#Memory challenged senior living

[theseniorcare]

How SOC Can Make Your Mom at Home

Old age can be a terrorizing and depressing thought for most of us, the challenges get multiplied with signs of memory loss or dementia. It is then that it gets very difficult for family members to take care of the ailing, elderly. An assisted living or facility is quite often the best solution. We take a lot of pride when we say that Serenity of Commerce is the best care provider for your mom and her health conditions. We understand it is a difficult choice for the family to entrust the responsibilities of their mom to an external agency so we doubly assure that we make your mom feel “at home”. 

Built on a sprawling and picturesque setting amidst lush greenery, our institution is an epitome of love and care. We treat each member as our family and welcome them with a warm hug. We ensure the comfort of home and beyond. Our top priority remains safety and security. Our trained staff maintains the best hospitality and medical standards and imparts a homely atmosphere round the clock. 

Apart from the physical and mental well being of your mom, we also take care of their social well being. Make them feel special in every possible way by arranging get-togethers, small picnics, and musical evenings. We believe there is nothing more healing than soaking in the winter sun and enjoying the spring breeze, we make your mom enjoy each season and its varied colors with us. 

At Serenity of Commerce, our main motto remains the overall development and assessment of each member with proper medical aid along with abundant love and care, so that they never miss their homes. The families should also rest assured because they know their mothers are in safe hands.

Source URL : https://www.serenityofcommerce.com/blog-details?linkname=how-soc-can-make-your-mom-at-home

[theartingace]

Your centaurs differ pretty wildly from the base DnD centaurs, but what I am curious about is old people. DnD centaurs travel in migrations that last generations and just leave the old or infirm behind to keep on (at which point they become Chiron types); how do your centaurs handle the elderly?

I actually had no idea that DnD centaurs did that, kinda cool, kinda wild cultural practice?? While I have always encouraged folks to use my workarounds and patches for centaurs in their TTRPG games, I actually have very little idea of what ideas are already in any of the systems that do actually include centaurs! my advice on centaurs is usually much more niche daily life stuff than most game developers and story writers tend to delve into.

For my centaurs the elderly are treated much like any human elder, what do you do with them? You cherish them!! Particularly with my centaurs, who across all their cultures depend a lot on family and group dynamics to compensate for the challenges that come with having a horse body. So elders would be an important font of knowledge and cultural memory! Now MY centaurs in particular tend to be pre-history to medieval style cultures, with access to higher medicines pretty much limited to the Port city of the Merchant's culture so living to a super advanced age would be fairly rare, but that would just make those who DO get to that age generally more important and respected (at least according to Nana)

As mobility issues arise with advanced age, there's lots of options to keep Nana mobile and healthy, from supportive corsets and harnesses to support the back to senior comfort hoof trims and special shoes- but most end up opting for being (literally) carted around in small wagons by the grandkids. Or the more independent minded seniors may drive their own carts with pet ponies and donkeys (or even goats!)

Of course wheelchairs are also an excellent choice to help with mobility at any age!

And even in my semi-nomadic Rider culture, elders are simply packed up with the yurts and tents and travel in the carts that way. No reason to leave them behind when you have stuff to be carrying anyway in my opinion!

[pinkmoontaco]

It all started at a Set || KMG Pt.3

Pairing: Actor-Idol Mingyu x Actress-Idol Reader Genre: Fluff, Idol romance Summary: This story is a heartwarming slow-burn romance between Mingyu and Y/N, a senior idol. It begins with them being cast as co-stars in a drama where their contrasting personalities—Mingyu’s vibrant, outgoing nature and Y/N’s reserved, composed demeanor—become the catalyst for an unexpected connection. Throughout their journey, they face professional challenges, emotional conflicts, and growing feelings for one another.

Author's note: Please, if possible, leave a small comment it really helps me to write more Part one _ Part two _ Part three

If you have any requests for any member or any other groups feel free to do so

The drama’s success was undeniable, and the cast was invited to a grand success party to celebrate the show's achievements. The atmosphere was lively, filled with laughter, clinking glasses, and shared memories of the intense but rewarding filming process. Mingyu arrived with his usual charm, his members teasing him about how this was as much a celebration of his growth as an actor as it was for the drama’s success.

Y/N, meanwhile, was standing across the room, engaged in an animated conversation with the second lead, who had also won over fans with his portrayal. Her rare laugh rang out, catching Mingyu’s attention. He found himself watching her, a strange pang in his chest as he noticed how effortlessly the second lead made her smile.

“She looks like she’s enjoying herself,” one of Mingyu’s members commented teasingly, nudging him. “You okay there?”

“I’m fine,” Mingyu replied quickly, though his clenched jaw told a different story. He tried to focus on the celebration, but his gaze kept drifting back to Y/N. The sight of her laughing at another man’s jokes, the ease with which she seemed to connect with him—it was enough to make jealousy bubble up inside him.

Unable to hold himself back, Mingyu walked over, his steps purposeful. “Y/N,” he said, interrupting their conversation. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

Y/N looked at him, surprised by the sudden interruption. “Uh, sure,” she said, excusing herself from the second lead.

He led her to a quieter corner of the venue, his heart racing. Before she could ask what was wrong, Mingyu did something completely out of character—he leaned down and kissed her. It was quick, almost fleeting, but it was enough to leave them both breathless. Realizing what he’d done, Mingyu pulled back, his eyes wide with panic.

“I—I’m sorry,” he stammered, his cheeks burning. Without waiting for her reaction, he turned and bolted, leaving Y/N standing there, stunned.

Y/N found him later that night on the rooftop of the venue, leaning against the railing, his shoulders tense. She walked up to him, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions coursing through her. “Mingyu, what was that?”

He didn’t turn to face her, keeping his gaze fixed on the city lights. “I shouldn’t have done that,” he said quietly.

“Why did you, then?” she pressed, stepping closer. “You don’t get to just kiss me and then run away, Mingyu. Talk to me.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Because I couldn’t help myself, okay?” he admitted, his voice laced with frustration. “I’ve been trying to ignore it, but every time I see you, every time you smile, I—I just can’t.”

Y/N’s breath hitched at his confession, but before she could say anything, he continued, his tone turning somber. “But it doesn’t matter. I can’t... I can’t do this right now.”

“Why not?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Because my group is at its peak,” he said, finally turning to face her. His eyes were filled with a mixture of longing and regret. “Everything we’ve worked for—it’s all happening now. I can’t let anything distract me from that, not even you.”

Y/N felt a lump form in her throat. “So you’re saying I’m a distraction?”

“That’s not what I mean,” he said quickly. “You’re amazing, Y/N. But I have responsibilities—my members, our fans, our future. I can’t be selfish right now.”

Silence hung between them, heavy with unspoken words. Finally, Y/N nodded, her expression unreadable. “I understand,” she said, her voice steady despite the ache in her chest. “But you don’t get to push me away like this and expect me to wait forever, Mingyu.”

He looked at her, his eyes pleading. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I just... I can’t.”

Without another word, Y/N turned and walked away, leaving Mingyu alone on the rooftop, the city lights blurring as he blinked back tears.

The weeks following the success party were filled with promotional activities, interviews, and variety show appearances. Mingyu and Y/N were often paired together, their on-screen chemistry a major draw for fans. Despite their personal tension, they maintained a professional front, though their group members couldn’t help but notice the subtle shifts in their behavior.

During a joint guesting on a popular variety show, the host couldn’t resist teasing them. “So, Mingyu and Y/N, the nation’s favorite drama couple! Tell us, how did you two manage such incredible chemistry?”

Y/N smiled politely, giving a practiced response. “We both worked hard to bring our characters to life. It was all about understanding each other’s strengths as actors.”

Mingyu nodded, echoing her sentiment. “Y/N’s professionalism made it easy. She’s amazing to work with.”

Their co-stars smirked knowingly, while the host leaned closer. “Come on, there’s got to be more to it than that. Did you two practice those romantic scenes a lot off-camera?”

Mingyu laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. “Not really. We just... trusted each other.”

Y/N added, “And the director guided us a lot. It’s all thanks to the team.”

Despite their composed answers, the knowing glances exchanged between the cast and their group members didn’t go unnoticed by fans. Social media buzzed with theories about their relationship, with hashtags like #MingyuYNRomance trending worldwide.

When award season rolled around, the drama received multiple nominations, and the cast attended the ceremonies together. Mingyu and Y/N walked the red carpet side by side, their elegant outfits complementing each other perfectly. Fans cheered loudly, holding up signs and chanting their names.

Inside the venue, the tension between them was palpable. Seated next to each other, they exchanged polite smiles and small talk, but their group members noticed the lingering glances and subtle hesitations.

During one of the breaks, Mingyu’s fellow members cornered him. “Okay, spill it,” one of them said. “What’s going on with you and Y/N? You’re acting weird.”

“Nothing’s going on,” Mingyu insisted, though his flushed cheeks betrayed him.

“Yeah, right,” another member chimed in. “You’ve been acting like a lovesick puppy since the drama started.”

Meanwhile, Y/N’s groupmates weren’t letting her off the hook either. “You’ve been so distracted lately,” one of them remarked. “Does it have anything to do with a certain tall, charming co-star?”

Y/N sighed, shaking her head. “It’s not like that.”

“Sure, and I’m not a singer,” another member teased. “Come on, Y/N. We’re your friends. You can tell us.”

Despite their denials, the truth was becoming harder to hide. As they continued to navigate the whirlwind of promotions and public appearances, Mingyu and Y/N found themselves drawn to each other more than ever, their unresolved feelings simmering just beneath the surface.

The culmination of the award season came with the announcement of the Best Drama Couple award. As the presenter read their names, Mingyu and Y/N exchanged a surprised glance before standing up to accept the trophy together. The crowd erupted in applause, their fans going wild as they walked to the stage.

Standing under the bright lights, Mingyu took the microphone first. “Thank you so much for this honor. Working on this drama has been an incredible experience, and I’m grateful to have shared it with such an amazing team.”

He handed the microphone to Y/N, who smiled warmly. “This award belongs to everyone who worked tirelessly to make this drama a success. Thank you to the fans for supporting us and believing in our story.”

As they walked offstage, the host quipped, “Looks like the chemistry isn’t just on-screen!” prompting laughter from the audience and a shared, embarrassed smile from Mingyu and Y/N. Backstage, their group members were waiting, their teasing remarks only adding to the flurry of emotions the two were struggling to contain.

During one of Seventeen’s concerts, Mingyu found himself overwhelmed with emotion. As the group performed a heartfelt song dedicated to their fans, he felt the weight of everything he had been carrying—the success, the expectations, the unspoken feelings for Y/N. Tears streamed down his face as he sang, his voice trembling with raw emotion. The fans in the audience cheered louder, their love and support palpable.

The video of Mingyu crying during the performance quickly went viral, touching fans and even reaching Y/N’s group. One of her members showed her the clip during their downtime. “Look at him,” they said, smiling softly. “He’s always so composed, but this... this is different.”

Y/N watched the video, her heart aching as she saw the vulnerability in Mingyu’s expression. She didn’t say anything, but the sight of him like that stayed with her, a reminder of just how much he had been holding back.

Not long after, Y/N had her own moment of vulnerability during a live performance. Her group performed a ballad about heartbreak, and as Y/N sang the emotional climax, tears welled up in her eyes. The lyrics hit too close to home, and for a moment, she let her guard down, her voice quivering with the weight of her emotions. The audience was moved, their cheers a mix of admiration and sympathy.

Backstage, her members comforted her, while fans took to social media to express their support. Mingyu saw the performance later that night, and as he watched Y/N pour her heart out on stage, he felt a surge of longing and regret. She had always been so strong, but seeing her break down reminded him of how much she had been holding back as well.

Despite their best efforts to move forward, it was clear to everyone around Mingyu and Y/N that they were suffering. Mingyu was distracted during practices, his usual playful demeanor replaced with a subdued, distant energy. Meanwhile, Y/N, always composed and professional, was retreating into herself more than ever, her laughs sounding hollow even to her group members.

The tension didn’t go unnoticed by either group. During a shared music show appearance, Seventeen and Y/N’s group found themselves in the same waiting room. Between performances, Seungkwan finally spoke up, addressing both groups.

“I can’t take this anymore,” he said dramatically, earning a few chuckles. “Mingyu’s like a zombie lately, and I don’t think Y/N’s doing much better. They’re miserable.”

Y/N’s leader nodded in agreement. “It’s true. She’s been off since all of this started, even though she’s pretending she’s fine. Something has to give.”

Hoshi clapped his hands together, his eyes lighting up. “Then let’s make them talk!”

“Exactly,” Seungkwan agreed, his eyes gleaming with determination. “They’re clearly in love but too stubborn to admit it.”

The group members exchanged knowing glances, quickly forming a plan.

A few days later, Mingyu received a cryptic text from Joshua, asking him to meet at a quiet café in Seoul. Mingyu was confused but figured it was nothing unusual. At the same time, Y/N’s leader convinced her to visit the same café, claiming they had an errand to run.

When Mingyu arrived, he looked around, confused to find no sign of Joshua. Moments later, the bell above the door chimed, and Mingyu turned to see Y/N stepping in.

She froze when she spotted him, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Mingyu replied, standing up. “Joshua told me to meet him here.”

“My leader said the same thing,” Y/N muttered, crossing her arms.

It didn’t take long for them to realize what was happening. Turning toward the window, they spotted their group members sitting in a nearby van, grinning and waving. Hoshi held up a sign that read: "TALK IT OUT!"

Mingyu let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Looks like we’ve been set up.”

Y/N crossed her arms, but her lips twitched with a hint of amusement. “Well, they’re not wrong.”

Inside the café, they sat across from each other in a corner booth. The silence was deafening, with Mingyu nervously tapping his fingers against his coffee cup while Y/N stared out the window.

Finally, Mingyu broke the silence. “I’ve missed you.”

Y/N turned to him, her expression softening but guarded. “Mingyu…”

“No, let me say this,” he interrupted, his voice filled with urgency. “I thought I was doing the right thing by pushing you away. I told myself it was for your sake, but all I’ve done is hurt both of us. And I hate it, Y/N. I hate being without you.”

Her lips parted as if to say something, but she stopped, letting him continue.

“I was scared,” Mingyu admitted. “Scared of what this would mean for you, for me, for our careers. But now I know that I was just making excuses. I don’t care about any of that anymore. All I care about is you.”

Y/N blinked back tears, her voice trembling as she responded. “I was scared too, Mingyu. But I never wanted you to go through this alone. I wanted to be there for you, but you wouldn’t let me.”

“I know,” he said, his voice breaking. “And I’m sorry. I’m done running away. I’m ready if you are.”

Her lips curved into the faintest smile, and she nodded. “Okay. But we have to face this together, Mingyu. No more shutting each other out.”

“Together,” he promised, reaching across the table to take her hand.

From the van outside, their group members erupted into cheers, causing curious passersby to glance their way. “Mission accomplished!” Seungkwan declared triumphantly.

“Finally,” Y/N’s leader said, grinning. “Now maybe we can have some peace.”

When Mingyu and Y/N stepped out of the café hand in hand, their groupmates burst into applause. Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a smile, while Mingyu laughed, his ears turning red. Their friends quickly pulled them into a playful group hug, sealing the moment with their shared excitement

Their relationship brought new dynamics to both groups. Mingyu and Y/N started dating discreetly, often sneaking out for late-night walks or quick café visits between their busy schedules. However, their group members were far from subtle about their budding romance.

During one practice session, Woozi casually remarked, “So, did you two have a good date last night?” Mingyu choked on his water, while Y/N shot him a warning look. The room erupted into laughter.

Another time, Y/N’s group members cornered her during a makeup session. “Did Mingyu really buy you that bracelet?” one of them teased, pointing at the delicate chain on her wrist. Y/N tried to deny it, but her flushed cheeks gave her away.

Months into their relationship, after much discussion and deliberation, Mingyu and Y/N decided to make their relationship public. They wanted to share their happiness with fans who had supported them through every step of their journey.

One quiet evening, both posted matching statements on their respective social media accounts. The posts included a candid photo of them holding hands during a sunset walk, along with heartfelt messages thanking their fans and promising to continue their careers with the same dedication and love.

The reactions were immediate and overwhelming. Fans flooded the comments with messages of support, some even recalling the sparks they had noticed during the drama’s promotions. Within minutes, their names trended worldwide, with hashtags like #MingyuYNRomance and #SupportLove gaining traction.

Their group members, of course, couldn’t resist chiming in. Seungkwan posted a screenshot of the announcement with the caption, “Finally!” followed by several heart emojis. Y/N’s leader commented, “About time! Proud of you both.”

In the days that followed, they appeared on a variety show to address the news. When asked how it felt to go public, Mingyu joked, “I feel lighter now. No more sneaking around!” Y/N laughed, adding, “And no more teasing from our members…hopefully.”

The hosts congratulated them, and the episode was filled with lighthearted banter about their romance, including a reenactment of their first on-screen kiss, much to their embarrassment. Their members, seated in the audience, cheered loudly and made exaggerated heart signs, causing the couple to dissolve into laughter.

Despite the initial nerves, the public response was overwhelmingly positive. Fans praised their courage and celebrated the love story that had unfolded before their eyes. With the support of their loved ones and fans, Mingyu and Y/N embraced their relationship openly, proving that love and career could coexist beautifully.

While promoting on separate shows, the teasing didn’t stop. During an episode of a cooking show where Y/N was a guest, the host brought up Mingyu. “So, does your boyfriend cook for you?” he asked with a sly smile. Y/N nearly dropped the bowl she was holding, her flustered reaction earning laughs from the crew.

Meanwhile, on a talk show with Seventeen, the host slyly mentioned Y/N’s name while discussing Mingyu’s favorite co-stars. The members immediately jumped in, with Seungkwan exclaiming, “You mean his favorite person in general!” Mingyu buried his face in his hands, mumbling, “Why do I even talk to you guys?”

As the teasing continued on the talk show, the host couldn't resist digging a little deeper. "So, Mingyu, does Y/N have a favorite dish of yours? Or maybe something you cooked that she pretended to like?"

Mingyu, still blushing from Seungkwan's antics, looked up with a sheepish grin. "Well... she says she likes my kimchi stew, but I think she’s just being nice. She’s a really good cook herself, so it’s a little intimidating."

The members, of course, weren’t about to let that go. DK leaned forward with mock seriousness. "Mingyu, are you saying that your love language is cooking, but you’re worried you’ll never win against hers?"

The audience burst into laughter, and Mingyu groaned, "You guys are the worst!" But the fond smile on his face betrayed him.

Meanwhile, Y/N faced her own set of playful jabs. During another variety show appearance with her group, the topic of dating naturally came up. The host smirked and said, "So, Y/N, is it true that someone has been giving you pointers on acting lately?"

Y/N blinked, caught off guard, but one of her members jumped in with a laugh. "Oh, she’s had lots of inspiration lately. Isn’t that right, Y/N?"

Y/N shot her a look but couldn’t hide the small smile forming on her lips. "Maybe," she replied, trying to keep it vague, but the knowing chuckles from the audience told her it was no use.

As time passed, their relationship grew even stronger. Their fans, though initially surprised by the announcement, were incredibly supportive. Fan projects celebrating their relationship popped up worldwide, ranging from fan art and video edits to organized donation drives in their names.

Even during promotions, fans showed their love. At a fan signing event, Mingyu received a note from a fan that read, "Thank you for being brave enough to share your happiness with us. We're rooting for you and Y/N!" He couldn’t help but beam, and later, when Y/N was shown a photo of the note by her own fans, she smiled fondly.

Their groups also made light of their relationship during joint appearances. During a game segment on a music show, Y/N’s leader and Seungkwan ended up on the same team. At one point, Y/N's leader turned to him and said, "We should work together more often. Maybe we’ll pick up some of Mingyu and Y/N’s chemistry."

Seungkwan clapped dramatically. "Exactly! Let’s call it inspiration. They’ve raised the bar for all of us!"

The playful exchanges were always met with laughter, and though Mingyu and Y/N often rolled their eyes at the teasing, it was clear they appreciated the love and support surrounding them.

One memorable moment came during Seventeen’s encore stage at an awards show where Y/N’s group was also present. Fans had been hoping for some interaction, and they weren’t disappointed. During the song, Mingyu subtly glanced toward Y/N’s group, catching her gaze for just a moment. The fans screamed as Y/N, always composed, broke into a shy smile.

Later that night, as they sat together at the after-party, Mingyu whispered, "You smiled at me on stage."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, pretending to be unimpressed. "And? You’re acting like it’s the first time."

He grinned. "It’s different when millions of people are watching."

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "You’re impossible."

Their love story, now openly celebrated, became a symbol of balance and determination. Fans admired how they managed their busy lives while supporting each other. Their interviews began to touch on the theme of love and career, with both of them often emphasizing the importance of trust and mutual respect.

"People think it’s hard to date when you’re in the spotlight," Mingyu said during an interview. "And it is. But when you find the right person, it feels worth it."

Y/N, in a separate interview, shared similar sentiments. "It’s about understanding each other’s worlds and growing together. I’m lucky to have someone who does that."

As the years passed, their relationship only grew stronger, weathering the ups and downs of fame together. Their story wasn’t just about two idols in love—it became an enduring tale of growth, courage, and the power of love to thrive, even in the most extraordinary circumstances.

[ncis-yp]

may i request sugar daddy!gibbs? <3

Money, Money, Money (Sugar Daddy! Gibbs x Reader)

Late night, black coffee, handsome man, all alone. Third time this week, 5th week in a row you’ve seen him. You flirted often fishing for bigger tips, trying to pay bills you couldn’t even afford to have. You lived on your own. 18 years old, last 2 months of high school, and barely a plan and money to plan life with.

“See you’re here again!” You say happily topping him off.

“Hey! Rough week” he sighed, eyeing you gently.

“You work at… don’t tell me” you say trying to remember. “NCIS!” You exclaim.

“Good memory” he smiles. “How are you (y/n)?” He asks.

“Ah I’m alright. Just trying to get off work as soon as possible, you know” you shrug. “Later it gets the scarier it is outside.”

“Well, what time do you get off?” Gibbs asks.

“12” you sigh, looking towards the clock. Only 9:45. “Got about 2 hours left”

“Yeah, remember the goal kid.” Gibbs smiled. “Say, what college do you plan on attending? I remember you saying you were a senior and it’s almost the end of the year.”

“Oh, college.” You say quietly. “I can’t afford it, so I won’t be going. Maybe in the future” his phone began ringing. He clicked it silent before turning to you,

“Ah I see… well (y/n) have a good night. I’ve gotta get back to work” he stands.

“See ya around, Jet” you saluted him.

“Jet…” he said thoughtfully. “I like that!!”

Time skip~

The clock hit 12 and your shift was over. You walked out to see a familiar face leaning against a car. You smiled as he approached you.

“Hey Jet! What’re you still doin out?”

“Driving you home” he shakes his keys. “Scary out here” you can see a smirk.

“Coming from a guy who’s packing” you roll your eyes as you approach the car. You were gonna let yourself get a ride with a man who had a gun… a lot safer than walking an hour without a gun. That was how you justified getting into that car.

“Oh shut up” he opened the door and you got in.

When you arrived at your shitty apartment that you could barely afford you saw Gibbs eyes search the perimeter.

“I’ll walk you in… I don’t like the looks of that guy on the corner” he motions with his head.

“It’s really alright. Thank you for the ride!” You say opening your door. Jethro reached across and shut it before you could step out. Silently he got out and walked around the car. Opening it.

“Let’s go” he grinned sweetly. You caved and bring him up. His eyes fell on your small apartment. Clean, organized, your life could fit in a box. He made notes of things to buy you.

“Well since you’re up here” you say as you take off your coat. “Coffee? Tea? Might actually have a bottle of soda in the fridge…” you trail as you thought about it.

“Coffee’s great, yeah” he accepts. The two of you stayed up talking late into the night before he left. Your insecurity of what you could afford present in the back of your mind.

A few days later~

You woke up to a knock on your front door. You opened it to see a delivery guy at your door.

“Delivery for a…” he looked at his clipboard. “(Y/n)(l/n)”

“Yeah, yeah that’s me” you say. “What is this?” The man shrugged.

“A car? If you didn’t order it, not my problem. I can’t take it back.” He said as you signed the paper. He handed you the keys. “Beautiful car by the way” he walked away. You closed the door behind you, walking downstairs. Outside you eagerly clicked the key, looking around for the car, your eyes finally settling on the black dodge challenger sitting in a parking spot a few meters down.

“Oh my god” you say nearly in tears. You ran back upstairs and hurriedly got dressed for work, hoping to see Jethro there. And sure enough when you pulled up in your new car, there was Jethro, leaning on his car again.

“You fucking bastard” you run and hug him, you cry happily into his shoulder. He laughed as you did so.

“Wait wait, I get you a car and you call me Bastard!!!” He exclaimed. “I got something else for you…” he digs his hand into his pocket, another key coming out on his finger.

“Jethro…” you say looking at it as a bright green address tag danced in your eyes.

“Coffee first. Key later” you nodded as you lead him inside.

Time skip~

You ended your shift early to go with Jethro. You blindly tailed him into a nicer apartment complex in a better part of Quatico. Your heart began to flutter as you parked.

You walked into a nice apartment on the 3rd floor. Beautiful black granite kitchen tops, newly installed appliances.

“So…” he says. “What furniture were you thinking you wanted for your new apartment?” He says handing you magazines.

“Holy shit.” You whisper. “This is mine?” He nodded. “This place is mine?” You gasp.

“All paid off. So is the car. And so is your degree.”

“Degree?” You ask. “No you didn’t”

“Yes. I did” he smiled.

“Shut up” you tear up as he passes you a folder. The big words ‘WELCOME TO VIRGINIA TECH’ inscribed. “How did you-“

“Pulled some strings… I think your 1560 SAT score and perfect GPA helped a lot…” he said.

“Oh my god” you cry out jumping into his arms. “I will pay it all back” you say.

“Nope. No need. Just keep being a good girl and I will give you the world” he says.

“Thank you so much!!”

“Of course! You deserve it” he winked. “Now pick out some furniture. It’s your reward for getting into Virginia Tech” you kisses your cheek.

[supremeshrimpy]

please don't leave me again

Request: Hello! can you write reuniting with them after months/years due to work/curses/ or anything! (up to you!) with seperate! lilia, jade, azul, floyd, and leona? (atp im just desperate for content for the aforementioned characters badly) 

-Anon

Summary: stay a bit longer, it’s been so long! Just…don’t leave them again…

Characters: Lillia Vanrouge, Jade Leech, Azul Ashengrotto, Leona Kingscholar 

A/N: damn a 18 month hiatus is crazy huh… Also, I didn’t feel like writing a Floyd one because I’m a tired senior 

Lillia Vanrouge (Curse): 

Sometimes, when he closes his eyes at night, he sees you smiling at him in a field of flowers. Euphoria. Other times, he sees you lying motionless in his arms, he can still smell the toxin on your lips. He remembers everything so vividly, the way your hair shaped your cold face as he laid your body in your glass tomb. Still, hundreds of years later, he remembers his promise to you.

“For as long as my heart beats,” he whispered, “I will be restless in bringing you back to me, my love.”

So when he received a letter that you had awoken, he was overcome with emotions. As he flew back to the Valley of Thorns, he was angry at himself for missing the moment as your eyes reopened but so fucking excited to feel his cold skin against your warm self again. 

They moved you to our old room in the palace, everything was the same but so much time had passed. It had been so long since…everything. You can’t walk, you can barely talk, and all basic movements feel like challenges. Everybody that you once sat around a table and laughed with was now long dead. 

You were left to ponder how you could even exist in this new world. Everything you knew was gone, friends, family, and…oh no. What became of your dearest, Lillia? Did he go out as a war hero or as a criminal? Did he live to…find someone new and start a family? 

This was all too much, you can’t take the thought. Everything is too much, you just wish that you could close your eyes and go back to the ways things were. 

The door to your room slammed open and there stood a panting, young man. Why does he look so familiar? 

“You’re…this…by the Dark- you’re awake…,” even with his stammers he sounded a lot like someone you once knew. A certain someone who you shared a final memory with. 

“...Lillia,” your question comes out like a whisper as if it was taboo. Before you knew it Lillia had dropped to his knees in front of you. 

“YE-yes it’s me, my love,” he corrects his voice just as quickly as it came out. His head dropped on your lap; he wanted to feel your skin on his, “please, let’s allow me to stay like this for a bit….” 

Jade Leech (Moving Away):

His last memory of you was when you were both seven years old, Jade was clinging to your tail. He was sobbing and screeching for you not to move away. He remembers your parents dragging you away as his parents held him back, your figure slowly fading in with the bubbles. He hasn’t seen you since, so imagine his surprise when he receives a letter from his parents saying your family has moved back along with a photo of you. 

He’s never been so excited to go home for spring break, you’re back…you’re home. And here he is stuck at school while you're just a dive away. As he tried to focus on his studies, you were now permanently stuck in the back of his head. The photo of you sits on his desk, a beacon of what waits for him after midterms. 

“You seem unusually happy, Jade,” Azul says as stands in the doorway watching Jade pack his bag, “is it because they’re back?” 

Jade snickers as the thought of seeing you once again fills his brain, but this meeting won’t be the same. You and him aren’t the same people as you were 10 years ago. He’s so excited to see how you’ve blossomed in the time you were away from each other.

Jade couldn’t contain his smile when he saw you waiting on the other side of the mirror. He would have been the first to greet you if it wasn’t for Floyd jumping you into a surprise hug. Once Floyd was finally off of you, Jade was finally able to speak to you once again. 

“It’s good to see you again Jade,” you smile at him oh-so softly, “I’ve missed you.” You’re so fucking gorgeous, you look so different than the last time he saw you. 

“Now, don’t you look breathtaking,” Jade smiles, corking his head to the side. You don’t even know that your small giggles make his heart do flips. 

“Now tell me, Jade,” you say, swimming ever so close to him, “what have you been up to while I was away? “

Azul Ashengrotto (Different Schools) 

Azul loves the school’s open cultural festival for several reasons. One, the Monstro Lounge does wonderfully during the three days that the event is taking place. Nothing screams profit quite like parents wanting a quiet, relaxing place to lecture their kids about their grades. 

And that plays into his second reason too well, kids will do anything to get rid of their parents for a few hours. The contracts just keep rolling in for Azul as these kids sell themselves to him just to keep their parents busy and away from them. 

As the Octavinelle student mans the lounge, Azul is left in his office. His leg bounced anxiously for his third reason to love the school festival to arrive. Parents aren’t the only crowd the cultural festival attracts, students from other schools flock to see the wonders that Night Raven College has to offer. 

Oh, how Azul misses you. He misses the way you smile, the way you shake your hands when you get excited, the way your lips…god. He misses you so bad. With a huff, Azul brushes his hair out of his face and fixes his glasses to check his phone. 

“I’m so lost right now, I can’t believe your school is this big”

“Wait…”

“Nevermind I found the Portal room, see you soon”

Is it normal to be sweating this much, it's only been a few months since he last saw you in person, only a few days since you last talked on the phone, and only a few seconds since you last texted. He can’t honestly be this nervous to see you again. What happened to cool, suave businessman Azul? The Azul that can smoothly talk his way into the best outcomes for himself. Who is this nervous mess?

“YOOOOO! AZULLLLLL,” the door slams open, with no regard for Azul’s privacy

Damn it, Floyd…

“Floyd, what have we discussed about knocking before opening the door,” Azul grits through his teeth while fixing his crooked glasses. Floyd gives nothing more than a shrug before leaving the room. 

“It’s nice to see you again too, Azul,” you pout mischievously, fanning offense that your dearest octo hasn’t greeted you. 

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you, why don’t you close the door so we may have some privacy while we…chat.”

Leona Kingscholar (Lost Contact)

Leona is a lot of things; smart, cunning, handsome, regal, but if there's one thing he isn't, it's communicative. This man can not keep a relationship running for the life of him. If you aren’t in front of him every day, Leona will just forget you exist. He doesn’t think anyone is deserving of constant contact with him. 

They should be the ones to reach out to him, not the other way around. So when your letters stopped coming in, he was…surprised. You have always carried the conversation in your guy’s relationship so for you to suddenly stop is out of the normal. 

Are you angry with him? Have you found someone else more worth your time?

Impossible there is no one more worth your time than the Leona Kingscholar. You must have forgotten to mail your letter in or the post must have lost it. He’ll have Ruggie go check your letter tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that until you come to your senses and mail that damn thing.

One, Two, Three damn weeks and no letter from you at all. As much as Leona thinks that it doesn’t affect him, the members can tell he’s irritated. If you ask Ruggie, he’ll say he’s seen Leona writing something at his desk and then immediately turning it to dust when he notices Ruggie’s in the room.

Oh, but Ruggie knew everything, he knew that if you stopped writing Leona he’d fall into such disarray. As much as Leon will deny it, Leona adores your letters and keeps them safely stored away in his desk for his eyes only. Ruggie’s been secretly keeping the letter you’ve been sending just to see how long it would take for Leona’s pride to break for you. 

Three and a half weeks is all it took. 

Leona catches Ruggie in the early morning (a time Ruggie thought Leona would never be up at) and hands him a neatly wax-sealed letter and simply instructs him to ��make sure this makes it where it needs to go.” He also hands Ruggie a 5,000 Grimm bill and walks away. 

You bet your sorry ass Ruggie hauled him to the post to deliver the letter. 

And just like that, communication between you and Leona continued. And if you squint real hard, you can even see the faintest of smiles when he receives a new letter from you. 

He can’t wait for spring break.

[inmyheaddd]

gold rush - grayson hawthorne x reader

warnings: academic rivals not really to lovers/ friends to lovers, kissing, very fluffy wc: 1.7k masterlist

grayson hawthorne sat across from you in your biology class in your senior year. you’d known him—or of him—all the way through high school.

you two were practically the two top scorers in everything. 

you two would always cross paths; in class, award ceremonies, extracurriculars, anything academic-related, honestly.

but you two never really spoke though, up until now.

you always sort of hoped you’d be partnered up with him for something: an excuse to talk because you knew neither of you would speak to the other first. 

the opportunity finally arose when your biology teacher put you together for your end of semester project. 

you can’t lie, the first time you met in the library to do work was awkward. 

something about him always intrigued you, so you bit the bullet and tried to start a conversation.

his “strictly work” mode was boring, but once you two got into a flowing conversation, he quickly warmed up, and his eyes looked much more inviting than they did 20 minutes ago.

“sometimes i geniuenly can’t understand what he’s saying with that accent of his, i think we need a scottish translator in the class,” you said with a soft laugh. 

you two had been sitting in the library for around 30 minutes now, with no work done. 

you didn’t have to worry about disturbing anyone by talking, it was just you two in the whole place.

he chuckled at what you said and you felt your stomach do a backflip when you saw dimples flash for a split second. 

he had dimples. god, could he get any cuter? 

“i much preferred our teacher last year, miss hawkins”

a smile found your face, “oh my god, yes, she was the sweetest!” you put a hand on your chest, almost in awe, thinking one of the best teachers you had. 

“she’d always round up my scores and talk about students and teachers with me when i’d finish my work.” you couldn’t help but laugh at the memory of gossiping with your 30-year-old biology teacher at her desk.

“so that's what you two were always doing.” a smile stretched across his face, then he continued, tilting his head to the side slightly and furrowing his brows, “isn’t that… somewhat illegal?” 

“hey, it gave me motivation to finish early. let me live.” 

he shrugged, “i’m not telling.” he made that sound like a challenge.

“so you won’t let any underlying jealousy from me being biology student of the year get in the way?” you teased him right back.

“oh i’m not jealous, believe me.” you raised your eyebrows at that, and he spoke again with a grin. “you just told me half of it was because miss hawkins would round your grades.” 

your mouth fell open. “okay, yeah by like one percent!” you crossed your arms over your chest. “there’s no need to be rude here.” you leaned back in your chair, like you were truly appalled. 

grayson saw right through you, and after 2 seconds of staring at each other in silence with your lips twitching upwards, you two fell into a fit of laughter. 

when you two recovered, he spoke again, “you did deserve it, though. you’d be the only one answering questions in class half the time.” he said, looking in your eyes deeply, reminiscing on times that seemed so far away now. 

“don’t count yourself out, hawthorne. you were like the only person who took that class seriously.” 

“apart from you?” he finished your unsaid thought with a tiny grin on his face.

“yeah,” a smile formed on your face, “apart from me.” 

an hour later, still, with no work done, you were talking about books.

he was a nonfiction and classics reader. and you, well, you were definitely not. 

“okay, why don’t you read little women then? it’s also a classic, but it's not boring.” 

“actually, now that you mention it, i have had my eye on it for a while.” 

he said that so calmly, if only he knew how much his rating just went up in your head.

“well if you want, i could lend it to you, i have an extra copy.” you both knew he was very capable of getting his own copy, but this way, it felt like you were actually building some sort of relationship together.

“that would be nice, thankyou.” he smiled once again, and it was like your face mirrored everything he did.

you glanced down from your notebook to him and, then back to your empty notebook and laptop that was now turned off in realization.

you two hadn’t written a single word down.

he was watching you, and you tilted your head back up. “oh my god, we haven’t done a single thing.” 

it was honestly kind of funny, or maybe, everything seemed to be funny right now with grayson. you had that, airy, light, and giddy feeling. 

you were surprised you weren’t giggling at every word he said like a mad woman. 

he shrugged, humming slightly in disagreement before speaking. “i’ve gotten to know you, that’s more important to me.” 

oh. 

okay. just act normal. be chill about it.

“oh, yeah, it’s nice to get to know you too.” 

you were 99% sure your face was the colour of your red school tie.

he smiled at you, and his dimples you saw flash earlier were on full display now.

“we should get some work done, then?” he suggested, after a beat of silence and ever so slightly awkward eye contact, putting you out of your misery. 

“yeah, we probably should.” you let out a nervous chuckle.

grayson thought he made you uncomfortable with that. he’s actually known you for less than a day; how did he even let that thought slip out? he was never like this.

the next time you met in the same library, you brought your little women copy. you honestly forgot about it because you fell into conversation so quickly, but soon enough it was pinging in the back of your mind, and you told grayson.

“you really didn’t have to, thankyou.” you heard the smile in his voice as you looked through your bag to get the book. “i wanted to,” you replied, as you handed him the book. 

his gaze caught yours with a smile, and then he was flicking through the book. 

‘you annotate?” his eyes sparked with interest, and he was hoping the way he was so totally enamored with you wasn’t so obvious on the outside.

“oh,” how did you forget that you wrote inside of that copy? “yeah, nothing really special, just thoughts or whatever.” 

“that’s good, it’ll be like you’re there reading with me.” 

“yeah,” your cheeks were heating up, and then he looked down at the book in his hand before looking up and asking another question. “would you mind if i wrote in it as well?” 

oh my god. 

“no, no, of course not!” good thing you didn’t sound too eager… 

“i mean, i’d love to see what you think about it.” and if it was possible, he smiled deeper, flashing his dimples that you’ve quickly grown to love. 

once you both handed in your project, he decided to ask you out on a “celebration” date. just two friends hanging out. nothing special!

you arrived at the coffee shop 15 minutes early, only to find grayson already sitting there. 

your heart fluttered as he looked up and caught your eyes. he did a small wave, and smiled at you.

“hey,” you said as you sat down, scooting in your chair closer to the table.

“hi,” he did a once-over on you, and he realized this was the first time he was really seeing you outside of anything school related. “you look lovely,” he spoke his thoughts out loud.

“thank you,” you added, “you don’t look too bad yourself.”

he chuckled, “thank you.” 

you fell into comfortable conversation, and 20 minutes later, you were both done with your drinks. iced coffee for you, black coffee for grayson. the weather was perfect, and he suggested a little walk, you couldn’t think of a better idea. 

a waiter came to your table for the tab, and you reached in your bag. “please, let me,” grayson interjected, and gave you a look that left no room for argument.

you thanked him and smiled, leaning back into your seat as he paid, knowing damn well the only things you brought with you were your phone, gum, and lipgloss. 

as you both stepped outside, the warm sunlight bathed the streets in a golden hue. you and grayson strolled down the sidewalk, making light conversation and sharing stories. you found yourself leaning into his side, subconsciously wanting to be closer to him.

“i have to admit, i’m really enjoying little women,” he said, glancing at you with a smile. “your annotations make it even better.”

“i’m glad you like it, it’s one of my favorites.” you replied, feeling your cheeks warm again.

after a few moments of comfortable silence, grayson turned to you, looking thoughtful. “you know, i’ve really enjoyed getting to know you these past few weeks. i wish we had done this sooner.”

“yeah, me too, i've been having a lot of fun." you said softly, meeting his gaze.

grayson smiled, and his hand brushed against yours. “i’ve been meaning to ask you something,” he began, coming off as hesitant for the first time in his life. “would you like to go out on a proper date sometime?”

you heart skipped a beat, and a smile spread across your face. “i’d love that.”

relief washed over his features, and his dimples were starting to make an appearance again. “are you available this saturday?”

you felt as if your words would fail you with the excitement you felt bubbling up in your stomach, so you simply nodded, mutters a small, “yeah, i am.” with a nod.

grayson was already thinking about all the places he’d take you and what you’d enjoy; he was going to make the most out of it. 

as you continued your walk, he reached for your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours. the simple gesture alone made your heart soar.

“you know,” grayson said with a playful glint in his eye, “i never got to tell you my favorite part of the book.”

“oh?” you asked, slightly curious.

“it’s the little hearts you draw next to your favorite quotes,” he confessed, a hint of a blush on his cheeks. “i think it’s endearing.”

you laughed softly. “i didn’t realize you’d notice that.”

grayson slowed down his walking, coming to a stop and looking at you. “ i notice a lot of things about you.”

you felt your heart drop, like there was a whole zoo in your stomach. you felt yourself lean in, but you barely even registered it. you hesitated, unsure of how to respond, and he gently closed the distance and kissed you, his touch soft and unexpected. it was a brief, sweet kiss that made you feel like you were floating. 

when he pulled away, you both were smiling. 

you’d never get tired of those goddamn dimples.

[matan4il]

Daily update post:

This is what it looked like when a school bus with teenagers happened to find itself in an area being bombed by Hezbollah, in northern Israel the other day. The post says that these rockets evaded Iron Dome, but since this is an open area, it's more likely that ID simply didn't try to shoot it down, because it's only meant to intercept rockets it calculates will hit urban and residential areas.

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A post shared by Jewish Breaking News (@jewishbreakingnews)

And THIS is what it looks like when a rocket that is supposed to be intercepted by Iron Dome gets past it (in the southern city of Ashkelon, pic from Oct 17):

And THIS is what it looks like when a rocket IS intercepted by Iron Dome, but there's always debris, and it has to fall somehwhere (pic from Ashkelon, from yesterday):

And today, a rocket barrage was launched at the northern city of Kiryat Shmona from Lebanon, a civilian building was hit directly, responsibility was claimed by Hamas. This is a reminder for ignorant people asking how can there be so many dead when Israel is fighting just one terrorist organization? Israel is fighting more than one, on more than one front.

The family of a Hamas senior has been smuggled out of Gaza to Egypt. This is not the first time we find out that people affiliated with Hamas get to leave Gaza. ANYONE putting pressure on Israel to surrender to an antisemitic, genocidal terrorist organization, needs to explain why is that better than putting pressure on Hamas to surrender and release all the hostages immediately, or on Egypt (or Qatar) to allow in Gaza civilians, and not just the people with connections to a terrorist organization.

I've been listening to a lot of interviews about the innovation that Israel has had to employ, in tackling the urban war challenges that Hamas has presented it with in Gaza, the likes of which I'm not familiar with in modern warfare, and in emergency medicine. As I was listening yesterday to the story of the recovery of a soldier, which seems no less than miraculous, it suddenly hit me, that no matter how much the world is publicly condemning us, the second they can, they will privately rush here to learn from us. Whether people will recognize it or not (and let's be real, the latter is more likely), a lot of lives will be saved all over the world, thanks to the experience and breakthroughs Israel is currently accumulating in these tragic times.

This is Aviad Halevi.

On Oct 7, he was at the Nova music festival, with two of his friends. Aviad had a chance to flee Hamas' carnage, but he chose to stay with a wounded friend instead. Aviad was corresponding with his family, and his dad decided to grab a weapon, and drive into this area, still very much controlled by the terrorists at that point, in order to save Aviad and his friends. In order to get to their location, the father had to shoot terrorists he encountered on his way, and he did make it, but only to find three bodies. He loaded them into the back of his truck, which might have possibly saved them from becoming 3 more of the corpses held hostage by Hamas.

The next vid features Sabine Taasa, who lost on Oct 7 her husband and their 17 years old son, Or. There's another vid where she talks about what her own family went through, how she found two of her sons bleeding, the youngest without his eye, and how Koren told her that the terrorists killed Gil, his dad, asking why didn't they kill him as well. I might post it separately later. In this video, she talks about the hand drawn map found on one of the terrorists killed by Gil before he was murdered himself. I heard other survivors of Hamas' massacre mention these maps, which instructed the terrorists on who lived where, and on who to target first. The survivors said these maps could be in the hands of Gazan terrorists only thanks to Palestinians from Gaza who used to work in Israel, and many talked about their deep sense of betrayal.

May all of the murdered's memories be a blessing.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[bristishbaddiesxox]

Still The One H.S.

.　 ˚ 　. 　 ✧ 　 ˚ 　. 　 ✧ 　 ˚ 　 .　 ✧ 　. 　 ˚ 　. ˚ 　. 　 ✧ 　 ˚ 　. 　 ˚ 　

One shot!

˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪ ౨ৎ˚₊✧˚ · . Summary : Mary goes out one night with her girlfriends to their local college bar when she runs into her now ex-boyfriend, Harry Styles. Alone on the balcony they talk about what went wrong and confess their true feelings for one another

-> 5.3k words

Warnings : this story is entirely fictional and contains Adult language, sexual scenes (smut), make up sex, intense arguments, drinking, smoking, etc... please read at your own risk

author's note: This one is long asf. I really hope you guys enjoy this ! this is my first one shot posted on here. This also is the first time I've published smut so... beware it might be super bad.

Tonight was the night everyone went out to the bars.Mary spent all her time doing her hair and makeup. Being a senior in college came with many challenges and the nights out with her girlfriends helped carried her through the harsh part of college. Being in pre-med came with many trials of difficult class curriculums. She was constantly stressing herself out, limiting nights out and skipping meals. She only just prayed that it'll all be worth it at the end. And now that graduation was around the corner, she finally could celebrate.

Ella had decided that they would go to a bar tonight. It'd be one of the last times that they would all be able to go to their college bar together before graduating. They were to all finally start on of the most important part of their lives and that was starting their careers that they spent the last four years working towards.

" I'm going to miss this so much," Ella sighed out while gluing on her lashes.

" I know, partying and being stupid drunk bitches," Mary replies back.

Ella and Mary had so many late night memories together. Ella was Mary's friend since freshman year. She was Mary's roommate since first semester of freshman year. They had been by each other's side all of the four years of college. Mary couldn't imagine what her four years would have been without Ella-- her twin-- her bestfriend.

" You know, what if he's there tonight?"

Mary looks up at Ella and shoots her a confused look, " What if who's there tonight?"

" You know, Harry. What if Harry is there tonight?" Ella shrugs beginning to put lipstick on.

Mary rolls her eyes, " Then he's there. It won't change anything."

Harry was Mary's now ex boyfriend. They had broken up over the summer and hadn't seen or spoken to each other since then. Occasionally, She'd see him on campus and avoid him. But overall, Mary went to the extent to keep Harry out of sight and out of mind. She couldn't sit hung up about their now past relationship.

" Would you ever get back together with him if time was right and you guys were on good terms?" Ella asks while taking a sip of her seltzer.

Mary shook her head, " I don't think so. I've gotten over it and he's for sure over it. I've been seen him with this new girl anyways. We're not going back."

Ella just slowly nodded. Mary could tell Ella didn't believe her but decided on ignoring her anyways.

When Ella and Mary had arrived to the bar, they met up with a couple of their other girlfriends who also had brought their boyfriends. They waited outside the line of the bar squealing and shouting to one another about how great the night was going to be. Mary was wearing a black tube top and denim shorts. She let her dark brown hair fall over her shoulders and layered gold jewelry around her neck. As they waited to enter the bar, all Mary could think about was what if Harry was here? Harry and her had always went to the bar together. She would remember how they would end the night at his place having the most drunken yet steamiest sex. Now he's probably doing everything they did with someone new.

The bouncer lets them in and immediately they make their way to the bar. First round was on Maddie's Boyfriend who had bought shots for the whole group.

" For my future doctor and wife, Maddie!" He cheers.

Everyone lifts their shot glass up and cheers on Maddie for getting in to med school.

Mary waves down a bartender and asks for another round of shots for her group. She also demanded for a Vodka Redbull . Ella then calls for them to hit the dance floor and dance to the music being played by the DJ. Mary hadn't had this much fun in so long. She was having time to enjoy herself and celebrate finally finishing her degree. Her arm was wrapped around her best friend Ella as they danced in the crowd. The whole night they shared laughs and took videos and pictures of each other being plastered drunk. Together they ran laps around the bar talking to different guys who had offered to buy them a shot . Mary came to realize how fun it was to be single. She could do whatever she wanted without having to worry or think about anyone else. All she had was herself to enjoy the night away.

Mary and Ella had been playing with each other and these two guys that they found at the bar. Mary could barely keep her balance but she still wanted to carry through the night. Her body was numb and her head hung dizzy. As she stumbled back she felt a cold drink splash onto her back and a glass hit the ground. Her eyes widen to her surprise and she quickly whipped around.

" Oh my god, I'm so sorry!!" She cried out immediately grabbing napkins from the counter. She was too busy trying to clean up this man black shirt that she didn't even realize who it was.

" I'll buy you a new shirt, I'm sorry again," she apologizes.

His hand then takes hers. It was warm and soft.

" Don't worry about it Mary," a familiar english voice spoke.

That's when her eyes widened and her eyes met his—his green emerald eyes. It felt almost like a reel of everything in the past rushing into her as she stood there frozen. It was him. It was Harry. She felt the whole room fall silent and herself grow small while staring up at him. He had nothing but a soft smile while looking down at her. She blinks back to reality and takes a step back. He had still been holding her hand in his while she pulled it back to herself.

" I-um. I gotta go," was all she said while turning around and pushing past people.

She found her way back to Ella who was laughing along with the two guys they were hanging out with. Ella noticed how frantic and anxious Mary had became as Mary began digging in her purse. She reassured the guys before walking to her friend who clearly wasn't okay.

" Mary are you okay?" She says putting an arm on Mary's shoulder.

Mary shook her head 'yes'.

" I just saw Harry," she blurts.

Ella's eyes widen and her mouth drops. She almost lets out this historical laugh. It was for sure that Harry would be at this bar. Harry had gone here on multiple occasions even when Him and Mary were together. But she still felt for her friend who was still suffering a broken-heart from their relationship. She recalled the nights where Mary wouldn't come out her room and how quiet and depressed she was over their breakup. It was so many stages of heartbreak she wished to never see her friend suffer in again.

" Mary, we can leave if you want," Ella softly said as she was rubbing circles around Mary's back.

" No, I'm coming back. I just need air. And then I'm coming back and we're going to go back and dance," Mary slurred her words while picking up her purse.

"Okay, I'll come with you," Ella said going to reach for her bag. But Mary stops her.

" No! Just stay here. I need a minute alone and I'll be right back," Mary says shouting through the music and crowd.

Ella nods hesitantly. She wasn't sure if she can trust Mary being alone. Especially after just watching her down a Martini.

" I'll be back, I promise." She says pulling Ella into a hug.

Mary pushes her way through the crowd and climbs up a couple steps to head the balconies on the second floor. Once opening the door she is met with the breeze that brushed upon her. She finally could breathe. She walks over to the ledge to look over the city. Boston was so beautiful at night. She begins to pull out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. But to her disappointment, she must have forgot her lighter back at her place.

" Fuck," she hisses to herself.

She goes digging in her purse once again. She didn't want to believe she left the lighter because she really just wanted to smoke. The night had gotten even more chaotic than she thought it would have.

" Thought you don't smoke," She hears the familiar voice speak again.

She stops digging in her purse. While rolling her eyes to herself she turns to face him once again. He was standing there, smoking a cigarette himself.

" I don't," she snaps.

He laughs as he makes his way over to her. She takes a step away to further the distance between them.

" Mary," He calls.

She doesn't look at him. Instead, she kept her gaze starting out into the city. Looking at him pained her. She remembered everything like it was yesterday. The day she watched his back turn and the door shut behind him. And he never came back.

" I'll light you one. It's just a small favor don't take it personally," he says handing her his lighter.

She looks down at his hand to see it was her old lighter. It had the initials H.S. On it. She wrote it on there for him. She sighs out and takes the lighter out of his hands. She held the cigarette in between her lips and begins to light it. And there she took the longest drag she could out of it.

She was in a much better mood now that she can relax and calm her nerves. Normally, she didn't smoke on a daily basis. She had quit after high school. She felt that she needed to better herself. But time after time she would smoke one just to settle her nerves. It would usually be after drinking all night which wasn't a regular occurrence.

" So, congratulations. I just want to say I'm proud of you," he says leaning over the rail looking over at her.

She kept her arms crossed and just shrugged instead of answering to his comment. Giving in would make her feel vulnerable— like she'd had given up on all the platforms she built for herself after she had healed from their past.

Harry understood it. He knew she was angry. He also knew how stubborn Mary was.

" Mary," he calls again.

She grumbled out loud turning over to him taking another drag while seeing the sight of her ex boyfriend.

" Stop, okay? Just finish your cigarette and carry on with the night," she barks.

He still approached her. Something inside his chest was burning and he was dying to let out whatever tension he had within himself. If he didn't tell her now he knew he would regret it like he did that night they broke up. He knew he messed up. He was the one to walk away and left her that night when he should have stayed and tried to work things out. He was always the one to a put up a fight and yet that night he felt short. And because of that, he dealt with days and months of not seeing her, touching her. He missed her more than anything and seeing her at the bar, hearing her say his name, he felt everything he had for her wash over him.

" Mary I miss you," he blurts.

She just shook her head staring ahead of of herself. She was still mad, he knew that. But now more than ever he wanted to fix things.

He walks over to her and grabs her shoulders whipping her around to face him. Her eyes widen and she threw her hands up and pushed him back from her. He hasn't seen her this physical.

" Don't fucking touch me Harry. You had your chance, now it's over. We're ov--"

" Don't--" he interrupts.

" Don't say that, please," his voice cracks.

" Then what do you want Harry? You left me. You were the one to call things off and now you're saying you miss me?" She scoffs before finishing off her cigarette. She tosses it to the ground and crushes it with her shoe.

" I know. I know I fucked up. I was drunk. I was stupid. I woke up the next day and realized how much I fucked up."

She doesn't say anything back. She was hugging herself as she bit her lip. And then she turned to face him as her eyes fell.

" Then why didn't come back?" was all she let out while staring at him waiting for an answer.

Harry knew he let his pride get the best of him. He knew in the end, he wanted to be with Mary more than anything yet he didn't go back because he was scared. He was scared she wouldn't take him back. And now it's been 6 months and he is far now too late to beg.

" I just thought you never wanted to see me again... like how you shouted it at me that night," he quietly answered.

They stood in silence letting the breeze brush past them. Mary just shook her head to herself, remembering the night it all ended: .　 ˚ 　. 　 ✧ 　 ˚ 　. 　 ✧ 　 ˚ 　 .　 ✧ 　. 　 ˚ 　.　 ˚ 　. 　 ✧ 　 ˚ 　. 　

Harry had came in the apartment drunk after Mary had texted him that she was tired of his bullshit. Harry was apart of a frat and made little to no time for her. It was exam week and she and him had barely spoken because she would spend all her time studying while he spent nights out partying. She wanted to support Harry but there were too many times he left her in the dark or did things that made her question her trust with him. It was until she opened her snapchat. She saw on one of his friends videos that a girl had approached Harry and her arm was around him. It made her even more furious because it was Katie Woods. Not only was she apart of the sister frat but she was the bombshell of the school. Mary only felt inferior to her whenever she saw her talk to Harry. Katie always found a way to talk to Harry and push Mary out.

" Mary, it was nothing okay? She was just there at the party and we only talked for 30 seconds it wasn't anything serious," He slurs his words.

Mary had her arms folded as she stared at Harry in disbelief. She couldn't believe the first thing he didn't do was apologize.

" You know what, I'm done. I'm tired of this. I'm tired of you invalidating me about how she's all over you! And when there is a video of her arms wrapped around you, and you still want to deny it all!"

" Mary, I don't know how else to tell you that it's nothing. You're my girlfriend, you're the one I come home to every night, you're the one I want to be with," He sighs out reach his hands out to pull Mary close to him.

Instead, she just pushed his hands back and stood back. Her eyes were heavy with dark circles from hours of studying and staring at her laptop. Her hair was clipped up yet small strands hung loose. She was still in her pajamas from the previous night.

She turned and walked away with disappointment in her sigh. Where were they in their relationship? They were constantly arguing, he was falling short not coming to see her when she really wanted to. And when she went to go out and eat he was always late. What happened to them? She wanted to know where did everything start to fall apart?

" You don't believe me," he scoffs turning to face the other way threw his hands up to cup the back of his head.

" We've been together for nearly 3 years now, what makes you not trust me now?" He snaps.

Mary knew Harry was drunk but never has she ever seen him angry while drunk. Harry didn't often get angry around her. He always was composed and when they did argue he never rose his voice. But she can sense with this argument he was a lot more angrier then he ever had been.

" You never answer my calls," she says quietly. She felt like passing out.

" I'm not constantly sitting around. I don't have my phone and my laptop on me like you do at all times."

And this time, Mary too was losing patience. It takes one simple thing to ruin it all and she let Harry do multiple.

" You know what Harry, fuck you. Go back to your frat and this time you can go back without a girlfriend!" She barks.

That's when Harry's eyes widen at her response. He was very much even more provoked than he initially was. And Mary wanted to keep pushing him. She was tired of being the one who felt hurt, neglected, and always having to forgive Harry for his mistakes.

" I'm sick of this. You never even text to check on me. You give me the most simple dry responses. I'm so fucking stressed and tired and my boyfriend, someone I want to just simply acknowledge me can't because he doesn't want to take a simple 5 minute break to text his long-term girlfriend." She hissed.

" You know what, I'm sick of you always blaming me. It's always my fault when things don't go your fucking way Mary. It's not like I do this all the damn time. Most days, I'm with you! I do everything with you and I. always. choose. you." He shouted back.

Her hands were clenching her hair as if she were about to go insane. She was just going to go in circles with Harry because he was drunk and was more angry than he could think at the moment.

" You know what. Get out." She says pointing at the door.

" What?" He says tilting his head looking at her in disbelief.

" Get. out. I don't want to see you tonight." She grits through her teeth at him.

" No, I'm not fucking leaving," He protests.

" Harry I can't do this right now! you're fucking drunk, you reek of alcohol!"

" Holy shit Mary, fine you don't want to see me then that's fine," he says throwing his hands up in defeat and walking out the door.

As she hears his foot steps fade she hears a buzz. It was his phone that was on her dresser. She walks over to pick it up so that she can give him his phone. When the screen lit up it showed her the contact. It read Katie. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped. She felt her eyes water and tears fall down her cheeks. Never in a million years did she suspect that Harry would cheat on her. But the messages she read proved her otherwise.

Katie: Where did you go?

Katie: She doesn't have to know.

Harry walks back into the room mid sentence about to grab his phone until he saw Mary's face.

" Babe, wh- what happened?" he says approaching her.

She throws his phone at him and begins shoving him out of her room.

" Get the fuck out. I can't believe you right now!" she cries out through her tears.

" Mary! Please calm down what the fuck happened?" He says picking up his phone as he held his hand out for her to stop.

" She's fucking text you? Asking where you are? What is it that I don't have to know Harry? "

Harry looks down dumbfounded by the messages. He knew what the text were for but Mary had already taken them personally and was far more angry than she already was.

" Mary, it's not what you think," he says trying to calm her down but she wouldn't budge.

" No, don't fucking touch me. Get the fuck out Harry."

She was now repeatedly pushing him to the door.

" Mary-"

" Get out Harry! I don't want to see you. I don't want to hear from you or see you ever again," she sobbed.

" You know what. fine! You won't see me again. We're done." he shouted at her before simply turning and walked out the door.

Mary just slumped to the ground and sobbed. Harry was gone. Harry left. She didn't know what to do. she didn't know what to feel. Her body was riddled with so many emotions that all she could do was cry out her pain.

 After that night, Harry didn't call nor text her. She starred at her phone endlessly. She wanted to say something but in reality she shouldn't be pushing for Harry to reach out to her. Maybe he really meant what he said to her that night. And for days after this she just had to push through and heal from all of that night... .　 ˚ 　. 　 ✧ 　 ˚ 　. 　 ✧ 　 ˚ 　 .　 ✧ 　. 　 ˚ 　.　 ˚ 　. 　 ✧ 　 ˚ 　. 　 ✧ 　 ˚ 　 .　 ✧ 　. 

 Mary closed her eye to the thought of that night. That night was one of the biggest fights they had ever had. She remembered the days that came after it. She had a hard time sleeping and eating. She struggled to get through her classes. She hated being anywhere but her bedroom where she could hide away and sob her feelings out.

Harry recalled the days after the fight too. Each time he walked passed her building trying to build to courage to walk up and say he was sorry. But he couldn't. He didn't believe he could after what he did to her. He knew he treated her so unfairly. And that was apart of what held him back -- his guilt.

" I'm sorry," he suddenly blurts.

" I'm sorry for being so fucking stupid. You were going through a lot and I just downplayed it. I took everything for granted when I shouldn't have. I-I blew it. I ruined it all because I was being selfish," he says as he was now closer to her than he initially was.

She didn't back away, she just looked up at him.

" It's been six months and you're still the one," he continued.

" You're the one--"

He was suddenly cut off by Marys hands pulling his face down to kiss him. His hands naturally go to cup her cheeks as he deepened their kiss. It was as if it's been years and he had been craving to feel her lips again. He kissed her hungrily, tasting every bit of her that he had missed. And when they pulled away, he could see the tears in her eyes.

" And I should have told you I wanted you back," she says beginning to cry.

Harry didn't hesitate to pull her into his embrace. She cried into his chest while his chin rested on the top of her head. He held her tight, so tight that she wouldn't be able to push herself away. Harry wasn't going to lose her again. He wasn't going to let her leave. This night and from this day forward, he was going to put up a fight. Because in the end, he couldn't be without Mary. She was the love of his life.

Harry had brought Mary back to his place since he had moved out of his previous apartment with his frat roommates. He now had lived alone. Mary trailed behind him with their hands still interlocked. He couldn't help but to smile to himself. Mary smelled of perfume and alcohol but to him he was happy that she was out and enjoying herself. She looked a lot happier.

" So this is my flat. It's just me who lives here," He says holding his arm out to gesture to his living room.

Mary laughed, " I like it, it's so you."

There was a moment of silence while he stood grinning over at Mary. She was finally at his place. She was finally talking to him. He just had to get her back into his life.

" And I just need you in it," He smirks, pulling Mary into a long, passionate deep kiss.

Her arms go to wrap around his neck as she kissed him back. Slowly, they step into his bedroom not breaking their kiss. She dropped her bag on the ground. He tossed his coat to the side. She quickly took off her coat and he pulled the hair tie that held her hair up gently out. Soon they were back all over each other. Mary hadn't felt Harry's hands all over her in so long that she was getting slightly impatient. She pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the side. Harry was eyeing the black sheer lacy bra that she had on.

He picked her up and planted her onto of his dresser, leaving wet soft kisses from her neck, trialing down right above her most sensitive part. His hands pull the denim shorts down and he felt himself twitch the lacy black thong she had on. She sat there with her legs slightly parted, eyeing Harry as she waited for his next move.

He then stood in between her legs, and planted his lips onto hers as his hand went down to rub the thin cloth that separated her most vulnerable spot and his fingers. She lets out a deep moan into their kiss as Harry let his fingers play with her. For a second, she had to moan into the crevices of his neck as her hand went down to rub against his now harden bulge. He then wiggled his fingers in between her thong and let them slip into her, causing her to dip her head into his neck again and let out a cry. He went slowly in and out, kissing her on her neck, kissing her on her forehead and lips.

Mary can feel herself edge closer. She was going insane with how much she wanted Harry to ruin her. She so horny that she felt that she needed more than just his fingers inside of her. She wanted more. She wanted to be ruined with her makeup smeared everywhere. Inside her head she knew that no one else could make her feel the way Harry made her feel.

" Harry please," She's breathes.

" Please what baby?" He says while looking down at her while increasing the way his fingers flowed in and out of her.

" Please fuck me!" She cries out as her hands go to clutch onto his shoulder.

" Tell me how, how do you like it baby?" He smirks down at her as his fingers were nearly soaked at how wet she was for him.

" Like, like how you would bend me over and pound into me, I want- I want you to fuck me hard Harry," she struggles to say as she was feeling her body grow weak to his touch.

Harry pulled his fingers out and pulled her in for another kiss while unclipping her bra and tossing it to the ground. He eyes her first while watching how her hair fell right on top of her breast and hardened nipples. He then picked her up from the dresser and threw he onto his bed. He slowly goes to pull her lacy thong down exposing all of her to him. He crawls on top of her, beginning with a long passionate kiss to her lips and then trailing all the way down to her cl!t. He began to paint her with his tongue. To him, she tasted sweet like honey, sweet and sour like oranges. Mary felt this euphoric feeling travel up her as her hands were buried in his curly locks.

" Yes Harry! Just like that!" She moans out.

Harry pulls away, now unbuckling his belt and letting his pants fall to his ankles. He kicks them off before pulling down his boxers to reveal and long hardened cock.

He climbs over Mary and aligns himself at her entrance. And places a couple more kisses on her lips while rubbing the tip of his length in between her folds. And that's when he pushes himself in and Mary lets out a loud moan. Slowly he goes in and out, letting her adjust to him. They both were panting, breathing out hot breathes as he thrusted into her. Her hands were clenching his back as his strokes were slow but went in deep. Each thrust, she felt this high that made her bite her lip and moan out each time. Something that she never forgot about Harry was that his sex was pure ecstasy. She was feeling all kinds of highs whenever he fucked her.

Harry didn't quicken his pace and her eyes rolled back as she whimpered. He kept it slow and intimate all while planting long firm kisses on her lips and feeling the vibrations of her moans travel through him. Mary meant the most to him and he wanted her to feel that. Each thrust he poured all his love for Mary. Seeing her unveiled and watching her unfold under him, it made him feel at the top of the world. His hand rested on her hips when ever he would thrust harder just to hit the right spot. She was a moaning mess and he thought it was the hottest thing.

Together they were going to reach their highs. Her legs began to convulse and she was now shaking underneath him. He was letting out deep groans and raspy moans as he began to pound into her. The bed began to bang against the wall and Mary was letting out a high pitched whimper.

" Fuck, I'm going to cum," Harry growls

And once it finally hit, he felt himself collapse onto of her, slowly and sloppily thrusting into her. He kissed her and brushed her hair back as she came down for her high. He held her close until her body relaxed. And when they finally settled, he pulled out and got out of the bed to go to the bathroom.

Mary was still slumped and recovering from the intensity of her orgasm. But she watched Harry as he cleaned up and grabbed a towel. When he came back, he helped her wipe herself before getting back into the bed with her and pulling her to lay against his chest.

They laid in silence against each other as his hands brushed through her hair. He smiled at how messy it still was from their night of fun.

" Mary?" He called out.

" Mm," was all she replied back.

" That night Katie Texted, she texted me about her friend who she didn't want know that she was out that night. I was initially was suppose to give her and Damien a ride, they had been seeing each other. But I got the text and rushed over to you instead."

Mary looked at him, almost with guilt in her eyes. She knew she should have listened to Harry that night. They both should have listened to each other.

" But it doesn't matter, I didn't listen to what you had to say and how you felt. I was a shitty boyfriend and it was no wonder you thought that after the video. But just know Mary... I love you and I'd never do that to you."

She smiled and pulls him down to give him a kiss. She still loved Harry all this time. Even if she kept denying it she knew deep down she wouldn't have been able to push Harry away again.

" I quit the frat, I've focused on school, I got this internship at a publishing firm. I've changed Mary believe me. I changed in hopes that I'd see you and you'd come back..." he trails

Her hand goes to cup his cheek and leans in to peck his lips.

" We'll just have to start over and work things out," she simply replied.

He smiles and plants another kiss on her lips. They continued to make out, their hands cupping each other's cheeks.

" We going for round two?" she asks in between their kiss.

Harry pulls away laughing while putting her to have her sit on his lap.

" Will you be able to walk tomorrow?" He says interlocking their hands.

" I have nothing to do tomorrow, we can stay in bed all day," She grins.

Without hesitation he throws her down back on the bed and began to shower her with kisses.

" I'll be more gentle this time." he smirks. 

From then on, the past was past. Living is to forget. Being able to forget is to learn. Harry and Mary took time to understand each other more and chose their priorities for one another. In the end, Harry was more than happy to be able to call Mary his girlfriend once again. 

[richincolor]

Ode to the Olympics: Books & Sports

I'm a big fan of the Olympics and have absolutely let responsibilities go in favor of watching amazing sport. And I thought, as the Olympics come to a close that I'd share some books that focus on athletes aiming to be their best all while dealing with the trials of adolescence. 

Rez Ball by Byron Graves

These days, Tre Brun is happiest when he is playing basketball on the Red Lake Reservation high school team��even though he can’t help but be constantly gut-punched with memories of his big brother, Jaxon, who died in an accident. When Jaxon's former teammates on the varsity team offer to take Tre under their wing, he sees this as his shot to represent his Ojibwe rez all the way to their first state championship. This is the first step toward his dream of playing in the NBA, no matter how much the odds are stacked against him. But stepping into his brother’s shoes as a star player means that Tre can’t mess up. Not on the court, not at school, and not with his new friend, gamer Khiana, who he is definitely not falling in love with. After decades of rez teams almost making it, Tre needs to take his team to state. Because if he can live up to Jaxon's dreams, their story isn’t over yet.

Check out this trailer for Rez Ball coming next month!

You Don't Have a Shot by Racquel Marie

Valentina “Vale” Castillo-Green’s life revolves around soccer. Her friends, her future, and her father’s intense expectations are all wrapped up in the beautiful game. But after she incites a fight during playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she’s been working toward seems to disappear. Embarrassed and desperate to be anywhere but home, Vale escapes to her beloved childhood soccer camp for a summer of relaxation and redemption…only to find out that she and the endlessly aggravating Leticia will be co-captaining a team that could play in front of college scouts. But the competition might be stiffer than expected, so unless they can get their rookie team’s act together, this second chance―and any hope of playing college soccer―will slip through Vale’s fingers. When the growing pressure, friendship friction, and her overbearing father push Vale to turn to Leticia for help, what starts off as a shaky alliance of necessity begins to blossom into something more through a shared love of soccer. . . and maybe each other.

Chasing Pacquiano by Rod Pulido

Self preservation. That's Bobby's motto for surviving his notoriously violent high school unscathed. Being out and queer would put an unavoidable target on his back, especially in a Filipino community that frowns on homosexuality. It's best to keep his head down, get good grades, and stay out of trouble. But when Bobby is unwillingly outed in a terrible way, he no longer has the luxury of being invisible. A vicious encounter has him scrambling for a new way to survive--by fighting back. Bobby is inspired by champion Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao to take up boxing and challenge his tormentor. Then Pacquiao publicly declares his stance against queer people, and Bobby's faith--in his hero and in himself--is shaken to the core.

And Other Mistakes by Erika Turner

Aaliyah's home life has never been great, but she thought she'd survive her last years of high school with at least her friendships and cross-country stardom intact. That is, until junior year she got outed by a church elder and everything came undone ― including Aaliyah. Now, senior year is about to start and she is determined to come back faster and wiser. No more letting other people define her. No more losing herself to their expectations. Except... well, with new friends, old flames, nosy school counselors, and teammates who don't trust her yet, the route already feels rough. And what's with the new girl, Tessa, who gives Aaliyah butterflies every time she looks at her? Regardless, everything is fine. She'll be fine. Because this is the year to prove to everyone―and most of all, herself―that she's more than her mistakes. After all, even Aaliyah can't outrun everything.

[unwelcome-ozian]

TREATMENT BOOKS (a few suggestions, listed alphabetically)

Rebuilding Shattered Lives, Treating Complex PTSD and Dissociative Disorders, 2nd ed, (2011), by James Chu. A valuable book for beginners and experienced clinicians, this text offers practical advice on therapeutic techniques and treatment, with information about early attachments and their effects, neurobiology, crisis management and psychopharmacology

Shelter from the Storm: Processing the Traumatic Memories of DID/DDNOS Patients with the Fractionated Abreaction Technique, (2013) by Richard Kluft. Integrates elements from psychoanalysis, psychodynamic psychotherapy, hypnosis, behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, and EMDR to support a practical, empathic, and compassionate approach to treatment, taking care to avoid retraumatisation

The Haunted Self – Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatisation, (2006), by Onno van der Hart, Ellert Nijenhuis & Kathy Steele. This key text draws attention to the substantial problems suffered by chronically traumatised individuals. It presents the theory of structural dissociation of the personality, a phase-oriented approach to treatment, and hope that recovery is achievable

Trauma Model Therapy: A Treatment Approach for Trauma Dissociation and Complex Comorbidity, (2009) by Colin Ross. A practical, well-structured manual, presenting theory, assessment and treatment strategies, techniques and interventions for severe dissociative disorders

Treating Complex Trauma and Dissociation – a practical guide to navigating therapeutic challenges, (2017) by Lynette Danylchuk & Kevin Connors. This highly readable book combines clinical experience and insight. It presents clear and practical information to support understanding and offers guidance for navigating a phased approach to treatment, handling foundational issues and potential challenges’ 2nd Edition due out July 2023, includes the latest research and treatment developments

Treating Trauma-Related Dissociation: A Practical, Integrative Approach, (2017), by Kathy Steele, Suzette Boon & Onno van der Hart. Written by leading experts, this comprehensive text extends the content of the skills training manual, (listed in the ‘Self-Help’ section). It offers a practical, thorough, and insightful approach to treatment based on the structural dissociation model

Treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder: Techniques and Strategies for Stabilisation, (2018), by Colin Ross. Practical, concise and informative, especially useful for practitioners new to working with DID

Working with Voices and Dissociative Parts – A Trauma-informed approach, (2nd edn, 2019) by Dolores Mosquera. A comprehensive, elaborative, and inspirational workbook, that is truly integrative, structured and collaborative, and informative for both the novice and the senior practitioner

[theseniorcare]

Why Reviewing ADL Reports Are Important

ADL or Activities of Daily Living refers to the practices or the methods that we adopt to streamline the treatment towards better care for our residents. It is imperative to document and visit the ADL at regular intervals to see the progress of your mom with the assigned team of skilled medical practitioners. During such sessions, we also include family members as and when needed. This helps in maintaining transparency and at the end of the day everybody is on the same page concerning the development of your mom. 

We understand that at old age and with a certain memory loss people tend to show different signs at different stages but with a regular reviewing of ADL reports, we get to understand a pattern of each patient. This makes it easier for us to plan a personal care chart for our lovely ladies. As we keep reiterating our first and foremost aim remains to give each one of them unique and undivided attention. 

Documenting the reports and studying them along with doctors also help us to identify medical complications if any and thus prepare the medication accordingly. We also arrange the dietary plan as per the physical and clinical records to keep our ladies fit. 

We also include grooming; proper hygiene habits and see to it that everything is followed properly to avoid any chances of bedsores. We encourage our ladies to socialize and participate in their favorite tasks. This helps them connect with the external world and keeps them happy and cheerful from within. 

All these activities when properly documented, monitored, and evaluated by a panel of experts and shared with the family the growth story becomes evident. The families can also share their feedback at each step and help us improve with our services and make our mothers smile and cherish their stay with us. 

[pjsk-headcanons]

*VERY DEEP INHALE* nIIIIIIIIIGGGGHHHTTCORDDDDDD i am so excited im gonna be yapping so hard. prepare yourself aaaAaaAAAAAA

n25-> kanade (unit leader), tsukasa, shiho, akito (great lineup am i right)

n25 -> midnight dream|space

-cue kanade backstory as usual. sorry i think mds is not gonna have any of a better time than canon niigo. oops hehe (drops a ton of angst on them sorry they are my favourites)

-while uploading a melody to some anonymous website, she notices people talking about a different artist in her old uploads. she checks the artist out, listens to a few songs. follows the artist, named SUTA. (all of the nicknames have meaning ;) however, something seems. off.

-this happens again with an artist called nasake. kanade doesnt think much of it.

-a week or two pass when she gets a message in nightcord from SUTA. they want to pair up. kanade agrees reluctantly to call with them to discuss the partnership. during the call, kanade says she wants more people in the group (namely nasake because of the "weird feeling" and because oh my god this guy is kinda loud. its midnight and he so loud my ears)

-yknow what happens. nasake joins the partnership out of curiousity and recommends another artist that they should invite because the music sounds similar.

-kanade listens to their songs. gets the same weird feeling. agrees.

-said artist (called aimai) happily agrees to the partnership and they join a few calls, never talking. they make some demo songs.

-after everyone else logs off, kanade works for a little longer. miku heyyy oh miku wh

-enters sekai. its called house SEKAI. keyword house not home ;)

-insert "i need to save them" stuff i cant think of dialogue

-next day, kanade asks them to meet up because she "needs to get more cup noodles" (actually trying to observe their irl behaviour)

-meetup happens

-kanade resolves to save them. the rest are oblivious to what theyve gotten themselves into

kanade = K

tsukasa = SUTA

shiho = nasake

akito = aimai

all of these have meaning. also i think its funny that akitos nickname is similar to his VAs

okay i did some quick changes to make this work (and because i love bullying my favs)

-okay. remember akitos "good boy" persona? *cranks it up to max* oops so basically its his entire personality because i feel like it doesnt have enough exploration in canon. basically like more than canon mafuyus "good girl" persona.

-also. never went to rad weekend and continued soccer. still does soccer.

-shinonomes and hinomoris live in a very cough tense situation. shiho is like 10x more distrustful than in canon because of the childhood friends thing. also shizuku and ena...uh we dont talk about them

-tsUKASA TENMA. probably a little less loud than in canon and is a lot more serious. still aiming to be a star. is overbearing and worries over saki a lot (much to her dismay)

-tsukasa does the editing and occasionally the composing, shiho does the art(cause akito dont wanna you loser)and sometimes recreates the instrumental, akito does the lyrics (they all need equal amounts of saving this is not gonna be a mafuyu-akito focus)

TRUST RANKS

kanade - tsukasa -> "so loud...so serious?", "hospital encounter" (yk 💀), "prioritizing your health over mine" (please take care of yourself tsucaca and kanade)

shiho - akito -> "distant feelings", "i dont have any siblings" (lying), "dreams long extinguished" (auououuuauu)

tsukasa - shiho -> "my sisters old friend?", "not knowing you felt this way", "aiming for rekindled friendships"

akito - kanade -> "inside, outside", "heat haze rescue!" (reference to my imagined event of when kanade gets heatstroke and the rest of mds has to take care of her), "to relive past memories"

kanade - shiho -> "instrument pros", "family predicament", "burning resolve" (anon try not to bully kanade challenge impossible)

tsukasa - akito -> "orange hair 'buddies'", "troublemaking senior", "the real me?" (koughsghshhgggh)

dONE WITH THE LORE WOOHOO. SEKAIPOSTING NEXT AND PLAYLISTS AFTER...MAYBE SOME MORE CROSS-UNIT TRUST RANKS...also to anyone who reblogs in the tags i see them and you guys are literally the best

have a great day mod 👍 see you next time!!

🌐 anon

.

[florawrites-blog]

Lost future

You and Jake had been inseparable since birth, best friends bound by fate and the close friendship of your mothers. From diapers to high school, you experienced every milestone together. Matching pajamas, shared birthday parties, sleepovers, and even moving to Australia for your studies every significant moment in your life had Jake by your side it reached to the point where people where your families were telling you to get married as you would just laugh about it and go within your lives without minding it you went from babies to teenagers by each other side.

It all changed in the summer after senior year. Jake had a dream ever since he was seven years old of wanting to be a idol and you would laugh at him saying you'd be his back up dancer but you just never took him seriously and thought it was just a dream or phase he is going through because you dreamt of being beyonces manger and you knew that wouldnt come true but that summer he got found about a program ILAND where he could actually have a chane of becoming an idol which is when jake confided in you that he wanted to pursue his dream of becoming an idol back in Korea. While you were happy for him, the revelation shattered your heart. You knews that he wanted to be an idol but just never actually imagined it happening you had imagined a future where you both went to college together, maybe even ending up together i mean come on you cant blame yourself everyone had been shipping you with each other and all you could do was wonder of how it would be if you did end up together, it was a thought that made sense given your deep bond.

Years passed, from him confronting you about what he wanted to do and now, in 2024, you were returning to Korea hometown. University had been a challenging experience, far from the dream you had once envisioned which is why you decided to move back to your home town alone your parents still in australia you wanted to start a new life a new chapter but this chapter alone to actually find yourself . As you navigated through the airport your eyes met a big crowd filled with girls screaming and camera flash lights being shot, memories of Jake suddenly flooded your mind which was weird since you havent thought of him for a while once jake went to korea he promised he'd keep in contact but it just didnt work out he was busy and time zone's made it hard for both of you which is why you just cut contact , you were mingled with pain you cried alot you'd only wonder if he cried too he was genuinly your only friend not only your friend he was your everything your bestfriend your friend your sibling you never had you were an only child and he.

Lost in the mob, you stumbled and fell to your knees, feeling overwhelmed and helpless. A hand reached out to you, and without thinking, you took it. As you stood up and locked eyes with the person helping you, your heart skipped a beat. It was Jake. No, it couldn’t be. But it was.

He looked at you with a mixture of shock and recognition, not wanting to let go of your hand. Your mind raced as you tried to process the moment. Cameras flashed around him, and his managers pushed you away to create a path for Jake and his group to leave.

You brushed yourself off, trying to act like nothing had happened, but your heart was pounding, and tears threatened to spill. Jake, still in shock, tried to maintain his composure, worried about rumors and the chaos around him.

As you watched him disappear into the crowd, your world felt like it was collapsing. You tried to run out of the airport, desperate to escape the emotions crashing over you. The pain of seeing Jake again after all these years was too much to bear. Tears streamed down your face as you found a quiet corner and let yourself cry, mourning the loss of the future you had once dreamed of with him.

And the funny thing is, you would’ve married him if he’d have stuck around. But now, all you had were memories and the painful reality of a life that had taken you both in different directions. and him well all he had his dreams and new family and a million other girl who loves him and claim him as theres but he also has this one look at you and the rest is history.

[glowinggreenfrog]

I FINISHED BOYS OVER FLOWERS!!

I have thoughts so this will be long w/ spoilers.

Last night, I finished my 24 hours of boys over flowers manga read-a-thon and I had to sit and ponder at the ending- in the best way.

I am going to miss this series so much.

The Little Mermaid Question

From my last post, yes , of course I was happy that Umi was humbled-or at least hopefully she clues into it someday. I was gagged and gooped.

The reference to the little mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen by Makino solidified this series as a top 3 manga for me. She had my heart when she said

“Why should I be sea foam?”.

It put the good in Goodbye

The call backs from the beginning of the manga were so perfectly woven in as it got closer.

Seeing it all referenced felt like a warm smile. I have to admit, it felt bittersweet knowing why they were here again. I loved that hitting someone with a baseball was how he got his memories back, and bringing up her dropped friend character.

The pacing was refreshing and not heavy. It felt like I could breathe still. The sushi restaurant was a cute reunion. Especially, the detail that she jump ropes in her apartment still.

Yuki

At first, I was annoyed with how much time we spent with Yuki—Only because I was so stressed knowing how little time was left!!

Thankfully, I told myself to relax because I really loved that plot. I felt so stressed for her, and it was so well written. Yuki is such a cool character and storyline.

The billboard reveal with Sarah gagged me. Also that she took him back up on the offer, and I was moved to see she was a different person now. She grew so much.

I loved them all eating cake until dawn.

Also loved Makino craving ramen after. I love that her and Tsukasa were alone eating soup in the restaurant. (Well more just Makino). It was cute.

This chapter fed the girls who don’t end up with their first love, and it was done so thoughtfully. It also made me accept if our main couple don’t end up together, or grow together.

They can change as people, and grow apart. That’s normal. They don’t need to prove to anyone that their love was genuine and they tried. Looking back, I am so happy this was included in the end.

Main couple

And speaking of our main couple. The four year drop…..

I literally had to put my phone down. And scream breathe.

Quit playing.

Violence, maybe is the answer.

Esp. After the memory loss plot?!

I took a metaphorical drag of a metaphorical cigarette here, and I chewed on that metaphorical smoke before blowing it out.

But…that’s so them! They don’t give us fanservice for them much at peace and although that made me so upset, but we have the whole series to look back on.

It took me throughout the day (even after jewel box) to forgive him for that.

I was thinking about how the hospital arc ended and he’s such a different person without Makino, I can see how she changed him, and now he can be on equal footing with her. She helped him challenge himself and his mom, and live for something.

I am grateful Rui told her to live for herself, and I appreciate her family coming through for her senior year. It was all very true to their chaotic and broke characters and the timing of them trying to move all the time.

Also, the almost hookup!! Her well badly timed fever. I am happy it didn’t happen, because I felt like their story has to continue now.

Also it wasn’t really them. It’s too planned.

We know it has to be after a fight lmaoo.

I think if they did go through with it, it would have been harder to live so far apart too.

I cannot believe that she woke up alone. Not even 24 hours with her guy? At the same time, I like that it must’ve help cement that she didn’t want to leave Japan.

I only wish he planned the date to be closer to home for the vibes to be more immaculate, but I know that it is not his vibe, and there was too much going on (new job, graduating, prom, etc.).

It felt like a cop-out on their first planned trip abroad as a couple. The proposal idea was funny, I genuinely laughed with how much she couldn’t stand the roses smell. I would think the same.

I am sending a theme that he is terrible with grand romantic gestures.

Conclusion

Amazing Shoujos are so life changing, and truly the strongest genre. I love a manga that makes you cry. It makes me love love and remember how fuzzy you feel in it, and I needed that lately. This is so close to my heart.

I regretted reading it so fast but then I remembered how I can read it again and that made me more excited.

I loved the characters. I want to watch the anime (I am begging for a remake in the style of lost heroine).

I saw a lot of other female pro tags in our Makino. Like Kagome from Inuyasha in our main girl, and it’s interesting that their timelines match up production wise! I like that I can see Mao Mao from Apothecary Diaries a bit in her too. They’re going to be themselves whether people like it or not!

Then like the greedy child I am, I had to reach for the jewel-box volume because FOUR YEARS?YOUR TELLING ME NOTHING HAPPENS? I know I don’t need to know all the answers and our characters are strong, but I was excited for a peek.

So…I already finished it. I might make a separate post for that, but honestly this ending helped me feel at peace. It felt more like a cherry on top (and who am I kidding I love more Rui).

I don’t know if I can start the season 2 yet, but I am tempted. I miss hearing Tsukasa’s mis-entendre of phrases and things! Like light and day. I also just want to think about the story more.

I remember I downloaded Jump to read this series. I forgot after the signup process (lol), read one piece instead and thankfully remembered it. It is 100% up in my favorite mangas (a growing list but I love this manga so much).

This was so fun to read.

Honestly? 10/10.

It’s camp, timeless, insane and it knows it. It loves it. It is also mature, heartfelt and honest. The author truly loved crafting this.

I also love her updates throughout! Reading this in time must’ve been a treat and hell.

[sugarsfics]

Hiiii @edwrite-munson here! Could you do ‘wearing each others clothes’ from 30days for Eddie? They wear his t shirt or jacket/battle vest and he wears maybe a hoodie or accessories of theirs?! It’s one of the cutest tropes and I’d esp love to see hellfire reactions to it!!! 🖤🖤 tysm!

Wearing Each Other’s Clothes

Summary: When hiding your relation from your brother a mix up happens.

Trope: Eddie x Henderson!Reader; Established relationship

A/N: HIII @edwrite-munson I hope this is what you hope for if you would like me to re do it please let me know <3

Warning: Cussing, fluff, kissing,use of y/n

Word count: 1.3k

30 Day Challenge: Day 10 Send requests <3

Eddie sneaked into your room once again last night he claimed that it was because he heater wasn’t working but he just wanted to be with you, and it was really cold in the trailer. He loved watching you do you night routine, he loved the way you smelled after a shower, he loved hopping into those showers, he loved being with you. His favorite though was sleeping next to you, being tangled up, having you scent all around him, that was the main reason he comes at night, he would never tell you but you knew. You were awoken by your little brother banging on the down “Y/N ARE YOU UP WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE” SHIT “Yea be right down” you shake Eddie “Eddie up up” “Mhm” “I’m sorry I forgot to put on my alarm and we are going to be late” he got up a put on his clothes he opened the window to sneak back out “Shit it is cold” he said Here you handed him a sweater “This should keep you warm” his stared at you with a love sick smile “Y/N!!” “Go Go” you whispered pushing him out. When you saw Eddie run off to his van you opened the door and ran to the living room “Geesh Dusty with all that screaming you should join the cheer squad” “Whatever lets go- where did you get that shirt” you looked down at your shirt a black Iron Maiden shirt it was Eddie’s “Oh I always loved them duh” “Since when” “Uh that doesn’t matter right now we are going to be late” you turned around to change your shirt but Dustin grabbed your hair “No we are late” Shit you are wearing Eddie’s shirt. Wait what shirt is he wearing. 

Eddie didn’t want to drive all the way back to his place then back when he as to pass the school anyway so might as well be there on time, so he didn’t have time to change. He walked up to Garth and Jeff “My minions nice too see you so early in the morning” “Holy shit your here early” “Yea you know what they say you have to break the loop” Gareth looked Eddie up and down “New jacket” he asked “Oh” he looked at himself “Yea kinda I um found it in the back on my closet” “Whats this” Gareth went to Eddie’s, well your, jacket pocket and pulled out a necklace and a bright yellow scrunchie. “So these are yours too?” he questioned “Yea they are” they both looked at him “It is a pretty cool looking necklace alright and my hair get in my face and this was the cheapest thing at the moment so” “Whatever you say man” he saw you out the corner of his eye and smirked. He put on your necklace, he bought you it on your second date one of his favorite memories with you. You were wearing your jacket, but the zipper was broken, so you had to cover up your, Eddie shirt. You looked at Eddie and saw he was with his friends. You wanted to tell him about the shirt mix up because you weren’t sure it he knew or changed. But you couldn’t just walk up to him because no one knows about you two. 

You met Eddie through Dustin, of course everyone knew of Eddie “The Freak” Munson but you never talked to him before Dustin. Seven grade wasn’t your year, too much family drama happened it effected your mental health and school so you were held back. It was your Senior year you were 19, your little brother was a freshman your mom had work so you had two pick him up from his new club Dustin introduce you to Eddie then remembered he left his dice, that left you too together, then the more you pick up Dustin the more you talked then he asked you out. You both had different reasons for wanting to keep your relationship a secret, you didn't want to upset Dustin, Eddie didn't want you to get hurt for being the "freaks" girlfriend. Also the thrill of sneaking around was fun.

You quickly torn out a piece of paper and wrote down a note, Eddie was on the outside of his friends so you quickly walked by him placing the note in his open hand, he grabbed it before it could fall and shoved it in his, your, pocket. When he sat down in class he opened it, “Meet me at our spot passing period urgent” his body ran cold urgent that could mean anything he was worried the whole period Did your mom see him? Did Dustin see him? You still love him right? When the bell rang he ran to your spot and he never ran. You beat him to the spot seeing a out of breath Eddie was a sight “What” *breath* “Happened” *breath* You opened you jacket to show your shirt, his shirt, “Aw babe” “No aw babe what shirt are you wearing” “My iron maiden one- oh" he pulled up the sweater and bright blue appeared “How did you grab a bright blue shirt compared to your black one” “I don’t know I was scared that Dustin was going to bust the door down- here changed back-” ring “There goes the warning bell we have to get to class if we want to graduate also Dustin already saw me in the shirt and I am not changing out in the open” “Yea I wouldn’t want any one to see your tits so” “Eddie- let just get to class”  

Eddie’s second period class was like a sauna he was about to take of the jacket then he remembered he is wearing your shirt, also you are wearing his and that gave him a oegy gooey feeling. He put his hands in your pockets, found the scrunchie and put his hair in a bun. Lunch time role around he was sweating his ass off. He got to his table and sat in his spot “Fuck is anyone else hot” “You are wearing a sweater take it off” he forgot and took it off. You saw it from across the room Eddie wearing your bright yellow scrunchie in his hair, he looked so cute, then he was grabbing the bottom of your jacket. NOO He took it off. The boys looked at him “What” “What are you wearing” shit “Um-” “Hey my sister as a shirt just like that…crazy she is wearing an Iron Maiden shirt that looked just like the one your wore yesterday ” Dustin’s voice got lower the more he realized “You are wearing her necklace and her hair tie and shirt and she” he looked at him. “Are you dating my sister” “Dustin” “Yes or no” “Yes I’m sorry buddy-“ “Yay it worked”  “What worked” you asked slowly walking to the table “Oh my plan” “Plan?” You and Eddie said together “Yea the plan to get you too together do you really think I forgot my dice every time” “Why me though” Eddie asked “I thought you would be a amazing brother in law so I already tried with Steve but that didn’t work out” “I don’t even want to know” Eddie said “So you going to sit here now” Eddie asked you “Sure but there are no seats” “I got one right here” he said patting his lap “Oh please no PDA” Dustin said “Oh like this you said” kissing Eddie “Stop my eyes” “You wanted this remember” “Just do it on your own time” “Oh we do how to you think the shirt mix up happened” Eddie said “Gross” The rest of Hellfire stared “Eddie as a girlfriend” "Yea keep up with the program" Eddie told him

Dustin started regretting his plan after lunch.

Tag list: @thefreak0fhawkinshigh

[thisapplepielife]

Written for the @steddiemas challenge.

Yours for the Weekend

Prompt Day 4: Winter-Themed Songs | Word Count: 8340 | Rating: M | CW: Mild Sexual Content | Tags: AU, No Upside Down, Future Fic, Going Home, Getting Back Together, Happy Ending, Eddie POV

Also available right here on A03.

Eddie steps out of the car, right between the Methodist church and the Hawkins High School building. It's changed. A new building, new paint scheme, a freshly paved parking lot. They've remodeled, and dozed down the memories, good and bad, that clung to this place. 

The cafeteria is gone, moved somewhere new, he supposes. 

Eddie isn't sentimental for school. He hated school, the three tries he had at his senior year are enough to prove that. But he misses that time, all the same. He misses Hellfire Club. He misses playing music in Gareth's garage. He misses their weekly Tuesday gig at The Hideout.

He misses his unlikely, and tentative friendship with Steve Harrington, that grew into their love that followed. 

He doesn't miss his hometown, except for when he does.

"Since when do you miss this goddamn place?" Gareth asks, leaning over towards the driver's side from the passenger seat of the rental car. Stretching, trying to see Eddie's face as he stands outside the car. 

He doesn't miss it. Not really. 

"It's just changed. That's all," Eddie says, ducking down to look at Gareth. They've all changed. 

"Come on, Eddie, it's fucking cold!" Goodie yells from the backseat, and Eddie hears Jeff shushing him. 

Jeff's trying to give him a minute, even if the other two don't understand it. Eddie appreciates it. He doesn't really understand it himself. But driving by this place, and seeing it looking so different, did something to him he hadn't expected.

He escaped this place, and everything, everyone, in it. 

That's all he ever wanted, and now…

Now, there's a lump in his throat that's hard to swallow around. He doesn't understand.

They're working in L.A., playing music every night. They aren't big, not really. Eddie sincerely doubts they'll ever be big. But they can afford to make music for a living, and that's not nothing. Not everyone can do that, but they've made it happen.

From living in a one bedroom apartment together, taking turns with who got the bedroom, while the rest of them crashed all over the living room until it was their turn again.

Then being able to afford two apartments. Right across the hall from each other. Jeff and Goodie in one, him and Gareth in the other. Their own separate bedrooms and everything.

To shopping around for single studios in nicer buildings, and just realizing that even though they can afford it, and somehow, they can, that they'd rather just stick together. 

"Eddie!" Goodie yells again, and Eddie turns and puts his hands up in surrender, climbing back into the car.

Eddie drops Jeff off at home, then Goodie, and then it's just him and Gareth left in the car. Driving through the snow-packed streets of Hawkins. 

"You could just talk to him, you know?" Gareth says, looking at Eddie, knowingly.

Eddie could try to deny it, but yeah, that's where his head has been since their plane touched down in Indiana. Where his head often is, always. But it's easier to push it to the back of his mind when there's some distance between him and his hometown. Between him and Steve.

"Yeah, well, last I heard he was getting married," Eddie says.

"That fell apart," Gareth says, "a long time ago. And you already know that."

Yeah, Eddie knows that. He just doesn't want to talk about it. He never wants to talk about, or hear about, what Steve's been up to since he's been gone. If he did, he'd ask. But it's none of his business, and it's not like Steve has been checking up on him, either. He's never flown out to L.A. and he definitely never asked Eddie to stay.

He let Eddie go, let him escape this place, and that was that. 

"It's just easier not to," Eddie finally says.

"Sure it is," Gareth says, and Eddie cuts him a look.

"Since when are you on Team Steve?" Eddie asks. Gareth liked Steve just fine, but he was also the first in line to get out of this town, the minute he graduated high school and turned eighteen. He was definitely not at all concerned at the time that their skipping town meant Eddie's relationship with Steve would come to an end.

Gareth looks over at him, "What? I'm not. I'm Team Eddie. Always. But Team Eddie is kind of a sad sack team these days. We've got a losing record going, big time."

Eddie laughs, "Fair enough. But what do you know about sports? Nothing, last I checked." 

"I played as a kid. Baseball. Soccer. You know, the usual suspects. Before I found the drums." 

Eddie isn't sure he knew that. This is his best friend, and he's still learning things about him, all these years later. 

"Just. Talk to him. Either finish it for good, or…"

"Just pick open some old scabs?" Eddie says, sarcastically.

"Sure, do that. We've got a first aid kit. We can bandage you up again. We did it the last time," Gareth says, and they did. They have. Over and over, for ten years. Without his friends, without his band, he doesn't know where he'd be. Aimless. Shiftless. A wanderer. 

Just…lost.

"If I see him, I see him," Eddie finally concedes. 

But he has no plans to see Steve Harrington. Not this trip. Not any trip. 

He's snuck in and out of town a few times over the years, and hasn't ran into Steve yet. He's pretty sure they're on the same page about making sure they don't cross paths. And that's okay. Easier.

Finally alone, he pulls into Wayne's driveway in front of the comfortable little house. Eddie doesn't have a lot of money. But he worked his ass off while waiting for Gareth to finish high school. And every spare dime he had that wasn't earmarked for the band's move out west, went towards a house for Wayne. 

It's not paid off, not by a long shot. But it's theirs. Their home. The trailer was starting to cost more to upkeep than a down payment on a house would be, so Eddie made that his goal. The last thing he'd do before he left town.

He did it. They'd moved Wayne in. Him and Gareth, Jeff and Goodie. Steve. The kids. 

And then Steve had watched him go. It wasn't dramatic, their parting. The lore of it, between their friends, is far more interesting than the actual break-up ever was. 

It was just quiet recognition that it was over. Eddie was going, and Steve was staying. 

And he has stayed, all these years, as far as Eddie knows.

Steve opened an ice cream shop, selling artisan ice cream. Dustin has said Steve took some classes to learn how to make ice cream. Real ice cream. Fancy ice cream. And he took others to figure out how to run the business side. Ice cream, though. That's kind of a hilarious choice, after his stint at Scoops Ahoy when they were teens. 

Less hilarious, was that Steve fell in love again, and almost married someone else. A woman Eddie never met, and he's glad. He couldn't have handled it. Not a chance in hell. But, it didn't matter, Eddie heard through the grapevine a year or two ago that the relationship had ended, just as quietly as theirs had. 

At least Eddie had nothing to do with it. He would have, if all their mutual friends had gotten their way. Everybody had reached out, making sure he knew. Like it was his place to object. He left. Steve was bound to find someone else, eventually. 

Eddie's never bothered with love again. He doesn't have the time or the energy. His heart was broken, by his own doing, a decade ago. And he's just never felt like sweeping up the shattered pieces of his heart, to try to give them to someone else. 

It's broken, pretty much beyond repair, and he's used to it by now. He has one-night stands, he fucks around when the itch arises, but his heart? That's not in play. Not anymore. Been there, done that.

He gave that away a long time ago. 

Steve never gave it back, and Eddie never asked him to, so, here they are. 

Wayne opens the front door, and that's Eddie's cue. He steps out of the car and Wayne smiles. 

Eddie jogs up the drive, careful of the ice, but he can't resist rushing into his arms, barreling into his chest, squeezing him tight.

"There's my boy," Wayne says quietly, and Eddie just holds on longer. He might be over thirty years old, but he's still Wayne's boy. Always has been, always will be. "Merry Christmas, Eddie. I'm glad you came home."

"Me too, old man."

Hawkins might be a place he's avoided, but he's missed Uncle Wayne like crazy. 

He's thirty-two, but he suddenly feels much older, for some reason. 

Wayne cooks them dinner, just like he always did, and Eddie sits down in the recliner next to him, plate in hand, right in front of the television. 

The television is new since the last time Eddie was here, and large. Very large. Not at all in Wayne's usual style. Or budget.

"What possessed you to get a TV this big?" Eddie asks.

"Oh, a friend was getting a new one. Asked if I wanted this one. I said okay," Wayne says, not expanding on it. Like that's a full story. 

"You finally got some rich friends I don't know about?" Eddie teases. 

"You don't know everything about me, kid," Wayne teases back. 

That's true. Wayne doesn't know everything about him either. Just most things. The things that matter the most.

"So, what are your plans while you're home?" Wayne asks.

And Eddie shrugs. They're only here for a few days. He just assumed he'd hang out around the house.

"Carolyn Jones called last week. She's expecting us all for dinner the day after Christmas," Wayne says.

And Eddie expected nothing less. Mama Jones will want to gather them all, now that they're home. Gareth didn't warn him, but Gareth probably didn't know about it either. His mom is always gonna do what she wants, anyway. 

And she'll want all of her boys under her roof again, around her dining room table, for at least one meal. 

So, they'll all go, parents included, and update them all on their lives in California. It'll be loud and a big production. 

Not like tonight, just here with Wayne. 

Eddie sits around and Wayne comes up behind his chair and hands him a bowl of ice cream. Eddie digs his spoon into it, and this definitely isn't from the cheap, plastic party buckets they used to buy while he was growing up.

This is pistachio. Good pistachio, his favorite flavor.

"Is this from…you know?"

He can't even say his name. He definitely can't eat his ice cream.

"No," Wayne says, and Eddie nods. Of course not. Eddie laughs just trying to picture Uncle Wayne buying fancy containers of Steve's ice cream. It's a ridiculous thought.

The next day, they have a quiet Christmas day at home, just the two of them. And they play the guitar together, and Eddie has fun like he hasn't in a long time. They should have made this trip longer. Only a couple days won't be enough. 

They take turns picking songs to play, and it's just like it was when he was growing up. Before he got an attitude. He's missed Uncle Wayne, and this is the best Christmas Eddie's had in a long time.

The next morning, they're hanging around in Gareth's living room, like they don't see each other the other fifty-one weeks of the year. 

"I'll make anything you boys want, you just have to go to the store and pick up the ingredients," Mama Jones says, and they start squabbling amongst themselves. All having different ideas. 

"She's my mom. I should get to pick," Gareth whines, and the rest of them grumble, but concede. They've never had a bad meal in this house, and they expect tonight will be no different. No matter what Gareth chooses.

They all nod, and look at him, expectantly.

"Lasagna?" Gareth suggests, and that works. That definitely works.

In the store, they've split the list in half, Gareth taking one half, and Eddie taking the other. It's not even on the list, but Eddie stands in the freezer section for a long time, just staring at a small shelf of pints of ice cream. Dairy King Creamery. There's a locally made sticker on the glass, and these are Steve's, for sure. 

Eddie reaches for the handle, and stops before he grasps it. That's not what they're here for. Not today. Maybe later, maybe before he goes back to L.A.

He wanders to an aisle he actually needs to be in, and he's squatted down, looking at all the different lasagna noodle choices. He doesn't know what the best option is. The cheapest? His instinct is always to go for the cheapest. But he consults his half of the list again. 

Mama Jones has actually specified. That makes this much easier. So, he picks up three of the red boxes, and puts them in his basket, and pushes himself back upright.

"Eddie?" 

Eddie hears the soft, familiar voice, and freezes. 

Steve.

He turns and looks, and sure enough Steve is standing in the aisle of the Big Buy, right behind him. Pushing a cart full of groceries. Eddie wants to paw through them. Wants to learn something new about him. 

He doesn't.

"Hi," Eddie says, just as soft. 

Steve smiles at him, and Eddie smiles back. There's no bad blood here, not really, just distance. And time. 

And then Steve is coming at him, clearly going to hug him, so Eddie just opens his arms. Wraps them around Steve, banging his basket against Steve's back, and holds on. He still smells like Steve, and Eddie leans into it for longer than he should, he's sure of it. 

"Eddie, hurry up!" Gareth shouts, rounding the corner of the aisle. 

Eddie turns his head, and Gareth has frozen like a deer in headlights. And Eddie steps back from Steve, reluctantly. 

"Hey, Gareth," Steve says, crossing the distance, and offering him his hand.

Gareth takes it, and Eddie watches them shake. 

"You all home this year?" Steve asks, looking between them, and they both nod. 

"Yeah, all of us," Gareth says, once he realizes Eddie's not going to answer. He can't. His mouth is dry. 

"Well, maybe I'll see you around town? I'm going to the Christmas parade tomorrow night, if either of you want to grab a hot chocolate and catch up or anything," Steve says, like it's an offer for the both of them.

It's not. It's an offer for Eddie. Eddie knows that. He's sure Gareth knows it, too.

Eddie nods, against his own will, but it makes Steve smile. So he doesn't regret it, too much. He doesn't have to go. Steve will understand if he doesn't show up.

And at that, Steve walks back towards his cart, grasping Eddie's shoulder and squeezing it on the way by.

Eddie watches him go, watches him walk away. 

It is his turn to do that, after all.

When he turns the other way, Gareth's eyes are huge. Bugging out. Eddie just points at him, willing him to swallow all that down, at least until they're in the car. 

Gareth seems to understand, and keeps quiet. Which is a Christmas miracle, for real. 

It's only as he's bagging his groceries that he realizes the Christmas parade is after Christmas? What sense does that make?

"Is the Christmas parade really tomorrow? After Christmas?" Eddie asks the cashier, and she nods.

"They wanted it on Saturday, and well, you know Hawkins," she says.

Yeah, Eddie knows Hawkins. 

They load the groceries into the rental car, and Eddie watches as Steve does the same across the parking lot, putting his stuff in the back seat of his pickup. Steve Harrington has a pickup now. Eddie would have never guessed that.

As soon as they're in the car, Gareth is vibrating.

"Okay, just let it out," Eddie says, resigned.

"You were fucking hugging him!" Gareth yells, and Eddie just looks at him, waiting to see if he's finished. Surely, this mouthy little shit has more to say than just that. But he just looks at Eddie. 

"Was I supposed to dodge it? He hugged me first, I'll have you know."

"And you hated that, I'm sure," Gareth says, rolling his eyes.

"I never said that," Eddie answers.

"Well?"

"Well, what? I saw him. It was fine. We both lived."

"Are you going to the parade tomorrow?" Gareth asks.

"Probably not," Eddie says, and Gareth laughs as Eddie's putting the car into reverse. Gareth clearly isn't believing him. That's okay. 

He shouldn't believe him.

Of course he's going.

And the next night, Eddie stands on the street, looking like he's waiting for the parade to start. But he's only waiting on Steve. Maybe Steve won't show up? Maybe it wasn't a real offer? Maybe he was just being nice?

But those thoughts, those fears, all melt away when he sees Steve pushing his way through the crowded sidewalk, stopping in front of Eddie, smiling.

"You want that hot chocolate?" Steve asks, and Eddie rubs his hands together. It's cold out here, so yeah, that sounds pretty damn good, right about now. At least it'll give him something to do with his hands.

Steve leads him down the street, and Eddie follows. He's not sure where they're going, but Steve pauses in front of a darkened storefront. Eddie looks up. It's Steve's store, and Eddie watches as Steve pushes the key into the lock, and turns it, pushing the door open.

The little bell on the door, ringing out in the silence. 

Once they're inside the warmth of the shop, Steve locks the door behind them again, and nods for Eddie to follow him to the back. Eddie does, looking around as he goes. The wall is decorated with old pictures. The kids. Robin. Lots of Steve and Robin, together. Several of them in their Scoops Ahoy uniforms as teens. 

He wonders where Robin is. This ice cream shop is half her baby, too, he's pretty sure. They don't do anything without each other. It's impossible. 

There's a larger one of a teenage Steve, armed with an ice cream scoop, his other hand on his hip, looking very serious. He wasn't. Couldn't be, not in that little sailor suit. It makes Eddie smile. He remembers those days, with a hazy fondness. It's been so long now, but he can still picture Steve Harrington behind that brightly lit counter, just glowing. 

Eddie keeps looking at the pictures, and there's one of him, too. With the band, when they were young, and still playing The Hideout every week.

Eddie runs his finger over the glass, and feels an ache in his chest. This was so long ago. A lifetime, really. He hasn't felt that young in a very long time. Gareth was a baby. They all were.

"You comin'?" Steve asks, and Eddie follows the sound of his voice. Steve's standing behind the counter, holding up the divider for Eddie, just like he did all those years ago in Scoops Ahoy. He looks even better now, in a warm sweater instead of dumb sailor hat. 

"Yeah, I'm coming," Eddie says, and he shrugs off his coat and hangs it on the rack at the front of the store before he follows Steve to the back, where he watches Steve make two mugs of hot chocolate.

"From packets, Harrington? I thought this was an artisan shop?" Eddie teases.

"Artisan ice cream, I said nothing about artisan hot chocolate," Steve banters back.

Eddie had expected a cup of hot chocolate from some sort of street vendor anyway, not one Steve made in the office of his store. His private space, that Eddie's been invited into. To look around, to spend some time with his first love. 

His only love, honestly.

Eddie sits down on the couch, and soon enough he's being handed a steaming mug, and Steve is sitting down next to him, knees bumping against each other.

It's nothing. But it's also everything.

He's missed him so goddamn much. They can't go ten years without seeing each other again. No matter how painful it might be to look and not touch. Steve's too important. He's always been too important. 

"Your shop is perfect, Steve," Eddie finally says, waiting on his mug to cool.

"Thanks, Eddie," Steve says, "it's been pretty good. Even in the winter, surprisingly."

"That's great, I'm happy for you," Eddie says, smiling at him. "Why ice cream? Didn't you get enough of slinging it during high school?"

Steve smiles, "You know I make a mean scoop."

And he does. Long, steady strokes with precision. Perfect balls.

Eddie laughs, that sounds dirtier in his head than he meant it to. Years ago, he could have shared that thought out loud, but they aren't in that place together, not anymore.

Steve keeps talking, "I just thought, I can do this better. Better quality, better flavors. Just…better."

"It looks like you definitely did," Eddie says, and he means that.

Steve just shrugs, non-committal. But this is great. If he's been able to package it for retail sale, even just locally, that's really something.

"How's the band doing?" Steve asks, changing the subject. Or not, maybe. Maybe this is just pleasantries. All they have to say to each other, after all these years.

"Good. Good, we've got some great long-standing gigs. Guaranteed slots. We play most nights, somewhere or the other, and don't have to travel to do it," Eddie explains.

"That's great," Steve says. 

They both just keep saying how great things are. Things aren't great. Not really.  

"I'm happy you guys have made it," Steve adds.

Eddie laughs, "Made it might be a bit of a stretch, but we're working. We all do a lot of session work, Gareth especially. Session drummers are always needed, here or there."

"Do you have another job?" Steve asks, and Eddie knows exactly where this is going.

"No," Eddie still answers.

"Then you've made it, I say. You are a professional musician. Maybe not a famous one-"

"Hey!" Eddie interrupts, just ribbing him. He's right. But Steve often is. He was right to encourage them to take a chance on it. To see if they could make it work. And they have. They are professional musicians. Together, and apart. 

"Goodie's got a girlfriend he's getting serious with. I think he's gonna move in with her, soon," Eddie says. "Maybe get married." 

Eddie regrets saying it, as soon as it leaves his big mouth. 

"I heard you were going to get married. I'm sorry that didn't work out," Eddie says, looking at his hands. 

"Thanks, it just wasn't meant to be, you know?" Steve asks. 

And, yeah, Eddie knows. 

"Do you still live with Gareth?" Steve asks, and Eddie watches as his face tightens, like he regrets asking. Eddie gets it. He'd be too scared to ask, too.

So, Eddie answers fast, putting him out of his misery.

"Yep, I'll never be able to shake that kid," Eddie says, and Steve chuckles.

"You wouldn't want to if you could," Steve says, and that's the truth. He wouldn't. He likes living with Gareth. He isn't lonely. And he's with someone he loves. That's a comfort Eddie wouldn't want to give up even if he could.

It might not be a love like he once shared with Steve, but it's still a love. Platonic with a capital P, as Robin would say.

"Where's Robin?" Eddie asks, once she's popped into his head. Seeing Steve once without Robin might be normal, but twice? No way. 

"She's on a Christmas cruise," Steve says, with a grin.

"No fucking way. The Robin I knew would never."

"The Robin you knew wasn't ass over teakettle in love," Steve says, smiling. "I'm happy for her. Even if she left me alone for Christmas. She invited me to come, of course, and I thought third-wheeling it on a ship to Mexico might be fun. And warm, at least. So, I considered it, but one of us needed to stay with the shop."

Eddie thinks he was thisclose to missing Steve on this trip, too. If he'd decided to just close up the shop and go with her. 

"Well, good for her. Tell her I said hi," Eddie says.

"I definitely will," Steve says with a smile. "I'm sure she'll say hi back."

Eddie isn't so sure about that. Robin was very against Eddie leaving back then, and wasn't scared to let them all know. She was the only one fighting for them to stay, and she lost, all her protests drowned out by Eddie's need to run.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" Eddie asks.

"Yeah, it was quiet. A day off, though, so that was nice," Steve says. "You?"

"Yeah, it was just Wayne and me at the house. But that was good."

"I'm sure he's missed you," Steve says.

"I've definitely missed him," Eddie answers, because he has. More than he realized, maybe.

This is getting too serious, too sad, so Eddie needs to fix that. 

"Am I gonna get to try any of this famous ice cream?" Eddie asks, changing the subject to something lighter, and Steve laughs, but jerks his head towards the front of the store.

He picks up one of the little sample spoons, and dips it into a tub, and hands it to Eddie.

"What is it?" Eddie asks.

"Just try it, Munson," Steve says, and Eddie does as he was told.

It's sweet, and chocolate based, but with a depth Eddie can't put his finger on.

"Chocolate Cherry Bourbon," Steve says, and Eddie smiles.

"It's good. Really good," Eddie says. And it is. It's very smooth on the tongue, like the best ice creams all are.

"It's Wayne's favorite, I think," Steve says, and Eddie looks over at him. He never considered that Wayne would still be in contact with Steve on any sort of regular basis. But they still live in the same town, and Wayne didn't break up with Steve. Eddie did. 

"But he also likes this one," Steve adds, getting a new little spoonful and offering it up to Eddie.

Eddie puts that one in his mouth, too. 

"Oh, shit, that's good," Eddie says, closing his eyes to savor it.

"Butterscotch-Infused Whiskey and Pecans," Steve says.

"An ocean of flavor," Eddie teases, and Steve hip-checks him.

And then Steve gets him another sample, and this one isn't spiked, Eddie doesn't think, anyway. But it's bright red with black and white swirls.

It's a punch of chocolate, deep and rich. And maybe cream cheese? Eddie isn't a professional taste tester. But it's very good.

"Hellfire," Steve says, with a smirk, "hope you don't mind."

Eddie swallows. Of course he doesn't mind. That Steve would even want to name it after something Eddie loved so deeply, is really something.

"Of course I don't mind," Eddie says, handing the used spoon back to Steve and watching as he tosses it in the trash along with the others. "I'm honored. That you'd, you know, think of me. Of Hellfire."

Steve's whole face softens, "Eddie. I think about you all the time."

And Eddie is moving before he's even decided to do it. Pressing his cold lips against Steve's warm ones. Steve catches him and kisses him back, tangling his hand in Eddie's hair. It's desperate, this kiss. Demanding, and pent up, with years of wanting. 

Years of waiting.

Eddie clings to him, desperate to be closer to him. Because he is desperate for Steve, there's no denying that. 

He always has been. 

When they finally, finally break apart, both breathing hard. Chests heaving with the intensity of it all, Eddie smiles. He's embarrassed. But not that embarrassed. 

"Wanna get out of here?" Steve asks, and Eddie nods. "You want an ice cream for the road?"

And you know, Eddie does, so he nods again.

So, Steve grabs a waffle cone, and piles it high with a fourth untested flavor, handing it over. 

Eddie licks it, and it's pistachio. Eddie's favorite.

"My favorite," Eddie says, and Steve smiles.

"Yeah, I remember," Steve says, and that settles right into Eddie's chest.

Steve reaches into the freezer and turns the little sign that's stuck into the ice cream around, so Eddie can read it: Eddie's Pistachio. 

He grins at Steve, and takes another lick. This one with a promise behind it. 

Steve helps him put on his coat, trying to help him juggle it and the cone. And when they step onto the street, Steve looks at him, "You drive here?"

Eddie shakes his head. Wayne only lives a couple blocks away, and he figured finding parking would be a bigger hassle than just walking.

Steve puts his hand on the small of Eddie's back, and leads him around the block, and then into the alley. His pickup is parked back there. There's a perk, Eddie supposes. Dedicated parking.

Eddie climbs up in it, and settles in, still licking his ice cream cone. And Steve pulls them onto the street, and away from the parade. Since most of the town is there, the streets are dead. And Eddie looks around, taking in the lights. 

Steve knows what he's doing, of course he does, so he steers them into Loch Nora, and lets him look at the rich houses, decorated to the nines. At least that's never changed.

They pass Harrington House, and Eddie wonders if Steve lives there. Or, if his parents still do. Steve reads his mind.

"My mom and dad flew south a few years ago," Steve says, "and by that time I had my own house, so they sold it."

Eddie nods. He knows it's hard to leave your childhood home, permanently. He's done it twice. He's an expert, and it hurts in a way you never expect, and you never really get over. That the place you grew up, isn't yours to call home anymore. 

"I'm sorry," Eddie says, and Steve smiles.

"It's okay. I like my house," Steve says. "You want to see it?"

And Eddie swallows. He knows what that offer entails, if he wants it to, and he nods, "Yeah. I do."

"Finish that cone, and we'll do that," Steve says, and it's husky and full of promise.

Eddie licks faster.

They pull up in front of a house in one of the nicer neighborhoods, but not Loch Nora. And Eddie follows Steve up the path, and onto the porch. Once they're inside, Steve pushes his front door closed behind them, grappling for Eddie's coat, trying to strip it off his shoulders, but they're too close to each other. Too tangled, and Eddie laughs. 

He helps the process along, shedding it, finally.

And then he's attached to Steve, again. It's desperate, and he should probably be embarrassed, but he's not. He needs this. He needs Steve. He's always needed Steve.

And he lets Steve lead him to his bedroom.

Steve's walking him backwards, kissing him, hands roaming all over Eddie's body.

"Where have you been all my life?" Eddie asks, pressing his face into Steve's neck.

"Right here where you left me," Steve answers, but there's no heat behind it, only the truth.

And Eddie presses his lips to Steve's neck, and smiles when Steve moans under his touch. Eddie loves to know that he can still play him like a goddamn fiddle, it makes him endlessly happy.

Steve kicks open his bedroom door, and pulls his shirt over his head. Eddie follows his lead, and watches as Steve digs in his nightstand, producing a bottle of lube and a row of condoms.

He throws them on the bed, and starts pulling his jeans down.

Fuck, yes. 

After, Steve is stroking the back of his hand, legs tangled together, the sheet pooled around their waists. Eddie hasn't been this warm in years. This comfortable. Not since Steve, the first time. 

"I know you have a whole life there, and I have a whole life here," Steve says, "but if you want to pretend things are the same, just for a while. Just while you're here. We could. We can, you know. I've missed you."

And Eddie wants. 

Wants that more than anything, but he's scared that blundering down the road not taken is just going to hurt more than ever before once they reach that fork at the end, again. That dead end that separates them off, again. 

But he's already in this. The damage has been done. So, he turns and smiles. Nodding.

"I've missed you, too."

And the grin Steve gives him is blinding.

"I could be your sweetheart, again, just for the weekend. While you're home," Steve says, like that isn't something that's going to break Eddie's fucking heart. 

Eddie gathers up Steve's hand, and pulls it to his chest, his heart.

Steve's been his sweetheart for a long time, together or not.

"You've always been my sweetheart," Eddie says, and it might sound like bullshit, but it's the truth. It's always been the truth. 

Steve burrows closer, resting his head on Eddie's chest. Over his heart. He runs his fingers over Eddie's bare stomach, touching the tattoos there. He's gotten a lot more ink since he's seen Steve last, and Steve is touching them all, getting acquainted.

Eddie runs his hand down Steve's arm, pausing at a raised scar under his elbow.

"Oven rack. Decided right then and there that cookies in the shop were a no go," Steve says, laughing a little into Eddie's skin.

"Sounds wise," Eddie says, and he'd kiss the scar if he could reach it. Later. He'll do it later.

The door that was cracked open, pushes open wider, and Eddie just about jumps out of his skin.

"That's just Pudding," Steve says, as a big, fluffy cream colored cat jumps up onto the bed. Then stopping at the foot, looking at Eddie.

Steve laughs, "It's fine, Puddy. C'mere, boy. It's just Eddie."

Like the cat is going to understand that, Eddie thinks, but the cat stomps up Steve's legs, and then steps a tentative paw onto Eddie's bare chest. Eddie reaches out and pets him on head, and the big cat leans into Eddie's touch.

"See? You're already friends," Steve says, and he isn't sure if Steve is talking to him or the cat.

The cat meows, and then hops down, before walking back out the door he'd opened. 

Steve curls back up against Eddie, wrapping his arm over his chest.

"You'll still be here in the morning, right?" Steve asks.

"I'll still be here," Eddie promises, and closes his eyes.

And he is, and they sleep in, just lazing in bed all morning. Trading kisses, and blow jobs, and just touching each other all over before Steve has to get up and open the shop. He drops Eddie back off at Wayne's with a goodbye kiss, and Wayne steps out on the porch, and waves. Steve waves back, and Eddie trudges through the snow towards the house. It snowed more overnight, leaving a fresh layer of white all over town.

It looks brand new.

It feels brand new.

Eddie slips past Wayne at the door, "Don't say a word, old man."

"I wouldn't dare," Wayne answers, holding the door open for him.

When the doorbell rings, Eddie's hopeful, for just a second, that it's Steve. But Steve's at work, and Robin's out of the country.

So, it's not Steve, it's just Gareth.

"I tried to call you this morning. Wayne said you didn't come home last night," Gareth says, slightly snippy.

He pushes past Eddie, already hanging up his coat. Eddie guesses he's staying.

"So, I take it you two talked," Gareth says, finally looking at Eddie. 

"Yeah, we talked," Eddie says.

"And fucked?" Gareth asks, and Eddie isn't going to be shamed by this kid. 

"And fucked. What of it?"

"Was just trying to gauge how bad the cleanup from this was gonna be. So, bad, right?"

Eddie shrugs. He doesn't think so. It doesn't feel bad right now, but maybe it will when the weekend ends, and he's back in L.A., without Steve, again. 

"We were just two old friends, having some casual sex," Eddie says, knowing it's a lie even as it rolls off his tongue.

Gareth laughs, "You and I are old friends. And we don't have casual sex with each other."

"Did you want to? You never said," Eddie teases, and Gareth shoves his shoulder.

Eddie smiles at him, then decides to be honest, "You know what I mean. It's comfortable, with Steve. With someone you know that well, even if a lot of time has passed. It was just like riding a bike."

"Eddie…"

"Gareth…" Eddie mocks, then softens, "I'm a big boy. I know what I've done."

"I hope so," Gareth says, digging around in Wayne's fridge, then moving to the freezer.

"And you're already buying his fancy-ass ice cream, you're just asking to suffer," Gareth says, plucking a tub out of the freezer.

"Those aren't mine, and Wayne's a dirty liar," Eddie laughs. "He gave me some the other night, and I asked if it was Steve's, and he said no."

"Well, it is from the Dairy King himself," Gareth says, popping off the lid of a bright purple container, peeling back the foil seal, and getting a spoon. "You want?"

Eddie lets Gareth feed him a spoonful, and it's good. They've all been good so far, but Eddie's not really surprised.

He turns the container in Gareth's hand so he can read the label: Lavender Berry.

"Are you gonna give me shit about this?" Eddie asks, and Gareth just looks at him. Shoving another spoonful in his mouth.

Then, Gareth looks away, and that's not the reaction Eddie was expecting.

"What?" Eddie asks.

"You are coming home with us, right? Back to L.A.?" Gareth asks, not looking at him.

Eddie reaches forward and squeezes both of his shoulders, "Yes, I'm going home with you. I promise."

Gareth nods, but doesn't really look like he believes him, and Eddie understands why.

Wayne comes in later and nods at them.

"I owe you some ice cream," Gareth says, and Wayne just nods again. 

Wayne just doesn't get too worked up about things like that. He knew Eddie was home. Anything in house would be fair game to eat, as far as Wayne would remember. 

"So, I thought that ice cream the other night wasn't Steve's?" Eddie asks, eyeing Wayne as he stands by his edge of the couch.

"Steve's? You never asked if it was Steve's, you asked if it was you know's and it sure wasn't," Wayne says, with just a hint of a smirk.

"You're an asshole, old man."

"Learned it from you," Wayne says back, and pops Eddie on the head with the newspaper he has in his hand.

Eddie grins up at him

Steve turns up again, after his shop has closed for the evening, and while they didn't have plans, Eddie was waiting on him. Steve has a brown paper sack, and opens the freezer and starts refilling it.

"Gareth stopped by earlier, said he owed Wayne some ice cream," Steve says, replacing a purple pint container just like the one Gareth had eaten, and then several others.

Eddie picks up a green one: Eddie's Pistacho.

It's a love letter, and one Steve probably assumed Eddie would never read.

"He didn't owe him that much ice cream," Eddie teases, and Steve laughs.

"Some are from me. I try to keep him stocked up," Steve says, and Eddie loves him for that. He loves him for lots of things, but especially that he's still stayed in contact with Wayne while Eddie was gone.

Wayne's out at his usual bar with his friends, and Steve settles onto the couch with Eddie, draping arm over Eddie's shoulders. It looks casual, but it's not. Eddie knows better, but he doesn't care, and he leans into Steve's side.

They hadn't made plans, but Eddie had still expected him. He thinks they're gonna just gonna act like nothing has changed, for these couple days. He's okay with that, okay with anything he can get.

Steve is scratching his blunt nails against Eddie's jeans, and it's driving Eddie a little crazy. 

"Want to go out and eat, or…" Steve trails off.

"Anything is good with me," Eddie answers, and that's true.

Steve gets up and starts going through Wayne's cabinets, and watching him, Eddie is certain it's not the first time he's been in this house, in that kitchen. Wayne has never mentioned that, but Eddie understands why he didn't.

"We could make pancakes?" Steve offers, and Eddie nods. 

It's just a box mix, but they stand together, and watch each pancake brown and bubble in the old cast iron pan. Steve's putting butter down to melt before spooning each one into the hot skillet. They're thick and fluffy, and when they sit down at the bar to eat them, they are pretty damn good for being from a box. 

Eddie doesn't cook all that much with their weird, late hours, and Gareth doesn't either, so they rely on delivery and take-out a lot more than they should. They could make pancakes from a box. Maybe they should, more often. Get his own cast iron pan, and grow up, maybe.

After they've eaten, they do the dishes, side-by-side, and one thing leads to another, and they push and pull each other into Eddie's bedroom, not stopping until they're sprawled out on the bed, Steve on top of him. 

Eddie cups Steve's face, and Steve leans into his touch, turning his face until he can press a kiss into Eddie's palm. 

And that's…everything. The dam between has not only sprung a leak, it's now rushing out full speed, wide open.

"Sweetheart," Eddie says, and Steve closes his eyes, just leaning into Eddie's touch. 

"I still love you, Eddie," Steve says, eyes still closed.

And Eddie grips his hip with his other hand, "I still love you, too."

Then Steve presses down, grinding their bodies together, and it's like no time has passed. Like he's still twenty-two, and madly in love with his boy.

No, now he's thirty-two, and madly in love with this man.

They're cuddled up on the couch, watching television, when Wayne comes home.

"Night, boys," Wayne says as he passes through, heading on to bed.

"Well, I should go," Steve says, standing.

Eddie stands with him. 

"You can stay, you know," Eddie says, and Steve nods. They fly out tomorrow. He wants Steve to stay. Or he'll go home with Steve. Whatever Steve wants. He wants one more night with him, however he can get it.

And Steve walks to the guest room, so Eddie follows. The sheets are still a tangled mess from earlier, and he's sure Wayne noticed as he walked by. Eddie doesn't care, and he knows that Wayne doesn't either. 

Eddie didn't pack a lot of clothes, but he rummages through what he has, and throws Steve a t-shirt and a pair of boxers. 

Steve holds them, and smiles back at him.

They get ready for bed, and then curl up together under the quilt. Hands and mouths wandering, as they whisper promises to each other in the dark that Eddie hopes they can keep.

When the sun peeks through the curtains, Eddie groans. He's not ready. He wasn't ready the first time, and he's definitely not ready now. They eat breakfast with Wayne, sitting around the kitchen table, drinking coffee, just talking. After Wayne goes to work, hugging Eddie goodbye until next time, they take a shower together, and Eddie memorizes every inch of Steve's body. Every new mole, every new scar. The fact that he has even thicker chest hair than he had, before.

Eddie wants to remember it all. 

There's a horn honking out front, and it's the band, ready to go. Eddie's not ready. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

He hugs Steve a little longer, before the honking becomes too much to ignore. Wayne's neighbors are gonna get pissed.

Eddie opens the front door to acknowledge them, and none of them seem surprised to see Steve following him out of the house. He supposes Gareth told them, or Steve's truck in the drive gave it away. 

Steve leans in, hugging Eddie again, pressing their lips together, before breaking apart. Steve leans his face close to Eddie's, "It was nice to be your sweetheart again."

And Eddie wants to cry, might just do it. 

He cups Steve's cheek, "You're always gonna be my sweetheart."

"Can we-"

"Eddie, c'mon! We're gonna miss our flight!" Goodie screams from the backseat, interrupting Steve. A broken record, that one.

Steve has him pressed against the side of the car, but Eddie manages to get his hand behind him, flipping Goodie off through the window. He feels the window coming down, and he snatches his hand back before Goodie crushes his hand, or bites his fingers. Something unpleasant, for sure.

Eddie pushes off the car, still kissing Steve, still pressed close together. 

When they finally break apart, Eddie rests his forehead on Steve's.

"We're gonna make this work, right?" Eddie asks. "For longer than the weekend?"

And Steve nods.

"I gotta go now," Eddie says, even if he doesn't want to. Not at all. "But I'd rather stay with you. You know that, right? I'm not running from you. Not again."

"I know. Call me when you get home," Steve says.

"I will," Eddie promises.

"I'll come see you next month," Steve promises, and Eddie squeezes him harder. 

"Eddie!" Jeff yells, and Eddie knows that's his actual cue. If Jeff's getting involved, they actually are running late.

"I love you, sweetheart," Eddie says, "I've always loved you."

"I've always loved you, too," Steve echoes, and Eddie kisses him one more time.

And then they're driving away, Steve in the rearview mirror, just like he was a decade ago.

Only, this time, he's smiling and waving. 

Eddie leans out of the passenger window, and winter air is freezing, but he looks back, waves, and blows Steve a kiss.

He can't see the details of Steve's face, not from this far, but he sees his hands in his pockets, and how he rocks backwards on his heels. And Eddie can read that body language, perfectly, even all these years later.

He's laughing.

Eddie slides back into his seat, and he smiles, pulling his hair over his mouth.

"Jesus Christ," Goodie mumbles, and Eddie tosses his head back and laughs. Gareth reaches over and pats him on the thigh, and Eddie turns and smiles at him, and Gareth is smiling back.

"Hey, sweetheart," Eddie says, wedging the phone against his ear as he's unpacking his suitcase. 

"Hey, honey," Steve says, and Eddie can hear the smile on his face. "Your flight okay?"

"Uneventful. Except Goodie acting like a big ol' baby. He's thirty years old and still scared to fly. He's ridiculous. We haven't crashed yet," Eddie teases and Steve laughs. 

"Be nice," Steve tells him, and Eddie laughs. Impossible. If they weren't making fun of each other, something would really be wrong. "Robin's home. She's mad she missed the big reunion."

"Well, she should haven't decided to go on a Christmas cruise," Eddie says.

"That's what I said!" Steve hollers, and Eddie can hear Robin in the background scrabbling for the phone.

"Hey, dingus número dos" she says.

"Hey, Buckley," Eddie says, "sorry I missed you."

"Yeah, yeah, I bet you are," she says, like she's threatening. She's not threatening. Well, not too threatening. "You better listen to me, Munson. If you hurt him-"

"I know, I know," Eddie says, "I'm in to win it, Buckley."

"You better be," she says, and then she lowers her voice to a whisper, "I've missed you, too, you know."

"Back at you, Robbie," he says.

"Do I get to come visit with Steve?" she asks, and Eddie smiles.

"Any time you want to," he promises.

"I'll hold you to that," she assures, "I'll just want until you've got all the fucking out of your system."

"That's never gonna happen," Eddie says, and she laughs.

"I'm happy for him, and for you, too. Took you long enough," she says.

He laughs.

They've been in this thing, alone and apart. Now, they're gonna be in it, together and apart. Hopefully not forever, but this is an improvement, that's for goddamn sure. 

"How was your cruise with your lady love?" Eddie asks, and Robin laughs.

"It was great," she says, and tells him all about it, and then she pauses for a long few seconds, and Eddie wonders if the call has dropped, but then she's speaking again, softly, "We should all go together, next year."

"Count me in," Eddie says easily, "now, put my sweetheart back on."

And Robin says bye and does just that.

"Hi, it's me again," Steve says, and Eddie couldn't be happier.

Him again is the dream. 

And Eddie listens as Steve talks about his newest flavor idea, and Eddie can't wait to try it the next time he's back home. He doesn't know what their long-term plan looks like, just that they're gonna do this life thing together for a while. See what happens.

They didn't do so hot flying solo, so he's definitely ready to try it as partners again. Now that they're both older. Now that they both know what they want, and who they love.

It's gonna work out this time, Eddie can feel it.

And he smiles, Steve's voice in his ear.

Notes: I know this song has been done roughly a million times in every fandom. But it was on the song list for a reason. Because it's a damn good fic prompt. So, more cake? I hope.

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