#How to take care of your tank 101

[scribe-of-hael]

I think part of liking a bot, I also liking their alt mode. Maybe not sensually, but that is STILL their body. That is STILL your bot.

To love, admire, to caress, help clean and take care of. Help wash them, buff them, or even just sit in if you can.

To love them, is to love all of them

[megtrns]

how to take care of your human 101 : a psa brought to you by the lost light crew. first contact au. sfw! with slight mentions of nudity.

a/n : to preface this, it was seven am in the morning and i was supposed to catch a train in about an hour or so to go out of town alone for an errand. but as i was putting on my skincare, i began to feel so overwhelmed that i started crawling back under the covers mid-makeup. and for the first time in what i think is forever, i woke up at noon, disoriented with powder smudging my pillows. and there was just a different kind of misery to look down at my phone to realise that not only did i miss my train, but half the day was gone. but then my flatmate came and told me i put too much pressure on myself, and suddenly it clicked on me. it's always a reality check when someone you care about tells you to your face that you've been pushing yourself too hard. this made me wonder how the bots would intervene when it was obvious that their human needed a mental health break.

ratchet suspiciously eying the young medic drifting down the halls of the sickbay like a wayward ghost: with sunken eyes and sluggish movements, running on what he assumed was a quarter of your designated sleep cycle. the last straw was when he caught you asleep at a broom closet, waking up in a panic and apologizing as if it wasn't his fault for assigning you the same shifts as the others, all of whom were part of a non-organic species that could run on an empty tank for months if needed.

feeling guilty, the cmo offered to send you home. you were stubbornly resisting until he said something along the lines of 'paid leave.' that was enough to send you skipping into the parking lot so you could nosedive into your bed. when you returned after the weekend, with a pep in your step and a smile across your face, first aid had wondered aloud that he didn't know humans could glow.

minimus would take it upon himself to run you a bath, lowering himself into the bathtub so your back could rest against his chassis, knees bent and legs intertwined with his. the water is warm and welcoming, sloshing onto the tiled floor as he adjusts himself to hug you from behind. here, in the blissful silence, the bathroom was wet with steam; the precipitation clinging onto the glass of his optics, creating a lazy, unhurried atmosphere that lulled him to the edge of recharge. he listens to the sound of your breathing, slow and calm as you doze off. and he would smile fondly at the sight of your resting, knowing that this was much needed for the both of you.

rodimus, mass displaced and laughing, standing under the pouring water of your shower. he makes the stall feel crowded, but you don't mind, dangling both arms around his neck as the captain washes your hair — skin to metal, hip to hip. he said something about how he loves the smell of flowers in your hair, servos firm yet gentle as they cradle your head. he wiped the soap dripping down your brow, peppering kisses all over your face to keep you awake. but you were drowning in bliss, content and lazy, thankful for his help and enthusiasm during the days when you couldn't even take care of yourself.

drift cleverly working his servos across your shoulders, down the curve of your neck to the base of your spine. already you can feel the muscles loosening, the strain from sitting too long, melting away under his ministrations. you were also in awe at how much control he wielded, precise and careful, never once hurting you with too much force. it was hard to believe that these were the same set of servos that struck fear into the sparks of so many mechs. as he presses a soft kiss in the square of your back, you can only sigh in delight against the pillow — putty in his arms and already drifting to a dreamless sleep.

ambulon would blearily open his optics to the yellow glow of the bathroom light pouring into the peaceful darkness of the room, recharge interrupted by soft noises. he slowly peels the soft blankets away from his frame to creep to the sound of your movements, the sight of you dressing before the sun has barely risen, tugging at his sparkstrings. he is aware humans need at least eight to nine hours of rest, and yet with less than six, his lover is already by the bathroom mirror repeating the same, tiring routine every week. one might think that his past as a decepticon and medic working in the lost light would make him a senseless partner, but it was quite the opposite, ambulon would give you the world if you asked. but maybe the closest thing you need now is a day to yourself.

so when you come home that day to the apartment spotless, the smell of fresh linen in the air and the sound of something delicious sizzling atop the pan; you can't help but cry by the doorway, your boyfriend nearly dropping the glass of high-grade he was casually sipping to rush to hug you — "are these happy, human tears? oh, okay, that's good. that's good."

swerve discovering that your birthday is coming up but you have no plans to celebrate it, too busy and too tired from the long weekday. the minibot wasn't too happy about this, deciding that he was going to fix it before the special date rolls around. this is how you find yourself walking into a surprise party, with candles and cakes and decorations dangling from the ceiling. you had screamed in delight at the sound of the confetti going off, immediately throwing yourself in the arms of your friend, rounds of laughter echoing in the room where all your giant friends have gathered to celebrate your coming into existence.

whirl noticing how the days you spend together have grown shorter and shorter each passing day, with you either rushing off to finish a deadline or already dressed to eat dinner with your new co-workers. the ex-wrecker insists he isn't jealous, no, of course not — he just hates sitting by the couch watching the clock tick away, unable to focus on his earth shows because you were always coming home so late.

so when whirl stopped you from putting your shoes on one morning to tell you that he had called your workplace to say you needed some time to yourself, you were struck by his thoughtfulness; feeling guilty that you never considered that whirl could do something so sweet. until you switch on the tv to hear the news anchor announce that the police needed help to identify an anonymous caller who had sent a bomb threat earlier this morning to your office. he says it was obvious that he wasn't going to do it — "what? i thought you needed the day off, sweetspark? it worked didn't it?"

you didn't know whether to be flattered or to call prowl and the local precinct that the search was over.

[marvelnatr]

Fever

This will not contain smut, however my page is an 18+ page. Minors DNI!!!!

Background: you didn’t join Nat for training at six like you always do. She comes back to find you sick. fluffy natty

Natasha’s POV:

My watch vibrated gently against my wrist, beckoning me to get out of my shared bed with my girlfriend for morning training. I always got up at four am. I’d put on my work out clothes and lay out Y/N’s for when she got up at 5:50 and joined me at 6. After getting ready I’d kiss Y/N’s head and quietly make my way out of the room, careful not to wake my beautiful girlfriends sleeping form.

The two hours quickly passed, I had been watching my watch waiting for Y/N to come in. The entire two hours passed with no sign of her. As my worry grew I called it quits and headed upstairs to our room. When I opened the door I could see Y/N still asleep and curled up on her side of the bed, which was quite unusual given she was a blanket hog and was typically all sprawled out. Taking off my tank top and tossing it to the hamper I sat down on the edge of the bedside, gently whispering “Y/N my love”. I waited for an answer, I got none. Carefully resting my hand on her back I felt how warm she was and frowned, she feels extremely feverish. I kissed her head and went to our bathroom, grabbing a thermometer and some meds in case she needed them. I decided I’d let her rest as long as her body would let her. Texting Clint I asked him if he could make me something to eat which he gave his kind and normal absolutely.

Within the hour Y/N began to stir, her eyebrows furrowing at the small amount of light peeking into our room. I headed to her side of the bed, putting my breakfast plate on our desk on the way. Raking my fingers through her hair I whispered “good morning daring”. Y/N mumbled a little hello and rubbed her head. I gently held her cheek “are you feeling okay baby?” Y/N shook her head “no, my head honestly hurts pretty bad. I’m sorry I missed training Natty” I shook my head “nonsense my love, you’re sick. Let’s get your temp taken okay?”. She nodded and leaned into me. I held her close as I took her temp. It came back as 101. Disregarding the cover in the trash next our bed I gently pet her head “you my darling definitely have a fever” Y/N whined a little and buried her head into my chest. Gently rubbing her head I whispered “lets get you some meds and a bath okay love?” Y/N nodded, kissing her head I gently laid her back down and left to go make our bath. Leaving the door open a little for her to still see me

Y/N’s POV:

I woke up this morning to my alarm blaring. Turning it off and quickly deciding training would not be something I am attending today given the sharp pain in my head. Quickly falling asleep just to wake up a few hours later with my head still hurting. However I am incredibly grateful Natasha is here. My red head girlfriend was wonderful at taking care of me.

So now I’m laying here watching my girlfriend half naked and making a bath. I grabbed my water and the pain meds beside me, taking the pills and laying back down. After a few minutes Natasha came back into the room, leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on my lips. Her coconut and shea butter chapstick always lingers on my lips. That’s how I know a water bottle is hers, the residue of the chapstick rests around the spout of the bottle. Smiling at the familiar taste, Natasha’s lips curved, mirroring the smile painted on my face. Nat smoothly whispered “you ready for the bath love?” I nodded and she picked my up, my head gently leaning into her chest as I rested against her.

A blissful silence fell over us as we cuddled in the warm bath. The aroma of the bath salts my girlfriend had added filled the air. Natasha’s hands gently began to wash me. I’ve always preferred her hands. Feeling her skin on mine was one of the most peaceful feelings ever. Nat began to whisper sweet nothings in my ear, my body sinking into her as all the tension in my muscles relaxed. Natasha never failed to make me feel like I was in heaven when with her. I was completely safe in her arms, in her presence. Closing my eyes I dozed off, falling back asleep.

Natasha’s POV:

Y/N got heavier on top of me. Not that she was heavy but she had definitely fallen asleep given the sudden change to deadweight. Finishing the bath I kissed her head and carried her sleeping frame out of the tub. I gently dried her off and put some panties and my big shirt on her. Getting myself in the same kind of clothes I climbed into bed with her. Y/N immediately cuddled into me, my arms instinctively wrapping around her and pulling her closer to me. Turning on the TV and lowering the volume so I didn’t wake her. She was so beautiful, her sleeping form, the way her face looked angelic. She will always be my girl. My girl.

[somestorythoughts]

Back on my Eldritch Jedi Bullshit

Thinking about eldritch Jedi/Force-Users but not all Jedi. And on the one hand, Anakin being born of the Force and being unbelievably eldritch is good and I like it but on the other hand, Anakin being very powerful but not Eldritch unlike some other Jedi is very funny. See here for a very good version of that.

So some of the Jedi are eldritch. There are faces in their shadows, true faces that aren't silhouettes. There are sunrises and storms and flowers in their eyes. There are more teeth in their mouths than there should be, longer tongues, Power in their voices thrumming along the beats of your heart. There are thorns sprouting from their collarbones, leaves from the gaps in their exoskeletons, ferns from between their feathers. There is sunlight, fire, plasma burning and glowing in their veins, light that can darken into poison, poison that can be purified into sunlight once again. Because Falling doesn't mean you stop burning.

It's tucked away, out of sight. Restrained, much like their emotions. Because when your power reacts to your emotions and you can crush tanks with your mind, it's not physically hard to crush people. They're so much more fragile. The Jedi don't preach self-control for shits and giggles. Sometimes, great power comes with the responsibility not to use it.

And being eldritch it isn't about how powerful you are, though there's some correlation. It's about the way the Force interacts with you. It's the difference between being a channel for the Force and being the Force made flesh.

It's also not something you talk about much in the Temple. It's not exactly a secret, but it's not really the subject of gossip and to people who don't share those traits, it tends to be described as "improving control of one's emotions/relation to the Force." It's personal. Like recognizes like, and padawans with that type of connection tend to get Master's with the same connection. That relationship to the Force makes it easier to lash out, and that's not good for anyone.

It doesn't help that some planets are already leery of regular Jedi. they Really Don't Like the eldritch ones. So over time, this connection became something that was touched on in The Force 101 classes and then not discussed much outside of it by people who DON'T have that connection. Qui-Gon didn't have it, neither did Dooku. Obi-wan doesn't have it, though he knows of it. Anakin Skywalker, as powerful as he is, didn't have it.

Ahsoka Tano does.

Like recognizes like, and most eldritch Force Users know another when they see them. The Jedi make a point, not only of assigning those padawans to similar masters but of taking in those younglings even if they're a bit older than usual. But sometimes, someone just get missed. Sometimes no one sees a youngling's extra teeth, sometimes there aren't any eldritch Jedi in the creche when nightmares scrape the walls, sometimes that connection to the Force is just quiet. Sometimes, that connection to the Force isn't noticed before a Padawan is assigned a Master. Had he known, Yoda would never have assigned Ahsoka to Anakin.

This isn't a slight against Anakin, to be clear. There's advantages to making sure that padawans have masters who know how to help them with their brand of weird Force shenanigans, or at the very least, are regularly meeting with Masters that can help. In normal times, Ahsoka's eldritchness would probably have been noticed within a couple years (if you don't know how to restrain it, it will eventually start showing more) and then she and Anakin would have been introduced to some Eldritch Jedi who would assist with the training. But this isn't normal times. So none of the Jedi notice.

Plo or Obi-Wan could have. Plo's eldritch, and he cares about Ahsoka, but so much of their communication over the war was done over comms. Obi-Wan, having grown up with Quinlan Vos, thinks he knows what eldritch Force Sensitivity looks like and to be fair, if he wasn't distracted by the war he probably would have noticed. But war is Extremely Distracting and Ahsoka's connection is quieter than Quinlan's. He, and Plo, are distracted, and so so tired. So they miss the changing teeth, the periodic gleam in her shadow, the marching beat under her words when on the battlefield that beats in sync with the troopers' boots. And Anakin? He means well and he's trying, but he doesn't know that this is a thing to look for and he can be a bit oblivious.

You know who does notice? The clones. In particular, Kix.

Most all the clones are hypervigilant, thank you Kamino trauma. So they pay A Lot of attention to anything that registers as potentially threatening, even subconsiously. Ahsoka's a kid and they grow to trust her quickly, but there was a time when she was a new inexperienced commanding officer. And after that they were helping to teach her and look out for Threats to the Little Sister, so they were very observant where Ahsoka was concerned.

They don't know enough about Torgurta or Jedi to know what's normal for one, but they do notice the things that don't stay constant. The way her shadow changes, the way her teeth and hands sometimes change shape. Things that are rare in sentients.

Things Ahsoka has started to notice, and worry about.

Kix meanwhile, is a medic who just got an adolescent Togruta put under his care and he has no idea how to take care of her. The Kaminoans weren't told that the medics would be responsible for the jedi (one of those little details that was never clarified and caused confusion in the beginning) so they trained the medics to take care of the other clones and gave them access to some basic medical info for other species for emergency measures. So almost all of Kix's medical knowledge is specifically How to Treat Injuries and Illnesses in Male Humans; Children to Young Adults. Sure, there's overlap, but not enough.

(Yes, the medics do have a private chat where they trade tips and resources and vent about their respective dumbasses. It's a multipurpose chat.)

So he does a lot of research to make sure he can treat Ahsoka properly when she's inevitably injured. He notices things that Do Not Line Up and with Ahsoka's permission reaches out to the Jedi healers.

Now, if eyes might start hovering around your patients when you're doing surgery, that's valuable information to know. So all of the healers know about the eldritchness. They're able to tell Kix and Ahsoka what's going on.

And where it goes from there? I can't say. I can tell you one thing for sure, Mortis undoubtedly makes it WORSE.

[bow-of-aros]

Self-Defence 101

And we are back!! This was actually only intended to be a ticklish!charles fic but Edwin has a chokehold on me so of course he ended up being included. These two are my specialest little guys and I hope that y'all enjoy this one!!

-

“Edwin, mate, you cannot keep relying on me to fight everything for you! What if I’m not there?”

Charles hears a sigh from the sofa as Edwin lifts his gaze from his newest read: The Discoverie of Witchcraft. A flat stare has him halting mid-step on his mission to wear a hole through the floor of their office as someone without a corporeal form.

When he stops, Edwin lowers his book just a fraction of an inch, which Charles counts as a win. He glances towards the ceiling for a brief moment before saying, “But you’re always there, Charles. Why on Earth should I learn to fight when you’re already top-notch?”

Charles has to push down the warm feeling trying to flood through him and wipe the smile from his face because he knows what Edwin’s doing and it’s not going to work. Edwin is not going to distract him with flattery and weasel his way out of this.

Not again, at least.

“Okay, yes, obviously I’ll defend you when I’m there,” He walks up to Edwin and places his hands on his shoulders, lowering himself down to look him in the eye, “But something could happen, and I could get hurt, or we could get split up and I would feel much better if I knew that you could hold your own, yeah?”

Something in Edwin’s posture shifts: his shoulders unscrunch slightly and he dips his chin just so, and Charles knows that he’s almost got him.

Time to pull out the big guns.

Charles gently pries the book out of Edwin’s hands before taking them in his own, squeezing them together as he asks, “Please? For me?”

A long exhale escapes Edwin, his eyes close as his head thumps against the back of the sofa and Charles waits with bated breath. When his eyes open, they’re filled with a sort of exasperated fondness that is only ever directed at Charles, and he knows that he’s won.

“Fine.”

Bullseye.

“But!” He quickly adds as Charles’ face lights up, “I will not be putting on those ridiculous gloves again. Do we have a deal?”

Charles pulls back just to stick his hand out, yanking Edwin up when he grabs it and catching him when he stumbles with delighted laughter at Edwin’s unseemly yelp.

“That was your first lesson: Always be prepared. But yeah, mate. Deal.”

Edwin slides off his jacket, rolling up his sleeves in precise movements that betray a subtle grace. Charles just knows that he would pick up fighting as easily as any dead language if he had just a little more confidence in his abilities. Edwin is incredibly intelligent and he’s quick on his feet, where Charles has spent years figuring out how to properly defend them, Edwin would surely be a natural.

He just needs to get Edwin to realize that.

Already in his tank top, Charles does a few quick stretches to warm himself up out of habit, feeling a thrill of something up his spine when he catches Edwin tracing his movements with an appreciative gaze.

There’s also some mental calculations going on in that big brain of his, Charles just knows it. At the very least, there’s a subconscious attempt at cataloging the way he moves, cataloging potential openings that could lead to potential weaknesses.

“Alright mate. We’re gonna start with some basic self-defence, yeah?” Edwin nods, and Charles leads him through some strikes and somebody throws. His main focus is showing Edwin how to use his opponents’ momentum and strength against them, considering that most of the things attacking them care more about brute force than strategic attacks.

The problem is, that Edwin refuses to put any sort of real power behind what Charles is teaching him, because, “This is wholly unnecessary, Charles. I simply do not wish to hurt you. Is it not enough for you that I know the actions I must take to defend myself?”

“No, Edwin,” Charles drags his hands across his face before he lets them drop to his sides, “Knowing what to do is very different from knowing how to do it, yeah?”

Edwin offers a noncommittal hum in return, his eyes drifting back to the book that he’d left on the sofa when he thinks Charles isn’t watching him.

“Oi, mate, can you at least pretend to pay attention?” Charles pokes his friend in the side as he asks this, and the very poorly concealed flinch gives him an idea.

Edwin’s eyes narrow at the growing grin on Charles’ face, “I do not like that look. That’s your I have an idea that’s going to get one or both of us into a lot of trouble look.”

“That one’s a bit of a mouthful there,” Charles says without bothering to tamp down whatever was going on with his face, “But I do have an idea that I think we should dry, and if it doesn’t work, you can go back to your book. Sound good?”

A loud sigh escaped Edwin as he said, “I suppose. Let us get this over with.”

“Great! We’re going to practice getting out of the bear hug again,” Charles situated himself behind Edwin, wrapping his arms tight around his torso, “but this time, I’m going to give you some incentive to actually escape.”

“What are you—ah Charles! Nohohoho!” Edwin’s knees begin to buckle as Charles gently claws into his sides, his attack made much easier by the fact that Edwin had shed his most protective layer.

Something he was likely regretting right about now.

“That’s it mate! Dropping your weight is the first step. Do you remember what comes next?” Charles leaned close, lightly brushing his nose against the shell of Edwin’s ear in a way that made him draw his shoulders up with a squeal.

“This isn’t fahahair!” Charles’ arms remained firmly where they were, poking and prodding despite Edwin’s much more genuine attempts to wrench them away.

He lamented the fact that he couldn’t change targets much, but he contented himself with lightening his touch, tracing barely-there patterns against Edwin’s sides knowing that the light touch was much more unbearable than a firm one.

As was demonstrated by the significant rise in pitch of Edwin’s frantic giggles.

And, well, Charles couldn’t not comment on it, “Well aren’t you just precious? You know, you could make alllllll��this stop by just breaking the hold the way I told you to,” He can’t help but grin at the desperate edge Edwin’s laughter gains at the teasing, “I mean, it can’t be that difficult, since you already know the actions you must take to defend myself, right?”

At this, Edwin seems to rally himself. Despite the wail that was elicited by Charles kneading up and down his torso like a particularly enthusiastic cat, Edwin managed to fully drop his body weight, bring his heel down on Charles’ foot, and send an elbow flying into his ribs.

This sent Charles stumbling back just enough that Edwin managed to twist himself out of his grasp, rubbing furiously at his sides as his giggles slowly began to taper off.

“That wahas—ahem,” Edwin pauses to clear his throat, taking on a rather serious tone that was completely ruined by the bright grin still plastered across his face, “That was cruel, and unusual, and completely unnecessary.”

“Oh please,” Charles scoffs, “That was totally necessary! And it worked! You listened to what I said, you actually did it, and now you live to fight another day.”

Charles was feeling rather proud of himself if he was being honest. Who knew that all it would take to get the immovable Edwin Payne to actually learn how to defend himself was a few well-placed pokes?

Well, actually, Charles did.

That’s why he did it.

Edwin speaks as he calmly straightens out his shirt and smooths his hair back into place, “Well, Charles, if you want me to practice fighting so badly, who am I to not oblige you?”

And before Charles could even think to react, Edwin launched himself at him, sending them both to the floor and quickly sitting on Charles’ back, effectively pinning him on the floor.

Well, fuck, maybe he should’ve seen this coming.

“Edwin. Edwin, wait! We can talk about this! We can—Edwihihihin shihihit!” The rest of whatever he was going to say was cut off by Edwin immediately going for one of his worst spots and rubbing his knuckles into Charles’ ribs.

“Charles, really,” Edwin has to raise his voice to be heard over the shrieking laughter, but he doesn’t seem to mind, “It can’t be that difficult. All you need to do, is break out of my hold.”

A healthy dose of choice expletives are hurled at Edwin because Charles does not appreciate his own words being used against him like this.

The fingers stop, and Charles sags onto the floor even as a disappointed sigh above him raises goosebumps along his arms and up the back of his neck, “Now that was not very gentlemanly of you, Charles. What do you have to say for yourself and your poor sportsmanship?”

Time seems to slow as Charles feels five fingers come to rest in the hollow of his knee, not yet moving, but taunting him with the inevitable.

But Charles Rowland will never concede, so he says, “You can take your poor sportsmanship, and you can shove it right up your—wait! WAHAHAHAIT EDWIN NO! PLEHEHEHEASE!!!”

It turns out that Charles could use some practice in self-defence as well, and Edwin is more than willing to lend a hand.

Or two.

[emi-irl]

taking care of yourself 101

here is a (mostly) comprehensive list of things that I have learned within my past 3 (almost 4) years now of being independent.

PART 1 : physical health

1.) get your basics down. drink water, eat good food with nutrients, get quality sleep, and move your body in some way. these are the building blocks of a pleasant existence, the bare minimum required to feel at peace in your flesh suit.

1.a) drink water. this is important because you need it to survive and for your brain to function properly. dehydration has negative effects on vigor, esteem-related affect, short-term memory, and attention. I've noticed within myself that when I'm dehydrated, my drive to get things done tanks, and I feel like I've failed everyone I've ever loved. so, add your MIO if you have to, but drink it.

1.b) eat good food with nutrients. do this in any way that works for you. blend your veggies into a pasta sauce, drink smoothies, eat and entire spinach salad, etc. and also make sure you're getting adequate protein intake. aim for whole food sources as much as possible to ease any tummy trouble, but do what works for you. whole food sources typically make me feel the best, and actually feel fueled for my day, so I tend to aim for 80% whole food, 20% processed.

1.c) quality sleep. this one is difficult for a lot of us, seeing as 1 in three adults suffer with insomnia, but do what you can. magnesium glycinate has done wonders for me, as well as sticking to consistent sleep/wake times when possible, and sleeping in a slightly cool room. getting sunlight in my eyes in the mornings is also great, but this winter I've been doing that less because of the cold, so don't stress too much about it. sleep is so important for brain and body recovery, and for overall health. lacking sleep can make overall existence feel bleh and you won't even know why.

1.d) moving your body. you do not have to be a gym goer who lifts weights, (although it is great for your health,) and you don't have to be an olympic level athlete in whatever sport. moving your body is a necessity, just like breathing. humans are active creatures, its a requirement! so, do whatever movement feels best for you and that you enjoy doing. yoga, walking, swimming, ice skating, pilates, stretching, soccer, volleyball, running, playing just dance, as long as you like it, do it!! the endorphins released in your brain when you participate in physical activity do wonders for your mood and mental health, and having a well functioning cardiovascular system and any sort of muscle mass will help you tons as you age.

PART 2 : mental health

2.) let the things that hurt you, hurt. relax around your pain as much as possible. feel its weight. only then can you let it go. for years, I repressed my trauma. I kept it in its little box, I refused to bat an eye at the horrors laid within it, I made myself guarded and "strong" in the face of it. after doing this for over a decade, it manifested into physical ailments that no doctor could figure out, and an inner turmoil that soiled relationships and made me feel like a horrid no good person. I didn't understand why someone yelling made me want to sob, I didn't get why slammed doors made my chest sink to the bottom of the ocean, and I didn't know why I continued to hurt the people I cared most about. only once I opened there box did it all start to unfold.

2.b) let the things that hurt you, hurt. the more you try and shift away from the pain that is settled deep within you, the more it appears in your day to day life. the more you try and repress tears and keep yourself from thinking about it, the worse it will be when its finally time to face it. if you feel the need to cry, cry. if you feel the need to rant, or yell or scream, to wallow in misery, or sob about how its unfair and life is hard, don't keep yourself from it. let the emotion have its moments. only then may it pass.

2.c) relax around your pain as much as possible. babies can survive tumbles down stairs, and people who are intoxicated are more likely to survive a car crash, and the more you tense in the face of your pain, the more it will hurt you. practice Yoga Nidra, deep breathing exercises, and learn what being relaxed feels like in your body. anything else will work its way out from there.

2.d) some more practical tips. get your thoughts out, talk to people, or put it on paper. learn your triggers and start to understand their root. practice mediation and breathing exercises. if you're a menstruating person, learn and understand the different phases of your cycle. stay off a screen as much as possible, and instead indulge in hobbies. get as much sunlight as you possibly can. get outdoors and interacting with nature as much as humanly possible. sit quietly with yourself frequently.

PART 3 : environmental health

3.) keep your space clean. do your laundry. weed out unhelpful relationships. create a routine for yourself. your environment effects you in more ways than you probably realize, and once you start to fine tune it, the better you will feel.

3.a) keep your space clean. I can admit, this one is still a major work in progress for me. it's probably the aspect I currently struggle with the most. my advice is to start small, and really take note of your habits. always have dirty clothes on the bathroom floor? put a basket in there. have trouble keeping things tidy? figure out your most relocated items and give them homes. trouble doing maintenance cleaning? give yourself small rewards whenever you complete difficult tasks. don't feel the need to completely overhaul-Marie-Kondo your life if that's not your thing. start small. go from there.

3.b) do your laundry. this one is probably my second biggest struggle. but, knowing I have clothes clean gives me a peace of mind like no other. figure out what aspect you hate the most and try and hack it. hate bending down to fold laundry? do it standing up at a table. have trouble getting yourself to switch it? take it to a second location (laundromat, partner or parents home, etc.) so you are forced to do it within a certain time frame. then, sit back and enjoy clean socks and underwear.

3.c) weed out unhelpful relationships. have people in your life who constantly make you doubt the person you are, who have bad habits you don't want to associate yourself with, or who keep you in the box of the person you've always been? its time to reevaluate. the people you spend your time around have an effect on you whether you like it or not, so filling your circle with people who uplift and support you, who help you to push through rough patches, and you can feel overall good around is essential. remember you don't owe anyone anything. block the number. remove the friend. do what you have to do for your best version of self, and better people will start to fill those gaps.

3.d) create a routine. if you're a human, your brain loves predictability. it loves having a pattern. even if its something as simple as you wake up in the morning and drink tea, your mind will thank you for it. plus, being on a consistent routine makes your day to day life easier. you don't have to think about what you're going to do, you just do it. start by making a morning and a night routine for yourself, and make two versions. one is the bare minimum required on any given day, and the other if for when you're feeling great and have the time for some extras. and remember to revisit the drawing board frequently to adjust it to work best for yourself.

PART 4 : general life advice

4.) do things that bring you genuine joy. eat warm bread, sit in a sunny windowsill, compliment a stranger, play video games, draw silly little guys, take a million MacBook selfies, whatever puts a smile on your face. don't keep yourself from life's subtle pleasantries. relish in the fact that you are alive with a heart that beats and a mouth that can smile. take note of the small joys you experience in your day to day. within such lies life's meaning.

5.) keep hygienic. brush your teeth, wash your face, shower frequently, wear deodorant, etc. you don't have to do anything super crazy for this one, but keeping up on hygiene is a good way to build self confidence and overall honor yourself. you are a person worthy of care. remember to treat yourself like it.

6.) listen to your intuition. this one takes a good amount of practice, but learn to differentiate good vs bad feelings in your body, and use that signal to guide you. take a lot of time in silence with yourself, learn to hold your opinions sacred, and get to know yourself. ask yourself questions like its a first date, and take note of your answers.

THATS ALL FOR NOW FOLKS!! I may make a part two depending on how I'm feeling, and feel free to ask any questions! my ask box is open. love y'all, and have a great day <3

[themoonlightislace]

Taking Care of your clothes 101

Hiiiiiiiii lovelys~~~ I started working like a year ago and with the influx of money followed an influx of new clothes ( mostly brandy meville+thrifted pieces). This has made me pay more attention to how I can keep my clothes nicer for longer and view them more as investments. Keeping your clothes nicer for longer also reduces the amount in landfills, helps battle fast fashion and is good for the environment! Here's a list of tips that I use to keep my pieces nice and fresh!! I'm not an expert but they worked for me, so let me know how they work for you <3

~washing~

-This might sound a little gross ( dont come after me) but wash your clothes less often!! Obviously, if they smell and have stains you should, but otherwise try and be careful while you wear them so you dont have to wash them as often. Undies and socks should be washed after wearing them 1-2 times but other than that, wash after wearing 4-7 times!! Every time you wash your clothes your wearing down the fabric and this can shorten the lifespan of your clothes a lot

-okay, so its wash day now!! I always select tap-cold and low spin on my washing machine to be as gentle with my clothes as possible. Also washing with cold water is better for the environment, so it's a plus plus. When drying, try to air dry all the pieces you can and then put the rest in your dryer on a low setting. It's a little bit time consuming, but I promise, its worth it!!

-Be sure to check the care tags on your clothes before washing for more details instructions. I honestly dont follow them to a tee ( im not hand washing brandy Melville, sorry) but sometimes they are very helpful!!

~stains~

-Okay, lets be honest, we've all had those nasty deodorant stains. I use toothpaste on mine, let it marinate (ew) for like 3 hours and then pop my clothes in the washer. Good as new!!! I use this on almost all of my brandy tops and it works like a charm :D

-For extra pesky stains, make a paste from a lil baking soda and water and scrub onto your clothes!! This also works really well for me

~extra tips~

-if your clothes get stretched out, just pop them into the dryer without washing them first!! Trust me, they will be good as new . I use this for my brandy tanks ( they r so so cute but always stretch out and its lowkey maddening)

-learn to sew/patch wholes. Its easy peasy and cheap. You can get needles from your local art store for like two dollars and white string for even less. It's cheap and worth learning, as it is a skill you'll use your whole life

let me know how these go and thanks for reading !!! <3

xoxo,

Enna 🍎

[starseedfxofficial]

How Housing Starts Can Supercharge Your Breakout Trading Strategy Imagine trying to break through your front door while it's locked—with you on the wrong side of it. That frustrating push and pull, hoping the lock gives in, perfectly describes the emotional rollercoaster traders experience with a breakout. Now, pair that with a key piece of economic data, like housing starts, and suddenly, you’re holding the key to that locked door. Breakout trading and housing starts have an unexpected connection that can help traders make strategic moves with precision. In this guide, we're breaking down how these two elements work together like a ninja and their katana—sharp, stealthy, and surprising. How Housing Starts Become Your Crystal Ball Housing starts are like the breakfast cereal of the economic world. When they rise, it's like adding honey to your oatmeal—suddenly, things look sweeter. For those unfamiliar, housing starts refer to the number of new residential construction projects that begin in a given month. They’re a key economic indicator, a peek into the future, and something often overlooked by Forex traders. What most people miss is that housing starts can serve as an early heads-up for currency movements. Why? Because housing impacts GDP, and GDP impacts interest rates, which in turn impacts currencies. Boom, a nice chain reaction that gives you a heads-up, sort of like that awkward neighbor who always knows the local gossip before anyone else. Breakout Trading 101: No, It's Not Just for Gymnasts Breakout trading is the Forex equivalent of watching a rocket launch. You’re standing at mission control, fingers crossed, watching those levels build momentum. You’re just waiting for the price to finally punch through a significant support or resistance level. The trick is knowing when it's about to happen and if it’s worth betting on. Most traders think of breakout trading as catching the big moves, but what if I told you that by combining housing starts data, you can give yourself an edge that would make even the pros raise an eyebrow? The Correlation Between Housing Starts & Breakouts: Hidden Patterns Picture this: housing starts are up—meaning the economy is looking more like a fitness influencer's Instagram page, lean and strong. This reflects optimism and growth, which can lead to a rise in interest rates. And if interest rates are going up, that means a stronger currency. When you notice the market hesitating around a key level, those housing starts could be the final nudge you need to predict a breakout with precision. Think of it as having a crystal ball that’s a bit dusty but still works if you squint. The Hidden Formula Only Experts Use Here's where the magic sauce comes in: A lot of traders miss the importance of timing. When housing starts are announced—usually mid-month—they give a nice, big hint. A surge in housing starts? Time to watch for that breakout on currency pairs involving the country's currency. It’s the difference between driving blind and having Google Maps guiding you with a full tank of gas. Why Most Traders Get It Wrong (And How You Can Avoid It) Most traders don’t even think about fundamental indicators like housing starts when trading breakouts—they focus only on price action. Price action, like that favorite pair of sale shoes, can deceive you. They look good, but you never actually wear them. By ignoring housing starts, traders miss an extra layer of confirmation that could prevent those dreaded false breakouts. You know, like when you think you’re buying a trampoline, but it turns out to be just an overpriced rug. The Forgotten Strategy That Outsmarted the Pros Now, let’s take a stroll down memory lane. Back in 2020, when housing starts in the US had a sudden spike, many traders brushed it off, thinking, “It’s just houses, who cares?” Meanwhile, the USD made a sharp move up—and breakout traders who understood the significance of that surge were on the right side of the market. It’s one of those “I-told-you-so” moments that we all love. But hey, this time, you’ll be the one doing the telling. How to Predict Market Moves with Precision To use housing starts effectively in your breakout trading strategy, follow these steps: - Get the Timing Right: Housing starts data is typically released mid-month. Mark it on your trading calendar—no excuses. - Identify Key Levels: Before the data release, identify potential breakout levels in related currency pairs. These are typically levels with multiple price rejections in the past. - Monitor the Reaction: If the housing starts come in strong, and the price approaches those levels, chances are good for a breakout. If housing starts disappoint, be cautious—we could be looking at a false break or even a reversal. - Risk Management: Housing starts are just one indicator. Don’t bet the farm on a single data release. Use proper stop losses and manage your risk. The One Simple Trick That Can Change Your Trading Mindset Here’s a trick that’s almost too easy: Stop thinking of housing starts as boring old data, and start seeing them as an opportunity for precision. When you consider all the knock-on effects of housing growth—jobs, spending, growth, interest rates—you’re getting a roadmap for where the currency might be headed next. It’s like getting the directions to a hidden beach before it goes viral on Instagram. Breakout trading isn’t about standing in front of a locked door and hoping. It’s about holding the key—or in this case, having the inside scoop on what’s happening in the economy. Housing starts might sound like something only your real estate agent cares about, but as a Forex trader, it’s a tool you can use to stay ahead of the market and dodge those false breakouts like a seasoned pro. So, the next time you hear about a spike in housing starts, don’t yawn—get excited, get ready, and start planning your breakout moves. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated Read the full article

[rvtravellife]

Art of How to Fill a Hot Water Tank in an RV 101

by Samantha Jafar Have you ever wondered how RV enthusiasts manage to enjoy the comfort of hot showers and the convenience of warm water no matter where they are? The answer lies in the hot water tank systems that come equipped in RVs..... RV Hot Water Tank Systems Have you ever wondered how RV enthusiasts manage to enjoy the comfort of hot showers and the convenience of warm water no matter where they are? The answer lies in the hot water tank systems that come equipped in RVs. These systems ensure that whether you're parked beside a serene lake or camped out in the wilderness, you can still have access to one of the essential comforts of home - hot water. Overview of hot water tank systems in RVs A standard RV hot water system typically includes a tank, heating elements (which can be powered by electricity, propane, or both), and a thermostat to regulate temperature. Similar to residential units, these systems provide a ready supply of heated water for cooking, cleaning, and bathing. However, their designs are optimized to meet the unique challenges of mobile living, such as limited space and the need for energy efficiency. A hot water heater is an essential appliance for ensuring a steady supply of hot water in our homes. It works by heating up water from the fresh water tank, which is typically connected to the main water supply. This allows us to have access to fresh, clean water at all times, whether it's for cooking, cleaning, or taking a shower. However, it's important to regularly maintain both the hot water heater and the fresh hot water tank to ensure they are working efficiently and providing us with the best quality water possible. By properly caring for these crucial components, we can continue to enjoy the convenience of having hot, fresh water in our daily lives. Importance of properly filling and maintaining the hot water tank Ensuring your RV's hot water tank is properly filled and maintained isn't just about comfort; it's also about safety and longevity of the equipment. An inadequately filled tank can cause the heating element to overheat, leading to damage and potential failure. Regular maintenance, such as checking for leaks, flushing out sediment, and inspecting the anode rod, can prevent malfunctions that might otherwise interrupt your adventure.It is essential to regularly fill the hot water tank in order to ensure a steady supply of hot water in your home. This can be done by checking the water level and using a water pump to refill the hot water tank if necessary. Neglecting to fill the hot water tank can result in cold showers and inconvenience for you and your family. Additionally, it is important to also regularly check and maintain the heater tank to avoid any malfunctions and ensure efficient heating of the water. By properly maintaining and filling these hot water tanks, you can enjoy a constant supply of hot water and avoid any unexpected issues. When it comes to maintaining a steady supply of hot water in your home, having a reliable water pump is essential. But it's not just the pump that plays a crucial role in keeping your water warm – the hot water heater tank and hot water faucet also play vital roles in this process. The water pump is responsible for circulating the hot water from the heater tank to the faucets in your home, ensuring that you always have access to hot water when you need it. And of course, the hot water heater tank stores and heats up the water, making it readily available for use. Finally, the hot water faucet allows you to control the flow and temperature of the hot water, ensuring that you can enjoy a comfortable and relaxing shower or bath. Brief mention of common challenges and misconceptions related to RV hot water tank systems Operating an RV water system comes with its own set of challenges, from limited water capacity to varying water pressure at different campsites. There are also misconceptions, such as the belief that RV hot water tanks require no upkeep or that any issues with the water supply are difficult to troubleshoot. In reality, with a little knowledge and some routine checks, most owners can keep their systems running smoothly. Understanding Your RV's Hot Water Tank Peering into the heart of your RV’s comfort features, the water tank stands out as a true hero of homey conveniences. But what exactly goes into this unsung appliance that ensures you have warm water at your fingertips while traversing the great outdoors? Components and Functioning At its core, an RV hot water tank is quite straightforward. It typically consists of a water tank, a heating element, and a thermostat. The water tank stores cold water, which is then heated by the element – powered generally by gas, electricity, or both. The thermostat regulates the temperature, maintaining it at your setting of choice to avoid scalding or lukewarm surprises. Think of it as a miniature version of your hot water tank system at home, but designed for the mobility and constraints of RV life. Different Types of RV Hot Water Tank Systems When it comes to choosing a water system for your RV, there are three main contenders: tankless, tank-based, and hybrid..... Read More... Read the full article

[dfwmidcitiesrvpark]

RV Rental Safety 101: Must-Know Tips for a Secure Camping Experience

Embarking on an RV adventure is an exciting way to explore new places while enjoying the comfort of home on the road. However, ensuring your safety while renting and traveling in an RV requires careful planning and preparation. Whether you're heading to a scenic RV park near Dallas, TX, or exploring further afield, these essential safety tips will help you make the most of your journey while keeping you secure.

1. Choose a Reputable RV Rental Company

Your RV safety journey begins with selecting a reliable rental company. Research different providers, read reviews, and ensure they have a solid reputation for maintaining their fleet. A well-maintained RV is crucial for avoiding potential breakdowns and ensuring your safety on the road.

Key Tips:

Verify the rental company’s safety record.

Check for insurance coverage and what it includes.

Ask about the RV’s maintenance history and recent inspections.

2. Inspect the RV Thoroughly Before Departure

Before you hit the road, conduct a comprehensive inspection of the RV. This step ensures that everything is in working order and can help you identify any potential issues before they become problems.

Checklist:

Exterior: Examine the tires, lights, and propane tanks. Look for any visible damage or signs of wear.

Interior: Test all appliances, including the stove, refrigerator, and HVAC system. Check for leaks under sinks and around the toilet.

Safety Equipment: Ensure the RV is equipped with a fire extinguisher, smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, and first aid kit.

3. Familiarize Yourself with RV Operation

Understanding how to operate your RV safely is vital. Spend time learning about the vehicle's features, including the electrical and water systems, before setting off.

Key Areas to Learn:

Driving: Get comfortable with the RV’s size and handling. Practice parking and maneuvering in a safe area.

Hookups: Learn how to connect and disconnect utilities like water, electricity, and sewer.

Emergency Procedures: Know how to use the emergency exits, fire extinguisher, and first aid kit.

4. Plan Your Route and Stay Informed

Before setting out, plan your route carefully. Consider factors like road conditions, RV-friendly routes, and potential hazards. Stay updated on weather conditions and road closures that could affect your trip.

Tips:

Use GPS and RV-specific navigation apps to find the best routes.

Check local road regulations and restrictions for RVs.

Monitor weather forecasts to avoid driving in severe conditions.

5. Practice Safe Driving Habits

Driving an RV requires different skills than operating a regular vehicle. Safe driving practices are essential to ensure a smooth and accident-free journey.

Safe Driving Tips:

Speed Limits: Adhere to posted speed limits and adjust your speed according to road conditions.

Braking: Allow extra time for braking and maintain a safe following distance.

Turning and Lane Changes: Make wide turns and be cautious when changing lanes.

Distractions: Avoid distractions and stay focused on the road.

6. Secure Your RV When Parked

When you arrive at your RV park, take the time to properly secure your vehicle. This step helps prevent accidents and ensures that your RV remains safe during your stay.

Security Measures:

Leveling: Use leveling blocks to ensure the RV is stable and avoid unnecessary stress on the vehicle.

Lock Doors and Windows: Always lock doors and windows when leaving the RV.

Chock the Wheels: Use wheel chocks to prevent the RV from rolling.

7. Follow RV Park Rules and Regulations

Each RV park has its own set of rules and regulations designed to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all guests. Familiarize yourself with these guidelines to avoid potential issues.

Common Rules:

Quiet Hours: Respect designated quiet hours to avoid disturbing other guests.

Pet Policies: Follow park rules regarding pets and ensure they are leashed and well-behaved.

Campfire Safety: Follow fire regulations and ensure campfires are fully extinguished before leaving them unattended.

8. Maintain Regular Communication

If you’re traveling with family or friends, establish a communication plan. Keeping in touch with fellow travelers helps ensure everyone’s safety and allows for quick coordination in case of emergencies.

Communication Tips:

Cell Phones: Keep fully charged phones and consider having a backup power source.

Emergency Contacts: Share your itinerary and emergency contact information with family or friends.

9. Prepare for Emergencies

Even with careful planning, emergencies can occur. Being prepared for unexpected situations is crucial for your safety.

Emergency Preparedness:

First Aid Kit: Keep a well-stocked first aid kit easily accessible.

Emergency Plan: Develop a plan for different types of emergencies, such as medical issues or breakdowns.

Roadside Assistance: Ensure you have access to roadside assistance services if needed.

10. Enjoy Your Stay at DFW Mid-Cities RV Park

After following these safety tips, you’re ready to enjoy a secure and relaxing RV adventure. If you’re looking for an exceptional long-term RV park near Fort Worth, TX, consider staying at DFW Mid-Cities RV Park.

Located in the vibrant outskirts of Fort Worth, our park offers a perfect blend of comfort and community for RV enthusiasts. With spacious sites, a modern clubhouse, high-speed fiber internet, and a range of amenities like a dog park and outdoor kitchen, DFW Mid-Cities RV Park provides everything you need for a memorable stay. Whether you’re a snowbird seeking a warm escape or a professional on an extended assignment, our park is the ideal home base for your adventures.

Visit our website or contact us today to learn more about our amenities and make your reservation. We look forward to welcoming you to DFW Mid-Cities RV Park!

[aquarium-hut]

Fish Tank Cleaning Tools 101: Everything You Need to Know

Relevance of Tidy Aquariums Having clean aquariums is crucial for the overall wellness and well-being of your fish. It develops a safe and secure and healthy and balanced habitat by minimizing the proliferation of detrimental germs and algae, which can result in water pollution and illness, which is why cleaning with correct fish tank cleaning tools is necessary.

Furthermore, a well-maintained aquarium improves the aesthetic beauty of your storage tank, allowing you to totally appreciate the uniqueness of your marine environment. Regular upkeeping, Transforming the water, vacuuming the crushed rock, and eliminating algae are vital to guarantee that your aquarium stays tidy and appropriate for your fish to flourish.

Why is it Crucial to Frequently Maintain a Storage Tank? It is essential to execute regular maintenance on an aquarium to promote water quality, support fish wellness, improve the tank's appearance, guarantee tools capability, and uphold stability.

With the removal of contaminants, prevention of health problems, maintenance of sanitation and visual charm, and proper equipment upkeep, a thriving and healthy and balanced atmosphere is developed for the fish.

Overview of Cleaning Tools It is vital to have cleansing tools to keep the sanitation and health of your fish tank. These devices have various types and objectives to help you in properly cleaning up and keeping your tank. Crushed rock vacuums are used to get rid of particles and waste from the substrate, while algae scrapes are developed to clean algae off the glass.

Water conditioners aid neutralise damaging substances in the water, and syphon tubes serve for water modifications and debris elimination. Understanding how to utilize these cleansing tools correctly is crucial for the well-being of your fish and the total health and wellness of your fish tank ecosystem.

Aquarium Hut: Your Cleaning Tool Option Select Aquarium Hut's aquarium cleaning tools to protect the serenity and wellness advantages of your aquarium. Situated easily in the southeast suburbs of Victoria, we provide premium brands that ensure excellent products for all your aquatic demands.

Rely on us to raise the aesthetic charm and overall health of your space with our varied variety of products, that includes custom-made fish tanks and furniture-grade bases. Count on our expert advice and phenomenal cleansing devices to enhance both the looks and the well-being of your aquarium.

Fundamental Devices for Regular Maintenance It is essential to have essential tools for normal upkeep to ensure the sanitation of your aquarium and the wellness of your fish. These tools contain a crushed rock vacuum for getting rid of debris from the substrate, an algae scraper for getting rid of algae from the glass, a fish web for taking care of fish during upkeep, and a water conditioner to make certain tap water is secure for water life. These tools are crucial for protecting water top quality and the general health and wellness of your fish tank community.

Fish Tank Crushed Rock Vacuum Cleaner An essential tool for normal fish tank upkeep is the fish tank crushed rock vacuum. This tool is particularly created to assist in the elimination of waste, debris, and uneaten food that accumulate at the end of aquarium, which can result in damaging pollutants.

The crushed rock vacuum operates by sucking up these products from the surface area of the crushed rock, transporting them through a tube, and transferring them right into a collection vessel such as a bucket. By utilising a crushed rock vacuum cleaner, water top quality is properly maintained, fish health and wellness is promoted, and the life-span of the storage tank ecosystem is prolonged.

Algae Scrape An algae scraper is an important instrument for fish tank maintenance, specially crafted to eliminate algae accumulation from the glass surfaces of your storage tank. Its main function is to assure unblocked presence and maintain the visual beauty of your fish tank. Via reliable algae removal, this tool aids in preventing water high quality problems and cultivating a thriving environment for your water locals.

Fish Internet A fish net is a vital instrument for maintaining a fish tank, employed to catch and transfer fish while performing jobs like modifying water or reorganizing designs. It aids in lowering tension on the fish and helps with the handling process for the aquarium caretaker.

Water Conditioner A water conditioner is a product that is utilised to guarantee the safety of fish and various other marine pet dogs in fish tanks. Its function is to counteract the presence of unsafe substances frequently discovered in tap water, including chlorine and chloramine. In addition, water conditioner properly removes heavy metals and detoxifies ammonia, which can be damaging to fish when present in extreme quantities.

In addition, specific water conditioners likewise incorporate beneficial microorganisms that help in establishing and maintaining a well-balanced biological environment within the fish tank. The exercise of water conditioners is an important procedure in preparing the fish tank for the introduction of brand-new fish or for regular maintenance purposes.

Advanced Fish Tank Cleaning Tools for Specific Tasks Advanced container cleansing tools offer flexible sizes, ergonomic takes care of, and interchangeable heads for comfort and adaptability. Devices are made from durable products secure for fish tanks, these devices endure routine usage without injury to container citizens.

Some fish tank cleaning tools also include water testing kits, temperature level determines, and water adjustment systems to check and maintain aquarium health and wellness. By purchasing these tools, fish tank proprietors can save time and effort while guaranteeing a tidy and healthy and balanced environment for their fish to flourish.

Aquarium Scrubber Pad A fish tank scrubber pad is a specialised cleansing device that successfully gets rid of algae and dirt from the surface areas within your fish tank. Its purpose is to guarantee a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing environment for your fish, as it carefully rubs away pollutants without creating any kind of damage to the glass or acrylic.

Magnetic Algae Cleanser A magnetic algae remover is a sophisticated cleansing gadget particularly engineered to remove algae build-up from the glass walls of an aquarium. This device consists of a rubbing pad located on the inside of the container and a magnet outside. By placing the magnet on the exterior of the tank, the rubbing pad on the inside can be managed and moved to properly eradicate algae.

The magnetic pressure makes it possible for effortless manoeuvring, guaranteeing thorough cleaning of the glass. This type of cleaner is particularly advantageous for taking on hard-to-reach areas and minimising interruption to the container's residents. With the help of a magnetic algae cleaner, keeping an immaculate and transparent fish tank comes to be a hassle-free and straightforward task.

Syphon Tube A syphon tube is necessary for simple aquarium maintenance, preventing unsafe substances from developing and guaranteeing a tidy and healthy atmosphere for fish. Regular use of a syphon hose aids keep correct water parameters and produces a thriving fish tank for aquatic family pets. A syphon tube is a vital device for maintaining a beautiful and healthy fish tank.

Aquascaping Devices Aquascaping tools are vital for designing and maintaining the format of your fish tank. They include scissors, tweezers, and leaners to trim plants, reposition decors, and produce visually appealing undersea landscapes. These tools help in achieving the preferred aesthetic and promoting a healthy setting for aquatic life.

DIY Cleansing Solutions DIY cleansing solutions existing affordable choices for upkeeping an immaculate fish tank. Normally, they consist of vinegar-based treatments to eliminate algae and homemade cleansers for total storage tank upkeep. These remedies not just offer eco-friendly choices but also enable aquarists to create them easily at home, making sure ease and serenity.

Vinegar Solution for Algae Elimination The Vinegar Remedy for algae elimination is a hassle-free and efficient diy remedy especially developed to eliminate algae accumulation on the walls of your aquarium. This solution is very easy to prepare, needing just white vinegar, a spray bottle, and a scrub brush.

The acidic residential properties of vinegar efficiently dissolve the bonds in between the algae and the glass, streamlining the cleaning procedure. Not just is this solution cost-effective, but it is also environmentally friendly, working as a terrific alternate to commercially readily available cleansers.

Homemade Fish Tank Cleanser Homemade cleaner for aquarium cleaning tools is a homemade cleaning remedy made to effectively remove particles and fish waste from the substratum of a fish tank. This solution is made by integrating salt, cooking soda, and water, which is then related to the fish tank substratum and permitted to opt for a brief period.

The salt and cooking soda interact to supply a mild unpleasant impact, assisting in the elimination of particles. Consequently, the substratum is meticulously rinsed with water to make sure the total removal of any kind of continuing to be particles. Homemade fish tank cleaner works as a cost-efficient and eco-friendly substitute for conventional cleaning products.

Best Practices for Cleaning It is vital to maintain the cleanliness of your aquarium to guarantee the wellness of the fish and various other water microorganisms. One of the most efficient method to achieve this is with regular upkeep, which includes eliminating any type of particles, changing the water, keeping track of the water problems, and protecting against the build-up of algae. Furthermore, it is very important to select natural and non-toxic cleaning services while avoiding making use of chemical-based cleaners.

Step-by-Step Guide to Cleansing Your Aquarium A specific method and a detailed set of directions are needed for effectively cleaning up the container with fish tank cleaning tools. This process involves separating and eliminating all electronic devices, clearing the water, rubbing the substratum, getting rid of algae accumulation, monitoring the water conditions, and replenishing the container with fresh, treated water. By following this guide, the wellness and safety and security of the fish and the entire aquarium ecological community are ensured.

Regularity of Cleaning Tasks The frequency at which cleaning tasks are executed is determined by the dimension of the storage tank, the number of fish, and the kind of filtering systems employed. It is suggested to abide by particular guidelines to make certain a healthy and clear fish tank ecosystem.

These include replacing a minimum of 25% of the tank water every two weeks, cleaning the substrate on a weekly basis, and keeping track of the levels of pH, ammonia and nitrate on a regular monthly basis. By frequently executing these cleansing tasks, the fish tank ecological community can be efficiently preserved.

Tips for Keeping a Healthy And Balanced Tank Ecosystem It is important to monitor the water chemistry, ensure appropriate purification, feed the appropriate amount and type of food, and avoid congestion in order to develop and sustain a flourishing container environment.

In addition, normal cleansing of the aquarium devices, maintaining the suitable water temperature, and performing regular water modifications are critical. By sticking to these standards, one can successfully grow and preserve a healthy tank environment, which in turn boosts the well-being and vigour of the fish.

Troubleshooting Typical Issues When preserving an aquarium, it is typical to come across various problems. Dealing with these problems involves immediately determining and resolving them. Troubles like fluctuating water criteria, fish health concerns, or equipment malfunctions necessitate an extensive investigation and suitable rehabilitative procedures.

By closely keeping an eye on fish behaviors, performing water tests, and guaranteeing proper equipment operation, one can efficiently repair and deal with these troubles, hence making certain a thriving and healthy and balanced aquarium atmosphere.

Cloudy Water Gloomy water in aquariums is a constant problem that can be credited to a range of variables. It might come from extreme feeding, below average filtering, seldom water changes, or a discrepancy in the nitrogen cycle. To battle over cast water, it is necessary to determine and solve the source.

This could entail modifying feeding regimens, improving filtering systems, carrying out partial water adjustments, and validating the efficiency of the biological filter. Constant maintenance and adherence to appropriate water high quality procedures are key in avoiding cloudy water.

Too Much Algae Growth Too much development of algae in an aquarium can be both unattractive and destructive to the health of fish and plants. There are numerous variables that contribute to this problem, such as too much exposure to light, an inequality of nutrients, insufficient water activity, or overfeeding.

To deal with the problem of too much algae development, it is important to establish suitable lighting timetables, maintain nutrient levels by consistently changing the water and adopting proper feeding techniques, guarantee sufficient water flow, and consider introducing algae-consuming fish or live plants to compete with algae for nutrients. By efficiently managing these factors, one can successfully manage algae development and maintain a visually pleasing fish tank.

Devices Malfunctions The stability of the aquarium setting can be endangered by malfunctioning tools, such as filters, heating systems, or air pumps. To avoid possible breakdowns, it is necessary to on a regular basis preserve and monitor the tools. In the event of a tools malfunction, it is crucial to immediately determine the concern and take restorative activity.

This may include cleansing or replacing clogged filters, repairing or replacing damaged heating units or air pumps, or looking for professional assistance if required. By performing normal equipment checks and timely maintenance, disruptions can be avoided, and the aquarium system can operate efficiently.

Conclusion To maintain a healthy and balanced aquarium, discover just how to clean up the aquarium cleaning tools correctly, comply with advised techniques, utilize a comprehensive handbook, and stay with a routine timetable. By implementing approaches for a sustainable environment, you can guarantee lasting prosperity in aquarium upkeep and fish welfare.

[shaakyhaands]

Wizard School But it’s Not Shit

Disclaimer: 1. This idea is half baked and unfinished, 2. This is not an @ at codvn (I thought y’all might appreciate this idea), but more so at Harry Potter.

Honestly, I was just thinking about how if I were to write a magical school, what would I do differently from HP? How would I break it down, etc. This is what I have, so far.

Let me know what you think!!

The schools:

The school of thermal manipulation— “thermanipulation”, if you will. Fire magic, ice magic, is magic operating along the shared axis of thermodynamics. The difference is in the direction of the user’s approach. Students are often colloquially referred to as “thermaturges”.

a school for the transmutation of matter— taking matter and/or energy in one form and turning it into something else. This can look like turning water into wine, or using an auxiliary energy source to create matter out of apparently nothing.

Nature (populated heavily by those of druids and fae and environmental scientist origin)

Psychology (gaslight gatekeep girlboss, this school is all about magic focusing on inducing mental effects. lots of business majors here)

The school of artifacts and crafting— using and making magical items and tools! Knowing how to handle them, how to imbue mundane objects with magical properties, being mad scientists, etc.

The school of Cunt and Serving (performance based magic. Bards. Arts. Singing, dancing, and a lot of degeneracy)

The school of metaphysical dimension manipulation (MDM)— time travel, portals, pocket dimensions, alternate universes, shit along those lines. Students are sometimes referred to as “singularities” by their peers from other schools, mostly as joke.

The school of medical magic— clerics and shit. Mostly to help keep people alive when they get up to fuck shit in other schools.

The school of battle ready magics— DPS, tanks, paladins, and the like. This school was made for students coming from races/backgrounds that are often associated with being built like brickshit houses, and would like to use that to their advantage. You want to brawl? Are you a former pirate, criminal, or soldier? Are you part orc, ogre, or Dragonborn? Did you roll a nat 20 on strength? If magic fails you, is your backup to just beat the shit out of your opp physically? This is the school for you.

Electives exist! And are to some extent mandatory, depending on areas of study. Because one of my beefs with how HP was set up was— when do they learn MATH??? I don’t care if they’re wizards, they still need to know how to fuck around with numbers to buy bread and make a monthly budget. So, if someone is studying something where it makes sense for them to need a non magical skill, chances are their coursework includes some classes that focus on those said skills. An example: those pursing artifact smithing will have to take some math courses.

As such, there are magical electives, and ALSO mundane electives.

Students will often have to take electives for rooted in other schools— all students have to take at least one introductory course in thermanip, for example. They will also have a minimum number of elective classes. These are classes they have to take, in the spirit of being “well rounded” and having a comprehensive education. The specific classes they choose are mostly up to the student’s discretion.

Some elective examples are: business 101, animal handling, coffin building, dimensionality 101, calculus I - III, makeup and costuming, defense against the dark arts, potions and poisons, Mixed martial arts, wine tasting, etc.

[bratshaws]

goodness gracious 1. brb x oc

THIS FIC IS 18+ ONLY! MINORS PLS DNI!

a/n: * pulls up megaphone * Rooster was raised right by his mom and doesn't care about body types. The lack of plus size fics made me upset so I literally returned to Tumblr to create this blog and write this. This is the first time I'm writing for this fandom so... I HO PE YOU GUYS LIKE IT??? its been centuries SINCE I WROTE aNYTHING ( also god im not creative with titles, please forgive me )

check out the fic's playlist made by the sweet @wiipes !!

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

c:

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/

25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41/42/43/44

45/46/47/48/49/50/51/52/53/54/55/56/57/58/59/60/61/62/63/64

65/66/67/68/69/70/71/72/73/74/75/76/77/78/79/80/81/82/83/84

85/86/87/88/89/90/91/92/93/94/95/96/97/98/99/100/101/102

warnings: mentions of bullying, self doubt, aNGST, mutual pining, Rooster being a sweetheart.

“Hello!” Beatrice calls once she enters Hard Deck by the employee’s entrance, popping out her airpods to slide them inside her bag shoulder, “I’m not late, am I?” she calls to Penny who’s currently fixing the tables ahead of her.

“No, you are just on time!” she calls, her voice a bit muffled since Bea put her bag inside the little closet area for employees. She checked her appearance before going out on the mirror hanging on the wooden wall, pulling her dark brown hair up in a bun and fixing her Led Zeppelin shirt, wiping the dust off her jeans before finally walking out. Once she gets out, Penny is turning the lights on in the back area of the bar that leads to the beach. 

Meanwhile Beatrice grabs one of the bags of ice, carrying it to the ice machine behind the bar, plopping the cold cubes down the container, crumpling the plastic bag once it was empty to toss in the recycler. “I’m here, babes!” a voice calls, then a blonde head of hair shows up, “Hope you two didn’t do everything with me gone!”

“Just waiting for your presence,Michelle!” Penny calls, looking over her shoulder to press a kiss to her niece’s cheek, when she hugs her “Hi, honey, Bea is already here.”

“Bumblebea!” Bea smiles when the blonde comes over to the employees closet as well, removing her denim jacket to expose the low cut red tank top and jeans. “Need help?” Bea nods, pointing to the other bags of ice in the corner, “Friday night, tonight will be a long night huh?”

“Sure will.” Bea noted, the two of them dumping the rest of the ice “How was your date though? With the policeman?” the brunette asked, chuckling when the blonde girl rolled her eyes with a sigh.

“I swear, police officers are the clingiest guys.” Shells said, grabbing the empty bags from Bea’s hand to shove down the recycler, “He didn’t want to leave! I kept saying, ‘hey i gotta go to work,’ and he asked where I worked and I told him he didn’t need to worry about that.”

 The two of them then marched to the storage room area where Shells grabbed a box of handkerchiefs. “Then he said ‘oh it’s not a problem, I can take you’ and–and! Then he said ‘I like you a lot.’ Like!! We’ve only hooked up twice!...” she shakes her head, “I just told him it’d be better if we didn’t contact each other anymore and it was fun while it lasted.”

“He accepted that?”

“Course not, called me a bitch all the way out, I think I saw tears in his eyes before he left.” Shells shrugs, waiting on Bea to grab the recycled straws from the upper shelf, then turns off the light once her friend walks out “I swear, I’ll give up on Tinder like you did. It’s insane!”

Bea chuckles, opening the bag of straws to put them inside a glass, “I mean, you know my sister found her husband on Tinder.”

“Um, yeah, but he’s a handsome doctor from London with the body of a god and deep bronze skin. He’s like a beautiful statue!”

“I shouldn’t have never shown you their wedding picture.” Bea laughs, shaking her head with amusement. “and to think I just wanted to show you how pretty the location was.” the two of them looked at the clock, seeing they had little time before the bar opened for the public, so they had to finish everything up quickly.

Once they did and the bar opened, it exploded with people, the voices getting louder the more people entered. Music floated on the air, much to Bea’s delight as she hummed to herself with the songs. 

To think, just a few months ago she was looking for a job to help her with the bills and if it wasn’t for Shells and Penny, she’d never get it.

Beatrice is from a tight, traditional Italian family. While they are progressive in certain areas, most of her family doesn’t think women…should do much. If they have a job it should be a useful job, like banking or something like that, not Liberal arts. Which was what she always wanted to do, being a creative person since she was a child, she just wanted to work with what she liked.

But being the youngest of six siblings, the literal baby that had to stay home while her older siblings went out to live their lives out of state or even out of the country she had very little control in certain choices. Maybe it was the empty nest syndrome, with all her siblings gone from the house, her parents only had herself to… take care of in a way. It took years for her to actually go to her choice in college,juggling between work and long study hours, choosing to leave her job once she had enough money saved up to help herself once she got her place.

During college was when she met Michelle, or Shells, who took her to the Hard Deck a few times. It was distant from her job and her parents’ house and Beatrice loved it. She loved the atmosphere, she felt welcome by Penny and even if this was a Naval bar she didn’t feel like she was intruding in some way.

When Shells mentioned they needed one more person at the bar, Bea said yes immediately. Her parents weren’t happy with her choice, but they couldn’t stop her, especially since her own siblings supported it. So now she was here, working, happy, focusing on how she’d continue her career as an artist.

The bell rang, drinks were served, people were dancing. It was a nice night so far. Bea was washing one of the glasses when she heard a cacophony of voices that she heard a few times and her body heats up. She couldn’t help but just stare at him, he stood out of his group like a beautiful floral patterned thumb. With her eyes following him until they all sat down on their usual spot, Bea couldn’t help but bite her lower lip, feeling her cheeks warm up even more when he laughed at something.

“Ohhhhh, cock-a-doodle-doo huh?” Shells’ teasing voice snapped her out of her staring, Bea’s green eyes wide as saucers, seeing her friend’s teasing grin, “How long until you finally make a move?”

“I…I don’t know what you mean.” she continued washing the same glass, the squeaking sound of the sponge rubbing against it giving her some of a distraction.

“Bea, please,” Shells took the glass from her hand, then tilted her head, “You look at that man like he hangs up the moon every time he comes by.” but her friend then turned to the opposite side, focusing on checking the liquor bottles. Shells sighed, coming to her friend’s side and crossing her arms, the brunette trying too hard to keep her eyes on the label.

“This is a 1975, right?”

“Bea.”

“I can’t really see, the label is a bit faded–” the bottle disappears from her hand, Beatrice snapping her gaze to Shells, who holds the liquor under her crossed arms, her eyebrows going up to her hairline. Beatrice sighs defeatedly, “I…I don’t know what you want me to say.” she shrugs “He’s so…” she groans, covering her face with her hands, “He’s so…so hot,Shells. and he sings! and-and he’s funny and…he’s everything I’ve always wanted in a guy.”

“One more reason to go to him.” Shells whispers, “He’s single and handsome. You are single and gorgeous.” the blonde held her fingers up in a V position, before joining the two with a kissing sound, “Perfect match.”

Bea frowned, “It’s not that simple.” she murmured “I…I mean…look at me Shells.” she spread her arms to emphasize. But her friend just frowned, “Oh come on, like…look at me I’m not the type of girl who gets guys like that.”

She was a curvy gal, always had been. Normally, she wouldn’t mind it, but when it comes to guys, more especially when it comes to Rooster she just lost a good amount of confidence. He was literally adonis personified, just the most beautiful man she had ever seen. and she felt less than pretty when she remembered the type of girls that surrounded him or worked with him. 

“You know that’s not true.” Shells said with her voice low, a kind smile on her face, “You have as much chance as any girl out there.” Bea however scoffed, “You gotta believe in yourself Bea. You are gorgeous, any guy would be lucky to have you.”

The brunette’s eyes stung with unshed tears, the same eyes she clenched shut in hopes to hold them in. Memories of past relationships flooding her brain, bringing memories she wished to forget “Can we not talk about this anymore?” Shells is about to say something else but a customer calls for a refill, which Bea thanks every powerful being for, slapping on a smiling mask, “Coming right up!”

Shells only watches her friend go to the opposite side to serve one of the guys there, laughing when he says something to her - clearly drunk -  before walking away. Shells’ stare broke when she heard the bell ring, turning on to face the person. 

She immediately smiled wider, “Hi Bob.”

She likes Bob, she thought he not only was sweet he was also so smart. He knew he had a hard time with the group, especially Jake, but he was getting there. She leaned on her elbows, giving him a sweet smile, “What can I get you?”

The way his cheeks flushed and his eyes tried to look anywhere but the cleavage she put on display was so cute, “Oh, uh, just more beer?”

“Sure! Should I put it in your tab?”

“Yes,please.”

Shells went to the fridge to grab the beers, then paused, sending a look to where Beatrice was currently talking to two female customers. She then looked over her shoulder to Bob, who smiled at her, then past Bob to where his group was…a devilish thought showed up in her brain, “Why don’t you wait with the others? I’ll bring it to you.” 

“Oh, okay! I’ll be there then.”

With the beers on top of a tray, she sent one last look to her friend who was still busy, then sped her step maneuvering through the crowd until she reached them. “There you go, more fuel for the pilots.” she teased, making them laugh while switching the empty bottles with the full ones, throwing some quick looks to her brunette friend, “So,” she rested the empty tray on her hip, “What else can I get you?”

“Your number would be nice, sweetheart.” Jake was quick to say, sending her a wink with the bottle to his lips.

Shells chuckled, “I meant something achievable,Hangman.”

“I think we are all fine.” Phoenix says, “Thanks Shells.”

“Hey, not a problem. Oh, just letting you guys know, I’ll go on a break in a few minutes so if you guys need anything else, you can ask Bea.” She kept an eye on everyone, but especially Rooster. The way his eyes just snapped to her friend made her insides flip in triumph, the little smirk on her face hidden by her biting the inside her cheek, “She’ll gladly serve you.”

Rooster’s eyes finally left the brunette at the bar counter, meeting Shell’s knowing blue gaze only to clear his throat and look away again, “Well” she drawled, walking backwards, sending them a salute, “Enjoy the night!”

The moment Shells approached the bar, she ran to her aunt, whispering something in her ear. Both Penny and Shells looked in Beatrice’s direction, who was leaning down to pick something behind the bar, unaware of the scheming happening behind her back.

Once the time came for Shells to have her break, Penny kept an eye on Beatrice. It took just a few seconds for a known pilot to approach the bar, the bell rang and Beatrice turned around with a wide smile, a smile that faltered for a quick second before returning - albeit a lot milder than before - “Hi!” her voice was higher, so she cleared her throat, “Um,hi.”

“Hey.” Rooster replied, leaning his elbows over the counter, which made Bea suck in a hard breath once she saw the curve of his pecs underneath the white tank top, “Can you believe I came here to get more beer? Just three this time though.”

She couldn’t help but huff out a chuckle, covering her mouth with her hands then “Well, it is a bar.” she adds, “I would be surprised if you came here for groceries.”

When he laughed at her joke she almost felt like fainting, biting her lower lip hard with her head dipped, “I-I’ll go get it.” practically power walking towards the freezer where she stood for a few minutes, letting the cool air hit her cheeks as she tried to calm herself. She shook her head for a quick moment, grabbing the beers between her fingers and turning back around, almost letting out a yelp of surprise to see he was still looking at her “There you go.”

“Thanks.” but he didn’t leave, pointing his index finger at her “Bea, right?” she nods with a small smile, “It’s weird, I’ve seen you for a while and never got your name.”

Maybe because she chickened out every time he seemed to want something, ending up telling Shells to do it, “Oh, well,” she only gave him a weak shrug, then felt like her arms were too exposed, quickly lacing her hands behind her back to hide them the best she could, “I haven’t been here long.”

He hummed, a tiny smile on his face, “I’m Rooster.”

“I know,” she blinks when his eyebrows raise in amusement, “I-I mean, I heard Penny and Shells talking about you and heard your name being called around.” her face was so warm she felt like she was boiling. She hoped the light above her head hid her blush from his view. “I…is there anything else I can get you?”

“I don’t think so, no.” he looks back at his friends, seeing they are still chatting amongst each other. Then his eyes travel to the splotches of ink on her upper arms, the parts that weren’t hidden behind her. However before he could ask her about them, she snaps her head ahead when she sees someone on the table lifting their glass.

‘Sorry I–” she moves her own finger over his shoulder, “I gotta go get this.”

“Oh, oh no no, yeah, go ahead.” he smiled and her knees almost buckled just like that, “I’ll go back then.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

They stood there for a bit longer, until Rooster shook his head, picking the beers with one of his hands “I’l see you around then,Bea.” he smiles then turns on his heel back to the other pilots. Bea just stood there, face flaming and eyes wide, then she cleared her throat walking out from behind the bar to the table.

Penny, who watched the entire ordeal, just smiled, sending Shells a quick text once no one was looking:

“It’s on.”

[marvelwoman-sugarbaby]

Poor Baby Hope

CEO!Wandanat x Assistant!Mom!Fem!Reader

BestFriend!MariaHill x Reader

A/N: It’s finally posted!!! Yay 😁 Thank you to all of you for wait patiently. I’m sorry it has taken so long and I will try to write and post whenever I can 🫣

Something Amazing Masterlist

Words: 3233

Genre: Fluff and a little Hurt/Comfort

Warning: Sick People, Cuss Word?

Summary: After a month of dating, on your fifth date, including the family date, Hope gets sick and you decide to stay home with her. Natasha and Wanda understand and decide to make a surprise visit and help.

Y/N POV

When I got up and changed, I made my way to Hope’s room. When I got there, I got all her things together to make it easier to get ready for daycare. As I make my way over to Hope’s bed, I can tell some things off. Her face is scrunched up in discomfort and curled up in the fetal position. I put my hand on her forehead and realized she was burning up.

I took her blanket off and turned on the A.C. Next, I changed her into more breathable clothing, a tank top, and shorts. Then, I go to the kitchen to get the thermometer. When I get back to Hope and check her temperature, it’s 101. I place the water on her bedside table and go back to the kitchen.

I start to make soup for Hope, and as I’m preparing the ingredients, I get on the phone to call Hope’s daycare. I start by shaving the carrots' skin and setting the oven to 350. “Hello, this is ‘Happy Trails Daycare’, and you are speaking with Sophie. How may I help you?” I get out a knife and cutting board, placing the shaved carrots on the board, I start cutting them into bite-sized pieces. “Hi, this is Y/N Y/L/N. I’m calling about Hope Y/L/N. She’s come down with a fever, so she won’t be coming to daycare today.”

I move on to cutting the celery, onion, and garlic. “Oh really. The poor thing. Well, I hope she gets better soon. Goodbye.” “Goodbye.” When I hang up, the next person I call is Natasha and Wanda. As the phone is ringing, I prepare the chicken. “Detka, is everything okay?” I put the chicken in the oven and set a timer for 45 minutes, then continued cutting the garlic. “No, I’m sorry, Nat, I can’t come to work today. Is that okay?”

I bring out a pot, drizzle a little olive oil inside, and wait for it to heat up a little before putting in the carrots, celery, and onions inside as well. “Yeah, that’s fine. Can we ask why?” Wanda sounded a little worried. “It’s fine. It’s just that Hope is sick. Her temperature is at 101.” “Oh, is there anything we can do to help?”

My heart flutters at the fact that they sound genuinely worried about Hope. They even want to help. “As much as I’d love the help, both of you have work. So I will take care of Hope, and the two of you don’t have to worry about it.” The vegetables are now soft, so I add the garlic. “Are you sure you don’t want any help?” “No, I don’t need any help. I got it all taken care of. I’m going to hang up now, so both of you get back to work.” I say in my ‘mom voice’. I hear Wanda and Natasha let out a chuckle on the other side of the phone, bringing a small smile to my face.

When I hang up, I take the chicken out of the oven since the timer went off. I added the chicken broth as well as the spices to the pot. I put the fire on low, so it only keeps everything inside warm. Then, I shred the chicken and put it off to the side, covering the chicken and the soup with a lid.

I go upstairs to wake up Hope. When she wakes up, her eyes are watering, showing she’s close to crying. She instantly puts herself in my arms. Whenever she’s sick, she becomes clingy, so it doesn’t come as a surprise. I take her to the bath and start the water, making it warm but keeping it on the colder side. While I wait for the water to fill up, I get her another change of clothes. It’s a long flowing pink dress that’s soft to the touch.

I help her clean her soap up and even do her hair. When she’s out, I help her brush her teeth and hair. Then, I go back downstairs with Hope on my hip and her face tucked into my neck. I turn the fire for the pot up to medium and wait for it to come to a gentle boil. Once it comes to its boil, I add the egg noodles. I then go to the medicine cabinet to get Hope medicine, but the doorbell rings, and Hope lets out a whine since the doorbell is making her headache worse.

On my way to the door, they keep ringing the doorbell, and since it’s hurting Hope, I start to get mad. “I’m coming. Calm down.” When I get to the door, they ring again as I open the door, a bit agitated, I say. “I have a sick child, and your ringing the-” I pause when I see Natasha and Wanda, and my agitation subsides.

I was thoroughly confused since I could have sworn I told them they should stay at work. I raised an eyebrow and moved my arm that wasn’t holding Hope to rest on my hip. “Sorry, we didn’t know Hope’s head was hurting. If we did, we would’ve just knocked.” “I know, Wanda. I’m just trying to figure out what the two of you are doing here.” Hope took a little peek out of my neck to see Natasha and Wanda’s faces. They both gave her a little smile. “We asked if you wanted help.” Natasha shifted her attention from Hope to me. “And I told you I don’t need help.”

Wanda came closer and stroked Hope's head to give her some relief. It obviously was working since she was leaning into her hand. “Exactly, you said need. But we asked you if you wanted help.” Natasha said, putting emphasis on the words need and wanted.

I gave in and stepped to the side, letting them inside. We all went into the kitchen, where I tried to get back to cooking. Keyword tried, but Wanda was pretty adamant that she would do it while I held Hope. I’m not really used to all this help. I mean, I know I have Maria, but she’s too busy doing things to help most of the time. Leaving me to do everything by myself with Hope clinging to my side. So having someone try to lighten my load feels foreign, let alone two. Reluctantly I let Wanda finish making the soup.

I get out the medicine, and as soon as Hope sees it, she starts to whine. “No, mommy. I don’t want it.” She starts squirming, so I put her down and crouch to her level. “I know, it tastes nasty, but it will make you feel all better.” I get out a cup and apple juice from the fridge to fill the cup with. I turn around to face Hope. “How about right after you drink the yucky medicine, you can drink the juice. Then you won’t even know you drank the medicine.”

Hope asks to be picked up, so I place her on the counter. I give her the medicine and hold onto the juice waiting for her to take her medicine. When she drinks it, her face scrunches in disgust and immediately goes for the juice. She chugged it all down like she hadn’t had anything to drink in days. “I can still taste it, mommy, and it’s yucky.” I let out a little chuckle and picked up Hope with the cup in her hands. “How about you drink some water?” I take Hope’s cup from her and put it in the sink.

“But can I just have more juice?” I give her a laugh. “That’s cute but know I think you’ve had enough juice for a sick girl.” I kiss her on the forehead and make a cup of water, and she drinks most of it. “All better, little love?” She nods and hides her head in my neck again. Before the rest of her water can spill, I take it from her hands and place it on the counter.

“The soups done.” Wanda says in a quiet voice so as to not hurt Hope’s head any more than she already had. I look over at her, and she’s making two bowls. Natasha comes up to me and places her hand on my lower back. “Why don’t I feed Hope while you eat, detka.” I’m about to decline Wanda speaks up. “It wasn’t a request, moya lyubov’.” “But-” As soon as I let that out of my mouth, Wanda’s head tilts to the side, so I know I’m not winning this one.

“Little love.” She looks up at me, looking a little tired and weak, which breaks my heart a little. “Can Natasha feed you while mommy eats?” She just nods and reaches for Natasha. Natasha has a smile on her face that reaches her eyes when Hope reaches for her. I’ve only ever seen that smile when she’s with Wanda and, as of recently me. It truly warms my heart, and I feel my heart skip a beat.

Natasha takes Hope’s bowl from Wanda and goes to the table, where Natasha lets Hope sit on her lap. When I go to reach for my bowl, I remember that they need to eat as well. “What’s the matter, moya lyubov’?” “What are you and Natasha going to eat?” She gives me a smile and a kiss on the head. “We already ate before you called. It’s okay. You can eat.” Satisfied, I take the bowl and a seat next to Natasha. Wanda follows me and takes the other seat next to mine.

---------------

When Hope and I finish eating, I take our bowls to the sink while Natasha takes Hope to the living room. When I get to the living, the first thing I see is Hope cuddled into Natasha’s chest and Natasha stroking her head. Wanda comes up from behind and puts her arms around my waist and her head on my shoulder.

“She’s always loved children and wanted one. But we never could.” I turned my head to Wanda, looking toward Natasha and Hope with a sad expression, and her eyes were watering a little.

I turned in her hold and cupped her face having her face me. “What happened?” She had a fond smile on her face. “Natasha was told that she could never have a child. So we decided I would carry them.” A tear rolled down her face as I could feel my eyes start to water. “We had twins. Billy and Tommy.” Her fond smile turned into a sad frown. “But they had defects that could be helped, and eventually, they both succumbed to them.”

The tears were now coming out of Wanda’s eyes like a waterfall. I wiped away the ones I could, and eventually, she stopped. When she looked into my eyes, she looked so broken, and I didn’t know what to do. So I grabbed the back of her neck with both my hands and kissed her. Wanda brought me in closer by my waist. I felt her lips form a small smile. When I pulled away, she still looked sad, but she looked happier.

Wanda took one of my hands from behind her neck and brought the back of it up to her lips and gave it a peck. We went up to Hope and Natasha hand in hand. “Hey, Hope, how do you feel about watching a movie? Your choice, of course.” Hope took her face out of Natasha’s face and gave Wanda a nod and smile. Hope decided that she wanted to watch an ocean documentary because the animals are pretty. Her words, not mine.

That didn’t stay on too long because the animals were killing other animals, and Hope didn’t like that. So instead, we just watched Clifford (because Hope is an educated child and knows good cartoons.) Hope spent the rest of the day going between the three of us, and when it was nap time, she slept in Wanda’s arms.

---------------

At the end of the day, at Hope's bedtime, I started to lull her to sleep. I walked around with her head on my shoulder. I also rubbed her lower back to soothe her. Hope fell asleep after only a half-hour, it would have taken a shorter time, but since she was sick, it didn’t help.

After I tucked her into bed, I went to my room where Natasha and Wanda were. They are in some of my pajamas, sitting against the headboard with space between them. When I go onto the bed, I place my head on Natasha’s lap and my feet on Wanda’s.

Natasha stroked my head gently while smiling down at me. “Hi, detka.” I gave Natasha a hum of acknowledgment. Wanda started massaging my feet, and I let out a groan of relief. “Moya lyubov’?” “Yes.” I turn my face, so I can look at Wanda.

“Will you be our girlfriend?” I give them a smile that reaches my ears. “My goodness, Wanda. I knew you were brave, but I thought you’d have Natasha ask.” Wanda gave me a light slap on the leg, and we all laughed.

“So, is that a yes or a no.” I sit up, grab Natasha by the neck, and kiss her. When I pull back, her eyes are still closed. ”So is that a yes.” I laugh and hit Natasha’s shoulder, then I kiss Wanda.

“Yes, that’s a yes.”

When we go to sleep, Natasha is hugging me from behind, and I face Wanda’s direction and lay my head on her chest. In the morning, when we woke up, Hope was feeling like herself again.

But as happy as I am that Hope is all better, that didn’t last long.

Third Person POV

Hope had just gotten up and was feeling much better than she was the day before, so she ran to her mom's room. When she got inside, Y/N was in the middle of the bed with Wanda and Natasha on either side of her. Hope jumped onto the bed, crawling onto Wanda to get to Y/N. Safe to say, that woke Wanda up pretty quickly. Hope started to bounce on Y/N, effectively waking her and Natasha up as well.

“Mommy, mommy, you have to get up. I have to go to daycare. Y/N let out a groan, and when she did, she felt something coming up from her stomach. As fast as she could, she moved Hope off of her, jumped over Wanda, and made a b-line for the bathroom. When she got there, she started throwing up into the toilet.

Hope came in after Y/N and sat next to her. “Do you want me to call Aunty? I would ask the other two, but they don’t look any better than you.” Hope was on her knees with her hand in her lap. Wanda came in right after Hope had said that. Y/N looked like Wanda was about to seconds from falling face-first onto the floor. Y/N shifted her sight from Wanda to Hope.

“Little love, why don’t you call Aunty and tell her you’re going to be staying with her until mommy’s all better.” Hope got excited and shouted okay a little too loud, causing the newly sick people to flinch. Hope followed by saying sorry in a much softer voice and ran off.

Y/N went into the room and crashed on the bed. “You look like crap.” Y/N lifted her face from the bed to look at Natasha. “Haha. Well, you’re not looking any better, hot stuff.” Y/N groaned again and hid her face in the bed.

As all the adults were having a terrible time with their fever, Hope was in her room calling Maria with Y/N’s phone. “Sup asshole, whatcha calling for?” Hope was very confused as to what that word meant, so she asked. “Aunty, what’s an asshole?”

On the other end of the line, Maria’s eyes went wide. “Hope! What are you doing with your mom's phone?” “Mommy and the other girls here are sick, so she said to call you. I need you to take me to daycare.”

Maria waited for her heartbeat to slow down before she responded. That’s when she realized Hope said ‘other girls’. That meant that Wanda and Natasha were there. And Maria being Maria, assumed that something 18+ happened. So with a smile on her face, she said. “Okay, I’ll be right over.”

When Maria hung up, Hope ran to Y/N’s room and jumped onto the bed. “Aunty Maria said she’s on her way, mommy.” Y/N gave her hum and stroked her head.

---------------

When Maria got there, she let herself in and went straight to Y/N’s room. Maria leaned against the open door with a smirk. Natasha was lying down with her arm covering her eyes. Y/N had her feet tangled with Natasha’s and her hands covering her face. And Wanda was in the bathroom hunched over the toilet.

“Wow, the three of you look like crap.” Maria laughed but refused to enter the room with the sick people. Y/N just sticks her hand up and to give her the middle finger. Natasha and Wanda feel too much like crap to care that someone they barely know is seeing them at their weakest.

Hope came out of the bathroom where she tried helping Wanda by rubbing her back, saying, ‘mommy rubs my back when I get sick. Hope ran into Maria’s arms, and Maria lifted her up. “Hey there, pretty girl. How are you?”

“I’m okay, but mommy and her friends aren’t.” Hope tilted her head with doe eyes. “Yeah, well, with all the se-“ Maria looked at Hope in the eyes, and Hope looked at her confused. “Fun adult stuff they were no doubt doing if one of them were sick, it would make sense that all of them are now.”

“What fun adult stuff?” Hope brows were furrowed, looking between her mom and Maria. “Maria, we didn't do anything like that. Hope was sick, and they came over to help.” With a huff, Hope crossed her arms and made a pouting face. Then a face of remembrance crossed her face. “Mommy, what’s an asshole?” Y/N shot up and looked at her daughter. Maria's eyes went wide, but Y/N assumed it was because she was surprised. “Hope, where did you hear that word?”

“Aunty Maria. When I called you, she said, ‘Sup asshole’” Maria covers Hope's mouth to try to get her to stay quiet. Y/N gave Maria a death glare. “MARIA HILL, I SWEAR!” Maria started to run downstairs.

”MARIA HILL! DAMN YOU, AT LEAST DON’T FORGET HOPE’S BAG!” Maria got Hope's bag and left as fast as she could. She could deal with Y/N rath some other time.

Natasha was trying hard not to laugh, but eventually, she couldn’t hold it. Y/N gave Natasha a death glare. Wanda came out from the bathroom and put her hands on her shoulder. “Why don’t we all take a nap and calm down.”

Y/N took a breath and lay on Wanda’s chest. Y/N decided she’d give Maria a piece of her mind when she was better.

Taglist:

@sweetmissnothing, @anartistsmuseinlondon, @mrswidowjohansson, @ho0ope-maximo0off, @marvelwomen-simp, @natashaswife4125, @xinied,

[tharros-auris-black-asimi]

Warmth

Pairing: Alpha Beefy Bucky x Female Mutant Reader

Summary: Being paired off with Bucky Barnes on a mission was hard enough. Hell, the two of you being a part of Hydra a long time ago was already hard enough. But when the two of you are forced to seek shelter in an Avengers safehouse, it gets even worse.

Because there's only one freaking bed.

Will you survive the night with the grumpy Alpha by your side? Or will you rip your hair out?

Who knows. The nights are unpredictable.

What you do know is, is that Bucky Barnes is too fucking hot for his damn good.

Maybe you just might pull your hair out.

Warnings: Heavy A/B/O dynamics. Mentions of past torture from Hydra for both Bucky and the Reader. This Bucky is sort of a mix between CW!Bucky, (hence the beefy!Bucky), but also TFATWS!Bucky bc I love grumpy old man, sassy Bucky. Some angst/hurt/comfort, because I'm a hoe for angst. No heats/ruts in this lil fic, just good ole rough smut. Some biting and some mild blood too. This sex would be considered unprotected irl, but in the a/b/o verse, I don't think you'd need protection??? Who knows. Italics are for when Bucky and the Reader are talking in Russian. The Reader also has a nightmare, which ties back in with the whole mention of past torture from Hydra. If I missed any other warnings in this, let me know and I'll make sure to add them!

Additional Notes: This was written for @agentofbarnes's writing challenge! Congrats on 7k, Zee! I'm sorry this took so long. I started writing this in July, and let it marinate for far too long. But it's here now. I hope you enjoy!

All writing mistakes in this fic are mine, as usual.

Word Count: 4,602

Hell.

This was absolute pure fucking hell.

As you and the former Winter Soldier, James "Bucky" Barnes himself stared at the front door of one of the safehouses for the Avengers in case of emergencies, you couldn't help make eye contact with him.

Great. This was just great.

No one, not even Clint had told you that it would be snowing in freaking January in rural Ohio, of all places.

Then again, you had faintly remembered doing gymnastics before you had been taken by Hydra with some arrogant Alpha guy named Lance. He had been a real pain in your ass and you remembered you had made him cry once. After you had escaped from Hydra, you had bumped into him again. Funnily enough, he was still just as scared of you as he was all those years ago. Which, you know, was nice.

But what was not nice was the Alpha that was currently looking back at you. James Buchanan Barnes, Bucky, Buck, White Panther, Jesus, Bionic Staring Machine- (the last three nicknames, all given to him by the Alpha Sam Wilson himself), scowled at you. His blue eyes even narrowed at you.

You wouldn't call what you and Bucky had a friendship. You two weren't even enemies. Heck, colleagues? Teammates? That was just putting it lightly, the relationship you had with the Alpha. Even when you had been captured and brainwashed into serving Hydra, the two of you had never crossed paths. It had been only after Hydra had fallen, did the two of you actually meet in person. Other than that, nothing. Nada. Nope. No with a capital N.O.

"Come on, let's go." Bucky all but grumbled. Realizing he didn't have the key to get inside, he looked at you. Like you had the key or something.

"James, I don't have the key." Bucky groaned. "Do you have a bobby pin, Omega? Something?" He asked in Russian. You plucked a bobby pin from your hair. A stray piece of hair fell. Putting the flat side in, you managed to unlock the door. You turned to look at him, giving him a toothy grin.

"Learned that from Pit Pocketing for Dummies, 101."

Bucky rolled his eyes at that. You just sniggered as you opened the door, greeted by cool air smacking against your face.

It made you shiver.

Because, unlike Bucky, you did not have any of that good ole supersoldier serum in your veins.

You were a mutant that could control water. Sometimes, you wished that you had the ability to control fire, because then, at least you could be warm in such dire situations such as these.

Taking your shoes off and putting them at the door, you surveyed the place.

It was a small house. Like a cozy little cottage. Probably only had at least two rooms at the max. It certainly gave off that vibe. There was a fireplace in the living room. A fully furnished kitchen, complete with a little wooden table with benches instead of individual chairs near the window.

Your grip on your bag of clothes became tighter as you realized that you needed to take a shower. Your stomach grumbled, alerting Bucky that you were hungry. Your comms had died. The two of you could contact no one until you charged them.

Which meant for at least tonight, or whenever the snowstorm outside stopped, you only had Bucky Barnes for company.

Well. That certainly would be pleasant.

"Go and shower first. I'll make dinner."

***

After your shower, you walked back into the kitchen, your sweet smell that reminded Bucky of deserts that his Ma used to make for him and his younger sisters back in Brooklyn drifted towards his nose. Thanks to the serum, he had already smelled it a mile away.

Cinamon rolls. Apple turnovers. Apple pies. Pumpkin pies. Bucky felt his Alpha rumble at the smell. Even Winter stirred at the familiar scent he loved so much.

When Bucky had gotten the trigger words wiped away from him due to Princess Shuri's genius, the Winter Soldier hadn't gone away from him. Rather, Winter had become a part of Bucky. Winter had been what Bucky became to survive Hydra. Winter was Bucky, only darker. More possessive. The deepest, darkest thing of him that the Wakandan Elders had helped him find again and reconcile with.

It was during times like this, making dinner in the kitchen that reminded him so much of his time back in Wakanda. Taking care of his farm and his pet goats, (that he sadly couldn't bring back with him when coming back to America), that he missed the most. It was domestic, in a way. He could almost feed into the fantasy, the thought that you were his Omega, his Bondmate, and that he was just making dinner for you.

From an outsider's perspective, it might've looked like Bucky didn't like you. That he just tolerated you. Treated you like how he treated everyone else in his life.

But it was the contrary.

He liked you.

He liked you very, very much. Other than Steve, Natalia, and heck, even the winged pigeon- you were one of the only people to truly understand him. You were probably even on the same playing field as Natalia, because you knew what it was like to be controlled by the Russian government. You held him at an arm's length at most, and you never treated him like he was some fragile, broken man. When you treated his wounds, you never fretted like other Omega's. Nor did you dottle. Ask him if he was okay every five seconds. It was disappointing in a way.

Bucky turned his head, just as you hopped yourself onto the counter, away from the conduction stove.

The smell of butter pasta was filling your nose. You watched with rapt attention as Bucky shut off the stove, grabbed the freshly grated cheese, and dumping it in. To hell with calories. Stirring quickly for a few seconds, he stopped. Turning his head to look at you, he gave you a low smirk. His scent of something sandalwood, oceany filling your nose. It made your Omega preen.

"Get some bowls, will ya doll? And forks too." Hopping off of the countertops, he heard a chirping, yet sarcastic reply.

"Yes, Sarge."

He felt his pants tighten at the thought. Hearing you grab all of the stuff, he swallowed.

Not that he would tell you that.

No.

Never.

***

"Oh, you've gotta be fucking with me."

So, as luck would have it. There weren't two bedrooms.

Nope.

There was only one.

Not only that, the entire room was fully furnished. A closet was on the left side of the door, against the wall. There was a window and just a bit to right, in the middle of the room, was a queen-sized bed, all made up with all the fluffiest blankets, comforters, and pillows imaginable.

"And you're sure this is the only room?" Bucky said. "Yeah! It's the only one, James. It's either this or the couch. And I'm not sleeping on the couch. It's too cold. Whoever built this safehouse didn't have any heaters built in either. Fuck, is this how I die? Freezing to death?" Your voice was getting higher with concern.

Bucky just rolled his eyes.

"No, doll. You're not to freeze to death. We're going to share that bed."

You turned your head towards him like he had just grown a second head. "What?" you exclaimed. "No. No, no, no. Noooo. James. Nu-uh. Uh-uh. I'm not going to sleep with you in my tank top and underwear. the least you've seen me in is a pair of short shorts and a tank top."

Bucky inhaled deeply through his nostrils.

Get yourself together Barnes.

Don't throw her over your shoulder.

Don't do that.

"You're a water mutant, doll. You're not a fire mutant. You aren't a supersoldier either. I'm not letting you freeze to death. I'll keep you warm all night. Better yet, don't sleep in your tank top and shorts. Our body heats will do just fine." Bucky snapped at you. You were still trying to collect your thoughts.

And then the realization, the reality of your situation, smacked you right across the face.

Bucky was asking you to sleep naked.

With him.

In the same frigging bed together.

Oh you were going to die. You were going to die and go up to wherever other spirits went to after they died. You weren't really all that religious nor spiritual.

But tonight though?

Yeah. Maybe you believed. Maybe a little.

Just the slightest bit.

"Okay, okay," you grumbled, "I won't wear any clothes. Better yet, I'll even give you a show. That'll even out the odds, James."

***

Warm.

He was just oh so warm.

Your back was flush against his front, feeling skin-on-skin.

You had stopped shivering about an hour ago.

Bucky had scouted the safehouse, to see if there was actually a heater, in case you had missed anything.

Nope.

There were no heaters in the safehouse.

Absolutely none.

Not to mention, all of the blankets weren't as thick. From what Bucky had observed a few hours ago after dinner while you had tackled the task of doing the dishes, was that the safe house had been abandoned for a while. It was either that, or nobody had stocked this place up for a while.

He had chosen the latter.

With his strong arms wrapped around your stomach, he pulled you close. You were asleep. Dead asleep. Bucky felt and saw your body rise up and down as you slept, your breaths all evened out.

It was nice, almost. Outside was quiet. Bucky could hear other than your breathing only the soft wind blowing due to the snowstorm outside.

For a moment, Bucky was lulled into a sense of calm. His mind was clear. His Alpha and Winter were quiet. He didn't have to fret. Or look over his shoulder. Didn't have to second guess himself or his actions anymore.

And then he heard it.

Soft whimpers coming from the sweet-smelling Omega that he was currently holding in his arms. You had begun to squirm, arms thrashing out. Your legs smacked on his knees, trying to desperately claw yourself free from his tightening grip on you.

"... I'll be good... just don't chuck me in the freezer again... please sir... I hate it there... please don't chuck me in the freezer, please..." you were sobbing in your sleep. You started to blubber, continually trying to claw yourself out of Bucky's grip. The metal plates of his Vibrainum arm shifted as his metal fingers tightened around your stomach. Bucky knew not to apply too much pressure on you- you weren't like him, Steve, or Natalia. You didn't have the serum in you.

"Doll? Hey, doll. C'mon, wake up. It's not real." Bucky tried shaking you awake to no avail. You had continued to thrash in his arms.

Sniffling loudly, your Omega was thrashing in her cage, in the confines of your mind. She was whispering, yelling at you to wake up.

"Omega. Wake up."

Bucky didn't mean to use his Tone. But you were being so hysterical, shaking, and crying to the point where it was beginning to worry him. Your sweet scent had begun to twist and turn into something more burnt. Singed. It made his eyes water.

You stopped thrashing in his grip. Your body froze up at his use of his Tone. Your Omega stopped throwing her temper tantrum too. She had paused for a second.

Her Alpha had given her a Command.

So why wouldn't she listen?

Peering from her cage in the confines of your mind, she sighed happily.

Alpha. Alpha cares about us. She whispered in your ear.

Slowly returning to consciousness, you struggled to know where you were for a second.

You had been having a nightmare.

A full-fledged nightmare.

You hadn't had one of those in a while.

"... Where am I?" Your voice was gentle but confused.

You still didn't know if you were still in that godforsaken Hydra facility or not. But you just wanted to make sure.

"Here, doll. You're here with me. We're in Ohio, remember? Sharin' one bed together cause I don't wanna be a bad Alpha and letcha freeze to death." Bucky said.

You couldn't help it. You snuggled into him, hearing a deep rumble coming from his chest. Bucky's Alpha was pleased. Very pleased. Winter was quiet. Which surprised Bucky. The little shit was usually more vocal about his own needs these days.

For a moment, it felt okay. You felt that weird fog lifting. Your brain slowly settling in your current surroundings. Your sweet, filling scent that had twisted and burnt into something smoky and burnt was slowly wearing off.

You were still a little shaken up. You could still hear your screaming echoing in your head. Your voice trembling, and because you didn't know if you were still stuck in the facility, "How long?"

"Not long."

Bucky watched as you lifted your head up, blinking once. And then twice. And then again, just to be sure.

Your body felt like it still wasn't physically here. Your body still felt like it was back in the cryo chamber, stuck in that damn freezer. Bucky watched your chest heave up and down. Taking in deep breaths.

Then you flopped right back into your previous spot, your back facing his front. Bucky pulled you back with his metal arm. You heard the metal plates in his arm readjust and move. You couldn't help it. Your vagina throbbed at the sound. Chewing on your bottom lip, you wiggled a little bit.

A deep rumble had come from Bucky.

The metal-armed Alpha had pushed a little bit of his weight down on you. Making you feel all warm and safe with the sandalwood and salty scent wrapped all around you like a cocoon.

You wiggled up against him again, trying to get comfortable. Your eyes closed.

A deep groan came from Bucky.

Was he asleep?

You stopped moving.

Another groan came from Bucky. His arms were wrapped around you. Not tightly, but still. It was kinda nice in a way. You could feel every muscle on his broad chest against your back.

Maybe Bucky had the right idea to sleep naked after all.

You shifted again. Trying to wiggle out a little out of the embrace.

A deep growl rumbled from Bucky. His grip on you tightened. You squirmed against him again.

Voice gravelly, "Stop moving."

Your eyes flew open.

He was awake.

And you had been-

Letting out a hiss, Bucky pushed his entire weight onto you and grinded his half-hard cock against your ass cheeks. Not even caring about if his entire weight would crush you, because of the serum.

He saw red.

Pure absolute red.

You choked. A needy little whimper filled the room.

Bucky's metal hand traveled down, all the way down to your pussy, his knee pushing your legs apart. You were panting in anticipation, eyes wide as saucers. His metal fingers were shoved deep, all the way to the knuckles. A pitiful whine left your lips. A needy whine too.

When he entered you, a choked sob escaped from your lips. Your hands curled into fists, eyes rolling into the back of your head as the formerly brainwashed assassin let out a growl.

"So sick and tired of you teasin' me," was what the former Winter Soldier growled under his breath, hissing at the way your cunt wrapped around him. Slick was smeared around your inner thighs, and you couldn't help but sob at the feeling of being so full.

Bucky was groaning above you, his hands nearing shaking.

Never had he ever thought he could ever get to do this again.

Because Bucky very much still liked sex. He very much so was a sexual creature. Being inside you gave him flashes of his life before Hydra. It made him remember a much skinner, smaller Steve. A much duller, war-stricken Brooklyn. It made him remember the giggles of Omegas. It made him remember his Ma's cooking growing up. Rebecca's giggles in his ears. Just like the old times.

Not for the first time in his life, he didn't feel trapped.

He felt free.

This was freeing to him.

And when he began to move, position his hips against your back, smacking roughly. Good enough to leave marks in the morning.

Wet, squishing noise echoed noisily every time he bottomed out of you. Every thrust in, filling you, completing you. It sent you gasping and crying out into the pillows. His hands- both metal and flesh, reached under you, to grab ahold of your breasts in a tight grip that only made you sob for more.

"More, more, more, please James, please-"

Something snapped in him.

Broke.

Bucky had never felt this feral before. The last time he felt this feral had been the hours when he first presented.

You whined loudly when he slid out of you, crying out at the empty feeling. Your Omega screeched in alarm.

Why had her Alpha stopped? Why?

Grabbing ahold of your legs, he lifted them up. Before he thrusted back in again, filling you up to the brim. It was deeper than last time, and his cock hit that spongy part. Hit your g-spot so good that you screamed into the pillows.

You were coming. You were coming so fast, that deep coil inside you snapping like a bomb wire being cut that you never got the chance to feel your programs. Your body jolted, spasmed. Your legs lifted off of the bed or at least tried to. Bucky's body weight was still keeping you down. So all you could do was grip the bedsheets when Bucky started to pound into you again, taking all he could.

You couldn't help yourself. You glanced back, just to take a glimpse of him.

James Buchanan Barnes looked downright feral and your pussy clenched around him deeper at the sight. as if she knew.

Every thrust made him go deeper, hitting your cervix every time. It made your second orgasm piggyback off of your first one, sobbing into the pillows. It was only when your second orgasm came, your walls clenching down onto his cock that Bucky's teeth sank into your shoulder, shattering, breaking the skin there. The taste of copper filling his mouth. Bucky let out a grunt as he came. Filling you up with so much of his jizz that he was sure it would drip from you tomorrow morning.

Bucky lifted his mouth from your shoulder.

Pants filled the room as the two of you tried to regain yourselves.

Bucky shifted, moving off of you and lying beside you. His eyes weren't black anymore. They were back to their normal blue. They reminded you of the sea in the morning on a peaceful day.

Your hand came to touch his face. Your hand faltered, trembled though. Because you were nervous.

"It's okay," his voice was deeper, huskier. It made your pussy throb. "You can touch me. It's okay."

Your hands came to touch, cup his jaw. You leaned in, pressing your lips against his. His lips were soft. Your lips moved together, his tongue slipping into your mouth. The kiss became deeper. You hadn't expected it to become deeper. You had been just going for an innocent kiss.

You swore.

Like- you really did.

You didn't expect to be fully making out with James Buchanan Barnes.

But it wasn't like you were complaining though.

Because you weren't.

Bucky was the first one to pull away. He could see how red, bruised your lips looked. He didn't recoil from your gentle touch on his face. He welcomed it. He truly did. Hands holding your hips, he looked at you.

His lips traveled down to your mating gland. He touched over it with his tongue, giving it a broad lick. His teeth sank in, piercing the skin.

Your ears popped. You cried out. His grip on your hips didn't falter.

"Yes, yes, yes," you gasped. Bucky lifted his mouth up from your gland, before sinking his teeth back in and biting again. Making his mark all that deeper.

It was only when he lifted his mouth from your gland, wiped your blood off of him with the blanket did you come at him, sinking your teeth into his gland. It made him grunt, even groan. His flesh hand came to your head, pushing your head down, making you sink your teeth even deeper into his gland.

"Yesss," hissed Bucky, his flesh hand sinking into your hair, gripping it. "Deeper, doll. Go deeper."

Winter and his Alpha completely agreed.

Theirs.

You were theirs.

After what seemed an eternity, you lifted your head up. Wiping your mouth on the blanket, you spoke.

"I missed you. What did you do to get us paired on this mission? I thought I was going with Sam," you said to your Alpha. A smirk stretched over Bucky's lips. "Ah," your Alpha said, still smirking, "I might've put something in his drink to make him vomit his guts out. He got sick."

A noise came from you.

"You gave him food poisoning? James!" You scolded him. Bucky leaned back against the headboard. "Don't worry doll, it'll wear off when we come back to the Compound. Bird Brain won't even know what hit him."

You shook your head in disbelief.

"You're unbelievable, Sasha. Did you teach Natalia that trick, too? Hmm? She and all of your Widow students?"

Bucky was still grinning ear to ear at you when he responded back.

"Well little bird, someone had to teach them. After all, I was their teacher. They all called me Yasha. Speaking of my Widow students..." he trailed off in Russian. You looked at him.

"You've contacted one of the KBG? About that leaked Russian tape with the orange man that is, unfortunately, our President?" He asked you. You nodded. "Yeah, Sasha. Everything's going as planned. Although, I think assassinating the orange man would've been a much better option. We would've gone in there and made it a done deal by now! Fuckin' Steve and his righteous self." You grumbled unhappily.

"Hmm. It would've been great as a date night. Don't you think, doll?" Bucky drawled. You gave a serious nod.

"Although... seeing him freak out on Twitter is much, much better. The tea is better when it's hot." You grinned. Bucky just let out a sigh.

"I'm restricting your phone privileges. And your TV privileges. You need to stop watching those drama channels, Mega."

A noise of deep discomfort came from you.

"Sasha!" you whined, "then what will I do while you're gone on missions?"

"Wait for me to come back?" Bucky suggested. You just sighed. Even shook your head in fondest. You happily snuggled up to your Alpha, your nose rubbing up against your Mate's gland. "I always wait for you to come back, Sasha. I wait and I worry. I love you, James."

A deep rumble came from your Mate.

"I love you too, Little Omega."

Your head peeked up.

"So, can we tell the rest of the team when I leak the tape?" You asked, your eyes glimmering with mischief.

Bucky burst out laughing.

"Yes, yes, yes. We can tell them once you've wreaked havoc, Omega."

"Good." You were nodding seriously, in complete agreement. "It'll be fun. And... also, I forgot to tell you."

The joyful expression on Bucky's face was suddenly replaced with one of worry.

"What? What is it?" He asked gently. "When you were gone for your last mission two months ago... I... I came off of my suppressants. I'm ready, James. I want a family with you."

Shock flickered over Bucky's face. And then he was shoving you back into the bed with a shriek coming from you.

"When's your pre-heat?" He demanded.

You felt it. A cramp. It made you whimper.

"N-Now, James. Now," you stammered. Your Alpha pulled your legs apart roughly before he thrusted back into you, making you gasp.

"Say it," he hissed. "Say you want it. Say you want my knot. Say you want my pups."

"I want it, James." Your voice was a low whisper, even staggering a little bit. "I want your knot. I want your pups. Please. Please, Sasha."

His hands, both metal, and flesh gripped your shoulder tight as that vein of his neck nearly popped. His eyes were black with want. Soon, his Rut would be upon him and he'd breed you. Put his pup in you. You'd carry his pup. He'd have the pack that Winter and his Alpha desperately wanted after all these years.

A whine came from you when he pulled out, only to let out a scream when he thrusted back in. Hitting that part of you that made your eyes roll into the back of your head. Your mouth fell open, but no words came out.

His pace was brutal, not even letting you hold onto him. Your hands were left to grip the bedsheets again. You gripped them so tight that your knuckles turned white and you thought that they were going to pop.

Bucky continued to push, continued to shove his ejaculate deeper and deeper inside of you. A mixture of your slick and his ejaculate smeared all over your thighs and trickled down your legs, and you just didn't know what was happening. Your hindbrain was telling you that this was what was needed. That your designation wanted, nay, demanded this. After all the shit you had gone through, your Omega had found her Alpha and now, now she was determined to have a family. Have the pack she desperately desired.

"Mine."

A harsh thrust made you sob.

"You're mine now. I waited for you for so long. Wanted you for so long. You're mine now. Got my Mark. Got my clothes in your nest. Gonna give you my name. Gonna give you my pups. You're mine. All mine. Say you're mine. Say it!"

You came screaming. Your orgasm making you see white. Bucky continued slamming into you, the wet, squishing noises coming from your pussy becoming louder and louder the more he pushed in. Your teeth sank into his flesh shoulder, shattering and piercing the skin there. You tasted copper in your mouth.

Bucky came with a shout. He shoved you back completely, making you shriek. And then he was leaning in again, sinking his teeth into your gland. Making another deep mark. It made you fall limp into the bed as his knot swelled, locking the two of you in place.

He lifted his head.

Being inside you... knotted inside of you... it was bliss. It was just as good as cockwarming. His cock all nestled deep inside of you whenever you two would sneak off to sleep together.

"Bite me again. Give me your mark, Omega." he panted. Slowly, your head went up, you slowly sat up, before taking in a deep breath and sinking your teeth back into his gland.

Home.

You had brought Bucky home. He held you tight, whispering in your ear how much he loved you and how much of a good Omega you were.

"I love you Omega." His voice was rough.

Lifting your head from his gland. Blood still trickling down the corners of your mouth. You offered him a smile. A genuine one. One that made his stomach all fluttery.

"I love you too, Alpha."

[v333n]

top 150 songs

150 miss the rage - trippie redd

149 new tank - playboi carti

148 new neon - playboi carti

147 famous - kanye west

146 3am - halsey

145 monster - 21 savage

144 blue notes - meek mill

143 duckworth -kendrick lamar

142 kelly price- migos

141 molly - playboi carti

140 16 - baby keem

139 bound 2 - kanye west

138 pyramids - frank ocean

137 21/c delta- jack harlow

136 chanel - frank ocean

135 after hours - the weeknd

134 reminder - the weeknd

133 all girls are the same - juice wlrd

132 moon - kanye west

131 i wonder - kanye west

130 dreams,fairytales ,fantasies - asap ferg

129 ninety - jaden

128 flex - playboi carti

127 iloveuihateu - playboi carti

126 2009- mac miller

125 party monster - the weeknd

124 through the wire - kanye wets

123 mood-lil uzi vert

122 rip fredo - playboi carti

121 see you again - tyler the creator

120 space cadet - metro boomin

119 taking a walk - trippie redd

118 love scars - trippie redd

117 flex - polo g

116 all the stars - kendrick lamar

115 out west - travis scott

114 save your tears - the weeknd

113 new person,same old mistakes - tame impala

112 i know- polo g

111 oh my dis side- travis scott

110 nightcrawler - travis scott

109 black and chinese - travis scott

108 dna - kendrick lamar

107 wokeuplikethis - playboi carti

106 thats it - future

105 clique - kanye west

104 solo- frank ocean

103 it was a good day - ice cube

102 flex up - lil yachty

101 we envy nothing in the world

100 everything i am - kanye west

99 the scotts - kid cudi

98 444+222 - lil uzi vert

97 xo tour life - lil uzi vert

96 vamp anthem - playboi carti

95 franchise - travis scott (w/ future)

94 had enough - travis scott

93 with them- young thug

92 get dripped -lil yachty

91 mr. rager - kid cudi

90 in your eyes - the weeknd

89 sick and tired - iann dior

88 hurt feeligs - mac miller

87 good news - mac miller

86 memories - kid cudi

85 borrowed love - metro boomin

84 @ meh - playboi carti

83 blouson noir - aaron

82 dothatshit - playboi carti

81 silly watch - lil uzi vert

80 say so -doja cat

79 ivy - frank ocean .

78 run - joji

77 pull up - playboi carti

76 bohemian trapsody - logic

75 motorcycle patches -travis scott

74 sundown -jack harlow

73 cloudy skies - lil skies

72 ladders -mac miller

71 gang gang - travis scott

70 self care - mac miller

69 maria im drunk - travis scott

68 mile high - travis scott

67 rockstar made-playboi carti

66 blinding lights - the weeknd

65 heartless - the weeknd

64 feel - kendrick lamar

63 everything i wanted - billie eilish

62 stargazing - travis scott

61 summertime in paris - jaden

60 tequila shots - kid cudi

59 lord i know - kid cudi

58 slow dancing in the dark - joji

57 sicko mode - travis acott

56 houstonfornication - travis scott

55 magnolia- playboi carti

54 less than zero - the weeknd

53 nike - frank ocean

52 highway to hell - ac/dc

51 pursuit of happiness - kid cudi

50 cofee bean-travis scott

49 use this gospel -kanye west

48 u mad -vic mensa

47 no bystanders - travis scott

46 vice city - xxxtentacion

45 cant say - travis scott

44 moth to a flame - the weeknd

43 who want smoke (remix) - nardo wick

42 off the grid - kanye west

41 stay-kid laroi

40 jumpoutthehouse - playboi carti

39 erase me - kid cudi

38 without me - halsey (with juice)

37 eventually - tame impala

36 drivers license - olivia rodrigo

35 lean 4 real - playboi carti

34 apple pie - travis scott

33 fell in luv - playboi carti

32 no time - playboi carti

31 saint pablo - kanye west

30 stop trying to be god - travis scott

29 jesus lord kanye west

28 freeee (ghost town pt2) - kanye west

27 die4guy -playboi carti

26 soundtrack 2 my life - kid cudi

25 love -kid cudi

24 do not disturb - drake

23 fire & desire - drake

22 jungle - drake

21 not playing - playboi carti

20 astrothunder - travis scott

19 tuscan leather - drake

18 maad city - kendrick lamar

17 swimming pools - kendrick lamar

16 king kunta - kendrick lamar

15 stop breathing - playboi carti

14 slayer - playboi carti

13 how much a dollar cost - kendrick lamar

12 pride - kendrick lamar

11 cant tell me nothing - kanye west

10 devil in a new dress - kanye west

9 lost - frank ocean

8 come to life - kanye west

7 skeletons - travis scott

6 carry on - xxxtentacion

5 nights - frank ocean

4 passionfruit - drake

3 die for you - the weeknd

2 runaway - kanye west

1 cold - rich brian

that was so hard......might do some more