#Iron Windows Dallas

[dhierro]

Premium Iron Windows and Doors in Dallas | Custom Designs – D’HIERRO

Enhance your home with high-quality iron windows and doors Dallas from D’HIERRO. Discover custom, handcrafted designs that add elegance, security, and durability. Explore our collection today!

[sundayiminlove]

sleep, pretty darling [ dallas winston x f!reader ]

synopsis : you're overworking yourself with studying in preparation for exams, and dally isn't havin' it. contains : academic overachiever reader, whipped dallas winston, mostly just tooth-rotting fluff, notes : first writing post on here, kinda (very) nervous!! think i'm gonna make a point to write for each greaser in effort to shoehorn my way into outsiders tumblr?? yeah??? okay, GREAT. 99% chance i post something different for dal tho. just a messy, silly little drabble. ironically wrote after not sleeping for 32 hours. i'm sorry if he's a lil ooc y'all, this is my first dal fic in give or take a year!!! he'll get there, i promise! mwah mwah hope u enjoy warnings : not proofread, we die like dally

i.

PALE BLUE EYES slant sideways, casting a brief look at you.

Your nose is scrunched in concentration over the comically large textbook laid open in your lap. You're hunched over, tracing under each printed word with your finger, thumbing down when you stop to take a note.

Dallas is preemptively annoyed. He's been leaning expectantly against the doorframe circa ten seconds ago, and you're yet to notice him. He takes one last dramatic drag from his cigarette before begrudgingly discarding it on the outsole of his shoe. The creases on on your nose tighten as you catch a whiff of the wafting smoke. Though a vehement anti-smoker yourself, you've spent enough time around the gang to guarantee your lungs at least a permanent char. Despite this, you always just have to make a big song and dance of your distaste for them, and Dally does nothing to curb the quirk of his lips into a slight grin.

You have him, hook line and sinker.

"(Y/N)," he speaks at last. His tone is firm yet without underlying aggression; one exclusively for your ears.

You perk up.

Dallas' fingers splay against his lips as if holding a phantom cigarette. "What're you doin' over here so late, huh? Was out lookin' for you."

He watches as your gaze darts to the window. Nightfall has long since kissed the apex of Tulsa, yet you hadn't a clue. You'd been there for hours, crunching equations and fruitlessly jotting down formulas. The encroaching weight of finals week had rendered both your circadian rhythm and measure of passing time nugatory.

"Borrowin' one of Darry's old textbooks," you explain, the corners of your mouth tugging into a frown. "Not exactly a monastery but it beats that old Soc-infested library, long as Two stays gone, that is."

He crosses the Curtis' living room in four smooth strides, plopping down next to you on the couch. The flimsy cushion sinks beneath him, forcing you closer to him, and for once, Dally's grateful for the pathetic old thing's lack of structural integrity.

He lifts the textbook, ignoring your whimper of protest and sets it on the coffee table. He spins the silver band on his knuckle, averting his gaze downwards. "You know, sweetheart," he pauses, choosing his words. Dally wears his worry uniquely, sparingly. "I'm not particularly likin' all of these.. these books, and.." he trails off, thumb tracing your newly-formed eyebag as if he could swipe it clean. "When's the last time you got any sleep?"

Things are different. You're his girl now. And not just his pretty skirt for the night and until 7am after; no, this is serious. You're his girlfriend. His lover. It's foreign. It's enthralling.

No one had told poor Dallas that falling for you would unwind a deep vortex in his brain that noticed the trivial things, like how suspiciously little you blinked or how the vibrant pink in your cheeks had drained.

You lean into his touch with an exasperated sigh. "Dally, c'mon, don't you start this. I know it's nothin' to you, but it's finals week!" you huff. "I'll catch up on the sleep, swear it! I just, I got so much left to do here, and,"

Your defense falls on deaf ears. This has been it for weeks now; and the you-sized hole burning in his chest is only getting deeper. Dally's arms encircle your waist as he taps gently on the small of your back. "Don't give me that," he sighs. "God, baby, you're worryin' me, alright? Don't like seeing my girl so..." he fans his hand outwards.

As you tense and start to fly into another excuse, he shakes his head, mind already made. He's sparing no more of your attention. "You're comin' back to Buck's with me, alright?" His timbre leaves no room for argument, but you squirm regardless. His grip on you tightens. "And I'm making sure you get some goddamn rest."

You pout, looking over at your textbook as if it would personify and save you. "But," you start, only to be hastily shushed.

"But nothin', doll. C'mon, up ya go,"

With that, he scoops you up, one arm hooking around your legs. Your series of half-hearted protests are nullified as he secures you into Buck's old truck, movements careful yet hasty. You inevitably surrender, a soft sigh escaping your lips as you lean back into the torn leather.

BUCK MERRIL'S HOUSE is as quiet as Buck Merril's house is capable of being. You've never been to Buck Merril's house, so you don't find it very quiet at all.

Running his hands over the blanket, Dallas spreads it out on the floor, smoothening out the crinkles and corners. They reform almost immediately and he sighs heavily, airing it out on the pummeled mattress in defeat. If he would have know he'd be conducting a full-scale kidnapping for the sake of your rest, he might have better prepared. Might have.

So, here's the thing, right?"

There have been girls in Dallas Winston's bed before.

There have been quite a few girls in Dallas Winston's bed before.

There have been zero girls in Dallas Winston's bed that he didn't bring into it with meaningless sex on the horizons.

You're no snob and he knows this, but now, it's the principle. Dallas Winston may sleep on a mattress deficient of ample springs and no top sheet, but Dallas Winston's girl should never. In spite his hazy, rose-colored, Y/N-centric world created under this roof, he knows he has to step it up.

As soon as he hears the faucet cut off, he's off his feet. He flings himself onto the mattress, hitching one leg up as he awaits the slow creek of the door.

And there you stand.

Dallas wonders what karmic debt is being paid off for him to deserve to see you like this. His lips part as he drinks in the sight of you like a man dying of thirst. You, in his lightly wrinkled grey tee that scarcely conceals your bare thighs. Your face glistens with renew, a few stray droplets racing down your forehead and cheeks. Even trammeled by exhaustion, you knock the wind right out of him.

You wear the moonlight beautifully. It traces each feature so delicately as you sit beside him on the bed. "I'm—," you start, but pause to let a little yawn. He practically melts beside you.

"I'm sorry I gave you such a tough time, darlin'," you continue, situating under the blanket. "You were right, I'm proper beat."

He smirks, propping his head up to look down on you. "As always," he notes, tucking a fly-away hair behind your ears. You roll your eyes and give him a playful jab, to which he winces in mock affliction. "Some nerve," he hums, thumb tracing your cheek.

You look at him, lips parting gently. This isn't Dallas Winston; that infamous, no-good hoodlum from the wrong side of the tracks. This is your Dally, someone you alone have the absolute pleasure of knowing.

"That's it," he whispers as you surrender to his side, nuzzling his neck. Your eyes are heavy, faltering by the second, yet your grip on him is unyielding. He's never felt a thing like this before, and he's quickly becoming putty in your careful arms. He's content to lay awake all night, watching the gentle rise and fall of your chest as slumber claims you.

His gangly fingers trace idly on your back, and he knows. He will never be the same.

[talia-the-gemini]

ℭ𝔞𝔩𝔪 𝔟𝔢𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔯m

𝙼𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜, 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚙𝚘𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚙𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜, 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢'𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎?

°•Prologue•°

Summary: After the near apocalypse in 2019, in a last stich effort to save the family Five blips all of you into the past, you and your siblings get teleported in between 1959 and 1963.

You were transported to February 1959.

You are the 8th Hargreeve member, your power is the ability to foresee the future (basically alice from twilight just better).

Paring: The swedes x reader poly

Word count:395 (very short ik T-T)

Warnings: None

Masterlist

Flashback

On April the 1st, 2019, the earth was destroyed in a cataclysmic event. Billions of people were wiped out in a matter of minutes. Ironically, the seven survivors of the apocalypse were the very siblings who brought it on.

10:00 AM

LOCATION:UNKNOWN

DATE:UNKNOWN

Falling through Five’s big bright blue blip onto hard, solid concrete in an alleyway was not what you were expecting. Wincing from the impact, you look at the blip anticipating for your siblings to fall with you. “KLAUS,DIEGO?”

You call out desperately for your family but to no avail they don't respond. After a few seconds more, the gateway closes, leaving you without a way out or siblings. Shifting to stand you survey your surroundings.

“Fuck, where am I?” Stumbling down the alleyway. “Holy shit..” You stare in awe at the historic sight in front of you. Different colored Cadillacs, Plymouth Barracudas, and Ford Mustangs, People wearing old timey clothing, many shops and a few diners line the streets as well. Glancing to the left of yourself you notice a discarded magazine with the date ‘FEBUARY 2ND 1959’.

END OF FLASHBACK

That was almost four years ago, so far you’ve acquired a semi stable job, a decent sized but cozy house and the cutest house cat (a fluffy black cat named Cinder).

After four years of barely paying bills and living by yourself in a different timeline you decided to get a roommate, to maybe ease the loneliness and help around the house and with bills, so you come up with an amazing idea, why don't you put up and add for a room for rent? Honestly the best idea you’ve had for a long time.

8:00 AM

LOCATION: DALLAS, TEXAS

DATE:JANUARY 4TH 1962

It's early in the morning, a soft breeze ruffles the trees in the backyard. You simultaneously stir your tea as you're lost in thought as you stare out the kitchen window, Cider hops onto the bench, purring while rubbing his head on your arm.

‘Thump,Thump,Thump’ The sound of soft but heavy knocking breaks your train of thought “Coming!” you hastily make your way to your front door, peeking out the side window next to the door you notice three figures, most likely male by stature. Opening the door cautiously you look at the three blonde men in front of you. 

[starshine-hockey-girl]

Cold As Ice - The Interview

Here my fic for the May AU event for the HRPF fandom. As usual I am late getting it done. Apparently, I am physically incapable of writing a short blurb.

This a mafia AU. @pattiemac1 and I have created this AU together over the last two/three years. We add to it then take things away constantly. She graciously allowed me to insert my characters of Lex and Teddy (from Journey to the Emerald City) into the world.

This is a little glimpse into the world of a Sidney Crosby led mafia family and Teddy/Lex became a part of it. I don't think it needs much warning other than language and some implied violence. As usual fluff abounds between my two little cupcakes.

I will put a link at the bottom for anyone interested about Teddy/Lex in their world.

Word count - 7.1K words

@hrpffandomeventblog @cellythefloshie @fallinallincurls @penstxgal1968

SUMMER 2021 - DALLAS, TEXAS

Jamie “Lex” Oleksiak yawned as drove down the expressway toward home. It had been a rough night at the club. Three guys had called off and so he was forced to work at the front door. Between the oppressive heat and steady wave of SMU sorority girls shooting their shot with him, he was more than ready to get home. He mentally pictured the refrigerator and recalled at least two bottles of cold beer that he would be drinking soon. 

His cell phone rang and he glanced at the notification on his console screen. “Of course Seggy would call at 3 AM,” he thought to himself. He answered the call at the last moment. “Hey Seggy,” he said, “What’s up?”

Tyler Seguin held his cell phone to his ear and unbuttoned his shirt. “You are a tough guy to track down, Big Rig,” the brunette laughed, “I had to call three different guys to get your number. It’s like you dropped off the face of the planet.You still in Dallas?” 

“Yeah, still in here in Big D,” he muttered, feeling stung by the word still. It was not his plan to still be in Dallas. No, he had planned to return to Toronto with this tail tucked between his legs years ago. But life got in the way and his career began in security. He had almost saved enough to make the move back with a little dignity when he was struck by a thunderbolt. A thunderbolt named Theodora “Teddy” Baxter. 

Ironically, they met the last time that he had been forced to work the front door at the club. The moment she looked up with those bright blue eyes and megawatt smile as she handed over her ID, he was hooked. For reasons still unknown to him, she had agreed later that night to go on date with him. They had been inseparable ever since and any plans to move back to Toronto went out the window. His heart was firmly planted in Dallas. Well, anywhere she was. 

“What’s keeping you there?” Seggy questioned, “I thought you would have moved onto greener pastures by now. I know I did.” 

“It’s complicated,” Lex answered vaguely.

Seggy got quiet for  a moment and debated whether to push the issue. Big Rig was not known to be an open book and he needed him to have an open mind. “I got ya. Life’s like that sometimes,” he commented casually, “Listen, you still doing security work? That’s the word on the street.”

“Depends on who is asking,” Lex answered coolly. Other than his parents, he had not admitted to any of his Toronto friends that his professional hockey career had been a bust. 

“It’s me asking - it’s me,” Seggy answered. He had picked up on the tone in Big Rig’s voice. They shared in a desire to not let word of their career failure reach Canada. They had that much in common. 

“And why are you asking?” Lex asked warily. 

“Because I have a lead on a job and I think that you would be a good fit.” he said bluntly. Tyler tried to mask the desperation in his voice. 

The last guy that was brought into the crew turned out to be an utter disaster. Claude Giroux had been recommended to the crew by Flower and didn’t take long to discover that he wasn’t going to last long. His gruff demeanor ruffled the sensitive egos of the rag tag crew. The last straw was when he openly defied The Boss. It was so bad that HE delivered the permanent pink slip to the back of Giroux’s head himself. 

“Tell me more,” Lex asked. 

Tyler explained that the job would be head of security for the CEO for Maritime Industries. When Lex didn't respond immediately, Tyler read from his phone. “Planning and implementing comprehensive security strategies, controlling the security operations budget, monitoring expenses,” he rattled on.

“Seggy, are you reading that off your phone?” Lex interrupted.

“Ummmm, no” Seggy stammered.

“Don't bullshit me. What's the job?” Lex asked.

“It’s a crew in Pittsburgh- mainly strip clubs and a few night clubs,” Seggy sighed, “and a few extracurricular activities.” Tyler tried to downplay the extent of the organization until he got a sense of how comfortable Lex would be with the ethically gray area. 

“Seggy…..we are not 21 any more,” Lex asserted, “I’m too old to go back to that petty ass shit.” 

“Big Rig, would you believe me if I told you that Sid is planning on going legit?” Tyler pleaded, “We really need a guy like you.” 

“Sid?” Lex questioned, “Like Sid Crosby? That guy runs all of Pennsylvania and half of NYC. Holy shit - Seggy how did you end up on that crew.”

“Long story, but let’s just say that my hockey skills finally paid off,” Tyler smiled, “Seriously, he is going legit soon. The pay is good and there are bennys.” 

“How good is the pay?” Lex quizzed.

“Let’s just say that my family isn’t questioning my “hockey” career anymore,” he replied. 

“Shit - that good?” Lex muttered as he pulled into the parking lot of his apartment building. He looked up and saw the light on his living room. Teddy was waiting for him. Teddy who had never gotten so much as a parking ticket, much less arrested. “No,” he thought to himself, “I can’t bring her into that life.” He sighed, “Sorry, Seggy. I can’t.”

“Why?” Tyler whined. Sid wasn’t too happy that he was having to handle the day to day security operations and you know what they say, that shit ran down hill to Tyler. He needed to get someone to replace Giroux. He needed that someone right now. 

“Sorry, Segs - I gotta girl now. I don’t want to mess it up,” Lex said softly. 

“You’re turning down this dream job over a girl? Are you crazy?” Tyler scoffed.

“Yeah, I am crazy,” Lex sighed, “I just can’t risk losing her.” 

“I gotta meet this girl,” Tyler pushed before he decided that a softer touch was required, “I get it. Not really, but I get it. Why don’t you take a night and think about it. I can hold off Sid for that long.”

“I doubt I will change my mind, Seggy,” Lex countered, “She is the real deal.”

Lex hung up the phone and walked up to his apartment. He set his things down as he walked past the cramped kitchen. It was really just a glorified studio, but Teddy had done her best to make it homey. She had even started a new series on her YouTube channel - DIY Dollar Tree home decor. 

As if by unknown force, Teddy began to rouse when she felt Lex’s presence in the room. She had fallen asleep with her laptop open while editing videos. “Lex?” she yawned as she stirred, “Is it that time?” 

He walked over to her and moved her laptop to the table before scooping her into his lap. “Yeah,” he kissed her cheek as she curled her body into his chest. “How was work?” he questioned. 

Since the “Great Escape”, Teddy had taken two jobs to replace the income from her father’s real estate firm. Even with that, the duo struggled to make ends meet.  She had grown up with every luxury known to man and gave it all up two months ago to be with him after her father had issued the ultimatum. She had to pick between her family and her love. She made the choice in an instant and never looked back. Now she was waitressing at the best steakhouse in town at night and nannying for Stars goalie Ben Bishop during the day. She operated on fumes but never once complained. 

“Work was good. I had a private party so the tip was great, even the company was horrible,” she smiled. Lex furrowed his brow while she continued  “Paige came in and was well, you know, Paige,” she sighed, “Thank God for automatic gratuity. She might have stiffed me otherwise.” Lex studied her face and could see her desperately trying to keep the facade up but he could see the pain behind her eyes. Paige had been her childhood best friend but had turned her back on Teddy when she chose him after her family’s ultimatum. 

“Foz,” he said gently as he caressed her face. She smiled at the nickname he had given on their first date. It had started out as “Fozzy Wozzy Bear had red hair”, but had shortened over time to just Foz.

She shook her head to protest and shake the negative thoughts that were beginning to swirl in her brain. “No, Lex - it’s fine,” she lied, “She’s not important and I am glad that I could see her true colors finally.” She had seen the true colors of most of her childhood friends as one by one they dropped her. “It’s funny,” she thought to herself, “None of them had anything to say as they ignored the obvious signs that Chaz was beating me. But let me fall in love with a good, decent man who works hard and all of a sudden they are all concerned about my well-being.” The bitterness rose up inside of her. 

Her mind raced for a distraction. “I have a surprise for you!’ she jumped up and his eyes followed her. She came back with a to-go bag from the restaurant. He pulled out the box and opened it. Inside was a huge tomahawk steak with all the trimmings. He looked up to see her beaming smile, “They said it was overcooked because they wanted it super rare, but it’s cooked just like you like it, so I snagged it.” 

She moved to the side of him as he ate off of his lap. They enjoyed the moment in quiet contentment as Lex’s mind raced. “How long?” he asked himself, “How long can I ask her to make these sacrifices? How long before she runs back to the easy life. The life I can’t give her.”

His thoughts were interrupted with her voice, “Spill it, Jamieson.” She only used his full name when she was completely serious. 

“An old friend called with a job offer,” he started. Her face lit up immediately. “But it’s in Pittsburgh,” he interjected, expecting her face to drop. It did not. “And it’s not necessarily completely above board.” Again, he expected her expression to change, but it was bright and hopeful. “I told them no,” he said finally. “Why?” she questioned.

“I can’t leave you,” he answered. 

“Then take me,” she replied as if it was the obvious answer. 

“You would go? You would go to Pittsburgh? But Dallas is your home,” he said in disbelief.

“My home is with you, Love,” she kissed his cheek.

“And it doesn't bother you that there may be some shady shit?” he prodded.

“There is shady shit going on everywhere, even the corporate world. There is a reason my father has a security detail. You don’t become a billionaire without doing some shady shit and making a few enemies along the way. What's the difference? The real question is would you take the job if I weren’t a factor?”

“I would at least go have the conversation,” he answered,

“Then go have the conversation,” she kissed his cheek.

Lex picked up the phone and dialed Seguin. He only spoke three words when Tyler answered, “Set it up.” Then he hung and focused on Teddy, “Tell me about Paige. What did she do this time? Do I need to go pay her a visit”  He tickled her sides and nipped at her neck. “I can be your enforcer, Foz. Just say the word.” 

TWO DAYS LATER 

“Foz” Lex asked as she adjusted his tie on the private plane Crosby had sent for them, “Where did you find this suit? I am not buying the Goodwill story.” The odds have her randomly finding a tailored suit that fit his almost six eight frame was slim to none.

“I acquired it. That's all you need to know,” she grinned. 

Lex opened the suit jacket and saw the label with the words “Custom made for RTB”. He looked up at her in surprise. “Is this your dad's suit? Did you steal a suit from your dad?” Their height was about the only thing he had in common with the stubborn, prideful man. 

“Steal is such a harsh word,” she answered as she brushed imaginary lint off of his chest. He looked at her with one eyebrow raised,”it's an old suit. It was languishing in the back of his closet. I am pretty sure he wore it to my confirmation. We are giving it new life.”

“You stole it, Foz,” he teased.

“Well, think of me as modern day Robin Hood,” she teased as she pulled on his tie to kiss him, “And you can be me Maid Marian.”

His eyebrows furrowed in sign of disapproval. “What? You would look good as Maid Marian,” she protested before continuing, “I simply tested the supposedly top notch security system at my parent's house. I was doing them a service actually. They should be thanking me that I only took a suit as payment. It could have been worse.”

“Put it back once we get home,” he chided. 

“Fine, but Lex, I don’t think you are going to be up for the level of shady shit working for Sid Crosby is going to require if you can’t accept one re-acquisitioned suit from my father,” she playfully pouted. 

“I am the only criminal in this relationship. You are the virtuous one with the heart of gold, got it?” he said. He cracked a smile, but the message was clear - leave the shady shit to him. 

“Got it,” as she adjusted his tie, “Now let’s go knock him dead.”

Maritime Manor - Sidney Crosby Compound - Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania

Lex stood at the large picture window for a moment. He examined what he could see of the extensive  grounds. The lawn was well manicured with each of the smaller cottages on the compound sharing a large common area. Just beyond the cottages was a wooded area that extended to what looked like a river or creek bed. He mentally checked for sight lines and frowned at the results.

He turned around and examined the large office that had been created from two small guest rooms. At the far end, a large conference table sat covered with stacks of money. From what he could quickly estimate, it was easily $20K in stacks with a pile left to be sorted. He walked closer to the table. The pile was probably another 50K left to be sorted from collected protection money from the weekend. 

Outside the office, he heard the jovial sounds of the crew chirping each other. Suddenly they got quiet. He turned to face the door. The chatter had turned seriously and he heard the sound of the front door open. He then heard the sound of Sid’s distinct Nova Scotian accent, “Who is she?”

Then he heard the accented voice of Andre Burakovsky, “She’s with the big guy. He’s waiting for you in the office.” Lex’s body tensed up and he faced the door. 

Seggy piped in, “You left him in the office? Alone?”

“That’s not good?” the Swede questioned Seggy as they walked past him. Sid’s silence sent the resounding message that it was indeed, no good. Lex heard footsteps that approached the door. He resumed his position by the picture window, but turned when Sid and Seggy walked in the room. 

Sid did a quick visual assessment as he walked in. His lips pursed when he saw the stacks of money in the open. When his eyes landed on the gun left out in the open, he shook his head, “Burky, Burky, Burky.”

After a quick one shoulder hug and pat on the back, Tyler moved to make the introductions. “Sid, this is Jamie Oleksiak aka Big Rig,” he began, “We go back a long way. Big Rig, this is Sid Crosby. He runs this crew.”

“I am sure that he knows who I am, Seggy,” Sid interjected as he shook hands with Lex, “You can leave us alone now.” Tyler’s head went back and forth as the two stood in an extended handshake. 

“Sure, Sid,” Tyler said through the tension that radiated off of the two men sizing each other up. “I’m just going to go head over to the clubs and deal with that bouncer issue.” 

Lex noted the hand strength in the shorter man as Tyler left. He also noted the slight flair in his nostrils and tense jaw. On the surface, Sid appeared calm and neutral.  He crossed in front of Lex to walk to his desk. He made a quick turn while pulling out his gun. He was met by a gun pointed between his temple as Lex quickly removed his gun from his hand. Time stood still as the two men stared each other down. The beating of each other’s heart pounded in their ears. It was then that Sid noticed the gun pointed at his head was one of his own. His eyes shifted and he saw the hidden gun safe ajar. 

Sid said neutrally, “So what’s your plan of action here, Big Rig?”

“Well, I would say my plan of action is to find out if you are as big of an idiot as your crew,” Lex said equally as cool, “Also I would say that we are in the process of sizing each other up. I think I have the upper hand literally and figuratively.” 

“I think that you have proven your point,” Sid took a step back without breaking eye contact, “You have found some vulnerabilities that need to be addressed. Care to sit down and discuss the job now like professionals?”  Lex nodded and Sid carefully walked behind his desk. 

“Hands on the desk,” Lex ordered as he kept the gun pointed at Sid. 

“Come on, Big Rig,” Sid smiled, “I said like professionals. Besides, do you think I am going to kill you with your girl sitting in the next room?” 

Lex’s eyes squinted slightly but his expression did not change. He shrugged and said, “It’s a possibility, but that’s assuming that you get me before I get you, which is not going to happen.” 

“Fair enough,” Sid conceded, “You got the job by the way if you want it. Want to hear the details?” Lex nodded his head yes. Impressed with Sid’s direct approach. “Then put the damn gun down,” Sid instructed. Lex lowered his weapon, but kept the gun in his hand. “First, tell me the other vulnerabilities you saw.”

“I don’t work for free,” Lex replied, “Tell me about the job and compensation. I will discuss it with Teddy. Then I will give you a breakdown of your slip-shod security.” 

Sid sat back and smiled, “You don’t bullshit. I like that.”

“I find that it makes life simpler,” Lex responded. 

“Alright, here is a breakdown of the job. You are head of security for all business locations as well as the compound. You have complete discretion in terms of staffing and resources that you need. My only non-negotiables are Seggy and Burky. They may need some fine tuning, but I trust them,” Sid explained, “Compensation includes salary, housing and benefits.” 

“What’s the salary?” Lex quizzed.

“Name your price,” Sid answered without hesitation. Lex balked and Sid continued, “Look, I have a good gut instinct about you. You have already proven that you will stand your ground and you are not a yes man. That’s what I need.”

“I gotta talk it over with my lady,” Lex answered slowly, “Tell me about the crew.”

Outside in the great room, Teddy’s legs bounced up and down on the gray leather sofa as she  played with the bracelet on her wrist. She moved her fingers from stone to stone. Burky watched from the side of the room and ran his fingers through his hair before bringing his thumb to his mouth. He slowly chewed his fingernail while contemplating his next move. He knew had screwed up letting the Big Bird or whatever his name was into the office. He had been distracted by the red head when she entered the room wearing a navy blue sheath dress that hugged her curves. Women had always been his weakness.

Sid would come down hard on his stupidity if he didnt come with a plan to make up for it. “What were you thinking, dumbass?” he chastised himself. Suddenly he saw a glint that caught his eye. He focused on the origin of it and smiled widely. He knew what he needed to do. 

“Excuse me” he asked brightly and exaggerated his Swedish accent slightly,  “What did you say your name was?

Teddy looked over at him warily, “Teddy.” She wasn’t in the mood to make small talk. She was a bundle of nerves as the reality of the situation sank in. This could be her future - a future outside of Texas. It was a move that would hammer the final nail in the coffin of her relationship with her parents.

“Ahhh, Teddy is a man's name, correct?” he questioned “Your parents wanted a boy and not a girl?”

“Wow,” she said as her eyebrow raised slightly, “You get right to the point…..”

“Andre,” he grinned, “They call me Burky.” He studied her body language as he decided on his approach. “You look thirsty. We can go get a drink in the kitchen.” he said sweetly.

She studied his face for a moment. He seemed friendly enough, much friendlier than she thought a part of Sid Crosby’s crew should be. It couldn’t hurt to make conversation and learn a little bit more about the job from his perspective, she told herself. 

“Do you have coffee?” she smiled back, “I would love some.” She willingly followed along as he led them  into the spacious kitchen. They made small talk as they made their coffees. They reached over each other as they put their cream and sweeteners in their mugs. He spoke of his move from Sweden to the states to pursue a hockey career. Like Lex and Seggy, his professional career had been a bust. In his case, multiple injuries stymied his playing time and eventually earned him the label of “fragile”. Teddy remained tight lipped when Burky pressed her information about Lex and his history.

It was only after they returned to the living room that Teddy felt like something was off. She dismissed the feeling as she looked at the closed door. “So Sid?” Teddy asked casually, “He's a good boss?”

Burky's head popped up, “Oh, he's great. He took me in off the street.” 

Suddenly, Teddy realized what was wrong. Her right wrist was bare. The wrist that normally held  a diamond tennis bracelet. It had been a sweet sixteen gift from her dead sister, Frankie. She looked down in the chair to see if it had slipped off there. It was nowhere to be seen. She distinctly remembered touching it earlier. She retraced her steps mentally and then kicked herself figuratively.

“So Andy?” she asked pointedly.

“Andre,” he corrected.

“Andre,” she smiled, “What do you do for Sid? I assume that you have some sort of specific role.”

Burky blinked slowly, unsure where the conversation was leading. He didn't want to bring any attention to his skill set. “Oh, I do all kinds of things.” he answered casually.

“Things like stealing bracelets from house guests?” Teddy leveled her gaze at the Swede.

“Bracelet?” he smiled, “What bracelet?”

“The one you took,” she answered calmly. 

“I didn't take a bracelet,” he replied in the same manner.

“We're going this route?” Teddy got up and walked toward him with a sense of purpose, “Give me the bracelet- no harm, no foul.”

“There is no harm, no foul because I don't have the bracelet. I don’t know what you are talking about,” he stood his ground.”

“Come on Burky, this could get really ugly or you can simply hand it back to me,” Teddy attempted to speak as sweetly as possible. When he didn’t respond, she felt the anger rise up in her. “Look, you have three seconds before I scream,” her voice rose slightly, “What do you think HE is going to do when he hears it? Do you think he is going to stop to ask you questions? If you are lucky, I will be able to explain the situation before he assumes something far worse. No, when I tell him that you took the bracelet, he will just turn you upside down and shake you down. Have you ever been shaken down by a Big Rig?  I would just give it back to me and save yourself the pain, but you do you booboo”.

In the office, Sid was mid-story when Lex held up his hand. Sid stopped talking and they listened.

“Let's be reasonable,” Burky cajoled.

She stepped closer and yelled, “Give it back.”

“or you will tell your giant, badass big bird of a boyfriend,” he scoffed, “For the last time, I didn’t take your damn….”

He was interrupted as Teddy grabbed his hand and twisted his arm behind his back. Then she pushed her foot to the back of his knee, bringing him down to his knees. “Give it back to me,” she screamed as she twisted his arm tighter. 

“Foz, everything okay out there,” Lex called  as he rose to his feet. 

“Yeah sure,” Teddy answered breezily as she pressed harder.

Burky heard the movement and assessed the situation. “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” he thought to himself as the pain began to shoot up his arm. He began to realize that his initial plan of stealing the bracelet to get back in Sid’s good graces had not been thought through to completion. One, he thought she wouldn’t notice, or at least until they left. Two, he forgot about the big guy. Three, it was a stupid ass plan altogether. 

“Alright, alright, alright,” he whined, “You have to get off of me.” She stood up slowly and adjusted her dress. Burky placed his forehead on the floor and took a deep breath in an effort to compose himself. Then he jumped up and smiled brightly. “Congratulations, Teddy,” he said with false bravado. He reached into his pocket and withdrew the five carat tennis bracelet. He placed it into his palm and presented it to her with great flourish. 

It was that moment that the door opened and duo walked into the room. 

“What’s going on?” Lex asked bruskly. 

Teddy tilted her head, “What do you mean?”

“We heard a ruckus,” Sid answered. 

Teddy and Burky exchanged a look. Teddy studied his face. His eyes implored her silently. She considered his misdeed. He tried to pull a fast one on her and failed. It was unlikely he would try it again. She tried to summon anger but he bat his puppy dog eyes at her and she smiled.

“A ruckus?” Burky repeated, “I didn’t hear a ruckus. Did you hear a ruckus, Teddy?”

“No, I didn’t hear anything, Andy,” she responded. She turned to the duo. “Can you describe the ruckus?” she added. 

Sid stifled his laughter. He wasn’t sure what exactly was happening, but he knew two things - Burky had screwed up again and Teddy was covering up for him. The Swede was the equivalent of a labrador puppy on his crew. He was simultaneously entertaining and endearing with his antics. However, he frequently left messes all over that required someone to clean it up.

 Lex pressed the issue slightly, “I am pretty sure I heard your voice, Teddy.“

Teddy smiled, “Oh that! My bracelet fell off. Andy here helped me find it. Didn’t you Andy?” 

Andre bit his tongue. He wanted to correct her but she was doing him a solid so he let it slide. “Yes, that must have been what you heard. Poor Teddy was quite flummoxed. You should really get that clasp checked. It’s very weak in my opinion.

Lex looked back and forth between the two. He was sure of one thing- something happened and Teddy would not tell him in front of Sid. Since she seemed to have the “situation” under control, he let it slide. 

“Are you almost done with your chat?” Teddy asked, desperate to end the stand-off. 

Sid smiled, “We’re just about done. Burky, take Teddy down to see the River cottage.” She tilted her head in confusion and he continued, “The job does come with either a housing allowance and/or use of one of the cottages on the compound. Why don’t you go take a look at it and see it will fit your needs?”

“Oh, that sounds like a fabulous idea,” she smiled. 

She held out her arm to signal Burky to lead the way. They were about ten yards outside the house before he spoke. “Why did you cover for me?” he asked. 

“Snitches get stitches,” she answered quickly.

“Not here,” he retorted immediately. She gave him a side eye. “Sid has very few rules, but rule number one is that there is no violence towards women or children. They're off limits.”

Teddy nodded her head in understanding, “So why did you steal my bracelet then?”

“Temporary insanity?” he laughed. When she did not return the laugh, he added, “I wanted to remind Sid that he needs me around for my special set of skills.” 

“Didn’t think that one one through, huh?” Teddy paused 

“Yeah,”  he sighed, “I am not the brains of the crew obviously..”

Teddy elbowed him, “Don’t worry Big Rig is smart enough for the both of you.” They stepped inside of the cozy three bedroom cottage. Teddy walked around from room to room and tried to keep her composure. It was a far cry from their cramped studio apartment. Mentally she started decorating it with their existing furniture. When she found the back door that led to a deck overlooking the Alleghany river, she was sold. 

Outside the cottage, Sid approached Burky with Lex. “Where’s Teddy?” Lex asked. Burky nodded his head to indicate that she was inside. They walked in and found her peacefully enjoying the view. She turned as she sensed their presence even though her eyes were closed. Sid’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. 

“Are you all done?” she asked brightly. 

Sid smiled, “I think that I may have him convinced to join the crew. I think that my only obstacle is you. Will the cottage work?” He was smart enough to know who the real decision maker would be.

Teddy glanced at her boyfriend then back to the river. She folded her arms across her chest. Then she replied with a smile, “The cottage is more than adequate.” Then she turned to Lex and asked, “Can you give Mr. Crosby and me a moment? I do have some questions for him.” 

His eyebrows shot up and he tilted his head, “Teddy, are you sure you want me to leave?”

‘Yes, it won’t take long. You should check out the shower to make sure that you fit,” she suggested. When he left, Sid and Teddy stood in silence for a moment. 

“Mr. Crosby,” she began, “Are there any of the other guys on the crew that have a wife or girlfriend?”

“No, you are the first,” he answered, “Truthfully, I thought you were going to be a dealbreaker for me when I saw you in the living room. Turns out that I was wrong.”

“How so?” she inquired. 

“You are much tougher than you appear,” he answered, “How hard did you take down Burky?”

Teddy’s mouth dropped before she smiled, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Come on, you can tell me,” he encouraged, “What did he do?”

“Promise me that he won’t be punished?” she asked point blank. Sid held up his fingers in a “Scouts Honor” gesture. She nodded in understanding. 

“Apparently in a fit of desperation, he lifted my bracelet from my wrist,” she answered. Sid immediately frowned and his jaw tensed. “Hey, he is part of your crew. You can’t be surprised.” Teddy walked towards the edge of the deck before turning back to face him. “Seriously, he didn’t think it through but there was no harm and no foul,” she said as she held out her bracelet. 

“Back to my question,” he quizzed.

“I took him down hard enough to get my message through,” she stared at him defiantly, “he won’t try it again - at least not with me.” 

Sid smiled, “You way tougher than I thought you were.”

“I used to not be tough, but Lex taught me,” she said out loud, “He turned me from a sheltered rich girl into someone with street smarts.”

“I’d love to hear how that happened,” he replied. 

“Story for another time,” she sighed. She steeled herself. Then she blurted out, “Mr. Crosby, what kind of business is this? I am not naive enough to believe that this is a completely legitimate operation, but I need to know just how far across the line will this job take Jamie?” She was careful to use his proper name. 

“Wow, you've got nerves of steel to ask me that,” Sid balked. 

For a moment, Teddy doubted herself but she pushed through it, “Lex,” she stopped herself, “I mean Jamie is more than capable to do whatever this job requires. I know that he has had to make ethically gray choices in the past.” She paused and considered shutting up but her protective nature spurred her on. “But he is a man of honor. He is not mean or malicious. I don’t want him to be  in a position where he would have to compromise his principles and character.” She took a deep breath, “I don't want to lose the man I love to a world of darkness.” 

Sid studied her for a moment. If there had been any doubt left about Oleksiak, she had removed it. Anyone who could inspire such gumption and loyalty was a person he wanted on his crew. Finally Sid spoke, “I won’t ask him to do that. I will not lie. We break the law on occasion.” She gave him a side eye. “Okay, we break the law a lot, but we do have a code that we follow.”

“Will he have to hurt people?” she asked brazenly.

“Yes, but nobody gets hurt that doesn’t deserve to be hurt,” he countered. 

“And women and children are off limits?” she asked to get confirmation of Burky’s remark.

“They are off limits and anyone who breaks that rule gets hurt,” Sid answered. 

“Well, then I think you have answered my questions,” she stated. 

“Good,” he smiled, “I’ll send Big Rig in so you can make your decision.”

Once Sid and Burky had left the cottage, Lex came back out to the deck. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and bent down to place his chin on her shoulder. “What are you thinking, Foz?” he asked quietly. 

“I am thinking that I want to know how the interview went. Do you like him? Does he like you? What does the job entail?” she leaned her body weight back and turned her head to face him. He took her hand and led her to the chaise lounge. He removed his jacket and got comfortable. Then he pulled her on top of his massive body. 

“Well, after the guns were put away, it went well,” he started. 

“Guns? What the hell, Lex!” she shouted. 

He smiled, “We sized each other up so to speak”

“And?” she asked. 

“And there is a reason that he is Sidney Fucking Crosby and runs all of Pennsylvania and half of NYC. He’s smart, shrewd and has balls of steel,” he answered. She rested her head on his chest as he went on to explain the job. She could hear the excitement in his voice. She could also hear how he was trying to tamper it down. He knew that she would allow his excitement to cloud her judgment and she knew that he knew it. 

“So did he offer you the job?” she asked. 

“Yeah,” he tried to answer casually. 

“What’s the hold up then?” she joked. 

“The money,” he answered. He continued when she squinted in confusion, “He said that I can name my price. Foz, I have no idea on what to ask for. This job is so far out of my league. I just don’t know.” His voice trailed off. 

“Hey,” she interjected, “This is not out of your league. He basically offered you a job on the spot for a reason. Don’t doubt yourself, Jamieson.” 

“Okay boss,” he tickled her side. 

Suddenly an idea hit and she dug out her phone. She started texting Steve, the former Secret Service agent, who headed her father’s security team. 

Teddy gulped when she read the last line. 

“What?” Lex asked as his eyes filled with tears. 

She handed the phone to Lex who read over the messages. “Daddio never changed the code,” she whispered, “so I could go back if I needed to.” 

“Foz,” he whispered, “If you want to stay in Dallas, we can stay in Dallas. I’ll find a way to make more money.” 

Her eyes flashed up at him, “You know I don’t give a shit about the money. It’s never been about the money.” He closed his eyes and rubbed his face. “Listen to me Jamieson Oleksiak. I chose you. I chose you and I will choose you over and over again,” she spoke urgently. “This is a fresh start for us and we’re not going to throw it away for a possibility,” she said firmly, “They made their choice and nothing in those texts changes that.” 

“But Foz, they’re your family,” he countered.

“No, you are my family. They threw me away when they couldn’t control me” she protested, “Would you throw me away?

He recoiled in horror, “Never.

 “It’s you and me forever.” she began reciting the familiar words. 

“No matter what” he joined in reciting their motto.

“Whatever it takes,” she finished. 

“So we have a decision made?” he smiled.

“Let’s move to Pittsburgh,” she answered. 

“Foz, I didn’t even ask about the cottage,” he realized, “Do you like it?”

“It needs a little TLC, but I like it,” she assured him, “Factor in redecorating in your salary request.” 

They spent a few more minutes in silence before he nudged them up. After a few minutes to take measurements, they strolled hand in hand back to the main house. Teddy started to find a seat in the living room as Lex went to find Sid. However, he kept a firm grip on her hand. Together they knocked on the door and entered the office together. 

“So what’s the verdict?” Sid asked.

“We’re in for the right price,” Lex answered. He took a deep breath, “500K should do it.”

“Okay,” the Canadian crime boss answered without pausing, “When can you start?”

“Wait,” Teddy interjected. Sid turned to her, “And a reno budget for the cottage.”

Sid blinked and then smiled, “Welcome to the family. Let’s go celebrate.” 

The crew sat in the private dining of Ciliegia, Sid’s preferred Italian restaurant. The usually all male crew felt invigorated by the presence of a woman. There was a sly game of one-up manship as they vied for Teddy’s attention. It had not taken them long to realize that the key to getting into the new boss’s good graces was getting into HER good graces. 

After much prodding from Sid, Teddy finally spilled the beans on Burky’s failed attempt to steal her bracelet. 

“I lifted it without you noticing,” Burky protested as he blushed, “At least give me credit for that.” 

“Yes, Andy,” she teased, “You did do that. Now what you were going to do with it once you had it, I have no idea.” 

“Andre… if you are not going to call me Burky, call me Andre,” he begged. 

“Why would I do that, Andy?” Teddy answered, “I think you should be glad that this is the only punishment I am going to dole out.” Lex watched with a bemused smile as the two bantered. 

Later, Sid asked the server to send his compliments to the chef for the delicious meal. They were surprised when the fiery redhead walked into the room. She wiped her hands on her apron as she approached Sid at the head of the table.  He stared at her, suddenly unable to speak. Startled glances were exchanged among the group before Lex spoke up to pass along the praise. The chef, Lizzie, nodded her head as she listened but her eyes were transfixed on the brunette Canadian. When she stumbled out of the room as she kept her gaze in his direction, Teddy and Lex shared a look.

As they walked out to go their separate ways, Sid nudged Lex, “I am pretty sure I just met my future wife.”

Lex stopped suddenly, “Don’t you think that you should know her name first?”

“I know her name,” Sid corrected, “It’s Mrs. Crosby.”

Lex laughed out loud, “Those redheads, I’ll tell you.” He glanced over at Teddy who was busy exchanging phone numbers, instagrams and snapchats with Seggy and Burky. “They’ll snatch your soul out of your body in an instant and never give it back,” he said with a smile. She turned to him and flashed a smile that melted his heart.

Lex pulled Teddy in a tight hug. “I lied earlier today, Foz” he whispered as he kissed the top of her head. 

“You did?” she looked up into his eyes, “about what?”

“I said that I am the only criminal in this relationship,” he smiled as he spoke, “That’s not true.”

“I’m a criminal now?” she playfully pouted, “Fine - I’ll get the suit cleaned and returned to Daddio’s closet. No harm, no foul.”

“I’m not talking about that, Foz,” he kissed her forehead. 

“Then how am I a criminal?” she poked his rock hard abs. 

“You stole my heart, just like a seasoned professional,” he bent down to kiss her gently, “Much better than the Swede.”

“Oh,” she returned his kiss, “In my defense, you stole mine first.” 

“Well, I am not giving it back,” he lifted her up to kiss her more deeply.

“Me either,” she wrapped her arms around his neck, “I am yours forever. No takeback and no exchanges.”

“I wouldn’t think of it,” he grinned as he carried her out to their waiting car, “I wouldn’t think of it.”

Chapter One-Trouble with a capital T-https://starshine-hockey-girl.tumblr.com/post/653360134099288064/trouble-with-a-capital-t-magical-mystery

[zerolawrence]

Have you met ZERO LAWRENCE yet? They’re the THIRTY-ONE year old BARTENDER that lives around SWINDELBROOK ST. APARTMENTS. I think they’ve lived in Seattle for ELEVEN MONTHS. From what I’ve heard, they’re ASSERTIVE, but once you’ve known them long enough you’ll find they can also be FICKLE. When I think of them, I usually think of THOROUGHFARE by ETHEL CAIN. 

name: zero lawrence.

gender: cis male.

sexual orientation: bisexual.

age: thirty-one.

birthday: december 14th.

zodiac: sagittarius.

birthplace: rye, east sussex.

neighborhood: swindlebrook street.

time in seattle: eleven months.

occupation: bartender.

HISTORY.

with a name like zero, it was hard for strangers not to have low expectations of him growing up. though the same could never be said about his parents — despite the fact they only named him zero due to being told that was their chances of having children on several different occasions by medical professionals.

even with their ironic and unusual choice of name for him, zero's parents only ever showered their little boy with love and affection, encouraging and supporting his every endeavour. zero was always taught he could do anything he set his mind to, a mindset he still carries around with him to this day.

zero's childhood was spent running up and down cobbled streets, begging his father to bury him up to his head on the beach of camber sands during summer holidays and staring outside his bedroom window wondering what lay beyond his small town's tiny borders

as much as zero loved his parents and his small town growing up, by the age of seventeen he knew small town life would never be enough for him. he wanted to travel, meet new people, experience the kind of love his father had for his mother and go on an adventure. when he was twenty one, he finally left his parents and east sussex behind with only one destination in mind — america. zero had spent his childhood obsessed with american sitcoms, falling in love with cities like the big apple, the windy city and the emerald city.

he purchased a one way ticket to new york with the money he had saved from his job at his local pub from the age of nineteen, leaving behind everyone and the life he knew. zero had left home with enough savings to last him several months before he would need to start looking for work. when his funds finally did start running low, he picked up a job in a diner where he would eventually meet the first great love of his life — or so he thought.

zero fell for this person fast and he fell hard, before he knew it they were making plans to drive across the country and exploring every nook and cranny together and for nine months that's what they did; driving across the country, sleeping in the back of their pick-up truck when they couldn't afford a motel, eating at every 24 hour diner they could find. it was the exact reason zero had wanted to leave home for in the first place. everything was perfect between them — or so he thought.

one morning zero awoke to learn they had disappeared and so was every dollar he had to his name. when he tried calling their cell phone, the only voice on the other end was one to inform the caller that this number was no longer in service. what he thought had been a whirlwind romance for him, had been a long-con for them. the only thing they had left him was their old pick-up truck, which zero immediately hopped in and headed further out west to texas — only for his truck to breakdown in albuquerque. with no money to take it to a repair shop, he decided on making alburquerque a pit stop so he could find a job and save up enough money to buy a another car and hit the road again.

it was between the ages twenty four to thirty that zero spent bussing tables in dallas, bartending at dive bars in nashville, working on a ranch in wyoming, spending some time in montana to see the rocky mountains and yellowstone national park and working blue-collar jobs in oregon. zero doesn't stay anywhere for too long, he's always searching for his next adventure, chasing that next high and his latest has lead him to seattle, washington. where he's spent the eleven months bartending at a strip club named the doghouse. out of all the jobs he's worked over the years, bartending is his favourite despite the unusual work hours. it allows him to meet people from all other the country, sometimes even the world and learn a piece of their story.

PERSONALITY.

+ assertive, captivating, dexterous, maverick and resilient. - airy, fickle, reticent, soft headed and opinionated.

TIDBITS.

his favourite song to workout to is confident by demi lovato.

this is one of his genuine messages from grindr, he still hasn't emotionally recovered.

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

ROMANTIC flirtationship / situationship / tinder matches / unrequited love / will they/won't they? / ex boyfriend/girlfriend / one night stand.

PLATONIC building neighbours / drinking buddies / work buddies / ride or dies / bromances / patrons / people he's met on his travels across america / the doghouse family.

ANTAGONISTIC noisy neighbours / drunks from the bar / exes / frenemies / rivals / the first great love of his life ( this would need to be plotted / discussed further but their name/gender/etc is utp ).

CURRENT CONNECTIONS.

cousins by blood / sunshine and grump duo by fate @howlettbaz

doghouse bros / casual friends with benefits @budddywells

swindlebrook neighbours / @mikaylatilly @howlettbaz @budddywells @thaddtilly @murphyaltman

the doghouse family / @budddywells @mikaylatilly @murphyaltman

nashville drinking buddy / @henryxmonroe

hiking buddies / dad joke victim @rafacarreno

doghouse patron / trades shots for secrets about her life.. or at least tries to @estestrauss

[hauntshq]

congratulations on your acceptance, please see below for the new campers & counseors of fire burn! please make sure you check the next steps here. since this is the first official acceptance, we will be giving everyone 48 hours instead of 24 hours. the group is officially open!

CAMPERS

taylor zakhar perez, homosexual, cis male, he/him → isn’t that roman d'evreux? i’ve seen them hanging out with the campers. i hear they’re 27, but they’ve been coming to camp for 1 year. they seem to be knowledgable & determined, but also secretive & vindictive. it’s cool that they’re capable of necromancy & divination! their aesthetics are also forbidden tomes, occult sigils carved in wood, vintage designer labels. | written by blue 

evan mock, homosexual, male + he/him → isn’t that malaki king? i’ve seen them hanging out with the campers. i hear they’re 27, but they’ve been coming to camp for 4 years. they seem to be bubbly & charming, but also airheaded & vain. it’s cool that they’re capable of divination & psychometry! their aesthetics are hand made tarot cards, old books, also wearing gloves. | written by x 

thomas doherty, homosexual, cis male + him/he → isn’t that baird shaw? i’ve seen them hanging out with the campers. i hear they’re 27, but they’ve been coming to camp for 4 years. they seem to be decisive & imaginative, but also arrogant & devious. it’s cool that they’re capable of resourrection & necromancy! their aesthetics are also gravestones, skeletons, golden shrouds. | written by bobby   

kit connor, gay, cis man + he/him → isn’t that bowie breckenridge? i’ve seen them hanging out with the campers. i hear they're 21, but they’ve been coming to camp for 3 years. they seem to be sweet & energetic, but also vapid & aloof. it’s cool that they’re capable of chlorokinesis & healing! their aesthetics are also antique greenhouses, dried herbs and flowers, tree climbing and wearing overalls. | written by trip  

COUNSELORS

josh dallas, gay, trans male + he/him → isn’t that arthur asmodeus caliburn? i’ve seen them hanging out with the counselors. i hear they’re 33, but they’ve been been coming to camp for 13 years. they seem to be studious & inquisitive, but also aloof & dismissive. it’s cool that they’re capable of astral projection, divination, healing, & telekinesis! their aesthetics are also spell books lifting off the ground, cycles of magic in a circle, gilded iron mirror used for scrying. | written by ian 

andré lamoglia, gay, trans male + he/him → isn’t that maia rojos? i’ve seen them hanging out with the counselors. i hear they’re 24, but they’ve been been coming to camp for number of 6 years. they seem to be compassionate & kind, but also scatterbrained & superstitious. it’s cool that they’re capable of chlorokinesis, hydrokinesis, photokinesis, & telekinesis. their aesthetics are also desserts, strawberries, & heart necklaces. | written by rhi 

alan ritchson, gay, male + he/him → isn’t that rich bélanger? i’ve seen them hanging out with the counselors. I hear they’re 41, but they’ve been been coming to camp for 10 years. They seem to be nurturing & caring, but also idealistic & self-sacrificing. it’s cool that they’re capable of healing, geokinesis, forcefield & pyrokinesis! their aesthetics are also a steaming fresh and soft bread loaf, cozy fall sweaters and gentle leaves falling all around you, a warm house dimly lit with a window to watch the storm outside. | written by don jovian 

regé-jean page, queer, cis male + he/him → isn’t that laurent silvere? i’ve seen them hanging out with the counselors. i hear they’re 35, but they’ve been been coming to camp for 15 years. they seem to be intelligent & generous, but also judgmental & crass. it’s cool that they’re capable of telekinesis, molecular immobilization, divination, & teleportation! their aesthetics are also suits, stiff whiskey on ice, and deep rooted magic. | written by sean 

simu liu, homosexual, cis male + he/him → isn’t that wu you? i’ve seen them hanging out with the counselors. i hear they're 36, but they’ve been been coming to camp for 16 years. they seem to be dedicated & caring, but also impatient & overconfident. it’s cool that they’re capable of illusion casting, molecular combustion, pyrokinesis, * teleportation! their aesthetics are also chang'e from smite, fire bending baddies like azula, painted clouds and red dragons. | written by roo 

álvaro rico, gay, male + he/him → isn’t that javier flores? i’ve seen them hanging out with the counselors. i hear they're 29, but they’ve been been coming to camp for 11 years. they seem to be flirty & creative, but also too trusting & compulsive. it’s cool that they’re capable of healing, chlorokinesis, psychometry, & molecular combustion! their aesthetics are also books, autumn trees, polaroid camera. | written by tommy 

winston duke, queer, cis male + he/him→ isn’t that ishmael rowe? i’ve seen them hanging out with the counselors. i hear they're 34, but they’ve been coming to camp for 8 years. they seem to be fearless & passionate, but also finicky & stubborn. it’s cool that they’re capable of divination, healing, chlorokinesis, & atmokinesis! their aesthetics are also the smell of bergamot, patchouli & almond oil, droplets of fresh-fallen rain upon warm skin, & the needle humming against your favorite vinyl. | written by albie 

joe manganiello, pansexual, cis male, + he/him → isn’t that corydalis barbafiera? i’ve seen them hanging out with the counselors. i hear they're 47, but they’ve been been coming to camp for 3 decades. they seem to be social & responsible, but also superficial & materialistic. it’s cool that they’re capable of electrokinesis, aerokinesis, hydrokinesis, & atmokinesis! their aesthetics are also old worn sweaters, chanting in unison, anticipating an approaching storm. | written by jess 

manny jacinto, bisexual, cis male + he/him → isn’t that eliong vega? i’ve seen them hanging out with the counselors. i hear they're 39, but they’ve been been coming to camp for 20 years. they seem to be inquisitive & meticulous, but also obsessive & dismissive. it’s cool that they’re capable of astral manipulation, intangibility, magnetic field manipulation, & photokinesis! their aesthetics are also stacks of books filling a cozy home library in organized chaos, heavy eyes watching the sun rise after staying up all night , “when the night is over” by lord huron. | written by odd 

[deathmybride]

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ these violent delights | davos blackwood (part 5) *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 ❤️‍🔥| Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 ❤️‍🔥

ship: davos blackwood x fem!oc

warnings: one moment of very light explicit content, catholic guilt

summary: cersha seeks some quiet in the morning after, and meets an interesting man

word count: 2251

a/n: thanks everyone for reading. this is a bit of a different chapter, but it sets up the crux of the next chapter. After chapter six I will try to wind down the story, so there should be no more than eight parts.

Cersha awoke that morning to find the dawn had at last gotten ahead of her. The sun was yet to break the horizon, but it was light, and she could see Davos was still dead to the world, as was his way. During their time at Cobble Keep, he could sleep sometimes until full noon had come and passed. She watched his stillness, her gaze tracing the raised welt of scar on his nose to where it joined with the one that formed a rivulet above his lip. It must have been a heavy blow that cleaved across his face, but she saw it had healed well, just as the tear through his thigh was healing. His warm breath disturbed the hair on her forehead as she gently extracted herself from the lanky arms that were looped loosely around her frame. He stirred, a soft noise of resistance falling from his lips, but he turned on his back, flopped out his limbs and fell easily back to sleep. She sat at the edge of the bed, hesitating to wake him. She knew if he woke to find her gone, he would be sour for the rest of the morning, but she needed to breathe and to feel the air touch her without the weight of his presence.

She thought she might kiss him while he slept, to take it with her as something soft and pure to offer the Maiden as penance for what had felt so purifying the night before. How strange it was to look upon his lips and think of all the places they had been, but never meeting her own. Instead, she kissed his forehead and made her way downstairs.

The mess seemed enormous in its emptiness. Its lengthy tables and benches were as yet devoid of any settings, and the iron candelabras had not been lit. A man in a black cloak reclined on the sill by one of the windows, admiring the sunrise and smoking a pipe. He was alone but for the few browbeaten maids who wiped the tables and swept the floors. When Cersha said her good mornings to the girls, he did not appear to move, though his eyes shifted to her beneath the shadow of his hood. She did not notice, but he watched her closer still when she offered to collect some of the daffodils she had seen by the edge of the wood to fill the vases that laid on the tables and on the bar.

“That’s most kind of you.” The red-haired maid showed a crooked-toothed smile from across the bar as she wiped a tankard with a white rag, her freckled nose crinkling. “Thank you.”

“Dalla, this is the King’s Road.” The one with silver hair snapped, pausing her sweeping. Her eyebrows knitted with irritation or concern. “It’s not… safe.”

“Er, yes. Sorry.” Dalla flushed, her eyes falling to the tankard in her hand. Cersha heard her mutter ‘stupid’ under her breath.

“Fear not.” Cersha patted her pommel with an airy smile. “With a blade, I do the Stranger’s work.”

This made the silver one scoff, and grinning humorlessly at the ground, she shook her head.

“Mad woman.”

It was a lie, of course, one meant for the man at the window. She had had to adapt quickly to lying since their arrival at The King’s Chalice, a skill that had rusted since her uncle’s last wave of attempted betrothals. The last time she had had to lie so fluently had been convincing gentle, bookish Armand Piper that she transformed into a bear every full moon and had eaten her last suitor, bones and all. Though she was a fine woodswoman and survivalist, the reality of things was that she had little experience in combat and was an unskilled warrior. The thought had entered her head more than once that if an outlaw came upon them on their travels, with Davos injured, they may be unable to fight them off.

She had inherited her mother’s sword, and had beaten it on hundreds of training dummies over the years, but only Aeron was willing to spar with her at Stone Hedge. Faith followers and those with much Andal blood had notions of propriety that went ignored on her mother’s side, and it had taken some convincing her cousin to agree to spar with a feeble girl. Once their swords had crossed, there was no going back, and they had fought so much over the years that Cersha thought they could do it in the pitch dark, each blocking and parrying the other into a stalemate on instinct alone. But fighting one green squire- or rather a knight, though he had enjoyed the title for perhaps two months before it was taken from him- was poor training against the skill and unpredictability of a seasoned warrior. With the lingering idea of danger muddled in with memories of Aeron, the outdoors called to her and she answered.

The air outside had taken a bracing turn, and she breathed its iciness in satisfaction. That was what she needed, cold rushing up around her like passing through a waterfall. She headed off across the meadow, feeling the long grass soaking dew into her breeches and hummed the Song of the Seven. She thanked the Gods for that morning, for the reprieve from constant company, and the opportunity to find herself again in the whirling wind of all that had happened. She prayed that they looked kindly upon her new… friendship, skirting around the consummation thereof.

Soon she had found herself at the edge of the wood, and casting a glance behind her, she knelt and began to pick the flowers there. They were resplendent yellow, brighter and more buttery than any Tyroshi dye. She plucked one from the earth, particularly bright and full-bodied, and ran her fingertip around the circumference of the puckered trumpet. It felt not unlike those ruched folds of salmon silk that some named maidenhead. She could feel it echoed on her own below as she stroked the petals, ringing with the memory of his deft digits working their way beneath the ivy of her hair, and years before the memory of her own waltzing to the thought of her first love. Struck by a sudden impulse, she crushed the flower in her fist, feeling her nails dig into her palm as her heart raced and her eyes burned.

Snap!

She wheeled around at the sound, lunging for her sword and swinging it clumsily at her assailant as she staggered to her feet. It was the man from the window. On his feet he was tall, still imposing, with his black gloved hands folded calmly across his chest. He blinked in apparent surprise and took a polite step back, drawing off his hood to reveal a crown of dark gold hair that fell about his shoulders.

“Apologies, my lady.” A smile softened his face. “It was not my intention to startle you.”

“Who are you?” She demanded, turning side-face and pressing closer with her blade aimed at his stomach. “What do you want?”

“Now, now, just calm down.” He danced easily out of her range and touched his pommel. “I simply stepped out of my room at the inn for a breath of air when I overheard you state your intent to venture out on your own.”

“You followed me!” The blade trembled in her hand as she gasped, feeling a sudden sense of exposure with the wood at her back and so far to run past him to the inn.

“Yes.” He admitted with a look of bashful embarrassment. “To say my heart swelled with worry would be an understatement. The day may have broken, my lady, but this is the King’s Road. Rape and robbery are daylight affairs in a place as treacherous as this.”

“And you seek to make your contribution to treachery?” As he stepped forward with a placating hand raised, she surged at him, swiping a blow that would have taken his hand if he had slower reflexes.

“Shit!” He exclaimed, sucking the blood from where the blade touched his knuckles. “Listen! When you did not return quickly, my worry grew. I could not let you remain in danger so I came to offer an escort back to the inn. I see now you are more than capable of defending yourself.”

“Aye, I am.” She said firmly, though she knew it was flattery. “So you best keep your distance, and stop saying ‘my lady,��� I ain’t a lady.”

“Please. I mean you no harm, I swear it. I am the shield that guards the realm of men, and you are part of that realm, are you not?”

Her brow furrowed at his strange words and she shook her sword in frustration.

“What do you mean?”

“I am a sworn brother of the Night’s Watch.”

“Oh.” She noticed then that not only his cloak and gloves, but his doublet and jerkin, breeches, and boots were all black. She felt weightless with relief; her mother had always spoken of the Night’s Watch with reverence. The Black Brother noticed her sword lower almost imperceptibly. “So you are. Thank you for your service.”

“It is my pleasure.” He dipped his head, showing that his golden hair was streaked with shimmering grey. “Now, if you would so kindly put away your sword, I should like to introduce myself.”

Reluctantly, she lowered her blade, but kept it in her hand.

“In the sheath, if you please, my lady.” He gestured to show the blood that was now drying in the webs of his fingers.

She scrutinised his face for hostility, but she saw only a kindly smile of encouragement. She relinquished, sheathing her blade. He side-stepped forward, offering his clean hand. After an apprehensive pause, she gave over her hand and let him kiss it. His wiry beard tickled her.

“I am Ser Eltyn of the Queen’s Gate.”

“Cait, Ser.”

“No surname?”

“M-mm. Just Cait.”

“I see. It is of the highest honours to meet you, ‘Just Cait.’ Now,” He made a sweeping gesture to the flowers at their feet. “Might I help you collect your flowers? Two sets of hands are quicker than one, after all. And the sooner we finish, the sooner we might break our fast. I already smell the bacon on the breeze.”

She pursed her lips and looked him over once again. He stood at ease, without the tension of a man waiting to strike, and the warmth in his eyes was almost like her fathers. Oh, how she missed him. She nodded and settled on the ground. He crouched down beside her, swiped his hand on a black hanky and began bundling the flowers with surprising care.

“What are you doing so far south of the Wall?”

“I am on a mission to rid the Riverlands of its rabble,” His eyes crinkled as he explained. “Rapers, thieves, and all manner of dungeon scum, beginning at Riverrun. If I’m lucky, I may recruit an honest man or two along the way.”

“I wish you luck, Ser.” He smiled graciously at her words. Cersha found herself itching with curiosity and unleashing a tide of questions onto him. “And you, are you a man of honour? Who were you before you joined the Watch? Why did you join, what compelled you?”

“Inquisitive girl, yes?” He laughed. “My name before the Watch matters not. They are my family now, but I will tell you that at my birth, I was the youngest of three brothers. The eldest is now a lord, the second a bureaucrat, and I am a sworn brother. I was compelled by my… sense of adventure. My zest for life.”

“The Wall, what’s it like? My mother said it hums with ancient magic. Is it true?”

“So many questions.” He chuckled. “And I am yet to ask one. Tell me, what brings you to stay at the King’s Chalice?”

“I travel with my stepbrother.” She recited with an agitated sigh, desperate to know more. “We plan to travel along the King’s Road and then to branch south, following the Red Fork to Pinkmaiden to seek audience with the Maester there. It is well known in the Riverlands that Maester Ketyn stayed for a time at Riverrun and cured young Oscar Tully of his stammer, and greatly helped his lisp. My step-brother is a strong boy, and kind, but he is now a man grown and has never uttered a word. If there is hope for him, it is this.”

“That is most noble of you, lady.”

“I told you, Ser, I am no lady.”

“Of course.” He looked on her thoughtfully. “Might I accompany you on the road to Riverrun?”

Cersha prickled, suddenly apprehensive, despite his sweet disposition.

“I appreciate the gesture, Ser, but we ride alone.”

“My lady, I must protest. The wilds are far too dangerous for an innocent girl and her half-wit brother.”

“Jack is a formidable fighter.” She pushed to her feet, feeling a flare of disgust at the use of the word, despite Davos being in full possession of his faculties. “He finds comfort in the blade. Now, I think that’s quite enough daffodils. I must check upon my brother. Thank you, for your assistance.”

“My lady-” She took up the armful of flowers, leaving him with nothing but shock writ across his face, and went hurrying across the field, dropping a yellow stem here and there as she went.

Thanks to my lovelies @aemondslove @disillusioned-phantasma @anaviieiraaa @deepestlovert @flordiakilos @kitty2694 @kpopfanfictionfantacies @sometings @nikkilsworld @gladiatorgladiator @borislava17 @oshun22@spider-stark @marvelenthusiast10 @itsyagirl01 @disillusioned-phantasma @nixtape-foryou @giggles-andkicks @avidsmokers for your reblogs and comments! I'm doing it for you guys :)

[hidelias]

A bend in space-time Season 2 - [Chapter 11: The machinery of the universe]

[Chapter 11: The machinery of the universe] Links : AO3 - Wattpad - FFN

November 15, 1963 - 07:07 pm

The light that filters through the store's smoked window is dull, this evening, and my eyes wander over the arched, inverted letters that spell out the name Merelec. On the sign announcing that the store is closed. On the pile of component boxes and the accumulation of TV sets awaiting to be repaired. In my hand, the soldering iron hasn't moved for a minute now, and I finally turn it off. My head rests on the table in the crook of my arm. I'm tired. Exhausted. And I know it's probably the same for Lloyd, who has even more TV sets lined up to be fixed, at the Dallas Centre store right now. I don't know if we'll get it all done in time for Kennedy's 'coming' on November 22. And we'll have literally seen each other three hours, since he returned from Houston.

I sigh. I haven't heard from Klaus since we hung up amidst a troubled silence on Monday. He didn't say anything about it, but I sensed he was fighting the urge to jump into the Dodge Polara and drive all the way here. If he really fancied it, it would take him a good twenty-five hours of driving, interspersed with stops, to get to Dallas. About three days, assuming he didn't kill himself. I sigh again. I don't even have the strength to think about it.

As my eyes close, the circuit board gradually merges into a dreamlike star map, with the bright spots of soldering no longer making sense to my exhausted mind. I no longer have any energy to flow through the copper wires, not even enough to keep me awake. Capacitors and resistors seem to dance around me as if the universe itself were nothing more than a machinery. And I fall asleep - right where I am - the acrid smell of resin and white-hot metal dancing around me.

Crack!

How long have I already slept, when this space-time anomaly rips the fabric of my sleep? I don't know, just as I don't know whether I'm dreaming or not. I don't want it. Not right now. I need to sleep, and not yet another restless dream in which Five's pointy face stares back at me over the lined-up cathode-ray lamps. I turn my head and bury it in my arms, as if desperately trying to protect myself from him, once again.

"Go away," I tell him through my numbness, to where sleep and consciousness intertwine.

I've tried to do this time and time again, and I've always failed. The dreams I have about Five are always far too vivid and realistic for me to keep them away, or even to distinguish them from reality. I know that - this time - I won't succeed either. I can even feel the air he moves as he leans against the nearest cardboard boxes.

"You'd better ask me how I found you."

(…)

↝↝↝↝ Read 'A bend in space-time' ↜↜↜↜ Full chapter : AO3 - Wattpad - FFN Season 1 completed : AO3 - Wattpad - FFN Season 2 in progress : AO3 - Wattpad - FFN

I chose to insert an OC - Rin - into the plot of The Umbrella Academy season 2, appearing almost only in deleted scenes. I try to give her an interesting story on her own. What to expect: digging into the psychology of the canon characters, seeing their daily lives through the eyes of an outsider, deciphering what's only skimmed over in the original series. A bit of fun, too, uh?

Any comment will make my day! ���

[personal-reporter]

The Callisto Protocol: un nuovo survival horror di Dead Space

The Callisto Protocol è un videogioco survival horror in terza persona sviluppato da Striking Distance Studios e pubblicato da Krafton. Il gioco è stato rilasciato per PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One e Xbox Series X/S il 2 dicembre 2022. Il gioco è ambientato nel 2323, su Callisto, una luna di Giove. Il giocatore assume il ruolo di Jacob Lee, un ex detenuto della Black Iron Prison, che è stato imprigionato per un crimine che non ha commesso. Quando un'epidemia di virus biofago si diffonde nella prigione, Jacob deve combattere per sopravvivere e trovare una via d'uscita. The Callisto Protocol è diretto da Glen Schofield, il creatore della serie Dead Space. Il gioco presenta una combinazione di elementi di survival horror e combattimento, con un'enfasi sull'uso dell'ambiente per sopravvivere agli incontri con i nemici. Trama Jacob Lee è un ex detenuto della Black Iron Prison, una prigione di massima sicurezza situata su Callisto, una luna di Giove. Jacob è stato imprigionato per un crimine che non ha commesso, ma presto scopre che la prigione è molto più di un semplice luogo di detenzione. Quando un'epidemia di virus biofago si diffonde nella prigione, Jacob deve combattere per sopravvivere. I nemici sono creature orribili e mutevoli che sono avide di carne umana. Jacob deve usare tutto ciò che ha a disposizione per sopravvivere, inclusi armi, oggetti e l'ambiente. Giocabilità The Callisto Protocol è un videogioco survival horror in terza persona. Il giocatore controlla Jacob Lee, che può muoversi, saltare, correre e sparare. Il gioco presenta una combinazione di elementi di survival horror e combattimento. Jacob deve raccogliere armi e munizioni per sopravvivere ai nemici. Le armi possono essere utilizzate per sparare ai nemici o per eseguire attacchi corpo a corpo. Jacob può anche usare l'ambiente per sopravvivere, come nascondersi dietro oggetti o usare trappole per sconfiggere i nemici. Ambientazione The Callisto Protocol è ambientato nel 2323, su Callisto, una luna di Giove. Callisto è un mondo desolato e arido, con un'atmosfera sottile. La prigione di Black Iron è situata in un'area remota di Callisto. La prigione è un luogo oscuro e inquietante. È piena di segreti e pericoli. Jacob deve esplorare la prigione per trovare una via d'uscita e scoprire la verità sull'epidemia. Nemici I nemici in The Callisto Protocol sono creature orribili e mutevoli che sono avide di carne umana. Sono chiamati biofagi e sono una minaccia mortale per Jacob. I biofagi possono essere di diverse forme e dimensioni. Alcuni biofagi sono veloci e agili, mentre altri sono grandi e potenti. Jacob deve usare tutto ciò che ha a disposizione per sopravvivere agli incontri con i nemici. Critica The Callisto Protocol ha ricevuto recensioni generalmente positive dalla critica. I critici hanno elogiato il gameplay, l'atmosfera e l'horror. IGN ha dato al gioco un punteggio di 8,5/10, affermando che è "un gioco survival horror eccellente che offre un'esperienza spaventosa e coinvolgente". GameSpot ha dato al gioco un punteggio di 9/10, affermando che è "uno dei migliori giochi survival horror dell'anno". Conclusione The Callisto Protocol è un gioco survival horror eccellente che offre un'esperienza spaventosa e coinvolgente. Il gioco è ben realizzato e offre un gameplay impegnativo e un'atmosfera inquietante. I fan dei giochi survival horror dovrebbero sicuramente dare un'occhiata a The Callisto Protocol. Alcuni aspetti positivi del gioco includono: Un gameplay impegnativo e gratificante Un'atmosfera inquietante e spaventosa Un'eccellente storia e personaggi Un'ottima grafica e un audio Alcuni aspetti negativi del gioco includono: Alcuni problemi tecnici minori Una durata relativamente breve Nel complesso, The Callisto Protocol è un gioco survival horror eccellente che offre un'esperienza spaventosa e coinvolgente. Read the full article

[ailtrahq]

Cuban suggested that the hackers might have been monitoring his activity, waiting for an opportune moment to strike. The wallet had remained inactive for approximately five months before this discovery. Billionaire entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, Mark Cuban, fell victim to a suspected hack that saw nearly $900,000 worth of cryptocurrency drained from one of his dormant wallets. The incident came to light on 15 September when an independent blockchain investigator flagged unusual activity within one of Cuban’s crypto wallets. The wallet had remained inactive for approximately five months before this discovery. Lmao, did Mark Cuban's wallet just get drained? Wallet inactive for 160 days and all assets just moved pic.twitter.com/vWnMZFyHB5 — Wazz (@WazzCrypto) September 15, 2023 Etherscan’s transaction history revealed that the wallet quickly withdrew multiple batches of assets, including USD Coin [USDC], Tether [USDT], and Lido Staked Ether [stETH], all within a 10-minute window. Adding complexity to the situation, it also withdrew an additional $2 million worth of USDC and transferred it to a different wallet. Initially, this sparked suspicions that Cuban might have been reshuffling his assets. Assets disappear from Mark Cuban’s dormant wallet However, Cuban later confirmed to DL News that he had logged into MetaMask for the first time in months. He suggested that the hackers might have been monitoring his activity, waiting for an opportune moment to strike. As a precautionary measure, he moved any remaining assets to Coinbase Custody. This clarification indicated that the $2 million USDC transaction was indeed his own action. Some in the crypto community pointed out that Cuban’s actions might have inadvertently led to the hack. They suggested that he might have mistakenly approved a malicious transaction. Given that the funds were directly transferred out of the wallet, it was speculated his private key could have been compromised. This isn’t the first time Mark Cuban has faced challenges in the cryptocurrency market. In June 2021, he suffered losses in what he referred to as a “rug pull.” This occurred when an algorithmic stablecoin project named Iron Finance collapsed, resulting in unspecified losses for Cuban. Source

[womenblogger]

Doctor’s advice: 6 tips for pregnant women and new mums

“I just want to learn how to be a mom. 

I want to enjoy every single second of it. “

When pop star Cardi B shared her feelings while expecting her first child, she echoed the sentiments of millions of mothers around the world. Yet, three weeks after she gave birth to her daughter, she realised how “lazy” she had become and how she could not even move her legs, forget about exercising. We couldn’t relate more.

American model Chrissy Teigan got most mothers in splits when she called her new baby “milk monster”. She joked, “If you kind of do the math, you’re kind of breastfeeding for 10 hours a day, total. They just use you for your milk, and you just feel like you are just a cow all day.”

The joys of motherhood also bring with them a tonne of challenges for new mothers. One common challenge faced by lactating mothers is postpartum depression. Celebrities such as British pop star Adele, American actor Bryce Dallas Howard, Canadian singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette, and Indian-American actor Mindy Kaling have spoken openly about normalising postpartum depression and the need for awareness.

Every mother, regardless of her background, education, social status, needs help.

We sought help for new mothers by consulting two gynaecologists who have been helping young mothers cope with pregnancy and motherhood for almost three decades. They had a lot of good advice and tips. 

While Dr Veda Simons (MBBS, DGO)  believes too much information stresses out the mothers, Dr Anita Gupta (MBBS, MS – Obstetrics & Gynaecology) emphasises on the importance of listening to ‘your mother’s advice.’

We compiled a list of six health tips for new mothers from what the doctors told us. Dig in: 

Make a checklist for nutrition 

“Many mothers know what foods to eat during pregnancy and what they will need after the delivery, yet few really follow through. I suggest making a checklist for both pregnancy nutrition and after. I encourage them to maintain a diary or journal of their diet or get  their husband to do it for them. Make sure you are getting enough iron and calcium, it is okay to take prenatal vitamins and dietary supplements as long as you don’t suffer from severe side-effects, and you have discussed with your doctor first” advises Dr Gupta. If you need more guidance or have dietary restrictions, ask your doctor or consult a nutritionist.

Trust your gut

Dr Simons observes that today’s mothers are well-informed, and sometimes ‘over-researched’ on the subject. As a result, they constantly live in the fear of hurting the baby while neglecting their own health. “Trust your motherly instinct. When a baby is being made inside your womb, nature is producing this instinct within you. Trust that instead of spending precious rest hours researching on ‘Dr.Google’. That will open up time and window for your self-care – good sleep, healthy eating and exercising,” she says. 

Equip yourself against Postpartum Depression (PPD)

Postpartum depression is more common than we realise. Some mothers feel low immediately after giving birth while others realise a strange grief weeks after. Feeling low after pregnancy is a common emotional change called postnatal blues. However, when this feeling is prolonged for more than a few weeks, it may result in PPD. “Surround yourself with people who will expect this to happen and can watch out for you and can get help if needed. Don’t be scared of sharing your feelings with your spouse or close friends. Opening up itself unburdens you to a great extent. Good news is there’s both treatment and counselling available for Postnatal depression,” adds Dr Veda.

Breastfeeding needs learning

Some mothers get it right the first time, others struggle to breastfeed. “It is okay to ask your mother or mother-in-law or your best friend about the right way and process of breastfeeding. Seek professional help and support if need be. There are lactation consultants, and doctors who can advise,” says Dr Anita. 

Give your baby some tummy time

Dr Veda is an advocate of “tummy time”. She thinks if only young mothers trusted a human baby’s survival instinct, they could provide themselves with a lot of mental rest. “Holding the baby all the time or immediately when he/she begins to cry does no good to  the baby or the mother. When you leave the baby on a safe, cosy bed several times a day, the baby digests the milk better while giving you some rest. Your rest is as important as the baby’s,” she adds.

Bleeding is normal

Most mothers will experience a certain amount of bleeding in the uterus even for six to eight weeks post delivery. This is fairly normal. “Seek a doctor’s help when you feel the bleeding is heavy or you have a fever. In most cases there is no need to panic and the bleeding turns to normal periods soon,” informs Dr Gupta.

A last word as we go

Never lose the joy that this time brings: the joy of feeling the baby move inside you, the joy of hearing the first cry, the joy of holding the baby for the first time, the joy of being the source of nourishment for another living soul. 

But for this joy to come to fruition, you must take care of your own health equally. At Veira we are passionate about providing you with the information and the support you will need as you set out on this amazing ride. Make us a part of your motherhood journey. With Veira you will not walk alone.

[dhierro]

Custom Iron Windows and Doors for Stair Railings & Balconies | D'Hierro

Elevate your space with custom iron windows and doors from D'Hierro. Explore our collection of finely crafted stair railings and balconies, designed to enhance the beauty and security of your home. With over 28 years of expertise, we offer unparalleled quality and craftsmanship in every detail. Discover the perfect combination of elegance and functionality for your residential or commercial project today. Click here!

[heartsleevemag]

REVIEW: Carlie Hanson, Wisconsin

Photo by Brock Fetch

My jaw dropped the instant I hit play on Carlie Hanson’s sophomore album. A collection of twelve personal, introspective songs, Wisconsin is simply a masterpiece. “I can proudly say I’ve put my whole heart into these songs,” Hanson shared on Instagram when announcing the album. And this sentiment is present in each track. Characteristically of Hanson’s music, Wisconsin doesn’t stick to any single genre; instead, all of her influences are allowed to shine. This allows for a sense of how complicated the person is behind the music, and gives us a look inside Carlie’s head.

There are countless standout tracks; even the singles released prior to the album feel different in context. The first track, “Hopelessness,” begins with a modulated, detached vocal, something that was pleasantly surprising, yet fitting. When the beat drops, you find yourself in Hanson’s world, experiencing the sense of loss and homesickness that is thematic throughout Wisconsin. And as the album continues through nostalgic hometown love letter “608” and the self-aware apology that is “LSE to LAX,” Hanson writes and sings with brutal honesty — she isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Songs like “Torn” continue that theme. “Will I ever put my feet on the ground / Just be happy with the way it is now?” she asks her listeners. It’s a universal concern, being afraid you’ll never be satisfied, but in the context of Hanson’s music the stakes feel higher. You find yourself not only relating but empathizing, longing for that sense of contentment.

Another standout is bluntly written “Pretender,” where Carlie calls herself out for her own perceived inauthenticity. At first, it seems that she’s talking to someone else, but in the second verse she reveals that it’s been her all along — “I’m pretending that it’s worth it all / I’m the pretender.” I had to rewind this one, like rewatching a movie after you know the plot twist. Lines like “Mirror in the fog” feel like a callback to the title track of Hanson’s 2022 debut album, Tough Boy. “I’m a tough boy, guard is up, boy / Running from the mirror,” Carlie shared then, and with the undercurrent of self-doubt, it seems like this is a lesson that’s been carried into Wisconsin. Even the album’s love songs feel complicated; the graceful, forgiving “Window” and fan-favorite “Blueberry Pancakes” let listeners into that complexity, with lines like “I don’t know if I’m alright / With feeling like water when you treat me like iron,” and “I’m selfish, that’s my nature / An unfair expectation to hold me while falling.”

As the album comes to a close, Hanson gracefully wraps up the themes that have held the album together. “Fish Out of Water” tells the story of Hanson moving to LA, falling in love, and learning to coexist with uncertainty, even though it scares the shit out of her. “I lay on the couch full of fear ‘cause I’m afraid one day you might leave me here,” she confesses. But the album’s closer and title track serve as a reminder that there is always an escape. “After all, this the place where I face my fears.” It’s unclear exactly what that place is; maybe it’s Wisconsin, the state, Wisconsin, the album, or music as a whole. Maybe it’s all three.

You can listen to Wisconsin wherever you stream music. Carlie Hanson is also currently on tour with support from Halo Boy, Sophie Powers, and Senses, with stops in Wisconsin, Ontario, Tennessee, California, and more. Check out the list of tour stops below.

March 11 Milwaukee, WI

March 12 Minneapolis, MI

March 14 Columbus, OH

March 15 Detroit, MI

March 16 Toronto, Ontario

March 18, Montreal, Quebec

March 21 New York, NY

March 23 Philadelphia, PA

March 24 Baltimore, MD

March 27 Atlanta, GA

March 28 Nashville, TN

March 30 Dallas, TX

March 31 Austin, TX

April 2 Phoenix, AZ

April 3 Los Angeles, CA

[thelustybraavosimaid]

Why do Jonsas use "Ned and Catelyn look like Jon and Sansa" as the basis for their ship?

It's almost like...they're more obsessed with looks than anything else?

Jon's not going to want to get with Sansa because she looked like someone he didn't exactly like that much. Are we forgetting that Jon felt like Catelyn begrudged him every bite of food?

Jon wondered how Lady Catelyn's sister would feel about feeding Ned Stark's bastard. As a boy, he often felt as if the lady grudged him every bite. (Jon IV, ADwD)

That Catelyn made sure to make him feel unwelcome in his own home?

Something cold moved in her eyes. "I told you to leave," she said. "We don't want you here."

Once that would have sent him running. Once that might even have made him cry. Now it only made him angry. He would be a Sworn Brother of the Night's Watch soon, and face worse dangers than Catelyn Tully Stark. (Jon II, AGoT)

--

It was not Lord Eddard's face he saw floating before him, though; it was Lady Catelyn's. With her deep blue eyes and hard cold mouth, she looked a bit like Stannis. Iron, he thought, but brittle. She was looking at him the way she used to look at him at Winterfell, whenever he had bested Robb at swords or sums or most anything. Who are you? that look had always seemed to say. This is not your place. Why are you here? (Jon XII, ASoS)

And never addressed him by name save for one time?

He was at the door when she called out to him. "Jon," she said. He should have kept going, but she had never called him by his name before.

Why would Jon want to be with someone whose appearance would remind him of any of this?

Also, Jon wants a child of his own, yes. But he accepts the free folk as they are and was more than willing to have Gilly's as well as Dalla's sons fostered at the castle. Jon's interest seems to also be centred around the concept of a found family. This does not align with Sansa's idealisation of marriage or children.

Jon and Arya are what I consider the foils of Jaime and Cersei. Cersei's love is conditional; she likes Jaime best when he follows her lead, looks like her:

The reflection in the water was a man he did not know. Not only was he bald, but he looked as though he had aged five years in that dungeon; his face was thinner, with hollows under his eyes and lines he did not remember. I don't look as much like Cersei this way. She'll hate that. (Jaime I, ASoS)

and does her bidding; when he does not do this, she belittles him.

"You took me in the sept. This is no different." She drew out his cock and bent her head over it.

Jaime pushed her away with the stump of his right hand. "No. Not here, I said." He forced himself to stand.

For an instant he could see confusion in her bright green eyes, and fear as well. Then rage replaced it. Cersei gathered herself together, got to her feet, straightened her skirts. "Was it your hand they hacked off in Harrenhal, or your manhood?" As she shook her head, her hair tumbled around her bare white shoulders. (Jaime IX, ASoS)

She also belittles him off the cuff:

Within the tower, the smoke from the torches irritated her eyes, but Cersei did not weep, no more than her father would have. I am the only true son he ever had. (Cersei I, AFfC)

She loves him, but mostly when it benefits her herself:

Jaime read it in the window seat, bathed in the light of that cold white morning. Qyburn's words were terse and to the point, Cersei's fevered and fervent. Come at once, she said. Help me. Save me. I need you now as I have never needed you before. I love you. I love you. I love you. Come at once. (Jaime VII, AFfC)

Meanwhile, we have undeniable, unconditional trust between Jon and Arya:

Maybe I should go to the Wall instead of Riverrun. Jon wouldn't care who I killed or whether I brushed my hair... (Arya VIII, ASoS)

And:

They had always been close. Jon had their father's face, as she did. They were the only ones. Robb and Sansa and Bran and even little Rickon all took after the Tullys, with easy smiles and fire in their hair. When Arya had been little, she had been afraid that meant that she was a bastard too. It had been Jon she had gone to in her fear, and Jon who had reassured her. (Arya I, AGoT)

We have Jon risking everything he vowed and everything at the Wall to ensure Arya was safe, going so far as to send Mance and six spearwives south to Winterfell. Meanwhile, when sent a letter of his own, Jaime refused to aid Cersei in her own time of need and lacked the same kind of torment we saw from Jon in VI-XIII, ADwD.

Uh why are they trying to equate Jon and Sansa to Rhaegar and Lyanna when they purport Rhaegar kidnapped and raped Lyanna? I don't get this point here.

Targaryen Champion + Ashford Maiden

No one won the hand of the Ashford maiden during the tourney, because Dunk disrupted the event.

Jacaerys Velaryon + Sara Snow

Are we forgetting that Sansa is not actually a bastard orrrrrr...?

Also Jon wasn't fostered at Winterfell under some other guise. He was brought up as a bastard and believed he was a bastard all his life. He was raised as one of Ned's sons. And this was done purely out of necessity.

Sansa is also not the Stark heir. Robb's will likely disinherited her from the line of succession due to her marriage to Tyrion, and in TWoW she acknowledges that she cannot remarry so long as Tyrion was still alive:

No man can wed me so long as my dwarf husband still lives somewhere in this world. Queen Cersei had collected the head of a dozen dwarfs, Petyr claimed, but none were Tyrion's. (Alayne I, TWoW)

Moreover, Bran and Rickon are ahead of her in succession, as they are both alive.

So I don't exactly understand this point, either.

When you put it all side by side, it really is quite astounding how none of these pairings have any relation to j0nsa. And we are not even touching op pretending Sara Snow was a real person.

[mrvlbimbo]

Justice: chapter one

Vigilante x reader

Masterlist here

Besties Forever

In the time since Chris Smith got out of the hospital, he tried to keep a low profile. As low of a profile as someone like him could keep. It was just dumb luck that Adrian Chase had managed to catch a glimpse of him eating at the restaurant he worked at.

Adrian Chase was a vigilante ironically named Vigilante. When he found out his idol and best friend was back in the business he was filled with an overwhelming sense of purpose. It reminded him why he did what he did.

He came to the conclusion that it was time to get the gang back together. This meant breaking into the apartment of another old friend, Lady Justice. He never really knew what her deal was. She was a quiet and severe person with a penitent for violence and a natural talent for it as well.

He also didn’t know much about her backstory except for the fact her and Peacemaker were attached at the hip. Back in the day they all were, they did everything together. “Everything” being fighting criminals and stopping crime.

He had assumed Peacemaker had already gone to see her but she seemed like an easier person to talk to than him at the moment so he went to see her first. The window to her bathroom was unlocked so that's how he got in.

He crept into the kitchen where she was stirring a pot on the stove and humming. Without thinking he announced, “Honey, I’m home!” She cursed and launched the spoon at his face with perfect aim, cracking the eyepiece of his mask.

When she got a closer look at him she covered her face and yelped. “Don’t look!” Unlike Peacemaker, or Chris as they both knew him as, they both liked to keep their identity a secret. Despite him knowing the coordinates to her house he didn’t know her name or what she looked like.

“Come on, your disguise is sunglasses and a ponytail. I’m gonna figure it out eventually,” he whined, flopping down on the couch and pouting.

“What are you here for, V?” she asked, staring at him sternly through her fingers. Her other hand was perched on her hip.

“Chris is out of jail,” he explained, reaching over to her coffee table to examine the magazines. It was a mix of old playboys and tabloids.

“Holy fucking christ on a cracker!” she yelped, running out of the room. He giggled at her extreme reaction and waited for her to come back. After a few minutes she had returned in a revamped version of her old costume.

Rather than her old aviator glasses, she wore a vizor that looked like ski goggles. Her old costume was very American, it consisted of cowboy boots, jeans and a bulletproof vest over a button up shirt. Her new costume had no hint of a logo or national identity. It was a black catsuit with a hard chestplate and a utility belt. She used to look like a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and now she looked like Batman or some shit.

She stood there for a moment to wait for him to stop staring. Then she picked a knife out of her belt at lightning speed and landed it directly above his ear on the arm of the couch. “Break into my house again and I’ll kill you. Now let's go see him,” she offered her hand and helped him off the couch. He stumbled after her in his dazed state.

He nervously tapped his hands on the center console as they drove to Peacemaker’s house. “Sooo. How ya’ been?” Adrian asked in a sing-song voice. She ignored him and turned up the radio, clutching the steering wheel so hard he thought it might explode.

“Are you excited to see Peacemaker?” He asked, ignoring her stiff demeanor. She shrugged and let out a pained sigh, taking her eyes off the road for a moment.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, in an attempt to console her. “It’s ok to not be ok,” he offered in his somber but optimistic lecturing voice.

She grabbed his wrist tightly and ripped his hand off of her. “I will bite you,” she threatened.

He just giggled at her show of aggression. Her and Peacemaker were two peas in a pod. Except he was a little less temperamental. “Feisty,” he commented with a wide grin that was hidden by his mask.

She rolled her eyes and continued to ignore him for the rest of the car ride. When they got to his house Adrian went to the back window and she walked straight up to the door. He was confused but he didn’t take the time to question her since she was clearly already grumpy.

With ease she kicked through the front door and went into the house. She heard music coming from Chris’s room so she knew he probably hadn’t heard her come in. She meandered around the house until she was at the door, for good measure she kicked that one open as well.

Whatever conversation they were having, it stopped for Peacemaker to yell “What the fuck?”

“Don’t you what the fuck me, Chris Smith. I’m gonna fucking kill you,” she snapped, marching over to the bed and slapping him in the face. Then she marched over to the window to stand next to Adrian. “Don’t let me kill him,” she commanded, pointing a finger at the vigilante's chest.

“Yes ma’am,” he responded in an awestruck tone.

“First you get caught doing some stupid shit and go to jail for years and then you get out and get killed. EXCEPT you’re not actually dead and for some reason through all of it you don’t call me once?!” she yelled, pacing around the room and throwing random objects at him.

“Yeah, why aren’t you in prison right now?” Vigilate added, nodding his head at her rant.

“It’s a secret,” he grumbled, clearly lying and clearly annoyed by whatever the truth was.

“Come on you can tell me i’m your best friend,” he pleaded, following after Peacemaker as he left the stomped out of the room. Close behind him was the other hot tempered crime fighter.

“You’re not my best friend,” he replied in an almost confused voice.

Despite not being able to see his face it was clear from his body language that he was upset by that. “Yeah obviously I’m his best friend,” the woman interjected.

“No! Eagly is my best friend,” he yelped.

“Ok, who's your best friend that's a human?” Vigilante questioned, a hint of hopefulness still in his voice. She nodded and voiced her agreement.

“I don’t know either of your secret identities,” he complained, deciding that was his excuse for not calling them his best friends.

They both said the same thing, albeit in slightly different ways. Explaining how their identities were secret because they wanted to be careful and keep the people who knew them out of trouble.

“Whatever. If I’m not your best friend then you’re not my best friend. Vigilante is my best friend now,” she grumbled, putting up a hand for him to high five.

“Aw yeah. Besties for life,” he exclaimed, nodding his head.

She rolled her eyes at his childish nature and turned her attention back to Peacemaker. “I’m bored. Wanna go shoot some shit?” she offered, grabbing a random gun off the mantle and walking towards the door.

“Hey! I was about to ask that,” Vigilante whined, following her out the door.

She grinned and tossed him the keys. “Then lead the way.”

A/N: ok I KNOW I’m working on two stories at once and I have a part time job and school BUT I think I can do it and how could I not write a fic for him he’s so cute <3333 chapter two coming tomorrow, stay tuned!!!

[binbogummy]

O with Dallus and the reader/fk, please. If possible with the fk saying it to him!

Love this man! For a bit of context, I have this headcanon that Dallas lives in an old school bus he remodeled.

O: "Christmas won't be the same without you, y'know..."

~

There was a soft kind of sputtering that urged you to open yours eyes briefly but you closed them again in favor of rolling away from the sound instead. Throwing your arm out from under your blanket, you pulled it right back with a groan when your hand came into contact with the cold metal of the floor outside of where you laid. This helped wake you a little further, even if you did use that clarity to scoot closer to the heat source at your back and burrow further under your blankets. Dozing off for what felt like another few minutes was enough to give you the strength you needed to actually attempt to wake up and with a stretch, you opened your eyes and stared upwards.

Your makeshift bed of blankets and pillows was oddly enough almost more difficult to pull yourself from than your actual bed, ironic considering you were camped out on the floor in the back of Dallas' bus. He kept an old kerosene heater bolted to the floor and slept next to it in the wintertime instead of his bed, and you'd spent the night doing just that as well. It might have been somewhat of a fire hazard but you were just close enough to stay comfortably warm so you didn't really care. Dallas' sleeping bag at the other side of the heater was empty and you began scanning your surroundings in search of where he'd gone.

"Sssorry, flower power, didn't mean to wake you..."

You sat yourself up, crossing your legs and wrapping a blanket around your shoulder to sit facing the heat, and subsequently Dallas who stood at the other side of it. He stepped over his pillow and gave you an apologetic look before focusing on a tea kettle he had set atop the kerosene heater he seemed to be using as a makeshift stove.

"It's okay." You slurred out, hunching forward and closer to the warmth. You were still groggy and the warmth wasn't helping, so you made no sudden moves to wake yourself up any faster than you had to.

"I'm making tea if you want any, I've got, like, coffee too if that's more your style." He offered, lifting the kettle when it began sputtering again.

"Either's good, thanks..." You yawned. Stretching your arms above your head with a groan you finally stood up to pop your back.

"It wasn't too cold, was it? I'm used to it so I can't really tell but...I can see how it might be uncomfortable if you're not." He asked, glancing back with a worried expression as poured the steaming water into two mugs. Before answering you glanced around the interior of the bus; even the windows were frosted over and when you stepped off your blankets you could feel the cold metal floor through your socks, but surprisingly enough, lying on the floor next to the heater wasn't bad at all, the little circle of heat it provided was more than enough to keep you comfortably warm all night as long as you didn't roll too far away.

"It wasn't bad at all actually, I was pleasantly surprised!" He held a cup out to you and you took it before sitting back down next to the heater again. "It definitely felt like a sleepover." You joked.

"Haha..." Dallas rubbed that back of his neck bashfully. "Sorry, about that."

"Nah, I'm not complaining." You assured.

"Oh! But hey, now that you're up-" He walked backward away from you, making finger guns until he backed into the chest freezer he had against the wall. "We can have breakfast." He finished, turning to lift the lid and root around inside. "We've gotttt....meatloaf," He lifted a TV dinner to wave it at you, "oooor lasagna, heck yeah, take your pick."

"Meatloaf!" You answered quickly.

"Good choice, good choice," you could see him nodding, still bent over in the freezer as he shuffled a few things around then stood back up with your breakfasts in hand. "Lasagna it is for me then." He celebrated, slamming the lid with a thud, and walked over to his little kitchenette to start microwaving them. Yours he finished first and handed it to you cautiously, it was hot enough that it burned you even through your pajama bottoms so you used a pillow as a tray so you could set it on your lap.

"Thanks, Dallas, you're a peach." Tearing the film from the top you decided to let it cool first when you saw the way it was still steaming "I always look forward to your cooking." You joked.

"Glad to hear it!" He grinned, taking a seat across the heater from you on the ground on his own nest of blankets. "You, like...might have to do without it for a while though."

"Aww, and why's that?" You didn't stay over at Dallas' too often unless you were helping him work on something since he had a habit of getting distracted very easily and dropping everything when one of his friends showed up

"I'm gonna be out of town for a while, until after after New Years at least."

"Wait, really? Why's that?" You weren't surprised by the fact that he had a trip planned, just that he'd be gone that long during the holidays.

"There's this big winter festival a few towns over, runs from mid-December to a few days into January. I go every year and set up a stand with a buddy of mine. Together, we make enough cash to last us both till spring, so I gotta capitalize while the chance presents itself. I'll be heading out on the 13th."

"I...I can understand that, I guess I'm just kind of bummed you won't be here for Christmas. I was hoping to spend a little bit of time with everybody in town. It won't be the same without you..." You gave him a sad smile.

Dallas looked surprised by your comment, a dark pink rushing to his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Haha, wow, flower power, no one's ever really given a hoot about where I end up during the holidays..."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"You'd...you'd be surprised." Dallas seemed to be avoiding eye contact but quickly shook his bashfulness off with a deep breath. "I'm leaving this next week, but I'll be sure to stop by and say goodbye. Unless...you wanna come too? There's always room by the heater for one more."

"Gah, don't offer me that, you know I'd love to, I just-"

"Nah, it's all good, I was joking...mostly. I wouldn't pull you out on the road during the holidays." He chuckled. "Feels kinda nice to know you're thinking about me though..."

"Well expect nothing less from now on, we can do something when you get back since you're gonna miss New Years! And since Christmas is right around the corner, I'll just give you your gift now."

"You, like, actually got me something? For realll???"

"Well, duh! It's at my house though..." You thought to yourself for a moment and then began quickly shoveling your food into your mouth, stopping halfway and setting it to the side to stand up. "Come on, get this thing started we'll go get it right now!" You waved him over as you skipped toward the driver's seat.

"O-oh, right now?!" He followed your lead, eating quickly, but carried the rest of his with him as he stood up and followed you, finishing it on the way and tossing the empty container to the side as he stepped past you and sat behind the wheel. "Okay, buckle up! I'll have to get you back though, so expect some prrretty fancy souvenirs when I get back!"

-

❄Request Here❄