#L Shape Sofa set Corner Sofa Set U Shape Sofa Set Sofa Set

[heiwhite24]

Enhance your living space with weave fabric modular sofas

When it comes to furnishing your living space, weave fabric modular sofas provide the perfect balance between comfort, style, and versatility. In addition to providing comfort and functionality, this innovative piece of furniture also adds sophistication and luxury to any living room. By diving into the world of U shape Sofa, you'll find out why they're a must-have for your home.

Weave Fabric Modular Sofa: What is it?

Modular sofas made of weave fabric are sectional sofas that can be arranged and rearranged to fit a variety of living room layouts by arranging and rearranging individual sections. Whether you prefer a traditional L shape, a spacious U shape, or a cozy corner, a modular design gives you the freedom to configure your space as you please. With each section that connects seamlessly, your living space is enhanced by a cohesive and stylish appearance.

Comfort and durability:

As one of the most impressive features of a weave fabric modular sofa, its exceptional comfort stands out. With its solid wood frame, supportive foam padding, and premium weave fabric upholstery, this sofa offers a luxurious seating experience. Besides adding a tactile element to the sofa, the weave fabric is also durable and easy to maintain, making it an ideal choice for everyday living. You can relax with a book after a long day at work, host a movie night, or simply unwind with a weave fabric modular sofa.

Versatility and flexibility:

Modular sofas made from weave fabric are unique because they offer flexibility and versatility that set them apart from traditional sofas. With their modular design, the sections can be reconfigured to accommodate guests, create a cozy spot for relaxation, or maximize space in a compact living room. In addition to being able to separate the individual sections and use them as standalone seating, a wide range of styling options are available. Modular sofas made of weave fabric are practical and functional choices in any home due to their adaptability.

Style Aesthetics:

This sofa is enhanced by the intricate weave fabric upholstery, which adds texture and visual interest to the overall design. You can use a weave fabric modular sofa as a stylish centerpiece for your living space as well as for comfort and functionality. In addition to complementing any decor, weave fabric sofas reflect your personal taste and come in a variety of colors and patterns. No matter what look you prefer, whether it's a modern, minimalist or eclectic style, a weave fabric modular sofa will make your home look sophisticated and elegant.

As a result:

The weave fabric modular sofa is more than just a piece of furniture: it is a versatile, comfortable, and stylish addition to your home. With its customizable design, exceptional comfort, and effortless style, this sofa transforms your home into a cozy and welcoming retreat. The ideal setting for hosting gatherings, relaxing with loved ones, or simply relaxing after a long day is a weave fabric modular sofa, whether it's hosting a gathering, relaxing with loved ones, or simply relaxing. A weave fabric modular sofa will elevate your living space to new heights of sophistication and comfort.

With the desire to live in a space that is both comfortable and elegant, we set out to redefine spaces one module at a time.

Throughout our brand, we are committed to offering a unique home experience through modular sofas that reflect individual tastes and lifestyles. We understand that every home is a unique sanctuary, reflecting individual tastes and lifestyles. In our view, home spaces should be as versatile and diverse as the individuals living in them. Click here

We develop modular sofas that redefine living spaces by combining creativity with functionality. Our modular sofas are a testament to modern elegance.

The sofas we make are durable, luxurious and made with the finest materials available. The comfort and satisfaction of our customers is our top priority.

[dlife]

Transform Your Living Space with these Modern Modular Sofa Sets

In the colorful tapestry of home decor, the humble sofa holds a place of honor, anchoring our living spaces while often acting as a social node, a haven for relaxation, or the canvas for family movie nights. Whether your home is a cozy apartment in the city, a spacious suburban house, or a chic urban loft, the modular sofa set has emerged as a staple in modern interior design, offering not only comfort and style but also adaptability and space optimization. 

In this extensive guide, we will explore the rise of modular sofa sets, unravel the secrets to selecting the perfect piece for your home, showcase real-world transformations, and peer into the future of this dynamic furniture trend. In the vibrant realm of home decor, where every detail contributes to the aesthetic tapestry, the expertise of interior designers in Hyderabad can elevate your living space with a modular sofa set that seamlessly integrates style and functionality.

The Rise of Modular Sofa Sets

Gone are the days of bulky, one-size-fits-all couches that demand a floor plan to be designed around them. The modular sofa is the adaptable, chameleon-like cousin; it bends and shapes to the whim of its owners, offering unparalleled personalization. What's driving this trend? The modern consumer demands more from their living space, often a luxury of a private balcony in the urban jungle, and are swapping out tradition for innovation. 

Flexibility and Customization

One of the modular sofa's greatest strengths is its adaptability. With interchangeable components, homeowners can cater the configuration of their sofa to fit the dynamics of their space, family, or even mood. This flexibility caters not only to large living rooms but also to compact urban dwellings that require multi-functional furniture.

Space Saving and Functionality

Modularity shatters the boundaries of fixed furniture, giving rise to a living space that can transform instantly. Corner units, chaises, ottomans, and additional seating pieces all integrate seamlessly to serve various purposes. This not only maximizes the use of available space but does so without compromising on comfort or aesthetics.

Key Features to Look for in Modern Modular Sofa Sets

A beautiful, functional sofa is more than just an eye-catching centerpiece; it’s a long-term investment in comfort and hospitality. Here are key features to consider when choosing a modular sofa set. 

Durability and Comfort

Look for high-quality materials such as hardwood frames, down filling, and top-grain leather or durable fabric upholstery. The set’s longevity and your comfort greatly depend on these factors.

Aesthetics and Design

Modular sofas come in a variety of styles, from mid-century modern to contemporary, and an ocean of colors and textures. It’s crucial to select a design that complements the room’s decor while expressing your personal style.

Versatile Configuration

The whole allure of a modular sofa is its adaptability. A good set will offer a range of modules that can be mixed and matched to fit your space and needs, from a small family get-together to a large dinner party.

Case Studies of Real Home Transformation

Nothing speaks louder than real-life examples, so here we showcase and study the transformation of living spaces with the inclusion of a modern modular sofa.

The Small City Apartment

In a 600-square-foot apartment, an L-shaped modular sofa turned a cramped living space into a multifunctional haven. By incorporating an ottoman that doubled as a coffee table or chaise lounge, the room suddenly felt twice as big without compromising on style. 

The Open Plan Loft

For an expansive loft space, a modular sofa's power lay in its ability to divide without disconnecting. With a U-shaped configuration, it elegantly separated the living and dining areas while still harmonizing the overall aesthetic.

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Modular Sofa Set

Selecting the right modular sofa set is a blend of personal taste, spatial awareness, and practical considerations. This is where you'll want to start.

Sizing and Room Layout

Measure the room meticulously, not forgetting to account for door swings, walkways, and other furniture. This will guide you towards the perfect size and configuration to avoid cramping or overpowering the space.

Budget and Investment

The modular sofa is a flagship piece, a significant investment. Consider your budget and the value it returns in terms of quality, versatility, and longevity. Remember, you're also investing in the ability to adapt and evolve your space over time without having to repurchase.

Inspiration and Market Research

Explore various brands, visit showrooms, and read reviews. There are many sources of inspiration and insights in the world of furniture design, and you’ll likely uncover some hidden treasures.

Future Trends in Modular Furniture

The modularity trend is not just about space-saving and functionality; it’s also about sustainability and innovation. We anticipate an increase in eco-friendly materials, as well as designs that cater to the demands of the smart home era.

Sustainability and Reconfigurability

Manufacturers are increasingly using sustainable and recyclable materials, responding to the need for eco-conscious furniture. The ability to reconfigure and assemble easily promotes a culture of reusability rather than throwaway.

Smart Integration

With the rise of connected homes, modular furniture may soon take on new meanings. We could be looking at sofas with built-in charging stations, end tables with voice-activated lights, and more innovations that meld functionality with the smart lifestyle.

Your living space is a reflection of your personality and lifestyle – it deserves a sofa that can keep up with the dynamic demands of modern living. Whether you're optimizing a small urban abode or redecorating a suburban home, the adaptability and style of a modern modular sofa set can be your greatest ally. It is both a practical solution to space limitations and a statement of contemporary taste. It invites you to be the architect of your environment, promising a comfortable and always-evolving home. If this guide has ignited your passion for revolutionizing your living space, we encourage you to weave through design catalogs, visit showrooms, and visualize the endless configurations a modular sofa set can offer. Your dream space is one stunning sofa away from reality. With guidance from top interior designers in India, this journey becomes an enriching experience, ensuring every detail is meticulously crafted to perfection.

[upinteriors07]

Creating a Productive and Stylish Home Office with Modern Furniture from Upinteriors

In the era of remote work and hybrid setups, having a comfortable and functional home office has become essential for maintaining productivity and work-life balance. As one of Australia's leading online furniture stores, Upinteriors offers a wide selection of modern furniture pieces designed to elevate your home office experience. We have highly Comfortable  3 Seater sofa which can easily Match with your Interiors.

Sofas and couches are wonderful seating alternatives for a living room since they allow you to sit for hours without becoming uncomfortable. We provide wonderful couches at affordable prices so that you may furnish your living room with a living room sofa set without breaking the bank. When you shop from our huge collection of sofas, couches, and hardwood living room furniture, you won't have to settle for anything less than your ideal. We have anything from 2 to 3-seater loveseats to L-shaped sofas, as well as a wide range of other living room furnishings. You may also shop for high-quality living room furniture sets at Upinteriors.

When curating the perfect home office, the right furniture can make all the difference. From ergonomic seating to versatile storage solutions, let's explore some key tips and recommendations from Upinteriors to help you build a workspace that promotes focus, efficiency, and personal style.

Invest in an Ergonomic Office Chair

The foundation of any home office is the chair. Upinteriors' collection of modern office chairs prioritizes both comfort and support, with features like adjustable lumbar support, breathable mesh backrests, and sturdy, yet sleek, designs. Chairs like the Eames-inspired Replica Ribbed Office Chair or the Ergonomic Executive Office Chair from Upinteriors provide the perfect blend of style and ergonomic support to keep you focused and pain-free during those long workdays.

Proper posture and support can have a significant impact on your overall well-being and productivity. Look for chairs with features like adjustable seat height, tilt, and armrests to ensure a customized fit. Investing in a high-quality office chair from Upinteriors can help reduce the risk of back pain, improve circulation, and allow you to maintain concentration for extended periods.

Incorporate Versatile Desks

The right desk can instantly transform the look and functionality of your home office. Upinteriors offers a diverse range of modern desk options, from minimalist floating desks to spacious L-shaped workstations. Consider a height-adjustable desk, like the Sit-Stand Desk from Upinteriors, which allows you to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day, promoting better posture and circulation.

Versatile desks can also help you make the most of your available space. Compact corner desks or compact writing desks are perfect for smaller home offices, while larger L-shaped or U-shaped desks offer ample surface area for multiple monitors, laptops, and accessories. Pair your Upinteriors desk with complementary storage solutions for a cohesive and organized workspace.

Optimize Storage and Organization

Clutter can be a major productivity killer in the home office. Upinteriors' modern storage solutions, such as sleek filing cabinets, bookcases, and credenzas, ensure you can keep your workspace neat and organized. Pair these pieces with desk accessories like pen holders, cable organizers, and document trays to maintain a streamlined, professional look.

Effective storage and organization not only improve the aesthetics of your home office but also enhance your ability to focus and find what you need quickly. Upinteriors' range of storage furniture, from minimalist floating shelves to modular bookcases, can be seamlessly integrated into your workspace to create a clutter-free, efficient environment.

Incorporate Inspiring Decor

While functionality is crucial, don't forget to infuse your personal style into your home office. Upinteriors' modern furniture collection includes stylish accent pieces, like statement lighting, wall art, and decorative accessories, to help you create an inspiring and motivating workspace. These design elements can boost your mood and creativity, ultimately enhancing your productivity.

Adding personal touches, such as framed artwork, plants, or a cozy area rug, can transform your home office from a utilitarian space to a reflective, motivating environment. Upinteriors' range of modern decor items allows you to customize your workspace and infuse it with your unique aesthetic.

By leveraging Upinteriors' extensive selection of modern furniture, you can design a home office that is not only visually appealing but also optimized for comfort, productivity, and efficiency. Visit Upinteriors.com.au today to explore our range of high-quality furniture and transform your workspace into a haven of focus and inspiration.

[sdupholstery]

Exploring the Allure of Sectionals in Modern Living Spaces

Have you ever dreamt of a living room that’s both stylish and incredibly comfortable? The allure of modern sectional sofas has taken the interior design scene by storm. Sectionals offer not just comfort but also a touch of elegance and style to any living space.

Well, don’t waste your time let’s jump into the exciting world of sectionals and see why they have become the most popular choice for modern homes.

Unveiling the Magic: Why Sectionals Rule

Embrace the “Come Together” feeling: Sectionals are all about creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Imagine movie nights with the whole family cuddled up, game nights with friends where everyone has a seat, or simply enjoying a quiet evening with a loved one — sectionals make it all possible. Their spacious design fosters connection and togetherness, turning your living room into the heart of your home.

Space Optimization for the Win: Living in Mississauga, you might understand the value of maximizing space. Sectionals are like design chameleons! They can be configured in countless ways to fit any living area, big or small. L-shaped layouts create a cozy corner, while U-shaped configurations offer ample seating for entertaining. Plus, some sectionals even include ottomans that can transform into extra seating or a comfy footrest.

Modern Design with a Touch of Luxury: Gone are the days of bulky, outdated sofas. Modern sectionals boast clean lines, sleek silhouettes, and a minimalist aesthetic that complements any design style. High-quality fabrics like plush velvet or durable leather add a touch of luxury, making your living room feel sophisticated and inviting.

Comfort Reigns Supreme: Let’s face it, a sofa is only as good as the comfort it provides. Modern sectionals prioritize your well-being. Imagine sinking into deep, supportive cushions after a long day. Many sectionals even feature adjustable headrests, reclining seats, and hidden storage compartments — little details that make a big difference in your daily comfort.

Introducing the Allure Collection at SD Upholstery

At SD Upholstery, we’re thrilled to introduce our Allure Collection of luxurious sectionals. With five stunning models (Allure I — V), you’re sure to find the perfect fit for your space and style.

Here’s a sneak peek:

The Allure I — 3 Piece Sectional: The Allure I — 3 Piece Sectional is a modern, sleek, and uncluttered sectional that offers practicality and comfort in a contemporary setting.

The Allure II — 3 Piece Sectional: The Allure II — 3 Piece Sectional is a modern sofa that seamlessly blends modern aesthetics with traditional elegance, offering a refined and polished focal point.

The Allure III — 3 Piece Sectional: The Allure III — 3 Piece Sectional is a contemporary piece that combines style and comfort, featuring wide seat cushions for a luxurious and inviting feel.

The Allure IV — 3 Piece Sectional: The Allure IV — 3 Piece Sectional is a modern, relaxed sectional with knife-edge back cushions, perfect for a contemporary living space that exudes comfort and style.

The Allure V — 3 Piece Sectional: The Allure V — 3 Piece Sectional is a modern, luxurious relaxation piece featuring down/feather with foam core seating, knife-edge back cushions, and a contemporary touch.

Visit our showroom in Mississauga today or visit our website and experience the Allure Sectional Sofa Collection with different color options. Our friendly staff will be happy to help you find the perfect sectional to elevate your living space and create a haven of comfort and style.

Remember, a modern sectional isn’t just furniture; it’s an investment in your well-being and a reflection of your unique style.

Let’s help you unlock the allure of sectionals in your Mississauga home!

[luis-meyer]

Creating the Perfect Outdoor Oasis: How to Choose the Right Outdoor Sectional Sofa

Outdoor Sectional Sofa

When it comes to designing an outdoor oasis, choosing the right outdoor sectional sofa is crucial. Not only does it provide a comfortable seating area for you and your guests, but it also sets the tone for the entire space. In this article, we will explore the key factors to consider when selecting the perfect outdoor sectional sofa.

1. Size and Layout

One of the first things to consider is the size and layout of your outdoor space. Measure the area where you plan to place the sectional sofa to ensure it fits properly. Consider the shape of the space and choose a sectional sofa that complements it. For example, if you have a small square patio, a corner sectional sofa might be the best option to maximize the available space.

Additionally, think about the number of people you usually entertain. If you frequently host large gatherings, a spacious U-shaped sectional sofa might be more suitable. On the other hand, if you prefer intimate gatherings, a smaller L-shaped sectional sofa could be the perfect choice.

2. Material and Durability

Outdoor sectional sofas are exposed to various weather conditions, so it's important to choose a material that can withstand the elements. Look for materials such as aluminum, teak, or synthetic wicker that are known for their durability and resistance to moisture, UV rays, and fading.

Consider the maintenance requirements of the material as well. Some materials may require regular cleaning or protective treatments to maintain their appearance. If you prefer low-maintenance options, opt for materials that are easy to clean and require minimal upkeep.

3. Comfort and Cushions

Comfort is key when it comes to outdoor seating. Look for sectional sofas with thick and comfortable cushions that provide adequate support. High-quality outdoor cushions are typically made from water-resistant and quick-drying materials, ensuring they can withstand rain or accidental spills.

Consider the firmness of the cushions as well. Some people prefer softer cushions, while others prefer a firmer feel. It's a matter of personal preference, so make sure to test the cushions before making a decision.

4. Style and Aesthetics

The style and aesthetics of your outdoor sectional sofa should complement the overall design of your outdoor oasis. Consider the existing theme or decor and choose a sectional sofa that aligns with it. Whether you prefer a modern, minimalist look or a more traditional and cozy feel, there are plenty of options available to suit your taste.

Pay attention to the color and pattern of the cushions as well. Neutral tones are versatile and can easily be paired with different accessories and decor. However, if you want to add a pop of color or make a bold statement, opt for vibrant cushions that reflect your personal style.

Creating the perfect outdoor oasis involves careful consideration of various factors, and choosing the right outdoor sectional sofa is an essential part of the process. By taking into account the size and layout of your space, the material and durability of the sofa, the comfort and cushions, as well as the style and aesthetics, you can create a welcoming and stylish outdoor seating area that will be enjoyed for years to come.

Additional Resources:

For more information on creating the perfect outdoor oasis and choosing the right outdoor sectional sofa, check out these credible sources:

References

outdoor sectional sofa

Home and Garden Design Ideas

Better Homes & Gardens

HGTV

[furnifiesta]

The Best Sofas on a Budget

At APKAINTERIOR, we take immense pride in presenting our exquisite range of sofas that are designed to elevate your living spaces. From classic elegance to modern comfort, we have a sofa to suit every taste and lifestyle. Explore the sophistication of our "Toledo Doxy Grey Sectional Sofa," the versatility of the "Yolo U Shape Premium Sofa Set," the timeless charm of the "Black Leatherette 5-Seater Sofa Set," the coziness of the "Choco Brown L Shape Sofa Set," and the contemporary allure of the Nara 5-Seater Sofa Set in PVC Leather. Whether you're looking to redefine your space or simply add a touch of luxury, our sofas promise to transform your home.

Toledo Doxy Grey Sectional Sofa:

Immerse yourself in the plush comfort of our Toledo Doxy Grey Sectional Sofa. This sectional sofa is the epitome of contemporary luxury, featuring soft, premium upholstery in an elegant grey shade. With its spacious seating and modern design, it's perfect for those seeking a harmonious blend of style and comfort traditional sofa with roll armrests. The Toledo Doxy Grey Sectional Sofa is the answer to your quest for a sophisticated and inviting living area best sofa for families.

Yolo U Shape Premium Sofa Set:

Dive into unparalleled relaxation with our Yolo U Shape Premium Sofa Set. This U-shaped beauty offers an abundance of seating space and is thoughtfully designed for larger living rooms or open spaces best leather sofa. Crafted with the utmost care, it combines aesthetics with comfort, making it an ideal choice for those who appreciate both style and practicality. Experience luxury and indulgence like never before with the Yolo U Shape Premium Sofa Set.

Black Leatherette 5-Seater Sofa Set (3+1+1):

Simplicity meets sophistication with our Black Leatherette 5-seater Sofa Set. This classic sofa set is the embodiment of timeless elegance. Its black leatherette upholstery not only exudes luxury but is also incredibly easy to maintain. The set includes a three-seater sofa and two single-seater chairs, making it perfect for gatherings or quiet evenings at home. Add a touch of class to your living space with the Black Leatherette 5-Seater Sofa Set.

Choco Brown L Shape Sofa Set:

For those who appreciate the allure of contemporary design, our Choco Brown L Shape Sofa Set is the perfect choice. This L-shaped sofa features a rich choco brown upholstery that adds warmth to your decor. Its sleek lines and sectional sofa with chaise lounge minimalist design make it a standout piece in any room. This sofa set is tailor-made for those who crave modern aesthetics and the cozy comfort of a corner sofa reclining sofa with a massage function.

Nara 5-Seater Sofa Set In PVC Leather:

Discover the perfect blend of style and practicality with our Nara 5-seater sofa Set in PVC Leather. This set features a three-seater sofa, a loveseat, and two single-seater chairs, making it a versatile choice for your living room. The PVC leather upholstery not only looks chic but is also easy to maintain, ensuring your furniture stays as stunning as the day you bought it. Choose the Nara 5-seater Sofa Set for a versatile and stylish addition to your home’s best traditional sofa.

In conclusion, at APKAINTERIOR, we understand the significance of furniture in shaping the ambiance of your living space. Our diverse collection of sofas is carefully curated to cater to various tastes and preferences. Whether you're drawn to the modern luxury of the "Toledo Doxy Grey Sectional Sofa," the expansive comfort of the "Yolo U Shape Premium Sofa Set," the timeless elegance of the "Black Leatherette 5-Seater Sofa Set," the contemporary allure of the "Choco Brown L Shape Sofa Set," or the versatility of the "Nara 5 Seater Sofa Set in PVC Leather," we've got your style and comfort covered.

Our commitment to quality, style, and customer satisfaction drives us to provide you with furniture that not only complements your lifestyle but also stands the test of time. Our sofas are more than pieces of furniture; they are statements of your personality and style.

Explore our range of sofas and discover the perfect match for your home. We invite you to experience the fusion of art and functionality that our sofas bring. Transform your living spaces into havens of comfort and beauty with APKAINTERIOR's exclusive sofa collection.

[instainterior]

Top 5 Designer Sofa Online

Top 5 Designer Sofa Online

Paddington 3 Seater Sofa In Dusty Blue Color

The Paddington 3 Seater Sofa in Dusty Blue Color is a stylish and comfortable addition to any living room. It is made with a high-quality fabric upholstery that is soft to the touch and durable enough to withstand everyday use. The sofa features a classic design with a tufted backrest and rolled arms. The dusty blue color is both versatile and elegant, and it will complement a variety of décor styles.

Yolo U Shape Premium Sofa Set

The Yolo U Shape Premium Sofa Set is a luxurious and stylish addition to any living room. With its U-shaped design, it provides ample seating and lounging space for your family and guests. The sofa is made with high-quality materials, including premium foam and durable fabric, ensuring maximum comfort and durability

Pumpkin Lounge Sofa Set In White Colour

The Pumpkin sofa is a iconic design by Pierre Paulin, first created in 1971. It is characterized by its soft, organic, round shapes and its voluptuous, enveloping curves. The sofa is made with a molded polyurethane foam shell and upholstered in a variety of fabrics or leathers.

Fujairah Sectional U Shape Modular Sofa

The Fujairah Sectional U Shape Modular Sofa is unique in that it is modular, meaning that it can be configured in a variety of ways to suit your needs. The sofa comes with four pieces: a left armrest, a right armrest, a corner piece, and a chaise lounge. You can arrange these pieces in any way you like to create a U-shaped sofa, an L-shaped sofa, or even a straight sofa.

Tufted Curved Velvet Sofa

A tufted curved velvet sofa is a luxurious and elegant piece of furniture that can add a touch of glamour to any living room. The soft, plush velvet fabric invites you to relax and sink into the sofa, while the tufted detailing adds a touch of sophistication. The curved design is both stylish and functional, as it creates a more inviting and intimate seating area.

Conclusion

When choosing a sofa, it is important to consider the size of your living room, the configuration of your living room, the style of your décor, and your budget. It is also important to think about how you will be using the sofa. If you have a family, you may want to choose a durable sofa that can withstand heavy use. If you entertain frequently, you may want to choose a sofa that is easy to clean and maintain.

No matter what your needs and preferences are, there is a sofa out there that is perfect for you. With so many different types of sofas available, you are sure to find the perfect one to add comfort and style to your home.

[cozyhomefurniture]

Cozy Home recognize how crucial it is to have a sofa that complements your decor and offers enough space for the entire family to sit comfortably. Cozy Home is an online furniture store in Dubai that specializes in manufacturing luxury sofas. We have a lovely selection of designer sofas that may be entirely customized to fit your lifestyle and décor. With our bespoke service, you may pick the sofa’s dimensions, materials, shape, and design, and we’ll take care of the rest. Discover the ideal sofa for you by perusing our collection of modern, contemporary, and traditional sofas.

They have L shape sofa, corner sofa, U shape sofa, Curve Sofa, and conventional 3-seater sofa, a 2-seater sofa, 1-seater sofa set. If you want to easily change the appearance of your living room, a modular sofa is ideal. You can easily move it from one corner to another, or change the layout of your room altogether. Modular sofas are one of the most versatile pieces of furniture that will fit into any space design. The L-shaped couch is great for compact areas since it allows you more seating space than ordinary sofas. They can also be converted into day beds or settees for extra comfort! For large areas that require more seating, a corner sofa is excellent.

check out COZY HOME, the best furniture store in Dubai

[fabulivonline]

What kind of furniture do you have in your living room?

As the old saying goes, "Home is where the heart is". And for many of us, the heart of our home is the living room. It's the place where we entertain guests, snuggle up with loved ones, and unwind after a long day. And of course, what's a living room without furniture? The right pieces can tie a room together and make it feel like home. So, what kind of furniture do you have in your living room?

Well, if you're anything like me, you've probably got a mishmash of different styles and eras. Maybe there's a hand-me-down sofa from your grandma, a sleek modern coffee table you splurged on, and a couple of one seater sofas that caught your eye. Or maybe you've got a matching set of furniture that you bought all at once from a big-box store. Whatever your style, there's no right or wrong way to furnish your living room. But for the sake of this article, let's take a closer look at some common types of living room furniture and their pros and cons.

Sectional Sofas: The Ultimate Lounging Experience

Let's start with the obvious: the sofa. The centerpiece of any living room, the sofa is where you'll spend countless hours lounging, binge-watching Netflix, and napping. And when it comes to sofas, few options offer as much seating and comfort as a sectional. These L-shaped or U-shaped sofas are perfect for large families or people who love to host. They offer plenty of room for stretching out, and the chaise or corner piece can be a great spot for cuddling up with a book. However, sectionals can be bulky and take up a lot of space, so make sure you have room for one before you invest.

Armchairs: A Cozy Addition

If you've got the space for it, a couple of armchairs can be a great addition to your living room. They're perfect for reading nooks or as extra seating when you're entertaining guests. Plus, they can add a cozy and inviting vibe to the room. However, be careful not to overcrowd the space with too many chairs. And if you're shopping for armchairs, make sure they're comfortable and supportive, so they don't end up just taking up space.

Coffee Tables: The Center of Attention

The coffee table is another staple of the living room. It's where you'll set your drinks, snacks, and remotes, and it can also serve as a decorative centerpiece. When choosing a coffee table in India, consider the size and shape of your room. If you have a small space, a round or oval table might be a better fit than a large rectangular one. And if you have kids or pets, you might want to opt for a table with rounded edges to avoid any accidents.

Entertainment Centers: A Place for Everything

If you're a TV watcher, you might want to invest in an entertainment center to keep all of your media in one place. These units often include shelving for DVDs and video games, as well as space for your TV and sound system. They can be a great way to keep your living room organized and clutter-free. However, they can also be bulky and take up a lot of space. And if you're not a big TV watcher, you might not need one at all.

Rugs: Grounding the Space

Last but not least, let's talk about rugs. A rug can be a great way to tie a room together and add some warmth and texture. They can also be a practical choice if you have hardwood or tile floors that can get cold in the winter. When choosing a rug, consider the size and shape of your room, as well as the style and colors of your other furniture pieces. A bold rug can be a statement piece, while a neutral one can help to ground the space.

Other Furniture Pieces

Of course, there are many other furniture pieces you could add to your living room, depending on your needs and preferences. Some people might opt for a loveseat instead of a full-sized sofa, while others might prefer a recliner or a rocking chair. Ottomans or poufs can provide extra seating or serve as footrests. Bookshelves or cabinets can be a great way to display your favorite books, art pieces, or other decorative items. And if you have a fireplace, a mantel can be a great spot for seasonal decor or family photos.

In Conclusion

In the end, the type of furniture you choose for your living room will depend on a variety of factors, including your personal style, budget, and lifestyle. Whether you opt for a matching set or a hodgepodge of pieces, the key is to create a space that feels comfortable and inviting to you and your loved ones. So, take some time to think about what kind of furniture will best suit your needs and start designing the living room of your dreams.

[officemaster-ae]

Computer Office Furniture Comes of Age

Most early computer office furniture was designed to meet certain basic requirements: Make it functional, with keyboard drawers, a cubbyhole for the CPU, and punch-outs for cords. Add a hutch to hold extra printer paper, disks, and manuals, and make it all as inexpensive as possible. Little thought was given to appearance except in the very high-end pieces. But that has all changed. Today, it is possible to find utile, attractive items at reasonable prices and in a style to suit any décor.

Modular arrangements continue to be one of the most popular choices in computer office furniture. You can choose from the basic cubicle arrangements that attach to fabric panels for sound reduction and privacy to more exotic pieces, such as kidney-shaped work tables. Most pieces allow you to select both metal and wood finishes, so you can mix and match to suit your personal preferences and the overall color scheme of the office. With a wide range of colors and components available, as well as ease of installation and re-arrangement, it is not surprising that modular offices remain a perennial best-selling line.

But some people demand more in their computer office furniture. Perhaps the goal is to coordinate a functional workstation with an antique executive desk. This can certainly be done, whether you are trying to match a cherry, walnut, or mahogany finish. Designed to add an old-world touch but with new-age technology in mind, these pieces can incorporate glass front hutches and ornate hardware into a utile workstation. Components allow you to set up a basic corner area or arrange it in an L or U shape to match your needs. Bookcases, hutches, and file cabinets can be added as desired.

More contemporary office furniture is also available. Some feature crisp, sharp lines that are clean without being stark, and offer functionality without sacrificing beauty. Available in a wide range of finishes, these designs tend to eschew heavy drawer pulls and showy insets and focus instead on creating a relaxed, attractive work environment. A wide selection of component pieces allows you to customize the layout, and, like modular furniture, everything is easy to re-arrange or expand, making it convenient to add bookcases or file cabinets if your needs change.

Also in this category are more futuristic designs, such as glass-topped computer office furniture. With metal supports and legs, the clear surfaces add light to the room and announce that the occupant is high-tech and stylish. Many designs offer glass shelving in the hutches along with glass doors that allow you to see precisely what is inside without having to hunt for what you are seeking. Available designs include non-traditional shapes, such as curved work tables, and there is no shortage of how the numerous components can be arranged.

Whatever style you desire for your computer office furniture, you can find what you like online. The choices are plentiful, and the number of component pieces available is astounding. It is no longer necessary to choose between functionality and attractive décor-the new office furniture for your computer lets you have both.

Get the latest updates on modern office furniture, Meeting Tables, office chairs, office desks, Office Workstations, Office Sofas, Filling Cabinets, and Reception Desks in Dubai, for detailed office furniture, please visit our website officemaster.ae

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[gaurav3456]

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[wizkiddx]

Congratulations on 500 followers!! Could you do nr 2 with Tom please <3

thankyou <33 im very in my feels abt friends to lover atm, so ik this is a completely unoriginal concept but here we are

warning: nothing much- maybe homesickness? (+ the fact tom has poor choice in popcorn )

^^^ sorry I couldn't not put this on here and I will reuse it lots n lots

/////////////////////////

“Right I got two options annnnddddd there is only one correct answer.” Tom hummed up at you, pulling his tired gaze away from the phone screen and up towards the kitchen where you were standing triumphantly - having just raided his cupboards. From behind your back you whipped out a bag of popcorn in each hand.

“Sweet…. or salty?” Sighing with a small chuckle Tom shook his head at your playfulness. He didn’t know how you did it but you always always made his smile.

“I’m not a psychopath…” You huffed in relief, already turning around to throw the salty back in the cupboard where it belonged. “So salty of course.”

You were trapped in a house with an absolute psychopath.

You scowled at him, for having such poor taste, expecting some sort of argument to start. That wasn’t the case though, instead he just stared at you expectantly.

He must really really be unhappy.

You’d sensed it on set that morning - it wasn’t hard to miss. Not when it was your best friend, who for the past two months you’d been spending at least 6 hours a day with whilst shooting. Even when you were supposed to have a day off, when Tom had some solo shots or vice versa, you’d still come to keep the other company. It didn’t make sense but you both just sort of liked it that way.

This wasn’t your first rodeo working together either. Your first joint project had been almost four years ago, when both of you were barely adults, still figuring everything out. Ever since it had been bumping into each other every so often, always with an easy and effortless relationship.

Your current director had noted your chemistry at an awards show (the man never switched off) and decided in that moment he HAD to cast you together for a project. And a year later, here you both were, shooting in Australia for what was set to be a record breaking new release.

And it had been going great - better than great even. But as soon as Tom had shown up to makeup this morning, you’d known something was up. It was fair to assume it was something from home, maybe even just a bit of homesickness, or perhaps something more severe. Either way, the situation was probably exacerbated by the fact he didn’t have his brother or bestfriend or manager or normal syltist with him right now. Tom was pretty renowned within the industry for always having a massive entourage - which was normally made up with his family and friends. This time though he was going it solo.

Today had been long and you’d had to do press at stupid oclock in the morning last night for your current release - which meant your plan had always been to leave promptly and collapse into bed as soon as physically possible.

But Tom needed your company. So you hadn’t. Instead, you’d somewhat subtly invited yourself to his rented house for a movie night - blaming it on your director wanting you both to study the relationship dynamics in ‘out of sight’ (a J Lo and Clooney romance movie).

“You think you know a person and then they loose all your respect… just like that.” You sigh jokingly, gesturing to the bag of ‘foul’ popcorn your costar seemed to like.

“Well we’ve come to a crossroads.”

“It’s been nice knowing you but this…” you scoffed and dramatically rolled your eyes “… I see no way out.”

“Isn’t it better if we have a bag each? Then I might manage to actually get some before you scoff them all.”

You yelped in protest, though really you were just grateful he was still up for a bit of a laugh. He had been much less jokey the whole day, though was seeming to warm up a bit.

Once you had poured the two bags of popcorn into two separate bowels and prepared the film on TV; you plopped yourself onto Tom’s sofa, so your back was against the corner and your feet were over his lap (it wasn’t weird, just normal for the two of you). Instinctively, Tom lightly grabbed your ankles, repositioning you on his thigh slightly before leaning across the pull the blanket over the both of you. Whilst he smoothed out the crinkles in the fluffy navy fabric you took the opportunity to poke your toe into his side - garnering his attention.

“I take it you don’t wanna talk about it?” After he froze, Tom then nodded jerkily. “But if you change your mind, you know I’m here right?” His demeanour changed at your second statement as his body literally sagged into the cushions, with a grateful if small smile.

He respond by mouthing an ‘I know’ and that was enough for you. Shuffling down the side a bit you pressed play, settling in for the evening. Tom still had a hand resting on your ankles, occasionally rubbing his thumb up and down the bony bit.

Honestly you didn’t really see what your director was going on about when he raved about their on screen chemistry and it seemed that neither did Tom. It wasn’t a scathing commentary that gave it away, instead it was his silence. Which you quickly realised was the he had drifted off, his head lolling a little so he was facing you, palms now completely lax on your legs. It was whilst you were just taking in the sight before you, that a buzzing cut through the otherwise soft noise from the TV - which you had turned down for Tom’s sake.

It wasn’t your phone but you instinctively still reached for it from the coffee table and seeing that the name just read “Harry H” you thought it’d be fine to answer.

“Harry?” You whispered into the receiver, slightly cupping your hand round your mouth just to make sure you weren’t too loud for Tom.

“Hello?”

“Harry it’s me”

“Who?” You’d met Harry countless times, though given the fact Tom had been alone all shoot - you shouldn’t of expected the kid to be able to recognise your voice.

“Oh sorry Y/n um Y/n L/n”

“Oh no my fault sorry Y/n. How are you?” The conversation was jilted, you could practically feel the awkward energy radiating all the way from the otherside of the world.

“I’m alright thanks, how about you.”

“Yeh not bad I uhm… I - is my brother there?” Oooh. How to answer that question.

“Um sort of, we er… we were having a movie night and he’s fallen asleep. It’s why I’m whispering like a weirdo.” Harry laughed at that and you continued. “Is everything okay? You need me to wake him?”

“No no, mum just said he was having a rough time so was going to cheer him up with my exquisite sense of humour but if you’ve bored him to death then no need.”

“What can I say I’m just talented. Anyway I should be heading back to mine anyway so um I’ll let you go?”

“Oh yeh no worries, and uhm thanks-um thanks for keeping an eye on him.”

“Someone has to” You chuckled softly back, before bidding a final farewell to Harry.

Having hung up the phone, you leaned over to gently place it back on the coffee table but making a mental note to put it on charge before you left. Your next job was to manoeuvre your legs away from him without disturbing him but before you could even start planning the movement, you noticed his weary eyes blinked over at you. Freezing, your mouth made a little ‘o’ shape as you winced at yourself for disrupting his peace - today really wasn’t the day for that. There was a silence as Tom swallowed thickly, attempting to shake off the heavy lull of rest before he spoke. “Will you stay with me… please.”

Undoubtedly, your body didn’t play it as cool as you wanted it to. Thinking you’d heard him wrong, your chin protruded forward and his eyes widened. “ Sorry not like-not like that just um-just on the sofa… theres-theres spare blankets and I can-“

“-course T, no worries…Oh and um your brother just phoned if you-“

“I know.” He spoke softly and with a nod, but didn’t move at all, apparently no interest in calling his brother back.

With a stammered nod, you stood up, finally removing your legs from his touch in order to nip to the loo. You splashed your face with water, ate some toothpaste ( better than not brushing your teeth at all) before going to collect Tom’s quilt off his bed. By the time you re-entered the living room, Tom hadn’t appeared to have moved at all. The hood of his purple jumped was still up, the blanket still only half covering him, the excess lying cold were you had been sitting. He laughed lightly at you trying to wrangle with the king size duvet and get it in without tripping over yourself or knocking anything over.

“You sure you don’t mind? I’m just being stupid and-“

“Honestly I’m too tired to walk back to mine so this is perfect.”

“You live across the road.”

“Thats like 50 steps too far.” You deadpanned back, as he raised his eyebrows and locked you direct eye contact - which you very stubbornly returned.

The both of you sat like that for a minute, Tom eventually gave up with a sigh as he motioned for you to lie back.

There wasn’t an issue at all with space. A listers rental homes were never lacking in space - the grey sofa was a U shape, with ample space for the both of you to lie down. Each of you took a respective corner, your legs meeting in the middle and gently brushing against each others.

“Thanks for babysitting me today by the way.”

“I wasn-“ You were about to deny it, except one look and Tom saw straight through you.

“Thankyou Y/n/n” Seeing there was no way out of receiving his thanks, you instead opted to just shut him up. Nudging his leg with yours and leaving it touching you murmured you last words of the evening - eyes already closed.

“Fuck off Holland, ‘m tryna sleep.”

~~~~ let me know if you have any feedback or anything (but pls not too mean this isn't proof read so blame that) <33 ~~~~~~

tagging : @thefernandasantana @lovehollandy12 @hallecarey1 @crossyourpeter @hollandfanficlove @msmimimerton @thegirlwiththeimpala

[livinginthe-books]

The Advantages of Choosing A Modular Sofa for Your Living Area

If you're revamping your living-room, one of the most crucial pieces of furniture to take into consideration is the sofa. Whether you and also your family members rest there together to watch television, you use it as an extra bed when you have a visitor, or you merely like to huddle on it alone with a good publication, your sofa will certainly see a great deal of usage. That's why you want to make sure you get it right. There are a lot of sofa designs you can choose from, nevertheless, one that's becoming more and more popular is the modular sofa. Likewise known as a sectional sofa, a modular sofa is made up of different sections that are incorporated with each other to produce your ideal piece of furniture. Right here's why you need to consider one next time you're updating your space. Among the major benefits of having a modular sofa is that you can totally personalise it to fit the area you have offered and the purposes you desire it for. So for instance, you can choose a right-handed or left-handed style to fit the shape of your space, and make a decision whether you desire arms on simply one side, both sides, or neither. You can additionally choose between a smooth, curved corner or a square, minimal shape, and choose the best amount of sections to fit the size of your family. You can also discover designs that can be converted into a bed if you frequently have individuals over to stay the night. Modular sofas are stylish along with practical. You can select a colour, textile, and coating that matches the style of your living-room; choice between versions with legs as well as without, and locate the specific type of backrest that you favour. After that, naturally, you can dress it up with cushions as well as throw pillows to include even more character. These sofas are additionally very comfy, so you will not feel as though you're making a concession when it concerns just how nice they really feel to remain on. Because of the fact that modular sofas are built up from smaller sized sections, they are a lot more convenient to move in and out of your home, or in between various spaces. Think about just how much less complex that makes moving residence! It additionally makes changing any type of damaged parts easier, due to the fact that you do not have to change the whole sofa. Similarly, if you require to get a larger sofa as your family expands, it's as uncomplicated as adding another area.

Modular sofas are extremely functional furniture pieces due to the fact that they can be changed at any type of factor. If you wish to move sections around to alter the form of the sofa to fit different purposes, it's very simple so. Consequently, whether you're having friends around for a chat or wish to snuggle up with your companion to view a flick, you can create the ideal seats plan. You can even break it up into private seats for people, or move sections to various other rooms entirely when required.

When you're not all set to commit to one specific sofa setup, the modular sofas offers the most flexible and also practical remedy, offering you the liberty to tailor-make your couch to fit your changing needs, available room, or choices, as opposed to needing to compromise on what you actually want or acquire brand-new furnishings. Because you have full control over the layout, you can make your sofa larger or smaller, and also choose the form (L-shape, U-Shape, E-shape) according to the space format or demands of a specific event. And also certainly, there's the included plus that a modular sofa is way less complicated to haul around, come moving day! Corner sofas have plenty to offer the modern-day house owner, particularly if you desire a wonderful mix of convenience, capability and worth for money. At Living Room-Sofas we're thrilled to use our consumers an one-of-a-kind choice of corner couches and modular sofas featuring a wide variety of elegant modern fabrics and top quality natural leather upholstery alternatives, perfect for the contemporary way of living. Search our collection online or pop in at your neighbourhood showroom to locate the perfect fit for you, as well as your area!

[wiypt-writes]

Riding High

Ch 4: Skating The Issue

Chapter Summary: It’s Fliss’ turn to host Frank and Mary and both adults seem to be skating round a particular issue…

Chapter Warnings: Bad Language words.

Chapter Pairings:  Frank Adler x OFC Fliss Gallagher

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Fliss Gallagher and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

Riding High Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Chapter 3

"Hey Cowgirl, how do you cook a skate?"

Fliss had to read the message twice "I'm assuming you’re talking about the fish..."

"No an ice skate..." the sarcasm dripped of his reply and she could just imagine him rolling his eyes.

"Where the fuck did u get an ice skate in South Pass?" she giggled to herself as she typed her response.

"R u deliberately being an ass?"

"Why did u get a skate when u don’t know how to cook one?"

"I don't know how to cook a lot of things. And there was a guy at the harbour giving them away. Extra catch he said. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth etc…"

Fliss pondered something for a moment before she leaned back in her chair and continued the conversation "Well why don't u bring them round tonight and I'll do them. I still haven't cooked for you after the BBQ the other week"

"Don’t worry, I haven't taken it to heart that every time we've tried to arrange it you've cancelled"

"Piss off!" She laughed to herself as she replied  "It’s this weather man, it's so hot... not my fault I've had to rejig all my lessons and exercise my own horses at 9pm... you've been busy too don't forget!"

"Busy time of year for Sailing, what can I say? As it happens I can do tonight but I'll have Mary. Is that ok?"

"No, Frank I expect you to leave her at home on her own... "

“Trust me if I could I would, she’s driving me insane at the moment.”

“Why?” Fliss frowned slightly as she hit send. Whilst she hadn’t really seen Frank other than the previous week for Mary’s riding lesson they talked often by text and he hadn’t mentioned she was playing up. And then she suddenly realised. It was the last Saturday of the Summer holidays. Mary started school on Monday. And she had already made her feelings about that very clear to Fliss, several times.

“I’ll explain later. What time?”

Fliss checked her watch. It was 4pm.

"Say 6 ish? I'll send you the post...I mean zip code...why the fuck do you lot call it a zip code anyway?"

"Stands for Zone Improvement Plan"

"That makes no sense"

"Course it does. Zip, its fast, as in the mail travels more efficiently, and more quickly when people use it"

"And you wonder why Mary is such a smart ass!"

"Whatever, see you at 6."

"Bye Sailor."

Standing up she slipped her phone into the back pocket of her riding breeches and headed out onto the main yard. It was empty. The weather had been scorching recently, so hot she had been forced to cancel a lot of lessons and offer something different to her students. She had been taking the younger kids on trail rides through the grounds that surrounded her yard and onto the waterside and then taught them basic horse care and grooming routines, whilst the older clients who wanted to continue their training had moved their sessions to earlier or later in the day. That said, she had no one left to teach today and she was giving her own 3 a rest so it was a case of making sure waters in the fields were topped up ready for evening turn out.

Thor was flopped in the shade of one of the stables, flat on his side. He cracked an eye open as she passed and his tail lazily thumped on the floor. “Oh boy…I know it’s hot…” she said with a chuckle, bending over to give him a scratch before she stood up and he did the same, trotting obediently at her heels as she headed through the gate and down the dirt tracks which led to the turn out paddock. Joanne, Ruby and Ellis her head groom and stable hands were busy with the water truck topping up the troughs in the bottom field.

“Hey guys.” she smiled “All ok?”

“Yeah,” Joanne nodded “We’ve topped all the others up, this is the last one.”  

“Great, ok well let’s get them fed and then we can get them turned out and have an early finish.” Fliss smiled. “Ruby, Ellis, keep an eye on the water.”

The girl and boy nodded and then Fliss and Joanne headed back towards the yard.

“So, you doing anything tonight?” Joanne asked.

“Oh, erm, Mary and Frank are coming over for dinner.” Fliss said

“As in Mary and Frank Adler?” Joanne looked at Fliss.“God he is dreamy. Total fuck boy though.”

Fliss laughed, “So you told me. He’s a nice guy though, I enjoy talking to him.”

“Talking?” Joanne deadpanned “Seriously, you’ve got a sure thing there and you’re talking?”

Fliss snorted “Trust me I’m not looking for anything else, certainly not at the moment.”

“Yeah well, you never find anything when you’re looking for it do you?” Joanne said lightly as they walked into the feed store. “It’s always when you’re not that you come across it.”

Fliss looked at her for a moment. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t attracted to Frank, she’d have to be blind not to be. But she wasn’t lying when she said she didn’t feel ready for a relationship just yet and it would have to take someone very special to change her mind. With a sigh she jerked her head in the direction of the containers which held the horse feed.

“Start scooping that lot out.”

Joanne did as she was told and a little over an hour later everything was turned out, fed and she made sure the staff knew who was on duty in the morning. With that she dismissed them early and set off to the store grabbing the ingredients she needed.

***** “Woah!” Mary said as Frank pulled up outside the gates “Does Fliss live here?”

“According to the directions…” Frank raised his eyebrows. He pulled out his phone and gave her a call.

“Hi, you at the gates?” she asked.

“I think so…”

“Ok hang on…” she instructed and Frank waited. A few seconds later the iron gates swung inwards. “Drive past the main house on your right and keep coming until the drive bends round. The annex is to the left behind the garage. Door’s open, just come on in.”

Frank took a deep breath and headed through the gate. Mary was looking out of the window at the large villa style house as they passed, her mouth hanging open. Bill emerged from the double garage to the left and Frank smiled at him, halting the truck.

“Alright lad?” Bill said, leaning on the top of the truck, talking through the open window. “Hey kid.”

“Hi Mr Gallagher.” Mary beamed. “We’re off to Fliss’ for dinner.”

“It’s Bill, Mary, my dad was Mr Gallagher. And you’re a lucky girl, Fliss’ cooking is superb!”

“Anything is better than Frank’s.” she informed him and Frank rolled his eyes.

“Mine too. I burn water.” Bill chuckled.

“You can’t do that.” Mary frowned, “It just evaporates.”

“It’s a figure of speech Mary, you know, a joke…” Frank looked at her shaking his head as Bill laughed.

“Well I’ll let you go.” he smiled, “Straight down the drive. Have a good evening.”

He straightened up and whistled, calling a small terrier to his heels before he headed over to a gate at the side. As he opened it, Frank just caught a glimpse of a spacious back yard and a pool before the gate snapped closed. Setting the truck forward again, he followed the drive and it turned left just before the fence, opening up into a space behind the garage where the small annex was set. It was a little detached, 2 storey building that was a similar style to the villa with a wooden door and a large bay window. The door was open and as Frank climbed out of the truck, the wrapped paper package of skate in his hand, Thor came bounding outside barking excitedly.

“Hey boy.” he said, giving the dog a pat before Thor turned his attention to Mary.

“Found it ok then?”

Frank looked up to see Fliss in the doorway. She was dressed in a pair of denim shorts that finished halfway up her toned thighs and a tight grey T-shirt which was distressed around the sleeves. Her hair was fastened back in a loose braid and she was barefoot. Frank felt a certain, and very unwelcome, pooling of arousal in the base of his stomach. Swallowing slightly he composed himself and smiled at her.

“Nice place.”

“Well the rents got a fair whack when they sold up in the UK so…” she shrugged “Sadly it’s not mine!”

He smiled, “This doesn’t look so bad.”

“Suits me, for the time being anyway until I can get my own place.” she smiled “We’re in the middle of re-decorating it so there’s stuff all over the dining room. We’ll eat outside if that’s ok?”

“Sure.” Frank smiled.

Fliss gave a sharp whistle and Thor immediately headed back towards her and into the house as Mary followed, pausing to give Fliss a hug. She led them inside and Frank looked around, the small porch area led into a square living room with a wooden floor which sported a large, light blue fluffy rug and a coffee table in the middle. There was a grey and black L-shaped sofa which ran along one wall and jutted out slightly around the edge of the coffee table and a huge flat screen TV and entertainment system nestled in the other corner which was surrounded by a huge rack of DVDs. On the wall above the sofa was a large framed photograph of Fliss with a chestnut horse, giving it a kiss on the nose, smiling as she did so, sunglasses covering her eyes. There were various other family shots in frames on other walls too. Taking it all in, Frank followed Fliss through an archway into the tiled dining room, which held a table against one wall and a display cabinet against the other which was full of trophies and rosettes. The walls were stripped bare and just as Fliss said there was a pile of decorating equipment sat in the corner. To the right a staircase headed upstairs and in front of them were double butler doors which led into the small country style kitchen. The rear doors were open onto a small flagged yard which sported a decking area upon which sat a table and some chairs. Various pot plants were scattered around the yard area and there was a wicker sofa and chair set with a smaller table and a hot tub nestled into the corner of the fence and the wall, under the kitchen windows.

“This is an annex?” Frank deadpanned looking around. Fliss turned to him, blushing slightly.

“I know, I’m very lucky.” she shrugged. “It’s as good as having my own place.”

“It’s really cool” Mary hummed “Can I go outside?”

“Knock yourself out.” Fliss said as Mary disappeared into the yard, Thor following. “So, where’s this fish?”

Frank dropped the package onto the side and Fliss peeled the paper open.

“Oooh they look great!” She grinned. “So I’m gonna pan fry them with some lemon, garlic and then I’ve done some potatoes and salad…nothing fancy but…”

“Sounds good.” Frank nodded.

“Is there anything Mary doesn’t like?”

“Tomatoes.” Frank said “I mean if they’re in a sauce of pasta she’s fine but…”

“Devil veg.” Fliss wrinkled her nose.

“Actually they’re a fruit.” Frank teased as she looked at him.

“You ever seen a tomato in a fruit salad?” she shot back, reaching around him to open the large fridge.

He laughed and moved out of her way “That’s exactly the reply Mary gives me.”

“Like I said, smart kid.” Fliss grabbed two beers before bumping the fridge door shut with her hip. She opened a drawer and grabbed a bottle opener, flipping off the cap before handing one to Frank.

“Thanks. So, is there anything I can do to help or…”

“No, everything’s done bar the fish so…” she shook her head “Stand and watch Sailor, you might learn something.”

He stood leaning against the counter as she worked, settling into comfortable chat, watching as she cleaned, skinned and filleted the fish before squeezing fresh lemon over it and tossing it into a hot pan with a few cloves of garlic.

“It doesn’t take long” she said, “Do you wanna grab me a few plates?”

“Sure.” he nodded, “err…”

“Cupboard behind you, to the right.” she said over her shoulder as she pulled a salad out of the fridge and drizzled it lightly with a mixture of balsamic, oil and lemon. She did the same with the cold potatoes before she turned the heat off the stove and divided the fish up into 2 larger pieces and a smaller one for Mary.

She gently slid the slices onto the plates and then she nodded. “All done.”

“Well that looked easy.” Frank said

“You can try it yourself next time.” she looked at him, handing him the two bowls “Can you take those out the table?”

He picked them up easily and carried them outside, Mary instantly scrambling up from where she had been sat on the outside sofa with Thor and following him.

Fliss walked out with the plates which contained the fish and they all settled down, Frank placing some potatoes and salad onto Mary’s plate before doing the same for Fliss as she headed back inside for 2 more beers and an apple juice for Mary.

“This is really good!” the seven year old enthused.

“Don’t talk with your mouthful.” Frank looked at her and she gave him a filthy scowl which made Fliss laugh.

“She looks a bit like you when she does that.”

“I do not.” Mary replied indignantly.

Fliss merely smiled as she stabbed another potato and popped it into her mouth “Whatever you say.”

Mary shot her another look which earned her one back from Frank. She met his eyes with her own and gave a shrug, diving back into her food.

“Fred would like this.” she said, looking at her fish.

“Good job because I saved him the scraps.” Fliss said.

“Did you?” Mary looked at her, smiling. Fliss nodded.

Frank watched the easy exchange between the two, smiling softly. Mary had been in a foul mood all afternoon after he had taken her shopping for a few outfits for School. She had been kicking off about the fact she had to go on Monday, but he was sticking to his decision. She needed to go, be a kid, have a normal life.

“You alright?” Fliss looked at him and he nodded

“Yeah, just thinking that’s all.” he said, “Nothing serious.”

Fliss accepted his answer, even though she didn’t believe him and she changed the subject, telling Mary about a few of the things she had planned for her next riding lesson which wasn’t for another 10 days seeing as she had been for one the Saturday before.

“Can I come this Saturday?” she pleaded.

“Mary…” Frank sighed “We discussed this, once a fortnight…”

Mary scowled again and Frank let out a groan.

“Well, if it’s okay with Frank you could come up later in the day and help me with my three.” Fliss said, looking at him. “You can help Joanne with the poles on the jumps and the feeds.”

“Oh, please Frank can I?”

Frank looked at Mary then to Fliss “You sure?”

Fliss nodded “Course”

“Alright.” Frank nodded “But one more tantrum about school between then and now and you’re not going understood?”

Mary pouted a little, clearly considering this bargain before she sighed “Okay.”

When they had finished eating Frank helped Fliss clear down the table. She told him to drop the dished into the sink whilst she placed the left over salad into tubs and back in the fridge.

“So School still a sore subject?” She queried.

“Oh fuck me…” Frank sighed “Sore?” he rubbed at his temple “Monday is gonna be a nightmare.”

“She’ll get used to it.” Fliss said “She’s bound to feel a little put out a first but she’ll settle.”

“I just hope I’m doing the right thing” Frank let out a deep breath.

“You can’t do anything but your best, Frank. That’s all any of us can do.”

“Yeah, suppose.” he shrugged. “Anyway, enough about that…been meaning to ask, how’s it been with shuffling all the lessons around?”

“We’ve managed.” Fliss shrugged, heading back outside “takings are down but…well, you always get peaks and troughs.”

“Tell me about it. Boat work slows up a lot November through January.” Frank shrugged.

“You should branch out into tractor fixing.” Fliss said, settling onto the sofa next to Mary who was busy flicking through a book she had brought. Fliss glanced down and grinned “Moby Dick?”

“Yeah…” Mary looked at her “You read it?”

“A while back. I used to read a lot.”

“What’s your favourite book?” Mary asked.

“Honestly?” Fliss smiled “It’s Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire.”

“Isn’t that for kids?”

“Mary…” Frank groaned “You are a kid.”

“Fliss isn’t” Mary shot back.

“No but I was when those books were released. The first one came out in 1997, I was only 13. I grew up reading them.”

Mary contemplated this. “And they’re good?”

“Yeah.” Fliss smiled “I love Harry Potter. That’s what this is…”

She pointed to the tattoo which circled her left ankle Frank glanced down at the writing, which curved around and then formed into the outline of a stag’s head on her Achilles tendon. It was quite a delicate design. Mary studied it carefully.

“Expecto Patronum…” she said, reading it out “What does that mean?”

“It’s a spell.” Fliss told her, “So in one of the books Harry has to cast it to protect himself from these creatures…and his Patonus, the thing the spell conjures, takes the form of a stag. The writing, see…” Fliss traced it with her finger “That’s the author, JK Rowling’s handwriting. I had it done a year ago, kind of a reminder to me that no matter how bad things get there’s always a way to make it better.”

Mary nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe I’ll read them then.”

“Do you want to borrow the first one?” Fliss asked “And then once you’ve done maybe one night we can watch the movie.”

“Please.” Mary nodded.

Fliss stood up and nodded for Mary to follow so she did. “be right back.”

Frank waved them away and Fliss led Mary upstairs into the spare room. It was still full of boxes, some which littered the bottom of the bunk beds. She dug into a box, found the book, and handed it to Mary. Mary took it gently and examined the cover.

“Thank you. I’ll take good care of it I promise.” Mary nodded “Can I see your bedroom?”

Fliss laughed and nodded “Sure.”  she led her across the hall into the larger bedroom and let Mary walk in and look round at the airy room, glancing at the bed which was made and adorned with a light blue and yellow bed spread and a few cushions.

“It’s tidier than Franks.” Mary mused and Fliss laughed.

“I’m a girl.” she shrugged. “We’re always tidier than men.”

“Is that you?” Mary asked, striding over to a photo that was on the bedside table.

Fliss nodded as Mary looked at the frame, which contained a shot of her and her parents with her brother.

“That’s my brother Steeb…I mean Steve.”

“Steeb?” Mary looked up.

“When I was a little girl I couldn’t pronounce his name properly.” Fliss explained “I called him Steeb, or Steeby…it just kinda stuck.”

Mary gave a snort of laughter as she placed the frame down and Fliss waited until she finished looking around before she headed for the door. They made their way back down the stairs and outside, where Frank was looking at something on his phone. He looked up at them as they walked back through the bi-folding doors.

“Did you say thanks?”

“She did.” Fliss nodded.

“Good.” Frank nodded. He took a sigh and looked at Fliss “I don’t wanna rush out but it is getting kinda late and someone will be a crank if they don’t get to bed soon.”

“Yeah he’s always grumpy if he doesn’t get enough sleep.” Mary quipped and Frank shook his head with a huff of laughter as Fliss giggled.

They all made their way inside and Fliss retrieved the wrapped up fish scraps for Fred which Frank took, his fingers gently brushing against hers which again sparked that damned fire in his belly. What the fuck was wrong with him?

Fliss merely smiled at the contact and turned to Mary “So remember, no being a pain in the bum about school or…”

“Yeah yeah I know…” she shrugged.

“Something tells me she isn’t gonna pay a blind bit of notice.” Fliss said, watching as she bounded to the truck.

“Nope.” Frank agreed, shaking his head. “Thanks for dinner Fliss, it was great.”

“Not a problem, if you’re happy to play hunter gatherer I’m always happy to cook.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” he smiled at her, and after a seconds hesitation he leaned down and pecked her on the cheek. “See you Saturday.”

She smiled and watched him head down to his truck where he paused and looked back at her, giving her another smile which spread across his handsome face and Fliss felt the butterflies in her stomach stirring in the way they always seemed to do whenever he looked at her. Tossing him a wave she watched them go before she shut the door and leaned against it, taking a deep breath.

“Stop chasing rainbows Lissy…” she muttered to herself, before she headed for a glass of wine and her latest book before retreating outside for the rest of her evening.

******

Surprisingly Mary kept most of her vitriol about going to school at bay, something Frank knew was down to the promise of visiting the yard. There was the odd grumble, which he shut down fairly easily. He had no illusions about the fact it would no doubt start in earnest on Sunday but for now he was simply happy to have a reprieve from the subject she had been complaining about for the past few weeks.

Seeing as she kept up her side of the bargain, he kept his. Fliss was more than happy to see them, and if he was completely honest, Frank was happy to see her as well. They talked to each other by text every single night now, it had just become a habit more than anything. And a habit he was happy to indulge.

They arrived at the yard a little after 5pm and Fliss was already on board a large, black horse with 4 white socks and a white blaze. She waved in acknowledgement but as they made their way to the paddock to watch, the horse gave a sudden sharp kick with its back left before stopping dead and launching its ass into the air. For a moment he thought Fliss was going to come unseated but she merely smirked and sat back, giving the horse a quick kick on. It moved a few steps and repeated the move.

"Give up you little shit..." he heard Fliss mumble and he bit back a snort as there was nothing little about the brute she was on.

She kicked again, but this time nothing, and the horse threw both its front legs up in a rear. Frank swallowed, as Fliss stood up in her stirrups throwing her reins forward before the animal landed down and she gave it a sharp tap with her stick. At that it moved forward a few steps and Fliss gently encouraged it to continue with a little squeeze of her legs.

"No worse than normal..." she said to Joanne who was grinning at the horse’s antics.

"He’s an ass..." Joanne laughed "you would think he'd learn he never gets away with it..."

"That's...that's normal?" Frank sputtered out and Fliss who had just struck the horse up into trot laughed.

"Yip" she called out, moving the horse on down the long side of the arena "He likes to fart about does Bronson"

Fliss warmed the horse in and then gestured to Mary to come into the paddock. She climbed the fence and sprinted over to where Joanne was.

“Ok so Joanne is now going to put out some poles…see.” Fliss looked down at her from her vantage point aboard the tall, black gelding. “The ones before and after the jump wings are take-off and landing poles. They are to help him and me figure out where he needs to be taking off and landing.”

Mary nodded eagerly

“Not all horses need them, but Bronson is still learning so it helps him to understand.”

Frank simply stood watching as Joanne directed Mary to help her set out the lightweight, brightly coloured pole before Joanne looked at Fliss and asked her something. Fliss nodded and Joanne set up a small cross-pole. Fliss circled the horse and sent it at the fence, Bronson hardly leaving the ground the fence was that low.

“Stick it up a foot!” Fliss called as she circled.

The fence was put up and Frank noticed Mary was watching every movement with utter rapt attention. She tugged on Joanne’s sleeve who turned to her and she pointed at the jump and Joanne nodded. Fliss sailed the horse over the next one and it was put up again.

This practice continued until one time the horse slammed on at the fence and skidded to a halt. Fliss fell onto the horse’s neck and Frank felt his heart stop but she didn’t fall. Instead she shuffled back onto the saddle, turned him and sent him straight back at the jump. This time he didn’t stop.

“So do you know what happened there?” he heard Fliss ask. Mary shook her head. “So his striding was off. He was trying to rush and I asked him to sit up and pay attention, because of that he got confused so he wasn’t right to take off when I needed him to. That’s why he stopped.” “So he wasn’t being naughty?” Mary asked.

“Nope.” Fliss shook her head. “Genuine mistake. See he’s only five so he’s a baby really, not like Cap who could jump a course with his eyes closed.”

“Cap?” Frank looked at her, and she turned to him. “Seriously, you have a dog called Thor and a horse called Cap?”

Fliss grinned “His full name is Captain Chaos…he was already named that when I got him but it fits my Marvel obsession perfectly.”

He shook his head with a smile and watched as this time the jump was higher again. Joanne moved Mary to stand under it, to show her how high it was and Mary’s eyes grew wide and she looked at Frank. He gave her a thumbs up and she moved out of the way as Fliss brought Bronson down again. The horse took off but clipped the pole with his front legs, knocking it down.

“That was because he didn’t pick his feet up enough…” Fliss called as she circled back round, coming again. “He’ll do it this time, watch…”

And he did. Fliss repeated the jump 3 times and Frank couldn’t help but marvel at how in tune with the animal she was. It was like they were working as a unit, she made it look effortlessly graceful, her hands and legs moving in coordination as she folded with the horse, as if jumping over a meter off the floor on the back of a half-tonne animal was the most natural thing in the world to do. The mere thought of it scared the crap out of Frank.

After the third clear jump, Fliss nodded to Joanne and slowed the horse down, letting him stretch.

“Always end on a good note” she grinned at Mary as she patted the horse. Frank could see Mary was thinking something and with that she nodded to Mary and rode the horse over to Frank.

“She wants to sit on him…” She looked at Frank “Is that ok?”

Frank swallowed “Isn’t he a bit…big?” he asked.

“Yeah but he’ll behave now…he’s knackered…tired…” she corrected her English slang. “She can sit up here with me if you’re comfortable with it?”

Frank bit his lip. “Are you sure he will be ok?”

“Trust me Sailor, I wouldn’t let her up here if I wasn’t convinced I could keep her safe…” Fliss said, removing her hat. She passed it down to Mary “Put that on and I don’t EVER want to see you on a horse without one, ok…do as I say not as I do.”

“Frank says that to me all the time…” Mary took Fliss hat and clipped it on. It was a little big but would do the trick.

“Sound advice…” Fliss grinned. “You wanna lift her up?”

Frank nodded and scaled over the fence, lifting Mary easily by the waist. He passed her up and she swung one leg either side of the saddle and gave a gasp.

“I’m so high!”

“Yup!” Fliss grinned, shifting back so Mary could settle in front of her  “Ok, hands on this strap…” she indicate to the leather line around the horses neck “I call this my Oh sh-I mean, Oh No Strap…” she said “If anything goes wrong I can grab it and hold on.”

“You can say the word…” Mary looked up at her “Frank does.”

“Stop tattle telling.” Frank sighed.

Fliss laughed and gently nudged the horse on and walked it around a few laps before changing direction and repeating. Frank spotted Joanne was putting the jump wings away so he went to help and the girl beamed at him as she directed him to where they were stored by the hay barn. By the time they had finished Fliss and Mary were stood by the gate.

“You ready to get down?” Frank asked. Mary nodded so he reached up and gently aided her off the horse before Fliss dismounted.

“Wanna lead him in?” she looked at Mary, taking the horse’s reins and moving them over his head. Mary nodded and Fliss let her lead, all the time remaining nearby. This time they didn’t head into the main barn they walked further round to a smaller private block of 4 stables.

“So these are mine.” Fliss said. “That’s Cap…” she pointed to a large black and white horse, “And this is Heidi…”

Frank stopped in front of the large chestnut mare who looked at him before snorting. He jumped back and Mary laughed as Joanne took Bronson off Mary and led him into one of the stables.

“Yeah she’s a bit particular…” Fliss teased “But she’s my pride and joy. Had her since I was 16.”

“Is she the one you did the Olympics on?”

“No.” Fliss said, “That wasn’t my horse. It was a sponsor’s. Heidi was my competition horse before I started training for the Olympics but I couldn’t part with her. I’ve had her since she was 4 and she’ll be 21 this year.”

“Do you still ride her?” Mary asked, reaching up to stroke the mare’s head.

“Yeah.” Fliss said “She can still jump and work…not as hard but it’s important to keep them going. She’s my baby…”

The mare leaned over to nuzzle at Fliss and almost as if he could sense it, Thor appeared and walked into the middle of them, sitting down, nudging Fliss with his nose.

“And you of course…” Fliss grinned, patting the dog.

They headed back out into the yard and Joanne took Mary to the feed room so she could help whilst Fliss carried the tack back to the room.

“Here…” Frank offered as she was juggling the saddle around so she could tap in the code. She handed it over with a smile before opening the door and directing him to the racks. “Thanks.”

“Least I can do.” Frank smiled, dusting his hands down on his jeans “Thanks for this.”

“For what?”

“Letting Mary come tonight.”

“It’s no problem, she’s never any trouble.”

“No, she just asks a lot of questions…” Frank snorted as they walked out to see Mary was now carrying buckets to the horses to feed them.

“I don’t mind. Questions are great, shows they care and want to learn…” Fliss spoke over her shoulder as she moved to take 3 buckets into the barn for her own horses.

“Still it takes a lot of patience.” Frank smiled.

Fliss scoffed “Mary is nothing, you ain’t met my brother’s kids.”

“I’d like to meet them.” Mary chipped up and Frank looked at her, holding his hands out in a ‘what?’ gesture.

“You want to meet other kids?” he looked at her “You spent half the last fortnight ranting about not wanting to go to school!”

Mary scowled in response, giving him a filthy look.

“You two really need to work on your communication.” Fliss looked between the pair of them as they stood facing off in the yard.

“We do communicate.” Mary shot back, and Fliss gave a hmmm as the girl continued “He just doesn’t listen.”

“Well I’ve decided to ignore dumb remarks.” Frank shot back, adjusting his shades

“Passive aggression is just childish, Frank.” Mary shrugged and he shook his head, looking at Fliss.

“I literally…” he trailed off with a sigh “See what I mean?”

Fliss chuckled as she watched Mary moving over to speak to Joanne about something. “She makes me laugh.”

“Glad she amuses you.” Frank arched an eyebrow.

“Well it’s funny watching you get out smarted by a 7 year old, what can I say?” Fliss smirked.

“You know I really wish I could deny that, but…” Frank sighed as he walked towards Mary, dropping a hand on her shoulder “Right, time to go short stack…”

“Oh, oh one more question?” Mary looked up at Fliss.

“Ask and walk…” Frank instructed her, giving her a gentle push “What do you say to Joanne?”

“Thank you!” Mary looked at her.

“Any time kid!” Joanne said as the 3 of them made their way to the parking lot.

“So what was the question?” Fliss said as they walked.

“Oh, right so I was watching a video…and they were doing side saddle…have you ever done that?”

“Yeah.” Fliss nodded, stopping by Frank’s truck “I did it on Heidi when I was a lot younger. Didn’t like it though. I prefer a leg on each side…”

There was a pause as she realised what she had said and flashed bright red as Frank let out a huge bellow of a laugh, as she gave an adorably embarrassed groan and hid her face in her hands.

“Oh god…” she groaned out “That…I didn’t mean…”

“Course you didn’t” Frank teased between his laughs and she punched him lightly on the arm.

“I don’t…I don’t get it?” Mary asked, looking up.

“Tell you when you’re older.” Frank said, “In…” he pointed to the truck.

Mary gave an exasperated groan “You always say that. You know I AM Seven!”

“Going on seventy…” Frank grumbled as she opened the door to the truck. He looked at Fliss and pushed his glasses up on top of his head so could see her properly. “Thank you, again.”

“Like I said, any time…” Fliss nodded, before a wicked smirk crossed her face “Next time she can sit on and jump with me.”

“Over my dead body.” Frank levelled her with a look, making her grin even more.

“Not even a little one?”

Frank rolled his eyes “Now I know why you two get on so well. Both a pain in my ass.”

“Don’t pretend you don’t love it Sailor!” She teased and he grinned.

“Well it kinda lightens up my day a little so…”

He trailed off and looked at her, and she blushed a little, tucking a stray strand of her auburn hair behind her ear. He couldn’t help but feel a little pleased at her bashful reaction. “Anyway I better…”

“Yeah, sure…” she nodded, “I’ll catch you later.”

“Yeah, you will.” he said “I’ll probably fire out an SOS tomorrow night when she’s kicking off about school.”

“Well you know where I am.” Fliss said, genuinely “And I mean that. If you wanna talk or anything just…”

“I will, thanks Lissy.”

There was a moment’s pause and Fliss could tell Frank was inwardly cursing himself for the slip of his tongue, using the nickname her dad had for her. But instead of correcting him she simply smiled, because, if she was honest, she kinda liked hearing it from him.

“Anytime, have a good evening.”

“You too.”

He climbed into his truck and watched as she headed back to the yard, looking back once with a smile.

“Roberta says you and Fliss would make great babies.” Mary said and Frank jolted slightly and looked at her.

“What?” he spluttered “Why would…”

“Good genes she says.” Mary shrugged and sat back in the seat.

“Roberta needs to shut up.” Frank shook his head as he put the truck into gear “Jesus Christ.”

**** Chapter 5

[theaspers]

you feel like home | satan x reader

a/n: i’m too lazy to finish this but i got lazy towards the end so here, you can have it. college au so everyone’s human here but u will find i rarely ever write satan’s name and that’s only bc it’s so weird to write it and think about how in this au a set of parents thought naming their child satan is ok lol. this will be the only time u see me use a post divider bc it’s that messy.

here is how it usually is:

satan wakes up with a start. his breathing is heavy, every gasp sounding terribly like it might be his last, and his eyes are wild. this isn’t fear because he is not afraid. he is never afraid. rather, it is anger. anger at himself, at his brothers, at anyone and everyone who has ever wronged him before. fiery red and burnt orange, anger in all possible forms and shapes and sizes, rolling off of him in waves.

there is not many places in which he finds respite from the barrage of emotions he constantly feels. but when you wake up, bleary-eyed and groggy, and say nothing, waiting with the utmost patience for him to return. when you wrap an arm around his shoulders, careful and cautious. when you tug him down and hum a little tune under your breath that lulls him back to sleep. it’s as close to one as he’ll ever get, he thinks.

for a fleeting second, he thinks about telling you of his feelings. vomit it all out so he doesn’t have to sit any longer with the uncomfortable feelings that’s been bubbling at the pit of his stomach for far too long. but your fingers are too gentle as they press against his still-pounding heart, and your eyes are too tender as they meet his own. there’s an unusually bright beam of moonlight spilling across your features from the gap between the curtains and it makes you look as dazzling as ever. it wouldn’t be right to ruin such a beautiful moment, he thinks, to ruin such a beautiful person with all of whatever he is. so he doesn’t.

repeat and recycle.

you are kind. with him, you’ve managed to practice this weird balance of confident indifference and empathy that just works for him. it’s never been like that before. not when he’d lost his parents but had felt relieved instead of the expected grief. not when his sister had died and had taken along with her a good portion of everyone’s soul. not when he’d finally just upped and left because the tension in the house was getting too much for him to bear.

he has no parents, he told you once, a long time ago. a green haze of disgust had curled around him and eyes steaming, rolling and boiling. the grip he had on the stack of papers he’d been flicking through caused ripples across the filled pages. you know this fact, clever enough to have gathered as much from how much he soured whenever parents were mentioned, but he had never outright admitted it.

“you’re ruining my notes,” you’d said to him instead of the pity he is all too familiar with. there had been a deep furrow between your eyebrows, displeasure in your frown, “i worked extremely hard on that.”

it had been relief, looking back now, that had filled him up to the brim. his heart had felt full, but not in the bad way - always in the good way with you - and he’d felt unburdened for once. he looked at you then, eyebrows raised. where he thought there would be anger, there was only amusement. he’d only known you for a handful of months but somehow he’d expected as much from you. and it’s comfortable.

“the world’s full of awful, terrible people who shouldn’t be parents,” you’d pointed at him with an opened highlighter pen, waving the neon tip in his direction, “doesn’t mean you’re awful or terrible too.”

huh.

“and it certainly doesn’t mean i want to spend my whole afternoon talking about them,” your frown turned into a scowl as you reached over the tabletop filled with textbooks and worn notebooks and loose papers, “give those here if you’re not gonna treat them right.”

light laughter spilled out of his lips as he pulled the notes away. you were kind. too kind. looking back, that must have been the start of it all.

you’re curled up in a hoodie, crumpled up on the sofa in a way he’s sure is not good at all for your posture but he’s long given up trying to chastise you over it. face smooshed against the arm of the chair, a textbook draped open over your chest in a way that makes him wince, you looked positively ridiculous. ignoring the pang of fondness, he nudges you with his knee.

“come on,” he says, closing the textbook and putting it aside, “let’s get you to bed.”

you groan but are otherwise easily coaxed into bed, curling into his side as he lead you to your room. the fondness magnifies immensely. that you’d spent the better half of yesterday revisiting old topics and making notes which is why you’re so tired right now is somehow endearing to him. he brushes his lips against your forehead as he watches you settle into bed. if he spends a bit more time lingering at the door, no one would know.

he doesn’t want to say it’s because of you but you did play a big part in it. he talks more to his brothers now and it’s, well, good. it’s the distance and the fresh air too, maybe.

he doesn’t have parents but he does have 6 brothers, he’d admitted one quiet night. the two of you had been lying on your backs, the clear night sky spread out over your figures, gorgeous swirls of different shades of blacks and dark blues with specks of bright diamond jewels. 6 brothers and a sister who had passed and had taken a piece of all of them with her.

“oh.” you’d said but you already knew about his brothers because he’d told you. not so much in stories, of course, but through bits and pieces he’d mentioned here and there. beel likes that snack, he would tell you and so you’d tell him to send some to him. asmo’s been talking to him about a brand new make up collection that’ll be released soon and so you’d tell him that you’ll keep an eye out. but the thing about his sister - that’s new.

the hurt is still there even though it’s been a long time now. raw pain as if his chest is dangerously exposed and someone’s gone ahead and ripped his still-beating heart out of him. he has yet to find that heart, it seems. it still hurts but ever since he’d left, he’s been able to breathe a bit better. see past the green and grey cloud that hovered over him and his brothers when he’d been at home.

“that one’s orion,” you’d murmured, and he knows it’s just you trying to digest his words, trying to figure out a good response, “people use that one to find other stars too, did you know that?”

he did, in fact. but still, he’d watched, quiet as you pointed out a few others. your eyes are wonder-filled, the twinkle brighter than anything else in the sky, and it had left him breathless. the tightness around his throat had loosened. southeastward and there is sirius, you’d said, in awe and in love. from rigel to betelgeuse, there is gemini - the stars castor and pollux.

“it must be stuffy to be immortalised like that, huh?” you’d turned him then, meeting his eyes, smile gentle, “always expected to be same. unchanging. must be suffocating.”

a stray chuckle leaves him, weak.

“just let it happen,” you told him afterwards and he’d wanted to laugh even more because it shouldn’t be that easy to absolve him of everything he’s been feeling but it had been. “all i’m saying is that you don’t need to feel guilty anymore.”

“talk to them,” you suggested, no hesitation, letting him lean against you, “they lost a sister too, you know?”

there’s a lecture that he has to attend in about an hour but you’re still snoring away on your side of his bed and it’s so tempting to join you in sweet slumber. you don’t have classes until later on so you’re good but he’ll be late if he dallies for any longer.

but he can’t seem to pull himself away from you. so he takes this in, the absolute mess in the morning. listens to your steady breathing. savours the moment and keeps it close. a beautiful solace that he’ll allow himself for when he needs the reprieve.

“ha,” there’s a smug curl to your lips, eyelids fluttering open as if knowing that he’d been starting, “nerd. go to class.”

he rolls his eyes. he could always count on you to ruin a tender moment.

“you should get one for lucifer,” the words barely leave your mouth before you’re laughing, from a tiny little snicker to full blown laughter, “for- for cerberus.”

the hand that’s holding out your phone for him to see the page full of ugly little suit for dogs shakes wildly. he scowls at the mention of his eldest brother and you laugh even more, setting down your utensils in favour of rubbing the tears that have sprung up in the corner of your eyes from laughing too hard.

“are you going back for the break?” you ask once you’ve calmed down, reaching over to pull his plate of pie closer to yourself. you pick up your fork once more, digging into the soft pastry.

he curls his nose at the prospect of going back home, “unfortunately.”

“unfortunately,” you parrot playfully, rolling your eyes. “yeah, okay.” 

“it’s been a long time coming anyways,” you grin around the mouthful of pie, “they miss you, i think. and don’t tell me you don’t miss them too.”

he sighs, shakes his head as he tugs his plate back over to his side. he knew he shouldn’t have given asmo your phone number. he would never attest to the happiness that blooms in chest. no one would be able to prove it, anyways.

here’s how it is now:

he reels you into a hug as he’s about to leave for back home. he feels as light as a feather, and he has to admit, he’s a bit...excited. when the two of you break apart, he says thank you and gives you an earnest smile. he has to suppress his laughter when feels the way you shudder in his arms.

something’s changing. and change is, well, good. in most cases. and this is one of those cases. it’s good. he’s not afraid, he tells you, he’s never afraid. there is no fear. no anger. just adoration and fondness. for you.

and so he decides in that moment - when he gets back, he’ll let you know.

[what-is-your-plan-today]

Riding High Ch 4: Skating The Issue

Chapter Summary: It’s Fliss’ turn to host Frank and Mary and both adults seem to be skating round a particular issue…

Chapter Warnings: Bad Language words. 

Chapter Pairings:  Frank Adler x OFC Fliss Gallagher 

A/N: I know I said we would be diving into the Gifted story line in this Chapter but, well, I lied…next chapter we start! As always I’m a ho for a REBLOG and COMMENT! 

Chapter Song: Chasing Rainbows by Shed Seven

Series Masterlist Main Masterlist

“Hey Cowgirl, how do you cook a skate?" 

Fliss had to read the message twice "I’m assuming you’re talking about the fish…”

“No an ice skate…” the sarcasm dripped of his reply and she could just imagine him rolling his eyes.

“Where the fuck did u get an ice skate in South Pass?” she giggled to herself as she typed her response.

“U deliberately being an ass?" 

"Why did u get a skate when u don’t know how to cook one?”

“I don’t know how to cook a lot of things. And there was a guy at the harbour giving them away. Extra catch he said. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth etc…”

Fliss pondered something for a moment before she leaned back in her chair and continued the conversation “Well why don’t u bring them round tonight and I’ll do them. I still haven’t cooked for you after the BBQ the other week”

“Don’t worry, I haven’t taken it to heart that every time we’ve tried to arrange it you’ve cancelled”

“Piss off!” She laughed to herself as she replied

“It’s this weather man, it’s so hot… not my fault I’ve had to rejig all my lessons and exercise my own horses at 9pm… you’ve been busy too don’t forget!”

“Busy time of year for Sailing, what can I say? As it happens I can do tonight but I’ll have Mary. Is that ok?”

“No, Frank I expect you to leave her at home on her own… ”

“Trust me if I could I would, she’s driving me insane at the moment.” “Why?” Fliss frowned slightly. Whilst she hadn’t really seen Frank other than the previous week for Mary’s riding lesson they talked often by text and he hadn’t mentioned she was playing up.

And then she suddenly realised. It was the last week of the Summer holidays.  Mary started school on Monday. And she had already made her feelings about that very clear to Fliss, several times.

“I’ll explain later. What time?”

Fliss checked her watch. It was 4pm.

“Say 6 ish? I’ll send you the post…I mean zip code…why the fuck do you lot call it a zip code anyway?”

“Stands for Zone Improvement Plan” 

“That makes no sense" 

"Course it does. Zip, its fast, as in the mail travels more efficiently, and more quickly when people use it”

“And you wonder why Mary is such a smart ass!" 

"Whatever, see you at 6.”

“Bye Sailor.”

Standing up she slipped her phone into the back pocket of her riding breeches and headed out onto the main yard. It was empty. The weather had been scorching recently, so hot she had been forced to cancel a lot of lessons and offer something different to her students. She had been taking the younger kids on trail rides through the grounds that surrounded her yard and onto the waterside and then taught them basic horse care and grooming routines, whilst the older clients who wanted to continue their training had moved their sessions to earlier or later in the day. That said, she had no one left to teach today and she was giving her own 3 a rest so it was a case of making sure waters in the fields were topped up ready for evening turn out.

Thor was flopped in the shade of one of the stables, flat on his side. He cracked an eye open as she passed and his tail lazily thumped on the floor. “Oh boy…I know it’s hot…” she said with a chuckle, bending over to give him a scratch before she stood up and he did the same, trotting obediently at her heels as she headed through the gate and down the dirt tracks which led to the turn out paddock. Joanne, Ruby and Ellis her head groom and stable hands were busy with the water truck topping up the troughs in the bottom field.

“Hey guys.” she smiled “All ok?”

“Yeah…” Joanne nodded “We’ve topped all the others up, this is the last one.”  

“Great, ok well let’s get them fed and then we can get them turned out and have an early finish.” Fliss smiled. “Ruby, Ellis, keep an eye on the water.”

The girl and boy nodded and then Katie and Joanne headed back towards the yard.

“So, you doing anything tonight?” Joanne asked.

“Oh, erm, Mary and Frank are coming over for dinner.” Fliss said

“As in Mary and Frank Adler?” Joanne looked at Fliss. Fliss nodded.

“God he is dreamy.” Joanne groaned “Total fuck boy though.” Fliss laughed, “So you told me. He’s a nice guy though, I enjoy talking to him.”

“Talking?” Joanne deadpanned “Seriously, you’ve got a sure thing there and you’re talking?”

Fliss snorted “Trust me I’m not looking for anything else, certainly not at the moment.”

“Yeah well, you never find anything when you’re looking for it do you?” Joanne said lightly as they walked into the feed store. “It’s always when you’re not looking that you come across it.” Fliss looked at her for a moment. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t attracted to Frank, she’d have to be blind not to be. But she wasn’t lying when she said she didn’t feel ready for a relationship just yet and it would have to take someone very special to change her mind. With a sigh she jerked her head in the direction of the containers which held the horse feed.

“Start scooping that lot out.”

Joanne did as she was told and a little over an hour later everything was turned out, fed and she made sure the staff knew who was on duty in the morning. With that she dismissed them early and set off to the store grabbing the ingredients she needed.

***** “Woah!” Mary said as Frank pulled up outside the gates “Does Fliss live here?” “According to the directions…” Frank said. He pulled out his phone and gave her a call.

“Hi, you at the gates?” she asked.

“I think so…” Frank said.

“Ok hang on…” she instructed and Frank waited. A few seconds later the iron gates swung inwards. “Drive past the main house on your right and keep coming until the drive bends round. The annex is to the left behind the garage. Door’s open, just come on in.”

Frank took a deep breath and headed through the gate. Mary was looking out of the window at the large villa style house as they passed, her mouth hanging open. Bill emerged from the double garage to the left and Frank smiled at him, halting the truck.

“Alright lad?” Bill said, leaning on the top of the truck, talking through the open window. “Hey kid.” “Hi Mr Gallagher.” Mary said, smiling “We’re off to Fliss’ for dinner.” “It’s Bill, Mary, my dad was Mr Gallagher.” he smiled “And you’re a lucky girl, Lissy’s cooking is superb!”

“Anything is better than Frank’s…” she said and Frank rolled his eyes.

“Mine too. I burn water.” Bill chuckled. “You can’t do that.” Mary frowned, “It just evaporates.”

“It’s a figure of speech Mary, you know, a joke…” Frank looked at her shaking his head as Bill laughed.

“Well I’ll let you go.” he smiled, “Straight down the drive. Have a good evening.”

He straightened up and whistled, calling a small terrier to his heels before he headed over to a gate at the side. As he opened it, Frank just caught a glimpse of a spacious back yard and a pool before the gate snapped closed. Setting the truck forward again, he followed the drive and it turned left just before the fence, opening up into a space behind the garage where the small annex was set. It was a little detached, 2 storey building that was a similar style to the villa with a wooden door and a large bay window. The door was open and as Frank climbed out of the truck, the wrapped paper package of skate in his hand, Thor came bounding outside barking excitedly.

“Hey boy.” he said, giving the dog a pat before Thor turned his attention to Mary.

“Found it ok then?”

Frank looked up to see Fliss in the doorway. She was dressed in a pair of denim shorts that finished halfway up her toned thighs and a tight grey T-shirt which was distressed around the sleeves. Her hair was fastened back in a loose braid and she was barefoot. Frank felt a certain, and very unwelcome, pooling of arousal in the base of his stomach. Swallowing slightly he pushed it down and smiled at her.

“Nice place.”

“Well the rents got a fair whack when they sold up in the UK so…” she shrugged “Sadly it’s not mine!”

He smiled, “This doesn’t look so bad.”

“Suits me, for the time being anyway until I can get my own place.” she smiled “We’re in the middle of re-decorating it so there’s stuff all over the dining room. We’ll eat outside if that’s ok?”

“Sure.” Frank smiled.

Fliss gave a sharp whistle and Thor immediately headed back towards her and into the house as Mary followed, pausing to give Katie a hug. She led them inside and Frank looked around, the small porch area led into a square living room with a wooden floor which sported a large, light blue fluffy rug and a coffee table in the middle. There was a grey and black L-shaped sofa which ran along one wall and jutted out slightly around the edge of the coffee table and a huge flat screen TV and entertainment system nestled in the other corner which was surrounded by a huge rack of DVDs. On the wall above the sofa was a large framed photograph of Fliss with a chestnut horse, giving it a kiss on the nose, smiling as she did so, sunglasses covering her eyes. There were various other family shots in frames on other walls too. Taking it all in, Frank followed Fliss through an archway into the tiled dining room, which held a table against one wall and a display cabinet against the other which was full of trophies and rosettes. The walls were stripped bare and just as Fliss said there was a pile of decorating equipment sat in the corner. To the right a staircase headed upstairs and in front of them were double butler doors which led into the small country style kitchen. The rear doors were open onto a small flagged yard which sported a decking area upon which sat a table and some chairs. Various pot plants were scattered around the yard area and there was a wicker sofa and chair set with a smaller table and a hot tub nestled into the corner of the fence and the wall, under the kitchen windows.

“This is an annex?” Frank deadpanned looking around. Fliss turned to him, blushing slightly.

“I know, I’m very lucky.” she shrugged. “It’s as good as having my own place.”

“It’s really cool” Mary said “Can I go outside?” “Knock yourself out.” Fliss said as Mary disappeared into the yard, Thor following. “So, where’s this fish?”

Frank dropped the package onto the side and Fliss peeled the paper open.

“Oooh they look great!” She grinned. “So I’m gonna pan fry them with some lemon, garlic and then I’ve done some potatoes and salad…nothing fancy but…” “It sounds great.” Frank said.

“Is there anything Mary doesn’t like?”

“Tomatoes.” Frank said “I mean if they’re in a sauce of pasta she’s fine but…”

“Devil veg.” Fliss wrinkled her nose.

“Actually they’re a fruit…” Frank teased as she looked at him.

“You ever seen a tomato in a fruit salad?” she shot back, reaching around him to open the large fridge.

He laughed and moved out of her way “That’s exactly the reply Mary gives me.” “Like I said, smart kid.” she said, grabbing 2 beers before bumping the fridge door shut with her hip. She opened a door and grabbed a bottle opener, flipping off the cap before handing one to Frank.

“Thanks.” he said. “So, is there anything I can do to help or…” “No, everything’s done bar the fish so…” she shook her head “Stand and watch Sailor, you might learn something.”

He stood leaning against the counter as she worked, settling into comfortable chat, watching as she cleaned, skinned and filleted the fish before squeezing fresh lemon over it and tossing it into a hot pan with a few cloves of garlic.

“It doesn’t take long” she said, “Do you wanna grab me a few plates?”

“Sure.” he nodded, “err…” “Cupboard behind you, to the right.” she said over her shoulder as she pulled a salad out of the fridge and drizzled it lightly with a mixture of balsamic, oil and lemon. She did the same with the cold potatoes before she turned the heat off the stove and divided the fish up into 2 larger pieces and a smaller one for Mary. 

She gently slid the slices onto the plates and then she nodded. “All done.” “Well that looked easy.” Frank said

“You can try it yourself next time.” she looked at him, handing him the two bowls “Can you take those out the table?”

He picked them up easily and carried them outside, Mary instantly scrambling up from where she had been sat on the outside sofa with Thor and following him.

Fliss walked out with the plates which contained the fish and they all settled down, Frank placing some potatoes and salad onto Mary’s plate before doing the same for Fliss as she headed back inside for 2 more beers and an apple juice for Mary.

“This is really good!” the 7 year old enthused.

“Don’t talk with your mouthful.” Frank looked at her and she gave him a filthy scowl which made Fliss laugh.

“She looks a bit like you when she does that.” “I do not.” Mary replied indignantly.

Fliss merely smiled as she stabbed another potato and popped it into her mouth “Whatever you say.” Mary shot her another look which earned her one back from Frank. She met his eyes with her own and gave a shrug, diving back into her food.

“Fred would like this.” she said, looking at her fish.

“Good job because I saved him the scraps.” Fliss said.

“Did you?” Mary looked at her, smiling. Fliss nodded.

Frank watched the easy exchange between the two, smiling softly. Mary had been in a foul mood all afternoon after he had taken her shopping for a few outfits for School. She had been kicking off about the fact she had to go on Monday, but he was sticking to his decision. She needed to go, be a kid, have a normal life.

“You alright?” Fliss looked at him and he nodded

“Yeah, just thinking that’s all.” he said, “Nothing serious.” Fliss accepted his answer, even though she didn’t believe him and she changed the subject, telling Mary about a few of the things she had planned for her next riding lesson which wasn’t for another 10 days seeing as she had been for one the Saturday before.

“Can I not come this Saturday?” she pleaded.

“Mary…” Frank sighed, rubbing at the buttons on the top of his t-shirt collar line “We discussed this, once a fortnight…” Mary scowled again and Frank let out a groan.

“Well, if it’s ok with Frank you could come up later in the day and help me with my 3.” Fliss said, looking at him. “You can help Joanne with the poles on the jumps and the feeds.” “Oh, please Frank can I?”

Frank looked at Mary then to Fliss “You sure that’s ok?”

Fliss nodded “Course” “Alright.” Frank nodded “But one more tantrum about school between then and now and you’re not going understood?”

Mary pouted a little, clearly considering this bargain before she sighed “Ok.” When they had finished eating Frank helped Fliss clear down the table. She told him to drop the dished into the sink whilst she placed the left over salad into tubs and back in the fridge.

“So School still a sore subject?” She queried.

“Oh fuck me…” Frank sighed “Sore?” he rubbed at his temple “Monday is gonna be a nightmare.” “She’ll get used to it.” Fliss said “She’s bound to feel a little put out a first but she’ll settle.” “I just hope I’m doing the right thing” Frank said.

“You can’t do anything but your best Frank.” Fliss said softly “That’s all any of us can do.” “Yeah, suppose.” he shrugged. “Anyway, enough about that…been meaning to ask, how’s it been with shuffling all the lessons around?” “We’ve managed.” Fliss said, heading back outside “takings are down but…well, you always get peaks and troughs.” “Tell me about it. Boat work slows up a lot November through January.” Frank shrugged.

“You should branch out into tractor fixing.” Fliss said, settling onto the sofa next to Mary who was busy flicking through a book she had brought. Fliss glanced down and grinned “Moby Dick?” “Yeah…” Mary looked at her “You read it?”

“A while back. I used to read a lot.”

“What’s your favourite book?” Mary asked.

“Honestly?” Fliss smiled “It’s Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire.” “Isn’t that for kids?” “Mary…” Frank groaned “You are a kid.”

“Fliss isn’t” Mary shot back.

“No but I was when those books were released. The first one came out in 1997, I was only 13. I grew up reading them.” Mary contemplated this. “And they’re good?”

“Yeah.” Fliss smiled “I love Harry Potter. That’s what this is…” She pointed to the tattoo which circled her left ankle Frank glanced down at the writing, which curved around and then formed into the outline of a stag’s head on her Achilles tendon. It was quite a delicate design. Mary studied it carefully.

“Expecto Patronum…” she said, reading it out “What does that mean?”

“It’s a spell.” she said, “So in one of the books Harry has to cast it to protect himself from these creatures…and his Patonus, the thing the spell conjures, takes the form of a stag. The writing, see…” Fliss traced it with her finger “That’s the author, JK Rowling’s handwriting. I had it done a year ago, kind of a reminder to me that no matter how bad things get there’s always a way to make it better.” Mary nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe I’ll read them then.” “Do you want to borrow the first one?” Fliss asked “And then once you’ve done maybe one night we can watch the movie.”

“Please.” Mary nodded.

Fliss stood up and nodded for Mary to follow so she did. “be right back.”

Frank waved them away and Fliss led Mary upstairs into the spare room. It was still full of boxes, some which littered the bottom of the bunk beds. She dug into a box, found the book, and handed it to Mary. Mary took it gently and examined the cover.

“Thank you. I’ll take good care of it I promise.” Mary nodded “Can I see your bedroom?”

Fliss laughed and nodded “Sure.”  she led her across the hall into the larger bedroom and let Mary walk in and look round at the airy room, glancing at the bed which was made and adorned with a light blue and yellow bed spread and a few cushions.

“It’s tidier than Franks.” she mused and Fliss laughed.

“I’m a girl.” she shrugged. “We’re always tidier than men.” “Is that you?” Mary asked, striding over to a photo that was on the bedside table.

Fliss nodded as Mary looked at the frame, which contained a shot of her and her parents with her brother.

“That’s my brother Steeb…I mean Steve.” “Steeb?” Mary looked up.

“When I was a little girl I couldn’t pronounce his name properly.” Fliss explained “I called him Steeb, or Steeby…it just kinda stuck.”

Mary gave a snort of laughter as she placed the frame down and Fliss waited until she finished looking around before she headed for the door. They made their way back down the stairs and outside, where Frank was looking at something on his phone. He looked up at them as they walked back through the bi-folding doors.

“Did you say thanks?”

“She did.” Fliss nodded.

“Good.” Frank nodded. He took a sigh and looked at Fliss “I don’t wanna rush out but it is getting kinda late and someone will be a crank if they don’t get to bed soon.” “Yeah he’s always grumpy if he doesn’t get enough sleep.” Mary quipped and Frank shook his head with a huff of laughter as Fliss giggled.

They all made their way inside and Fliss retrieved the wrapped up fish scraps for Fred which Frank took, his fingers gently brushing against hers which again sparked that damned fire in his belly. What the fuck was wrong with him?

Fliss merely smiled at the contact and turned to Mary “So remember, no being a pain in the bum about school or…” “Yeah yeah I know…” she shrugged.

“Something tells me she isn’t gonna pay a blind bit of notice.” Fliss said, watching as she bounded to the truck.

“Nope.” Frank agreed, shaking his head. “Thanks for dinner Fliss, it was great.” “Not a problem, if you’re happy to play hunter gatherer I’m always happy to cook.” “I’ll hold you to that.” he smiled at her, and after a seconds hesitation he leaned down and pecked her on the cheek. “See you Saturday.” She smiled and watched him head down to his truck where he paused and looked back at her, giving her another smile which spread across his handsome face and Fliss felt the butterflies in her stomach stirring in the way they always seemed to do whenever he looked at her. Tossing him a wave she watched them go before she shut the door and leaned against it, taking a deep breath.

“Stop chasing rainbows Lissy…” she muttered to herself, before she headed for a glass of wine and her latest book before retreating outside for the rest of her evening.

******

Surprisingly Mary kept most of her vitriol about going to school at bay, something Frank knew was down to the promise of visiting the yard. There was the odd grumble, which he shut down fairly easily. He had no illusions about the fact it would no doubt start in earnest on Sunday but for now he was simply happy to have a reprieve from the subject she had been complaining about for the past few weeks.

Seeing as she kept up her side of the bargain, he kept his. Fliss was more than happy to see them, and if he was completely honest, Frank was happy to see her as well. They talked to each other by text every single night now, it had just become a habit more than anything. And a habit he was happy to indulge.

They arrived at the yard a little after 5pm and Fliss was already on board a large, black horse with 4 white socks and a white blaze. She waved in acknowledgement but as they made their way to the paddock to watch, the horse gave a sudden sharp kick with its back left before stopping dead and launching its ass into the air. For a moment he thought Fliss was going to come unseated but she merely smirked and sat back, giving the horse a quick kick on. It moved a few steps and repeated the move. “Give up you little shit…” he heard Fliss mumble and he bit back a snort as there was nothing little about the brute she was on. She kicked again, but this time nothing, and the horse threw both its front legs up in a rear. Frank swallowed, as Fliss stood up in her stirrups throwing her reins forward before the animal landed down and she gave it a sharp tap with her stick. At that it moved forward a few steps and Fliss gently encouraged it to continue with a little squeeze of her legs. “No worse than normal…” she said to Joanne who was grinning at the horse’s antics. “He’s an ass…” Joanne laughed “you would think he’d learn he never gets away with it…” “That’s…that’s normal?” Frank sputtered out and Fliss who had just struck the horse up into trot laughed. “Yip” she called out, moving the horse on down the long side of the arena “He likes to fart about does Bronson”

Fliss warmed the horse in and then gestured to Mary to come into the paddock. She climbed the fence and sprinted over to where Joanne was.

“Ok so Joanne is now going to put out some poles…see.” Fliss looked down at her from her vantage point aboard the tall, black gelding. “The ones before and after the jump wings are take-off and landing poles. They are to help him and me figure out where he needs to be taking off and landing.”

Mary nodded eagerly

“Not all horses need them, but Bronson is still learning so it helps him to understand.”

Frank simply stood watching as Joanne directed Mary to help her set out the lightweight, brightly coloured pole before Joanne looked at Fliss and asked her something. Fliss nodded and Joanne set up a small cross-pole. Fliss circled the horse and sent it at the fence, Bronson hardly leaving the ground the fence was that low.

“Stick it up a foot!” Fliss called as she circled.

The fence was put up and Frank noticed Mary was watching every movement with utter rapt attention. She tugged on Joanne’s sleeve who turned to her and she pointed at the jump and Joanne nodded. Fliss sailed the horse over the next one and it was put up again.

This practice continued until one time the horse slammed on at the fence and skidded to a halt. Fliss fell onto the horse’s neck and Frank felt his heart stop but she didn’t fall. Instead she shuffled back onto the saddle, turned him and sent him straight. This time he didn’t stop.

“So do you know what happened there?” he heard Fliss ask. Mary shook her head. “So his striding was off. He was trying to rush and I asked him to sit up and pay attention, because of that he got his striding confused so he wasn’t right to take off when I needed him to. That’s why he stopped.” “So he wasn’t being naughty?” Mary asked.

“Nope.” Fliss shook her head. “Genuine mistake. See he’s only 6 so he’s a baby really, not like Cap who could jump a course with his eyes closed.” “Cap?” Frank looked at her, and she turned to him. “Seriously, you have a dog called Thor and a horse called Cap?” Fliss grinned “His full name is Captain Chaos…he was already named that when I got him but it fits my Marvel obsession perfectly.” He shook his head with a smile and watched as this time the jump was higher again. Joanne moved Mary to stand under it, to show her how high it was and Mary’s eyes grew wide and she looked at Frank. He gave her a thumbs up and she moved out of the way as Fliss brought Bronson down again. The horse took off but clipped the pole with his front legs, knocking it down.

“That was because he didn’t pick his feet up enough…” Fliss called as she circled back round, coming again. “He’ll do it this time, watch…” And he did. Fliss repeated the jump 3 times and Frank couldn’t help but marvel at how in tune with the animal she was. It was like they were working as a unit, she made it look effortlessly graceful, her hands and legs moving in coordination as she folded with the horse, as if jumping over a meter off the floor on the back of a half-tonne animal was the most natural thing in the world to do. The mere thought of it scared the crap out of Frank.

After the 3rd time, Fliss nodded to Joanne and slowed the horse down, letting him stretch.

“Always end on a good note” she grinned at Mary as she patted the horse. Frank could see Mary was thinking something and with that she nodded to Mary and rode the horse over to Frank.

“She wants to sit on him…” She looked at Frank “Is that ok?” Frank swallowed “Isn’t he a bit…big?” he asked.

“Yeah but he’ll behave now…he’s knackered…tired…” she corrected her English slang. “She can sit up here with me if you’re comfortable with it?”

Frank bit his lip. “Are you sure he will be ok?” “Trust me Sailor, I wouldn’t let her up here if I wasn’t convinced I could keep her safe…” Fliss said, removing her hat. She passed it down to Mary “Put that on and I don’t EVER want to see you on a horse without one, ok…do as I say not as I do.”

“Frank says that to me all the time…” Mary took Fliss’ hat and clipped it on. It was a little big but would do the trick.

“Sound advice…” Fliss grinned. “You wanna lift her up?”

Frank nodded and scaled over the fence, lifting Mary easily by the waist. He passed her up and she swung one leg either side of the saddle and gave a gasp.

“I’m so high!”

“Yup!” Fliss grinned, shifting back so Mary could settle in front of her  “Ok, hands on this strap…” she indicate to the leather line around the horses neck “I call this my Oh sh-I mean, Oh No Strap…” she said “If anything goes wrong I can grab it and hold on.” “You can say the word…” Mary looked up at her “Frank does.” “Stop tattle telling.” Frank sighed.

Fliss laughed and gently nudged the horse on and walked it around a few laps before changing direction and repeating. Frank spotted Joanne was putting the jump wings away so he went to help and the girl beamed at him as she directed him to where they were stored by the hay barn. By the time they had finished Fliss and Mary were stood by the gate.

“You ready to get down?” Frank asked. Mary nodded so he reached up and gently aided her off the horse before Fliss dismounted.

“Wanna lead him in?” she looked at Mary, taking the horse’s reins and moving them over his head. Mary nodded and Fliss let her lead, all the time remaining nearby. This time they didn’t head into the main barn they walked further round to a smaller private block of 4 stables.

“So these are mine.” Fliss said. “That’s Cap…” she pointed to a large black and white horse, “And this is Heidi…”

Frank stopped in front of the large chestnut mare who looked at him before snorting. He jumped back and Mary laughed as Joanne took Bronson off Mary and led him into one of the stables.

“Yeah she’s a bit particular…” Fliss teased “But she’s my pride and joy. Had her since I was 16.”

“Is she the one you did the Olympics on?”

“No.” Fliss said, “That wasn’t my horse. It was a sponsor’s. Heidi was my competition horse before I started training for the Olympics but I couldn’t part with her. I’ve had her since she was 4 and she’ll be 21 this year.” “Do you still ride her?” Mary asked, reaching up to stroke the mare’s head.

“Yeah.” Fliss said “She can still jump and work…not as hard but it’s important to keep them going. She’s my baby…”

The mare leaned over to nuzzle at Fliss and almost as if he could sense it, Thor appeared and walked into the middle of them, sitting down, nudging Fliss with his nose.

“And you of course…” Fliss grinned, patting the dog.

They headed back out into the yard and Joanne took Mary to the feed room so she could help whilst Fliss carried the tack back to the room.

“Here…” Frank offered as she was juggling the saddle around so she could tap in the code. She handed it over with a smile before opening the door and directing him to the racks. “Thanks.”

“Least I can do.” Frank smiled, dusting his hands down on his jeans “Thanks for this.” “For what?”

“Letting Mary come tonight.” “It’s no problem, she’s never any trouble.”

“No, she just asks a lot of questions…” Frank snorted as they walked out to see Mary was now carrying buckets to the horses to feed them.

“I don’t mind. Questions are great, shows they care and want to learn…” Fliss spoke over her shoulder as she moved to take 3 buckets into the barn for her own horses.

“Still it takes a lot of patience.” Frank smiled.

Fliss scoffed “Mary is nothing, you ain’t met my brother’s kids.”

“I’d like to meet them.” Mary chipped up and Frank looked at her, holding his hands out in a ‘what?’ gesture.

“You want to meet other kids?” he looked at her “You spent half the last fortnight ranting about not wanting to go to school!”

Mary scowled in response, giving him a filthy look.

“You two really need to work on your communication.” Fliss looked between the pair of them as they stood facing off in the yard.

“We do communicate.” Mary shot back, and Fliss gave a hmmm as the girl continued “He just doesn’t listen.” “Well I’ve decided to ignore dumb remarks.” Frank shot back, adjusting his shades

“Passive aggression is just childish, Frank.” Mary shrugged and he shook his head, looking at Fliss.

“I literally…” he trailed off with a sigh “See what I mean?” Fliss chuckled as she watched Mary moving over to speak to Joanne about something.

“She makes me laugh.” “Glad she amuses you.” Frank arched an eyebrow.

“Well it’s funny watching you get out smarted by a 7 year old, what can I say?” Fliss smirked.

“You know I really wish I could deny that, but…” Frank sighed as he walked towards Mary, dropping a hand on her shoulder “Right, time to go short stack…”

“Oh, oh one more question?” Mary looked up at Fliss.

“Ask and walk…” Frank instructed her, giving her a gentle push “What do you say to Joanne.” “Thank you!” Mary looked at her.

“Any time kid!” Joanne said as the 3 of them made their way to the parking lot.

“So what was the question?” Fliss said as they walked.

“Oh, right so I was watching a video…and they were doing side saddle…have you ever done that?” “Yeah.” Fliss nodded, stopping by Frank’s truck “I did it on Heidi when I was a lot younger. Didn’t like it though. I prefer a leg on each side…” There was a pause as she realised what she had said and flashed bright red as Frank let out a huge below of a laugh, as she gave an adorably embarrassed groan and hid her face in her hands.

“Oh god…” she groaned out “That…I didn’t mean…”

“Course you didn’t” Frank teased between his laughs and she punched him lightly on the arm.

“I don’t…I don’t get it?” Mary asked, looking up.

“Tell you when you’re older.” Frank said, “In…” he pointed to the truck.

Mary gave an exasperated groan “You always say that. You know I AM Seven!”

“Going on seventy…” Frank grumbled as she opened the door to the truck. He looked at Fliss and pushed his glasses up on top of his head so could see her properly. “Thank you, again.”

“Like I said, any time…” Fliss nodded, before a wicked smirk crossed her face “Next time she can sit on and jump with me.” “Over my dead body.” Frank levelled her with a look, making her grin even more.

“Not even a little one?”

Frank rolled his eyes “Now I know why you two get on so well. Both a pain in my ass.” “Don’t pretend you don’t love it Sailor!” She teased and he grinned.

“Well it kinda lightens up my day a little so…”

He trailed off and looked at her, and she blushed a little, tucking a stray strand of her auburn hair behind her ear. He couldn’t help but feel a little pleased at her bashful reaction. “Anyway I better…” “Yeah, sure…” she nodded, “I’ll catch you later.” “Yeah, you will.” he said “I’ll probably fire out an SOS tomorrow night when she’s kicking off about school.”

“Well you know where I am.” Fliss said, genuinely “And I mean that. If you wanna talk or anything just…” “I will, thanks Lissy.”

There was a moment’s pause and Fliss could tell Frank was inwardly cursing himself for the slip of his tongue, using the nickname her dad had for her. But instead of correcting him she simply smiled, because, if she was honest, she kinda liked hearing it from him.

“Anytime, have a good evening.” “You too.”

He climbed into his truck and watched as she headed back to the yard, looking back once with a smile.

“Roberta says you and Fliss would make a great couple.” Mary said and Frank jolted slightly and looked at her.

“What?” he spluttered “Why would…”

“She says you just need to grow up and see what’s in front of you.” Mary shrugged and sat back in the seat.

“Well I say Roberta just needs to shut up.” Frank shook his head as he put the truck into gear “Jesus Christ.”

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