#Horse Trainer Near Me

[richardmaxwell01]

Horse Trainer Near Me | Richard Maxwell Equestrian Professional

Richard Maxwell is an equestrian professional, an expert in equine behaviour whose training can help you with loading issues, napping, bucking etc. Online training videos are available as well as bodwork and hypnotherapy.

[fridjitzu]

So I recently realized the reason why Jean Jacket didn't (as far as we know, anyway) try to hunt the parkgoers at Jupiter's Claim for the six months or so that she was hanging around the valley (at least, until the Star Lasso Experience, but I'll elaborate on my theory about that under the readmore):

The territory was already claimed (lol) by another large, one-eyed floaty thing.

I mean, yeah, it doesn't look much like a fellow sky roomba, but lots of animals are easily spooked by things that only sort of look like things that are dangerous to them. That's why eye spot mimicry is so popular in butterflies and moths, after all, and why cats are so easily spooked by cucumbers.

But then, why did she come anywhere near the arena for her weekly horsey snack for the six months before the SLE? It's on the very edge of the park, but it's still next to the main area, right?

Well, guess who isn't facing in the direction of the arena?

She might have been just pushing her luck each time, seeing how much more territory she could steal behind Lil' Jupe's inflatable back, or maybe she was just thinking "It's not looking at me, so it doesn't care if I hunt the horses that show up in this gulch". Either way, no eye contact = not a threat.

Of course, there's still the question of why JJ suddenly changed up her behavior during the SLE incident. There's evidence of her rampaging through the park itself when OJ arrives on the scene, like the suddenly empty petting zoo, and the pig on the sheriff's building.

My theory on that is: with that horse statue stuck in her craw, she was in pain, and was fixated on looking for a way to flush her system out. Much like how Gordy acted aggressively and didn't listen to his offscreen trainer like he presumably normally would, JJ was too agitated by pain/discomfort to give a shit about respecting presumed territory lines, and it's not like Lil' Jupe was doing anything to stop her in the moment. She just had "ow ow ow still sore, must find more prey and eat it, that will flush out the sore thing" going on in whatever her equivalent of a brain might be.

(a minor tangent: I will note that there's what appears to be a body of water next to the park, which I think would have probably worked to flush the horse statue out just as well as pureed parkgoer, but who knows if JJs even know how to drink water? They live in clouds, they can probably absorb all the water they need from the atmosphere.)

(Here's screencap proof that I'm not just pulling that detail out of my ass.)

Anyways, back to my main point:

The implication that JJ had been considering Lil' Jupe a rival sky beastie defending its territory for that whole ass six months before the main events of the movie also makes the final confrontation kinda extra dramatic (and funny) in context. It's not just her having sudden beef with a random thing with an eye this time - from JJ's perspective, it's her rival, whose territory is frequently swarming with prey, and now, instead of just lurking near the ground, it's in the clouds with her! And she's already agitated and upset from beefing with the Haywoods, so no wonder she jumped to trying to eat it so quickly. (Not that it ended well for her. Nobody fucks with Haywood, after all.)

[pretending-ican-write]

Cowboy Up - Pt.7

Here we are! Finally into the series itself. Cowboy Up will be a combination of me inserting the reader into scenes from the show and putting together some scenes myself that I imagine happen around what is seen on screen.

Disclaimer that I am not a horse trainer or qualified in any way but I've spent a good part of my life around them so my experience is the basis for anything in the fic about horses.

Pairing: Ryan (Yellowstone) x Dutton!reader

WC: 1121

Previous part - Next part

---

John Dutton stopped his truck in front of the round pen where Kayce was working a horse and got out to watch his son work.  He was confused to see that his youngest daughter’s truck was parked in front of the house.  He knew that she had the day off from the ranch but John wasn’t aware that she had been visiting her brother all those years.

From inside the house, y/n was on the sofa keeping an eye out the window where her twin and father were having a tense conversation that she assumed was about the cattle that had ended up on the reservation.  Monica was next to her watching her son play on the floor in front of them.

“I know he’s my father and all but I worry about what might happen if Tate ever goes to the ranch,” y/n admitted, “it’s the most beautiful place in the world if you ask me but god does it come with conditions.

Her sister-in-law nodded, “John Dutton isn’t exactly synonymous with good news.”

They lapsed into a quiet conversation about how life had been for them both over the last few months since she’d been able to get out to the reservation, Monica smiling widely when y/n confirmed Ryan had finally made his move the other month.

Once John had driven off, the women exited the house behind Tate who ran excitedly towards the rifle John had left propped against the round pen.  Y/n leant against the fence next to Monica watching the horse come to a stop.

“I don’t trust him trying to be in Tate’s life,” she admitted to her brother, “you’ve spent all these years out of his grip.  I’d hate for dad to use him as a way back in after not being around.”

Kayce sighed, “we can only see.”

-/-/-

The next morning, y/n was in the barn mucking out the stalls whilst the other hands worked around her and in the corral.  Cleaning the stalls was normally considered the job of low man, but she found some sort of enjoyment in the mundanity of the task. 

As she finished the last stall, y/n wheeled the barrow out the front of the barn and was surprised to see her sister’s black Mercedes rolling down the drive.  She dropped the handles and watched as the car went past, Beth looking at the window to make eye contact with her younger sister before continuing on to the main house.  After emptying the wheelbarrow, she re-entered the barn with her mood notably dampened by the return of Beth.  Y/n headed down the aisle to the last stall where a blue dun colt was pacing the space.  She took him out to the round pen to assess the problem’s Rip had complained about the horse having.

The colt danced at the end of the rope whilst she closed the gate and when she undid the halter, he shot off around the pen as if afraid to be anywhere near a person.  Y/n sat on the fence, patiently watching the horse work his anxiety out with a cigarette smoking between her lips.  Ryan led his horse across from the corral and leant on the fence next to her.

“He’s got a hell of an opinion in him,” he commented.

Y/n shook her head, “not an opinion Ry.  Nerves.  Poor boy is a ball of anxiety, doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do or trust.”

“How you gonna sort that out then?  Can’t wear it out of him,” Ryan asked.

She watched the colt slow to a trot, “gotta show him that he can trust us and to trust in his own decisions.  Shouldn’t take too long.”

“It’s a nice shirt you’re wearing sweetheart,” Ryan smirked, referring to the blue check shirt of his she had on.

Y/n laughed, “well my boyfriend left it lying around and I was cold so figured he wouldn’t mind.”

“He doesn’t mind at all, not one bit.  In fact I think he quite likes seeing his girlfriend wear his clothes,” he mused, running his finger up her arm, “you not going to the house to see your sister?”

She sighed, “me and Beth aren’t exactly what you would call close.  She does what dad says without question, never said shit when he did what he did to Kayce and it ain’t like she was begging me to stay.  To top it off she treats Rip like shit and the bastard just lets her walk all over him because he’s been in love with her since he was 16.”

“Being in love with someone for a long time sounds familiar,” he teased 

Y/n leant back against his arm, “difference is we were both pining.  She fucks around with his feelings every chance she gets and he’ll never go against her.”

-/-/-

Sat on Comanche, y/n watched as her brothers reunited for the first time in years and laughed as they teased each other as if they’d never been apart.  She smiled at how comfortable Tate looked on his grandfather’s horse and, as much as the sisters fought, she was reassured that Beth had her twin’s back like her.  

“Kayce let’s go,” she called across to him, “grab a horse.”

Part of her soul felt like it was healing watching how her father was with Tate and being back on the plains with all of her brothers.  Beth hadn’t been on a horse since their mother’s death but y/n had spent days of her childhood riding with the cattle alongside her brothers, racing each other despite the annoyance of John.  As Lee and Kayce raced around the herd of buffalo, y/n rode up to where Jamie was talking to their father.

“Kayce might be the only man who can outride him,” her brother observed.

She smiled, “only man but sure as hell not the only person.”

With a click to Comanche, y/n took off galloping after her brothers.  The three of them took turns pulling ahead of the others but ultimately it would have been too close to decide a winner.  Although we all know that in a straight line race y/n had the advantage, what with being a barrel racer and all.

“You joining us to fish?” Lee asked when they finally came to a halt.

Y/n shook her head, “I’m not the one who has years to regain with him Lee.  I’ll let you have your boys day out.  I’m gonna head back with the rest and do some more work with that colt."

[bellarkeselection]

Hey love your page I was wondering if I could have a John request where your the new horse trainer and slowly reader and John fall for each other maybe Beth doesn’t trust her but Kacey likes her ?

Opinions of our Horse Trainer

Twirling the rope in my right hand I held onto the end of the rope with my left. Clicking my tongue I watched the horse quickly running around me in circles. I had been working for the Dutton family for a quite a few months now. Since John Dutton’s youngest son had taken on the position of Livestock Commissioner so they needed someone else to break in the new horses that would come in and I was hired. “Come on, boy. You wanna come at me then let’s go.” I taunted the horse causing the horse to charge at me so I ran climbing up the fence and the horse hit the wooden fence.

“Are you crying to make him want to kick your ass?” Turning my head around I heard a woman’s voice and recognized a girl with her blonde hair. She stood on the outside of the fence wearing a white and grey dress and some heels. “Cause I don’t think you want to piss a horse off sweetheart.”

My hair fell in front of my eyes, and my tan cowgirl hat was close to falling off my head when I was eyeing John's daughter. "You've got to knock the defiance out of him somehow."

"If you say so. I've just decided not to go anywhere near those things...not anymore at least." Beth shook her head at me, pulling out a cigarette.

Swinging my legs over the wooden fence, I climbed back down into the wooden fence, clicking my tongue to get the horses attention again. "Berh, I hate to say this but can you just say what you want to say because I should get back to work here."

"I'm just trying to see what your intentions are with my father." She said quickly before leaving and heading towards the white barn. I saw that John was coming from the barn, but I couldn’t hear their conversation. She smiled at her father. "Hi, Daddy."

John paused in his tracks. "Morning honey, what were you talking with Y/n about?"

"Just trying to see what you see in her exactly." She shrugged her shoulders.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Uh! Beth, don't do this. I don't want to have this conversation with you."

"I loved my mother and it just seems odd for you to be with anyone but her. Even though she's dead." His daughter explained hearing footsteps coming towards the entrance of the barn.

John ran his hands down his face, not thinking this was how his morning was going to start. He removed his cowboy hat, running his fingers through his grey hair, finally seeing that it was Kayce coming towards them. "What are you two talking about this morning?" Kayce asked, tugging his horse to a stop in the doorway.

"How dad is trying to sleep with someone else who will never be as wonderful as our mother." Beth rolled her eyes, kicking some dirt with the edge of her heel.

John cursed under his breath. "Shit, Bethany!"

"Beth, I get that you'll still love our mother. But dad should be able to date other women." The youngest son said back.

The Dutton girl scoffed. "Are you serious, little brother!"

"Yeah, I am, sister. Our father should be able to be happy just like he wants us all to be. He shouldn't just be trying to maintain this ranch without having some sort of love life away from all the work." Kayce declared at his sister, wanting her to see his side of things.

She crossed her arms over her chest, letting silence fill the wooden barn for a few seconds. "So what are we just supposed to be okay with this?"

"Yeah, unless it all goes to hell in the end. But let him try and be happy with someone until the day he gets to be with our mother again." Kayce nodded, tipping his hat at the pair walking forward to put his horse in the stall.

John patted his son on the back when he walked past. "Thank you, son." He then walked in the direction of the wooden fence training area to watch Y/n as she had the horse right where she wanted it to be.

Holding one hand on the top of my head so it wouldn't fall off, the horse slowly bowed its head to me. Raising my free hand, I slumped my shoulders, not noticing John just yet. "There you go, boy. You’re a good horse. You'll do just fine now."

"Y/n, he rather likes you. And he certainly ain't the only one." John tells me with a kind smile, leaning his arms against the wooden fence.

Brushing my fingers through the horse's mane he made a noise where I focused my attention back to John. Leaving the horse I leaned my body against the fence sending him a wink. "Are you asking me to dinner, Dutton. I don't quite think you're daughter would like that very much."

John groaned slightly when he began climbing over the fence and dropped down on the other side in front of me. "To be honest with ya, darling. I don't really care what they think. So if you'll go on a date with me then let's just do it and to hell what they think."

Stepping forward I dropped the rope in my hands cupping his face in my hands and kissed him out of nowhere. "To hell with what they say it is then, John." I mumbled before he drew Mr back in for another kiss not bothered by the knowledge that Beth and Kayce were watching.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

Tag list @whateverthecostner @the-morning-star-falls @rosie-posie08 @hcwthewestwaswcn @kcloveswrestling @kaymudd @nettysworld-madisonclark @elenavampire21

[yourclumsyguardianangel]

the seven + a few others future headcanons

percy:

becomes a high school teacher

teaches high school marine biology (idk how it is in other schools but when we hit sophomore year we got to choose different bio classes ie: marine bio, ag bio, med bio + regular bio)

also teaches the mythology elective and is the swim team coach

annabeth:

we already know this queen is an architect with obvious inspiration from greek architecture

learns how to make blue food for percy and their kids from sally

has traveled all over the world looking at different architecture

learns the basics of many languages so shes able to communicate with the locals

her and leo team up to build a small school near camp half-blood for year rounders so everyone can learn consistently but dw they get summers off

piper:

love her but shes a nepo baby

she doesnt act like it tho

”are you tristan mcleans daughter?” “who?”

loves her dad to bits but does not like being seen out in public by the paparazzi

marries shel, they dont have kids tho, neither of them want to bring any into the world especially with america’s downfall and the government erasing women and poc rights

is basically leos big sister atp

leo:

him and calypso dont last, maybe a year and a half in they split bc calypso wants to explore the world and leo is very emotionally unstable and calypso has a hard time understanding

they end on good terms but dont ever talk unless its with a group of friends

he goes into a trade to become a mechanic and owns his own shop

starts smoking cigarettes/vaping

his friends dont really approve but they understand he cant quit just yet as hes not in a mental space to do so

goes to therapy with a psychologist whos a demigod that specializes in grieving and war trauma

they all go to therapy but hes the last one to do it

he’s still the ‘happy go lucky’ guy hes always been but as he gets closer w the others they start to see the true sadness in him

piper and him grow a lot closer after jason died and have a big sister little brother relationship

hazel:

my girl stays at camp jupiter

takes nicos place at camp

horse trainer

her and frank also dont work out as a romantic relationship, they felt that the age gap was too much after frank turned 18 and hazel was 15 theyre still friends tho

hazel often visits leo in his shop

as much as leo reminds her of sammy, through therapy she has recognized that theyre separate people and to not push all her past feelings for sammy onto leo

not only does she train horses but she also teaches little kids basic math, science, and history to the younger kids

they all call her ms. hazel

she prefers to teach the really young kids (age 4-7)

wears her hair in different braid styles after BOO

frank:

my friggin HOMIE

i relate to frank a lot personality wise

therefore i think hed be a 4/20 fanatic after BOO

hes not stoned during training or during important camp duties

but otherwise you try talkin to him and you dont really notice until you look and see the far off look and red eyes and he just goes “huh?”

other than that hes a great leader

after he gets his cool new look from mars he takes really good care of his body including consistent exercise and eating really healthily (maybe he has a soft spot for fast food when hes hi)

him joining the military does not make sense to me

he lost his mom to war, and he was in one himself, idk about you but i would not wanna join the military after being the main character in a war

he studies to be a veterinarian for exotic animals

when no one is around he shifts into the animal to find out whats wrong

”dr. zhang prefers to work by himself” “why” “idk but hes always right, if it aint broke dont fix it”

jason:

rip home-slice

nico:

my other homie

my guy does not get taller than 5’8

stays at camp during the summer to train the new and old kids

him and will get a house together

teaches history at the camp school

cat dad (5 cats and counting)

will:

takes nicos last name when they marry bc its cooler

him being a doctor doesnt click w me i more picture him being an EMT

EMTs are hotter anyways

does med training with new apollo kids whenever he gets time

if he’s not busy during working hours he drops by nicos classroom w his fav drink from dutch bros (starbucks is MID) and hangs out with him and his students

[room-surprise]

Izutsumi's name, meaning and cultural references

This is an excerpt from Chapter 6 of my Dungeon Meshi essay, "Real World Cultural and Linguistic Influences in Delicious in Dungeon"

IZUTSUMI

(Japanese Pronunciation: Idzutsumi)

(Spoilers for the entire manga and post-manga materials!)

Izutsumi (イヅツミ) is a beast-man created by attaching a human soul to a monster cat, which is why she won’t ever be able to “turn back” into a human: she was never human to begin with. We don’t know what Izutsumi’s birth name was, if she even had one. The human that was killed was probably a baby or young child, since they don’t seem to have any memories of their mother, so they may not have ever been named.

We know that Izutsumi is from a different, larger island in the Eastern Archipelago to the northeast of Wa Island, however we do not know if this is the origin point of her human half, her monster cat half, both, or if this is just where she was made.

We do know that when she saw an illusion of what she thought was her human soul’s mother, the illusion was wearing something similar to North or Central Asian clothing, not Japanese clothing, so the island Izutsumi comes from is probably not culturally Japanese like Wa Island.

PLANT: ASEBI

Izutusmi’s code name as a ninja is Asebi (アセビ), which is the Japanese name for Japanese andromeda (pieris japonica), a type of shrub. The kanji for this plant’s name is 馬酔木 and it literally means “horse intoxicating tree” because it was known to be toxic to horses and make their legs go numb. A code name like this could imply a rude sentiment like “you’re so unpleasant, just being near you makes horses sick.” Considering the hostile relationship Izutsumi has with the Nakamoto clan, this code name makes a lot of sense.

IZUTSUMI THE FAMILY NAME

Izutsumi (井堤) is a common family name in central Japan, especially Kanagawa Prefecture. It is historically affiliated with the Tachibana (橘氏) clan, which was one of the four most powerful kuge (court nobility) families in Japan's Nara and early Heian periods.

The Tachibana clan’s founder was Inukai Michiyo (犬養 三千代) whose name was changed to Tachibana Michiyo by Empress Genmei. Michiyo was a court lady of the early Nara period and mother of Empress Kōmyō.

The family name Inukai (犬養) literally means to own or keep a dog, but the character for dog historically refers not only to dogs, but to any four-legged animal, especially those that are ancient or magical.

Over the course of the 9th and 10th centuries, the Tachibana clan’s rivals pushed the Tachibana out of power, and the clan was scattered across the country. I’m not certain, but it sounds to me like “Inukai” as a family name describes a profession, in this case, someone who is in charge of keeping four-legged beasts of all kinds. In the world of Dungeon Meshi, maybe this name implies they are a professional monster keeper, or monster trainer.

Though it’s a somewhat tenuous connection, the idea that Izutsumi’s human half might have been a stolen child from the Tachibana/Inukai family, which tames monsters, is very interesting! Another possibility is that the Tachibana/Inukai family were the ones that provided the monster cat used for making Izutsumi. Perhaps they were experimenting with making beast-kin soldiers in an attempt to fight back against their rival kuge clans.

IZU-TSUMI

Let’s break down the name Izutsumi into its sound components and what they might mean.

TSUMI

The primary meaning for tsumi is 罪, a Japanese word that indicates the violation of legal, social or religious rules, so you could translate it as sin, abomination, or a crime against god and humanity.

In Ancient Japan the word usually implied that a divine punishment was occuring, and something that was tsumi would therefore carry disease, be polluted and unclean, suffer from disasters, or be ugly and unsightly.

Considering the way people of the Eastern Archipelago discriminate against all races that aren’t tall-men, and the way the Nakamotos make Izutsumi cover her body and face up completely, I think Kui probably meant for Izutsumi’s name to convey this meaning.

However, although the negative connotation is the most common, tsumi can also be a name, or part of a name (Tsumigiwa, Tsumiki, Tsumio, Tsumire, etc.) which makes it sound natural when used in Izutsumi’s name.

It can also refer to the Japanese sparrowhawk, Chinese mulberry, a spindle, a whelk, a child's wooden building blocks, to accumulate (bricks, like a wall, or savings, like money), to build a reputation or gain experience, atonement (for sin), to pluck, to load with cargo, or to send away.

These meanings are interesting, since they suggest that Izutsumi is “sent away” by Toshiro when he lets her go, and by joining Laios’ party she is gaining life experience, building herself up (like a wall, like a child with toy blocks), and becoming a more mature person, moving past her old identity of being a sinful mistake. Through the course of the manga she learns to accept herself as she is, and eventually discovers that there was nothing to “fix”, she cannot become a full human, because she wasn’t one to begin with.

IZU THE PERSONAL NAME

Izu is either a girl’s name, or a component of several Japanese names for any gender (Izumi, Izuko, Izuchi, etc), so putting together Izu+tsumi creates a compound that sounds like a Japanese personal name, though I have found no evidence of it as an existing personal name.

IZU THE PLACE

Many names reference where a person or their family are from, so it’s possible that Izutsumi (or her family, or the magicians who made her a beast-man) are from a place called Izu.

Izu (伊豆) is the historic name of a province which is now part of the Shizuoka Prefecture, which is to the west of Tokyo. This area is the Izu peninsula, a large mountainous area, and it contains Izu city, and nearby is the Izu island chain.

Many of the Izu islands are and have been uninhabited, however a few of the islands do have small populations, and Jomon and Yayoi ruins have been found on several of them, indicating that the ancestors of modern Japanese people once lived in these places. I was unable to find any information about whether any other ethnic groups have specifically lived on these islands.

During the Tokugawa shogunate (one of the primary eras that Dungeon Meshi’s Wa Island resembles), the Japanese court frequently sent nobility into exile in the Izu islands because the region was far away from the capital, and it was considered an unlucky and bad place to be. It’s unclear if the Izu islands already had this reputation before they became a place of exile, or if the negative reputation was caused by its use as a prison. There is some indication that the Izu islands were somehow seen as ritually unclean or dangerous.

Eventually the criteria for banishment was broadened and the islands became penal colonies, where people were sent for murder, theft, arson, brawling, gambling, fraud, jailbreak, rape, and belonging to illegal religions (Christianity). Criminals exiled to the island were never told the length of their sentences, and the history of the island is filled with foiled escape attempts.

Not only were the islands used as a prison to keep politically dangerous people away from Kyoto, they also held an important religious role as a barrier between the supposed purity of the central court in Kyoto and the unclean dangers beyond the borders of Japan.

The islands were the first line of magical defense against the dangers that threatened Japan, and the ritual experts, a type of shaman called an urabe, practiced a special kind of turtle-shell divination in Izu.

It’s possible that Izutsumi’s human soul came from the Izu region. Izutsumi’s human part could have been a native of the Izu mainland, an Izu islander, or the child of a prisoner. No matter which one it is, being from Izu would make Izutsumi very low-ranking and unimportant, which would make her human half a perfect target for someone trying to find a baby or child that they could sacrifice to make a beast-man.

It’s also possible that the magician that made Izutsumi lived and worked in Izu, since it’s a place that had magical and ritual significance, was seen as a place of pollution and danger where such “unclean” work could be done, and where there is a ready supply of unwanted human beings (prisoners, islanders and their kin) available to be used as raw materials.

Perhaps they made many beast-men, and so since “tsumi” means abomination, perhaps the name Izutsumi simply means “abomination made in Izu.”

IZU THE VERB

Izu (出ず “dezu”) is also an archaic verb used by the lower-class that can mean a great variety of things, though there does seem to be some common ideas being expressed through all of them. Here are the ones that I think apply the most to Izutsumi:

Doesn’t come out (She’s been hidden in her ninja clothes for a long time.)

To leave on a journey, to depart, to move forward (She leaves her old life behind.)

To appear, to emerge, to be discovered (She surprises Laios’ party and then joins them.)

To be exposed, exhibited, displayed (She grew up displayed in freak shows.)

To sell (She was sold by many people.)

To exceed, to go over (Her behavior is often seen as rude and “too much.”)

To stick out, protrude (Her ears stick out, giving her identity as a beast-man away.) To come from, to be derived from (She “comes from” tsumi, she was created by an abominable act.)

To assume an attitude, to behave in a manner (She behaves like tsumi, an abomination, uncivilized.)

[middlingmay]

Fic Masterlist

AO3: MOTA (Clegan) | GOT (Gendrya) | Shameless US (Gallavich) | The Witcher.

MOTA Masterlist

Finally made a masterlist of all my MOTA and Clegan AUs and HCs. Enjoy!

That Ol' Devil Called Love

Read on AO3 | Tumblr Tag

John never started the Bloody 100th to make a name for himself in the criminal underbelly of illegal street racing; he just loved chasing the thrill and taking their money. But when he meets Gale Cleven, son of the local pastor who hates John and his crew with near religious fervour, John finds himself stumbling into a new kind of trouble - one that might just bring down everything he's worked for.

Series:

The Buckies almost get caught in compromising positions: Part 1: Supply Closet | Part 2: Post-War Mile High Club | Part 3: Alley in London | Part 4: The Stalag Footballer John AU Soldier!Bucky AU German!Gale Single dad!Gale and Baseball Coach!Bucky AU Photographer!Gale and Model!John Horse Trainer!Gale and Veteran!Bucky Runaway!Gale The Buckies become parents...of a sort. | Part 2 with kittens!

One-shots:

Undercover lover (Criminal Minds AU) Long kiss goodnight (Dark!Gale, Stalag fic) Bucky wears stockings Buckies soft sex post-war Buckies at the 100th's Ten Year Reunion Gale returns to John post-war Bucky goes missing and rescues some children. Buck x Bucky shenanigans in Harding's office. 100(ish) word drabbles Buckies on vacation Marge is Gale's beard and John catches her with another man. Recruiter!Gale and College Student!Bucky. Modern AU where Gale meets Drunk!Bucky and is utterly charmed. Reunion kiss at Stalag Luft III. Hockey AU Summer Clegan HCs Gale Cleven never learned to flirt Misc fic requests

I always love to hear new ideas for AUs, fic requests, or your own headcanons. So feel free to drop me a message.

Or don't, or I may never tackle all the things on my docket...

[mimasroom2]

Accelerating fury pt 2

Pt 1 :3

HELLOOOOO! Here is part 2!! :3. Sorry it took me so long,, I’ve been helping my friend set up an Etsy shop + I have work. Btw!! We WILL find out exactly what Ellie did for the judges once the games start😉… I hope this doesn’t feel like I skipped over some things. I wanted to focus more on the important stuff rather than providing every detail like I tend to do.. like just get to the damn hunger games already fuck🙄

C/w: Same c/ws as the first one. Reader dissociates for a little bit. Twice. Ellie is more of a bitch oooooohhhh. Mention of suicide in literally 3 sentences near the end,, it’s SUPER minor.

U guys know the drill,, the dress I included is the one the reader wears during the interviews.

W/c: 4.7k

𓆟. ° .• .𓆝 .• ° . 𓆟 . ° .• .𓆞

The day was going well. You and Jesse switched places for training, although he did give you a weird look when you mentioned you taught Ellie how to make a fire. That night you have dinner with all four of your new friends: Jesse, Tommy, Maria, and Dina. You discuss what skill to show off to the gamemakers tomorrow with Tommy after you all eat. He was glad to hear about how the training went, especially because this is around the time tributes usually start acting alone. This being said, Tommy thinks it’s best you and Jesse don’t know what the other is planning.

“So you’re tellin’ me you jus’ played footsies with the cute girl and showed her a skill you already know? That more than half the tributes already know??” He leans against the wall of the hallway that you two are talking alone in. He’s glaring down at you as if it’s his own life at risk.

“Tommy, I wasn’t playing footsies. I literally didn’t even touch her.” You roll your eyes.

“Not what I meant.” He shakes his head.

“And besides, I figured out how to tread silently on different terrain all by myself.” You cross your arms and smirk proudly.

He perks up at this, holding his hand out in a ‘stop’ motion. “Woah woah woah, hold yer damn horses. You mean all terrain?”

“Pshh, no, of course not. You can’t be silent on broken glass.” You tap your head, as if to say ‘duh’. “But yeah, most of them.”

“Use that.” He smiles and pats your head how all dads do.

“But that’s lame. There’s gonna be people throwing axes and carving tools. They’re gonna give them a good score and not me and then I’m not gonna get sponsored.” You play it off like you’re just pouting, but you are actually starting to get scared. I mean, it’s life and death.

“But you can’t do any of that. Use what you can and you will not regret it. Trust me.”

~

A few hours later, you and Jesse are sitting side by side again outside the training center. This time, Ellie’s there early, and her mentor is scolding her. She’s probably getting the same lecture you got, bumping coochies or whatever the hell Tommy said. Once she’s done getting scolded she looks around the room and makes eye contact with you. She smiles slightly, but doesn’t wave or anything.

Once everyone is there, the head trainer comes out. “Alright. We gotta lot of you to get through, and if we want these results for the sponsors this evening, we better get moving. District 1 male tribute, you are up.”

You look up a few rows ahead of you, and see Ellie fidgeting with her fingers. What kind of skill would she even have? She’s not a career, but if she does well they might boost her score because of that. She didn’t know how to make a fire before she met you. She was playing around with that pocket knife, maybe that’s it? You didn’t really pay any more attention to her once you figured out your terrain thing.

Ellie was the fourth one of all the tributes to go in. She actually looked nervous as she stepped inside. It’s completely soundproof in there, so if you wanted to, you wouldn’t be able to hear anything even if you tried. You look at Jesse and he smiles slightly. A little weary. Maybe after the scores are announced he’ll tell you what he does in there.

After about 15 minutes or so, Ellie comes back out, wiping the fake blood they use off her face. It scared you at first, but after the first tribute went in, the head trainer told you all the gamemakers added it to be more realistic. If by realistic they mean inhumane, then yeah. Sure. You wave her over to talk to you as she heads over to the exit.

She leans over and whispers, “Only had one skill to show off. Don’t know if they understood it.. but uh, we’ll see.” She gives you a goofy grin that’s slightly too big, and two thumbs up, before walking off.

What does she mean ‘don’t know if they understood it?’ If she used her little knife, wouldn’t they have seen it? The gamemakers have been known to not pay attention to the tributes fairly often, but who wouldn’t stop and stare at Ellie. She did walk out with that weird fake blood on her, after all.

Before you know it, it’s Jesse’s turn. He stands up and gives you one of his small smiles as he heads into the room. You don’t want to, but your mind always ends up drifting back to Ellie. You wondered how she was going to act in the arena. Would she still talk to you like how she does now? Without caring what the careers and rest of the tributes think? You guys haven’t even talked about the games, and what you were going to do in them. It seemed almost rude to you. What’s the point in talking about alliances now? And why would she choose you? She’d be much better off with virtually anybody else..

Suddenly, the same girl pops her head out and calls your name. You silently curse yourself. All this thinking about Ellie has got you too worked up. You needed to focus and calm down if you wanted to show off your skill correctly. You take a deep breath and walk inside.

You had requested different types of terrain, and you saw them all laid out in little boxes on the floor. They were basically built like sand boxes; there was actual sand in the first one, and then grass, and then they kept going up in difficulty, all the way up to the broken glass you were talking about that you knew was going to crunch.

You walk up to where the gamemakers are. There’s a forcefield but you know they can still hear you. You raise your voice a little, “Uhm, hey. I’m not doing this again, so… if you miss it, you miss it.” You shrug at them. Better that they know you’re starting so they don’t miss it. You plan on them not hearing anything.

You check to make sure your shoes are all good. They’re nothing special, just the ones they give you for training. You start on the sand. It’s easy, you just hop a little so you don’t sink in, and you’re good. No noise. Next you try the grass. Again, no noise.

Okay, now it was really time to show off. The next one is snow. They made it the kind that creaks and sinks in a little, so you have to go slow on this one. You step heel to toe, and try to make your steps as flat as possible, so your weight is distributed. You pause, making sure the snow moves slowly under your foot. You decide to take shorter steps, instead of the long ones you used on the sand. Rinse and repeat. No sound.

You glance up at the gamemakers, and they seem a little intrigued. Well, little isn’t good enough. You move onto dried leaves over cement. Any child would go crazy over this. You bend your knees slightly, like you’re skiing. You basically use the same method as the snow. It doesn’t take as long, and no sound was made. You hear a quiet murmur from the gamemakers. Fuck yeah.

You go through a couple more. Things like gravel, mud, a wooden deck, and metal grates. And then you get to the glass. The shoes they gave you are tough enough that no glass will come through and cut you, but that’s not what you’re worried about. You keep your arms close to your body and try your best balancing as you walk across. Slowly. Even slower. Absolutely no sudden movements. You’re holding your breath, until you get to the end. You weren’t completely silent, but you were damn as close as you could get. You hop down from the row of boxes and smile at the gamemakers. They don’t clap or anything, they probably aren’t allowed, but they smile back.

Let’s fucking go.

~

“It was soooo great, Tommy. Everyone was watching me at the end like I actually feel really good about it and I can totally tell they wanted to clap for me-“

You’re cut off from your rambling by Maria shouting “It’s hereeee!” in a sing song voice. You all scramble to the giant couches in front of the tv to watch Caesar announce the scores. You look over and notice Dina is sitting criss cross apple sauce by Jesse. She has her hand on his leg. Huh.

Your head snaps back to the tv as soon as Caesar starts talking. “Good evening to all of Panem, tonight we have our special scores straight from the gamemakers! Sponsors, get your pencils ready, because you are going to want to mark down who you’re placing bets on!”

As he goes on with the introduction, you look at Tommy with an exaggerated face that says ‘EEK IM SO NERVY!’ He just smiles and gives you a thumbs up.

As always, Caesar starts with the tributes from district 1. You scoff as their almost perfect scores pop up on screen.

“Fucking careers.” You hear Jesse murmur, and you widen your eyes in agreement.

The district 2 male tribute also has an amazing score. You tense up, holding your breath when you see Ellie’s next, almost as if it’s your own damn score they’re showing. You look around at everyone else in the room, they’re glaring at her, like she’s some sort of threat. Shit. You remember that she actually is.

“Ellie Williams, with a score of 11.” Your jaw drops. Now you’re really curious as to what she did in there. You notice Jesse looking at you. You want to wave it off, but you give him a concerned look.

The next of the scores go by unbearably slow. Tommy and Maria make a few comments about each one. You and Jesse just agree as fast as you can so you can go back to worrying about what your own scores are going to be.

Jesse’s score is up. You don’t want to freak him out, so you stare at the tv. Caesar announces that he got an 8.

“Holy shit!!” Dina leaps off the couch and jumps up and down while holding Jesse’s hands. “That’s like- the best you can get without being a career!”

Jesse laughs and everyone claps for him. In other circumstances you’d probably hug him. Dina’s got that covered. You give him a look that says ‘ohhhh I see what’s going on here’. He just rolls his eyes at you.

You were so focused on how touchy Dina was being that you completely forgot your score was next. Tommy nudges you a little and points at the screen. There’s the little video they took of you. You wonder what Ellie is thinking right now.

Caesar announces your name, pauses for a second, and says the number ten.

TEN???

“HOLY SHIT!!” You jump up from the couch at the speed of light and turn around to face your friends. Jesse and Dina’s jaws are dropped.

Maria raises a glass and Tommy gives you a high five. “Told yah it would work.” He says, and you grin at him.

~

The next day are your interviews. When Dina’s not busy flirting with Jesse, she’s been working on brand new outfits for you guys.

“I think you’ll like it. Hopefully. I’m doing something a bit different this year.” Dina says while she’s pulling out your outfit from racks of clothes.

“You do something different every year.” You reply. Wasn’t that the whole point?

“Yeah, but I mean like different different. You’re doing really well so far. Everyone loved you at the parade, and now sponsors are talking about your score from yesterday.”

You just nod. You really should be proud of yourself, but every day that the games get closer, you find that’s all you can think about.

“Here.” Dina says nonchalantly, and you have to do a double take as she pulls out another beautiful dress. It’s white like your other one, but nowhere near as fancy. It’s still really nice though. It’s probably made of the highest grade satin you can get in Panem, with silver beading on the chest. It’s long, and has a little slit for your leg, although it’s probably more so that you have room to walk and don’t trip. There’s even little cuffs for your hands and arms. And of course it can’t be a Dina design without the piece de resistance: Angel wings.

You whistle, and look up at Dina. “You really want me to wear this?”

“That’s why I have it on a mannequin in front of you.” She smiles, and leaves the room for you to change.

You don’t really have a plan of what to say during the interview. Tommy said to just “go with the flow” and whatever you say will sure to have the sponsors going crazy over you.

As soon as you get the dress on, Dina comes back in and leads you to the line where all the tributes are.

You get a glance at Ellie for the first time since she scored an 11. She’s wearing another suit. This time, it’s dark green, and compliments her eyes. Her hair isn’t in its usual messy half up half down style, it’s actually neat for once. Probably per request of her stylist. She turns slightly when she sees you, and you feel your heart beat out of your chest for a second.

“That damn girls gonna be the death of you.” You jump a little when you suddenly hear Jesse’s voice behind you.

You frown and shove him a little. “You really shouldn’t say that. Yknow we’re in a death game, right?” You two smile at each other. You’re glad that you guys can still joke around in times like this. All of the other tributes are glaring at each other in line.

Suddenly, you hear a roar of applause, and someone laughing into a microphone, which can only mean that Caesar is up on stage. “Hah ha!! It is time.. to meet each and every tribute face to face!!! Yes! How exciting…”

As he drones on, you look ahead and see Ellie straightening out her suit.

The first three tributes are all careers, so of course their interviews go well. They seemed to have turned up the charm factor to 110% compared to how they were during training. Pretty soon Ellie’s at the front of the line. One of the Avox’s puts his hand on her shoulder to guide her when it’s her turn. She swiftly backs away and puts her hand in front of his face in a ‘stop’ motion, and expertly walks toward the stage.

Caesar introduces her as he holds out his arm. She walks on stage with her hands in her pockets. A mix of casual and confident. She just smirks when she hears how crazy the crowd is for her. If you didn’t know her, you swear she’d be coming off like the biggest douchebag right now.

Even so, the people are eating it up.

Caesar sits down with her after shaking her hand. “So, miss Williams, I hear you a not a career. Would you tell us a bit about that?”

She actually manspreads and folds her hands together. “Damn right, Caeser. No offense but.. never wanted to be here in the first place.” She’s so nonchalant about it.

“May I ask.. I hope I’m not intruding, but… you did this for someone very dear to you. Yes?”

“I guess since you asked…” she sighs dramatically, “the rumors are true. I was forced to volunteer.” She looks down at the floor and sighs again. She’s turning this up way more than you would ever expect. This new persona seems exactly like her true self, and at the same time, not like her at all. The crowd goes absolutely bonkers. It goes on for awhile, and she just keeps playing up her sad little act.

She leans forward. “So, Abby. I know you’re watching this. Hah, I’m being televised to all of Panem right now. My biggest ‘fuck you’ would go to The Man, but right now, it’s going to you.”

She looks directly in the eyes of one of the cameras, cups her hands around her mouth, and says a nice long and drawn out “Fuuuuuuuuuckkkkk you.”

You scoff at it. At her. This is so fucking dumb. They probably have to censor it anyway. Your eyes narrow at her as she gets mixed reactions from the crowd.

Any reaction is better than no reaction.

~

You zone out a little. Her interview seems like it’s going on forever. They talk a little bit about her choice to wear suits instead of dresses. And how weird she thinks everyone else is. You fiddle around with your dress as you grow more and more nervous.

You’re pretty sure that Caesar is actually giving her a couple more minutes than the tributes before her. I mean, can you blame him? She’s basically walking sex right now.

“You sure are one of the most true to yourself tributes out there. Haha!!” He leans in closer to her, and his voice lowers a little, “I have to say, you are not like the others, are you?”

She has this awful shit eating grin on her face. “Nope. You’ll never see me acting like something I’m not just to get sponsors.” She pauses, then says, “Especially all sweet like an angel.”

Your grip tightens on your dress when you hear it.

That. Little. Bitch.

~

You don’t even pay attention to Jesse’s interview. You’re so mad. You never get mad. You weren’t even mad on the day you got reaped.

Before you know it, it’s your turn. You let the Avox touch your shoulder and guide you to the curtain backstage. You feel like your mind is completely blank. You can hear what Caesar is saying perfectly fine, but you don’t care. The world around you suddenly doesn’t seem real.

Caesar calls your name and you go on stage to greet him. Your face is completely blank. But you don’t feel relaxed. All you want to do is go anywhere else right now. You don’t care about anything anymore, you just want to get this done as fast as possible. You walk on stage so lightly, like you’re a ghost. Like you’re floating. You shake Caesar’s hand and sit down.

“Quite the outfit we have going on here today.” He gestures to your whole get up, which is the exact last thing you wanted him to mention. Of course Dina just had to make something so memorable and distinct.

“Yeah. Different than the other one.” You say. That’s all you can manage to say. He gives you a short look that says ‘cmon man I’m trying to help you out here.’

You inhale sharply, and say, “I know it’s not…. Everyone’s favorite.. but I hope you like it.” You turn towards the crowd at the last line. You’re taking a big leap here, for calling out Ellie like that. The audience loved her after all.

There’s a few whistles and polite clapping. Everyone is silent for a few seconds.

“Now, living in district 8, you make clothes for the Capitol all the time. How is it now that you’re actually here?” He tries to prompt you.

“It’s fine.” You say.

The interview goes on like this. He asks you a question and you stare off into space just to reply with a short answer.

However, you look into the audience. They’re completely silent. Not because they’re bored, but because they’re intrigued. You’re probably the only one in the history of the games to not spend your interview talking so the sponsors can know you better. It seems that they’re way more interested in something new.

~

After your interview you float back off stage. You stand by yourself for a second to try and regroup.

The careers and the other tributes who are done are standing a little further down the hallway. You decide to join them. Maybe listening to them drone on and on will snap you out of this. One of them is making fun of Caesar’s hair and the way he talks. You laugh a little at this, especially when some other kids chime in with their impressions of him.

You see Ellie out of the corner of your eye. You look at her, not even caring that you’re staring.

She walks closer and stops when she’s next to you. She smirks, “They’re really paintin’ you as a lil’ angel, huh? You gonna take me to our lord and savior?”

Your face and tone flatten, “We’re leaning into it.”

She looks at you for a second. You can’t tell what she’s thinking or what the look on her face is. She hums out a quick “hm.” before smiling and going on her way.

~

When you’re at dinner, Tommy is lecturing you. “You’re goddamn lucky the crowd found you interestin’. Even if you didn’t say a damn peep.”

This snaps you out of your trance. “I don’t need any more lectures, Tommy. I get it.” You huff and get up from the table. “I’m going to bed.”

Jesse had already asked you what was going on in your interview, which was sweet, but you really didn’t want to think about it any more. You waved him off, and mumbled something about being upset by what Ellie said. And you tried not to cry. But now, as you entered your room and shut the door, there was no one. No one to see you. And no one to talk to.

You felt like a little kid getting their feelings hurt. But you couldn’t help that your bottom lip quivered and tears started to run down your cheeks. You felt embarrassed by yourself, even in your own room with nobody around. How fucking stupid to be crying over this. It was your own fault for getting your hopes up about Ellie being your friend. This is the goddamn hunger games. There are no friends. She was just pretending to be nice to you as a joke. Or to fool you so she can have an ally and kill you off later.

It’s absolutely fucking hopeless. The games were tomorrow. You were probably going to die first. At the cornucopia. It wouldn’t even be a cool death. You’d be all sad looking at Ellie and some bitch with a bat would come up behind you and bash your head in.

You’re still in the dress you wore in the interviews. Dina’s never going to use it again anyway. That’s what she said, right? You hated the way it looked on you. There was a little pair of scissors in your room. Not big enough to do serious damage to yourself, even if you somehow wanted to. It’s not like you could anyway. You still had family.

You just cut the stupid dress off you. Would’ve been a pain in the ass to get off in the first place.

You decide to just sleep in your underwear, instead of whatever pjs they’ve decided to give you. You think about how dumb it is that you thought about Ellie all through the night the first time you met her. You didn’t even actually meet her until the second day. And now you were here all alone in your room and all your thoughts of Ellie were turning sour. Fucking Ellie. God, what a bitch. Fucking stupid.

You muttered all this to yourself as you paced around your room for far too long. You can hear the clinking of glasses and tableware. You do feel kind of bad for not staying or cleaning up, but what fucking ever. You’re going to die soon. These snobby Capitol bitches can clear their own plates.

Suddenly, you hear a knock on your door. You turn around to face the door, “Tommy, I’m sorry. I don’t wanna talk right now.”

“Uh.. it’s me.” You hear Jesse say. You can see him shuffle his feet through the crack under the door.

“Shit, hold on.” You slip a nightgown on in case he wants to stay. You open the door. There’s a hickey on his neck. “Where the hell is that from?” You ask him, and you realize you sound more like his mom than his friend.

“Uhhh..” is all he has to say, and he flashes you a sheepish grin.

You roll your eyes at him, “Whatever. Just come in.”

You cross your arms and stand in front of your bed. He’s still taller than you, but somehow, he seems small. And nervous. “It’s game day tomorrow. Like… literally.” He laughs a little, then looks at you with concern, “I just wanna say that I’m sorry ‘bout what happened with Ellie. That was fucked.”

If it was anyone else, you probably would have shut them down. Told them to get lost, or whatever it is people say. Told them it’s not their business, and you can handle it. But, since it’s Jesse, you actually find yourself appreciating it.

“Thank you, Jesse. That’s- that actually makes me feel better.” You shuffle your feet around, and you feel stupid for stuttering, but Jesse doesn’t seem to mind.

He stares at you for a while. You don’t know if he’s wait for you to talk, or if he’s thinking of something to say. He softly touches your arm and says, “We’re friends, right?”

You look up at him and nod. You start to cry. He hugs you. There’s no use explaining it; everyone could guess why you’re crying. The feeling of dread in your stomach won’t go away. You think that Jesse is probably the nicest person you’ve ever known.

As if on cue, he hugs you tighter and says, “I’m glad to have known you.”

You know he’s not trying to hurt you, but that simple sentence just makes you cry even more.

~

You can’t even remember falling asleep. Was that really yesterday? It feels like so long ago. You look at the time. Maria wanted to have breakfast together one last time, but you slept in. You don’t even care. They’re putting you in the games this afternoon. You decide to sit at the window seat in your room and focus on the rain until you’re called.

When it’s time, you follow Tommy to the aircraft which will bring you to the arena. He says he’s proud of you. You just nod.

You get into the aircraft and they put a tracker in your arm. You feel numb again. You look at the other tributes sitting there with you. Jesse’s not there. And Ellie’s not there. That’s probably a good thing. You didn’t know if you could handle yourself if you saw Ellie before the games began.

After you’ve arrived at the arena, an Avox leads you to a little room where you meet with Dina. She says something about wanting to bet on you, if she could. You mutter a quick ‘thank you’ and brace yourself to go in the tube thing that will send you into the arena. You look down at your clothes they’ve put you in. They’re so.. boring. At least compared to all the fancy dresses Dina cooked up for you. They’ve literally given you a t-shirt, jeans, converse, and a hoodie for this year. Just normal clothes.

Dina hugs you and you step in. Within a couple more seconds, it’s lifting you up. You strain to hear any hints of who’s around you. If maybe Jesse is calling out your name or if Ellie’s scoffing at what you all have to wear. You suddenly feel the platform in the tube stop rising.

The countdown starts, and with that, you snap out of your trance.

You finally see what the arena is. And so does the rest of Panem. There’s lines and rows of buildings as far out as you can see. Your eye quickly finds Ellie, and then Jesse. He’s panting harshly. Ellie actually looks scared. Compared to how it was raining earlier, the gamemakers have given you guys sun. Such happy weather to kill each other in. You glance to Jesse, the buildings, then Ellie, and back to the buildings. It’s a whole city.

Holy fuck.

𓆟. ° .• .𓆝 .• ° . 𓆟 . ° .• .𓆞

[punkitt-is-here]

i thinkk we should all talk ab equestria girls more actually. like i get that its technically technically technically not canon but like. i feel like it should be with how fucking wild it is. like imagine ur an everyday pony visiting the castle and you get lost and end up in a cool mirror room. the mirror seems weird so you try to touch it and fall through. you are now a Person. like what the fuck

And like. What????? Theres a magical mirror that takes you to PersonLand??? At a HIGH SCHOOL????? imagine a regular high schooler whos fucking around near it falls through and is suddenly a Horse. Like what the fuck would you do. And also one of your classmates has decided to reject Horse Life and is now a high schooler when shes really like 30. Like wtf is sunset gonna do when she graduates???? Go to college???? Become a horse again????? Become a horse trainer???????????? Oh and imagine ur a guard at the castle and theres a mysterious mirror that can make you a Person and one of the princesses goes through it and when she comes back DAYS later shes looking at you like she wants to kiss you. wtf are you gonna do about that

i think it should be canon bc its so fucking. Wild as a concept

i mean it IS canon, they do in fact show the Sirens in the main show, which is wild to me, but yeah the worldbuilding is crazy. principal biden

[ladykailitha]

The Promise

Just a little sweetness to break up the absolute angst fest I’ve been working on. I’ve have cried so many times writing the next few parts, my little romantic heart needed a break.

So I jumped on the “they met as children” bandwagon.

Or you can read it here on AO3

*

Eddie wandered around Steve’s bedroom as Steve went to answer the phone. He wasn’t surprised to see that the room held little personality. Not because Steve was a blank slate by any means. No, it was more that judging from what Eddie knew about Steve’s parents and the way they forced conformity on him.

So the book shelf was a bit of a surprise. Four neat little shelves crammed with books.

Steve opened the door and asked, “Hey, what are you doing?”

Eddie looked up from the bookshelf feeling caught out. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to snoop. It’s just everyone says you don’t read, so the bookshelf was a bit of a surprise.”

Steve scoffed. “They only say that because I don’t read fantasy or science fiction. I read other stuff.”

“What’s wrong with either of those two genres?” Eddie asked, moving away from the shelf to sit on Steve’s bed.

Steve shrugged. “I guess I never found the right kind of fantasy, especially since you told me that there are so many sub-genres. I guess I got overwhelmed.”

Eddie nodded. Not every fantasy book was for every person. He would have to go through his books and find a nice variety for Steve and figure out what he liked.

“And what about science fiction?” he asked.

Steve wrinkled his nose. “I hate it. And I’ve read all of the supposed greats, too. Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury. They all spend so much time on the science that they don’t get to the fiction. And it hurts my head.”

Eddie sighed and cocked his head. He couldn’t fault that. “So what do you like?” Steve cocked an eyebrow at him and he laughed. “I didn’t get to read any of the titles before you came back.”

Steve still eyed him skeptically but came over to sit on the bed next to him. “I like biographies. Mainly sports but a couple historical figures too. Winston Churchill was interesting. Diary of Anne Frank. But mostly I like mysteries.”

“Mysteries? Really?” Eddie said lightly. “Will wonders never cease. So who’s your favorites?”

“I like Agatha Christie, of course, Nero Wolfe, Sherlock Holmes...” he trailed off. “The classics, I guess.”

“Nothing wrong with the classics,” Eddie said. “What’s your favorite Holmes story?”

Steve hummed. “I would say ‘The Adventure of the Silver Blaze’.”

Eddie frowned. “I don’t think I’ve heard of the that one.”

“It’s where a horse goes missing right before an important race and the trainer is found dead,” Steve explained, starting to talk excitedly for the first time since he caught Eddie going through his bookshelf.

“Whoa!” Eddie teased but Steve laughed. “Why do you like it so much?”

Steve blushed. “It’s one of the few times that Dr Watson finds an important clue.”

Eddie lit up with interest. “Yeah? What was the clue?”

“That the horse tracks start coming back about half way through.”

“And Holmes was so focused on seeing the clues in front of him that he forgot to look to the side?” Eddie guessed.

Steve nodded. “It’s really cool.”

“Now here’s the really important question...” Eddie said, leaning forward to put his elbows on his knees. “Poirot or Marple?”

Steve who had leaned forward before Eddie asked the question, threw his head back and laughed.

“Poirot hands down!”

Eddie put his hands over his heart. “No! Say it isn’t so!”

“Afraid so,” Steve said with a grin. He leaned over the bed to pull out his favorite book. “Elephants Can Remember.”

“It’s about a girl who’s future mother-in-law wants to find out if insanity runs in the girl’s family because when she was a little girl her father was with her mother both found dead on the top of the cliff near their home. Was it a double murder? Murder/suicide? And if so, who was the one that killed them both, the mother or the father?”

“So this old bat comes to Poirot to find out?”

Steve nodded. “It’s really good.”

“Huh,” Eddie said. “That does sound interesting.” He began leafing through the pages when a piece of paper fell out. “What’s this?

Steve shrugged. “Just a piece of paper I use as a bookmark sometimes.”

Eddie eyed suspiciously. Steve was far too causal about this little piece of paper.

He turned it over. There was a circle around a heart and a little note that said, “This is the best ring I can do right now, Love E”

“What’s this?” Eddie asked, his breath catching in his throat.

Steve blushed. “The first person I ever kissed.”

“Eleanor Jackson gave you this?” Eddie asked. He had heard the story of course. Everyone had. How when Steve was ten Eleanor declared him to be her husband and would kiss him every day on the playground. Everyone thought it was cute. Personally, it made Eddie gag. Mainly because no one had asked Steve what he thought.

But Steve was shaking his head. “She was the first girl I kissed.”

Eddie’s eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me, what?”

Steve looked down and began picking at a loose thread on his comforter. “I don’t even remember what his name was and since he only signed it as ‘E’ I guess I probably never will.”

Eddie looked down at the note again. “Tell me about this boy.”

Steve bit his lower lip. “When I was eight, my aunt took me out to one of the lakes to play on the beach. I don’t even remember which one. But there was this dark haired little boy making a sand castle too close to the water and would get frustrated every time a wave came up and destroyed his hard work.”

Eddie grinned. “Sounds cute. Even if he seems a little dim.”

“I asked why he didn’t simply move further up the beach,” Steve said, remembering with a fond smile. “He said that he had. Twice!”

“Oh the poor little bastard,” Eddie said, nearly doubling over with laughter.

“So I convinced him to make little soldiers instead for the waves to deliberately carry away.”

“Awww...” Eddie said. “Did he agree?”

“We made a game out of it,” Steve said. “Who could build the fastest army before the wave came back.”

Eddie was cackling now. “So who won?”

“He did by a landslide,” Steve said. “I could only manage to make three or four but he made ten!”

Eddie shoved his hair in his mouth to try and stifle the laughter. “Oh god, you are so competitive. How on earth did you handle that?”

Steve tipped his head back and sighed. “I pouted.”

“Of course you did,” Eddie said.

“It’s how I got my kiss though,” Steve said. “So I really couldn’t complain.”

Eddie tilted his head to side. “And how did that work?”

“When he saw me pouting, he kissed me,” Steve murmured. “Said that he had seen his mom do that with his dad when his dad pouted.”

“Cute!” Eddie said giggling.

“I kissed him back in retaliation,” Steve said. “He was just so sweet.”

“He really sounds like it,” Eddie said softly, looking down at the note. He crossed his legs and looked up at Steve. “When did he give you the note?”

Steve mirrored his position. “Just before him and his parents left. He told them he had forgotten something. He rushed back to me and gave me the note.”

“That’s real sweet, Stevie,” Eddie said. “So you just told everyone it was from Eleanor Jackson and kept it safe all this time.”

Steve nodded. “Everyone thought it was so sweet that she wanted to marry me, but I hated it.”

“Because you were already engaged to someone else,” Eddie teased. “Oh my what would Nancy think? You were cheating first!”

Steve protested, “Hey! It wasn’t like that!”

Eddie grinned. “I know, big boy. I’m only teasing you. You look so pretty when you blush.”

Steve pouted.

Eddie leaned over and pressed his lips to Steve’s.

Steve gasped. “Eds?” he asked, unsure.

“I learned that from my mom,” Eddie whispered as he worked a ring off his right hand. “Sorry it’s late, darlin’, but I finally got you a better ring.”

He slipped on Steve’s ring finger on his left hand.

Steve stared at the ring on his finger in awe and something softer, more dear.

“Did you know the whole time I was tell the story that it was you?” he asked, suddenly shy.

Eddie shook his head. “Not at first. I didn’t remember the sand castle or the little soldiers. Remember the kiss, though.”

Steve looked up at him through his eyelashes. “Yeah?”

“Of course I remember the first person I ever kissed, Steve,” Eddie cried. “Like you, I didn’t remember the boy’s name. I don’t think you ever said.”

Steve blushed. “Probably not,” he admitted still shy.

Eddie kissed him again and Steve melted into it. “So pretty boy: gay or bisexual?”

Steve frowned for a moment, thinking. “I want to lean more to toward bisexual because of Nancy, but the more I think about our relationship and how we are much better as friends, I start to wonder. And then there’s Robin. What straight or bisexual man suddenly stop having feelings for a girl just because she said she liked her own gender?”  

Eddie nodded. “You’ve dated women pretty exclusively, did you feel anything for any of them? A spark, a floppy feeling in your stomach?”

Steve shook his head. “The closest I ever got to that was with Nancy. I was happy with her. Maybe no sparks or fireworks or anything like that, but she made me happy. So I thought that’s what love was.”

Eddie smiled, “And now?”

“Happiness is just a start,” Steve said, pulling Eddie back for another kiss.

Eddie grinned against Steve’s lips. “Well you make me pretty happy.”

Steve looked down at the ring on his hand. “We haven’t even dated and we’re already engaged,” he said with a laugh.

Eddie moved to sit next to Steve and picked up his hand to admire the ring. “I didn’t think I would find you again. And even when I entertained those thoughts, I would come up with scenario after scenario where we hated each other because we become such different people.”

Steve blushed. “My nightmare scenarios where were I found you again only to find out you were already with someone else. Or you tell me that it was a youthful indiscretion and that didn’t mean anything.”

Eddie kissed the ring gently. “Turns out we were both wrong.”

Steve chuckled. “I’m glad we met when we did, Eds. Again, I mean.”

Eddie cupped Steve’s cheek with his other hand. “Why’s that, sweetheart?”

“I think our nightmares would have come true,” Steve said softly, closing his eyes and leaning into Eddie’s touch. “Only it would have been me telling you it was a youthful indiscretion so Tommy would still like me. And then we would have hated each other. And I can’t stand the thought of that. Not now. Not now that I’ve gotten to know you.”

Eddie smiled softly. “I know what you mean, baby. And I’m grateful, too.”

Steve kissed him again and let Eddie lower them on to the bed.

“You’re so beautiful,” Eddie whispered. “You were beautiful then and you’re even more so now.”

“I love you, Eds,” Steve murmured. “I think I always have.”

Eddie grinned. “Me, too,” he murmured against the skin of Steve’s neck. “Me, too.”

[richardmaxwell01]

Finding the Perfect Horse Trainer Near

Introduction

If you're a horse owner in the UK, finding a skilled and experienced horse trainer is essential for the well-being and development of your equine companion. The expertise of a professional horse trainer can help improve your horse's behavior, enhance its performance, and strengthen the bond between horse and rider. This article explores the importance of locating a reliable and qualified horse trainer near you in the UK and provides guidance on how to find the perfect match.

Expertise and Experience

A reputable horse trainer possesses the necessary expertise and experience to handle and train horses effectively. They understand equine behavior, training techniques, and the unique needs of each horse. When searching for a horse trainer near you in the UK, look for someone who has a proven track record, a comprehensive understanding of horsemanship, and a diverse range of training methods.

Proximity and Convenience

Finding a horse trainer near your location offers convenience and practicality. Regular training sessions are crucial for consistent progress and development. By choosing a horse trainer in close proximity, you can easily schedule training sessions, save time on travel, and be actively involved in your horse's training progress.

Personalized Approach

Every horse is unique, and a great horse trainer recognizes this. Look for a trainer who emphasizes a personalized approach to training, taking into account your horse's temperament, abilities, and individual needs. A trainer who tailors their training methods to suit your horse's specific requirements can achieve better results and build a trusting and positive relationship with your equine companion.

Positive Reputation and References

Before selecting a horse trainer, it is essential to research their reputation and seek references from other horse owners. Read reviews, talk to fellow equestrians, and seek recommendations from reputable equestrian organizations or trainers' associations. A horse trainer with a positive reputation and satisfied clients is more likely to deliver high-quality training services and create a positive learning environment for your horse.

Compatibility and Communication

Building a strong working relationship between the horse trainer, owner, and horse is crucial for successful training. When evaluating potential trainers, consider their communication style, teaching methods, and compatibility with your own goals and values. A trainer who fosters open and transparent communication, actively involves you in the training process, and shares your aspirations for your horse is more likely to create a harmonious training environment.

Conclusion

Locating a reliable and skilled horse trainer near you in the UK is a vital step in ensuring the well-being and progress of your horse. Their expertise, experience, proximity, and personalized approach to training can have a significant impact on your horse's behavior and performance. Take the time to research and evaluate potential trainers, considering their reputation, references, and compatibility with your own goals. By choosing the perfect horse trainer, you can provide your equine companion with the professional guidance and training needed to reach its full potential and strengthen the bond between horse and rider.

For more info visit here:-

Horse Trainer Near Me

Horse Training Near Me

Horse Trainers Near Me

Horse Chiropractor Essex

[voraciousvore]

Giganterra (Chapter 51)

Prologue/TOC | Previous (50) | Next (52)

Content Warning: Blood and gore, violence, death

Word Count: 2.4k

------ Chapter 51: Hunting Expedition ------

Candy feared that the king was legitimately going to murder her in a fit of rage. His violence was escalating, to the point where he came close to mangling her beyond repair on a regular basis. The servants, along with his family members, avoided him as best they could, lest they become the unlucky target of his wrath. Nobody wished to be beaten—or worse, executed—for a petty error.

After being thumped hard on the skull when the king lost his temper, Leon suggested that he go hunting to blow off some steam and sate his bloodlust. To his relief, King Richard agreed with enthusiasm. He summoned Sir Maneater, his squire, and the dog trainer to his study and ordered them to prepare for a hunting expedition. Joey and Martin saddled up all the horses, collected their weapons, and set out into the woodlands surrounding the castle with the king.

The king, despite the sharper edge in his words and gestures, was in high spirits at the prospect of hunting. He enjoyed the thrill of the chase, the excitement of the kill. Unlike some men of higher station, he relished the opportunity to personally skin and gut an animal, to soak his hands in blood. Ajax, riding alongside him on a gargantuan coal-black stallion, carried the king’s gilded bow and hunting knife for him.

Hardon chattered on to Martin about hunting techniques and the best game, with the knight giving brief and polite responses in turn. Joey rode on Martin’s right in silence, unsure what to say or if engaging in the conversation would be rude—not that he wanted to speak to the depraved king anyway. Ajax scanned the trees like a hawk for potential threats. The dog trainer urged the army of greyhounds ahead of the horses to seek a game trail.

“I’m hoping to snag a few red foxes,” the king prattled on. “They have such lovely pelts, perfect for lining a new coat for the upcoming winter.” As he spoke, he idly scratched at his chest inside his shirt and plucked out Candy, chained to his necklace. “I want to keep my little darling warm, after all! Assuming she makes it another season without pissing me off!” He snarled and snapped his teeth at her, eliciting a shrill shriek that made him laugh wickedly.

“Of course, I wouldn’t mind hunting rabbits or deer either. They make the most delicious stews. She could always stay warm in my belly too!” He chuckled while Candy turned dreadfully pale. She glanced over at Martin with pleading, watery eyes. He averted his gaze with shame. There was nothing he could do for her.

Candy broke inside, seeing the handsome knight of her dreams dressed in the king’s livery of silver and purple—the colors of the enemy, complete with the sable wolf adorning his breast. He wasn’t on her side, and he was never going to help her. She choked out a sob, prompting the king to squeeze her with irritation.

“Enough of that nonsense now. Unless you want me to give you a real reason to cry,” Hardon growled. He was growing weary of Candy’s near-constant melancholy, so different from Millie’s cheerfulness. She bit her tongue hard, struggling to hold back the rising tide of grief. Luckily, loud baying from several of the hounds distracted her tormentor. The dogs surged forward in a stampede; the riders spurred on their horses in excited pursuit.

“Tally-ho!” the king exclaimed gleefully. “Ajax, my bow!” The guard passed him the weapon with an arrow already in position and the king took a shot. The fox, its red fur standing out among the brown and green brush, darted to the side and dodged the arrow. Joey sent an arrow of his own in swift succession, piercing the fox in the nape of its neck. The creature squealed and collapsed on its side, thrashing and panting.

“Ah, a direct hit!” King Richard shouted victoriously. “Let me finish it!” The dog trainer stayed the hounds and the king leapt off his horse with a bloodthirsty, triumphant leer. He drew his knife and approached his dying quarry with confidence.

“Be cautious, Your Majesty!” Martin warned as he dismounted his own steed. “That fox will fight to its dying breath!” The king ignored his warning and approached recklessly. The fox yipped and feebly scrabbled at the dirt with its paws, but couldn’t get away fast enough. The giant crouched over the fox and raised his dagger to plunge the blade into its flesh.

The fox lunged forward at the threat, in a last-ditch effort to defend itself. Hardon recoiled in surprise. Candy screamed as the giant animal’s maw, bristling with sharp white teeth, rocketed towards her as she hung in the air from the king’s neck. The huge jaws snapped shut inches from her toes, barely missing her, as a strand of thick saliva splashed on her calf. The giant kicked the beast into submission and stabbed it in the gut with a splatter of garish crimson.

“Gotcha!” he gloated, dragging the blade up the creature’s belly to its collar as it barked in agony. A spray of scarlet sprinkled his hands and torso, including Candy. She wailed in an earsplitting tone, horrified by the carnage and still reeling from nearly being bitten in half.

The king winced. “Ugh, Candy. Do you have to make such a racket? That’s really annoying.” Candy tried to stop, but her body was wracked with heaving sobs. She choked and cried and gasped in a most undignified display, unable to hold in all her feelings and fluids any longer.

Hardon groaned. “Uggghhhh. Stupid human,” he muttered. He turned to Martin, who happened to be wading through the vegetation towards him. “Hold this whiny little rat for a second.” He unclipped Candy from his necklace and tossed her at Martin, who scrambled to catch her in shock. His breath hitched in his throat as he held her in his gloved palm. She looked terrible, with flecks of blood and saliva on her sickly skin, and snot and tears running down her puckered face. Her body was dotted with purple and gray bruises from the king’s violence.

When she realized she was sitting in Martin’s hand, her cries stopped. She sucked in a sharp breath and gazed up at him with desperation. She was too upset to speak coherently, but her eyes spoke for her. Help me. HELP ME. HELP ME PLEASE!!!

Martin’s heart stopped. He'd obsessed over this woman’s lamentable fate, schemed about stealing her away from the king, regretted his decision not to help her every night, and mentally flagellated himself for his powerlessness and ineptitude. And here she was, by an extraordinary stroke of fate, sitting in his hand: unguarded and ripe for the taking. He glanced over at the king, who was preoccupied with slitting the fox’s throat and tearing out its entrails. His back was to the knight, oblivious to the frantic machinations in Martin’s head.

Martin slowly backed away from the king, step by step, as he closed his hand over Candy protectively. He knew he was throwing away everything he had worked so hard for in a flash, but he had never been so certain of a decision in his life. He tried to act casual and inconspicuous as he mounted his horse. He stuffed Candy into one of the pouches on his belt to keep his hands free, in case he needed to fight. Joey tilted his head in a questioning gesture, not comprehending what Martin was plotting. Martin urged on his horse and trotted away.

At the sound of horse hooves, the king spun around, still clasping the fox’s liver in his hand. His eyes blazed with outraged recognition when he realized what Martin was doing. “Ajax! After him!” he bellowed, pointing towards the knight. Martin, hearing his order, spurred his horse into a gallop. Ajax kicked his own beast into pursuit. Joey froze up, eyes wide.

“You too, you damned fool!” the king yelled at him. The squire, flustered, hastened to catch up. The king swore explosively as he threw away the liver and wiped off the blood soaking his hands.

Martin leaned into his horse with desperation. The trees flew by in a blur as he rapidly crossed through a grassy clearing. The heavy hooves of Ajax’s steed pounded behind him, getting closer and closer, as loud as his own hammering heart. Joey brought up the rear, straining to catch up. He drew his bow and aimed it with a steady arm. He was not, however, pointing it at Martin. His arrow, hungry for blood, was fixed on Ajax, at a chink in his armor.

Joey let loose the arrow. His aim was true, and the projectile sailed directly into the flesh of the massive guard’s back. To Joey’s shock, the guard flinched slightly from the impact but otherwise was unaffected. The squire shot another arrow, this time into his neck, and the guard absorbed it like nothing more than a bee sting. He ignored Joey and continued his pursuit relentlessly.

Ajax was gaining on his prey. Martin glanced back to behold the terrifying image of the guard with an arrow tip sticking out of his throat, completely unfazed as a river of blood ran down his chest. He urged on his horse, but the trees were growing thicker and the horse was forced to slow down. Leaves and branches slapped at Martin’s face, obscuring his vision. He heard the cracks of wood breaking from behind him, dreadfully close.

A thick branch whacked him hard in the torso and knocked him off his horse. His skull collided with the ground, causing his vision to explode into a kaleidoscope of stars. The horse whinnied and darted off into the trees, disappearing in seconds. Martin groaned, dazed and winded, as the hooves of the gigantic stallion clomped down next to his head, followed by huge leather boots. Martin’s hand strayed to the pouch attached to his belt; fortunately, Candy hadn’t been crushed in the fall.

A beefy, hairy hand grabbed his shirt and hauled him into the air. His legs dangled uselessly beneath him. Martin tried to retaliate, but the world spun around him at a nauseating rate, and his head lolled down to his chest. He grunted incoherently and flailed his arms like limp noodles. The guard, with his singular eye, stared at him impassively before turning his attention to the approaching gallop of hooves.

Joey’s horse careened through the trees close behind. He saw the menacing shadow of Ajax’s figure standing through a veil of leaves. At first, he hoped to trample the man with his horse, but he was forced to curb his momentum when he saw Martin hanging from his hands before him. His horse stumbled over a thick root and Joey flipped backwards over its hindquarters, smacking into a tree trunk. He crumbled to the ground, but clumsily recovered his footing as his enemy lunged at him, tossing Martin to the side.

The squire heard the smooth schlink of a sword sliding out of its scabbard. He managed to draw his own sword just in time, narrowly parrying the blade thrust from his opponent. Ajax’s blade slid across his with a squeal of metal and impaled the tree behind him with startling force, sinking into the bark almost completely to the hilt. The giant strained with tremendous muscle to rip the sword out in a flurry of splinters.

He jerked back, momentarily off-balance. Joey saw his opportunity and darted in with intent to kill. He landed a direct hit in his broad midsection, stabbing him brutally below the sternum. Ajax didn’t slump over or scream, merely glaring at him coldly. Joey twisted the blade savagely, but despite a hot gush of blood, the guard still failed to show any indication of pain. Joey gaped, incredulous.

With a roar, Ajax retaliated and swung his sword. Joey hopped back, relinquishing his weapon to his enemy’s body, but he failed to evade the vicious slash that cleaved him diagonally from hip to shoulder. He cried out in pain as he lost his footing and collapsed against the split trunk behind him. Ajax raised his arm to deal the killing blow.

Martin jumped him from behind and wrenched back his muscular arm with a feral cry. Knife in hand, the knight swung it wildly at the guard’s face, hoping to perhaps blind him if the other fatal wounds wouldn’t stop him. He missed his good eye, instead thrusting his dagger into the empty eye socket covered by the eyepatch. To his surprise, his knife contacted an object inside the skull with a gravelly crunch, something very unlike flesh and blood but rather stone. The guard convulsed violently and dropped to the earth like a puppet with cut strings.

Martin pulled his knife from the guard’s eye socket with confusion. Stuck to the other end of his blade was a glowing runic stone, cracked in the middle. The blade tip had caught in the carved symbol and distorted it, diluting the magic within. Martin pulled the stone off his knife and threw it away, then rushed over to his loyal squire, who was lying on his back.

“Joey! Oh God, Joey!” Martin exclaimed, examining the sizable gash. Ajax’s sword had cut through his clothes and roughly cleaved his flesh apart. The wound oozed blood, saturating the torn fabric.

“I’m okay,” Joey gasped. “It’s not a fatal wound, and it’s not as bad as it looks. It’s a shallow cut. It just... really hurts.” He grimaced. “I don’t think I can move...”

A shroud of horror darkened over the knight as the howling of hounds sounded off in the distance. “Oh no! C’mon Joey, we need to go!” He wrapped his arms around the squire, fully intending to carry him.

“NO!” Joey protested. Martin recoiled at the vociferous protest. “Go without me! Now!”

“But Joey-”

“I’ll be fine! I’ll survive! I was chasing you, remember? Following the king’s orders.” He sucked in a sharp breath as a spasm of pain shook his frame. “The guard is dead. Nobody will know that I betrayed him. But you... if you’re caught...” He gritted his teeth as the excited barks and baying waxed closer. “There’s no time. GO!”

“Alright.” Martin brushed Joey’s sweaty face with his glove. “Thank you, Joey. If I never see you again… just know, I’m proud of you. You’ve blossomed into a good man.” Without any time to spare, he ran.

Chapter 52

Tag List: @yummynomms @maybeiamdownbad @tinycoded360

[foundtherightwords]

The Hollow Heart - Chapter 10

Pairing: Hellcheer, Gothic AU

Summary: To escape her mother's control and the stifling society of Gilded Age New York, heiress Christabel Cunningham impulsively marries Henry Creel, a charming and seductive stranger, and accompanies him to his remote mansion on the West Coast. There, as Henry grows cold and cruel, Christabel must uncover her husband's sinister secret before it's too late. But can she trust Kas, her husband's enigmatic assistant, who seems to be her only ally in this strange place, or is Kas's loyalty to his master stronger than his attraction to Christabel?

Chapter warnings: animal death, domestic violence

Chapter word count: 4k

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9

Chapter 10 - Warned by a Vision

Sometimes Christabel felt there was a veil over her eyes, blinding her to the truth of her marriage, of Henry's true nature. Each time he hurt her, it was like a tear in that veil. In the early days of their marriage, those tears were far apart, easily ignored, but over time, they kept building and building. Now, there were simply too many, and the veil was falling apart.

Then came another incident, and this time, it wasn't just a tear. This time, the whole veil was wrenched painfully from her eyes, and finally, she understood what it meant to suffer death by a thousand cuts.

Luna was growing fast. Christabel knew that soon she would have to hire a trainer or perhaps send Luna to a stable to get properly trained, but for now, the horse was making great progress. Christabel dreamed of when Luna was big enough and they could ride up and down the shore, to Golden Gate Park and Sutro Heights and beyond.

The only thing about Luna that worried Christabel, the only thing that marred her perfect beauty, was that she had a rather strange bump on her forehead. Indeed, Christabel hadn't even noticed it in the first few weeks, thinking it was just bones, but as Luna grew, so did this bump, until it protruded into a quite visible nub between her ears. She often rubbed it against things and really enjoyed it when Christabel scratched around it.

When Christabel brought the matter up to Henry, he became oddly excited. Though he hadn't spared Luna another glance since he gave her to Christabel, that day Henry personally went into the stall to examine the horse. Luna, who was always so calm and friendly, gave a frightened little whicker and ran in panicked circles around the stall, refusing to let Henry come near, let alone touch her. Henry had to retreat before she quieted down.

"We may have a unicorn on our hands, darling," he said to Christabel with a grin.

"Don't be absurd, there's no such thing as a unicorn," she retorted. If he was not going to have the bump looked at, then she was not going to waste her time convincing him. Since it didn't seem to bother Luna much, Christabel put it out of her mind.

A few nights after that, Christabel's old nightmare came back. Since Christmas, thanks to the phonograph and her growing collection of records, her sleep had been specter-free. That night though, despite having listened to the phonograph before sleep as usual, Christabel found herself face to face with those three ghosts again, their eyes gray and empty like the mist, their chest gaping and dripping blood. They were on the beach this time.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, as she'd always asked them in her dreams, but she wasn't expecting an answer. Almost resignedly, she screwed her eyes shut and waited for the inevitable moment when the mist came for her and erased her. Once, when she was little, she had been skating in Central Park on one of the rare occasions her mother allowed her out of the house. Unbeknownst to her, the ice had cracked earlier that day. As she slid across the ice and felt, rather than heard, the gunshot snap beneath her skates, her heart had dropped to the bottom of her stomach, and it had seemed like an eternity before she hit the freezing water. There had been no more ice skating after that.

It felt just like that now, only increased a hundredfold, as she waited for the mist in her dream.

But the mist never came. There were hoof beats behind her, and Christabel turned just in time to see a streak of silver rush past her in a spray of sand. It was Luna. With the certainty of dream logic, she knew it was Luna, although other than its shiny white coat, this horse looked nothing like Luna—it was fully grown, and a long, sharp horn grew out of its forehead. A unicorn.

The unicorn headed straight for the three figures by the edge of the water, its horn aiming at them. Somehow, Christabel knew that if it touched them, something terrible was going to happen, just as something terrible always happened to her when she touched those figures. "No, Luna!" she screamed. "Stop!"

It was too late. The horn went through the chest wound of the figure in the middle—Frederick Benson—and it was no longer Christabel that was screaming, but Frederick, Patrick, and the still unnamed girl, their mouths yawning dark holes, issuing forth terrible screams, like those of a dying animal. To her horror, the unicorn was fading as well, swallowed up by the fog. Luna had taken her place.

"No, Luna, no!" Christabel cried, trying to hold on to the horse, but her hands only ran through cold, wet, empty air.

Luna reared up, looming over Christabel, and let out a scream, a too-real scream of fear and pain. The moment Luna's front legs, now little more than two wisps of fog, came down over her head, Christabel woke up.

She lay still, feeling the pillow damp with sweat under her cheek, listening to her thundering heartbeats. It had been so real, that dream, even more real than her waking nightmares, especially those screams... The figures had never made a sound in any of her previous dreams, they'd only stood and looked at her in silence. So what had changed?

When her heart refused to calm down, Christabel got out of bed, threw on her dressing gown, and went to the window. It was still dark outside, though a lighter strip of gray on the horizon told her that dawn was not far off. There was a light on at Kas's window, but that was nothing unusual. He often kept a light on throughout the night. Everything was quiet.

No, not everything was quiet. Straining her ears, Christabel could make out voices rising in contention and panic. They were coming from the other side of the house. Heart hammering in her chest again, she flew downstairs and followed the voices into the garage.

Blazing lights hit her full in the face, blinding her after the gloom of the house, and for a moment, Christabel couldn't see anything. When her eyes finally adjusted, a horrible sight greeted her—in the middle of the stall littered with crushed straw and splintered wood, evidence of a great struggle, was Luna, lying on her side, unmoving, a tongue so dark it appeared almost black protruding from her foaming mouth, legs bent at stiff, unnatural angles. Henry and Kas stood over her, their eyes wide, chests heaving from exertion. Dangling from Henry's hand was what Christabel thought was a leather belt at first, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a cobra, its head smashed.

Christabel didn't remember what she did then. She must have screamed and run to Luna, for the next thing she knew, Henry had tossed the dead snake aside and was hauling her to her feet, while she fought him to reach Luna's side.

"Let me go!" she screamed. "Let me help her!"

"She's beyond help!" shouted Henry. "Kas, put the carcass under the cypress, while I take Mrs. Creel inside."

The carcass. She thought he meant the snake, and then it hit her. He meant Luna. Her lovely Luna, now nothing but a carcass, like one of those weather-bleached skeletons she'd seen from the train.

Kas threw Christabel an anguished look. "Yes, sir," he said, taking a blanket and draping it over the inert white form. That simple, irrevocable gesture finally convinced Christabel that Luna was really dead. All her panicked strength drained out of her, and she let Henry drag her out of the garage and back to the house.

"What happened?" she asked, the moment they were through the door.

"The cobra escaped its cage. I guess the horse got spooked, and the cobra fought back."

"But you said the cages were secure!"

Henry shrugged and steered her toward the stairs. "Accidents happen. Now, go back to bed. Kas will bury her."

His dismissive tone stung. "I want to be there," she said.

"What?"

"I want to say goodbye to her. At least give me that."

"Don't be hysterical. It's just a horse. I'll buy you another one."

"I'm not a child," she said, pushing his hand away. "Do you think you can just give me another toy and I'll shut up?"

Henry rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for this."

He headed back to the garage. Some of Christabel's shock was wearing off, and anger rose in its place. How dare he be so nonchalant, how dare he dismiss her like this! She lunged after him.

"You're not even going to apologize?"

"For what?"

"This is your fault! You did this! You and those monsters of yours!"

She didn't see him move. Something struck the side of her head, leaving her cheek stinging and her ear ringing. She clasped a hand to her face, out of shock and fear more than pain, while Henry opened the door. He didn't even look at her. "Go back to your room," he said calmly and stepped out.

The moment he disappeared into the dark, Christabel turned and ran. But she didn't run upstairs. She ran outside, down the drive, and all the way across the path bridging the island and the shore. Upon reaching the shore, she kept running, driven by sheer grief and despair, ignoring the cold wind across her face, the rough sand under her feet. She only wanted to get as far away as possible from Creel House.

***

Christabel ran until her legs and her lungs gave out. The sun was coming up, shining through the gray clouds like a silver coin on a pewter tray, doing little to warm the air. Creel House still loomed behind her, enveloped in its own mist, a dark, malevolent mass, scowling, mocking. She would never be able to outrun it. She crumpled to the ground, leaning against a sand dune, too exhausted and heartbroken to move.

She told herself not to think of Luna, though everything around reminded her of the little horse, from the cold, white sun that put her in mind of Luna's coat, to the sand where Luna used to run. But the tears wouldn't come. A heavy, somber fear, the remnant of her dream, weighed her down like a shroud, preventing the grief from taking over. That particular dream had been prophetic. Did this mean that her previous dreams all foretold her future as well? Was she fated to die a horrible death, like poor Luna?

No. She couldn't think that way. It was bad enough that she was out here on this God-forsaken beach in her dressing gown and bedroom slippers like some madwoman, now she believed in premonitions and fate too? No. She must stay rational. As much as she hated to admit it, Henry had been right. What happened to Luna had been an accident, no more.

At the thought of Henry, another kind of grief, mixed with anger and fear, surged up within her like bile, and her cheek throbbed again. It wasn't just that he'd hit her. She could even accept that he'd done so in the heat of the moment. But what disturbed her most was the casual way he'd done it, without a care, without a look back, like swatting away an irritating fly. That was what she was to him. Nothing.

What could she do now? Where would she go? Leave Henry and return to New York with her tail between her legs, admitting to her mother that she'd made a mistake? No! Not in a million years, not after she'd made such a show to Jason about how happy she was. And to be one of those divorcees, to have people turn their backs on her, to see their mock-polite smiles, knowing how they whispered about her behind closed doors? No, no, no. She couldn't bear it. She had married Henry to escape all that, she couldn't leave him to go back to that world now. The very thought of it made her stomach twist with shame and disgust.

Then her stomach twisted with something else, and Christabel realized the sun was now high in the sky. She had been out since daybreak. She was tired and cold and hungry, and there was nothing around her but sand and sea. With a sigh, she struggled to her feet. Creel House may be loathsome and frightful, but it was also her house, in name at least. She was not going to give it up just yet.

As she reached the causeway, Christabel saw, with dismay, that the path was now completely submerged. The tides must have come in while she was running down the shore. The boat was back on the island. She rang the bell. The sun was too bright for Kas to be out, but if Henry was home, he would come for her, surely. She rang the bell again, straining to see if there was any movement on the island. There was none. Was Henry out? Was he looking for her? The shore stretched on for miles and miles, had he missed her behind the sand dunes?

She dipped a foot into the water, testing it, only to jerk back as if she'd been bitten. The water was freezing cold. If she tried swimming in this, the cold would kill her before she could reach the island.

She rang the bell again, her hope of getting answered diminishing by the minute. Perhaps she could wait until Henry came back, or until sundown... It wasn't the day for grocery delivery, so nobody would come down this path and she need not worry about having to explain her awkward predicament.

Just as Christabel dropped down onto the sand again in fatigue and despair, a movement on the island caught her eyes. A dark speck was bobbing over the water toward her. It was the boat! As it got closer, Christabel saw that the parasol had been rigged over it, and shielded under it, wearing his long cloak and the gloves, was Kas.

"Are you all right?" he shouted the moment he came within her earshot.

"Yes." Something burst in her chest at the sight of him, something warm and pleasant that chased away all the pain and hurt. By now, she was desperate enough to accept any rescue at all, but she was glad it was Kas that came for her, glad in a way she knew she wouldn't have been if it had been Henry.

"I'm sorry it took me so long. I couldn't make the parasol stay upright," he said, maneuvering the boat so she could step on. His eyes widened as they landed on her face, and Christabel put a subconscious hand to her cheek. It must be more swollen than she'd thought.

"Don't worry about it." She meant both about the boat and her cheek, and Kas clearly understood, for he said nothing more. Once she settled on the seat opposite him, he started toward the island in long, steady strokes. Only his white-knuckled grip on the oars betrayed his true feelings.

"I wish you didn't have to risk yourself for me," she said.

"I don't mind."

"Where's Mr. Creel?"

"He had to go into town on urgent business." She was silent. Of course. He hadn't bothered to comfort her about Luna, why would he care when she ran away? Sensing her anger, Kas added, "I wanted to go after you, but he told me to let you blow off steam." He watched her for a moment and said, more quietly, "I'm so sorry about Luna, Mrs. Creel."

Pain squeezed her heart, choking her.

"What have you done to her?" she managed to ask.

"I've—I've buried her."

"Under the cypress trees?"

"No, by the beach."

Christabel nodded. She couldn't bear the notion of Luna being confined to those dark, haunted trees. "Thank you," she said. "She would like that. It's her favorite place."

Then she thought of Luna, sweet, pretty, clever Luna, dead and buried now, and she began to cry. Never again would Luna run on the beach alongside Christabel, never again would she nip Christabel to ask for pets or push her nose under her hand in search of sugar, never again would Christabel open the garage door to find Luna waiting for her. How many times she could have petted Luna or given her sugar without being asked, and hadn't? It was too late to make up for it now. The tears kept coming, wrung out of her in bitter, gulping sobs, and Christabel buried her face in her hands and cried and cried, for Luna and for herself.

The boat stopped. She felt Kas sit down by her. He held the parasol in one hand, shading them both, and his other arm went around her, pulling her to him. She held back at first, but when he drew her forward to his chest, she let her head fall onto his shoulder. Oh, how lovely! How lovely! For so long, too long, Christabel hadn't been properly held, and she had almost forgotten how lovely it was to sit like that, with his shoulder taking on the weight of her grief and his hand massaging the knots out of her back. Her sobs quieted. With a sigh, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, breathing in his familiar scent of earth and smoke and the sea.

"It's all right," he murmured, rocking her against him, gentle as the rocking of the waves on the sides of the boat. "You'll be all right, Mrs. Creel."

The name rankled. "Don't call me that," she said. It came out sharper than she'd intended, and Kas's arm stiffened across her shoulders.

"What'd you want me to call you then?" he asked.

She lifted her head to look at him. "Call me by my name. Call me Christabel. At least—at least when it's just the two of us together."

Those words struck her as oddly intimate, and she became aware of how close their faces were, so close she could feel his breath on her cheek, could see his dark eyes, enormous in the shade under the parasol. He'd heard the desperation in her voice too and was looking at her, eyes wide in shock or fear. How foolish she'd been! Just because she'd been fantasizing about him didn't mean that he felt the same about her. What she did in the privacy of her bedroom was shameful enough, but here—she was practically throwing herself at him. A servant! What would her mother say? My God, what if he told Henry?

"You know what, never mind." She sat up straight and pushed him away. "Just take me back."

"As you wish, Mrs. Creel," he said. Something in his voice was like an arrow through her heart. Had she really worried about what her mother would've said? Why did she still care? Everything she'd done had been to get away from her mother, and it seemed she hadn't escaped at all.

Kas got to his feet to return to the bow. She grabbed his hand, pulling him down by her side. She didn't know what possessed her to do so when she'd pushed him away only seconds ago, but at that moment, she couldn't bear to be away from him. He looked down at her hand clutching his, then lifted his eyes to her face. The look in those eyes made her breath catch in her throat, and, without thinking, she kissed him.

His lips parted in surprise. She pushed forward, taking his bottom lip between hers, marveling at how soft his mouth was, how responsive he was to her kiss, so unlike Henry, whose answer to her kisses was always a tight-lipped grimace. Kas's arm was around her again, his mouth moving hesitantly under hers, returning the kiss with a fervor that matched her own. Her hands came up to clasp his temples, her trembling fingers sinking into his curls, holding him close, while she captured his mouth again and again, draining it, like one dying of thirst—

He wrenched himself away from her, so abruptly that he left her dizzy.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, even as she was drawn back to him by some invisible magnet. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I..." She hardly knew what she was saying. She only saw his mouth, still temptingly close, and couldn't stop herself from pulling him to her once more, from claiming that soft, lush mouth with hers once more— 

"We can't," he said, seizing both of her wrists to hold her at arm's length.

The parasol dropped out of his hand into the water, and Kas's face began to redden as sunlight spilled over him. He snatched the parasol up and scrambled to put it back in its place by the bow, but it wobbled, refusing to stay.

"Here, let me." Christabel took the parasol and held it over him. For a moment, Kas looked like he wanted to protest, but he took up the oars again without another word.

Though they sat side and side, he held himself stiffly, as far away from her as possible, while they traveled the rest of the way to the island. When they reached the shore, Christabel got off the boat on her own and held the parasol for Kas as he pulled the boat up and tied it to the dock. The house loomed above them, and the fog reached out its fingers, drawing them back into its grayness.

"I'm fine from here," Kas said, taking the parasol from her without looking at her.

Christabel turned away, but she couldn't bring herself to go into the house, to face its gloom and Henry's silent contempt. Her feet took her toward the garage. She had to see for herself, to believe that Luna was really gone.

The stall had been cleaned up. The saddle, reins, and brushes were gone from the wall. The straw had been swept away. There was no sign that a horse had ever been here.

The sight of that empty stall brought on a fresh flood of tears. Christabel slowly sat down, put her forehead on her knees, and let the tears flow down her face and drop onto the floor, like rain.

Something between the floorboards caught her eyes. Christabel picked it up and turned it over in her hand curiously. It was a flat, triangular shape, the size of her palm, slightly curved, grayish green in color and ridged all over. She would've thought it was simply a piece of tree bark, if it hadn't been for its strange shape and feel, rough and smooth at the same time, almost like a fish scale.

"Don't touch that!" Kas yelled behind her, making her drop the thing.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It could be from the cobra. Anyway, it's not a good idea to pick up unknown things around here." He tried to appear casual, but from the way he used a piece of rag to pick up the thing, Christabel realized Kas knew more about it than he let on. It was too big to be from any cobra, unless that cobra was the size of a python. But she was too tired to press him about it.

"You go up to the house," Kas said. "I'll bring you some food later."

There was nothing else to say then. "Thank you, Kas."

"You're welcome, Mrs. Creel."

Mrs. Creel.

Pulling the belt of her dressing gown tighter, Christabel stumbled into the house, swallowing the lump of disappointment in her throat.

Chapter 11

[youre-ackermine]

Some Levihan first Christmas living together headcanons nobody asked for ☃️

Characters: Levi Ackerman / Hange Zoe (mention of Erwin Smith / Miche Zacharias)

Modern AU / SFW / established relationship / non binary Hange / mention of alcohol

You can find a moodboard for these headcanons HERE

Hange’s been leading the pharmaceutical research department in Trost University for a few months now and Levi is a personal trainer at Nanaba’s Gym, the trendiest health club in town

They met at Erwin and Miche’s housewarming party

After two years dating, Levi & Hange finally moved in together just after Halloweeen. They found a small apartment downtown. The neighbourhood is lively yet quiet enough and it’s near both Hange’s lab and Levi’s workplace

The couple adopted a cute ginger cat they called Sawney

From mid-November on, an excited Hange drags a grumpy Levi into various Christmas activities. He’s reluctant at first but their childlike wonder and restless enthusiasm finally win him over

They go to a Christmas market to find some decorations for their tree. New tradition as a couple: every year they’ll buy a decoration for each other as a gift. Hange’s first ornament reads “stay weird”, Levi’s “festive as fuck” (wtf is wrong with you guys? could you be more romantic?)

Hange stops at every single stall, gushing over everything with ohs and ahs and “Leeeeviiii!! Did you see that? It’s cute/amazing/funny/classy [pick one]”and Levi has to prevent them from buying every single crap (his words, not mine) they find to their (often questionable) liking

One of those crap being a woolly hat for their Sawney “he looks so cute with his ears sticking out of the hat, right Shorty?” Levi rolls his eyes. “Tch, the poor cat looks like a dumbass, Four-Eyes.” But he secretly finds it cute

They both taste all sorts of treats and beverages at the Christmas market. Hange loves mulled wine and Levi just frowns and says it tastes like spiced horse piss (and Hange’s breath is awful after a few sips)

They also go ice-skating when the sun starts to set. Clumsy Hange is surprisingly very good at it and teaches Levi, who stumbles a few times at first but Hange catches him in their arms (and kisses him every time because why not?)

Unfortunately Levi seems to have a hard time finding balance, which is odd given his job at the gym, but who am I to judge? So more kisses ensue, obviously (Levi you little shit lmao)

His cheeks and ears are tinged with red but it’s probably because of the mulled wine or the freezing-ass cold I guess

Whenever they can, they wander around a different part of town by night to enjoy the Christmas lights clung to each other

They wrap gifts for their loved ones together. Levi can’t help but sigh: “how the hell did you manage to make this look like it’s some turd wrapped in toilet paper, Four-Eyes?” They grin sheepishly and hand him the box and he shows them how to do this properly. Again. For the fourth time in a row.

In the end, Levi neatly wrapped all the gifts by himself. Hange beams (Four-Eyes you little shit lmao)

On Sundays they take a walk in the snow. Hange sure as fuck starts a snowball fight. “But they’re heart-shaped, Shorty!” they whine when he complains about the cannonball that just hit him in the face

They build a cute snowman together and make snow angels. Levi complains (again) because cold snow is sneaking under his clothes and Hange slides their hands under his shirt. ”C’mon Mr Grumps, let me warm up this soft skin of yours ^^” [insert Levi rolling eyes here]

Once they’re back home, they bake Christmas cookies together. Hange is in charge of the topping but, of course, it looks ugly as hell. Not to mention the filthy state of the kitchen after the cooking session. But Levi doesn’t have the heart to be mad at them, it’s the holidays after all. He wipes the frosting and flour off their face and kisses them on the cheek instead ;))

They don’t make much money yet so Levi cooks homemade treats as gifts for their friends and family. Christmas cookies, small jars of various jams, ingredients to make a hot chocolate or a brownie put together in a Mason jar with the recipe tied to it. Levi enjoys doing this for his loved ones. Even if they can afford buying presents for everyone in the next years, this will probably remain a tradition

Hange, on the other hand, buys silly little items for everyone, the cheaper and the cringier the better!

One evening after work, they go pick their Christmas tree together. It’s small because they don’t have much room in their apartment. They can’t help but bicker about how it must be decorated: Levi wants to pick one or two colours for a harmonious rendering, whereas Hange wants to put as many different colours as possible (as they should). They decide to decorate it in Hange’s way this year and Levi’s way next year (you wish, Levi)

Evening ritual: they put on their pajamas, cuddle up on the couch under a cosy, soft blanket with a cup of hot chocolate, Sawney resting on Hange’s lap, and watch silly Christmas movies on tv. Home alone is Hange’s favourite of course: they can’t help but admire the kid’s ingenious mind

For Christmas Eve’s dinner, Levi sets a simple but beautiful table and cooks a delicious meal for the both of them

By midnight, they open their gifts, a green set of gloves and scarf for Levi, a funny lunchbox for Hange

On Christmas day, they’ll go to Erwin and Miche’s fancy party with matching ugly sweaters (because Hange said so) and little gifts for all their friends

We were talking about Christmas with @thehangetomylevi & about what Levi & Hange would do for their first Christmas together & these ideas started to pop up in my head!

Thanks Livia for encouraging me to post my silly Levihan Christmas HC 💚💜

Header: @youre-ackermine

Christmas divider: @saradika-graphics

▫️▫️▫️

A/N: not beta/proof read - English is not my usual language

[unfunpleasures]

unfunpleasures OFMD fic directory

I’m bad at using Tumblr now, but it feels like I should, at the very least, have a fic master post.

One-shots

Fig-ured Out: Blackbeard/Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet; Rated G; 1,526 words. Stede's online date doesn't show, but that doesn't mean his evening is a wash. A prompt fill for OFMD Fluffvember 2023 Day 7: First date | "It's pouring down out there."

24-Hour Pharmacy: Blackbeard/Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet; Rated T; 2,436 words. It’s New Year’s Eve and Ed is alone. Even better: he’s en route to the only drug store on this side of town that’s open all night tonight, and it’s after 11 and he’s risking life and limb (okay, that’s probably an exaggeration, but drunk drivers and weirdos abound on nights like this) to go grab a pregnancy test, some snacks, and a bottle of moscato (which depends on how the test goes) for his roommate Anne. Not like he had anything better planned, honestly– ordering takeout and watching TV with Anne had been his big plans for the evening– but it’s cold and dark and loud and he’s not super thrilled with how the night’s going. Then he meets someone in the snack aisle and he changes his tune a little.

It’s a Date: Blackbeard/Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet; Rated T; 2,769 words. Stede's a regular at the coffee shop Ed works at. They're both going to a party at Lucius', but Stede's bringing a date. Ed's bummed about it.

Help Me Make It Through the Night: Blackbeard/Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet; Rated E; 5,867 words. Ed’s a champion bull rider who’s just lost to relative-newcomer Stede Bonnet. On their respective drives out of Wyoming, a summer storm leaves them both looking for a place to stay. Written for OFMD AUgust 2024 Day 6: Rodeo and #OneBedWeek. (You can find the podfic here.)

Picking Flowers: Blackbeard/Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet; Rated G; 2,002 words. Stede decides to pick some flowers and gets caught in the act. Written for the OFMD Gotcha For Gaza event.

Longfics

Kings River, 1969: Blackbeard/Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet; Rated E; 33,155 words. Fresno County, CA, June 1969. The mighty Kings River runs through the San Joaquin Valley of California, beginning as snowmelt in the high Sierras and running over 132 miles down the valley to where it terminates near what used to be Tule Lake. Besides providing a haven for wildlife and fishermen alike, there are multiple powerhouses along its course, and it provides irrigation for over a million acres of farmland, including several dozen acres of citrus along the south bank of the lower river in Piedra. This was the domain of one Edward Teach: 29 years old, single, and trying his damndest to keep his criminal record from getting any longer. Ed works on a citrus farm along the Kings River and newly-divorced Stede Bonnet, fresh from Tennessee, has just taken a job as a horse trainer at the ranch up the road. Written for AU-gust 2023 day 14: place-based.

Stationary: Blackbeard/Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet; Rated E; 111,161 words. Edward Teach has made a massive mistake-- what's a few more? A Gentlebeard lovers to exes to lovers fic set in the modern era. (You can find the ongoing podfic here.)

SMAUs

Ask a Punk: Blackbeard/Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet; Rated E; ongoing. Ed Teach is a barista who lives at and co-runs a DIY space. Money is tight and times are tough, so when he literally runs into trust fund kid Stede Bonnet, whom he recognizes from the cafe as one of his regulars, at the local university, his housemates convince him to rope him in as a bankroll. Stede is game to help out, but it quickly becomes clear that neither has their mind solely on business. (You can find the Twitter thread here.)

Series

Drive Me, Crazy: Blackbeard/Edward Teach and Stede Bonnet; Rated E; ongoing. California, 1974. Stede Bonnet is fairly new to trucking, which he started as a means of getting some time away from his failing marriage. He enjoys the time on the road, but he finds it a bit lonely-- that is, until he meets seasoned driver Edward Teach. Series includes (in order): Daydreams About Night Things, Drive Me, Crazy, Still Thinkin' Bout You, 'Till The Rivers All Run Dry (longfic), Home For the Haulidays (Christmas one-shot), Baby, It's Pure Love (Valentine's Day one-shot), and Here In Love (CJizzy one-shot).

[inthepeakymidwinter]

Bon Voyage (Thomas Shelby x Reader)

This was based on prompt 22 for the lovely @the-fangirl-diaries , I hope you enjoy it!

Prompt 22- playful teasing

(Still taking requests. Prompts here)

Summary: Thomas comes to visit a workaholic horse trainer Y/N and tries to whisk her away on vacation.

Word Count: 754

TW: Horses

—————————————————————

I was brushing Mr. Shelby’s race horse in the stables I inherited from my late father. I was trying to prepare the horse, named Gypsy, for the next big race. The race it was supposed to win. I heard strong footsteps coming from the front of the barn and hurried up my brushing, turning my head to get a glimpse of who was entering. It was none other than Thomas Shelby in his dark haired glory. The man with a fine taste in suits here to enter a dirty old stable. “Mr. Shelby, what a surprise” I said from behind the horse. He walked up to where I was brushing the horse and fumbled with his coat pockets.

“I’ve heard you haven’t had a day off” He spoke in a deep voice that came so naturally to him.

“Have you been talking to my mother?” I grew frustrated.

“Y/N, she’s a good woman. It’s not my fault she happens to like me more” He teased and walked up closer to me, making me simultaneously frustrated and nervous.

“We all need to take breaks, Y/N. Even the best horse trainers in the world take breaks” He informed me.

“And yourself? Do you go on breaks Thomas Shelby?” I scoffed.

He smiled back at me with those crushing blue eyes. I could get lost in them for eternity.

“As a matter of fact that’s why I came here, Y/N. I’m taking a nice long break and I’d like you to join me” He invited.

“Well that’s nice and all but I have to take care of the horse” I tried to shrug off his invitation. It was too much for me to even consider. Going out with a man who I barely know. Who is my boss and could release me from my contract at any moment. It was out of the question.

“I arranged for Curly to take care of the horse while you’re gone. We’ll be gone for barely a week-“

“A week?! Mr.Shelby I have strict plans for this horse I can’t be gone for that long!”

“Curly can follow every instruction…if its something you want” Thomas spoke carefully considering my angsty body language.

“You know you don’t have to be scared of me” He teased again.

“I’m not I-“

“I just know that I used to be the same way as you. Hard working. No days off, but slowly over time your mind starts playing tricks on you. It starts telling you that all you have is your work and that no one else can do what you do…but the truth is we’re all replaceable anyway…So you have to learn to take time for yourself. No one else is going to” He sighed and looked down at the hay covered floor.

“Fine, but I’m only going because my mom told you to do this” I huffed and walked out of the stables with him.

“It was all my idea. Your mom just gave me permission” He smiled.

I laughed and looked into his blue eyes once more. He was growing softer on me. It was a good look for him.

As we neared the driveway I noticed his all black car ready to go.

“I’ll let you pack and you can meet me here when you’re ready” He explained.

I nodded at him and walked up the porch steps, entering my home to find my bags all packed and waiting in the hall. I shook my head and thought about how my mother is never up to any good.

“Goodbye mum” I shouted at the top of my lungs. She was always in the kitchen cooking something.

I heard her footsteps race out to the hallway. She embraced me in a big hug, wearing her apron covered in flour. “Have a good time dear” She blessed me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

I picked up my two sets of luggage and made my way out of the door, finding Thomas standing against his car the whole time with a cheesy grin on his face.

“About time princess” He teased.

“It hasn’t even been five minutes Mr. Shelby!” I scoffed and gave my luggage to him.

He gently placed it in the back of the car and opened up my passenger door for me. I got close to his face and placed a soft kiss upon his cheek that made him turn crimson red. “Thank you Mr. Shelby” I smiled and got into the car.

Maybe I did need a break.