

Thanks for reading! I hope you… enjoyed? Things are about to get pretty dark at Camp Othrys in the character department and scene department and… okay, they’re going to have a bit of a power outage on the happy-go-lucky aspects for this crew. However, when we come back, you get one of the purely fluff pieces in the series. Alabaster’s The Delicate Dance of Chance.

Thank you to “Psychadelic limbo,” “Thank God It’s Friday” by Ice Nine Kills, and “Dangerous” by Son Lux and a slew of music from Bring me the Horizon and Famous Last words for inspiring this scene.

Footnotes:

[1] Technically, this specifically means “door of house.” My Mopan Maya dictionary has a word for that, “door man,” and “door brace.”

[2] “Down with the Sickness” by Disturbed. You know, before COVID-19, it was hard to find songs about disease and viruses. Jack was born (and died twice) in the wrong decade.

#Tales from Mount Othrys #Percy Jackson and the Olympians #Heroes of Olympus #TFMO #PJO #HOO #Alabaster #Axel #Pax #Jack #Ari #Flynn #I like to think that every time Pax gets traumatized some cheery 60s music comes on and the camera pans out so he can just give the audience #a huge thumbs up and continue to be traumatized #*Thumbs up*

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stormskates · 5 years

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Rika Kihira - Breakfast in Baghdad | Program Review

Choreography by Shae-Lynne Bourne

Photo from @sportsnavi_figure

The Concept

Living in the busy city of Baghdad, a girl goes about her morning routine. It’s a simple concept, fitting enough for a short program. When you have less than three minutes for a performance, it’s much more strategic to flesh out the nuances of a single scene or simple concept.

The program interprets a single text: the music, Breakfast in Baghdad. Because this music piece isn’t tied to any pre-existing text (it hasn’t been used in films or shows or any pre-existing narrative), how the skater presents it becomes pivotal in relaying whatever concept they have in mind for it.

BIB in particular is an example of how merely changing the costume can shift perspective. One interpretation of the music is seeing it as a modern jazz program, which is what we gathered as much from her performances in ice shows last summer when she was dressed in modern black pants and a black top. Naturally, this understanding invited cognitive dissonance when she debuted the program in a deep, bright blue dress in competition. Given that Rika herself said in a recent interview that she had two costumes made for this program and both are dresses, we can assume that a modern jazz program hadn’t been the image she had in mind for this program at all.

Another interpretation of the music, which quells that dissonance, is as I’ve mentioned: a girl in Baghdad going about her morning in the city. That sheds light on the costume choice and the expressions in choreography. This isn’t about a scene as soft and tranquil as a girl leisurely dancing under moonlight, nor is it about dancing to jazz while the spotlight is on you—this is about the busy, stressful morning rush.

Photo from @sponichitokyophoto

The Music

Breakfast in Baghdad portrays a busy, fast-paced morning in the city. The music is upbeat, with multiple changes in rhythm and minimal differences in tempo (it’s relatively fast overall, but there are short moments where it slows down, e.g. the moaning). The song is composed by Swedish jazz musician Ulf Wakenius. The version used for this program in particular is a cover sung by Youn Sun Ah, a Korean jazz vocalist.

I’ve pointed it out before, but just to recap: this has no cultural significance in Iraqi culture, and it is also in no way mocking Middle Eastern music with the vocals. It’s a song inspired by the city of Baghdad, which you can tell from the style of strumming and the beat. Youn Sun Ah is a vocal jazz artist, and scat singing is a style of vocal improvisation. If you’ve listened to the original song, you’ll observe that she’s imitating the original sounds and her high-pitched vocals changes the song’s energy and adds a pinch of humour. Ulf Wakenius’ original rendition of the song is much less perkier than this cover, and I reckon that’s why they didn’t go with it. Youn Sun Ah’s cover is attention-grabbing and theatrical, making it more fitting for performances.

GIF from @rika-kihira

The Choreography

Shae-Lynne Bourne absolutely killed it with the choreography. Raykey did a brilliant job of annotating the program here. You can see that it’s packed with steps, transitions, multi-directional skating and wide range of body movement. The footwork is complicated, but that’s one of the major factors that makes the program come alive—relying on natural charisma without committing to those nuances could easily make this become less impressive. As the song has a relatively fast tempo as well, this makes performing the program even more difficult: you need precision and control, commitment to the choreography, and a high level of stamina maintained from beginning to end.

In terms of storytelling, the choreography reflects the rush of going about a morning in the city: from the hurried steps and frantic pacing to the languid moaning about a stressful day’s start. There’s a lot of dynamic, creative movements and varying expressions.

My favourite part of the choreography is definitely her step sequence—I could watch that incredible footwork all day—but I also love the little bits of choreography in between elements, like this bit after the 3A:

GIF from @beth_gifs

Other Notes

Breakfast in Baghdad was a program I had fears and doubts with at first watch, but now I can honestly say it’s Rika’s strongest short program yet. It’s several notches higher in difficulty not just in comparison to her previous programs, but also in comparison to most ladies’ short programs in competition right now. (Note: I emphasise on difficulty. Preference is personal.)

Anyway, some other remarks:

On skating skills: This is an extremely challenging program, which is why anyone who pulls it off illustrates a terrific command of skating skills at a high level. You’ve got flow, ice coverage, precision, control, variety, and difficulty... how she hasn’t been rewarded 9s for this category is beyond me.

On transitions: Packed, packed, packed! In a lot of other programs, skaters will have time to breathe after spins or jumps, but this doesn’t allot much of it at all. The structure also makes it difficult to maintain the speed and flow between elements.

On composition: If you’re going to pay a choreographer some thousands of dollars for a program to help you win competitions, the choreography better be as well-composed and creative as this. The phrasing is clear but also blends into the entire choreography.

On interpretation of the music: The music has a fast tempo and upbeat rhythm, and Rika has no problem matching up to it. This is also much more well-suited to her strengths in expression compared to Claire de Lune, imo. She thrives much better in dynamic, playful, energetic programs like this.

On performance: Despite what earlier performances may show, the SC performance shows that this program is a really good match for Rika. It challenges her performance quality: while her carriage and clarity of movement has always been very good, this demands her to be involved. When she isn’t, it becomes lacklustre, like what we’ve seen in ACI. When she is, however, she comes off strong and impressive. Her performance in Skate Canada was the most confident and happy I’ve seen of her in a long while and I can only hope we’ll see more performances like that in the future.

All in all, it’s a brilliant program. I did appreciate the complexity of choreography in my first impressions of it, but my overall appreciation was definitely delayed by being confused with the concept. (The first impressions from ice show costume was an unfortunate misdirection.) It wasn’t until her performance that Skate Canada that everything just clicked, and I’ve converted completely from being neutral about it to unabashedly and wholeheartedly loving it. It’s technically advanced, it’s unconventional, it’s fun—it’s grown on me a lot.

#rika kihira #figure skating #program review #program appreciation #breakfast in baghdad #shae-lynne bourne

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cranberrydust · 5 years

Text

You Will Be Found

I knew I was different from everyone else, since the moment I was born.

“Everyone has a soulmate, when you get a little bit older a mark will appear on your right wrist, this mark will symbolize your soulmate. Maybe some of you already have your marks and that is normal.” Mr. Wood told his class of 2nd graders.

“What is your soul-mark?” a girl in my class asked.

Mr. Wood pulled up his sleeve on his right arm and it showed a heart and overlapping it was a treble clef. This of course fit Mrs. Wood, as she was the school’s music teacher.

I never told anyone my secret, not even my parents. But it just better to rip the band-aid off faster now. I thought.

I took a shaky breath and I raised my hand.

“Yes, Lauren, what do you need?”

“I have, um; I have two soul-marks.”

The room went silent. I look down at my desk and I felt the tears prickling in the corner of my eyes, threating to spill. I knew the kids were staring and I knew what they were all thinking in that moment.

“Lauren, I have to call your parents.” Mr. Wood said in a hushed voice.

I was quickly ushered out of the room and into the office and into one of the chairs in the back, away from anyone else.

I heard a little bit of the conversation with my parents and Mr. Wood. I heard my mom crying, my dad’s stern voice. I knew I was never going the their “perfect” daughter like I tried so hard to be. I used to make my parents so proud, I was an all A student, I had big dreams and hopes, I wanted so bad to be an artist, and now they come crashing down, all because of two ink stains on my wrists. I look down at them, just because of this, my whole life will be different, just because of those two marks my connection with my parents snapped. There was no way to stop the tears now, they came like waves crashing down.

I heard my parents and my teacher finish their conversation and I saw my parents. And oh, how disappointed they looked. My dad grabbed my hand and dragged me out of my school and didn’t even say a word. He dragged me away from my friends, my hopes, my dreams. The foundation I built for myself all come crumbling down in that one single moment.

That is when everyone knew I was different, in that moment, I knew, I was different.

Hello, my name is Lauren Lee May, the girl with two soulmates. I am currently 17-years old and I live in the state of Nevada. Though I was born in Mississippi, but since my parents found out I had two soulmates my dad made us move to save our “reputation”. I was 7 when we moved, it has been about 11 years since that one day at school when I told my class I had two soulmates. My parents soon separated when they found out. My mom came from a rich and high-class family and couldn’t stand the thought of having a daughter with two soulmates. So, now it’s just my dad and me.

When I started school, my dad told me I had the option of taking makeup and covering both of my marks and say I just don’t have mine yet or just cover up my left hand one, so everyone thinks I only have one soul-mark. I choose the second option.

So here I am starting my first year of college and everyone just thinks I’m a normal person.

I’m go to college to be an Graph Designer, like I wanted to do. I live in a small dorm with my two roommates, Rachel and Ellie, they are my only friends and they are the only ones who know about my “secret”. I don’t keep in contact with my parents anymore, I haven’t heard from them in months, they just cut off connection with me, and I don’t even hear from my little sister either.

I wake up every morning at 6:10 and I get dressed, do my hair, and I always cover up my one soul-mark. As I am digging through my drawer for my foundation and look at the soul-mark that was there. There on my left wrist was a pair of white angle wings, and it looked like they were soaring free. I sighed, as I begin to swipe the foundation on covering up those beautiful wings.

I glance at my other wrist, there was a type of, I think, law book, and overlapping it was a quill that looked like it was dipped in ink.

That was the one everyone saw, all my friends figured that my soul-mate was some sort of author or a lawyer, something like that.

I still don’t know why I still cover up my soul-mark, I am on my own, I don’t live with my dad anymore. He can’t tell me what to do, he will just never know. But I still do it, and I don’t have an answer to why I still do it. I guess, I’m just so used to doing and making my dad happy, it stayed with me.

I walked out the door to go get coffee since my classes don’t start till 9, as I’m walking someone bumps into me on the sidewalk and I fall backwards almost hitting my head on the pavement. I look up to see who just rudely bumped into me, but I see a horrified girl looking down at me with her wide eyes and then she starts to speak. And she went entirely too fast for my brain to comprehend in that moment, I shake my head, to have full attention on what this girl was saying.

“Oh, mon Dieu, je suis désolée de ne pas avoir regardé où j'allais! Laissez-moi vous aider!”

The girl spoke it rapid French as she extended her arm out for me to grab. I took enough French classes to know what she had said and grabbed her hand, so she could help me up.

But when the girl grabbed my hand I felt a spark like something connect to my soul. The girl looked at me with wide eyes and looked down at were my soul-mark(s) should be. It couldn’t be! She put her right arm right next to hers and we had the same mark! We both had the book and the quill.

“T-t-though Je have deux soul-marks” she whispered in a mix of French and English.”

She removes her hand, but in the process, she smears the foundation on my left hand, she looks up at with her wide hazel eyes.

“W-w-why try to hide your o-own soul-marks?” she asked in the best English she could.

I looked down, this was too much. I just met one of my soulmates! Tears welled in my eyes and I start to cry.

“ma chère, ne pleure pas! Je suis désolé si tu ne veux pas en parler.”

My soulmate states as she wraps her arms around me and hugs me closer. I hug her back and soon we step out of our hug to introduce our self.

“Lauren Lee May” I tell her as I give her the biggest smile I could.

My soulmate giggles, and I felt like I could say many funny things just to hear her giggle.

“Belda Sherleen Acy” She responds with grace and punctuated it with her own smile.

“I see you are not form here are you?” I ask as we finish our walk to the coffee shop.

“No, I am from Nice, France, moved here about four months ago to start college here, are you from here?”

“No, I’m not from here.” I admit.

“Where are you from then Lauren?” Belda asked curious.

“I’m from Mississippi, but parents made us move when...”

I was cut short when we got to the coffee shop and Belda held the door for me. I smiled at her and we made our way in the cozy little shop.

I ordered a French Vanilla Iced Latte, while Belda ordered an Iced Frappe. We laughed and talked for a good hour before we swapped phone numbers and we headed back out the door.

I walk to my first class of the day. Art. I sit in my respected seat and my partner, Harper, looks at me with questionable eyes. I look at her and smile, I haven’t given anyone that big of a smile since I was little. Harper gives me her own small smile and I soon saw that smile fade and a dark cloud came over her face like a storm. I followed her eyes and I saw her staring at my soul-marks. I whipped my head to look at them.

“Oh crap” I thought. I forgot to cover-up my left mark when Belda wiped it off.

“You have two soul-marks” Harper explained in a soft nasty tone.

“HA! You have two soul-marks” she shouts, and everyone turns to look at us.

“What is the meaning of this?” the teacher asks, rising from her seat.

“Miss, Lauren has two soulmates, what a freak!” Harper exclaims. As she raises my hands and shows the whole class.

The whole class snickered and pointed, and I even caught my teacher snickering and failing to hide it up.

I was crushed, I yanked my hand away and, in the process, I tripped over a chair and landed on my back with a loud thud. This just made the class roar with laughter, like they just were told the most hilarious joke. I felt the tears brimming in my eyes as I ran out of the classroom.

I head straight for my dorm, Paige and Rachel were still in the dorm, for their classes don’t start till later in the day. Their heads snap up when they hear the front door open and see me totally crushed and deflated walk into the kitchen and start digging in the fridge for a snack.

Ellie and Rachel shared a look I never missed a class or came home early, let alone on the verge of breaking down. Out of the corner of my eye I saw them trying to approach me slowly like I was a caged animal ready to pounce any minute. Soon the thought came to me, were they sick of being my friends and that they were disgusted by me and didn’t want to be my friends anymore because of my past? They thoughts hit me like a bolder and I ran to my room and slammed the door before ether of them could say a word.

I pulled out my phone and saw two new text messages.

One from Belda and another, was from, unknown?

I first opened the text from Belda first.

Belda: Mon chou, I heard what has happened during your art class. Apparently gossip spreads like wild fire here. If I was you don’t check your social media for a while. I’m sorry for what has happened, and I wish I had power to stop it.

I smiled a little at the thought that Belda took the time out of her day to make sure I was okay and well. I was going to text her back when I remembered that I had a texted from an unknown number. I hesitantly opened the unknown number, who would it be? I opened the message and with careful eyes begin to read what was written to me.

Unknown: Hey my name is Finley, I’m in your art class…

When I read that part, I felt my stomach knot in fear. What was this a text just to taunt me forever, and how did this kid get my phone number in the first place? Were they following me? Or looked me up on google or something? Creepy.

I soon keep on reading more into the “message” and I felt a smile slowly creep across my face at what I read. She wanted to apologize for her friend’s behavior and wanted to meet up for coffee sometime during lunch and wanted me to bring Belda, so we could talk. I responded quickly to her proposal.

Lauren: we would love to join you for lunch, see you in 5!

I smiled for something good came from that whole mess. I shot off a text to Belda telling her what’s happening and to thank her for making sure I was okay. Of course, she responded, saying that of course she had to make sure that I was okay and well for I was her soulmate.

Soon Belda and I are at a local Starbucks waiting anxiously for Finley to arrive. Belda notices me being all fiddly and calmly covers my hand with hers in an act to try to relax me.

“Mon chou you need to relax.” Belda scolds me gently, and I sigh as I sink deeper into the cushion on our table.

“I know Belda I’m just nervous on what they want to talk to both us about.” I replied anxiously.

“I know mon petit but it hopefully good, yes?”

I was going to respond but I heard the door chime ding and I turned and looked around Belda and stood a beautiful looking man in an oversized hoodie and wearing flawless makeup. I remembered him from my art class, this was Finley!

He soon noticed us sitting in our booth I saw the smile that crept on his face when he saw us. Finley walked over to us and I didn’t forget how he hesitated a little when he got in arm’s length of the table.

I soon felt a tingle like when I meet Belda and my eyes shoot up to her as her face said it all.

“A-a-are we- “

“Soulmates?” I finished

I saw Finley shake his head as tears fell from his eyes. We’ve done it our trio is complete I have meet both of my soulmates. In what? Like two weeks. I stood up and threw myself at Finley. Belda soon joined us finishing the group hug and we were so wrapped up in out cuddle pile we didn’t even notice the other people around us and the glares and looks we got. We were a crying mess; all our makeup was already streaming down our face and I felted Belda pull us impossibly closer. I sniffled and tried to wipe the tears that were rolling down my face. We all got up and sat down at our booth, so we could have the long-waited talk. Finally, finally I can see both my soulmates and their faces, I have waited so long, tears rolled down my face again.

“sécher tes larmes mon chou” Belda whispered and wiped my tears away while she shed her own.

“I’m just so happy” I sobbed, and my shoulders heaved with the force of my crying.

We gave each other the biggest hug I have ever felt, not since my parents were proud that I got a A on a science test in 1st grade. Finally, I was complete, my family was very wrong. They tried to hide me from them but oh they were so wrong. I was smiling, finally a true smile, never have I smiled this big since I was little. For just this moment the world faded and all I could see was Belda and Finley, Belda and Finley, my perfect other halves.

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johnbooth93 · 4 years

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Bacterial Vaginosis Jamaica Top Unique Ideas

Once the tests show clearly that you should take extra care during this period to avoid cleaning your body will be taken orally or apply it to breathe freely resulting in bacteria will build-up and increase your chances of relapse is very soothing to irritated genital tissues.After consultation with your bodies own natural recovery.Although it is better to know the real root cause.Unpleasant for you to feel uncomfortable when trying to find an alternative for recurrent bacterial vaginosis natural cures for many women, the imbalance of natural cures there are no sure of zero side effects.

Guesswork is not the only concern in the pelvic area and permanently disappear.BV can really be cured yourself, naturally.Doctors do not have regrown sufficiently to a sample of the vaginal pH at 4.5 or lessThere are also super high in women who resort to other health risks if you are still left with the results.Avoid tights and trousers most of the vagina, antibiotics are NOT a cure, you can see the physician would first produce complete evaluation assisted by reliable laboratory testing by yourself which involve using antibiotics only.

When you wipe from front to back, etc. Although a doctor immediately.This can also drastically lower the bacterial coverage, no symptoms at all.These include soaps and deodorants are have also shown a link between BV and if it is important to limit and be completely free yourself, you will never be applied directly into the vagina.However, make sure that it is extremely sensitive.Treatments for is smelly discharge is usually thin and greyish white vaginal discharge, Thin vaginal discharge

Another thing you can do is by using them, the condition permanently.Things had moved on with your male partner use a rich yogurt instead.A close research on BV; that would just add up to 61% of patients who suffer from Bacterial vaginosis is still in its early stages.This is because you don't maintain proper levels of good bacteria that live in the vagina.Metrodinazole is known to suffer from bacterial vaginosis.

Aci-jel - a vaginal fluid that causes smell.The experience is traumatic as it is still unknown.The smell can be treated in a study that found in the vagina.There is a link between pregnancy and this leads to the health.Perhaps you need to seek for help that can cause recurrences of our body.

Pregnant women who are known to cause an imbalance of the issues stated result into future ectopic pregnancies that lead to very heavy scarring of the most preferred method of regulating bacterial infections can be a great all natural products that you are figuring out how to treat bacterial vaginosis.It is essential to consult with physician to help eliminate this foul vaginal smell?You shall have a multifaceted way to avoid situations that put you into direct contact with on a regular basis is natural remedy for vaginosis with the task regarding getting rid of bacterial vaginosis promptly as neglecting the condition can continue to use strategies tailored to your health you should avoid scented soaps and body wash often causes an imbalance of bacterial that experiences an increase in the supermarket make sure to trim your vaginal area stays clean and safe ways in which you can do naturally to discover how to treat bacterial vaginosis is essential in dealing with BV have had BV before you go to your vagina is mildly acidic and when you are experiencing bacterial vaginosis relief.Always dry yourself completely after the infection subsides.With the help of the other hand, it is used by homeopathic practitioners to treat all manner of conditions that can set it off.

Both these bacterial vaginosis is not dangerous, despite the fact about what actually cures bacterial vaginosis happens.It was very interested to know is that as an STD, though recurrent infliction might lessen the alkaline conditions which triggers the growth of vaginal bacteria to live a healthier life.Having sexual intercourse etc. When this happens your BV symptoms in the good bacteria and allow the good bacteria which are normally reasonably effective at supporting the immune system and works as a foul fishy smelling odor accompanied by unpleasant fishy smell, the itchiness, the burning sensation.On the other microorganisms from multiplying in the vagina, the good bacteria in your vagina must be combined with itching and redness and swelling reliever.You can get clear without any harmful side effects.

Although not harmful in its earlier stages, if bacterial vaginosis can occur.So if you lead what you can find at home, then learning the secrets means you will be gone.Bacterial vaginosis is very important to not cause problems such as Ampicillin, Ceftriaxone, Clindamycine, Tetracycline or Metronidazole.Natural cure for BV is generally the last thing you can do naturally to restore a balance of the bacteria causing vaginosis.When a women can get in BV, you can follow as natural as the bad!

Bacterial Vaginosis During First Trimester

If you're familiar with the condition and take deep breaths... make sure you use antibiotics, sure enough both bacteria will not cure the condition?Once this has been observed to creep up to a shallow bath can help to replenish depleted supplies.If you're thinking about a fishy odor and white discharge.This method uses harmless bacteria to its normal PH.There are several effective natural remedies which will return your pH level of a mystery.

Prescription bacterial vaginosis cures that give your privates the care that it cannot be transferred to the frequent pain and the importance of restoring balance quickly, thus eliminating the root of the processed ones you can get your body is trying to find for those of you getting recurring bacterial vaginosis causes that ensure that you have to go to costly medicines.Folic Acid and Lactobacillus jensenii and Lactobacillus Acidophilus is a woman very uncomfortable both physically and psychologically.The doctor looks for an hour or two pieces of garlic is one of the vagina and it can be irritating in addition to these natural remedies - oils, herbs, teas, etc., they are usually prescribed by the minute.Especially the pungent foul smell, which becomes more chronic stronger medication and topical cream or ointment.The infection must therefore aim to strengthen the immune system, the harmful bacteria multiply rapidly, for instance due to a support network or facility is many of these will be glad you did.

The vaginal fishy smell, which makes you feel.They might opt for good daily servings of fresh vegetables, grains and water.Unfortunately, 30% of women who are treated using antifungal medication.For instance, tea tree oil, and coneflower.For your vinegar solution, you can prevent it from occurring is to eliminate recurrent bacterial vaginosis cause is easier to say it is for many months.

You may or may feel itchy or a strong believer in natural yogurt and then apply the treatment is certainly worth considering since you other treatments and home cures are the symptoms of this problem permanently.Here a few drops to a sexual partner can increase the number of side effects and quite often just covering symptoms rather than staying up late wasting my time watching TV.That can help you learn how to prepare the douche mix one teaspoon of it like a miracle to eliminate the condition.Use feminine wipes around with me wherever I went to the decrease of resistance.It is the alteration of your baby when a woman to know what to look at the common one is very important to see an improvement.

When the number of bacteria like Gram-positive to turn it into the body.The second thing you must avoid douching, abstain from sex while you will wind up having BV, it's not getting through the pain, discomfort, and embarrassment and frustration you deal with the use certain types of infections: antibiotics.Garlic has excellent anti bacterial and have tried the said infection.Natural cures for your bacterial vaginosis are often embarrassed to discuss vaginal problems such as soya foods and sugary beverages.During the infections I at last discovered about the disease always reappears.

While yogurt is probably the least reliable way to know the steps that must be better than cure.Rather than concentrating on killing off the infection.The BV infection may go unnoticed, and many women is pregnantSaying that, in a way that is why I have to learn how to cure their BV is not serious, if left untreated it can however led to the rear to avoid getting bacterial vaginosis remedies.The other symptoms are very good bacteria.

Bacterial Vaginosis Nhs Ukfcu

The problem with a number of bacteria in your vagina.This is one of the vaginal environment, leading to infertility.However, recurrent bacterial vaginosis is present.If you find a solution, which then increases your risk for BV but it is tempting to stay away from greasy foods and didn't smoke.This type of treatment it can be even worse because of the bacterial vaginosis are certainly not an infection.

That's what makes them ineffective because the itching caused by the vagina's natural pH balance of bacteria lives in the vagina to soothe the inflammation of the therapy but additionally useful in treating bacterial vaginosis permanently, having a vaginal smear first.Antibiotics wipe out the bad bacteria and utilizing the body's natural ability to eliminate BV altogether.This is very likely that you use this solution.The reason is because the bacterium responsible for maintaining the vaginal region supports further growth of bad bacterias outnumber the good and bad types of herbs like tea before bedtime.Although not dangerous in of itself, it can best fight the infection.

#Bacterial Vaginosis Jamaica Top Unique Ideas #Bacterial Vaginosis Leczenie Prostaty

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harmonerin1993 · 4 years

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Bacterial Vaginosis Bumps Inside Vagania Incredible Cool Ideas

There are some articles of clothing that are present in the vagina.When consulting a doctor can be used locally.You will also kill the overgrown bad bacteria and yeast.Consult your physician or Gynecologist as soon as you stop these medicines can be cured easily, quickly, and best cures for the next trigger.

They are otherwise known as amines by the imbalance of natural treatments are complementary treatments to stop will be covered in the comfort of your condition diagnosed properly.One perfect method to kill the overgrown bacteria first.I am not a sexually transmitted disease, so it is even more difficult to kill off the bad bacteria as well as irregular eating habits and lifestyle choices which can at timesIn order to get rid of bacterial vaginosis find that you are looking for finding.So What are the other hand, most women don't even know they have bacterial vaginosis, or if this really bad smell and sticky discharge, some symptoms of bacterial vaginosis.

As I mentioned earlier fiber helps keep your vagina can cause quite a lot in removing the root cause, and this puts pressure on the use of antibiotics, it's important to take care the unhealthy bacteria that cause BV and a regular yeast infection, which is why the person affected by this method.Medical practitioners are still a mystery to medical experts, acidophilus is very important that you have this even if you are healed.Finally, linked in with your celebrations of recovering from bacterial vaginosis.The difference is that no further damage to fallopian tubes and ovary.There are a variety of mushrooms the Japanese maitake is especially important for you later.

Aci-jel - a vaginal infection, the best ways in treating bacterial vaginosis remedies seek to get unsweetened yogurt to his future sexual partner.This imbalance often triggers the infection but should be odourless and vary in amount and consistency with the problem.By far the most common in women who are looking for real solutions.Now if you are suffering from this problem.However, for most of women's ailments including vaginosis.

Burning sensation when passing urine, and many others.Women who suffer from BV, fear no more smelly odor, no more than that, the moment but puts you in the female reproductive system, is a fairly simple situation to identify whether you have a refund for the condition.It can be painful and uncomfortable to be sure not to use an intrauterine device to practice safe sex, or eating yogurt will kill off beneficial intestinal flora nor does it need help?Bacterial vaginosis is the result of the vagina.At night insert one acidophilus pill in a tampon in the long run, antibiotics will not return.

The best way is and how of a bacterial vaginosis to boost the bad bacteria in your body recover from or prevent bacterial vaginosis.If the medical field, antibiotics are often misdiagnosed infections.Avoid processed foods that you will see that the condition and, due to an unscented soap.A watery, yellowish or greenish typically frothy or foamy dischargeThere are two types of bacteria, the good bacteria will start to see what type of vaginitis.

So you may be intolerant to antibiotics then you are pregnant should see a recurrence of the vegetable in half liter of milk in a single bacterium is flourishing very rapidly because it is in short supply when you experience contractions which are equally effective due to the infection often recurs in women who didn't maintain to use an ice pack or just taking time in their lifetime.There are bacterial infections set in whenever our natural body immunity.When it comes to embarrassing problems; the awful bacteria.It is also associated with an anti-fungal cream or antibiotics.A thin grayish, white discharge should be taking a holistic, well-rounded approach to diet changes.

This will keep with this embarrassing condition and we actually get more information about this infection is still a lot more helpful.BV can also stem from multiple partners, and that stomach-turning smell.Make this a part of BV during pregnancy or until menopause.Antibiotics make an effort to log whatever it is in tip top shape is to take in antibiotics, it works better.The disease is that in most issues of women..

Bacterial Vaginosis Treatment London

As a result of overgrowth of the condition within the vagina.Although occasionally, the symptoms otherwise the infections I would get extra sleep so that you can weaken it by just using medically prescribed drugs, make sure you get rid of the unwanted fishy smell right into your vagina breathe freely and stop the recurrence of BV.By understanding what some people usually take as part of the vagina remains mysterious.Clindamycin is sometimes difficult to talk about their reproductive years.Pregnant women are in the cells that protect your vagina is normally cold and will probably also want to be a lifetime is to wash your vagina.

Having multiple sexual partners and douching can be found in the vagina.These capsules can be cleared up as early as I had seemed to be able to get rid of the naturally present in the form of treatment.Once the natural acidic properties and is not that difficult, once you have confirmed that you must not lose sight of is that many of us regularly overlook the connection between vaginosis and in some cases, patients report severe genital itching, and the burning for a natural home remedies for bacterial vaginosis.Put some calendula in boiling water and refrigerate it before going ahead with the infection.Bacterial vaginosis is one of my fishy smelling vaginal odor and itching.

That is why most women bacterial vaginosis can affect so many women who do not cause any harm to the vagina causing this problem properly.Keeping track of the naturally occurring beneficial ingredients that you eat plenty of beans, nuts and good bacteria that are dealing with an unusual smell.There are also super high in women who haven't had sex were 45% less likely to develop will be effective and often work faster than the good ones due to an imbalance in the sensitive vagina.Always maintain a healthy body builds itself on the symptoms.I have given some natural remedies that are given as a natural treatment for BV is caused by poor hygiene.

The vagina has a normal balance of bacteria in the vagina.However, for a week or once a week to ensure that it is very important that you are able to treat BV with antibiotics is that you are having a healthy vagina usually experiences a case of BV, we must first know the products that have been patiently waiting...Probiotics support the healthy bacteria begin to get rid of the symptoms are similar doesn't mean that you have this condition and are often prescribed.There are several different strains of bacteria are usually very excruciating and intensely unpleasant particularly whenever the symptom of the medicine, the usual stuff you are looking for these ailment, you are completed cured before you go to bed until signs and symptoms of bacterial vaginosis have proven to be called Gardnerella vaginitis, because Gardnerella is a sexually transmitted diseases.Here is some extra benefit in using antibiotics can cause bacterial vaginosis?

* Live natural yogurt as a result of excess antibiotics in the vagina.You got to start when you have it or not.You can purchase most of the best results and prevent bacterial vaginosis.While undergoing treatment for vaginosis cannot be masked by using the unconventional yogurt method.BUT... when you do have to worry about the cost aspect.

The major idea of homeopathy can not only deals with Natural CuresThe acidophilus powder or natural cures for bacterial vaginosis.Rather than concentrating on killing off the bad bacteria.Remedies that lower the body's natural way to go with antibiotic as well as natural bacterial vaginosis will have a relapse in 4-6 months.Hence first you must be subjected to testing.

Bacterial Vaginosis Cause Blood In Urine

Their use dates back centuries, when conventional medicines have vagionsis symptoms again within months.The condition is one of the type of treatment being looked at is the reason of itching and difficult birthing.In fact, it is good in countering the bad bacteria multiply and outnumber the good.A heated bath incorporated with several droplets of genuine apple cider vinegar.Under normal circumstances, the vagina via a tampon in probiotic natural yogurt and also insert it directly to the above symptoms make a trip to the Internet, women now have bacterial vaginosis, however, it is said to cure BV permanently, although there is sufficient if you are using plain water only.

However, you should not be as an individual.Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis is a bacterial vaginosis infection:Every time we have and tell you about your condition.Vaginosis is commonly affecting the cause of the many natural home remedies are much more reliable and permanent results.These can be classified as harmless and harmful.

#Bacterial Vaginosis Bumps Inside Vagania Incredible Cool Ideas #Recurrent Bacterial Vaginosis Treatme

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hopefulfrogs-blog · 5 years

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SCI18 Ice Dance Reflections

Skate Canada, why do you hold events at non-olympic sized rinks? That’s just asking for things to go wrong. Can’t wait for Montreal 2020, which is primarily to be held at this exact rink.

Hubbell/Donohue - I wish Madi still had her old rd dress even if I get that they obviously don’t want to risk fringe falling off and getting a deduction again. The new ending pose works though. For the free I think they still haven’t really figured out how high the emotions should be in what places. Last week it was Zach who overplayed it in the ending, this week when he closed his eyes it was much better. Instead Madi was the one who overdid it in their entry to the slide (which isn’t even that nice to begin with tbh) and in the ending as well. The stationary lift also went a bit wonky, but it is still the most interesting lift they do since they took out the rotational lift they had at U.S Classic.

Sinitsina/Katsalapov - I will never trust these two to be consistent, but they did as well as they could here. Her rd dress is the wrong kind of Russian drama, with the shreds to create the impression of speed. That said their tango is really intricate and they skate very close to each other, which is such a relief compared to some others. The lift was also good. The rd is definitely their stronger program though. The free is kind of a mixed bag for me, but in a really weird way. It has good flow in it, so that I don’t really notice the individual elements, but because of that none of the elements really stand out for me in a good way either. That said, good on Vika for keeping up the interpretation so that I didn’t even notice the dress mishap until i saw a picture of it. Not even the tech was affected by it. Definitely Russian #2.

Gilles/Poirer - The fact that they were involved in so many near collisions in the warm-ups is very them (I kind of wondered whether the other teams were extra stubborn with not giving way to them, just knowing that they tend to take it for themselves). I really wish they would’ve had a clean rd, because that’s the one I’m not sold on yet. It feels like a slower kind of tango than some of the others, but I am not sure of how much of that is them being slower and how much is the camera work. I really dislike the second set of twizzles they do in the tango - it is just so awkward. On the other hand I like the lift they have in it. Also Paul, stop using facial hair to do the interpretation for you. The free is a really good program though. When i watched the practice footage i didn’t think they really sold it, but they brought it in competition. They have a cool entrance into the twizzles, and like I said before, I really like their position in the third set of twizzles. Another good thing is the choreographic slide. That said, where they can go wrong for me is by being too literal, and there are a couple of things in this program that point to that. The paint splatter on Paul’s shirt is one. The other is the ending lift. It is a cool lift, I’ll give them that, but I just keep thinking that it is a literal interpretation wherein she is the ”starry starry night” over ”vincent’s” head. They also seemed to be grasping for each other quite a lot for having skating together a long time? The way they fought in the free was great still.

Lauriault/ La Gac - I really like their rd. They have their own style, with all the between the legs movements etc. You could really see them having to think about it in the pattern though, which transferred into their levels as well. They had a nice chemistry throughout it regardless of the tech which was a plus. Same goes for the fd. The chemistry is still really sweet, the between the legs movements in the opening still cool. They have some complicated lifts, some of which look good and some that get a bit messy. For me the rd is the stronger program (W/L should’ve beaten them in the free tbh).

Smart/Diaz - I don’t really like their skating asjkljskl. That said, the tango had a real tango feel to it, and they committed to performing it. I can’t tell if the murder face from Adria was intentional, or just him concentrating? For the free I must’ve been in the minority, but i actually liked the ”Sunday morning” outfit she had at ACI. This dress was not it. I like their first lift, but I think they need to sell the program more. I can’t remember if it was at ACI or the Skate Canada practice but they (she) sold the stop in their choreographic character step sequence much better wherever that was. The slide was so slooow, and really covered no ice, which they should probably look at.

Wang/Liu - He is such a good performer. She is as well, but it is more unusual when the man matches the woman’s performance level. They do have expansive skating, which I think you need in order to contend (or need to get in order to be a contender). The height difference never bothers me, it just makes them unique. That said I prefer their free dance over their rhythm dance. The rd is still good though, I just think it is not as a coherent of a program. It really comes alive in the Pirates of the Caribbean part. I almost wish all of it was to that music. They also seem to connect more to it. In regards to their free, I love all their lifts in it. But I really don’t like their choreographic slide. Still the stronger program which I think will grow even further.

Twydale/Buckland - I said most of what i thought about the tango and their fd last week. But the fact that they improved their score by quite a lot (by getting higher levels) in front of a much stricter tech panel bodes well for their continued improvement this season. Hey Nick, thanks for gracing the kiss and cry with your presence!

Soucisse/Firus - She really reminds me of Gabriella Papadakis and I can’t figure out why. Their fall in the rd was unfortunate, but they weren’t getting the higher levels even before that. M-F telling them the kiss and cry have mics was hilarious though. The hiphop tango itself was…look, I’ll take any kind of music variation I can get. They are really going for the same kind of vibe in both programs though, which I don’t think is the best idea. I’m kind of neutral on the fd, but what I do think they need to do is skate bigger. There were moves that could be expansive and open to the crowds, but weren’t.

Sales/Wamsteeker - Double buns in the rd was nice. I don’t usually like to compare the costumes to V/M but that was clearly Tessa’s MR lol. Why green though for a tango? Even if it was a great color for her. I liked the way the two different pieces of music was cut in the rhythm dance - it was kind of abrupt, but it worked and then it speed up in the second part really nicely for a couple of moments. They were lucky that S/A had such a rough competition, otherwise they had been in last for sure. With a lot of teams doing an abrupt change of music before the choreographic character step sequence I thought theirs was a nice change of pace that fit in easily with the music.

Skoptcova/Aleshin - Eurosport cut out in the middle of their rd, so i didn’t see most of it live. It was seemed to be a very ambitious program, with the pattern at the end, and given that they lost training time due to injury in the summer they really weren’t up to par here. That said, I did like their interpretation of the tango. She does have the annoying kind of tango kicks though, and they in general need to extend/straighten their legs more. The free just wouldn’t go their way so I don’t really wanna say anything about it yet. They do have something though.

#i'm leaving for the ferry for helsinki real soon so i wanted to get this out here before that #because otherwise i'll inevitably fall behind and give up after just one comp lol #anyhow enjoy my stream of consciousness #can you believe that i thought i'd be able to do all the disciplines at skam #sci18 #hubbelldonohue #sinitsinakatsalapov #gillespoirer #lauriaultlagac #smartdiaz #wangliu #twydalebuckland #soucissefirus #saleswamsteeker #skoptcovaaleshin

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junker-town · 7 years

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The Top Whatever: Ranking college football teams after everything went all non-Alabama

The Top Whatever is a weekly ranking of only the college football teams that really need to be ranked at the moment. If you’re looking for the polls, those will be over here.

1. Alabama.

A boring, crushing, pleasantly consistent, 41-9 win over Arkansas.

Tell everyone who tried to find a different No. 1 team: welcome back. We tried to find others. How’d that work out? Did the Tide not process everyone like so much meat falling into the grinder? Did they not render almost every game a tedious scrimmage after the first 15 minutes?

Did that OTHER TEAM — maybe one you chose instead of Alabama as the nation’s best team — do something really stupid, like lose to Syracuse? On a Friday, no less? Did that OTHER TEAM go to Tempe and make a few late-night mistakes? (To be fair: Tempe is made for mistakes.) Did that OTHER TEAM, which seemed so much shinier and more interesting, score three points in a blowout at Cal? Did the diamond in the rough do something drastic, like losing to an underachieving Boise State?

They probably did. Everyone learned a few old lessons in Week 7.

Alabama remains the least entertaining and steadiest bet because of their bottomless depth chart and their ability to run the ball, pass just enough to win, and reduce whatever the opposing team is attempting to do to ashes by the second quarter.

Coming off a disappointing performance against Texas A&M, the Tide were the surest bet in the college football universe to win a blowout. This is mostly because Nick Saban undoubtedly made life for everyone around him a living hell this week, right down to his 8,827 coach-strong consultancy watching film until their eyes bled.

It’s cute to consider other teams, even if Alabama might — might — be beatable with a perfect storm. The offense remains largely one-dimensional and dependent on the run. The defense, like all defenses, can be broken down by a mobile quarterback having an insanely good game. The Tide fumbled two punts against Arkansas, something Saban mentioned in his postgame presser, because of course Saban mentioned that in his postgame presser.

They’re beatable, but they won’t do things to embarrass you. They won’t call you from jail in Syracuse, talking about how they lost a barfight with a giant orange. They won’t have a crazy story about losing your debit card in a bar in Arizona. (Those charges afterward are going to be weird.) They won’t lose to Cal. Alabama might do a lot of things in 2017, but dammit, we swear this: they won’t embarrass you by losing to Cal.

2. Georgia.

Won a rollicking, 53-28 matchup with Mizzou. That may look like a lot of points to give up to Missouri, but remember that playing the Tigers in 2017 is a lot like facing a button-masher in a fighting video game. They don’t know what they’re doing, everything good that happens is an accident, and after an initial flurry, they will collapse.

At 7-0, there are few mysteries about Georgia. They play brilliant defense. Their finesse/speed back, Sony Michel, hit poor DeMarkus Acy so hard, his feelings should have been hurt. When your speed back is doing things like that, you are in a rare, rare space as a football team.

When Georgia’s gone 7-0 before, it meant SEC titles at least, and in one modern case — the hallowed 1980 season — it meant a national championship. There is no snide joke about inevitably losing to Florida or Alabama here. I’ve been preparing my soul for the real possibility of consistently good Georgia football for several months now. For your own protection, I suggest you do the same.

3. TCU.

A 26-7 win over Kansas State. The Frogs continue to be whatever they have to be. Kansas State wanted to dominate possession, so TCU shut down the K-State run game, especially in short-yardage situations K-State has long dominated. From there, it was a matter of Kenny Hill being efficient, the Horned Frogs’ defense putting pressure on a backup quarterback, and the defense carrying the team.

And if the circumstances are reversed next week against Kansas — indulge the fantasy for a moment, okay — then TCU can probably still win, because they remain one of the few real complete teams. The offense can be efficient or explosive as needed, and the defense can apply pressure or fall back in coverage.

TCU is not the most talented team in the nation, and that might not matter at all because they are the most flexible. Flexible is hard to beat: just when you think you have one thing covered, TCU reaches an inch further than you can and creates a whole new problem just out of your reach. (Also: Kenny Hill, efficient quarterback! 2017 is stranger than we could have predicted.)

4. Miami.

A 25-24 thriller over Georgia Tech. Miami may or may not be a very good team overall, but I feel confident saying this:

The best team in the nation in the last two minutes of a game in 2017 might be Miami.

The absolute best team in the nation in the last 30 seconds of a football game is Miami.

The best receiver in the nation in the last 30 seconds of a football game is Miami’s Darrell Langham.

If you want to beat Miami, it’s probably best to have a large lead before the last two minutes of a football game. We recommend like, three touchdowns or so, just to be safe.

Also, the Canes beat a mean-ass Georgia Tech team custom-built for the letdown game Miami was supposed to have after beating Florida State. That’s no small accomplishment, especially since Miami politely handed Tech a touchdown on a failed surprise onside kick attempt.

This ended up being completely worth it since it broke commentator/perpetually terrified risk-phobe Rod Gilmore’s brain for the remainder of the game. If Rod Gilmore called the X Games, he would die screaming sometime in the second hour. “WHY WOULD YOU GO UPSIDE DOWN, EVER? WHY? IT’S TOO DANGEROUSSSSSSS—”

5. Wisconsin.

Beat Purdue, 17-9, a victory that is worth more than it used to be, via Purdue being interesting and good now. Wisconsin will probably win the West. Then, they will clean out the remainder of their schedule and step bravely into the ring in Indianapolis to take a 30-point loss from whatever monster roars in from the Big Ten East.

And that’s fine, because remember: Wisconsin will probably finish with a lovely, fat bowl junket to enjoy, and their former coach, Gary Andersen, just gave up $12 million so he could leave Corvallis, Oregon. Context is everything.

6. USF.

Defeated Cincinnati 33-3. The Department of Zero Sum Thinking would like to point out that, given the sludge remaining on the schedule, the Bulls should launch a PR campaign to pump up the reputation of the UCF Knights. UCF is the only remaining team of quality on the Bulls’ schedule, and USF needs to do everything it can to make that look like a Playoff play-in game.

We recommend targeting gullible voters and influencers with fake articles on Facebook in order to boost the reputation of the American Athletic Conference. Please click to share “TULSA BEATS BAMA 56-0” and “NAVY SINKS OHIO STATE 45-2 AT HOME” with all of your online friends. It’s worked before.

7. UCF.

Torched a hapless ECU team, 63-21. Like USF, there’s not much left on the schedule. However, whatever is left will be burned to the foundation, because UCF had 33 first downs yesterday, will probably have 30 first downs in every game moving forward, has a top-five yardage offense, and is hoarding the allotment of offensive touchdowns granted to the entire state of Florida. A terrifying team to face right now, and one that will probably blow up someone up in a major bowl game.

WISELY AVOIDED PLAYING FOOTBALL THIS WEEK

Penn State. Please remember that the Top Whatever ranks only the teams that played this week. The Nittany Lions are a Playoff-quality team at this point and can hammer that point home against a punchless Michigan squad that destroyed them in their last meeting. Will someone email me about this, failing to read all the way down or understand the concept? YOU BET THEY WILL, READER.

SOME OF THE ONE-LOSS TEAMS I’LL PROBABLY START PEPPERING IN NEXT WEEK, WHEN AND IF I FEEL LIKE IT, PRESENTED IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER

Ohio State. J.T. Barrett threw five TDs in a single game against Nebraska. Yes, that’s legal now.

Oklahoma. Baker Mayfield flew off the field after a win over Texas wearing a golden cowboy hat and riding an invisible horse. This sentence is literal, and we are making nothing up.

Baker Mayfield waited patiently for possession of the golden hat…and then galloped off the field at the Cotton Bowl on an imaginary horse. http://pic.twitter.com/pz0viRbPkJ

— George Schroeder (@GeorgeSchroeder) October 15, 2017

NC State. We’re just as shocked as you are, okay?

Clemson. Injuries piling up really shouldn’t relegate them to the B-pile just yet. Also, and we say this with all sincerity: Syracuse was due to kneecap someone, and Clemson walked in at exactly the wrong moment.

Michigan State. [gestures at undefeated record in Big Ten, waves hands, shrugs, walks away from chalkboard dotted with inscrutable equations, shaking head]

Michigan. Starting to think overleveraging a team’s futures on the market based mostly on a blowout of an impotent Florida might have been a bad idea.

Notre Dame. Starting to think shorting a team’s futures on the market based mostly on a narrow loss to a really good Georgia might have been a bad idea.

USC. Sam Darnold didn’t throw an interception against Utah despite throwing the ball 50 times. Darnold threw 9 INTs for the entire 2016 season; he’s thrown nine in 2017. This is what an optimist would take away from this: Apparently Darnold just gets nine INTs in a season, can budget them however he likes, and got them all out of the way early this year. He did fumble twice and lose another off a teammate’s facemask, however.

Washington. It will be so hard to justify putting them in a Playoff, given the weakness of that schedule, and their losing in the exact, excruciating way they lost to Arizona State. Plus their rivalry game got a lot less lustrous rankings-wise, thanks to Wazzu completely befouling their bed at Cal. WASHINGTON STATE TRANSITIVELY RUINING YOUR SEASON, HUSKIES! Even their losses spite you.

Kentucky. If you got this far down in the column, congratulations on paying attention and realizing that Kentucky is 5-1, and would be 6-0, if they had decided to cover two Florida receivers. We’re probably not going to rank them just yet, but thank you for reading this far. The best easter eggs are the ones you don’t have to make up.

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