As a dog trainer I don't think there's a greater moment than when I help show someone how awesome their dog can be.
This mostly comes from agility training as that's one of my specialties. But I just adore those moments when the person asks their dog to do a thing and the dog goes all in. Especially in the beginning - the person is stunned and proud and giddy. I sing their praises and remind them that this is made possible by all the work they've done to create a good relationship between them and their dog.
I love watching people fall in love/be impressed with their dog.
Questions to ask people when you're getting to know them or maybe just yourself:
1. Do you think people have to like majority of the same things in order for them to get along?
2. What's something that you've always wanted to learn and what's stopped you from not doing it so far?
3. What is something that makes you feel alive?
4. What do you consider important qualities in building a true friendship?
5. Whats something that you've learned about yourself that you've alwasy wanted someone to know but no one has ever asked you about?
6. How do you make people in your life feel seen?
7. How do you want people to show up for you?
8. Do you believe people have the power to change? What are some things that people do to show you they have that capability?
9. Would you say that you're good at setting and enforcing boundaries with your loved ones? What makes you good or not so good at that?
10. What is a small thing that brings you deep joy? Do you find joy in the small things around you?
How interested would people be in a new Superhero / Supervillain TTRPG built around investigating / perpetuating schemes, maintaining a separation between their Civilian and Caped ID, and building relationships with the masses and the press?
It is easy to sometimes wonder if the work you do, particularly for others, will be reciprocated in kind. It's not work you do for the reward, but it's always nice to know it's appreciated. This week you need to remind yourself that such selfless work is appreciated, and there will likely be signs that it is. Just as equally, it's important to remember to show genuine appreciation for the work that's been done for you. Model this gifting cycle this week if you can. Others may need the example, but it's not for clout. It's to build community relationships based on reciprocity. Keep showing up for others and know that others will show up for you when you need it. (Even if it's not the same people you're showing up for, or vice versa.)
Today I learned about a technique for low risk intimacy building called match+1
Whenever you meet someone and they say something you match their energy, plus offer some information that's one level more intimate and if they match that energy as well then with the next opportunity you can go one level deeper, but if they dont match the energy and brush you off the rejection is very insignificant, as opposed to what it could have been
As an "im not THAT autistic, oh wait fuck I am" kinda guy my ground has been shattered, i am making excel spreadsheets tracking the kind of relationship i have with everyone i talk to actually
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part9
Pairing: Cooper Howard x Lucy Maclean
Includes many other characters from Fallout
Synopsis: Cooper worries at his lip, grabbing the ledger, notebook, and bible. He opens the bible up, running his fingers across the inside cover, his fingers moving along where the edges are glued to the front cover. He digs out his pocket knife, flicking it open.
MINOR GET OUT. Rating/Warning: Animal/people death, dead animal mutilation, Alternative Universe, Slow Burn, Death, Aging, Family Feuding, Older Man/Younger Woman
Note: that I will not be spoiling any of the reading. So you have been warned. I will keep my tags relevant without spoiling what is happening in the story.
*it's here, it's a week late, but it's here. There is so many details, i needed to make sure it was working!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lucy wakes up to an empty bed, she huffs, wishing Cooper would have woken her up. He had taken to letting her sleep in since all the cows had calved. It wasn't that she didn’t appreciate the rest, it was more that she wanted to contribute as much as anyone else. Maybe more she wanted to be seen as an equal to everyone else.
Her body aches uncomfortably as she moves, grabbing enough clothes to shuffle to her room. She grabs a towel and some clean clothes before going to take a shower.
The hot water soothes some of the aches from the previous few days. Lucy wants to stay longer but knows there is work to be done. Instead, getting out she towel dries herself, surprised that there were no bruises considering she had collapsed at some point.
Dressed and somewhat ready to face the world Lucy heads downstairs. Fingers running over the braid in her hair as she makes her way over to the kitchen. Grabbing a cup of coffee Lucy sees a note beside the coffee maker.
Chickens
Is all that is written on there. Lucy grabs a few bites of toast, before filling up two thermoses of coffee. Walking to the front, she stops her ears ringing. Eyes scrunching tight as she leans against the wall for a moment. The whole world going quiet except for the non-stop high-pitched ring. For a moment Lucy believes it will never end unless her ears drums break.
Then it stops.
Lucy takes several deep breaths, the world spinning as she opens her eyes. Placing the coffee on the ground she rubs one of her ears fully expecting blood. Nothing.
Righting herself she grabs the coffee and puts on her boots, trying not to think too hard about the ringing. She hopes that the doctors and nurses were right and that it would stop over time. Walking down the gravel drive, taking in the fresh air, and peace that comes with being in the middle of nowhere.
Going past the house and shop, she hears the unmistakable sounds of chickens. Cawing, clicks, and general noisiness of the little dinosaurs. The Howards had gone all out for their large flock of feathered beasts. A space had been cut into the forest, then large hardware cloth walls erected around it with a netted roof. The trees provided shade, roosting purchases, and endless shenanigans for them; while the net kept predatory birds out. The chickens also regularly free-roamed the place.
Today they were kept inside, squabbling and screeching as they chased after different bugs. Cooper sat on a stump in the middle, occasionally throwing handfuls of grain into the flock around his feet. Lucy carefully opens and closes the latches, the chickens running over to see if she has any goodies.
“Nothing today Ladies. But after dinner, I will see what I can scrounge up.” Lucy told the little minions as she walks over to where Cooper sat.
He smiles at her, “Good to see yah, gorgeous.”
Lucy hands him the coffee before rolling a stump over to sit on.
“You can wake me up, you know,” Lucy says, accepting her thermos back as she gets settled.
“You looked so peaceful, figured rest was in order,” Cooper replies, taking a swig of the coffee.
Lucy sighs, watching the chickens move around. Occasional squabbles happening as they fought over a bug.
“It was nice to sleep in. But I want to pull my weight too. Don't mind getting up early to help with stuff.” Lucy adds as a red fluffed-up chicken comes over tilting its head to give her a better once over, before it hops onto Lucy’s knee.
“Careful, she is known to win hearts,” Cooper chuckles as the bird carefully circles Lucy's knee before settling herself down.
Lucy gently ran her hand over the bird. “I am not easily won, little bird, but you're awfully sweet.”
“She doesn't lay much anymore,” Cooper says, scritching around the bird comb. “But she's a fantastic foster mom, so we keep'er. She looks after the new hatchlin's.”
“Good job little Mama,” Lucy says, shifting so the chicken has space across both legs to lay on. “Keep 'em nice and toasty under all those feathers, make sure the roos aren’t assholes.”
“Never had chickens down south,” Cooper adds, throwing some more grain out. “Barb wanted the kids to be a bit older before we had them.”
“I am sorry you never got that experience with her,” Lucy says, moving her hand to cover his.
Cooper shrugs, squeezing her hand. “I don’t mean to bring her up all the time.” Cooper gazes out towards the treeline. “You’d think after so many years it won’t bother me so much.”
Lucy leans her head against his shoulder, rubbing her fingers over his. “She was your wife, your children’s mother. I would be surprised if it didn’t bother you.”
Cooper nods, holding onto Lucy’s hand, “Have I shown you a photo?”
“No, you have not. But I would love to see her,” Lucy smiles, leaning away so he can fish out his phone.
He scrolls through his photos, finding an album labeled: Barb with a red heart beside it. Cooper clicked it open, showing her a photo of the woman. She was neatly dressed in a lavender riding outfit and, shiny black helmet with purple hearts. The grin across her face was the same as her daughter Janey’s, along with the beautiful curly hair. Barb was standing beside her stallion, the big black horse’s head resting against the side of her face.
“She is stunning!” Lucy exclaims as Cooper shows her a handful more photos. “I can see so much of her in your kids. The way Janey smiles, Matthias eyes, always with you. I can see why you would think about her often.”
Cooper carefully closes his phone, “Thank you for understanding, Lucy. The kids sure have enjoyed your company. I have to.”
“Even if we end up in the ER after our first dance?” Lucy teases, as she kisses the side of his face.
Cooper laughs, turning to her as he slips his phone back into his pocket. He leans forward and kisses her, hands holding her face, Lucy kissing back as she rubs her thumbs over his cheekbones. Leaning back he grins as he rests his forehead against hers, hat-tipping up.
“Maybe more so. Keeps life interesting after all.” Cooper chuckles, eyes closing as the two sit there for a moment.
***
“None of this makes sense,” Lucy stomps, looking at the pages and papers laid out on the tables.
Cooper runs a hand through his hair, putting his hat on the table. “We got to be missin' somethin', it all seems so random.”
Lucy rubs at her eyes, all the words seem to be doubling over themselves. “The bible isn’t even a bible as far as I can tell. Yes, it has the cover, but there are no actual passages, not like you'd see in a modern bible. It's more like journal entries and way more pages than you’d normally see.”
Cooper groans as he flips through the journals again, “Not to add to the confusion. But his journals don’t add much. There are some day-to-day thin's, but nothing' specifically mentionin' going't the forest.”
“Even in the ledgers. He misses some full moons, and then sometimes he is losing things weekly.” Lucy grumbles as she flips open her notebook to a blank page. “Maybe it’s not lining up with our calendar, but the lunar one.”
Cooper's eyebrows go up, “Doesn't our calendar follow the moon?”
“No, not exactly. The lunar calendar was exactly twenty-eight days and had thirteen months. Some people believe it syncs more with the solar calendar.” Lucy is flipping open her phone. She scans over it, trying to see if it lines up with anything else, but it still doesn’t make sense.
“Oh man,” Lucy sighs, “So the dates are a little more on point. But this doesn’t explain what he was doing.”
Cooper dug around his pocket pulling out a packet of cigarettes, he tapes them on the table a few times. Then pulls out one, fiddling with it before standing it filter down on the table. Opening a journal again, looking at the top, fingers running over the sentences
“What if the dates are supposed to be the passages from the bible??” Cooper asks as he gets up to stand beside Lucy. “Have we looked up if they reference the modern bible?”
Lucy felt her brows furrow, she opened a new google search, typing in the passage. “Philippians 4:18, I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. “
“Did he lose any animals that week?’ Cooper asks, Lucy flipping over the ledger.
“No,” Lucy says quietly, finger on the date. “Nothing was lost that week.”
Cooper let out a whoop, walking around the table a few times. “Well, I am thinkin' we may have figured somethin' out. The date is the passage, but why was he adding scripture at the top of the journal pages.”
Lucy grabs the journal flipping to a random page, “Corinthians 10:20 should be No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. But he has written down Blessed are the destroyers of false hope, for they are the true Messiahs. For they will bring prosperity to your life and land.”
Cooper pulls his glasses out of his pocket, balancing them on his nose as he opens his phone. Lucy waits as he types the words into his browser. His brow scrunches as he reads what the search results show.
“You sure that’s what he has written?” Cooper asks, peering at the journal and then at his phone. He hands her the phone Lucy’s mouth falls open.
“The Satanic bible?” Lucy asks, her stomach twisting. “Seriously? He’s quoting Anton LeVay?”
Cooper’s eyes run back and forth over the different pages in the journal as he flips through them. “I am guessin' that each of these is a misquote, he puts whatever name and number so that if you were just flipping through it wouldn’t seem odd.”
“Some of these are Druidic, Hindi, Jewish. There are hundreds of quotes, and only a handful of them relate to the English bible.” Lucy says, leaning back in her chair, feeling more confused than when she started.
“Did he have other books around? Like different, umm, bibles? Not sure if that’s the right term.” Cooper asks, Lucy shaking her head.
“We didn’t have a lot of books we usually just borrowed from the library. The only religious text I thought he had was this bible.” Lucy gestures at the massive leather-bound thing.
“We could go to the library. See if they ever lent him something along t'ose lines.” Cooper suggests, fingers tapping along the hard plastic surface of the table.
“Wouldn’t explain why he was bringing animals into the forest. Or misquoting the bible in the journals.” Lucy groans, fiddling with the pen before doodling on one of her notebooks.
Cooper worries at his lip, grabbing the ledger, notebook, and bible. He opens the bible up, running his fingers across the inside cover, his fingers moving along where the edges are glued to the front cover. He digs out his pocket knife, flicking it open.
“Do you mind?” He asks Lucy, “I think there might be something under here.”
Lucy nods her head, scooting forward to watch him work. Cooper carefully slides the knife along the edge working the page free from the front. He does all four sides, before putting the knife down on the table, he tries to lift the edges but his fingers aren’t the nimblest.
“I got it,” Lucy says, patting his thigh, he shifts away so that she can get closer to it.
Using her nails she carefully lifts and peels the paper off the front. The paper is thin and much thicker than the rest of the book. The edges were glued and left small bits behind as she lifted it, but underneath the writing was in near perfect condition.
It was a list of names, the whole front cover was full of names. Names and dates, going down four neat columns.
“Holy shit,” Cooper said quietly, leaning in beside Lucy to see them all. “This goes back dozens of generations.”
“Earliest is sixteen fifty-six. Some kept it for a few years, others for decades.” Lucy says quietly.
“Not father to son either, sometimes mother to daughter, father to daughter, mother to son.” Cooper runs his fingers down the names. “Not all the same last name either."
“Hold on, hold on.” Lucy flips through the pages of the bible, stopping in one section and then going to the next one. “This isn’t just in English, it’s in several different languages.”
Cooper squints at it, “How did we miss that?”
Lucy shrugs, laughing at the ridiculousness of it, “It’s not a bible, it’s my family's history. Past from generation to generation.”
The two sit there staring at the book for a moment, Lucy struggling to wrap her mind around the fact that she was holding a piece of her family's history. Going back three hundred plus years, what it contained she could only imagine.
“Your folks settled here hundreds of years ago,” Cooper said, walking over to the fridge and bringing back two beers. Lucy happily accepts one, maybe it will help her brain not leak out of her ears.
“Tim always said we were some of the first in the area. Why it was important for us to make sure we looked after the community and the land.” Lucy says quietly, her fingers carefully moving more of the paper off the book revealing an inscription along where the page met the spine. “Wonder what this says?’
Cooper dug out his phone, typing the words into google, “Think google could translate that.”
Lucy opens her beer taking a sip, it was only two in the afternoon but at this moment she could not care.
“Ahh, so I think google is a little lost, First to be first, born to be born,” Cooper replies, taking off his glasses to rub his eyes. “I think they mean from firstborn to firstborn.”
“So it was passed down generationally from the firstborn father/mother to the firstborn son/daughter,” Lucy says, opening the book carefully again.
“Won’t this be like dust or something? Like I didn’t think they had books this old.” Cooper muses, as he watches Lucy.
“Not many people had books, but I think this wasn't as big as it was,” Lucy states, flipping from the back to the front of the book. “The last few names are all MacLean. Past father to son.” A lightbulb goes off in the back of her mind. “Grandpa always said that I broke the curse of being the firstborn daughter after so many generations of sons.”
“The curse? What does that even mean?” Cooper says, taking a drink from his beer and looking as Lucy flips between pages.
“My Dad was the one who was supposed to receive the bible.” Lucy states, her fingers going over what looks to be possibly old German. “But then he died. Died in the forest.”
“What are you thinkin?” Cooper pushes, his hand rubbing along Lucy’s hunched shoulders.
“I think this book details my family, or my ancestors I guess, coming here. Settling here, and looking after the land.” Lucy sits down, rubbing at her face. “Which means squat. I knew my family was old, but why did he not pass this down to me.”
“He said you broke the curse.” Cooper replies, “Think we can assume, that he thought because your Dad passed, that there was no one to hand it to.”
“We couldn’t have been the first family to lose a firstborn,” Lucy states, flipping open the book, and looking at more illustrations. “ Wait, look at this.” Cooper comes over, looking where Lucy is pointing at an illustration.
“Is that a stump?” Cooper asks, “It’s a stump with ruins and a head on it.”
Lucy nods, sitting down and taking a long drink from the beer. “They were making sacrifices in the forest.” Cooper flips through the pages, finding one that depicted twelve stumps, each with different ruins carved on them, some had bloody heads, other loaves of bread, and fruit, but all unique.
***
Lucy and Cooper sit beside a fire pit, Cooper taking a draw from a cigarette before passing it to Lucy. Not thinking she takes it and takes a pull from it, eyes rolling at the pleasant buzz that settles over her. Her phone still in hand, more questions than answers swirling in the fire before her. She had called her Mom as they settled in, and Rose had danced around any answers, dismissing anything about the bible. She claimed to not know about the bible, or anything happening on the farm. Eventually telling her she needed to go.
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised she didn’t know. Feels like no one actually knows what's going on.” Lucy said quietly, flicking the ash into the ashtray before handing it back to Cooper.
“Do you think Harris? Or Margie, have any ideas?” Cooper suggests, taking a puff of the smoke.
“That is my next stop I think. Tomorrow sometimes, see if there is anything else they haven’t told me.” Lucy sighs, rubbing at her face. “They had to know about the stumps. How does that relate to anything that’s been happening? The things we have both been seeing?”
The rest of the day had been helping with kids, discussing which fields to start in with Mark. Helping Dorothy with dinner, settling the kids, and making sure everything was closed up for the night. Lucy’s head had been spinning for most of it. She had more questions than answers, from what they could tell the bible had been handed down to the firstborn. But it hadn’t been handed to Lucy’s father Hank, or her. Tim had decided to stop, reasons unknown.
Cooper pulls her against his side, “I can’er your brain runnin’, and it’s much too late for that.”
“Just wish they'd told me. Wish, Tim had told me. Why keep all this a secret? Like it was clearly important to be carried around for so long.” Lucy snuggles in, enjoying his warmth.
“He hid it in the back of a shed, in a metal box, with a lock.” Cooper squeezed her, kissing the top of her head.
“Do you think he thought that if it wasn’t passed down to me, nothing would happen?” Lucy asks, her mind running over all the possibilities.
Cooper shakes his head, “I wish I knew Lucy, "More questions then answers."
“Thank you, for helping me,” Lucy says, her eyes closing, the long day catching up with her.
“Don’t have to answer, if yah don’t wanna,” Cooper murmurs, “What happened with your Mom?”
Lucy shrugs, “I am not sure, she dropped me off with my Grandparents. Haven’t really been in touch much since. She never came to the farm, we always went to see her wherever she was. Didn’t really think about it much till now.”
“Whatever the reason, we will figure it out, Lucy.” Cooper murmurs, the two continue to watch the fire.
***
Going down the stairs, Lucy made out Cooper’s voice, Richard’s, and another not as familiar. As she walks towards the dining room, she sees the men along with John Roth. The man was a good head shorter than Cooper, he had braided black hair down his back, tanned skin, and a black cowboy hat. He looks about the same age as Mark, maybe a few years younger. His eyes are a grass green, as he looks at Lucy with a small frown.
“Hello, Ms. MacLean,” John said, forehead wrinkling as he looks between her and Cooper.
“Hi, Umm, sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Lucy tries to grin and moves towards the kitchen. “Just getting some breakfast.”
“Actually, Lucy. I think this involves you as much as anyone.” Richard said, gesturing for everyone to sit at the table.
Lucy grabs the pot of coffee and some mugs, knowing that the table would already have some cream and sugar. She put the mugs in front of each man, pouring each some and then herself. Before sitting down herself, looking at everyone. Well, Lucy thought, she had wanted to be a part of the adult table.
“I know, all of you have been through a lot this last year,” John said, fingers tapping at the sides of his cup before taking another sip of the coffee. “We’ve all suffered, unfortunately, a cow has been missing. One of our last to calve.”
Richard takes a sip watching John talk, Cooper puts his hand on top of Lucy’s knee. The warmth and weight reassuring her, grounding her to the moment.
“I was hoping to get your permission to go search through your land for her.” John asks, his green eyes shining in the light, “Harris has said that Bert could come help. It only be a few hours. I just need to know what’s happened to them.”
“Of course, John. I should have offered that, to begin with.” Lucy said softly. “I have two working four wheels, I know the woods I can take us through there.”
“Are you sure Lucy?” Cooper asks, looking more than a little concerned.
“Absolutely. If anyone is going in there I am coming with them.” Lucy responds, her voice sounding more confident than she felt.
Cooper grips her knee, “I am coming with you, we can cover more ground that way.”
Richard puts his cup down looking between the three of them. “I would offer, but I don’t know how far I’d get.”
“I appreciate all the help we can get, Nicole would come but she is nearly due herself.” John smile making his eyes crinkle at the corners. “It means a lot to me.”
“Not a problem, how about we meet at two? It gives us enough time to get things done around here, get some supplies, and plenty of light.” Cooper states, finishing his cup of coffee and pouring another.
“Alright, I will see y’all at two.” John nods, putting his cup down. “Thank you, again Lucy.”
“Not a problem, we’ll find your cows John,” Lucy replies, pouring herself another cup of coffee, and refilling Richards.
John grabs his hat, thanking everyone again for the help. Lucy busies herself with making breakfast, a list of what she needs to gather forming in her mind. Cooper helps Richard get comfortable in his recliner, the man murmuring about hating chemo.
Cooper comes over, grabbing his cup off the table, before coming into the kitchen. Lucy had toast on, knowing that chores needed to be done.
“You sleep okay?” Cooper asks as he puts on more coffee.
“Yes, thank you for letting me sleep in again.” Lucy replies, “Do you want some toast?”
“Think I am gonna do coffee, gotta make sure the chickens have water and food,” Cooper says, dumping the coffee in a to-go mug.
Lucy grabs his arm before he takes off, “Cooper, I-,” She bites her lip, “I am worried about this afternoon.”
Cooper stops, putting his mug down so he can turn to look at her fully, his hands gently grabbing both of her arms. “I know. And no ya ain’t gonna convince me nota come with yah. I am comin’ with, we will figure this out together.”
Lucy slumps a little, her mind running over to the kids, “I- I know it’s none of my business. I worry about the kids, after what happened on Friday. It’s all I've been thinkin’ about.”
He lets out a huff of air, looking away from her for a second. “I know. But I ain’t letting you go in there alone either.”
“I won’t be alone. Bert and John will be with me.” Lucy says, hoping that she sounds convincing. “I know the place well, I am sure we will find the cows in no time.”
Cooper shakes his head, “I already told'ya, I am comin.” He tips her chin up so they are looking at each other. “In and out, all of us.”
