#House Cleaning San Antonio

[bestvideo21]

Professional House Cleaning Service | OCD Cleaners

Our comprehensive services deliver the most trusted and professional results in residential,commercial, and industrial cleaning in San Antonio

If you are looking for house cleaning services in San Antonio, there are many options available.

Some popular cleaning services in San Antonio include:

Merry Maids: Merry Maids is a professional house cleaning service that offers regular cleaning services, as well as deep cleaning, move-in/out cleaning, and more.

The Maids: The Maids is another professional house cleaning service that offers a range of cleaning services, including regular cleaning, deep cleaning, and move-in/out cleaning.

MaidPro: MaidPro is a professional cleaning service that offers a 49-point cleaning checklist to ensure that every area of your home is cleaned thoroughly.

Molly Maid: Molly Maid is a cleaning service that offers customizable cleaning plans to meet your specific needs and preferences.

Handy: Handy is an online platform that connects you with local cleaning professionals who can provide a range of cleaning services, including house cleaning.

These are just a few examples of the many house cleaning services available in San Antonio. It's a good idea to do some research and read reviews to find the best cleaning service for your needs and budget.

some additional information about house cleaning in San Antonio:

Types of house cleaning services: There are different types of house cleaning services available in San Antonio, including regular cleaning, deep cleaning, move-in/out cleaning, post-construction cleaning, and more. Regular cleaning typically involves cleaning the most commonly used areas of the house, such as the kitchen and bathrooms, while deep cleaning involves a more thorough cleaning of the entire house. Move-in/out cleaning is usually done when you are moving into or out of a house, while post-construction cleaning is done after a renovation or construction project.

Benefits of professional house cleaning: Hiring a professional house cleaning service can have several benefits, including saving you time and effort, ensuring a clean and hygienic living space, and reducing your stress levels. Professional cleaners have the experience and equipment needed to clean your home quickly and efficiently, which can be especially helpful if you have a busy schedule or physical limitations.

Cost of house cleaning services: The cost of house cleaning services in San Antonio can vary depending on the size of your home, the type of cleaning service you need, and the company you choose. Some companies charge by the hour, while others charge a flat rate. It's important to get quotes from several different companies to compare prices and find the best deal.

Choosing a house cleaning service: When choosing a house cleaning service in San Antonio, it's important to do your research and read reviews from previous customers. Look for a company that is licensed, bonded, and insured, and that uses environmentally friendly cleaning products. It's also a good idea to ask about the company's training and screening process for their cleaners, to ensure that you are getting a high-quality service.

Overall, there are many house cleaning services available in San Antonio, and with a little research, you can find the right service to meet your needs and budget.

Customization options: Many house cleaning services in San Antonio offer customization options to fit your unique needs. For example, you can choose to have only specific areas of your home cleaned, or you can request certain cleaning products to be used. You can also customize the frequency of the cleaning service, from daily to weekly to monthly. This flexibility can help you create a cleaning plan that works best for you and your schedule.

Eco-friendly cleaning options: If you are concerned about the environment, many house cleaning services in San Antonio offer eco-friendly cleaning options. These services use cleaning products that are free from harmful chemicals and are safe for the environment. Additionally, some cleaning services use sustainable cleaning practices, such as using microfiber cloths instead of paper towels.

Pet-friendly cleaning services: If you have pets, some house cleaning services in San Antonio offer pet-friendly cleaning options. This means that they will use cleaning products that are safe for pets, and they will take extra care to ensure that your pets are comfortable during the cleaning process.

Seasonal cleaning: Seasonal cleaning is a great way to give your home a deep clean and prepare it for a new season. In San Antonio, some house cleaning services offer seasonal cleaning packages that include services such as cleaning gutters, washing windows, and cleaning outdoor areas.

Maid services vs. cleaning services: Maid services and cleaning services are not the same thing. Maid services typically include additional tasks such as laundry, making beds, and doing dishes, while cleaning services focus mainly on cleaning the home. When choosing a service, make sure you understand the differences between the two and choose the one that meets your needs.

Overall, there are many options for house cleaning in San Antonio, and by considering your needs, budget, and preferences, you can find a cleaning service that meets your needs and keeps your home clean and comfortable.

[seoworking34]

San Antonio House Cleaning: Keeping Your Home Sparkling Clean

San Antonio House Cleaning

In the vibrant city of San Antonio house cleaning, where life moves at a fast pace, maintaining a clean and tidy home can often be a challenge. Balancing work, family responsibilities, and social engagements can make it challenging to find the time and motivation for thorough cleaning. This is where professional house cleaning services come to the rescue, offering a convenient solution to keep your home pristine without the hassle.

Benefits of Professional House Cleaning Services

Time-saving

One of the most significant advantages of hiring professional house cleaning services in San Antonio is the time it saves. Instead of spending your precious weekends scrubbing floors and dusting shelves, you can relax and enjoy your free time while experienced cleaners take care of the dirty work.

Consistent cleanliness

With regular appointments from a reputable cleaning company, you can ensure that your home remains consistently clean and organized. Professional cleaners follow established routines and use effective techniques to maintain a high standard of cleanliness throughout your living space.

Expertise and thoroughness

Professional cleaners are trained to tackle even the toughest cleaning challenges with skill and efficiency. Whether it's removing stubborn stains, eliminating odors, or reaching those tricky corners, they have the expertise and tools to get the job done right the first time.

Types of San Antonio House Cleaning Services Offered

San Antonio residents have access to a variety of house cleaning services tailored to their specific needs. From basic weekly cleanings to specialized deep cleans, there's an option for every home and budget.

Regular cleaning: Ideal for maintaining day-to-day cleanliness and tidiness.

Deep cleaning: A thorough top-to-bottom cleaning that targets hidden dirt and grime.

Move-in/move-out cleaning: Perfect for preparing a home for new occupants or restoring it to its original condition after moving out.

Specialized cleaning services: Includes tasks such as carpet cleaning, window washing, and post-construction cleanup.

How to Choose the Right House Cleaning Service in San Antonio

With so many cleaning companies vying for your business, it's essential to do your research and choose wisely. Consider the following factors when selecting a house cleaning service:

Reputation and reviews

Ask for recommendations from friends, family, or neighbors who have used cleaning services in the past.

Services offered

Make sure the cleaning company offers the specific services you need, whether it's general house cleaning, deep cleaning, or specialty services like carpet or upholstery cleaning.

Pricing and affordability

Get quotes from multiple cleaning companies and compare prices to ensure you're getting the best value for your money. Beware of companies that offer significantly lower prices than their competitors, as they may cut corners or use inferior cleaning products.

Customization options

Choose a cleaning company that allows you to customize your cleaning plan to suit your individual preferences and budget. Whether you need weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleanings, flexibility is key.

Eco-friendly practices

If environmental sustainability is important to you, look for a cleaning company that uses eco-friendly cleaning products and practices. These products are safer for your family and pets and better for the environment.

DIY House Cleaning Tips for San Antonio Residents

While professional house cleaning services offer convenience and expertise, there are also plenty of things you can do to maintain cleanliness between appointments. Here are some DIY cleaning tips for San Antonio residents:

Essential cleaning supplies: Stock up on basic cleaning supplies such as microfiber cloths, multipurpose cleaners, and vacuum cleaners.

Cleaning schedules: Create a cleaning schedule that works for your lifestyle, whether it's tackling one room per day or doing a weekly deep clean.

Room-by-room cleaning guide: Break down your cleaning tasks by room to make them more manageable. Focus on high-traffic areas like the kitchen and bathrooms.

Effective cleaning techniques: Learn proper cleaning techniques for different surfaces and materials to avoid damage and achieve the best results.

Maintaining Cleanliness Between Professional Cleanings

While professional cleaners can work wonders, it's essential to do your part in maintaining cleanliness between appointments. Here are some tips for keeping your home sparkling clean:

Daily cleaning routines: Develop daily cleaning habits such as wiping down countertops, doing dishes, and tidying up clutter.

Weekly maintenance tasks: Set aside time each week for more thorough cleaning tasks like vacuuming, mopping floors, and dusting surfaces.

Organization tips: Invest in storage solutions like baskets, bins, and shelves to keep clutter at bay and make cleaning easier.

The Importance of a Clean Home in San Antonio

A clean and tidy home is not just aesthetically pleasing; it also has numerous health and wellness benefits. In San Antonio, where allergies are prevalent due to high pollen counts and dust, maintaining a clean home can help alleviate symptoms and improve indoor air quality. Additionally, a clean and organized living space can have a positive impact on mental well-being, reducing stress and promoting relaxation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, professional San Antonio house cleaning services offer a convenient solution for San Antonio residents looking to maintain a clean and tidy home without the hassle. With a variety of services to choose from and the option to customize cleaning plans, keeping your home sparkling clean has never been easier. Whether you prefer to leave the cleaning to the experts or take a hands-on approach, the key is consistency and attention to detail.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the average cost of professional house cleaning in San Antonio?

The cost of professional house cleaning in San Antonio varies depending on factors such as the size of your home, the level of cleaning required, and the frequency of service. On average, you can expect to pay between $100 and $200 per cleaning session.

How often should I schedule professional house cleaning?

The frequency of professional house cleaning depends on your lifestyle, budget, and cleaning needs. Many San Antonio residents opt for weekly or bi-weekly cleanings to maintain cleanliness, while others may prefer monthly deep cleanings.

[maidsonamissionus]

Deep Cleaning Service in San Antonio TX Will Get Your House Spotless! Everyone loves having a home that is neat and tidy, but not everyone enjoys the process of getting it there. The professional cleaning technicians at Maids On A Mission LOVE to clean - and they're really good at it. Our cleaners will focus on the finer details, making sure every inch of your home is clean - from top to bottom. Visit maidsonamissionus.com to know more!

[kr-han]

HiGH&LOW Random Fun Facts That You May Not Know

Disclaimer: SWORD only and the list is so random, so bear with me.

Cobra loves cupcakes, he probably has sweet tooth.

Cobra styles his hair according to his mood (not like bad or good but more like he's fired up enough or not).

Cobra has A LOT of red clothing. His real name is Hino Junpei (緋野盾兵) and the first character which is 緋 can also be read as aka which means red or scarlet.

He loves Antonio Inoki (a pro-wrestler) so much and make it his whole personality (including his red scarf).

When Cobra is drunk, he would shout, "Inoki-san, genki desuka!?". In MUGEN era, he would do it with Kohaku for the rest of the night.

Cobra admires Kohaku so much because he thinks Kohaku resembles Antonio Inoki.

Cobra has small appetite not even 1/10 of Yamato's. But he eats cupcakes.

Cobra can't draw.

Cobra didn't use sticker on LINE (the messanger).

Cobra and Yamato can't speak English. They're probably the type who'd say, "We're Japanese we don't need English!"

Yamato is afraid of cats. The reason is cat can get long.

Yamato's insult never sounds like one.

Noboru favorite food is sea cucumber. He's sea cucumber maniac.

According to Cobra Noboru type is a girl with glasses.

Dan on the other hand, can draw well. But he can't draw woman.

Rocky is a little clumsy, he forgot small things like key.

Hyuga always sleeps whenever there's no fighting nor something exciting to do.

Murayama loves corndog.

Murayama dislikes sharing his food.

G-SWORD's leaders alcohol tolerance: Cobra is rather low, Rocky is rather high, Murayama prefer to eat than drink (but according to Nakazono, Murayama didn't make any different when he's drinking or not), Hyuga prefer to sleep than anything else, and Smoky can't.

According to Kizzy, Rocky becomes a foolish/idiotic old man when he's drunk. Kizzy also said, "When he's drunk, he got no dignity whatsoever."

Murayama's favorite alcohol beverage is ryokucha-hai (which a combination of green tea and shochu. Might be wrong though, you can search: 緑茶ハイ).

Hyuga's favorite alcohol beverage is shochu.

When Oya part timer go to karaoke, they sing girl idols' songs.

Masaki do all the house chores in Amamiya's households from cleaning up to cooking.

Hiroto's favorite food is curry.

When Hiroto cooks, he only cooks curry.

Takeru is forgetful. Masaki has to remind him all the time. Hiroto? He waits to be petted by his aniki.

Kaito and Kizzy have a couple ring and they use it as necklace.

In HiGH&LOW The Movie, Kaito and Kizzy joined the fight but there's no single footage of them fighting. But they appeared before the fight and after the fight with some bruises.

From End of Sky to Final Mission, Cobra didn't wear his red scarf anymore.

Despite using his red scarf as a personality, Cobra didn't use it to fight beside for his character introduction scene in episode 1.

Ichigo Milk has been inviting Naomi to join them, but Naomi refuses due to Itokan. She wants to take care what's left by her brother.

Naomi can actually beat dudes.

Murayama keeps the strawberry bag from Oshiage and he uses it as a pillow.

Ice gave Sarah a teddy bear (and a necklace).

Ice can cook and according to Mighty Warriors' member, Ice's curry tasted like seafood when he uses zero seafood ingredients. Apparently, it matched the actor's fun fact: Elly's curry always tasted like he put seafood in it even when he's not.

There was once, Seki dressed up in sailor uniform for karaoke. Of course, they sing girl idols' songs.

Toutetsu brothers cook for Hyuga, but he sleeps almost all day long, so Katou needs to wake him up just to eat.

Ukyou cooks better than Sakyou.

Ukyou needs to separate Daruma's income into envelopes and hide them because if not, Hyuga would splurge the income into zero. Hyuga can't manage money.

Lala reads books for the kids in Mumeigai, and they literally have reading time with Lala.

Furuya has truck driver's license.

Murayama durability is top notch and it resemble his given name which is Yoshiki. His full name written like this 村山良樹 and Yoshiki (良樹) is consist of characters that mean good or skilled, and trees or wood. He's a skilled trees or wood, or whatever but that clearly means that his durability is on another level. That's why he could bear the 100 punches challenge and still fight back after that.

Hiroto and Smoky loves cat.

Murayama talked to a cat. (He's cat, but also puppy; whatever he's cute).

Murayama introduced Todoroki to Cobra in person.

Murayama has 4 vans' shoes and a pair of converse. (Haven't count how many jackets he has though, might count it when I rewatch).

At least, Tsukumo has been hit by the car twice. He should avoid getting near cars. No cars near him, please.

White Rascals' outfit are all white and it's hard to keep it clean. The visual line (Shimura, Bito, Aizawa, and Enari) has a hard time because they spend so much money for laundry and cleaning. Little did they know, Rocky actually could paid 80% of their cleaning cost. But Rocky didn't say it to them because he knows that they would be worried about how to pay Rocky back. (Rocky is so sweet). Probably the only guys that use this privilege only Koo and Kaito.

Rocky paid 100% of the girls' laundry and cleaning cost (including Kizzy).

Rocky's surname, Mutsugi, is actually a word play. It's written as 六ツ木 in Japanese. Which the character 六 can be read as mutsu (mu for short) or roku (ro for short) and it means six; ツ is a katakana for tsu and in hiragana it's written like this つ. When tsu is written small in between characters (it's called sokuon) like っ/ッ it purposes is to geminate the next character; and 木 is ki and it means tree. If we put them together and make the tsu as sokuon, we'll get 六ッ木 which read as ろっき in hiragana and ロッキ in katakana (both are rokki) we got his name, Rocky (ロッキー).

Source: rewatching the series and the movies over and over again so I can get into the useful but also useless facts, and the g-sword manga by CLAMP. If you want to read HiGH&LOW g-sword manga by CLAMP you can read HERE for English translation or DI SINI untuk translasi Bahasa Indonesia. Note: Might add more if I find or remember more. Also, I'm sorry there's too much Cobra, can't help though, I love him a little bit too much.

MORE OF IT

[star-girl69]

enemies to lover with nat !! i’m begging for u to end this drought! spoiled reader who always get on nats nerve very angsty if you could make it

Party Queen

Natalie Scatorccio x Fem!Reader

—-

a/n: this was so fun to write but idk if i did the request justice ☹️ anyways i hope you all enjoy!!

warnings: drugs and alcohol, underage drinking and smoking, swearing, tell me if i missed anything!!

—-

“Of course I wasn’t home for curfew,” you chuckle, sending Shauna and Jackie an odd look. You were talking about the keg party you had all attended last night, and how late you had ended up leaving.

“Won’t your parents care?” Shauna scoffs.

“As long as I’m not pregnant, why the hell would Rebecca care?”

Both of them look at you, even more confused now. You sigh, bringing your knee up to your chest to tie your cleats.

“Rebecca? The housekeeper? I told you guys about her, right?” Jackie nods after a moment.

“Yeah, but… I kinda thought you were joking?”

You let out a laugh, bending over on the bench, almost crying as you double over.

“Oh, oh, my God, that is so funny,” you breathe when you calm down. “I mean, like, not to be a bitch, but come on! My dad’s off in like, Canada or something, and my mom’s at a wellness retreat in San Antonio. Rebecca is my second mom, basically.”

“Yeah…” Jackie chuckles. “Because that’s perfectly normal.”

You shrug, setting your now tied cleats onto the ground.

“Oh, that reminds me. I was thinking- team bonding at my house tonight? We can use the pool, and I think the hottub is warm, and Rebecca can order pizza for us!” you stand up, putting your hands around Jackie and Shauna’s shoulders as Coach Martinez calls you onto the field.

“Can Jeff come?” Jackie asks.

“Only if you share,” you wink, and it takes Jackie a moment, but she laughs when she realizes you’re joking.

Shauna shrugs. “I’ll come.”

“Great!” you smile, squeezing their shoulders before letting go to take a knee in front of Coach.

—-

“Hey, Taissa,” you say. There’s a pause in the scrimmage- one of the JV girls had accidentally kicked the ball over the fence, and Misty had volunteered to go get it, conveniently not knowing where the extras were.

“Hey, Y/N,” Taissa says, stretching by pulling her foot up to her back.

“Team bonding at my house tonight?” she raises one eyebrow at you. You would be lying if you said you didn’t have a reputation. “Fine. It’s a party.”

She looks you up and down. “Free booze?”

“And pizza!” you sing. “Bring your bathing suit, too.”

She bites her lip, toying with the idea. “Sure,” she says after a moment, sending you a small smile.

“What could the great Taissa Turner possibly have to say to the Party Queen?” Natalie snorts, walking over just as Misty shouts she has the ball, starting her run back over.

Taissa rolls her eyes.

“Party,” you say, drawing out the world while you fix your ponytail. “Free booze, free pizza, and my pool? What’s not to love?”

She smiles and rolls her eyes. “Sorry, Y/N, I’m just deathly allergic to mansions and the people who live in them.”

“You’re no fun,” you scoff. “I mean, what else are you gonna do tonight? Get drunk and suck someone’s dick? Why not at least do it on my dad’s dime?”

“Ha. Fuck you, Y/N.”

“Will you just come?” you groan. “It’s team bonding.”

She stares at you up and down for a moment, and you adjust your jersey, feeling weird under her stare.

“Fine,” she says after a moment.

—-

Rebecca had only shook her head and said not to cause any damage, before placing an order for a million pizzas, and you changed into bathing suit, putting on a loose white cover-up, making sure the pool was clean and the snacks and pizza were out- before you rubbed some sunscreen on yourself, put on some sunglasses, and sat in the last rays of the dying sun.

“Oh, holy shit,” someone laughs, and you hear the click of the fence gate shut. You pull your sunglasses down, looking at Taissa and Van.

“You’re here!” you smile, standing up, adjusting your sunglasses and placing an oversized beach hat on your head. Van immediately grabs a slice of pizza, looking at you, but you only make a wide motion with your hands. “The hot tubs at, like, 102, and the pool is at 84, I think,” your voice drops to a whisper, even though Rebecca is inside the guest room reading her romance book, “the beer is in the coolers.” You nod your head to the two coolers you had lined up against the wall and filled with cheap alcohol.

“Oh, thank God,” Taissa mutters, immediately walking over to it. The gate creaks open again, and slowly, everyone starts filing in.

—-

Natalie doesn’t arrive until it’s already dark, when it feels like the party is just getting started. You’ve long abandoned all your accessories, instead chatting with one of the freshman, Allie, about how she had gotten invited to prom.

“Hey, Party Queen,” Natalie mutters, looking around, and you’re already a little tipsy.

“Natalie!” you shout, not meaning to, and she laughs and cringes while you clear your throat. “I’m drunk,” you explain, and she raises her eyebrows.

“Just a bit?”

“Just a bit,” you nod, saluting like a soldier, which makes you giggle. “Oh, um, beer is-” you spin around, until you finally find the wall with the coolers. “There. And any pizza left is on the table. You were late,” you shrug.

“Oh, wow. What will I ever do without a slice of cheap pizza?”

You frown. “I love Alfredo’s pizza, though.”

“Oh, God,” she mutters, looking around the backyard. Allie has long since walked away. “This place is ridiculous, you know?”

“Ridiculously fun?” you ask, reaching out to grab her wrist, tugging her over to the lounge chairs. A girl screams as she jumps into the pool from the diving board, and Natalie grins, laughing.

“Not the word I would have used,” Natalie shrugs, and you grab her bag from her and put it on the nearest lounge chair. “What the fuck are you doing?” she asks, not making a move to grab her bag.

“Won’t you swim?” you ask, feeling slightly bad that not everyone is having fun at your party. You had a reputation to uphold, anyways. Natalie rolls her eyes, and you lift off your bathing suit cover, letting it drop to the concrete.

She looks at your boobs.

“Stoo staring at my boobs,” you grumble, slipping off your flip-flops.

“What- why would I stare at your boobs?”

“‘Cause I’m hot, duh.”

“I think the parties are getting to your brain.”

You shrug and step into the water, looking at her over your shoulder. And she’s staring at you, but she doesn’t make any move to take off your own clothes. You shrug and submerge yourself, swimming over to Jackie, Shauna, and the infamous Jeff.

—-

You climb out of the pool, pretending you don’t feel eyes on you, spotting Natalie and a glowing ember in her hand. She hasn’t even taken off her jacket, and you suppose it’s a little chilly, especially coming out of the water.

The refreshing pool did nothing to make you any less drunk, and you sit on the end of Natalie’s lounge chair, forcing her to tuck her legs up and sit to avoid getting wet.

“Jesus Christ,” she groans, letting smoke blow out of her mouth. You lean forward.

“Give me some,” you say.

She scoffs. “Why would I do that? Not even a please from the spoiled queen? Oh, God, I’m wounded.”

“Fine. You’ve smoked so much I can probably just absorb it from the air around you.”

You can see her smile, slightly forced, like it always is when it comes to you. “Why are you such a bitch? Mad that daddy’s away?”

“I’m having a pool party at my house, unsupervised, with pizza and beer. Why would I be mad?”

“Yeah, whatever,” she mumbles.

“Seriously, can I have some, though?”

“No.”

“Look at who’s the bitch now, huh?”

“You didn’t even say please, you spoiled brat.”

“Please!” you shout, a smile on your face, and Natalie laughs but finally gives in after a moment, putting the join in front of your face, and you eagerly wrap your lips around the end and breathe in the poisoned air.

You cough, smoke dripping from your mouth.

“Loser,” she mumbles, and you choose to pretend not to have heard it. She takes it back, taking her own drag, and the sounds of the girls talking and shouting and water splashing becomes the only noise.

Natalie Scatorccio has hated you from as long as you could remember. Maybe she was jealous, or maybe you had really done something to hurt her- either indirectly, or so long ago and small enough you had completely forgotten.

“Jesus,” she mutters after a moment, shuffling around, before something hits you.

“The fuck?” you ask, only to be faced with Natalie’s jacket.

“You’re shivering. It’s making me cold just looking at you.”

“Aw,” you coo, wrapping the leather jackets over your mostly-dried shoulders. “Who knew Natalie Scatorccio, infamous bitch, had a heart?”

“Who knew Y/N L/N, infamous brat, could be stupid enough to not grab a towel after she got out the pool?”

“Why do you hate me?” you ask after a moment. “Like, seriously. Did I do something super fucked up in elementary school? Because, come on, get over it.”

“I don’t hate you. You’re just annoying and spoiled.”

“So you’ve mentioned.” You turn to her, eyeing her suspiciously, and her cheeks flush, but it’s probably from the weed. “Get over it,” you say after a moment. “Not my fault my dad is like, rich, or whatever.”

She just looks away.

“Well, you’re annoying, too, you know,” you say after a moment, missing the sound of her voice.

“Oh?” she asks, but by the way she smiles- both of you know you have nothing to say.

“Whatever,” you mumble. “This is making me sad.”

You stand, stumbling a bit, throwing Natalie’s now damp jacket back onto her.

—-

By the time Jackie and Shauna have bid their goodbyes to you, everyone else is gone. You sigh, suiting on a lounge chair in the pitch black, stretching and feeling everything pop, before curling up. You think you stay like that for a few more minutes, telling yourself you’ll get up, but you never do.

The gate creaks open again, and you flip over, scared about serial killers-

“Damn,” Natalie mutters. “I just forgot my jacket. You… you good?” you sigh and wrap your arms around yourself.

You love throwing parties. You love the people and the music, the food and the drinks, the drugs, everything about it. They call you the Party Queen and you are- but mainly because you wish they would never end.

There’s this empty feeling festering inside of you, and this sickness that will never be cured. You tell yourself you’re not bothered by your parents leaving, but now, you don’t know.

Natalie takes a few steps closer, and you look up at her.

“I never like the end of parties,” you say.

“It’s freezing outside. You’re gonna catch a cold,” Natalie sighs, picking up her jacket. But maybe you’re too drunk too move. Natalie takes a sip from someone’s leftover beer. She mutters something to herself, before grabbing your hand and hauling you up to stand.

You stumble, drunk and confused, and she’s drunk too, so she barely steadies you, her hands all over you.

“Huh?” you say, and she wraps a tentative arm around your waist and guides you around the pool, and to the faint lights of your house.

“Time for bed,” she mumbles, and you look at her, before unlocking the sliding glass door and stepping inside the cool house.

“Why are you helping me?” you ask, staring at her suspiciously as you both lean on each other, tired and tipsy.

“I would feel like shit if I just let you to die out there.”

“I wasn’t gonna die,” you snort, taking a turn so you end up in front of the stairs. “It’s not cold enough for that yet. Besides, I was gonna get up.”

“You’re drunk,” she deadpans, and you look at her, almost missing a step, but the two of you quickly steady yourselves. “You can’t even get up the stairs, Y/N,” she sighs.

“Okay,” you mumble, drawing out the word, until you finally lean forward and open the door. Natalie helps you sit on the bed, before looking around your room, covered in soccer trophies and medals, pictures of various teams you had been on.

She sighs. “Goodnight, Party Queen,” she says after a moment, and turns to leave.

“How are you gonna get home?”

“Walk,” she shrugs, and you open the window near your bed, looking out at the sky through the faint streetlights. It’s dark, not only from the lack of sunlight but from some dark clouds rolling about in the sky.

“But, like, don’t you live at the trailer park? That’s, like, on the other side of town.” You gesture to the window. “I think it’s gonna rain.”

“Okay, Miss Meteorologist,” she chuckles, but you aren’t laughing. You’re tired.

“You can stay, if you want,” you yawn. “Rebecca won’t mind.”

“Goodnight,” she says again, as you stand up and start to slip off your bathing suit.

“You should stay.”

She doesn’t turn around until you do, until you’ve slipped on a t-shirt and a pair of undies.

“You should stay, Natalie. I would feel horrible if you died out there.”

She looks at you, then at the dark window.

“Fine,” she says after a moment, slipping off her jacket and her sneakers, placing them in a neat pile near your bed. “Only ‘cause I don’t wanna get rained on.”

“You’re drooling thinking about sharing a bed with me.”

It takes her a moment, but she laughs. Like, really, truly laughs in a way you haven’t heard anyone laugh in years. And after a moment, you’re laughing too, and suddenly she’s sitting on the edge of your bed next to you, the laughter dying off.

“I’m going to bed,” you announce, already dreading waking up with a hangover.

Everything you’re doing is shrouded in a thick haze, and you can’t tell which way is up or down, and you can’t turn back. Not now.

“I always thought you were a bitch. ‘Cause you were such a bitch to me,” you say, curling up on your side. She lays on her back, staring at the ceiling, staying far away from you and breathing heavily.

“You deserved it,” she says after a moment. “You always walk around like you own the world- it was my cosmic duty to knock you down a few pegs.” You giggle, and she finally turns her head to face you. She hides a hiccup into her hand. “But, uh, this house is so big and empty, you know? Now I feel bad.”

“I don’t think you’re so bad, Natalie,” you murmur, and she lets out a dry laugh.

“Maybe you aren’t either. I mean, you’re still a spoiled brat, but.”

“And you’re a trailer park loser.”

“Then you’re a desperate loser.”

“Fuck off, bitch,” you mutter into the pillow. “At least I’m not a goddamn drug addict.”

“At least I’m not a poor little lonely girl, waiting here her parents to pay attention to her.” She turns fully onto her side, and you look at her with narrowed eyes.

“At least my parents make money.”

“Shut up,” she breathes. “You don’t even know anything except spending money.”

“And you don’t know anything besides sucking dick.” The air in the room feels heavier, tangible.

“Shut up.”

“At least I have money to spend.”

But the more you talk, the more you don’t mean it. The more smiles form across both of your faces, giddy and carefree, too teenage girls basically home alone in a big mansion- but they only care about this room, this bed.

“Shut. Up.”

She’s whispering now, leaning towards you, and you’re leaning towards her, like you’re two magnets who can’t stay away.

“You shut up.”

She makes a motion that seems to be a shrug, before making the final leap forward, that final connection, and smashing her lips onto yours.

Life becomes flashes of teeth and tongues, lips and hands, until you’re pulling back for air, her hands in your hair, your lips bitten and swollen, the remnants of your lipstick smeared across her face.

She only pulls away enough so that your noses still brush against each others, and you can feel her breath against your skin, labored from kissing.

“At least I’m not a stupid Party Queen,” she gasps after a moment.

You smile. “You wish you were.”

—-

everything taglist:

@emilynissangtr

[kohiandie]

hi your lifestyle?? is literally so inspiring can i ask like. how did y'all do all that...

ok but more specifically i guess how long did it take you to work/get the funds to 1. buy a house(?) rescue space? and upkeep everything?

sorry if this is a repeat question you get a lot!

asgkdlhadsg this is incredibly sweet thank you TT to be totally honest with you, we're still figuring stuff out on the daily / weekly / monthly! we've been individually self-employed & selling at cons for over ten years now & being partners has exponentially made things easier alongside having (somewhat?) supportive parents. i don't think either of us could grow to the level we're at now and handle everything we're handling on our own! we would definitely need an employee or something, LOL. we feel so lucky to have been able to find each other, since so many of the things we love are aligned -- conventions / artist alley / making merch / media we like & how we consume it, rescue, etc.! UHHH THIS CAME OUT a way longer response than i meant it to so more below the cut

even now, i wouldn't say we're at a place where we're 100%. this past year we've been able to make huge strides in paying off debt that we accrued through covid & originally moving into this house -- our credit scores are finally starting to recover. as for the house itself, we were living together with jasmin's family for a while & just using the money we made to remodel different parts of the house bit by bit because it was really falling apart -- we cleaned and gutted so much of it, haha. our merch barely fit. summers were dreadful without central ac in the office. but we had our own little place and her family was okay with us fostering. it let us get our foot in the door, volunteering with different rescues, learning more about TNR, and saving lives in our area. we learned a lot and ultimately, that's kind of how it still is, even if we've upgraded these days. my (andie) parent's were sent to work in europe but weren't ready to sell their current house, so they basically gave it to us to live in as property managers here in tx. we would take care of the house, pay a smaller portion of the mortgage, & move out when they came back. texas is a lot more affordable, especially our city, and we're both really fond of san antonio, the people, the culture, food, etc. i lived here for a few years when i was younger, a few years before i moved in with jas, and jas used to fly back and forth to visit. it was already a second home, so it was kind of perfect. it's sort of the issue we're running into now, haha. my parents will be moving back this summer & we need to find a place since we now have so many fosters & the rescue / our home & business has grown so much. we can't stay in an apartment, but don't have enough to get our dream house yet, so the biggest likelihood is that we'll get a place we aren't too attached to and work to getting our dream place. or maybe buy this off my parents? there are so many messy options atm, sorry for rambling LOL for ex: this house is historic, property taxes have jumped up the last few years, but we might be able to get exempt because of the non-profit. because my family isn't actually planning to retire here long term, there might be an opportunity to keep this place, because the home we have now is soooo not affordable to purchase anymore (but was, years ago) we'd love to keep it, tbh. our income is definitely more than it ever has been, but it's still 'average' i'd say, split between two people and the rescue. we've been really lucky with the circumstances we've been given & not everything's perfect but!! we're still figuring stuff out every day HAHA. constantly thinking about the long term even though things are always changing as for upkeep, man............ with the fosters, it's basically like running a zoo, haha. we're in a constant routine of buying / getting huge amounts of litter, food, etc. transporting cats, traps, medicating anyone who needs it, cleaning poop, pee, vomit. taking care of babies, not sleeping because they gotta eat every few hours or there's a health scare / emergency. handling people in our community who reach out to us for help.

most of the staff at our humane society & veterinarian are pretty familiar with us because of how often we go.

being a team of two makes a world of a difference -- ex. jas doesn't like putting away dishes, so she washes & i put them away. when a kitty is sick, she stays home & i go to con. we worked nearly 20 cons a year for several years together. handling manufacturers, new products, different store fronts, emails, taxes, socials, loss. new ideas! we always talk through disagreements because we're in this together. it's not just about us either, it's about the cats, the rescue, the community, etc. jas is way better at talking to people in person than i am while i tend to handle all the online / email stuff. we've just really learned how we fit together over the years and we're always improving or making mistakes and learning. SO TLDR; LOTS OF TIME, EXPERIENCE, MISTAKES, TRAVEL, TALKING TO PEOPLE, LEARNING, EXPLORING NEW THINGS, DECIDING WHAT WE LIKE / DON'T LIKE, TALKING, BOUNCING IDEAS. nothing happens overnight and ofc there are always those times where we sit and just kind of mourn that we aren't exactly where we want to be, but like?? it's abt the process. the goals. there are joys every step of the way and obstacles, ofc, but! nothing happens overnight and breaking things into steps / small accomplishments really helps you enjoy the more i think!

idk I'm sorry LOL this journey is still ongoing and has had so much pain and tears along the way but also lots of positives & happy moments.

[toptierestates]

Spacious 6 Bed House| Airport | Pet Friendly | AFB

Sleeping Arrangements: ✔ Primary Bedroom - King Memory Foam Mattress (Sleeps 2) ✔ Second Bedroom - Queen Memory Foam Mattress (Sleeps 2) ✔ Third Bedroom - Queen Memory Foam Mattress (Sleeps 2) ✔ Fourth Bedroom - Queen Foam Mattress Mattress (Sleeps 2) ✔ Fifth Bedroom - Twin-sized Bed (Sleeps 1) ✔ Sixth Bedroom - Queen Foam Mattress Mattress (Sleeps 2) ✔ Lounge space - Futon (Sleeps 1) Key Features: ✔ Professionally Cleaned & Sanitized ✔ Easy Self Check-in w/ Keypad ✔ Free Private Parking ✔ Smart TVs in Living Room & Bedrooms ✔ Fast Wi-Fi ✔ Laptop Friendly Workspace ✔ Plenty of fresh towels, linens, and bathroom essentials ✔ In-home washer and dryer ✔ Fully equipped gourmet kitchen (cookware, silverware, drinkware) ✔ Fully stocked coffee station ✔ Custom Guidebook w/ Local Recommendations and Tips ✔ In-unit Washer & Dryer ✔ Pet Friendly Nearby Attractions: • McAllister Park: 4 miles • Morgan's Wonderland: 12 miles • San Antonio Zoo: 13 miles • Natural Bridge Caverns: 27 miles • The Quarry Golf Course: 7 miles

[luccatodd]

Empty Reflections - Creepypasta

Diana wasn’t a very peculiar girl; in fact, she always took care of her younger siblings when her mother and father were away. She loved telling stories and drawing, but the problems at home often extinguished her artistic spirit.

Tired of that environment, she spent a long time looking for a place to move. Once she finished university, she decided she no longer wanted to live there for her own well-being. She had always done well in university; she didn’t need to put in too much effort, and that gave her some peace of mind. Her laid-back attitude attracted many people to her life, including her best friends, Max and Grace.

They were good friends, but she got along especially well with Grace. Grace was fun and outgoing, always standing out in teams, even if she sometimes ended up with bad grades. She was very optimistic, though.

Thanks to her closeness with Grace, Diana had the confidence and courage to share many of her problems with her. They always talked after school, either at a café or on the bleachers during practice.

“Diana?” Grace asked.

Diana rubbed her eyes and leaned away from her computer; she had spent too much time playing games.

“Yes, what is it, Grace?”

“Were you sleeping? Did I wake you up?” “No, not at all, I was playing.”

“Oh, it’s just that your voice sounds tired. Are you going to sleep soon?” “I don’t think so. I want to eat something first. But why did you call? I thought your line wasn’t paid.” “I asked my dad to pay for it this week. Actually, I’m calling you because I’m at a family party, and an offer came up that you can’t refuse.”

“What kind of offer?” “Well, my uncle Oscar is moving to Toronto, and he’s renting out his two houses: the one in San Antonio and the one in Monterreal, in Arteaga.”

“Incredible, he has two houses?” “Yes, but the thing is, since I told my aunt that I wanted to move out, she talked to my uncle, and he decided not to charge me rent if I moved into the house in Arteaga. All I have to do is live there and clean it; it hasn’t been inhabited in six years.”

“Wow! That’s wonderful. So, it’s about an hour away, right?” “Yeah, but… Diana, remember how you told me you wanted to leave your house? Honestly, I don’t like being alone, and I’m too scared to go on my own. I’m asking you to come with me. Let’s be roommates. My uncle wouldn’t charge us rent, and until we find jobs, we wouldn’t have to worry about utility bills either. I’d love for you to come with me.”

Diana was stunned. It was the opportunity she had been waiting for, even if it caught her by surprise. She really wanted to leave her house.

“Besides, we’re friends. Who better to live with than someone you already know?” Grace added.

From downstairs, Diana could hear her parents arguing with her younger brother. During the call, she asked for some time to think about the decision, but they agreed she couldn’t take more than a week to respond.

Finally, she accepted.

But not everything could be perfect. The house wasn’t very big. It was small, and the bedrooms could barely fit furniture without everything feeling cramped.

“It’s so filthy in here!” Diana exclaimed, instantly regretting her decision to live there.

The house was completely neglected. Papers and dirt covered the floor; the furniture was wrapped in protective plastic but coated with dust and grease. The wallpaper was peeling off the walls, and when Grace turned on the kitchen faucet, brown water gushed out. Her hopes wavered.

They would probably find rats in the hallways, especially at night. And the smell of the house was just dust and dampness.

Diana didn’t want to go back to her parents, so she promised herself to try. The stack of job applications in her backpack, which she planned to drop off the next day, gave her strength.

“Well, we made a deal. We just have to clean and get rid of the junk. The trash pickup is tomorrow at 7 a.m.”

Diana took a few steps and noticed a wall in the living room near the kitchen that was completely covered in mirrors. Silver, gold, wood—there were all kinds of frames and sizes. Unlike the rest of the house, the mirrors were spotless. There wasn’t a trace of dust or wear.

The beauty of a silver-framed mirror caught her attention. She picked it up and found no dirt behind the frame, on the mirror, or on the wall. As she looked at herself in the mirror, a strange feeling washed over her. Something wasn’t right.

The rest of the first day, full of regrets and mixed emotions, ended with a conversation between Diana and Grace.

“Grace, I don’t understand. Why is the whole house so rundown, but the only thing that seems well-maintained are those mirrors?” “My uncle likes to collect mirrors and frames of all kinds. He used to collect clocks, but he took them to his current house. Now his hobby is mirrors. I don’t know why he left them here, but if you want, I can call him tomorrow to ask. Just in case he doesn’t want us to move them or we need to be careful with them,” Grace replied.

Three days later, Grace called her uncle. They still hadn’t managed to settle into the house. They didn’t have mattresses or beds, and to avoid rats at night, they barricaded the door with wooden planks.

Everything happened too quickly, and the little money they had, intended for opportunities and food, was spent on bleach and cleaning supplies from a store three blocks away.

They hadn’t even unpacked their belongings. No matter how much they mopped, they had to scrub the floor with brushes. But nothing seemed to improve. Diana and Grace couldn’t adjust.

When they tried to remove the peeling wallpaper, they decided to call the uncle to ask for permission to take down the mirrors. Even at night, they remained perfectly shiny. Diana felt a chill every time she passed the living room and saw her reflection in them.

“Grace, I’m lending you the house. Please don’t move those things in the living room,” her uncle said over speakerphone. “You mean the mirrors?” Grace asked. “Yes, and I don’t recommend you touch them. I bought those mirrors during my travels, and I don’t want them scratched or damaged. They were all used in various ceremonies to attract good luck.”

Grace’s uncle had never been a believer, but his wife encouraged him to own items for good fortune—mirrors, crystals.

Diana and Grace exchanged glances.

That night, after another day without finding work, Diana was angry. She wondered if her pride was worth it, if she should return to her family.

When she entered her room, her eyes widened in surprise: all her things were scattered on the floor. Her makeup was smashed, and her wallet was empty and tossed around the room. She called Grace, thinking someone had broken into the house, but the wooden barricade they used to reinforce the door was still in place. No one had forced entry.

The house was on a dangerous street, but the incident was unexplainable. They decided not to dwell on it and went to bed after tidying up.

That same night, a sound woke Diana.

It was a creaking, followed by small thuds that sounded like wet glass tapping. One after another, in different tones.

Grace woke up too.

“Just go back to sleep… it’s probably the dishes. I didn’t wash them last night, and remember, they drip,” Grace said, trying to smile nervously. “Really, I don’t think anyone broke in yesterday.”

Diana glared at her. The next morning, she checked the dishes to see if the sound had come from there, but it hadn’t. She grew more worried when she noticed two of the mirrors in the living room were tilted. Something wasn’t right.

Days passed, and things began to get stranger.

The clothes they folded would end up on the floor within hours. If they left for a few minutes, they would return to find everything disorganized. The sounds of glass continued every night, but Diana decided to ignore her growing concern. “We probably still have rats,” she thought.

Eventually, they stopped talking about it and got used to cleaning everything up whenever they returned.

The problem with getting used to something is that it becomes hard to see its true nature.

A month later, Diana still hadn’t found a job. Both girls had started neglecting themselves. They stopped folding their clothes and opted to wear dirty ones instead. If they were always going to be scattered around, what was the point of folding them?

The dishes remained dirty and piled up, and the nightly sounds had become part of their routine.

They even started forgetting to eat or bathe for days. In front of the mirrors, their reflections remained impeccable, as if something about them didn’t quite fit with reality.

Days passed without them leaving the house. Surrounded by trash and disorder, neither of them seemed to notice.

Finally, Grace’s uncle, worried about the lack of news, decided to visit them.

When he opened the door, he found two girls in a deplorable state.

“Hi, Uncle! How are you? Come in!” Grace said, smiling but keeping her eyes fixed on the floor.

Her uncle was taken aback. He found them disheveled, with an unpleasant odor, surrounded by wrappers and trash on the floor.

What struck him most was the mirror wall: almost all the mirrors were out of place. Some were on the couches, others on the table or leaning against the windows. Diana was holding a silver one, her gaze downcast. She barely moved and seemed to breathe without any real life in her.

Her uncle had to contain his anger at the state of the house and his fortune mirrors.

“...Forgive me, I had no idea the house was in such poor condition. This weekend I’ll send someone to clean it. I can’t let you keep living like this,” her uncle said, excusing himself.

Because at that moment, that was all he could do. He had put them in this situation, and he was responsible.

“No, Uncle. We’re fine like this,” Grace replied.

Grace’s uncle left and spent over thirty minutes trying to find the right cleaning service. He searched through many contacts until an old colleague recommended a woman.

“Tomorrow at 8 a.m., the cleaner will arrive. If you don’t let her work, you’ll have to leave the house. You can’t keep living this way,” her uncle said firmly.

“All right, Uncle! We don’t want to leave!” Grace replied.

How could they possibly want to continue living like this?

The next morning, at exactly 8 a.m., there was a knock on the door.

It was a young woman with curly brown hair, hazel eyes, and fair skin. She wore denim pants, beige boots, and a button-up shirt of the same color. She had a kind smile, and seeing her through the window brought Grace and Diana back to reality for a moment.

“Good morning, I’m here to clean.”

Diana opened the door.

“Oh, yes. Our uncle told us about you,” Grace said with a kind smile.

“Your uncle?”

The woman entered and set her bags on the floor. But neither Grace nor Diana noticed something unsettling: the mirrors in the living room were perfectly aligned on the floor, all pointing directly at the three of them.

Hours later, at six in the evening…

Grace’s uncle returned to the house and found chaos. Grace was crying, the smell of burning filled the air, and shards of glass littered the floor.

“Where are my mirrors?” her uncle shouted. “I don’t know, Uncle! We were robbed! And I can’t find Diana!”

“What? What do you mean you were robbed?”

“There was a young woman… she had curly hair. I can’t remember more… She took everything and then disappeared! The neighbors saw her go in, but no one saw her leave. And no one saw Diana either!”

Her uncle went pale.

“What woman are you talking about? The cleaner isn’t coming until tomorrow, Grace! She’s an older woman, not some young girl!”

The End.

“And… why did the uncle care more about the mirrors than the girls?” “Oh, Mommy, do I have uncles?”

I stood up to finish tying his shoelaces.

“Because sometimes people get attached to objects more than to others, as if those things could really hold any value,” I said with a smile to Matt.

“This time I really wanted to be a boy, not a girl, Mommy.”

“I’ll find one for you soon. For now, this is the best body I could find.”

Matt was finally settled in a healthy body this month—the body that had once belonged to Diana.

Though I’ll admit, I would’ve liked to have a girl, too.

●This is the story of my oc character Coyotl. Let me clarify, all of their stories are based on real cases.

[invincible-selfxmade-punk]

I feel so robbed because I did not get to start pooping until I was out of work and then I was so damn tired I could not keep up with it for very long!!

Yesterday I had the cutest outfit of a Dia de los Muertos kitty cat with neon green eyes and then I wore it with a black skirt and neon green tights.

I got home Comma Eight comma And literally the incident I finished eating I fell sound asleep on my bed with everything on period including the tights which are called that for a reason period I did not have the string to even get up and take the tights off until 3am and I slept straight until 11 A.M today.

By my calculation, I slept 16 hours straight.

I am drinking some coffee even though it is well past noon. I've got to find the energy and get up and go to bathe, clean the house, do the stacks of dishes that have been neglected all week and put up all the clothes that are just laying around my room.

I am holding out for that Iron Maiden concert, and the little weekend we will get to spend in San Antonio and praying that we have a good safe trip and a wonderful show. Then, the week after that, we will be off for Thanksgiving, and my god, do we need it with these kids.

I spoke to the grandmother of one of the kids that I honestly did not realize receive special ed services. At the first of the year they Shuffle our special ed kids around so much that her paperwork kind of got lost in the shuffle. She was supposed to be in my 10th. But ended up in my third. But because 65% of our kids are special ed there is just so much paperwork to go through I kind of forgot about her. So it turned out she was like the lowest of the low levels and needed all of her notes done for her.

Now this is something that I do not understand. If the child cannot read or write what good is it for the teacher to provide them with all the notes if they cannot read them?

Anyway I called her grandmother because not providing a child their accommodations, even if it's a mistake, is grounds for being sued. The lady was so nice. And it turned out that through horrible tragedies, one after the other where several members of her family had been killed or had died, at age 60 she is now raising four kids that belonged to both of her daughters, aged four through 10.

I was floored. That poor poor woman.

[khazadspoon]

👀 sex worker au, either Blondie or Manco, your pick

I was considering Manco but then you mentioned escort Blondie and this sort of flew out this morning… it feels like the introduction to something much longer and more in depth so that might be worth exploring later

———

Over the years he’s worked, there have only been a few clients he had needed to send out with a bloody nose or broken arm. Only one he’d had to kill. It had been a messy business, but he always makes it through.

Now, however… now he has protection.

It isn’t nice protection, not like some of the girls (and young boys) he has worked with before dreamed about. No, it’s not some fancy gentleman with lots of money who cares more than he should. It isn’t a dignified English Lord who fell in love with a pretty face.

It’s a man with eyes the colour of cracked earth at the height of summer, features sharper than any knife, and a list for money above all else. He isn’t a kind man and he doesn’t care about anyone but himself, but he doesn’t lie and he keeps Blondie fed and watered. Keeps him clean, too. Makes sure he has a bed to lay in at night and clothes he hasn’t had to patch up more times than he can remember.

Angel Eyes isn’t a kind man, but he is honest in his own particular way.

He had seen Blondie in a cat house just north of the border and taken him to bed, paid a pretty penny to give so few orders it had seemed almost pointless to call it a transaction. He’d come back every evening at sundown over the course of three weeks. He never said what he did in the day or through the night, never gave anything away about himself, and Blondie had buried his curiosity about the gun at his waist and the real gold he paid with.

He kept that curiosity inside until Angel Eyes killed four men all because they had tried to pay Blondie for a night between them.

Now he is what those fancy folk up north might call an escort in public and a whore in private. Angel Eyes just calls him boy or angel.

Angel Eyes encourages him to practice shooting, something he is more than just good at. He takes Blondie out some days and some nights. They collect information for people, share that information for money, and Angel Eyes takes lives in exchange for more gold.

They don’t sleep together as often as Blondie had expected after that first three weeks. Angel Eyes might ask for something every few days, might drag him into his lap and take pleasure in his bony weight, but rare are the nights when he takes Blondie to bed and takes him with an almost sweet deliberateness. It never hurts. Blondie is never left wanting, Angel Eyes prides himself on seeing every job through. They never kiss.

Until they do, of course. Then it’s like kissing is all this strange, sharp stranger wants for nearly a month.

In San Antonio they make a lot of money. Blondie finds the information, takes a man’s life, and feels no remorse about the act. He climbs into Angel Eyes’ lap when he gets back to their room and rides him hard and fast, relishes the sting he conceals, wonders how long they have left before he has to extricate himself from the situation he’s found himself in.

Two years later, five in total after that cat house north of the Mexican border, he catches sight of a poster. A man worth two thousand dollars. He wonders what tricks they could pull to make that figure go up.

[bestvideo21]

House Cleaning San Antonio - Residential & Commercial Cleaners Services San Antonio,TX

Our comprehensive services deliver the most trusted and professional results in residential, commercial, and industrial cleaning in San Antonio

[seoworking34]

House Cleaning San Antonio - Residential & Commercial Cleaners Services San Antonio, TX

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[pimento-playing-hopscotch]

I've been thinking about young Carlos a lot recently and this is what I came up with this oneshot... it started as a drabble but then grew... (Carlos is about eleven years old in this)

“The whole weekend?” Carlos repeated. “Do we have to?” “It’ll be fun, mijo,” Andrea Reyes said, squeezing his hand.  “You haven’t been to Missouri before. We’ll get to see Springfield, and Branson”. “It seems like a long time to be gone, though,” Carlos hedged. “What about our horses, and cows? Someone needs to be here to feed them”. “And someone will be,” his mom told him as she took a plate of cookies out of the oven. “Your Tia Lucy is going to come over with your cousin Miguel. Make sure that everyone is fed and watered”. “But… Miguel’s so messy”. Carlos wrinkled his nose. “I could stay here with them and keep an eye on everything. I wouldn’t mind”. “Oh, you wouldn’t mind, would you, mijo?” Andrea chuckled. “If your mama and papa left you behind? This is a family trip, Carlitos. And you are a part of this family. We’re all going”. As she finished talking, the stairs creaked as Gabriel, Carlos’s father, came down the stairs and joined them in the kitchen. “Morning”. He kissed his wife on the cheek. “What are we talking about here?” “I was telling Carlitos about the trip this weekend,” Andrea answered. “He’s worried about what will happen to the ranch here while we’re gone”. “Mijo,” Gabriel said gruffly. “We will be gone for a little more than forty-eight hours. Everything will be fine. You trust your Tia Lucy, don’t you?” “Yes, sir,” Carlos said. “Good”. He nodded. “Then we’re going to stop worrying about this. We’re going to pick you up from school early afternoon on Friday, and then it’s just ten hours to Branson”. “Just ten hours, mi amor?” Andrea repeated as she smiled at her husband. “Carlitos, go get your backpack. We’ll leave soon”. “Okay, mama”. Carlos nodded and left the kitchen, climbing the stairs up to his bedroom. He knew that he shouldn’t be completely surprised; his sister Ana was a junior in high school. Two years ago, his sister Luisa was a junior in high school. When Luisa was a junior, Andrea took her to look at colleges. <em>Just</em> her and Andrea went; Gabriel was on assignment for the Texas Rangers and Carlos and Ana stayed over at Tia Lucy’s. Carlos thought that this is what would happen again. After all, the whole family wasn’t needed to look at colleges with Luisa, and she was doing fine at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. Wouldn’t the same process of looking at colleges work for Ana? No, apparently not; Carlos had learned from his sister that their mom wasn’t happy that Gabriel couldn’t be there for Luisa’s college tours, so everyone was going to be there with Ana to tour Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. Which is not where they were staying; they were staying in Branson, an hour outside of Springfield, with someone who had gone to the police academy with his dad. Carlos sat on the edge of his bed and cleaned his glasses with the handkerchief on his desk. He knew his mom wouldn’t go for it when he asked if he could stay with his Tia Lucy and Miguel at the house over the weekend. And truthfully, Carlos wasn’t wild about the idea of hanging out with his annoying cousin Miguel. But the idea of being trapped in the car for ten hours with his parents and sister, and then after that, the meeting a bunch of new people… well, Carlos likes the idea of that even less.

Here's the rest -

Weekend in Branson - JustALittleBitBoohoo - 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020) [Archive of Our Own]

[all-the-things-2020]

No Better Place - Chapter 19

Summary: Cassidy breaks up with Javi and he throws himself into his work.

Word count: 3700

Cassidy woke late the next morning, Linus pawing at her face to tell her that his breakfast was late. She’d forgotten to switch on her alarm and it was nearly seven. She jumped up, shoved her feet into her boots and dumped a can of cat food into Linus’ dish before running out to the barn.

“Sorry, kids,” she said, as the horses all snorted at her. Even Cricket was impatient, kicking a hoof against the door of her stall. Cassidy tore open a bale of hay and started stuffing hay nets. Once she’d hung the fresh hay up in the stalls, she carefully measured out each horse’s grain and supplements. Cricket just got a few pellets to supplement her hay, since she was an easy keeper, but Buster and the mares needed to put on some weight, and they got pellets, grain and some supplements. Nugget was still on stall rest, so she fed him lightly, but he did get some grain mixed with his medications.

Once she’d hung the feed buckets in the stalls, she pulled, dumped, washed and refilled the water buckets. Only then did she head back to the house to pee and brush her teeth. As she entered the bathroom, she saw the pregnancy test sitting on the counter and the emotions of the night before came crashing down on her. She picked it up and threw it angrily into the trash can. She used the toilet, brushed her teeth and then decided to take a shower. She looked horrible. Her eyes were puffy from crying and her hair was a tangled mess.

The shower revived her a bit, and she managed a cup of coffee and a slice of toast before her throat threatened to close up again. “What am I going to do?” she asked Linus, who was sitting in the chair beside her, very helpfully cleaning his back legs.

It was clear that it was over between her and Javi but how to end it? Should she confront him about the woman in his apartment? Or just break things off? One thing was certain, she did not want to see him again. It would be too painful, and there was always the chance she’d lose her nerve once she was face to face with him. She’d had many opportunities to leave Travis that she left untaken just because he’d given her that grin. She wouldn’t give Javi the chance.

She could wait until he called, probably that night or the next, but what if he didn’t call and just drove down on Friday night or Saturday morning, showing up unannounced? “I’ll call him,” she told Linus. “After I know he’s left for work. I’ll leave a message on his answering machine and that’ll be that.” Linus looked up from his grooming, the tip of his tongue poking out of his mouth, bright pink and ridiculous. Cassidy sighed. “Then I’ll just have to deal with Chucho, but he should be easy enough to avoid.”

**************************************************************************

The next day was better, but Javi was still subdued as he went about his work. He would have worked through lunch again, except Monica forced him to walk to the deli down the street with her and a few other people. He ate half his roast beef sandwich and promised her he’d have the rest for dinner.

When he got home, he tossed the sandwich into the fridge and took off his jacket and tie. He flipped through the mail (all junk or bills, nothing interesting) and noticed the blinking red light on his answering machine. It was probably a telemarketer, trying to sell him insurance or a timeshare or some such nonsense. He pressed the play button, fully expecting to erase the message within the first few seconds.

“Hey, Javi, it’s Cassidy,” the tinny voice said. The speaker on this machine is crap, Javi thought. I need to get a better one. “Um, I don’t really know how to say this other than to just say it. I … I can’t do this anymore. It’s over, Javi. It’s not working and I feel like you need to focus on your life there in San Antonio. And I need to focus on my life here. I’ve been letting too much slide and I’m sure you have too and … well, I just think it’s best we end it now before things get out of hand. Goodbye, Javi. And good luck.”

He was stunned. He’d thought things were going well. True, he’d missed the last two weekends, but he’d been swamped at work and Cassidy had seemed to understand. He picked up the phone and dialed her number. After five rings, her machine picked up.

“It’s Javi,” he said. “Cassidy, pick up if you’re there.” He paused for several seconds, then went on. “Okay, I guess you’re out in the barn. Call me when you get back in. Please, Cassidy. Let’s talk about this.”

He hung up and fetched a beer from the fridge. He drank it and opened another one. Halfway through the second beer, he pulled the sandwich out of the fridge and ate a few bites. Finally, he couldn’t stand it anymore and he called her again.

“Hey, Cassidy,” he said when the machine picked up. “Come on, baby, talk to me. I don’t know what happened. Did I do something? Did I not do something? Tell me how I can make things right. I don’t want to lose you, Cassidy. I love you. So, call me back. Please.”

He turned on the television and watched some ridiculous sitcoms until ten, when a police procedural came on. He switched channels to a medical drama. Still no call from Cassidy. Before he went to bed, he called one last time.

“Cassidy, sweetheart, please, please, call me back. I don’t want it to be over. We can make this work. I’ll make sure I get home every goddamned weekend, baby, I’ll call you every night. Whatever you need to know that I’m one hundred percent committed to this relationship.” He sighed. “Okay, it’s late, I’m going to bed. I’ll call you again when I get home tomorrow, if you don’t call me first. I love you, hermosa.”

He got undressed and crawled into bed, but sleep eluded him for hours as he wracked his brain trying to figure out what could have triggered Cassidy’s decision to end their relationship. It just didn’t make sense.

********************************************************************

“You look like hell,” Monica said the next morning as soon as she saw him. “I know this thing with Andre is …”

He cut her off. “Cassidy broke up with me,” he said curtly as he dug in his desk drawer for a new pen. The one he’d been using kept skipping.

“What?” Monica plopped down in the chair he kept in the corner. “No way.”

He nodded wearily. “Yes,” he said. “There was a message on my answering machine when I got home yesterday. I called her back several times, but she’s screening her calls or something. I left messages …” He closed his eyes. “Look, I appreciate your concern, but I have a shitload of work to do and I’m sure you do, too. If I need to talk, you’re the first person I’ll come to, I promise.”

Monica bit her lower lip, clearly wanting to say more, but respecting his wishes. “Okay,” she said after a moment. “But I’m making sure you take your lunch again today. Nobody starves on my watch, no matter how bad life gets.” She stood up and tilted her head. “I know this week has been a clusterfuck, Javi, but you’ll get through it.” She smiled at him and left, pulling his office door halfway closed, giving him at least a modicum of privacy.

Javi opened the file on his desk and stared at the page. It was going to be a very long day.

**********************************************************************

There was another message on his answering machine when he got home. It was short and to the point. “Javier, please, stop calling. There’s nothing you can do. I’ve made my decision. It’s over between us. I’m sorry.”

The click at the end of her message had a finality about it that made Javi’s stomach clench. He took a few deep breaths and then dialed his father.

“She what?” Chucho shouted as soon as Javi had told him about Cassidy’s messages.

“She broke up with me,” Javi repeated. “Can you talk to her for me, Dad? She won’t pick up when I call and she asked me to stop calling. I don’t know what happened, but maybe she’ll tell you, or you can figure it out. I don’t know what to do, Dad.” He choked back a sob. He’d be damned if he’d cry in front of his father, even if it was over the phone.

“Of course,” Chucho said. “I’ll go over there tomorrow and ask her what the hell’s going on.” He snorted. “I’ll knock some sense into that girl’s head.”

“Don’t yell at her,” Javi pleaded. “Just … just talk to her, see if she’ll talk to me.” He sighed. “I knew she had misgivings about trying to make a long distance relationship work but I thought she was over it. I guess not.” He shook his head. “I’ll let you go, but thanks in advance for anything you can do.”

“You hang in there, mijo,” Chucho said. “I’ll try to fix this.”

******************************************************

“No,” Cassidy said firmly. Chucho was in the barn aisle and she was inside the tack room, the half closed door making a sort of barrier between then. “I don’t have anything to say to him. I thought about things and I realized that it’s not going to work. End of story.” She hoped Chucho couldn’t tell that her voice was about to crack. She turned away to fiddle with the bridles that were already hanging neatly on their rack.

“Cassidy,” Chucho sighed. “I don’t know why you have such a crazy idea stuck in your head, but please, promise me you’ll at least consider talking to Javi. He’s broken hearted.”

I’ll bet, she thought, unable to get the image of that woman leading him back inside his apartment out of her head. “If I change my mind, I certainly will call him,” she said, “but I don’t see that happening. I’m sorry, Chucho, but I can’t handle this long distance thing. And before you even think about it, I can’t move to San Antonio. I’m not a city girl and you know it.” She looked up at him. “Javi belongs in the city and I belong out here. Those are the facts. It sucks but it’s true.”

Chucho shook his head. “I still think you’re making a huge mistake, mija, but it’s your decision. I’ll tell Javi what you said and he won’t bother you again. And neither will I.” He turned and walked out of the barn, his shoulders slumped.

It broke Cassidy’s heart to see how this had affected Chucho, but she wasn’t about to tell him the truth, that she’d caught his son cheating on her. Let him think Javi was a decent man as long as possible. She was sure that once Javi had accepted that things were over between them, he’d tell his dad about this other woman. Unless she was just another one night stand, in which case, Chucho need never know.

********************************************************************

Javi hung up the phone. He’d hoped his dad could get through to Cassidy, but she’d proven just as stubborn with him as she’d been with Javi. He glanced at his watch. It was only eight thirty; plenty of time for a run to the liquor store for more whiskey and cigarettes. There was no reason to stop smoking now. If he was honest with himself, the only thing keeping him from getting stinking drunk was the need to be in the office the next day, the need to do everything he could to make sure none of the other kids in the program ended up like Andre.

Monica wisely avoided him the next morning, even though he was sure she wanted to lecture him on his rumpled clothes and the pack of cigarettes displayed prominently on his desk. She merely shook her head a little as he headed outside for a smoke break before their weekly meeting with the chief of police. He knew she was disappointed in him, but Javi didn’t give a damn. He was going to wallow in his misery as long as he could, knowing that if he went off the deep end, Monica would haul his butt back to shore.

He threw himself into his work, getting to the office at seven and often staying until eight o’clock or even later. He took work home on the weekends and started carrying a pager, letting everyone know he was only a phone call away. He even gave his number to some of the higher risk kids, telling them they could call any time of the day or night if they needed to talk. He spent more than one long night on the phone with Carlos or Leticia or Martin, doing his best to listen and not judge. If they made it to the next morning without using or running with their crew, he counted it a win. He worked with their schools to arrange for extra tutoring hours to keep them off the streets. He even forked over money for baby formula when Mom’s child support payment was late or gas money so a dad could make it to a job interview. He loaned out several of his ties for job interviews and taught a dozen boys how to tie a Windsor knot.

Every night, when he finally made it home, he poured a few fingers of whiskey, smoked far too many cigarettes, and ate junk that would make Monica cringe. The apartment was just a place to catch a few hours of sleep, take a shower, and maybe watch a movie on the VCR to escape reality for a while. Work was his life and it was all that kept him going.

Thanksgiving came and Javi told Chucho he had to work the day before and the day after, so there was no point in driving all the way to Laredo. While the police department never shut down, his department had been given Friday as a paid holiday as well as Thanksgiving Day, but Javi declined to tell Chucho this. He reluctantly joined Monica and her family at Rob’s mother’s place for Thanksgiving Dinner, but left as soon as he politely could.

“Stay for a while,” Rob pleaded. “Watch the game with us.”

“Thanks, man, but this is your family,” Javi replied. “You don’t need me bringing you all down. I’ll be okay.”

Monica pressed a paper plate of leftovers wrapped in foil into his hands. “Do not work tomorrow,” she said firmly. Javi couldn’t lie to her, so he didn’t answer. They both knew full well he’d taken home a stack of paperwork to keep himself occupied over the long weekend.

It was harder to avoid going home for Christmas, but Javi was saved at the last minute by a torrential storm that brought rain and hail and even brief flurries of sleet, leading to the closure of many highways and a flash flood outside Laredo that washed out the road that led to Chucho’s ranch.

“You might as well stay put, son,” he said on the phone. “By the time they get the roads cleared, you’ll be due back at work. You can come down and pick up your present later.” Javi promised to do just that, even though he and Chucho both knew he was lying. He hadn’t been home in months.

They did talk on the phone, though. Their conversations were stilted as they carefully avoided talking about Cassidy. Chucho mentioned seeing her around town now and then, but he was casual about it, mixing news of her in with the usual gossip about other people that Javi knew. She was working part time at the feed store, having taken over for Jenny the cashier, who was on maternity leave. Chucho also mentioned that someone had seen Cassidy working as a bagger at the grocery store, but he couldn’t confirm since it wasn’t the store he frequented. Dr. Hamblin mentioned in passing that Nugget was still not sound enough to ride, but Cassidy refused to sell him, for fear he’d end up at the slaughterhouse.

Hamblin had been on the ranch to treat Buster for a small abscess in his hind foot, the result of a stone bruise sustained while chasing a particularly obstinate cow through a gully. Cassidy had trailered him over to Chucho’s a couple of days after the breakup and sent Javi a formal letter stating that he should start paying his boarding fees to his father instead of her. Luis was riding him every few days and sang his praises every time he slid out of the saddle. Chucho joked that he was going to give him to Luis if Javi didn’t get his butt down there, but even though he missed the horse, Javi knew he couldn’t look at him without thinking of Cassidy, so he stayed away.

A few days after New Year’s, Monica dragged herself into Javi’s office. “You look horrible,” he said without thinking. It was true. Despite having a three year old and a five year old at home, she was always put together. On this day, she had no makeup on and looked pale.

“Hold that thought,” she said, dashing out of the room. When she came back a few minutes later, it was clear she’d thrown up.

“Hungover?” Javi asked. He’d never seen her drink more than one beer or glass of wine, so he was surprised.

“Morning sickness,” she mumbled, folding herself into the chair in the corner. “I told Rob to get a vasectomy, since the insurance company wouldn’t let me get my tubes tied, but he wouldn’t listen. So, we’re having number three.” She smiled weakly. “And I’m not letting him touch me again until he does get the snip-snip. Three kids is more than enough.”

“Congratulations, I guess,” Javi said, suppressing a laugh. “Is Rob freaking out?”

“Oh, at first he was all Mister Macho,” she said. “Then I reminded him he gets to take care of the little rug rat on top of the other two and that sobered him up quickly enough.” She leaned forward. “I didn’t come here to throw up on you, I promise. I wanted to show you something.”

She handed him a brochure. The cover featured a photo of a small boy with Down Syndrome on the back of a horse, smiling broadly. The words Blue Ridge Equine Therapy and Horse Rescue were at the top of the page.

“Nice,” Javi said. “But I don’t understand.”

Monica nodded at the brochure. “They mostly do kids with disabilities, developmental and physical issues, but the woman who runs it said she’d be open to doing some psychological therapy, too. I know you said working with your horse helped you with your depression after you quit the DEA. I was wondering if you think something like this could fit into our program.”

Javi flipped the brochure open. Photos of smiling children riding horses and brushing horses were scattered among paragraphs describing how the charity rescued horses from abusive homes and auctions where they were vulnerable to being sold to slaughterhouses. They retrained the horses and either adopted them out or used them in their therapy program in conjunction with a local hospital’s pediatric department.

Monica got out of her chair and came to stand beside him. She laid her hand on his shoulder. “I know it probably reminds you of Cassidy,” she said quietly, “which is why I didn’t bring it up sooner, but I think it might help our kids. Mary Sue -- yeah, that’s her real name -- said they could help with the new intake horses, get them used to being groomed and handled without being afraid, and then they could assist with the therapy sessions. They have volunteers who lead the horses around, others who help the kids get on and off the horses, stuff like that. There are physical therapists who are in charge of the actual therapy but they concentrate on the kids. Our kids could focus on the horses.”

Javi nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I think it’s worth looking into,” he said. “Set up a meeting with her and I’ll find out what kind of funding we might be able to get.” He leaned back in his chair. “If we can get some of these kids out of the city, even one day a week, show them there’s more to the world than their neighborhood and the mall, it’ll help us help them.”

Monica squeezed his shoulder. “Good,” she said. “I was afraid you’d be resistant … that it might remind you too much of …”

He laid his hand on top of hers, cutting her off. “I’m fine,” he lied. “And you’re right, I know first hand how helpful working with horses can be for mental health. I’d like to get a list of the kids in the program who have the most severe psychological issues, offer this to them first.”

“You got it, boss,” she said. “I’ll set up a meeting with Mary Sue and get that list to you as soon as I can. If I can get back to my office without barfing again.” She laid her hand against her stomach. “Don’t take this personally, Javi, but men suck.”

After she left, Javi took a few minutes to stare at the brochure again. He carefully traced the horse’s head in the cover photo. It was a dark bay, very much like Buster. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then shoved the brochure into his desk drawer and went back to the report he was typing up on the computer.